Chapter 11
Ji Wanshu snorted coldly and was about to fly up to the second floor to grab the person: "You ungrateful wretch, I'll teach him a lesson!"
Lu Huaiwei quickly stopped her and advised, "Senior sister, don't be hasty! If you rush to confront him in such a fit of anger, he will only think that junior sister secretly told on you, and he will hate junior sister even more!"
Ji Wanshu wasn't defending Yin Qiu, but she couldn't stand Meng Jing's behavior. She angrily said, "Then what do you suggest? Yunhua has always been strict with rules. He hasn't even entered the sect yet, and he's already the type to use underhanded tricks. What right does such a person have to enter Yunhua? In my opinion, we should kick him out as soon as possible to avoid leaving a hidden danger."
Lu Huaiwei sighed, "In the end, it's all Ziwei's fault... But he's still young, so it's understandable that he can't distinguish right from wrong. As long as we guide him and teach him patiently, he should be able to learn to be good in time. Besides, since his parents have entrusted him to us, we can't just sit idly by. And now that we've brought him back, how can we easily kick him out? If word gets out, everyone will say that Yunhua Palace is bad, that we can't even tolerate a child."
Ji Wanshu was hot-tempered and straightforward, so she was naturally not as thoughtful as Lu Huaiwei. However, she felt that Lu Huaiwei was not unreasonable, so she said coldly, "Since you are so understanding and reasonable, then you can take him there. I can't be bothered with it."
Lu Huaiwei smiled and looked at Man Jiangxue, saying, "Senior Sister, you've hit the nail on the head. I think that child will have a hard time getting rid of his prejudice against Junior Sister in a short time. Why don't you let me take care of him? Anyway, I won't be able to return to the palace for a while, so I can take the opportunity to recover from the child's illness. Uncle, why don't you take Junior Sister back first? What do you say?"
She's right. Besides, the Ziwei Sect is eyeing Yin Qiu covetously. Meng Jing is not a big deal, but if the Ziwei Sect were to infiltrate Qingluo City and harm Yin Qiu one day, that would be impossible to guard against. Bringing Yin Qiu back to Yunhua Palace as soon as possible is of paramount importance.
Man Jiangxue accepted Lu Huaiwei's suggestion, instructed her disciple to buy Yin Qiu a new pair of shoes, and then returned to her room with breakfast.
"Are you leaving today?" Yin Qiu asked, holding her bowl and chopsticks and eating her porridge.
"Okay," Man Jiangxue said, packing her things. "Eat slowly, there's no rush."
"Meng Jing is coming with us too?" Yin Qiu choked a little and swallowed hard.
“He’s not leaving,” Man Jiangxue said. “He has to stay and recuperate.”
“That’s true,” Yin Qiu said. “He’s still sick, so I’m afraid the journey will be very difficult for him.”
“Not necessarily,” Man Jiangxue glanced at her. “If you have the strength to hit someone, you should also have the strength to travel.”
Yin Qiu looked slightly taken aback and looked at Man Jiangxue with confusion, but Man Jiangxue stopped there.
Regardless, this time when they went back, it would only be the two of them keeping each other company. Yin Qiu couldn't help but feel a little happy. After finishing her meal in a few bites, she went to help Man Jiangxue.
“Don’t worry about it, go have fun,” Man Jiangxue said, refusing her help. “I’ll take care of it.”
Yin Qiu sat back down on the stool, swinging her legs in mid-air, and asked, "How many days will it take?"
“Given your current condition, you can walk faster on the road,” Man Jiangxue said, “at most five or six days.”
Yin Qiu responded with an "Oh".
Man Jiangxue suddenly turned to look at her: "If anyone bullies you when you get to Yunhua Palace, remember to tell me immediately."
Upon hearing this, and recalling her earlier comment about Meng Jing, Yin Qiu guessed that Man Jiangxue must know about the trouble she had been caused by Meng Jing.
Yin Qiu felt a warmth in her heart. She didn't ask how she knew, but simply agreed. Then she asked, "Does anyone in Yunhua Palace bully me?"
Man Jiangxue said, "The palace is not like the outside world. There won't be any problems openly, but you never know what might happen in secret. Where there are people, there will be conflicts and contradictions. There may be people who dislike you and ostracize you, but there will also be people who share your interests and become close friends with you. The latter is naturally better, but if you encounter the former, don't keep it to yourself. If you don't let me know, I won't be able to protect you."
