Chapter 71 Willing to Die for Her
The men in black steadily approached, and Jin Anfu shouted for them to capture Liang Ye alive.
Liang Ye held Shan He in his arms with one hand and retreated step by step until he reached the edge of the hot spring. He had nowhere left to retreat and had reached the end of his road.
He was unarmed, while his opponents were all armed with cold blades. How could he possibly fight? Liang Ye's mind raced, and he suddenly shouted, "Ouyang Tongyang! If I die here, your sordid affair will no longer be able to be hidden!"
Ouyang Tongyang, who had been cowering and dared not speak, was startled, then suddenly looked up. He glanced at Liang Ye and Shan He, then at Jin Anfu, and hesitated before saying, "Jichen, you...you should have listened to Second Brother Jin...handed over the things earlier, why did it have to come to this?" His voice grew softer and softer, and he dared not look directly at Liang Ye. It wasn't that he didn't want to save Liang Ye, but Jin Anfu had more men and more power, and held leverage over him; he couldn't help him.
Seeing Tong Yang like this, Liang Ye and Shan He's hearts sank. Liang Ye had just finished a fierce fight, exhausting his strength. Now, without a suitable weapon and with Shan He by his side, he was at his last gasp.
Just as despair was setting in, a sound came from the entrance. Looking up, they saw Cheng Min rushing over, sword in hand. Tong Yang stared intently and realized that what Cheng Min was carrying and carrying on his back were the two precious swords that Ouyang Shizhong had treasured in the study of Wuyou Garden. Now that the Xuan Tie had reappeared, their cold light was chilling, and they looked more powerful than the steel blades used by Jin Anfu and the others.
While engaging the man in black with his sword, Cheng Min slowly moved closer to Liang Ye. Once he was near Liang Ye, he took the cold sword from his back and threw it in front of Liang Ye.
Liang Ye took the sword and said to Shan He, "Don't move." After saying that, he immediately drew his sword and went up to fight the enemy with Cheng Min.
The two fought back fiercely, using all their skills, and finally managed to kill most of the men in black, when they heard a loud shout from behind: "Liang Ye!"
Qiu Mao held Shan He hostage, his sword once again pressed against Shan He's neck. Qiu Mao shouted in a trembling voice, "Liang Ye! Put down your sword!" He had never practiced martial arts, and it was difficult for him to lift the sword, but facing the injured Shan He, he still gained the upper hand after a few moves.
Liang Ye hesitated, his sword strike slowing, and he kept glancing at Shan He. Seeing this, Cheng Min quickly shouted, "Escape first! We can get reinforcements later to save our lady!"
Both of them were skilled in martial arts, and with a fierce fight, they might be able to escape. Shanhe, however, was powerless; carrying her would only be a burden. They both knew that only by abandoning Shanhe could they have a chance of survival.
Liang Ye gritted his teeth and stared at Shan He, remaining silent for a moment.
Shanhe closed her tearful eyes, swallowing back the words she wanted to cry for help. She knew Liang Ye would abandon her; he always chose himself first, then others, let alone her, a woman who had repeatedly defied him.
In just a few breaths, she heard the crisp sound of sharp weapons clashing again, and heard Qiu Mao shouting for Liang Ye to stop immediately, or he would kill Shan He. For a moment, Shan He hoped in her heart that he would choose her and take her with him, but the sound of swords clashing did not stop.
He will not choose her.
The sword against Shanhe's neck moved a little deeper.
"I really killed her!" Qiu Mao shouted again.
Shanhe felt a slight pain in her neck.
"Liang Ye, you'll just watch this woman die with your own eyes—" Qiu Mao's voice trailed off.
Then came the sound of a sharp blade piercing skin.
She hurriedly opened her eyes and saw that Liang Ye had already deflected Qiu Mao's sword-wielding hand with a single stroke, and then another blade pierced Liang Ye's back from behind, the tip penetrating his right chest. A small, gleaming blade protruded from the blood-stained brocade robe, pointed directly at Shan He's face.
She saw Liang Ye standing in front of her, watching his eyes gradually lose their luster, slowly turning his gaze to her face, and then slowly raising the corners of his lips to smile, revealing a row of blood-stained white teeth.
"Don't..." be afraid.
He had barely uttered a single word when a mouthful of blood gushed out, splattering all over Shanhe's face.
The sharp blade that pierced through his chest was snatched away with a hiss. Liang Ye swayed, then knelt before Shan He, leaning on his sword.
"My God! Liang Ye!"
Shanhe hurriedly supported him under his armpits, but Liang Ye's size and physique were beyond her ability to bear. She had no choice but to kneel down with Liang Ye and hurriedly untied his belt to wrap around his wound.
She forgot to cry, but tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. Her whole body trembled, her bandaging hands shook, her entire body trembled, even her voice trembled: "Don't die, don't die, please don't die..."
She hated him, but she never wanted him dead.
