Chapter One Hundred Nine
The fire in the stove flickered to life.
Chu Dingjiang crouched in front of the hearth, pulling out the bottle of knockout medicine from his pocket. Earlier, he had used a considerable dose to ensure An Jiu could rest properly, but it was his first time using such a thing—and it had failed!
The knockout medicine seemed to have no effect on An Jiu at all. Chu Dingjiang couldn’t help but wonder if it had lost its potency over time.
He poured a little into his palm and leaned in to sniff it.
After just two whiffs, his vision blurred, and his head spun. He immediately brushed the substance off his hand and stepped out of the shed, standing in the open air with his eyes closed as he regulated his breathing.
If the Divine Martial Commander of the Crane Control Army were to be knocked out by his own medicine, it would become a laughingstock!
Fortunately, he had inhaled only a tiny amount, and within moments, he had fully recovered. Chu Dingjiang opened his eyes, gazing thoughtfully at the room where An Jiu was staying.
Once the water had heated, he mixed a basin of warm water and carried it inside. "You’ll have to make do with a quick wash," he said.
"Thanks," An Jiu replied.
Chu Dingjiang gave a noncommittal hum and stepped out, closing the door behind him.
With a light leap, he landed on the roof, settling onto a flat section of the ridge as he gazed at the distant mountains bathed in moonlight and mist.
The mountains here were neither tall nor steep, their undulating peaks stretching into the distance like waves of ink wash.
As the sound of splashing water drifted from inside the room, Chu Dingjiang stared at the distant peaks, his mind involuntarily recalling the youthful figure with its faint curves—her skin glistening white, her blood a striking crimson…
Before he knew it, a warmth pooled in his lower abdomen. Coming to his senses, his cheeks burned, and he quickly forced his thoughts elsewhere.
When he had first rescued An Jiu, he hadn’t known her meridians were completely destroyed. His original intention had been to recruit her for his own use. But upon discovering she was practically crippled, he had even considered abandoning her.
However, he had always believed that winning hearts was the key to great achievements. Even an ordinary person, if truly loyal, could sometimes play an unexpected role. With this mindset, he had taken the time to save her. After all, his recent missions had been light, and he had nothing better to do.
As expected, An Jiu did not disappoint. Even without Inner Force, she was unlike any ordinary woman.
Truly Mei Yanran’s daughter! Chu Dingjiang knew she had only recently returned to Mei Manor, so she couldn’t have been trained by Mei Shi. After much thought, this was the only explanation.
Once he had sorted through his thoughts, Chu Dingjiang felt deeply ashamed of his own vulgar impulses.
After sitting in silence for a long while, he exhaled slowly. Since his initial intention had been to use her, he should have maintained that mutually beneficial relationship. Though he had been forced to see her body while saving her, she had clearly rejected him—there was no room for further thoughts.
The night returned to silence.
The next day, the two continued their peaceful coexistence as if nothing had happened. Only the bruises remained as proof of yesterday’s fierce battle.
Two days later, Chu Dingjiang returned to Bianjing to report on his mission.
Before leaving, he left behind a large pouch of silver. Even if An Jiu didn’t understand the local currency or prices, she could tell it was a substantial sum.
Inside the bundle was a note from Chu Dingjiang, with just a few words: Too much money, nowhere to spend it. Do me a favor.
The signature was a single, bold character: Chu .
An Jiu’s lips twitched.She could understand the feeling of having too much money with nowhere to spend it. She didn’t think Chu Dingjiang was joking.
An Jiu had once possessed vast sums of money too, but as one of the world’s most wanted criminals, she’d rarely had the chance to spend it.
Holding this enormous sum in her hands, she could probably buy a large plot of land. But An Jiu herself felt utterly devoid of interest in life. Now, however, she had a faint thread of attachment—finding Mei Yanran and Mo Sigui—so without hesitation, she decided to use the money as travel expenses.
Those who didn’t want to die had died, while those who didn’t want to live had survived. Heaven’s will truly never complied with human desires!
After resting in the small courtyard for five days, An Jiu set off toward Bianjing.
Chu Dingjiang had told her to head east until she reached a place called Li Family Village, then turn north. He hadn’t said anything else.
He was deliberately testing her again. In these desolate mountainous regions, without knowledge of the terrain or any road signs, even the most experienced members of the Crane Control Army would likely struggle.
However, An Jiu’s wilderness combat and survival skills were exceptional. In just a day and night’s journey, she found Li Family Village.
After observing the outskirts for an hour, An Jiu entered the village, bought several sets of men’s clothing, and found an inn to rest.
The Song Dynasty’s restrictions on women were stricter than those of the Tang Dynasty. None of the close-fitting outfits in the tailor shops were made for women. An Jiu was relatively tall for a woman, but she still couldn’t fill out men’s clothing properly. So, in the inn, she altered the garments herself, tearing and tying them until they looked neat enough.
