Xuanwu looked at his fallen comrade on the ground and instinctively felt a sudden chill between his legs. He immediately flew into a rage. “Wretch!”
That vile woman—was she even really a woman?
What kind of woman was this vicious and ruthless? She… she actually used such despicable tricks to destroy a man’s future heirs?
Qi Yuan raised her brows in surprise. Seeing Xuanwu’s face twisted in fury, she let out a mocking tsk and chuckled, “Didn’t go all out just now. Want to try it for yourself?”
Xuanwu could no longer restrain himself and launched the wrist crossbow in his hand in one breath.
This vile woman!
His brother’s miserable state was right before his eyes, and since Qi Wang had already said it was fine to maim her as long as she wasn’t killed, he had no need to hold back!
He was going to make her experience a fate worse than death!
Xuanwu’s mindset was far more resolute than the others—he had always been the backbone of the group, and he still was.
Even in his fury, he acted with cunning. He subtly aimed his wrist crossbow… and fired at Xie Qiniang instead.
The arrow struck her leg, and she let out a blood-curdling scream.
The other members of the Xie family panicked and scrambled backward in fear of getting caught in the crossfire.
Qi Yuan’s expression turned grim. She leapt and dodged between the prison walls to evade the incoming assault. After she landed, she pulled out a wrist crossbow from her waist, aimed it at Xuanwu, and sneered, “Yours is spent, right? Why not try mine?”
Xuanwu’s face changed drastically.
He instinctively looked toward Qi Wang—only to find the prince’s eyes bloodshot with rage.
“You actually made one too!” Qi Wang’s face was a study in shock and fury. He was livid.
He had painstakingly created this weapon so that he could someday gift it to Emperor Yongchang, end his house arrest, and regain favor as the emperor’s most beloved son.
But now Qi Yuan had one too!
And given how close she’d always been to Xiao Yunting, who knew—she might have already handed this over to him!
At that thought, Qi Wang abandoned all intention of keeping her alive.
This woman deserved to die!
Enraged, he shouted, “Kill! Kill them all—don’t leave a single one!”
Let them all die!
Since she loved the Xie family so much, since she couldn’t let them go—then she could go die with them. Together they could all see the King of H*ll.
With the command given, Xuanwu and Baihu charged toward Qi Yuan, while the rest of the men surged forward to slaughter the Xie family women.
This was the most dangerous moment.
Even though Qi Yuan had prepared everything, she couldn’t help feeling a little anxious.
But she quickly calmed herself.
Man proposes, heaven disposes.
She had done everything she could. If things didn’t work out today, she was ready to go down with Qi Wang. If she had to die, she’d take as many of them as she could with her.
With that thought, her eyes turned icy cold.
Xuanwu had grabbed her left arm. It cracked with a sickening sound as he dislocated it. But she didn’t even flinch—instead, she used the momentum to lunge forward and slashed her dagger across his throat.
Blood from the neck gushed the most. Zhuque, who had just managed to get back up, was instantly drenched head to toe in the hot spray.
He froze, stunned, staring at Qi Yuan’s emotionless face like he had seen a ghost.
They said ghosts were terrifying, but if one really existed, it would look like Qi Yuan.
Unafraid of pain or death—there seemed to be nothing in the world that could intimidate her.
Even real ghosts might cower before her.
Qi Yuan turned her head and looked at Zhuque.
Just that one glance sent half his body numb.
But she ignored him and instead turned to charge at Qi Wang.
Take out the king to stop the bandits.
Zhuque snapped out of it and shouted in terror, “Protect His Highness! Protect His Highness!”
That woman—she would really snap the prince’s neck without hesitation!
As she lunged toward him, Qi Wang didn’t panic. Instead, he smirked slightly and raised his hand.
He still had a wrist crossbow.
It held ten arrows.
More than enough to turn Qi Yuan into a sieve.
This woman had no heart—he didn’t need to show mercy. Dying by his hand would be her punishment for the debt she owed from their previous life.
He pulled the trigger without hesitation.
At the same time, the remaining guards surged toward her.
With so many people—even swinging blindly—they could turn Qi Yuan into minced meat.
Qi Wang sneered.
But it was at this exact moment that everything changed.
Boom! The prison wall collapsed with a deafening crash, and a battalion of armored government soldiers appeared in front of everyone.
Government troops!
Zhuque instantly felt a chill down his spine.
Qi Wang’s face darkened.
He recognized them at once. These were the provincial troops of the Song City Prefecture.
How could this be?
The Song City Prefect was stationed hundreds of li away—how had his men gotten here?
Qi Yuan instinctively let out a breath of relief.
Thank heavens. Madam Zou had come through.
Madam Zou, panting heavily, stepped forward and pointed at Qi Wang and his men. “Lord Prefect! These are the ones! These bandits disguised themselves as imperial officials, tricked and killed my husband, and even slaughtered the local constables!”
Qi Wang’s eyes burned with poison as he glared at Qi Yuan.
Only to see her smiling calmly, and then shouting at the top of her lungs:
“These bandits seized the local government offices, murdered the magistrate and constables, and planned to plunder all the gentry in the county! The women of the Xie family were imprisoned under false authority!”
The Xie family suddenly understood.
So that’s what it was. The ones who captured them weren’t officials—they were bandits in disguise!
Unforgivable!
Madam Zou began to weep. “These bandits are beyond brazen. After killing my husband, they tried to kill me too! It was only thanks to his dying efforts to send someone for help that I escaped. Otherwise, I would’ve been dead yesterday!”
Yesterday!
Qi Wang’s heart clenched.
Last night—last night was when Zou Xiaopeng died.
So Qi Yuan had already laid her plans by then. She killed Zou Xiaopeng, convinced Madam Zou, and laid the groundwork for all of this.
Of course! The witness was Zou Xiaopeng’s own wife—the county magistrate’s madam. Everything was perfectly reasonable.
Who could question it?
And he couldn’t even reveal his identity!
The Song City Prefect had never met Qi Wang and didn’t recognize him. Now, hearing the testimony of the magistrate’s wife, he let out a cold laugh. “In broad daylight, you thieves dare murder imperial officials? This is outrageous—unprecedented!”
He raised his hand high. “By order, apprehend the criminals. If any resist—kill without mercy!”
Baihu rushed to Qi Wang’s side and whispered anxiously, “Your Highness, if this gets any worse, it will bring you down with it… We must retreat now…”
