Is it comfortable

Save him?

Save who?

Upon hearing Qin Guo'er's question, Yang An quickly scanned his surroundings, his pupils abruptly contracting as he saw the snow-covered ground stained red with corpses!

Beside the bodies.

A young man knelt, his face twisted in terror, both legs broken—a pitiful sight!

Yang An took a closer look—it was Lin Hao!

Seeing his enemy reduced to such a state, he felt no satisfaction. Instead, his heart sank to the depths. He realized he had stumbled into something extremely troublesome.

Lin Hao was the son of Yunzhou's military governor.

A young master from a family of high-ranking officials!

Yet this woman in red had slaughtered his men, shattered his legs, and seemed intent on killing him too.

Such brazen slaughter.

This woman must be of even higher status than Lin Hao—perhaps one of the "celestial nobles."

He had to distance himself from Lin Hao immediately, or this woman would surely silence him as well.

In an instant.

Yang An pieced together the situation. He knew he couldn’t afford to panic—though his heart raced, his face remained as calm as an old hound.

Guessing Qin Guo'er’s noble status,

He bowed respectfully and explained his presence.

"This lowly one is a hunter from Yunzhou City. While gathering herbs on the cliffs, I was attacked by a black eagle and accidentally fell here, disturbing Your Grace. You can see the eagle still lying in the pit."

After stating his identity,

Yang An paused. Seeing the woman seated on the golden carriage silently observing him, his anxiety grew—but his mind stayed sharp.

This woman intended to kill him.

The reason? Simply because he had witnessed something he shouldn’t have.

Seizing this point, Yang An spoke solemnly, "This lowly one has seen little of the world and knows nothing of Your Grace’s identity. With your veil, I cannot even glimpse your noble visage. You are a celestial being dwelling in the heavens, while I am but a foolish mountain dweller. In this lifetime, I will never have the fortune to see you again."

"Nor would I ever dare to speak of your secrets."

"I swear upon leaving these mountains, I will forget everything within them."

"I beg Your Grace to spare this lowly life!"

Yang An bowed deeply.

Qin Guo'er had not expected such words. After a brief pause, she burst into a delighted, tinkling laugh. "I’ve met clever ones and handsome ones, but never one as clever and handsome as you. What an amusing little hunter."

"Manman."

Qin Guo'er called to her attendant.

Manman, who had been eating nonstop since the beginning, was still stuffing her cheeks like a squirrel—though her snack had shifted from roasted cakes to candied sweets.

Hearing the princess’s call,

Manman hurriedly shoved the remaining candy into her mouth, chewed twice, and swallowed too quickly—choking on the dry sweetness.

Her face turned purple-red.

If not for Qin Guo'er patting her back twice in exasperation, she might have choked to death.

After catching her breath,

Manman, fearing reprimand, stiffened and focused intently on Yang An. A faint white light flickered in her eyes.

When the light faded,

She shook her head at Qin Guo'er.

‘No divine aura—just an ordinary man.’

‘He truly isn’t here to save that insect.’

Qin Guo'er smiled at Yang An. "Handsome little hunter, you may leave. But don’t wander so carelessly next time."

Lan, the chief of the eight palace maids, was puzzled.

Since when did the princess grow so merciful?

Not daring to question, she raised her hand, and the maids surrounding Yang An parted to create a path.

He was alive!

Yang An exhaled in relief, thanked Qin Guo'er profusely, and turned to flee—abandoning even the black eagle and its eggs in the pit, not daring to linger a moment longer.

Yet before he could take more than a few steps,

Lin Hao’s wailing voice rang out behind him.

Whether out of terror or a dying man’s spite, he shouted at Yang An, "Don’t leave! Aren’t you here to save me?"

"I am Lin Hao! My father is Lin Yeping!"

"She’s Princess Anle! She’s going to kill me! Save me, and I’ll give you anything!"

Lin Hao, you damned fool!

Did I murder your entire family?! Why drag me into this?!

I didn’t want to know who she was!!!

