【The Demon Blade Beauty】Episodes 6-10 Author: Shotgun

【The Demon Blade and the Beautiful Shadow】

Author: Hunter's Rifle
Publisher: Hetu Culture

Volume 6, Chapter 1: Enemies

Xiao Niu squinted his eyes, revealing a friendly smile, and clasped his hands in a fist salute, saying, "Gentlemen, what brings you here so late? Have you come to the wrong place? If you need directions, I, Xiao Niu, can help. If I can't, I can find someone to make things convenient for you." He addressed them as "gentlemen," but inwardly cursed, "These bastards, where did they come from? What do they want with me? None of them look like good people.

" A tall man stared at Xiao Niu, his face ashen, and asked, "Are you Wei Xiao Niu?" His small eyes sized Xiao Niu up and down.

Xiao Niu grinned, trying his best to appear like a good citizen, and said, "Brother, I am Wei Xiao Niu. I'm new to this place, so please help and take care of me, gentlemen." He then clasped his hands in a half-circle to the constables.

The big man nodded and said, "Not bad, you're quite the talker. Since you're Wei Xiaoniu, let's not waste any more words. Time is precious, so come with us."

Xiaoniu opened his eyes wide, puzzled, and asked, "What do you mean? I, Xiaoniu, haven't broken the law, why should I go with you? This is outrageous!" He sat on the bed, looking like a rogue.

The big man snorted, "Whether you've broken the law or not, you know in your heart. We're just doing our job. Are you going to resist arrest? If so, we won't be so polite."

Xiaoniu pondered for a moment, then chuckled a few times and whispered, "Brother, can you tell me what you want with me?" Xiaoniu was desperately thinking, "When did I offend the authorities?" But all his thinking was in vain.

The big man replied, "You'll find out what you've done when you get to the yamen. Don't say any more, let's go." With that, he waved his hand, and immediately one of the men put an iron chain over Xiaoniu's head. The young ox tilted his head and dodged.

The big man scoffed and said angrily, "Boy, are you really going to resist arrest?"

The young ox chuckled twice and said, "Look, I'm not dressed yet. If you want to invite me, you have to let me get dressed first."

The big man frowned and said, "Then hurry up and get dressed, and then you can leave. Whether you've broken the law or not, you can explain it to the court yourself."

The young ox said defiantly, "I, the young ox, have never done anything wrong, and I have nothing to do with the government. Even if your lord sees me, he can't do anything to me." As the young ox put on his clothes, he thought to himself, "I heard from Yuelin that this Prefect of Chang'an has a good relationship with her master. After seeing the Prefect, I just need to explain things clearly. But what if he's unreasonable and insists on fabricating a false case?" The young ox's heart was in turmoil.

After getting dressed, Xiao Niu pointed to the door and said, "Lead the way." Several constables stepped forward first, followed by the others. Xiao Niu took two steps, then suddenly leaped up and flew towards the window. When half his body was outside, he turned back and laughed, "You little bastards, you want to invite your grandpa to your home? Not so easy. You'll have to bring the prefect's sedan chair first." As he spoke, he was already out the window. The constables inside burst into laughter, their laughter both ugly and smug. This puzzled Xiao Niu. What were they laughing at? Were they all sick? Soon, he found out.

Just as he was about to land, a large net suddenly rose from the side, catching him before he could react and binding him tightly. Then, a flash of light appeared—several torches, their flickering light revealing a uniform group of constables. At this moment, the tall man led the people from inside the house out, laughing loudly at the calf, saying, "You brat, no one our magistrate wants can escape. Even if you hide in the outhouse, we'll still drag you out." As he spoke, he went to the calf, who was struggling and rolling on the ground, and kicked him several times.

The calf was quite nervous, but he remained defiant, laughing and cursing, "You little rascal, you're getting more and more impressive, learning to kick your grandpa now!" Upon hearing this, the constables burst into laughter. Needless to say, the tall man was furious and kicked the calf hard again before stopping. The calf was in a lot of pain, but this time he didn't curse. He knew that cursing would only lead to a worse outcome. He was under someone else's roof and had to bow his head. It seemed he had no choice but to argue in the main hall. If something really happened, he could only hope that Yuelin would come to his rescue. God help him, please let her come back soon. If she had returned too late, who knows what fate awaited me, Xiao Niu. I, Xiao Niu, have been clever all my life, a hero for so long, and in the end, I've been tricked by these scoundrels. And I'm completely bewildered, not even knowing why I was arrested.

Then, the tall man gave the order: "Brothers, take this notorious bandit and murderer away. Be careful on the road, don't let him escape." Everyone agreed, and someone tied Xiao Niu up, net and all, got up, and took him out of the courtyard to a carriage outside. They gagged him to prevent him from making a sound. Then they extinguished their torches and chose to walk in the dark.

All of this made Xiao Niu even more confused. Damn it, when did I, Wei Xiao Niu, become a notorious bandit, a murderer? Right, I did kill someone, I killed that bandit, is that why I was arrested? Are they calling me a notorious bandit? "What are you talking about? I, Xiao Niu, have done petty theft before, back in Hangzhou. Am I really going to be arrested by the governor of Chang'an for such a trivial matter? It's just a neighbor's donkey, what's the big deal?" He became increasingly confused and bewildered. What happened next was even stranger, making Xiao Niu too tired to even think about it. He simply closed his eyes, no longer wanting to waste his energy. It seemed the only option was to play it by ear. As long as he, Xiao Niu, could save his life, everything else was secondary.

Xiao Niu sat in the carriage, guarded. He couldn't see outside at all, and had no idea where they were taking him. He was at their mercy, left to fate. Although he couldn't see outside, he knew they weren't taking him to the main gate. Why? Because they had traveled a long way; if they were going to the yamen, they would have arrived long ago. He knew his inn wasn't far from the yamen. Yue Lin had told him that.

He didn't know how much time had passed before the carriage finally stopped. The calf was pulled from the cart and dragged towards an exquisite building. The calf glanced around and realized it was in the wilderness. Surrounded by mountains, with a large lake in front and a small building in the middle of it. At that moment, the calf was being dragged like a dead dog along a winding wooden bridge towards the building. The calf, feeling humiliated, was furious. It thought, "One day, if I get away, I'll make you all pay! Every single one of you will be my slaves! I'll settle accounts with you all! I'll make you all kneel at my feet and call me 'Grandpa'!"

Upon reaching the building, it saw two constables guarding the entrance. Upon seeing the tall man, they bowed and said, "Master Gao, the master has been waiting anxiously. He was just about to send someone to inquire whether you had caught the man."

The tall man smiled, returned the bow, and said, "Thanks to our master's good fortune, my trip was worthwhile. Don't let this cunning fellow fool you; I managed to catch him."

One of them said, "Everyone knows our Master Gao is incredibly capable. Catching such a young punk is nothing; even catching seasoned criminals and notorious bandits is a piece of cake."

The other said, "That's right. Our master has praised Master Gao more than once, saying that he is highly skilled and efficient. The master can't do without Master Gao for even a day."

Master Gao beamed and said, "You flatter me, you flatter me. Without our master's guidance, I don't know where I'd be begging for food."

One of them said, "The master is waiting anxiously; I'll go and inform him first." With that, he quickly went into the building.

Little Niu felt disgusted by this sycophantic talk. Despite saying similar things himself, Xiao Niu still felt uncomfortable. He thought the building was extremely beautiful. Colorful lights adorned both upstairs and downstairs, dazzling and radiant. It was clearly a place for the wealthy to enjoy.

A moment later, the man came out and said, "Master Gao, the master wants you to bring the prisoner in by yourself. The master

is in the chrysanthemum room." Master Gao agreed, smiled at the two men, and led Xiao Niu upstairs by the hand. As soon as they entered the living room, Xiao Niu smelled the aroma of wine and food. Xiao Niu cursed inwardly, "Damn it, which bastard is enjoying himself? Which bastard kidnapped me?"

Master Gao pulled Xiao Niu towards a room. When they reached the door, Master Gao knocked, and a voice came from inside, "Master Gao, come in." The door opened, and Master Gao went in alone. Xiao Niu was left outside.

After a while, two men came out, removed the ropes and net from Xiao Niu, and freed his mouth, making him feel much more comfortable. This ordeal had been unbearable for Xiao Niu. He wanted to rush in and see who was torturing him.

Before he could rush in, the two men pointed through the door and shouted, "Go in, someone wants to see you."

Xiao Niu wasn't afraid anymore; fear was useless anyway. He puffed out his chest, glared, and arrogantly strode in. Inside, he saw a table laden with food and wine. Three people sat around the table, with several maids and the head steward standing nearby. The head steward was reporting to a man around fifty years old with a hooked nose about his capture of Xiao Niu. This man seemed to be Magistrate Meng.

Opposite the magistrate sat a wealthy-looking man with narrow eyes and a white beard, exuding a cunning air, who was eyeing Xiao Niu with malicious intent. Next to the wealthy man sat a young man, not much older than Xiao Niu. This man, in his twenties, held a folding fan and sneered at Xiao Niu. Upon seeing this man, Xiao Niu's head buzzed; everything he hadn't understood suddenly became clear. All the unfair treatment he had just suffered now seemed insignificant.

Now, all he wanted to do was run away as fast as he could, get as far away from this young man as possible. He thought that falling into this guy's hands was worse than falling into a pack of wild beasts.

The man opposite him, seeing Xiao Niu, sneered with a smug satisfaction at his successful scheme. He stood up, pointed at Xiao Niu's nose, and cursed, "You brat, you've rendered me impotent, made my life a living hell. Heh heh, you little brat, today you're in our hands, let's see how we deal with you!" As he spoke, he unconsciously reached for his crotch, but then withdrew his hand. He suddenly realized that this action was extremely indecent in this situation.

This man was none other than Zhao Qushe, a disciple of the North Sea, who was very familiar with Xiao Niu. That time, to save Yue Lin, Xiao Niu, in a fit of anger, had castrated Zhao Qushe. Zhao Qushe suffered terribly, vowing that he would not be human until he avenged himself.

Since his injury, he had sought out renowned doctors and received meticulous treatment, and only recently had he been able to walk again. Seeing his son's low spirits, Zhao, the wealthy Zhao, took him out to cheer him up. The father and son arrived at the home of their relative, Prefect Meng, in Chang'an. Prefect Meng was Zhao Qushe's maternal uncle. Upon arriving, Zhao Qushe confided his misfortunes to his uncle. Prefect Meng, deeply moved, comforted Zhao Qushe, saying he would definitely avenge him if given the chance. At the time, it was just talk; he didn't intend to actually do it. However, the government's informants were well-connected, and one day, a subordinate secretly reported to the prefect that Wei Xiaoniu had entered Chang'an and was staying at a certain inn. Zhao Qushe secretly rejoiced, thinking that the boy's end had finally come. But when he was about to act, he learned that Yue Lin was traveling with him, which made Zhao Qushe and Prefect Meng hesitate.

Zhao Qushe knew that Yue Lin was also a skilled woman; if he hadn't been injured, he could have fought her, but now he felt even weaker than an ordinary person. To capture Wei Xiaoniu, it was best not to alert her. Prefect Meng considered that Jiang Yuelin was a disciple of his old friend, Daoist Chongxu, and that arresting her friend might implicate Chongxu, which would be a loss of face for his friend. Therefore, after discussion, they decided to seize Wei Xiaoniu while Jiang Yuelin was away. This would be better for everyone. Officials had been monitoring the inn, and as soon as Yuelin left, Prefect Meng immediately ordered Steward Gao to act. The Prefect always trusted Steward Gao. Sure enough, Steward Gao quickly apprehended Xiaoniu. To prevent Yuelin from finding Xiaoniu, Prefect Meng didn't take him to the yamen but instead brought him directly to his villa. This way, no one would know where Xiaoniu was. After obtaining Xiaoniu, Prefect Meng thought, "This guy has caused my nephew a lot of trouble; I can't let him off easily. As for how to deal with him, I'll listen to my nephew's opinion."
At this moment, Xiao Niu stood on the ground, grinning at Zhao Qushe, and said, "Young Master Zhao, you should thank me. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't be alive today."

Zhao Qushe angrily retorted, "You brat, you're about to die, and you're still spouting nonsense. I'll make you wish you were dead." His face was somewhat distorted.

Seeing that no one offered him a seat, Xiao Niu simply pulled up a chair himself and sat down, saying, "Young Master Zhao, think about it. You're a lecherous man. If I hadn't turned you into a eunuch, you wouldn't know how many prostitutes you would have sought out. Think about it, can you play with prostitutes without paying? Playing with a whole bunch of prostitutes would cost you a lot of money. And that's not all; a man's

semen is worth ten drops of blood. With so many prostitutes clinging to you, you would have lost your life long ago. Am I right? I saved you." Zhao Qushe was so angry he couldn't speak, and threw his fan at Xiao Niu. Xiao Niu dodged it with a tilted head, grinning and completely disregarding his current misfortune. Zhao Qushe's father, Zhao Yuanwai, stood up and cursed, "You scoundrel, spouting nonsense!"

At this moment, Gao Zongjia spoke up, "Wei Xiaoniu, this is Prefect Meng of Chang'an City. Aren't you going to kneel down and kowtow?"

Xiaoniu glanced at the dignified Prefect Meng, laughed, and simply clasped his hands in greeting, saying, "This humble one, Wei Xiaoniu, greets Your Excellency."

Gao Zongjia snorted, "So rude, no wonder he'll die young."

Prefect Meng smiled faintly and said, "Forget it, what kind of upbringing can an uneducated fellow have? Gao Zongjia, you've worked hard; I'll reward you handsomely later. Now, work a little harder and send him to the dungeon. With him here, I'm afraid my brother-in-law and nephew won't be able to eat."

Zhao Qushe sat down and said, "Uncle, leave this kid to me. In two days, my body will be much better recovered. Then I can avenge myself." As he spoke, he glared at Xiaoniu with eyes full of resentment, making Xiaoniu feel extremely uncomfortable. He knew this kid wouldn't let him die so easily, and a chill ran down his spine. If this kid were to punish him, he'd rather die a quick and painless death.

Prefect Meng smiled kindly at Zhao Qushe and said, "Qushe, alright, alright, your uncle will do as you say. Two days later, you can deal with this man."

The head steward came over and said to Xiao Niu, "Wei Xiao Niu, you should leave now. This isn't a place for you."

