C4 Chapter 4

A strikingly handsome young man, graceful as a jade tree standing in the wind.

The young man wore a black robe, his bearing refined and exceptional. His features were especially remarkable—delicate without seeming feminine, fair without looking frail. At a glance, it was obvious he was a pampered young master from an aristocratic family, perfectly matched with the prized steed beneath him.

“Xiao Jing'an?” The Xiao family’s young master, a man of extraordinary birth and extraordinary looks, cherished by all—but what did he have to do with her?

No, that wasn’t right. He did have something to do with her. This Xiao Jing'an was the very Young Master Xiao mentioned by her maid in pink—the man she was supposed to elope with.

So this was all part of a layered scheme?

But who could possibly persuade the Xiao family’s eldest young master to go along with this little elopement act?

“All right, my lady, you’ve seen him. Let’s go.” Wearing the gentle smile so typical of an aristocratic heir, Xiao Jing'an gave Chu Jiuge a slight nod. He made no move to dismount, yet somehow it didn’t come off as arrogance.

As a son of the Xiao family, Xiao Jing'an had every right to carry himself that way.

“And a woman who looks like this dares set her sights on you? She’s got some nerve.” The woman in red looked at Chu Jiuge with open contempt, a flash of malice passing through her eyes. With a flick of her wrist, she lashed her riding crop toward Chu Jiuge’s face. “Today, I’m going to teach you a lesson. A toad has no business dreaming of swan’s flesh.”

Chu Jiuge’s expression changed, and she stepped back...

“Yunhua, be careful not to hurt your hand.” Xiao Jing'an saw what the woman in red was doing, yet made no move to stop her. Instead, he smiled on, his face full of indulgence.

The whip came down, startling everyone at the city gate. People hurriedly backed away, and a few looked at Chu Jiuge with sympathy...

She had provoked the Yuan family’s eldest miss. Miss Chu—the future North Consort—was in real trouble now.

If her face were ruined, would the North Duke still marry her?

Even if he married her, she’d probably just be bringing home a pretty ornament.

“Ah!” a scream rang out, but...

The gruesome scene everyone expected never happened. Chu Jiuge was still standing there perfectly fine. Instead, the woman in red on horseback—Yuan Yunhua, the eldest miss of the Yuan family—was the one who tumbled off her horse.

Yuan Yunhua had brought her riding crop down, but Chu Jiuge caught it. The tip was studded with barbs. When Yuan Yunhua yanked hard to pull it back, Chu Jiuge instinctively let go. Yuan Yunhua used too much force, lurched backward, and fell off...

“Oh my God!” In all their lives, they had never seen anyone lay a hand on a daughter of the mighty Yuan family. This eldest miss of the Chu family really did have some nerve.

“Yunhua.” Xiao Jing'an, seated on his prized horse, went pale. He jumped down at once, rushed to Yuan Yunhua’s side, and carefully helped her up. “Are you okay?”

“My... my face...” Yuan Yunhua’s luck had run out. She had landed face-first, and her delicate, beautiful face had scraped against the gravel, leaving a nasty cut.

Yuan Yunhua’s face was ruined!

“Don’t be scared, Yunhua. The Xiao family has an alchemist who specializes in beauty pills. I’ll have him make you the finest one,” Xiao Jing'an murmured, trying to comfort her. His voice was gentle, and the affection in his eyes practically overflowed.

But when he turned to Chu Jiuge, his expression darkened. The polished smile typical of an aristocratic heir vanished, replaced by rage and killing intent. “Chu Jiuge, you’d better pray Yunhua is all right. If her face is permanently scarred, I’ll make sure everyone in the Chu family pays with their lives.”

Chu Jiuge had only pulled Yuan Yunhua down to protect herself; she had never meant to hurt her. Seeing the injury on Yuan Yunhua’s face, she had been about to step forward and examine it out of a doctor’s instinct to help. But after hearing Xiao Jing'an’s words, she laughed.

She didn’t remember ever doing anything to offend those two...