Chapter 43 Xie Nai Stabbed

Chapter 43: Assassination Attempt on Xie Nai

Qin Jiao’s question made Xun Xi feel as if she were trapped once again in those years of desperate flight. Her voice trembled slightly:

“Not just me—my parents too. But ‘victim’ isn’t quite the right word. To be precise, in the eyes of Yun Niang and Boss Liu, we were worse than the lowliest stray dogs.”

Those buried memories slowly tore open, scabs festering, flesh and blood blurred, yet Xun Xi seemed beyond feeling pain. She continued:

“After we were captured, we were tortured day and night. My father was beaten to death by Boss Liu trying to protect my mother and me. His body was chopped up and thrown into the Raocheng River. Later, my mother had her eyes sold. I was still young then. After my parents died, Yun Niang decided to keep me and raise me, planning to sell me when I grew older.

Besides me and my parents, many others in the brothel had been trafficked. But they were beaten into submission—too scared to run. I wasn’t. I ran again and again, was caught again and again, and each time beaten until my skin was torn and I was barely alive.

Until the last time, I understood: the weak have no voice. Truth and outcome are always in the hands of the powerful. So I decided to stop running.”

Xun Xi clenched her teeth, her gaze solitary and resolute. “I would become the one in power myself.”

“So you turned from victim to perpetrator,” Qin Jiao concluded sharply.

Xun Xi’s gaze swept across the crowd to the ornate, splendid Zhaoxiu Tower. Her voice was so faint it seemed ethereal: “Young master, if I had a choice, who would willingly become an executioner?”

Xun Xi hated Yun Niang, hated Boss Liu. At the same time, she also hated herself.

Qin Jiao did not argue further. He couldn’t bear to watch, and turned away.

From a certain perspective, Xun Xi and Li Chengwei were very alike. Both were pushed by fate’s hand to become heartless killers.

The scene fell into a brief silence. Xiao Nianzhang sighed inwardly. When he spoke again, his voice was softer: “Where were the trafficked people sold? Do you have a register?”

Xun Xi shook her head. “Most of the women were sent to the capital. Children were sold to families who couldn’t bear their own. Some who refused to yield were buried underground. There’s no register—after all, who cares about them? They’re like ants.”

“Where were the people you sold taken from?” Although Xiao Nianzhang already had a guess, he asked again.

Xun Xi’s eyes fell on the magistrate of Wuyuan County, who was standing there in his purple-blue official robe, his face ashen. “In the early years, Yun Niang and Boss Liu abducted people from all around Nanzhou—every county. After I took over Zhaoxiu Tower, I only took people from Wuyuan County.”

The magistrate’s face turned green. Trembling, he pointed at Xun Xi and cursed: “You vicious woman! Who put you up to this? How dare you be so rampant? Who in the capital is backing you?”

Finally, they came to the most crucial question: the mastermind behind it all.

Xun Xi lifted her head, her gaze landing on the lofty, powerful Prince of Lingnan.

Qin Jiao also turned to look at the expressionless Xie Nai beside him. Yes, he remembered—in the beginning, Xun Xi had said she captured him merely to “lure Xie Nai.” So Xun Xi must have something she wanted to say to Xie Nai.

The moment was right. Xun Xi no longer concealed anything. She said quietly: “The one who ordered us is indeed from the capital, but I don’t know his identity or name. Like Yun Niang and Boss Liu, I only ever called him ‘Master.’ In fact, Zhaoxiu Tower didn’t only sell women and run a prostitution business—it also ‘recruited beauties’ for that master in the capital…”

“Recruited for what?” Qin Jiao asked in doubt.

“‘Eye-catching beauties’ and ‘proper young ladies.’”

Qin Jiao’s heart skipped a beat. “So when you said earlier that most of the trafficked women were sent to the capital—they were sent to your master?”

Xun Xi nodded and said, “Yes.”

“Who is this mastermind, to dare break the law and be so arrogant?”

If not for Xie Nai’s presence, Qin Jiao suspected the magistrate would have erupted into curses.

“The master never sees us in person. But I heard Yun Niang say he is of noble status—on par with the Prince of Lingnan.”

Xun Xi said sternly, and she did not seem to be lying.

Qin Jiao thought to himself. Xie Nai was of noble status. In the capital, those who could match him could be counted on one hand—but not none.

Who could it be?

Qin Jiao looked at Xie Nai. He was ice-cold, his face dark, his thoughts unknowable.

“I’ve told you everything I know. The master in the capital sent enforcers and bodyguards to help us ‘recruit beauties,’ but really, they were also monitoring us. I am as insignificant as a mayfly—I am powerless against a towering tree. But the hatred in my heart is hard to appease. I know my crimes are unforgivable, but I never regret them.”

Xun Xi was not afraid of death, but she feared dying in silence, without purpose.

Qin Jiao felt a heavy heart. A stifling, indescribable feeling overwhelmed him.

Xun Xi had indeed answered every question fully and candidly.

Later, when Xiao Nianzhang asked if she had correspondence with the master in the capital, she said the letters were kept together with the register of people who frequented Zhaoxiu Tower.

Just then, Xiao Yue returned with the register and letters. “Your Highness, I have the register!”

Xiao Yue came out from behind a holly bush, holding the register up high as he ran. Suddenly—an arrow shot through the air, straight at Xiao Yue’s heart!

“Watch out!” Xiao Nianzhang roared angrily!

Xiao Yue’s heart shook violently. His eyes flew wide open. He instinctively drew the long saber at his waist to block. He was no slouch in martial arts—the saber easily cut the arrow in two!

But after one arrow, countless more rained down from the sky!

“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—”

The sound of dense arrows cutting through the air filled the scene!

The arrows were sharp, their tips glinting coldly. Everyone scrambled to take cover. In the blink of an eye, before Qin Jiao could react, Xie Nai pulled him into his arms and shouted hoarsely: “Cong Shuang!”

“Luo Bei will protect her.” Xie Nai spun Qin Jiao around several times, and the two ducked behind a pillar.

Once safe, Qin Jiao quickly looked for Cong Shuang. He breathed a slight sigh of relief when he saw her and Luo Bei unharmed.

The rain of arrows was fierce. Xiao Nianzhang and the magistrate, who had no martial arts, could only scramble to hide. Xiao Yue’s saber whirled wildly to block arrows for them. Luo Bei, after settling Cong Shuang, also joined in to cover their retreat.

“Save Xun Xi, Luo Bei!” Qin Jiao shouted at the top of his lungs.

Xun Xi still leaned against the stone table, motionless. She watched the rain of arrows with calm indifference, her eyes filled with a peace that saw through everything.

Qin Jiao watched anxiously as Luo Bei went to save Xun Xi. In that instant, just as Luo Bei grabbed Xun Xi’s hand, an arrow shot toward her. Luo Bei raised his hand to break it, but another arrow came from behind him—

“Thud!”

The arrow pierced her through the heart. Blood splattered everywhere!

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