Chapter 120
The night rain was cold, and there weren't many lanterns hanging in the corridor. The disciples all looked worried and huddled together, sighing.
Having kept watch for a day and a night, everyone was exhausted. But with such a big incident happening, and still not knowing the details of what happened, they could only continue to wait. They didn't dare to ask Man Jiangxue. In addition, Ji Wanshu arrived halfway and was also unaware of the truth, so the disciples had no way to ask her.
All they knew was that they had slept through the night, and just before dawn, Man Jiangxue suddenly rushed back carrying the seriously injured Yin Qiu. After that, they frantically called for a doctor, boiled water, and the house was in a flurry of activity. The disciples were both shocked and confused. Not long after, they discovered that Meng Jing was missing, and they couldn't find him anywhere. There was still no news, so the disciples were still bewildered and had no idea what was going on.
Everyone waited in the same way for a while, and soon Bai Ling came out of the courtyard in the heavy rain. The disciples quickly looked at her with questioning eyes. Bai Ling looked at everyone and finally shook her head at Ji Wanshu.
"The night before last, my martial uncle and I went to Jiuxiantang. I didn't even know when he left. I was still sound asleep in my guest room at Jiuxiantang when I was told the next day that he had left that night. I rushed back and found out that such a big thing had happened. I also heard that Meng Jing had suddenly disappeared. I just went to the government office, but the officials said that no one had taken down the notice and they didn't know where he had gone."
Ji Wanshu pondered for a moment and replied, "I'm just afraid he might encounter some danger. That kid doesn't know kung fu, and if he falls into the hands of bad guys, he'll only die. Yin Qiu has his martial uncle looking after him. It's not a good idea for you to just wait here. You should all work a little harder, put on your raincoats and go out to search again."
The disciples all agreed, and with something to do, they were less anxious. They then went to their rooms to change clothes, intending to search for Meng Jing's whereabouts overnight.
Bai Ling had been anxiously pacing around for a day and a night, fearing that something might happen to Yin Qiu. Only when she heard Ji Wanshu say that Yin Qiu's life had been saved did she finally breathe a sigh of relief.
“Perhaps Senior Sister could ask Wen Chaoyu,” Bai Ling suggested. “She was involved throughout the whole thing and came to help rescue people, so she must know the whole story.”
Ji Wanshu glanced at the east wing from across the corridor, and after a while said, "That's fine too."
Bai Ling handed her the lantern, and Ji Wanshu carried it towards the east wing. The wooden door was locked from the outside, and both windows were sealed. Several disciples with swords were guarding outside. Anyone who didn't know better would think that some important criminal was being held inside.
Ji Wanshu gestured to the disciples with her eyes to keep quiet, then took the key, unlocked the door, and pushed it open. Upon seeing the figure inside, she didn't rush in.
The room was dimly lit by flickering candlelight. Behind the beaded curtain, Wen Chaoyu lay on the bed with her eyes closed, her brows slightly furrowed, as if she were not sleeping soundly.
"Did you apply the medicine to her?" Ji Wanshu stood by the door and asked in a low voice.
"We did it, but she wouldn't let us help, so we untied her and let her apply the medicine herself," a disciple replied.
There was a pile of wet, dirty clothes on the floor inside, and several bloodstained bandages scattered around. Ji Wanshu glanced at them, and her gaze unconsciously darkened.
The blood on the bandages was all thanks to her.
It's all Wen Chaoyu's fault for being so unlucky. When Ji Wanshu arrived, she saw Yin Qiu injured, surrounded by men in black and members of the Ziwei Sect. In that situation, she was unaware of the situation and naturally regarded Wen Chaoyu as the culprit. The last time the two met was when Wen Chaoyu kidnapped Yin Qiu to the Ziwei Sect. Ji Wanshu didn't expect that after five years of seclusion, when they met again, she and Yin Qiu would be involved again. Ji Wanshu couldn't help but get angry and attacked Wen Chaoyu. The two fought in the bamboo forest.
Not to mention that Ji Wanshu's skill has greatly increased now, and is vastly different from what it was five years ago, Wen Chaoyu was already exhausted of her true energy that night and was on the verge of collapse. Faced with Ji Wanshu's fierce attack, Wen Chaoyu could only run for her life. She was also very clear that Ji Wanshu must have misunderstood her, but she didn't have time to explain, so she got up from the ground and ran for her life. However, she was caught by Ji Wanshu after only a few steps and was beaten before she told Ji Wanshu the truth, claiming that she had not harmed Yin Qiu, but had come to save her.
