Chapter 22 - Draft - Do not order this draft; it is currently in the queue for revision.
The wind swirled the sand particles.
The sky and earth were bathed in a dim yellow light.
You Mingjiang changed into a black outfit. The armor was finely woven, with delicate dark patterns on the lining, and the wristbands were taut. He exuded a sharp and heroic aura from head to toe.
She carried a bamboo medicine basket on her back and a lantern in her hand.
The lampshade swayed in the wind, barely illuminating the small area beneath her feet. The dim, yellowish light cast a flickering glow on her face.
Fu Hongxue walked beside her, their figures appearing and disappearing amidst the swirling yellow sand. Their shoes scraped against the sand, leaving behind rows of footprints that were quickly erased by the wind.
Perhaps it was You Mingjiang's chivalrous act that won Fu Hongxue's trust, and the two gradually grew closer.
This usually taciturn "saw-mouthed gourd" has finally broken with tradition and opened up, revealing some details about himself.
During their conversation, You Mingjiang learned of Fu Hongxue's purpose in coming to the border town. She frowned, her voice deepening, "...So, according to you, Ma Kongqun slaughtered your entire Bai family?"
Fu Hongxue nodded slightly.
Bai Tianyu, the master of the Divine Blade Hall, once regarded Ma Kongqun as a close friend, but he did not know that Ma Kongqun had planned that massacre on the snowy night.
The entire Bai family perished, leaving only this black knife and the infant Fu Hongxue.
That black knife became Fu Hongxue's only companion.
When night deepened, he would always gaze at the moon in the sky, thinking of that snowy night at Plum Blossom Hermitage that he had never experienced, yet which ruined his life.
·
.
Is this the truth?
You Mingjiang frowned and subconsciously opened the system panel. Why hadn't the system indicated that the task was completed?
Could there be some unknown secret hidden behind this?
.
Thinking of this, You Mingjiang tilted her head and leaned closer to ask, "So, you're going to Wanmatang tonight to take his life?"
Fu Hongxue's eyelashes trembled, and she gritted her teeth, saying each word slowly and deliberately, "No..."
It's not just that.
Bai Tianyu was once a powerful figure in the martial arts world, and Madam Bai was also a heroine. It can be said that every member of the Bai family was skilled in martial arts. It was absolutely impossible for Ma Kongqun to kill such a family by himself.
Behind that bloody incident, there must be a much larger conspiracy, and the real culprit is far more than one person.
His solo adventure was designed to force Ma Kongqun to confront his past sins, reveal the names of all his enemies, and then bring them to justice one by one.
Ma Kongqun's trap at Wanmatang, designed to lure and kill the Bai family's descendants, played right into Fu Hongxue's hands. Since the other party dared to openly provoke him, he naturally had nothing to fear.
After hesitating for a long time, You Mingjiang couldn't suppress her curiosity and finally asked, "You are of the Bai family bloodline? Then why do you have the surname Fu instead of Bai?"
Fu Hongxue stopped.
His hands hung at his sides, clenched tightly, his knuckles white.
The sandstorm was so strong that people couldn't open their eyes.
A look of pain crossed his face, but he remained silent.
He is the illegitimate son of Bai Tianyu and Hua Baifeng...
The character “傅” has long since become the “复” in “revenge”.
A son who does not seek revenge is not a true son.
As Bai Tianyu's son, he had no choice but to avenge his father.
This is his innate mission.
Fu Hongxue walked unsteadily, dragging his lame leg. His left foot was heavier than his right, and his body kept leaning to one side.
His lame leg throbbed with pain, and when he walked too fast, the pain became excruciating. Beads of sweat streamed down his chin, soaking his collar.
But he didn't care about any of that. It was unclear whether the grudges ahead were pulling him along, or the shameful past behind him were forcing him to flee.
He could only walk, and walk faster.
Upon seeing this, You Mingjiang's heart skipped a beat, realizing that she had been too presumptuous in asking the question.
She hurried after him, taking two steps at a time, jogging around like a restless sparrow, flitting back and forth beside him.
Yu Mingjiang racked his brains and tried to salvage the situation, saying, "Uh, look at me, my mind is all muddled... Right, a lot of people take their mother's surname, it must be because your mother was afraid that your enemies would hunt you down, so..."
“My mother’s surname is Hua,” Fu Hongxue said sullenly.
His mother, Hua Baifeng, was the eldest princess of the Demonic Sect. She fell in love with Bai Tianyu and gave birth to him.
