"I do have some methods, but I doubt you two gentlemen would trust me?" Zhu Pianxian lowered her eyelids, concealing the calculating glint in her eyes.
Chu Dingjiang observed her expression. "Speak first. Whether I trust you or not is my decision to make."
"I also have a hidden residence where we might take shelter," Zhu Pianxian said quickly, glancing at Chu Dingjiang.
That place wasn’t just a residence—it was her last lifeline. If she could secure this lifeline, she might be able to lure these two into her trap and avoid being as passive as she was now.
"Lead the way," Chu Dingjiang said.
Zhu Pianxian’s heart leapt with joy at first. She instructed the coachman to head toward a certain location, but as the carriage rolled on, she gradually calmed down. Upon careful consideration, Misty Villa didn’t take on just any job—once they accepted a contract, they wouldn’t stop until they claimed their target’s head. With her own abilities, she had no hope of escaping their pursuit.
However, Zhu Pianxian was well-versed in Misty Villa’s rules. Unless the client had special requests, they would set a deadline based on the difficulty of the task. If they failed to complete it within the allotted time, they would compensate the client tenfold. Over the years, Misty Villa had failed before, but they always upheld their reputation—if they couldn’t kill the target, they would pay ten times the price.
If she could survive until the deadline passed…
Zhu Pianxian began calculating a new plan. To pull this off, she first needed to know how long Misty Villa’s deadline for her was.
The carriage circled Yangzhou City a few times before slowly entering a large estate.
An Jiu peeked through the window slit. The estate had black wooden gates, and towering walls stretched east and west, obscured by lush greenery—it was impossible to tell just how vast it was. A plaque hung above the gate, inscribed with the words: Jade Residence.
"So this is your estate," Chu Dingjiang remarked, taking in the sight.
Jade Residence was a merchant family that had been established in Yangzhou for a century, with deep roots in the city.
"You didn’t know?" Zhu Pianxian was slightly surprised. She had assumed Chu Dingjiang had already dug up all her secrets, given how readily he had followed her here.
Zhu Pianxian studied the two up close. Her heart skipped a beat. Both had pitch-black eyes, but the man’s gaze was like an abyss or the night sky—mysterious, unfathomable, with no discernible depth or boundary. The woman’s gaze, however, was sharp as a blade, exuding nothing but coldness and a palpable sense of danger.
At the same time, she suddenly realized that all they cared about was whether she had any connection to Misty Villa—nothing else mattered to them.
The carriage came to a stop.
"Master," a voice called from outside.
An Jiu stepped out first and saw a man in a close-fitting outfit waiting to greet them. He appeared to be in his thirties, standing only a couple of inches taller than her, but his build was robust—broad shoulders and arms so muscular they strained against his sleeves, threatening to tear them apart. His face was ordinary, but there was a sharp glint in his eyes when they opened and closed. An Jiu could sense his formidable mental strength but detected no inner force. She guessed he was likely an external cultivator like herself.
The man’s gaze lingered briefly on An Jiu before Zhu Pianxian emerged. Immediately, he lowered his eyes, his demeanor respectful.
"Cao Rui, these two will be our guests for a while. Make the necessary arrangements," Zhu Pianxian instructed.
"Yes!" Cao Rui turned away but couldn’t resist stealing another glance at An Jiu.
Zhu Pianxian led the two into the main hall. Once seated, tea and refreshments were served.Zhu Pianxian held the teacup, lowering her gaze as she gently skimmed the floating tea leaves with the lid. After repeating this a few times, she suddenly covered the cup, as if having made up her mind. She looked up at Chu Dingjiang and said, "Let’s not mince words. If you two gentlemen can state your purpose, I might be willing to cooperate. My condition is an 80-20 split of Misty Villa’s compensation—I take the larger share."
It was true that her life was currently in their hands, but if she were determined to fight to the death, no one would gain an advantage over her.
"60-40," Chu Dingjiang said unhurriedly. "I take 60, you take 40."
Zhu Pianxian frowned, placing the teacup lightly on the table. Lazily, she replied, "That’s hardly fair, sir. I’m risking my life here."
Chu Dingjiang smiled faintly. "Then think it over carefully. We’ll talk again tomorrow."
Zhu Pianxian gritted her teeth, her expression darkening.
An Jiu had seen through it—this woman couldn’t bear to part with her life. Her offer to cooperate was half for profit and half to find a way out. It was precisely this "will to live" that kept her at a disadvantage. Compared to Chu Dingjiang, Zhu Pianxian was still green in terms of cunning; he had long since seen through her.
Cao Rui had been waiting at the door, listening to everything inside. Seeing Zhu Pianxian’s displeasure, he stepped forward to block Chu Dingjiang and An Jiu’s path.
An Jiu immediately perked up. She had wanted to fight this man since she first saw him but had lacked the opportunity.
Killing intent erupted like an arrow loosed from a bow, closing the distance in the blink of an eye.
Cao Rui was indeed no ordinary man. Though momentarily stunned, as An Jiu’s palm strike neared, his body abruptly shifted, hastily retreating several steps before suddenly counterattacking with full force.
"Stop!" Zhu Pianxian shouted.
Cao Rui’s movements froze, and he took An Jiu’s swift strike to his left ribs head-on.
He retreated to the side without changing expression, but inwardly, he was horrified—Tendon Severing Palm!
Thankfully, her skill wasn’t fully honed, or his Martial Arts would have been crippled! At this thought, Cao Rui’s glare at An Jiu grew even colder.
An Jiu met his gaze unflinchingly.
The two brushed past each other.
Seeing them leave, Zhu Pianxian called Cao Rui inside and asked in a low voice, "Are you badly hurt?"
"It’s nothing. I’ll recover in a couple of days," Cao Rui said gravely. "Mistress, what happened?"
Zhu Pianxian briefly recounted the events, then gnashed her teeth. "Hmph! I, Zhu Pianxian, have never suffered such a loss! If I get the chance, I’ll make those two pay a hundredfold!"
Cao Rui’s expression was complicated. The old master had once said she had a talent for business and drive but lacked ruthlessness. He sighed and advised, "If Mistress could spare even a shred of the ruthlessness you use in business dealings for killing, you could ensure the Yu family’s longevity."
Wealth without the power to protect oneself was no different from a pig waiting to be slaughtered—sooner or later, it would end up on the chopping block.
Zhu Pianxian immediately glared at him. "Isn’t there Yu Pianfei? It was agreed I’d only handle the money, and the Yu family would cover any trouble!"
"You are also a daughter of the Yu family," Cao Rui said helplessly. The other mistress was indeed ruthless enough, but she lacked business acumen. The entire Yu family wished to bring Zhu Pianxian back to assist Yu Pianfei in managing their affairs.
"I married into the Zhu family. In life, I’m a Zhu; in death, a Zhu ghost!" Zhu Pianxian flicked her sleeve and stormed out, fuming. "Let’s see if Yu Pianfei dares to ignore me!"Cao Rui was about to give chase when a maidservant hurried over. "Steward," she said, "I was leading two guests to their quarters, but when we reached the garden, I turned around and realized they had vanished." (To be continued...)
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