The next day, she bought a horse, stocked up on some dry provisions, and began heading north.
While buying flatbread, An Jiu asked the vendor and learned that Bianjing was still over two hundred li away—about three or four days on horseback at a fast pace. Factoring in rest stops and replenishing supplies, she estimated she could arrive in six days if conditions were favorable.
But heaven had other plans. Just half an hour after leaving Zhao Family Village, she noticed over thirty people following her.
This group had joined the trail midway—they weren’t from the village.
The air carried a damp, earthy scent, and the wind brought a faint humidity—signs of impending rain. An Jiu, having just recovered from serious injuries, was vulnerable to catching cold if drenched. After galloping seven or eight li, she spotted what looked like a rooftop in the woods by the roadside and urged her horse toward it.
The group trailing her reined in their horses at the roadside. One of them said, “Big brother, this little lady is acting strange. Why is she heading into the deep woods?”
Another man with a shrill voice chuckled lewdly, “Heh heh, I told you she wasn’t from a decent family. What kind of stunning young woman wanders around alone? She must be a courtesan from some brothel. Look at that face, that figure—maybe she’s heading into the woods to have some fun with us…”
The leader said, “The scar on my arm is aching—it’s probably about to rain. This woman’s every move suggests she’s experienced in traveling. She might be from some martial arts sect. Let’s follow and see. If anything seems off, we retreat immediately!”
“Agreed!” the others chorused.
The rooftop looked close, but the path to it was longer than expected.
Dark clouds slowly gathered overhead. By the time the group caught up, a light drizzle had begun to fall.This was an abandoned earth god temple, often used by travelers on the official road for rest or shelter from the rain. Today, two men were sitting inside—one a scholar, the other a villager—but no woman in sight.
The scholar held a book in his hands, his gaze fixed on the pages, while the villager shrank back nervously.
"Hey! You there, have you seen a young woman come in?" the bandit leader asked the villager.
Seeing the fierce looks of the group, the villager answered honestly, "No, I haven't."
"Strange!" One of the bandits circled the room but found no hiding spots. "Boss, the target's gone."
Whack!
The bandit leader smacked the back of his head and glared at him.
In those times, scholars held high status. Though this one was alone in a dilapidated temple, his robe was new and neatly pressed, made of fine fabric—clearly from a scholarly family, possibly even a provincial graduate. Why he was here was anyone's guess.
In any case, the bandit leader didn’t want to provoke such a person.
As the rain outside grew heavier, one of the bandits volunteered to scout the area.
Soon, he returned leading a horse. "Boss, the horse is still here!"
A young woman couldn’t have gone far on foot after abandoning her horse. A beauty like that could fetch thousands in gold if sold in Bianjing! Their usual "business" was small-time—they’d never get such a windfall in their lives.
Men die for wealth, birds for food.
The bandit leader hesitated briefly but ultimately couldn’t resist the lure of fortune. "After her!"
The bandits rushed out at his command.
Over two hours later, as dusk fell and the rain continued, the villager paced anxiously by the door before gritting his teeth and braving the downpour to leave.
Inside, the scholar untied a bundle of firewood and stacked it together. As he gathered fallen leaves under the temple’s eaves to start a fire, his fingers brushed against something warm in the corner.
Startled, he froze as his wrist was suddenly gripped tightly. Struggling, he watched as a beautiful face emerged from the pile of dried leaves.
"Hey," the woman asked calmly, "how far is the nearest village or town from here?"
The scholar stammered, "Ten li."
An Jiu frowned. Ten li wasn’t far, but if she ran into those men again...
She could tell the bandits were at most second- or third-tier martial arts masters, but there were too many of them. And she wasn’t in great shape herself, so she couldn’t afford to be reckless.
Someone was coming!
An Jiu sensed a group approaching from afar—likely the bandits returning after failing to catch her.
"If they ask about a woman, point them toward Li Family Village!" She pressed a dagger to his neck. "If you don’t, you’ll regret it."
With that, she grabbed her bundle and hat, using a pillar to vault onto the beam.
The scholar remained dazed, clutching a handful of leaves, still spellbound by her beauty.
The bandits arrived at the temple in the rainy night. Seeing the scholar’s distracted expression, the leader asked, "Sir, have you seen a young woman?"
The scholar jumped, then quickly pointed toward Li Family Village as instructed.
"Ha!" The bandit leader chuckled ambiguously, his eyes scanning the surroundings.The scholar had appeared normal when they first arrived, but now he seemed somewhat flustered, which was highly suspicious. They had thoroughly searched the surrounding area within a two-mile radius but found no trace. The person must still be in the temple!
"Our young lady ran away on her own. If you know her whereabouts, sir, we hope you'll tell us the truth," the bandit leader clasped his hands toward the scholar, then added, "But if you insist on keeping silent, don't blame us for being impolite."
As he spoke, several men had already moved under the corridor. (To be continued...)
OpenNovel