Chapter 2: Shen Ji. She Would Not Fail Heaven’s Kindness.

The autumn rain fell ceaselessly, only gradually stopping in the latter half of the night.

Su Zhenyue had taken her medicine. With her eyes slightly closed, she listened to the even, deep breaths of Doukou and Nanxing, her heart lodged high in her throat.

After an unknown amount of time, a strange noise suddenly came from the courtyard.

Immediately after, a servant from the villa cried out in alarm, “Someone, come! There are assassins!”

Su Zhenyue was startled. They’re here, just as I expected!

Doukou and Nanxing awoke with a start, looking at each other in horror. “What’s wrong? What’s happening?”

Su Zhenyue said nothing. The commotion erupting in the courtyard was their answer.

The once-silent night was now filled with shouts, the sound of running feet, and the clash of weapons.

——The Jing An Marquis Estate had risen to prominence through military merit and had always valued martial arts. The servant on night patrol, Zhao Eryong, had previously served by his master’s side and knew a thing or two about fighting. He was the first to spot the intruders who had snuck into the villa and raised the alarm.

Others on patrol nearby heard the commotion and rushed over.

There were not many men in black—only six.

But soon, Zhao Eryong realized something was wrong.

Tonight’s men in black were highly trained; they were clearly no ordinary brigands.

The servants at the villa, who usually managed the estate and guarded the house, knew some martial arts, but their skills were truly average. They were no match for these men. While doing their best to fend them off, they could only watch helplessly as the other men in black made a beeline for the room where Miss Su was staying!

Miss Su had been sent to the villa by the Old Madam to recuperate half a month ago. The Heir Apparent had just come to see her during the day. If anything were to happen to her, how could they possibly explain it to their masters?

But the situation was critical. Zhao Eryong and the others were frantic but powerless, able only to shout, “Miss Su, be careful! Quickly, protect Miss Su!”

Just as they were at their wits’ end, a figure suddenly flashed past. Just as the men in black were about to break down the door, he blocked their path, longsword in hand.

The courtyard was brightly lit by torches, and Zhao Eryong saw the man’s face clearly.

He was about eighteen or nineteen years old, tall and slender, with handsome features. It was the very same Young Master Shen who had come seeking lodging.

He stood before the door, his longsword a blur of motion. The cold glint of the blade kept the men in black at bay, giving him the air of “one man holding a pass against ten thousand.”

What was more remarkable was that, despite being surrounded by enemies, he was composed and calm, showing no sign of panic.

With an expert’s help, Zhao Eryong breathed a brief sigh of relief.

In the next instant, however, he saw two of the men in black exchange a look. One of them gave up on the door and charged straight for the window.

The man’s saber was extremely sharp, and he hacked through the tightly shut window in just a few strikes.

A chilly night breeze blew into the room through the window. Nanxing and Doukou shivered. “Miss…”

Su Zhenyue’s face was snow-white, her eyes pitch-black. She stared unblinkingly in the direction of the window, her voice extremely soft. “Don’t be afraid. It’s alright, it’s alright…”

——If everything was just as it had been in her dream, then no one would be harmed tonight.

…

Seeing the man in black about to climb through the window, Zhao Eryong could not help but cry out, “Ah!”

Young Master Shen, who was fighting off enemies at the door, glanced over and suddenly called out, “Ping An!”

The moment he spoke, a whoosh was heard. A crossbow bolt, shot from an unknown location, accurately struck the man in black who was climbing through the window.

With a clang, the weapon fell from the man’s hand, and he tumbled to the ground.

Only then did everyone notice a youth of about fourteen or fifteen who had appeared from nowhere. He was not tall and held a crossbow, shouting, “Young Master, I’m here to help!”

Without looking up, Young Master Shen continued to fight one against many, his sword meeting the men in black before him as he called out a reminder, “Be careful. The bolts are coated in a potent poison that’s fatal upon drawing blood. Don’t injure any of the good guys.”

“Got it,” the youth replied cheerfully, his hands not stopping. He fired two more crossbow bolts in quick succession. One missed, but the other struck one of the men in black in the arm.

The moment the bolt hit his arm, the man’s movements immediately became sluggish. A few breaths later, he collapsed to the ground.

Seeing this, two other men in black changed their target and rushed toward the youth.

Before they could get close, the youth fired three more bolts in an instant.

The men in black hastily dodged. In a moment of distraction, one had his shoulder pierced by Young Master Shen’s sword, while another was hit in the leg by a crossbow bolt and fell to the ground.

Seeing how potent the poison was, the remaining men in black dared not be careless. With a shout of “Retreat!”, they immediately withdrew. After a few leaps, they vanished into the vast darkness of the night.

With the crisis averted, Zhao Eryong and the others were overjoyed. Forgetting their fatigue and injuries, they hurried forward, bowing in gratitude. “Thank you, Young Master, for your great kindness…”

“There’s no need for formalities. Tie these men up first. It will be troublesome if they wake up later.” Young Master Shen casually twirled his sword, gesturing toward the men in black lying on the ground.

