The members of the Lu family, standing nearby, chimed in their agreement. “Exactly! Exactly!”
Lu Xingyao spoke earnestly to Princess Shunyu, “Your Highness, this girl must be from the capital. She’s spinning lies upon lies, and you mustn’t let yourself be deceived by her!”
Princess Shunyu sighed, “Lu Gongzi, she really isn’t a bad person…”
Despite her explanations, Lu Xingyao and the others just wouldn’t believe her.
Everyone else thought the princess was simply too young and naive. Look at her! She’s been fooled to this extent and still insists on defending this little liar, truly believing she was here to save her!
Inside the tent, Ming Yuan was tied up, her hands and feet bound, and a piece of cloth was stuffed in her mouth.
Lu Qing had been woken up and was holding three items—two imperial dragon-seal tokens, one large and one small, and a letter.
Everyone stared at him, waiting for him to give the order to deal with the lying little girl.
But Lu Qing finally said, “This is indeed the handwriting of the late emperor.”
The crowd exchanged stunned glances, especially Lu Xingyao, who stood there dumbfounded. Wait, so this girl was really part of the forces left by the late emperor to protect the princess?
Lu Qing gestured for his eldest grandson to untie Ming Yuan. “While I haven’t seen the Jinlin Guard’s token before, I once met the Right Commander of the Jinlin Guard, Yan Hai, when serving the late emperor. Is he still well?”
The cloth was removed from Ming Yuan’s mouth. She said “You may be mistaken. The Right Commander of the Jinlin Guard was not Yan. Only the Left Commander carries the surname Yan—Yan Cang.”
Lu Qing then handed the items back to Princess Shunyu. “Your Highness, this is indeed the Jinlin Guard.”
He knew the late emperor had always been protective of this daughter, but he hadn’t expected that the emperor had planned so far ahead. If the current emperor knew the Jinlin Guard hadn’t been disbanded and would end up under Shunyu’s control, he surely wouldn’t have allowed her to leave the capital alive.
Princess Shunyu clutched the items tightly. Lu Qing had served as her father’s right-hand man and could easily identify her father’s handwriting. With his confirmation, she was sure that Ming Yuan was indeed a member of the Jinlin Guard.
Wanting to hear Lu Qing’s opinion, she asked, “Lord Lu, do you think I should go with them?”
Lu Qing replied, “Whether you stay or leave is entirely your decision, Your Highness. With the Jinlin Guard, you will be safe.”
In other words, the Jinlin Guard was a sharp sword—how to wield it was up to her, and no one could force her.
After a moment of silence, Shunyu asked, “If I leave, would you be willing to come with me?”
Lu Qing hesitated, and the others were just as shocked, turning to him in surprise. If they escaped, it would give the emperor the perfect excuse to hunt down the Lu family.
“Your Highness, the Lu family has too many members. If we leave with you, it will undoubtedly cause trouble.”
The Lu family would one day shake off the label of exiled criminals, but now was not the time.
Shunyu wasn’t surprised, but she couldn’t help feeling disappointed. If Lu Qing wouldn’t leave with her, then she wouldn’t leave either.
Moreover, by heading north, at least the emperor still believed he had her under control. If she disappeared, and it led back to the Jinlin Guard, it would all be for nothing.
She needed to use the Jinlin Guard carefully, but not too soon.
She turned to Ming Yuan and said, “Tomorrow, when we pass through Ji County, go and meet your people.”
Ming Yuan was stunned. “Your Highness, you’re not coming?”
Shunyu nodded. “Tell them I will continue to travel with Lord Lu to the north. All is well, and there is no need to escape. I ask the Jinlin Guard to remain hidden and not reveal themselves until the time is right to help me return to the capital.”
Her decision made Lu Qing realize that this princess had indeed grown up.
As they left the tent, Shunyu walked ahead, and Lu Xingyao couldn’t stop himself from staring at Ming Yuan. Finally, he asked, “Was the woman from that night really your mother?”
A flash of coldness passed through Ming Yuan’s eyes. “No.”
Lu Xingyao pressed further, “Did you kill her?”
The more he thought about it, the less it added up. It had been too convenient—just as they arrived, the woman was dead. She had fainted at just the right moment, leaving him no choice but to bring Ming Yuan back with them.
At this point, Ming Yuan saw no need to hide anything and looked him straight in the eye. “Yes, I killed her.”
Hearing this, Shunyu stopped walking and turned to face Ming Yuan. “Why did you kill her?”
Was it to blend into the group and get close to her?
After a long pause, Ming Yuan explained, “She conspired with others to sell her own daughter into a horrible place. We rescued her, and the commander said that anyone who sells their daughter deserves to die.”
Many in the Jinlin Guard had been sold by their own parents for money, while others had inherited their positions.
They drugged the woman, poisoned her voice, and controlled her with the antidote, then killed the men who had been involved.
What Ming Yuan didn’t say was that the Left Commander had remarked that it was a privilege for that woman to “serve” the princess—it was a blessing earned through several lifetimes.
Ming Yuan had believed that to be true.
Shunyu was stunned. She hadn’t realized there were such parents in the world…
Out of nowhere, Lu Xingyao piped up, “Good kill! Anyone who sells their own daughter deserves to die!”
Ming Yuan didn’t reply.
Thinking about Ming Yuan’s skills and abilities, Shunyu grew curious and asked, “How long have you been in the Jinlin Guard?”
Lu Xingyao, equally intrigued, listened closely.
Ming Yuan answered, “I was brought into the Jinlin Guard at the age of six. It has been ten years.”
Lu Xingyao nodded in understanding. Ten years—that explained her skills… Wait!
He widened his eyes in shock. “But you look like you’re only eight or nine!”
Where did the ten years come from?
Shunyu was equally surprised. Ming Yuan certainly didn’t look older than ten, but her behavior suggested otherwise.
Ming Yuan didn’t acknowledge Lu Xingyao’s shock but explained to Shunyu, “Your Highness, I suffer from a rare illness that has stunted my growth.”
Shunyu froze, suddenly realizing she had touched on a sensitive topic.
Lu Xingyao, too, was taken aback. He hadn’t expected this. A sixteen-year-old girl, trapped in the body of a child, no wonder she seemed so mature.
Ming Yuan, however, didn’t seem bothered. She had been abandoned in a beggar’s den because of her condition. If not for her illness, the Left Commander wouldn’t have brought her into the Jinlin Guard, treated her, and kept her alive to this day.
People generally had more sympathy and less suspicion for children.
Just like the Lu family—no matter how cautious they were, they still let their guard down around her.
After escorting the princess and Ming Yuan back, Lu Xingyao hurried back to find his grandfather.
Inside the tent, the older men sat silently, each reflecting on the situation. It was hard to believe that so many of them had been fooled by a little girl. Thankfully, nothing serious had happened. It was a lesson they would not forget.
Lu Xingyao rushed in, brimming with excitement. “Grandfather! Ming Yuan isn’t a little girl of eight or nine—she’s sixteen! She just looks younger!”
“I knew it! There’s no way we could’ve been outwitted by a little girl under ten!”
The Lu family elders: “…”
Is it possible that even if she is sixteen, it’s still quite embarrassing?
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