Chapter 29 I felt pity for him; he even began to blame himself for being clumsy with words…
Along the mountain path, earthen graves stood side by side, with yellow and white paper money half-buried in the mud, rotting into clumps.
In the fierce wind, the dilapidated, moss-covered wooden monument swayed.
Thunder rumbled, dark clouds covered the sky, and the wind howled like a mournful wail; a storm was brewing.
Iron Hand hurried along the muddy dirt road, braving the howling cold wind. He needed to find a place to rest and take shelter from the rain before the downpour began.
The area around here is deserted and desolate.
He thought he had reached the end of the road and could only enjoy a good soaking in the downpour. Unexpectedly, he parted the reeds and found a dilapidated temple deep in the path.
The steps in front of the temple were uneven and covered with a thick layer of withered leaves and yellow moss. The roof of the temple was also on the verge of collapse, with only half of it remaining.
What surprised Tie Shou was that, although the dilapidated temple was in ruins, a brand-new cinnabar and yellow talisman was pasted on the plaque, which was so old that the writing was illegible.
This cinnabar and yellow talisman remained completely still amidst the howling wind.
Iron Hand peered down for a while but couldn't figure out what was going on, so he simply stepped inside.
The moment his foot stepped through the temple gate, a pair of crimson eyes suddenly opened inside the deserted temple.
Upon entering the temple, the most striking feature is probably the dilapidated well in the middle.
Because a huge rock, as large as a mountain peak, was pressing down on it, which was completely out of place with the temple.
A cinnabar-colored talisman was pasted on the stone, as if to suppress some evil spirit. A chilling wind blew, making it quite eerie. Tie Shou was a constable who worked for the government, and also a constable with a chivalrous heart. He was always conscientious, honest, and upright. Since he hadn't done anything wrong, he naturally had nothing to fear.
He didn't believe in these things, but thinking of the desolate graves all over the mountains, he could understand to some extent.
Having traveled extensively, he knew that people in remote and isolated areas were more likely to believe in such things.
As long as they don't use these names to do some heinous and harmful things, that's fine!
This wasn't just idle talk; he had indeed encountered quite a few such cases. Evil people, to ease their own conscience, sometimes wouldn't even spare ghosts!
As Iron Hand was pondering this in his heart, he suddenly heard a faint, weak sobbing sound, like the whimpering of mosquitoes and flies.
The voice carried three parts softness, three parts harshness, and the rest was utterly desolate.
The mournful weeping could stir up a thousand knots of sorrow in the hearts of those who heard it.
In this remote, deserted temple, a young girl with such a delicate and frail voice was sobbing in the dead of night.
This association had already made him unconsciously worried.
He walked quickly up the steps, considerately passing by the door without entering.
But the undisguised footsteps still startled the girl inside.
He heard her let out a short, startled cry, a cry filled with a mixture of surprise, shyness, and delicate charm.
His heart seemed to be suddenly struck by a love seed, the water droplets light, small, and without a trace, but the crimson love seed continued downwards, falling straight to the bottom of the lake.
The dim and dilapidated temple was filled with cobwebs and dust. The paint on the walls had long since faded and become mottled. Apart from the half-built clay statue in the center and a broken stone altar, only the four wooden pillars supporting the roof remained.
The girl, whose delicate and beautiful voice alone revealed her, was hiding behind the wooden pillar, with only a small glimpse of her white skirt peeking out, like a snowflake falling from a pile of filth.
Lightning flashed across the sky outside the temple, signaling the arrival of a torrential downpour.
Iron Hand stood in the wind and rain, asking with concern and gentleness, "Young lady, why are you crying here so late at night? What is troubling you? I am a constable. If anyone has wronged or humiliated you, please tell me."
The man's voice was deep and powerful, carrying a tolerant and gentle quality, making one feel grounded and reliable, like the ground beneath one's feet.
Soothed by the voice, the girl behind the pillar finally dared to timidly turn her head, revealing half of her jade-like face like a shy maiden holding a pipa.
Iron Hand's ears turned red quickly. This girl was truly beautiful, with a face as lovely as a lotus, eyebrows as delicate as willow leaves, cheeks as white as snow, and eyes with a hint of red. Her eyes were filled with tears, making her a sight to behold.
Her eyes seemed not to be eyes, but rather swords of tenderness, causing him to be defeated in their first encounter.
Just then, a burst of white light ripped through the night sky, followed by a deafening clap of thunder.
Iron Hand saw the girl flinch in fright, looking at him with tearful eyes. In that glance, her beauty was not hidden amidst her fear, and her innocence was still evident in her sorrow.
That single glance, with tears streaming down her face, was enough to stir Tie Shou's heart, make him feel uneasy, and make him feel heartache.
He could only say with utmost tenderness, "Don't be afraid."
Xue Xin then took a closer look at the man who had barged in. He appeared to be around thirty years old, with a handsome face and a strong, robust physique. He was dressed in a black iron suit and a khaki robe.
He looked like a very honest and robust man, but his demeanor was very humble and gentle.
This person looked very upright and chivalrous, but unfortunately, she encountered only hypocrites while she was alive, and after her death, she no longer believed that there were any true gentlemen in the world.
