Chapter 186: Night Elope
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Tong Qiushi set his sights on Youhua Fairy, waving his hand dramatically and offering a thousand taels of gold to make Youhua Fairy his concubine. His elder sister was the current governor’s madam, and Ding Mama didn’t dare to offend her.
In the Cloud Pavilion, many young ladies had been selected by high-ranking officials and taken away to become concubines. Ding Mama was happy to facilitate such arrangements. Firstly, the young ladies were often willing, and avoiding the future of standing at the door and selling their smiles was, of course, a good thing. Secondly, the Cloud Pavilion, standing tall in Jinling for many years, also needed to navigate social relationships.
But Tong Qiushi chose Youhua Fairy.
Youhua Fairy’s heart was entirely focused on Wang Sheng, and Ding Mama saw it clearly. Knowing her daughter seemed elegant and amiable but was actually quite cunning, Ding Mama was worried. Now, during this time of deep affection between her and Wang Sheng, where would she find any interest in Tong Qiushi? It was likely that she would wholeheartedly prefer to be shattered as jade than intact as pottery. She might even create a big fuss, causing a rift in the relationship.
Ding Mama thought to advise Tong Qiushi, but unexpectedly, this young master was a stubborn one. That night, he caused a scene, almost setting the Cloud Pavilion on fire. The governor, fearing internal strife, naturally sided with his little brother-in-law. Ding Mama was both angry and helpless. Even though the Cloud Pavilion had connections with many officials and wealthy families, a dragon could not suppress a local snake. Even if Youhua Fairy was exceptionally beautiful, she was still just a courtesan. Offending the local governor for a courtesan was not a profitable deal. Moreover, since Youhua Fairy met Wang Sheng, she had only played the zither on stage, refraining from more intimate interactions. As a result, there were fewer people willing to stand up for her.
Tong Qiushi took Youhua Fairy’s contract, had her confined, and even planned to bring her into the mansion. Not only that, he ordered an investigation into Wang Sheng’s whereabouts and imprisoned him on the estate, subjecting him to daily torture.
This information was secretly revealed to Youhua Fairy by the Cloud Pavilion’s sisters from the mouths of outsiders. Worried about Wang Sheng’s condition and her own inability to protect him, Youhua Fairy fell seriously ill from excessive worry.
“If the young masters are willing to help, I won’t ask for anything else,” Youhua Fairy pleaded earnestly. “I’ve heard that Young Master Wang is imprisoned in the northern mansion. Please, young masters, rescue him. Tong Qiushi targeted me. Because of my mistakes, I implore you to save Young Master Wang. I can’t sleep at night.”
This seemed like a typical plot of a villainous man forcing a maiden into a marriage against her will, a story of breaking up a pair of lovers. The young men present were filled with a sense of justice and heroism.
“It’s not difficult. We’re just rescuing a person. Miss, rest assured, we’ll get Young Master Wang out safe and sound,” one of the young men assured.
Youhua Fairy’s eyes brightened, and she gratefully bowed, “Thank you, young masters!”
Everyone quickly helped her up.
Lin Shuanghe, however, looked at her thoughtfully and asked, “May I ask Miss Youhua Fairy, what will happen after we rescue Young Master Wang?”
Youhua Fairy was taken aback and then smiled bitterly, “If the young masters can rescue Young Master Wang, please convey a message for me. Youhua and Young Master Wang have a destined but untethered relationship. Due to my previous mistakes, I implore Young Master Wang to leave Jinling promptly. In the future, please forget about Youhua.”
“Are you not planning to see him?” He Yan finally spoke while sitting obediently, “What are your plans?”
Hidden in the shadows all this time, Youhua Fairy hadn’t made up her mind. Startled at the sudden appearance of someone in a mask, she quickly regained her composure, shaking her head, “Since he is the younger brother of the Governor’s wife, I don’t have other options. It’s not something I can decide on my own. It’s better to recognize the reality sooner.”
She spoke more freely about her own future than when she talked about Wang Sheng, indicating that she cared more about him than herself.
