Jiang Li temporarily had no time to deal with Feng Yutang and Princess Yongning’s orders, but she wasn’t a fool. Having dealt with Princess Yongning once in her previous life, she could imagine that Princess Yongning would next try to eliminate her completely. The title of Chief Minister’s daughter could intimidate Tong Zhiyang and Feng Yutang, but it couldn’t intimidate Princess Yongning. They would eventually strike at her ruthlessly, but right now the most important thing was to settle Peng Xiao and the others properly. Their time was limited—two of the seven days had already passed.

The secret chamber Jiang Li mentioned was hidden in an abandoned estate in Tongxiang rumored to be haunted. Underground in the estate was a tunnel, and the entrance to the tunnel was in the stone wall by the lakeside, covered on the outside by lush wild grass that others couldn’t see at all.

Ye Mingyu settled Peng Xiao and the others in that secret chamber, first having people change their clothes and giving them something to eat. Peng Xiao and He Jun were relatively better off, just physically weak. Gu Da and Gu Er were in poor condition, but worst of all was Xiao Hei. When Ye Mingyu brought Doctor Zhong as Jiang Li had instructed, Doctor Zhong shook his head repeatedly.

Ye Mingyu had also brought Doctor Zhong’s only son and gave Doctor Zhong five hundred taels of silver, telling him that as long as he could cure Xiao Hei and the others, they would find a way to send Doctor Zhong out of Tongxiang and give him another fifteen hundred taels—enough for them to settle elsewhere.

Tongxiang was a small county where common people had never seen so much silver at once. Moreover, Ye Mingyu’s fierce face with its scar looked menacing. Doctor Zhong was terrified and applied his utmost effort to repair Xiao Hei’s injuries.

While Xiao Hei, Gu Da, and Gu Er rested, Jiang Li and Peng Xiao’s group went outside to talk.

Ye Mingyu first found a rock by the secret chamber to sit on and said, “A Li, you found a good place here. I reckon even if Feng Yutang digs three feet into the ground, he couldn’t find a second place like this. There are even stone tables and stools inside—I wonder who left them.”

Who left them? Naturally it was Xue Zhao. Back then, Xue Zhao had read many strange tales and travelogues and often said, “One day we’ll be like those storybooks, find a down-and-out hero being pursued by officials, and let him live in here. I guarantee others won’t find them, and he’ll teach me martial arts here. Hey, in three to five years, I’ll be a great hero, and no one will dare provoke me. If anyone dares touch a finger on you, Sister, I’ll—make them kneel and beg for mercy with one sword strike!”

The young man’s unbridled laughter seemed to still echo in the deep secret chamber. His words had proven prophetic—many years later, they truly did rescue someone pursued by officials and hide them here, but there was no longer any Xue Zhao to learn martial arts.

Jiang Li withdrew her thoughts and, facing Peng Xiao and the others’ gazes, said, “I also heard about it by chance. This place is safe for now—at least for seven days, Feng Yutang’s people won’t find it. Once seven days pass, everything will be different.”

“Second Miss Jiang, thank you.” Peng Xiao said. He now knew Jiang Li’s identity and understood some of what she had come to Tongxiang to do. Although he still didn’t quite understand why Jiang Li was working so diligently to overturn the Xue family’s case, at least now, the five of them who had survived by luck all believed in Jiang Li.

Perhaps it couldn’t be called belief, but rather willingness to believe—like a drowning person who suddenly discovers a lifeline and swims desperately toward it, regardless of whether that straw might sink. They didn’t want to believe it was a mirage. To them, Xue Huaiyuan was a superior, more like a teacher. As long as there was the slightest chance to save Xue Huaiyuan, they were willing to try.

“What can we do?” He Jun asked.

Jiang Li looked at He Jun. She used to think He Jun was too gentle to be a yamen runner, but after experiencing these recent events, he seemed to have matured overnight. That young man who always asked Xue Fangfei to find him books would persist through gritted teeth for the fairness and justice in his heart. Although he could do nothing, as long as he was alive, it was refusing to surrender to fate.

