The cool night breeze drifted gently as two figures walked beneath the moonlight, looking quite intimate as if speaking softly to each other.

But if one moved closer, what they would hear was a woman’s puzzled voice.

“Why are you doing this? This will definitely attract the attention of the authorities. Aren’t you afraid the government will wipe us out?”

Seeing his wife’s confused expression, Ning Qingtian smiled and shook his head.

“You’re teasing me again, Madam. Right now, refugees fill the entire Qing’an Prefecture. This is the perfect moment for us to grow our influence. The authorities have no time to deal with us. And even if they did, isn’t Madam still here?”

Wu Qianlan subtly curled her lip. In her heart, she added another mark to the list of offences committed by her outrageously bold bandit husband.

Seeing that his wife seemed uninterested in his explanation, Ning Qingtian didn’t mind. He looked toward the distant lights where the banquet was beginning and said casually, “Come, the feast has started. We’ll know everything from their reactions.”

Hearing this, Wu Qianlan quickly followed. With no strength of her own at the moment, she had no choice but to rely on this man.

Once the grand feast was laid out, the scene became overwhelmingly lively.

Black Wind Stronghold—or rather, Shuipo Liangshan—had not been this festive in a very long time.

So when Ning Qingtian and his wife appeared before the crowd, a wave of cheers erupted instantly.

Everyone now knew what had happened that afternoon, and they also knew that the temporary stronghold master was this husband of the chief.

Clearly, they were willing to accept this arrangement.

Although the original stronghold master was powerful, having a bunch of burly men take orders from a young woman felt awkward to them and looked bad if spread outside.

This arrangement was actually ideal for them.

Ning Qingtian didn’t care about their flattery. From beginning to end, he had only one goal—To grow their power and eventually avenge his wife.

Though she rarely spoke of it, Ning Qingtian understood that if she failed to avenge herself in this life, she would never find peace.

And this was why she had attempted to forcibly break through to the Second Rank, only to fail due to impatience.

Though her memory was now damaged, Ning Qingtian believed she would one day recover completely.

When that time came, he would ensure she took one more step toward fulfilling her dream of vengeance.

As for the Empress… he was sorry, but he would always side with family over reason.

After greeting everyone and taking a few bites, Ning Qingtian noticed his wife frowning. After a moment of thought, he understood—she found it too noisy.

“Let’s go, we’ll take a walk.”

As an Empress, Wu Qianlan had never been surrounded by such crude people. Just sitting here for a short while made her feel suffocated.

Hearing this “bandit husband” offer an escape, she looked up at him. Seeing his gentle smile, she nodded in agreement.

The couple quietly slipped away, and though most didn’t notice, a few observant individuals caught sight of it.

So when they reached the area outside the Hall of Brotherhood, they found a man and woman holding a child already kneeling at the entrance.

Seeing Ning Qingtian and his wife approach, the couple immediately knelt and even forced their seven or eight-year-old child to kowtow.

Ning Qingtian frowned and stopped walking. He still felt uncomfortable having people kneel to him.

He glanced at his wife, who showed no reaction, then suppressed the urge to pull them up and instead asked, “What’s wrong? Stand up and speak.”

The young man immediately cried out, “My lord, please seek justice for us!”

After speaking, the couple kowtowed again.

The commotion quickly attracted the attention of those at the feast. Seeing everyone looking toward them, Ning Qingtian crouched down, picked up the child, wiped his nose, and said to the kneeling couple, “Get up. Tell me what grievances you have.”

Just then, another large-built man rushed over and scolded the young man harshly.

“Zhang Kai, you blind fool! Didn’t I tell you your matter would be handled later? Today we’re celebrating the stronghold master—how dare you cause trouble?”

Ning Qingtian recognized the man. He was a stronghold leader named Yang Ba, someone with decent martial ability who commanded several men.

He had a fiery temper but was upright. For that reason, he had long been suppressed by Wang Shuye and remained a marginal figure.

Now that Ning Qingtian had eliminated Wang Shuye and his faction, Yang Ba finally saw a chance to rise.

Looking at the stubborn young man who remained kneeling despite Yang Ba’s scolding, Ning Qingtian glanced at Yang Ba and then said, “Yang Ba, let him speak. Our brothers of the stronghold must not be bullied.”

Yang Ba knew the matter was out of his hands, so he said to the young man, “Since the master has agreed to hear your case, be honest. Don’t exaggerate or deceive him.”

As Ning Qingtian played with the child in his arms, he asked casually, “Zhang Kai, is it? Where are you from? Why did you bring your wife and child to join the stronghold?”

After Yang Ba stepped aside, the young man—Zhang Kai—finally spoke through trembling grief.

“Replying to Master, my name is Zhang Kai. I came up the mountain three months ago. My wife and I were tenants in Wangxia Village under Caoxian County in Qing’an Prefecture. Though life was bitter, it was bearable. But three months ago, the eldest son of the village head returned from the capital… and suddenly took a liking to my wife. He tried to force himself on her. I caught him and beat him.”

Zhang Kai’s eyes reddened, his fists tight. His grief choked him into silence.

Ning Qingtian glanced toward the young woman beside him—indeed, she had some beauty. Not stunning, but certainly the delicate kind that might attract unwanted attention.

Seeing him look, she quickly tugged her husband’s sleeve and patted his back to calm him.

Zhang Kai regained control and continued, voice shaking, “That night, the village head returned with many guards. They stormed into our home and tried to seize my wife. In the chaos, my father and mother were beaten to death. Luckily, I worked the fields and had some strength. I fought desperately and escaped with my wife and son, killing several guards in the process… so I became a wanted man and had no choice but to flee up the mountain.”

“Outrageous beasts! How dare that village head openly violate the laws of the court?”

The angry reprimand came from Ning Qingtian’s side—his wife—But something about her tone felt… wrong.