Chapter 9 is here! I will try my best to get everywhere in jianghu is wonderful ch 2 (EIJIW from now on because that name is so long) up over the weekend.

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[Chapter 9 - The wooden house at the back of the mountain] Don't call so sickeningly

[Chapter 9 - The wooden house at the back of the mountain] Don't call so sickeningly

In the small yard, there are many troops guarding the inside and outside; when the two people have left, Chu Yuan returned to the room, held by Eunuch Si Xi. Although he did not say much just now, Si Xi got himself very worked up, and he's also plump; now he's holding on to the table, gasping for air.

Looking at this scene, Chu Yuan can't help but laugh: "Be careful not to fall ill, there's no medicine here to help treat you."

"These traitors really want to commit treason." Eunuch Si Xi sighed, "Unfortunately General Shen is not here, otherwise how can they run rampant now?"

"No matter how well-rounded the previous plan was, it was unexpected that Ceng Xuan will lean towards the Liu family." Chu Yuan shook his head, "One moment of negligence can disperse a well-thought plan; this can be considered a lesson learned."

"Then what's the next step, Your Majesty?" Eunuch Si Xi asked, "A insignificant housekeeper who dares to be so impudent, they must have received orders from above, who knows what's the situation inside the capital now."

"There's actually no need to worry about the capital, we have already made arrangements." Chu Yuan said, "Furthermore there's Xi Nan King Duan Bai Yue, he won't let Liu Manor be so audacious. At most, there will be rescuers coming at midnight tonight."

"Yes." Eunuch Si Xi first nodded, then cried and kneeled on the floor, "I'm afraid that this old servant cannot continue to serve Your Majesty from now on."

"Why?" Chu Yuan smiled, "Are you thinking of staying behind to follow the Liu family?"

Eunuch Si Xi was still sobbing; he still hasn't recovered yet when he heard this question and paled at once, and waved his hands: "Your Majesty —"

"We know, who said that we will abandon you." Chu Yuan interrupted him and bent down to hold him up, "It's thanks to eunuch that I was able to head off those people with murky motives during my childhood. The rescue this time, I will get you out too."

"...this." Eunuch Si Xi felt awkward; lowering his head and looking at his bloated figure and big belly; no matter how you see it, it's an image of burden.

If he knew this would happen, he would have eaten fewer bowls of rice daily.

In a small alley behind the governmental office, Ye Jin is presently walking towards it, a vegetable basket hanging off his arm.

A group of guards is standing there, expressions solemn and severe, with swords in their hands; they look like an iron wall from far away.

"This road is closed! Leave now." Before Ye Jin can get near the alley, he's already chased away like a fly, and so he indignantly turned and walked back — if it was an everyday situation, he would have forced his way in, even spreading his medicine all over! But now there's still someone trapped in the governmental office; no matter whether it's good or bad, he must find a way to meet them.

Walking one round around the governmental office, there are no gaps for him to slip in at all; Ye Jin, uneasy and on the edge, sat at a tea house in a corner of the street to drink tea and calm himself, and paying attention to the activities opposite, planning to see if there's a chance for him to slip in at night.

Time pa.s.sed bit by bit; the teahouse is closing its doors; Ye Jin flipped on to the roof and hid in a dark corner, yawning. After a grueling wait till midnight, Ye Jin didn't manage to make to the changing of guards before a group of black-clothed men has already landed silently from the sky, their swords moving cleanly and neatly, placing the guards onto the road.

Ye Jin: "......"

"Men! There's a.s.sa.s.sins!" Someone in the governmental office saw that something was wrong, and called out. Huge fires instantly lit up, and caused the half the sky to also brighten, the sound of swords clas.h.i.+ng resonated endlessly. The people nearby were woken up by the noise, but do not dare to go to check; they do not know what's happening outside and can only wait until their surroundings are quiet again.

"Go!" Chu Yuan, dragging Eunuch Si Xi, got onto a horse, and under the protection of the black-clothed men, fought his way out of Liu manor.

