“Young Master, if you’re sticking with Wei Xi and all he gives you is this food, isn’t that a bit stingy?”

After finishing his martial arts practice and sitting down to eat, Jiang Huai was greeted by Sun Yong’s sarcastic remark as he approached, glancing disdainfully at the food in Jiang Huai’s hands. His tone was dripping with mock pity.

Jiang Huai looked up at Sun Yong. He hadn’t paid much attention to most of the other guards, but Sun Yong was an exception. A glance here and there could be ignored, but repeated stares were impossible to overlook. By now, Jiang Huai was fully aware of Sun Yong’s implications.

Seeing that Jiang Huai didn’t respond, Sun Yong’s face twitched in dissatisfaction. Then, reasoning that perhaps Jiang Huai, being a nobleman, hadn’t understood him, he decided to spell it out more clearly.

“Well, food’s not that big of a deal, right? You can’t eat well no matter what. If you ask me, money is what really matters.” As Sun Yong spoke, he pulled out some silver coins, his reluctance to part with them evident in his expression.

But Jiang Huai wasn’t like Sun Yong’s previous target, Song Yu, who could be placated with a few trinkets. Matching Xiao Jingzhao’s generosity would be a hassle, so Sun Yong thought it better to use money as bait.

“If you come to me, you’ll have no shortage of this.” Sun Yong jingled the silver in his hand, making his intentions plain.

He kept his voice low and his actions discreet, clearly not wanting others to overhear. However, Song Yu, who had been watching closely, caught every word.

Seeing the silver in Sun Yong’s hand, Song Yu inwardly scoffed. Here he goes again with his tricks.

That was exactly how Sun Yong had lured Song Yu. Before getting what he wanted, Sun Yong had promised the world. But after Song Yu gave in, all he got was slightly better food. When he asked for more, Sun Yong grew irritable. If not for their current situation on the road to exile, where an open fallout wasn’t practical, Song Yu would have left long ago.

And Song Yu’s guess was spot on. Sun Yong planned to use the silver to tempt Jiang Huai. Even if he had to hand it over, he’d made marks on the coins. Later, he could claim Jiang Huai stole them. Unless Jiang Huai revealed their deal, the money would have to be returned.

What’s more, given Jiang Huai’s noble background, would he dare to openly admit to such a transaction?

Sun Yong’s mind was racing with schemes, but Jiang Huai showed no reaction to the silver in his hand, let alone any intention of taking the bait.

Now Sun Yong’s face was stiff with embarrassment. Even though no one else might have overheard, he still felt humiliated. Frustrated, he reached out to grab Jiang Huai. But before he could touch him, a strong force pulled him back by the neck, sending him staggering and nearly tumbling into a nearby ravine.

Barely managing to steady himself, Sun Yong turned around furiously, only to meet Xiao Jingzhao’s icy gaze. His rage evaporated instantly.

He dared to show temper to Jiang Huai, but Xiao Jingzhao was taller and stronger—and a fellow guard to boot. Sun Yong didn’t dare make a move against him.

“I didn’t see you around, so I thought I’d keep an eye on Jiang Huai for you,” Sun Yong stammered, forcing a smile. Realizing he wouldn’t get anything out of Jiang Huai, he quickly retreated.

“What did he just do?” Xiao Jingzhao asked.

Jiang Huai didn’t hold back and repeated Sun Yong’s words verbatim.

Xiao Jingzhao’s expression darkened as he recalled some gossip he’d overheard among the other guards:

“Who would’ve thought the noble young master would cozy up to Wei Xi so quickly? Can’t judge a book by its cover.”

“I bet Sun Yong’s regretting not making a move earlier. If he had, maybe he’d be in Wei Xi’s position now.”

“Regret? He must be kicking himself. But I don’t think he’s given up yet. Might be some drama to watch.”

…

“From now on, come back with me,” Xiao Jingzhao said. He understood why Sun Yong had approached Jiang Huai—it was the only time he could do so without interference.

Jiang Huai nodded.

Neither of them took Sun Yong too seriously. Xiao Jingzhao simply didn’t care, dismissing him as a cowardly lecher unlikely to cause real harm. Jiang Huai, on the other hand, believed Sun Yong wouldn’t have the opportunity to act against him.

But they both underestimated what a person could do when consumed by lust and humiliation.

After being intimidated by Xiao Jingzhao, Sun Yong retreated, but he remained unwilling to give up. Seeing other guards chatting and smiling, then laughing harder when they noticed him, Sun Yong felt certain they were mocking him for his failure earlier. The perceived ridicule, combined with scoldings from Zhang Tou, Xiao Jingzhao’s indifference, and Jiang Huai’s apparent contempt, made Sun Yong feel like an overinflated balloon ready to burst.

The final spark came when he discovered that even the prisoner he’d taken a liking to was trying to cozy up to Xiao Jingzhao.

…

“Brother Wei is looking for me?” Hearing a prisoner say Xiao Jingzhao was asking for him, Jiang Huai didn’t think much of it and stepped outside.

Following the prisoner’s directions, Jiang Huai saw a figure standing under a tree in the rain. The dim light and pouring rain made it hard to discern the person’s face until he got closer. By then, something felt off.

Before he could react, the figure lunged at him, knocking his rain cloak to the ground and covering his mouth, dragging him deeper into the forest.

