Sir Song, do you want to pledge yourself to me?

County Magistrate Hu quickly led the soldiers into the dining hall and saw Song Jinbai standing in the center at a glance.

He hurried forward and bowed to Song Jinbai, "I am Hu Jiahe, your humble servant, and I pay my respects to the prefect."

Song Jinbai nodded slightly, signaling Magistrate Hu to excuse himself. He spoke gravely, "Sir Hu, I leave this case to you. The bandits from Jinfeng Village are causing trouble for the villagers, robbing and killing passing merchant caravans. Their crimes are heinous. You must conduct a thorough investigation and thoroughly investigate their crimes."

Magistrate Hu glanced at the seriously injured bandits, his expression stern, and replied solemnly, "Don't worry, sir. I will do my utmost to investigate the crimes of these bandits one by one and will never let you down."

In the more than a year since taking office in Qingyun County, County Magistrate Hu has repeatedly requested assistance from the prefectural yamen to suppress the bandits, but each time has been unsuccessful for various reasons. His own yamen has fewer than two hundred soldiers, while the bandits in Jinfeng Village number in the hundreds. The disparity in strength leaves him helpless.

Now, the newly appointed prefect had successfully overthrown the largest bandit stronghold in Qingyun County with only a dozen men, something that both shocked and impressed him. This was not only a sign of support for his work, but also a major threat to his jurisdiction. Even if he was only called in at short notice to assist in the cleanup, he was more than happy to do so.

He immediately ordered the people he brought with him, "Tie them up and take them back for thorough interrogation!"

The soldiers quickly dispersed, untied the ropes that had been prepared around their waists, tied up the bandits one by one with swift movements, and then took them away in an orderly manner.

The subordinates who had completed the handover from various places had returned one after another. They were waiting outside the hall with solemn expressions. When they saw Song Jinbai and Ji Nuan appear, they all saluted with fists.

Ji Nuan, along with Song Jinbai and a dozen of his subordinates, headed straight for the dungeon where Chen Yu and his son were imprisoned.

The cell was dark and damp. More than a dozen people stayed inside for two days, and the air was filled with a foul smell.

When the wooden fence was slowly opened, Mr. Chen excitedly helped Chen Yu to stand up, and the father and son looked at Ji Nuan together.

When Chen Yu woke up from his coma, he had heard Master Chen say that Ji Nuan would come to save them. Seeing Ji Nuan really coming, his eyes suddenly lit up and he smiled weakly, "Long Aotian, you're here to save me!"

Ji Nuan was more concerned about Chen Yu's injuries; he needed to leave this harsh environment as soon as possible. So, she softly comforted him, "Stop talking and conserve your energy. Let's get out of here first, and I'll treat your wounds once we get to the county town."

After hearing this, Chen Yu smiled even more happily, "Thank you Nuannuan!"

Ji Nuan supported his other side and said with a smile, "Let's go."

After Song Jinbai gave his orders to his subordinates, he walked into the dungeon and saw Ji Nuan and Chen Yu smiling at each other. He suddenly felt a pang of sadness in his heart.

He couldn't help but step forward, took Ji Nuan's hand, took her aside, and then ordered outside the cave: "Song Shi, come in and take everyone out."

Chen Yu felt an inexplicable sense of urgency the moment Song Jinbai came in. Seeing Ji Nuan being dragged away, his eyes dimmed a little involuntarily.

Mr. Chen looked at the three people in front of him, and felt worried.

He had originally thought that his son and Ji Nuan liked each other and might become a family in the future. However, when he saw Lord Song holding Ji Nuan's hand, he suddenly felt regretful.

As a father, he could see at a glance his son's affection for Ji Nuan. The tenderness and concern in his eyes could not be hidden.

But as a businessman, how could he compare to the prefect? Lord Song was not only of noble status, but also a man of both civil and military talents. Although his family was wealthy, they were far inferior in power and status.

Mr. Chen sighed secretly, his promising daughter-in-law was about to fly away!

After hearing the order, more than a dozen subordinates quickly entered the dungeon. For a moment, the dungeon seemed crowded.

Song Jinbai instructed his subordinates, "Mr. Chen is seriously injured and has difficulty moving. Song Shi, carry Mr. Chen down the mountain."

After hearing the order, the subordinates took action.

Song Shi carried the reluctant Chen Yu on his back, while the others helped up the injured Chen family guards and quickly took them out of the prison.

Ji Nuan had lived to be twenty-six in her previous life, so she had seen everything. She could now naturally tell that Song Jinbai was clearly jealous of her supporting Chen Yu.

She pulled her hand away, deliberately avoiding Song Jinbai's gaze, and said calmly, "Everyone has left, let's go out too."

Ji Nuan didn't shake his hand off in front of everyone in the Chen family. Song Jinbai couldn't help but feel happy. He felt that Ji Nuan was indulging him. His smile became more gentle. "Okay."

Ji Nuan felt a little uncomfortable looking at his amorous expression. She took the initiative to leave, wanting to get rid of this awkward atmosphere.

They had just emerged from the dungeon when ten masked men in black silently descended from the mountaintop. As soon as they encountered them, they attacked without mercy, their first move being a lethal blow, clearly well prepared.

Song Jinbai's good mood immediately disappeared, and his face became solemn. He quickly drew the soft sword from his waist, and in a flash, he rushed forward to meet the enemy.

Ji Nuan was not willing to be outdone. She put one hand behind her back, avoiding everyone's sight, quietly took out her Tang sword, and joined the battle without hesitation.

These men in black are all professionally trained killers. Their skills and techniques are far beyond what those bandits could match.

Although Ji Nuan and Song Jinbai had dealt with snake swarms and nearly a hundred bandits together and had accumulated a certain tacit understanding, they still felt unprecedented pressure when facing these well-trained killers.

They stood back to back, protecting each other and jointly dealing with the black-clad men who surrounded them. Ji Nuan's Tang sword and Song Jinbai's soft sword intertwined in the air, leaving afterimages. Their attack and defense were well-organized, making it difficult for those black-clad men to break through their defenses.

To deal with these men in black, Ji Nuan couldn't use her supernatural powers as she did with the snakes. Amidst the flashing swords and shadows of sabers, every move was fraught with danger, and the slightest mistake could lead to death.

She and Song Jinbai were fighting against ten people. The longer the battle dragged on, the more their physical strength would be consumed.

Song Jinbai was agile and his swordsmanship was sharp. He quickly killed two men in black and then pulled Ji Nuan out of the encirclement. Ji Nuan let Song Jinbai pull her away while turning back to fight the men in black behind her. The Tang sword in her hand slashed with blades of light, temporarily repelling those who were trying to chase them.

However, just as they were about to break out, someone hidden in the bushes on the top of the mountain took advantage of the opportunity to attack. He hadn't expected the woman next to Song Jinbai to be so powerful, disrupting his finally secured opportunity. He looked down at them with a sinister look, raised his darts, and fired three darts in succession at Ji Nuan.