"Men! Give chase!" Liu Man gave his orders agitatedly. By this point, everyone knows their own consequence if Chu Yuan manages to go back to the capital; and so Ceng Xuan, with a ferocious expression and a killing intent in his eyes, personally led his men out of the city on the chase.

The black-clothed men who came to rescue Chu Yuan are the palace's secret guards; each and every one of them are chosen personally by Shen Qian Feng and covertly sent to Ri Yue sect to learn Qing Gong; they are all highly skilled. In normal situations they won't reveal themselves, and only appear in critical times. Although the treasonous troops are many, they fought them off as they came, keeping Chu Yuan firmly in the middle.

"Shoot the arrows!" Ceng Xuan has lead his men to a tall hill in front, and trapped Chu Yuan and the others in the valley below. Razor-sharp arrows pierced through the air; Chu Yuan drew out his sword and threw Eunuch Si Xi behind him.

"Surround and protect!" Some of the guards were hurt by the arrows; upon seeing that the opponent has switched a new row of archers, they could only use their flesh and blood to block in front, letting Chu Yuan have more time to escape.

Fire bombs, with black smoke trailing behind them, rolled down the slopes; the right eye of Chu Yuan's war horse was hurt, and threw the both of them down its back. Si Xi, kneeling on the ground, apprehensively said: "Your Majesty please leave, don't care about this old servant anymore!"

Chu Yuan used his sword to sweep away the fires in front, and pulled Eunuch Si Xi up, bringing him along as he fought his way out.

Upon seeing this, Ceng Xuan spit madly on the ground, and took his bow and arrow from his aide, wanting to let Chu Yuan die on the spot.

"Be careful!" The guards shouted as they saw what was happening; Chu Yuan heard a shrill sound at his back, and only had time to push away Si Xi , pain suddenly spreading across his back.

"Emperor!" Si Xi, horrified, stumbled towards him to hold him.

"Kill him!" Ceng Xuan rushed down the hill with his sword, wanting to strike while he's at an advantage, but suddenly a cloth packet flew into his face, the powder inside spreading all all over his face. At once, it's as if he was stung by a thousand mosquitos, it was painful, numb and itchy at the same time.

"He hasn't died right?" Ye Jin, who had just arrived, saw that Chu Yuan was. .h.i.t by an arrow and quickly rushed to his side.

"Warrior, warrior please save the emperor!" Eunuch Si Xi looked as if he saw the dawn.

Ye Jin almost wanted to cry; his level of martial arts can still allow Si Xi to call him a warrior. So many years has pa.s.sed but your eyesight is just as bad.

Seeing that Chu Yuan has already fainted, Ye Jin didn't have time to care about his surroundings, and tore open his clothes to tend to his wounds. The guards are still battling fiercely with the treasonous troops; the enemy is like the tide, after defeating a wave of them another wave arrives; the situation is dreadful despite their will. Ye Jin looked up to the sky and hollered: "Bai Lai Cai!"

The shout was extremely loud; in his unconscious state, Chu Yuan flinched a little.

An old fellow responded to the shout and descended from the treetop in one jump, landed as if he's Tu Xing Sun (1), and fought the mutinous troops. He doesn't seem like he had any weapons but wherever he went wails rung out; in an instant, a large number of people are missing their arms.

"Warrior, the emperor is fine, right?" Eunuch Si asked falteringly.

"Don't know, if he dies then he dies." Ye Jin replied with gritted teeth.

Eunuch Si Xi almost kneeled on the ground again.

After wrapping up Chu Yuan's wounds hastily, Ye Jin stood up and said in a rush, "Stop fighting already!"

Bai Lai Cai, with a wild fruit hanging off his mouth, kicked the last of the treasonous troops down the mountain, and brought a carriage over from who knows where.

The number of treasonous troops in the city is unknown; in this kind of situation it's clear that they must find a quiet place. And so Ye Jin decided on the spot, and brought Chu Yuan and his guards deep into the mountains — there is a small house there, used for shelter when picking herbs; coincidentally it is now of use.

