The prepared fine horse stood not far away, snorting white vapor in the icy snow.

Groups of Jinlin Guards closed in, yet Pingli’s face showed not a trace of fear.

He currently had a sufficiently thick shield—if it blocked attacks, he profited; if it didn’t, he didn’t lose either.

Fortune favors the bold. From the day his ambition first sprouted, he had understood this principle.

“Make them all retreat.” Pingli said to Yun Dong, who stood at the forefront of the Jinlin Guards.

Yun Dong’s face was like ice as he said coldly, “All of you, fall back.”

The Jinlin Guards uniformly stepped backward.

Pingli’s lips curved in a cold smile as he controlled Luo Qing and approached the fine horse step by step.

Luo Sheng stared intently at the two of them, then suddenly called out, “Second Sister.”

Across the snow that connected heaven and earth, Luo Qing looked toward Luo Sheng with a deathly pale face.

The young woman wore a plain cloak. Having rushed out, she hadn’t put up her hood, revealing raven-black hair that made her face appear white as cold jade.

Her expression was even colder as she enunciated word by word, “Father will be heartbroken.”

Heartbroken that paternal affection and sibling love couldn’t compare to one heartless and unrighteous man.

Luo Qing was pushed forward by Pingli and couldn’t see, but she could see perfectly clearly—Pingli had never shown even half a shred of pity for his hostage.

What she understood even more clearly was that this so-called hostage was in league with her captor.

And this was what was truly disappointing.

As for Pingli, he was already a pool of stinking mud—who would be disappointed in stinking mud? One would only feel it was, as expected, nauseating.

Luo Qing heard Luo Sheng’s words but didn’t understand their meaning.

She called out “Third Sister” with difficulty, deep guilt hidden in her eyes.

She knew she shouldn’t do this.

She was wronging Father and wronging every relative in the Luo household.

But she truly had no other choice—she only wanted Eldest Brother to survive.

Thinking this, her tears flowed even more fiercely.

The wind was fierce and the snow heavy. As tears slid across her tender cheeks, it felt as painful as ice blades scraping by.

Her heart hurt even more.

Luo Qing looked at Luo Sheng through her tears, silently bidding farewell.

Eldest Brother said he would take her far away—from now on, she probably would never see her family again.

Luo Sheng stepped forward, estimated the distance and angle, and silently abandoned her plan to knock Pingli unconscious by throwing her hand warmer.

Pingli was cunning enough and alert enough, using Luo Qing to block the vulnerable spots, making it difficult to attack.

Without complete certainty, she couldn’t act rashly—Pingli didn’t value Luo Qing’s life in the slightest.

Forget it—she’d just consider it saving one hand warmer.

“Third Miss, don’t come any closer.” Pingli said coldly.

Luo Sheng’s lips curved in a smile. “I’m just a weak woman without the strength to truss a chicken—what could I possibly do to you? What are you afraid of?”

Without the strength to truss a chicken?

Although Pingli was sufficiently alert, hearing these words, he couldn’t help but twitch his lips, his voice growing colder. “I said, don’t come any closer.”

Luo Sheng stopped and watched as Pingli slowly moved toward the fine horse.

A furious shout rang out: “Pingli!”

The Jinlin Guards parted to create a path, and Grand Marshal Luo strode out.

“Release Qing’er!”

Pingli changed his cold tone, his voice trembling. “Adoptive Father, you truly have misunderstood me!”

“Misunderstood?” Grand Marshal Luo pointed at Luo Qing, who was blocked in front of Pingli. “Is this also a misunderstanding?”

Pingli smiled bitterly. “Adoptive Father, this child also had no choice. This child doesn’t want to die wrongly accused—I can only wrong Second Sister.”

Leaning against the tail-swishing fine horse, Pingli vigilantly surveyed his surroundings, pulled Luo Qing closer toward himself, and said sternly, “All of you, raise your hands! Raise them above your heads!”

