Chapter 27

Officer Zeng's features tightened; a bad premonition set in. "These are convicts ordered into exile by the imperial court. They must not come to harm under my watch, please, show mercy."
As he spoke he produced a handful of silver from his robe and handed it over, treating it as a bribe to avert disaster.
The man in brown accepted the money but did not step back. "Whose household are these?"
Officer Zeng appraised them calmly. There were a dozen or so, far fewer than the escort, but each one was robust.
If a fight broke out, swords and knives wouldn't spare anyone, there would be casualties, and that was something he did not want to see.
"The household of the former Vice Minister Mu of the Ministry of Revenue and an official from the Ministry of War..."
The man in brown's eyes brightened. "Surname Mu? I've heard there's a celebrated beauty in the capital, famed as one of the capital's two great beauties, supposedly the Vice Minister's daughter."
Officer Zeng's face shifted several times as realization dawned. Why would ordinary men know that so clearly? They had come prepared.
The man in brown swaggered. "So it's that family. I've never seen such a famous noblewoman, step forward and let me see you."
He said the words, but his gaze was fixed on Mu Jinyao in the crowd.
An uproar swelled. The Mu family members' faces darkened; Madam Mu instinctively pulled her daughter behind her.
She had known such a day might come, but she hadn't expected it so soon.
Mu Jinyao felt as if a cold serpent had fixed its stare on her; the color drained from her face, this was aimed at her!
Who exactly were these men?
Another man, hot-tempered, barked, "Why won't you step forward? Are we not worthy to behold this noblewoman?"
He raised his longsword and casually slashed at an exile. Caught off guard, the man screamed and fell into a pool of blood.
"This is what happens when you look down on our brothers!"
It was a demonstration, a warning, and it thrust Mu Jinyao into the center of the storm.
The exile beside her, furious and terrified, pleaded, "Miss Mu, please step forward, don't get us harmed."
He shoved Mu Jinyao hard from behind.
And so Mu Jinyao was exposed before everyone. Dust smeared her face, her hair was messy, yet her bearing and manners remained graceful, some things are etched into the bone. Her features were picture-perfect; she still stood out.
A flash of admiration crossed the man in brown's eyes. "No wonder she's the capital's famed beauty who has felled countless men, divine looks and endless grace. Very well, I'll take her."
The Mu family turned pale at his words. Was this about money, or money and flesh?
Madam Mu clung to her daughter while the rest of the family formed a protective ring.
"Officer Zeng, drive these brigands off at once."
The man in brown, unmoved by the plea, drew his sword and stabbed the speaking Mu family member. The man fell, blood pouring out, shocking everyone.
His arrogance was unbearable. "If you refuse a polite toast, you'll be forced to drink a bitter one. If you don't want more deaths, you'd better obey."
The Mu family stared in disbelief, how could they just kill like that? To take a life without batting an eye was utterly terrifying.
Officer Zeng's heart sank; these people were no ordinary bandits.
He feared their target had been Mu Jinyao from the start.
Mu Jinyao's reputation had once been dazzling, countless men had fallen at her feet; barring misfortune, she was destined to marry into a great house and live a life of honor and favor.
But fate is fickle: the once proud, favored daughter had become an exiled prisoner.
Without the protection of family status, her beauty itself became a source of trouble.
She knew this well; she was cautious, never alone, kept as low a profile as possible, even making herself look unkempt.
Officer Zeng's mind raced, but he had no desire to probe their identities, knowing too much would be dangerous.
"Friend, you'll make it impossible for me to explain. Miss Mu is well known; many are watching. I have to see that she's sent to the frontier alive and whole."
The brown-clothed man narrowed his eyes, impatient, pointing at the Mu sisters, including Mu Wanqing. "Fine. I'll take these women. That'll make it less conspicuous and it'll make your report easier."
Wait, what kind of bandit logic is that? It doesn't make sense. Fine, they're robbers.
The Mu family members paled. Second Master Mu grew furious. "You're abducting women!"
The brown-clothed man said coldly, "Take them away. Whoever dares to interfere shall be killed without question."
His words and manner dripped with condescending arrogance.
At his command, his men moved, swooping toward the named girls, reaching out to seize them.
The girls struggled wildly as family members rushed forward to stop them.
Chaos erupted. Second Master Mu lunged forward with his two sons, vowing to protect Mu Wanqing to the death.
Mu Zicheng was slapped hard and sent sprawling, his face swelling, but he ignored the pain and scrambled up to intervene.
He wouldn't let anyone harm his sister.
A flash of anger passed through Mu Wanqing's eyes. She hadn't wanted trouble, but trouble had found her.
