She didn’t know how long she could hide relying on these hidden guards… Since she knew the patrol battalion had come to arrest her, rather than being trapped in this capital city like a cornered beast, trembling with fear and hiding in the shadows, it would be better to face the blade head-on with courage. If she lost her life, so be it—she could go to the underworld to accompany Father, and perhaps Mother too. Having the whole family together would always be good.

With this thought, Liu Ruofu no longer wanted to flee. She spoke with a hoarse voice: “Forget it, put me down!”

“My Lady?” The hidden guard was quite surprised.

“You all escape!” Liu Ruofu said calmly. “Save whoever you can. Don’t accompany me to a meaningless death. As long as they capture me, the Crown Prince will certainly not conduct a city-wide search, and you can all return home.”

The hidden guard squad looked at Liu Ruofu with complete surprise: “My Lady, we are the Liu family’s death warriors. Prince Xian gave orders… If he is captured or dies, we must acknowledge My Lady as our master and sacrifice our lives to escort My Lady safely out of the city.”

The desolate feeling in Liu Ruofu’s heart was like ice shards, cutting her chest with sharp pain: “Knowing we’ve already reached the end of our road, why struggle so bitterly! If you truly could sacrifice your lives to escort me safely out of the city, would we need to wait here for five days? Surely the searches at the east, west, south, and north city gates are all extremely strict. Forget it… If my fate is such, I accept it! You need not die with me!”

Liu Ruofu struggled to get her feet on the ground, supporting herself on the hidden guard squad leader’s arm before she could barely stand steady…

The newly risen moon was bright and white, illuminating Liu Ruofu’s pale, bloodless features. She only felt the sticky flow of blood streaming down her dress in waves, clenching her teeth to restrain herself as she spoke: “Since you acknowledge me as master, then I hereby command… I order you not to concern yourselves with me, immediately flee for your lives individually, and do not save me! From now on… live well! Go! Father is already dead, and Mother, perhaps, is no more as well. There’s no meaning in my living, better to go accompany them.”

The Liu family’s hidden guards looked at each other, completely at a loss.

They had been death warriors since childhood, and from young age to adulthood, what they had learned… was to sacrifice their lives for their master. But now their master was telling them to flee for their lives individually, not to concern themselves with her, and to live well.

Liu Ruofu heard the sound of the large force approaching like rolling thunder getting closer and closer, and roared: “This is an order!”

These Liu family hidden guards, without taking her along, could all escape.

The hidden guard squad leader saw that Liu Ruofu was determined to seek death, and noticed that her dress hem was still dripping with fresh blood. At this bleeding rate… if she escaped with them, she might not hold out on the road, but if she were captured… the court would send people to treat Liu Ruofu medically and save her life, and they could still find opportunities to stage a prison break.

The Liu family’s hidden guard squad leader clasped his fists in acknowledgment, taking a deep look at Liu Ruofu: “Withdraw!”

Having said this, the hidden guard squad leader leaped onto the rooftop first, disappearing into the night.

The other hidden guards hesitated for a moment, then also followed and disappeared into the night.

Liu Ruofu stood in the courtyard. She saw torches suddenly appear outside the rammed earth wall, their flames dancing wildly, and the black wooden door that had already been peeling paint and was tottering was kicked open by someone.

The patrol battalion soldiers drew their swords and charged into the courtyard, only to see Liu Ruofu standing alone in the middle of the courtyard.

Lu Ping gripped the sword at his waist, observing all around and seeing no ambush, before his gaze finally fell on Liu Ruofu.

Liu Ruofu wore an expression of calm readiness to die, sneering coldly: “The victor becomes king, the defeated becomes bandit. My father has been defeated… take my life as you will!”

The torches swayed in the wind, casting Liu Ruofu’s entire figure in alternating light and shadow. Blood flowed from her in streams, quickly dyeing her crimson dress hem a deep red color, yet she still kept her spine straight, not allowing herself to hunch over from pain, unwilling to bow her noble head in submission.

