The morning light had just fallen upon this prosperous water town, with birdsong and distant calls interweaving into a vibrant melody. Spring in Jiangnan exuded gentleness and spirit everywhere.

However, the atmosphere inside the Su family mansion stood in stark contrast to the harmonious world outside.

"Miss, how could you do this? Today is your wedding day, and the bridal sedan from the Zhao family will arrive any moment!" Qinglian frantically arranged the red wedding dress while pacing anxiously, fine beads of sweat forming on her forehead.

"Shh—lower your voice!"

By the inner window of the master bedroom, a slender figure dressed in men's clothing was tightening a belt. She moved nimbly, gathering her beautiful hair and tucking it into a man's hat. This disguise concealed her feminine identity, but her bright almond eyes and slightly reddened cherry lips still revealed an unmistakable delicacy.

She was the Su family's only daughter, the pearl in the palm of Jiangnan's wealthiest merchant, Master Su—Su Ying.

"Miss, are you really leaving? The master and mistress will be furious when they find out!" Qinglian whispered, her eyes filled with worry.

Su Ying raised an eyebrow, a flash of stubbornness in her eyes. "If I don't leave, I'll be trapped for life by my father's marriage contract. That Zhao heir may appear dashing and suave, but he's actually gloomy and arrogant. I'd rather die than marry him!"

As she spoke, she retrieved a bundle hidden beneath the floorboards and gently opened it, revealing several precious pieces of jewelry, a stack of silver notes, and a few changes of clothes.

"But Miss, where will you go?" Qinglian stepped forward, tears glistening in her eyes.

Su Ying remained silent for a moment before softly replying, "I'll leave Suzhou City first and decide later. I've heard there's a folk matchmaking event with thrown embroidery balls in Luochuan Town these days. The crowds there will help me conceal my whereabouts."

"But—"

"No buts!" Su Ying interrupted Qinglian, then softened her tone. "Qinglian, you've accompanied me for years and know my temperament better than anyone. Since childhood, I've helped my father manage accounts at the trading house and studied poetry and etiquette with my mother. I'm not some delicate young lady raised only in a greenhouse. The outside world may be difficult, but it's better than being trapped in a loveless marriage."

A commotion erupted outside the window. Su Ying cautiously peered out to see maids bustling about in the courtyard, moving dowry items in preparation for the imminent wedding.

"Time is running out." Su Ying took a deep breath and pulled a letter from her bosom, handing it to Qinglian. "This is for my parents. Please give it to them two hours after I've gone—by then I'll be far from the city."

Qinglian took the letter, biting her lip. "Miss, let me come with you!"

Su Ying smiled slightly and shook her head. "No, if you come with me, Father will be even more furious. Besides, I need you to stay here and gather information for me."

"Then please be careful, Miss!" Qinglian finally embraced Su Ying, tears streaming down her face.

Su Ying gently patted her back and smiled. "Don't worry, I have a plan. My time at the trading house has given me skills enough for this. On the night of the full moon, wait for news from me under the old locust tree east of the city."

With that, Su Ying secured the bundle at her waist and nimbly climbed out the window. Well-acquainted with this route, she slid down the vines along the wall corner and landed in a secluded spot.

The morning Suzhou City had awakened, with pedestrians gradually filling the streets. Su Ying kept her head low, striding gracefully through the bustling crowd. She deliberately slowed her pace, imitating a man's walking style, occasionally using her peripheral vision to ensure no one noticed anything unusual about this "young man."

Leaving the busy city center behind, Su Ying arrived at a quiet alley in the southern part of the city. Here stood an inconspicuous little shop run by an old tailor she had known for many years.

"Uncle Li, it's me," Su Ying knocked gently, keeping her voice low.

The door creaked open, and a white-haired old man peered out. Recognizing the visitor, he quickly ushered Su Ying inside.

"Miss Su? What are you...?" The old tailor gazed in surprise at Su Ying in her male attire.

"Uncle Li, I need to leave Suzhou City for a while on urgent business. I hope you can help me." Su Ying placed a silver ingot on the table.

The old tailor promptly refused it. "Miss, there's no need for this. Your mother showed great kindness to my family years ago. Such a small favor doesn't require silver."

Su Ying nodded gratefully. "Then I must trouble you, Uncle Li. I need a travel permit to leave the city."

