Tang Ji

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When Yuan Xi witnessed the unexpected turn of events, he could not help examining the young thief. He found the situation rather interesting and wanted to know who would dare provoke trouble right under the nose of such a powerful figure.

The young man wore a coarse hemp robe and appeared to be in his early twenties. His features were ordinary, and his body somewhat thin, but his eyes were dark, lively, and shifty. Clearly, this was not his first offense.

Yuan Xi thought, He must have some backing. I will wait and see.

“Eh? Wait! No, I—I—”

The subdued young thief still wanted to argue.

“Out of my way. Let your grandfather show you something.” Xu Chu did not bother with further words. He stepped forward, seized the thief by the collar with his left hand, clenched his right fist, and drove it into the young man’s stomach.

“Ah!”

Although Xu Chu had used only a fraction of his strength, the young thief doubled over in pain, clutching his stomach as he collapsed.

Xu Chu then rummaged through the miscellaneous goods in the man’s shoulder pole and produced a ring-shaped piece of ancient jade.

“Young Master Cao, your jade.”

With that, Xu Chu tossed the jade to Cao Ang.

Cao Ang caught it and finally became certain of the truth. He cried out furiously, “So, a mere little thief dares steal from your grandfather Cao?”

He seized the young thief and threatened him harshly. “Do you know how many thieves your grandfather Cao has sent to the Commandant of Justice’s office? Hm?”

The thief clutched his stomach and pleaded with one hand. “My lord, spare me! Let me explain. There is a great deal behind this matter. Please give me one more chance.”

“Oh? Is that so? Then tell me. Do not try to deceive me.” Cao Ang was curious to see what tricks the man might attempt, so he shoved him away and released his grip.

The thief continued, his expression somewhat flustered. “I was ordered by someone to steal your belongings. That person is… over there!”

He suddenly pointed toward the crowd behind them, and Cao Ang turned to look.

Just as everyone’s attention shifted, the thief crouched down and kicked off with both legs.

To everyone’s astonishment, he slipped beneath the belly of Cao Ang’s Blueleaf horse.

Before Yuan Xi and the others could react, the thief struck the horse’s hindquarters with his left hand, in which he had concealed a sharp object. Startled by the pain, Blueleaf reared high on its forelegs.

Fearing injury, everyone stepped back.

The frightened horse charged wildly forward. The onlookers did not dare block its path and scattered in all directions. One peddler was a moment too slow and was sent flying seven or eight feet when the horse struck him.

“Hey! My horse!”

Cao Ang had no time to think of anything else. He hurried after it, for the horse was his beloved treasure.

Just as the thief was about to slip away through the confusion, someone suddenly seized him by the collar from behind. His body was jerked backward.

“Ah!”

After a fist that sent pain coursing through his very soul, his vision went black, and he fainted.

Xu Chu had once again knocked down the thief as he tried to escape. He then called for Cao Ang’s attendants to bind him.

“Quick, tie this fellow up!”

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Worried about the startled horse, Yuan Xi also gave chase.

As for Blueleaf, after bursting through the crowd, it snorted violently and charged madly down Vermilion Bird Avenue. Many stalls were overturned, and several people were knocked down. Since the street was cluttered with obstacles, however, the horse could not run particularly fast, and its speed gradually diminished.

After several bursts of speed, Cao Ang finally caught up with Blueleaf. He rushed forward and seized the reins from behind.

“At last, I’ve caught you. Thank goodness. Thank goodness.”

Cao Ang let out a sigh of relief.

But the matter was far from over. Blueleaf continued pawing restlessly at the ground with all four hooves.

The horse dragged Cao Ang around in circles. After a few rounds, his arm went numb, and then Blueleaf slammed its body against him, hurling him aside.

Freed from his restraint, the horse went even more berserk. This time it turned and charged back in the direction from which it had come, eventually racing toward a shop selling precious goods.

The trouble was that several women stood outside the shop, completely at a loss. Among them was a young lady in court attire, supported by another girl.

Blueleaf’s terrifying snorts filled the air. It pawed the ground with its forehoof and reared high. The two servants standing nearby were so frightened that they froze where they stood.

The horse’s hooves were about to crash down upon the two young women.

At that moment, Yuan Xi finally arrived. Seeing that the horse was about to injure someone, he had no time to hesitate.

He sprang forward, turned sideways, swept one servant out of the way with one hand, and pulled the court-dressed girl along with the other, barely carrying her clear of the descending hooves.

It was a close call.

