Chapter 369: The Cooked Duck Flies Away

Meanwhile, Qin Wanru was closing her eyes, waiting for death, feeling a strange sense of relief that at least she wouldn't be humiliated and defiled by Chu Tiesheng.

Just then, a stern shout suddenly came from nearby: "Villain, how dare you!"

Qin Wanru felt the voice was somewhat familiar, but with the drug taking effect and her mind already hazy, she couldn't register who it was.

Hong Zhong, startled, quickly turned his head towards the sound, only to be met by a large stone flying straight at him. He shattered the large stone with a single punch, then abruptly turned back to Qin Wanru, discovering a man now standing beside her.

Noticing the restraints on her, Zu An quickly undid them. Fortunately, Hong Zhong hadn't used any special techniques, so releasing them wasn't difficult.

With the drug taking full effect, Qin Wanru could no longer support herself once the pressure points were released; her legs gave way, and she collapsed to the side.

"Madam, be careful!" Zu An quickly caught her.

Feeling herself held in a man's embrace, his masculine aura made her heart flutter. She wanted to struggle, but her body wouldn't move. However, as she quickly recognized his face, her entire being instantly relaxed. "Ah Zu, it's you..."

After experiencing various betrayals and deceptions tonight, she had thought she would never trust anyone again. Yet, lying in Zu An's arms, she felt an inexplicable sense of security, though she didn't understand why she felt this way. Perhaps it was her daughter's earnest instructions before leaving, or perhaps the camaraderie they had forged when retrieving the salt permits together.

At the same time, her heart was filled with regret. Why had she gone to Hong Zhong first? If only she had gone straight to Ah Zu, perhaps none of these troubles would have arisen.

Zu An had no time to talk to her now. Though he was usually carefree, he was actually quite shrewd. As the Chu family's head steward, Hong Zhong was at least at the peak of the sixth rank, possibly even seventh. Moreover, they were in rebellion, so they would show no mercy. Fighting him would be like an old man eating arsenic – simply courting death.

So he was decisive: he immediately summoned Great Wind and rushed outside with Qin Wanru in his arms.

"Huh? Why is she so hot?" Zu An sensed the abnormality of her body. Not only was she soft as cotton and remarkably hot, but she also emitted a rich, sweet scent. He was a bit puzzled, but he couldn't dwell on it now.

"Where do you think you're going!" Hong Zhong was alarmed and quickly gave chase. If Zu An managed to rescue Qin Wanru, today's events would become complicated.

Although Zu An's teleportation was fast, each move covered a limited distance, and he couldn't use it infinitely. Moreover, since he was carrying someone, Hong Zhong, in full pursuit, was still getting closer and closer.

As Zu An's back came within attack range, a hint of hesitation appeared on Hong Zhong's face. He wasn't a bad person; he still felt some reluctance to strike down an innocent person, especially since they frequently encountered each other in their daily lives.

Just then, a stern shout came from nearby: "Hong Zhong, what are you standing there for!"

It turned out Chu Tiesheng had already arrived. Earlier, consumed by lust, he had nearly lost his life when Qin Wanru ambushed him. His injuries were not light, and it took him a while to recover. He then rushed over, just in time to witness this scene.

Prompted by Chu Tiesheng, Hong Zhong suddenly realized that his son's gradual descent into ruin was ultimately due to Zu An's appearance. Furthermore, if Qin Wanru escaped, there would be significant trouble later.

A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes, and he directly punched towards Zu An's back. As he threw his punch, a phantom image of a fist instantly formed in the air and shot towards Zu An's back at an extremely high speed.

Zu An, out of the corner of his eye, saw that his opponent was still some distance away, so he ran as fast as he could, completely unaware of the imminent danger.

However, Qin Wanru, held in his arms, saw everything clearly. She cried out in alarm, "Be careful!" Then, finding strength from who knew where, she struggled to Zu An's back and took the blow for him with her own. She didn't know why she did it; perhaps it was because she knew she likely wouldn't escape tonight, and it would be better to sacrifice her life for Zu An's escape. This way, at least someone would know the truth about tonight's events. Otherwise, if Zu An died from that punch, she, already poisoned, would not escape the tragic fate of being defiled. Even if Zu An successfully took her away, she was now afflicted with such a wicked, vulgar, and shameless poison. She already felt an irresistible urge within her body, and her rationality was shattered. If, by any chance, something truly happened between them, that would be more unbearable than death itself.

"Pfft!" Qin Wanru felt a tremendous force hit her. After spitting out a mouthful of blood, her entire body seemed to lose all strength, feeling light and airy as if she could be blown away by the wind.

