After several months away from Chang’an, seeing the lively and uninhibited citizens again felt deeply familiar. Zhao Lingfei, the fifth daughter of the Zhao family, rode a brown horse alongside her cousin and others along the main road after entering Chang’an.

On both sides stood impressive taverns and buildings with expansive facades. The streets teemed with people, colorful flowers dotted the scene, and banners waved in the breeze—truly a prosperous sight. Amidst this bustle, Zhao Lingfei noticed her cousin, who had been riding at the front of their group, had stopped his horse and was conversing with another young nobleman wandering the street.

Though at a distance, the opposing youth’s jade-like features and golden countenance were impossible to conceal. Zhao Lingfei’s eyes instantly brightened as she urged her horse forward, filled with joy: “Second Brother Yan, did you come to the city gates specifically to welcome me back?”

Yan Shang: “Ah… it’s Fifth Lady Zhao, it’s been a long time.”

His tone was rushed, though his voice remained gentle and smiling. Since it was inconvenient to bow properly while on horseback, he merely cupped his hands in greeting.

But from his surprised tone, Zhao Lingfei knew that Yan Shang had no idea she was returning to Chang’an today.

Just as Zhao Lingfei’s gaze dimmed and before she could make another attempt to establish some connection with Second Young Master Yan, Yang Si, who had been speaking with Yan Shang, turned his horse around. He placed his fingers to his lips and let out a sharp whistle that startled all the following riders, instantly putting them on alert.

The leading Yang Third Young Master, dressed in narrow-sleeved dark clothing, called out loudly: “Men, follow my command and leave the city with me! Lingfei, take the women to report your safe arrival at my home. I have business outside the city with Second Brother Yan—”

“Hiya!”

As soon as the words left his mouth, he made a decisive move, giving Zhao Lingfei no chance to refuse. Yang Si took the lead, turning his horse back toward the city gates. Zhao Lingfei looked bewilderedly at Yan Shang, waiting for an explanation from this gentle-natured young man. But Yan Shang only apologetically cupped his hands before gripping his reins and spurring his horse to chase after Yang Si.

Yan Shang’s voice raised slightly: “Third Brother, wait for me—”

After Yan Shang, all the young riders who had followed Yang Si and had only just returned from outside the city turned their horses around and followed their master back out of the city.

On Chang’an’s main entrance street, the simultaneous turning of all the horses created an impressive display, kicking up clouds of dust. As Zhao Lingfei coughed from the dust, she watched as horses and riders passed her by. She stood dumbfounded for a long while, her interest piqued by such urgent movement, wanting to follow and see what was happening.

However, after a moment’s hesitation, Zhao Lingfei looked back at the women in the carriages behind her and decided it would be better to return to the manor to report their safe arrival before coming back out to see what the excitement was about—

In the palace corridor, Liu Wenji was about to make his usual trip to the Hanlin Academy when a young eunuch came to summon him, leading him here.

Liu Wenji thought he had caught someone’s eye again and would inevitably receive a private beating. His body stiffened as he followed the young eunuch to the corridor, dreading the anticipated blows.

At the corridor’s palace gate, waiting for him was not the beating he had expected, but rather a plump, kindly-looking old eunuch.

Immediately recognizing this eunuch as Cheng An, the currently favored Chief Steward of the Inner Palace who served at the Emperor’s side, Liu Wenji hurriedly knelt to pay his respects.

Seeing this young, fair-skinned eunuch who knew proper etiquette, Cheng An nodded with satisfaction and smiled. He exchanged a look with the young eunuch who had brought Liu Wenji, and the young eunuch eagerly went to help Liu Wenji up.

The young eunuch said: “Oh my, Wenji, why are you kneeling? Did you think Chief Steward Cheng came specifically to see you just to make you kneel?”

Cheng An’s smile didn’t reach his eyes as he said: “You’re Liu Wenji, right? This old servant was busy attending to His Majesty’s illness and hadn’t had time to manage affairs with godchildren outside. Now that His Majesty is somewhat better, this old servant just learned that apparently, you helped mediate when my godson and the Hanlin Scholar almost fought to the death, helping them reconcile?”