Fortunately, fate still had a chance to turn around.

“Looking at the Xue family case alone, it can only go through Feng Yutang’s hands in Tongxiang. As long as Feng Yutang handles it, anything favorable to the Xue family will become unfavorable. As you know, Feng Yutang deliberately had County Magistrate Xue imprisoned. So this case cannot go through Feng Yutang’s hands. I’ve thought it over—only by implicating Feng Yutang himself and having the Court of Judicial Review handle it will there be room to maneuver.”

Peng Xiao and He Jun exchanged glances. “You want us to accuse Feng Yutang?”

Dealing with intelligent people was easy. Jiang Li said, “Correct. Originally I thought having you accuse Feng Yutang would be somewhat difficult. Even accusing him of privately torturing you—all this could be covered up, and it would only be one-sided testimony. But for Feng Yutang to actually send you to the East Mountain mine tunnels—this is seeking his own death. He’s walking toward his own dead end, and no one can stop him.”

“What do you mean?” Ye Mingyu interjected. “Not accuse Feng Yutang of his atrocities, but accuse him of what?”

“Accuse him of privately mining gold without reporting to the court. Although East Mountain is an abandoned mine and everyone knows no gold can be mined there, that was over a dozen years ago. After all these years, many people have forgotten about it. As long as word spreads that East Mountain still has gold to mine, but Feng Yutang concealed this from the court and secretly sent people to mine gold, his crime becomes grave.”

He Jun murmured, “Privately mining minerals is a capital crime punishable by extermination of the entire clan…”

“Everything under heaven belongs to the Emperor. Stealing from someone, stealing from the Son of Heaven himself—death isn’t enough punishment.” Jiang Li smiled faintly. “Moreover, this Master Feng seems to have guidance from someone important behind him. The waters in Yanjing run deep—who knows what Feng Yutang wants the gold for? Mining gold is ultimately for wealth. Such a huge fortune—if used to recruit soldiers and horses, wouldn’t that suggest collaboration with the enemy and treason? Collaboration with the enemy and treason—that’s a matter of national importance. Important matters, how can they be resolved in a small place like Tongxiang? Even petitioning the Emperor directly wouldn’t be excessive.”

Ye Mingyu was dumbfounded. He Jun and Peng Xiao also listened in stunned amazement.

In this short speech, Jiang Li had elevated Feng Yutang’s crimes to the level of collaboration with the enemy and treason. And everything she said could be established. This was how words could kill without bloodshed—they had truly witnessed it now.

“Correct.” He Jun smiled through gritted teeth, his voice carrying a kind of satisfying hatred. “Their crimes are already too numerous to record. Adding more crimes, calling it collaboration with the enemy and treason is still letting them off easy. Second Miss Jiang, what you say makes perfect sense! Feng Yutang had us fifteen brothers mine gold. We’ll serve as witness testimony then, pointing out Feng Yutang’s wolfish ambitions! He wanted to mine gold but feared others discovering his intentions, so he made us subordinates of Magistrate Xue do the work. Mining day and night without rest—once dead, no one would collect the bodies. This was the best way to keep secrets!”

Jiang Li smiled slightly. He Jun truly had grown up. Facing enemies, he finally understood that not all honorable methods were useful. But this growth and maturity looked somewhat heartbreaking.

Peng Xiao said in a heavy voice, “Not just us, but also our ten dead brothers. The magistrate cared for us back then. We fifteen brothers were all orphans whose parents died young. But we ultimately had wives and children at home. Now they’ve been tortured to death by Feng Yutang, their bodies thrown outside East Mountain to be torn apart by wild dogs. Pitifully, there were those newly married who had just welcomed sons—now I don’t know how their wives and children are managing… Even if I stake this life, I, Peng Xiao, will avenge those dead brothers!”