“Take her away!” the patrol battalion commander shouted.

The patrol battalion soldiers stepped forward, showing no tender mercy for the fragrant flower, supporting Liu Ruofu’s arms from left and right to drag her outside, while sword-bearing soldiers rushed into the house to search for any other accomplices of Liu Ruofu.

Lu Ping looked at Liu Ruofu’s calm expression of readiness to die, then cast his gaze around the courtyard, always feeling something was extremely strange…

Elder Fang also felt something was amiss, the fist hidden in his sleeve clenching tight.

Could it be that there was truly no one else besides Liu Ruofu, just waiting here to be captured?

Where were the Liu family’s death warriors?

Death warriors had always died before their masters—there was no reason for them to just vanish into thin air.

Nine Rivers Alley suddenly became lively, with dogs barking incessantly. Timid common people climbed onto their earthen walls to peer outside, wanting to see what kind of vicious criminal the officials had arrested with such a grand formation, never expecting it to be a woman of stunning beauty.

The timid ones peered through door cracks, while there were also fearless children who secretly slipped out from inside their doors, holding wooden swords, gazing with envious eyes at those sword-bearing, armor-wearing patrol battalion soldiers, only to be grabbed by the arm by women in azure cloth garments and dragged back inside. When the children cried and made a fuss, the women would forcefully pat their buttocks several times and pull the children back through the courtyard gates.

The Deputy Commander Xiao of the patrol battalion, temporarily holding the commanding position, thanked Elder Fang and Lu Ping at the alley entrance.

Liu Ruofu had already been taken away. Elder Fang turned and cupped his hands toward Lu Ping in farewell.

Lu Ping hurriedly returned the courtesy with a deep bow, seeing Elder Fang and the patrol battalion people off.

Just as Lu Ping was preparing to return and report back to Bai Qingyan, the black painted door of the frontmost household in Nine Rivers Alley slowly opened. A man in a black cloak lifted the hem of his robe and stepped over the threshold, standing right there under the swaying lantern at the doorway, raising his hand to remove the hood from his head.

Lu Ping was startled… Li Mingrui?!

Li Mingrui seemed to have been waiting here specifically for Lu Ping, bowing deeply to him: “Guard Lu.”

Lu Ping didn’t put on airs or act pretentious, hurriedly bowing deeply to Li Mingrui in return: “I pay my respects to Vice Minister Li!”

Lu Ping gripped the sword at his waist, smiling as he raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the old lantern with the character “Du” written on it, speaking as if making ordinary small talk: “What a coincidence… Is Vice Minister Li here to visit friends?”

“It’s not a coincidence at all. Mingrui was specifically waiting here for Guard Lu.” Li Mingrui did not attempt to conceal this fact.

Lu Ping understood in his heart: “The information about Princess Nandu was given by Vice Minister Li? Since Vice Minister Li knew Princess Nandu Liu Ruofu’s hiding place, why… did you not report it to His Highness the Crown Prince? Wouldn’t claiming the credit exclusively be good?”

“Princess Nandu Liu Ruofu is Mingrui’s gift to Princess Zhenguo. Mingrui requests that Guard Lu convey on his behalf Mingrui’s sincerity and genuine heart in seeking an audience with Princess Zhenguo.” Li Mingrui’s eyes held a smile, displaying the appearance of a gentle and refined young master, bowing once again to Lu Ping.

···

Lu Ping returned to Princess Zhenguo’s mansion. Not daring to delay, he changed his clothes and went to Qinghui Courtyard to inform Bai Qingyan of Li Mingrui’s matter.

“However, this subordinate did not agree to anything, only saying that the young lady was severely injured and unconscious, and when she awakens is uncertain… but this subordinate will relay Li Mingrui’s words!” Lu Ping said.

Bai Qingyan handed the medicine bowl in her hands to Chun Tao, took the honey water to rinse her mouth, and used a handkerchief to dab the corners of her lips.