Chapter 168 Lu Wenqu

Chapter 168 Lu Wenqu

While the old man and the old man were taking care of some white tiger cubs elsewhere, Zhao Tong chatted for a while. He became very interested in the stove in Meng Huizhou's house.

Jiang Yutang has always been the one watching over Lu Wenqu.

Lu Wenqu didn't make a sound when he woke up, and Jiang Yutang didn't pay any attention to him either.

Jiang Yutang sat casually on the window frame.

With a high ponytail and dressed in bright red, she gazed wistfully out the window.

With her neck slender and leaning against the window frame, Lu Wenqu could just see her cheek.

As dusk approached, the afterglow of the setting sun shone perfectly on half of his face, casting a delicate silhouette.

Jiang Yutang didn't look at him, and Lu Wenqu remained silent.

And so, when Jiang Yutang turned around, she found Lu Wenqu on the sickbed staring at her with his eyes open. Moreover, judging from his not-so-drowsy appearance, he probably had been watching her for quite some time.

Even after being discovered, Lu Wenqu remained silent.

Jiang Yutang asked calmly, "Awake?"

Lu Wenqu: "Hmm."

Jiang Yutang: "How long have you been awake?"

They didn't make a sound.

Lu Wenqu said softly, "I'm afraid it's the Black and White Impermanence."

Jiang Yutang: "..."

Black and White Impermanence?

She was clearly wearing a bright red dress, and she was a woman.

This person is full of lies.

Jiang Yutang gracefully descended from the window frame, as if walking towards him in the afterglow of the setting sun.

For a moment, he couldn't see her clearly because of the backlighting.

Lu Wenqu blinked, inexplicably holding his breath, then whispered, "Did the young lady save me?"

Jiang Yutang also came closer to look at him, then turned to look out the window: "Brother Zhao, Lu Wenqu has woken up."

Oh, and there's an older brother too...

Lu Wenqu sighed softly.

Then came the scene of Wang Sumo pushing open the door and entering: "Lu Wenqu?"

Lu Wenqu's eyes lit up.

Having been bedridden for more than ten days, and having just narrowly escaped death in that state, he was still able to call out to Wang Sumo with delight, "Miss Wang!"

However, Wang Sumo glanced at him sideways.

Miss Wang?

Is this a brain injury or something?

I used to ask him to call her Miss Wang, but he refused, saying it was too distant and that he wanted to call her "Amo".

Only after confirming that Wang Sumo would indeed sweep him away and make him get out did he reluctantly change his address to "Sumo".

Having escaped death this time, when he met her, the first thing he said to her was "Miss Wang," and Wang Sumo knew that something was amiss.

It's rare that he still has the energy to cause trouble, which means that although he's had a brush with death, he's not far from being lively and energetic again...

Don't worry.

"Master, I'm going outside to take a look." Jiang Yutang knew they had something to say.

"good."

Lu Wenqu only looked away after watching Jiang Yutang leave the room.

Wang Sumo took it all in.

Now that she finally understood why he suddenly called her "Miss Wang," Wang Sumo was both amused and annoyed: "Hey, do you want to tell me first that the last time I saw you, you were clearly still in the dungeon of Qingyun Manor, but this time when I saw you, you were covered in blood and lying in someone's caravan's carriage?"

"Huh?" Lu Wenqu himself only just came to his senses.

As if his mind hadn't been working properly since he woke up, he only let out a soft hiss when Wang Sumo asked, "It's a long story."

"Just now, I thought I was dreaming. Or maybe I was thinking that the Black and White Impermanence, Ox-Head and Horse-Face in the underworld are all based on..." Lu Wenqu realized, "She just mentioned the master, is it that the Eight Treasures Pavilion has sent people again?"

Wang Sumo crossed her arms and said, "A lot of people have come."

Lu Wenqu's eyes widened: "Didn't you say you liked peace and quiet?"

"I like being in a crowd now." Wang Sumo leaned closer: "What's wrong with you?"

Finally getting back to the point, Lu Wenqu sighed softly, "Su Mo, you need to help me up first."

Having just recovered from a serious illness, he didn't have much strength. He had already tried talking while lying down, but it was difficult. Wang Sumo did as he was told and placed a pillow behind his back.

He had probably been lying in bed for too long, and sitting up made him feel much more comfortable. Besides, Lu Wenqu could see out the window that Jiang Yutang was feeding the three sheep.

Lu Wenqu suddenly said leisurely, "Hey, pinch me so I can confirm that what I'm seeing is real, not some kind of hallucination or truth serum."

