Chapter 1

The setting sun cast a faint orange glow over the capital city.

Sui Ying squatted on a tree branch near the side gate of the Ministry of War’s Assistant Minister’s residence, carefully observing the activity at the gate. Assistant Minister Liao’s beloved daughter, Liao Zhenzhen, was about to get married, and the residence had been bustling with people coming and going for the past few days.

Sui Ying thought it wouldn’t be difficult to sneak in, so she instructed her maid, Ah Xiu, “Go prepare a maid’s outfit.”

“Miss, you should reconsider…” Ah Xiu tried to persuade her.

“Reconsider what? If I don’t vent this anger, I might die from frustration!” Sui Ying bit her silver teeth lightly and punched the tree trunk.

Liao Zhenzhen could marry anyone, but she had to use tricks to marry Feng Jiayou’s beloved. To make matters worse, she incited a group of noblewomen to bully Feng Jiayou, almost disfiguring her.

“If I had been in the capital, I would have kicked them all into the lake!”

As the legitimate daughter of the Duke of Zhen’s residence, Sui Ying had always been domineering in the capital. Feng Jiayou was under her protection, and bullying Feng Jiayou was the same as bullying her.

No, even if Sui Ying herself had been bullied, she wouldn’t be this angry.

Before she left the capital, Feng Jiayou was as beautiful as a blooming peony. In just one month, she had become emaciated and bedridden.

Yet Liao Zhenzhen was waiting to marry in glory. Why?

Today, Sui Ying had to give her a “gift,” and not even the Emperor could stop her.

***

Feng Jiayou was feeling unwell and went to bed early in the evening.

An hour later, she suddenly screamed and woke up from a nightmare, clutching her head. Her nightclothes were soaked with cold sweat.

Half a month ago, she had injured her head at the Flower Festival. The doctor said the injury was not serious and only required simple treatment. But since that day, she hadn’t had a good night’s sleep. It seemed she had nightmares, but she couldn’t remember anything upon waking, only feeling a splitting headache.

She had consulted several doctors, all of whom said her head injury had healed and it was a psychological issue.

Everyone in the capital knew that she and Shen Shixing, the son of the Commander of the Shadow Guard, were once a pair. They were well-matched.

Feng Jiayou’s grandfather had once served as the Minister of the Dali Temple and was a member of the cabinet. Everyone called him Elder Feng. Her father had achieved top honors in the imperial examinations at the age of eighteen and worked in the Ministry of Justice. His future was promising, but he mysteriously disappeared, neither alive nor dead.

A few years ago, Elder Feng also passed away, leaving Feng Jiayou as the only remaining member of the Feng family. The powerful Shen family naturally looked down on her. Shen Shixing abandoned her and got engaged to the Assistant Minister’s daughter, Liao Zhenzhen.

With such a tragic fate, who could sleep well?

Feng Jiayou didn’t bother to explain, knowing that the medicine wouldn’t help, so she didn’t drink it.

After calming down, she got out of bed and changed out of her wet nightclothes.

“Miss, you’re awake?” Coral, the maid, called from outside the door. “Ah Xiu is here and says she has urgent news for you.”

Feng Jiayou quickly changed her clothes and opened the door.

Ah Xiu rushed up to her, “Miss Feng, has my lady been here?”

Feng Jiayou was used to this, “What has she done now?”

This morning, Sui Ying had come to visit her with Ah Xiu and stayed until the afternoon. When she got tired, the two left. But now, seeing Ah Xiu’s anxious expression, it seemed Sui Ying had gone missing?

Ah Xiu’s last hope was shattered, and she said with a tearful face, “After leaving here, Miss went straight to Assistant Minister Liao’s residence. She hates Miss Liao for stealing your Mr. Shen and knows she is afraid of cat fur, which causes her face to break out in rashes that last for days. So, she collected some cat fur to throw on her bed, making her look ugly at her wedding…”

Feng Jiayou almost fainted, “That Sui Ying, she never listens to me!”

Since her return to the capital, Feng Jiayou had explained countless times that she and Shen Shixing were just friends. Liao Zhenzhen was indeed mean and hateful, but stealing her man was not true.

Feng Jiayou held back her anger, “Continue.”