Grand Marshal Luo stared fixedly at Pingli and said coldly, “Do as he says.”

Pairs of hands rose up.

Pingli’s gaze fell on Luo Sheng.

Luo Sheng expressionlessly set her hand warmer on the snowy ground and raised both hands.

Seeing everyone raise their hands, Pingli immediately mounted the horse and pulled Luo Qing up as well.

The fine horse neighed loudly and restlessly lifted its hooves.

Pingli sat upright on the horse’s back, looking down from above at familiar face after familiar face.

He had wanted to become the number one person in the Jinlin Guard. Even nameless soldiers in the Jinlin Guard had drawn his attention, but unfortunately, as long as Adoptive Father existed, he could only ever live in his shadow.

He saw several fine horses blocked by the crowd and couldn’t help but sneer coldly.

The other side was unwilling to let him leave like this—he had anticipated this long ago.

He could even imagine that once he galloped away on horseback and lost the ability to instantly take Luo Qing’s life, countless arrows would shoot toward his back.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Pingli removed his belt and bound Luo Qing’s hands, then positioned her behind him.

Grand Marshal Luo’s expression changed slightly. “Pingli, you beast!”

Pingli smiled bitterly. “This child said, this child also has no choice. Rest assured—as long as no one attacks me, I’ll protect Second Sister well.”

Grand Marshal Luo’s face turned iron-blue, but he made no sound.

“Also, don’t pursue me. At least within my line of sight, I don’t want to see anyone following behind.”

Having said this, Pingli swept his gaze around. His eyes paused on Yun Dong, then swept past Luo Sheng, finally stopping on Grand Marshal Luo’s face.

Grand Marshal Luo met his gaze with a cold face, his eyes like blades.

“Adoptive Father, this child is leaving.” Having said this, Pingli squeezed the horse’s flanks.

The fine horse shot forward like an arrow released from its bow, quickly leaving deep hoofprints in the snow.

Yun Dong led a horse forward. “Adoptive Father, I’ll pursue him.”

Seeing that the horse carrying Pingli and Luo Qing had already vanished from sight, Grand Marshal Luo nodded with a grim face. “Go.”

Yun Dong mounted the horse and pursued following the hoofprints.

Close behind him was also a team of Jinlin Guards.

Luo Sheng picked up the hand warmer from the snowy ground and walked to Grand Marshal Luo’s side.

Grand Marshal Luo gazed ahead for a long time, then turned his head to ask Luo Sheng, “Sheng’er, are you cold?”

Luo Sheng shook her head.

“Go inside and warm up. I still have matters to handle.”

“Father, please have a physician waiting on standby.”

Grand Marshal Luo’s expression grew even grimmer as he gritted his teeth. “That beast—if he dares harm Qing’er, I’ll definitely chop him up and feed him to the dogs.”

Luo Sheng lowered her eyes and was silent for a moment before saying softly, “If that’s the case, why did you agree to let Second Sister come see him?”

What foolish actions a young woman caught up in romantic feelings might commit—she didn’t believe Grand Marshal Luo couldn’t anticipate this.

Grand Marshal Luo’s gaze once again turned toward that direction as he murmured, “I just wanted to see…”

See what choice Qing’er would make.

See if after Qing’er made the worst choice, she might finally give up hope.

See besides him, who else wanted Pingli’s life.

He didn’t want to use his daughter—he merely placed the choice in her hands.

The road covered in accumulated snow seemed endless. Familiar street scenes appeared to become strange. Besides the howling cold wind in her ears, there was only the urgent sound of galloping hooves.

Pingli had already run far away with Luo Qing.

“Eldest Brother, where are we going?” Luo Qing felt herself about to freeze stiff and asked with difficulty.

Her voice was shattered by the cold wind as it entered Pingli’s ears.

“Second Sister, I’m sorry.”

The man’s gentle words drifted into the ears of the young woman behind him, and then he released his hands.