By the quiet cliff edge, a crescent moon hung in the sky, neither too far nor too close. As the cool breeze swept across the mountaintop, the one-eyed man lay powerless against the cliff face, his expression filled with bitter regret. “Miss Ye, isn’t this method a bit too underhanded?” Ye Li sat leisurely beside him, casually tearing off the cloth stained with red rouge medicine from her shoulder and tossing it down the cliff. She shrugged indifferently, “You’re hardly a man of honor yourself. I won’t feel guilty. The method doesn’t matter – only the result does.”

“Don’t move.” The light yet sharp blade pressed against the pulse point of the man’s neck, neither too hard nor too soft. “I wouldn’t advise making any rash moves unless you’re certain. If I push this blade just half an inch forward, even the immortals couldn’t save you.”

“What an unusual poison. May I ask what exceptional toxin you used against the one who saved your life?” The man helplessly gave up trying to use his inner power to temporarily stop the poison’s effects – in fact, he couldn’t summon even a trace of his internal energy now.

Ye Li shook her head. “That’s a secret. Though the title of ‘lifesaver’ is still up for debate. I must say, my mood has been quite poor lately.”

“I’m honored to hear the complaints of the Capital’s foremost talented lady,” the man laughed, though paired with his frightening appearance, it seemed rather comical. Ye Li frowned and said, “Ever since my arranged marriage to Prince Ding was announced, it seems all sorts of trouble has found its way to my door. Constant probing, surveillance, picking fights, and of course, kidnapping.”

“Since it’s such trouble, why not elope with me? What do you think?”

Ye Li’s long eyelashes fluttered slightly. “I have no interest in tales of noble ladies and talented scholars. Besides, I suspect those stories forget to mention what happens to the lady’s parents, relatives, sisters, and reputation. How do they survive? What if the scholar runs off with another beauty?” The man gazed at her wistfully before finally saying, “You think too much. Don’t the stories always say the scholar eventually becomes the top imperial graduate, gains wealth and status, the lady’s parents forgive her, relatives admire her, and sisters envy her? Most importantly, don’t the scholar and beauty live happily ever after?” Ye Li shook her head, “The stories only end with ‘The End.’ Growing old together in love is just what most people imagine, isn’t it?”

The man thought carefully and realized there weren’t any stories or novels that continued until the scholar and beauty grew old together with many grandchildren.

“Fine, my lady. What will it take for you to release me?” Seeming to understand that being indirect with Ye Li was pointless, the man asked straightforwardly.

“Tell me who’s trying to harm me.” Ye Li was equally direct in her question.

“What if I don’t tell you?”

The cold blade slid gently across his neck, raising tiny bumps on his skin. “Don’t worry, I won’t stab you with the knife. I’ll… just push you off instead.” Ye Li glanced at the bottomless valley below and smiled.

“You might as well stab me!” The man couldn’t decide whether to laugh or cry. “No, I really can’t tell you this.”

“Yes, you can.”

“I made a promise to someone. A man’s word is worth more than gold – even if you do stab me to death, I won’t tell.” The man said firmly. Ye Li studied him for a moment, then raised an eyebrow and said, “Very well. In that case, let me see what kind of face lies beneath this mask.”

“Miss Ye, if you release me now, consider me owing you a favor. How’s that?” The man negotiated.

“That sounds familiar. But do you think I’d trust someone whose identity I don’t even know? Even if you owed me a hundred favors, what good would it do if I can’t find you?” Ye Li kept one hand holding the dagger steadily at the man’s neck while her other hand began exploring his twisted, ugly face. “Miss Ye, I have bank notes worth twenty thousand taels. Take them as compensation for your fright. Let’s call everything settled, shall we?”

Ye Li continued her exploration without pause, saying coolly, “You think I’m like you, willing to risk my life for money? If we settle this time, how do I know there won’t be a next time?”

