“Princess.” The surroundings were desolate, with only a distant, dilapidated village in sight.

Gu Yu felt uneasy, wanting to go to the village with Wen Yuesheng.

But Wen Yue Sheng held the Buddhist beads in her hand and coldly said, “Stay here.”

Gu Yu’s heart skipped a beat.

She wanted to refuse, but when she looked into Wen Yue Sheng’s cold eyes, she couldn’t utter a word.

She intended to suggest that Wen Yue Sheng report to the authorities first but dared not speak, so she stopped in her tracks.

Wen Yue Sheng, still wearing the beads on her wrist, walked alone across the barren grassland toward the village.

As night fell, the abandoned village had no light, and simply looking at it made one feel eerie.

Wen Yue Sheng moved alone, like a ghost in the night, as she entered.

Passing by a ruined temple, she paused. Inside, the sounds of several men laughing loudly were heard, accompanied by faint sounds of women, almost imperceptible.

“Slap!” In the dilapidated temple, the leading man had several terrifying scars across his face.

He drank from a jar of strong liquor and smashed it on the ground.

The broken jar pierced the ankle of Zhou Man Niang.

Her forehead was bleeding, and the blood covered most of her right eye.

In front of her, a man was holding his face where he had been stabbed, screaming.

“Stupid woman, how dare you hurt me!”

“So, you don’t want to save your aunt anymore?”

“Tsk, that ugly woman actually has a daughter as beautiful as a flower.”

“This woman is really fiery!”

“Enough, don’t forget the client’s orders. Once we’re done with our fun, we’ll throw her out in the road, make sure no one finds her.”

After these words, the men exchanged glances.

The scarred man stepped forward and grabbed Zhou Man Niang.

Zhou Man Niang felt a chill run through her body.

She gritted her teeth and tightly gripped the small dagger in her sleeve.

This dagger was given to her by the princess.

Zhou Manniang would always remember that cold day when she and her aunt were sent to the national temple by her father.

Her aunt cried continuously, lamenting their fate, begging Zhou Yuan Du not to send them to the temple.

She listened to her aunt’s complaints the whole way, saying little.

It wasn’t until they had been waiting outside the national temple for some time that she looked up and saw Wen Yuesheng.

The sunset that day was as red as it was today, burning like fire.

When the princess heard her father’s absurd request, she didn’t immediately refuse.

She only asked Zhou Manniang, “Do you want to stay?”

Zhou Man Niang nodded without hesitation.

Even though this decision led to her aunt’s continuous complaints in the following days, she was happy.

Because she had finally escaped from that family.

She would never again have to wake up at dawn to follow rules in front of her stepmother or suffer from her elder sister’s beatings and humiliation.

Nor would she have to listen to her aunt’s cries in the dead of night while making handkerchiefs and purses for her elder sister.

During her days at the national temple, they were the happiest she had ever known.

Even though her aunt cried every day, lamenting her future and her miserable fate, Zhou Man Niang didn’t regret it.

She didn’t want to marry; she just wanted to be with the princess for her whole life.

As long as she could be with the princess like this, she would have no regrets in life.

But these people didn’t leave her alone.

The morning after the princess left, the national temple was quiet.

She decided to go to the kitchen to make something for the princess.

These past few days of fasting, the princess had eaten very little, and she worried that her health wouldn’t hold up.

She spent a long time in the kitchen.

When she returned to her room to rest in the afternoon, she heard the maid in her aunt’s room crying, saying that her aunt had disappeared.

She immediately dropped what she was doing and, together with the maid, set off to find her aunt.

However, they searched both inside and outside the national temple, with only a young monk saying that he had seen her aunt leave with a maid early in the morning.

Zhou Manniang felt something was wrong but still went out of the temple to search for her aunt.

However, she had a sense of caution and brought the short dagger given by the princess with her.

She also instructed the monks to send a message to the princess if she hadn’t returned within two hours.

