Qin's father was a bandit. Back then, he only had this daughter Qin, whom he doted on like the apple of his eye. There was no place in the Three Mountains and Eighteen Stockades outside Bianjing City that she did not know about.
"Among them, the most hidden ones were probably three places. Ask Mu Nanfeng again which place he would take Ah Ying and the others."
Zhao Changdu squatted down again and patiently asked them.
The tortured bandits had no choice but to confess everything.
"Qixia Mountain..."
Upon hearing these three words, Zhao Changdu's figure flashed, and he directly disappeared from the Ye family, taking the two Kirin troops with him.
"Such lightness in martial arts..." Ye Qingchi exclaimed in astonishment. "No wonder even Princess Lesu of the Qiang Tribe fell for him at first sight."
Qin looked at Zhao Changdu's disappearing figure in shock, and her heart was filled with more admiration for this nephew-in-law. She said frankly in a loud voice, "Alright, I won't say much either. Old Ye, leave these two to you to deal with. Ah Chi, go prepare the horses. I'm going to Qixia Mountain now to bring Ah Ying back."
Ye Zhuohua said impatiently, "What are you going to do as a woman, I'll go!"
"Your health can't stand the jolting of the horse yet!" Qin pulled back the anxious Ye Zhuohua and hooked the corner of her lips with momentum, "This old lady hasn't exercised in a long time. Tonight I'm going to show Mu Nanfeng the might of the Qin Stockade!"
"Madam!" Ye Zhuohua helplessly shook his head, unable to stop her.
He was also worried about Ah Ying's safety in his heart. He patted his son on the shoulder, "Hurry up and follow along, protect your aunt and Ah Ying well, also that young Miss Gu from the Gu family, no accidents can happen to any of them!"
Ye Qingchi's brows and eyes condensed coldly, and he exchanged a few words with his father, "Don't worry father, I will bring them back safely."
Fu Xunzhi did not know martial arts. He watched Zhao Changdu leave helplessly, and immediately followed behind Ye Qingchi in a fluster, "Master Ye, may I borrow a fast horse from you? I want to go to Qixia Mountain to save Shuang'er..."
In everyone's eyes, Ye Qingchi would only go for Ah Ying, but only Ye Qingchi knew that he was going this time not only for Ah Ying.
"Shuang'er?"
He mulled over this form of address. His expression was cold as he got on the horse's back. He originally extremely disliked Fu Xunzhi's slow temper, but thinking that this person was Gu Shuang's fiancé after all, he had to bring him to see her tonight.
To let the frightened girl settle her heart a little.
"Master Ye?" Fu Xunzhi looked rather anxious, his beseeching eyes fixed straight at the man on the horse's back.
Ye Qingchi knew that he and Gu Shuang would never have a chance in this lifetime. He smiled self-deprecatingly and pulled on the reins to signal him to get on the horse.
Fu Xunzhi thanked him repeatedly. In his impatience, he stumbled onto the horse clumsily.
...
When the few people arrived at Qixia Mountain, most of the bandits in the stockade had already been killed.
In the center of the stockade stood a wooden building with lights shining inside. Outside the building, a swollen-faced man in his thirties was hanging upside down.
At first glance, Ye Qingchi recognized the man as Mu Nanfeng, who had rampaged as a bandit chief in the mountains outside Bianjing City for over a decade.
He and Fu Xunzhi walked inside. There were corpses everywhere. He didn't know if Ah Ying and Gu Shuang had seen Zhao Changdu's madness when he went on a killing spree.
With Young Master Zhao here, he was not worried about Ah Ying's safety, but that girl Gu Shuang...he didn't know what had happened to her.
He glanced at the trembling Fu Xunzhi who was pretending to remain calm. He didn't know what this timid man saw in her.
But thinking that he had come all this way and was worried about Gu Shuang, he didn't say much more. He just felt a little more unhappy in his heart.
Fu Xunzhi was obviously more anxious than him. Lifting his clothes, he ran into the stockade.
"Shuang'er! Shuang'er, where are you!"
"Sister Four!"
Suddenly, Gu Ying's worried cries came from the wooden building.
Fu Xunzhi panicked. "Shuang'er! Shuang'er!"
After speaking, he rushed upstairs impatiently and clumsily.
Qin also followed. Ye Qingchi scratched his nose, unsure for a moment if he should go up and join in the commotion.
Until Qin's astonished and trembling voice came, "Gu Shuang! How could this be!"
He frowned heavily, and no longer cared about Fu Xunzhi. He leapt up the wooden building and strode towards the room emanating dim candlelight.
The room was not big. The tables, chairs and benches inside were in disarray and broken. There had been a fierce fight, with large patches of blood trails winding on the floor. At the very end was a small wooden couch, on which lay an indistinct slender figure.
Gu Ying stood in the door frame, her body swaying unsteadily, still holding a blood-stained dagger in her hand.
She held her belly with her left hand, biting her lips tightly. Her whole body seemed to be pulled taut like a string.
