On the pristine white snow.
Princess Anle's pitch-black hair and bright red palace dress spread out like a blooming flower. Following her question, the answers to those three questions subconsciously surfaced in Yang An's mind.
Soft, fragrant, and feels incredibly good to hold.
Especially her snow-white, beautiful neck, which felt like creamy jade. When gripped, it was so warm and soft, it felt as if a slight exertion of force could snap it!
Could twist her head right off!
Seeing that Princess Anle was not only completely unafraid.
But even tilted her face up in such a provocative manner!
"Do you really think I don't dare to kill you?!" Yang An directly pressed the faintly glowing dagger against Qin Guo'er's neck. "I'll say this one last time! Let me go, don't force my hand!"
The freezing blade pressed against her throat.
Leaving a faint mark on her snow-jade skin. Yet, there was not a trace of fear on Princess Anle's bright, exquisite little face.
Instead, the smile on her face deepened.
The ruthless red glint in her eyes flickered faintly.
"You audacious dog, do you know what the crime for assassinating a princess is?"
"Extermination of nine familial lines."
"Now, not only will you die, but your entire family, young and old, will die. Even if you kill this Princess, you and your family will still die."
"What are you going to do?"
Family.
Yang An's expression changed drastically.
He could fight this dog of a woman to the death, but he couldn't implicate his sister and brother-in-law. Once his family was involved, Yang An's imposing aura weakened by several degrees. "I killed Lin Hao, I could never betray the Princess. Let me go, and we'll pretend we never met!"
Clearly seeing the change in his expression.
Princess Anle smiled even more happily. She tilted her little head, lying more comfortably in the snow, and giggled, "Regretting offending this Princess, aren't you? But it's already too late."
"This Princess never gives people the chance to regret~"
"However, this Princess has taken a liking to you."
"I suppose I can give you some preferential treatment. As long as you obediently kneel at this Princess's feet and kowtow a few times, this Princess will not exterminate your nine familial lines, but only three. How about it? Isn't this Princess very merciful?"
Merciful?!
There is no woman under heaven more vicious!
More wicked than you!
Suppressing the rage that was about to erupt, Yang An gritted his teeth and said, "Is there really no room for maneuver? I'm just a commoner who wants to live a peaceful life. Do you really have to force me to my death?"
"So pitiful. But there's nothing that can be done. Who told you to have such bad luck as to run into this Princess?"
Pushed completely into a corner by Qin Guo'er.
Yang An was like a wild beast trapped in a cage; his boiling ferocity could no longer be suppressed.
"Then I'll fucking kill you first!!!"
With a furious roar!
Casting aside all caution, Yang An violently thrust the knife down. Buffed by his tenfold combat power, the descending dagger flashed with cold light like a meteor streaking across the night sky, stabbing straight toward Qin Guo'er's smooth, delicate neck!
CLANG!
The crisp sound of colliding metal erupted between them!
A sharp pain tore through the webbing between Yang An's thumb and index finger. He felt as if his full-force stab hadn't struck a beauty's slender neck, but rather a towering mountain of iron!
The sharp blade, capable of easily severing a human head.
Actually failed to pierce even a fraction of an inch into Qin Guo'er's skin. Instead, the rebound split his hand open, making it bleed and leaving his entire arm numb.
As the crisp sound faded.
A cold wind blew past, scraping a few wisps of loose snow from the branches.
The surrounding atmosphere plunged into a dead silence.
Under the eerie, intense gazes of Princess Anle, the personal maid Manman, and the eight female officials.
Yang An remained silent for a moment.
He tossed aside the dagger in his hand and got off Princess Anle without saying a word.
Then, acting like a servant.
He carefully helped Qin Guo'er, who was lying in the snow, to her feet. He tucked the crimson veil back into her hand, and finally didn't forget to respectfully smooth out her rumpled skirt.
I can't run away.
Yang An took a deep breath, bowed ninety degrees to Qin Guo'er, and said, "Lady Princess, I am sorry. There was a problem with my attitude just now."
"Giggle~"
"Giggle~"
She had never seen someone so interesting.
Qin Guo'er laughed until tears formed in her eyes. Completely disregarding her image, she clutched her little stomach and laughed, her luxurious palace dress trembling with her amusement.
Yang An hated her to the core.
In his heart, he cursed her bloodily.
You damned dog of a woman! A perfectly fine princess of a nation, and the number one beauty in the world to boot! Did you have nothing better to do than practice martial arts?! Were you that bored...
BANG!
Before Yang An could finish cursing in his head, a sudden, agonizing pain erupted in his abdomen.
In the blink of an eye, he was flying through the air as if riding the clouds!
Kicked by Qin Guo'er, he flew ten to twelve feet away, his back snapping a large tree before he rolled a few more times in the snow. He ended up lying flat on his back, blood leaking from his nose and mouth!
Qin Guo'er's martial arts cultivation was extraordinary.
With just a single kick, she nearly incapacitated Yang An, who was in his tenfold combat power "Martial God State."
Half of his body felt as if it had been shattered.
Before Yang An could struggle to his feet, a red blur flashed, and Qin Guo'er had already chased him down! Her foot, clad in a phoenix-embroidered shoe, stepped onto him.
One foot pinned his chest.
The other foot stepped firmly on his neck, forcing his newly raised head back down into the snow!