The man fell silent for a moment before saying, “I don’t know if she will try again, but I can guarantee that I will never trouble Miss Ye again. How’s that?” Feeling Ye Li’s hand pause, the man quickly pressed his advantage: “I guarantee I won’t trouble Miss Ye again. You can tell Mo Xiu Yao this – he knows who I am and whether my word can be trusted.” The cold blade at his neck finally withdrew slightly. Ye Li stood up and said, “I’ll trust you for now.”

“The antidote.”

“There isn’t one. The medicine was given to me by Qing Yu at the last minute. Though you can’t use your inner power, you should be able to get down from here without lightness kung fu, right?” Ye Li smiled.

The man gritted his teeth, but approaching footsteps left him no time to argue with Ye Li. He could only stand up and prepare to climb down the valley using methods he’d never tried before. Unfortunately, he was still too slow – a cold voice came from another path: “Han Ming Yue—”

A man in plain clothes sitting in a wheelchair slowly appeared at the end of the small path. Behind him, the silent youth in brown clothes pushed the wheelchair steadily. Even on this uneven mountain path, he showed no sign of strain. Mo Xiu Yao sat in the wheelchair, his face dark as water, his gaze cold and deep as he stared at the one-eyed man. Just one look from him made Han Ming Yue’s body stiffen as if frozen in ice. He could only look at the cliff edge less than two steps away and smile bitterly.

“A Li, are you alright?” Mo Xiu Yao looked at Ye Li, his gaze softening slightly. Ye Li calmly sheathed her dagger under his watchful gaze, walked up to him, and smiled apologetically: “Sorry for making you worry.”

Mo Xiu Yao’s eyes flickered and his brows furrowed slightly, but in the end, he only sighed softly and said quietly, “You’re tired. Let’s talk when we get back.”

Ye Li also felt this environment wasn’t suitable for conversation, so she nodded in agreement with Mo Xiu Yao’s suggestion. Among the people who had followed Mo Xiu Yao and A Jin up, a woman brought forward a cloak for Ye Li. Ye Li smiled faintly, and though she didn’t feel particularly cold, she still accepted and put on the cloak.

“Han Ming Yue, would you tell This Prince why you’re here?” Mo Xiu Yao’s sharp gaze fixed on the man by the cliff edge.

“You could recognize me even like this?” The man sighed, feeling around his face for a moment before pulling off a leather mask, revealing his originally peerlessly handsome face, now unable to hide his dejection. When Mo Xiu Yao was first named Han Ming Yue, Ye Li had only raised an eyebrow. When the man removed his mask to reveal that handsome face, she wasn’t particularly surprised. This face bore at least an eighty percent resemblance to that romantic young master from some days ago. However, where that face had held a charm that could easily stir hearts with its romantic frivolity, this face was much more proper – the same raised eyebrow and light smile gave off an air of unrestrained grace instead.

“Hehe, Xiu Yao, it’s been many years since we last met. Who would have thought our reunion would be under such circumstances… it’s rather regrettable.” Even dressed in crude bandit clothing, the handsome man still carried himself with the air of a noble son. Only now the somewhat ingratiating expression on his face made people slightly uncomfortable. “When I heard you were getting married, I rushed thousands of miles to congratulate you. It seems you still don’t welcome old friends.”

“Your congratulations… involve kidnapping my fiancée?” Mo Xiu Yao’s voice was low and melodious, and Ye Li unconsciously drew her cloak tighter around herself as she stood behind him.

“A misunderstanding.” Han Ming Yue’s face was bitter as he explained helplessly: “I didn’t know beforehand that the target was your fiancée. But once I’d accepted the job, if I couldn’t complete it, where would Han Ming Yue put his reputation and face? I already tried to minimize the damage. Now, my job is done, and your fiancée is safe and sound. Besides, she tricked me! I’m the one who lost out, aren’t I?”

“Who paid you?” Mo Xiu Yao stared at him and asked.

“I can’t say.” Han Ming Yue smiled bitterly.

