When Jiang Li and Ji Heng returned to the outskirts of the forest, Ye Mingyu had already arrived with his subordinates to search for them. Two of his subordinates were severely injured, while the rest had sustained minor wounds to varying degrees. Ye Mingyu himself had a gash on his arm, blood dripping steadily down, but he paid it no mind and casually tore a strip of cloth from his clothing to bind it.

They had searched everywhere but couldn’t find any trace of Jiang Li. Just as Ye Mingyu was beginning to feel despair, he saw Jiang Li appear on horseback at one end of the bluestone alley, with a handsome young man in red robes riding beside her. Ye Mingyu recognized him—this man had appeared before at the gates of the Ye residence in Xiangyang. Jiang Li had mentioned that this man was the Duke of Su.

Though he didn’t understand why the Duke of Su had also come to Tong County, seeing Jiang Li safe filled Ye Mingyu with joy and relief. He quickly brought his men forward to meet them, calling out: “A Li!”

“Uncle!” Seeing Ye Mingyu, Jiang Li was equally delighted. She immediately reined in her horse and dismounted. Uncle and niece reunited, both grateful to have survived the ordeal. Jiang Li looked at those behind Ye Mingyu and asked: “Uncle, are you alright? What about those assassins?”

“They were just a ragtag bunch. The three most skilled ones went after you. By the time we dealt with the rest, you were long gone. We didn’t know the roads in Tong County, so we scattered in all directions to look for you, but couldn’t find you anywhere. It scared me half to death! Thank goodness you’re safe.” He examined Jiang Li from head to toe, and only after confirming she hadn’t even injured a single finger did he relax.

However, Jiang Li noticed the coarse cloth wrapped around Ye Mingyu’s arm, still seeping with bloodstains, and was alarmed: “Uncle, you’re injured!”

“It’s nothing,” Ye Mingyu waved his hand dismissively. “Just minor wounds, not worth mentioning. A Li, let me tell you, it’s a good thing I came along this time. If you’d only brought your own guards, they definitely wouldn’t have managed. But even so, those three skilled fighters… I would have had difficulty dealing with them too. Speaking of which, what happened to those three? I saw them chasing after you, and my heart was racing with anxiety, but I was held up by the others and couldn’t break free. How did you escape from them?”

Jiang Li thought for a moment. Telling Ye Mingyu that she had used the swamp in the forest to trap those killers might be too frightening for him. Although she had revealed many suspicious aspects about herself, this uncle had always believed in her wholeheartedly. It would be better to keep things simple for him—she didn’t want Ye Mingyu to look at her as if she were some kind of monster.

So she said: “I rode my horse and stumbled into a forest by accident. Those people followed me into the forest. They were probably entering that forest for the first time too and got lost inside. I used the stars in the sky to guide me and managed to get out before they did.”

Though she made this up on the spot, Ye Mingyu didn’t doubt her at all and simply said: “That was close, so close.”

Ji Heng, who had been silent all along, glanced at Jiang Li upon hearing this and smiled slightly, as if mocking her string of lies.

Ye Mingyu also noticed Ji Heng’s expression. He hesitated, then asked: “A Li, this gentleman…”

“I encountered His Grace the Duke on my way out,” Jiang Li smiled. “If His Grace hadn’t helped me, I probably wouldn’t have made it back so easily.”

Since Ji Heng had already decided to spare her life temporarily, he naturally wouldn’t go back on his word. In fact, to maintain his dignity of “not letting others take what belongs to him,” he would even help ensure that Jiang Li wouldn’t die at someone else’s hands. This way, Ji Heng became a natural barrier. Jiang Li believed that as long as she was in danger, though Ji Heng wouldn’t proactively help, as long as she asked him for assistance, he would act.

She didn’t know whether this was a good thing or a bad thing.

But whether good or bad, at least before Ji Heng decided to take her life, they could be considered temporary allies. So she didn’t hide anything from Ye Mingyu.