"Warrior, the emperor is alright?" Along the way, Si XI has asked this question seven, eight times.

Ye Jin really wished to knock him out, If not for the fact that he raised him when he was young.

Chu Yuan's face is pale, his clothes are bloodied, his fingers cold. Luckily the wooden house already has some herbs and medicine; Ye Jin boiled some water and helped him to clean his wound and change his bandages, while Bai Lai Cai went back to Yun Shui city and took a great deal of clothes, bedding and dry food; after busying for a few hours, only then did all the people's wounds are taken care of.

Ye Jin sat by Chu Yuan's side, observing him. Once in a while he tested his pulse; after establis.h.i.+ng that he will not die in the meantime, only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.

Eunuch Si Xi saw an opportunity, and started, "This warrior...."

"He won't die." Ye Jin is tired inside out, he doesn't even have the energy to grumble.

"No, no, no, warrior misunderstands, this time I wish to ask for your great name." Si Xi bowed and curtsied, "I'm thankful that two warriors reached out to rescue us this time."

"It's a small matter, I was awfully bored." Ye Jin pouted.

Si Xi : "......."

"I'm going to the mountains to search and see if I can find some Chi Hong Teng (2), to help enrich the blood and help in the recovery." Ye Jin stood up, "If eunuch is tired, go and sleep too, nothing will happen to him in the meantime."

"Good, good, good; thank you, warrior." Si Xi nodded, but worried said again, "But looking at the weather, it seems like heavy rains are coming." The mountain will be slippery, and looking at how he fought just now, it doesn't seem like his martial arts is good.

Ye Jin, however, has already carried his bamboo basket on his back and gone out.

Bai Lai Cai is nowhere to be seen; Eunuch Si Xi hastily got two uninjured guards to follow him for protection; at least he will be looked after.

As predicted, not long after Ye Jin has stepped out, torrential rain started falling in the mountain, thunder and lightning rolling through the skies; it's a terrifying sight. This trip took about four hours, Si Xi looking out the door three, four times. By the time that the sky has completely turned black, then did a drenched Ye Jin was helped back by the guards; he had almost fallen off the mountain while picking herbs.

Eunuch Si Xi is startled at this, and quickly boiled some water to let him wash up and drive away the cold. On the inside, Ye Jin is exasperated, he felt that he is truly unlucky; after sending his teacher's ashes to the temple, he should have changed his route going back to Qiong Hua Gu (3); coming to Yun Shui city, he met with troubles he can't shake off.

Chu Yuan was unconscious for two days; this afternoon, Ye Jin is sitting by his bedside, unwrapping his bandages and checking his wounds as usual.

"Warrior, warrior be more gentle." Si Xi is shocked at the scene, "That's the body of the emperor." Medicine must be applied slowly, and not slapped on.

Ye Jin grunted, and stuck a handkerchief full of medicine onto the wound.

Looking at this scene, Si Xi sucked in a breath.

Chu Yuan, in his state of unconsciousness, also grunted, and opened his eyes with great effort.

His vision is clouded; it seems like someone was looking at him, but at the next instant, a familiar face appeared.

"Si Xi."

"Your Majesty, you finally woke up." Eunuch Si Xi is so happy till he almost cried, but in his heart he is also wondering, everything is fine, so why did the warrior who was sitting by the bed ran out, and at quite a fast pace too.

Chu Yuan closed his eyes and thought for a while, and asked: "Where is this place?"

"This is the back of the mountain behind Yun Shui city." Si Xi told him the events that happened before, and said gratefully, "These two warriors are truly great men." It's just that their temperament is a bit strange; one will grunt in scorn at times, while the shadow of the other one can't even be seen.

"Where are they?" Chu Yuan's lips are cracked, "We want to personally thank them."

Ye Jin crouched by the door, pouting, who wants you to personally thank them?

