Night, bright. A slender crescent moon hangs high above the night sky, its halo soft and gentle. Stars fall irregularly around it, some bright, some dim, like thousands of eyes blinking gently. Under the moonlight, trees sway softly in the breeze, casting shifting shadows on the pavement. In the flower beds, roses, phalaenopsis orchids, and hyacinths bloom profusely, and the silvery moonlight spills down upon them, as if dressing them in a magnificent, delicate gown. Cold Wanyuan's modest quarters have been moved from the quiet northern wing to her father-in-law's main hall. The nannies still rest in the outer room of her own chamber. However, starting today, Yichen has begun to take on her role as guardian. Though she doesn't actually need to—since he is idle anyway—she finds it better to have something to do with him, so as not to have him use his deep purple eyes to charm others. After a moment's thought, she has arranged his quarters right next to hers. A soft touch of her fingers extinguishes the yellow candle. She draws back the bed curtain, and moonlight streams in diagonally through the window, illuminating the room with a clear, At the same time, a figure in black leapt over the wall from the rear courtyard of the general's estate. Under the moonlight, his silhouette was tall and upright, agile as a hare. Dressed in a night robe, his face concealed by a black cloth, only his cold, dark eyes were visible. He evaded the patrolling attendants and soared to the roof, swiftly making his way toward the main hall. Upon reaching the main hall, he crouched on the roof, watching as the candlelight inside gradually faded, his icy gaze flickering with quiet intensity. He held his breath, remaining still and patient. A black shadow swayed on the bed curtain. The hand swiftly lifted the curtain, the great knife gleaming with cold light, suddenly slashing toward the figure on the bed. Cold Wanwan felt a flash of light, her dark eyes suddenly opening. A cold radiance burst forth, the chill pressing upon her. The black figure paused, startled by the other's sharp alertness. Even more, the cold resolve in the young girl's gaze made her hesitate—her blade shifted slightly, missing its mark. Seeing this, Cold Wanwan rolled swiftly inward, evading the strike. "Who are you?" she asked, her gaze steady and cool upon the black-clad figure. "...?" The black-clad figure remained silent, continuing to slash at her with the blade. Cold Wanwan grew angry, rolling her body repeatedly, each time dodging the attacks. Thud—the blade struck the bedpost, making a clear sound. "Miss, what's wrong?" the nurse entered, her voice hazy. "Nurse," Cold Wanwan gasped, only to see the black-clad figure now turning the blade toward the nurse. "Ah—" The blade flashed, cutting through the slanting moonlight. The nanny, now clearly seeing the great sword hurled toward her, gasped in alarm. "Clang—" A sword intercepted the descending blow, and Ye Chen stepped into the nanny's view. "Who are you?" With his purple eyes backlit by the moon, Ye Chen's gaze was deep and mysterious. Since being tricked into captivity, his sleep had always been restless. The moment he heard the nanny's cry, he had sensed something was amiss. "Ye Chen, seize him," Cold Bending observed. This man must be the assassin. By assassin's rule, the buyer's identity is never revealed. It would take some effort to trace the actual person behind the operation. Upon hearing this, Ye Chen pushed the nanny gently out of danger with a hand motion, then swiftly advanced with his sword toward the black-robed figure. The black-robed man studied the young boy, a touch of disdain flickering in his cold gaze. How much strength could such a slender youth possess? The real key, he thought, lay in the young child behind him—so innocent, so unworldly. Yet the intensity in his gaze, the cold resolve, even stirred fear in him—a man whose hands were stained with blood. Under the slanting moonlight, the clash of swords and blades grew more eerie. "What's wrong? What's wrong?" came a series of footsteps from outside, the guards having rushed in upon hearing the nursemaid's cry. The black-robed figure's eyes darkened; tonight, he would likely fail to complete his mission. Without hesitation, the great blade flashed, cutting suddenly across Night Chen's arm. Clang! Night Chen's sword fell to the ground as he stepped aside. With his left hand, he pressed against his wounded right arm, blood flowing like a poisonous