Chapter 100

In the crowd, someone unknown shouted, 'Beat him!' More than ten Black Miao people, fierce and aggressive, rushed at Hu Xiaotian. To say Hu Xiaotian was also quite wronged, he had always kept to himself, staying out of it, but helplessly, beside him was Murong Feiyan, such an impulsive teammate, who rushed in to uphold justice without clarifying the situation. Even more aggravating, Murong Feiyan threw a bundle at him, clearly trying to drag him into the mess.

Given the situation, Hu Xiaotian could not possibly stay out of it; those Black Miao people didn't care whether he was related to the incident, they identified him as Murong Feiyan's accomplice, drew the ** at their waists, and chased after him fiercely. Hu Xiaotian indeed was Murong Feiyan's accomplice, but he had no intention of sabotaging anyone's bride‑snatching; he knew explaining would be useless, turned and ran. After two steps he saw the Black Miao people not diminishing but increasing—reason easy to find: the Black Miao red‑clad maiden followed him like a shadow, fleeing together, so he naturally became the target of everyone.

In the distance, Murong Feiyan was already fighting several Black Miao people; she underestimated their combat strength, fighting five of them to a stalemate. Seeing that she could not break free soon to help Hu Xiaotian, Hu Xiaotian had no choice but to run flat out. The Black Miao maiden's speed matched his exactly. A fork appeared ahead; Hu Xiaotian gasped, 'You go left, I go right—splitting up will make escape easier.' His real aim was to shake off the Black Miao maiden, each going his own way. As soon as he finished speaking, he turned and ran toward the right‑hand alley, only to be grabbed by the Black Miao maiden, who warned, 'The right is a dead‑end.'

Shouts of killing grew closer behind them; Hu Xiaotian had no choice but to follow her lead, fleeing together into the left side lane. Though the lane was not wide, it was a small vegetable market with many vendors setting up stalls along the street. Seeing Hu Xiaotian holding the hand of a Black Miao maiden passing by, the vendors all shouted abuse, and some even threw vegetable leaves and eggs at them. Although the locality was ethnically mixed, intermarriage was forbidden, so Hu Xiaotian and the Black Miao maiden walking hand‑in‑hand in the street had already committed a grave taboo.

In fact, it was the Black Miao maiden who kept a firm grip on Hu Xiaotian's hand the whole time. Facing the vendors' attack, they could not fight back; both were splattered with vegetable leaves and egg yolk, and Hu Xiaotian became the main target—he alone took five eggs on his forehead. The more he ran, the more vexed he grew: 'Who did I provoke? Feiyan, Feiyan, how could you stir up trouble?'

The Black Miao maiden knew the local terrain extremely well; she dragged Hu Xiaotian east and west, evading the vendors' makeshift barrage, passing through several lanes in succession, and arrived beside a high wall. She let go of Hu Xiaotian's hand, leapt up, seized the top of the wall which was about two zhang high, flipped up lightly and nimbly, then called to Hu Xiaotian, 'Hey, come up!'

Hu Xiaotian looked up and saw the wall was over three meters tall, its surface smooth with no handholds—he simply could not jump up. He grimaced and shook his head, hearing the pursuers' shouts draw nearer, when the Black Miao maiden said, 'Jump up, I'll catch you and pull you up.'

Hu Xiaotian could only give it a try: he stepped back two paces, took a short run‑up, and leapt. The Black Miao maiden, quick‑eyed and quick‑handed, firmly seized his wrist and, with a single arm, lifted his body up. Astonished at her astonishing strength, Hu Xiaotian hurriedly used her boost to climb onto the wall. Barely having scrambled up, he saw dozens of Black Miao people hurrying past from a nearby lane.

After those people had gone far away, Hu Xiaotian finally let out a long breath, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. Today was truly miserable—how had he stumbled into this undeserved disaster? Thinking that Murong Feiyan had not yet arrived, though her martial arts were superb, even if she could not defeat those Black Miao people, she should be able to protect herself without trouble.

