Prologue

The interior of the car was very dark, and nothing could be seen except for the outline of a man, yet a strong smell of blood permeated the air, piercing her nose and settling in her throat and stomach, nearly making her vomit

A voice that made her tremble came from outside the car

The firelight illuminated a corner of the car. It was then that she recognized the source of the bloody scent

The driver was momentarily taken aback, hurriedly redirecting his gaze from her figure to look behind her.

Yet she dared not disobey, enduring the turmoil within her very being, gradually forcing it all into her mouth.

The torch approached the car curtain, and the delicate texture could not withstand the light's penetration, allowing it to be pierced inside and out, clearly reflecting the shadow of the person inside the car onto the curtain

The sound emanates from the chaotic darkness

Cannot die? Having already become a prostitute, what genuine feelings are left to be concerned about?

She was so frightened that her soul seemed to leave her body, trembling like a leaf in the wind.

The two words "steep and sharp" are chilling.

The situation was so tragic that it instilled fear in everyone. It took a long time before someone hurriedly approached to check on it.

The driver was taken aback, and could not help but tighten the reins in his hands, turning back to say:

Master Zhang, I sincerely apologize for any offense caused

No need

Having spoken, he turned over and dismounted, holding a torch as he walked straight towards the front of the carriage

I ... ...

There was no response within the car, yet the atmosphere was gloomy, inexplicably exuding a sense of oppression

Bring her up

The leader paused his steps and asked, "May I inquire, Lord Zhang, who else is in the carriage"

Before her words had finished, a hand had already grasped her waist, seizing that meager flesh on her waist without any pity, lifting her entire body down onto his lap. The woman's body became heated, her mouth lost its composure, and her throat emitted a cry as weak as a wounded beast

The snowflakes drifted on the surface of the moat flowing into Luoyang City, resembling scattered silver. In the dusk, a gust of easterly wind blew down the early-blooming plum blossoms, which, still floating on the water along with the drifting ice, lay quietly on the river's surface, showing no signs of sinking.

One cannot speak of responsibilities. It is sufficient to see clearly

The driver said: "Inside the car is the Grand Secretary."

"Young master, I beg you... save me..."

The spring snow of the twelfth year of Xingqing fell gracefully and quietly

Then do not make a sound

Shut up

The young master cut off my tongue, or... or scalded my throat to silence me

I ... ... I do not know ... ...

The voice of the person in the car still reveals no emotion

I just said something

As soon as the words were spoken, the carriage was surrounded by a group.

Everyone was at a loss, and the weapons in their hands trembled, causing no one to dare to stop the carriage at that moment

It pains me ... it pains ... ...

Thank you, Young Master ... ... for your life-saving grace

Master Zhang, the person we are pursuing tonight is of great significance. We have followed their trail all the way to this point, yet the criminal has vanished without a trace. It is quite a coincidence to encounter your carriage, and given my responsibilities, I must conduct an investigation. I apologize for any offense.

The driver dared not speak further, sheathed the sword, dismounted, and with a single hand lifted the woman off the ground

The person's cries of pain can no longer form sentences, and even breathing has become uncontrollable. The breath within has been completely exhaled, and for a long while, not a single breath can be drawn back. The blood flowing from the eye sockets resembles two terrifying red snakes, slithering and crawling on the snow.

He raised his hand, and as his palm left the woman's backside, her legs trembled violently, the copper bells on her ankles clinking with a delicate sound

"Young master, please save me..."

The leader, upon hearing these words, reined in the horse and clasped his fists in salute while on horseback

Be quiet

The woman had a head of thick, jet-black long hair that fell straight to her knees. At this moment, freed from the constraints of hairpins, it danced in the wind like a specter, swaying with her unsteady steps. The copper bells on her ankles clashed chaotically against each other, occasionally scraping against the ground, producing a sound as tangled as a mess of threads

The horse's hoof took a step back, pulling her body forward in a sudden lunge, her shoulders slumping down, and she instinctively arched her hips, the pure white Zen robe sliding down her back to her waist

He seemingly nonchalantly patted the blushing, heated flesh beneath his palm, "Jiang Ling."

Do you want to block it?

The sound of fire drew closer from outside, and the driver's voice came in: "My lord, pursuing her is the internal military of the Central Army."

"To gouge out the eyes"

The person in the car did not respond

The cold, biting wind mixed with sparkling debris swept across the woman's tight and smooth haven of beauty, and she suddenly reddened her eyes, her voice trembling with a cry.

She was completely unclothed from the waist down, her long legs resembling jade pestles, yet her knees were marred with numerous wounds, as if she had just endured a brutal torment. Her eyes were bloodshot, her lips cracked, and her body seemed as if it had been disassembled, like a handful of water mixed with plum blossom ashes, lightly drifting before the horse's head

Seductive and intoxicating. Even with a layer of separation, it is evident that the woman is an exquisite beauty

The leader hesitated, yet bound by the command of the sovereign, could not help but step forward

The woman's fingers and toes curled tighter and tighter as she anxiously nestled into his embrace

The horse was not startled; instead, it lowered its head, exhaling hot breaths, and gently nuzzled her face

The scream came unexpectedly

The light and heat of the torch penetrated through the vehicle's curtain, warming from behind

The Golden City in the northwest is bright and clear, with the Mang Mountain behind it, its peak covered in a deep layer of snow, shrouded in mystery

The slender and alluring shoulders of the woman trembled in the firelight, and cascading down from her shoulders, the tattered straps of her garment lay in disarray around her waist and abdomen. Further down, there was the completely exposed curve of her lower back, absurdly elevated upon the man's knee, with a hand resting upon it.