“Miss Youhua Fairy, you can rest assured,” the first young man who had climbed through the window spoke, “Since we stumbled upon this matter, we must help to the end. I didn’t expect that even in broad daylight, there would be such disgusting people. These officials abuse their power, and we can’t just sit idly by. Whether it’s Young Master Wang or you, we’ll make sure you’re both safe!”
The words were resolute and forceful, but how to “ensure safety” needed careful consideration. While they were speaking, footsteps approached from outside. Youhua Fairy stood up and said, “Someone is coming. I’ll go out and detain them. You all leave quickly.” She bowed deeply to everyone, “I entrust Young Master Wang’s matter to you, young masters.”
She pushed the door open and went outside to engage the approaching individuals in conversation. The remaining young men left through the window just as they had come in.
Waiting downstairs, an anxious Yang Mingzhi saw everyone return unharmed. Relieved, he was about to ask what had happened inside when he looked up and saw that the faces of the young men were all solemn. Puzzled, he asked, “What happened? Why do you all look so gloomy?”
Lin Shuanghe sighed, shook his head, and said, “Seeing someone suffer is uncomfortable.”
The buddies explained the whole story to him. Yang Mingzhi was infuriated, “How can this happen? Doesn’t the government care?”
“The one who did this is someone from the government,” Yan He dismissed it, “Do you expect them to act righteously and punish their own?”
Silence fell among the group.
After a while, someone said, “Since we’ve promised Miss Youhua Fairy, let’s first rescue Young Master Wang. Then we can go find that hateful Tong Qiushi. Now that Youhua Fairy’s contract is in his hands, let’s make him sign it and return the contract to Miss Youhua Fairy. This way, Miss Youhua Fairy and Young Master Wang can go back to Yangzhou together.”
“Rescuing Young Master Wang is simple, and getting back the contract is not difficult,” He Yan cautiously said, “But after the poetry gathering, we have to leave Jinling. After leaving Jinling, what if that person seeks trouble with them? People say not to fight with officials, and Young Master Wang’s family is just doing business. The Governor here can easily control them. Although we seem to be helping them, we can’t be sure that Tong Qiushi won’t vent all his anger on Young Master Wang afterward.”
The young men were eager to be heroes, but she was still a young lady, inevitably considering more for Youhua Fairy. Perhaps it was because of this that Youhua Fairy only mentioned rescuing Young Master Wang and didn’t bring up herself. Tong Qiushi had come specifically for her, and their help might only be temporary.
“He Rufei, how did you lose your dignity like this?” One person said dissatisfied.
“I think Brother He’s words make sense,” Lin Shuanghe, holding the fan handle, said, “We need to think about the future before taking action. Huaijin, “he asked Xiao Jue, who had been coldly watching, “do you have any good ideas?”
All the young men looked at him. After all, he was the number one in Xianchang Academy, extraordinarily talented, and exceptionally intelligent. Who knows, he might come up with a plan that benefits everyone.
Xiao Jue looked at them, sneered, and said, “Yes.”
Lin Shuanghe’s eyes lit up, praising, “You really have a way! Quickly tell us, what should we do?”
“It’s just a Yingtian Mansion,” Xiao Jue casually said, “Reveal your identities, and he will naturally back off.”
He Yan thought, he did see things clearly. The so-called going around in circles was too troublesome. An official one rank higher could easily suppress people. These young men were all from official families, and many of them outranked the Governor. Tong Qiushi was just bullying because he had the power.
Evil people always bullied the weak.
As soon as the words fell, some people shook their heads repeatedly, “No, no, if my family finds out I visited a brothel, they would break my legs. How can I reveal my identity?”
“Neither can I. Brother Huaijin, this is like killing the enemy but suffering heavy losses!”
“Too brutal, let’s put it more tactfully!”
Xiao Jue, holding his sword, leaned against the wall, lazily watching them, saying, “You guys think about it slowly. I’m going back.”
