"Don’t trust her! She’s the Marquis of Lecheng County, Ying Rushi!"

Bu Liuguzhen reacted the most fiercely, pointing a knife at Ying Rushi and shouting angrily, "She’s the mastermind behind the massacres in the military town! So what if she kills her own subordinates? The Ying Family has always been this heartless!... I understand now, she’s definitely stalling for time, waiting for her men outside to come in and besiege us!"

"Don’t act impulsively!" Gai Louxian held Bu Liuguzhen back, "The County Duke isn’t the kind of person you think she is. If she hadn’t shown mercy earlier, we would’ve died in the parade ground!" 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

He turned to Jiang Shi, saying, "The reason you were able to purchase rare items from within the Baibao was because the County Duke put in a good word for you. She opened the door for your convenience! Please trust her this time; I believe she genuinely wants to help us!"

Although he said that, Gai Louxian didn’t hold much hope in his heart.

Even Bu Liuguzhen, who had met Ying Rushi several times, couldn’t trust her, let alone the strangers like Ye Si Jiangniang. After all, Ying Rushi’s position made it difficult for anyone to trust her; she was the Commander of the Shanwen Camp Baibao Guards and part of the Ying Clan’s nobility. She led troops to annihilate the Bu Liugu Family and Gai Lou Family. Anyone would naturally doubt her intentions, but Ying Rushi had helped them twice, so Gai Louxian was willing to trust her this once.

To Gai Louxian’s surprise, it was the bandaged man who first showed good faith. He sheathed the Bingzi Pepper Forest, though he could draw it at any time, this gesture clearly showed his attitude.

"Let’s talk." Yan Qing found a rock to sit on, "I still don’t know what’s going on."

In this world, there weren’t many people who left a good first impression on Yan Qing. Only after his character grew stronger did the people around him become more friendly. But Ying Rushi was one of the rare exceptions. When Yan Qing first met her, his character had only just turned once, still being falsely accused by the Banner Master of stealing the Secret Realm Treasure Chest, as if the whole world was bullying him. This kind of treatment was something Yan Qing had only experienced in reality and in yellow games.

At that moment, Ying Rushi descended like a lightning bolt tearing through the night sky, appearing as a savior, vindicating his character and arranging a place for him. Perhaps she intended to earn his loyalty through kindness. But actions speak louder than intentions, and when he was most helpless, Ying Rushi was the only one willing to lend a hand... how could Yan Qing have a bad impression of her?

Even aside from the first impression, just by her recent actions and as Gai Louxian said, how she facilitated Jiang Shi’s internal shopping access, Yan Qing wouldn’t rashly fight her — because his hands weren’t fully healed yet.

He also needed time to recover from his injuries.

"First, I must apologize to you, Jiangniang," Ying Rushi said, "I intentionally forced the Gai Lou Commander here because only you have a chance to stop the Shanwen Camp Baibao Guards in this military town. I used your power to kill them and stop more slaughter."

"Why?" Bu Liuguzhen immediately questioned, "Aren’t you their Commander? Can’t you order them to stop!?"

Ying Rushi shook her head, "The leader of the Shanwen Camp and I are directly under the command of His Majesty. I’m theoretically their Commander; for trivial matters, they might follow my orders, but the extermination of the Bu Liugu Clan and Gai Lou Clan is His Majesty’s decree, and they will execute it to the end. If I stand in their way, they wouldn’t hesitate to raise their swords against me. Their hearts... belong only to His Majesty’s will."

Bu Liuguzhen and Gai Louxian turned pale.

Although they vaguely expected it, hearing Ying Rushi say it was the Emperor’s order to slaughter their entire clan added insult to injury to their already nearly collapsing spirits.

Bu Liuguzhen opened his mouth as if he wanted to ask why but then felt there was no need.

Many times, many things are just a speck of dust above, yet a mountain beneath.

The common folk slaughtered casually by Baibao, would they really ask why? This is the powerful’s capricious domination without reason. The weak only have two choices, peace or dignity, the former meaning resigning to die, the latter meaning a miserable death.

They had always been the ’above,’ never expecting to become the ’below’... And it was so brutally sudden, not a power play by a specific family or official, but a whims of the Foundation Establishment Messenger, Emperor of Qi. They had no ability to resist, not even the courage to resist.

