Chapter 119: The One Who Died and Was Reborn

Jiang Jiang Mingyu's gaze eagerly turned toward Liu Liu Yifei, who had just been rescued, his heart filled with concern and worry.

The moment Tu Tu Kesiluo struck, he felt his heart leap into his throat, fearing any mishap might befall Liu Liu Yifei.

Fortunately, Tu Tu Kesiluo acted decisively and finally brought Liu Liu Yifei back safely.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu secretly breathed a sigh of relief, yet recalling the scene just now, he still felt a lingering fear.

To save her, he had to stake everything; if Tu Tu Kesiluo had been even slightly careless, Liu Liu Yifei would have been the victim.

But fortunately, in the end, everything proceeded as planned; those few men were all eliminated, and Liu Liu Yifei remained unharmed.

Meanwhile, Che Che Hongda's expression grew increasingly grim.

He could not fathom how Jiang Jiang Mingyu had found this place so quickly. Did he know he intended to kidnap Liu Liu Yifei to the provincial capital? That was impossible; he had covered his tracks perfectly, and with the heavy snow obscuring all traces, how could Jiang Jiang Mingyu have detected such clues so swiftly?

Seeing Che Che Hongda's confusion, Jiang Jiang Mingyu smiled faintly and explained: "Although you changed carriages and horses, you did not change the villages and inns you passed along the way. As long as I follow your route and make inquiries, I can obtain the clues you left behind."

"Moreover, you were far too careless!"

As he spoke, he pulled several pieces of women's jewelry from his robe: "Do you see?"

He held the jewelry high, where it shimmered with a crystalline glow under the sunlight.

"Miss Liu used these to leave a mark for me; that is how I traced my way here."

"Although many others have already been buried by the heavy snow, these few are sufficient."

His words carried a tone of confidence and composure, and his eyes sparkled with wisdom and alertness.

Looking at Che Che Hongda, he said coldly: "Do you understand now? Your plan was doomed to fail from the very beginning. You are still far from capable of dealing with me."

Che Che Hongda's face grew even stiffer, as if frozen in the biting wind.

He stared at Jiang Jiang Mingyu in shock, his heart churning with emotions he could not calm.

The information Jiang Jiang Mingyu revealed stirred a storm in his mind; he had questioned himself to be extremely cautious, yet he was still exposed by the other.

In this moment, he felt as though he stood on the edge of an endless abyss, ready to be swallowed at any instant.

Che Che Hongda shook his head slightly, his voice heavy with pain: "I never expected, truly never expected. I, Che Ting, should fall to the hands of a young girl. It is fate and destiny; what more is there to say?"

His tone carried deep helplessness and desolation, like that of a former strongman who had now become a pawn in the game.

In truth, this so-called Che Che Hongda was merely an alias he had used that day to kill Jiang Jiang Mingyu.

When Tu Tu Kesiluo heard this name, he was clearly stunned, yet he said nothing.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu's expression gradually calmed; he stared fixedly at Che Che Hongda, as if seeking some answer within the other's eyes.

The corner of his mouth curled slightly into a cold sneer: "Whether you are Che Che Hongda or Che Ting, you now know what you must know."

His voice revealed a trace of ruthless resolve; he no longer harbored the slightest hesitation.

Then, his words pierced Che Che Hongda's ears like a sharp sword: "Take these satisfying answers and depart on your journey. If you do not kneel and accept death now, when else will you?"

As he spoke the final few words, his voice suddenly rose, echoing through heaven and earth like a thunderclap.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu's voice reverberated through the cold valley, as if reminding Che Che Hongda that he had no path to retreat and could only face his inevitable end.

Che Ting bent down and picked up the long blade from the ground.

He knew he had no retreat left; he could only fight to the death.

"If you think you can kill me so easily, you are dreaming."

He held the long blade across his chest, adopting a posture of fighting to the death.

A hint of madness and provocation flashed in his eyes.

Zhang Zhang Jiani had been waiting for this very moment.

She had hated Che Ting to the bone, for he was one of the chief culprits who had harmed Liu Liu Yifei.

She had long wished to kill him with her own hands to avenge Liu Liu Yifei.

"Very well, then let this young lady send you to the netherworld and avenge Liu Yifei."

Before she finished speaking, her short sword, brimming with boundless fiery energy, flashed out of its sheath with a swish.

Holding the short sword, she charged at Che Ting like a red lightning bolt.

