Chapter 8:- I’ll Protect You

Jiang Rao thought carefully for a moment, and then decided it was better to act today than to wait for another time.

Today, her elder sister was observing her private day of Buddhist devotion and would not be sending anyone to look for her. Her second brother would not return home until the evening, around the hour of xu (7–9 p.m.). As long as Chunxing and Xiaotao stayed behind at Qiongju Pavilion to cover for her, there was little chance of being found out.

Before she left, Chunxing inevitably asked where she was going. Jiang Rao didn’t dare tell the truth for fear they would worry, so she made up an excuse, saying she had arranged beforehand to go out with the Left Prime Minister’s daughter.

As agreed, Ge Ruyan was already waiting by the back gate of the Marquisate. After a short while, she finally saw Jiang Rao approaching. The moment Jiang Rao appeared, Ge Ruyan noticed that she had restyled her hair into an elegant new chignon.

It seemed she was taking this outing quite seriously.

Ge Ruyan couldn’t help stealing a few more glances. Jiang Rao was still wearing her pale goose-yellow blouse and skirt. The soft color made her complexion seem even fairer and more luminous. She wore few adornments, just a single jade hairpin set with pearls and emeralds.

Yet because her features were already so bright and striking, this simplicity only set off her beauty even more.

“Miss Ruyan?”

Seeing her staring in a daze, Jiang Rao had no choice but to remind her, “The carriage I asked you to find earlier, where is it now?”

Jiang Rao had given Ge Ruyan some money in advance to hire a new carriage, since they were sneaking out and couldn’t very well use one belonging to the Marquisate. But now she saw Ge Ruyan mounted on a horse and there wasn’t a carriage in sight.

Ge Ruyan quickly covered her moment of distraction and said matter-of-factly, “I bought a horse instead. It’s far more convenient than a carriage.”

“But… I don’t know how to ride.”

Jiang Rao hesitated. Though she had always wanted to try something thrilling, going without a carriage would mean showing her face openly in public.

“I’ll take you.”

Before Jiang Rao could react, Ge Ruyan leaned down swiftly, seized her wrist with one hand and supported her waist with the other. In the blink of an eye, before Jiang Rao could even cry out, she was already up on the horse.

With a sharp “Hyah!”, Ge Ruyan urged the horse forward. Jiang Rao tensed all over. Fearful of being recognized, she buried her head against Ge Ruyan’s back, holding on tightly.

This way, no one would recognize her as the Marquisate’s Third Young Lady.

But Ge Ruyan rode with reckless ease, galloping at full speed. For someone riding for the first time, Jiang Rao found it absolutely terrifying. Fortunately, the eastern outskirts were not far from the Marquisate. Within the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the two of them had already arrived.

Finally reaching their destination, Jiang Rao hurriedly dismounted, still shaken. Ge Ruyan noticed her unease and, suppressing a laugh, asked, “I didn’t realize you were this timid. Why didn’t you tell me to slow down?”

While straightening her clothes, Jiang Rao stubbornly denied it. “Who said I was afraid? I was just jostled too much, that’s all.”

“If you say so, then so be it.”

Ge Ruyan didn’t have the heart to tease her further. She dismounted and surveyed the surroundings, then looked toward the sentries in the distance. After a brief consideration, she said, “There aren’t many guards here. I can help you over the fence. The person you’re looking for is inside?”

Jiang Rao nodded, but still asked considerately, “I know your martial skills are strong, and climbing a wall alone is easy but taking me along, won’t that be difficult?”

Ge Ruyan was momentarily startled, then burst out laughing. “I could carry two like you and still get over without trouble.”

“Then I must trouble you,” Jiang Rao said politely.

Ge Ruyan found her refined manners and gentle tone quite endearing. Shaking her head with amusement, she wrapped an arm around Jiang Rao’s waist, leapt lightly, and easily carried her over the fence.

“I’ll wait for you here,” she said. “When you’re ready to leave, just come find me.”

After a pause, she gave Jiang Rao another assessing look. “You’re not here to meet your sweetheart in secret, are you?”

“Don’t speak nonsense,” Jiang Rao quickly denied.

“What’s the harm in that?” Ge Ruyan replied carelessly, idly twirling a blade of foxtail grass between her fingers. “You’re this beautiful, and you’ve gone to such trouble to see him. I’d bet your sweetheart will be overjoyed to see you.”

Jiang Rao blushed furiously at her teasing. But then she remembered the cold, indifferent look Chen Lian had given her the last time they met at the military camp, and her heart wavered.

Would he really be glad to see me again? she wondered.

Because Chunxing had come here once before, Jiang Rao had a rough idea of the path. Remembering her maid’s earlier description, she walked nervously on her own.

Luckily, the grounds were vast; the patrol guards were stationed only at the entrance. Once she was inside, no one stopped her.

Chen Lian’s quarters were toward the inner side of the grounds. As she went deeper, the view opened up into wide green fields stretching endlessly ahead. From time to time, came the neighing cries of horses.

He must find it peaceful, living here, she thought.

After walking for a while, she finally spotted a courtyard in the distance. Lifting her skirts, she hurried toward it. There, she saw a large grove of blooming silk trees, their flat, fan-shaped pink blossoms glowing faintly under the sunlight, exuding quiet elegance.

As she drew closer, she suddenly heard the sharp “swish” of a blade cutting through air inside the courtyard. Jiang Rao held her breath and hid behind a leaning willow tree, peering cautiously through the branches.

Sure enough, there was Chen Lian, dressed in fitted black, his expression cold, his sword flashing as he moved.

His movements were quick and precise, his swordplay fluid. Jiang Rao couldn’t understand the technical details, but from the rhythm of his strikes; controlled yet forceful, alternating between attack and defense, she could tell his martial skills were extraordinary.

