The gentle May breeze blew softly, and on the official road, Xia Wenjin, in her brocade clothes, rode a tall horse, her face glowing with excitement, her demeanor relaxed. Going down the mountain alone, free from worries, felt good!
This horse, these clothes, all came from that young gentleman Huang Zheng, who ruined her plans. The clothes were a bit large and didn't fit perfectly, but not overly unattractive. Moreover, she didn't disguise herself this time; her male attire rendered her beauty as if she stepped out from a painting. With such presence and splendid clothing, she was extraordinarily dignified.
Her entire being was vibrant and it was hard to discern her gender.
Elegant clothes and a spirited horse, a peerless gentleman!
Another ten miles ahead and she would be out of Jinzhou's territory. Whether entering Yunzhou from the southwest or going to Liangzhou or Qingzhou, as long as she was far from Jinzhou and Capital City, it was fine.
The horse swayed gently, the breeze carrying the fragrance of wildflowers and grass to her nose. The official road stretched far into the distance, moving farther and farther from the heavy, ancient walls of Jinzhou City and Haotian Village. She, the eldest miss of Haotian Village, was no longer the naïve little girl. The vast world of Jianghu awaited her—Xia Wenjin would no longer be the sinner who brought about the deaths of her father and brothers, nor would she be the sword in the hands of a hypocrite.
In this life, she vowed to live well!
Xia Wenjin's eyes deepened slightly. Half a month ago, she thought she was already dead. She never expected to have another chance. She had returned to the time when she fell unconscious from a horseback accident at a young age, waking up only after a month-long coma.
After experiencing extreme despair and heartbreak, hatred and sorrow filled her heart. After the soul-eating and heart-wrenching flames, she suddenly returned to the age of sixteen.
When she awoke, there were no flames consuming her, no poison corroding her belly. She heard from the maid that her father had gone to seize a husband for her to bring good luck, just like in her past life. Had she not fallen unconscious from horseback riding in her past life, her father wouldn't have listened to the Old Blind Man in town and sought to seize a husband for her to bring good fortune.
Had it not been for the captured husband, she wouldn't have left Haotian Village and descended the mountain for the Capital City.
Had she not entered Capital City and been embroiled in the Imperial Family's fight for succession, her father, brothers, and uncles in Haotian Village wouldn't have stepped onto the path of death for her.
They sacrificed everything for her—passion, wisdom, strength, and even life. But in the end, what did she get? A cup of poison, nothing more than heartburn and destruction!
This life is seemingly the same? She felt a sense of fated reincarnation, her first instinct being to escape.
She had just stepped out of the village gate when she saw a large group of people talking and laughing as they returned. Her father, the Village Chief, the Second Village Chief, the Third Village Chief, and the Fourth Village Chief, along with the protectors and the Three Great Hall Masters, all turned out in a grand procession that was enough to capture a palace for her.
At that time, Xia Wenjin sat on the horse, sensing their joy. Her gaze landed on the person they were surrounding—a handsome, upright figure with a sharply defined face, a full forehead, rosy lips, and white teeth, devoid of any effeminacy. Truly speaking, even her eldest brother, known as the handsomest in Haotian Village, couldn't compare.
She remembered how in her previous life, she awakened in the bridal chamber, opened her eyes, and upon seeing this face, felt her heart flutter, becoming lost and enraptured.
Back then, they had already completed the marriage rites and were husband and wife. Luckily, they were not now!
Yet, the moment she saw him, she felt chilled all over, a cold breath tightly wrapping around her, a suffocating sense of airlessness. Her gaze was cold, as she gripped the reins tightly, almost tearing the rope apart.
Her father believed this Young Master Xuan to be a mere wealthy prince, but his identity was not simple.
He was Huangfu Yuxuan.
Huangfu is the national surname of the current Nanxia, and Huangfu Yuxuan was a legitimate Imperial Grandson.
His father was the Crown Prince!
Xia Wenjin had awoken early; she tried to convince her father to change his mind, but the likes of Xia Wanqing believed her awakening was good fortune brought by Huangfu Yuxuan's arrival.
Everything progressed the same as in her past life.
Xia Wenjin thought of the anger from betrayal and deceit, the piercing hatred, the pain of being consumed by flames—all of this was caused by the seemingly gentle and elegant gentleman in front of her. Beneath his gentle exterior was a cunning, ruthless heart, unmatched elegance masking his malice and cruelty. Those soft words and promises were merely jokes.
Ten years of vicissitudes felt like a dream; looking back, when did she ever see true sincerity?
Facing him, her heart was filled with boundless hatred and resentment, and a chilling cold emanated from her very bones. She felt suffocated, even breathing under the same sky as him.
In her last life, because of her, Haotian Village became the stepping stone for Huangfu Yuxuan's ascent to the supreme position. Not one of them met a good end. In this life, she couldn't drag Haotian Village, her father, brothers, and uncles down with her again.
She hated Huangfu Yuxuan, wished to kill him, but for now, she could only flee. She hoped her escape would make her father understand her determination.
Suddenly, her eyes slightly narrowed; did she hear the whinny of a horse?
The urgent pounding of approaching horses shook the ground; there must be at least six of them, and a chilling murderous intent filled the air!
The horse speed was extremely fast, covering hundreds of meters in the blink of an eye, and the black shadow was less than a hundred meters away.
Xia Wenjin's body reacted faster than her mind, dodging sharply to the right. Just where she had been standing, three over-foot-long iron arrows were embedded in the ground.
Though Xia Wenjin's heart jumped wildly, she was not flustered.
At sixteen, Xia Wenjin was coddled by her father, brothers, and uncles, without experience of the Jianghu or understanding of the human heart's wickedness. Faced with such a situation, she might've panicked and just run for her life. But now, though still in a sixteen-year-old's body, her heart had lived through countless ordeals, forged by ten thousand stones.
In this brief moment, six horses reached close, the riders in black clothes and masks, with a standard outfit for robbers and murderers, wielding weapons, leapt from their horses, rushing towards Xia Wenjin.
This movement technique and reaction, this seamless cooperation, demonstrated their professionalism; they were professional, composed, heartless, ruthless killers!
Though lately Xia Wenjin had been on the run, causing chaos, she was sure they only intended to bring her back to complete a wedding. Yet these people intended to kill her!
Who wanted her dead?
Xia Wenjin's heart pounded. Could it be that villain Huangfu Yuxuan?
Was he so furious about her fleeing the wedding and losing face that he sent people to kill her?
Facing six alone, Xia Wenjin didn't believe she had the ability. She surveyed the surroundings; seven or eight zhang behind her on the right was a forest. Deciding quickly, she left the official road, sprinting towards the woods. Although not far, she couldn't run in a straight line; otherwise, she would be an easy target.
As she zigzagged, the wide sleeves of the robe were very cumbersome. She could hear the hissing sound around her; these people were experienced, releasing crossbow arrows not simultaneously but continuously, forming a net, covering the sky as if blanketing her. Had Xia Wenjin not been clever, she'd have been shot into a porcupine. Even so, several arrows whizzed past her side, the cold sharp intent of the arrows slicing through the air, as if intending to freeze her.