Chapter 30 Chapter 30 A chaste and fierce man.
Zhang Jingxuan stayed in the room for a long time and didn't come out. Xue Yuanyin was waiting for him to teach her how to make a wooden dragonfly, and she was getting a little impatient.
She turned her head towards the house and asked, "Zhang Jingxuan, what are you doing? So slow?"
After a long while, Zhang Jingxuan came out of the west wing and sat down at the stone table with a calm expression, not much different from usual.
Xue Yuanyin was carving wood to make the frame of a wooden dragonfly. She glanced at him and asked in confusion:
"Didn't you say you were going to come into the house and draw some blueprints? Where are your blueprints? Why haven't you finished them in such a long time?"
Zhang Jingxuan paused slightly.
Although the thing just now was not fully erected, it was extremely patient. He waited for a long time before making its head hang down, and accidentally forgot the excuse of drawing the blueprint.
His expression did not change, and he changed the subject calmly:
"We'll try to make a wooden dragonfly for them before they escape. If the carrier pigeons can't find their location, the dragonfly can deliver a message."
Xue Yuanyin's attention was immediately diverted. After a moment of thought, he said:
"Time is a bit tight, so let's work together to make one."
Zhang Jingxuan replied calmly, "I know."
-
Qin Fang and his companions specially burned incense and prayed to Buddha, picked an auspicious day according to the almanac, and set the date of escape as three days later.
After discussion, they decided to sneak through the county city gate and then go out through the forest outside the city gate.
Xue Yuanyin and Zhang Jingxuan took another route, responsible for diverting most of the patrols near the city gate.
——It can be said that he shoulders a heavy responsibility.
Qin Fang was very worried about Zhang Jingxuan. He said, "Xue Ling is good at martial arts. I'm not worried about her, but are you okay?"
Zhang Jingxuan didn't explain much, only saying, "I have my own methods."
Qin Fang stopped asking questions after hearing this. Zhang Zimo was also worried about his cousin, but he glanced at Xue Yunyin beside him. Some things were difficult to say directly, so he could only stammer:
"Cousin, we're leaving now. You better take care of yourself and don't let anyone else bully you."
Xue Yuanyin:?
What was the meaning of that pointed glance at her just now? Zhang Jingxuan was such a grown man, could she still bully him?
Zhang Jingxuan nodded slightly, then suddenly remembered something. He stepped closer and whispered:
"Don't tell my grandfather or my father yet."
Zhang Jingxuan didn't explain anything because he was not allowed to say anything. However, Zhang Zimo understood and looked at him with complicated eyes.
Sure enough, her cousin still protected her...
He was filled with mixed emotions, but this was not the time to discuss it in detail, so he could only agree for now:
"I know. I won't tell you."
As for whether his grandfather and father would notice something and force him to tell the truth, he couldn't guarantee that.
…
At the end of the Xu hour, it was completely dark and the county gates were about to close.
Guarding the city gate were two rows of patrol teams, sixteen people in total, plus two strong men responsible for opening and closing the gate, a total of eighteen people.
Xue Yuanyin and Zhang Jingxuan put on night clothes, covered their faces with scarves, and hid behind a towering ancient tree not far from the city gate, watching the movements of Qin Fang and the other two from afar.
They had agreed in advance that when they saw the hand signal, she and Zhang Jingxuan would pretend to break into the city gate in an effort to attract more patrol teams to follow them.
Qin Fang and the other two took advantage of the patrol team's departure to escape. At that time, only a small number of people would follow them, so there was no need to worry.
A moment later, Qin Fang, who was hiding behind the haystack, waved towards Xue Yuanyin and the others.
Xue Yuanyin turned her head and made a gesture to Zhang Jingxuan to split the troops into two groups. Zhang Jingxuan looked at her, paused for a few seconds, and nodded.
The two of them set out almost simultaneously, heading straight for the city gate, and burst out through it with great fanfare. The two rows of patrols reacted extremely quickly, shouting:
"You little thief who broke into the city gate! Don't even think about escaping!"
After saying that, he immediately sent out a patrol team to chase after them. Xue Yuanyin glanced at the remaining eight people, jumped up the mountain, and ran inside separately with Zhang Jingxuan beside him.
When the patrol team saw this situation, they sent four more people to chase after them, and the remaining four guarded the city gate.
The plan worked, and they took the bait.
Qin Fang didn't hesitate any longer. He held one under each armpit and slipped out of the city gate like an old hen carrying her chicks, startling the remaining four people. Only then did they realize they had been tricked!
