He stiffly turned his neck, as if trying to look at her, when the local boss kicked him in the back. Blood gushed from his mouth, and he lost his balance, falling headfirst into the rushing river. The water quickly turned a large red patch before becoming completely still.
Xiao Man felt her liver and gallbladder shatter. She struggled desperately to jump off Tian Quan's body, grabbed the bow of the boat, and was about to jump off without thinking.
The nouveau riche grabbed her hair and forcibly pulled her over, snarling, "You slut!"
She raised the broken silver sword, ready to pierce her again, when suddenly Tianquan said calmly from the bow of the boat, "Boss Tu, your clothes are torn."
She was startled and looked down at herself. Sure enough, her clothes were torn at the shoulder by Ze Xiu's sword, and blood was gushing out. Most of her full breasts were exposed and stained with blood.
Being a woman, she instinctively reached for her collar, but then noticed something amiss on the river. Turning her head, she saw that over a dozen small, long fishing boats had appeared around her, all covered in black cloth. Two men in black stood at each end of the boat, their chests and backs adorned with red and white cross-shaped knife patterns.
Her expression immediately changed: "Heavenly Fiend Ten Directions?!"
Tianquan slowly walked up to her, picked Xiaoman up, and she struggled desperately, still trying to jump into the river. Tianquan gently pressed the back of her head, and she immediately stopped moving, leaning softly against him. He said softly, "Boss Tu, the people from Tiansha Shifang are here. Let's escape first."
Before the words were finished, there were several whooshing sounds, and black claws came out from the dozen or so small fishing boats, hooked the boat, and pulled it backward with all their might. The men in black jumped on and flew over lightly on the ropes.
Without thinking, the local boss pressed her wound and turned to jump ashore, but suddenly felt a warmth on her wrist. It was Tianquan who had grabbed her hand.
A sudden bad feeling rose in the boss's heart. She slowly turned to look at him. This man, as cold as an iceberg, still had no expression on his face. His grip tightened, and gradually the pain became unbearable. She moved slightly, only to feel his vital points being swiftly pressed, instantly rendering her unable to move.
Her throat tightened, and she said in a hoarse voice, "It's you?"
Tianquan didn't say anything, but carried Xiaoman back into the cabin. The black-clad Tiansha Shifang rushed onto the boat, and with a swift stroke of their blades, they instantly chopped her into pieces. She was thrown into the river without even uttering a sound.
He remained motionless, quietly holding the unconscious Xiaoman, sitting in the cabin, dressed in white, his black hair perfectly styled, his eyes deep and unfathomable.
The men in black did not enter the cabin, but quickly returned to their respective fishing boats and drifted away with the current, disappearing from sight.
Tianquan slowly got up, carried Xiaoman to the bow of the boat, and turned back to say softly, "Boatman, let's dock."
The poor boatman trembled with fear, not daring to utter a word. He quickly brought the boat to shore, watching as the boatman gracefully alighted, as if he had just enjoyed a beautiful view. Suddenly, he slowly turned around, his gaze sweeping over the boatman, and whispered, "What did you see today?"
The man stammered, "I...I...I didn't see anything!"
Tianquan said calmly, "You went out by boat, how could you not have seen anything?"
The man broke out in a cold sweat, thought for a long time, and then suddenly realized: "I...I saw a group of men in black rush up and kill the woman in purple. Young master, you...you fought off those people and took this girl away..."
Tianquan smiled slightly, tossed him a gold ingot, and turned to leave: "Well said, don't forget what you just said."
(The Scroll of Chaos Ends)
The Crow's Slaughter, Chapter One: A Change of Signs (Part 1)
Updated: 2008-10-06 22:17:31 Word Count: 5180
In the darkness, a person walks forward. His robes are as black as a cloak in the dead of night, his long braid flows freely, and he strides confidently.
Xiao Man was struggling to catch up from behind for some unknown reason.
He wanted to abandon her, discard her, ignore her, and forget her.
Xiaoman chased after him desperately. It was rare for her to be so stubborn; no matter what, she was determined to catch up with him.
The man suddenly stopped, as if sensing something, and silently turned around, his flirtatious and alluring peach blossom eyes gleaming in the darkness. Seeing her panting as she caught up, he narrowed his eyes and smiled.
"You're covered in mud," he said jokingly, wiping her face with his sleeve.
Xiao Man grabbed his sleeve and softly called out, "Ze Xiu."
"Hmm?" He looked at her with a smile.
A bitter taste rose in her throat, and tears welled up in her eyes. She gripped his hand tightly and whispered, "Wait for me... I'm coming right away! Anyway... I'm coming right away!"
He patted her head and said softly, "Silly child."
Xiaoman opened her arms to hug him, but suddenly realized she was hugging empty air. She woke up with a start, covered in cold sweat.
She didn't care where she was or what time it was. Seeing a circle of exquisitely carved vermilion railings outside, she jumped up and ran towards the railings, braced herself on it, and was about to jump down.
