Pang Xiao had never ordered anyone to harm the people. Those standing in the front row and closer could see that although the palace guards said “those who cross the line will die,” they actually only knocked people unconscious.

But the people in the back rows didn’t know this.

Upon hearing someone say that people in front were killing freely, those people in the back all craned their necks forward to look, anxious to know if their family members were injured. In a crowd of over a thousand, with people at the back pushing forward, those in front could only be carried along by the tide.

Moreover, some who understood nothing of the situation immediately concluded that Prince Zhongshun had started killing people. In their impulsiveness and heated minds, they raised weapons and charged forward, especially those who had lost relatives due to imperial mausoleum construction—their anger was uncontainable. No longer caring about consequences, they only wanted to kill the court’s corrupt officials to avenge their families.

Qin Yining was protected by Ji Yun, Jingzhe, Xiaoman, and Dahan, while Pang Xiao was surrounded layer upon layer by Elite Tiger Guards. As the people surged forward like a tide, when Pang Xiao reached out to pull Qin Yining, they were already forcibly separated by the crowd.

“Stop! Fall back! Everyone fall back! This is a government office! Are you really planning rebellion?” Tang Xiu and other Elite Tiger Guards shouted sternly.

However, how could the emotionally stirred people care about anything else now? Once they had charged forward, there was no retreating.

The Elite Tiger Guards and palace guards had no choice but to confront the people with sword hilts. Due to Pang Xiao’s order not to harm anyone, everyone couldn’t kill. Although they could suppress some people momentarily, in the chaotic battle they ultimately couldn’t withstand the people’s momentum.

If someone fell at this moment, they would definitely be trampled to pulp!

Unfortunately, Pang Xiao and Qin Yining were too obvious as targets, especially Qin Yining. Even without makeup, she was still so beautiful, and her panicked expression under the firelight was even more eye-catching.

Among the rioters were crude, lust-driven men who pointed at Qin Yining and shouted: “Kill the corrupt official prince! We’ll take this woman back for proper punishment—that’ll let us vent our anger!”

“Right, kill the corrupt official!”

“The court even sells the families of criminal officials! We should also punish the corrupt official’s family!”

…

A group of rioters whose anger and malice had been stirred up developed evil intentions and charged toward Qin Yining.

At this moment, Pang Xiao’s eyes were bloodshot with rage. Swinging both fists, he could knock out a person with one punch, not even bothering to dodge the sickles and hoes being swung at him as he rushed straight toward Qin Yining.

Seeing Pang Xiao’s reckless fighting style, the Elite Tiger Guards were nearly scared out of their wits. But bound by Pang Xiao’s orders not to kill common people, they could only use sword hilts to block, naturally making progress slow.

Around Qin Yining, Ji Yun, Jingzhe, Xiaoman, and Dahan fought desperately to prevent these rioters from getting near her, but the opponents truly had overwhelming numbers.

At this moment, Qin Yining felt utterly overwhelmed. She hadn’t expected that despite considering so many possibilities before coming and even scouting ahead herself, they had still fallen into a trap.

First, the conscripted workers didn’t arrive, then Pang Xiao was lured here, and now a story about Pang Xiao massacring civilians would spread—Pang Xiao’s years of careful cultivation would truly be ruined. Once he lost the people’s hearts, wouldn’t Li Qitian’s killing of Pang Xiao become ridding the people of a menace?

Qin Yining absolutely couldn’t let such a thing happen. She quickly reminded Ji Yun and the others in front of her: “Don’t hurt them—they’re just being manipulated!”

Jingzhe gritted his teeth and responded loudly: “Yes!”

But how could the current situation be resolved? If this continued developing, breaking through their defenses was only a matter of time.

Qin Yining had no choice but to shout loudly: “Everyone calm down! Whatever problems there are, let’s discuss and solve them together. You were originally the reasonable party, but if you really cause trouble by storming the government office, the court will misunderstand that you’re rebelling! No one can bear the crime of treason—be calm, everyone be calm!”

Qin Yining repeated these words loudly over and over. Many people, hearing this, began to hesitate, feeling that what Qin Yining said was right.

Originally their goal was just to have Prince Zhongshun write a guarantee. Who knew they wouldn’t get the guarantee but instead end up storming the government office? If they were really labeled with the great crime of treason, their entire families would be implicated!

Some people hesitated and tried to persuade those around them to stop.

But those speaking loudest were always the ones inciting emotions.

“Don’t listen to that woman’s nonsense! With that foxy appearance, who knows what evil schemes she’s thinking!”

“Right, capture her and we can threaten Prince Zhongshun!”

“What’s the use of threatening Prince Zhongshun? Better to kill Prince Zhongshun and make the court send a good official!”

…

The shouting continued endlessly. Those who had initially developed lustful thoughts toward Qin Yining began yelling high-sounding excuses while charging directly toward her. Some even reached out with big hands wanting to touch Qin Yining’s face.

Just then, Qin Yining suddenly saw a cold flash before her eyes, followed immediately by the big man’s extremely pained, prolonged scream.

“Ahhh—”

A red mist appeared before her eyes. The hand that was about to touch Qin Yining had fallen into the crowd. The strong man clutched his severed arm, screaming continuously as blood sprayed—this scene frightened everyone around.

Qin Yining was also stunned. She instinctively looked toward Pang Xiao, thinking how could Pang Xiao be so impulsive? In today’s situation, they absolutely couldn’t harm the people!

