The assassins' target had been Tie Sanniang.
So the convoy's cargo had suffered no damage. Once they had dealt briefly with the bodies of their fallen comrades, the convoy could set off again.
Li Dao was sitting on a carriage, wiping his Black Iron Saber, when Bi You'er suddenly ran over. "You rascal, my lady wants to see you."
"See me?"
Li Dao put away the Black Iron Saber, looking puzzled. "Miss You'er, do you know what your lady wants with me?"
"I don't know either," Bi You'er said sweetly. "You'll find out when you get there."
After a moment's hesitation, Li Dao decided to go meet her.
She was just a woman. Clever though she was, he had nothing to worry about.
Besides, if anyone should be worried, it was that Iron Lady. After all, he held a major secret of hers in his hands.
A short while later, Li Dao and Bi You'er climbed into a carriage.
The carriage was spacious and lavishly furnished, scarcely inferior to the luxurious carriage from before.
Tie Sanniang sat at the far end, with a small table before her bearing a teapot and several cups.
As Li Dao entered, Tie Sanniang lowered her eyes, picked up the teapot, and poured a cup. "You'er, give this gentleman his tea," she said softly.
Bi You'er pulled faces at Li Dao, but obediently picked up the cup and handed it over. "Please have some tea, young master."
"Thank you."
Taking the cup, Li Dao looked at Tie Sanniang's breathtaking face. "May I ask why you invited me here, Miss Tie?"
Tie Sanniang set down the teapot and picked up her cup. "You saved my life, young master. I invited you here to express my gratitude," she said gently.
Li Dao sipped the tea. It tasted good. Raising his eyes, he said, "Heaven watches over the fortunate, Miss Tie. Even without me, I'm sure you could have turned calamity into good fortune."
Some tea suddenly spilled from Tie Sanniang's cup, seemingly by accident. She slowly set it down. "Even if that is true, escaping once doesn't mean it will be so easy a second time."
Beside them, Bi You'er was utterly bewildered by their exchange. She racked her brains but could not make sense of it.
"Success rests in human effort. I have faith in you, Miss Tie."
Li Dao raised his cup in a toast to Tie Sanniang.
"Ah."
Tie Sanniang sighed deeply, then suddenly raised her head and fixed her bright eyes on Li Dao. "Young master, I won't beat around the bush anymore. May I ask whether you belong to a Lineage?"
Li Dao paused at her question before replying, "I used to. Now, perhaps not."
He had once belonged to a Lineage, but his former identity was already that of a dead man. In his current identity, he was free and utterly alone.
A flicker of joy appeared in Tie Sanniang's eyes. "Then might you be interested in joining a Lineage?" she asked softly.
"What do you mean, Miss Tie?"
"I would like to invite you into my service."
"You want me to become your retainer?"
"Yes."
A solemn expression settled over Tie Sanniang's exquisite face. "If you are willing to become my retainer, I will reward you generously."
"Generously?"
Li Dao chuckled. "What sort of generous reward?"
"I see that you and You'er get along wonderfully. I could give you her hand in marriage."
At those words, Bi You'er froze beside them.
She had understood none of their earlier conversation, but this sentence she understood perfectly. She felt as though she had been watching the gossip unfold, only to find herself dragged onto the stage.
Li Dao glanced at the stunned Bi You'er and shook his head with a wry smile. "You must have misunderstood, Miss Tie. Miss You'er reminds me of the younger sister I once had, so I naturally feel close to her."
"Then what do you want?"
For some inexplicable reason, Tie Sanniang grew anxious.
Even when negotiating enormous deals for the Iron Family, she had never been this impatient.
The reason was a special ability she had possessed since childhood.
She could sense whether something would benefit or harm her. With that ability and her clever mind, she moved through the business world like a fish through water.
That special feeling had appeared again, more intense than ever. She felt that getting this man aboard her ship would be the most successful deal she had ever made.
Hearing Tie Sanniang's question, Li Dao instinctively wanted to joke, I want you. But the words died on his lips.
He did not know whether it was his imagination, but he felt that if he actually said those words, the Iron Lady before him would very likely agree.
He had only just escaped Death Row Camp. He had no desire to put another set of shackles on himself, especially for a woman he had met only a few times, however beautiful she might be.
As he had said before, in his current circumstances, women would only slow the speed of his draw.
"My apologies, Miss Tie. There is nothing I want, and for now, I have no intention of joining any faction."
Li Dao shook his head and declined.
For one thing, he truly had no desire to become anyone's retainer. For another, the Iron Family could not give him what he wanted.
For example, if he wanted to reclaim his former identity, could the Iron Family accomplish that?
Impossible. Even as imperial relatives and Great Qian's foremost imperial merchants, they could not do it.
