"Little girl, take a look at my little brother here—your fiance. Look at this physique, this capability. He's simply a dragon among men!" Shang Yilin praised with exaggerated flair, looking for all the world like an overenthusiastic matchmaker.
Listening to this, Zhang Ming felt a complicated mix of emotions, as if he were being pedited like some kind of merchandise.
"Sister Shang, please don't say things like that." Zhang Ming was dying of embarrassment.
"Little brother, don't be foolish. The wife your older sister picked out for you is a great beauty from the Imperial City. Not only is she gorgeous, but her family is also loaded. You don't have to lift a finger—just sit back and enjoy the good life," Shang Yilin continued to lobby him.
She had pried the secret of the engagement out of Zhang Ming's older sister, which was why she had come early to keep an eye on this beauty. Otherwise, if someone else snatched her away, Zhang Ming wouldn't even have a place to cry.
"I..." Zhang Ming wanted to refuse, to say, "Thank you, but I really don't need this."
He always felt that his life shouldn't depend on others, and this time it was completely unnecessary.
"Oh, Sister Shang, please stop talking." Wei Xiaoyu was so shy she wanted to find a hole to crawl into.
"Alright, alright, I won't say anymore. You two can figure things out for yourselves. Right now, we need to get out of here fast and find a safe place," Shang Yilin said, abruptly changing the subject.
"Although taking down that monkey wasn't difficult, the forces behind him are not to be trifled with," Shang Yilin said, looking at the fallen Marquis of the Northwest with a solemn face.
"The forces behind him? Sister Shang, you mean..." Zhang Ming knitted his brows. Matters were clearly more complicated than he had imagined.
"It's nothing major. Just a more stubborn old wolf, that's all," Shang Yilin said casually.
"That old wolf is likely to be a super-sized trouble," Wei Xiaoyu said, full of anxiety.
Zhang Ming pressed further, "Sister Shang, please tell me, who on earth is that old wolf?"
"Don't ask so much for now. It's all minor stuff, we'll talk about it later. Come, come, Sister Shang will take you to wash up. Look at you, covered in blood and all dirty. Don't let your bride find you repulsive."
Without waiting for a reply, Shang Yilin grabbed Zhang Ming and pulled him along, shouting back at Wei Xiaoyu, "Sister-in-law, keep up!"
"Sister Shang..."
Before Zhang Ming could react, he was dragged out of the Zhang Family old residence by Shang Yilin and led straight to a luxury sedan.
As soon as Wei Xiaoyu also got into the car, it sped away like an arrow released from a bow.
Finally, the car stopped in front of a manor.
"Off we go, get inside. From now on, this is your new nest, specially prepared for you by Sister Shang." As she spoke, Shang Yilin pushed Zhang Ming into the bathroom and turned back to tell Wei Xiaoyu, "Sister-in-law, find yourself a seat wherever you like."
Before she even finished speaking, Shang Yilin's hand had already deftly reached for the collar of Zhang Ming's shirt. This sudden move startled Zhang Ming so much that he jumped.
"Hey, wait! Sister Shang, what are you doing?" Zhang Ming asked, his voice strained with tension.
"What's your mind wandering to? Little brat, do you really think your sister would take advantage of you?" Shang Yilin laughed and patted him lightly, a blush creeping up her cheeks as she realized she had gone a bit too far.
"Look at how scared you are! You're covered in blood, go take a shower and change into some clean clothes," she explained.
"No, no, Sister Shang, my mind wasn't wandering! I can manage by myself." Zhang Ming's face turned red down to the roots of his ears.
"Still acting so formal with your sister? I've traveled all over the world, what haven't I seen? What are you being so shy about?" Shang Yilin teased. Though her own face was as red as an apple, she clearly had no intention of stopping there.
"Come, come, let sister have a look. What on earth do you have to be so shy about?" Hearing this, Zhang Ming was so frightened that he grabbed frantically at his clothes, holding on for dear life.
