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墨書 Inktalez
"The Little Ones" went to the riverbank to bathe, but unexpectedly, a female corpse floated by. They instructed the younger ones to report this, wondering if they should retrieve the body for a proper burial.
Under normal circumstances, the Yamen would have taken care of such matters. However, the situation was peculiar; not only was their location elevated, but the water flowed downstream. How the body had arrived there puzzled them, prompting the desire to report it. Upon hearing this, Shen Muhan and Xia Muxin also found it strange. Shen Muhan immediately spoke up:
"Take us to see."
As he said this, he exchanged a glance with Xia Muxin and took her slightly cool hand as they followed the soldier.
In no time, they reached their destination. Xia Muxin had already noticed this river earlier, but due to its deep water and her preoccupation with other matters, she hadn't observed it closely. The river wasn't very wide but seemed endless. She also realized that this river was at its highest point and served as a tidal point since it had branches extending in all directions—southeast, southwest, northeast, and northwest—leading to unknown destinations.
Perhaps these were routes blocked by the Five Nations.
What was truly striking was not the river itself but the hundreds of soldiers clad only in undergarments, all bare-chested. Upon seeing Shen Muhan and Xia Muxin, they jumped into the water with loud splashes, their faces turning crimson.
Shen Muhan frowned slightly as he glanced at Xia Muxin, a shadow passing through his eyes. Xia Muxin met his gaze and shrugged helplessly.
"General, it's right over there."
The soldier who had led them earlier had somehow managed to put on an outer garment, likely due to nerves, as he wore it inside out without realizing it. He looked at Shen Muhan with trepidation and pointed toward a spot where branches extended over the river surface. There, a figure could be faintly seen; its clothing suggested it was female, possibly caught by those branches and unable to drift downstream.
At that moment, Shen Muhan understood something: this person had not floated down from upstream but had come here on her own accord. Perhaps she couldn't swim well or had met another fate that led to her demise.
"Have you all checked? Are you certain she's dead?"
He paused before directing his question at the soldier.
The soldier was momentarily taken aback by the question, hesitating for a while before timidly shaking his head.
He was no more than thirteen or fourteen years old, with dark skin and a frail, small stature. It was likely that he was an orphan rescued by Shen Muqing along the way, which explained his timidity; otherwise, he wouldn't have been assigned such menial tasks.
Although Shen Muhan held no position at the moment, in the hearts of many, he would always be the great general. They could not change that title, and over time, he had stopped correcting them.
Shen Muhan did not scold the soldier; it was always wise to be cautious when out in the world, especially under the current circumstances.
"Everyone, get dressed properly and go pull that person out," he instructed, turning his back to the crowd as he spoke softly.
The hundreds of people still submerged in the water breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly made their way to shore, quickly putting on their clothes. Since they were all wearing similar undergarments, any exposure would leave them transparent, making their male attributes somewhat visible. They dared not look at Shen Muhan.
During this time, Shen Muhan's stunningly handsome face remained dark and sullen, his thin lips pressed tightly together, exuding an invisible pressure that made everyone hold their breath. They hurriedly moved toward where the "female corpse" lay and soon managed to pull her up.
Shen Muhan gently patted Xia Muxin's hand and said softly, "Wait here; I'll be right back."
Xia Muxin understood that he was looking out for her; after all, it wasn't a pleasant sight. She obediently nodded. Just as Shen Muhan walked away, they heard exclamations from that direction.
"Hey, this woman isn't dead yet; she's still breathing!"
With that, everyone began to frantically administer aid.
Xia Muxin turned her head at the sound, while Shen Muhan paused to wait for her. Knowing her personality well, Xia Muxin smiled widely and jogged over to him. The two walked side by side.
As the two approached, they saw someone lifting the woman by her legs and turning her upside down. Just as Xia Muxin was about to speak, they heard a few retching sounds, and the woman spat out some muddy water, yet there was still no sign of her waking up.
Immediately, the soldiers laid her flat again, and at that moment, both Xia Muxin and Shen Muhan recognized the woman's face and gasped in unison:
"Yan Zhouwan..."
"Yan Zhouwan..."
In an instant, Xia Muxin rushed forward at full speed, shaking the unconscious woman, her eyes reddening as if she were about to cry. Meanwhile, Shen Muhan stood there somewhat numb; Yan Zhouwan was injured, which meant that Muxin's family...
"Everyone, help carry her back to the tent."
Knowing that this woman was an acquaintance of the general and Xia Muxin, no one hesitated and quickly lifted her up, heading straight for the military camp.
