Chapter 38 Young Master Helps Me
Ning Jue overturned an incense burner outside the bed curtains with a single sword stroke, and all the unburnt incense sticks fell into the ashes scattered on the ground.
The fragrance wafted out in layers, pungent and unusual, definitely suspicious.
Ning Jue smelled it, and his brows furrowed even deeper.
Fang Lun stubbornly crawled forward, shouting loudly towards the door, "Help! Help! Where are the guards?!"
Ning Jue glanced at her coldly, then immediately forgot about silencing Fang Lun. He quickly stepped onto the ground, approached the canopy bed inside, and reached out to lift several layers of curtains. He saw Bai Hua lying weakly on the couch with her eyes closed, her clothes disheveled, but thankfully covered by a quilt.
He noticed that her hairstyle and headdress were different from when they parted, as if she had been carefully dressed up. Ning Jue forcibly suppressed his anger and rage. He first checked Bai Hua's breathing, then pulled her wrist to take her pulse, confirming that there were signs of poisoning. Ning Jue's face was grim as he covered her with the quilt again, then got up and approached Fang Lun.
He walked towards him step by step, exuding an overwhelming sense of pressure.
Ning Jue originally had a cold and aloof demeanor, exuding an imposing aura even without anger. Now, his eyes and brows were filled with murderous intent, and his disdainful gaze was enough to send chills down one's spine.
Fang Lun felt particularly guilty, his shoulders trembling uncontrollably, unsure whether it was from pain or fear, or perhaps both, but not which was more prominent.
He probably knew he wouldn't fare well in Ning Jue's hands, so he propped himself up with one arm and shuffled backward with difficulty, leaving a long, conspicuous trail of blood. Cold sweat poured down his forehead from the pain, and his chest heaved violently.
"You, do you know who I am, and who my father is? How dare you harm me in secret?! Are you out of your mind?!"
At first, Fang Lun still threatened him defiantly, but as Ning Jue got closer and closer until he stood right in front of him, Fang Lun's bluffing disappeared completely.
He immediately changed his tune, softening his tone as he pleaded, "You're new here and may not know the reputation of our Fang Family Chamber of Commerce. My father is in the shipping business in Ye City; his business is quite large. While he might not be richer than a country, he's certainly quite wealthy. I admit that what I did today was unfair, and I should compensate you. Just name a price; as long as you let me go, I can afford any amount."
Paying money to settle things is a method that Fang Lun has never failed to use.
From the moment he was born, no matter what mistakes he made, his parents taught him that money could make the devil turn the millstone.
He thought, "It can definitely happen today too."
Ning Jue did not respond. He squatted down in front of him expressionlessly, his gaze sweeping over him indifferently. His calm and unwavering eyes made it seem as if he were looking at a cold, lifeless corpse.
Fang Lun's fear intensified. He lay on the blood-stained floor, struggling to look up at Ning Jue, lowering his posture even further.
He pleaded, "Great hero, spare my life! Good man, spare my life... It's all my fault! I was blinded by lust and did something foolish! I deserve to die! Don't worry, the beauty is lying there perfectly fine. I didn't even have time to touch a single finger of hers, or even glance at her. By the way, the old woman changed her into her new clothes, not me..."
Ning Jue ignored Fang Lun's other words and only replied with this one sentence: "You deserve to die."
After saying that, Ning Jue's fierce eyes widened, he gripped the hilt of his sword, and swiftly pulled out the Qingying Sword that was stuck in Fang Lun's left arm.
Ahhh...!
A heart-wrenching wail echoed throughout Baoxiang Garden.
Even those with good hearing in the side courtyard could clearly hear the pitiful sounds, like the slaughter of a pig.
As the sword was drawn, a bloody hole was revealed on Fang Lun's arm, from which blood gushed out, soaking through his brocade robe.
Ning Jue only used 30% of his strength. Because Bai Hua was also in the room, he was afraid that the residual power of the sword might be too great and accidentally involve her. Therefore, he did not dare to act too recklessly and restrained himself by only using 30% of his strength.
Even 30% is enough to cripple Fang Lun.
Judging from his current state, even if Hua Tuo were alive, he wouldn't be able to save this arm.
Fang Lun fainted from the pain, collapsed to the ground, his face deathly pale, unable to utter another word.
Ning Jue felt much more at peace.
