I could feel the guard's disdain from a mile away. He had been stone-faced a moment ago, but as soon as he stood before me, he broke into a grin, as if the Prince had sent him down to play with a pet monkey.
I was weaker and lacked his endurance; my only hope was to exploit his overconfidence and end this quickly.
When his large hand reached out toward me with agonizing slowness, I darted to the side. This movement allowed me to snag the sash of his outer robe, just as I’d hoped. With a sharp tug, the sash was in my hands, and I whipped it around his wrist. The guard let out a surprised "Huh?" and reached back to grab me. I used the sash to swing behind him, deftly binding his other hand to the first.
I jumped back two paces, but before I could even breathe a sigh of relief, the guard gave me a small smile.
My heart sank at that look. With a sharp *rip*, he tore right through the sash. I leaped back again as he threw a slow, deliberate punch. My temper flared. I caught his incoming fist, pivoted, and drove my elbow hard into his waist. I put every ounce of my strength into that strike. As he winced and recoiled, I grabbed his wrist, wrenched it behind his back, and delivered a sharp kick to the back of his knee.
The man was far stronger than me, however. Despite the force of my kick, he only stumbled before reaching back to grab me again. Being small was a distinct disadvantage; I could barely keep his arm pinned. Gritting my teeth, I kicked the back of his knee again. As his body pitched forward, I seized the golden opportunity, grabbed his outer collar, yanked it down to bind his arms, and tied a quick, tight knot. I followed up with a sharp palm strike to the side of his neck.
Alas, the lack of dinner meant my already inferior strength had no room to shine. My strike barely fazed him. I had only just stepped back when another *rip* echoed through the air, and his hands were free once more. He turned around with a broad grin. "Again," he said playfully.
As he spoke, he used the same repetitive move: a slow, telegraphed punch.
I charged at him with maximum speed. Facing this giant, I couldn't think of anything else to try except a shoulder throw. But I had to be fast...
I lunged forward, seized his arm, spun, and heaved him over my shoulder.
I actually threw him!
A dull *thud* shook the ground, sending a vibration through the soles of my feet.
But before I could celebrate, he scrambled back to his feet. It was clear that a move I’d executed with ten-tenths of my strength was nothing more than a minor tumble to him. He studied me from head to toe, shaking his head slightly with a look of genuine confusion.
My confidence was wavering, but I refused to let it show. I tilted my head and gave him a cocky grin, mimicking his earlier expression. "Again!"
"Hahaha!" Someone nearby burst into laughter. It was Luo Jin. I looked back to see him giving me a thumbs-up. Little Minzhi stood beside him, also grinning. My father stood behind them, his brow furrowed, though a hint of irrepressible pride flickered in his eyes.
Prince Liu remained perfectly composed. He simply waved a hand, signaling the guard to withdraw. As the guard passed me, he patted my head. "Not bad," he remarked.
Pride was one thing, but I had enough self-awareness to know he hadn't been fighting seriously. I quickly gave him a proper, formal bow. "Thank you for showing mercy, Uncle. Wuchao is grateful."
The guard chuckled, crouched down, and picked me up. "My name is Zhong Ping. If your hands ever get itchy for a fight, come find me at the Prince's manor."
I nodded readily. "Deal."
He set me down, bowed respectfully to the men in the study, and retreated.
Prince Liu glanced sideways at my father and said in a measured tone, "Ziyu, when the Ministry of Justice was hearing the case today, a mob incited a disturbance. This has already reached the Emperor's ears. His Majesty is pressing me to close the case quickly. Look... just consider this a favor to me, alright?"
My father dropped to his knees, his face devoid of expression. "I beg Your Highness's forgiveness. This... this is something I cannot grant. We all know what kind of place Hongyan House is. My daughter is still young. If her reputation is tarnished by this affair and her future prospects are ruined, how could I possibly..."
I knelt beside my father and whispered a comfort, "In the future... if I meet a man so narrow-minded as to care about such things, then he isn't worth marrying anyway."
