Vallée Sauvage de Green Mountain (Transmigrée à la dynastie Song)

Chapitre 25

I shouted angrily, "You bastard surnamed Shang! What nonsense are you spouting!"

Shang Shaochang chuckled softly, not angry at all. "The best course of action right now is to see if this kid is lucky. If he is, there is still a way to save him..." He turned serious and looked at me, saying, "But you yourself are quite ill! Your cold has been bothering you for a while now, and you've recently started coughing up blood, which is gradually spreading to your lungs. Moreover, you are weak, so it will be twice as slow for you to recover. Your health is not much better than Yun Yiyang's!"

I shook my head and said, "You... don't need to worry about me now. I want to go see Yiyang! How is he?"

Shang Shaochang looked at me, his smile seemingly containing a hint of doting. For a moment, I was almost stunned by his gentle smile. "You won't throw up anymore now, right..." Before I could recover from that smile, he added, "Otherwise, if others see you throwing up like that, they'll think we're already pregnant!"

Got it?!

It took me a while to understand what he meant by "I'm pregnant".

"You...you surnamed Shang!!" A pillow flew towards Young Master Shang's slyly grinning face—

Looking at his happy and smug smile, it's hard to imagine that those gentle eyes could shoot out a gaze as cold and ruthless as the coldest blade.

The coldness and fury in his eyes when he killed the gray-clad assassin could freeze everything around him.

As I followed Shang Shaochang into Yun Yiyang's bedroom, I immediately sensed a heavy, herbal scent permeating the room. The small bedroom was packed with people: Madam Yun, Youhua, Aunt Xu, Mr. Gongsun, Su Sanshou, Aniu, Uncle Yang… The room was overflowing with people, each with an uncontrollable sorrow and grief in their eyes. Madam Yun, though nearly forty, usually looked only in her thirties, but now appeared as if she had aged twenty years overnight! She paid no attention to her disheveled hair, her lips moving incessantly: "Yang'er… my Yang'er…" Tears suddenly streamed down her face as she murmured.

A wave of sorrow washed over me, and though I had so much to say, I couldn't find the words. After a long while, I slowly opened my mouth and said, "Aunt Yun... Aunt Yun..."

Upon hearing the sound, Madam Yun slowly turned around, wiping away the remaining tears from the corners of her eyes: "My child... Yiyang, he..." Her voice choked with sobs, and she quickly covered her mouth with a handkerchief, unable to continue. Youhua and Granny Xu, who were around her, also shed tears.

Of all those present, the most elated was probably the one who had caused the most worry among those around him—Yun Yiyang.

Yun Yiyang leaned against the bedside, a pillow behind him. Seeing me enter, his eyes lit up, and he waved and called out, "Sister Bai—it's so good to see you're alright! Come, come sit here!" His eyes sparkled with excitement, though his normally dark complexion now had a strange pale pallor, and a hint of blackness lingered between his brows. After saying just a few words, a faint blush crept onto Yun Yiyang's face, and his chest rose and fell slightly, indicating he was struggling.

I sat down beside his bed and said softly, "Yiyang, are you feeling better now?" Yun Yiyang laughed and said, "What could possibly be wrong with me? It was just a couple of light tickles from that assassin, nothing serious! Everyone's just worrying too much. Look at me, I'm full of energy, I don't look sick at all." Seeing him still laughing and joking with me as usual, my heart ached again! I gently stroked his forehead, "How are you feeling now? You must tell your sister the truth, don't hide it from me." Yun Yiyang looked at me intently, then suddenly reached out and took my hand, whispering in a voice only I could hear, "As long as my sister is safe and sound, I'll die content!"

"You...you little brat, what are you saying!" Hearing his words, I felt as if I had been struck by a heavy hammer, a bitter and astringent feeling welling up inside me, and these words blurted out. Seeing Yun Yiyang childishly grip my hand tightly, he soon fell into a deep sleep. I slowly withdrew my hand, tucked him in to make him more comfortable, but even I, someone completely ignorant of medicine, could see that although Yun Yiyang appeared to be in good spirits, his face was pale with a bluish tinge, his voice weak, and his breathing rapid—clearly signs of extreme weakness. Just as I was frowning and deep in thought, I heard Shang Shaochang say in a deep voice, "Madam Yun, Baiyi, let's go to another room to talk."