The leader, holding a torch, stood frozen in place, gradually becoming dazed.

She desperately bit down on the silk handkerchief in her mouth, her robe had completely slipped down to her waist, revealing her crimson abdomen

The man glanced down at her, his hand pressing firmly yet gently on her exposed hip

He let out a cold laugh, bent down, and firmly grasped her chin, applying such force that he nearly lifted her entire body. She instinctively clutched his hand.

"I... I do not want to die, I cannot die..."

A cough was heard from the car, followed by two words that expressed complete emotional detachment

Save me... ah...

The person rushing from the front was gasping as if about to vomit their heart and lungs; the closer they got, the more hurried their breaths became, shattering the mournful sound of the bronze bell.

Without mentioning the others around, even the leader himself had not yet reacted when the driver gouged out two bloody holes in his face. He immediately dropped the torch, desperately covered his eye sockets, and knelt in the snow, crying out in excruciating pain, with veins bulging on the back of his hand, his whole body convulsing like a shaking sieve

The silence outside the car seemed to be debating with someone, and after a moment, it responded with two words: "Do not recognize"

The person in the car pulled down their sleeve to cover the whip marks on their wrist, bowing their head in the firelight as they looked at the woman on their lap

Have you seen clearly

Little did anyone know, that woman suddenly raised her voice: "I am not a prostitute! My brother is still waiting for me to return home"

The chilling sound pulled everyone back from their souls wandering in the heights of desire

The fragrance of plum blossoms penetrates the bones, raising the hair and skin.

In the spring, the night snow falls, drifting like powdered rice flour

That...

Do not kill me ... ... I dare not speak of it ... ... I truly dare not say anything.

On both sides of Tongtuo Street, there are rows of elm and poplar trees. A carriage quietly passes through the space in between.

A faint laugh came from the car

She did not dare to stay, almost rolling to his side, bowing her head with closed eyes.

Do you want to be thrown out

Suddenly, everyone fell silent, and one of the soldiers even threw the torch in his hand far away, rolling into the snow and illuminating the person's face, which was twisted in pain

Do not raise your head, close your eyes

Torches crowded in front of the car, tearing the shadows of a man and a woman on the canvas into frayed edges

Save me

The houses by the roadside gradually became illuminated by the firelight, and the sound of scales clattering on the horse's back drew closer. The horse in front of the carriage grew restless, and the driver raised his arm to tighten the reins, steadying the horse's hooves, and shouted down: "Who is pursuing you!"

This sound was not deliberately lowered, and the people outside could hear it clearly.

Do you want to live

She released her hand, allowing herself to be suspended by him like a thin rabbit

The driver tightened the red silk reins and turned back to whisper, "My lord, it is a woman"

For a moment, the hooves came to a halt, the horse's tail stirred the powdered snow, patiently waiting for the panicked individuals approaching ever closer on the road ahead

However, you today ... ...

Living people are not to be trusted

In the early spring snow, the cold penetrated to the bone, yet the man before her was only wearing a robe, large patches of bloodstains still wet upon it. The wrist of the hand she had grasped hung before her eyes, revealing a shocking whip mark.

Then the person's fingers tightened again

She was greatly alarmed and was about to raise her head to see the person's face. However, she heard a low shout from above her head:

We are ordered to apprehend the criminal who attempts to assassinate the sovereign. Who is inside the vehicle? Step out for inspection immediately

She spoke as she crawled forward a few steps, reaching out to grasp the horse's leg, raising her head to look mournfully at the person in the cart: "If they capture me, I will not survive. I beg you to save me... I... I will repay you well in the future and serve you..."

is ... ...

The wind lifted a corner of the car curtain, revealing half of a wrist resting on the knee, where a distinct whip mark, exposing skin, was prominently displayed.

The sound is truly arousing and enticing

Suddenly, a chaotic sound of copper bells echoed along the cold, desolate path, growing closer, accompanied by the sound of bare feet crunching on the snow. The driver, Han Jian, drew his sword, lifted his hat, and gazed along the wide imperial road.

Do not move

Why not open your eyes

The young man driving the cart hid his head under the straw hat, appearing as if he were asleep

The slave... saw nothing at all

The cloth was also stained with a bloody scent, penetrating into her stomach as soon as it entered

Go down

I dare not, I dare not, I will not speak anymore, I will not speak, do not abandon me

The driver clasped his hands and replied: "Yes, my lord."

The sound seemed to sweep across the edge of a blade, startling her and causing her entire body to tremble

Who is in charge

The driver tugged at the vermilion reins, pulling the horse's head back. The horse suddenly reared up, kicking up the powdery snow from the ground, which rushed into her mouth and nose. She was already gasping for breath, her heart and lungs feeling as if they were about to burst; at this moment, she was further choked, curling her entire body up, with her waist collapsing and shoulders drooping. The butterfly bones on her back, visible through her Zen robe, appeared both graceful and cold, exuding an effortless charm.

Truly afraid of being thrown out, she instinctively grabbed the wrist of that person while speaking, but was startled by the sticky sensation of the flesh that was exposed. The person suddenly jerked their arm, and in the process, threw a silk handkerchief onto her face