https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-74-Yin-Hu-Immediately-Favors-Her/12582500/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-76-No-One-Can-Outwit-the-Grand-Commander/12582502/
Chapter 75: Reunion
Chapter 75: Reunion
Meng Qianqian hid in the mountains for a day and a night.
The Northern Liang's shadow guards were relentless in their pursuit. If it weren't for the fact that it was winter, with snow covering the ground, Meng Qianqian would have seriously suspected that they would set the mountains on fire to flush her out.
Life in the mountains was not difficult. When she was hungry, she would eat some wild fruits—the hills were abundant with firethorn berries and hawthorns.
At least, for her, it was.
As for whether those Northern Liang fellows could find wild fruits to fill their stomachs, that was anyone's guess.
Meng Qianqian also caught a few wild chickens and rabbits, but as she couldn't start a fire, she played with them for a while before letting them go.
At night, she slept in a pit she had dug out with her embroidery spring knife, using a leopard as her pillow to keep herself warm.
On the other side, the Northern Liang's shadow guards were going crazy looking for her.
"Where the hell is that girl hiding?"
"It's a snowy day, and the tracks just mysteriously disappeared. Even if she used light work, there should still be traces left on the trees."
"And on such a cold day, aside from during the day, wouldn't she at least start a fire to keep warm at night?"
Well, they certainly needed to keep warm.
A few of them lit a bonfire in a cave, roasting some wild rabbit meat.
After another day and night, just as they were beginning to suspect that the girl had frozen to death in the mountains, she appeared.
When someone's luck turns sour, even drinking water can result in a toothache.
Meng Qianqian had slept soundly in her snow pit, and as she poked her head out, she bumped right into one of the shadow guards.
The shadow guard looked down at the small head that had suddenly appeared in the snow, and Meng Qianqian looked up at his large forehead.
The two of them stared at each other.
Meng Qianqian blinked innocently and hugged the leopard, saying, "Bite him."
The leopard bit the shadow guard's leg.
Shadow Guard: "......!!!"
Damn!
It's that girl!
Without her mask, he almost didn't recognize her!
"I found her!"
He shouted.
He kicked the leopard away, sending it tumbling into the snow. The leopard rolled over awkwardly and was about to pounce back to attack when several shadow guards with murderous intent charged towards them.
One of them even held a torch.
The leopard turned tail and ran, its tail between its legs.
Meng Qianqian glared, "Hmph, such a coward."
The leopard glanced at Meng Qianqian, who had just flashed by with a cheep, escaping faster than it ever had: "..."
The chase continued until nightfall.
Meng Qianqian held her waist and panted, "Can... we stop chasing now?"
A shadow guard panted, "If you don't run... we won't chase..."
The rest of the shadow guards nodded in exhaustion.
Meng Qianqian, breathless, said, "If... you don't chase... I won't... run..."
Shadow Guards: Damn it! We're exhausted... truly exhausted! We can't catch her, and we can't fight her either!
Meng Qianqian was equally exhausted and couldn't even draw her embroidery spring knife anymore.
Suddenly, one of the shadow guards reached into his backpack and pulled out a small crossbow.
His companion exclaimed, "You've had this thing... why didn't you take it out earlier?"
The shadow guard panted, "I just remembered."
He aimed the crossbow at Meng Qianqian.
Meng Qianqian sat down in despair.
It was over. There was no way she could be faster than an arrow. This time, she really was going to die...
The shadow guard fired the crossbow, and a short arrow shot out like lightning, slicing through the air and aiming straight for Meng Qianqian's heart.
However, at that moment, a tall, purple figure descended from the sky, blocking Meng Qianqian and slicing the arrow in half with a sword!
Meng Qianqian looked at the tall and straight back in front of her, her eyes darkened, and she fell backward, sprawling on the ground in a dead sleep.
When Meng Qianqian woke up, she found that the sky had completely darkened, and she was lying on a warm, broad back.
She shook her legs.
"Are you awake?" Lu Yuan asked indifferently.
Meng Qianqian lay on his back and hummed in acknowledgment.
She had thought that since she was awake, he would ask her to get down and walk on her own.
Unexpectedly, he merely said, "Yinhu is waiting for you in the cave up ahead."
Meng Qianqian oh-ed and didn't insist on getting down. After all, she had been running for so long, and her legs were sore.
"Has your poison been cured?"
"Yes."
