Chapter 49: A Life Saved, a Debt Owed

Zhang Luan’s words cut into Liu Hexiao like a blade, each one deeper than the last.

Liu Hexiao stared at Zhang Luan defiantly. “Say another word, and I’ll kill you.”

Zhang Luan sneered. “Kill me? Look at your condition—how do you plan to do that?”

He stepped closer, grabbing Liu Hexiao by the collar. “Liu Hexiao, by sunrise, there won’t be a trace of you left in Shengjing.”

With a smirk, he let go of Liu Hexiao’s bloodstained robes. “Do it!” he barked.

The black-clad assassins raised their gleaming blades, aiming for Liu Hexiao’s chest. Just as the knives were about to plunge into his flesh, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from the entrance of Tianshui Alley.

“There they are! Catch them!” a clear female voice shouted, tinged with urgency.

Zhang Luan and his men turned in surprise. A group of people wielding torches and makeshift weapons stormed into the alley, their numbers seemingly overwhelming.

“Who are these people!?” Zhang Luan demanded, his face pale with panic.

Amid the crowd, a young woman stood out, her figure illuminated by the torch in her hand. Though small and delicate, she moved with purpose, guiding the group toward them. Against the dark backdrop of night, she was the sole beacon of light, dispersing the darkness with each step closer.

Liu Hexiao, weakened and bloodied, looked up from his corner and recognized her immediately. His dim eyes brightened, and a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

“Master, there are at least thirty of them!” one of the assassins hissed nervously. “What do we do now?”

“Fight them off? Are you insane?” Zhang Luan’s voice cracked as fear overtook him.

The assassin persisted. “Master, their numbers are too great. If we fight them, there’s no way to cover this up. The commotion will draw even more attention.”

Zhang Luan’s face turned ashen. His initial plan had been to kill Liu Hexiao quietly and kidnap the woman without anyone knowing. But now his plan was falling apart.

If his father learned of his failed assassination attempt on Liu Hexiao, he’d undoubtedly face severe consequences. Worse still, if Liu Hexiao survived and returned to the Prince Qi Manor, revenge would be swift and merciless.

His body trembled uncontrollably. When Zhang Luan saw the armed group closing in with torches, something inside him snapped. With a pitiful whimper, he wet himself.

Realizing their employer was beyond rational thought, the assassins abandoned their weapons, grabbed Zhang Luan, and fled over the rooftops, disappearing into the night.

With the attackers gone, Liu Hexiao finally collapsed to the ground, drained of all strength.

“Your Highness!”

Yihuan passed her torch to another and rushed to Liu Hexiao’s side, struggling to lift him up.

Liu Hexiao, dazed and bleeding heavily, gazed at her with blurry eyes. “Didn’t I tell you… to stay hidden?”

Yihuan spoke softly, her tone firm. “I never agreed to that.”

Before Liu Hexiao could reply, Manager Luo arrived to help steady him.

Liu Hexiao glanced around at the group of rescuers: the manager, kitchen staff, and even workers from the iron shop. They all looked imposing, but he could tell they had little experience with actual combat. Still, their sheer numbers had been enough to scare off Zhang Luan’s men.

“Your Highness, are you alright?” Manager Luo asked, noticing the blood soaking through Liu Hexiao’s sleeve.

Lu Shi, one of the blacksmiths, knelt to inspect the injury and frowned. “The wound on his arm needs immediate dressing, or it may worsen.”

Yihuan nodded. “We’ll take him back to the courtyard. I’ll treat his wounds there.”

As she helped Liu Hexiao to his feet, Manager Luo stepped forward to assist, only to be stopped by a sharp glare from the injured shizi.

Realizing his mistake, Manager Luo chuckled awkwardly and stepped back, falling in line with the others.

“Why didn’t you help her?” one of the ironworkers whispered to Manager Luo.

Manager Luo smirked knowingly. “The shizi only wants Yihuan to help him. Didn’t you see how he was looking at her?”

Lu Shi, overhearing, nodded thoughtfully. “Makes sense. If not for Yihuan’s quick thinking, the shizi might not have made it through tonight. If he fancies her, it’s only natural.”

Earlier that night, Lu Shi and his fellow workers had already gone to bed when frantic banging on their door woke them.

“Who’s there!?” Lu Shi shouted irritably.

“Lu Shi! Open the door! There’s trouble!” Yihuan’s urgent voice called from outside.

Yihuan didn’t stop with the ironworks. She roused Manager Luo and his staff from the inn as well. Though startled, the group hesitated.

“There are assassins ahead,” someone muttered.

Yihuan pleaded with them. “Please, we must save His Highness. He’s a living person, and his life is in danger!”

But Lu Shi frowned. “We don’t know martial arts. What can we do against killers?”

Yihuan’s voice was steady but firm. “They’re relying on the cover of darkness to avoid detection. If we approach as a group, we can scare them off with our numbers.”

“But what if they kill us to silence witnesses?” Manager Luo interjected, voicing the fear many felt.

Yihuan surveyed the hesitant crowd, her expression growing cold. “If the Prince Qi learns that his son died in our alley, and we did nothing to help, what do you think will happen to us?”

Her words sent a chill through the group. Everyone knew the power of the Prince Qi Manor. Their inaction could spell disaster.