The moment "Princess Anle" reached his ears, Yang An felt as if numbness had opened its gates—flooding his entire being.

It was over. Now that he knew her identity,

He was dead.

Absolutely, irrevocably dead.

Yang An didn’t stop running, desperately plunging into the forest, hoping for a sliver of survival. But then a sultry laugh whispered in his ear, "Now you’ve left me no choice~"

A dizzying spin later,

Yang An, powerless to resist, was dragged back by a green-robed maid, his arms pinned.

Thud!

He was tossed beside Lin Hao.

Face in the snow,

Yang An could’ve strangled Lin Hao. Near tears, he pleaded with Qin Guo'er, "Your Grace, I swear I heard nothing just now! Please, have mercy—this lowly life isn’t worth your blade."

Amused by his pitiful state,

Qin Guo'er leaned forward, grinning like a devil. "No can do~"

"Must I die?"

"Indeed~"

"No room for negotiation?"

"None. But I’ll grant you the privilege of suicide."

Qin Guo'er tilted her chin toward the dagger embedded in the snow before Yang An.

The dagger was extraordinary.

Its blade shimmered faintly.

Snowflakes drifting onto its edge split cleanly in two.

At the mercy of another,

Begging was futile.

Yang An lowered his gaze. After a silent moment, he picked up the dagger—the very one Lin Hao hadn’t dared to touch.

Gripping it,

He examined the exquisite craftsmanship—the ornate engravings, the hilt wrapped in golden threads, the gemstone pommel.

How much silver could such a dagger fetch?

To die by such a noble blade…

Perhaps it wasn’t a wasted life.

Swish!

Yang An swung.

The razor-sharp dagger carved a flawless crescent through the icy wind, severing every snowflake in its path—

And Lin Hao’s neck.

Scarlet blood splashed across the snow like bold ink strokes, vivid against the white.

Lin Hao’s head tumbled.

His frozen expression of horror lingered in the cold.

How unpredictable fate was.

A vengeance he’d planned for ten years…

Fulfilled in mere hours.

Yang An glanced at the dagger. As expected—it left no stain. Yet he meticulously wiped it on his sleeve before kneeling before Qin Guo'er, presenting it with both hands.

"This lowly one is unworthy!"

"But I pledge myself to Your Grace’s service! I will brave mountains of blades and seas of fire without hesitation!"

Lin Hao was Lin Yeping’s son.

Killing him meant irrevocably enraging Lin Yeping.

Now, he and Princess Anle were bound on the same boat—and she no longer had reason to kill him.

In this dire moment,

This was the only path to survival Yang An could devise—and a chance to settle his grudge.

Lan and the other seven maids stood stunned.

Even Manman, who usually only cared about eating, couldn't help but glance at Yang An a few more times.

The wind howled, and snow swirled violently.

Goose-feather-sized snowflakes pattered softly against the frozen ground.

Yang An waited anxiously for Qin Guo'er's response.

With his head lowered, he couldn't see the rare flicker of surprise in her phoenix-like eyes—the little hunter's sudden boldness had caught her completely off guard.

She had thought him merely an amusing country boy.

But this little hunter turned out to be far more intriguing than she imagined...

Perhaps it was just an instant.

Or maybe the time it took to drink a cup of tea.

In the tense silence,

Qin Guo'er's luscious, crimson lips finally parted: "Handsome, clever, bold and decisive, ruthless yet pragmatic... and knows when to advance or retreat."

"Impressive. A rare talent indeed."

"This princess fancies you."

With each word of praise, Yang An's tense heart gradually eased—but before he could fully relax, Princess Anle's tone suddenly shifted, her voice turning icy.

"Yet your audacity is too great."

"A mere commoner, yet you dared kill the son of a third-rank official without hesitation."

"You lack reverence. You act without restraint."

"If circumstances forced you to kill that insect today, tomorrow you might just as easily press a dagger to this princess's throat."

Yang An hurriedly protested, "This lowly one would never betray Your Highness!"