Since the Green Shadow Sword is already stained with blood, I might as well take a life while I'm at it.
A dark killing intent flashed in Ning Jue's eyes. He raised the Qingying Sword, intending to pierce the other's chest to vent his anger and rid the people of Ye City of this scourge.
But just as he raised his sword and took a stance, he was hurriedly stopped by Duan Yi who had caught up from behind.
Duan Yi, considering the bigger picture, gently persuaded Ning Jue, holding his arm, "You mustn't kill him. Fang Lun is the only son of the Fang family, and the Fang family has been in the shipping business for many years. They not only have deep-rooted influence in Ye City, but also have close ties with the people of Nanmin. Right now, we are preparing for our secret trip south. If we offend the Fang family at this juncture, it will be detrimental in every way."
Ning Jue did not listen to her request to sheathe her sword, saying, "He plotted against my people, he deserves to die, he deserves to be killed."
Duan Yi sighed, glancing at the bed curtains out of the corner of his eye before quickly looking away. He said, "No matter how despicable his initial intentions were, we have rescued the young lady in time, and this matter is not yet beyond redemption. If you are still not satisfied, stab him a few more times in inconsequential places. As long as you don't kill him, even if you really cripple one of his arms, we will still be in the right. If the Fang family comes to question us later, I will be able to defend myself."
Ning Jue mocked, "Manager Duan is used to being cautious and timid. Whenever something happens, his first thought is to retreat and lie low. When my master was killed, you were like that. Now that my people have been wronged, you are still hesitant and timid. Tell me, if your wife and children were kidnapped and humiliated, could you use these words of persuasion to convince yourself?"
Upon hearing this, Duan Yi fell silent, letting out a sigh of relief, his eyes filled with complex emotions, unable to stop himself any longer.
Ning Jue picked up the Qingying Sword, took two steps to stand in front of Fang Lun, and swept his sharp gaze down. At the same time, the Qingying Sword pierced straight into Fang Lun's chest, and then withdrew without hesitation.
Fang Lun lay sprawled on the ground like a pile of rotten flesh, oblivious and unaware, as if he were already dead.
Ning Jue casually cut off a piece of the bed curtain, wiped the bloodstains off the sword, and said coldly, "This sword of mine may not necessarily take his life. Consider it as giving Manager Duan some face. Whether he lives or dies depends on his own fate."
After saying this, Ning Jue waved his hand.
Duan Yi glanced quickly at Fang Lun, who was covered in blood and barely breathing, on the ground, then understood and left the room.
Sheathing his sword, Ning Jue reached out and lifted the obstructive red curtain in front of him, then approached the bedside and carefully helped Bai Hua up by the shoulder.
He glanced at Bai Hua to see what kind of indecent gauze dress she was wearing. As soon as her upper body was exposed, Ning Jue wished he could immediately stab Fang Lun again.
The gauze dress is so thin and light that it barely covers the body. When lightly draped over the body, it reveals nothing at all, making it almost indistinguishable from wearing nothing at all. In fact, this subtle and ambiguous effect only enhances its allure.
Ning Jue's eyes were deep and his expression was very bad.
He wrapped Bai Hua tightly in a quilt, then picked her up and carried her away from Baoxiang Garden.
As Ning Jue brushed past Duan Yi, he instructed, "Send someone to burn this house down."
Duan Yi nodded: "Don't worry, I'll take care of the rest. The young lady is currently unconscious, and it would be too conspicuous for you to go back to the inn in the city. Why don't you stay temporarily in my courtyard outside the city? It's usually uninhabited, but there are servants who clean it regularly."
Ning Jue casually asked, "You also keep a mistress?"
Duan Yi's expression changed, and his old face looked uncomfortable. He spoke to Ning Jue in an unusually unfriendly tone: "What nonsense are you spouting, brat? These days I'm in the tea trade and often travel far away. Sometimes I come back too late and don't want to disturb my wife and children's rest in the middle of the night, so I rest there. What mistress is there?"
Ning Jue gave a soft "Oh" and replied, "It's a fairly clean room. Okay, we'll stay here."
Duan Yi flinched in displeasure, but still instructed his subordinates to fetch the keys.
Ning Jue lowered his eyes, glancing at Bai Hua's increasingly flushed face and the fine beads of sweat on her forehead. Without wasting any more time, he immediately carried her onto the carriage and set off for Duan Yi's courtyard.
