Young hero, stay put and don't be reckless.

Chapter 37, wait a minute.

"No." The young man shook his head and slowly drew his sword from his waist. "You need to come with me."

No sooner had he finished speaking than he flashed into view of Jiang Xun.

Jiang Xun looked at the sword. Its blade was gleaming white, with a faint, cold light swirling around it. It was clearly no ordinary weapon.

Looking at the other person's hand holding the sword, it was as steady as a rock, without the slightest flaw.

He assessed the difference in strength between the two sides and had his answer—he couldn't win.

At least in a head-on fight, he's no match for me.

"Then I'll have to offend you."

Jiang Xun suddenly made a move, but it wasn't an attack—he simply raised his hand and threw a handful of sand.

He just grabbed this from the corner; it's an old trick he's used countless times in fights in Jiangzhou.

The young man frowned, seemingly surprised by the other party's shamelessness, and reluctantly took a step back.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Jiang Xun used the Azure Lotus Divine Speed ​​Technique and dashed towards the courtyard wall.

But he had only taken two steps when he felt a sharp sword aura chasing after him from behind.

He dodged to the side, barely avoiding it, but his sleeve was slashed.

"What a fast sword!" Jiang Xun was startled. He didn't dare to stop and jumped over the courtyard wall, running into the depths of the alley.

The young man behind him clung to him like a stubborn plaster.

Jiang Xun turned left and right through the streets and alleys of Yunzhou City, deliberately choosing to squeeze into those narrow alleys that were so narrow that one could only pass sideways.

He knows the terrain of this area so well that he could run around with his eyes closed.

But that person's lightness skill was also quite good, and he remained hanging about ten feet away, unable to shake him off.

"Damn, this is really troublesome." Jiang Xun was both anxious and agitated, running around trying to think of a solution.

He knew that running away like this was not a solution—Yunzhou City was only so big, and he couldn't find a place to hide before dawn. Once the yamen runners surrounded him, he wouldn't be able to escape even if he had wings.

Just then, a house appeared ahead, with black tiles and white walls, looking quite elegant.

Jiang Xun didn't have time to think, and jumped over the wall and inside.

…………

Gu Yunqian couldn't sleep.

The terrifying carriage incident during the day was still nagging at her.

The way the boy rushed over, the way he rolled away with the child in his arms, the way he lay on the ground grinning—I can see it all with my eyes closed.

She turned over, unable to sleep.

I turned over again, but still couldn't fall asleep.

I simply sat up, put on my coat, and walked to the window.

I opened the window, and the moonlight streamed in, cool and refreshing.

She stared at the full moon for a while, lost in thought.

Suddenly, there was a noise in the courtyard.

It was very light, but there was definitely a sound, like something falling in the yard.

She was startled and instinctively wanted to call for help.

Before he could speak, the window was pushed open from the outside, and a figure climbed in.

Gu Yunqian almost cried out, but a hand covered her mouth.

"Don't shout..."

The man was speaking in a low voice, breathing heavily.

Moonlight streamed through the window and fell on the person's face, which was veiled, but she remembered those eyes.

Jiang Xun also saw her face clearly; it was the girl from the carriage during the day.

He quickly released his grip, took a step back, and lowered his voice, "I'm sorry, I didn't know this was your home..."

Gu Yunqian's heart was pounding, and her palms were sweating.

In the middle of the night, a strange man broke into her bedroom.

She should call for help—one shout would summon her maids, guards, and even her parents.

This man climbed over the wall and broke into the house; if he were arrested and taken to the authorities, no one would have a say.

But judging from his appearance, he was clearly in trouble.

Gu Yunqian took a deep breath and gently closed the window.

"Is someone pursuing you?" Her tone was less alarmed and more puzzled.

Jiang Xun paused for a moment, then nodded.

Gu Yunqian didn't say anything, walked to the door, and bolted it. Then she turned around and looked at him.

"Hide well," she said. "Don't make a sound."

Jiang Xun was stunned.

He didn't expect her to help him.

Just as I was about to say something, I suddenly heard a series of hurried footsteps outside.

Someone is chasing us.

Jiang Xun's heart tightened, and he subconsciously shrank back.

But this house is only so big, where can we hide?

