The Cold-Hearted Princess Who Transmigrated Here

As dawn broke, Li Xiong and the others, who had stayed up all night, were finally able to go back to sleep in peace, and other villagers also came one after another to help guard the gate.

Meanwhile, on the quiet mountain road, a group of seven people were hurrying towards the mountain village.

It is past 9:30 AM.

When the villagers guarding the gate saw outsiders suddenly appear, they were all surprised and curious, wishing they could read the details from the faces of these strangers.

Deep down, they were mostly afraid and felt inferior, because apart from the four or five people who occasionally went to the city on missions, almost none of the rest of them had ever seen the outside world in their entire lives.

The seven people on the other side were clearly wealthy and powerful. Although they weren't covered in gold and silver, their clothes looked like something that the other party could never afford in their lifetime.

Looking at the villagers who had become much more haggard overnight, and then at the unshaven, bloodshot-eyed chieftain, Wang Xiyue unconsciously raised her eyebrows. "Chieftain, it's a pleasure to meet you!"

Li Xiong sized up the girl in front of him, his brows furrowing deeply.

How did she know she was in charge here?

He couldn't find an accurate adjective to describe this woman; he could only think of her as pretty and beautiful.

At the tender age of eighteen, she was full of youthful vigor and energy, dressed in a simple yet stylish black and red outfit, looking neat and clean.

She bent slightly, clasped her hands in a salute to herself, a gesture somewhat like that of a martial arts practitioner, but her demeanor was quite different, exuding the noble air of a princess.

A half-smile played on her lips, a cool and aloof demeanor tinged with unrestrained freedom; judging by her appearance alone, he could not fathom what kind of person she truly was.

Behind her were six imposing black-clad guards, each with a sword at their waist or in their hand. The two bodyguards who followed her closely exuded even greater pressure, and their swords, even before being drawn, seemed unstoppable.

These two were far more skilled than him; he didn't even have the courage to look them in the eye.

Even getting a little closer makes one tremble involuntarily, giving one the urge to kneel down.

Although the girl had no weapons, she still sent chills down his spine.

She was a head shorter than him, but she had a commanding presence. He had never met a woman so unforgettable before, and she was more stunning than any rich young lady he had ever seen in the city.

He swallowed hard, suppressing his shock, and calmly replied, "Who are you? State your name."

Wang Xiyue calmly replied, "My name is Wang Xiyue. We became friends after a fight."

“Yesterday, it was my men who broke your seal.”

"The reason, of course, is that you have trapped my subordinates."

"I had to do this to save him, I'm sorry!"

Li Xiong almost spat out blood. Yesterday's thrilling commotion was summarized by her three nonchalant sentences, which was enough to make him furious. She had tormented over a hundred of them to the point of near death just to take away a brat.

That perfunctory apology was so insincere. If it weren't for the fact that she was a young, polite, and decent-looking girl, he would have definitely chased her away—no, he would have hit her. "Hmph, did you come here today specifically to apologize to me?"

The word 'say' was pronounced very heavily.

They haven't offered any apology whatsoever; isn't this just a show of arrogance?

Wang Xiyue pretended not to see Li Xiong's stern look and said, "I really came here to sincerely apologize."

"Didn't you see my sincerity? Didn't I give you a gift last night?"

Before the chieftain could speak, Li Can, who had a fiery temper, got angry as soon as she heard about last night. Even though she was pretty, she still cursed, "Gifts my ass! We didn't see anything."

"We've been working ourselves to the bone all night, and who saw your gift? Where is your gift?"

When Wang Xiyue came up the mountain, she had already checked the traces near the pool and found that a large pack of wolves had indeed appeared. However, she also saw the changes in the village; the defensive measures were still intact and had not been damaged at all.

The fact that the villagers were all unharmed indicates that her medicinal powder played a crucial role. Furthermore, the fact that she had smelled a strong aroma of meat when she entered the village suggests that the villagers had made some unexpected gains.

"I deserve a lot of credit for the fact that you were able to find so much prey."

Li Can looked completely surprised. She hadn't even come in yet, how did she know they had found a lot of wild animals that morning? "You... what do you mean?"

"Could it be that those animals were sent by you?"

"There isn't a single wound, how could it have been hunted by you?"

Li Xiong seemed to be deep in thought. He had originally planned to go on a group hunt today, but something big happened last night, so he couldn't go. He could only wait a few days until the crisis was over before going.

You can eat less food, but you can't skip drinking water.

Everyone had worked hard all night and was exhausted and thirsty, so before dawn he led people to fetch water.

When they arrived at the water pool, they were surprised to find more than a dozen animals lying motionless on the ground near the outer edge of the drinking pool. There were several rabbits, four or five deer, and some other small animals. At first, they thought they had been killed by other wild beasts and had not had time to be eaten.

Upon closer inspection, they discovered that the animals were only unconscious and not quite dead. To fill their stomachs, they brought them all back without missing a single one.

