Chapter 1: Unexpected Rescue

In the prime of spring, within an elegant and ancient courtyard in the capital, a peach blossom tree stood tall and proud at the center. The pink calyxes and pale stamens of the flower buds were in full bloom, resembling rosy clouds that had fallen from the sky, dazzling and brilliant.

“I’m afraid I’ll be late again!” Qiu Yi looked anxiously at the darkening sky, her running feet quickening their pace involuntarily.

She hurried past the peach blossom tree, stirring up a breeze that swept up several colorful petals, which quietly nestled in her disheveled hair, adding a touch of playfulness.

At this moment, in a simple and elegant room, wisps of smoke rose from a clear-glazed incense burner, and the light curtains around the bed fluttered in the wind.

Lu Yuner was lying on the soft couch, resting with her eyes closed.

However, her delicate eyebrows were tightly furrowed, as if she was in pain. A thin layer of sweat seeped from her fair forehead, as if she was entangled by something unpleasant in her dream. Her fair fingers clutched the soft quilt tightly as she struggled.

After a long while, her clenched fists slowly relaxed, but the tormented quilt remained crumpled.

Lu Yuner breathed slightly, slowly opening her eyes and staring blankly at the bed canopy, as if she was thinking about something.

Especially those motionless eyes, like a rushing mountain spring, gathering into a great river as time passed, eventually returning to stillness without a single ripple or wave.

She had another nightmare.

Qiu Yi stood outside the study door, pursing her lips in hesitation for a long time, her raised hand lingering in the air, not knocking on the door.

Today was the day when the master had agreed to meet with the Si Ye and Liu Shaojiang at the Mingyue Lou, and it was almost time, but the master had yet to get out of bed.

Qiu Yi knew it was not the master’s fault. Ever since the master took the position of the Minister of Revenue, she had been diligent in her duties and dedicated to her work, often personally handling matters late into the night.

Fortunately, thanks to the Si Ye’s special request to the Empress for an imperial decree, the master was appointed as a scholar at the Imperial Academy. From now on, she could take it easy, teaching and grading assignments, without being so exhausted.

However, just before this, there were many official matters to be handed over, and the master only managed to rest after finishing them in the early morning.

Just as Qiu Yi was at a loss, suddenly a pleasant and soothing female voice came from inside the room.

“Qiu Yi, are you anxious again?”

Suddenly, with a creak, the door opened. Lu Yuner, dressed in a light blue plain robe, stepped out. Her ink-like black hair was tied up with a red ribbon, revealing her graceful neck. Her light eyebrows were like autumn water, and her jade-like skin accompanied the gentle breeze[1], her slender figure and light clothes unable to hide her elegant and peerless beauty.

Upon hearing this, Qiu Yi breathed a sigh of relief and stepped forward with a smile to tidy up the master’s clothes.

“Master, you’re finally awake. If you’re late, the Si Ye and Liu Shaojiang will have to wait a bit longer.” She couldn’t help but remind the master.

The Si Ye would be fine, but that Liu Shaojiang would definitely make some teasing remarks.

Lu Yuner stood still, cooperating with Qiu Yi as she tidied up her appearance.

She looked up at the gathering dusk around her, her enchanting almond eyes curving slightly, seemingly lazy and casual yet flawless and pure, making anyone who saw her feel a touch of tenderness.

“It’s alright, I know what I’m doing. Look, the timing is just right. Besides, even if I’m a little late, they won’t blame me.” She spoke with a gentle smile.

Lu Yuner turned her gaze to Qiu Yi, noticing the dark circles under her eyes, and her tone became softer. “By the way, you don’t need to accompany me today. It’s just a casual gathering with friends for tea and conversation. You stayed up with me until dawn last night, you’ve worked hard enough. Just stay at the mansion and get some good rest.”

As she spoke, she noticed a few peach blossom petals in Qiu Yi’s hair and fell into thought: The peach blossoms were blooming again; another year had passed since she transmigrated.

“Qiu Yi, you’ve been with me for these years, yet your impulsiveness hasn’t improved at all. In the future, don’t be in such a hurry when you encounter things. Take it slow.” She raised her hand and only tidied up Qiu Yi’s messy loose hair.

After all, haste makes waste.

Hearing the master’s caring words, Qiu Yi felt a warmth in her heart and obediently replied, “Yes, Master.”

As night fell, the lanterns were lit.

The night market in the capital was bustling with activity, and the crowded streets were lively and vibrant. Two young masters were weaving through the crowd.

“Young master, slow down!” Xiao Yuan called out breathlessly, looking at the wandering figure of Su Qingwan in front of him.

Su Qingwan wore a light veil, revealing a pair of spirited phoenix eyes, with upturned corners and starlight scattered in the depths of his pupils. His raven-like eyelashes fluttered slightly. Although his full appearance was not revealed, it was difficult to conceal his ethereal beauty.

At this moment, he furrowed his brows slightly, looking very dissatisfied, and pouted, “Xiao Yuan, we’ve only walked a few steps! Look at you, so exhausted. I won’t bring you out again in the future, you’re such a killjoy!”

