Chapter 5, skin torn and flesh lacerated

Her commotion had already attracted the attention of the nearby soldiers. Someone immediately ordered, "You all come here, don't let the bandits escape! Capture them and you will be handsomely rewarded." Under the promise of great rewards, brave men would surely emerge; the others responded in unison and rushed forward. Sai Huatuo seized the opportunity, and while the smoke was still thick and not yet dissipated, he hurriedly ran out with Cai He, dashed across to the opposite side, and crouched down by the wall. He pushed aside a dog hole hidden deep within the flowers and trees of the neighboring yard, which was just big enough for a person to pass through. If it weren't for familiarity, it would be hard to discover that there was indeed another world here. He pushed Cai He in first, then followed her in, moving with great skill, clearly having done this many times before.

Wei Sikong held back the tears that were about to well up in his eyes and asked, "What did Yiming say before he died?"

As soon as she was struck, Yun'er felt a rush of stars before her eyes, her body ablaze with pain, unbearable and intense, crying out like a slaughtered pig: "Unjust! Help!" Her cries were heart-wrenching, akin to the wails of ghosts and wolves, a sound so tragic it was unbearable to hear, and one could fear that everyone in the entire mansion had heard it. Young Master Yan frowned and said displeasedly: "Hit her hard, until she can no longer make a sound!" The one wielding the stick, upon hearing this, indeed struck without mercy, each blow heavier than the last.

Feng Chen glanced at her, a small and weak woman, unafraid in the face of danger, remaining calm and composed even when confronted by a formidable enemy. Such courage is indeed quite rare. He waved his hand and shouted, "Take her away!" Someone stepped forward, bound her hands behind her back, and tied her up securely before throwing her into the carriage. Yun'er shouted, "I will obediently go with you, there are so many of you, even if I wanted to escape, I couldn't. Could you please not tie me up so tightly?"

Wei Sikong suddenly knelt before him, his eyes reflecting a hint of sorrow, and with his head lowered, he said: "Young Master, you are aware of my relationship with Yiming... Sikong has known you since childhood, we studied together and practiced swordsmanship together, and I have never asked you for anything. This time, I implore you to hand this person over to me, and I will be immensely grateful!"

Cai He noticed that everyone was looking at her, and her face turned pale with fright. "I, I... I don't know!" Yun Er said angrily, "You were the only one who went out just now, and then so many officials and soldiers came. You say you don't know?" She stepped closer, her eyes revealing a sinister expression. Cai He understood her thoughts and, contrary to her previous weak demeanor, stood up to defend herself: "If I truly harbored resentment because of my sister's words this morning and foolishly reported it to the authorities, would I still return here and fall into my own trap? I just went out to Tianxiang Courtyard to ask an old friend to prepare some of my usual delicate clothing for me. I was afraid of being discovered, so I sneaked in. I also don't know how so many officials and soldiers suddenly appeared out of nowhere."

Yun'er found her reasoning to be sound, and upon careful consideration, it indeed seemed so. She should not be foolish enough to act in such a manner. Frowning, she said: "That is also because your whereabouts were exposed, which led to the disclosure of our hiding place, humph!" Cai He glanced at her, then lowered her head in silence.

Upon seeing this, Young Master Yan sighed and, after a moment of thought, decided that it would be beneficial to leave a survivor, allowing for a longer line to catch a bigger fish, while also planning to capture that Eastern Abandoner in one fell swoop. He then said: "Sikong, a person cannot be brought back to life once dead, so do not grieve too much. This woman is cunning and deceitful, so you must not trust her easily."

Several people's faces turned pale, and they were at a loss for what to do. It was truly a situation where calling out to the heavens yielded no response, and calling out to the earth was equally futile. One was a beautiful lantern that could be easily damaged by a gust of wind; another was a doctor who only knew herbal medicine; and the last one was not much better, possessing only mediocre skills, capable of climbing trees but ultimately helpless when it came to serious fighting.

Sai Huatuo urged, "Now is not the time to pursue this matter; escaping is of utmost importance. Look outside, the soldiers are densely packed, leaving no room for water to flow. Dongfang is also not here; we must quickly devise a plan to escape. Once captured, we may only end up being carried out horizontally."