The old tailor hesitated momentarily before whispering, "As it happens, my nephew is delivering goods to Luochuan Town today. Miss can go with him, posing as his assistant. No travel permit would be needed."

"That's perfect!" Su Ying's eyes brightened.

About half an hour later, a cart loaded with fabric slowly departed through Suzhou's southern gate. A young carter and a "boy" who appeared sixteen or seventeen years old sat upon it. The guards at the gate glanced briefly, recognizing the familiar merchant, and waved them through.

The cart gradually moved farther away. Su Ying peered through a gap in the curtain at the receding city walls, feeling both relieved and slightly anxious about the unknown future. But she quickly composed herself and began planning her next steps.

"How far is Luochuan Town from here?" Su Ying asked.

"About half a day's journey. We should arrive by afternoon," the carter replied.

Su Ying nodded and leaned against the cart wall, closing her eyes to rest. Although her escape had been hastily arranged, it wasn't entirely without method. She had learned about various local customs while helping her father in business affairs. Though small, Luochuan Town sat at the intersection of several trade routes with many merchants passing through, making it an ideal place to conceal her identity.

Moreover, it lay on the necessary path to the capital. She had already decided to hide for a period before traveling to the capital to seek help from her mother's family—the Liu clan. Though the Liu family had declined in status, they had once been a scholarly household with some old connections in the capital to rely upon.

As the cart bumped along, Su Ying couldn't help recalling her conversation with her mother the previous night.

"Ying'er, are you truly determined not to marry?" Lady Liu asked softly, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

"Mother, you know what the Zhao family is like. Young Master Zhao appears dashing and elegant on the surface, but is filled with malice at his core. If I marry into their household, I fear I would rarely see even your face again." Su Ying held her mother's hands, her tone resolute.

Lady Liu sighed. "Your father has had business dealings with the Zhao family for many years. This marriage would greatly benefit the Su family's development..."

"Business is business—why sacrifice your daughter's lifetime happiness for it?" Su Ying raised her voice before quickly lowering it again. "Mother, you come from a scholarly family. Would you truly wish your daughter to become a sacrificial pawn in a political marriage?"

Lady Liu remained silent for a long time before finally saying softly, "Ying'er, you've grown up and have your own ideas. I won't force you. But..."

"Don't worry, Mother. I have my own plans," Su Ying interrupted, knowing her mother wasn't entirely in favor of this marriage either but couldn't openly oppose her father's wishes.

Recalling this, Su Ying felt warmth in her heart. Though her mother hadn't explicitly supported her escape, that tacit permission in her eyes had given Su Ying enough courage. She believed her father's anger would eventually subside—blood was thicker than water, after all—as long as she could prove her choice was correct.

A sudden violent jolt of the cart startled Su Ying from her memories.

"What happened?" she asked alertly, peering outside.

"Nothing to worry about, Miss, just some stones on the road," the carter reassured her. "In another hour, we'll pass Phoenix Cry Mountain. There's a treacherous mountain path there—please hold on tight when we reach it."

Su Ying nodded and retreated back into the cart. She had heard of Phoenix Cry Mountain. Though not particularly high, its terrain was complex with winding paths, making it the most cautious segment of journey for merchants. However, such terrain would also be perfect for shaking off potential pursuers.

As she contemplated this, the sudden sound of galloping hooves came from the distance.

"Not good—pursuers behind us!" The carter's expression changed as he cracked his whip sharply.

Su Ying's heart sank. She quickly lifted the curtain to look behind. In the distance, dust billowed as approximately seven or eight fast riders charged in their direction. Though still far away, the attire of the lead rider clearly marked him as the steward of the Zhao household!

"How did they discover us so quickly?" Su Ying bit her lip, rapidly calculating her options. Given the speed difference between the cart and the horsemen, the pursuers would catch up within a quarter hour at most.

"Miss, there's a fork ahead—one road leads to Luochuan Town, the other to a small path up Phoenix Cry Mountain. Which should we take?" the carter asked anxiously.

After a moment's thought, Su Ying decisively commanded, "Take the mountain path! The complex terrain there makes horses less advantageous than traveling on foot."

The carter responded with a crack of his whip. The cart made a sharp turn onto a rugged mountain path. This route was clearly seldom used, with thorny bushes growing on both sides and branches occasionally scraping against the carriage with jarring sounds.