Though the tall man shed no tears, every word was blood and tears. Hearing this, Ye Mingyu’s heart surged with emotion. “Count me in! That Feng Yutang has done nothing but despicable things—he should have faced retribution long ago. Since Heaven won’t take the lead, I damn well will!”

Perhaps when hearts were united, many things that seemed difficult at the start didn’t seem so unimaginable at the end.

“But…” He Jun paused, calmed his emotions, then looked at Jiang Li. “The question is about Feng Yutang’s crimes—what about our magistrate?” He was still constantly thinking about Xue Huaiyuan.

“County Magistrate Xue’s charges are simply absurd. They say he embezzled disaster relief silver, but all of Tongxiang’s common people can testify. During the natural disaster, the silver was all distributed into the people’s hands. Xue Huaiyuan never embezzled a single tael,” Jiang Li said.

“We all know that.” Peng Xiao lowered his head. “But the problem is, no Tongxiang common people are willing to come forward.”

“Can’t blame them either.” He Jun interjected. “Calamity shouldn’t reach wives and children. Feng Yutang threatens them with their parents and children—everyone has concerns in their hearts and doesn’t dare come forward to testify for the magistrate. Second Miss Jiang, after Feng Yutang became Deputy Magistrate in Tongxiang, he bullied men and women, committed every evil deed. The common people dare to be angry but don’t dare speak. Not only that, they also treat human lives like grass. If not for this, the common people would have revolted long ago. But Feng Yutang was originally a hoodlum and thug—his methods are extremely underhanded. No one dares take this risk.”

“I know.” Jiang Li said softly. “I don’t blame them.” Actually, it was the same—if one day she was asked to cry injustice for a good person but it would cost Xue Huaiyuan and Xue Zhao their lives, she would hesitate too. The knife doesn’t hurt until it cuts your own flesh—human nature is such, and no one is exempt.

“Then what do we do?” Ye Mingyu scratched his head.

“Although the common people have their difficulties, this matter still requires Tongxiang’s people to stand up. I know it’s dangerous, but there’s no other way. The world is such—the original fairness and justice now require a price to obtain. Only when the common people stand up can they become the last straw that breaks the camel’s back. I want the criminals who framed the Xue family to shed their skin even if they don’t die this time. I absolutely won’t let them off easy!” When Jiang Li spoke to this point, her tone intensified, as if a fire burned in her eyes. After a moment, she calmed down.

“I’ll do it. Tongxiang has a total of five hundred sixty-eight households. I’ll personally persuade them. Starting today, there are still five days. Every single household in Tongxiang has received County Magistrate Xue’s kindness. A drop of kindness should be repaid with a gushing spring. Although help doesn’t require repayment, now is the time to repay. People’s hearts are all made of flesh. I’ll knock door to door, ask household by household. Five hundred sixty-eight households—I refuse to believe I can’t find a single household willing to stand up.” She looked at them. “There will be at least one household, right?”

Everyone fell silent.

In Jiang Li’s eyes was expectation. She was naturally gentle and composed. Even urgent matters done by her hand seemed to become unhurried. Therefore, she rarely revealed her own emotions. This expectant expression—Ye Mingyu had never seen it before.

Now he had.

And as if in this moment, she was like a true young maiden in her tender years, full of hope waiting for something good to happen. Whoever broke this careful hope would be committing an unforgivable sin.

Peng Xiao said, “That’s right, there will definitely be more than one household—there will be many people. Tongxiang’s common people are not ungrateful wretches. Second Miss Jiang, don’t underestimate them.”

The corner of Jiang Li’s mouth lifted. “I won’t. I’ve always believed in them.”

Just as Father believed in them.

…

Coming out of the secret chamber, Jiang Li and Ye Mingyu walked back.

Ye Mingyu said, “A Li, when you go to persuade those common people, I’ll come along too. I’m afraid you can’t manage alone—five hundred sixty-eight households is no small number.”

Jiang Li thought for a moment. “Uncle, you don’t know what kindness they received from County Magistrate Xue, so you probably can’t persuade them. How about I write you a booklet later, and you read from the booklet first.”