Mo Xiu Yao gave a cold laugh. “Han Ming Yue, is there anything you won’t sell for money besides your brother?”

Han Ming Yue sighed, his expression growing more bitter as he looked at Mo Xiu Yao and said, “There are still one or two things that can’t be sold at any price. Besides, Ming Xi has already been dealt with by you. Xiu Yao, for old times’ sake, can we let this go? I promise there won’t be a next time.” Mo Xiu Yao’s expression grew darker, and Han Ming Yue stomped his foot and said, “I’ll give your wife one-tenth of Tian Yi Pavilion’s profits this year as compensation!”

“Han Ming Yue, you’re too nervous.” Mo Xiu Yao raised his hand and lightly touched his mask as he spoke softly.

Han Ming Yue froze, annoyance flashing across his face. He’d forgotten how well Mo Xiu Yao knew him – if he hadn’t acted so nervous, Mo Xiu Yao might not have been so certain of his target. “Xiu Yao, I’m begging you…”

“Get lost.” After staring at Han Ming Yue’s pleading face for a long moment, Mo Xiu Yao finally spat out two words.

Faced with such rudeness, Han Ming Yue’s face showed only joy. “I’ll send the compensation to your wife’s residence within three days!”

Mo Xiu Yao’s response was to raise his hand slightly backward. “Black Cloud Riders, shoot!”

The black-clothed, black-masked figures standing in a semicircle around them had somehow already nocked their arrows. “Draw… release—”

Han Ming Yue could only helplessly plunge headfirst down the cliff, shouting, “Mo Xiu Yao, you’re ruthless!”

Han Ming Yue’s cry of anguish disappeared over the cliff edge. Ye Li blinked and looked down at Mo Xiu Yao. She wasn’t sure if Han Ming Yue had been hiding some of his abilities – at least if she fell from here, even in her best condition, she wouldn’t survive unscathed. Seeming to understand her doubts, Mo Xiu Yao explained, “Han Ming Yue likes to leave himself backup plans for everything he does. He must have made the arrangements below. He won’t die from the fall.” Ye Li frowned, realizing her earlier threat to throw him off had carried no weight at all. Indeed, not knowing your enemy well can easily lead to mistakes. Know yourself and know your enemy, and you’ll win a hundred battles. The Art of War speaks true.

“Let’s go back.” Mo Xiu Yao extended his hand and said softly.

“Alright.”

At the Xu Family’s secondary residence, after finally sending off her two uncles and five cousins, Ye Li felt both overwhelmed from dealing with so many people at once and undeniably warmed by the joy of being cared for by family. Mo Xiu Yao sat to one side, silently watching the young woman sitting across from him. He suddenly realized he didn’t know his fiancée – in fact, his fiancée wasn’t even sixteen years old yet, but she was surprisingly strong, decisive, and mature. What had he been doing at fifteen or sixteen? Mo Xiu Yao rarely thought about the past, but looking at the young woman’s calm smile before him, he found that remembering the past wasn’t so painful.

At fifteen or sixteen, he had been a spirited youth at the height of success, galloping through the capital, wild and unrestrained. Who in the world didn’t know that the young master of Prince Ding’s manor was a brilliant young talent of stunning excellence? Who didn’t know that the young general of Prince Ding’s manor had swept through the southern borders like a god despite his tender age? Even on the blood-soaked battlefield, he had been radiant and uninhibited in his words and actions. But this young woman had already experienced things at fifteen that most women wouldn’t encounter in their entire lives. Losing her mother at a young age, a broken engagement, schemes of her stepmother, a ruined reputation, a marriage that everyone avoided like the plague, assassination attempts, and kidnapping. Yet she had never seemed to lose her composure. Even today, after such an incident, she neither cried nor grew angry. She even smiled and apologized for making him worry. If their positions were reversed, he absolutely couldn’t have maintained such composure at her age, Mo Xiu Yao sighed softly to himself.

“A Li, I’m very sorry about today’s events.” After a long while, Mo Xiu Yao spoke quietly.

