Liu Fu and Jiang Chong were among the bandits. When Long Chi had not emerged from the carriage after some time, they started moving toward the vehicle, apprehensive that something had happened. However, before they could get close to the carriage, a man descended from the sky with a broken sword in his hand and blocked their path.

When they realized who it was, they were staggered.

Long Xuan!

Why was he here?

Before they could figure out the situation, Long Xuan’s attack descended upon them like a thunderbolt.

They exchanged glances. Surely they could handle Long Xuan with both their forces combined!

However, they had only traded a few blows when a slender figure streaked out from the carriage and joined Long Xuan to fight the other two.

“Your master has been seized by us. If you don’t want him to die, surrender right now!”

As Chu Jiu unleashed a barrage of lethal blows upon Jiang Chong, she informed him of Long Chi’s situation.

Her words made Liu Fu and Jiang Chong hesitate.

Had their master really been captured?

That split second of distraction left them wide open, and they were immediately captured.

Long Xuan swiftly struck their pressure points, while Chu Jiu took out a porcelain bottle, tipped out two pills, and popped one into each person’s mouth.

Terror instantly gripped Jiang Chong and Liu Fu’s hearts.

“What did you give us?”

Chu Jiu shot a disdainful glance at their frightened faces and replied vaguely, “You don’t think I gave you restorative medicine, do you? My mistress’s an expert in making poisons, you know.”

Her response was ambiguous, but they knew very well what she meant.

Having confirmed their suspicion, they grew even more terrified.

“Take them away!”

Without wasting another second, Long Xuan ordered his subordinates to take them away.

Yuan Xin came out of the carriage, relieved to see that her guards were not fatally injured.

“Your Highness, thank you on behalf of my mistress for your help today!” Chu Jiu performed a fist and palm salute to her.

Yuan Xin shook her head with a smile. “I wasn’t really much help.” As she spoke, she touched her left cheek. “I’m the one who should thank your mistress.”

Chu Jiu’s gaze landed on the left side of her face.

The skin there was different from the skin on the right. Perhaps because it was newly grown, it seemed more delicate compared with other areas of her face, and there were a few light pink marks as well.

“My mistress is still waiting for us at her lodging, so we’ll get going first. Farewell, Your Highness!” Spotting the other guards hauling Long Chi out of the carriage, Chu Jiu bid farewell to Yuan Xin.

Yuan Xin nodded, and remembering something, said sincerely, “Please tell Lu Er that I hope I can see her before she returns to Great Shang.”

Chu Jiu nodded. “I’ll deliver your message to her.”

After watching them disappear into the distance, Yuan Xin turned and glanced at the temple on the mountaintop. Eventually, she decided to go up there and make an offering.

After instructing the injured guards to stay put and rest, she ascended the mountain with her maidservants in tow.

Instead of taking Long Chi and his men back to the city, Chu Jiu and Long Xuan headed to a farm in the suburbs that they had bought for the sake of convenience.

After locking up Long Chi and his henchmen, Chu Jiu went off to look for Lu Liangwei.

For the past few days, Lu Liangwei had been staying here, making poisons while devising her plan to flush Long Chi out.

Although she did not show up at the scene today, things still turned out the way she planned.

First, she asked for Yuan Xin’s help, then ordered Chu Jiu to pretend to be her and accompany Yuan Xin to the temple.

Long Chi had searched everywhere for her but to no avail, so he would definitely think that she was with Yuan Xin.

Therefore, once Yuan Xin appeared with Chu Jiu, Long Chi was bound to fall into the trap.