Destined Hearts of Mu and Yu (GL) - Chapter 12

The night watchman struck the gong twice—it was now the second watch. Qin Mu followed Wei Yue’er, slipping through the dog hole in the back gate of Qingyunlong’s estate. They crouched in the rear garden, concealed by thick shrubs. From her sleeve, Wei Yue’er drew out a detailed map of the estate.

Qin Mu was astonished. The Qingyunlong residence was guarded with the utmost strictness, yet she had somehow obtained such a precise layout. Remarkable. What Qin Mu did not know was that Wei Yue’er was in fact a princess. She had once accompanied Emperor Wei here as an honored guest, quietly committing every path to memory.

“This,” Wei Yue’er pointed toward a lonely hut by the lakeside, “is where his guards are most concentrated. It’s where he keeps his ledgers.”

Qin Mu nodded, his respect for her growing. She was clearly clever and resourceful, having gone to great lengths to secure this chance at the black account book.

“Let’s go,” Wei Yue’er beckoned.

Qin Mu’s ears twitched. He pulled her behind a tree just as a lantern’s light swept over the ground.

“See? No one’s here. Let’s go,” one servant muttered impatiently.

“Don’t be careless. Master Qing said someone might cause trouble tonight,” the other replied. Their footsteps soon faded into the distance.

Wei Yue’er punched Qin Mu lightly on the shoulder and laughed.
“Sharp eyes and ears, little brother.”

“No time to waste. In and out,” Qin Mu frowned. He had known this would not be simple. Qingyunlong had clearly laid bait, but she still intended to seize that ledger. Whether she ended up caught like a fish on his hook—well, that remained to be seen.

When they reached the hut, there were no guards posted. Wei Yue’er tried key after key from her ring, but the bronze lock refused to open. Sweat beaded on her forehead.

Qin Mu gently tapped her shoulder, asking her to step aside. From his robe, he produced a slender silver needle and worked it into the lock. After a moment—click—the lock sprang open.

“Well now, you’ve got skill,” Wei Yue’er said in surprise.

Qin Mu pushed the door open. The room was pitch-black. Wei Yue’er lifted her foot to step inside, but Qin Mu caught her wrist.

“Careful, Yue’er. A room this dark won’t be so simple.”

At his reminder, she nodded quickly. Picking up a pebble, she tossed it inside. It clattered across the stone floor, and a chilling draft seeped out. Suddenly, Qin Mu yanked her back—silver needles shot out and embedded themselves in the tree behind them. Where they struck, blackened holes burned deep into the bark.

Wei Yue’er froze, too frightened to move. But Qin Mu calmly released her hand and stepped inside. The fearless princess, for the first time, followed cautiously at his back.

Qin Mu struck a fire-seed, its glow filling the empty room. Four plain walls—nothing else. He tapped the floor with his foot. Uneven. A mechanism, no doubt. The pebble earlier had triggered one trap; surely others remained, perhaps even the entrance to a hidden chamber.

He hopped lightly about the room, testing the floor. Wei Yue’er smirked, ready to tease him for hopping like a rabbit—when suddenly, with a grinding rumble, the ground shook. Terrified, she clutched his sleeve as a stone wall slid open, revealing a dark passageway. A gust of icy wind swept through.

Qin Mu raised the flame and stepped forward. At the end of the passage lay a library.

Wei Yue’er was stunned. Hundreds of books filled the shelves. The black ledger was just one among them. To search them all would take too long, and with only one way out, they were like turtles trapped in a jar. She had confidence in her own skills, but worried for Qin Mu, who seemed unarmed and untrained. Yet when she glanced at him, he was already studying the shelves intently.

“Find anything?” she whispered.

“Look—the arrangement isn’t random. One book here, then three, then seven. A code,” Qin Mu explained. Raised among bandits, he was especially sensitive to such ciphers.

“You’re right,” Wei Yue’er said. Guided by his hint, she pulled the book from the first, third, and seventh positions. Her heart leapt. It was the black ledger! Quickly, she tucked it into her robes.

They wasted no time leaving the hut. Everything had gone so smoothly that Qin Mu grew suspicious. Sure enough—before they could reach the garden, torches blazed all around. Dozens of men, arms tattooed with tiger emblems, encircled them.

“Who dares trespass on Master Qing’s grounds?” a deep voice thundered. The men parted to reveal a brutish man—Qingyunlong himself.

Qin Mu instinctively shielded Wei Yue’er behind him, wearing a sheepish smile.
“Forgive us, sir. We’re country folk, new to the capital. We lost our way, and I led my foolish sister into your estate by mistake. Truly, we meant no harm.”

Qingyunlong sneered coldly, eyeing the scholarly-looking figure. With his gentle face and bookish robes, he hardly seemed the type to be an enemy.

But one of the guards shouted, “I know that beggar! She’s the one who stole the master’s keys!”

Qingyunlong’s gaze sharpened on the figure hiding behind Qin Mu. Wei Yue’er quickly lowered her head, refusing to show her face.

“Master! The ledger—it’s gone!” a servant stumbled in, breathless.

Murderous intent flashed in Qingyunlong’s eyes. He raised his arm and roared,
“Kill them both! Leave no survivors!”

Swords hissed from their scabbards, glinting cold in the moonlight. Qin Mu, calm as ever, guided Wei Yue’er toward the rear.

But just then, a commanding voice rang out from the front gate, shattering the night:

“Make way for the Eldest Princess! Qingyunlong, come out and receive Her Highness!”

Qingyunlong froze, his gaze darkening. He raised his hand, and at once the blades were sheathed. The men tightened their circle but did not strike.

Moonlight spilled over the stone path. Wei Hanyu approached, radiant as though stepping from the stars. She wore a robe of white gauze, trailing a pale golden skirt embroidered with rippling waves. Her long black hair was bound into an elegant crown, her face unpainted yet flawless. Cold pride shone in her eyes, the natural majesty of one born to command.

The moment she appeared, the arrogant Qingyunlong immediately shrank. His fierce air melted into a sycophantic grin as he hurried forward to greet Princess Wei Hanyu.