Chapter 100 Heartache. He only regretted that he couldn't suffer in her place. ...
Xiao Zhu pouted in dissatisfaction, and just as she was about to say something, she caught sight of Xie Qingyu walking towards them.
She turned around abruptly, gripping the knife at her waist tightly, and asked warily, "What do you want?"
Xiao Ying looked over and scolded, "Go back and stay there!"
The mountains were dark at night, without any lights, only the tranquil moonlight illuminating them. Xie Qingyu stepped out of the shadows, the moonlight slowly enveloping him. He wore only a snow-white undergarment, looking like an immortal in the moonlight.
He began, "...Could I ask the two ladies for a favor?"
"Our clothes were both soaked through, the rain kept pouring down, and it was very cold in the mountains. I am a man, so I can bear it, but the lady inside is a frail woman, and she is really suffering."
"We're not going to run away, we just want to borrow some clean clothes."
Xie Qingyu spoke with great humility. His voice was melodious, and his eyes conveyed genuine emotion, making his words utterly sincere.
Young and naive, and having rarely seen a beautiful woman show weakness, Xiao Zhuo immediately softened: "Okay..."
"No." Before she could finish speaking, Xiao Ying, who was standing to the side, refused decisively. "Sister Fei Yan said that we are only responsible for guarding you. She didn't say that we are to fulfill your requests."
Xiao Zhu jolted awake, struggling to break free from the allure of her beauty, and quickly echoed, "That's right! Who knows if you're lying or if you'll turn around and run away after we leave!"
Xie Qingyu fell silent again. The moonlight, flowing like water, enveloped him, but he remained unmoved, standing there in complete silence.
Just when Xiao Zhuo thought he was going to give up, Xie Qingyu slowly spoke again: "You can tie me up."
"Tie me up. One of you stay and guard me, while the other goes to ask Miss Jiang for instructions. Is that alright?"
“Besides asking you to watch over us, Miss Jiang also said to make sure we live.” Xie Qingyu’s voice was very pleasant, but her tone was very calm. “The gentleman inside has caught a cold and is currently running a fever. If he continues to wear wet clothes and stay in this cold and damp cave, his condition may worsen.”
"If she dies, I won't live on either." Xie Qingyu appeared calm and composed, but her words were increasingly shocking. "You went to great lengths to lure us out of the city and capture us alive, which means you didn't intend to kill us. You still have a use for us. Since you've gone to so much trouble, you don't want to end up with just two corpses, do you?"
Xiao Zhu stared wide-eyed, standing there dumbfounded, as if shocked by his words "won't live alone," while Xiao Ying turned her face completely around, almost scrutinizing Xie Qingyu in front of her.
“You’ve misunderstood. We’ve arranged for you to stay here not because we want to torment you,” Xiao Ying stared at him, her probing gaze sweeping over his entire body as if trying to see through his skin to his soul, “but because we are just bandits who roam the mountains. We don’t have any decent places to stay. Even our general lives in a cave like this.”
“However, I can accept your suggestion,” Xiao Ying gestured to Xiao Zhuo with her eyes. “Xiao Zhuo, go over there and tie his hands and feet. I’ll go run a errand.”
Xiao Zhuo quickly responded, went over and re-tied Xie Qingyu's hands with hemp rope, this time also tying his feet. After confirming that she had tied him up, Xiao Ying put on her straw hat and set off for the mountain.
Xie Qingyu cooperated well. He didn't say another word. After being bound again, he simply leaned against the stone wall and quietly closed his eyes to rest.
Xiao Zhuo squatted down next to him, holding the knife, unable to contain her curiosity, and couldn't help but steal glances at him frequently.
She thought Xie Qingyu wouldn't notice her actions with his eyes closed, but suddenly she heard him speak calmly, "What does the young lady want to ask?"
Xiao Zhu was embarrassed: "Ah..." He'd been found out.
"...It's nothing, I'm just a little curious, what's your relationship with that person inside?" Once Xiao Zhu asked, she didn't hold back as much. She scratched her head and said, "I see you take good care of that person. You two don't look alike, so you're probably not siblings."
"Are you two a married couple?"
Xie Qingyu kept his eyes closed, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down for a moment. Xiao Zhu noticed that his chest was rising and falling more dramatically.
"...No." Xie Qingyu suppressed the emotions stirred up by her words. "I am her subordinate."
Xiao Zhuo suddenly realized: "So that's how it is."
Xie Qingyu remained silent for a moment, then opened his eyes and looked at Xiao Zhuo, who was no longer looking at him.
Including his brief interactions with the two girls, he had already discerned from their two short conversations that the girl named Xiao Zhuo was innocent and naive, and much less guarded than the girl who had just left.
"...I wonder how long it will take for that girl to return?" Xie Qingyu said slowly. "The rain is too heavy, and the mountain road is difficult to travel. I'm afraid it will be quite a while before she returns."
Xiao Zhuo was completely unaware of the trap in his words and stepped into it: "Don't worry, she knows the road conditions very well, and Fei Yan's cave is not far from here. She'll probably be back in about 45 minutes."
Xie Qingyu said thoughtfully, "I see. But do you all live in caves? Or do men and women live in different places?"
