Chapter 1: Just Go in Peace

Great Qin Kingdom. Chiyan County.

Summer, hot enough to make one restless and irritable.

Du Wan, a young girl picking herbs on the mountain, looked to be about thirteen or fourteen years old.

She was just tossing a freshly dug piece of *Panax notoginseng* into her herb basket.

Suddenly hearing the sounds of blades clashing, she hurriedly hoisted her basket and fled down the mountain!

Abruptly, "Thump!"

A person fell from a tree, slamming into her back!

Caught off guard, she fell face-first into the dirt.

Du Wan’s almond eyes filled with rage. "Damn it! Who hit me?"

Turning her head, she was stunned to see a youth who could only be described as peerless in beauty.

One hand was pressed against a wound on his chest, blood continuously spilling from between his fingers—a shocking sight!

The anger that had flared up in Du Wan vanished in an instant.

There was no point in arguing with someone who was about to die.

The youth was clearly of noble birth; he wore a gold-inlaid, hollowed-out jade crown, a white jade belt with auspicious cloud patterns, white deerskin boots, and a brocade robe with gold-thread embroidery in a lotus vine pattern.

Just as she turned to leave, he grabbed the hem of her trousers.

Save him?

Impossible!

Think of the stories of the farmer and the snake, or Master Dongguo and the wolf... Besides, who knew if the people hunting him were still nearby?

Du Wan still wanted to leave, but the other party held onto her for dear life.

She took a deep breath and spoke softly, "Young Master, everyone must die eventually, so please go in peace. Be a good boy and don't waste your energy struggling; it's useless."

The youth’s pupils constricted, and he nearly choked on his own breath.

Du Wan took the opportunity to break free from his grip.

"Refusing to save a life... is it because you want to find a new fiancé?" A fiery rage churned in the youth’s peach-blossom eyes.

Du Wan froze. "Fiancé..."

Did this person know the original owner of this body?

That’s right, not long ago, she was still a lazy, wealthy young lady in the 21st century.

Suddenly, she had transmigrated into a book called *The Beggar Princess*, becoming a short-lived little cannon fodder character. Her mother was a Grand Princess, her father came from an aristocratic family, and her uncle was the current Emperor.

But no matter how good one's background was, it couldn't overcome bad luck; she was a bona fide cannon fodder.

She had transmigrated here last month...

Her luck hadn't been good; on the contrary, it was even worse.

One day, she saw a girl faint at her doorstep and kindly rescued her.

That night, her home’s money and grain were looted, and the mute grandmother she lived with was murdered. Only later did she learn that the ingrate she had saved was the heroine of the book.

That was a human life.

The murderer was still at large...

The most terrifying thing was that there was no food at home, and she was facing starvation, forcing her to risk going up the mountain to pick herbs to support herself.

Once bitten, twice shy.

Du Wan stepped back, her heel kicking something else.

She couldn't help but look down at the ground, her heart nearly jumping out of her chest!

In the grass, there was... there was a dead body?!

The victim’s throat had been slit by a blade, eyes wide open in death—it was truly gruesome.

This was definitely a crime scene!

As for the murderer...

Du Wan’s small face turned deathly pale.

Fiancé or whatever, she had long forgotten.

She feigned composure and pushed the basket full of herbs toward the suspected murderer. "There are styptic herbs in the basket, take them all! No need to return them. I have an eighty-year-old mother at home and a three-year-old nephew to feed... so I’ll be going now, I still have to go home and cook."

With that, she ran off at top speed.

The man pursed his pale lips slightly.

He had been shunned... the first time in his life.

Could the rumors in the capital about her and Xie Qi be true?

...

On the way down the mountain.

Du Wan was cautious, looking left and right.

When that man mentioned a fiancé, she had guessed his identity.

The original owner had a betrothal, and it was none other than the great villain of the book, the heir to the Duke of Zhen’s estate.

His surname was Pei, given name Hao, courtesy name Chengming.

Pei Hao maintained the persona of a refined and elegant gentleman, but inside, he was as dark as a black sesame dumpling.

He not only successfully meddled between the hero and heroine but also emerged unscathed, miraculously becoming the "scarlet mole" in the heroine's heart.

Therefore, even if she didn't save him, he wouldn't die.

Du Wan thought it through well, but she had forgotten that the world is unpredictable.

"Who goes there?"

A shout came from behind a large tree on the left.

Du Wan was startled; her first reaction was to run!

Before she could take a few steps, a burly man with a full beard chased after her, wielding a large blade.

The man asked in a rough voice, "Little girl, what are you doing on the mountain?"

"I, I'm picking herbs." She said, inching backward a few steps.

Just as the man was about to ask more, another young man appeared.

The young man was quite handsome, though his skin was a bit dark; compared to the burly man, he could be considered a "pretty boy."

The young man asked, "Hu San, did you find the person?"

"No. Ran into a little girl, said she was picking herbs." The burly man scratched the back of his head with a chuckle.

The young man looked at Du Wan with a smile. "Picking herbs alone?"

"Mm-hmm." Du Wan nodded like a chick pecking at rice.

The young man asked again, "Do herb pickers these days not use tools?"

Du Wan hurriedly explained, "Oh, oh, I was chasing a rabbit just now, but I didn't catch it. My small hoe and basket are just a little ways away. I'll go get them in a moment."

"Is that so? Then I happen to have some time, I'll accompany you to get your tools." The young man put on the appearance of a kind soul.

Du Wan: "..."

A miscalculation. They were suspicious.

She had given the herb basket to Pei Hao, and she had forgotten to take the small hoe.

Du Wan played dumb. "No need, big brother, I can go find them myself."

As she spoke, she turned and ran.

The burly man reacted the fastest, catching up to Du Wan in long strides and grabbing her collar.

The young man’s handsome face remained smiling—it really was true that those with squinty eyes were never good people.

Once caught, Du Wan became incredibly obedient.

There was no help for it; her combat power was too low, she couldn't fight them.

The young man was satisfied with her compliance. "Little sister, don't be afraid. Big brother isn't a bad person."

"..." Du Wan continued to play the coward.

A sharp glint flashed in the young man’s eyes as he spoke again, "My surname is Mu, from the Mu family in Pingnan City. I just want to ask you about something."

Du Wan was stunned.

The Mu family of Pingnan City... that sounded familiar?

The young man pointed to her feet before saying, "Can you explain this?"

Du Wan looked down.

On the hem of her trousers was a bloody handprint...