A ragged cub at the beginning

Feng Jian wiped the wound on his forehead with a handkerchief, grimacing in pain. He seemed to be in a hurry, and soon came to a dry well and crawled in through the gap in the rockery next to it.

Tang Ling hurriedly followed, and put her ear against the stone to listen. The footsteps slowly went down and away, and no other voices were heard. She took out a few silver needles, pinched them between her fingers, and walked gently inside.

This is a dark corridor with torches hanging on both sides, so you can barely see the road ahead.

"grown ups!"

"Well, how was your day?"

"It's still the same."

"Open the door, I'll go take a look."

Tang Ling passed a corner and peeked out. There were only two guards inside, leaning lazily against the wall, and behind them was another passage emitting a faint light.

"Hey, it's been so long, what's the point of keeping this person?"

"Who knows? No one came to save him, and there's nothing we can get out of him."

The two of them whispered quietly, and one of them yawned. "I'm sleepy, let me sleep first today."

"You said the same thing yesterday."

"Then I'm sleepy, so I'll stay up till the second half of the night."

"It's like this every day, no!"

"Hey, you..."

As they were talking, they actually started arguing.

The guards were so lazy, there should be no one else inside. Tang Ling flicked his finger, and two fine needles shot silently into the necks of the two men.

"Hiss! Are there mosquitoes?"

"I got bit, too."

"It's so cold... um..."

"you……"

Tang Ling rushed over, caught the two people's fallen bodies, and gently placed them on the ground. Then he walked quietly inside, passing by empty cells, and Feng Jian's voice came from the innermost cell: "Little brother, are you sure you don't want to tell? Once you are in the hands of King Jin, he won't be as easy to talk to as me."

"Ha... cough cough... cough... I don't know anything..." Tang Ling was stunned by the familiar voice. Although she was weak, she recognized it easily.

Xinchen 123, you are not dead.

It's great. Tang Ling lowered her head and raised her lips slightly, even twirling the needle between her fingers with pleasure. She strode to the innermost, open door, and Feng Jian was facing away from her.

She knocked the man down effortlessly, revealing a person hanging on the wall with iron chains.

He was spread out, naked, and covered in blood, with his hair hanging in clumps on his forehead. His body was covered with wounds, and when Feng Jian fell, he cleared his throat twice and smiled.

When he looked up and saw the person coming, he was stunned for a moment, his pupils shrank at first, and he stared at her uncertainly, "Take off your veil, little feather."

Tang Ling ignored him and took out a dagger with her trembling hands. The dagger cut through the chains easily. The tied man fell down powerlessly and she caught him. The man who could easily be lifted up by her was now just a skeleton.

"It's hot, cough, cough, cough..." He let out a series of violent coughs, and it seemed that he was almost out of breath.

Tang Ling took out a pill and stuffed it into his mouth. He paused for a moment and murmured, "Little Feather, it's really here. I actually waited for it."

The four chains were cut off, and Tang Ling carried him out. When she passed Feng Jian, she stopped and looked at him with disgust. She raised her foot, and with a crisp "click", Feng Jian's neck bent 90 degrees to one side, and shook weakly a few times.

"Little Feather, I'm not dreaming, am I?"

"I thought you were dead." Tang Ling kicked the guard outside and broke his neck. She just wanted to burn the place clean. But the person on her body was almost unable to bear it. After more than two years of torture, he was lucky to be alive.

She stripped off the clothes of a guard, wrapped him up casually, and tied him to her back with a belt. However, he was too tall, and his knees were dragging on the ground. The dragging sound was not conducive to her leaving, so she took off another belt and tied his legs to her own. She tentatively moved her legs and feet, but it didn't affect much.

Tang Ling had visited the place when King Jin was having a banquet, and the map of the prefectural government was imprinted in his mind. All the guards were transferred to King Jin's side, leaving the backyard and other places defenseless.

At this time, everything was quiet, with only the not-so-bright moonlight shining, which made it possible to see a little more clearly. She walked lightly in the shadow of the house, her figure like a ghost.

The city gates were locked at night, and Tang Ling could not wait until dawn. Once the prefect's death was discovered, the city gates would be blocked and the whole city would be searched. If that was the case, she could leave alone, but not with someone who couldn't even stand.

Finally leaving the prefect's residence, the person on my back started to act unruly.

"Little Feather, did you help me watch my brother?"

"Little Feather, how did you find me?"

"Little Feather, am I going to die soon? I have no regrets if I can see you before I die."

"Little Feather, you are still so quiet..."

"Say something, I'm dying..."

"Shut up." Tang Ling scolded coldly, then slowed down his voice and said, "If you're still alive, I'll take you to see your brother."

"I want to see you, too."

"Shut up! Don't talk!" Tang Ling gritted her teeth and looked up at the two-meter-high city wall in front of her. She took out the hook from the bag on her thigh and threw it up. She pulled it hard twice, and after confirming that it was hooked tightly, she took two steps to run up the wall and pulled the rope.

"Little Feather is still so clever..."

"Where are we going?"

"It's so late, take a rest."

