Descending the mountain in the early morning
"Why are you all in such a sorry state? Wait, did you kill all these wolves?"
"Heavens above! Have you all gone mad killing all night? Wait a minute, I'll go get help." Mingzhuo ran out, shouting all the way.
"Dad, I found someone! Alive!"
Mingzhuo has a loud voice and is full of youthful vigor, possessing the freshness and purity of a mountain awakening.
The birds that had just landed on the tree were startled and flew away by his loud voice.
Compared to the other three, who were exhausted and the sickly one, they were full of energy.
In the blink of an eye, Mingzhuo brought his father, followed by a group of people.
"Father, she's Cheng Zhijie's junior sister! She was the one who stopped me last time, otherwise I would have beaten that bitch to a pulp and made sure her ancestors didn't even know who she was!"
Mingzhuo threw a vicious punch, and his father slapped him on the back of the head.
"You still have the nerve to say that? If you hadn't brought it up, I would have almost forgotten. I'll deal with you when we get back. Right now, let's save people first."
When Ming's father saw the group of people covered in blood, he couldn't tell if it was wolf blood or human blood. He quickly called for the people behind him to help.
Fan Lingzhang was not close by, and there was little blood on his body. He carried Sui Zhixu on his back, thanked the person who helped him, and walked out.
"Oh my god, why is your leg lame? And your arm doesn't look good either?" Ming Zhuo circled around Sui Zhixu on his back, peeking left and right, observing her for a long time.
"Kid, be quiet for a moment."
Fan Lingzhang smiled and looked at him with a grin, while Ming Zhuo took two steps back.
He was so scared that he got goosebumps all over his body. Could this be the legendary smiling tiger from the martial arts world?
As expected, Cheng Zhijie was no good person, and neither were the people around him.
His junior sister is not a good person, and her husband doesn't seem to be a good person either.
Damn it, how did he move so fast, so nimbly? He dashed out in an instant. Sigh, he's still too kind-hearted.
Mingzhuo's mind was filled with random thoughts, sometimes crying and sometimes laughing. His father couldn't stand it and slapped him on the back of the head again.
"What are you standing there for? Can't you see all these wolves? Carry them back."
"What?" Mingzhuo pointed to the corpses scattered on the ground, then to himself, his eyes wide. "I'm going to carry them back?"
"Wolf fangs and wolf fur are valuable items. It's fine if you take them yourself; Mingyi still has them at home."
Mingzhuo pouted, thinking of his younger sister at home, and resigned himself to his fate, working alongside his partner to carry the load.
Fan Lingzhang walked in the group, chatting with the woman on his back.
“A relative of Madam Xu? I saw him once at the alley entrance last time. He seemed to be there for Young Master Cheng.”
"Yes, the Ming family."
She hadn't seen Mingyi for a long time, and with Mingyi around, she could finally relax a little.
"Judging from Mingzhuo's appearance, Mingyi should be doing well."
Her voice was rather cold, and she was always reserved, but Fan Lingzhang could hear the relief and joy in her voice.
"You'll see when you get there. We've actually turned misfortune into a blessing in disguise." Fan Lingzhang grinned, his confidence returning, and walked across the river branch toward Zhuling.
Xu Wan'er replied, "Mm."
Zhuling's terrain is not complicated, but it has many paths. Without a map or an experienced local to guide you, it is easy to get lost.
For example, Sui Zhixu and the others.
Fan Lingzhang was a good talker, and he had already become close friends with Ming's father on the way.
"No wonder you're stuck on the mountain. You should have found a guide before you went up. Zhuling may not have much else, but it has a lot of paths. Even we sometimes got lost, let alone you, hahaha—"
Ming's father laughed loudly, "But she's alright now. Come back with me first, and I'll send someone to fetch a doctor to give the young lady a proper check-up and help her recover."
"Uncle Ming is right. We are so grateful to you all today, otherwise we would still be wandering around in the valley." Fan Lingzhang praised humbly, while Sui Zhixu on his back was dozing off.
"Hey, you guys are pretty good too, you must be trained. Don't mention thank you, you've killed so many wolves, consider this as your lodging and medicine expenses, just stay here."
They chatted back and forth, and Sui Zhixu on their backs actually fell asleep.
