Pin Shanhe

In a dilapidated temple on the outskirts of Beijing, a mother and daughter huddled together, shivering.

When they arrived in the capital, they had already run out of money.

When they were kicked out, they were penniless and didn't even have the money to stay at an inn.

With no other choice, they could only hide in this abandoned, dilapidated temple.

The place was dilapidated and drafty, so cold that one's teeth chattered and the chill seeped into one's bones.

Just a few days ago, they were living a life of luxury in the Duke's mansion, staying in exquisite and beautiful rooms, wearing soft and warm brocade, eating delicacies from land and sea, and wearing gold and silver jewelry.

In the blink of an eye, it was as if heaven had fallen into hell.

The mother and daughter could only huddle together for warmth by a pile of firewood, hoping to find a way to survive after dawn.

Suddenly a gust of cold wind rushed in, extinguishing the pile of firewood on the ground.

The firelight faded, and endless cold and darkness enveloped the ruined temple.

Before the mother and daughter could even react, a gleaming knife was placed against their necks.

They were about to scream in fright when they were stunned by the other party's cold voice.

"If you dare utter a single word, I will have your heads rolled."

Xu Ruoyan choked on her breath, covered her mouth tightly, and shook her head desperately.

No, she doesn't want to die!

This was the first time Bai had encountered such a dangerous situation. Her voice trembled as she begged for mercy, "Don't kill us! We're law-abiding citizens!"

"Oh? Is he the 'good guy' who was caught in the act of adultery at the Duke's mansion?"

The other person's voice was clearly sarcastic and mocking, which startled Bai.

"How do you know about this? Who are you?"

"Heh... Seeing that you're desperate, I've come here specifically to show you a way out."

"What?"

Bai immediately became vigilant, perhaps realizing that the newcomers were not simply bandits and that their presence here must have a purpose.

If the other party really wanted to kill them, they would have absolutely no power to resist.

Based on this, this person should be a friend, not an enemy.

During her stay in the capital, Bai had heard countless rumors about Shen Fu.

Shen Fu, who was originally to marry the fourth prince, accidentally got into the wrong sedan chair on her wedding day and was carried into the Xuan Prince's mansion instead.

This incident not only sparked a fierce confrontation between the Fourth Prince and the Prince of Xuan, but also stirred up the political winds in the court.

Later, the eldest prince of the Northern Dynasty, Murong Xiao, relentlessly pursued her, and even the Crown Prince of Dongyue began to treat her differently.

It is clear that Shen Fu has been drawn into the power struggles of the imperial court and has offended many people.

Could the person before me be Shen Fu's enemy?

As the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend, or you could say my savior.

Bai Shi calmed herself down and immediately said, "As long as you don't kill me, I'll tell you everything."

Seeing their sensible behavior, a subtle, meaningful glint flashed in the black-clad man's eyes.

"Then tell me everything that has happened at the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion these past two days. If you dare to conceal even a single word, I will take your lives immediately!"

Bai Shi and Xu Ruoyan were already full of resentment and wished someone would take action against Shen Fu to avenge their own downfall.

Without the slightest hesitation, they immediately told them everything.

Upon hearing about Shen Fu's secret, the man in black clenched his fists tightly.

Bai Shi and Xu Ruoyan stared longingly at the person in front of them.

"We've told you everything. Will you keep your promise and give us a way out?"

"certainly!"

They were so caught up in their joy that they failed to notice the murderous intent in each other's eyes.

With a swift stroke, two heads rolled to the ground.

Along with the spurting blood, there was also a pool of red and white liquid.

The air was filled with a nauseating smell of blood.

……

"What did you say? Dead?"

Shen Fu was clearly surprised when she received the news.

The last time I saw them, they were disheveled figures being driven out of the Duke's mansion. I never imagined that just one day later, they would end up with their bodies torn apart.

"Yes, I heard that it was discovered by a woodcutter who was passing by early this morning. The two heads had their eyes wide open, clearly indicating that they died with their eyes open."

Luo Luo's voice contained no fear, but rather a hint of pleasure.

When the Bai family came to seek refuge, the Duke's mansion treated them with courtesy out of kindness, but they were insatiable and did such a shameless thing.

People like that deserve to die!

Shen Fu sensed something unusual about it.

Yesterday's events took place at the Duke's mansion. Although they didn't succeed, it was still a "family scandal."

As the saying goes, "family scandals should not be aired in public," so they did not publicize the matter.

After Xiao Xuanjin's investigation, it was found that no one was directing them.

After teaching them a lesson, they should simply be driven out of the capital.

Why would someone target them and use such cruel methods to silence them?

Just as she was wondering, she saw Xiao Xuanjin walk in.

"Have you heard about the incident at the dilapidated temple on the outskirts of Beijing last night?"

"This matter has spread throughout the entire capital; it can be said that everyone knows about it."

"Has the murderer been found?"

"not yet."

Shen Fu thought about how he had been gone for quite a while before returning last night, and couldn't help but feel suspicious.

"You didn't do this, did you?"

Do you think I, the king, would do such a trivial thing?

They were just two insignificant nobodys; he didn't take them seriously at all.

Even if they know Shen Fu's secret background, so what?

That midwife has been dealt with, and no one can verify what happened back then, so there's nothing to worry about.

However, although he did not take action, he had someone secretly keep an eye on the mother and daughter.

If they leave the capital peacefully, that's fine. But if they dare to linger or cause any trouble, kill them immediately!

However, someone else struck first.

According to his subordinates, the man was extremely skilled in light-footed martial arts and flew away after killing the man.

They originally wanted to chase after them to check, but lost them halfway through.

He initially suspected that it was done by people on Jun Qiyuan's side.

That's strange!

The bodyguards he personally trained, any one of whom could stand alone in the martial arts world, couldn't even catch up with a single person.

I had some doubts about whether it was related to Jun Qiyuan and his group.

But then I realized something wasn't right!

Given their modus operandi, they would definitely use the Bai mother and daughter to expose all of this, rather than killing them to silence them.

For some reason, he had a vague intuition.

The other party's purpose in doing this was not to target, but rather... to protect?

Seeing his absent-minded expression, Shen Fu couldn't help but ask, "Do you already have someone you suspect?"

There is indeed one, but it needs to be verified.

If I tell her now, I'm afraid she'll overthink things and cause even more trouble.

"Perhaps her ex-husband harbored resentment and hired someone to kill her, or perhaps it was her former lover... There are too many possibilities to easily conclude. But the person is already dead, there's no need to waste time on them."