She hadn’t expected such boldness from these people.

She was knocked unconscious shortly after leaving the temple, and when she woke up, she found herself in this place.

From the words of the criminals, she gathered that they had been paid by someone to ruin her reputation and, worse still, the client wanted them to break her leg bones, so she would live the rest of her life bedridden.

She struggled fiercely, using a hairpin to stab one of the men, but in return, she was severely beaten.

Her head was dizzy, blood clouded her vision, but she clung tightly to the dagger.

If she didn’t survive today, she would repay the princess’s kindness in the next life.

Even if she died, she would take these beasts with her to the grave.

Zhou Manniang wasn’t skilled in combat, and she didn’t intend to use the dagger to kill these men, but since the incident with Zhou Yujie, she had sewn a hidden pouch inside her clothes.

The pouch contained a poison she had prepared.

This poison would immediately cause death if it touched the skin.

She wanted these beasts to die with her!

As the scarred man drew near, Zhou Man Niang gripped the dagger tightly, waiting for him to come closer so she could tear open her clothes and die with them.

“Wait, she’s holding something.” The scarred man paused and slapped her across the face.

The sound of the slap echoed harshly in the broken temple, making the men laugh even more recklessly.

Zhou Man Niang’s head was thrown to the side from the slap, blood dripping from the corner of her mouth.

The dagger she was holding was taken from her.

She clung to it desperately, and the blade left a wound on her wrist.

“Whore, still thinking of stabbing me? Wait, I’ll show you…”

The scarred man’s anger flared, and he grabbed her by the hair, preparing to smash her head against a nearby pillar.

Before he could act, a loud noise was heard.

“Bang!” The dilapidated wooden door was kicked open from the outside.

In the pitch-dark night, a woman stood there.

The men froze for a moment, then reacted, drawing their knives.

The scarred man squinted and, after seeing the woman’s face clearly, his joy was evident. “We’re in luck today, another beauty for the taking…”

He still held Zhou Manniang’s hair, but Zhou Manniang, in immense pain, managed to open her eyes just enough to see the newcomer.

As soon as she saw the person’s face, tears began to fall from her eyes.

She whispered, “Princess.”

Through the intense pain, she saw Wen Yue Sheng walking slowly towards them.

She wanted to warn her to leave, to say it was dangerous.

But in the midst of the pain tearing through her head, her consciousness slipped away, and she fell into darkness.

Night had fallen.

Gu Yu waited in vain for the carriage to move off the road.

Still worried about Wen Yue Sheng’s safety, she rushed ahead to stop someone and ask for help.

However, she didn’t expect to see Yan Ling riding with a group of officials, approaching on horseback.

Gu Yu was overjoyed, “Lord Yan!”

“Lord Yan, save the princess!”

She was flustered and confused, unable to explain the situation clearly.

Yan Ling didn’t ask any questions.

He dismounted and headed straight toward the ruined village.

The officials behind him grew increasingly anxious as they followed.

This was a road leading to the national temple, but it had been abandoned for many years and was never properly managed.

Now, an incident had happened here, and the person involved was very likely the Princess who had helped the Great Wei win the martial arts contest earlier today…

If something happened to her, none of the officials would be safe.

The village was silent, as if no one were there.

They could only hear their own footsteps.

As they passed a dilapidated temple, Yan Ling stopped.

In an instant, he made up his mind and quickly moved toward it.

His movements were so fast that the officials behind him didn’t react before he had already reached the temple.

The broken wooden door lay to the side, and there was no cover.

Cold moonlight poured in from outside, illuminating the entire interior.

As they approached the temple, Yan Ling suddenly smelled the strong, pungent odor of blood.

He raised his head.

In the temple, everything was chaotic.

On the dirty ground, several corpses were scattered haphazardly.

Only one person stood.

Moonlight spilled over her, as if it gave the golden lotus on her dress a layer of Buddhist radiance.

