This is the place where the academy stores its moth-proofing wood strips. It was a cramped space, and two grown men could barely fit inside. With the nightmare’s real presence so close, Zhuban Yanyin felt nauseous again, and Li Sui clearly remembered his vomit at Tiger Roar Gorge, as his face stiffened accordingly.
Outside, footsteps were getting closer.
Zhu Yanyin’s breathing became more and more difficult, and his will to survive made him struggle desperately. It was evident that Palace Master Li really had no experience in kidnapping. He was used to killing directly. Thus, he didn’t realize that while covering the other person’s mouth, he also covered their nose.He wondered why the person in his arms was struggling so much, making muffled noises and twisting and turning. To avoid exposing his whereabouts and alarming the enemy, he simply made a decisive move and knocked the person out cleanly.
Such brutal methods of action truly show no regard for reason whatsoever.
In the throes of pain, sinking into darkness, Second Young Master Zhu thought: Ah, I’m dead.
Li Sui, with one hand, held this snow-white young master and deftly changed direction.
Through the narrow gap in the window lattice, one could see two people walking towards this direction, dressed in dark short jackets, holding brooms and dustpans in their hands. They resembled janitors of the academy.
There weren’t many fallen leaves this season. The two of them swept the ground clean after just a few strokes, but instead of leaving as usual, they squeezed sideways into an empty room with a rusty lock.
Li Sui had been guarding here for two days. Finally, he saw some movement from the other party and intended to follow. Zhu Yanyin seemed to be having a nightmare. His right hand clenched his sleeve so tightly that it felt like a cramp, and he couldn’t loosen it no matter how hard he tried. The difference between Palace Master Li and the demon lord became apparent in such a moment – he chose not to immediately sever Second Young Master Zhu’s hand but merely tore off half of his own sleeve.
Zhu Yanyin was placed on a pile of camphor wood by him, smelling the familiar scent of books. He held onto the fabric in his hand, drifting into an even deeper and more undisturbed sleep.
The empty house into which the two janitors slipped was square-shaped with no furniture inside and no place to hide a person. The mechanism could only be underground.
Li Sui glanced around, taking a quick look, then quietly withdrew into the storage room, horizontally lifting Zhu Yanyin and swiftly darting out of the Weeping Willow Academy like a fleeting cloud shadow.
Zhu Xiaosui, holding a cloak in his hands, was running outside. Before he could even step out of the door, he was startled by Palace Master Li, who descended from above. Then, he was startled for the second time by the unconscious Zhu Yanyin. “Young Master!“
He was horrified, his voice cracking, not even considering the fearsome Palace Master Li, who had a penchant for killing. He dropped what he was holding and rushed forward, “Young Master, please wake up!”
Li Sui couldn’t take the noise: “He’ll wake up in three hours.”
With his usual emotionless tone, of course, there was no hint of any guilt. So Zhu Xiaosui was misled, never even considering the possibility that “their young master might not have willingly fainted.” He thought it was due to the heavy humidity and coldness in the courtyard, and that someone recovering from a fever couldn’t bear it. He loudly called for the servants to come and help, and at the same time, he didn’t forget to bow to Li Sui and thank him.
“Thank you, Palace Master Li, thank you, Palace Master Li,” Zhu Zhang also came running, panting heavily.
As well as dozens of other servants, maids, and guards responsible for taking care of Second Your Maser Zhu, they all came in a large group, sweating nervously as they rushed to pay their respects. It was fortunate that he was found and brought back. If our young master had fainted on the ground with no one to attend to him… Ah, I dare not even think about it.
Li Sui: “…”
Jiang Shenglin was busy drying herbs in the neighboring courtyard when Zhu Zhang called him over. He happened to catch a glimpse of a black cloth fluttering over the courtyard wall. His heart skipped a beat. Though he didn’t know what had happened, his intuition told him that someone hadn’t reached the level of “seeing an unconscious patient on the roadside and generously bringing them home.” Upon closer inspection, he noticed faint red marks on Zhu Yanyin’s neck. Got it.
Zhu Zhang asked anxiously, “Divine Doctor, why has my young master fainted again? Is it because he’s still weak after the fever subsided?”
