No one can hurt you anymore.

Taking advantage of the gap in his movements, Jiang Wanzhi used her still-mobile foot to kick a nearby abandoned dye vat!

A sharp clang rang out, sounding particularly jarring in the silent cellar.

The noise clearly alerted those above and caused the kidnappers to pause in their actions.

"Now!" Jiang Wanzhi shouted desperately, her voice hoarse and weak from fear and the feeling of suffocation: "Help! I'm here!"

"You're asking for it!" The kidnapper was completely enraged, and the blade fell again!

"Bang!"

The seemingly sturdy wooden door at the cellar entrance shattered with a deafening roar! Amidst the flying sawdust, a figure in black, carrying a murderous aura and a powerful gust of wind, suddenly burst in!

Zongzheng Hengyu immediately spotted the slender figure huddled in the corner, her arms stained with blood, her face deathly pale, yet still desperately trying to dodge backward. He also saw the kidnapper holding a knife, his face contorted in a ferocious grimace.

Time seemed to freeze at that moment.

The kidnappers were stunned by the sudden turn of events and the palpable terror of the killing intent, and their movements froze.

Zongzheng Hengyu, on the other hand, didn't waste any words.

He didn't even draw his sword.

The figure flashed forward, and before the kidnapper could react, a hand with distinct knuckles and brimming with furious power had already gripped his wrist, which was holding a knife, like an iron clamp.

"Snap!"

The sickening sound of bones cracking rang out clearly.

The kidnapper let out a piercing scream, and the steel knife fell from his hand to the ground.

But this is just the beginning.

With a flick of his wrist, Zongzheng Hengyu unleashed a powerful surge of internal energy that shattered the bones in the kidnapper's arm. Then, with a simple, forceful punch, he delivered a devastating blow to the kidnapper's chest with his other fist.

"puff……"

The kidnapper was sent flying like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into the earthen wall behind him before sliding softly to the ground. The blood spurting from his mouth stained the mottled wall red, and he fell silent.

The cellar fell into a deathly silence, with only the heavy smell of blood and Zongzheng Hengyu's suppressed, icy breathing, which seemed to come from the deepest hell.

Without even glancing at the corpse, he stepped forward and stood before Jiang Wanzhi. His usually sharp and icy eyes were now swirling with lingering fear, anger, and a heartache that almost burned one's soul.

He crouched down, his movements a stark contrast to his earlier violence, becoming extremely gentle. He carefully untied the rough ropes binding her wrists and ankles, and when he saw the skin chafed and bleeding, the murderous intent in his eyes almost materialized.

"Jiang Wanzhi..." His voice was terribly hoarse, with a barely perceptible tremor. He reached out to touch her injured arm, but was afraid of hurting her.

The immense shock of surviving the ordeal, and the sense of security Zongzheng Hengyu provided, instantly shattered Jiang Wanzhi's carefully constructed facade of strength. Tears welled up unexpectedly, and her body went limp, almost collapsing to the ground.

Zongzheng Hengyu immediately reached out and steadily supported her, gently pulling her into his arms. His embrace was broad and firm, carrying the chill of travel and a hint of blood, yet it was the only safe haven she could feel at that moment.

“It’s alright…” He gently patted her back, his voice low and firm, “I’m here. No one can hurt you anymore.”

Jiang Wanzhi buried her face in his hard chest, her tears soaking his clothes. Her body trembled slightly from the lingering fear, yet she felt strangely at ease.

At this moment, Yan Cheng rushed in with his men. Upon seeing the situation in the cellar, he immediately ordered his men to clean up the scene, capture any remaining survivors, and guard the area vigilantly.

"Your Highness, we should not linger here," Yan Cheng said in a low voice.

Zongzheng Hengyu took a deep breath, suppressing his surging killing intent. He picked up the limp Jiang Wanzhi and wrapped her tightly in his wide royal robe, shielding her from the bloodshed and the sights outside.

"Investigate!" He carried Jiang Wanzhi out, leaving Yan Cheng with only an icy back view. "Pry open the mouths of all the survivors! Find out who's behind this! I'll make him... regret ever being born!"

His voice wasn't loud, but it was as cold as ice, sending chills down the spines of everyone present.

When a demon is enraged, corpses lie scattered for miles.

Tonight, many people are destined to pay the price with their lives for touching his sore spot.

Jiang Wanzhi, who was being carefully held in Zongzheng Hengyu's arms, gradually lost consciousness amidst extreme exhaustion and a sense of security, and finally fell into a deep sleep in his reassuring presence.

But her unconsciously curled fingers were still tightly gripping his clothes, as if she had grasped the only piece of driftwood.

…………

At Prince Zhao's residence, Zongzheng Zhaoran quickly received news that Jiang Wanzhi had been successfully rescued by Prince Heng. He breathed a long sigh of relief, his tense nerves finally relaxing, but immediately, a complex emotion, a mixture of loss and resentment, welled up in his heart. In the end… it was he who saved her.

Meanwhile, inside one of Night Hawk Pavilion's strongholds, the Pavilion Master listened to his subordinates report the failure of the operation and the heavy losses in manpower. His face behind the mask showed no expression, only his hoarse voice rang out:

"Zongzheng Hengyu... truly lives up to his reputation. However, the game... has only just begun."

He glanced at the beaded hairpin that belonged to Jiang Wanzhi, which had been left on the floor, a strange glint in his eyes. Now that her weakness had been exposed, there would always be a time to exploit it again.

…………

The Prince Heng's mansion was brightly lit, yet it was filled with a sense of oppressive solemnity.

Jiang Wanzhi was placed in the most heavily guarded warm pavilion deep within the inner courtyard of the Prince's mansion. The royal physician carefully treated the shallow knife wound on her arm, as well as the abrasions on her wrists and ankles caused by the binding, and prescribed a calming and soothing herbal medicine.

