Chapter 36: Chapter Thirty-Six: Female Knight, Please Behave!

Having achieved her goal, Shen Qiru naturally didn't deliberately make things difficult for Bai Zhi; instead, she helped her pour the hot water into the tub.

She then turned around, acting natural, and said:

"Yunzhou, after taking your medicine, take a bath to dispel the excess heat in your body."

Jiang Yunzhou thought to himself that the excess heat in his body had just drifted off to some strange place.

"All right, Elder Sister Qiru, you should rest early too. Tonight... really, you've worked hard."

Jiang Yunzhou said this while unconsciously pursing his lips.

With Bai Zhi present, the two couldn't go over what had just happened in detail; Shen Qiru didn't respond, merely casting a slightly resentful glance at Jiang Yunzhou as she led Bai Zhi out.

That look left Jiang Yunzhou a bit dazed.

Was Elder Sister Qiru upset because I had taken liberties with her, or because I had taken liberties for so long without making a move?

Too bad there's no time to ponder that now; that female knight should arrive shortly, and she's the breakthrough I've found in uncovering my origins.

However, there's still some distance from the lake to here; before then, I should hail the people of the Southern Peace Office.

Thinking of this, Jiang Yunzhou took off his clothes and jumped into the hot water to soak, while simultaneously controlling the paper figurine Yan Twelve by the lake to launch a signal flare.

The lake is only three li from the city gate, so Yang Hanlu, on duty at the gate, soon arrived with several Southern Peace Office officers, including Zou Zhen.

Spotting the black-clad swordsman standing by the lake in the moonlight from afar, the Southern Peace Office officers who had previously visited Jade Stele Forest shouted:

"Hey! It's Young Hero Yan! Young Hero Yan, what's going on?"

Yan Twelve leaned against a tree with arms crossed, pointing at the three corpses on the ground and said:

"I was practicing here when I happened to encounter five passing Southern Wu rebels; I killed three of them on the spot—please come identify them."

Hearing this, the Southern Peace Office brothers widened their eyes, thinking, "Killing three with ease? He makes it sound like the Southern Wu rebels are pushovers," though lately the rebels have indeed been numerous, so running into them is normal.

First, everyone examined the two whose spines had been broken by a spear.

The bizarre death, with bodies nearly folded backward, made everyone frown upon seeing it.

"Holy shit, one move and the spine is powder."

"That strength is too exaggerated."

Even Zou Zhen, seeing them for the first time, was startled; he had previously thought the brothers were just bragging.

Unlike the others who were astonished, Yang Hanlu additionally noticed that these two's clothing differed slightly from the captured Southern Wu rebels; they were definitely not low-ranking lackeys.

At that moment, the officer inspecting the other corpse suddenly exclaimed:

"Good heavens, Chief Yang! Come over and take a look!"

Upon gathering around, they discovered the third corpse's upper body had been nearly severed in half, its steel spear also broken, the surrounding area a purplish-black, as if poison gas had erupted at death, intending to take the opponent down with it.

Besides the gruesome manner of death, what most caught everyone's attention was this person's weapon: a pair of wheel blades tossed nearby.

According to intelligence gathered from the Southern Wu rebels, this time they dispatched many experts, including helm masters and elders.

If I recall correctly, that pair of wheel blades should belong to one named Sang Na, nicknamed 'Golden Wheel Opens Mountain,' a helm master.

Now this Southern Wu rebel helm master has actually been cut down by a single sword, 'Opening the Mountain' turned into 'Opening the Abdomen,' while Yan Twelve beside him appears completely unscathed.

Moreover, the two who fled surely also attacked; facing five experts of that caliber simultaneously, he managed to kill three without a scratch, making Yan Twelve's terrifying strength obvious—those present couldn't help but exchange glances.

At that moment, another woman's voice in Yang Hanlu's mind laughed:

"Your strike is ruthless and deadly; I really am growing fonder of him."

Yang Hanlu looked at the spear severed by a sword and asked in his mind:

"How does his strength compare to yours?"

"Hehe, I just like you all; don't lump me together with you—in my eyes, you're all the same."

Yang Hanlu rose and asked:

"Young Hero Yan, what were the two who escaped like? Do you know why they were here?"

"One is a wild-haired man called an Elder; the other is the white-haired, double-clawed man I met before in Jade Stele Forest. As for why they're here, I have no idea."

