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墨書 Inktalez
“Muxin, why did you want to kill me?”
Seeing Yan Zhouwan awake, Xia Muxin was overjoyed. She was about to step forward to help her, but the confusion and fear in Yan Zhouwan's eyes startled her. When Yan Zhouwan suddenly spoke, it made Xia Muxin's heart race. She blinked her clear, big eyes in surprise and said, “Yan Zhouwan, what are you talking about?”
At the same time, she was even more worried about Yan Zhouwan's health. Could it be that being in the water for so long had muddled her mind? She didn't believe that Yan Zhouwan would wake up and joke like this.
Yan Zhouwan looked at the astonished and concerned Xia Muxin, glanced around, and suddenly asked, “Where is this?”
“Linshan County, Shen Muqing's military camp!”
Seeing that she finally stopped talking nonsense, Xia Muxin replied with a calm smile.
Linshan County?
Yan Zhouwan was taken aback. That meant he was here too. She had drifted in the water for a full fifteen days. Before falling into the water, she had seen Xia Muxin's sinister and menacing face. A shiver ran through her, and she turned her gaze back to Xia Muxin. After a long moment, she trembled as she said, “You've been here all along, how could…”
“Come with me!”
Before she could finish her sentence, Shen Muhan pulled her away. Xia Muxin looked at their retreating figures with a puzzled expression, deep in thought.
Before long, Yan Zhouwan walked over with her head down, but there was no sign of Shen Muhan. Xia Muxin knew that he would be busy when he returned, so she didn’t think much of it. Instead, she affectionately grabbed Yan Zhouwan's arm and said in a muffled voice:
"Yan Zhouwan, I'm about to suffocate here. It's so good that you came! By the way, how did you end up here?"
There was no one to talk to here except for Shen Muhan. Rong Li would often come to check on her, but it was usually just a quick glance and a few casual words before leaving. Shen Muhan was also very busy, and she felt really bored.
"I..." Yan Zhouwan was taken aback by the question. She couldn't say that she had sneaked out because she was worried about Shen Muqing being trapped, only to encounter a woman who looked exactly like Muxin along the way. At first, the woman had been friendly, but unexpectedly, she had wanted to put her in danger. As she hesitated to speak, she caught sight of Xia Muxin's curious gaze, and her heart tightened. Was what Shen Muhan said true? Then... was Muxin suffering? After a pause, she gently tapped Xia Muxin on the head and then placed her hands on her hips with a commanding air:
"It's all your fault, you Stinky Girl! You suddenly disappeared like this, and your family was worried sick. I couldn't rest easy and went out looking for you. Later I found out Shen Er was here and figured you must be with them, so I came to find you. You have no idea how dangerous the journey was; I almost didn't get to see you."
Her voice trailed off at the end, and her eyes began to mist over as she reached out for a big hug from Xia Muxin.
At the same time, she let out a sigh of relief. Thankfully, she had been too excited at the time; she had ignored the questions about the Xia Family from that woman who looked just like Muxin. Otherwise, the consequences were unimaginable; even now, thinking back made her heart race.
Xia Muxin was startled by this intimate gesture and then teased:
"Alright, alright, isn’t everything fine now?"
Yan Zhouwan broke into laughter through her tears. The two of them held hands and were about to enter the tent when a sarcastic voice rang out from behind them.
"Shen Er Ye..."
Not only was it sarcastic, but it also dripped with resentment.
Xia Muxin smirked and raised an eyebrow at the bewildered Yan Zhouwan. Just then, they turned around to see Shen Muqing standing across from them with a grim expression, his piercing eyes coldly glaring at Yan Zhouwan as if he were extremely displeased with her calling him Shen Er Ye.
This was actually how Xia Muxin had always called him. Later, Yan Zhouwan thought the name suited the man well, so she started calling him that too, and before long, it became a habit.
At this moment, facing his direct gaze, Yan Zhouwan felt a bit guilty. A faint blush crept onto her previously pale face as she lowered her eyes, unable to meet Shen Muqing's gaze.
"What's wrong? Did your tongue get eaten by a dog? Just now you were chattering away like a sparrow," Shen Muqing remarked coldly, noticing Yan Zhouwan's silence and feeling somewhat unsettled.
Xia Muxin watched the two of them, a slight smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. She quietly slipped away from the side but could still faintly hear Yan Zhouwan's flustered protests.
"So what if I’m like a sparrow? Chirping means they have energy! Unlike you, looking like a sulking radish with that deadpan face. Don’t think I’m afraid of you just because you’re the general here. I’m also from Tianli Kingdom. Besides, I don’t rely on you for my meals. What do you care?"
