First Meeting with Xu Jiujiu, the Princess Who Climbed the Wall (Seeking Recommendations, Seeking Collections.)

"A viscount specially enfeoffed by my brother? He's only six years old. And why would he be arranged to live right next to me?"

Hearing Eunuch Liu's reply, the confusion on Xu Jiujiu's adorable little face deepened, and she couldn't help but furrow her brows.

Xu Jiujiu had intended to visit her imperial brother for a matter, but upon emerging, she discovered that Eunuch Liu, her brother's personal attendant, was escorting a young child into the small courtyard next to hers—a place that had been vacant for a long time.

Out of curiosity, Xu Jiujiu refrained from seeking out her brother immediately, deciding instead to wait for Eunuch Liu to emerge so she could clarify the situation.

"Your Highness, it is like this..." Eunuch Liu then recounted everything that had transpired after His Majesty returned today.

As Xu Jiujiu listened to Eunuch Liu, the frown on her small face deepened even further.

She never imagined that her own imperial brother—her dear, good brother—would go out for a trip only to sell her out the moment he returned.

He had arranged a betrothal between her and a child three years her junior, and even placed him in the residence right next door.

"Just how exceptional is Liu Lin's talent for His Majesty to make me enter a betrothal with him?" Xu Jiujiu murmured, as if talking to herself or perhaps questioning the Eunuch Liu beside her.

Of course, Xu Jiujiu knew her brother wouldn't have arranged this engagement out of mere pity for Liu Lin.

There could only be one reason: Liu Lin's talent was so terrifying that her brother felt a mere title wasn't enough, and that the only way to secure him was to make him a member of the imperial family.

Regarding the betrothal, Xu Jiujiu wasn't as resistant as one might expect; she had understood from a very young age that as a princess, having enjoyed the benefits bestowed by the royal family, there would come a day when she would have to pay them back.

What truly angered her was that her brother hadn't consulted her before making the decision. He had even issued the decree without her, the other party in the engagement, knowing a single thing about it.

Sensing the shift in Xu Jiujiu's tone, Eunuch Liu didn't dare to even breathe loudly, and he couldn't help but take two steps back, terrified that he might end up buried like a radish in the dirt today.

Xu Jiujiu took a deep breath, her face returning to a calm expression. Although she was only nine, she had grown up in the palace and had long since learned to control her emotions.

Seeing that her expression had softened, Eunuch Liu spoke cautiously: "Your Highness, this old servant is not privy to the details. I happened to be busy this morning and did not accompany His Majesty.

Therefore, when His Majesty left, I was unaware of Viscount Liu's talent."

He paused, then continued: "I heard from the person who took my place that His Majesty and Count Su went to receive Viscount Liu together, and this decree was issued immediately upon their return.

So, this old servant guesses that Viscount Liu's martial soul and soul power are both very strong."

After listening to Eunuch Liu, Xu Jiujiu did not answer immediately, but instead turned her gaze toward the tightly shut door, her blue pupils filled with complexity.

A moment later, Xu Jiujiu began walking toward the direction of Liu Lin's courtyard.

"Your Highness, what are you..." Seeing her head toward Liu Lin's room, Eunuch Liu hurriedly followed, terrified that the two might end up in a quarrel.

"It's fine, Eunuch Liu. I'm just going to meet my fiancé," Xu Jiujiu said calmly, not looking back.

"Isn't my brother putting him right next to my palace so we can cultivate some affection? Is it wrong for me to go and cultivate some affection with my fiancé?"

Seeing that he couldn't stop her, Eunuch Liu ultimately chose to hold his tongue. He knew this little princess's temper better than anyone; once she decided on something, almost no one could change her mind.

When Xu Jiujiu reached the courtyard, she paused just as she was about to knock.

As if thinking of something amusing, a mischievous smirk appeared on her face.

She ran back to her own courtyard, grabbed a chair, brought it to the side of Liu Lin's wall, stepped onto the stool, grabbed the top of the wall with both hands, and vaulted over into the courtyard. The entire sequence of movements was fluid and effortless, without a single pause.

Standing to the side, Eunuch Liu's mouth twitched uncontrollably as he watched her fetch the chair from her own courtyard, and in the end, he silently lowered his head, pretending he hadn't seen a thing.

In the courtyard's pavilion, Liu Lin sat on a stone stool, intently reading the book he had brought with him. He was completely unaware of the pair of eyes spying on him from the wall.

Xu Jiujiu stared for a while before suddenly speaking up.

"Hey."

Hearing the voice, Liu Lin paused his reading and looked toward the source. He saw a little girl with golden hair and blue eyes crouching on the courtyard wall, looking at him with curiosity.

Their eyes met.

Liu Lin placed the book in his hand onto the stone table in the pavilion.

He walked toward the golden-haired girl. Looking at her features, which resembled Xu Jiawei's, and recalling what Eunuch Liu had said earlier, he confirmed the identity of the person before him: Xu Jiujiu, the princess of the Star Luo Empire.

"You're my fiancé, Liu Lin?" Xu Jiujiu spoke first, addressing the boy walking toward her.

Liu Lin nodded at her words.

"It is I. May I ask what brings Your Highness Xu Jiujiu here?"

"To see my fiancé, of course."

With that, Xu Jiujiu jumped down from the wall and brushed the dust off her clothes. She walked up to Liu Lin and tilted her small face to look at him curiously.

Feeling Xu Jiujiu's breath against his skin, Liu Lin, a bachelor for two lifetimes, felt his face flush, and he couldn't help but take two steps back.

Seeing this, Xu Jiujiu curled her lips into a light smile.

"Why is my fiancé so afraid of me? That makes me so sad." She finished with a feigned look of being hurt.

"Princess Xu, you'd best stop teasing me. May I ask what business you have with me?"

Hearing this, the expression on Xu Jiujiu's face turned serious, and she got straight to the point: "I want to see exactly what kind of talent you have to be chosen by my brother and become my fiancé."

Liu Lin had clearly anticipated that she would ask this, and as soon as she finished speaking, he released his martial soul.

Liu Lin's pupils turned crimson-gold, and the phantom of a golden dragon appeared behind him.

Xu Jiujiu could clearly feel the temperature around her rise significantly after he released his martial soul.

"A dragon-type Martial Soul, and it's even Ultimate Fire. My Imperial Brother truly has a keen eye."

Just as Xu Jiujiu opened her mouth to say something, the Crimson Gold Giant Dragon behind Liu Lin vanished. In its place, an Ice Blue Giant Dragon appeared behind him, and the temperature that had been rising began to plummet rapidly.

Anyway, Xu Jiujiu will find out sooner or later, Liu Lin thought to himself. I might as well just show off a little right now.

"Twin Martial Souls!? Ultimate Ice and Ultimate Fire!?" Xu Jiujiu's face was filled with shock as she watched Liu Lin release his second Martial Soul.

She finally understood why her Imperial Brother had insisted on both conferring a title and arranging her engagement to Liu Lin. If it were her, she would have done the exact same thing to keep such a genius by her side.