The Price of Silence

Du Xiaoyan wandered the streets in a daze, her steps unsteady, not knowing how long she had been walking or where she was headed. Her mind was blank, consumed by an overwhelming emptiness. She stumbled through the streets of Dingzhou City, tears flowing relentlessly down her face. When people came toward her, she didn't bother to avoid them, colliding with several burly men. They staggered backward, glaring at her but too fearful to say anything.

Anyone with a bit of sense could tell that a seemingly fragile woman like Du Xiaoyan, able to knock down large men, must possess remarkable martial skills. In her current state, resembling a madwoman, it was clear that provoking her could have dire consequences.

But not everyone had the foresight to understand this. A foolish young dandy, unaware of his own recklessness, chose that moment to approach Du Xiaoyan.

The young man was of fair appearance, though pale with dark circles under his eyes, a clear sign of excess in wine and women. Behind him stood four burly men, dressed in servant attire. The dandy waved an embroidered fan, grinning as he approached Du Xiaoyan.

"Miss, why so hasty?" he called mockingly. "Are you rushing to meet your lover? Why go to all that trouble? Let me be your lover instead~"

Without responding, Du Xiaoyan collided forcefully with him. His alcohol-drained body couldn't withstand the impact and he stumbled backward with a groan, caught by his bodyguards.

Unaware of the collision, Du Xiaoyan continued walking aimlessly forward.

The young dandy bellowed in fury, "Damn it, you dare bump into me? I'll make you regret it! Grab her and bring her to me! I'll teach her a lesson!"

The four burly men closed in, their faces twisted with malice. Without any resistance, they roughly grabbed Du Xiaoyan and dragged her to the young dandy.

With an oily grin, the dandy lifted his fan and gently tilted Du Xiaoyan's chin. "Little lady, I may not have much, but I can offer you wealth beyond your wildest dreams. Follow me, and I'll shower you with riches. But if you resist, don't blame me for being cruel."

Du Xiaoyan's eyes were hollow, her face streaked with tears, and she muttered softly, "What do you want from me?"

The young man's grin widened as his hand reached for her chin. "What else would I want? Let's do what lovers do... Ah..."

His words were cut off by a blood-curdling scream.

Just as his hand neared Du Xiaoyan's chin, she whipped out a whip with the speed of lightning. The crimson whip lashed through the air at impossible angles, striking with a force that sent the young dandy and his bodyguards crashing to the ground. Within seconds, all five men were lying in pieces, their blood staining the street.

Du Xiaoyan, her face splattered with blood, stowed the whip back into its sheath. She stepped on the blood pooling beneath her, eyes vacant, tears still glistening at the corners of her eyes, and stumbled forward without a word.

The bystanders watched in shock and awe as the five men were butchered before their eyes. A chorus of cheers rang out as they applauded the brutal display of power. A few beggars dashed to the bodies, eagerly scavenging for valuables.

Such scenes were commonplace in Dingzhou City. Murders like this happened daily, and the residents had long grown indifferent to them.

Suddenly, the sound of hooves echoed through the street. Two fine horses, one black and one white, galloped toward Du Xiaoyan at full speed.

When they were two paces away, the riders pulled the reins sharply. The horses reared and came to a halt with a powerful snort.

The rider on the white horse was a woman dressed in a flowing white gown, a long sword strapped to her back. Her face was veiled in white silk, but her eyes were cold as ice.

The rider on the black horse wore a purple top and green pants, her waist adorned with a short skirt. Her face was also veiled, but her eyes were seductive and filled with allure.

The woman in purple looked at the bloodied street behind Du Xiaoyan, the scattered limbs, and the gruesome scene. With a sharp tone, she scolded, "What a vicious girl! Not only do you kill in the streets, but you also leave your victims in pieces. Do you have any respect for the law?"

The woman in white gave the purple-clad woman a cold glance and responded icily, "Ni'er, do you have the nerve to lecture her? Every man who's crossed your path hasn't lived to tell the tale."

The purple-clad woman snorted and said, "At least I left them in one piece. As a citizen of the Great Qin Empire, if I want someone dead, they die. Who dares to oppose me?"

The white-clad woman sighed helplessly. "Enough, enough. I'm not arguing with you." She turned her attention to Du Xiaoyan. "Miss, what happened to you? Why did you kill without mercy?"

Du Xiaoyan, her eyes glazed over, glanced at the two women on horseback and mumbled, "The scoundrel... deserves to die... deserves to be torn apart..."

The woman in purple's eyes brightened, and she fixed her gaze intently on Du Xiaoyan, as if trying to read her soul. She asked sharply, "What's your name? Do you know that bastard Qin Ren, the Third Young Master of the Qin family?"

At the mention of Qin Ren, Du Xiaoyan's body trembled. Her mind snapped back to reality.

She looked at the two women's relentless gazes, a panic rising in her chest. Her lips quivered, and she stammered, "No... I don't know Qin Ren... I've never met him... Please... don't block my way."

Without another word, she lowered her head and tried to step around the horses.

The woman in purple sneered and extended her whip, blocking Du Xiaoyan's path. "You don't know Qin Ren? Hmm, if you really didn't, why would you know I was talking about him the moment I mentioned the Third Young Master of the Qin family? Little girl, you think you can fool me?"

Du Xiaoyan forced a smile and said, "The Third Young Master of the Qin family is famous in the martial world. Everyone knows his name. I really haven't met him..."

The woman in purple's eyes scanned Du Xiaoyan up and down, and she said coldly, "By the looks of you, I'd wager you're no longer a maiden. If I'm right, you've been ruined by that beast Qin Ren, haven't you? Women like you, too afraid to speak out, remain silent and let scoundrels like him roam free. Listen to me, girl, never remain silent. If you suffer, you must stand up and fight!"

The woman in white interjected, "Ni'er, that's too harsh."

The purple-clad woman pouted and ignored her cousin. She turned back to Du Xiaoyan and asked, "Tell us, where is Qin Ren?"

Du Xiaoyan's expression grew colder, and she forced out a smile. "Sorry, I don't know."

The purple-clad woman narrowed her eyes, her anger rising. "So, you're asking for trouble, huh? Want me to teach you a lesson before you talk?"

The white-clad woman shook her head helplessly, muttering to herself, "So cruel to women. I suppose the only man who could stand up to you is Qin Ren..."

Du Xiaoyan's temper flared.

She was the daughter of Du Gongfu from the Tiānpíng Mountain Manor, accustomed to giving orders and speaking down to others. Never had anyone dared to speak to her with such condescension.

Her pride flared as her anger reached its peak. She coldly replied, "You two little girls, calling everyone else 'little girl' when you're barely older yourselves. If you'd spoken to me politely, perhaps I'd have told you where Qin Ren is, but with that attitude... even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you! Move aside. I'm going home. Good dogs don't block the road!"

With a haughty sneer, she pushed past the whip, stepping over the horses and walking away with swift strides.

The woman in purple, enraged, shouted, "You dare act arrogantly in front of me? Don't you know who you're speaking to? Take this!" She lashed her whip at Du Xiaoyan.

Du Xiaoyan laughed coldly. "You think you can play with whips in front of me? Let me show you what true whip techniques look like!" In a flash, she dodged the whip, drawing her own three-meter-long whip, which she swung with precision, aiming directly for the purple-clad woman's waist.