The four soldiers were on the same side as the squad leader. Although they, too, were tempted by the beauty of the young girl before them, they knew that she was someone their leader had set his sights on, so it had little to do with them. However, helping the leader capture this beautiful girl would earn them rewards.

The five of them drew their waist knives and surrounded Xia Wenjin, eyeing her fiercely.

Xia Wenjin didn’t intend to cause trouble.

But this person, she did have an impression of him.

The squad leader, named Qian Baoshan, had originally been a small captain at the city gates but had taken advantage of his position to gain numerous benefits.

When he was still a squad leader, a pair of sisters came to the Capital City after their family fell into hard times. Using the excuse of faulty travel documents, he captured them, but actually brought them back to his own home.

Though his rank was small, his mind was cruel. After taking advantage of the sisters, he sold them to a brothel, exchanged them for a lot of silver, and used the profits to smooth relations with superiors. In just three years, he rose from a lowly squad leader to a City Defense Captain.

Since then, he became even more audacious, trapping countless lonely merchants at the city gates, especially those young women from other regions.

Later, he joined the ranks of Huangfu Yuxuan. However, by a twist of fate, he was exposed by Prince Li for his past deeds. Huangfu Yuxuan, appearing righteously indignant, not only refrained from meddling but also sent people to assist.

Despite being a little City Defense Captain, merely of the Fifth Rank, they discovered over two hundred thousand silver note and several thousand pieces of silver from his home, along with jewels. In the basement of his house, they found four young girls locked away, victims he had yet to sell.

According to investigations, in five years, he had harmed at least a hundred women, extorting nearly eight hundred thousand in silver coins under various pretenses. Most of it was used to grease palms, with the rest squandered on his extravagant desires.

This man was later executed by lingchi.

But what about those he harmed? Especially those women he trampled and sold into brothels?

Xia Wenjin looked at him as if he were a corpse.

Now, he probably hadn’t gotten to as many people yet, but judging by his expression and actions, it was clear that he felt assured and faced no repercussions, emboldening his actions.

Xia Wenjin turned and said, "Then I won’t enter the city!"

"It’s not up to you!" Qian Baoshan, upon seeing Xia Wenjin, immediately had ill thoughts. So beautiful! Even if he had to take some risk, it was worth it. Besides, he might not even need to take risks.

He thundered, "You’re a spy and want us city guards to act like fools upon discovery?"

Xia Wenjin’s eyes glowed with sternness. She hadn’t intended to do anything at the bustling city gates, but it seemed now she would have to act. Qian Baoshan was becoming increasingly impudent.

Qian Baoshan had already surrounded her with four city guards.

He wasn’t worried at all. After all, their five-man team was the only one at the city gates. However, if a fight broke out, it would draw the City Defense Captain.

The City Defense Captain had five hundred soldiers. How could a mere weak woman stand against such a force? He could falsely accuse her as a spy, and as long as he insisted she seemed suspicious, no one would blame him, only see him as diligent.

It would be best if it didn’t draw the City Defense Captain, as once drawn, the girl might not be as easily controlled as before.

Xia Wenjin could almost read his mind without guessing.

What a brazen, cocky bastard.

Just as the city guards were about to lay hands on Xia Wenjin, the sound of hooves rang out. Three people on horseback rode toward the city’s gate, not slowing down at all. But their equestrian skills were superb, and the passersby, hearing the hooves, quickly scattered, allowing them to reach the gate swiftly.

The three riders were young, the leader around twenty, handsome and imposing. He wore a purple robe embroidered with patterns in gold thread, exuding nobility, with an aura that looked down upon everything, clearly of extraordinary birth.

As Qian Baoshan prepared to seize Xia Wenjin, he heard the hoofbeats and couldn’t help but glance over. Recognizing the rider, he immediately called, "Hurry, take her down and clear the way for the Second Young Master!"

Though he was a mere city guard, the distinguished personage from the Capital City was someone he recognized.

Here was someone he could not curry favor with no matter how hard he tried. A panic rose in his heart as he felt guilty of wrongdoing, prompting him to quickly capture the girl and clear the path so that the Second Young Master could pass.

However, the horses arrived faster than he expected, and in the blink of an eye, the riders were upon him. "Whoa..."

Huangfu Yuxuan reined in his horse. Seated atop it, he was an entire head taller than Xia Wenjin. Though he intended to see her eye to eye, he ended up looking down.

He asked in a deep voice, "What’s going on?"

Qian Baoshan, his eyes darting around, quickly stepped forward and said, "Second Young Master! This person is a spy. I was about to apprehend her. I’m sorry for disturbing the Second Young Master!"

"Spy?" Huangfu Yuxuan’s gaze fell on Xia Wenjin’s face, still as mesmerizing as ever, with eyes clear as a lake and an elegant demeanor like a newly blossomed lotus.

His feelings were complex. Haotian Village, the "Jin’er" mentioned by Village Chief Xia Wanqing, indeed matched Gongyang Puyu’s prophecy of "Hao" and "Jin".

He couldn’t forget the first time he was brought to Haotian Village, his heart pondering Gongyang Puyu’s prophecy. Despite some trepidation about Jianghu women, she might just be a hideous creature.

Even if she was a hideous creature, he would still wed her.

Upon reaching the mountain, however, he saw her radiant figure, clad in fiery red, leading a crimson horse. Her red garb like blood, like the most brilliant sunset, yet even the most brilliant sunset couldn’t rival her unparalleled beauty!

Radiant, charming, valiant, many describe a beauty as someone who walked out of a painting, yet how could someone from a painting compare to one tenth of her beauty and vivacity?

Although he prided himself on residing in the Capital City, having seen the most breathtakingly beautiful women, even the famed beauty Zhao Keyan, daughter of the Grand Tutor, didn’t stir a ripple in his heart. Yet, faced with such a fiery Xia Wenjin, he could hear his heart racing!

He believed the heavens were not unkind, for how else would they bestow upon him a wife akin to a celestial fairy—lively, beautiful, radiant...

It seemed that piling all wonderful words on her still wouldn’t do her justice, the thrill of that moment deeply etched in Huangfu Yuxuan’s memory!

Yet, the feelings of abandonment and betrayal were equally unforgettable!