Beijing, dusk, an alley.
A young girl stumbled forward, several house slaves chasing close behind her.
"Stinking lass, stop right there!"
The girl's body felt weak, and a swollen red lump adorned her forehead. Her vision began to blur.
"Help! Somebody help me!"
One of the house slaves behind her heard her shouts, cursed angrily, and picked up a stone from the roadside, throwing it forcefully at her.
The stone cut through the air and struck the back of her head.
Bang.
Blood splattered.
A sharp pain surged through her, and the girl's vision went black. Her body lurched forward, and with her last shred of consciousness, she tumbled and crawled out of the alley.
Just then, a carriage happened to pass the alley mouth.
As the girl tumbled out, she rolled directly in front of the carriage.
"Whinny—!"
The horses pulling the carriage were startled, letting out a neigh.
The sudden turn of events also caused the surrounding commoners to exclaim in alarm.
The house slaves rushed out, not seeing the situation clearly. When they saw the girl lying in front of the carriage, they immediately moved to grab her.
"Quick, get her back before anyone sees her face clearly!"
The girl was grabbed by the shoulder. In that moment between life and death, she erupted with her last burst of strength, violently breaking free. She turned and clambered onto the carriage, falling headfirst inside and bumping into someone's chest.
The coachman whipped the house slaves, his pupils constricting. "Damn it, how did that girl manage to get into the carriage in that brief moment?"
Inside the carriage, a slender hand with distinct knuckles clamped onto the girl's neck, pushing her away from his embrace.
The girl's eyes were tightly shut, and she had no breath left.
"Hmm, dead?"
"Then just throw her out."
Just as he was about to toss the corpse out of the carriage, the girl, whose neck was being choked, suddenly "swish" opened her eyes.
In an instant, her gaze was cold and sharp, carrying a frosty killing intent.
Lu Zhaoling, resurrected from the dead, opened her eyes to see a captivating face.
Ink-black hair adorned with a purple jade crown, complementing skin like snow. Her long eyebrows were lightly brushed with pale ink, and her eyes were like stars falling into the deep sea. Her nose was straight like a peak, and her lips were like the most beautiful petals, but a hint of coldness at their corners added a dangerous charm.
The next second, Lu Zhaoling swiftly struck out, aiming for his throat.
Her fingertips were like swords, so sharp they seemed poised to pierce directly into his windpipe. The stunning atmosphere instantly turned into surging killing intent.
The hand on her neck tightened, and at the same time, his other hand seized Lu Zhaoling's wrist.
"A dead person can still be so aggressive?"
Lu Zhaoling's head throbbed violently, feeling blood flowing from the back of her head. Listening to his deep voice, she looked up at his aura of purple energy and the black mist slowly devouring it.
Imperial Star fate.
So it was his Imperial Star purple energy that helped her resurrect, living again in this young girl's body.
Feeling her neck being choked tighter and tighter, Lu Zhaoling pointed at his chest and squeezed out a difficult sentence.
"I can save you…"
The slender, well-defined hand paused slightly, then pulled her closer. They were so near that Lu Zhaoling smelled a faint, clean scent from him.
Their gazes clashed at close range, as if sparks were crackling.
"How will you save this king?"
Lu Zhaoling struggled for breath, "Let me stay by your side for half a year, and I'll let you know how to save yourself!"
She needed time to recover, and she needed his purple energy.
"Master, are you alright?" Outside, the guards had already dismounted and surrounded the carriage tightly, their expressions tense.
The curtain blocked their view of the inside, but no sound was heard.
Even so, none of them dared to step forward and lift the curtain.
"It's nothing." A low voice came from inside the carriage.
Just then, a group of people arrived, aggressively blocking the carriage.
The newcomer wore a magnificent brocade robe, an jade-inlaid belt, and gold beast patterns embroidered on his attire. A green jade ring adorned his hand. His entire being loudly proclaimed "power."
However, with his puffy eyes, thick lips, pale and slightly bloated face, and dark circles under his eyes, he looked like a useless glutton.
"It's the Son of Marquis Qingfu!" A passerby recognized the man.
Zhu Minghao, the Son of Marquis Qingfu, was the most favored by the Empress Dowager and had always been arrogant and unrestrained in Beijing, with no one daring to provoke him.
The house slaves who had been chasing the girl quickly ran to Zhu Minghao and started complaining, speaking over each other.
"Young Master, that girl is in the carriage!"
"Young Master, this carriage looks unfamiliar. We were afraid of causing trouble, so we didn't dare to snatch her."
In truth, they were intimidated by the imposing aura of the other party's guards.
Zhu Minghao scrutinized the carriage, then squinted at the four guards, letting out a disdainful snort.
"Who cares if it's familiar or not! Pull that girl out for this young master!"
Everyone was about to move forward.
"How dare you!" A guard roared, "Prince of Jin has returned to Beijing, who dares to be presumptuous?!"
At these words, everyone around was stunned as if struck by lightning.
"Prince… Prince of Jin?!"
The Prince of Jin had left Beijing five years ago for recuperation, and there had been no news of him for a long time. Now, he had quietly returned to Beijing?
Inside the carriage, Lu Zhaoling leaned in a corner, watching the man meticulously wipe his hands with a handkerchief, his movements elegant.
His hand had just choked her neck; he found it dirty.
Lu Zhaoling's vision periodically darkened; she hadn't fully adapted yet. She knew she needed to leverage his power to overcome the current crisis.
She suppressed her nausea, "This deal is not a loss for you. After all, your life is very valuable. Without my help, you won't live for many years."
This was the second time she had said she could save him.
Zhou Shiyue, the Prince of Jin, glanced at her indifferently, "Why don't you first tell me, where do I need saving?"
No sooner had he spoken than Lu Zhaoling suddenly lunged at him with extreme speed, grabbing his collar and tearing it.
Rip.
Zhou Shiyue's collar was ripped open, revealing his collarbone and a section of his chest!
His pupils constricted, and he once again clamped her slender neck, "Do you want to die?"
On his pale chest, a strange black mark prominently appeared, like a monster hidden beneath the skin.
Lu Zhaoling's finger poked it, and the black mark seemed to be alive, shrinking slightly, its color instantly fading a bit.
"Cough, cough, are you sure you don't need me to save you?" Lu Zhaoling, though choked, looked at him with a calm and confident gaze.
Outside, Zhu Minghao's shout was heard, "Prince of Jin! I am Zhu Minghao of Marquis Qingfu's manor! That girl is my concubine, hand her over quickly!"
Zhu Minghao had initially been startled by the mention of the Prince of Jin, but he quickly recovered. Even the Prince of Jin couldn't snatch his woman in the middle of the street!
If this reached the Empress Dowager, she would surely protect him. Everyone knew the Empress Dowager disliked the Prince of Jin, didn't they?
"Are you, a dignified prince, going to pick up this young master's concubine?"
Zhu Minghao shouted loudly, giving a look to his retainers. The retainers immediately rushed forward, blocking the four guards.
Zhu Minghao then swiftly ducked forward and yanked open the carriage curtain.