Chapter 9: The Trap That Ruined Lin Chuxuan

Three noblewomen rushed enthusiastically toward Lu Xueyan, engaging her in warm conversation.

Lu Xueyan had practiced martial arts since childhood; her figure was exceptionally slender, and her facial features were actually quite exquisite. It was only her somewhat tanned skin that detracted from her beauty. Her personality was a bit boisterous, and her voice lacked the soft, gentle quality typical of other ladies; instead, it was loud, unrestrained, and unpretentious. Because of this, she had always been excluded from the inner circles of the noblewomen.

Yet now, this "crude woman," whom they usually looked down upon, had saved the lives of several people in a moment of crisis. A debt of life is greater than anything else, and from this day forward, Lu Xueyan was destined to become an honored guest among many of these noblewomen. Henceforth, she would secure a prominent place in their social circle.

Many of the noblewomen and young masters had been bitten or scratched by the wolves to varying degrees. Lin Pianran handed a large bottle of medicinal ointment to the Grand Princess. "Your Highness, this is excellent medicine for wounds."

"That is wonderful. I was worried that we wouldn't have enough. With these, we can treat many of the wounded in time." The Grand Princess was as happy as a young girl, simple and radiant.

Lin Pianran kept her bow and arrow aimed at the wolf pack below, shooting whenever she spotted an opportunity. Her arrows almost never missed; every time one flew, a wolf was sure to fall. Seeing that her arrows were about to run out, Xue Yunci placed a dozen more by her side, exclaiming in admiration, "Miss Lin, your archery is truly miraculous! You never miss a shot!"

"When I went down to save people just now, it was thanks to your protection, Miss Lin. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable. I shall keep your great kindness in my heart!" With that, he raised his own bow and began firing into the pack. Feng Pan and Lu Xueyan also joined in the effort.

Suddenly, the four of them fell into a subtle competition, seeing who could aim more accurately and take down more wolves. Surprisingly, Lu Xueyan’s archery was quite formidable, fully living up to her reputation as the "tigress of a martial family."

Without the burden of protecting the young masters and ladies, the guards below no longer held back. They fought the wolves with fierce concentration, their blades flashing as they struck down the beasts with ease. With the help of the four archers, the number of wolves dwindled rapidly.

Just as only a dozen or so wolves remained and began to show signs of retreating, a squad of the Imperial Guard finally arrived. There were about ten men in the unit, and Lin Chuxuan was among them.

Unfortunately for him, his chance at glory was gone. His dream of soaring through the ranks and achieving a meteoric rise in his official career was now impossible; Lin Pianran had intercepted it all. Although she could not fire an arrow directly at Lin Chuxuan in front of everyone to avenge her past life, she could still manipulate things from the shadows.

She focused her attention and, finding an opening, deliberately fired three empty shots to drive two wolves directly toward Lin Chuxuan. She then watched as he was forced into a life-or-death struggle against them. These two wolves had been slightly injured in the earlier fighting, and their stamina was nearly spent, making them less ferocious and sharp than before. However, wolves are inherently cunning and coordinate with terrifying synergy. They flanked him from front and back, left and right. Lin Chuxuan brandished his heavy blade, dodging and weaving while launching counterattacks. It was clear that his martial arts were indeed solid; while he struggled under the joint assault, he remained composed and did not appear to be losing the upper hand.

Lin Pianran’s eyes darted around as she hatched a wicked plan. She decided to fire a "black arrow" in secret. A moment later, she released an arrow that grazed Lin Chuxuan’s cheek before embedding itself in a nearby tree. That single shot was enough to distract him. In that split second of hesitation, one wolf lunged into the air, biting down hard onto his calf, while the other leaped behind him, sinking its teeth deep into his shoulder.

"Aaaah! Aaaah!"

A shrill, piercing scream erupted from Lin Chuxuan, deafening in its intensity. Everyone turned toward the sound, filled with worry and sympathy. But when Lin Pianran heard it, she felt a sense of sublime satisfaction. She had secretly taken her revenge and dealt Lin Chuxuan a devastating blow. It was immensely gratifying!

Lin Chuxuan had not only lost the credit for rescuing the Grand Princess, but he had also suffered grievous injuries. She was more than pleased with her careful arrangement.

Hearing Lin Chuxuan’s cries, Feng Pan fired an arrow in hopes of rescuing him from the wolf's jaws. An Imperial Guard soldier, seeing Lin Chuxuan’s wretched state, rushed over to join the fray. Through their combined efforts, they finally killed the two wolves and pulled Lin Chuxuan free.

He was severely wounded, covered in multiple bite marks. His clothes were soaked in blood, and he lay on the ground, limp and motionless, with only the shallow rising and falling of his chest indicating he was still alive. Two guards rushed over to staunch the bleeding and bandage his wounds. As they worked, they asked with concern, "Lin Chuxuan, how are you? The wolves are dead, and we will get you to a physician immediately."

Another guard asked with confusion, "Your skills have always been excellent. How could you be so badly wounded today? This is not your usual standard."

"Our entire squad of guards is unscathed, and you are one of the best among us. It’s a real pity you were hurt so badly!"

A soldier who had always disliked Lin Chuxuan muttered, "I suppose he grew arrogant and careless because of his high skill, and that's why this happened..."

Lin Chuxuan himself was utterly bewildered. He had been perfectly capable of handling those two wolves—how had he suddenly ended up covered in wounds? What exactly had happened? It felt like he had lived through a nightmare. Beyond the relief of having escaped death, he was filled with profound anxiety regarding his injuries. He knew they were severe, and he only prayed they would not affect his future life or career.

He was most terrified about his blood-stained right leg; it had been held in the wolf’s jaws for several agonizing seconds, and he thought he had heard the faint sound of bones cracking. Panic seized him. He feared the wound would never heal and that he would be crippled for life.

He begged the guards, "Take me to the imperial physician! Quickly! My leg is severely injured; it must be treated at once, or there will be lasting damage..."

The two guards lifted him, intending to carry him to find help. "Aaaah! Pain! It hurts!" The moment his injured foot touched the ground, even without putting any weight on it, he let out a howl like a slaughtered pig. He tilted sideways, nearly collapsing again. In the end, the guards had to take turns carrying him on their backs toward the camp.

Meanwhile, the other members of the Imperial Guard began to tally the losses of the operation. Several guards were heavily wounded, and four had lost their lives. One noble young master and one noblewoman were also seriously injured. They were all transported back to the camp for treatment.

Hearing this, Lin Pianran felt a deep sense of comfort. Compared to her past life, the number of deaths and injuries had been reduced by more than half. Her planning had not been in vain.