When Fang Jie woke up, it was the morning of the third day since he entered the capital. He had been unconscious for two nights and a day and a half. This was the first time Fang Jie had been so defenseless in an unfamiliar place and in front of strangers while unconscious.
So, upon waking, Fang Jie was first slightly moved, thinking that there were still many kind-hearted people in this world. Then, he calmed himself down and silently checked if anything was wrong with his body. When he suddenly realized he was naked, he was shocked. But when he saw his belongings next to his pillow, especially the stack of silver notes, he immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
After lying there for three seconds, he counted the silver notes, very stingily.
The tearing pain in his lower abdomen had disappeared, replaced by an exhaustion as if he had just run fifty miles. He was so exhausted that he counted the money ten times slower than usual, so exhausted that after counting the silver notes, he didn't even have the strength to lift his arm.
This was a feeling he had never experienced before, even more exhausting than when he foolishly participated in the 5,000-meter race at the school sports meet in his previous life.
It was as if all his strength had been drained, and he was now lying on the bed like a limp, inflatable doll.
Just as Fang Jie was recalling what had happened before he lost consciousness, the door creaked open from the outside. Fang Jie laboriously turned his head to look, then flashed a grateful smile. He knew that even a smile wouldn't look good in his current state, but he knew that this smile was genuine, a rare and genuine sincerity.
Entering was Wu Yidao, the richest man in the Sui Dynasty.
His signature royal blue brocade robe, his signature gentle smile.
Although Fang Jie had never met Wu Yidao before, and hadn't seen this famous figure from the Sui Dynasty who had saved his life after receiving 1,100 taels of silver while hiding in Wu Ji Trading Company's carriage, Fang Jie knew that the person who entered was definitely Wu Yidao.
While not particularly tall or muscular, he appeared slender and upright, slightly thin. The unique charm of a middle-aged man was evident in him; even without speaking, he exuded a refined elegance. A man with such looks and such a demeanor could hardly be associated with money.
Appearances can be deceiving, and one cannot judge a book by its cover.
"It's good you're awake," Wu Yidao said with a smile, then sat down on a chair by the bed. He reached for the teapot on the table, poured a cup of cold tea, and handed it to Fang Jie. Fang Jie shook his head slightly, indicating he didn't have the strength to take the cup. Wu Yidao was slightly surprised, then sat down on the edge of the bed, supported the back of Fang Jie's head, and fed him a few sips of water.
The cool water made Fang Jie groan comfortably.
"I thought I was going to die too," he said.
As he spoke, he realized his voice was hoarse, like the sound of wind blowing through a broken gong. If he weren't sure the voice was coming from his own throat, he would have even suspected there was a third person in the room.
Wu Yidao chuckled and said, "If you don't wake up soon, I'll have to have someone stuff you into a sack and dump you outside the city. If they're kind-hearted, they might dig a hole and bury you; if they're lazy, you'll just be left to rot in the wilderness. Either wild dogs will eat you, or you'll rot and infest with maggots."
"You're not that kind of person," Fang Jie said breathlessly.
"Why?"
Wu Yidao was somewhat interested in Fang Jie's impression of him.
"If… if you're someone who only cares about profit, then it's really not worth taking me in for 1100 taels of silver. Because I might have a murder charge against me, or maybe I'm a deserter… The military laws of the Sui Dynasty are too harsh. Even if you're not afraid of your identity, you'll still find it troublesome."
"Besides… I trust my instincts," Fang Jie said earnestly.
Wu Yidao smiled, walked back to his chair, and sat down, saying, "Trusting your feelings is the most unreliable reason. When I started from scratch, I thought the same way, trusting my instincts. But after losing all my borrowed capital three times in a row, I finally understood that feelings are nonsense. So, on my fourth attempt, I managed to borrow fifteen taels of silver and started doing business not based on feelings, but on the experience of my previous three failures and the six words: 'go around, observe, and think.' Doing business with a guarded heart will only yield small profits; doing business with a malicious heart will make you rich."
"Instead of trusting your feelings, you should believe in your own value," he said.
Fang Jie hummed in agreement, knowing Wu Yidao wasn't wrong. If he had no value, Wu Yidao, the richest man in the world, wouldn't have taken him in as a kind-hearted benefactor. In this world, and in his past life, if a kind-hearted person could become incredibly wealthy, pigs could fly. "Could I ask you for one more favor?"
