Chapter 36

Ever since Ashina Yu left in anger that night, the velvet bag at the door has never appeared again.

Shen Aheng finally breathed a sigh of relief, but the packages he had saved before were still piled on the table, bags after bags of heavy gold, which made people worry just by looking at them.

These are not small amounts of money, and they are really hot in her hands.

So much gold is too conspicuous, it would be terrible if it causes trouble.

After some careful consideration, Shen Ah Heng dug out an old cloth bag and stuffed all the velvet packages into it. When the bag was tied, it looked like it was filled with some ordinary sundries and became inconspicuous.

She handed the cloth bag to Xiao Wu and said, "Help me deliver this to the Yuelai Inn and give it to the group of Western Region guards at the door. Tell them that a girl named Shen asked for it to be returned. Let them go in and report it, and they'll know."

Xiao Wu nodded and agreed immediately, then left with the package. But he came back a short while later, scratching his head and saying, "Mr. Shen, they said they don't want it. They also said...they also said that if you don't accept it, they'll just leave it there and whoever picks it up will own it."

How could he become such a spendthrift in just three years!

Shen Aheng was somewhat helpless, but he was still angry.

"... Never mind. I'll think of something else."

Shen Aheng sighed, took the package back, and thought to herself, it seems that this time, she will have to go to Yuelai Inn in person.

That afternoon, Shen Ah Heng walked to the door of Yuelai Inn with the old cloth bag in his arms. As expected, he was stopped by two high-nosed, eagle-eyed Western attendants at the door.

The two men held their swords at their waists and shouted in their half-fluent Central Plains dialect, "Who are you? You can't just come in here casually!"

Shen Ah Heng tightened the cloth bag in his arms and said calmly: "I want to find your spiritual master. Go in and announce that Miss Shen is here."

The two attendants exchanged a strange glance, their faces slightly distorted. They chatted rapidly in the Western dialect for a while before one of them turned and went back into the inn. He came out a short while later, saying in a stern tone, "Our master said he's busy and can't see guests."

Shen Ah Heng laughed in his heart.

What inconvenience? It was obvious that the guy was still playing tricks on her and deliberately making trouble.

Since you’re not allowed in, forget it.

Shen Aheng didn't force it, and said "Oh" lightly, then turned around and left with the cloth bag in his arms.

The two guards at the door were still staring at her back, their eyes full of confusion.

The girl came and left in a hurry, and didn't look like she was looking for someone.

It seems like he is here to seek revenge.

As Shen Ah Heng walked back, he couldn't help muttering: "After not seeing you for a few years, your temper has grown a lot, and you even acted like a spoiled child with me... It was obviously him who got angry first, and now, I'm not even angry yet, but he's acting so arrogantly..."

She had saved his life before, and then let those people take him away. At most, her merits and demerits offset each other, and she didn't owe him anything!

Never mind it, it’s not her who is at a disadvantage anyway!

She took the money to the silver shop and used it as silver bills, becoming the richest woman and living a happy and carefree life for the rest of her life.

Having said that, he still kicked the pebbles on the roadside in frustration, feeling helpless.

As I was walking with my head down, a man hurried past me. He was dressed decently.

Shen Ah Heng didn't pay attention and walked towards Shichun Inn without stopping.

The man took a few steps and suddenly stopped. He turned back abruptly and stared at Shen Ah Heng's back as he lowered his head and muttered for a long time. Then he ran over quickly and blocked Shen Ah Heng's way. His tone was a little surprised: "You, you are the one... Is your last name Shen?"

Shen Ah Heng was startled and took a half step back, holding the cloth bag in his arms tightly, looking at the strange man in front of him warily, frowning: "Who are you? What do you want from me?"

Mu Kun suddenly opened his eyes wide, his voice trembling with surprise.

Two days ago, he followed the order of Lord Lingchi and searched the entire town for three whole days with the portrait. He even checked inns and pharmacies, but there was no news at all. He was afraid that he would not be able to complete the task, but unexpectedly he ran into the real owner on the street. It really is true that there is always a way out!