Blueleaf kicked with its hind legs and appeared ready to charge again. Xu Chu arrived behind Yuan Xi just then. How could he allow the beast to harm anyone?

“Stop, you brute!”

With one enormous hand, broad as a palm-leaf fan, Xu Chu seized both the reins and the horse’s mane. He roared and forced them downward with all his strength.

In pain, Blueleaf let out a long, shrill whinny.

Its four hooves thrashed wildly, yet it could no longer move even an inch.

After a while, it finally calmed down, and Xu Chu released his hold.

“Excellent!”

“Impressive!”

“What strength!”

“Ah!”

The bystanders erupted in cheers, marveling at Xu Chu’s extraordinary power.

Once he saw that Blueleaf had settled down, Yuan Xi turned his attention to the person he had rescued.

The young lady wore luxurious silk garments. Still shaken, her face was pale and her expression confused.

“Miss, are you all right?”

“Ah… yes, I am. Thank you, sir, for saving me.”

The girl gave him a slight curtsy.

“Princess…?”

The other young woman suddenly cried out in surprise.

Yuan Xi was stunned. What was happening? Princess Wanshou had actually left the palace without permission.

“Yuan Xi, is that you? What are you doing here as well?”

Upon encountering Yuan Xi, Princess Wanshou, Liu Yan, was also slightly taken aback.

“Ah, Zixiu and I were out exercising the horses, but there was a small accident.”

Yuan Xi scratched his head awkwardly as he spoke.

The girl standing beside Liu Yan caught Yuan Xi’s attention at once. She was only fourteen or fifteen, at the tender age of first bloom, yet her fair complexion held a delicate flush, and her exquisite features were as beautiful as a painting.

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What interested Yuan Xi most was the faint, elusive charm he sensed in the girl—a graceful allure with a touch of boldness. His heart skipped a beat, as though something had stirred within him, awakening a feeling he could neither explain nor name.

He immediately drew a breath and regained his composure.

Turning to the girl in court dress, he bowed and said, “I am sorry to have frightened you, Miss.”

“Hmph, Yuan Xi, how impolite of you.”

Liu Yan’s bright eyes and pearly teeth revealed her displeasure. She was clearly jealous that Yuan Xi had not asked whether she was injured, but had instead shown concern for another woman.

Supported by Liu Yan, the court-dressed girl gave a slight nod and thanked him in a soft voice.

“Thank you, sir, for coming to my rescue. You are the Second Young Master of the Yuan family, are you not?”

“It was merely a small effort,” Yuan Xi replied warmly. “Indeed. Commandant Yuan, Commander of the Central Army, is my father. My name is Yuan Xi, and my courtesy name is Xianyi.”

“Hmph. Showing off again,” Liu Yan muttered, pouting.

Cao Ang came over at that moment. Yuan Xi gestured toward him as he introduced the court-dressed girl.

“This is Cao Ang, the son of Cao Cao, Commandant of the Imperial Guards.”

He then briefly recounted everything that had happened.

“Oh, I see. In that case, this matter can hardly be blamed on you.”

The young lady’s voice was clear and melodious, and she showed that she understood.

Then she smiled faintly and said to Yuan Xi, “I know of you. My younger sister Yan’er often mentions Young Master Yuan to me.”

“Er—!”

“Who said that?!”

This time, both Yuan Xi and Liu Yan were embarrassed.

* * * * *

Zhen Mi, the youngest daughter of the Zhen family.

Her elder brother was Zhen Yao, and her husband was Yuan Xi.

Her son was Yuan Rui, later known as Emperor Jinming. She first met him in Ye City during the reign of Emperor Xuanwu. Later, the Yuan and Zhen families formed a marriage alliance, and Yuan Shao betrothed her to Yuan Xi.

When Yuan Xi campaigned in Qingzhou, the connection between Zhen Mi and the Yuan family led the Zhen clan to provide him with extensive financial, material, and manpower support.

Later, she became Yuan Xi’s co-wife alongside Gao Yue and Princess Wanshou.

After Gao Yue’s death, Zhen Mi took charge of the imperial harem under the title of Noble Consort. Because she supported her son Yuan Rui in the struggle for the succession, she indirectly caused Yuan Yong, the elder brother of Emperor Gaozong of Jin, to take his own life.

After Yuan Zhi ascended the throne, he purged the Zhen family and forced Zhen Mi to commit suicide. After her death, her hair was spread across her face and her mouth was stuffed with chaff. Her end was unbearably tragic.

A beauty born into an age of chaos, with no freedom of her own.

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