"Hong Cha." A voice from outside the door suddenly spoke, and the girl called Hong Cha fell silent.
Xue Xingyue looked towards the sound and saw an old man walk in. His hair was white, and his beard reached past his chest, indicating he was likely in his seventies.
Though his face appeared stern, his gaze was remarkably clear.
"Greetings, elder! Thank you for saving my life." As she spoke, she prepared to rise and pay her respects.
The old man quickly stepped forward and said, "My lady, there's no need for thanks. It wasn't I who found you, but my disciple, Hong Cha."
Upon hearing this, Hong Cha said, "Sister, please don't perform such a great courtesy. It was merely a small effort on my part."
"Thank you, younger sister." Although she said this, Xue Xingyue was deeply grateful. If they hadn't been coincidentally rescued, she and Wu Hen would likely have perished in the desert.
"My lady, where are you headed?" the old man inquired.
Observing the old man's astute gaze, Xue Xingyue knew that any falsehood would be futile. Thus, she replied, "My cousin and I are going to search for relatives."
"May I know the names of your relatives, my lady?" the old man asked.
"Sister, please don't misunderstand. My master, my senior brother, and I perform martial arts. We are very familiar with Qi State. If you can tell us, perhaps we can assist you," Hong Cha explained.
But Xue Xingyue understood that the old man merely wanted to ascertain her destination. After all, harboring strangers presented many uncertainties, and she could appreciate his caution.
However, where was she to go?
For some inexplicable reason, she had intended to give a fabricated answer. Qi State was vast, and what could the old man possibly know? Yet, what came out of her mouth was, "Where is the Xie family army?"
The old man was visibly shocked. The young girl, Hong Cha, her eyes gleaming, quickly asked, "Sister, are you referring to the famed Xie family army known for its great military achievements?"
Likely, she thought. She nodded subconsciously.
Hong Cha looked excitedly at the old man, who then said, "Coincidentally, my disciple and I are planning to go to Zhen Wuguan. Perhaps we could travel together!"
"Thank you kindly for your offer!" Xue Xingyue said.
The old man glanced at the girl and instructed, "Take good care of this young lady."
Hong Cha nodded, "Master, I would do so even without you saying it."
After the old man left, Xue Xingyue felt a considerable sense of relief. The aura exuded by the old man had made her feel quite uneasy.
"Sister, do you find Master very stern?" the young girl Hong Cha asked.
Xue Xingyue replied, "It is only proper."
"Sister, please don't misunderstand. Three years ago, Master also rescued a man from the very spot where you fainted. It turned out he was a wanted criminal by the imperial court. We were all thrown into prison. At that time, my senior brother took all the blame, allowing my master, my second senior brother, and me to be released. But my senior brother..." Hong Cha's eyes welled up as she spoke.
Harboring a wanted criminal was a capital offense.
Taking the blame for all of them was better than everyone being imprisoned.
"What's most infuriating is that the fugitive insisted we were complicit with them. Otherwise, my senior brother..."
"What happened afterward?" Xue Xingyue asked.
"That criminal was beheaded and displayed, while my senior brother, for harboring a criminal, was to be exiled to Zhen Wuguan," Hong Cha said, biting her lip to hold back tears.
"So, you are here to see him off, which is why you are here?" Xue Xingyue asked.
Hong Cha nodded, "Yes."
Xue Xingyue could offer no consolation, other than to remark that the criminal was a heartless and ungrateful wretch. Those who showed him kindness, he repaid with betrayal.
"May I accompany you to see him off?" Xue Xingyue suddenly felt a strong desire to meet Hong Cha's senior brother.
"Of course, you may," Hong Cha said happily. It would surely make Senior Brother happy to have one more person see him off.
"However, Senior Brother is truly a very pitiable person," Hong Cha said dejectedly, her head bowed.
"What about your parents?" Xue Xingyue asked.
Hong Cha stiffened slightly, then replied, "I have no parents. My family consists of Master, Senior Brother, and Second Senior Brother."
Xue Xingyue paused, then said apologetically, "I'm sorry, I must have touched upon a painful memory."
Hong Cha shook her head, "Not at all. It's just that I was abandoned by my parents. Later, Master found me. I have been with Master since childhood, and at that time, Senior Brother and Second Senior Brother were already following Master."
"Hong Cha, may I go and see my cousin?" Xue Xingyue asked.
Hong Cha replied, "Certainly, you may. However, Sister, you have only just woken up. I advise you to rest a while longer."
Xue Xingyue nodded, "Alright, I will listen to you."
Hong Cha said happily, "I still don't know your name, Sister?"
"Xingyue."
"Then may I call you Sister Yue?" Hong Cha asked.
"Yes."
"Sister Yue, you can just call me Hong Cha, like Master does," Hong Cha said, her eyes filled with joy.
"Hong Cha, the medicine is ready," a voice called from outside.
Hong Cha rose and said, "Sister Yue, you rest first. I will go and check on the medicine."
Xue Xingyue nodded, but her gaze followed the voice.
After a faint sound, a person appeared inside the room. "Your subordinate arrives late to attend to Your Highness. I beg Your Highness's forgiveness!"
Xue Xingyue looked up, her gaze flickering as she looked at the kneeling figure. Her voice trembled slightly, "You... you lift your head."
The person kneeling on the ground raised his head, revealing a handsome and refined face. He met Xue Xingyue's gaze before quickly lowering it.
"Feng Jiu, it's you." Xue Xingyue exclaimed in surprise.