Chapter 54: The Headstrong Miss Hong Yuying

As the bandit leader raised his spear with a wicked grin, charging in for the kill, the tension hung thick in the air.

“I’ll send someone to collect your corpse,” Hong Yuying shouted, and without a trace of hesitation, scrambled onto her horse, whipping it desperately to flee, leaving Li Yi behind.

Hooves thundered across the earth.

Li Yi ignored the chaos, leaning forward slightly, his gaze locked onto the bandit’s spear.

At the moment the warhorse lunged toward him, he suddenly stepped back, pressed down with his right hand, and flicked upward with his left, knocking the spear out of the bandit’s grasp.

The bandit yanked his horse to a halt in astonishment, barely turning his head before a cold spearhead pierced his chest.

The air filled with the sharp scent of blood. With icy eyes, Li Yi gave a forceful twist of his arm, hurling the bandit’s corpse into the path of those behind, sending it crashing onto another pursuer.

The horses screamed. Li Yi mercilessly stabbed the fallen bandit, finishing him off.

The three remaining bandits behind drew up their horses, terror etched across their faces as they stared at Li Yi, who stood firm with his Tiger Fang spear.

The wind howled. Li Yi took hold of a warhorse, mounted with ease, and glared coolly at the three bandits.

One bandit shouted, “He’s alone! Let’s go together—kill him!”

Before the words left his lips, Li Yi spurred his horse, charging at them with relentless force.

Momentum is everything in battle.

The bandits panicked, their horses neighing wildly as chaos erupted.

The one who had spoken leveled his spear, eyes full of malice as he glared at Li Yi.

But in the next instant, Li Yi’s Tiger Fang spear pierced through the bandit's cloth-covered iron armor, plunging viciously into his chest.

His lungs were punctured, blood flooding his throat and blocking his breath. Like a fish stranded on land, the bandit gasped desperately, rolling on the ground, eyes wide until he suffocated.

No one cared about his death.

A second bandit’s head was half-shorn by Li Yi’s spear, and the last survivor wheeled his horse in terror, desperate to escape.

Li Yi pressed his knees to the horse’s flanks, drew his final short spear from his belt, and mercilessly drove it through the fleeing bandit’s back.

In the blink of an eye, Li Yi had slaughtered all the bandit cavalry who pursued him.

He tore a rag to wipe the blood from his Tiger Fang spear, stripped the armor from the corpses, gathered their weapons, rounded up the six scattered warhorses, and departed calmly.

He had barely traveled three miles when he saw the horse with a broken leg—and Hong Yuying lying nearby.

Hong Yuying lay on the ground, her face full of despair, convinced the bandits had caught up.

As she looked up and saw Li Yi, she was briefly stunned, then overjoyed.

“You’re alive?”

“Would you rather I were dead?” Li Yi shook his head helplessly, dismounted, and crouched beside her.

Hong Yuying stared at the horses in amazement. “Did you kill them all?”

Li Yi nodded.

“You’re so skilled, why didn’t you say so earlier? I broke my leg because of you,” she pouted irritably.

He had clearly told her to stay put for her own safety.

She didn’t trust him, fled in panic, and now blamed him?

Li Yi was too exasperated to argue with this stubborn, rude girl, and walked over to the horses.

“Stop right there! If you leave me behind, I’ll have my father kill you,” Hong Yuying shouted loudly.

No matter how she yelled, Li Yi made no reply.

Realizing the consequences of being abandoned in the wild—caught by bandits or vagrants—Hong Yuying finally felt fear.

Her eyes reddened as she pouted, pleading, “Hey, save me. I promise I’ll repay you—my father will make you a high official.”

Li Yi rummaged through the saddlebag, growing irritated at her noise.

“Hey, did you hear me?” Hong Yuying’s voice trembled with tears.

“Will you ever stop?” Li Yi turned, coldly saying, “Is this how you ask for help?”

Hong Yuying was about to retort angrily, but after considering the situation, she lowered her head.

“Please, don’t leave me,” she muttered, cheeks puffed in frustration.

Li Yi shook his head wordlessly, walked over, and produced a splint.

“You’re not going to leave me? You’re going to treat my leg?” Hong Yuying asked in surprise.

“What else? Did you really think I’d abandon a spoiled princess like you?” Li Yi grumbled, crouching beside her.

Tears welled in Hong Yuying’s eyes as she turned away, stubbornness written on her face.

Li Yi smiled, removed his thick felt hat, revealing his features.

Hong Yuying hadn’t expected her savior to be such a handsome youth; she stared at him in amazement.

Then, recalling her earlier rudeness, her cheeks flushed bright red with embarrassment.

After a long moment, she murmured, “I think I’ve seen you before.”

“Earlier today, outside your father’s study—you told me to move aside.”

Hong Yuying lowered her head shyly, sneaking a glance at Li Yi, and pouted, “Why didn’t you say so earlier?”

Li Yi was speechless.

He had no patience for this spoiled princess. He gently lifted her leg onto his knee and pressed the injured area.

“Does it hurt here?”

Looking at the handsome youth before her, feeling the warmth of his hand, Hong Yuying’s heart fluttered with a restless heat, desires stirring. She squeezed her legs together unconsciously.

When Li Yi pressed the fracture, she gasped in pain, exclaiming, “Not so hard! It hurts!”

Li Yi couldn’t help but glance at her.

Hong Yuying blushed deeper, both embarrassed and irritated.

“It seems the bone is cracked. We’ll fix it with a splint for now; we’ll see a doctor back in town.”

Li Yi didn’t say more, quickly bound her leg, then helped her onto the horse.

But with her shin fractured, she couldn’t step into the stirrups or stabilize herself.

She pouted helplessly, “Looks like I can’t ride.”

Li Yi laughed, mounted the horse, and wrapped his arms around the petite Hong Yuying, holding the reins—a gesture that kept her secure in his embrace.

Feeling the scent of a man enveloping her, Hong Yuying’s cheeks burned a deep red.

Li Yi paid her no mind, pressed his knees to the horse’s flanks, and slowly returned to the main road, heading toward Mizhi County.