Ye Li looked up at him with a gentle smile. “This wasn’t something you could control, and I was too careless myself. However… tomorrow in the capital, I’m afraid… I’m afraid it might damage Prince Ding Manor’s reputation.”

Mo Xiu Yao looked at her, his gaze deep and unfathomable. “The Prince Ding manor is mine to decide about, as long as you don’t have regrets.”

Ye Li blinked, instantly understanding his meaning. Since the Prince Ding manor was his to decide, no matter what happened to her reputation, it wouldn’t affect their marriage. Was that it? Tilting her head in thought, Ye Li smiled helplessly: “I suppose if I were to regret it… I probably couldn’t marry anyone else in this lifetime. So… shall we make do with each other?”

A barely perceptible smile curved Mo Xiu Yao’s lips. “That would be best. I also think that if you were to regret this, I wouldn’t easily find another suitable Princess Consort in this lifetime.”

Ye Li looked at him and smiled: “Since Your Highness doesn’t mind, let’s just make do with each other then.”

Watching the young woman by the window turn back to smile and say “Let’s make do with each other,” Mo Xiu Yao suddenly felt his heart flutter. In the candlelight, the young woman’s slightly pale face seemed to emit a faint glow that stirred one’s heart. Mo Xiu Yao quickly averted his gaze, resting his chin on his hand as he said, “Han Ming Yue will likely send you some things these next few days. Just accept everything, don’t worry about it.”

Ye Li exclaimed in surprise: “Will he give me one-tenth of Tian Yi Pavilion’s income?” Tian Yi Pavilion was Da Chu’s largest intelligence organization – even one-tenth of their annual income from selling various information would be shocking.

Mo Xiu Yao nodded, looking at Ye Li as if wanting to say more but holding back.

Ye Li smiled: “No need to speak of today’s events since you’ve already more or less agreed with Han Ming Yue. Although I’m not entirely clear about the power of Tian Yi Pavilion and Qing Feng Ming Yue Tower, I don’t particularly want to be his enemy either. However, this is the only time. If that person tries anything again and falls into my hands, I won’t accept any pleas for mercy.”

“Of course.” After a moment of silence, Mo Xiu Yao looked earnestly at Ye Li and promised: “Since A Li has no regrets, from now on you and I are family. Anyone who wants to harm A Li is my enemy.”

Ye Li nodded and smiled silently. Outside the window, the crescent moon gradually sank toward the roof ridge. The young woman lifted her head to gaze at the waning moon on the horizon, her beautiful face bathed in moonlight that gave her a serene glow. Behind her, the young man in the wheelchair watched intently at her slender figure, his gentle gaze suffused with an indefinable light.

At a secret Tian Yi Pavilion location somewhere in the capital, Han Ming Yue stumbled in disheveled, startling the person already in the room.

“Brother, what happened to you?” The romantic young master who made countless parents want to flay him alive and countless secluded young ladies lose their hearts stared in shock before rushing forward to catch his brother’s swaying body. Han Ming Yue waved his hand, allowing his brother to help him to a nearby couch, and smiled bitterly: “Provoked a god of death.” Though he was used to making thorough preparations, jumping from the cliff had still left him with internal and external injuries from hitting protruding branches, no matter how careful he’d been. He held no resentment about this – everyone understood that Mo Xiu Yao had already shown mercy. Otherwise, any one of the Black Cloud Riders could have shot a man who’d lost all his inner power.

“Eh? Big brother, you’ve met Third Miss Ye?” Han Ming Xi exclaimed in shock after checking Han Ming Yue’s pulse.

Han Ming Yue struggled to sit up, squinting at his brother: “How do you know? You didn’t get involved with Mo Xiu Yao in the capital this time because of this Miss Ye, did you?”

Han Ming Xi awkwardly rubbed his nose, trying his best to smile apologetically: “Brother… well, I already fell into Ye Li’s hands once before, with this same medicine. Um… I owe her a favor, so please don’t give her trouble, okay?”