"I knew Yin Hu would be able to cure it. But why didn't he wait for me at the military camp?"
Lu Yuan remained silent.
Soon, Meng Qianqian discovered the reason for Yin Hu's haste in reaching her.
Yin Hu sat in the cave, leaning against the cold stone wall. His face was deathly pale, his vitality dim, and his breath faint and thread-like.
"Alright, we're running out of time. If we're any later, your friend won't make it!"
Back in the forest, Yin Hu had urged her to hurry back to the military camp, and she had thought he was referring to Lu Yuan's condition. Now she realized that it was his own time that was limited.
A surge of overwhelming sorrow filled Meng Qianqian's heart.
"Yin Hu."
Meng Qianqian crouched before him, gently calling his name.
Yin Hu struggled to lift his heavy eyelids, offering a weak smile. "You're here."
Meng Qianqian nodded.
Yin Hu carefully examined her face. After a long while, he said, "Ah, a young lady's face... Why did it end up looking like this in the frost?"
Meng Qianqian's nose stung, and she replied, "I'll apply snow ointment when I get back."
Yin Hu smiled. "Apply plenty of it."
Meng Qianqian obediently agreed, "Mm."
Yin Hu said, "I've helped you save your friend. Now, I'm going to ask you some questions, and I want you to think carefully before answering. It's fine if you don't want to answer, but don't lie to me because I'll know."
Meng Qianqian nodded again.
Yin Hu asked, "First question: Who gave you the silver needles?"
Meng Qianqian replied, "I found someone to make them based on my memory."
Yin Hu continued, "And who taught you the acupuncture techniques and martial arts?"
Meng Qianqian shook her head. "I don't remember."
Yin Hu thought for a moment. "Write something for me."
Meng Qianqian picked up a withered branch and wrote two characters on the ground: 'Yin Hu'. After she finished writing, she even drew a hasty tiger head.
A flash of shock and excitement crossed Yin Hu's face.
He also picked up a branch and, with his limited strength, drew an eight-angled lamp on the ground. There were words on the lamp:
Meng Qianqian read aloud, "Long solitary nights, maple woods at dusk, frost and snow in silence..."
Yin Hu stopped writing at this point and didn't continue.
Almost subconsciously, Meng Qianqian recited, "... Flower blooms, flower withers, jade."
Yin Hu straightened his body and stared at her in a daze. "Who... are you?"
Meng Qianqian remained silent for a moment before answering, "I only know that my surname is Meng now."
Yin Hu stared at Meng Qianqian for a long time.
After a while, he sighed. "Alright."
And then Yin Hu was gone.
His eyes were still open.
In his eyes, Meng Qianqian saw herself, but she also seemed to see another vague figure that wasn't quite clear.
Meng Qianqian raised her hand and gently closed his eyes.
She bowed her head, and a scorching tear fell. "Farewell, Yin Hu Wei."
...
Meng Qianqian and Lu Yuan buried Yin Hu on the mountain, from where they could overlook the Chu family's direction.
Lu Yuan handed Meng Qianqian a bundle. "Yin Hu asked me to give this to you."
Meng Qianqian opened the bundle and found Yin Hu's token and a notebook inside. The notebook recorded various poison formulas that Yin Hu had collected from all over the world.
Meng Qianqian asked, "What else did Yin Hu tell you?"
Lu Yuan indifferently replied, "That's confidential."
Meng Qianqian frowned and turned her head away.
Lu Yuan looked towards the Jade Gate Pass below. "It's time to bring this to an end."
Meng Qianqian was surprised. "The battle is over?"
The Northern Liang's army wasn't something that a ragtag group of rebels could compare to. If a real fight broke out, it would definitely be a fierce battle. How could it be over in just three days? Three months would be more believable.
Lu Yuan waved his wide sleeve arrogantly and said, "Who says we have to fight? In warfare, tactics are paramount. This commander has a way to make Northern Liang retreat without a fight."
Meng Qianqian thought of something and asked, "Did you find the missing Northern Liang envoys? So quickly?"
Lu Yuan replied nonchalantly, "Do you really think this commander stayed in Feng County just to wait for you to bring Yin Hu to cure my poison?"
If he wanted the poison cured quickly, he would have come with her to Jade Gate Pass.
He had stayed to investigate the case.
Now, it was time to humiliate Northern Liang.
Baoshi: Wawa! Come, Fei!
(End of Chapter)
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