"Sister Shang, stop it, there are people outside! I really can handle this myself, you go out first." With that, Zhang Ming pushed the mischievous Sister Shang out the door, slammed it shut with a bang, and let out a long sigh of relief.
"That was close, I was scared to death. Sister was right—when women go crazy, men just have to step aside." Leaning against the door, Zhang Ming patted his chest, inwardly grateful that he had barely managed to preserve his innocence.
Outside the door, Shang Yilin heard Zhang Ming's muttered complaints and couldn't help giggling. "Little guy, still putting up a front. One day I'll make your heart race."
Inside the bathroom, Zhang Ming finally peeled off his blood-stained clothes. Taking a look at himself, he couldn't help but reproach himself for losing his composure.
To be honest, for over twenty years he had barely interacted with women, let alone someone as sultry and captivating as Sister Shang—she was practically a charming little vixen.
Soaking in the spacious bathtub with a tranquil mind, Zhang Ming began to practice his inner martial arts.
He had fought several tough battles today, and his body was indeed rather tired. This was the perfect opportunity to recover.
As his inner energy circulated, the faint shadow of a golden flood dragon materialized behind him, looking thoroughly mysterious.
After completing a full cycle, Zhang Ming felt refreshed and filled with vitality. He got up, dried himself, and put on the clothes Shang Yilin had thoughtfully prepared. They fit him like a glove.
When he stepped out of the bathroom, Sister Shang and two other sisters had already prepared dinner and were waiting for him.
After a brief chat, everyone dug in.
Zhang Ming wanted to ask who the old wolf behind the Marquis of the Northwest was, but Shang Yilin cut him off with a word, urging him to finish eating quickly, get some rest, and discuss it once they reached Wancheng. Zhang Ming had no choice but to swallow his words.
The night passed peacefully without incident.
Early the next morning, Shang Yilin woke Zhang Ming up early and suggested they go buy some protective gear.
Zhang Ming understood that Sister Shang's worries must have hidden reasons behind them, and the old wolf backing the Marquis of the Northwest was definitely no simple character. But since Sister Shang had said they would talk about it later, he decided to be patient and stopped asking questions.
No matter who that old wolf was, as long as it dared to show up, Zhang Ming wouldn't mind turning it into a dead eagle.
Although he wasn't clear on just how strong he currently was, he remembered his older sister telling him before he came down the mountain that he was already invincible.
Meanwhile, Wei Xiaoyu and Li Xinglan were still fast asleep. The previous night, Wei Xiaoyu had mentioned wanting to stay in Wancheng for a while longer, until Zhang Ming cured the damage to her heart channels.
This gave Zhang Ming the lingering feeling of having a tag-along on his hands. His emotions were complicated, much like the aftereffects of a "hero saving a damsel in distress."
At the same time, the news of the Marquis of the Northwest being killed spread like wildfire across the Northwest, causing a massive uproar.
Inside the Jiang Family manor, Elder Jiang—Jiang Huonian—turned as pale as a sheet, knowing full well that he couldn't distance himself from this incident.
He had originally hoped to use the Marquis of the Northwest's hands to eliminate Zhang Ming and get his revenge, but never had he expected that General Li, who had ruled the Northwest for many years, would actually be killed.
With the Marquis of the Northwest dead, his subordinates would undoubtedly hunt down the killer. If the trail led back to him, he would be doomed.
"What do we do? What on earth are we supposed to do? Who on earth is that woman who killed the Marquis of the Northwest?" Elder Jiang's voice was filled with terror and unease.
"Dad, I've managed to find out. Zhang Ming's older sister is called Shang Yilin," Jiang Xilin told Elder Jiang.
"Hurry up and investigate everything about this woman! I want to have a full grip on her background!" Elder Jiang roared.
He had to figure out a response quickly, or else when the Marquis of the Northwest's supporters came looking, the Jiang Family would be finished.
"Dad, I've tried with all my might, but I still can't find any information about her. But one thing is certain—this woman is extraordinary. The rise of the Wei Family in the Imperial City is entirely thanks to her," Jiang Xilin reported anxiously.