In the spacious courtyard, Xiuying and Ruyu stood facing each other. The grim-faced man unsheathed his sword in a leisurely manner and pointed it at her, the tip of his blade glinting in the sun like a cold threat. His relaxed yet firm posture, his unwavering gaze, and the way he gripped the sword were all Xiuying needed to see to know that the man before her was an experienced warrior.

She once knew a great warrior who would face an opponent like this, though his features were never grim. If anything, he looked kind and gentle, an exact opposite of how he wielded his sword. But one thing Xiuying could never understand was why he disappeared when his presence was most needed.

Ruwen, what happened to you?

Reminded of an old friend she might never see again, Xiuying tightened her grip on the hilt of her sword still sheathed at her waist. Ruwen was a talented warrior and everyone in the imperial court acknowledged that. Even her father, the Great General who once held the strongest military power in the Kingdom of Yu, claimed that Ruwen was the only man qualified to succeed him.

But if he was so great as we all thought him to be, why isn't he here right now? Xiuying thought bitterly as Ruyu advanced on her.

Xiuying ducked beneath the gleaming blade, narrowly avoiding a fatal strike—if Ruyu was actually serious about harming her in that moment—and rolled forward. Once she regained her footing, she drew her sword from its sheath and tried an attack. Ruyu easily parried her blow. Xiuying, however, expected him to do that. The moment he changed his stance to a forward thrust, she found an opening and kicked upward.

But Ruyu was faster. The little frown on his face indicated that he saw through her strategy. He quickly changed the trajectory of his sword and let the flat of his blade meet her strong kick. Silence took over the courtyard as the two warriors looked at each other, their gaze steady and unwavering.

Her opponent might be twice her age and had far more experience than her, but that didn't mean she couldn't win against him. Her father began teaching her the art of sword fighting when she was just nine years old, and she sparred more than a hundred rounds with Ruwen, both of whom were renowned warriors in their own generations. If they were watching her right now, wherever they were, Xiuying couldn't disappoint them.

She spun and pushed her sword forward, forcing Ruyu to leap back a fair distance. She followed after him and swung simultaneously, not letting him regain his momentum. Ruyu was forced to evade and block her series of attacks for a good minute, but he didn't plan on letting her take control of the battle alone.

The fight soon became fiercer as the two warriors fought under the blazing sun, their blades clanking against each other. Gusts of wind blew everywhere as blows were exchanged one after another, swirling up the leaves in the courtyard.

Xiuying felt her body shiver with excitement. It had been a while since she battled with a skilled swordsman. No wonder Wencheng trusted this man as if he were his second pair of eyes. However, he wasn't as good as Ruwen who could take the victory in less than a minute. Xiuying never beat Ruwen in a duel, but there were moments she almost did. But no matter how many times she lost to him, there was always one person who never got tired of watching them and was always rooting for her to win.

If we met again, would you still root for me, Jin Ge?

Xiuying gripped the hilt of her sword tightly.

Ruyu dashed forward. Xiuying raised her sword in defense as he swung his weapon. The power of his blow knocked her backwards. She let out a pained grunt as she hit the ground on one shoulder. Ruyu came at her again. She grinned as she rolled to the side, passing within inches of the attack. She immediately pushed herself up to one knee and swung her sword in a horizontal cut.

When Ruyu jumped back, Xiuying leapt up and appeared behind him like a tiger pouncing on its prey. Prowling Shadow Strike. It was a martial art her father had taught her, mimicking the stealth and grace of a tiger before unleashing a strike that disarmed the opponent, leaving them vulnerable and defenseless.

Ruyu whirled in alert, but it was too late. His sword was knocked from his grasp, and he found himself inches away from the deadly tip of a blade. His gaze met the wielder of the sword.

"It's decided then," Ruyu finally said.

Xiuying lowered her sword and sheathed it at her waist.

