Chapter 9

Outside the temple, the rain murmured softly, while inside, the firewood crackled. Li Mianyu’s voice was clear and crisp, carrying the gentle sweetness of melting candy. Yan Shi opened his eyes, turned his head slightly to glance at the person in his arms, and after a moment, uttered a soft "Oh."

Such a plain tone! Li Mianyu frowned, unable to resist propping herself up against Yan Shi’s chest, sitting half-upright, and firmly declared, “I, Li Mianyu, Princess of the Great Zhou and Duchess of Ningguo, will support you.”

Yan Shi looked at her without nodding or speaking. Li Mianyu’s eyes reddened again. “I have a fief of five hundred households. Of course, I can support a single secret guard… Do you think that since the Great Zhou has been overtaken by traitors, I am no longer a princess, and therefore you don’t take my words seriously? The imperial grandfather must have escaped. Once he gathers the troops, he will surely reclaim the capital swiftly. The Great Zhou remains the Great Zhou; I am still a princess, and I can support you!”

Her voice was sensitive, tinged with grievance and anger, tears welling in her eyes, chin raised high. Though fallen from grace, she was still a princess. She glared at Yan Shi as if daring him to say something she disliked, promising he would regret it.

The young man kept his gaze fixed on her, his dark eyes unwavering. “Fine, I’ll wait for the princess to support me.”

Li Mianyu looked at him, making sure he wasn’t just humoring her. Her anger finally subsided, and she lay back down with a soft hum. “Even if you eat a lot, I have five hundred households in my fief. I can support you for life.”

“...Alright.”

Li Mianyu didn’t really know how the imperial grandfather supported the secret guards, but a capable one like Yan Shi, supporting him until death, would be no loss.

The taciturn youth blinked, closed his eyes, and after a while, couldn’t help but let out a brief, quiet laugh.

But Li Mianyu didn’t see it; she had already comfortably leaned on her secret guard and fallen into a deep sleep.

—

In the late night, Yan Shi suddenly opened his eyes. He looked down at Li Mianyu, who had her limbs almost tangled around him.

In her sleep, her eyes were red. Uncertain what she dreamed of, she sobbed softly, whispering, “Imperial grandfather… Imperial grandfather…”

Yan Shi did not move. He remained as he had been when he lay down, quietly listening to her murmurs in her sleep, hearing her mention people—from “Imperial Grandfather” to “Aunt Qingling” and then to “Cui Yunqi.”

Perhaps Li Mianyu dreamed of her fiancé, or perhaps her fiancé comforted her in the dream. Gradually, the sobbing ceased, and she settled into silence, as if nothing had happened.

Only a damp patch on Yan Shi’s chest seemed to tell a different story.

He turned his head toward the broken temple’s exterior. His dark eyes reflected the endless, gloomy rain. His gaze moved to the temple doorway, where muddy rainwater had already crept within four or five inches of the threshold. His brow furrowed sharply again.

He shifted slightly, intending to rise and check outside, but as soon as he moved, Li Mianyu, still half-asleep, frowned and murmured, clutching him tighter with her tangled limbs.

The young secret guard glanced at the person in his arms and sighed softly.

He turned his gaze back toward the rain outside.

—

Li Mianyu had slept well. Upon opening her eyes, she felt refreshed, vaguely recalling a dream but unable to remember its details no matter how hard she tried.

She attempted to get up, only to find her hands and feet inexplicably tangled around her secret guard. She blushed lightly and glanced at Yan Shi stealthily.

He was still asleep with his eyes closed. She tried quietly to withdraw her limbs but her knee bumped against something hard.

She paused, puzzled, and looked down at Yan Shi’s waist. Why did he sleep with a stick tucked beneath the hem of his clothes?

She recalled Yan Shi’s soft sword, which was usually wrapped around his waist. Curious about this stick, she reached out to examine it, but before her fingers could touch it, a rough, calloused hand gripped her wrist tightly.

Li Mianyu winced in pain, raising her head with a frown. “What are you doing?”

But Yan Shi loosened his grip almost instantly and sat up. Since Li Mianyu was leaning on him, she was pulled up as well. They were pressed close together.

Yan Shi bent his head to straighten his clothes silently, though his breathing grew heavier. Li Mianyu, dissatisfied, moved closer, holding out her reddened wrist to question him again, “I just wanted to see your stick. Why are you reacting so strongly?”

Her voice was drowsy and mildly annoyed from just waking.

Yan Shi looked up at her. She was glaring at him, and he caught her gaze.

He was clearly awake now, eyes slightly widened like a cat’s, shining dark and clear but with a hint of helplessness. His face, usually somewhat pale over the past few days, now showed an unusual flush.

