Chapter 100 "Old man... please save him, please save him again..."
--
"How did you get injured like this again?! Didn't you listen to anything I said?! Or do you think your brother isn't tough enough?"
Inside the clinic, Jiang Ling'er, dressed in the clothes of a foreign youth, listened obediently with her head down like a child who had done something wrong. After a day and a night of fierce fighting, she was already in a sorry state. Her exposed skin was mixed with blood and mud. The dim light of the day not only concealed her facial features but also made her more conspicuous, especially since she was dragging a half-dead Pei Xuan with her.
No matter how the old doctor scolded her, Jiang Ling'er didn't talk back. She just kept her eyes fixed on the unconscious young Taoist priest who was resting on her lap.
After much deliberation, Jiang Ling'er finally found the old doctor. She had been a troublemaker in Jinling City since childhood, knowing every fun place and every nook and cranny in the city, and naturally also knowing who had the best medical skills in the entire city.
From the moment they stepped into Jinling City, she sought out this old doctor to save Pei Xuan, who was suffering from a persistent high fever, and thus his life was saved.
In the old doctor's eyes, they were just ordinary foreigners who had come to Jinling City to witness such a grand event as the martial arts tournament. They were actually... closer than ordinary brothers. He was touched by the boy's deep care for his elder brother, and thus paid more attention to him, and became even angrier.
“I told you long ago that this brother’s meridians were reversed, which was extremely dangerous. It’s amazing that he survived; he’s already been pulled back from the jaws of death! I repeatedly told him to take good care of himself and not to get a high fever again, but look at him now, he’s really risking his life! Even a god wouldn’t put himself through this, let alone a mortal body? Sigh…”
The old doctor wanted to say something more, but seeing the boy staring blankly at the young man's almond-shaped eyes, his gaze dim, his hands clenched tightly on his knees until his knuckles turned white, revealing the fine veins, he couldn't bear to say anything harsh and only sighed deeply.
With each word the old doctor spoke, Jiang Ling'er lowered her head further, until finally she almost wanted to bury her head in the ground.
She knew all along.
It was almost healed.
"Old man...please save him, please save him one more time."
Jiang Ling'er rummaged through her own pockets, then through Pei Xuan's. She seriously suspected that she had squandered all her wealth in her past life, which had led to her current financial straits. Fortunately, she did find some loose silver on Pei Xuan, quite a lot, and even a handful of gold, silver, and bronze items. Having traveled all over the country with the old镖头 (bodyguard/escort) since childhood, she had seen some of the world and recognized them as Mongolian artifacts.
In an instant, the image of Chunyu Hun's curly hair flashed through her mind, and she understood.
Jiang Ling'er paused only for a moment, then presented all the gold and silver in her pocket to the old doctor with both hands:
"Old man, please save him! Here's some loose silver, take it all..."
But the old doctor stopped her: "It's not that I'm unwilling to help, but my medical skills are shallow, and I'm truly powerless to save him... You should find another job."
Jiang Ling'er was stunned for a moment upon hearing this. Forgetting about the gold and silver in her hands, she tightly gripped the old doctor's long sleeve:
"Your medical skills are the best in the entire city of Jinling. If even you are helpless, I don't know who else to turn to..."
The old doctor slowly pulled his sleeve away from the grip on his clothes, turned his head away, and avoided the almond-shaped eyes that were so close to his:
"The Jin army is at the gates of the city. Your brother... most likely won't survive the night. Child, put your brother down, save yourself, and run for your life."
Instead, the old doctor turned around and knelt down before Jiang Ling'er and the other woman. How could Jiang Ling'er allow an elder in his seventies to kneel before her? She immediately supported the old doctor's arms, preventing him from kneeling.
"Uncle..."
"I'm begging you!"
A sudden, tearful roar made Jiang Ling'er's long eyelashes tremble violently, and also stopped her from saying anything more.
"In all my decades of medical practice, I've never seen anyone treat their own body so lightly! I can't save your brother, and I don't know what to do. Right now, the Jin army is invading, searching the whole city for a man and a woman with their portraits. The atmosphere is tense, and everyone is living in fear. Anyone who dares to harbor them will die! What use are all the gold and jewels? Let's go, let's go!"
Looking into the old doctor's tearful eyes, Jiang Ling'er remained silent for a long time before softly saying:
"……I see."
Since things had come to this point, Jiang Ling'er couldn't say anything more. After hastily packing her belongings, she half-supported the unconscious Pei Xuan and left.
Just before leaving, he was suddenly stopped by the old doctor: "...You are alone, dragging your brother's sick body, and carrying a lot of money, which will only attract attention."