Xiao Niu gazed at the table laden with delicacies and fine wine, his mouth watering, and exclaimed, "Hey, this wine smells so good, it must be a famous wine! Prefect Meng, would

n't you mind letting me have a bowl?" Prefect Meng laughed heartily and said, "You've got quite the thick skin, even facing death, you still have this courage. One has to admire you. Someone, pour him a bowl of wine."

As soon as he finished speaking, a maidservant stepped forward and poured him a bowl. Xiao Niu sniffed the wine, nodded repeatedly, and said, "Just the smell is intoxicating. Even if I lose my head tomorrow, it's worth it." With that, he picked up his wine cup and downed it in one gulp.

Magistrate Meng nodded and said, "Good, like a man. Another bowl."

The maid refilled it, and Xiao Niu drank it all in one go. Seeing that Xiao Niu's face was only slightly flushed and his eyes were even brighter, Magistrate Meng nodded repeatedly and praised, "A real man." He ordered another bowl, which Xiao Niu also finished. Everyone present admired his drinking capacity. Magistrate

Meng exclaimed, "Well done, like a hero. If you hadn't hurt my nephew, we could have become drinking buddies. I haven't found a suitable drinking buddy in a long time." Having said that, he also downed three bowls in a row, displaying great bravado, before ordering his steward to take Xiao Niu to the prison.

After drinking the wine, the calf was in high spirits and in a great mood. He felt full of energy, and all the tension and anxiety he had felt earlier disappeared. Upon hearing that he was to be imprisoned, Xiao Niu was greatly dissatisfied. He jumped up from his chair and said, "It's not fair! It's not fair! If you're going to put me in jail, you should at least use real skill. I won't accept being sent there like this!"

Prefect Meng's face flushed with wine as he looked at the grumbling Xiao Niu and said, "What are you dissatisfied with?"

Xiao Niu pointed at Gao Zongjia and said, "Your subordinate didn't capture me one-on-one with martial arts skills; he used trickery. If you don't believe me, ask him."

Prefect Meng smiled slightly and said, "Then what will it take for you to be convinced?"

Xiao Niu said disdainfully, "If you defeated me with real skill, I'll be convinced."

Prefect Meng nodded and said, "Alright, this time I'll make you truly convinced. Otherwise, you'll really think there are no capable people in Chang'an." As he spoke, he waved to Gao Zongjia and said, "Gao Zongjia, you can play with this little kid for a bit. Be careful not to kill anyone. My nephew wants to take revenge on him."

Gao Zongjia agreed and pointed to the empty space next to him. Xiao Niu rolled up his sleeves, feeling uncertain. He thought to himself, "Since Magistrate Meng has asked Gao Zongjia to take action, this guy must be quite skilled. I must cherish this opportunity I've worked so hard for."

Without answering, Xiao Niu bowed to Gao Zongjia, but before he could even straighten up, he suddenly kicked Gao Zongjia in the groin. The kick was swift and decisive, clearly intended to decide the outcome with one blow, to eliminate any potential offspring. Gao Zongjia reacted quickly, his leg not bending, he took a step back, narrowly avoiding the kick. Before Gao Zongjia could regain his footing, Xiao Niu rushed forward and threw a punch at his face, then changed it to a chest strike. This caught Gao Zongjia somewhat off guard. Helpless, Gao Zongjia took the punch squarely. With a loud thud, the fist struck, Gao Zongjia didn't budge, while Xiao Niu clutched his fist, wincing in pain. The punch felt like hitting a sheet of iron. In that instant, Xiao Niu knew he was far inferior to Steward Meng. Steward Meng was a true master, a practitioner of hard martial arts.

Xiao Niu was filled with despair. He thought, "If I had Yue Lin's or my master's wife's supernatural powers, I could easily defeat Steward Meng with a little magic. Alas, when will I, Xiao Niu, become a powerful figure? When will I escape this bullied position?"

Since he couldn't defeat him, Xiao Niu couldn't just surrender. He assumed a fighting stance, pouncing on Steward Meng like a tiger. Steward Meng, seeing this, intended to seize the opportunity, grabbing Xiao Niu's arm and throwing him to the ground in retaliation for the boy's earlier kick to his groin.

But Xiao Niu, halfway through his attack, suddenly turned and ran away. His lightness skill was indeed impressive; amidst everyone's exclamations, he had already vanished from the chrysanthemum-filled area.

The head constable shouted, "Wei Xiaoniu, do you still want to escape from the officials?" With that, he leaped forward, chasing after Xiaoniu. By the time the head constable caught up, Xiaoniu had already left the building and crossed the wooden bridge, where he was being intercepted by the constables.

Xiaoniu cursed inwardly, "You bunch of bastards! If you hadn't stopped me, even if this head constable is skilled, he might not have been able to catch me. I, Xiaoniu, may not have any other skills, but my ability to escape is first-rate!" Just then, the head constable caught up.

In desperation, Xiaoniu struggled to jump into the water. The head constable, quick-witted and nimble, grabbed Xiaoniu's wrist, saying, "If you want to cool off, don't go into the water. It's cooler in the dungeon than in the water." With that, he directed the men to tie Xiaoniu up with ropes. They tied him up very tightly, making him look like a large rice dumpling.

Seeing Xiao Niu's disheveled appearance, the manager laughed and said, "Wei Xiao Niu, you look worse than a drowned rat!"

Xiao Niu stubbornly retorted, "But I still look better than you bunch of watchdogs, all covered in your rump hair." Without the manager's prompting, Xiao Niu was given a sound beating by everyone, leaving him bruised and battered.

Afterwards, the manager carried Xiao Niu back to the building like a chick, ignoring Xiao Niu's incessant cursing of his female elders.

Xiao Niu was taken to the dungeon. Upon arriving, he saw that there were more than one cell, each containing people—some with two or three, some with seven or eight, and some with more than ten.

The manager directed his men to shove Xiao Niu into the last cell, which was empty. Xiao Niu was secretly pleased; at least they were treating him well, giving him a single cell. But as soon as the door opened, Zhao Qushe limped in, calling out, "Master Gao, wait a moment."

Master Gao, seeing him, flashed a fawning smile and said, "Oh, it's Young Master Zhao. What brings you here instead of drinking at the table? The air in here isn't very fresh."

Zhao Qushe's gaze swept over the calf, and he said, "I'm a little worried about this kid. I'm afraid he'll run away."

Master Gao laughed heartily and said, "Young Master Zhao, don't worry. The defenses here are tight, the walls are thick; not even a bird could fly out."

Zhao Qushe smiled too and said: "Master Gao, I'd like to take good care of this kid, is that alright?"

Master Gao, of course, understood what this meant, and smiled, saying, "Why not? But there's a limit to how much you can play with him. Don't kill him. Judging from your uncle's expression, he doesn't want him to die yet."

Zhao Qushe nodded, "Don't worry, Master Gao, I know what to do. I won't let this kid die easily. After a cat catches a mouse, it usually doesn't eat it immediately. It always plays with it until it's satisfied before eating it. I understand that principle too." He then let out a piercing, wicked laugh.

Master Gao said no more, leaving two people as helpers, and turned to leave to attend to his own business. Here, Zhao Qushe began to unleash his fury on Xiao Niu.

Zhao Qushe glared at Xiao Niu and said, "You little brat, you've finally met your match. You not only ruined my plans, but you've also turned me into something neither human nor ghost. I'm going to settle this score with you."

Xiao Niu's hands were bound, but his mouth was free. He chuckled and said, "Zhao Qushe, why would I ruin your plans? Why would I turn you into a eunuch? Haven't you thought about it carefully?"

Zhao Qushe shouted, "Think? Think my ass! I don't care what your reasons are! You've ruined my life, so I won't let you get away with this!"

Xiao Niu also shouted, "You Zhao fellow, you're even more arrogant than a tailless dog! You don't understand any basic human decency! Talking to you now is like casting pearls before swine!"

Zhao Qushe chuckled coldly, "You brat, you're in my hands now, and you still dare to act tough? If I don't subdue you, I'm not Zhao." As he spoke, he waved to the two constables who were helping him and said, "Give him a good beating, just leave him alive."

The two constables agreed and pounced on Xiao Niu like wolves, punching and kicking him like a storm. Xiao Niu was knocked to the ground, in excruciating pain, but he didn't beg for mercy, shouting, "Grandpa's being beaten by his grandson feels so good!" These words only made the blow worse.

不一会儿，第一轮胖揍告一段落。赵曲蛇得意洋洋，过来吐了小牛一口口水，用脚将小牛的头摆正，见他鼻口流血，眼圈雀黑的，样子好难看，不禁哈哈大笑，透着无比的快意。他用脚踩着小牛的脸，骂道：“小牛，你看你现在的这个样子，比掉光毛的狗还难看。这只是第一步，还有更难看的。”

在此情况下，小牛还不服输，说道：“姓赵的太监，别跟我使横，我以后会成为你的主子。你只配给我舔腚。”声音虽有些沙哑，却透着逼人的硬劲儿。

Zhao Qushe gritted his teeth. Xiao Niu's words had struck a nerve. If he didn't want to take revenge himself, he would have ordered Xiao Niu killed right now. At this moment, he suppressed his anger and roared, "Shove him into the cell with the most people. Let these prisoners take care of him and see if he's still so stubborn."

The guards obeyed and shoved Xiao Niu into that cell. The dark, thin, fierce, and somewhat perverted prisoners were overjoyed to see Xiao Niu thrown in. Their emotions had been suppressed for too long and they desperately needed to vent. Xiao Niu became their punching bag.

The dozen or so men were in high spirits, punching and kicking him with all their might. There was only a series of cracking sounds, and Xiao Niu was in great pain. These prisoners were like wild beasts that had been released from their reins, torturing Xiao Niu to their heart's content, afraid of missing the opportunity to harm him. Xiao Niu was beaten and rolled around like a ball, his clothes torn to shreds, his hair in a mess, and every part of him ached from head to toe. Seeing this, Zhao Qushe jumped for joy, almost fainting, shouting, "Well done! Well done! I'll put in a good word for you all later, and reduce your sentences. Those sentenced to death will be given a living punishment, and those on living punishment will go home as soon as possible!" The group of insane prisoners, hearing this promise, were ecstatically pleased and tortured Xiao Niu even more vigorously. The entire cell was filled with the colors of hell. They tortured Xiao Niu until he passed out before stopping. Xiao Niu was truly tough; he didn't utter a sound, as if he had become mute. Zhao Qushe desperately wanted to hear Xiao Niu's pitiful pleas for mercy, but he couldn't. Because he couldn't hear it, he wanted to hear it even more. And the more he wanted to hear it, the more cruelly he tormented him. In the end, he was still disappointed.

His anger subsided somewhat, but he still didn't want to stop. He told the two constables, "Get me some cold water to wake him up; I haven't had enough fun yet." The two constables, being rather kind-hearted, said, "Young master, he's already been beaten quite severely. If you continue, he might die. Do you want him to die?"

Zhao Qushe, in his distinctive eunuch-like voice, shouted, "He wants to die? Not so easy. I'm going to personally turn him into a eunuch and send him to the palace to be a real eunuch."

One of them asked, "Really send him to the palace?"

Zhao Qushe chuckled, "Of course. He's ruined my life, but I don't need to go to the palace. With such a good physique and such a silver tongue, it would be a waste not to have him as a servant in the palace." At this, Zhao Qushe let out a long, cheerful laugh, a sharp, piercing sound that even the prisoners wanted to cover their ears. Zhao Qushe, however, thought it sounded beautiful; he was secretly delighted. Since his injury, he had been sullen, and today he finally got his revenge. He imagined sending the calf to the palace to serve the royal family as a servant, feeding birds, planting flowers, emptying chamber pots, and so on—how fun that would be! It would be even more interesting if he served women. Facing those concubines, empresses, and other beauties, he could only look and touch, but couldn't do anything like a man. The anxiety and frustration he felt would be indescribable.

At this moment, Zhao Qushe decided on the calf's fate. That's it! He wouldn't let him die, but he'd turn him into a eunuch and send him to the palace to suffer. Thinking that the calf, like himself, had no beard and no genitals, heh heh, he was even worse off than him. Would he still dare to laugh at him then? And having the people in the palace treat him badly was much better than killing him. That's it, that's what he'd do.

After devising his plan, Zhao Qushe breathed a sigh of relief. He gave the order to untie the calf, stuff him into that solitary cell, and guard him closely, making sure he didn't escape, and more importantly, that he didn't commit suicide. If he died, things wouldn't be fun anymore.

Seeing the dazed and confused Xiao Niu locked up, Zhao Qushe chuckled a few times before leaving, satisfied. Since becoming a eunuch, he had developed a great interest in torturing people. Watching others suffer gave him a particular pleasure. The more they suffered, the better he felt.

As for Xiao Niu, after this ordeal, he didn't know how long it had been before he woke up. His first feeling upon waking was that every part of his body ached. He opened his eyes and found himself in a prison cell. He tried to struggle to sit up, but he had no strength. The prisoners in the next cell were looking at him with curiosity.

Xiao Niu recalled his experience and felt intense hatred for Zhao Qushe. He thought to himself, "If you ever fall into my hands, I'll see how I deal with you!" But for now, he was in Zhao Qushe's hands, and nothing he said mattered.

When people are in distress, they miss the good old days and the people who made them feel warm. He thought of his family. Xiaoxiu was so adorable, her stepmother so forgiving, and even her usually awful father didn't seem so bad anymore. And then there was her master's wife, Yuelin, Yueying, Chunyuan, Tianniu, Guiling, Niu Lihua—she missed each and every one of them deeply. If only one of them were with her, she could endure all the suffering. Yuelin, my beloved girl, where are you? You should be returning from the banquet by now. When you realize I'm missing, you should come looking for me, shouldn't you? But I'm imprisoned here; even if you're clever, you probably won't be able to find this place. Alas, if I manage to escape death this time, the first thing I must do is learn skills and take revenge on these bad people. If one isn't strong, one will be bullied. If I could fly like Yuelin, who could catch me? If I could use earth magic like Guiling, how could this prison cell stop me? At this moment, who cares about me?

Just as Xiao Niu was feeling sorry for herself, one of the prisoners next door asked her why she was in there. Upon hearing this topic, Xiao Niu couldn't help but laugh. The neighbors, seeing him beaten and bruised yet still laughing, found him quite amusing.

Xiao Niu struggled to sit up, catching his breath before recounting his heroic deeds. His account was largely true, though he added some exaggerations to make it more thrilling and exciting. After listening, everyone finally understood why Xiao Niu was in jail. It turned out he had turned the prefect's nephew into a eunuch. Such a crime was rare. Some laughed heartily, some doubled over with laughter, and some even laughed until tears streamed down their faces. Some hadn't laughed for days, even fainting from laughter.

