The sound of rain, the howl of wind, and sharp screams.
Qin Hu fiercely swung the long blade in his hand, and the two attendants charging forward past Young Master Gao tumbled from their horses with agonized cries.
All of this happened in the blink of an eye.
Qin Hu’s gaze remained fixed ahead – the fire burning on the corpses fallen on the ground cast flickering shadows over the figures on horseback opposite him.
Seemingly convinced the strike would land, the girl merely urged her horse to circle in place and did not approach.
She was about to leave!
Qin Hu instinctively tightened his legs around the horse’s flank.
Suddenly, the girl raised her hand and gestured toward him, pointing at the ground and their surroundings.
Amidst the storm, Qin Hu was already drenched from head to toe, but the moment he saw her gesture, it felt as if his entire body had been plunged into a sea of flames – scorching, intense.
He lifted his hand, pointed at himself, and made a gesture in return.
The girl turned her horse and galloped away into the distance.
Qin Hu could not help but urge his horse forward a few paces, but the figure on the road was already fading into the distance within the night, the sound of hoofbeats swallowed by the rain.
Before him, there was no one – as though the scene moments ago had been nothing but an illusion.
It had been so very long since they had last met. He never imagined they would encounter each other in such circumstances.
Even if it was only a glimpse from afar.
But so what? He had seen her.
She had not spoken a single word to him.
But so what? She and he had still coordinated flawlessly to carry out this ambush.
She had shown no surprise at why he was here, as if it were only natural they should meet in this place. Without a word, she had simply gestured to him, leaving the rest to his hands.
She did not ask whether he could manage it. She did not explain how it should be done.
Just like in the past.
She trusted him! She trusted him!
Qin Hu threw back his head and let out a roar, rainwater scattering across his face.
Just like before – tell him, who needed to be dealt with this time, and they would go together and finish it.
As if everything were still the same as it used to be.
A final, short cry cut through the air. The figure writhing on the ground fell completely still, and the road returned to silence.
The sound of rain fell in a steady hush, striking the roof tiles in an even, rhythmic patter.
Around the ruined temple, torches burned fiercely, lighting up the rainy night as bright as day. Inside and out, people stood with hands at their sides, solemn and still.
Wind swept the rain toward the entrance, making the torches on either side flicker and stretch the shadow of the person standing there.
“Your Highness.”
Eunuch Jing spoke with a trace of anxiety as he looked at Duke Jin’an, whose robes and shoes were already soaked.
“Please go inside and wait.”
Duke Jin’an neither spoke nor acknowledged him, standing instead with his hands clasped behind his back, gaze fixed outward.
Eunuch Jing took up an umbrella and stepped in front of the prince to shield him, but before he could steady himself, Duke Jin’an pushed him aside with one hand.
“Don’t block my view,” he snapped.
Eunuch Jing opened his mouth to speak again, but was stopped by a slight shake of the head from Master Gu beside him.
Through the heavy rain, the faint sound of hoofbeats seemed to emerge. Duke Jin’an’s body tensed abruptly.
Eunuch Jing noticed his reaction and shook his head inwardly.
He had already misheard several times – when the mind is fixated, illusions of sound are hard to avoid.
Just as the thought crossed his mind, he saw Master Gu beside him suddenly stride forward.
“They’ve come!” Master Gu exclaimed aloud.
Everyone instantly turned their gaze toward the rainy night. A horse was galloping toward them, but upon seeing it clearly, all their faces fell with disappointment.
It was a guard.
Scouts and guards had been dispatched in all directions, returning every quarter of an hour to report.
“Her Highness has returned!”
But this time, unlike the previous reports of no trace of the Princess Consort, the guard shouted loudly.
Before anyone could fully process his words, another horse emerged from the darkness behind the guard.
“Miss!”
Ban Qin and Su Xin cried out as they rushed forward.
The previously quiet space before the temple instantly grew animated.
