"Your Highness, you ordered the guards to watch over Miss Qingzhou. Just now, Anwu sent back a message that some people are starting to cause trouble."
"Send An Liu along as well, and make sure she is safe." Lu Jingze frowned slightly.
"Yes!" The guard accepted the order and left.
The prefect of Qingzhou Prefecture appears on the surface to be a pushover who fears authority.
Given that Qingzhou was so close to Liangzhou, and he was able to thrive there, it's clear he couldn't be a simple person.
Lu Jingze didn't dare keep Wang Xiuxiu in Qingzhou because he was most worried that the prefect would take the opportunity to cause trouble.
Meanwhile, in the courtyard of the government office where Wang Xiuxiu of Qingzhou resided, night fell and all was quiet.
However, suddenly, a group of dark figures quietly broke in.
Wang Xiuxiu was startled awake by the sudden noise and quickly sat up in bed.
Her years of vigilance and adaptability allowed her to quickly pack her clothes, ready to rush out of the room with Songsong at any moment.
She was well aware that Lu Jingze had arranged for bodyguards to be by her side.
So, faced with this situation, she wasn't actually very worried about her own safety, but a complex and indescribable emotion welled up inside her.
She wanted to escape.
Lu Jingze saved her friend, and she has stayed with him for so long.
Lu Jingze was generous to her, and she used all the money to buy supplies and sent them to Liangzhou.
The two of them should be even now.
"Songsong, if Mommy runs away, it wouldn't be considered a betrayal of her promise, would it..."
Despite her hesitation, Wang Xiuxiu made her decision.
With her bundle on her back, she turned and jumped out of the back window.
---
The night was deep, a cool breeze swept through the courtyard, and the shadows of the trees swayed.
A slender figure was struggling to climb the wall, her skirt lifted by the wind, revealing her fair ankles.
Wang Xiuxiu bit her lip, gripped the wall bricks tightly with both hands, and kicked wildly at the wall with her toes, but could not find a foothold.
"Tsk, why is this wall so high..." she muttered under her breath, her tone tinged with annoyance but still carrying a lighthearted laugh. "I should have just brought a ladder."
After testing it for a while, suddenly, my toes touched a solid support.
Wang Xiuxiu was overjoyed. She stepped on the wall and used the momentum to leap up, finally managing to climb onto the top.
She sat on the wall, dusted off her hands, and smiled like a cat that had just stolen some fish.
"Hehe!" She looked down, her voice clear and melodious.
The moonlight, like water, shone on the tall, slender figure beneath the wall.
The man, dressed in a black brocade robe, had a cold and stern face with sharp, piercing eyes. He was looking up at her with a deep gaze.
Her shoe prints were still visible on his palm.
Wang Xiuxiu felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave.
"So happy?" Lu Jingze spoke, his voice low and cold, carrying a hint of danger. "Happy about what? Happy that I'm here to help you escape faster?"
Wang Xiuxiu's smile froze on her face, and her fingers unconsciously clenched the hem of her skirt.
Lu Jingze's gaze was like a knife, scraping across her face inch by inch, as if he wanted to dissect her thoughts and see them clearly.
"I...I just came out for some fresh air..."
Wang Xiuxiu chuckled twice and tried to move, but Lu Jingze grabbed her ankle.
His strength was neither too light nor too heavy, yet it rendered her unable to move.
"Get some fresh air?" Lu Jingze sneered, his eyes growing even darker. "Climb over the wall for some fresh air? You certainly know how to pick your spots."
Feeling guilty, Wang Xiuxiu looked away, avoiding eye contact with him.
The next instant, Lu Jingze exerted force, and Wang Xiuxiu slid off the wall and fell right into his arms.
The unique scent belonging to Lu Jingze instantly enveloped her; it carried a cool, pine fragrance.
The sudden sense of oppression made it difficult for Wang Xiuxiu to even breathe.
That's it, I think I've really angered him this time.
Wang Xiuxiu tried her best to appear as if she had just survived a disaster, snuggling into his arms and saying in a trembling voice, "Lu Jingze, why did you take so long to come! It was so scary!"
"Oh, you're so scared? Weren't you trying to run away just now?"
Hearing Lu Jingze's gritted teeth, Wang Xiuxiu forced herself to reply, "Yeah, it's a good thing they didn't set up defenses at the back window, otherwise what would we have done if we got caught?"
Lu Jingze was speechless for a moment, looking at the stubborn little girl in front of him, a complex emotion welled up in his heart.
Actually, we didn't need to come here.
But for some reason, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease, so I rushed back early this morning.