When Xiao Niu questioned them, their accusations varied, but they all confessed to their crimes without hesitation. This made Xiao Niu realize that the prefect seemed alright, and hadn't committed any wrongful convictions. Now, he didn't hate the prefect as much anymore, but his hatred for Zhao Qushe remained undiminished. When the prisoner next door told him that Zhao Qushe also wanted to turn him into a eunuch and had decided to send him to the palace, Xiao Niu's tears fell. This time, he was truly terrified.

To be a eunuch? That was too terrible. Xiao Niu broke out in a cold sweat. If a man doesn't have that thing, can't have sex with women, what's the point of living? I'd rather be dead.

Xiao Niu was exhausted and sleepy. Although his whole body ached, thankfully no bones were broken, just superficial injuries. He lay down on the grass and slowly fell asleep. He kept having nightmares, as if he really had become a disgusting, perverted eunuch in the palace.

While talking in his sleep, he suddenly woke up. He saw Gao Zongjia standing in front of him, and the first thing he saw was his feet. Xiao Niu was startled and sat up abruptly, forcing himself to ask, "What do you want? I'm not afraid of death."

Gao Zongjia's face was sinister and eerie in the dim sunlight. He chuckled a few times and said, "Your end has come; you'll be executed sooner than planned."

Little Niu shuddered, his voice trembling slightly, "You really want to kill me? What kind of death do you intend to inflict?"

The head steward sneered, "You'll find out when we get there. Stop talking nonsense." With that, he waved his hand behind him, and two men immediately came over, grabbed Little Niu, and carried him outside. This movement aggravated his injuries, causing him to cry out in pain. Before he could utter a sound, the head steward had his mouth gagged again. This terrified Little Niu. Were they really going to kill me? I haven't lived enough yet! However, Little Niu was now struggling to walk, let alone resist.

After leaving the dungeon, they didn't go to the front yard but instead exited through the back door of the building. Once behind the building, they went to the water's edge, boarded a small boat, and rowed towards the shore. Little Niu didn't understand. Were they going to drown me? It didn't seem like it. If you want to drown me, just push me into the water; why bother with all this?

Upon reaching the shore, they disembarked and the four men headed into the dense forest. The calf, puzzled, thought, "Does this mean I'll be beheaded or buried alive? That sounds terrifying. Oh, my fate is so terrible! Merciful Guanyin Bodhisattva, please save me!"

Deep in the forest, they tossed him to the ground and ignored him, continuing their conversation. Although the calf couldn't speak, his ears were still sharp.

A said, "Manager Gao, we were sleeping soundly, why did we have to get up and come out into the woods to get windy?"

B said, "Indeed, I was sleeping so soundly, I was dreaming I was drinking Moutai."

Manager Gao laughed heartily and said, "I was sleeping soundly too, but when the master tells me to get up, I have to get up. As his subordinates, we naturally have to obey."

A and B said, "Why is that? Is there something going on?"

Manager Gao said, "Well, you'd better not ask. I'm afraid if I tell you, you won't be able to keep your mouths shut."

A and B said, "How could that be? If we weren't trustworthy, the master wouldn't have let the two of us do this for you. The master said he trusts us."

Manager Gao sat on a log, thought for a while, and said, "Alright, since you insist on asking, I might as well tell you. But let's talk about what we're about to say, and make sure no one else knows. Otherwise, if the master blames me, I can't afford the consequences."

A said, "We brothers..." "We've known each other for a long time, you know our character. We're always very discreet,"

said Yi. "If I were to leak what Master Gao said, may God punish me so I can never drink again."

Master Gao smiled and said, "Alright then, I'll tell you. This is something the lord told me alone."

Jia flattered, "Everyone knows that Master Gao and the lord have the closest relationship. Before the lord became as powerful as he is today, Master Gao was already his favorite general."

Master Gao was very pleased to hear this and said, "Of course. When I was with the lord, he was just a ninth-rank county magistrate. Now it's different."

Yi said, "Master Gao, please tell us."

Master Gao glanced at Xiao Niu lying on the ground and said, "It's because this kid's helper came that the lord decided to get him out."

Xiao Niu's ears perked up when he heard this. He thought to himself, "My helper must be Yue Lin. She's the closest person to me now." When she returned from the banquet and found me missing, she naturally searched everywhere for me. I, Xiao Niu, am quite lucky to have such a good woman by my side.

The steward continued, "This Wei Xiao Niu isn't anything special, yet he won the heart of Jiang Yuelin, a beauty from Laoshan. When Jiang Yuelin returned to the inn, she found the boy missing. After inquiring, she learned we had taken him. She first went to the yamen to look for him, searching everywhere, but couldn't find him. She's really capable; she even found the magistrate's small building. She insisted on coming in to take a look, and the magistrate, fearing she might actually find Wei Xiao Niu, ordered us to quickly move him here. We'll talk about it after the girl leaves."

Xiao Niu felt a surge of joy, gratitude, and disappointment. How could Yuelin possibly find me? These guys are so cunning; how could Yuelin, a single woman, possibly outmaneuver them? If Yueying were here too, then there might be hope.

Only then did A and B understand what was going on. A asked, "Master Gao, our lord is quite capable, and an official of the court. Would he be afraid of a mere girl?"

Master Gao waved his hand and said, "It's not fear, it's out of respect for Jiang Yuelin's master that I'm letting her be so presumptuous. You all know, in the years our lord has served in Chang'an, how many people have dared to barge into this building? It's mainly because our lord is on good terms with Jiang Yuelin's master; we can't refuse that favor."

B asked, "What if that girl, after looking around, doesn't find the boy and refuses to leave?"

Master Gao laughed and said, "Our lord is all-powerful; what..." "Haven't you seen any storms before? This little thing can't possibly stump him! A mere girl like this, and he can't handle it? You underestimate our lord's abilities."

A flattered, "That's right. If our lord didn't have some skills, he couldn't have risen from a ninth-rank official to the Prefect of Chang'an so quickly in just a few years."

B added, "Because our lord's rank has risen higher and higher, the wine I drink has also become better and better. When our lord is promoted to a high-ranking official in the capital, we subordinates will also be able to taste all the finest wines in the world." As they spoke, they smacked their lips, making a clicking sound, which made the steward and A laugh.

The little calf on the ground didn't want to hear what was going to happen next. He was thinking, how could he find a way to escape this hellish place? Or rather, how could he let Yuelin know he was here? If she knew he was here, no one could stop her from rescuing him.

But no matter how much he thought about it, he was at a loss, because he was already having trouble walking, what could he do? For the first time, he felt a sense of helplessness and despair. Thinking about the humiliation and torture he might suffer at the hands of that damned Zhao Qushe in two days, Xiao Niu suddenly had a thought of sacrificing himself for righteousness. He would rather die than be so defiled.

At this moment, the steward and the two men were still talking. A asked, "Master Gao, I heard that Young Master Zhao wants to deal with this kid in two days. They say he's going to retaliate and turn him into a eunuch. Is that true?"

Master Gao grinned and said, "Indeed, judging by his demeanor, Young Master Zhao is serious this time."

B said, "I thought it was a joke. Turns out he's serious. It's better to just kill him outright. Think about it, even if you turn him into a eunuch, he'll still be alive. If you kill him, wouldn't it be cleaner?"

A chuckled and said, "You don't understand Young Master Zhao's mind. Ever since he was harmed by Wei Xiaoniu, he's changed. Before, if he dealt with something like this, he'd go in with a red knife and come out with a white one, clean and quick. Now, it's different. He doesn't want Wei Xiaoniu to die so easily." "He wants him to live, to live a life of suffering, that's his goal."

The steward nodded twice and said, "Brother, you're right. This Young Master Zhao can't bear to see Wei Xiaoniu die. If Wei Xiaoniu dies, how lonely he'll be. He wants Wei Xiaoniu to be his companion, to follow him around all day. He'll be overjoyed to see Wei Xiaoniu suffer, and that's when he'll find life interesting."

Yi added, "I heard that Young Master Zhao not only wants to turn him into a eunuch, but also to send him to the palace to serve the palace women. With this kid's cunning, he might even become a big shot in the palace, maybe even a high-ranking eunuch, drinking fine wine every day."

Jia chuckled sarcastically, "Or maybe he'll not do so well, washing women's feet every day." Yi and the steward laughed happily, as if Xiaoniu had already entered the palace. They laughed heartily, but Xiaoniu grew increasingly sad. He thought, "You'd be better off killing me than doing this." What fun is there in being a man without a tool? Wake up, just kill me already!

The steward spoke up at this moment: "Young Master Zhao isn't just talking nonsense. A few days ago, the Prince of Jinling told Master Zhao that since he's already in that state, he might as well go to the palace and try his luck; maybe he could make a bright future there. But Master Zhao only has this one precious son. Even if his 'tool' is useless, he's still his son. He's reluctant to part with him, and the Prince of Jinling is quite disappointed."

B asked, "Staffman, does Master Zhao also know the Prince of Jinling?"

The head steward replied, "Of course. Master Zhao and the Prince of Jinling have been in contact in the capital. Their relationship has always been good. Master Zhao never misses a visit during festivals. Naturally, the Prince of Jinling never mistreats him. Our master's promotion is also related to the Prince of Jinling."

The two men exclaimed twice, clearly unaware of this before.

Suddenly, Jia asked, "Head steward, you often go out with our master. I've heard that the Prince of Jinling has two great beauties. Is that true?"

The head steward chuckled softly and said, "Why ask? Of course it's true. The Prince of Jinling's principal wife is a first-rate beauty, and his daughter is also stunningly beautiful. She has captivated countless princes and noblemen. Unfortunately, this princess has very high standards. How could an ordinary man catch her eye? I heard that not long ago, she took a fancy to a scholar and insisted on marrying him. The prince disagreed, so the princess ran away on her own and no one knows where she is now, much to the prince's dismay."

Xiao Niu, who was listening nearby, was getting annoyed. Normally, he'd be more interested than anyone else at the mention of beautiful women, but now, fallen on hard times, he desperately wanted some useful information.

Just as he was in a foul mood, a voice that was neither male nor female rang out, and a person walked out of the woods—it was the despicable Zhao Qushe. The moment Xiao Niu saw him, he wanted to bite him.

Chapter 2 of Episode 6: Savior

Zhao Qushe limped over, and the steward and the two men hurriedly greeted him. Zhao Qushe merely grunted a few times, his gaze fixed on Xiao Niu. Although it was quite dark in the woods, Zhao Qushe could see Xiao Niu's shadow lying on the ground.

Seeing him arrive, Xiao Niu struggled to sit up, his face not turned towards him. Zhao Qushe, recalling his past suffering, felt a pang of pain and cursed, "Wei Xiaoniu, you little brat, you ruined my life! I'll never let you get away with this! What's so good about you? How could a beauty like Jiang Yuelin fall for you? How could she be blind? Anyone can see I'm a hundred times better than you!"

Xiaoniu laughed and said, "Then why does she care about me and not you?"

Zhao Qushe felt as if his heart was being torn apart; the muscles on his face trembled, though Xiaoniu didn't see it in the darkness. Zhao Qushe remained silent for a moment, his emotions seemingly calming down, and said, "Kid, do you know why I came here to see you?"

Xiaoniu replied, "You missed me, you cared about me, right? I, Xiaoniu, have always had a heart that loves people; both men and women like me." Xiaoniu began to boast.

Zhao Qushe shrieked, "Bullshit! I, Zhao Qushe, am not heartless. I won't forget those who hurt me. Let me tell you, I've come to find you now because I want to get rid of you beforehand."

Xiao Niu was terrified, feeling like his end was near. He forced himself to stay calm and said, "If you want to kill me, just kill me. No need for all this nonsense. I may not be a great hero, but I will never beg for your mercy."

Zhao Qushe laughed awkwardly and said, "I originally planned to make my move in two days, but I can't wait any longer. If I don't act soon, someone might actually rescue you, and I'll have wasted my time."

Xiao Niu forced a laugh and said, "So you're afraid someone will rescue me too."

Zhao Qushe said, "Since you're about to die anyway, I might as well tell you. Jiang Yuelin came by earlier, and she seemed so concerned and anxious. " "Oh my, this is driving me crazy. If she could treat me like this, I'd die for her."

Xiao Niu teased him, "I'm afraid even if you died for her, she wouldn't like a man like you."

Zhao Qushe didn't respond, but continued, "Just now she was looking everywhere, trying to find you in the small building. But my uncle isn't stupid, of course he wouldn't leave you there. He moved you here before letting Jiang Yuelin into the building. Needless to say, she couldn't find you."

Xiao Niu thought to himself, "Yuelin, Yuelin, aren't you being foolish? Since they've captured me, they're naturally keeping me in a secluded place. If you wanted to save me, why didn't you come quietly? Doing this is undoubtedly alerting them, making them wary. How can you possibly achieve your goal?"

Zhao Qushe sneered and said, "When she saw me, she found it quite strange. I greeted her, but instead of being friendly, she said I was ugly, far inferior to you. I was so angry that I immediately made up my mind: I would first disfigure you, then turn you into a eunuch, and then send you to the palace to be the most distinctive and ugliest servant. Don't you think that's wonderful?" As he spoke, Zhao Qushe burst into wild laughter, his shrill voice startling countless small birds into flight.

Xiao Niu gritted his teeth and said, "Kill me if you want, I'm not afraid of you. I, Xiao Niu

, have long since disregarded life and death. If you have the ability, fight me one-on-one. Let's see who's more capable. Relying on others to attack someone else, that's not what a man does." Zhao Qushe snorted twice and said, "Wei Xiao Niu, don't try to provoke me with those words. I won't fall for your tricks. I can barely walk now, how can I fight you one-on-one? If it were before, I would gladly fight you. My injuries haven't healed yet, not only can I not use magic, but even living is a problem. You've ruined me, only I know the pain. As the murderer, you have to pay a higher price for this." As he spoke, Zhao Qushe pulled out a gleaming knife from his pocket.

The steward was taken aback and asked, "Young Master Zhao, shall we make our move here?"

Zhao Qushe grunted and said, "No need to wait any longer. I'm afraid this brat will run away again. You don't know, he's always been lucky; someone always comes to his rescue. We can't let him go today." As he spoke, he called out twice towards the edge of the forest, and then two servants came over carrying lanterns. As soon as the lanterns appeared, Xiao Niu immediately saw Zhao Qushe's ashen, grotesque, and somewhat distorted face. He was extremely vicious, and under the light of the knife, he looked indescribably terrifying.

