The madam came out and happened to see several girls entertaining two men who had just arrived, but they clearly weren’t buying it. Seeing her, they immediately greeted her: “Boss lady, how come you don’t have any fresh goods here?”

These two middle-aged men were regular customers, and moreover had connections with Magistrate Huang of this prefecture. The madam immediately smiled obsequiously: “All our top courtesans are out serving customers. You two gentlemen are truly hard to please.”

One tall, sturdy man gave a cold snort: “Just mediocre rouge and powder.”

Hearing this, several girls’ faces turned ugly, and the madam’s pride was somewhat hurt. She sneered inwardly – you come here every time calling for the best girls. Even the finest dishes become tiresome if eaten too often.

But seeing the harder-to-please man beside the tall one with a gloomy expression, she felt somewhat frightened. Suddenly remembering, how could she have forgotten that dead girl just now?

She immediately smiled: “Please have some drinks first, gentlemen. The shop has new goods arrived. Let me arrange things and I’ll be right back. I guarantee both gentlemen will be satisfied.”

The two seemed to have encountered some annoying matter and come here to drink and seek pleasure. Hearing this, their faces brightened slightly. The thin, tall man was somewhat impatient and waved his hand: “Hurry back then.”

When the madam entered Lian Xin’s room, one man was removing her trousers while the others held her hands and feet, kissing her face and groping her body. Her mouth was stuffed with cloth to prevent her from biting her tongue.

The girl’s eyes were already swollen from crying, with no more tears left, only wooden, hollow emptiness remaining.

Several procurers were startled to see her enter. One smiled awkwardly: “Madam, you said this girl was a reward for us brothers to enjoy… this…”

The madam snorted and touched the wound on her face again: “I was giving her to you for free, but not anymore. There are customers here – find a girl to help her dress properly.”

“Yes.”

Everyone was disappointed but dared not disobey, reluctantly agreeing. The madam looked at Lian Xin with disgust: “Crying has ruined all her makeup – this ghostly appearance won’t do…”

A courtesan brought in a dress. The madam had men hold Lian Xin’s hands and feet while ordering the courtesan to help her change clothes, then lifted her skirts to expose her legs, loosened her long hair for simple arrangement, applied new makeup, and directed several men to turn her over, tie her hands and feet with rope, and cover her head with a silk scarf. The cloth in her mouth wasn’t removed to prevent her from screaming and spoiling the mood.

Lian Xin was manipulated like a puppet for a while, only hearing the madam lead people away and close the door.

Earlier she had prepared for the worst, but now found herself in the next round of terror. Having been precious since childhood, this sudden disaster had already shocked and numbed her with pain. Now, covered by the silk veil, her hazy eyes slowly regained a trace of spirit – dark, thick resentment and despair.

Though her body was bound, it instinctively began trembling violently.

The disgusting sensation of being touched and the intense suffocating nausea still lingered on her body. She would rather be gnawed by Wuqing’s insects than endure this – it would be millions of times better.

Those were the most despicable men!

She would kill them!

She would tear them to pieces!

She bit her lips tightly, struggling with difficulty, but hearing the door creak open, her ears rang with a “buzz.”

The customer the madam mentioned had arrived!

She was terrified, hearing the newcomer laugh: “Indeed a new piece of goods – hasn’t been tamed yet, has she? Old Monster, look at these slender, smooth little legs…”

“That woman said she hasn’t been deflowered yet. You go first this time.”

The man called Old Monster had a somewhat hoarse, raspy voice that sounded sinisterly uncomfortable. He walked to the bedside and sat down.

Lian Xin felt her scalp tingle, suddenly feeling these two lewd voices sounded somewhat familiar… but before she could think carefully, a hand from another person climbed up her leg, caressing freely.

That wave of nausea surged up again. She made muffled cries around the cloth, her body shaking as she tried to break free from this fate, but this only aroused the opponent’s lust.

The man’s breathing grew heavy as he suddenly tore open her dress.

Her whole body turned ice cold, feeling hands groping all over her body, from top to bottom… The more composed man couldn’t restrain himself either… Her tears flowed fiercely as she shook desperately, hearing the men excitedly panting and calling out: “This body is very enticing… That madam wasn’t lying this time – indeed fine goods. This feigned resistance, hazy and mysterious – just wonder what her face looks like?”

“Old Monster, you don’t think she’s extremely ugly and that woman is deceiving us, covering her face on purpose…”

Another man grunted: “Could this be hidden?”

