Chapter 267: Using Their Own Scheme Against Them

Gu Xixi had never been this panicked before.

She supported Mu Nan Zhao with her body, pressing both hands hard on his shoulder wound.

"You can't move around, I need to stop your bleeding!"

Mu Nan Zhao tried to push Gu Xixi away, "Let go, it's just a flesh wound, I won't die."

Just now he had killed two men, fresh blood dripped from the sword tip.

He still held his sword, facing off against the black-clad men, his gaze fierce as a hawk.

This aura of one man holding the pass against ten thousand made the black-clad men before him hesitate.

They paused their attack, surrounding Mu Nan Zhao and Gu Xixi, intending to strike when they found an opening while the opponent was wounded.

Gu Xixi kept pressing on Mu Nan Zhao, not letting go, "At a time like this you're still being stubborn!"

She whispered in his ear, "I know retreating now means death, but don't forget I'm still here."

"As long as we hold out a bit longer, Jing Lan will bring people."

Seeing the black-clad men about to move again,

Gu Xixi hastily grabbed some random packet, threw it with her hand, "Come on if you want to be blinded!"

The miserable state of those companions just now is still vivid in her mind.

The black-clad men hurriedly closed their eyes and retreated.

After a moment, they opened their eyes, realized they might have been tricked, and immediately went mad, charging forward with knives.

"Qi Xiu!!" was Master Liu's voice.

"Assign some people to guard the village entrance and the two ends of the official road, don't let villagers out! Also don't let these madmen escape!"

"Everyone else, attack! Leave none alive!"

Gu Xixi rejoiced, "Master Liu, we're over here!"

Mu Nan Zhao swung his sword to drive back another, and Master Liu arrived with two dark guards.

He Jinglan then arrived with the He Family Dark Guards, and a fierce melee ensued.

Gu Xixi knew she and Mu Nan Zhao were safe, and finally let out a breath.

After the dust settled.

Mu Nan Zhao's shoulder bloodstain had already half-dried.

On this stretch of the official road, so many black-clad men were dead or wounded.

Master Liu ordered people to handle the aftermath, which would still take some time.

Gu Xixi helped Mu Nan Zhao sit leaning against a tree trunk, and said to He Jinglan, "You watch him here, I'll go fetch the master."

"Not just him, we have several of our own wounded as well."

"We need to summon the master quickly to treat them."

Mu Nan Zhao lowered his eyes, silent, looking very weary.

Before leaving, Gu Xixi gave him a worried glance, then sped toward the village.

By the time Gu Xixi brought the old doctor over with her medicine box, the village entrance had already been lifted.

At midday, few people were out anyway, and no one even noticed the village entrance had been briefly sealed.

The official road was also cleaned up, not a trace of blood left.

The old doctor smelled the blood and kept frowning, "How many died? I can't save the dead."

Gu Xixi said, "The dead are all bad guys; our side just has a few wounded."

The old doctor nodded, not probing further, and reached out to grab a passing wounded person.

"Your arm must be sutured."

Gu Xixi set down the medicine box for the old doctor, then went to look for Mu Nan Zhao.

But when she reached the tree nearby, she saw He Jinglan standing there alone.

"Where is he?" Gu Xixi looked left and right.

He Jinglan showed a helpless expression, "He left."

"He has a shoulder wound; I didn't dare drag him by force, and persuasion didn't work."

Gu Xixi was both anxious and angry, "He lost so much blood, and now he's riding a horse with his injury—does he have a death wish?"

He Jinglan sighed, "There's nothing to be done; they say if he doesn't leave now, he'll miss the day of the assault on the city, and General Ho will surely cut off his head as a sacrifice to the flag."

Gu Xixi heard this and grew more worried, "But he's injured; his speed will surely be slower than he planned. If he really returns late, will the general really punish him under military law?"

He Jinglan laughed, "That… probably not."

"Although I don't know General Ho well, I'm confident I understand that person fairly well."

"If it weren't for a covert plot, he would never have put himself in a position to be beheaded."

Seeing Gu Xixi still uneasy, He Jinglan comforted her attentively:

"Since he decided to make this trip back, he must have left himself a margin, and besides, Master Liu is accompanying him, so don't worry too much."

Gu Xixi silently nodded.

But saying she's not worried, how could she really not be worried?

Mu Nan Zhao got wounded saving her; she personally saw him lose so much blood.

Moreover, before she could bring the old doctor to confirm his injury was not serious, he left without a word.

Until she accompanied the old doctor in treating all the wounded and returned home, Gu Xixi remained preoccupied.

She couldn't help but wonder, how is his injury?

Has the bleeding stopped?

Could it reopen from riding a horse?

Could it be that after a long journey, sweating might cause an infection?

I also don't know whether he has any wound medicine on himself.

Right now, where has he gone again?

……

Gu Xixi's heart was filled with worry, to the point that she didn't even realize she had never before missed someone so frequently who wasn't before her eyes.

At sunset, in the upstairs guest room of the official road station leading east.

Mu Nan Zhao's clothes were half open, revealing his left shoulder.

Master Liu, while sprinkling medicine powder on the wound, laughed and said, "It's just a cut in the skin, isn't it?"

"Seeing Boss Gu's reaction, I thought you'd at least have injured your tendons and bones."

As Mu Nan Zhao dressed, moving the wound made him slightly frown, "You can't stand to see me well?"

"Not at all," Master Liu put away the medicine bottle, smiling, "I still hope Sir Mu will bring me shared honor."

"But..."

Master Liu revealed a strange smile, gazing playfully at Mu Nan Zhao, "Why did you leave without saying goodbye?"

"People hurriedly fetched a doctor for you; you should obediently wait a moment, say goodbye—there's always time."

Mu Nan Zhao glanced sideways, "Since you've figured it out, you should keep quiet."

Master Liu let out a long, faint sigh, "I used to think my attitude toward you was overly cold and distant."

"Now it seems you deserve it—you brought it on yourself."

"Although it's true you were injured while saving her,"

"But to leave before she confirms whether you're alright is pure calculation!"

Mu Nan Zhao pondered, "As the saying goes, train soldiers for a thousand days, use them for a moment; if returning to camp is late, military law must be enforced—then you can take my place."

Master Liu slammed the table and rose, mustering his courage to resist, "Although I lost to you back then and had to work for you, I am a free man!"

"Moreover, your scheming against Boss Gu isn't just to make her worry about you, miss you, and feel guilty toward you!"

"Such petty tricks—Boss Gu might worry and feel upset for a couple days, but once she realizes it, you'll regret it! I won't take the blame for you then."

Having said that, Master Liu hurried out of the guest room, not forgetting to considerately close the door.

Mu Nan Zhao stared blankly at the tea in his cup, murmuring, "I just want her to think of me often—so what?"

He never believed in the idea of each finding happiness at the ends of the earth.

To him, what cannot be abandoned in this life must be firmly grasped if it can be caught.