Sure enough, upon hearing this, Ye Mingyu immediately cupped his fists toward Ji Heng and said gratefully: “Is that so? Thank you, Your Grace, for your assistance! This Ye the Third is deeply grateful. If Your Grace has any needs in the future, this Ye the Third will serve you loyally with utmost dedication!”

Ji Heng looked at Jiang Li and smiled: “Do all your family members love repaying favors so much?”

Jiang Li’s cheeks flushed slightly. When Ji Heng had held his fan against her throat, to soften his heart, she had also said things like “repaying the favor in my next life by tying grass rings and holding them in my beak.” Though she knew that Ji Heng had probably seen through her calculations, in the end he had spared her—whether it was because of that statement was hard to say.

As long as someone was human, they would have weaknesses. It was just a matter of how big or small. Ji Heng’s weaknesses were still unclear, but Jiang Li knew he must have them, as long as he still had emotions.

“It’s not that we love repaying favors,” Jiang Li smiled. “We simply have clear distinctions between gratitude and grudges.” Repaying kindness with kindness and enmity with enmity—this had always been the proper way. There was no such thing as repaying kindness with enmity or being ungrateful. If such things existed, one had to seek justice and fairness for oneself.

“Alright, enough talk,” Ji Heng said. “I’m going back now. Within seven days, Feng Yutang’s people won’t be able to touch you.” He continued: “I’m staying at the inn across from the county office. If anything comes up, come find me at the inn.”

Ye Mingyu was somewhat flattered. In truth, people like him who had spent years wandering the martial world didn’t really have much concept of how high officials’ ranks were or how great their authority was. That’s why he had “cupped his fists in thanks” to Ji Heng without thinking there was anything wrong with it. But deep in Ye Mingyu’s heart, he didn’t actually believe that Ji Heng would really help Jiang Li much. This was because when he looked at this beautiful man, he had an intuition that this man’s heart was as cold as steel, and no one could easily enter it. Talk of sentiment, talk of gratitude—all of that was nonsense. Though he didn’t know why Jiang Li had gotten entangled with him, it was probably just a casual performance.

But now hearing Ji Heng’s words, it clearly meant he was willing to help Jiang Li. Moreover, what did it mean that Feng Yutang’s people couldn’t touch them within seven days? Did it mean that Ji Heng would clear away all obstacles created by Feng Yutang and protect Jiang Li throughout?

Was this person really so kind-hearted? Wasn’t he a duke? Could he condescend to do such things? Was a duke’s rank lower than that of the Chief Minister, so he needed to curry favor with Jiang Yuanbai for promotion? Or perhaps he simply wanted to please Jiang Li? Jiang Li was now of age to consider marriage prospects, and in a few years she could be wed. Not to brag, but Jiang Li’s appearance and temperament were absolutely top-notch, and she was clever and brave with considerable vision. In all the land, men who could match Jiang Li were as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns. Could this man be a toad… no, a swan wanting to eat swan meat? But then again, just how high-ranking was a duke anyway?

Jiang Li didn’t know that her uncle’s thoughts had already wandered far away. Whatever Ji Heng’s motives were in saying such things, she was at least grateful for now. She bowed to Ji Heng and said: “Your Grace’s great kindness leaves Jiang Li with no way to repay you. In the future, I will certainly return the favor.”

Upon hearing this, Ye Mingyu’s hair stood on end, and he looked at Ji Heng with alarm. According to the storybooks told by storytellers in the inns he’d passed through while wandering the martial world, this was the point where that debauched young master should say “then repay me with your body!”

He absolutely couldn’t let this scoundrel succeed! He had to protect his innocent niece!

Just as Ye Mingyu was about to say something, Ji Heng had already spoken: “No need to thank me. Since I’ve entered this play, I don’t like watching irrelevant people interfere.”

To Ji Heng, the assassins sent by Feng Yutang were indeed “irrelevant people.” If these “irrelevant people” actually killed Jiang Li, there would be no play to continue watching.

Jiang Li didn’t quite understand why Ji Heng had to phrase even his good deeds so awkwardly, but since he put it that way, she wouldn’t presume to ingratiate herself. She simply smiled at Ji Heng and said: “Regardless, thank you, Your Grace.”