The person standing in the Buddha’s light held a long knife, its blade still dripping with blood.

She was untouched by dust, and even her hand, gripping the knife handle, appeared as smooth and pure as porcelain.

Only the blood-dripping long knife served as a reminder of what had happened here.

Wen Yuesheng turned at the sound and locked eyes with him.

In that instant, he saw a pair of black eyes, as deep as an endless abyss.

They were profound, quiet, and lifeless, like a death domain.

Her red lotus on the back of her neck, burning like fire, bloomed against her snow-white neck, as if blooming in this serene moonlit night.

The entire temple was filled with a cold fragrance.

It wasn’t the sandalwood she usually used but a chilling, almost ice-cold scent, as if it had been steeped in day and night.

She turned back to gaze at him a few times before suddenly walking toward him.

The white Buddhist beads he had gifted her still circled her right wrist, though the light from the beads had dimmed considerably.

The moonlight fell upon the knife, reflecting a cold, glimmering light that shone on his face.

He simply stood there, watching her approach step by step.

There was no expression, no retreat, only a silent exchange of gazes.

Behind her, the boundless darkness was like her current, blooming killing intent, about to tear through everything, emerging from the dark.

As she approached, the secret guards nearby, particularly the one closest to Yan Ling—only three steps away—gripped their weapons tightly, and the one closest even raised his sword.

“Clink.”

The next moment, the long knife rolled to the ground, casually thrown by her, making a crisp sound.

Her voice was calm, carrying an unnoticeable chill in this quiet night: “You’re quite late.”

Everyone froze.

The officials, who had been far behind Yan Ling, finally arrived and were shocked at the sight of so many corpses.

“What… what happened here?”

“Princess? Are you alright?”

“Why are there so many dead?”

In the midst of the shocked and panicked gazes, Wen Yuesheng looked at Yan Ling, smiling faintly: “Your people have excellent skills, Lord Yan.”

The hidden guards nearby felt a jolt at her words.

… They hadn’t killed anyone.

The officials froze, looking at each other, unsure of how to respond.

Yan Ling looked into her cold eyes and said, “It’s good that the princess is fine.”

“Princess!” Gu Yu finally caught up with them, her eyes reddened from anxiety.

As soon as she arrived, she disregarded everything else and checked if Wen Yuesheng was injured.

“Do you have a silk handkerchief?” Wen Yueaheng asked.

Gu Yu paused, about to reply, when a long, slender, white hand appeared beside her, holding a silk handkerchief.

Yan Ling spoke softly: “Princess, please use this.”

Wen Yuesheng glanced at it and took it.

Her restless heart couldn’t be calmed by just the handkerchief.

At this moment, Gu Yu finally noticed the corpses scattered around the room and screamed in fright.

Her scream caused a collective sigh of relief from the officials.

… Finally, someone acted like a normal person.

After calming down from her fright, Gu Yu saw the unconscious Zhou Man Niang and rushed to help her up, ignoring her fear.

Zhou Man Niang, wounded all over, still shivered unconsciously as she was carried out.

The officials found Yang Shi, who had been tied up in another broken room.

She had fainted early on, her weak breath barely noticeable due to her frail health.

Both Zhou Man Niang and Yang Shi were sent to the national temple for rest and recovery.

However, Wen Yue Sheng didn’t return to the national temple.

The night wind lifted her dress, making it flutter like a butterfly.

She wiped her hands, her voice cold: “Was it someone bought by Sun Shi, the wife of Zhou Yuan Du?”

Yan Ling lifted his eyes to glance at the hastily arriving Di Zhu.

Di Zhu, sweating profusely, nodded: “Yes.”

“The people Sun Shi bought were originally bandits, ruthless criminals, many of whom had blood on their hands. They didn’t care about anything, only wanting the benefits Sun Shi promised. They had been lying in ambush here for a long time, waiting to act.”

“Besides, Sun Shi had also colluded with the people from the Sun family. Through them, they found someone from the Princess’s residence and had them intervene, which caused Yang Niang to be sent away.”