Han Ming Yue laughed coldly, “You’re offering Tian Yi Pavilion as payment for a favor?”

Han Ming Xi lowered his head shamefully, counting on his fingers: “Well… that woman is very clever. I didn’t say anything, but she already guessed the relationship between Tian Yi Pavilion and Qing Feng Ming Yue Tower. She took my jade pendant, I had no choice.”

“That was my jade pendant! Hand it over, who knows what trouble you’ll cause with it.” Han Ming Yue held out his hand, and Han Ming Xi didn’t dare disobey, dutifully returning the jade pendant. After all, he had no interest in either Qing Feng Ming Yue Tower or Tian Yi Pavilion – he’d only taken his brother’s pendant purely for fun. “Brother, are your injuries serious? I’ll call for a doctor.”

Seeing his usually frivolous brother’s face full of concern, Han Ming Yue’s expression softened somewhat. He said quietly, “It’s nothing serious, just can’t use my inner power. No need for a doctor. Have there been any visitors?” Han Ming Xi’s face darkened, and he snorted coldly: “Actually, a woman came looking for you this afternoon. I sent her away.”

“Ming Xi…”

Han Ming Xi paced anxiously around the room. “Brother, let’s go to Jiangnan and stay out of these matters, alright? Last time I just played a little joke on Ye Li, and Mo Xiu Yao nearly cut off one of my legs and arms. Even if you are the master of Tian Yi Pavilion, don’t forget he’s the Prince Ding. You’re not just risking your own life, do you want to sacrifice Tian Yi Pavilion too?” Han Ming Yue’s lips moved as if to speak, but before he could say anything, Han Ming Xi cut him off: “Don’t tell me you’re friends, bullshit! Even friends don’t mess with each other’s women. Do you think I’m a flower thief with no principles? Also, don’t forget what you all did to him back then! How dare you still provoke him?”

“Ming Xi… you’ve grown up.” Han Ming Yue watched his agitated brother pacing back and forth, showing none of his usual frivolity and said softly.

Han Ming Xi’s face reddened, and he snorted before turning to leave: “I’ll go call that woman over!” As his brother’s figure disappeared through the door, Han Ming Yue rubbed his still-aching chest and frowned. Somehow, Ming Xi’s words “Don’t forget what you all did to him back then” kept floating through his mind. Han Ming Yue’s eyes darkened slightly, and he sighed inwardly – tomorrow’s compensation… better add another tenth.

“How did you end up in this state?” A low female voice came from the doorway. Han Ming Yue looked up to see a woman in loose black robes that concealed her graceful figure, her face completely hidden behind a black veil, leaving only a pair of cold eyes glinting with faint frost and displeasure.

“You saw, didn’t you? Did you think Mo Xiu Yao would be easy to deal with?” Han Ming Yue sat up, speaking coolly.

The black-robed woman snorted coldly, “Did you complete the task I gave you?”

Crack! The teacup in Han Ming Yue’s hand shattered, clear tea dripping through his fingers. “I am not your slave! Watch how you speak to me!”

A flash of anger crossed the woman’s eyes, but she quickly suppressed it and said softly, “I was wrong. Ming Yue, about tonight’s matter…”

“What does it matter whether I succeeded or not? Hasn’t the news of Ye Li’s kidnapping already spread? You’ve achieved your goal, haven’t you?” Han Ming Yue said.

“You didn’t do it!” The woman’s voice immediately grew sharp. “I wanted you to destroy her!”

Han Ming Yue absently touched his neck, laughing bitterly inside. Destroy her? Fortunately, he hadn’t intended to do that, otherwise, he might have been the one destroyed. That Third Miss Ye was not as harmless as she appeared on the surface. For some reason, Han Ming Yue chose not to share this observation with the woman before him.

“Having you, the master of Tian Yi Pavilion and the most handsome man in Jiangnan, personally take action was already a blessing for her. Why didn’t you do it?” The woman continued to complain.

