Chapter 24: The exiled immortal Xue Yu, who committed a serious crime of killing, returned to Youzhou, but was already away from...
It was five days since Xue Yu returned to Youzhou.
Youzhou is downstream of Baizhou. The dam upstream has been built, and the water downstream has naturally stopped. The originally turbid river water has gradually become clear.
In the morning, Xue Yu and his colleagues who came to provide disaster relief went to the local Dragon King Temple in Baizhou to burn the first incense. The people lined the streets to welcome them, and the originally depressing atmosphere was swept away.
It had rained earlier, and there was a layer of fog on the surface of the river.
The matter of Baizhou was settled; the next step was post-disaster reconstruction and resettlement of the refugees. Those tasks would be handled by others. He galloped back to Youzhou, feeling inexplicably flustered along the way. By the time he reached Yun Mansion, he'd strewn the road with dazzling red wedding candy.
As I got closer, I found that the lifeless plaque that had been standing aside was now hung with a festive red silk cloth. The mansion also changed its previous gloomy look, as if some happy event had been held.
The sun was scorching, and Xue Yu tightened the reins in his hands in vain, his breath became very cold. He got off the horse, his steps as steady as ever, that composure was engraved in his bones. But the moment he stepped into the mansion, his pace suddenly quickened, and he walked faster and faster, eager to see Yun Yang as soon as possible.
"Master!? Isn't Master back?" Yunbai stepped forward to stop him. "There's a wedding taking place at the mansion. I originally wanted to go to Baizhou to inform Master, but I was worried he'd be busy with official duties, so I gave up."
Xue Yu paused and asked, "What's the good news?"
Yun Bai looked calm, but was actually observing his expression. He said, "Well, isn't it because after the disaster, they want to hold some happy events to boost popularity? My niece Yun Yang is getting married to my aunt's nephew Jiang Heguang. They have been good friends since they were young, childhood sweethearts. Yun Yang is now coming of age, so the time is right..."
"Yun Yang?" Xue Yu interrupted, "Where is she?"
Yun Bai said, "After the young couple got married, Yun Yang naturally followed her husband to his home. Yazhou is a long way from here, but it's a pleasant journey to enjoy the mountains and rivers."
Yunbai had only met Xue Yu a few times, and his impression of him was that he was no different from other scholars and officials, self-disciplined, respectful of propriety, and upright. If there was any difference, it was that he was more aloof and noble.
Although he is aloof from others, he seems to be polite.
But at this moment, his face was sullen, and beneath his calm expression there was a hint of thunder and lightning, which made people feel uneasy...
Aunt Chen heard the noise and came over with a standard fake smile on her face, but when she saw Xue Yu, she couldn't smile.
"The two elders of the Yun family are in a state of uncertainty about their lives. How can you two marry Yun Yang off?" Xue Yu scolded.
Aunt Chen explained carefully, "Son-in-law, don't get me wrong. We're doing this for Yunyang's own good. Madam and Master haven't heard from each other for a few days, so it's likely something bad has happened. Yunyang is worried sick and has been crying these past few days, and no one can comfort her. Fortunately, my nephew stayed by her side. They grew up together as childhood sweethearts, and they've been alone together for so long, so why not have a happy occasion..."
"Jiang Heguang's family is in Yazhou, right?" Xue Yu pulled down the red silk from the railing and gradually tightened it in his hands. "Who is the matchmaker? Have you accepted the three letters and six ceremonies?"
"It's all over, it's all over! But special matters are handled specially, and things are kept simple. Everything is there, don't worry, Yangyang is my niece!" Yun Bai said, "Son-in-law, have you finished your business in Baizhou? The flood in Youzhou has subsided, and the people all say it's your credit. And my brother and sister-in-law are still missing, so isn't it..."
Xue Yu could no longer bear the anger in his heart. He suddenly raised his hand and grabbed his collar roughly, dragging him towards the door.
Yun Bai's neck was tightened. Only when he got closer could he see that the eyes of the originally cold and noble young man were bloodshot. His stern face was slightly distorted by anger. He exclaimed: "Aunt, uncle, what are you doing!"
When did Yun Yang become so close to him?
Isn’t she just a little girl? As a son-in-law, why should he care so much about her?
When Yun Jia got married, he even sent a housekeeper to be the bride's bride. He was so indifferent and indifferent. So who is he doing this for now?
Could it be that he really treats the Yun family as his in-laws?
"Uncle!—Uncle! Xue Yu!" Yun Bai shouted while struggling, "You should have called me uncle. I, I am Yun Jia's second uncle after all..."
Xue Yu walked to the gate of the Yun Mansion and threw Yun Bai to the ground. His expression was colder and more terrifying than ever before. He said to the guards waiting at the gate, "Tie him up, put him on a horse, and go to Yazhou."
Yunbai was hit hard by the fall and grimaced in pain. He pushed away the guards who came to hold him and said, "What's the matter? I think you are a reasonable scholar, why are you so rude? What does it have to do with you if I marry my niece? The auspicious time has passed and the matter is over. It's just a marriage between childhood sweethearts. What does it have to do with you?"