Zhao Qushe looked at Xiao Niu and sneered, saying, "I'll let you taste what it's like to be a eunuch. This time you don't need to laugh at me; we're evenly matched." With that, the two servants helped Xiao Niu up; he was going to take his revenge.

The head steward asked, "Young Master Zhao, have you gotten the Prefect's approval to deal with this Wei Xiaoniu? He seems he doesn't approve of taking action immediately."

Zhao Qushe chuckled twice and said, "Let's get this done first, then we can tell him. He'll approve of me. Does he really favor this brat surnamed Wei?"

The head steward said ingratiatingly, "In that case, let me do it for you, Young Master."

Zhao Qushe cheered, "Great! I was worried that my stamina was too poor, and I was afraid I wouldn't be able to do it well. How about this, you do it. I've long heard that Head Steward's swordsmanship is quite excellent." As he spoke, he handed the knife to the head steward.

The head steward smiled and said, "That's all just praise from others. I'm just all talk." He twirled the knife in his hand, as if checking if it fit his hand. As the knife twirled, it produced several circles of white light, making Xiaoniu tremble with fear, his legs going weak. He thought to himself, "It's over, it's over, I, Xiaoniu, am finished today."

Seeing Xiao Niu's pale face, Zhao Qushe laughed and said, "Kid, you're scared now? Why weren't you scared when you harmed me? Don't say I won't give you a way out. I'm afraid if you kneel down and call me 'Grandpa' three times, I'll let you off the hook for a few more days. How about that?"

Xiao Niu was being held by two men, one on each side, looking like a hero going to his execution. He spat fiercely in the direction Zhao Qushe was standing and cursed, "You grandson surnamed Zhao, keep dreaming. Although your grandpa isn't a great hero, I'm still someone who can be killed but not dishonored."

Zhao Qushe was furious at being scolded, his body trembling. He pointed at Xiao Niu's nose and shouted, "Good lad, let's see who's the boss and who's the grandson today!" Then, he said to Gao Zongjia, "Gao Zongjia, get started. Don't hold back. If my uncle blames me, I'll take care of it. Just go ahead and do it."

Gao Zongjia nodded and asked, "Young Master Zhao, how do we do it? What do you need me to do?"

Zhao Qushe smugly glanced at Xiao Niu's face and said, "That girl said this kid is better looking than me, so the first step is to slash his face with a knife."

Gao Zongjia brandished the knife near Xiao Niu's face and asked, "And then?" Gao Zongjia's eyes were observing, as if considering how to destroy it.

Zhao Qushe continued, "Then, we'll make him a eunuch too." His gaze fell on Xiao Niu's crotch, filled with hatred. Naturally, after becoming a eunuch, he never wanted to look at that part of a man's body again.

The head eunuch nodded and said, "Alright, Young Master Zhao, just watch, I'll make sure you're completely satisfied."

Zhao Qushe laughed heartily and said, "Good, good, good, let's watch a good show this time, see what this kid looks like when he's suffering." As he spoke, he went up to Xiao Niu.

Xiao Niu glared at him and cursed, "You grandson surnamed Zhao, even if you have a next life, you'll still be a eunuch, and you still won't grow that thing." As he spoke, he spat out a mouthful of blood, right on Zhao Qushe's face.

Zhao Qushe wiped his face and said, "You're asking for it, Head eunuch, what are you waiting for? Let's do it."

The head eunuch shouted in agreement, saying, "This time, no one will save this brat."

Zhao Qushe chuckled and said, "If he becomes a eunuch, those beauties won't even glance at him anymore. That kind of anxiety will drive him crazy."

The head eunuch didn't reply anymore, and with a flash of light, he advanced towards Xiao Niu's smooth face. Xiao Niu closed his eyes in agony, thinking, "Let me die. It's better to die than to suffer like this. My parents, my Xiao Xiu, all my beauties, farewell forever. Even if they don't kill me, I, Xiao Niu, have no face to live in this world after suffering such humiliation." Overwhelmed with grief, he fainted at lightning speed.

His head tilted, narrowly avoiding the first blow from the high-ranking official. Zhao Qushe ordered, "Even if he's unconscious, you must strike. Don't let him go." Zhao Qushe's twisted psychology resurfaced.

The high-ranking official raised his knife again; this time, Xiao Niu's face would be ruined. Just then, a voice spoke from a nearby tree: "Using such methods to deal with someone who can't resist is probably not what you, High-ranking official, should do, is it?" The voice was beautiful, melodious, and also cold, captivating the men present. They had never heard such a heavenly voice before.

The head steward stopped wielding his knife, his mouth agape as he looked towards the source of the sound. Zhao Qushe also craned his neck to see who this uninvited guest was.

Following the sound, a white figure slowly floated down from a large tree ahead, landing beside Xiao Niu. By the light of the lantern, everyone could see clearly that it was a young woman in white, her beauty and cold demeanor truly deserving of the description of celestial beauty and icy elegance. Everyone present, being normal, was utterly captivated.

The young woman said to the two men, "Let him go." As if under a spell, they obediently released him. The young woman grabbed Xiao Niu by the collar to prevent him from falling. She swept her cold gaze across everyone's faces and said, "So the Prefect of Chang'an also does wicked things, truly disappointing." Then, she wrapped her arms around Xiao Niu's waist, leaped onto a tree, jumped over several more, and disappeared without a trace. Those present were as if in a dream, unable to fully awaken for a long time.

The first sensation Xiao Niu felt upon waking was a warm current coursing through his body, making him feel incredibly comfortable, as if all his wounds had vanished. Who was being so kind to him? Had he been murdered and turned into a repulsive eunuch?

Opening his eyes, he saw a vast lawn, lush and green, so vibrant it seemed to drip with moisture. Beyond the lawn lay a dense, verdant forest, teeming with life. The warm current was flowing in from behind, a continuous stream, making Xiao Niu feel increasingly resilient and nourished. At the same time, he smelled a familiar fragrance—a woman's scent, faint yet lingering, capable of arousing his masculine desires. He knew without a doubt whose scent it was. He could hardly believe his senses.

He was sitting cross-legged, not even knowing how he had managed to sit up while unconscious. He desperately wanted to know if the person behind him was the beautiful woman he had been longing for day and night. So, he turned around to get a clearer view. Upon noticing this, the person behind him immediately said, "Close your eyes and don't let your mind wander, or I'll have wasted my energy." The person was healing him.

Little Niu was overjoyed, as the voice further confirmed his guess. It was her, yes, she had saved him! Little Niu couldn't believe it. But he obediently closed his eyes, sinking into a beautiful, soft dream, so sweet it was unbelievable, and he didn't want to leave.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the warm current disappeared. Little Niu awoke again, all the pain gone, his body restored, feeling incredibly comfortable and refreshed.

Little Niu jumped up excitedly. Turning around, he saw a snow-white figure standing far away, her back to him, her clothes fluttering in the breeze, as if she were about to take flight. Those shoulders, that waist, those beautiful buttocks, those long legs—all were places that captivated Little Niu. He simply didn't have the courage to think or look around recklessly, much less rush forward, fearing his mistake might cause the beauty's sudden departure. Therefore, Xiao Niu just stared blankly, not daring to do anything. Thus, the place was quiet, yet a tender atmosphere permeated the stillness.

After a while, the beauty finally snapped out of her reverie and slowly said, "You're awake? You won't be in any danger this time, will you?"

Seeing her concern for him, Xiao Niu was overjoyed and hurriedly said, "Sister Tan, how did you come? I really didn't expect you to come, much less that you would save me. You know, I've been thinking about you every day." The beauty slowly

turned around, revealing a fairy-like face, but her expression was cold and indifferent. It was none other than Tan Yueying, the beauty from Laoshan whom he hadn't seen for many days. She had never been kind to Xiao Niu, but this time she was better than before; at least there was no disgust or aversion on her face, which made Xiao Niu's heart flutter with joy.

Yueying's gaze swept over Xiao Niu's face, and she said, "I saved you, so don't take it to heart. Didn't you save me too? We're even now, no one owes anyone anything. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other, so don't have any more illusions about me."

Xiao Niu took a few steps forward, looking distressed, and said, "Sister Tan, can you not be so heartless? I truly love and admire you."

Yueying smiled coldly, then turned her gaze to the nearby woods and the distant sky, and said, "Don't try to sweet-talk me. I'm not a three-year-old. I never believe the lies you men tell. To be honest, what's the difference between you and those guys who flutter around me like flies? I think you're all the same, with the same goal: to possess my body. Nothing good comes of it." With that, she gave a heavy snort and fell silent.

Xiao Niu, shameless as ever, stepped forward and hurriedly explained, "Sister Tan, please don't condemn me so harshly. Men are not all the same. Those men are indeed despicable and disgusting, with only one evil thought. I'm different. My main concern is to marry you and spend my life with you. This is about feelings, which is fundamentally different from lust."

Yueying turned her head, her nose not far from Xiaoniu's, making Xiaoniu feel flattered and honored. Yueying's rosy lips parted slightly, and she said softly, "Are you trying to tell me that you don't have those dirty thoughts about my body?"

Xiaoniu chuckled and said, "Sister Tan, I admit I have those thoughts about you too, but they're not dirty. You know, men and women in love have normal desires. You're older than me, you should know better than I do. Besides, as long as men and women love each other, as long as there's true affection, that kind of relationship isn't a sinful thing. I'm naturally infatuated with your body, otherwise, I wouldn't have done it so recklessly last time. Besides saving your life, it's also because I genuinely like you."

At the mention of the last incident, Yueying jumped back as if bitten by a snake, her pretty face blushing, her eyes shy, and she covered her ears, shouting, "Don't say it! Don't mention it again! If you mention it again, I won't be able to resist killing you!"

This made Xiaoniu regret his actions greatly. He dared not approach again, and said in a very gentle voice, "Don't worry, Sister Tan, only heaven, earth, you, and I know about this. I won't tell anyone. If I do, you can tear me to pieces."

Yueying calmed down a bit after hearing this, and after a long while, she said, "Wei Xiaoniu, I know you're a lecherous man, but you're also a sentimental person. If it weren't for that, I wouldn't have saved you last night. I think you're still a good person. I know you didn't take advantage of me when you saved me. But please give up on me from now on. You know Yuelin likes you quite a bit, and you like her too, don't you? How can you treat her like this? Besides, we can't be together. A man like you isn't my type, and some things can't be forced. Also, I already have a fiancé, and the wedding date is set. If you really like me, if you really care about me, would you cause me trouble?"

Hearing this, Xiaoniu felt bitter inside, and he almost cried. He already knew the answer, but hearing it so clearly from Yueying's mouth still broke his heart. He even had the urge to die immediately.

Yueying sighed, turned around and approached him, saying, "Wei Xiaoniu, I've already considered you a friend. You should know that besides my Senior Brother Meng, I don't have any male friends. You should be happy."

Xiaoniu thought to himself, "Happy my ass! Being friends is different from being husband and wife. There are boundaries when you're friends, but when you're husband and wife, you can do whatever you want, you can sleep together.

" Xiaoniu composed himself before saying, "Sister Tan, are you really going to marry Meng Zixiong? In my opinion, he's not a good person, much less a hero."

Yueying frowned upon hearing this and said, "You don't need to worry about that, I know what I'm doing."

Xiaoniu sighed deeply; the feeling of being rejected was unpleasant. He struggled to control his emotions and remain calm, asking, "When is your wedding date?"

Yueying replied, "Two months after Master's birthday."

Xiao Niu nodded, "I'll definitely be there for the wedding. You'll look beautiful that day." He forced a smile, but his heart was filled with bitterness. He thought to himself, "I need to think of a way to prevent you from getting married. It's such a waste for a beauty like you to marry that guy. You'd be better off marrying me. We're a perfect match.

" Yueying suddenly said, "If there's nothing else, I'll be going now." She turned and took two steps.

Xiao Niu panicked and couldn't help but reach out to grab her, but he let go halfway. Xiao Niu said, "Don't go, Sister Tan, there are still so many things we haven't explained."

Yueying turned her head and asked, "Is there anything you don't understand?" Xiao

Niu leaned closer and said, "I still have so many questions."

Yueying said, "Then ask quickly, I still have things to do."

Xiao Niu cleared his throat and said, "Where did you come from this time? What are you doing here? How did you end up in Chang'an? How did you manage to save me so conveniently? What was the scene like when you saved me? Also, is Master's wife alright? Where did Yuelin go? Why didn't Yuelin find me, but you did?"

Yueying crossed her arms, faced Xiao Niu, and blinked her beautiful eyes, asking, "Any other questions?"

Xiao Niu looked directly at Yueying's pretty face and star-like eyes and said, "That's all for now." Being looked at by Yueying's beautiful eyes, Xiao Niu felt a sense of being loved. Although it was just his wishful thinking, it was still quite comfortable.

Yueying pondered for a moment, pacing back and forth as she spoke, “I came down from Laoshan. Master’s birthday is approaching, and we still need some things. I came out to buy some. Master’s wife is doing well; she’s recovering quickly from her injury. She’s worried about Yuelin and asked me to find Yuelin and go back to the mountain with her. I’ve been to Jinling and then Chang’an. I found Yuelin’s whereabouts a long time ago, but I didn’t disturb her. Last night she was too reckless, running to that small building to look for you. As for me, I just observed the situation from outside. I saw you being transported outside by boat. Since I saw it, I couldn’t just stand by and watch you die. I was listening to those people talking the whole time, thinking I might hear something important, but it turned out to be mostly useless.” "I got rid of you while they were trying to harm you. Do you understand now?"

Xiao Niu nodded and said, "I understand."

Yueying continued, "You asked where Yue Lin went? She must be worrying at the inn right now."

Xiao Niu said, "Oh, she's so good to me. I'm really not good enough for her."

Yueying said disdainfully, "In my opinion, you're far from good enough. You should work hard to improve your skills so you don't fall too far behind her. Women will look down on a man who isn't capable."

Xiao Niu sincerely said, "Thank you for your advice, Sister Tan."

Yueying said, "I don't deserve your advice. Also, be more honest in the future and don't try to seduce other women. I don't want my friend to be a lecherous wolf." She blinked very seriously as she spoke.

Little Niu gazed at the pretty face he had once kissed and asked, "Are you going back to the mountain?"

