When Gu Yunxi entered the Palace with Huanan Jiyan, the night watchman had just beaten the midnight drum.

They did not run into too much trouble. Gu Yunxi was wearing the Eastern Depot fourth-ranked official uniform and she had the waist badge as well as the two maids, which allowed their entrance.

However, Huanan Jiyan, the Fourth Princess born to the Empress, was completely drunk. She hugged Gu Yunxi and cried for Lu Zhu, which made the guards at the gate of divine prowess.

To avoid unnecessary troubles, Jin'er spent a considerable amount of silver to shut their mouths.

They first sent Prince Chen to Wutong Garden and then Gu Yunxi followed Jin'er and Yaoer and helped the princess back to Kunning Palace.

On the way, the two maids couldn't stop chattering and complaining. It was fortunate that Empress Qian was not present today. Otherwise, she would give them both a good beating.

The palace gate was locked now. Hence, they would have to bribe their way in so that the scandal of the intoxicated princess would not come into Empress's ears.

Gu Yunxi advised the two maids to climb over the wall. Considering their kung fu, it should be easy. In order not to alert the watchman, they only needed to go over the wall and then hide in the princess's room located in the wing. None would find out about this matter.

As for Gu Yunxi herself, she had to take it upon herself to carry the drunk and crying Fourth Princess over the wall.

They stopped at the west wall of the Kunning Palace where they chose to carry out their plan. Further on around the corner was the palace gate.

The night was thick. A black shadow, Light and slender, suddenly flashed out from behind the trees.

"Who is it?"

Jin'er was the first one to see it. She called out in a low voice, frowning.

"Are you Jin'er, the maid?"

The black shadow asked under its breath as well. By the thin silver moonlight, he stretched his neck to the ladies for a closer look.

Gu Yunxi was surprised. That voice could be no one but Lu Qiange.

At the same moment Jin'er and Yaoer also recognized him. They minced forward, jawing about their happiness and grievance,

"Sir Lu, it's really you, huh? Where have you been these past few days?"

"That's right. The princess is dying for you..."

Lu Qiange ignored the noisy girls and slowly emerged from the shadow of the red wall. His handsome face was basking in the moonlight and his chiseled jawline shone like pearls.

His purple eyes were fixed on Gu Yunxi, who was dressed as an Eastern Depot guard. His sight was so sharp that it almost penetrated Gu Yunxi's body and split her in half.

Gu Yunxi was puzzled by his strange stare. Flustered, she blinked nervously.

She had been worried about him for a long time after he had been hurt by Master Leng with a palm injury that day. Judging from his appearance, he had recovered. However, was he back now for...?

"Tu Muxue, you are really working for the Eastern Depot."

Lu Qiange suddenly spoke coldly.

At this point, he even could not fathom out how he really felt.

"Tu Muxue", attired in the rank-fourth guard's uniform, should serve a eunuch as his close attendant. The relationship between them was not hard to imagine.

His chest ached due to the extreme rage when he thought of another spoony girl in the past. He sincerely felt it was unworthy of her dedication, even though he knew that he should perhaps be glad at this time. If Master of the Eastern Depot was so disloyal, he could reasonably take Yunxi with him when he found her.

But silently studying the woman who was most close to Leng Qingtang, Lu Qiange could hold his sense of righteousness no more, so he rebuked,

"I've told you before to stay away from Master of the Eastern Depot. He doesn't belong to you!"

Gu Yunxi was stunned and opened her eyes widely. Soon she calmed herself down and replied decisively,

"It's none of your business. You’d better mind yourself!"

As she said so sharply, she pushed Huanan Jiyan into Lu Qiange's arms.

Huanan Jiyan tumbled into a strong and warm chest.

“You... Who are you?”

Huanan Jiyan struggled to raise her head and open her eyes. When she spoke, a strong smell of wine was spewed on Lu Qiange's face and he frowned in distaste.

Jin'er and Yaoer gathered around Huanan Jiyan in surprise and kept calling,

"Princess, Princess, wake up. Lu Zhu, it's Lu Zhu."

"...Lu Zhu?"

Huanan Jiyan straightened her back in a daze and tilted her head to process the name.

Stretching her neck, she tried to focus her hazy eyes on the beautiful face in front of her. Suddenly, she awakened and jumped into the arms of Lu Qiange. Hanging on his neck, she was afraid that he would run away again.

"Lu Zhu, good boy. You're finally back. Great. I'm not dreaming!"

"Hey, what are you doing? Let go of me."

Feeling displeased, Lu Qiange shook the clingy princess off. But she quickly plunged into his arms by means of a drunkard's strength. She attached her blushed cheek to his chest and closed her eyes with a contented smile.

Watching the chaos, Gu Yunxi sighed helplessly and shook her head. She turned around and walked away alone.

"Tu..."

Lu Qiange could not get rid of Huanan Jiyan and so he had to carry her up. Looking into the distance, his eyes were caught by that purple back.

Was this an illusion?

