What's going on that's so serious?
Cecilia Gu felt puzzled, but still agreed.
Cecilia Gu waved everyone away, found a quiet room, and prepared to listen to Grandma Yun’s arrangements.
In those two years, Zara Yun’s beauty became legendary—especially in her gleaming armor, sword raised high atop her horse, she embodied heroic grace and breathtaking allure.
Cecilia Gu straightened up, closed the door as Grandma Yun instructed, then sat down and said, "Go ahead."
But Zara Yun cherished every single gift, holding onto them as precious memories.
He’d always wanted to prove himself against the only other kid who could match his looks and strength. But now, discovering she was a girl—a dazzling, spirited girl—his heart flipped, and the way he looked at Zara Yun changed forever.
But from the age of three, Zara Yun was a whirlwind with a whip, stirring up chaos wherever she went and turning the household upside down.
Cecilia Gu sighed, "Grandma, what are you trying to say? I'm a Yun family descendant, but that doesn't mean I have to master every skill. It's a bit late to teach me this now, isn't it?"
She climbed trees to steal bird eggs, dove into rivers for turtles, poked hornet nests, set her grandfather’s kitchen ablaze, and even tied up her father’s new concubine and tossed her into the well—the stories were endless and outrageous.
Zara Yun cast aside her flowing dress for battle armor, tucked away her jewels, tied up her hair, and strode to the front lines—radiant and heroic, leading her troops into the fray.
No matter how fierce and skilled Zara Yun was, her veil was knocked away in the heat of battle—exposing her face to all.
The instant her veil fell, the blade meant for Zara Yun’s neck froze in midair—her beauty stopping her opponent cold.
The moment Prince Shawn saw Zara Yun’s face, he cried out, "I yield! I’ll retreat as promised. But next time, if you lose, will you marry me?"
With a booming laugh, Prince Shawn rode off, carefully picking up Zara Yun’s veil and tucking it away as a cherished keepsake.
Keith Quinn was so ecstatic he forgot the battle entirely, swept Zara Yun into his arms, and spun her around again and again, laughter and cheers filling the air.
From that day forward, they rode into battle side by side, and wandered hand in hand beneath the setting sun—inseparable in war and love.
If not for the thousands of lives depending on her, Zara Yun would have flown to Keith Quinn’s side without hesitation.
Her Keith—he had to be safe. She couldn’t bear the thought of anything happening to him!
When Zara Yun turned fifteen, during a heated fight, she was suddenly struck by her first period—her clothes soaked through in an instant, and both teenagers were so shocked they nearly lost their souls.
But this time, she saw everything through Zara Yun's eyes.
The Yun Family had been around for thousands of years, the clan itself for hundreds—a famous name in the country.
Yet this scholarly family produced an oddball.
When Zara Yun was born, strange phenomena occurred—clouds of purple light filled the sky, auspicious omens everywhere.
Because of this heavenly sign, she was named Zara Yun.
From a young age, Zara Yun was different from everyone else.
Other girls studied quietly, did embroidery, or played simple games like hide-and-seek.
But from the age of three, Zara Yun was swinging a whip and causing chaos all over the house.
When she got a little older, she was the Yun Family's infamous wild child.
Climbing trees for bird eggs, diving in rivers for turtles, poking hornet nests, setting her grandfather's kitchen on fire, even tying up her father's new concubine and tossing her into the well—just to name a few.
In short, she did everything a wild child could do—and even the things most wild kids wouldn't dare.
But her grandfather adored her. No matter how much trouble she caused, the whole Yun Family just put up with it.
By the time Zara Yun was thirteen, she’d mastered military texts and often disguised herself as a boy to spar with the soldiers in camp.
One day, Zara Yun had just snuck into the camp, ready to pick a fight, when a mischievous-looking boy stopped her.
"I heard you're pretty good at fighting?" The boy looked about fifteen or sixteen, a wild child himself.
What good could come from two wild kids together?
So Zara Yun started brawling with him.
Neither won, and neither would admit defeat. They agreed to meet again for a rematch.
And so, the two of them fought like this for two years.
When Zara Yun turned fifteen, during one of their fights, she suddenly got her period—her clothes soaked through, and both kids were scared out of their wits.
The boy was shocked. He hadn’t even hit her that hard—how could she be so badly hurt?
Frightened, the boy grabbed Zara Yun and rushed her to his house nearby.
His mother took Zara Yun into a room, immediately understood what had happened, and cheerfully gave her new clothes, telling her she’d grown up and was now a young lady.
When Zara Yun came out of the room, cheeks flushed and wearing the dress the boy's mother had prepared, the boy was completely stunned.
The radiant, beautiful girl before him was actually the boy he'd brought home?
