Chapter 139: Liu Buwang
The boat drifted on the water as the fireflies gradually disappeared deep into the dense forest.
The young woman leaned against the young man’s shoulder and unknowingly fell asleep. The boatman stood up from the bow, about to speak, but Xiao Jue gave him an almost imperceptible shake of his head. Understanding, the boatman did not wake her, nor did he row, letting the boat drift freely.
Xiao Jue simply sat, gazing at the water’s surface—calm, occasionally brushed by the wind, stirring ripples. He then turned his head to look at the young woman sleeping soundly against his shoulder. Unlike ordinary girls who cared about appearances, she slept without any grace, with a faint glistening wetness at the corner of her lips—she even drooled.
He turned away in slight disgust, looking again at the distant water. Before long, he lowered his head and let out a helpless chuckle.
In the end, he did not push her away.
…
He Yan had a rare good sleep, vaguely dreaming something pleasant, though she forgot all about it upon waking.
When she opened her eyes, she found herself lying on the soft couch in the boat, covered with a thin quilt. She sat up and saw Xiao Jue sitting at the bow, calling out, “Young Master!”
He glanced back at He Yan and simply said, “Freshen up. It’s time to go back.”
He Yan was surprised for a moment before realizing they had stayed at Falling Firefly Spring the entire night. The surrounding Firefly Boats had long since dispersed, leaving only theirs. Yawning, He Yan washed up with the fresh water on the boat. With Cui Jiao and Hong Qiao not around, she hastily tied her hair into a man’s bun.
As she stepped out to the bow after freshening up, she overheard the boatman speaking to Xiao Jue. “Young Master, if you go straight up from the spring and walk a few dozen steps ahead, there’s a relay station. Beside it, you can hire a carriage. You and the young lady can take the carriage back. During the day, Firefly Boats aren’t allowed on the canal.”
Xiao Jue paid him and headed ashore, saying to He Yan, “Let’s go.”
He Yan also thanked the boatman before quickly following ashore.
It was early morning, with dewdrops rolling off the broad leaves of plants and trees, carrying the chill of dawn. He Yan yawned again and asked Xiao Jue, “Commander, did I fall asleep last night? Why didn’t you wake me? And we stayed here all night.”
Xiao Jue sneered, “I don’t know who was snoring like thunder last night, impossible to wake.”
“Really?” He Yan was quite skeptical. “You’re not lying to me, are you?”
“I’m not like you.”
As they chatted, they hadn’t walked far before, just as the boatman said, they came across a relay station. Beside it was a noodle shop, where the proprietress was boiling noodles in a large iron pot, the aroma wafting through the air.
Having eaten nothing in the morning, He Yan was already feeling hungry and said, “Let’s have something to eat before taking the carriage.” Without waiting for Xiao Jue’s reply, she waved to the proprietress first. “Two bowls of noodles and a steamer of buns.”
With her hearty appetite, she pulled Xiao Jue to sit at a table outside the thatched shed. The freshly steamed buns emitted Niaoniao steam and were almost too hot to handle. He Yan held one in her hand, puffing her cheeks to blow it cool.
Xiao Jue wasn’t as impatient as her. When the noodles arrived, he ate slowly, finding it amusing to watch He Yan eat with oil smeared all over her mouth.
“Don’t look at me and laugh,” He Yan said. “It’s like I’m embarrassing.”
The man replied unhurriedly, “You are embarrassing. Look around—how many others eat as unattractively as you?”He Yan glanced around furtively. It was still too early, so most people eating here were either in a hurry to continue their journey or taking a break along the way.
Sitting beside her was a grandmother and granddaughter pair. The elderly woman had graying hair and a kind, gentle expression. The little girl next to her was about eleven or twelve years old, wearing a dirty cloak with half her face buried in it, silently eating with her head down.
Both of them were dressed plainly, likely travelers who hadn’t had time to tidy up. When He Yan’s gaze fell on them, the old woman was taken aback for a moment before smiling and asking, “Miss?”
“It’s nothing,” He Yan replied with a smile.
Xiao Jue raised an eyebrow. “Even the little girl eats more gracefully than you.”
That was true. Though the girl looked dirty, her manner of eating was exceptionally refined and elegant, unlike that of an ordinary family. He Yan reflected inwardly that even when she had been He Rufei or Madam Xu, she wouldn’t have done better. No wonder Xiao Jue was mocking her… But were the people in Jiyang all hidden talents? The old woman didn’t give off that impression at all.
