Just as they stepped out of the courtyard, a figure in black descended from the eaves, the curved blade in his hand cleaving through the rain as he struck toward Fengyu. Only Qiuxiang remained by Fengyu's side. With reddened, tear-brimmed eyes, Qiuxiang spread her arms wide, ready to sacrifice herself to shield Fengyu.
In the instant the long blade slashed toward Qiuxiang's neck, Lin Xiao, dressed in plain robes, fell from the sky and deflected the strike. The black-clad assailant's eyes widened in shock. Lin Xiao leaped into the air, aiming his sword at the attacker, and the two engaged in a rain-soaked combat. Lights flashed from blade and sword, every move the black-clad man made aimed to kill, ruthless and unrelenting. Lin Xiao's expression amidst the rain was cold and serene, his eyes darker than the night itself.
Qiuxiang held onto Fengyu and rushed forward, but another black-clad figure descended from above, blocking their escape route. Fengyu was forced to retreat, step by step, as the man's blade came thrusting toward her. Seeing this, Lin Xiao turned back, grabbed Fengyu by the waist, and leaped to the side. Qiuxiang fell hard onto the ground, clutching her head. The assailant's target was clearly Fengyu; both black-clad attackers lunged at her and Lin Xiao simultaneously. At the critical moment, Lin Xiao raised his sword to block the one on the right, while using his own body to shield against the deadly strike coming from the left. The longsword plunged into his shoulder.
The rain poured harder, making it nearly impossible for Fengyu to make out his expression. Lin Xiao pressed her into his chest. "Don't be afraid!"
Fengyu had never expected Lin Xiao to take a blade for her with his body. She thought he might abandon her to her fate. Shocked, she stared at the handsome yet defiant features of the youth, familiar but carrying something she didn't recognize.
This moment was utterly astonishing to Fengyu. Lin Xiao, who had consistently had tense relations with her, would risk his life to block a sword for her. Didn't he despise her?
Seeing this, the black-clad man pulled out a longsword, sending blood mist spraying through the air. Drops of blood landed on Fengyu's cheek. The attacker still attempted to assassinate Fengyu but was stopped by yet another figure. The latter issued a sharp whistle, and the black-clad men within the manor retreated like a tide.
The fierce wind howled past as Lin Xiao reversed his grip, driving his longsword into the ground. He knelt on one knee in pain, and Fengyu, looking down, saw his back drenched in blood—a striking crimson reminiscent of plum blossoms in the snow.
Lin Xiao lifted his gaze to meet Fengyu's eyes, smiling gently. "I'm sorry for scaring you."
Fengyu felt a swirl of conflicting emotions. The rain-soaked, bloodied youth resembled an autumn blade—its edge turned outward, coldly protecting what mattered to him. Chunlu and Zhang Da came searching for Fengyu after the black-clad men retreated. Seeing Fengyu unharmed, they exhaled a sigh of relief. Completely soaked through, Fengyu was urged by Chunlu, "Miss, quickly take shelter under the corridor, lest you catch a chill."
Noticing the injuries on Chunlu and Zhang Da, Fengyu suppressed the turmoil surging within her. "Bring the wounded inside and call for a doctor."
In the dead of night, the manor suddenly lit up in its entirety. Yiling Village had a resident doctor, and the guards in the courtyard went to fetch him. Lin Xiao, Zhang Da, and Chunlu were all injured. Zhang Da's guards suffered heavy losses—three dead and three wounded. This manor, usually reserved for the Feng Family's spring outings, rarely housed anyone beyond Nanny Liu and a few servant girls. Having lived in the capital for many years, Fengyu had never faced an assassination before; no one could have anticipated such a harrowing attack on a rainy night.
Zhang Da bore injuries on his shoulder and leg, while Chunlu's arm was hurt. Lin Xiao had been stabbed and had lost significant blood. Nanny Liu, a heavy sleeper, woke only after the assassination had ended. Upon seeing Fengyu splattered with blood, she began sobbing uncontrollably. Fengyu took some time to calm Nanny Liu, eventually settling her emotions.
