NOVEL NEXT Chapter 14 - Brother! Are You Still Alive?
As the night gradually deepened, the Zuo's Mansion reverted to its usual tranquility. Nanny Liu, too old to stay awake all night, had retired, leaving Luo Xiaoliu as the sole vigil keeper.
Just past midnight, Zuo Shaoqing awoke to the sound of heavy breathing emanating from outside. He climbed out of bed, donned a gray robe, and ventured forth.
Silently, he approached Luo Xiaoliu, scrutinizing the capable attendant up close. Zuo Shaoqing found himself quite content with Luo Xiaoliu's recent performance. “If you prove your loyalty to me, then past grievances will be forgiven,” he whispered.
Zuo Shaoqing gently pushed open the door and ventured outside.
It had been nearly half a month since he last left this room, and the need for some fresh air had become undeniable. Given the scarcity of night staff, he harbored little concern about being discovered.
Passing by the Wu Ya Academy, Zuo Shaoqing's expression turned icy. He gracefully leaped onto the roof and made his way towards Mrs. Xue's chamber.
While he had only advanced to the first stage of the Heart Cleansing Method, and his martial skills were scarcely superior to that of an attendant, his qinggong had returned to peak form.
As he lay on the rooftop, Zuo Shaoqing overheard Mrs. Xue's restrained tirade from below. “That wretched old woman! After all the effort I put into organizing this birthday banquet, purely for the sake of her reputation, she had the audacity to humiliate me in front of everyone!”
Zuo Shaoqing had just witnessed Mrs. Xue shoving away a servant girl offering her water before pacing around the room in anger.
“Mother, you know that Grandmother holds her faith in Buddha above all else. Third Brother's wedding gift truly resides in your heart.” In the room, Zuo Shuhui dismissed the servant girl and guided Mrs. Xue to a stool, urging her to take a seat.
“Hmph, your elder brother spent a fortune on that Jade Guanyin, only to be outdone by a few scraps of paper. How can I accept this?”
“What if he enjoyed some temporary glory? It was just a fleeting moment of fame, not an ascent to the heavens. Someday, my daughter will embroider a Guan Yin image for Grandmother. I assure you, she will be pleased.”
“Well, that would be quite time-consuming. It's not worth the effort!” Mrs. Xue patted her daughter's hand, “If you have the time, why not weave a few sets of Lover's quilts for yourself? That way, the Cao Family can savor my daughter's culinary skills.”
“Mother…” Zuo Shuhui leaned coyly against Mrs. Xue's back and said, “I don't want to get married.” Yet, her eyes gleamed with determination.
“That's enough; you should be content. Although the Cao Family is only of the fifth rank, Cao Zongguan is already a High Scholar. In the future, you'll be the proper official's wife with a title.”
Zuo Shaoqing nearly sneered. He had almost forgotten about this matter. Indeed, Zuo Shuhui had been betrothed to Lu Zheng before he married Lu Zheng. It was unclear whether Young Master Lu was genuinely unaware or simply indifferent.
He knew that the mother and daughter were quite content with Cao Zongguan. However, when Lu Zheng came to the Zuo Family, expressing his interest in marrying into their family, the mother-daughter duo readily gave up on the Cao Family, allowing Zuo Shuyu from the second branch to step into Zuo Shuhui's position.
Zuo Shuhui and Cao Zongguan had already undergone the betrothal ceremony, so technically, they shouldn't dissolve the engagement. However, Mrs. Xue had personally approached the Cao Family, insinuating that Young Master Lu had set his sights on Miss Zuo.
Lu Zheng, the sole Duke with a different surname in Great Yang, was known as the “War God,” a formidable general commanding a mighty army. Regardless of Cao Family's grievances, they wouldn't dare challenge him.
Aside from Cao Family's setback, those in the second and third branches were elated. As for whether Lu Zheng suffered a setback, Zuo Shaoqing had no knowledge of it.
Disinclined to hear more, Zuo Shaoqing left the rooftop and dashed toward Green Foot Academy. He quickly reached the thatched hut located behind the academy.
Earlier in the day, Luo Xiaoliu had mentioned that this hut had been tidied up and stocked with daily essentials, which was the sole reason Zuo Shaoqing sought refuge there. He couldn't think of any other place to go.
The biting winter night was bone-chilling. The moonlight, veiled with a silvery frost, cast an eerie glow on the ground. Zuo Shaoqing halted about ten steps from the thatched cottage.
What's this… the scent of blood? Someone here? How could that be? Perhaps a passing hunter?
He was about to voice these thoughts—how people tend to exploit opportunities—when it occurred to him that he, Zuo Shaoqing, would never allow anyone to lay claim to a place like this!
Zuo Shaoqing cautiously pushed open the door and stepped inside. The hut was just one room, making it evident what lay within. The person he had mistaken for a hunter lay motionless on the floor.
Zuo Shaoqing took a step back. The room reeked of blood. It was evident this person had suffered severe injuries, and he didn't wish to invite trouble.
However, he couldn't simply let the person perish here, could he? Otherwise, he'd have to abandon this carefully arranged thatched cottage.
Zuo Shaoqing approached quietly and used the tip of his shoe to nudge the “body” on the floor. “Hey, friend, are you still alive?”
No response? Zuo Shaoqing cautiously increased the pressure under his foot, yet there was still no reaction.
Was he already deceased? That would be convenient. He could simply dispose of the person in the ravine and obliterate any trace of them. In a couple of days, not even a speck of bone would remain.
Zuo Shaoqing knelt down, turned the man over, and placed two fingers on the man's carotid artery.
There was indeed a pulse, faint but still a sign of life.
In the moonlight, Zuo Shaoqing located the oil lamp prepared in the room. After lighting it, he meticulously assessed the man sprawled on the ground.
“Hiss… So much blood?” He observed the ground beneath the man, entirely soaked in crimson. Zuo Shaoqing murmured to himself, “He's not dead yet; he's remarkably resilient. Seems like he's not an ordinary individual.”
Undoing the man's clothing, Zuo Shaoqing examined him from head to toe, noticing that the most severe injuries were on his shoulders and thighs, each marked by a shattered arrow. While there were minor abrasions elsewhere, they appeared more like scratches.
To rescue or not to rescue? Zuo Shaoqing sat on the bed, his gaze fixed on the man on the floor. Merely from his attire, one could surmise that he belonged to a wealthy or noble class.
When Zuo Shaoqing beheld that face, he felt somewhat taken aback. Despite the stubble on the man's chin, his resolute and handsome visage compelled him to take a closer look.
“Given your appearance, you needn't worry about repaying me for saving your life.” Zuo Shaoqing muttered to himself as he began searching the thatched cottage for tools.
He dared not extract the two shattered arrows. If they had barbed heads, pulling them out could prove fatal rather than life-saving.
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