In ancient times, she gave birth to seven daughters and was divorced by her husband's family.

"You can't even imagine one ten-thousandth of the suffering she went through."

"She possesses qualities that you lack even a fraction of."

Ru Bao was furious and roared, "You!!!"

The prefect of Qingzhou deliberately disgusted Ru Bao, his voice filled with contempt.

"You're a spoiled, selfish jerk!"

Rotten person...

These two words exploded in Ru Bao's mind like a thunderclap.

From childhood to adulthood, she was always pampered and cherished. Everyone praised and complimented her; no one had ever used such insulting words to describe her.

Everything she was most proud of became worthless in this man's words...

But the one he was protecting was Bai Lu, whom she hated most...

A tremendous sense of humiliation instantly overwhelmed her reason!

"I am going to kill you!"

Ru Bao has completely lost control.

She screamed, like an enraged wild beast, and charged toward the prefect of Qingzhou!

At this moment, the prefect of Qingzhou suddenly stood up and strode over to Rubao!

"Snapped!"

The prefect of Qingzhou slapped Ru Bao's face to the side with all his might.

She lost her balance and fell heavily onto the cold bluestone floor.

My ears were ringing and my cheeks were burning.

It took her a while to come to her senses. She raised her head and glared at the prefect of Qingzhou with even more resentment.

"you......"

The prefect of Qingzhou was extremely impatient. "Do you think this is the Western Regions? You can do whatever you want here?"

He straightened his official robes, and after the fight, he became calm and composed, as if he hadn't been the one who had just struck.

He strolled back to his seat and sat down again.

“You have harmed the people of my Great Wu, which is a serious crime.”

Seeing the dissatisfaction in Ru Bao's eyes, the prefect of Qingzhou continued.

"If your identity is special... you are from the Great Stone Kingdom..."

"This matter is beyond the control of the Qingzhou government."

"I will escort you to the capital immediately."

"Let the emperor of your Great Stone Kingdom personally determine what punishment you should receive."

Ru Bao suddenly raised her head, a hint of panic flashing in her eyes.

For the sake of diplomatic relations between the two countries, he would never show her the slightest favoritism...

The prefect of Qingzhou noticed the change in her expression and sneered inwardly.

“You are not a citizen of my Great Wu, and I cannot take your life without authorization.”

"But going to jail is definitely inevitable."

“The people of our Great Wu did not suffer in vain.”

The prefect of Qingzhou spoke these words with absolute certainty.

Ru Bao was startled; she finally understood the seriousness of the situation.

This incident has escalated from a Western Region woman injuring someone in Dawu to the level of diplomatic relations between two countries.

To quell Da Wu's rage... the Emperor of Da Shi Kingdom will surely punish her severely, and may even sacrifice her...

As soon as the thought crossed her mind, Ru Bao's heart turned completely cold!

The prefect of Qingzhou saw that her face had turned pale and knew that his words had worked.

He continued to ask.

"Now, I'll ask you again."

"What exactly is your purpose in coming to my Great Wu?"

The prefect of Qingzhou had a sharp gaze, like that of a hawk, fixed intently on Ru Bao.

He needed to know this woman's true purpose, as it concerned Bailu's safety!

Ru Bao bit her lip tightly and remained silent.

She bit her lip until it bled, and a slightly metallic taste spread through her mouth.

She couldn't say it, absolutely couldn't reveal that she had come to kill Bailu.

The Qingzhou prefect's patience was gradually wearing thin.

"Aren't you going to say yes?"

His voice turned cold.

"I originally wanted to save you some face because you are Zhao Bingyu's daughter."

"It seems that you are not willing to accept my toast and will be punished."

The prefect of Qingzhou gave a wink to the yamen runner beside him.

"torture."

......

The execution chamber.

Two constables immediately stepped forward, one on each side, and lifted Ru Bao from the ground, dragging her to a rack to the side. Cold iron chains locked her wrists, rendering her unable to move.

Ru Bao's body began to tremble.

A constable walked up to her, holding a leather whip that had been soaked in water.

"I'll ask you one last time, what are you doing in Dawu?"

The voice of the prefect of Qingzhou echoed in the empty back hall.

"beat."

There was no hesitation in the voice of the prefect of Qingzhou.

"Snapped!"

The whip whistled through the air and lashed hard across Ru Bao's back.

A sharp pain instantly spread throughout her body. The feeling of her skin being torn apart made her let out a muffled groan. Fine beads of sweat immediately appeared on her forehead.