Jiang Shenglin, looking at the loyal old steward, betrayed his medical ethics and conscience in mind. “Yes, he needs more rest in the future.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Zhu Yanyin still clutched the piece of fabric in his hand, knuckles turning white. It was a struggle for Jiang Shenglin to gently take it away while examining him. He couldn’t help but curse Li Sui in his heart again. Both of you have your own share of hardships and illnesses. Can’t you just get along? It took considerable effort and time for me to treat him, and you turned around and knocked him unconscious again. Do you have nothing better to do?
My head hurts.
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Zhu Xiaosui: “Young Master!”
Jiang Shenglin was dumbfounded, once again gaining a whole new understanding of the extent of Li Sui’s devilishness.
But… this won’t do. We need to find a way for the two to coexist peacefully, or at least, even if they cant’t coexist peacefully, they should reach a point where hearing a name doesn’t immediately induce fainting. After all, dealing with one old wound and one stubborn ailment in the brain already takes considerable effort and time. I’m afraid we’ll have a long journey ahead of us.
That night.
Li Sui was incredulous, “You want me to go sightseeing with him?”
Jiang Shenglin corrected, “It doesn’t have to be sightseeing, but at least you should behave less like a psychotic murderer.”
Li Sui: “Get lost.”
Jiang Shenglin shot back, “Get lost my ass. I haven’t even asked you why on earth you knocked Young Master Zhu unconscious.”
Li Sui explained, “I was gathering information at the Weeping Willow Academy, and he was wandering around the corridor reciting couplets, nearly causing trouble.”
“What did you find out?” Jiang Shenglin pulled over a chair and sat down.
“The academy indeed seems quite peculiar. Several janitors seem to possess considerable skills; I suspect they’re hiding someone in the underground passages.”
“Sect Master Pan has investigated for so long. If he didn’t have more than an eighty percent certainty, he wouldn’t have informed you,” Jiang Shenglin said. “The source of the information is reliable. However, before confirming the connection between the Shangru Mountain Villa and Du Yafeng, you must first reassure Young Master Zhu for me.”
Li Sui was displeased: “I’m not a doctor.”
Jiang Shenglin: “I am.”
Jiang Shenglin continued in a firm and upright manner, “You’ve already consumed a box of blood clam, five servings of bird’s nest, seven snow lotus flowers, and eight roots of Changbai Mountain ginseng that the Zhu family sent over. Can’t you just help soothe Second Young Master Zhu? Besides, he was originally frightened by you.”
Li Sui: “…”
Jiang Shenglin slammed the table. “Then it’s settled.”
But truth be told, Master Li wasn’t willing to comply, and the people of the Zhu family were even less willing. When the steward heard that Jiang Shenglin was planning for their young master to accompany Li Sui, his eyes almost popped out of their sockets, and he shook his head vigorously like a drum being beaten. Where did this absurd idea come from? Absolutely not, absolutely not.
Jiang Shenglin earnestly pleaded: “But in the future, Young Master Zhu and Palace Master Li will have to go to the northeast together. They can’t avoid meeting each other. It’s not feasible for them to faint every time they meet. This illness needs to be treated at the earliest.”
Zhu Zhang fervently grasped Jiang Shenglin’s hand: “How about letting the divine doctor name a price? As long as you’re willing to accompany us back to Jiangnan, any amount of money is acceptable.”
Although Jiang Shenglin also wanted to become a local landlord in Jiangnan, it wasn’t feasible at the moment.
Zhu Zhang had no other choice but to agree.
In the comfortable silk bedding, Second Young Master Zhu leaned against a pillow adorned with golden threads, holding a transparent jade bowl, and attentively enjoyed his milk and sugar cane porridge.
Jiang Shenglin sat by the bedside, gently inquiring, “How are you feeling today?”
“Okay,” Zhu Yanyin replied. “This morning, Xiaosui even said he wanted to accompany me for a walk.”
“That’s perfect,” Jiang Shenglin seized the opportunity, “Palace Master Li happens to be heading to the bank of Clear Lotus River. How about letting him take you on a boat ride with his Iron Palm technique?”
Zhu Yan couldn’t swallow a mouthful of porridge, and almost vomited on the spot. He looked at the Divine Doctor in horror and asked, “Who?”
