Just after noon, not yet at Erligou, someone from Er Bian spotted the insignia of the Duke Ding’s carriage. They immediately rushed to report: Princess Yunshang is here.

“Princess, the bandits have spotted us and gone to report.”

“Tell the drivers hauling the New Year’s goods to remove the Duke’s insignia and wait in Xucheng. We’ll meet up later for a meal.”

She had Fang Ling change into her clothes and impersonate her, continuing to ride in her personal carriage with Qing Shi leading the way.

“Princess, how will you travel?”

“I’ll ride Chao Guang.”

Fang Ling had already gone ahead, out of sight. Liang Youyi pinched her thumb and forefinger together, placed them to her lips, and blew a sharp whistle. Soon, one person and two horses emerged from the dense forest of Zhua’er Mountain.

It was Fang Zhi, who had been waiting.

“Princess, I saw the Prime Minister’s second son pass by this morning,” Fang Zhi said. “He had several attendants with him.”

“Was anyone carrying a bow?”

“Yes.”

Liang Youyi’s expression remained calm and composed. She mounted Chao Guang and told Fang Zhi, “Return to the manor immediately and guard my courtyard.”

“Be careful, Princess.”

Fang Zhi returned to the manor. Liang Youyi pulled up her hood, slung a long spear across her back, and rode off to catch up with Fang Ling.

When the General’s two cargo carts reached the fork at Erligou, two men dressed as villagers saw that there was no Duke’s insignia on the carriages and said, “There’s been a landslide ahead. You should take the left path instead.”

The two young drivers didn’t think much of it, thanked them, and changed course.

Not long after, Princess Yunshang’s carriage arrived. The two “villagers” exchanged glances, feigned indifference, and didn’t stop them at all.

Qing Shi drove into Sanligou. After a short distance, they suddenly saw the road blocked by a pile of large boulders.

“Whoa~” Qing Shi pulled the reins and stopped the carriage. Standing on the shaft, he surveyed the rocks—it would take at least half a day to clear them.

“Princess, the road ahead is blocked by boulders…”

Clap clap clap—before Qing Shi could finish, someone began to applaud.

Er Bian and his men, who had long been lying in wait, emerged from the woods and the earthen shrine, excitedly surrounding the carriage.

Qing Shi saw they were all armed with thick clubs and large blades, and shouted in alarm and anger, “What do you think you’re doing?”

“We heard Princess Yunshang is as beautiful as a flower—the most stunning woman on the Eastern Continent. The brothers haven’t seen her before and would like to get acquainted,” Er Bian said as he reached to pull open the carriage curtain.

Qing Shi blocked him. “Who sent you? Don’t you know Princess Yunshang was personally granted her title by the late emperor?”

“Oh, we know. But what does a first-rank princess taste like? The brothers want to find out.”

“Bastards! Aren’t you afraid that Duke Ding’s household will wipe out your entire clan? The current Empress Dowager is the princess’s aunt!”

“Of course, we’re afraid. But if the princess loses her purity, would she dare report it?”

Qing Shi: …

“You dare trample on the Duke’s honor? You’ll die without a grave!”

Qing Shi’s fierce presence startled Er Bian and his men. Indeed, even if she’d fallen out of favor, Princess Yunshang was still the legitimate daughter of the Duke Dingguo. How could outsiders be allowed to bully her?

That moment of hesitation gave Qing Shi the chance to shout, “Still not backing off?”

Seeing his men falter, Er Bian barked, “Don’t listen to him! Fortune favors the bold. We’re just doing a job—take her away, endure one night, and return her!”

Inside the carriage, Fang Ling called out, “Qing Shi, tell them we’ll double the reward if they let us go!”

Er Bian’s men had never heard Liang Youyi’s voice before, so they assumed it was truly Princess Yunshang speaking.

Qing Shi shouted, “My lady says—whatever they’re offering, we’ll pay double!”

One of Er Bian’s scrawny men said, “Our employer promised three hundred taels to ruin the princess.”

In truth, Er Bian had only promised one hundred taels. The man was inflating the price.

Qing Shi said, “Fine. Our princess will give you six hundred taels. Clear the rocks from the road—we’ll pay you a hundred now, and the rest later.”

The scrawny man was tempted. Risking everything for a hundred taels when six hundred were on the table? Foolish. But then Yao Lichun and Fu Nankai, who had been hiding nearby, couldn’t hold back.

“No! We absolutely can’t let them go!” Fu Nankai stepped out, face flushed with excitement and urgency. He shouted to Er Bian, “Don’t be swayed! If you let them go, she’ll definitely come after you!”

Qing Shi cursed, “Fu Nankai! So it’s you! If the Prime Minister finds out, he’ll break your legs!”

“Bah! She hit my mother and hurt my sister. Liang Youyi is nothing! Still dreaming of marrying my second uncle? Dream on!”

Fu Nankai couldn’t hold back. “My second uncle never planned to marry her. She’s dragged it out so long she’s become an unwanted old maid, still dreaming of being the Prime Minister’s wife?”

Yao Lichun groaned inwardly—why did this brat rush out? Now there was no turning back. They’d have to kill Liang Youyi and her people.

Qing Shi turned to Yao Lichun. “Aren’t you Madam Yao’s brother? You’re just going to let Fu Nankai dig his own grave?”