Yueying replied, "Yes, I'm going back."

Little Niu said, "Then take me with you."

Yueying shook her head and said, "Go find Yuelin; she might still be waiting for you there."

Seeing that she had no intention of taking him, Little Niu didn't insist. Yueying said, "I'm leaving," and jumped onto a cloud, floating away lightly. She looked like a fairy, rekindling Little Niu's desire to possess her. He thought to himself, "She's not married yet; I still have a chance. I can't give up. The most important thing right now is to go to Laoshan. Partly to learn martial arts, and partly for the beauty." Having

made up his mind, Little Niu headed towards Chang'an City. There was still a passionate girl waiting for him there. He wanted to express his love for her with his manly prowess.

With Yueying's help and treatment, Little Niu not only survived but also recovered from all his injuries. More importantly, he was completely healthy and showed no signs of pain. The only downside was that Yueying poured cold water on her own resolve. She reiterated that a relationship between her and Xiaoniu was impossible, hoping he would give up. But Xiaoniu, so deeply infatuated with Yueying, couldn't possibly back down. He was determined to never abandon her, as long as he had a breath left. How could he let the beautiful woman he had once been intimate with marry someone else? In Xiaoniu's eyes, Yueying belonged to him alone. If she married someone else, it would be like cuckolding him. To avoid that fate, Xiaoniu was determined to fight to the bitter end.

Remembering Zhao Qushe's despicable nature, Xiao Niu was even more furious. He thought fiercely, "If I had the chance to get that brat into my hands, I'd send him to the palace as a slave! Someone as talented as me, Xiao Niu, should either not enter the palace, or become a master!" Thinking that there was only one male master in the palace, Xiao Niu couldn't help but laugh. His father wasn't the emperor; he wasn't destined to sit on the dragon throne.

Lost in his wild thoughts, Xiao Niu returned to Chang'an. He went to the inn where he was staying but couldn't find Yue Lin. Asking the innkeeper, he learned that Yue Lin had left that morning. Before leaving, she had told him that if he returned, Xiao Niu should go to Laoshan on his own. Xiao Niu breathed a sigh of relief; it seemed Yue Lin already knew he was alright. Needless to say, it was related to Yue Ying. Why didn't she wait for him to leave together? Something must have come up.

To speed things up and get as far away from the authorities as possible, Xiao Niu quickly packed his things, did his calculations, and bought a horse at the market. Even though it was an ordinary horse, it ran much faster than him. Only after leaving Chang'an did Xiao Niu feel at ease, thinking that there was no more trouble.

He traveled day and night, heading straight for Shandong. The journey was quite smooth, without any major mishaps, and Xiao Niu was generally satisfied. At this pace, he should be able to reunite with his beauties soon. Just thinking about seeing his master's wife, Yueying, and Yuelin made Xiao Niu's body heat up; it seemed that his intoxicating and blissful happiness was just around the corner.

That day, he entered Shandong, and Xiao Niu was overjoyed. Before the sun had even set, he stopped in a small town called Deyi. After finding a place to eat his fill, he checked into a fine inn. He took a bath, feeling refreshed. As soon as it got dark, Xiao Niu crawled into bed. He imagined the joy of partying with beautiful women in a few days. Such a night, without a fragrant body to accompany him, felt incredibly strange to Xiao Niu. But what could he do? He couldn't very well hire prostitutes; he wasn't used to that.

The more he thought about it, the more blissful it became, and he soon drifted off to sleep. He didn't know how long he slept when he was suddenly awakened by a sound. The sound wasn't loud, just a clatter on the roof tiles; Xiao Niu guessed it wasn't from the wind, but from someone's footsteps.

Startled, he sat up abruptly, and without much hesitation, quickly threw on his coat and rushed through the window. He leaped onto the roof and looked around. In the distance to the west, he could vaguely see a figure moving about. Without thinking much, Xiao Niu chased after it, wanting to see what exciting things were happening.

Xiao Niu's light-footed skills were excellent; he got closer and closer to the person. When he was only a few feet away, they had already left the city and arrived at a ruin. Beside the ruins were some scattered, haphazardly planted trees. The others entered the ruins, while Xiao Niu used the trees for cover.

A half-moon hung in the sky, its pale light illuminating the quiet ruins. In the center of the ruins stood a figure, back turned. Judging from her slender and graceful figure, she was a young woman.

The man who arrived later stopped, paused, and then walked over, saying, "I've come to keep our appointment. What brings you here, Princess?"

The woman turned and looked at the man. Xiao Niu couldn't see her face clearly, but her eyes seemed incredibly bright, like stars, yet not cold at all.

The princess said, "Mr. Meng, it's time to settle our score."

Mr. Meng smiled and said, "Princess, I've already apologized for any mistakes I've made. There's no need to provoke me into fighting again."

The princess snorted and said, "Apologize? Can an apology solve everything? You're a sensible person; you should know how much your words hurt me."

Mr. Meng said, "I've apologized to you more than once. Please be magnanimous and forgive me. Last time we fought, and neither of us came out on top. Can't we resolve this through conversation?" "

The princess also said, 'Didn't I already tell you? If you want to resolve our issues, you have to agree to my conditions.'

The man surnamed Meng sighed and said, 'Princess, you're putting me in a really difficult position. Making me kowtow and admit my mistakes in front of all the sect leaders is too disrespectful for me. I am, after all, a disciple of a prestigious sect.'

The princess snorted twice and slowly said, 'So you do care about face, huh? Then you shouldn't have talked nonsense in front of so many people. Your behavior makes it very difficult for me to face people in the martial arts world.'

The man surnamed Meng said, 'Isn't there any other solution besides this method?'

The princess stubbornly said, 'If you don't agree to my conditions, then you can duel me. Either you die, or I die. I, surnamed Zhu, will protect my dignity with my life.' The man

surnamed Meng smiled bitterly and said, 'It seems I have no other choice.'

The princess said, 'That's also... '" "It's not my fault, it's all because of your loose tongue. You should know how important a girl's reputation is. If your junior sister Tan Yueying's reputation is tarnished, can you stand idly by? If someone molests your junior sister, can you remain indifferent?"

The man surnamed Meng got angry and shouted, "Don't joke around with my junior sister! You can insult me all you want, but you can't insult her!"

The princess smiled coldly and said, "What, feeling sorry for her? When I see her one day, I'll tell her all the nonsense you spouted back then and see what she thinks, see if she's still willing to marry you." The man

surnamed Meng stamped his foot and said in a trembling voice, "No, please, please don't tell her. She won't be able to handle it."

The princess said, "As long as you agree to my conditions, we can talk about anything. I'll give you some time to think about it. Give me your answer in a bit." As she spoke, she turned her face away and stared into the dark distance, lost in thought.

The calf behind the tree heard everything clearly and knew that the man surnamed Meng was Meng Zixiong, Yuelin's senior brother. He wondered what Meng Zixiong had said that offended a princess. He wondered which prince this princess was born to—could she be the Prince of Jinling? If so, he'd have to take a good look; he'd heard she was extremely beautiful.

The calf secretly watched the unfolding events, wondering what kind of drama would follow. Since Meng Zixiong was Yuelin's fiancé, he hoped he'd be in trouble. Ideally, this unfamiliar princess would kill him with a single blow; that would give him a chance, and a greater chance of winning Yuelin's heart.

At that moment, the princess had her back to Meng Zixiong, and they were only a few feet apart. The calf thought, if Meng Zixiong didn't agree to her conditions, he'd have to fight tooth and nail. Was it possible that Meng Zixiong, to prevent Yuelin from knowing his shameful affair, would cut out the princess's tongue or simply kill her to silence her? Thinking this, Xiao Niu couldn't help but laugh, thinking, "How could that be? Meng Zixiong is a disciple of a reputable sect; he wouldn't do something that would betray his integrity and damage his sect's reputation. Although he's not likable, he's not some wicked or crooked person.

" Suddenly, Xiao Niu saw Meng Zixiong pull something out of his robes and fling it at the princess, immediately creating a cloud of white mist. Within the mist, the princess only had time to turn her head and say, "You're so despicable," before collapsing to the ground with a thud.

Meng Zixiong chuckled, and after the fog cleared, he approached the princess, grinning maliciously. He said, "Princess, you can't blame me for this. I finally got engaged to my junior sister. If you had told her all that nonsense I told her, you might have ruined my marriage. I can't lose my junior sister; without her, how much joy would I have left? I have no choice but to kill you now. Who told you to put me in such a predicament? I didn't need to resort to such underhanded methods, but I know your abilities are only slightly better than mine. I had to seduce you first, then eliminate you." As he spoke, Meng Zixiong squatted down, lowered his head, and began to scrutinize the princess. As he looked at her, he clicked his tongue in admiration, "What a beauty! Though not as celestial as my junior sister, she's still one in a million. Ah, it's such a waste to kill her. But if I don't kill you, my junior sister will definitely turn on me if she finds out I'm talking nonsense. She's very intolerant of any injustice. I'm truly sorry, Princess, if you have any grievances, go and tell her over there." With that, he raised his hand, intending to slap her to death.

This sudden turn of events made Xiao Niu's eyes nearly pop out of their sockets. He never imagined that Meng Zixiong would use such despicable methods against a beautiful woman. He was a disciple of a prestigious sect! How was such behavior any different from that of an evil sect? Not only did he want to seduce her, but he also wanted to kill her! As a righteous young man, how could I stand idly by? But seeing Zixiong's hand already striking down, it was too late for him to cry out. Xiao Niu couldn't bear to watch the blood splatter on the scene any longer, so he dejectedly lowered his head.

After waiting for a while, there was no further movement. He found it strange. Did Meng Zixiong use magic to kill someone? Otherwise, why was he so calm? Curious, he got up, only to see that Meng Zixiong had stopped his attack. The hand that had been killing him was now caressing, greedily stroking the other person's face. He exclaimed as he stroked, "Truly a princess! Her skin is so smooth, not inferior to my junior sister Yueying at all. It would be a waste to kill her like this. Perhaps..." At this point, Meng Zixiong let out a chilling, lewd laugh. The voyeur, secretly watching, shook his head, thinking, "How could Meng Zixiong be like this? If Yueying marries him, she'd be better off marrying a pig.

Whether this princess is good or bad, I'm determined to take care of her." With that thought, the voyeur opened his mouth and shouted loudly. The sound was both startling and powerful in the quiet night.

The calf let out a few loud, guttural bellows, which sounded rather unpleasant but quite frightening, startling the lustful Meng Zixiong so much he almost jumped up.

He stood up and shouted in the direction the calf was standing, "Which brat is yelling like that? Get out here right now!"

The calf sneered and yelled, "Help! This is terrible! A disciple of a prestigious sect is about to become a womanizer! Don't miss this, everyone! This is a once-in-a-century spectacle!"

His shouts completely panicked Meng Zixiong. He had already bewitched the princess, which was bad enough; if word got out, the reputation of the Laoshan Sect would be ruined. Add to that the intention to assault and silence him, and if people found out, it would be even worse. Therefore, he thought the most important thing now was to kill the calf first, and then it wouldn't be too late to kill the princess.

Therefore, Meng Zixiong angrily shouted in Xiao Niu's direction, "You brat, come out here if you dare, or I'll drag you out myself!" With that, he dashed over like a wisp of smoke.

Xiao Niu had anticipated this move and had already darted into the nearby woods. Once he was a little further away, he shouted, "Tan Yueying, Miss Tan, hurry up! Your senior brother is trying to kill me to silence me! If you don't come soon, I'm dead!"

This shout only made Meng Zixiong more panicked. He couldn't help but wonder, had Yueying come too? Had she seen what he had done?

To make him believe it, Xiao Niu, while circling the tangled trees, started shouting incoherently, "Miss Tan, didn't we agree that I'd help you find your senior brother, and you should pay me? Now I've found him and brought you here, why did you leave alone? Come here quickly, or I'll be dead! Oh dear, your senior brother is getting close. My goodness, my life is in danger! Miss Tan, are you really far away?" Xiao Niu's voice was shrill and piercing, sounding nothing like his usual self. Indeed, this was the effect Xiao Niu wanted. He thought to himself, "I still need to go to Laoshan to learn martial arts. Now is not the time to turn against Meng Zixiong. If I offend him, my days in Laoshan will be difficult."

Meng Zixiong was usually quite clear-headed and intelligent, but when it came to his junior sister, he seemed to lose his mind and become a fool. He listened to Xiao Niu's increasingly convincing story and began to have some doubts. As he chased after the calf, he thought to himself, "Oh no, if my junior sister really runs away in anger, we're doomed.

" The calf, panting, cried out, "Miss Tan, we came out from the south gate! Why are you running west? If you're going to run, why leave me behind?"

Hearing that his junior sister had run west, Meng Zixiong immediately determined the direction and stopped chasing the calf, instead running westward himself. He felt that catching up with his junior sister was the most important thing now, to explain things properly to her. If he lost his junior sister, he wouldn't have a good life. He could have been enjoying himself on the mountain, but because he couldn't bear to leave his junior sister, he secretly slipped away, only to be pestered by the princess, who was forcing him to publicly apologize. Sigh, he'd wasted so much time. Thinking this, Meng Zixiong chased after her as fast as he could. He was so anxious that he forgot he could fly on clouds.

Seeing Meng Zixiong flee in terror, having fallen for his trick, Xiao Niu was overjoyed. He immediately ran to the ruins, picked up the unconscious princess, and darted into the woods. He then circled around to the east gate and leaped over the wall there. He knew that once Meng Zixiong realized he'd been tricked, he would definitely return and chase him from the south gate. Entering from the east side, he doubted Meng Zixiong could possibly figure it out.

After entering the city, he went to the inn where he had stayed, but didn't dare use the main entrance. Instead, he climbed over the wall and entered through a window. He placed the princess on his bed and then took a deep breath. He thought to himself, if Meng Zixiong caught up, not only would the princess be dead, but he himself would be finished. Meng Zixiong had always disliked him and probably wanted to get rid of him for a long time. Now that he had this opportunity and knew he had tricked him again, Meng Zixiong would definitely not let him off the hook. This guy was probably even worse than Qin Yuan. Qin Yuan was at least upright, while Meng Zixiong was probably practically a member of the evil sect.

He sat down, caught his breath, lit a candle, drank some water, and felt much better. Then, he picked up the candlestick and leaned closer to the princess on the bed. She had her eyes closed and was breathing evenly; she seemed perfectly fine. Seeing that she was alright, Xiao Niu felt relieved and began to examine her more closely.

