Chapter 41

It was almost midnight, and the wind on Pingling Mountain was quite strong. The two of them were chatting intermittently inside the carriage. Mu Wanqing had no trace of sleepiness. She knew that in a couple of days, she would have to part ways with the villain. When they reached Wuxi, she would go to find her master, while the villain would return to being a prince. She had never felt this way before, but now, as the moment of separation approached, her heart was filled with reluctance.

At the foot of the mountain, a few people quietly approached under the cover of night, looking at the carriage. Yao Cheng curled his lips into a sneer. Heaven had truly opened its eyes. He had been worrying about how to make his move, but Zhao Yougong and the other person had chosen to camp at the foot of Pingling Mountain. This was a reward that could be easily obtained, and if he let it go, he would not be able to sleep soundly in the future.

Killing Zhao Yougong would not only please the high-ranking official Gao Taiwei but also the current emperor. Although Yao Cheng was a bit rough, he could still understand some things. If it were not for the emperor's intentions, even Gao Taiwei would not dare to make such plans.

After observing the terrain, Yao Cheng raised his hand and pointed backward, speaking in a low voice, "He Yong, you go and guard the perimeter. If anything unexpected happens, report back immediately!"

"Alright!" He Yong nodded in response, and with a flip of his right hand, he produced a judge's pen about one and a half feet long.

Every time they did something, one person was always left to guard the perimeter. This was Yao Cheng's habit over the years, or perhaps the style of the Six-Fan Gate. No one could guarantee that nothing unexpected would happen, so it was best to leave someone to guard.

Inside the carriage, Mu Wanqing rested her chin on her hand, silent and unresponsive. Zhao Yougong, on the other hand, was very excited, rambling on about the story of Snow White. Although she was listening, her mind had already wandered elsewhere.

"Villain, why don't you stay and go with me? Wouldn't that be better?"

Zhao Yougong shook his head, a mix of amusement and exasperation. Mu Wanqing was still too naive. He was the son of the Prince of Chu and a current prince. Where he went was not up to him. Moreover, he did not want to leave like this.

"Why are you being so stubborn? If you want to, just go to the capital. As long as you mention my name, no one will dare to touch you!"

"You just talk big. People want to kill you, so what good does it do to mention you?"

"Cough, cough... That was definitely an accident. In any case, no one dares to touch me now. Don't believe me..."

Zhao Yougong had thought this through. They were almost to Wuxi, and the surrounding area was peaceful. It would be impossible to fabricate a bandit attack, and if someone wanted to kill him, Emperor Zhezong would not be foolish enough to act here.

Sometimes careful consideration was not wrong, but unexpected situations could arise. Before he could finish his big talk, a series of thuds were heard, as if something had been nailed to the carriage. Outside, the black horse neighed, and Mu Wanqing's eyebrows furrowed. She bent down and pressed Zhao Yougong onto the bedding.

Several arrows shot through the window, piercing the other side of the carriage with a cold wind.

Although they had escaped with their lives, Mu Wanqing's heart was still pounding. The arrows were so fast.

"Be careful, don't come out. I'll deal with these people!"

"Stop!" Zhao Yougong tried to stop her, but it was too late. Mu Wanqing lifted the curtain, drew her sword, and leaped out of the carriage.

With a frown, Zhao Yougong felt a wave of fear. Just from the few short arrows, he knew that the attackers were not ordinary. Although Mu Wanqing was skilled, defeating these people would be difficult.

Mu Wanqing leaped lightly to the ground like a wild goose, the cool wind blowing, and she seemed to blend into the endless night.

There were four people in front of her. Two held knives, one held a sword, and another held two gleaming blood hooks. With just one glance, Mu Wanqing's face turned serious. These four were not like the ordinary people she had faced before, especially the one in front. He had a full forehead, slightly protruding temples, and a right hand full of calluses, clearly indicating he had practiced hard and had considerable strength.

"Who are you? Why are you attacking us?"

"Hehe, you're quite amusing, little lady. What's the point of telling you who we are at this moment? Ah, blame your bad luck for being with that waste of space!"

Mu Wanqing sensed something. These people were after the villain. She couldn't understand why so many people wanted to kill him. If he wanted to leave, these people wouldn't be able to stop him, but could she just watch him die? No, she couldn't. The villain had saved her, and she couldn't abandon him.

"Shut up, if he's a waste of space, what about you? You're nothing but a mouth, just like a waste of space!"

"Hmm?" Yao Cheng glared, displeased. He had planned to let this woman live for a few more days, but now it seemed unnecessary.

"Don't be ungrateful, little lady. Don't be so arrogant. You'll soon taste my power!" Yao Cheng's face showed a lecherous gleam, and the three men beside him laughed. Although the woman was veiled, her fair skin and seductive figure were enough to attract attention. She seemed to be a virgin, and soon, they would have their fun.

Although Mu Wanqing was naive, she could understand why the four men were laughing. Her eyebrows furrowed, and she pointed her sword at Yao Cheng, who was laughing the hardest. "Shameless scoundrel, you have no face!"

Being insulted, Yao Cheng laughed even harder. He shrugged and said, "What a pure little lady. If you say I'm shameless, why would I care about my face?"