As he turned to leave, Lin Shuanghe grabbed the hem of his robe. Turning around, he saw Lin Shuanghe seemed determined, waving his fan, “Reveal it if you want! You guys are afraid, but I’m not. Even if my legs are broken later, I would have saved Miss Youhua and Young Master Wang.” He also provoked those who were still hesitating, “Are you still men? Just standing by and watching a girl jump into a pit? I, Lin Shuanghe, disdain to associate with you timid people. Stay away from me! I’ll go and be a hero alone!”
The young men were indignant, “Who are you calling timid? Who is not a man?”
“I’m not afraid either,” Yan He played with his ponytail, his eyes shining surprisingly, even a bit excited, “Getting beaten is getting beaten. I’ve been beaten before. It’s worth it to get beaten for saving someone!”
This kind of thing, the more people, the livelier it gets. With two people starting, chanting “The law does not blame the masses,” the young men soon expressed that no matter what, they would ensure the safe rescue of Young Master Wang and Miss Youhua.
Although Xiao Jue did not participate much in their conversation, he was still pulled along by the young men. Surrounded by everyone, they pleaded, “Brother Huaijin, come with us! With you watching, we won’t make any mistakes.”
He Yan stood on the side, looking amused. Did these fledgling birds really see Xiao Jue as their dad? Xiao Jue looked impatient, but he couldn’t resist the persuasion of the crowd. Reluctantly, he agreed.
So everyone returned to the inn together to plan.
“Since we have to reveal our identities, why not go directly to the governor’s mansion?” someone suggested. “Let them quickly return Miss Youhua’s contract and release Young Master Wang. How about that?”
“No,” Yang Mingzhi shook his head gently. “If we force it, it’s against the law, and we might even be accused by the evil person first. The wicked governor might take it out on our families. Besides, if Young Master Wang is still in his hands, revealing ourselves might startle him. What if Tong Qiushi decides to kill Young Master Wang recklessly?”
What he said made sense. Lin Shuanghe earnestly asked, “Mingzhi, do you have any ideas?”
Yang Mingzhi thought for a moment, “Let’s first rescue Young Master Wang. Afterward, we can figure out how to get back the contract. After doing that, if Tong Qiushi comes knocking, we can reveal our identities. By then, everything will be settled, and they can’t do anything about it.”
“Great,” the buddies exclaimed. “In that case, Tong Qiushi will be like a dumb person eating bitter herbs, unable to express his grievances.”
Although usually, everyone didn’t like bullying others, in such a situation, using their identities to oppress people felt quite refreshing.
“Dealing with scoundrels, we don’t need to consider gentlemanly ways. It depends on who is more shameless,” Yan He raised his eyebrows. “So, it’s settled. Divide into two groups—one to find the contract, and the other to save the person surnamed Wang.”
Yan He’s decisive words led to an immediate team formation. Xiao Jue and Yan He each led a group of people. The prefectural governor’s mansion was heavily guarded, so Xiao Jue, with his excellent skills, took four people to the mansion to find the contract. Yan He led the remaining few to the family’s residence in the north of the city to rescue the person.
After everything was sorted out, He Yan finally raised his hand from the corner, asking meekly, “Um… may I ask, what should I do?”
A total of ten young men from Xianchang Academy were sent to Jinling. He Yan had been forcibly brought by Lin Shuanghe. Ten people divided into two groups were just right, but with eleven people, it became a bit awkward.
“How about… let him stay at the inn? Anyway, his presence might slow us down if he goes.”
“No.” Yan He frowned. “Staying at the inn might not prevent him from being a hindrance. If the government soldiers find us and he exposes us, the whole plan will be ruined. He Rufei, you’ll follow me. Your skills might not be great, so you’ll keep watch outside when the time comes, understand?”
He Yan: “Alright.”
Being a decoration was something she had mastered. She didn’t mind at all. However, He Yan felt a bit nervous. Despite the remarkable skills of the Xianchang Academy’s youths in Shuojing, they were now in unfamiliar territory in Jinling. Even with their status protecting them, before their identities were exposed, the other party might not show mercy.
This was their first time taking charge, facing the so-called “big shots.”
Hopefully, everything would go smoothly.
