Song Zhi, the young lady of General Song's household, was sent up a mountain to learn martial arts at five. At seventeen, after mastering her skills, she sneaked back down. She knew nothing about money or travel permits, and was tricked into a brothel, where she beat the playboy who had bought her until he begged for mercy. Just as she was worrying about how to afford a bun, a little beggar by the roadside came up to her. “Miss, I can take you somewhere to exchange for small change.”
The two of them roamed the capital together, beating up bullies, sneaking into the General's residence at night, and raising a ruckus in the martial world. Song Zhi came to trust the little beggar more than anyone. When he said he'd stay by her side for the rest of his life, she cheerfully agreed. Then her senior brothers caught her and took her back to fulfill her betrothal: she was to marry Prince Chen, the eldest son of the former emperor, who had abdicated and left the palace.
The little beggar thumped his chest. “I'll come steal you away on your wedding day!”
On the grand wedding day, the man on the tall horse was none other than Prince Chen, revered by the entire capital. Peeking at him beneath her bridal veil, Song Zhi was secretly delighted: “He really did come to steal me away.” But when she was escorted into the prince's residence and her veil was lifted, the “prince” kneeling before her to apologize looked up with a smile. That face was unmistakably the little beggar who had been by her side day and night.
“Please punish me, Princess Consort.”
Song Zhi tossed her veil at him. “You lied to me for so long. Kneel all night, and then we'll talk!”
As it turned out, the person who had been playing along with her, teaching her to fight, and saying he wanted to marry her had been the same man all along.
The book is well written
Lively and interesting, no drag!
Looks good! Interesting!
Although the book is full of coincidences, there is nothing new about encountering a bad guy every two chapters.