"There are still people outside?" Yan Qing gestured to the evil ghost elite’s remains on the ground.

"Forty-three people left, but I’ll take them away when I go out," Ying Rushi said.

"Didn’t you just say you couldn’t command them?"

"I couldn’t if their leader were still alive, but now he’s dead by your hand, so I am now the sole Commander of the Shanwen Camp. Even if I order them to return to Nocturnal Heaven City, they’ll obey," Ying Rushi explained, "So forgive me for not explaining more, I must go out now to take control of them, to possibly save one more life from their blades."

"But before that, I want to give you a little compensation." Ying Rushi took out a token from her robe and threw it to Yan Qing from afar. When Yan Qing caught it, he saw it was engraved with ’Green Hill Sees Me’.

"Travel north secretly to Yanzi Military Town where the Murong Family resides, and present this token to Murong Hui, the Patriarch of Murong Family. She will arrange things for you. Yanzi Military Town has a Second-Turn Secret Realm, where Ye Si Jiangniang can continue her training," Ying Rushi said, "Murong Hui can be trusted, but not necessarily the Murong Family. If you take this path, please be extra cautious."

"Ye Si, Jiangniang, I’m sorry we met under such circumstances, I have so much to say, but now isn’t the time for forming friendships. I just want you to know that I’m very grateful to you. What I’ve done over the years may not compare to the impact you’ve had in Ping City, I hope you’ll grow stronger in the future. Murong Family’s Secret Realm should suit you well. If you don’t trust me, you don’t have to use my token, with your talent, Murong Hui is sure to accept you. If you choose to use my token, please convey my regards to her and apologize, saying I can no longer repay what I owe her."

The advice is akin to sitting down with a warm drink for a slow conversation, but Ying Rushi spoke faster and more urgently, as she truly couldn’t stay any longer, "I must go now to take the Shanwen Camp Baibao with me, wait for a cup of tea’s time before coming out."

With that, she turned and left.

Bu Liuguzhen wanted to say something but his arm was tightly grasped by someone. He turned to Gai Louxian, who shook his head forcefully.

"Wait."

Ying Rushi sighed, stopping to look at Yan Qing.

Letting her go posed a risk, as the evil ghost elite mentioned before he died, once she left, she could lead the evil ghost elite to block the Secret Realm entrance, making escape impossible.

For safety’s sake, even if Yellow Dog didn’t kill her, they could keep her confined here until recovered to venture out together. Ying Rushi couldn’t refuse such a reasonable demand, even if the cost was the evil ghost elite rampaging a bit longer outside.

"You just mentioned you would lead Shanwen Camp back to Nocturnal Heaven City."

"Yes."

"Wouldn’t the Emperor blame you for returning without completing the task?" Yan Qing asked.

Ying Rushi was caught off guard, seemingly not expecting Yan Qing to focus on this point. She paused, "His Majesty won’t kill me."

Yan Qing waved his hand, "You may go."

With Yan Qing’s permission, Ying Rushi instantly transformed into an arrow, shooting across the front hall. Within six or seven breaths, she had left the Zheng Family Manor and reached the entrance. For some reason, her mood, suppressed for two days, suddenly felt joyous, even her steps felt lighter. Was it because she finally stopped a massacre? Or because she met Jiang Shi, with whom she had long yearned to connect? Speaking of which, Jiang Shi’s fame did not match her enchanting presence when met in person, unfortunately she didn’t get to admire her more.

As did Yellow Dog, why...

"We can’t let her leave!" Bu Liuguzhen’s voice rang from behind, "She’s Ying Le’s lackey; the hate of a murdered father is irreconcilable!"

"She’s only saying such soft words because she’s afraid of your Legendary Token, we were all deceived by her!" Gai Louxian’s voice was filled with anger and fear, "Quickly kill her! Or she’ll lead her men to block the door!"

"Ying Rushi, you innately evil member of the Ying Clan, I’ll..." Yellow Dog’s cold, ruthless voice drew ever nearer.

Ying Rushi suddenly turned around, but behind her was empty, no one there.

She stood stunned for a moment, a helpless smile appeared on her face:

"If that’s what they think... it’s only natural..."