Yao Lichun had no choice. He told Er Bian’s men, “Kill them. The reward will be doubled.”

Er Bian shook his head. “Killing changes the price.” Even doubled, that was only three hundred taels—not enough.

Yao Lichun gritted his teeth. “Four hundred!”

Er Bian: “Eight hundred.”

“Deal.”

Once the deal was struck, Er Bian’s murderous intent surged. He shouted, “Princess Yunshang, come out and follow us! Otherwise, we won’t leave anyone alive!”

Fang Ling pulled out a signal arrow, lit it, and fired it into the sky.

Whoosh—Bang! A sharp explosion bloomed into a violet flower overhead.

Then came the sound of footsteps and snapping branches—Die Jin leapt down from the mountain, his sword already slicing through two of the thugs.

Blood sprayed, staining the snow.

Just as he was about to continue, a voice said, “Killing them is too easy.”

Die Jin turned and saw a figure standing atop a boulder—elegant posture, moon-white silk robes with red brocade and white fox fur trim, face masked except for a pair of phoenix eyes—young, arrogant. He held a man—one of Fu Nankai’s hired assassins, armed with a bow and quiver.

The masked man tossed the assassin to the ground.

Die Jin remembered Liang Youyi’s words, walked over, and, without a word, slashed the assassin’s tendons.

The man screamed, “My legs! My hands!”

“Your tendons are severed,” Die Jin said coldly. “They’ll never heal.”

Fang Ling, veiled, jumped from the carriage and asked the masked man warily, “Who are you?”

He didn’t answer. In a blink, he was in front of Fu Nankai.

“I heard you wanted to ruin Princess Yunshang?”

Fu Nankai felt a chill pierce his bones. Trembling, he asked, “Who… who are you?”

“What grudge do you have with her?” the man asked. “Did Fu Zhang send you?”

“You’re nothing—” Before he could finish, the man grabbed his jaw.

“Answer.”

Fu Nankai screamed, face turning purple from the pain. “She’s filthy…”

The man crushed his jaw. Fu Nankai could no longer speak, clutching his face as tears and snot streamed down.

The man wiped his hand with a cloth and tossed it aside.

Er Bian, relying on numbers, shouted, “Grab Princess Yunshang! No one retreat! There are only three of them—kill them and we’ll be rich!”

He and his men surrounded Fang Ling. Er Bian sneered, “Princess Yunshang, we’ve admired you for a long time!”

Fang Ling lunged, grabbed Yao Lichun, and held a sword to his neck. “Back off, or I’ll kill him!”

Yao Lichun screamed, “Stop! She’s not Princess Yunshang!”

The masked man instantly appeared before Er Bian, pressed a finger to his forehead, and Er Bian collapsed to his knees.

“You’re Er Bian? From No. 17, Yu’ou Alley, South City? Wife, kids, seven in total.”

Er Bian couldn’t stand no matter how hard he tried. The masked man toyed with them like a cat with mice—clearly capable of killing them all in an instant, but choosing to crush them slowly.

Er Bian, trembling, begged, “Spare me! I was tricked by Yao Lichun. I won’t dare again!”

The other thugs knelt in fear. They lived by violence, but they didn’t want their families wiped out.

The masked man pointed at Fu Nankai. “Search him.”

Die Jin found a pouch in Fu Nankai’s coat, sniffed it, and said, “This is aphrodisiac—used in brothels for unwilling girls and boys. Once exposed, even the strongest can’t resist.”

“Fu Nankai brought this—what was he planning?” Die Jin crushed his shoulder, making him scream again.

“You can’t kill me! My second uncle won’t spare the princess!” Fu Nankai mumbled through his broken jaw.

“Oh? Then we’ll just kill all of you—your uncle won’t know.”

Die Jin pressed his sword to Fu Nankai’s neck. Blood spurted.

Fu Nankai, terrified, still refused to yield. “Do it!” he shouted to Er Bian.

Er Bian wanted to curse—how could they fight now? Didn’t he see these three were death incarnate?

The masked man listened to the wind. Hoofbeats approached. He asked Die Jin, “How do you want to handle them?”

“Bind them. Send them to the authorities.”

“The two households are probably already on their way,” the masked man said, pulling out a large pouch of powder. “Best to repay them in kind.”

Die Jin instantly understood.

The Yao family had laid a trap—if Liang Youyi was found with thugs, her reputation would be ruined. Even if they were handed over to the authorities, rumors would spread faster than the truth. Her name would be destroyed. She couldn’t shed blood herself. Best to finish everything before she arrives.

Die Jin forced the powder into Fu Nankai’s mouth, then poured water down his throat.

Fu Nankai struggled in terror, but couldn’t resist. The drug meant for Liang Youyi went into his own body. Then, Die Jin did the same to Yao Lichun. The rest was handed to Er Bian.

“Will you take it yourselves, or shall we force it down?”

“Sir, we’ll take it ourselves,” Er Bian said, tearfully telling the others, “Eat it.”

One by one, they did. Soon, the drug took effect.

As their behavior turned increasingly depraved, Die Jin and Fang Ling dragged them all into the nearby Earthen Shrine, slammed the door shut, and locked it.

Moments later, obscene and unbearable sounds began to echo from within the shrine.