Xiao Yuan pursed his lips, looking pitiful. He had been looked down upon by the young master again.

He cautiously persuaded, “Young master, look, we’ve already snuck out for so long, it’s time we should return to the mansion, otherwise… the Empress will be angry again!”

After saying that, his eyes quickly swept over the young master’s face, timidly observing his emotional reaction.

Upon hearing the word “Empress”, Su Qingwan’s bright phoenix eyes instantly exuded a hint of coldness, and his tone also sank a few degrees. “No, it’s rare to be able to come out today, so I want to stroll around until I’m satisfied. No one can stop me! Besides, what are you afraid of? If anything happens, I’ll shield you.”

Xiao Yuan lowered his eyes at this moment, not daring to speak again.

Suddenly, the sound of gongs and drums came from not far ahead, and the crowd surged forward. The scene instantly erupted like a boiling pot, with endless enthusiastic cheers.

Su Qingwan stood on tiptoe and looked ahead, his bright eyes flickering with excitement. “Let’s go and see what’s happening up front. It seems like the September Hundred Plays Troupe is performing?”

Seeing the young master rushing off, Xiao Yuan had no choice but to quickly follow.

At this time, Lu Yuner was on her way to the appointment. She gently opened her fan with one hand and waved it elegantly, like a spirit butterfly coming from the flowers, exuding the fragrance of a hundred blossoms with a single wave.

A beautiful lady dressed in plain clothes but with an otherworldly temperament naturally attracted the burning gazes of the young gentlemen on the street.

Lu Yuner was long accustomed to this and instead responded with a gentle smile, causing the young gentlemen’s faces to flush red as they shyly turned their heads, watching her departing figure with reluctant sidelong glances.

The Mingyue Lou was a business under the hand of Liu Shaojiang, located on the west bank of the Liushui River in the southern market of the capital, far from the bustle of the city, indeed a quiet place for friends to drink and recite poetry together.

At this moment, compared to the previous noisy market, the banks of the Liushui River seemed particularly quiet.

The full moon hung in the sky, its bright moonlight like a drape of silvery-white gauze, casting a hazy and enchanting shimmer on the rippling waves of the Liushui River.

Suddenly, Lu Yuner’s almond eyes gradually narrowed, her gaze firmly locked on the undulating river surface not far away. In the next second, her pupils dilated, and she immediately took off her outer garment and jumped into the cold river with a splash.

A short moment later.

Lu Yuner, her clothes completely soaked and her hair wet and stuck to her temples, looked solemnly at the young gentleman lying on the ground, already devoid of any signs of life.

She immediately lifted her veil with her slender fingers, revealing an exceptionally beautiful face.

Her face was cold and stunning, with long eyebrows like willows and a figure like a jade tree. At the corner of her left eye, there was an alluring beauty mark.

The young gentleman’s ink-black hair was scattered on the ground, and his clothes that were tightly clinging to his body were somewhat disheveled from being soaked in the river water.

The collar slightly exposed his fair and smooth shoulders and neck. Under the glow of the moonlight, his creamy skin exuded an irresistibly charming allure.

However, Lu Yuner instinctively adjusted his clothes and then said, “Pardon me.”

After emergency treatment, the young gentleman had already regained consciousness. Coincidentally, from the vague firelight not far away, voices searching for someone could be heard.

Lu Yuner pondered for a moment, covered him with her dry outer garment from the shore, and then turned to leave.

It wasn’t that she wanted to do a good deed without leaving her name. It was just that this was a female-dominant world, and her actions just now were already considered frivolous.

If people saw it, it would ruin the young gentleman’s reputation. If this young gentleman was already engaged…

After much thought, she decided it was better to leave. Now that someone was looking for him, at least his life was not in danger.

As the firelight approached, someone excitedly called out, “Young master, over there!”

In the elegant private room of Mingyue Lou.

“Hahaha!” A hearty and cheerful female laughter came from the room.

“I say, Lu Yuner! Lu Yuner! So the reason you were so late was that you took a free bath somewhere!”

Liu Lan looked at Lu Yuner’s completely soaked appearance with astonishment, looking like a drenched chicken, and couldn’t stop laughing.

The more she looked, the more she wanted to laugh, and she couldn’t help but burst out laughing again, “Pfft! Hahaha!”

Lu Yuner: “…” This carefree woman.

“Liu Lan, stop teasing Sister Yuner.” Seeing the situation, Han Ranzhi quickly picked up an outer garment beside her and covered it over Lu Yuner, urging, “Quickly have someone bring a clean set of clothes.”

Only then did Liu Lan react, the laughter in her tone not diminishing. “Alright!”

After a while, Lu Yuner changed into a plain white outfit. The three of them sat on the soft and smooth carpet, with a golden nanmu square table in front of them, displaying tea sets for tea tasting.

She looked at the two people in front of her who were three years older than her: One was the hardworking and newly married Si Ye, Han Ranzhi, with a pure and handsome appearance and an upright character.

Although she came from a humble background, she passed the imperial examinations with true talent and learning, eventually becoming an official. The person she married was the childhood friend who had always accompanied her, simply a big winner in life.

