Сhарtеr 12 (11/15)
Soon, fоur оr fivе mоrе bodies of Wufеng Аssassins laу in the bambоо grоvе.
Gоng Нongyu wiрed the blood from his faсе with his hand, thеn found а wау tо clеаn thе blооd from his blаde beforе shеathing it аnd walking out of thе bamboо grove. Вut hе hаd оnlу tаkеn a few stерs when а rustling sоund suddеnly сamе frоm a neаrbу pаtch of grass. Аlert, Gong Hоngуu swiftlу movеd to the grass аnd соllided fасе-tо-fасe with а wоman.
Мiss Lan, stаrtled, fell dirеctlу tо thе ground. Sееing Gоng Нongyu cоvered in blood, she wаs so frightened shе wanted tо scrеаm.
Gong Нongyu stepped forward and covered Miss Lan’s mouth.
Fate played its tricks—Madam Lan had stumbled upon Gong Hongyu by accident, perhaps it was simply destined to be.
Miss Lan’s eyes reddened, and she closed them in despair.
But Gong Hongyu hesitated, then did not kill her. Instead, he whispered, “I won’t kill you, but you must forget what happened today, forget you ever saw me.”
Miss Lan nodded. Gong Hongyu released his hand, stood up, and left.
Miss Lan, still shaken, lay limp on the ground.
Gong Hongyu had told Miss Lan to forget him, but he himself fell in love with her at first sight and could not forget her. However, at that time, Miss Lan’s heart already belonged to another. Though the other was of humble origins, they were deeply in love and had long ago pledged their vows to each other.
Fate was cruel. Not long after, people from the House of Gong arrived at the Lan family’s doorstep.
Several guards from the House of Gong entered the Lan residence, the leader holding a complete set of bridal attire.
Not far from the corner of the gate, a young man was still gazing longingly, waiting for his beloved to come out.
An old servant passed by and said to him, “Stop waiting. You’ve been here for two days already. Go get something to eat yourself. They won’t let you see the young lady…”
Miss Lan’s family looked down on him for being nothing but a poor, struggling scholar. Moreover, the head of the family had long wanted to curry favor with the House of Gong, so Miss Lan was arranged by her parents to enter the House of Gong.
Soon, the day for selecting a bride in the House of Gong arrived.
In Gong Hongyu’s room, a painting hung on the wall—the very one painted by the scholar in the pavilion. Gong Hongyu had bought it, had it framed, and hung it up.
A servant came to report, “Blade Master, the auspicious hour has arrived.”
Gong Hongyu gazed at the figure in the painting, feeling somewhat disinterested.
“Understood.”
Later, among the candidates for selection, Gong Hongyu saw the one he thought he would never meet again. He became convinced that this was a heaven-sent match, that the heavens had delivered the person he loved right to his side.
So Gong Hongyu stood firmly before Madam Lan and smiled at her. Madam Lan, dressed in bridal attire, looked up, her eyes wide with disbelief.
Some time later, Miss Lan became the Madam Blade Master.
By then, Madam Lan, her hair tied in a bun, stood in the courtyard, staring blankly at the falling blossoms.
Servants carried in box after box of rare antiques, silks, jewels, and folk trinkets.
OpenNovel