Ye Mingyu was stunned. “You mean you know what kindness they received from County Magistrate Xue?”

“More or less.” Jiang Li smiled. She and Xue Zhao sometimes felt that Xue Huaiyuan was truly a rare great benefactor in the world. For every common person in Tongxiang, as long as they had difficulties, Xue Huaiyuan would help. Back when Tongxiang was poor and no one wanted to come, Xue Huaiyuan came and never had any intention of leaving. In Xue Huaiyuan’s view, every common person in Tongxiang was his family. As a parent official, he had to help the people solve their difficulties. If the common people couldn’t even rely on him, there would be no one they could rely on.

Before, she felt acting with a clear conscience was enough. Now, suddenly she felt somewhat confused, not knowing whether what Xue Huaiyuan did back then had any meaning.

If only Xue Zhao were here, Jiang Li thought. He would surely understand her confusion at this moment and would surely persuade her heart in the shortest time.

The carriage convoy circled around the path Jiang Li took and returned to the main road. Jiang Li had already changed back into her original attire in the carriage. Feng Yutang had probably discovered the people at East Mountain had been taken away and was frantically searching for them in a rage. Her disguise wouldn’t fool anyone for long—might as well come out openly. Feng Yutang knew it was her people who took Peng Xiao and the others away, yet he couldn’t discover where they were. Anyway, Feng Yutang didn’t dare threaten her to reveal their whereabouts, so she could act without fear.

Jiang Li sat in the carriage, seriously thinking about what to do next. Before she realized it, it had already grown dark outside.

This day’s time had actually been very tight, but even so, time passed quickly. Jiang Li increasingly felt there wasn’t enough time. Two of the seven days had passed—she didn’t know if the remaining five days would be enough.

She lifted the carriage curtain. In winter, darkness fell quickly. Although Tongxiang’s evenings couldn’t be called lively in the past, there were still some pedestrians outside. But now, whether because Feng Yutang was in office or not, there were very few people on the streets. One would walk for a long time before seeing a single pedestrian. Every household had closed doors and extinguished lights, making Tongxiang seem like a ghost town. The sound of the carriage traveling on the street echoed especially clearly.

Ye Mingyu muttered outside, “How come there’s not a single person?”

The wind lightly lifted a corner of the carriage curtain. For no reason, Jiang Li’s heart suddenly jumped.

Turning a corner would be Qingshi Lane. Although it was a familiar street, an ominous premonition suddenly surged in Jiang Li’s heart. She called out, “Uncle!”

“What is it, A…” Before Ye Mingyu could say “Li,” he heard a cold whooshing sound carried by wind from midair. His reaction was also extremely quick—without thinking, he drew his blade to block with his backhand. A loud “clang” rang out as blade met sword.

Several black shadows “whooshed” out from around the eaves, moving extremely fast, almost merging with the night in the darkness, rushing directly at the carriage from all directions, sword tips pointed straight at Jiang Li!

“Protect Young Miss!” Ye Mingyu only had time to shout this before becoming entangled in combat with these black-clothed assassins.

Jiang Li’s heart gave a heavy thump. She had anticipated that Princess Yongning would instruct Feng Yutang to strike at her ruthlessly, but she hadn’t expected it would be this fast! Setting aside the time for messages to travel from Yanjing to Tongxiang, at least it shouldn’t be this quick. After receiving Princess Yongning’s orders, Feng Yutang would at least hesitate for a while. She was Jiang Yuanbai’s daughter—just this identity alone should make Feng Yutang wary.

But all plans could be wrong. Feng Yutang was like his master Princess Yongning—naturally bold and ruthless. Perhaps he thought Princess Yongning would protect him from all harm, which was why he dared to be so recklessly bold!