Li Mianyu was taken aback, suddenly recalling his injuries. Most of her anger vanished, replaced by worry. “You’re not running a fever again, are you?”

“No.” His voice was hoarse, and his tone, usually calm, now carried a hint of breathlessness.

—

He pushed himself up with his hands, turning slightly and straightening his waist as he rose, light and agile.

Li Mianyu lost her support and almost fell, barely catching herself. She glared at her secret guard in irritation.

The young man had already taken a few steps to the temple door, standing there with his back to her. Li Mianyu’s gaze was fixed on him, but she couldn’t help being drawn outside.

The sky remained overcast, rain drizzling steadily. The threshold was soaked, muddy water beginning to seep in.

Li Mianyu hurriedly got up and moved toward the door.

As she approached, Yan Shi quickly and quietly shifted his body to one side. But Li Mianyu, focused on the outside, did not notice. Clutching her chest, she exclaimed, “Yan Shi, can we still leave today?”

The heavy rain had turned the world gray and dim. The path outside was flooded with mud and water, impossible to traverse.

Yan Shi did not answer immediately. Li Mianyu was used to his taciturn nature and didn’t think much of it. She looked outside with a troubled expression, fingers entwined. “Those chasing me will be blocked by the rain too, right? Besides, I threw my clothes into the latrine. It’ll be harder for them to track me, right?”

There was still no reply from the silent secret guard, only the nearby horse’s nostrils snorting.

Finally, Li Mianyu couldn’t help but look at him, her delicate brows knitting together.

At that moment, Yan Shi turned to face her. His sharp and handsome features were framed by dark, quiet eyes that locked onto Li Mianyu’s. She was momentarily stunned, forgetting what she had wanted to say.

“My stick, Princess, you must not touch it,” the young man said, stern and serious.

Yan Shi’s expression was calm, but Li Mianyu inexplicably felt his face darken. She was about to ask why she couldn’t touch his stick. She was the princess, he was her secret guard; what could she not touch?

But glancing at the torrential rain outside, recalling they still had a long journey ahead, and knowing Yan Shi’s strength, she understood why he didn’t want her to touch it. Besides, it wasn’t easy for her to reach anyway.

She, a proud princess, suddenly found herself unwilling to confront him head-on.

Frustrated, Li Mianyu muttered, “Who wanted to touch it?”

Yan Shi remained silent.

Li Mianyu crossed her arms and said no more.

After a while, Yan Shi spoke again, “The rain is too heavy. The mountains are prone to landslides—it’s unsafe. We’ll leave after the rain stops.”

His voice had regained its usual calmness.

Li Mianyu refused to respond. She turned and sat heavily on the mat.

Yan Shi silently turned back and retrieved a water pouch from the horse’s saddle. It was left by the previous owner of the black horse and still full. He crouched down and offered it to Li Mianyu.

“I don’t know who drank from this. Why would I drink from someone else’s spit? I won’t,” Li Mianyu frowned, turning her head away. Besides this, she also dreaded having to change clothes frequently.

Yan Shi looked at her but said nothing. He untied the water pouch and drank some water in midair before taking out a few corn cakes to roast. When he handed the roasted cakes to Li Mianyu, she didn’t refuse but continued to ignore him, nibbling quietly.

Li Mianyu was sulking. She was annoyed that her secret guard could put on a stern face and didn’t respect her, the princess.

It was just a stick!

Neither spoke; the silence stretched between them.

Near noon, the rain finally ceased, though the sky remained gray.

Yan Shi looked outside, then glanced at Li Mianyu, who still wore a pout. He said softly, “Princess, we’ll leave once the sun comes out.”

Li Mianyu’s anger had only lasted briefly before fading into sadness. She felt that as a princess, she no longer commanded respect, allowing Yan Shi to refuse her touching his stick.

Hearing his words, she weakly nodded, unwilling to linger any longer.

Li Mianyu, having been spoiled since childhood, wore her heart plainly on her sleeve—her expressions were easy to read.

Yan Shi glanced at her, bowed his head thoughtfully, his ears reddening slightly. Then he turned away, saying nothing.

The dark clouds quickly dispersed, sunlight bathed the earth, and after more than half an hour, the water on the ground began to recede. Yan Shi approached the horse, rummaged through the saddlebag, and surprisingly found some paper. After considering, he tore off a few sheets and handed them to Li Mianyu.

Li Mianyu was puzzled, looking up at him.

Yan Shi led the horse toward the exit. “Princess, it’s time to leave.”

He spoke and swiftly moved outside, a few steps beyond the door.

—

Li Mianyu hesitated on the mat, looking down at the paper in her hands. Her cheeks flushed as she understood his meaning. She glanced around the broken temple.

When she emerged, her face was still red but resolute. She stretched out her hands, and Yan Shi silently took the water pouch to help her wash.