“Enough!” Han Ming Yue said coldly. “Why don’t you ask how I got injured and how badly? Do you think I’d still be alive tonight if I had harmed Ye Li?”

“I…” The woman’s breath caught, seeming to realize her impropriety. She looked at him apologetically and said softly, “Why did you go alone? If you had taken more people with you, even Mo Xiu Yao with his Black Cloud Riders might not have been able to hurt you. In the current situation, he couldn’t possibly mobilize a large number of Black Cloud Riders.” Han Ming Yue’s icy expression softened somewhat with the woman’s gentle voice. He said flatly, “Because I couldn’t drag Tian Yi Pavilion into this. This is a private matter between you and me, naturally, I had to handle it myself. You should take care of yourself too. Don’t come to me about Ye Li anymore – I won’t help you again.”

“Why?”

“Because next time, Xiu Yao will kill me. I’m a businessman; I’ve never wanted to test the limits of the Mo family. You should leave now, and be careful.” With that, Han Ming Yue reclined on the couch and closed his eyes, no longer acknowledging the black-robed woman at the door. The woman had more to say, but seeing the man on the couch, his face ashen and his whole body radiating rejection, she could only swallow her words. She snorted softly and said, “Then rest well, I’ll head back first.”

As she turned to leave, under a large tree not far from the door stood a man who bore an eighty percent resemblance to Han Ming Yue, his gaze dark as he stared at her. “Don’t come back again. We’re returning to Jiangnan soon.”

The black-robed woman turned sideways, her enchanting eyes lifting slightly with contempt. “Go pick some more flowers in your spare time, and don’t meddle in affairs that don’t concern you. I wouldn’t want Ming Yue to tell me one day that he’s lost a brother.” Han Ming Xi’s face darkened, then he laughed coldly: “Perfect timing. This young master would like to see exactly what kind of person has my brother so besotted.” While few knew the extent of the romantic young master’s martial arts skills, his lightness technique wasn’t something that could be achieved by idle practice. The man who had been standing under the tree merely fluttered his robes slightly and instantly vanished, reappearing beside the black-robed woman and reaching for her face veil. “How dare you!”

“Ming Xi, stop!” At the door, Han Ming Yue watched the two confrontational figures with a dark expression. “Let her go.”

“Hmph!” Han Ming Xi angrily withdrew his hand and soared away like a startled swan, disappearing over the rooftops. Han Ming Yue stared at the black-robed woman in the courtyard, his eyes carrying a warning, “Don’t provoke Ming Xi.”

“Hehe, as long as he doesn’t provoke me, why would I provoke him? Ming Yue, he is your brother after all. We’re friends, aren’t we?” The woman laughed softly.

Bang! Han Ming Yue stepped back and slammed the door heavily in her face.

“Han-Ming-Yue!” The black-robed woman’s eyes flashed with shock as she called out hatefully. But she saw the candlelight inside quickly extinguish, clearly indicating that the occupant was preparing for sleep. She snorted lightly and left the quiet, dark courtyard.

As the black-robed woman left the unremarkable courtyard, several black-clothed figures immediately approached. “My lady.”

The woman nodded and said coldly, “Let’s go back.”

The lead black-clothed man could see that the woman was not in a good mood and didn’t dare say more, merely waving his hand as they swiftly escorted her away into the night.

Whoosh—

An arrow came whistling through the air with tremendous force. The lead black-clothed man quickly drew his sword to block it, but the arrow wasn’t so easily deflected. He felt his sword vibrate and his sword-holding hand instantly went numb. The arrow grazed past the sword’s surface, shooting straight toward the black-robed woman he was protecting.

“Ah?!”

“My lady!”

The arrow grazed past the woman’s face, embedding itself firmly in a nearby wall. The black-robed woman turned to look at the deeply embedded arrow, her body going weak as she nearly collapsed. Just one inch closer, and that arrow would have either pierced her skull or destroyed her face.