She was terrified in her heart... afraid something had happened to Bao Bao. Her little hand clutched the man's chilling sleeve tightly as she gritted her teeth. "Ah Du, find a doctor...check on the child first."
Zhao Changdu held her tightly in his arms. His eyes were gloomy, brimming with killing intent. The heartache he felt surged like tidal waves. "Ah Ying, don't talk first."
He saw how much pain the little girl was in. His heart ached and raged at the same time. He hated that he could not tear Mu Nanfeng into eight pieces.
Gu Ying's lips trembled slightly, her long lashes glistening with moisture. Feeling the man take the dagger from her hand, her tense nerves finally relaxed a little. As she relaxed, her whole body suddenly felt weak and feeble, and her belly throbbed faintly with pain, as if a chord had been pulled taut.
She was terrified in her heart...afraid something had happened to Bao Bao. Her little hand clutched the man's chilling sleeve tightly as she gritted her teeth. "Ah Du, find a doctor...check on the child first."
Zhao Changdu held her tightly in his arms. His eyes were pitch-black, as if a brewing storm at sea, with surging, suffocating murderous aura.
Qin also couldn't help but feel a chill down her spine.
"Ah Du...is Ah Ying alright?"
Zhao Changdu frowned. "Aunt, I'll take her back for Mother to see first."
Qin was an old hand in the jianghu. She could roughly guess what had happened in the room with one look. She grabbed him and said anxiously, "Ah Du, wait. The Ye family has a manor outside the city. Take Ah Ying there first. There's an old divine doctor living nearby who's an old friend of Old Ye. Don't stand on ceremony with him. Send someone now to carry him to the manor to wait there. It'll be much faster than taking her back to the Duke's mansion now."
Gu Ying's face was pale as she nodded. "Ah Du, listen to Aunt."
Zhao Changdu frowned. "Mm," he replied, then carried her out.
Ye Qingchi met his eyes. "How is Ah Ying now?"
He looked up. Other than her messy hair bun, the little girl did not seem to be injured anywhere on her body. Mu Nanfeng had mixed in the jianghu for so many years, he certainly wouldn't dare mistreat her recklessly knowing the infamous reputation of the Heir Apparent of the Duke.
And with Zhao Changdu here, his heart was finally at ease. "Ah Du, take Ah Ying away first. Leave the rest to me."
Zhao Changdu's tone was chilled. "Don't let him die so easily."
Ye Qingchi said, "I know my limits."
Qin's father was a bandit. Back then, he only had this daughter Qin, whom he doted on like the apple of his eye. There was no place in the Three Mountains and Eighteen Stockades outside Bianjing City that she did not know about.
"Among them, the most hidden ones were probably three places. Ask Mu Nanfeng again which place he would take Ah Ying and the others."
Zhao Changdu squatted down again and patiently asked them.
The tortured bandits had no choice but to confess everything.
"Qixia Mountain..."
Upon hearing these three words, Zhao Changdu's figure flashed, and he directly disappeared from the Ye family, taking the two Kirin troops with him.
"Such lightness in martial arts..." Ye Qingchi exclaimed in astonishment. "No wonder even Princess Lesu of the Qiang Tribe fell for him at first sight."
Qin looked at Zhao Changdu's disappearing figure in shock, and her heart was filled with more admiration for this nephew-in-law. She said frankly in a loud voice, "Alright, I won't say much either. Old Ye, leave these two to you to deal with. Ah Chi, go prepare the horses. I'm going to Qixia Mountain now to bring Ah Ying back."
Ye Zhuohua said impatiently, "What are you going to do as a woman, I'll go!"
"Your health can't stand the jolting of the horse yet!" Qin pulled back the anxious Ye Zhuohua and hooked the corner of her lips with momentum, "This old lady hasn't exercised in a long time. Tonight I'm going to show Mu Nanfeng the might of the Qin Stockade!"
"Madam!" Ye Zhuohua helplessly shook his head, unable to stop her.
He was also worried about Ah Ying's safety in his heart. He patted his son on the shoulder, "Hurry up and follow along, protect your aunt and Ah Ying well, also that young Miss Gu from the Gu family, no accidents can happen to any of them!"
Ye Qingchi's brows and eyes condensed coldly, and he exchanged a few words with his father, "Don't worry father, I will bring them back safely."
Fu Xunzhi did not know martial arts. He watched Zhao Changdu leave helplessly, and immediately followed behind Ye Qingchi in a fluster, "Master Ye, may I borrow a fast horse from you? I want to go to Qixia Mountain to save Shuang'er..."
In everyone's eyes, Ye Qingchi would only go for Ah Ying, but only Ye Qingchi knew that he was going this time not only for Ah Ying.
"Shuang'er?"
He mulled over this form of address. His expression was cold as he got on the horse's back. He originally extremely disliked Fu Xunzhi's slow temper, but thinking that this person was Gu Shuang's fiancé after all, he had to bring him to see her tonight.