Ji Wanshu was furious. She was shocked to see that Wen Chaoyu, who hadn't been injured, had been bruised by her. More importantly, she hadn't expected that Wen Chaoyu couldn't even withstand a few of her moves. Ji Wanshu remained silent for a long time before angrily saying, "Why didn't you say so earlier!"
Wen Chaoyu was also angry and cursed her, "You bastard! You attacked me the moment we met, have you no conscience?"
"Who told you to be a member of the Ziwei Sect!" Ji Wanshu couldn't hold back any longer and said coldly, "The Ziwei Sect deserves to die; there's not a single good person among them, and you're no exception!"
"Then kill me!" Wen Chaoyu was just as furious. "I am a protector of the Ziwei Sect, the worst of the worst! Why don't you just kill me with one sword!"
Ji Wanshu snorted coldly, grabbed Wen Chaoyu in her hand, and said through gritted teeth, "Killing you would be too easy for you. You're not going anywhere until things are cleared up!"
They then tied Wen Chaoyu up and locked her in her room when they got back.
With Yin Qiu so badly injured and in such a dangerous situation, Ji Wanshu had no time to care about Wen Chaoyu's life or death. Of course, she was only depleted of her true energy and was not actually seriously injured or in any danger. After instructing her disciples to keep a close eye on her, Ji Wanshu followed Man Jiangxue around busily until Bai Ling reminded her to come and check on her.
The beaded curtain swayed wildly in the wind, making a crisp sound that seemed somewhat noisy amidst the rain. Ji Wanshu stood at the door for a long time before finally going inside and hanging the beaded curtain up.
She didn't approach Wen Chaoyu, but just stood a short distance away watching her.
Five years have passed, such a long time, counting the sunrises and sunsets, yet the person she longs for is right in front of her, but she doesn't dare to go over and take a closer look at her.
Ji Wanshu couldn't even explain why.
It was as if the distance between her and Wen Chaoyu had not shortened because of their five-year separation, but had instead grown farther away invisibly.
When they met again after many years, Wen Chaoyu's first reaction was to run away. He wouldn't even explain himself until he was humiliated, and then hesitantly spoke up.
Ji Wanshu couldn't understand it.
What is she trying to escape from?
Or is it that she really doesn't want to see herself?
During the years she was in seclusion, this person must have been living a carefree and happy life. Without her relentlessly pursuing and pestering him, he must have finally found peace and freedom.
A faint smile curved her lips, and Ji Wanshu gave a self-deprecating laugh.
As long as Wen Chaoyu remains in the Ziwei Sect, she will never look at her with a second glance. In Wen Chaoyu's heart, she will always be an enemy, and they will never be able to get along peacefully like they did many years ago.
Now that she's in her hands, she can forget about escaping or returning to the Ziwei Sect.
"Keep a close eye on her," Ji Wanshu said with a grim face, turning and walking to the door. "If anyone dares to come to rescue her, no matter who it is, kill them without mercy."
Seeing that she looked unwell and her tone was unusually cold, the disciples dared not say anything and all agreed.
"Also," Ji Wanshu reached out and closed the door, then locked it again, "give the order that there is a Ziwei Sect member named Xue Tan. He is Wen Chaoyu's confidant. Since his own protector is trapped here, he will definitely not leave Weicheng easily. You should capture him as soon as possible. I have something to ask him."
"Yes, Senior Sister," the disciples replied in unison.
Ji Wanshu hummed in agreement, then stepped through the corridor. She descended the steps and entered the rain, but then suddenly turned back and said, "One last thing: take good care of her. Do not mistreat her. She can have whatever she wants, but you cannot let her go. You must understand." She paused deliberately at this point, "She is my honored guest, not a prisoner."
·
As dawn broke, the sound of galloping hooves echoed outside, seemingly very close by, the noise so loud it shook the bed.
Meng Jing was awakened by the noise. She opened her eyes groggily, staring at the completely unfamiliar room, and it took her a long time to come to her senses.
There was no one else in the room. Soft gauze curtains hung everywhere, and pleasant incense was burning. At a glance, the room was decorated very elegantly, like a young lady's boudoir.
