MFURCC -Chapter 21 Prince Su’s Gift of Thanks

Liuzheng was just about to speak when the Old Madam opened her mouth first.

“Bai’er, mind your manners!”

Ruan Baizheng still feared her grandmother somewhat.

She stepped forward two paces, performed a proper salute, and then said, “Grandmother, it was clearly a false alarm. There was no mudslide at all. She made us panic for nothing.”

“If there truly was no mudslide, wouldn’t that be a good thing? As for your hairpin, you can go back up the mountain to retrieve it later.”

Ruan Baizheng choked on her words.

“But… but isn’t this just toying with us?”

“That’s enough. Withdraw for now. When the rain stops, go back and pack your belongings.”

Grandmother stood unconditionally on Liuzheng’s side.

Warmth flooded Liuzheng’s heart.

The three days and nights of relentless travel no longer felt exhausting.

Ruan Baizheng gritted her teeth, deeply dissatisfied, yet she did not dare behave too outrageously before her grandmother. She could only plan to return to her room for the moment.

Fortunately, her mother, Second Madam Zhao, entered just then.

“Mother, I must say—Yaoyao has just returned and already she’s tossing us about like this. What exactly does she mean by it? If she wants to trouble us, fine—but why drag you into it as well? You didn’t see what happened at the estate just now. Those burly men grabbed us without a word and shoved us into sedan chairs. Those who knew understood it was to avoid danger. Those who didn’t might have thought we had committed some crime!”

“Exactly!” Ruan Baizheng chimed in. “Father even knocked his leg in the process. It’s still swollen and painful. Are we criminals now?”

The Old Madam frowned deeply.

“Yaoyao did it for our own good. Why harbor such resentment?”

“Whether it was for our good or simply to trouble us remains to be seen,” the Second Madam retorted.

“Exactly!” Ruan Baizheng echoed again.

Liuzheng had just saved her grandmother and was in a good mood, so she did not stoop to their level.

She explained earnestly, “Second Aunt, Fourth Sister, it was not my intention to trouble you. The mountain truly was dangerous—”

“Dangerous? What danger? Isn’t the estate still standing perfectly fine? And even if there had been a mudslide, could such a large estate really have been completely buried?”

Liuzheng’s expression cooled.

“If Second Aunt truly believes that, then you may return to the estate now. I will not stop you.”

“You—!” Zhao was about to flare up when the bearded man from Prince Su’s side arrived.

He looked fierce and wore a sword at his waist. Though the mother and daughter of the second branch did not know his identity, they instinctively fell silent.

The door was open. The bearded man did not step inside; he merely stood at the threshold and knocked.

Ever since learning that Liuzheng was General Zhaoyong, his attitude toward her had improved considerably.

Now, though his rugged face carried a faint smile, it only made him appear more intimidating.

He cupped his fists and said, “Old Madam, pardon the disturbance. Our prince invites General Ruan for a private talk.”

On their way down the mountain, Liuzheng had already told her grandmother that the group who came up the mountain were Prince Su’s men, there to help them.

“Grandmother, then I—”

“No hurry,” the Old Madam said. “Since it is the prince’s invitation, Yaoyao, change your clothes before going. It would not do to offend His Highness.”

She added, “After you change, have Nanny Shu accompany you.”

Compared to Liuzheng, who had long presented herself as a man and paid little heed to propriety between the sexes, the Old Madam thought further ahead.

Prince Su was, after all, an unmarried man. It would be inappropriate for Liuzheng to meet him in wet clothes, and even more improper to meet him alone. Hence she insisted that Nanny Shu accompany her.

Liuzheng quickly understood. After asking the bearded man to wait a moment, she returned to her room to change.

Since she had brought no spare clothes, it was the Third Madam who sent some over.

“Thank you, Third Aunt,” Liuzheng said sincerely.

She knew that Dufeng Academy did not bring in much income. The second and third branches both lived modestly, though the second branch fared better because they courted favor with First Madam Song.

As for the Third Madam, though gentle by nature, she always judged matters by right and wrong rather than by people.

Such a disposition naturally did not please First Madam.

But Liuzheng had always repaid even the smallest kindness a hundredfold. She would change the Third Madam’s situation in time.

“It’s only a set of clothes,” the Third Madam said. “The fabric is ordinary, but it’s brand new. I’ve never worn it.”

Liuzheng had worn the clothes of the dead on the battlefield. How could she care about fabric quality?

She thanked her again, and the Third Madam smiled and withdrew.

Nanny Shu helped her change.

Once in dry clothes, Liuzheng felt refreshed and invigorated.

“Thank you, Nanny Shu.”

“You are too polite, Eldest Miss.”

The two then left, following the bearded man toward Prince Su’s quarters.

On the way, the man introduced himself as He Leyi, a fourth-rank Cavalry Commandant. He also asked Liuzheng how she had managed to defeat a larger force at the Battle of Deer Mountain.

Liuzheng explained briefly.

“We first destroyed their provisions. Without supplies, their morale was already collapsing. Under cover of night, we infiltrated and entered the main tent, beheaded their commander, then held up his head. They were thrown into further chaos, and that was how we secured Deer Mountain.”

It sounded simple, but the reality had been perilous beyond measure.

Though He Leyi had not witnessed it personally, he could imagine the courage and skill required for a woman to sneak into the enemy’s command tent and assassinate their commander.

His eyes shone brightly.

“You truly live up to the title of General Zhaoyong!”

