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墨書 Inktalez
"Be careful down there. Bring back anything you find, except for those bones. Even a little bit of powder will do; we might need it urgently."
Xia Muxin shouted into the box, but was immediately pulled closer by Shen Muhan, who gave her a meaningful glance.
Xia Muxin, however, smiled with her eyes sparkling, raising an eyebrow at Shen Muhan in a mysterious manner before turning her attention back to the entrance of the box.
Before long, the soldiers began to return one by one. Following Xia Muxin's instructions, they brought back anything they could find that wasn't bone, even dirt was included. Shen Muqing called a few people to stand further away from the edge and began asking questions, while Shen Muhan walked over as if to discuss something.
Xia Muxin crouched down to inspect the items they had brought back. She discarded each one she examined, and her bright eyes gradually dimmed. In the end, she pouted in disappointment, lowering her head. They were just missing one type of material—sigh...
"It's fine if we don't have it. We can survive without it; don't let it get you down."
Shen Muhan approached at that moment, gently rubbing her soft hair as he spoke softly.
Xia Muxin pouted and let out a deep sigh, accepting reality. Suddenly, she looked up at Shen Muhan and complained, "You knew all along."
Shen Muhan simply grinned wider, his hand still playfully tousling her hair with more vigor. Xia Muxin found it boring and swatted his hand away from her head. She had wanted to surprise him, but instead, he had startled her—how dull.
Seeing her angry expression made Shen Muhan laugh even more; he loved her prickly demeanor—it was the true Xia Muxin.
Suddenly, there was a series of creaking sounds from below, followed by an "ouch." A few soldiers exchanged glances and pulled out their weapons to peek down. To their surprise, they burst into laughter.
Xia Muxin was puzzled and curiously leaned forward to see what was happening, unable to resist laughing as well.
Down below was someone else—Little Black. It was thanks to him that they had the chance to rescue Yan Zhouwan. He was small and skinny with dark skin; Xia Muxin had given him the nickname Little Black. At that moment, he lay sprawled among the bones, his head tilted to one side so that it faced a skull directly opposite him. His mouth was aligned with the skull's mouth, leaving him pale with fear and wide-eyed in shock. The sight was so ridiculous and amusing that it was impossible not to laugh.
"Hey... that Big Brother come help me, I pulled my back, it hurts..."
After a moment, a very frustrated voice came from below, and everyone laughed even harder. However, with the two generals still present, no one dared to tease for too long. Soon, two people went down; one of them grabbed his arm and tossed him upwards. Shen Muhan reached out to pull Xia Muxin, and in the blink of an eye, Little Black was rolling on the ground, groaning.
As he rolled on the ground, some dark gray powder fell out. Xia Muxin noticed it immediately and squatted down to pinch some between her fingers and sniff it. She then asked Shen Muhan for a knife while pulling out her own small curved blade. She took a bit of the powder and placed it on one blade before using the other to rub against it. In no time, sparks flew, startling Shen Muhan, who quickly snatched the knife from her hand. His gaze swept over Xia Muxin, seemingly checking if she was hurt.
At that moment, Xia Muxin was too excited to care. She smiled at Shen Muhan and said, "It's nothing; this is just a small experiment. Besides, there’s not enough powder to cause any harm."
Mainly because there were no stones or anything similar on the ground; otherwise, she would have used stones to rub against it.
Shen Muhan understood this was a small experiment, but they were not far from the cliff's edge, and with the strong wind, if those sparks blew into their eyes, it would be troublesome. Yet he only pressed his lips together and remained silent.
"You all take him down and collect all similar powders from below. Remember not to rub them," he commanded the soldiers behind him.
The soldiers were still in shock; that scene had been quite alarming. They had no idea such powder could ignite from friction, which made them admire Xia Muxin. Following Shen Muhan's order, someone immediately grabbed Little Black and jumped down.
Shen Muqing seemed to have guessed something as her bright eyes fixed on Xia Muxin, her lips slightly moving but ultimately saying nothing.
Xia Muxin couldn't care less about this proud peacock; if it weren't for Yan Zhouwan taking an interest in him, she wouldn't bother seeing him again.
After about a few tea breaks, the soldiers returned with soot-covered faces but brought good news—exactly what Xia Muxin had hoped for.
Finally, Shen Muhan ordered that the bones be brought up and buried properly.
