Chapter 51 Unbuttoning Clothes

Anyway, Lu Yuan had seen her in the bathtub the first time they met, and after so many years in the brothel, she had long lost the shyness and coyness of a young lady.

As long as everything is in her best interest, that's fine.

Lu Yuan helped her sit down by the bed, took some medicated oil and spread it in his palm. Then he squatted down in front of her, lifted her torn skirt, and placed his warm palm, still covered with calluses, on her cut wound.

Although Jiang Zhi was prepared, she still couldn't help but flinch.

Lu Yuan immediately looked up and asked her softly, "How are you? Does it hurt a lot?"

"Lord Lu, please apply the medicine. I can bear it," Jiang Zhi said, her face pale.

She had so many injuries.

The wounds, large and small, from the bushes; the left arm, which had been hit and was now numb; and the ankle, which was throbbing with pain at the slightest movement.

After applying the medicine to her calf, Lu Yuan said, "I'm setting your bones. You really have to bear with it this time."

Seeing Jiang Zhi nod, he grasped her delicate ankles with both hands, and with a slight force, he helped Jiang Zhi straighten her dislocated bones with a soft "click".

Jiang Zhi was in so much pain that she broke out in a cold sweat. Her hands instinctively and uncontrollably pressed on Lu Yuan's shoulders, as if this could slightly alleviate the pain coming from her ankle.

Lu Yuan patiently waited for her pain to subside before getting up, but then he faced a dilemma.

“I see you also have injuries on your back and shoulders. If you want to apply medicine, you will need to…” Lu Yuan’s gaze wandered and he didn’t continue.

To be honest, let alone a back, he had seen many naked bodies of both men and women during interrogations in the imperial prison, and in his eyes they were nothing more than a pile of flesh.

But for some reason, he felt a little guilty and unnatural when facing this young lady from the Jiang family.

Jiang Zhi didn't seem to care. "I can't see what's behind me, so I'll have to trouble Lord Lu with this matter."

After saying that, she turned around, carefully unbuttoned her clothes, and exposed her shoulders to Lu Yuan.

Now it was Lu Yuan's turn to be surprised.

Although it was impolite to apply medicine to her feet just now, the two of them were far apart after all.

But if we need to apply medicine to her shoulder...

Lu Yuan then smiled helplessly.

Other young ladies are all so poised and graceful, why is he acting all coy and hesitant around?

He picked up the medicated oil again, intending to apply it to her in the same way as before, when his gaze fell on her jade-like back, which shone with a pearly luster.

Her plain clothes slipped down her arms, revealing her bare shoulders and the delicate shoulder blades that were faintly visible, like thin snow covering a mountain peak—breathtakingly beautiful. But now, however, were several unsightly, bright red bloodstains, like plum blossoms fallen in the snow, utterly jarring.

Lu Yuan tightened his grip on the medicated oil, his Adam's apple bobbed, and an uncontrollable burning sensation rose from the tips of his ears.

He took a deep breath to calm his racing heart before pouring the medicated oil onto his palm.

After finally finishing applying the medicine, Lu Yuan realized that he was also covered in sweat, and he had never been this nervous even when interrogating prisoners.

He took the clothes that the young novice monk had brought him and said, "These clothes are rough, Miss Jiang, please change into them for now, and we'll talk about it after we get down the mountain."

Jiang Zhi naturally wouldn't mind.

"I am deeply grateful for Lord Lu's help today. I have no way to repay your life-saving grace. In the future, if you ever need my help, please just say the word, and I will certainly not refuse."

Lu Yuan chuckled, "It was just a favor. If I need Miss Jiang's help in future investigations, I certainly won't hesitate to ask."

He then asked, "Miss Jiang, are you going down the mountain now?"

Jiang Zhi shook her head. "I have other matters to attend to. If Lord Lu is busy, there is no need to wait for me."

"My business is done for today. Let's wait for Miss Jiang to finish her business before we go down the mountain together." She had too many injuries, and Lu Yuan was worried about leaving her alone at Puzhao Temple.

*

Jiang Mansion.

Wang Yuru waited patiently for news in her room.

Then, remembering something, she asked her trusted nanny beside her, "Have you told Yun'er to stay in the manor without worry? She used to love it when I came here, why is she so quiet today?"

"This old servant has repeatedly told the Second Miss not to go out, which is probably why she didn't come today," the nanny reassured her.

Wang Yuru was getting anxious. "Why hasn't anyone come to deliver a message yet? Hurry up and wait at the door. Report back immediately if anything happens."

Just as the old woman was about to leave after receiving her orders, she saw a flustered maid rushing in from outside.

"Madam, Madam, something terrible has happened! Miss Qingxing has just returned to the manor and says that the Jiang family's carriage has been robbed by bandits!"

"Really?" Wang Yuru immediately stood up excitedly, but realizing her overly surprised reaction, she sat back down.

"Why are you in such a hurry? Don't you know the rules of the manor? Bring Qingxing to my room. I need to ask her about it first."

Before long, Qingxing was brought to Wang Yuru.

"Please, Madam, save Miss! If she falls into the hands of the bandits, her chances of survival are slim. Please, Madam, send someone up the mountain right now! I beg you, Madam!" Qingxing, disregarding her injuries, kowtowed repeatedly in desperation.

Wang Yuru, however, sat calmly at the head of the table, drinking tea. "You make it sound so easy, girl. I'm not in charge now. How can I possibly mobilize the people in the mansion? Let's wait for Master to return before discussing anything else."

“But it will be evening by the time Master gets back from his yamen, how can we possibly make it in time? Why don’t we go find Master now?” Qingxing knew that Wang Yuru disliked her young lady, but her own daughter was in grave danger on the carriage, how could she remain so calm?

Wang Yuru slammed her teacup down. "You maid have no manners. How dare you disturb the master when he's on duty? Hurry up and leave. I'll explain to him when he returns."

She gave the old nanny beside her a wink, and the nanny immediately understood and stepped forward.

Qingxing knew that it was impossible to get through to Wang Yuru.

Before she went down the mountain, Lord Lu gave her a token and told her to go to the Embroidered Uniform Guard to find someone if she couldn't manage.

Thinking of this, Qingxing got up and was about to leave when she was suddenly struck hard on the back of her neck. Before she could make a sound, her body went limp and she fell to the ground.

The old woman withdrew her hand and let the maid outside come in and lock the person in the woodshed.

"Go save her? How could I?" Wang Yuru scoffed. "I'd rather she be raped and killed by the bandits!"

"This is what happens when you dare to steal my Yun'er!"

The old woman asked again, "But this matter can't be kept secret forever. What will we do if the master finds out when he returns?"

"By the time Master returns, she'll have destroyed everything she could. What's there to be afraid of?" Wang Yuru said nonchalantly. "Then we can just kill Qingxing and say she was also kidnapped by bandits and didn't come back to report. Who would stand up for an insignificant maid?"

A ruthless look appeared on Wang Yuru's face. "I want her to suffer the same fate as her mother, never to be redeemed!"