Lu Qiange closed and reopened his eyes in dismay to see her.

Indeed, her back really looked like that of Yunxi.

…

The night was in silent darkness.

Gu Yunxi walked alone on the wide unoccupied road with no expression.

Lu was back.

He must be back for the Kunhuang Island map. She had to return to the Eastern Depot and report this important matter to Master.

Making up her mind, she speeded up her steps. Abruptly, an unusually loud noise came from the distance.

Gu Yunxi had sharp ears. She only halted for a second before she heard a faint shout,

"Assassin! Don't let him get away!"

"That way. Go after him!"

Assassin?

Alerted, Gu Yunxi looked around vigilantly.

With a cold flurry, a man landed opposite Gu Yunxi.

She instinctively took a step backward with her heart tightened and eyes narrowed.

When their eyes met, Gu Yunxi instantly recognized this person.

Although the visitor's face was covered by a hat, his empty left sleeve swaying in the air revealed his identity.

"Are you Mister Wenren?"

Before Wenren Junzheng could speak, Gu Yunxi took the initiative and saw through his identity.

The one-armed warrior was surprised. His bamboo hat quivered as he looked upward to cast his solemn eyes on the unfamiliar face before him.

Wenren Junzheng had accompanied Lu Qiange into the Palace tonight. After separation, he went to the Cold Palace to meet an old friend. However, their conversation drew the patrols' attention.

Wenren Junzheng had to flee in the emergency. Thus, he was taken as an assassin and chased by guards.

Wenren Junzheng did not know the person in his way. He could tell by her voice that she was a girl. But she was in the Eastern Depot uniform and humbly addressed him as Mister.

Wenren Junzheng meant not to stay here for a long time at this urgent moment.

Not armed tonight, he was wary of the woman from the Eastern Depot. Clenching his right fist, he asked Gu Yunxi coldly,

"Who are you?"

Gu Yunxi was secretly pleased that Wenren Junzheng could not recognize her new face. Hearing the guards' roars approaching, she masked herself with humility and saluted him,

"I have long admired you, Mister. Please follow me. I can help you get out of the Palace."

And then she whirled around fast like a draft.

Wenren Junzheng wrinkled his brows in hesitation, but the pursuers' footsteps were gaining on, and so he resolved to follow Gu Yunxi.

Under her guidance, they arrived at the Pavilion of Good Omens and flew up to the glazed roofing.

Gu Yunxi ran around the gargoyle and stepped on the white jade fence with one foot to eject herself over the Palace wall.

Wenren Junzheng did so as well. When he landed on the ground, he was already on the road outside the Palace.

Wenren Junzheng squinted to observe the surroundings. Under his hat, his lips were pulled into a faint smile,

"Your martial arts skills are really good at your age, but it is a pity that you work for the Eastern Depot. Your talents are wanted as the court's dog."

Gu Yunxi was offended. Lu obviously learned his way of talking from his master.

He was so unruly and untamed and naturally, his mentor was arrogant.

At that year, Master let him go when he pretended to be the Qiling prefect. However, he couldn't wait to bite right after he had been rescued out of the Palace.

Nonetheless, Gu Yunxi did not intend to turn hostile. After all, she saved him for a purpose.

Quietly looking at Wenren's empty sleeve, Gu Yunxi wondered if his left arm had been cut off by Master, just as that in her dream. Was that why he hated Master and the Eastern Depot?

But why this one-armed man always appeared in the same scene where he had carried her on his back to take her away?

When she had passed out due to blood phobia in the past, she would have dreamed that at midnight. Was that a real memory?

The moment she met Wenren Junzheng in the Palace, Gu Yunxi realized that he was the key who could solve all the puzzles in her heart. Therefore, she had to save him and could not let the Honour Guards take him.

Wenren Junzheng noticed that he had been stared at by the Eastern Depot guard for a long time. Confused and irritated, he scolded,

"Who are you? Why are you looking at me? I will definitely return your favor. I'll take my leave if you have nothing else."

"Who is Zheng Ran to you?"

Staring, Gu Yunxi suddenly asked. Her face was calm and her voice wasn’t warm.

By intuition, she knew that the man in front of her was acquainted with her father.

Stunned, the man was standing still as a sculpture.

After a while, he stiffly and slowly pulled away from her and deliberately raised his head to reveal his square face. The facial muscles were twitching, his eyes beaming at Gu Yunxi.

He misunderstood her. He thought she must have heard about the massacre of the Zheng Family more than ten years ago from the mouth of that eunuch. With a frightening sneer, he replied,

"Humph! You may have saved me today, for which I am grateful, but this cannot offset the sin Leng Qingtang committed over ten years ago. Tell him that one day, I will seek revenge on him for my brother Zheng, Ruo, and all the lives lost for the Zheng Family!"

And then Wenren Junzheng strode forward, yielding his one-armed figure in the night.

Gu Yunxi did not chase after him. She became more confused by his sudden outburst.

But she also intercepted an important message from his impassioned words.

He should call her father brother...