Chen Yan rushed towards the dilapidated temple without delay, like an arrow released from a bow.
"Bang--"
With a loud crash, the dilapidated temple's rickety door was kicked open, and a howling wind carrying snow rushed into the temple.
"who?!"
The bandits who had been gathered in the temple watching the spectacle all turned their heads in unison, their hands warily resting on the broadswords behind their backs.
The visitor did not answer, stepping into the temple, each step seeming to tread on people's hearts. The wind and snow formed a vortex behind him, and the moonlight fell on the jawline of his profile.
The pale background, mixed with crimson bloodstains, was chilling.
Meng Qingluan also heard the noise, raised her head (the only part of her body she could move), and saw the familiar figure. Her eyes reddened uncontrollably.
"A sunken inkstone?!"
Meng Qingluan's voice and tears fell together, causing Chen Yan's heart to ache.
The bandits didn't even have a chance to mock his frail and overconfident body.
Shen Yan rushed towards the bearded bandit who was pinning Meng Qingluan down. He was usually thin, but he didn't know where he got the strength. He punched the man away.
Meng Qingluan was truly terrified this time.
Her already disheveled hair became even more tangled, and her sleeves slipped down to her shoulders from the struggle, revealing most of her arms covered in red marks and streaks of tears.
She was both frightened and in excruciating pain from the man pressing down on her.
Shen Yan hugged her, pulled down her sleeves that had been lifted, and covered her arms again.
“A sunken inkstone…”
Meng Qingluan clung tightly to his chest, her mind a complete blank, wanting nothing more than to grasp at the straw that was right in front of her.
"I'm here, Luanluan isn't afraid."
Shen Yan gently patted her back again and again, his heartache surging with murderous intent.
The young man's large, calloused hands stroked Meng Qingluan's head, and he held her trembling body in his arms, gently comforting her. He was incredibly tender.
But the cold and stern look emanating from his dark eyes sent shivers down the spines of anyone who met his gaze.
Meng Qingluan's head grew heavier and heavier, knowing full well that the medicine from earlier had taken effect.
But she was too weak to think, only murmuring Shen Yan's name and "home," before losing consciousness.
Because she was lying in Shen Yan's arms, Meng Qingluan did not see what the bandits looked like before she closed her eyes.
The bandits, who had been so arrogant at the beginning, now had long swords pressed against their necks, and each of them looked as if they were facing a formidable enemy, kneeling on the ground in rows.
Shen Yan had his back to them, so they couldn't see the expression on his face, only the movement of his arm as he occasionally brushed against Meng Qingluan's cheek.
"Luanluan?"
"..."
Shen Yan called her softly, his words filled with a cautious tenderness.
The guards standing inside maintained their usual cold expressions, but when they heard this heartless, ruthless, and vicious man speak in such a gentle tone, they couldn't help but glance at them curiously.
Who is this woman? He clicked his tongue in amazement.
Receiving no response, Shen Yan looked down and saw that Meng Qingluan had already closed her eyes tightly.
He turned his head and stared sharply at the man kneeling on the ground with his bare arms.
The bearded bandit trembled and begged for mercy in a shaky voice.
"My...sir. I was blind and didn't know this was your lady. Please, have mercy on me and spare my life."
Shen Yan approached him, carrying Meng Qingluan, and asked in a cold voice.
What did you feed her?
The bearded bandit feigned ignorance, "What? I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't give her anything to eat."
Shen Yan said calmly, "I won't let you die."
"..."
Before the bearded bandit could even catch his breath, Shen Yan's next words nearly made him wet his pants in fright.
“I will lock you in a water dungeon, and every hour I will cut off a piece of your flesh, salt it, and feed it to you so that you have enough strength to scream in pain.”
“I’m not a stingy person. I will give you a chance to scream out loud, because those screams will only end up being poured back into your ears in the dark, sunless water dungeon.”
Chen Yan spoke calmly, as if he were simply stating something so ordinary that it couldn't be more commonplace.
Although the words were not particularly profound, everyone present couldn't help but shiver.
The bearded bandit immediately kowtowed and begged for mercy, slamming his forehead against the ground repeatedly.
"Sir, sir, I was wrong. Please have mercy and forgive me this once."
"Medicine," Shen Yan repeated.
"Here! Here!"
The bearded bandit dared not try to cheat again. He pulled a bottle from his waist pocket and explained.