Having worked under the Yaochen Sect for years, his ability to read people's expressions was far superior to that of ordinary people. With just a glance at the other person's features, he was certain the woman was disguised as a man, the person in the portrait. He eagerly took a half step forward, his tone both anxious and joyful, "Auntie... Oh, young master, I finally found you! My master is an old friend of yours, and he's been thinking about you these past few days, so he sent me out to look for you. If you have nothing else to do right now, could you please come with me to see the City Lord?"

Shen Aheng was puzzled: "Who is your master? I don't even know his name, how can I go to see him casually?"

Mu Kun hesitated. Since Master Lingchi had ordered them to secretly search for the girl before them, he must have known her personally. It would be okay to speak out now. He carefully considered his words and replied respectfully, "Our master's name is Ashina Yu, and he is from the Western Regions..."

"Ayu." Shen Aheng was stunned for a moment, and thinking of the servant's cold answer outside the inn just now, he couldn't help but get angry: "What a coincidence! I just came back from Yuelai Inn, and your master said he had something to do and it was inconvenient for him to see me."

Mu Kun was stunned. What…what was going on? Master Lingchi had clearly instructed him two days ago to have the entire city search for her whereabouts.

Shen Ah Heng lowered her head and glanced at the heavy old cloth bag in her arms. It made her palms feel heavy, so she simply handed it to him: "Since you are his subordinate, that's perfect. This bag was given by him before. It's useless for me to keep it. If you have time, please help me return it to him. No reward without merit. I dare not accept so much gold."

The man was holding the heavy cloth bag, completely stunned. When he reacted, he hurriedly took two steps forward and opened his mouth to shout "Girl, please stay", but Shen Ah Heng didn't even turn his head, but just raised his hand and waved, his steps brisk, and the ends of his hair swayed slightly with the movement.

After Ashina Yu stopped appearing, Shen Aheng's life returned to its former peace.

He set up a medical stall at the entrance of the inn every day, treating minor illnesses such as headaches and fevers. In the evening, he closed the stall and returned to the inn to rest. His life was quite stable.

I think after that incident, he has already left Duxi Town.

But this peace did not last for a few days. One day, she was taking the pulse of an old lady in front of the medical stall when she saw a man running hurriedly from the other end of the street, his forehead covered in sweat, and rushing straight to her medical stall.

"Auntie... Young Master! Please go and meet my master! He, he..."

Seeing that it was the man who inexplicably stopped him that day, and claimed to be Ashina Yu’s subordinate or something, Shen Aheng frowned and interrupted him: “Tell me, what tricks is your master going to play again.”

Mu Kun almost fell to his knees upon hearing this. Seeing the girl's cold and unbelieving expression, he gritted his teeth, tightly grasped the corner of her clothes with both hands, and told her everything: "Young Master, it's true. My master...he was poisoned..."

With a "clang", the brush in Shen Aheng's hand fell to the ground.

She was stunned for two seconds. It was clearly late spring and approaching summer, but it felt like she had suddenly fallen into an ice cave.

Shen Ah Heng managed to calm himself down, wrote the prescription for the old woman first, and carefully instructed her on the precautions for decocting the medicine, then turned around and took out a small brown porcelain bottle from the bottom of the medicine box.

Shen Ah Heng put the porcelain bottle in his arms, turned to the man and said, “Let’s go, take me there.”

There was an ebony carriage parked outside the medical stall. Shen Aheng wanted to walk over, but when he thought about the poison taking effect and couldn't delay any longer, he followed Mu Kun and lifted the curtain to get in.

The carriage ran very fast and stopped at the door of Yuelai Inn in less than a pack of cigarettes.

After getting off the carriage, Mu Kun hurriedly took Shen Aheng inside, and the Western Region guards who had stopped her before immediately made way when they saw the man.

The first two times she came, she felt that the inn was abnormally quiet. Now, even the air was solemn. Not even an ant could be seen. Only the lanterns in the corridor were swaying with dim light, casting shadows on the ground that were sometimes long and sometimes short.