…
When night fell, the two groups set off.
In the north of the city, there was a place belonging to the Tong family, a manor easily located. Often, Tong family servants who had made mistakes were sent to the manor, and within a few days, they would be tortured to death. Yan He ordered the purchase of a few horses and arrived at the manor under the cover of night. By the time they reached the manor, the sky had completely darkened.
The location was desolate, surrounded by wilderness on all sides, making it challenging to hide. However, it seemed that Tong Qiushi hadn’t thought about “hiding.” Having a prefectural governor as a brother-in-law, he did everything openly without any worries. Yan He and the other youths dismounted and had He Yan stand in the wild near the manor gate to keep watch, saying, “Stay here. If someone comes, blow the whistle, and we’ll leave once we find the person. Got it?”
He Yan nodded.
She didn’t speak much. When leaving, Madam He had told her that speaking too much was prone to mistakes, so she should be careful with her words.
The group led by Yan He quickly disappeared in the wilderness. He Yan crouched in the weeds in the field. The summer mosquitoes were numerous, and the parts of her clothes that were covered were fine, but the exposed neck, wrists, and soon were covered with swollen red welts. She didn’t dare to scratch, fearing that making a sound would attract others and disrupt Yan He’s plan, so she had to endure it silently.
After a long time, there seemed to be movement inside. He Yan stretched her neck, and sure enough, a group of people emerged, with Yan He at the forefront. He was tall and carrying someone on his back, presumably Young Master Wang.
He Yan felt relieved; they had been rescued!
She was about to wave to Yan He when suddenly a loud noise came from outside: “Thieves! Catch the thieves!”
“That surname Wang has brought reinforcements, catch them!”
The entire mansion, with unknown numbers of residents, which had been dark and quiet before, suddenly lit up with torches in all directions. At a rough glance, there were probably over a hundred people.
The plan seemed foolproof, but rescuing someone quietly was extremely difficult. While He Yan remained inconspicuous and undetected, Yan He’s group caused a big commotion in the rescue attempt. He Yan panicked; facing so many people, a direct confrontation was impossible, so she had to run. Without hesitation, she stepped forward and blew a whistle, signaling them to run quickly.
In reality, Yan He and the others did run.
The sudden appearance of the crowd bewildered the few young men, but relying on their usual skills, they immediately sprinted to the place where the horses were tethered, mounted their horses, and rushed out of the courtyard. The sound of hooves went from near to far, with some people chasing after them while others stayed at the entrance of the courtyard.
He Yan stared in disbelief.
They left her behind.
She tried hard to keep up with Yan He and the others, but her two legs couldn’t match the speed of four. Despite her efforts and shouts, “Wait for me, Brother Yan—”
The sound was quickly drowned out by the crowd.
She ran until she was exhausted and couldn’t run any longer. Suddenly, someone behind her swung a whip, and He Yan felt a sharp pain on her back. A thin line of blood appeared on her clothes in an instant. She stumbled and fell to the ground, turning her head to see the approaching crowd.
The people outside returned, cursing, “Boss, they escaped.”
“It doesn’t matter,” the leader stared at He Yan with a sinister expression, “we caught a little one. If Young Master Tong wants someone, just send this one up.”
“Hey,” he lifted her chin, asking, “Were the people just now your accomplices? Who are they? Tell me their whereabouts, and I might spare your life.”
He Yan pressed her lips and remained silent.
It wasn’t time yet. She could only reveal her identity after obtaining the identity token. By then, with her status clear, they would have no choice but to let her go.
But… would Yan He and the others come back to rescue her?
Seeing that she refused to speak, the other party became angry. He kicked her unexpectedly, but He Yan grabbed his knee and pulled him down. She flipped off the ground, ready to run.
“Hey, he knows how to fight.” The man wiped blood from the corner of his mouth. “Catch him for me!”
With her long training, her skills weren’t bad. However, barehanded, she couldn’t compete with a crowd. If only Yan He had given her some defensive weapons when they came, it wouldn’t have come to this.
