59 - Crazy! Criticizing the Prime Minister for Being a Servant

Chapter 59: You... Ran Fan Yin's expression instantly turned cold. He took a few steps forward, reached out to touch the bed, and tightened his brows: "It's still warm; it hasn't been long since she left." Lin Yu Xue quickly responded, "I'll immediately instruct them to relocate the hiding place and then search for her separately." "Wait," Ran Fan Yin stopped Lin Yu Xue's movements, "It might not be as we thought. Although Ning Song Wu is severely injured, she's still conscious. If she had been forcibly taken, the bed sheets wouldn't have just a few folds. From the way the bedding is left and the mess on the bed edges, it looks like she got up herself." "So, maybe she just went out for some fresh air?" Lin Yu Xue let out a sigh of relief, shook her head, and smiled. Ran Fan Yin carefully surveyed the surroundings, his gaze becoming sharper when he noticed a pile of clothes at the foot of the bed: "The set of men's clothing she was wearing is gone." Lin Yu Xue walked over to the table, intending to pour herself a glass of water for a breather, when she spotted a note under a teacup. She smiled, "Look at us, worrying so much; we didn't even notice this. Isn't this a note she left?" Ran Fan Yin walked over and took the note. It succinctly read: Out for a walk, no need to worry. "Is it her handwriting?" Lin Yu Xue asked after taking a sip of water. Ran Fan Yin's mind relaxed slightly; the note was indeed in Ning Song Wu's handwriting. However, a sense of unease still lingered in his heart. "In any case, now is not the time to be complacent. We need to find her immediately and leave Zhongyang City without delay," Ran Fan Yin firmly said. In a certain alleyway in Zhongyang City, there weren't many people passing by. It was dawn, and the sky was dim. If someone were to be killed here, no one would notice. Ning Song Wu, gasping for breath, clutched the collar of her disheveled clothes with one hand and held her chest with the other. She looked up at the woman before her. "You... What do you want to do?" Miao Shan tilted her head slightly, an inexplicable allure in her stance. She chuckled softly, "What do you think? Naturally, I mean to kill you." "If you wanted to kill me, why go to such lengths? ... You're working for Wen Jing Lei; what kind of grudge do we have that warrants you seeking me out personally?" Ning Song Wu squinted her eyes, staring intently at Miao Shan. Earlier, when she was lying on the bed, someone suddenly jumped in through the window, startling her into a cold sweat. She thought Miao Shan would kill her immediately. Instead, Miao Shan held a dagger to her neck, forced her to haphazardly put on some clothes, and write a note to leave on the table before dragging her out by her collar. Though dazed, Ning Song Wu could still think. If Miao Shan had been sent by Wen Jing Lei, she wouldn't have gone through all this trouble. Clearly, Miao Shan wanted to avoid arousing suspicion at the inn and make them think Ning Song Wu had gone out on her own. But why? Miao Shan smiled seductively, "Alright, I won't tease you. Indeed, I wasn't sent by the sect master. Someone else of great importance sent me. He asked me to find you and tell you something." Ning Song Wu was completely puzzled. Another person? "I know you overheard something that time," Miao Shan flicked her hair and smiled even more eerily, "You remember Si Fei Mu, don't you?" "Yes..." Ning Song Wu responded softly. "The Lord asked me to tell you, Jiang Wan went to look at Si Fei Mu. Over there..." Miao Shan lowered her head, laughing gloomily, "You'll find what you want to know." Ning Song Wu shivered inexplicably upon hearing this, her voice trembling: "Why me? Why not someone else? Why... things I want to know?" "You'll understand when you get there. But don't tell anyone, especially your master. There are things she clearly knows but has been hiding from you... Hehehe, you'll understand once you go." "You aren't working for Wen Jing Lei; you have another master. Why should I believe you?" Ning Song Wu furrowed her brows, glaring at Miao Shan. "You and I are strangers. I'm merely following orders to remind you. You'd better keep this matter to yourself, ponder it well, and don't rush to tell your master everything... When you reach Si Fei Mu, you'll probably understand, hehehe... Also, if you're lost, ask someone from Bing Shan Sect..." Miao Shan's smile deepened as she gradually retreated. "What about Song Chu, my master? Who is your master? If not Wen Jing Lei, then who?!" Ning Song Wu raised her voice, stepping forward to grab Miao Shan. But Miao Shan retreated swiftly, her movements bizarre and agile. Still wearing that creepy smile, she vanished at the mouth of the alley after a few blinks. Ning Song Wu used lightness skills to chase after her. Her mind was in turmoil because of Miao Shan's words, as if something was on the verge of breaking out inside her, yet she couldn't quite grasp it. Miao Shan moved incredibly fast, while Ning Song Wu was unfamiliar with the complex structure of Zhongyang City. Lost and bewildered, her chest tightened with anxiety, as if a fervent fire was burning within her, unable to be extinguished. Her master had been hiding something from her?! No, no... She needed to calm down and think carefully. She had stayed on Beifa Mountain for so many years, never having contact with outsiders. Who could Miao Shan's master be? If they knew her name and gave such cryptic instructions, perhaps they had known her since she was young? But what identity did she have as a child to be involved with Miao Shan and the others? And Si Fei Mu... What could be there? What did Miao Shan want her to find out, and what was her master hiding? The key was that she always thought the leading force behind the Tianjun Sect, now known as the Fentian Gate, was Wen Jing Lei. But why did she feel there was an even more critical person behind the scenes... Someone who knew her and many others. "Ling Qiu Shan... Si Fei Mu..." Ning Song Wu muttered, looking up at the desolate sky. It was still early, with few people on the road, and the dawn cast a hazy glow on the street. What part of Zhongyang City was this? She paused her steps, a sudden thought rushing into her mind. She had been out for too long, much too long; her master would be worried. What