Chapter 58

Chapter Fifty-Eight: Danyun “Miss Ling, I advise you to surrender immediately. I guarantee your deaths won’t be too painful,” the burly leader said. Ling Jiayue did not respond. She silently drew the dagger hidden on her person, shielded Lingzhu and Lingxue behind her, and walked forward alone. Playing with the dagger in her hand, she said teasingly: “Though I was raised in an esteemed family, I know that heroes of the greenwood value honor above all else. Today, your entire group has surrounded the four of us, master and servants alike. Winning this way would hardly be honorable. Since the Third Prince wants my head, why don’t you come out and fight me? If you win, I’ll go with you. In return, you must spare my servants.” “Miss, no! We aren’t afraid to die. Hurry and run!” Lingzhu and Lingxue said anxiously. The burly leader laughed instead. “You’re quite an interesting little girl. Since you’re a spirited person yourself, I’ll play with you. If you win, I’ll let you go.” “Boss, you can’t! We’ve already taken the Third Prince’s deposit,” objected one of his sharp-featured, monkey-faced underlings. “It doesn’t matter. It’s rare for a sheltered young lady to possess such courage. It’ll do me good to play with her.” The burly leader did not even draw his blade. He unfastened the saber at his waist and tossed it aside. Seeing this, Ling Jiayue merely smiled and said, “You’re a man of honor as well. What’s your name?” “You can call me Cheese Lord.” “Cheese Lord, be careful.” As she spoke, Ling Jiayue gripped her dagger and lunged forward. Although she had been reborn in the body of a young girl, she exercised every day in addition to seeing patients, so her explosive strength and speed had not diminished in the slightest. When Cheese Lord saw Ling Jiayue attacking with her dagger, he paid her no attention at first, thinking that a delicate woman could not possess much strength. But Ling Jiayue swung the dagger straight at his face, her attack both vicious and precise. Cheese Lord twisted aside to dodge. Realizing that Ling Jiayue was no empty-headed beauty, he put away his mocking attitude and began fighting her seriously. One attacked while the other defended, and the battle grew intensely lively. The surrounding men watching, along with Lingzhu and Lingxue, were all stunned. They had never known that Ling Jiayue’s martial prowess was so formidable. After all, Ling Jiayue was a warrior tempered on the battlefield, one who had once led thousands of troops into battle. At this moment, her bearing and valor finally revealed themselves. Ling Jiayue and Cheese Lord fought to a standstill. If Cheese Lord had initially been treating the battle as a game, he was now fully engaged, fighting Ling Jiayue in earnest. Seeing that Cheese Lord had been unable to defeat her despite attacking for so long, Ling Jiayue suddenly feinted, leaving an opening in her lower body. When Cheese Lord saw that she had finally left herself vulnerable, he attacked her legs. Seeing that he had fallen for it, Ling Jiayue smiled faintly. As Cheese Lord moved in, Ling Jiayue leaped into the air and struck him in the face with a backward kick. The blow landed squarely. Cheese Lord fell to the ground, and Ling Jiayue immediately pinned him down, pressing her dagger against his throat. Breathing slightly hard, Ling Jiayue said, “You’ve lost.” Cheese Lord smiled as well. “I accept my defeat. Let them go.” “I hope you keep your word.” Ling Jiayue withdrew the dagger from his throat, rose to her feet, and straightened her clothes. Cheese Lord also stood and ordered, “Move aside. Let them go.” It was still that sharp-featured, monkey-faced underling who objected. “Boss, we took the Third Prince’s money. If we simply let them go, how could the Third Prince possibly let this go?!” “When has it ever been your place to question a decision I’ve made?!” Cheese Lord demanded, his voice imposing even without anger. The sharp-featured underling fell silent. His venomous eyes glared viciously at Cheese Lord, like a poisonous snake in the dead of night coldly watching its prey. Ling Jiayue cupped her fists. “Thank you, Cheese Lord. We’ll take our leave now.” “Little girl, take care on the road. If we weren’t standing on opposite sides today, I’d truly like to become sworn brothers with you,” Cheese Lord said with a hearty laugh. Ling Jiayue only smiled and led Lingzhu and the others away. Lingzhu and Lingxue had never known that Ling Jiayue was so formidable. They gazed at her with stars in their eyes, looking utterly awestruck. “All right, you may leave,” Cheese Lord said. Suddenly, a dagger plunged into his back with a wet thrust. Cheese Lord turned around in disbelief and saw that it was the sharp-featured underling who had stabbed him. “You dare betray me?!” Cheese Lord roared furiously. “Boss, I’m sorry, but I want to make a fortune too. Since you won’t do it, I have no choice but to act in your place. Brothers, we all know how much money the Third Prince offered. We absolutely cannot let them leave today!” the sharp-featured underling incited. Many of the underlings were stirred up by his words. They drew their blades and pointed them at Ling Jiayue and her servants, while only a few loyal men continued to support Cheese Lord. The men Cheese Lord had led split into opposing sides, and blades flashed as they clashed. Unfortunately, there were too many who could not resist the temptation of money. Cheese Lord and his loyal men gradually found themselves unable to hold out. Seeing this, Ling Jiayue knew that if she could not protect Cheese Lord and his men, she would never leave this place safely either. She drew her dagger and joined the battle. Suddenly, Ling Jiayue let her guard down for a moment, and one of the underlings raised his blade, about to hack into her shoulder. She had no time to dodge. Just as the blade was about to strike, a sharp sound split the air. A small stone struck the blade, allowing Ling Jiayue to narrowly avoid disaster. A valiant, striking woman wielding a flexible sword said to Ling Jiayue, “This servant arrived late in protecting you, master. Please forgive me.” Although Ling Jiayue did not know who she was, she was grateful that the woman had come to her aid in her moment of danger. She simply said, “Deal with the enemy first. We’ll talk later.” With the woman’s addition, Ling Jiayue and the others were no longer struggling so much. Working together, they beat the underlings who had been blinded by money into scattering and fleeing. Only then did they let out a sigh of relief. Cheese Lord said weakly to Ling Jiayue, “Thank you for today. If you ever need my help in the future, just bring this jade pendant to find me. I’ll go through fire and water for you without hesitation.” With that, he was helped away by his underlings. Ling Jiayue accepted the jade pendant, while the woman knelt on one knee before her and bowed. “This servant arrived late in saving you, Miss. Please punish me.” “You are? I don’t know you.” Ling Jiayue found a handkerchief, wiped her dagger clean, and put it away as she spoke. “This servant was sent by the Seventh Prince to protect you. The Seventh Prince said that since the two of you have joined forces, he must ensure your safety. The Seventh Prince has given this servant to you, Miss, so this servant now belongs to you. Please grant this servant a name,” the woman said. “Go back. I don’t need you.” “Since Miss does not want this servant, this servant can only die.” The woman spoke and then moved to draw her sword and cut her own throat. Ling Jiayue truly could not bear the sight of blood. She sighed. “Very well, you may stay. However, you must have a legitimate identity before you can remain at my side. I’ll make the arrangements when I return to the residence tomorrow.” “Thank you, Miss. Please grant this servant a name.” “You will be called Danyun.”