He Yan took a beating and was eventually grabbed by the leader. The leader looked at her and clicked his tongue, saying, “Why are you still wearing a mask?”
“Is it because you’re too ugly and afraid of scaring people?” someone speculated maliciously. “Why not take it off and have a look?”
“True, this thing covers his face so we can’t see it. Take it off, take it off.”
He Yan was horrified and struggled desperately. When she came to Jinling, Madam He repeatedly warned her not to reveal her identity. If she took off the mask here, these people wouldn’t give it back to her. Even if she met her classmates later, they would only see the face of “He Yan.” Then “He Yan” would have to become “He Rufei” for the rest of her life.
Moreover… they might discover that she was a woman.
He Yan shivered and tried to break free.
“Huh? Is he scared?” someone said. “This mute seems to be quite vain. He panics at the thought of taking off the mask.”
“Now that you mention it, I really want to take it off.” The leader calmly watched He Yan’s struggles and sinisterly said, “Take it off for me!”
He Yan was pressed directly to the ground, and someone pinched her chin, forcing her to lift her head and trying to forcefully remove the mask from her face. However, the mask was equipped with mechanisms, and no one could open it except for herself. The person fiddled with it for a long time, but the mask remained unmoved. He ended up sweating profusely and looked at the leader, saying, “Boss, something’s wrong. I can’t take off this mask.”
“How is it possible not to take it off?” The leader cursed loudly. “Let me try!”
He grabbed He Yan’s neck and tried to pull it off with all his strength, but it was utterly impossible for him to remove it.
He Yan was in pain too. The mask had mechanisms, and the more forcefully it was pulled, the more uncomfortable she felt. These people had no goodwill towards her, and regardless of whether she felt pain or not, He Yan felt like her brain was about to split open.
She wondered, why hasn’t Yan He come yet? How come they haven’t realized she’s missing?
The leader forcefully pressed her face to the ground, and the smell of mud entered her mouth. Perhaps because the mask covered her face, and they couldn’t see He Yan’s crying and panicked expression, the leader’s mood worsened. He ordered the two people beside him, “Grab him for me. If he doesn’t taste a bit of bitterness, he won’t know how powerful I am. I don’t believe there’s a mouth I can’t force open.”
A series of banging sounds, like someone going to fetch “torture devices,” echoed. He Yan had heard about such secret tortures from people before.
“You brat,” the leader nudged her face with his shoe. “Still not talking? Are you waiting for your accomplices to rescue you? Don’t bother waiting. They won’t come back. Be sensible and confess clearly who took away Wang. You might suffer less.”
He Yan, being trampled, couldn’t move, and with bitterness in her heart, she thought that Yan He and the others had indeed forgotten about her.
In the vast wilderness, the night was deep, and the darkness extended endlessly. Only the sounds of insects and birds in the jungle could be heard.
It seemed like the sound of hoofbeats was approaching.
She pressed her ear to the ground, listening carefully. At first, she was surprised, then gradually a glimmer of hope emerged. She strained to tilt her head slightly, looking towards the end of the wilderness.
It seemed like someone was approaching on horseback.
They came? They really wouldn’t abandon her! He Yan’s heart was suddenly filled with joy.
The sound of hooves grew closer, and the people at the entrance of the courtyard also heard it. They were initially stunned, then raised their torches and looked towards the newcomers. In the torchlight, a person on horseback approached, getting closer and closer until a young man in a white robe, with a silver crown, riding a horse, appeared.
It wasn’t Yan He, but Xiao Jue.
He Yan’s smile froze, her expression of surprise hidden by the mask.
Xiao Jue dismounted about ten steps away from He Yan. He wore a long sword at his waist, standing tall and straight. The python embroidered on the silver threads of his white robe gleamed brilliantly. Walking from the darkness, he appeared like a warm sunrise, illuminating the entire night sky.
His clear and indifferent gaze swept over the menacing crowd at the entrance of the courtyard, finally landing on He Yan, who was pinned to the ground.
“Sorry, I’m a bit late.”
—Side Note—
Yan He come out to take a beating
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