The First Volume: The Female Protagonist Chapter 10: Xu Ning

  Although facing Lu Zhishen's dagger pointed at his brow, Gao Qiang could remain calm and composed, speaking fluently. But for some reason, now facing Xiaohuan, a weak woman with almost no status or dignity who could only survive by crawling under his feet, Gao Qiang felt somewhat uneasy, as if her gentle and powerless gaze could pierce into his heart, illuminating the darkest corners within.

  He forced himself to calm down and smiled: "Xiaohuan, I've already eaten in the front yard. You haven't eaten yet, have you? Go eat quickly, don't wait for me next time."

  Xiao Huan stared blankly at him, her eyes empty and hollow, her voice also empty and hollow: "Master, I heard what you said to that gentleman just now..."

  Gao's face turned red with rage, and he stuttered as he spoke: "L-Little Ring, I...I forgot, the old master is still waiting for me in the study to discuss matters. I...I must go." As he spoke, his feet were already moving swiftly towards the door.

  "Brother!" Xiaohuan suddenly cried out, and tears finally flowed from her eyes. "My big brother, is he really dead?"

  Gao Jian was like being frozen in place by that shout, standing still on the spot. After a while, he slowly turned around, and his dry tone scared even himself: "Yes, today at Lu Qian's, Lu Yu's house, several soldiers were competing in martial arts, a knife slipped out of someone's hand, your brother...he blocked it for me..."

  She couldn't continue anymore, Xiao Huan's eyes stared at him blankly, tears welled up in her eyes and flowed down her cheeks, eventually overflowing like a burst dam, streaming down to the ground.

  He was at a loss, but in fact, he had seen Xiao Huan cry like this before. What made him feel guilty was that she was trying to hold back her tears and not make a sound, but her eyes were silently accusing him, making him feel flustered and wanting to flee in panic.

  Just as he was about to turn around, Xiaohuan let out a soft "eh" and her body swayed a few times before falling forward. Gaofei was shocked to see that she had already lost consciousness, and if she fell onto something hard it wouldn't be light, so he quickly took a step forward and wrapped his arms around her petite body, feeling how delicate and boneless she was. Looking at her again, he saw that her eyes were tightly closed, her head tilted to one side, and she had already fainted.

  Gao Jian loudly called for someone, and soon several maidservants came running over. With seven hands and eight feet, they lifted up Xiao Huan and were about to send her back to her own room when Gao Jian became worried and ordered them to take her to his own room instead. He then hastily sent someone to call the doctor.

  The doctor soon arrived, took his pulse and said it was a case of acute fire attacking the heart, with symptoms of epilepsy. He should regulate his mind and spirit, calm his nerves and rest quietly, and must not overwork or worry excessively, and also avoid extreme joy or sorrow. After saying this, he wrote out a prescription.

  Gao Jian didn't understand, and just nodded in agreement. He took out the silver to thank the doctor, but the doctor refused to accept it and left hastily. Gao Jian instructed his servant to prepare the medicine according to the prescription while he sighed: "What a great doctor! With a compassionate heart and skilled hands, saving people and benefiting the world, not even wanting money... Alas..."

  Just as they were praising, a groan was suddenly heard from the bed. Gao Gang hastily turned around and saw Xiaohuan struggling to get up. He quickly went forward to support her, saying: "Xiaohuan, you'd better lie down and rest for a while."

  Xiao Huan was dazed for a while before she could see the surroundings clearly, and found herself sleeping on the bed in the government office. The official was sitting on the edge of the bed supporting her. This shock was not trivial: "Official, Xiao Huan deserves to die, Xiao Huan deserves to die!" She said, struggling with all her might.

  Gao Qiang knew she was lying on her own bed with a terrified heart, but he didn't let her get up. He just tightened his arms and although he wasn't as strong as Lu Zhishen who could uproot willows, it was more than enough to deal with this small woman. Xiaohuan struggled in vain at once.

  Gao said, "Xiao Huan, your elder brother died for me and saved my life. No matter how grand his funeral is, he won't be able to enjoy it anyway. If you have another relapse, I don't know how I'll face your elder brother. Just rest well."

  Xiao Huan struggled for a while, but couldn't resist the strong "mysterious power", and had to lie down with a red face. However, when he mentioned his late brother, tears began to well up in his eyes again.

  Gao Jian endured for a moment before asking, "Xiao Huan, don't take offense to what I'm about to say. Your brother is indeed loyal to me, but he doesn't treat you and your sister-in-law very well, so why do you still...?"

  Xiao Huan turned her head, facing the bed, and said in a low voice: "You don't know, sir. I lost my parents at a young age, and our home was empty. It was all thanks to my elder brother's hard work that I grew up. He fought with people many times to protect me from being bullied by street gangs, and he got hurt many times. Later, when he met you, he tried every means to send me to your side, so that I could live a good life." She couldn't help but sob again at this point.

  Listening intently with a daze, he didn't know what to make of it in his heart either, only stretching out his hand from time to time to pat her frail back.

  Xiao Huan sobbed for a while, then said: "Big brother also doesn't know what he's thinking, in order to let me stay by his side, he actually gave medicine to my sister-in-law, forcing her to death. He said that this way, Big Brother will definitely treat me well. I've grown up so big, Big Brother has always been the best to me, but now... wah!..." and couldn't help but burst into tears again.

