Chapter Eighty-Four
"Yes!" The shadow guard stepped aside to make way.
An Jiu put on her outer robe and veil but didn’t rush to leave. "What happened to Lou Shi?"
Chu Dingjiang, seeing her calm and unruffled demeanor without a trace of awkwardness, admired her even more and replied, "Someone cast a Plague Gu on Lou Shi. In just five days, everyone in Lou Manor was infected. Only those who rushed to Mei Shi for help received Elder Qi’s antidote."
"How horrifying!" Mei Jiu said fearfully.
An Jiu also found this Plague Gu terrifying. And this was during winter when the toxicity was less potent. If it had been summer, it might have emptied an entire city overnight.
An Jiu nodded. "Goodbye."
Goodbye? Chu Dingjiang curved his lips. That was an interesting way to phrase it. "Goodbye."
An Jiu followed the shadow guard out of the courtyard.
A horse was already waiting by the side gate. An Jiu mounted and rode away through the snow, swift as a fleeting shadow.
After about half a day’s journey, they arrived at a valley entrance where the crisp fragrance of plum blossoms could already be smelled from horseback.
While still at a distance, they saw a rider galloping toward them from the valley. A hundred yards away, An Jiu recognized the person as Mu Qianshan and slowed her pace.
"Madam!" Mu Qianshan dismounted as he approached, kneeling on one knee. Puffs of mist flower formed as he spoke, and he clasped his hands. "This subordinate is incompetent."
As a shadow guard, he had failed to protect his charge from being abducted right under his nose and hadn’t even risked his life to stop it—a dereliction of duty.
"Since you’ve been delivered, I’ll take my leave," the Crane Control Army shadow guard said.
"Thank you. Go ahead," An Jiu replied.
The man turned his horse around and rode off.
An Jiu glanced down at Mu Qianshan from her horse, unwilling to engage with him.
Mu Qianshan untied the bundle on his back and presented it with both hands. "Madam, Elder Zhi has instructed that you should leave with the Lou family. These are the items Elder Zhi has prepared for you."
"You abandoned me just to report back to Elder Zhi?" An Jiu asked coldly.
Mu Qianshan lowered his head. "Before departing for Bianjing, Elder Zhi instructed this subordinate that if we encountered an enemy beyond my ability to defeat, my priority was to preserve my life and return to report. By the time I returned, the Crane Control Army’s Feather Forest Commander and Divine Strategy Commander had personally come to escort Elder Zhi back to the capital. Elder Zhi left a letter, saying there was something in the ancestral hall. I retrieved it and immediately set out to find you."
An Jiu dismounted and took the items from him. "Did Elder Zhi already foresee that I wouldn’t be in mortal danger?"
"This subordinate believes so!" Mu Qianshan knew well that Elder Zhi possessed foresight.
An Jiu opened the bundle, revealing a sandalwood box. She casually lifted the lid and found a book inside. On its tan cover was the character "Zen." Flipping through the pages, she discovered it was a guide on how to harness mental strength.
An Jiu closed the book, discarded the box, and unceremoniously tucked the book into her robe. "Why leave with the Lou family?"
Mu Qianshan replied, "This subordinate heard the elders say that those who wish to eliminate the Crane Control Army must first target the four great families. Mei Shi is no longer safe, and Lou Shi’s bloodline is down to just two survivors—nearly wiped out."
This mysterious faction aimed to take down the entire Crane Control Army. Their swift and ruthless methods showed their urgency, meaning they likely wouldn’t have the capacity to chase down a few escapees for now."Alright, I'll go with them." An Jiu quickly made her decision. This time, she didn’t ask for Mei Jiu’s opinion—that ostrich-like coward would undoubtedly choose to stay holed up in Plum Manor without a second thought if given the choice.
"Get up." An Jiu stared straight into his eyes. "Are you coming with me or not?"
Mu Qianshan had never seen a woman with such a gaze—cold, stern, and penetrating, as if she could see right through a person’s soul. Moreover, she hadn’t asked, "Will you accompany me to Lou Manor?" but rather, "Are you coming with me?" She never saw herself as someone to be taken care of, nor did she rely on his protection.
An Jiu wasn’t deliberately releasing her mental strength, but her probing stare carried a faint pressure. Mu Qianshan finally lowered his head to avoid her gaze. "This subordinate will not go."
The cold wind howled. Mu Qianshan’s mind raced to formulate an explanation, so much so that he failed to notice the movement beside him. When he looked up again, An Jiu had already ridden far ahead on horseback.
He immediately urged his horse to follow. "Madam, this subordinate must wait at Plum Manor for Elder Zhi’s return. The clan elders have already negotiated with Lou Manor—she has agreed to help."
"There’s no need to explain these things to me." An Jiu glanced at him. "You and I have no connection. Just focus on carrying out Elder Zhi’s orders."
Mu Qianshan thought she was speaking out of spite, but when he looked at her profile, her eyes reflected the pure white snow—calm and icy—revealing nothing of her thoughts.
Unbeknownst to him, this was actually the first time An Jiu had regarded Mu Qianshan with any real consideration.
The wise were often suspicious and rarely trusted others easily. The fact that Elder Zhi placed such faith in Mu Qianshan spoke volumes about his loyalty. Therefore, his adherence to Elder Zhi’s commands was only natural, and An Jiu had no reason to resent him for it. Still, she also felt that this man had nothing to do with her.
Upon returning to Plum Manor, Yao Ye was already waiting in Jade Serenity Residence, swiftly helping An Jiu change. "This servant cannot accompany you, Madam. Please be careful."
"Mm." An Jiu responded indifferently.
Mei Jiu had already begun sniffling softly. Though she knew Yao Ye couldn’t hear her, she muttered, "Yao Ye, take care of yourself too. If you get the chance, hurry back to Bianjing and marry your childhood sweetheart..."
Her endless murmuring gave An Jiu a headache. "Enough! Use that decorative pig brain of yours to think about what actually matters!"
Mei Jiu constantly fretted over trivialities but never the things that truly required concern, which irritated An Jiu—what kind of mindset was that?
Mei Jiu resignedly replied, "I wouldn’t understand those things even if I tried."
An Jiu said coldly, "No need to explain. I already know you’re an idiot. And here I thought you’d improved a little lately!"
Mei Jiu fell silent for a long while. Only when Mu Qianshan urged them to meet with Lou Shi in the guest courtyard did she ask meekly, "Can I say goodbye to my sister?"
"No." An Jiu admired Mei Ru Yan’s resilience, but that didn’t mean she wanted to interact with her.
"She’s my only sister," Mei Jiu whispered.
An Jiu let out a cold laugh, brushing off her words like a passing breeze—none of it reached her heart.
Incense smoke curled in the brazier, and outside the window, plum blossoms bloomed vibrantly in the snow. Plum Blossom Village was tranquil.
Yet Lou Manor, equally quiet, felt lifeless.Inside a warm boudoir heated by a stove, Mo Sigui was administering acupuncture to a half-naked woman.
Beads of sweat covered his pale forehead as Lou Xiaowu nervously clutched the bed curtains, not daring to make the slightest sound that might disturb him.
Lou Mingyue's condition had already reached a critical stage, with almost no hope of recovery.
Mo Sigui was using his True Energy to infuse the Silver needles, guiding the Medicine tempered on them into her Meridians and bloodstream. This was his first time forcibly dividing his True Energy into more than ten strands, making the process exceptionally strenuous. (To be continued...)
PS: Damn it, just won't let me have it easy! Rushed like crazy and finally finished at 11:50, only for 360 to crash on me!!!!! Aaargh!
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