Che Ting, knowing death was certain, felt no fear whatsoever and immediately swung his long blade to meet her.

He intended to die together with Zhang Zhang Jiani, dragging her down to hell with him.

Facts had proven time and again that Zhang Zhang Jiani's martial skills were no mere boast.

Her short sword was incredibly agile; every strike found a flaw in Che Ting's defense.

In less than two exchanges of direct collision, Che Ting was kicked violently away by Zhang Zhang Jiani.

A bloody gash was slashed open across his chest, and blood gushed forth.

Seeing Zhang Zhang Jiani prepare to deliver a throat-severing strike to end Che Ting's life, Tu Tu Kesiluo immediately shouted: "Stop!" At the same time, he leaped several zhang from his horseback and blocked Zhang Zhang Jiani's blade with his own long sword.

His movements were swift and precise, leaving Zhang Zhang Jiani no opportunity to react.

Zhang Zhang Jiani's fiery temper erupted: "You lecher, what are you doing?"

She glared at Tu Tu Kesiluo, unable to understand why he would stop her from killing Che Ting.

She felt this was a grudge between herself, Liu Liu Yifei, and him, having nothing to do with the other.

Tu Tu Kesiluo's tone was somewhat urgent: "Leave him alive; he is useful."

Looking into Zhang Zhang Jiani's eyes, he said earnestly: "After we resolve the matters ahead, killing him to avenge Miss Liu will not be too late."

He did not tell Zhang Zhang Jiani his true purpose, merely hinting that more important matters needed to be handled.

He looked up at Jiang Jiang Mingyu, hoping the latter would understand and support his decision.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu knew Tu Tu Kesiluo would not joke about such a major matter.

He also felt Che Ting still held some value for use; it was better to keep him temporarily.

"Miss Zhang, it is better to spare his life for now," he said, gesturing toward Zhang Zhang Jiani.

He hoped Zhang Zhang Jiani would heed his advice and not cause further trouble.

Even Liu Liu Yifei spoke up: "Yes, Zhang Jiani, Tu Tu Kesiluo must have his reasons."

Although she hated Che Ting to the bone, she trusted Tu Tu Kesiluo and Jiang Jiang Mingyu even more.

She believed they would not let Che Ting escape justice.

Only then did Zhang Zhang Jiani angrily sheath her sword: "Sooner or later, I will personally take your dog's life."

She issued a final warning to Che Ting. She would not let anyone who had harmed Liu Liu Yifei go unpunished.

Seeing this, Jiang Jiang Mingyu waved to the cavalry around him: "Seize him, take him back to Shangmu and imprison him, guard him strictly."

He gave the order. He wanted Che Ting to know what it meant to wish for death but live.

After Che Ting was taken away, Zhang Zhang Jiani's anger seemed not yet fully subsided; she stared at Tu Tu Kesiluo and questioned him with agitation: "Scoundrel, what exactly do you mean?" Her voice carried a hint of impatience; regarding Tu Tu Kesiluo's behavior, she had always felt puzzled.

Tu Tu Kesiluo set off on the return journey, yet a relaxed smile played on the corners of his mouth, as if quite satisfied with this special title. His demeanor was somewhat cheeky, making no attempt to conceal his ease and cheerfulness.

He looked into Zhang Zhang Jiani's eyes, his tone calm and firm: "You may not know, but this Che Ting has been a dead man for a long time."

"A dead man?" Jiang Jiang Mingyu was stunned, repeating it in disbelief, as if unable to accept this bizarre claim. In his impression, Che Ting had always been a lively figure; how could he possibly be a dead man?

Tu Tu Kesiluo covered his mouth and coughed once, as if gathering his thoughts, then continued: "About three or five years ago, a notorious assassin once appeared in the prefectural city."

After Che Ting was taken away, Zhang Zhang Jiani's anger seemed not yet fully subsided; she stared at Tu Tu Kesiluo and questioned him with agitation: "Scoundrel, what exactly do you mean?" Her voice carried a hint of impatience; regarding Tu Tu Kesiluo's behavior, she had always felt puzzled.

Tu Tu Kesiluo set off on the return journey, yet a relaxed smile played on the corners of his mouth, as if quite satisfied with this special title. His demeanor was somewhat cheeky, making no attempt to conceal his ease and cheerfulness.

He looked into Zhang Zhang Jiani's eyes, his tone calm and firm: "You may not know, but this Che Ting has been a dead man for a long time."