A hand swiftly grabbed her vest from behind, and Xiaoman's legs went weak. She stumbled and bumped into his arms. She opened her mouth, intending to bite her tongue, but the man, as if expecting it, quickly pinched her chin and tapped the back of her neck with his finger. Xiaoman went limp again.
When she woke up again, it was already dark. Xiaoman opened her eyes in the darkness. She groped around on the bed and finally found the silk ribbon tying the bed curtains. She pulled hard, and the curtains fell down with a thud. Holding the ribbon, she felt around on the bedpost, trying to find a place to fasten it, when suddenly she heard a low voice beside her: "What are you doing?"
She was shocked. Before she could react, the tape in her hand was snatched away, followed by a dizzying sensation as she was pinned to the bed, her jaw pinched, rendering her unable to move.
She felt she couldn't catch up; the footsteps grew farther and farther away, and she finally couldn't catch up no matter what.
The hand gripping her chin suddenly felt large tears falling onto it, seemingly endless. The man paused. He whispered, "Don't be sad, he might not be dead."
Xiao Man didn't react. The man said softly again, "I had people search the river all day. They didn't find a body, only a cloak. With his skills, he shouldn't have died so easily."
Xiao Man stirred slightly. The man immediately released her, slowly pulling down the curtain that had fallen onto the bed and floor. He tossed it into a corner, then went to the table and lit a candle. The room was instantly brightly lit, and the person holding the candle, dressed in white with striking features, was none other than Tian Quan.
He took out a wet, blood-stained cloak, walked gently to the bedside, and placed it next to Xiaoman's hand: "These are the clothes we retrieved..."
Before she could finish speaking, she grabbed the clothes tightly, burying her face in them.
Tianquan sat by the bed for a while, then suddenly reached out and placed his hand on her shoulder, gently turning her over. Her face was pale, with bloodstains from the boss's fingernails on her cheeks. Her eyebrows were slightly furrowed, and tears still clung to the corners of her eyes, but she was already asleep.
He couldn't help but recall the pitiful look on that face in the desert. He hadn't actually told her that she was already incredibly beautiful without needing to pretend, and besides, genuine pitifulness can't be faked; her attempt at it was very unsuccessful.
He looked at her for a very long time, and finally reached out a finger to gently wipe away the tears from the corner of her eye.
Xiao Man was seriously ill and remained in a semi-conscious state for a long time. Occasionally, when she regained her senses, she would hug Ze Xiu's cloak and quietly gaze at her hands. Tian Quan seemed to be on a journey. She was placed in a spacious and comfortable carriage, and the scenery outside the window changed every day. Sometimes it was lush green cypress trees, and sometimes it was slightly yellowing tulip trees.
The carriage moved very slowly and steadily, and she could barely feel it moving. Every evening, he would feed her a strange-tasting medicine, followed by a few terribly bitter pills, so that she could get a good night's sleep.
The weather grew colder and colder, and soon a heavy snow began to fall, turning everything into a white wonderland. Tianquan stopped the carriage by the roadside, gently lifting the curtain. Xiaoman was sleeping inside, her body slightly curled up, clutching the cloak in her arms, sleeping like a child. He helped her sit up, patted her cheek, and Xiaoman stirred slightly, her eyelashes fluttering twice. She felt his stubble brush against her ear, and was instantly overjoyed. She hugged him tightly, her voice trembling as she said, "Zexiu!"
Tianquan didn't speak, but gently touched her hair. Suddenly, she pushed him away, shrank into a corner, covered her face, and tears fell like broken beads.
He took out the medicine from his pocket, sat down on the side of the carriage without going in, and said calmly, "Take your medicine, we'll be in Zhenzhou soon."
Xiao Man didn't react for a long time, and he didn't try to persuade her. He just leaned against the side of the carriage and quietly looked at the vast snow outside.
This was a vast, boundless grassland. The gray sky hung overhead like a dome, and the wind howled without obstruction. Xiaoman leaned against the car wall, listening quietly to the wind. After what seemed like an eternity, she softly asked, "Is this the northern desert?"
She finally spoke up after all these days, and Tianquan felt a slight sense of relief. He said softly, "Yes, there's a grassland outside. Would you like to see it?"
Xiao Man slowly poked her head out of the carriage, quietly gazing at the vast grassland outside. Snowflakes, like giant clumps of cotton, were tossed about by the wind, staining the ground silvery white. After watching for a while, a smile suddenly appeared on her lips, and she said softly, "There are no blue skies and white clouds, and no one galloping on horseback."
“It will come when the weather clears up.” Xiaoman nodded, retreated into the carriage, took the pill, and Tianquan untied the water pouch from his waist and handed it to her. She took two sips and then asked, “Are you taking me back to No Return Mountain? Where’s Boss Tu?”
He was silent for a moment before saying, "No, I won't go to No Return Mountain. The local tycoon is already dead."
Dead? Xiao Man stared at him warily.
Tianquan said slowly, "The people from Tiansha Shifang launched a surprise attack. That's why they died."
Xiao Man clearly didn't believe him at all, but Tian Quan didn't care. He simply said, "This is Liaodong. The people from No Return Mountain can't come out for the time being, so you don't need to worry."
