The abstinent and powerful minister is cold and aloof during the day, but he adores her in his dream

Chapter 101 Reputation... Ruined

Liu Niang snorted coldly, "What do you want? That Lu fellow captured my brothers, so naturally I'm going to exchange you for them!" With that, she struck Zhi Wan on the back with the back of her knife and said fiercely, "Stop talking nonsense and get out of here!"

The excruciating pain caused Zhiwan to cry out, and she staggered, almost falling over.

"Chen Jiu!" Upon seeing this, Granny Fang's eyes widened in fury as she glared fiercely at Chen Jiu, who stood by and did nothing. "You just stood by and watched your cousin be bullied?"

Chen Jiu snorted coldly and said indifferently, "What does it have to do with me? Lu Zhan was ruthless first, why should I be his lackey?"

Granny Fang was so angry that she was about to rush up and scratch him, but Liu Niang kicked her to the ground. "Old woman, if you don't want to die, get the hell away from me!"

Granny Fang struggled to get up, but couldn't get up for a long time, and a trickle of blood flowed from the corner of her mouth.

"Granny Fang!" Zhiwan cried out in panic, but was slapped across the face by Liu Niang. "Shut up! If you make another sound, I'll kill you right now!"

"Miss!" Shuang'er roared and charged at Liu Niang, "I'll fight you to the death!"

"Shuang'er, go back quickly!" Zhiwan shouted hurriedly, ignoring the pain on her face.

Just as Liu Niang was about to kill Shuang'er, Chen Jiu suddenly stepped forward and delivered a swift chop, knocking Shuang'er unconscious.

"Alright, don't delay the important matter!" Chen Jiu reminded Liu Niang impatiently.

Liu Niang then gave up and, holding Zhi Wan hostage, walked forward.

Zhiwan glanced worriedly at Fang Mama and Shuang'er, who were lying on the ground, and tried her best to calm herself down. "Liu Niang, it's no use for you to hold me hostage. My cousin has always been heartless and won't release your people just because of me."

“That’s not necessarily true. You’re so beautiful, I’ve never seen anyone like you in my life. Not to mention men, even I, a woman, am very attracted to you. I don’t believe that the man surnamed Lu can just stand by and watch his beautiful little cousin die innocently!” Liu Niang said confidently.

Zhiwan frowned and didn't say anything more, but her palms were constantly sweating.

After the fierce battle, the fighting has now subsided, and many corpses lie scattered on the deck. Judging from their attire, these dead were probably bandits.

Some of the seriously wounded guards were sitting or lying on the ground, groaning.

Zhiwan couldn't bear to look at it and turned her head away, unable to guess what her cousin and Chen Jiu were up to.

Now that the bandits have been captured, why is Chen Jiu still following Liu Niang around? What exactly are Chen Jiu and his cousin plotting?
Before long, Liu Niang and Chen Jiu stopped.

Zhiwan looked up and saw Lu Zhan and Duan Ling standing in the firelight ahead, with a group of guards and several bandits behind them, who were tied up and pressed to the ground.

"Lu Zhan, if you don't want your beautiful cousin to die by my blade, then release my brothers!" Liu Niang shouted, pressing the knife against Zhi Wan's neck, leaving no doubt that she really intended to kill her.

Although Zhiwan was terrified, she did not utter a sound.

At this moment, Lu Zhan's cold and ruthless voice rang out, "What does her life or death have to do with me?"

Standing beside him, Duan Ling glanced at him in astonishment, "Old Lu..."

Lu Zhan remained unmoved, his face expressionless.

Seeing this, Liu Niang frowned, then sneered, "Do you really think I wouldn't dare to kill her?" As soon as she finished speaking, she suddenly kicked Zhi Wan's leg hard.

Zhiwan cried out in pain and knelt on the ground, her face deathly pale.

Duan Ling clenched his fists in anger and couldn't help but take two steps forward, but Lu Zhan remained unmoved.

Liu Niang grabbed Zhi Wan's chin and said fiercely, "You keep shouting until your cousin softens and saves you!"

Zhiwan bit her lip and glared coldly at her. "You might as well kill me!" "You've got some backbone!" Liu Niang was furious. She grabbed Zhiwan's hair and slapped her face with the back of her knife. She said to Lu Zhan, "Such a beautiful cousin, are you really willing to let her die? Fine, with her buried with me, my brothers won't be lonely on their way to the underworld!" With that, she raised her knife and slashed at Zhiwan.

"stop!"

Lu Zhan suddenly stopped him.

Liu Niang raised her eyebrows. "I knew it. It would be a shame if such a beautiful cousin died."

Lu Zhan remained silent, but a chilling killing intent surged between his calm brows. Suddenly, he drew his sword and severed the ropes binding several bandits.

The bandits, now free, rushed toward Liu Niang.

Liu Niang said with satisfaction, "Lord Lu is very helpful. Please arrange another boat for me so that we can leave here safely."

Lu Zhan turned his head and gave a few instructions, and someone immediately went to make arrangements.

"I have made the arrangements as you instructed. Can the person be released now?" Lu Zhan's voice was icy.

"What's the rush? We'll release them once we're safely on the ship!" Liu Niang sneered, her knife pressed tightly against Zhi Wan's neck, not daring to loosen her grip for a moment.

Before long, the people below had arranged the boats.

Liu Niang pulled Zhi Wan up, held a knife to her throat, and shouted at Lu Zhan, "Don't try anything funny, or I can't guarantee I won't accidentally kill your pretty cousin!"

Duan Ling cursed angrily and said coldly, "You better promise not to hurt her, or all of you will die!"

Liu Niang glanced at him disdainfully, then pulled Zhi Wan along and quickly walked down to the lower cabin.

Chen Jiu, along with several other bandits, hurriedly followed.

After boarding the small boat, Liu Niang smiled and said to Lu Zhan, who was standing on the large boat, "Thank you for your kindness, Lord Lu. Don't worry, I will definitely return your little cousin to you!" After saying that, she laughed heartily and ordered the people below to set sail quickly.

Lu Zhan stood on the boat against the wind, the river wind making his cloak flutter. His handsome face was shrouded in darkness, revealing no emotion, but his dark eyes were fixed on the small boat that was gradually moving away.

"Old Lu, are you really going to let Cousin Zhiwan go with them? If we do that, even if we manage to rescue her, her reputation will be ruined. How are you going to explain that to your aunt?" Duan Ling said anxiously, when suddenly a loud "thud" came from afar.

Before he could react, he saw Lu Zhan quickly take off his cloak, push off the gunwale with one foot, and leap into the river.

"Old Lu!" Duan Ling shouted in terror.

"It's Miss Zhiwan! Those people threw her into the river!" a guard explained.

Duan Ling stared intently and saw someone struggling in the river in the distance, while Lu Zhan quickly swam in that direction.

"Damn it!" Duan Ling roared, ordering, "Quick, quick, help save them!"

In an instant, the guards all jumped into the river.

When the icy river water filled her mouth and nose, Zhiwan felt terrified and helpless.

She instinctively struggled, but found that the more she struggled, the more she sank.

Just as she was in despair, a figure swam over quickly and pulled her into a tight embrace.

Before she lost consciousness, she seemed to see her cousin's familiar handsome face.

(End of this chapter)