The Black Miao maiden beside him wore a smile as she looked at Hu Xiaotian, who whispered, 'Shall we go down?'

The Black Miao maiden shook her head and whispered, 'They might not find us and could come back.' Sure enough, as she expected, the Black Miao group, having lost their target, turned back, and someone was heard saying, 'No, we clearly saw them run here just now—how could they have vanished?'

'Let's look around.'

The Black Miao maiden lightly patted Hu Xiaotian's shoulder, leaned close to his ear, and said, 'Wait here; I'll go lure them away.'

Without waiting for Hu Xiaotian to speak, she rose from the wall and ran forward along the wall, which was about a chi wide; her silver ornaments jingled continuously as she ran, instantly drawing the tribe's attention, and indeed they followed her silhouette.

Watching the Black Miao maiden run farther and farther away, Hu Xiaotian sighed inwardly: setting aside other things, just her ability to run along the wall as if on level ground marked her as a martial arts master; earlier she had lifted him up with one arm—something even Murong Feiyan might not manage. He had indeed stirred up big trouble. As he was thinking, a low growl sounded behind him; turning, he saw a mastiff the size of a calf suddenly appear at the wall's base. When he saw it, the mastiff thrust its hind legs, leapt into the air, and lunged to bite his buttocks with its huge maw.

Hu Xiaotian was so frightened his soul left his body; he loosened his grip and fell from the wall into a thicket. Fortunately the garden soil was soft, so the fall from that height did not injure him. The mastiff lunged missed, then immediately turned and charged at the prone Hu Xiaotian. But Hu Xiaotian was also extremely agile; in the shortest time he scrambled to his feet and fled desperately, heedless of direction. In his panic he was scraped by branches in many places, and the mastiff drew ever closer. Feeling he had no way to heaven or earth, on the verge of tears, a pond suddenly appeared ahead. Without thinking, he performed a standard dive and plunged in with a splash, heedless of danger.

As soon as Hu Xiaotian entered the water, he heard another splash—the mastiff had jumped in too. He silently cursed his bad luck; seeing that the dog's swimming speed was not slow, a standard dog‑paddle quickly closed in. As it neared, it opened its jaws to bite; Hu Xiaotian, quick‑eyed and quick‑handed, seized its head, swung around to its rear, and locked a chokehold on its neck, sinking together into the pond. On land he would have had little chance against this ferocious mastiff (maybe ten to **), but in water neither could gain leverage; Hu Xiaotian was a decent swimmer, while the mastiff, though fierce, had its combat power halved in water. It originally wanted to open its mouth to tear, but as soon as it did, pond water flooded its throat, so it dared not open its mouth underwater, struggling desperately. Even so, it could not break free of Hu Xiaotian's grip; as time passed its struggles weakened, and finally Hu Xiaotian drowned it outright.

After suffocating the mastiff, Hu Xiaotian was also nearly exhausted; he had wanted to climb ashore, but suddenly heard voices from the bank, panicked, and hid in the lotus bed. It was midsummer, the lotus grew lush, completely screening the several‑mu pond, providing an excellent hiding place.

Through the gaps in the lotus leaves, looking toward the bank, he saw two female figures on the waterside pavilion; from their attire they appeared to be mistress and maid. The leading woman was dressed all in plain white, wearing deep mourning garments; seated in the pavilion, she gazed toward the pond. Her eyebrows were lightly swept like moth‑wings, her eyes bright and star‑like, her skin fair as spring snow; in her glances, her look was captivating—truly a beauty that could overthrow kingdoms, a fish‑sinking, goose‑falling visage.

Hu Xiaotian silently marveled, never expecting that such a peerless beauty lay hidden in the small city of Qingyun; she truly deserved the epithet 'beauty that brings ruin to the state.' He hid among the lotus leaves and admired her covertly, his gaze fixed on the stunning maiden, completely ignoring the green‑clad maid beside her.

The maiden extended her slender, orchid‑like fingers, gently plucked the white flower at her temple, crushed the petals, and let them drift on the wind onto the pond. Watching the petals float, a feeling of unprecedented wistfulness welled in her heart; she sighed softly, her brows knitting like those of a spring mountain, her lovely face beautiful as a dream.

