Magistrate He stared at the portrait, his fingers trembling involuntarily.

He could hardly believe that he had caught such a big shot.

"This..." His heart sank, and his mind quickly thought about how to escape.

If he didn't hand this woman over quickly, and if he angered the City Lord's Mansion, his life would be in danger.

But he suddenly thought, since this woman is so important, there must be a considerable force behind her. Wouldn't it be possible to make a lot of wealth from her?

A sinister calculation flashed in County Magistrate He's eyes, and a vicious plan had already formed in his mind.

He sneered and whispered to his confidant beside him: "Since she is an important figure, we can't let her go easily."

"Notify a few brothers and send her to the main city overnight. Once we get there, we can slowly bargain for her."

Magistrate He paused, his eyes sinister, and his voice lowered to a whisper: "If she is truly the one the court wants, we can offer a sky-high price. If we can't redeem her, her life will be in our hands."

"When the time comes... hehe, it won't be about redeeming someone, but selling your life."

Several officers were terrified when they heard this, but seeing the cunning smile on Magistrate He's face, they all echoed, "Your Excellency is wise!"

Soon, County Magistrate He ordered Fang Qingyue and the other two to be taken out of the prison and forced into a prison van.

Fang Qingyue felt the rope around her wrists being tied tighter, and she felt uneasy.

Cheng Qingyuan's face turned pale as he glared at Magistrate He, his voice hoarse: "Where on earth do you want to take us?!"

Fang Qingyue, Cheng Qingyuan and Chi Yue were tied up in a prison carriage, which was swaying as it drove on the rugged official road.

The sky gradually darkened, and the dust raised by the carriage wheels drifted in the gloomy air, as if foreshadowing the danger of this journey.

Inside the car, Fang Qingyue leaned against the corner of the carriage, but her eyes were always looking around vigilantly.

Although her hands were tightly bound with thick hemp rope, her mind was racing with thoughts of possible escape.

There were four escorting officials on both sides of the carriage, who would occasionally listen to the movements inside the carriage.

County Magistrate He was riding on a horse, walking leisurely in front, looking contented.

Fang Qingyue knew that if they didn't escape this time, they would be in even greater danger once they reached the main city.

She lowered her head slightly and her fingers quietly touched the cuffs of her sleeves, where there were still a few silver needles that she had never given up.

Her heart tightened slightly. Although the silver needle was thin and slender, it could still play a key role in the face of such a rough rope.

Slowly turning her wrist, the silver needle moved deftly at her fingertips.

Fang Qingyue carefully cut the thick hemp ropes one by one.

Her heart was beating like a drum, and although she remained calm on the outside, her hands moved faster and faster.

She knew she didn't have much time, the officials were not stupid and they could come to check on her at any moment.

Sure enough, when Fang Qingyue was trying hard to cut the rope, the curtain of the carriage was suddenly and roughly lifted up.

County Magistrate He's disgusting face was revealed, with a hint of a wary smile.

"You guys are very well behaved."

He sneered and glanced at Fang Qingyue, obviously paying special attention to her.

After all, County Magistrate He regarded her as a walking gold mountain and would never allow her to escape halfway.

Fang Qingyue raised her eyes and gave him a cold look, then replied in a neither humble nor arrogant manner, "Master, you have tied us up so tightly, and with you guarding us, where else can we escape to?"

County Magistrate He was angered by her contemptuous tone, but he thought that he would soon make a huge sum of money.

He suppressed his displeasure, snorted coldly, lowered the curtain and left the carriage.

Seeing him leave, Fang Qingyue immediately continued what she was doing. The silver needle quickly moved on the thick hemp rope, and finally one of the hemp ropes broke with a "hiss".

Fang Qingyue breathed a sigh of relief quietly, but she still maintained her composure. Although the rope was loosened, she still had to wait for a suitable opportunity.

The carriage continued to bump forward, and after an unknown amount of time, the night grew darker.

The official road on both sides gradually became desolate, and occasionally one could hear the sound of dry grass swaying in the wind.

Finally, the escorting officers suggested taking a short rest, and they stopped the prison carriage at the edge of a forest.

County Magistrate He jumped off his horse, stretched, and ordered people to prepare hot tea.

Fang Qingyue knew that this was her only chance.

While the officials left the carriage to rest, Fang Qingyue quietly moved and slowly slid down from the side of the carriage.

She endured the dull pain in her stomach and gently jumped out of the car. As soon as her feet touched the ground, her heart suddenly tightened.

She knew that the people behind her might notice at any time.

She had no time to hesitate and immediately ran towards the woods beside the official road.

He walked briskly but not too fast, for fear of attracting the attention of the officers and soldiers.

She held her breath, her mind racing over a route of escape.

However, before she could take a few steps, she heard urgent shouts from behind her.

"Catch her! The woman ran away!"

County Magistrate He's voice was hurried. He never expected that Fang Qingyue would dare to escape under such heavy siege!

He mounted his horse and quickly caught up with several of his officers.

A sense of uneasiness rose in Fang Qingyue's heart.

She was pregnant and gradually felt weak and her steps became slower and slower.

The footsteps of the pursuers were getting closer and closer, and she knew that she would soon be caught up.

Just as Fang Qingyue was about to rush into the forest, several officers and soldiers quickly caught up with her. A rope suddenly flew over and wrapped around her shoulders.

Fang Qingyue lost her balance and fell to the ground. She felt a sharp pain in her abdomen. She struggled to stand up, but four or five rough hands had already pinned her to the ground.

"We caught her!" the officers shouted triumphantly.

Fang Qingyue was pushed to the ground and her hands were tied again. The baby in her belly felt a dull pain from the impact of the fall.

She clenched her teeth, cold sweat oozing from her forehead, and tried her best to endure the pain.

Fang Qingyue fell to the ground, the pain in her abdomen was like a needle prick, and cold sweat seeped out of her forehead.

Magistrate He did not act rashly at this moment. His face was filled with anger. He approached Fang Qingyue and said with a smirk, "How dare you run! Looking at your appearance, where can you run to?"

His eyes were filled with anger, but he didn't dare to take any ruthless action immediately. He was obviously thinking about how to calm Fang Qingyue down so as not to make things worse.

Fang Qingyue sneered in her heart and glanced at the group of smug-looking officers under County Magistrate He not far away. She already had a plan in mind.

She quietly reached for the last silver needle in her sleeve, held it tightly in her palm, then took a deep breath, endured the pain in her abdomen, and suddenly stood up.

With lightning speed, she placed the silver needle against the side of her neck.

The tiny silver needle shone with a cold light, just a hair's breadth away from her artery.

A trace of fear flashed in County Magistrate He's eyes. He didn't expect Fang Qingyue to be so decisive in threatening his life.

Although her face looked pale due to pain, her sharp eyes were still staring at him, as if she would really stab him and end her life in the next second.

"You—!" County Magistrate He's voice was a little more panicked. He lowered his voice and said sternly, "What are you doing? Are you crazy?"