They had barely left the small village and had not yet made it back to the main road when, suddenly, with a thunderous crack, a great tree came crashing down.

“Everyone, be on guard!” Xue Gu, leading at the front, called out in a low, firm voice.

The entire group shifted into battle readiness in an instant.

The carriage came to a sharp halt, and Yanu, caught off balance, nearly tumbled forward onto the carriage floor.

Feng Jiu’er grabbed him and said quietly, “Are you alright?”

“I’m—” Yanu shook his head. He was about to step out when Feng Jiu’er pulled him back.

“You don’t know martial arts. Don’t go out — stay here.”

Outside, a group of black-clad figures blocked the road ahead. The leader among them called out loudly, “Is the person inside the carriage the Ninth Miss of the Feng Family?”

No one responded. The black-clad leader gave a cold smile. “Feng Jiu’er, I know you’re inside. If you don’t want anyone to get hurt, I advise you to come out quietly on your own. I won’t harm you.”

Feng Jiu’er had no intention of responding, of course. Xue Gu said coldly, “If you don’t want anyone to get hurt, then I advise you to disappear.”

“Ha! Old woman, how dare you run your mouth when you’re standing at death’s door!”

The black-clad leader swung his long sword, and two people were shoved forward from behind the group — none other than Feng Jiu’er’s father, Feng Junzhuo, and his current lawfully wedded wife, Yu Niang.

Yu Niang had originally been nothing more than a concubine, but after Feng Qingyin became an Imperial Noble Consort, she had risen by virtue of her daughter’s status and was properly wed to Feng Junzhuo with all the formal rites.

But at this moment, Yu Niang desperately wished she were still a mere concubine — at least then no one would have dragged her out to be used as leverage against someone else.

Weeping, Yu Niang cried out, “The person inside is not my daughter. She is only Feng Junzhuo’s daughter. I have absolutely nothing to do with her — please release me! She doesn’t care whether I live or die.”

Neither Xue Gu nor the others had anticipated that Feng Junzhuo and Yu Niang would have fallen into the hands of these people.

The news that Feng Jiu’er was still alive had only just been released a short while ago — had these people moved so swiftly? It seemed almost as though it had all been planned in advance.

“Jiu’er, if you’re truly in the carriage, please save your father! Jiu’er, I am your father!”

Feng Jiu’er’s palm tightened into a fist. She wanted to go out, but Yanu held on to her, shaking his head.

With Feng Junzhuo and Yu Niang in those people’s hands, if Jiu’er went out, knowing her nature, she would be unable to leave them to their fate.

Going out would only put her at a disadvantage.

Jiu’er’s grip tightened around her own palm. She had no desire to concern herself with their lives, and yet — she could not do it.

No matter how poorly Feng Junzhuo had treated her, he was still her own father. If she let her own father die without lifting a hand, she would never be able to live with herself for the rest of her life.

What was more, while Feng Junzhuo was reprehensible in many ways, he harbored no truly malicious intentions — he was merely greedy and heartless.

Such flaws did not warrant death.

And if something truly happened to them today, it would be because of her. They would have died on her account.

“What kind of people are you? Feng Jiu’er is not here at all. This is a merchant convoy of the Hall of Heavenly Secrets.”

Qiao Mu stepped forward, her gaze sweeping over Feng Junzhuo and Yu Niang.

She gave a cold snort. “When have either of you ever cared about whether Feng Jiu’er was dead or alive? Now that you yourselves are in trouble, you want Feng Jiu’er to come rescue you. Have you no shame?”

Her words were also meant as a message to Jiu’er — these two were not worth risking her life to save.

Jiu’er’s martial arts were entirely gone right now. She had no ability to protect even herself. How could she possibly save anyone?

“Miss, miss, please don’t say it like that. If it truly is Jiu’er inside, please let her come out.” Yu Niang was so frightened her legs had gone soft — she was barely able to stand. “Her father is right here! After all, the Feng Family raised her to this age — could they really stand by and do nothing?”

“Feng Jiu’er is not here. Save your efforts.” Qiao Mu said with displeasure.

“Then have the people in the carriage come out and let me see for myself whether it is truly not Feng Jiu’er.” The black-clad leader gave a cold snort.

The occupants of the carriage remained entirely silent. From the look of things, it seemed the person inside really was Feng Jiu’er.

Feng Jiu’er was actually still alive — even Feng Junzhuo himself had not expected that.

But Yu Niang now recalled something Feng Qingyin had once said. So Feng Jiu was truly Feng Jiu’er after all.

Otherwise, why had that middle-aged woman just said they were a merchant convoy of the Hall of Heavenly Secrets?

Then suddenly, a blade was pressed to her throat. Yu Niang was so terrified she nearly fainted on the spot.

She trembled violently and called out in desperation, “Jiu’er, Jiu’er, please, please save us — Jiu’er!”

“Jiu’er, save your father! I am your own flesh and blood!” Even though the blade was not at his own throat right now, Feng Junzhuo knew that once the black-clad men cut down Yu Niang, he would be next.

After Yu Niang died, he would not live much longer either.

What was more, Yu Niang had been with him all these years — he could not bear to watch her be beheaded right before his eyes.

“Jiu’er, come out quickly! Come out and save your father — Jiu’er!”

“Jiu’er, save me, I beg you!” Yu Niang burst into tears, weeping a sound of great misery.

The black-clad leader twisted his wrist, and the blade pressed against Yu Niang’s throat shifted. Yu Niang instantly cried out from the pain — a thin thread of blood seeped from her neck.

The black-clad leader said with a cold smile, “Feng Jiu’er, if you refuse to come out, that is fine — I’ll start by taking this woman’s head, and then I’ll take your father’s.”

“No! No! Please, please — don’t!”

The black-clad leader didn’t even spare Yu Niang a glance. The smile dropped from the corners of his lips, and with a grim, sinister tone he said, “I will count to three. If you are still not out by then, don’t blame me for showing no mercy.”

He gripped his large blade, his eyes fixed on the curtain of the carriage. “One…”

“I have said already — we are nothing but a merchant convoy. There is no Feng Jiu’er here.” Xue Gu’s fingers curled tighter.

Qiao Mu’s hand closed around the hilt of the blade at her waist. “Whether you kill that woman or not is not our concern — but if you don’t clear the road, don’t blame me for what comes next.”

“Very well. I’ll see for myself whether you truly don’t care about those two people’s lives.”

With those words, the black-clad leader’s grip tightened.

“Ah — no! No!” Yu Niang screamed in terrified panic.

Qiao Mu was on the verge of backing down — these were Jiu’er’s family. How could they possibly truly leave them to die?

But just as she was about to speak, there came a whooshing sound, and something flew out from behind her.

“Ahh—!” A scream rang out. A sudden crimson red bloomed across Yu Niang’s chest.

Everyone looked more closely — embedded in her chest was a tree branch.

“Their lives are worthless.” A low, raspy voice sounded, and a figure swept past the side of the carriage, a long sword thrusting toward Yu Niang.

For the sake of protecting Feng Jiu’er, they were actually going to eliminate Feng Junzhuo and Yu Niang themselves.

Even the black-clad leader was struck dumb with shock.

How could this be? How could these people truly have no regard for Feng Jiu’er’s own family?