Feng Chen led his men back into the room for a search and asked, "Where are the others?" Someone below replied, "There is no one in the room; the food on the table is still warm, which suggests they have fled." Feng Chen remained silent and ordered, "Send some people to find a concealed place to keep watch around, especially at night; keep your eyes wide open. The monk may escape, but the temple cannot. They will eventually return. The rest of you come back with me to report; the young master will certainly reward you handsomely." He ordered again, "Send some people to find a concealed place to keep watch around, especially at night; keep your eyes wide open. The monk may escape, but the temple cannot. They will eventually return. The rest of you come back with me to report; the young master will certainly reward you handsomely."

Sai Huatuo grabbed her firmly, knowing that she intended to take a risk to divert the attention of the officials, allowing herself and Cai He to escape. "No, no, we must live together or die together. Dongfang Qi has returned, how can I explain this to him!" He would be angry with himself otherwise.

Yun'er stammered and was unable to speak. The matter concerning Wei Sikong and Sun Yiming was all told to her by Dongfang Qi, who mentioned that at the time of Sun Yiming's death, he and Wu Butong were present and witnessed the entire process. Therefore, in order to save her own life, she fabricated such a colossal lie, and with her face flushed, she spoke the truth: "Young Master Wei, I am very sorry, but I actually do not know what Young Master Sun said before he died..." Seeing the instant expression of disappointment and pain on Wei Sikong's face, she hurriedly added: "However, do not be sad. Dongfang Qi knows; he said that at that time, Young Master Sun had someone bring a qin, sang a song, and smiled as he drank the poison in his hand, feeling very at peace. As for what he said, I will ask him for you the next time we meet, is that alright?"

Yun'er groaned in pain, crying out loudly, her ten fingers tightly gripping the bed sheet beneath her, her face pale. After finally catching her breath, she wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and weakly said: "Young Master Wei, thank you."

Wei Sikong let out a chuckle, shaking his head and saying, "Interesting, interesting." Yun'er shot him a glance, thinking to herself that it was amusing to see him so entertained; she considered herself a person who knew how to adapt to circumstances, and a true gentleman should be able to bend and stretch as needed! Seeing her like this, Young Master Yan's face darkened even further, and he began to interrogate her: "Speak, who sent you to assassinate me?"

Yun'er appears young, yet her actions are quite shrewd; she remains calm in the face of danger, displaying quick wit and decisiveness. She threw a smoke bomb outside, and while everyone was unable to open their eyes and was coughing desperately, she crouched down and slipped away. She had not run more than ten steps when she heard someone shouting loudly behind her: "In front! Over there, chase!" Upon hearing this, she immediately threw another smoke bomb to obstruct the pursuers' line of sight, and with the wind at her feet, she dashed towards the dark alley across the street.

It seems that the feud between the two individuals has been firmly established

Young Master Yan was somewhat surprised; he intended to frame her with a charge that would lead to her death, but he did not truly believe that she intended to assassinate him. Otherwise, at Tianxiang Courtyard, she would not have used a laxative but rather poison. He then said, "Alright, you speak!" to see what trick she still wanted to play.

Someone dragged her into the yard, pressed her onto a wooden bench, and began to beat her indiscriminately. Young Master Yan stood by, watching coldly, and scoffed: "Not going to speak, are you? Let's see whether your mouth is tougher or my stick is harder!"

When Young Master Yan saw her daring to stare at him unblinkingly in such a situation, coupled with the thought of the laxative and the slop from last night, he was filled with uncontrollable anger, and a fire of rage suddenly blazed within him. He shouted, "You have a lot of nerve, kneel down!" Immediately, someone beside him reached out to kick her knee. Although her martial arts skills were not impressive, she was extremely agile and quick to react, spinning and jumping to evade the kick. Without waiting for anyone to force her, she immediately raised her hands and said, "Don't hit me, don't hit me, I will kneel, I will kneel!" As she spoke, she bent her knee and knelt down. This person is delusional; does he think he is the King of Heaven, that everyone must kneel before him? Remembering the kick he delivered yesterday, which was both fierce and heavy, her knee still ached from it.