“You flatter me, Commandant He.”

“Just call me Leyi,” he said with admiration, utterly unlike the man who had once pointed a sword at her.

Liuzheng nodded.

She knew his admiration was earned through her own blood and sweat.

It was hers by right. She deserved it.

In her previous life, however, all her achievements had been credited to Ruan Changzheng.

Now they were hers again. No one would steal them. No one could.

Soon they arrived at Prince Su’s door.

When Nanny Shu tried to follow Liuzheng inside, He Leyi stopped her.

“His Highness will see only General Ruan.”

“This…”

Nanny Shu looked at Liuzheng.

“It’s fine, Nanny Shu. I’ll return shortly. Please wait next door.”

Giving her a reassuring look, Liuzheng stepped over the threshold.

She entered with lowered eyes and saluted in the manner of a male general, cupping her fists.

“Your subordinate, Liuzheng, greets Your Highness!”

Not far before her, on a low couch covered with a tiger pelt, sat Prince Su, observing her carefully.

She was even more beautiful than three years ago.

Not the cultivated bloom of a garden flower, but wild grass tempered by wind and rain.

He longed to tell her he was Xiao Hengzi.

But he could not.

He could not acknowledge her.

Not only that, he had to deliberately maintain distance, lest she recognize him.

Thus Prince Su showed her no warmth and said coolly, “Rise.”

Only then did Liuzheng straighten and glance toward the couch.

He had removed his dark robe and changed into white. One arm rested casually on the couch, sleeve rolled up to reveal the defined muscles of his forearm.

His black eyes were deep and sharp; his nose high-bridged; his lips striking. Together, his features resembled a refined jade-like gentleman, yet the cold aura surrounding him felt capable of freezing everything in its path.

The white robe against the tiger pelt gave Liuzheng the uncanny sense of bargaining with a tiger.

And yet that face looked so much like Xiao Hengzi, the refugee she had once taken in at the border.

But Xiao Hengzi was dead.

Burned to charcoal—she herself had buried him.

Afraid her emotions would betray her before such a similar face, she quickly lowered her gaze again and cupped her fists.

“Liuzheng thanks Your Highness on behalf of the Ruan family, old and young alike. Many thanks for your assistance today.”

“It was merely a small effort. If anyone should give thanks, it is I. In the matter of the private salt trade, it was thanks to your deputy delivering your secret letter in time that I and Young Master Shen found our investigative direction.”

Though he spoke of gratitude, his tone held no warmth.

Liuzheng felt no trace of appreciation in his words—if anything, she sensed he might even dislike her.

But she could not understand why.

She did not recall ever offending this prince.

She had accepted the ten thousand taels of gold he had sent.

After pondering, she thought perhaps he was like certain people in the capital—believing that as a woman she ought to stay home embroidering and burning incense, rather than showing herself at the frontier.

Yet if Prince Su truly thought so, he would not have sent that chest of gold, nor personally come to the summer estate to help.

She could not make sense of his strange demeanor.

Just then, Prince Su spoke again. “You have assisted me. How shall I repay you?”

“I would not dare. On the day of my housewarming, Your Highness sent a gift in return. That may count as my repayment.”

“Repayment? Wasn’t your return gift merely a box of date pastries?”

“Your Highness misunderstands. Those were… gifts my mother prepared for the neighbors.”

Prince Su gave a nearly inaudible chuckle, his emotions unreadable.

Liuzheng’s heart tightened. She now understood why Pan Hong had said Prince Su was not to be underestimated after delivering the secret letter.

A man whose emotions could not be read must possess unfathomable depth.

Prince Su continued, “One matter is one matter. I still intend to thank you.”

“There is no need, Your Highness—”

“No need for courtesy, General Ruan. I have prepared two gifts of thanks for you. Bring them in!”

The next moment, from the inner chamber, a servant woman was shoved forward. A cloth was stuffed into her mouth, and her hands were bound. She stumbled and fell to her knees.

Liuzheng looked up.

The servant was none other than Nanny Qian, who had vanished amid the chaos at the estate.

Upon seeing Liuzheng, Nanny Qian’s face filled with terror. She quickly lowered her head, not daring to meet her gaze.

A murderous intent gathered in Liuzheng’s eyes.

This wretched old slave had nearly caused Grandmother’s death!

But with Prince Su present, she forced herself to restrain it.

Prince Su said, “When I ascended the mountain, I saw this old woman sneaking down with a sack of goods. I had her seized. Upon questioning, I learned she belonged to your Ruan household.”

Liuzheng nodded. “She is indeed a nanny from my household. She abandoned her mistress to save herself and even stole the family’s belongings. She deserves punishment. Many thanks to Your Highness for capturing her.”

“Punishment?” Prince Su smiled faintly. “Abandoning one’s master and committing theft warrant death. Though you are brave, General Ruan, you are still a woman—too soft-hearted. Shall I dispose of her for you?”

Hearing this, Nanny Qian trembled violently and knocked her head against the floor, as if trying to speak.

Liuzheng pulled the cloth from her mouth.

Immediately, Nanny Qian cried out, “Your Highness, spare me! Eldest Miss, spare me! I… I did not mean it. I did not know there would be a mudslide in the mountains. I acted under First Madam’s orders. She sent me from the capital to stop the Old Madam from descending the mountain… If I had known, even with a thousand times the courage, I would not have dared keep the Old Madam on the mountain! Eldest Miss, please see clearly! Spare me!”