Once he took the lead, others quickly moved aside. Ruan Shixin was about to leave with County Magistrate Li when Ruan Ning said: “Wait, Father!”
She swept her soft sword, cutting another line on the magistrate’s neck, blood flowing. She waved her sword tip and smiled at the bailiffs: “Watch carefully. Your magistrate is still alive. If you want to save him, you’ll have to listen to me now.”
Zhang Sansheng led the call: “Whatever you want us to do, we’ll do it, but we must save the magistrate’s life.”
“Put down all your weapons,” Ruan Ning smiled, “Quickly!”
Weapons clattered as they fell to the ground.
Luo Jie’s people quickly kicked the weapons behind them. Ruan Ning swept her soft sword, pointing at a leading jailer: “You, go and open all the cell doors!”
The jailer, shocked and unarmed, complied.
Luo Jie escorted the jailer, opening each cell door. The prisoners, initially unaware, heard Ruan Ning’s call: “Run quickly!”
They sprang into action, rushing out. The bailiffs and jailers, defeated, could only stand in silence. This incident was significant, and the magistrate was in trouble.
At this moment, Ruan Ning smiled and pointed inside the cell doors: “Now, you go in.”
The cell doors locked again, imprisoning the jail’s previous overseers. Ruan Shixin dragged County Magistrate Li, with Luo Jie supporting him and Ruan Ning covering the rear. Just as they were about to leave, a male voice abruptly warned: “Watch out!”
In the red lantern’s glow, a sharp arrow flew toward Ruan Ning’s back.
As she approached the mountain, Ruan Ning lightly drew her soft sword across County Magistrate Li’s face, waking him with a howl. He opened his eyes to see Ruan Ning’s half-smiling face: “Magistrate Li, no need to pretend. I know you’ve been awake. We’re about to enter the mountain, so you can go now.”
County Magistrate Li struggled to respond: “Miss Ruan, you should think carefully.”
Once we enter the mountain, you’ll be opposing the imperial court and become a criminal…”
Before he could finish, Ruan Shi Xin grew impatient. He stomped on Li’s leg, causing him to scream and fall to the ground with a broken leg, writhing in pain.
“Surnamed Li, I, Ruan Shi Xin, enjoy fighting tough men and don’t like killing weaklings. I’ll spare your life this time. Hurry and roll away!” Ruan Shi Xin cursed.
County Magistrate Li wanted to escape, but after being terrified for nearly a day with injuries and a broken leg, he could barely move and could only crawl a few steps, praying to escape these bandits.
Ruan’s men quickly disappeared. Li breathed a sigh of relief and was about to use a branch as a walking stick when a man emerged from the grass, causing him to black out.
The man was Ji Ming Shao. Dragging his injured body, he had followed Ruan Ning for a day and night, wanting to clean up the remaining mess for her.
He had investigated and learned that the four runners he killed were framed by County Magistrate Li to force Ruan Ning to marry him. Unable to bear this, he tied Li up and placed him on a horse, then rode quickly towards Dengzhou County.
Although he hadn’t rested, he remained focused on the journey. The next afternoon, he arrived at the county office with the poisoned County Magistrate Li.
The bailiffs had already escaped from prison, but without leadership, they were running around like headless flies. When they saw County Magistrate Li, they shouted, “Quickly release our master!”
“Listen up,” Ji Ming Shao said, grabbing Li’s collar and forcing his ashen face towards them, “Surnamed Li has abandoned Ruan Qing after taking advantage of her. Today, I’ll make him die!”
He threw the unconscious County Magistrate Li to the bailiffs, who scrambled to catch him. Ji Ming Shao then disappeared.
The poison in Li was slow-acting; Ji Ming Shao calculated that Li would wake up in an hour. When he heard the bailiffs’ account, he would surely not let Ruan Qing’s father and daughter escape.
That night, Ruan Shi Ming and Ruan Qing were arrested and tortured. County Magistrate Li demanded they reveal the person who poisoned him and provide the antidote. The two, knowing nothing, could only cry out their innocence. The poison in Li was fatal, and not wanting to die, he continued the torture desperately.
Ruan Shi Ming now experienced the suffering his second brother had endured, compounded by the bailiffs’ lack of mercy.
Ji Ming Shao was uncertain whether to return to Sishui to investigate his own capture or visit Ruan Ning at Erlongshan. After a day of contemplation, he decided to return to Sishui. Upon arriving at the Luo family home, he found Luo Jie was not there, which made him restless.
Luo Jie’s absence suggested he was at Erlongshan. Why would a wealthy young master go there if not for Ruan Ning? Ji Ming Shao’s thoughts replayed their previous moments, her beautiful body pressing against him and the taste of her soft lips…
She had vowed to chase him to the ends of the earth, but now he feared she might have forgotten him and become interested in Luo Jie. Despondent, he considered that if she truly liked Luo Jie, there was little he could do, especially since that man seemed to care for her deeply.
But he quickly recalled that she had claimed he was hers and would take responsibility for him. Ji Ming Shao resolved to confront her about her words.
He was halted by Yu Qiu outside the city. Yu Qiu hesitated, saying, “Second Brother, your wounds haven’t healed.”
You can’t keep rushing about.”
“It’s fine. I know my own injuries,” Ji Ming Shao said calmly. “Third Sister, I’ll be gone for a while. Help me investigate who leaked my whereabouts last time.”
“I’ve been investigating, but the trail goes cold at the Wuying Pavilion…” Yu Qiu said worriedly. “I feel uneasy.”
Wuying Pavilion? Ji Ming Shao was slightly shocked. The Wuying Pavilion’s headquarters was not in Sishui, but Zhao Sihai had asked to meet him there. Could Zhao Sihai be involved?
“Where is Big Brother? I need to see him,” Ji Ming Shao said urgently.
Yu Qiu sighed: “Big Brother went out a few days ago and didn’t say where. Things are chaotic within Wuying Pavilion right now.”
Over the past year, several hall masters had been killed or captured, and with Zhao Sihai’s sudden disappearance, Yu Qiu felt overwhelmed.
Ji Ming Shao instinctively felt he should stay and help her, but he couldn’t shake off his concern for Ruan Ning. What if she went with Luo Jie? After some hesitation, he said, “Second Sister, I have urgent business at Erlongshan. I’ll be back in a few days to help you. If anything urgent happens, send someone to find me there.”
“Erlongshan? Whose territory is that?” Yu Qiu wondered.
“Ruan Shi Xin has taken to banditry at Erlongshan,” Ji Ming Shao stated before leaping away.
Ruan Shixin? Was it his daughter? Yu Qiu stared blankly, her heart aching. In the past, her second brother would have stayed to help her, but now, he only had that woman in his heart.
She stood there until Ji Mingshao was out of sight, reluctant to move. Zhao Sihai’s voice broke the silence: “Third Sister, since Second Brother’s heart is not with you, why wait for him?”
“Big Brother!” Yu Qiu exclaimed, “You’re finally back! The hall is in chaos. The new hall master causes trouble, and I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
“Third Sister,” Zhao Sihai approached her, embracing her and whispering, “Wuying Hall was built by us three siblings. Though Second Brother distanced himself from the hall’s affairs, the hall masters still favor him. But it’s fine now. Those who disobeyed are gone. From now on, Wuying Hall and you are mine.”
Chapter 107: The Female Bandit Leader’s Husband
Yu Qiu felt struck by lightning, realizing the whole story. No wonder all the old hall masters had died, Ji Mingshao was mysteriously arrested, and the investigation trail ended at Wuying Hall.