Hu Xiaotian stared, entranced; the maiden's beauty rivaled Huo Xiaoru's, each excelling in their own way—spring orchid, autumn chrysanthemum—but seeing her mourning attire and hearing her sigh, he felt her heart must be full of sorrow.

The green‑clad maid beside her said, 'Miss, the matter is long past; you should try to let it go.'

The maiden nodded slightly, her voice dim, and said, 'My life is so bitter!' Her tone was soft and melodious; to the ear it felt as if a gentle feather were stroking one's heart, bringing an indescribable sense of comfort.

The green‑clad maid bit her cherry lips, wanting to say a few words of advice but finding none appropriate; just then she saw a figure walking along the nine‑curved long bridge in the distance. He was about thirty, sturdy of build, dressed in black warrior garb, his head bound with a purple hero's kerchief, a long sword hung at his waist, broad‑eared and dignified in appearance.

Seeing him approach, the white‑clad lady turned her pretty face away, while the green‑clad maid grew somewhat flustered and hastily bowed, saying, 'Servant Cai Ping pays her respects to the eldest young master.'

The eldest young master ignored her completely, his gaze fixed on the white‑clad lady, and he smiled, saying, 'Sister‑in‑law, come out to enjoy the cool.'

The white‑clad lady then turned, rose, and gave a slight bow, saying, 'I did not expect the elder brother's visit; pardon my lapse, Cai Ping, let's go!' She clearly wished to avoid the eldest young master and was about to leave, but he blocked her path, smiling, and said, 'Sister‑in‑law, don't rush off; Cai Ping, you go back first—I have a few words I want to say to Le Yao alone.'

Cai Ping's face showed embarrassment; she did not want to go, yet dared not offend the eldest young master. In the end the white‑clad lady said, 'Cai Ping, wait for me outside the garden.'

Cai Ping answered with a yes and left, unwilling and resentful.

The eldest young master gazed at Le Yao's peerless beauty, his expression showing a hint of lust; after Cai Ping left, he coughed, stepped a little closer, and called, 'Le Yao!'

Le Yao stepped back a step, bit her lip, and said, 'Uncle, what advice do you have?' The term 'uncle' was actually a polite reminder to him.

The eldest young master said, 'Le Yao, my younger brother died young; all of the Wan family mourns him deeply, and we have only wronged you.' This man was indeed the eldest young master of the Wan family.

Le Yao replied softly, 'It is simply that I lack that fortune; there is nothing to be wronged about.'

The eldest young master said, 'Le Yao, my brother and I share deep fraternal affection; his affairs are mine. Whether he is present or not, I will look after you well.'

Hu Xiaotian almost burst out laughing, thinking, 'Damn, this old uncle is utterly shameless—seeing Le Yao's mourning attire shows she is still in mourning, her husband's bones are not yet cold, and here you are already making a move on your brother's wife; do you have any shame left?'

Le Yao kept her eyes lowered, her voice icy calm, and said, 'I appreciate your kindness, elder brother, but I can take care of myself.' This was clearly a refusal of his goodwill.

The eldest young master, visibly impatient, stepped forward, grabbed Le Yao's wrist; she struggled free, her face flushing red with shame and anger, and she snapped, 'Uncle, please conduct yourself properly.'

The eldest young master said, 'Le Yao…'

Behind them a cough suddenly sounded; a middle‑aged man entered the back garden. He was about fifty, tall and sturdy, dressed in a brown robe with gold‑thread embroidery of an official, his stride vigorous, his complexion ruddy, three wisps of light beard on his jaw, his face full of righteousness, his bearing dignified.

Seeing him approach, the eldest young master hurriedly stepped back a few paces, bowed his head in fear and called, 'Father!'

The middle‑aged man gave a cold snort, glanced at him displeased, and said, 'Tingchang, what are you doing here?'

The man named Tingchang said, 'Father, I heard my sister‑in‑law is unwell, so I came specially to inquire after her.'