“My lady.” The people around her hurried to support her, but she waved them away, raising her hand to deliver a harsh slap to the black-clothed man’s face. “Useless!” The black-clothed man lowered his head, his eyes dim.

“Feng Zhi Yao!” A clear laugh rang out from a nearby rooftop. The woman looked up to see Feng Zhi Yao in his eye-catching red robes, leisurely sitting on the roof watching her disheveled state. Feng Zhi Yao raised his fine eyebrows, his left hand still holding a bow which he gestured with. “Feng Zhi Yao, how dare you!” the woman ground out.

“Oh my, this young master is so scared. Surely it’s not illegal for this young master to shoot an arrow or two at some suspicious black-clothed figures in the middle of the night? Minister Qin might even thank this young master for contributing to the capital’s security. Don’t you think?”

“Kill him!” The woman pointed at the roof, her voice full of murderous intent. Just thinking about that arrow made her want to tear the arrogant man to pieces.

“Tsk, comparing numbers with this young master? Are you trying to scare me?” Feng Zhi Yao lazily raised his hand and gestured backward. Silently, another group of black-clothed figures appeared on the roof, each holding a bow with arrows precisely aimed at the narrow street below. The black-robed woman was so angry her eyes nearly shot fire. She bit out proudly, “Feng Zhi Yao, do you dare kill me?”

Feng Zhi Yao shook his head regretfully, “I don’t dare.”

Hearing his response, the woman’s confidence grew. Lifting her chin slightly, she said, “Since you don’t dare, then get out of my sight!”

“Damn! This young master hates arrogant women the most!” Feng Zhi Yao’s phoenix eyes flashed with cold light as he quickly drew and released another arrow, which grazed the woman’s robes and embedded itself at her feet.

“Feng Zhi Yao!”

Feng Zhi Yao looked at her lazily, his gaze even more contemptuous than hers. “Stop shouting, no matter how much you shout, this young master won’t fall in love with you. Someone asked me to warn you – stop with all these messy schemes, or next time, this arrow definitely won’t end up in the wall. Even if you don’t trust this young master’s archery skills, you shouldn’t doubt them.” He raised his hand to indicate the straight-backed, motionless black-clothed men standing behind him.

“No… this is impossible…” The black-robed woman stared in shock at the black-clothed men behind Feng Zhi Yao. “How could he…”

“Feng Zhi Yao, you dare to mobilize the Black Cloud Riders without authorization!”

“Tsk, such a self-deceptive woman.” Feng Zhi Yao sat up impatiently and said, “Just remember this young master’s warning. Don’t blame me for not warning you if your face gets ruined next time.”

The black-robed woman lowered her eyes in silence. Feng Zhi Yao had no patience for further interaction with her and said to the people behind him, “Now that we’ve done what needs to be done, everyone disperse.”

Whoosh— Whoosh—

Several whistling sounds cut through the air, and the people protecting the woman fell to the ground, leaving only the leader tightly gripping his sword in nervous vigilance. But he knew in his heart that because of that earlier arrow, his sword hand had no strength left – if another arrow came, he could neither block it nor escape.

“Feng Zhi Yao, aren’t you afraid the palace will find out about you arbitrarily deploying the Black Cloud Riders?” The black-robed woman finally spoke.

Feng Zhi Yao waved his hand and smiled, “You should first think about how to explain suddenly losing so many people.”

In the end, the woman said nothing more and left the deserted street with her one remaining guard, harboring deep resentment. As soon as she left, the black-clothed figures on the roof quickly vanished into the night. Feng Zhi Yao turned and flipped over the roof, entering through a half-open window under the eaves. He looked at the man sitting inside and smiled helplessly, “How’s that? Is Young Master Xu satisfied?”

Xu Qing Chen sat calmly by the window, with a pot of wine and two cups before him. He raised his hand to pour two cups of wine, set down the pot, and looked up at Feng Zhi Yao with a smile, “Please convey my thanks to His Highness.”