“I choose the second option.”

As soon as Jing Hengbo spoke these words, everyone’s brows jumped, seeming both surprised and unsurprised.

Chai Yu raised her eyebrows with a pleased expression, while Ming Yan’an’s eyes, which had been closed the whole time, opened wide with bright light as he let out a long breath of relief.

“However,” Jing Hengbo said slowly, “I only have the right to decide my own fate, not the authority to make others sacrifice for me. So surrender and persuasion to capitulate—I alone am enough for such things. Let everyone else leave.”

“That won’t do,” Chai Yu said decisively.

“If it won’t do, then forget it.” Jing Hengbo smiled and rolled up her sleeves, staring at Ming Yan’an. “Then let’s fight to the death here at Tianyi Gorge. I can’t guarantee anything else, but I’m confident I can make you die here.”

Ming Yan’an sneered coldly and was about to retort when he suddenly remembered Jing Hengbo’s amazing remote object manipulation in Shangyuan City and her ghostly lightness skills. His expression changed and he fell silent.

Chai Yu glanced at his expression, knowing he was already afraid. After hesitating, she said, “Then everyone else must immediately withdraw fifteen li and swear poisonous oaths never to set foot in Daimao again.”

Jing Hengbo turned to look at the crowd behind her and smiled. “Go ahead and swear.”

“Dream on!” Pei Shu refused outright, pointing at Ming Yan’an with a cold laugh. “Master never swears oaths in his life—only kills people!”

Yelu Qi smiled without speaking, and from his expression one could tell his attitude.

The Seven Kills loudly proclaimed they would swear oaths and immediately made a pile of strange and bizarre vows, but each oath greeted all the female ancestors of Ming Yan’an, and each oath insisted on having various abnormal relationships with the female elders of Ming Yan’an and the Fifteen Gangs’ leaders.

By the end, everyone’s faces were iron-blue with anger and they wanted to strike, but those seven men darted about with supreme lightness skills, and no one could catch even the corner of their clothes.

Chai Yu sighed softly, bent down to Ming Yan’an’s ear and said, “Great King, I think we shouldn’t push too hard. Though the Queen has few people with her, each one is a master. If we really fight, they’ll definitely target the leaders of both armies first, and you and the Fifteen Gangs’ chiefs will bear the brunt. Your original target was just the Queen anyway—why make deadly enemies of this group of formidable people?”

“You’re right.” Ming Yan’an nodded. “Let them leave. Whether they swear oaths or not doesn’t really matter. Keeping a close watch on Jing Hengbo is the main priority.”

Chai Yu straightened up and, without looking at Pei Shu, Yelu Qi and the others, smiled and gestured to Jing Hengbo. “Please.”

Following her gesture, the two armies parted to reveal a prison cart. The cart didn’t look ferocious—on the contrary, with golden bars and silver surroundings decorated with colorful silk, if not for the especially fine bars, at first glance it almost looked like a queen’s carriage.

“You are, after all, the court-appointed Black Water Queen. Even as a prisoner, we will give you the treatment you deserve and won’t humiliate you,” Chai Yu smiled. “How’s that? Feel reassured?”

“You really won’t humiliate me?” Jing Hengbo looked at Ming Yan’an in the crowd.

Ming Yan’an answered decisively, “We will give you the treatment a queen deserves!”

Jing Hengbo cupped her chin and nodded with satisfaction, then looked at the Lingxiao Sect Master who was restraining Meng Potian. The Daoist snorted coldly and threw Meng Potian to the ground.

Meng Kuang immediately reached out to help her up. Meng Potian grasped his hand—the young woman’s palm was covered with bloodstains, yet she gripped very tightly, her fingernails digging into her father’s flesh.

Meng Kuang felt the pain but didn’t let go, only saying, “Potian, from now on, have you finally awakened?”

He moved aside to let Meng Potian see Pei Shu, to let her see clearly that even though she was in such a miserable state here, Pei Shu had always remained standing in place, always in a protective stance toward Jing Hengbo.

Though he knew this scene was cruel, Meng Kuang hoped that after this bone-deep heartbreak, it could bring his infatuated daughter rebirth.

This was his most beloved youngest daughter, the future heir he had placed high hopes in and addressed as Young Master. For so many years, the Sixth Young Master Meng had been passionate, free-spirited, and unrestrained, but because of one love affair, she had suddenly become unrecognizable.

The resilience and decisiveness in her bones remained, but now only for breaking with love, for persisting in love, for disregarding everything for love, cutting off the rest of her life with one sword.

But Meng Potian didn’t look in that direction at all.

Since leaving that formation, she hadn’t looked at Pei Shu again.