He wanted to personally confirm her safety, but upon arriving in Qingzhou, he was met with the sight of the young girl resolutely leaving.
At that moment, his heart sank, as if he had lost something important.
Wang Xiuxiu's explanation was weak and feeble.
Even though he knew she wasn't telling the truth, Lu Jingze still couldn't bring himself to get angry at her.
He shook his head helplessly, a hint of doting in his eyes.
Wang Xiuxiu, who was in his arms, was extremely guilty. Seeing that Lu Jingze did not respond, she had no choice but to tell the truth.
"I was wrong..." she whispered, her voice soft and sweet, with a hint of ingratiation.
"What did you do wrong?" Lu Jingze persisted, gently stroking her ankle with his fingers, his tone carrying a hint of punishment.
"The mistake was using a VPN..."
"Anything else?"
"I shouldn't... I shouldn't have tried to run away while you were gone..." She bit her lip, her voice barely audible.
"It's good that you know you're wrong," Lu Jingze said calmly, his gaze fixed on the distant night, his tone slightly unnatural.
Wang Xiuxiu glanced at him furtively, and seeing that Lu Jingze's expression had softened slightly, she grew bolder and approached him with a grin: "Are you angry?"
He glanced at her sideways, his eyes deep and unfathomable, but he did not answer.
"Don't be angry, I just couldn't run away..." Wang Xiuxiu tugged at his sleeve, her voice soft and sweet.
Lu Jingze remained silent, but reached out and pulled her into his arms with a strong pull, as if he wanted to meld her into his very bones.
Wang Xiuxiu pressed her face against his chest, listening to his steady and powerful heartbeat, and suddenly felt a little guilty.
"If you run again next time, I'll break your legs," he whispered in her ear, his tone cold and stern, yet tinged with a barely perceptible hint of doting affection.
---
The night was deep, and moonlight shone through the window onto the bed, illuminating two figures nestled together.
Wang Xiuxiu nestled in Lu Jingze's arms, breathing evenly, sleeping soundly.
A warm breath wafted through the thin fabric, carrying a faint, sweet fragrance.
Lu Jingze was wide awake.
He lowered his head slightly, his gaze falling on her face, his eyes deep and complex.
Her eyebrows and eyes appeared exceptionally soft in the moonlight, her long eyelashes cast a shadow under her eyelids, and the corners of her lips were slightly upturned, as if she were dreaming of something happy.
"How can someone so small be so brave?" he murmured, a hint of helplessness in his voice.
Recalling the way she climbed over the wall, a smile unconsciously crept onto Lu Jingze's lips.
That brat, she's quite nimble when climbing walls.
She scaled the wall in one swift motion; had he not arrived in time, she might have escaped.
But when she slid down from the wall and fell into his arms, her heart skipped a beat.
He didn't know what caused that sudden surge of emotion.
He had never felt that way before.
Royal children are inherently less closely related by blood.
Lu Jingze had been accustomed to deceit and treachery since childhood and was used to having everything under control.
He had never felt such strong emotions for anyone, nor had he ever been so concerned about anyone.
Even the seemingly perfect match between him and the princess, as everyone says, is actually filled with untold secrets and responsibilities.
Since meeting Wang Xiuxiu, his composure and self-control seem to be easily broken.
When they first met, she was just a brave and clever young girl with a stubborn spirit that made him want to tease her.
But gradually, her smile, her cunning, and her kindness were deeply imprinted in his heart.
She was like a ray of sunshine, silently shining into his cold world.
He once thought that he could control her just like he would with anything else.
She could be a delicate ornament, a playful bird in his spare time; as long as she remained within his control, he would be content.
But now he realizes that he can no longer let her go from his heart.
Every smile of hers filled him with joy, and every frown of hers broke his heart.
Her every move affected his emotions.
He even began to fear that one day she would leave, that she would, like tonight, climb over the wall without hesitation.
"You brat..."
Lu Jingze murmured softly, his fingers gently stroking her hair, his movements as tender as if he were touching a precious jewel.
Wang Xiuxiu seemed to sense his touch, let out a soft hum, snuggled closer to him, and found a more comfortable position to continue sleeping.
Lu Jingze's heart softened instantly, and he tightened his arms, holding her even closer.
"I won't let you escape again," he whispered in her ear, his tone firm yet gentle.
The moonlight shone on the two of them, as if gilding them with a layer of silver.
Lu Jingze closed his eyes, feeling the warmth of the person in his arms, and a sense of satisfaction he had never felt before welled up in his heart.
From this day forward, he could never let go.
Whether she likes it or not, he will keep her firmly by his side.
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