Jiang Feng had never seen a woman so stunning. Neither in the Great Yin Dynasty nor in the world where he had lived before had he ever seen a face like hers.
In that instant, he lost himself for a moment.
But only for a moment. Soon, wariness gathered in his eyes again, even stronger than before.
A woman with such looks appearing in a place like this was strange in itself.
Neither Sun Bowei nor the outside world's accounts of the Sun Family had ever mentioned this woman.
With a face like hers, she could never have gone unnoticed, no matter where she lived.
"Tell me, who are you really? Why are you here?"
As if frightened by his cold tone, the woman shivered slightly, her voice trembling as she replied:
"My name is Liu Ruyan. I'm from Qingshan County.
"My family ran a tavern, and we lived comfortably enough... But then demons attacked Qingshan County. Thousands were killed or wounded, and corpses were strewn everywhere."
A trace of genuine terror flickered in her eyes, as though she were seeing that day's horrors again.
"I was fleeing to Ping'an County with my husband when we encountered bandits on the road. They killed my husband and dragged me here by force. I've been locked up ever since..."
After finishing, she began to sob softly. Tears silently slid down her stunning face, leaving her looking like a rain-soaked pear blossom, a sight to break anyone's heart.
Well, would you look at that—she was a widow.
But the wariness in Jiang Feng's eyes didn't ease in the slightest.
He did his best to look concerned, softening his tone as he asked quietly, "Were the ones who abducted you the four Sun brothers?"
Liu Ruyan thought carefully for a moment, then answered timidly:
"I don't know their names. I only remember three burly, broad-shouldered men."
As soon as she'd spoken, she seemed to think of something. Her expression turned panicked, and she stared at Jiang Feng in terror.
"Y-You're not the fourth one, are you?"
Jiang Feng smiled and waved a hand, his tone growing gentler still.
"You've misunderstood. The Sun brothers targeted me too, but fortunately, I was a little more capable and drove them off."
As he spoke, a flash of blade-light flickered in his hand, and the padlock on the iron door fell with a clang. He stepped aside to clear the doorway and said warmly to Liu Ruyan:
"Madam Liu, you're safe now. Leave quickly, before those bandits return. The cellar exit is over there. Just climb the ladder."
Liu Ruyan gently pushed open the iron door and walked out of the dark chamber.
Before, he'd only been able to see her face through the door. Now that she stood in the light, even Jiang Feng couldn't help but draw a slightly unsteady breath.
She wore a plain white blouse and skirt, slightly soiled, with a blue cloth sash tied around her waist. Though her clothes were simple, they couldn't hide her shapely figure.
Her bosom swelled beneath the fabric, and her rounded hips rose high behind her. She was like a ripe peach, making him involuntarily want to taste its sweetness.
Jiang Feng now understood completely why she'd been abducted.
Honestly, even in the short time they'd spent together, he'd found himself entertaining thoughts he shouldn't.
Liu Ruyan seemed to notice his gaze. She also seemed to know how much attention her face attracted, and kept her head lowered, not daring to meet his eyes.
After hesitating for a moment, she walked up to Jiang Feng and gave him a graceful bow. Her voice was as soft as the spring waters of March.
"I thank you, benefactor. If you hadn't saved me, my fate would surely have been miserable."
The smile on Jiang Feng's face remained warm. He waved a hand lightly, his tone casual and gentle.
"Think nothing of it. You should hurry along, before something else happens. The cellar exit is over there. Just climb the ladder."
As if afraid she wouldn't find her way, he even pointed out the ladder, showing admirable patience.
Liu Ruyan nodded gently, then turned toward the exit. Her steps still seemed unsteady, and her frail figure looked as though a gust of wind might scatter it.
But the instant she turned her back, the smile vanished from Jiang Feng's face. He silently tightened his grip on the Ghost-Head Blade, his knuckles turning white.
He wasn't the sort of man to let desire cloud his judgment.
Her story seemed perfectly reasonable, and she'd handled even the verbal trap he'd deliberately laid for her without a hitch. But he had no way to verify it. He didn't even know which direction Qingshan County lay in.
More importantly, news of his presence here absolutely couldn't get out. He couldn't let anyone connect him to the deaths of the Sun Brothers.
This was Black Water Town, where the Benevolent Heart Medicine Hall's influence went far beyond merely having some power. He was still too weak. If the Medicine Hall treated him as an enemy, he'd have nowhere to stand in this town.
Weighing both sides, he arrived at a conclusion that couldn't have been simpler: getting rid of this woman was the surest way to put an end to all future trouble.
But just as he was about to swing his blade, Liu Ruyan suddenly stopped and turned around.
She bit her lower lip, her alluring face full of conflict and hesitation, as though words were caught in her throat and she couldn't decide whether to speak.
Jiang Feng's expression remained unchanged. The murderous intent in his eyes ebbed like a tide, replaced by the same gentle expression as before. He was so quick that it was as if the man about to ruthlessly destroy a beautiful flower had nothing to do with him.
"Madam Liu, what is it? Is there something else you'd like to tell me?"
Liu Ruyan hesitated for a moment, then seemed to make up her mind and looked up at Jiang Feng.
"Benefactor, I have no other relatives in this world. I have no money, and I'm alone in this strange place. My fate... probably won't be much better than it was before."
Jiang Feng raised an eyebrow. "Are you asking me for some silver?"
Liu Ruyan hurriedly waved her hands and replied in a rush:
"No, benefactor, you've misunderstood.
"I... I want to stay by your side and serve you, taking care of your daily needs. As long as you don't mind and are willing to give me a meal, that's all I ask."
Jiang Feng was slightly taken aback. He'd never expected her to make such a request of her own accord.
If the woman was truly willing to stay here and never leave his side, it might be one way to deal with the situation.
More importantly, as a young man in the prime of his life, who wouldn't want a beautiful maid to look after him?
He'd left his Bedchamber Arts unused for quite some time. It was about time he made some progress with them.
Still, an indescribable suspicion in his heart kept warning him that something was off about this woman. There was something inexplicably strange about her.
After weighing things over and over, Jiang Feng finally nodded, though his tone left no room for negotiation.
"Miss Liu, you can stay by my side, but only if you follow a few rules.
"First, you must obey any request I make without question. Even if I ask you to give yourself to me, you must not refuse.
"Second, you may go no farther than this cellar. Without my permission, you must not take a single step outside. If you can accept those two conditions, you may stay.
"If you can't accept them, then you'd better leave as soon as possible."
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