Chapter 28

The dirt road ended at Dong'an Village.

They entered silently, without a single sound.

"Looks like everyone has fled from famine as well," Fu Tingjun said in a low voice.

"Villages like Lijiawa are the exception after all," Zhao Jiuye said nonchalantly. "Most villages don't have such advantageous terrain as theirs."

Fu Tingjun nodded.

A Sen had already found a place to stay: "Master, do you think we can rest here?"

The two walked over.

A black-painted gate with brass rings, high walls built of stone blocks. Inside was a large courtyard, with three main rooms all made of brick and tile. Passing through the main hall, there was a smaller courtyard behind, with three side rooms, and behind the side rooms were a patio and a kitchen. Quite impressive.

"We'll rest in the side rooms at the back," Zhao Jiuye said with a satisfied nod.

That way, if anyone barged in, they'd have time to react, separated by two courtyards and a main hall.

A Sen acknowledged loudly and prepared the eastern side room for Fu Tingjun.

Fu Tingjun noticed a stone table and stone stools under a withered grape trellis in a corner of the courtyard in front of the side rooms, and said, "Ninth Master, shall we have dinner outside?" Zhao Jiuye wasn't particular about such details, so she just called out to inform him, then took out the food and began to set it up.

Zhao Jiuye's expression turned stern, and he suddenly turned and walked out—just two or three steps to the back door of the main hall.

Fu Tingjun was greatly startled, but Zhao Jiuye's figure had already disappeared into the main hall, followed immediately by a woman's scream.

A Sen poked his head out from the open window of the eastern side room.

Fu Tingjun put down the bowl and chopsticks in her hands and left the courtyard.

The man with the dark reddish face they had encountered on the road had followed them at some point. He was now lying on the ground, pinned by the shoulders by Zhao Jiuye, while the delicate-featured woman pulled the child to kneel beside them, begging for mercy: "...We only came in because this courtyard's walls looked the thickest, and we thought it must be the safest. We'll leave right now, right now—please, brave sir, show mercy!" As she spoke, she pressed the child to kowtow to Zhao Jiuye.

Fu Tingjun felt very uncomfortable watching this.

Why use a child as a bargaining chip!

Clearly, this couple was no good either.

She quietly retreated and ran right into A Sen.

"What's going on?" A Sen asked her.

"Nothing!" Fu Tingjun said. "Someone else also took a liking to this courtyard. Ninth Master is negotiating with them!"

A Sen didn't suspect anything.

Fu Tingjun said, "Is the eastern side room all set? If it's ready, let's prepare to eat."

"It's been ready for a while!" A Sen said with a grin, just as Zhao Jiuye strode in. "A Sen, go find another place. We're moving somewhere else!"

A Sen didn't ask a single extra question, loudly acknowledged with a "Yes," and was about to leave.

But Zhao Jiuye said, "Go out through the back door!"

A flicker of confusion passed through A Sen's eyes, but he quickly turned and left through the back door.

Fu Tingjun hurriedly packed up the food: "Ninth Master, are we giving up this place to those people?"

"No!" Zhao Jiuye said. "It's better to be cautious."

Fu Tingjun naturally had complete faith in his decisions and quickly packed everything up.

A Sen returned as well: "The third house over is also quite nice, just a bit smaller."

Zhao Jiuye didn't say anything, signaled to Fu Tingjun with a glance, and pushed the cart. Fu Tingjun followed behind him to the house A Sen had mentioned.

By the time they finished dinner after all the commotion, the sky was already full of stars.

A Sen sighed: "Tomorrow will be another clear day!"

"I didn't know you understood astrology," Fu Tingjun said, enjoying joking around with A Sen.

"Master told me." A Sen glanced at Zhao Jiuye, who sat silently eating a steamed bun. "Master also knows where the Weaver Girl star is and where the Cowherd star is. Brother Yucheng can even tell the story of the Weaver Girl and the Cowherd."

"Have you heard the story of Chang'e flying to the moon?" Fu Tingjun asked him with a smile. "Want me to tell it to you?"

"Of course I've heard it." A Sen waved his hand dismissively. "Brother Yucheng can even tell 'The Single Saber Meeting'! Do you know 'The Single Saber Meeting'? It's about Lord Guan Er—it's really good. How about I tell it to you?"

Fu Tingjun burst out laughing, then inwardly cried "Oh no"—Ninth Master was extremely secretive about his affairs. Would he be angry that she was chatting with A Sen about his companions like this?

She stole a glance at him.

He sat there quietly, smiling as he watched them, his clear bright eyes like the star-filled night sky behind him—radiant and serene, so that one glance at him made her heart grow calm along with him.

Fu Tingjun was momentarily stunned.

...

In the middle of the night, Fu Tingjun was shaken awake by A Sen: "Miss, wake up!"

"What's happened?" For convenience, she had been sleeping in her clothes these past days.

"Master heard the sound of horses' hooves." Under the moonlight, his little face was taut. "He's afraid bandits are raiding the village!"

"How could this be? Don't they even use scouts? The people in this village had already fled long ago!" Though he grumbled, his hands and feet moved swiftly. He quickly put on his shoes and ran out of the eastern wing with A Sen.

Zhao Jiuye stood in the courtyard with a furrowed brow. Seeing Fu Tingjun and A Sen, he pointed to a large water vat in the northeast corner of the courtyard: "Hide yourself first!"

"How do I hide?" The vat had long been empty of water and was already broken with a large gap.

She pricked up her ears. The night sky was as quiet as ever, with not a sound to be heard.

