Ink Burns

Chapter 182 Visitors in the Rain
Shui Guang, wearing a black veiled hat, silently disappeared into the bustling crowd. She watched as Chang Yusu left with the Prefect of the Capital, and then watched as Xue Chen was carried out of the elegant room on the second floor by a loudly shouting servant.

Xue Chen is not going to survive.

After several days of needling the Fengchi and Fengfu acupoints, which connect the Yintang and Erchi points, Xue Chen's brain meridians have already been opened. Once there is bleeding in any part of his brain, it will inevitably cause reverse flow of blood, causing a torrent of blood to flow, and he will die suddenly within two hours.

Two hours later, Xue Chen will die even more thoroughly than the green twig he caught.

The outcome of the battle under the kotatsu was decided. The arrival of the Prefect of the Capital brought large numbers of idle people from the first-floor arena to the second-floor colosseum.

People pointed and whispered, "Master Chang beat someone up again!"

"What's the matter?"

"What could possibly happen? It's Master Chang! He's Master Chang! He can beat people up whenever he wants! Does he think he can give us a reason for beating people up?"

"Tsk—the man who got beaten up is dressed in silk and slingback shoes, and he's not from a poor family! Master Chang is going to have a tough time going to the capital to become the Prefect!"

"Ha, in this city of Beijing, a single brick or tile can hit seven or eight officials. Who isn't prominent and wealthy enough to breathe on this long street? Among the five surnames and seven clans, what matters is whose surname is more prestigious and whose clan is stronger? Master Chang's aunt is the Grand Princess of Jing'an, and the Chang family controls the Western Suburbs Camp of the Imperial Guard, which is the Imperial Guard of the Forbidden City. Master Chang has been beating people up on a whim more than once or twice when he's in a good mood during a fight!"

Amidst the murmurs of the crowd, Shui Guang, hiding in the wooden cabinet of the private room, pulled off her veil, tied up her hair, and removed her blue magnolia-patterned outer robe, revealing a neat ginger-yellow short jacket underneath. As she passed the table, she quickly smeared the teacup with a red lip print on it into her sleeve, then turned and descended the hidden staircase behind her. From under a drawer, she pulled out a medium-sized elmwood medical box. When no one was around, she lifted the white cloth behind the corner cage, revealing the backstage of the hexagonal pavilion.

The victorious boxers sat sporadically against the wall, grimacing in pain, the room filled with the stench of blood.

"Doctor Qiu! Come quick! My kidneys hurt!" Iron Hammer Li, who had survived, spat a mouthful of blood on the ground: "Did your kidneys get smashed open?! Cui Xiang is still waiting for me on the pleasure boat!"

Shui Guang immediately ran over, pressed her fingers two inches to her stomach, and, with her head down, treated the wound like an invisible person while listening intently to Tie Chui Li's smug boasting. He boasted that this was the fourth time the young master of the Chang family had beaten someone up in his territory because he was pleased. If she hadn't infiltrated the "beating ring" beforehand to gather information, how could she have planned the time and place for Xue Chen and her to go to the "beating ring"? How could she have happened to meet Chang Yusu and staged a double act, using Chang Yusu to kill Xue Chen alone?

Upon first meeting Xue Chen, she keenly sensed the hatred in her sister's eyes and began to search throughout the capital. She learned that Xue Chen was engaged to the Chang family, and that the young master of the Chang family was violent and extremely protective of his own.

At this point, she began to think of using Chang Yusu to get rid of Xue Chen.

Chang Yusu's eccentric behavior made it easier for him to gather information than Xue Chen could. He could simply sit in a tavern and hear about many people and things related to the Chang family.

She heard "hit".

Disguised as "Doctor Qiu," she infiltrated the fighting guild and pieced together a plan to "single-kill Xue Chen" from the fighters' snippets of conversation. During the three days that Xue Chen waited for her at the eastern section of the river, she had already envisioned Xue Chen bleeding from all seven orifices.

Since ancient times, snakes have their paths and rats have their ways. Those noble families and powerful clans, thinking themselves superior and looking down on all living beings, regard all things as ants and manipulate them at will. Little do they know that the anger of ants can also breach dams and destroy dikes, leaving corpses floating for thousands of miles!

Shui Guang's men moved swiftly, treating the wounds and then silently carrying the medicine box out through a side door. As night fell, they walked along the wall for nearly an hour, changing out of their faded yellow shorts. Shui Guang then slipped into the City God Temple, changing into simple, coarse linen clothes commonly worn by ordinary women. She hid in the mortuary for the entire night. Just as dawn broke, Shui Guang dared not call for a donkey cart, and after leaving the city gate, she hurried eastward on foot.

As we approached the ferry crossing, dark clouds covered the sky, and the river waves surged high. The moored boats bobbed and swayed on the water, and the weather changed from ordinary heat to unbearable sweltering humidity—a heavy rainstorm was likely about to hit Beijing.

There happened to be a small boat on the river, bravely heading back to shore against the wind and waves.

Shui Guang pulled down her straw hat and quickened her pace toward Qiushuidu Town.

As soon as Qiu Shui Du Xing Lin Tang arrived, Shui Guang immediately closed the shop door and called over one, two, or three silly gourds to announce: "The weather is getting hot, and most of the herbs in the mountains are ripe. I'm going into the mountains to collect herbs these days, so you all need to keep a close eye on the shop! Don't let the herbs get stolen!"

Stupid Little White Blinker blinked: "Going into the mountains? When will the clerk return?"

Shui Guang blinked: Once the storm has passed, she'll return. Even though she's used cunning to kill someone, she still needs to hide for six, seven, eight, or nine days. If the storm has subsided, He Shui Guang will return with fanfare to continue her official career and relentlessly strive for her goal of becoming a concubine! If the Chang family realizes what's happening and tries to find the culprit, she'll continue to lurk in the mountains.
She was too used to life in the mountains. As long as she had winter clothes, she could survive a whole year on her own in a mountain cave! If one year of turmoil couldn't pass, two years would always pass. Once the storm had subsided, she would return to her official post with fanfare and continue her relentless pursuit of becoming a concubine.
I can't let my sister and Xue Niao get involved.

If she can single-handedly defeat Xue Chen, she can definitely handle the aftermath alone!

"I didn't know! That's why I told you to keep an eye on the place. What if I come back and the pharmacy is gone, the medicine has been taken by Jiming Medical Clinic, and all your loofahs have been picked too..."

As Shui Guang was speaking, she heard three knocks outside the door.

"Is the pharmacy still open?" The voice outside was urgent, somewhat high-pitched and anxious.

Shui Guang clenched her fist, immediately straightened her back, and turned her head warily, her voice sharper than usual: "Who!"

"Hey, I need your medical help!" The person outside was still pounding on the door.

"We don't look at men! Jimin Pharmacy looks at young men, but we are Xinglin Pharmacy, we only look at women, children and the elderly!" Shui Guang's voice was noticeably different from usual.

Suddenly, lightning flashed and thunder roared!

A sharp crack of lightning tore through the sky, blazing brightly as it slanted downwards!

Immediately following was a torrential downpour!

The torrential rain pounded down on the roof tiles, the flagstones, the wood, and the chimneys!

The person outside visibly froze, and after a moment, spoke in a shrill voice, almost tearful: "Please open the door! Do you know Lord Xue?!"