Of course, only Cheng Jiao-niang’s own people ran toward her – those on Duke Jin’an’s side remained standing with hands respectfully at their sides. Yet when they finally got a clear look at the approaching figure, their expressions shifted subtly.
The girl on horseback was soaked from head to toe. Her dark green robes clung to her, seeming even darker in color – but under the torchlight, a closer look revealed it was not merely the effect of water, but of being soaked through with blood.
Strangely, the girl carried no weapons on her person or her horse.
Hadn’t it been said she took many weapons with her?
“Miss, Miss–” Ban Qin and Su Xin broke into loud sobs.
Cheng Jiao-niang dismounted.
“Stop crying and hurry to attend to the mistress – help her wash and change,” Steward Cao called out, his voice trembling.
Ban Qin and Su Xin immediately rushed off weeping, but as they reached the entrance, they abruptly halted.
Duke Jin’an remained standing motionless, just as before.
The pouring rain seemed to extinguish the earlier commotion, and the scene fell silent once more.
“Your Highness, where have you been?”
Master Gu suddenly called out loudly, breaking the tense and awkward atmosphere.
Eunuch Jing nearby also snapped back to attention.
“Your Highness, how could you go out alone like this? It was far too dangerous,” he said. “You had everyone terribly worried. Please, quickly come inside.”
As he spoke, he hurriedly gestured in invitation.
Duke Jin’an still did not move.
Eunuch Jing’s attempt to smooth things over now felt somewhat awkward.
Across from them, the girl suddenly smiled, lifted her foot to step forward, walked faster and faster, then broke into a run over the last few paces – charging straight toward them.
Soaked through, her face pale, her robes stained dark, she came rushing over with the heavy scent of blood.
Even with the torches lighting the area bright as day, and guards fully armed surrounding them, the people on this side couldn’t help but feel a slight tremor in their hearts.
Was she about to force her way through?
His Highness’s current condition could not withstand such a fierce, violent impact.
Eunuch Jing’s body tensed instantly, bracing to block her, but just as he moved to reach out, the girl had already reached Duke Jin’an. Without stopping her run, she leaped lightly, wrapped her arms around his neck, and hung onto him.
The sudden action left everyone around them stunned.
Duke Jin’an had certainly not expected it. He involuntarily took a step back, his stance loosening, and instinctively reached out to steady her by the waist.
“Gao Shi’si is dead,” Cheng Jiao-niang said, a bright smile spreading across her face.
What?
Everyone nearby who heard her looked stunned.
Before anyone could speak, the woman did something even more unexpected.
She tightened her grip, raised herself up, and planted a firm kiss on Duke Jin’an’s cheek.
All onlookers stood wide-eyed and speechless. Duke Jin’an himself seemed struck by lightning, frozen in place.
Cheng Jiao-niang then released her hold, dropped lightly to her feet, and turned to head inside.
Her clear, ringing laughter followed her in.
“Hurry and attend to the mistress as she changes,” Steward Cao was the first to snap out of it and call out.
Ban Qin and Su Xin had already forgotten their tears. Shaken back to awareness, they quickly rushed inside after her.
Outside the temple, silence still hung in the air – but it was clearly a different kind of quiet now. Everyone deliberately lowered their gaze or looked elsewhere.
Duke Jin’an still stood perfectly straight, yet that overwhelming, intimidating aura around him had already dissolved away.
“Your High–” Eunuch Jing stammered as he started to speak.
But Duke Jin’an had already turned abruptly and strode inside. Though his face remained stern and drawn, the torchlight clearly revealed ears flushed crimson – a detail that did not escape those standing nearby.
After waiting in fear and anxiety for so long, and now being openly teased in front of everyone… it was just too…
Too much of a humiliation!
Eunuch Jing wore an expression of both sympathy and quiet indignation.
…
On the pitch-dark night road, a fire starter suddenly flared to life, illuminating the corpses scattered on the ground. The man holding it swept his gaze across the scene, then waved his hand to extinguish the flame, plunging the surroundings back into darkness.
