It all happened in the space between a flash of lightning and a clap of thunder.

In no more time than it takes to blink a few times, everything on the ship had turned utterly upside down.

The Second-in-Command lay on his back on the deck. A dagger was buried deep in the center of his chest, blood welling steadily from the wound. There was no longer any breath from his nostrils. His face still wore the expression of shock frozen upon it at the moment of death.

Looking at him now, the sight was rather ghastly.

He could never have imagined, in all likelihood, that he would die at the hands of a frail young girl.

Ling Jingshu stood beside the Second-in-Command’s body. Her collar was spattered with a great deal of blood, and the heavy, dense reek of it was enough to turn the stomach.

All color had drained from her fair face; it was white as snow. In her eyes flashed a swirl of complex emotions — shock, regret, self-reproach — which just as quickly sank back and vanished beneath the surface.

She drew her trembling hands into her sleeves and forced herself to breathe out slowly and deeply, compelling herself to be calm.

In that desperate situation just moments ago, she had had no choice but to strike first. Otherwise, the one lying here would have been her. And moreover — this was a bandit who had committed abduction and robbery. He had deserved to die!

She had done nothing wrong!

Ling Jingshu repeated this over and over in her heart, yet her stomach, churning with the overwhelming stench of blood, finally could bear it no longer. She bent double and retched.

Bai Yu had been so thoroughly overwhelmed by one shock after another that she had gone numb.

How had the young miss, of so gentle and mild a nature, found the nerve to kill a man? And this man was a ruthless, cold-blooded bandit who killed without blinking…

It was not until Ling Jingshu bent over in evident distress and began to vomit that Bai Yu snapped back to herself with a start. Without a second thought she rushed to Ling Jingshu’s side and caught her by the arm. “Miss, are you all right?”

Ling Jingshu felt her stomach heaving in tremendous upheaval, and was far too sick to care about how undignified the moment was. She emptied her stomach completely.

By this time, the bandits who had raided the official ship were either dead or incapacitated. They were no longer capable of posing any threat whatsoever.

“Your Highness, there are quite a number of people on the ship who have been wounded. Ought we to send the Imperial Physician to tend to them?” Wang Tong offered in a low voice.

The black-robed young man gave a languid sound of acknowledgment. “The matter of settling things afterward — you handle it yourself. There is no need to ask me about each and every detail.” Even as he spoke, he was not looking at Wang Tong. His gaze remained fixed, the entire time, on Ling Jingshu.

Beautiful and delicate in appearance. Yet at the moment she struck to kill, utterly ruthless in a way that chilled the heart. And now, retching without stop…

What a contradictory and fascinating girl!

Wang Tong followed the direction of the black-robed young man’s gaze and glanced toward Ling Jingshu. A wave of quiet astonishment rose within him as well.

The guards who had held the longbows were all rigorously trained and carefully selected archers — each one possessing the skill to hit a target a hundred paces away. What had seemed like a disorderly volley of arrows just now was in fact precisely aimed at the bandits, each arrow deliberate.

As long as the girl had not moved recklessly, she would not be struck by any stray arrow.

That this girl had been able to judge so clearly and calmly, remaining absolutely motionless throughout the volley — that alone was remarkable enough. To say nothing of the fact that she had seized the critical split second and used the dagger in her hand to kill the bandit ringleader…

Ruthless with herself. Even more ruthless with others.

Such a young woman from a distinguished household — truly rare to encounter. Little wonder that His Highness had taken an interest in her…

Wang Tong’s thoughts turned rapidly. He spoke in a low voice with a smile. “Everyone on this official ship owes their survival to His Highness’s aid. Were it not for him, they would not have escaped today’s calamity. They must surely be profoundly grateful and will want to offer their thanks in person. There are still some bandits on the deck, and His Highness’s person is beyond price — it would not be suitable to remain in a place of danger. Why not return to the cabin first? Once your subordinate has handled everything, the people on board can come aboard to pay their respects to Your Highness.”

The black-robed young man replied with casual indifference. “No need to go back to the cabin. I’ll go down to the deck and have a look as well.”

