It was getting late. Knowing Qing Ying, waiting for her at the palace gate, would be worried, Mu Qianhua got up and bid farewell to Dongfang Zhentian.

Dongfang Lingyun followed her and said to Dongfang Zhentian, “I have to go back, too. The general palace is near to the courier hostel. I might as well escort Princess Wude back.”

Upon hearing his words, Mu Qianhua froze a bit, and stared at him in surprise.

“Good. Fengyu, make sure princess Wude went back to the courier hostel safely.” Dongfang Zhentian laughed.

The emperor stood up and left. After taking a bow, Mu Qianhua stood straight and took a glimpse of Dongfang Lingyun. “Since you don’t like me, why are you willing toescort me back?”

Dongfang Lingyun glanced at her. “I merely don’t want to marry you. I have never said I dislike you.”

Mu Qianhua was wordless. It was true that he just refused to wed her from the beginning.

“I have a question.” Dongfang Lingyun, fixing his eyes on her hands, approaching her with interest. “People in the capital thought you were a stupid princess who is good-for-nothing, but it turns out you’re an excellent Konghou player…”

Mu Qianhua was astonished.

She was so engrossed in playing Konghou, totally forgetting that she had always pretended to be a stupid girl who knew nothing about music, chess, calligraphy and art! How could she not follow the most important tactic because of a piece of musical instrument!

“I… I started to play Konghou since childhood. I am not talented enough, so it took me so many years to reach this level. It is my only specialty.”

Dongfang Lingyun looked closely at her face, which was covered by cosmetics, and frowned. “Let’s go.”

Mu Qianhua didn’t leave the pavilion with him together. “Thanks very much for your kindness. I will go back to the courier hostel in a wagon. The coachman is waiting for me at the palace gate. There is no need to trouble you.”

“If you mean the wagon of the courier hostel, I have asked them to leave two hours ago. You can decline my kindness if you are strong enough to walk back.”

“What?!” Mu Qianhua stared at him in astonishment. Qing Ying had left already?

Seeing she was stunned, Dongfang Lingyun turned his head while glanced at her. “Will you decline my kindness?”

It would take at least four hours to return to the courier hostel on foot. As a princess, it was indecent to walk back at such a late time. She had no choice but fall into the trap set by Dongfang Lingyun.

“I am sorry to trouble you, general.” Mu Qinghua had to grit her teeth and submitted to the humiliation.

God damned gangster. I must poison you if you dared to step into the Qian Jin restaurant tomorrow! Mu Qianhua cursed him in her heart.

She, lowering her head, followed Dongfang Lingyun and left the labyrinth-like royal garden. They kept silent all the way until arriving at the palace gate.

Xue Sha, who had been waiting for a long time, jumped down from the wagon, ran forward and paid his respect by taking a bow. “Master.”

After standing up, he saw Mu Qianhua, who, standing behind his master, seemed to be in a bad mood, with the layers of cosmetics on her face falling down like snow. “Master, this is…” Xue Sha, having no idea what Dongfang Lingyun had done to her, asked in terror. He then looked at Mu Qianhua up and down in curiousness. Given her dressing, she should be an infanta or the daughter of some minister.

Dongfang Lingyun said to Xue Sha after glancing at Mu Qianhua, “She is Princess Wude.”

Xue Sha was a little surprised.

Was she the princess royal of the Cold Night Empire who was refused by his master?! …Why would his master leave the palace with her? Did they meet the emperor together today?

Ignoring Xue Sha’s face which suddenly turned pale, Dongfang Lingyun continued to shock Xue Sha by saying, “I will escort Princess Wude back to the courier hostel.”

Xue Sha doubted there was something wrong with his ears. He still remembered the day when Dongfang Lingyun refused to marry Princess Wude at the general palace. They were already incompatible as fire and water, but today, he actually intended to send the princess back to courier hostel. What was going on?

As Xue Sha was still in confusion, Dongfang Lingyun and Mu Qianhua had already boarded the wagon. Xue Sha sighed and sat at the front part, fulfilling his job as a coachman.

It was more difficult to gain an insight into his master’s mind.

The atmosphere inside the wagon was so embarrassing. Mu Qianhua closed her eyes and sat still while Dongfang Lingyun, sitting opposite to her, was reading a book silently.

“Don’t you want to know why I refused to marry you?” Dongfang Lingyun said suddenly.

“…Why?” Mu Qianhua opened her eyes.

“Because…” His low-pitched voice seemed to rise a little, with a tinge of flirting, “I want to embarrass you as much as I can.”

“You!…” What an evil gangster! Mu Qianhua couldn’t control her temper.

Dongfang Lingyun used to get snubbed at Qianjin restaurant, and now, he had given full vent to his anger.

Mu Qianhua turned her head, avoiding any eye contact with Dongfang Lingyun, lest she punch his irritating face with her fist.

Outside the wagon, it was getting dark. With the sun sinking below the horizon, the sky was filled with streaks of dark blue. When they passed a quiet street, an arrow suddenly darted to the wagon. Dongfang Lingyun dragged Mu Qianhua to his side at once. The arrowgot nailed to the interior wall of the wagon, the feather at the end of the arrow end still shaking violently.

