Chapter Seven, Hongyu

Chu Youcai remained unperturbed and replied, "I understand. Is there anything else?"

Chu Youcai closed the door, yet the killing intent in his gaze did not dissipate. The pressure from the other party was intense, and their ulterior motives regarding Yun Cuixian only heightened his sense of urgency. He was well aware that although his strength had improved, it was still far from sufficient to confront a casino run by a leader associated with the Chu Duke's residence alone.

The man stood at an angle, holding a portrait in his hand, and coldly snorted at Chu Youcai, saying: "Yesterday, a young girl went missing from our casino. Have you seen her?" He showed the portrait to Chu Youcai, and the girl depicted in it was unmistakably Hongyu, the one he had rescued.

The young girl, whom she met for the first time, possessed a graceful elegance reminiscent of a lotus flower, which evoked a sense of fondness in her. She instructed the maid to boil water and assist the girl with her bath, but no matter what she asked during this process, the girl did not respond a single word. The girl's gaze was filled with vigilance and skepticism.

The tall and thin man was taken aback by a glance and a shout from Chu Youcai, instantly frightened to the core. Normally arrogant, he suddenly felt as if he were facing a giant bear, at any moment to be turned into minced meat. He immediately recalled that Chu Youcai was the third son of the prince's residence, known for his extravagant lifestyle, someone he could not provoke. In a panic, he fled the scene without a second thought, walking a considerable distance before regaining his composure. He spat out, "Damn it, I wonder how long you can hold on!" However, after saying this, he took a distant look at the walled courtyard of Chu Youcai, trembling with fear as he walked away.

He continued to practice shooting. As the saying goes, mastering one method leads to mastery of a hundred methods; he had developed a certain fierce aura in his marksmanship, becoming increasingly obsessed with his training.

When the maid Juxue saw her awake, she brought in a bathing tub, helped her wipe her body, and dressed her. Hongyu thought to herself that the other party was quite patient, then took a sip of water and was led to the hall. In the hall, Yuncui Xian was waiting for her, with some vegetables and rice on the table, along with a bit of meat soup, which was a luxury that Hongyu had not seen for a long time. After the young girl finished eating, it was Yuncui Xian, who had been tenderly attending to her, who said: "Your rescuer, the official Chu, is in the courtyard."

She was filled with astonishment—did they really not intend to sell her?

"Tsk tsk, do you not realize your current predicament?" the man mocked, saying, "If it were me, I would have hurried to find this girl long ago. If you manage to catch her, three thousand taels would be enough for you to easily repay your gambling debts, and you wouldn't have to sell your wife. Otherwise, if you disturb our leader, you won't be able to bear the consequences!" He seemed to be waiting for Chu Youcai to take the portrait and leave this place before making a move.

Yet a trace of bitterness surged within her: what does it matter even if one is a good person? The power of that leader is far beyond what an ordinary person can imagine. Even if Chu Youcai is strong, he would not last even a round against that leader.

Chu Youcai awoke from a dream, feeling a significant reduction in his overall fatigue. In the world of Tuo Long Mountain and River Pearl, he had hardly slept well for an entire year, as he was constantly worried about the arrival of the Northern Abyss Extreme Bear each night. Therefore, upon waking today, he immediately applied the techniques of the Tuo Long Palm he had learned to his gun.

An incredible thought flashed through her mind: Could they be good people

Yun Cui Xian and the maid Ju Xue both looked startled, could it be that Wang Hai has come again? The voice sounded extremely unfriendly

Looking at the words "final note" on the paper, Yun Cuixian felt a myriad of mixed emotions in her heart, unable to express them in any way

However, he was somewhat surprised by the young girl; her reward was three thousand taels, which was already unattainable. In Yanzhou, even a person's servant would only be worth a few dozen taels at most, which illustrates how precious the girl was to that leader

Yun Cui Xian leaned against the door and gazed out, her eyes filled with concern. From noon to dusk, and finally to the night of pouring rain, her heart struggled countless times throughout the day

His sense of urgency is growing stronger; he must improve himself as soon as possible

Chu Youcai's gaze was filled with murderous intent as he said, "Get lost!" At that moment, he discerned the lewdness in the other person's eyes, and his face was suffused with a greenish hue, exuding an oppressive aura as if a blade could be drawn at any moment to kill.

Thus, he deliberately immersed himself in marksmanship, as if ignoring everything around him

The deadline for repayment has not yet arrived! Chu Youcai opened the door latch and saw a tall and thin man.

After extinguishing the kerosene lamp, she gently lay down beside Chu Youcai after unfastening her clothes. In the deep of night, she was unable to sleep, yet her eyes were filled with captivating affection

At present, she speculates that this Chu Youcai probably wants to wait until he clarifies who the leader is before taking her to receive the reward money, only to lament her own weakness, lacking the power to protect herself

Chu Youcai glanced and said without a moment's hesitation: "No."