That night, Xia Muxin, Shen Muhan, Yan Zhouwan, Shen Muqing, and a few trusted aides were all gathered together, assisting Xia Muxin. Some soldiers were busy digging powder at the bottom of the cave. By the time they were ready to depart, they had prepared nearly a thousand explosive balls. Although their power was not particularly great, it was more than enough to injure or incapacitate hundreds of people. To save resources, Xia Muxin was reluctant to conduct any experiments; she only made a small one and directly tossed it into the cave. In an instant, there was a loud boom, and the cave was flattened.
At the same time, a new discovery was made. After the cave was leveled, it turned out to connect with an underground passage. Shen Muhan sent a few skilled soldiers down into the abyss. They returned two hours later with news that there was indeed a passage below and that it led in the direction of Linshan County, saving both time and effort. Immediately, everyone gathered together and headed toward the abyss. Shen Muqing led the way while Shen Muhan took Xia Muxin down another path. During this time, Xia Muxin noticed that Yan Zhouwan was missing. She intended to look for him but was stopped by Shen Muhan.
"Feelings aren't something you can just stop whenever you want; everything is left to fate," he said.
Xia Muxin stared at Shen Muhan in surprise for a moment before exclaiming, "Uncle, is there something you don't know?"
Shen Muhan then pulled her hand down and suddenly smiled mischievously as he leaned closer to her and said softly, "Yes, when will you agree to have children for me?"
Xia Muxin's cheeks flushed red. She wanted to ask how to proceed but suddenly widened her eyes as something began to emerge from the center of the river.
At the same time, several dark figures sprang from the riverbed and landed on the massive object gradually revealing itself from the water. They respectfully said, "Welcome aboard, Boss's Boss and Boss."
Xia Muxin was startled as she looked at the enormous ship and swallowed hard before finally regaining her voice. "Uncle, is this what you call training?"
Shen Muhan lightly tapped her forehead with his long fingers and pointed across the river. "That is where training truly takes place."
At that moment, countless shadows emerged from an unknown source, and Xia Muxin suddenly realized that this was his true power. Then, she heard Shen Muhan say:
"They took ten days to dig a tunnel from the capital straight to here."
Ten days...
Xia Muxin shook her head repeatedly, hardly able to believe it. But then she thought it over and felt something was off, so she asked:
"What about Shen Muqing and the others...?"
"He actually wanted to go down and take a look. If the path below is blocked, he will naturally bring everyone back and return through that passage."
"But didn't you say there would be a tide? What if they encounter it?"
"The tide only targets those above. Even if they encounter it, they would only suffer minor injuries without any life-threatening danger."
In the end, Xia Muxin had no choice but to describe it as a bull's head.
"Muxin, hold on tight."
In an instant, Shen Muhan tightly wrapped one arm around her waist while pressing her head into his chest. With a push off his toes, they soared toward the large ship.
Xia Muxin felt the howling wind rushing past her ears, causing them to ache. Just as she registered the pain, something blocked it. Moments later, they landed on the ship, and Shen Muhan finally released her. His brow furrowed slightly, and his face appeared pale. Before Xia Muxin could voice her concern, he pulled her into the inner cabin.
"Uncle, we could have left long ago. Why have we been delaying here for so long?"
Once inside the cabin, Shen Muhan had her sit with her back to him on his lap. A dark aura slowly rose from his brow but was forcefully suppressed by him. When Xia Muxin turned her head, his expression returned to normal, and the pallor on his face seemed to fade away.
"Because there were some issues during the construction of this ship, it has been delayed for a while."
Shen Muhan wrapped his arms around her slender waist, resting his chin on her shoulder, and spoke softly.
Of course, the truth was that there were medicinal herbs here that Shen Muhan needed, and only these herbs could suppress the Child Gu within Xia Muxin. Now, he had prepared nine bottles of pills, and with tonight's dose, there would be ten bottles in total, enough for her to take for ten months.
In ten months, he would surely find a way to force the Child Gu out.
He must...
Naturally, building a ship was a large and complex project. Moreover, it was already a miracle to construct such a vessel in this era. Xia Muxin did not think much of it; after sitting for a while, she closed her eyes and fell asleep in Shen Muhan's embrace.
Seeing her peacefully asleep, Shen Muhan gently placed her on the bed and tucked her in before heading to another cabin to continue making pills with his own blood.