The ground was littered with Jin Anfu's men, some dead, some wounded, unable to struggle to their feet. Liang Ye's blade had slashed Jin Anfu's arm, penetrating deep into the bone, rendering him unable to lift his weapon. Qiu Mao's hand had also been cleaved open by Liang Ye, leaving him trembling on the ground.
Cheng Min also collapsed from exhaustion due to her injuries.
Shanhe became the only person in the area who could walk upright.
There's also Ouyang Tongyang.
"Are you just going to stand by and watch?!" Shanhe tried her best to help Liang Ye up, and scolded Tong Yang, "He got into this trouble because of you! He should be at home now, waiting for His Majesty to grant him an official position. He did it all for you!"
Tong Yang was stunned by the scolding. He raised his head to retort, but saw Liang Ye leaning weakly against Shan He's shoulder, gasping for breath, covered in blood, barely recognizable as human. Tong Yang was shocked and staggered back half a step. This was Liang Ye, the third-ranked scholar Liang Ye! He still remembered the day the results were announced, the silver laurel hairpin bestowed by the Emperor on his turban, and how he rode his tall horse all the way from Zhuque Street to the gate of the Shi residence, everyone staring at him, everyone admiring him. But now, why was he bleeding profusely from his chest, why were his eyes lifeless, why was he like a limp piece of flesh slumped on a woman's shoulder? Tong Yang couldn't help but tremble, terror seizing all his reason and mind.
Shanhe wiped away her tears: "He's six years younger than you! He treats you and your own brother Ouyang Tongfu like his own brother! Otherwise, why would he get involved in these messy things! His own brother was in Beichuan on the verge of death, and he didn't care. He helped you pay off your gambling debts and helped your brother get transferred back to the capital... He helped you all like this because he trusted you and that's why he came to Wuyou Garden! You just stopped helping him, and now he's about to die!"
How can you just stand by and watch!
Tong Yang stared blankly, his lips trembling as he murmured, "He...he did it for his own future..."
Shanhe couldn't help but sob, "You bastard! A gentleman judges by actions, not intentions. Your brother has been transferred back to the capital, and you've paid off your gambling debts. Now you're saying he did it for his future! You bastard!"
"Madam Xue!" Green Pearl appeared out of nowhere, followed by six or seven maids and servants. She stepped over the people and corpses lying on the ground and ordered them to help Liang Ye and Cheng Min up. "Come with me."
"Green Pearl! Green Pearl!" Tong Yang stumbled forward, but tripped over himself. He cried out urgently, "Green Pearl! Let's go! Hurry! People are dying! People are dying here! Liang Ye is going to die!"
Green Pearl had her men take Shanhe and the other two away, while she remained at Yuqing Spring. Looking back at the mess on the ground, and at the cowardly and incompetent man who had fallen and was trembling in the corner—the man who controlled her fate, the man she relied on like the heavens—Green Pearl felt for the first time that Ouyang Tongyang was nothing but a lump of soft mud! He was a beast!
Green Pearl took a deep breath, trying her best to keep her voice level: "The emperor's chosen scholar, at the height of his fame, died mysteriously in your Wuyou Garden. What do you want from the emperor? What do you want from the Grand Secretary? Have you thought about the Ouyang family!" She glanced at Jin Anfu, who was struggling to his feet, bowed to him, and said coldly, "Second Brother Jin, I am just a woman, I dare not shed blood. It's better to settle your grudge with Master Liang outside. This is the imperial garden, built by imperial decree of the late emperor. If you kill Scholar Liang here, needless to say, he will be furious, and even our Grand Secretary will have to intervene. It will drag on and cause a lot of trouble. Your trip tonight will only make things worse."
Jin Anfu sneered, spat out a mouthful of blood, and arrogantly glanced at Ouyang Tongyang: "She's more cunning than you."
Tong Yang, however, was already huddled in a corner, repeatedly muttering the phrases "Someone's going to die" and "Liang Ye is going to die."
Green Pearl continued, "Second Brother Jin, wait a moment. I'll send the people out. There are mountains all around here. Your men should wait for half an incense stick's time before chasing after them. If one or two people die in the wilderness, no one will notice, and it will have nothing to do with Wuyou Garden."
Jin Anfu laughed loudly and nodded.
Green Pearl immediately turned and chased after them. Liang Ye and the others had already been helped into a two-horse carriage, and a maid handed them a bulging package. Green Pearl said to Shan He, "Once you leave Wuyou Garden, just follow the main road straight ahead, and you'll reach the capital. They'll catch up in about half an incense stick's time. You can also turn north at the second intersection, heading towards the county town of Jingji. With county soldiers protecting you, they won't dare do anything. Return to the capital tomorrow at dawn. In short, you must be quick! I can only buy you this half an incense stick's time!"
Shanhe was in tears, crying as she thanked Lüzhu.
Green Pearl thought for a moment, then said, "When I get back safely, I'll ask Uncle Liang to say a few good words for me to the old master and help me get into the Ouyang family. That would be my way of thanking you."