The princess appeared to be under twenty, wearing a tight purple dress. She had a fair, oval face, long eyelashes, a nose like a jade tube, and small, strawberry-like lips. Her noble bearing was immediately apparent; she was clearly not from an ordinary family. Xiao Niu thought that if she opened her eyes, she would be even more beautiful.

While watching her breathing, Xiao Niu's gaze shifted to her chest. Her breasts were full and clearly not small. They rose and fell rhythmically with her breathing, a tempting rise and fall, and Xiao Niu felt a slight hardening below.

Xiao Niu bit his tongue, cursing himself inwardly, "How could I be so lacking in self-control?" He turns into this the moment he sees a beautiful woman. Where did his former calm and rational Xiao Niu go?

He forced his gaze away, but it returned almost immediately. Xiao Niu sighed inwardly, "I'm doomed. I've become a complete lecher. No wonder Yue Lin and my master's wife always laugh at me.

A lecher is a lecher, that's just how I am. Although I'm not a pervert, she's so beautiful. I can secretly touch her a few times, kiss her a few times, and she probably won't even know." Thinking this, Xiao Niu leaned in and planted a kiss on the princess's cheek. "So fragrant, so smooth. No wonder that guy Meng Zixiong couldn't resist doing bad things. Even I'm turning into a bad guy."

Then Xiao Niu's hands started itching, and he couldn't resist reaching out to grab her breasts. Hey, they were indeed quite large and rather bouncy. The feeling was so good that Xiao Niu's addiction kicked in, and he used both hands to knead and massage her breasts, shaping them into various forms. Just as he was enjoying himself, the princess let out a soft moan. This was like a thunderclap out of nowhere, startling Xiao Niu, who quickly withdrew his hands. Looking at the princess again, he saw she hadn't woken up. Xiao Niu swallowed hard, finally feeling relieved.

He sat back down, thinking, "Since I don't want to do anything, since I want to be a hero, I shouldn't be a pervert. I'll just wake her up. Let her do what she wants; I don't need her gratitude. I, Xiao Niu, just did what I wanted to do, and I don't know if it was right or wrong. Saving a life can't be wrong, right?"

Xiao Niu went out and got a ladle of cool water, put it in his mouth, and sprayed it several times on the princess's face. He thought, "If this isn't some kind of sleeping potion, she'll wake up soon." He had used this medicine himself before and was quite experienced.

Xiao Niu's plan was correct. He had just returned the ladle when he went back into the room and saw the princess already sitting up, her eyes bright and bewildered, clearly not understanding what had happened.

Upon seeing Xiao Niu, she trembled and asked, "Who are you? How did you get here? How did I get here? I don't remember being in the room just now." As she spoke, she touched her clothes, recalling her ordeal.

Xiao Niu laughed, not daring to get too close to her. Seeing her sit on the edge of the bed with one leg to the side, he knew she was alright and said, "My name is Wei Xiao Niu. I brought you here." By the candlelight, the princess's beauty and serene demeanor were even more captivating than when she was lying down.

The princess stared directly at Xiao Niu, her gaze unfriendly, and said, "You didn't do anything to me, did you?" As she spoke, the princess suddenly leaped in front of Xiao Niu, rubbing her fists together.

Xiao Niu gave a bitter smile and said, "My dear girl, it seems my rescue was completely unnecessary. I saw that boy defiling you, and I couldn't stand it, so I risked everything to save you. Instead of thanking me, you threatened me; it truly disheartens me. It seems being a good person isn't always an option." With that, Xiao Niu slumped into a chair, looking utterly dejected.

By instinct alone, the princess knew she hadn't been violated. She secretly rejoiced and smiled, saying, "Thank you so much. If no one had saved me, I might be finished. Alas, I never imagined that even disciples of reputable sects could be such hypocrites."

The princess's smile was as beautiful as a blooming peach blossom, captivating Xiao Niu, his eyes practically glued to him. Seeing Xiao Niu's behavior, the princess blushed and turned away, refusing to look at him.

Xiao Niu stood up, smiled, and said, "I'm so sorry, I just get a little nervous and spaced out when I see a pretty girl. Please don't take offense."

The princess asked demurely, "You must have seen many pretty girls, right?"

Xiao Niu replied, "I haven't seen many as pretty as you, miss." Hearing this, the princess was secretly pleased. Yes, no one dislikes hearing sweet words, especially from young and beautiful girls.

The princess turned to look at Xiao Niu and said, "You don't seem like a bad person. Looks like I'm really lucky today."

Xiao Niu smiled bitterly, "Don't even mention it. I'm so bad at fighting. That kid almost caught up with me. Hey, thank goodness."

The princess exclaimed, "I didn't expect you to be so amazing! You actually managed to shake off Meng Zixiong. He's not only good at fighting, but his magic is pretty good too."

Xiao Niu smiled slyly and said, "He's quite capable, but when it comes to cunning, he's still not as good as me. I can outsmart him as easily as playing with a monkey." Xiao Niu started bragging.

The princess smiled and said, "You're so skilled; it seems I'll have to learn from you a lot in the future."

Xiao Niu quickly replied, "I wouldn't dare. By the way, I haven't yet asked your name, young lady. I can't just call you 'you, you, you' like that, can I?"

The princess hesitated for a moment before saying, "My name is Zhu Yunfang, from Jinling."

Xiao Niu softly murmured "Oh," thinking to himself, "Perhaps this princess is the daughter of the King of Jinling they've been talking about. Judging from her appearance, it's quite possible. Heh, such a beauty—I wonder who will be fortunate enough to enjoy her in the future."

Xiao Niu nodded and said, "You wouldn't happen to be the daughter of the Prince of Jinling, would you?"

The princess smiled faintly and said, "So what if I am? A prince's daughter isn't any more great than anyone else. I'm just an ordinary person."

Xiao Niu repeatedly said he had heard so much about her, and then said, "It seems I'll have to call you Princess from now on."

The princess waved her hand and said, "You should just call me by my name; it sounds better that way. Too many people call me Princess."

Xiao Niu said cheerfully, "Sure. By the way, how did you become enemies with Meng Zixiong? Why did he want to kill you to silence you?"

Upon hearing this, the princess's face showed anger. After thinking for a while, she spoke to Xiao Niu, who fell into deep thought.

Episode 6, Chapter 3: Confession

Princess Yunfang said, "This fellow looks quite handsome, but his mouth is really foul."

Xiao Niu added, "Then he must have offended the princess with his words? I wonder what nonsense he's spouting."

The princess said resentfully, "Just thinking about it makes me uncomfortable. If he were in front of me, I'd chop him to pieces."

Xiao Niu chimed in, "That fellow is quite despicable, all that looks for nothing."

The princess looked at Xiao Niu with her bright eyes and asked: "You know him too? Has he ever offended you?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Niu slapped his thigh and deliberately said angrily, "That guy is a real scoundrel. My family runs a pharmacy in Hangzhou. Once, he got bitten by a dog and came to my pharmacy to get medicine, but he refused to pay. I argued with him, and he said he didn't have the money now and could pay later. I wouldn't let him go, and he threatened to kill me. My dad is kind-hearted, so he let him go. Afterwards, he told me that he just took pity on a dog that had fallen into the water." At this point, Xiao Niu couldn't help but chuckle. The princess found it amusing and chuckled, then asked, "Is what you're saying true?"

Xiao Niu replied earnestly, "Of course it's true! If you don't believe me, you can ask Meng Zixiong yourself when you see him. I'm afraid he's too proud to admit it. But he still has dog bite marks on his legs."

The princess said "Oh" twice, then added, "How could he do something like that? I must tell his junior sister about it when I get the chance."

Mentioning Tan Yueying stirred a feeling in Xiao Niu—a mixture of love and resentment, longing and hatred. She was the beauty he loved, yet she was forced to marry that scoundrel. What could he do? They were engaged. They were already in a relationship before he even met Yueying.

Now that he knew about Meng Zixiong's misdeeds, he couldn't let it go to waste. When he saw Yueying, he would definitely speak ill of Meng Zixiong. You little rascal, you're like a toad trying to eat swan meat! It's not that easy. I'll definitely break you two up.

Seeing that Xiao Niu suddenly fell silent, the princess asked, "What's wrong? Is something the problem?"

Xiao Niu waved his hand and smiled, "Nothing, nothing. I'm just surprised. I didn't expect a disciple of a prestigious sect to be so pathetic. Judging from his behavior, he should have joined an evil sect. By the way, you still haven't told me how that kid offended you."

The princess hesitated for a moment, then said, "That happened last year. Once, Meng Zixiong and his fellow disciples went to the wedding of a Shaolin lay disciple. I went with my fellow disciples too. The moment he saw me, his eyes widened. Unexpectedly, after drinking some wine at the banquet, he started gossiping about me to his fellow disciples, which someone overheard and told me. I was furious and wanted to duel him. That guy's words were so vile; I wouldn't be satisfied until I killed him." As she spoke, her breathing became rapid. Xiao Niu

quickly comforted her, "Princess, you don't need to be angry. There's no need to be angry with such a trashy man." As he spoke, Xiao Niu pulled his chair closer. He could tell that this princess, whom he had just met, had a rather good impression of him.

The princess bit her red lips and said, "If it weren't for the wedding, I would have fought with him that day. I thought I'd teach him a lesson after the wedding. But who knew he'd disappear afterward, leaving early. I wonder if he was afraid I'd come after him."

Xiao Niu was delighted and asked, "So, you just let him go like that?"

The princess replied, "Of course not. A few months later, I went to Laoshan specifically to wander around, and finally found him. He was coming down the mountain to buy something when I caught him red-handed. Without saying a word, I started fighting him. He apologized to me while fighting, and I didn't..." Ignore him, I just want to kill him. This guy's skills are alright, he's fought me for over a thousand rounds and hasn't lost yet. Just as I was gaining the upper hand, his senior brother Qin Yuan arrived. With two against one, I naturally couldn't gain the upper hand and had to retreat. "

Little Niu shouted, "That ugly bastard, he's always causing trouble, no wonder he's so old and still can't find a wife."

The princess asked curiously, "Do you know Qin Yuan too?"

Little Niu smiled and said, "I've met him a few times, but we're not very close."

The princess said calmly, "To be honest, this Qin Yuan is much better than Meng Zixiong, at least he can be considered a good person."

Little Niu thought to himself, whether Qin Yuan can be considered a good person is still uncertain. From his own perspective, he's not a good person either. Don't be fooled by the fact that he hasn't done anything particularly evil, he was the one who tried to steal Yue Lin from me. Just for that, I, Little Niu, would say he's not a good person.

Xiao Niu said, "Go on, I haven't finished yet."

The princess continued, "Ever since I failed to kill him that time, I've been waiting for another opportunity. This time I came to the foot of Laoshan Mountain again to see if I could wait for him. Fortunately, he came out to find his junior sister, and I spotted him. This time I didn't fight him directly, but instead gave him a heads-up, telling him to come find me outside the city. If he didn't, he would face the consequences. You know the rest, so I won't go into details. I never expected that he would not only try to kill me but also try to humiliate me. I must avenge this great grudge, and I will never let him off the hook."

Xiao Niu laughed and said, "If you want revenge, that's too easy. Do you really need to do it yourself?"

The princess stared intently at Xiao Niu, who felt a fragrant aroma wafting towards him, a wonderful feeling that made his heart itch. The princess asked, "What good ideas do you have for revenge?"

Xiao Niu chuckled, "Revenge ideas? One just pops into my head! They're easy, and quite satisfying."

The princess exclaimed happily, "Tell me quickly, I can't think of anything!"

Xiao Niu replied earnestly, "Aren't you the prince's daughter? You can use that to come up with an idea." As he spoke, Xiao Niu gave the princess a meaningful smile.

The princess immediately understood; Xiao Niu wanted her to use her father as a trump card. The princess frowned and said, "Although I am the prince's daughter, I don't want revenge this way. I want to vent my anger through my own abilities; that way, I can get revenge with dignity."

Xiao Niu said, "You really have a personality. As long as you achieve your goal, why worry about the means?"

The princess firmly stated, "That's just my character. I must be upright and honest; I don't want people gossiping about me."

Xiao Niu nodded and said, "I admire your character. It's a pity I can't do that. By the way, after all this talk, you still haven't told me what that brat was spouting nonsense about. I'm still completely clueless."

The princess bit her upper lip and said, "This guy told his fellow disciples that in terms of looks, I'm far inferior to his junior sister, Tan Yueying. A woman like me isn't even worthy of being his concubine." At this point, the princess's face changed.

Xiao Niu was furious and cursed, "Damn it, isn't that insulting? Who does he think he is? In my opinion, even if he were a eunuch, he wouldn't be fit to empty your chamber pot." Xiao Niu's anger wasn't entirely out of indignation for the princess; it was mainly because of Yueying.

The princess said, "Even you find it repulsive, let alone me, the victim. It's only right that I seek revenge."

Xiao Niu said, "Revenge should be taken slowly, not rashly. Dealing with this brat requires strategy. Killing him with a single blow would be too easy. We should torture him slowly, making him suffer."

The princess turned her beautiful eyes and said, "You've thought of everything more thoroughly than I have. So, what do you think I should do?"

Xiao Niu narrowed his eyes and asked, "What fatal weakness do you think Meng Zixiong has?"

The princess thought for a moment and said, "I'm not quite sure about that. I only know that his beloved is his junior sister, Tan Yueying."

Xiao Niu clapped his hands vigorously and said, "That's right! To strike at Meng Zixiong, we must start with Tan Yueying."

The princess asked again, "What do you plan to do?"

Xiao Niu stood up from his chair, leaned closer to the princess, and whispered, "I have an idea, but I don't know if it's brilliant."

The princess said, "Tell me about it."

Xiao Niu said righteously, "The best way to strike at him is to sow discord between Meng Zixiong and Tan Yueying." "Let Tan Yueying take the initiative to annul the engagement and leave him. Tell me, if Tan Yueying leaves Meng Zixiong, hehe, what will Meng Zixiong do?"

the princess slowly replied. "Given Meng Zixiong's love for Tan Yueying, if they separate, he'll be in so much pain he'll want to die. It'll be like a knife stabbing him in the heart."

Xiao Niu chuckled inwardly and said, "That's it! Let Tan Yueying abandon him, then challenge him to a duel. What fighting spirit will Meng Zixiong have then? He'll die a horrible death. He'll be like a lump of dough..." "How you mold it depends on your mood."