The other was the charming, unrestrained, and beautiful young general Liu Lan, who also came from a family of generals. She was a passionate person who spoke her mind, loved fine wine, and loved beauties even more.

Now that the Great Yuan Dynasty had been stable for many years, with the northern border of Huabei not being invaded by foreign enemies, the Liu family of generals had made indispensable contributions and naturally received great favor from the Empress.

In addition, this young general Liu was known for her romantic reputation.

Because she was really romantic, every time Liu Lan opened her mouth, Lu Yuner was left speechless.

As for how they met…

Initially, due to an accident, Lu Yuner’s soul transmigrated into the body of a woman with the same name in a female-dominant world. The original owner of this body was the descendant of a loyal family of generals. Her parents had passed away, and the original owner was a talented and virtuous person. The Empress, in recognition of the Lu family’s meritorious service in protecting the country, promoted the original owner to the position of Minister of Revenue.

It just so happened that Lu Yuner had just transmigrated over at that time. After all, being new to the imperial court, with the complexities and undercurrents of court politics, one misstep could lead to irreparable consequences.

Han Ranzhi, in order to repay the kindness of the original owner’s mother saving her husband, assisted Lu Yuner on the side. Otherwise, she, as a mere novice, would have drowned in the unfathomable muddy waters.

As for meeting this young general Liu Lan, it was a bit later. At that time, Liu Lan had just returned to the capital from Huabei and showed considerable hostility towards Lu Yuner upon their first meeting, disapproving of her in every way.

However, during a polo tournament, Lu Yuner, having come from a family of generals, had some foundation. She competed against Liu Lan and won three consecutive rounds, but Liu Lan still refused to accept defeat.

She wanted to have a one-on-one archery competition with Lu Yuner within a set time limit, comparing the number of targets hit. Although Liu Lan won in the end, she was completely convinced by Lu Yuner’s three arrows released simultaneously after the time limit.

After interacting, she found that Lu Yuner was actually quite good, except for her romantic nature.

At this moment, Liu Lan lazily reclined on the cushion, her hands crossed behind her head, with a roguish smile on the corner of her mouth. “Sister Yuner, hurry up and tell us what happened?”

“It was due to saving someone,” Lu Yuner said with a gentle smile.

Liu Lan immediately became interested and sat up, moving close to her. With raised eyebrows, she spoke in a tone full of gossip, “Saving someone? Male or female?”

“This…”

Lu Yuner didn’t know how to respond. Recalling that exquisite face, she couldn’t help but marvel, purely in admiration, without any other intentions.

She knew well that Liu Lan enjoyed chatting about romantic matters and loved the handsome men in the capital. If she found out, wouldn’t she…

At this moment, Han Ranzhi spoke up while placing the brewed tea in front of Lu Yuner, “Alright, Liu Lan, let Sister Yuner off the hook! Since it was to save someone, it was a kind act. Why bother about whether it was a man or a woman?”

Lu Yuner took the teacup in her hands, blowing on the steam while absorbing the warmth from the cup. Although it was already March, the Liushui River was still bone-chillingly cold.

If it weren’t for the fact that this body had some martial arts foundation, she wouldn’t have been able to walk at that time.

“As her sister, I’m just concerned about Sister Yuner’s happiness! If it was a man, what if he offers himself in gratitude? Wouldn’t that mean Sister Yuner has a romantic encounter? Ranzhi, I’m not saying you, you’re already married so naturally you don’t have to worry. After all, you have a lovely young husband to hold in your arms every night, warming the hibiscus bed, a gentle paradise night after night. But… our Sister Yuner is still alone until now, without even a man to warm her bed or to amuse her and relieve her boredom.” Liu Lan turned her gossipy gaze to Han Ranzhi and continued.

Liu Lan’s words poured into Han Ranzhi’s ears, and her face turned slightly red. Indeed! Without mentioning it, it would have been fine, but once mentioned, she thought of her adorable young husband at home, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously curved upward.

Seeing Han Ranzhi’s face filled with happiness, Liu Lan knew she had hit the mark and thought to herself: However, is married life really that good?

Immediately, she cast aside this thought that had nothing to do with her. With one hand on Lu Yuner’s shoulder, she had a nonchalant appearance.

“Sister Yuner, tell your sister honestly, don’t you feel a bit lonely and empty in the quiet of the night? When you have desires, you need to release them, otherwise it’s bad for your health. How about I take you to visit a brothel in the future, to have a taste of something fresh? I guarantee you, the looks will be top-notch and the taste will be mind-blowing.”

At this moment, Lu Yuner had three invisible black lines on her forehead: “…”

Here she goes again.

Hearing that she wanted to take Sister Yuner to a brothel, Han Ranzhi quickly interrupted, “Enough! Don’t lead Sister Yuner astray. Sister Yuner is maintaining her purity, unlike you, General Liu, with your frivolous thoughts, thinking about this young gentleman today and that young gentleman tomorrow. Besides, we came out today to discuss important matters, not to chat about other things.”

Only then did Liu Lan restrain herself and obediently said, “Alright, I’ll listen to the Si Ye.”

Then she lay down again, returning to her initial comfortable posture.