Jiang Ling'er paused slightly, and then saw a Dongpo scarf in front of her.
He grabbed the old doctor's handkerchief, perhaps from his family, and trotted forward. The old doctor, panting heavily, his eyes filled with anger and hatred, said, "You're still young, you haven't experienced the Jingkang Incident of yesteryear... Those yellow-headed slaves now only know how to imitate others and find a couple, but who can guarantee what will happen tomorrow? What about the day after? They're nothing but a bunch of beasts who kill anyone they see! Child, I think... I think your brother wouldn't want you to be defiled by those beasts..."
"Yellow-headed slaves" was a derogatory term used by the people of the Song Dynasty to refer to the Jurchens. The old doctor was clearly terrified; his hands trembled involuntarily, yet he still resolutely took the Dongpo handkerchief and placed it over Jiang Ling'er's hair. He tied the ends of the handkerchief in a knot around her neck, concealing her face and the section of her neck that appeared even whiter due to the dirt on her face, and whispered:
"Please take care of yourself. If you can escape, then escape... Young Master."
The last three words were almost uttered silently, but Jiang Ling'er's pupils widened slightly, and her long eyelashes trembled like the fluttering wings of a butterfly.
After a long pause, he spoke softly, his voice slightly hoarse:
"...Thank you."
Jiang Ling'er hurriedly lowered her head and half-helped, half-dragged the unconscious young Taoist away.
----------x------------------------------------------------
It started raining sometime during the day.
The early spring rain felt damp, cold, and sticky on my skin. It was like ice scalpels, penetrating my muscles and seeping into my bones.
Jiang Ling'er carried Pei Xuan on her back, but it felt like she was carrying a branding iron. Even through her clothes, she could feel the burning heat emanating from Pei Xuan's body.
She was always worried that Pei Xuan would die without her knowing. Once she could no longer sense Pei Xuan's presence, she would stop and shake him repeatedly. At first, this was somewhat effective, but later it became less so, and she could only hit him.
She was strong, and in no time she had beaten the young Taoist's handsome, fair skin red. She heard him mutter unconsciously:
"...Water...water..."
Jiang Ling'er breathed a sigh of relief, then tensed up again, looking around for help:
"Wake up! I'll go get you some water, I'll go get you some water..."
However, passersby were in a hurry, and many people who made eye contact with her quickly looked away.
Although the portrait held by the Jurchens seemed to have been hastily drawn and did not resemble them very much, it did not prevent them from encountering setbacks along the way. Just as the old doctor said, the city of Jinling was in a state of panic, and everyone was afraid of getting into trouble. No one dared to take them in, let alone offer them any help.
But she could wait, while Pei Xuan couldn't.
They hadn't eaten for almost a day and a night. Even she felt like her stomach was on fire and she was starving, not to mention Pei Xuan, who had a persistent high fever.
Jiang Ling'er's lips were pressed together, almost devoid of color. She walked to a tightly closed door and knocked.
"Please, please, have some food, or even just a glass of water..."
"Where did this little beggar come from? Hurry up and get out of here! The Jin army has sealed off the city, and who knows how long it will last. Food is as expensive as oil. We're barely able to take care of ourselves, let alone give you anything else. Don't come here to cause trouble, hurry up and get out of here!"
Jiang Ling'er paused, gritted her teeth, and suddenly remembered something: "I have money here! I'll give it all to you... I just need a little bit of food."
Jiang Ling'er stuffed all her money into the crack in the door and waited for a long time. Just as she was about to lose heart, a steamed bun was thrown out from the crack in the door.
Jiang Ling'er was stunned for a moment before she realized what was happening:
"...Thank you, thank you!"
Just as she was about to bend down to pick up the bun, she looked up and met a pair of eyes that appeared a deep blue under the moonlight.
Vicious dog.
The vicious dog stared at the steamed bun in front of it, then at her. Saliva dripped from its mouth, its back arched like a bow, and a terrifying, poised growl emanated from its throat.
It was clearly a vicious dog that had been starving for a long time.
Jiang Ling'er was stunned for a while, then, with a hint of self-mockery, she actually laughed out loud.
Raindrops rolled down her hair. She glanced at the young Taoist priest sleeping soundly not far away, her stomach burning with hunger. Pei Xuan was probably in even more pain than she was. She rubbed her face hard with both hands, wiping away the water droplets clinging to her long eyelashes, and her vision cleared again.
The moment she removed her hands from her face, her slightly pale but still beautiful face was devoid of any smile.
Jiang Ling'er raised her hands and stared intently into the vicious eyes of the dog in front of her; this was her stance in the martial arts arena.
