On the country road through the forest, the horse-drawn carriage that had hijacked Shiyan finally realized something was wrong when it passed the boundary marker for the third time.
"Boss, look at that boundary marker! Didn't we just pass by it?"
The bandit leader looked in that direction and saw the boundary marker of Willow and Poplar County. He pointed to another road, "Go that way..."
The coachman turned the horse around and galloped off in a different direction. In no time, the carriage had returned to its starting point.
"Damn it, we've run into a maze. Boss, what do we do? We can't just sit here like this."
Shiyan wriggled and made two whimpering sounds at the man... trying to tell them they had arrested the wrong person, but the next moment he was kicked hard in the stomach.
The man grew impatient. "Behave yourself, or I'll kill you."
Shiyan's vision went black from the kick, pain swept through his entire body, and cold sweat streamed down his forehead.
A murderous glint flashed in the man's eyes. "Go ahead, piss on the boundary marker. I refuse to believe I can't get out."
Without hesitation, the coachman jumped off the carriage, quickly unbuckled his belt, and began to relieve himself. But he had only gone halfway when he heard the sound of horses' hooves behind him.
He hurriedly turned around and saw a woman in a yellow dress riding a white horse rushing towards them like the wind.
Oh no, we've been exposed! His heart skipped a beat, and before he could even utter a word, he hastily fastened his belt and rushed to the carriage.
However, she was still a step too late. The woman drew out a soft, emerald-green whip, swirled it in the air, hooked it onto the carriage, and pulled it away.
With a whoosh, the entire carriage was ripped off.
Shiyan felt it was already dawn, but before he could look up, a whip wrapped around his waist, and he was lifted into the air.
He was then enveloped in a warm embrace. He turned his head blankly and saw that it was Meng Anci's aunt. She had delicate features, a serious expression, and a murderous intent surging in her eyes.
Shiyan was originally a kid from a bodyguard agency, and he had a natural affinity for people with strong military skills.
There was no fear in his eyes, only admiration for the strong.
The two robbers were so frightened by the force of the Jin Shanyao that they froze on the spot, and then drew their swords from their waists.
He said viciously, "I originally planned to kill one, but I didn't expect you to chase after me..."
Before he could finish speaking, a whip was wrapped around his neck, and he was thrown heavily against the tree trunk as if he had lost control.
"Boss..." the coachman cried out in terror. The boss was the most powerful figure in the assassin world; how could he be subdued by a frail woman?
"Damn it..." he spat angrily, turned around, and ran for his life...
Don't blame me for being ruthless; the worst thing you can do among colleagues is to let genuine feelings get the better of you.
"If you die, I will be the leader..." Before the coachman could finish his thought, the whip wrapped around his ankle, and the scene before him reversed, causing him to fall against a tree trunk.
His internal organs shifted instantly, and the pain, as if his bones were being shattered, made his vision go black. He then collapsed limply onto the bandit leader.
The whips rained down, tearing their skin and leaving them no time to resist.
Shiyan sat on his white horse, watching the two bandits who had tied him up being whipped by Jin Shanyao until they were covered in blood and screamed in pain. He felt incredibly pleased with himself.
His eyes were fixed on the whip, and he mumbled, "Whip them to death, let them steal children, and kick me in the stomach... whip them to death."
They saw the county constables running towards them.
The bandit leader shoved the coachman forward, trying to escape, but the coachman clung tightly to his legs, declaring, "If we die, we all die together; no one will survive alone."
A mocking glint flashed in Jin Shanyao's eyes. Even at this point, she still wanted to escape.
The emerald green whip, as if it had eyes, wrapped around the ankles of both of them at the same time, then flung them into the air and slammed them heavily onto the stone tablet, causing them to spit out a mouthful of blood.
The two robbers, despite their exceptional skills, were no match for the woman's whip.
Frustrating...
They thought this was a cushy job, but little did they know that this remote and impoverished place was teeming with hidden talents, and their lives might be in danger during this mission.
Magistrate Yang, breathless from running, pointed at the robbers and roared, "Seize them! If they resist, execute them on the spot!"
The constables were overjoyed. For the first time, they had brought the criminals to justice without resorting to violence. They quickly took out ropes and tied the two robbers up tightly.
Magistrate Yang finally breathed a sigh of relief, leaning against the tree trunk and panting heavily.
Damn it, he just made some achievements in Willow and Poplar County, and someone is already making things difficult for him.
He yelled at the top of his lungs, "Take them all away! Take them all back to the yamen for questioning. I want to see which ancestor is so jealous of my good fortune!"
But the next moment, a constable exclaimed, "Sir, something terrible has happened! They bit their tongues and committed suicide..."