Xiao Zhuo proudly raised his head: "There are no men here. Our general only takes in girls, and this entire mountain is our territory."
"Oh, but you're an exception. We weren't planning on arresting you. The general only ordered the arrest of 'Yue Yining,' but you showed up halfway through, so Sister Yan took it upon herself to bring you back as well. I wonder what the general will do with you then."
Xiao Zhu was very talkative; once he started, he talked non-stop, speaking with a heavy Qinghuai accent. "But you don't need to worry too much. Our general is a good man and won't kill innocent people indiscriminately."
He was a good man, yet he kept a band of bandits on his mountain and brazenly kidnapped important government officials.
Xie Qingyu responded with a sound of agreement and then remained silent.
On the other side, Xiao Ying climbed the mountain and disappeared into a dense thicket. As she walked forward, a series of interconnected caves came into view. In the clearing, there were several makeshift wooden sheds, piled with cooking utensils and firewood. In the pouring rain, the burning fire shone like a dim, yellow star.
She found the cave where Jiang Feiyan lived, pushed open the door made of bundles of thatch, and poked her head in. "Sister Feiyan."
Jiang Feiyan had changed out of her dark red short dress and was now wearing a coarse cloth outfit. She was sitting by the earthen bed, seemingly having finished washing up and preparing to go to sleep. She was a little surprised to see Xiao Ying arrive.
Jiang Feiyan raised an eyebrow. "Why are you here? Where are the other two?"
“I’ve had Xiao Zhuo watch over them. One is sick and unconscious, and the other is bound hand and foot.” Xiao Ying stood respectfully by the door. “Young Master Xie said that the female official surnamed Yue has caught a cold and developed a high fever. Their cave is too cold and damp; if we keep them there, I’m afraid that female official…”
Jiang Feiyan scoffed at this, "It's just sleeping in a cave for two nights. A cold won't kill you, will it?"
“Yes. However, Young Master Xie insisted because their clothes were soaked by the rain, and he asked us to lend him a woman’s dress.” Xiao Ying paused, then continued, “...He asked for it for the female official, saying he didn’t need it.”
Jiang Feiyan stopped smiling. She stared blankly at Xiao Ying, then suddenly asked, "What did this man do after I left?"
Xiao Ying carefully considered her words: "Young Master Xie wore off the ropes binding his hands and then kept taking care of that female official. He seemed very concerned about her; first, he took off his own clothes to cushion her so she could lie down and sleep, and then he came to borrow clean clothes from us for her, while he didn't seem to care much for himself..."
Midway through the conversation, Xiao Ying glanced at Jiang Feiyan's expression and noticed that it had become quite unpleasant.
Xiao Ying paused for a moment, "...You said before that you wanted to ensure their survival. You said that the female official's condition was very serious. I was unsure of what to do, so I came to ask you for instructions."
Sure enough. She had vaguely sensed it before, and now she was absolutely certain.
Jiang Feiyan has an almost instinctive aversion to "deeply affectionate" men.
After listening to Xiao Ying's report, Jiang Feiyan remained silent for a long time. Xiao Ying's legs were almost numb from standing when she suddenly heard Jiang Feiyan chuckle: "That's interesting."
“Sure, it’s just a clean set of clothes,” Jiang Feiyan said. “But I can’t give it to him for free.”
The sky was dark and covered with clouds. The rain had lessened, and the fog in the mountains was not so thick. Gradually, the verdant mountain peaks on the opposite side could be seen.
Xiao Ying accepted the order and went down the mountain. When she was almost back at the cave, she saw Xiao Zhu talking to Xie Qingyu in the distance and frowned.
"Xiao Zhuo!"
Hearing the familiar voice, Xiao Zhuo rushed over and jumped up in a flash. Facing Xiao Ying's glare, she sensed something was wrong and quickly put on a smiling face: "Xiao Ying, you're back?"
Seeing that she was holding a stack of clean clothes, Xiao Zhuo immediately went over and said, "Let me take them! I'll take them right away..."
To everyone's surprise, Xiao Ying swayed her hand, and Xiao Zhu missed. He blinked, looking at her with a blank expression, seemingly not understanding why she had dodged away.
Xiao Ying looked at Xie Qingyu on the ground, her tone calm but meaningful: "Sister Feiyan agreed, but she said we don't have many supplies and can't give them to you for free."
Xie Qingyu looked at her, and after listening, turned her gaze to Xiao Zhuo: "I understand. Could you please help me untie the ropes?"
Xiao Zhu was stunned for a moment, then turned his head to look at Xiao Ying's face. After receiving her tacit approval, he went over and untied the ropes binding his hands and feet.
After being released from her restraints, Xie Qingyu stood up, took a golden crow glass pendant from her waist, and handed it to them, saying, "If I exchange this for you, it won't be like I took it for nothing, right?"
He lowered his eyes, his quiet gaze fixed on the two girls. "This is made of pure gold. Go to the city and pawn it; you should be able to get a good amount of money."
Xiao Ying recalled Jiang Feiyan's instructions and repeated them in the same manner: "Okay, but are you sure you've thought it through?"
