Chapter 42 Zhan Xingzhuo's face was extremely ugly.

Zhiyun and Zhiyue exchanged a glance and quietly withdrew.

Inside the room, the two embraced.

Zhan Xingzhuo hugged Zhou Zhining tightly, patting her back gently to comfort her: "It's okay, I'm back, don't be afraid."

Zhou Zhining gripped his clothes tightly, her nails digging into his skin, as if trying to convey her fear to him and let him know how terrified she was.

"Come here, let me see if you're hurt?" The man tried to check her injuries, but Zhou Zhining held on tightly, covering her face with his chest and shaking her head. "No... When it happened, Zhiyun and I were having dinner."

"The torches they threw in set the woodshed ablaze... The guards came out to see what was happening and started fighting with the intruders..."

Zhou Zhining rambled on for a while, but gradually her emotions stabilized. She pulled away from the man's embrace and suddenly blushed.

Zhan Xingzhuo had traveled all the way in the rain, and there wasn't a single dry spot on him. His robes clung to his skin, revealing his figure completely; it seemed as if she were pressed directly against him…

Zhou Zhining blushed and lowered her eyelashes.

Her clothes were also soaked by him.

Zhan Xingzhuo then realized his mistake and coughed, "I'll go change my clothes."

He turned around as he spoke.

Zhou Zhining called him over, then called Zhiyun and Zhiyue in. She told Zhiyun to fetch a set of clean men's clothes and Zhiyue to fetch two charcoal braziers.

The two went out to get something.

Zhou Zhining said to Zhan Xingzhuo, "You're all wet. It's so cold outside, you'll easily catch a cold."

She bit her lip, then boldly walked up to the man again, her fingers trembling slightly as she unbuttoned his buttons.

The man lowered his eyes, only seeing the lower half of her face. Her long eyelashes trembled slightly, each movement like a fan slapping at his heart, tickling him.

The man felt his whole body heat up, and her warm fingers brushed against his clothes intentionally or unintentionally.

He was so cold, yet he could keenly sense even the slightest warmth.

His breathing became slower and heavier.

He grabbed the woman's hands.

Zhou Zhining looked up and met his burning gaze, her face turning even redder: "Brother Xingzhuo..."

The woman's sweet voice quickened the flow of blood throughout his body. The man tensed up, staring intently at her rosy lips, his Adam's apple bobbing.

Her words echoed in my mind: "It's been a long time since I've had sex with Wang Xuan..."

Something was surging in the air.

His Adam's apple bobbed again, and he couldn't help but slowly lower his head.

Zhou Zhining also closed her eyes, waiting for his arrival.

Suddenly, a resolute figure flashed into the man's mind.

She silently climbed the stairs, step by step, leaving him behind...

Zhan Xingzhuo paused in his breath and suddenly raised his head.

Zhou Zhining opened her eyes, her gaze bewildered: "Brother Xingzhuo?"

Just then, Zhiyue knocked on the door and said, "Miss, the charcoal brazier has arrived."

Zhan Xingzhuo released Zhou Zhining's hand, took two steps back, and quickly buttoned up his clothes.

Zhiyue pushed open the door and came in. Two waiters brought in a charcoal brazier, and a little while later, Zhiyun also came in with dry clothes.

The group put their things down and went outside.

Zhan Xingzhuo took clean clothes and went behind the screen to change.

Zhou Zhining took a handkerchief and wiped the dampness from her clothes, lost in thought.

She was so close to Xingzhuo kissing her.

Is it that he's afraid to kiss her, or is he thinking about Yao Qingling?

Hearing the rustling sounds behind the screen, her soft voice rang out: "Brother Xingzhuo, you rushed down the mountain tonight. Qingling is alone at Yongning Temple, will she be angry with you?"

"I was so inconsiderate... You finally have time to spend with Qingling, and now she's probably resenting us again..."

Zhan Xingzhu changed his clothes and came out from behind the screen.

He let his hair down, letting it hang loose behind him.