"What?!" Magistrate Yang exclaimed in shock, stumbling forward with trembling legs, and forcefully pried open the robber's mouth.
He cursed, "This is suicide by poisoning, and he even bit his tongue to commit suicide! How did I end up with a bunch of subordinates like you?"
He then wiped his hands on the constable with a look of disdain, his face full of regret... What a great opportunity for promotion, gone!
Jin Shanyao ripped the handkerchief from Shiyan's mouth, untied the rope, and met his bright eyes. Before she could ask anything, Magistrate Yang walked over.
He glanced at the white horse, wanting Jin Shanyao down so he could sit on it, but after hesitating for a long time, he was too embarrassed to speak.
The two stared at each other for a long time. Magistrate Yang gritted his teeth, led the white horse back to the Anzhi Hall.
When Madam Shi saw Shiyan return, she hugged him and wept bitterly, "My son, you've suffered so much..."
Shiyan struggled to look at the Jin Shanyao, "Auntie, Auntie, can you teach me how to use a whip?"
Meng Anzhi and Meng Anci's faces fell upon hearing this.
Meng Anci stood in front of Jin Shanyao, his eyes wide with anger, " Shiyan, this is my aunt. If you dare call her that again, I'll knock your teeth out."
Shiyan, embarrassed, blushed and said, "My aunt saved me; she's like a second parent to me..."
He broke free from Madam Shi's embrace and knelt down with a thud before Jin Shanyao.
"Mother, please accept my bow..." Before he could finish speaking, the Madam Shi grabbed him by the collar and pulled him up.
The Madam Shi gritted her teeth and said, "I'm not even dead yet, and you're already thinking of changing your father's wife, you unfilial son... I'll beat you to death today."
As she spoke, she smacked Shiyan on the buttocks, and Shiyan screamed in pain.
"Mother, listen to me... Oh, please don't do it yet!"
When Meng Anci heard the word "mother," it felt like the sky had fallen. Things they had always ignored suddenly flooded his mind.
Yes, his aunt will get married and have her own children. Does that mean she won't love them anymore? A sudden wave of panic washed over Meng Anci.
He subconsciously looked at Jin Shanyao and saw her standing there stiffly, as if struck by lightning, staring at Madam Shi hitting Shiyan.
Jin Shanyao head, her inner voice screaming wildly, "Oh my god... she almost had a son! The Madam Shi really wants her to adopt another son!"
This thief... harbors ill intentions and must not be allowed to live.
With a wave of her hand, Jin Shanyao one of them and threw the Madam Shi and Shiyan out of the shop. The Shi Household were too frightening.
Madam Shi and Shiyan stood dumbfounded at the shop entrance. Shouldn't Jin Shanyao apologize to them?
If it weren't for the Anzhi Hall, would her son have been kidnapped?
She was just thrown out like that???
Madam Shi's anger flared up, but she quickly suppressed it. She couldn't afford to offend them; the Shi Household Escort Agency were still under Jin Shanyao, and if she messed things up, she would have to start calling her "Master."
Just as she was struggling with her decision, Meng Anzhi came out and approached Shiyan, smiling sweetly and gently.
I've never seen such a beautiful girl in Shiyan.
His heart pounded uncontrollably, and he stared at Meng Anzhi, his face flushing red.
Meng Anzhi was a year younger than Shiyan, but half a head taller than him. "I'm sorry to have troubled you today. This purse is good for your mind and doesn't cost much. I hope you like it."
Shiyan, seemingly oblivious, took it, his smile almost reaching his ears, "I love it, I love it, I love it..."
The Madam Shi couldn't bear to look anymore and slapped him on the head, "What are you looking at? Everyone's gone..."
Shiyan blushed, "Mom, you don't understand..."
"Don't I understand? Just like your dead father, you can't resist walking past pretty girls," Madam Shi pinched Shiyan's ear and cursed as they walked home.
Shiyan clutched the sachet tightly, tilting his head and pleading, "Mother, Mother, please be gentle, you're going to pull my ears off!"
"Pah... Don't call me mother, I'm not your mother... Anzhi Hall is your mother."
That Shi Household night, Shiyan developed a dense layer of small bumps all over his body. They didn't hurt or itch, and Madam Shi was so frightened that she immediately called a doctor.
Three different doctors were consulted, but the cause of the illness could not be found.
Shiyan, carefree and oblivious, hung the purse given to him by Meng Anzhi and devoured the food on the table.
The Madam Shi's heart was torn in two, one half worried about her husband getting into trouble again, and the other half worried about her son getting into trouble again.
Life was incredibly tough.