As soon as the words fell, an arrow pierced through the air with a sharp whistle, striking the giant serpent squarely in its vital spot!
The massive snake writhed twice before falling lifeless.
Chu Ruoyan looked up and saw, a li away, a noble young master clad in fine robes and jade-like features, mounted on horseback with his bow drawn, having fired that precise shot!
"Young mistress, are you alright? That was terrifying!" Yulu was still shaken, but Chu Ruoyan shook her head. "I'm fine. Let’s drive the carriage forward."
"But the other party is an unrelated man..."
"What does it matter? He saved us. We ought to thank him."
The carriage soon approached, revealing not just the young master but several other young men, all lightly dressed for horseback riding, carrying bows and arrows—clearly out for a hunt.
As they drew near, one of them teased, "Only our Su, the Heir of Pingjing Marquis, could pull off such a heroic rescue of a beauty!"
"Even in the wilderness, luck favors him. Truly enviable!"
Chu Ruoyan froze. Su?
Then came the young man’s sharp rebuke: "Enough nonsense!" He urged his horse forward and added, "Please forgive their thoughtless words, my lady. Tingyun’s companions merely boast idly—they mean no harm."
Tingyun?
Su Tingyun?
Wasn’t that the Heir of Pingjing Marquis who, in her dreams... was to marry her?
For a moment, she forgot to respond. Yulu, displeased, interjected, "Heir Su, my mistress is the Marchioness of Anning. Mind your words!"
The Marchioness of Anning?
Wasn’t that Yan Zheng’s newlywed bride?
The previously jovial young masters instantly straightened, dismounted, and bowed deeply in apology. "Our deepest apologies for the offense. We beg your forgiveness, my lady!"
Though they were scions of noble houses, no man failed to respect the Yan family’s military legacy—let alone the wife of its third young master!
Yulu, taken aback by their solemnity, turned to her mistress, only to find her lost in thought.
"Young mistress? Young mistress?"
Chu Ruoyan snapped back to reality and murmured, "There’s no need for such formality. An unintended slight is hardly worth dwelling on... Heir Su."
Her voice carried a trace of melancholy as she uttered his title. "I must thank you for saving us, but propriety forbids a face-to-face expression of gratitude. Please forgive the discourtesy."
Su Tingyun hastily assured her it was nothing, yet he couldn’t shake his curiosity.
Why did this marchioness’s voice hold such inexplicable complexity?
As if they were old acquaintances?
Chu Ruoyan lowered her eyes with a soft sigh.
And weren’t they?
Though she’d never clearly seen his face in her dreams, his voice had always been warm as jade, and her father had praised him as an upright gentleman.
Yet such a man had died by Yan Zheng’s hand, his head severed while he still lived...
"My sisters await me, so I must take my leave."
As she steadied her emotions to depart, Su Tingyun impulsively called out, "Wait!"
The moment the word left his lips, he regretted it. What was he to say?
Yet Chu Ruoyan didn’t press him. The silhouette behind the carriage curtain remained still, waiting.
His heart stirred, and he blurted, "Marchioness, the recent celestial anomalies have driven beasts into chaos. To prevent another incident like today... might we escort you—all of you—back?"
The awkward pause in his offer was unmistakable.
His companions exchanged glances.
What was this? Had their usually aloof Su taken a sudden interest in playing the gallant protector?
Chu Ruoyan smiled faintly. "Your concern is appreciated, Heir Su, but my sisters are yet unwed. It wouldn’t be proper to travel together. Thank you all the same. Yulu, let’s go."
Yulu promptly directed the coachman to turn the carriage.
Su Tingyun’s gaze lingered as they departed. A friend nudged him. "Su, what’s gotten into you? Since when do you fuss over the Marchioness of Anning?"
This was no trivial matter—rumors could ruin him!
But Su Tingyun waved it off. "Don’t you find her intriguing?"
"Intriguing? How?"
"Among all the noble ladies in the capital, how many would remain composed after facing a giant serpent, let alone calmly express gratitude? And I’ve heard the Marchioness was once the Duke of Chu’s Mansion’s famously frail daughter, confined to her chambers..."
His friend nodded. "True. They say the Duke doted on her so much he tried breaking off the Yan family’s betrothal. She insisted on marrying into their house despite their impending ruin..."
"Really?"
Su Tingyun’s curiosity deepened. What kind of woman would willingly wed into a family on the brink of disaster?
Such courage put many men to shame!
Meanwhile, upon returning, Chu Ruoyan found her three companions huddled in one carriage.
Xue Ling still seemed dazed. "What just happened? Why were those beasts fleeing like mad?"
Jiang Yi murmured, "Yes, it was horrifying..."
Only Xie Yaozhi remained composed. "Perhaps the stifling weather drove them out."
"But why would fish leap ashore as if desperate?"
The anomalies were too glaring to ignore.
After letting them speculate, Chu Ruoyan interjected, "Speaking of which, have you noticed the odd weather these past five or six days?"
"Exactly! The sunlight dims unpredictably, sometimes tinged blue-black or purple. I thought my eyes deceived me!"
"Now that you mention it, Sister Xue, last night the moon was dull, and at one point, dozens of moon shadows clustered like discs, grinding together before scattering northwest!"
Their discussion grew increasingly alarmed.
Finally, Jiang Yi paled. "A catastrophe is coming... Sisters, I must return at once to warn my brother!"
As the Directorate of Astronomy oversaw omens, failure to foresee disaster would mean punishment!
This was precisely the outcome Chu Ruoyan had aimed for. "Go quickly, Sister Jiang. But remember—tomorrow is my father-in-law’s funeral. If omens worsen, we may need to postpone."
Jiang Yi hurried off, followed by Xue Ling and Xie Yaozhi.
Only Chu Ruoyan remained unhurried, even pausing to pen a letter.
Yulu frowned. "Young mistress, shouldn’t we rush back to inform the marquis?"
Chu Ruoyan smirked mysteriously. "No need. Soon, all the capital will know. For now, deliver this to Bai Xiao Pavilion."
"Bai Xiao Pavilion? Are we pawning something again? We’ve nothing left of value!"
Chu Ruoyan tapped her maid’s forehead. "Not pawning. This time, we’re buying—a message."
"What message?"
"The identity of the mastermind behind the merchants sent to harass the Yan family. Besides the Heir of Yongding Count, Lu Wei... who else was involved?"
She never left threats unchecked, least of all hidden ones.
If someone targeted the Yan family, they’d best be eliminated swiftly.
Yulu, bewildered, delivered the letter to the plump pavilion manager, whose expression shifted dramatically before he rushed it to the master.
Leaning by the window, the red-robed, white-haired beauty chuckled after reading it.
"How intriguing."
The portly shopkeeper trembled as he spoke, "Pavilion Master, if the letter speaks the truth, chaos is imminent. Should we report this to the higher-ups?"
The man arched a wicked brow and replied, "Report what? What does it matter to me if the world lives or dies?"
The shopkeeper dared not say another word. With a lazy yawn, the man added, "Fine. Consider me fooled by her wicked scheme. Withdraw all our assets from Mangshan."
"Yes, sir."