Xue Yu's face was frozen, and his anger was growing stronger and stronger: "Shut his mouth."
If it were someone else, it would be fine, but this person's clumsy lies of a few words could not fool him at all.
"You won't find her even if you go to Yazhou!" Yun Bai said, slumped over on the ground. "They've been traveling all the way, they won't be back soon. As a brother-in-law, you just have to fulfill your responsibilities. The people of Youzhou and Baizhou are still waiting for you officials to distribute disaster relief food! Two days ago, people in the east of the city were fighting for a meal, and even exchanged their wives for a bag of rice! And you don't care about that?"
In order to make it look like he was doing something, and to prevent Xue Yu from getting suspicious, he even let Jiang Heguang get married, pretending that Yun Yang was marrying him, and the mansion was also decorated with lights and looked lively.
This is the only way to be foolproof.
But Yun Bai had never expected that Xue Yu would be so persistent. For the sake of an insignificant little girl, he would ignore his disaster relief duties in You and Bai states and go to Yazhou in person to find her.
Xue Yu paused, turned around, raised his hand and lifted Yun Bai's chin with his sword. He looked calm and indifferent as he looked him up and down. "He's quite clever. He knows how to use the people to pressure me."
The next moment, the sword pierced straight into his chest. With a twist of his wrist, the blade sank into his flesh and blood, stirring it. Yun Bai howled in pain.
Aunt Chen trotted all the way out of the mansion and looked at Xue Yu with horror, who had a frosty face. She could no longer pretend and rushed towards Yun Bai, who was pale with pain, and stood in front of him.
"Where is Yun Yang?" Xue Yu's calm expression revealed a strange sense of brokenness, as if he would lose control at any moment. He leaned forward slightly, his eyes focused on the crying woman, "Tell me, and I will spare his life."
Aunt Chen was terrified. The once gentle and steady scholar now had a cold and penetrating look in his eyes, like a captivating Shura. She trembled and could not speak clearly, "I, I, I didn't mean it... Yunyang, Yangyang, she was..."
Yun Bai covered her mouth with his hand and said hatefully, "You ignorant woman! If you say that, none of us will survive! I am Yun Jia's second uncle, you are Yun Jia's aunt, and he is the son-in-law of the Yun family. What can he do to us?! Can he abuse his power and kill his relatives for the sake of justice?"
Hearing this, Xue Yu stood still, as if he had heard a ridiculous joke, with his thin lips raised.
These two had committed so many evil things that they didn't even spare a little girl, and yet they used some kind of kinship relationship to kidnap and hold him hostage?!
He never wanted to be a good guy...
The sun was high in the sky, and the dazzling light shone on Xue Yu's sword, reflecting a dazzling cold light and exuding murderous aura.
Xue Yu was dressed neatly in a bone-white robe, with the sun behind him. The sunlight cast a divine aura of compassion on his slender figure.
His cold and handsome face had no expression, his narrow and long eyes were dark, and he approached step by step. His wide sleeves were not stained by dust, and suddenly a gust of wind blew up, mixed with a hint of temple incense.
The dark blue veins on the back of his hand suddenly bulged, and murderous intent surged. The next moment, the long sword passed over the woman and pierced Yun Bai's collarbone.
The sword tip was lifted up, and the person seemed to be caught by the sword. The slightest movement would cause blood to splatter everywhere.
"Ah!..." Aunt Chen screamed in shock.
Yunbai lowered his head in disbelief.
The sturdy and tall guards stood on one side with expressionless faces.
"You actually, actually lynched me...! You beast!" Yun Bai ignored the pain and cursed, "I am your, Yun Yang's second uncle!"
Xue Yu suddenly drew his sword, his eyes turned red, his thin lips curled up, and he didn't care about what he said, pretending to stab again.
Aunt Chen screamed in fear, biting her lip in terror, her whole body shaking like a sieve. She quickly knelt forward and reached out to grasp the blood-stained sword. "I'll tell you, I'll tell you where Yun Yang is... Go and save her."
Xue Yu released his sword, paused, and pulled out a snow-white handkerchief from his sleeve, handing it to the tearful woman. He leaned forward slightly, lowering his brows, and said softly, "Okay, tell me."
His tone was gentle and calm, the handkerchief was flawless and white, and the dark patterns on it exuded a low-key luxury, but Aunt Chen felt as if a piece of cold ice was pressing down on her.
*
When they arrived at the address given by the human trafficker, it was almost dusk and Xue Yu dismounted.
This place is located between the ridges of the fields, and there is only a farmer's hut as far as the eye can see.
A cool breeze blew between the ridges of the fields, the tasseled Miscanthus sinuously undulated in the night wind, and the sunset glow meandered, clinging to the dim sky.
But there was no smoke from cooking.
At dinner time, the farmer's house had not yet lit a fire.
With a creaking sound, he pushed open the wooden fence door of the farmer's house. There was a large yard with some green leafy vegetables for daily use planted in it. The yard was a bit messy, and the traces on the ground looked like they had just been through a fight.