Fang Jie asked after a moment of silence.
"Go ahead," Fang Jie said.
"My friend is staying at the Spring Breeze Inn. He's a very peculiar man, thin and short, looking around fifty but actually only in his thirties. He usually doesn't change his clothes, always wearing a dirty fur coat… Please inform him that I'm still alive. If you can't find him at the inn, you can send someone to Hongxiuzhao to inform Aunt Xi."
"Alright," Wu Yidao nodded.
A glint flashed in his eyes when he heard the name Hongxiuzhao. "Get some rest. I'll bring your friend over. Also... since early yesterday morning, a female commander from the Imperial Guard has been frantically searching Chang'an with her men, and it hasn't stopped for a day and a night... Is this related to you?"
"Yes!"
Fang Jie nodded: "Please tell her I'm alright too."
"Okay."
Wu Yidao got up to leave, but stopped at the door. He turned back to look at Fang Jie and smiled, asking, "You seem to owe me a thank you."
Fang Jie slowly shook his head and solemnly said, "A great favor, I dare not say thank you."
Wu Yidao's eyes lit up, and he smiled, nodding before turning to leave. Once outside, Wu Yidao's steps were light, and his smile deepened.
...
...
Da Quan was brought to Wu Yidao's residence less than an hour after he left. Even Fang Jie hadn't expected that the old cripple, Master Luo from Hongxiuzhao, would also come, along with Mu Xiaoyao, whose eyes were red and whose face was so tired it was heartbreaking.
The big dog entered and saw Fang Jie lying on the bed. His expression stiffened for a moment before he started grinning foolishly. Fang Jie nodded slightly to him, indicating he was alright. But the deep apology and guilt in the big dog's eyes pierced Fang Jie's heart like needles.
The old cripple saw Fang Jie but didn't speak. He simply sat down in a chair and started drinking. Perhaps even he didn't realize that his expression seemed much more relaxed. To be honest, he hadn't slept well since Fang Jie disappeared. He didn't know why, but this seemingly useless person he disliked had somehow made him uneasy.
"Sister Xiaoyao."
Fang Jie called out to Mu Xiaoyao, then sweetly praised, "You look so beautiful in that Imperial Guard's flying fish robe."
The flying fish robe was solemn, unlike her fiery and alluring red dress. It didn't reveal her mesmerizing white legs, but Fang Jie genuinely thought the outfit looked incredibly good on Mu Xiaoyao.
Mu Xiaoyao remained silent, her slender, long hands, visible outside her sleeves, trembling slightly.
"Don't take it off, okay?"
Fang Jie's tone was pleading.
"I know you must be heartbroken after this accident, and I know you've already planned to take off this flying fish robe and continue guarding me once you find me, but Sister Xiaoyao… you can't just think of me, you have to think of yourself too. Mr. Zhuo is indeed the most suitable master for you. With him, your cultivation will definitely advance by leaps and bounds."
As he finished speaking, the old cripple sitting to the side, drinking, snorted coldly.
Fang Jie chuckled awkwardly, looking at the old cripple and saying, "Don't be angry, sir. I didn't mean any disrespect."
The old cripple said coldly, "If I hadn't happened to know that the man surnamed Zhuo was indeed more suitable to be Xiao Yao's master, do you think I would have been so afraid of having my disciple stolen and not daring to utter a sound? The man surnamed Zhuo hasn't left the Imperial Guard's office since returning to the capital, isn't it because he's afraid of running into me and feeling guilty?"
"Your Excellency is mighty."
Fang Jie flattered her, then turned to Mu Xiao Yao and asked softly, "Promise me, okay?"
Mu Xiao Yao was silent for a long time, then nodded and said, "I will do my best to make sure Mr. Zhuo has nothing left to teach me as quickly as possible."
Fang Jie hummed in agreement and smiled genuinely.
He looked at Da Quan and the other two, opened his mouth as if to say something, but then stopped himself.
"After you disappeared, Shen Qingshan left the inn. She didn't say what she was going to do, but she definitely went to look for you. I know her personality... if she can't find you, she'll kill someone. After Daquan found me with the fireworks, I asked Mr. Zhuo to help me find out some information. I confirmed that you might have entered the martial arts arena after leaving Chang'an, but Mr. Zhuo tried to find out, and no one in the arena saw you. I guessed you would definitely go back to Chang'an, so I've been searching within the city."