Angry, she flicked her sleeve, and several sleeve arrows shot out. Yao Cheng and the others were prepared and just moved a step to avoid the flying weapons.

"Capture this little lady first, the fool won't run away!"

Yao Cheng never took Zhao Yougong seriously. What could a waste of space do? Even if given a knife, could he even wield it? Once the black-clothed woman was captured, Zhao Yougong could be killed at will. Yao Cheng was not worried; he had brought the best from the Hundred Knives Sect, including Guo Fang and Li Chunxuan, who had already reached the position of head in the Six-Fan Gate.

The head of the Six-Fan Gate was not a position anyone could hold. Don't underestimate a head; the Six-Fan Gate was a royal institution, and outside, it was no less than a county magistrate.

Yao Cheng stepped forward, both hands gripping his knife, and delivered a powerful overhead strike. This move, though clumsy, was practical. Mu Wanqing did not dare to block it directly. She sidestepped, and her sword was drawn. Before she could attack, Li Chunxuan's double hooks aimed for her abdomen. She had no choice but to kick off the ground and retreat. In mid-air, she flicked her left sleeve, and several sounds were heard.

Even though Yao Cheng had warned them to be careful, someone still suffered. Li Chunxuan and Guo Fang moved to the sides, and behind them, Chao Lei fell to the ground, clutching his face. Chao Lei rolled in pain, "My eyes... Boss... My eyes..."

Chao Lei's cries were so惨烈，Yao Cheng and the others were momentarily stunned, giving Mu Wanqing another chance to attack. Two more sleeve arrows accurately hit Chao Lei's heart, and after a few convulsions, he stopped breathing.

"What a ruthless little lady!" Li Chunxuan's eyes turned red with anger. They had surrounded her, yet she had managed to kill Chao Lei. However, he had to admit that the black-clothed woman's killing technique was very efficient.

With a roar, Li Chunxuan and Guo Fang attacked from both sides. This time, they coordinated better, with the double hooks aiming for her face and a knife sweeping her waist. Mu Wanqing was shocked and had to crouch and try to dodge. Just as she bent down, she felt a strong wind from behind, and it was too late to avoid it.

Yao Cheng, holding his steel knife in reverse, struck the back of Mu Wanqing's shoulder with the hilt. She let out a muffled groan, and blood slowly dripped down.

Wiping her mouth, Mu Wanqing staggered to her feet. Her eyes were cold, but she could not speak. Her chest ached terribly, as if hit by a stone.

Her legs felt weak, but she stood straight, the black veil fluttering in the wind, and blood had soaked through the veil. She stood there alone, as if the world had left her behind.

"Shameless scoundrels, come on!"

Yao Cheng frowned and sighed. Despite her severe injuries, she was still standing, showing remarkable resilience.

This time, Yao Cheng did not want to give Mu Wanqing another chance. The three of them quickly surrounded her, and as the knives fell, she met them with her sword.

After just one direct confrontation, her body swayed. Li Chunxuan's double hooks appeared on the side, and with a light slash, two cuts appeared on her right arm. In pain, her sword fell, and Guo Fang quickly stepped forward, placing his steel knife at her neck.

"Hehe, little lady, I promised you a good time. Don't worry, after we kill that waste of space, it will be your turn!"

After capturing Mu Wanqing, Yao Cheng turned toward the carriage. Before he could take two steps, the curtain moved, and Zhao Yougong stepped out.

Zhao Yougong had watched the entire fight. Mu Wanqing had no chance of winning. If it weren't for Yao Cheng and the others having other plans, she would have been dead already.

Zhao Yougong leaned against the carriage, staring at Mu Wanqing. This stubborn woman, her veil soaked with blood, still stood firm. Why didn't she run? One death was better than two. Zhao Yougong smiled, a hint of sarcasm in his voice, "Yao Cheng, let her go. Why make things difficult for a woman?"

Zhao Yougong, of course, recognized Yao Cheng. A high-ranking official in the Imperial Guard and a close confidant of Gao Qiu, how could he not know him?

Recognizing him, Yao Cheng was not surprised. Zhao Yougong was already a dead man; what did it matter if he knew more? However, he was surprised that Zhao Yougong could speak such a manly and righteous statement. According to what he knew, Zhao Yougong was a coward and very much cared about his life. How could he speak with such courage?

Adjusting his robe, Yao Cheng gave a cursory bow and then said with a sneer, "Prince, how have you been?"

"I was fine, but seeing you, I feel like vomiting!"

"Hmm?"

Yao Cheng sneered, suddenly standing up and grabbing Zhao Yougong.

"Go ahead and curse. Once you're in the underworld, you won't have the chance to curse anymore!"

"Yao Cheng, you are a government official. Why are you attacking me? Aren't you afraid of being exterminated?"

Zhao Yougong spoke through gritted teeth, but Yao Cheng laughed as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world.

"Ha ha ha... What a joke. They say the Prince of Yongning is as stupid as a pig, but now I see he's even stupider than a pig or a dog."

What a pity, Zhao Yougong would only be a confused ghost. It wasn't that others didn't tell him, but he couldn't understand it himself.