Chapter 190: A Close Call
Ji Xuan nodded: "That makes sense. But the young master's safety... is truly worrying." His face was full of concern.
"Uncle Ji, rest assured! As long as Miss doesn't try to kill herself again, we will protect her with our lives and never let the old city lord's bloodline end!" Chen Youliang said firmly.
Ji Xuan thought for a moment, "This is easy! I'll give her a few words of advice." After saying that, the two turned and walked towards Yi Qingxue.
Seeing the two men staring intently at her, Yi Qingxue felt uneasy and couldn't help but ask, "General Ji, is there something you need?"
Ji Xuan said solemnly, "Young Master, I only just learned that you fell off a cliff and ended up here."
“I know… but I don’t know why I fell off the cliff!” Yi Qingxue said, feeling wronged.
Chen Youliang was taken aback: "Miss! Didn't you jump off the cliff yourself?" He looked completely confused.
Yi Qingxue's eyebrows furrowed slightly: "I...I..." She was so aggrieved that tears were about to fall.
Seeing this, Ji Xuan earnestly said, "The past is gone! I implore you, young master, no matter what, please take care of yourself and live on! The old city lord cherishes you like a treasure; if anything happens to you, we will die a thousand deaths to atone for it!" After saying this, he knelt on one knee and said loudly, "Please take care, young master!"
"Please take care, young master!" the soldiers responded in unison.
Yi Qingxue's heart trembled, and she hurriedly helped Ji Xuan up: "General, please rise! I... I will definitely live well!"
"Thank you, Young Master!" Ji Xuan stood up and said, "Young Master, it's good to forget the past. We can start all over again!"
"What? Miss, you have amnesia?!" Chen Youliang was extremely surprised.
Yi Qingxue nodded silently. Ji Xuan pointed to Chen Youliang: "Young Master, this is Chen Qingyun's eldest son, Chen Youliang. Chen Qingyun is your father's capable lieutenant and a close friend of many years! With him looking after you, you can rest assured. I still have military duties to attend to, so I will take my leave now! Take care, Young Master."
"Take care, General!" Yi Qingxue nodded in response.
Ji Xuan walked up to Zui Mochou, who was drinking nearby, and clasped his hands in greeting: "Take care, senior. I'll take my leave now!"
Zui Mochou put away his wine gourd and said, "Well, take care too! But where are you rushing off to in the middle of the night?" He asked curiously.
"We received a report from the sentries that bandits are causing trouble on the Congshan Road, and the Five Lakes and Four Seas Gang has also gathered there. That's why we rushed there overnight to prevent the local people from suffering. The situation is urgent, farewell!" Ji Xuan bowed again.
He then walked up to Chen Youliang and patted him on the shoulder: "Youliang, the young master's safety is entrusted to you."
Chen Youliang straightened his back and said, "Uncle Ji, don't worry, we will definitely protect Miss!"
Ji Xuan nodded with satisfaction, gave Yi Qingxue one last deep look, and turned to leave. "Withdraw!"
The soldiers sheathed their swords, put their arrows back in their quivers, mounted their horses, and with a series of neighs, galloped away into the distance, heading towards the mountain pass.
Zui Mochou watched Ji Xuan leave and sighed, "What a good man!" Then he turned around, his gaze sweeping over the people of Jin Dao Village like lightning, and said sternly, "You all saw it? How they treat the people?! Learn from them!" He puffed out his cheeks twice and said to the two Miao people and the three You, "Jin Dao Village is in your hands now. Take them away quickly."
Miao Kaijiang, Miao Qingshan, and You Tuotu bowed and said, "Take care, senior!"
Zui Mochou waved his hand repeatedly, his face full of impatience, too lazy to say a word.
Miao Kaijiang said loudly, "Brothers, put down everything we stole tonight! Let's go back to the village and get a good night's sleep, instead of carrying the name of a bandit for the rest of our lives!"
