Amidst the crackling of firecrackers, a muffled bang signaled the runaway ox cart crashing through the wall. A wild boar charged into the tea house, followed closely by another that trampled through the debris.
"This... this is..." The stunned waiter's mouth hung open, his eyes nearly popping out.
Qianzhong Dao was mountainous and densely forested, making wild boars common. However, they were usually found in wine shops or the kitchens of wealthy households. Eating wild boar meat was one thing, but seeing one up close, baring its tusks, bristling with stiff quills, and weighing a good two hundred pounds, was another.
Perched on the railing of the safety of the second floor, Zhan Feiyu stared down in disbelief. Seeing the string of still-exploding firecrackers tied to the hindquarters of the boars, she finally understood the reason for the firecracker sounds in the bustling marketplace.
Zhan Feiyu turned back. "What's going on?"
The young man standing beside He Nuan, who followed closely behind, spoke in a low voice. "Previously, the ox cart was carrying two wild boars, covered with straw. We thought they were being delivered to some wine shop. The ropes tying the boars were slipknots..."
Thus, when the firecrackers on their tails were lit, the frightened boars bolted from the cart, and the out-of-control ox cart veered towards the wall by the window.
Seeing that things were amiss, the young man immediately revealed himself to warn them. He Nuan also promptly retreated to the second floor with Zhan Feiyu. The ox cart first crashed through the wall, and then the two terrified wild boars frantically charged inside.
The main hall of the tea house had descended into chaos. The two wild boars were wildly charging into the crowd, overturning wooden tables and chairs. Those who couldn't evade them in time were either sent flying by the boars or knocked to the ground by panicked customers.
Amidst the shrill, terrified, and pained screams, Zhan Feiyu frowned. "Go down and help."
The young man pursed his lips and whistled. Two figures then flew in from outside the tea house, their long swords flashing as they lunged towards the rampaging boars.
As for the young man, he, like He Nuan, guarded Zhan Feiyu from the left and right.
"Miss, be careful!" Suddenly, sensing unusual activity on the roof, the young man spoke again.
With a crash, roof tiles clattered down, followed by a bamboo basket being tossed through the hole.
Zhan Feiyu's eyes widened, and her face instantly turned pale. She stumbled back several steps. Live snakes were crawling out of the basket, their speed so great that they quickly occupied the walkway on the second floor.
As the second bamboo basket fell, He Nuan immediately grabbed Zhan Feiyu and leaped out of the second-floor window. She had only caught a glimpse, but He Nuan recognized them all as venomous snakes.
Just as He Nuan's figure appeared, dozens of arrows shot through the air from the shadows. It seemed they had anticipated her jumping from the second floor with Zhan Feiyu.
Almost simultaneously, two figures leaped out from the crowd on the street, quickly positioning themselves in front of He Nuan, their swords skillfully deflecting the incoming arrows.
The street was already crowded. When the wild boars had charged into the tea house earlier, many passersby and customers from other shops had come out to watch the commotion. Therefore, Zhan Feiyu couldn't determine if there were still enemies hidden within the crowd.
"A Nuan, put me down!" Zhan Feiyu patted He Nuan's arm. Today, she had walked to the tea house to eat ice treats, and Ah Sheng hadn't accompanied her. Besides A Nuan, there were six other people hidden nearby.
Zhan Feiyu glanced back. At this moment, five of them were entangled, and the remaining one had now appeared and stood behind A Nuan, making their movement safer.
He Nuan's gaze swept sharply across the crowded street. Her right hand gripped her soft sword, and her left hand held Zhan Feiyu's, as they slowly retreated. "Big Brother and the others will be here soon."
After a while, they reached an alley half a street away from the tea house, a dead end. Although being cornered posed the danger of being trapped like fish in a barrel, the three walls offered He Nuan better protection for Zhan Feiyu, eliminating the worry of surprise attacks from hidden enemies.
"Miss, you?" He Nuan had intended to have Zhan Feiyu retreat to the corner of the wall, allowing herself to guard the alley entrance. However, Zhan Feiyu shook her head and refused.
Zhan Feiyu wasn't frightened by the assassination attempt, but the thought of those colorful venomous snakes made her wipe her face fiercely. "I'm worried about snakes!"
Standing in the corner of the wall, if a basket of venomous snakes were to pour down on her head, Zhan Feiyu's face would turn pale just imagining it. She would rather take a stab.
He Nuan was taken aback and nodded in understanding. "Miss, just stand behind me."
