Nan Rong Qi hesitated for a moment, then summoned a trusted dark guard. "Take the death warriors and ensure the matter is handled perfectly. I wish to receive news of the Gu family's eldest son's crime of murdering the princess by tomorrow morning!"
"Yes," the dark guard acknowledged and left.
The man in red stood up, removed the large crimson cloak that had brushed against the table and chairs, and was left wearing only a vibrant red inner robe.
Upon seeing this, Nan Rong Qi immediately instructed the maids outside to fetch a brand-new crimson and gold cloak. He respectfully knelt at the man in red's feet and presented the crimson and gold cloak with both hands.
The man in red's devilishly charming gaze fell upon the maid. He raised his hand, first raking it across the maid's face, and only then accepted the crimson and gold cloak and put it on. "This little maid's skin is quite fine. I shall have it."
With that, the man in red walked past Nan Rong Qi and exited the hall.
The maid kneeling on the ground was stunned. Before she could utter a plea for mercy, she was gagged by a eunuch waiting outside and dragged away.
Nan Rong Qi watched the man in red leave. Once the man's retreating figure gradually faded, his gaze turned sinister. "Someone, chop off the hands of that maid from earlier and send them to the kitchen. Make a cage of small steamed buns for me to offer to the Master."
"Yes, Your Highness."
At this moment.
Around a secluded and dilapidated thatched hut, three or four dark guards were ambushed.
Not far from them, on a large willow tree, were two figures.
One person lay leisurely on a branch, legs crossed, their gaze sweeping over the area around the thatched hut.
The other person awkwardly hugged a large tree branch like a little bear, their face pressed against the bark, terrified of falling. She trembled as she spoke, "Miss... your servant is a bit afraid of heights. Could you please take me down? Your servant is scared."
"What are you afraid of? What height are you afraid of? You are this young lady's personal maid, how can you be so timid?"
As Gu Qianying spoke, she deliberately kicked Lu Zhu's backside with her toes.
Lu Zhu, terrified, wanted to cry out but was stopped by Gu Qianying's sharp command. "No shouting, or I'll throw you down from the tree!"
Lu Zhu, who had wanted to cry out, immediately shut her mouth. She shivered and asked softly, "Miss... how long will we be here?"
"Until you are no longer afraid, until you are willing to stand on the tree."
Lu Zhu, terrified, began to cry softly. "Miss... Miss, please let your servant go. Your servant wants to cry, woo woo."
Suddenly, in the distance, a figure in purple appeared within the courtyard of the thatched hut, catching Gu Qianying's eye.
Gu Qianying abruptly stood up, her pupils contracting.
Brother?
Why was he here?
What was he doing here?
Could it be that he was here to save Nangong Xuan Ning?
Her heart filled with confusion, and before she could ponder further, she saw another group of men in black appear around the thatched hut.
Each of the men in black held a long sword, and they simultaneously rushed towards the courtyard of the thatched hut.
The people ambushed around the thatched hut remained in their original positions, showing no signs of intervening.
Gu Qianying inwardly cried out that something was wrong.
The two groups were not allies.
The first group of men in black who rushed in were clearly there to silence them.
"Lu Zhu, stay put and don't move! I'm going to take a look."
Gu Qianying, without bothering to let Lu Zhu down, leaped directly from the tree and gracefully flew towards the courtyard of the thatched hut!
The people ambushed around the thatched hut were already shocked by the appearance of the black-clothed assassins following Gu Ye Feng. Their shock intensified when they suddenly saw that Miss Gu was also here.
However, even so, they remained still, awaiting orders from above.
Only one person was dispatched: "Quickly report to Boss Bai that the Gu family's eldest daughter has appeared here."
Nangong Xuan Ning, whose hands and feet were bound and unable to move, found that the black cloth on her face had fallen off at some point.
The sounds of fierce fighting reached her ears.
More than a dozen figures flickered before her eyes.
She raised her eyes and suddenly noticed that among these dozen figures, the man in purple robes was currently with his back to her.