A servant was driving the carriage, while Ning Jue stayed inside to take care of Bai Hua.
The two courtyards were not far apart, and the journey should have been short, but before they even reached their destination, Bai Hua clung to his shoulder, whimpering uncomfortably and rubbing against him.
Ning Jue gently patted her to comfort her, and then carefully examined her forehead, finding it burning hot. He then checked her pulse, which was erratic and irregular, indicating a serious situation.
Bai Hua frowned slightly, murmuring repeatedly in his arms, "Thirsty... thirsty..."
Her voice was sweet and coquettish, with a drawn-out, indistinct tone at the end.
Ning Jue's eyes were dark as he picked up the teapot in the carriage with one hand, poured a cup of water, and carefully fed it to her.
The moment her lips touched the rim of the glass, Bai Hua suddenly pursed them, her eyes half-open, and she twisted her neck, refusing to cooperate.
"bitter……"
How could it be bitter?
Ning Jue tasted it himself and found it to be normal tea flavor, with the water temperature just right.
He was patient and indulgent, trying to feed her slowly with a spoon, but she still couldn't get it in.
If she had simply said she wouldn't drink, it would have been easier, but she refused to open her mouth while simultaneously complaining of thirst. Ning Jue was at his wit's end and couldn't handle it at all.
The carriage turned a corner, its wheels rumbling, and the teacups nearly spilled.
To avoid getting splashed all over himself, Ning Jue tilted his head back and took a sip.
He paused after swallowing, his gaze falling to Bai Hua's bright red lips before settling on the white porcelain cup, where he hesitated thoughtfully.
Bai Hua was restless, clutching his chest and humming softly.
Ning Jue no longer hesitated, and immediately reached out to support her head from behind, lifting her head to lean closer.
He took a mouthful of water, leaned over, and pressed his lips firmly against Bai Hua's soft lips, slowly transferring the water to her little by little.
He successfully fed her a cup of water, a total of four times.
Actually, two more sips would have been enough, but fearing that she might feel uncomfortable if she drank too quickly, Ning Jue gave her the last sip in one more time.
After being fed, Bai Hua stopped her whining and whining, but her lips were even redder than her burning cheeks.
Ning Jue glanced away, then felt annoyed with himself. He immediately wondered if he had actually bitten her.
He changed his position so that Bai Hua could lean against him more comfortably.
After calming myself down for a while, I let out a deep breath, lifted the carriage curtain, and let the cool breeze blow in to relieve the heat and dryness in my body.
He reminded himself that what had just happened was merely crossing water, and could hardly be considered a kiss.
...
With our journey south imminent, offending the Fang family at this moment would clearly be unwise.
Duan Yi stayed behind to figure out how to clean up the mess after Ning Jue's impulsive act.
Fang Lun was lying on the ground, not dead. He had indeed been motionless just now, as if he had lost all life, but now he had recovered, and his chest was slowly rising and falling rhythmically again.
But his injuries were indeed severe, and he would certainly die if he did not receive timely treatment.
Duan Yi did not want to create a fatal enmity, so he ordered someone to bring him wound medicine. Then he personally tore open Fang Lun's clothes and prepared to sprinkle the medicine powder on the two wounds on his body to stop the bleeding in time and save his life.
Duan Yi hesitated after only completing half of the movement.
Fang Lun's sword wounds were too obvious, making him an easy target. Remembering Ning Jue's instructions before leaving that Baoxiang Garden must be burned down, Duan Yi pondered for a while and came up with an idea.
Once the raging fire is lit and the body is burned to a crisp, the sword wound will be concealed.
He abandoned Fang Lun in Baoxiang Garden and ordered his men to set the garden on fire, and also set fire to the other side rooms, the bigger the fire, the better, to completely disrupt the situation.
The girls kept by Fang Lun scattered like birds when they saw the masked thief breaking into the courtyard. Fortunately, the villain only wanted money and did not want to kill them, so they were able to leave the mansion and escape far away.
Seeing that the fire had alarmed the neighbors and attracted onlookers, Duan Yijing quickly led his men to retreat, making sure to lock the doors of Baoxiangyuan before leaving.
However, Duan Yi did not expect that the fire inside the house would not burn Fang Lun to death first, but instead ignited the door frame, causing the door to crack open and the copper lock to become useless before collapsing with a crash.