He had no idea that the person he'd been roughhousing with for two years was a girl!
He’d only wanted to prove he was the best-looking and toughest kid around. But now, realizing she was a girl—a beautiful, spirited one—his feelings changed, and so did the way he looked at Zara Yun.
A blush crept across his handsome face. Stammering, he said, "We've been fighting for two years, and I never knew your name. I'm Keith Quinn. What's yours?"
Zara Yun felt a little down—now that she was a young lady, did that mean she couldn't fight anymore? She answered quietly, "I'm Zara Yun."
From then on, Keith Quinn kept her in his heart.
Whenever he fought Zara Yun after that, he never went all out—always holding back, whether on purpose or not.
Zara Yun noticed and asked why he didn’t use his full strength against her.
Keith Quinn blushed and said, "I can't bear to."
Those four words made Zara Yun's long-dormant girlish heart finally blossom.
Actually, Keith Quinn was extremely handsome. As a child, his family's poverty meant he wasn't well-nourished, so it wasn't obvious.
But in the past two years, he'd grown tall and striking—now a dashing young man.
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Girls from all the nearby villages had secretly admired him for ages.
But ever since Keith Quinn learned Zara Yun was a girl, his heart belonged to her—the one whose strength matched his own.
After Zara Yun came of age, her features grew more refined—she seemed to change every single day.
She used to be a wild child, but by sixteen, she was known far and wide as the most beautiful girl around.
With the Yun Family's rich cultural heritage, she was not only the most beautiful but also the most talented.
Keith Quinn knew his background didn't match Zara Yun's, so he quietly cared for her, never daring to confess his feelings.
Keith Quinn often gave Zara Yun gifts—sometimes a cheap silver hairpin he'd saved up for half a year to buy, sometimes a wooden doll he'd carved himself.
The Yun Family was truly wealthy back then, so these things meant little to them.
But Zara Yun treasured every single one.
They were both in love—just waiting for one of them to confess.
Just as Keith Quinn was about to confess to Zara Yun, war broke out.
The Qing army invaded, burning, killing, and looting everywhere.
As a leading family in the region, the Yun Family took on the responsibility of protecting the people.
Zara Yun shed her dress for armor, put away her jewelry, tied up her hair, and led her troops to the front lines with heroic vigor.
Seeing the woman he loved rush into battle, Keith Quinn couldn't stand to fall behind.
Keith Quinn organized his own squad and led the charge.
After a victorious battle, Keith Quinn confessed his love to Zara Yun in front of a thousand soldiers.
Zara Yun blushed for a moment, then cheerfully accepted.
Keith Quinn was overjoyed. Ignoring the battlefield, he rushed to Zara Yun, picked her up, and spun her around countless times.
From then on, the two fought side by side and strolled hand in hand at sunset.
They did everything lovers were supposed to do.
But just when their feelings were at their peak, Keith Quinn suddenly told Zara Yun he wanted to follow a great hero, to make his mark on the world—not just in this small corner. He wanted to become a true general, to give Zara Yun the grandest wedding and the highest honor.
Though it was hard to part, Zara Yun let him go for the sake of their future.
Keith Quinn's squad merged with Zara Yun's, becoming her subordinates.
Zara Yun also gained her own title: General Yun.
The Qing army's iron hooves eventually trampled all over Huazhou.
In those two years, Zara Yun grew even more stunning—especially in her battle armor, sword in hand, astride her horse. She was the picture of heroic beauty.
Anyone who saw her on the battlefield never forgot her.
Zara Yun knew her delicate looks, so for convenience in battle, she always wore a veil.
At that time, the Qing army sent Prince Shawn with tens of thousands of troops to wipe them out.
Unfortunately, Zara Yun's forces were trapped in a valley.
Prince Shawn told Zara Yun that if she could defeat him, he'd withdraw his army by thirty miles and give them another chance to fight.
Zara Yun accepted the challenge, rode out, and fought Prince Shawn.
Prince Shawn was truly formidable—the Manchu people grew up on horseback and were naturally better riders than the Han.
Zara Yun was brave and skilled, but still had her veil knocked off by her opponent.
The moment her veil fell, the blade that was about to strike her neck was abruptly withdrawn.
When Prince Shawn saw Zara Yun's face, he shouted, "I lost! I'll keep my promise and retreat thirty miles. But next time we meet, if you lose, will you marry me?"
With a hearty laugh, Prince Shawn rode away, picking up Zara Yun's fallen veil and treasuring it.
Zara Yun knew this was no time to argue—she led her troops away quickly.
Just then, the hero Keith Quinn had gone to join was defeated—his army wiped out, not a single survivor.
If not for her ten thousand soldiers, Zara Yun would have flown to him that instant!
Her Keith—nothing must happen to him!