Chapter 43 Imprisoned in a Cage "Lord Xie...this is appalling."...
The sun hangs high in the sky.
Ning Lu rolled over in bed and took a deep breath. The medicinal fragrance filled the air, calming and soothing her mind.
When I opened my eyes, I saw a hazy mist and dim light. Thinking it was still early, I closed my eyes and tried to go back to sleep.
Suddenly realizing something was wrong, she reached out and grabbed the curtain beside her. Peeking out, she saw that the sun was already high in the sky.
"Grandma God".
In ancient times, there were no alarm clocks, and she didn't have to work like an ox or a horse at the inn. She also had good sleep quality, so she always woke up at noon.
It took her a long time to figure out how to wake herself up using natural light.
Who was the kind person?
Ning Lu hurriedly changed into her best clothes and went out.
Since learning that she couldn't go back for the time being, she has been doing her best to analyze the situation and find ways to protect herself.
If it were her, she could easily change into night clothes and sneak around to find a secluded place to stay.
But Su Yun is still in Xie Qinghe's hands. No matter who it is for, she can't just run away like this. Practicing her skills and protecting herself is the priority.
Coincidentally, Xie Qinghe had placed many highly skilled shadow guards around her.
With her superior lightness skills, it wouldn't be difficult for her to dodge or shake off Zhao Yue. Understanding that they had a hard time making a living, and being genuinely afraid of Zhao Yue, she obediently let them protect her from the shadows. Occasionally, she would act mischievously and run away as a threat.
The two sides actually reached a very delicate balance.
If Ning Lu doesn't shake them off, then they'll have to do things for them occasionally.
For example... relaying messages for her, and teaching her martial arts.
These shadow guards were all as light as swallows, and their moves were swift and decisive, hitting the vital points directly.
After practicing for several days, Ning Lu became increasingly proficient in using the original owner's skills, and even her lightness skill improved to a higher level.
The original owner was petite but possessed a powerful core, which allowed her to move silently up and down the beam.
However, due to her petite and slender figure, the original owner was not strong or combative, and she always lost in direct combat with men.
Ning Lu was originally a timid and cowardly person who would run away whenever trouble arose, and the original owner's skills suited her perfectly.
However... the thought of Zhao Yue crushing her to the ground with utter contempt in his eyes made her angry.
Because she was small and weak, she ate more meat.
Since the combat was not very intense, she tried various weapons to find the most suitable and aggressive ones for practice.
After a few days of training by the shadow guard, and with her willingness to put in the effort, she actually made progress.
Qinghuai and Qingzhi stood under the eaves holding tea, snacks, and fruit, while the shadow guard focused intently on instructing her on the movements.
Ning Lu held the sword that the Shadow Guard leader carried and practiced swinging it according to his instructions.
The longsword was a bit too long for her size, but fortunately, she was quick to understand and it didn't hold her back too much.
The series of movements were fluid and natural, powerfully cutting through the wind, and truly exuded momentum.
Qingzhi clapped and cheered, which made Ninglu even more excited. She spun around and did a backflip, then slashed upwards and downwards.
The longsword thrust out.
Gasps of surprise rippled through the crowd, followed by a deathly silence.
Ning Lu turned around and saw Xie Qinghe suddenly appear within three steps. It was too late to deflect the force.
The upper arm drives the forearm, and the forearm pushes the wrist out, causing the sword energy to pierce the air.
Xie Qinghe frowned, turned sideways and firmly gripped the sword blade.
The longsword stopped a finger's width in front of his chest.
The courtyard, which was bustling just a moment ago, is now so quiet that only the sound of breathing can be heard.
Except for Wei Zhan, who was still in the position of being stopped by Xie Qinghe, everyone else in the courtyard was kneeling on the ground, not daring to raise their heads.
Without even looking at the reactions of those around her, Ning Lu realized she had made a huge mistake just by seeing the blood seeping from his palm.
Xie Qinghe glanced at the slightly trembling sword, then slowly released his grip and took half a step forward.
Ning Lu quickly slung the longsword behind her back and threw it at her feet with a clatter, not daring to look up.
Who knew this guy would appear and disappear so suddenly, without making a sound even in broad daylight...
Xie Qinghe approached her, glancing down at Ning Lu's wonderful little expressions, brushed past her, and steadily walked into the house.