On the table lay a slender, thin short sword, its blade slowly emitting an eerie bluish light.

It was this very sword, once in Meng Qing's hands, that caused Yun Yiyang's current terminal illness.

“A touch of gentleness, and it's intoxicating…” Young Master Shang casually picked up the short sword on the table, gave it a light flick, and the sword flashed, a green light on its blade seemingly alive, flickering erratically. Under the lamplight, it resembled a highly poisonous green bamboo thread. Young Master Shang, his usual jovial smile gone, became unusually serious. “This sword will be called ‘Gentleness’!”

gentle?

“Indeed, gentle!” Young Master Shang looked at the extremely surprised faces on my and Madam Yun’s faces and said seriously, “It’s only because its blade is so thin and fine that it takes your life before you even feel the pain.” He smiled slightly, “Among the many methods of killing, isn’t this the gentlest one?”

I stared at the short sword that had nearly taken Yun Yiyang's life, speechless.

I would rather Meng Qing had taken my life instead of that cheerful and carefree boy!

When Meng Qing thrust that sword at me, he knew I had no way to dodge, but he also coated the sword with poison, he really wanted to kill me!

"The sword is called 'Gentle,' and the organization that uses this sword is also called 'Gentle,'" Shang Shaozhang said slowly.

I looked at him in surprise: "Could these assassins be part of an organization?"

Shang Shaozhang said, "Of course there are. It is precisely because they are organized that they plan every operation meticulously and know when to advance and retreat. In particular, they sent five assassins to Guiyun Manor, which was because they knew that Guiyun Manor was full of old people, women and children, and that five assassins would be enough. But what they did not expect was that there were not many people in Guiyun Manor at this time, so they only killed a little maid."

"Ah—Little maid—Lingdang'er!!" My face changed drastically. A black mist suddenly enveloped my vision, and I stumbled backward. With a "bang," my heel hit the chair leg, and my body involuntarily fell back onto the chair—

Lingdang'er, that lovely little girl who always called me "Sister Bai," a young and lively girl in the prime of her life, died silently under the sword of the gray-clad assassin!

A mouthful of water was forced into my mouth, and the black mist before my eyes slowly dissipated, only to be gradually covered by a thin layer of water vapor again. The pain in my heart grew stronger and stronger. It seemed like a long time had passed before I finally spoke, my voice a very unpleasant hoarseness: "Young Master Shang... could you tell me about this organization... what's going on?"

Shang Shaochang gave a wry smile and shook his head, saying, "Most assassin organizations are more secretive than other organizations, so they are generally not known to outsiders. 'Gentle' is one of the best in the assassin organization. As long as Gentle takes action, she will succeed nine times out of ten. Therefore, many people know about her, but it is extremely difficult for anyone to even glimpse the secrets of her skills."

Madam Yun, who had been standing silently to the side for a long time, lost in thought, suddenly walked up to Young Master Shang, knelt down, and cried out, "Young Master Shang... Hero Shang! Our Yun family has only one son per generation, and our numbers are dwindling. In my son's generation, only my son and I are left to rely on each other. I do not seek wealth or glory, but only wish for my son's well-being and safety. Now, the Yun family has suffered a sudden calamity, and my son's life hangs by a thread. Now, I only beg you, Hero, to help me through this crisis and save my son's life. I will be eternally grateful!" After saying this, she kowtowed repeatedly, tears streaming down her face.

Shang Shaochang quickly stepped forward to help Madam Yun up. Seeing that she was crying so hard she was almost fainting, he quickly reached out and massaged her back a few times to help her catch her breath. Then he said in a deep voice, "Madam, why do you say that? I must save Yiyang. Although I cannot save him now, it does not mean that no one can."

Upon hearing this, Madam Yun stopped crying slightly, looked up, and hurriedly asked, "Who can save Yi Yang from the poison?"

Shang Shaochang slowly revealed a smile and said, "The most difficult to treat is Yanliang..." He raised his head, a peaceful smile on his face, and slowly said, "If there is only one person in the world who can save Yun boy, then it is only Xia Yanliang!"