She hadn't had a good night's sleep in the valley these past few days.
Perhaps it was because she was getting closer to the Miao region that her long-buried memories began to loosen, and she dreamed of more and more things from the past.
As Lu Kou's past, her previous life.
Fan Lingzhang felt some weight on her shoulder and knew she had fallen asleep. He turned his head and saw that she was indeed asleep.
He stopped talking to Ming's father and walked with more steady steps, as if afraid of disturbing her.
On the way, Liu Lu wanted to take over Fan Lingzhang's carrying of Sui Zhixu, but he refused, saying it was to disturb his wife's sleep.
He couldn't possibly be unable to carry his own wife on his back.
He wasn't tired at all.
His wife was peacefully asleep, her beautiful sleeping face magnified before his eyes. Fan Lingzhang felt that all the beauty in the world had fallen upon her.
My wife is so beautiful, and she's so cute when she's sleeping, with her chin resting on his shoulder and her head tilted to one side.
A smile appeared on his lips. How could he possibly be tired? Carrying his wife on his back, he could run eight hundred more times without feeling tired.
After crossing Zhuling, a bustling market in Miao territory came into view. Some of the women and men were dressed in local clothes and hawked their wares in a Miao language that was incomprehensible to them.
When Ming's father encountered acquaintances, he naturally greeted them.
Fan Lingzhang took the lead and led his followers to a local clinic. Knowing that he was anxious, Ming's father sent two people to stay with them so that they wouldn't be at a loss for where to go.
A light appeared before her eyes, and Sui Zhixu slowly opened them, looking around at the unfamiliar surroundings. She saw Liu Lü brewing medicine not far away, and her wariness subsided.
She sat up, her voice hoarse, "Liu Lü."
"My wife, you're awake."
Liu Lü stepped forward to help her up, and before she could speak, she said, "My lord has gone to pawn his jade pendant."
On their way to escape their pursuers, they carelessly left their belongings in the mountains, where they disappeared without a trace.
Sui Zhixu nodded, her lips were chapped and her throat was itchy. "Water."
Liu Lü quickly poured her some water, which Sui Zhixu gulped down until the strange feeling in her throat disappeared and her lips became glossy.
"Is this a medical clinic?"
Liu Lü: "Yes. My husband carried his wife here first, and Lord Ming's men are waiting outside."
"Okay, you can start brewing the medicine."
Xu Hanxiao pointed to the covered medicine stove, and Liu Lü scratched her head, then sat back down in front of the stove to fan and light the fire.
She turned to look out the window; she had now arrived in Miao territory.
Mingyi was completely surprised by the fact that the Ming family, who lived in Miao territory, had actually set up camp and started doing business in the Miao region, a place where ordinary people lived.
It's unimaginable.
Their styles differed considerably from those of the Ming family in Chang'an.
She's here. Where is Jiang Yun? Has she already returned to the village?
Something's wrong. Jiang Yun can contact her, but she can't contact Jiang Yun.
While pondering, Sui Zhixu subconsciously raised her arm, which happened to be on the side of her injured shoulder. Her shoulder throbbed slightly, and she suddenly snapped out of her daze.
No rush, she's still injured. If she's in a hurry, Jiang Yun will come to her.
As Sui Zhixu leaned against the pillow, the bitter smell of medicine wafted into her nose. She instinctively tried to back away, but there was a wall behind her and nowhere to retreat.
"My wife has taken her medicine."
Seeing Sui Zhixu's resistance, Liu Lü lowered her voice and said, "This servant will go buy some candied fruit for Madam."
"Forget it, no need for that trouble." Sui Zhixu didn't want her to run around, so she took the medicine, glanced at the dark brown liquid, and downed it in one gulp.
The moment the bitter medicine entered her mouth and slid down her throat, her internal organs seemed to clench together.
Sui Zhixu's expression twisted, her little face scrunched up.
Fan Lingzhang returned at this moment, and he took out some candied fruit and fed it to Sui Zhixu.
"Come on, open your mouth."
Su Zhixu opened one eye, saw that it was candied fruit, and took a bite.
After finishing the candied fruit and suppressing the bitterness in her mouth, she asked, "What did you buy after you pawned the jade pendant?"