The two of them hurried up to the second floor. As soon as they turned the corner, they saw that the number of guards guarding the door of Ashina's jade room was more than twice as many as last time, and all of them had tense expressions.

From time to time, there was a clang of heavy objects falling in the room, mixed with the crisp sound of porcelain breaking, which made people feel nervous.

Shen Ah Heng’s hand holding the porcelain bottle clenched unconsciously, and his heart sank suddenly.

Mu Kun wiped the sweat off his face and walked forward, carefully opening the door for Shen Aheng. A strong smell of medicine mixed with a faint smell of blood hit him in the face.

The room was no longer as tidy as it used to be. The porcelain tea set on the table was broken into pieces and scattered all over the floor. Tea stains flowed down the table legs to the ground. The brocade-covered chairs were overturned to the side. Even the calligraphy and paintings on the wall had been torn down, and the scrolls were scattered at the feet, wrinkled beyond recognition.

The room was in a mess, with no place to step.

In the midst of the mess, Ashina Yu was curled up in the corner. His purple robe was extremely wrinkled, the collar and cuffs were soaked with sweat, the hem was rubbing against broken porcelain pieces, and half of the hem was dragging on the ground, revealing the delicate lines of his ankles.

The ankle was so white that it was almost transparent, and it seemed that it had been cut by several small cuts from the broken porcelain pieces on the ground. The bright red blood beads seeped down along the delicate skin, which was particularly glaring.

Her black hair was loosely tied with a hairpin inlaid with a purple gem. Most of her hair was scattered around her neck, a few wet strands stuck to her pale cheeks, and there was an abnormal blush at the corners of her eyes.

His eyes were covered with a layer of mist. Although he was confused at the moment, he looked like a small animal curled up after being injured, fragile and a little defensive.

Hearing the sound of the door opening, he suddenly raised his head, his eyes were confused, but his expression was as sinister as a wounded animal. Seeing someone coming in, he let out a low roar from his throat: "Get out! Get out!"

Mu Kun was so frightened that the keys in his hand almost fell to the ground. He quickly replied with a trembling "Yes, yes", then quickly took two steps back.

When he retreated to the door, he secretly gave Shen Aheng a look, quietly clenched his fist, made a cheering gesture at her, and silently said with his mouth, "Girl, it's up to you!"

He felt inexplicably certain that no matter how vicious his Lord Lingchi was, he would never harm the girl in front of him.

As soon as he finished speaking, he quickly and gently closed the door, and even took a look through the crack of the door. Seeing that Shen Ah Heng did not run after him, he felt relieved and quietly retreated to the end of the corridor to guard.

Looking at Mu Kun who was running faster than a rabbit, Shen Aheng resisted the urge to roll his eyes, cursed inwardly, "no conscience", reached out from his arms and took out the small brown porcelain bottle, and walked towards Ashina Yu who was curled up in the corner.

Ashina Yu was originally full of anger, like a ferocious beast that would pounce on people at any time, but perhaps it was because he smelled a reassuring scent of herbs, the most familiar smell to him three years ago, that his originally restless body slowly relaxed.

But his teeth were still clenched tightly, and the sweat on his forehead flowed down his cheeks, dripping onto his purple robe, leaving a small dark mark. He was gasping for breath, obviously still enduring the severe pain.

Shen Ah Heng squatted down, and his fingertips gently touched his hot arm. He trembled almost imperceptibly, but did not dodge.

Shen Ah Heng squatted down and saw that his ankle was still bleeding. He frowned and unscrewed the stopper of the porcelain bottle, poured out two small vermilion pills, then raised his hand and gently pinched his chin, forcing him to speak.

Ashina Yu's eyes were still confused, with beads of sweat hanging on her eyelashes, but she seemed to recognize people by instinct. She opened her mouth obediently and let the two pills roll into her tongue. Even swallowing was done with a bit of unconscious obedience.