Chapter 84 Offering Myself in Return
Xie Yunman had no idea what the other person's purpose was, so she could only continue walking forward, observing the other person's clothes as she went.
Finally, he noticed that one of them was wearing military-made high boots.
In the military?
Why would someone in the military try to coerce me?
Xie Yunman was puzzled. After thinking for a while without finding a clue, he began to plan his escape.
Reaching a three-way intersection, I seized the opportunity and ran towards a dark alleyway.
The group of people who had been surrounding him were stunned for a moment when they saw him run away.
One of them took out a short flute from his pocket and played a strange tune, repeating it three times.
Suddenly, a loud whistle rang out from afar.
After hearing this, the man said to the people around him, "Since the target ran into the ambush on his own, then we have completed our mission. Let's retreat."
The group turned and walked away.
Xie Yunman was panting heavily from running. He looked back and, seeing no one chasing after him, stopped to rest, leaning against the wall beside him.
After resting, he planned to circle back down the street to the spot where he had been before to settle accounts with Xiao Ling.
But after taking only a few steps, they saw a person standing in the dimly lit alley ahead.
He wore a chivalrous straw hat, dressed in night clothes, and carried a knife in his arms.
A person standing on the road seems to possess the imposing presence of a thousand troops.
Xie Yunman paused for a moment, then, realizing the situation was not good, turned around and prepared to leave.
Unexpectedly, the other party called out to him, "Second Master Xie, I have been waiting for you for a long time."
Xie Yunman paused for a moment when she heard the other person call her name, but she didn't stop running at all and started running again.
Upon seeing this, the man in black gave chase.
With a flip, it flew over Xie Yunman's head and blocked his way.
Xie Yunman immediately turned around and ran back.
The man flew to Xie Yunman once again, this time drawing his knife and holding it to Xie Yunman's neck.
Xie Yunman felt the chill emanating from the knife against his neck.
He sighed and asked, "Brother, do we know each other?"
The man in black shook his head.
"And what brings you here, sir?"
"I've been ordered to take your life," the man in black said coldly.
Xie Yunman quickly observed the other person again, and said:
"Alright, since you've come under orders, it seems I'm doomed today."
Since I'm going to die anyway, can you tell me who wants to kill me? That way, when I return as a ghost to seek revenge, I won't come after you, right?
The man in black remained unmoved.
"You talk too much nonsense."
He moved the knife aside and swung it around with all his might, preparing to chop it down on Xie Yunman's neck.
Xie Yunman immediately squatted down on the ground, and the man missed his target.
The man in black then swung his knife again, and Xie Yunman rolled on the ground, barely dodging another blow.
The man in black seemed to be angry, and his third sword strike was extremely fast, arriving in an instant.
Before Xie Yunman could react, the knife was already in front of her, and she could only instinctively close her eyes.
However, the pain did not come as expected.
After a while, I heard the sound of weapons clashing and fighting nearby.
Xie Yunman opened his eyes and saw a girl dressed in red, holding a soft golden whip, fighting with the man in black.
Xie Yunman, trembling, leaned on the side and stood up.
He didn't actually want to watch the game; he wanted to take the opportunity to escape.
But he can't leave.
Because my legs were shaking.
He could only stand there and watch the two fight.
After a few rounds, Xie Yunman suddenly saw the face of the woman in red clearly; it was actually Lady Xue from the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.
Xie Yunman gradually calmed down.
She's quite skilled; she should be able to fight off this man in black.
Besides, I saved her once, and this time she saved me, so we're even.
As expected, Xue Weiyang fought with increasing ferocity, wielding her soft whip with fluid grace, gradually forcing the man in black to retreat.
Seeing that he was no match for Xue Weiyang, the man in black unleashed an extremely fierce slash, breaking the soft whip in Xue Weiyang's hand.
Xue Weiyang took a few steps back, and the man seized the opportunity and quickly disappeared into the night.
After everyone left, Xue Weiyang turned and walked towards Xie Yunman, asking with concern:
Are you alright?
Xie Yunman had recovered by now, and shook her head with feigned composure:
"It's alright."
"Madam Xue, what are you doing here?"
Xie Yunman patted himself off and asked.
Xue Weiyang said nonchalantly, "Hey, it's just that there were too many people on the street, so I wanted to take a detour, and that's how this happened."
