The sun dipped behind the crimson tiles of the Ju estate, casting long
shadows across its courtyard.
Ju Xian sat by the koi pond, a scroll of medicinal notes open in her lap,
though she wasn't reading.
Her loyal maid, Meilan, approached in hushed steps, worry etched into her
brow.
> "Miss… I overheard Master Ju speaking with the envoy from the Western
Protectorate."
Ju Xian looked up, her eyes narrowing.
> "Go on."
> "They plan to send you across the sea — to marry the emperor of
Longshan. A political bond. You'll depart in five days."
The scroll fell from Ju Xian's lap.
> "So I'm just a coin for their game," she said softly.
For hours, she sat in her chamber, pacing between the windows, eyes
flicking over escape routes — the servant gates, the outer wall, the eastern
grove. But none offered a way without consequence.
> "Even if I run, they will hunt me down. And Meilan too."
She pressed her forehead to the cold wooden frame of the window,
frustration burning.
That night, as the estate quieted under moonlight, a shadow slipped past the
garden wall.
Taotao.
Wrapped in black, he moved with the ease of wind, fingers nimble, steps
silent. He'd overheard gossip of an heiress's estate left lightly guarded while
preparations were underway for a wedding.
> "Perfect target," he muttered, grinning.
He slipped through an open shutter on the upper floor and landed in a room
filled with porcelain and silk.
But before he could take a step —
> "Don't move," came a voice, sharp and calm.
Ju Xian stood by the door, a thin blade in hand.
Taotao froze.
> "Huh," he said, raising a brow. "Didn't expect the treasure to talk."
Ju Xian narrowed her eyes. "You have ten seconds to explain why you're in
my house before I bury that smirk in the garden."
Taotao raised his hands casually.
> "Easy now. I'm just a visitor… admiring fine taste."
She stepped forward.
> "You're a thief."
> "Only when I'm awake."
The tension hung thick in the air. Neither moved
Taotao glanced around, eyes landing on the open window behind Ju Xian.
His tone didn't lose its usual drawl.
> "Well, lovely meeting you. I'll be off before your guards grow less sleepy."
He made a quick step toward the window — but Ju Xian blocked it with the
blade still in hand.
> "Wait."
He raised a brow. "You want me to stay? Not the usual reaction to a thief in
one's bedroom."
> "Not stay," she said, her voice low and measured. "Kidnap me."
Taotao blinked. "I've been called many things, but that's new."
> "They're sending me to marry a foreign emperor. I need a way out. You
get what you want — I disappear, no trace, and you take the blame. Seems
perfect."
Taotao leaned against the window frame, arms crossed.
> "Lady, I'm here for a necklace. Not a noblewoman with politics and
personal crises."
> "You need money?"
> "Yes. Two days' worth. Or I lose a hand."
Ju Xian stared at him. "I'll pay you double — if you just help me get out for
one night. The rest I'll manage."
Taotao hesitated. The room was silent except for the rustle of silk in the
breeze.
> "One night," Taotao said finally. "And no screaming. I hate screaming."
Ju Xian sheathed her blade. "I never scream."