"Wan'er, you better keep calm. Don't let me find you. The deeper you hide under my nose, the more I like you."

The man leapt onto the roof, his eagle eyes sweeping over every corner of the courtyard. The voice that had once enchanted her now sounded like a demonic whisper, chilling her to the bone.

The sky was darkening with clouds, and a loud clap of thunder echoed through the heavens. Lightning, like a twisted snake of light, tore through the darkened sky.

On the stone pillar of the high platform, the maid Ling'er was tied up, her head drooping, barely clinging to life after being tortured.

But the man didn't stop. "Li Quan, make her scream loud enough for her master to hear."

As soon as he spoke, the guard Li Quan swung his knife, cutting a piece of flesh from Ling'er's leg.

"Aaah—" A piercing scream broke out from Ling'er, who was bound to the stone pillar, unable to move, shaking her head and screaming in agony.

The howling wind, torrential rain, Ling'er's harrowing screams, the barking dogs, and the shouts of anger all merged into a symphony of death.

The woman hiding in the slop bucket could no longer hold on.

She had a reed in her mouth, one end sticking out of the water to breathe, while her entire body was soaked in the foul water.

She was already feverish, and a soldier had stabbed her in the back earlier. Her consciousness was fading, and the only thought that remained was, "Ling'er, I'm sorry, I can't save you. I must escape and inform my father and brother about what happened at the Shen residence. I can't die here..."

Two Months Earlier, in the Capital

"Have you heard? The emperor has granted the prime minister's daughter, Shen Wanwan, in marriage to the General who guards the border."

"The prime minister's daughter? Isn't she the one who was kidnapped by bandits six years ago and is no longer pure?"

"Yes, after the recent great victory at the border, the emperor was overjoyed and wanted to reward the General. But who knew he would ask for this marriage as his only reward?"

"Could it be that even the General, a hero, can't resist a beauty? After all, she is known as the most beautiful woman in the capital."

"Oh, no matter how beautiful she is, she's tainted now. How could she be worthy of the handsome

Ever

The woman

She

After bidding farewell to her father and brothers, the bridal sedan chair slowly lifted amid the deafening sound of fire

Along the way, gongs and drums resounded. But as they passed through Wolf King Mountain, the sedan chair suddenly lurched, and Shen Wanwan couldn't control her body, crashing into the sedan door.

The festive sounds outside abruptly ceased, followed by the sound of swords slicing through flesh and t

Shen Wanwan was startled, hurriedly lifting the curtain of the sedan chair, only to see the nanny and two accompanying maids lying in a pool of blood in front of the sedan.

At that moment, a cold arrow suddenly shot toward her. She closed her eyes in fear. However, the anticipated pain didn't come; instead, she fell into a solid chest.

The man's silver armor was stained with blood, and his handsome face was still adorned with blood droplets that hadn't dried.

Seeing her open her eyes, the man's lips curved into a bloodthirsty smile. "Such a lively wedding scene, are you satisfied, my lady?"

Corpses piled up like mountains, blood flowed like rivers.

Shen Wanwan trembled all over, never imagining that the person she was supposed to marry was him. He wasn't dead, and had become the General most favored by the current emperor.

The impact of this reunion was too great, and it took Shen Wanwan a long time to react. With tears in her eyes, she looked at him, her lips trembling violently.

"Ye Huai... you're... still alive..."

"What, are you disappointed to see this face, my lady?" He grabbed her chin with his bloody hand, admiring her expression. This was a face that could bring disaster to a country. The bright red wedding dress and her pale face made her look even more enchantingly beautiful. After all, he had died once at her hands.

He leaned in close, his hot breath brushing against her cold lips. "Why do you look like you've seen a ghost when you see me, my lady?"

During the year she was kidnapped on Wolf King Mountain, Shen Wanwan had seen many different emotions from Ye Huai, but never this bloodthirsty and gloomy expression.

As if stimulated by the fear in her eyes, Ye Huai's gaze darkened, and he suddenly bit her lips hard.

Shen Wanwan trembled from the bite, trying to push him away, but he grabbed the back of her head, holding her completely in his arms, allowing no resistance as he began to tear her apart like a storm.

His tongue bit down, filling her mouth with the taste of blood. She finally understood that the General had given up riches and honor to marry a disgraced woman not because he was bewitched by beauty, but to declare that he was alive and had returned for revenge!

No one could guess that this General, who had rendered meritorious service to the court, was a bandit on Wolf King Mountain five years ago.

The mountain of corpses on Wolf King Mountain was the fate of those who had betrayed him back then. And Shen Wanwan knew her fate wouldn't be better than theirs because death was easier than living.