The princess nodded repeatedly, saying, "That's good, really good. Isn't it a bit too despicable? This kind of thing seems quite immoral."

Xiao Niu was anxious and said, "You say it's immoral? But when people are talking nonsense, they don't think about immorality. If they thought it was immoral, they shouldn't have said bad things about you in the first place. You can't be soft-hearted towards your enemies. Being kind to your enemies is being cruel to yourself." Xiao Niu was trying to smooth things over and adding fuel to the fire.

The princess blinked her beautiful eyes and said, "How can I sow discord between them?"

Xiao Niu replied, "It's very simple, don't overthink it. You just need to tell Tan Yueying what you know about how he hurt you, and Meng Zixiong will be doomed."

The princess said with great concern, "I've only met Tan Yueying a few times. Will she believe me? If she doesn't, all my efforts will have been in vain."

Xiao Niu hummed in agreement and said, "Let's discuss this further. By the way, which sect did you study under?"

The princess's answer startled Xiao Niu, and his first reaction was to turn and run.

The princess replied, "I studied under the Taishan Sect, and I've been studying there for over ten years." Upon hearing this, it would be strange if Xiao Niu didn't run away. He immediately thought of the annoying Yi Xuanzi and his two disciples who were like persistent flies.

Seeing Xiao Niu turn to run away, the princess found it strange and asked, "Wei Xiao Niu, why are you running? Do you think I'm going to eat people?"

Xiao Niu gave a bitter smile and said, "I'm not afraid you'll eat people, I'm afraid your Taishan Sect will eat people."

The princess was even more puzzled and asked, "Are you familiar with our Taishan Sect?"

Xiao Niu sighed and said, "I'm not familiar with anyone else in your Taishan Sect, but I'm very familiar with Yi Xuanzi."

The princess exclaimed, "You have dealings with him? He doesn't have a very good temper. Although he's my martial uncle, we haven't talked much."

Xiao Niu looked miserable and didn't sit down, but stood and continued... "My uncle-master," the princess said, "I'm truly impressed by him. He's captured me several times. If it weren't for my quick thinking, I would have been crushed to death long ago."

The princess stared at the little ox and said, "You haven't offended him, why would he want to kill you?"

The little ox clenched his fist excitedly and said, "Don't even mention it, I really want to cry. Tell me, do you know about the Black Bear Monster?"

The princess nodded and said, "I just heard about it. They say he has some kind of demonic sword, and everyone wants to steal it as a weapon. Whoever gets that thing can rule the world. Am I right?"

The little ox replied, "Mostly right." Then he recounted his grudges with Yi Xuanzi and the others.

The princess sighed, "How could they treat you like this? It's so unfair. The demonic blade isn't in your hands. If you're so capable, go find the Black Bear Monster. They shouldn't be making things difficult for you."

Xiao Niu shook his head, saying, "If everyone in your Mount Tai Sect were as understanding as you, I'd be thankful."

The princess smiled, saying, "It's rare for you to praise me like this. Many people say I'm unreasonable."

Xiao Niu sighed, saying, "Then they must not understand you. I think you're quite sensible and intelligent."

The princess smiled sweetly, saying, "Thank you for praising me like that. I'm really happy that you say that about me. If he could treat me as well as you do, I would be content." Saying this, her smile vanished, and she fell into deep thought.

Xiao Niu naturally asked, "Who does 'he' refer to?" He immediately realized that it must refer to her beloved. He had heard that she had a scholar-like lover, and she had run away from home and quarreled with her family for him.

The princess sighed a few times, her brows furrowed, and said, "I meant my family's tutor, though he doesn't teach anymore, of course."

Xiao Niu, observing her hesitant expression, became even more certain she was referring to her beloved, and said, "I've heard too, that you left home for love."

The princess smiled sadly and said, "I didn't expect such things to spread so quickly. People really do spread rumors. But I didn't have a falling out with my family, just some disagreements."

Xiao Niu smiled gently and said, "Princess, if you consider me a friend, could you tell me about your story? I'd really like to know your experience." The princess

glanced at him and said, "You saved me, you're my savior, so naturally I consider you a friend. But this is a personal matter, and it's really not easy to tell you. Telling you wouldn't be of much help anyway."

Xiao Niu smiled and said... "Then forget it. My purpose wasn't to pry into your privacy; I just wanted a beautiful girl like you to be happy."

The princess smiled and said, "Wei Xiaoniu, you really know how to talk. If my man could speak as well as you, that would be my good fortune."

Xiaoniu was naturally pleased by the praise and said, "From what you're saying, that man is your tutor, so he must be very learned. Since he's learned, he must be very eloquent. Although I, Xiaoniu, am not illiterate, my abilities are quite limited."

The princess looked away and sighed softly, "He is very learned, has read many books, and is quite capable, but he's too conservative in his thinking and not decisive enough in his actions. If he were as open-minded and courageous as you, we would have succeeded long ago."

Hearing the beautiful woman's praise, Xiaoniu's face beamed with joy. Being praised by a beautiful woman was an extraordinary honor. Xiao Niu said, "Love between two people isn't complicated at all. As long as you like him and he likes you, everything is easy. Even if there are obstacles, as long as the two of you are of one mind and work together, there's no difficulty you can't overcome."

The princess's eyes reddened as she listened, and she said, "Wei Xiao Niu, you're absolutely right

. Two people of one mind and working together, but he didn't try very hard, and that's why I've ended up like this." Saying this, the princess lowered her head, unwilling to continue. Seeing this, Xiao Niu felt a pang of jealousy. He couldn't bear to see beautiful women suffer. It made him uncomfortable.

Xiao Niu was very anxious and wanted to share her burdens, so he said, "Princess, you have to think more positively. We're still young, and we have a long road ahead of us."

The princess nodded and said, "Thank you. Your words have brightened my mood considerably. It's a blessing to know a friend like you."

Xiao Niu laughed and said, "I have many flaws, but I have one good point: I'm always optimistic. If you have any worries, just tell me, and I'll definitely help you see hope." The princess pondered for a moment

and said, "It's not that I can't see hope; the hope lies with him. As long as he can adjust his attitude, our chances of success will be much greater."

Xiao Niu said, "Oh, so the problem lies with him. That shouldn't be difficult. He's a man, and he's learned. With a little guidance, he should understand everything."

The princess squinted for a moment and said, "He always says that the distance between us is too great, that there's no hope at all, and that I should find someone else." As she said this, the princess's voice became a little choked up.

Xiao Niu was a little angry and said, "Does he like you or not?"

The princess answered without hesitation, "Of course he does."

Xiao Niu asked directly, "Did he tell you he liked you?"

The princess nodded and said, "He did, more than once. He was very serious at the time, and his voice was very clear. He also said that I was the only girl he liked."

Xiao Niu felt a little sour and said, "As long as you like each other, there's no problem."

The princess sighed, "But he said he's just an ordinary person, from a poor background, and not good enough for a princess like me. He said my father wouldn't marry me to him, so it's better not to mess around, lest you get hurt even more later." Xiao Niu snorted and

said, "What kind of talk is that? If you like someone, you should actively pursue them. As long as there's even a sliver of hope, you should never give up. If you give up, what kind of man are you? Such a man isn't worth loving."

The princess, gazing at the dark window, slowly said, "That day he said goodbye to me, saying we would never see each other again. He wished me to find a good man in the future. He even copied an ancient poem for me. I didn't cry when I read it, but after he left, I cried my eyes out."

"When he gave me the poem, I only glanced at it and said, 'You are a man. If you like me, you should persevere to the end. You can't give up halfway.'"

“It’s true he said he liked me, but our backgrounds are too different. The prince won’t marry me to him. I told him I would persuade my father to wait a few days before leaving. But he didn’t listen and left alone anyway. My heart was broken after he left. I really wish I had never met him. That way, I wouldn’t be so heartbroken.”

Xiao Niu thought for a moment and asked, “What do you like about him? What is it about him that moves you the most?” The princess recalled and said, “He’s a very kind and learned person, and he’s sincere. He knows martial arts and Taoist arts; he’s not just an ordinary bookworm. He’s a disciple 　　of Wudang

.”

Xiao Niu asked, “Then he must be good-looking too, right?”

Her face flushed slightly, and she said, "It's alright, not bad."

Little Niu asked, puzzled, "Since he's a Wudang disciple, he must be quite skilled. So why did he insist on teaching at your house? He should be able to unleash his potential in a wider world; that would be more fulfilling."

The princess explained, "One of my family members is his uncle. My younger brother needed a tutor that year, and his uncle recommended him. That's how I met him."

Little Niu commented, "He's so infuriating! If he really liked you, he should have fought tooth and nail for you, instead of constantly backing away. What does that make him? He's practically a coward..." At this point, Little Niu stopped abruptly, almost blurting out the word "coward."

The princess was a clever woman and naturally understood what Xiao Niu meant. With a hint of anger, she said, "I won't allow you to insult him like that. You don't know him; how could you possibly know his good qualities?"

Xiao Niu wasn't angry. He chuckled and said, "Princess, if you compare your beloved to me, I wonder if he's hundreds of times better than me?"

The princess turned to observe Xiao Niu for a moment and said, "Hundreds of times better is nonsense, but ten times better is definitely possible." Hearing this, Xiao Niu felt a little embarrassed.

Xiao Niu said defiantly, "Hearing you say that, I really want to meet this fellow and see what kind of outstanding person he is."

The princess said bluntly, "He is superior to you in many ways. I'm afraid you'll feel inferior after meeting him."

Xiao Niu laughed and said, "Absolutely not. I, Xiao Niu, have never felt inferior. Even if I stood in front of the emperor, I wouldn't feel that I was a head shorter than him."

The princess frowned and said, "You'd better not mention the emperor much in front of me. I really don't want to hear

about him." Xiao Niu blinked and asked, "That's strange. That emperor is, in a way, your cousin, right? Why do you sound like you don't care much for him?"

The princess whispered, "I don't want to have such an emperor cousin. What can a lecherous drunkard accomplish? If I were a man, if I were in that position, I would definitely be much better than him." Here, the princess waved her hand and said, "Forget it, let's not talk about him anymore. Just mentioning him makes me angry. He's not young anymore, and they're selecting beauties for the palace soon. At this rate, he probably won't live past forty."

Xiao Niu grinned and said, "If the emperor heard you say that, he'd be furious."

The princess snorted, "So what if he's angry? Do you think I'm afraid of him? By the way, after talking for so long, where are you going?"

Xiao Niu thought it best not to tell her his plans, so he said, "I'm planning to go see the sea; I'm bored at home. What about you? Where are you going?"

The princess said, "I'm going to Jiao County to find him. That's where he lives. I must help him cheer up."

Xiao Niu looked at her with pity and said, "I hope heaven has eyes and your dream comes true."

The princess smiled, a bright smile, and said, "I hope you can also marry a good wife soon." After saying this, the princess slept in Xiao Niu's bed, and Xiao Niu had to sleep on the table. Needless to say, he slept very uncomfortably.

The next morning, the princess noticed that Xiao Niu's eyes were red and knew he hadn't slept well. She said, "I'm so sorry, you suffered last night."

Xiao Niu wiped his eyes, trying to appear strong, and said, "It's alright, it's alright. A good rest tonight will do the trick."

After breakfast, Xiao Niu said to the princess, "We can still travel a bit further together, let's set off now." The princess said,

"We have to wait a bit, my horse is still at another inn, and I have some things

to take." Xiao Niu immediately said, "That's easy, I'll go get them for you."

The princess agreed, saying, "Alright then, it's not far anyway, we can go after we get our things." Then, the two settled their accounts, retrieved the princess's belongings, and set off eastward.

Xiao Niu rode his clumsy horse, while the princess rode a chestnut horse, exceptionally fine and clearly no ordinary steed. The princess was beautiful, and with such a fine horse, her elegance was even more captivating.

After riding for a while, they rested, and Xiao Niu stared blankly at the princess. The princess, puzzled, said, "What's wrong with you? You're like a dazed crane. Did you have a nightmare last night and get a shock?"

Xiao Niu smiled and said, "I didn't have a nightmare, but I did have some romantic dreams. I think you're very beautiful. People say you're naturally beautiful, like a flower in full bloom—that's what you're like."

The princess smiled slightly and said, "I'm just an ordinary girl. There are many girls prettier than me. Not to mention others, even my stepmother is prettier than me."

Xiao Niu sat down on a rock and said, "People say you and your stepmother are the most beautiful in Jinling City. Is that true?"

The princess leaned against a tree, her face languid, and said, "Generally speaking, it's true." "Well, my stepmother is fairer and more voluptuous than me. I've always thought I'm inferior to her."

Xiao Niu comforted her, "Don't think like that. After all, you're a young girl, and she's a young woman. They each have their own strengths."

The princess smiled at him and said, "Being with you makes me feel very relaxed and peaceful. I don't have that feeling of gain or loss. I'm so happy to have a friend like you."

Xiao Niu chuckled, "I never make friends with beautiful women; I only treat them as wives. If you want to be one, you can sign up. If you wait too long, someone else will snatch her up."

The princess laughed heartily, her laughter as bright as spring sunshine, and it took her a long time to stop. Xiao Niu was practically smitten. He couldn't help but compare her to Yue Lin and Yue Ying, and found that they were like spring orchids and autumn chrysanthemums, each with their own strengths. Yue Lin is warm and bright, Yue Ying is cold and glamorous, and the princess is delicate and noble. If the three of them stood together, they would definitely be comparable.

The princess stopped laughing and said, "You're joking. Back in Jinling, countless people came to my house every day to propose marriage. My steward was so busy his legs were practically weak. My father was afraid to stay home because of all the people bothering him. Although there were countless suitors and they came from all walks of life, without exception, they were all sons of officials or wealthy merchants. Some of them were quite outstanding and respectable, but I didn't like any of them." As she said this, her expression became serious.

Xiao Niu hummed in agreement and said, "I understand. You already have someone in your heart, so naturally you can't stand other men. But whether this man is truly worthy of your love, I think you really need to think about it carefully. If he truly loves you, he should be willing to do anything for you, even risk his life. I'm not trying to discourage you, but judging from his attitude towards you, I think there's something wrong with him. Once you find him, you must act cautiously. If it really doesn't work out, there's no need to force it. There are plenty of men in this world; you have plenty of choices. If you really can't find a good man to marry, you can consider me." Xiao Niu laughed as he said this.

The princess also laughed and said, "When you're the only man in the world, I'll consider you. Even if there's an old man standing next to you, lame and mute, I'll consider him first." As she spoke, the princess covered her mouth with laughter.

