Can't a girl be a traitor like Cao Cao?

It's just a thin veil called "self-esteem" that's easily pierced.

Chi Junlin knew that Yuan Zhaoji would eventually break through this barrier.

Because as long as a bottom line exists, it will continue to be crossed.

But Chi Junlin won't take the initiative to break the ice.

She would only act like an evil villainous boss, manipulating the girl's mind and seducing her.

He was just waiting for the day when she would willingly fall into the tender trap that Chi Junlin had carefully woven for her.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Leaving aside how Chi Junlin calmly and methodically peeled away Yuan Zhaoji's defenses, like peeling open a daffodil bud, layer by layer.

Let's return to the topic of Ding Xia and Fu Ruiying, which we haven't mentioned in a long time.

During this period, Chi Junlin's attention was not focused on Ding Xia, because there was really nothing worth mentioning.

Since the Zhenbei Army wiped out Jiang Hao's faction of court officials overnight, Ding Xia and Fu Ruiying have almost lost their place to live.

Basically, wherever they went, their homes were raided.

Even Wan Zhaoji became Chi Junlin's concubine, so it would be strange if Ding Xia, with his shrimp-like brain, could find a good place to go.

Now he can only live on the streets, leading a miserable life of taking it one day at a time.

Chizagu had already issued an arrest warrant, labeling Ding Xia and Fu Ruiying as traitors and searching for them day and night in the city.

Given the Zhenbei Army's control over the capital, Ding Xia should have been captured long ago.

But every time things got really dangerous, Ding Xia would miraculously escape the pursuit, as if by divine intervention.

Chi Junlin had anticipated this, so he did not have any expectations for Chizhagu's search for Dingxia.

Putting aside Ding Xia's protagonist aura, Dazheng Imperial City is, after all, a large city with a population of over one million.

The two of them, disregarding everything and looking like beggars, hid in the city and were indeed quite difficult to find.

As for Fu Ruiying?

To be honest, Red King's Landing really doesn't have much of an impression of her.

She's probably just a minor character who'll be forgotten quickly; she's definitely not one of the female leads.

Whether or not they can be caught is irrelevant to Chi Junlin.

In short, the search and arrest were secondary.

The most important thing is to make Ding Xia's life less comfortable. And to keep him out of my way for a while.

Ding Xia had long since been unable to stay in the capital.

To be honest, he had wanted to take Fu Ruiying away from the capital for a long time.

However, wanted posters of Ding Xia and Fu Ruiying were plastered everywhere on the city gates in several directions, and the guards would check every pedestrian one by one.

A single man like him accompanied by another woman is a prime candidate for investigation.

Ding Xia had long wanted to get rid of Fu Ruiying, this burden, but unfortunately, the time was not right.

Seeing Chizhagu's relentless search and encirclement of him, Dingxia finally understood!

Chi Junlin did not not want to see him.

Instead, it was Chizagu and others who interfered and slandered Chijunlin.

Otherwise, given the unbreakable bond between them, Chi Junlin should have already lost patience and started frantically searching for his whereabouts.

But Chizagu and the others not only concealed their whereabouts, but also kept Chi Junlin in the dark about their plan to kill him.

What a heinous crime!

Looking back, the reason why Chi Junlin initially felt disgusted with herself was because her two generals, Zaku and Gao Da, told her the truth about her being in a brothel.

Two informants!

It's such a shame that I used to call them brothers!

Ding Xia grew angrier the more he thought about it, and couldn't help but slam his fist hard against the wall next to him.

Fu Ruiying, standing beside him, looked at Ding Xia with some panic.

Now that the two are homeless and wanted by the police, they certainly can't stay at inns or small shops.

So they could only live like beggars, finding a dilapidated thatched hut, covering themselves with some straw, and sleeping inside.

Thinking about this, Ding Xia became even more agitated.

He said, "Let's keep going."

Then he led Fu Ruiying across the street toward a secluded spot.

However, at that moment, a group of Zhenbei Army soldiers walked in front, seemingly patrolling the city.

Seeing that there was no way to avoid it, Ding Xia and Fu Ruiying could only pretend to be beggars, keeping their heads down as they passed by each other.

But just as the patrolling guards were about to pass by, the leading general on horseback suddenly stopped.

He then said, "Wait a minute."

Ding Xia felt that his luck was extremely bad.

Because the general on horseback was none other than Chizagu!

Looking at the backs of Ding Xia and the other person, Chizagu felt that he must not have seen wrong.

He coldly told the other person, "Turn your head around."

Ding Xia remained silent for a moment, then, seeing that the guards were beginning to surround them, he decisively shouted, "Run!"

Then, abandoning Fu Ruiying, he ran headlong down the street.

"Brother Dingxia! Wait for me!"

