Miss Jun didn't expect that the first person she would see was Princess Jiuli.
Princess Jiuli was practically under house arrest here at the Lu Mansion; how could she appear here?
Did she know that she had been captured?
Princess Jiuli didn't hear her muttering; she was also taken aback for a moment but then quickly felt relieved.
"You," she said, "it really is you after all."
There must be a reason for Lu Yunqi's change, of course.
She guessed right.
Seeing the surprise on the woman's face, Princess Jiuli's expression softened further.
"Don't be afraid, I..." She wanted to explain that she was unaware and wouldn't treat her like Lu Yunqi, but before she could finish her sentence, the girl had already reached out to her.
"Pull me up," she said.
Princess Jiuli saw her bound hands and felt a pang in her heart. She quickly stopped talking and grabbed her hand.
Fearing she might not hold on, she used all her strength, but the girl had already braced her feet against the wall and scrambled up.
"Miss Jun, don't be afraid. I..." Princess Jiuli said again, looking at Miss Jun's tied hands, "I'll help you cut them. I'll find a knife."
Though she said that, she really felt a bit at a loss on where to find a knife. The quickest would be the Jinyiwei's knives outside, but she couldn't go there; she did have scissors from her sewing...
Before her voice fell, she saw the woman had already risen and was running in a certain direction.
This Miss Jun had been locked here for so long; she must be terrified, right?
Now that she's out, all she wants is to escape in haste.
"Miss Jun, don't run blindly. That servant just left not long ago... It's unknown here..." Princess Jiuli hastily called out softly.
But the woman ignored her, weaving through a pergola and suddenly bending down to pull out something.
Princess Jiuli paused, then saw clearly what she held—a dagger.
A dagger.
Princess Jiuli instinctively looked toward the pergola; it was an ordinary pergola, with well-maintained plants during winter, and everything was tidy.
Was a dagger hidden here?
Did Miss Jun hide it when she was captured?
If not, how did she know?
In her daze, Miss Jun had already handed the dagger to her.
"Hold this," she said, stretching out her hands. "Cut it."
Princess Jiuli looked at the dagger; the sheath was aged, marked with the passage of time. This was definitely not newly placed.
She gritted her teeth and pulled the dagger from its sheath. Fortunately, it was sharp and gleaming. Before she could cut the rope, Miss Jun impatiently took the dagger and pressed down hard.
The rope used by the Jinyiwei must be incredibly strong, Princess Jiuli wanted to remind her, but was surprised when the rope easily severed under the dagger.
Miss Jun flexed her wrists.
"Let's go," she said, pulling Princess Jiuli's hand as they ran out.
Princess Jiuli, stumbling, followed her.
"Miss Jun, don't rush. I'll find a way to get you out," she said, stabilizing her mind, "but I'm not familiar with this place. The place I came in is guarded now, I'll think of something...."
As Miss Jun dragged her away, she spoke, but gradually she fell silent.
Miss Jun led her out of the greenhouse, moving without hesitation, navigating through twists and turns until they arrived at a courtyard gate.
Princess Jiuli didn't recognize if this was the entrance she had used, but she could be sure it wasn't, as there were no Jinyiwei stationed here.
Where is this place?
She had been at the Lu Mansion for several years, yet other than her own yard, the rest was unfamiliar to her.
These days, she had a hunch that this Miss Jun was here, so she carefully and cautiously kept an eye on this place.
Her movements were mostly from her yard to this area, searching for opportunities.
Princess Jiuli watched the woman pulling her, observed her navigating through the gate, around the trees, and along the corridor, her gaze fixed forward as if she were at home, moving swiftly.
It was as if this were her home, a place she could navigate blindly.
Her home.
Her familiar place.
Her greenhouse.
Her hidden dagger.
Princess Jiuli ran without speaking, silently watching the woman pulling her, her vision blurring with tears.
Suddenly, the hand let go, and Princess Jiuli instinctively reached out to grab it. As tears fell, her vision cleared, and she saw Miss Jun had stopped in front of a rockery.
Miss Jun leaned forward, reaching under the rockery.
"It's still here," she said, her eyes filled with joy, pulling out a flat, long box, opening it to reveal a sword.
In the past, with nothing better to do at home, she would randomly stash the few old relics she brought along, thinking future generations would be surprised at finding such hidden things and would speculate endlessly.
The future had no chance for speculation; she was benefiting first.
"There's a hidden door over there, you can get out," Miss Jun said, pausing, unsure if it was still there now.
Lu Yunqi had shown it to her back then; she had eagerly followed him, exploring the new home as if it were a new world.
"Don't block this door, I'll sneak out to play from here someday," she said.
"Alright," Lu Yunqi nodded with a smile, "this way, no one will know."
Of course, she never snuck out, as home and outside were no different to her; even when she moved to the imperial palace, she walked out the main gate openly.
Miss Jun shook her head; now wasn't the time for idle thoughts. Whether blocked or not, they'd rely on luck. She looked up and paused once more.
Princess Jiuli was watching her, tears streaming down her face.
Miss Jun gazed at Princess Jiuli. Had she recognized her?
Even if someone meets another outside, shared a bond, or entrusted something to them, they could mimic their temperament and know their relatives and friends, expressing goodwill and care, but they would never be familiar with their life.
Unless they were the same person.
This was Lu Yunqi's mansion; not just anyone could navigate it seamlessly.
Princess Jiuli watched her, tears silently streaming as she covered her mouth with her hand, fearing that uttering a sound might shatter everything into a dream.
For a moment, Miss Jun's vision blurred with tears as well.
She had many questions to ask, like why she opened the door, and many things to say, like why she knew the Lu Mansion so well.
But not now.
Miss Jun took a deep breath, tightened her grip on the sword.
"Come with me," she said, reaching out her hand.
Princess Jiuli took a deep breath and without hesitation extended her hand.
Miss Jun pulled her and they ran outward, but as they crossed the courtyard gate, they saw Lu Yunqi standing ahead.
Miss Jun and Princess Jiuli stopped abruptly, their clasped hands tightening together.
Lu Yunqi's gaze fell on the sword in her hand.
"What are you going to do with that?" he asked.
Did she intend to fight her way out with that sword? She wasn't someone with great martial skills, at most stronger and braver than other women, swift when the chance to kill arises.
Miss Jun looked at Lu Yunqi, turned the sword, and placed it against her neck.
Princess Jiuli was startled, instinctively wanting to snatch the sword, but feared hurting her and so didn't dare to move.
"With this, I can kill myself," Miss Jun said.
Lu Yunqi looked at her, not alarmed or angry, and slowly a smile emerged on his expressionless face.
"Jiuling," he said, "so you trust me."