Emily Harris was no novice to the ways of the world; how could she so easily trust a stranger to let him go back and deliver a message? With swift movements, she tied up William Carter, but this time she didn’t hang him up—instead, she tossed him onto the bed and gagged him.

He was tied up tight, lying on the bed unable to move. He wanted to chat with Emily Harris for a bit, but couldn’t utter a word, and could only look on helplessly.

Emily Harris sat on a small stool, studying the map. Her profile was quite beautiful, though that sword of hers was a bit intimidating. When the city lights began to glow, she picked up her spear and sword and climbed over the courtyard wall to leave.

That night, flames blazed high within the Dian Kui Division.

Someone charged into the Dian Kui Division alone. The Black Feather Guards on duty all rushed out, crossbow bolts flying like locusts, but the intruder still forced their way into the main hall. The maid Lucy Frost fought to the death, refusing to yield even an inch, barely managing to hold off the attacker.

Rouge Tiger Emily Harris!

The most notorious bandit under the Prince of Shu.

At fourteen, she rode alone out of the Shu Path, undefeated across the martial world of the north and south, later joining the righteous army to vie for the world, with followers as numerous as the fish in the river.

Among the court’s wanted posters for traitors, the Rouge Tiger’s head was worth a hundred thousand taels of silver, and anyone who brought it in would be granted a title.

That night, the emperor in the palace hurled his teacup to the ground and shouted in a thunderous voice:

“A rebel, charging alone into the Dian Kui Division—if she comes for the imperial city, will she fight her way into my bedchamber? Where is William Carter? I feed you three thousand useless eaters, and when I need you, where are you all?”

The aged eunuch prostrated himself on the ground, seething with rage inside.

That same night, the three locust trees at the entrance to Shiquan Alley swayed in the wind.

Master Carter, called out by the emperor, was currently tied up on a bed, struggling with all his might.

To be fair, this young lady’s skill at tying people up was first-rate—she’d bound him in a tortoiseshell pattern. After working at it for half an hour, he finally managed to free his wrists.

At long last, William Carter flipped himself up nimbly, planning to hide out at the marquis’s residence for a couple of months.

But as he reached the door, William Carter felt a surge of anger. Losing his jade was one thing, but she’d also hit him twice with a club.

In all his lives, past and present, this was the first time William Carter had suffered such a loss.

After a moment’s thought, he grabbed the door bolt and quietly hid behind the door, waiting in silence.

Vengeance must be repaid. He had to knock this woman out and tie her up, let her taste what it was like to be hung up.

===Chapter Four: The Emperor at Night===

William Carter stood behind the door, holding the door bolt, waiting from dusk until the city was silent, and then until dawn broke in the east.

Cluck, cluck...

The sound of a rooster crowing.

He snapped awake, gripping the door bolt and standing ready, waiting for someone to appear.

A faint scent of blood drifted in.

This body was very sensitive to the smell of blood. William Carter sniffed and sensed something was wrong, so he gave up his ambush and followed the scent.

The abandoned three-courtyard residence was overgrown with weeds, with fallen leaves scattered on the ground.

He followed the scent to the back of the house and saw, from a distance, a blood-red figure lying beneath the courtyard wall.

Two crossbow bolts were stuck in her back, her body covered in wounds. Who knew how long she’d been lying there, blood pooling for yards around.

He rushed over, crouched down to check.

Her face was smeared with blood, but from her figure, he could tell it was Emily Harris, the one who had tied him up.

At this moment, Emily Harris looked as if she’d just come off the battlefield, not a single uninjured spot on her.

William Carter was born in modern times, not some tyrant of the capital—he wasn’t about to take someone’s life just because he’d been clubbed.

He quickly picked up the blood-soaked woman and ran back inside.

He wasn’t a doctor, but he knew some basic first aid and how to stop bleeding.

With no medicine or bandages, he ran out to the street outside Shiquan Alley, searching for a long time before finding a medical clinic. He knocked on the door, flashed his Dian Kui Division badge, and got some medicine and white cloth, along with some dry biscuits and smoked meat.

With the Dian Kui Division handling business, the clinic dared not ask questions and gave him whatever he wanted.

Back at the small courtyard, he drew a basin of clean water from the well, cut open the back of the woman’s red dress—no time to admire her skin—and carefully wiped the blood from around the crossbow wounds.

“Ugh...”

As he pulled out the crossbow bolts, the woman on the bed let out a muffled groan, her fingers instinctively grabbing his thigh, nearly twisting off a chunk of flesh.

He grimaced in pain but could only grit his teeth and bear it. He quickly pressed the wound with the medicated white cloth, hoping the bolts weren’t poisoned and the wound wouldn’t get infected, or she’d surely die.

Blood soaked through the white cloth, instantly staining her pale back red.

In just a short while, he was drenched in sweat, finally understanding how strong a nurse’s nerves had to be.

After removing the two crossbow bolts, Emily Harris was deathly pale, unresponsive, her breathing barely perceptible.

At this point, all he could do was leave it to fate.

He was covered in blood, his face smeared with sweat and bloodstains.

He ate a few bites of dry biscuit with just water, left the rest on the table, and by then, dawn had broken.

He covered Emily Harris with a quilt, then left the courtyard and dashed toward the Dian Kui Division.

He was going to be late for work!

As the morning sun rose, a red sun hung over the palace city.

Inside the Dian Kui Division office on Yonglu Street, all the Black Feather Guards had scattered into the city to search for the rebel.

William Carter had been missing all night, and several chief clerks in the division were in a panic, constantly seeking instructions from Lucy Frost behind the screen.

The room was filled with the smell of medicine.

The maid Lucy Frost sat behind the screen, loosening her left collar to reveal her arm and shoulder, while the medical woman carefully wiped the wound beneath her collarbone.

A while later, a minor official outside shouted, “The commander has returned!”