Chapter 102 Please, Miss, abandon me without hesitation. ...
"I understand!" Jiang Feiyan was captivated by the light in his eyes and resisted the urge to run away. ".......Get up."
She thought he wouldn't kneel.
What man could bear such an insult?
Jiang Feiyan hugged her arms, nervously scratching several red marks on her elbows, as if she were suppressing a raging storm of emotions. Seeing Xie Qingyu sway as she stood up, she took a deep breath, about to give instructions to Xiao Ying and Xiao Zhuo, when her eyes swept over the two of them and then stopped.
A little girl stood there, her clothes dirty and her face smeared with soot. At first glance, she looked like a disaster victim who had fled the city and run all the way up the mountain. But her big, bright eyes were shining and she stood there motionless, looking at people, which made people's hearts soften.
The little girl had clearly witnessed what had just happened, and stared at her blankly: "Sister Yan?"
What are you doing?
Before Jiang Feiyan could move, Xiao Zhu's eyes widened, and she exclaimed, "Yingying!?"
She was clearly surprised and immediately strode over, grabbing the child's arm and exclaiming, "You little rascal! What are you doing back here? Didn't I tell you I'd been staying in the city all this time?!"
The little girl, Yingying, pouted and argued forcefully, "You said we had to come back immediately if there was any commotion in the city! The disaster relief tents in the south of the city are in complete chaos, so I ran away and came back to tell you. I didn't disobey orders!"
"And I heard from Nan Nan that the General is coming back today, and I want to see the General too!"
Xiao Zhu glanced at Jiang Feiyan's face, and her expression fell: "Can you just say less?"
Yingying ignored her words and her eyes darted around, quickly noticing that there were still people in the cave.
Xiao Zhuo missed her, and the child turned and ran away, darting straight into the cave. Xiao Zhuo quickly chased after him, calling out, "Yingying! Don't run around!"
Inside the cave, a dark, shadowy creature lay beside a straw mat, looking down at the unconscious Yue Yining with wide-open eyes, seemingly quite astonished.
Xiao Zhu didn't notice anything amiss and quickly pulled her up, scolding her loudly, "Didn't I tell you not to run around?! Why are you so disobedient!"
Yingying looked completely bewildered: "Why is she lying here?"
Xiao Ying followed, glancing at Yue Yining on the ground: "This is someone your sister Yan just caught a few days ago. You shouldn't stay here anymore. Now that you're back, hurry back up the mountain—"
Yingying's clear voice rang out: "Why did you arrest her?!"
Xiao Zhu was startled by Yingying's loud, childlike voice. Looking closer, she saw Yingying's face was full of confusion, and she was waving her hands and feet anxiously: "This adult is a good person, a good official! Why are you arresting her? She's not a bad person!"
Xiao Ying paused, quite surprised: "You know her?"
Yingying nodded firmly and said loudly, "I've seen her at the disaster relief tent! This lady doesn't come often, but she always stays until the day's porridge distribution is over. And she's very thoughtful. Last time, when Granny Liu's hand was bleeding, she even tore off her own handkerchief to bandage Granny Liu's hand!"
Jiang Feiyan, who happened to be walking in this direction, was also stunned when she heard these words.
She frowned instinctively, her face showing undisguised astonishment: "What did you say?"
......
Originally, everything was proceeding according to Yue Yining's plan.
But despite her meticulous planning, she overlooked the sudden and devastating illness that befell her.
On the way back to the cave with Jiang Feiyan, Yue Yining was battered by the wind and rain, unable to open her eyes. Her body gradually felt hot, and the water droplets pouring over her head felt like boiling oil. She knew she couldn't fall asleep; once she closed her eyes, it would be difficult to open them again.
But she had exhausted her strength in trying to save herself, and now the raging hot sea was crashing down on her head. She was powerless to resist and could only let the cold rain carry her into the deeper abyss.
She vaguely felt someone embrace her. A cold embrace, arms tightly holding her, and a heart pounding violently because of her.
She wanted to hug him back, but she couldn't open her eyes. Her weak arms wouldn't obey her commands, and she could only frown in frustration.
The fire within her began to burn again, and she wanted to fall into a deep sleep when a drop of salty, fishy water suddenly landed on her cheek.
Is it raining?
Yue Yining gradually lost consciousness. She didn't know how much time had passed when she felt warm around her, as if someone had started a fire.
Someone carried her away from the cool, damp place, and the straw mat she was using as a pillow was replaced with a soft cotton quilt.
She was still groggy when she was woken up. She heard a gentle voice telling her to open her mouth. She subconsciously trusted the familiar voice and obediently opened her lips. She smelled a bitter medicinal scent.
The bitter and thick medicinal soup slid down her stomach, stirring up a wave of nausea. Yue Yining subconsciously frowned. The person holding her and feeding her the medicine sensed her unhappiness and gently stroked her back, as if coaxing a child, which only made her more upset.
But those hands were so warm that she couldn't bear to push him away.
She spent six days almost unconscious, her sleep hazy and hot, her mind foggy and unclear, until the rain stopped on the seventh day and sunlight streamed into the cave.
