Chapter 187: Traveling Companions
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He Yan didn’t expect the person who came to be Xiao Jue.
She had thought that Yan He and the others might notice her absence after a long time and come back to look for her. Although this possibility was extremely slim, she certainly didn’t anticipate that it would be Xiao Jue who arrived.
Wasn’t he supposed to be taking another person to the Governor’s Mansion to find a body deed?
The leader, upon seeing Xiao Jue, was also shocked. This young man was different from the one with the mask earlier; his appearance and attire didn’t seem ordinary at all. Hesitating for a moment and thinking about Tong Qiushi, he shouted, “This kid’s accomplice has come; grab him for me!”
He Yan was startled, and instinctively blurted out, “Brother Huaijin, they are numerous; you should run quickly!”
Although Xiao Jue had excellent skills, there were too many people here. He alone wouldn’t be able to handle them, and it seemed that Yan He and the others hadn’t followed him. This didn’t bode well.
She was anxious, forgetting her original intention. If Xiao Jue ran away at this moment, what would happen to her?
Xiao Jue’s gaze swept over her, and he only curved his lips. He Yan hadn’t yet realized the meaning behind his smile when she heard the sound of horse hooves not far away, exceptionally clear in the night.
Had Yan He and the others come?
This time, He Yan guessed wrong. The newcomers were not Yan He; instead, they were about ten guards. Before coming to Jinling, each family worried about the long journey and assigned excellent guards for personal protection. Although these young men hadn’t hidden the fact that they were guards when visiting the flower houses, they had refrained from revealing the details of the rescue mission. After all, it was too dangerous, and telling the guards would almost certainly lead to interference.
However… currently, the appearance of these guards turned out to be perfect.
Xiao Jue didn’t even bother to draw his sword. The guards behind him had already taken action without waiting for his command. The people at the entrance of the courtyard were merely thugs and lackeys raised by Tong Qiushi. How could they compare to the elite guards selected through rigorous screening in Shuojing City? For a moment, chaos ensued.
No one paid attention to He Yan, who was pressed to the ground.
He Yan used her hands to support herself, planning to get up on her own. However, she saw a pair of boots stopping in front of her. She lifted her head, and the young man was looking at her, extending a hand toward her.
That hand was long, white, with distinct joints, clean and neat, reminiscent of finely carved jade. Meanwhile, her own hands were covered in mud from the previous scuffle. He Yan hesitated and didn’t extend her hand.
The young man seemed impatient. After a moment, he grabbed her elbow and pulled her up from the ground.
“…Thank you,” she said softly.
Xiao Jue’s gaze fell on the whip marks on her back, but he didn’t say anything. However, after a short while, the guards had already knocked down everyone here, leaving them sprawled on the ground like pigs.
“Who used the whip on you just now?” he asked.
He Yan looked at him sideways.
Before she could speak, the leader started begging, “Young Master, spare me, spare me; it wasn’t intentional!”
“So, it’s you,” Xiao Jue said indifferently.
He casually bent down, picked up the whip that had been trampled in the mud, the same whip that had struck He Yan’s back earlier.
He handed it to He Yan. “Hit him.”
“…What?” He Yan didn’t understand.
“How he treated you, treat him the same way,” Xiao Jue casually flicked his robe, lazily sitting down on a chair directly facing the group of people. He gestured towards He Yan, “Go ahead.”
He Yan looked at the whip, lost in thought, and hesitated to strike.
The leader began wailing again, tears streaming down as he begged for mercy.
“Well,” the young man looked at her with a playful expression, raising an eyebrow, “are you afraid?”
The leader felt a sense of joy, thinking that the masked youngster looked frail and young, possibly easy to sway with a bit of pleading. So, he started begging once again.
“No,” He Yan heard her own voice, small yet firm, “Can I hit him a few more times?”
The leader was dumbfounded.
Xiao Jue was also taken aback, but after a moment, he casually spoke with interest, “Feel free.”
He Yan raised the whip.
