Chapter 150 Daoist Companion Token Jiang, the Mute Embroiderer
Xie Lingjiang, dressed in a red dress, walked along the waterfront corridor leading to Yilan Pavilion.
Every so often along the corridor, two or three pairs of maids from the Su family would carry stools and tiptoe to light the corridor lamps.
Looking down from a high place, inside the wealthy mansion shrouded in the dark blue twilight, a long row of corridor lights lit up one after another, resembling a long dragon with lights on its back.
Along the way, busy Su family maids who were lighting lamps would greet her from time to time. Xie Lingjiang would nod softly and give them an elegant smile, though she didn't say much today.
As the young woman's figure receded into the distance, the maids of the Su family grew increasingly fond of this noble lady, Xie, who was temporarily residing in the mansion. They thought that any young man who could marry Miss Xie would be truly blessed.
At one moment, in a deserted part of the corridor, Xie Lingjiang stood silently, leaning on the railing and gazing at the sky.
Her smile gradually faded, and her pretty face stared blankly at the night sky.
When she was little, her father pointed to the eastern horizon and told her that the morning star, also known as Venus, is the brightest star in the sky before dawn, a light in the darkness, guiding the lost and bringing hope for the future...
Once, her father's silhouette was her guiding star.
Now, the owner of the skirt-shaped knife that constantly tugs at her heartstrings, not far away, is her guiding star.
"I've always believed there's a light... that has always existed." Xie Lingjiang gently tapped the railing, her lips murmuring.
Before she met him, she never wanted to get married.
Until I met him...
In the corridor filled with the chirping of insects, a woman lowered her head shyly, lost in thought, muttering to herself:
"Could it be that my senior brother, like me before, will remain unmarried for life and devote himself to the Dao...? That's not impossible..."
If that's really the case.
He really wants to be a blockhead for the rest of his life.
So, just like now, following behind my senior brother and being the woman closest to him, a partner in both career and life, isn't so bad. Isn't this also a way of accompanying him for a lifetime?
Xie Lingjiang suddenly smiled.
The entire corridor, adorned with brightly lit lanterns, seemed to glow a little brighter.
With light, graceful steps, she turned around quickly.
Daoist partners, companions on the Great Dao, isn't this also a kind of inseparable bond?
...
Ouyang Rong did not tell his junior sister about his suspicion that there might be swordsmen or assassins inside the Beitian Sanatorium that morning.
The deed is done, and telling her now would only increase her guilt and fear.
It might even make his junior sister feel indebted to him.
Ouyang Rong chose to remain silent.
After watching his junior sister enter the Su residence, he did not leave immediately. Instead, he gave Liu Ashan a few instructions and sent him and Liu Lang to Donglin Temple to investigate.
After arranging these final matters, Ouyang Rong returned to the Deer Park.
In fact, Ouyang Rong had a vague suspicion about the strange thing that the possible assassin in the Beitian Sanatorium hadn't made a move that morning.
It may be related to that unknown blessing not long ago. There had been no movement before, but now it seems that it has come true here, allowing him to escape a calamity.
But what is the specific process?
Ouyang Rong was not one to let things slide or give up easily, so he sent Liu Lang and the others to continue the investigation.
However, his most pressing matter right now is the county-wide public trial tomorrow.
Ouyang Rong frowned all the way back to Meilu Garden. He drew a bucket of well water in the courtyard, washed his face briefly, and prepared to go back to his room to rest.
Suddenly, the aroma of food filled my nostrils.
Ouyang Rong stopped, turned around, and walked into the dining hall next door.
"master!"
Aqing and several old women who stayed at the Melu Garden were serving dishes when Aqing saw Ouyang Rong walk in. Her eyes lit up and she called out to him.
After Zhen and Wei Lai left, A Qing and her brother and mother stayed at Mei Lu Garden for the past few days. A Qing was always busy taking care of Ouyang Rong's daily life at home.
However, Ouyang Rong, who had become independent, did not let the young maid take over some of the tasks that Wei Lai had previously performed as her personal maid.
Beside the dining table, Aqing placed a bowl of spicy soup, Ouyang Rong's favorite, wiped her slightly reddened fingers on the sides of her apron, and said happily:
"I was just about to call you for dinner when the master arrived."
Ouyang Rong smiled at her, leaned forward, and glanced at the table. Although there were few dishes, they were plentiful and all were his favorites.
He quickly pulled out a stool, sat down, rubbed his chopsticks together, and immediately started eating.
He seemed to have been injected with adrenaline, showing no signs of the slumped fatigue he had just experienced after a long day of work.
Indeed, eating is the real business, and it can unleash the infinite potential of those who are good at eating.
Aqing smiled and handed over a bowl of white rice.
Ouyang Rong's nose itched slightly from the steaming heat of the white rice. He scratched it with his index finger, took a bite, and muttered with a smile:
"Thank you for your hard work, Aqing."
"It's not hard work."
Aqing shook her head:
"If anyone's been working hard, it's the cook in the kitchen. She's the one who makes all the dishes. She was supposed to take the day off to go home today, but she rushed back this evening to cook for the master..."
