Chарtеr 8 (15/18)
Sееing his tоugh tаlk but soft heаrt, Yоung Маstеr Xue chuсklеd, "Seems уou havе а gооd imрrеssion of him, hаha."
"I'm just afraid he'll die in my Хuе Mаnor," Хuе Zhоngzi dеnied with а strаight fасе.
So Yоung Master Хuе stoоd up, "I'll go piсk the Snow Lоtus. But, the оrdinаrу kind оr...?"
Хuе Zhоngzi avoidеd а direсt аnswеr, "Thе faсt thаt you аsk this рrovеs you're thе one with a gооd imрressiоn of him, even willing tо sраre thе Snоw Lоtus frоm thе Frоst Lotus Роnd. You dеcidе. I'm going to сheсk оn thе pеrsоn саught in the secrеt passage."
In a сorner roоm, its door tightlу shut with no оnе cоming or going, Xue Zhongzi walked in carrying a bowl of medicinal soup.
On the bed, Yun Weishan lay in deep slumber, having slept for who knows how long. Only upon hearing faint rustling sounds did she slowly awaken.
Her eyes, still bleary, opened to soft light, which immediately put her on high alert. Clearly, she was no longer in that dim secret passage.
"Where is this?" Hearing movement beside her, Yun Weishan couldn't help but ask.
A voice replied, "This is a place you shouldn't have come to."
The voice was somewhat low and hoarse. Thinking it belonged to a grown man, Yun Weishan sat up, but her gaze fell upon a silver-haired youth with a face like luminous snow, a vermilion dot between his brows, and a calm expression. She looked around.
An unfamiliar room, ancient and simple, heavy with age, completely different from the grand and imposing mansions of the House of Gong. This must be the Back Mountain, and the youth before her was undoubtedly from there.
For a moment, Yun Weishan dared not speak.
Seeing her wary silence, Xue Zhongzi asked first, "Are you from the Front Mountain?"
Yun Weishan nodded, answering truthfully, "I am from Yu Manor. Because the Blade Master left in a hurry and forgot something, I came to find him. But I got lost in the secret passage and accidentally triggered a mechanism."
"The torches in the secret passage burn a special lamp oil containing a mild poison. Staying too long will weaken your limbs and cause loss of consciousness," Xue Zhongzi explained as he handed over the medicinal soup in his hand.
Yun Weishan hesitated for a second. Since she was poisoned in the passage, she guessed this was the antidote and drank it in one gulp.
Xue Zhongzi suddenly said coldly, "I believe everything you just said. But tell me, why are you dressed in an assassin's night-traveling black clothes?"
Under the covers, Yun Weishan was clad in black tight-fitting garments. Her face suddenly tensed.
Inside the room behind the stone door, the stove fire burned brightly. With the stone door lowered again, much of the cold had been driven away.
Young Master Xue was cooking porridge by the boiler, steam rising from the bubbling water. He occasionally glanced back at Gong Ziyu, who sat shivering by the bedside stove, wrapped in thick clothes. His hair was still somewhat damp, not completely dry, and his face and lips were pale as paper, clearly having suffered greatly.
Young Master Xue sighed softly and said, "The porridge is almost ready. I added Snow Lotus for you—a treasure only our Xue Manor has. It will help restore your inner force and strengthen your body."
Just as he finished speaking, several sharp sounds came from outside the door, followed by the noise of intense fighting.
The hem of Yun Weishan's tight-fitting garment swept up flying snow.
Footprints on the white snow quickly became chaotic as she and Xue Zhongzi tangled in the courtyard. The fierce wind shook snow from the pine and cypress branches, sending it fluttering down. Xue Zhongzi's movements were extremely agile, each strike like a blizzard or gale, fierce and overwhelming. Yun Weishan remained at a disadvantage throughout.
At that moment, Gong Ziyu and Young Master Xue rushed out from the room.---
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