Cao Peizhi had witnessed Lin Ning flick a marble out to hit Yao Gui which he did not think that she would be able to flick something from such a far distance. He smiled out, seeing how this woman was far more than he had expected, hoping that he would be able to see more of what she could do in the future. “I can see why you fancy Miss Lin.” Hearing Yi Changpu(Crown Prince) next to him, he did not think that Lin Ning would be able to bring his friend out of his hard shell.

“I don't fancy her. I am simply watching over her like a brother should.” Cao Peizhi argued back, making Yi Changpu see that he was just being stubborn at that moment.

“Is that so?” Yi Changpu decided to mess with him just a bit to test if his friend’s heart was really like brother and sister to Lin Ning. “Would you mind if I got better acquitted with Miss Lin then?” Seeing the look from Cao Peizhi’s face, it was all clear to him right then and there that whatever he was going to say was going to be a lie.

“Miss Lin is a good-hearted lady. I am merely a man who has only three limbs. I do not believe that I can give her what she wants for her future and happiness.” Cao Peizhi looked to see how he wished that he could be the man for Lin Ning.

“Who said that you needed four limbs to be a man for a woman that you fancy?” Yi Changpu asked Cao Peizhi, seeing how this friend of his clearly did not know what he was saying at that moment. ‘You really need to get yourself out of that thought process. I do not think that Miss Lin is the type of woman who will choose a man by how he looks or what he has.’ Looking to see Xu Meili still below, he had gone on his own to save the woman that he fancied over.

Cao Peizhi was thinking about what Yi Changpu had told him, but he then took a look to see that Lin Ning’s carriage was being led to a hidden pathway that rarely anyone would take. ‘What are they doing?’ Following the carriage, he did not want to miss anything that was going to happen to them.

***

Lin Ning did not know how they were caught up in this situation, but it was quite clear that they were being targeted by someone. Lin Ning and her parents had been ordered to go to a more secluded area where they could not be heard crying for help. Duan Fa and Qin Yun were not able to take a step forth without the unknown men’s sword at Lin Ning and her parents' throat. “What do you gain from doing this?” Lin Ning decided to ask, seeing how this was very ridiculous overall.

“What do we gain? Hahaha!!!!” The man who held the sword at her throat pulled her closer to him, licking her neck which made her feel disgusted to know that he would be that daring. “I will get a few gold coins and a pretty little toy.” Hearing that, Lin Ning could see that this was like the trick of the fifth princess.

‘It seems as though I have become a target for the fifth princess as well.’ Being dragged out from the carriage, Lin Ning kept her posture and knew that her parents were going to be safe. ‘How did I get myself into this mess?’ Lin Ning did not know how she really connected to all of this drama, but it seems as though she would have to fight for her life this time. Hoping that everyone else understood the situation, Lin Ning was the furthest one from the rest when she knew that Duan Fa and Qin Yun would be able to save her parents. Turning to face the man, she used all of her strength to kick the man where his root of life remained.

“AAARRRRGGGHHHH!!!!” Knowing fully well that it could have done big damage to him and his future with barely enough potency to bear children. He knelt down holding his crotch, feeling the pain below that was unbearable for any man who was kicked below. Making a run for it, she was going to get the men as far away from her parents as she could. “Don’t let that woman escape!!!” He shouted out, making sure that his men caught Lin Ning since he was going to make sure that she suffered from her ‘mistake’.

Running down the alleyway, there were not a lot of people that she could sense nearby which she made her way to another turn. Recalling the whistle, she took it out of her sleeve pocket to blow on it as it made no noise, but she knew who would hear it. Being caught once again, she could feel that rip her front of the hanfu as it expose her shoulder and slightly her chest to be able to see her collar bone. “Hehe, I can see why our master wishes to have you as his little toy. You are blind, but it does not mean that you can please.” Hearing those words from one of the man there. She bit down onto his hand that held her clothes. “Aaarrrggghhhh!!!! B**ch!!!” Being slapped across the face, she fell to the side while trying to cover herself. “We might as well please ourselves before we hand you off.”

Hearing them come closer and closer to her, she would rather die than to be humiliated like this. Taking her hairpin, she was about to stab herself than to be humiliated like this. ‘I’m sorry, everyone.’ Just when she was about to do so.

“Who are you???” Hearing the men talking towards another direction, she stopped to hear the sounds of swords clashing. Hearing nothing but gagging as if the men who were about to r*pe her had been killed like a mere fly. Hearing the footsteps coming closer to her, she backed up feeling afraid about whom it could be with the hairpin still held tightly in her hand.

Feeling a warm arm hug her, she could hear the sound of their rapidly beating heart that made her feel safe with the hairpin dropping onto the ground from her palm that made a clink. “I’m sorry. I was late.” Hearing Cao Peizhi’s real voice, she started to cry as she hugged onto him tightly as he wrapped his long hanfu coat around her. Making sure that none of his men around saw her bare skin. Lin Ning shivered and cried throughout the entire time as they still remained there. Not wanting to let him go, she wanted to be sure that none of this was fake and that she was safe. With her tears, her body went numb which made it hard to differentiate between fantasy and reality.