Relying on years of medical experience, Jiang Shenglin felt that even if he were to mention a terrifying ghost at that moment, it would be a hundred times more comforting than the mention of Li Sui.
“…No one, absolutely no one.”
Forcing it won’t work. I need to come up with another way to make Palace Master Li appear less eerie and terrifying.
So, that afternoon, a group of people sat in a teahouse, enjoying snacks and sipping Longjing tea. Suddenly, across the street, a frail old lady appeared, struggling with a heavy basket filled with vegetables.
Zhu Yanyin instructed Zhu Xiaosui, “Go and help the old lady.”
Zhu Xiaosui agreed with a nod. Just as he was about to stand up, a familiar figure appeared on the street.
Zhu Yanyin: “!”
Li Sui expressionlessly helped the old lady, took the vegetable basket, and walked away.
Zhu Yanyin: “?”
Jiang Shenglin praised, “Palace Master Li is truly willing to help others.”
On another day, Zhu Yanyin was having a meal in a tavern when a group of troublemakers on the street suddenly started causing a commotion. They were creating a ruckus, shouting and smashing things, directed at the innocent shop owner.
Zhu Yanyin instructed his attendants, “Go down and check, make sure they don’t harm anyone.”
The attendants responded in unison, “Yes!”
Then, Palace Master Li expressionlessly descended from above again, using a single move to disperse dozens of people. He helped up the elderly shop owner who had fallen, and then walked away.
Zhu Yanyin: “…”
Jiang Shenglin hastily praised again, “Palace Master Li truly has a chivalrous heart!”
On the third day, when Jiang Shenglin attempted to arrange for Li Sui to help the neighbors with the rice planting, Master Li finally couldn’t bear it anymore. Without saying a word, he picked up the Xiangjun Sword and left.
Jiang Shenglin questioned, “Where are you going?”
Li Sui mounted his horse and swiftly disappeared without a trace.
Zhu Yanyin was strolling on the street.
In this area, there are many academies, and naturally, there are many calligraphy and paintings, real and fake mixed together, making it quite interesting to look at. Among them is a scroll of Wu Daozi’s [Eighty-Seven Immortals], with skillful brushwork and floating garments, truly—ah!
Zhu Yanyin was bewildered, one moment he was bending down to focus on studying the immortals, and the next moment he found himself flying through the clouds and mist, so frightened that his soul flew away.
The Snow-Kicking Black Roan was in high spirits, joyfully charging towards the outskirts of the city.
Everything happened so quickly that by the time Zhu Xiaosui realized what had occurred, his young master had vanished without a trace.
This… this… daylight abduction of a civilian man, is there no justice left? He cried out with a “wa” and ran back to find reinforcements.
Outside the city, the wind was whistling.
Zhu Yanyin’s face was pale, his eyes vacant, his heartbeats teetering on the edge of stopping and continuing as if testing the limits.
Li Sui wrapped one arm around his waist to prevent him from falling off the horse. Later, perhaps feeling that the person in his arms was too stiff, he kindly said, “Don’t be nervous. I’ll take you to the banks of the Clear Lotus River.”
The scenery along the banks of the Clear Lotus River is beautiful, often attracting literati to seek inspiration and write poetry. It is indeed a good place. However, Palace Master Li doesn’t seem to have the temperament for poetry no matter how you look at it; he only exudes the aura of merciless laughter and killing.
Zhu Yanyin thought in despair, Oh, I’m dead again.
The translator has something to say:
This chapter was such a ride. I was fangirling and kicking the sheets so hard that my mother had to call out to me. Palace Master Li will learn how to kidnap people (cough, cough… a certain snow-fight figure) in no time if it continues.
Also, Xiaosui is really not getting paid enough for this. Justice for Xiaosui!!!
Second Young Master of the Zhu Family in Jiangnan: I AM NOT GETTING PAID ENOUGH FOR GETTING KIDNAPPED EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE!!!
Innocent Translator: But, you were the one who wanted to soar through the clouds.
Second Young Master Zhu: “…”
i died laughing 😂😂😂
Thanks for the chapter
The seeds of love are being planted 😍 Go Palace Master Li, go! I’m rooting for you 😅
Dear translator, thank you for the update
🌺
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