“Miss told me to wait by the side gate, but she never showed up. The gate, which was always open, suddenly closed, and more guards were stationed there. I quickly left and saw the Shadow Guard’s iron cavalry heading towards Assistant Minister Liao’s residence.”

Mentioning the terrifying Shadow Guard made Ah Xiu tremble even more.

Feng Jiayou was puzzled. It shouldn’t be like this. With Sui Ying’s skills, she shouldn’t have been discovered. Even if she was, with her reputation and the backing of the Duke of Zhen, the Liao family wouldn’t call the Shadow Guard. Why?

Liao Zhenzhen? Sui Ying? The Shadow Guard?

Feng Jiayou’s head throbbed again.

“If Miss hasn’t returned home or come here, she must still be at the Liao residence.” Ah Xiu guessed that something else had happened inside the Liao residence, and Miss was trapped there.

She planned to go back and wait.

Just as she reached the hanging flower gate, she heard Feng Jiayou call out, “Come back!”

Ah Xiu was startled by her serious tone.

Feng Jiayou’s face was pale, “Don’t go. Liao Zhenzhen is dead. Going back now is like walking into a trap.”

“Liao Zhenzhen is dead?” Ah Xiu was stunned, her face turning pale, “Do you mean my lady killed Miss Liao?”

How could that be?

“Although my lady… but you know her best. She has her limits. I suggested sending a guard to place the cat fur, but she scolded me, saying no man should enter a woman’s bedroom. How could she kill Miss Liao?”

Feng Jiayou didn’t know how to explain. She vaguely remembered the nightmare she had just had.

When Sui Ying sneaked into Liao Zhenzhen’s room, Liao Zhenzhen had already been killed. For some reason, the murderer knocked Sui Ying out and took her out of the Liao residence, then dumped her in a private room of a nearby teahouse.

The Shadow Guard’s secret agents were everywhere in the capital. They quickly found Sui Ying and sent a large team to capture her. Sui Ying’s brother, the young master of the Duke of Zhen’s residence, Sui Siyuan, also arrived.

That kid was reckless. Seeing his sister being bullied, he immediately fought with the Shadow Guard. Despite his young age, he was a descendant of a famous general and highly skilled. In the chaos, he was accidentally killed.

The Duke of Zhen, who had already lost a son and was now at the border, died of anger upon hearing the news of his grandson’s death.

The Duke of Zhen’s residence fell.

Feng Jiayou couldn’t bear to think about Sui Ying’s future. She had experienced it and knew the pain all too well, “Where is your young master now?”

Ah Xiu had no idea, “The young master is always running around, never to be seen.”

“Coral, go prepare a carriage.” Feng Jiayou thought it was impossible to stop the young master. She had to find Sui Ying first.

In her panic, she remembered something and said, “Wait,” before returning to her room, “Let me write a letter first.”

When she came out, she was holding a heavy inkstone in one hand and a wax-sealed letter in the other, “No need to prepare the carriage. Take this letter to the Dali Temple immediately.”

She added, “Be careful. No matter what, don’t let Sui Ying fall into the hands of the Shadow Guard today.”

Liao Zhenzhen was the fiancée of the Shadow Guard’s commander. Her tragic death before the wedding was a slap in the face to the Shadow Guard. The Duke of Zhen and the bloodthirsty commander were not on the same side, even somewhat hostile.

If Sui Ying ended up in the Shadow Guard’s prison, she would be skinned alive.

Coral nodded and quickly left with the letter.

Feng Jiayou took Ah Xiu and got into the carriage, heading south of the city.

*

There was no curfew in the city. The streets were lined with taverns and shops, bustling with people, even more lively than during the day.

“Will the Dali Temple really help?” Ah Xiu was terrified and looked at Feng Jiayou with hope.

In the officialdom, people were always quick to forget favors. Elder Feng had been dead for years. Would the Dali Temple still do Feng Jiayou a favor? Even if they did, could they snatch someone from the terrifying Shadow Guard?

Feng Jiayou didn’t answer, her eyes slightly closed as if resting, but she was forcing herself to recall more of the dream.

Unfortunately, apart from Sui Ying’s tragic story, everything else was vague and unclear.

Wait, she remembered a name—Xie Lan.

But she couldn’t recall the significance of that name.

