A group of bandit-like men entered, holding high pine-resin torches that illuminated the hall completely, revealing the fierce expressions on their faces.

Seeing people in the hall, the group was quite surprised.

Seeing such a group enter, everyone in the hall—except for the rugged-faced man who continued adding wood to his fire as if he saw nothing—was equally surprised.

For a moment, the hall was completely silent, save for the struggling and weeping of two young women held captive by the group. Their struggles revealed the peach-red and onion-green undergarments they wore beneath, adding a strange feeling to the quiet summer night.

“Hahaha!” Someone laughed wildly. “I never expected anyone would dare occupy our place!” His voice was cold, filled with killing intent.

Fu Tingyun quickly looked toward the source of the voice.

It was a man in his thirties with a square face, wearing an open-chested short jacket that exposed a chest full of scars. He stood at the front of the group, speaking while turning to look back at those behind him.

The people behind him immediately burst into laughter, as if Fu Tingyun and the others had done something extremely foolish.

The manager-like man from the northwest corner walked over with a smile, bowing slightly to Square Face with a friendly expression: “Brother, we are merchants passing through who missed our lodging. We truly didn’t know this was your place.” As he spoke, there was a “swish” sound, and the man suddenly drew a flexible sword from his waist. Without visibly moving his hand, the sword flourished into six sword patterns, then with a light “zing,” became straight as a rod, emanating a cold aura like autumn frost in the torchlight. “Please forgive our intrusion!” he said, pointing the sword tip to the ground. With several “thud” sounds, he carved a deep impression into the stone floor, then produced a money bag from somewhere and tossed it to Square Face. “Consider this as compensation to all brothers, and a treat for some wine. Please allow us to stay just one night. We’ll leave at dawn.”

Fu Tingyun was shocked.

Asen had said the burly man was a trained fighter, but she hadn’t expected this manager-like man with his gentle speech to also be skilled in martial arts. Though she knew nothing about martial arts herself, she understood that to make such a deep mark in the ground with a flexible sword required exceptional skill.

Square Face realized this too. He didn’t take the money bag but stared fixedly at the impression not far from him, his expression uncertain.

A man stepped forward from beside him.

He was in his early twenties, tall and robust, honest-looking and powerful, with a physique comparable to the burly man in the northwest corner. But while the latter looked crude, the former appeared heroic—one resembled a butcher, the other a knight-errant.

He picked up the money bag, opened it for a look, and showed signs of delight.

“Brother!” he called loudly to Square Face, then lowered his voice, “Pure official silver, one hundred taels.”

The hall wasn’t large, and everyone heard clearly.

Square Face’s gaze wavered, while the people behind him erupted in discussion.

Some whispered, “Brother, let’s just kill them. The silver will still be ours!”

Others said quietly: “Brother, one hundred taels is too little. We should demand two or three hundred!”

Still others suggested: “Brother, since we’re staying in the back chambers anyway, why not let these merchants have the main hall for the night?”

Fu Tingyun’s mind was in chaos.

First, the man had demonstrated his martial prowess with the sword, and now he offered one hundred taels of silver—using both hard and soft approaches, the group would likely leave them alone. But this created a problem for the others in the hall—if they tried to bribe without having similar skills, or if they didn’t offer bribes at all, why would these men spare them?

She glanced toward the rugged-faced man in the southwest corner.

He was pouring something from his iron pot into a large bowl, filling the air with the aroma of meat. He appeared completely uninvolved.

Fu Tingyun’s heart sank.

It seemed this man also had the means to protect himself!

As this thought flashed through her mind, Square Face shouted: “All of you shut up!”

The clamor behind him stopped abruptly.

“Since you understand the rules, I’ll make an exception,” Square Face said. “But you must add another two hundred taels of silver!” His tone carried hints of uncertainty and probing.

“Thank you, thank you!” The manager-like man displayed a smile of both surprise and gratitude. He quickly instructed the burly man, who took out a red lacquered box from the small cart and a money bag from his bosom, handing it to the manager-like man. The manager-like man opened the bag to check, then said something to the clear-featured man, who hesitated before also producing a money bag. The manager-like man opened this bag as well, placed all the money into the red lacquered box, and smilingly handed it to Square Face: “Here are the remaining two hundred taels.”

Fu Tingyun’s heart sank to the depths.

By making such a show, the manager-like man made others believe they had no more money, potentially reducing the group’s greed toward them and ensuring their relative safety.

The robust man took the money bag and counted carefully.

The snow-white silver gleamed with a cold luster in the torchlight.

Fu Tingyun was struck by a thought.

Only official silver had such fine quality!

They claimed to be merchants, but why did they carry official silver?

