As soon as the words were spoken, Chu Yu tossed the person onto the horse, and then swiftly mounted himself. Together with Wang He, they galloped towards the outskirts.
Dozens of assassins burst out from the nearby bushes. Arrows rained down like a torrential downpour. Chu Yu’s men charged out from behind them, and most of the riders became entangled with the assassins.
Wang He didn’t dare to stop. He called out anxiously to Chu Yu, anger in his voice, “Where did these people come from?!”
“Who am I supposed to ask?!”
Chu Yu shouted back. However, as soon as the words left their mouths, both had a sinking feeling in their hearts.
The assassins appearing here at this time – who else could they belong to, if not Zhao Yue?
But for him to even target Wang He, what kind of wild ambition was this?
While Wang He’s heart was filled with doubt and alarm, Chu Yu maintained his composure. He glanced back at Huajing and quickly said, “My lord, it’s best you leave Huajing immediately and return directly to your fief. Whether you rebel or remain loyal is not my concern, but if you want to live, leave now!”
Wang He pressed his lips together, and finally nodded, “This old man won’t forget Madam’s life-saving grace today. In the future…”
“Forget about the future, just go!”
Chu Yu cracked his whip on Wang He’s horse, then turned to charge towards the pursuing assassins. His long sword gleamed in the night as Chu Yu blocked the assassins’ path, his voice cold, “Gentlemen, stop right there.”
The assassins exchanged glances, then attacked Chu Yu in unison.
A light rain fell that night. Long Moon and Late Moon were still far away. Chu Yu faced the men before him with a chill in his heart.
It would be best if everyone who saw her tonight died here.
With this thought, her sword carried a ruthless intent. Raindrops were flicked off the blade as Chu Yu watched the seven swords thrust toward her in succession. She parried, wiped, stabbed, blocked, and slashed. With just one sword in hand, it was as if she had woven a dense net around herself, not allowing even the tip of a blade to advance.
After several exchanges, Chu Yu saw that Wang He had gone far. She sprang back on her toes and began to retreat. Seeing Chu Yu trying to escape, the men hurriedly gave chase. Chu Yu sprinted forward, with the assassins in hot pursuit. Just as they were about to catch up, Chu Yu suddenly whirled around. Caught off guard, she swung her sword, and a head flew off violently. Blood gushed from the neck, splattering everyone!
Chu Yu’s eyes gleamed terrifyingly in the night. Her face was covered in blood, like an Asura.
“My apologies,” she glanced lightly, then thrust her sword at another person, “In your next life, be a person of peace.”
From Kunyang to near Huajing, riding hard takes about seven days. If one travels day and night without rest, it can be shortened further.
Wei Yun calculated the days, feeling rather impatient.
This time, the person he was chasing knew someone was pursuing him. In the latter half of the journey, they deliberately took detours, spending half a month before arriving at Lingcheng at the foot of Tianshou Pass. However, just when he was about to catch up, the quarry escaped again.
“He has a slender build,” the guard knelt, speaking in a low voice, “He disguised himself as a woman and ran away.”
Wei Yun said nothing. He took a sip of tea, stood up, and calmly said, “The tracking incense was left.”
“It was,” the guard replied coolly, “The hounds are searching now.”
Wei Yun nodded, not saying much more. The white jade mask on his face cast a cold light in the lamplight. He turned to look out the window, a hint of confusion in his gaze.
At this moment, they were only two hours’ journey from Huajing. If he wished, he could return. Yet he hesitated.
What was there to go back for now?
The words he wanted to say couldn’t be spoken, and the person he wanted to see, even if seen, would only scratch at his heart and liver, leaving him able to do nothing but watch.
Thinking this over, he sighed, deciding that after matters were concluded, he would go back quietly to see her once before leaving, to avoid adding to his sorrow.
With these thoughts, he lowered his gaze and took a sip of tea.
The rain fell lightly, and before long, someone hurriedly came upstairs, anxiously saying, “Master, we’ve found him. He’s in an inn on the outskirts. He’s booked a room, but hasn’t returned yet.”
Wei Yun responded, standing up and calmly saying, “Take me there.”
The group ran for half an hour, arriving at a small inn in the wild outskirts. Wei Yun led his men inside, and a waiter came up saying, “Honored guest…”
“Don’t speak.”
One of Wei Yun’s men behind him drew his knife, pressing it against the waiter’s neck. The waiter’s face showed terror. Another guard went forward, leading Wei Yun into the room that the person had booked.
“All of you hide first, don’t startle the prey.”
Wei Yun looked around and ordered, “I’ll wait in the room.”
The guards acknowledged and left, closing the door. After instructing the waiter, they each hid in an ambush.