The carriage stopped in front of the teahouse.

This teahouse was owned by the Sui family. Feng Jiayou had accompanied Sui Ying here many times before. She was a valued and familiar guest.

The shopkeeper greeted her with a smile, “Miss Feng, be careful. It just rained, and the ground is slippery.”

Ah Xiu asked first, “Is our lady here?”

The shopkeeper shook his head, “I haven’t seen her for days.”

Ah Xiu looked back at Feng Jiayou, puzzled as to why she was so sure the lady was in the teahouse.

The shopkeeper added, “The young master was here this afternoon, took some money, and went to the theater with a few young masters to play with crickets…”

Feng Jiayou followed his direction and saw a row of welcoming lanterns. They were different in shape and color but swayed slightly in the night wind.

She was lost in thought for a moment.

No wonder the young master arrived so quickly after the Shadow Guard reached the teahouse. The theater was just a street away from the teahouse.

Feng Jiayou asked the shopkeeper to send someone to fetch Sui Siyuan. The shopkeeper went personally, knowing that the young master wouldn’t come easily if he was having fun.

“Let’s go upstairs first.” The first floor was crowded. Feng Jiayou put on her veil hat and went up the spiral staircase to the far end of the second floor.

This was a private room prepared for Sui Ying and her brother, never open to guests.

Feng Jiayou pushed the door open and confirmed that her dream was correct. On the chaise longue lay a woman in plain clothes with double-ringed buns.

Just by looking at the familiar back, Ah Xiu knew it was her lady and rushed over.

Sui Ying had a cut on her left arm, but otherwise, she was fine. However, no matter how much Ah Xiu shook and called her, she remained unconscious and wouldn’t wake up anytime soon.

Feng Jiayou quickly walked to the window and looked down. Sure enough, there was a carriage parked in the alley behind the teahouse.

She stopped Ah Xiu, who wanted to call a doctor, and before she could speak, Sui Siyuan rushed in, “Sister Feng, what do you need? I was in the middle of playing!”

Before Feng Jiayou could speak, the young master saw his unconscious sister on the chaise longue.

At first, he thought she was asleep and walked quietly, but then he saw the wound on her arm and Ah Xiu’s worried face. His eyes widened, “My sister was hurt? Who has the guts?”

Feng Jiayou, close to Sui Ying, treated Sui Siyuan as half a brother. She grabbed his sleeve, “Siyuan, can you promise me not to fight no matter what happens?”

“Why?” Sui Siyuan looked at her.

Feng Jiayou wanted to say, “It’s your sister’s wish. Just listen, or she’ll beat you when she wakes up,” but she realized the boy was almost as tall as her and wouldn’t be easily fooled.

She was considering her words when she heard a commotion downstairs.

“The Shadow Guard is handling a case. Everyone, leave immediately!”

“Get out!”

“You, surround this place. Don’t let anyone in!”

Then came the sound of tables and chairs scraping the floor, accompanied by clattering noises. Many teacups were probably broken.

Ah Xiu hurried to the door, looked out, and quickly closed it, “Miss Feng, they’re here!”

Feng Jiayou’s heart sank. They came so fast! She wondered if Coral had delivered the letter to the Dali Temple.

Sui Siyuan looked around and sneered, “So it was the Shadow Guard who hurt my sister.”

He grabbed a long sword from the wall and was about to go downstairs.

Feng Jiayou mustered all her strength and shouted, “Sui Ying, what’s wrong with you!”

Sui Siyuan was startled and rushed back to check on his sister.

A “sister” stuck in his throat. He felt a pain in the back of his head and looked at Feng Jiayou in disbelief. His lips moved, and then he fainted.

Feng Jiayou held the inkstone she had brought from home and instructed the stunned Ah Xiu, “What are you waiting for? The floor is cold. Help him onto the chaise.”

This was the simplest way to change fate.

Of course, using knockout drugs would have the same effect, but after having the prophetic dream, Feng Jiayou had thought a lot.

The young master was destined for a deadly disaster. If he didn’t suffer and bleed a little, he wouldn’t escape it in the long run.

She put away the inkstone, wiped the sweat from her palms, adjusted her clothes, and put on her veil hat, waiting for the Shadow Guard to break in.