Having weapons in hand will undoubtedly enhance his combat effectiveness

He had already noticed the girl Hongyu beside him, and he felt a sense of shared suffering for her. This girl was about the same age as his sister, yet her circumstances were so harsh. Her hands were as cold as ice; no matter how hard he tried to warm them when he returned yesterday, he could not. He felt pity in his heart and did not want to force this girl to do anything against her will. If she was unwilling to reveal the identity of her leader, he would not press her.

The next morning, the young girl Hongyu woke up. It had been a long time since she had slept in a comfortable bed, peacefully. However, she did not know where her future lay, nor how long she could continue living like this. Yet, she knew that being able to take a hot shower and wear brand new clothes was a wish that had been a luxury for her for a very long time

Adding to his concern that the old madam might arrive at any moment, he practiced his marksmanship in the courtyard until noon

If he can come back, if he can come back, I will do my utmost to treat him well, and I will certainly help him share his worries! The pain in Yun Cuixian's heart was excruciating.

"It is I, Cui Xian." The familiar voice rang out at that moment, causing her to be instantly overwhelmed with tears. She opened the door with the utmost speed.

Now that he has written such poetry, has he been driven to the brink and is preparing for a final desperate battle? ... If he were to fail, I fear he may never be able to see him again...

The man cast a lewd glance at the maid Hongju beside Chu Youcai, then looked around the room, revealing a sinister smile as he said: "The leader has stated that whoever can provide information about this young girl will be rewarded with five hundred taels of silver, and if someone can bring her back, the reward will be three thousand taels. Anyone who conceals or harbors her will surely face the destruction of their family at the gambling house."

After the girl changed her clothes and went to bed, she returned to the room. At that moment, she had a thousand words to say to Chu Youcai and also wanted to ask who the girl was. However, she found that Chu Youcai had already fallen into a deep sleep on the bed

I am a person from the casino! The person outside impatiently said: "Open the door quickly"

Chu Youcai conceals his talents and remains hidden, yet he does not understand himself, and is met with various evasions from others; undoubtedly, he harbors unspoken suffering within.

Long ago, that leader treated her in the same way at first, but soon began to confine and imprison her. The man from yesterday took her in because he had ulterior motives; how is he any different from that leader? I fear that once he achieves his goal today, he will discard her like a worn-out shoe.

Boil some hot water, help her take a bath, change her into a clean set of clothes, and let her sleep with Juxue tonight," Chu Youcai said, pointing at the young girl.

The more she pondered, the more she was astonished within. If this poem were composed by those renowned literary talents, it would surely shock the world and be recited far and wide, thus gaining the literary elegance that countless people yearn for. Yet, such a poem, such a poem, was unexpectedly created by someone she had always held in contempt!

Hong Yuxin arrived and walked into the courtyard, only to see Chu Youcai skillfully wielding the silver spear. His spear technique was like that of a dragon, faintly echoing a dragon's roar, dancing with such agility that it seemed impervious to water and fire. She quietly watched, saying nothing, simply waiting for Chu Youcai to ask her.

The poem "Jinse" has been lingering in her mind. This poem is magnificent and grand, capturing the fleeting and bewildering nature of life as expressed in Zhuangzi's dream of a butterfly. It conveys the persistent pursuit of longing as depicted in Wang Di's spring heart, while the tears of the sea dragon evoke a vast solitude. The warmth of the sun in Lantian conveys a sense of warm yet hazy joy

She felt she had countless words to say to Chu Youcai, but the moment she opened the door, she was stunned. Chu Youcai was dressed in a cloak and carried a long spear, and beside him stood a pure and pristine young girl holding a dagger

It is unclear how much time has passed, when suddenly a loud knocking sound came from outside the door, accompanied by a voice shouting: "Is Chu Youcai available?"

At this moment, Hongyu knew that the portrait must be of her. If an ordinary person were to learn of the existence of three thousand taels of silver, they would have long been envious and drooling over it. Moreover, having just heard that Chu Youcai still owed gambling debts and was planning to sell his wife to repay them, she understood even more clearly that this time, there was no way for her to escape. However, Chu Youcai did not reveal her.

At that moment, she suddenly heard a knock at the door. She completely forgot to call the maid Juxue and hurried to the door, trembling as she asked, "Who is it?"

Chu Youcai subtly gestured to Yun Cui Xian, indicating for her to take the young girl Hong Yu into the inner room. Afterward, he concealed the gun nearby, yet within reach, and then asked in a low voice: "Who?"

***

He possesses such great talent, yet for so many years he has never shown any signs of it. The reason is likely due to the suppression by the Lady of the Duke of Chu's residence. If it were discovered that he had extraordinary abilities, he would probably have perished long ago

Yun Cui Xian looked at the man, Chu Youcai, before her. At this moment, he exuded a resilient aura akin to a sharp sword, making her feel deeply that he was her support.

Therefore, the young girl must absolutely not be captured by that gang leader

After lunch, Hongyu discovered a plate of noodles in front of her, along with a large bowl of meat sauce. She ate without tasting the food, but beside her, Chu Youcai and Yun Cuixian had the same meal, and they also ate in silence. After finishing, Chu Youcai went to the courtyard to practice martial arts.