Mu Qianhua’s face turned pale. Somebody was trying to take revenge, or murder them for property? Some horrible pictures were haunting Mu Qianhua.

Dongfang Lingyun looked  grim. He knew there was something weird. Xue Sha stopped the wagon and drew the curtain. “Master. There are assassins.”

There were a dozen of assassins clad in black around the wagon with their faces covered by masks. “You stay here. Don’t get off without my permission.” Dongfang Lingyun caught a glimpse of Mu Qianhua before stepping out.

“Who gave you the order to assassinate me?” Dongfang Lingyun glanced at each assassin. Xue Sha, standing in front of him with his sword drawn out, observed the situation in alertness.

All of the assassins were so well trained that they would definitely not betray their master easily. Upon seeing Dongfang Lingyun getting off the wagon, they began to attack him with their swords.

“Watch out, master!” Xue Sha exerted himself to defend against the enemies, keeping Dongfang Lingyun and the wagon in security behind him.

Mu Qianhua drew the curtain a bit and peeked through the seam.

Obviously, all the assassins came here for Dongfang Lingyun. They were top-level warriors, making a good cooperation during the attack. Though Xue Sha was good at swords, it was still hard for him to defend against such a lot of enemies at the same time.

Mu Qianhua didn’t practice martial art herself, but Qing Ying was a top warrior who was very learned in martial arts of various clans. Mu Qianhua has learned a lot from her. The swordplay they used looked so familiar, but she couldn’t remember its source immediately.

It was so difficult for Xue Sha to protect two people at the same time. An assassin seized the chance to prick Dongfang Lingyun with his sword.

“Watch out, Dongfang Lingyun!” Mu Qianhua shouted subconsciously.

With a soft wave, Dongfang Lingyun threw the 400- page antique book directly to the assassin’s chest. The assassin was injured badly, spurting out a mouthful of blood. Mu Qianhua sitting in the wagon was amazed at his swift action. He was such a talent in handling the hidden weapons.

Dongfang Lingyun took the horse off the wagon and rode on it. “Come on, I’ll take you back to the courier hostel by horse.”

His dark purple robe was fluttering in the night wind. That glinting eyes, against the dotting light, looked like the twinkling stars at summer night, whose glamour would make your heart skip a beat.

Mu Qianhua reached out her hand and was dragged onto the horseback immediately. Buried in Dongfang Lingyun’s broad chest and strong arms, Mu Qianhua blushed and lowered her head at once in order to hide her shyness.

“I’ll leave them to you, Xue Sha.”

Dongfang Lingyun dashed forward with Mu Qianhua after finishing his words.

With no distraction, Xue Sha could fight freely. He had experienced numerous battles with Dongfang Lingyun, so the moves he made were unmerciful and relentless, gradually gaining an upper hand over his enemies.

On their way back to the courier hostel, Mu Qianhua tried her best to keep a distance from Dongfang Lingyun. However, the horseback was not wide enough to make a move without touching him. As a normal man, he was annoyed by her fidget. “If you dare to move again, I don’t know whether I will lose control.” Dongfang Lingyun gritted his teeth while holding her fast in his arms.

Mu Qianhua had read the “boudoir secret” given to her by Murong Jingshan. Knowing the man’s body behind her had turned rigid, she stopped moving at once.

“Are they coming here to kill you?” Mu Qianhua, feeling embarrassed in his arms, broke the silence first.

Dongfang Lingyun answered her by a hum.

“You are so calm facing the assassins. Is this common for you?”

“Every month, I’ll be attacked more than a dozen times, including the poisoning.” He said peacefully.

Mu Qianhua was a little surprised. More than a dozen times. It meant he spent half of a month with his life at risk. How could he survive until now…

“…Even the powerful General Pingyan cannot escape such bad luck.”

Dongfang Lingyun glanced at her and smiled. “It is lucky that their aim is me rather than the emperor.”

Mu Qianhua was astounded.

It may be a curse that the royal family of the Dark Night Empire had never been a large one. There were only three princes in this generation. Dongfang Zhentian, the oldest one, though not good at martial art, was a great emperor. The youngest one, with average ability in martial art, was adept at governing the country. Dongfang Lingyun, known as Master of Battles, was the shield of the Dark Night Empire. The country would be safe as long as he was alive. Seemingly bossy and autocratic, he was actually very circumspect. Being learned in warcraft, Dongfang Lingyun knew deeply that a person in a high position is liable to be attacked. Protecting the emperor at the sacrifice of his own safety, this strategy was very unique.

Before coming to the Dark Night Empire, Mu Qianhua heard General Pingyan liked raising dogs at his palace, but it was strange that all of the dogs would disappear within a month and a new one would be bought after a short time.

It must be strange to the citizens, and they would think General Pingyan was autocratic and ruthless, always loving the new and loathing the old. However, after hearing Dongfang Lingyun’s words, Mu Qianhua doubted the dogs were not missing, but poisoned to death when foretasting his dishes.