But when her gaze met Pang Xiao’s, she saw him suddenly widen his eyes in shock.

Then Qin Yining felt herself grabbed by an ice-cold hand on her wrist, being dragged backward with great force.

Turning around abruptly, she saw exactly who had grabbed her.

It was the youth she had taken in!

Not only did Qin Yining recognize him, but Jingzhe, Ji Yun, and the others knew him even better. When they had saved him that day, Qin Yining had arranged for Xiaoxue to escort him to see Hall Master Liao, yet this person had appeared here!

For a moment, Qin Yining’s mind was in chaos, unable to distinguish whether this person was friend or foe.

The youth pulled her to his side. Immediately, those who were with the man whose hand had been severed charged toward her, shouting:

“Catch this stinking bitch!”

The youth embraced Qin Yining in front of him with his broken right arm. His left hand gripped the bamboo stick tightly and spun it. Qin Yining saw silver light flashing before her eyes, and in an instant, those several men had their throats slashed, blood immediately spurting several feet.

“Oh god! Murder!”

This move frightened everyone.

Taking advantage of this moment, the youth protected Qin Yining with his broken arm while his left hand flashed with blade light, carving out a bloody path as he charged toward the edge of the crowd.

Seeing Qin Yining being taken away by a strange swordsman, Pang Xiao panicked and roared: “Stop that man!”

He himself tried to charge forward, but surrounded by rioters holding weapons, he couldn’t get close for the moment.

Jingzhe and the other three Silver Mask agents, along with Ji Yun, now chased frantically in the direction Qin Yining was being taken. Jingzhe and Dahan reached them first, drew their swords to strike, determined to snatch Qin Yining back from the youth.

But the youth’s left hand moved so fast that one could only see flashing blade light. In the blink of an eye, only the clanging sounds of weapon collisions could be heard as Jingzhe and Dahan were wounded in the arms and chest.

Ji Yun and Xiaoman also caught up.

Ji Yun drew the soft sword from her waist: “Release our Princess!”

The youth embraced Qin Yining tightly with his broken arm as he charged forward, using his left-hand bamboo blade to desperately block the people in front while also finding time to parry weapons stabbing from behind. In the tense moment, he couldn’t care about much else. When he saw clearly that the one chasing from behind was the woman who had once given him bread, his blade tip was already striking toward Ji Yun’s chest.

“No!” Qin Yining screamed, reaching out to pull the youth. “Don’t kill any more people!”

The youth turned his blade tip, slashing Ji Yun’s shoulder. Blood immediately stained her clothing.

Jingzhe, Xiaoman, Dahan, and Ji Yun quickly became covered in wounds, but they fought desperately to snatch Qin Yining back.

The youth was attacked from front and back by civilians and pursuers. Using one hand with his blade at maximum speed to counterattack, he was still wounded several times on his back.

The youth quickly broke through the crowd with Qin Yining, leaving injured and fallen people everywhere in their wake.

Such fierce momentum stunned everyone else. For a moment, the scene became terrifyingly quiet.

Someone among the people recognized the youth and roared: “It’s the wolf cub! The wolf cub killed people! So the wolf cub knows how to use a blade!”

“Oh god, my son!”

“Brother!”

One after another, people discovered their family members had been injured and fallen by the youth. Immediately, crying filled the crowd, and angry accusations all pointed toward the youth.

“Catch that wolf cub! Kill him! Kill him!”

Someone shouted, and immediately people charged forward.

But how could people with door bars and farm tools be the youth’s match? Even Jingzhe and the others could only wound the youth superficially—they couldn’t get close at all!

Pang Xiao and the Elite Tiger Guards had now caught up. At this point, not caring about potential friendly fire, Pang Xiao drew his sword and charged toward the youth.

But those in the crowd with ulterior motives immediately led people to surround Pang Xiao.

“Quick! Prince Zhongshun is also trying to escape. If he runs away, we’ll still have to send conscripted workers to their deaths. Stop him!”

Many people who hadn’t been injured by the youth swarmed forward, surrounding Pang Xiao again.

“Get out of the way! All of you get out of the way!” Pang Xiao angrily charged left and right, but unable to kill indiscriminately, his hands and feet were tied. He could only watch as Qin Yining was taken away.

At this moment, Pang Xiao’s last string of reason was about to snap. His bloodshot eyes stared in the youth’s direction: “Yining!”

“Your Highness, stay calm!” Xu Weizhi also gripped a sword hilt, barely protected by Elite Tiger Guards as he followed beside Pang Xiao, forcefully grabbing Pang Xiao’s sleeve: “Your Highness, think about the current situation—what are you doing all this for! Think about how much you’ve sacrificed. If all previous efforts are wasted, the Princess will also be implicated!”

“But Yining has already been taken!”

“Your Highness, look carefully—that person captured the Princess but has never let her be harmed at all. That means kidnapping the Princess serves a purpose. Let’s get through this immediate crisis first, then plan the rest carefully. We’ll definitely be able to rescue the Princess!”

Ji Yun was now exhausted, her shoulder too painful to lift. Across the crowd, though a woman’s voice was sharp, it had penetrating power: “Your Highness, that’s the one from before—the one who was sent to the estate!”

Those unaware of the situation naturally couldn’t understand.

But Qin Yining had already told Pang Xiao she had saved someone who had been sent to the estate.