Li Mianyu looked up at the young man’s lowered eyelashes and finally decided not to hold a grudge against her secret guard. Her tone was natural. “Shall we leave now?”

Yan Shi breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing her speak first. He nodded and looked up at her, his eyes dark as ink. “Now.”

Without waiting for her reply, he lifted her onto the horse. Li Mianyu hurried to steady herself.

Raising his whip, Yan Shi spurred the horse forward, mud splashing.

…

King Zhao, in collusion with foreign enemies, instigated a treasonous palace coup but was slain by these invaders within the palace. The northern Di royal family seized the throne of the capital. Countless lives were lost, many noble families betrayed their country. Within days, these tidings spread far and wide.

Could the people of Great Zhou bow to these barbaric invaders?

Regional governors and princes began recruiting soldiers, determined to expel the foreign enemy and avenge the Great Zhou royal family.

Due to continuous heavy rains, many parts of Great Zhou suffered unprecedented floods. Displaced refugees multiplied. Scholars and literati penned proclamations denouncing traitorous nobles and the northern Di royal family, which had already gathered troops to defend the capital and was dispatching forces from the border, aiming to conquer the realm with their momentum.

Because of the storm and the fall of the royal house, as Li Mianyu and Yan Shi fled the capital, more and more refugees joined them along the way. She listened to the news Yan Shi gathered—none were good. As a princess witnessing the shattered land, her spirits sank ever lower.

One day, under sweltering heat, they traveled mountain paths and stopped by a mountain stream at dusk. Yan Shi went to fetch water while Li Mianyu rested beneath a tree.

“Xiao Yu, you have such a good relationship with your brother. I saw him take great care of you all along, letting you choose first when roasting wild pheasant.” A woman’s voice sighed nearby.

Li Mianyu, preoccupied with worry over the imperial grandfather whose whereabouts remained unknown, had often wanted Yan Shi to help find him. Hearing the voice, she looked up and toward the stream.

Yan Shi was kneeling upstream, cleaning the water pouch and refilling it.

Li Mianyu felt pleased and thought, He’s not my brother; he’s my secret guard.

Well then, she’d give him some credit and nodded with pride. “Not bad.”

“You don’t know, my boy never lets his sister go hungry. We don’t know where he is now. He told them to return home,” said the woman, named Chen Xiu’e, who had fled the outskirts of the capital with her husband. They had been tenant farmers for a wealthy family, but after the disaster, they escaped to return home. They met Yan Shi on the road yesterday during a landslide and had traveled together since.

Her voice carried sorrow, eyes reddening.

Li Mianyu hated seeing people cry and felt helpless. She hurriedly offered the plums Yan Shi had picked. “Here, eat some. They’re sweet.”

Chen Xiu’e smiled through her tears and declined. “Your brother picked these for you himself. They’re all red, carefully chosen.”

Li Mianyu insisted, placing the fruit in her hand. “Eat. He’ll still pick for me.”

Chen Xiu’e held the fruit, looking at Li Mianyu’s delicate beauty with fondness, then asked, “Where will you and your brother go?”

Li Mianyu had no idea. Outside the capital, she was lost and unfamiliar with the roads. Since leaving the city, with the disasters and Yan Shi following imperial grandfather’s orders, they had chosen safe routes, avoiding cities and large groups of refugees, though some scattered refugees had joined them.

Perhaps because she burned the palace clothes, no pursuers had come, nor had Cui Yunqi come searching for her.

She hesitated. “My brother and I… our home was devastated. We don’t know where to go.”

Chen Xiu’e, looking at Li Mianyu and Yan Shi’s refined appearance, guessed they were fallen nobles from the capital. She warmly suggested, “Then come with me back to my hometown, a small village in the mountains of Longxi. It’s near water and mountains—self-sufficient.”

Li Mianyu found the idea appealing and was curious about the place. She was inclined to agree but said, “I need to ask my brother.”

Chen Xiu’e nodded naturally but then looked worriedly at the surrounding forest. “With the disasters, I heard wild beasts come out hungry at night. I wonder if it’s safe for us to stay here tonight.”

Li Mianyu restrained herself and replied, “No need to worry. My brother is very capable. With him here, no beast dares come near us.”

Chen Xiu’e glanced at the thin young man approaching slowly, then at two sturdy men fishing nearby—her husband among them—and smiled doubtfully. “Your brother is so thin and unarmed. If we encounter danger, I’ll hide with you. My husband has an iron hoe, strong as an ox. He can protect us.”

Li Mianyu frowned, unable to tolerate such words. “My brother has weapons. The belt at his waist is actually a soft sword. He also has a stick—two weapons. He can fight ten men alone.”

Yan Shi returned with the fish: silent.