Thrown out of the house, the wet nurse enters the noble household and becomes a person of high statu

"Get down here, all of you! I'm taking pity on you and letting you wash off this stench!"

The woman shouted as she swung a bamboo stick in her hand.

The children were pushed and shoved off the bus, their ropes untied from their feet, but their wrists were still bound with a long rope.

Liu Wenying was not released, and the woman gave her a warning glare before leaving.

"Stay put and don't try anything funny, or you'll regret it!"

The children, linked together like grasshoppers, were led by the woman to a shallow spot on the riverbank.

They were ordered to take off all their clothes and wade naked into the icy river.

The woman stood on the bank, hands on her hips, her eyes like hooks, forbidding them from going any further or whispering to each other.

The older children mechanically scooped up water to wash their bodies, while the younger ones shivered from the cold, tears streaming down their faces along with the river water.

Liu Wenying and the very young Pei Yexuan were left in the car.

After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the man approached.

His face no longer held its usual fierce look, but instead carried a deliberate air of kindness as he bent down to untie the hemp rope binding Liu Wenying's feet.

"It's hot, why don't you go wash up by the river? It'll refresh you. I'll take you, and I guarantee no one will dare to bully you."

The rope was untied, and Liu Wenying felt a sharp pain in her ankle, from being tied up for too long.

She looked at the man warily. "What do you want?"

"I'm not doing anything, I just wanted to kindly take you to take a bath."

The man smiled, revealing a set of yellow teeth, and pulled Liu Wenying off the car by the rope around her wrist.

She was led to a secluded spot by the river, where several huge, dark blue-green stones lay half-submerged in the water, covered with slippery moss, and reeds on the bank grew taller than a person.

"You're a smart person. You're in the middle of nowhere, there's no way you can run away. Wash yourself properly, you'll feel refreshed, and it'll be good for everyone."

The man's gaze lingered on her slender neck, stained with grass clippings and dirt, urging her on.

"What are you standing there for? Hurry up and wash!"

He wasn't kindly taking her to bathe; he clearly had ulterior motives.

Liu Wenying glanced around discreetly. The reeds were too dense to run away from, so she could only go along with him for now and look for an opportunity to retaliate.

"How can you wash your hands when they're still tied?"

She raised her wrist, which was red and swollen from being bound by the hemp rope, and spoke softly.

The man immediately grinned lewdly, "What are you afraid of? I'll help you wash."

As he spoke, he reached out to unbutton the fabric buttons at her collar.

Liu Wenying took half a step back to avoid his hand.

Just as the man was about to explode in anger, she put on a feigned act of submissiveness.

"Don't rush, I'll wash myself clean. Once I'm refreshed, won't it be more comfortable to do things later?"

These words were like a hook, instantly capturing the man's heart.

In the desolate wilderness, she was a weak woman; even if she untied the rope, she couldn't escape his grasp.

The man untied the rope binding her hands. "You're smart to know what's good for you."

As soon as the restraints loosened, Liu Wenying felt a soreness in her wrist, and she moved her wrist around.

Then, he slowly began to untie his already filthy sash, taking a long time to untie even one knot.

"What are you dawdling for? Hurry up!" The man, growing impatient, took a few steps closer.

Liu Wenying trembled violently, like a frightened rabbit.

She glanced at him quickly, then immediately looked down again, her voice barely audible, pleading with embarrassment, "Please don't look, turn away, okay? Just for a moment, I'll be quick..."

The man was completely charmed by her appearance.

This woman is indeed weak; she poses no threat whatsoever.

He was coaxed into turning around, not forgetting to urge him on.

"Hurry up, or I'll give you a good beating later!"

After he turned around, the gentle shyness on Liu Wenying's face vanished completely.

Instead of untying her belt, she bent over and grabbed a stone with her right hand.

Without the slightest hesitation, the stone was smashed with perfect accuracy toward the man's temple!

Although the man was blinded by desire, he still retained some vigilance.

The moment Liu Wenying swung the stone, he suddenly turned to the side and instinctively raised his arm to block.

The stone missed his temple and instead struck his raised forearm hard.

But the sharp edge of the stone grazed his forehead, cutting a deep gash, and blood gushed out, smearing half of his face.

The man groaned in pain, avoiding the vital spot on his temple, but the shock still made his vision go black. He staggered and fell to the ground, briefly losing consciousness.

Opportunities are fleeting!

Liu Wenying threw the stone and turned to run outside.

But after taking only two steps, her ankle was grabbed.

Enraged, the man pulled hard, causing Liu Wenying to lose her balance and fall to the riverbank, dislocating her ankle and sending a piercing pain through her.

She was in so much pain that she almost fainted, but her will to live remained, and she crawled forward, supporting herself with her hands.

"You bitch! How dare you hurt me!"

The man staggered to his feet, blood streaming from his forehead into his eyes, making him look like a demon crawling out of hell.

He stepped out of the river and reached for Liu Wenying's nape.

Liu Wenying rolled on the ground, narrowly avoiding the attack, and then grabbed a pebble from beneath her and threw it at the man's face.

The man turned his head, unperturbed by the drizzling pebbles.

Liu Wenying used her uninjured left foot and elbow for support as she tried to escape.

Too slow. The man easily caught up and kicked her in the side.

Liu Wenying curled up in pain, tears welling up in her eyes.

The man gave her no more chances. He leaned down and, with his hands stained with blood and water, gripped her slender neck, his fingers tightening.

"You won't listen to reason, so here comes the punishment! I'll make sure you're dead!"

"Well……"

Breathing is taken away; air becomes a luxury.

Liu Wenying tried to pry his hand off, but to no avail. Her fingernails scratched the back of his hand, drawing blood, but she couldn't budge it an inch.

A buzzing sound filled my ears, and the man's狰狞扭扭 (zhengning niu, meaning ferocious or distorted) face gradually blurred in my vision.

Am I going to die...?

Luo Luo... Ye'er...

Consciousness is about to sink into endless darkness.

"Whoosh—" A sharp sound of something cutting through the air rang out.

This was followed by the dull thud of a sharp weapon embedding itself deep into flesh, and the crisp sound of bones shattering.

The grip on his throat suddenly disappeared, and the man's body stiffened abruptly, his expression freezing as he looked down at his chest in disbelief.

A dark, dull iron arrow, its fletching still trembling slightly, pierced through his chest, its tip protruding from his back, dripping with blood.

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but a mouthful of blood gushed out, and he fell straight backward, splashing water into the river, and then fell silent.

Liu Wenying coughed, greedily inhaling the blood-smelling air.

She looked up blankly, gazing in the direction from which the arrow had come.

The reeds were separated by the crowd.

The officers and soldiers waded through the water, with the leader riding a tall horse.

The horse was entirely black, with hooves as white as snow.

The man on horseback, dressed in a dark-colored, fitted-sleeve outfit, almost blended into the deep green forest behind him.

He stood tall and straight, holding a short crossbow, the string still trembling slightly, a cold light reflected in his unfathomable eyes.

…………