Yihuan pressed on. “If we save him, do you think the prince will forget our help? Stop wasting time—if we delay any longer, it’ll be too late!”

Without waiting for a response, she grabbed a torch and strode toward Tianshui Alley.

Manager Luo hesitated briefly but soon followed. “Yihuan, wait! I’m coming with you.”

One of the blacksmiths, Old Huang, suddenly had an idea. “Hold on, everyone! Let’s grab our tools!”

He rushed back into the shop, returning with an armful of hammers and iron bars, distributing them among the group. Yihuan turned and gave him a grateful smile before leading the charge.

And so, armed with makeshift weapons, the unlikely group marched into Tianshui Alley, creating the scene that had just played out.

Yihuan helped Liu Hexiao back to the courtyard and settled him in the side room.

Liu Hexiao, having taken a heavy blow and a deep cut to his arm, leaned weakly against the bedframe.

As the others dispersed, Manager Luo and Ah-Miao brought in medicinal powder for treating wounds.

Ah-Miao said, “Miss, let me help you take care of the shizi.”

Yihuan was about to nod when Liu Hexiao interjected, his voice faint, “Too many people in the room—it’s making me dizzy.”

Manager Luo immediately caught on and said, “Ah-Miao, why don’t you rest for now?”

Ah-Miao frowned. “If anyone should rest, it’s Miss Yihuan. She’s been up all night.”

Liu Hexiao’s lips twitched slightly, his tone dry, “I wouldn’t let her wear herself out.”

Ah-Miao hesitated, wanting to argue, but Manager Luo said, “Ah-Miao, shouldn’t you check on the young master? He might’ve kicked off his blanket while we were all out.”

“But I checked on him half an hour ago,” Ah-Miao replied.

“That’s not enough. Kids can catch cold in an instant. Go and keep an eye on him,” Manager Luo insisted, practically dragging her out of the room.

With that, the room fell silent, leaving only Liu Hexiao and Yihuan.

Yihuan hesitated for a moment before lowering her gaze. “Let me dress your wound first.”

She carefully helped him remove his crimson outer robe. When he moved his injured arm, his brows furrowed in pain.

“Does it hurt badly?” Yihuan asked, looking up at him.

Liu Hexiao let out a faint scoff. “No.”

Yihuan gently tugged at his sleeve, exposing his inner garments soaked in blood. Her breath caught at the sight—an alarming stain spread across the white fabric, and beneath it lay a deep, raw wound.

Her hands trembled slightly as she began cutting the sleeve away. The wound was jagged and frightening, momentarily leaving her at a loss.

Liu Hexiao waved his uninjured hand in front of her, smirking. “What? Scared stiff?”

Yihuan snapped back to reality. “No.”

Liu Hexiao chuckled softly. “You’re scared now? Funny, since you seemed fearless earlier—bringing people back to fight those assassins. Weren’t you afraid then?”

As she sifted through the various medicine jars for the right one, she replied quietly, “I was.”

The humor faded from Liu Hexiao’s face. His dark, penetrating gaze settled on her. “You were afraid, yet you came back?”

Yihuan lowered her head, her voice softer still. “…I didn’t want you to die.”

Her head dipped lower, her heart racing inexplicably. The dim light in the room cast a warm glow over her face, making her look calm and serene, yet her emotions were anything but.

“Yihuan.”

Liu Hexiao’s voice broke through the stillness. He reached out with his left hand, gently holding hers, stopping her from applying the medicinal powder.

Startled, Yihuan lifted her head. Her gaze met his—a pair of deep, dark eyes that seemed to draw her in. In them, she saw worry, lingering fear, and something unspoken.

Without a word, Liu Hexiao pulled her closer, his arm circling her waist. Before she could react, his warm lips pressed against hers.

Her lips were cool and slightly sweet, soft as a petal.

Yihuan froze in shock, her mind went blank. When she finally grasped what was happening, she instinctively pushed against him, only to accidentally press on his wound.

Liu Hexiao winced but refused to let go, holding her tighter. His kiss, initially overwhelming and dominant, softened. He slowed, his lips brushing hers tenderly, giving her no room to escape yet making her heart flutter.

Yihuan clung to his robes nervously, afraid of hurting him further, yet unable to push him away.

Noticing her hesitation, Liu Hexiao’s movements grew gentler. He reined in the storm of emotions surging within him, savoring her presence.

Her breath hitched as she opened her eyes to see him—long lashes casting shadows over his handsome features, his expression unusually tender. The sight was so surreal she questioned whether it was real.

After what felt like an eternity, he finally released her. His voice was low and husky: “Will you hate me for this?”

His tone was soft, almost coaxing.

Yihuan’s mind was still a mess. “I… I…”

Liu Hexiao’s lips curved. “Then that’s a no.”

“…”

He gazed at her, a faint smile lingering. “You saved me today. I owe you a debt.”

Her face burned as she glared at him. “There’s no need!”

Her slightly swollen lips only added to her charm, making her look endearingly flustered.

The more Liu Hexiao looked at her, the more his heart softened. With a serious expression, he said, “That won’t do. I’m a man of my word.”

A sense of foreboding crept over Yihuan. “And how… do you plan to repay me?”

His lips curved into a teasing smile. “How about… I devote myself to you?”