Shanhe bit her lip, swallowed her tears, and nodded repeatedly.
Cheng Min started driving the carriage.
Green Pearl was quickly left behind. She called out, "There are medicines in the bundle. It was prepared in a hurry, so please use them!"
The carriage sped on. Green Pearl's voice gradually faded into the distance, and the vast Wuyou Garden slowly became a hazy black shadow amidst the sound of hooves. Two horses and a carriage, under the stars and moon, traveled eastward along the main road.
Liang Ye lay in the carriage, his body already trembling.
Although Green Pearl's bundle was prepared hastily, she had prepared three bottles of wound medicine to stop bleeding and promote tissue regeneration, not to mention the bandages needed for bandaging. Shanhe sprinkled the powder on his wound with trembling hands, and all that could be heard was a muffled groan that he tried his best to suppress but could not control.
Shanhe wiped away her tears while bandaging his wounds.
Liang Ye said in a hoarse voice, "You...you all go back to the capital first..."
Shanhe was taken aback.
“Chengmin… I’ll take you on horseback… I’ll take you back… Horseback riding is faster… I will… I will be a burden to you…” He enunciated each word with difficulty.
The carriage suddenly lurched, and Liang Ye's entire body slammed heavily against the carriage wall, causing the freshly bandaged bandage to immediately bleed out a palm-sized amount of blood.
He was covered in cold sweat, curled up against the car wall, and trembling uncontrollably.
Shanhe, tears streaming down her face, helped him up, took off her outer robe and covered him with it. Then she suddenly lifted the carriage curtain and said to Chengmin, "Chengmin! You ride back to the capital!"
Cheng Min was sweating profusely with anxiety: "Wife! Don't talk nonsense anymore! I would never abandon Master!"
Shanhe, however, showed a decisiveness: "Chengmin, we can't possibly travel as fast as they can on horseback!" She spotted a pond ahead, filled with lotus leaves, about two or three acres in size. Shanhe hurriedly said, "Chengmin! Chengmin! Leave us here! We'll hide in the lotus pond! You ride back to the capital as fast as you can, let them chase after this empty carriage first!"
Cheng Min knew that if they fled like this, they would inevitably be caught. Hearing Shan He's words, he remained silent. Shan He was about to speak again in her anxiety, but Cheng Min had already pulled on the reins and stopped the carriage by the lotus pond.
The two of them helped Liang Ye off the carriage and slowly walked to the lotus pond.
The lotus pond was now filled with lotus leaves, indicating that it was not an unattended wild area but a private pond planted with lotuses to sell seasonal lotus flowers, pods, and seeds. Shanhe walked along the edge of the pond for only a few dozen steps and indeed saw a small stone boat moored among the lotus leaves.
Together with Cheng Min, she moved Liang Ye into the stone boat. Afterward, Cheng Min rode a horse back to the capital at full speed, while the remaining horse and carriage continued to gallop on the main road.
When Shanhe returned to the pond, Liang Ye was lying on the stone boat, panting heavily. Seeing Shanhe return, he was startled at first, then turned his face away. He opened his mouth, but his voice was hoarse: "Go...go..."
Shanhe wiped away her tears and snot: "You didn't leave me behind and walk away alone back then!"
"Go...go..." He kept repeating this one word.
Shanhe pouted: "Fine! I'll go!" After saying that, she stood there without moving, only facing the wind and gazing sadly at him.
They had reached the end of the road.
Where could she go? She didn't know this place, and besides, it was already dark, there were pursuers behind her, and she didn't even have a horse.
Shanhe tucked the stone boat into the lotus leaves and then lay down in the small stone boat himself.
The boat rocked violently; lying inside, people swayed incessantly. The lotus leaves that obscured their bodies swayed, the night sky swayed, and the stars adorning the night sky swayed as well.
Liang Ye's heavy breathing lingered in my ears, as if it were swaying.
Shanhe turned her head to the side and realized that Liang Ye had already turned his face towards her and had been looking at her the whole time.
His voice was hoarse by now, and speaking aggravated the injury in his chest. He could only lip-read to complain about Shanhe.
Go away... don't worry about me.
"But you saved me."
I'm doing this willingly...
"I'm willing to do it."
I don't want you to die...
"I don't want you to die, Ah Shao doesn't want you to die, and Grandfather doesn't want you to die!"
A tear instantly streamed down Liang Ye's face, diluting the blood on his face into a pinkish hue that flowed into his mouth with a salty taste.
He slowly turned his face back, gazing at the starry sky nestled among the lotus leaves, closed his eyes, and another tear rolled down his cheek.
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Author's note: I'll update another chapter tomorrow, but there won't be any updates on the 13th.
I don't know why the text copied from word processing software always has some strange punctuation errors. Please bear with it, or at least try to find the bugs.
The next chapter is Shan Shan's highlight [crying emoji]
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