"Aren't you from Mount No Return?" Xiao Man still didn't believe it.
Tianquan remained silent. These past few days had been a journey. Although he was still spotless, his face showed signs of travel, and dark stubble had appeared on his chin. Xiaoman couldn't help but think of Zexiu; his stubble was impossible to shave cleanly. He'd shave it today, and it'd be back the day after.
A pang of sadness welled up in her heart, but she smiled gently.
The carriage continued its slow journey across the grassland. As evening approached, they came upon a large cluster of tents ahead, the dwellings of the nomadic herders. The herders were very hospitable, inviting the two into the largest tent, lighting the loudest fire, and soon serving them milk tea and mutton.
Xiao Man was in much better spirits. She slowly ate her mutton, then suddenly looked up and asked, "Do you sell colored thread and needles here?"
Tianquan shook his head: "These herdsmen are all homeless and will soon have to migrate away from here. You can only buy what you need in Zhenzhou."
What are we going to Zhenzhou for?
Tianquan paused for a moment, then said softly, "Stay for now. I have a piece of land there."
Xiao Man looked at him suspiciously. After a long while, she said, "Why did you bring me with you? Shouldn't you have killed me?"
Tianquan glanced at her indifferently: "Why would I want to kill you?"
Xiao Man was speechless for a moment.
Tianquan stood up, walked to the tent entrance, and said again, "You're nothing but a pitiful wretch forced into this situation."
Xiaoman could no longer eat anything. She hugged her knees, draped Zexiu's half-broken cloak over herself, and sat on the ground in a daze. The tent was warm, with a roaring fire and two large pieces of fur on the ground. Although they were rough, they kept out the freezing cold outside.
A short while later, an old woman from the herdsmen brought over two pieces of slightly soft fur that resembled blankets. She took Xiaoman's hand and spoke a long string of words affectionately, but unfortunately, Xiaoman couldn't understand a single word. She had also lost the strength to pretend as before, and just stared at her blankly.
Tianquan suddenly came in again, whispered a few words to the woman, and then she left with a smile. He walked to Xiaoman's side, spread the fur on the ground, and said, "She thinks you look like her granddaughter when she was little, so thin and pitiful, so she brought two extra furs in case you get cold at night."
He spread out the fur, lay down fully clothed, and soon seemed to fall asleep, emitting soft breaths.
Xiaoman sat there blankly for a long time, then suddenly remembered something. She reached into her robes and rummaged for a long time before finally pulling out a piece of white silk. She unfolded it and examined it closely by the firelight. The boy in the painting was cold, melancholic, and exquisitely beautiful, gazing into the distance as if deep in thought. Her fingers traced across the boy's face, as if she couldn't bear to touch him, and she quickly withdrew her fingers, carefully tucking the white silk back in. Only then did she lie down on the fur, fully clothed, feeling a surge of coldness and heat in her heart, utterly bewildered.
Tianquan felt someone shivering beside him. He slowly opened his eyes, turned his head and looked over, and saw Xiaoman curled up in a ball, her fur falling behind her. She was shivering unconsciously in her dream, but she didn't realize it at all.
He pulled up the fur and covered her with it, then stoked the fire to make it burn brighter. Looking down, he saw that her lips were still blue from the cold, and he reached out to pull her closer. Suddenly, she reached out and hugged his neck, softly calling out, "Zexiu...you're not dead?"
He stood there stunned for a long time before slowly hugging her tightly, pressing the back of her head, and whispering, "Yes, I'm here."
She finally calmed down and fell into a deep sleep.
Yelü was once again innocently turned into a pig's head, lying in the inn unable to get up. Fortunately, Gengu changed out of his Khitan clothes in time and dressed up as an ordinary Song person, otherwise all three of them would have turned into pig's heads.
“These Song people are really strange. The Khitan people are not an army, so why are they so hostile? I have never seen any Song people treated with such hostility in Liao territory.”
Gengu had still been punched a few times in the face, and his lip was swollen. Lianyi carefully applied medicine to his face, saying softly, "I...I don't know either, anyway, everyone should be careful."
Yelü lay on the bed, feeling like crying: "Supreme Treasure is a killer! I didn't even get a whiff of silver, and instead I got beaten up."
Gengu frowned and said, "Come on! It's good enough that we're alive! This isn't the Great Liao Dynasty, where you can do whatever you want."
Yelü roared, "It's all because of you, you brat! If it weren't for you..."
Lianyi quickly grabbed his hand and said softly, "Stop scolding me, be careful not to hurt your wound. Anyway, it's all my fault for being clumsy and always causing trouble."
Gengu sighed: "Sister, with your looks, you should be kept in a golden house by a good man, hidden from others. If you travel around and show your face in public like this, trouble will find you even if you don't seek it out."
Lianyi blushed, and Yelü laughed, "That's easy, little Lianyi. Just come with me, I'll take care of you, and you'll never have to live in fear again. I'll build you a golden house."
Gengu's eyebrows shot up immediately, and he snapped, "What do you take my sister for...?"