“Young Master, it’s been taken care of,” a low voice spoke up, accompanied by the clinking and clattering of objects being gathered.
“These are the weapons we found.”
“So many?” someone asked with a hint of astonishment.
“Broadswords, spears, swords, halberds, crossbows, blow darts, and even bamboo tubes we’re not sure what they’re for. All fifteen men here were killed with a single move each.”
For a moment, the air seemed to freeze.
Though she didn’t bring an army – only a single horse – to take down so many in the blink of an eye was truly terrifying.
Could it be that an immortal also taught how to kill?
“Why would she also come to pursue and kill the Gao family members? Could it be she already knew about the Gao family’s ambush?”
The soul-hooking brush had already carved one character on the tombstone – naturally, this was a matter of decisive resolve.
An opportunity – the Gao family saw it as a chance to ambush Duke Jin’an and her. Yet, in reverse, wasn’t this also her chance to ambush them?
When she didn’t want to leave, who could drive her away? Since she could be driven away, it meant she intended to leave – and if she was leaving, she had her reasons.
These fools still think she’s someone easy to bully.
I said it long ago – this is a girl who holds grudges.
A girl who holds grudges.
Qin Hu’s smile froze slightly on his face.
But… she’s also a very, very good girl.
He reached out, pulled up his rain hood, and swung onto his horse.
“Let’s go. We mustn’t miss paying our respects to Master Gao, who has just lost his son.”
…
The two maids withdrew, carrying the food box.
“She didn’t eat?” Master Gu asked in a low voice.
The maids nodded.
“Then can we go in and speak now?” Master Gu pressed, a note of urgency in his voice.
Eunuch Jing reached out and pulled him back.
“Have you lost your eyes too?” he whispered sharply. “Who knows what kind of argument is going on inside right now. What are you rushing in for?”
“Their marital spat – how can it compare to the gravity of killing Gao Shi’si?” Master Gu insisted, his eyes burning with intensity.
Killing Gao Shi’si!
How did she manage to kill Gao Shi’si?
Countless thoughts flashed chaotically through his mind – seeming to make sense and yet not making sense at all.
“Your Highness!” he couldn’t resist calling out loudly.
“Get out.”
A furious roar came from behind the screen partition.
Master Gu looked somewhat embarrassed, while Eunuch Jing snickered beside him, clearly enjoying the moment.
“See? I told you. In His Highness’s mind, nothing matters more than his wife.”
Behind the partition, Duke Jin’an sat on the four-legged daybed, watching Cheng Jiao-niang.
Freshly washed, carrying a faint scent of fragrance, dressed in clean undergarments, she reclined gracefully against a pillow, her eyes slightly lowered – elegant and serene.
She looked entirely different from the woman who had arrived drenched in blood in the heavy rain.
“Cheng Fang, don’t you have anything to say?” Duke Jin’an asked in a low voice, breaking the silence that had lingered between them since entering.
No reply came.
Duke Jin’an gritted his teeth.
“Cheng Fang!” he called out, reaching to grasp her shoulder.
As he gave a slight push, her head tilted slightly, revealing her face.
Her complexion held a faint flush, her eyes were tightly closed, and her eyelashes trembled gently with each breath.
Asleep…
She was actually asleep?
Duke Jin’an instantly felt suffocated with frustration. His hand tightened, ready to shake her, but at the last moment, he held back, swallowing the roar that had risen to his throat.
She had ridden out laden with weapons and armor, returned empty-handed and covered in blood – what kind of battle had she endured? She must have been utterly exhausted long before returning.
Only here could she finally lay down her weariness and sleep in peace.
Duke Jin’an clenched his jaw and swept his hand heavily through the air, extinguishing the candle flame beside the daybed.
Outside, Master Gu, still unwilling to give up, saw the light go out and froze in disbelief.
“Asleep?” he murmured. “After something so momentous, how can she just sleep?”
“Why shouldn’t she sleep?” Eunuch Jing said quietly. “If what Her Highness said is true, it won’t be us losing sleep tonight.”
