“A’Shu, are we going to die here today?” Ling Xiao clutched Ling Jingshu’s arm tightly, his trembling voice saturated with fear.

His eyes could not see, but his hearing was exceptionally acute. The sounds of battle and screaming from the deck pierced clearly into his ears.

Faced with something like this — not only was Ling Xiao terrified, how could Ling Jingshu not feel fear?

But she was Ling Xiao’s rock. If she panicked, Ling Xiao would fall into even greater chaos.

Ling Jingshu drew in a deep breath and forced herself to be calm.

Heaven had given her a second life — surely it would not take that life away so easily.

“There are more than twenty highly skilled guards on this official vessel, plus nearly twenty boatmen. With them here, we will definitely be able to hold back those bandits.” Ling Jingshu spoke quickly in a low voice: “And what’s more, I already managed to fire the distress signal. Help will come soon. We will get through this safely.”

Her voice, calm and composed, steadied the panicking and helpless Ling Xiao somewhat. He murmured apologetically: “A’Shu, it’s all because of me that you came along to the capital. If something were to go wrong…”

“Nothing will go wrong!” Ling Jingshu cut Ling Xiao off with iron certainty, her gentle voice carrying unwavering resolve: “Don’t frighten yourself.”

That steadfast confidence not only spread to Ling Xiao — even Bai Yu, Jingyu, and the other maids grew considerably calmer.

The cabin had no candles lit, and was completely dark.

And because of this, no one could see the expression on Ling Jingshu’s face at that moment.

The words she had just spoken were meant to soothe Ling Xiao and Bai Yu and the others. But listening to the sounds of fighting outside, which grew more fierce and desperate by the moment, Ling Jingshu’s heart sank further and further.

It was clear that the bandits had the advantage of numbers, and were already gaining the upper hand. And yet these bandits did not appear to have any intention of killing and silencing everyone — they were still locked in a prolonged struggle.

In her previous life, Ling Daye’s family had returned to the capital with no encounter with river pirates on the way, no mishap of any kind. So why had a group of bandits of unknown origin appeared at this juncture?

Where exactly had things gone wrong?

This stretch of river was quite secluded and desolate, and it was the dead of night — even if there were any passing vessels, they would certainly have moored for the night by now. There was no telling whether any boat had seen the distress signal and was coming to the rescue.

If no rescue came, and these bandits fought their way here, a thin wooden door panel would offer no resistance whatsoever.

Ling Jingshu collected herself and said: “Bai Yu, Jingyu. Come here, both of you — help me move the tables, chairs, and trunks to block the door.” Doing so might not accomplish much, but something was better than nothing, and it gave her heart a measure of steadiness.

Ling Xiao immediately said: “Let me help too.” And afraid that Ling Jingshu might object, he added: “The cabin is completely dark — no one can see anything anyway. My hearing is sharper than any of yours.”

Having something to do would also mean less time for grim thoughts to fester.

Ling Jingshu agreed.

The group groped through the darkness, first moving the table, then the chairs and two wooden trunks. Once all of this was done, their hearts settled somewhat.

Though the sounds of fighting outside were still enough to make their hearts pound with dread, the mistress and her attendants huddled here in the dark cabin seemed to feel a measure of safety after all. Darkness inspired fear, but it also gave one the sense of being hidden and protected within its depths.

Ling Xiao still pressed himself tightly against Ling Jingshu’s side, his violently beating heart calming just a little. A sudden thought of something important came to him: “A’Shu, while we’re hiding here — what about our great-uncle and his family? Should we call them over to join us?”

Even if being together didn’t necessarily help, at least in a group, one’s courage would be a little stronger.

Ling Jingshu was silent for a moment before saying quietly: “Great-Uncle and the others are surely all gathered together by now. Even if we went to call them, they might not come.”

In times of great crisis, their great-uncle’s family had no time to spare a thought for the two of them. Even now, no one had come to call for them.

Ling Xiao heard what lay beneath Ling Jingshu’s words and fell silent, feeling a twisting unease in his heart.

“Don’t blame them.” In Ling Jingshu’s calm voice there was a faint trace of wistfulness: “The situation outside is unknown, and if I were in their place, I wouldn’t dare step outside that door either.”

In this world, even fathers and sons, even husbands and wives, could not necessarily be relied upon. Only at the threshold of life and death could one truly see where one stood in another person’s heart, and where that other person stood in one’s own.

For example — when Ling Xiao had woken up, he had come to find her without a second thought.

Though Ling Xiao’s nature was pure and innocent, he was not a child without understanding. He listened to these words and nodded with genuine earnestness: “A’Shu, you’re right. To me, you are the most important person in the world. To our great-uncle and his family, in a moment like this, they can’t spare a thought for the two of us. This is human nature — we can’t blame them for it.”

Ling Jingshu had neither the time nor the inclination to praise Ling Xiao.

On the deck, someone had sustained an injury — another piercing shriek rang out, enough to make anyone’s heart seize with dread.

Then a guard shouted at the top of his voice: “A few of them have broken through — stop them, stop them now…”

Several bandits had broken through the guards and boatmen’s line of defense and burst into the cabins!

Ling Jingshu’s heart lurched. She instinctively tightened her grip on the dagger in her hand, then silently pulled the trembling Ling Xiao close. At this moment, no amount of reassurance or encouragement could help.

The bandits had broken through and were coming!

Ten miles of waterway away, a fleet of vessels was sailing in their direction.

Tonight there was a crescent moon but no stars, the sky draped in thick cloud, the moonlight faint and dim.

This fleet consisted of six vessels in total. Every one of them stood tall, broad, and solidly built — far surpassing ordinary official vessels.

The lead vessel was especially elaborate and lavish.

On the deck of every vessel stood many alert and powerfully built guards. Most held long sabers; the remaining smaller portion gripped longbows with arrows at the ready, scanning their surroundings with watchful, wary eyes.

Even a rough count suggested that the guards spread across these six vessels numbered at least two hundred — well-armed, and excellently disciplined.

With this many people standing on the decks, there was not the faintest sound of clamor.

The vessels moved forward swiftly and silently. On the dark water in the night, they resembled a pack of great beasts lurking in the shadows, waiting only to bare their sharp and lethal claws to tear an enemy apart.

“Wang Tong, at this pace, how much longer until we reach the official vessel that sent the distress signal?”

From within a spacious and sumptuously appointed cabin came the cool and indifferent voice of a young man.

This young man was dressed in a dark black brocade robe, his hair bound with a jade circlet. His head was lowered as he looked at the book in his hands, and he had not looked up when he spoke — as though he had only asked the question casually in passing.

Yet the head guard Wang Tong, standing before him, dared not be careless, and responded promptly: “Reporting to Your Highness — by our estimation, it should not be more than ten miles of waterway ahead. With the vessels moving at full speed, we can arrive in no more than a quarter of an hour.”

He paused, then added: “Some time has already passed between when the distress signal was spotted and now. Whether the people on board will still be alive when we get there — that is hard to say.”

The young man in the dark black brocade robe still did not look up: “If we get there in time, they can count themselves fortunate. If not — they can only blame their bad luck.”