Jiang Li looked outside, her heart gradually sinking. Good heavens, Princess Yongning was truly lavish with her resources. Their group was only seven people, but Princess Yongning’s forces numbered around twenty. Among these twenty-some people, several seemed to have especially superior martial skills and were entangled in combat with Ye Mingyu. The rest were slightly inferior but still tied up the other guards. People kept rushing toward the carriage—their target was Jiang Li!

This couldn’t continue! A conjecture suddenly flashed through Jiang Li’s mind—these people’s goal was her, not Ye Mingyu and the others. But if they continued to be entangled, Ye Mingyu might be in danger. Without thinking, she suddenly emerged from the carriage, startling Ye Mingyu, who shouted sternly, “A Li, get back!”

“I’m fine, Uncle!” Jiang Li’s movements were as quick as a blink. She turned, pulled out the dagger from her sleeve to cut the carriage ropes, planted her foot in the stirrup, mounted the horse in one motion, pulled the reins, and galloped off into the night.

In a moment, she was gone without a trace.

Seeing Jiang Li actually abandon the carriage and flee, those assassins no longer wanted to be entangled with Ye Mingyu and his group and tried to chase after Jiang Li. How could Ye Mingyu let them succeed? He continued fighting with his blade, but with so many opponents, some inevitably slipped through, following Jiang Li’s retreating figure.

On horseback, Jiang Li found that at this critical moment, the more urgent the situation, the clearer her mind became.

Sometimes, the more urgent the situation, the more panicked people’s hearts became, the easier it was to make mistakes. Sometimes situations that weren’t originally that quickly lost were surrendered because of panic. She knew the principle of never giving up until the last moment. Moreover, she had an ace up her sleeve that others couldn’t match.

It was her familiarity with Tongxiang.

Jiang Li had already discerned that the group who came to assassinate them earlier was clearly divided into two factions. The fewer people with better martial skills, the more numerous group with inferior skills. Those with good skills should be Princess Yongning’s people, while those with inferior skills were the rabble Feng Yutang had found from somewhere. The assassins now closely following behind her were probably Princess Yongning’s people.

After all, assassinating her was their mission.

Jiang Li smiled faintly as her horse nimbly leaped over the forest paths. In the night, the moon was gradually covered by thick clouds, making it impossible to see anything.

But she moved as if she could see, navigating flexibly through the forest.

She had grown up in Tongxiang—this was her home. She had watched Xue Zhao hunt here and knew that the most important thing when hunting was to lure prey into a trap, imperceptibly, bit by bit. Every tree, every patch of ground was her natural barrier, familiar courage.

The corner of Jiang Li’s mouth lifted. The pursuing sounds behind her gradually approached. She could even feel that if she just turned her head, a gleaming silver sword would be at her throat, instantly stealing her life.

But she just lightly jumped over a patch of grass before her and stopped.

“Splash!” “Splash!” “Splash!”

Three sounds.

Like heavy objects falling into water, followed immediately by strange cursing sounds and panicked cries for help.

Jiang Li stopped and laughed softly from across the grass.

That calm patch of grass had now become a swamp that could swallow people. Something viscous and flowing seemed to have wrapped them up. Human figures struggled within it.

“Stop struggling,” Jiang Li said slowly. “This is the most terrifying swamp in this area. The more you struggle, the faster you sink.”

The moon gradually emerged from the clouds. The corners of her dress were covered with mud from the forest, yet her face was unreasonably clean. She smiled at the corners of her mouth, spoke gently and softly, yet said terrifying words. “Oh my, I just noticed—you’re already half submerged. There’s no saving you now. Even if someone comes, they can’t save you—they’ll only be dragged down with you.” She covered her mouth and said with a sigh, “How pitiful.”

Those black-clothed assassins glared at her with fury and ferocity, but their bodies were already half sunk. One even had half his face submerged—probably from struggling too fiercely, the swamp had covered his mouth and was about to pour into his nose. Terror showed in his eyes.

This taste of waiting alive for death was truly too agonizing. Jiang Li might as well give them one sword strike and let them die quickly.