"You are tired, stop running, that's enough, I won't chase you anymore."

"Take a break, little feather... I feel bad..."

"Shut up!" Tang Ling took a breath. This was a mountain range outside the county town. Only by walking through here could he avoid being caught.

She climbed the mountain for half the night, and it was already dawn. She rested for a while, checked the traces on the ground, followed the footprints of small animals to find the mountain stream, and then threw the person on her back directly into the stream.

"Cough cough... ice, cold... hahaha cough cough cough..." He weakly let the stream water wash away the dirt on his body. He rested his head on the grass by the stream, laughing and coughing uncontrollably.

Tang Ling used the guard's clothes as a towel, scrubbed him clean from head to toe, and dragged him to the grass.

Whips, branding irons, knife wounds, and even a small piece of skin missing from the chest...

She turned her head and closed her eyes. One bottle of medicine was not enough, so she could only apply medicine to the most serious wound first.

"Why isn't this medicine as potent as before?"

"Little Feather, you've seen me naked, why don't you marry me?"

"It's a bit chilly. You're a girl, aren't you embarrassed?"

His voice was hoarse from coughing, but he refused to stop.

After applying the medicine, Tang Ling couldn't find anything to bandage, so she simply took off her coat and wrapped the man up, although it was a little insufficient, she would do it this way for now. She carried the man on her back again and continued walking into the mountains.

"Hiss, Little Feather, are you still so shy?"

"How long has it been, Little Feather? How long have I been there?"

Tang Ling said softly: "Eight hundred and seventy-one days."

He was silent for a long time before he chuckled. He rubbed his head on Tang Ling's shoulder and tears slowly fell from the corners of his eyes.

After being tortured for so long, he may have screamed and roared, but he never showed any fear, let alone shed tears.

But when he heard her accurately say the number of days, he couldn't hold back his tears. His eyes were crying, but the corners of his mouth were slightly raised. He was too tired, but he didn't regret it.

The person on her shoulder began to breathe slowly and evenly. Tang Ling glanced sideways and saw that he was finally quiet. She smiled, thinking of the cheerful tunes that Tang Xu usually hummed, and she felt much more relaxed.

After crossing this mountain, they would reach the next town. She needed a car to take people to Yaowang Valley.

During the day, the Du family brought a matchmaker to propose marriage, and it took a lot of effort to get the living wild geese.

Mrs. Du was very happy and asked about Tang Ling. Tang Xu said that he had been ill for several days and could not see anyone.

Mrs. Du asked a few questions and said nothing more. Although there were no parents, Dong Wanwan volunteered to act as the parent.

They were all acquaintances, so they didn't do anything fancy. They praised each other for the upcoming engagement, and then Dong Wanwan handed over the birth date and horoscope that she had prepared long ago and accepted the gift. This was the first step.

Du Yun rushed home as soon as school was over that day. He smiled when he heard that everything went well.

He also urged Du Jiarui during the meal. Du Jiarui had never been urged by his uncle before, and thought that he was really eating too slowly today, so he kept chewing with his little mouth.

It was rare for Mrs. Du to see him so anxious, so she covered her mouth and smiled happily.

Tang Xu explained today's events to Qiyue, and Qiyue was quite happy. He liked Master Du very much.

Tang Xu once again threw the evening class to Tang Qing. Tang Qing snorted heavily and turned around to take the child away.

Tang Xu and Du Yun were sitting in the living room, while Qi Qing and Yu Xiaotao walked to the staff dormitory next door, hand in hand and smiling.

"We...is this settled?" Tang Xu had a vague feeling that it was not real.

"Yes." Du Yun rubbed his fingers together, feeling a little nervous for some reason, and found a random topic, "Your sister has been ill for several days?"

"Uh, yes." Tang Xu lowered her head guiltily. She said this to everyone.

Du Yun felt something was wrong. Thinking of King Jin's suspicion, he looked into Tang Xu's eyes and asked, "Is she really sick?"

Tang Xu pursed his lips and said, "She went out for something."

"Then why did she say she was sick?" Du Yun was puzzled. Then he remembered something and looked around. "Is she really an assassin?"

"No, no!" Tang Xu waved his hands quickly, "We don't know about what happened last time."

"You guys? You too?" Du Yun's eyes widened slightly, seeming a little bit unbelieving.

"No, I..." The Du family had already proposed marriage, and the gifts were very generous. Tang Xu had already agreed, and the relationship between the two became closer. She didn't want to tell too many lies. After organizing her words, she said, "It was before, but it's not since I picked up Qiyue. My sister has left that place now, and the matter of King Jin has nothing to do with us."

Du Yun was a little stunned. He didn't expect that his future wife was once a killer. This made him at a loss, but he quickly recalled everything that had happened since they met. Is a person's past so important? As long as she doesn't get involved in it in the future, what does it matter?

"I haven't done many missions." Tang Xu explained when he saw that he was silent. I didn't do it at all. The original owner did it.

