As Pei Shuling's voice faded, the others chimed in one after another.
Bai Liu protested the loudest.
"Why should we be held accountable just because Xue Lingrong had an accident? We want to go home!"
"Yes! Go home. I want to go home!"
The timid young ladies began to cry.
For a moment, the cabin was filled with sobs.
The attendant's face darkened. Just as he was thinking about how to handle the situation, Shen Qingwan walked in with her entourage.
"Anyone who cries again will be thrown overboard to feed the fish!"
At her threatening words, the crying young ladies turned pale with fright, and their sobs stopped abruptly.
Pei Shuling frowned and looked at Shen Qingwan. "Princess Changle, your words are too extreme. Even though you're a princess, you can't take human lives so casually! Moreover, if you hadn't suggested the boat ride just now, Lingrong wouldn't have had this accident."
Shen Qingwan was in a foul mood at the moment.
If something happened to her future sister - in - law, she would owe the Marquis of Loyalty and Righteousness a debt of life.
In her whole life, the thing she least wanted was to owe someone a favor.
She fixed her cold gaze on Pei Shuling. "The crown prince is currently searching the entire cabin. I suspect that someone here is colluding with the assassins to harm Lingrong! For the sake of your reputations, stay here quietly."
"As long as you don't step out of here, I guarantee you'll be able to reach the shore safely!"
"Those who resist will be regarded as assassins trying to harm the crown prince and will be killed on the spot!"
Pei Shuling's face changed, and she protested, "Princess, how can you do this?"
"Kneel down!" Shen Qingwan snapped. "What's your status? How dare you offend me!"
Pei Shuling knelt on the ground reluctantly, but she kept her back straight. Looking at Shen Qingwan, she said defiantly, "Even if I've offended the princess, I still have to say that you're being too extreme!"
"Humph! Extreme?" Shen Qingwan walked up to Pei Shuling, lifted her chin with the fan in her hand, and remained expressionless.
"The assassin we caught just now committed suicide on the spot. Clearly, he was a dead - set killer!"
"The crown prince is the heir apparent, and the third prince is a prince. If they were assassinated on this boat, Miss Pei, because of your words, if the boat docked and the hidden assassins on the boat escaped, could you bear the responsibility?"
Pei Shuling's body stiffened suddenly, and fear welled up in her.
Seeing Pei Shuling back down, Shen Qingwan snorted.
"Pei Shuling, I thought you, as the legitimate granddaughter of Grand Tutor Pei, would put the overall situation first. Now it seems that you're nothing special!"
At these words, Pei Shuling's face turned deathly pale.
Shen Qingwan didn't say anything more. She turned to the crown prince's attendant and ordered, "Keep an eye on them. If anyone makes a move, arrest them as assassins!"
Seeing that Shen Qingwan had brought the situation under control, the attendant heaved a sigh of relief and then replied, "Yes."
---
"What should we do? We can't get the person out at all!"
Yaoyao was about to ram the box, but when she heard this, she stopped.
Then, a man's voice sounded.
"The ultimate goal of capturing this woman is to throw her into a group of beggars and let them ruin her reputation. Since the goal is to ruin her reputation, we'll do it. It counts as completing the task!"
Hearing this, Yaoyao's eyes widened in horror.
The purpose of these people in capturing her was to ruin her chastity!
What a vicious plot.
Just then, the box was opened, and Yaoyao saw the two men standing in front of her.
The men looked at Yaoyao indifferently. They both reached for their belts at the same time.
Yaoyao's face turned deathly pale.
One man dragged Yaoyao out of the box and reached out his hand, ready to tear her clothes.
At this critical moment, she suddenly remembered the self - defense skills Zhuang Ningshuang had taught her. She quickly bent her knees and shrank into the man's arms. At the same time, she rammed her shoulder hard into his abdomen.
The man's grip on her loosened for a moment, and Yaoyao took the opportunity to break free from his restraint.
"You're asking for death!"
Just then, the other man growled and lunged at her.
Yaoyao lifted her foot without hesitation and kicked the man between his legs.
"Ah!"
The man let out a scream.
"Shut up! Do you want to attract people?" the man scolded in a low voice. Then his gloomy gaze fell on Yaoyao.
"You're asking for death!" the man growled. His expression turned crazy. He quickly grabbed Yaoyao's shoulders and yanked her back.
Yaoyao was thrown by his great strength and fell heavily to the ground. The back of her head hit the boat deck, and stars exploded in front of her eyes.
The man pressed his knee against her chest and grabbed her neck with his hand.
"Miss Xue, you don't appreciate my kindness. Originally, according to the plan, after ruining your chastity, we'd spare your life. But I didn't expect you to resist. In that case, don't blame us brothers for being rude to you!"
After saying that, he reached out his hand, about to tear Yaoyao's clothes.
But just as he was about to touch Yaoyao's clothes, there came a rush of footsteps outside.
"Damn it, someone's coming!"
The man's companion looked anxious.
The man's eyes hardened. Then he tore Yaoyao's clothes, exposing her snow - white shoulders.
Just then, a cold light flashed in front of his eyes.
"Ah!"
The man only felt a bright light in front of him, and then a sharp pain came from his right eye. Soon, blood spread.
His eye was ruined!
It was pierced by Yaoyao's hairpin!
Yaoyao endured the dizziness and spun around, dodging from under the man.
The door was kicked open. His companion's face turned deathly pale. He hurriedly tried to grab Yaoyao as a hostage.
"Don't move! Stay back, or I'll kill her!"
The man held a dagger against Yaoyao's neck.
"If you dare to touch her, do you think I won't tear you to pieces?" Qi Huaijin walked in from outside. Looking at the disheveled Yaoyao, his expression was unfathomable, but his fingers tightened silently, and his knuckles turned white.
Hearing Qi Huaijin's threat, the man sneered.
"Dying under the peony flower, even as a ghost, I'm content. Such a charming woman, it's worth dying for!"
After saying that, he reached out his hand to touch Yaoyao's delicate cheek.
Yaoyao immediately felt nauseous. Then she couldn't hold back the churning in her stomach and vomited.
The man's boots were splashed with vomit, and his face changed.
"Take the boat to the shore and let me go, or she dies!"
The man said viciously.
At the same time, Xue Mingxiao and Shen Qingwan, who had heard the news, also rushed over.
When Xue Mingxiao saw Yaoyao being held hostage, he was so angry that he almost lost his mind.
"Let her go. I'll be your hostage!" Xue Mingxiao said.
The man sneered at Xue Mingxiao. "Do you think I'm a fool?"
Just as he finished speaking, Shen Qingwan spoke up coldly. "I'll be your hostage! My status is much higher than the one you're holding. If you hold me hostage, they'll agree to all your requests!"