However, this person was able to break through the dead Taoist's Mind-Questioning Formation and barge straight in, which suggests that he must be a person with an extremely strong will.
His entire body exudes such a strong yang energy...
A glint flashed in Xue Xin's eyes, and in the blink of an eye, she had already made up her mind.
Her long eyelashes, damp with tears, drooped slightly, and she asked hesitantly, "You...you're really a constable?"
Her voice was extremely thin and weak, like wind and mist in the pouring rain. You had to listen carefully and concentrate your whole heart to hear even a whisper.
However, Tie Shou heard it so clearly. He said gently, "My name is Tie Youxia. I am indeed a constable, and a veteran constable with more than ten years of experience."
Upon hearing these words, the girl quickly turned her back, her clear, bright eyes disappearing in an instant.
Just as he was feeling down, he heard her say softly, "Then come in quickly, it's windy and rainy outside, and your clothes are all wet."
The casual concern she revealed in her words instantly warmed his heart.
Iron Hand entered the dilapidated temple, but only restrained himself and walked behind another wooden pillar.
Although he really wanted to get closer to her and take a closer look at her.
However, no sooner had he sat down than a bloody smell suddenly wafted from the damp air.
His heart tightened again. Could it be that she was injured?
He couldn't help but turn to look at her, even just to catch another glimpse of the hem of her dress.
Iron Hand was hesitating about how to ask her questions and take care of her when he turned to the side and saw a bloody welt running across her exposed shoulder.
The wound appeared to have been inflicted by sword energy, and the blood had congealed into a reddish-brown color.
Upon seeing this, Tie Shou felt a pang of pain in his heart. He finally couldn't help but step forward, but before he could even hand her the ointment in his arms, a surge of anger rose within him.
Who could be so heartless as to commit such a cruel act?
The girl was covered in wounds, her clothes torn to shreds by the sword energy, and streaks of reddish-brown blood were a shocking sight on her dazzlingly white skin.
Xuexin looked up at him in alarm. His pale face was streaked with tears, and his body was thin and frail, a fragile yet heartbreakingly beautiful sight.
Seeing him suddenly walk over, she subconsciously stood up unsteadily, but before she could stand up, she suddenly lost her balance.
As Tie Shou leaned back slightly, he bent down and gently supported her. His strength was even lighter and softer than when the spring breeze first brushed against the peach blossoms, almost exhausting all the tenderness this strong and handsome man had in his life.
His hands were naturally burning hot, but the skin beneath them was icy cold, so cold it made one's breath catch in their throat.
He looked at the girl who was weakly supporting herself on his arm and explained very gently, "Don't be afraid, young lady. I know a little about medicine and I wanted to apply some medicine to you. Your injuries are so severe that if we don't treat them..."
He could no longer continue speaking, because the delicate and beautiful woman in his arms had reddened her eyes, and tears were streaming down her face before she could speak.
She bit her lip and said weakly, "I came here to die. What way is there for someone like me to survive?"
As she wept and her words were filled with sorrow, Tie Shou felt as if his heart was being gripped tightly by a large hand, and waves of suffocation washed over him.
This hand was even stronger than his iron hand!
He was out of breath in no time.
He hurriedly said, "The purpose of a constable is to provide a livelihood for the people! You are so young and beautiful, how can you be so eager to die? Tell me about your suffering, grievances, and injustices, and I will find a way to save your life!"
His words were resounding and truly exemplify the saying "a gentleman keeps his word."
Xuexin opened her blurry, tearful eyes to look at him. The tall young man's eyes were warm and firm at that moment.
She lowered her head helplessly and said forlornly, "My parents died before the New Year, and our family fell into poverty. I came to this place with my brother to find relatives, but we didn't expect our distant relatives to have moved away long ago. Not only that, we also encountered bandits, and my brother risked his life to protect me. Although the officials rescued me in time, he has already..."
She could no longer speak, and cried like a pear blossom crushed and turned to mud by a violent storm.
Her tears flowed endlessly into the iron hand, easily causing a flash flood.
Deep pity and heartache surged up like a tide, overflowing into his heart. He could only try his best to comfort her, saying, "If your parents and brothers were still alive, they would surely want you to live well. Parents who love their children plan far ahead for them. [1] Your brother is the same. If you were to die, wouldn't it be a waste of their good intentions? They would surely be pleased to see you safe and healthy in heaven."
Tie Shou was the most adept at comforting and speaking such words among the four of them. He was humble, polite, gentle, and composed, and was usually sent to those occasions that emphasized interpersonal relationships.
But at this moment, he felt that he hadn't said enough or well enough, and he even began to blame himself for being clumsy with words.
No one could have said it better than him, because he had shown the utmost tenderness, consideration, and empathy.
But Xuexin felt that she really disliked this person.
Because these were the words she least wanted to hear and most loathed to hear in the world.
She silently clenched her hands, her fingertips digging into her palms, and said weakly but seemingly moved, "But...but even so, how can I survive all alone now?"
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Author's note: [1] This is from "Strategies of the Warring States: Zhao Si: The New Use of Power by the Empress Dowager Zhao".
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