Since they were downstream, the journey was exceptionally smooth. Xia Muxin had never left the ship's hold. However, after that day, Shen Muhan suddenly fell ill, which frightened her greatly. Fortunately, there was Ming Yi, a half-hearted doctor here, who prevented his condition from worsening. During this time, Xia Muxin took care of him day and night.
At this moment, she was using a wrung-out towel to wipe his body. When she reached his arms, she noticed that both of his wrists were wrapped in bandages. Xia Muxin paused for a moment before reaching out to unwrap them.
She peeled back the layers one by one, feeling increasingly tense with each layer she removed. No wonder he had only held her while sleeping those days and kept his clothes on; several times when she turned over at night, she heard sounds similar to gasping. But being sleepy, she hadn’t thought much of it. Had he been injured back then? And for so long without saying anything? She had assumed he was just under pressure and lacked interest; now she regretted not paying more attention.
Gradually, his wrists were revealed before her eyes, and Xia Muxin covered her mouth as she began to quietly sob.
His wrists appeared to be scratched; however, the marks were not just one or two but several deep ones. The wounds were not shallow either. Due to the heat and lack of rest during this time, the surrounding skin had turned discolored—pale as paper—making it heart-wrenching to look at.
At the same time, she went to unwrap the gauze on his other hand. This hand was worse off; there was a fresh wound that looked like it had just been inflicted. As soon as she unwrapped the gauze, faint traces of blood were visible on it. A strange odor wafted up to her nose—strong and pungent with medicinal scent. Shen Muhan's medicines usually had a pleasant fragrance that was soothing and non-irritating; however, the smell from this wound was extremely unpleasant and carried a sharp stench. At that moment, Xia Muxin concluded that this must be the scent of poison.
Looking at his closed eyes, Xia Muxin felt utterly at a loss.
Immediately, she took a clean cloth to tend to his wounds and called for Ming Yi, asking him to fetch suitable medicine.
Ming Yi felt a pang of sympathy, but since the leader had forbidden him to speak, he cast a heavy glance at Xia Muxin before leaving with reddened eyes. After a short while, he returned with some fresh herbs. Xia Muxin then realized that the ship had docked, but it was not the final destination; they needed to procure some food nearby. To avoid drawing attention, everyone on board was disguised as merchants. The Jade Princess suggested going out to shop since she was unfamiliar with the area and would not be recognized. Ming Yi and the others were hesitant, considering she was from Qi Nation, but ultimately had no choice but to let her go.
Fortunately, she had a conscience and did not betray them. After completing her purchases, the ship set sail once more.
In addition to the fresh herbs, Ming Yi also handed Xia Muxin some external medicinal powder and explained how to use it before she urged him to leave.
Instead of crushing the herbs, she washed them and chewed them directly. The taste was incredibly pungent and bitter, making her want to vomit several times, but she managed to hold it down. After chewing the herbs thoroughly, she applied them to his wounds, later removing the residue and sprinkling on the medicinal powder Ming Yi provided. This process took over half an hour.
Shen Muhan woke up five days later. Xia Muxin was dozing at the head of the bed, one hand tightly holding his. Looking at her serene sleeping face, Shen Muhan felt an overwhelming sense of happiness as he noticed his wrist had been rewrapped with an adorable bow. He smiled silently.
In truth, he had been awake all along; his eyelids were just too heavy to open. He was aware of every movement she made, every word she spoke, and every sob that escaped her lips. He hadn’t rested for a long time and had consumed so much poison that he could barely endure it anymore.
Fortunately, he had made it through ten bottles of medicine.
His palm held a warm temperature as he turned his hand slightly to envelop her small hand within his grasp. The calluses on his fingers brushed against her delicate skin while a charming smile curved at the corners of his mouth.
Xia Muxin felt a slight tickle in her palm and slowly opened her eyes. What greeted her was Shen Muhan's handsome face magnified before her. Startled, she gasped and reached out to check his forehead for warmth.
“Fool.”
Shen Muhan chuckled softly but then pulled her closer with force. Xia Muxin let out a light gasp as she found herself leaning against him. A faint blush crept across her cheeks as her gaze flickered towards Shen Muhan. After a moment of hesitation, she asked:
“Uncle, are you hungry? Should I get you something to eat?”