“We only prepared one set of supplies. If you give it to her, you won’t have any left,” Xiao Ying added. “It’s not just clothes, it’s all the necessities.”
"It's alright," Xie Qingyu replied without hesitation.
"But I'll have to trouble you to help her change her undergarments," Xie Qingyu said softly. "If you're worried I'll run away, just tie me up again. I'll turn my back to you when you're changing her clothes."
Xiao Ying took the pendant, looked at it for a long time with her eyes down, and then looked up, saying, "No need."
"I believe you won't run away."
In this man's eyes, the female official lying in the cave was probably more important than his own life.
As long as they keep Yue Yining under control, they won't have to worry about him secretly escaping.
While changing clothes, Xiao Zhu was in charge of carrying Yue Yining. She touched Yue Yining's exposed skin and couldn't help but click her tongue: "...It really is quite hot. It does look a bit serious."
"Are we really going to let them stay here? What did Sister Yan say?"
Xiao Ying didn't even look up. "Sister Fei Yan said no one will die. Let them stay here for now, we'll talk about it later if they really die."
Xiao Zhu didn't quite understand. "But didn't the general say he wanted to capture them alive? They don't seem like any particularly wicked people. There's no need to torture them like this..."
Xiao Ying gave her a warning look, and Xiao Zhuo, realizing she had spoken out of turn, obediently shut her mouth.
Xiao Ying continued to fasten Yue Yining's clothes, and said calmly, "No matter what Fei Yan thinks or does, when the general and Deputy Division Commander Jiang are not around, the camp must act according to her orders. That's the rule."
After the two helped Yue Yining change her clothes, they returned to their original positions. Xiao Zhu noticed that Xie Qingyu walked over and knelt down in front of Yue Yining again.
He rummaged around on his body for a moment, and with a "rip," he tore off a strip of his undergarment. He carefully folded the tattered strip into a long shape and placed it neatly on Yue Yining's forehead.
He bent down again and used his slender, fair fingers to gently brush away the stray hairs at her temples.
So focused, so gentle, a stark contrast to her calm and aloof expression just moments before.
Xie Qingyu stayed by Yue Yining's side all night.
During this time, he kept changing the cloth strip on Yue Yining's forehead, and each time the cloth strip was warmed by his body temperature, he would soak it again with rainwater.
The moon hid behind the clouds, the deep night enveloped the mountains and forests, and the rain was about to stop.
As dawn approached, Yue Yining, who had been unconscious, briefly regained consciousness.
Xie Qingyu had been watching her the whole time, and immediately noticed the slight trembling of her eyelashes. He opened his eyes wide and knelt down beside her. "Miss? Can you hear me?"
Upon briefly regaining consciousness, Yue Yining felt an excruciating pain, as if her bones were being torn apart, before her five senses returned.
It was hard to pinpoint exactly where she was injured; it felt as if her bones had been crushed, leaving countless pieces of flesh raw and bleeding. Someone had cut open her body and buried a huge furnace inside. Her whole body was burning hot and aching, and she gasped for breath as if she were crying.
Yue Yining struggled to open her eyes, but her gaze was unfocused. Even her breath was scalding hot, and her brows were furrowed in pain.
"It hurts so much... I feel so uncomfortable..."
No matter how Xie Qingyu called her, Yue Yining only murmured and repeated the same sentence. She seemed to still be suffering from a high fever and was not in her right mind. She was just acting on instinct to relieve the pain coming from all parts of her body.
Xie Qingyu held her hand, his lips pressed against her fingertips, kissing her slightly protruding knuckles soothingly. His eyelashes trembled, every finger shook, his mind blank. "It's alright, it's alright..."
He had no idea what he was saying.
He just hated it. He truly hated that he couldn't suffer these pains in her place.
The damp, rainy night suddenly stopped.
The moonlight stretches across the mountains, its silvery glow like a sea; a gentle breeze blows, and the forests seem to rustle like a flute.
After an unknown amount of time, Yue Yining fell into a deep sleep again, her brows still tightly furrowed. Xie Qingyu gazed at her face, her fingertips tracing the lines between her brows, smoothing them out.
Xiao Zhu leaned against the uneven stone wall, dozing off, her head nodding slightly; Xiao Ying, on the other side, stood straight, her posture like a pine tree.
Xiao Ying had been keeping an eye on the movements inside the cave, so she quickly noticed Xie Qingyu walking towards them.
She turned to look at him, her voice flat, "What is it?"
Xie Qingyu remained silent for a moment. Xiao Ying keenly sensed a change in his aura, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
The man standing under the moonlight moved.
He reached into his damp, soft hair and pulled out a jade hairpin, holding it as he handed it over. His voice, hoarse from staying up all night, was low and hoarse. "Could you please help me find some more firewood?"
"I want to make a fire here so she can sleep warmly."
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Author's Note: Not finished yet... to be continued in the next chapter... We'll have to stay in this cave for another chapter...
I was organizing the outline a few days ago and realized there's still so much to write, and a lot of foreshadowing and important plot points won't be revealed until much later... (At this moment, a delicious and juicy author withered away) (passed away peacefully.jpg)
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