Chapter 47: The Woman in Black

The guards in the cave sprang into action at the first sign of trouble, and five or six of them immediately gave chase.

“Go!”

Lu Xuanheng barked the order, sending Su Mingxiu and Jiang You’an ahead while he stayed behind to cover their retreat.

Cold arrows came flying one after another from behind, and Lu Xuanheng raised his sword to knock them aside.

Jiang You’an was a frail young woman, while Su Mingxiu was a sickly invalid. Holding on to each other, they ran for their lives toward the entrance.

Just as they were about to escape the cave, a man carrying a blade rushed inside. It was the servant who had been knocked unconscious earlier!

The long sword flashed coldly as it came down toward Jiang You’an. Su Mingxiu shoved her aside, allowing her to narrowly avoid the blow, while Lu Xuanheng spun around and engaged the servant in combat.

Jiang You’an had narrowly brushed past death. Before she could recover, several burly men came charging after them. One of them loosed an arrow, and it flew straight toward Su Mingxiu’s back.

Without time to think, she reached out and yanked Su Mingxiu aside. “Look out!”

With a sharp whoosh, the arrow flew past, and Su Mingxiu barely managed to evade it. Lu Xuanheng, however, was caught off guard. By the time he realized what was happening and tried to dodge, it was already too late. He twisted aside with lightning speed, but the arrow still grazed his right arm, leaving a bloody gash.

Jiang You’an froze, then stared blankly at Lu Xuanheng.

His expression darkened as he shot her a glance. He only said, “Run first!”

Jiang You’an had no time to stand there in a daze. She hurriedly dragged Su Mingxiu outside.

Lu Xuanheng swiftly dealt with the servant and followed them out.

Outside the cave, Su Mingxiu brought over Earl Zhongyuan’s carriage. Jiang You’an climbed aboard and opened the rear door. When she saw Lu Xuanheng emerge, she held out her hand.

Lu Xuanheng took it and leaped into the carriage. Su Mingxiu gave the horse a hard lash, and the carriage shot away like an arrow.

Earl Zhongyuan led his men out in pursuit. Seeing that the fugitives had already driven off, he immediately ordered them to continue the chase.

“You three, go after them at once. Do not let them escape!”

The woman in black watched the carriage disappear into the distance and suddenly said, “There is no need to pursue them.”

Earl Zhongyuan objected. “They have discovered this place. Whoever they are, they will surely jeopardize our plans! There are only three of them; capturing them should be easy.”

“Do as I say.”

Earl Zhongyuan’s expression turned displeased. “How could I not understand your intentions?”

“It is pitch-dark, and Mount Xing is vast. Hiding three people would be easy enough, but searching for them would take too much time. If they manage to summon reinforcements, we will be the ones trapped like turtles in a jar.”

The woman’s face was hidden beneath a black hood, leaving her expression impossible to read. “Just do as I say. First, have the men relocate everything and erase every trace of this place. I will explain matters to the Master.”

Since she had put it that way, Earl Zhongyuan no longer insisted and hurriedly set his men to work.

Meanwhile, Jiang You’an and the other two were wandering aimlessly through Mount Xing.

The paths here were hopelessly tangled. With no moon in the sky that night, they soon lost all sense of direction. The carriage was too noisy; the people in the cave could easily follow the sound, so the three of them got down and let the carriage continue on without them.

As if things were not already bad enough, rain suddenly began to fall while they were walking. The mountain paths were already rugged and uneven, and now the muddy ground had become slick and treacherous. They had no choice but to find somewhere to rest.

Fortunately, they came upon an abandoned wooden cabin. The three of them went inside, built a fire, and paused to regain their strength.

But the place was not suitable for a long stay. Su Mingxiu said, “I’ll look for the way out of the mountains. You’an, help Young Master Lu tend to his wound.”

Jiang You’an nodded and urged him to be careful.

After Su Mingxiu left, Jiang You’an hesitantly turned to look at Lu Xuanheng.

He had not spoken once since they escaped the cave.

Firelight illuminated his handsome face, making it clear how grim his expression was.

He rolled up his sleeve, revealing his injured right arm. The gash was about two inches long. Though not deep, it looked alarming all the same.

Lu Xuanheng tore a strip of cloth from his sleeve and began bandaging the bleeding wound himself.

Jiang You’an crouched down beside him and reached out to help, but he pulled away.

Knowing that he was upset, she said patiently, “You can’t manage it easily on your own. Let me help you.”

Lu Xuanheng gave a cold laugh. “Even if I died, I wouldn’t need you to care.”

Jiang You’an clenched her hands. When they had been surrounded, Lu Xuanheng had been the only one among them who knew martial arts. He had protected her and Su Mingxiu the entire time, and it was understandable that he felt aggrieved after being injured because of it.

She explained softly, “I was trying to save Su Mingxiu just now. I pulled him aside so he could avoid the arrow. I didn’t think about anything else. I didn’t know the arrow would strike you.”

“You wouldn’t have cared even if you had known.”

Jiang You’an looked troubled and muttered under her breath, “It’s not as if I deliberately wanted you to get hurt. Why are you taking it out on me?”

“I’ve been injured. Am I not even allowed to complain a little? In your eyes, only Su Mingxiu’s life is precious. Mine is worthless.”

“I didn’t mean that.”

Lu Xuanheng suddenly looked at her. The firelight brightened his eyes, and his gaze burned with intensity.

“If you had another chance, what would you do? Would you try to save me, or would you abandon me again without hesitation? What if that arrow had been fatal? If you had to choose between Su Mingxiu and me, whose life would you save?”

Jiang You’an frowned. She did not answer his string of hypothetical questions. Instead, she merely said, “How childish.”

Lu Xuanheng fell silent for a moment, then suddenly let out a low laugh. “I forgot. You hate me. You must be hoping I’ll die.”

Jiang You’an had never thought that way. In truth, she felt deeply guilty over his injury that night.

“Stop saying things out of anger. Your wound is still bleeding. Let me bandage it first.”

She lowered her head to examine the wound, but Lu Xuanheng pushed her away and said coldly, “Stay out of it.”

Jiang You’an bit her lip, then silently rose and went to sit in another corner of the cabin.

Lu Xuanheng bandaged the wound himself. He held one end of the cloth in his left hand, bit down on the other, and painstakingly tied it in place.

He glanced at Jiang You’an in the corner. She was crouched on the floor with her knees drawn up, idly scribbling in the dirt with a pebble.

He said nothing. Leaning against the wall, he sat in silence and watched her.

After a long while, Su Mingxiu returned.

He removed his soaking-wet cloak. Raindrops still clung to his handsome, jade-like face.

“It seems no one followed us. I’ve found the way out of the mountains, but the rain is too heavy now, and the road will be difficult to travel. We’ll have to wait a while.”

Jiang You’an agreed. Seeing that his face was covered in water, she took out a handkerchief and wiped it for him, then led him to sit beside the fire.

“Warm yourself by the fire. Don’t catch a chill.”

As she spoke, she draped her own cloak over his shoulders.

Lu Xuanheng watched as Jiang You’an tended to Su Mingxiu with such attentive concern, and his eyes filled with loneliness.

Su Mingxiu had merely been caught in a little rain, yet she was already so worried. Lu Xuanheng had been shot and injured, but she had not shown him nearly as much concern.

Sure enough, his life was worthless.