Is your surname Hua?
Neither the mother's nor the father's surname...
The name "Fu Hongxue" is very likely just a code name created for revenge, rather than simply a continuation of family bloodline.
You Mingjiang stood there, stunned.
Who could have imagined it would turn out like this?
What was he really feeling?
Watching Fu Hongxue's retreating figure, she opened her mouth, wanting to say something but then stopped, unable to utter a single word for a long time.
After walking for quite a while with his head down, Fu Hongxue suddenly realized that one of his footsteps was missing.
Where are they?
He turned his head and saw her standing there motionless, her eyes wide open in the dim light of the lantern, her dark pupils filled with apology towards him.
Something inside him softened inexplicably. He awkwardly looked away and muttered, "What are you standing there for?"
You Mingjiang sighed softly.
The sigh was carried away by the wind and vanished in an instant.
She waved the lantern, then clenched her right fist against her chest and chuckled, "Here I am!"
As she spoke, she jogged after him, the warm yellow light flowing from the lantern, casting a hazy, gentle glow over them both.
The night wind made their shadows sway and flicker, before they were soon lost in the deepening darkness.
·
.
Wanmatang.
The red lanterns in the courtyard swayed in the wind.
You Mingjiang and Fu Hongxue stood on the sand dune, facing a tall, gray courtyard wall. It was clear that a great deal of effort had been put into its construction, exuding the grandeur of Wanmatang.
"Don't you think it's eerily quiet here?" You Mingjiang said in a low voice, glancing around.
Fu Hongxue nodded slightly, his voice low: "Yes, there was no sound of chickens or dogs."
Indeed, in this vast Wanma Hall, not a single rooster crows or dog barks; the deathly silence is unsettling.
A faint, pungent smell of blood drifted in on the night breeze, mingling with the sour stench of horse manure, the raw, green odor of freshly chopped hay, and the astringent smell of tung oil.
It smells like the stables...
The two exchanged a glance, understood each other perfectly, and simultaneously slowed their pace.
You Mingjiang grabbed a handful of sand from the ground, pushed off lightly, and nimbly sprang up. With a push of his right hand, he flipped over the wall without making a sound.
Fu Hongxue looked up at her, bent his right leg, and with a sudden burst of strength, he flew up with a "whoosh." When he was almost on the top of the wall, he reached out and braced himself, landing steadily next to You Mingjiang.
"You're quite agile," You Mingjiang said in a low voice, raising an eyebrow. "It's just that you made quite a commotion."
Fu Hongxue didn't reply, his eyes fixed on the courtyard.
His limp leg started to ache again after that exertion, but his face remained expressionless.
You Mingjiang flung a handful of sand, and with a few muffled "plop plop plop" sounds, the red lanterns went out one after another.
The two then took the opportunity to slip into the yard.
"Don't be reckless later..." Fu Hongxue said in a low voice.
"Don't worry! If a fight really breaks out, I'll coordinate with you. It's better than you fighting alone."
You Mingjiang raised his chin and said, "Let's go to the stable and feed the horses some croton seeds. When the four legs of the Wanmatang horses are so weak that they can't stand up, even if the horses have wings, they won't be able to fly away."
They keep coming up with all sorts of crazy ideas.
Fu Hongxue's lips curled up slightly, but he forced it back down, deliberately keeping a cold expression: "Hmm."
·
Outside the stable.
A strong, pungent smell of blood suddenly filled my nostrils.
Fu Hongxue only glanced at it before staggering and bending over to dry heave.
Bile surged to his throat, and he clenched his fists tightly, veins bulging on his forehead, but he couldn't suppress the overwhelming nausea. He could only hunch over and vomit violently, one gulp after another.
That's disgusting.
His mind was filled with revenge, yet the smell of blood made him nauseous. Fate truly loved to play tricks; it seemed determined to make him so determined to seek revenge, only to have this useless body hold him back.
Fu Hongxue bit her lower lip hard and tasted the blood.
He hated his useless body, and even more so, he hated that she saw him in this pathetic state, unable to stop vomiting.
They can't even maintain the most basic sense of decency...
Just as he was cursing himself for being useless, a cool, silky sensation suddenly fell before Fu Hongxue's eyes.
The black silk ribbon inlaid with two pieces of bluefish stone was gently placed over Fu Hongxue's eyes, obscuring the bloody scene before him.
"The sand is getting in your eyes, wear these," You Mingjiang whispered in his ear, securing the sand-proof goggles that were wrapped around his ears.