Wei Sikong looked at her, who had already fainted, and was startled. He hurriedly stepped out and stammered, "Young Master, Young Master, I do not know her. This woman has ulterior motives and is deliberately framing me!" In truth, he was not without shock in his heart. He was the heir of the Wei family, one of the four great families of the Jianghu, known as "Longhou Shi Wei." The Wei family not only held a prestigious position in the martial arts world but also wielded significant influence in the court. Generally, people in the Jianghu referred to him as "Young Hero Wei," while only those familiar with him in the capital would call him "Heir Wei." Moreover, there was a more crucial point—how did she know Sun Yiming? Was there really something left for him by Yiming before his death? Upon thinking of this, he could not help but feel a deep anguish, his heart breaking with sorrow.

Yun'er slowly regained consciousness, her body feeling as if it were being cut by knives, burning with pain that seemed to penetrate to the marrow, gnawing at the most vulnerable nerve endings with each pulse. She could hardly hold her breath and nearly fainted again. Wei Sikong sat nearby, leisurely sipping tea, not lifting his head as he said: "Awake? Now you can tell me how you knew about Yiming, can't you?" His gaze gradually turned cold.

Yun'er’s eyes darted around, and she exclaimed, "Oh dear, oh dear—Wei Shizi, at this moment, I have only half a breath left in me. Can you save me completely? Please see me through to the end, and bring some gold sore medicine or life-saving pills or something. I truly cannot bear the pain any longer; I have no strength left to speak!"

Yun'er, unfamiliar with the terrain, flailed about like a headless fly, desperately kicking down a soldier and seizing his knife for protection. While fending off the tide of incoming troops, she dashed left and right in search of an opportunity to escape, already exhausted and panting heavily, drenched in sweat. Having run out of smoke bombs and with the pursuers drawing ever closer, the situation became extremely urgent. Upon realizing that she had stumbled into a dead end, she cried out, "Heaven has abandoned me," and simply threw away the weapon in her hand, reasoning that further resistance was futile and it would be better to conserve her strength and surrender. With her head hung low, she said to the commanding officer Feng Chen, "You can kill or mutilate me as you please; this should suffice, right!"

Yun'er was still dressed in men's clothing, tightly bound, with her hair disheveled as she was brought in. She was cursing and expressing her dissatisfaction when she looked up and saw the Young Master Yan, whom she had tormented to the point of being unrecognizable yesterday. A cry of despair echoed in her heart; this was truly retribution, arriving swiftly. Given his vengeful and sinister nature, even if she did not die this time, she would lose at least half of her life.

Young Master Yan's eyes darted back and forth between the two, revealing a look of confusion. After a moment of thought, he said: "Lock her up, keep a close watch, and interrogate her later"

Feng Chen turned his head and glanced at her, expressionless, and said: "Gag her." Immediately, someone stuffed a wad of coarse cloth into her mouth, foul-smelling and extremely unpleasant. Yun'er immediately kicked and thrashed, mumbling and crying out, rolling around in the carriage to express her dissatisfaction. Her head banged against the carriage wall with a loud thud, instantly swelling into a large bump, causing her to grimace in pain. The people outside heard the commotion and threatened her: "Behave yourself, or I'll kill you with one knife!" Yun'er thought about it and realized that struggling was futile, so she could only sigh inwardly, resigning herself to fate.

Yun Er is perplexed, "Who has nothing better to do than to assassinate you after having a full meal!" Could it be that he is so extraordinarily handsome that it incites the wrath of heaven and the resentment of people, leading everyone to think of ruining his looks?

Hearing her words, Wei Sikong swayed slightly, almost unable to support himself, and hurriedly stood up to leave. Yun'er quickly asked, "Young Master Wei, are you alright?" He turned his back, saying, "I am fine. You spoke the truth without deceiving me, which is good. You should stay here and take care of your injuries; there will be someone to look after you."

Young Master Yan, dressed in a dark black warrior outfit, had just finished practicing his swordsmanship. Fine beads of sweat glistened on his face, accentuating his brows like spring mountains and his complexion like powdered makeup. After taking a sip of tea, he leisurely said: "Did you only catch one? Bring him up!"

The young master Yan remained unmoved and shouted, "What are you dawdling for? Keep hitting!" He displayed a determination to not stop until he had beaten the person to death. In an instant, the blows fell like rain, crackling loudly, to the point where the victim had no strength left to even cry for help, rolling their eyes in despair, breathing heavily. She slumped on the stool, thinking that she absolutely could not be beaten to death without understanding why. Gathering the last of her strength, she said in a broken voice, "You... don't you want me to confess? Fine... I'll tell you..." Upon hearing this, the assailants momentarily ceased their actions.

