When people pursued them from behind, the old woman wasn’t particularly nervous, but when Chu Zhao stopped and turned around, he couldn’t help but stop as well, holding the child tightly in his arms.

The child clutched his clothes, leaning on his shoulder to look back.

In the dim night, they saw the girl suddenly draw a blade and kill the men.

So much blood spurted out, seemingly splashing onto his face.

He stared with unwavering eyes, completely unfazed.

He had never seen anyone killed before, had never even seen blood, but on this night, he seemed to be drowning in a sea of blood and mountains of corpses.

A-Le’s eyes were wide open too. Blood had splashed onto her face, and she also clutched a knife in her hand.

The miss had warned earlier that it would be dangerous, that they would kill and be killed.

She wasn’t afraid either, although she had never killed anyone before.

The miss had never killed anyone either, but when she said she would kill, she did!

The miss was so formidable!

“Go,” Chu Zhao stepped over, gripping her knife, pushing the old woman.

This time, the old woman’s footsteps were even quicker.

A-Le stayed behind Chu Zhao, firmly resolved that this time she would draw her knife before the miss did—she wanted to kill too.

All this happened in an instant, but it was still noticed.

When the two men fell to the ground, more shadows emerged from the darkness deep in the alley, sweeping forward with the night wind, bringing flashes of cold steel and the scent of blood.

Chu Zhao raised her knife, ready to leap forward.

“Miss, let me,” A-Le stepped ahead, swinging her knife to kill.

Several muffled grunts, and where the blade flashed, a crowd of figures fell.

A-Le was stunned—she hadn’t actually… made contact—

“Step back,” Chu Zhao grabbed her and retreated.

Her gaze scanned the surroundings.

Along the walls on both sides of the alley, figures leaped down one by one, like scythes. Wherever they passed, the approaching shadows all fell.

Deeper in, the sounds of fighting arose as well.

Who were these people?

“Hey,” a female voice descended from the top of the wall.

Chu Zhao looked over. In the darkness, she couldn’t make out the features, but she could see the form of a girl with a smaller figure beside her.

That small figure’s hand waved back and forth, flashing with cold light.

Looking at the people among those sweeping shadows, there were men, women, and the elderly—

They looked like neighbors from the surrounding area, but since when could neighbors kill people?

Chu Zhao gripped her knife. Before she could speak, the female voice spoke again.

“Do you need horses?” she asked.

Running on foot was certainly no match for horses. Chu Zhao looked at the girl and said straightforwardly: “Yes.”

The small figure crouching beside the girl whistled.

A tightly closed door opened in the street, and with neighing sounds, more than a dozen horses charged out.

“Go, go,” the girl waved and shouted.

Chu Zhao didn’t ask any questions, decisively turning around and supporting the old woman as they ran toward the horses, with A-Le following closely.

These horses were not only saddled but also equipped with swords, bows, arrows, and other weapons.

Chu Zhao grabbed one at random and mounted, turning her head to say: “Give me the… child.”

She had almost called him “young prince” but thought better of it.

Before the old woman could move, the child in her arms raised his head, once again reaching out his hands toward Chu Zhao on his initiative.

The old woman quickly handed him over to Chu Zhao.

Chu Zhao took the child and held him in front of her. The old woman and A-Le also mounted their horses.

Chu Zhao looked back. The sounds of fighting in the alley had intensified, with seemingly countless shadows sweeping in, but the girl stood on the high wall, like casting a net, firmly trapping the shadows.

“Go!” she shouted again.

Chu Zhao turned back, put away her knife, drew out a long spear from the horse’s side, and held it, spurring her horse forward at a gallop.

“Head toward the imperial palace,” she called out.

The old woman behind her finally spoke: “The area near the imperial palace is full of the Third Prince’s men. It’s too dangerous.”

Chu Zhao didn’t look back: “Dangerous? Then let’s make it dangerous for everyone.”

Let the Third Prince also know that the heir of the Prince of Zhongshan was taking advantage of the situation.

Even if it came to fighting, a three-way battle would be better than being silently surrounded and killed now.

The more chaotic, the more chance of survival.

But after galloping just a few steps, urgent hoofbeats sounded from the street ahead. More people were coming.

Since Xiao Xun had murderous intentions, he had certainly set up an inescapable net around the Chu residence.