After a brief silence, arrows once again shot towards the three people in the alley. The Imperial Guards guarding the alley entrance remained unfazed. The swords hidden in their hands danced, forming an unbreakable net. No matter which direction the arrows came from, they were blocked by the swords.
He Nuan dared not be careless. While watching the alley entrance to prevent any stray arrows, she also had to keep an eye on the wall, fearing enemies might appear from there or that venomous snakes would be thrown over.
Unfortunately, what they feared most came to pass. Almost simultaneously, two bamboo baskets appeared from the walls on either side. He Nuan shot up and kicked one away, but the other basket fell.
"Miss!" He Nuan shouted, slicing through a tree branch half a person's length with her sword, then swiftly thrusting her sword towards the hidden enemy in the tree.
Desperate, Zhan Feiyu no longer cared about her fear. She quickly caught the falling branch, gripped it tightly with both hands, and swung it with the force of a gale sweeping away fallen leaves.
In the summer, the trees were lush with leaves. The thin branches and leaves, like a broom, had little killing power but could sweep away the venomous snakes slithering on the ground.
Reinforcements arrived swiftly. They flew towards the tea house almost as soon as the signal flares were seen in the sky, but for Zhan Feiyu, the wait felt incredibly long.
The battle ended even faster. Besides the wild boars and the venomous snakes, the assassins weren't even considered masters; they were only slightly stronger than ordinary martial artists.
"Miss, are you alright?" He Nuan, ignoring the blood on her soft sword, wound it back to her waist and looked at Zhan Feiyu, whose eyes were somewhat vacant, with concern.
Back in Aozi Pass, it had been a bloody battle, and the situation had been even more dangerous, yet Zhan Feiyu's state was better than it was now.
He Sheng was examining the bodies. He turned his head and glanced at the snakes, cut in half on the ground. "A Nuan, carry Miss and get out of here!"
"I'm fine," Zhan Feiyu's voice was hoarse, but as He Nuan picked her up, her heart settled. If she had to walk out over the corpses of venomous snakes right now, Zhan Feiyu truly wanted to say, "I can't do it."
A quarter of an hour later, at the Qiu family's villa.
He Nuan had a maid pour hot water into the bathtub. She watched Zhan Feiyu squatting on a chair. "The house has been checked inside and out, and medicinal powder has been sprinkled. There won't be any snakes."
When traveling, it was fine in winter, but from the beginning of spring, He Nuan had prepared plenty of insect and snake repellent powder. Whether staying overnight in the wilderness or at an inn or post station, her first action was always to check the surroundings and then sprinkle the powder. Therefore, He Nuan truly hadn't expected her young lady, who could kill people, to be so afraid of snakes.
"I know," Zhan Feiyu nodded, her eyes blank, her mind empty. She couldn't think about anything right now. As soon as she tried to use her brain, countless images of writhing snakes would automatically appear in her mind, and then, on their own, they would extend towards her feet, climbing up her legs...
Her imagination was too vivid, causing her small, squatting body to tremble intermittently. But she couldn't control it, which was aptly called "suffering the consequences of one's own actions!"
A moment later, in the inner chamber, Zhan Feiyu stood before the screen, looking at the tall bathtub. "A Nuan, why don't you reach in and stir it a few times?"
He Nuan, who was putting away clothes, was startled. Did Miss worry there were snakes in the bathtub?
But looking at the steaming, yet still clear bathtub, He Nuan rolled up her sleeves, then reached into the water and stirred vigorously. "Miss, don't worry, I'll stand here and won't leave."
For the first time, when Zhan Feiyu bathed, He Nuan did not retreat behind the screen but stood with her back to the bathtub, ensuring that Zhan Feiyu could see her as soon as she looked up.
Half an hour later.
"Miss, what is this?" He Sheng glanced into the room and was truly taken aback.
Although Miss came from the countryside, and couldn't be compared to young ladies from families with deep foundations, her manners in walking, sitting, and standing were impeccable, with an added touch of casualness.
This was the first time He Sheng had seen Zhan Feiyu so unrefined, squatting on a chair to practice calligraphy.
"Miss dares not put her feet under the desk." He Nuan was also helpless. If she had known Miss was so afraid of snakes, she should have held her tightly the entire time.
He Sheng nodded in understanding, but considering that Zhan Feiyu dared to kill people, her fear of snakes shouldn't be to this extent.
"I'll sew a snake-repellent sachet for Miss to wear soon." He Nuan could only think of this solution. She was more worried that Zhan Feiyu wouldn't be able to sleep at night. Thinking of this, He Nuan's gaze sharpened. "Have you found out who did this?"