Ji Heng looked at her lazily for a moment, then turned and walked slowly toward the other side of the road without looking back. Under the moonlight, the bluestone alley stretched out exceptionally long. His figure was both magnificent and lonely, his robe hem fluttering, like a solitary yet powerful demon elegantly walking the path home.

Jiang Li felt that Ji Heng was somewhat different from before.

Perhaps because she had discerned and spoken aloud Ji Heng’s secret, he no longer needed to pretend in front of her. That lingering smile that had always played on his lips had suddenly transformed into an air of complete indifference. Lazy, bored, yet also alert and ready at all times.

He was a contradictory person, but at least he didn’t seem as “inhuman” as before.

Seeing Jiang Li staring intently at Ji Heng’s retreating figure, Ye Mingyu’s heart sank. His niece, though intelligent and brave, was still quite young. Faced with such a bewitching man who gave even the slightest flirtation, it was hard for a young girl not to be moved. Seeing her now gazing absently at his back, could she have already fallen for him? Bah! The world was just so unfair—good-looking men could say a few words and make them seem real.

He quickly tugged at Jiang Li, hoping his niece would turn back from her wayward path: “A Li, shall we head back?”

Jiang Li turned back and looked at Ye Mingyu’s arm: “Yes, Uncle, let’s go home first and find a physician to properly re-dress your wound. You can’t bandage it like this. Tonight everyone can sleep soundly.” Since Ji Heng said that Feng Yutang’s people wouldn’t come looking for trouble, it meant someone would protect the safety of Ye Mingyu’s group. At least for these seven days in Tong County, Jiang Li could walk the streets without being suddenly assassinated.

Ye Mingyu hadn’t really cared much about his injury, but seeing Jiang Li concerned about him now, his heart stirred and he immediately began crying “Ow, ow!” dramatically, exaggerating greatly: “It hurts terribly. I need to find a physician to bandage it properly. Come on, A Li, let’s go back first.” He figured that as long as Jiang Li focused her attention on him, she naturally wouldn’t be thinking about that worthless duke. Oh right, tomorrow he also needed to ask just how high-ranking a duke was.

Jiang Li found it strange that Ye Mingyu had suddenly become so delicate, but thinking he must really be in pain, she said nothing more and helped Ye Mingyu back to the courtyard on the bluestone alley first.

Baixue and Tong’er had been guarding the doorway until their necks were practically craning off. All day from morning to night, they hadn’t seen Jiang Li or Ye Mingyu return. The two maids were so worried they could neither eat nor sleep. Suddenly seeing the group return safe and sound, they nearly wept with joy. Jiang Li instructed them to heat water and prepare food, and sent an uninjured person to fetch a physician while first settling Ye Mingyu’s men.

While Baixue was cleaning Ye Mingyu’s wound, he asked Jiang Li: “A Li, now that we’ve rescued Peng Xiao and the others and obtained the case files, what do we do next? Go house to house to find the people of Tong County as you said?”

“Yes.” Jiang Li nodded. “Uncle, rest well tonight. Early tomorrow morning, we’ll go door to door asking questions. It’s only five hundred and sixty-eight households. Though I don’t know if we can complete inquiries with all of them, we’ll ask as many as we can.”

“Is that all we’ll do for these five days?” Ye Mingyu asked.

“As long as one household is willing to come forward, we can submit a formal complaint to the Court of Judicial Review. The Court will immediately halt County Magistrate Xue’s execution order and bring Feng Yutang to the capital. No one will be able to change this, because all cases from the Court of Judicial Review must pass through the Emperor’s hands. As long as we add the name of a high-ranking official from the capital, His Majesty will not take it lightly.” There was one thing Jiang Li didn’t tell Ye Mingyu—she wouldn’t just write down a high-ranking official’s name; she would directly write Princess Yongning’s name.

