Bao Hu grew increasingly bold, speaking without reservation as he eagerly tried to approach her.

Qin Yining lowered her head as if she were so shy she wanted to find a crack in the ground to hide in, repeatedly saying, “No need, no need.”

But Bao Hu frightened her: “This is the wilderness where wild beasts often roam. What if you encounter wolves or wild dogs in the forest and they drag the boss away? I at least have some strength and can keep watch for you.”

Qin Yining truly seemed frightened by Bao Hu’s words, her whole body trembling several times.

But since she was going to relieve herself, she couldn’t very well nod in agreement. She turned and walked into the forest with her head down.

Bao Hu brushed the crumbs from his hands and strode after her.

The bandits drinking soup and eating watched this scene, laughing and jeering.

“Damn it, how come we don’t have Second Master’s good fortune?”

“Look, that woman has feelings for our Second Master!”

“Her man’s always away, so she’s lonely and empty—that’s natural. Haven’t you seen how those girls in the brothels look at us like they’ve been starving for days, their eyes glowing green?”

“Xu Chu, you’re just boasting. Last time when Peach Blossom chased you out and locked the door, we all saw it!”

“Haha! That whore chased me out because I didn’t bring enough silver. You try going without money!”

“When I go, women pay me!”

“Hahaha!”

…

The group continued their crude banter, and Bao Hu heard it dimly, a fire igniting in his heart.

Watching Qin Yining enter the forest, Bao Hu quickened his pace.

Anyway, this was the wilderness, in the middle of nowhere. After sleeping with this little woman and taking the carloads of gold and silver treasures, this business would be complete. He wasn’t picky—why not get it done right here? The forest would be even more exciting!

With this thought, Bao Hu rushed forward and grabbed Qin Yining around the waist, his sour-smelling mouth moving to gnaw on her face.

“Ah!” Qin Yining cried out in alarm.

As Bao Hu tried to kiss her, Qin Yining struggled and tried to avoid him. Bao Hu wasn’t angry but found it even more interesting, constantly murmuring, “Good woman, submit to your brother. Brother will treat you well, guarantee to serve you comfortably. Good woman, give brother a kiss…”

In the distant camp, they could vaguely hear sounds from the forest and could see Bao Hu dragging someone deeper into the woods.

The bandits all laughed and jeered, “Second Master can’t hold back anymore!”

A large group laughed together.

Even those who usually couldn’t speak to Bao Hu, or those Bao Hu had temporarily recruited from other strongholds for this business, gathered in the distance to discuss in low voices, full of crude jokes and envy.

In the forest, Qin Yining struggled and ran, leading him deeper into the woods. Her long hair had been disheveled, and her clothes were torn and messy.

Bao Hu’s stinking mouth kissed all over her body while his large hands pulled at her skirt, pressing her against a tree.

Qin Yining was truly somewhat panicked.

Could Bingtang have given her the wrong powder? Otherwise, how could this man have drunk a whole bowl of soup and still show no effects?

But just then, his movements suddenly became sluggish, his eyelids grew heavy, and his hands and feet began to disobey him.

“Beauty, just submit to brother, beauty…” As he spoke, even his tongue began to disobey him.

Qin Yining felt the pressure suddenly decrease.

She watched as Bao Hu became like frozen mud being placed in a warm place, his whole body collapsing to the ground, turning back into a puddle of muck.

Bao Hu’s eyes were confused. Seeing Qin Yining walk up to him, he knew he must have been tricked—this woman had dared to plot against him! But his consciousness gradually blurred, and he couldn’t even shout.

Qin Yining fiercely kicked his vital parts.

Bao Hu was instantly much more awake from the pain. He felt something seemed to have burst, that bone-piercing agony was unbearable. He opened his mouth to scream, but neither his mouth nor throat would obey him. His eyelids slowly closed heavily again.

Qin Yining turned and ran into the forest.

At this time, those in the center of the camp who had eaten the rabbit and wild vegetable soup had all collapsed on the ground.

A whole circle of people had fallen in unison. If the surrounding people couldn’t see something was wrong, they’d be fools.

Some rushed to check on the situation, others found the silence from the forest suspicious. Not caring whether they might spoil Bao Hu’s fun, they all rushed into the forest.

But upon entering the forest and walking for a while, they saw Bao Hu lying sprawled on the ground. He had already fainted, his head and face covered in cold sweat, his expression twisted even in unconsciousness, with a suspicious dark stain on his muddy yellow pants.

“Holy shit, did Second Master piss himself?”

“Stop the damn nonsense! That woman must have poisoned him. Chase her!”

Those from Bao Hu’s stronghold were furious, glaring around.

But several men from another stronghold who had cooperated with Bao Hu on this business exchanged glances.

“Better not chase her. Our priority is money. Anyway, all those boxes and bundles of valuables are left behind. A woman running into the wilderness—how many days can she survive? Let the wild dogs eat her!”

“No way! That slutty woman with her seductive looks dared to poison our Second Master. Catch her and let the brothers teach her a lesson!”