To let the frightened girl settle her heart a little.
"Master Ye?" Fu Xunzhi looked rather anxious, his beseeching eyes fixed straight at the man on the horse's back.
Ye Qingchi knew that he and Gu Shuang would never have a chance in this lifetime. He smiled self-deprecatingly and pulled on the reins to signal him to get on the horse.
Fu Xunzhi thanked him repeatedly. In his impatience, he stumbled onto the horse clumsily.
...
When the few people arrived at Qixia Mountain, most of the bandits in the stockade had already been killed.
In the center of the stockade stood a wooden building with lights shining inside. Outside the building, a swollen-faced man in his thirties was hanging upside down.
At first glance, Ye Qingchi recognized the man as Mu Nanfeng, who had rampaged as a bandit chief in the mountains outside Bianjing City for over a decade.
He and Fu Xunzhi walked inside. There were corpses everywhere. He didn't know if Ah Ying and Gu Shuang had seen Zhao Changdu's madness when he went on a killing spree.
With Young Master Zhao here, he was not worried about Ah Ying's safety, but that girl Gu Shuang...he didn't know what had happened to her.
He glanced at the trembling Fu Xunzhi who was pretending to remain calm. He didn't know what this timid man saw in her.
But thinking that he had come all this way and was worried about Gu Shuang, he didn't say much more. He just felt a little more unhappy in his heart.
Fu Xunzhi was obviously more anxious than him. Lifting his clothes, he ran into the stockade.
"Shuang'er! Shuang'er, where are you!"
"Sister Four!"
Suddenly, Gu Ying's worried cries came from the wooden building.
Fu Xunzhi panicked. "Shuang'er! Shuang'er!"
After speaking, he rushed upstairs impatiently and clumsily.
Qin also followed. Ye Qingchi scratched his nose, unsure for a moment if he should go up and join in the commotion.
Until Qin's astonished and trembling voice came, "Gu Shuang! How could this be!"
He frowned heavily, and no longer cared about Fu Xunzhi. He leapt up the wooden building and strode towards the room emanating dim candlelight.
The room was not big. The tables, chairs and benches inside were in disarray and broken. There had been a fierce fight, with large patches of blood trails winding on the floor. At the very end was a small wooden couch, on which lay an indistinct slender figure.
Gu Ying stood in the door frame, her body swaying unsteadily, still holding a blood-stained dagger in her hand.
She held her belly with her left hand, biting her lips tightly. Her whole body seemed to be pulled taut like a string.
She was terrified in her heart... afraid something had happened to Bao Bao. Her little hand clutched the man's chilling sleeve tightly as she gritted her teeth. "Ah Du, find a doctor...check on the child first."
Zhao Changdu held her tightly in his arms. His eyes were gloomy, brimming with killing intent. The heartache he felt surged like tidal waves. "Ah Ying, don't talk first."
He saw how much pain the little girl was in. His heart ached and raged at the same time. He hated that he could not tear Mu Nanfeng into eight pieces.
Gu Ying's lips trembled slightly, her long lashes glistening with moisture. Feeling the man take the dagger from her hand, her tense nerves finally relaxed a little. As she relaxed, her whole body suddenly felt weak and feeble, and her belly throbbed faintly with pain, as if a chord had been pulled taut.
She was terrified in her heart...afraid something had happened to Bao Bao. Her little hand clutched the man's chilling sleeve tightly as she gritted her teeth. "Ah Du, find a doctor...check on the child first."
Zhao Changdu held her tightly in his arms. His eyes were pitch-black, as if a brewing storm at sea, with surging, suffocating murderous aura.
Qin also couldn't help but feel a chill down her spine.
"Ah Du...is Ah Ying alright?"
Zhao Changdu frowned. "Aunt, I'll take her back for Mother to see first."
Qin was an old hand in the jianghu. She could roughly guess what had happened in the room with one look. She grabbed him and said anxiously, "Ah Du, wait. The Ye family has a manor outside the city. Take Ah Ying there first. There's an old divine doctor living nearby who's an old friend of Old Ye. Don't stand on ceremony with him. Send someone now to carry him to the manor to wait there. It'll be much faster than taking her back to the Duke's mansion now."
Gu Ying's face was pale as she nodded. "Ah Du, listen to Aunt."
Zhao Changdu frowned. "Mm," he replied, then carried her out.
Ye Qingchi met his eyes. "How is Ah Ying now?"
He looked up. Other than her messy hair bun, the little girl did not seem to be injured anywhere on her body. Mu Nanfeng had mixed in the jianghu for so many years, he certainly wouldn't dare mistreat her recklessly knowing the infamous reputation of the Heir Apparent of the Duke.
And with Zhao Changdu here, his heart was finally at ease. "Ah Du, take Ah Ying away first. Leave the rest to me."
Zhao Changdu's tone was chilled. "Don't let him die so easily."
Ye Qingchi said, "I know my limits."
