Chapter 215

Chapter 215: Otherwise What

Sheng Zhi Wan also understood that this was not the time to act brave.

The bandits probably saw that Sheng Zhi Wan’s group had many people, or maybe their real target had always been the carriage they were robbing. Either way, they only swept Sheng Zhi Wan’s group with wary eyes and did not stop them.

Sheng Zhi Wan’s group entered the temple safely.

Sheng Zhi Wan stepped out of the carriage and listened to the women’s screams outside. Sheng Zhi Wan immediately ordered, “Lin Yue, take a few of the best fighters and help. If you can save people, save them. If you cannot, do not force it. Your safety is the most important.”

Lin Yue was the strongest fighter among the guards Sheng Zhi Wan brought.

Sheng Zhi Wan did not send all the guards because Sheng Zhi Wan worried the bandits might have a second move. The bandits in front of them might only be a decoy to lure them away.

Lin Yue led the guards into the bandits.

The guards outside the attacked carriage, who had been barely holding on, immediately regained courage and fought again.

Just as the temple inside was about to receive the news, someone among the bandits shouted loudly. At once, several bandits grabbed multiple women and leaped onto horses.

The horses charged forward, disappearing into the nearby forest in the blink of an eye.

“Oh no! Commandery Princess! Commandery Princess was taken!”

A trembling scream rang out.

Sheng Zhi Wan frowned and saw a disheveled figure collapsing on the ground.

The woman wore plain, elegant clothes. She tightly clutched a hairpin in her hand, and there was blood on it.

Qi Fei Rui?

Sheng Zhi Wan narrowed her eyes.

Qi Fei Rui, still in panic, froze for a split second when she saw Sheng Zhi Wan. But it was only a split second. Then Qi Fei Rui stumbled toward Sheng Zhi Wan’s group.

Before Qi Fei Rui could get close, Liu Shang’s sword blocked her path.

Qi Fei Rui dropped to her knees. “Princess! Please send people to save Ming Jia Commandery Princess! She is a clean, innocent woman. If she falls into those bandits’ hands…”

Halfway through, Qi Fei Rui seemed to realize she had said something wrong. Qi Fei Rui’s face turned pale as she covered her mouth.

Sheng Zhi Wan’s eyes narrowed slightly, gaze fixed on Qi Fei Rui’s face.

So the one taken was Ming Jia Commandery Princess?

In Sheng Zhi Wan’s previous life, Ming Jia Commandery Princess first married Third Imperial Brother. Later, when Qi Fei Rui went to visit Ming Jia, the drunken Third Prince mistook Qi Fei Rui for Ming Jia and slept with her, and Qi Fei Rui also entered the Third Prince’s residence.

The two women had been friends, yet this incident made them enemies.

Ming Jia was ruthless, and Qi Fei Rui acted wronged at every turn, until Ming Jia died in childbirth. Only then did Qi Fei Rui become the Third Prince’s consort.

Remembering what Ming Jia had done in the past, Sheng Zhi Wan really wanted to pretend she saw nothing.

But Ming Jia was Prince Huai’s precious jewel. If Ming Jia had an accident and Sheng Zhi Wan did nothing, who knew what Prince Huai might do?

Sheng Zhi Wan spoke. “Lin Yue.”

Lin Yue looked up at once.

Sheng Zhi Wan said, “Take the men from earlier and chase them. Zhang Da, go into the temple and inform the Abbot. Have the martial monks go out and help search.”

“Yes.”

“Yes!”

Lin Yue and Zhang Da left.

Sheng Zhi Wan and Shang Xing Yu entered the temple as well. Qi Fei Rui went limp, supported by her only remaining maid, Qiu Shuang.

Qi Fei Rui’s other maid had been stabbed to death trying to protect her. One of Ming Jia’s maids had also been taken by the bandits.

Sheng Zhi Wan was about to send people to the capital city to notify the Da Li Court and the Shuntian Prefecture Yamen, but Lin Yue and the martial monks who went searching actually returned.

Lin Yue’s arm was injured.

Sheng Zhi Wan frowned.

Lin Yue quickly said, “Princess, we rescued Commandery Princess and her maid. A few bandits died. The rest escaped.”

Sheng Zhi Wan answered, “Mm.” Sheng Zhi Wan finally relaxed and told Lin Yue to go bandage the wound first.

Since Ming Jia was safe and Sheng Zhi Wan did not have a good relationship with her, it was not appropriate to visit right now.

