Xuan Mei walked through the rge but barren garden.

  She sighed. "It looks so empty."

  One of her new servant girls hesitantly spoke. "Would you like us to clean it up, Your Highness?"

  Xuan Mei shook her head. "No, not just clean it up—I want to grow flowers."

  "Flowers?"

  She nodded. "Buy flower seeds with this one silver coin. They should be easy to find."

  The servants quickly set off to fulfill her wish.

  As Xuan Mei sat on the cool stone bench, she thought, This manor will become beautiful.

  Just like the home we never had in the pace.

  --

  The dining hall of Xing Manor was much livelier than before. The wooden table, once empty and dusty, now held a feast of delicious dishes. The aroma of braised pork, steamed fish, and stir-fried greens filled the air.

  Xuan Zhi, the mastermind behind the meal, sat at the head of the table, elegantly picking at his food.

  Across from him, Xuan Yan was excitedly retelling the events at the restaurant.

  "And then the soldier just handed over his money!" Xuan Yan ughed, recalling Yan Rui’s annoyed expression.

  Xuan Zhi paused mid-bite. He stared at her.

  "You… talked to a stranger?"

  Xuan Yan blinked. "I mean, not really—"

  "You mean really." Xuan Zhi set his chopsticks down. "Yan’er, do you have any self-preservation skills?"

  Xuan Yan scoffed. "I was fine! What’s the worst that could happen?"

  Xuan Zhi sighed. "You were disguised as a man, talking to an unfamiliar soldier in a foreign city. Do you understand how reckless that is?"

  "Oh, please. It’s not like he kidnapped me."

  "He could have."

  "He didn’t."

  "That’s not the point—"

  "Then what is the point?"

  "The point is you’re a fool!"

  "The point is you’re paranoid!"

  "You think this is paranoia? You snuck out—again! You don’t even know who that soldier was—"

  "He was a deputy general. Not some street thug!"

  "That makes it worse!"

  "How?!"

  "Because that means he’s dangerous! A man who can kill people for a living is not someone you should joke around with!"

  "Well, I was disguised, you know—"

  "That doesn’t matter if you act like a complete idiot!"

  Xuan Yan huffed. "I was having fun."

  "You were being careless!"

  "You’re being dramatic."

  "You’re being irresponsible."

  "You’re being—!"

  "Enough!"

  Xuan Mei, who had been silently eating, smmed her spoon onto the table. She let out a tired sigh.

  "I can’t believe I escaped the pace only to witness this every night," she muttered.

  Xuan Zhi and Xuan Yan both turned to her.

  Xuan Mei picked up her bowl again and took another bite.

  "Just eat your food," she said, "before it gets cold."

  The two older siblings exchanged gres before reluctantly returning to their meal.

  --

  The next morning, Xuan Zhi made a decision.

  He had originally pnned to stay low in Gu Dynasty, but after recalling the novel’s plot, he knew there was one person he couldn’t ignore—the female lead.

  According to the novel, she was abandoned at birth and raised by a wealthy merchant family. However, she was treated as an unwanted burden, constantly bullied and mistreated by her so-called family members.

  Right now, she was living in a small vilge seven hours away from the border city.

  If I don’t save her now, her suffering will only continue.

  And so, Xuan Zhi prepared for the trip.

  As Xuan Zhi’s carriage moved along the dirt road, he leaned back against the cushioned seat.

  His two trusted guards rode alongside the carriage, keeping watch.

  It had been a smooth journey so far.

  Until—

  "Help…! Someone, please…!"

  A weak, desperate cry echoed from the dense trees nearby.

  Xuan Zhi’s eyes narrowed.

  "Stop the carriage."

  The horses came to a halt, and one of the guards looked at him. "Your Highness, it might be a trap."

  Xuan Zhi hesitated. He wasn’t foolish enough to rush into the unknown, but something about the voice… it didn’t sound like a trick.

  Still, he wasn’t careless.

  "Stay close," he ordered as he stepped out of the carriage.

  He pushed through the thick bushes, scanning the area.

  That’s when he saw them.

  An old man and a young boy, both covered in wounds, y colpsed on the forest floor.

  The boy—who looked no older than twelve or thirteen—was gripping the old man’s arm, his face pale with exhaustion.

  Xuan Zhi quickly moved toward them.

  "What happened?"

  The old man weakly lifted his head.

  "Bandits… attacked… our vilge," he gasped. "We… barely escaped…"

  Xuan Zhi frowned.

  The boy was silent, his eyes filled with wariness and pain. His right arm was injured, blood seeping through his torn sleeve.

  They’re in bad condition…

  Xuan Zhi sighed.

  "Bring them to the carriage," he instructed his guards.

  "But Your Highness—"

  "Just do it."

  The guards hesitated, but eventually lifted the injured pair and carried them back.

  As the carriage continued its journey, Xuan Zhi gnced at the unconscious boy beside him.

  It seems I’ll be making a detour before meeting the female lead…