bloom unfolding in the night—elegant, haunting. Seizing the instant Night Chen shifted, the black-robed figure darted swiftly, vanishing from the room. Night Chen reached out to follow. "Don't chase," Cold Bending ordered. If he pursued, how could the black-robed figure possibly escape? She gazed toward the direction where the black-robed figure had gone, her mind already clear on who lay behind the scenes. Besides her, who else has the ability to hire a killer to target himself? Hm. A cold gleam flashed in her dark eyes. Was she so eager to eliminate him out of fear that he would lose everything she had—fear that he would take away her all, or fear that she would come after him for revenge? "Miss knows who it is," Night Chen didn't miss the subtle shift in her cold gaze. He spoke with confidence. "Indeed," she nodded appreciatively, confirming he had indeed judged her correctly. "Miss, are you all right?" The nurse couldn't understand what they were saying. She rushed to Cold Wanying's bedside, her hands constantly patting her small frame, fearing she might have any wound. "I'm fine, Nurse," Cold Wanying watched the nurse's concerned movements and the cold light in her eyes softened into warmth. "Good. Good." The nurse nodded, then turned to check on Night Chen. "Little Chen, how are you?" She quickly fetched a white cloth, eager to wrap him. "Miss Wanying, what happened?" "The leading guard captain, together with his men, stood outside the hall, speaking loudly. Miss Lingban is now the lady of the general's household, and must absolutely not make a single mistake—otherwise, the general won't forgive him." "Nothing at all," Lingban intercepted the nurse who was about to speak. "Just a small, clumsy thief came in—my guards have already driven him away." "Really? A thief has entered the estate?" The captain was taken aback. The general's household was known for its strict security. To have a mere minor thief cause disturbances inside was unexpected—clearly, stronger precautions would now be needed. "Then I'll send more people to search for that thief—perhaps he's still hiding somewhere within the estate?" "Agreed," Lingban replied. "Go ahead." "The servant at my service will step down," the captain said, bowing. The footsteps faded, and the courtyard once again fell into quiet. "Miss, why didn't you tell them someone wanted to kill you?" came the nurse's voice, puzzled after a while. Every time she thought of someone aiming to harm the lady, her heart would race. Fortunately, that person hadn't succeeded—what if "Madam, am I all right?" Cold Wanyuan smiled lightly. "You go rest now. I have something to talk to Ye Chen about." "But—." "Rest assured," Cold Wanyuan's eyes sparkled with confidence—so assured, so commanding that the nurse couldn't help but believe her lady was invulnerable. She truly seems to have the supernatural abilities as the people in the household have always said—perhaps even a female spirit? He found himself wondering. "Stop imagining so much," Cold Wanyuan glared at him. "You'll get hurt because you're too weak. Clearly, you'll need to train further." Hearing himself described as weak by Cold Wanyuan, Ye Chen couldn't help but clench his hands. Yet, the fact that he had been defeated by a black-robed figure was undeniable. He wasn't satisfied. He wanted to grow stronger so he wouldn't be bullied by anyone anymore. With steady determination in his violet eyes, he resolved to become a true protector. Observing the thoughts in Ye Chen's gaze, and recalling tonight's assassin, Cold Wanyuan realized that while she herself wouldn't be overly concerned about such incidents, she did fear that the nurses would be harmed. Perhaps it was time for her to build a solid support system—to protect the people she cared about. "I'll give you six years," Cold Wanyuan said to Ye Chen. "No matter what you do during those six years, you must grow stronger. Only then will you be worthy of standing beside me." "Agreed." "Yechen looked at Lingwan, nodding firmly," I won't let you down." "I look forward to the strong you will become in six years." Lingwan's eyes, like black gems, sparkled. "You'll leave tomorrow, and I'll prepare the silver for you." "Agreed." In that moment, a promise was sealed between a young boy and a girl. Outside, the moon was bright and the trees swayed, bearing witness to this moment. Chapter two of "The Nine-Year-Old Fairy Queen" officially begins six years hence, unfolding the story of the nine-year-old.