But even if all four of them chased out, they would not be able to cause any harm to Qin Fang. As long as he hid in the mountains and forests, he could not be caught even if he had wings.
…
Xue Yuanyin turned around and hid in the woods on the mountain, followed by eight people.
She had already agreed on the route with Zhang Jingxuan in advance and planned to meet at the final location, but she turned her head and looked behind her, feeling a little annoyed. There were more people chasing her than she had imagined, and she couldn't get rid of them.
I'm afraid she won't be able to make it to the meeting point as agreed.
Before she could put this idea into practice, a stone hit her feet. Xue Yuanyin turned her head and saw Zhang Jingxuan rushing over from another road and meeting her.
Xue Yuanyin took the time to express her surprise while running: "Why are you here? This route of mine is not the meeting point."
Zhang Jingxuan was wearing a veil, so she couldn't see his expression. She could only hear his faint voice coming from under the veil:
"There are too many people following you. I'm worried you can't handle it."
Xue Yuanyin silently glanced at the twelve people following closely behind and said, "So now if we combine them into one, there won't be many left?"
Zhang Jingxuan did not answer directly, but chose a winding path in the mountains and said calmly:
"Find a way to get rid of them."
…
The pursuers' martial arts skills are better than expected.
Although Xue Yuanyin was not a serious martial artist, she had at least been trained by her father for a period of time. However, she and Zhang Jingxuan teamed up and ran in the dark forest for nearly half a night, but they were unable to shake off the person behind them.
The patrol team had probably received an order to capture them, and they would rather kill the innocent than let them go, so they were determined to bring the two of them back.
Xue Yuanyin was panting and suddenly stumbled. Zhang Jingxuan quickly pulled her up.
Her legs were shaking a little, but she didn't dare stop. She gritted her teeth and continued running, but her panting voice revealed a sense of fatigue. She said, "Zhang, Zhang Jingxuan... I can't run anymore."
Zhang Jingxuan's forehead was covered with a thin layer of sweat, his expression was cold, he identified a direction, pulled her over and said:
“Almost there.”
Xue Yuanyin stumbled over and stopped at the place he mentioned. He looked carefully - there was a steep slope in front of him, which was almost a cliff. Although there was a buffer area, it was still too high.
She suddenly thought of something, panting and turning her head, "Is this the slope where we both rolled down the cliff?"
"It's not the original location." Zhang Jingxuan walked to the edge of the cliff, looked down, and said, "We are now in another direction, but if we can go down, we can reach Qingxi Town."
It turned out that they were almost escaping to Qingxi Town.
Xue Yuanyin looked back and saw that the patrol team was really persistent. Now there were only ten people left, and they were about to catch up.
She glanced down anxiously and said, "But it's too deep. I'm not sure I can jump in."
She was indeed good at martial arts and could barely fight with Qin Fang, but she only started practicing lightness skills halfway through her studies and had always been half-baked, not as good as Zhang Jingxuan, who specialized in regulating her breathing with internal energy.
Zhang Jingxuan said calmly, "I'll go down first. Wait ten seconds before jumping down."
Xue Yuanyin suspected she was hallucinating and said, "You want me to be disabled?!"
Zhang Jingxuan glanced at her and said calmly, "I'll catch you."
Xue Yuanyin: “…Oh.”
This is the only way now, the group of people behind are about to catch up.
Zhang Jingxuan leaped down lightly and landed on the flat slope. After stabilizing himself, he turned and shouted upwards, "Xue Yuanyin, come down."
Xue Yuanyin counted to ten seconds, and heard footsteps approaching from behind. She had no time to hesitate. She made up her mind, held her breath, and jumped towards Zhang Jingxuan.
In the dark night, in the shadowy woods, a light figure pounced from above. It looked a little thin, but seemed so determined amid the dense footsteps.
Zhang Jingxuan collected his thoughts, waited intently, and stretched out his arms forward.
Hold the figure firmly.
The impact was too strong, and the two rolled on the ground before they got up. Before Xue Yuanyin could stand firmly, she saw a dagger flying towards her face from above!
She bent down suddenly and narrowly avoided it. The dagger brushed past her head and was nailed to the slope. Before she could breathe a sigh of relief, the second dagger flew straight towards her, shining with a cold light, leaving no way to avoid it!
Xue Yuanyin's heart skipped a beat, knowing that she would definitely be injured this time!
In an instant, a hand suddenly pulled her back, and she stumbled and fell to the ground, landing behind Zhang Jingxuan.
Without even taking a breath, she hurriedly looked up and saw Zhang Jingxuan trying to dodge in panic but failed. A muffled groan escaped from his throat.