Worried the assassins might return, Fengyu ordered someone to report to the authorities. By the time the Gaoping County Magistrate arrived with his men, it was already dawn. Seeing Lin Xiao injured, his face turned pale with fear. Should anything happen to Lin Xiao, how could he explain himself to the Lin Family? Hastily, he asked about Lin Xiao's condition, but Lin Xiao had suffered no critical damage; his wounds only appeared alarming.
"Stop dawdling and get to work sorting out the manor's affairs. These black-clad men are highly trained, leaving no traces. It's clear they're not ordinary. Solve the case and you'll undoubtedly be rewarded with promotion and wealth." Lin Xiao had been bandaged up, his undergarments loosely wrapped around him. Pale from blood loss, he stretched his neck, hoping to catch a glimpse of Fengyu, but saw only constables bustling back and forth.
The magistrate, surnamed Gao, was from Lin Xiao's maternal family. Lin Xiao had come to Gaoping County on family-related business. The magistrate gritted his teeth and said, "You scared the daylight out of me! Don't grin like that. Just wait until I inform your father and see how he'll discipline you!"
Lin Xiao snorted, "Suit yourself!"
After a pause, he couldn't hold back and cursed, "What a lazy magistrate you make. The case was reported ages ago, and you only showed up at dawn? Even the aftermath of eating crap wouldn't be this cold!"
The magistrate clenched his teeth but dared not retaliate, leaving the room in search of Fengyu.
Before the magistrate arrived, Fengyu had already instructed Zhang Da to investigate the scene. The heavy rain overnight, turning torrential in the latter hours, had washed away the blood, leaving no traces behind—no clues had been preserved at the site.
Fengyu had long changed into clean robes, wrapped in a fox-fur cloak, and was resting with her eyes closed in the main hall. The magistrate could only feel that she resembled an exquisitely lifeless jade doll. When the magistrate arrived, Fengyu rose and greeted him. After sitting down, Qiuxiang offered him a cup of warm tea. The magistrate remarked, "Third Miss, you must have been terrified. For such a murderous incident to happen within Gaoping County's jurisdiction—it's simply incomprehensible. Are you aware of who these attackers were?"
"No idea."
"Have you offended anyone recently?"
"Never."
The magistrate hesitated, while Fengyu curled up a soft, eerie smile, one that seemed carved into her very features—a smile unnervingly surreal. She asked, "Please, Magistrate, ensure a thorough investigation and provide justice to the deceased."
The morning breeze brushed through the corridors, sending a chill through the magistrate. Whether it was Fengyu's smile or the lingering scent of blood in the courtyard—the unease gnawed at him. He asked, "Third Miss, the commotion in Yiling Village led to your attack that night. Could the perpetrators have ties to Yiling Village?"
Fengyu replied coldly, "Then I'll trouble the magistrate to look into that."
"Third Miss, you claim ignorance on all fronts, and now there's a murder at your manor. Frankly, it puts me in a difficult position. If there's anything you're withholding, it will seriously hinder the case."
Feigning innocence and aggrieved lamentation, Fengyu countered, "Investigating crimes is the duty of your government. Three of my guards are dead, and three are injured. If I knew the true culprit, I wouldn't need to trouble you. Am I not the victim here? Yet the magistrate insists I'm hiding something—why?"
"Please calm your anger, Third Miss. It was my oversight. Rest assured, we will give you a satisfactory resolution." Rising to leave, the magistrate said, "Third Miss must still be shaken. I won't disturb you further."
After the magistrate exited the main hall, the frozen smile on Fengyu's face gradually faded into rigidity. She raised the teacup in her hands, blew on it softly, before abruptly tightening her grip and smashing it against the ground with force.
After the storm had passed, the sky began to brighten, casting mixed patches of light and shadow against the walls of the main hall. Fengyu sat enveloped in shadow. Qiuxiang stood silently at her side, too timid to clear the shards of broken porcelain. Fengyu slowly closed her eyes.
The Gaoping County Magistrate clearly didn't take the assassination seriously. Otherwise, why would he have shown up only at dawn? The manor was full of wounded, elderly women, and children, and with everyone still inside the grounds, they feared the killers might return. Each person had awaited the authorities like ants on a hot pan, desperately wishing they'd arrived sooner—only for them to show up at dawn, not to investigate the scene, but to first ensure Lin Xiao's condition.