Yao Qing lifted a corner of the carriage curtain: "Lord Su, it's me."
Su Tingyun froze.
Some days ago, the Yao family and the Zou Duke's residence had been embroiled in a bitter dispute over the matter of Prince Zou. As the Deputy Prefect of Shuntian, Su Tingyun had paid a visit to this Second Miss Yao.
"What urgent matter brings you out so late at night, my lady?"
"My wet nurse suddenly fell gravely ill, so I must hurry back to my hometown in Yuzhou," Yao Qing replied with neither humility nor arrogance.
Su Tingyun fell silent for a moment. "Then I must trouble you to step down and allow us to search the carriage before letting you pass."
Chu Ruoyan's heart tightened. Yao Qing said, "Very well. But to protect my reputation as a maiden, I ask that Lord Su conduct the search alone!"
Su Tingyun agreed, dismounted, and approached. Yao Qing also steadied herself against the carriage shaft, preparing to step down.
The moment her feet touched the ground, she suddenly lunged forward and wrapped her arms around Su Tingyun. "Run, now!"
"Hyah!" The driver cracked his whip, and the carriage bolted away.
Su Tingyun was furious. "You—!"
But Yao Qing clung to him with all her strength, leaving him no choice but to watch helplessly as the carriage vanished in a cloud of dust.
"Don't just stand there—chase them!" he barked.
His subordinates snapped out of their daze and gave pursuit.
Su Tingyun channeled a burst of inner force to shake the woman off and made to mount his horse.
To his shock, Yao Qing suddenly tore open her outer robe and threw herself at him again!
Her snow-white shoulders gleamed in the cold air. Su Tingyun caught only a glimpse before squeezing his eyes shut. "Have you lost your mind?! Cover yourself at once!!"
Shivering violently in the winter chill, Yao Qing nevertheless clung to him desperately. "Forgive me, Lord Su, but I cannot let you catch them today, no matter what!"
Su Tingyun was beside himself with rage, yet he dared not open his eyes for fear of seeing her exposed skin. In his fury, he lashed out: "Such shamelessness! No wonder Duke Zou accused you of seducing his son with your wanton ways!"
Yao Qing flinched as if struck, but she suppressed the pain in her eyes and replied coolly, "Indeed. A married woman like me, entangled with Prince Zou—what reputation do I have left? You may curse me to the heavens today, Lord Su, but I will not let go!"
Meanwhile, the driver brought the carriage to a halt at a crossroads. "Take this path ahead—it's the shortcut! Hurry, I'll draw them away!"
Chu Ruoyan thanked him and quickly helped Yan Zheng down.
The path was just as Yao Qing had described—overgrown with weeds and treacherous underfoot.
Gritting her teeth, Chu Ruoyan half-carried Yan Zheng forward. But after barely the time it took for an incense stick to burn, she heard pursuers closing in behind them.
"Hurry!"
"They're just ahead!"
The narrow trail was flanked by dense thickets, leaving no place to hide.
A glint flashed in Chu Ruoyan's eyes as she decided to set Yan Zheng down first.
"Now that's more like it, County Princess Changle."
The speaker was Staffer Song, one of Su Tingyun's advisors, sporting a pair of thin mustaches that gave him a shrewd appearance. "Though you tried to pull another vanishing act with the carriage, I saw through it. And as it happens, I know this shortcut well. So, County Princess, you've run out of options."
The dozen or so officers behind him relaxed visibly.
Dealing with the infamous Yan Zheng was one thing—but a delicate noblewoman? That would be child's play.
Chu Ruoyan asked calmly, "What do you intend?"
"Hand over Yan Zheng, and we’ll let you go unharmed."
"And if I refuse?"
Staffer Song smirked. "I address you as County Princess out of respect. Don’t mistake kindness for weakness. Out here in the wilderness... anything could happen."
The threat in his words was unmistakable. The officers behind him were already leering, their eyes alight with hunger.
"Well said! I’ve never tasted a county princess before!"
