Snow began to fall from the sky. On ordinary days, the scattered snowflakes felt quite romantic, but when galloping on horseback, the snow pellets, carried by the wind, burrowed into her collar and sleeves, getting in everywhere. Although she was extremely afraid of the cold, it was she herself who had insisted on coming out for a ride this morning, so now she had no other choice but to lightly whip the horse’s flank, hoping that Chu Qing beneath her could go a bit faster.

Poor horse, for the sake of keeping me from freezing to death, please run a little faster, or else you’ll be in for a sore backside!

As if understanding its master’s predicament, and perhaps to avoid more suffering, this fine steed—already an outstanding breed—suddenly perked up, neighed loudly, and abruptly picked up speed. The pace was indeed faster, but Eric Blake immediately felt the side effects of such breakneck speed: not only was the wind in her face fiercer and colder, but the scenery on both sides flashed by so quickly that it all felt almost unreal.

Eric Blake was startled by Chu Qing’s exceptional performance and couldn’t help but wonder if she should really dig into its potential when she got back. Just then, her eyes suddenly caught sight of a person and a horse leisurely appearing ahead on the east-west Jianchun Gate Avenue. As the distance closed, she could even see the curious expression of the young man leading the horse, glancing around.

Damn, it’s almost curfew—how can someone still be wandering around so leisurely outside? Now it’s too late to stop suddenly!

She only had time to curse inwardly, then fiercely flicked the reins, lowered her body, and pressed herself almost flat against the horse’s back. Amid the urgent sound of hooves, she saw the young man leading the horse suddenly realize what was happening, casting a startled glance in her direction. In a flash, she pressed herself down and shouted loudly, “Chu Qing, jump!”

As the saying goes, a good horse is almost spiritual; three years was enough for Chu Qing and her master to develop a deep understanding. At the sound of her command, the white horse neighed sharply and leapt into the air, carrying a fierce, unstoppable momentum. Horse and rider soared together, covering more than ten paces in an instant before landing steadily on the ground. After its four hooves bent slightly, it dashed forward a few more steps, gradually returning to its original high speed.

Atop the horse, Eric Blake managed to glance back in the midst of her rush and saw that the young man was unharmed, finally letting out a sigh of relief. Thank heavens—luckily, she had always focused more on martial arts and horsemanship, or else this could have ended in tragedy!

Although she really ought to dismount and apologize—after all, she had been riding too fast—she felt annoyed just looking at that clueless boy. When the resounding curfew drum suddenly echoed through the city, she found an even better excuse.

Now was not the time to fuss over small matters; otherwise, if she were caught breaking curfew, someone else would have to come bail her out. With that thought, she hurriedly urged her horse on, not looking back again.

Meanwhile, the young man leading the horse stared blankly at the figure disappearing into the night. Who knows how long he stood there before slapping his forehead in frustration and muttering to himself, “Ah, I was so busy looking for the way that I didn’t even hear the hoofbeats. I wonder if that leap just now hurt anyone…”

Seeing the Jinwu Guards patrolling not far away, he had no time to ponder further. He glanced once more into the darkness, then quickly mounted his horse and dashed off, vanishing without a trace.

Chapter Two: The Beginning of a Changing Era

Luoyang was now the Divine Capital of the Great Zhou, and the curfew was enforced with exceptional strictness. Not only did all shops and wards close after curfew, even the Taichu Palace would lock its doors.

The six hundred beats of the curfew drum signaled the start of the deep night curfew. So, Eric Blake hurried as fast as she could, crossing Tianjin Bridge and the Left Auxiliary Gate, finally dashing into Taichu Palace at the last possible moment. Time had already been tight, and she’d encountered such a thrilling incident along the way; when she dismounted, she almost felt the world spinning and her legs going weak.

“County Princess, you made it back just in time today!”

Hearing this teasing voice, Eric Blake immediately looked up and saw it was a familiar middle-aged squad leader. She grinned and pulled out a waxed paper packet and a wine gourd from her saddlebag—both prepared in advance. This was an old routine: the squad leader took them with one hand, discreetly letting a small string of copper coins slip into his sleeve, then turned and waved to a few soldiers. A large group burst into laughter, and someone even joked, “The County Princess is always so thoughtful—never forgets our hard work!”

“Of course! On such a cold night, everyone still has to stand watch. How could you do that on an empty stomach?”

After her banter, Eric Blake saw that more than a dozen guards were already discussing how to enjoy their midnight snack, so she handed her horse to a young palace attendant, giving him another small string of coins. Looking up at the snowy night sky, she sighed in resignation, wrapped her cloak tighter, and hurried on her way.

The distance between Changle Gate and the Xianju Hall she needed to reach was long, and regardless of rank, everyone had to dismount after entering the palace and walk the rest of the way on foot—she was no exception. Normally, it was just a bit of exercise, but on a snowy, windy night, by the time she finally reached the Yingxian Gate, she was nearly frozen stiff.