Chapter 50: Wanting to Rescue You from the Estate

Ning Junruo gently smoothed away the creases on the paper with her slender fingers and handed the several deeds of servitude to Nanny Wei.

"Take them to buy a few changes of clothes, and we will meet at the inn afterward."

Instructing Nanny Wei to take the four newly arrived girls to pick out some exquisite garments and comfortable bedding, Ning Junruo departed with Zisu.

The moment she turned around, she happened to run into Xu Mingyi, who approached with a smile. His brisk steps were like a spring breeze sweeping across the water surface, giving off a relaxed and pleasant vibe.

"The Princess Consort's trust in Master Guan is truly令人羡慕 (enviable beyond measure)!"

Though his words carried a hint of banter, they could hardly conceal the fleeting trace of envy in his eyes.

Ning Junruo knew in her heart that this "chance encounter" at the slave market was obviously no coincidence, yet in such a bustling and crowded place, it was still necessary to avoid suspicion.

She initially wanted to tease him a bit, but recalling Elder Xu's previous warnings echoing in her mind, Ning Junruo had to lower her voice, her brows tinged with a hint of vigilance.

"It is noisy here, and I fear someone may be following us. If the Young Master has urgent matters, speak quickly and make good use of time."

Upon hearing this, Xu Mingyi snapped his folding fan open with a light *clack*, the landscape painting on the fan surface swaying along with his movement.

He smiled and said, "Rest assured, those troubles have already been cleaned up by me. Sometimes, places that appear dangerous are actually the safest. Mingyi truly has a few words he wishes to say to the Princess Consort in private; why don't we walk and talk."

His debonair and dashing demeanor always made Ning Junruo feel unsettled.

She gave a light cough, trying to maintain the dignity proper for a Princess Consort. "This palace still needs to rush to the inn. If Young Master Xu has nothing pressing, we needn't speak of it."

Just as her voice trailed off, Xu Mingyi suddenly stopped in his tracks, turned to gaze at her, his eyes as deep as the night sky.

"The gossip inside the Prince's Manor has already reached my ears, and I am also somewhat aware of the Princess Consort's adversities in the manor today."

A shock rippled through Ning Junruo's heart—the speed at which this news spread was truly astonishing!

A chill washed over her, and she felt as though everything about her was exposed before everyone's eyes, with nowhere to hide.

"It has spread this quickly? May I ask where Young Master learned of it?"

A calm smile curved the corners of Xu Mingyi's mouth.

"Relax, the fact that you have been confined to your quarters is still unknown to anyone."

A flash of worry crossed his pupils. "Mingyi heard this from my father; my father was merely worried about you."

Ning Junruo originally intended to scold him for meddling in other people's business, but seeing the genuine care revealed in his expression, her heart softened, and she let out a gentle sigh. "Your father has returned home so early?"

"Father has not yet finished his official duties; it was I who went to the Prince's Manor to inquire on my own accord," Xu Mingyi said candidly.

"Why inquire about me?"

Although she already had the answer in her heart, Ning Junruo couldn't help asking anyway.

"For some reason, I always felt that your return to the manor this time would not go smoothly, so I casually cast a divination and received the *Huo Lei Shi Ke* hexagram. This hexagram is extremely ominous. Fearing you might be in danger, Mingyi rushed to the manor to see Father. Had Father not stopped me, I might have already gone to seek help from Mr. Li."

Xu Mingyi's gaze grew distant, as if recalling something.

Divining for her?

Because the hexagram was inauspicious, he had rushed hastily to the Prince's Manor to inquire about her situation. This gesture warmed Ning Junruo's heart slightly.

She had thought herself utterly helpless within those deep courtyard walls, unaware that outside the manor, someone was still silently caring for her.

In the distance, the dialogue between a man and a woman drifted softly into her ears, the woman's gentle voice carrying pity.

"Brother Feng, that girl is so pitiful. Why don't we buy her?" The man readily agreed, his eyes full of doting affection.

Witnessing this scene, subtle ripples stirred across the lake of Ning Junruo's heart. She bowed deeply to Xu Mingyi, her tone carrying an indiscernible gentleness.

"Thank you for your concern, Young Master. With the palace examinations approaching, you should focus your mind on your studies and never let your future be delayed because of me."

Xu Mingyi's gaze was burning, seemingly unsatisfied with her reply. "Does the Princess Consort think this is foolish? My feelings are something the Princess Consort ought to understand..."

Before he could finish, Ning Junruo sternly interrupted him, "Young Master, conduct yourself with dignity. Do not lose your composure before this palace."

Xu Mingyi's brows knitted tightly, an unmasked pain revealing itself upon his sharply-defined features.

After a moment of silence, he slowly lifted his gaze, his hawk-like, piercing eyes flashing with determination and calculation.

"The affairs of the Prince's Manor have already become the talk of the streets. How much longer does the Princess Consort intend to live in self-deception?"

Just as Ning Junruo was about to reprimand him, Zisu drew her sword, only to be nimbly subdued by Xu Mingyi, who twisted her sword-wielding arm behind her back, leaving her completely immobilized.

"You... actually know martial arts?" Zisu's face was full of disbelief.

A faint smile hooked the corners of Xu Mingyi's lips. "Mingyi has followed my father in learning martial arts for self-defense since childhood. Though I am no grand master, dealing with a young maid is more than enough."

Seeing Zisu's flushed cheeks, Ning Junruo hurriedly stopped him, "Stop! Let her go this instant!"

Xu Mingyi cast a cold glance at Zisu. "You don't have much skill, miss, but your temper is quite something. If you dare to interrupt again, don't blame this young master for showing no mercy."

Only then did he slowly release his grip.

Zisu's reddened cheeks burned with anger. "If you knew martial arts, why didn't you say so earlier?"

Xu Mingyi raised an eyebrow. "You didn't ask."

He turned back to look at Ning Junruo, his expression solemn and tinged with unwillingness. "Can't what happened in the Prince's Manor today make you see the truth of everything?"

Gazing like a torch, Ning Junruo coldly watched the pair of lovers selecting a maidservant. "Even if I see it clearly, so what? Trapped in a cage, it is never easy to break free. If Young Master has no other business, please return."

"No, my purpose in coming here today is to tell you that I want to rescue you from the Prince's Manor."

"You've lost your mind!"

Ning Junruo's voice suddenly rose. "A marriage bestowed by the Empress Dowager—is that something one can just walk away from on a whim?"

Xu Mingyi replied earnestly, "I haven't lost my mind. Last spring at the Goddess Temple, Mingyi fell for you at first sight. Actually, I've always wanted to say these words, but I was afraid of frightening you."

He stared fixedly at her, an extraordinary light flashing in his eyes. "Life is as fleeting as a white horse passing a crevice; would the young lady truly be willing to waste her entire life away in that filthy Prince's Manor?"

These words struck straight at Ning Junruo's heart. She sighed softly, "Who would not wish to live for oneself? It's just that the Prince's Manor is not a place I can easily escape from."

A gentle smile bloomed on Xu Mingyi's face. "As long as you are willing to leave, nothing else is a problem."

"Nonsense, if I didn't want to leave, why would I bother seeing Master Guan?" The corners of Ning Junruo's lips lifted inadvertently, and her suppressed mood seemed to lighten somewhat.

"I have been waiting precisely for these words from you."

Xu Mingyi's smile grew even brighter. "A Princess Consort seeking a divorce is something unheard of since ancient times, but I know that as long as we persevere tirelessly, one day the clouds will part and we will see the moon shine."