Chapter 4

With such an incomparable courtesan, others would scramble to pamper her; who would have the heart to ruthlessly destroy such a flower, especially while bringing so many soldiers of the Imperial Guard?

Manager Zhu had recognized their identities from the knights' attire long ago.

The Imperial Guard—those were the Emperor's personal elite troops. Their status was lofty; how could an ordinary person command them? Ever since the Great Jin migrated east, the entire imperial court had maintained a pattern of strong ministers and weak sovereigns. Those capable of commanding the Emperor's personal guards were generally members of the imperial clan. Which member of the imperial clan was this exceptionally handsome young nobleman?

As Manager Zhu's thoughts meandered, Qin Qiaoqiao had already broken into a smile. Her eyes shimmered like rippling spring water as she said in a charming voice, "Second Young Master, I bear no grudge against you. Why must you deploy the Imperial Guard just because of a disagreement? Why not let me go, and in the future, I shall follow your every command. Even if you were to demand I offer myself to your bed, I would never utter a single word of complaint..." Her voice was sweet and melodious, like heavenly music, and as she spoke, she extended a jade-like arm slightly, her wide robes slipping down to reveal half of a forearm as white as jade.

She truly deserved her reputation as a famous courtesan of Jiangzuo. With just a few words and subtle movements, every man present could not help but feel their Adam's apples bob; their hearts wavered and their souls were ensnared by her beauty. Several members of the Imperial Guard, seeing Qin Qiaoqiao's exquisite features, felt their bodies go weak, wishing they could immediately agree on behalf of the young master.

"Offer yourself to my bed? That truly is a fine idea!" The smile on the youth's lips suddenly widened, yet a thick layer of mockery flashed in his dark eyes. He pointed lightly with a gold-inlaid, jade-encrusted whip and said contemptuously, "It's just that for a beautiful viper like you, I fear very few people have the courage to enjoy you!"

Qin Qiaoqiao's expression changed slightly. "What do you mean by that, Young Master? I'm afraid I don't quite understand!"

The smile on the youth's lips deepened. "Qin Qiaoqiao, do you think this Young Master truly doesn't know your real identity?" His voice grew increasingly cold, emphasizing every word: "Qin Qiaoqiao, you are not a pure Han person. You have one-quarter Xianbei blood! Years ago, you were even a personal maid to Crown Prince Minwen in Great Yan!"

Since the Rebellion of the Eight Princes of Great Jin fifty years ago, the Jin imperial clan had engaged in fratricide. Taking advantage of the chaos, five nomadic tribes residing in the Guanzhong and Liangzhou regions raised their armies, at one point capturing the Great Jin's capital, Luoyang, and its secondary capital, Chang'an. This period is known in history as the "Uprising of the Five Barbarians"!

Frequent rebellions and constant warfare in the north of the river led to a life of misery for the people, causing a massive number of commoners and aristocratic clans to flee south to escape the disaster. With the support of the four top-tier clans residing in Jiangnan, a distant branch of the imperial family, Langya Wang Yu Xingrui, established a regime in Jiankang—which was the current Great Jin. It was also called the Southern Jin by the northerners, while the vast region north of the Qinling Mountains and the Huai River—the Central Plains, the cradle of Chinese civilization—was now occupied by foreign tribes.

After years of conquest and mutual annexation, two stable regimes had been established in the north: Great Yan, founded by the Murong clan of the Xianbei, and Great Wei, founded by the Tuoba clan of the Rouran, forming a tripartite stalemate. Among the three, Great Yan, which occupied Guanzhong, was the strongest.

The Crown Prince of Great Yan, Minwen Prince Murong Gui, was a figure whose fame surpassed even that of his father, Emperor Wu, Murong Gong. Not only did he possess a grand vision and extraordinary strategy, pioneering the Fubing system, but most notably, he was the number one beauty of the Xianbei Murong clan! He outshone even the exquisite gems of the Jiangnan aristocratic youths.