Her memory was still stuck on that dangerous night, and the lingering pain in her heart reminded Meng Jing that it was not a nightmare. Her face was pale as she stared at the bed curtains above her, recalling the scene. She clearly remembered that the man in black had stabbed the tip of his sword into her chest, but she had no recollection of what happened after that.
The words spoken by the man in black still echoed in his ears. Along with those cruel words, the scene of his parents' death also appeared before his eyes. Meng Jing lay motionless, two lines of hot tears streaming down his face, wetting his pillow.
All these years, she hadn't even figured out who the real killer of her parents was. She had always believed it was the Ziwei Sect, and had held onto the idea of seeking revenge against them until this day. Even though she suffered from a heart ailment and couldn't practice martial arts, she always remembered what Yin Qiu had told her in the library that year: as long as you have the will, you can still take revenge even without martial arts skills. That's why she studied so hard and worked so hard to learn medicine, because she didn't want to become a cripple. Even if she couldn't fight alongside her fellow disciples, she could still stay behind and heal their wounds, and that was still a contribution.
She is not useless; she is useful.
Driven by this conviction, she wrote down the three characters "Ziwei Sect" and hung them in a place where she could see them at a glance. Whenever she felt tired, negative, or dreamed of her parents at night, she would use those three characters to remind herself: You still have revenge for your parents, you have no right to slack off, and you have no right to complain about being tired.
But now, those three words have suddenly become a joke, a joke that came so unexpectedly that it cruelly overturned everything she had in the past.
Tears streamed down her cheeks, wetting the hair beside her ears. Meng Jing wept silently, all her unspeakable grief hidden beneath a calm surface. She listened to the sounds of horses' hooves outside, not even having time to think about where she was or how she had survived. She silently endured the pain and slowly closed her eyes.
About half an hour later, the incessant sound of horses' hooves gradually stopped. Meng Jing was exhausted and drowsy when he heard a loud voice outside the door say, "This manor is too small. There isn't even a horse racing track. We should find a bigger one another day. I didn't even get to run my horse properly. It's so annoying."
Then came the soft, comforting voices of a group of maids. It seemed as if a lot of people had suddenly arrived outside, their footsteps quite chaotic. Meng Jing's head was throbbing, and the wound in her chest continued to torment her. Unable to move, she could only half-open her eyes and see the door being pushed open. A richly dressed girl, holding a riding whip, swaggered in, followed by a group of maids.
"Oh, you're awake." The girl wasn't particularly outstanding in appearance, but her features were quite remarkable. She had an innate arrogance about her. She walked briskly to the bedside, holding her riding whip, and glanced down at Meng Jing a few times.
"Wasn't it said that he would be unconscious for about ten days before waking up? How come he woke up in less than three days? Did that doctor lie to me?"
A maid brought over some water and offered a towel, saying with a smile, "Miss, you've been riding your horse around in the courtyard for so long, you could wake up even a dead person."
Duan Ning glared at her and said impatiently, "This is my first time personally bringing goods to Cang County. How was I supposed to know my father had such a small estate here? This is also the territory of the Ziwei Sect. I can't just run around the streets like I do in Yaoding City. So what if I wake up? Isn't this perfect?" As she spoke, she roughly washed her face and looked at Meng Jing, saying, "Hey, can you talk? If you can, then talk. If you can't, then blink."
Against the sunlight streaming in from outside, Meng Jing's eyes were stinging from the glare, but that didn't stop her from recognizing the person standing before her. Meng Jing looked surprised and said in a hoarse voice, "Miss Duan...?"
“That’s right, it’s me,” Duan Ning smiled, revealing his teeth. “It’s truly fate that brought us together from afar. I’ve now become your savior. How are you going to repay me?”
It turned out that a month ago, the Duan family had already started a grain business with rice merchants in Weicheng. After the incident involving the refugees from Yaodingcheng, Duan Ning had been pestering Master Duan to enter Yunhua Palace, wanting to follow Yin Qiu and the others in their chivalrous deeds and travel the world. However, Master Duan was determined not to agree, only saying that if she performed well, there would be room for discussion.
