EWRN - Chapter 52
Chapter 52: Autumn Hunt (VII)
Hua Ying galloped on horseback, holding the unconscious Di An in her arms. The massive blood loss was already blurring her vision, but she told herself she absolutely could not collapse halfway. Otherwise, they would both be in danger of falling from the horse.
The west gate of Jiangbei Villa was just ahead, and Hua Ying breathed a slight sigh of relief. Servants were waiting at the entrance of the West Palace to welcome any masters returning early in the afternoon. Seeing Hua Ying return carrying a blood-soaked noble consort, they were all terrified. Could the noble consort have been assassinated?
At the villa entrance, Hua Ying carefully handed Di An over to two maids to support. She quickly dismounted, gave the horse to a servant, and then took Di An back. She carried her horizontally in her arms, and using lightness skill, she tapped her toes on the ground and leaped towards the East Palace.
Only then did the servants and maids see the gruesome wound on Hua Ying's back. They thought to themselves, So it was an assassination after all. Then they watched, dumbfounded, as Hua Ying flew away just like that.
After reaching the East Palace and carefully placing Di An on the bed, Hua Ying was a little out of breath. Just as she straightened up, she felt the world spin. She stumbled and nearly fell to the ground. Fortunately, with quick reflexes, she grabbed a nearby bedpost and avoided falling.
She called in the maids from outside and gave instructions for the herbs to be fetched, also instructing them on the heat and time for brewing the medicine. She ordered two other maids to bring warm water, and she personally changed Di An's dressing, washed her body, and changed her into clean clothes. Only then was everything settled.
By this time, Hua Ying's face was deathly pale. She finally became aware of the intense pain coming from her back. Huo Jinyu and Yan Xi arrived just then.
Just as Huo Jinyu was about to step forward, Yan Xi beat her to it. Yan Xi helped Hua Ying lie carefully face down on the couch. Huo Jinyu quickly ordered the maids to help her change, apply medicine, and bandage the wound. As for herself, constrained by her "male" identity, she temporarily left the room to give them privacy.
While helping to treat Hua Ying's wound, Yan Xi was also shocked. This young woman's injuries were far more severe than Noble Consort Di An's. Yet Hua Ying disregarded her own injuries, her entire focus on Di An. It was truly… a bit strange.
If Hua Ying were Di An's maid, or perhaps a guard, then all of this would make sense. But Hua Ying's aura clearly showed she was raised in a great family. She didn't seem like someone who would be a maid to a courtesan.
If not, then who was Hua Ying to Di An? Even if they were close friends, one wouldn't completely disregard their own injuries and life to fight so desperately. A strong sense of incongruity lingered in Yan Xi's mind. What exactly was the relationship between these two, and what connection did they have with Huo Jinyu?
Suspicion had already begun to grow in Yan Xi's heart.
After carefully bandaging Hua Ying, Yan Xi gave a few words of advice. She then called for maids to bring warm water, helped Hua Ying clean herself, and changed her into fresh clothes. Only then did she leave and return to her own room. She needed to think carefully about the relationship between the three of them. Yan Xi had a gut feeling that Huo Jinyu was definitely hiding something important and was simply unwilling to tell her.
Hua Ying lay dizzily on the soft couch for a while before gradually recovering. The room was warm, with charcoal burning in the corner, and a bit of color slowly returned to Hua Ying's face.
She pushed herself up with both hands. Just now, during the fight, her mind had been focused and tense, and she hadn't felt the pain at all. On the way back, her thoughts were entirely on Di An, afraid something might happen to An'er, so she didn't feel much then either. But now, she felt as if her body weighed a thousand catties.
Hua Ying struggled to her feet, her bones creaking as if in protest of her actions.
Hua Ying stood up, stretched stiffly, and then walked over to Di An's bedside.
She looked down at Di An, a myriad of thoughts in her eyes. Hua Ying sat gently on the edge of the bed, her right hand lightly touching Di An's face. Her slender fingers traced a path from forehead to the corner of her lips.
Her index finger brushed across Di An's soft lips. Looking at Di An's sleeping, unconscious form, a deep heartache and a hint of restrained desire flashed in Hua Ying's eyes.
"An'er," Hua Ying called softly.
Di An remained unconscious, without any response.
Hua Ying slowly bent over, lowering her head to gently draw near. Their lips touched lightly. A tingling sensation instantly spread from the point of contact throughout her entire body. Hua Ying's hand, braced on the bed, tightened.
The mere touch of their lips was no longer enough to satisfy Hua Ying. Hua Ying's lips parted slightly, and she took Di An's lips into her own. Her lips were as soft as a glutinous rice cake, with a hint of sweetness.
Hua Ying's tongue gently traced the shape of Di An's lips. A few tears slid down Hua Ying's face, dripping onto Di An's. In the end, Hua Ying did not breach the barrier of her lips.
After a moment, Hua Ying finally straightened up, full of reluctance. A blush rose to her cheeks. Her heart was pounding, like a small deer running wild inside her chest. She reached out to wipe the tears from Di An's face and also rubbed her own eyes.
Hua Ying placed a hand over her heart, forcing herself to calm down. Seeing An'er still unconscious, she felt anxious, but also a sliver of secret delight. She stood up, walked to the door, and asked the maids for a brush, ink, paper, and inkstone. Then she returned to the table, her brush moving like a swimming dragon.
After a while, a letter was written. After the ink dried, Hua Ying used the inkstone to weigh down the paper. She turned to look at the sleeping Di An again, then began to pack her bag.