“Wake up?” Zhao Eryong was stunned. “Weren’t they… poisoned to death?”

The youth called Ping An heard this and immediately jumped up. “Poisoned to death? Do you think poison is easy to come by? Besides, our Young Master still has to take the imperial examinations. He wouldn’t get involved in killing.”

“Then…”

“It’s an anesthetic.” Ping An lifted his chin slightly. “Don’t underestimate this anesthetic. Our Young Master spent a great deal of effort to create it. Wild beasts and mountain bandits on our journey were no match for it. Ai, what a pity…”

“Ping An!” Shen Ji interrupted, his gaze calm. “You talk too much.”

“Oh.” Ping An pouted and fell silent.

Zhao Eryong was utterly astonished, both by the anesthetic and by this Young Master Shen. He had thought him an ordinary scholar who did nothing but study the classics, never expecting him to possess such skill and means.

After offering a few words of praise, Zhao Eryong quickly sent someone to fetch ropes. He still had many questions, but it was already the fourth watch of the night, and he knew it was not the time for conversation.

He could only say, “Tonight’s events were sudden and have disturbed your peace, Young Master. Why don’t you return to your room to rest? After daybreak, I will certainly report this to my master and thank you again for your great kindness.”

As he spoke, the three men in black who had been hit by the anesthetic were securely tied up.

Young Master Shen gave a slight nod and was about to leave.

He had only taken two steps when a sharp voice came from the crowd. “Uncle Zhao, why are you letting them leave? We haven’t questioned them yet. What if they were the ones who led tonight’s men in black here?”

The speaker was a servant from the villa. He had been injured in the fight and had just managed to bandage his wound.

Young Master Shen’s steps paused slightly. As if he had heard a joke, he suddenly let out a soft chuckle.

Was this man blaming him for intervening?

Beside him, Ping An’s eyebrows shot up, and he rolled up his sleeves. “Hey, what do you mean by that? Make yourself clear!”

“I’ll say it! Our villa has been peaceful for so many years. The moment you two come seeking lodging, thieves show up. Who knows if you didn’t collude with them beforehand?” The servant stuck his neck out, his face full of defiance.

Hearing this, Zhao Eryong knew something was wrong and was about to reprimand him when a clear, mellow female voice came from the room. “You must not be rude to our benefactor.”

Her voice was gentle and soft, like the cry of a kite or the song of a phoenix, indescribably lovely and pleasant to the ear.

Everyone was taken aback. Then someone realized, “Is that… Miss Su?”

——Miss Su had been at the villa for over half a month, living in seclusion and rarely showing herself. Many of those present had never truly seen her, only hearing that she was a beauty rarely seen in the world.

With a soft creak, the door opened. A slender and beautiful young woman appeared at the doorway.

She wore a dress the color of the sky after rain, her ink-black hair cascading down her back. Her brows were like distant mountains, her eyes like autumn waters, and she had a delicate nose and cherry lips. Poised and graceful, she looked like a celestial being. Only her pale complexion and an unnatural flush on her cheeks betrayed her condition.

It was Su Zhenyue, still ill from falling into the water.

The moment she appeared, the scene instantly quieted, and everyone’s gaze fell upon her.

——Su Zhenyue had been awake the entire time tonight, so she was naturally well aware of what had happened outside.

If she had been hesitant before, the events of this night had erased every last trace of doubt.

It was the same. Exactly the same as in her dream.

Su Zhenyue did not know why she had dreamed of those things, but since Heaven had taken pity and given her a warning in advance, she would not fail Heaven’s kindness.

She absolutely could not let Nanxing die a tragic, unjust death, nor could she allow herself to end up in the same state as in her dream.

“Thank you all for your valiant help in tonight’s matter.” Su Zhenyue’s gaze swept around as she gave a solemn bow to the crowd. Her eyes brushed imperceptibly over Young Master Shen’s face before quickly moving away.

——Even Shen Ji was exactly the same as in her dream.

“Especially our two honored guests. Without them, I would not be able to stand here and speak to you all now. If they were truly in league with the thieves, why would they risk their lives to help?” The young woman’s expression was sincere, her manner unhurried, as she laid out the simplest of reasonings for all to see.

As she spoke, she shook her head, her voice soft yet firm. “We cannot make wild accusations and chill the hearts of our benefactors.”

“Exactly.” Zhao Eryong was the first to agree. “Miss Su is right.”

Many others chimed in with their agreement, and for a moment, the crowd was stirred.

The man who had voiced his doubts fell silent.

“That’s more like it,” Ping An muttered vaguely, then turned to the young master beside him and asked in a low voice, “Young Master, who is that Miss Su to the Gu family?”

Shen Ji did not answer. He raised his eyes to look at the young woman surnamed Su, only to find her pair of lively, watery eyes staring straight at him.

He had no idea how long she had been looking.

Slightly taken aback, Shen Ji averted his gaze.