Time goes back to after that group of young masters entered the forest.

Seeing the weather getting worse and worse, not only had Tie Ci not returned, but even that group of young masters hadn’t come back either.

The Emperor remembered that the last to return was Tan Dunzhi, so he ordered someone to find him and ask if the Crown Princess had any instructions. As a result, Tan Dunzhi couldn’t be found either.

Xia Houchun, responsible for defense, looked at the sky and frowned: “Your Majesty, you should hurry back to the traveling palace.”

The situation was obviously somewhat wrong. No matter what, he had to ensure the Emperor’s safety.

At this time, the ministers were unwilling to return, all worried about the safety of those young masters, and requested the Emperor to send troops into the forest to search.

Xia Houchun flatly refused: “Impossible. The Crown Princess isn’t here, the Palace Guards aren’t here. The guards must be responsible for His Majesty’s safety. Sending troops into the forest would divide His Majesty’s protective forces—what if assassins come?”

Marquis Duanyang said: “Weren’t last night’s assassins already captured? Where would so many assassins come from? Please, Your Majesty, show mercy and send people into the forest to search for this minister’s unworthy son.”

Li Shen said: “Your Majesty, the Crown Princess is still in the forest and hasn’t returned yet. I fear something is amiss. While our children’s lives are insignificant, the Crown Princess concerns the realm.”

The Emperor was already uneasy in his heart and immediately said: “Xia Hou, send guards into the forest to search and provide support.”

Xia Houchun had no choice. Since it concerned the Crown Princess, he couldn’t obstruct, so he could only dispatch a thousand guards to search the mountains while urging the Emperor and ministers to return to camp immediately.

The Emperor agreed, mounting his carriage to depart. The hunting ground was seven or eight li from the traveling palace—not too far.

After traveling two or three li, they came to a river that ran across the imperial garden peaks. The Emperor’s guard consisted of three thousand men: some advancing ahead, some accompanying the carriage, and some bringing up the rear. The vast procession was stretched quite long because the ministers moved slowly and kept looking back.

There was a bridge over the river. The advance guards crossed quickly, followed by the Emperor’s grand palanquin, with Consort Jing in another large palanquin behind.

When the two palanquins reached the bridge’s center, suddenly there was a loud creaking sound. Xia Houchun’s brow jumped as he shouted: “Watch out!”

In his shout, he twisted around violently, the agile fat man shooting like a cannonball into the Emperor’s palanquin and grabbing hold of the Emperor.

Dan Shuang had stayed in the forest earlier waiting for Tie Ci, while Chi Xue accompanied Consort Jing’s palanquin. She was the second to react, immediately rushing into Consort Jing’s palanquin without a word and pulling Consort Jing close.

The next instant the palanquin tilted. Chi Xue fell backward, and Consort Jing screamed as she crashed into her embrace. The sharp hairpin on her head pierced Chi Xue’s lower abdomen. Chi Xue gritted her teeth and endured, holding Consort Jing tightly, but couldn’t control her backward fall. Screams arose around and behind them, accompanied by thunderous crashes below. Heaven and earth spun, and the next moment they splashed into the water together.

The bridge had collapsed.

Another thunderous crash, lightning flashed, and torrential rain poured from the clouds.

Consort Jing in her arms was screaming and struggling unconsciously. Chi Xue surfaced through the pain and saw guards jumping into the water to rescue them both ahead and behind, but in the heavy rain, shadowy figures infiltrated the crowds in both directions. Screams arose, and those guards had to turn back to rescue the attacked ministers.

Several explosive bangs filled the air with smoke—it was impossible to see how many assassins there were, and those ministers were obviously in greater chaos.

A guard swam over to help her, his hand just reaching out when Chi Xue suddenly widened her eyes.

Behind the guard, a black shadow silently emerged. Bright blade light flashed with the lightning—with a splash, hot blood sprayed across Chi Xue and Consort Jing’s faces.

This time Consort Jing didn’t even manage to scream before her eyes rolled back and she fainted.

Chi Xue didn’t dare call for help anymore. Holding Consort Jing with one hand, she quickly pulled out all the eye-catching hairpins and pearl ornaments from her hair with the other.

She dragged Consort Jing toward shore, taking advantage of the heavy rain, dark water, and smoke to swim quietly.

