Chapter 29: Self-Destruction

After another cup of tea’s time, Tianzhu and Huanxue still dominated the two palace maids, finally knocking them to the ground, unable to rise again.

Their bodies were bruised and purple all over, blood trickling from the corners of their eyes and mouths.

It was clear that Tianzhu and Huanxue had used foul means, showing no mercy, beating them as if to kill.

At this moment, Princess Huai’an, hiding in the woods, finally sensed that something was terribly wrong.

She quietly moved in the opposite direction of Lin Pianran, attempting to escape.

Lin Pianran approached the two palace maids, stepping on one’s foot and pressing down hard, grinding back and forth. “Where is Princess Huai’an? She must have come too, right? If you confess honestly, maybe you’ll suffer less.”

The maid was so terrified she was nearly out of her mind, stammering, refusing to answer. “I don’t know. How could we possibly know the princess’s whereabouts...”

Lin Pianran increased the pressure with her foot. The maid immediately let out a scream like a slaughtered pig. “Ah... ah... it hurts... it hurts so much... please, spare me...”

But Lin Pianran showed no emotion and refused to let up.

She switched to the other foot, pressing down with equal force, showing no softness at all.

Because she understood that showing mercy to the enemy was the greatest betrayal of herself.

If she wanted to survive properly, she had to abandon such ridiculous softness.

She had to forge her heart into something as impenetrable as a bronze wall and iron fortress.

Not leaving a single crack, so that her enemies could not harm her in the slightest.

Unexpectedly, despite her ruthless methods, the maid whose foot was being crushed into bloody pulp refused to confess. But the other maid, terrified to the point of turning pale, trembled all over and spoke each word carefully, “The princess… she’s hiding alone in the woods to the left, not far from here.”

“She… she chose that spot just to witness your miserable end… she wanted to see your downfall with her own eyes…”

A cold smile appeared on Lin Pianran’s face.

Just as she had suspected, Princess Huai’an would definitely come in person, insisting on seeing Lin Pianran’s fate with her own eyes before she could be satisfied.

Now, she was surely trying to escape.

But it was already too late.

There was no such thing as an easy escape.

Lin Pianran ordered Huanxue and Tianzhu, “Deal with these bastards, then carry them to that direction where there’s a steep drop. Throw the bodies down there. Soon enough, wild beasts will have devoured them completely. No trace will ever be found on us.”

Huanxue and Tianzhu heard this and immediately set to work without hesitation, executing the task thoroughly.

---

The few men in black were unconscious, unaware of anything.

The two palace maids, hearing Lin Pianran’s ruthless words, shook their heads like rattles and kept kowtowing, begging, “Please… please spare our lives! We… we will forever remember your kindness.”

“In the next life… even if we become beasts of burden, we will repay your grace…”

Lin Pianran’s cold words struck deep, “I only care about this life. The next life is too far away.”

“If you dare to do evil, you must bear the consequences. This is what you deserve.”

Then, looking at the two maids, she commanded, “Get to work! Clean everything up thoroughly! Don’t leave a trace.”

“I’m going after Princess Huai’an now. I won’t let her escape!”

“When you finish here, wait for me. I will come back for you.”

With that, she dashed toward the camp.

She believed that if Princess Huai’an was fleeing, she would head in this direction.

Lin Pianran moved at her fastest pace.

Soon, she spotted a staggering girl ahead.

Dressed in fine clothes, the girl limped as she ran.

Her right foot was likely sprained, slowing her down.

This pampered princess now looked like a lost dog, staggering and utterly disheveled.

Hearing footsteps behind her, she panicked and turned her head.

Upon seeing Lin Pianran’s radiant yet arrogant face, her expression turned pale with terror and helplessness.

Feigning confidence, she lifted her chin and stared fiercely. “Lin Pianran, I didn’t expect you to hide so deeply!”

“I thought you were a feeble weakling. Those men in black would have handled you easily!”

“But to my surprise, you took them down so quickly. I really underestimated you!”

Lin Pianran casually twirled the stick in her hand and asked without care, “Now that the princess has seen my true face, why don’t you think carefully about what fate awaits you today?”

Princess Huai’an’s face tightened, gathering her last ounce of courage, refusing to lower her head in defeat.

---

Lin Pianran let out a light sneer.

The sneer sounded like mockery, ringing cruelly in Princess Huai’an’s ears.

Accustomed to being high and mighty, a favored princess used to deciding others’ fates,

Now her own life was in the hands of someone she despised.

Her heart burned with anger, desperate to kill the other.

But she could not.

It was as if someone had strangled her throat, leaving her gasping for air, on the verge of vanishing without a trace.

Panic began to rise within her.

She couldn’t help but lower her voice, soften her tone, and plead humbly, “This time, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have used tricks against you.”

“Now that all my men are about to be captured by you, do as you will with them. I will pretend I don’t know, and I won’t interfere.”

“Let’s just forget today ever happened.”

“Let me go, and I won’t trouble you again!”

“How about that?”

Lin Pianran shook her head gently, retorting, “Release a tiger back into the wild? And keep a high-ranking enemy at your back, a persistent threat?”

“Live in constant fear, always guarding against you losing your mind someday and seizing a chance to beat me down?”

“Do you think I’m such a fool?”

Seeing Lin Pianran utterly unmoved, Princess Huai’an collapsed onto the ground, panting, “I am a noble princess, daughter of the ruler of the realm. How dare you seek revenge on me?”

“Besides, you and your maids haven’t been seriously harmed. Why be so petty?”

“Let’s just lightly brush this off and never speak of it again!”

“Besides, I’ll give you five thousand taels of silver as compensation.”

“Isn’t that enough?”