Desperate counterattack
She pulled the sword out of Jiang Li's shoulder blade, and blood splattered on the white snow like plum blossoms, also splashing onto Sui Zhixu's face.
She didn't look at him, but instead shifted her gaze to the unconscious Sui He.
Eleven men in black. Chu Feixuan disappeared after the avalanche, and now she is all alone and helpless.
The wind rustled the golden bells at their waists, and she stood in the biting cold wind, feeling a sense of déjà vu.
She had a headache and asked, "Why do you insist that I go back with you?"
She lowered her head, her hair blowing across her face, and murmured to herself.
With his hand resting on the hilt of the sword stuck in the snow, he continued, "My life is quite valuable, worth the personal attention of Lady Gu, who forced the enemy state to retreat. Sima Xian really thinks highly of me."
Gu Qingyi frowned and subconsciously pointed out her mistake, "He is your uncle. Where did you learn this bad habit of calling him by his first name?"
"Ha, uncle?" Sui Zhixu sneered. "What kind of uncle is he? Is he the uncle who made me die a horrible death or the uncle who chased after me time and time again? If He Miao hadn't been so arrogant, he would have been a corpse long ago after moving into the Xuanping Prince's Mansion."
She turned to look at Jiang Li, calculating the time in her mind, her voice mournful, "He Miao has repeatedly stolen the life-saving items from me. First, it was the jade pendant that protected me, and then the mermaid pearl that saved my life. If I hadn't been lucky, I wouldn't have had the chance to wait for you. Isn't this time all because of Sima Xian's orders, forcing me to return to that home where my life was constantly in danger?"
“Ah Ling…” Jiang Li coughed. The outside world was not as good as Miao territory. Her body could not support her. She grabbed a corner of the young lady’s cloak and said, “Come back to Miao territory with me. No one will bully you.”
As Xu looked up at Gu Qingyi, confusion and resentment pierced her heart.
She said, "Wang has indeed been too biased towards him in recent years, my dear child. I will warn him. He still loves you. You are the first child he raised. He has poured more effort into you than he has into An Niang. The past is just a passing cloud. Now that you have been reborn, doesn't that mean we can start over?"
He's insane, absolutely insane.
She forced a smile and turned to speak to Jiang Li, "How do we cure the love potion? Will the drug on my mother's body have any effect?"
Seeing her smile, Jiang Li was pleased. "It won't affect anything. If you really like Sui He and Zi Rong, I can bring them back to Miao territory as well. I'll remove the love potion after you and he come back to Miao territory with me."
An unreadable emotion flickered in Sui Zhixu's eyes. "You said you would protect me?"
"But I don't need it."
Two gyrfalcons swooped down toward Jinling behind Gu Qingyi. Sui Zhixu immediately distanced himself from Jiang Li and took advantage of the chaos to snatch Sui He.
Chu Feixuan, who had arrived from the third party, split his forces into two groups: one to surround them from the rear, and the other to attack from the front.
The situation was dire. Gu Qingyi caught a glimpse of the injured Jiang Li out of the corner of her eye and ordered a retreat.
Jinling picked up the injured Jiang Li, and together with Gu Qingyi, they quickly disappeared into the snow-capped mountains.
Xu Zhixu ignored them and hugged Sui He, whose hands and feet were ice cold, gently patting her cheeks.
"Mother?"
“The head of the family needs to warm up immediately. Let’s go back to the cave to warm up first, and then we’ll go down the mountain after the head of the family wakes up.”
Sui Zhixu nodded, picked up Sui He, and rushed towards the cave. Chu Feixuan originally wanted to take over, but he disappeared in a flash.
Having missed his chance, he sheepishly withdrew his hand and glared at the people snickering in the barracks. "What are you looking at? Aren't you going to find the rest of them? Aren't you going to take them home? Huh?"
"Boss, keep your voice down, what if the snow mountain collapses again?"
Chu Feixuan: "Hey, you little rascal with the gap in your mouth, watch out or I'll get Liu Lü to beat you up."
"Lady Liu has already run off to find the young master. She doesn't even care about you, her master anymore. She has no status now." His expression was so irritating that Chu Feixuan had to clench his itchy hands to resist the urge to punch him.
"Will you behave if I kick you? Get back to work, we don't even know where our brothers and sisters are, and you're still in the mood to cause trouble for me."
"Yes, yes, as you command!"
On the other side, Sui Zhixu was in charge of settling Sui He, while Liu Lü searched for dry haystacks in the cave and started a fire.
"Mother, you must take good care of yourself. I will take you home." Sui Zhixu rubbed her hands together to warm them up and pressed them against Sui He's face. Her cloak was covered in snow and was no longer suitable to be used as a cover.
At this point, Sui Zhixu took off her snow-covered cloak and set it up to dry.
"My lady, the fire is lit."
"good."
