From a slave to the Great Qian Martial Saint

"I don't know if this counts as a meritorious deed."

After leaving the artificial hill, Chen Shi muttered to himself.

Xiao Fengxiao had previously said that as long as he made further contributions, he would be granted the explosive martial arts skills required for an eighth-rank martial artist.

However, having unexpectedly obtained a secret manual from Lu'er, Xiao Fengxiao's reward was no longer so important.

Without thinking about anything else, Chen Shi stopped and looked around.

Originally, I wanted to go to the Second Madam's courtyard to make a name for myself and clear my name of suspicion for killing Lu'er, but I didn't expect to find Xiao Fengxiao and have been causing so much trouble for so long.

Going there now is obviously too late, and being too deliberate would only arouse suspicion.

Since we're not going to the Second Madam's courtyard, where should we go?

"The west?"

Chen Shi couldn't help but recall that Xiao Fengxiao had previously mentioned that the assassins had fled westward.

Chen Shi still couldn't figure out how Xiao Fengxiao was outside in the middle of the night, or how she was injured by an assassin.

Something seems to be going on here.

But it was none of his business, and he couldn't be bothered to think about it.

Chen Shi arrived at the place where Xiao Fengxiao was found, and then headed straight west to search.

At this time, the search for the assassin was still ongoing throughout the mansion, but the activity had subsided considerably.

After all this time, the assassin has still not been seen. He's probably already escaped, just like last time.

At this point, Chen Shi was merely going through the motions of fulfilling his "duty."

"We should escape this way..."

As he searched, he couldn't help but put himself in the role of the assassin, wondering where he would run if he were in the assassin's shoes when he encountered doors or walls.

"How did we get here?"

Before he knew it, when Chen Shi looked up again, he couldn't help but shake his head with a smile.

Isn't this the stable?

I was just thinking to myself, "How come I know this road so well?"

He's supposed to be a constable? Turns out he's still that stable boy.

"Nobody's here."

Upon entering the stable, however, there was no sign of the stable boys.

It seems that after the assassin was discovered, they were all transferred to search for him.

Many hands make light work. Although the stable boy doesn't have much fighting ability, he might just stumble upon the assassin by sheer luck.

"Assassins aren't so easy to find, old friend, you agree, right?"

Arriving at the horses he had previously cared for, Chen Shi reached out and touched them, muttering to himself.

The feeding trough was empty; the rider had gone to catch the assassin, which delayed the feeding.

"I'll do it."

Chen Shi patted the horse lightly and went straight to the hay pile, where he picked up a pile of hay with practiced ease.

The next moment, Chen Shi froze on the spot.

Underneath the hay he was carrying, a woman dressed in night clothes was hiding.

assassin……

Surprisingly, this stable boy stumbled upon it by sheer luck!

"...It's you."

The assassin was clearly taken aback and was about to make his move, but when he saw that it was Chen Shi, he stopped and said in surprise.

"Huh? It's her!"

Chen Shi also suddenly came to his senses. Wasn't that the voice of the woman from that night?

That night, Chen Shi practiced the Elephant King Stance at the stable, where a mysterious woman gave him guidance, and that's how he learned the correct method of cultivation.

Although he didn't see the woman's face that night, he clearly remembered her voice.

His voice was low and hoarse, carrying a faint, inexplicable sadness. So when the assassin spoke, he knew it was the woman from that night.

"Hmm!"

Although the woman stopped in time, the movement had aggravated her wound, and she instantly showed signs of pain.

"You're injured!"

Chen Shi dropped the fodder and hurriedly squatted down to help the woman up.

Yes.

This woman's cultivation level was not low. If she hadn't been injured, she would have escaped long ago. Why would she be hiding in this filthy, smelly haystack in the stable?

The woman glanced at Chen Shi, then rolled her eyes back and fainted in his arms.

Before this, she had been struggling to hold on.

"Wake up! Wake up!"

Upon seeing the woman faint, Chen Shi panicked again.

What should I do?

This woman is an assassin; handing her over would be a great achievement!

At that time, not only will he be able to use explosive martial arts, but he might even be able to use blood-coagulation martial arts, which are needed by a seventh-rank martial artist.