The middle‑aged man gave him a cold stare and said, 'You spend all your days wandering about, idle and lazy—how can I entrust the Wan family's business to you?' This man was none other than Wan Yuanwai, the head of Qingyun's foremost household, the Wan family.

Wan Tingchang hung his head, dejected; before his father he was obsequious, vowing, 'Father, rest assured—I will strive with vigor, devote myself fully, and manage our family's business well.'

Wan Yuanwai flicked his sleeve, clearly displeased with this son.

Wan Tingchang dared not linger; he hurriedly took his leave of father and sister‑in‑law.

After Wan Tingchang left, Wan Yuanwai's stern, righteous visage instantly relaxed; facing this charming daughter‑in‑law, his brows unfurled and his eyes crinkled into a smile—quite a change from his earlier sternness. He spoke gently, 'Yao'er, has that scoundrel said anything improper to you, or done anything improper?'

Le Yao hastily shook her head and said, 'No, he just arrived and offered a few greetings to his sister‑in‑law.'

Wan Yuanwai said, 'I know my own son's character full well; if he ever dares to have any improper thoughts, tell me and I'll break his dog legs.'

Le Yao lowered her head and said, 'Thank you, grandfather.'

Wan Yuanwai fixed his gaze on Le Yao's exquisitely beautiful face, unable to shift it even a fraction; his naked stare made her blush uncontrollably, wishing she could find a crack in the earth to hide. She averted his eyes and whispered, 'Grandfather, I'll go back first.'

Unexpectedly, Wan Yuanwai seized her arm and said, 'Yao'er, don't rush off—I still have something to say to you.'

Le Yao bit her lip, straining to break free: 'Grandfather, let go; if anyone sees this, it will only invite gossip.'

Wan Yuanwai wore a lecherous grin and said, 'What's there to fear? This is our own back garden; I have the servants guarding outside—who would dare come in at this time? Yao'er… although Tingguang has passed, I am still here, and no one in the Wan family would dare bully you—do you trust me or not?' He pulled her arm toward himself, and Le Yao exclaimed, 'Grandfather, you cannot do this—I am your daughter‑in‑law!'

Wan Yuanwai gripped Le Yao's arm firmly and said, 'Tingguang is dead; I am his father, so looking after you is only natural and proper.'

'No… grandfather, no…'

Hu Xiaotian watched this scene and cursed inwardly, 'Old coot! Simply beast‑like! Look at you, putting on an air of virtue and righteousness, yet you dare to molest your daughter‑in‑law—you're less than human! He fumed, wishing he could rush out and perform a hero‑saves‑the‑beauty rescue, but he knew he was no fool, his mind not addled; he understood where he was, and if anyone shouted, he would likely end up beaten to death with sticks. All he could do was grit his teeth and let his anger burn inside.'

Wan Yuanwai, bewitched by his daughter‑in‑law Le Yao's beauty, utterly disregarded his station; all propriety, righteousness, integrity and shame had been cast aside by this wretch. He smirked lecherously, 'Yao'er, if you submit to me, you will surely become the mistress of the Wan household…' His lips puckered like a pig's as he tried to kiss Le Yao's flawless cheek. Summoning sudden strength, she shoved him away angrily and declared solemnly, 'Grandfather, please conduct yourself properly.' Her words were upright and righteous. Yet Wan Yuanwai persisted, shamelessly creeping closer, his grin especially lecherous, and said, 'Yao'er, at this point, do you still not understand my intentions?'

Le Yao stepped back step by step to the pond's edge, bit her lip, and said, 'Grandfather, if you dare press me further, I will jump in from here.'

Wan Yuanwai laughed and said, "If you jump down, I'll jump with you; we'll be a pair of drowned mandarin ducks..." He hadn't finished speaking when Le Yao plunged with a splash. Wan Yuanwai was startled, his tongue sticking out a long length and unable to retract for a good while. He truly hadn't expected his daughter-in-law to actually dare to jump, but the pond's water wasn't deep, only reaching up to Le Yao's chest.