With the help of the wound medicine, Fang Lun barely managed to recover his breath. At this moment, his survival instinct was completely unleashed. He gritted his teeth, kicked his legs, and struggled to crawl out of the precarious house.
He crawled inch by inch until he finally reached the threshold, and in the instant he grabbed it, he seemed to see a glimmer of hope for life...
As long as he can climb out, he will surely be found and rescued once someone comes in to put out the fire!
Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned. Just as Fang Lun was trying to survive, his hand was crushed and trampled on.
His body was already aching so much that he was almost numb, so what was a little pain in his hand? He didn't even hiss, and looked up to see a pretty face.
It is the ninth autumn.
Fang Lun was first surprised, then his eyes lit up, and he quickly reached out and said, "Qiu'er, save me, Qiu'er..."
Jiuqiu glanced at him, gave a cool smile, and her red lips curved into a beautiful smile.
It turns out that when there's trouble, she's Qiu'er; when there's no trouble, she's a slut. Men's faces change so quickly.
Jiuqiu withdrew her foot, looked down at him pitifully, then raised her hand and slapped him hard three times across the face. Then she calmly said, "Fang Lang, the slaps have settled the score, and our fate... is over."
Before Fang Lun could speak again, Jiu Qiu stomped hard and precisely on the wound on his arm.
That was a bloody hole that had just stopped bleeding; this kick was tantamount to taking his life.
Fang Lun screamed in agony, his eyes squinted, and he fainted from the pain.
Jiuqiu nimbly withdrew her legs, expressionless, and circled behind Fang Lun. Her whole body tensed, and she used all her strength to lift his shoulders, slowly dragging him back into the burning room.
Burn it all, burn it all...
This Baoxiang Garden holds vivid memories of the two people's past tenderness and joy, but alas, things have changed.
Since things have changed and people are no longer the same, there's no need to keep the things or be nostalgic for the people.
Jiuqiu lifted her leg and stepped over Fang Lun without hesitation.
She had just stepped out and stood still when the roof beam behind her collapsed with a loud 'bang'.
The flames devoured the entire house like a ravenous beast, quickly reducing it to ashes. The firelight soared into the sky, but it couldn't outshine the dazzling red dress she wore.
Her skirt billowed in the wind, and Jiuqiu walked forward without looking back.
...
Although Duan Yi's private residence outside the city was not large, the houses inside were spacious, with mountains and water, and the garden scenery was particularly exquisite.
It features winding corridors, artificial hills and strange rocks, lush vegetation, and flowing springs.
This secluded garden is unlike the usual retreats where merchants would stop for a rest; rather, it resembles the private gardens of retired officials who wish to spend their later years in peace and quiet, and it is in a typical Beijing style.
Even though they've already left Kyoto, it seems some people still can't shake their old habits.
Ning Jue gathered his thoughts and, instead of taking Bai Hua to the main bedroom, went to a more secluded side room.
According to the servants in the courtyard, the room was in a remote location, had never been lived in before, and had just been cleaned yesterday, so it was very clean.
Ning Jue then chose it.
Upon reaching the door of the side room, Ning Jue sternly instructed his subordinates that no one should approach the room unless they came out. He also instructed them not to ask any questions about any sounds they heard, but to simply move away. He further instructed them to wait for Duan Yi when he arrived.
Upon hearing this, the servants looked at each other in bewilderment, and then nodded in agreement.
The unfamiliar young man in front of them was carrying someone in his arms. Although she was wrapped up tightly, it was obvious that she must be a beauty. Therefore, their expressions were meaningful, and they knew exactly what was going on.
Ning Jue offered no further explanation, carried Bai Hua into the side room, lowered the door latch, and lit candles.
The sun had completely set, and without lighting candles, the room was dimly lit, and nothing could be seen clearly.
He carefully lifted the person and placed them on the bed.
Bai Hua's neck had just touched the pillow when she suddenly opened her eyes and looked at Ning Jue's face, which was so close to hers, her eyes showing a slight look of confusion.
Ning Jue hurriedly asked, "You're awake?"
Bai Hua looked around and asked him, "Young master...where is this?"
Ning Jue: "It's a safe place."
Seeing that she was confused about what had happened, Ning Jue told her the truth about Fang Lun drugging her, and reassured her that nothing bad had happened, that he had found her in time and had rescued her unharmed.