Fu Hongxue was taken aback at first, and only when the ribbon completely blurred his vision did his tense shoulders and back relax a little.
Darkness makes one's sense of smell even more acute.
The stench of blood mixed with the sour smell of horse manure filled his nostrils. He spoke in a hoarse voice, "...The smell of blood is very strong. There might be danger inside."
"I'll go." Amidst the soft clanging of the bamboo medicine basket against the bowstring, You Mingjiang walked toward the source of the bloody stench. "You're meticulous, so guard a safe escape route in case anything happens."
Fu Hongxue's Adam's apple bobbed, the word "thank you" swirling in his mind, but he couldn't bring himself to utter it.
·
The stables, which should have been a bustling place with the constant neighing of horses, were now eerily silent.
You Mingjiang reached into the bamboo medicine basket, flicked his finger, and a three-pound bow fell into his palm.
"Clang—" The bowstring tightened in her hand, and she squinted, feeling the vibration transmitted through the bow.
There were eighteen arrows in the quiver. She slung the quiver over her shoulder, twirled the longbow in her hand, and rested it steadily on her arm.
The ground beneath my feet was muddy, mixed with blood and soil, and each step made a dull "plop" sound.
More than thirty fine horses in the stable had their throats severed; the stable master's empty eye sockets were filled with black blood, a single stab to the throat. There was no obvious resistance before their deaths, no signs of tearing on their clothes; they were attacked without any warning.
She stood up and scanned every corner of the stable, but there were no signs of fighting inside.
Upon seeing the tragically dead chestnut horse, You Mingjiang's eyes reddened. This... this was clearly the mount she had entrusted to Cui Nong!
An ominous suspicion churned in my mind:
Could it be that Cui Nong was also invited to Wanmatang tonight?
Or was Cui Nong tricked and kidnapped here along with her horse?
Or perhaps... this is all a trap, someone deliberately using this horse to lure me into a scheme?
But no matter which guess came true, the chestnut horse in front of him was already dead. You Mingjiang trembled as he squatted down, his fingertips stroking the chestnut horse's cold mane, choking back sobs and barely able to speak.
“Old friend…” She collapsed onto the chestnut horse’s body, tears welling up in her eyes.
Not wanting the mule that had accompanied her northwards to be too tired, she wanted it to rest, which is why she spent fifty strings of cash to buy this chestnut horse.
This chestnut horse is no ordinary horse.
Like her brother Mule, it was exceptionally hardworking. When they got lost in the desert, it led her to an oasis. No matter how far they traveled, a little alfalfa would soothe her; it never threw a tantrum or gave up.
After crying for a while, You Mingjiang finally wiped away her tears.
She wanted to bury the horse's carcass where the sun set. That's where the first thing you could see was the sun returning home. That way, it wouldn't be lonely.
After a long while, she took a deep breath, turned around, and walked out of the stable.
He succinctly explained the situation to Fu Hongxue.
Fu Hongxue said in a deep voice, "The murderer deliberately gouged out Master Ma's eyes, obviously because he was afraid Master Ma would recognize him, which means that this person is very likely a familiar face in Wanmatang. But why would he go to such lengths to kill Master Ma?"
He couldn't understand it, but You Mingjiang understood it perfectly.
She lowered her voice: "Do you remember? When we sneaked in, there wasn't even a rooster crow or a dog bark."
Fu Hongxue's pupils contracted slightly, and his grip on the knife tightened.
"Have you heard the saying 'not even a chicken or a dog should be left alive'?" You Mingjiang said.
Fu Hongxue's Adam's apple bobbed as he hoarsely asked, "Leave no one alive?"
"If that's the case, then this commotion makes sense. The other side probably has a mortal feud with Ma Kongqun, and they won't let any living creature on Wanmatang's territory survive. So, they're slaughtering livestock on a large scale. Horses, as the foundation of Wanmatang's extensive trade routes... they can't be left alive either."
Upon hearing this, Fu Hongxue felt a chill run down his spine, and cold sweat trickled down his back. This ruthless method of leaving no one alive made his scalp tingle, and his hand holding the knife trembled slightly.
This man's thirst for revenge was even more ruthless and insane than his.
After a pause, You Mingjiang suddenly held up a finger and added, "There's another possibility."
Fu Hongxue frowned: "Explain clearly."
“Think about it,” You Mingjiang said slowly, “killing livestock before taking revenge, besides showing the determination to leave no one alive, what other effect can it have?”
