The once lively room was instantly filled with pleas for mercy and the continuous sound of swords piercing flesh; it was a scene of carnage!
Because it was isolated from the brothel outside, news of the killings here spread very slowly. However, once it did, it caused considerable panic.
Xie Yun, Bai Qianluo, Liu Jin, and Xiao Yuan heard about it from people fleeing the brothel. By the time they rushed there, Xie Jing had already disappeared.
The administrator of the Ghost Market was mysterious, but he never interfered in such trivial matters. Therefore, after such an incident occurred, everyone assumed that the Hongxiu Guild had abducted some young lady, and now someone had come seeking revenge. Accustomed to bloodshed, they were merely shocked for the moment and didn't take it too seriously.
Xie Yun and Bai Qianluo, however, knew that this matter was related to Xie Jing and the others. The news they managed to get from the杂货铺 (zahuopu - sundry shop) was that Qin Jiujiu was in the vicinity. Just as they were about to inform Xie Jing and the others, they came out and heard about the incident.
On the street, they found a man who had escaped from the brothel and inquired. According to the man, a man had run out carrying a girl who had been stabbed, followed closely by a man in blue covered in blood, which was quite terrifying!
That man in blue could only be Xie Jing! Then, the man holding the girl must be Liu Qi, and this girl should be Jiujiu!
Xie Yun said, "Let's go, back to the General's Mansion!"
The four present understood in an instant and asked no further questions, heading directly back to the General's Mansion.
Liu Qi carried Qin Jiujiu back to the General's Mansion and settled her in the guest room, immediately sending for the best doctor in the city.
The doctor, with his greying hair and beard, looked very old. It was already past midnight, yet he had been roused from his sleep and brought to the General's Mansion after a bumpy ride on horseback.
Upon seeing Qin Jiujiu, the doctor immediately noticed her abnormal condition. He tremblingly took a small box from his medicine chest, containing three pills. He took one and placed it in Qin Jiujiu's mouth.
Qin Jiujiu was in great discomfort, but fortunately, before the doctor arrived, Liu Qi had ordered the maids to change her clothes, so she was not in an indecent state.
"Miss, open your mouth to take the medicine!" Qin Jiujiu still had a sliver of consciousness. Hearing the doctor's voice, she obediently opened her mouth.
The doctor turned to Liu Qi and said, "General, this young lady has been drugged with a potent aphrodisiac from the Manluo Kingdom. The wound on her abdomen is superficial, but although the aphrodisiac can be cured, delaying too long will damage her vital energy, so she needs rest!"
Liu Qi replied, "Understood!"
The doctor noticed that Liu Qi had not left and turned his gaze to him.
"Is this the General's wife?"
He had been practicing medicine in this city for decades and had never heard of this young general having a wife. However, he needed to bandage the wound of the woman on the bed, and the General was not leaving, so he could only ask this.
After all, it was a matter of propriety between men and women!
Liu Qi was startled by the doctor's question and instinctively retorted, "Of course not!"
"Then, General, please excuse yourself. Only one maid is needed to assist me here!"
Liu Qi's face flushed. It reminded him of Qin Jiujiu's restless movements on the way back to the mansion, cradled in his arms. As if to cover something up, he turned and quickly left the room.
The doctor smiled, realizing that this general was actually a pure-hearted man! He then turned to stop Qin Jiujiu's bleeding and dress her wound.
Liu Qi stood outside for a long time. After the cool breeze had dispersed some of his fluster, the doctor came out.
He gave a few instructions regarding changing the dressing and was then escorted away by a servant.
Qin Jiujiu's injuries were not serious; it was the aphrodisiac that had harmed her body, so she still needed several days of rest and good nourishment.
Liu Qi hesitated at the door for a long time before entering.
It was then that he truly saw Qin Jiujiu's appearance. Recalling the girl from Liu Jin's letter, her face was pale and bloodless due to her injury, and she appeared much more demure at the moment.
"Young Master Liu, what are you looking at?" Xie Jing's voice came from behind him, startling Liu Qi back to his senses, his expression a little unnatural.
Although he had never interacted with any girl other than Liu Jin, even a blockhead could see that the person before him had a profound connection with the woman on the bed!
"It's nothing. Miss Qin is not seriously injured and only needs to rest well. I have official business to attend to, so I will take my leave!"
As Liu Qi left Xie Jing's side, he clearly felt the coldness radiating from him. Based on his years of experience fighting on the battlefield, Xie Jing was not as frail as he appeared. He possessed a powerful killing intent, which Liu Qi could distinctly sense.
Recalling how he had killed people in the Ghost Market, with swift sword strikes to the throat, this man was definitely not simple!
Liu Qi left the room but did not close the door. Xie Jing's gaze fell on Qin Jiujiu's face, but the door suddenly closed, sealing the room in silence.
He walked to the bedside and sat down. Looking at Qin Jiujiu's face, she wasn't her usual jovial self. Her pale face was furrowed, and she looked very pained.
He couldn't help himself and reached out, stroking her brow.
A crystal tear suddenly fell from the corner of Qin Jiujiu's eye. Xie Jing seemed entranced, and he leaned down, kissing her eyes. Realizing what he was doing, Xie Jing suddenly felt much more at ease. This was how he should treat her!
Qin Jiujiu's eyelashes were long and curled. At this moment, she seemed to sense something, her eyelids fluttering. Xie Jing felt the tickle on his lips gradually transfer to his heart, disrupting his heartbeat and his breathing.
The distance was so close that their breaths mingled, making the air feel almost intimate. As if compelled by an unseen force, he did not change this distance. His gaze slowly lowered, from her eyes to her lips.
Due to significant blood loss, Qin Jiujiu's lips were devoid of any color. Perhaps from not drinking enough water these past few days, her lips were dry and chapped, completely lacking their usual luster.
Something flashed through Xie Jing's mind. These lips had kissed him before. Although it was just a fleeting touch, it had made his heart race. That electric sensation made him inexplicably nostalgic.
Xie Jing had always been someone who did what he wanted. He didn't consider matters of propriety between men and women. Besides, she had provoked him first!
So, without any guilt, he boldly pressed his lips to hers. However, he only pressed them together. It wasn't that he didn't want to go further; the fact was, Xie Jing had never been in a relationship since he was young. Not to mention such intimate actions, almost no woman could get close to him, and those who tried were killed!
Therefore, he didn't know how to kiss at all!
Qin Jiujiu felt a soft, moist sensation on her lips in her sleep, making her want to take a bite!
So, just as Xie Jing was about to pull away, his lips were bitten by Qin Jiujiu. A large portion of his lip skin was bitten into her mouth! What was even more terrifying was that Qin Jiujiu not only held on but also licked it with her tongue.
A bloody taste filled her mouth. It wasn't until she tasted this blood that she reluctantly let go.