She turned back to the old woman and smiled. “Auntie, is this your granddaughter? She’s very pretty.”
“Yes,” the old woman replied, first surprised, then smiling.
He Yan looked at the little girl again, but the girl showed no reaction, continuing to eat with her head down. The old woman explained, “Nini is shy around strangers. Please don’t mind her, miss.”
He Yan smiled. “How could I mind? She’s just too adorable. Are you heading into the city?”
“No,” the old woman said. “There’s been a death in the family. I’m taking Nini back for the funeral.”
He Yan nodded and offered condolences before turning back to her meal. As she ate, she felt something was off but couldn’t quite put her finger on it. Something seemed to have slipped her notice.
Looking at Xiao Jue, he had also stopped eating and was gazing thoughtfully at the grandmother and granddaughter beside He Yan.
He Yan leaned closer to him and whispered, “Commander, I feel something isn’t right.”
Xiao Jue glanced at her, then suddenly stood up and walked over to the pair.
He Yan’s earlier questioning had already made the old woman uneasy. She hurriedly finished her meal and tried to leave with the little girl, only to find her path blocked as soon as she stood up.
A handsome young man stood before her, tall and straight, his expression calm. He looked at the little girl under the cloak and said coolly, “Speak, little one.”
The old woman pulled the girl into her arms protectively. “What are you doing, young master?”
“I didn’t know the kidnappers in Jiyang had grown so bold,” Xiao Jue raised an eyebrow. “Daring to abduct someone in broad daylight.”
Kidnappers? He Yan was stunned.
That was it. She had felt something was off because there seemed to be a complete barrier between the little girl and the old woman, with no resemblance of a grandmother and granddaughter. Throughout the meal, the old woman hadn’t asked the girl a single question. If they were truly an ordinary grandmother and granddaughter, wouldn’t the grandmother ask if the food was too hot or if it suited her taste? Even if the girl were particularly cold or withdrawn, a caring elder would show some concern, not leave her to fend for herself.
She appeared kind, but her actions were anything but. She didn’t seem like a grandmother at all—more like a kidnapper trying to cover her tracks."You... what nonsense are you spouting?" The old woman glared at Xiao Jue. "This is my granddaughter! Don't you dare slander me!"
"Whether she's your granddaughter or not, we'll know with a simple question," Xiao Jue replied. "Speak, little one."
The little girl remained motionless.
"You!"
The old woman tried to lead the girl away, but in the next moment, He Yan's whip lashed out, snatching the girl's cloak. In an instant, the cloak was flung to the ground, revealing half of the little girl's face.
He Yan weighed the purple jade whip in her hand—the very one Xiao Jue had won for her in the "Wind-Seizing" competition earlier. Thankfully, she had kept it with her all this time. It was quite handy.
Beneath the cloak, the girl's face was clean and delicate, her eyes brimming with tears. Her mouth moved silently—she had clearly been struck mute by an acupoint strike.
"You don't seem to treat your granddaughter very well," Xiao Jue remarked with a cold sneer.
Seeing the situation turn against her, the old woman let out a sharp, piercing whistle. Suddenly, from among the people at the post station—those feeding horses, eating breakfast, washing their faces, or resting—several figures leaped out, drawing their swords and charging straight at He Yan and Xiao Jue!
"Assassins!" He Yan exclaimed, unable to hide her surprise. With so many of them, this was clearly no ordinary kidnapping. Kidnappers would typically act discreetly to avoid detection, fleeing at the first sign of trouble. Yet this old woman not only didn't flee but had so many accomplices—she was clearly confident and unafraid. Either that, or... He Yan glanced at the little girl, who had been struck mute or perhaps drugged... What kind of background did this girl have to warrant such a show of force?
Xiao Jue hadn't brought his sword when he came out. As the attackers closed in, he used the teacups on the table as makeshift projectiles, knocking aside the swords aimed at their faces.
He Yan tossed her whip to him. "Use this!" She herself picked up an iron rod from the ground.
The post station's noodle shop owner had long since hidden under a table in fear. For a moment, the clanging of weapons filled the air. As soon as He Yan engaged them, she knew these were no ordinary kidnappers—their skills were too refined, and their attacks were vicious, clearly aimed at silencing witnesses. The little girl still stood motionless. Seeing He Yan and Xiao Jue occupied by the others, the old woman's eyes darted around. She grabbed the girl, leaped onto a horse at the station's entrance with surprising agility for her age, and cracked the whip, sending the horse galloping away.
