The three of them didn’t act rashly, only lifting the carriage curtain slightly to peek outside.

They saw that the two leading horses on the official road had been tripped by rope snares, and the guards Ji Zeyu had assigned were all thrown to the ground. They struggled to get up and fell back to defend around the carriage, while the others drew their weapons and waited in formation.

Around the carriage, more than ten people dressed as refugees had appeared.

These people wore tattered clothes, but they lacked the weakness of actual refugees. Each was tall and robust, even stronger than the guards Ji Zeyu had arranged. They all carried steel blades that gleamed coldly—how could ordinary refugees possibly obtain such weapons?

“Who are you people!”

The “refugees” said nothing and charged forward with raised blades. More than ten people surged like a rainbow, like fierce tigers descending the mountain, clearly intent on taking lives. The guards stopped talking and drew their sabers to meet them head-on, and the two groups clashed in battle.

Ji Zeyu’s trusted men should all be like the Elite Tiger Guards—elites among elites. But unexpectedly, their opponents’ skills were also formidable, and the enemy had superior numbers. Ji Zeyu had only arranged six people, with only five engaging in combat while one drove the carriage.

Qin Yining’s heart lurched as she quickly pulled the curtain tight and turned to Bingtang and Ji Yun, “The situation is dire. These people are likely from the Tatars!”

“What?” Ji Yun covered her mouth.

“I spent so much time with the Tatars that I still remember what their people look like. They do indeed appear to be Tatars, and where else would you find such robust refugees? If bandits were disguising themselves as refugees, wouldn’t they rob for money rather than kill? At the very least, they’d demand people hand over gold, silver, and valuables and let uninvolved parties leave. But they haven’t said a word. They’re clearly here for me.”

Bingtang’s face went pale with nervousness, but having experienced great storms with Qin Yining, though frightened, she didn’t panic. She took out small paper packets of anesthetic powder from her sleeve and gave one each to Qin Yining and Ji Yun.

“This medicine only needs to be thrown in someone’s face to make them dizzy and have some effect. Princess Consort, don’t be afraid. We’ll stay in the carriage, and if necessary, we’ll use the powder.”

“Right.” Ji Yun also slowly drew the soft sword coiled around her waist and sneered, “I’m here too. I don’t believe those barbarians can be that formidable. If they want to touch even a finger of yours, they’ll have to ask my sword first.”

Seeing that though they were afraid, they could still keep their composure and remained loyal to her, Qin Yining felt both comforted and moved, “Don’t be impulsive either. We’ll assess the situation first. You must protect yourselves.”

As soon as she finished speaking, the previously stable carriage suddenly lurched forward.

The driver spoke in a northern accent, his lowered voice quite hoarse: “Princess Consort, we’ll break through first! Hold on tight!”

Qin Yining gripped the edges of the carriage window with both hands. As the carriage began moving, the curtains on both sides flew up, and Qin Yining could see everything outside clearly.

Those five guards were actually using their flesh and blood to desperately block the attackers!

Qin Yining’s eyes reddened with urgency. She hated her own uselessness—at the crucial moment, she couldn’t help at all but only burden others.

If those five men came to harm protecting her, how could she ever repay them!

But in the current situation, there was nothing she could do to help! All she could do was sit obediently in the carriage and watch people sacrifice themselves!

The carriage raced forward. The driver’s eyes had turned red as he shouted and picked up speed, breaking through the encirclement in an instant and heading straight ahead. The muddy road surface threw up splashes of mud and water behind the carriage, leaving chaotic traces, and even the carriage shaft creaked as if it might fall apart at any moment.

Just then, a whooshing sound cut through the air as an arrow struck the driver’s chest, the arrowhead piercing through his back as blood sprayed out.

He spat out a large mouthful of blood and used his last bit of will to rein in the carriage with all his strength, because if he died and the carriage ran wild, it could kill the pregnant woman inside. This way, the people in the carriage still had a chance for someone else to take the reins.

“Princess… Princess Consort, I…”

Feeling the carriage come to an abrupt stop and hearing the man’s muffled groan, Ji Yun lifted the curtain and saw the driver’s body go limp as he fell to the ground.

Blood flowed from his chest and mouth, spraying blood foam with his short, labored breaths, until finally he closed his eyes unwillingly, a thin line of blood seeping from his nose and mouth.

“Princess Consort!” Ji Yun cried out and was about to go drive the carriage.

But Qin Yining patted Ji Yun’s shoulder and said, “Forget it, don’t move yet.”

Ji Yun looked up and followed Qin Yining’s pointing direction to see a short, stocky person wearing rough brown clothing, a six-harmony hat, and a black silk face covering standing not far away with hands behind his back. Beside him stood a tall, fierce-looking man who held a bow drawn to full moon, with the arrow tip pointed directly at the carriage.

Without doubt, whether Ji Yun or Bingtang, anyone who dared to drive the carriage would meet the same fate as the fallen driver.

“Princess Consort…”

“Be obedient.” Qin Yining raised her voice and smiled, “Tianji Zi’s calculations are divine. Having calculated that I would return to the city during this heavy rain, he’s showing mercy by not having me killed with a single arrow. He must have something to say to me. This doesn’t concern you two—neither of you are allowed to come out.”