"Even parents betray their children. How can you swear loyalty to me?" Princess Anle sighed with pity. "Little hunter, your right to take your own life is forfeited. Qiu'er, Dong'er—assist him."

Two green-robed maids stepped forward, swords in hand.

Their featureless white masks were as cold as their hearts, and the murderous intent radiating from them made Yang An's blood run cold. They moved not like women, but like two ravenous beasts!

I'm no match for them!

Not even with ten times my strength!

This is it—I'm really going to die! What will happen to my sister? And my brother-in-law? He's counting on me to save him!

Why?!

Why does everyone torment us? What wrong have we done? We just want to live in peace—why is that so hard?!

Yang An clenched his fists.

His head snapped up, his burning gaze locking onto Qin Guo'er seated atop her phoenix carriage.

Savage fury surged within him!

Damn this woman! This wretched, damned woman!! If you won't let me live, then neither will you!!!

"Life Defying the Grand Duke—ACTIVATE!!"

In his terror and desperation, before the two maids could strike, Yang An—his power now tenfold—lashed out first. He kicked Lin Hao's corpse toward them, and as Qiu'er and Dong'er sliced it apart midair,

Yang An stomped down, exploding the snow beneath him!

Like a beast erupting from hiding, he moved with shocking speed, darting past the other maids. In the blink of an eye, he closed the distance and lunged at the opulent phoenix carriage!

"Capture the leader to control the flock!"

Yang An's hand shot toward Princess Anle's throat!

'An innate martial artist?!' Qin Guo'er's eyes widened in surprise—she hadn't expected Yang An to have such a trick. Seated in her carriage, she barely had time to react.

By the time Yang An reached her, she could only jerk backward.

Rrrip!

His grasp missed her neck—but tore away her crimson veil instead.

A lion uses full strength even against a rabbit. Yang An, throwing his entire body into the attack, didn't hold back. When his first strike failed, his arms immediately wrapped around Qin Guo'er's delicate, fragrant form.

He yanked her from the carriage!

After tumbling through the snow, he pinned her beneath him, his fingers tightening around her slender neck as he snarled, his face inches from hers, "Let me go, or we die togeth—"

His words died in his throat.

Locked eye-to-eye with the most beautiful woman in Great Xia, Yang An finally saw her face.

It was a beauty beyond description.

A face blessed by the heavens themselves.

Innocence blended with allure, radiance intertwined with elegance.

No words—"exquisite," "flawless skin," "peerless grace," "blooming peach and plum"—could capture even a fraction of her beauty.

Her loveliness was as natural as snow being cold, fire being hot, water being soft.

One glance was enough to know—

No woman in this world could ever compare.

Even as he held her down, Yang An caught a faint, intoxicating fragrance, winding through his senses, stirring his most primal desires.

In both his lifetimes,

he had never seen a girl so breathtaking. Now he truly understood the meaning of "stunning."

But what did beauty matter?

When she was so cruel!

A venomous serpent! A ruthless, heartless witch!

Shaking off the momentary daze her beauty had cast, Yang An tightened his grip and growled, "Let me go, or we die together!"

The eight maids guarding Princess Anle stood frozen in horror!

Even little Manman forgot to eat in her shock!

This is bad, bad, bad—the princess will be furious! She hates being touched, especially by men!

Lan shouted, "You insolent wretch! Release Her Highness at once!"

They rushed forward with swords drawn—

Only for Qin Guo'er to laugh sweetly, "Stand down."

Since childhood,

she had cherished cleanliness above all.

She loathed others drawing near.

Yet today, for the first time,

Princess Anle had been violated.

Pinned beneath this damned man in the filthy snow!

"A dragon's reversed scales, when touched, incite wrath."

"A phoenix's vulnerable neck, when grazed, demands death."

Qin Guo'er tilted her face up toward Yang An, her smile radiant as the sun, her charm unmatched in all the world.

Were it not for the cold, crimson fury flickering in her laughing eyes, she might have looked even more enchanting.

"Is this princess's body soft? Fragrant?"

"Does it feel good to hold me?"