Chapter 1026: Cutting Hair in Lieu of Beheading

Wen Chunjing knew the current situation was no longer something he could handle.

He sighed softly, as if all the fight had drained out of him.

"I admit defeat..."

"Do as you will."

He watched as Ruyi gripped her spear and stepped forward, thrusting the weapon upward.

"Thrum—"

The hum of the vibrating spear rang out right before Wen Chunjing's eyes.

He shuddered. Facing imminent death, he still felt fear.

Yet after a long moment, Wen Chunjing felt no pain.

He opened his eyes. The spear tip hovered right in front of him.

Then he heard Ruyi say, "Cut your hair!"

Wen Chunjing shuddered again. He took a deep breath, finally making his decision.

He raised his hand, sweeping it across his hair, and a lock fell away.

Cutting hair in lieu of beheading.

It also meant that from this day forward, he would suffer public condemnation.

People would undoubtedly brand him a coward who clung to life and feared death.

Although Wen Chunjing had entered the world relying on his literary talents, he was no fool. Since he could keep his life today, why stubbornly insist on preserving his pride?

As that hair fell to the ground, Wen Chunjing took a deep breath and cupped his hands. "Thank you for sparing my life, Young Lady. I shall retreat and involve myself no longer in the disputes of this world."

Ruyi said nothing.

Wen Chunjing cupped his hands again and said, "Farewell, Young Lady..."

He stepped away, then paused to add, "The Jinwu Guard and the soldiers of Shangjing City are already heading this way. Although your martial skills are extraordinary, Young Lady, they have the advantage of numbers. Please leave quickly."

Ruyi glanced at him and said, "Thank you."

Wen Chunjing nodded, and then his figure vanished from the area.

Covered in blood and carrying her spear, Dong Chiyu stepped forward to Ruyi's side. She looked rather battered, entirely lacking Ruyi's calm demeanor.

"Why did you let him go?" Dong Chiyu did not understand.

Ruyi replied, "I no longer want to involve myself in the jianghu. It is better to avoid committing such slaughter."

Dong Chiyu froze at those words before asking, "Why? How old are you even!?"

Ruyi did not answer, only saying, "There is no time to chat right now. We need to find my younger sister quickly, or else we really might not make it out."

Lihua leaped onto Ruyi's shoulder.

Dong Chiyu murmured an acknowledgment, then added, "You haven't promised me yet."

She received no answer from Ruyi, only watching as the girl gave chase in the direction Li Linheng had fled.

Dong Chiyu paused, sighing deeply in her heart, and had no choice but to lift her spear and follow.

Ruyi searched back and forth through the Chancellor's Manor, but the surrounding servants and family members were nowhere to be seen.

This was not right!

She had blocked the manor gates earlier; it was impossible for all these people to escape so quickly.

Seeing this, Dong Chiyu said, "Perhaps there is a secret passage!"

"Search!"

Ruyi paused, looking at Lihua on her shoulder. "Lihua, you look for it!"

Lihua nodded. Drawing upon the Four Seasons Spiritual Energy, it roamed through the Chancellor's Manor and, after briefly sensing its surroundings, found something.

"Over there!!"

They ran over and eventually discovered a secret passage beneath a bed in one of the guest rooms.

The two girls and one cat entered the hidden tunnel one after the other.

The passage was not long, but it led straight outside the manor.

They emerged from a hidden opening in an alley behind the courtyard.

Ruyi's heart skipped a beat at the sight. Then she watched Lihua take a sniff and say, "Go that way!"

But Dong Chiyu suddenly warned, "Don't go! The city guards have already surrounded the area!"

Ruyi ignored her and charged straight ahead.

Dong Chiyu felt anxious, but she was injured and did not dare to advance as recklessly as Ruyi. If she did not treat her wounds now, her arm might suffer permanent damage.

So she stopped following and found a spot to begin tending to her injuries.

Ruyi carried her Long Spear and sprinted quickly through the city.

"Faster, go faster!"

"Split up! Go to the Local Government, find the city guards!"

"Hurry, hurry!"

"Master, Master!"

The servants and family members of the Chancellor's Manor were in complete chaos.

Li Linheng's expression was grim. Watching the panicked state of his dependents and servants only fueled his rage.

Seeing him like this, Tang Yuerong laughed. "The current Grand Chancellor, now acting like a stray dog without a home. How laughable."

Li Linheng ordered coldly, "Slap her!"

Tang Yuerong took a few more slaps to the face. She spat out a mouthful of blood, refusing to show weakness. "Treacherous Chancellor, if you have the guts, then kill me!"

Those two words seemed to infuriate him. Li Linheng lunged forward and seized her by the throat.

Tang Yuerong instantly choked, unable to breathe.

"You think I don't dare to kill you?"

Li Linheng sneered, tightening his grip without the slightest intention of letting go.

Her voice hoarse, Tang Yuerong gasped out, "You... deserve to die..."

"Treacherous! Chancellor!"

Li Linheng clamped down forcefully on Tang Yuerong's neck, squeezing even harder.

He was boiling with fury, completely forgetting where he was supposed to be going.

Suffocating, Tang Yuerong instinctively thrashed. Her vision grew increasingly blurry as her face flushed a dark red, her consciousness fading.

"Thrum."

A Long Spear flew through the air.

"Master!!"

The nearby steward of the Chancellor's Manor cried out in alarm.

Li Linheng started, but there was no time to react.

His hands loosened. Tang Yuerong sucked in a desperate breath, immediately collapsing to the ground as she panted for air.

"Squelch..."

The Long Spear pierced straight through the steward who had thrown himself in front of Li Linheng.

The steward's eyes went wide, and he turned his head to look back.

Looking into the steward's terrified eyes, Li Linheng felt his heart shudder.

"Mas... ter... run!!"

Gritting his teeth, the steward forced out his final words. His hands clamped tightly around the Long Spear as he collapsed.

Li Linheng's face paled drastically. Catching sight of the woman sprinting from the alley entrance, he abandoned Tang Yuerong and bolted in the opposite direction.

Ruyi stepped forward, intending to pull her spear free.

"Hmm?"

She paused, noticing that the dead steward was still gripping her spear.

Ruyi parted her lips. She reached down to pry open those tightly clenched fingers, murmuring, "What a loyal servant..."

She pulled the spear loose and stepped forward.

"Cough, cough..." Tang Yuerong hacked, saliva dripping from the corner of her mouth. It took her a long while to catch her breath.

"Still alive, still alive." Lihua hopped down and approached Tang Yuerong.

Tang Yuerong took a deep breath, then looked at Ruyi and cupped her hands. "Thank you for saving my life, heroine. I wonder how I should address you."

"Ru..." Ruyi paused, then said, "Call me older sister."

Tang Yuerong froze, her eyes filled with confusion.

"Wrong, wrong."

Lihua corrected, "Ruyi calls Miss Yun older sister, which means she is your father's younger sister's younger sister. You should call her auntie."

Ruyi reached out and knocked Lihua on the head.

"Ouch..."

Lihua raised its paws to cover its head, asking, "Why did you hit me, Ruyi? Lihua wasn't wrong."

"You talk too much. If I say older sister, it's older sister!"

Ruyi insisted.

Tang Yuerong, on the other hand, just looked bewildered.

Then Lihua suddenly spoke up, "So many people."

"What?"

"A lot of people are coming. Stomp, stomp, stomp, Lihua hears them."

Ruyi's face changed. She quickly rushed forward and hoisted Tang Yuerong up, saying, "We have to go."

...