The Phantom Twins approached the maid.
Before the maid could speak, the dwarf preemptively accused her, "You call Nan Shiying a pampered waste who usurped a nest? Do you know that because of the false intelligence you provided, we almost died at the Nan Manor? If you don't give us an explanation for this, you're not leaving the black market today."
His ferocious eyes glinted with sinister bloodlust, and the long saber in his hand sliced through the air, emitting a chilling sound that made one’s scalp tingle.
The maid sighed faintly. Her dagger slid from her sleeve, and she lunged forward, dagger in hand. Her movements were so swift that they were impossible to track.
"Careful!"
The woman cried out in alarm, her hand already holding a hidden weapon. She pressed a button, and silver needles shot out like a celestial scattering of flowers towards the maid.
"Clang clang clang~"
The dagger and needles collided, emitting crisp ringing sounds.
After deflecting all the silver needles with her dagger, the maid advanced instead of retreating, charging at the dwarf again.
The dagger and long saber clashed, sparking a burst of fire.
Seeing that her hidden weapons were useless, the woman discarded them, drew a long sword from her back, and attacked the maid.
The clang of fighting continued incessantly.
With a piercing shriek, the maid’s dagger sliced across the long saber, eventually plunging into the dwarf's neck. It pierced, was withdrawn, and blood spurted out like a pillar.
"Datou!"
The woman’s eyes widened in disbelief, and her attacks grew even more ferocious.
However, for the Phantom Twins, their greatest strength was not their martial arts but their illusions. Yet, even the meticulous female twin had not anticipated the maid's formidable skill. Without any preparation, and unable to employ their illusions, they were no match for the maid.
Nan Yuan'er's maid fought two opponents, first piercing the dwarf's neck, and then plunging her dagger into the woman's heart.
The notorious Phantom Twins of the black market were now killed on the street by a mere maid.
Xuan Shisan, who had been crouching on the rooftop, narrowed his pupils. He had been lying in wait to eliminate the Phantom Twins after they had dealt with the Nan Manor, but it seemed his intervention would not be needed.
Nan Yuan'er's maid was truly remarkable.
How many more capable individuals were hidden within the Nan Manor?
Only after the maid had departed did Xuan Shisan leap down from the rafter. He approached the two figures. The woman, who had already breathed her last, suddenly raised a hand and grabbed Xuan Shisan's leg.
Caught off guard, Xuan Shisan nearly kicked her away in surprise.
He steadied himself and crouched down.
The woman opened her eyes, her breath a mere thread, her voice hoarse and dry like a parched lake: "Save, save me!"
Xuan Shisan glanced at the woman, then at the dwarf beside her who appeared to be dead. He took a pill from his embrace and placed it in the woman's mouth, then removed the dwarf's clothes to hastily bandage the woman's wound.
Having done this, and confirming the woman would not die immediately, he hoisted the dwarf onto his shoulder, threw him back to their previous resting spot, and set the place ablaze.
Flames soared into the sky, finally bringing the silent street to life. Before the black market enforcers arrived, Xuan Shisan had already left the black market with the woman.
He had brought her back to the Prince's Manor without authorization.
"That's how it happened!"
Casually tossing the woman onto the ground, Xuan Shisan recounted everything that had transpired.
Ji Jinmo traced his coral bracelet, his phoenix eyes slightly narrowed.
Nan Shiying climbed up from the soft couch, placed the plate of pastries back on the table, and walked down. She knelt beside the woman with interest, felt her pulse, then looked up in surprise and said to Ji Jinmo, "My Lord, this person's heart is actually on the right side. No wonder she didn't die after being stabbed through the heart – it turns out the opponent didn't actually pierce her heart!"
Medical texts had detailed records, and Nan Shiying had seen many cases, but this was the first time she had encountered such a person in her life. Such individuals were not particularly special, their hearts simply differed from ordinary people's. However, if someone intended to kill them by piercing their heart, it would allow them to escape death.
Ji Jinmo raised an eyebrow, showing no further emotion. He did not care whether the person's heart was on the left or the right.
Nan Shiying clicked her tongue in boredom. She took out a cloth pouch from her waist and retrieved the set of silver needles Ji Jinmo had recently given her, then began to needle the woman to stop the bleeding.
After the bleeding stopped, Nan Shiying undid the bandage and glanced disdainfully at Xuan Shisan, "Look at the mess you call bandaging."
Xuan Shisan dared not speak out of turn.
Just ensuring she wouldn't die was enough; who cared about how well it was bandaged!
Nan Shiying unfastened the woman's clothing, unconcerned that two men were present. Xuan Shisan didn't know whether to look down or not; he couldn't help but admire his Lord, wondering how he managed to remain unfazed, pretending to be blind.
After uncovering the woman's clothes, Nan Shiying took out a small porcelain bottle from her embrace, opened the cap, and sprinkled powder onto the woman's wound, then re-bandaged it with torn strips of the removed clothing.
"There, she won't die now."
She clapped her hands and turned back to the soft couch, lazily leaning back onto the cushion and picking up the pastry plate to eat again.
Wait, since when did the study's soft couch become the Princess Consort's resting and dining spot?
Thirteen was shocked.
Although these two were to be silenced, since the male of the Phantom Twins was killed by the people of the Nan Manor, it was useful to keep the female alive. Ji Jinmo ordered Xuan Wei to take the woman down and confine her in the prison to recover.
As for her utility and how she would be used, that was a matter for the future.
Nan Shiying was more concerned about Nan Yuan'er's maid. Since when did a maidservant of a Nan Manor young lady possess such martial prowess?
Was she an assassin from Nan Zhaoyin?
To plant an assassin by his own daughter's side for close protection?
Was it that necessary?
Did Nan Yuan'er know about this?
Recalling these thoughts, Nan Shiying suddenly asked, "My Lord, was that old Taoist who divined the fortunes for Nan Yuan'er and me very famous?"
Ji Jinmo remembered some details from that time. He had always been skeptical of such things, but that particular person was highly esteemed by many. Even his elder brother had treated that Taoist with great respect and intended to appoint him as the State Preceptor, but the Taoist had refused.
"Very famous."
He nodded slowly, lost in thought.
"Then where is he now?" Nan Shiying pressed.
Ji Jinmo replied, "That person didn't stay in Linyuan for long before traveling extensively. Five years ago, it was heard that he passed away in the northern territories of Dali."
"Dead?"
Nan Shiying frowned.
Ji Jinmo looked at Nan Shiying and asked, "Why, do you suspect that Taoist?"
Nan Shiying pondered for a moment. "Not exactly."
"I just wanted to ask if he had foreseen that I, Nan Shiying, would be where I am today."