Tianji Zi?

Ji Yun and Bingtang’s hearts pounded as they looked toward the short, masked figure.

The masked person indeed gave a light laugh, tore off the face covering and threw it on the ground. Standing in the light rain, he stepped forward two paces with hands behind his back, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes creasing into smiles: “When old friends meet, doesn’t the Princess Consort feel even a little surprised?”

Qin Yining also got out of the carriage, supporting her aching waist as she stood steady. Bingtang and Ji Yun immediately got out as well, supporting Qin Yining on both sides.

Bingtang blocked Qin Yining’s front and hesitantly called out: “Master, you…”

“Oh my, so it’s Jingzhen.” Tianji Zi shook his head and sighed, “Back in Great Yan, when your father entrusted you to Fairy Maiden Temple, you became my little disciple. We can be said to have had a period of master-disciple relationship. Though you’re no longer my disciple now, I still value old bonds. I won’t kill you.”

Tianji Zi smiled kindly and waved his hand, “You may go.”

Bingtang felt her hair stand on end as she spread her arms to block in front of Qin Yining, “No, Master, you can’t kill the Princess Consort. She’s a good person. Why do you want to kill her!”

“Jingzhen, you’re a blessed girl. You shouldn’t be too obstinate, lest your blessings turn to misfortune.”

“Why? Why do you want to harm the Prince? Why do you want to harm our Princess Consort? You said we had a master-disciple relationship. If not for the Princess Consort’s protection, I would have died long ago. Can’t you spare her for your disciple’s sake?”

Hearing this, Ji Yun also pleaded: “You’re a transcendent sage, a cultivator. The Princess Consort is six months pregnant with twins. If you kill her, that’s three lives. Aren’t you afraid of losing merit?”

Ji Yun wanted to break through by force but couldn’t now, being directly targeted by that man’s sharp arrow. What if she accidentally harmed the Princess Consort?

Tianji Zi shook his head and sighed, “You are all obstinate. What’s so good about her that’s worth such protection from you?”

When looking at Qin Yining, Tianji Zi’s gaze suddenly became fierce.

“If not for you, this variable, my plan would have succeeded from the beginning. Why would I need to drag it out for so many years, letting the world fall into such chaos!”

Qin Yining could see the anger and madness in Tianji Zi’s eyes and knew that pleading would be useless now. Since she couldn’t escape, she simply let go of her worries, pulled Bingtang and Ji Yun behind her to stop them from advancing further, stroked her belly, and looked at Tianji Zi.

“Tianji Zi is a transcendent sage who claims to divine heavenly secrets. Even before I knew you, your reputation was no secret. You once read the fates of His Majesty, Marquis Dingbei, and the Prince, speaking of Purple Star Emperors and three inauspicious stars.”

At this point, Qin Yining gave a mocking laugh, her gaze also becoming sharp, “If not for your fortune-telling, how would His Majesty have become so wary of Pang Zhixi? How would we have faced so many tribulations! You say I’m a variable? What about you—aren’t you a demon causing chaos in the world! You scheme this and calculate that—have you ever calculated that your very existence is harmful to all living beings!”

“How laughable!” Tianji Zi’s face flushed red with anger as he pointed at Qin Yining furiously, “If not for you, this variable, I would have already guided the world’s great affairs onto the right path! And now? With the Purple Star Emperor at your side, those who should have died didn’t die, causing my entire game to fall into chaos!”

Qin Yining’s heart pounded wildly!

“With the Purple Star Emperor at your side, those who should have died didn’t die”—did this mean both Pang Xiao and Li Qitian were still alive!

Tianji Zi pointed at Qin Yining in exasperation, “You should have died long ago! Your existence is the greatest variable in my game!”

Qin Yining sneered: “Back at Fairy Maiden Temple, you said I had an extremely noble fate. Now you’re taking it back? How many of your words can be trusted—do you even remember?”

“I was forced to speak nonsense then because Duke Dingguo’s wife was present! I’ve calculated everyone in the world, but you’re the only one I can’t see through. You clearly have a fate of early death, yet you’ve continued living!

“If your mother hadn’t been pregnant with you back then, your father wouldn’t have used a divide-and-conquer strategy against Northern Ji. Pang Zhongzheng’s original destiny was completely changed, dying an unnatural death. Pang Zhixi was born to be a young general but languished in the countryside until his teens, allowing the Seven Kills Star to ascend.

“And this time, it’s because of you again! Pang Zhixi didn’t have to go!

“You were born to be a variable!

“Only by killing you can everything return to its proper course!”

Tianji Zi gritted his teeth, his emotions spiraling out of control in his fury. He turned and drew a blade from the man’s waist, walking toward Qin Yining with murderous intent.

“Today I’ll kill you and set things right. All human development can return to its proper path. You can’t blame me for your death—who told you that you shouldn’t exist in this world!”

Seeing Tianji Zi approaching with a blade, Ji Yun panicked and drew her soft sword.

The man holding the bow immediately nocked another arrow and without hesitation shot it with a “whoosh” aimed at Ji Yun’s heart.