Chapter 01
The Wild and Free-Spirited Female General Ă The Aloof, Ethereal Hostage Prince of an Enemy Kingdom
When Zhou Qiao was eight years old, she first met the hostage prince from an enemy kingdom who had been sent to Northern Jin.
The moment she saw his breathtakingly handsome face, the little girl was instantly smitten.
“Hey! You’re so good-looking. When I come of age, I’m going to marry you and make you my husband!”
He ignored her completely.
Later, after dozens of flirtatious letters, she finally received a reply:
I have taken refuge in Buddhism and entered the monastic life. Please do not disturb me.
From thousands of miles away, Zhou Qiao was so furious she could only pound her chest in frustration.
She vowed to herself that the next time she met someone that handsome, she’d make her move much sooner.
Little did she expect that seven years later, after returning to the capital from the distant frontier army camp…
She would unexpectedly come face to face with that astonishingly handsome fake monk once again.
Chapter 1: Returning to the Capital
It was early March. Spring had arrived, but the weather was still chilly.
The streets of Shangjing were already packed with people. Smoke curled up from food stalls as the gates of Xuanwu City stood wide open, welcoming the Northern Jin border army returning from Hujiang.
The army advanced in magnificent formation. Even their marching lines were perfectly orderly, and every soldier’s armor gleamed brilliantly. Though their faces remained solemn, the overwhelming joy of finally returning home shone unmistakably in their eyes.
They had defended their homeland for this very dayâthe day they could reunite with their families.
At the head of the army fluttered two imposing banners. The black Dragon King Banner was Northern Jin’s battle standard, while the crimson Mountains and Rivers Banner served as the commander’s flag, with the bold character “Gu” standing out prominently upon it.
Leading the army back to the capital was none other than the Cavalry General, Gu Shengyuan.
The moment Gu Shengyuan rode through the city gates, thunderous cheers erupted throughout the capital.
“General Gu is back!”
“General Gu, you’ve worked so hard!”
The deafening cries warmed the heart like a comforting current despite the lingering spring chill.
Even a battle-hardened man like Gu Shengyuan could not help but redden his eyes. After seven years of countless life-and-death battles guarding the frontier, hearing the people simply say, “You’ve worked hard,” made everything worthwhile.
Just then, a commotion arose behind him.
He slowed his horse and looked back at the two youths riding side by side. One of them wore a carefree grin, enthusiastically waving at the welcoming crowd while making playful faces at them.
Left unsupervised for only a moment, his own son had somehow accepted the fruits and pastries the townspeople were offering. Though still young, he looked unbearably pleased with himself as he sat proudly atop his warhorse.
How utterly embarrassing!
“Gu Tingwei!”
The moment the commander spoke, silence fell around them.
With so many eyes watching, Gu Shengyuan restrained his temper and barked,
“Look at yourself! Is this any way to behave?”
The scolded youth reacted instantly. Nudging his horse forward with a squeeze of his legs, he rode obediently up beside his father and flashed him a flattering smile.
“Then please, Commander, you first!”
His words sounded wonderfully filial.
Unfortunately, what he offered was only a few half-eaten pieces of pastry.
That was the last straw.
Gu Shengyuan raised his hand to smack his son.
“Was I starving you or something?! I taught you how to command troops and fight battles. When did I ever teach you to fleece the common people?!”
“Dad, don’t wrong me!”
Gu Tingwei dodged the slap with ease, showing not the slightest hint of admitting fault.
He was about eighteen or nineteen years old, with jet-black hair, dark eyes, and strikingly handsome features. His bold, uninhibited temperament, combined with the sturdy physique of a trained martial artist, made him the very image of Gu Shengyuan in his youth.
Taking another bite of the fruit in his hand, Gu Tingwei grinned.
“An old man just wouldn’t stop praising meâsaid I was handsome, dashing, wise, and unmatched in both courage and skill. He insisted on marrying his daughter to me. What was I supposed to do? I couldn’t refuse him no matter how hard I tried, so I accepted some of his family’s fruit. It would’ve been rude to reject such sincere hospitality in front of everyone.”
“Tsk, tsk. That’s such an outrageous load of nonsense that even I feel embarrassed listening to it.”
The voice wasn’t loud, but it carried clearly enough for Gu Tingwei to hear.
His handsome brows furrowed as he turned toward the rider beside him.
“Zhou Lao San, who are you talking about?”