Honestly, although she had taken a beating, the whip had only struck her once. Talking about hitting a few more times was mostly just for venting. She didn’t wish to come to Jinling in the first place, but she was forced to accompany Lin Shuanghe’s group. Now, not only did she have to endure this undeserved calamity, she felt deeply aggrieved. Since a punching bag was handed to her, she might as well make good use of it, especially since this person was no good, someone who took advantage of his power. Hitting him a few more times could be considered avenging Young Master Wang and Youhua Fairy.
“Crack!”
The crisp sound of the whip echoed in the open night. The thugs, who had just been making a commotion, suddenly dared not speak anymore. Only the leader’s miserable cries filled the air.
He Yan was quite measured in her actions; she didn’t injure his bones. It might be painful, but it was only superficial.
She gave him a total of ten lashes.
After ten lashes, the once arrogant individual was now full of tears, barely clinging to consciousness, with no strength left even to scream. However, this masked youngster obediently placed the whip in front of him, even softly saying, “Excuse me.”
This directly caused the leader to faint.
He Yan walked over to Xiao Jue’s side. Xiao Jue glanced at her, “Is it done?”
“It’s done.”
He nodded, stood up, and turned to leave. “Let’s go.”
The leader, having endured such a beating, fainted, and in the crowd, someone with courage shouted, “Who are you? Acting so arrogantly, aren’t you afraid that Governor will find trouble with you when he hears about this? The Governor won’t let you off!”
The young man in the white robe turned around, his silver python-like robe fluttering with a beautiful and sinister aura. His gaze was slightly cold, and he sarcastically laughed, “I’m afraid he won’t come.”
“Remember to come to Cloud Pavilion to find me; I’ll be ready at any time.”
After saying this, he paid no attention to those people, continuing to walk forward and following the guards to their destination. He Yan followed him all the way, and when they reached the horses, Xiao Jue asked her, “Can you get up?”
He Yan nodded and climbed up with some effort. Just as she settled, she felt someone behind her. She was surprised that Xiao Jue had mounted the same horse as her. For a moment, her emotions were difficult to calm.
Firstly, Xiao Jue was usually very particular about cleanliness. At this moment, she was covered in mud, dirty and disheveled, yet he surprisingly didn’t show any disgust. Secondly, due to her identity, He Yan hadn’t had such an intimate contact with anyone for a long time.
The guards left the courtyard together, but Xiao Jue’s horse moved slowly, probably considering her injuries. The bumps on the road would undoubtedly cause her pain. This small gesture warmed He Yan’s heart, and she hadn’t realized that the guards had left without them. Unconsciously, only the two of them were left behind.
Seeing that no one was around, He Yan asked in a low voice, “Brother Huaijin, how did you come here?”
“On the way.”
On the way? This wasn’t even in the same direction. She was about to speak, but she heard Xiao Jue ask, “What if I hadn’t appeared? What would you have done?”
“…Then I would have exposed you,” He Yan replied in a small, determined voice. “My father is General Guangwu; Tong Qiushi wouldn’t dare to act recklessly.”
Xiao Jue was amused by her response. “You’ve planned this well.”
“We are on the same boat,” He Yan said calmly.
Xiao Jue sneered and didn’t continue speaking.
He Yan bit her lip, thinking. In reality, even if Xiao Jue hadn’t come, she probably wouldn’t have exposed them. Every moment she could endure was a moment gained. However, if she said that, wouldn’t it make her appear easy to bully? She wanted Yan He and others to know that she could be fierce. She felt angry and condemned about this abandonment of friendship.
After an unknown period, the road ahead changed from wilderness to bustling city life. They had entered the city, and the guards, having received Xiao Jue’s instructions, had already left on their own. Xiao Jue found an inn, dismounted with He Yan, and entered the inn.
“Wait,” He Yan grabbed his sleeve, “Brother Huaijin, weren’t we supposed to meet with Brother Nanguang and the others? What are we doing here? Staying at the inn?”
Xiao Jue glanced at her, “Are you sure you want to meet Yan Nanguang like this?”
