Zhang Mu felt uneasy. In the distance, the sounds of brothers playing finger-guessing games and laughing loudly could still be heard, yet this ship was deathly silent.
“Is the boss playing refined this time? Not a peep.” Those who had boarded were all He Hu’s rowdy confidants—not only crude and vulgar in speech, but birds of a feather, every one of them a lecherous demon.
“Shut up.” When Zhang Mu spoke, he startled himself. Why was he panicking? No matter how he thought about it, he couldn’t figure it out. Suddenly the deck beneath his feet swayed, immediately followed by thumping sounds from the ship’s side, then a row of lights brightened.
Human figures appeared in the lamplight.
“Oh my, why is Mister Zhang on our ship?” A woman’s voice.
Zhang Mu’s eyes widened. “Who?” Impossible—he must have misheard.
“Mister Zhang can’t even recognize my voice? You must have drunk too much.” The lamp drew near, the figure’s features became clear—it was Mo Zi.
“Mad… Madam…” Zhang Mu immediately glanced back at the tightly closed cabin door. He had watched Mo Zi enter with his own eyes—why would she be coming up from below the ship? If she wasn’t in the cabin, why hadn’t the Tiger King made any sound of complaint? What about the sleeping drug? Had it failed?
“Oh? Mister Zhang has brought quite a few people as well.” Mo Zi smiled broadly. “I wonder what matter brings you to see me?”
Zhang Mu forced his lips into a smile. “Mad… Madam, the Tiger King feared neglecting you all, so he specially sent us to check on you.” What should he do now? If the Tiger King came out of her small cabin, his intentions obvious yet having gained no advantage, they couldn’t silence her. If word got out, it would be even harder to suppress those who were already dissatisfied and suspicious of them.
Mo Zi looked grateful. “Thank you for the Tiger King’s consideration. Tonight, everyone on this ship ate well and drank their fill. My younger sister is now the Tiger King’s daughter-in-law, so I regard the Tiger King as family elder. Mister Zhang, you and the Tiger King are as close as brothers, so I won’t be polite—I’ll call you Uncle.”
Zhang Mu couldn’t accept this honor. His palms were sweating, he could only smile and couldn’t speak, neither advancing nor retreating.
“Would Mister Zhang like a cup of good tea? Sorry to trouble you running back and forth.” Without waiting for his answer, Mo Zi turned and instructed someone behind her.
Immediately two men stepped forward, positioning themselves left and right to separate Zhang Mu from He Hu’s subordinates.
Zhang Mu thought this was actually a good opportunity for the Tiger King to slip away. So he cleared his throat. On one side, he agreed with Mo Zi; on the other, he frantically signaled to his subordinates with his eyes.
“Madam, today is such a joyous occasion. How about we all celebrate together? I’ll have the brothers perform some staff and sword routines for entertainment.” Everyone go inside. Then there’ll be no one outside, and the Tiger King can leave.
“Wonderful.” Mo Zi smiled. “Music is better enjoyed together than alone. Why don’t you all come into the main cabin—I’ll also have the maidservants prepare some song and dance performances.”
When this group of ruffians heard there would be women singing and dancing to watch, they were boundlessly delighted, laughing heartily as they surged into the main cabin.
Her eyes curved into crescents as Mo Zi watched their eager backs. Her expression gradually grew cold as she followed unhurriedly behind them.
After everyone had entered, a small-time thug emerged from the shadows, cursing under his breath. “Damn it. You all know how to enjoy yourselves, watching women sing and dance, while I’m stuck doing thankless work.”
Though he cursed, his movements were nimble. He pushed open the small cabin door and entered, calling for the boss in the darkness.
No one responded.
He blew on his tinder to light it, found a candle and lit it. “Boss, Mister made a mistake—that woman isn’t drunk yet. While they’re all in the main cabin now, let’s hurry and leave.”
Whoosh—the flame suddenly dimmed.
Cold wind blew on his neck, making him flinch. “What the hell? No windows, no cracks—where’s this wind coming from? Boss? Boss? Did this little bit of alcohol really go to your head?”