Wei Yun walked into the room, lifted the curtain, placed his sword on the bed, and sat cross-legged. Listening to the rain outside, he finally realized.
This rain would probably last all night.
Chu Yu covered her shoulder wound with one hand, using her sword to support herself with the other, stumbling forward rather unsteadily.
Earlier, she had been running and fighting simultaneously, deliberately drawing out the distance to launch surprise attacks on those assassins. By the time everything was resolved, she realized she had long since been separated from Long Moon and Late Moon, and didn’t know where she was.
Now she was wounded, and unsure if there were still assassins behind her. She could only grit her teeth and move forward.
In the distance, there was a faint light. She guessed it must be an inn. She struggled into the courtyard of the inn and then approached the nearest room. Not sensing any breathing inside, she pushed open the window and climbed in.
She didn’t have time to go to the front desk and speak with the waiter about getting a room. Right now, she was too desperate to lie down and rest, to bandage her wound.
Running and fighting all night had completely exhausted her strength.
She struggled towards the bed, lifting the bed curtain to lie down. However, at the very moment she lifted the curtain, a hand suddenly reached out from inside! Chu Yu instinctively dodged, but was still grabbed by the wrist and dragged into the bed!
The other person didn’t seem to have killing intent; they appeared to only want to restrain her. Chu Yu had no time to think about what was happening. Acting on instinct, she twisted, forcing the other person’s hand into a position where they had to let go, then rushed towards the edge of the bed. However, the other person grabbed her collar, about to drag her back!
Her hair came loose, her clothes were torn open to her shoulders, and she crashed hard against the other person’s chest.
This was a man.
A very young man.
Chu Yu’s mind was fuzzy from blood loss, but she sensed the person’s condition from his presence behind her.
He held both her hands behind her back with one hand, while the other hand gripped her neck. His voice, clear as a spring striking porcelain, was calm and steady, devoid of emotion as he said flatly, “Hand over the item.”
Hearing this, Chu Yu knew the other person had mistaken her for someone else. However, at this moment, her throat was locked, and she could hardly make a sound. She struggled desperately, and it was then that Wei Yun finally noticed something was amiss.
His fingers lightly brushed her throat, and he couldn’t help but frown.
She had no Adam’s apple…
Although that person had disguised himself as a woman to escape, and indeed looked very much like a woman in build, he was supposed to be a man.
Wei Yun’s expression changed, and he abruptly threw Chu Yu aside. Chu Yu quickly flipped over, curling up at the foot of the bed, forcefully pulling her clothes to cover her shoulders.
However, her clothes had already been torn apart by this person earlier. Even pulling them as much as she could, a part of the snow-white skin below her neck was still exposed.
She stared at him calmly yet vigilantly, her entire body in a defensive posture. The man opposite her stared at her face, surprise gradually appearing in his eyes.
In the darkness, the two were each at one end of the bed. Chu Yu secretly slid a dagger into her palm, staring intently at the young man opposite her.
The young man opposite still maintained a kneeling posture, his sword placed beside his hand. His moon-colored long robe stood out clearly in the darkness, and the white jade mask on his face was distinct from the moonlight.
His figure was tall and straight, his breathing showed not the slightest disorder. The earlier scuffle seemed to have not affected him at all.
A master.
This thought flashed through Chu Yu’s mind instantly. She suppressed the pain in her body and spoke hoarsely.
“Due to being pursued and hunted, I mistakenly entered this room. I hope the hero will forgive me. I will leave immediately and not disturb the hero’s affairs.”
As she spoke, Chu Yu struggled to get off the bed and walk out.
She felt her wound becoming more and more painful, and her head was starting to spin. After walking a few steps, she suddenly felt powerless. Her knees buckled, and she was about to fall to the ground.
It was at this moment that a large hand reached out from behind, supporting her.
“Rest and recover.”
The other person spoke calmly. Chu Yu, breathing heavily, raised her head with difficulty and saw the complex look in his eyes.
She felt he was somewhat familiar, yet couldn’t recall where she had seen him before.
At this moment, she was in no position to refuse anything, so she could only nod, “Thank you, hero.”
Wei Yun pressed his lips together and said softly, “Excuse me.”
Saying this, he bent down and picked up Chu Yu in his arms, then opened the door and walked out.
The guards immediately rushed out, hurriedly saying, “Master, have you caught the person?!”
“Call for a physician,” Wei Yun said calmly, “I happened to save a lady.”
The guards were stunned for a moment, then everyone: “!!!”
Incredible, the young Marquis who had been single for eighteen years had fallen in love at first sight with a woman he met on the road!
Mini Scene
Guard A: Master, I have a question.
Wei Yun: Speak.
Guard A: The lady you happened to save… does this mean you happened to save a lady, and then she became your lady? Is that what it means?
Wei Yun: …