Fu Hongxue frowned: "If it's to intimidate our enemies... doing this might just alert them..."
He paused, then suddenly realized and said, "You mean, the other party deliberately tried to scare Ma Kongqun away?"
"Smart." You Mingjiang nodded gently.
A hint of confusion flashed in Fu Hongxue's eyes: "Why scare him away?"
You Mingjiang looked around, his gaze lingering on the high courtyard wall for a moment: "If Ma Kongqun runs away, this huge Wanmatang will be ownerless..."
Fu Hongxue's pupils suddenly contracted: "You mean—"
"It's just a guess, it might not be right." You Mingjiang shrugged. "I'm just saying it casually, you can just listen casually."
Fu Hongxue sneered: "Ma Kongqun is no coward. How easy is it to scare Ma Kongqun away?"
If Ma Kongqun were truly cowardly, how could he have brought himself to wipe out the entire Bai family back then?
You Mingjiang didn't reply, but just looked at him meaningfully, her eyes clearly saying: With you here, how could he not be afraid?!
Fu Hongxue suddenly realized something, and his face turned extremely ugly: "Someone wants to use me... to use the blood feud of the Bai family to force Ma Kongqun to leave, so that they can take the opportunity to seize Wanmatang?"
"Snap!" You Mingjiang snapped his fingers crisply. "This bloody incident tonight might very well end up on your head."
·
No sooner had he finished speaking than a gong sounded as a warning.
Dozens of archers, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, quickly spread out and surrounded You Mingjiang and Fu Hongxue in a fan shape.
The arrowhead gleamed coldly, pointing directly at the two men.
A man in white slowly emerged from the encirclement. Holding a longbow, his sharp gaze swept over the situation in the stables, and he immediately roared, "You audacious thief, how dare you commit violence in the Ten Thousand Horses Hall?!"
Fu Hongxue frowned and planted the scabbard on the ground.
"We did not commit any violence."
The man in white sneered, his tone aggressive: "More than thirty fine horses, their throats all severed! The horse trainer's eyes were gouged out too. What vicious methods you have used!"
This person is Yun Zaitian, another owner of Wanmatang.
You Mingjiang frowned and retorted, "The bloodstains on Master Ma's front were splattered, indicating that he was facing the murderer when he was killed, but there were no signs of a struggle inside the stable. Shouldn't it have been someone from Wanmatang who could have killed Master Ma without any warning?"
Yun Zaitian was speechless for a moment, his expression changing slightly. "You're all smooth talkers, but you must stay here tonight!"
You Mingjiang chuckled lightly, slightly shifting the arrow tip to aim at Yun Zaitian's wrist. "You think you can take me on?"
Suddenly, a gentle breeze blew by!
The leaves rustled in the courtyard. Yun Zaitian, unable to contain himself, twitched his finger slightly, and the arrow shot out with a "whoosh."
An arrow whizzed past his ear, and You Mingjiang twisted his body to dodge it, casually drawing back the bowstring.
With a whoosh, an arrow shot out like a meteor, striking Yun Zaitian's wrist squarely. The sound of bones shattering mingled with the tearing of flesh, and a bloody hole instantly appeared in his wrist.
"Ah!" Yun Zaitian screamed in pain, and the bow in his hand fell to the ground with a "clatter," causing his men to immediately erupt in chaos!
Several of his men drew their bows to fire back, but You Mingjiang had already prepared an arrow and aimed it at Yun Zaitian's head. "If anyone takes another step forward, I'll shoot him dead!"
After saying that, the arrow grazed Yun Zaitian's ear and embedded itself in the wooden pillar behind him. She fired one arrow and then nocked another. "I'll give you three breaths to back down, or the next arrow won't just be a scare tactic!"
No one dared to make a move.
·
"Stop!"
A shout suddenly rang out. It was loud and steady, yet more intimidating than a roar.
The crowd looked in the direction of the voice. The man was about fifty years old, with a square face full of wrinkles. His short beard was half gray and half white, growing sparsely. His eyes were long and narrow, with drooping corners. His cloudy eyes, however, revealed a shrewdness when they moved.
Although he didn't make any big moves, he still exuded a calm and composed aura that came from someone who had long held a high position, making people not dare to underestimate him.
This man was none other than the head of Wanmatang, also known as the "Third Boss" of Biancheng—Ma Kongqun.
As soon as he spoke, Yun Zaitian, though unwilling, had no choice but to put down his longbow due to Ma Kongqun's authority.
