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Granny Yu also changed her previous indifferent attitude towards Feng Ning and began to impose many requirements on Feng Ning in terms of daily life details, etiquette, and rules. Feng Ning didn't say anything, but she understood that they wanted her to ask to leave on her own initiative.
That day, Feng Ning was playing alone in the courtyard, making a maze out of pebbles and wandering around, muttering to herself, "Should I go or not? What if I'm sad if I go? What if I'm even sadder if I don't go?"
Just as they were feeling bored and hesitant, Long San arrived. He got straight to the point: "Something happened at three shops in out of town. The managers and employees were all killed. My second brother and I have to go there. You stay home and don't go out. Listen to Granny Yu."
"Oh." Feng Ning replied listlessly, still stuck on the dilemma of whether to leave or not.
Long San patted her head: "I've already arranged with Granny Yu, you can sleep at her place tonight." He then handed her a bag: "Small shortbread cookies, these are your favorites."
"Mmm." Feng Ning lazily accepted it.
Long San didn't know what to say to her, so he could only say, "Then I'm leaving. Be a good boy/girl."
Feng Ning nodded. Long San glanced at her a few more times, then turned and left the courtyard. They hadn't gone far when Feng Ning suddenly chased after him: "Long San, Long San..."
Long San stopped and turned around. Feng Ning said, "I've made up my mind. The longer it goes on, the less I want to leave." She bit her lip and looked down at the tips of her shoes. Long San's heart sank. She continued, "When you come back after you've finished your business, take me back to my parents' house. Actually, it's all the same. When I woke up in this house, I didn't know anything either. I'll get used to it after a while. If I go back to my parents' house, they might treat me even better."
Long San was speechless, and Feng Ning continued, "When I go back, if I think of anything or find out anything, I will write to you. Also, I can find out what the situation is like in my mother's family, or if they are really in the wrong, I can try to persuade them."
Long San looked at her for a long time before finally saying, "Wait for me to come back."
Feng Ning nodded vigorously: "You have to come back soon. What if my determination doesn't last long? This matter is really making me hesitate, so it's better to cut the Gordian knot quickly."
Long San nodded, turned and left. Yes, she could make a clean break; what was there for him to struggle with? Feng Ning called out loudly behind him, "Long San, come back soon! I'm waiting for you." Watching his waving goodbye and quickly leaving, she suddenly felt her eyes welling up with tears. She had been waiting for him, only to be waiting for their separation.
Feng Ning suddenly regretted her words. Why did she say such impulsive things? He was about to leave, and it would have been better for her to wait for him to come back before talking. That way, they would have had more time to consider things. Why did she speak so quickly?
But she was afraid, she was always afraid. She was afraid of being alone, afraid of going hungry, afraid of being disliked by others, afraid of being a bad person, afraid of drowning, and even more afraid of the feeling that everyone else knew but she knew nothing.
Feng Ning stared ahead, where Long San's figure was no longer visible. She took a few deep breaths. There was no going back; she had to keep her word. She clenched her fist tightly. The future was uncertain, but if she was brave, she could get through it safely.
Feng Ning was the kind of person who acted on her thoughts immediately. She told Granny Yu about her plans and asked Granny Yu to tell her about her family and things in Huzhou. Granny Yu didn't actually know much about these things, but seeing that Feng Ning had taken the initiative to go, she was satisfied and told her everything she knew. The two of them got along well for two days.
In the middle of the night on the third day, Feng Ning suddenly woke up for some reason. She gasped for breath and clutched her chest, trying to recall if she had had a nightmare. Granny Yu was sleeping soundly, snoring one after another. As Feng Ning listened, she suddenly realized that it wasn't a nightmare, but a noise coming from outside. There was danger!
She sat up abruptly, ran barefoot to the door, and this time she heard clearly: there were faint shouts outside—a fire. Every sense in Feng Ning's body went into overdrive. The Long family had many strict rules; stored items were not to be left lying around, and there were people specifically assigned to patrol at night. With the weather being damp these past few days, how could a fire have happened so easily?
Why did the fire break out when the masters of the Long family were all away?
Feng Ning turned around abruptly and rushed to the bedside, forcefully pushing Granny Yu: "Granny, wake up! There's danger!" As she woke her, she busied herself getting their clothes ready. Granny Yu was still somewhat disoriented and was about to ask what was happening when suddenly a muffled groan came from outside the door.
Granny Yu, a seasoned veteran, understood immediately. She quickly dressed, calling out the names of her maids and servants. But the only response from outside was the sound of fighting and shouts. It seemed the assassins had already clashed with the guards.
Feng Ning ran to the window, opened it to look outside, but a short, flaming arrow suddenly shot out. Feng Ning instinctively tried to dodge, but then remembered that Granny Yu was behind her. In her haste, she could only try to swat the arrow away with her hand. The scorching fire bit her hand, and before Feng Ning could cry out in pain, she hurriedly closed the window.
The noise and shouts outside grew louder, with many people yelling "Quick, put out the fire!" Feng Ning turned around and said to Granny Yu, "I'll go out and take a look, and I'll come back to get you right away."
