A long wedding procession stretched as far as the eye could see.

An Jiu spotted Hua Rongtian atop a white horse from afar. His dignified bearing was impossible to ignore.

As the joyous sounds drew closer, An Jiu stood on tiptoes to get a better view.

People around her buzzed with gossip. Most said the Mei family’s daughter had incredible luck to marry a man like Hua Rongtian. Though she was a second wife and would be separated from him even in death, such a high-status match was beyond what most could hope for in this life.

The bridal sedan chair approached within ten paces, but it was tightly covered, concealing even a glimpse of the bride’s clothing.

An Jiu didn’t use her spiritual powers, but her innate sensitivity to danger alerted her to a surge of killing intent within the crowded streets. As her gaze swept the crowd, the surrounding clamor seemed to fade away. Only the roiling murderous aura remained palpable. The noisy bystanders appeared to fade into the background, while those silently exuding killing intent stood out sharply in her perception.

Just as she noticed this, the murderous aura exploded into action. Those who had been quietly observing suddenly leaped up, drawing hidden weapons and charging towards the bridal sedan!

The attack came so abruptly that the excited crowd didn’t react at first. They continued their lively discussions even as the assailants rushed onto the imperial road. Only when the horses reared in fright at the killing intent did people realize something was amiss.

“Ah!” A scream pierced the air as blood sprayed skyward.

Chaos erupted instantly. The clash of blades mingled with horses’ neighs, shrieks, wails, and agonized cries. The panicked crowd fled into the surrounding alleyways.

An Jiu was swept along with the crowd into a teahouse. Seeing it filled, the owner quickly ordered the doors shut.

Inside, voices clamored as many bold men crowded around the windows to peek outside. The owner lamented the damaged window paper but his protests were drowned out by the cries of women and children. No one paid him any mind.

An Jiu also squeezed in at a window to observe. Some tried to push the small-framed girl aside but found her immovable despite their efforts.

Outside, the wedding procession was in disarray. The matchmaker lay dead in a pool of blood, and the bridal sedan was splattered crimson.

Hua Rongtian stood guard before the sedan, sword in hand. His handsome face was cold, but his eyes burned with hatred and determination. All his negative emotions were channeled into his blade work as he cut down attackers without mercy.

This was the scene An Jiu witnessed. To others, however, it appeared Hua Rongtian was being steadily overwhelmed by numerous skilled opponents. As a civil official who didn’t devote much energy to martial arts, his fourth or fifth-rank abilities were already impressive enough to hold out this long.

A large group of masked figures suddenly emerged, joining the fray. An Jiu instinctively knew they were from the Crane-Controlling Army. Given their numbers, she realized she wasn’t the only one assigned to this mission. This would indeed make it easier to act covertly.

Boom!

A thunderous crash resounded. Though too far to affect the teahouse, it still caused those watching inside to involuntarily step back.

Only An Jiu remained motionless. She saw someone cleave open the bridal sedan with a blade.

Hua Rongtian was in a sorry state, already wounded. The Hua family’s martial artists beside him fought off enemies while urging, “Young master, flee quickly!”

The chaotic battle raged on as Hua Rongtian fought while retreating. After just two steps back, he suddenly saw the bride in her phoenix crown and embroidered cape fall amid the sedan’s wreckage. Her palm was cut by wooden splinters, and blades flashed all around her, threatening her life at any moment. Gritting his teeth, he fought his way towards her with renewed vigor.

Seeing this, his guards knew further persuasion was futile. If a man couldn’t protect his woman in such circumstances, what great deeds could he achieve? They followed his charge.

Hua Rongtian scooped up the fallen bride, angrily saying, “Aren’t you a covert guard? Why don’t you save yourself?”

Her veil slipped, revealing a tear-stained face. Her makeup was streaked by tears, looking particularly pitiful.

Hua Rongtian felt confused.

An Jiu saw the bride’s unfamiliar yet oddly familiar face. Thick powder made it hard to discern her age, but the fear and sorrow in her expression gave An Jiu pause.

The attackers began firing arrows. Hua Rongtian, carrying the bride, was in grave danger.

An Jiu shattered the window paper with a punch and used her arm crossbow to take out the archers.

Everyone in the room stared at her in shock.

Ignoring their reactions, An Jiu shot down an arrow aimed at the bride, splitting it mid-flight.

The woman in bridal attire seemed to sense this, whipping her head around to search for the source of the shot. However, the chaos made it difficult to pinpoint the direction.

At that moment, an arrow from an unknown source hurtled towards Hua Rongtian.

The bride’s eyes widened slightly. She suddenly stepped in front of him.

An Jiu’s lips tightened as she focused intently on the spinning arrowhead.

As the bride watched the rapidly approaching arrow, her expression became momentarily dazed. When it was just ten paces away, another arrow whistled through the air.

Clang! Sparks flew as the new arrow struck the one threatening the bride, knocking it off course!

Fresh tears welled up in the bride’s eyes.

The chaos didn’t last much longer. A large contingent of city guards arrived, causing the attackers to hastily retreat.

The Crane-Controlling Army withdrew as well.

In just the span of two cups of tea, corpses littered the streets and blood flowed like rivers.

The wedding procession was in tatters. Some fled, and some died, leaving the once-joyous ceremony stained with blood.

Hua Rongtian, still shaken, gazed at the woman beside him with a complex expression. Despite her obvious terror, she had dared to shield him from an arrow! Moreover, wasn’t a shadow guard supposed to be marrying him in place of the deceased Mei Shixiong? Why did this woman seem to have no martial arts skills at all?

With all eyes in the teahouse fixed on her, An Jiu could no longer stay.

She pushed open the door and left.

The street was lined with tightly shut doors. Someone suddenly emerging from a teahouse was highly conspicuous. The soldiers were initially wary but relaxed upon seeing it was just a frail youth.

An Jiu walked quickly along the street. When she glanced at the bride, she saw the woman looking her way, lips moving to form two words.

An Jiu read the bride’s lips and froze in shock.

The surrounding guards instantly became alert again.

Hua Rongtian followed the bride’s gaze. “Do you know that youth?”

The bride seemed not to hear him.

“Young master, we should return to the manor quickly!” urged a blood-spattered guard.

Hua Rongtian nodded, lifting the dazed bride onto his horse before riding away.

An Jiu watched them depart, her heart a mix of joy and doubt. She was certain of what she had seen—the two words the woman had mouthed were “An Jiu.”