Ma Kongqun's eyes flashed as he swept over the mess on the ground and Yun Zaitian's bleeding wrist: "I wonder which hero dares to cause trouble on my Wanmatang's territory?"
As soon as his enemy showed up, Fu Hongxue gripped the hilt of his knife, his eyes surging with hatred. He was about to confront him when You Mingjiang stopped him.
She stepped forward calmly and said, "I wouldn't dare call myself a hero. Since we've come, we're naturally guests. We've come at the invitation of the Flower Farm Owner, not to cause trouble. Besides, the fierce look on the face of the Farm Owner just now, with his bow drawn and arrow nocked, is still fresh in our minds. Who would dare to cause trouble?"
Hearing her sarcasm, Yun Zaitian's face turned pale and then red. Holding his injured wrist, he gritted his teeth in hatred.
Ma Kongqun smiled enigmatically: "You two must be Doctor You and Young Master Fu, whom the Flower Farm Owner couldn't invite?"
Judging from this, Wanmatang probably already knows everything about the visitor from the border town, including his every move and background.
You Mingjiang sighed softly, "Isn't that us... The owner of the flower farm invited everyone he was supposed to, and only at the last minute did he remember us two... people who can come or not."
Not far away, a young man who was attending the banquet was happily cracking sunflower seeds. Hearing these two sarcastic remarks, he immediately laughed.
He immediately spotted You Mingjiang inside the encirclement.
Ye Kai was all too familiar with that voice.
The itinerant doctor I encountered in the desert turned out to be a young woman. She had changed into a neat black outfit, giving her a somewhat heroic air. As for her mouth, it was still as sharp and sarcastic as ever.
That's quite interesting.
Ma Kongqun was not annoyed by this, but instead chuckled and said, "It seems that Wanmatang has not been hospitable enough."
You Mingjiang smiled and said, "Third boss, you're overthinking it. People who really want to come will come even if you don't invite them, they'll climb over the wall and tear down the roof."
Fu Hongxue stood in the shadows, his lips twitching almost imperceptibly.
She's clearly trying to provoke you, yet you can't retaliate. Anyone who argues with her would probably be furious.
Sunflower seed shells fell one by one onto the sand.
Ye Kai's gaze suddenly swept past You Mingjiang's shoulder and landed directly on Fu Hongxue's black knife. His pupils contracted slightly, and he was stunned for a moment before his eyes gradually widened.
"A fine knife!"
Ye Kai's strong intuition told him that the person he was looking for was the pale, snow-white boy in front of him!
The black knife that he never parted with was being scrutinized by the unfamiliar young man's gaze. Fu Hongxue frowned, and the arm holding the knife tensed instantly.
Ma Kongqun and Ye Kai shared the same idea.
His gaze first fell on Fu Hongxue's knife, then he stared at Fu Hongxue's face, as if trying to figure out what he was thinking.
There seemed to be something hidden in his smile.
It's hard to figure out.
Yun Zaitian said fiercely, "Third Boss, those two are murderers! They killed our horse master and all the good horses in the stable! All of them!" He vented all the resentment in his heart, convinced that Fu Hongxue and You Mingjiang were the murderers.
Upon hearing this, Ma Kongqun's expression became somewhat uncertain.
Good tactic.
The murderer's killing of all the horses that could run was not merely a simple intimidation; it was a decisive blow, cutting off Ma Kongqun's last chance of survival. The ability to infiltrate such a dangerous area undetected and slaughter dozens of horses demonstrates the perpetrator's ability to move freely and makes Ma Kongqun realize that he is already in a perilous situation, facing death at every turn.
"It's true that we injured Wanmatang," You Mingjiang readily admitted. "But we didn't kill anyone."
She faced her actions with composure, but firmly denied the murder accusation, saying, "You're so eager to pin this on me, could it be that you, the mole, did it?!"
Yun Zaitian's expression changed drastically, veins bulging on his forehead, and he slammed his intact hand onto the hilt of his knife: "Screw you..."
Before he could finish speaking, Ma Kongqun suddenly coughed heavily.
Swallowing back the angry curses that were about to come out, Yun Zaitian turned to Ma Kongqun, his face flushed, and said, "Third Boss! This filthy slut is utterly slanderous!"
As he spoke, his voice grew increasingly shrill: "I, Yun Zaitian, have followed you through thick and thin for over a decade, and now I'm being accused of being a traitor by some unknown girl?!"