if Si Fei Mu was an utter fabrication, a lie from Miao Shan to unsettle her, making none of it true? Right now, it was more important to return and let her master see her safe and sound, wasn't it? Ning Song Wu blinked a few times to clear her thoughts and looked around. The street here was very wide, with remnants of yesterday's vendors, suggesting it was a market area. Not far away, an old man was early, unloading some things. Seeing no one else around, Ning Song Wu went up to ask for directions. "Excuse me, sir, what place is this?" The old man looked at Ning Song Wu, mistaking her for a young gentleman due to her men's attire, and replied with a kind smile: "Young master, this is a market. It's still early; the other vendors won't be arriving to set up for a while." Ning Song Wu was about to ask the way back to the inn when she noticed something in the old man's basket—fresh hawthorn, plump and dewy; beside it, a pot of oil bubbling with something inside. "Excuse me... What are you selling?" Ning Song Wu couldn't help but ask. "These are for making candied haws. I came early and started making them myself. By the time I'm done, the market will be busy," the old man said, smiling at the fresh hawthorns and the pot. Her master had been angry at her before, right? Back at Fu Yu Tower, her master was angry too, and she promised to buy her candied haws. But now, her master was even angrier, maybe even more so because she had disappeared without a word. Could those candied haws still appease her master? "Sir, since it's still early, can I pay you some money to teach me how to make candied haws?" Ning Song Wu sat on the steps nearby, propping her head on her hand and gazing at the old man. The old man was a bit surprised and paused his packing: "I've sold these for many years, but no one has ever asked to learn the craft. Why do you ask, young master?" Ning Song Wu lowered her head, thinking of Ran Fan Yin, and couldn't help but smile. After a moment's hesitation, she laughed, "My wife at home is angry with me. I made a mistake, and she's upset. She loves these little treats, and I thought if I could learn to make them, I could cheer her up anytime." "Young master, with such a handsome face, your wife must be a beautiful woman. Come," the old man said kindly, inviting Ning Song Wu to watch, "In a relationship, you have to be considerate and cherish each other. As a woman, she has many difficulties in this world; you should treasure her all the more." "Hmm." Ning Song Wu nodded. After a while, something else occurred to her, and she murmured, "But... What if she tricked me one day? About something very important?" "Is that why you argued? If she's your wife, how could she bear to deceive you? And how could you bear to doubt her?" "Yes... Yes... She's my wife. I should trust her." Ning Song Wu smiled faintly, her lips pressed together, but a sour sensation pricked at her eyes, making her want to cry. "Young master, watch closely now. These are the ingredients for the syrup... Once it’s boiling, you roll the skewered hawthorns in the pot..." The old man demonstrated with expert skill, each movement precise and adept. As Ning Song Wu watched the old man rolling the hawthorns, she suddenly felt a cold gust behind her. A slightly chilled hand grasped her wrist, the fingers trembling. Turning quickly, Ning Song Wu saw Ran Fan Yin standing behind her, his light, tea-colored eyes narrowing slightly. It seemed he was suppressing something, his pupils glimmering with rippling light. "Where did you go?" His voice remained as calm and cool as ever, but with a subtle, almost imperceptible tremor. Ning Song Wu opened her mouth, wanting to tell him about Miao Shan, but remembering Miao Shan's warnings not to tell anyone, she fell silent, unsure how to explain. "The city is dangerous. I was very worried about you." Ran Fan Yin lowered his head slightly, gripping her wrist tighter, his hand shaking even more. "You're injured; it's my fault. I've been looking for you for a long time." "I... I'm fine," Ning Song Wu said softly, glancing at the candied haw vendor. She lied on the spot, "I just wanted to take a walk and happened upon someone making candied haws. Didn't I promise you a skewer of candied haws before? We'll have to wait a bit longer until they're ready." "I don't want any. Let's leave first; Zhongyang City is not safe for long... What I said before about being angry doesn’t matter. As long as you stay safe with me, I will never be angry at you again." Ran Fan Yin smiled faintly, her gentle gaze resting on Ning Song Wu’s profile. At this moment, Ning Song Wu felt as if her heart had melted into a puddle. The old man continued to work while chuckling, "Young master, so this is your wife? See? Couples who bicker end up loving each other more." "Wife?... Is that what she told you?" Ran Fan Yin responded to a stranger's words for once, her expression puzzled before breaking into a faint smile, "Yes... That’s right..." Ning Song Wu silently scolded the old man for his unreliability, thinking how he could say such things... "Such a beautiful young lady. In all my years, I've never seen someone so lovely. Here, take this skewer of candied haws as a gift and may you both live in harmony... What a perfect couple you are." Ning Song Wu quickly pulled out some silver coins and handed them over, "I’m buying these for her." The old man chuckled, "I said it’s a gift; no need to pay!" "Sir, you work hard for your living, and besides..." Ning Song Wu gave a sidelong glance at Ran Fan Yin, who exuded an elegant, refined aura, smiling gently. "This is a token to make amends with my wife." The old man finally accepted the money after a bit of insisting and bid them goodbye. Ning Song Wu laced her fingers with Ran Fan Yin's, using her other hand to feed the candied haws to Ran Fan Yin. Watching her nibble at the bright red treats, her previously anxious heart settled. She ought to cherish these moments, holding Ran Fan Yin’s hand firmly and walking the uncharted paths together. After swallowing a hawthorn, Ran Fan Yin suddenly spoke softly, "Will you... teach me to cook someday?" "Of course, anything you wish, I’ll promise." Ning Song Wu raised their entwined hands and kissed Ran Fan Yin’s fingers, her voice overflowing with affection. The website has no pop-up ads and will always be permanent.