Perchance to Dream

27: Lord Ling Makes Amends

My idol, my joy, my frozen popsicle man! I haven't seen you for ages!

Mei Yanran felt like crying tears of joy. She wasn't surprised to run into Ling Fengxiao all of a sudden---if this was serendipity, it had to be guided by the Goddess of Fates and her helpful love strings. But first, she had to deal with the issue at hand.

"Yanran pays respects to Your Excellency Lord Ling!" she chirped with a bow. Whether it was age or status, this man outranked her in both. Even him calling her by her full name instead of "Miss Mei" was well within his rights. Such was the vast difference between the upper fourth ranks of officials versus everyone else.

"Yanran was simply on her way to the markets until I got lost. May I ask...why Lord Ling has chosen to attack me out of the blue?"

Ling Fengxiao's eyebrows furrowed. Judging by her face, Mei Yanran looked surprised and even pleased to see him. How did that make any sense? A few seconds ago, her life had been in danger! Shouldn't she be feeling afraid right now? But never mind that, I didn't even plan the attack!

"Hah! I wasn't aiming for you, girl, but your guard!" Now it was the black-robed figure's turn to speak. He sat atop Ling Fengxiao's carriage like a throne, one hand resting on a crossed leg while his other boot dangled over the rooftop's edge. He glanced at Mei Yanran first, then looked approvingly at Chen Xiao. "Not bad, not bad! Your reflexes are good; you only need to wipe that ugly look off your face. It doesn't do justice to your good looks, boy!"

Chen Xiao's expression was completely black. "I'll ask you not to threaten her ladyship's safety, sir!"

"Still inexperienced, eh?" the old man snorted. "If you'd left her behind and fled on your own, she never would have faced those daggers!"

"I would never abandon her ladyship!" Chen Xiao snapped back.

That only seemed to make the hooded man laugh harder, but before he could reply, Ling Fengxiao had already lifted the curtains of his carriage and stepped outside.

"That's enough, Gorge Fiend," he stared simply.

"Ordering me around, are ya?!" the old man singsonged back. "You have some gall, whippersnapper!"

"You gave your word to behave in the capital city," Ling Fengxiao replied calmly as he stepped onto the ground. His driver had already taken the initiative to place down the steps for him. "Of course you'll keep to it?"

"Hahaha! So I did, so I did! I'm a fiend of my word, that's for sure!" The old man chortled, seemingly proud of himself.

Chen Xiao shifted uncomfortably on his feet before half turning to murmur in Mei Yanran's ear. "Young Miss, what's wrong with that old man?"

Mei Yanran immediately tightened her grip around his arm. "Xiao Chen, be good and just watch for now, okay?

Despite his reservations, Chen Xiao nodded. Meanwhile, Mei Yanran's heart was pounding in her chest. Of course Ling Fengxiao was to blame, but this old "Gorge Fiend" was no slouch either!

He was one of the jianghu's foremost martial arts masters! One with potential to stand atop the martial arts world, and a future enemy-turned-mentor for the male lead Chu Yexuan!

As far as the plot went, when Wei Wanru and Chu Yexuan were fleeing the country for their lives after Crown Prince Chu Yeguang's death, they'd ended up ambushed by enemies. Chu Yexuan managed to defeat them but was mortally poisoned in the process. Wei Wanru had found them cover in the valley forests, but the male lead was still on the verge of death. It wasn't until they ran into the old eccentric Gorge Fiend that his life had been saved.