It is still the same now.
Even if what we're facing now is just a stray dog.
Who would have thought that Jiang Ling'er, the tyrant of Jinling, would one day be fighting with a vicious dog for food.
Jiang Ling'er took a deep breath, steadied herself, and just as the vicious dog was about to pounce, a gust of wind rose from her palm, and a "Thunderclap" palm strike was about to strike when suddenly a chorus of panicked screams rang out:
"The Jin soldiers are coming! The Jin soldiers are coming! Run!"
In the blink of an eye, the steamed bun was snatched away by the vicious dog!
Jiang Ling'er felt a surge of anxiety. She glanced in the direction the vicious dog had sped off, then looked behind her. Through the rain, she could hear the incessant sound of horses' hooves. They were trapped in a dark alley, surrounded only by people fleeing in panic, closed doors, and high walls. There was nowhere to turn for help...
Is it only possible to...?
Jiang Ling'er gritted her teeth, her fists clenching tightly, her almond-shaped eyes shining brightly through the heavy rain. She fiercely wiped the raindrops from her face, and was about to face the countless sounds of iron cavalry echoing from the depths of the rain when suddenly a voice rang out:
"here!"
Jiang Ling'er paused slightly, looked up in the direction of the sound, and saw a young man lying on the high wall.
The young man glanced at Jiang Ling'er, then at Pei Xuan, who was unconscious not far away, and grew anxious:
"What are you standing there for? Come with me!"
Although Jiang Ling'er was surprised, she didn't care about anything at the moment. She quickly picked up Pei Xuan and followed the boy's instructions to find the dog hole hidden behind the cover. She paused only slightly and without any hesitation, stuffed Pei Xuan and herself into the dog hole and crawled into the high wall.
------------------------------------------------------
Outside Jinling City.
After Wenshan Zhenjun finished explaining everything, it was nearly dark.
"Stop hitting me, stop hitting me! I've already told you everything I know... Stop hitting me, stop hitting me..."
Wenshan Zhenjun fled in terror, his body covered in welts from being beaten by the crowd.
"If we don't beat you, are we going to keep a coward like you around to harm the people?"
Master Ma was furious and was about to kill him when he was stopped by a whisk.
"Master Ma, could you please hand this villain over to me for disposal?"
It turned out to be Danxia and other True Lords of Zongshan.
"Gentlemen, could you do me a favor? Since this traitor came from my sect, it is my duty to cleanse the sect and inform the ancestors of Danxia Cave."
“Very well.” Yuan Wenkang, the head of the Xuanwu Hall, the number one镖师 (bodyguard/escort) in the world, nodded. Seeing that Master Ma still wanted to say something, he reassured him, “Brother Ma, such a person is not worth our effort. Let’s leave him to True Lord Zongshan. I’m afraid True Lord Zongshan hates him a hundred times more than we do. There are more important things to do right now. How can we protect our homes and country? How can we drive these yellow-headed bastards out of Jinling City?!”
As soon as Master Yuan finished speaking, everyone present became serious and solemn.
--
Lian Sheng waited under the big tree as agreed with Yuan Zao.
They waited until 3:45 AM.
After Master Yuan, Master Ma, Master Lu, Chunyu Hun, and others had been plotting all night and finally dispersed, they unexpectedly witnessed a dispute between Yuan Zao and Master Yuan.
"Father, why can you go, Sister Ling'er go, everyone else go, but I can't?! I don't want to stay here, I want to infiltrate Jinling with you and kill the Jin soldiers!"
"Don't make things worse, this is not the time to fool around!"
The girl's eyes suddenly reddened, and she pursed her lips, stubbornly refusing to let the tears fall.
"Father...you've never believed me, have you?"
Seeing his beloved daughter cry, Yuan Wenkang, though heartbroken, hardened his heart and issued a firm order:
“Yuan Zao, I am not ordering you in your father’s name, but in the name of the Xuanwu Hall Master. You must stay here obediently and not cause any trouble, do you understand?”
...
After Master Yuan left, it would probably be dawn if they waited any longer, so Lian Sheng hesitated before walking out from behind the big tree and slowly approaching Yuan Zao.
The girl stood with her back to him, her thin shoulders trembling slightly, clearly... still heartbroken.
The young monk had rarely spoken with women, and had never encountered anything like this before. For a moment, he didn't know what to do with his hands and feet, but Yuan Zao spoke first:
"I'm sorry to have made you laugh."