Cheng An paused: “I heard you hosted several famous courtesans’ banquets in the Northern Quarter, all at your expense? Must have cost quite a bit?”

Liu Wenji replied knowingly: “It wasn’t much, just what needed to be done.”

Cheng An gave a derisive laugh.

His voice grew shrill as he drew out his words: “Alright, alright! You young eunuchs, this old servant knows exactly what you’re thinking! This old servant has served His Majesty for decades and can be considered somewhat of a person of influence. Since you’ve done me a favor, I won’t let your efforts go to waste. Tell me, what benefit do you want? Do you want to handle affairs outside the palace, or is it money and women?”

For a eunuch to mention handling affairs outside the palace was normal; to mention money and women was laughable.

However, none of the three eunuchs standing there found it amusing.

They had been stripped of one thing that made them men, yet spent their entire lives pursuing the meaning attached to that thing. It was like revenge—cruel and vicious.

Otherwise, how could there be tales of eunuchs secretly keeping wives and concubines outside the palace? How could there be stories of intimate relationships with palace maids?

Liu Wenji understood well the thoughts of these castrated men. But what meaning did money and women have for him? Since his castration and entry into the palace, he had only wanted one thing—power.

That overwhelming, enormous power that could consume everyone.

Liu Wenji lowered his eyelids and said compliantly: “This servant asks for nothing else, only to serve at Chief Steward Cheng’s side and receive his guidance.”

Cheng An: “Tsk, so you want to serve in the imperial presence? Hehe, our Emperor isn’t easy to serve, you know.”

Liu Wenji said: “I’ll follow the Chief Steward’s direction in all things.”

Cheng An looked him over carefully, indeed giving it some thought. As the Emperor’s health declined day by day, he too was aging. Castrated eunuchs aged faster than normal men. Before Liu Wenji, Cheng An had already trained several young eunuchs under him, preparing for future needs.

If one of these disciples could rise to power, they could take care of him in his old age.

So Cheng An said: “Very well, starting tomorrow, besides going to the Hanlin Academy, you’ll work at this old servant’s side.”

Liu Wenji was moved to tears and lifted his robe to kneel and kowtow again.

This time, Cheng An accepted his respects naturally.

Cheng An looked down, examining this handsome young eunuch, and muttered: “But you’re just a minor eunuch, without rank or status. It wouldn’t be proper to serve in the imperial presence. How about this—starting tomorrow, you’ll be a Palace Administrative Assistant. At least you’ll have a rank and look more presentable.”

Liu Wenji suddenly raised his head, his eyes glittering like stars, looking at Cheng An in a daze of confusion. When Cheng An casually offered to grant him the position of “Palace Administrative Assistant,” his heart was filled with bitterness, pain, shock, and joy—too many emotions to express.

Palace Administrative Assistant was a rank belonging to the inner court servants.

This rank, when compared to official positions, was equivalent to Junior Eighth Rank, Lower Level.

The concept of Junior Eighth Rank, Lower Level was… After all Yan Shang’s maneuvering, calculating for the provincial examination, participating in the spring examination, and then taking the palace examination, busy for an entire year and gaining a good reputation in Chang’an’s scholarly circles, Yan Shang’s current official rank was also only Junior Eighth Rank, Lower Level.

Liu Wenji had come to Chang’an seeking an official position for two full years, without any opportunity.

Yet after becoming a minor eunuch in the palace, without doing anything significant… a Junior Eighth Rank, Lower Level official position just fell from the sky.

All of this made his life seem so… ridiculous!

Cheng An narrowed his eyes, looking down at the small eunuch kneeling below, whose eyes seemed to glisten with tears: “What’s wrong, you’re not satisfied with Palace Administrative Assistant?”

Liu Wenji suppressed the bitterness and sorrow in his heart, and happily kowtowed: “Thank you for your kindness, Chief Steward.”—

In the Southern Mountains, just as spring arrived and the thin layer of snow covering the mountains had just melted away, Princess Danyang arranged to go hunting here with envoys from various small countries.