Xia Muxin couldn't help but chuckle softly; was this child teachable?
Having spent time with her, Yan Zhouwan's tongue had become sharper, even daring to retort against Shen Muqing. It seemed she had not only gained courage but also audacity.
Moreover, calling Shen Muqing a sulking radish was quite fitting—he was indeed just a dull radish who could only show a long face and nothing else.
And honestly, he wasn’t even as good-looking as her uncle...
A thin layer of sweat broke out on Yan Zhouwan's back. Just earlier, Shen Muhan had told her that Shen Muqing often made things difficult for Muxin. Now that he held no official position, he could only be bullied. Muxin’s health was poor; she was always gloomy. Hearing this made her furious. She had come here disregarding her own safety only to find out that the person she cared about was so unkind. In that moment, she couldn’t hold back and blurted out whatever came to mind.
After saying that, she felt her whole body go weak. Just as she was about to lean against Zhaoxia Muxin for support, she realized that the girl had already vanished from her side. There was no trace of her anywhere, which made her furious as she glared at Shen Muqing with narrowed eyes.
This was the first time in his life that someone dared to speak to Shen Muqing like this. At this moment, his fists clenched tightly, making cracking sounds. A sulking radish? A deadpan face? Where was he sulking? Besides, he was handsome, thank you very much!
"Good, very good."
Suddenly, a few chilling words slipped through his teeth, causing Yan Zhouwan to shiver. She quickly turned and entered the tent.
"Xia Muxin, you damn it! We agreed to be good sisters, yet when we encounter a villain, you just leave me here all alone. Have you shrunk back into your shell?"
Upon entering the tent, her first instinct was to find Xia Muxin. Shen Muqing's face was simply too terrifying; she needed someone to talk to and calm her nerves. However, after searching for a long time without finding her, she slumped down on the bed in frustration, exhaling through her nose.
Meanwhile, Shen Muqing, who had not yet left, felt an inexplicable softness in her heart upon hearing those words. A beautiful smile curved at the corners of her mouth before she turned and walked away.
*
Xia Muxin wandered aimlessly, taking in the different scenery. With only one day left before leaving this place, she felt disappointed that aside from horse hooves and coarse salt, she had gained nothing else.
Suddenly, she felt something strange underfoot and stumbled nearly falling down. Fortunately, she reacted quickly and jumped far away just in time. At that moment, there was a loud rumble as a dark box door swung open. Xia Muxin leaned closer to take a look and gasped in shock, quickly retreating while clutching her chest and gasping for breath.
At the same time, a foul odor wafted up from below, making her feel nauseous.
Turning her head to glance beside her, it seemed like a bottomless cliff. This area was behind the tent, completely barren; the soldiers probably hadn't come here either—there was no water or plants around, and given the small size of the area, it naturally went unnoticed.
Beneath that box door lay piles of eerie white bones; she pondered that they must have belonged to the villagers from before.
Though not very high, her abilities were limited, and she dared not descend recklessly. After resting for a moment, she turned to head back. At that moment, Shen Muhan appeared with an anxious expression. Upon seeing her from afar, he rushed over with long strides. Extending his arms, he pulled her into his embrace tightly and scolded her:
"You girl never listens; you really don't make things easy."
Xia Muxin nestled contentedly in his arms, but as she remembered the important matter at hand, she lifted her head and pointed behind her.
"Uncle, I found a cave full of bones."
Upon hearing this, Shen Muhan placed his hands on her shoulders and examined her from head to toe before gently tapping her small nose.
"Don't wander off alone like that in the future; it can be very dangerous."
Xia Muxin obediently nodded, and soon the two of them headed toward the box door.
Shen Muhan pulled Xia Muxin behind him and leaned forward to peek at the entrance of the box. After a moment, he signaled, and shortly after, Shen Muqing arrived with over a hundred people.
Shen Muhan chose not to go down because he was worried about Xia Muxin being up there alone; behind them was a cliff, and they had forbidden other soldiers from approaching. This girl was quite bold and dared to explore anywhere. If no one had been watching her, she could have easily been swept away by the tide if it rose suddenly. Just thinking about it made him feel uneasy.
This was also what Shen Muqing had mentioned. They had been curious about this place before, but suddenly the tide surged below, and fierce winds whipped through, pulling various objects from the shore. Even small stones were swept away, and several soldiers had been dragged down at that time. Afterward, a prohibition was issued: no one was allowed near the edge of the cliff.
Watching as those soldiers were directed down by Shen Muqing, Xia Muxin immediately cautioned them.
"Be careful! If you find anything down there besides those bones, even if it's just a small amount of powder, bring some back up. It's urgent."
- End of Chapter -
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