Yin Qiu was stunned and asked, "Uncle-Master... will you protect me?"
Man Jiangxue said, "Of course."
Yin Qiu jumped off the stool, rushed over and hugged Man Jiangxue, looking up at her and saying, "Uncle-Master can protect many people, right?"
Man Jiangxue lowered her eyes to meet her gaze: "What?"
Yin Qiu laughed and asked, "Does Martial Uncle have anyone protecting him?"
Man Jiangxue was taken aback by her question before replying, "Uncle-Master doesn't need it."
“Yes, I will,” Yin Qiu said earnestly. “When I grow up and learn kung fu, I will repay you and protect you.”
Man Jiangxue's eyes reflected Yin Qiu's image, like a snowflake falling into them, shimmering with a gentle light.
“I don’t need you to repay me,” Man Jiangxue said. “You growing up safely is what I want to see most.”
Yin Qiu buried her head in Man Jiangxue's arms and rubbed against her a few times like a puppy.
·
"Aren't you leaving, Senior Sister?" Lu Huaiwei asked Ji Wanshu at the entrance of the post station.
"I have other things to do," Ji Wanshu said.
Yin Qiu was helped onto the horse by Man Jiangxue and sat against her lap. Man Jiangxue held the reins, turned her head to look at the two people below, and said, "Don't cause trouble."
Her words were a warning to Ji Wanshu. Ji Wanshu was supposed to return to Yunhua Palace with them, but since she chose to stay, she must be planning to find Wen Chaoyu. Ten years had passed, and the master and disciple had never had a formal conversation. One was searching with all her might, while the other was trying to avoid her. Ji Wanshu was stubborn and would not give up until she found out the truth, and no one could persuade her otherwise.
“Disciple understands,” Ji Wanshu said respectfully. “Uncle-Master, please be careful.”
"Junior Sister, dress warmly," Lu Huaiwei said, handing Yin Qiu a bag of food. "I'll be going back soon, and I'll have to see how you're doing in the palace then."
Yin Qiu took the things, smiled and thanked her. When she looked up, she saw Meng Jing coming down from the second floor. Meng Jing glanced at her from afar, then turned and walked away.
One after another, many disciples came to see him off. After exchanging a few words, Man Jiangxue pulled on the reins and rode away from the place.
As soon as the two figures disappeared from the gates of Qingluo City, a group of people dressed as wandering knights emerged from the bustling market.
"What does the Dharma Protector intend to do?" a subordinate asked the woman beside him.
Wen Chaoyu, still dressed in his usual attire, gripped the hilt of his sword and said, "Let's follow. With so few of us, we wouldn't even be enough to fill Man Jiangxue's teeth. Follow secretly for now, and don't make a move rashly."
“I don’t think what the cult leader is looking for is on that girl,” the subordinate said. “What use would it be to capture her?”
“Fool,” Wen Chaoyu said, watching the two figures walking away outside the city. “Shen Mandong has disappeared for ten years without any reason. The item must be in her hands. If we bring her daughter back and spread the news, I don’t believe she would let her own flesh and blood fall into the hands of her enemy for something that is of little use to her.”
The subordinate paused, then asked, "What if Shen Mandong is already dead?"
"So what if she's dead?" Wen Chaoyu said nonchalantly. "If she really is dead, her child can't be handed over to Yunhua Palace. Our leader is so pitiful. She never had anyone to accompany her her whole life. She finally got a sworn brother, but he fell in love with someone he shouldn't have and lost his life. He didn't get any benefits. It's not too much to take a niece back to take care of her in her old age, is it?"
The subordinate was both amused and exasperated: "We wiped out the entire Ruyi Sect... and you say we didn't get any benefits?"
Wen Chaoyu laughed heartily, then his face fell: "You can say that to me, but if the sect leader hears you, your skin will only be good for sewing human skin dolls."
The subordinate slapped himself in the face and said, "But Protector, now is a good time. It's much easier to keep your precious disciple in the city without her causing trouble. We still need to think of a way to snatch her away."
"How could I not know that?" Wen Chaoyu pondered. "Since a direct assault won't work, we'll have to resort to strategy."