In a lightning flash, she saw Xia Houchun also carrying the Emperor, stepping on broken bridge planks and charging toward shore.

More than one cold arrow shot toward Xia Houchun in the lightning.

Chi Xue was about to warn him when suddenly glints of light flashed in the wind and rain. Several black arrows shot forth, breaking the cold arrows with sharp cracks.

Chi Xue felt slightly relieved.

The Crown Princess still had preparations. As long as they got through the initial panic and assault, no killer could harm them.

The water beside her stirred as a black-clothed figure suddenly emerged.

Probably having held his breath underwater too long, he couldn’t help but surface for air.

He appeared so suddenly that Chi Xue was startled, but she held back from shouting.

Unfortunately, Consort Jing woke up at this moment. Opening her eyes to see a completely black figure beside her, she opened her mouth to scream.

Chi Xue quickly stuck her hand in her mouth while saying to the black-clothed man: “The Emperor is over there!”

She pointed randomly. The black-clothed man, having just emerged and still unable to see clearly from the rain, heard this and instinctively thought she was a companion also lurking in the water, turning to look.

Chi Xue already had a dagger in hand, silently stabbing into his neck.

A patch of deep red spread around them.

Consort Jing’s eyes rolled back and she fainted again.

Chi Xue felt it was better for her to be unconscious—she wished she could knock her unconscious for longer.

However, eliminating this one alerted the surrounding assassins to her presence. Water rippled as head after head surfaced.

Chi Xue swam desperately forward, but dragging another person was already difficult, and the heavy rain made it impossible to see direction clearly.

Guards continuously entered the water trying to rescue people, but with countless assassins in the dark water and poor visibility, entering the water meant death.

Just as Chi Xue was about to reach shore, waves clustered toward her from ahead, and a row of heads emerged from the water, surrounding her completely.

Over there, Xia Houchun carried the Emperor while stepping on broken bridge pieces toward shore. Suddenly a wooden plank he had aimed for was pulled away, replaced by a circle of blade light. Xia Houchun nimbly twisted and landed on an assassin’s head, stomping him into the water, but this brief delay allowed river assassins connected by iron chains to coordinate and block both him and the guards trying to rescue them.

Xia Houchun let out a sharp whistle.

Summoning his subordinates while also exposing his position.

The Emperor lifted his head with effort from under Xia Houchun’s arm, seeing wet black-clothed figures in all directions, blade light, water light, and rain light crisscrossing before his eyes. In the distance, iron cavalry charged wildly toward them, but seemed too late.

…

The boulder rolled down with a rumble.

The young masters, still shaken, cried out in alarm and scattered in all directions.

Only Li Yuncheng shouted: “Don’t let the stone block the cave entrance…”

But obviously his shout had no effect. With a thunderous crash, the boulder pressed against the cave entrance, even more tightly than before.

The young masters stopped and looked at the boulder in horror, then toward the forest. In the dark forest, tree shadows swayed as if hiding countless killers.

“Let’s go, let’s go! Since someone pushed the stone, they’re nearby!”

A crowd jostled and stumbled, about to flee.

“Go where! Into the forest to die?” Suddenly a furious shout stopped everyone. They turned back to see Li Yuncheng, usually gentle as still water, somehow already at the large stone, rolling up his sleeves and bending down to move it. “Why aren’t you helping!”

Everyone looked at him, then at the forest, hesitating momentarily. Li Yuncheng took a breath, knowing that talk of life-saving debt would be useless with these frightened fellows who only wanted to escape. He said coldly: “Since there are still killers, we need to rescue the Crown Princess even more. The people coming to get us haven’t arrived yet—only the Crown Princess’s martial prowess can escort us safely out of the forest!”

The forest quieted for a moment. After a pause, Chang Qianmo walked over somewhat hesitantly.

One by one, others followed.

Everyone worked together to move the large stone. One person was exerting force when suddenly he saw cold light flash toward him.

He screamed in fright but didn’t release his grip.

Because at this moment he understood—without rescuing the Crown Princess, he still wouldn’t survive.

Suddenly a white shadow flashed beside him. A hand reached out, lightly and skillfully caught the arrow, and with a backhand threw it out. With a whistling sound through the air, a scream came from the forest.

Everyone turned to see Tie Ci standing behind them with Feng Huan on her shoulder.