Sui Zhixu leaned Sui He against her, carefully channeling his inner energy into her while Liu Lü warmed her clothes.
"The head of the family is a lucky person, he will be alright." Liu Lü said dryly. She had never said anything like this before, and it sounded very awkward.
Sui Zhixu understood what she meant and showed the only genuine smile she had given in days, "It will definitely happen."
She disregarded her relationship with Jiang Liyi or Gu Qingyi, her mind was completely focused on Sui He, and she somewhat regretted not learning some basic medical skills from Dan Hong.
She hoped that Jiang Li hadn't lied to her, and that her mother only had a simple sleeping potion on her.
After we get back, we still need to have the doctor examine Mother thoroughly before she can be completely at ease.
Gentle internal energy coursed through Sui He's limbs. Liu Lü wanted to channel her internal energy into him, but Sui Zhixu stopped her.
"If anything happens on the way back, you'll have to take responsibility."
Liu Lü had no choice but to speed up the drying of the clothes and wrap them around herself and Sui He.
The three huddled together for warmth. Sui He's complexion gradually regained its color, while Sui Zhixu's lips turned pale, yet she felt incredibly at peace.
As He Youyou woke up, she excitedly asked, "Mother?"
"Ah Xu?" Sui He stood up, covering his head. "What's wrong with me?"
Sui He looked confused and incredulous, but she quickly recovered and hugged Sui Zhixu, saying, "Good child, you've suffered so much."
She shook her head, nestled in Sui He's arms, and whispered, "I missed you."
"I missed you too." Sui He ruffled her hair. "How are you so amazing? You've already managed to rescue Mother."
Hearing the conversation inside the cave, Chu Feixuan rushed in anxiously, "You're awake?"
Sui He nodded, "Thank you for your hard work."
"How can you say it's hard work to do things for the patriarch?" Chu Feixuan's gaze softened, then returned to normal. "Reporting to the patriarch, a total of twenty-one soldiers have been found in the military camp. Eleven are dead and seven are seriously injured."
Sui He nodded, a hint of regret in his voice, "You make the arrangements to take their bodies back and treat their families well."
She gave many instructions, and Sui Zhixu remained silent, leaning against her and quietly listening to everything she had arranged.
"Are you tired? You've been traveling all this way from Chang'an for so long, haven't you had a proper rest yet?"
Sui Zhixu shook her head and snuggled closer to her, "I want to go home."
"Okay, let's rest for a bit and then head home."
—
"Jiang Li! Wake up! How did A Ling's sword wound you so badly?" Gu Qingyi and her group found a place to stay. Jiang Li's injuries were serious and needed immediate treatment.
"Did something go wrong when you came out of seclusion?" Gu Qingyi gently patted Jiang Li's face.
With her eyes closed, her long, curled eyelashes fluttered slightly, making her appear even more beautiful than a peach blossom.
She slowly opened her eyes and said weakly, "The things in Jingzhou were just a bit upsetting. I'm fine. I have some medicine with me, the one in the white bottle, cough cough..."
Jiang Li leaned against a pillar of the dilapidated temple behind her, exhaling long breaths and inhaling short ones, her half-closed eyes revealing sadness.
Ah Ling has learned to lie, and now she even turns against her with swords.
Her throat tightened. "Plans can't keep up with changes. She won't be coming back for the New Year."
“She’s just been misled by the outside world; she’ll come back eventually,” Gu Qingyi insisted.
Jiang Li smiled but didn't say anything.
After Gu Qingyi finished bandaging her, she said, "It's okay. She can't bear to part with Zirong. I know her. She may not say it, but she always values relationships so much. When Zirong is really terminally ill, she won't be able to be heartless."
“I have plenty of time this time. I don’t believe she can remain so calm after knowing about the incident in Jingzhou and Zirong’s critical illness.”
“She has indeed grown up a lot. She used to never back down.” Gu Qingyi was a little annoyed. She seemed to have underestimated her child who had grown up outside. She had actually learned to be more flexible.
"Enough said, let's head back to the Prince's residence immediately."
Jiang Li nodded slightly. Gu Qingyi bought a carriage from a nearby town and had someone put Jiang Li in the carriage before heading towards Chang'an.
Sui He led everyone down the mountain and rested temporarily in a small town at the foot of the mountain. Her injuries were not serious, but the people of Bingjialiao needed to recuperate. She sent a message to Chang'an via Hai Dongqing, saying that they would be fine before the end of the year.
The town at the foot of Chu Mountain is called Yuan Town. It is located in Jinzhou, not far from Chang'an. It is a place with beautiful mountains and clear waters, where small animals and various rare plants have made their home.
In the depths of winter, Yuanzhen loses its usual vibrancy but gains a unique liveliness.
The innkeeper kept three dogs and three cats. When Sui He and his group entered, the cats and dogs were leisurely leaning against the fire pit to warm themselves. The people in the hall were used to it, and many of them even reached out to touch their furry skin.