Even if Tie Sanniang had complete control over the Iron Family, it would still be impossible, much less now, when she only temporarily held its reins.
Tie Sanniang looked stunned by Li Dao's refusal.
How long had it been since anyone had rejected her so decisively?
Her wealth alone was enough to attract most people. Coupled with her beauty, it was a temptation almost no man could resist. She had never expected to be rejected so firmly one day.
She wanted to press him further, but quickly restrained herself. As an experienced businesswoman, she knew that pushing too hard would only breed resentment.
"Since you have no such intention for now, I won't insist."
Tie Sanniang took a golden waist token engraved with the character for "iron" from her waist and offered it to him. "But I have no way to repay you for saving my life. Please accept this token. Wherever the Iron Family has a presence, presenting it is equivalent to my presence. It will make your travels throughout Great Qian easier."
Li Dao took the token and examined it. The character for "iron" on the front represented the Iron Family, while "Sanniang" engraved on the back represented Tie Sanniang. The entire token was gold. The Iron Family certainly lived up to its extravagant wealth.
Even melting it down and selling it as gold would probably feed an ordinary person for years.
Beyond its stated purpose, the token was probably also meant to buy his silence. After all, he knew one of Tie Sanniang's hidden secrets.
"All right. Thank you for the token."
Li Dao accepted it without hesitation, also signaling his promise to keep her cultivation a secret.
Tie Sanniang's expression brightened considerably. Had he refused even the token, she truly would have been at a loss.
"You'er, why haven't you refilled our guest's tea?"
Bi You'er, still standing there in a daze, was abruptly jolted back to her senses.
"Oh, right."
She nodded blankly and hurried to pick up the teapot.
"There's no need."
Li Dao waved a hand. "I've already stayed too long. It's time I left."
He feared that if he lingered any longer, he would end up branded as Tie Sanniang's man.
The earlier attack made it clear that beneath this convoy's seemingly tranquil surface lurked an unknown number of people with ill intentions. He had no desire to be misunderstood, branded an enemy for no reason, and made to take a shot meant for someone else.
At that thought, he felt profoundly grateful that strengthening his physique had strengthened his brain as well.
Otherwise, with his former wits, someone as brilliantly clever as Tie Sanniang would probably have swindled him out of even his underpants in minutes.
With that, Li Dao climbed out of the carriage without the slightest hesitation.
Inside the carriage.
Tie Sanniang gradually collected herself, her mind involuntarily returning to the sight of his departing back.
Ever since her beauty had begun to blossom, countless men had longed to be alone in a room with her. Even a distant glimpse could leave many of them sleepless all night.
Yet today, she had met an exception.
He regarded her as though she were a raging flood or a savage beast.
She could tell he was not playing some game of letting go to draw her closer. He genuinely wanted to stay away, terrified that she might get too close.
Suddenly, a smile appeared on Tie Sanniang's exquisite face.
Previously, she had considered men nothing but mud and fools. Today, she had finally encountered someone different, and she admitted that she was curious.
Remembering his resistance, she felt a surge of defiance. A long-dormant urge to conquer stirred within her.
Recalling the powerful feeling she had experienced upon meeting him, she immediately made up her mind.
Elsewhere.
The moment Li Dao stepped down from the carriage, he felt several furtive gazes settle on him.
He swept his eyes around, and those concealed gazes immediately scattered.
Just as he had suspected, this Iron Family convoy was full of trouble.
Fortunately, he had not stayed long. Otherwise, he might truly have been unable to wash himself clean of suspicion.
After the convoy traveled a little farther, the sky gradually darkened.
At Tie Sanniang's command, they halted to rest for the night.
"You rascal, my lady has assigned you a carriage."
Li Dao was about to lie down on the crates in a cargo wagon when Bi You'er's soft, sweet voice reached his ears.
For a moment, he could not understand what that woman was getting at. He had already made himself perfectly clear. With her intelligence, she should have understood his intentions.
"Tell your lady there's no need to go to the trouble. I can sleep here."
Li Dao declined flatly.
"You rascal, are you refusing?"
Bi You'er suddenly blushed. "My lady said that if you refuse, she'll come herself later and invite you to sleep in her carriage."
The thought made her shy, because she slept together with her lady.
If the rascal agreed, wouldn't all three of them be sleeping together?
Her lady certainly would not sleep beside the rascal, so she would have to sleep between them.
Just imagining her lady on her left and the rascal on her right made her head swim.
"Hm?"
Li Dao looked surprised. So this woman was pulling that on him.
Though it seemed kindly meant, he kept feeling that she had something else in mind for him.
"Don't have your lady come over. I agree."
If the Iron Lady personally invited him to sleep in her carriage, everyone would probably know by morning that he had become her intimate guest.