The dagger slashed across Zhang Jingxuan's right shoulder, leaving a deep wound.
The next second, blood gushed out!
Xue Yuanyin's expression changed: "You are injured!"
Big drops of cold sweat rolled down Zhang Jingxuan's forehead. He was not a military general, and this kind of injury was unprecedented in the past twenty years.
He frowned and almost bent over in pain.
Xue Yuanyin had never seen Zhang Jingxuan injured before. The blood was still glaring and frightening in the dark night, but there was no time to do anything. She tore open the hem of her clothes, went forward and bandaged him roughly, and fixed his arm.
The bleeding barely stopped, but Zhang Jingxuan's face turned pale.
Xue Yuanyin said worriedly, "We can't stay here for long. We have to find a place to hide. Can you still leave?"
Zhang Jingxuan nodded silently. It was not that he didn't want to talk more, but such a serious wound made him use all his strength to suppress the pain, making it almost impossible for him to speak.
Xue Yuanyin took the initiative to carry his left arm, letting him lean half of his body weight on her back. As soon as Zhang Jingxuan pressed down, Xue Yuanyin felt a weight all over his body——
The weight of a nearly 180-year-old man was heavier than she had ever imagined. It was like carrying a huge burden.
She gritted her teeth, tried to support him with her not-so-strong body, and asked breathlessly, "Where are we going next?"
Xue Yuanyin was unable to identify the direction with his head slightly lowered, so Zhang Jingxuan was responsible for directing the way. He raised his eyes to identify the direction, suppressed the trembling breath in his throat, and tried to speak in a steady voice:
"Go forward, walk twenty steps, then turn and go downhill."
…
Xue Yuanyin stopped in a tree hole in the middle of the road. The two of them hid inside and covered the hole. She was finally able to sit down and catch her breath.
This tree hole was formed naturally in the mountains. It is cold and gloomy. There is a flat slope outside where you can sit and rest. However, it is easy to be discovered because it is near the entrance. It is very narrow and cramped inside. It is safe, but you can't even turn around when hiding inside.
Xue Yuanyin had just finished looking around the cave when she heard the patrol team's voices in the distance, accompanied by curses. She quickly helped Zhang Jingxuan up from where he was leaning against the wall at the entrance of the cave, and said,
"We can't hide at the entrance of the cave. It's too easy to be discovered. We have to hide inside."
The cold sweat on Zhang Jingxuan's forehead had lessened a little, probably because he had gotten used to the dull pain. He could barely stand up straight. He no longer relied on Xue Yuanyin's strength to support him, but walked slowly inside by holding on to the rough inner wall of the cave.
When he walked inside, because the entrance of the cave was not high, he couldn't even stand up straight and had to lower his head slightly.
The footsteps outside were getting closer.
The patrolling guards were scanning both sides with rage, as if they were determined to find the two of them.
Xue Yuanyin quickly squeezed in and said, "Make some space for me."
Seeing Zhang Jingxuan didn't move for a moment, she sighed softly: "Anyway, we've already squeezed together in the wooden cabinet, so squeezing in the cave won't make any difference."
Zhang Jingxuan stood where he was and looked around the space inside the cave - it was barely enough for two people, and there wasn't even enough space for them to turn around.
He frowned slightly: "We are squeezed here face to face?"
There was one person above and one below the other inside the wooden cabinet. Although he had to do this, he was still able to support himself with his hands so that neither of them would touch the other's body.
How could he hold on in this cramped cave? He didn't even have enough room to stretch his arms.
Xue Yuanyin looked at Zhang Jingxuan who seemed reluctant, thought for a few seconds, and suddenly felt that being face to face was indeed a bit too close, and they might accidentally touch each other's parts.
Although she wanted to take advantage of him, it was not under such circumstances. After a pause, she suggested hesitantly:
"How about...we stand back to back?"
Imagining the funny look of the two people facing the inner wall of the cave, thinking about their mistakes, Xue Yuanyin actually felt like laughing in this critical situation.
Zhang Jingxuan was silent for a moment, then said, "Let's face each other."
The sounds of searching outside the cave were already very close. There was no time to hesitate. Xue Yuanyin supported Zhang Jingxuan, who was moving a little slowly, and hid between the narrow inner walls of the cave.
As soon as she hid inside, she realized how narrow the space was—
They stood with their legs crossed, her chest pressed against his. To avoid touching the wound on his right arm, she leaned against the wall behind him, her head tilted slightly back, her body extremely stiff. Zhang Jingxuan couldn't stand straight either, his head slightly lowered, forcing them to stare at each other from this close proximity.