Gu Yunqian glanced at him, bit her lip, and suddenly pointed to the bed.

"Under the bed."

Jiang Xun was stunned.

"Hurry up!" she urged him in a low voice, her face already flushed.

Jiang Xun didn't have time to think, and he ducked in.

The bed was low and narrow, with a faint fragrance.

He curled up, holding his breath, his heart pounding.

The footsteps grew closer; someone was knocking on the door.

"Miss! Miss!" came a maid's voice, filled with panic. "A thief has broken in! Is Miss alright?"

"It's nothing." Gu Yunqian raised her voice, trying to make her tone sound calm.

"I am Li Bao, the head constable of Yunzhou. Please open the door, Miss Gu, and let us in to take a look." A rough male voice suddenly rang out from outside the door.

Gu Yunqian was slightly startled. She quickly glanced under the bed, took several deep breaths, and then walked to the door.

Just as she was about to open the door, another voice came from outside—

"You've chased a thief into my daughter's bedroom? Officer Li, what do you mean by this?"

Gu Yunqian felt relieved; her father had arrived.

"Lord Gu, please calm down. That thief is truly cunning," Constable Li said cautiously. "Someone of us saw him break into this courtyard. Your house is only so big; we've searched all the other rooms, only Miss's room remains—"

"So you're only leaving my daughter's room, and you want to search it?" The father's voice suddenly rose, laced with a blatant sneer. "My daughter, an unmarried young woman, and you, a group of you, barge in and search her in the dead of night? How will she ever face anyone after this gets out?"

There was a moment of silence outside.

A moment later, Constable Li's voice rang out again, this time much softer: "Lord Gu, it's not that I'm making things difficult for you, it's just an order from above."

Recently, a notorious thief has emerged in the city, and many homes have been burglarized. Several wealthy merchants have filed complaints with the local government.

The prefect has specially invited a master to help; we must capture this man tonight.

"Wealthy merchants?" The father scoffed, his disdain practically overflowing. "They're all unscrupulous businessmen who are rich but heartless. What do they have to do with my Gu family?"

"Lord Gu, you can't say that," Constable Li said with a hint of helplessness. "A thief in the city is bad for everyone, and the Prefect can't ignore it. Besides, what if a thief really breaks into Miss's room...?"

Before he could finish speaking, the door suddenly opened.

Gu Yunqian stood at the door, her clothes neat and tidy, her eyes still showing the sleepiness of someone who had just been woken up, as if she had really just gotten out of bed.

Several people were standing outside the door.

The father, wearing an outer robe, had a livid face.

Officer Li, in his forties, carried a lantern and looked embarrassed.

Behind him stood a young man, handsome and tall.

Gu Yunqian's heart tightened, but she didn't show it on her face.

She glanced at her father, then at Constable Li, lowered her eyes, and said softly, "Please come in, Lord Li."

Officer Li was taken aback for a moment, then felt embarrassed.

He cupped his hands in a gesture of respect to the young man beside him, saying, "Young Master Chen, I'm entrusting this to you." But he didn't step into the house himself.

The young man nodded, stepped forward, and glanced into the room.

Just one glance.

Gu Yunqian lowered her eyes, her fingers secretly clenching her sleeves.

"I'm alone in the house," she heard her own voice steady. "Does the master want to search?"

The young man remained silent for a while.

Gu Yunqian didn't look up, but she could feel a gaze lingering on her face for a moment.

Then, the young man smiled.

"No need," he said apologetically. "I'm sorry to have disturbed your rest."

He cupped his hands in a respectful bow again, then turned and left.

Seeing this, Officer Li quickly apologized to the Gu family father and daughter, and then left as well.

The father didn't make things difficult for them; he simply told his daughter to get some rest before leaving.

Gu Yunqian closed the door and leaned against it, only then realizing that her back felt chilly—she was covered in a thin layer of sweat.

She stood there for a while, waiting for her heartbeat to calm down, before walking to the bedside, bending down, and whispering under the bed:

"Come out."

Jiang Xun slowly crawled out, his whole body covered in cold sweat.

He cupped his hands in thanks to Gu Yunqian: "Thank you, Miss Gu."

He was about to leave when Gu Yunqian called out to him, "Wait a minute."