"Alright, thanks for your hard work; we'll take the bodies back, and record your merits and rewards separately under your name, though to collect the silver you must use your real identity."

"Real identity? Forget it; no need to risk it for a little money—Prince Rong's wealthy household is far more lucrative."

"I don't have time to deal with this; just credit the merits to all you brothers, and as for the reward money, feel free to spend it."

It's not that I'm being generous; after treating Princess Ning Le once, I realized that money from noble households is still easiest to earn.

Besides, maintaining good relations with these blood‑licking brothers of the Southern Peace Office is wise; should I ever run into trouble, their support would be worth far more than saving a few hundred taels of silver.

Before Yang Hanlu could decline, the Southern Peace Office officers present all couldn't hide their smiles and thanked him in unison with clasped hands:

"Thank you, Young Hero Yan!"

"Young Hero Yan truly possesses a chivalrous heart and righteous courage, admirable!"

"If Young Hero Yan ever needs anything, just say the word—we brothers will definitely help!"

That female knight Zhen Qing still needs to see a doctor, so Jiang Yunzhou didn't dare linger; he gave a slight nod, kept his aloof demeanor, and flew toward the city.

To save time, he didn't even let Yan Twelve enter the city, instead hiding him in the woods first.

After doing all that, Jiang Yunzhou, who had been meditating with eyes closed in the wooden tub while remotely controlling things, finally prepared to rise and dress, awaiting the arrival of the female knight who would come to treat him.

To Jiang Yunzhou's utter surprise, just as he rose, he saw a familiar figure inside the room: a head veiled, wearing white robes, a silver sash, and orchid embroidered boots.

That female knight had somehow already entered the room and was now seated at a table not far from him!

"Wow! You you you..."

Startled, Jiang Yunzhou almost toppled out of the tub.

Seeing Jiang Yunzhou not shouting loudly, Zhen Qing, pressing her right arm, lowered her voice and said:

"Master Jiang, don't panic; I know a stranger appearing in the room at this moment can be frightening, but I'm only here to treat your illness, harboring no ill intent—please cooperate, Master Jiang."

Jiang Yunzhou exhaled, thinking, "What stranger? I've even memorized the way he twitches a few times."

I just didn't expect this female knight to move so swiftly and silently; perhaps it's because I was fully focused on my conversation with Yang Hanlu and the others in the woods just now.

I had planned to bathe, change, and tidy up to make a good impression, but I never expected our first formal meeting to be so awkward.

Su Tao, clinging to the black silk scarf, whispered jokingly:

Senior sister, you really are... taking advantage of someone's bath, breaking into the handsome medic's room in the middle of the night, making them not be afraid—it really feels like a flower-picking lecher.

Zhen Qing whispered in reply:

I'm not here to see a doctor; I just came to ask this medic whether there's a cure for the Shattered Heart Gu. If not, there's no need to waste time.

Jiang Yunzhou gave a light cough and said:

Lady warrior, shouldn't you wait for me to put on my clothes?

No need. May I ask, Doctor Jiang, can you cure the Shattered Heart Gu?

In order to play the part fully, Jiang Yunzhou pretended to ponder and said:

I need to first confirm whether it's Shattered Heart Gu; please let me take your pulse.

Zhen Qing thought that even if confirmed, it probably couldn't be cured, so to save time she turned her back, walked forward, and handed over the arm infected with the Gu.

It's always been women bathing and men barging in for various reasons, but this is the first time I've seen a man bathing while a woman barges in—and a jade hand almost reached into the tub.

You're challenging my weak point, aren't you? If you keep this up, the medicinal power I just suppressed will rise again.

And because Zhen Qing turned her head away, her flowing black hair naturally fell behind her, and the silk scarf on her hair happened to be facing Jiang Yunzhou.

Zhen Qing felt she could even hear her junior sister Su Tao's wicked laughter.

Feeling as if something unclean was staring at him, Jiang Yunzhou leaned a bit toward the water tub, then began to pretend to examine the black pattern on Zhen Qing's fair arm, and immediately nodded and said:

It is indeed Shattered Heart Gu, but I can cure it.

Zhen Qing, who had not held much hope, upon hearing this, delighted, instinctively turned back and asked:

Really?!

Lady warrior, please conduct yourself properly!