Zhou Zhining handed her a dry cloth; the fire in the charcoal brazier had dried a patch of her clothes on her chest, leaving a dried stain.

Zhan Xingzhuo noticed it at a glance, his eyes flickered, and he took the towel, saying in a low voice, "You should change your clothes too."

His voice sounded a little strained.

Zhou Zhining glanced down at herself, but didn't reach for her clothes.

She sat down.

Zhan Xingzhuo grabbed a handful of his hair and wiped it, remaining silent for a moment because of the ambiguity that had just occurred.

After a while, the man said, "Why don't we go to the new mansion?"

Zhou Zhining lowered her head, looking dejected: "Qingling doesn't want me to go, and besides, the rumors outside are nasty, so I don't want to go."

Zhan Xingzhuo nodded, and then there was another silence.

At that moment, his heart was pounding.

I don't know if it's because of Zhou Zhining or Yao Qingling.

The image of the blazing fire I saw as I descended the mountain flashed through my mind.

Yongning Temple is very popular with worshippers, and quite a few people stayed there tonight...

He was lost in thought when a sudden knock on the door startled him.

The knocking was urgent.

Minglu stood at the door and said in a low voice, "Master, something has happened."

Zhan Xingzhuo's heart was pounding. He strode over and flung open the door: "What happened?"

Minglu had several cuts on his face, all from rolling down the mountain path, and hadn't had time to apply medicine yet. He said in a low voice, "I went out to inquire just now, and someone said... said..."

He was terribly panicked, his eyes were glazed over.

Zhan Xingzhuo frowned, and said impatiently, "What did you say?"

"They say Yongning Temple was attacked by bandits, and the entire temple was surrounded... Sir, the fire we saw when we came down the mountain must have been set by the bandits who rushed in..."

Minglu's voice trembled.

If they go back, they can save the young mistress.

If anything happens to the young mistress...

Zhan Xingzhuo was also startled. In his daze, the image of the raging fire in the rain kept flashing through his mind.

Isn't it... a ritual of releasing hungry ghosts?

No, it's not...

Temples have to choose a specific day for the ritual of releasing hungry ghosts, and these days weren't the right time, but he used this reason to convince himself not to care.

Yao Qingling —

He suddenly gasped for breath and said in a deep voice, "Prepare the horses, we're going to Yongning Temple now!"

He strode out.

Hearing what Minglu said, Zhou Zhining, who was inside the room, chased after him, calling out, "Brother Xingzhuo!"

Zhan Xingzhuo paused, and Zhou Zhining grabbed his arm: "Brother Xingzhuo, the city gates are closed now, we can't get out."

"Now that the news has spread, the local government must have sent people to rescue her. Qingling will be fine."

Several guesthouse doors were open, and the shopkeepers inside were also gathering information. Upon hearing that Yongning Temple was under siege, they sighed and said, "I never imagined that bandits would attack. Luckily, I went to see General Lin's parade today, so I missed it..."

Zhan Xingzhuo's face was extremely ugly.

It was he who insisted on going to Yongning Temple.

He also abandoned Yao Qingling and went down the mountain.

He also disregarded the raging fire on the mountain...

Someone else said, "With such heavy rain, I'm afraid the government won't be able to get help by the time they receive the news... I wonder how many people will die..."

Minglu glanced at Zhan Xingzhuo's face, waiting for his command: "Master?"

Zhou Zhining clutched Zhan Xingzhuo's sleeve, tears welling up in her eyes, her expression terrified: "Brother Xingzhuo, I'm scared..."

She glanced outside.

The inn was full of guests, with people hurrying about everywhere, and soldiers came in to question them.

"I don't know if any bandits have infiltrated... Brother Xingzhuo, Yongning Temple has warrior monks, and the pilgrims are protected. We can get through this. Will you stay with me?"

She trembled, her face was deathly pale, and her nails dug deep into Zhan Xingzhuo's skin, as if she had returned to the terrifying scene of bandits breaking into her home at dinner time.