Horses raced through the vast green forest.

The envoys from various small countries surrounded the beautiful Princess Danyang, each eager to curry favor. Initially, they had sought marriage proposals for their rulers simply because they couldn’t stand seeing the Wuman King dominate everything; but later, they developed genuine feelings in their pursuit.

If they could form a marriage alliance with Great Wei, wouldn’t that improve relations between both sides? Some small neighboring countries relied on Great Wei’s protection to survive, so naturally they were especially eager for a marriage alliance.

This Princess Danyang would be perfect!

And even if not this Princess Danyang, any princess, as long as Great Wei approved, would do!

However, Mu Wanyan only casually smiled and responded perfunctorily to the envoys’ attempts to curry favor. Her beautiful eyes only lit up slightly when they met the Wuman King’s group.

The Wuman King rode on horseback wearing a mask, and all the Wuman soldiers behind him also wore masks. Mu Wanyan wondered to herself, thinking that the Wuman hadn’t had such strange customs before. However, in Great Wei, Meng Zaishi often did this, so she couldn’t be bothered to question anything about him.

After her gaze met the Wuman King’s through his mask, Mu Wanyan clapped her hands once to quiet everyone around her. She said with a smile: “Alright, enough idle chat, let’s begin the hunt now—Early spring has just arrived, and the mountain animals have just awakened, they won’t be easy to find. It all depends on everyone’s skills.”

Laughter came from all directions, and someone boldly asked: “If someone wins, what’s the reward?”

Mu Wanyan looked on with a smile: “If someone wins, I’ll reward them by dining with me tonight.”

From behind, Meng Zaishi’s voice rang out like a magnet: “Oh? In that case, this king won’t show any mercy.”

Immediately an envoy retorted indignantly: “The Wuman King is too confident! Our archery skills are no less than Wuman’s!”

Meng Zaishi lazily replied: “Let’s give it a try then.”

This arrogant attitude provoked everyone’s anger, and they all started arguing in a cacophony.

Mu Wanyan slightly lowered her guard and looked back at the Wuman group. At first, when she saw these people wearing masks and Meng Zaishi not speaking, she thought there might be some trick; now hearing Meng Zaishi’s voice, and knowing he was here, her plan finally had meaning.

The Wuman King extended his hand to her, gesturing for them to ride together, just as Meng Zaishi used to do.

In the past, Mu Wanyan might not have granted him this courtesy, but today, she gave him a slight smile and rode ahead.

As Princess Danyang’s slender, beautiful figure disappeared into the lush forest, Meng Zaishi’s group watched intently. Hearing the Princess’s delicate command “Hiya!”, her guards all followed in unison. The Wuman group reacted faster than the other envoys, moving first to pursue Princess Danyang.

Everyone else finally reacted and rushed to mount their horses and enter the forest!—

“Whoosh—”

The Southern Mountains were like a green sea, arrows whistling through the forest, targeting the confused, newly awakened animals. The hunters’ eyes flashed like lightning in the forest, staying completely alert as the forest rustled like waves, concealing all movement.

Gradually, Mu Wanyan’s group and Meng Zaishi’s people separated from the main party.

Great Wei’s women were famously fierce, and the Wuman valued martial prowess even more. Under these circumstances, Mu Wanyan was no ordinary lady who couldn’t draw a bow and shoot arrows.

Her skirts spread like lotus petals across her horse’s back, with arrows and bow ready in their quiver. She pressed her horse’s flanks, galloping at the front, continuously drawing her bow as arrow after arrow flew from her hands. Each time she hit her mark, Fang Tong and others would quickly ride over to retrieve the fallen animals.

After several rounds, a smile spread across Mu Wanyan’s face, her expression relaxing.

Naturally, Meng Zaishi’s side was not to be outdone.

Everyone in the Wuman group could ride and shoot, and as they repeatedly drew their bows, their horses began to overtake Mu Wanyan’s group.

Mu Wanyan’s formation grew increasingly slower. Though she had been riding alongside the Wuman King in the forest, now she gradually fell behind, the distance between them growing larger.

