With her deceased husband as her dowry, would Your Highness dare to marry her?

Da da da da...

In the middle of the night, the sound of rapid hoofbeats echoed along the long street.

A chestnut horse galloped through the snowy night, heading straight for the imperial city gate.

The woman in red on horseback was half-standing, the reins tightly in her hand, lashing the horse's rump with the whip again and again. The snow and mud kicked up by the horse's hooves splashed onto her pomegranate-red riding clothes, but she paid no attention to it.

At the palace gate, several imperial guards on night watch huddled under the eaves to avoid the wind, complaining about the bizarre weather. Suddenly, they spotted a red figure like an arrow in the snow and their faces changed instantly.

The goalkeeper on duty brandished his long spear and shouted sternly, "This is forbidden territory of the Imperial Palace! Anyone who dares to trespass will be executed on the spot!"

Forced by Ge Guang, the chestnut horse neighed and reared up. The woman on horseback suddenly tightened the reins, and the horse spun around on the snow, its front hooves slamming down, sending snow flying everywhere.

"I am Princess Yongle! I have entered the palace to find Prince Jing'an!"

She picked up the jade pendant from her waist and held it high.

The gatekeeper's gaze swept over the jade token, his expression softening slightly, but he still did not back down. He cupped his hands and said, "Princess, please forgive me. The palace gates are closed at night, an ironclad rule established by the founding emperor. If I let you pass, it would be an execution of my entire family tomorrow. Please return to your residence, Princess, and submit the token to the palace first thing tomorrow morning."

"You!" Princess Yongle dismounted, grabbed her whip, and charged at him, shouting, "A life is at stake! If you don't open the door, I'll have His Majesty punish you!"

Before she could finish speaking, the city gate guards had all drawn their swords. The blades gleamed in the snow, forcing Princess Yongle to take two steps back.

"This humble general is under imperial command to guard this gate, and cannot disobey. If you force your way in, this humble general will have no choice but to arrest you according to the law."

After he finished speaking, the goalkeeper cupped his hands in a fist salute.

Princess Yongle looked up at the towering and solemn palace gate, her teeth grinding together.

She couldn't force her way in. She could only step aside, take the leopard cat out of her bosom, and whisper in the cat's ear, "Go quickly and find Brother Wang."

She placed the leopard cat on the ground and vigorously stroked its fluffy head.

The leopard cat folded its ears to the sides, looked around, and then "whoosh," it darted away and disappeared instantly among the layers of eaves.

Princess Yongle gazed in the direction of the leopard cat's message, clasped her hands together, and silently chanted Buddhist prayers.

It's past midnight.

The daytime hustle and bustle has been buried in the swirling snow. The entire palace is asleep, and even the palace lanterns guarding the corridors are tired from burning, quietly casting a dim yellow light.

Pei Jinxuan had been ill for most of the day, and after taking his medicine, he fell asleep. The young eunuch on duty was dozing off, his head nodding as he leaned on a stool.

Suddenly, a dark figure slipped in through the half-open window, silently leaped over the table, and jumped straight onto Pei Jinxuan's bed.

Pei Jinxuan was asleep.

In his dream, Lin Ci sat by the bed, holding a damp cloth, gently wiping his cheek. Her slender eyes were filled with affection, her expression shy and enigmatic.

Pei Jinxuan tried to grab her hand, but she playfully turned around and started rubbing his other cheek, making a swishing sound as she did so.

He snorted inwardly: "Trying to outsmart me again," and deliberately turned his face away, refusing to look at her.

To his surprise, Lin Ci turned to the other side, bent down, and brought her face close to his, so close that he could feel her hot breath. She stared straight at him, her eyes shining unnaturally.

"Meow."

Lin Ci tilted her head and let out a meow. Her clear eyes gleamed with a green light.

Pei Jinxuan woke up with a start and sat up abruptly. He subconsciously touched his cheek and felt a damp, cool sensation.