Chapter Fifteen Old Man Huo

"Xia Yanliang?" "Xia Yanliang!" Madam Yun and I exclaimed in unison! I had only heard the name Xia Yanliang from Yun Yiyang. She was as famous as Shang Shaochang, known as "the most difficult to treat is Yanliang." But where could we find this legendary woman? How could we possibly find her? Even if we did, with her strange and unpredictable nature, how could she possibly cure Yun Yiyang's poison so easily? Thinking of this, I said anxiously, "The world is so vast, how can we know where that elusive Xia Yanliang is? What should we do? If we delay any longer, Yiyang's poison... he... he might..." In my anxiety, I involuntarily grabbed Shang Shaochang's sleeve, my voice trembling slightly, "This... what should we do!"

Shang Shaochang let me grab his sleeve, his eyes shooting straight into mine, and said, "Don't worry, only I know where Xia Yanliang is, and with me here, Yun Yiyang will be fine!"

His gaze held an irresistible, comforting power. My face flushed slightly under his gaze, and I realized my hand was still gripping his sleeve tightly. I quickly released it as if burned. Hearing this, however, I felt no relief; instead, my mind was in turmoil. I closed my eyes, pondered for a moment, and slowly said, "But… how can we trust you…"

“You must believe me now.” Shang Shaozhang rested his hand on his forehead and smiled gently at me. “Because you must choose me. You have no other choice now.”

I looked at the person in front of me with surprise and helplessness, but I had to admit that he was right!

This is the first time I've placed my bet on someone else, and the first time I've found myself so panicked! Yun Yiyang was poisoned by Meng Qing's sword to save me; he's the first boy in my life to risk his life for me! If I can't snatch his life back from the brink of death, how can I face Madam Yun, and how can I live the rest of my life in peace! ...Yun Yiyang, oh Yun Yiyang, even if I can bring Guiyun Manor more wealth, how can I ever repay this unresolved debt of love!

The scariest thing is that I realized for the first time that I had lost my independent judgment.

I must admit that since the upheaval at Guiyun Manor, I've felt utterly lost for the first time in my life. From the beginning until now, almost all of us have been under Shang Shaochang's arrangement, yet we have no choice but to obey him, because no one can deny that his arrangement is the best arrangement we've ever had!

Moreover, we have no choice but to accept his arrangement.

Just then, there were a few knocks on the door, and a clear female voice rang out from outside: "Sister Bai, the medicine that Young Master Shang prescribed for you has been decocted, and Youhua has brought it to you." I composed myself and said in a deep voice, "Is that Youhua? Come in."

As soon as the words left her lips, Youhua pushed open the door and entered. Her beautiful face showed signs of weariness. This time, assassins had entered Guiyun Manor, Lingdang'er had died tragically, and Yun Yiyang's fate was unknown, causing everyone great anxiety. Youhua handed me a bowl of medicine on a red lacquered wooden tray and said, "This is a prescription written by Young Master Shang. Youhua took it to brew. Young Master Shang was afraid that Sister Bai would find it too bitter, so he specifically asked me to add more honey."

Afraid of hardship? What a joke! I'm not a child!

The prescription written by Young Master Shang... How could Young Master Shang know how to treat patients?! Thinking of this, I brought the medicine bowl to my lips but did not drink it, looking at Young Master Shang with a suspicious expression in my eyes.

Shang Shaochang chuckled and said, "My third-rate skill in prescribing medicine was learned from Yan Liang. She always prepares some wound medicine for me to carry with me because I'm always fighting and getting injured. Yan Liang's medical skills aren't unparalleled, but they're rare in the world. This time, Yun Yiyang was saved from death thanks to her Sealing Jade Powder. However..." Shang Shaochang paused, frowning, and said, "Yan Liang has never prepared an antidote for 'Bone Corrosion' because... Yun Yiyang is the first person to survive 'Bone Corrosion'!" Shang Shaochang slowly said, "This..." "The 'Bone-Corroding' poison is the most insidious. That day, I used half my strength to barely suppress the toxins in his body, preventing them from taking effect temporarily, but I couldn't expel them. Watching this poison slowly drain his life essence, it truly lives up to its name, 'Bone-Corroding'! It seems only Yan Liang can deal with such a vicious poison." After saying this, Shang Shaochang looked at my paper-white face and said, "You're not in much better shape. Yan Liang has never prepared any medicine to dispel cold and clear the lungs for me. I can only concoct some for you from memory, but that won't cure the root cause. I'll still need Yan Liang's divine intervention."

I glanced at Shang Shaochang, picked up the medicine bowl, and drank it all in one gulp.