Young Master Gu, Please Be Gentle

Yuan Ming stared at Jun Xiqing in disbelief.

She was actually…

The metal claw had pierced Jun Xiqing’s tender shoulders, making her break out in sweat from the pain. She reached up and slowly drew out the claw from her shoulder, inch by inch.

The claw was silver when it entered, and blood red when it was drawn out.

“Howl…”

The howls of a pack of wolves rang out from a near distance. Yuan Ming glanced up to see pairs of glowing green eyes dotting the darkness ahead. The wolves had come.

He gripped his reins tightly.

The daughter of the Jun Family was indeed full of ancient tricks and skills. She even knew the art of taming wolves.

Indeed.

No one knew that he loved Bei Yuewu 26 years ago. But she had heard some gossip in the garden and instantly surmised what was going on. From that deduction, she had lured him here with Face-Changing Magic. But she also cherished her life, and there was no way she would have allowed herself to die here.

She had just been stalling for time earlier. Now that night had fallen and her wolves were here, her opportunity to escape had come.

This Jun Xiqing was really something.

She was truly the daughter of the Jun Family.

With her nimble fingers, she had turned this life-and-death game of chess from a checkmate situation into a victorious win.

A rebirth from the place of death.

How glorious and radiant.

Jun Xiqing was so amazing and beautiful that there was no way Yuan Ming would believe Lu Yeming had no real feelings towards her.

In one’s lifetime, there would always be that someone you meet who would make her way deep into your heart, give it a bite and give rise to a pain that would follow you for the rest of your life.

It was then that Jun Xiqing rode her horse into the darkness, instantly disappearing into night.

At this point, his army finally caught up with him. “Chief, should we give chase?”

Yuan Ming waved him off. “No need.”

“Chief, let’s go back then.”

“Go back?” Yuan Ming laughed. “Lu Yeming’s army has probably already arrived. We will be falling into our enemy’s trap if we go back. What a pity. I have lost terribly in this game of chess to Lu Yeming and Jun Xiqing. Let us leave, we will head south.”

“But Chief, Auntie is still there.”

Ah, Dongfang Wanqing.

Yuan Ming gave a strange smile. “She will be fine. Murong Jiancheng will protect her.”

…

Following this night, Lu Yeming returned and took back his commander’s seal. Yuan Ming had fled and without shedding even a drop of blood and Lu Yeming regained power over the Holy Lady Clan.

Lu Yeming was at his desk inside an army tent, as Fan Men reported the day’s events to him.

“Your Highness, it was President Jun who gave the idea of throwing the Chinese Rings onto the ground. At that time, she said this as she cut her steak, ‘Who is this Chief? So what if His Highness knows how to solve the Chinese Rings? He doesn’t have to do it.’”

Lu Yeming was still dressed in a black shirt and pants. He tore off his latex mask, revealing his handsome face beneath. As he stood alone at the desk, the yellow glow of the lantern lighting up his chiseled features, elegant and dashing.

Hearing Fan Men’s words, he recalled the time he met Yuan Ming eight years ago. Yuan Ming had indeed given him a set of Chinese Rings to solve and he had flung it on the ground.

At that time, he was thinking…

He was thinking who was this Yuan Ming? Why should he solve this for him?

Fan Men spoke up again. “President Jun has loved archery from a young age. Her best record was 10 bulls-eyes in a row…”

Lu Yeming glanced up at Fan Men. “Didn’t you tell her that my best record was 12 bulls-eyes in a row?”

A smirk graced his lips and his low voice held traces of warmth and affection. “Look at how smug she is. She must think she is better than me.”

Fan Men’s heart jumped. He saw the amusement in His Highness’s deep, almond-shaped eyes.

It was then that Fan Men placed a red poppy flower on the desk. “Your Highness, President Jun used this red poppy to lure Yuan Ming away.”

Fan Men didn’t say much. Bei Yuewu was His Highness’s mother, and that palace romance had been an exciting and secretive affair.

Lu Yeming gazed at the flower for a few seconds before twisting his lips slightly. “Did she leave any message for me?”

“Yes.”

“Hm?”

“President Jun said, if… if she made it back alive, please… please be merciful and let her go.”

With that, Fan Men carefully stole a glimpse at this man’s face. He wished to see if any expression could be detected.

But he was disappointed.

Lu Yeming remained pokerfaced. He didn’t even raise an eyebrow. All he did was reach out and stroke the red poppy flower, before smiling nonchalantly. “No, I will never let go of her.”

He would never let go.

Before tonight, he might have considered it.

But after tonight, he would never ever let go of her.

“Those were her final words?”

“No, President Jun’s final words were… were…” Fan Men didn’t dare to say.

“What were they?” Lu Yeming asked in a low voice.

Fan Men steeled himself and said it, “President Jun’s final words were: Lu Yeming, that fool!”

After Fan Men revealed her words, he waited for His Highness to erupt in rage. No one had ever dared to scold His Highness in that manner.

“Ha.” Fan Men heard a low, magnetic chuckle. Lu Yeming had laughed.

His Highness actually laughed?

Fan Men was stunned.

Lu Yeming had really laughed. His handsome face was full of gaiety. He got up and went out, climbing quickly onto a horse.

“Your Highness, where are you going?” Fan Men chased after him.

“I am going to find her. She will not die.”

With that, Lu Yeming galloped off on horseback.

His Highness was going after Jun Xiqing just like that?

Leaving behind the entire Holy Lady Clan.

Fan Men stood dumbstruck at his original spot. He suddenly also laughed out loud. He had a feeling that after tonight, His Highness’s fondness for Jun Xiqing had increased once again.

As for how much it had increased, only His Highness himself would know.

…

Lu Yeming rode his horse in search of Jun Xiqing. He would definitely find her.

The cool night air whipped against his handsome face. He frowned slightly, the image of her delicate little face filling his mind.

He had never missed someone like this before.

All he wanted was to hold her in his arms and kiss her fiercely. He wanted to tear off her clothes and own every inch of her. He wanted to leave his own indelible mark on this woman, such that every last bit of her belonged to him and only him.

This was an unfamiliar feeling for him, and it surged in him, fierce and intense.

He could clearly imagine that graceful and nonchalant manner in which she said to fling the Chinese Rings on the ground. That secretly smug expression as she struck nine consecutive bulls-eyes. That swirling red dress as she galloped wildly…

Every image in his mind was of her.

Jun Xiqing.

He called out her name silently in his heart. Jun Xiqing.

…

Jun Xiqing long lashes quivered as she gradually opened her eyes.

Where was she?

She wanted to sit up but a piercing pain shot through her right shoulder the moment she moved.

A familiar voice rang out beside her ear, anxious and full of concern. “Xiqing, don’t move. Lay down, or your wound will start bleeding again.”