Chapter 84 Take a Few More Bite
The mute girl prepared a light and delicious meal for Bai Hua. Bai Hua ate politely while listening to the shopkeeper introduce himself.
“My name is Li Gui. Miss, you may call me A Gui, just like you do, sir. You can stay here at the inn with peace of mind. I can sense any disturbances in the front hall in time to warn you. Years ago, my wife's cold worsened and damaged her lungs. She had a persistent high fever. If it weren't for your timely help in taking us to see a doctor, sir, my wife probably wouldn't have survived that harsh winter. Although she lost her voice after that, I am already content.”
It turns out that the young master had such a connection with them, bound by a life-saving grace. No wonder the young master trusted them so much that he set up a secret room in this bustling place to spy on everyone.
Bai Hua finished eating, put down her chopsticks, looked at the mute girl, and asked with a smile, "What's your name?"
The mute woman gestured, afraid that Bai Hua wouldn't understand, and looked to her husband for help with her eyes.
Ah Gui quickly answered for her: "Her name is Ming Shu, meaning 'beautiful, elegant, and refined'."
It's a nice-sounding name.
Bai Hua looked at the mute girl again and said, "If we can find a doctor who specializes in treating hoarseness, maybe her voice can be restored. If there isn't one in Jiling City, I'll ask someone in Jingqi to help me inquire later. This kind of muteness isn't congenital, so it must be very painful to adapt to it later."
Ming Shu was surprised for a moment, then stopped gesturing and shook her head vigorously, afraid of troubling her benefactor.
Ah Gui also declined, feeling quite embarrassed: "We appreciate the young lady's kindness, but in fact, the young master has already helped us find many doctors in several nearby cities and counties, but the treatments have not been effective, and it seems that we will not recover. Ah Shu and I have accepted our fate and dare not trouble the young master and young lady to spend any more energy on this matter."
What was a simple matter for them was a major headache for this ordinary couple.
Bai Hua felt sympathy and advised, "Don't worry, it won't be troublesome. Just be prepared that even if you go to the capital to search, you may not be able to find a famous doctor. But trying to inquire is still a hope."
Seeing that the two still didn't respond, Bai Hua glanced at Ning Jue, giving him a signal.
Ning Jue received the message, coughed lightly, and stated, "Just listen to her."
As expected, Ning Jue's words carried more weight.
As soon as he finished speaking, A-Gui quickly relented. He and his wife bowed deeply to Bai Hua to express their sincere gratitude, their eyes brightening as hope was rekindled.
Clearly, A-Gui has never truly let go of his wife's muteness, so how could he accept his fate?
A-Gui and the others left the guest room and returned to the front hall of the inn to continue their work, leaving only Bai Hua and Ning Jue inside.
With no outsiders around, Ning Jue spoke with less restraint. He looked at Bai Hua and said meaningfully, "You just said you wanted to ask someone to inquire about doctors in Jingqi. Who else do you know there, and who are you planning to ask?"
Bai Hua replied vaguely, "I have some old acquaintances in Jingqi. They may not be able to help me with other things, but they should be able to help with small things like getting information."
Ning Jue leaned forward, raising an eyebrow slightly, and said in a light tone, "Friends? What friends? I've never heard you mention them before."
Bai Hua blinked, puzzled, not understanding why Ning Jue was so insistent on this. Finding a suitable doctor was clearly more important; what was so crucial about a middleman? Why keep asking him…
“You wouldn’t recognize my name even if I told you. My background is no secret to you. You know I grew up in Jingqi, so it’s not surprising that I know some people there.”
Seeing that she was deliberately dodging the question, Ning Jue simply asked directly: "Is the person you're asking a man or a woman?"
"..."
There's absolutely no way to fool them.
Bai Hua knew she was no match for him and couldn't outsmart him, so she decided to be honest and say, "Then I'll tell you the truth, don't overthink it."
Ning Jue didn't speak, but glanced down indifferently, signaling her to continue. He looked very imposing, and his smugness was just as strong.
Bai Hua: "Actually, I don't have any close friends in Jingqi. My only best friend married into the general's family two years ago and then went to the border with the army. We are so far apart, and I have been traveling around, so we haven't been able to keep in touch. I was thinking that since I can't go back to the capital for the time being, why don't I try to contact Junman's younger brother in the capital first? Then I can send the letter to Junman along with it and ask him to pass it on. I can also ask him to help me find a doctor to cure muteness. Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?"
Ning Jue paused for a moment, then focused on a rather off-topic point: "How old is your friend's younger brother?"
Bai Hua didn't think much of it and answered casually, "If I remember correctly, he should be three years younger than us."
Ning Jue didn't hesitate this time and directly rejected her idea: "Isn't it troublesome? Wouldn't it be better if we handled it ourselves when we return to the capital, so as to avoid owing favors to others?"