…The Crown Princess was already out?

When had she come out?

After the wild joy, some remembered that their earlier disgraceful abandonment had all been seen by the Crown Princess.

Tie Ci looked at this group of wastrels.

The water pit in the cave wasn’t deep. After entering the water, she had been prepared for someone to cover the entrance above, quickly knocked unconscious Feng Huan who still had a bit of consciousness and wanted to cling to her desperately, then immediately teleported out.

When the young masters scattered in flight, she hid behind bushes and watched coldly.

If they had fled by themselves and died in the forest, that would be the result they sought themselves—she wouldn’t rescue them again.

Now, they were lucky.

As soon as she made a move, the cold arrows in the forest stopped again. Tie Ci said: “Let’s go. I’ll cover the rear. Move at top speed. Remember, I won’t look back—whoever falls behind is responsible for themselves.”

The young masters immediately began running frantically without another word.

No one dared say anything more.

The Crown Princess would never joke.

And would never rescue them repeatedly.

The group ran wildly through the waterlogged forest regardless of the rough terrain. When they tripped, they didn’t dare cry out in pain but got up and continued running.

Cold arrows occasionally flew past them with whistling sounds that terrified them. Some even grazed their clothes as they passed. The young masters didn’t dare lift their heads, running with heads down while gratefully thinking: Thank goodness the Crown Princess was there, thank goodness she was still willing to protect them, thank goodness she intercepted almost all the deadly arrows. The Crown Princess was truly good, with excellent aim and superb martial arts…

At the back of the group, Tie Ci walked while catching scattered flying arrows and throwing the caught arrows like darts toward the young masters ahead.

Grazing their heads—she gave herself nine points.

Grazing their clothes—five points.

Continuing to run after a head graze—bonus point.

Crying after a head graze—minus one point.

She was like a not-so-honest shepherd dog, driving a flock of bleating silly sheep through the rainy dense forest toward their pen.

The only one who saw the truth was Feng Huan, who had replaced Li Yuncheng in occupying the excellent viewing position on the Crown Princess’s shoulder. But he didn’t get Li Yuncheng’s good treatment—while Li had been carried right-side up, he was hanging upside down. Since Tie Ci had no time to help him expel water, hanging inverted while running conveniently let the water flow out.

When Feng Huan was in the water, in the desperate semi-conscious state near death, he vaguely heard splashing sounds as water broke, then saw a snow-white beautiful face approaching against the current, long hair flowing gracefully in the water. At the time, his confused mind thought: This must be a fairy coming.

Now hanging upside down on the fairy’s shoulder, he vomited while bouncing along as she ran, constantly experiencing the terror of flying arrows grazing his head, while watching the fairy throw captured arrows one by one at his companions. He didn’t know whether to pity them or himself.

He was wrong.

This wasn’t a fairy.

This was a demon in fairy’s clothing.

Though Tie Ci appeared leisurely, she was actually irritated inside. She worried about Father and the others’ safety but couldn’t immediately abandon these wastrels.

The signal fireworks had been launched, but heavy rain washed away traces, and there were no paths in the forest—it was easy to go the wrong way, and it wasn’t possible for rescue to arrive so quickly.

Suddenly seeing figures moving ahead, before Tie Ci could be alert, the other side shouted: “Is that the Crown Princess?”

Tie Ci responded. A single rider charged forward—the thoroughly soaked rider on horseback was actually Rong Pu.

Tie Ci was surprised he had arrived so quickly, and even more surprised he was personally leading the team. Shouldn’t this beautiful flower be drinking tea in camp in such weather?

Rong Pu approached and first looked Tie Ci up and down several times. Confirming that though her complexion wasn’t great, at least she was uninjured and healthy, only then did he relax.

When Tie Ci questioned him, she learned he had been guarding at the forest edge earlier. Calculating that she hadn’t emerged for a long time and something was wrong, he had simply organized guards from various families under the pretext of searching for their young masters and led them into the forest. Being meticulous, he had been paying attention to everyone’s movements, remembering the direction Tie Ci entered the forest and the positions where the young masters entered.

When Tie Ci’s fireworks went off, he had already found the location where Tie Ci and Murong Yi had been in the forest earlier. Finding no one there, he knew something was wrong and immediately searched everywhere for traces of Tie Ci and the others’ departure, pursuing at top speed.