"Not good!" He Yan cried. "She's trying to escape!"
She turned to look at Xiao Jue, who was surrounded in the center—as a man with exceptional skills, he had drawn all the attackers' attention, leaving He Yan momentarily overlooked. "Young Master," she called out, "hold them off! I'll give chase!"
Horses were never in short supply at a post station. He Yan mounted one herself and raced after the old woman.
The road out of the city was a main thoroughfare, but the old woman avoided it, choosing instead a rugged, narrow path. As He Yan pursued, she pondered: during the intense fight earlier, the little girl hadn't moved at all. She was either drugged or had her acupoints sealed. The fact that they were willing to hold off Xiao Jue just to take the girl meant she was of great importance to them.Her horsemanship was exceptional to begin with. Even though the old woman had the advantage of knowing the roads, she couldn’t shake off He Yan, who followed closely behind. Growing frantic, the old woman cursed, "You wretched girl, don’t court death!"
"Put the person down, and I might still spare your life," He Yan retorted fearlessly. "As for you, don’t refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit!"
The old woman snorted, giving the horse a fierce whip. The steed galloped forward. Seeing this, He Yan stepped onto the saddle and slapped her own horse’s hindquarters. Her horse leaped ahead, nearly drawing even with the old woman’s mount. Quick as lightning, He Yan used her whip to lasso the head of the old woman’s horse. The two horses were now dangerously close, startling the animals and causing them to stomp in place. Seizing the opportunity, He Yan leaped from her horse, snatched the girl from the old woman’s grasp, and the two tumbled to the ground together.
As soon as she landed, He Yan realized the girl had indeed been drugged, capable only of the slightest movements. No wonder she hadn’t responded at all back in the noodle shop, no matter what was said.
He Yan only had time to unseal the girl’s mute acupoint before the old woman, with a cold sneer, drew a flexible sword from her waist and said icily, "Meddling in others’ affairs!" She thrust the sword toward He Yan.
He Yan shoved the girl aside and charged forward herself. Empty-handed—the iron rod she’d had earlier was lost in the chaos—she relied on her agility to dodge the woman’s blade.
"Who are you people?" He Yan asked while evading, inwardly alarmed by the woman’s skill. "Why are you kidnapping this girl?"
The woman gave a hollow smile and swung her sword. "So many questions. Go ask the King of Hell in the underworld!"
He Yan raised an eyebrow. "With skills like these, you think you can send me to hell? That’s a bit presumptuous." She suddenly flipped up from the ground, ducking under the sword overhead. Shifting her steps, she appeared behind the woman and punched her in the back, snatching the sword from her grasp.
"Damn you!" the woman roared.
Now armed with a sword—though it couldn’t compare to Qinglang, it would have to do—and with no one else around, He Yan unleashed her true expertise. Aside from military strategy, swordsmanship was her greatest strength. In moments, she forced the woman into retreat, clearly on the verge of defeat.
He Yan said, "If you surrender now, there’s still a chance for you."
"Disgusting!" the woman shouted. Suddenly, she pulled a silver hairpin from the bun at the back of her head. The pin, triggered by some hidden mechanism, extended three inches in the wind, transforming into a dagger. Instead of using it against He Yan, she lunged toward He Yan’s sword and hurled the dagger with deadly accuracy at the girl on the ground.
The girl, still immobilized by the drug, could only watch helplessly as the dagger flew toward her chest. By the time He Yan withdrew her sword to intervene, it was already too late!
Thud.
The dagger was a hair’s breadth from piercing the girl’s heart when something struck it, knocking the hilt askew. Instantly robbed of its lethal force, it tumbled harmlessly to the ground nearby.
At the same moment, He Yan’s sword pierced the old woman’s chest. The woman’s eyes widened in disbelief that someone had deflected her dagger. A mouthful of dark blood spilled from her lips as she breathed her last.Deep within the dense forest, a figure emerged. It was a slender man, around forty years old, yet possessing an exceptionally elegant and striking appearance. Dressed in white robes, his long hair was tied neatly with a white silk ribbon, resembling a swordsman or perhaps a musician. His brows were clear and bright, and his long beard did not appear unkempt but instead added a touch of the carefree and unrestrained charm of a wanderer.
Upon seeing this person, He Yan froze. The man in white approached, helping the trembling little girl on the ground to her feet before turning his gaze to He Yan.
He Yan murmured, "...Master."
His face showed no surprise, only a hint of curiosity: "Ah He?"
(End of Chapter)
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