Wandering Swordsman |

As soon as Shen Mo steadied himself, Murong Qing glanced at the three people whose fate was unknown and asked, "Shen Mo, what should we do with these three? Shouldn't we send them to the yamen?" Her voice carried a hint of doubt.

As they walked, Shen Mo replied, "You, a pampered young lady, probably don't understand. The world is treacherous, and people's hearts are unpredictable. We have no way of knowing whether the magistrate of Cangzhou is honest. If he really is colluding with those people, wouldn't sending him there be like sending him into the tiger's den?"

Murong Qing thought for a moment, nodded in understanding, and then asked, "How come I couldn't see you anymore when we were on the street just now?"

Shen Mo explained, "When I saw your silver notes being robbed, and those two constables showing up just in time, I knew this was no ordinary matter. So I hid first, which will give you a glimpse into the real world of martial arts. Sometimes, what appears to be justice hides a deeper conspiracy."

Murong Qing pondered for a moment, then continued to ask, "When encountering a thief, the patrolling constables usually rush forward to arrest them immediately. Is there anything special about that?"

Shen Mo patiently explained, "That's usually true, but in this situation, if the constables react too quickly, it seems unnatural. Real officials won't appear that quickly unless they've planned it beforehand. That's what I noticed was off. In the martial world, many things aren't as simple as they seem on the surface."

As the conversation deepened, Murong Qing gradually understood Shen Mo's good intentions. She tightened her arms around Shen Mo's neck, feeling both grateful and admiring.

Shen Mo chuckled, his voice carrying a hint of gentle teasing: "Miss Murong, did you grow up at home since you were little? Apart from this trip to Jinzhou, you've never left home before?"

Murong Qing was slightly taken aback, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes, before asking, "Uh, how did you know!"

Shen Mo's gaze was gentle and profound, as if he could see through her thoughts. "Miss Murong, I remember telling you before that I was originally a beggar." His tone became slightly heavy, but he still maintained his composure.

Murong Qing's eyes were filled with surprise and curiosity. She asked incredulously, "I thought you were joking. Could it be that you really were a beggar before... But then again, what does it matter whether the constables catch thieves or not, or whether they catch beggars?"

Shen Mo sighed softly, recalling the past with a hint of emotion in his eyes. "During the years I spent begging, I witnessed several incidents on the street. Each time, the officials would deliberately arrive late, sometimes even when they were nearby, they would turn a blind eye and not come to stop it. They would only come to clean up the mess after it was over." He paused, as if sorting through those distant memories.

"It wasn't until later that I heard from others that even people in government offices were afraid of getting into trouble, so they wouldn't get involved in things they could avoid." Shen Mo's voice was low and firm, as if he were stating an undeniable fact.

Murong Qing listened quietly, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside her. She had never imagined that so much helplessness and darkness could be hidden behind the seemingly peaceful streets.

Her brow furrowed slightly, a hint of confusion and bewilderment in her eyes. Having grown up in Luoyang, she was accustomed to its order and tranquility, where everyone obeyed the law, officials were honest and cared for the people, and yamen runners were fiercely opposed to evil. She naively believed that all places in the world should be this wonderful.

After a long silence, Murong Qing sighed softly, her voice tinged with disappointment: "The people of Luoyang are all law-abiding, the officials are all honest and love the people, and the yamen runners are all fiercely opposed to evil. I never knew that other towns besides Luoyang were so different from Luoyang." Her gaze drifted into the distance, as if trying to penetrate the bamboo forest and see a more distant world.

Upon hearing this, Shen Mo felt a pang of pity. He said softly, "Miss Murong, this is how it is in most places far from the emperor's reach. The world is treacherous, and people's hearts are unpredictable. If I succumb to the poison soon, I hope you will be careful on your journey home alone." His tone was heavy, as if he were preparing for an impending separation.

Murong Qing whispered weakly in Shen Mo's ear, "No, you absolutely cannot die without my permission. I will definitely have Father invite the best doctors in the world to treat you..." Before she could finish speaking, her body slumped weakly against Shen Mo's back. Her eyelids grew heavy, her consciousness gradually blurred, and she finally fainted.

Shen Mo felt Murong Qing on his back suddenly become heavy. He knew that time was of the essence and he had to find a doctor to treat Murong Qing as soon as possible. With that thought in mind, he immediately quickened his pace.

Under the dim light of the clinic, the doctor carefully took Murong Qing's pulse as she lay on the wooden bed. The air was filled with the sweet fragrance of herbs, a stark contrast to the chilly atmosphere of the bamboo forest outside. Shen Mo sat to the side, his brow furrowed, his eyes filled with worry.

Finally, the doctor released Murong Qing's wrist and slowly stood up. Shen Mo immediately asked anxiously, "Doctor, how is she?"

The doctor smiled slightly and said in a relaxed tone, "Judging from her pulse, this young lady is just generally weak. I'll prescribe some medicine for you, and you can take her home to rest for a few days, and she'll be fine." As he spoke, he picked up a brush and quickly wrote the prescription on the Xuan paper.

Hearing this, Shen Mo finally relaxed, a relieved smile appearing on his face. However, his thoughts weren't completely at ease; he seemed to have remembered something important. He turned to the doctor, his voice slightly hesitant: "Doctor, have you heard of a man named Yan Shang in this city?"

The doctor's expression instantly turned serious. He sighed, a hint of wariness flashing in his eyes: "Young man, I advise you not to provoke him."

Shen Mo frowned and pressed, "Why?"

The doctor sighed, his gaze deep, as if recalling many unpleasant events. "Yan Shang was originally a bandit from outside the city. During a raid organized by a powerful family, Yan Shang and several others escaped because they were not in Cangzhou."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "After the martial arts figures who had been wiped out left, Yan Shang returned with a few men. When he learned that the mountain stronghold had been destroyed, he decided to quit being a bandit. So, through his cousin's connections, he moved into the city."

"Yan Shang, who usually lives in the city, takes advantage of his uncle being the county magistrate. He does all sorts of evil deeds, especially extorting passing merchants. I've even heard that he has committed even more heinous acts." The doctor's voice was low and heavy, as if every word carried the weight of history.

Upon hearing this, Shen Mo couldn't help but sigh softly, a hint of surprise and worry flashing in his eyes: "So he was a bandit before."

The doctor nodded and reminded him again, "Young man, I can tell you're not from around here. Remember what I said: if you don't have a strong enough backer, don't mess with him." His eyes revealed a deep warning, as if he had seen too many young people fall into danger because of their ignorance.

"Thank you for your guidance, doctor." Shen Mo respectfully thanked the doctor and accepted the prescription.