Chapter Fifty-One: Take You Home and Marry You!

The two of them rode swiftly for half a day before finally arriving at the foot of Snow Mist Mountain.

Along the way, Feng Xiaoli’s heart was filled with dread. The old man of Snow Mist Mountain was notorious for not allowing outsiders to enter; those permitted were either disciples or the old man himself. Now, with Zi Lin following closely behind, she could only wonder what the old man would think upon seeing this. He would surely scold her fiercely—"You foolish girl, how dare you bring a strange man here? Do you believe I’ll throw you down the mountain?"

Feng Xiaoli was truly afraid. The old man's usual gentle demeanor was but a facade. Whenever she did something that displeased him, he never cared who she was—he would toss her down the mountain without a second thought. Moreover, the old man had long harbored a grudge against her; Feng Xiaoli was his blemish. Over the years, though his disciples were not all prodigies, none were as mediocre as Feng Xiaoli. Her meager martial skills were an utter disgrace to Snow Mist Mountain—a lifelong stain on the old man’s honor. He had tried to expel her more than once; if not for Yue Wanqing’s desperate pleas on her behalf, Feng Xiaoli would have been banished long ago.

And this time, she had sneaked out of the mountain. If her master discovered it, she would be doomed.

What’s more, she hadn’t brought Yue Wanqing with her. If her master decided to punish her, she would have no one to shield her—death seemed inevitable.

In short, it all boiled down to one word: death!

This time, Feng Xiaoli had departed straight from the imperial palace without informing Yue Wanqing. After what happened with Xiang Lian, Yue Wanqing’s health could not withstand further turmoil and she had already fallen ill. Feng Xiaoli saw no reason to trouble her with these matters and used her own departure from Huaijing as a chance for Yue Wanqing to rest.

There was another reason too. The Left Chancellor disliked Xiang Lian, and by association, he disliked Feng Xiaoli as well. If he saw her at the Chancellor’s residence, he would certainly ridicule her with harsh words. If not for Feng Xiaoli’s habit of letting insults go in one ear and out the other, her heart would have been broken countless times by now.

Just as Feng Xiaoli was about to dismount, she suddenly felt a tightening around her waist. In an instant, she was spun around, her body pressed closely against Zi Lin’s. As they landed, Zi Lin’s toes touched the ground lightly, and he propelled them into the air. In no time, the two were standing upright.

Feng Xiaoli complained that Zi Lin had taken advantage of her again, but Zi Lin simply pointed ahead. Following his gaze, Feng Xiaoli saw three figures clad in black appear before them. A moment earlier, these three had hurled concealed weapons at Feng Xiaoli’s direction, but Zi Lin’s quick reflexes had saved her just in time.

Surveying their surroundings, Feng Xiaoli’s eyes darkened.

Was this a coincidence, or was it deliberate?

They stood now at the entrance to Snow Mist Mountain. The entrance changed each year, but having grown up here, Feng Xiaoli knew its location well. She had not expected, however, to encounter these black-clad figures at this spot.

So, it must be—

“You’re here too?” Though the men were masked, Zi Lin could tell who they were. He recognized those familiar silhouettes—he had been pursued by them for decades. Forgetting them was impossible.

“Greetings, Young Master!” Despite everything, he was their master’s son, and proper respect was due.

“Have your orders changed? Instead of chasing me to remote places, you’ve followed me to this desolate mountain. Could it be you know something?”

“We wouldn’t dare, Young Master. We only follow orders. As for anything else, we know nothing,” replied one of the masked men, his head bowed.

“Is that so? Then do you know why you were sent here?” Zi Lin asked with a smile.

His eyes met Zi Lin’s, a hint of amusement in their depths. “We were sent to bring you back—to get married.”

—End of chapter. Normal schedule resumes tomorrow.