Xue Yu walked in quickly and saw a pile of straw half a person's height.
The setting sun cast a golden hue on the withered haystack, on which lay a dark shadow.
The black shadow was in the shape of a "Big" character, and it was Yun Yang who was sleeping.
After she jumped out of the car, she was rescued by the old woman. Fortunately, she was lucky and only had some scratches on her arms and face. Seeing that she was disfigured and so difficult to tame, the old woman didn't want to go so far to meet up with the original buyer, so she found a farmer and sold her at a low price.
After his hands and feet were untied, Yun Yang pretended to be obedient and docile at first. After the knockout drug wore off and he had enough food and drink at the farmer's house and his illness was relieved a lot, he angrily dealt with the family of four. It is not ruled out that he had a revengeful mentality towards the old woman and the villain who bought the Liang family, so he was a little cruel.
After finishing the work, I wanted to run, but it was dark again and I didn’t know where I was. I just wanted to rest on the haystack, but I fell asleep while lying there.
She never expected that Xue Yu would find her.
Xue Yu was working in Baizhou, and the flood could not be resolved overnight. It was obvious that he could not abandon his official duties. Even if he did, it would be too late to go to Yun Mansion.
Her original plan was to run to the nearby official road, buy a horse, and then go directly to Baizhou to find him and ask him clearly.
The sky had completely darkened. The farmers' houses were dark without any lights on. Occasionally, strange birds could be heard calling, and there seemed to be sounds nearby, like the firm and rapid sound of footsteps.
Yun Yang opened his eyes sharply.
The moonlight was hazy. As they got closer, Xue Yu looked intently. A person was lying on the haystack, with disheveled black hair and a originally fair face covered with a layer of dust, red and black. The coarse cloth skirt of an indistinguishable color was rolled up and tied at the waist, and even the trouser legs were half rolled up, revealing two slender white ankles.
Alone and weak, so pitiful.
Xue Yu pursed his lips slightly, trying to restrain himself, but he could clearly feel the strange emotions surging in his chest like a raging wave, which was difficult to suppress.
The fine and dense sourness and pain gripped his heart like needles.
This feeling...should it be heartache?
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The author has something to say: Thank you for liking my writing! I especially appreciate your support, otherwise writing would be too lonely and cold!
Oh, I've dug another hole. It's a contemporary novel, a particularly exciting pseudo-bone novel, with all the characters being villains, extremely melodramatic and heavy-mouthed. Take a look!
My Stepfather's Funeral
[A fierce and arrogant down-and-out cool guy* and an even fiercer and more arrogant cool sister]
Many years later, Zhou Qi saw Su Yang again at her stepfather's funeral.
His stepfather died in a foreign land. As his stepfather's only son, Su Yang traveled thousands of miles to the place and then drove back.
After sending the police and lawyer away, he looked a little tired, with bloodshot eyes, unshaved beard, and a bruise on his sharp chin. After seeing Zhou Qi holding hands with her boyfriend, his eyes seemed to become even redder.
Zhou Qi remembered that the last time she contacted Su Yang was when she was in her sophomore year.
When talking about whether Zhou Qi had a boyfriend, Su Yang avoided the topic for a long time and said, "Believe me, if a man really likes you, he will respect your wishes. Do you understand what I mean?"
Zhou Qi knew what he wanted to say.
Suddenly I felt rebellious and wanted to know what if her wish was to sleep with her boyfriend?
She replied to him, "I took the initiative, I volunteered."
Su Yang was typing for a long time. After a while, he sent a few words, "Why are you angry with your brother?"
*
Zhou Qi had the impression that Su Yang had never cried. No matter he was abandoned by his mother as a child or was cheated out of all his fortune, he always looked like he was ready to fight against the sky as soon as he opened his eyes.
But later, he knelt in front of her and cried miserably, his handsome face wrinkled and red.
She was a little confused. It was she who was going to jail, not him.
He has a blood feud with her, what is there for him to cry about?
*
The second night after the funeral, Zhou Qi crawled into Su Yang's bed again.
Su Yang said you are addicted?
"You're not addicted?" She reached down and grabbed a handful, sneering, "You beast, your father is dead."
He stared at her for a long time, then suddenly laughed, "I'm a beast, what are you? A beast's sister? I'm just fucking addicted to women. Who made you a woman?"
Her face instantly turned cold, reminding Su Yang of when she was fifteen or sixteen, also like this, and suddenly unhappy. She was small, but had a big temper, especially that little face, with a flat mouth and eyes looking up at him, which frightened him for no reason.
It’s not that he was afraid that she would make a fuss, but that he was afraid that she would ignore him for several days.
Zhou Qi stood up, and the moment she was about to leave, Su Yang grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his arms again, coaxing her like before, "Don't be angry, I was wrong."
"My boyfriend is still next door." Zhou Qi pushed him.
Su Yang sniffed her neck, not caring at all, "Let him listen."
The night was silent, with only the sound of water gurgling in the bathtub and occasional bubbles appearing.
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