She looked at the brown-clothed man and called out, "May I ask which prince you serve?"
Her words dropped like a bomb into the crowd. Everyone froze and turned to stare.
Even the masked men were stunned. The brown-clothed man's eyes showed a flicker of surprise as he barked, "What nonsense are you talking?"
Mu Wanqing showed no fear. "You don't think putting on masks makes you into common bandits, do you? If you don't want this blown up, leave now and act like nothing happened."
The brown-clothed man frowned. Where did she get such confidence? "Oh? And how would you know?"
"I'm not blind." Mu Wanqing pointed at their feet. "You're wearing official boots; the way you walk betrays that you're not ordinary men."
Only officials and guards wear such boots, and their bearing showed training, so the answer was obvious.
The brown-clothed man instinctively looked at his own feet, indeed, they had overlooked that.
When they disguised themselves, they'd remembered to change clothes, who would think to change shoes?
Now that they'd been seen through, he dropped the act and radiated a wave of lethal intent. "You're clever, but the clever usually don't live long."
His murderous aura was so strong it chilled everyone around.
Mu Wanqing's heart trembled, but it only stoked her competitive streak; her blood ran hot.
Damn it, this stubborn urge to compete no matter the situation!
She showed no fear on her face, mastering her expression. "That murderous aura means your hands are stained with blood, you've killed."
She changed tack. "But do you really intend to slaughter over three hundred prisoners and thirty officials? Even someone as exalted as a Dragon's offspring might not withstand the aftermath."
She curved her lips meaningfully. "After all, who doesn't have a few rivals these days? A prince can rely only on imperial favor, and that favor can vanish at any moment."
The brown-clothed man looked at her intently; for some reason she reminded him of the stern, formidable Prime Minister.
Clearly the two had nothing in common, yet still... she gave an unfathomable impression.
"No one would know."
If it's done cleanly and swiftly, with no witnesses, it's not a problem.
Mu Wanqing narrowed her eyes and smiled. "Impossible. We traveled conspicuously, trading as we went, who knows how many eyes tracked us. There are people ahead waiting for our deliveries. Your plan to kill us to silence us won't work."
The brown-clothed man: ...
Damn, convicts doing business? What next?
"Who are you?" He just wanted to know what trump she held.
"Mu Wanqing of the Mu family's second branch." She said it openly, there was no point hiding now. Any sign of weakness would mean annihilation.
The brown-clothed man couldn't gauge her depth and dared not act rashly.
"Aren't you afraid?"
"Terrified, my hands are shaking." Mu Wanqing put on an exaggerated display of trembling hands, leaving everyone baffled.
After a moment she said slowly, "Five hundred taels as a gratuity, let this end. How about it?"
The brown-clothed man regarded her steadily, weighing pros and cons. "A thousand taels and Mu Jinyao, and we'll spare your lives."
Mu Wanqing's suspicion was confirmed, this was premeditated.
She had suspected as much: the bigger the tree, the more it draws wind. The louder Mu Jinyao's past reputation, the greater the danger.
Once untouchable and haughty, admired by countless men, she could now be defiled and toyed with at will, greatly satisfying men's perverse urge to dominate.
Mu Jinyao's face was ashen. She deeply regretted her former pride, why had she chased fame? Why had she insisted on having the last word?
She had stood in others' way and stolen their spotlight; winning such a vast renown naturally invited countless covetous glances.
The brown-clothed man stepped forward, his tone growing somewhat civil. "Miss Mu, come with me. You'll be clothed in brocade and feast on the finest fare; he will not wrong you in the least."
Mu Jinyao felt as if a basin of ice water had been poured over her head; she trembled from head to toe.
“A Mu woman would never be a kept mistress.”
If that man had even a shred of sincerity, he'd find a way to clear her name and ask for her hand openly.
Not like now, dressing up as bandits to seize her, caring nothing for her honor or her future.
The brown-clad man wore an uneasy expression. “Being a pampered kept woman, adored by a man, is a hundred times better than being a homeless, exiled criminal.”
Mu Jinyao had her pride; even reduced to this, she would never be someone's kept woman.
A kept woman had no status, no name; her children wouldn't be acknowledged, let alone entered into the family records.
In short, a disposable plaything.
“I'd rather die.”
She would rather shatter like jade than survive in disgrace.
A henchman of the brown-clad man said impatiently, “Boss, stop wasting words, take her and go. Anyone who tries to stop you, kill on the spot.”
The Mu family paled at the words. Third Master Mu spoke up loudly, “Great niece, why not go with them? What's wrong with being a kept woman? If you win favor, you'll be brought into the household and might even be made legitimate.”