Shen Muhan's lips curved into a smile as one hand moved to cradle the back of her head gently yet firmly, pressing it down slightly. Their lips met in a kiss. Xia Muxin tried to pull away, but he deepened the kiss by lowering her head further into his embrace.
"Uncle..."
Xia Muxin mumbled something indistinctly, but it was quickly swallowed by Shen Muhan. After a long while, he released her, his gaze fixed on her. The corners of his mouth curled slightly, and his dark, bright eyes sparkled with a wolfish glint as he asked in a rather cheerful tone:
"Is what you said last night true?"
Xia Muxin's face flushed, and she shrank her neck, stammering, "I... I... didn't say anything last night..."
She knew it; he must have woken up last night. How could she have been so careless to say such things while he was half asleep?
"You said... when we go back, we'll get married. If... my body hasn't recovered yet... then you will complete the wedding night."
Shen Muhan teased her by twirling a strand of her hair slowly, watching as Xia Muxin nearly buried her head into her neck. He spoke slowly and deliberately.
Um...
Wasn't it because he had been asleep for so long that she said that to provoke him?
Xia Muxin couldn't help but curse herself inwardly.
She was anxious too; he had been dazed several times over the past few days and even had a fever at night. Besides, hadn't he always been thinking about getting married? She had blurted it out without thinking.
But she had been scolding him every day; how come he hadn’t heard that but caught onto this instead?
"Muxin, I heard everything. I heard it all."
As she buried her head against his chest, turning her dark eyes filled with both annoyance and shyness towards him, Shen Muhan couldn't help but chuckle indulgently.
Xia Muxin's gaze darted around for a moment before she boldly declared, "Um... Uncle, I drank last night and I don't remember what I said."
"But I still heard you," Shen Muhan insisted, refusing to let her off the hook until she confessed the truth.
"Um... I'll go get you something to eat," Xia Muxin stammered, trying to find an excuse to escape. However, Shen Muhan tightened his grip around her, preventing her from moving, and spoke in a teasing tone, "On our wedding night, I will definitely be in bad shape."
Xia Muxin felt countless black lines appear on her forehead. She had never realized this old man could be so shameless, cursing her just for their wedding night.
Yet the mischief in his eyes was unmistakable, and that smile only made her want to punch him.
But Xia Muxin couldn't bring herself to do it.
"Um... Uncle... I won't..."
After hesitating for what felt like ages, the words she wanted to scold him with remained unspoken. Instead, she weakly blurted out something completely unrelated, wishing she could bite off her own tongue in embarrassment.
Her entire body curled up as if she were about to turn into a rabbit.
"What's wrong?" Shen Muhan would not let her evade. With a bend of her legs, Xia Muxin lunged toward his chest, while he lifted her delicate chin, speaking with a calm demeanor. Noticing that Xia Muxin dared not meet his gaze, he added, "You won't be able to escape the house, will you?"
Finally catching her in such a moment, he was determined to make her admit it with her own mouth. Otherwise, given her nature, who knew when he would be able to marry and have children? Moreover, the Ouyang Family was constantly at odds with the court, and the entire Celestial Glass was in a state where the common people could barely survive. Even if the court wanted to intervene, it would require a peculiar merchant to appear. Additionally, the Tianli Kingdom had always lagged behind in agriculture, rarely exporting goods to other countries, while other nations only supplied goods to the Ouyang Family. The market situation was extremely complicated, yet he had a premonition that Muxin would not sit idly by; once she returned, she would surely be busy every day with her own affairs, leaving him as an afterthought.
Thus, he needed to strike while the iron was hot; today must yield a satisfactory outcome for him.
Xia Muxin thought that Shen Muhan must have taken the wrong medicine last night—specifically, Ming Yi must have given her the wrong one because she had administered it herself. She resolved to confront Ming Yi about it later.
How could he think of such things while still in bed? Besides, his mind was already impure, constantly contemplating how to devour her.
With a cold expression on her face, she pushed against his chest and locked eyes with him. After a moment of silence, she muttered, "You should just stay sick."
Shen Muhan replied nonchalantly, "I think so too."
"......"
Xia Muxin felt an overwhelming urge to hit someone. Suddenly spinning around, she found herself pinned beneath a beast radiating green light.
"How about we experience it right now? Then you won't be confused anymore."
- End of Chapter -
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