"This isn't poison; it just makes you fall asleep easily after smelling it..."
The bearded bandit's voice lowered under Shen Yan's increasingly cold gaze, and he finally kowtowed repeatedly, begging for mercy until his head bled.
"..."
Shen Yan ignored him and tossed the medicine bottle to the guard standing next to him.
The guard took it, opened the bottle, and smelled it from a distance.
"Ordinary sleeping potion, with some 'Drunken Immortal Peach' added."
Shen Yan nodded, letting out a slight sigh of relief, before a surge of killing intent washed over him.
The bandits, kneeling on the ground, dared not even breathe loudly, for fear that even the slightest heavy breathing would bring bad luck.
Shen Yan glanced around coldly, his mind drifting back to the scene of Meng Qingluan, isolated and helpless.
"Leave no one alive."
With a single, soft sentence, Shen Yan decided their fate.
The knives in the hands of the guards fell to the ground as the command was given, and rows of heads rolled to the ground.
Without exception, the expressions on their heads were all wide open, their mouths shut forever before they could even resist.
The bearded bandit opened his eyes shakily, and touched the head that was still on his neck with great joy.
Hey, it's still here.
They crawled down to Chen Yan's feet like dogs and kowtowed in gratitude.
"Sir, thank you for sparing my worthless life. I'll get far away from you and your wife now."
Shen Yan raised her foot and kicked him to the ground, then withdrew it with a look of disgust.
Before the bearded bandit could utter a sound, the guards standing to the side sealed his pressure points, rendering him unable to move.
Shen Yan carried Meng Qingluan back to the carriage and placed her on a soft seat covered with a thick brocade quilt. He then put the prepared hand warmer into the quilt.
Meng Qingluan's eyes were tightly closed, and she was completely unconscious.
Because the cold had not fully healed and due to the medication, her lips were as pale as silver, and she looked lifeless.
He wanted to cry, but he held back the tears that were about to spill.
Shen Yan pressed half of his body against her face, only withdrawing when he heard her faint breathing.
"Lord Shen," someone outside the carriage curtain called softly.
Chen Yan cleared his throat, his tone indifferent, "Come in."
Soon a man dressed in white entered, nodded expressionlessly to Shen Yan as a greeting.
He then knelt down beside Meng Qingluan, gently placed his fingers on her pulse, and withdrew them after a moment.
Shen Yan asked nervously, "How is it?"
The man replied, "Your pulse is floating and tight, indicating the invasion of wind and cold, coupled with the fright, which has disturbed the Lesser Yin Heart and Kidney, causing your restlessness. You should rest well and take medicine after returning to the capital."
He took out a pill, "Shengjin Pill."
Shen Yan accepted the inkstone, and the man voluntarily withdrew.
Shen Yan helped Meng Qingluan up, making her lean half of her body against him. He carefully put the pill into her mouth and held her chin to prevent it from getting stuck.
Meng Qingluan was still conscious. She felt the foreign object in her throat and swallowed it subconsciously, but the bitter taste made her frown.
With her free hand, Chen Yan picked up the teapot on the table and poured a cup of water.
Just as I was about to feed Meng Qingluan the drink, I was afraid she would choke.
Silently telling herself not to dislike him, she then took a sip, turned her head, leaned down, and pressed her lips against his.
Afraid that she would drink his saliva, Chen Yan deliberately fed her half of it, swallowing the rest of the water in his mouth himself.
After visiting two or three times, Meng Qingluan's lips finally regained some color.
The carriage was already moving, with a naked, bearded bandit tied to the back, being dragged forward like trash.
During this time, while he was unconscious, they untied him and fed him pills.
Once he is fully conscious and can clearly feel the pain, then tie him up and drag him around.
They rode swiftly to the capital, where the house had already been prepared and the underfloor heating was running.
Shen Yan personally cared for Meng Qingluan until she finished drinking her medicine; by then, it was already dawn…
Meng Qingluan fell asleep peacefully. Chen Yan gently pecked her brow, instructed the maids to take good care of her, and then went out.
The guards who had been protecting them all the way had already withdrawn, leaving only ordinary-looking servants and guards in the courtyard.
The guards standing at the door saw him come out and stepped forward, saying, "Sir, the man has already been tied up in the woodshed."
A fierce glint appeared in Shen Yan's eyes as he turned and walked towards the woodshed.
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