Su Mingyu looked at him coldly. "Why should I spare you? It was you who didn't listen to me and came forward first."
She had clearly told him that she was in a hurry and asked him to learn from Xia Mian, but he was unwilling. Now that he knew about her relationship with the King of Ruixian, he couldn't be left alive.
Just as Su Mingyu was about to make a move, Gu Ruobai raised his hand to stop her. "You don't need to do it. Mu Yi, take him away."
Seeing that he was about to be dragged away, July panicked. "I really just wanted to learn some skills from you on making clothes. Even if you're not willing, there's no need to kill me, right?"
As he spoke, he suddenly counterattacked and aimed at Mu Yi's neck. Mu Yi instinctively dodged backward and loosened his grip on July. Sensing this opportunity, July quickly stepped forward and rushed towards Su Mingyu.
When he was just in front of Su Mingyu, she frowned and slightly shifted her body to dodge July's attack. Then she raised her hand and aimed a chop at the back of his neck.
Unexpectedly, July was quite fast. Just as Su Mingyu's hand was about to come down, he squatted down and avoided it.
Then he swept his leg at Su Mingyu's feet. She leaped into the air to dodge his attack. Taking advantage of the upward momentum, she stomped on his lower back.
Just as her foot was about to land on July's spine, Su Mingyu tilted backward slightly and stepped right on his butt.
July cried out in pain and then pleaded with sweat all over his forehead. "I was wrong. I was wrong. I know I can't beat you. It hurts so much. Please get off me!"
Su Mingyu snorted. "You said your family only runs a cloth shop. Why are you so good at martial arts?"
Judging from his sharp reaction and quick speed just now, he was definitely a master no worse than Mu Yi.
July quickly explained. "My family really runs a cloth shop, but I've been practicing martial arts since I was a child, so I have some skills. But I never use them against women like you. I only use them for self - defense."
"I really didn't know your relationship with that man, and I didn't break in on purpose. So please spare me this time."
As he spoke, July bit his lower lip and murmured softly. "Of course, it would be even better if you're willing to teach me how to design such beautiful clothes."
Hearing that he still longed for her to be his teacher even when his life was on the line, Su Mingyu felt extremely annoyed.
Gu Ruobai sized July up and down coldly and then asked. "You said your family runs a cloth - shop business. Where is it? Which cloth shop? When did you start it? How's the business now?"
Hearing Gu Ruobai's interrogation, July quickly replied. "My family runs the July Cloth Shop in Jingzhou. It used to be a well - known and honest cloth shop, but it has declined due to some accidents."
"Business started to decline about three years ago. Now there's only one shop left, the third one from the left in 'Orchid Lane' on the main street of Jingzhou."
Gu Ruobai gave Mu Yi a look, and Mu Yi immediately retreated.
Putting away his cold expression, Gu Ruobai said coldly. "Now I want you to write a letter home saying that you were attacked by robbers on your way to the capital. You were captured and all your silver was taken. Now you need them to pay 100,000 taels of silver to ransom you."
As soon as Gu Ruobai finished speaking, July waved his hands hurriedly. "It's impossible. Our shop is so poor that we can't even pay the workers' monthly salaries. Where can we get 100,000 taels of silver?"
Hearing his words, Gu Ruobai wasn't in a hurry. Instead, he calmly sat down, took a sip of tea, and said softly. "Think it over. If you don't write this letter, you'll lose your life."
July glanced at Su Mingyu. "Sister, please. Say a good word for me. I really just want you to teach me your clothes - making skills."
By this time, Su Mingyu roughly understood what Gu Ruobai meant. He just wanted July to write this letter to prove that he was really the young master of the shop he claimed to be. The amount of silver didn't matter. The key was that this letter must be written.
Su Mingyu directly slapped her crossbow on the table. The cold - shining arrowhead glistened on the table.
July made a bitter face and finally resigned himself to finding a piece of paper and starting to write.
After he finally finished writing, Gu Ruobai gave Su Mingyu a look. Understanding his meaning, Su Mingyu stepped forward to get the letter and knocked July out on the way.
Gu Ruobai snapped his fingers, and two black - clothed men suddenly appeared in the yard. Gu Ruobai glanced coldly at July and then said in a deep voice. "Take him away and watch him closely."
Watching the two black - clothed men drag July away, Su Mingyu sighed and then looked at Gu Ruobai apologetically. "I'm sorry. I didn't even know I was being followed."
Gu Ruobai didn't mind at all. "This man is good at martial arts. If his identity is confirmed to be correct, you can make good use of him."
Su Mingyu frowned. It took her a while to finally understand what Gu Ruobai meant. "You mean you want me to recruit him?"
Gu Ruobai nodded. "Your 'Wu Wang' can't be leaderless. Except for Qin Chu, the others are as weak as paper. If there's no one who can hold the group together, it'll be extremely unfavorable for you."
So he was thinking about her. A warm feeling welled up in Su Mingyu's heart for no reason. "Isn't it a waste to give such a talented person to me?"
Gu Ruobai raised his eyebrows and smiled. "He wants to worship you as his master, not me. I might want to recruit him, but he might not be willing."
Sensing a hint of jealousy in the air, Su Mingyu curled her lips into a smile, and a hint of cunning flashed in her eyes. "It sounds like Your Highness doesn't really want me to recruit him?"
Looking at her smiling face, Gu Ruobai felt his heart soften, and his expression became a bit gentler. "Naturally, I don't want any men other than me around you."
"But if he can be a help to you, I can tolerate his presence. However, you have to keep a certain distance from him. Otherwise, I might make him never see the sun again one day when I'm in a bad mood."
Didn't this man know how over - bearing he sounded?
Su Mingyu was both helpless and amused. Why did Gu Ruobai suddenly seem like a child with such a strong possessive desire? "I have no interest in such a young boy at all. I didn't want to recruit him in the first place. If you hadn't suggested it, I would have killed him just now."