She remained in a deep sleep, but a thin mist of fear still lingered between her brows, and she would occasionally be startled in her dreams.

Zongzheng Hengyu stood guard in the outer room, his black royal robes still stained with dust and dark red blood. He was like a silent god of death, the chill emanating from him causing all the passing servants to hold their breath, afraid to utter a sound. Yan Cheng reported the results of the investigation in a low voice:

"Your Highness, there were five kidnappers in the dyehouse cellar. Four were killed on the spot, and one was seriously injured and captured, but on the way back... he bit into the poison sac hidden between his teeth and committed suicide."

Zongzheng Hengyu's eyes remained unchanged, as if he had expected this. "Find out their origins?"

"They are all notorious outlaws in the martial arts world, with suspiciously clean backgrounds, as if their pasts have been carefully erased. The source of the sleeping incense and knives they used is also unknown."

Yan Cheng paused for a moment, "But... we found one of these at the scene." He presented a small, inconspicuous wooden token, on which was carved a pattern of a falcon whose claws were faintly visible in the clouds.

"Night Hawk Claw Token..." Zongzheng Hengyu took the token, his fingertips tracing the cold lines, a storm brewing in his eyes. "As expected, they were the ones pulling the strings behind the scenes!"

Night Hawk Pavilion, this mysterious organization, has finally extended its claws to his most sensitive spot!

"Is their move intended to test us, or to provoke us?" Yan Cheng wondered.

“Both.” Zongzheng Hengyu’s voice was icy. “They are testing my bottom line and provoking my authority. More importantly, they want to disrupt the situation and make me lose my composure in anger.”

He slowly tightened his grip on the token, the wooden object making a faint, strained sound in his palm. "They've miscalculated."

He looked towards the inner room, his eyes filled with undisguised possessiveness and protectiveness: "Pass down the order, use all our resources in the martial world and in the shadows to investigate Night Hawk Pavilion with all our might! I need to know where their lair is and who their leader is! In addition, send more men, both overt and covert, to guard the warm pavilion for twelve hours a day. Without my order, no one is allowed to approach!"

"yes!"

“Also,” Zongzheng Hengyu added, his tone leaving no room for doubt, “go to the Prime Minister’s residence and bring Jiang Wanzhi’s personal maid over to serve her. Tell her father that she is here with me and is safe.”

He would protect her firmly under his wing, never letting her out of his sight again. Having survived this ordeal, he would never let her face any further danger.

...

The Imperial Palace, the Imperial Study.

Emperor Zongzheng Hong had naturally heard about the commotion in the south of the city last night, as well as the fact that Prince Heng had forcibly closed the city gates and mobilized troops to search for them. Gao Wuyong carefully reported the information he had gathered about Jiang Wanzhi being kidnapped, Prince Heng personally rescuing her, and killing several kidnappers on the spot.

After listening, the emperor remained silent for a long time. He tapped his fingers on the armrest of his dragon throne, his eyes unfathomable.

"Such a commotion over a woman..." His tone was unreadable. "This time, my Prince Heng is truly enraged."

"By imperial decree, bestow upon Prince Heng's residence superior medicinal herbs and fine silks to soothe Miss Jiang's nerves. Furthermore, order the Prefect of the Capital and the Five Cities Garrison to fully cooperate with Prince Heng in eliminating the villains in the capital and maintaining order!" He needed to appease Prince Heng, and also needed to take this opportunity to give a warning to those forces lurking in the shadows.

…………

Prince Zhao's Mansion.

After learning that the emperor had bestowed the Hengwang Mansion upon him, Zongzheng Zhaoran sat quietly in his study for a long time.

On the chessboard in front of him, black and white pieces were intertwined, creating a complex situation.

He originally wanted to use the Night Hawk Pavilion to disrupt the situation, and even hoped that Jiang Wanzhi would turn to him during the crisis, but he did not expect things to turn out this way.

The Prince Heng's ruthless methods and his father's seemingly appeasing but actually cautionary attitude both made him feel troubled.

More importantly, Jiang Wanzhi is now under the strict protection of Prince Heng, making it virtually impossible for him to see her. A strong sense of loss and frustration overwhelmed him.

“Your Highness,” the masked man’s voice roused him from his reverie, “The Night Hawk Pavilion’s operation this time failed, and some people were lost. The Pavilion Master does not seem to be angry. On the contrary… he is very interested in the reaction of Prince Heng.”

Zongzheng Zhaoran snorted coldly: "Of course he's interested. He's assessing his opponent's strengths and weaknesses. Jiang Wanzhi is Zongzheng Hengyu's most obvious weakness."

"So, what's our next step..."

"Let's hold back for now." Zongzheng Zhaoran calmed down, regaining his usual composure. "After this incident, Prince Heng's vigilance will undoubtedly be at its highest. To act now would be tantamount to walking into a trap. Let the Night Hawk Pavilion and Prince Heng fight it out first. We'll sit back and watch the tigers fight, and incidentally..."

A glint of shrewdness flashed in his eyes. "Find a way to get more leverage over the Night Hawk Pavilion. This organization can be used, but we also need to be wary of it."

He cannot rely entirely on the Night Hawk Pavilion; he must take more initiative.

…………

Just as various forces were adjusting their strategies due to the kidnapping incident, Princess Munasha angrily smashed a precious white porcelain tea set inside the Northern Abyss delegation's inn.

"Useless! All of you are useless! Doesn't the Night Hawk Pavilion claim to be all-powerful? You can't even kill a single person!" Her beautiful face was twisted with rage.

She paced anxiously, her eyes flashing with resentment and malice: "No! I can't let this go! Zongzheng Hengyu must be mine!"