"Are you here for a meal or to stay at the hotel?"
"Give me a few superior rooms." Sui He took out money and put it on the counter. In the blink of an eye, his wife was surrounded by the inn's cats and dogs.
Sui Zhixu reached into her sleeve and actually took out the dried meat wrapped in a handkerchief. She secretly agreed, thinking it must be leftovers from feeding Yue Nu last time, and it was still there along the way.
"They're usually quite picky eaters. It seems they're quite destined to meet, since they actually went to see this young lady today."
The innkeeper smiled and glanced at him. His face was kind and his chubby cheeks looked a lot like the round oranges in the lobby.
"Then have fun." Sui He patted Sui Zhixu, who was squatting on the ground petting the cat, and told Liu Lü to take good care of her.
As Xu was surrounded by three cats and three dogs, who were either licking her or rubbing against her, she exclaimed, "I'm out of jerky!"
The big yellow dog pounced on Sui Zhixu's chest with its front paws and licked her face.
"Wait, wait a minute."
The crowd in the hall burst into laughter. The snow outside had stopped sometime earlier, and sunlight pierced through the clouds, scattering colorful light across the snow-covered ground.
Liu Lü tried to help Sui Zhixu, and hurriedly lifted the cat off her lap. Sui Zhixu pushed away the big yellow dog and rushed upstairs to her room.
Too much enthusiasm, too many blessings.
After washing up, Sui Zhixu went to find Sui He, who was discussing important matters with Chu Feixuan.
"When the elder of the Fifth Clan passed away, his children and the Cui family got into a fight, insisting that I take charge and divorce Cui Niangzi. The funeral arrangements and their commotion lasted for nearly two months."
"And then what?"
“She has been married to my second brother for many years. Even if she has not made any great contributions, she has certainly worked hard. Although she is in this matter, if we divorce her, wouldn’t that be the death of her? I have decided to give a portion of the property she inherited to the five clan elders.”
"She must have made a scene for a while now." Chu Feixuan sneered. "All she cares about is her own interests. Getting her money is harder than killing her."
Sui He rubbed his temples. "It's finally resolved now."
"Ah Xu is here." Sui He was the first to spot the young woman standing outside the door and greeted her with a smile.
"Alright, that's settled for now. You two, mother and daughter, haven't seen each other for a long time, have a good chat." Chu Feixuan tactfully withdrew, "I'm going to check on my disciples."
Sui He smiled and nodded. At the door, he whispered to Sui Zhixu, "Have a good talk. I heard you weren't doing well recently. When family is together, nothing is insurmountable."
"I understand, thank you Uncle Chu."
Chu Feixuan left with a smile after hearing Sui Zhixu's words. He thought to himself that his uncle was family, and that his wife's words were always so agreeable.
"What are you doing standing at the door? Come, sit next to your mother."
The familiar scent of peaches made Sui Zhixu throw herself into Sui He's arms.
She said in a muffled voice, "I almost thought I'd never see you again."
"How could that be? Mother is very lucky. I just accidentally fell into their trap this time. I won't let you worry about me anymore." Soft strands of hair were draped over Sui He's thighs. She ran her hand over them gently, her voice soft.
“Your father told me everything. How did you suffer so much? When you were born, Yueling came to visit and told me that you would have a great calamity when you were eighteen. Only by living with her in the Taoist temple would you have a chance of survival. No matter how reluctant I was, I still let her take you away. Since then, for eighteen years, my daughter and I have never seen each other.”
"I never imagined your great calamity would occur when the other half of your soul dies. My child..."
Sui He rested her chin on Sui Zhixu's forehead. She had been trained to be an assassin and then forced into marriage by Sima Xian. During those three confused years, how could her child have suffered so much while she couldn't see her?
"With your mother here this time, I won't let them bully you."
Her tears slid down Sui Zhixu's face, and the warm, damp touch made her hold him even tighter.
Let her rest for a while, like a fledgling bird hiding under its mother's wings, deaf to the outside turmoil and blind to the endless scheming.
“Father asked me to take you home, and I did.” Sui Zhixu raised her head slightly, revealing her face, and looked at Sui He.
Sui He pinched her cheek. "Hmm, you did it. Your little wife is amazing. Can we take over the rest?"
"Mmm." Sui Zhixu shrank back and buried herself in Sui He's arms.
Sui He hugged the young woman in his arms. She originally thought that Xu only liked Fan Lingzhang's face and didn't take him seriously.
I never expected they had a previous marriage. Gu Qingyi is really something, using him to threaten her young lady.
Her eyes turned cold as she gently patted the young woman in her arms, just like countless mothers lull their children to sleep when they were children. After eighteen years, she finally held her child like an ordinary mother.
She wouldn't allow anyone to hurt her child.
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