To any observer, Young Master Murong possessed extraordinary literary and martial talents, matched by handsome looks, elegant bearing, and formidable martial arts—truly an ideal match for any young woman. Yet, Princess Lingmeng found him utterly disingenuous. Before her, he seemed perpetually cloaked in a mask labeled ‘Profound Devotion.’ Having lived long within the palace walls, she had no means to judge how much of this devotion was real and how much was fabricated, nor what his true nature and temperament truly were. Princess Lingmeng felt utterly adrift, possessing not a shred of certainty!

As for the other suitor, Li Youran, the premier heir of the Li estate, he was also heralded as the finest scholar in the Heavenly Fragrance Empire, leaving Princess Lingmeng equally unable to fathom him. Li Youran was refined in character, debonair yet scrupulously proper, drawing the adoration of countless noble ladies in the capital. However, he navigated the sea of admirers without ever seeming to be touched by a single leaf—earning him the reputation of the capital’s most consummate gentleman. Li Youran was perpetually gentle and composed, never hurried, never pressed, as if every event in the world unfolded exactly as he had foreseen and controlled, masterful in his movements and possessing impeccable grace. Yet, Princess Lingmeng constantly questioned whether such a perfectly fashioned individual could exist. If everything about his exterior were merely pretense, wouldn't that make him far more terrifying, even unfathomable, as no one could ever truly plumb the depths of his thoughts? When near Li Youran, Princess Lingmeng often felt an inexplicable sense of dread, sensing that this mild-mannered youth was acutely dangerous!

In contrast, there was the original Jun Moxie. Despite his roguish appearance and his undisguised, brazen pursuit of her, openly declaring, "I am a scoundrel, and I don't care if you see it," his character, while certainly questionable, was at least flawed in the light of day. Even if he were a villain, he was openly so, meaning there was no need to fear him acting covertly. The thought of Jun Moxie brought a sudden realization: that wastrel had just been here, and he seemed to have offered her a word of warning—whether intentional or not, it was a gesture of goodwill. But he appeared to have been killed the moment the assassins struck! Realizing this, she urgently commanded, "Quickly, search for Young Master Jun the Third! See how he fares."

A spike of anxiety shot through her. She thought that while she had narrowly escaped death, Jun Moxie had likely been killed. If Old Master Jun were to erupt in fury over this, the ensuing chaos might rival the uproar caused by her own assassination attempt. It seemed the capital was again heading toward a turbulent season. She could only pray that her three elder brothers would not use Old Master Jun’s potential rage as an excuse to plunge the realm into utter disarray. Though she hadn't seen it clearly, Princess Lingmeng held little hope for Jun Moxie. After all, two of the assassins had originated near him, and he had already fallen to the ground at that time. If he were still alive, surely the assassins would not have left him be?

The guards searched everywhere, circling once, but Jun Xie's body was pinned tightly beneath the corpse of an assassin, sealed in place, completely undiscovered. A large, clumsy guard came pounding over, reporting breathlessly, "Princess, we found no body for Young Master Jun the Third. Could it be that he stood up and ran away?" Hearing this, Princess Lingmeng nearly choked on her breath, her vision momentarily blackening! What kind of statement was that? No body found, so maybe it stood up and ran off? Did corpses sprout legs? Murong Qianjun’s face darkened: "How dare you speak like that?" The guard panicked, stammering, "I mean, I mean, we truly did... not find the body of Young Master Jun the Third. Perhaps he left... No, no! I mean..." "Enough! Stop talking!" Murong Qianjun’s face was a study in exasperation. "If you haven't seen the body, you cannot declare him dead! And certainly not refer to him as a 'corpse'! You should say that Young Master Jun the Third's body is missing! Do you understand?" The guards mumbled their assent, thinking privately: Didn't you just imply the boy was dead yourself? And you dare lecture us! Contemptible. Princess Lingmeng sighed in resignation, "Search thoroughly again. If you discover Young Master Jun the Third's... remains, ensure they are quickly returned to the Jun family." Influenced by them, Princess Lingmeng had almost blurted out the word 'corpse' herself.

After another fruitless search, Princess Lingmeng ordered one guard to hurry to the Jun family manor to deliver the news. Just as the guard mounted his horse and departed, a dusty grey silhouette shot toward them, arriving instantly. It was a small, wizened old man. Murong Qianjun instantly drew his sword: "Who goes there?" his voice sharp and severe. "Someone looking for people," the old man replied, searching everywhere with a look of frantic agitation, completely ignoring Murong Qianjun’s challenge. Murong Qianjun roared, "Seize him!" The Princess had just survived an attack, and now this strange man appeared; he was highly suspect. The surrounding soldiers responded and moved forward. Just then, the old man cried out excitedly, "Found him! Haha! I told you to run, didn't I, you little beast? Got impaled by a sword, didn't you? See if you run next time! Go on, sneak away!" His tone was one of gloating satisfaction. He was crouched before the body of a black-clad assassin, withdrawing a sword. "So, he’s one of the assassins’ group! Take him!" Murong Qianjun was overjoyed. He thought what an imbecile—the rest of the group was dead, yet he was hunting bodies while surrounded by soldiers. What utter foolishness. But then the old man swiftly threw a long sword aside, casually tossed the corpse of the black-clad killer aside like a sack of grain, showing no care whatsoever. Bending down, he gently lifted a blood-soaked figure. Princess Lingmeng quickly stopped Murong Qianjun and looked closely: the figure was none other than Jun Moxie. His entire head, face, and body were drenched in blood, looking as if he could expire at any moment. She was instantly startled, but seeing Jun Xie’s eyes roll, a wave of relief washed over her: the fellow wasn't dead after all. "May I ask, venerable elder, who you might be?" Princess Lingmeng inquired. "No time to speak with you, little girl. I must tend to his injuries immediately, or this boy will truly lose his life." The old man cradled Jun Xie, shook his head, zipped over to Murong Qianjun, glared at him, tugged his beard, and cursed, "You little whelp, watch your tone with me in the future!" He ducked his head and vanished in a streak of smoke. Murong Qianjun was about to flare up, but the old man was already gone, leaving him so enraged his teeth ground audibly. Yet, in front of Princess Lingmeng, he had to maintain his composure, only allowing his jaw to clench tightly, all the while mentally cursing the old man's entire lineage a thousand times over! "This is bad!" Princess Lingmeng’s expression shifted. "I just sent someone to report to Old Master Jun, and now Jun Moxie has been taken away before news even arrives. If the Old Master becomes enraged, won't that be disastrous?" Murong Qianjun quickly reassured her, "Princess, return to the palace with peace of mind. I will immediately arrange for someone else to go to the Jun family once more, to report the news that this brat—this fellow—Jun Moxie is still alive." Princess Lingmeng breathed a long sigh of relief. "That would be best." Her gaze shifted, and she noticed the throwing knife lodged in the throat of the assassin leader. She couldn't help but utter a soft sound of surprise, thinking that this senior master had already eliminated this hidden threat—how foolish of her to have been completely unaware. She walked over, bent down, and pulled out the throwing knife; it was indeed identical to the other two. Her heart swelled with admiration: when would she ever have the chance to meet such an extraordinary master and offer her thanks in person? Princess Lingmeng turned back to look at the disheveled procession, sighing. In this state, how could they possibly proceed to the Dugu Family estate? Then she recalled her Uncle Ye’s words from earlier and spoke, "Let us return to the palace. Tally the names of all the guards who fell in battle and report them to the Imperial Household for generous compensation." Looking upon the scene with pity and sorrow, Princess Lingmeng closed her eyes, and two tears slipped down her cheeks. These people... they all died protecting her!