The silent mountain forest was torn apart by the steadily approaching sound of galloping hooves.
Once deep in the woods, the carriage could no longer proceed.
Shen Youran was pulled from a hidden compartment and thrown onto a horse’s back.
She bent forward, the horses’ hooves splashing mud and leaves onto her face.
Snowflakes felt like countless icy needles piercing her hands.
She endured silently, her clenched fists occasionally loosening, and several white crane feathers drifted from her palms, mingling with the snow around her.
As they traveled, Youran heard them speaking in an accent unlike that of the capital.
She couldn’t catch much but heard something about “a tail following” and plans to “deal with the tail.”
She dared not open her eyes, afraid they would realize she was feigning unconsciousness and unable to accept that she had been kidnapped.
How unlucky could she be?
Why was it her who encountered such misfortune?
If it hadn’t been snowing today, if she hadn’t insisted on sending Liang Qingluo home, if she hadn’t detoured to check on her mother at Lu Manor, none of this would have happened.
Qingjian was highly skilled in martial arts, but four fists could overpower two.
The attackers were more than four—over a dozen vicious bandits beat him mercilessly.
She had seen Qingjian stabbed repeatedly until he could no longer fight back.
She jumped from the carriage to stop them but was knocked unconscious.
Upon waking, she was trapped in a cramped compartment before being thrown onto a horse.
What had happened to Qingjian?
The story ended there, with an invitation to read the continuation on the app.
Qingjian was gravely injured, stabbed multiple times.
Had any passerby found him in time?
Could he survive?
And what of Youran, brought into this den of bandits?
Could she return unharmed?
After endless jolting on horseback, the rider finally pulled the reins tight, stopping.
They threw her into a room, tied her hands and feet tightly, then left.
Once alone, Youran carefully opened her eyes.
Before her was a crude mud-brick room with rough walls, a rickety wooden table, and a broken wooden bed.
The smell of earth, old wood, and dampness filled the air.
The boarded-up window leaked cold snow and wind, chilling the room.
Thankfully, the bandits had not taken her crane cloak, or she would have frozen.
Her hands were bound behind her back, ankles tied with coarse hemp rope.
She tried struggling but her strength was insufficient.
Even if she escaped, she couldn’t flee this bandit den.
Better to die sooner or later…
Just as she silently lamented her fate, footsteps approached.
She closed her eyes, resigned.
The battered wooden door creaked open, letting in cold wind and snow.
Footsteps came closer, and soon someone sat heavily on the bed.
Youran tried to suppress her fear, but cold sweat broke out on her back.
A hand touched her face, gentle but nauseating.
She trembled but allowed them to wipe her face.
Suddenly, the hand paused, grasped her chin, turning her face about.
A heavy breath exhaled.
Then the grip released, and the man stormed out, slamming the door shut.
In a hidden small courtyard deep in the forest, bandits returned on horseback.
They eagerly entered the main hall to share hot wine and warm themselves by the fire.
These bandits had drifted north from the south, changing locations after every major crime.
They had lingered too long in the capital and now planned to leave after this big job.
Kidnapping the Pei Family’s Seventh Young Madam was Lu Yi’s idea.
The Pei Family was wealthy, and the Third Young Master was a powerful merchant.
They demanded 100,000 taels ransom, and if the money came, they would disappear and live peacefully under new names.
But even if they got the ransom, they didn’t plan to return the captive.
When planning this, Lu Yi had made a deal: the ransom money was his cut, but he wanted the captive alive.
A woman was no big deal to them; with money, beautiful women could be found anywhere.
Having successfully kidnapped the target, half the plan was done.
Now they only waited for the Pei Family’s ransom.
In the dim candlelight, the hall smelled of strong liquor and roasting meat.
Some enjoyed their drink, relieved to leave the constant danger behind.
Others tended to the Second Boss’s wounds.
The Second Boss cursed the day’s attendant, calling him a seasoned fighter who had defeated two of their brothers despite facing a dozen attackers.
He himself had been stabbed.
Lu Yi emerged from an eastern room, his face dark as he entered the hall.
He spoke to the man who had been bandaged: “Second Boss, you got the wrong person.”
The hall fell silent.
“How is that possible?” the Second Boss stood abruptly, cursing.
“It was the Pei Family carriage, the girl in the crane cloak. I kidnapped the person according to your information!”
“Who was it then?” the man seated at the head of the table slammed a ceramic bowl down, spilling wine.
His heavy voice carried through the hall.