The Second Young Master said indifferently, "Murong Gui is ambitious. Don't tell me he sent a personal maid like you to Jiangnan just to flirt and sell smiles?" A cold aura began to spread from him, and his voice grew as frigid as ice and snow: "Qin Qiaoqiao, you hid your true identity and lurked within my Great Jin. Just what kind of unspeakable purpose do you harbor? You have maintained close contact with the high-ranking clans and officials of my Great Jin; just how much intelligence have you stolen? You spy of the Yan Kingdom!"

Qin Qiaoqiao's expression shifted several times in rapid succession. In an instant, her flirtatious demeanor was replaced by a spirited and commanding presence. She said loudly, "The Second Young Master is indeed extraordinary to have detected such a secret matter. No wonder the Crown Prince still holds you in high regard even from far away in Chang'an. I have heard that although you are overly gloomy and ruthless, you possess profound strategy and are capable of managing subordinates. If you were willing to put effort into being 'benevolent and tolerant,' you might achieve great things in the future! Compared to the three princes of the current Emperor Yuan, you are far more promising!" When she mentioned Crown Prince Minwen, her voice was filled with heartfelt reverence. Her words implied that a single comment from Murong Gui could bring immense glory to the Second Young Master.

The Second Young Master, however, sneered repeatedly. "What is Murong Gui? A mere barbarian—what right does he have to judge a member of the orthodox imperial clan of my Great Han?"

Seeing her supreme idol being insulted, Qin Qiaoqiao's face darkened. "Crown Prince Minwen is learned in the classics and famous throughout the world. Though young, he commands the expectations of the people; the unification of the world will surely belong to him. Among the officials and royals of the Southern Jin, who would not praise him?"

"Such grandiosity! Shameless!"

Qin Qiaoqiao countered, "Who doesn't know that the Southern Dynasty's aristocratic clans hold immense power, and the monarch's authority has waned? The Wang, Xie, Shen, and Huan clans jointly manage the world, and even imperial power must yield. Now that a young lady of the direct line of the Shen clan of Lanling has fallen into my hands, why not let the Second Young Master spare me? Let me leave this place, and I shall return Miss Shen to you, so you do not offend the Lanling Shen clan. I will also have fulfilled my duty to the Crown Prince by making you his friend. In this way, everyone is happy, and it is a win-win for both sides!"

The Second Young Master's indifferent and cold gaze swept over Shen Yuanyu's face once before withdrawing. Being scanned by such a gaze, devoid of even a shred of emotion, Shen Yuanyu felt the blood in her entire body freeze. What kind of cold-hearted, emotionless person was this?

The Second Young Master said lazily, "What I hate most in this life is being threatened! I have never met her; what does her life or death have to do with me? If you want to kill her, go ahead; I will not stop you! If you are wise, drop your weapons and surrender, and I might spare your life! Otherwise, I will fire arrows immediately!" The youth's fair right hand was raised high. Upon receiving the command, the members of the Imperial Guard aimed their gleaming arrowheads at Qin Qiaoqiao.

Qin Qiaoqiao's expression changed, and a sense of pride rose in her face. "Since I infiltrated the Southern Jin alone, I long ago cast life and death aside! Crown Prince Minwen is the greatest hero of the current age. Sooner or later, he will lead his army to conquer Jiankang and destroy the Southern Jin. Even if I die here, he will avenge me!"

Her words were powerful and resonant, showing absolutely no fear of death. In her heart, however, Shen Yuanyu was nearly cursing. *You talk about your national grievances and eternal hegemony—what does that have to do with me? Why drag me into this? Just what kind of deity have I offended to encounter such a malevolent star the moment I stepped out the door!*

Qin Qiaoqiao and the Second Young Master bickered for a long time. It wasn't that Shen Yuanyu didn't want to interject, but Qin Qiaoqiao had her in a chokehold, making it impossible to say a word.

Two brilliant, cold lights flashed in the Second Young Master's eyes. "Do you think I truly don't dare to kill you?"

Shen Yuanyu's heart went cold. She believed that this man truly did not care about her life or death.

Qin Qiaoqiao raised an eyebrow. "Go ahead and fire! My life is cheap; if a noble lady from a top-tier clan accompanies me to the afterlife, it will be worth it!" She truly did not believe that with the four great clans holding such immense power in the Southern Jin, if the Second Young Master killed a direct daughter of the Shen clan under these circumstances, he would inevitably face punishment from the Emperor, and the Shen family would never let it rest for the sake of their reputation.