  At this moment, Gao Jiang forgot to pat her back, and was shocked in his heart: Fu An, that despicable Fu An, the one who was killed by Lu Qian like a chicken, the one whose corpse no one even bothered to look at, actually had something in this world that he desperately wanted to protect, someone for whom he would pay any price! Those eyes that refused to close even in death appeared again before his mind's eye. At that moment, what he must have been thinking of was this only younger sister of his!

  Looking down at Xiaohuan, who was crying uncontrollably, Gaohan's heart ached and he gently patted her shoulder, saying softly: "Xiaohuan, don't be too sad, even if your big brother is gone, I'm still here for you."

  Xiao Huan's body trembled slightly as she slowly turned her head around, her eyes brimming with tears as she looked at Gao Qiang, unable to speak for a moment.

  Gao Xiang smiled and said: "Xiao Huan, inside the yamen my quarters are still empty, you've been serving me for a long time now, why not just become my concubine? That way your elder brother can leave with peace of mind, and it won't be in vain that he followed me this whole time."

  Xiao Huan suddenly woke up like a dream, hastily shook her head, and stuttered "servant girl, servant girl" for a few sentences, but couldn't say anything.

  Gao Jian smiled slightly, bent down and kissed her forehead, his right index finger lightly tapping on the tip of her nose: "Don't say anything else, are you daring not to listen to the words of the official? Tonight, don't leave either, just stay in the official's room."

  Xiao Huan's face turned red, although it wasn't the first time she was serving Gao Qiang at night, but tonight felt particularly different. His chest felt solid and reliable as he leaned in close, his eyes were unusually gentle, and his hands seemed to have a magical power that made her whole body heat up wherever they touched. She felt extremely comfortable and relaxed, her heart racing uncontrollably as she whispered: "Sir, I'm afraid I won't be able to serve you well..."

  Gao Qiang gently held her shoulders, and kissed her tender cheek, saying: "Silly girl, you're not feeling well now, and the master doesn't need you to serve him. Just have a good dream, the master is here with you. And from now on, don't call yourself 'bixi' (servant) anymore, you are now the master's concubine, you should call yourself 'qiè shēn' (concubine)."

  Xiao Huan absent-mindedly responded with a sound, only to feel that her whole body was as if in the clouds, floating and drifting without knowing where she was.

  A faint "pop" sound came from the room, and the light flickered for a moment, but it was just the candle flame bursting. Gao Jian's arm wrapped around Xiao Huan, listening to her even breathing, his eyes wide open staring at the ceiling: there, a pair of originally unblinking eyes slowly closed, disappearing...

  The next day, Gao Qiang woke up to find that Xiao Huan had already gone, leaving behind a few strands of long hair on the pillow and a faint scent in the bed.

  Just as he was dozing off, the door creaked open and a sixteen or seventeen year old girl slipped in quietly, gently placing the copper basin on the shelf. She turned to lift Gang's quilt, but suddenly found that he was already awake, gazing at her with an ambiguous smile. Her cheeks flushed bright red as she stood there awkwardly, saying in a low voice: "Master, I've come to help you get up."

  Gao Liang looked at her, the scene before his eyes was so similar to when he first arrived in this ancient era, yet everything had changed. Was it that he was lost in time and space, or did time and space change because of him?

  He suddenly burst out laughing, pulled over Xiaohuan, and before she could utter a cry of surprise, he had sealed her fragrant lips: No matter if time and space are changing or my heart is wandering, this is my world, I am Gao Nei!

  ………………

  Having seen Gao Qiu, Song Jiang and Lu Zhishen went out to look for Lin Chong, the sun was already near noon.

  Arriving at Lin Chong's residence, Gao Qiu reported his name and the servant rushed in to inform him. Before long, Lin Chong came out to greet him. Gao Qiu hastily paid his respects with a deep bow, saying "Master is superior, disciple has come to pay respects to you".

  Lin Chong saw Gao Qiu being so respectful, and he felt a bit awkward. After all, Gao Qiu was his superior, and he had always been very kind to him. Moreover, Gao Qiu's intention to become his apprentice seemed sincere, so how could he still put on a cold face? Therefore, he quickly rushed forward to help him up, saying: "There is no need for you to be so polite, hurry up and get up."

  Gao Qiu smiled and took the opportunity to stand up, taking out a gift to give to Lin Chong, saying it was a respectful gift for his teacher. It was a pair of jade lions, carved from emerald, so lively and lovely. Lin Chong was unwilling to accept it, and couldn't help but decline repeatedly, but ultimately couldn't resist Gao Qiu's silver tongue, and had no choice but to reluctantly accept it.

  At this time, Gao Qiang only noticed that there was another person standing behind Lin Chong, about 30 years old, with a height of around 1.7 meters, handsome and fair-skinned, with a slight mustache under his chin, broad shoulders and a round waist, standing there without speaking, but exuding an aura as stable as a mountain, which made Gao Qiang secretly feel startled: This man has great presence!

  Lin Chong saw Gao Qiu staring at this man, and hastily stretched out his hand to pull him over. They exchanged names with each other. The man heard that he was a yanei from the residence of Gao Qiu, the commander of the Imperial Guard, and clasped his fists in greeting: "Xu Ning, instructor of the Golden Lance Brigade under the command of the Imperial Guard's Martial Department, at your service."

  Taking a deep breath, he hastily stepped forward and returned the courtesy: "I don't dare to accept your praise. I've long heard of the great name of Golden Gun Hand, and everyone in the mansion has been reciting it every day. I've always admired you, and today I finally meet you, and indeed, seeing is better than hearing. Xu Jiao is truly a heroic figure!"