Ties of Love, Ruan Wan

Three days later, at the foot of the city wall.

Xia Changfeng, dressed in ill-fitting cloth, looked at the orchid embroidered on the money pouch, then at the city gate, and carefully put the money pouch into his bosom. He had finished the dry food Xiaozhu had made, spent all his money, and had just returned.

Seeing the burly men checking people around the city gate, he thought, "They really are persistent." He looked around to see if there was any way to sneak in.

Suddenly a hand reached out from behind my shoulder. I reflexively pushed it away, grabbed my shoulder, slid down, and swiftly pressed down on my pulse point.

The action was completed in an instant, and the opponent was subdued before they could even react.

"Ouch, ouch, it hurts! It's me, Master! It's me!" Xia Changfeng looked down and saw that it was Amu. He felt relieved and let go of her hand.

I saw Amu dressed in rough clothes, grimacing in pain as he shook his hands. He was wearing a straw hat, and I almost didn't recognize him.

Before Xia Changfeng could speak, Amu pulled him to a tree, where two equally dressed subordinates knelt down on one knee and said, "Greetings, Master."

Xia Changfeng waved his hand and said, "Get up. Let's skip the formalities for now and keep an eye on those people." The two replied that they were right and got up.

Amu stepped forward and frowned upon seeing his master's attire. "Where have you been all this time? We haven't heard a word from you. Your subordinates have been worried sick."

"Let's put that aside for now. What are you all doing here?"

"Reporting to Master, after we parted a month ago, I returned to the manor. Several days passed without you returning, and then we discovered that the Prime Minister's men were waiting at the city gate. Young Master Lou instructed us to search everywhere while also disguising ourselves and keeping watch here."

As Amu spoke, he glanced at the waterwheel beside him. "I saw Master at the city gate earlier, so I sent someone back to inform Young Master Lou to prepare for his arrival. Master, please bear with me for a moment, we can discuss this further when we get back."

The other two opened the carriage lid, and Xia Changfeng jumped into the bucket. After closing the lid, the group drove the carriage toward the city gate.

The journey was uneventful. For several days, they pretended to be water carriers, going in and out every day. This was also at the behest of Young Master Lou, who said that if they were to put on a show, they should do it properly.

The waterwheel entered the alley and stopped at the back gate of the mansion. After carefully checking the surroundings to make sure there were no spies, it opened the lid. Xia Changfeng jumped out again, not to show off or anything, but simply because he was a martial artist and it was a habit.

He walked briskly through the halls and corridors to the reception room, where he saw a man standing below, dressed in fine clothes, with a tall and straight figure, his hair tied up with a jade belt, gently waving a sandalwood fan.

She turned around at the sound of footsteps, a faint smile on her face. Her features were delicate and refined, with a touch of scholarly elegance. Her eyes and brows bore a striking resemblance to Xia Changfeng.

"Cousin," this person was Xia Changfeng's cousin, Lou Qianyuan, and he stepped forward as he spoke.

Lou Qianyuan looked at his cousin's attire with surprise, closed his fan to shield his eyes, and laughed, "What kind of outfit is this? You can't be this shabby, can you?"

Xia Changfeng glanced at himself and smiled wryly, "It's a long story, let's sit down and talk in detail."

The maidservant brought tea and then left, while several guards stood watch outside the door.

Xia Changfeng recounted his experiences over the past month to him, but did not mention that Xiaozhu was a woman, or what he thought about her.

"Hearing what you say, it really was extremely dangerous. Prime Minister Zhang was trying to kill you this time. We need to be more careful in the future, and our plans need to be more meticulous. You really have to thank that young man for surviving this time." Lou Qianyuan said as he went to check his injuries and instructed Amu to fetch a doctor.

Speaking of Xiaozhu, she's been gone for so many days, I wonder how she is doing.

"My injuries are almost healed. Tell me quickly how things have been in court while I was away for the past month."

