- 𝑴𝒐𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝑨𝒎𝒐𝒖𝒓 -

𝕱𝖔𝖚𝖗𝖙𝖞 𝕾𝖊𝖛𝖊𝖓

Zuo Ran was originally the daughter of the head guard serving the rich merchant Wang's family. She had followed her father to practice martial arts since she was a child, and grew up with Wang-gongzi. But Wang-gonzi fell in love with the fire-burning girl at home. The old lady was very angry and forced him to marry his fiancee as soon as possible, planning to give Zuo Ran to him as a concubine.

This matter was known to Yin Pinglu, who was a concubine. She was calm and tranquil, and wrote an unauthorized letter of divorce, which was blocked by the magistrate.

Then something happened to Wang-gongzi. It turned out that the fire-burning girl had come to avenge her father, and after the two died together, Zuo Ran's father was also executed by the old lady because of his incompetence.

The magistrate completely canceled the marriage, but he was not idle, and planned to send Yin Pinglu to renew the marriage with an official who was over fifty years old.

Yin Pinglu didn't want to be a vassal in the struggle for power and profit for the rest of her life, so she packed her bags and prepared to escape. However, she ran into Zuo Ran at the gate of the city. She thought that the other party was there to arrest her, but unexpectedly, she took the initiative to sit in the carriage, driving the horse to gallop away, and said: "I have no home......you've brought enough money, and as long as you take care of me, I will always protect you."

The two went all the way north, wandering around the mountains and rivers, enjoying themselves leisurely until they met the ration team that was besieged by heavy rain on a blocked road. Yin Pinglu happened to be familiar with the terrain, so she took some soldiers to open the way and asked Zuo Ran to take a group to report to the large contingent and bring people to rescue them.

Thus, the two became acquainted with Xiao Zhan.

Xiao Zhan saw that the two of them had suffered some injuries due to this incident, so they stayed in the military hospital for treatment and Yin Pinglu suggested a few ideas from time to time to help the army fight. Xiao Zhan laughed and called her a little think tank.

Zuo Ran also became friends with Zhong Yuehong and the others, spending all day in the military camp, practicing with them and going to the battlefield with them. It was only that she was unwilling to give her name, just wanting to be an unknown person so as not to be found by the Magistrate Yin.

After the war ended in victory, the two stayed at a small town on the border. Xiao Zhan left some money for them so that the two could live and work there in peace.

The good times didn't last long, and the Magistrate still found them out there, taking Yin Pinglu away while Zuo Ran was out shopping. When she returned home, she found a mess and a note left by Yin Pinglu in the dark – "My father's people. Quickly go to the General."

Zuo Ran had been on the road day and night. The skin on both sides of her thighs was worn away, she barely had time to swallow anything but her saliva, and she had hardly closed her eyes.

"General, only you can help us." Zuo Ran burst into tears and said, "Her father has power and authority. We don't know anyone more powerful than him, so I'm begging you."

"Don't worry, we will find a way." Xiao Zhan patted her on the shoulder to calm her down.

It was easy to say such a thing, but a little troublesome to actually accomplish. As the saying went, even an honest and upright official would have difficulty resolving a family dispute. It was unreasonable for a general far away in the capital to meddle in the family affairs of a prefectural magistrate out of the blue.

It could be said that the magistrate's daughter was already promised in marriage, and no one would object to him taking her back to marry her off.

Would it be possible to tell the world that Yin Pinglu didn't want to get married at all, and that she and Zuo Ran could support each other until they grew old?