As for what constitutes a good performance, the old man didn't say clearly. Coincidentally, the caravan was coming to Weicheng, so Duan Ning personally went on the trip, hoping to make a good impression. However, she didn't expect to encounter Meng Jing being chased by the man in black as soon as she entered the city gate that night. She knocked the man unconscious with a wine jar and took Meng Jing with her. When the caravan turned to Cang County, she brought Meng Jing to this place again.
She was unaware that the people from Yunhua Palace had also arrived in Weicheng. If she had known, she would have returned them first.
After listening to Duan Ning's vivid and moving account, Meng Jing did not seem particularly happy. She simply said calmly, "Thank you."
"I don't like verbal thanks. You have to tell me how you're going to repay me," Duan Ning said sarcastically, pulling up a chair and sitting down on the edge of the bed.
Meng Jing, his tears still wet, did not reply to these words.
Seeing that her eyes were red and her pillowcase was still wet, Duan Ning knew that she must have cried a lot, so he said, "A man doesn't easily shed tears. Why are you crying like that? You disciples of martial arts sects will inevitably experience this kind of thing. It's either you kill me or I kill you. If you kill my father, I'll kill your father in return. It's not unusual."
She wiped Meng Jing's face haphazardly with the handkerchief she had used, trying to comfort her, saying, "Since you're still alive, as the saying goes, a gentleman's revenge is never too late. Once you can get out of bed, look, just walk out of this courtyard and you'll find the woodshed. The beast who wanted to kill you is still locked up inside. Once you've recovered, go over there and stab him with your sword."
Meng Jing paused, then looked up at Duan Ning and asked, "You captured him alive?"
Duan Ning took the tea offered by the maid and drank it all in one gulp. He said, "We must capture him alive. He talked too much nonsense that night, and I heard everything. Since he is the murderer who killed your parents, he should die by your hand. I did want to kill him, but I didn't have the impulse. You can deal with him yourself. Besides, he is still a member of your Yunhua Palace. I can't bring myself to do it. If I find out something from him, it will be a meritorious deed for me."
Hearing that the man in black was still alive, a glimmer of light finally rekindled in Meng Jing's eyes. She remained silent for a long time before slowly saying, "...I didn't know you were so sensible."
Duan Ning smiled at first, thinking she was praising him, but then realized something was off: "What do you mean? I've always been very sensible! You've only dealt with me a few times, how do you know what kind of person I am?"
Meng Jing sighed, his feelings quite complicated. But when he heard Duan Ning say that they were currently in Cang County, he immediately thought of Yin Qiulai and quickly asked, "Have there been any news from Wei City these past few days?"
Duan Ning said, "What kind of news are you referring to? I'm just a grain deliveryman, and I don't have any contact with others, so I haven't heard anything."
The silence might actually be a good thing?
Meng Jing fell silent again.
"Speaking of which, you've been unconscious for the past two days and have been talking a lot in your sleep," Duan Ning glanced at Meng Jing, "Besides calling out for your parents, you've been calling out for Yin Qiu. Are you asking about her?"
Meng Jing was taken aback, then frowned and said, "I called Yin Qiu's name...?"
Duan Ning nodded: "It's like calling back a soul. I knew you two were close back in Yaodingcheng, but I didn't expect it to be this close." After saying that, she smiled maliciously, "You're interested in him?"
Meng Jing glanced at her, then turned her head away without saying a word.
Seeing that she didn't answer his question, Duan Ning pursed his lips and said, "So, Yin Qiu should be in Weicheng, which means that the people from your Yunhua Palace are also there. I'll send them a message saying that you're with me."
Meng Jing was extremely tired and simply replied with a "Okay".
“Okay, then you should rest. Just call out when you wake up,” Duan Ning said. “You need to take your medicine and eat. There’s also that beast waiting for you to deal with. Don’t think too much about it. Take good care of yourself. I’m still waiting for you to repay me.”
Meng Jing gave a soft "hmm".
Duan Ning glanced at her again, then stood up and led the maids out.
The figures left one after another, and the room returned to silence. Meng Jing stared blankly for a while, and soon drifted off to sleep again.
Duan Ning left the courtyard, thought for a moment, then stopped and instructed the maids behind him: "Listen carefully, now that the one inside has woken up, when it's time to change her dressing, just take the medicine in, don't stand by and serve her, understand?"
The maids reacted quickly, replying immediately, "Don't worry, Miss, we understand."
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