Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot-Chapter 388 - 360: I am, Shang Jiu

The Hidden Guard drove the carriage out of the city gate and unexpectedly encountered Meng Qianqian, who was standing in the wind and snow.

The Hidden Guard frowned. The aura of the opponent was so powerful that even from a distance, he could already sense the overwhelming killing intent emanating from her.

He was wondering which General from the court this might be; but as he drew closer, he recognized the person as none other than Yin Hu Guard Meng Xiaojiu.

Meng Qianqian swept her spear, lifting a wall of snow from the ground and surging it toward the Prime Minister’s carriage like a tidal wave.

The horses panicked, rearing up on their hind legs and letting out terrified neighs.

The Hidden Guard quickly tightened the reins and brought the carriage to an abrupt stop.

The guards at the city gate rushed forward, encircling the carriage.

Meng Qianqian addressed them, "Stand down."

These ordinary soldiers were no match for the Prime Minister or the Hidden Guard; fighting would only lead to unnecessary deaths.

The head guard dragged out the unconscious Xun Yu: "Listen to Yin Hu Guard’s orders!"

The soldiers retreated in orderly precision while a row of highly trained archers prepared their bows and arrows, aiming them at the Prime Minister’s carriage.

However, because Meng Qianqian was too close to the carriage, the archers hesitated to loose their arrows.

The Hidden Guard coldly threatened, "Meng Qianqian, step aside immediately, or don’t blame me for what happens next!"

Meng Qianqian replied, "I should be saying that to you. Helping tyrants commit atrocities, your death is near but you remain unrepentant. Beware of ending up dismembered and disgraced."

The Hidden Guard sneered, "Such arrogance from someone so young. Just because you made some noise at the borderlands alongside Lu Yuan, don’t mistake yourself for a true member of the Twelve Guards. Compared to the genuine Twelve Guards, you’re far from it!"

Meng Qianqian replied, "Oh? If you like boasting so much, let’s see if your skills match your bragging."

The Hidden Guard gripped the reins tightly.

Though Meng Qianqian provoked him repeatedly, he showed no sign of making the first move.

Such composure.

Meng Qianqian turned her gaze toward the tightly closed carriage curtains. "Xun Xiuyuan, the Chu Family’s grievance, the Shang Family’s hatred, and the years of suffering endured by my husband—all of that will be collected from you today."

From inside the carriage, the voice of Prime Minister Xun was heard: "Who are you?"

Meng Qianqian replied, "The Fierce Ghost here to claim your life!"

With those words, Meng Qianqian ended the pointless conversation and leapt high into the air, thrusting her spear toward the carriage.

The Hidden Guard reached out to grab the spear, but to his surprise, Meng Qianqian feinted the thrust; her real killing move came from the short dagger she drew with her left hand.

For someone so young, her technique was astonishingly cunning, honed to incredible precision!

Could it be that she had truly earned her fame at the borderlands by herself?

But she was just a merchant girl.

Even if she secretly practiced martial arts, without a skilled master, training for decades wouldn’t yield such prowess.

"Lord, be careful!"

Too late.

Meng Qianqian’s dagger already pierced through the carriage curtains, aiming for Xun Xiuyuan’s heart.

But in a flash, a shadow darted close, an icy hand like an iron clamp seized Meng Qianqian’s wrist.

The assailant twisted hard, intending to snap her entire arm.

Meng Qianqian spun and twisted her body, slipping her wrist free from his grip, though her dagger dropped to the ground.

With a nimble kick, she flipped backward, caught the falling dagger mid-air, and aggressively slashed it toward the opponent’s face.

The Hidden Guard watched in stunned disbelief—how could a mere merchant girl have reflexes like this?

These were instincts forged through countless life-and-death battles!

The opponent wasn’t inexperienced either; they intercepted the blade barehanded, yanking firmly to pull Meng Qianqian down from the carriage.

Meng Qianqian rolled across the snowy ground, landing in a stable half-kneeling position.

The Hidden Guard took the opportunity to swiftly drive the carriage away.

Meng Qianqian shouted, "Release the arrows!"

