Insanely Pampered Wife: Divine Doctor Fifth Young Miss Chapter 2318 - Side Story - Wu Xiao Dao Edition (8) Are You Stupid?
Previously on Insanely Pampered Wife: Divine Doctor Fifth Young Miss...
Wu Xiao Dao disliked strangers trailing behind her, so she turned away the guards from Prince Manor and headed out for a stroll.
The capital stretched vast and wide, and even after days of wandering, Wu Xiao Dao hadn't covered it all. Street stalls and jugglers captured her fancy the most, drawing her to plunge into crowds here, gaze there, and revel in the excitement.
Yet, she quickly sensed she was being stalked.
Initially, she chalked it up to her imagination—who would fixate on her? Still, with her spirit power sealed and diminished, her awareness hadn't vanished entirely. She speculated if Prince Manor's guards were shadowing her covertly, but dismissed the thought instantly.
Prince Manor's guards never triggered her danger sense, unlike these foes who radiated blatant killing intent.
A faint frown marred her face. Was someone scheming against her? She hadn't crossed anyone here, right?
Lacking spirit power now and without the internal energy these attackers cultivated, she had no clue about their power level and thus shunned rash encounters. Pondering briefly, she dashed into the nearby cloth shop.
Moments later, Wu Xiao Dao emerged from the back door in fresh clothes, shaking off her tail after several sharp turns. Pride flickered in her heart, but before traversing many streets, she got cornered in an alley.
The attackers wore black robes and masks, oozing a wicked aura.
These foes boasted considerable strength and formidable fighting skills.
Unsure how she'd provoked them, she stayed on high alert. They wasted no words, charging straight at her. Though stripped of spirit power, her battle instincts remained sharp, letting her fell several despite their might.
…
They never imagined she'd slay any sans martial arts, so fury drove them to swarm her. Wu Xiao Dao braced for being hacked apart, steeling for the end, but instead they flung powder her way, sending her crumpling as weakness overtook her body.
Damn it, pulling the poison trick!
With their savage glares, she'd assumed instant death, yet this sly ploy blindsided her.
“Boss, 30,000 taels of silver in the bag.” The man's voice bubbled with uncontainable glee.
“No idea who this girl is, but she's worth a king's ransom.” Another chimed in.
“Whatever her status, we snag her, deliver, and call it done.” The boss, as the others hailed him, approached and bundled Wu Xiao Dao in a blanket before carrying her away.
When Fu Ming Shao arrived at the alley with his men, corpses littered the ground amid pools of blood.
“Your Highness, this blood likely isn't Young Miss Wu's.” A guard noted, seeing Fu Ming Shao's expression darken.
Before Fu Ming Shao replied, a ragged urchin scurried up, proffering a letter: “Big brother, someone told me to pass this to you, said you'd tip me a tael of silver.”
Fu Ming Shao accepted the note as his guard handed the boy a tael; the kid bolted from the alley. The trailing scout returned swiftly: “Master, no suspicious traces—their caution was impeccable.”
Fu Ming Shao held little expectation anyway. Delivering the letter now signaled meticulous plotting. Unfolding it revealed a single demand: to rescue Wu Xiao Dao, head alone to the woods three miles beyond the city by the deadline, or she'd perish.
The deadline loomed tight, leaving no spare moments for backups as he raced there posthaste.
“Master, the woods scream ambush—rushing in blind is perilous,” the guard warned.
Fu Ming Shao grasped the peril, yet since they'd targeted him via Wu Xiao Dao's capture, he valued her life deeply.
“I'll head out first—send word to Mu Si.” Mounting up, he galloped from the city in haste.
His escorts leaped to horseback, pursuing, while two peeled off to alert Mu Si. By the time Mu Si heard and mobilized, Fu Ming Shao had reached the gates. Learning of the kidnapping, Mu Si hurried with reinforcements.
Awakening, Wu Xiao Dao found herself bound to a tree amid lurking foes, more concealed in nearby foliage.
“Up already?” A green-robed man lifted her chin with chilling detachment. “Indeed beautiful—small wonder she ensnared Fu Ming Shao, that woman-averse prince.”
“Using me against Fu Ming Shao?” Wu Xiao Dao grasped it instantly; no enemies here, so why nab her? “I've known him just three, four months—he won't blunder into your trap.”
“You underestimate him.” The man smirked. “Spies report he bolted from the city a quarter-hour past.”
Wu Xiao Dao reeled—didn't that idiot spot the setup?
She strained against bonds, limbs still feeble, channeling spirit power futilely—no stir.
Maybe heavenly retribution for defying fate. Post-thunder tribulation, her spirit power lay dormant. She'd stayed calm, recalling Mother's similar ordeal resolving naturally in time. But regretting her rashness now, yearning home, she'd fallen into this snare.
Uncertain when power would return, she'd shunned fanfare earlier, but now summoning them seemed her sole recourse.
As she readied to call her contracted beast, frantic hoofbeats echoed from the grove's edge—undoubtedly Fu Ming Shao arriving.
The guards melted into the woods at the sound, shunning open clash.
Fu Ming Shao spurred to the grove's heart, spotting Wu Xiao Dao tree-bound, and rushed to free her.
“You idiot, who told you to show? Can't you see it's a trap?” Wu Xiao Dao berated upon sighting him.
This fool disregarded his own safety!
“I know.” Fu Ming Shao caught her sagging form, steadying her post-release.
“Knowing it's a trap and still coming? Are you brainless?”
“You're here.” So come I must.
Wu Xiao Dao paused mid-wrist rub, gazing up into profound eyes.
“I won't be in danger.” Her rebuke softened.
“Your power's gone.”
“I've got other self-defense means.”
“Never witnessed them—stick close, I'll get us out.” Fu Ming Shao gripped her waist with one arm, sword in the other, parrying assailants.
The enemy outnumbered them vastly; dozens couldn't withstand hundreds of killers. Fu Ming Shao's prowess shone, yet sheer numbers overwhelmed, and shielding Wu Xiao Dao left him gashed repeatedly.