Ruyu turned to look at Wencheng and the others who stood under the veranda. "Only outstanding talent and bravery can serve as a sword of a lady of nobility. This man has proven himself worthy to be the Third Young Lady's bodyguard."

"Good, good." Wencheng said, admiration in his tone. He was looking at Xiuying with a whole new stratosphere of respect.

Jingyu and Bailu regarded her in the same way. Xiuying could see the relief overtaking their features as though a hero had come to save their daughter from her looming demise. Yunxi seemed satisfied with the turn of events. She smiled at Xiuying like a shy lady. Xiuying noticed that she was still clutching the necklace to her chest. Her eyes instinctively darted to the servant standing beside a pillar. Yanyan was looking at where she and Ruyu stood with an unfocused gaze, her expression unreadable.

"Feiyu," Wencheng called, his voice echoing through the courtyard. "You have proven yourself, and I couldn't be more glad to have witnessed it with my own eyes. You have genuinely amazed me, thereby earning not only my respect but of everyone present. As the head of this residence, I am pleased to appoint you as the bodyguard of my third granddaughter."

"I will entrust you with the important task of keeping our daughter safe," Jingyu said, his tone serious. "Please protect her with all your strength from now on."

Xiuying clasped her fists in salute. "I won't disappoint Old Marquis, Eldest Master, and Madam Lou."

"You've mentioned saving my granddaughter to get a reward," Wencheng said. "Now that you have been appointed as her bodyguard, you will no longer have to worry about food and lodging. In a week, you will receive your identity token as an official guard of Ye Residence."

Xiuying smiled and bowed her head. "I, Feiyu, thank the Old Marquis."

"Alright," Wencheng exclaimed with some satisfaction.

"Mingxia, please take Feiyu to the Dawn Courtyard," Jingyu ordered. "She may live in the side room for now."

"Yes, Eldest Master," Mingxia responded with a polite bow.

Wencheng faced Ruyu and said, "Ruyu, hold a grand funeral for Po Jun and please take good care of his family."

Xiuying and Mingxia left the inner courtyard together. Mingxia was walking ahead of her to lead the way, and they soon arrived at the Dawn Courtyard where the First Household resided. It wasn't as large as the Old Marquis's courtyard, but the decoration was not inferior in any way. Trees and flowers were planted everywhere, and there was a stone table and chairs situated in the center.

There were five main houses, with the main room in the north serving as the dwelling of Jingyu and Bailu. The east wing was currently unoccupied, while Yunxi lived in the west wing alone. It seemed that she was the only daughter of the Eldest Master. It was no surprise her parents adored her so much. But Xiuying remembered Yunxi mentioning an Elder Sister back in the main hall. Mingxia never spoke of any other siblings to her except for one younger brother. Somehow, this minor tidbit piqued her curiosity.

The south room was where Mingxia and the other servants lived. Surprisingly, Yanyan worked as a second-rank maid in the First Household, which made Xiuying more intrigued. She was never interested in other people's affairs or liked to meddle in them. But if it concerned the safety of the master she was meant to serve, then she had to get involved in some way.

Mingxia led her to the west side room adjoining the main house. The room was small and hadn't been used in recent years. When Xiuying swept a hand across the empty table, she was surprised to see that no dust had clung to her skin.

"No one is using this room, but it's regularly cleaned," Mingxia explained upon seeing her reaction. "The Eldest Master believes that dust brings bad luck and doesn't want anything in his courtyard to be piled with it. So whether a room is being used or not, it must be kept clean."

Xiuying swept her gaze around the room. Just like Mingxia said, there was not a single pile of dust on any of the furniture. There weren't even any cobwebs in the corners. Mingxia peeked out the door and looked around cautiously before shutting it close. She scurried over to Xiuying and spoke in a quiet voice.

"You did a fantastic job there, Feiyu. It was no surprise Shifu always praised your skills."

Xiuying beamed with pride. "Thanks, Mingxia. I did my best." She paused and looked out the window. "That man is quite the swordsman, isn't he?"