"Madam!" Her blood covered his cheeks, but Zu An didn't care to wipe it away; his heart trembled.

Just then, Hong Zhong and Chu Tiesheng, who were behind, were about to catch up when a huge tree nearby suddenly fell, blocking their path. By the time they avoided it, Zu An had already vanished.

"Chase them!" Chu Tiesheng was anxious and quickly tried to rush forward.

"Don't chase them!" Hong Zhong stopped him.

"Why?" Chu Tiesheng was confused, his eyes a little red, as he thought of Qin Wanru, now affected by the poison, waiting for him to "save" her. If he was a step too late, wouldn't that just let Zu An have his way with her?

"Didn't you hear the commotion in the manor?" Hong Zhong snorted coldly. "The Chu family guards are already rushing here. We need to figure out how to deal with the aftermath. Who has time for your pathetic desires!"

Chu Tiesheng turned his head and indeed saw lights brightening in many parts of the manor, with many people rushing in their direction. His expression wavered, but considering the Chu family's future and the pressure from Sang Hong, he could only give up. "But if Qin Wanru escapes, and she returns to rally people, wouldn't anything we say be useless?"

Hong Zhong shook his head. "Don't worry, the Madam won't survive after taking my Heart-Shattering Punch." As he said this, a hint of sadness flashed in his eyes. This was a situation he had always tried to avoid, but since things had come to this, it was an inevitable choice.

Hearing this, Chu Tiesheng's face changed drastically. Having been in the Chu family for so long, how could he not know the power of Hong Zhong's Heart-Shattering Punch? If Qin Wanru in her normal state had taken such a punch, there might have been a slim chance of survival. But now, in her poisoned and weakened state, combined with a hit to a vital point, how could there be any possibility of survival?

"Alas, what a pity." Chu Tiesheng's face turned pale with regret. How could he have been so foolish just now, letting a sure thing slip away?

Hong Zhong snorted coldly. "You have the nerve to say that! If not for your recklessness, would all these complications have arisen?"

Chu Tiesheng was secretly furious: *This fellow shows me no respect!* Thinking of Hong Zhong's prestige in the Chu family, he mused that once he became the family head, he must get rid of this fellow; otherwise, he wouldn't be able to command him at all.

They didn't notice that an old man in the shadows far away had been silently watching their every move. Seeing that the two stopped chasing, he then turned and left. Old Man Mi frowned as he looked in the direction Zu An had fled. If he had known this, he should have acted sooner. It turned out that the sudden fall of the large tree that blocked their path earlier was his doing.

Meanwhile, as Zu An ran at full speed with Qin Wanru in his arms, a weak voice suddenly came from behind him: "Don't mind me, put me down and save yourself."

Zu An said in a deep voice, "You are Chuyan and Xiaozhao's mother. How could I possibly abandon you, Madam, and escape alone? Moreover, you just risked your life to save mine. If I abandon you now, wouldn't I be worse than an animal?"

Qin Wanru shook her head slightly. "You don't understand. I've been afflicted by a strange poison. Death is the best release for me."

"Strange poison?" Zu An was startled and quickly stopped to look at her.

A blush, unnaturally vibrant, appeared on Qin Wanru's face. "That despicable and shameless Chu Tiesheng gave me 'Bull's Milk'. It's a potent... aphrodisiac. There's no cure for it except intercourse with a man, so I might as well die."

"Couldn't we just find your husband, the family head? What's there to die for?" Zu An couldn't help but say, while secretly cursing Chu Tiesheng's shamelessness. He thought back to how he had noticed Chu Tiesheng secretly peeking at Qin Wanru with a longing gaze several times before, but he never imagined that he would dare to defy all moral condemnation and actually do such a thing to her.

"You don't understand anything!" Qin Wanru grew angry.

Zu An looked bewildered. Why had she suddenly gotten angry?

"You won't get far carrying me," Qin Wanru said anxiously. "Anyway, I'm certainly going to die. Instead of us both dying, it's better if you escape. You can also expose their plot, and then my death won't be in vain."

Zu An directly refused: "I am insignificant, and my words carry no weight. How can I compare to Hong Zhong and Chu Tiesheng's prestige in the family? Even if I speak, no one will believe me."

Qin Wanru was startled, suddenly realizing he was speaking the truth. "At least you can tell Chuyan in the future; she will definitely believe you."

Zu An picked her up again. "It's best if you personally expose their plot. Don't worry, I know someone who can definitely cure your poison." After saying that, he carried her and sped off in another direction.