This way, she would be openly making an enemy of Princess Yongning. But there was nothing to fear—even if she maintained superficial peace with Princess Yongning, the Princess had still sent assassins to eliminate her here in Tong County. As long as Emperor Hongxiao saw Princess Yongning’s name, this Tong County case would inevitably become a major case, and Princess Yongning would definitely not be allowed to manipulate it.

This was what she wanted. The case files and the officials were already in hand; the only thing missing was the people of Tong County. As long as she could persuade some of the Tong County residents to go to the capital together, the day when this case would be completely revealed wouldn’t be far off.

“Excellent!” Ye Mingyu slapped his thigh. “We’ve done so much, and now victory is right before our eyes. As long as we persuade the people of Tong County, the Xue family case can be overturned, and that bastard Feng Yutang can be brought to justice. I’ve long found him disagreeable. That son of a bitch gets to be a county magistrate—damn him!”

Ye Mingyu was so angry he let loose with profanity. Jiang Li had no time to mind, though. She sighed softly, a layer of worry covering her brow: “Actually, this final step is the hardest.”

Since ancient times, rulers had known the principle that winning the hearts of the people wins the world. No matter who it was, winning people’s hearts was never easy. Especially when those hearts were living under the threat of death.

She actually had no confidence. She had the least confidence in human nature.

But she had to try.

…This night seemed to pass extraordinarily slowly. In this small county of Tong, many people stayed awake all night. The moon quietly disappeared deep into the night. Wind swept up fallen leaves that rustled along the streets. Red lanterns under the eaves swayed violently in the wind. The calmer the city, the more it seemed to be brewing an inescapable storm.

By early morning, small snowflakes suddenly began to fall in Tong County, which hadn’t seen snow in over ten years.

The snow wasn’t as rough as that in the capital. It fell gently in tiny particles, bringing a crystalline brightness. Some clung to branches, layer upon layer, forming curtains like crystal. This made the not-so-prosperous small town appear tenderly intoxicating.

Jiang Li was awakened by Tong’er.

Tong’er’s distressed voice was still in her ears: “How could Miss sleep at the desk? You didn’t even go to bed last night?”

Jiang Li stretched: “It’s nothing.”

Last night she had dismissed Tong’er and Baixue and stayed up writing. With five hundred and sixty-eight households in Tong County, each one had received Xue Huaiyuan’s kindness. For her alone to visit over five hundred households would be impossible. She had to have Ye Mingyu’s people share some of the burden. With these “books of kindnesses,” when Ye Mingyu’s people tried to persuade those families, they would be more forceful and perhaps more successful.

But as she wrote and wrote, she had unknowingly fallen asleep at the desk. Strangely though, waking up like this, she didn’t feel too exhausted. Jiang Li stood up and opened the window. A snowflake drifted inside. She stared at it blankly: “It’s snowing.”

“Yes, it’s snowing,” Tong’er also looked outside.

She had lived in Tong County for over ten years, and this was the first time she had seen snow here. She didn’t know what this signified, but perhaps it was a new beginning.

A trace of a smile slowly overflowed from Jiang Li’s eyes as she said: “That’s good.”

On the other end, Feng Yutang arrived at the county office in the morning and put on his official robes.

It was Tong County’s first snowfall in over ten years, and the cold made him sneeze repeatedly. He wiped his nose, and a servant brought him a cup of hot tea. Feng Yutang leaned back in his chair and complained: “It’s really cold.”

“Indeed,” the servant said with an ingratiating smile. “The wind even blew down the lanterns at the entrance.”

Feng Yutang glanced outside and asked: “Haven’t the people who went out last night returned yet?”

The servant said: “No.”

“No discipline!” Feng Yutang said angrily. Princess Yongning’s three assassins didn’t even respect him, and sometimes when they ordered his people around, Feng Yutang didn’t dare speak up. There was no helping it—after all, they were Princess Yongning’s people. Moreover, when he ran into problems here, he still had to rely on those people. So although he felt dissatisfied, Feng Yutang only dared to grumble behind their backs.