As expected of someone from the Tianxiang Sect, they were familiar with both spices and poisons.

Even at times like these, it's important to remain cautious.

Wang Sumo: "..."

In the garden, Jiang Yutang was feeding the sheep when she suddenly heard a man's scream from inside the house.

Jiang Yutang remembered hearing this voice just now.

Jiang Yutang was stunned. She had thought that her employer and Lu Wenqu had a "very good" relationship...

The sound seemed to leave no room for compromise.

Moreover, his voice was full of energy, which probably means his injury has almost healed.

Inside the room, Wang Sumo covered her ears. It was even more terrifying than the old man's lion's roar; it felt like it was shaking her brain to its core.

Lu Wenqu clutched his arm, still shaken: "Have you been practicing pliers kung fu or something else these past few months?"

Does it hurt that much?

Wang Sumo blinked, recalling how she always pinched Bai Cen like this when he was causing trouble. Bai Cen would always stare at her with wide eyes, a look of disbelief and utter despair, his eyes brimming with tears: "There's no need, there's really no need, Master..."

She said, "I'll just have to bear it."

Bai Cen stared at her expectantly...

Wang Sumo blinked again. Does it really hurt that much?

Wang Sumo was stunned.

On the other side, Lu Wenqu was also clutching his arm, leaning back against the pillow, letting out a long sigh, and then sighing softly: "It's quite a coincidence. Originally, I was supposed to be chasing after a suspicious person hiding in Qingyun Manor for He Lingyun, but after going around in circles, I ended up back at Qingyun Manor's shop in Liucheng."

Liucheng?

Wang Sumo knew that He Huai'an had mentioned it when he took her to the medicine room: Qingyun Manor's wound medicine was famous in the martial arts world. In addition to its own use, a large portion of it was supplied to people in the martial arts world and the army.

The military has a dedicated channel that regularly sends people to communicate with Qingyun Manor.

The business within the military is handled by a dedicated manager at Qingyun Manor, and He Huai'an also makes an appearance.

But in the streets and underworld, they would set up shops in larger towns.

This is the main source of revenue for Qingyun Manor, which sustains its operation.

Therefore, the managers and disciples of Qingyun Manor, apart from those who stayed in the manor, would be sent to these shops in various places in rotation.

He Ping is the most capable disciple of Master Huo, and he basically does things for Master Huo. He Ping will not go. As for someone like He Qingque, because he is young and inexperienced, he has not had the chance to go yet.

Therefore, these shops of Qingyun Manor in various places are not only the main source of income for Qingyun Manor, but more importantly, they are places where disciples of Qingyun Manor can train.

This is also about navigating the world, encountering different kinds of people and social customs, and being bound by the constraints of one's sect.

These are all digressions.

Although she knew it was most likely related to He Huai'an, at that time, He Huai'an seemed to still be at Qingyun Manor.

In other words, He Huai'an probably still has many trusted confidants around Qingyun Manor.

These trusted confidants bypassed Master Huo and obeyed only He Huai'an's orders.

Right now, being able to enter and leave Qingyun Manor and its pharmacies so smoothly, Wang Sumo suddenly thought that even if He Huai'an's mask were revealed to the world one day, not everyone in Qingyun Manor would necessarily be willing to stand with Manor Lord Huo and Old Manor Lord He.

This thought sent a chill down Wang Sumo's spine.

This is only Qingyun Manor.

He Huai'an was a master strategist. If we start counting from when he left the Kunlun Sect thirty years ago, or even earlier, before he entered Kunlun, how many "Qingyun Manor" would he control in the martial arts world?

This thought loomed over Wang Sumo like a dark cloud, causing him to momentarily lose focus.

Lu Wenqu's voice brought her back to reality: "I was delayed at Qingyun Manor at the time. When I came out, the scent that I could trace was very faint. I could only trace it to the shop in Liucheng. But there were more than ten people in that shop, including the manager and disciples of Qingyun Manor. I couldn't tell who it was just from the scent I left behind..."

The disciples of Qingyun Manor are on duty in shifts, which means there is a lot of movement between them.

He arrived two or three days late, while at least five or six disciples of Qingyun Manor arrived in Liucheng during those two or three days.

Fortunately, it wasn't like looking for a needle in a haystack.

If you walk by the river often enough, you're bound to get your shoes wet. If you follow them long enough, they'll inevitably slip up once or twice.

Lu Wenqu then rented a house near that shop and settled down.

Five or six people can't keep an eye on everything together, but if they keep an eye on one person for a day or half a day, and after a while, by the tenth or twelfth day, the higher-ups will be familiar with them all.

