The young man wore dark clothing and a mask. Despite it, his sword-like eyebrows were neatly arched, and beneath his long, slightly curled lashes were a pair of clear eyes.
"Miss!"
A year had passed, yet Ling Ye's address to her remained unchanged.
Ling Ye was now twenty. When she was ten, her father had brought him back to the general's mansion, making him a hidden guard to protect her.
Though still young, Ling Ye's martial arts were exceptional. He had been deliberately trained by her father to be her protector.
However, Ling Ye moved like a phantom, appearing and disappearing without a trace. Unless Xing Ru was in danger, or she specifically summoned him, Ling Ye would never be by her side.
He had worn that mask since she first met him. For five years, she had never seen his face, only knowing his name was Ling Ye.
Xing Ru paid no mind to his salutation and said, "I want to walk alone. Can you not follow me for now?"
Ling Ye did not hesitate and replied directly, "No! The Grand General ordered that I must stay by Miss's side, especially when we are outside..."
Xing Ru's brow furrowed, then relaxed.
"What danger could I possibly encounter here? This is my home."
Ling Ye was momentarily lost in thought at her words.
Home?
But he quickly regained his composure, his cold, proud gaze now fixed on Xing Ru.
"Miss, this is the General's command!"
Xing Ru grew a little annoyed, but since she couldn't defeat him, she suppressed her temper and said, "Then follow if you must, just don't let me notice you."
This was practically stating the obvious. If she hadn't known Ling Ye could pinpoint her with a single finger, she wouldn't have been able to sense his presence at all.
Her cheeks flushing slightly, Xing Ru ignored him and continued walking.
Ling Ye quickly vanished, and she could no longer see him.
She soon arrived by a lake. It wasn't the lake she had been thrown into after her kidnapping, but as she looked at the water before her, the memory of that time quickly surfaced.
That time, she had nearly lost her life. It was Yue Bei Yang who had saved her from the lake.
The sounds coming from behind the rock garden made Xing Ru freeze, feeling as if she had been struck by lightning.
"Your Excellency the National Preceptor..."
The woman's soft laugh was followed by a man's voice from behind the rock garden. It was a man and a woman.
Xing Ru dared not listen further, yet she dared not move. Although she had no experience with such matters between men and women, her wet nurse had instructed her before her wedding. Even with her limited understanding, she could comprehend what the two were doing.
She covered her ears, frozen in place, a sense of panic washing over her. What if they discovered her?
Judging by their address, it was the National Preceptor and a woman from the palace.
Who could that woman be?
As if their activities had concluded, rustling sounds of dressing came from behind the rock garden. The National Preceptor's voice inquired, "Has Yue Bei Yang shown any abnormalities lately?"
His voice instantly turned cold, devoid of its earlier tenderness.
The woman seemed displeased and grumbled, "Your Excellency, have you come into the palace just for this matter? Then this consort is not satisfied..."
Xing Ru felt goosebumps rise on her skin.
She could now roughly ascertain their identities: one was the renowned National Preceptor, and the other, a consort.
These two were so depraved as to be together in the rock garden of the imperial harem!
Xing Ru dared not move, yet she constantly observed the movements behind the mountain. What if they came out and encountered her?
"Naturally, it's for you, my dear..." the National Preceptor cajoled. But then he continued, "As I told you, the Second Prince is very important to me. You must keep a close eye on him, or else..."
For some unknown reason, the woman suddenly replied with a serious tone, "The Second Prince has shown no abnormalities recently, nor has he interacted much with others. He has barely seen the Queen, only frequently visiting Yue Nan Sang at Lan Palace."
The woman was clearly displeased, her tone losing its earlier sweetness.
The National Preceptor paid it no mind. After a long pause, he muttered, "Yue Bei Yang and Yue Nan Sang are truly a good pair of siblings!"
He suddenly laughed, a touch of madness in his voice. This laugh, to Xing Ru, stirred up immense turmoil.
Why did he emphasize the words 'good siblings'?
Xing Ru was bewildered, but soon the sounds from behind the rock garden ceased. The two seemed to have parted ways, and footsteps were approaching her.
Xing Ru's heart pounded like a drum, but her feet felt like lead. With great effort, she managed to move, only to nearly trip.
Just as she was about to be discovered, a shadow suddenly appeared behind her, scooping her up and hiding her within the rock garden.
It was Ling Ye!
He placed a finger to his lips, signaling her to be silent. Seeing his familiar eyebrows and eyes, she finally relaxed.
Xing Ru covered her mouth, terrified of making a sound.
The person did not notice anything amiss and walked away boldly, as if certain no one was there.
After he had left, both Xing Ru and Ling Ye emerged from the rock garden.
"Miss, it would be best to pretend you heard nothing of today's events!"
Ling Ye said this, his tone not threatening, but serious.
Xing Ru naturally understood the gravity of the situation. She didn't know who the consort was, but she had committed such a heinous act! She nodded, indicating she understood.
Before she could say more, Ling Ye vanished before her eyes.
Xing Ru cautiously scanned her surroundings, and only after confirming she was alone did she leave.
In the Queen's Palace.
The palaces of the Anzhou royal family were almost identical, with the same layout, the same style, no differences, only variations in size.
The glittering golden palaces, coupled with their vividly colored clothing, possessed a unique charm. Unlike women in the Central Plains, the people here dressed boldly and enjoyed displaying their attractive figures, thus their attire was considered revealing.
This was true even for royalty.
Xing Ru's fair skin was accentuated by the resplendent golden palace, making it appear even more flawless. She was petite, yet exceptionally beautiful. However, the aesthetic of Anzhou favored tall beauties like Yue Nan Sang.
Hence, Yue Nan Sang was considered the most beautiful.
Dinner had been prepared early in the Queen's palace. Living on the steppes, their daily diet naturally consisted primarily of meat, so the table was laden with various meat dishes.
Everyone took their seats. Yue Bei Yang and Yue Nan Sang were seated on either side of the Queen, and according to etiquette, Xing Ru's position was next to Yue Bei Yang.
Xing Ru was not very hungry at the moment, but she couldn't interject into their conversations. She could only lower her head and eat the food on her plate bit by bit to alleviate her awkwardness.
Yue Bei Yang was also a man of few words. Whenever they dined at the Queen's palace, it was generally like this. The couple acted as bystanders, listening to Yue Nan Sang and the Queen, mother and daughter, engage in casual conversation.