"Go!" Mister Mo used his Inner Force to propel the two women two zhang away.
Mei Ru Yan turned back for a glance. Mister Mo, drenched in blood, stood like a monument at the narrow valley entrance, sword in hand, facing dozens of black-clad assailants. The sharp gleam of his blade sealed the exit tightly, embodying the saying, "One man can hold the pass against ten thousand."
Pride and heartache swelled in Mei Ru Yan. "If you won't come for me, whether in the heavens or the underworld, then I'll come for you!"
Summoning all her Inner Force, she carried An Jiu on her back and sprinted away.
"Mei Fifteen!" someone called from behind.
The voice sounded familiar, but she dared not stop. "Who is it?"
"Ling Xi," the person replied.
Mei Ru Yan had fainted when Mei Zhengjing interrogated Old Madam at swordpoint, so she was unaware of their betrayal. Before leaving, Mei Yanran had repeatedly warned her not to get close to Old Madam. But this was an emergency—she couldn't afford to hesitate. Her only thought was to hand An Jiu over to someone else so she could return for Mister Mo.
Mei Ru Yan halted. Ling Xi looked disheveled. "Come with me."
"Where to?" Mei Ru Yan hesitated.
"To meet someone who can save us." Ling Xi glanced around, relieved there were no pursuers for now. "Old Madam is severely injured. I need help, and in return, I can guarantee your life and a lifetime of wealth."
Mei Ru Yan was sharp—she immediately grasped Ling Xi's implication. If she agreed to help, she would have to abandon An Jiu.
Seeing Ling Xi in no state to assist, entrusting An Jiu to her was out of the question. "Aunt Ling Xi, the enemy is closing in. We should hurry!"
With that, she resumed running. Ling Xi was stunned. She had been monitoring Mei Ru Yan within Mei Shi and knew exactly what kind of person she was. She never expected to be refused!
"Mei Fifteen! If you agree, reinforcements will arrive soon—they might even save Mister Mo!" Ling Xi's voice trailed after her.
Mei Ru Yan froze mid-step.
"We're the Emperor's spies planted in Mei Shi. Reinforcements will be here within a quarter-hour. Just help me survive until then, and I promise to send someone for Mister Mo." Ling Xi was certain she wouldn't refuse this time.
Mei Ru Yan paused for a few breaths before replying coldly, "Such riches aren't for us. Don't follow me. Nothing you say will change my mind. Aunt Ling Xi, stop wasting time and save yourself."
She had been tempted, but then she realized: once she stepped into this mire, she'd be controlled like Mei Shi, with her life in someone else's hands—just as Mister Mo had once been in Misty Villa. If he had enjoyed a life of bloodshed, he wouldn't have hidden his brilliance to live as a Clan School teacher in Mei Shi.
What he disliked, she refused to do.
Besides, Ling Xi was just a maid—how high could her status be in the Crane Control Army? Did she really have the authority to promise anything?
Who would believe that? Mei Ru Yan had no intention of further entanglement. Regulating her breathing, she sped away.
Ling Xi had sought help, but Mei Ru Yan would rather die than comply. There was nothing she could do. Even if she wanted to vent her fury by killing, there was no time.
Mei Ru Yan had started martial arts late. Despite her relentless training, she had only reached the third rank. Carrying An Jiu, she had run for less than half an hour before her Inner Force was completely depleted.She spotted a patch of waist-high grass by the roadside and carried An Jiu over to lay her down, then crouched beside her, panting heavily. Puffs of mist flowers escaped her mouth and nose before dissipating into the air.
The night was heavy, the wilderness silent.
Mei Ru Yan sighed. "After all this circling around, it's you and me fleeing together again, Mei Jiu. Who knows if I owed you in our past life, or you owed me!"
Unlike last time, Mei Ru Yan genuinely intended to save her now.
Mei Ru Yan was selfish and opportunistic, but she still understood gratitude and grudges. Mei Jiu, with her simple sincerity, had truly been good to her. Besides, if not for being taken in by Mei Shi, she would never have met Mister Mo. By that measure, Mei Jiu had done her a kindness.
After a brief rest in the grass, Mei Ru Yan stood up and surveyed the vast, desolate surroundings. Her nose stung, and her vision blurred suddenly.
Mister Mo had never known how to cherish beauty or tenderness—not even a shred of gentleness. Yet, being by his side had always felt safe. Now, accustomed to that sense of security, Mei Ru Yan felt utterly helpless alone.
