Chapter 447 The Benefits of Martial Arts
Daiyu felt a sudden shove from behind, and she was immediately separated from Qiu Hui by the crowd.
She was like an autumn leaf in the crowd, blown about by the wind, her feet barely touching the ground.
"Xueyan! Sister Qiu!" Daiyu called out anxiously, but her voice was quickly drowned out by the crowd.
In the critical moment, Daiyu remembered Yuan Hongqu's words of advice.
She gritted her teeth, reached out and gently pressed her waist—with a soft "click," the soft armor under her blouse instantly unfolded with spikes several inches long.
"Ah!" A chorus of cries of pain erupted around them. Those who had hit the spikes hurriedly retreated, clearing a small space around Daiyu.
Taking advantage of this break, Daiyu was able to catch her breath.
She looked around and saw that the crowd was still in chaos, but the frightened horse was getting closer and closer.
We can't wait any longer! Daiyu took a deep breath, stood on tiptoe, and used the roof of a nearby stall as a springboard to leap onto the nearest roof!
This jump surprised even herself. It turned out that since practicing the breathing techniques taught by Lan Su, her movements had become much more agile without her even realizing it.
Standing on the rooftop, Daiyu finally saw the chaotic scene below.
The crowd surged forward like a tide, and the frightened horse continued to rampage. She anxiously searched for Qiu Hui and Xueyan, but to no avail.
"It's a fairy!" someone exclaimed from below. "We almost bumped into a fairy just now..."
Those gazes held surprise, fear, and curiosity.
Daiyu then realized how unconventional her behavior had been. Just as she was at a loss, she suddenly saw a figure in green flash through the crowd and precisely subdue the frightened horse.
It's blue pigment!
"Sister Susu!" Daiyu exclaimed in surprise.
Lan Su looked up and saw Daiyu on the roof. A hint of surprise flashed in her eyes, and she nodded to her to calm down.
Lan Su gently patted the horse's neck, and the horse obediently lowered its head, ceasing its restlessness.
The chaos gradually subsided.
Daiyu then pressed the trigger and retracted the spikes.
Lan Su lightly touched the ground with her toes and leaped onto the roof: "Are you alright?"
Daiyu shook her head: "I'm fine, but Sister Qiu and Xueyan..."
“They are safe and sound.” Lan Su pointed to a tea stall not far away. “I found them before I could subdue the horses.”
Daiyu looked in the direction he pointed and saw Qiu Hui and Xueyan anxiously looking in their direction. She breathed a sigh of relief, but her legs felt weak and she almost lost her balance.
Lan Su helped her up: "Can you get down by yourself?"
Daiyu nodded, and following Lan Su's example, lightly leaped. Though she landed somewhat unsteadily, she managed to stand firmly. The surrounding crowd gasped in amazement; it turned out there were actually two immortals among them.
Qiu Hui and Xueyan hurriedly came forward:
"Yu'er! Are you alright?" Qiu Hui held Daiyu's hand and looked her up and down anxiously.
"I'm fine," Daiyu said with a forced smile. "But you guys, are you alright?"
Qiu Hui shook her head, still shaken: "I was really scared just now! You disappeared in the blink of an eye, thankfully Miss Lan appeared in time."
At this moment, the Tenth Prince arrived with several guards: "I heard something happened here? Is the Princess alright?"
Seeing that Daiyu was unharmed, the Tenth Prince breathed a sigh of relief and then instructed his guards, "Go and find out why the horse was frightened."
Upon returning to the Lin residence, Yuan Hongqu was already waiting at the door after hearing the news.
Upon seeing Daiyu, he immediately stepped forward to examine her carefully: "Are you hurt? Were you frightened?"
Daiyu shook her head and recounted what had happened.
After hearing this, Yuan Hongqu said to Lan Su, "Thanks to you."
She then took Daiyu's hand and scolded her playfully, "I told you the streets were crowded and unsafe, but you insisted on going. Now you know you're scared?"
Daiyu said softly, "It was my carelessness. But..." Suddenly her eyes lit up, "That soft armor is really useful! And the lightness technique that Sister Susu taught me was a great help today."
Yuan Hongqu tapped her forehead helplessly: "Still so smug! Do you know what the consequences would have been if you had slipped or landed unsteadily?"
Daiyu stuck out her tongue, not daring to say anything more.
That evening, the Tenth Prince reported the results of his investigation: the horse had been startled by being pricked with a needle, which was clearly done intentionally.
"Can you find out who did this?" Lin Ruhai asked in a deep voice.
The Tenth Prince shook his head: "The other party was ruthless and left no trace. But in my opinion, they are probably after Princess Lin."
Everyone fell silent. Daiyu shuddered as she recalled the fearful looks she had received during the day.
Yuan Hongqu held her hand: "Don't be afraid. Lan Su will never leave you for a moment. In addition, I will send more people to ensure that today's events never happen again."
Daiyu said, "Granny, I don't want to stay indoors out of fear. Although today's events were dangerous, they also taught me that only by being strong can I truly be safe."
She turned to Lan Su: "Sister Su, please teach me more self-defense skills. I don't want to live under someone else's protection forever."
Lan Su's eyes flashed with approval: "Good. After the New Year, I will teach you a set of light-body skills and grappling techniques suitable for women."
Yuan Hongqu wanted to say something, but Lin Ruhai said, "Let's do as Yu'er says. She'll grow up eventually."
Upon hearing this, the Tenth Prince smiled and said, "Lord Lin is right. The Princess is becoming more and more opinionated, which is a good thing."
He suddenly remembered something, "Oh dear, I was so busy talking about this that I forgot today is New Year's Eve!"
Only after his reminder did everyone realize what day it was.
Daiyu laughed and said, "That's right! We've been so busy talking about me that we've almost missed staying up all night."
The atmosphere immediately lightened.
Amidst the laughter and conversation, a servant came to report that the New Year's Eve dinner was ready.
The group moved to the flower hall, where the table was filled with various delicacies: squirrel-shaped mandarin fish, poached chicken, braised lion's head meatballs, eight-treasure duck... In the center was a steaming Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, its aroma filling the air.
Lin Ruhai raised his glass and said, "The old year has passed and the new year is approaching. May the coming year bring favorable weather, peace, and prosperity for the nation."
Everyone raised their glasses in a toast. Looking at her family gathered around the table, Daiyu felt a warm glow in her heart.
Although my mother is gone, I still have my father, my nanny, my master, and my friends, so this year was still warm and happy.
As midnight approached, the sound of firecrackers filled the air. Daiyu stood under the eaves, watching the night sky illuminated by fireworks, and softly said to Yuan Hongqu beside her, "Granny, another year has passed."
Yuan Hongqu pulled her cloak tighter around her: "Yes, another year has passed. Our Yu'er has grown another year older."
Early on the first day of the Lunar New Year, the city of Suzhou was filled with the sound of firecrackers.
Daiyu was awakened by the noise; the streets outside were filled with people dressed in new clothes, exchanging New Year's greetings.
The Lin residence was also bustling with visitors.
Officials of all ranks, local gentry, and celebrities from Suzhou flocked to offer their New Year's greetings, and the gatekeepers' hands were sore from collecting so many invitations.
Daiyu, dressed in a bright red brocade jacket, greeted the female guests together with Yuan Hongqu.
"Happy New Year, Princess!" The prefect's wife smiled and handed over a red envelope. "You've become even more beautiful. I wonder which family will be so lucky in the future."
Daiyu blushed as she accepted the red envelope: "Madam is too kind."
Yuan Hongqu smiled and said, "She's still young, no rush."
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