Bai Hua felt a chill of fear upon hearing this, and a sense of guilt welled up within her.
Unintentionally, she caused trouble for the young master again; she was truly more trouble than she was worth!
Ning Jue noticed the self-reproach in her expression and immediately added, "It's not your fault, it's my negligence."
Bai Hua shook her head: "If I had been more wary of others, this wouldn't have happened."
At this point, she seemed to remember something and asked Ning Jue again, "Does the jade bone whistle that you bought from the Fujian merchant the other day still have you on you, young master?"
She suspected that Fang Lun had stolen the jade bone whistle and was using it to deceive her.
"Yes," Ning Jue replied, taking the jade bone whistle from her neck.
Bai Hua stared intently, then reached out and touched it.
It turns out that the young master liked this item and had already strung it on a rope and hung it around his neck. Therefore, Fang Lun's item was only similar, not the original.
Bai Hua was annoyed and told the truth.
Ning Jue replied, "Fang Lun probably harbored wicked intentions ever since he disembarked. He secretly followed and spied on us, knowing what we bought while shopping, so he deliberately sought out a similar one. He's cunning and premeditated; we couldn't guard against him. How can you blame him?"
His words of comfort made Bai Hua feel somewhat better.
She fell silent, lowered her eyes and remained quiet for a while. Then, belatedly, she realized that she felt very uncomfortable. She reached out and touched herself, but found no soft fabric, only the feel of a thin veil.
"This is……"
She then realized that she was disheveled under the covers, almost naked.
The thought of being abducted by that despicable man and the unimaginable events that followed immediately brought tears to Bai Hua's eyes.
Ning Jue quickly reassured him, "Don't worry, Fang Lun didn't touch you. These clothes were changed for you by the old woman he found. If you're disgusted, I'll take them off for you right away."
As soon as he blurted out these words, Ning Jue realized his mistake and quickly tried to explain.
"I...I didn't mean that. I'll go out right away and tell the maid to prepare a new dress for you."
After saying that, she was about to leave when Bai Hua reached out and grabbed his sleeve, her voice trembling with a hint of tears.
"Young master, please don't go, I... I'm not feeling well..."
When she woke up, it wasn't obvious, and she didn't feel anything from the conversation just now. However, at this moment, she was becoming increasingly aware of the strange changes in her body. She felt as if her blood was about to boil and every inch of her skin was about to burn.
Bai Hua held his hand, feeling utterly empty inside.
My mind was still clear, but my body had started to twist and rub uncontrollably.
In an instant, a scene flashed through her mind—it was Fang Lun who, while she was in a daze, fed her a strange pill.
She felt her stomach burning, and the pill she had taken was slowly dissolving in her stomach, its effects about to reach their peak.
I feel hot, weak, and unbearably itchy...
She roughly guessed what kind of filthy thing it was, and vaguely felt that the current feeling was familiar, as if she had experienced it before.
Impossible. She had been staying peacefully with the young master on Mount Xianyang, how could she have gotten involved with this stuff at all?
What happened in the past doesn't matter anymore; what matters is what to do now.
Bai Hua's mouth was dry and she felt like she was going to die. It felt like a poisonous snake was crawling on her side, its tongue hissing at her repeatedly. There was no way to avoid it or hide from it.
She's afraid of snakes and doesn't want snakes!
If she absolutely had to be pierced by something, she didn't want a snake, she wanted the young master, she wanted the young master's...
In a moment of desperation and torment, Bai Hua grabbed Ning Jue's wrist, her eyes glistening with tears, looking at him with a mixture of grievance and pleading.
Ning Jue instinctively gripped it back.
As if encouraged, Bai Hua slowly reached out and pulled back the blanket covering her, revealing her slender, white body beneath the thin gauze. Ning Jue admitted that this scene was incredibly impactful for him.
He turned his gaze away, not allowing himself to look freely.
Bai Hua's shoulders trembled as if she were enduring immense torment. Her eyes were red, and she murmured, "There's a snake, young master, please catch it for me..."
Ning Jue endured it, his Adam's apple bobbing noticeably, and told her, "No, that was an illusion."
Bai Hua led him to reach down and pinch the snake's vital spot, its seven inches from its body.
Then, with that touch, he couldn't pull his hand away.
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