The father and son of the Prince of Zhongshan had planned for so long—how could they let her escape so easily?

“Miss Chu—” the old woman’s voice trembled, seeming to ask what they should do.

Chu Zhao gripped her knife, looking ahead: “I don’t know what to do, nor do I know if I can help you escape. The only thing I can promise is—”

“Before you die, I’ll die first.”

If this was the young prince’s fate—to be framed by Xiao Xun against her father, to be the fate of Chu Lan’s bewitched mind—then this time she would die with them.

The only regret was that in this reborn life, she still hadn’t seen her father once.

It was all A-Jiu’s fault!

If he had delivered her letter to her father earlier, or if he hadn’t complained so much on the way, she would already be in the border prefecture by her father’s side—

The child pressed tightly against her. Chu Zhao could feel him trembling.

Ah, perhaps it was good that she was still in the capital. Even if she still died, dying together meant that at least this child wouldn’t hate her father, and would die knowing clearly who had harmed him.

Chu Zhao held the child with one arm while raising the long spear with the other.

“A-Le,” she called, “what we learned as children will be put to use today.”

A-Le raised her bow and arrows, galloping at her side: “Miss, this time it’s not play.”

As she finished speaking, with a twang, two arrows shot forth like meteors.

From the opposite side came a clang, as if the arrows had struck metal.

Could they deflect arrows with weapons? How formidable.

A-Le and Chu Zhao’s faces turned slightly pale, but they showed no fear. A-Le tossed aside her bow and drew her long spear. Chu Zhao’s horse galloped even faster.

A shout came from the darkness ahead.

“A-Le, you damned girl,” a male voice scolded, “how many times have I told you, on the battlefield, use single arrows. No showing off! The most impressive skill is the one that kills!”

A-Le was startled, while Chu Zhao was already overjoyed.

“Uncle Zhong—” she shouted, her voice growing hoarse.

Uncle Zhong! Uncle Zhong had come!

Yes, this life was different from the previous one. Uncle Zhong had come to the capital, and today, he was right here in the capital.

Zhong Fujiang reined in his horse, looking at the approaching girl. The girl’s eyes glistened, as if with tears. His eyes stung, and he nearly shed tears himself.

Thankfully, A-Zhao was alright.

“Uncle Zhong came late,” he said, his expression remorseful. “Were you frightened?”

The events had been too sudden. He had been staying with an old friend, and despite repeatedly declining, he had drunk a little alcohol and slept more deeply than usual. By the time he reacted, the capital was already in chaos.

His old friend had wanted him to hide at home, but he was too worried about Chu Zhao and had found a way to cross the city to get here.

Indeed, he saw fighting over there—

Who were those people?

Whoever they were, anyone threatening the miss had to die!

Zhong Fujiang’s eyes flashed coldly: “A-Zhao, step back.”

He gripped his sword, ready to move forward.

Chu Zhao quickly made way, then thought of something and asked: “Uncle Zhong, those people, were they arranged by you to protect me?”

Zhong Fujiang was startled. What? Only then did he notice that over there, two groups were entangled in a fight. Because of one group’s blockade, the other couldn’t even leave the alley.

He was about to say no when he saw a figure running over from that direction.

It was a girl holding a knife, seemingly believing Chu Zhao’s group was under attack and coming to rescue them.

Now, running closer and seeing Zhong Fujiang, the girl suddenly halted her steps and retreated slightly, as if not wanting him to see her face.

But finding the retreat shameful, she stopped, tilted her head with a hint of arrogance, looking in another direction.

Although only half her face was visible, in the jumping torchlight, Zhong Fujiang recognized her immediately. His expression changed as he shouted: “You all!”

But the words stopped at his lips.

Chu Zhao looked at him, then at the girl. Only now could she see clearly that the girl was about her age, wielding a large sword almost as tall as herself—

Since when did Uncle Zhong have such young girls as subordinates?

Or perhaps not?

“Uncle Zhong, is she, are they your people?” Chu Zhao asked again.

Zhong Fujiang’s expression shifted for a moment before he squeezed out a smile: “Yes, yes, they are people I arranged to be here.”

This was his answer to Chu Zhao, but his gaze was on the girl, his eyes sternly warning her.

The girl snorted, turning her head even further away, her slender neck almost twisting off.