"It's not like that. The clowns below are dancing wildly, while the real person above is watching with amusement," Lou Qianyuan said with a smile, waving his fan.

"What really made him furious was that we found that old scoundrel's lair. After you left, the second wave of reinforcements found the place completely destroyed, not a trace left."

Lou Qianyuan said with a regretful expression, "It's a pity we didn't find concrete evidence this time, otherwise we could have brought that old scoundrel down in one fell swoop."

Hearing this, Xia Changfeng realized that his efforts over the past few months had not been in vain. Although he had not achieved his ultimate goal, he had dealt a heavy blow to the other party.

"It's not that easy. It took us several years to achieve this little bit. Zhang Lucheng is deeply entrenched, with a complex network of connections. Even if we find evidence, the charges can only point to his lackeys. They can easily deflect blame. While it will have an impact, it won't damage his foundation. To uproot him completely, we have to take it slowly."

"That's right, let's fight that old scoundrel slowly."

Suddenly, a report came from outside the gate that the doctor had arrived. After examining the patient for a long time, the doctor said that there was no major problem and that the patient would recover after resting for a while.

Lou Qianyuan then left with peace of mind, telling Changfeng to take good care of himself.

Xia Changfeng returned to his room, which remained spotless despite being several months away, just as it had been when he left. He thought of the small bamboo house and the little bamboo.

He took out his money pouch and smelled it; the lingering fragrance of orchids wafted out.

It was probably scented with orchids.

"Wait for me, Xiaozhu. I'll come find you after I've finished dealing with things here."

Xia Changfeng placed the money bag under his pillow.

Xia Changfeng walked past the sandalwood relief screen depicting the Eight Immortals. Behind it, a copper-coated yellow pear-shaped bath tub was filled with hot water, and clothes were neatly arranged to the side. The servants knew their master's preferences well.

Xia Changfeng took off his clothes and enjoyed a bath to wash away the fatigue of the past few days.

It took a while for him to get dressed and walk to the door, where the servants opened the door and waited outside.

Xia Changfeng instructed the maid beside him, "Wash the clothes you took off and bring them to the room."

The maid replied "yes," and after the servant left, she entered the room in an orderly fashion to tidy up.

Meanwhile, in the Prime Minister's residence, an elderly man in his sixties stood with his hands behind his back in a dark room. Although his hair was completely white, his face showed no signs of old age and he exuded an indescribable air of authority.

Below, a group of burly men knelt on one knee. The leader cautiously reported, "Reporting to the Prime Minister, Zhang Ying's team found the residence where the Seventh Prince was hiding, but they did not find the Seventh Prince. They only found a woman, who escaped. Lu Hu and his men were waiting at the city gate but did not see him either. Furthermore, the person monitoring outside the residence reported that he went to the Seventh Prince's residence and returned two hours later. This Seventh Prince, I'm afraid, I'm afraid he has already returned home."

After he finished speaking, everyone lowered their heads and waited for Prime Minister Zhang's decision. Several of them were covered in sweat but dared not move.

But Zhang Lucheng merely rubbed the emerald ring on his right thumb with his left hand and murmured, "Back then, I softened my heart, and now it's become a scourge."

Zhang Lucheng turned and asked, "What about the western suburbs?" The leader replied, "Completely destroyed, without a trace. Everything has been moved."

A sinister glint suddenly appeared in Zhang Lucheng's eyes. "They're still wet behind the ears, yet they're already showing off their claws. It's time they experienced the real storms of the sea."

Suddenly he turned to the people below and said, "You know what to do."

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone drew their swords and cut off a finger. Fresh blood was then added to the dried bloodstains on the ground.

The person standing above seemed to have seen nothing at all, and casually ordered everyone to retreat. The group then covered their wounds and withdrew.