Just as the subordinate was about to ask how he planned to outwit Wen Chaoyu, Wen Chaoyu suddenly changed his expression and, without saying a word, used his lightness skill to run away, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
The group of subordinates looked at each other, and after looking around, they realized that a woman in blue with an expressionless face was walking in their direction.
"Hey! Isn't that the Dharma Protector's disciple?"
"I saw it, I saw it, stop shouting!"
"The Dharma protectors have all fled, we should run too!"
The group panicked and hurriedly concealed themselves, climbing over the wall to leave the spot and go find Wen Chaoyu.
·
Three days later, Man Jiangxue and Yin Qiuxing arrived at a mountain forest along the river, tied up their horses, and fetched water.
Since Yin Qiu's health had improved significantly since the beginning, Man Jiangxue quickened her pace along the way. She avoided mountain paths and mostly followed official roads. Initially, she encountered teahouses and taverns, but as she walked longer, she entered the deep mountains where few people ventured, and could only make do with drinking some cold river water.
After several days of bumpy riding on horseback, Yin Qiu was sore all over. As soon as she got off the horse, she leaned against Man Jiangxue and dozed off.
Man Jiangxue broke off some pastries and fed her some, then gave her a sip of water. Looking at the sky, she said, "Fortunately, it hasn't snowed in the past few days, so it's not too cold. Let's find a place to stay for the night and leave tomorrow morning."
Yin Qiu naturally let her arrange things, nodding without saying a word.
"Tired?" Man Jiangxue lifted the brocade robe and wrapped Yin Qiu in her arms.
"My nose is a little stuffy," Yin Qiu sniffed, "and my stomach hurts too, I feel awful."
"Stomach ache?" Man Jiangxue frowned. "Why would your stomach hurt?"
Yin Qiu wanted to say that the river water was too cold and that she would feel uncomfortable drinking it, but she didn't want Man Jiangxue to think she was being delicate, so she shook her head and swallowed her words.
Although she didn't say it, Man Jiangxue guessed it: "It's probably because the water is too cold and your stomach can't handle it. Are you still thirsty?"
Yin Qiu licked her dry lips and hummed in agreement.
There was no firewood in the snow, so a fire couldn't be started. Even if a fire were started, there was nothing to boil water. After thinking for a while, Manjiangxue said, "Shall I feed you?"
Yin Qiu didn't understand what she meant: "How do I feed him?"
Man Jiangxue took a sip of water, but didn't swallow it. She warmed it in her mouth before gesturing to Yin Qiu to open her mouth.
Yin Qiu was stunned: "Are you going to feed me with your mouth...?"
Man Jiangxue let out a soft sound, her face calm, and leaned closer to Yin Qiu.
As that beautiful face drew near, Yin Qiu felt momentarily at a loss. However, she had rarely drunk water in the past few days and was already parched. She couldn't care less about that now, so she slowly opened her mouth and moved closer to Man Jiangxue.
The two were very close, with a gap between their lips so they didn't touch. The warm water flowed down Yin Qiu's lips and teeth into her throat, spreading a moist sensation.
Man Jiangxue patiently fed her for a while until Yin Qiu waved her hand, and then she started drinking water on her own again.
Yin Qiu's heart pounded like a drum, her face burning, while Man Jiangxue remained calm, as if nothing had happened.
With the sweet taste still lingering in her mouth, Yin Qiu nestled silently in Man Jiangxue's arms, listening to the sounds of her eating in small bites, her mind replaying the scene of Man Jiangxue feeding her water over and over again.
At this moment, Yin Qiu couldn't help but recall that when she was still in the brothel, she had seen similar things. Some customers would feed the girls drinks with their mouths, and the girls would tease the customers in the same way. However, they would actually touch lips and face to face, unlike her and Man Jiangxue, who didn't touch each other at all.
The scenes she had witnessed alternated with Man Jiangxue's face, which was now so close to hers. After thinking for a while, Yin Qiu suddenly came back to her senses and was immediately filled with a sense of regret.
How could she let her mind wander like that? And how could she compare Man Jiangxue to those people who seek pleasure in brothels?
Yin Qiu cursed herself for being so immature, and shook her head violently, trying to throw those inappropriate thoughts to the winds.
"What's wrong?" Man Jiangxue's voice rang out from above.