Mu Xiaoyao guessed Fang Jie's thoughts.
Fang Jie glanced at Mu Xiaoyao, and she understood the meaning in his eyes: "I will find a way to find her, as soon as possible."
Fang Jie nodded, his heart still heavy.
The old cripple stood up, slung his wine gourd over his shoulder, and walked out with his hands behind his back. "You can stay here and rest. No one dares to bother you in the Marquis of Sanjin's mansion. You're lucky, kid, to have found such a good place. I'll come over when I have time. I hate giving up halfway through anything... Besides, I don't believe that Zhuo's apprentice is any better than mine, even if mine is a good-for-nothing. Though I'm lame, my heart is stronger than anyone else's; I can't afford to lose face."
Fang Jie felt a warmth in his heart and called out to the old cripple's retreating figure, "Master..."
The old cripple paused, his shoulders visibly trembling slightly. "Don't call me Master. You don't deserve that title if you can't master even one move of the sword."
Fang Jie nodded vigorously, his eyes slightly reddening.
"I have to go back too. I need to find Mr. Zhuo and figure out how to find Chen Qingshan."
Mu Xiaoyao came over and gently tucked the blanket around Fang Jie. Only Fang Jie, her, and Daquan remained in the room, so she didn't mind showing her gentle side. Although before this, Mu Xiaoyao had rarely shown such gentleness.
"Sleep a little longer," she said, then gently kissed Fang Jie's forehead, making his heart flutter.
This feeling was both familiar and strange.
Fang Jie's heart almost stopped; for a moment, even breathing became difficult.
"It's nothing…"
Mu Xiaoyao raised her hand to smooth the strands of hair that had fallen across her forehead, concealing the slight blush that had involuntarily crept onto her cheeks: "When you were little and couldn't sleep, you always made me kiss you."
She explained.
But was the explanation useful?
She turned and quickly left, not daring to look back.
Fang Jie raised his hand to touch his forehead, and after a while, he began to chuckle foolishly. Big Dog sat beside him, watching, and also chuckled foolishly.
…
…
That night, at Hongxiuzhao.
The old cripple, who had already fallen asleep, suddenly opened his eyes, and in a daze, he found himself at the entrance of the main hall. He stood inside, listening intently, then his expression changed drastically. He hesitated for a moment, but finally opened the door. In a flash, the old cripple vanished, seemingly disappearing into the night. At the same moment he vanished, Xi Huamei stood on the third floor, watching the doorway with a complex expression.
A dozen minutes later, the old cripple returned.
He carried a woman covered in blood in his arms.
A very beautiful woman.
Perhaps due to excessive blood loss, her face was frighteningly pale. But it was precisely because of this that her stunningly beautiful face gained a touch of poignant beauty.
The old cripple looked up at Xi Huamei standing on the third floor and shook his head apologetically.
Xi Huamei nodded and said softly, "Since you've saved her, you should keep her alive. Although I don't want to get involved, once I am, there's nothing to fear. Master Luo… I'm actually quite happy; for the first time in so many years, seeing you bring a renewed sense of life to my heart."
The old cripple glanced gratefully at Xi Huamei, then carried the blood-covered woman to the back courtyard of Hongxiuzhao. Xi Huamei tossed something down, which landed precisely on the seriously injured woman. The old cripple looked down; it was a small porcelain bottle.
"A Four-Pattern Pill, not as good as his Lesser Golden Pill… but it's still useful for saving lives," Xi Huamei said calmly.
The old cripple nodded and slipped into the back courtyard.
"Go clean it up."
Xi Huamei waved her hand, and immediately a dozen figures emerged from the shadows and left Hongxiuzhao.
The Imperial Guards.
Luo Weiran glanced at Hou Wenji's gloomy face and couldn't help but sigh, "I really want to see who's so ruthless... daring to charge into the Ministry of War's main gate, killing 104 people in one go. Besides the guards, over twenty military officers with third or fourth-rank cultivation died... three seventh-rank, one eighth-rank... and still managed to escape from a ninth-rank expert who rushed over. What audacity, what ruthlessness!"
"Is the capital going to be in turmoil?"
Hou Wenji shook his head, a hint of worry on his face.