"Say or not?"

The yamen runner's voice was rough.

"Snapped!"

The second lash followed immediately, landing on the same wound.

After just two lashes, Ru Bao could no longer endure it.

She had never suffered such pain before. Her pampered life in the Western Regions for more than a decade had made her tolerance for pain almost zero.

"what!"

She let out a piercing cry.

"I'll talk... I'll talk..."

Tears and sweat mingled and streamed down her face. She looked as if she had been pulled out of the water, utterly disheveled.

The prefect of Qingzhou waved his hand, signaling the yamen runners to stop.

He walked back to his seat, sat down again, and looked at her calmly.

"Go ahead."

Ru Bao gasped for breath, the wound on her back burning with pain. She spoke haltingly, her voice trembling with tears.

"I...I came...to see what Bailu looks like."

She ultimately kept a backup plan. She cleverly concealed her true intention to kill Bai Lu, saying only that she wanted to come and see her.

After listening, the prefect of Qingzhou looked at Ru Bao with a thoughtful expression in his eyes.

Let's go see the White Dew? This reason sounds reasonable, yet it's unreasonable in many ways.

He recalled that during the interrogation, Ru Bao had been constantly cursing Bai Lu; that hatred couldn't be faked. If someone truly hated another, how could it be as simple as just "coming to take a look"?

The Qingzhou prefect's mind raced.

This Ru Bao definitely harbors a deep grudge against Bai Lu. Her visit to Da Wu this time is definitely not just for a casual visit. Perhaps, she's here specifically to kill Bai Lu.

Thinking of this, the prefect of Qingzhou felt a chill run down his spine.

Bai Lu's current status is extraordinary. She is not only a duke, but also has intricate connections with many important figures in the capital.

If something happens to her, it will be a huge problem.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that half of Kyoto's sky has collapsed!

She's still my daughter...

The prefect of Qingzhou pondered for a moment.

This matter must be informed to Bailu as soon as possible so that she can be prepared.

This Ru Bao is like a lurking venomous snake; no one knows if there are others behind her.

He made up his mind.

"Someone is coming."

The prefect of Qingzhou called out to the door.

Two trusted constables strode in.

"Prepare a vehicle immediately and escort this female prisoner to Beijing overnight."

As he spoke, he walked to his desk, picked up a pen, and quickly wrote a letter.

"You must personally deliver this letter to Madam Bailu at the Bai family compound on the outskirts of Beijing."

The prefect of Qingzhou carefully sealed the envelope with sealing wax and solemnly handed it to one of the yamen runners.

"Remember, this matter is of utmost importance, and there must be no delays or mistakes."

"Yes, my lord!"

The bailiffs obeyed the order and immediately took the weeping Ru Bao down from the rack and escorted him away.

The back room returned to silence.

The prefect of Qingzhou stood by the window, watching the prison cart carrying Ru Bao disappear into the night, his brows furrowed.

......

The night was deep, and the prison cart bumped along the official road.

The wheels rolled over the gravel road, making a "clattering" sound that carried far in the quiet night.

Ru Bao was locked in a cramped prison van, with her hands and feet shackled.

With each bump, the chains would strike the carriage walls, causing her wounds to throb with pain.

She leaned against the cold car wall, muttering curses under her breath.

"Bai Lu...it's all your fault, you bitch..."

"Prefect of Qingzhou...you corrupt official..."

Her voice was filled with resentment and bitterness.

After cursing for a while, he was exhausted, and fear gradually crept into his heart again.

Go to Kyoto...

Once she arrived under the emperor's nose, she, a woman of a different race, committed a serious crime, and her fate was predictable.

The more she thought about it, the more frightened she became, and her body began to tremble uncontrollably.

There were four guards escorting her; two drove the carriage in front, and two rode horses on either side.

After traveling for two days, the group entered the outskirts of Beijing.

The closer we got to the capital, the more pedestrians and carriages appeared on the official road.

That evening, the caravan stopped for a rest at a roadside inn in a small town.

The two constables in charge of escorting the goods relaxed as they realized their mission was nearing completion. They decided to go to the small tavern next to the post station for a few drinks.

"Old Li, let's go get a drink."

One of the constables, whose face was scarred, said to his companion.

"Didn't the boss say we weren't allowed to drink?"

Another, slightly younger constable hesitated.