Mu Wanyan pretended to be breathing heavily and simply stopped her horse. Her gaze locked onto the backs of the Wuman group ahead, never wavering.

Slowly, with a trace of a smile still in her eyes and bow swaying in her hand, Mu Wanyan tilted her head as if playfully speaking to her attendant Fang Tong. Meeting Fang Tong’s eyes for an instant, Mu Wanyan’s eyelids fluttered slightly, dropping in an arc that signaled “Now!”

Immediately, birds took flight from the forest as guard after guard emerged from behind bushes and trees. Some carried bows and crossbows, others held swords. The guards had been quietly lying in ambush in the deep forest, waiting for this moment.

The Wuman riders led the way, but in an instant, they seemed to sense the dangerous atmosphere. The Wuman King’s horse stopped, and the masked king raised his long arm, signaling his followers to halt as he slowly turned his horse to look back at Mu Wanyan.

At that moment, Mu Wanyan shouted fiercely: “Kill!”

Arrows flew from the forest toward the Wuman group. The arrows weren’t aimed at the people but at their horses.

Shoot the horses’ legs! Disable their mobility!

The Wuman people lived on horseback—their horses were their lives! To immobilize them, target the horses first!

In the deep forest, some of the Wuman horses began taking hits. Some Wuman warriors cried out in pain as they fell from their mounts, and when others bent down to help, more arrows came flying.

The Wuman began cursing in their language, and Mu Wanyan gave a cold laugh before waving her hand again—

One by one, the Great Wei warriors hidden in the forest charged at the Wuman warriors who had hastily stopped their horses to dodge arrows!

In the deep forest, the battle began!—

Yang Si and Yan Shang’s group entered Leyou Plains before ascending the Southern Mountains. The mountains were vast, and they had no idea where Mu Wanyan might be.

At this point, Yang Si, who had originally followed Yan Shang here, actually showed more familiarity with the environment.

Yang Si only hesitated for a moment while leading his horse before determining a direction: “Follow me—”

His profile was stern, his eyes sharp. His usual lazy casualness had completely vanished, and an unstoppable momentum seemed ready to burst forth from the young man.

Yan Shang followed closely, reminding him: “Third Brother, are you sure about this direction? Time is crucial…”

Yang Si leaned forward on his horse and began feeling for the saber at his waist. As the long wind swept past their ears, his gaze grew steady, and the signal of drawing his blade prompted the riders behind him to draw their weapons as well.

Yang Si coldly answered Yan Shang’s question: “Don’t worry. I know the Southern Mountains better than you—

“I’ve played here since I was small, I know better than you where to ambush people, where the trees are thick, where the beasts gather… I’ve grown up playing here, finding people, killing people… I know it all better than you!

“Follow me!”

Yan Shang spurred his horse to follow, warning again: “Third Brother, don’t act rashly, Her Highness’s safety is more important—”

With sword in hand and horse racing like lightning, Yang Si no longer answered Yan Shang’s questions.

Yan Shang knew that at this point, he probably couldn’t control Yang Si anymore. The Yang Third Young Master who strolled through Chang’an flying hawks had disappeared, and Yang Si’s wild nature was awakening.

If you can’t control it, let loose the reins—

After a brief pause, Yan Shang spoke concisely to a rider behind him: “Young sir, may I borrow your bow and arrows—”—

Blood stained the forest as the battle unfolded.

The Wuman horses were shot one after another, their riders thrown to the ground, rolling to dodge arrows. When the Great Wei guards charged in, these Wuman warriors proved themselves fierce fighters, springing up from the ground to attack their ambushers.

A Wuman warrior shouted: “Kelilu, protect the King!”

Someone immediately responded: “Of course! Your Majesty, your subject comes to aid you—”

A burly, powerful Wuman warrior leaped from his horse, his long blade flashing as he cut toward those pressing the Wuman King: “Great Wei traitors! You think we Wuman are so easily fooled—”

Leading the charge against the Wuman King were Fang Tong and his men. Fang Tong understood a few words of Wuman’s language, and hearing the cold wind and Wuman’s voices from behind, he shouted: “It’s Kelilu! A fierce Wuman general, everyone is careful—”

Fang Tong was tackled to the ground by Kelilu, but the other guards still charged at the Wuman King’s horse, collectively striking at its four legs. The Wuman King, sword in hand, spun in a circle to strike at the guards, and as blood sprayed through the air, he supported himself on a corpse’s neck to jump down from his horse.