Jiang Li obviously wasn’t that kind-hearted. Instead, she turned, mounted her horse, and left the swamp.

Xue Huaiyuan had once strictly forbidden her and Xue Zhao from playing here because this forest had this swamp. But Xue Zhao was mischievous and felt this was a natural trap. They made many animal traps here and caught many prey. If not for Feng Yutang’s assassins appearing so suddenly today, if she had Ye Mingyu set up this forest area, catching all the assassins in one net wouldn’t be difficult. Just like in warfare, sometimes strategy could overcome brute force.

Only three—what a pity.

Jiang Li rode back. She needed to take a different route and safely return to Ye Mingyu’s side. She wondered how Ye Mingyu was doing now.

The horse walked forward a few steps, then suddenly stopped. Its front hooves waved in the air as if detecting some dangerous scent, hesitating to advance.

In the clear bright moonlight, under the trees, vaguely, dozens of black-clothed figures in a surrounding formation had her encircled in the middle.

“Second Miss truly has vast divine powers.” The leader sneered coldly. “No wonder Madam had so many of us come together. Earlier I thought it was overkill, but now it seems we still underestimated Second Miss.”

Madam? Jiang Li’s brow furrowed. “Ji Shuran?”

The other party didn’t speak, but Jiang Li instantly understood—it was indeed Ji Shuran.

She had known that on this return trip to Xiangyang, Ji Shuran would definitely make moves in the shadows. After all, in Ji Shuran’s eyes, she was an obstacle that had to be eliminated. But she hadn’t expected Ji Shuran’s people to be so patient, even able to think of the method of the mantis stalking the cicada while the oriole waits behind, having people follow in the rear, waiting until she and Feng Yutang’s people were both injured and distracted, then suddenly catching her off guard.

This was her oversight, Jiang Li thought calmly.

The opposing side had over ten people. She was alone. No weapons except for that short dagger in her sleeve. But this dagger couldn’t serve much purpose—the enemy’s strength was too vastly superior to hers. She had nothing to use to distract their attention. Seeing Feng Yutang’s people fall into the swamp, these people would only be more vigilant and wouldn’t fall for the same trick.

Heaven always loved to joke—just when the road ahead seemed to be a broad path, it told people their lifeline was severed. Making hopeful people more desperate, desperate people plunging forever into darkness.

“Second Miss needn’t look around trying to think of other methods.” The leader’s voice carried a trace of strange malice. “Madam told us to use every method to torture you, then kill you.” He laughed viscously. “But Second Miss is so pure and lovely, intelligent and brave—we can’t bear to use very terrible methods to torture you. How about we switch to a more comfortable method?”

The black-clothed people around him all let out the same disgusting laughter as him. Without even thinking, Jiang Li knew what despicable methods they were thinking of in their hearts.

In an instant, she seemed to return to that afternoon at the Shen residence. That humiliating, indignant emotion had controlled her for half a year of being on the verge of death afterward. It turned her life upside down, and these people were now dredging up those disgusting memories again.

Jiang Li’s gaze deepened as she sneered coldly. “You think you’ve already won? You think I have no other options?”

The leader laughed again. “I know Second Miss is looking for a way to delay time, but Third Master Ye was already injured earlier. Feng Yutang’s people have already blocked him ahead. Moreover, Second Miss’s horse ran too fast. Third Master Ye’s horse doesn’t know the way and doesn’t know about this forest, so he can’t find Second Miss’s whereabouts either. Right now, there are only us and you here.”

He spoke with extreme arrogance. Jiang Li knew the routes, so she could lead three assassins into the forest and have them sink into the swamp with no chance of survival. But even if Ye Mingyu shook off those assassins, he couldn’t find Jiang Li’s whereabouts—Tongxiang was completely unfamiliar to him.

But Jiang Li just smiled. “Who said I was looking for Third Master Ye?”

The man was stunned.

Her voice was clear and bright, containing inexplicable laughter, echoing through the forest.

“Duke, having watched the show for so long, might you come out for a meeting?”