Manager Zhu's legs went weak with fear. "Young Master, the Third Young Lady is the eldest legitimate daughter of the Shen clan's main branch. Her status is precious, and she is currently in the hands of a villain! You must not fire the arrows!"

The youth, however, turned a deaf ear, staring fixedly at Qin Qiaoqiao. "Do you think this Young Master is truly afraid of the Shen family?" Seeing a thick murderous intent flash in his narrow eyes, Shen Yuanyu thought to herself, *It's over.* In her past life, she had been a somewhat well-known lawyer and was an expert at reading people. This Second Young Master was clearly a decisive, bold, and uncompromising type. By provoking him like this, Qin Qiaoqiao would surely cause him to order the soldiers to fire in his rage, and she would undoubtedly be shot into a pincushion by the rain of arrows.

She had only transmigrated three months ago. In this era of shifting winds and clouds, was she going to die so pathetically without even making a ripple? Was she destined to be the most tragic transmigrator in history?

Sure enough, the youth's raised right hand clenched into a fist, ready to swing down.

In her mind, Shen Yuanyu had already cursed the Second Young Master's ancestors for eighteen generations. *You have the upper hand now; can't you find a way to save the hostage first?*

Cold sweat poured down Manager Zhu's forehead. In a moment of desperation, he shouted, "Second Young Master, the Third Young Lady has an engagement with the Emperor's grand-nephew, Young Master Xi Jie!"

The Second Young Master's eyes flickered slightly. In the next moment, his right foot in the stirrup flicked outward, followed by another flick, repeating the same movement three times in succession.

Shen Yuanyu's heart jolted. *What does that mean? Speak clearly!*

Qin Qiaoqiao was highly tense, her attention entirely focused on his right hand, and she failed to notice his subtle movements. In a flash of white light, the Second Young Master did not order the arrows to be fired; instead, he threw a flying dagger with his left hand. It whistled past Qin Qiaoqiao's left cheek, startling her so much that she broke into a cold sweat.

Subconsciously, Qin Qiaoqiao looked to her left. The whip in the Second Young Master's hand seemed to come alive, suddenly flying out and entangling Qin Qiaoqiao's wrist. No one had expected that the decorative whip was actually a weapon, and that its length was so great. The youth pulled hard, and Shen Yuanyu immediately broke free from Qin Qiaoqiao's grip. Recalling the man's movements on horseback just now, she rolled to the right with all her might without a second thought.

The Second Young Master shouted loudly, "Fire! Aim to the left!"

"Swish! Swish! Swish!" The sound of arrows piercing the air rang out. Qin Qiaoqiao had intended to lunge forward to grab Shen Yuanyu, but in that tiny opening, she was struck by three arrows from the elite Imperial Guard. The sound of bones breaking and flesh tearing echoed, and with a scream, Qin Qiaoqiao collapsed beside Shen Yuanyu. She was only inches away, a truly narrow escape.

Three arrows were embedded in her body, one striking directly in the chest, its shaft still trembling slightly. Her small, cherry-like mouth opened slightly, and she spat out a mouthful of blood with a "pfft." The pungent smell of blood nearly made Shen Yuanyu vomit. Fortunately, having seen many crime scenes while handling cases in her past life, she managed to suppress it. She heard Qin Qiaoqiao mutter, "The Crown Prince... Qiaoqiao... is sorry... failed to... complete... the task... you entrusted..." With that, she lost her breath and died.

Shen Yuanyu felt her stomach churning again. If she had been even half a second slower, she would have ended up like Qin Qiaoqiao, shot into a pincushion.

This man truly had no mercy for the fair sex; he was far too ruthless!

The man she resented had already dismounted. His long, jade-white fingers pressed against Qin Qiaoqiao's nose to check for a pulse. His face immediately darkened, and his gaze toward Shen Yuanyu became filled with hostility.

*I had everything arranged perfectly. If it weren't for Xi Jie, how could I have let such an important spy die like this, making it impossible to use her to root out all the spies planted by the Yan Kingdom!*