Chapter 51

Chapter 51: You See Her as Your Savior

Sheng Zhi Wan remained unmoved. “Not just them—my guards too!”

“Hahaha! Fine, since this beauty is so loyal and righteous, letting these weaklings go won’t hurt,” the leader waved his hand lazily. Though reluctant, the men released their captives.

Zhang Da clutched his wounded leg as he fell to the ground. For the first time, he bitterly regretted being lazy during his martial arts training. If only he had practiced seriously, he wouldn’t have fallen so easily!

“What are you waiting for? With those skinny limbs of yours, do you intend to die here with me?” Sheng Zhi Wan scolded Zhang Da and the others lightly.

Zhang Da clenched his teeth, understanding that the Heir Consort was right.

He couldn’t depend on Shang Hang Yu and those pampered young lords. If anything, those men might even silence them later to cover this humiliation.

They had to escape alive and send word back, so the Heir Consort could be rescued!

Determined, Zhang Da turned and ran. The other guards, eyes red with shame and anger, followed him.

An Zhi and Ting Lan jumped from the carriage to follow, but before they could move, the leader shouted, “Leave the women! My brothers are eager to be bridegrooms tonight. If all of you leave, your master alone won’t be enough!”

The vulgar laughter caused An Zhi and Ting Lan to shiver in fear.

A scar-faced brute laughed loudly and dragged Ting Lan toward himself. “Boss, this little beauty is good! Can I have her first?”

“Suit yourself,” the leader said carelessly, kicking Ye Rong who lay trembling on the ground. “Kid, why haven’t you crawled off yet?!”

“We—we’re going now!” Shang Hang Yu pulled Ye Rong, limping away disgracefully with the help of their guards.

Sheng Zhi Wan watched Zhang Da and his men staggering away. Though injured, at least their fate was better than her previous life.

She remembered clearly how Zhang Da had clung desperately to the scar-faced man’s leg, his mouth full of blood, urging her to flee. Her fingers clenched tightly within her sleeves. Only when their figures vanished completely did she drop her dagger to the ground with a clatter.

She knew well these bandits wouldn’t truly let Zhang Da’s group go.

But as long as they escaped, reinforcements would be waiting secretly to eliminate the attackers who pursued them.

Suppressing a wave of nausea, Sheng Zhi Wan didn’t resist as the men gagged her mouth and bound her tightly. An Zhi and Ting Lan suffered the same fate.

Roughly thrown back into the carriage, Sheng Zhi Wan’s head slammed painfully into the wooden wall. A large lump rose instantly, but she made no sound, as though the pain didn’t touch her.

After a long, jarring journey, her body numb and weak from bindings, the carriage finally halted. The curtain was thrown aside, and someone roughly dragged the three of them outside.

Night had fully fallen, cloaking the mountain stronghold in shadowy darkness.

The man standing before Sheng Zhi Wan was unfamiliar, but she noted his missing arm and narrowed her eyes slightly.

As she studied him, Zhang Da Hu was also looking at her.

Having spent years fighting and killing on countless battlefields, Zhang Da Hu had taken hundreds of lives. Even ruthless bandit leaders would avert their eyes under his fierce stare.

Yet now, looking into this woman’s eyes, he saw no fear—only a chilling calmness that caused him to narrow his eyes suspiciously.

After a brief silence, he sneered, “You’re that worthless Princess Ning? Beautiful, yes, but cruel-hearted! You dare harm even my savior! Even if you are a princess, here you’re just a toy to be shared by all!”

His crude words drew lewd laughter from the others around him.

“Haha, we’ve never tasted a princess before!”

“This princess has such delicate skin. I wonder if she’ll beg for mercy when the whip bites into her flesh, just like all those noble ladies?”

Sheng Zhi Wan listened silently as these foul men mocked and threatened her. Suddenly, her lips curved slightly into a faint smile.

At that same moment, a scream erupted behind Zhang Da Hu, accompanied by the sound of blades slicing through flesh.

Startled, Zhang Da Hu whipped around, only to see several of his men already sprawled lifelessly across the ground. The two terrified maidservants now wielded weapons skillfully, dispatching another attacker with swift efficiency.

“You—you two…” Before Zhang Da Hu could finish, a cold blade pressed tightly against his throat.

He swallowed nervously. “Do you think you’ll escape by killing me? This mountain stronghold has over two hundred men! Can you kill them all?”

He thought he’d long lost any fear of death. Yet now, feeling its cold breath, his heart squeezed painfully.

“You’re Zhang Da Hu?” Sheng Zhi Wan ignored his threat, as An Zhi quickly cut the ropes binding her.

Zhang Da Hu stiffened in surprise. How did she know his name?

But what shocked him even more was her next sentence.

“You see Meng Yang as your savior, trying to kill me to repay her kindness. Yet you don’t realize—if not for her, your brother wouldn’t have died, and you wouldn’t be reduced to this crippled state.”

Her mocking smile was as sharp as a blade.

Frozen in place, Zhang Da Hu managed to choke out, “What do you mean?”