He did not know how the Iron Family would treat him.
But he knew that once he reached the Imperial Capital, he would become the common enemy of its men.
Back when he had been a wastrel, he had fought other wastrels in a brothel over its star courtesan. He knew those young masters' temperaments all too well.
If that happened, he would have only one choice.
Run.
After all, his true identity was far too sensitive. If anyone discovered it, there probably would not be a place for him anywhere in Great Qian.
Led by Bi You'er, Li Dao soon arrived beside a carriage suitable for sleeping.
"Miss You'er."
As Bi You'er was about to leave, Li Dao stopped her.
"You rascal, what else do you want?"
"Sorry for the trouble, Miss You'er, but please tell your lady that I talk in my sleep, and very loudly, especially when I'm in a bad mood."
"What does that have to do with my lady?"
"Just pass the message along."
"All right, but don't forget tomorrow's story."
"I won't."
Upon returning to the carriage, Bi You'er relayed Li Dao's words to Tie Sanniang exactly.
"That wretched man!"
Tie Sanniang clenched her pearly teeth. She had never imagined that her goodwill would provoke such a fierce response. Was he that resistant to her?
Or did he resist all women?
But that did not make sense either.
Tie Sanniang glanced at Bi You'er beside her. His attitude toward her personal maid was much warmer, so he was clearly targeting her specifically.
Still, she could do nothing about it. He had leverage over her, after all.
"Forget it. I'll leave him alone for now. First, I'll go back and clean out those under me."
Tie Sanniang cast a veiled glance beyond the window curtain.
Meanwhile, inside Li Dao's carriage.
"Status Panel!"
[Master: Li Dao] [Physique: 87.81] [Available attribute points: 9.08]
"Allocate points!"
[Master: Li Dao] [Physique: 96.89] [Available attribute points: 0]
The familiar warm current appeared again. Li Dao could not help stretching as his bones and sinews crackled.
Once the warmth faded, Li Dao clenched his fists.
After all his painstaking effort, he had finally grown stronger again.
Seeing his physique approaching one hundred on the status panel, he recalled the unusual change that had occurred when it reached ten.
By his calculations, reaching one hundred physique points should give him another opportunity to transform.
The transformation of his skin alone had greatly increased his actual combat strength. He wondered what the next transformation would bring and what effects it would have.
Unfortunately, there had been too few enemies today. Otherwise, he might have raised his Physique to a hundred points and undergone his second transformation.
The next day, the convoy set off again in earnest.
Perhaps because it had come under attack, the convoy traveled faster now.
Coupled with the fact that they had already covered more than half the journey, they would probably reach the Imperial Capital in less than two days at this pace.
The closer they drew to the Imperial Capital, the faster Li Dao felt his heart beating.
Perhaps this was what they meant by growing fearful as one drew close to home.
Two days passed quickly.
"We've reached the Imperial Capital!"
Sitting with his back against the side of a carriage, Li Dao suddenly heard someone shout.
He raised his head and looked into the distance, where a majestic city wall stretched across the horizon, grand and imposing in scale.
As Li Dao remembered it, even the Imperial Capital's outermost wall stood a hundred meters tall. Only a Xiantian Martial Artist could scale it.
Had this existed in his previous life, modern people probably would have struggled to explain it.
After all, even hundred-meter buildings had only gradually begun to appear in modern times in his previous life, let alone a hundred-meter city wall of such immense length and breadth.
The convoy slowly approached the city gates.
As they drew near, neat rows of small houses appeared on either side, along with numerous commoners.
Seeing the Iron Family's convoy approaching, the commoners moved to either side of the road, watching it with envy in their eyes.
After all, everyone knew that the Iron Family was Great Qian's foremost imperial merchant family, and its wealthiest.
The convoy soon reached the city gates.
There were three gates before them, with numerous soldiers stationed there to inspect the pedestrians and carriages entering the city.
By rights, even the Iron Family's convoy should have undergone an inspection.
Yet when the Iron Family's convoy approached, the gate guards all lined up on either side without making the slightest attempt to stop it. Their leader even cupped his hands in a friendly greeting.
Just as Tie Sanniang's carriage was about to pass the head guard, it stopped.
"You'er."
"Yes, miss."
The window curtain lifted, revealing Bi You'er's pretty, adorable face. She picked up some money and tossed it to the head guard.
"This is from my mistress."
The head guard did not refuse. With a deeply respectful, friendly smile, he said, "Thank you, Third Miss. Thank you, Miss You'er."
"Let's go."
Only after Tie Sanniang's cool voice rang out did the convoy resume moving.
At the sight, Li Dao could not help chuckling. "Now that's more like the bearing of the Iron Lady."
Before you continue