The first thought of the assassins was to turn back and capture Erbao and the Mad Taoist as hostages, but before they could turn back, the leader of the Dragon Guard gave an order: "Arrest them!"

The Dragon Guards swarmed around and, in no time at all, captured the assassins.

Hu Jinxiu was also pressed to the ground, her face aching from being pressed against the gravel and muddy road, and her arms felt like they were about to break.

These people are holding nothing back!

This was the first time Hu Jinxiu had experienced such profound fear; she screamed desperately, "I want to see Qi Yunxiao! I want to see Qi Yunxiao..."

No one paid her any attention. Instead, someone kicked her in the ribs and asked coldly, "Where is she?"

Hu Jinxiu was in so much pain that her vision blurred, and she was unable to speak. It was one of her bodyguards, whose arm had been broken and whose poison sac had been removed, who was the first to back down and speak.

"He was in the village when his head was shaved."

The Dragon Guards rushed into the village to find people again, and without much effort, they brought out the Mad Taoist and Erbao.

Seeing the two bald heads, one large and one small, all the Dragon Guards fell silent.

The guards who saved the mad Taoist were even more grateful to Shen Qingyu for her timely reminder.

This mad Taoist priest has lost his hair, but his scent hasn't changed at all! He's still as "refreshing and unconventional" as ever.

It's all thanks to his smell; otherwise, everyone would be looking for a "Taoist priest," and the shopkeeper might not have remembered this stinky bald monk.

With a "whoosh," a plume of red smoke shot into the sky; a Dragon Guard had released a signal smoke.

Shen Qingyu arrived shortly afterward, and when she saw the little monk Erbao with his head shaved, she froze for a moment.

Erbao touched his bald head and looked at Shen Qingyu with great concern. When he saw his mother's blank expression, Erbao pouted aggrievedly: "Mom, don't you recognize me?"

Shen Qingyu snapped out of her daze and quickly hugged the little monk Erbao in her arms: "Who said I didn't recognize you? I just haven't gotten used to you without hair yet."

These past few days of fuss have made my second baby's chubby little face thin again. Plus, he's grown taller, so he's become even more skinny. He's so small when you hold him, it's almost painful to hold him.

Shen Qingyu felt extremely distressed: "Your master is really something. He said you had to come along, and now look what's happened. You were fine at home for six years, but in such a short time, two incidents have occurred!"

The bald, mad Taoist monk standing to the side complained, "Princess Qingyu, I'm an innocent victim this time! I was implicated by Erbao, and Erbao was implicated by you all!"

Shen Qingyu: "..."

Well, it's all that bastard Qi Yunxiao's fault for causing all this trouble with women!

Shen Qingyu's gaze finally fell on Hu Jinxiu, who was still being forced to kneel on the ground.

Hu Jinxiu had already seen Shen Qingyu, and her eyes were now filled with undisguised hatred.

Meeting Shen Qingyu's clear gaze, Hu Jinxiu was not intimidated at all: "If it weren't for you, Brother Qi would be my husband."

Shen Qingyu glanced at the guards holding Hu Jinxiu and said calmly, "Slap her twice, don't hold back."

The guards obeyed the order and slapped Hu Jinxiu twice without hesitation.

Men are naturally heavy-handed, let alone those who are skilled in martial arts.

Hu Jinxiu's face immediately swelled up with two bright red handprints.

Her eyes widened as she stared at Shen Qingyu, seemingly in disbelief.

Shen Qingyu chuckled lightly: "What? You think you can get revenge if I have someone beat you up? If looks could kill, why bother with physical violence?"

"Pfft!" Erbao couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Hu Jinxiu opened her mouth and mumbled, "I knew Brother Qi first, if it weren't for you..."

Shen Qingyu rolled her eyes, interrupting her daydream: "You've known him for so long, and he hasn't fallen for you, which proves he doesn't like you."

"You can covet someone else's husband a thousand times, but that husband will never be yours. If you work hard to earn money, that money will be yours. You don't even understand such a simple principle, how can you expect Qi Yunxiao to take a liking to you?"

Hu Jinxiu: "!!! I want to see Brother Qi!"

Shen Qingyu scoffed: "Do you think I stopped him from coming to see you?"

Hu Jinxiu: "..."

Although she wasn't sure, she had indeed thought that way at some point.

The thought had barely crossed her mind when Hu Jinxiu realized: what Shen Qingyu said might be true...

This realization made her very frustrated, and her gaze became much more unfocused.

The group dragged themselves forward to meet Qi Yunxiao, but before long, Qi Yunxiao returned.

When Qi Yunxiao saw his daughter with her head shaved off, looking like a little nun, his eyes twitched involuntarily.

Erbao pouted and started crying again, looking aggrieved: "Dad! Do you dislike me too?"

Qi Yunxiao's body stiffened, and he quickly stepped forward to hug his daughter: "Who said that? My second baby is the most lovable! How could I dislike you?"

Perhaps fearing his words lacked persuasiveness, Qi Yunxiao added a further explanation: "It doesn't matter if you lose your hair, it will grow back in a few days."

These words touched a nerve with Erbao, and he burst into tears, crying, "Waaah... Master said it would take at least a year for him to grow that long!"

Qi Yunxiao looked at the mad Taoist: "Hmm?"

The mad Taoist priest shrank back: "This humble Taoist does not lie..."

Shen Qingyu couldn't help but ask the mad Taoist, "Can Erbao go home now?"

It is both dangerous and detrimental to the growth and development of six- or seven-year-old children to run around outside all day.

Under the couple's death stares, the mad Taoist shook his head with a forced smile: "Not yet..."

Qi Yunxiao took two steps forward, his fists clenched.

Shen Qingyu hurriedly tried to pull him away, but couldn't... so she could only cling tightly to Qi Yunxiao's lean waist: "Calm down..."

They preserved the mad Taoist's infuriatingly smug face.

Qi Yunxiao struggled twice but couldn't break free. He didn't dare to use too much force for fear of hurting Shen Qingyu, so he had to give up.

Then Qi Yunxiao said coldly to the mad Taoist, "If my wife hadn't held me back, you would have been beaten up today!"

The mad Taoist shrank his neck and chuckled dryly.

Hu Jinxiu, who was tied up not far away, almost popped her eyes out when she saw Shen Qingyu and Qi Yunxiao hugging and cuddling openly!

"Waaah..." she cried out as she struggled.

Qi Yunxiao was successfully drawn to the scene and it took him some effort to recognize that the disheveled woman was Hu Jinxiu.

He walked over, squatted down in front of Hu Jinxiu, reached out and pulled the gag out of her mouth, looked down at her with a cold expression: "I still can't understand why you would do something to my daughter. What did I do to wrong you?"

Looking at Qi Yunxiao's chiseled, handsome face, Hu Jinxiu was momentarily speechless, murmuring, "Brother Qi, your birthmark... your birthmark..."

Shen Qingyu couldn't bear to look: You're facing a life-or-death situation, and you're still only concerned about a man's appearance?!

It's not unfair at all that you died here!