After killing all the animals and checking their internal organs, no signs of poisoning were found, so they simply roasted or boiled them to eat.

Since we're all going to die anyway, we might as well die with a full stomach.

This was the only time in decades that their village had ever had such a feast where everyone could eat their fill of meat.

Wang Xiyue nodded, "Consider it as us sending it, and also as us killing it."

“Those animals were probably going to drink water, so they unconsciously inhaled the drug I scattered on their way to the pool.”

“My specially made sleeping potion is colorless and odorless. If you had gone out today, you would have definitely been affected. Fortunately, you were cautious and did not go too far.”

"If the prey hadn't let its guard down and been drugged, would you have had anything to pick up?"

"Also, I placed animal repellent in several places around here yesterday, so the wild animals didn't attack the village. I guess that's my way of showing my sincerity in apologizing!"

“Chief, you detained my people, I broke your restrictions, and in the end everyone was safe and sound, so we're even.”

Li Xiong's eyes widened: "..."

How can this be explained away? That's utterly shameless!

So it turns out you weren't the one who was worried and scared, nor were you the one who suffered and toiled, yet you seem indifferent and at ease.

You've said all the nice things, and he's at a loss for words to refute you. All he can do is roll his eyes; he can't even bring himself to curse.

Li Xiong had already believed in her sincerity, but he remained wary and questioned, "Why did you go to all this trouble?"

"They've already rescued everyone, why would they come back?"

What's so special about such a run-down place that warrants a young lady from a prominent family personally making a visit?

Wang Xiyue got back to the main point, "Chief, I want to make a deal with you."

"If you want the villagers to have enough to eat and wear, then let's sit down and have a good talk."

All other deals were off the table, but when it came to the villagers' food, drink, and lives, Li Xiong had no choice but to back down.

It is named "Boundless Oceans, Vast Skies".

He gestured for all the villagers to lay down their weapons, and took the lead in standing by the gate to clear the way into the village. With a gesture of his right hand, he said, "Miss Wang and everyone else, please come in!"

Li Xiong led his men into his private hut, and after dismissing the villagers, he leaned back on his wooden couch without any regard for appearances.

He glanced at the girl sitting on the rough wooden stool opposite him and casually asked, "Miss Wang, what kind of deal do you want to make with me?"

He needs to make a show of force to have a home-field advantage, because at the negotiating table, whoever shows weakness loses.

If you'd like some tea or snacks, sorry, he has nothing here.

There was no boiled water, and no cold water either.

Wang Xiyue didn't care about his rude hospitality or his casual manners. She got straight to the point and said, "I want this place."

“I can give all of you new household registrations and legitimate housing in the city.”

Upon hearing this, Li Xiong's eyes lit up, and his heart pounded uncontrollably.

As long as they have a household registration and a house in the city, they can all live a normal life, and no one will have to worry about the dangers of hunting day and night.

Children can go to school to learn to read and understand principles.

The men could go out to work and earn money to support their families.

Women are free to go out and shop or do some small business.

If they were lucky, each family could also be allocated a certain amount of land. Having land meant having a fixed food ration, and they would no longer have to suffer from hunger.

However, the fact that she has such great abilities means that she is very familiar with the government, and the power or influence behind her must be enormous.

It might be a trap.

Li Xiong tried his best to control his wildly beating heart, but still suspected that her motives were impure. He asked doubtfully, "Do you just want this place? It doesn't seem worth it?"

It was completely clean; there wasn't a single thing of value here.

"I said it's worth it, so it's worth it. Do you want to trade?"

She couldn't think of a way to move Magistrate Ling's treasure until she rescued Mingzhe from the village, at which point her treasure-hunting plan gradually took shape.

This place is well-hidden and difficult to find, which can buy us time.

A robbery scene is perfectly reasonable.

A gang of bandits, notorious thieves, committed arson, murder, robbery, and all sorts of evil deeds, breaking into homes to kill, stealing treasures, and escaping.

There is also an ancient restriction that can rival the Nine-Bend Killing Formation.

Simply perfect.

Wang Xiyue's lips curled up, a hint of pleasure in her expression. She knew he was interested, but he was still trying to play hard to get.

Li Xiong quickly weighed the pros and cons in his mind.

Wang Xiyue's gaze fell upon the silent chieftain opposite her, whose brows were furrowed. She exuded an imposing aura and spoke with a hint of sarcasm, "Have you thought it through? My time is running out."

"Although I have brought few men, you should know how strong they are."

"If you can persuade the villagers to move voluntarily, I would be happy to cooperate with you."

"If you're unwilling, then I'll have to have my people do it themselves, and any damage that happens will be beyond my control."

You really need to think this through.

Li Xiong had unconsciously straightened up, knowing that the girl in front of him, who was about ten years younger than him, would definitely keep her word.

She has the ability.

If he had previously looked down on her age and appearance, he has now completely changed his mind.