“When will we be able to return to the capital…” Bai Hua muttered, then retorted softly, “And what’s so troublesome about it? You don’t have to write the letters, at most you just need to help send them out and run errands.”
Ning Jue adopted a haughty tone and said, "I'm not willing."
Bai Hua glared at him angrily, about to retort with words, but after thinking it over, she quickly realized that he was deliberately going against her, and no matter what she said now, he would still refuse to cooperate.
Not knowing what she had done to offend him, Bai Hua snorted inwardly, not wanting to deal with his unpredictable temper. She had tried to help him out of kindness, but he had made things difficult for her.
Seeing that she remained silent, Ning Jue felt uneasy and finally couldn't help but take the initiative to restart the topic, asking with an ambiguous tone, "You must have many friends in the capital."
Bai Hua blinked, somewhat unable to understand the implied meaning of these words, and looked at Ning Jue, puzzled but speechless.
Ning Jue might as well be more direct: "I've heard some things about your past. You were once the daughter of an official in Jingqi, with a great reputation; even ordinary people in the streets and alleys knew your name. I've also heard... that all the prominent young men in the capital were interested in you, and even the former deposed crown prince invited you to climb the city wall together, treating you with special favor. If it weren't for the later turmoil in the court and the crown prince's deposition, the daughter of an earl would have been the only choice for the crown princess. Are these just hearsay, or are they true?"
Bai Hua pursed her lips, wondering where Ning Jue had heard these old, trivial matters.
She turned her eyes away and muttered softly, "This rumor is really... it's not that exaggerated."
Ning Jue raised an eyebrow: "Rumors? Does that mean that Young Master Zanying doesn't favor you?"
Bai Hua knew she wasn't bragging, but she still felt uneasy and her face flushed when she talked about her past experiences of being pursued.
She whispered, "Only one or two."
Ning Jue seemed to hum, his tone unusual: "How many more do you want?"
Bai Hua remained silent.
Ning Jue stared at her and asked again, "What about the Crown Prince? Did he invite you to climb the city wall together to pray for the release of lanterns?"
This...did indeed happen, Bai Hua couldn't deny it.
Although this happened a long time ago, Bai Hua's memory remains vivid.
In that situation, her words and actions were all in accordance with the rules and regulations. However, now that Ning Jue was staring at her like this, she still felt inexplicably guilty and nervous, and her heart couldn't help but beat faster.
Actually, to be honest, she was there to save the day.
Releasing sky lanterns to pray for blessings is a festive tradition during the Lantern Festival, and every year the emperor, accompanied by his concubines, would ascend the city wall to light the lanterns. But this time was different; the emperor was unwell, and the crown prince took over the task. The empress had originally chosen the crown prince's cousin, the daughter of the emperor's brother-in-law—a true member of the imperial family—as his companion. However, this cousin was frail and, upon attempting to climb, suddenly discovered she was afraid of heights and dared not go any further.
The Empress looked at her niece with disappointment and sighed softly. In this emergency, she had no choice but to find someone else at the last minute.
Among the many candidates, His Highness the Crown Prince finally focused his gaze on her. At the same time, many more eyes, some filled with envy and others with disdain, also began to converge on her.
She was so nervous that day. The Crown Prince's imposing presence was unbearable; she only caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of her eye. He was dressed in a dark ink-black python robe, wearing a jeweled purple-gold crown that bound his hair, exuding nobility and composure, with steady steps. As she followed him up the steps, looking at the swarms of people below the city wall, her palms were clenched so tightly they were sweating.
Surprisingly, the Crown Prince was tolerant and gentle, and when they released the sky lantern together, he even whispered a comforting word: "Don't be nervous."
It would have been better if he hadn't said anything; the moment he did, she became even more nervous.
And so, Bai Hua, who originally went out to attend the Lantern Festival ceremony, unexpectedly became the center of attention, but the price was that rumors about her and the Crown Prince spread like wildfire.
The rumors grew increasingly outrageous, and even she herself was unaware of the Crown Prince's thoughts. Rumors were circulating that the Crown Prince had privately promised her the position of Crown Princess.
This matter later alarmed her father, who was probably also troubled by the rumors. He came to talk to her late at night, subtly trying to confirm with her whether the matter was true or not...
"Why did it take you so long to think about it?"
Ning Jue's sarcastic remark pulled Bai Hua's memory back to its original point.
Bai Hua slowly came to her senses, glanced at Ning Jue, and instead of answering, asked rather uncooperatively, "Since you've already heard about it, why don't you take the opportunity to inquire about it in detail? Do you know that I was forced into this role and was temporarily chosen to go up the city gate with His Highness the Crown Prince to release lanterns?"
Ning Jue took a sip of tea, and after putting down his cup, he spoke in a somewhat lazy tone: "I've heard about it, but I don't know the details. After all, I wasn't involved. I'll only feel at ease if I ask you."
