Indeed, forcing these clearly capable individuals to stay in this small mountain village was indeed a waste of talent.
However, it wasn’t Ye Jiu who had made them stay, and even more so, deep down, she didn’t welcome their presence.
They were different from Ada; when Sikong Mo had left Ada and the others to her, he also left their indenture contracts, whereas these men, even though they were now protecting her, still owed their true allegiance to the Prince.
Xiang Nan had not expected that Ye Jiu could actually guess his thoughts.
Immediately, Xiang Nan’s face turned pale, he bowed deeply towards the ground, "It was all my own presumption; it has nothing to do with the other brothers. If the young lady wishes to administer punishment, just punish me alone, I beg the young lady to spare the others and give them a way to survive."
These men were the Prince’s private royal guards, and for a subordinate, it wasn’t about how skilled one was, but rather about obeying orders without question.
If they really were sent back by Ye Jiu, Xiang Nan knew that the most lenient fate awaiting them was exile, or worse, their life could be taken without it being a big deal.
And when he had invoked the name of the Prince, he did have his own agenda, truly having not anticipated that Ye Jiu, despite her young age, could be so perceptive.
That she had seen right through his intentions.
However, in this statement Xiang Nan had not lied; it really was his own doing and had nothing to do with the others.
But for Ye Jiu, none of this mattered anymore, "Tomorrow, take your men and return to the capital city. I have no need for people here and there’s no need for you to protect me."
Ye Jiu’s voice revealed an icy definitiveness that chilled Xiang Nan to the core.
Looking at Ye Jiu’s youthful but ruthless silhouette, Xiang Nan swiftly drew a dagger from within his clothing, "Miss, I am willing to bear the consequences of my actions; I only ask that you spare the lives of my brothers."
With a soft thrust, blood splattered—a scene Ye Jiu had not expected.
Turning around abruptly, Ye Jiu called out urgently, "Someone come quick, hurry and find a doctor..."
After the doctor had examined the patient, he came out shaking his head, "The injury is too severe; the bleeding simply cannot be stopped. Prepare for his last rites."
Panicked, Ye Jiu quickly took out the healing medicine stored in her space and handed it to the doctor, "Doctor, use this medicine on him. See if it can stop the bleeding for now."
Ye Jiu had only wanted Xiang Nan and the others to leave, to return to the world where they belonged. She never intended to take his life.
Yet she hadn’t expected that Xiang Nan’s act, which she thought was merely a ploy to gain sympathy, involved him actually inflicting a serious wound on himself.
The doctor accepted the medicine, harboring a sliver of hope that it could save the man; after all, it was a human life at stake.
And looking at the self-inflicted knife wound on the man’s body, although he didn’t know the full story, it would truly be a pity if such a young man were to die.
As the doctor applied the medicine to Xiang Nan with the last hope, the bleeding stopped immediately.
Then, the doctor was in shock.
"The bleeding has stopped, it’s stopped; there’s hope for this man!" he quickly shouted while opening his medical kit, haste fully treating Xiang Nan’s wound.
At the doorway, Ye Jiu finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, there was hope for him yet.
After all, it was a human life; if he had died just like that, Ye Jiu would have been haunted by guilt.