Chang’an and Changlan were both laid down to rest, but Bai Qingqing caught a glimpse of Ning Yan’s face—still dark and brimming with menace—and couldn’t help wanting to plead on their behalf.

She had just opened her mouth when Ning Yan cut her off. “If the Linjia Guards hadn’t been tailing you, do you know what would’ve happened to you?”

Bai Qingqing thought for a moment. “Then I wouldn’t have gone in the first place. I’m not stupid. Chang’an may have tricked me, but only because those men threatened him with his sister. But he came back, didn’t he? That means he wanted to take responsibility…”

“Take responsibility, my ass. He’d have just thrown his own life into the fire.”

Bai Qingqing pouted. “Don’t say it like that. He showed some courage coming back. I was genuinely moved when I saw him.”

“Oh? And were you moved when he was lying to you?”

The fury in Ning Yan’s eyes didn’t wane in the slightest. “If you dare scheme against others, then you’d better be ready to face the consequences. His sister’s life matters, but yours doesn’t?”

Those bastards were nothing short of animals. If Bai Qingqing had fallen into their hands, her fate wouldn’t have been any better than if she’d been seized by mountain bandits—perhaps even worse.

The cold blade of killing intent curled outward from Ning Yan like mist. Chang’an sensed it instantly, his pupils contracting in terror. He knew—today would not end well. These people had dispatched Chen San and his crew like swatting flies.

Despite the pain, Chang’an struggled to his knees and kowtowed hard. “It was me. I was wrong. I should bear the punishment alone. Please, my lord, spare my sister. She’s innocent.”

A cruel smile tugged at Ning Yan’s lips. “One life? That’s all you think it costs? Your sister’s used as leverage and you cave this easily—what use is a weakness like that? Maybe I should help you get rid of it.”

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Chang’an trembled uncontrollably. “No! Please, don’t hurt my sister—she doesn’t know anything. She tried to stop me. It was all my idea. Just let her go. I’ll do whatever you want!”

Even Bai Qingqing was momentarily startled by the look on Ning Yan’s face—he truly resembled a villain, the kind whose menace seeped straight from the marrow of his bones.

But she no longer feared him. “My lord, you can stop scaring them now.”

Wen Jiang and Mu Shu exchanged glances, each catching the shock in the other’s eyes. Why would Bai Qingqing think Ning Yan was just trying to scare them?

He was entirely capable of following through. Ning Yan never showed mercy just because the guilty party happened to be a child. If he had, he wouldn’t have survived this long. But clearly, Bai Qingqing didn’t see it that way.

Cold sweat dampened Wen Jiang’s palms. He wanted to persuade her to stop, to keep herself out of this mess. Ning Yan was genuinely angry this time—so angry even Wen Jiang dared not speak.

Ning Yan’s cold gaze slid toward Bai Qingqing. “So, you think he did nothing wrong?”

A chill ran through her for no reason at all, but she didn’t flinch. She met his gaze squarely and answered earnestly, “He was wrong—but I can understand. If I were in his place, and someone threatened me with your life, I might have done the same. So I think not everything is black and white. I didn’t understand that before… but now I do. At least, a little.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, the oppressive cold in the room no longer thickened. The frozen edge on Ning Yan’s face held still, then shifted subtly.

“Hmm… is that so…”

He slowly lowered his head, the curve of his thin lips twitching ever so slightly—first bending into a smile, then snapping back straight, then tugging upward again in spite of himself, turning into a strange, involuntary quiver.

“When you put it that way… I suppose… it does make a bit of sense…”