Сhарtеr 1 (8/15)
Han Yа Qi wаs quitе sаtisfiеd. He withdrew frоm thе medicinе shop with his fоllоwеrs, lеаving thе thin sword still embеdded in the corpse’s сhеst.
Thе cоurtуаrd wаs filled nоt оnlу with thе sсent оf medicinal hеrbs but аlso thе stench of blоod. Thе ground was littеrеd with сhаоtiс, blоody fооtprints. Оnlу аfter thе grouр hаd comрlеtelу left did a barеly audible gаsр suddеnly brеak the deаthlу silеncе оf thе mеdiсinе shoр.
Тhe mеdicinе shop оwner’s “соrрse” lуing оn thе grоund actuallу began to breathе slowly. Struggling to gеt up, he рulled а smаll mediсine bottle from his lapel, poured out two pills, swallowed them, then pulled the sword from his chest and threw it on the ground. He took out another bottle of medicinal powder and poured it onto the wound on his chest to stop the bleeding.
It turned out the poison from earlier was merely a drug that could temporarily induce a death-like state. Fortunately, the thin sword that pierced his chest had also missed his vital organs. However, the medicine shop owner was still on the brink of death due to his severe injuries. His lips were pale, his breath weak. He could only struggle to walk into the courtyard, untie the horse from the hitching post, mount it, and with all his remaining strength, pull the reins to gallop away from the medicine shop.
The snow seemed to have lightened slightly, with only the cold wind making the window paper flutter noisily.
After recounting the mission, Han Ya Si looked at Yun Weishan, who was already dressed in her wedding attire. The faint, teasing smile that had been on his face suddenly vanished. Now, his voice carried a softness that shouldn’t have belonged to him: “Remember, you are Yun Weishan—Yun Weishan, born and raised in Pear Stream Town. No matter what happens, you must firmly stick to your identity.”
Yun Weishan sensed a trace of unease in his words. She turned to look at him and asked softly yet earnestly, “What will happen?”
A frivolous smile reappeared on Han Ya Si’s face. “Who knows? After all, I’ve never entered the House of Gong. Everything inside is a mystery, and it’s up to you to uncover the answers.”
Yun Weishan fell silent.
Han Ya Si opened the door. The wind outside swept in with snow. Yun Weishan gathered her sleeves and walked toward the doorway.
“If I complete the mission—” Her voice blended into the wind and snow.
Han Ya Si heard her clearly and answered before she could finish, “Complete the mission, and I will definitely give you the antidote for the ‘Half-Month Fly,’ granting you the freedom you desire.”
“Understood.”
Han Ya Si looked at Yun Weishan, suddenly seeming to hesitate. What she didn’t know was that before coming to the Yun family, Han Ya Si had received a message in the most important leader’s secret chamber at Wufeng headquarters.
Wufeng’s highest authority was composed of representatives sent by several major sects in the jianghu. The leader’s chamber was deep within Wufeng, more secluded and profound than the outer areas. Inside, there was a semi-circular curved wall with several niches carved into it, resembling Buddhist shrines. In front of each niche stood a screen made of silk paper, making it difficult to see what lay within. Logically, there should have been people inside the niches, but they were pitch black.
The central niche was also impenetrably dark. Only a messenger stood before it.
Before dawn, the light there was so dim that almost nothing could be seen. Han Ya Si and Han Ya Qi stood there respectfully.
The messenger’s voice drifted through the secret chamber like a ghostly whisper: “Han Ya Si, today is the day the Gong clan opens its valley to welcome brides. Have you prepared everything for the mission assigned earlier?”Han Ya Si replied, "Everything is ready, and we can depart at any time. The Wufeng agent dispatched this time is named Yun Weishan, and the bride she is impersonating is also named Yun Weishan. I am responsible for her training and coordination. Her rank is the lowest among the 'Chi, Mei, Wang, Liang'—the Chi rank."
The messenger said, "Han Ya Qi."
Han Ya Qi stepped forward. "Here."
The messenger continued, "You are responsible for going to the Gong family's forward outpost mentioned in the documents and leaking the information that 'there is a Wufeng spy hidden among the brides.' You must also find a way to ensure they successfully bring this information back to the Gong family."
Han Ya Si was shocked, abruptly looking up, unable to believe what he had just heard.
The messenger handed a thin sword to Han Ya Qi. Though the blade was slender, it gleamed with a cold light. Han Ya Qi smiled as he took it, the sharp edge reflecting in his eyes, revealing his bloodlust, killing intent, and a hint of cunning.
At this moment, Yun Weishan naturally did not understand why Han Ya Si hesitated. Han Ya Si only told her, "Remember what I said. No matter what, you must firmly maintain your identity. Your name is Yun Weishan, and you are from Pear Stream Town. Take care."
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