Sheng Zhi Wan and Shang Xing Yu followed the original plan and went to the Abbot of Chao Ming Temple to ask for a fortune.

Whether it was truly fate, or the Abbot knew their identities, the Abbot drew an excellent sign in a single try.

Golden palanquins reflected rosy clouds. Kindred hearts matched like zither and harp. Yin and yang joined in balance. A heaven-granted good match!

Sheng Zhi Wan did not really believe such things.

But Shang Xing Yu carefully tucked the fortune slip into his robe as if it were precious.

They had just come out from the Abbot when a monk, face pale, rushed past them.

“Abbot! Something is wrong! Senior Brother Jue Chen and the others were taken away!”

Sheng Zhi Wan froze.

Shang Xing Yu said, “The martial monks from earlier – Jue Chen was the one leading them!”

Sheng Zhi Wan’s heart jumped. Sheng Zhi Wan hurried back toward the front, and sure enough, dozens of soldiers from Prince Huai’s manor surrounded the courtyard where they were staying.

Sheng Zhi Wan’s face darkened to an extreme. Sheng Zhi Wan could already guess what Ming Jia wanted to do.

These soldiers from Prince Huai’s manor must have been waiting at the foot of the mountain, or they would not have arrived so quickly.

Sheng Zhi Wan and Shang Xing Yu walked over.

Two soldiers from Prince Huai’s manor immediately stepped forward to block them.

Sheng Zhi Wan let out a cold laugh.

From inside the courtyard came Ming Jia’s voice. “Let her in.”

As expected.

Arrogant as always. Overbearing as always.

The soldiers made way.

But Sheng Zhi Wan did not enter right away. Sheng Zhi Wan looked at Shang Xing Yu instead.

The moment Shang Xing Yu met Sheng Zhi Wan’s eyes, Shang Xing Yu drew his sword and swung down.

The arms of the two soldiers who had dared block Sheng Zhi Wan dropped to the ground.

Then Shang Xing Yu kicked twice, sending the two one-armed soldiers flying into the courtyard, right in front of Ming Jia Commandery Princess.

Ming Jia had been sitting with a cold expression. Now Ming Jia jolted to her feet in shock. “How dare you!”

“You are the one who dares!” Only then did Sheng Zhi Wan step inside.

The two soldiers lay on the ground screaming.

Sheng Zhi Wan did not even look at them. Sheng Zhi Wan stepped right over them.

“A mere Commandery Princess dared block me and had people surround the courtyard where I am staying.” Sheng Zhi Wan advanced step by step. “I want to know what you are trying to do!”

The cold in Sheng Zhi Wan’s eyes forced Ming Jia to retreat two steps without thinking. Ming Jia only snapped back to herself when Ming Jia’s back hit the stone table.

What was Ming Jia afraid of?

Just a Princess who was not favored, that was all.

Outsiders all believed Sheng Zhi Wan was very favored, but Ming Jia knew the truth. The emperor did not actually dote on Sheng Zhi Wan at all.

The emperor’s kindness toward Sheng Zhi Wan was only on the surface, only because of Empress Dowager’s face. Even more… the emperor even disliked Sheng Zhi Wan.

So what if she was a Princess?

Ming Jia found courage again. “Where are those people from earlier? Hand them over, and I will let this go. Otherwise-”

“Otherwise what?” Shang Xing Yu’s sword pressed to the side of Ming Jia’s face.

Only then did Ming Jia look directly at him. When Ming Jia saw his face, Ming Jia’s eyes lit up. “Who are you?”

Shang Xing Yu did not answer.

Ming Jia looked at him, then at Sheng Zhi Wan, and understood at once. “You are Sheng Zhi Wan’s Prince Consort, Shang Xing Yu? I did not expect a dandy to look this handsome. A dandy with a worn-out shoe, truly-”

Ming Jia screamed.

A thin line of blood appeared across Ming Jia’s soft neck.

Ming Jia touched her throat and stared at the red on her palm, unable to believe it.

The manor soldiers around them surged forward at once.

Sheng Zhi Wan said coldly, “If you lay hands on me, your master might not die, but you will definitely die.”

As Sheng Zhi Wan’s words fell, the manor soldiers hesitated.

Ming Jia shook with rage and wanted to speak, but with Shang Xing Yu’s sword tip aimed at her, Ming Jia could only swallow the words back down.

Ming Jia glared at Sheng Zhi Wan. “Give me those people from earlier, and I will count it as Prince Huai’s manor owing you a favor.”