Chapter 59: Heart’s Flesh
Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=3614052
This translation is originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
When Li Qiubai fell after being struck by an arrow, another signaling arrow resounded from midair.
With this, following the command, Ye Wuyou, who was residing at the rear of the Shura battlefield* in the place where another caravan was stationed, finally raised her gaze and looked at the several martial experts from the Wushang Palace, who had been kneeling in two rows before her for a long time. She said softly, "Alright, you can go help now."
*Shura/Asura battlefield means tragic/chaotic war with reference to Hindu mythology where Asuras continuously wage war against the Devas. In romance novel slang, it refers to the chaotic interpersonal relationships among characters.
After those twelve people responded and left, Ye Wuyou stood up, picked up the oilcloth umbrella that had been set aside for a long time, and calmly walked towards the door.
At the same time, when Young Master Meng saw that arrow pierce into the Princess' body, just thinking of the pain the Princess was enduring, her heart ached terribly, and she could no longer bear it.
At that moment, the anger that had filled Young Master Meng's heart was uncontrollable.
She completely ignored the bloodstain that had been cut on her arm by the archer’s arrow during their earlier clash, tightly gripping the knife handle as she glared hatefully at the culprit in front of her.
In that instant, Meng Chang'an only wanted to personally avenge the Princess for that arrow, to relieve the hatred in her heart.
That was what Young Master Meng thought, and it was also what she did.
After much effort, the archer had no intention to continue fighting and immediately retreated.
However, he did not expect that without giving him a chance to escape, the girl in front of him, whose arm had already been struck by his arrow, completely ignored the blood flowing from her hand and once again charged at him recklessly.
The fierce wind from her blade shattered the tiles on the eaves, sealing off the archer's escape route.
The battle on the roof was fierce, and beneath the eaves, the chaotic fighting continued without pause.
He Changping had long wanted to go help his younger sister, but unfortunately, he was unable to break free from the relentless waves of attacks, unable to disengage. He could only watch as the girl stepped on the arrow and leaped onto the roof to face the unknown danger alone.
At this moment, He Changping's white inner garments were already stained with layers of blood, but he paid no attention to the disheveled injuries on his body. Instead, he glanced towards the roof, worriedly watching his sister's reckless and violent fighting style.
"Look at how disheveled you are, and you still have the time to worry about her."
The rain had gradually lessened by now. As Ye Wuyou stepped onto the battlefield, she finally closed the umbrella in her hand and waved the fan handle. Using the umbrella as a sword, she helped the momentarily stunned He Changping deflect one of the enemies surrounding him.
"Alright, leave this to me. Go help her."
When He Changping saw Ye Wuyou appear, he only froze for a brief moment. However, he did not ask where she had come from or how she had arrived so timely. He merely gave her a helpless smile.
"I will leave it to you, then."
With Ye Wuyou and the experts she brought offering their assistance, He Changping was finally able to catch his breath. He did not bother with pleasantries towards Ye Wuyou, nor did he care about his own injuries. After speaking, he immediately gathered his energy and ascended to the rooftop to lend Meng Chang'an a helping hand.
By this time, chaos had erupted beneath the corridor. The news that the Princess had been shot in the chest with an arrow, with blood continuously flowing, spread throughout the battlefield in just moments.
With the help of Ye Wuyou’s people, the remaining guards were able to retreat and reinforce the front and rear of the corridor, adding an additional layer of defense.
As they temporarily fended off the assassins in close combat, Shu Yao still did not dare to move the unconscious beauty lightly, fearing that it would worsen the arrow wound near her chest.
She could only hold Li Qiubai carefully, kneeling on the ground, and through the crowd, she silently mouthed in the direction of Shen Lingyun, not far away.
Help me, save her.
Help me... save her...
The repeated silent pleas finally passed through the misty rain and reached Shen Lingyun's eyes, leaving a deep mark on her heart.
So, what this person wanted to say was "Help me save her."
Seeing Shu Yao's panicked and uneasy expression, and after recognizing the shape of Shu Yao's mouth, Shen Lingyun only felt as if her heart had been painfully gouged, almost making her laugh coldly.
In that instant, Shen Lingyun only wanted to flick her sleeves and leave.
She never expected that the girl who had never shown a moment of panic even when her face was ruined and her eyes blinded, would one day lose her composure for the sake of someone else.
Yet, this was also the first time she had seen Shu Yao so flustered. At this moment, the usually composed Shu Yao looked like a helpless child. No matter how angry or resentful she was, Shen Lingyun couldn't bring herself to abandon her.
Taking a few deep breaths to suppress the anger in her heart, Shen Lingyun finally walked toward the corridor with her umbrella.
As Shen Lingyun passed through, the battle still raged on. Some were trying to flee, while others pursued. From her outsider's perspective, she could no longer tell how many factions were entangled in this fight.