As he got emotional, he ripped open his shirt, revealing the scars on his chest. "These... these are all scars left for Wanmatang. I risked my life for each one!"
Yu Mingjiang watched his performance coldly, then suddenly sneered, "Why are you in such a hurry? I was just saying it casually, and Master Yun is reacting so strongly... Could it be that I really hit the nail on the head?"
Yun was trembling with fear and was about to lash out when he saw Ma Kongqun slowly raise his hand.
The hand was held horizontally, its palm covered in calluses. It looked ordinary, not like a hand capable of manipulating events and stirring up the martial world, much less a hand with the power to kill.
But it was this hand, suspended in mid-air, that made Yun Zaitian's heart pound, and he didn't even dare to blink.
“Master Yun,” Ma Kongqun said slowly, “was the injury on your hand inflicted by this distinguished guest?”
Yun Zaitian's face stiffened, and he subconsciously covered his wrist: "Third Boss, please understand, this..."
“I’m asking you whether you are or not,” Ma Kongqun interrupted him.
Yun Zaitian's forehead was covered in a fine sheen of sweat: "Yes...but..."
"Enough." Ma Kongqun raised his hand to stop him from continuing, and when he turned to You Mingjiang, a glint of something unfathomable flashed in his eyes. "Your skill is impressive."
You Mingjiang smiled enigmatically: "Thank you for your kind offer."
Yun Zaitian rushed forward anxiously: "Third Boss! They killed our..."
"Where's the evidence?" Ma Kongqun shouted sharply, startling Yun Zaitian. "I, Ma Kongqun, have been in the martial world for so many years, and I've never seen anyone specifically target horses to kill someone!"
"Master Yun, why are you in such a hurry to identify the murderer..." His tone suddenly changed, becoming meaningful, "Could it be that you've actually been hit where it was?"
Yun Zaitian's face was deathly pale, his lips trembled, but he couldn't utter a word.
You Mingjiang gave a soft snort and turned her face away.
Fu Hongxue remained in the shadows, his eyes flashing with an alarming light.
He stared intently at Ma Kongqun, and even the slightest movement from Ma Kongqun felt like a piece of flesh being ripped out of him by that gaze.
Ma Kongqun refused to meet the black-clad youth's gaze.
Yet she couldn't avoid his gaze.
He was old and frail, his eyes cloudy. Seeing Fu Hongxue's bright, piercing eyes, he felt a pang of unease.
He was once a young man full of vigor and ambition, but time is merciless, and the helplessness brought by aging always leads to despair.
Neither of them spoke, but the tension in the air was so strong it could be set on fire.
·
Just then, Ye Kai suddenly stepped out from the crowd.
He walked briskly, a faint smile on his face, and went straight to Fu Hongxue.
Ye Kai extended his hand, his eyes crinkling with a smile: "Ye Kai."
Fu Hongxue remained expressionless, giving him a cold glance without reaching out in response.
The tense standoff before him had nothing to do with Ye Kai.
But his appearance made the atmosphere very awkward.
Ye Kai remained unaffected, withdrew his hand, looked at You Mingjiang, and smiled, "Thank you for the bamboo tube of lightly salted water."
You Mingjiang raised an eyebrow and finally recognized the person in front of her. Her eyes lit up and she couldn't help but tease, "Hey, what a coincidence, we bumped into each other again? Tsk tsk, after changing into clean clothes and washing your face, you really look presentable! The smell before was so strong that it was hard to open my eyes, but now I can finally see your pretty face properly!"
Ye Kai laughed and touched his nose.
Ma Kongqun gave a forced smile, his gaze sweeping over the three men one by one, and said meaningfully, "Gentlemen, it's not too late to say what we have to say tomorrow."
Ye Kai stretched and casually agreed, "Yeah, let's go to sleep first. We can talk about it tomorrow."
Although Yun Zaitian still had a cold face, he did not press the matter further. He simply snorted and turned to leave.
Ma Kongqun waved his hand, his smile not reaching his eyes.
Several subordinates, having received the order, immediately stepped forward to lead the way, saying, "Please follow me, you two." You Mingjiang was led eastward, while Fu Hongxue silently followed westward.
The two were then taken to separate guest rooms.
Fu Hongxue sat on the edge of the couch, gripping the black knife tightly in his hand.
What happened at Wanmatang tonight was too strange, and Ma Kongqun's attitude was even more unpredictable.
“Ma Kongqun… what exactly are you plotting?” Fu Hongxue murmured, a cold glint in his eyes.
·
.