"What's there to be afraid of? We're almost at the capital, who'll care about us then? Besides, this little wench isn't going anywhere."

As the scarred-faced constable spoke, he glanced maliciously into the prison cart.

In the end, the two went to the tavern.

They returned completely drunk.

Alcohol emboldens the timid, and thoughts that one wouldn't normally dare to have begin to grow wildly.

The scarred-faced constable staggered to the prison cart and opened the door.

A strong smell of alcohol hit her face, and Ru Bao frowned in disgust.

"Little beauty, aren't you lonely sitting alone in the car?"

The scarred-faced constable's smile was utterly lewd.

Ru Bao shrank back warily.

"What are you going to do?"

"What are you doing? Let your big brother take care of you."

As he spoke, he reached out to touch Ru Bao's face.

A fierce glint flashed in Ru Bao's eyes.

In the Western Regions, no one had ever dared to treat her like this.

She suddenly opened her mouth and bit down hard on the outstretched hand.

"what!"

The scarred-faced constable let out a scream and abruptly pulled his hand back.

A row of deep teeth marks, dripping with blood, were left on the back of his hand.

"You bitch! How dare you bite me!"

The excruciating pain drove the scarred-faced constable to complete madness.

He flew into a rage, grabbed Ru Bao by the collar, and dragged her to the car door.

"I'm going to get you today!"

He roared and began tearing at Ru Bao's clothes.

Another drunken constable was also egging them on, and instead of stopping them, he stepped forward to help.

"Tear--"

Ru Bao's outer layer of Hu clothing was roughly torn open, revealing her inner garment.

She was terrified and struggled and screamed desperately.

"Let me go! You beasts!"

Her resistance seemed so powerless in the face of two adult men.

Suddenly, a burst of hurried horse hoof sounds came from far away.

"stop!"

A sharp shout made the two constables freeze in their tracks, and they looked in the direction of the sound.

A troop of cavalry clad in fine armor was galloping toward them. Leading them was a young general, mounted on a tall horse, wielding a long spear; his face was handsome, and his expression stern.

It was Zhou Langya, who was ordered to inspect the military camps outside the capital.

Zhou Langya's gaze swept over the disheveled Ru Bao and the two violent constables, and his face instantly darkened.

He dismounted and strode over.

"What are you doing!"

The two constables were almost out of breath, and their drunkenness instantly sobered up!

"General Zhou...General..."

The scarred-faced constable was so frightened that he knelt on the ground, stammering incoherently.

"We...we..."

"Somebody come!"

Zhou Langya was too lazy to listen to their explanations.

"Drag these two lawbreakers away! Give them fifty lashes!"

His personal guards immediately stepped forward and dragged the two limp yamen runners away.

Soon, the sounds of clubs striking flesh and shrill screams could be heard from not far away.

Zhou Langya took off his cloak and handed it to a guard next to him.

"Put it on her."

The guard took the cloak, stepped forward, and covered the shivering Ru Bao with it.

A warm cloak enveloped her body. She raised her head and, through her blurry, tear-filled eyes, looked at the man who had saved her.

Under the moonlight, his figure stood tall and straight like a pine tree, his facial features clearly defined. His military uniform made him appear even more imposing and extraordinary.

Especially his imposing manner when he gave the order... made Ru Bao's heart skip a beat.

It was a feeling she had never experienced before.

From childhood to adulthood, she was surrounded by people who either flattered her or feared her status.

This was the first time she had ever met such a masculine and noble man!

In that instant, Ru Bao's heart fluttered...

She's starting to like it...

After dealing with the two constables, Zhou Langya turned around and looked at the prison cart.

He frowned.

"Who's locked up in the car?"

His tone was relatively mild. In his view, no matter what crime one has committed, one should not be violated before one's identity has been verified and one has been punished according to the law.

A sober yamen runner responsible for escorting the goods quickly stepped forward and bowed in response.

"Reporting to the general, the prisoner in the carriage is a female prisoner sent from Qingzhou. It is said that she is... the daughter of General Zhao Bingyu and a man from the Western Regions, named Rubao."

"It was personally ordered by Prefect Sun to be delivered!"

"..."

"Zhao Bingyu's daughter?"

The gentle expression on Zhou Langya's face vanished instantly.

His expression suddenly changed.

It was an expression of extreme disgust and contempt, as if he had seen something filthy.

His gaze toward Ru Bao held no trace of sympathy, only icy coldness.