After less than ten blows, Yun'er could no longer bear it, her eyes closed and barely breathing, her voice hoarse, her buttocks bleeding profusely, swollen to half a finger's height, bruised and battered, her body in tatters, half of her life gone. Seeing no hope for rescue, she gritted her teeth and, with a hoarse throat, said: "You are forcing a confession through torture!"

Three individuals hurriedly arrived at the back door, peering through the crack to look outside, where they found armed soldiers standing everywhere, each searching for a concealed spot to ambush. They then rushed to the side door on the west, only to encounter the same situation; after gasping for breath, they returned to the little-known side entrance, only to find it still heavily guarded. It seemed that the commanding officer had already thoroughly surveyed the terrain, laying out a meticulous trap, waiting to catch them all without missing a single one.

Wei Sikong turned his head and saw her face pale, her lips bitten and bleeding, with remnants of brown blood clots. She appeared weak and lifeless, lying motionless in a pool of blood, her eyes timidly gazing at him, a truly pitiful sight. Such a frail young woman, beaten to this extent, was indeed deserving of sympathy. Moreover, thinking of Yiming, his heart ached, softening him a little, and he said: "Endure a bit, this is a rare healing elixir, it stops bleeding and disperses bruises, very effective." As he spoke, he carefully tore open her inner garment that had embedded itself in her flesh, personally sprinkling the medicinal powder on her wounds, and added: "There are no injuries to the tendons or bones; with some rest for ten days to half a month, you will recover."

Young Master Yan snorted, "Not confessing, is it? Someone, drag him out and beat him until he confesses." Yun'er let out a loud cry of "Ah! This is unjust! I don't even know who you are, why would I want to assassinate you! I have no grievances with you in the past, nor any enmity recently; there is simply no reason for it!" Suddenly recalling the castor beans and the wash water from last night, even with her sharp tongue and eloquence, she could no longer continue.

Yun'er saw his sadness, paused for a moment, and still reached out to hold his fingers tightly, saying: "Young Master Wei, liking men is not something to be ashamed of; on the contrary, it earns more respect. Because you dare to speak it out openly, it requires immense courage, a courage that none of us can match... nor can we match Sun Yiming." In fact, these words were not hers, but rather those of Dongfang Qi.

Feng Chen escorted Yun'er back to the "Falling Flower Courtyard" outside the city in a grand manner. Upon entering, he reported: "Young Master, we only captured one, the others have all escaped."

Yun'er recalled something, propping herself up, and said to the one who had already stepped outside: "Will that Young Master Yan kill me?" Wei Sikong turned back to glance at her and replied, "As long as you do not provoke him, he will not kill you. In fact, he does not like to kill." Upon hearing this, Yun'er patted her chest and sighed in relief, realizing that her life was temporarily spared. Amitabha, thank heaven and earth, fortunately, she is blessed and has a strong fate, and it is not so easy for her to die. Patted her chest and sighed in relief, it seems that her life is temporarily spared. Amitabha, thank heaven and earth, fortunately, she is blessed and has a strong fate, and it is not so easy for her to die.

Wei Sikong sighed and said, "No, no, no, it was I who harmed him..." As he spoke, the once spirited young hero who had single-handedly challenged the "Ten Tyrants of Yanshan" in his youth actually reddened his eyes. The tears of a hero evoke an even greater sense of sorrow

Hearing this, Wei Sikong trembled; never had anyone shown him such respect. Not only did they respect him, but they also respected the performer Sun Yiming, who was looked down upon by the world. It was truly a great confidant in life, something that one could encounter but not seek. His heart couldn't help but warm up, filled with gratitude, as he asked, "Do you really think so?" She nodded emphatically, patting the back of his hand, and said, "Yes, you have done nothing wrong. You simply have a sincere affection for Sun Yiming. Although he has passed away, I believe he must be happy in his heart."

Yun'er shook her head: "Young Master Wei, you did not harm him. With such deep feelings you have for him, how could he think you have harmed him? The reason he faced death calmly is because he has feelings for you in his heart." If one were to put themselves in another's shoes, if someone treated her this way, she would willingly accept death.