Seeing the situation spiraling further out of control, the group of Jianghu fighters, who had stubbornly continued to entangle He Changping, finally realized they had fallen into a trap.
No matter how unaware or blinded by greed they had been before, now that they knew the Princess was on the verge of death, they understood they were being classified as "assassins." It was only then that they realized the gravity of their predicament.
Someone had plotted to assassinate the Princess, and these so-called "businessmen," who were simply after the Prince Consort's head for profit, had unwittingly become scapegoats for the assassins. Not only had they been used to pave the way for others, but they also now risked being wrongfully blamed and facing execution.
After realizing this truth, many who felt guilty and fearful began silently slipping away from the battlefield amidst the chaos.
After all, the reason they dared to target this prince consort was simply because he was also a person of the Jianghu. They dared to provoke him using the methods of the Jianghu.
Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=3614052
This translation is originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
In these chaotic times, the world of Jianghu thrived on survival of the fittest. If He Changping's skills were inferior and he died at their hands during the siege, the court would have little to investigate.
The imperial family, moreover, would not go to great lengths over an outsider.
Even the Qingyang Sect wouldn't expend much effort to hunt down these scattered individuals one by one for revenge.
But the crime and implications of assassinating the Princess were entirely different.
If the Emperor's most beloved Princess were to die at the hands of these "Jianghu people," it would certainly enrage the Emperor beyond measure.
By that time, regardless of how far they fled, as long as there was a government presence, they would inevitably face severe consequences.
Such a crime was something no one in the Jianghu wanted to bear.
Thus, even though they had incapacitated many guards and launched a nighttime ambush, they only dared to target He Changping in secret. They merely intended to seize him and then divide the spoils. From beginning to end, few dared to lay a heavy hand on the Princess.
Of course, if He Changping had reacted even a little slower, they would have already taken him away from Baiyun Inn without anyone being the wiser, rather than being drawn outside and causing such a commotion.
Once they recognized the chaos they had stirred and that those around them were being ruthlessly slaughtered by reinforcements, the desperate individuals gradually began to feel fear.
Meanwhile, the black-clad figures still lurking and observing the situation noticed the commotion in the clearing and began to withdraw.
Unfortunately, before they could climb over the wall to escape, someone appeared atop the wall, yawning and lazily saying, “You caused a ruckus in my Baiyun Inn and still want to run? There is no such cheap deal in this world.”
Upon seeing the person's face and recognizing their identity, one of those who had rushed to the front, knowing this individual usually avoided meddling in others' affairs, respectfully clasped their hands and said, “Boss Bai, let’s talk things over! We are all in the business of making a living, so please do not make things difficult for us!”
“Not make things difficult for you?”
Bai Shuangyan was so angry that she almost laughed. She directly pointed at the ongoing battle in the courtyard, along with the wrecked buildings, broken eaves, and shattered tiles, and scolded, “Am I making things difficult for you, or are you making things difficult for me? Look at what you have done to my Baiyun Inn! You smashed my shop and ruined my business, yet you still have the nerve to say you want to talk? Are you dreaming?”
After saying that, without giving them a chance to strike first, Bai Shuangyan shook her sleeves and shouted, “Take them down!”
As soon as her voice fell, the guards summoned to Baiyun Inn leaped onto the wall and acted according to orders.
"Kill those who should be killed, capture those who should be captured. If they resist stubbornly, just execute them. For those who refuse to cooperate, locking them in the dungeon to let them suffer a bit is also a good idea."
After saying this, Bai Shuangyan jumped down from the wall and leaped into the courtyard. She did not forget to add, "Do not kill them all; remember to leave a few alive to send messages and deliver the account books. If you destroy my inn like this, if your master does not give me an explanation, I certainly will not let this go!"
At the end of her statement, Bai Shuangyan seemed to feel she had not said enough, so she turned back and added, "Not a single brick or tile should be left to them! First, cut some flesh from them to repay the debt!"
When Bai Shuangyan and her people arrived, Young Master Meng had already beheaded the main culprit. She stumbled back to the corridor and crouched beside Li Qiubai, waiting for Shen Lingyun to roughly check her injuries.
Looking at the Princess, whose eyes were tightly shut and bleeding profusely, Meng Chang'an felt as if a piece of her heart had been cut out. At this moment, even though she had killed the main culprit and avenged the Princess, her heart still felt empty.
Seeing Shu Yao holding the Princess tightly without letting go, Meng Chang'an eventually curled her bloodied fingers. Before she touched the Princess' fingers, which hung down to the ground, she silently pulled her hand back and bit her lip, looking down without speaking.
However, unlike the dazed expressions of Meng Chang'an and Shu Yao, Shen Lingyun remained extremely indifferent throughout.
"It is just an arrow wound to the heart; if we find a skilled doctor to remove the arrow, she probably will not die," Shen Lingyun said casually. However, anyone with discerning ears could easily hear the deeper meaning in her words. If the arrow was removed carelessly, the Princess would surely be in danger.