In the dead of night, a single lamp flickers dimly.
As soon as You Mingjiang entered the room, he immediately checked the doors and windows. After confirming that there was nothing wrong, he used the medicine gourd to copy the medicine, setting the quantity of each item to 999 copies.
After finally finishing the chores, her stomach rumbled. An enticing aroma wafted into her nostrils, and You Mingjiang's nose twitched slightly: "Wow~~~ It smells like roasted meat."
She pushed open the window with a "whoosh," touched the windowsill with her toes, and leaped nimbly onto the roof.
Following the aroma of roasted meat, she crouched down and peered forward.
Turning past two eaves, sure enough, one could see someone turning over sizzling, oily skewers of grilled meat in the flickering firelight.
The sizzling charcoal licked the mutton, producing a crackling sound. Glistening mutton fat dripped onto the embers, instantly sending up plumes of fragrant smoke.
Ye Kai held the oily bamboo skewers, the meat sizzling over the flames, the aroma filling his nostrils. Staring at the flickering firelight, he suddenly slumped his shoulders in despair: "Eating alone like this is so boring… Let's pack up and go!"
"Hey, hey, hey, stop!" You Mingjiang rushed over in a flurry, grabbed his wrist holding the meat skewer, snatched the skewer, and took a big bite, not caring that oil splattered all over his sleeves.
With her other hand, she took out a bag of goat milk fruit and stuffed it into his arms without saying a word. She smiled and her eyes crinkled, "Isn't this just a little something for you? Just a little something, everyone gets a share!"
Ye Kai looked up and saw that it was her. His eyes crinkled into crescent moons as he smiled: "Hey, it really is you!"
With bits of meat still stuck to the corner of his mouth, You Mingjiang mumbled, "Surprised or not?"
After taking a few more bites of the skewers, her eyes lit up, and she gave a thumbs up: "Amazing! This mutton gets more and more flavorful the more you chew it, and there's not a trace of gamey smell. The cooking is truly authentic!"
"You think it's a problem with the skill?" He tapped the grill with a bamboo skewer, sparks flying upwards. "This is lamb from eastern Inner Mongolia."
"That grassland in eastern Inner Mongolia is mixed with Sichuan pepper thorns and wild chive blossoms, which are perfect for eliminating the smell of mutton. When the sheep graze, they just chew on the grass, which is like chewing these anti-mutton spices into their stomachs. They marinate themselves thoroughly, so how could they not smell good?"
Her cheeks were bulging, and she held a few lamb skewers in her hand, muttering indistinctly, "Ugh... this lamb... they really know how to eat!"
Before he could finish speaking, he took another big bite, ignoring the oil stains that dripped onto his clothes, and gave Ye Kai a greasy thumbs-up: "Amazing! Amazing!"
After chatting for a bit, the two food lovers quickly became acquainted. Ye Kai smiled and inquired, "By the way, what's your relationship with that Fu Hongxue? Are you siblings?"
"Hu Qin? I'm so cheerful, while he always has a long face... I have a sweet face, and he has a bitter face. You can't have two kinds of fruit on the same vine. No matter how you look at it, we're clearly not from the same vine. How could we be siblings?"
"I'm just curious, how did two people as different as you two end up together?"
"What reason could there be? Fate just happened to tie us together! As the saying goes, 'Sweet melons have bitter stems, and beautiful dates grow on thorns.' If there's someone like him, there's someone like me. He'll be the bitter melon with a long face, and I'll be the sweet melon. If we eat the two melons together, won't that neutralize each other?"
Ye Kai laughed loudly: "Does he know you're talking about him like that?"
You Mingjiang said nonchalantly, "He's not petty. Besides, who would have told him?"
Ye Kai laughed out loud: "What if I go and tell him? What if I say you're not a good person?"
You Mingjiang was taken aback for a moment, then retorted, "He wouldn't believe you. Besides, what about me doesn't make me look like a good person?"
Ye Kai exaggeratedly looked her up and down: "Tsk tsk, with an innocent-looking face, but a belly full of wicked ideas, you're just a wolf in sheep's clothing... Who knows, Fu Hongxue's eyes have already seen through your little schemes."
You Mingjiang scoffed, "What ulterior motives could I possibly have? I'm nothing like that guy who pretends to be clueless all the time."
Ye Kai clutched his chest, looking heartbroken: "Those words are so hurtful! How could I pretend to be confused? I just felt that in this border town, smart people live a tiring life, and it's good for me to be a little foolish."