Official silver was mainly used for military pay, official salaries, palace expenses, or disaster relief. Ordinary people would usually remelt it before daring to use it… and they had three hundred taels at hand!

“Brother!” The robust man interrupted Fu Tingyun’s wild thoughts. “Exactly two hundred taels.”

Square Face nodded with satisfaction, his manner returning to the arrogance he’d displayed when laughing earlier.

Fu Tingyun clung to a faint hope.

Perhaps Square Face would leave them alone, considering the three hundred taels he’d received, or maybe he wouldn’t want to cause trouble with the skilled manager-like man and would ignore them…

She quietly moved toward Zhao Jiu, lying behind her, hoping they could huddle together and become invisible to the group!

Unfortunately, her wish was not granted.

A short man suddenly ran to their side, forcefully pushing the small cart aside and shouting: “And what are you lot?” He appeared to be borrowing the authority of his associates.

The small cart fell to one side, scattering the bamboo mat, bowls, chopsticks, and other items all over the ground.

Fu Tingyun breathed a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, she had already hidden their valuables under the Ninth Master’s straw mat when she sensed trouble.

She quickly said: “Please spare us, hero! We’re refugees who fled from Pingliang. We accidentally trespassed on your territory. Please be merciful and let us stay just one night.” As she spoke, she took out a bundle containing food and water bags from the corner of the hall. “Please accept these. This is all we have.”

Though Fu Tingyun tried to lower her voice, she couldn’t hide its clear, pleasant quality.

Everyone in the hall was startled upon hearing it and looked toward Fu Tingyun.

Only the rugged-faced man shook his head almost imperceptibly, then lifted his bowl and noisily ate his food. Though the sound was loud in the hall, no one paid him any attention.

The short man’s face showed excitement. “Brother, there’s a woman here!” he called jubilantly as he ran over to lift her headscarf.

Fu Tingyun suddenly straightened up, raising her hand with a flash of snow-white light toward the man.

The man cried out painfully, “Aiya!” covering his hand as blood immediately gushed from between his fingers.

Only then did everyone notice the dagger in Fu Tingyun’s hand.

In the firelight, the dagger gleamed with strange yet brilliant patterns, possessing an intimidating, bewitching beauty.

Dead silence fell over the hall.

The rugged-faced man’s eyes revealed astonishment, while the carefree-mannered man took several steps forward but was blocked by the manager-like man.

“You filthy whore, you dare to ambush me!” the short man roared in anger, raising his foot to kick toward Fu Tingyun’s chest.

The carefree-mannered man exclaimed “Aiya!” and clenched his fists, while even the rugged-faced man put down his bowl.

Fu Tingyun’s face turned as white as a magnolia in wind and rain. She gripped the dagger with both hands and gritted her teeth as she stabbed toward the man.

The foot landed squarely on Fu Tingyun’s chest, but her dagger also pierced the man’s calf. As Fu Tingyun fell backward, the dagger slid downward, stripping flesh from his calf.

The man clutched his leg and cried out loudly: “Brother, Brother!”

Everyone was stunned, and it took a moment before they noticed two severed finger segments on the ground.

“Brother, kill this filthy whore!” Square Face’s men shouted, but none dared to step forward.

Fu Tingyun struggled to her feet.

Her hand holding the dagger trembled violently. Disheveled black hair fell over her snow-white face, large beads of sweat dripped from her forehead, and her large almond eyes burned like fire, even brighter than the torches. This added a touch of fierceness to her beautiful features, like a blooming trumpet vine, gorgeous and proud.

Square Face stared at the dagger, clean as fresh snow, his face darkening like the sky before a winter snowfall.

He clenched his fist and walked toward Fu Tingyun.

The hall immediately fell silent.

Square Face’s heavy footsteps and the “crack-crack” of his knuckles sounded like drums, each beat striking the hearts of those present.

The burly man in the northwest corner frowned and stepped forward, but was pulled back by the carefree-mannered man.

“You filthy whore, I’ll ride you a thousand times or I’m not named Li…” Square Face roared ferociously.

Fu Tingyun felt as if all her internal organs had been displaced by pain. Her vision was blurred with overlapping shadows, barely making out a silhouette.

She couldn’t make it!

After being kicked so violently… surprising her attacker with another strike was impossible…

She thought of the two captive women…

Raising her arm, which felt as heavy as lead, she placed the dagger against her throat.

She didn’t know what would happen to Ninth Master after she died.

She had only brought him trouble!

She could never repay his kindness in this life; it would have to wait until the next one… but perhaps in the next life, she would still be the person who burdened him, and he might not even be able to avoid her!

At this thought, a small smile spread across her lips.

Like a small flower trembling in the cold wind, fragile yet resilient.