In the dead silence, Wei Zhan spoke first, his voice low and stern: "What are you all standing there for? Bring me the medicine."
Qinghuai realized what was happening, pushed the trembling Qingzhi away to get something, and went up to hug Ninglu.
"girl."
Bloodstains from his palm still lingered on the ground. She paused for a moment, then, seeing Qinghuai's expression, quickly turned and followed.
Halfway there, she caught sight of the shadow guard kneeling on the ground and sensed the killing intent in Wei Zhan's eyes. Ning Lu quickly hooked her longsword with her toe and kicked it in front of the shadow guard.
Lowering her voice and gritting her teeth, she urged, "What are you still doing here? Go back to where you belong."
Xie Qinghe had already taken his seat and was observing her every move.
He subtly leaned closer to the table, then turned his hand upwards to reveal his bloody wound.
After Ning Lu entered the room, he simply pushed the hand in his hand forward half an inch.
The sword was heavy, so the wound was naturally quite deep.
If not treated promptly, it may leave a scar.
Qingzhi moved quickly, carrying the medicine back in a trot, seemingly already calmed down.
"I heard you wanted to see me."
As soon as the tray was placed on the table, Xie Qinghe's voice came from above. Qingzhi shivered silently, bowed, and took a few steps back to move behind Ning Lu.
Ning Lu didn't move.
She was indeed looking for him.
They even prepared their confrontation lines several days in advance, memorized them perfectly, and even designed their actions and expressions.
But this unexpected situation disrupted all her plans, and now she was filled with anxiety.
Seeing her standing there expressionless, Xie Qinghe's eyes twitched slightly. He then opened the medicine bottle himself and used a cotton swab to wipe her face.
He injured his right hand, which made movement difficult.
The bright red bloodstains made his skin appear even whiter, a truly shocking sight.
Ning Lu didn't move, but Wei Zhan, who had been standing behind Xie Qinghe, did.
He glanced outside, stepped over the threshold, and seemed to be heading towards the shadow guard.
The shadow guards remained kneeling in place, as did the servants in the courtyard.
In a flash, all the past rumors about Wei Zhan killing people without leaving a complete corpse rushed into his mind.
She rushed forward, grabbed Xie Qinghe's wrist, her face anxious and her voice trembling.
"Lord Xie, I remember now, I do have something to discuss with you."
Xie Qinghe paused, looking down at her sliding kneeling on the ground, silently curling his fingers.
She glanced outside, then tugged at Xie Qinghe's wide coat hem.
"I insisted on lending him the sword, and I forced him to practice with me. Please don't punish him, okay?"
Please.
Upon hearing this, Wei Zhan stopped what he was doing and waited for Xie Qinghe's instructions.
The latter only stared at Ning Lu.
His eyes were filled with a mixture of emotions, a mixture of light and shadow.
Finally, she forced a half-smile and looked at his palm.
Ning Lu knew his intentions, of course, and took the tools from the table to help him stop the bleeding.
She knelt on the ground, unable to reach the tabletop, so she had to pull his hand down.
Xie Qinghe had no choice but to accommodate her movements, bending down and leaning forward.
After working tirelessly for several days without rest, he was exhausted and had no choice but to support himself on the table with one hand, slowly lower his head and move closer, trying his best to cooperate.
After a few days apart, he has become noticeably more composed, whether in his work or in practicing martial arts.
Her small mouth was pursed into a straight line as she focused intently on the exposed flesh, her brows furrowed as she stared at the ripped flesh, her movements methodical and orderly.
"What do you want with me?"
Ning Lu picked up the strip of cloth, wrapped it around herself, and glanced back at the door.
Xie Qinghe said angrily, "If you dare to plead for him again, I will kill him immediately."
Her fingers, which had just tied the bow, trembled. She looked up at Xie Qinghe, withdrew her hand, and pulled away from him.
"Then I won't plead for him, just don't kill him."
Xie Qinghe remained silent, and the shadow guard was dragged away at Wei Zhan's signal.
The idlers in the courtyard all left, leaving only the two of them and the guard at the gate.
After kneeling for a long time, Ning Lu's legs became a little sore and numb.
Unable to fathom his thoughts, she dared not speak rashly.