“Your Highness must absolutely not—” Wang Tong was startled and quickly moved to dissuade him. “The bandits have not all been apprehended yet. The situation is not entirely safe. If someone in desperation were to make a sudden lunge…”

“You talk too much.”

The black-robed young man cut Wang Tong off with a note of mild impatience, then stepped forward and descended.

Wang Tong did not dare obstruct him, and immediately led a dozen or so guards to stand vigilant watch on all sides of the black-robed young man.

Ling Jingshu’s stomach had been completely emptied, and the searing, corroding misery gradually began to subside.

Ling Jingshu slumped weakly against Bai Yu, eyes half-closed, the ghost of a self-mocking bitter smile curling at the corner of her lips.

At this rate, there would come a day when she would turn into a stranger she could no longer recognize…

“Miss, please don’t cry.” Bai Yu choked back her own tears and wiped the traces from Ling Jingshu’s face. “Just now, had you not made your move when you did, that bandit ringleader would never have let you go.”

Yes. Waiting to be rescued by others was no match for rescuing oneself.

If she had ended up in the hands of a desperate bandit with nowhere left to run, the one lying on the deck right now would have been her.

Ling Jingshu opened her eyes and mustered a stiff smile. “Whatever else may be said, we have made it through this ordeal after all.” She paused, then added in a hushed voice, “What happened just now — don’t tell A’Xiao yet. I don’t want to frighten him.”

Ling Xiao had always had a timid heart, and he trusted and depended on her completely. If he found out she had killed someone, he would certainly be terrified!

Bai Yu nodded her agreement without a moment’s hesitation.

It was a pity that so many people had been present. There was no possibility of keeping it concealed. Otherwise, Bai Yu would have truly wished to bury this matter forever, and let no one — least of all the members of the Ling family — ever come to know of it.

“I would not have thought you capable of the nerve to take a life,” came a cold, detached voice, carrying with it an innate sense of superiority — exactly the impression that the black-robed young man had always given. “You have at least not made the effort I spent rescuing you entirely worthless.”

Bai Yu seethed with irritation within, and shot back in a tone that came out a little sharp. “Many thanks to the young master for saving our lives. However, young master gave no warning whatsoever before ordering his men to loose arrows — that was a rather reckless way of going about things. Had there been some mishap, this servant’s worthless life would have been neither here nor there, but if the young miss had been harmed — what then?”

Before the black-robed young man could reply, the powerfully built Wang Tong’s expression had already shifted. “Insolence! How dare you speak to His Highness in such a manner!”

His Highness?

Ling Jingshu was startled, and snapped her head up to look at the black-robed young man.

Such a form of address was reserved only for imperial princes or imperial grandsons. She had long since guessed that this black-robed young man’s origins were no ordinary ones, but she had not imagined they would be quite so exalted.

The black-robed young man was this young — could he be Prince Yan Yang Qi, the youngest imperial prince? Or was he Crown Grandson Yang Yao of the Eastern Palace?

Bai Yu’s expression shifted slightly, as inward regret came rushing in. In a moment of indulging her sharp tongue, she had given offense to a person of great eminence. Would that not bring trouble down upon the young miss?

The black-robed young man gave Wang Tong a mild look. “Too much.”

The displeasure in his tone was unmistakable.

Wang Tong immediately dropped to his knees to beg pardon. “Your subordinate ought not to have carelessly revealed Your Highness’s identity — this subordinate deserves punishment!”

But the black-robed young man paid Wang Tong no further attention, leaving him kneeling there, while his gaze settled upon Ling Jingshu. “What is your name?” With no further need to conceal his identity, the bearing of one who commanded power from the heights of authority manifested fully and without restraint.

Ling Jingshu straightened instinctively. “This humble person is of the Ling family, ranking ninth among the children at home.”

As for her given name — that was naturally not something to be disclosed.

The black-robed young man was clearly unaccustomed to having his intentions thwarted, and his brows rose slightly.

Wang Tong, still kneeling on the ground, felt a quiet shock within.

His Highness possessed an innate authority and a cold, austere nature. Even the guards who attended him day and night did not dare to meet his eyes directly, let alone speak against him. This young miss of the Ling family, ranking ninth, was quite bold indeed…