"Warrior, warrior." Eunuch Si Xi came out to call, "The emperor is asking for you."

"I won't go in!" Ye Jin stood up, and haughtily went into the horse carriage.

Although he said he doesn't want to see him, his pulse must still be looked at; Chu Yuan has suffered a severe injury after all. And so a moment later, Ye Jin came out of the horse carriage again.

The guards who were just pa.s.sing by got a shock.

"What are you looking at!" Ye Jin stood angrily, with his hands on his hips.

"Didn't see anything." The guards quickly lowered their heads.

Ye Jin covered his face completely, only revealing two eyes, and went into the house.

Chu Yuan: "......"

Eunuch Si Xi is also shocked: "Warrior, what's the meaning of this?"

Ye Jin said in a low voice: "I got a cold."

Eunuch Si Xi is perplexed.

Chu Yuan kept looking at his eyes.

Ye Jin sat down by the bed, and pulled his hand over to try his pulse.

"To dare to ask you; what is your great name?" Chu Yuan asked.

"Why do you care what my name is!" Ye Jin pushed his hand back, haughtily stood up, planning to go and prepare medicine.

"Tian-er?" Chu Yuan couldn't stand it anymore, and tried asking.

"Don't call until so sickeningly!" Ye Jin became agitated.

Chu Yuan said with surprise: "It's really you?"

.....

.....

.....

Ye Jin is calmer than ever: "Yeah, not a chance."

"The Ninth Highness?" Eunuch Si Xi suddenly reacted; he knew that he looked familiar.

"Ke ke!" Ye Jin, with sincere eyes, "Who is the Ninth Highness?"

"It's really you." Eunuch Si Xi cried happily.

Chu Yuan also leaned back on the headboard, and reached out to him with a smile.

"Humph!" Ye Jin turned and went out of the wooden house, and perched on a cliff till nightfall; he was then brought back by Bai Lai Cai, who they searched for.

Chu Yuan is currently eating porridge on the bed.

Ye Jin stood at the door, his eyes full of resentment.

Actually I didn't really want to rescue you, you must not thank me at all costs, and don't involve me anymore!

Everyone here are not that close after all.

Chu Yuan peeled back the blanket, wanting to go down.

"Hey!" Ye Jin retreated a step back, warning, "Lie back!"

"Tian —"

"Tian your own head!" (4) Ye Jin stepped onto the threshold of the door, looking like a bandit.

"Then you must at least tell us, how can we call you." Chu Yuan finds it a bit funny, but his heart is also warmed. Before becoming the emperor, although he had many brothers in the palace, but each and every one of them had ulterior motives; there's no one like Ye Jin, who is willing to risk their life to rescue him.

"Call me Divine Physician Ye." Ye Jin thought for a while, and replied.

"That's very distant." Chu Yuan frowned.

"We have always been distant!" Ye Jin sat down by the bed, "Yesterday, people from the governmental office came to search the mountain, although they didn't search the back of mountain, continuing to stay here is not a viable long term plan either, where's your next destination?"

Chu Yuan said: "There's nowhere to go."

Ye Jin: "......"

Don't say you're really trying to exhort me, an emperor must have integrity.

*"*Even Ceng Xuan, who we has always trusted, betrayed us; around and nearby Yun Shui city, there's really no idea who can be trusted." Chu Yuan shook his head.

Ye Jin said plaintively: "There's not even one familiar person?"

"The purpose of this trip is to go Qian Yue city." Chu Yuan said.

"I will not go to Qian Yue city!" Ye Jin become agitated.

Chu Yuan was shocked at his reaction; looking at his att.i.tude, could it be that he has enemies in Qian Yue city?

"Only Qian Yue city?" Ye Jin, unwilling, and asked again.

Chu Yuan nodded: "Qian Yue city, Ri Yue sect, it's the home of Qian Fan, in Jiang Nan he's the only person I'm willing to trust."