Shan Xi and Feng Qi inquired and learned that Xie Yunman would be coming to the lantern festival today.
Xue Weiyang then asked the two women to find Xie Yunman's location, hoping to have a chance encounter.
But then he ran into someone who wanted to kill him.
He looked at Xie Yunman with a puzzled expression and asked, "Why did he want to kill you?"
Xie Yunman shook her head innocently: "I don't know."
Xue Weiyang quickly glanced around:
"It's too remote here, there aren't many people, and it's not safe. Let's find another place to talk."
Xie Yunman looked around and then said, "Okay."
Now that his legs were his own again and he could control them flexibly, he followed Xue Weiyang forward.
Xue Weiyang took two steps, still asking in surprise:
"Judging from that man's skills, he seems to be from the military. How could you have offended someone in the military?"
Xie Yunman couldn't figure it out either, so she innocently replied, "I don't know."
Upon hearing this, Xue Weiyang assumed he was being perfunctory, so she frowned and asked:
"So what do you know?"
"He is a member of the Northern Army."
Xie Yunman and Xue Weiyang walked forward side by side, the lamplight casting long shadows of the two.
From a distance, the two appeared to be standing close together.
"How did you know?" Now it was Xue Weiyang's turn to ask.
"Here you go."
Xie Yunman handed Xue Weiyang a gold accessory that had rolled to her feet.
In the dim light, Xue Weiyang reached out to grab it, accidentally touching Xie Yunman's hand.
Xie Yunman acted as if he had been burned, quickly pulling his hand back and hiding it in his sleeve, pretending nothing had happened.
Xue Weiyang stared at the accessory for a long time, but couldn't figure it out.
What's so special about this brass cufflink?
Xue Weiyang asked the question sincerely.
“Look at the edge of the cufflink.”
Xie Yunman gave a somewhat awkward reply.
Xue Weiyang examined the edge of the cufflinks more closely; they were polished very smoothly.
Is there a problem with this?
Hearing her question, Xie Yunman sighed: "Didn't you work at the border? How could you not tell?"
“I’m going to the Western Regions, not the Northern Border,” Xue Weiyang muttered in rebuttal.
"These cufflinks are not hand-polished; they are likely formed by pressing with a mold, demonstrating a very high level of craftsmanship."
Only the North can make something like this.
As you said yourself, he's a soldier.
Xue Weiyang nodded in agreement, then shook her head: "Then it can't be that someone went to the Northern Border to buy it for their own use?"
Xie Yunman continued to explain: "Look, his knife can cut through your golden silk whip, it must be a divine weapon."
This weapon will not remain unknown.
I took a close look at how he tied his belt while you were fighting.
In the frigid north, people often tie their cuffs tightly with straps to prevent snow from getting inside their clothes.
His cuffs were clearly tied in the Northern style.
When you fought him, didn't you see through his tactics?
Hearing Xie Yunman's analysis, Xue Weiyang nodded: "Yes, the combat techniques are those used in the military."
Xie Yunman then fell silent.
Xue Weiyang was silent for a while before saying, "Well, I already knew your identity when your elder brother got married last time."
Thank you for your help before.
Xie Yun waved his hand dismissively: "It was nothing."
Besides, you saved me today, so we're even.
Xue Weiyang thought to herself, "I don't want to be even with you..."
So he awkwardly scratched his head and cleared his throat: "Um... um..."
They say that a life-saving grace should be repaid with a spring of gratitude…
Xie Yunman was surprised to hear this, but still politely said:
"That makes sense. Today, Madam Xue saved me. If there is anything I can do to help in the future, I will do my utmost, even at the cost of my life."
Seeing Xie Yunman's seriousness, Xue Weiyang waved her hands repeatedly:
"No, no... there's no need to risk your life."
I... um... you... what?
Seeing that she suddenly became hesitant and embarrassed when she spoke, Xie Yunman pressed her for an answer:
"What?"
"You... promise me something... just... that's all," Xue Weiyang stammered.
"What is it?"
Xie Yunman frowned; he had a vague feeling that this was not a good thing.
Xue Weiyang closed her eyes, steeled her resolve, and said:
"Marry me. It's only right and reasonable for me to repay your life-saving grace with my body."
Upon hearing her words, Xie Yunman's composed expression finally shattered.
He stared at Xue Weiyang as if he had seen a ghost.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com