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Chapter 61 - The Girl in Military Uniform
A live-in son-in-law.
This term had always been derogatory. Although Wen Jueyuan’s tone wasn’t overtly mocking, if you read between the lines, you’d find nothing but disdain.
He could admit to himself that, were they to fight, he’d be no match for Su Yi, but in his heart, Wen Jueyuan still looked down on him.
Su Yi looked at Wen Jueyuan, shook his head, and sighed. “Sometimes, it’s harder to admit your own weakness than to acknowledge another’s strength. You’re the leading figure of the Wen Family’s younger generation, yet you can only resort to using my status to slander me. What a good-for-nothing.”
“You…” Wen Jueyuan’s expression instantly turned incomparably unsightly. Su Yi’s words were like a knife, stabbing him right where it hurt the most.
Su Yi looked at him flatly. “What, has your shame made you angry? I’m standing right here. So long as you have the courage to attack, I’ll take back what I just said.”
Wen Jueyuan’s expression shifted back and forth, so furious, his eyes practically spat fire.
But in the end, he really didn’t dare do anything.
This was because he knew that he had no hope of victory whatsoever, and that if he tried and lost, he’d only embarrass himself even further.
Su Yi saw this, but couldn’t be bothered to say anything more. He has no guts, nor does he dare admit his own weakness. The ‘leading figure of the Wen Family’s younger generation’ is destined never to amount to much.
Wen Jueyuan fought back his anger for quite some time before finally spitting through clenched teeth, “Su Yi, don’t be so pleased with yourself! Second Uncle says that as soon as Father gets back, we’ll have a family meeting to discuss how best to punish you!”
“Oh,” said Su Yi. “I’d actually be thrilled if you ended my marriage with Wen Lingzhao.”
“You…” Wen Jueyuan was at a loss for words.
It was then that the sound of urgent hoofbeats rang out from far away. In but a few breaths of time, they reached the Apricot Clinic.
A young woman in military uniform led the pack. She sat astride an extraordinary steed.
The moment she arrived, she pointed her whip at Wen Jueyuan and said impatiently, “Did you find him?”
She was a slender, fiery little beauty, fully armored, outfitted with both sword and bow. The weapons made her seem somewhat valiant, but her every movement had a commanding, bossy air.
A group of retainers trailed after her, like stars clustering around the moon. This further offset just how extraordinary her status was.
Wen Jueyuan’s expression shifted, and he hurriedly cupped his fist in greeting. “Miss Yuan, please remain calm. I’ve already found him. This man here is Guo Bing. Throughout all of Guangling City, no one understands Mother Ghost Ridge better than him.”
The girl in military uniform glanced at Guo Bing. When she saw his hideously contorted face, her willowy eyebrows furrowed.
But before long, she repressed that thread of disgust and said, “Follow us to Mother Ghost Ridge. As a token of our gratitude, we’ll give you a thousand taels of silver.”
Guo Bing shook his head. “Miss, I’m afraid I’ve already agreed to guide our family’s son-in-law today…”
Wen Jueyuan instantly cut him off. “Guo Bing, you’re the Wen Family’s medicine picker. Do as I tell you! If you refuse again, don’t blame me for my poor manners!”
Guo Bing froze, but he nevertheless steeled himself and said, “Young Master, forgive… forgive me, but I’m afraid I cannot follow your orders!”
“Wen Jueyuan, what’s going on?” The girl in military uniform was somewhat baffled.
Wen Jueyuan glared hatefully at Guo Bing, then smiled apologetically and gave her a brief overview of the situation.
The girl then glanced at Su Yi for the first time. She looked rather surprised. “You want to go to Mother Ghost Ridge too?”
“Why shouldn’t I?” said Su Yi flatly.
“It’s extremely dangerous. What are you going there for?” The girl furrowed her bow.
“What are you going there for?” Su Yi asked right back.
This group’s origins weren’t simple. If they were here for Mother Ghost Ridge’s treasures too, that seemed a bit overly coincidental.
The armored young woman snorted, “You refuse to answer my questions, but that’s not all. Now you’re trying to inquire about us? You’re so dishonest!”
Su Yi smiled dryly but shook his head. He couldn’t be bothered to argue with a stubborn, unreasonable girl like her.
Su Yi turned to Guo Bing. “Elder Guo, let’s go.”
“You just don’t listen!” The armored girl on horseback suddenly raised her whip and pointed it at Su Yi. “I’ll say this one last time: that old man has to come with us!”
One word, and her nearby retainers steered their horses forward, weapons in hand and expressions unfriendly. They stared coldly at Su Yi.
Guo Bing shivered from head to toe and shrunk back, while a hint of excitement flashed through Wen Jueyuan’s eyes.
He was downright eager to borrow the armored girl’s power to teach Su Yi a painful lesson!
No one knew better than him how monstrously powerful the faction behind the young woman was. Even if City Lord Fu Shan showed up, he’d be helpless to save Su Yi!
But to his disappointment, Su Yi merely furrowed his brow and glanced indifferently at the young woman. “Any other time, I’d disdain to argue with a little girl who doesn’t know her place, but now… You’ve actually made me a bit angry.”
A cold glint flashed through his indifferent, inscrutable gaze, and his aura underwent a dramatic transformation. The armored young woman felt a prickling sensation, like a sharp sword pressed against her throat. She felt a chill course through her, and goosebumps rose on her skin.
Hair-raising!
But before she could react, the mottled white horse beneath her shrieked in terror. Its limbs went soft, and it thudded to the ground, paralyzed.
