Chapter Three: Bloodshed and Forced Marriage Chapter Sixteen: The Bridal Sedan Ablaze

“Isn't this the thief crying 'Stop thief'?” Zhang Huai was momentarily stunned. “The county magistrate is openly supporting him like this? Is the coroner blind? Can’t he tell the difference between poisoning and murder?”

“It’s not that he couldn’t tell—it’s that they never let the coroner examine the body. The magistrate claimed the coroner was ill!”

“If he doesn't want the truth to be known, then of course, he’ll accuse others at will, and no one will question it.” Jade Ice gently turned her teacup, deep in thought. She herself had no official identity, just an ordinary woman in plain dress. Should she intervene in this case at all…?

“So? Jade Ice? Shall we join forces again?” Zhang Huai saw that Jade Ice was inclined to save the unfortunate woman, though she seemed hesitant, so he prompted her decisively.

“All right!” Jade Ice weighed her options carefully: she was in no rush to reach Luoyang, so why not save a life first?

“Tell me what you need me to do! Hijack the bridal sedan? Or kill someone?!” Zhang Huai leapt to his feet, ready to do anything, as long as it meant he could stay by her side for now.

Seeing the surprised looks around, Jade Ice was somewhat speechless. Was there ever a murderer so brazen? She rubbed her brow. “Who said anything about killing?”

“So it’s hijacking the bridal sedan then?!”

“I just want you to create some chaos—and help me with a small favor.” Jade Ice picked up her cup, took a sip, then set it down.

“Do you need our help, too? Just say the word!” The surrounding patrons, overhearing someone planning to save the poor bride, all chimed in eagerly.

“I want the street below in utter chaos,” Jade Ice pointed downstairs, grinning mischievously as the wedding procession drew near.

“Chaos? Easy!” Zhang Huai laughed heartily, grabbing a Tang Sancai ceramic from a nearby display, ready to hurl it out the window—

Just then, a sudden incident erupted!

“Xu Liang, I curse you with soul and blood—may heaven and earth destroy you, may you die without a whole corpse! May your flesh feed beasts, your soul remain immortal, and suffer endless torment, never to reincarnate!” A piercing curse echoed from within the bridal sedan, causing an uproar in the street outside.

“Mother, look! The bridal sedan is on fire!” A little boy clinging to the windowsill pointed excitedly at the wedding procession, turning to his mother to show off his discovery.

“It’s on fire?!”

“What?!”

“What about the bride?”

“Isn’t it obvious? The fire’s so fierce—she must be dead!”

“Such a beautiful woman! What a pity…”

Sighs filled the air as Jade Ice and Zhang Huai went to the window to look down.

The wedding party had scattered in panic; all that remained were abandoned suonas, firecrackers, confetti, and a dozen boxes of wedding gifts. The whole scene was chaos, a mess of wreckage.

Only the burning bridal sedan continued to blaze, fulfilling its duty to the end. As the wind blew, ashes swirled, and a pungent smell of scorched human flesh filled everyone’s nose.

“Ugh…” Some couldn't bear it and vomited outright.

---

Suddenly, a woman’s anguished cry pierced the air: “Sister!”

“Isn’t that the second Miss Ye?” someone exclaimed.

“But didn’t she die in the fire?”

“Idiot! Didn’t you hear her cry for her sister just now? It must be Ye Qing’s elder daughter—Ye Ruyi—who died!”

“Poor Kaixin, her mother was murdered not long ago, and now even her sister is gone! What will she do now?”

Still in mourning, the girl wore white funeral attire, yet even such plain dress couldn't hide her exceptional elegance. Zhang Huai glanced at Jade Ice beside him, then at the girl called Ye Kaixin. Both possessed their own unique beauty: Jade Ice, pure and serene; Miss Ye, delicate and charming. But at this moment, Ye Kaixin was streaming with tears, stumbling toward the burning sedan, desperate to save her sister, only to be stopped by well-meaning bystanders—the flames were too fierce, and rushing in would only mean certain death…

“Sister… Sister…” Unable to break free, she collapsed in tears, begging, “Please… let me go… I have to save my sister… Please, someone help me save her!” Clinging desperately to the nearest arm, she pleaded as if grasping at her last lifeline. “Please, let me go… or it’ll be too late!” But everyone knew it was already too late, and they shook their heads and stepped aside.

“Oh heavens… Who can save my sister?” she cried helplessly.

