Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot Chapter 68: Meeting Her, Recognizing Her

ng Qianqian walked back two miles, passing through the western forest and entering a mountain range with layers upon layers of peaks.

Crossing this mountain range would save two to three days of travel.

The mountain paths were rugged, and the snow was heavy, with several winding sections situated on the edge of cliffs. On the left was a steep rocky mountain wall, while the right opened up to a frigid abyss swept by fierce winds.

Sotis what appeared to be a path could easily be nothing more than a pile of snow. One wrong step and there would be no return.

Holding her horse’s reins, ng Qianqian trudged forward with difficulty through the snowstorm.

The closer she got to the summit, the heavier the snowstorm grew. The wind blew so fiercely that she could barely keep her eyes open, and the horse repeatedly refused to move forward.

A well-trained horse could sense danger in its surroundings, protecting not just itself but also ng Qianqian.

Still, she couldn’t allow herself to stop.

She stroked the horse’s head, slowly opening her numb and frostbitten lips to murmur with difficulty, "Don’t worry, I’ll make sure we cross this mountain safely."

The woman and horse pressed on.

A few hundred feet of mountain path took them a full hour to traverse.

Thankfully, the most perilous stretch passed without incident, and the remaining mountain paths promised to be much wider.

"Ah!"

ng Qianqian exhaled deeply and used her Brocade Spring Saber as support to briefly catch her breath.

The horse, too, was utterly exhausted. Reluctant to ride it further, ng Qianqian led the horse as she traveled on foot through the night.

Who knows how much ti had passed before the woman and horse finally reached the mountain summit.

The horse was hungry, so ng Qianqian retrieved fodder from its saddle and fed it.

But just as the horse began eating, sudden danger struck!

A faint sound as sharp as tearing fabric ca from beneath the heavy snow.

Not good—the ground beneath her feet was frozen, hollow earth!

It was about to crack!

ng Qianqian reached for the horse’s reins, but it was already too late—against the force of nature, human efforts were as insignificant as dust.

Boom!

She plunged downward along with the cracking frozen earth, tumbling into the abyss.

At that mont of life and death, a hand cold as white bone seized her wrist tightly.

Lu Yuan lay prone in the snow, his body dangling halfway over the cliff. One hand held her wrist while the other gripped the horse’s reins.

The horse bit down fiercely on the reins, striking sparks against the snow-covered ground with its hooves.

ng Qianqian lifted her gaze, utterly stunned, to see him—and the masked figure behind him suddenly springing upward, sword raised to strike.

Lu Yuan had to choose: release his grip or face death.

He let go—the hand holding the reins.

Both plumted downward, but he used imnse strength to yank ng Qianqian upward.

As they leapt onto the cliff’s edge, ng Qianqian drew her Brocade Spring Saber from her waist and struck the masked assailant’s throat with one decisive cut!

Her knee hit the ground as she knelt, stabilizing herself in the snow. At the sa ti, she gripped Lu Yuan’s wrist tightly and hauled him upward!

Lu Yuan brushed snow off his wide sleeve, curling his lips into a smile. "Not bad swordsmanship."

ng Qianqian washed the blade clean with snow and slid it back into its sheath. "Good thinking."

She removed her mask and cupped her hands respectfully. "Greetings, Grand Commander."

In the Capital City, she perford the courtesy of a genteel lady. But out in the world, dressed as a man, she adopted the formal bow of a warrior.

Lu Yuan turned away, gazing out at the falling snow that blanketed the world like goose feathers. "We should find so shelter."

ng Qianqian looked down at the masked assassin’s corpse. "Has the Grand Commander been pursued by assassins this entire journey?"

Lu Yuan replied casually, "It’s hardly unusual. If no one tries to kill , that would be out of the ordinary."

The two of them found a mountain cave.

The horse stayed outside to graze.

ng Qianqian removed the supplies from the saddle. Among them were firewood and rations.

Skillfully, she built a bonfire.

She herself often ate frozen biscuits, but knowing she was in the presence of a high-ranking official accustod to red charcoal and cushioned seats wherever he went, she toasted the biscuits over the fire. She also pulled out a new water pouch, filled it with clean snow, and ward it by the fire before offering it to him.

