After agreeing with Xu Qingfeng not to seek out Danqing before the martial arts competition to find a spouse, Qiao Ci, having nothing else to do, decided to find herself a residence.
After all, this was a world where women were superior and men were subordinate; women were expected to be the breadwinners in the future.
As for the startup capital, Qiao Ci looked at Wenren Xue, who had come to assassinate her.
Look, he’d come to her doorstep.
"Here, write."
She handed him a piece of paper and told him to write a letter to Qiao Shan to ransom him.
"One hundred thousand taels of gold? You might as well rob a bank!" Wenren Xue thought that while he was sure he was priceless in Qiao Shan's eyes, one hundred thousand taels of gold was indeed too much. His dowry, saved up meticulously for over a decade, didn't even amount to that much!
"You came to kill me, can't I rob you on the side?" Qiao Ci took a bite of the apple in her hand and gave Wenren Xue a sideways glance.
"Are you even a woman? You wouldn't even spare a delicate man like me, sob sob..." Wenren Xue attempted to use his charm on Qiao Ci, hoping to make her release him.
Not having killed Qiao Ci already, Wenren Xue felt he had let down Qiao Shan's high hopes for him. If he were to make her pay so much gold for him, how could he face her in the future?
"Don't look so pathetic, like a respectable husband. You killed people without regard for age or gender, so what are you pretending to be now? If you don't want to die, write obediently, with sincere words. If Qiao Shan doesn't ransom you, I will act on behalf of heaven and send you to meet the souls of those you've killed over the years," Qiao Ci said coldly.
What martial arts wanderer? This Wenren Xue cultivated a perverse art that required him to consume fresh human blood during the full moon to maintain his powerful cultivation. He was a notorious demon that everyone in the martial world wanted to eliminate.
Ever since he met Qiao Shan, he felt incredibly comfortable with her constant, undeserved praise. The two of them hit it off like a frog looking at a green bean, and they became intimate.
Wenren Xue was unaware that Qiao Shan knew everything about him. Qiao Shan, using this knowledge, had whispered insinuating words to him, causing him to help her eliminate many enemies.
Seeing that Qiao Ci was completely unmoved, a bloodthirsty glint flashed in Wenren Xue's eyes. He, who thought his martial arts were peerless, had been beaten like a dog by Qiao Ci. What kind of cultivation did she practice to be so dominant and invincible!
However, knowing when to yield is the mark of a wise man. Wenren Xue obediently wrote a letter. First, as Qiao Ci had instructed, he explained the circumstances of his attempt to kill Qiao Ci, and then he asked Qiao Shan to bring one hundred thousand taels of gold to ransom him.
The later sentences, in particular, were full of deep affection and sincere, tear-jerking pleas.
Qiao Shan was in the study having an intense sparring session with Lin Zi'ang. Their interest was piqued when a cold dart grazed her cheek, drawing a thin line of blood.
Qiao Shan quickly covered her face, rolled under the desk, and after waiting a moment for any further disturbance, she didn't bother with the small bloodstain on her face. With Lin Zi'ang's assistance, she got dressed and then walked to the bookshelf to retrieve the dart embedded deeply within.
"Could the dart be poisoned?" Lin Zi'ang's heart was pounding with fear.
"It's nothing." Qiao Shan feigned calmness. After reading the letter, she crumpled it into a ball, then lit it, burning it to ashes.
"Did the paper mention something difficult for you?" Lin Zi'ang asked, concerned, as Qiao Shan's expression darkened after reading the letter.
"It's just a pointless threat from a bored individual, no need to worry about it," Qiao Shan replied perfunctorily, not wanting Lin Zi'ang to know too much about her affairs.
In the inn,
Although Wenren Xue did not want to trouble Qiao Shan, his gaze towards the window couldn't help but hold expectation.
What man wouldn't want the woman he deeply loved to save him from hardship like a great hero?
If she had come fast enough, he would surely make up the one hundred thousand taels of gold to her later. After all, his body already belonged to her, so his wealth naturally belonged to her too.
As a result, after waiting for a full two days, there was no news.
The main reason was that the insane woman, Qiao Ci, ate well every day, while the leftovers were all consumed by that little black dog. It was as if she had forgotten about him, a living person.
Wenren Xue, who hadn't even had a drop of water, had a strong premonition that if the ransom wasn't paid today, she would truly starve him to death!
To save his life, he had no choice but to reluctantly part with his savings to rescue himself. Seeing that he had relented, Qiao Ci took nearly one hundred thousand taels of gold and, true to her word, released him.
However, because nearly a thousand taels of gold were still owed, Qiao Ci crippled his martial arts, indirectly curing his bloodthirsty affliction.
Let's consider it a good deed for the day.
The martial arts competition to find a spouse for Prince Su Dan not only drew enthusiastic women from the Dan Kingdom but also noble ladies, princesses, and crown princesses from other countries, all vying to perform well. They were determined not only to showcase their heroism and bring glory to their nations but also to win over the handsome prince!
With the day of the martial arts competition approaching, Danqing was frantic, as Qiao Ci hadn't visited him. He didn't know what she was busy with or if she knew that this competition was not his wish.
What if she misunderstood?
In any case, no matter what, a good man does not serve two women. As for his wife, he only acknowledged Qiao Ci, and he would not marry any other woman!
Xu Qingfeng, who was having breakfast with him, saw him pacing like an ant on a hot pan and advised, "Perhaps Qiao Ci got scared when she heard about the martial arts competition. Don't hold out too much hope. Marriage is not a trivial matter of young love; it's not about sweet words, but about seasons, days, meals."
Although Danqing didn't know why Qiao Ci hadn't visited him recently, he trusted her implicitly. Given her possessiveness, she would surely come when she heard about the martial arts competition.
No matter how long it took, he would wait for her!
Seeing that his youngest son's emotions had stabilized, Xu Qingfeng was relieved, thinking he had taken his advice to heart.
To his surprise, Danqing parted his cherry lips and said with unwavering conviction, "She isn't that kind of person."
As long as he gambled on her, she would never let him lose. It was true before, it was true now, and it would be true in the future.
Xu Qingfeng was slightly taken aback, then smiled and shook his head, making no comment.
It was useless to say more; they would just have to see if Qiao Ci would appear at the arena today.
The arena competition was held on a grand scale, indicating the importance placed on the marriage of Prince Danqing.
Danqing, accompanied by Dan Rong, arrived at the arena. He wore a red palace gown and a silver mask, exuding an aura of mystery.
This made those who had never seen his face eager to catch a glimpse of his beauty.
Because Wenren Xue had lost his martial arts, Qiao Shan had come to argue with her, causing her mood to be quite foul.
Upon learning that Danqing was holding a martial arts competition to find a spouse, she decided to come and join the fun, hoping for an unexpected gain.
Due to her arrival, the current plot had gradually deviated from the original narrative, as there had been no mention of a martial arts competition before.
Her body possessed a certain foundation in martial arts, and perhaps with good luck, she could marry Danqing.
In this world where women were supreme, it was incredibly satisfying to torment a man in the inner court!
Even princes had to honor their wives as their superiors. She would make Danqing understand what cruelty was!