Serving in the Prime Minister's residence means that success is the only acceptable outcome; failure will come at a price. One finger is only allowed on the left hand, because the right hand is used to hold the knife. If three fingers are lost, the hand is useless, and what will be lost then will be the fingers.

Three days ago, inside the bamboo building.

On the bamboo couch, Ruan Wan looked at the moon outside the window, unable to sleep all night. She couldn't fall asleep in bed, so she came to this couch. Looking at the empty bed, she could only turn to face the moon outside the window.

Entering someone else's life so casually, and leaving just as casually, will always make some people uncomfortable. Meeting is fate, and when fate ends, only time can help us forget.

Suddenly remembering something, Ruan Wan got up and searched for something on the bed. She lifted the pillow, picked up the jade pendant, and stared at it quietly.

The jade, as smooth as cream, radiated a warm, soft glow under the moonlight. A faint red thread, as vibrant as snow, was hidden on one side, and the jade was rounded all over, with the character "Xia" intricately carved inside.

Although I had studied ancient characters, I hadn't seen any written characters in these mountains for many years, so I was inevitably rusty. However, the character "夏" (Xia) has remained the same throughout history and is simple in its original form. It has not been simplified in the past, so I recognized it at a glance.

Just as she was focusing on the jade, the bamboo window suddenly closed, startling Ruan Wan.

Something is approaching.

This is an alarm system set up by Ruan Wan. The small wooden stick supporting the bamboo window is tied with hemp rope dyed black with fuel and wrapped around the tree to encircle the bamboo house.

The main purpose of this mountain is to protect against attacks from wild animals, but it can also be used to protect against people.

You can't see anything through the crack in the door. Although there is moonlight, you can't see anything. You have to calm down and listen carefully. Living in the mountains for many years has made your hearing excellent.

Although the other party tried their best to avoid making a sound, the mountains were full of dry branches and leaves, and it was impossible to avoid them no matter how careful they were.

They could hear a group of people slowly approaching.

He stuffed the jade into his bosom, poured water on the charcoal brazier to extinguish it, and kicked it off the bed.

He packed a set of men's clothing into a bamboo basket, along with the ginseng and a pile of dried medicinal herbs. Then, he tiptoed out of the window and hid in the mound of earth behind the house. His heart was pounding, but he tried his best to calm his breathing.

I heard a series of light footsteps going upstairs; these moments felt like an eternity.

Outside the bamboo house, a masked man in black took out a section of thin bamboo, removed the wooden plug from the opening, and quietly inserted it into the window crack, blowing a tube of white smoke into the house.

A moment later, another person took out a dagger, opened the door latch, and cautiously peeked out to look around.

He opened the door and beckoned the people behind him to come in. Everyone held their breath and filed in.

The interior was small and completely exposed; there was no one in sight. Zhang Ying, the leader, touched the bedding. "It's cold. Looks like we're too late. The person is already gone. Search carefully everywhere and see if there's anything there."

The group then searched everywhere.

Although it's early summer, things are different in the mountains, just as the ancient poem says, "In the human world, the flowers of April have all faded, but in the mountain temple, the peach blossoms are just beginning to bloom."

Despite the lingering chill of early spring, Ruan Wan broke out in a cold sweat as she heard the sounds of things being rummaged through upstairs.

Suddenly, I caught a faint fragrance and immediately covered my nose with my hand. "Datura pollen!" I thought. "Such a high concentration of pollen has such effects even when it's dispersed outside."

It seems this group of people is not simple. Why would they go to such lengths to deal with an orphan like me?

No, Brother Xia, they're here to see Brother Xia. Ruan Wan suddenly felt relieved; thankfully, Brother Xia had already left this morning.

When I first met Brother Xia, I guessed that his injuries were inflicted by these people. Thinking of this, I couldn't help but shrink back. "I must not let them find out, or I'm doomed."

Finding nothing inside, the group had no choice but to give up and leave.

Ruan Wan huddled behind the mound, listening to the footsteps fade into the distance before slowly getting up. If they were to turn back, she would be dead.