He walked to the inner room and saw He Hu slumped over the table. He hurried over and reached out to push him. “Boss, wake up.”
But He Hu tilted and his entire body slid limply under the table.
The small thug didn’t understand. He scratched his head, bent down to help him up, muttering, “Really drunk.”
However, when his hand touched He Hu’s neck, the icy sensation made him freeze. He couldn’t help but grab the candlestick from the table to shine light. What entered his view was a pair of wide but lifeless tiger eyes, an ashen complexion, a knife handle protruding from the chest, dark red bloodstains—already a lifeless corpse.
The boss is dead?! The thug was so frightened he gasped repeatedly, his whole body trembling like chaff in a sieve. He dropped the candle and crawled backward using both hands and feet, forgetting to even call for help. And when he remembered, a strong arm wrapped around his shoulder from behind, while another hand gripped his chin.
“Spare my life, good hero! Spare my life! I absolutely won’t tell—” He wanted to save his life.
But the other party wasn’t interested. Swift as lightning, they twisted that head with a crack—
The thug died.
At the same time, Zhang Mu watched in horror as figures fell one after another. They had just been embracing warm, fragrant jade, who would have known these were actually sharp blades piercing their chests. Even those who cried out in agony only managed one more breath. Over thirty lives ended in an instant.
“You…” He stared fixedly at Mo Zi. Such a beautiful face, such a beautiful smile—had all of this been part of her calculations?
“Does Mister Zhang have anything else to say?” Mo Zi took a sip of tea, its fragrant aroma filling the air.
“If you kill me, the Tiger King won’t let you go.” After saying this, Zhang Mu detected his own stupidity from her deep smile. “You… could it be the Tiger King he…”
“Mister Zhang, you’re in the wrong here. I came to escort the bride, originally only wanting to take the opportunity to rescue our people, with no intention of harming anyone’s life. However, not only did you harbor ulterior motives with no sincerity, you also drugged the wine, intending to harm us.” Mo Zi frowned and shook her head, looking quite troubled. “If I weren’t ruthless, after tonight you would have made us wish we were dead.”
“Kill us, and you still can’t escape.” Zhang Mu’s pale face and trembling lips.
“To shoot a man, first shoot his horse; to catch bandits, first catch their king. Once the first chief and third chief are dead, over ten thousand people will be leaderless. Add to that the court’s troops already outside Tiger Stronghold, and they’ll barely have time to flee for their own lives. Perhaps they’ll even thank me for ridding society of a menace. People who surrender to the court for fame and fortune—what are they if not traitors?” Mo Zi had prepared three arrows. The first arrow: shoot He Hu’s son. The second arrow: shoot He Hu’s daughter. The third arrow: take He Hu’s head.
Zhang Mu hadn’t expected her to know about the amnesty. Not daring to breathe heavily, he could only roll his eyes, finally saying, “You have no proof—who will believe you?”
“That’s why you’re still alive.” Human evidence.
Zhang Mu remained stubborn. “Don’t expect me to help you. The Tiger King’s kindness to me was like giving me a second life—I could never betray him. If you have the ability, just kill me.” His whole body trembled even more.
The door opened, and Su Lan rushed in wearing bright red wedding attire, as if he had known all along there would be deaths here. His expression didn’t change; the wedding robes even reflected a look of joy.
“Miss Mo Zi, I got it.” He held a golden yellow scroll in his hand.
Zhang Mu immediately slumped before the table. That was the Emperor’s edict of amnesty, listing all the benefits given to them in clear detail. If those poor wretches below found out, they would surely rebel. He hadn’t expected such an important item to be found by the opposition.
Mo Zi waved her hand lightly, and two guards stood behind Zhang Mu and drew their blades. “Mister Zhang, since you’re so loyal and righteous, it wouldn’t be right for me not to fulfill your wish. Though you’ve committed many evil deeds, hopefully when you reach hell, this determination to die will spare you some suffering.” Keeping a witness who could turn and bite back at any moment wasn’t as useful as material evidence stamped with the Emperor’s great seal.