"County Princess? She’s Duke Chu’s beloved daughter! Who knows—you might even become his son-in-law!"
Peals of raucous laughter erupted. Chu Ruoyan’s gaze turned icy, yet her expression remained eerily composed. "Very well. Come and try."
One man immediately stepped forward. "I’ll go first!"
He tore off his shirt and lunged at her—only to feel a sudden chill at his throat.
Looking down, he saw Yan Zheng’s sword in the woman’s hand, its tip buried perfectly in his windpipe.
The shirtless man crumpled to the ground. Staffer Song’s eyes widened in shock. "Who knew County Princess Changle was trained in martial arts?"
Chu Ruoyan said nothing. The exertion agitated her meridians, sending a wave of cold pain through her limbs.
But there was no time to dwell on that. She fished out the pills Old Divine Doctor Qin had given her—heart-preserving pills, circulation-restoring pills—and swallowed them all in one go. "Who’s next?"
Staffer Song’s face darkened as he gestured sharply.
Six more men advanced.
Though they were now more cautious, they still assumed the first man had fallen prey to his own lust and carelessness. Yet the moment they engaged her, Chu Ruoyan’s wrist flickered like a darting dragon, her swordplay fluid and precise. In seconds, she had pierced each of their sword arms.
"This is... the Wen Family sword style?"
Staffer Song frowned, as if recalling something unbelievable. "All of you—attack together!"
The remaining men charged. Chu Ruoyan misjudged one thrust, driving the sword too deep to withdraw.
She hesitated, gripping the hidden object in her sleeve.
Years ago, Doctor Wen had warned her: "Use this only as a last resort—it could cost you your life!"
Just then, a blade descended toward her back without a sound—
"Thunk!"
The sickening sound of steel biting into flesh rang out—yet she remained unharmed. Whirling around, she saw Yan Zheng, who had somehow roused himself, swaying as he raised his right hand to intercept the blade!
"Yan Zheng!"
Blood gushed from his hand, and his brows knitted tightly in pain.
Chu Ruoyan’s eyes burned red. She could no longer heed Old Divine Doctor Qin’s advice or Doctor Wen’s stern warnings. Drawing the hidden weapon from her sleeve, she slashed through the air—
A flash of cold light. Frost seemed to crystallize midair. The men barely had time to blink before the attacker’s wrist was severed clean at the joint!
"Aaaahhh!!"
The agonized scream sent the remaining officers stumbling back in terror.
Only Staffer Song stood transfixed, staring at the sword in her hand with undisguised shock.
"The Regent King’s 'Frostblade'?! How do you have the Regent King’s Frostblade? Who are you?!"
Chu Ruoyan paid him no mind, rushing to Yan Zheng’s side in desperation. "How badly are you hurt?"
He was already at his limit. Blocking that strike had drained his last reserves of strength. Now he collapsed, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
"Yan Zheng! Don’t you dare die—do you hear me? I forbid it!"
Cradling his shoulders, Chu Ruoyan was on the verge of tears. Yet with great effort, he pulled something from his robes and pressed it into her hand. "Go... now..."
It was the tiger tally—the military token to mobilize the Western Mountain garrison. He had given it to her!
Tears spilled down her cheeks. "No! I won’t leave without you!"
Behind them, an officer muttered uncertainly, "Staffer Song... do we still take them?"
Staffer Song’s gaze remained locked on Chu Ruoyan, his thoughts inscrutable. After a pause, he raised his hand. "Take them."
The few remaining men tensed to charge—but before they could take a single step, blades slid across their throats from behind.
"Song... why...?"
The last officer fell, his dying whisper thick with betrayal.
Staffer Song didn’t spare them a glance. To Chu Ruoyan, he said coldly, "Guard Frostblade well. Someone will come for it."
BOOM!!
A third peal of thunder split the sky. At last, the rain that had threatened all night came crashing down.
Chu Ruoyan clung tightly to Yan Zheng, feeling the warmth rapidly fading from his body. She fiercely wiped the tears from her face and said, "Let's go! We're heading to the Western Mountain Camp!"