He Yan was momentarily stunned, only now realizing that she was not only injured but also her clothes were in disarray from the beating. She awkwardly said, “Oh, I see. Thank you, Brother Huaijin.”
Xiao Jue called for a room and asked the inn’s attendant to bring hot water. He Yan became nervous again and said to him, “Brother Huaijin, when I bathe, I prefer not to have anyone around. Could you step aside?”
Xiao Jue looked at her incredulously, “Am I your servant?”
He Yan, “Huh?”
“Perhaps you’re thinking too much.” He mocked, “You can bathe by yourself, but what about applying medicine?”
“These are just minor injuries; they’re not a big deal.” He Yan said.
“You’re quite strange,” he stared into He Yan’s eyes, took a step closer, and said thoughtfully, “Your guards are overly indifferent to you.”
This time, the young people brought their family-assigned guards when they came to Jinling. These young people had noble identities and were highly valued by their families, so the guards were undoubtedly concerned about their safety. However, He Rufei’s guards seemed particularly cold, not necessarily cold but not very close. For example, tonight, if it were Lin Shuanghe’s guards, upon learning that Lin Shuanghe was injured, they would have probably already sought doctors to personally tend to Lin Shuanghe’s injuries.
But He Rufei’s guards hadn’t even inquired much. If one were to say that He Yan received cold treatment at the He family, He Yan was the eldest son of He Yuansheng, and it shouldn’t be the case.
He Yan’s heart tightened; she hadn’t expected Xiao Jue to notice this. But how could she explain her being a girl? It was her personal matter, and not many people in the He family were aware of it. The guards had also received instructions from He Yuansheng not to get too close to her.
But it had become a fatal loophole.
He Yan tried to appear calm, “I have a cold and unapproachable temperament. I don’t like to have too much contact with others. I instructed them not to get close to me.”
This was something one would say to comfort a child, and even a child might not believe it.
Xiao Jue looked at her with his eyes lowered. After a while, he nodded and said, “Okay.”
He instructed the inn to send in clean clothes and medicine, then left the room, leaving it to He Yan. Once Xiao Jue left, He Yan finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Dealing with Xiao Jue always made people especially nervous. Most likely because he was naturally sharp, excessively beautiful, like the silver-scaled python embroidered on his robe—beautiful yet dangerous, indifferent, and ruthless.
Being soaked in warm water gradually calmed her previously anxious mood. Reflecting on the events of tonight, she began to savor a hint of secretive excitement.
In the end, she was just a child in her early teens, even if she was usually well-behaved, her heart still longed for an adventure. Although it was a bit miserable when she got beaten, she believed that Yan He and the others had already rescued Young Master Wang. Since Xiao Jue appeared here, it indicated that the matter with the contract had proceeded smoothly.
The task entrusted by Youhua Fairy was about to be halfway successful.
Even after many years, thinking back on this matter would still bring a sense of satisfaction.
After cleaning herself, she applied a layer of golden wound medicine to her back with difficulty, then changed into the clothes sent by the inn. Carefully, she removed the mask.
Earlier, the people at the estate tried to forcibly remove her mask. Although they were unsuccessful, it left deeper marks, visible on her face with slight bruising around her mouth.
He Yan sighed.
She wiped her face with a cloth, and when someone knocked on the door, she was startled. Hastily, she put on the mask, said, “I’m coming,” and then opened the door.
The door opened, and Xiao Jue walked in, glanced at her, and said, “Done?”
He Yan nodded.
His gaze fell on He Yan, and he suddenly pulled down the corner of his mouth, “There’s something I’m curious about.”
He Yan subconsciously replied, “What is it?”
“Are you really wearing the mask because you are ugly?” he slowly spoke.
Under the bright lights, the young man had exquisite features, eyes as captivating as autumn water, yet there was a brightness that seemed to see through everything. He Yan almost exclaimed at that moment, but immediately, she guarded her biggest secret.
“Of course,” she even imitated Xiao Jue’s tone and coldly laughed, “Not everyone is born with the elegance and beauty of Brother Huaijin.”
He Yan, who usually silently went about her business, unexpectedly retorted, causing Xiao Jue to pause. Then, he slightly raised his eyebrows and casually said, “True.”