Ouyang Rong ate his food and rice in a flash, nodding casually as he said:
"It's really hard work. Ah Qing, please keep an eye on things and make sure you're paid your monthly wages... I'm usually busy, so if the cook or any of the other maids at the Deer Garden have any difficulties, they can go to Ah Shan."
Ouyang Rong actually had a good impression of the cook who cooked at Yunshui Pavilion. Since Zhen Shi and Wei Lai left, this was the only thing in the empty Meilu Garden that tasted like home.
Ah Qing nodded repeatedly, like a chick pecking at rice, at the young county magistrate's advice, who had squeezed in a meal amidst his busy schedule.
She actually felt quite kind and fond of the pitiful and frail little cook in the kitchen. Since the master was busy and couldn't take care of the miscellaneous affairs of Meilu Garden, she naturally helped whenever she could.
"By the way, what's her name again?"
Before leaving with a full stomach, Ouyang Rong put down his empty bowl and asked a question casually.
Aqing was taken aback, then replied, "Everyone calls her Embroiderer."
"Xiu Niang? Which Xiu?"
Aqing, who was not very literate, pondered, "It should be the 'xiu' in 'xiuqi' (meaning delicate and refined), she is indeed quite delicate."
"Xiuniang?"
Ouyang Rong nodded.
In this era, many women are called "So-and-so's mother".
Some are calculated based on family ranking, while others are based on a character in the nickname.
The title "cook" is quite common.
...
Five hours ago.
Beitian Salon.
The figure of a young county magistrate had just disappeared through the doorway.
The morning sun shone on the elderly, the infirm, the disabled, and other patients who were freely moving around on the lawn in the inner courtyard.
Until the moonlight shone forth, even overshadowing the daytime sunlight.
This scene was like the sudden appearance of the bright moon.
It lasted for a very short moment.
Half a breath, or even shorter.
Then, after a brief pause, it happened twice more, each time lasting less than a breath.
After the last time the moonlight shone throughout the entire hospital.
The moonlight completely disappeared without a trace.
As if they had never appeared, leaving only the blind patients in the inner courtyard, their faces blank as they looked around.
In a deserted corner of the inner courtyard.
There were two figures, one standing and one kneeling.
The atmosphere was unusually quiet.
Only from a short distance away, the faint sounds of childhood sweethearts playing a game of riding bamboo horses could be heard.
Upon closer inspection, one can see that the thin bamboo pole that served as the bamboo horse has returned to the hands of the boy with the missing arm and the deaf-mute girl.
The two children continued playing happily, but what they didn't notice was that the bamboo horse was a little shorter.
It looked as if it had been sliced off by something sharp, the broken edge slanted, like a spear, with blood faintly stained on the sharp edge.
In a deserted corner of the inner courtyard.
There was a rather strange sight.
A slender, mute woman stood in the sunlight, her eyes covered by a blue ribbon.
She, who had returned the money she had borrowed in less than ten breaths as promised, was slowly raising her hand to untie the blue ribbon covering her eyes.
Opposite the slender, mute woman, in the shadows obscured by the trees, knelt a one-armed young man.
The one-armed youth supported himself on the ground with one hand, seemingly looking down at something.
The right sleeve was cut off cleanly.
The small, withered remnant of his already disabled right arm was completely severed.
The severed limbs lay bloodied on the ground in front of him.
A-Jie lowered her head, lost in thought.
A long sword was stuck diagonally in the ground between him and the slender mute woman.
Under the midday sun, the sharp blade between the grass and the hilt still shone with dazzling moonlight, flowing quietly like water.
The sword named "Moon Maiden" was completely undamaged, as if the incident of it losing to a wooden bamboo pole not long ago had never happened, or rather... had nothing to do with it.
Just now, the two of them used a total of three swords.
The three instances of moonlight filling the courtyard correspond to the three sword exchanges.
Aside from the first sword strike that blinded her with moonlight, the slender mute girl was blindfolded with ribbons during the next two sword strikes.
A-Jie's sword was very fast.
It's widely recognized as fast.
However, he seemed to have encountered a girl who was faster than him.
A-Jie originally thought that he, having fallen from the sixth rank to the seventh rank, was invincible among his peers.
Unfortunately, he encountered a truly invincible being in the same realm.
Moreover, the latter is truly unparalleled in a certain aspect concerning swordsmanship.
A-Jie was initially skeptical about this.
Until we met today.
Yes, he knew her, or at least had heard of her.
"Why don't you kill me?"
Noticing the slender, mute girl removing her blindfold ribbon as if preparing to leave, A-Jie, who was staring blankly at her severed arm, suddenly asked.
The slender, mute woman remained silent.
A-Jie looked up, her eyes bloodshot, and asked, "Too lazy to take action?"
The slender, mute woman paused, glancing at the one-armed youth who was trembling and seemed unwell.
She paused for a moment, then shook her head.
A-Jie looked at him with a puzzled expression, "Why is that...?"