Yuan Zao sniffed, composed herself, and turned around, only to be stunned when she saw Gan Zishi standing not far behind Lian Sheng:
"Who are you……"
"I am Gan Zishi, the fourth of the seven new disciples of the Lingxiao Sect..." The boy followed Lian Sheng at a distance, seemingly waiting for Yuan Zao to ask him. He stood up straight and introduced himself in a series of words without taking a breath. When he saw the girl's red eyes, he paused, took two quick steps, and then stopped abruptly. He asked her cautiously, "Are you... alright?"
Seeing the doubt on Yuan Zao's face, and not only Yuan Zao but also Lian Sheng looking at him strangely, Gan Zishi cursed himself inwardly, reintroduced himself, and told Yuan Zao about Jiang Ling'er entrusting Lian Sheng to him.
After learning the reason, Yuan Zao remained silent for a long time, then suddenly looked up at Lian Sheng:
"You can stay here without worry. The disciples of Xuanwu Hall will protect you."
Lian Sheng sensed the hidden meaning in her words: "Then... what about you?"
"Of course I'm going back."
Gan Zishi was taken aback: "...You want to go back? Go back where?" Realizing his abruptness, he corrected himself, "Miss Yuan...where do you want to go back to?"
Without a second thought, Yuan Zao spoke, her eyes shining brightly. Even in the dim moonlight, the light in her eyes was undiminished, and her voice was firm and resolute:
"Of course I want to be with Sister Ling'er! Jinling is also my home! How can I allow these yellow-headed slaves to run wild!"
As soon as she finished speaking, she saw the young swordsman from the Lingxiao Sect staring at her blankly, seemingly stunned by her words, and indeed he was. Yuan Zao paused, then awkwardly scratched her long, curly hair, which resembled seaweed.
"I took my anger out on you... I'm sorry."
Seeing the girl who had been so assertive just moments before now scratching her hair shyly, a faint blush rising on her cheeks, she felt embarrassed.
She was wearing a pale yellow dress, and standing under the silver moon, she looked like a ray of light standing in front of him.
Gan Zishi paused for a long time, his heart pounding. Just as he was about to say something, he suddenly heard a familiar voice behind him:
"I'll go too."
Gan Zishi and Yuan Zao looked in the direction of the voice and saw that it was the young monk who had been silent who had suddenly spoken. Yuan Zao immediately objected:
"No! Sister Ling'er said she would protect you. She finally managed to get you out of the city safely. Besides, the Jin people are looking for you. How can we let you go back? No, no... you can't go back!"
"I was fortunate enough to be protected and hidden in a temple by the old镖头 (bodyguard), and then I was sheltered by Jiming Temple for six years... Jinling is also my home."
As soon as the little monk finished speaking, Yuan Zao felt a slight tremor throughout her body.
"Besides...you know why the old镖头 (bodyguard/escort) and Miss Jiang want to protect me. Since the Jurchens are targeting me, how can we let tens of thousands of Nanjing people lose their lives because of me? Even if this humble monk is outnumbered and outmatched, how can this humble monk...sit idly by? How can he be shameless and live a life of cowardice?"
The little monk's voice was very soft, yet every word was clear. Yuan Zao knew she should stop him, because Sister Ling'er would definitely not agree, but she just couldn't bring herself to say it.
Regardless of his status as the Crown Prince, we are all citizens of the Great Song Dynasty, children of the Great Song Dynasty. How can we stand by and watch the Jurchens trample on our land? How can we stand by and watch these yellow-headed slaves harm our comrades?!
Seeing the two staring at each other in silence, especially the girl's deeply moved expression, Gan Zishi, who was watching from the sidelines, felt a lump in his throat and abruptly interrupted:
"I'm going too!"
Seeing that Lian Sheng and Yuan Zao were both startled by his sudden outburst, Gan Zishi coughed awkwardly and looked at the little monk first:
"Firstly, I promised Jiang Ling'er I would protect you, and a gentleman's word is his bond. Naturally, I must ensure your safety. If you go, I will go too! Secondly..."
Gan Zishi then looked at Yuan Zao, paused, and Yuan Zao also paused when he saw him looking at him. Although he felt puzzled, he looked back at him seriously.
"My purpose in descending the mountain to gain experience is to uphold justice. When I witness injustice, especially the heinous crime of massacring entire cities, which is perpetrated by the people of my Great Song Dynasty, how can I stand idly by? Even if it costs me my life, I will never let the Jurchen invaders succeed!"
Yuan Zao listened blankly, and it took her a long time to come back to her senses:
"Well said!"
The three boys immediately hit it off and decided to sneak back to Jinling City before dawn.
--
Just after they left, a figure secretly followed them, stealthily moving through the darkness and following them silently.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com