He Yan: “…”
He turned around and called He Yan, “If you’re ready, let’s go.”
He Yan asked, “Where are we going?”
“To Cloud Pavilion.”
…
Cloud Pavilion was brightly lit. In the attic, Youhua Fairy nervously watched the door.
In the room, there were several young people, and lying on a bed was a young man who looked like a scholar. He appeared fragile and delicate, already changed into clean clothes. However, his face still bore the marks of injuries, making him seem a bit bedraggled. Currently, he tightly closed his eyes, in a state of light sleep.
“I’ve roughly bandaged him up,” Lin Shuanghe fanned himself, “They are just external injuries, but this young noble seems a bit weak. After some rest, he should be fine.” After saying this, he turned his head and muttered in a low voice, “I said I would only practice medicine for women in the future, but I haven’t even officially started, and I’ve already broke my own rules, sigh.”
Youhua Fairy bowed to Lin Shuanghe, “Thank you, Young Master Lin.”
“You’re welcome, Miss Youhua. No need for excessive courtesy,” Lin Shuanghe smiled. He had always been courteous to young ladies.
Tong Qiushi only wanted to torment Wang Sheng; he hadn’t initially thought of killing him. After all, he wanted to keep Wang Sheng alive to use him as leverage against Youhua Fairy, which was why Wang Sheng was still alive.
The door opened, and everyone’s eyes lit up. However, the excitement quickly faded as Ding Mama entered. Ding Mama seemed a bit flustered and whispered while wringing her handkerchief, “Miss Youhua, why don’t you take Wang Sheng and leave Jinling now before Young Master Tong discovers? Just leave.”
When this group brought the injured Wang Sheng to Cloud Pavilion, Ding Mama was also taken aback. However, driving them out at this point would undoubtedly be a dead end for Wang Sheng, so she had to let them in. Ding Mama was unaware of the identities of these young masters, thinking they were just wealthy and playful young men from Jinling who were engaged in this “helping out when seeing injustice” affair.
However, the affair seemed tumultuous, and there could be endless trouble. She, distractedly managing downstairs, eventually felt that the situation was beyond trivial and came upstairs to discuss.
Youhua Fairy shook her head, “You can’t hide forever. Besides, if Youhua and Young Master Wang leaves, how will you handle it, Mama? Tong Qiushi will undoubtedly not spare Cloud Pavilion. Since he dared to set fire to Cloud Pavilion once, he would dare to do it a second time. Are you willing to ignore the life and death of the other sisters just for Youhua?”
“What do you suggest, then?” Ding Mama became anxious.
“Tong Qiushi wants me,” Youhua Fairy looked at Wang Sheng lying on the bed with a softened expression, “As long as I obey and plead with him, Young Master Wang will be saved. At least he can safely leave for Yangzhou.”
“And…” Youhua Fairy hesitated for a moment, “There’s still a young master who hasn’t returned. If he falls into the hands of those villains, if I and the young master leave, they might take out their anger on the young master. If I stay, Tong Qiushi might spare them for my sake.”
As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of the young men in the room changed.
“That’s unnecessary,” a voice sounded, and then the door opened. Two young men walked in, the one in the white robe looked indifferent, “It’s not yet time to sacrifice yourself.”
“Huaijin!”
“Brother He!”
Voices immediately erupted in the room, and the young men quickly surrounded them.
“I knew Brother Huaijin could definitely save Brother He!”
“Brother He has a good destiny, and it’s not so easy for others to catch him, right?”
“Brother He, are you okay? Are you injured?”
He Yan was stunned; she had never received such a star-studded treatment before and was experiencing such concern for the first time. For a moment, she was both surprised and delighted, almost forgetting about the incident that brought her here.
Yan He scratched his head, looking very uncomfortable. He walked up to He Yan and said, “I’m sorry.”
He Yan was taken aback.
“I was too flustered at the time,” he expressed remorse when recalling the incident, “I was focused on taking Young Master Wang away, thinking you would follow. I didn’t expect…”
He couldn’t justify himself.
