The Splendid Brocade of the Painting Physician – Chapter 29

Chapter 29: Counterattack

Xiao Xian stared blankly at a painting hanging on the wall for a long time, so long that the servants in the residence thought his soul was trapped within it.

“I really don’t know what’s so good about this painting. It’s just an extremely ordinary painting of plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo, and chrysanthemums. The concubines in our Yunlang Jun’s courtyard can also paint it!”

“Exactly, I think Xianlang Jun’s illness is getting worse. Even a painting can make him look like he’s possessed…”

“That’s right, that’s right… You say… Could it be that Xianlang Jun…”

“Shut up!”

Several maids were hiding in a corner, laughing and gossiping, when they were suddenly stopped by a shout. They saw Feng Dong rushing over in a hurry, giving them a fierce glare before striding into Xiao Xian’s Linshui Pavilion.

“Lang Jun, you’re looking at this painting again! You’ve been looking at it for a month now. Have you figured out any secrets?” Seeing Xiao Xian staring at the painting as if he were in a trance, Feng Dong couldn’t help but ask.

“I haven’t figured out any secrets, but…”

“But what?”

Xiao Xian was stunned for a moment and said, “It makes me feel unusually calm…” After saying that, he suddenly thought of something and turned around to ask, “How is it? Have you found out her whereabouts?”

“I did find out, but…” Feng Dong’s face looked a little ugly.

Xiao Xian hurriedly asked, “But what?”

Feng Dong then looked around and whispered in Xiao Xian’s ear, “But, that young lady may not be doing well now. I heard that for the past month, Right Consort has sent more than ten assassins to search for their residence. Just yesterday, a servant reported that they seemed to have found it!”

Xiao Xian’s expression tightened, his palms couldn’t help but sweat, and he hurriedly asked, “Then where is she now?”

She had said that she would definitely return to the Xiao family after three days, but after three days, apart from the jokes in those taverns and teahouses, she was nowhere to be seen.

He knew… She must have encountered some danger… It was indeed Right Consort who couldn’t hold back and made a move against her!

Xiao Xian grabbed the armrests of the wheelchair tightly and clenched his fists.

“Xinghua Village on the north bank of the Qinhuai River!” Feng Dong replied.

Before he could finish speaking, Xiao Xian immediately turned his wheelchair and “rushed” out of the courtyard. Feng Dong shouted, “Lang Jun, wait! Even if we rush there now, I’m afraid we won’t make it in time!”

“Even if we won’t make it, we still have to go!” Xiao Xian said anxiously, and suddenly thought of something, and added, “No, we’ll go find someone else first!”

After Xiao Xian finished speaking, he quickly left the Xiao residence. Feng Dong pushed the wheelchair and followed his instructions to a relatively secluded alley. He saw him take out a flute and play for a while, and then a black shadow flew out from a dilapidated hut very quickly. In the blink of an eye, he stood tall in front of him.

The newcomer was very thin, his whole body was shrouded in a huge black robe, even his face was wearing half a mask, only a scar on his chin was clearly visible.

“Xiao Xianlang, are you asking me to fulfill my last promise to you today?” the newcomer asked, his voice very hoarse and low.

“Yes!” Xiao Xian replied, “Xian humbly requests you to go to Xinghua Village on the north bank of the Qinhuai River to save someone!”

“Who?”

“A young lady, but she may still be dressed as a man now, with a teenage Northern Barbarian boy by her side. If I’m not mistaken, they are now fighting with Right Consort’s more than ten assassins. Xian knows that your lightness skill is extraordinary, and you can reach Xinghua Village within the time it takes to burn an incense stick. Therefore, Xian humbly requests your help!”

The newcomer smiled at the corner of his lips and asked back, “Xiao Xianlang, do you know that this is the last time I will repay your kindness? From now on, we will owe each other nothing, but you ask me to save someone who has nothing to do with you?”

“Yes!” Xiao Xian said solemnly, “Please don’t waste any more time!”

The newcomer paused, smiled again with an unclear meaning, and then flew away like an arrow towards the north bank of the Qinhuai River.