The Wuman King turned back without pause and charged toward Princess Danyang Mu Wanyan, who was watching from afar.

Seeing his charge toward the princess, the guards immediately moved to block him, trading their lives to stop him!

Blades flashed as bodies piled up!

People’s roars shook birds from the trees: “Ahh—”

The Wuman warriors’ faces were covered in blood, and though they were outnumbered by the princess’s ambushing guards, each fought with wild abandon: “Great Wei people, truly treacherous! Come on then, let’s play—”

Fang Tong battled the fierce Wuman general Kelilu. Though Kelilu’s martial arts were ordinary, his size and power were overwhelming. Fang Tong relied entirely on his agility to maneuver around his opponent, leading Kelilu in a certain direction. Kelilu remained completely unaware, throwing powerful punches one after another while laughing heartily: “Back in Wuman, I always wanted to kill you—”

Fang Tong was sent flying by a punch, crashing into a tree and spitting blood. His vision darkened, his ribs likely broken, his entire body almost too painful to move.

But Fang Tong gave a cold laugh.

When he opened his mouth, blood dripped through his teeth. Fang Tong stared at the approaching Kelilu and shouted back fiercely in the Wuman language: “Come on then—you’re not a man if you don’t kill me!”

Kelilu lunged forward, ready to strike dead this immobilized, seemingly weak personal guard of Princess Danyang, but as he approached, an iron net dropped from above to trap him. Kelilu tried desperately to dodge, but Fang Tong rushed forward to grab his waist, forcibly dragging them both to be caught in the iron net.

Fang Tong shouted fiercely: “Come on—let’s die together!”—

Led by Fang Tong, who sacrificed himself to be trapped in the net with Kelilu, they forcibly turned the tide of battle.

Having personally been through Wuman, they never underestimated Wuman’s fighting prowess. Even though the princess’s ambushing guards outnumbered the Wuman several times over.

Mu Wanyan watched the battle tensely, her hands cold with sweat, as she saw the Wuman warriors being overwhelmed one by one—some trapped, some killed, the bodies on the ground multiplying as fewer and fewer Wuman remained standing. She could barely breathe as she finally saw the Wuman warrior at the center of the encirclement, covered in wounds, stagger, and crash to the ground.

Tree leaves scattered as the forest suddenly grew quiet.

Only a dozen or so of the princess’s guards remained standing, while not a single Wuman warrior was still on their feet.

The guards turned back: “Your Highness!”

Mu Wanyan jumped down from her horse and walked into the battlefield. Her expression was cold as she walked through the blood and corpses in her apricot-colored dress, her face unchanging. The guards made way as Mu Wanyan looked at these masked Wuman warriors scattered on the ground, some still unwillingly being forced to kneel, while that fierce fighting Wuman King now lay at her feet.

It gave her a sense of surreal unreality.

On the night she left Wuman, she used the old Wuman King’s and the next Wuman King’s swords to kill Meng Zaishi once.

Today in Great Wei, had she truly killed Meng Zaishi again?

Was he dead by her hand?

Mu Wanyan crouched beside the Wuman King’s corpse, looking at the arrows in his chest and the bleeding sword wounds on his body. She reached out, slowly removing the mask from this man’s face.

From top to bottom, the Wuman King’s true face emerged from behind the bronze mask. Elegant eyebrows extending to the temples, sharp and clean features—but Mu Wanyan’s expression suddenly changed dramatically.

She stood up abruptly, crying out urgently: “Fall back—”

This wasn’t Meng Zaishi!

The dead Wuman King wasn’t Meng Zaishi!

In that instant, one of the fallen Wuman corpses suddenly “came alive.” At such close range, no one could react in time as this person leaped up, instantly wrapping his arms around Mu Wanyan’s waist and springing into the air, flying toward the tall trees.

