Yangzhou was still some distance away, but at this range, it should be safe. If someone were bold enough to assassinate the bearer of a Demon Suppression Bureau jade token or steal King Zhao’s saber right outside a key stronghold of the empire, then Her Majesty might as well issue a self-condemnation edict. The presence of Lady Baoqin alone was proof enough that the imperial vanguard had arrived to receive them, and judging by the situation, even stronger reinforcements were likely en route.0

As far as the jianghu was concerned, this region was the very heart of the Cao Gang’s domain. The river had long since been secured under their control.0

And yet, Ling Ruoyu still could not shake the sense of unease. This was precisely the kind of moment when people tended to let their guard down—when one assumed the storm had passed, only to be struck by lightning. Someone could very well be lurking in the shadows, waiting for precisely this opening. The fact that Wan Dongliu, the Cao Gang’s leader, had not shown up yet was bizarre… and troubling. Had he simply decided that Lady Baoqin’s presence meant there was nothing to worry about?0

But Lady Baoqin was currently being carried into a cabin, and who knew what they were doing in there? For all they knew, she might already be doing something indecent. What help then could she possibly offer?0

Fuming with indignation, Ling Ruoyu sat cross-legged at the bow, silently keeping watch. She could not help but feel she had somehow gone from a glorious gladiator to a glorified doorman. The indignity was unbearable.0

As for what Lady Baoqin was currently up to… it was hard to say if it counted as “indecent.” At the moment, she was simply nestled in a man’s embrace, being kissed. Just moments ago, she had been fuming and stomping about in anger, yet a single kiss had been enough to dissolve her fury completely.0

No matter how many years she had spent...0