Chapter 90 It's all my fault. In the dim light, his gaze fell upon her face...
The trembling white-feathered arrow on the ancient tree instantly froze the entire mine. The remaining guards stiffened for a moment, then quickly moved, their shoulders pressed together, their eyes scanning the surroundings with suspicion and uncertainty.
The deathly silence did not last.
Footsteps rushed in from the direction of the mine, and seven or eight guards, armed with weapons, charged into the area with murderous intent. They were clearly mine guards who had come to provide support after hearing the commotion.
"Damn it! What..."
Before the burly leader could finish speaking, another white-feathered arrow pierced his right shoulder with pinpoint accuracy. He screamed and fell to the ground, letting out a pig-like howl.
This thunderous arrow completely stunned the newly arrived guards.
"Who are you?" a guard roared, his voice stern but his heart pounding.
Pei Xu leaped down from the height, his toes lightly touching the ground, his right hand already drawing the long sword from his waist. The blade, like ice, reflected the dappled sunlight, making his face appear even more somber.
He did not answer the guard's question.
No answer is needed.
"Over there! Kill him!" Spurred on by the gruesome sight of their comrade, the guards roared and charged toward Pei Xu with their swords.
Meng Lingyao's heart leaped into her throat. She couldn't be happy about Pei Xu's appearance; all she felt was worry.
She knew Pei Xu was skilled in both literature and martial arts, but she had never seen him actually fight. At this moment, through the chaotic figures around her, she only saw the guard's knife whistling through the air as it fiercely slashed towards Pei Xu's head.
Pei Xu made no unnecessary movements. He slightly shifted to his left, and his menacing slash missed its mark. At the same time, his right wrist flicked slightly, and a cold light slashed lightly past his side.
puff.
Blood spurts out!
"Ah—" The guard let out a scream that was not human. His broadsword flew out of his hand, and he staggered back a few steps. There was a deep wound on his right wrist that exposed the bone, and blood gushed out like a fountain!
Another man attacked from the side, thrusting his sword straight at Pei Xu's back. Without even turning his head, he swung his sword back and pierced the chest. The man had no time to react and fell to the ground with his eyes open.
It was too fast. Meng Lingyao didn't even see how he drew his sword. She only felt that the movement was as smooth as flowing water, yet it was deadly precise.
In just a few breaths, the ground was littered with the mine guards lying haphazardly.
Seeing that things were not going well, the person who was lagging behind turned around and tried to escape, but Pei Xu caught up with him in a flash and smashed the hilt of his long sword heavily on the back of the person's head.
Thump!
The man didn't even utter a sound before collapsing to the ground.
Meng Lingyao stared at him blankly, her palms icy cold and her fingertips trembling slightly. She knew he was an exceptional archer, but she had never seen him wield a sword.
Because her maternal grandfather was a martial artist, she grew up watching her uncles and cousins wield swords and spears, but she had never seen such a sharp sword before.
This wasn't the fancy swordplay she'd ever seen among the sons of high-ranking families, nor even the techniques practiced by soldiers. This was a pure killing technique honed through real, bloody battlefields, forged in the crucible of life and death! Efficient, concise, and ruthless.
For the first time, she realized so clearly the other side of the man she had fallen for—a sharpened, blood-soaked blade.
Wang Li slumped to the ground, his face ashen. The sword dances he had learned from famous scholars were nothing but empty gestures in the face of real combat.
It wasn't until Pei Xu sheathed his sword that the guards who had accompanied him hurriedly arrived.
"Leave him alive, but dislocate his joints."
The guards quickly subdued the men on the ground, cleanly and efficiently dislocating their limbs. Screams rose and fell, soon fading into silence.
Pei Xu strode up to Meng Lingyao. His intimidatingly cold aura melted away like spring snow as he approached her.
He crouched down, his gaze quickly sweeping over her entire body before finally settling on the glaring bloodstains on her face. He reached out and gently rubbed his fingertips against her cheek, wiping away some of the dried scabs.
