"What's so special about that man?" Qin Ren sneered. "He's just a carriage driver now, a servant to my little brother."
Qiao Wei chuckled. "What Third Young Master says is right. I am Qiao Wei, a servant to Third Young Master. Recognizing this needle technique isn't that impressive; I've seen it before, traveling from place to place. I once encountered a Snow Mountain Sect heroine who used it."
Qiu Ruomei nodded and said, "Since the senior is unwilling to reveal their true identity, I won't press further. But please take care of my little brother. His temperament is too reckless, and sooner or later, he'll get into trouble."
Qiao Wei straightened up. "Miss, rest assured. As I've always said, once a servant, always a servant. Third Young Master has shown me kindness, how could I not repay him with sincerity?"
Qin Ren stuck his tongue out. "Ugh, how disgusting. Who asked for your sincerity? What, are you going to offer your body too?"
Qiao Wei became unusually serious. "Offering my body would be only right. I have decided, I'll dedicate this seven-foot frame to Third Young Master. Do with me as you please!"
Qin Ren's face went pale, nearly gagging. But Qiao Wei was grinning, looking satisfied. "You little brat, dare challenge me? I, Qiao Wei, am one of the four great demons. When it comes to disgusting people, you're still too green. Wahahaha..."
Qiu Ruomei lightly tapped Qin Ren on the head, scolding, "Talking nonsense. You're not a child anymore, why do you still act so childish?"
Qin Ren thought to himself, Sigh, Mei Jie, I don't want to act like a child! But if I don't, how could I trigger your natural motherly instincts?
Out loud, he said, "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare! Mei Jie, I promise I won't speak nonsense again! Please, show mercy! If you hit me on the head too much, you'll regret it!"
Qiu Ruomei couldn't help but laugh softly. "Enough, stop being so talkative. With your body, even if I hit you a few more times, you wouldn't become stupid. Does the wound still hurt?"
Qin Ren grinned. "If Mei Jie would kiss me, the pain would disappear instantly."
Qiao Wei made a gagging face. "Young Master, please don't make me sick!"
Qiu Ruomei's face turned slightly red. She flicked Qin Ren's nose with her finger. "Shameless! Alright, enough, go rest!"
Qin Ren shamelessly continued, "Mei Jie, have you found a place to stay? If not, why don't you stay with me? If you've found a place, you can cancel the room and come stay with me instead."
Qiu Ruomei's expression darkened. "Speak another word, and I won't talk to you anymore!"
Qin Ren immediately grabbed her hand. "Good sister, don't be angry! I promise I won't say anything wrong again. Mei Jie, you must pity me, look at how badly I've been hurt. My big brother, Wei Ge, is a brute; he doesn't know how to take care of people. You should at least wait until I recover, right?"
Qiu Ruomei thought for a moment, then sighed deeply. "Ah Ren, you really know how to pester people. I came here just to see you. If I found you safe, I wasn't planning to meet you at all. But you... you really don't care about yourself, making me worry. Fine, I'll take care of you for a while. Once you're healed, I'll leave."
Qin Ren's face brightened with joy. "Mei Jie, you agreed? Great!"
In his heart, however, he was sighing endlessly: Damn, why do some women chase after me like this? Although they want to 'chase,' it's more like 'kill.' But then there are others who avoid me like the plague? Mei Jie clearly has feelings for me, but she... sigh, is she truly insecure?
Qiao Wei also sighed inwardly: Why does it seem like this woman doesn't want to follow Third Young Master? It's clear that Third Young Master has some real feelings for her, and she's not indifferent either. Hmm... could it be that she knows the young master is a heartless man, so even though she has feelings, she doesn't want to be with him? It's very possible. Haha, Third Young Master, looks like there's a woman you can't conquer after all!
It was the early summer.
The gentle spring, like a pure maiden, was fading, and the wild, scorching summer arrived with its searing heat, turning the northern borders of the Great Qin Empire sweltering under the sun.
Thirty miles outside Dingzhou city, in a roadside tea stall, more than twenty men with knives and swords were either sitting or squatting, seeking shade from the midday sun, sipping cold tea.
The stall owner was lying behind the stall, his throat slit by a sharp blade, blood pouring out.
From inside a simple room at the tea stall, muffled cries of a woman mixed with the growls of a man could be heard.
Four hulking men stood by the door of the room, their chest muscles bulging like oil-slicked iron plates.
A deep growl was followed by the sound of a snapping bone, and then the woman's cries ceased.
After a moment, the wooden door creaked open, and a pale, thin man in a grey-white robe walked out.
Through the open door, a bed with a thin mattress could be seen inside, where a naked woman lay, her body bruised, her eyes wide open, blood at the corners of her mouth. She was already dead.
The thin man glanced around, his hawk-like eyes scanning the area. "Are you ready?"
One of the hulking men standing by the door clasped his fists. "We're all ready, waiting for your orders."
The man nodded. "Prepare to leave."
With a single command, all twenty men stood in unison, their movements sharp and precise, exuding the aura of experienced fighters.
They marched out of the tea stall, and just as they were about to leave, the thin man's pupils contracted, and he turned toward the main road.
A luxurious carriage was approaching, slowly making its way toward Dingzhou city.
Three elderly men dressed in blue robes, wearing small hats, leisurely rode small donkeys beside the carriage.
The driver, a man in a blue robe and straw hat, had most of his face hidden in shadow.
A light breeze blew from the direction of the carriage. The thin man, staring at the carriage, inhaled deeply and said in a low voice, "There are women in that carriage, and not just one."
Immediately, someone from behind flattered him, "Master, your ability to discern women by scent is truly unparalleled! To be able to tell there are multiple women in a sealed carriage from such a distance, I'm truly in awe..."
The thin man smiled smugly. "When it comes to recognizing women by scent, I would rank second. No one dares to rank above me."
Another person asked, "Master, what should we do about this carriage?"
The thin man's eyes hardened. "This carriage is transporting thieves who have killed and stolen. We must stop them! Look at their appearance, hmm, they've likely made quite a fortune through illicit means. We'll seize everything and turn it in!"
His followers immediately began praising him: "Master is brilliant! Master's sharp eyes have seen through their disguise! Master, you are always thinking of the people, wiping out these evil criminals!"
The thin man chuckled softly, accepting the flattery. With twenty-four subordinates behind him, he stepped into the middle of the road, blocking the carriage's path, staring it down.
The carriage finally stopped in front of them. The driver cracked his whip, and the three elderly men stopped, settling lazily on their donkeys.
The thin man felt something was odd. Why wasn't anyone speaking? They had been blocked, yet no one was saying a word?
After a brief silence, the thin man pushed down his unease and shouted, "You, thief! Don't think just because you're in a carriage I can't see through you! You have the right to remain silent, but anything you say will be used as evidence in court. You can consult a lawyer if you have one, and if not, the court will assign one for you."
At that moment, one of the elderly men inhaled deeply, his eyes flashing coldly. "Young Master, there's a smell of blood... and... the scent of a woman's fluids... but no sign of life?"
The driver's cold voice rang out, "No sign of life? Then she's dead."
The thin man, hearing their conversation, felt an inexplicable chill run down his spine. He couldn't believe that someone could discern a recently deceased person's gender and state just by scent. And from their conversation, it seemed they hadn't even considered him a threat!
The thin man was about to say something to bolster his confidence when the driver coldly remarked, "I've long heard of the infamous 'Cold-Blooded Pursuer,' Ji Wuhua, one of the four great detectives of the Jianghu Court. A man who is obsessed with women, yet his character is deeply corrupt, indulging in murder and lecherous acts. I had no evidence before, but now you've delivered yourself