Fan Lingzhang was carrying a bunch of things. He thought for a moment and said, "Quite a lot: candied fruit, pastries, and a few pieces of clothing."
She blinked. "Based on your budget, going to Mingyi is the best option for me. I can become her substitute in Chang'an."
“You hit Cheng Langjun, and the head of the monastery will make trouble for you again.”
Fan Lingzhang smiled faintly and waved his hand dismissively.
"It's best not to let him know."
"That makes sense."
"Sui Chuke cared for him more than Cheng Zhijie himself. I heard that after the Cheng family's burial, Sui Chuke cried even more bitterly than Cheng Zhijie. If it weren't for the busy affairs in Jingzhou..."
He probably rushed to Chang'an.
After all, someone in Jingzhou mentioned this matter, and Sui Chu Ke wiped away a tear, describing Cheng Zhijie's first half of life in a pitiful and tragic way.
He recounted Cheng Zhijie's neglected childhood in the Marquis's mansion, and his diligent pursuit of knowledge. He knew every step Cheng Zhijie took on his journey. He even knew exactly when Cheng Zhijie was promoted and by what rank.
Sui Zhixu still remembers how happy he was when he attended Chu Ke's wedding banquet. He always seemed to see himself as an elder brother or even a father.
“He’s a good older brother, so I won’t let him know that his younger brother was beaten,” Sui Zhixu said earnestly, his gaze firm.
Fan Lingzhang chuckled.
"I'll have them bring a carriage, and we'll go to the Ming family's house. Once we've tidied up, you'll be able to see Madam Xu."
Sui Zhixu nodded and went out to greet the helper sent by Ming's father.
Liu Lü brought the medicine from Sui Zhixu and they discussed the carriage together.
When Mingyi learned that Sui Zhixu had arrived, she sent people to tidy up the backyard. As soon as she entered, she was surrounded by maids and taken to the backyard to rest.
Even knowing that Sui Zhixu had difficulty walking, Mingyi specially arranged for a wheelchair.
"Madam is still outside and won't be back until tonight. Why don't you and the others rest for a while?"
After all, they were all in a sorry state.
Xu fully appreciated Mingyi's enthusiasm and readily accepted it.
Rabbits are indeed very cute, and they're even cuter away from Chang'an.
Fan Lingzhang and the others were taken away, and the number of servants and maids around them was less than that around Sui Zhixu alone.
Although she was injured, a large group of maids helped her, and her legs were propped up to bathe her.
A short while later, she came out smelling sweet. According to Mingyi's description, the Ming family's maid prepared a well-fitting green ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) for Sui Zhixu, wrung out her hair, and put it into a bun.
When Sui Zhixu's face appeared in the dressing mirror, she was surrounded by praise from her maids.
"Wow, she's so beautiful, just like our wife. No wonder they're together."
"What do you think of this hairpin, my lady?"
Sui Zhixu: "Mm."
"Wow--"
The woman in the mirror has a hairstyle similar to that of women from the Miao region, with a silver hairpin adorned with bells inserted into her hair, exuding both innocence and allure.
When the bell rang, the maid behind her felt her heart skip a beat.
"Wow, so beautiful! How can it be so beautiful?"
"This servant's cooking is excellent."
"That's because the lady has a good constitution."
"Naturally beautiful, with delicate and smooth skin, even I want to touch it... Hehe, sorry, my lady."
She patted her mouth. Damn it, why did she blurt out what was on her mind?
Sui Zhixu forced a smile and said, "It's nothing."
Compared to Sui Zhixu, Fan Lingzhang and the others were relatively rough. Liu Lü was alright, but the most obvious one was Fan Lingzhang. He was taller than Ming Zhuo, and Ming Zhuo's clothes looked very cramped on him, with the cuffs being too short and the collar being too tight.
When Xu saw him, he hung his head and was taking out money to ask Alu to buy some clothes.
The peacocks are about to puff up their feathers.
She sat in a wheelchair, and Liu Lü stepped forward to take over from the Ming family's maid and push her wheelchair.
"Take my jade pendant too. It's not good to pawn just one. Let's pawn them as a pair. We can make another pair later." She handed the jade pendant to Alu.
A-Lu nodded, and before Fan Lingzhang could stop him, he used his lightness skill to run away.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com