The surging heat inside my body finally subsided.
With a soft drip, a drop of water fell from the cave ceiling. Yue Yining, lying on the earthen bed, frowned, her fingers clenched, and she slowly opened her eyes.
All she could see were moss-covered ceilings and stone walls, the light dim. She had no idea how long she had been lying there; her entire body, even her fingers, was numb.
Yue Yining closed her eyes briefly, and when she opened them again, they were finally clearer. She seemed to be in a cave, but it was clear that someone had lived there for a long time. The walls were polished smooth, the floor was clean, and there were several pieces of clothing and miscellaneous items in a bamboo basket not far away. There was also an extinguished candlestick on a footstool.
Yue Yining tried to prop herself up with her elbows, and as soon as she turned her head slightly, she noticed someone lying on the side of the bed.
She paused, then stopped moving her arm.
It is Xie Qingyu.
He sat on the ground, his head resting on his arm beside her legs, staring intently at her. His eyelashes were still trembling slightly; he was sleeping restlessly. He was still wearing the black brocade robe he wore that day, but his hair ornament and hairpin were gone. His black hair was tied back with a white ribbon, giving him a somewhat desolate look, like snowflakes falling to the ground, his noble bearing all the more evident despite the absence of his finery.
Yue Yining slowly sat up, looked down at him, and traced his profile with her gaze.
He had lost a lot of weight. His increasingly sharp jawline and the dark circles under his eyes spoke volumes about his haggard appearance.
She was debating whether to wake him or let him sleep a little longer, but as soon as she raised her hand, she tugged at the sleeve of her dress that he was using as a pillow.
Disturbed from her sleep, Xie Qingyu, who was already a light sleeper, frowned and slowly opened her eyes.
He saw Yue Yining clearly and his eyes widened suddenly.
"I..." Yue Yining wanted to say something, but suddenly her vision blurred and Xie Qingyu rushed over in a panic, pulling her into his arms. Her body went weak and she fell headfirst into his embrace, where he held her tightly.
Yue Yining tilted her head back slightly, her nose touching his neck, and heard his heavy breathing. Her eyes widened.
He was trembling. The long-accumulated unease gradually dissipated with her awakening, but even the remaining ashes terrified him. The fear of surviving a catastrophe was still etched into his body.
His Adam's apple slid against her cheek, a hard lump. Yue Yining couldn't help but squint, but unexpectedly heard a sound, muffled and weak, coming from his throat so close to hers, as if it were a sob.
Yue Yining was originally unable to move because of physical weakness, but now she was stunned by shock.
Did he cry?
Why are you crying?
Just as she hesitated whether to raise her hand to comfort him, he slowly released her arm. Xie Qingyu had no tears on his face, only a hint of smoky red at the corner of his eyes, revealing his turbulent inner world.
Yue Yining opened her mouth, her voice low and hoarse: "...I was unconscious for several days?"
"It's been seven days."
Seven days? Yue Yining frowned, wondering what the situation was like in Qinghuai City.
The incident happened so suddenly that she didn't have time to explain anything. Although the plan had been initially arranged and Shen Liude and Qiu Yuebai knew the full picture of her plan, Yue Yining wasn't entirely confident that she would succeed without her presence and the two of them coordinating the arrangements.
Even after being awake for so long, her body was still limp and powerless. Yue Yining realized that she had caught a cold after being caught in the rain, which had turned into a high fever, causing her to remain unconscious for several days. Just as she was about to raise her hand to touch her forehead, someone's hand covered it.
He brushed the hair from Yue Yining's side as he touched her face.
He was very close, leaning over her, his arm touching hers. She stared at him, her forehead touched by his hand.
Xie Qingyu checked her temperature and finally felt relieved. "It seems the fever has subsided; it's not as high as it was yesterday."
Yue Yining caught a glimpse of an unfamiliar word: "Fever reduction?"
Xie Qingyu paused, looked up and met her inquisitive and curious gaze. He smiled and said, "Ah, that's what the elders in my family say. When I was a child, they would say 'reducing fever' instead of 'reducing fever.' I've been exposed to it for many years and I'm used to saying it that way."
Yue Yining had no doubts and nodded, "I see."
"We are now—"
"Is he awake?"
Before she could finish speaking, a light-voiced female voice came from behind her, abruptly interrupting the conversation between the two.
Yue Yining paused, turning around to see Jiang Feiyan leaning against the stone wall, having arrived at some unknown time. She stood while Xie Qingyu and Yue Yining sat, looking down at them with a somewhat condescending air.
She glanced at Yue Yining's face. "Not bad, as long as he's not dead."
Yue Yining also recognized her. Although Jiang Feiyan's clothes and hairstyle were different from that day, the scar at the corner of her eye was very conspicuous. Anyone who had seen her before would find it hard not to recognize her.
Jiang Feiyan looked at her and said, "Now that you're awake, get ready. Our general wants to see you."
"Although Yingying said you are not a bad person, my general never arrests innocent people. He must have come to find you because you have committed heinous crimes."