Hearing this, Wei Sikong's gaze dimmed, and he turned his head away, no longer speaking. Yun'er hurriedly said, "There is nothing wrong with liking men; it is the same as liking women. You should not be sad." Wei Sikong's affection for men, disregarding societal norms, was indeed shocking and defied the conventions of the world. Many people advised him, but he would not listen, which infuriated Old Master Wei, who drove him out of the house with a stick. He abandoned his family and felt deeply guilty, not realizing that it ultimately led to the death of Sun Yiming. He has been plagued by guilt ever since, feeling despondent and melancholic. Many people advised him, but he would not listen, which infuriated Old Master Wei, who drove him out of the house with a stick. He abandoned his family and felt deeply guilty, not realizing that it ultimately led to the death of Sun Yiming. He has been plagued by guilt ever since, feeling despondent and melancholic.

Yun Er did not expect the government to act so swiftly this time. They are not notorious bandits committing heinous crimes, so it is surprising that such a large number of well-trained and disciplined elite soldiers have been dispatched. The situation makes it seem as if they are being treated as imperial criminals. She felt a headache coming on and let out a silent sigh

Wei Sikong raised an eyebrow and said, "Are you really so at ease letting a complete stranger, a big man, apply medicine to you? After all, you are still a young lady. Do you not understand the difference between men and women? Are you not worried about what others might say if this gets out?" Yun'er turned her head in surprise and replied, "Aren't you fond of men?" She had long regarded him as a woman.

Yun'er changed her expression and turned back to run, glaring fiercely at Cai He and asking, "Why are you trying to harm us?" Sai Huatuo also sensed that something was wrong and rushed out, panting, saying, "Why are there so many officials and soldiers outside?" He had always been law-abiding, content with his lot, paying taxes and offering medical services to save lives, never engaging in any acts that would harm others—why had he attracted the attention of the authorities today?

Yun'er took a breath and suddenly pointed at Wei Sikong, saying: "Young Master Wei, save me! Sun Yiming... had something to say before his death..." Before she could finish her words, a wave of intense pain surged through her internal organs, and unable to endure it any longer, her head tilted and she fainted.

Wei Sikong stood by, gloating and said: "It seems there will be a spectacle to watch now." To dare to stir up trouble on the head of the Tai Sui, isn't that seeking one's own death! Thinking of Young Master Yan's unprecedented embarrassment and anger last night, he couldn't help but admire the courage of that person named Yun'er, shaking his head and sighing, truly a young calf not afraid of tigers

Yun'er decisively said: "Time is running out. Fortunately, we discovered it early. Once they complete the encirclement, they will break in and capture us. We should act separately. Sai Huatuo and Cai He will head towards the less populated side door, while I will go to the side door next to you. Let's disperse to increase our chances of success. This is a smoke bomb, a trick from the martial world. Sai Huatuo, you and Cai He take it for self-defense. If anything goes wrong, make a quick escape. If you manage to get away, hurry to find Dongfang Qi and have him come to rescue me." Saying this, he was about to leave.

Yun'er scolded, "Are you stupid? If you get caught together, there won't even be a chance to call for help. Your top priority is to quickly find Dongfang, there is nothing he cannot handle in this world. Don't worry, you won't die; after all, they have to present the captured person for interrogation in court!" She was fully aware that the situation ahead was perilous, perhaps even life-threatening, yet she resolutely stepped out. When she opened the door, she glanced back at them and urged, "I will try my best to buy some time. You must escape and find Dongfang Qi, and have him come quickly to rescue me, I am afraid of pain." She feared hardship, dreaded suffering, sought comfort, and was averse to labor, yet she still stepped out without hesitation. If there was anyone in this world she completely trusted, it was undoubtedly Dongfang Qi.

Yesterday, after the two escaped from "Hongyan Laibin," Dongfang Qi commented on the skills of Young Master Yan, and casually mentioned to her that Wei Sikong actually preferred men. She widened her eyes in surprise, feeling somewhat disdainful of him. A young man who had gained fame as a scion of a martial arts family, whom everyone addressed as "Young Hero Wei," actually liked men—how could one accept this? At that moment, Dongfang Qi made the aforementioned remarks, which caused her to view Wei Sikong in a new light and subsequently feel sympathy for him. A young man who had gained fame as a scion of a martial arts family, whom everyone addressed as "Young Hero Wei," actually liked men—how could one accept this? At that moment, Dongfang Qi made the aforementioned remarks, which caused her to view Wei Sikong in a new light and subsequently feel sympathy for him.