Wan Yuanwai saw her in the pond, like a white lotus flower unstained by mud, and he loved her more the more he looked. However, judging from her resolute jump just now, this girl has a stubborn temperament, and he shouldn't press her too hard. Wan Yuanwai earnestly said, "Le Yao, come up, we can talk about anything."

Le Yao shook her head firmly and said, "Father-in-law, if you dare to press me again, I will drown myself in this pond today."

Wan Yuanwai had just said he would jump down and be a pair of drowned mandarin ducks with her, but once it actually happened, he lacked the courage to jump into the pond. Moreover, while teasing his daughter-in-law might be stimulating, it ultimately shouldn't be known by others. Anyway, there's plenty of time; there's no need to rush. As long as she remains in Wan Manor, she will never escape his grasp. Thinking this, Wan Yuanwai's lips curled with a sinister cold smile. He nodded and said, "Fine, I'm leaving, I'm leaving; you think it over carefully."

"Go ahead and leave!" Le Yao shouted sharply.

Wan Yuanwai shook his head helplessly, turned and walked a few steps, then reluctantly turned back to see Le Yao still standing in the water. He sighed inwardly, this daughter-in-law truly doesn't know the times; could it really be that she must spend a lifetime as a widow for his foolish son, becoming a chaste and heroic woman? Just for a meaningless chastity archway? After Wan Yuanwai left, Le Yao stood dazed in the water. Hu Xiaotian hid among the lotus clusters, watching her solitary figure, feeling boundless pity. A beautiful life is fleeting; Le Yao's fate has reached the utmost misery—her husband died tragically, she is young yet a widow, and she must constantly endure the harassment of her father-in-law and uncle, two lecherous scoundrels. Who would have thought such an unfortunate person exists in this world.

Le Yao stood dazed in the water for a moment, then turned around. Her beautiful eyes held not a trace of tears. Hu Xiaotian had expected her to be overcome with grief, but what he saw was a face of extraordinary determination. Her white long dress was completely soaked, revealing the perfect curves of her delicate form, flawless. She stepped step by step toward the center of the pond.

Hu Xiaotian watched her draw ever closer, his heart sinking with apprehension. Could this girl really be intent on ending her life?

Le Yao's gaze fell instead on the pristine white lotus atop Hu Xiaotian's head; she walked over here drawn by the lotus's pure and unworldly beauty, seeing it stirred her emotions as she lamented her fate. But she suddenly touched something soft and squishy, making her shudder involuntarily. Looking toward the water, she saw a dark shape bobbing to the surface—it was the corpse of the mastiff that Hu Xiaotian had just killed. Le Yao was shocked beyond words; her face turned ashen, she opened her cherry lips to cry out for help, but Hu Xiaotian saw his cover blown, could no longer stay hidden, lunged out from the depths of the lotus leaves, and clapped his hand over her mouth before she could speak. *******************************This chapter equals two regular chapters; in this way I conclude the public preview. Medical Union will officially launch from the next chapter onward, with all future chapters released on VIP. In 2014, Zhangyu had a rough time—two of his painstaking works were banned in succession, marking the biggest setback in his ten-year writing career, and his enthusiasm and passion were undoubtedly affected. That's why he took a three-month break to rest and adjust. Although Zhangyu had previously written many historical works, after picking up the genre again six years later he still feels many aspects fall short of his best, his skill is rusty, and shortcomings are inevitable. So Zhangyu first thanks everyone for their tolerance and support. Medical Unification is a subject I have long pondered in my mind; Zhangyu strives to write a character different from the past, to tell a splendid story, and believes that as his condition improves bit by bit, the writing will become ever more splendid. After midnight, Medical Unification will officially go on sale; Zhangyu will release three chapters consecutively after launch, with at least six updates on the first day of the launch. Since launching, he will adopt the launch's attitude. October 1 also marks the start of double monthly tickets; Zhangyu hopes everyone will continue to support him, he will repay you with his efforts, and finally urges: please subscribe often, reward often, vote often.

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