Seeing Shen Lingyun pull back her hand after checking, with the intent to leave, Meng Chang'an suddenly reacted. She stood up and grabbed the sleeve of her robe, gritting her teeth as she asked, "What do you mean? Are you not the best doctor here?"
After all, having this renowned physician on hand was much more convenient and suitable than sending someone out to find an unknown skilled doctor who may not even be available.
Meng Changan thought so, and so did everyone else.
Unfortunately, at that moment, Shen Lingyun thought differently.
"What does it matter? What does my medical skill have to do with her injuries? Whether she lives or dies is none of your concern," Shen Lingyun asked, leaving Meng Chang'an momentarily stunned by her words.
Seeing the intimate contact between Shu Yao and the Princess, and recalling that the Princess ended up in this situation because of Shu Yao, Meng Chang'an could only suppress the resentment and frustration within her, hiding the unspoken feelings deep in her heart. She quietly replied, "She is my sister-in-law."
Only then did Shen Lingyun shift her gaze towards He Changping, who was still outside helping clean up the aftermath, and said with a hint of surprise, "But from what I see, your elder brother doesn't seem to be lightly injured either."
"You..."
However, at this moment, Shen Lingyun ignored Young Master Meng's irritation and did not fear the guards with knives standing at a distance. She merely glanced at the bright red bloodstains on her clothes, then calmly brushed aside Meng Chang'an's hand and said coldly, "I do not share the same sky as the imperial family. You want me to pull the arrow for her? Are you trying to send her off to make her rest easy on the road to the afterlife?"
Meng Chang'an froze for a moment, then anger surged within her.
Taking advantage of Meng Chang'an's restrained fury, Shen Lingyun glanced again at Shu Yao's ashen face and said with a smile that was not a smile, "You know very well about the grievances between me and the imperial family, yet you still want to force me to save her?"
Upon hearing this, Yu Jin, who was still on alert and listening for Shen Lingyun's movements, could not help but draw his sword again and glared at Shen Lingyun warily. If this person had a grievance with the imperial family, then the safety of the Princess at this moment...
The person sent to find a doctor had yet to return. With the Princess in such critical condition, if she could not get this person's help...
Not giving Yu Jin a chance to think more, Meng Chang'an suppressed her gloomy expression, took a few deep breaths, and made an effort to soften her voice. She said to Shen Lingyun in a good-natured tone, "Sister Lingyun, have you forgotten the medical ethics that your good master taught you? In a life-and-death situation, can you bear to stand by and do nothing?"
"Then what of it? Did you forget what the Master and the Master's wife taught us since childhood, to follow our hearts? Those who do not wish to help should not meddle unnecessarily and bring suffering upon themselves."
After saying this, seeing the dark expression on Young Master Meng's face, Shen Lingyun scoffed lightly and mocked, "Moreover, you have always disliked my master's words the most. How can you still have the right to use her words to admonish me now?"
As a result, Meng Chang'an's expression became even worse. She could not help but mutter, "Shen Lingyun! I do not want to argue with you! If you hold a grudge against me because of that woman, I will apologize to her in the future! For now, I hope you can let go of past grievances and do me a favor. Can you help her by pulling out the arrow?"
Seeing that both Shu Yao and Meng Chang'an were becoming more frantic and crazed because of Li Qiubai, the coldness around Shen Lingyun intensified. "What, even you want to force me to save her?"
For a moment, the tension between the two was palpable, like swords drawn and ready for battle.
"Enough, enough, we are all family. Why argue?"
Bai Shuangyan arrived late, and even her attempt to mediate was belated.
She stepped in to create some distance between the two, preventing them from getting into a physical fight. Then, she looked down at Li Qiubai, who lay in Shu Yao's arms and clicked her tongue, saying, "Oh dear, this girl is hurt so badly. It is truly pitiful. Look at you all, still having the energy to argue over such trivial matters. If this arrow wound is not handled properly and the bleeding continues, even if your master were here, it would be of no use."
In this situation, Shu Yao became even more flustered. She could no longer care about the secret she had kept for so long. She grabbed hold of Shen Lingyun's clothing and called out softly, "Lingyun..."
Before Shu Yao could continue, Meng Chang'an shouted angrily, "Enough! If you will not treat her, then I will!"
Although Young Master Meng's medical skills were far inferior to Shen Lingyun's, she had picked up some skills from being around her since childhood.
Seeing that Shen Lingyun still had no intention of acting, Meng Chang'an finally lost her patience. She immediately leaned down and carefully lifted the Princess from Shu Yao's arms, avoiding the arrow lodged in the Princess's chest, and stepped into the chaotic room while holding the Princess.
Her heart’s flesh*, there was no reason for anyone to hold it in their hands.
*心头肉 (xīntóuròu) fig. beloved/dearest/favorite. I'm just assuming the author was going for both the literal and figurative meaning, could be wrong though.
