Shocking! In this matriarchal society, every man wants to marry me!

Shi Qin stepped forward timidly. He was dressed in coarse, tattered clothes and had smeared his face with paint, so he could easily blend into the crowd.

His eyes were filled with hatred as he looked at Xia Muning!

Why? Why?

He was extremely unwilling. What had he done wrong? He had only mentioned that Xia Muning had been kidnapped.

He wasn't lying; he was just a coward. Why did he end up like this?

He wanted to stand up and expose his lies; he wanted to pull the high and mighty Xia Muning down from his pedestal and make him suffer the same fate as him.

He wanted to shout to everyone: Xia Muning was indeed kidnapped that night; he wasn't delirious at all. Everything he said was true.

He named himself Shiqin because he was skilled in playing the zither. Although he was frightened and uneasy that night, he could clearly tell that the person who played the zither all night was Xia Muning's teacher.

He was about to say it! His expression was somewhat frantic, but he opened his mouth and didn't say anything.

He felt the blood slowly flowing from his neck, and he saw Shi Shu standing calmly beside him, holding a dagger.

His tone was extremely sad, and the words clearly flooded his mind: "Shiqin, do you still remember what you promised me?"

Shiqin collapsed onto the cold snow. When a person dies, consciousness is the last thing to be lost, and his memory returned to that day.

He begged Xia Muning for a chance to live. The bowl of mute medicine was brought to him by Shishu. He knelt on the ground and kept pleading with Shishu: "Shishu, we grew up together, entered the manor together, and served the young master together. We are like brothers. Can you bear to see me end up like this?"

The maidservant held the medicine bowl, looking at him coldly: "Your mouth has ruined you, and you've hurt the young master."

Shiqin knelt on the ground, pleading, "Shishu, Shishu, please spare me! I'll never make a sound again. Shishu, Shishu, I beg you, I don't want to be disabled!"

Shi Shu's expression shifted slightly.

Shiqin was still saying, "Shishu, Shishu, do you remember those two daggers we brought into the manor? If I say anything out of line, you can kill me with those daggers!"

Shi Shu thought of the two daggers.

They were sold by their mothers from the same village, having heard that noblemen were masters of tormenting people.

Shiqin secretly hid some of the money from selling him and bought these two daggers, saying that if she encountered any embarrassing situations and could not bear the humiliation, she would commit suicide!

They were very lucky; after entering the Xia family, the young master treated them extremely well, and they never used the two daggers.

Shi Shu wiped the blood splattered on her face and threw the blood-stained dagger in front of Shi Qin. Shi Qin stared blankly at the blood-stained dagger.

He had a moment of weakness and poured out the medicine that made him mute, and then he knew he had taken on a huge responsibility.

He had been watching Shiqin the whole time, observing her. He had been watching her the whole time she went out today, watching her as she was about to speak and identify the young master. So he made his move.

The mute medicine that wasn't given to him back then turned into a knife stuck in his neck.

He glanced at Shiqin, whose eyes were already closed, and hid the tears welling up in his own eyes.

Shiqin, Shiqin, don't feel resentful. You should know very well whether that shout was intentional or unintentional!

Shi Shu stood not far from Xia Muning, watching her master being held hostage by Wang Yuan warily. She cleared her throat and said, "This is a servant of the Xia family who betrayed his master and fled. He has been executed!"

Wang Yuan looked on and chuckled softly, finding it quite amusing: "You do have a loyal servant, but..."

She forcefully ripped off Xia Muning's cloak and pulled down one side of his clothes, exposing his snow-white neck to everyone, where there was a faint tooth mark.

Xia Muning closed her eyes, her heart colder than the winter snow.

The teeth marks were the man's last stand, filled with hatred and determination. No matter how much or how exquisite the ointment he applied, he could not erase the traces left behind, just as that night could never truly disappear.

Wang Yuan looked at Xia Muning's neck, which was a pair of delicate and slender treasures, like exquisite silk, giving people a comfortable feeling to the touch, and radiating a soft light in the snow.

Suddenly, Wang Yuan felt a surge of desire.

She stuck out her tongue and slowly licked it; the warm, moist touch made Xia Muning feel nauseous.

"Go away!"

The scene before their eyes shocked everyone.

Xia's mother closed her eyes briefly, a ruthless glint in them: "Magistrate Yu, stop!"

Magistrate Yu, along with his constables, aimed bows and arrows at Wang Yuan. At Magistrate Yu's command, Wang Yuan would transform into a hedgehog covered in thorns.

But Wang Yuan had no desire to live anymore. He grabbed Xia Muning by the neck with one hand, while the other hand lingered lewdly over Xia Muning's neck and face.

"This is what you call the First Young Master? I, a lowly commoner, would never have the chance to meet him normally. If I could enjoy him before I die, wouldn't I be overjoyed! Hahahaha."

She began to take off Xia Muning's clothes one by one.

More and more people are watching.

Xia's mother's face was ashen. She looked at Magistrate Yu and said, "Magistrate Yu, kill her!"

Kill her, your son is still in his hands!

When Xia's father heard the order, his eyes flickered slightly, but he did not stop him. He looked at his son with tears in his eyes and said, "Mu Ning, you have not wished to be humiliated today. I would rather die than live in dishonor."

Xia Muning felt an even greater chill in his heart, and upon hearing these words, he let out a series of cold laughs.

"Better to die a glorious death than live a shameful life"—was this meant to preserve the Xia family's reputation by making him commit suicide? How would he commit suicide? By biting off his tongue?

He looked around in despair, when suddenly his eyes met those of a pair of calm eyes in the crowd!

That's Nakata!

Nakata was also in the crowd!

Why did she come? Wasn't she not going to see her off?

He suddenly felt a chill run down his spine! His humiliation and disgrace could be seen by the whole world, but not by Zhong Tian!

What would she think? What would she think? Would she also support him using death to preserve his innocence, and if he agreed, would he immediately bite his tongue and commit suicide?

The surroundings were bustling with activity, but in his world, there was only ice.

"Mu Ning, don't be afraid, close your eyes!"

This was spoken language, but Xia Muning understood it!

He closed his eyes amidst the bustling noise, entrusting his safety to Zhongtian.

Amidst the threatening arrows from the soldiers, the terrified expression on Xia Muning's face, and the disgusted looks from the crowd, Wang Yuan grew increasingly frenzied.

People always need to do things to be remembered! A good reputation is certainly desirable, but instilling fear is equally acceptable. Today, she ruined Xia Muning here; she will become the nightmare of every unmarried man in this city.

Suddenly, she fell straight to the ground.

An arrow flew from a distance, carrying immense force. It not only struck her directly in the forehead but also sent her flying a great distance.