Quick Wear: The first person to love the host

Half a month later, an urgent battle report from the frontier arrived in Beijing.

The northern Rong tribes stirred up trouble, and the border situation suddenly became tense. In the imperial court, Qi Jinyu knelt down and requested to be granted the title of king, willing to go to his fiefdom immediately to guard the border and defend the country.

The emperor looked at his eldest son, who had once been estranged from him because of his "ghost face" and headache, but who now volunteered to go to the harsh and cold land. He was filled with mixed feelings and was somewhat moved.

Considering that the border indeed needed a prince of considerable influence to oversee it, and that Qi Jinyu's military talent was beyond doubt, his request was finally granted. An imperial edict was issued to confer upon Qi Jinyu the title of "Prince Jing," with his fief located in a key town in the northern frontier. He was ordered to immediately organize his troops and head there.

When the news reached the Prince's Mansion, Su Ziyu understood that Qi Jinyu was going to fulfill the promise she made to her sister in that deal that day—to take him away from the troubles of the capital.

Before leaving, Qi Jinyu didn't let his good second brother be idle.

He had already arranged for an official, whom he had previously seized upon during the disaster relief efforts in the south, to rush to the capital before Qi Jinyu left. The official immediately beat the Dengwen Drum, accusing the Second Prince Qi Haolian of embezzling disaster relief funds and disregarding human life!

With witnesses and physical evidence, although it is not enough to completely bring down Qi Haolian, it is enough to give the already overwhelmed Qi Haolian and the Empress's faction behind him a hard time, leaving them unable to attend to anything else for the time being.

What Su Ziyu didn't expect was that this matter would also involve his sycophantic and scoundrel father, Lord Su.

An imperial censor seized the opportunity to accuse Lord Su of forming cliques for personal gain, failing to manage his household properly, and allowing his children to marry in place of others, thus confusing the imperial bloodline (although unsuccessful, it was still a crime).

The emperor was furious and punished Su for several crimes, demoting him three ranks and exiling him to a remote place as a minor, idle official. The Su family's power was greatly diminished.

All these changes happened like a sudden storm, and once the dust settled, Qi Jinyu's entourage was ready to leave the capital.

The carriages, shimmering and rippling, drove out of the bustling capital city.

Su Ziyu sat in the spacious prince's carriage, looking at the man beside her who was resting with his eyes closed but still holding his hand tightly, and felt a mix of emotions.

She had thought he would have to go through many twists and turns to get rid of his status as a substitute bride, but unexpectedly, in the blink of an eye, she was about to follow this person to a wider world.

Meanwhile, in the capital city, at the Second Prince's residence, Qi Haolian smashed his most beloved inkstone in the study, his face contorted in anger.

Inside the Su residence, upon receiving the decree of demotion, Su's father collapsed to the ground, his face ashen.

Inside the Crown Prince's residence, Su Miaomiao listened to the servants' report and learned that her brother had safely left the capital with Prince Jing. She looked at Mo Junxun, whose condition was gradually improving, on the bed. Her emotions were complex and hard to discern, and finally turned into a barely audible sigh.

-

Heading north, the dust grew heavier. The world was a vast expanse of yellowish-brown, desolation as far as the eye could see. After more than a month of trekking, the group finally arrived at the border town and saw the legendary Prince Jing's Mansion.

The Prince's Mansion is located deep in the border town. Although it is called a prince's mansion, it is only slightly larger than the residence of an ordinary wealthy family. Several courtyards stand in a row, with thick and mottled walls, revealing the vicissitudes of time and the ruggedness unique to the frontier.

Qi Jinyu reined in his horse, his dark cloak billowing in the wind like ink waves. Before his personal guards could approach, he nimbly dismounted and walked straight to the dust-covered carriage behind him.