She raised a hand and roughly wiped her face, the silk of her sleeve scorching her cheeks. She scolded herself: You’re A Shun, someone who grew up in the filthy quarters of a brothel—why have you turned into such a delicate lady now?
Once, Mei Ru Yan had hated that part of her past. But now, she was grateful for it. In the brothel, she had learned early about the cruelty of human hearts and how to navigate treacherous relationships—skills that had kept her alive until today.
A gust of wind rustled through the frost-bitten, withered grass.
A chill crept up Mei Ru Yan’s spine. She stiffened, then slowly turned her head.
A figure cloaked in black stood silently among the grass. The dry stalks swayed in the wind, but he remained statue-still, not even a corner of his robe fluttering.
"Mei Shisi?" His deep voice emerged from beneath the mantle.
Without even revealing his face, his imposing aura alone was enough to unsettle her.
"Who are you?" Mei Ru Yan heard her own voice tremble slightly.
The man moved. Before she could even register his motion, a blur passed before her eyes—and An Jiu was already cradled in his arms.
"Stop!" Mei Ru Yan hurried after him as he turned to leave. "Are you friend or foe? Why are you taking my sister?"
"Friend, not foe." He stated his name plainly. "Chu Dingjiang."
The grass stirred as Chu Dingjiang soared like a hunting eagle, vanishing into the night in a few swift leaps.
Mei Ru Yan frowned. Whether Chu Dingjiang spoke the truth or not, she was powerless to resist. She had done all she could.
Free of her burden, she sat cross-legged and focused on regulating her True Energy.
Half an hour later, she set off back to Plum Blossom Village.
The north wind carried scattered snowflakes that pattered against the withered grass.
Plum Blossom Village had become a sea of flames—the covert assault had finally reached its end.
In the cellar beneath the medicine hut, Mo Sigui pressed one hand against the gaping wound in Elder Qi’s chest while frantically rummaging through the medicine chest with the other.
"Si Gui, listen to me quietly for a moment," Elder Qi said.
Warm blood seeped relentlessly through Mo Sigui’s fingers as he stubbornly searched for a clotting agent.
"Stubborn brat! Do you want me to die with regrets?" Elder Qi’s anger worsened the bleeding.Mo Sigui was also furious. "Just say what you want to say! I'm listening! It won't delay anything!"
After shouting, he stopped abruptly and obediently listened to Elder Qi speak.
"Beneath the northernmost outhouse by the medicine furnace, there's a medicine jar buried. Inside are twenty scrolls—my life's work." Elder Qi coughed twice. "I was prepared for this day."
Mo Sigui's veins bulged on his forehead. "Couldn't you have hidden it somewhere else?"
"Si Gui..." Elder Qi looked at him, his cloudy eyes unfocused. "Your comprehension of the Way of Medicine far surpasses mine. Given time, you will surely become a Miracle Doctor. I have little to impart, but I must remind you—do not become too obsessed, and do not neglect the meaning of affection."
Kinship, love, friendship—Elder Qi had lost too much of these. He didn't want Mo Sigui to walk the same path.
"I'll remember," Mo Sigui promised, though his thoughts drifted to how he had abandoned An Jiu.
"Mm." Elder Qi sighed deeply and closed his eyes.
Tears streamed uncontrollably down Mo Sigui's face.
Suddenly, Elder Qi opened his eyes again, uneasy. "Swear it."
"You—you—" Mo Sigui was startled, but seeing the expectation on the elder's face, he didn't argue. Raising his hand, he complied, "I, Mo Ran, swear to heaven that from this day forth, I shall never be heartless or ungrateful. If I break this oath, may I die a wretched death!"
Elder Qi's lips parted slightly, as if he wanted to say something more, but his breathing had already ceased, his pupils dilating.
Mo Sigui reached out and closed his eyes, then found a clean cloth and silently wiped the blood from his face.
Already overwhelmed with grief, Mo Sigui had been startled by Elder Qi's last demand. Now, he couldn't quite describe what he was feeling.
After everything was settled, Mo Sigui knelt beside Elder Qi in silence for a long time before murmuring hoarsely, "Elder, I have already committed one heartless act."
Using the dagger he carried, Mo Sigui dug a pit and buried Elder Qi. He kowtowed nine times, then shouldered his medicine chest and hurriedly climbed out of the cellar. (To be continued...)
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