Feng Dong didn’t even see how he left. He was stunned and said in a daze, “Lang Jun, who is he?”

Xiao Xian didn’t answer immediately, he was silent for a while before saying, “He is an assassin. Five years ago, he broke into Prince Ancheng’s residence alone and assassinated the then Prince Ancheng!”

“You mean, His Majesty?” Feng Dong was surprised.

Xiao Xian nodded: “Yes, you can call him ‘Shadow’…”

But Xiao Xian knew that this assassin had another name:

His name was Ling Ye!

He was once the most elite guard by the side of the eldest legitimate daughter of the Chenjun Xie Clan. During the Hou Jing Rebellion, Xie Yuqing, the eldest legitimate daughter of the Xie Clan, died to protect her family, and even her body was nowhere to be found. Everyone thought that the assassin named Ling Ye also died in that war, but unexpectedly, ten years later, he quietly returned to Jiankang City and sneaked into Prince Ancheng’s residence, carrying out a shocking assassination.

✿✿✿

Although that assassination did not kill Prince Ancheng immediately, he was seriously injured and has been haunted by nightmares ever since, unable to sleep peacefully.

It was also after that assassination that Ling Ye became the most wanted criminal in Jiankang City. Once, during his escape, he took pity on Ling Ye and hid him in his private residence, helping him divert the pursuers.

Ling Ye only swore allegiance to the eldest legitimate daughter of the Xie Clan in his life, and would never serve another master, but he promised him three life-saving favors. In the past five years, he had already used two, and this was the last one.

✿✿✿

When Ling Ye arrived at Xinghua Village, he didn’t see the desperate fight that Xiao Xian had expected, but only saw a scene that shocked and amazed him:

A “young man” dressed in plain clothes was sitting by the bamboo forest and fishing by the stream, his posture as bright as the moon, as clear as the wind. The Northern Barbarian boy beside him was carrying a wooden bucket, and amidst his cheers, one black fish after another leaped out of the river along an invisible line and fell into the boy’s bucket.

And in the bamboo forest behind them, several black shadows, like the fish in their hands, were trapped in one fishing net after another, struggling desperately but unable to break free.

The clear stream was singing, birds were chirping, and the fragrant flowers were blown by the spring breeze… There was no smell of blood at all…

This scene was so beautiful!

Just like the short-lived beauty he had experienced!

Ling Ye was a little lost. He was a born assassin, and the places he had been to were all covered with blood,

except for the time he spent in the Xie residence a few years ago…

Thinking of something, Ling Ye felt that he shouldn’t disturb them, so he turned around and prepared to leave.

But at this moment, he heard a clear girl’s voice asking, “Since you have come, why don’t you meet me before leaving?”

Fenghuang thought that another enemy was coming, and immediately got ready to fight.

But he saw the newcomer standing three zhang away, motionless, and only said, “I am not your enemy. Since your enemy has been dealt with, just pretend I have never been here…”

He was not going to turn around, and was about to leave, when he heard the girl ask again, “Did Xiao Xianlang send you here? But I still need your… help.”

Ling Ye then turned his head, and as soon as he turned around, he met the gaze of the girl who was walking towards him gracefully. For some reason, the girl’s face was very unfamiliar, but her gaze seemed to shoot straight into his heart, making his heart tremble.

This feeling was so familiar!

“Who are you?” he couldn’t help asking.

“Xiao, Jin, Yu!” the girl replied frankly.

It was just an unfamiliar name, and Ling Ye felt an inexplicable loss in his heart.

“What help do you need, young lady?” he asked.

Xiao Jinyu smiled and pointed to the shadows trapped in fishing nets in the bamboo forest:

“They… I need to send a big gift to Xiao’s mistress, and…” she said meaningfully, “convey a message to Xiao Xianlang for me…”

After finishing speaking, she also walked up to Ling Ye and handed a piece of silk to him.

But when she saw clearly the face wearing half a mask, her expression changed slightly.

After a long time, she didn’t speak, until Ling Ye took the silk and left. Fenghuang called her softly in her ear several times before she came back to her senses.

“Qing Gege, what’s wrong with you?”

“He looks like… someone I know!”