Hua Ying didn't have many things, just two changes of clothes, some loose silver, and silver bank notes. As she tied the bundle to her body, she accidentally touched the wound on her back, causing her to hiss and suck in a sharp breath of cold air. She fastened her sword, left the room, closed the door, and instructed the maids at the entrance to remember to check on Di An periodically. And not to forget to reheat the brewed medicine and feed it to the noble consort when she woke up, and so on.
With everything arranged, she went to the main hall of the East Palace. She explained her purpose to the maid at the door; she wanted to see Huo Jinyu before she left. The maid went in to announce her, and Hua Ying waited quietly outside the hall.
Before long, the maid came out with permission and led Hua Ying inside.
Huo Jinyu was sitting in the main hall drinking tea and looked somewhat surprised to see Hua Ying enter with a bundle on her back. She waved her hand, dismissing the palace maids in the hall. The entire main hall of the East Palace was left with only Huo Jinyu and Hua Ying.
"Are you leaving?" Huo Jinyu asked, setting down her teacup.
"Replying to Your Majesty, this servant will be departing for home shortly," Hua Ying answered respectfully.
"Then what about the noble consort? Are you just going to leave her in Our harem and wash your hands of her?" Huo Jinyu frowned, thinking to herself, This Hua Ying doesn't seem like the type to be treacherous and ungrateful.
"Your Majesty, this servant told you at the Jade Spring Pavilion that day that she is a person of the jianghu. In truth, this servant has been concealing something." Hua Ying paused, and seeing Huo Jinyu nod for her to continue, she spoke again. "I wonder if Your Majesty has heard of the Great Yuan Kingdom's top assassin organization, Minghua Pavilion?"
"Of course We have," Huo Jinyu nodded. In this life, there had been no news of Minghua Pavilion, but in her past life, Minghua Pavilion had become famous throughout the jianghu starting in the first few years of the Jinxi era. Its reputation in the Great Yuan Kingdom was also quite high. She had once thought of recruiting Minghua Pavilion to serve her, but unfortunately, the master of Minghua Pavilion had declared they only engaged in monetary transactions and would never submit to any person or power. Minghua Pavilion's principle was that money makes the world go round; there was nothing that couldn't be solved by paying them. Of course, relying on its high status and power, Minghua Pavilion had once inflated its prices, but for some profligate sons of the rich or wealthy merchants, the prices were extremely low, and they would even take the initiative to attack the forces of some of these profligates. In short, the Minghua Pavilion of her past life was completely inscrutable.
Could it be? Does this Hua Ying have some connection to Minghua Pavilion?
"Replying to Your Majesty, this servant is precisely the Young Mistress of Minghua Pavilion. I am returning to Minghua Pavilion this time to seize full authority and take complete control of the organization as soon as possible. Your Majesty has also seen that this servant has been pursued by assassins for four or five months now. What makes this servant feel guilty is that the assassins at the Rite of Heaven banquet were also after me, and caused Your Majesty to be gravely injured while saving An'er and me. Today, Your Majesty saved us both from dire straits again! This servant will never forget this life-saving grace for all eternity! Hua Ying swears an oath here: as long as Minghua Pavilion exists in this world, it will serve Your Majesty! If Your Majesty wants the jianghu, Minghua Pavilion will conquer the jianghu for you! If Your Majesty wants the world, Minghua Pavilion will help you conquer other nations! If I break this vow, may I be struck by lightning from the heavens, never enter the cycle of reincarnation, and may my corpse not remain whole!"
Hua Ying knelt on the ground, kowtowed heavily, and made the solemn oath. Hua Ying dared to say this because she had the confidence to back it up. Minghua Pavilion was founded at the same time as the Great Yuan Kingdom and had been used by the Great Yuan's imperial family several hundred years ago. Later, for some unknown reason, it broke away from the imperial family's control, established itself independently, and ventured into the jianghu. After a thousand years of inheritance, its foundation was comparable to that of the imperial family. There were even branches of Great Yuan's Minghua Pavilion assassins in various other countries. Therefore, if Minghua Pavilion wanted to assist someone, or even unify the continent itself, it would not be an impossible feat. Minghua Pavilion's intelligence network was also top-notch. It could be said that with the support of Minghua Pavilion, Huo Jinyu could do whatever she wanted.
Huo Jinyu's eyes lit up. Her life after the fall of the kingdom was now guaranteed. Thinking of her hundred-thousand-plus Brocade Guard Army, she felt delighted. It was as if she could see the carefree days after the fall of her kingdom. A series of plans formed in her mind, and Huo Jinyu nodded to herself.
"Hua Ying, rise. We understand," Huo Jinyu said, looking at the kneeling Hua Ying.
"You need not have made such a solemn oath," Huo Jinyu said lightly.
"This servant only hopes that during my absence, Your Majesty can look after An'er and let her live well. Once my task is complete, I will definitely come to retrieve her personally!" Hua Ying did not rise, remaining on her knees, waiting for Huo Jinyu's promise.
"We promise you. As long as We are here, Di An will be safe and sound. We can protect her. We still have that much ability," Huo Jinyu agreed.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Hua Ying said, rising to her feet. She took out a jade pendant shaped like a sharp sword amidst soaring clouds and a slip of paper, handing them to Huo Jinyu. "Your Majesty, this is the token of Minghua Pavilion. Minghua Pavilion has branches in every city. The locations of these branches are all recorded on this paper. Please burn it after reading. In the future, if you need anything, just go directly to a branch. State your request, and it will be done."
Huo Jinyu accepted the jade pendant and the paper, nodding in understanding.
Hua Ying once again performed a solemn, formal bow. "This servant takes her leave! I hope Your Majesty will take care!" After speaking, she turned and departed.
Huo Jinyu clutched the jade pendant, speechless for a long time.
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