Xiao Niu's joke had brightened the princess's mood considerably. In a better mood, she carefully examined Xiao Niu. This time, she looked closely and saw his charm for the first time. Judging from his appearance, height, and build, he was a standard young man; while not exactly handsome, he was certainly attractive enough to young women.

Seeing the princess looking at him like that, Xiao Niu smiled and said, "Princess, if you've taken a liking to me, hurry up and say so. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

The princess nodded seriously and said, "Your appearance is alright. I'd be satisfied if you were my groom or attendant." Xiao Niu laughed heartily, thinking to himself, "So this princess has a cheerful side too. She's quite approachable, unlike typical noble ladies who look down on ordinary people like us." After

resting enough, the two continued their journey. As they passed a large mountain, the princess glanced at it thoughtfully, then said, "You know, there are bandits on this mountain, but it doesn't matter. It's daytime; they probably won't dare to come out and do evil."

Xiao Niu also looked at the mountain, patted his chest, and said, "Even if the bandits do come out, we're not afraid. I've got you covered. My skills aren't great, but they're more than enough to deal with some small-time bandits."

As they walked on, they suddenly heard the sound of drums from halfway up the mountain, ringing out incessantly, followed by the mournful sound of horns. The two exchanged a glance, thinking, "How accurate!

They predicted the bandits would appear right away." Before they could think further, a group of about a hundred men rushed out of the dense green forest. They were dressed in blue robes and all carried weapons. The two leaders were a towering figure, one as tall as a pillar, and the other as short as a monkey. The shorter man carried a large bow on his back; it was unclear whether he could even draw it.

The short fellow stood in the middle of the road, blocking their way, raised his broadsword, and shouted at Xiao Niu and the princess, "This road is mine, this mountain is mine, if you want to pass, leave your toll!"

The tall man held his long sword across his chest and yelled, "Enough nonsense, hand over the money!"

The princess smiled but remained silent, while Xiao Niu laughed loudly and said, "You two think you can stop us? Dream on!"

Upon hearing this, the henchmen behind the two began to shout and yell, clearly embarrassed by Xiao Niu's words. The tall man shouted, "You brat, you're asking for death! This time I don't want money, I'll beat you to a pulp!" With that, he charged towards Xiao Niu.

Not to be outdone, Xiao Niu drew his single-edged sword, dismounted, and said to the princess, "You keep watch for me, and see how I deal with him."

The princess warned, "Be careful, this tall guy seems quite skilled."

Xiao Niu winked at her, smiled, and then leaped forward, engaging the tall guy in combat. The tall guy wasn't particularly strong, but his swordsmanship was excellent; each move was precise and skillful, the tip of his sword frequently threatening Xiao Niu's vitals.

Xiao Niu wasn't bad either, using his agility to fight back with ease. The two leaped and slid across the battlefield, kicking up dust, and for a time, it was difficult to determine a winner.

The short guy, growing impatient, took out his large bow from behind, nocked an arrow, and said, "Boy, catch this!" With a whoosh, the arrow shot towards Xiao Niu's back like a meteor. At that moment, Xiao Niu had his sword above his head, blocking the tall guy's strike, and was completely unable to move. If he withdrew his sword, he would be cleaved in two, like cutting a watermelon.

Just as Xiao Niu was in dire straits, the princess said sweetly, "Xiao Niu, don't panic, I'll help you." With that, the princess leaped off her horse, picked up a leaf, and flicked it. The leaf was very light, but in the princess's hand, it seemed to have weight. The leaf, like a pebble, was faster than the arrow, hitting it precisely and sending it flying far away. The short man was stunned for a moment, but then he fired three more arrows in quick succession, one after another, aimed at the princess's vitals from above, middle, and below.

The princess shouted "Good!" and spun around like a top, creating a gust of wind that blew the arrows away. Everyone was dumbfounded. They knew they had encountered a master today.

The short man was quite perceptive and knew he wouldn't gain any advantage today. He wisely ordered a retreat. The drums sounded, and the tall man jumped out of the circle without a word, then ran off with the short man and his men. In the blink of an eye, the road returned to its previous tranquility.

Little Niu wiped the sweat from his brow

and approached the princess, saying, "Princess, thank you so much. If you hadn't intervened, I, Little Niu, would have been finished." The princess smiled and said, "Your skills are not bad, but they're just martial arts. No matter how good martial arts are, they can't compare to magic. If you master magic, you can roam the martial world freely and never have to suffer the wrath of others again."

Little Niu said, "You're absolutely right. I'm just about to work on that. By the way, how did you knock down those three arrows?"

The princess replied, "It's very simple. The Laoshan Sect has the Samadhi True Fire, right? I just transformed it into wind."

Little Niu only half understood, nodding blankly, thinking to himself, "When I master these skills, who will I be afraid of?" I will never again be bullied like a chick caught by an eagle. Nor will I be humiliated like a dumpling tied up. A man should be self-reliant, and one day I, Xiao Niu, will hold my head high.

After their contest, Xiao Niu discovered for the first time that the princess's skills were extraordinary, far beyond those of ordinary noblewomen. He thought to himself, "She's not only beautiful, but also incredibly capable; she's truly a captivating beauty. Hey, if I could get her as my son-in-law, that would be so exhilarating!"

Along the way, the two chatted and laughed, not feeling lonely at all. When they reached the crossroads of Jiao County, Xiao Niu felt a pang of reluctance to part. Although they hadn't spent much time together, the princess's image was already imprinted in Xiao Niu's heart.

Xiao Niu and the princess dismounted and stood at the crossroads, gazing at the road in the distance. Xiao Niu asked, "Princess, does your man live here?"

The princess pointed to a house in the distance and said, "His home is over there. I don't know if he's come home. If he hasn't, I don't know where to go."

Xiao Niu looked away, focusing on the princess's face, and said, "Princess, even if he really has come home, will he satisfy you?"

The princess sighed deeply and said, "I don't know either. I've tried my best. After he left my home, I specifically spoke with my father, begging him to let me marry the person I love."

Xiao Niu guessed, "No need to say more, your father definitely won't agree."

The princess nodded, "That's right. My father indeed flew into a rage, saying that he, a poor schoolteacher, is not good enough for me. He said that with my status and such good qualities, I will definitely find a man who is one in a million."

Xiao Niu said, "Since you've given your heart to him, you naturally won't give up easily."

The princess replied, "That's right. I disagree with my father's opinion, saying that that person will definitely be successful. I'm determined to marry him; I don't want to marry anyone else in this life."

Xiao Niu frowned, "Don't even mention it; your father will definitely glare at you, and might even scold you."

The princess shook her head . "It wasn't just scolding me. He's always been very kind to me, but this time, because of my stubbornness, my father almost hit me. At my stepmother's urging, he locked me up. He knows I'm good at martial arts, so he had several experts guard my door, afraid I'd run away. But he doesn't know that besides martial arts, I also know magic. How could my house possibly hold me? That very night, I used earth-遁术 (earth-遁术, a type of magic that allows one to escape) to get out of the house, and even managed to get one of our best horses out. My father won't be able to catch me so easily. He doesn't yet know how capable his daughter is." At this point, the princess showed a smug expression, but there wasn't a truly happy smile.

Xiao Niu sighed, "It seems you can't go home for now. You'll have to wait until your father calms down."

The princess sighed again, saying, "What good will it do if he calms down? I won't be happy even if I go back. I'm really afraid the person I love will lose the courage to marry me again. I really envy you; you're always so cheerful and carefree. I don't live as carefree as you."

Xiao Niu grinned and said, "Every family has its own troubles. You haven't seen me with a long face yet. I also have many worries, but my worries..." "You came quickly, and you left quickly. You'll understand when you get to know me better."

The princess gazed into the distance for a moment, then turned to the calf and said, "Although we've only known each other for a short time, I already consider you a good friend."

The calf nodded and said, "Me too. I think you're very outstanding. I really hope to see you again soon. I wonder where I'll find you when I think of you?"

The princess forced a smile and said, "If fate allows, we will meet again. Alright, I won't say any more; I have to go." With that, she jumped onto her horse and waved to the calf.

Xiao Niu waved his hand and said finally, "Princess, as long as you try your best, don't worry even if you don't achieve your goal. Believe in your abilities and believe that you will have a better life in the future."

The princess said okay, ran a few steps, and then turned back and said, "When you see me next time, I may already be with him. At that time, I will introduce you to each other, and I will definitely let you know how much worse you are than him."

Xiao Niu smiled with narrowed eyes and said, "I look forward to that day." The princess smiled, spurred her horse and rode away. Looking at the princess's majestic and graceful figure, Xiao Niu felt a deep sense of loss. He really didn't know when he would be able to see this beauty again.

Soon, at dusk that day, Xiao Niu had arrived near Laoshan. He stopped his horse and looked at the mountain he had longed for. On this mountain lived three beauties he had been thinking about day and night. Thinking about meeting them soon, Xiao Niu's heart was about to jump out of his stomach.

He did not go up the mountain immediately, but first found an inn to stay in. He was already pondering what clothes he should wear and how he should ascend the mountain the next day. As soon as he finished dinner, Xiao Niu started thinking about this. This was the place he had always wanted to learn martial arts. He wondered what kind of person the sect leader, whom he had cuckolded, was, and whether he would even take him in.

After resting for a while, he went out for a stroll, enjoying the fresh air. He seemed to smell the fragrance emanating from the beautiful women. Recalling his unusual connections with them, Xiao Niu was almost intoxicated. He was most interested in Yueying. This wasn't because she was the most beautiful, nor because he had the deepest feelings for her, but mainly because he had already obtained the other two, and this one was still unattainable, thus making her more valuable.

Returning to the inn, Xiao Niu locked himself in his room, lost in thought. He wondered, should I go up the mountain tomorrow? If I do, what gift should I buy? He also wondered if the sect leader's birthday celebration was over.

After thinking for a long time, he still couldn't come up with a satisfactory answer. With nothing to do, Xiao Niu opened the window and gazed at the twinkling stars. He couldn't help but think of his hometown. Naturally, he also thought of his family—his father, stepmother, and Xiao Xiu and Tian Niu—all whom he missed dearly.

After a while, Xiao Niu turned off the light and crawled into bed. Before he even fell asleep, he heard a knocking sound at the window, a soft but clear thud.

Xiao Niu sat up and asked, "Who is it?"

A voice replied, "It's Jiang Yuelin. Don't you recognize me?"

Xiao Niu's heart skipped a beat, and Yuelin's bright face immediately appeared before his eyes. Yes, it was her voice—gentle yet warm.

Xiao Niu was overjoyed and jumped out of bed, saying, "I'm coming!" He opened the window. A figure swiftly landed on the floor, as light as a swallow. Before he could even light the lamp, a soft body had already rushed into his arms.

Xiao Niu was so excited that he hugged her tightly and said, "I've been so worried about you! I really wanted to see you right away. How did you know I was here?"

Yue Lin replied, "As soon as you arrived near Laoshan, our people spotted you. My master's wife was overjoyed to hear you were here and almost came herself. But because my master was with her today, she couldn't get away, so she asked me to come see you first and tell you what I needed to say."

Xiao Niu smiled and said, "I didn't expect your Laoshan Sect to be so well-informed. I was just wondering how I was going to get up the mountain tomorrow. It's so good that you're here; you really have to teach me some common sense." As he spoke, Xiao Niu released Yue Lin and lit the candles.

In the candlelight, Yue Lin was wearing a black, fitted outfit, her chest prominent and her waist slender, her figure alluring. Her face was still so beautiful and youthful, her eyes radiating joy and tenderness. Yes, how could she not be happy to see her beloved?

Xiao Niu sat down beside her on the edge of the bed and said, "Sister Jiang, what did Master's wife ask you to come here for? Did she tell you to sleep with me?" As he spoke, Xiao Niu's eyes swept over Yue Lin's body, his expression lecherous.

Yuelin pushed Xiaoniu's hand away, saying, "Go away, go away! You're not saying nice things as soon as we meet. You'd better behave yourself when you get to the mountain. It's not as casual as outside; the rules there are very strict."

Xiaoniu grabbed Yuelin's hand tightly and said, "Don't worry, I'm not unreasonable. Once I get to the mountain, I'll definitely become the most honest and obedient disciple."

Yuelin smiled and said, "That's truly a blessing. If you don't disgrace our Laoshan sect, my master will be burning incense in gratitude." Xiaoniu chuckled

and said, "I don't think I'm as bad as you make me out to be. By the way, has your master agreed to let me join the sect?"

Yuelin shook her head and said, "I don't know about that. You should ask your master's wife yourself. But according to my analysis, the chances of success are extremely high. Didn't I tell you before? In our Laoshan sect, your master's wife's words carry more weight than your master's wife's."

Xiaoniu nodded and said, "That puts my mind at ease."

Yuelin instructed, "After we go up the mountain, don't act too friendly with me. Otherwise, you'll cause me trouble."

Xiao Niu laughed, "Don't worry, I won't cause you any trouble. By the way, has your master's birthday celebration passed?"

Yuelin replied, "It has, but that's good, you can spend less money."

Xiao Niu said, "The money that needs to be spent still can't be saved. I have something to ask you, Sister Jiang, I hope you're not lying to me."

Yuelin blinked her beautiful eyes and asked, "What's the big deal? You're making it sound so serious."

Xiao Niu said, "That day in Chang'an, I was captured, and you went to rescue me but couldn't find anyone. I want to know, how did you know I was out of danger?"

Yuelin tapped his forehead with her finger and scolded, "Who told you to be so incompetent? You were taken care of so easily. If this gets out, I'll lose face." "If they knew the man I, Jiang Yuelin, had chosen was so incompetent, I would be so embarrassed."

Xiao Niu comforted her, "We can learn skills slowly, thankfully I, Xiao Niu, am still young. There's no rush to learn anything. Oh, you haven't answered my question yet."

Yuelin said, "There's no need to ask that. My senior sister came to find me and told me she had rescued you. My heart was finally at ease."

Xiao Niu blinked and said, "I also find it strange. Since you already knew I was safe, why didn't you wait for me to come back so we could leave together?"

Yuelin said "Oh" twice and said, "So that's what you're talking about. It's necessary to tell you this, I hope you won't be angry after hearing it."

Xiao Niu replied, "Don't worry. I won't be angry, how could I be angry with you? We're husband and wife now."

Hearing this, Yuelin began to explain the reason without any reservations.

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