Fang Tong, who had been rescued from the iron net and was being supported by two guards as he approached, saw this sudden turn of events and immediately cried out in horror, shouting “Your Highness!” as he hurled his sword at the man who had jumped up to snatch the princess.

The man caught a high branch in mid-air, holding the struggling Mu Wanyan in his arms. As he turned his head back, Fang Tong’s thrown blade knocked off his mask.

His face was revealed—handsome and cold.

Fang Tong blurted out: “Meng Zaishi—”

This was the real Wuman King!

The dead one was a fake!

Meng Zaishi had someone die in his place! The Wuman King who came to hunt in the forest today had been a “fake king” from start to finish. The real king had hidden among the riders, never speaking a word, coldly watching the farce unfold, even pretending to be casually cut down.

Then Meng Zaishi struck at the most crucial moment, snatching away the princess!

Fang Tong’s chest tightened as he coughed up another mouthful of blood.

The guards beside him worried: “Sir—”

Fang Tong gritted his teeth: “Chase them! Save Her Highness!”

Now that everything was exposed, there was no need for anyone to pretend anymore!

However, at that moment, another group of Great Wei guards emerged from the forest: “Who dares cause trouble here—”

Great Wei military!

Fang Tong’s expression changed slightly, knowing others had become involved—

The forest was a deep green, spring water breaking through ice.

How could Mu Wanyan, standing right beside the corpse Meng Zaishi had been pretending to be, possibly avoid his sudden attack? She was instantly caught in his embrace as he carried her away, leaping through the trees. She struggled desperately, but against a man’s overwhelming strength, she was truly helpless.

That masculine power she hated so much!

“Splash—” Mu Wanyan was thrown forcefully into the water.

A waterfall cascaded down from the mountaintop behind them, creating small rainbow arcs where it hit the pool. Mu Wanyan, thrown down by Meng Zaishi, couldn’t keep her balance in the pool and fell into the water.

The waterfall’s spray splashed from behind, soaking her dress and half her body. The spring water was bitingly cold. Mu Wanyan sat in the water, having hit a rock, her hands behind her back stinging from the ice floating on the water’s surface. The knee-deep pool was so cold it made her whole body tremble.

Sitting in the water, one hand behind her back feeling for the small knife hidden in her sleeve, she raised her face to look at the fierce man who lowered his head, blood vessels showing red in his eyes.

Meng Zaishi lunged forward, grabbing Mu Wanyan’s throat and pressing her down. His hand gripped her throat as he said coldly: “Mu Wanyan! You tried to kill me again!”

He shouted: “That’s twice! Twice! I forgave you the first time, and you try a second time! Do you want to kill me that badly?”

Held by the throat, Mu Wanyan’s upturned face showed a sickly pallor. Her black eyes stared at him, her hair ornaments had fallen in the water, her temple hair scattered, a strand of black hair floating on the water’s surface while others clung wet against her lower back.

She looked at him and smiled: “Yes, I do want to kill you. You only realized this today? Really? Meng Zaishi, who wants to become king of the grasslands, you only just realized I want to kill you?”

Meng Zaishi’s palm pressed harder, making her face turn red with a tinge of blue. Pinned by him, her back against the rock, she was completely helpless in his grasp—he could strangle her with just a light squeeze.

Yet she was so beautiful.

In the flower of youth, with sharp thorns that pricked anyone who came close. Cold yet alluring, those pitch-black icy eyes staring at him… This destructive kind of beauty made Meng Zaishi’s gaze waver as the brutality within him was provoked.

He lowered his head to kiss her.

A white flash passed by as Meng Zaishi leaned back, his other hand quickly grabbing her restless wrist. Seeing the small knife in her hand, Meng Zaishi said darkly: “You truly want to kill me? Haven’t I been good to you? Isn’t being my queen good enough?”

Still in his grip, Mu Wanyan replied with surprise: “I truly want to kill you. Of course, being your queen isn’t good!”