Last night those three had probably finished their business and taken his men off somewhere. Feng Yutang thought resentfully. It never occurred to him that the assassination of Jiang Li might have failed. In his view, Princess Yongning’s people had exceptional martial skills. Jiang Li was just a young girl, and among Ye Mingyu’s group, only Ye Mingyu could fight, but ultimately he wasn’t a real assassin. That Jiang Li would die at their hands was an unquestionable fact.

Thinking of Jiang Li’s soft and delicate face, Feng Yutang clicked his tongue, still feeling it was somewhat regrettable. If not for Jiang Li’s identity, he would never have let such a little beauty die so easily—at least not until he’d had his fun with her. Speaking of which, Jiang Li was quite attractive and was also Jiang Yuanbai’s daughter. To die in Tong County like this could only be considered bad luck. But then again, if she hadn’t courted death by insisting on investigating Xue Huaiyuan’s case, how would it have come to this? So she deserved to die.

But why would a young girl like Jiang Li, who should have no dealings with the Xue family, investigate Xue Huaiyuan’s case? Could it be at the direction of her father, Jiang Yuanbai? Not only had he obstructed Jiang Li, he had taken her life. If Jiang Yuanbai found out, wouldn’t he have made an enemy of the Jiang family? Feng Yutang’s heart grew somewhat uneasy. He was ruthless in doing others’ dirty work, but when it came to Jiang Yuanbai, he was always somewhat wary—after all, he wasn’t an ordinary official but the leader of scholars.

Thinking this way made him increasingly irritated. He had been waiting since early morning for someone to report the news of Jiang Li’s death, but still there was no word. An uneasy feeling grew in Feng Yutang’s heart, but he forced it down and urged the servant beside him: “Send someone to check again. Go see if any of them are at the brothel or the tavern.”

Just then, someone came stumbling in from outside. Upon entering, he ran so urgently that he fell, his nose pointing at Feng Yutang’s shoe as he cried out: “My lord! My lord, something terrible has happened!”

Feng Yutang was already irritable, and hearing this, he kicked out: “What are you shouting about? What terrible thing?”

“My lord… You… you’d better go see the back courtyard of the county office yourself!” The subordinate’s face showed terror.

Seeing this, Feng Yutang knew something was wrong. Without another word, he rushed toward the back courtyard in three steps.

Before reaching the courtyard, he smelled a thick stench of blood. Feng Yutang suppressed his urge to vomit and walked further in. Before reaching the center, he saw twenty corpses laid out neatly on the courtyard ground.

Calling them corpses—Feng Yutang couldn’t make them out clearly, but there was no need to. After a night of snow, the bodies were covered with a layer of snow particles, cold and stiff, long since breathless. The bloodstains had all congealed. Feng Yutang took a step back, barely supporting himself against a pillar in front of him to keep from falling.

He counted in his mind—three times—exactly twenty people.

Twenty people. He had sent out a total of twenty of his own subordinates, plus Princess Yongning’s three people. Now there were twenty people here. Where were the other three?

Feng Yutang asked: “Where are the others?”

The subordinate who had first spoken came forward, his voice still unable to suppress his panic: “My lord, there are twenty people in total. The other three are nowhere to be found—we couldn’t discover them.”

Not discovered—perhaps they were still alive. Yes, Princess Yongning’s people were highly skilled; they certainly wouldn’t die so easily. A thread of hope suddenly rose in Feng Yutang’s heart as he asked: “Have you found any trace of them?”

The subordinate shook his head: “We haven’t found any sign of them, but in the swamp in the Black Forest, we found their weapons… My lord, they’re probably… in grave danger.”

Feng Yutang’s vision went black and he nearly fainted. Coming to his senses, he immediately cursed: “Over twenty of them went to kill seven people! And they were completely wiped out! Were they birthed by dogs? A bunch of good-for-nothings!” Cursing so urgently, Feng Yutang’s chest heaved violently, as if he couldn’t catch his breath. Even his subordinates could hear the anger and panic in his voice.

Feng Yutang was afraid.

