mynovelweb Chapter 168
Chapter 168
The night was as thick as ink, threatening to swallow up the last glimmer of light. The woman huddled in a corner of the dilapidated temple, her shoulder wound still bleeding, staining her tattered clothes red. But the pain in her body was nothing compared to the endless sorrow and despair in her heart.
She gazed at the dead silence and darkness outside the temple, and warm scenes of the village past flashed through her mind like a revolving lantern: her sister, laughing and picking flowers by the stream, the simple villagers working in the fields, chatting with each other. Life back then, though hard, was full of life. Now, her sister's cries and the villagers' wails seemed to still ring in her ears, but they had all turned to cold corpses, sleeping in the blood-soaked earth, and she was the only one left, breathing, alone.
"Marquis..." She gritted her teeth, her teeth clenched in hatred. Xie Yuan, with his connections in the imperial court and his thugs in the underworld, held deep connections and immense power. She was just an ordinary woman, with only martial arts skills, what could she do? When she was powerless, she had been unable to rescue her sister, who had been abducted and taken to the Marquis' mansion. Now, after risking everything, she had only received catastrophic disaster. The weight of her blood feud weighed heavily on her chest, and every breath pierced her heart and lungs.
Tears fell silently, hitting the dusty ground, creating a cascade of teardrops. She clasped her arms tightly, trying to find some warmth and comfort, but the cold wind blew through the broken walls, cutting her skin like ice knives, a cruel mockery of fate. She wanted to beat the drum to protest, but the government office had already been bribed by the Marquis's mansion, and her complaint could not be submitted. She wanted to seek help from chivalrous men in the martial arts world, but she didn't know who to trust, fearing the Marquis's spies would notice her as soon as she opened her mouth, causing further trouble.
"Is there really no other way?" she muttered, a flicker of determination in her tears. The cold night wind sliced her skin like an icy blade, like fate's cruel torture. All around her was pitch black, with only a few remaining stars, flickering faintly in the vast night sky, like the light of her almost extinguished hope.
She folded her arms, trembling in the corner of the dilapidated temple, her mind frantically searching for even the slightest possibility of seeking help. Fellow students? They were just ordinary women, struggling to protect themselves, how could they possibly withstand the overwhelming power of the Marquis's mansion? Old acquaintances? Under the pressure of the powerful, they probably wouldn't even dare to open the door, let alone offer a helping hand. With each person she thought of, her heart sank, until it plunged into an icy cellar, a chill piercing her bones.
Just as she was losing hope, a figure leaped out of her memory like a ghost—that night, she was being chased by the Marquis's minions, and on the verge of capture, a graceful figure descended from the sky. With her exceptional martial arts skills, she repelled the pursuers with a few strokes of her flute. The woman, wearing a bamboo hat, couldn't see her face clearly, but she must have been someone who hated evil with a vengeance.
"Will she help me?" the woman murmured, her palms sweating as she clutched the hem of her clothes. She remembered the kindness she'd received that night, but it was a chance encounter, and she might simply be acting on impulse. How could she possibly be drawn into the deep, perilous feud within the Marquisate? Furthermore, her identity was a mystery; was she a chivalrous knight, a reclusive master, or perhaps even a trusted aide to a powerful official? If she rashly sought her out, she might attract trouble, or be discovered by the Marquisate's spies, and there would be no chance of recovery.
But the barefoot are not afraid of the shod. Since they were already trapped in a desperate situation, even an ant had the courage to fight to the death, so why not give it a try? With her mind made up, she forced herself to stand, and under the cover of the thickest darkness before dawn, she followed her vague memories and headed for the place where they had met that night. The streets were silent, only her hurried footsteps remained. Each step felt like treading on the edge of fate, but the hatred in her eyes and the obsession with survival and revenge were like a torch, illuminating the perilous path beneath her, hoping to find a glimmer of hope at the end.
Lin Wunian stood on the windowsill, her bare hands resting lightly on the cool window frame, letting the night breeze ruffle her sleeves. Moonlight streamed across the courtyard, casting a silvery veil over the familiar vegetation and bricks, creating a dreamlike illusion. Yet, this tranquil beauty could not reach her troubled eyes.
As the dew deepened, a strong premonition would suddenly well up in her heart, making it difficult for her to sleep. It was as if a pair of eyes hidden in the darkness, through the night and the high walls, were staring at her closely. And the person behind those eyes would sooner or later step into her small world.
Her brow furrowed slightly as she reflected on the past. Though she had acted with integrity during her wanderings, she'd inevitably made enemies. Could those sects and bandits she'd offended while fighting for the secret manual, or while doing justice, still harbor resentment and seek revenge? With this thought, she instinctively tightened her grip on the hilt of the sword at her waist. That sword had been with her for many years, had drunk the blood of countless villains. She hoped it would protect her if anything happened tonight.
Lin Wunian looked up at the vast night sky. The stars were twinkling, as if hiding countless secrets and unknowns, just like her uneasy mood at the moment. She couldn't guess or figure out where the hidden person came from.
Perhaps someone might come to visit and offer support out of nostalgia for the old times, but times have changed and people's hearts have changed. Who can guarantee that the years have not created cracks in the friendship, turning former close friends into strangers, or even... rivals?
The moonlight moved quietly, but she still stood there, her figure stretched out on the ground like a statue in deep thought, quietly waiting for fate to be revealed. Whether the person coming was a blessing or a curse, an enemy or a friend, could only be determined by the long night. All the unknowns were in the sound of the quietly approaching footsteps.
"Sister, I just heard the waiter downstairs say that all the people who bought herbal medicine in the city have been recorded. Fortunately, we bought it in time." Kankan came over with hurried steps, and her words were filled with relief. The hair on her forehead was a little messy due to her hurried running, and her cheeks were still flushed from the journey.
Upon hearing this, Lin Wunian looked up at Kanan, his gaze a mixture of worry and alarm. "It seems they haven't found the injured woman yet. They're seizing the pharmacy to prevent her from buying medicine." Lin Wunian thought of the woman and sighed helplessly. The faint sigh drifted slowly in the quiet room, as if carrying a complex and sad feeling.
Outside the window, the bustling market was as usual: the cries of hawkers, the clatter of horses' hooves, the laughter and curses of passersby, but to Lin Wunian, these were superficial noises that masked the danger. She knew that the actions of the Marquis's residence were like a dense net, slowly tightening, and the injured woman was the fleeing prey caught in the net. Lin Wunian had only met her once, but because she had accidentally witnessed her being hunted by the Marquis's residence and had come to her aid, she had been drawn into this dangerous vortex, unable to escape.
Lin Wunian paced in front of the window, staring at the soldiers coming and going on the street with a solemn expression, and said slowly: "The Marquis' Mansion is in a mess now, and they are anxious to block any loophole that may help the woman heal her wounds and hide. We acted carefully, and they have not yet got any evidence. But the woman is alone, seriously injured, and is wanted by the whole city. If she goes on like this, she will not be able to escape sooner or later. Now that we have waded into this muddy water, how can we watch her die." As he spoke, he tightened the hilt of the sword at his waist, as if to draw strength from the cold touch to make a decision.