“No… no need to thank me!” Qian Shi Ming turned her head away shyly, finding the gratitude of the two rather overwhelming.
“Where are you headed, young lady?” the man suddenly asked.
“Brother Chang Yu and I are from out of town, and we have some business to attend to here!” Ming Yu replied.
“Young master, where are you going?” Ming Yu came back to her senses and retorted.
The man chuckled softly and said indifferently, “My sister and I are going to the capital to find our relatives.”
“We are also heading to the same place!” Ming Yu said.
The man smiled and asked, “Would you be interested in traveling together, Miss?”
“Brother…”
“Miss…”
“All right!” Ming Yu readily agreed.
“Miss, we might have to spend the night in the wilderness again tonight!” Ming Yu walked alongside Qian Shi Xuan, with envious glances from Chang Yu and Qian Shi Ming behind them.
“It’s all right, it’s not my first time spending the night in the wilderness!” Ming Yu smiled, indicating it was fine.
“I am truly sorry!” Qian Shi Xuan said apologetically.
“Brother, why are you apologizing to her? Haven’t I endured this kind of hardship too?”
“Qian Shi Ming, do not be disrespectful!” Qian Shi Xuan reprimanded Qian Shi Ming coldly. Qian Shi Ming grew even more resentful of Ming Yu. Previously, her brother always doted on her, but now, with beauty around, he had cast his sister aside. Truly, brothers never stay put once they find love!
Before it got completely dark, Ming Yu and Qian Shi Xuan finally found a dilapidated, abandoned thatched hut. Although it was drafty, it was better than being directly exposed to the wind outside.
Chang Yu gathered some dry firewood and started a fire. He then took out the dry provisions they had bought in the morning and handed them to Ming Yu. Ming Yu divided half of it and gave it to Qian Shi Xuan’s servants, “For your young master to eat!”
“Thank you, Miss…” The servants took the provisions and handed them to Ouyang Xuan. Some were also given to Qian Shi Ming.
“I refuse to eat such hard food. I’m going hunting!” With that, Qian Shi Ming prepared to leave.
“Shi Ming, it’s so late. How can a young lady like you leave your brother worrying?” Qian Shi Xuan tried to stop her.
“Hmph, you have plenty of time to worry about people you care about!” After saying this, Qian Shi Ming, disregarding Qian Shi Xuan’s attempts to stop her, forced her way out!
“Xue Yu, Xue Li, follow her and do not allow her to cause trouble!” Qian Shi Xuan instructed his servants.
“Young Master, what about you?” Xue Yu asked.
“I’m fine. I still have Miss Ming Yu and Brother Chang Yu. Hurry and go after her. Don’t let her enter the woods,” Qian Shi Xuan instructed.
“Yes, Young Master.” Xue Yu turned to look at Ming Yu and respectfully said, “Please take care of my young master, Miss Ming Yu.”
“You can rest assured!” Ming Yu nodded, indicating it was fine.
“Thank you, Miss!” Xue Yu and the other servant said, and quickly departed. “Ming Yu, my sister speaks rather arrogantly and rudely. If she has offended you, I hope you can forgive her, considering she lost her parents at a young age and we relied on each other, living a life of hardship and constant movement,” Qian Shi Xuan said with utmost sincerity.
“It’s all right. I won’t take it to heart.” Qian Shi Ming is just spoiled; her nature is not bad at heart.
“Then thank you very much, Miss!” Qian Shi Xuan said gratefully.
“Ming Yu, you should rest!” Chang Yu, who had been silent, suddenly spoke.
“I’m not sleepy yet!” Ming Yu shook her head.
Chang Yu stood up, his voice tinged with a hint of coldness, “I’ll go out and take a look!”
“Don’t go too far.” Before Ming Yu could finish speaking, Chang Yu had already vanished.
Ming Yu’s lips twitched. What was wrong with Chang Yu? He seemed to be angry with her.
After a period of silence, Qian Shi Xuan suddenly spoke, “Your elder brother seems to be angry with you.”
Ming Yu gave an awkward smile. “He’s always like this. You don’t need to mind it, Young Master!”
Qian Shi Xuan and Ming Yu chatted about inconsequential matters. By the time the fire on the ground had gradually died down and the firewood had turned into red embers, the one who had gone out had still not returned.
Ming Yu could feel Qian Shi Xuan’s worry and couldn’t help but comfort him, “Miss Qian will be all right. She will return safely. Your servants are all skilled martial artists.”
From their first meeting, she knew that among the four people present, Qian Shi Xuan was the only one who showed no signs of martial arts proficiency. The others possessed decent skills. Although not as good as Chang Yu, they had certainly killed more people and thus had more experience.
“I know,” Qian Shi Xuan replied faintly. But Ming Yu knew that if this were happening to her, she would also be very anxious.
At this moment, hurried footsteps were heard from outside. Qian Shi Xuan fumbled to his feet, his voice laced with anxiety, “Where is my sister?”
Ming Yu also stood up and looked at the person outside the door. When she saw the person coming into view, she felt a sense of foreboding. Only Xue Yu had returned, and she was covered in injuries. The blood had stained her white clothes, making her look exceptionally weak.
“Xue Yu?” Qian Shi Xuan suddenly spoke.
Xue Yu fell to her knees with a thud, her face contorted in pain. “Young Master, Xue Yu is incompetent. Not only did I fail to save Miss, but Xue Li also unfortunately fell off a cliff.”
Upon hearing these words, Qian Shi Xuan stumbled back several steps uncontrollably. “Xue Yu, you… say that again.”
“Xue Yu failed to save Miss. Xue Li was struck and thrown down the mountain cliff while saving Miss,” Xue Yu said weakly, clutching the blood that was uncontrollably oozing from her chest.
Seeing this, Ming Yu quickly stepped forward to help Xue Yu up and said to Qian Shi Xuan, “I will bandage Xue Yu’s wounds first. We can discuss anything else later.” As she spoke, she tried to help Xue Yu up. Xue Yu refused to rise, instead kowtowing to her several times. This time, Ming Yu was astonished. Reacting quickly, she immediately stepped forward to support Xue Yu’s arms, preventing her from further injuring herself.
“Get up quickly. What is so important that you have to kowtow?” Ming Yu finally helped Xue Yu up and led her to lean against the wall, preparing to tear open her clothes to bandage her.
Unexpectedly, Xue Yu stopped Ming Yu. “Miss, I beg you to save my young lady. I know she has offended you, but right now, only you can save her. Please!”
Ming Yu froze for a moment, then her eyes sharpened, and her voice grew cold. “Regardless, I need to bandage you first!”
“No, Miss, it will be too late if you don’t go now. Miss was… was…” Xue Yu spat out a mouthful of blood. Ming Yu held her down and said, “Speak slowly. I’m listening.”
Xue Yu nodded, taking a deep breath. “Miss was captured by Shi Gui.”
“Shi Gui?” Ming Yu was confused; she didn’t know him.
Xue Yu knew Ming Yu didn’t recognize the name and explained, “He is the clan brother of Minister Shi, the Minister of Justice in the imperial court.”