That was the Da Dangjia.
Lu Yi confirmed that the person visiting Lu Manor this afternoon was indeed Shen Yunshu, but why Shen Youran had appeared in that alley was unknown.
But it was clear they had kidnapped the wrong person.
Lu Yi had originally planned to use them to extort ransom by secretly hiding Yunshu and faking her death to keep her to himself.
He never expected such a sure plan to fail.
Though furious, Da Dangjia was more concerned about the ransom.
“If she’s also a Pei Family Eldest Young Madam, who cares about older or younger sisters? As long as the Pei Family pays the ransom, that’s fine.”
Lu Yi urged, “Da Dangjia, I want the Pei Family’s Seventh Young Madam!”
“Make do,” Da Dangjia sneered.
“Last time you had us kidnap for you, we lost three brothers. Now two more. You want us to kidnap again?”
His dark eyes glinted threateningly.
“Lu Yi, if the ransom doesn’t come, you’re responsible for these brothers.”
Working with these bandits was like bargaining with a tiger—one slip and you’d be eaten.
Lu Yi knew it was hopeless to get Shen Yunshu back and sat quietly.
Da Dangjia glanced at him.
“That girl you brought back, do you want her or not?”
Lu Yi shook his head helplessly.
“No. When the ransom arrives, release her.”
“Release her?” the Second Boss mocked.
“She looks perfect. Lu Gongzi, are you sure?”
Lu Yi once thought of using Shen Youran as a substitute, but the real one was still alive.
If he returned Shen Youran, it could be treated as a simple ransom case.
If he hid her, once the truth emerged, he’d have no defense.
“No, Second Boss. I advise you not to have any dirty thoughts.”
He saw the Second Boss was a lecher who, having been holed up here so long, was naturally lusting after a beauty.
“Her father is the Minister of Revenue, her husband oversees military affairs in the Shumi Yuan. Just take the ransom and release her. No trouble.”
“Where’s your mind at?”
The Second Boss was caught but shamelessly denied it, smiling and turning to Da Dangjia.
“Big Brother, our Lu Ge’er will be seventeen after New Year. Should we get him a wife? This girl looks good.”
“That won’t do,” Lu Yi quickly stopped him.
“She’s the Minister’s daughter and already married.”
Married?
Doesn’t matter, the Second Boss scoffed, “She’s the prettiest girl I’ve seen in years. Lu Ge’er would love her.”
“Second Boss, you…”
Lu Yi began to protest but was cut off by Da Dangjia.
“I like the idea. We never planned to return her. Since you don’t want her, she can be our boy’s wife.”
“Da Dangjia…”
Lu Yi said nothing more.
“Done deal!”
Da Dangjia waved them off, then scanned the room.
“Where’s Lu Ge’er? Go get him…”
Someone went out to fetch Lu Ge’er.
Soon, a youth dressed in coarse cloth and wolf fur entered.
Though the wind had reddened and cracked his skin, a glimpse of the pale neck beneath his collar and his delicate features clashed with the coarse men in the hall.
If not for his wild, sharp eyes, he might have seemed like a lost rabbit among wolves.
He was indeed holding a plump gray rabbit.
Snowflakes clung to his warm headband.
He raised the rabbit excitedly.
“Father, Second Father, I caught a rabbit on the mountain today. We’ll roast it later…”
“Forget dinner for now. Come here; Father has good news.”
The youth approached.
“What is it?”
“We kidnapped a girl, beautiful as can be. After dinner, you’ll wash up and marry her tonight…”
At this, everyone laughed except Lu Yi.
The youth was confused.
“Father, Second Father, why suddenly kidnap a wife for me?”
The Second Boss explained, “Originally for your elder brother. We also wanted ransom but kidnapped the wrong girl. Since Lu Yi doesn’t want her, we shouldn’t waste her…”
As they spoke, two men entered.
“Da Dangjia, Second Boss, we caught the tail that followed us. We planned to kill them but one claimed to be the Pei Family Seventh Young Master. We dared not act rashly and brought them back, now locked in the dismantled house.”
“Ha!”
The Second Boss laughed, clutching his wound.
“We worried about kidnapping the wrong person and the Pei Family not paying. Now, though we didn’t get the Seventh Young Madam, the Pei Family’s Seventh Young Master came to us.”
Da Dangjia looked at Lu Yi.
“Have you met Pei Qi Lang?”
Lu Yi nodded, “Yes.”
Da Dangjia stood.
“Let’s go identify them…”
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