After about half a quarter hour, the cart suddenly stopped.

"Miss, the path ahead is too narrow for the cart to pass!" The carter jumped down, his face anxious.

Su Ying quickly alighted and surveyed their surroundings. They had entered the heart of Phoenix Cry Mountain, with lush trees all around and steep cliffs and narrow paths as far as the eye could see.

In the distance, the shouts of pursuers were faintly audible—they had discovered the cart's trail.

"Uncle Li's nephew, you should leave now to avoid being implicated. Just say we parted ways and you don't know where I went." Su Ying took out a silver ingot and handed it to the carter.

The carter hesitated briefly but ultimately accepted the silver and bowed. "Take care, Miss. There are many wild beasts in the mountains—please be cautious."

"I have my methods," Su Ying nodded confidently, drawing a small dagger from her bundle. "Now go quickly!"

After the carter left, Su Ying immediately ran deeper into the forest. Instead of following the mountain path, she chose a more concealed trail—a shortcut she remembered hearing merchants mention.

The mountain air was fresh and humid. Sunlight filtered through gaps between the leaves, creating dappled patterns on the ground. Under normal circumstances, Su Ying would have stopped to admire this natural canvas, but now she had no time for such appreciation and focused only on quickening her pace.

"Split up and search! Miss Su must have gone toward the mountain!" Behind her, the voices of the pursuers grew closer.

Su Ying's heart tightened, and her footsteps involuntarily quickened. The mountain path was rugged—she nearly fell several times but maintained her balance thanks to her martial arts foundation.

After approximately another quarter hour, a rushing stream suddenly appeared before her, blocking her path. The water wasn't deep but flowed rapidly. If she waded across, she would leave traces for her pursuers to find.

Su Ying looked around and suddenly noticed a fallen tree by the stream, its trunk perfectly spanning the water to form a natural bridge.

Without hesitation, she leaped onto the trunk. The bark was slippery, and she moved her feet cautiously, afraid of falling into the stream.

"There's movement over there!" In the distance came a pursuer's shout.

Su Ying's heart jumped, and she quickened her pace. Just as she was about to reach the opposite bank, one foot suddenly slipped, and she lost her balance, about to plunge into the stream!

At this critical moment, she reacted swiftly, her right hand grabbing a protruding branch. Using it as leverage, she swung herself forward and finally stabilized, safely reaching the opposite shore.

But in this moment of panic, her bundle had come loose. Several pieces of jewelry and silver notes scattered, some even falling into the rushing stream and instantly being washed away.

"Damn it!" Su Ying had no time to lament the loss and hastily gathered the remaining items before turning to flee deeper into the forest.

The pursuers' voices grew ever closer. Su Ying knew that if she continued running like this, she would eventually become exhausted and be captured. She needed another plan.

Suddenly, her eyes brightened. Not far ahead, beneath a huge rock, there appeared to be a cave. Perhaps an excellent hiding place!

Without further hesitation, Su Ying quickly crawled into the cave. The entrance was obscured by dense vines, making it difficult to discover from outside. Inside, it was dark and damp, with a faint scent of medicinal herbs.

"Strange, why would there be an herbal smell here?" Su Ying wondered, but she had no time to dwell on it and could only hold her breath, praying the pursuers wouldn't discover her hiding place.

Sure enough, the footsteps of the pursuers approached from afar and finally stopped not far from the cave.

"Where did she go? We clearly saw her come this way!" a gruff voice exclaimed.

"She might have gone up the mountain. I saw her running in that direction," another voice replied.

"Split up and find her! The Zhao family master has given strict orders to bring her back today, or none of us will escape punishment!"

Footsteps sounded again, but this time growing more distant. Su Ying breathed a sigh of relief and leaned against the cave wall, only now realizing her entire body was drenched in sweat.

Just as she prepared to rest briefly, a rustling sound suddenly came from deep within the cave.

"Who's there?" Su Ying gripped her dagger alertly, her body tense.

No response came, only the rustling sound drawing nearer.

Su Ying held her breath, focusing intently on the silhouette gradually emerging from the darkness. It was... a human figure!

"It seems my cave has welcomed another unexpected guest," a hoarse elderly voice sounded in the darkness, with a hint of amusement. "Little girl, since you're here, would you like to try some of this old man's freshly picked lingzhi tea?"