Lu Yuan glanced at the water pouch. "This is from the Governor Mansion."

ng Qianqian nodded. "Yes, Steward Cen gave it to ."

She opened her bundle and took out a bottle of golden sore dicine. "Grand Commander, your wrist is injured."

The injury was caused by jagged stones on the cliff while he had been pulling her up.

Lu Yuan extended his injured right hand to her.

ng Qianqian: "I ant for you to apply it yourself."

Lu Yuan said calmly, "What’s the matter? Can’t handle a minor wound?"

"I can handle it."

ng Qianqian dutifully applied the dicine for the Grand Commander.

Lu Yuan noticed the dicine bottle seed familiar. "This is also from Steward Cen?"

ng Qianqian nodded. "Yes, it is."

Lu Yuan’s gaze landed on her opened bundle: gloves, earmuffs, knee pads...everything one might need. Even snow ointnt to prevent frostbite was included.

Although, judging by the frostbite on her face, it seed she hadn’t used much of it.

"These were all prepared by Steward Cen?"

"Yes!" ng Qianqian nodded earnestly. "Does the Grand Commander not have any?"

Lu Yuan held his biscuit but inexplicably lost interest in eating it.

So thought occurred to ng Qianqian as she asked, "Grand Commander, how did you recognize ?"

Lu Yuan replied, "The Brocade Spring Saber."

ng Qianqian touched the sword’s sheath. "This Brocade Spring Saber was also given to by Steward Cen. Is it different from other Brocade Spring Sabers?"

Lu Yuan: "You certainly talk a lot."

ng Qianqian: "Where is Zhaozhao?"

Lu Yuan stared at her coldly.

ng Qianqian smiled. "Just one last question."

Lu Yuan said irritably, "With Qing Shuang."

"Down the mountain?"

"Is that really your last question?"

ng Qianqian lowered her head.

Lu Yuan said coldly, "Fengsha Town."

Fengsha Town was no more than a hundred miles from here. Traveling to Yun Pass would take only two days.

It seed Zhaozhao wasn’t traveling with him, but they wouldn’t be far apart.

This arrangent was safer for Zhaozhao.

ng Qianqian hesitated but wanted to speak.

Lu Yuan: "Ask!"

ng Qianqian: "Is Lu Lingxiao also at Fengsha Town?"

Lu Yuan sneered, "How concerned you are about him."

ng Qianqian said, "I have to find him."

Lu Yuan turned his face away, snorting coldly, "Hmph."

ng Qianqian, having traveled extensively, felt drowsy as the fire burned, but she forced herself to stay awake.

Lu Yuan spoke indifferently, "I’ll keep watch tonight. I slept enough during the day and can’t sleep at night."

ng Qianqian didn’t bother with politeness. Hugging her Brocade Spring Saber, she lay down and fell asleep.

Lu Yuan approached the fire and added more wood.

He stared at the flickering flas, then flicked his cloak off his shoulders. The cloak, still warm with his body heat, drifted down to cover her curled-up, diminutive fra.

By the ti ng Qianqian woke up, the sky was already bright.

The bonfire still burned.

"No wonder I didn’t feel cold all night."

During her days traveling in the wild, she had been woken many tis by the freezing temperatures. Even at an inn, she had been robbed once—not that she let them succeed—but her good sleep had been ruined.

Now rested, she felt refreshed and full of energy.

Lu Yuan stood at the cave’s entrance. The snow had stopped, and the morning light bathed the mountain range, casting golden hues as far as the eye could see.

He wore a black cloak, standing solitary amidst the vast expanse of heaven and earth, gazing down at the land below.

ng Qianqian approached him. "Grand Commander."

Lu Yuan’s gaze remained distant. "Let’s descend the mountain."

ng Qianqian packed her belongings and realized sothing: "There’s only one horse."

Lu Yuan mounted the horse.

ng Qianqian blinked. "What about ?"

Lu Yuan said, "Lead the horse."

ng Qianqian frowned. "That’s my horse."

Lu Yuan replied with perfect justification, "That’s why I’m letting you lead it."

ng Qianqian’s expression darkened.