“Did He Hu’s daughter notice you left?” Mo Zi put away the edict.
“No. I got her drunk—she’s sleeping soundly, unaware that I took this edict.” Though He Hu’s daughter was domineering, she had learned martial arts from He Hu since childhood and had always been his right-hand person. Even the edict of amnesty was hidden with her. Unfortunately, she had fallen for Su Lan at first sight, and in her infatuation, she had leaked this information, causing her father’s scheme to fall apart overnight.
“They say the honey trap works well—indeed it’s quite convenient.” Zhang Mu collapsed with blood flowing like a stream. Mo Zi didn’t even blink, continuing to chat and laugh with Su Lan. War had already begun—she couldn’t afford sympathy on one side and reluctance on the other.
Su Lan was startled and was about to say something when Luo Ying flew in through the window.
“Miss, He Meng has taken Wu Youyan hostage. What should we do?”
He Meng—He Hu’s son, who suffered from mania that flared up intermittently. Once it struck, lives would be lost.
“I thought things should have gone most smoothly on her end.” Mo Zi was somewhat surprised. “Qiu Shuang, Luo Ying, A’Hao, A’Yue—four people couldn’t handle He Meng?”
“I was outside and don’t know what happened, but I saw He Meng come out of the room with a dagger pointed at Wu Youyan’s neck. Moreover, though his martial arts aren’t advanced, his hearing is extremely acute—he seems to have exceptional natural gifts. I tried to attack him from behind, but he detected me and immediately stabbed Wu Youyan’s arm.” Luo Ying felt somewhat annoyed at her own action.
“Don’t blame yourself—you were trying to save someone.” Mo Zi understood her thinking. “Where is He Meng now?”
“Definitely not normal—he’s making a fuss about taking a boat out, wanting to tour the river with his new bride.” He’s a madman. “He Meng’s mother, which is to say He Hu’s legitimate wife, feels sorry for her son, so she quickly agreed. They’re heading this way now. Oh, and she also sent people everywhere looking for He Hu, probably wanting the father to discipline the son during his fit.”
Mo Zi walked outside and saw several hundred figures descending from the mountain amid noisy commotion. Around her ship were a dozen or so boats, which due to today’s great feast had few people on them. He Hu’s death couldn’t yet be revealed to everyone, and she also couldn’t save Su Lan only to lose Wu Youyan. So she quickly formulated a plan in her mind and called Zan Jin and Ding Gou to discuss it.
Before long, He Meng arrived at the shore dragging Wu Youyan, loudly demanding a boat.
Mo Zi stood at the bow and called out loudly, “Would Young Master He like to board my ship? I’ll take you on a river tour.”
Madam He knew her husband had this ship under soft detention, so she politely declined.
“Madam He needn’t be polite with me—we’re all family. Besides, the Tiger King is also a guest on my ship.” After Mo Zi finished speaking, He Hu appeared at the bow with a hoarse grunt telling them to come aboard, then immediately withdrew.
Mo Zi laughed. “The Tiger King has drunk a bit too much. Rest assured, Madam—Mo Zi knows her limits and won’t do anything inappropriate toward my brother-in-law.”
Madam He cursed inwardly—saying he had other intentions when clearly his lecherous habits had flared up. On his children’s joyous day, he ran to this ship to toy with a beauty, who was even his daughter-in-law’s older sister. But she was very afraid of He Hu—though angry, she dared not speak up, nor could she think of anything else, so she nodded in agreement.
He Meng’s mind wasn’t clear. Seeing a boat, he boarded it, and absolutely refused to let his mother follow. Though he was mad, he still knew to choose his position, standing with his back against the ship’s rail, observing in all directions and listening in all ways, ordering Mo Zi and the others to set sail.
Only poor Wu Youyan, stabbed once with blood flowing endlessly, her small face snow-pale, staggered with He Meng’s footsteps, nearly fainting.