Knowing what they do and what they're used to, any sudden unusual behavior is a sign that something is amiss.

He noticed many clues.

But they also know that you have to cast a long line to catch a big fish.

Around the twentieth day, someone sneaked out in the middle of the night, and he naturally followed.

Liucheng is an important town, and it is quite large.

The other party meandered through most of the town before arriving at a garden.

Lu Wenqu had to stop there.

Because it was guarded by the military.

"The military?" Wang Sumo asked in surprise, "You mean, you've gotten involved with the imperial court and the military?"

Lu Wenqu sighed softly: "That's why I said the waters here are too deep. I'm glad I didn't let Ling Yun come along."

At this point, Lu Wenqu's relief was palpable.

Wang Sumo looked at him.

In fact, she could sense Lu Wenqu's concern for He Lingyun, as well as for Old Master He.

He only went to Qingyun Manor to find his chicken gizzard. Later, he agreed to stay, partly because he discovered the forbidden medicine of Tianxiang Sect, but also largely because he was worried about He Lingyun and Old Master He.

Everyone has secrets they don't want to reveal.

Lu Wenqu also has it.

Wang Sumo didn't expose him, but continued to ask, "You didn't go in, so did you wait until the other party came out?"

At this point, He Huai'an took a deep breath, his face turning extremely pale.

Wang Sumo had a rough idea of ​​what was going on. Sure enough, Lu Wenqu said in a deep voice, "They're out. The Qingyun Manor disciple named He Quan came out with a general of a high rank from the army. Just when I thought he was having a private meeting with the general, another figure came out of the garden—He Huai'an."

Wang Sumo was not surprised.

But Lu Wenqu's face was still clearly shocked when he mentioned the name "He Huai'an," and his emotions were a mixture of complex and indescribable feelings.

"And then?" Wang Sumo held her breath.

Seeing He Huai'an with military generals, given how cautious He Huai'an is...

Sure enough, Lu Wenqu said, "I was shocked at the time because I was chasing the person who used the forbidden medicine of Tianxiang Sect in the manor of Master He, but after chasing around, the person I saw was He Huai'an. I was stunned and my mind went blank. Although I hid very well and the soldiers in the army did not find me, when I was shocked, I suddenly saw He Huai'an looking in my direction."

Wang Sumo held her breath; she could imagine the oppressive feeling.

“I’ve met He Huai’an at Qingyun Manor. He’s gentle and refined, and he doesn’t know martial arts, but all the disciples at Qingyun Manor respect him. He’s always been like this. But when he looked at me, I had never seen such a sense of oppression before. It was like a death knell. I knew it was dangerous, but I just couldn’t move. Just then, two dark figures suddenly fell in front of me.”

"One of their swords struck my chest, the excruciating pain rendering me immobile. These two men in black, with their blue faces and fangs, were far more skilled than He Ping and had murderous intent toward me. I suddenly realized they were He Huai'an's men. He Huai'an had merely glanced at me without a word, and hadn't even stopped walking, yet these two men in black continued to chase me."

“My martial arts skills are far inferior to theirs, and they relentlessly pursued me. If it weren’t for the fact that the Tianxiang Sect left me some life-saving items, you probably wouldn’t be seeing me today.”

At this point, Lu Wenqu clutched his chest again: "The two of them kept chasing me. No matter where I ran, they would kill many more people to find me. For more than ten days in a row, they beat me severely. Wherever I hid, everyone there was killed. I was forced to jump off a cliff."

Lu Wenqu looked up and sighed softly, "That cliff was very high. They must have finally realized I had no way out. I was truly lucky; there was a river right below the cliff, and I was swept away by the current until I woke up far away, but I was covered in wounds. I didn't know where I was and dared not seek a doctor rashly. Just then, a caravan was preparing to depart, and I used my last bit of strength to hide among them. Tianxiang Sect still had incense making, so I knew how to hide the smell of blood on my body, but I was indeed too badly injured and had lost too much blood. I thought I was going to die, but I never expected to open my eyes here..."

After Lu Wenqu finished speaking, he couldn't help but cough twice, but he was still bothered by He Huai'an's matter.

"He Huai'an..."

Lu Wenqu didn't know how to explain this secret to Wang Sumo.

It's a long story.

Wang Sumo stared intently at him: "Lu Wenqu, what if I told you that this He Huai'an is a fake? Would you believe me?"

Lu Wenqu looked at her in surprise: "..."

[Author's Note]

Lu Wenqu: I believe it, no one believes it more than me...