As night fell, the celestial capital of Tianwu shimmered under the starry sky, its brilliance rivaling the countless stars, making the entire city resemble a colossal golden steamer.
Leng Ruo Li emerged from the tailor shop with Xing'er and Ling'er.
The three, mistress and maids, strolled happily down the street, munching on snacks and chatting.
As they passed a secluded alley, four men, clad in black, tight-fitting martial attire and with their faces masked, approached them, their hands clasped around their long swords.
Leng Ruo Li immediately halted her steps and said to Xing'er and Ling'er, "You two, run quickly. Take another alley back to the General's manor."
"Miss, what about you?" Xing'er and Ling'er asked with concern.
"I know martial arts, don't worry about me. Go, hurry up and go!" Leng Ruo Li said loudly.
Once her two young maids were gone, she could fight these men in black without restraint.
"Gentlemen, what are you doing? Blocking my path."
"Are you the eldest daughter of General Leng?"
"Indeed!"
"Then you are the one we are looking for."
"Who exactly are you?"
"Ask yourself who you offended yesterday."
Leng Ruo Li's delicate brows furrowed. She hadn't expected the Duke Lin's manor to seek retribution so quickly.
However, she, Leng Ruo Li, was not afraid. She was no helpless chicken to be slaughtered.
"You were sent by the Duke Lin's manor."
"If you want to know, go to hell and ask the King of Hell."
With that, the four drew their long swords and charged at Leng Ruo Li.
Leng Ruo Li swiftly withdrew silver needles from her system space with her left hand and held a scalpel in her right, standing her ground with remarkable composure.
When the four men in black were about a meter away, Leng Ruo Li rapidly flung the poisoned silver needles.
The four men in black reacted with incredible speed, and none of the silver needles Leng Ruo Li threw hit their mark.
In the blink of an eye, they were upon Leng Ruo Li. With nimble agility, she executed a backflip, effortlessly evading the men's long swords. She then thrust the scalpel towards the chest of one of the attackers. The man immediately collapsed, dead. The remaining three men in black's eyes burned with fury.
They had never imagined that a woman once deemed foolish, mute, and ugly would possess martial arts skills.
Following this, they attacked Leng Ruo Li in a frenzy. Leng Ruo Li was accidentally grazed by one of the swords, but it was a minor wound, and she continued to skillfully evade their assaults.
A glint of cunning flashed in Leng Ruo Li's apricot eyes. She shouted towards the men's backs, "Father, save me quickly!"
The three men in black immediately turned around and looked behind them.
Leng Ruo Li then swiftly retrieved more silver needles from her system space and flung them at the three men. One of the attackers reacted quickly and dodged, but the other two were struck by her needles. They foamed at the mouth and fell to the ground, dead.
Just as Leng Ruo Li was pressing her advantage against the surviving man, a figure instantly moved in front of her. Wielding a long spear, he engaged the man in black in a fierce duel.
"Ruo Li, you are injured. Let Father handle this."
Upon seeing that it was Leng Jin Yu, Leng Ruo Li immediately put her scalpel back into her system space and stood aside to watch the fight, thoroughly engrossed.
Her father was truly worthy of being a general. The two-meter-long spear was handled with masterful ease in his hands. After only a few exchanges, he subdued the attacker.
"Speak, who sent you to assassinate my Ruo Li?"
Unexpectedly, the man in black merely glanced at Leng Ruo Li, then bit into the poison hidden in his teeth, immediately succumbing to it and dying.
Leng Jin Yu frowned. He hadn't expected these men in black to be death warriors. He then searched their bodies but found no identification markers.
However, Leng Ruo Li, with her sharp eyes, noticed a moon emblem carved onto the long swords of the men in black. She picked one up and handed it to Leng Jin Yu.
"Father, please look at this emblem."
Leng Jin Yu took the long sword and gazed at the emblem, his mind falling into deep thought.
---
Duke Lin's Manor
Lin Zhen Fei waited in his study for most of the night, but the death warriors he had dispatched never returned to report.
His only son had nearly been killed, and he could not let this insult stand.
"Xue Mei, go and ascertain the situation of those four death warriors."
At the study door, a figure instantly appeared.
"Yes, Master." Xue Mei replied respectfully.
After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Xue Mei returned with a report.
"Master, those four death warriors are all dead."
Upon hearing this, Lin Zhen Fei flew into a rage and smashed his study desk with a single palm strike.
"What a bunch of useless scoundrels, unable to kill even a woman."
"Xue Mei, you may withdraw."
---
General Leng's Manor, Bright Moon Courtyard
"Father, why was your expression so troubled when you saw that moon emblem just now?"
Leng Ruo Li asked, bewildered. She had a strong feeling that the moon emblem held a great secret.
"Ruo Li, the secret of that emblem cannot be revealed to you yet. The more you know, the greater the danger it will bring you," Leng Jin Yu said, his face etched with worry. He hadn't expected that evil organization to still have stragglers after all these years.
He needed to inform the Emperor immediately about the secret he had discovered tonight.
"Alright, Father, your daughter understands."
Since Leng Jin Yu did not wish to reveal the secret of the emblem, she naturally assumed he had his reasons and would not press him for details.
"Ruo Li, do you truly not need a physician to look at the wound on your arm?" Leng Jin Yu asked with concern.
"Father, Ruo Li is fine. Have you forgotten that I am also a physician?" Leng Ruo Li replied with a smile to Leng Jin Yu.
Hearing this, Leng Jin Yu smiled and patted his forehead.
"Ah, look at your father's memory. Alright then, hurry back to your room and dress your wound properly."
"Mmm-hmm."
Leng Ruo Li nodded obediently.
After Leng Jin Yu left the Bright Moon Courtyard, Ling'er and Xing'er spoke with envy.
Ling'er: "Miss, the General truly dotes on you. Just now, when your maids and I ran back from outside to inform the General, telling him we encountered assassins in black on the way, the General rushed out to find you before we could even finish speaking."
Xing'er: "Yes, Miss. I also envy you greatly. It's a pity I've been an orphan since childhood. It was only through good fortune that Granny Hua found me and brought me to be raised by General Leng. Although Granny Hua and the General are exceedingly kind to me, I still deeply long for a father who cherishes me."
Ling'er: "Miss, my parents also passed away when I was very young. I lived with my grandmother, relying on each other. Now, I can barely recall the faces of my parents. Sometimes I even fantasized, if I had parents, perhaps my grandmother and I wouldn't have had to live such a difficult life, and I wouldn't have been bullied so often."
Hearing her maids' words, Leng Ruo Li's heart ached. She realized her own circumstances were much better than those of her two maids. At least she had a father who loved her dearly.
"Alright, let the past remain in the past. From now on, your young lady will absolutely not allow you to suffer any grievances," Leng Ruo Li vowed to her two maids.
Her words immediately brought tears to the eyes of the two maids.
"Alright, alright, why are you crying again? Let's all go back to our rooms and rest. Your young lady still needs to go back and dress her wound."
The two young maids suddenly remembered this and quickly bid farewell to Leng Ruo Li before returning to their own rooms.