Yang Niang wasn’t stupid.

She knew things had already gone too far, and if people from the Sun family intervened, she wouldn’t dare leave the national temple.

But if it was someone from the Princess’s residence, it was a different story.

Yang Niang, thinking it was a command from Wen Yuesheng, left the national temple when she saw people from the Princess’s residence.

This is how she was tricked into leaving the temple, then bound and used as bait for an attack on Zhou Manniang.

Wen Yuesheng asked, “Who?”

Di Zhu whispered, “I heard it’s a woman who works for Madam Wen, named Wang.”

Wen Yue Sheng, upon hearing this, turned and walked away.

Di Zhu watched her get on the carriage and quickly disappear from sight.

His frantic heart gradually calmed.

He belatedly realized that he was not one of Yan Ling’s men, but why had he become so respectful toward Wen Yuesheng?

Scratching his head, he noticed Yan Ling, his face cold, staring at the direction of the bandit’s hideout.

“Burn this place. Report the incident to the Shuntian Fu Yin directly tonight,” Yan Ling ordered.

Di Zhu’s heart skipped a beat, and he quickly nodded in response.

Meanwhile, since Wen Yuesheng had been staying at the national temple for the past few days, there were no plans for her to return tonight.

Wen Xun, though, remained uneasy and ordered his men to invite Wen Yuesheng back the following morning, regardless of whether she was willing.

He planned to send someone every day.

Things were different now. The Prince of Hao Zhou had specifically requested Wen Yuesheng.

If the Emperor hesitated, Wen Yuesheng would be married off to Hao Zhou, becoming their Empress.

The more Wen Xun thought about it, the more uneasy he felt.

That night, as he lay beside Chen Shi, he couldn’t sleep.

While lost in thought, he heard a commotion outside.

He immediately got up, angrily shouting, “What are you all making noise about? Is there no discipline?”

The door was pushed open, and Chen Shi, who had been lying beside him, also sat up in her clothes.

The person who entered was Jiang…

The old woman, with a grim expression, said, “Master, Madam, the Princess has returned.”

Wen Xun furrowed his brows. “Now?”

What time is it, and why would Wen Yue Sheng return so late at night?

But if she has returned, it’s a good thing.

“Since she’s back, what’s the fuss in the main courtyard?”

Jiang Momo replied, “The Princess… she went straight into the main courtyard.”

Wen Xun was startled. What was she doing in their courtyard?

As he was pondering, someone came to report, “Master, Madam, it’s bad— the Princess has sent someone to bring Wang Mama into the courtyard. They say… they say they are going to have Wang Mama beaten to death!”

Wen Xun’s expression immediately changed, and he didn’t have time to ask any more questions.

He hurriedly stood up and rushed outside.

At this moment, Chen Shi was fully awake, but unlike Wen Xun, she first asked Jiang Momo, “Do you know what happened?”

“The maid doesn’t know. I just heard from the people below that something happened at the National Temple.”

Chen Shi’s face shifted slightly.

---

At this moment, in the main courtyard.

Wang Mama was disheveled, her hair loose, looking crazed, and shouting, “Princess, this is the Master and Madam’s main courtyard. How could you do this?”

“I am Madam’s servant, and even if I make a mistake, it should be Madam who punishes me!”

When Wen Yue Sheng heard this, she directly threw away the silk handkerchief she had been holding.

If it couldn’t be cleaned, then she wouldn’t bother cleaning it.

She gestured for the people holding Wang Mama to release her. As soon as the two maids let go, Wang Mama straightened up, full of confidence.

But before she could speak again, her neck was suddenly grasped by someone.

Wang Mama widened her eyes in disbelief, looking at the person in front of her.

Wen Yue Sheng squeezed her neck and said coldly, “Is that so?”

“Do you think your Madam will arrive faster, or do you think I can break your neck faster now?”