Yue Yining frowned as she listened, but her expression relaxed after a short while.
A strong premonition arose from within me.
She leaned against the stone wall, already vaguely guessing why she had been brought here.
After saying this, Jiang Feiyan left. The curtain opened and closed, letting in the light from outside. Yue Yining hadn't seen sunlight for a long time, and her eyes were stung by the light. She closed her eyes briefly and then opened them again.
Xie Qingyu sat down beside her and said softly, "Miss, don't worry."
"No matter what they do to you, I will stand in front of you and buy you time."
Yue Yining was taken aback by his words, and when she realized that he looked quite serious, not like he was just saying it casually, her heart skipped a beat.
"Buy what time?" She frowned, finding it unbelievable. "You mean, you want me to abandon you and run away?"
“I know that even in times of crisis, Miss will not abandon me, because Miss is kind and benevolent, and is by no means a treacherous or cowardly person.”
“Even so,” Xie Qingyu said, “I still hope you will leave me behind.”
Yue Yining was completely stunned. Upon hearing these words, she had only one feeling: her soul was shaken.
Xie Qingyu didn't find his words particularly shocking. He continued, "If it really comes down to life and death, and only one person can survive, I hope that person who leaves here alive is you. This is not just empty talk or flattery; it is my most genuine and earnest wish."
"If there is no way to have both, please do not hesitate to abandon me and leave when necessary, Miss."
He looked at her with tender eyes.
Yue Yining was speechless. Logically, she should have felt joy, emotion, or anger, but her mind was completely blank. She felt a tightness in her chest, a mix of emotions swirling within her.
She pursed her lips and turned her head away: "...I'll pretend I didn't hear that. Don't say it again."
"Miss!"
No matter what he said, Yue Yining turned a deaf ear.
She recalled Ayu, the one who had shielded her from an arrow in the night in Jiulian Town.
At that time, Xie Qingyu also knelt in front of her like this, with only her in his eyes.
Every time Yue Yining's gaze met those clear eyes that reflected her, she would feel a strange flutter in her heart.
He said, "For me, it would be a happy thing to die for Miss."
Yue Yining remained just as confused as before.
How could anyone be willing to die for another person?
The matter of life and death is inherently of paramount importance. Some die for the greater good, for their country, or for the people, and such deaths are indeed worthwhile; but to give one's life for an insignificant person or a relationship is nothing short of foolishness and ridicule.
Throughout her short life, she teetered on the brink of life and death many times. She has survived to this day, struggling and torn between her own desires, always regarding life as the most precious and valuable thing, yet the people before her treat her like trash.
On what grounds?
Yue Yining bit her lip hard, her heart churning with turmoil.
Does he like her that much?
She recalled fragments of her hazy dream and wanted to ask him, "Have you been taking care of me these past few days?" But she felt that now was not the right time.
Because she could hear heavy footsteps approaching the cave.
Yue Yining took a deep breath, barely managing to suppress the emotions rising within her.
Suddenly, a hand with an arm guard reached in, followed by a burst of light that pierced the cave along with the figure of the newcomer.
The woman who lifted the curtain and entered the cave was tall and imposing, dressed neatly with a dignified air; she had thick eyebrows and phoenix eyes, lacking any sense of gentleness, and her facial features were striking; the skin exposed outside her clothes had a faint bronze sheen, and she had several scars on her hands and a large knife at her waist.
Yue Yining stared at her face. The general glanced at her when he entered, then sat down opposite her with an air of authority. The thin armor on his body made a crisp, melodious sound as it struck the ground.
Xie Qingyu was also looking at her. In recent days, he had heard the name of this general from other people. Both Jiang Feiyan and Yingying respected and loved her very much. All the bandits on the mountain were under the command of this general.
But, General?
Xie Qingyu frowned, searching through every detail of history and the original book in her mind.
He was quite certain that, at least according to historical records and the original text, there was no mention of such a person on Qiming Mountain at that time.
The general first looked at Yue Yining, her voice deep and resonant: "You are Yue Yining."
Let me introduce myself first. My name is—
"No need for introductions, I know you."
Yue Yining interrupted her softly.
The general paused, a look of surprise on his face. "You know me?"
Lying on the bed, the woman, already draped in a blue robe, calmly looked at her with sharp, piercing eyes.
“I know.” Yue Yining coughed a few times, and her voice was hoarse from recovering from a long illness. “You are He Chan.”
He was the most wanted person by the Qinghuai government and had committed murder.
He Chan, a butcher from the north of the city.
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Author's Note: I was thinking about inspiration for the side story yesterday. (Although I know it's still a long way off, I'm so anxious because I have absolutely no inspiration...)
Almost all I can think of are if statements [poor thing].
Last night I came up with a story about a beautiful mermaid named Ayu and her zookeeper Ningning. I felt that the idea of the alien mermaid Ayu using her beauty to seduce and bewitch her zookeeper Ningning so they could have sex would be really delicious! [rainbow fart]
There's also the story of Ningning turning into a fluffy kitten, who was so adorable that everyone scrambled to take her home. [Let me see!]
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