Dawn broke gently over Pingling. At the city gate, Xiao Weiran stood beside Ning Fei, both weary but alert. Weiran had just arrived after two sleepless days of travel, yet Ning Fei looked even more exhausted. His eyes, bloodshot from days without rest, stayed fixed on every passerby, refusing to blink as if afraid to miss someone.
Weiran placed a steadying hand on his friend’s shoulder. “You should rest a while. I can take over.”
Ning Fei shook his head. “The scouts checking the last few estates will be back soon. I’d better wait—” He broke off mid-sentence, eyes sharpening as he suddenly pointed ahead. “Stop that carriage!”
Before Weiran could react, Ning Fei sprinted toward a plain, nondescript carriage that had just turned back from the checkpoint. Within moments, Pingling’s guards surrounded it.
Ning Fei stepped forward, voice steady but firm. “Whose carriage is this? Where are you headed? Why did you turn back when you saw the checkpoint?”
The driver froze, pale with fear. Then, a calm and melodic voice drifted from within the carriage. “I am Ling Xueying, daughter of Ling Yuguang, City Guardian of Caocheng. I was on my way home for the Zhongyuan Festival but realized I left something important in my villa here. I only turned back to retrieve it.”
Ning Fei’s gaze narrowed, suspicion flickering beneath his calm tone. “I’m under orders from the Prince of Zhennan to search for fugitives. May I ask Miss Ling to step out of the carriage and present her identity card?”
The soft sound of jade chimed before a pale, delicate hand slipped out from behind the curtain, holding a jade token. “As an unmarried woman, I cannot show my face in public. Here is my identity card. Please verify it quickly so I may continue.”
Weiran examined the card carefully, then shook his head, signaling no issue. He handed it back politely. Ning Fei, though unsatisfied, bowed slightly. “You may pass, Miss.”
The slender hand retrieved the card. “Thank you.”
The soldiers stepped aside. The carriage driver flicked the reins, and the horses moved forward, hooves clattering on the cobblestones.
Ning Fei watched the carriage disappear through the morning mist, unease stirring in his chest. Weiran sighed beside him, a faint smile curving his lips. “What a beautiful name.”
That name—Xueying. Ning Fei froze. He had heard it before. At Huajian Pavilion.
His eyes lit with sudden realization. “Weiran… I think we’ve found Yixiao.”
In the backyard of a quiet villa, Xueying leapt from the carriage before her maid could assist her. She ran inside, calling frantically.
“Yixiao! Yixiao, Yixiao, Yixiao!” She burst through the door. “Quickly pack your things and hide! The gates are under lockdown—they’re searching for you!”
Yi Xiao calmly set down the silver bow she had been polishing. “Why did you come back?”
Xueying hurried about the room, piling objects on the table. “The guards are checking every house. My carriage was stopped, and they examined my documents. Take your belongings and leave through the back—hide anywhere you can. I’ll find you later. I must go before they grow suspicious!”
Yi Xiao watched her friend’s flustered movements with quiet amusement. When Xueying reached for her bow, she grabbed it first. “You promised not to go to Lucheng until I returned—don’t you dare break that promise!”
Yi Xiao sighed. “I don’t want to break it, but…” She pointed behind Xueying. “You should greet our guests first.”
Three figures stood in the doorway—Xiao Weiran, serene as ever; Ning Fei, burning with anger; and Xueying’s terrified maid, Xiu Mu, hovering behind them.
Weiran gave a courteous smile. “This young lady looks familiar. May I have your name?”
Yi Xiao pulled Xueying behind her, a teasing smirk tugging her lips. “These two gentlemen look familiar too. Forgive me—my memory has been poor lately. Perhaps you can remind me when we last met?”
“You dare pretend to be confused!” Ning Fei’s voice cut sharply.
Xueying shoved past Yixiao, glaring. “You’re despicable! You followed me!”
“We haven’t even accused you of harboring a fugitive, yet you still talk back?” Ning Fei shot back coldly.
“Who says Yixiao is a fugitive? Show me the arrest warrant!”
“How did you know I was talking about Yixiao?” he countered smugly. Xueying froze, speechless, then grabbed a nearby shovel in fury.
Weiran intervened gently. “Yixiao, since you’re alive, why have you hidden yourself? We all thought you were gone.”
Yi Xiao met his gaze steadily. “The person you’re looking for died four years ago.”
Ning Fei flared. “You have the nerve to bring up four years ago! You jumped without explaining a thing—do you know how that felt?” He was mid-complaint when a shovel swung toward his head. He ducked just in time.
Breathless, Xueying growled, “If Father had taught me martial arts, I’d smash your skull right now!”
Yi Xiao gently took the shovel from her hands. “Enough, you’ll roughen your palms again.”
Weiran’s smile returned, faint and bittersweet. “Yixiao, come back with us. His Highness has never blamed you. He even told the court you were away on duty. Apologize, and all will be forgiven.”
Yi Xiao shook her head. “After four years of peace, I’m no longer fit for the battlefield. Going back would only disappoint him.”
Ning Fei interjected, “If you return, you can stay by His Highness’s side. Maybe it’s fate—”
Yi Xiao cut him off. “Perhaps in your eyes, everything is fate. But to me, it’s choice. Love isn’t heaven’s will—it’s simply whether it can be mine.”
Xueying squeezed her hand. “Exactly! If he can’t cherish you, he doesn’t deserve you. Come with me instead!”
Ning Fei blocked her path. “No—she’s coming to Lucheng with us!”
Yi Xiao rubbed her temples, exasperated. “Enough. Since you’ve already found me, my peaceful days are over. I was planning to return anyway.”
Xueying huffed, “Then I’m going too! Xiu Mu, tell Father I’m not coming home!”
Back at the palace, Xia Jingshi entered the side hall, where Ning Fei and Weiran waited awkwardly. “Didn’t you say you brought her back? Where is she?”
Weiran forced a laugh. “Your Highness, we did. But her friend insisted she rest at her residence first. She said she’d come pay respects after a few days.”
Jingshi sighed softly. “Still so willful. If I’d known she was in Pingling, I’d have gone myself.”
Ning Fei hesitated before speaking, “Your Highness, Yixiao has already…”
Jingshi’s face paled instantly. “What happened? Was she injured from the fall? Is she… disabled?”
Weiran shot Ning Fei a glare. “It’s not that. She’s just… different now. You’ll understand when you see her.”
Jingshi raised a hand to silence him. “No need to wait. I’ll go see her now.”
“Your Highness,” Ning Fei warned softly, “perhaps it’s not wise to—”
Jingshi smiled faintly. “I’ve never feared the shadows. Let’s go.”
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