"No!"

But Chen Shi immediately abandoned the idea.

It was this woman who guided him, which enabled him to master the Elephant King Stance. How could he repay kindness with enmity?

The woman was indeed an assassin, but she targeted the Gu family members and ultimately had no personal grudge against them.

"What should we do?"

Holding the woman in his arms, Chen Shi frowned deeply.

He not only couldn't hand the woman over, but he also had to save her!

But the question is how to save them.

Although the search efforts within the manor were much less intense, both the gates and the walls were heavily guarded, making it impossible for him to take the woman out of the manor.

If I don't take it out, where can I hide it so that it won't be found?

This stable is definitely not suitable; the stable boys will be back soon.

This vast mansion is hardly a safe place.

"...Let's take a gamble!"

After a moment's hesitation, Chen Shi gritted his teeth, held the woman in his arms, and got up to leave the stable.

They chose secluded spots, avoiding the crowds still searching, and headed straight southeast.

Finally, we arrived at a bamboo forest, where several houses were nestled among the tall bamboos; this was the Medicine Cottage.

"Who is this person?"

The door opened, and Mu Yunsheng, wearing an overcoat, looked into Chen Shi's arms and couldn't help but ask a question.

"It's... a friend."

Chen Shi looked troubled, and that was all he could say.

Mu Yunsheng glanced at Chen Shi, then turned and went back into the house.

"Bring it in."

"good!"

Chen Shi's face lit up with joy, and he immediately carried the person inside.

He placed it on Mu Yunsheng's bed, and Mu Yunsheng waved his hand, kicking Chen Shi out again.

She wanted to treat the woman's injuries.

Chen Shi dared not disturb them and waited outside.

After a good half hour, Mu Yunsheng finally reopened the door and went to the stream next to him, where he used a bamboo pole to draw water to wash the blood off his hands.

"Her internal organs were severely injured by the force of the palm strike. Fortunately, you brought her to me in time. If it had been any later, or if she had been taken to some other quack doctor, she would have been dead."

He spoke slowly and deliberately while washing his hands.

After washing up, he got up and went back to his room.

"Thank you, Miss Mu!"

Chen Shi quickly thanked him and followed him into the house.

The woman was lying on Mu Yunsheng's bed. Her original night clothes had been taken off and thrown on the ground. She was now covered with a quilt, and her exposed shoulders were wrapped in bandages.

Although his face was still pale, his breathing had become steady.

When will she wake up?

"Tomorrow morning, but it will take at least two or three days for her to get out of bed. As for a full recovery, even with my medicine, it will take a month. But with her abilities, she should be able to evade the guards and leave on her own in ten days to half a month."

"Well……"

Chen Shi lowered his head, feeling ashamed.

It turns out that Mu Yunsheng already knew.

But thinking about it, it makes sense. There are assassins being hunted everywhere in the mansion right now. If Chen Shi suddenly brought over a seriously injured stranger dressed in black, who else could he be but an assassin?

"Thank you, Miss Mu!"

Immediately afterwards, Chen Shi expressed his gratitude again.

Although Mu Yunsheng knew the woman's identity, he had no intention of reporting her.

Although Mu Yunsheng lived in the Jing'an Marquis's residence, she was not a member of the Gu family and had no connection with them.

It seems he made the right bet.

"I studied medicine to save lives. You should go back now. She can stay here and recover for the time being."

Mu Yunsheng remained expressionless, his voice indifferent.

"Thank you! I'll leave the rest to you, Miss Mu!"

Chen Shi thanked him repeatedly before leaving the medicine hut.

Mu Yunsheng was the only person at the medicine hut, and few outsiders came here. The woman should be safe staying here to recover from her injuries.

On the way back, Chen Shi couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Speaking of which, a lot happened tonight.

The gains were considerable; not only did they obtain a powerful martial art, but they also found Cui Nong's key.

"Huh? Huh! Where did it go!"

He reached into his robes and touched the manual. Just as he was feeling happy about unlocking Cui Nong's door, Chen Shi's expression suddenly changed drastically.

No, I don't have it anywhere on my body.

Where did that handkerchief with the acrostic poem go?