My father’s shoulders shook slightly. He looked up at me with a complex gaze. I patted his arm reassuringly. I understood—he wanted his children to gain experience, but he didn't want them to take risks.
However, the moment those words left my mouth, Prince Liu’s gaze shot toward me like a laser. Had I said something wrong? Or had my comment about "narrow-minded men" offended the masculine dignity of Yantian? My heart trembled. Could such a remark provoke this powerful leader? Would he make life difficult for my father?
"I heard that Ziyu allows the girls in his household to study literature," Prince Liu said, looking from my father to me. "Presumably, her grasp of poetry is also fine. Use 'parting' as your theme and compose a poem. Any meter or length is fine."
I stared at him, dumbfounded, wondering if I had misheard. I was just trying to be a small-time undercover agent; why was there a literary exam after the physical one? Were the hiring standards in Yantian really this strict?
He stared back, his expression calm and entirely serious. I glanced at Luo Jin, who wore a meaningful smirk while shooting mischievous glances at my father.
Fine, fine. Let me think... a poem about parting? The only one I could remember clearly was Zheng Gu’s *Farewell on the Huai River*. I hesitated for a few seconds, then thought... isn't this for the sake of my glorious career? Master Zheng would surely forgive my shameless plagiarism.
"By the banks of Yuyang River, the willows grow green,
The willow down fills the traveler's heart with sorrow.
A few notes from a flute at the evening pavilion,
You head for Xiaoxiang, while I depart for Qin."
I had swapped the Yangtze River for the Yuyang River. I’d heard the Yuyang was the largest river in Yantian, though I hadn't seen it yet and didn't know how its scenery compared to the Yangtze.
Prince Liu continued to stare at me, but a strange light danced in his eyes. I looked back at my father; he was watching me too. Minzhi leaned against him, and both of them were smiling, looking much more relaxed than before. Luo Jin, just like earlier, gave me another thumbs-up.
Prince Liu rose and paced slowly around the room, as if weighing a momentous decision. Then, he stopped in front of my father and said with a smile, "I have two sons. My younger son, Mingdi, is already betrothed to the eldest daughter of Chancellor Shen. My eldest son, Mingshao, is eleven this year, and his character and appearance are decent enough. How about betrothing this clever, eccentric young daughter of yours to my eldest son?"
My father’s mouth fell open like a duck's egg once again.
I was stunned. The way these people thought was incredibly bizarre. Weren't we discussing me being an undercover agent? How did we end up talking about my marriage? "Once inside a noble gate, it's as deep as the sea." I’d seen hundreds of TV dramas about the grievances of wealthy families. What was the point of being a high-society young mistress, bored out of my mind every day, fighting for favor with a bunch of concubines?
"No," I blurted out before my father could speak.
"Oh?" Prince Liu’s gaze returned to me with renewed interest. He didn't look angry; rather, he seemed amused. "You actually refuse? Give me a reason."
I was starting to get a headache. The situation was becoming far more complicated than I had anticipated.
I swallowed hard and stammered, "Serving the state is a duty every citizen should fulfill. Your Highness need not use the Young Prince’s life-long happiness as a trade. Furthermore... a great house is no match for me. Wuchao does not wish to climb above her station."
Prince Liu burst into hearty laughter.
I couldn't remember if the idiom "a great house is no match" existed in this world, but he clearly understood my meaning. Seeing him laugh so happily, I assumed he had agreed to my suggestion. I breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
To my surprise, his next words were: "Then it is settled. Wuchao will temporarily serve under Master Luo’s command. Tomorrow morning, I shall ask several of my royal brothers to act as matchmakers and personally deliver the betrothal gifts to your manor." Having said his piece, he ignored everyone's stunned expressions and strolled out with an air of grand importance.
I stared at his retreating back for a few seconds before turning to my father. "Did I really cause a huge disaster today?"
My father had already used the chair to pull himself up. Rubbing his knees, he gave a bitter smile. "Go back and rest. Minzhi, you too."
I looked at Luo Jin. His face was glowing as he looked at me. "I’ll come pick you up tomorrow morning."
My father’s bitter smile deepened.
***