All the while, Shen Muhan silently held onto Xia Muxin's hand. The tension in his gaze was palpable even from a distance. Xia Muxin, being sensitive as she was, naturally sensed it and asked with concern:
"Uncle, what's wrong?"
"Nothing. I'm just thinking I need to speed things up and leave here sooner."
Xia Muxin nodded in response as they entered the tent, each lost in their own thoughts.
Shen Muqing, Qingyue, and Rong Li were also alerted and rushed over. At that moment, Shen Muhan was examining Yan Zhouwan's injuries.
"Uncle, how is she? Yan Zhouwan... she won't be in any danger, right?"
Xia Muxin didn't dare blink as she stared intently at the unconscious woman. Her face bore many scratches; perhaps due to being submerged for too long, the delicate features on her cheeks had vanished. A large tattoo was visible there but appeared blurred as if someone had deliberately marred it with something.
The scar on her face had faded significantly. Xia Muxin knew it was due to the ointment Shen Muhan had given her. Although it wasn't as flawless as before, Shen Muhan had assured her that as long as she continued using it, the scar would gradually diminish until it was almost invisible.
Her fingernails were caked with fine dirt, dark and grimy. Through her damp sleeves, one could faintly see various wounds on her arms, resembling whip marks and knife cuts. Shen Muhan did not lift her clothing to examine them closely, but he understood deep down that it would take a while before he spoke again.
"These are just superficial injuries. She probably fainted from being submerged in water for too long and exhausting her strength. However, she has many wounds that need careful cleaning; otherwise, they might become inflamed and fester."
"Yes, I can handle that."
Upon hearing this, Xia Muxin finally breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a surge of joy inside; it was about time someone spoke up.
Shen Muqing looked at the pale figure lying on the bed with a complex gaze. Disgust flickered in his eyes. One Xia Muxin was already troublesome enough; now there was another—Yan Zhouwan. He felt overwhelmed but still couldn't shake off his curiosity.
"How did she end up here?"
Given the terrain, only a fool would come here in such a dangerous manner. Moreover, this ugly woman had an incredible will to survive; how could she still be alive? He doubted what kind of upbringing Xia Muxin and her companions had.
"We'll only know once she wakes up."
Shen Muhan finished packing the medicine box and washed his hands in a nearby basin. He cast a cold glance at the displeased Shen Muqing and said in a flat tone.
Five days passed in the blink of an eye. During this time, Shen Muhan was mostly out early and back late, leaving medicine for Xia Muxin with instructions to take it on time. While Xia Muxin busied herself with various chores, she also had to care for Yan Zhouwan, leaving her no time to rest.
Rong Li would occasionally come by to help, but since Yan Zhouwan was a woman, there was little he could do.
Surprisingly, Xia Muxin showed no signs of abnormality over these few days; she seemed like a normal person. She knew it was thanks to the medication provided by Shen Muhan.
"Girl, we can go back the day after tomorrow."
At lunchtime, Shen Muhan surprisingly returned, bringing with him a bombshell of news from Xia Muxin. As soon as she sat down, her eyes widened in shock, and a smile broke across her face. Suddenly, she leaped into Shen Muhan's arms, exclaiming joyfully,
"Uncle, I knew you were the best!"
Her tone was filled with a mix of affection and eagerness, causing the others to raise their eyebrows in surprise. Xia Muxin had always been composed; this was the first time she had lost her composure like this. Shen Muhan, however, seemed to enjoy it, a charming smile gracing his lips as he gently ruffled her hair.
After lunch, the two went out to gather some herbs.
"Uncle, are these all for Yan Zhouwan? Why hasn't she woken up yet?"
For such a profound question, Xia Muxin naturally turned to Shen Muhan for answers. She only understood the basics in this area. Moreover, Shen Muhan had divided the gathered herbs into two piles; one pile she was somewhat familiar with, but the other was entirely new to her and difficult to find. It was only through Shen Muhan's climbing and searching that they had managed to acquire them, leaving her puzzled.
"She should be waking up soon."
Shen Muhan didn't directly answer her question but instead tied the herbs together with twine and placed them in a nearby basket. He simply said this before taking Xia Muxin's hand and heading back.
Along the way, Shen Muhan dropped off the herbs with Ming Peng since he was also responsible for preparing Yan Zhouwan's medicine. This way, it would avoid raising any suspicions. Just as they were about to enter the tent, someone stumbled out from inside. Upon seeing Xia Muxin beside Shen Muhan with a calm smile on her face, the figure's eyes widened in terror as they shouted,
"Muxin, why do you want to kill me?"
- End of Chapter -
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