She quickly opened the door and closed it again. When she went out to take a look, she saw several fires burning in the distance, with black smoke rising upwards. In the servants' courtyard, which was connected to Granny Yu's small courtyard, a fight broke out.
The assassins were dressed in black, with only their eyes showing. One of them saw Feng Ning come out, kicked aside the Long family guards fighting in front of him, and swung his sword at Feng Ning.
With a shout, Feng Ning raised her palm to meet the attack. Her movements were incredibly agile, as graceful as a startled swan. In the blink of an eye, she was in front of the assassin, dodging the broadsword and striking the man's chest with her palm.
The man was startled and before he could react, Feng Ning pressed closer, grabbed his wrist, blocked his arm and struck his ribs, and kicked him in the back of the knee. The man felt a sharp pain and numbness, and he was already kneeling on the ground, his broadsword taken from his hand.
Feng Ning kicked him hard in the head, and the man passed out without even uttering a sound. Her martial arts skills and ruthless actions surprised the Long family guards and assassins who were watching. Feng Ning flicked her wrist, and her broadsword shot towards a tall tree, where an archer fell to the ground.
Feng Ning shouted, "Don't panic, everyone! Don't scatter! Form four rows and force them out of the courtyard!" The guards, caught in the chaos, couldn't care less and quickly obeyed. Feng Ning leaped forward, getting in front of the two maids, and with three moves, forced back the assassins who were trying to kill them. She then shouted, "Those who don't know martial arts, don't run around! Go to Granny Yu's room and gather everyone together before the fire starts!"
The lead assassin shouted, "Trying to escape? Not so easy. Today is the day your Long family dies."
Feng Ning flicked her toes, a short knife in hand, and charged into the fray to kill the assassin. She exchanged ten blows with the assassin, each move deadly, and managed to cut down both of them in one fell swoop, forcing the boastful one back to the courtyard gate.
A stalemate ensued, with the assassin narrowing his eyes as he sized up Feng Ning. Feng Ning stood tall and imposing before the guards, pointing his blade at the assassin: "You lowly villains, overestimating yourselves! Do you think the Long family has no one left?"
Author's Note: I'm ten minutes late today. It wasn't Jinjiang acting up, it was just that I got stuck. So please read on for now, I'm going to eat hot pot. I'll reply to the comments when I get back.
20
20. The highly skilled Third Madam Long...
Feng Ning's imposing manner not only intimidated the assassins but also startled the guards of the Long family. However, Granny Yu inside the room had a different feeling. She clenched her fists, both surprised and suspicious. Was Feng Ning really hiding her true abilities? In the three years she had been with the Long family, she had managed to keep everyone from knowing that she was such a skilled fighter.
Just now, when Feng Ning shouted "Form a four-row formation," Granny Yu's heart trembled. She didn't know much about martial arts, military tactics, or strange formations, but she knew that every tree, house, and courtyard in the Long family was built according to the pattern of strange formations for the sake of safety.
The household's guards, while not all highly skilled in martial arts, were trained in combat formations to prepare for invading enemies. Their formations were also related to the unique formations of the Bu residence. She had spent her entire life in the Long family mansion and still couldn't distinguish between different formations, but Feng Ning did.
If anyone still says that Feng Ning is innocent and knows nothing, Granny Yu thinks she'll be the first to disagree. With the current head of the household away, all she can hope for is that Feng Ning doesn't suddenly revert to her old ways and take advantage of the chaos to do evil.
Feng Ning was unaware that Granny Yu, who was just a door away from her, was having a lot on her mind, but she herself suddenly realized that something was wrong.
These assassins attacked the servants' quarters. Why? There were no important people or treasures there. Besides, the leader's skills weren't particularly extraordinary; she thought she could take him down if she fought to the death. How dare someone like that come to the Dragon Slayer's Mansion?
As Feng Ning's thoughts raced, a loud shout rang out: "Attack!" The masked assassins charged forward. Feng Ning heard a panicked whisper from one of her guards behind her. She suddenly realized that the skilled guards left behind at the Dragon Manor weren't here either. Why hadn't they come to help with such a commotion? They were probably afraid of further fighting elsewhere. The assassins' true objective wasn't this!
Feng Ning brandished her sword, shouted, and charged forward. She met the leader head-on, slashing several times with a flurry of blows. As she fought, she shouted to the guards, "Don't panic! Stay calm! Protect the house!" Granny Yu was still inside, as were the unarmed maids and servants. They were her family. With Long San gone, protecting her family was Feng Ning's responsibility.
Feng Ning herself had no idea how capable she was. She didn't remember where she learned martial arts, who her master was, or who she had fought. But she knew she knew martial arts. Her moves, punches, and kicks just came out of her mind so naturally. She wielded her broadsword with great force. She disregarded everything else and fought desperately against the leader.
The lead assassin was being overwhelmed by Feng Ning. The two fought from the ground to the roof and back again. The man gradually lost his composure. While struggling to parry, he shouted at the other assassins, "Shoot arrows! Force the man out of the house!"
Feng Ning immediately understood that their target was Granny Yu. The other servants were not important, but Granny Yu was like a family member to the Long family masters. If the assassins failed elsewhere, they could force the Long family to submit by holding Granny Yu hostage.