Chapter 40 Zhen Meier

The four servants were at a loss when they heard Qin Shou’s command. They responded in unison, drew daggers from their waists, and charged at Yan Chixia like wolves and tigers.

Seeing this, Bai Xiaoyue cried out at once, “Be careful, brother!”

Yan Chixia nodded. He said nothing aloud, but thought to himself, “These scoundrels are truly lawless! In broad daylight, they dare attack with blades… If I don’t teach them a bloody lesson today, they will never repent!”

With his mind made up, he watched as the four servants gripped their daggers and lunged at him with fierce malice. Yan Chixia set down his bundle, shouted, “Watch my sword!” and shifted his stance. In a flash of cold steel, his sword was unsheathed. The four servants saw only a blur before their eyes, then a piercing pain stabbed through the webbing between their thumbs and forefingers, making them howl in agony and drop their daggers to the ground.

The servants grimaced in pain and looked down to see blood streaming from their wounds. Terror seized them. “Such swift swordplay! Who would have thought this boy, so young, could be so formidable… He spared us just now. If he had struck our hearts instead, we’d be dead men!”

With this realization, fear overwhelmed them. They clutched their wounds, trembling all over as Yan Chixia glared at them, sword in hand. With thuds, they fell to their knees, begging for mercy.

“Spare us, master! Please, have mercy… We’ll never dare to commit violence again!”

Satisfied his point was made, Yan Chixia ignored them. Sword in hand, he strode up to Qin Shou, pointed the tip at his chest, and said coldly, “Weren’t you threatening to butcher me? Now let me show you what it’s like to be at the end of a blade!”

With those words, he made as if to thrust his sword at Qin Shou’s chest. Qin Shou was so frightened he lost all control, dropping to his knees and pleading desperately, “P-please, master, spare my life… I-I know I was wrong. I’ll never do evil again! Please, master, I’ll kowtow to you in repentance!”

He began to bang his forehead on the flagstones in terror, despite the pain. He would rather endure a bruised head than a sword through the heart. He kowtowed so fiercely that blood quickly seeped from his forehead.

But Yan Chixia showed no pity. His voice was icy as he said, “I don’t need your kowtows. Just now you insulted my sister and that lady. Now, go apologize to them at once! If they forgive you, the matter ends here. If not, I won’t let you off!”

Hearing this, Qin Shou hurriedly agreed and scrambled to where Bai Xiaoyue and the other woman stood. He choked out his apology: “L-ladies, I am less than human, worse than a beast. I offended you just now, and deserve a thousand deaths! Please, I beg your forgiveness…”

“Enough.” Bai Xiaoyue interrupted him with undisguised disgust. “I don’t want to see you again. Leave at once, and never appear before me again.”

“Yes, yes…” Qin Shou replied gratefully, scrambling to his feet. He barked at his four servants, “Didn’t you hear? Help me home, now!”

The four servants dared not linger, and hurriedly clustered around Qin Shou, helping him flee.

Bai Xiaoyue exhaled deeply. She saw the woman beside her still trembling in shock, staring blankly. Smiling gently, Bai Xiaoyue said, “Don’t be afraid anymore, sister. The villains are gone. You should go home now.”

The woman finally came to her senses. Her beautiful eyes shone with gratitude as she looked at Bai Xiaoyue and Yan Chixia. “Thank you, my benefactors, for saving me! My name is Zhen Meier. Please, let me kneel in thanks!”

She was about to kneel, but Bai Xiaoyue hurriedly stopped her, “Sister Zhen, please, don’t!”

Yan Chixia also interjected, “Sister Zhen, there’s no need for such formality.”

Zhen Meier sighed. “Very well. Alas, it seems today my luck has run out! My mother is ill. I came out to buy her medicine… but I didn’t have enough coins for even a single dose. I had no choice but to leave the pharmacy empty-handed, walking the streets lost in worry. That’s when the ‘Living King of Hell’ accosted me. Surrounded here, I endured all manner of humiliation…”

“I see,” Yan Chixia said without hesitation. “Sister Zhen, don’t worry. I have money for your medicine.” Sheathing his sword and slinging it over his back, he opened his bundle, took out half a string of copper coins, and handed them to Zhen Meier. “Here—take this money and buy medicine for your mother.”

Zhen Meier was overjoyed. “So much? I only needed five coins for the medicine… Please, just give me five. You should keep the rest for yourselves!”

Yan Chixia replied, “Sister Zhen, we’ve already bought everything we need. There’s no use for money now. You need it more than we do, so please, don’t stand on ceremony—take it all.”

Zhen Meier tried to refuse again, but Bai Xiaoyue smiled and said, “Sister Zhen, my brother is right. Your clothes are patched—you must be struggling at home. Please take the money and use it to help your family.”

Moved by Bai Xiaoyue’s gentle, heartfelt words, tears welled in Zhen Meier’s eyes. She no longer resisted, gratefully accepted the coins, and, with tears streaming down her face, bid Yan Chixia and Bai Xiaoyue farewell before hurrying off toward the pharmacy.

Watching Zhen Meier’s slender figure disappear into the distance, Yan Chixia felt deeply satisfied. Suddenly he remembered that the coins had come from Bai Xiaoyue, who had bartered for them with medicinal herbs. Flushing with embarrassment, he quickly apologized, “Sister, I’m sorry! I gave your money to Sister Zhen without asking you…”

Before he could finish, Bai Xiaoyue interrupted with a smile, “There’s no need for that, brother! We’re family—why make distinctions between yours and mine? Besides, I’m always happy to help those in need.”

Yan Chixia felt as though a fresh spring breeze had swept through his heart. “You’re wonderful, sister!”

“You’re even better!” Bai Xiaoyue beamed, gazing at his spirited, handsome face with growing affection. Unable to help herself, she took both his hands in hers. Suddenly, she noticed that the townsfolk who had fled from Qin Shou were returning to the street, casting admiring glances their way. Blushing furiously, she quickly let go of Yan Chixia’s hands and said, “Let’s hurry home, brother?”

“Yes!” Yan Chixia nodded. “Come, sister.”

And so, carrying their heavy bundle, the two of them left Qixia Town and headed toward Mount Zhongnan.