She cried fiercely: “I finally escaped from you father and son, finally walked out of the nightmare! What right do you have to disturb me, what right to make me turn back!”

Meng Zaishi’s voice exploded in rage: “I disturbed you? You were always mine! Everything you have today came from my efforts! Look at how you are now—without me, who taught you how to be a woman—”

Mu Wanyan tried to swing her knife again, but Meng Zaishi held her wrist as easily as lifting a chicken.

The light in Mu Wanyan’s eyes trembled slightly as she said hatefully: “That’s exactly why I must kill you! That’s why you’re my shame! I won’t let my shame follow me for life, I won’t let the nightmare never end… You want me to marry for alliance, so I want you dead! We cannot exist under the same sky!”

Meng Zaishi raged: “It was my father who hurt you! Yet you blame it all on me?”

Mu Wanyan: “Neither of you are good people!”

Meng Zaishi: “Were all those times of joy and laughter with me fake?”

Mu Wanyan gave a cold laugh: “What else? Would I fall in love with the son of my enemy who shamed me? Would I love someone who trampled my dignity into the ground? Would I feel pity or mercy for my enemy? Am I insane—”

Meng Zaishi: “You are insane! Back then I—”

Mu Wanyan screamed: “That’s because you drove me insane!”

She enunciated each word: “Every moment, day and night, I was nearly driven mad by you all! You barbarians, you people who understand nothing, can’t even communicate properly, act like brutes, have no principles, no sense of shame, no sense of guilt… Why should I get involved with you, why must you force me into this marriage alliance…”

Meng Zaishi stared at her dumbfounded.

His gaze lowered as he silently began pulling at her collar.

Mu Wanyan’s whole body suddenly trembled as she cried in horror: “You—”

Meng Zaishi tore off her belt and bound her struggling hands. The water rushed around them, full of dirge-like sorrow. Meng Zaishi said coldly: “You call me a beast, say I shame you, then I’ll show you shame—”

Gripping her face, he pressed close and said softly: “When the beautiful Princess Danyang is taken by the Wuman King in the wild, do you think the Great Wei Emperor will offer you to me? After all, it wouldn’t be the first time—”

Pinned in the water, sharp rocks scraping her back, her whole body ice cold.

Her hair tangled like vines, water droplets splashing on her face and eyelashes, but her eyes remained clear, filled with hatred.

No fear or panic, only hatred—

Mu Wanyan’s eyes flashed with hate: “You dare! If you do this, I will be your enemy for the rest of my life! Every day and night thinking of escaping you, every moment hating you! I will resist you my whole life, you will never have me—”

Meng Zaishi’s heart twinged with pain.

Then he laughed coldly: “You’ve always hated me anyway, it doesn’t matter…”

He lowered his head, gripping her chin, his breath brushing her face when he suddenly sensed danger approaching from behind.

Meng Zaishi leaped up sharply, flying to his feet. He stood under the waterfall, completely drenched, and looked back to see a bow aimed at him from higher up in the trees. The arrow that had just been shot was firmly embedded in a rock in the water.

If Meng Zaishi hadn’t dodged, that arrow would have pierced his heart.

Meng Zaishi looked up, his gaze meeting Yan Shang’s, who stood on the high ridge with a bow in hand.

Mu Wanyan struggled to sit up in the pool, staring blankly upward.

Robes flying on the spring day, Yan Shang’s bow targeted him as another arrow shot toward Meng Zaishi. At the same instant, Meng Zaishi leaped to dodge, and a black shadow suddenly flashed through the deep forest, moving with lightning speed!

As he dodged the arrow’s trajectory, Meng Zaishi’s chest was struck by a fist.

A youth in black appeared suddenly before him, forcing Meng Zaishi to crash together with him into the pool beneath the waterfall.

Meng Zaishi was forced to kneel and retreat, his knees scraping against the stones in the pool, immediately spreading the scent of blood. Already wounded and now pushed to this state by the two men’s coordination, he broke into fits of coughing.

The youth who pressed against his throat knelt with him in the pool and raised his face.

His eyelashes were thick and long, and beneath them eyes were quiet and cold.

It was Yang Si.