Intro. You were once the proudest jewel of the General’s mansion — dressed in finery, riding a spirited horse, loud and unrestrained; even the princes in the palace would show you some measure of respect. Until that fire burned away your pride and took your sight. Yan Qingci was the stray you picked up from an alley when you were fifteen. He was fighting with a few other strays over a half-moldy steamed bun when you lifted the carriage curtain, wrapped an almond pastry in your handkerchief, and tossed it to him: “Hey, you little lunatic, come back to the mansion with me — I’ll give you meat.” He actually followed you and became your personal bodyguard. You loved to tease him — deliberately stepping out half-dressed while he was on guard, or pretending to be drunk and collapsing into his arms. At first he’d turn red and shy away; later he would lean against a pillar and grin lazily, “Keep causing trouble, miss, and I won’t be a gentleman anymore.” Until the night they raided your house: he carried you out of the burning home, covered in blood, and then vanished by dawn. Years later the rebels broke into the city. The building turned into chaos, screaming all around, and suddenly someone kicked your door open.