Seeing the gangsters turn around and walk out of the cabin, both Ling Jingyan and Madam Jiang seemed to have escaped a catastrophe, their whole bodies were limp and they had no more strength.

Wait, what did the gangster say just now?

Find the pair of siblings… They turned out to be targeting Ling Jingshu and Ling Xiao!

Ling Jingyan looked at Uncle Ling and Madam Sun in horror: “Father, Mother…”

“Shut up!” Uncle Ling interrupted Ling Jingyan trembling.

Since those people came for Ling Jingshu’s siblings, they probably wouldn’t do anything to their family.

Although it was too cold-blooded to think so. But at such a critical moment of life and death, when they couldn’t take care of themselves, they couldn’t think of taking care of the siblings.

Ling Jingyan opened her mouth, but she didn’t know what to say, she finally lowered her head in sorrow.

……

The second leader led a few gangsters, kicked the door one by one, and searched the whole floor.

Ling Jingshu and Ling Xiao felt cold in their hearts. There were only a few cabins in total, and gangsters will arrive almost in a blink of an eye, and they had nowhere to hide.

At this point, there was no point in being afraid.

Ling Xiao took a deep breath, straightened his thin chest, resolutely stood in front of Ling Jingshu, and said in a low voice: “You open the window and jump into the river, maybe there is still a chance of escape. I will resist here first. Stall them for a while.”

Ling Jingshu’s heart was sore and astringent, but because of Ling Xiao’s actions, there was a tinge of warmth.

However, diving for survival was never a good idea.

There were still so many gangsters on the ship, and it was obvious that each of the three ships had someone watching them. These bandits must be well-versed in water. Even if she jumped into the river, she was only throwing herself into a trap.

Even if there was a glimmer of life, how could she leave Ling Xiao alone to survive?

With a bang, the cabin door slammed.

The bandits finally found them.

“Second leader, someone is hiding in this cabin.” The gangster kicked the door hard and couldn’t open it. Instead of being surprised, he was overjoyed.

The second master snorted coldly: “This is the only cabin left. If you don’t hide here, you can still escape to the sky. Don’t waste time talking nonsense, kick the door quickly and take people away.” 

It was getting louder.

The chair fell with a loud bang.

Immediately afterward, the wooden box on the table also began to crumble.

“Ah Shu, you go away.” Ling Xiao pushed Ling Jingshu hastily: “If you don’t jump, it will be too late…” 

“Ah Xiao, I won’t go.” Ling Jingshu held Ling Xiao’s hand, determination flashed in her eyes: “Today we two siblings will stay together. We will live together, or we will die together.”

The wooden box crashed to the ground.

It probably hit Jing Yu’s foot, and Jing Yu let out a cry of pain. The two little maids cried out in fright.

Bai Yu’s face was pale. But she didn’t cry, and quickly stood in front of Ling Jingshu: “Miss, this servant has exceeded the rules today.”

Even if she dies, she must die in front of the lady.

Amidst the loud noise of kicking the door, Ling Jingshu’s voice was intermittent and unclear: “Bai Yu, these people are coming for me and Ah Xiao. When the door opens, don’t move around, maybe you can stay behind. At least one life will be saved…”

Wait!

Did she miss something?

Ling Jingshu’s thoughts turned. She had never had any enmity with these gangsters. They attacked the ship at night and did not kill them. On the contrary, they wanted to take them away… That’s the case. She might save everyone’s life!

“Stop!”

Ling Jingshu suddenly raised her voice.

The soft and pleasant voice reached the ears of the gangsters.

The cripple immediately became agitated: “Second leader, she is hiding inside.” He had heard this voice with his own ears, and he has never forgotten it for the past two days, and he will never get it wrong.

The second master gave the cripple an impatient look. The cripple smiled awkwardly and immediately stopped talking.

The girl’s voice sounded again: “As long as you don’t hurt anyone’s life, I will go with you now.”

Amidst all the crying and wailing, the girl’s voice was calm and composed, which was admirable.

Ling Xiao was startled, and said without thinking: “Ah Shu, you can’t go with them…” 

“Ah Xiao, please be quiet and stay here obediently. Otherwise, neither of us will be able to escape today.” Ling Jingshu whispered quickly and then raised the volume: “Back off a bit. I will come out by myself.”

The second master was quite surprised.

It was not their first time doing this kind of kidnapping. In which of those times, were the girls not frightened and crying? This girl was quite courageous.

…

The latch of the door had been broken.

Ling Jingshu and Bai Yu moved the table away together and opened the door.

The light of the torch suddenly shone in, Ling Jingshu stayed in the darkness for a long time, subconsciously squinted her eyes, and then opened them.

The masked bandits in black suddenly came into view.

The second master who was in front, stared closely at Ling Jingshu, his eyes full of amazement.

He only saw a glimpse that day and saw only half of Ling Jingshu’s face.

Tonight, however, everything was vividly and clearly displayed right before his eyes. He finally witnessed firsthand what it meant for a woman to be so stunning that she could topple nations and cities, and what it meant when they said a woman’s beauty can sink a fish, or entice a bird to fall from the sky or make the mon shy or put all the flowers to shame. ^[1]The famous four beauties of ancient China. You can read the Wikipedia entry here

Such a beauty, not to mention two hundred war horses, even three hundred or four hundred horses was not enough price for someone to buy her!

Not only the Second Master, but the rest of the gangsters were also stunned. No one shouted, but it gave Ling Jingshu some more time to deal with it.

Ling Ji lying on the ground, with shame and anxiety on his face, barely endured the pain and opened his mouth: “Tángmèi Shu, you can’t go with them.”

 A girl in the boudoir was kidnapped by a group of gangsters. Even if she comes back, her life was over.

Ling Jingshu had a little more affection for Ling Ji, but the gangsters were staring at her, so she had no time to say anything else at this time.

Ling Jingshu quickly took out the dagger she had hidden and aimed the sharp blade at her throat: “What you want is me, and it has nothing to do with others. Don’t hurt anyone, I’ll go with you! Otherwise, I’d rather die.”

The second master refused to be threatened and sneered: “Not only you but also your twin brother. Both of you will also go with us.”

Ling Jingshu said coldly: “Either you take me away, or our siblings will die here today. You choose one.”

The second leader: “…”

Ling Jingshu raised her eyes and looked straight at the second leader: “You don’t want to hurt people, you don’t want gold and silver, you just want to kidnap people. You want to trade me for more silver. If I just die like this, wouldn’t you have made this trip for nothing!” 

“You’ve been staring at me for two days, and you’ve put so much thought into it. You don’t want to return in vain!”

The Second Master never wanted to admit that he was actually threatened by a weak girl who had no power to restrain a chicken.

However, what she said was not without reason.

The most important target was within their reach, it was ok to let the boy go.

The Second Master was about to open his mouth to speak when there was a sudden movement outside. 

There was a long, sharp whistle.

There were reinforcements! Danger!

The Second Master’s expression suddenly changed.

……(To be continued.)