Those twenty people were his subordinates. Now his most skilled fighters—twenty of them—were gone in an instant. The remaining ones were worthless. Without Princess Yongning’s assassins, he couldn’t accomplish anything. Forget about moving against Jiang Li and her group—if Ye Mingyu came to assassinate him, his own men might not even be able to protect his life.

Right, Jiang Li and Ye Mingyu—he still didn’t know how they were! Setting aside Ye Mingyu, what about Jiang Li? If his people had taken Jiang Li’s life before dying, then everything wouldn’t be so bad. At least he hadn’t botched Princess Yongning’s assignment, and she wouldn’t blame him but would help him escape this disaster. As long as Jiang Li was dead, it would be fine!

“What about Jiang Li?” Feng Yutang grabbed the subordinate who had brought the news and asked: “What about Jiang Li? Is she dead? Is she dead?”

His eyes were bloodshot, his appearance somewhat frightening and terrifying. The subordinate was forced to take a step back and slowly shook his head.

Feng Yutang’s heart gradually sank.

“Second Miss Jiang and that big fellow came out of the residence on the bluestone alley early this morning, walking around, safe and sound.”

Feng Yutang weakly released his grip.

The assassination had failed. He had lost twenty-three people, while Jiang Li was completely unharmed. She even dared to swagger through the county town the next day. This was provocation, or perhaps confidence born of strength.

It made sense. The twenty corpses in the back courtyard of the county office were Jiang Li’s response. It seemed she had known all along that the assassins were sent by him, Feng Yutang. After harvesting all his men, she calmly and methodically sent the corpses back for him to see clearly—this was the consequence.

She truly wasn’t afraid at all.

But he had no way out now. While seeing clearly the danger posed by Jiang Li’s group, he understood even more clearly that Jiang Li couldn’t be allowed to live. Not only because Princess Yongning’s orders couldn’t be disobeyed, but because Jiang Li knew he had moved against her. If he couldn’t kill her, when Jiang Li reunited with Jiang Yuanbai—or even before that day—he would die at Jiang Li’s hands. She wouldn’t let him go.

This was a war between two sides. Either Jiang Li died or he died. He had to see it through to the end.

“Continue sending people to hunt down and kill Jiang Li,” Feng Yutang said viciously.

“My lord…” The subordinate looked at him in shock, seemingly baffled by this decision. “I’m afraid…”

“Afraid of what?!” Feng Yutang cursed. “What do you know? Hurry up and go! If you’re late, we’ll all lose our lives!”

This path truly had to be followed to its dark end.

…

In the inn across from the county office, Wen Ji said: “My lord, Feng Yutang has sent out men again to hunt down Second Miss Jiang.”

Ji Heng sat in his chair, looking at the tea in his cup. Compared to usual, he seemed much more peaceful, gazing out the window, lost in thought. In the icy, snowy landscape, his red robes were even more vivid, his lips as alluring as flower petals.

After a long while, he said: “Go find someone to deal with them.”

Wen Ji received the order and departed.

Lu Ji, sitting nearby, looked at Ji Heng thoughtfully without speaking. Ever since learning that last night Second Miss Jiang had been pursued by two groups—Ji Shuran’s and Feng Yutang’s people working together—Lu Ji’s heart had been weighed down with worry. With such a joint assault, even if Second Miss Jiang had the greatest abilities, she couldn’t escape. But unexpectedly, it wasn’t Wen Ji who had accompanied Second Miss Jiang last night, but Ji Heng himself. Moreover, Ji Heng, who had never interfered in others’ affairs, had actually helped her. This was truly astonishing.

Ji Heng had never been soft-hearted, nor would he have a charitable outburst to help others. Yet he had still acted, and afterward, he was even showing a protective attitude toward Second Miss Jiang. Whatever his motives—whether exploitation or other plans—Second Miss Jiang had succeeded.

Through some inconceivable means, she had drawn His Grace into this spectacular drama. His Grace had entered the game.

There was no way to guess what His Grace was thinking, but Lu Ji believed that Second Miss Jiang was truly formidable.

First day of June, hello everyone!