Are you scared?
Looking at Pei Xu's face so close to hers, Meng Lingyao's carefully constructed defenses crumbled. A mix of grievance and lingering fear, along with the glaring red stain on Songlan's shoulder, made her nose sting, and tears uncontrollably rolled down her cheeks, landing on the back of his hand.
She shook her head, her voice choking with emotion, "Songlan..."
"Don't be afraid." Pei Xu's gaze swept over Songlan in her arms, his voice low, carrying a strange, comforting power. "She'll be alright." He gently squeezed her hand that was tightly gripping Songlan's clothes, warmth passing through her icy fingertips.
A guard quickly stepped forward, skillfully examined Songlan's wounds, cleaned and applied medicine, and said, "She suffered a shoulder injury, but the bleeding has slowed down. Fortunately, it didn't hit any vital organs, so her life is not in danger. She needs to be bandaged and rest."
He looked up at Meng Lingyao and said, "Don't worry, Miss, Sister Songlan is fine."
"Hill?"
Shen Xiaoshan nodded, smiled at her with his bright, star-like eyes, then picked up his medicine box and got up to treat the wounds of the other injured guards.
Perhaps it was because Shen Xiaoshan was too certain that Meng Lingyao's extremely tense heartstrings finally relaxed. With this relaxation, the accumulated fatigue and fear surged back like a tide, and her legs instantly became weak and unresponsive.
"I can't stand up..." she said softly, her eyes lowered in embarrassment, her body swaying uncontrollably.
"I'll carry you on my back." Pei Xu looked at the girl in front of him, whose hair was disheveled, eyes were red, and face was covered in blood and dirt, and turned his back to her. "Get on."
Meng Lingyao stretched out her arms and wrapped them around his neck. Pei Xu reached out from behind and carefully and firmly supported her knees, helping her to stand up steadily.
Meng Lingyao obediently leaned against him, her cheek pressed against the back of his collar. Through the slightly cool fabric, she could feel his warm skin and steady, powerful pulse. A scent mingled with the crisp aroma of herbs and the dust of gunpowder enveloped her.
Strangely, the stench of blood that had filled the surroundings was now completely blocked by this aura. All she could hear was the steady, powerful beat of his heart, each thud resonating deep within her.
All the unease and fear were borne by this strong and powerful back, steadily, as if it could shield them from all the wind, rain, swords, and dangers of the world.
She was lighter than he had imagined, as soft as a cloud resting on his neck, and Pei Xu tightened his arms around her.
“Young master,” he said calmly, glancing at Wang Li, who was still slumped on the ground, “can you still walk? This place is not safe to stay for long.”
Wang Li snapped back to reality, looking at Pei Xu carrying Meng Lingyao on his back, then at his own disheveled state, his face burning with shame. He struggled to his feet, his movements sluggish with fear, and managed to say, "I...I can walk..."
Several years ago, he had met this young Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review at a banquet, and he has never forgotten him. However, the other party had long forgotten his name.
"Let's go." Pei Xu said no more and strode steadily down the mountain.
Several men disguised as mountain dwellers had been dragged from the woods by the guards, their jaws dislocated to prevent them from committing suicide or making a scene, and were being led at the back of the procession. One of them furtively glanced up, his gaze sinister, and fixed on Meng Lingyao, his fingers secretly slipping into his sleeve. Just as his eyes darted around—
Pfft!
An arrow, seemingly flying from somewhere within Pei Xu's sleeve, pierced the man's ankle with deadly precision.
"Ah—" A scream pierced the air.
Pei Xu kept walking, and to avoid his stubble touching her cheek, he only turned his head slightly. "If you're tired, take a nap. I'm here."
Meng Lingyao was not sleepy at all. She gently hummed in agreement and closed her eyes.
-
After descending the mountain and quickly handling all the matters, it was already night.
Pei Xu stood up, paused slightly, asked a servant for bath soap and a razor, cleaned himself up, and then went to find Meng Lingyao.