“Right, right, catch her!”

“What kind of hero doesn’t avenge wrongs!”

“Is making money more important or something else?”

“Second Master isn’t your mountain’s boss, so of course you don’t care!”

“Fuck your grandfather!”

“Fuck your mother!”

The two groups started cursing, and as they cursed, the hot-tempered ones started fighting. Once someone started fighting, others fought back.

This time for the funeral escort, Phoenix Mountain stronghold had brought many people, but Qin Yining had always told Bao Hu she feared insufficient manpower wouldn’t be dignified, so Bao Hu had sought cooperation from others. Now that Bao Hu was down and enormous wealth lay before them, the other strongholds naturally wanted to seize more benefits. The two groups clashed like this, completely forgetting to chase Qin Yining.

Qin Yining was frantically anxious at this moment, lifting her skirt hem while running and checking the tree canopy to determine direction.

In the forest where all the scenery looked similar, if not for her early experience surviving in the wild, she might have run in circles and ended up back where she started!

Qin Yining had planned for the possibility of internal conflict among the bandits, but wasn’t certain. She prepared for the worst case, assuming they would quickly pursue her, so she ran for her life while looking for tree holes or ground caves where she could hide.

But at this season, the fallen leaves accumulated over years in the forest had rotted, and wild grass grew everywhere. As Qin Yining ran, she had to use sticks to “beat the grass to startle the snakes,” afraid of being suddenly bitten. Besides watching for pursuers, she had to be alert for wild beasts—truly exhausting her mind and strength.

Moreover, after several ordeals, her body couldn’t compare to what it was years ago before returning home. Though she was thin then too, years of gathering herbs and hunting in the mountains had given her excellent stamina. But now she had endured various torments, her health had been poor before childbirth, she’d suffered during pregnancy, and after delivery had experienced so much more. In the palace she’d been tormented by the Empress Dowager and imprisoned. After leaving the palace, there were funeral arrangements at home. Before receiving news of Qin Huaiyuan, Qin Yining had been grieving constantly, her body ravaged beyond recognition.

So after running for a while, Qin Yining gradually felt her strength failing, unable to catch her breath. To guard against the bandits, she had persisted in not touching their food or water, going a whole day without a drop of water. Now her ears buzzed, her vision darkened in waves, and little stars spun before her eyes.

Just then, commotion came from the forest behind—chaotic footsteps and shouts drew closer.

“I think I saw a white figure!”

“Over there, chase! Catch her!”

Qin Yining’s heart lurched, knowing pursuers had caught up. She gritted her teeth and continued running.

But stamina wasn’t something you could have just by persisting. She felt increasingly weak while the shouting and killing behind grew closer.

Qin Yining’s face was covered in sweat, her dress torn in several places by branches, even her calves had several scratches. But she gritted her teeth and couldn’t stop. Even knowing she couldn’t outrun these people, she wouldn’t let herself be caught.

“Quick, there!”

“I see her!”

“Don’t run! Run again and we’ll kill you!”

“Catch that woman and teach her a hard lesson!”

…

The group roared and chased like mad dogs. Qin Yining’s heart nearly jumped to her throat.

She ran around trees, but soon four people caught up and surrounded her from left and right.

“You still won’t stop? Look if you can still escape!”

Qin Yining’s chest heaved violently as she warily glared at the four men surrounding her, hearing urgent footsteps—more pursuers were coming.

Though seeing stars, she didn’t want to give up, but some things couldn’t be achieved just by gritting one’s teeth.

She stepped back until her back was against a large tree, slowly raising the hand holding her hairpin.

“Don’t come closer! Whoever comes closer, I’ll kill them!”

Hearing this, the men laughed mockingly. “Kill? You probably couldn’t even kill a chicken!”

The man opposite threw himself at her.

Qin Yining gritted her teeth, trying to dodge, but there were people on her left, right, and behind. If not for the large tree at her back, she would have been surrounded and captured long ago. With nowhere to escape, Qin Yining cursed inwardly and fiercely swung her hairpin toward the man’s eyes.

Just then, a sharp “whoosh” pierced the air. Before Qin Yining’s hairpin could strike the man, he fell to the ground with a thud, an arrow shaft protruding from his back, blood flowing freely.

Simultaneously came several more “whooshes.” The men around Qin Yining cursed, screamed, and tried to dodge but to no avail—they were shot down one by one like targets.

Several others, seeing the situation was bad, quickly hid behind trees. Some clever ones tried to grab Qin Yining as a hostage. But Qin Yining’s surroundings seemed protected by an invisible barrier—anyone who approached was shot down with an arrow, falling to the ground screaming.

Qin Yining, exhausted, leaned against the tree. Her vision was still dark with chaotic light spots spinning before her eyes. She couldn’t clearly see the group approaching against the light, still gripping her hairpin tightly, defensively “staring” ahead.

Until footsteps reached right in front of her, before she could react, she was swept into strong arms and pressed firmly against a familiar chest.

“Good girl, don’t be afraid. Yining, don’t be afraid. I’m here, I’m here.”