"I'm telling you not to mention Ri Yue sect." Ye Jin stood up and heatedly walked a couple of rounds, and sat back down again, "Whatever, I'm bringing you back to Qiong Hua Gu, it's close by, and treatment can continue." Qian Yue city is far away, no one knows what will happen along the way.

"Is Old Master Ye doing well recently?" Chu Yuan asked.

"He went to the west on a crane three months ago." (5) Ye Jin replied.

Chu Yuan: "....."

"There's nothing to be sad about, teacher is already more than a hundred years old, it's a happy pa.s.sing." Looking at Chu Yuan who remained silent, Ye Jin pouted, but his eyelids were a bit red.

Looking at this situation Chu Yuan reached out his hand, wis.h.i.+ng to comfort him, but he was slapped on his head.

Truly, really, really, fierce.

In the royal palace, Duan Bai Yue is currently leaning against a plum tree, looking at the clouds pa.s.s by, engrossed in his thoughts.

This is originally the Cold Palace (6), absolutely no one pa.s.ses by here usually; when Eunuch Si Xi pa.s.sed by here, he felt that the soil is still quite fertile, and so whenever the emperor is in a bad mood, the plum tree will be dug up and temporarily moved here; it's growing quite well.

When the sky turned dark, only then did Duan Bai Yue got up and returned to the clothing shop. Duan Yao is sitting by the table moving some poisonous plants around; upon seeing him, he sniffed and frowned: "You drank?"

"Three cups only." Duan Bai Yue said.

Duan Yao complained: "You let me go to Liu Manor to listen for information everyday, and yet you yourself went to drink?"

"Did you find out anything?" Duan Bai Yue asked.

Duan Yao answered: "I did not find out anything."

Duan Bai Yue shook his head: "It's more worth it for me to go drinking."

Duan Yao almost stuffed the poisonous plants into his brother's mouth.

"But in letting you go, it's not that I want to find out anything, Liu Manor has planning for many years in the capital, how can you find out anomalies in just a few days." Duan Bai Yue said, "It's just that Emperor Chu is not in the capital recently, so observing Liu Manor is to see if they have any strange developments."

"So what if there's strange developments?" Duan Yao asked, "Can you even get involved in it?"

Duan Bai Yue asked him back: "Why can't I get involved?"

Duan Yao frowned: "This doesn't concern us, why must we get the stench on ourselves."

Duan Bai Yue shook his head: "Who becomes the emperor in this court is of great concern to Xi Nan."

Duan Yao laid down on the table and yawned; he obviously has no interest in such matters.

"Lord." Duan Nian said at the door, "Servant just received the news, General Shen seems to have returned."

"As expected." Duan Bai Yue isn't surprised by this turn of events at all, "Where is he?"

"Ri Yue countinghouse, he did not return to the general's manor." Duan Nian said, "Will Lord be going there for a short while?"

Duan Bai Yue took his sword from the table, and walked out.

In Ri Yue counting house, Shen Qian Fan is drenched in sweat, letting his servant tend to his wounds. A sword wound pierced through the chest to the belly, the ground is full of blood; it leads one to feel terrified inside.

A m.u.f.fled sound echoed from the courtyard, the sound of someone drawing a sword out ringing out after that.

"Who is it?"

"General Shen." Duan Bai Yue stood in the yard.

As predicted...Shen Qian Fan put on his coat, opened the door and invited him in.

"General is hurt?" Duan Bai Yue is surprised.

"When we were nearing the capital, we were ambushed." Shen Qian Fan said, "The enemy has about a total of thirty people, they have all died."

"Liu Manor's men?" Duan Bai Yue asked again.

Shen Qian Fan said: "Xi Nan King still hasn't said, why did you appear in the capital for no reason?"

Duan Bai Yue said: "Emperor Chu did not inform the general?"

Shen Qian Fan shook his head.

Duan Bai Yue said: "Then I will also not say."

Shen Qian Fan: "......"

"Although I don't know what's the next step that general wishes to take, but there is one thing I should inform you of first." Duan Bai Yue said, "I'm afraid the borders of Xi Bei will be chaotic again."