“Now you want to save your sister? Ye Kaixin! Where were you before?” came a mocking male voice.

Ye Kaixin gritted her teeth at the hated man before her. If she weren’t restrained, she’d bite a chunk out of him. “Xu Liang! You wicked beast, you’ll get what you deserve one day!”

“This guy is the young master of the Xu family?” Zhang Huai asked the waiter beside him, pointing at the contemptible man.

“That’s the one—may he die a miserable death!” The waiter spat on the floor.

“Oh? Is that so?” Xu Liang was unfazed by the Ye sisters’ curses. If retribution existed, he’d have died hundreds of times already.

“Seems you don’t want to save your father, then? Remember, the Ye family’s only got that old man left!” He looked at Ye Kaixin with feigned concern. “A beauty in tears, so moving. I’ll give you one day—sort out these troubles, and tomorrow at this time, you’ll marry me! Otherwise…” He released her, his eyes flashing with menace. “For your father’s sake, I think you’ll obey.”

He walked away, ignoring the furious crowd who seemed ready to tear him apart, leaving Ye Kaixin glaring after his hateful figure. Looking back at her sister reduced to ashes and the burnt sedan, a murderous glint flashed in her eyes.

But remembering her ruined martial arts, she collapsed in despair, lifeless, her face drained of all color…

“I’m going to kill him!” Zhang Huai was furious, snapping open his folding fan and rushing downstairs.

“Hey!” Jade Ice, fearing trouble, hurried after him, grabbing her bundle from the table and racing down.

“If we wait, it’ll cost two more lives!” Zhang Huai’s angry reply echoed from below.

“They’re safe for now!”

That stopped him. He turned at the teahouse door, uncertainly asking the hurried Jade Ice, “Are you sure they’re safe?”

“Xu Liang gave her a day, didn’t he?” Jade Ice, finally catching up, looked at Zhang Huai as if doubting his intelligence. How did he ever become crown prince? “Within this day, father and daughter will be safe.”

“But after that, who knows, right?” Zhang Huai wasn’t stupid; in fact, he was clever. But seeing a life lost before his eyes, he was incensed.

“That’s why we need to find a way to rescue Ye Qing within this day!”

---

“With so little time, how can we manage it?”

“We won’t know unless we try.”

“Do you mean to break him out of prison?”

“Break out of what prison? We need to find out what’s really going on first!”

“Where do we start?”

“The Xu residence!”

The Xu family was infamous; everyone in town knew of the Xu scoundrel. It didn’t take long for them to locate both the Xu residence and the Ye family garden.

“You…”

“I understand—I’ll go to the Xu residence.” Before Jade Ice could finish, Zhang Huai nodded knowingly and strode away.

Watching him leave, Jade Ice smiled lightly and headed toward the Ye family garden.

Yixiang Town, Ye Family Garden.

Even before arriving, she was greeted by waves of intoxicating floral scent. Following the drifting petals, she soon saw three simple thatched huts. In the yard butterflies fluttered among vibrant blooms, and on the ground, remnants of burnt spirit money lingered as ashes.

If the garden’s outer scent was comforting, now all she sensed was endless sorrow.

“Kaixin, why torment yourself so? Your sister already gave her life for you. Shouldn’t you come to your senses? After all, he’s the son of the Central Plains governor—how could you possibly resist? If you go along, at least you can save your father. Save one if you can! Isn’t that right?” At the door, Jade Ice heard a middle-aged woman earnestly advising Ye Kaixin.

“Aunt Duan, please leave. I want to be alone.”

“Kaixin! You… Well, perhaps you need some time alone.” With those words, a woman in a blue flowered cotton dress emerged.

“Hello, Aunt,” Jade Ice greeted her warmly, stepping forward. “I’m Jade Ice, Kaixin’s friend. I heard of her family’s misfortune and came to visit.”

“You’re her friend? Wonderful! Please, go and advise her—let her accept what she must. She’s already lost her mother and sister; she can’t afford to act recklessly now! She can’t fight fate—if she can save her father, that’s enough. Save one if you can, right?” Without hesitation, she took Jade Ice’s hand.

With a sigh, she said, “This girl’s life is hard, and just when she finally met someone good, this calamity struck! I’ve been advising her for ages, but she refuses to listen.”

“Aunt, thank you for caring about her. I’ll go in now and try to help.” Jade Ice smiled gently, patting the warm-hearted Aunt Duan before entering the mourning hall.