"A dead man?" Jiang Jiang Mingyu was stunned, repeating it in disbelief, as if unable to accept this bizarre claim. In his impression, Che Ting had always been a lively figure; how could he possibly be a dead man?

Tu Tu Kesiluo covered his mouth and coughed once, as if gathering his thoughts, then continued: "About three or five years ago, a notorious assassin once appeared in the prefectural city."

His tone carried a hint of mockery, as if leading everyone into a gripping story: "This man acted ruthlessly, his crimes were numerous; the common people turned pale at the mere mention of his name, and even infants would cry night after night because of him. His name was Che Ting."

The crowd listened with great interest, all captivated by Tu Tu Kesiluo's narration.

"Later, the Inspector issued an order, and with the vigorous pursuit by Regional Military Commissioner Tu Tu Kesiluo, great effort was expended before he was finally captured and brought to justice," Tu Tu Kesiluo continued, his words revealing his interest in the story.

He continued speaking: "And the one responsible for overseeing Che Ting's execution at that time was none other than the former Chief Clerk of Regional Military Commissioner Tu Tu Kesiluo, Huang Huang Chaoran."

Zhang Zhang Jiani could not help but interject: "Are you saying that Che Ting was not actually beheaded at that time?"

Tu Tu Kesiluo countered: "If he had truly been killed then, who was the one you nearly killed just now?"

"If it were merely a case of shared names, then the fact that both individuals are connected to Huang Huang Chaoran seems far too coincidental, does it not?" Tu Tu Kesiluo seemed to be hinting at something.

He spoke with careful deliberation: "In my view, it must be that Huang Huang Chaoran believed this Che Ting was still useful at the time, so he swapped the corpse and saved him."

Zhang Zhang Jiani still felt somewhat confused after hearing this; she asked in puzzlement: "But what good does saying all this do?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu took up the thread, gradually clarifying Tu Tu Kesiluo's intention: "Tu Tu Kesiluo's meaning is naturally to cut off Huang Huang Chaoran's future troubles, to avenge Miss Liu, and to eliminate this threat forever."

"Just think, once the Inspector personally sees this man who should have been dead long ago still alive, what kind of reaction will it provoke?" Jiang Jiang Mingyu plotted in a low voice, his brows slightly furrowed. He gazed ahead, the possible scene constantly surfacing in his mind.

"And under his fury, the one who will be the first to pursue this matter will inevitably be Huang Huang Chaoran." His voice carried a hint of cold sharpness, a streak of determination flashing in his eyes.

"Such an act of openly swapping a condemned prisoner is no trivial matter. Even if he is still the Chief Clerk here now, he will hardly escape being implicated and suffering severe punishment." His tone revealed his disdain and wariness toward Huang Huang Chaoran.

"Huang Huang Chaoran is far too sinister and cunning; if we do not eliminate him as soon as possible, I would even feel unable to sleep peacefully at night." His eyes narrowed slightly, a glint of coldness not to be underestimated flowing in his gaze.

A hint of worry flashed in Zhang Zhang Jiani's eyes; she asked softly: "But if this Che Ting refuses to admit it to the death, how should we respond?"

A cold smile curled Jiang Jiang Mingyu's lips: "Rest assured, I have a way; I will find a way to make him speak."

Two hours later, in Shangmu County town, the setting sun slanted westward, casting a warm yellow afterglow.

At the moment of parting, Jiang Jiang Mingyu turned to Liu Liu Yifei and said with a smile: "Miss Liu, the matter has been handled. You may return and rest well."

Liu Liu Yifei pressed her lips together and said with a smile: "Thank you, my lord, for saving me."

"We are already friends now; there is no need to address me as 'my lord.' Just like Zhang Zhang Jiani, you may call me Liu Yifei." Jiang Jiang Mingyu's tone carried intimacy.

This made Liu Liu Yifei secretly delighted; she said with a smile: "Very well, Liu Yifei."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu frowned with feigned hesitation: "Is that truly appropriate?"

However, his slightly lecherous expression exposed his true thoughts without any concealment.

Fortunately, Liu Liu Yifei did not notice this: "My lord need not worry too much; let it be settled thus."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu nodded: "Very well; it is better to yield than to insist. Liu Yifei, return and rest early."

Having said this, he turned his horse's head, preparing to leave.

However, Zhang Zhang Jiani, who had been silent until now, suddenly called out to him: "Dog official, wait."