"Meow."

The cat's meowing from my dream started again.

He composed himself and looked down. There was a cat on the couch, its body covered in black and gold coin patterns, its blue eyes wide open, and two tufts of black fur standing up spiritedly on the tips of its ears.

Isn't this Princess Yongle's cat?!

Pei Jinxuan's heart sank. He cradled the leopard cat in his arms, his fingers slipping inside its collar to find a thin scroll of paper. He then rose from the bed, walked to the candlestick, and unrolled the scroll. The scroll read:

Amo has been poisoned and is in critical condition. Return immediately.

What?!

Pei Jinxuan was shocked. Amo was so careful and cautious; how could she have been poisoned just by investigating Xuanjing's background?!

Without thinking twice, he held the note up to the candle flame and burned it completely.

The young eunuch was awakened by Pei Jinxuan's commotion. He hurriedly stood up and bent down to serve him.

Pei Jinxuan picked up the leopard cat and whispered, "Go and call Madam Lin here."

The young eunuch dared not delay and hurriedly left, rubbing his sleepy eyes.

Before long, Lin Ci arrived, her black hair loosely tied in a bun, with a few stray strands falling over her shoulders. Her clothes were neatly arranged, but she still looked dazed.

"What's wrong?" Lin Ci covered her mouth with the back of her hand and yawned.

"Something happened at home. I'm in charge of the Imperial Guards and can't leave, so I have to send you back!" With that, Pei Jinxuan took off the jade pendant from his waist and solemnly handed it to Lin Ci, whispering in her ear, "You've really gone to a lot of trouble. I, Pei Jinxuan, owe you a favor."

Lin Ci sensed the weight in his words and instinctively gripped the jade pendant tighter.

"Who's in trouble?" she asked.

Pei Jinxuan sighed helplessly, "Amo."

Lin Ci paused for a moment, then carefully put the jade pendant into her bosom and tidied up her medicine box.

Pei Jin escorted her to the palace gate and said in a low voice, "If anyone asks you, just say that a female member of the household has fallen seriously ill and I am sending you back to treat her. Don't mention anything else."

"Understood." Lin Ci nodded, turned, and disappeared into the snowy night. The leopard cat followed behind her.

Meanwhile, outside the palace gates.

Princess Yongle had been waiting in the wind and snow for nearly half an hour.

She looked around, tiptoed and peered, but the heavy palace gate remained unmoved, and she couldn't see a single person through the crack in the door.

The leopard cat has been gone for so long, why hasn't my brother come yet?

Amo is still lying in the mansion, his fate unknown!

Princess Yongle grew increasingly anxious and impatient as she waited, her anger flaring up until she finally lost her patience. With a determined bite, she grabbed her riding whip and charged forward.

"Get out of the way! I'm going in today!"

Princess Yongle forced her way into the palace.

The goalkeeper raised his hand to block, and the hard armor hit her shoulder.

"This is a sacred place, Princess, please don't make things difficult for us." He said in an unfriendly tone.

Princess Yongle ignored the warning and raised her whip to strike, but a guard grabbed her wrist.

"Seize him!" the goalkeeper shouted sternly. "He's trespassing through the palace gates; arrest him first!"

"I am Princess Yongle, how dare you!"

Princess Yongle shouted.

The guards weren't going to let her get away with it. They twisted her arms behind her back, grabbed a two-finger-wide rope, and prepared to tie her up tightly.

Princess Yongle stamped her foot and said, "My brother will not let you get away with this! You blind fools!"

"Wait a minute."

A clear voice suddenly rang out.

Princess Yongle's shouting stopped abruptly.

She turned her head with difficulty and saw Lin Ci carrying a medicine box and wearing a plain cloak, hurrying out of the shadows.

Lin Ci walked up to the gatekeeper, took out the jade token of the Jing'an Prince's Mansion from his sleeve, unfolded a handwritten edict, and presented it with both hands.