"Ruyu has been working for the Old Marquis for almost his whole life," Mingxia said. "From what I'd gathered, he was once a beggar whom the Old Marquis rescued and took under his wing."

"I see," Xiuying commented. "So he was trained by the Marquis of Jing himself."

Mingxia was a member of Plum Blossom Pavilion who had been working at the Ye Residence for two years. The organization actually had many people but not all of them worked at the inn. Some were dispersed across the country to serve as Dishi's extended eyes and ears. They also acted as immediate assistance if the situation required it, as was the case with Mingxia.

The day before the assassination, Xiuying already contacted Mingxia to inform her of her plans and made preparations to secure the position she was after. Mingxia being a servant of the First Household only made things easier, and Xiuying couldn't have been happier to be working alongside her, as she was her most trusted comrade aside from Yanxiao. But, unlike Yanxiao, Mingxia was oblivious of her disguises. To her, she was just a man named Feiyu.

"So, what will you do now?" Mingxia asked with genuine curiosity.

Xiuying shrugged. "Well, as an appointed bodyguard of the Third Young Lady, I just have to do my job."

Mingxia gave her a surprised look. "You're serious about protecting her?"

"I mean, I didn't go through all that trouble just to get her killed, did I?"

Mingxia studied her for a moment. "To be honest, Feiyu, I'm not really sure what you're up to."

Xiuying couldn't really blame her. She might have told her of her intention of wanting to serve in the Ye Residence, but she still kept her in the dark regarding her main objective. Not that she didn't trust her, but she couldn't be honest without revealing the identity of the person behind her disguises. Nothing must be known until she got where she wanted to be.

"Let's just say that someone in the capital owes me a lot," Xiuying said. "But I must first track them down in order to collect their debt. And for me to continue down this route, I must remove anything that may obstruct my path. I have to find out who the real perpetrator is." She turned to look at Mingxia. "Do you have any idea whose orders that scheming servant is following?"

Whoever was after the Third Young Lady was undoubtedly no ordinary person. The letter that Yanyan gave her in the Plum Blossom Pavilion was written in the graceful handwriting of someone obviously from an affluent family with a high level of education. For that person to be able to plant someone within the Ye Residence without raising the Marquis's attention was very impressive, though. They were not to be taken lightly.

Yunxi, you do have an enemy.

"I don't really have any idea who would want to get rid of the Third Young Lady," Mingxia said truthfully. "If I may be honest, she is the nicest and sweetest person I know—though sometimes a bit too much for her own good. But I'll do my best to help you."

There was silence for a moment. Xiuying didn't really plan to involve her any further. However, given the complexity of the situation, she was bound to require assistance from others. To have another set of eyes and ears would always be better.

"By the way, Mingxia," Xiuying said, her expression thoughtful. "There's something I'm curious about."

Mingxia raised a brow, prompting her to continue.

"Is there another Young Lady from the First Household that I should know about?"

"Actually," Mingxia said after a long pause. "There was. Ye Yunru, the Eldest Young Lady Ye. Unfortunately, she was a victim of a rukki attack while on her way to see her fiancé. Two days before their wedding."

After Mingxia took her leave to attend to her duties, Xiuying walked out of her room and stood in the middle of the courtyard. The maidservants sweeping outside gave her curious looks. Xiuying didn't so much as glance at them, but she could feel their eyes on the mask covering her face. None attempted to approach her however, which she was grateful for.

A leaf floated down in front of her face, and she held out a hand to catch it in her palm. She stared at it blankly, her mind drifting back to the past, when leaves were dropping like snow on her. She remembered Jin Ge with his charming smile as he pulled a leaf from her hair. She remembered how he almost kissed her at that moment, if it hadn't been for the order summoning him to court.

A ghost of a smile played around her lips, and she felt a bitter taste in her mouth that traveled down her stomach.