Xue Yuanyin: “…”
She felt a little regretful. It would have been better if they were back to back, at least only their buttocks were touching. Now their whole bodies were squeezed together.
She didn't want to do anything to Zhang Jingxuan in such a remote place.
Xue Yuanyin even felt that the air was a little sticky and her breathing began to become difficult.
In order to prevent her chest from pressing too tightly against him, she moved quietly, but in the crowded cave, this little quietness seemed to become quite loud - if one person moved, the other would be squeezed as well, and it would be easily noticed.
Zhang Jingxuan gave her a cold glance, signaling her not to move.
Xue Yuanyin: “…”
She was a little embarrassed.
The sounds of a search outside the cave happened to pass by the cave, with footsteps clattering and cursing.
Xue Yuanyin's whole body was stiff and his ears felt a little burning, but he didn't dare move.
She was clearly on the verge of being discovered, and she should have been nervous, but now she was a bit desperate - fortunately, she was wearing a bra, so even if they were close to each other, she couldn't squeeze Zhang Jingxuan.
The patrol team's search sounds lingered at the cave entrance for a long time. Xue Yuanyin's attention was gradually diverted there, and her heart was lifted.
The patrol team simply took a quick look from outside and did not come in, so they did not discover the two people deep in the cave.
The footsteps gradually moved away until they disappeared.
Xue Yuanyin breathed a sigh of relief, then came to his senses and realized that there was another person squeezed on the opposite side. He hurriedly pulled himself out of the narrow cave.
Zhang Jingxuan lowered his eyes, straightened his wrinkled nightgown, and smoothed the hem before slowly walking out.
Xue Yuanyin consciously skipped over the previous scene and took the initiative to mention it to him:
"They're gone. This place is relatively safe. Let me take a look at your wound."
"No need," Zhang Jingxuan said to her, "Just turn your back to me, I'll do it myself."
Xue Yuanyin: "...Can you do it?"
She looked at his slightly pale face and felt a little uneasy: "It's not a private part, it's just a right shoulder."
When she worked in the garden before, she had seen many men with bare chests.
Zhang Jingxuan raised his eyes and looked at her. Although he did not speak, Xue Yuanyin could not help but see a meaning from his eyes.
Why aren't shoulders a private part?
Xue Yuanyin: “…”
He looked like a chaste young wife, while she looked like the evil landlord who forced a good woman into prostitution.
She recalled the situation in the wooden cabinet of the brothel, where Zhang Jingxuan didn't allow anyone to touch his waist or legs.
To sum it up in a nutshell - he takes innocence very seriously.
Xue Yuanyin and Zhang Jingxuan looked at each other for a moment, speechless. Finally, seeing his urging eyes, she turned around and sat with her back to him at the entrance of the cave. Only then did she hear Zhang Jingxuan taking off his shirt behind her.
She tilted her head, wanting to ask Zhang Jingxuan if she wanted to get some water, but she didn't expect that when she tilted her head, Zhang Jingxuan behind her stopped moving, obviously preventing her from peeking.
He looks just like a chaste and virtuous man.
Xue Yuanyin: “…”
She turned her head, feeling unusually speechless.
If he doesn't let her see it, does she care about it?!
After a few seconds, Xue Yuanyin thought expressionlessly - well, she is indeed rare.
Listening to the sounds of bandaging and dressing behind her, Xue Yuanyin felt itchy. She suddenly felt that Zhang Jingxuan was not wrong in being on guard against her.
If she were to bandage him, she couldn't guarantee that she could resist secretly touching his thin muscles.
well.
It's a pity.
By the time Zhang Jingxuan had packed up and Xue Yuanyin had rested, it was almost Yin time. If they wanted to sneak into Qingxi Town before dawn, they could not delay any longer.
Xue Yuanyin helped Zhang Jingxuan up. He shook his head and said:
"This is too slow. I've adapted and don't need your help. Let's hurry up."
The two of them said nothing along the way. They went through the mountains and forests, bypassing the entrances and exits of the town, and finally arrived at the courtyard at the end of the Yin hour.
Granny Chen would stay in the county town for another day. After giving up the rented yard, she would bring their luggage in through the main gate of the city on a donkey-drawn cart.
She is a local and has a pass to leave.
Xue Yuanyin was so tired that she didn't want to move, but Zhang Jingxuan still had an injury on his shoulder, so she didn't rest. As soon as it was dawn, she forced herself to cheer up and went to the pharmacy to get him some golden medicine and other medicinal herbs for applying to his wounds.