When she returned from the Taoist temple, she was in a frenzy, her courage soaring to the heavens.
After calming down, she realized that times had changed and that a complete falling out would not do her any good.
Circumstances dictate her actions, so she simply plopped down on her calves and tentatively asked, "It's almost the end of the year, the streets are bustling, I'd like to go out for a stroll."
"You are free to come and go as you please, and you do not need to report to me."
This is true; during the time Xie Qinghe was away, no one stopped her from entering or leaving the house.
“But I’m not used to having a lot of people following me.”
She wasn't referring to the green locust trees and branches, but rather to the shadow guards.
"Why don't you remove them? I promise I won't run around."
Xie Qinghe fiddled with the strange bow on the back of his hand, but did not respond.
She tried a different question: "Or, can I play with Suyun?"
"Can."
"Could I have her come shopping with me?"
She knows what it means to take advantage of someone's kindness.
“You can go to the dungeon; she can’t come out.”
"Why?" She frowned. "Su Yun didn't do anything wrong. She was just implicated from the beginning."
“You said before that she would be safer in the dungeon, but now Pan Xingxue isn’t leaving the house, and you’re in Changzhou, so he wouldn’t dare do anything. The dungeon is so cold and dark, and she’s just a young woman…”
Ning Lu spoke faster, getting up from the ground: "Besides, from the very beginning, the only person who had any grudges or entanglements with Pan Xingxue or any of you was me..."
Xie Qinghe looked up at her aggressively approaching face and smiled coldly.
Ning Lu immediately sensed something was wrong and knelt down again at his feet, looking mournful.
“What I mean is, I’m the one who has a grudge against Pan Xingxue, and Zhao Yue also wants to kill me. If you say the dungeon is safe, then you might as well throw me into the dungeon too.”
It's easier to do things with two people in one place, saving us from having to worry about what this guy is thinking every day.
Do you think I can't?
Seeing through her thoughts, Xie Qinghe grew even colder, hooking her chin with his knuckles and leaning down to look her in the eye.
Ning Lu looked into his eyes but couldn't discern any emotion within them.
There seemed to be anger, resentment, self-mockery, and hatred...
She couldn't understand, and with a hoarse voice, she instinctively backed away.
It was precisely this act of retreat that angered Xie Qinghe. He pressed his thumb on her chin and pulled her close to his eyes.
"I know you're incredibly skilled in agility; they can't defend against you."
“But you guessed one thing right. If you shake them off, it’s their fault. For every one you shake off, I’ll kill one.”
“If you shake them all off and run away, I will kill Su Yun.”
Is it that serious?
Is that so perverted?
Ning Lu opened her eyes wide and looked up at him.
The two were now facing each other, their faces very close.
Her breathing grew heavy, and she braced herself with her hands at her sides, trying her best to control her trembling body, not daring to look into those cold eyes anymore.
Seeing her dodge, Xie Qinghe realized what he had said, hastily withdrew his hand, and turned his back.
After a deep sigh, weariness deepened between the man's brows, and with a low cough, his frame swayed inside his clothes.
Taking the opportunity, Ning Lu stood up, took a few steps back, and leaned against the door.
The atmosphere suddenly became heavy.
Realizing he had spoken out of turn, Xie Qinghe silently lowered his hands and clenched his fists.
The wound on my right palm, which had just been bandaged, started bleeding again.
Normally, these would be the methods used to control Ning Lu.
But now, she retreated again and again, and was already several steps away from him.
She was trembling with fear, but she also sensed something else.
Xie Qinghe's grand gesture was simply aimed at getting her to stay obediently by his side.
However, the way he spoke those words of violence so naturally was truly chilling.
For the first time in so many days, she connected the person in front of her with the rumored Xie Qinghe.
Faced with the astonishment in her eyes, Xie Qinghe panicked. He propped himself up on the table and took a step forward.
Ning Lu stepped back in response and bumped into the door.
His fingertips dug into the wound, and a piercing pain shot through his palm. Xie Qinghe stared blankly at the blood-stained strip of cloth.
Ning Lu.
She stood facing him with her head down, and naturally saw the open wound.
Recalling everything that had happened before, Ning Lu seemed to suddenly understand his intentions and shook her head firmly.
"Lord Xie, please stop taking advantage of my kindness. It's despicable."
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