Though he didn’t say it explicitly, Tie Ci knew that the reason he had been watching without entering the forest from the start was because he guessed she had entered to secretly meet with Murong Yi.

And he had just stood guard at the forest edge like that, noting the direction she went, calculating her meeting time…

It was a bit cruel, but Tie Ci was gratified.

That Rong Pu could calmly accept her relationship with Murong Yi while not forgetting his duties—no matter how much of a tea-drinking flower he was, he was still a qualified trusted minister.

She was about to unload Feng Huan and throw him out when Rong Pu suddenly said: “Don’t move!”

He told everyone: “Hold your breath!”

He stared at Tie Ci’s shoulder with a grave expression.

Tie Ci also felt it—her hair was being lightly brushed.

She didn’t move, looking sideways to see a tiny black insect on her shoulder.

The insect had probably been crawling but now, sensing danger, froze motionless.

Tie Ci wore black tight-fitting clothes and was in the dim light of the forest rain—an ordinary person leaning close wouldn’t be able to see it.

Only with her superior eyesight could she spot it.

She wanted to blow the insect away, but Rong Pu signaled her not to and scattered yellow powder.

When the powder arrived, the insect panicked, suddenly taking flight, only to fall halfway down.

Tie Ci watched as the insect fell partway and with a pop transformed into a very concentrated thin red smoke.

The smoke didn’t disperse in the rain, and surrounding vegetation immediately withered.

And this withering showed signs of spreading.

A young master standing very close had been holding his breath but slipped and stepped on the withered leaves.

The next moment his whole body trembled, he suddenly giggled, and lunged forward to lick his companion’s neck.

When his companion was licked, he also trembled all over and backhanded his sword to strike the person next to him.

Tie Ci knocked them both unconscious with one hand each and herded them like sheep to quickly leave that area.

This insect was not merely poisonous—it seemed to also have the effect of confusing the mind and deepening evil thoughts.

The lustful became more indulgent, the violent dared to kill.

The enemy’s poisonous schemes came wave after wave, always making her lower her guard for the next attack.

Like yesterday, seemingly giving up and not pursuing vigorously, but secretly releasing poisonous insects.

Once she relaxed and was affected in this dim environment, what would happen between her, a woman, and a group of hot-blooded young men?

Though Tie Ci didn’t think she would necessarily be affected, she was still disgusted by this vicious method.

Seeing that her old classmates were all there, she unceremoniously threw Feng Huan onto Qi Yuansi’s back and vanished in a flash.

The rescued young masters crowded around, chattering to Rong Pu and the others about their adventures and the Crown Princess’s brilliant prowess, their words full of reverence and gratitude for the Crown Princess.

Feng Huan, now on Qi Yuansi’s shoulder, silently shed tears.

He knew everything.

He dared not say anything.

Let the children continue being foolish.

…

In the Emperor’s eyes on Xia Houchun’s back reflected the approaching crowd.

Beside Chi Xue, Consort Jing looked at the row of river assassins suddenly blocking their path and let out a piercing scream.

Tie Yan looked back toward the dense forest in terror.

Ci’er must have also encountered assassination!

Despair surged in his heart.

The enemy was more cunning and ruthless than he had imagined.

If both Emperor and Crown Prince met with disaster, Great Qian… Great Qian would change hands!

Xia Houchun gritted his teeth and drew his sword.

As long as they could get through this moment, the Blood Cavalry and Scorpion Camp would arrive!

But the next instant, severe pain shot through his leg. Looking down, he saw something vaguely swimming past in the water.

There were poisonous creatures in the water!

He could no longer stand and crashed down thunderously. Before falling, he struck out with his sword—blade light flashed with lightning, simultaneously striking down three black-clothed men charging forward.

But this desperate strike also allowed a black-clothed man to circle behind him and reach for Tie Yan.

Xia Houchun dared neither place Tie Yan in the water nor push him away—he could only barely turn around, using his own chest to meet this blade.

Tie Yan cried out in alarm.

Suddenly there was a thunderous sound.

Then Xia Houchun and Tie Yan saw the charging black-clothed men suddenly fall forward in rows.

Giant waves rose before them, and behind the waves vaguely appeared a horse carriage.

Tie Yan almost wanted to rub his eyes.

This was in the river—how could a horse carriage possibly appear?