Chapter 50

Chapter 50: The Encounter

Another hour passed, and the pampered young masters began to grow restless. Just as they thought of moving ahead to suggest splitting paths, the sedan chair at the front suddenly jolted violently.

In an instant, forty or fifty masked figures rushed out from the dense forest and surrounding trees.

Each man was tall and imposing, their exposed eyes cruel and fierce, the long blades in their hands gleaming coldly.

Ye Rong froze, momentarily forgetting to react. “What in heaven’s name is happening…?”

Shang Hang Yu narrowed his eyes briefly, feigning confusion. “It seems… we’re being robbed?”

“Robbed? Do these fools have a death wish?” Ye Rong widened his eyes incredulously. Without waiting for Shang Hang Yu’s reply, he arrogantly stepped forward. “Hey, you bandits! Do you know who’s in that carriage, and who this young master is? How dare— Oh heavens!”

Before he could finish, over twenty bandits charged straight toward Sheng Zhi Wan’s carriage.

In a heartbeat, Duke Qi’s guards clashed fiercely with the attackers.

The bandits fought ruthlessly, each strike aiming to kill. Ye Rong saw the guard driving Sheng Zhi Wan’s carriage receive a deep gash on his leg, blood pouring out heavily.

The scent of blood swiftly filled the carriage.

“What’s happening?” Sheng Zhi Wan lifted the curtain to peer outside.

“Quickly, Heir Consort, get back inside!” Zhang Da ignored his wounded leg and shouted anxiously the moment he saw her.

The bandit facing Zhang Da had a scar slicing through his eyebrow down to his cheekbone. Hearing Zhang Da’s cry, the man’s eyes flashed viciously, raising his blade for a deadly strike. Fortunately, Zhang Da swiftly rolled away, narrowly escaping death.

However, others were not as agile or prepared, especially the pampered young masters.

Though skilled in martial arts and horsemanship, they’d only ever practiced with their guards and servants, none daring to truly challenge them. They’d vastly overestimated their own strength and now, facing genuine killers, were paralyzed by fear.

Protected by guards who themselves had become complacent in their martial skills from years of swaggering around the capital, the young masters soon saw several of their protectors fall wounded.

Perhaps it was Ye Rong’s earlier arrogant shout that drew special ire. As soon as his guard fell, two bandits charged at him with deadly intent.

Blade light flashed mercilessly closer and closer.

Ye Rong instinctively raised his arms and squeezed his eyes shut.

“Stop!” a woman’s voice cried out harshly. Sheng Zhi Wan stood with a dagger held firmly against her own throat.

[Last lifetime, Zhang Da and the others died protecting me. I refuse to let anyone else sacrifice themselves in this lifetime.]

“Your target is me, isn’t it? They’re merely bystanders. Let these men and servants go unharmed. I’ll leave willingly with you. If not, I swear by my own death, you’ll never lay hands on me!”

The bandits halted, exchanging stunned and bewildered glances.

“Heir Consort!” Zhang Da’s eyes widened in disbelief.

He was only a servant and never expected his life to be protected by his master—especially by the noble heir consort whom he had scarcely even seen before. Zhang Da felt warmth and bitter frustration flood through him.

Even more stunned were Ye Rong and his friends.

As infamous young masters of the capital, they were used to people fearing or avoiding them. At best, their families might shield them from serious trouble, though punishment was inevitable.

Yet now, a woman stood shielding them with her own life.

Ye Rong stared, emotions surging within him. [How can I let this happen?]

But before he could speak, Shang Hang Yu kicked him hard and stepped forward, cupping his hands respectfully. “Elder brothers, please spare us! We swear not a word of today’s events will pass our lips.”

“How can we trust you?” snapped the apparent leader.

Shang Hang Yu smiled carelessly. “Isn’t that obvious? You know who you’re kidnapping, don’t you? If we want to live, we must pretend we saw nothing. If we speak up, it’d be our own necks on the chopping block.”

Silence. It seemed reasonable enough.

The leader hesitated. Shang Hang Yu quickly added, “Perhaps you don’t know our identities. I’m Shang Hang Yu, son of the Grand General of Fengguo. This fellow here is Ye Rong, the only son of the Minister of Revenue. And this one is Pei Yu An, heir of the Grand General of Huaihua.”

“Harm us, and you’ll invite endless trouble. Surely there’s no need to eliminate everyone?”

“You spineless coward!” Zhang Da shouted furiously.

Ye Rong, Pei Yu An, and the others stared in shock. This was not the loyal Shang Hang Yu they knew! There must be some hidden strategy!

The bandits, too, were taken aback by the troublesome identities of these men.

The air became thick with tension.

The leader glanced between Shang Hang Yu and Sheng Zhi Wan, who still held the dagger to her own throat. He suddenly laughed coarsely. “Heh! What a stunning beauty! Even at a moment like this, the lovely heir consort willingly trades herself for these pathetic fools!”