YangCheng

Soon, after a full day and night of traveling from the Imperial City, Baili Xue finally arrived outside of YangCheng.

Baili Xue has never gone this far out of the Imperial City before.

YangCheng is not like Imperial City. Every ten steps Baili Xue walks, she can see refugees.

"Please stop hitting my grandpa!" a young boy yells while trying to cover his small body over his grandpa.

But those strong men didn't stop.

"Who told you to steal from us! We're not charity! Pay us back or else I'll sell you away!" one of the muscular men said.

Baili Xue's face scrunches. She can't stand those people. After reliving a life, she will not allow anyone to bully her in front of her.

"Let them go!" Baili Xue walks over and raised her voice at them.

The three strong men look at Baili Xue.

"Miss., I advise you to mind your own business!" the youngest out of the three said.

Baili Xue faintly laughs, "what if I don't want to?" she said and seriously looks at them while standing in front of the old grandpa and little boy.

"Then don't blame us-" the muscular man went up to her with his fist but the next moment, there was a loud crack.

"AHHHH!" the muscular man screams while holding on to his hand.

The other two men nervously look at Baili Xue. But quickly regain their posture. Another man took out his pocket knife and points it toward her.

Baili Xue used less than ten percent of the internal force and fought him down.

"Your next?" Baili Xue asks while looking at the last man standing.

All three of them didn't expect this young lady would be this powerful. They all know that they can't fight over her and so they all kneel.

"Lady, please let us go!" all three of them beg.

"Let you guys go? Then what happened before when the young boy asked you guys to stop hitting his grandpa? Did you guys stop?" Baili Xue questions them.

All the three men's heads are down and are silent.

"Apologize to them and pay for this old grandpa's medical bill."

The three men quickly went up to apologize and the muscular man gave the young boy all his money.

After giving apologizing and giving them the money, all three of them quickly ran away.

Baili Xue went up to help the old grandpa up.

"Grandpa, let me bring you to the clinic," Baili Xue said while supporting the grandpa in her arm.

The old grandpa shakes his head. "Thank you, miss. I'm so old already. It doesn't matter anymore. I just want my grandson to eat and dress warmly."

"Grandpa, I promised to look after your grandson. Right now, your injuries need to be treated. You don't want your grandson to be worried right?" Baili Xue said.

The grandpa looks at his grandson and saw the young boy's eyes redden. He then looks at Baili Xue. "I don't know how I should thank you."

"If you want to thank me, then you have to let me bring you to the clinic and let the doctor check on your injuries."

This time the grandpa didn't say anything and allowed Baili Xue to bring him to the clinic.

"General, a letter from the emperor!" Gu Qi hands the letter to Gu Muyan.

After reading the letter, Gu Muyan's forehead furrows. He didn't expect Baili Xue would come to find him.

"Gu Qi, prepare the horse!" Gu Muyan said.

Gu Qi quickly does what Gu Muyan said. He has never seen the General like this before.

The doctor told Baili Xue that the grandpa need rest and should recover in about two weeks.

As they walk out of the clinic, Baili Xue could hear a horse galloping towards her way.

Baili Xue turned around and saw Gu Muyan. Baili Xue smiles at him, but she can tell that Gu Muyan is angry.

When Gu Muyan saw Baili Xue, he couldn't help but got off his horse and runs up to her.

Both of them stares at each other and both didn't say a word.

Baili Xue knows that coming here without letting anyone know was something that it'll make them worry.

Baili Xue warmly smiles at him. "I'm sorry that I made you worried."

When Gu Muyan was on his way to find her, he thought about many things to say to her. But now after seeing that she's safe and okay, those things don't matter anymore.

"Why are you here?" Gu Muyan asks her.

Baili Xue thought he was asking why she was at the clinic. "I saved this old grandpa from three muscular men and brought him here to see the doctor." Baili Xue said proudly. This is the first time she has ever saved someone using her abilities.

Everyone in YangCheng knows who Gu Muyan is. He is like their life savior and everyone admires him.

"General Gu!" the old grandpa said and as he was about to kneel, Gu Muyan and Baili Xue stops him.

"Gu Qi!" Gu Muyan calls.

Gu Qi walks up to them and brought the old grandpa and young boy to settle down.

Baili Xue knows what he's thinking right now. She slowly turns for him to see and said, "I'm fine. See, I'm perfectly fine," giving him a reassuring smile.

Gu Muyan softly smiles at her reaction.

"Why did you decide to come here?" he asks her while both of them sat inside the carriage.

Baili Xue wasn't sure if she should tell him the truth. "I came to protect you," she said and looks into his eyes seriously.

"Don't look at me being petite, I have a lot of strength. Remember that day when I told you that I went to see my grandma?"

Gu Muyan nods.

"I went to her to learn martial art skills. If you were here before, you would see me knocking those men down," she said proudly as she thinks back.

Gu Muyan smiles and rubs her head.

"My princess is the smartest," he said with his gentle voice.

If Gu Qi was here, he would get goosebumps hearing Gu Muyan talking like that.

Baili Xue looks into him. This is the first time her seen Gu Muyan like this. She doesn't hate it but just couldn't believe the cold and strict general would have a soft side like this.

"What are you thinking about?" Gu Muyan asks after noticing Baili Xue spacing out.

Baili Xue shakes her head. "Are you always like this? I mean showing this side of yourself to other people?" she asks curiously.

"I will and only show my soft side to one person. And that person is sitting right next to me right now." Gu Muyan looks at her deeply.

Baili Xue's face reddens and quickly looks away. Gu Muyan laughs at her reaction.

They arrived outside Gu Muyan's army base.

"I'll tell Gu Qi to prepare you a tent. Are you sure about staying here?" Gu Muyan asks her.

Baili Xue nods. "If I go back now, Huang Xiong would punish me. You wouldn't wish to see me get punished right?" Baili Xue said in her delicate voice.

Gu Muyan knows that Baili Yifei wouldn't punish Baili Xue. Baili Yifei might just say something and would just ground her for a month or so.

"You must listen to me and try to not cause any trouble. You understand?" Gu Muyan asks. He doesn't want her to do anything without telling her because at YangCheng it's not anything like the Imperial City.

"Yes! General!" Baili Xue said loud and clear.

After setting Baili Xue down, Gu Muyan was called by his subordinate. Baili Xue told him that she'll behave and won't cause any trouble.

Gu Muyan left Gu Qi to protect her and left.

Once Gu Muyan left the army base, Baili Xue went out to look around.

"Gu Qi, what kind of person do you think the general is?" Baili Xue's sudden question surprised Gu Qi a bit. He doesn't get what Baili Xue is trying to ask.

"The general is nice. He could be strict and cold at times, but he treats us pretty well." Gu Qi said.

Baili Xue nods. "Lately, is someone trying to threaten the general or even try to kill him?"

Gu Qi's eyes widen when he heard what Baili Xue said. He doesn't know how the princess would know this. Besides the general, no one else should know about this. Not even the emperor.

Judging by Gu Qi's reaction, Baili Xue already has the answer she needed.

"Don't worry. I'm not those bad guys. I came here to protect him." Baili Xue said to Gu Qi. She knows that Gu Qi is Gu Muyan's left-hand man and most trustable person.

Gu Qi wasn't sure if he should believe Baili Xue's word about protecting the general.