Lu Heng’s decision was beyond Qin Yining’s expectations.

But thinking about it again, Lu Heng and Pang Xiao were already irreconcilable enemies. Capturing her to force out the treasure’s location—such a decision was also reasonable.

Qin Yining felt no disappointment. If she had once harbored friendship toward Lu Heng, as they gradually became adversaries and Lu Heng’s feelings for her were gradually revealed, Qin Yining was already very clear in her heart that things between her and Lu Heng could never be as they once were.

Watching the men approach, Qin Yining knew clearly that she couldn’t escape. Though she was afraid and her palms were sweating, she knew what she had to do.

Perhaps from the moment she gradually became involved in these struggles, she had already prepared herself psychologically. As early as when she was kidnapped to the Tatars, she had told herself that anything might happen in the future. She was different from ordinary women. The position she stood in wouldn’t allow her even a moment of weakness.

The men reached her and pushed Qin Yining toward the grove to one side.

Xiao Xue’s eyes were splitting with rage as she roared furiously, “Let her go! You cowards, you worthless scum! What kind of heroes are you, bullying a weak woman! If you have the guts, come at me!”

Lu Heng watched Qin Yining’s figure being pushed away, his heart in turmoil, both fists clenched tightly in his outer robe, veins bulging on his knuckles.

He had made his decision in anger, but why did his heart feel as if it were being pierced by awls?

Xiao Xue’s cursing was right in his ears, making Lu Heng increasingly irritated. In his fury, he kicked Xiao Xue in the shoulder.

“Shut up!”

Xiao Xue was kicked over but continued cursing nonstop, “Coward! You castrated waste! Bullying a weak woman, and you still have the nerve to pour out your feelings—don’t make me sick!”

Lu Heng gritted his teeth, his eyes wide with rage, his blood boiling like water, his limbs and even the back of his head feeling a burning sensation.

“Shut up! Shut up!” Lu Heng viciously kicked Xiao Xue’s chest and abdomen.

Xiao Xue quickly hunched her body to dodge but didn’t stop her cursing.

Her voice echoed at the forest’s edge, and Lu Heng’s anger accumulated over many days exploded in this instant. He kicked and cursed back, the scene becoming chaotic, almost drowning out the sounds from within the forest.

Just then, a slight whooshing sound suddenly came through the air. With a crisp “snap,” the moment Lu Heng lowered his head, the guard standing behind him clutched his chest and fell to the ground, spitting up fresh blood. If Lu Heng hadn’t suddenly lowered his head, it would be him lying there now!

“Quick, protect the family head! There’s an ambush!”

“It came from the woods!”

“There’s an ambush in the woods!”

…

Successive whooshing sounds came through the air. Though what struck people were only pellets, their killing power was no weaker than crossbow bolts.

Lu Heng’s followers protected him as they dodged left and right. Everyone took quite a few hits—strikes to the arms could even break bones.

For a moment, suppressed groans and cries of pain rose and fell around Lu Heng.

Lu Heng gritted his teeth and roared, “Who’s there! Come out!”

The pellets finally stopped coming. Just as Lu Heng breathed a sigh of relief, he heard rustling sounds from the forest.

Footsteps, and quite a few people!

In the blink of an eye, over a hundred guards rushed out rapidly. The dozens leading them held slingshots—it was Ji Dashun and the others.

Qin Yining then approached under the protection of Jingzhe and Ji Yun. The several men who had taken Qin Yining into the forest were nowhere to be seen, obviously already captured.

“Who would have thought that the noble Earl of Loyalty and Righteousness would engage in such filthy deeds,” Xu Weizhi mocked. “Lord Lu, acting this way—I imagine the people in your manor don’t know about this, do they?”

The guards around Lu Heng tensed their bodies and stood ready. After apparently comparing their own strength with their opponents’, they all seemed to have reached a realistic assessment.

Lu Heng could also see that although the opposing force wasn’t very large in number, the guards were all well-trained. His own people probably wouldn’t be a match in a direct confrontation.

Hearing Xu Weizhi’s mockery, Lu Heng suppressed his anger and smiled, “Such matters—what difference does it make whether they know or not? Whether they know or don’t know, I’m still the family head of the Lu clan. You think my actions are filthy, but as long as those around me can understand me, that’s sufficient. Why should I need to explain to you!”

“Ha! Lord Lu’s shamelessness is truly first-rate. If only you were this consistent in your actions, tsk tsk…”

Before Xie Yue finished speaking, laughter erupted all around.

Lu Heng was inwardly annoyed, but with such disparity in strength, he had no capital to compete. He could only endure and look for opportunities to withdraw from this place, absolutely not engaging in a hopeless fight.

Through their casual banter, Xie Yue and Xu Weizhi had already made Lu Heng’s face turn ugly with anger.

But even so, this still wasn’t enough to appease even a fraction of their fury.

If they had arrived even a moment later, wouldn’t the Princess Consort have…

They were ordered to follow the Princess Consort and protect her safety—that was their duty. But if something had happened to the Princess Consort under their very noses, how could they face His Highness in the future!

“Your sophistry is equally first-rate,” Lu Heng sneered. “If Pang Zhixi and the Qin couple hadn’t colluded together, monopolizing the treasure and then turning to bite me, why would His Majesty treat the Lu family this way? How can such a vendetta of clan destruction not be avenged?!”

“Hahaha!” Xie Yue laughed heartily. “Lord Lu, who do you take for a fool? The Lu family’s destruction was also the result of deceiving and lying to the sovereign. You hid the treasure, and now you’re turning around to blame our Prince and Princess Consort. You did the deed but push it onto others—how very responsible of you!”

“You!”

Lu Heng gritted his teeth.

A follower beside Lu Heng said in a low voice, “Family head, don’t fall for their trap. The opponents are probably waiting for large reinforcements to arrive. Let’s leave quickly, or once their reinforcements join them, escaping will be harder than ascending to heaven!”

Lu Heng’s heart jolted. His anger and resentment were instantly suppressed, and he quickly came to his senses.

If he didn’t take his people and leave now, was he waiting for large forces to arrive and make escape impossible?

Having made up his mind, Lu Heng quickly turned and made a gesture.

His guards then formed ranks, wielding weapons and glaring fiercely at Qin Yining with both eyes.

Qin Yining looked at Lu Heng expressionlessly.

As Lu Heng retreated, he too was looking at Qin Yining.

Qin Yining felt no inner turmoil, but Lu Heng’s heart ached unbearably.

It seemed today’s decision had completely and thoroughly offended her, and he no longer needed to harbor any unrealistic fantasies about Qin Yining. This woman had no place for him in her heart, and now she even hated him!

Lu Heng gritted his teeth, turned to order his people to escort him, and the group turned and ran.

The elite Tiger Guards and guards around Qin Yining, driven by hot blood, lifted their legs to give chase, but Qin Yining grabbed Ji Dashun beside her.

“Don’t pursue a desperate enemy.”

Ji Dashun said with some regret, “If we didn’t give up, this subordinate could definitely capture him alive for you!”

Qin Yining smiled and said, “What would I do with him? Leave him be—he still has great use.”

Although Ji Dashun and those around him didn’t understand Qin Yining’s meaning, they all felt somewhat enlightened and fortunate: Fortunately, Qin Yining was their Princess Consort. If it were someone else, Lu Heng would probably have made them furious enough to smoke from all seven orifices.

Watching Lu Heng lead his people in retreat, Qin Yining turned and instructed Jingzhe, “Since dawn is approaching, you should enter the city shortly. Tell His Highness that I’ve returned. Find out clearly what the situation in the city is, then we’ll decide when to enter the city.”