Chapter 60 - Ye Beizhi's Blade

"Are-are you joking?" Zhou Yi managed to say. He clutched his severed arm tightly. His arm was bleeding profusely, and the pain caused him to tremble uncontrollably.

At this moment, the bodyguards from the Li residence reacted and began climbing onto the stage from below. They were responsible for maintaining order and needed to prevent Ye Beizhi from getting any closer to Zhou Yi.

The onlookers also realized the gravity of the situation. Someone had chopped off the hand of the governor's son, so there were bound to be consequences to anyone who stayed. The crowd started pushing and shoving to escape from this hotbed of trouble.

Ye Beizhi saw Wang Erhu, who had lent him the instrument of the crime, trying to squeeze his way out of the crowd. He called out, "Your blade—"

"That's not mine! I don't know you! I don't know you!" Wang Erhu shouted, not even looking back as he waved his hand and ran away.

***

Li Muxian and Madam Yu were leisurely discussing the marriage of Chi Nanwei in the main hall of the Li residence, completely unaware that their carefully planned competition had gone terribly wrong.

"Master!" A bodyguard rushed in urgently. "It's, it’s not good!"

Li Muxian frowned and scolded, "What’s all this fuss about? Today is a joyous day for our family. Why are you making such a fuss!"

The bodyguard swallowed and took a breath, saying, "Young Master Zhou is outside fighting someone—"

"Nonsense," Li Muxian said, waving his hand. "I naturally know he is outside fighting someone."

"Someone cut his hand off!" the bodyguard said, his voice nearly rising to a shout.

"How dare you raise your voice like..." Li Muxian fumed, about to lose his temper. Suddenly, he processed what the bodyguard said. His eyes widened as he stammered, "Wait... what did you just say?!"

Li Muxian's lips were trembling, pointing at the bodyguard below. "What exactly happened? Out with it!"

***

Ye Beizhi advanced on Zhou Yi. The bodyguards from the Li residence littered the stage behind him and moaned incessantly.

Ye Beizhi pressed the blade tip against Zhou Yi's chin and tilted his head up. Ye Beizhi asked, "How could Chi Nanwei marry something like you?"

Zhou Yi trembled, filled with pain and fear. Sweat continuously ran from his forehead down to his cheeks as he spluttered, "I... I am the eldest son of the Governor. How dare you... do you know this is a death penalty..."

Ye Beizhi frowned and pushed the blade tip forward an inch, piercing Zhou Yi's skin.

Zhou Yi shrieked like a wild cat whose tail had been stepped on. "Don’t kill me... I’ll talk, I’ll talk!"

Ye Beizhi nodded, signaling for Zhou Yi to continue.

"It was actually Li Muxian who approached my father to propose a marriage," Zhou Yi said with a face full of fear.

"Li Muxian requested it?" Ye Beizhi frowned. "Why would he do that?"

"I... I don’t know," Zhou Yi said, trying to ignore his arm that bled continuously. He felt his head spinning, but with the blade pressed against his throat, he didn’t dare lose focus for even a second, "How about... how about you let me go, and I won’t go through with this marriage?"

"If you... if you let me go, I promise I won’t pursue this matter in the future." Zhou Yi paused before continuing, "Otherwise, neither of us will be happy. If my father finds out what you've done, the Governor's Office will definitely seek vengeance... You might not even be able to leave Luzhou—"

"No," Ye Beizhi glanced at the man at his feet and interrupted, "You can’t keep me here."

Zhou Yi was blind by his confidence, unsure how to continue.

"It’s you!?" Li Muxian shouted in disbelief. After hearing the bodyguard's report, he rushed out with Madam Yu following behind.

"Hurry and release him!" Li Muxian demanded, "Do you know who this person under your blade is?!"

A swarm of bodyguards from the Li residence filed in behind him, but none of them dared to move recklessly while Zhou Yi was under Ye Beizhi's blade.

Ye Beizhi looked at Li Muxian and then at the fallen Zhou Yi, nodding to Li Muxian. "Yes, I know."

Li Muxian was so furious that he nearly fainted, his hand trembling as he pointed at Ye Beizhi, he said, "You, you! If you know, then why haven't you released him?!"

Ye Beizhi thought for a moment and said, "I won't."

As he spoke, he traced the blade around Zhou Yi's neck, seemingly searching for a more suitable angle.

Li Muxian, upon hearing Ye Beizhi’s words, felt his vision darkening and could not help but curse, "You will be beheaded if you do this! What exactly are you trying to do?"