Her choices and actions had always been for her own heart alone, never seeking his recognition or tears of gratitude.

She loved that Pei Shu who was as unrestrained and unbound as herself—when had she ever wanted to use feminine tenderness to bind him in place with hesitation?

She was just gasping for breath. She didn’t use Meng Kuang’s strength to stand up, but instead bowed where she was.

Meng Kuang’s expression changed slightly. Meng Potian was already saying mournfully, “Father, forgive me!”

Meng Kuang’s hand trembled, and Meng Potian’s hand slipped free. Before he could grasp it firmly again, Meng Potian had already let go and stood up, staggering forward.

“Potian!”

Hearing her father’s urgent and angry call, Meng Potian’s retreating figure paused but ultimately didn’t turn back.

The young woman walked unsteadily out from among the Fifteen Gangs’ members.

The gang members around her, those people she had once called uncles, brothers, and fathers, parted into two rows like the guards on Jing Hengbo’s side earlier, but with even colder and more contemptuous gazes as they watched her leave.

Meng Potian kept her head down, not looking at anyone, but walked with extreme accuracy in Pei Shu’s direction, staggering along.

The wind at the gorge entrance was particularly fierce, carrying three parts spring chill that blew her hair into disarray. Her vision finally began to blur gradually. At the last step out of that formation, her body went soft and she fell forward.

A pair of arms caught her in time—arms with deep black bracers inlaid with copper buttons, their color heavy and dark with vague traces of dried blood.

This was his familiar scent and style that she knew, belonging to battle, to indulgence, to that wind-like man on the battlefield.

She raised her head, and in her daze couldn’t see his features clearly, but seemed to see his brow furrowed, gathering three parts anger.

Her eyes were misty, tears half-dried, a smile half-forming at the corners of her lips. She suddenly reached out and pinched the corners of his mouth, shaping them into a smile, murmuring, “Can you try not to be so angry all the time…”

Her voice gradually lowered as she fainted.

Pei Shu held her with a somewhat bewildered expression. Jing Hengbo watched this scene and smiled.

Then she turned back to Yelu Qi and the others behind her. “Well then, let’s say farewell here.”

Yelu Qi frowned slightly, glancing at Chai Yu, then at her.

Jing Hengbo raised her eyebrows at him.

Yelu Qi seemed to be thinking about something. He didn’t speak again and stepped back.

His retreat surprised Pei Shu somewhat. He lifted his foot to step forward, but Jing Hengbo immediately pointed at his foot. “Stop! Do you want to get Potian killed?”

Pei Shu’s boot stopped in mid-air.

“Potian is severely injured and needs urgent treatment. If you’re still being wishy-washy here, do you really want a big battle? In intense combat, who will look after her safety? Even if you can protect her, her injuries can’t be delayed.” Jing Hengbo drove him away without courtesy. “Go! Trust me!”

The Seven Kills came over giggling and pulled Pei Shu away, along with the stubborn-faced Yong Xue, the chattering Er Gouzi, and the shifty-eyed Feifei. The seven comedians carried them all off with completely carefree attitudes, always facing all variables with a game-like mindset.

Jing Hengbo was very grateful the seven comedians were there. Their contrary way of doing things saved her a lot of trouble with explanations.

The Fifteen Gangs’ members made way, watching these people leave in silence. Like Ming Yan’an, these people also didn’t want to offend masters and bring trouble upon themselves.

Common people were always quick to show individual courage, but when in groups, they tended to pass responsibility around.

Jing Hengbo watched that group depart, then turned back to look at the prison cart. Chai Yu still stood elegantly, extending her hand like a hostess warmly welcoming guests.

Soldiers surrounded them from all sides, standing dense as mountains in front of Ming Yan’an with swords and shields gleaming brightly. Ming Yan’an seemed to be covered in a turtle shell, afraid she might desperately strike out.

A box was thrown from the dense crowd, and Ming Yan’an’s voice came: “Skill-dispersing pills. Please honor your promise, Queen.”

Jing Hengbo caught the box and raised her eyebrows. “What about you? How do I know that after I voluntarily surrender, you’ll honor your promise and not make things difficult for everyone else?”

“This king can swear an oath.” Ming Yan’an immediately said without hesitation, “If this king breaks his oath and acts against the Queen’s subordinates, then may I be haunted by vengeful spirits, die with my country destroyed, and leave no heirs!”

“That’s quite a strange oath.” Jing Hengbo chuckled and picked out a grass-green pill, then suddenly widened her eyes. “This big? You want me to swallow it dry? Be humane—give me some water, will you?”