Stepping into the small courtyard where she was temporarily staying in Jinling, I saw the main room brightly lit by candlelight, but she was nowhere to be seen.
Pei Xu's eyebrows twitched slightly, and he took a few more steps toward the side room where the maids were resting. Inside the window, the dim candlelight flickered, and faint voices could be heard.
He stopped and, instead of going forward, turned back into the courtyard.
Inside the room, Meng Lingyao lay prone beside the bed of woad.
"Does it hurt?" She carefully wiped the fine sweat from Songlan's forehead.
Songlan shook her head, her lips moving a few times, "No...it doesn't hurt."
“You’re lying,” Meng Lingyao’s eyes instantly reddened, “That knife was so long…you really have a death wish, just running into it like that.”
Songlan forced a smile and said softly, "It doesn't matter what happens to me, as long as you are alright, Miss."
"Don't talk nonsense. No one's life is more important than your own."
Songlan didn't refute, but simply moved her head, turned her cheek, and pressed it against Meng Lingyao's hand placed by the couch. She rubbed it against her, and the coolness made her feel at ease. "Miss, don't worry, I'm really fine, I'm just... a little sleepy. Miss was also frightened during the day, so please go back and rest early."
Meng Lingyao knew that the doctor had added some calming and sleep-inducing ingredients to her medicine. She choked up, but ultimately didn't say anything. She reached out and tucked the blanket around Songlan, saying, "You sleep well, I'll be right next door."
She sat quietly by the bed for a while, watching Songlan's breathing gradually calm down, then quietly got up, blew out the candle by the bed, leaving only a small wall lamp a little distance away, and pushed open the door and went out.
The night breeze was cool and brushed against my face.
She stepped out of the room and looked up to see a person standing quietly in the courtyard. The cool moonlight fell on his shoulders, outlining his tall and serene figure; it was Pei Xu.
"Why are you here?" Meng Lingyao asked, slightly surprised. Her voice was still a little hoarse from the emotions she had just experienced. She walked over.
Pei Xu turned around at the sound. In the dim light, his gaze lingered on her face, as if to make sure she was unharmed. "I was afraid you wouldn't be able to sleep," he said softly, reaching out to brush a stray strand of hair from her cheek, his fingertips warm. "You were frightened during the day."
Meng Lingyao looked up at him. The moonlight was hazy, illuminating his sharply defined jawline. During the day, he was so ruthless and fierce, but now he was only dressed in casual clothes, standing in front of her, worrying about something as trivial as her not being able to sleep.
She pouted, instinctively wanting more comfort, "I thought... she came because she missed me."
Pei Xu's gaze deepened slightly as he stared into her still-moist eyes. Without the slightest hesitation, he nodded frankly, "Both."
Upon hearing the words, Meng Lingyao's heart trembled slightly. All the turmoil of the day turned into a deep weariness when it touched this small patch of moonlight and the person in front of her.
Without further hesitation, she stepped forward, wrapped her arms around his lean waist, buried her face in his chest, and murmured, "I missed you too."
The moment her soft body was thrown into his arms, Pei Xu stiffened slightly, then raised his hand, put his arm around her shoulder, and pulled her slender body completely into his embrace.
The courtyard was quiet, with only her soft breathing in the background.
His steady heartbeat pounded against her eardrums, and a strange sense of relief mixed with pent-up emotions broke through her defenses.
After an unknown amount of time, Pei Xu clearly felt a damp, cool mist gradually spreading across his chest.
He didn't move or speak. But the hand that was on her shoulder and back quietly moved up to her thin back, gently stroking it slowly, following the supple lines of her spine, offering silent comfort.
In her arms, her soft sobs turned into suppressed whimpers.
Meng Lingyao tightened her embrace around him, burying her face deep in his chest, her indistinct whispers escaping her lips, "...It's all my fault..."
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Author's Note: Sweetie, don't cry, it's all my fault [please][please][please]
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