Chapter 59

Chapter 59: Shall I Take Your Legs?

“Is that so?” Sheng Zhi Wan showed no anger at his doubt. Instead, her smile deepened with mockery. “If you truly believe that, then I’ll give you a chance. You may personally visit each medicine shop, every small clinic, and ask them yourself.”

“Ask them if anyone who knows even the basics of medicine carries the antidote for Qian Ji Powder with them.”

“Or perhaps, you could seek out your dear brother Jiang Mang from the Imperial Army. Ask him to check with the army physicians whether Qian Ji Powder has an antidote.”

“No… how can this be?”

How could it be true?!

The veins on Zhang Da Hu’s forehead twitched violently. Though he wanted desperately not to believe, Sheng Zhi Wan’s expression was too calm, too contemptuous—

He had no choice but to believe!

“Fine… I—I will ask myself!” Zhang Da Hu forced out the words.

Sheng Zhi Wan’s lips curved slightly. “By the way, didn’t you think Meng Yang was impressive, saving your life by stitching up your severed arm?”

“Everything has a price. You kidnapped me, and I don’t claim to be a kind soul. Yet you, already missing one arm, seemed fond of inflicting the same cruelty upon innocent women.”

She vividly remembered the several young girls she had found in the cellar—each one had died horribly, their arms chopped off, bleeding to death.

“Now that you are in my hands…” Her delicate finger pointed lightly at Zhang Da Hu’s legs. “How about I take your two legs in exchange?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll keep you alive,” she said, still smiling gently.

Zhang Da Hu stared in horror, convinced he must have misheard.

How could anyone live after losing both legs?

Even if he survived, he’d crawl in filth like a worm—

No! No!

Zhang Da Hu shook his head frantically, desperate to beg for mercy.

Yet Sheng Zhi Wan merely turned to the guard beside her, who stood frozen, eyes wide and swallowing nervously. “Gag him again. After all, losing legs is quite painful. If he bit his tongue and died, that would ruin the fun.”

“Yes… yes, Princess…” the guard stammered in shock.

Heavens above!

Everyone said Princess Ning only understood romance and petty kindnesses, that even her aid to the frontier was due solely to her owing gratitude to the common folk of Sheng Kingdom.

But this woman before them—calmly lashing a man bloody, casually deciding to sever his legs—could she truly be the rumored gentle Princess Ning?

Soon, Zhang Da Hu’s mouth was again filled with the iron ball. Sheng Zhi Wan reached for the long blade hanging on the rack beside her.

As her fingertips touched the hilt, they trembled faintly—but her face showed no fear. She raised the blade high—

At that very moment, a large hand firmly clasped hers, stopping her motion.

Her slender arm paused midair.

Zhang Da Hu’s ragged breathing made the dungeon air seem unbearably stifling.

Sheng Zhi Wan’s gaze turned toward the man who had halted her. Through his ghostly mask, she couldn’t see his expression clearly, yet it stirred memories of a similar scene from her past life—

It was the third day after Ruan Ruan’s death.

Qi Fei Yan falsely accused Ruan Ruan of stealing a golden pendant, later found at a brothel, pawned off for silver. But how could such a woman have possessed Qi Fei Yan’s pendant?

Shopkeeper Lin discovered quickly—it was Qi Fei Yan’s own husband, Lian Wen Hui, who had given it away.

The moment Sheng Zhi Wan learned the truth, she felt her heart burn painfully. She dragged herself up, dignity gone, strength exhausted, and grasped Qi Fei Yan fiercely, lifting her palm high, wishing she could stab her dead—

Yet her actions were stopped by a pair of strong hands.

Qi Shu Xian had stared at her then, impatient, disgusted. “She was only an abandoned child!”

“As her elder sister, you should be like a mother to her! Sheng Zhi Wan, I never imagined you could be this vicious!”

Ah—

Sheng Zhi Wan’s eyes suddenly frosted over. Her voice grew cold as she stared at the man now before her. “What? Do you think me cruel?”

Shang Hang Yu’s eyes softened beneath his mask.

His other hand gently took the blade from her grip. “Cruel? You’ve already shown him more kindness than he deserves. I’m only ensuring you needn’t dirty your own hands.”

“As long as I’m here, such bloody work should be left to men. A precious, noble woman like yourself should simply stand aside and command.”

His voice held a gentle amusement.

“Tell me exactly where you’d like me to cut, Princess. I promise not one inch more or less.”

His casual tone made it seem as if they discussed plucking blossoms, not slicing through flesh and bone.

Sheng Zhi Wan’s long lashes fluttered briefly, her finger pointing calmly at Zhang Da Hu’s legs.

“Very well…”

Blade raised—then swiftly lowered!

A shadow of steel flashed before her eyes, yet before she saw clearly, the scent of sandalwood enveloped her, blocking her vision.

When the fabric fell away again, she glimpsed only two severed legs neatly lying upon the floor.