Yin Qiu was startled and quickly replied, "Nothing..."
The two fell silent again. Yin Qiu, still unsettled, carefully raised her eyes to look at Man Jiangxue and noticed that her gaze was slightly distorted, as if she were looking somewhere else. There was also a hint of something in her eyes that Yin Qiu couldn't understand.
He seemed to be daydreaming, or perhaps deep in thought.
“When I was little, my mother often fed me water like this,” Man Jiangxue suddenly said.
"Master's mother?" Yin Qiu stared at her intently.
“Yes,” Man Jiangxue said, “before entering Yunhua Palace, it was always just the two of us living together.”
"And then what?" Yin Qiu asked.
“She’s dead,” Man Jiangxue said.
Yin Qiu was taken aback, and a sense of shared misfortune appeared in her eyes as she looked at Man Jiangxue: "How could this be...?"
“It’s normal. Everyone dies eventually, it’s just a matter of time…” Man Jiangxue stopped abruptly at this point.
She was actually talking to a naive child about her past that she had never told anyone before?
Man Jiangxue packed up the water pouch and dry rations, picked up Yin Qiu and got up: "Let's not rest anymore, let's go see if there are any caves or anything ahead."
Seeing that she didn't continue, Yin Qiu didn't ask any more questions. The two of them mounted their horses and continued on their way.
Night fell quickly, and the forest was shrouded in darkness. Unable to find a suitable place to stay, Manjiangxue chose a sheltered hillside, cut some branches to make a barrier against the cold wind, and the two sat down against the tree trunk, preparing to fall asleep, when suddenly they heard shouts coming from not far away.
"Help!"
"Help! Is anyone there?!"
"Murder! Murder!"
...
Yin Qiu was already so sleepy that he could barely keep his eyes open, but he woke up when he heard the commotion. Man Jiangxue took out a dagger, flicked it, drew out the Frost Condensation Sword, and led Yin Qiu into the dark forest to observe.
Soon, several figures emerged from the woods ahead. Judging from the cries, they seemed to be a group of young men and women. Cold sword light flashed behind them, like wolves lurking in the darkness, approaching them. Clearly, they were accompanied by a team of assassins.
"What should we do?" Yin Qiu tried her best to make out the surrounding scenery.
"Don't move from here, I'll go take a look." Man Jiangxue hid her behind a tree, then flew ahead with his sword.
Like phantoms, shadowy figures emerged from the forest, each wielding a long sword aimed directly at the heads of the group of men and women. A silver-white sword light struck at the opportune moment, and with a loud "bang!", the two forces clashed, unleashing a powerful shockwave that caused the snow on the treetops to fall in a flurry.
The men and women, still in shock, cried out to Man Jiangxue as she descended from the sky, "Benefactor, save us!"
Frost gathered its strength and unleashed it, slicing the oncoming black shadow in half. In an instant, blood splattered and dripped onto the white snow, like red plum blossoms blooming in the icy world.
Without giving these people a chance to retreat, Man Jiangxue leaped into the crowd, while Ning Shuang flew around. Several screams rang out, and the men in black fell to the ground one after another, unable to get up.
The remaining few exchanged glances and dared not step forward again.
"withdraw!"
Perhaps having suffered a setback, and seeing that Man Jiangxue was not easy to deal with and possessed great skill, those people did not linger and decisively withdrew and left.
The fight came and went quickly. Man Jiangxue did not want to pursue them, so she stopped when she saw this.
Several men and women quickly knelt down and kowtowed to her.
"Thank you so much for saving me!"
In the darkness, Man Jiangxue turned around, gripping her bloodstained longsword, and asked calmly, "Who are you?"
A young man stepped forward and bowed to her, saying, "So you are a heroine. We are students studying in a neighboring county and are on our way back to Qingluo City for the New Year. We never expected to be robbed by bandits tonight. If it weren't for your help, we would probably be dead."
Man Jiangxue did not reply. Her first priority was to check on Yin Qiu. However, when she walked behind the tree, she could not find Yin Qiu.
At the same time, several swift footsteps came quietly from behind.
Man Jiangxue's gaze turned cold. She turned her head and saw that the men and women who had just been thankful for being rescued had already used their lightness skills to scatter and escape, disappearing in an instant.
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