The archers simultaneously drew their bows fully and unleashed a dense volley of arrows toward the Prime Minister’s carriage.

Standing upright, Meng Qianqian’s piercing gaze fell upon the assassin who had suddenly appeared. She recognized the pigeon-blood tattoo on the back of his right hand: "So it’s you."

The night the Shang Family fell victim to the combined wrath of the Loulan people and the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion, he was there, seemingly searching for something.

In hindsight, it must have been her father’s military codex.

Xun Xiuyuan, you indeed meddled.

Too bad—you will never get your hands on my father’s codex!

"I’ve visited the workshop many times searching for you. I thought you were dead."

The assassin gave Meng Qianqian an odd look, appearing confused about who she was and why she sought him.

Reading his expression, Meng Qianqian spun her spear and responded coldly, "Can’t remember? No problem. I’ll help you remember slowly."

She gripped her spear and took a leap.

The assassin dismissed her as just a small girl, casually defending himself, only to find the force behind her spear unexpectedly powerful, numbing his arm for a brief moment.

His eyes flickered with doubt.

"Remember now?"

Meng Qianqian delivered another strike with her spear.

The assassin’s clothes were pierced.

"It’s you—the workshop girl."

He recognized Meng Qianqian.

Back at the workshop, she had dared to tail him, and with one move, he had nearly ended her life. Later, a carpenter wielding a giant axe had rescued her.

That carpenter had strong martial arts skills, and not wanting trouble, the assassin had refrained from pursuing further.

He hadn’t expected that in just a few months, her abilities had improved so dramatically.

Meng Qianqian said, "That’s all you recall? Hardly enough!"

The assassin asked, "Who are you? Your martial arts seem somewhat familiar."

Meng Qianqian unleashed another killing move. "It appears your memory isn’t very good."

The assassin met Meng Qianqian’s gaze.

In that instant, long-buried memories flooded back.

He had once seen those identical eyes amidst a roaring fire.

"You’re the Shang Family’s child!"

In that moment of distraction, he took a spear strike, his left arm pierced through, blood splattering over his face and staining the pristine snow red.

"Impossible! The Shang Family was wiped out!"

"Then consider this me crawling out from Yama Hall to seek vengeance! Scorpion’s Tail!"

The assassin was jolted, reflexively guarding his lower body, as Meng Qianqian’s spear drove straight for his heart, piercing his chest with brutal force—

The assassin stared in disbelief at the spear embedded in his chest. "You..."

"My grandfather taught me this move—effective, isn’t it?"

Meng Qianqian suddenly yanked out the spear, sending the assassin collapsing onto the blood-soaked ground.

"Impossible... Shang Family... all dead... impossible..."

Meng Qianqian stood over him, looking down coldly. "I am Shang Jiu."

The assassin’s pupils widened in shock.

The lead guard, trembling as he watched the unimaginable fight, stepped forward and said, "Y-Yin Hu Guard, the Prime Minister escaped."

"I’ll chase him."

Meng Qianqian grabbed her spear and mounted her horse.

The lead guard seemed to recall something and quickly approached Meng Qianqian, saying, "Please wait!"

He hastily ran back within the city gate and returned with another spear, handing it to Meng Qianqian. "Take this instead."

This Red Tassel Spear was longer, heavier, and better suited.

"Thank you."

Meng Qianqian galloped away on horseback.

"It’s bad! Lord, that girl is catching up!"

The Hidden Guard could never have imagined that their elite would fail.

"Lord, we can’t take the official road anymore."

The Hidden Guard gritted his teeth, turning the carriage onto a small path.

In front of them was a suspension bridge.

Once they crossed the bridge and severed its ropes, they could stop the girl’s pursuit.

"Lord, hold on tight!"

But just as the carriage was crossing the bridge, the rear wall of the carriage was suddenly smashed open by a powerful palm!

A hand clad in silver thread gloves reached in and forcibly dragged Prime Minister Xun out of the carriage!

The Hidden Guard turned, shouting in shock, "Lord—"

Meng Qianqian thrust her Red Tassel Spear, piercing his skull with deadly precision!