Zhan Chun - Chapter 22
She stretched out her arms and threw herself into his arms, burying her face in his chest.
Yang Shen was stunned. The situation was urgent, but he couldn't blame or push her away. He could only pretend not to know, put his arm around her waist, and draw his sword.
With his current skills, defeating a few soldiers wouldn't be a big problem. The real concern is Yichun. If she forces her way out, will she incur even more punishment? He's just set out for training, and yet he's encountered such a bizarre incident. It's truly unlucky.
Yang Shen ran a long way to make sure no soldiers were chasing him before stopping in an alley and pulling Ningning down.
"As you can see, we're wanted by the authorities and can barely take care of ourselves, let alone you. You should leave on your own."
As he spoke, he took out two silver ingots from his purse: "Take these, at least you won't go hungry."
She didn't take it, but knelt on the ground and looked up at him, her slender figure seeming as if she were about to break.
“I have nowhere to go,” she whispered.
Yang Shen frowned and said, "Didn't you understand what I said?"
Ningning stared at him intently, slowly got up from the ground, and said softly, "I have nowhere to go. I'd rather follow you and live a life on the run."
How absurd! Yang Shen didn't have Yi Chun's kind heart; he turned and left.
Suddenly, a very ominous sound came from behind him. He turned around quickly and raised his hand to stop the slender body that was lunging towards the wall. She hit the wall with great force, and Yang Shen took two steps back before regaining his balance, feeling somewhat horrified.
She leaned on his arm, her expression calm, but her body trembled like a lost kitten.
She stared at him intently, repeating the same words: "I have nowhere to go. If you leave, I will die."
Yichun almost brazenly defied the authority of the government, rushing directly down from the building.
The innkeeper's jaw nearly dropped the moment he saw her. She lightly kicked his fat belly and scoffed, "Consider this kick for the room!"
He immediately rolled away like a ball.
The soldiers swarmed forward, surrounding her in the middle, and a fierce battle ensued, with swords flashing and spears flying.
Yichun was not afraid at all. She fought her way back and forth in the encirclement, her movements as light and agile as a swallow. Occasionally, a sword or knife would strike her, and blood would drip down her clothes and onto the ground, like a blooming red plum blossom.
Upon seeing blood, she became even more agile, kicking one of the people opposite her to the ground and finding an opening to escape from the inn.
She was quite adept at escaping, weaving through alleys and houses, quickly confusing the large group of soldiers who could no longer find her.
After a series of close calls, she finally arrived at the woods behind Kaifu Temple. Yang Shen and Ningning were waiting for her there, one standing and one sitting.
"Senior Sister!" Yang Shen rushed forward, and seeing the bloodstains all over her body, he was shocked. "How badly are you injured?!"
Yichun shook her head: "It's nothing, it doesn't hurt at all. Let's get out of here quickly!"
She glanced at Ningning suddenly, then hesitated, "Ningning...we can't take you with us, um...you..."
She gracefully rose from the rock, walked to Yichun, and knelt down directly: "Sister, young master, you saved my life, you are like my second parents. Ningning is willing to serve you both with all her might. My life is yours from now on. If you don't want it, I will kill myself here."
Yi Chun glanced at Yang Shen, who frowned and shook his head, his eyes telling her that she was serious.
Yichun had no choice but to say, "Alright... I'm sorry to trouble you to flee with us. Let's hurry and leave Tanzhou immediately."
She carried Ningning on her back and ran forward. After running for a while, the wound seemed to reopen, and the bleeding increased. She gritted her teeth and didn't utter a sound, but large beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.
Ningning spread out her hands, which were wet and covered in blood—the blood from Yichun.
"Sister, your wound is bleeding," she whispered. "Let's bandage it up first."
Yichun said softly, "It's alright, don't worry."
Yang Shen grabbed her arm and pulled her to a stop. Because the movement aggravated her wound, Yi Chun was in so much pain that she almost jumped up.
He frowned, his expression a mixture of suppressed anger and barely suppressed rage, and said in a low voice, "Quickly, show me your wound! Don't be stubborn!"
Yichun sighed, "It's really alright, sheep kidneys. Let's escape to a safe place first, otherwise we'll have to fight again if we run into government troops."
He was about to take forceful action when he suddenly froze, exchanged a glance with Yichun, and their eyes turned wary and anxious. After a moment, the two slowly turned around.
A painted carriage slowly approached through the woods. The driver, wearing a straw hat and a cloak, looked very familiar.
A swallow with outstretched wings was painted on the carriage in a deep purple color, and it looked very lifelike.
Ningning's eyes suddenly lit up.
The carriage approached the three of them, and the door opened gently from the inside. Inside sat a young man dressed in a sandalwood-colored robe, with a handsome face and a refined and noble air.
Yan Yufei.
He whispered, "Get in the car, I'll take you to a safe place."
Chapter Fourteen
It wasn't until they got in the car and had driven quite a distance that the two of them started to wonder whether they should believe this person.
Yang Shen said in a low voice, "Young Master Yan..."
Yan Yufei interrupted him: "Just three days ago, a subordinate reported that there was a great deal of grief in the Xiaoyao Sect. The sect leader's beloved only daughter had been assassinated. Someone saw the murderer in the night. She was a woman, thin and with messy hair. She looked seven parts like Miss Ge who had disturbed the Xiaoyao Sect that day."
Yi Chun covered her wound, her face pale: "We met at Haozhuang three days ago."
Yan Yufei smiled slightly and nodded, saying, "That's right. I was drinking with the two of you at the manor that day and I know the young lady is innocent."
Yichun looked at him: "Then... can you testify for me? Explain the situation to the authorities?"
He slowly shook his head, a hint of regret in his voice: "It's not that I, Yan, am unwilling to cause trouble, but in reality, Tanzhou is under the sphere of influence of the Xiaoyao Sect. They now unanimously believe that you are the murderer, and the government has also been bribed by them. Even if I step forward, I'm afraid I may not be able to escape unscathed. Miss Ge, that's how the martial world is. If someone wants you dead, your innocence is no longer important."