This is not an innocent, naive, and adorable silly girl at all; she is clearly a cunning, treacherous, and unscrupulous tigress.

Seeing her casual mannerisms, he knew she wasn't a conventional girl and wouldn't care about outside opinions.

She must be a maverick, completely adopting a "those who obey me prosper, those who oppose me perish" attitude.

If he doesn't cooperate properly, she won't kill innocent people indiscriminately, but she will definitely make them suffer, just like yesterday. She won't let them die, but she will make them live in fear, which is more devastating than death.

When the other party can completely overwhelm you, everything you do is in vain.

Li Xiong knew he had no choice. He was going to die in the jaws of wild beasts sooner or later anyway, so he might as well take a gamble and live a little longer and a little better. "Okay, I promise you."

Wang Xiyue was very pleased to hear this, and a genuine smile appeared on her face. "Very good, the chieftain is still very wise and powerful."

"I hope we can cooperate happily."

This is not an exaggeration; she genuinely admires this person.

He's quite capable to protect a group of "old, weak, sick, and disabled" people in these deep, wild, and unreliable forests where there's no stable income.

The fact that he became the chieftain at a young age indirectly shows that he must be strong enough to gain people's trust. The fact that he could think of attracting people from outside the city shows that he is resourceful and not rigid.

Now, facing such a powerful force, he did not resist blindly. Instead, he retreated strategically to advance, doing his best to protect everyone. This proves that he is tactful, decisive, and has great courage.

She would take such a person into her own ranks if possible.

Talent is hard to find anywhere!

Such an opportunity is rare and precious; how could she let it slip by now that she had it!

Standing by the door, Dongfang Yu's eyes gleamed. If Xiyue at the Wang Family Ancestral Hall last time was cold and ruthless, then...

Today, she is cunning and adorable. He had seen her aloofness, composure, shyness, and gentleness before, and now he has witnessed a new side of her.

I wonder how many more facets she has waiting for him to discover. It's wonderful that such a multifaceted person is his!

Wang Xiyue looked at Li Xiong and continued, "Since we are already partners, I won't hide it from you. I obtained a villa called 'Shantang' through the prefect."

“That is a shelter specifically for beggars. Everyone who goes in will receive a new household registration issued by the government, and the prefect will provide you with basic necessities such as food, clothing, and shelter. There are also some fields in the back mountains that you can cultivate.”

“You can live there indefinitely, but the living conditions won’t be very good; you’ll just be able to avoid starvation and cold.”

"Of course, if you work hard to earn money through other jobs, your life will definitely improve, and you'll be able to drink and eat meat every day without any problem."

Li Xiong smiled bitterly; he also longed for that kind of life.

Although he was the chieftain, habits are not something he could change overnight, and not everyone likes the outside world, nor is everyone so receptive to new ideas.

Many elderly people in the village are not used to living outside; to put it bluntly, they are stubborn old folks, and getting them to move is harder than hunting.

However, no matter how difficult it is, we have to leave. Just like Ms. Wang said, we can stay here and wait to die, or we can knock them out and drag them away.

"I'll give you one day to persuade the villagers to cooperate. Starting tomorrow, the people I'll leave behind will help you enter the city in batches."

"By the way, what's your surname?"

Faced with this abrupt and unrelated question, Li Xiong's mind hadn't even processed it before his mouth reflexively replied, "My name is Li Xiong, I'm twenty-eight years old, I live in the mountains, I'm a hunter by trade, my family..."

It's not like it's a blind date, why did you introduce yourself? It's just... extremely embarrassing.

Seeing Li Xiong's face turn bright red with embarrassment, Wang Xiyue chuckled, a rare occurrence for her. "Very good!"

"Then it's settled, Brother Li, goodbye!"

Li Xiong was stunned when he saw the smiling girl across from him. While he was still in a daze, the girl got up and left the house, waved her right hand behind her back, and then left gracefully.

Wang Xiyue was also surprised to find that the man who looked so robust and mature was actually not old at all.

It's all because he's so reluctant to shave his beard that she was mistaken, thinking he must be nearing forty.

Dongfang Yu, who was the last to leave the house, glared fiercely at Li Xiong before leaving.

This person actually managed to make Xiyue laugh so happily; it's simply unbearable.

Xiyue could only laugh at herself; he wouldn't allow her to laugh at other men.

He can't control Xiyue, but he can make the people on the other side suffer the consequences.

Judging from his stubble-covered face, Dongfang Yu thought this chieftain was at least in his thirties or forties, but it turned out he wasn't much older than him in real life.

That could become a stumbling block for him to marry Xiyue, and he should get rid of it as soon as possible to be safe.

When Li Xiong met Dongfang Yu's cold and indifferent gaze, he instantly sobered up, and the smiling face that had been lingering in his mind vanished immediately.

He felt a chill run down his spine; it felt just like the hunter and the prey.

He became the prey, and the other party was the hunter.