The first man made appreciative sounds: “Let me lift her head veil so we can both see – haha…”

His laughter didn’t last long before being stunned by the face that suddenly appeared before his eyes, freezing at the head of the bed.

“What are you making a fuss about now?”

The other man spoke impatiently and moved closer. When their four eyes met, even though he prided himself on considerable courage, he was shocked on the spot.

The tall man had already hurriedly pulled the cloth from Lian Xin’s mouth and suddenly snapped the ropes binding her, falling to his knees with a thud: “Princess, spare my life! This humble person didn’t know it was the princess… offended the princess, Princess…”

As he spoke, he was kicked hard in the face by the freed Lian Xin.

These two men turned out to be Mao Hui and Yu Jinglun. Both were outwardly calm about Lian Yu’s sudden visit but actually quite worried inside. Slipping away for a moment, they came here seeking pleasure, never expecting the woman they nearly violated would be the princess.

Lian Xin clutched her clothes while staring at the two men, the venom in her eyes chillingly unnerving: “I will definitely have you two tortured slowly and your nine generations dismembered!”

Mao Hui was shocked and about to kowtow again for mercy, but Yu Jinglun’s eyes slowly revealed a trace of sinister cruelty. His lips curved as he looked at Lian Xin: “Princess, you’d have to get out of this door first. This humble person doesn’t know how you were abducted here, but since no one has come to rescue you all this time, that means no one knows you’re here!”

Lian Xin’s heart turned cold, her hands clutching her garments suddenly dropping – a voice suddenly echoed in her mind: Lian Xin, this is what you get for not using your brain, for always doing brainless things!

How could she not restrain herself instead of lashing out at them? Even if she wanted to kill people, she should wait until returning to the courier station. Just now she should have pretended to thank these two for their “rescue.”

“Old Monster, you’re right!”

Mao Hui’s expression turned sinister. He spoke coldly, standing up from the ground, his right palm tightly clenched together as he struck toward Lian Xin’s crown.

Though he lacked Yu Jinglun’s cunning, in terms of ruthlessness, he was no less vicious.

Lian Xin had no way to avoid it, only screaming “Mother Empress, Sixth Brother” before tightly closing her eyes.

She trembled violently, her resentful and painful emotions not yet settled, now overwhelmed by the terror of death. As the fierce palm wind scraped past her forehead and eyes, she heard Mao Hui give a low shout, and she was swept into a warm, muscular embrace.

She opened her eyes in shock to see the two in confrontation.

The person holding her was actually the one she hated most… Wuqing.

He had somehow returned at this critical moment of life and death, saving her life!

She stared at him blankly while his cold, sharp eyes gazed at the two men ahead, one hand holding her, the other holding a sword pointed at Mao Hui and Yu Jinglun.

Blood covered Mao Hui’s hand.

“Who are you? I advise you not to wade into these muddy waters, brother. We’re just killing a prostitute – what’s it to you?”

Yu Jinglun could tell this young man had extraordinary bearing. Not expecting such a character to be here, he didn’t immediately engage in fierce battle but first tried to mislead with words.

Wuqing smiled slightly: “She is what she is – you seem to know, don’t you?”

He had turned back because at the brothel entrance he had passed these two men, and at that time, they were quietly discussing Magistrate Huang, Prime Minister Quan…

Startled, he secretly followed them in, never expecting to encounter the scene of them defiling and attempting to murder Lian Xin.

Mao Hui and Yu Jinglun’s expressions immediately changed as they leaped forward to fight him.

Fortunately, the two had come to the brothel for pleasure and carried no weapons, while Wuqing’s swordsmanship was exquisite. Despite carrying Lian Xin and having a deep abdominal wound, he could still barely protect her.

“This man has a serious abdominal injury – we just need to attack his wound.”

Yu Jinglun was vicious. Seeing his bloody clothes, he immediately advised Mao Hui with a smile.

Wuqing frowned, forcefully circulating his internal energy to execute a sword flower that slightly repelled the two men. He bent down to whisper in Lian Xin’s ear: “I’ll use a killing move to entangle these two shortly – you must run when you see the chance! Remember, given my injuries, I can only execute one more move. If you can’t escape, it’s a dead end!”

Clearly seeing his abdomen bleeding profusely, the wound he had previously stanched reopening during the fight… his brows tightly knitted, his lips also pale and bluish – everything showed this man was at the end of his strength. Hearing his calm words, Lian Xin’s fear seemed soothed by him.

“I severely wounded you – why… do you still want to save me? Don’t you know you might die too?”

She stared at him blankly, asking this question that wasn’t particularly important or life-saving in such a critical situation.