Du Yun came back to his senses, and in front of him was still his petite and lovely girl. Thinking of the scars on her arms from practicing martial arts, his heart softened. And if it was really her, King Jin might not be able to leave the shop safely. He calmed down and said, "It doesn't matter, as long as King Jin's affairs have nothing to do with you. So where did your sister go?"

"I don't know. She said she was going to divert the attention of King Jin." Tang Xu frowned. "It's been more than half a month. I don't know where she went. She hasn't come back yet."

Du Yun was silent for a while, then told the news he had just learned, "Prefect Feng Jian was assassinated not long ago."

Tang Xu widened her eyes, wanting to say that it definitely wasn't Tang Ling, but she couldn't be sure.

"Prince Jin was furious and ordered a search for the killer throughout the prefecture. Your sister is not here at this time. Last time, Prince Jin had doubts about your family. If he really searches this time, you... may be in danger." Du Yun frowned. Before the teacher left, he mentioned that Prince Jin was suspicious and secretly asked the county magistrate to pay attention to their family. If there was to be a search, her family would be the first to bear the brunt.

"Ah? Then, what should I do?" Tang Xu clicked his thumb with his index finger and said with his head down: "I will take July Tang Qing away from here."

Hearing this, Du Yun panicked for a moment, then he held her hand and comforted her, "Wait a little longer, I'll go find out."

Tang Xu looked at him. If he really wanted to leave, would there still be a chance for them? She couldn't help but put her arms around his waist and put her face against his chest.

Du Yun hugged her back, lowered his head and rubbed his cheek against her hair, and said firmly in a deep voice: "It's okay, it's not certain. Let me go and ask first. The prefectural government will send down the official document, and it will take three days to reach the county. The county magistrate needs to gather people to check the route from the county town to the prefectural city. It will take more than one day, so there is still time."

"I like this place, I like you, I don't want to leave." Tang Xu was not panicking. She had never encountered such a thing before. Poverty and troubles could always be dealt with. But if she got involved in public affairs and was hunted down, where could she and Qiyue go? She didn't know anywhere, and the farthest she had been was the county town.

Du Yun didn't say anything, but just tightened his arms. The first hug was not beautiful, but he still missed it.

Tang Ling found a farmer's house and bought two sets of clothes for the male owner. She also went to the town to buy a carriage. She didn't bring much money with her when she went out, and the money was stolen from the prefect's mansion.

"Have you got clothes?"

"Put it on."

"I'm used to not wearing it, so I'm a little uncomfortable wearing it all of a sudden."

"Tang Yao!"

"Put on your clothes, don't be angry." Tang Yao finally put on his clothes. After two days of rest, his hands and feet have regained strength. At least he doesn't need anyone to feed him, and he can barely put on his clothes.

It takes four days to travel from here by horse carriage to Yaowang Valley, and it would be faster if you travel day and night.

Tang Ling drove the carriage and thought of Prince Jin. The death of the prefect was a momentary impulse on her part. She wondered if Prince Jin would take other actions. If Tang Xu was implicated, there were still several children...

"Little Feather, why are you so anxious? I'm not going to die yet." Tang Yao asked, half leaning against the car.

"Something happened." Every time Tang Ling arrived at a place, he would sell his horse and buy a new one. After traveling like this, he arrived at Yaowang Valley in two days.

After throwing Tang Yao directly at the valley entrance, she untied the carriage and rode back on horseback. As for Tang Yao's shouts, she pretended not to hear them at all.

In the prefectural city, the King of Jin was assassinated again, but the assassin ran away after one strike. The guards of the palace chased him all the way to another prefectural city, but lost him.

The King of Jin was furious and had all the guards who were pursuing him dragged down and beaten.

That night, the assassin came again. But no one could catch him. He even mocked that King Jin only had trash around him. A hoarse male voice and a thin figure flexibly moved among the guards. Then he left gracefully. The guard leader stayed by King Jin's side. His duty was to protect him. Although he had the highest martial arts skills, he could not chase the enemy. If the other party lured the tiger away from the mountain, he could not bear the consequences.

In anger, the King of Jin gave up his trip south and was sent back to the capital by the garrison troops who finally arrived. As for later, the people who were searching for the assassin followed the clues and avoided Yihe Town from afar.

Du Yun was relieved when he heard the news. He smiled for the whole afternoon, which was rare. After returning, he told Tang Xu the good news.

Tang Xu was very happy and said, "I said it wasn't Tang Ling who did it!"

Du Yun hummed, without commenting. He had never seen an assassin who deliberately showed his body and voice to provoke. This behavior, combined with Tang Ling who had not returned for a long time, seemed to be deliberately diverting the King of Jin's attention. Du Yun was even more certain that this person was Tang Ling.

Tang Xu's sister is no ordinary person.

But the crisis was finally resolved. However, why did she want to kill Prefect Feng?

However, this Feng prefect has been lazy in governing since he took office, relying entirely on the co-prefect to support him. He drinks and has fun every day, and holds banquets and singing every night. It's better for him to die.

And this Tongzhi happened to be his senior brother, so it would be even better if he could get promoted.

Seeing his sweetheart become cheerful again, Du Yun was happy too.