"You actually tried to kill this Princess!"
"Interesting. You dog, you are far too interesting!"
"Giggle." Qin Guo'er giggled endlessly. Looking at Yang An's face, flushed purple from suffocation, she said in mock distress, "This Princess really can't bear to kill you now. Whatever shall I do~"
Despite her words.
The foot stepping on Yang An's throat didn't loosen in the slightest; instead, she pressed down even harder.
In no time at all.
Yang An's face swelled to a purplish-red from lack of oxygen. In agony, he gripped Qin Guo'er's ankle beneath her skirt, desperately trying to push her leg away, but it was impossible!
Her delicate ankle was gripped in Yang An's hand.
Although separated by her inner trousers.
She still felt the heat and roughness of his palm. Qin Guo'er's beautiful face flushed slightly, and the ruthlessness in her eyes intensified. "You damned dog, you really do love offending this Princess, don't you!"
The force of her foot suddenly increased.
Yang An felt as if his throat was about to be crushed.
Under Qin Guo'er's tyrannical pressure, the back of his neck let out cracking sounds. Amidst the dual torment of suffocation and agony, his consciousness began to blur. In his delirium, he seemed to see his long-deceased parents standing on the other side of a bridge, waving at him.
It's over... I'm really going to die.
If I die, what will happen to my sister and brother-in-law?
Wang Gou'er is so vicious, he will definitely come back to the house. Without the Black Jade Lotus, how will they survive?
They have always tried so hard to live a good life!
They never bullied anyone! Never did a single bad thing!
It shouldn't end like this!
Enduring the pain that was pushing him toward unconsciousness, Yang An let go of Princess Anle's ankle. He reached into his shirt, pulled out the Black Jade Lotus, and with a trembling hand, offered it up to her.
Qin Guo'er sneered, "What's the meaning of this? Trying to bribe this Princess with a piece of broken weed? Begging this Princess to spare your life?"
His throat was nearly crushed.
No matter how hard Yang An tried, he couldn't squeeze out a single word. Fortunately, they were surrounded by snow. He used his finger to crookedly trace three characters into the white surface.
Please. Give. Family.
Given Qin Guo'er's immense intellect, she grasped Yang An's intent at a glance and said in surprise, "You want to beg this Princess to deliver this thing to your family?"
Yang An blinked in pain.
Looking at her with eyes full of pleading.
The manic amusement faded from Qin Guo'er's face. Just as Yang An's throat was about to shatter, she suddenly withdrew her force, giving Yang An the chance to taste the sweetness of air once more.
"What is the meaning of this. Speak clearly," Qin Guo'er demanded coldly.
Yang An gasped for air greedily. After catching his breath slightly, he pleaded with Princess Anle, "My brother-in-law is bedridden with a severe injury. If he doesn't get this medicine, my whole family will meet a dead end."
"This lowly one has offended the Princess; the crime is punishable by death, and I cannot escape it. I will willingly accept whatever punishment the Princess decides. I only beg the Princess to help this lowly one send this medicine back to my home. In my next life, this lowly one will surely weave grass into a ring to repay the Princess's great kindness!"
Hearing this, Qin Guo'er found it unbelievable.
"Someone like you actually cares about family?"
"You're about to die by this Princess's hands, and you're still worrying about your sister and brother-in-law?!" About to die and still caring for others? She didn't believe there could be such a foolish person in this world.
Lying in the snow, Yang An smiled bitterly. "My sister and brother-in-law have been incredibly good to me. I don't know how much they've sacrificed for me over the years. I owe them too much. I beg the Princess to grant this wish."
"Heh!"
Not believing Yang An's words in the slightest.
Qin Guo'er sneered, "So you're saying, you'd even be willing to die for your sister and brother-in-law?"
Yang An hesitated for a split second.
Then, he nodded firmly. "As long as it allows them to live, I am willing."
Qin Guo'er: ...
She gave Yang An a deep look, her playfulness rising.
Suddenly, the corners of her mouth curled up. "Fine, this Princess will give you a chance!" She removed the foot stepping on Yang An. "Go deliver the medicine to your brother-in-law yourself."
Huh?
Does this mean she's letting me go?
He hadn't expected happiness to arrive so suddenly.
This wicked dog of a woman was actually sparing him just like that.
Overjoyed, Yang An prepared to express his gratitude.
"Thank you, Princess..."
"Don't be so quick to thank me. Did this Princess say I was sparing you?" Princess Anle interrupted Yang An, smiling sweetly. "Before the hour of Chen (7-9 AM) tomorrow, remember to come to the Princess's estate to accept your death."
Accept my death?
In the end, I still can't escape death?
Yang An's expression froze.
Suddenly, a gentle breeze brushed his face, bringing a waft of lingering fragrance. Yang An subconsciously looked up, only to see Qin Guo'er, her black hair cascading down, leaning in close to his ear like a witch who toys with men's hearts.
She was very close.
He could even feel the warm, sweet breath she exhaled as she spoke.
"Of course, running away is also an option."
"This Princess will not send anyone to hunt you down. I will simply take your sister and brother-in-law as your scapegoats and kill them."
"What an interesting dog."
"Live or die, you must think it through carefully before choosing."
"You absolutely must not disappoint this Princess~"