Become a favored consort and you could pull your natal family up, help clear their name.
Mu Jinyao's eyes blazed red. “Third Uncle, are your hands broken? Have your bones been smashed as well? Your surname is Mu, you are family.”
Third Master Mu was angry too. “How can you speak like that? I'm doing this for your own good……”
They bickered back and forth, arguing loudly in front of everyone.
The brown-clad man watched with interest, if the Mu family handed over their daughter willingly, there'd be no trouble for them.
Suddenly a chill ran up his back as something cold and hard was pressed against him.
A clear, cold voice rang out, “Don't move. My hands are very unsteady, I could stab your major artery. Do you know what a major artery is? The most mortal spot on a person; once it's pierced, you die.”
The brown-clad man turned in disbelief to see Mu Wanqing holding a cleaver aimed at his vitals.
He was furious and incredulous, how dare a feeble woman threaten him?
“Mu Wanqing, you have some nerve, you'll pay with your life... ah!”
A scream escaped him as he stared at his bleeding right arm; the sword in his hand fell to the ground of its own accord.
He could never have imagined that such a frail woman would actually dare to use a blade.
More shocking still, Mu Wanqing showed no blink after cutting him, she even gave him a sweet smile. “Sorry,” she said. “I'm a timid person, when frightened, my hands just go out of control.”
A chill shot to his head and the brown-clad man shuddered, this woman was mad! A madman would do anything. “Do you... know who my master is?”
When enemies meet on a narrow road, the brave win, and the brown-clad man actually faltered.
Mu Wanqing swept on like a storm. “I don't know, but he's certainly a lecherous bastard who treats human life like dirt.”
Her words were brutal; the brown-clad man gasped, how could she so brazenly insult a prince? The imperial power is supreme; is she not afraid at all?
“My lord could kill you as easily as squashing an ant. If you kneel now and beg for mercy, you might be spared with your body intact.”
Mu Wanqing laughed scornfully. “Beg? Not in this life or the next! I can say with certainty your master is a useless man, he'll never amount to anything.”
Having already incurred mortal offence, she might as well take full revenge now and let off steam.
The brown-clad man was stunned by her treasonous insolence. “You... you're insane.”
“Is it the Third Prince, the Fourth, or the Fifth...” Mu Wanqing saw his pupils instinctively widen and couldn't help grinning. “So it's the Fifth Prince, tsk, tsk. The Fifth Prince turns out to be a despicable little man. Does the Emperor know? Do the people of the realm know?”
“By the way, if your master finds out you revealed his identity, will he spare you? If I don't come out of this alive, then all of you can come die with me.”
Her reaction was so quick the man couldn't keep up. He blurted reflexively, “It wasn't me, I'm not the one...”
The moment the words left his mouth he realized his mistake. His eyes flashed with murderous intent.
Mu Wanqing had seen everything. “It's too late for you to silence me, my second brother has already run far away; you can't catch him.”
She'd anticipated every step, planned and arranged it all in advance.
Only then did the brown-clad man realize, her trembling hands were an act, not illness; she was drawing everyone's attention to cover the others' escape to send word.
He turned the matter over in his head. “Fine, I'll withdraw and this ends here. But all of you must swear that today's events remain secret, or may heaven strike you with fivefold lightning.”
Mu Wanqing looked at Officer Zeng, who nodded slightly at her. “Very well,” he said. No one dared break the oath.
“Then you must swear too: if you harm us even a bit...” Mu Wanqing's eyes rolled as she finished, “your family line will end and your master will be enslaved for all time.”
She didn't believe in such things herself, but people of this age believed in gods and omens.
Everyone: ...So ruthless!
The brown-clad man and his men looked ashen but, swallowing their pride, swore the oath.
Even as they swore, their voices trembled and their faces were contorted with rage.
The more like that they were, the more assured Officer Zeng felt, if anyone dared break the oath, the others wouldn't stand for it.
If you don't believe it, others do. Unless you want to be shunned and become the target of everyone's hatred, branded a traitor who harmed his lord.
He and his men, along with the exiles, also swore, the two sides reached an agreement.
“Go.” The brown-clad man picked up the sword from the ground and led his men away.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, until the brown-clad man suddenly spun around and hurled his long sword viciously toward Mu Wanqing's chest.
A gust of wind swept past as the blade hurtled in; there was no time or room to dodge. Mu Wanqing's mind went blank with a single thought: miscalculated! My life is over!
At the brink of death, there was a whizz, and a long arrow flew straight in...