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone chimed in, "That's right..." "Put it down..." "What if my mother finds out..." They whispered among themselves, starting to unload the supplies from their horses and taking off what was hanging around their necks. Seeing this, You Tuotu also took off the wheat flour from his neck.
Zui Mochou nodded in satisfaction, finally showing a hint of joy. After everyone put down all the looted supplies, Miao Kaijiang announced loudly, "Back to the stronghold!"
"Clang, clang, clang..." The horses neighed again, and the Golden Knife Stronghold's troops galloped away. In the blink of an eye, only Chen Youliang's few dozen men remained in the arena, and the firelight had dimmed considerably.
Chen Youliang said with emotion, "Miss, it's such a relief that you're safe and sound! Otherwise, we would have no face to face our father."
Yi Qingxue said in a low voice, "I'm so sorry to have caused you trouble."
“Miss, you flatter me! Your safety is the greatest blessing! Please come with us back to the city!” Chen Youliang said, beckoning for horses to be brought over.
Yi Qingxue was silent for a moment, then said, "Brother Chen, a mother and child from the farmhouse next door were killed by bandits. They saved me... Could you help me bury them?"
Chen Youliang immediately said to his subordinates, "Leave four brothers to give our benefactor and her son a proper burial."
"Yes!" The subordinate accepted the order and left.
Yi Qingxue mounted her horse, glancing back at the thatched hut, a flood of past terrors and helplessness washing over her. This day and night had felt incredibly long…
In Longyang City, Xiaoyao Lang finally awoke from his coma and lay on his bed. The horrifying sword wound that pierced through his abdomen was gradually healing under the power of the dragon soul within his body; in addition, thanks to the meticulous care of Qiu Xia and Ling Xueyan over the past few days, the external wound had also scabbed over.
Seeing him wake up, Ling Xueyan was overjoyed. Her bright, lychee-like eyes looked at him and asked, "Young Master Xiaoyao, how are you feeling now? Is there anything else that's bothering you?" Her words were full of concern and affection.
"It's you." Xiaoyao Lang looked up. The girl in front of him was about seventeen or eighteen years old, with exquisite features. Her bright, sparkling eyes, delicate eyebrows like ink brushed on paper, a straight and graceful nose, full lips with a clear lip line, and shallow dimples that appeared on her cheeks when she smiled, making her incredibly beautiful.
Seeing that he remained silent, only scrutinizing her with his peach blossom eyes, Ling Xueyan couldn't help but purse her lips and smile, raising her delicate eyebrows slightly: "Young Master Xiaoyao, why are you looking at me like that? It makes me feel quite embarrassed..." As she spoke, she lightly raised her hand and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
Her eyelids lowered slightly, and she smiled sweetly, revealing her dimples again. Xiaoyao Lang snapped out of his reverie, his voice still hoarse: "Could you... give me a bowl of water?"
Her smile remained unchanged, and her voice was clear and crisp, without any of the bashfulness of an ordinary woman: "Okay, you wait!" She then turned around to fetch water.
Xiaoyao Lang watched her retreating figure. Her red dress accentuated her full and exquisite figure, making her appear more graceful and mature than other women her age. Little did he know that Ling Xueyan was already twenty years old, but due to absorbing the inner energy of many people, her appearance had been restored to youthful vitality, making her look like a young woman of sixteen.
"Young Master Xiaoyao, let me help you up to drink some water." Ling Xueyan held a glass of water in one hand and helped him sit up with the other.
Xiaoyao Lang struggled to sit up and said in a low voice, "Thank you for your trouble, young lady."
She smiled sweetly: "Why be so polite? I've been taking care of you all this time, why be so distant? Come here!" Before she finished speaking, she had already pulled him halfway into her arms with her right hand, and held the water glass to his lips with her left.
A sudden softness washed over his arms, and the warm fragrance of his daughter filled his nostrils, causing Xiaoyao Lang to stiffen slightly. "Miss... let me do it myself." He said, reaching out to take the bowl.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
