After the Chinese New Year's Eve, the weather gradually warmed up.
The gentle spring breeze blew, and yellow - green buds sprouted from the bare branches.
The full moon hung high in the sky. The General's Mansion was pitch - black, with only occasional servants on patrol passing by, bringing a small patch of light.
A gentle breeze blew, and a lithe figure landed on the ground.
Di Lanmo straightened up and looked around. After making sure that she hadn't alerted anyone—except for that pesky follower who always tailed her—she nodded in satisfaction and walked towards her room.
Since the Chinese New Year's Eve, Di Lanmo had understood one thing.
In this strange era, apart from herself, no one was worthy of trust and reliance.
Not even her fiancé, His Highness the Prince of Qin!
Therefore, every day after dark and in the early morning, she would leave the city to find a place to train on her own. There were too many spies in the mansion, and the place was too small. Di Lanmo didn't want to cause unnecessary trouble over such trifles.
That day when the Prince of Qin was about to leave, she called him to stop.
"The reason you were able to come right after I got injured is because of that secret guard in the tree, right? He sent you the message."
Chu Zhiyan paused in his steps. "When did you discover him?"
Di Lanmo smiled. "I noticed him as soon as I came here, but I didn't sense any malice from him, so I didn't interfere."
She had been wondering who sent that person, but seeing how quickly the Prince of Qin got the news and came today, the answer was obvious.
Chu Zhiyan rarely felt a bit guilty, but he was always a deep - thinking man. He simply said, "If you don't like it, I'll withdraw him."
"Do as you please. I don't care." Di Lanmo said and then turned around to go back to her room. Then, as if remembering something, she added, "I'll have to trouble your subordinates to clean up these corpses. Thank you!"
After Di Lanmo closed the door, Chu Zhiyan waved his hand. Chu Shisan flew down. "My lord!"
"Clean it up thoroughly!"
"Yes!" On the surface, Chu Shisan remained calm, but inside he was so touched that he could have shed tears. Thanks to the future princess, his lord had actually said five words to him! He must brag to his brothers when he had the chance!
Back to Di Lanmo. After a simple wash, she was about to go to bed when there came a "tap - tap" sound on the window.
"What's the matter?" Chu Zhiyan hadn't withdrawn Chu Shisan, saying that he could pass on messages in case of something.
So Di Lanmo didn't bother.
Chu Shisan replied in a low voice outside the window, "Your Highness, a message from the lord. The wedding is set for the 18th of March! Tomorrow, someone from the mansion will come to inform the general and his wife!"
Well, Chu Shisan was good in every way, except that he just wouldn't stop calling her "princess" no matter how many times she told him not to!
"Got it!" Di Lanmo replied calmly.
Chu Shisan knocked on the window again. "Your Highness, the lord also sent a box. I've placed it outside the door!"
Di Lanmo opened the door and saw a medium - sized box on the ground. She lifted it with her hand and raised her eyebrows slightly. "Quite heavy?"
She placed the box on the table and lifted the lid. Inside was a slightly smaller box and a bright red wedding dress.
The next day.
Di Lanmo had just returned from her training outside the city. There was hot water prepared by Qingque in her room in advance.
After training outside the city for more than half a month, Qingque had already figured out her coming and going time. Just as Di Lanmo was about to take off her clothes to take a bath, she heard Qingque chattering as she ran into the room.
"Miss, you're back!" Qingque stepped forward to help Di Lanmo change her clothes and said with a smile, "I just heard the news from the front yard. It's said that His Highness the Prince of Qin sent someone to announce that the wedding date is set for the 18th of March. The time is a bit tight! We have to hurry up and prepare the wedding dress!"
Di Lanmo turned her gaze to the box placed beside the bed and said softly, "No need. It won't be used!"
Qingque followed Di Lanmo's gaze. "Miss, where did that box come from? What's in it?" Then she remembered what her miss had said about not needing to prepare, and her round eyes widened even more. "Ah! This can't be the wedding dress His Highness the Prince of Qin sent for you, right? Wow, His Highness the Prince of Qin is so good to you. He even prepared the wedding dress..."
Di Lanmo didn't listen to Qingque's chatter anymore. She took a deep breath, sank into the water, and the water soon covered her head.
She needed to think carefully about this marriage!
On the night of the Chinese New Year's Eve, she didn't know what had gotten into her. She had actually urged Chu Zhiyan to marry her quickly.
Even more unexpectedly, Chu Zhiyan had actually agreed and arranged the time so quickly.
On the day of the betrothal proposal, although she had seemed quite greedy for all those betrothal gifts, in the end, she still didn't want to marry into another family and be confined to one place for the rest of her life.
Heaven had given her a chance to start over. She would never spend this life carelessly. She wasn't an ancient boudoir girl who would follow the absurd theory of "obeying her father at home, her husband after marriage, and her son after her husband's death" all her life!
Since that was the case, then—
"Splash—" Di Lanmo stood up straight from the water. The splashing water wet the ground. The water droplets slid down her fair face. Her beautiful eyes were shining with a determined light!
Qingque knew that Di Lanmo didn't like to have someone around when she was taking a bath, so she had left early.
Di Lanmo stepped out of the bathtub with her long legs. After putting on her clothes, she called Qingque in to clean up.
In Fengxi Courtyard, Mrs. Lin was pacing back and forth in front of the bed, making Di Tingyu dizzy.
Di Tingyu had been poisoned too deeply that day, which had damaged her health. More than half a month had passed, and she still couldn't get out of bed.
"Mother! Have you come up with a solution? Di Lanmo has harmed me like this. We mustn't let her marry His Highness the Prince of Qin and enjoy a good life!" Thinking of the poison she had been given, she felt a bit resentful. "If it weren't for your idea, Mother, I wouldn't be so weak until now!"
Hearing this, Mrs. Lin turned around and slapped her. "Pa—"
"Mother, you hit me!"
Di Tingyu covered her face in disbelief.
"Is it wrong for me to hit you? Who is all this for? If you weren't so stupid and didn't even notice that the tea had been switched, how could you have been poisoned?"
Whether it was because she realized her mistake or because she was intimidated by her mother's long - term authority, Di Tingyu lowered her head and didn't dare to talk back anymore.
Mrs. Lin pondered and said, "Of course, Mother won't let her marry into the Prince's Mansion and live a good life so easily!" She stroked her daughter's well - behaved head and sighed. "Don't you always have feelings for the Prince of Qin? We'll lie low for a few days. On the eve of the wedding, Mother will drug Di Lanmo and send her out of the city. You'll get on the bridal sedan chair!"
Di Tingyu was overjoyed at first, but then she wilted as if thinking of something.
Seeing her daughter's worry, Mrs. Lin said, "You have to be strong before the wedding ceremony. Don't let the cat out of the bag! If His Highness the Prince of Qin gets angry when he finds out, just say that Di Lanmo ran away from the wedding and you had no choice but to take her place! Once you've worshiped heaven and earth, you'll be husband and wife, and the marriage will be a done deal!"
On the night before the wedding, Di Lanmo returned from her training as usual.
After three months of high - intensity training, she had already recovered 80% of her previous skills. It wouldn't be long before she reached her peak!
Di Lanmo planned to run away tonight. And to do that, she had to get rid of that pesky follower first!
"Chu Shisan!"
Chu Shisan landed lightly on the ground. "Your Highness, please give your orders!"
"Tomorrow is the wedding. The Prince's Mansion must be very busy. Go back and help. I don't need you here for the time being!"