Chai Yu waved her hand, and a soldier immediately brought a water pouch. Chai Yu tested the water with a silver needle in front of Jing Hengbo, then tossed her the pouch.

Jing Hengbo took the pill quite readily. Afterward, she opened her mouth toward Chai Yu to show she hadn’t played any tricks. Chai Yu kept smiling, but Ming Yan’an peeked out from the crowd to take a look.

After taking the skill-dispersing pill, Jing Hengbo very consciously crawled into the cage. Halfway in, she grabbed the bars. “Where’s the bedding? How am I supposed to sleep without bedding!”

Chai Yu waved her hand, and after a while someone brought a thin military blanket. Jing Hengbo gripped the bars and poked her head out worriedly. “Is it new?”

“No one has slept on it, don’t worry.”

“What about a pillow?” Her Majesty the Queen gripped the bars, half in and half out. “I can’t sleep without a pillow.”

“Does Your Majesty really think this is your royal carriage for touring Daimao!” Ming Yan’an couldn’t help poking his head out to mock her.

Jing Hengbo smiled. “I don’t talk to turtles.” Ignoring Ming Yan’an, whose face had turned blue with anger, she only asked Chai Yu, “Pillow?”

Chai Yu had no choice but to order someone to fetch a pillow.

With bedding and pillow complete, Jing Hengbo rubbed her stomach. “Fry up two pounds of sunflower seeds for me to eat, or it’ll be too boring.”

This time even Chai Yu’s expression soured. She flicked her sleeves. “On a military march, there are no snacks. The Queen will have to make do!”

“Making do it is then.” Jing Hengbo sighed and climbed reluctantly onto the cart. The cart looked luxurious but was designed very low—one couldn’t stand up, only half-lie and half-sit, which would become very uncomfortable after a while. There were locks on all four sides, with iron chains and steel rings mounted on the bars on both sides. Chai Yu personally came over to lock her hands and feet. Fortunately the chains were long and didn’t hinder her movements too much, but Jing Hengbo noticed that the steel rings locking her feet were on both sides of the prison cart, and originally the chains had been very short—the current chains were added later, their color inconsistent.

This meant that originally the foot chains were short, and if that were the case, once she was locked up, she would be forced into a position with her legs spread apart in the prison cart, unable to close them—certainly the greatest humiliation.

Jing Hengbo glanced at Ming Yan’an. In the dense crowd, Ming Yan’an suddenly shivered.

Seeing her get on the cart without resistance, get locked up, the cart door closed, and several large locks fall into place one by one, Ming Yan’an finally felt relieved. He emerged from the crowd while putting on his helmet to prevent any problems, and with a cold smile, waved his hand.

Immediately two riders galloped out with fluttering banners in their hands—the left one read: “Lewd and Treacherous Rebel Jing Hengbo,” the right one read: “Everyone in the World May Spit on Her!”

With a whoosh, a golden banner dropped from the top of the prison cart, reading: “This Lowly Concubine is Guilty, Please Humiliate Her.”

The banners and flags were all made of silk and very ornate, with large characters written in gold powder that gleamed and could be seen clearly from ten zhang away.

Ming Yan’an smiled as he looked at Jing Hengbo. These banners and flags were all his idea. He wanted to parade Jing Hengbo for thousands of li starting now, marching her along to receive the curses and humiliation of Daimao’s people, using her shame to wash away the coercion and humiliation he had suffered under this woman in Shangyuan City.

He had wanted to do this for a long time, but the more he thought about it, the more remote it seemed. Yet suddenly he had gained his female strategist, and encountered this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

When he learned that Jing Hengbo might be blocked at Daimao’s border, he had originally hesitated, not daring to withdraw large armies far from Shangyuan City for such a desperate gamble. It was his military advisor who urged him strongly, saying that once Jing Hengbo returned to Daimao, Shangyuan would certainly be in danger. Better to risk allying with the Fifteen Gangs for a try. So he mobilized his forces for this distant expedition to Tianyi Gorge. He hadn’t expected that Jing Hengbo’s own army would indeed have internal strife. The moment he saw that small group around Jing Hengbo, he felt even the sky seemed to brighten several degrees.

Heaven gives opportunities that must be taken, or one suffers for rejecting them. Thirty years of feng shui rotating—now it was Ming Yan’an’s turn to restore his fortunes. If he couldn’t grasp this opportunity, he was unworthy of being called Daimao’s master!

“Your Majesty the Queen,” he looked at Jing Hengbo with a smile, pointing at the banners and flags, saying with elegant composure, “Banners leading the way, silk curtains surrounding, gold powder for characters, knights as escorts. This is completely queen’s treatment. How do you like it?”