In Xianchang Academy, He Rufei was indeed an insignificant figure. As a celestial talent, someone like him looked down on He Rufei. During this visit to Jinling, He Rufei didn’t actively participate in the excitement of the young men. If he didn’t speak up himself, everyone almost forgot that He Rufei was among them.
So, when the fight broke out at the estate, nobody remembered that there was someone on lookout duty.
It wasn’t until they were about to meet another group of people that Xiao Jue looked at their group and frowned, asking, “Why isn’t He Rufei here?”
Only then did Yan He’s group remember that they seemed to have forgotten about He Rufei.
Yan He was about to go find him when Xiao Jue stopped him. Giving him a light and airy look, Xiao Jue said, “I’ll go.”
That look left him embarrassed.
How could he leave his classmate behind? Wasn’t that ungentlemanly behavior? Moreover, He Rufei was physically weak and timid, among those people, he might not fare well. The more he thought about it, the more frightened he became. Just as he was about to get on his horse, Xiao Jue pulled him down.
“I’ll go,” Yan He said, “You alone won’t be enough. There are many of them!”
“I’ll take the guards,” Xiao Jue said casually, “You take the others to Cloud Pavilion.”
Yan He stared blankly as Xiao Jue disappeared down the street on horseback, feeling incredibly uncomfortable. When they arrived at Cloud Pavilion, he was absent-minded, constantly thinking about He Rufei. He feared that Xiao Jue might be too late to save him, or worse, not able to save him at all.
It wasn’t until now.
Seeing He Rufei appearing unharmed, Yan He finally breathed a sigh of relief. Following that relief was an endless sense of guilt and self-loathing.
“You can hit me.” The young man raised his head, and his ponytail bounced, clearly an apology yet also carrying a somewhat arrogant posture, “I’m sorry!”
He Yan looked at him in astonishment, almost wanting to laugh. She restrained her laughter and said, “It’s okay. Brother Huaijin came to rescue me. They hadn’t had the chance to beat me up, so I didn’t suffer any losses.”
Xiao Jue’s eyes flickered slightly, he chuckled but didn’t expose her lie.
However, due to He Yan’s words, Yan He felt a great relief.
One of the young men asked, “Brother Huaijin, now that everyone is here, and the contract is in hand, and young master Wang has been saved, what’s the next step?”
Ding Mama was getting anxious, “Since everyone is here, quickly send Young Master Wang out of Jinling.”
She also knew that what Youhua Fairy said was correct; Youhua Fairy was the most important. If Youhua Fairy left with them, the entire Cloud Pavilion would be in danger. Sending Wang Sheng away, at least this trip wouldn’t be in vain.
Youhua Fairy nodded and walked to Wang Sheng’s side. Looking at her lover’s face, her gaze was affectionate and tearful.
This farewell, with mountains and rivers long, was a true farewell.
She was about to help Wang Sheng up when suddenly, a sword blocked her way. Youhua Fairy looked up to see the most outstanding young man in the white robe sitting in a chair, not looking at her. The tip of the sword was pointed at her, and the hilt blocked her path.
“No need.”
“Little Master…” Youhua Fairy was puzzled.
The young man looked at her indifferently, his mouth lifting slightly, “Why run? They’re coming soon.”
“What?” Ding Mama was shocked, trembling as she spoke, “Who are ‘they’?”
As if to confirm his words, the next moment, urgent knocking echoed from outside the door. The door was pushed open, and the girl they had met before, Cailian, rushed in, anxiously saying, “Mom, Youhua, it’s bad! Young Master Tong, with the officials from the Governor’s Mansion, has surrounded Cloud Pavilion. They claim Cloud Pavilion is harboring criminals, colluding with evildoers. They demand we hand over the people immediately! What do we do?”
Ding Mama turned to look at them, equally panicked, “What do we do?”
－－－－－－Side Note－－－－－－
This subplot must unfold; it’s crucial! ╭（╯^╰）╮
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Ah he saves her once again. The only one who notices the warm breeze
Many thanks