Never before had a man practiced swordsmanship before her eyes. In her past life, though she had married the Crown Prince, Mu Ling’s swordsmanship was mere pretense and empty flourish without real substance.

Though she came from a family of generals, Jiang men were often stationed away from the capital. Neither her father nor her brother had ever displayed their skill before her.

So now, hiding in the shadows and secretly watching Chen Lian’s every move, Jiang Rao found herself completely drawn in, unable to tear her eyes away.

“Who’s there?”

A sharp, cold rebuke suddenly cut through the air. Jiang Rao jumped in fright and hurriedly turned her back.

But it was already too late. Her guilty hands clutched at her skirt, how had she been caught so squarely?

Hearing his footsteps draw closer, Jiang Rao’s heart pounded like a drum. She felt both shy and panicked, flustered to the point of not knowing what to do.

Before she could even answer, a flash of sword light cut past wind stirred at her side and when she came to her senses, the blade’s tip was pointed straight at her throat.

“I-it’s me …”

Her eyes widened helplessly as she looked up at Chen Lian. Seeing the guarded vigilance in his gaze not yet withdrawn, she dared not so much as move a finger.

Surprise flickered across his face. His eyes lingered on her for a moment, and then he quickly sheathed his sword.

He asked, “Why are you here?”

Jiang Rao, still shaken, coughed softly once the blade was gone. When she could finally speak, she pretended to look aggrieved, her voice soft and gentle.

“The other day I sent a maid to look for my handkerchief. Wasn’t it you who said yourself, if I truly wanted it back, I should come and fetch it in person?”

At that, he suddenly stepped closer, looking down at her from above. “It’s just a handkerchief. Does my lady truly treasure it so much?”

“Since it’s mine, of course I should take it back as soon as possible.” Jiang Rao felt awkward under his unblinking stare. Though she tried to argue her case, her eyes began to dart away involuntarily.

“This isn’t a place you can come and go as you please. Go back.”

His tone was cool, the words cutting. With that, he flicked his sleeve to leave. Jiang Rao froze for a second, why had he turned so cold so suddenly?

Without thinking further, she saw him start to turn away and hurried after him. In her haste, she reached out and grabbed his arm.

This time, it was real contact.

Chen Lian stopped. Glancing down, the first thing he saw was her hand, white and delicate as jade holding onto the hem of his outer robe, tugging lightly.

“…”

When he looked up again, she had already lowered her head. Her voice was as faint as a mosquito’s buzz. “It wasn’t easy for me to come out. Please… don’t go yet, all right?”

Chen Lian fell silent for a long moment. His expression grew thoughtful. He figured this young lady must have been protected too well all her life, unaware how treacherous people could be. Otherwise, with such open frailty, who was she trying to test?

Seeing her look like a wronged kitten, eyes rimmed faintly red, he finally gave a noncommittal “Mm.”

Hearing his agreement, Jiang Rao quickly released his sleeve and stepped back half a pace, the closeness just now had been too overwhelming.

But Chen Lian’s eyes swept over her faintly, his brows rising slightly. Though he said nothing, Jiang Rao somehow felt he was not quite pleased.

“How did you get in here?”

Jiang Rao confessed at once. “A friend helped me, she brought me over the wall.”

He raised a brow. Ignoring every other detail, he asked only, “What kind of friend?”

“A woman from the martial world I know…” Jiang Rao answered honestly, and then watched his face carefully. But he remained calm and inscrutable, impossible to read.

Afraid he might soon lose patience, Jiang Rao hurried to find another pretext to stay longer. The more time she spent with him, the better chance she’d have to draw closer.

So she glanced around the horse grounds and said, “You’re tending horses here for His Highness Prince Chen then your riding must be excellent. I’ve always wanted to learn. Could you teach me?”

Thinking her excuse was too flimsy, she quickly added, “Each year the palace holds a horse-racing event, and since last year there’s been a special field for the ladies. I saw my sisters riding so boldly and gracefully that it made me truly envious. I wanted to learn early, so perhaps this year I can join them.”

Explaining it that way shouldn’t sound too abrupt, right?

After pondering long and hard, she found this reason acceptable and waited patiently for his reply.

Unexpectedly, his refusal was curt, “I don’t help others for nothing.”

“I won’t ask you for free,” she said quickly. “I can pay you.”

“Oh?” Chen Lian looked at her, his tone slow. “And how much could my lady afford?”

“You name the price, I can manage it.” Money was the last thing the Marquisate lacked. Jiang Rao spoke with genuine sincerity.

Chen Lian considered for a moment, and then said only, “I haven’t decided yet. I’ll tell you when I do.”

That sounded like agreement. Delighted, Jiang Rao nodded eagerly. When he turned toward the inner yard, she blinked, and then hurried to follow.

He walked to a stable, seemed to consider for a moment, then glanced sideways at her.

“Come look at this white horse. Its name is Silver Moon, it’s quite gentle.”

Jiang Rao couldn’t tell a good horse from a bad one. What did it mean that he was letting her choose one now?

Chen Lian led the horse out for her to see. “Why not try it today?”

“Today? Ride today?”

The white horse neighed softly and stretched its head toward her. Frightened, Jiang Rao stepped back quickly but the horse followed. Having nowhere else to go, she hid behind Chen Lian.

He didn’t move, letting Silver Moon come as close as it wished. Helpless, Jiang Rao finally pleaded softly, “Please don’t let it come any nearer, I’m a little afraid.”

She had thought her cowardice would earn his cold mockery. Yet, hiding behind him for some time, she heard no cutting remark. After a moment, he simply said,

“What’s there to fear? I’ll protect you.”