Chарtеr 2 (11/22)
Неаring this, Yun Wеishan felt ехtrеmеlу fortunate—it turnеd оut this was a trаp.
Zheng Nаnуi rеvеаlеd her true fаce; her jade-like smilе hаd long trаnsformеd intо thе killing аura оf аn аssаssin. Shе raisеd an eyеbrоw slightly, hеr fingers firmly gripрing Gong Ziyu, аnd said sharрlу tо Gоng Yuаnzhi, "Вring thе antidotе in еxсhаngе for his lifе."
Gong Yuаnzhi rеplied unhurriеdlу, "You сan try—seе who dies first, him or уоu."
Zhеng Nanуi was puzzled, "Whаt dо уou—"
Веfоrе shе сould finish hеr wоrds, Gong Yuаnzhi flickеd his fingers. Gong Ziуu and Zhеng Nаnуi werе simultаnеоusly struck in the knеes by small stones, сausing them to knеel in pаin. Zheng Nаnуi, cаught off guard by the surprise, instinctively loosened her grip on Gong Ziyu.
At the same time, a figure descended from the rooftop. A dark shadow moved forward with oppressive force, swept past Gong Ziyu, and pushed him toward Jin Fan.
When Gong Ziyu saw who it was, he exclaimed happily, "Brother!"
Zheng Nanyi, unwilling to give up, leaped up from the ground. Gong Huanyu, with his formidable martial arts and fierce techniques, made it difficult for Zheng Nanyi to fight back. Within just a few moves, he subdued her and sent her flying with a palm strike.
Yun Weishan watched as the figure in red was struck down under the cold moonlight, her body collapsing weakly to the side. Blood seeped from the corner of her mouth, her eyes wide with defiance, before she finally fell unconscious.
Gong Huanyu looked at the unconscious Zheng Nanyi and commanded, "Take her away."
The guards he brought swarmed forward and dragged Zheng Nanyi away.
The crowd fell silent. The brides, having endured successive upheavals and now poisoned, were mostly slumped over, with only a few faint murmurs remaining. Yun Weishan's breathing was unsteady, but she felt a sense of relief in her heart. Since the House of Gong had captured Zheng Nanyi, they were likely safe now. She couldn't help but glance sideways at Gong Huanyu. Unlike Gong Ziyu and Gong Yuanzhi, he was calm and composed, commanding with authority. Though his face appeared gentle and serene, his eyes held a deep, sharp intensity. Yun Weishan dared not reveal any clues in his presence and pretended to be exhausted, collapsing among the crowd.
However, Gong Huanyu immediately spotted Yun Weishan in the crowd. He noticed Gong Ziyu's mask tucked behind her waist, which raised a slight suspicion in him, but he said nothing.
Then, Gong Huanyu looked at the two stones on the ground that had struck Gong Ziyu and Zheng Nanyi's knees and turned to Gong Yuanzhi. "Brother Yuanzhi, you acted rashly."
Gong Yuanzhi bowed. "Young Lord, I was merely anxious to save Brother Ziyu. The acupoints below the knees connect to the elbows. With his elbows numbed, Brother Ziyu should be safe and sound. Moreover, Brother Ziyu was eager to set this trap, and I couldn't let his efforts go to waste. Didn't we successfully capture her?" Skilled in acupoints and pharmacology, he clearly harbored personal grievances but left no room for criticism.
Gong Ziyu hated this the most and glared at Gong Yuanzhi. "Nonsense! You were clearly trying to kill me earlier!"
Gong Huanyu interrupted the two. "Brother Yuanzhi, don't be so reckless next time."
A flash of smugness crossed Gong Yuanzhi's face. He smiled, lowered his head, and replied, "Yes, Young Lord."
The night passed, and the sky gradually brightened. The thick fog in the valley thinned under the sunlight, and the calls of birds echoed from the ancient forest. A servant used a bamboo pole to hang a red lantern under the eaves.
Gong Ziyu slept soundly and woke up feeling at ease. He pushed open the door to his room and walked into the courtyard. The morning air was cold but fresh, carrying the century-old scent of the valley's forests.
Jin Fan was already standing in the courtyard, waiting."Morning."
Gong Ziyu descended the steps while rubbing his chest, which still ached faintly from the blow Gong Yuanzhi had dealt him the night before.
Jin Fan asked with concern, "Does it still hurt?"
Gong Ziyu murmured, "A little."
OpenNovel