“Young Miss, are you okay?” The grey-robed man reacted in the nick of time. The instant the horse fell, he flipped through the air, catching the armored young woman mid-fall.
Once she was back on solid ground, she said, “I… I’m fine.”
But it was obvious she’d been startled. Her beautiful face had paled.
When she next looked at her mottled white horse, she saw it whinnying in terror, trembling, too scared to get up.
This scene startled everyone present, but more than that, they were baffled. What could have done this to what had always been such an excellent horse?
But the girl fixed her gaze directly on Su Yi, her expression ashen. She gnashed her teeth. “Was that your work just now?”
When he heard that, the grey-robed man and the other retainers’ expressions darkened. They all leaped from their horses and surrounded Su Yi, looking downright murderous.
But Su Yi remained completely calm, as if he hadn’t even noticed the impending danger. He glanced at the horse quivering in the dirt and said, “That beast is far smarter than its owners.”
“You dare mock me?” The girl in military uniform glared, eyes wide. Her pretty face soured.
At the same time, Wen Jueyuan instinctively retreated, and when he looked at Su Yi, his gaze was pitying.
He has no idea who he’s offending right now, does he? If only he knew just how lofty her status was!
But against all expectations, just as they drew their swords, Guo Bing stood in front of Su Yi!
Beneath the crowd’s shocked gazes, Guo Bing said in a quivering voice, “Everyone, please, don’t be angry. You’re all going to Mother Ghost Ridge, so there’s no reason we can’t all travel together. But if you bully our family’s son-in-law, I…. I’d rather die than act as your guide!”
As he made this last declaration, the elderly medicine picker’s expression filled with staunch determination. Su Yi couldn’t help but re-evaluate the bony old man before him.
The grey-robed man and the girl’s other retainers were already prepared to attack, but hearing this, they hesitated. All of them glanced at the young woman. She looked uncertain, her expression alternating back and forth. Finally, she waved and said, “Fine. Visiting Mother Ghost Ridge comes first. There’s no reason we can’t go together.”
Someone has to teach that blasted geezer a lesson! Wen Jueyuan inwardly gnashed his teeth. His heart filled with disappointment. And here he’d thought that disaster had finally come knocking on Su Yi’s door. Who would have thought Guo Bing of all people would ruin everything?
“Sir, what do you think of this arrangement?” Guo Bing asked tentatively.”
“It’ll be fine,” said Su Yi.
When Guo Bing stood protectively in front of him, he was stunned. At the same time, he was moved.
An ordinary old man, someone without a cultivation, hadn’t been intimidated even in the face of such an imposing line-up. On the contrary, he’d stepped up without any regard for his own life. This was truly rare!
“That’s great!” Guo Bing grinned, then sighed, relieved from the bottom of his heart.
Although he didn’t know it, if he hadn’t stepped up, someone would have gotten bullied… But it absolutely wouldn’t have been Su Yi.
Of course, the girl and her retainers would surely never guess that Guo Bing’s righteousness had actually saved them from a potential calamity.
“Uncle Yong, give them each a horse,” ordered the girl.
Her mottled horse had returned to normal, crawling back to its feet. It was affectionately rubbing its nose against her arm, which improved her mood enormously.
But whenever she looked in Su Yi’s direction, her gaze was still icy. It was clear that this daughter of a prestigious family still carried a grudge over what had just happened.
“No need for horses. We’ll walk,” said Su Yi.
The girl instantly snapped, “Don’t you realize that’s a waste of time?”
Guo Bing hurriedly explained, “Please, miss, remain calm. I’m getting on in years, and these old bones cannot withstand the bumps and jolts of a horse’s back.
“The two of us will walk. We can reconvene with you outside the city, by the unmarked graves at the foot of Mother Ghost Ridge.”
The girl took a deep breath, then snapped irritably, “Fine, do whatever you want!”
With that, she smoothly turned her horse, squeezed her firm, slender legs, and galloped off into the distance. Her retainers hurried after her.
Immediately before their departure, the grey-robed middle-aged man she called “Uncle Yong” approached Wen Jueyuan and said coldly, “The others here don’t know who the young miss is, but surely you know? Yet your performance just now was quite problematic; I urge you to behave yourself!”
Wen Jueyuan’s expression changed dramatically, and his forehead broke into cold sweats. Just as he was about to explain, the man in grey galloped off.
“Why did it end up like this….?” Wen Jueyuan slumped as if he’d lost his soul.
Not far away, Su Yi couldn’t help but shake his head.
Earlier, when Wen Jueyuan explained the situation to the armored young woman, his words seemed intended to instigate conflict. He must have thought he could just sit back and watch them fight.
But none of them were stupid. Wen Jueyuan knew the girl’s status. Ordinarily speaking, he’d be sure to inform Su Yi and help the girl threaten him.
But he did nothing of the sort. Instead, he chose to sit back and watch, like a spectator at a volcanic eruption.
That was downright strange.
The grey-robed man had clearly seen through Wen Jueyuan’s intentions, which was why he’d warned him before leaving.
Wen Jueyuan didn’t even have a firm grip on his backer, yet he wanted to borrow their powers to bully others. At the same time, he wanted to keep himself out of the line of fire. This wasn’t “clever”. It was stupid!
Su Yi couldn’t be bothered to pay Wen Jueyuan any further heed. He and Guo Bing proceeded to the city gates.
Wen Jueyuan watched Su Yi fade into the distance. His face went green, then white, and his fists clenched.
“Su Yi, just you wait! We’ll see if you’re still so brazen after my father gets back!”
It seemed Wen Jueyuan thought that today’s matter went wrong all because of Su Yi.