Fu Ruiying followed behind Ding Xia, but by the time she started running, it was already a little late.

Just as the guards were about to kill him, Chizagu said, "Take him alive."

So the guards changed their tactics and decided to capture Fu Ruiying alive.

However, just as Fu Ruiying was about to be captured by one of the guards.

Suddenly, a cold glint appeared.

The sound of a sword being drawn passed by in a flash.

The next moment, the guard's weapon was cut in two.

The guards were utterly astonished, thinking they were seeing a ghost.

Chizagu narrowed his eyes, sensing that the sword strike was incredibly fast and possessed a distinctly江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry) air.

He looked up and saw a thin, middle-aged man with a straw hat and a stubble beard appear on the bluestone road ahead.

At this moment, the middle-aged man blocked the guards' path, and the sword was sheathed again.

A voice, weathered by time, came from beneath the bamboo hat.

"She's just a girl. Sirs, please show mercy."

Chapter 42 is merely an academic discussion.

Upon seeing the middle-aged man's stance, Chizagu knew that the man must be a master.

At this moment, unwilling to engage in conflict, he raised his spear and coldly said to the other party, "The Zhenbei Army is arresting wanted criminals of the imperial court. All bystanders, get out of the way!"

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man did not move.

However, Ding Xia, who was about to escape, suddenly froze after hearing the man's voice.

She quickly turned around and said to the man, "Hero Yan? Is that you, Hero Yan? You've come to the capital too?"

The man called Yan Daxia hesitated for a moment, seemingly noticing Ding Xia's presence.

Upon seeing that smug face, he quickly remembered the other person's identity.

"Young Master Ding? May I ask how Sect Leader Tong has been lately?"

"Thank you for your concern, Master Yan. My master's wife is doing very well lately."

"Well, then I'm relieved."

At this moment, Fu Ruiying felt much more at ease when she saw that the hero who saved her knew Ding Xia.

He then stood behind Master Yan and stood with Ding Xia.

Seeing that the other party was unwilling to give way, Chizagu couldn't help but frown, and said with an even colder tone, "You want to protect a criminal wanted by the imperial court?"

The man bowed respectfully to Chizhagu and replied, "As a descendant of an old friend, please forgive me for not being able to stand idly by."

Chizagu snorted coldly, dismissing the other party's chivalrous spirit.

Knowing that his guards were no match for the enemy, he ordered them to make way.

Then he picked up the gun himself, pointing the tip directly at the man.

The man also turned slightly to the side, placing his palm on the hilt of the sword, assuming the starting stance for a sword move.

Seeing this, Chizagu stopped being polite.

Squeezing the horse's flanks, it charged towards the man.

The clatter of horses' hooves echoed on the bluestone slabs.

A chilling aura swept past.

It seemed like only a moment had passed.

The two fierce auras collided violently, like a rainbow piercing the sun!

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

"Yan Chunyu?"

Inside the Imperial Study, Chi Junlin looked at the intelligence reports sent back to her by the spies of the Zhenbei Army.

I couldn't help but frown.

The intelligence they had was, of course, a battle that had just taken place on the long street.

What made Chi Junlin unhappy at this moment was not Ding Xia's use of superpowers during Chi Zagu's search.

Instead, Chizagu lost to Yan Chunyu in a swordsmanship duel.

Yes, even with Chizagu charging at full speed on horseback, he was still no match for Yan Chunyu, who was wielding a thin sword.

When reinforcements arrived, all they saw on the long street was a terrifying sword mark deep enough to break stone.

And the ground was littered with the remnants of defeated soldiers.

Chizagu was not killed by Yan Chunyu, but he was seriously injured and is still unconscious.

Therefore, the specific circumstances that occurred at that time are no longer verifiable.

The only clues we can deduce from the traces left at the time are who seriously injured Chizagu and rescued Dingxia and Fu Ruiying.

Yan Chunyu was naturally someone Chi Junlin knew.

He was a renowned hero in his youth.

Before the unification of the Nine Provinces, he traveled the world for more than ten years without ever suffering a defeat. He truly deserves the title of a peerless master.

What puzzled Chi Junlin was that this man was a character who would only appear in the middle of the story.

Almost every time he appears, he is virtually unmatched, instantly exuding an aura of superiority.

I didn't expect him to appear so quickly.

It seems that Ding Xia's protagonist aura has once again caused changes in the plot.

However, at this moment, Yuan Zhaoji was unaware of what Chi Junlin was thinking, and assumed that she had doubts about Yan Chunyu's identity.

He then explained, "Yan Chunyu became famous more than ten years ago."

He was born a peerless master, virtually invincible throughout the land. His external martial arts and internal strength were both top-notch.

He was skilled in swordsmanship, and his Spring Rain and Thunder Sword was as fast as lightning, leaving all who saw it in awe.