The shocked horse didn’t stop until it ran miles away.

Worried about Dong Ling, the others went back by the same route and found her by the roadside.

Holding the dagger in her hand, she was peeling off the tiger. It was truly a ghastly sight when hot blood gushed out.

Dong Ling cut the valuable parts from the tiger and sighed. What a pity that there was no pot or seasoning! Otherwise, she would have boiled some tiger soup!

Senior Maid Liu and Zhumo stared at Dong Ling with wide-open eyes. Was she really Miss Ling who used to be weak?

She killed a spotted tiger?! Seriously?

Concubine Lin was stuck dumb, too. She was relieved to see her daughter safe and sound. She sighed, “Thank goodness, I’m glad you’re fine.”

Dong Ling walked to the cart, carrying what she had achieved. Half of her body was bathed in blood. Concubine Lin poured some water and wiped her face.

She urged, “Honey, let me see if you were hurt.”

It wasn’t until now did Dong Ling felt relaxed. She said, “Mom, I can make you a leather coat with the tiger skin.”

Tears welled up in Concubine Lin’s eyes. She realized her daughter had changed and become her pride. She always believed that her daughter would be great someday. Now what happened had confirmed her. 

Dong Ling turned the cart to a nearby town and sold the tiger’s paws, tails and some visceral organs, which could be used as medicinal materials. With the money, she bought two horses, some rations and medicine. 

During their trip, Dong Ling kept thinking about the energy inside her body. When she fought with the tiger, she suddenly had a large power out of nowhere. It must have something to do with the energy in her body.

Besides, when she was peeling off the tiger’s skin, a viper bit her ankle by accident. Surprisingly, she wasn’t poisoned. Instead, she felt quite comfortable.

It seemed that she should try some toxics. Maybe she could get good out of misfortune.

After a couple of days’ trip, they finally arrived at Li Village at nightfall.

Dong Ling stretched. Mrs. Dong must be as restless as ants on a hot pan when she failed to get the news of her death. Otherwise, why was the Li Village still ablaze with light in the middle of night?

Dong Ling walked up and kicked the red door!

In the main hall, a thin old man was smoking with a long tobacco pipe. He was embattled to read the letter sent by Mrs. Dong’s pigeon.

He thought, “If Miss Dong Ling survived, she should have come! Surprisingly, we only found a tiger’s dead body. She was nowhere to be seen.”

But Mrs. Dong urged him a lot and wished she would get the news of Dong Ling’s death right away.

Old Li stroked his mustache when a servant stumbled into the hall.

“Chief Li, you asked me to watch for Miss Ling. She has come! She’s waiting out there!”

“Good! That’s what I’m expecting!” Old Li sneered, put on his coat and walked out of the main hall.

Outside the hall stood Dong Long in a thin dress. Behind her, Concubine Lin was wearing an elaborate leather coat.

“Here comes Miss Ling. Why didn’t you come and welcome her?” Zhumo yelled at them.

“Welcome, Miss Ling. We’ve been waiting for you for days. Your room is right inside. Please come with me.” Old Li replied with a strange smile when he stole a glance at Concubine Lin.

He heard Concubine Lin used to be a dancing girl. Though she was no longer young, she still looked pretty and slim, with a unique lingering charm.

Finis.h.i.+ng his words, he took them into a run-down yard. Holes in the window were even bigger than fists. It was the coldest time of winter and cold wind blew in strongly. Seeing this, Concubine Lin pulled a long face and hissed, “What? You don’t take us seriously? My daughter is the eldest daughter of the Dong family and the future crown princess. And you ask her to live here?”

She could live a hard life, but she wouldn’t let her daughter do that.

Taken good care of by Dong Ling for the past few days, Concubine Lin enjoyed a life even better than she had in the Dong family. With her daughter around, she was steadily emboldened. She took up a bamboo stick and lashed at him.

Old Li stood still. He could hurt them secretly, but he had to respect her in front of others.

“Dad, who are they?” asked a young man, coming from outside. Seeing his father lashed, he rushed up to strike back.

Dong Ling stretched out her foot. Bang! Immediately, the young man was kicked to the wall.