Zhao Jiuye effortlessly overturned the vat onto the ground: "Hide inside the vat." Then he instructed A Sen, "Bring the young lady's bundle, water pouch, and steamed buns, and hide them in the vat as well."

Fu Tingjun was dumbfounded, not knowing what to say.

A Sen acknowledged and left, quickly returning with everything Zhao Jiuye had mentioned.

"Use the bundle to cushion yourself as you sit on the ground," Zhao Jiuye said, lifting a corner of the vat and gesturing for her to crawl in quickly. "Don't come out until I come for you. Do you understand?" The last sentence was asked sternly.

Fu Tingjun nodded repeatedly and clumsily crawled inside. A Sen stuffed the water pouch, steamed buns, and flatbreads in after her.

Zhao Jiuye and A Sen climbed onto the beam of the kitchen.

In the cramped, dark space, with the silent environment, time seemed to slow down.

Fu Tingjun was somewhat afraid. But out of trust in Zhao Jiuye, she remained motionless, crouching hidden inside the vat.

She didn't know how long had passed when suddenly torchlight shone through the broken gap in the vat.

"Zhao Jiu, I know you're in there," a rough voice shouted loudly. "Those destined to meet will meet across a thousand miles; those not destined won't recognize each other even face to face. Since fate has brought us together, shouldn't we settle our accounts? I've even dreamed of you!" By the end of his words, his tone had turned sinister and chilling.

Weren't they supposed to be hiding from bandits?

How had they ended up hiding from one of Zhao Jiuye's enemies instead?

Fu Tingjun's heart immediately rose to her throat. Unfortunately, hidden inside the vat, she couldn't see anything, and she was so anxious she didn't know what to do!

"Feng Laosi, I've also been looking for an opportunity to settle our accounts," Zhao Jiuye's voice slowly sounded in the quiet dead of night, gradually drawing closer to Fu Tingjun. "Since you're in such high spirits today, let's settle them properly!" She knew that Zhao Jiuye had walked out and was now standing in the courtyard. "However, if I remember correctly, you once said that whether speaking or eating, it all comes down to one's fists. I think we might as well settle our accounts with our fists today!" Then Fu Tingjun heard a loud "bang," followed by men's angry shouts, horses' neighing, and women's terrified screams, all rising in chaotic clamor.

The moment Zhao Jiuye saw the delicate face standing beside Feng Laosi, he knew that today he could only kill without mercy—this woman had seen Fu Tingjun, and Feng Laosi, knowing that he was still traveling with women and children, would surely assume they were his family. He would likely try every means to capture them alive and use them to negotiate terms, which would spell trouble! As for how this woman had ended up with Feng Laosi, he had no interest whatsoever.

Moving like lightning, he charged straight at Feng Laosi with his staff.

Feng Laosi hadn't expected Zhao Jiuye to charge at him while speaking pleasantries, so he hastily reined his horse back.

The reins were pulled tight, and the horse neighed once. Zhao Jiuye's palm pressed down on the horse's head, and the animal fell to the ground with a thud without even a whimper.

Feng Laosi was greatly alarmed. The moment Zhao Jiuye's hand pressed on the horse's head, he knew the beast was doomed. Before the horse hit the ground, he leaped off its back and, with a "clang," drew his blade to guard his chest.

But Zhao Jiuye paid him no attention at all. Instead, he flicked his fingers, and a streak of white light, brilliant as a shooting star, suddenly cut through the air.

"This is the second time I've killed a woman!" Zhao Jiuye murmured to himself. The woman standing beside Feng Laosi suddenly widened her eyes. Under the torchlight, blood slowly seeped from her neck...

Everyone reined their horses back several steps.

The woman collapsed to the ground.

"Zhao Jiuye's willow-leaf blade truly lives up to its reputation!" Feng Laosi glanced at the fallen woman, his expression turning grim. "I use a blade too, but mine is a broadsword!" As he spoke, the gleaming blade surged toward Zhao Jiuye like rolling waves.

Zhao Jiuye stepped back, raising his staff to block.

The waves receded in an instant.

The staff snapped in two—one half fell to the ground with a "bang," while the other remained in Zhao Jiuye's hand.

Feng Laosi squinted at Zhao Jiuye, then leaped up, striking downward with the force of Mount Tai crushing down.

Zhao Jiuye raised the remaining half of his staff to meet the blow.

With a "crack," the staff split again from the middle, but Feng Laosi, as if he had kicked an iron plate, tumbled several times in the air before landing. His body swayed, and he stumbled back several steps before steadying himself.

Zhao Jiuye's expression turned grave.

This was his first formal bout with Feng Laosi. Within two moves, Feng Laosi had displayed both soft and hard techniques, showing that his martial arts had achieved a harmony of yin and yang, reaching the highest level.

He clenched his fist in a fighting stance.

Feng Laosi lunged at him.

The cold, gleaming blade of the saber wove layer upon layer of netting, ensnaring Zhao Jiuye within it.

Zhao Jiuye threw punches slowly, here and there, and wherever his fist wind passed, the net immediately tore apart.

Feng Laosi snorted coldly, and the torn net was quickly mended.

Gradually, Zhao Jiuye's punches grew faster, while Feng Laosi's net-weaving slowed.

Suddenly, with a crisp "clang," Feng Laosi leaped backward.

Several shards of silver-white scattered on the ground, like fragments of moonlight fallen to the earth.

Feng Laosi's face was pale, his hand gripping the hilt of a saber that had lost its blade, and a trickle of crimson liquid seeped from the corner of his mouth.