Bai Hua: "What are you relieved about?"
Ning Jue clicked his tongue indifferently: "Originally, I wanted to bring you with me to the capital, but now it seems I'm really worried. You're coveted by the sons of high-ranking families, and you're favored by His Highness the Crown Prince. You have so many acquaintances in the capital, and if we were to run into each other again, I wouldn't be happy."
Upon hearing this, Bai Hua focused only on the words "entering the capital." Her brother was still in the capital, and she naturally felt attached to this familiar place.
"Young master, are you going to the capital? When?"
Ning Jue smiled and said, "After I've settled your matter."
Bai Hua felt uneasy; the young master's words were half-hidden, their meaning unclear, leaving her puzzled.
The two met again after more than a month apart, and she had no idea what had happened in between, so she was naturally unsettled.
Bai Hua secretly grumbled to herself that perhaps her recent experiences in Jiling had not escaped the young master's notice, while she knew nothing about his whereabouts. It was truly unfair.
She complained inwardly, and her expression naturally reflected her emotions, with the corners of her mouth unconsciously turning down.
Ning Jue looked at her and asked again, "Would you like to come with me?"
Bai Hua said angrily, "Whether I want to or not is not up to me to decide. Now you don't tell me anything anymore. Is it because once bitten by a snake, you're afraid of a rope for ten years? If you are wary of me and afraid that I will betray you and leak secrets again, you might as well stay away from me as soon as possible, so you don't have to worry about this and can't sleep peacefully."
"If you truly suspected that I was wary of you, you probably wouldn't be complaining to me so openly, so fearless. There's a word for that, isn't there?"
When Ning Jue saw through her thoughts, Bai Hua felt slightly embarrassed, her ears burning, and she couldn't find the words to defend herself.
She didn't want to continue talking to him, but Ning Jue showed no sign of stopping. He stared at her and said leisurely, "It's been a month since we last met, and your temper has certainly grown."
Bai Hua turned her head to the side.
Ning Jue reached out, pinched her chin, and turned her head to make her look at him. At the same time, he spoke, his tone softening and becoming much gentler: "Alright, it's not that I deliberately didn't want to tell you, it's just that the situation is complicated, and even I haven't figured it out yet. I don't know where to start. Fortunately, the clues we've been following haven't been broken. Like a hidden thread running through the grass, it's a long and winding road. It looks like this hidden thread is about to be pulled open. Once we get to the bottom of it, the whole truth will come to light."
Bai Hua was quick-witted and soon realized: "You suddenly appeared in Jiling, so... the person you suspect is now in the city?"
Ning Jue smiled, tacitly agreeing, and then withdrew his hand.
Bai Hua's heart pounded, and she couldn't help but let her imagination run wild, guessing who that person might be. The first person she thought of was the Great General Wang.
If the death of the Sword Saint is truly related to the Great General King, then the young master's enemy is the Great Yan royal family. It's like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, fighting against a hundred men. How can this grudge be avenged?
The road ahead was obviously fraught with danger and hardship, and Bai Hua was extremely worried, but she couldn't bring herself to say anything to dissuade her.
She knew that finding out the true cause of the Sword Saint's death and avenging her master had always been the young master's obsession and a responsibility he carried on his shoulders.
If you try to advise him, it means you don't understand him.
Bai Hua was preoccupied and not at ease at the moment, but Ning Jue still had the leisure to joke and deliberately teased her.
“You just said that once bitten by a snake, you’re afraid of ropes for ten years. I’ve been thinking about that. It’s true that I was bitten by a snake, but I’m not afraid. I want this little snake to bite me a few more times and hurt me.”
He used a double entendre and spoke without any shame.
Bai Hua's face flushed instantly. She pretended to be fierce and stood up, leaning towards Ning Jue. Taking him by surprise, she reached out and twisted his arm aggressively.
Caught off guard, Ning Jue hissed in pain.
Bai Hua's expression was sly as she continued to gesticulate wildly: "Is it okay if it hurts this much?"
Ning Jue reached out and placed his hand on her waist, pulling her forward and easily taking the initiative. Bai Hua swayed and sat on his lap without any warning.
"you……"
"Don't be so cruel to me, try another way, like this..."
Ning Jue was very skillful in using his strength, deftly grabbing Bai Hua's two wrists and binding them behind her waist, without making her feel the slightest discomfort.
After doing that, he leaned forward forcefully, biting her upper lip and slowly sucking on it.
Bai Hua's face flushed, and she instinctively wanted to back away, but her arms were restrained. If she forced herself to retreat, her arms would be pressed and hurt.
Caught between a rock and a hard place, she had no choice but to brace herself and face the storm ahead. At first, her lips hurt, then they itched, and later, they became increasingly numb.
Their breaths mingled, their lips intertwined, and Bai Hua was on the verge of tears.
In broad daylight, the door wasn't even properly closed...
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