One person was fighting against more than a dozen men in black.
During the fight, he wielded his sword with composure and noble bearing. After killing three or four of the men in black, he turned around, and Nangong Xuan Ning saw his face clearly.
"Gu Ye Feng?"
Nangong Xuan Ning was extremely shocked.
How could it be him?
As she paused in surprise.
The surviving black-clothed assassins suddenly changed their targets,绕开 Gu Ye Feng from behind, and drew their swords, pressing towards Nangong Xuan Ning.
Gu Ye Feng merely frowned at the sudden change, sheathed his sword, and stood aside to watch.
Nangong Xuan Ning, however, cried out in fear, "You... you can't kill me, I am a princess! If you dare to touch me, I will surely tear you to shreds!"
The men in black ignored Nangong Xuan Ning's frantic shouts.
"Kill her and report back!"
"Ahhh, help me, Gu Ye Feng, save me! They're going to kill me, I don't want to die yet, woo woo."
Nangong Xuan Ning closed her eyes and cried out.
With a few clangs.
Several long swords fell to the ground simultaneously.
The black-clothed assassins who had been holding swords then collapsed, blood trickling from their mouths, their breaths extinguished.
"You can go now."
Gu Ye Feng walked over.
Holding his long sword, he lightly severed the ropes binding Nangong Xuan Ning's hands and feet.
Several hours earlier, he had received a letter.
The letter stated that his sister, Gu Qianying, had been captured by men in black and needed rescuing.
Uncertain if the information in the letter was true, he quickly sent someone back to the mansion to inquire if his sister was indeed at home.
The information he received back was that his sister had left the mansion two to three hours ago and had not yet returned.
Upon hearing this, he rushed to find her.
Along the way, it seemed as if someone was deliberately leading him.
Although he knew this was likely a trap, he would still jump into it for the sake of his sister!
However, he had not expected that the person he would save at this moment would be Nangong Xuan Ning.
Gu Ye Feng recalled the words he had just heard: "Kill her and report back!"
It was clear that someone wanted to kill Nangong Xuan Ning.
But why would they lure him here at the same time they intended to kill Nangong Xuan Ning?
Gu Ye Feng used the tip of his sword to lift the masks from the faces of the dead men in black.
They were all unfamiliar faces.
The features of these assassins did not resemble those of people from the capital.
Furthermore, each of them had a tiger head emblem branded on their necks.
Gu Ye Feng's gaze deepened.
Southern Barbarian death warriors?
These people were actually Southern Barbarian death warriors!
Suddenly, a possibility occurred to him.
Nangong Xuan Ning was the princess most beloved by the current emperor.
Because she had witnessed his dealings with an enemy country, he was using this opportunity to silence her.
Colluding with the enemy and treason, murdering royalty – with these two charges against him, no matter how many military achievements he had made, they would be of no use. Losing his head would be considered light; his entire family could be implicated and executed.
Upon thinking this, the killing intent in Gu Ye Feng's eyes intensified.
Who exactly wanted to harm him in such a way!
He would definitely investigate this matter thoroughly!
"Gu Ye Feng, my legs are numb. Hurry up and carry me out!"
Nangong Xuan Ning saw Gu Ye Feng standing aside and assumed he was waiting to claim credit.
After all, she was a princess of the current dynasty, not only of noble status but also the emperor's most beloved daughter.
Saving her was a great deed, and he should indeed claim credit and seek rewards.
However, if she was displeased, he would not be able to claim credit or receive rewards, and might even be punished.
Therefore, whether or not he claimed credit depended on her mood.
"Hurry up, are you deaf? My legs are numb."
Nangong Xuan Ning sat on the ground, opening her arms towards Gu Ye Feng with an arrogant expression.
Seeing Gu Ye Feng's continued inaction, she became somewhat displeased, frowning impatiently and saying, "You have rendered meritorious service in saving the imperial carriage. Upon returning to the palace, I will have my father reward you handsomely. Now, why aren't you hurrying over, kneeling, and carrying me back!"