You Mingjiang scoffed, "Stop talking nonsense. If you were really stupid, why would you dare to barge into Wanmatang alone?"
Ye Kai raised an eyebrow and leaned closer: "What I am like is not important. What is important is how long you plan to stay by Fu Hongxue's side. His personality is not something that can be easily warmed up."
“You don’t need to worry about his affairs. But you, on the other hand, have been asking a whole bunch of questions about Fu Hongxue. You care so much about him, I’m starting to get curious about your relationship.” She put down the bamboo skewer and looked directly at Ye Kai.
"Alright, alright, I was just being nosy," Ye Kai said, raising his hands in surrender. "But things are getting tense in the border town lately. The more people worry about it, the less risk of losing our lives here."
"For the sake of the lamb skewers, if you're ever being chased, I might lend you a hand." After saying that, You Mingjiang stood up, stretched, and said, "I'm going to sleep."
Ye Kai raised his hand in a gesture of stopping him, but didn't actually move an inch. He feigned surprise and said, "Hey—you're leaving already? The lamb skewers haven't even been served for the second round yet! So you just wiped your mouth and ran off after eating? Did I feed you a thankless ingrate?"
"Oh, I almost forgot. You look so full, you probably can't finish it all," You Mingjiang said, picking up the remaining skewers and wrapping them up. "Don't eat them, I'll pack them up and take them to him."
After saying that, she left gracefully.
Ye Kai was dumbfounded. He picked up a goat milk fruit and put it in his mouth, then his expression instantly twisted.
It's so sour.
It was so sour it made me grimace.
Hey, what a wicked little girl.
·
The night was pitch black.
Occasionally, a few insects chirped from the grass, leaving only an empty silence.
Fu Hongxue closed the doors and windows tightly.
Thin, dim, yellowish rays of light peeked out from the cracks in the doors and windows, looking utterly forlorn.
Yu Mingjiang wrapped several skewers of still-steaming roasted meat, deliberately bypassed the patrolling men of Wanmatang, and quietly came to Fu Hongxue's window. "Knock knock knock—" she gently knocked on the window.
Fu Hongxue cautiously approached the window.
After hesitating for a moment, he slowly opened the window and saw that it was You Mingjiang clinging to his window frame from the outside.
She held up a bunch of kebabs and looked at him with a smile.
"Why are you here?" Fu Hongxue frowned, but his tone carried a hint of indulgent helplessness.
"Barbecued meat skewers!" You Mingjiang said with a grin, handing the skewers to him. "I brought these especially for you."
Fu Hongxue couldn't help but chuckle and reached out to pull her into the room.
You Mingjiang landed lightly.
She dusted off her hands and grabbed a rocking chair.
"Hey, I knew you weren't asleep yet." She crossed her legs and nodded with satisfaction. "That kid Ye Kai gave me some grilled meat skewers, so I brought them over for you."
Fu Hongxue's eyelids twitched: "...Ye Kai?"
How did these two end up together?
"Ye Kai grilled them." She waved the meat skewers near Fu Hongxue's nose. The skin was grilled to a bright reddish-brown, and the aroma of cumin wafted straight into her nostrils. "Here, have a taste of the flavors of home."
Fu Hongxue took the skewers and asked in a low voice, "Ye Kai...who is he?"
You Mingjiang shrugged: "An interesting person, quite mysterious. I always feel like he's hiding some secret."
That Ye Kai was being really strange, constantly bringing up Fu Hongxue in his conversation. They're complete strangers, so why was he saying so much?
Could it be that this person is after Fu Hongxue?
So what kind of person is he?
You Mingjiang squinted and murmured, "Ye Kai..."
Upon seeing this, Fu Hongxue's smile faded slightly.
He silently took a bite of the skewer; the outer skin was crispy, the inside tender, and the aroma filled his mouth...
But Fu Hongxue had a poor appetite.
"It tastes good," he said softly.
You Mingjiang smiled and suddenly reached out to grasp his hand. Fu Hongxue neither moved nor pulled away.
Fu Hongxue stared at her, forcibly suppressing the urge to caress the calluses on her fingers, and said in a low voice, "You believe him?"
"I believe you." She blinked, then suddenly reached out and hooked her pinky finger with his. "You're my best friend, and I'll stand by you. We've made a pinky promise, you can't get rid of me."
"You and I are the best, most ...
The scabbard gently tapped her forehead, and the ice in Fu Hongxue's eyes melted into water. "Noisy."
·
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