The carriage curtain stirred slightly, revealing first a hand with distinct knuckles, long and slender, gleaming like white jade in the dim light. Then, a handsome face appeared, slightly pale from the long journey, but his eyes remained clear as autumn water, reflecting the vast northern sky.

Qi Jinyu reached out, not just to offer a helping hand, but to firmly grasp the other person's slightly cool wrist and carefully help them out of the car. The tenderness in her actions was undisguised.

"Your Highness." A gentle voice sounded in front of me.

Qi Jinyu turned her head and saw that the group, led by the strategist Qin Wujiu, was already waiting in front of the mansion.

Qin Wujiu was still wearing a faded blue robe, with a worn sheepskin vest over it, and his face was thin and frail. Only his pair of upturned fox eyes shone so brightly that they seemed to pierce through the endless sandstorms of the north.

He bowed respectfully, his posture humble yet not subservient, his gaze sweeping over Su Ziyu subtly, with a discerning look.

Behind him stood several armored generals, their armor dusty, their faces rugged and angular. They all clasped their hands in unison, their voices booming: "Welcome, Your Highness the Crown Prince!"

"Strategist, generals, no need for such formalities." Qi Jinyu nodded slightly, her hand still protecting Su Ziyu from the wind and sand. "How is the situation at the border?"

Qin Wujiu had anticipated this, and said calmly, "The Xiongnu cavalry have been rampaging for days. Zhenbei Pass fell three days ago, and General Li died in battle. At present, the morale of the army is wavering, and the supply lines are also under threat."

Qi Jinyu's brows furrowed suddenly.

Just then, Su Ziyu coughed lightly, choked by the biting sand and dust, and covered her mouth with her sleeve, her eyes slightly red. Qi Jinyu immediately turned around and asked gently, "Madam, are you alright?"

The word "Madam" was clearly audible, neither too loud nor too soft, yet it startled everyone present.

No one had heard that the princess had accompanied the prince to the frontier. What surprised them even more was that the "madam" the prince spoke of was clearly a handsome man.

The group of tall soldiers stood frozen in place, looking at each other in bewilderment, and the scene became momentarily still.

Su Zi felt pressured under the watchful eyes of everyone and said in a low voice, "Your Highness, important matters are at hand. You should discuss important matters with the soldiers. I will rest in the mansion."

Upon hearing this, Qi Jinyu simply picked the person up and strode into the mansion.

Su Ziyu gasped softly and instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck.

Halfway there, Qi Jinyu suddenly stopped, turned around and instructed the crowd who were still standing there in a daze: "Go to the study and wait. I will settle my wife and then come to discuss matters."

After watching the prince carry the man and disappear into the mansion, everyone came to their senses and turned to Qin Wujiu: "Strategist, what do you think of this...?"

Ignoring the probing gazes of the crowd, Qin Wujiu asked indifferently, "Didn't you hear the Prince's order?"

He was known for his exceptional intelligence; offending him would have dire consequences. No one dared to say a word and obediently went to the study.

After the crowd dispersed, Qin Wujiu summoned Li Mang, who had accompanied the prince back to the capital, and asked with narrowed eyes, "Tell me, who exactly is the woman beside the prince? Why is she called 'Madam'?"

Li Mang scratched his head, looking troubled: "This is a long story..."

He had traveled a long way and was looking forward to changing his clothes and catching his breath, but he was caught and questioned so quickly.

Qin Wujiu's eyes darkened, his tone carrying an undeniable pressure: "Then let's get straight to the point."

Li Mang was jolted awake and dared not delay any longer. He immediately recounted everything in detail—from Su Zi's desire to marry in place of her sister, to the Second Prince's repeated attempts to make things difficult for her but ultimately failing, and then to His Highness and Su Zi's desire to fall in love…

Qin Wujiu listened quietly, his eyes growing increasingly intense.

Seeing his expression, Li Mang's heart pounded. Every time the strategist showed this look, it meant someone was about to suffer a great misfortune, but he wondered which unlucky person would be next.