Jiang Huai couldn’t even cry out before he was thrown to the ground, his voice muffled.

Realizing he couldn’t call for help, Jiang Huai forced himself to stay calm. Thanks to his recent training, he managed to respond to the violence with relative composure.

He struggled briefly, but upon feeling the strength of his attacker, he quickly abandoned the idea. Whoever it was had significant strength. Jiang Huai decided it was better to conserve his energy and wait for an opportunity.

Dragged along the ground, Jiang Huai was thankful for his rain cloak—it spared him from countless scratches that could have marred his body.

The attacker eventually stopped beneath a dense tree, where the foliage provided some shelter from the rain. Deciding it was an ideal spot, the man released his grip, thinking Jiang Huai had been sufficiently subdued. One hand restrained Jiang Huai’s wrists while the other fumbled with his waistband.

Even though Jiang Huai was slender and looked weak, the attacker was cautious. After all, even a seemingly delicate man could fight back in such a situation. However, his overconfidence in Jiang Huai’s submissiveness led him to loosen his grip slightly.

In the faint light, Jiang Huai recognized his assailant: Sun Yong.

His heart sank. Seeing Sun Yong’s actions, he immediately understood his intentions.

“You won’t go soft, huh? Let’s try the hard way. You might even start enjoying it,” Sun Yong sneered, noticing Jiang Huai’s pale face. The struggle to untie the belt frustrated him, further fueling his impatience.

If you’re caught, how do you break free?

“Hold onto me. I’ll show you again.”

Jiang Huai’s memories of training with Xiao Jingzhao surfaced. Because this particular move was so common, they had practiced it seven or eight times, and Jiang Huai had mastered it.

Taking a deep breath, Jiang Huai seized the moment when Sun Yong’s grip slackened, surged upward, and delivered a powerful headbutt to Sun Yong’s abdomen. He followed it up with a swift kick to Sun Yong’s groin.

Sun Yong doubled over, clutching his stomach. Before he could recover, Jiang Huai delivered a knee strike, the sickening sound of teeth and bone colliding making his skin crawl. This final blow knocked Sun Yong unconscious.

Breathing heavily, Jiang Huai stood over Sun Yong’s limp body, knowing it wasn’t over. Sun Yong might recover at any moment. Exhausted from training, walking in the rain, and the confrontation itself, Jiang Huai couldn’t rely on his current strength.

After a moment’s thought, Jiang Huai quickly bound Sun Yong’s wrists with his belt and began retracing his path. The forest was disorienting, with overgrown vegetation bouncing back after being trampled, and the rain-darkened sky made visibility even worse.

Focused on finding his way, Jiang Huai didn’t notice that Sun Yong, who he thought was securely bound, had managed to free himself and was silently approaching with the belt in hand.

The rain grew heavier, its patter masking the sound of Sun Yong’s movements. Just as Jiang Huai identified the direction he’d come from and smiled in relief, the belt tightened around his neck.

It was Sun Yong.

The realization came too late. Sun Yong had already wrapped the belt tightly around Jiang Huai’s throat. Struggling for breath, Jiang Huai felt the world grow darker. Was this how it would end?

Suddenly, there was a loud thud. The pressure on his neck eased, and the strength behind him disappeared.

Jiang Huai stumbled forward, gasping for air. Behind him, he heard something heavy hit the ground. He turned to look.

“Brother Wei!” Even in the dim light, Jiang Huai recognized the new arrival.

“It’s him?” Jiang Huai glanced at Sun Yong, who lay motionless on the ground. His chest barely rose and fell, so faint it was hard to tell if he was still alive.

“Dead,” Xiao Jingzhao said flatly, already certain of the outcome.

Jiang Huai’s face turned pale as he stared at Sun Yong’s lifeless body, his hands trembling.

“What did you use to strike him?” Jiang Huai wiped his face, his mind unusually clear despite the shock. Though Sun Yong was gone, the trouble was far from over. A guard’s death would undoubtedly spark an investigation. If Xiao Jingzhao were implicated, he’d face execution—or at best, imprisonment. Xiao Jingzhao had saved him; Jiang Huai couldn’t let him take the blame.

“This.” Xiao Jingzhao held up a blood-stained stone.

Jiang Huai snatched it from his hand and stepped into the spot where Xiao Jingzhao had been standing. He quickly destroyed the footprints on the ground and mimicked Xiao Jingzhao’s actions, thinking of ways to mislead any investigation.

At first, Xiao Jingzhao didn’t understand what Jiang Huai was doing. When it became clear, his expression darkened.

“If you take the blame, you’ll die,” Xiao Jingzhao said coldly.

“If you take it, you’ll die too,” Jiang Huai retorted. “Brother Wei, leave now. I’ll stay here. Later, you can bring others back and destroy all traces. That way, no one will know you were here.”

Jiang Huai didn’t know much about forensic details, but he was certain the footprints would give Xiao Jingzhao away. Even if the investigators were lax, it was better to be cautious.

“You…” Xiao Jingzhao frowned, but before he could finish, Jiang Huai interrupted, looking around nervously.

“Brother Wei, do you hear that?”

A faint rustling sound, different from the rain, and a distant muffled rumble.

Jiang Huai’s face turned ashen. He suddenly realized the implications of the continuous rain over the past few days.