Shen Qian Fan frowned.

"When the former Emperor Chu wanted to restrict Liu family's power, it took an entire twenty years, before the leaders.h.i.+p of the Xi Bei troops were slowly taken back; but he probably hasn't thought that, in this twenty years, it's also enough for Liu Gong to scheme in the dark, eventually gaining control of Xi Bei." Duan Bai Yue said.

"King Duan is referring to my Great Chu's northwest troops?" Shen Qian Fan asked.

"Not the troops, but the nomads." Duan Bai Yue shook his head, "Sha Da of Ah Nu is but a chess piece; the real master behind the Xi Bei troops who are ready for battle, is at Liu Manor."

Shen Qian Fan's expression changed at once.

"Sha Da is in the capital, my men are watching him." Duan Bai Yue said. "Emperor Chu is not in the palace; Liu Gong should be using Gu Li's death as an excuse to cause trouble for the court."

"Someone tried to a.s.sa.s.sinate me en route, Liu Gong has probably guessed what has happened." Shen Qian Fan said, "This is a time of crisis, I must go to the palace immediately."

"Do you want this king's help?" Duan Bai Yue asked.

Shen Qian Fan said:"The emperor has orders, if King Duan is bored and has nothing to do, he can stay put in the house, and not run around everywhere."

Duan Bai Yue raised an eyebrow: "Didn't say that we couldn't help."

Shen Qian Fan got onto his horse, racing towards the palace.

At the inn, Duan Yao has just about fallen asleep, when he was dragged out of bed by someone again; he almost wants to cry in anger.

"In the day you were worried you can't find anyone to feed your Gu." Duan Bai Yue patted his cheek, "Wake up, I'm bringing you to catch a few live ones!"

In the Liu Manor, Liu Fu De said in a rush, "Shen Qian Fan has suddenly returned, it's obvious Liu Manor is the target, I wonder what are father's intentions?"

Liu Gong sat in the Tai s.h.i.+ chair (7), remaining silent with a sombre expression.

Liu Fu De got even more anxious: "Father, in this situation we are not the ones rebelling; it's that they are cleaning up the imperial court!"

"Why are you panicking." Liu Gong stood up, " Call your third uncle over."

"Yes!" Liu Fu De hastily turned and rushed out, and almost crashed into the housekeeper.

"Master, master, I apologize." The housekeeper ran till he's out of breath, and couldn't say much, only pa.s.sing the letter in his hands forward, "Yun Shui city sent this, it seems like something big has happened."

Liu Gong opened the seal, looked over the letter once, his expression changing. After a long while, he hit the table harshly, saying: "Men! Follow me to the palace!"

(1): Tu Xing Sun: 土行孫 is a character from The Invest.i.ture of the G.o.ds (封神演義, Fēng shén yǎnyì). Known for being highly skilled and his short stature.

(2) Chi Hong Teng: 赤紅藤 - lit. red vine. Refers to Sargentodoxa cuneata.

(3) Qiong Hua Gu: 瓊花谷 - lit. Viburnum Valley. Ye Jin grew up and studied there after being brought out of the palace.

(4) Tian your own head - 湉你個頭. Your head (你個頭) is kind of like a reb.u.t.tal, with whatever the speaker is reb.u.t.ting placed in front. In this case Ye Jin doesn't want to be called Tian-er so he said that.

(5) Went to the west on a crane: 駕鶴西去 - lit. drive crane west go. Stating that the person has pa.s.sed away in a respectful way. Cranes were considered mystical birds who accompany celestial people.

(6) Cold Palace: 冷宮, palace where princes or empresses were banished to if they fall out of favor.

(7) Tai s.h.i.+ chair: 太師椅 - chair which symbolizes the power of the government official. Being able to sit in it means the person holds the role of an official.

Thanks for reading and let me know if there's any mistakes.

because I'm going to need to buy the chapters soon T_T