He endured the pain and spent the money to ask the doctor to prescribe a mud pill to help heal the wound. No matter whether it is taken orally or in any other way, as long as the body can absorb it, the wound will heal faster.
Although Zhang Jingxuan is now tall and strong, she always feels that he is still a sickly person and needs to be taken good care of.
Xue Yuanyin returned home with a bag of medicinal herbs, stood at the door of the west wing, knocked on the door, and said:
"I'm coming in?"
Zhang Jingxuan said a faint "hmm" from inside the door. Xue Yuanyin pushed the door open and walked in.
This was her first time entering Zhang Jingxuan's room.
At first glance, the quaint and simple cottage has wooden cabinets, wooden beds, wooden tables, wooden chairs, etc. The only impression is that it is too neat, even to the point of being meticulous.
Granny Chen wouldn't touch the host's things. At most, she would wipe the table and sweep the floor, so the place was so clean and tidy because Zhang Jingxuan cleaned it up himself.
Xue Yuanyin looked around and then looked away. Seeing Zhang Jingxuan sitting on the bed with his eyes closed, he said:
"We've been traveling so long, you should clean yourself up first before applying the medicine. But this clay pill can't be left out for long, it will dissolve easily, so take it first."
As she spoke, she went out to boil some water, brought it back after it cooled down a little, and then took the bottle of mud pills on the table, poured out some, put it in the palm of her hand, and handed it to him.
This mud ball is not small, about the size of a ripe hawthorn, and it has a faint bitter medicinal smell that goes straight into the nose.
Xue Yuanyin felt that the smell of the medicine was a bit too strong, and for a moment he was not sure whether Zhang Jingxuan could bear it. Sure enough, as soon as he put it in front of him, Zhang Jingxuan's eyes suddenly opened and frowned:
"What is that you got me?"
The next second, he couldn't hold it back and covered his mouth and nose, making a retching sound.
Xue Yuanyin: “…”
She handed the pills to him with a guilty conscience: "It's time to take the medicine. It will make you feel better quickly. Otherwise, what if you get a fever and your injury gets worse?"
Zhang Jingxuan frowned and said with a little resistance:
"No need, I can just apply the medicine."
Xue Yuanyin hadn't expected it to be so difficult to feed him medicine. She sighed softly, "It's not a decoction. You can drink a big bowl of bitter soup. You can just put this mud pill in your mouth and close your eyes and swallow it, right?"
Zhang Jingxuan looked at the mud balls that were as big as hawthorns and said calmly:
"I think I'm more likely to choke before I can swallow it."
Xue Yuanyin was silent for a moment. That was true. This mud ball was really too big.
She thought for a moment and said, "Shall I cut it into four pieces for you with a knife?"
Zhang Jingxuan frowned and said coldly, "Then I have to take it four times?"
Xue Yuanyin: “…”
This really put him in a difficult position.
She was getting a little impatient with the wait and asked, "Then think of a way. How do you want to take it?"
Zhang Jingxuan closed his eyes and leaned back on the bed. The dull pain in his shoulder kept coming, but his expression remained calm. He said:
"I told you, you don't have to give it to me."
Xue Yuanyin was annoyed by his attitude. If he said he didn't want to take the medicine, then he wouldn't take it. Wouldn't all the hard work she put into paying the medical fee and getting the medicine be wasted?
She didn't believe it! Wasn't there any way she could get Zhang Jingxuan to take this pill?!
Xue Yuanyin paced around the room, thinking of a solution. Finally, she stood beside the bed, looking at Zhang Jingxuan, who had his eyes closed and remained silent, and looked him up and down, as if thinking about something.
Thinking of the revenge of Zhang Jingxuan kicking her on the butt, Xue Yuanyin began to want to tease him, and an absurd and bad idea popped up in her mind.
She said slowly, "I have a solution... Didn't the doctor tell you to just take it? He didn't tell you where to take it, right?"
Zhang Jingxuan opened his eyes, looked at her and said, "What do you want to say?"
Xue Yuanyin said maliciously:
"If this mud ball can't fit into your mouth, can't it be stuffed into your butt? If you agree, I won't hold you responsible for kicking me in the butt."
In this moment of silence, Xue Yuanyin admitted that she did have a bit of a bad taste.
She felt very happy to see Zhang Jingxuan being humiliated.
Zhang Jingxuan was silent for a long time. He looked at her with a complicated expression and said in a cold tone:
"Xue Yuanyin, why don't you listen to what you are saying?"
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The author has something to say: Zhang Jingxuan: What bullshit are you talking about.
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