Volume One, Chapter 18: Her Highness the Princess

Two million taels!

As Ning Shu’s words fell, Song Fangkua stood frozen in place. Two million taels of silver? Was she insane? Or had she misspoken?

After recovering his senses, Song Fangkua asked with a smile, "Young lady, surely you meant twenty thousand taels?"

Yes, twenty thousand taels. That, he could believe. Shen Ji had extorted so much silver from the Song family; it was not impossible that, in his desperation to survive, he had handed it all over to her.

Ning Shu shook her head gently and said indifferently, "Two million taels."

Upon receiving her firm confirmation, a cold glint flashed sharply in Song Fangkua’s eyes. "Are you playing me for a fool, girl?" he demanded, struggling to suppress his rage.

"You aren't entirely stupid, then," Ning Shu replied with a light scoff.

Hearing this, Song Fangkua’s expression soured once more. However, after a moment of contemplation, his face relaxed, and he smiled. "Young lady, I understand. You must have been deceived by Shen Ji’s honeyed words..." He continued to appeal to her, using both emotion and logic to persuade her.

Listening to Song Fangkua’s incessant prattling, Shen Ji felt as though his ears were growing callouses. "Song Fangkua, are you trying to stall for time until the government troops arrive?"

Song Fangkua’s heart skipped a beat. Had this good-for-nothing actually figured it out? Recovering from his brief surprise, he glared at Shen Ji. "Your father, Shen Yu, was such a legendary hero. It is bad enough that you turned out to be a failure, but to commit such an act of treason—you truly shame your ancestors!"

Shen Ji could not be bothered to listen to his drivel. He turned to Ning Shu and said, "Aren't you tired of listening to his nonsense? Just take him down already. Didn't you say you had other matters to attend to later?"

Did she not understand the principle that villains die from talking too much? If she were like this and encountered his past self, she would have died countless times over by now.

"Hmm, you're right." Ning Shu nodded slightly and gave a calm command to her guards: "Take Song Fangkua alive! As for the rest, if any resist, kill them without mercy!"

"Understood!" The guards acknowledged the order and began to close in on Song Fangkua and the house guards protecting him. Faced with these imposing figures, the house guards, having already witnessed their martial prowess, subconsciously retreated.

"Young lady, are you truly determined to follow this wanted criminal to your own doom?" Song Fangkua’s face darkened. Thinking her foolish, he tried one last time, "Do not ruin your life for a moment’s sentimentality!"

Ning Shu ignored him, urging her guards to finish the task. Seeing her unmoved, Song Fangkua roared in anger, "Attack! All of you, attack! These are fugitives of the state. Kill them, and I will reward each of you with one hundred—no, one thousand taels of silver!"

One thousand taels? Upon hearing this, the house guards who had retreated to his side felt a surge of greed. Their monthly salary was only two or three taels; one thousand taels was a truly astronomical sum.

Watching the posturing Song Fangkua, Shen Ji couldn't help but shake his head and smile. How did he dare? To command his own guards to slaughter the personal guard of a princess? Did he think these people were fed by the Imperial Treasury for nothing?

Yet, greed can make men brave. Tempted by the thousand taels, some guards recklessly lunged at the encroaching soldiers. The moment one raised his blade to strike, a guard struck back.

*Shing!* A flash of cold light swept by. Blood sprayed as a severed head flew high into the air. The guard’s body continued forward for two steps out of pure momentum before collapsing to the ground.

This sudden scene left everyone stunned. No one had expected these people to actually kill without hesitation.

"Run!" Someone screamed in terror. The house guards, who had just been eager for the reward, turned and fled in a panic.

One of Ning Shu's guards stepped forward, his blade flashing again, and another head flew. The guard grabbed the severed head and shouted expressionlessly, "Any who attempt to flee shall be killed!"

As the command echoed, the fleeing guards froze in their tracks. Terrified, they knelt, dropping their weapons to the ground. Between silver and their lives, they chose their lives. Besides, these men were too powerful—even if they risked their lives, they would never get that money. To keep fighting now would be sheer stupidity.

Witnessing this, Song Fangkua was consumed by rage. *Useless! They are all useless!* He vowed to cast them all out of the Song estate after today. The Song family did not keep trash. Even as he roared internally, his body subconsciously retreated.

"Quick, quickly..."

"Surround this place!"

"Do not let a single person escape!"

At that moment, Feng Min’s authoritative voice rang out from outside, accompanied by the sound of a large contingent of soldiers storming into the Song estate.

Hearing the commotion, Song Fangkua was overjoyed. The terrified house guards also brightened, and those with a bit more wit quickly stood up to shield him once more. If they didn't show their loyalty now, when would they?

"You still have time to run!" Song Fangkua said to Ning Shu's guards. "The government is after Shen Ji and Chichi; this has nothing to do with you. There is no need to throw your lives away with them!"

Song Fangkua remained cautious, not wanting to provoke these cold-blooded killers just yet. He feared they might throw their lives away just to drag him down with them. If they truly fought to the death, his useless guards would never be able to stop them.

The guards remained silent, staring coldly at him.

Soon, Feng Min led a large unit of county soldiers into the inner courtyard.

"Your time is up!" Song Fangkua flashed a victorious smile at Shen Ji. "Rest assured, out of respect for your father, I will see you off before you are beheaded!"

All his anxieties vanished. Feng Min had arrived, and undoubtedly, a massive force of soldiers was surrounding the estate. There was no escape for them now.

"..." Shen Ji’s face twitched as he said, "Don't you think you should figure out the situation first?"

Figure out the situation? Song Fangkua laughed. "I think it is you who hasn't figured out the situation," he sneered. "You don't actually think this rabble can stand against government troops, do you?"

*Rabble?* Several icy, lethal glares fixed upon him. Even at death's door, he dared to call them rabble?

Ignoring their murderous gazes, Song Fangkua pointed at them and shouted to Feng Min, who was closing in, "Magistrate Feng! These people are accomplices of Shen Ji and Chichi! Seize them at once!"

Hearing this, Feng Min’s feet abruptly locked in place. *Accomplices? Accomplices of your grandmother!*

Feng Min cursed internally, hurried toward Ning Shu, and bowed respectfully. "Feng Min, Magistrate of Qingzhou, greets Her Imperial Highness!"

"Greetings, Your Imperial Highness!"

As Feng Min spoke, the county soldiers surged in and dropped to one knee in unison to pay their respects.