He paused mid-sentence, seemingly noticing the slender, mute woman's eyes were fixed on the direction the young magistrate had gone. Realizing something, he stammered:
"Because I hesitated with him just now?"
The slender, mute woman nodded.
A-Jie was speechless.
The slender, mute woman pointed one finger in the direction Ouyang Rong had left, then pointed to her own heart, and then pointed upwards to the sun, while waving her other hand vigorously at A-Jie.
It seemed to be telling about something very important.
"ah."
The slender, mute girl had bright, sincere eyes.
Even if the opponent was a defeated foe she had defeated with three sword strikes.
"Please don't hurt him... And you're mute..."
A-Jie was somewhat shocked, staring blankly at the mute girl in front of her with a pure heart, and it took her a while to process it.
His eyes dimmed as he was saved by a young county magistrate.
Then, as if remembering something, the young man blurted out:
Who is he to you?
He paused, then pressed on, asking:
Do your senior classmates know about this?
The slender, mute woman slowly lowered her head, offering no reply.
At this moment, seemingly sensing the commotion from the young county magistrate outside the inner courtyard, she suddenly looked up. This scene was like a fawn timidly drinking water by the lake suddenly raising its head and pricking up its ears.
The slender, mute woman immediately ignored the one-armed youth and slipped away.
The mute girl did not take away the strange sword that was stuck diagonally in the grass between the two of them.
I don't know if it's because I don't care or because of something else.
Perhaps.
She is different from her senior sister.
Ah Jie pursed her lips slightly and knelt on the spot, stunned.
The one-armed swordsman stared blankly at the sword silently embedded in the ground before him, muttering to himself:
"Osmanthus Mother... Osmanthus Wine... Osmanthus Mother's Wine, Osmanthus Wine..."
He suddenly had a strong urge to go home.
...
In fact, the slender mute girl had been silently following behind Ouyang Rong when he left home in the morning.
This includes his visit to Xie Lingjiang next door.
Then, as if on a date, she went up the mountain to Donglin Temple with the latter, who was dressed as a lady in an elegant pink dress.
The slender, mute woman followed far behind, like a kite, sometimes far from Ouyang Rong, sometimes near.
The elegantly dressed young lady from the Xie family made the slender, mute girl somewhat hesitant to look directly at her.
I feel ashamed of my appearance.
However, seeing that he had someone to accompany and take care of him, just like the silver-haired maid who left a few days ago, the slender mute girl's steps became a little lighter again.
She felt that as long as she could see him from afar that he was safe and sound, that would be enough.
However, the slender mute woman overestimated herself.
When he witnessed Ouyang Rong accepting Xie Lingjiang's skirt knife at Donglin Temple, he went with the latter to the main hall to draw lots and burn incense.
In the bustling square outside the main hall, where people came and went and worshippers thronged, the slender mute woman suddenly stopped.
The crowded flow of people burning incense and praying around her knocked her off balance and made her stumble backward repeatedly.
It's like a lone boat swaying and drifting with the current in the rapids very close to the waterfall, about to plunge into the bottomless cliff below.
However, the open-air Buddha statue she had just passed by and couldn't help but kneel in worship seemed to have been miraculously restored.
Not long after entering the main hall, the familiar male figure hurriedly ran out.
The slender, mute girl was initially overjoyed, but quickly suppressed her excitement and continued to follow him closely.
This time, the noble lady from the Xie family was not there, and only she and he remained.
The slender, mute girl's mood was like drifting clouds, sometimes sunny, sometimes cloudy.
She wasn't gloating.
She possessed only a pure and innocent heart, which was highly praised and envied by her senior classmates.
Joy and sorrow are natural, without any self-deception.
Subsequently, the slender mute girl who followed Ouyang Rong into the Beitian Aid Home naturally discovered the one-armed assassin hiding there.
And so the fight with A-Jie took place in the inner courtyard...
Out of consideration for his remaining kindness, I severed his arm and spared his life.
The slender, mute girl hurried off to find Ouyang Rong.
She watched him climb up and down, seemingly reminiscing about the past, as he entered and exited the dry well underground palace.
Watching him leave the Beitian Nursing Home with a relaxed expression.
At the same time, he watched as he suddenly drew his sword in the bamboo pavilion and killed two soldiers.
Ouyang Rong and Liu Qi fought fiercely inside the pit, and the slender mute girl witnessed the whole thing, her whole body tense and her long eyelashes trembling.
At one point, when things were at a stalemate, she hurriedly glanced at the bald-headed young novice monk who was sleeping soundly by the pit, and made a roundabout move.
The slender, mute woman barely managed to suppress her emotions and did not show herself.
After that, he accompanied Ouyang Rong down the mountain, watching him do his best to travel, watching him cleverly arrive at Di Gongzha and save the day, and watching him be supported by the crowd and return to Longcheng...
The slender, mute woman did not follow any further.
As with countless other evenings, she silently returned to the Deer Park a step ahead of him.
She wanted to cook for her lover.
They all called her the embroiderer, the mute embroiderer.
(End of this chapter)
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