"Where is Chi Nanwei?"

"Nanwei... Chi Nanwei?" Li Muxian was shocked. "What does she have to do with this?"

Ye Beizhi looked at Li Muxian and stated, "I’m here to take her away."

"Take her?" Li Muxian laughed indignantly. "She is living luxuriously in the Li residence. Where can a mere armed guard escort take her? Moreover, the Changfeng Escort—"

"Sir!" Lady Yu tugged at Li Muxian’s sleeve.

Cough cough

— Li Muxian immediately realized his mistake. With Zhou Yi and many others present, he could not mention the Changfeng Escort Agency so he backtracked and said, "In short, Nanwei cannot leave with you. Release Young Master Zhou immediately!"

"Is Chi Nanwei inside?" Ye Beizhi looked behind Li Muxian and at the grand gate of Li Mansion. A plaque hung with four imposing characters: "Highly Respected, Widely Esteemed."

"Of course..." Li Muxian snorted coldly.

Ye Beizhi nodded, raising his blade.

Zhou Yi’s face turned pale with fright. His head was about to roll, and there was nothing he could do about it. The hesitant bodyguards were also incredibly shocked.

"Stop that at once!" Li Muxian shouted, "What are you trying to do?!"

Ye Beizhi said nothing, his blade pointing straight at Li Muxian and his group, the overwhelming blade intent sweeping toward them!

Li Muxian was nearly blinded by the sword qi, and in his daze, it seemed as if a towering giant was descending upon them with a colossal blade!

Boom!

The roaring wind passed by with a deafening sound. Li Muxian was so scared that his face turned white as chalk, and he tripped to the ground.

Ye Beizhi softly said, "Your Li Mansion is unworthy of those words."

Li Muxian’s face changed upon hearing Ye beizhi. He slowly turned his head to see the Li Mansion’s grand gate had been sliced in half. The imposing plaque had not survived either, with only the character for "Esteemed" left hanging on the frame. The other characters were mixed in with the debris.

Ye Beizhi walked past Li Muxian without looking at him again, treading all over the "Highly Respected" characters, and walked through the broken gate into the Li Mansion.

***

Chi Nanwei felt that her time was running out. While she was bathing in the bathroom, she heard a huge commotion outside. Even the corridor outside the bathroom was filled with people running back and forth, but soon the noise disappeared, as if everyone had gone downstairs.

It seems that the competition is coming to an end, so I need to hurry

, Chi Nanwei thought to herself.

Chi Nanwei got out of the bathtub and quickly got dressed. She opened the door, making sure that the corridor was empty. Then, quietly, she slipped back into her room and pulled out the bedsheet and bundle from under the bed again.

Chi Nanwei grabbed the long red wedding dress from the end of the bed, twisted and tied it to the bed sheets to form a single thick rope. Holding this large bundle, Chi Nanwei went to the window, tossed the makeshift rope down, and looked out.

Its length was just right.

Chi Nanwei took a deep breath with her eyes closed, and climbed up the window sill. With half of her body hanging outside, she couldn't help but look down. Chi Nanwei suddenly felt her hairs stand on end... if her grip slipped, she could be severely injured or die!

Chi Nanwei wiped her sweaty palms on her clothes. She gritted her teeth, tightened tying the bundle tighter to her chest, and clung tightly to the bed sheet. With bated breath, she slid down one hand at a time.

Halfway down, Chi Nanwei heard someone push open the door to her room. She was startled and immediately stopped moving. On edge, she held her breath, and did not dare to make a sound.

The person seemed to be searching the room, not in a hurry, but also not leaving. Just as Chi Nanwei’s hands were about to go numb, a head poked out from the window above, and their gazes met.

Chi Nanwei gritted her teeth.

The person looked confused and blinked innocently at her.

"

Uh

... What a coincidence," Ye Beizhi said.

"Coincidence, my foot! Stupid dummy, pull me up already!" Chi Nanwei cursed loudly.

Ye Beizhi hauled Chi Nanwei up, and the two faced each other awkwardly.

Ye Beizhi was the first to speak. "

Uh

... What are you trying to do?"

Chi Nanwei blushed furiously. "Don’t ask!"

"..."

"I could have easily escaped," Chi Nanwei murmured, "But why are you here?"

"Me?" Ye Beizhi opened his mouth.

"

Hmm?

" Chi Nanwei raised her delicate brows and stared at Ye Beizhi.

"I... I came to get my blade..."

"...and you."