I should go stay with my mother for a few days. As soon as I lifted my foot, the bell vibrated, its clear sound ringing out especially loudly in the quiet night.

You're doomed now.

Suddenly, I heard hurried footsteps behind me.

"That damn bell!"

He took off running, but luckily he was familiar with the mountains and forests. With the help of the dim moonlight, he moved through the woods, but the people behind him were not weak either.

Moreover, Ruan Wan was a woman, and a group of burly men were relentlessly pursuing her, closing in step by step. As the sounds grew closer, Ruan Wan's heart pounded, and she could only run frantically.

Suddenly, the crescent moon disappeared into the clouds. It was truly a case of misfortunes never coming singly. Now, I could only run by instinct, completely oblivious to the stinging branches hitting me. I just kept running and running, my mind no longer able to think.

Suddenly the red string holding the bell broke, and the bell disappeared into the withered branches and rotten leaves.

After the ringing stopped, the group of people didn't know which direction to chase after.

Just as everyone was about to scatter and search, the leader shouted, "Stop chasing! It's hard to regroup once we're scattered in this deep mountain forest. Besides, the person ahead is a woman, but we can't find the Seventh Prince. Could it be a trap to lure us away from the mountain? Let's go back!" The group hurried back.

She didn't know how long she had run, but her mother's grave came into view. Without thinking twice, Ruan Wan hid in a cave.

Gasping for breath, her mind was a blur. Around dawn, a heavy rain began to fall, so heavy that a curtain of water covered the cave entrance, obscuring the view outside. Ruan Wan thought that with such heavy rain, the group should have gone back by now.

The rain fell for a day and a night, and Ruan Wan's heart gradually calmed down.

As she got up, Ruan Wan felt something was off. Suddenly, she realized her bell was gone. She searched the entire cave but couldn't find it, and Ruan Wan immediately panicked.

Is something bad going to happen again? Is God going to take my life again?

There was nothing else we could do but wait.

The rain finally stopped the next morning. After peeking around and making sure no one was there, Ruan Wan went outside. She found that she was fine and breathed a sigh of relief, but she was still worried.

Turning to look at my mother, my heart sank; the heavy rain had washed away her grave.

Ruan Wan hurriedly ran over and saw that the orchids all over the ground had withered in the wind and rain. Suddenly, she turned her head and saw a hand that had turned into a skeleton holding an orchid hairpin with a gold handle and a jade pendant.

When Ruan Wan woke up, she saw the orchid hairpin in her mother's hand and the clothes embroidered with orchids on her body. She guessed that her mother must like orchids, so she used this orchid to accompany her mother.

Picking up the hairpin, I saw that the white magnolia was covered in mud and missing a petal. I used my clothes to wipe it clean.

Suddenly, the magnolia fell down. Ruan Wan turned to look at her mother and said, "I'm sorry, Mother, I'll fix it right away."

When she picked up the magnolia, she discovered that the golden stem was hollow, revealing a bit of white silk-like material. Ruan Wan carefully pulled it out.

The white silk cloth was covered with delicate handwriting, meant for Ruan Wan, but now it could only be considered his own.

"My daughter, Wan'er, I don't know if you'll ever see this letter I left behind, or if you've already gone to the underworld with me. It's all my fault, Wan'er. I'm so sorry for trusting such a villain; I've ruined myself. You still have your father. But if you live, you must remember these words: Su Yingxin is a viper, framing and slandering my daughter and me. My innocence was revealed at Suxin Diewu's place. Wan'er, you must return to your father's side and let him know that your mother is innocent. You must, otherwise your father will suffer a lifetime of pain, and I will be at peace even in the afterlife."

After reading it, I was completely confused and didn't understand what it was saying.

Memories from ten years ago flooded back like a tide. Ruan Wan's childhood memories were lost, but the scene of her death seemed to be right before her eyes.