Chapter 112: The Rescue

(What a streak of bad luck today: my son has a high fever, my motorcycle was impounded, I got a thousand-yuan fine, the power went out... It’s as if all the world’s misfortune gathered into one day—damn it all!)

Ma Liu recognized the men as belonging to Li Yifeng’s camp. This left Chen Jianchen feeling uneasy and suspicious—the timing was far too coincidental. Could it really be as the old saying goes: "Coincidence is the stuff of stories"?

He had no time to ponder, for Jiao Na’s gaze was already fixed entirely on the fiery red fox bound with hemp rope on the back of the horse.

There was no need to ask; it was undoubtedly Master Huangfu.

Having reverted to his original form, Master Huangfu was covered in wounds and bloodstains. It was clear he had been severely injured. His head hung limp, and he remained motionless, leaving it unclear whether he had fallen unconscious.

Chen Jianchen grabbed Jiao Na, who was on the verge of erupting, and signaled for her to hold back. Turning to Ma Liu, he whispered, "Ma Liu, quickly find an excuse to stop them."

Given the situation, they had not yet reached the point of "drawing swords." If he let Jiao Na act, she would certainly kill them all in an instant, and there would be no turning back from such an act.

Ma Liu didn't understand the reasoning, but since Chen Jianchen had spoken and his young mistress offered no objection, he followed orders. He hurried to the main road and shouted, "Guardian Shi, my young mistress wishes to speak with you."

Though he was a coachman, his ability to adapt to situations was quite sharp.

Upon hearing this, Chen Jianchen immediately devised a plan. He leaned in and whispered to Jiao Na. She had wanted to lash out regardless of the consequences to rescue her father, but meeting Chen Jianchen’s steady, resolute gaze, she relented. Perhaps the scholar was right; in the mortal world, one should rely more on wisdom. Relying solely on brute force would only lead to a chaotic mess.

Weren’t these the very things her father hoped she would learn to master?

With Ma Liu blocking the path, the men reined in their horses. All three were retainers under Li Yifeng, acting as guards and bodyguards due to their martial skills. Their leader was surnamed Shi, which was why Ma Liu addressed him as Guardian Shi.

Seeing Ma Liu blocking the road, Guardian Shi grew impatient and barked, "You driver, you are quite reckless." Being a man of the Li household, he was accustomed to being arrogant. If not for his wariness of the Huangfu family's background, he would have lashed out with his whip already.

Ma Liu offered a fawning smile. "I apologize. I don't know where Guardian Shi is headed? My young mistress requests your presence."

"Young Mistress Huangfu?"

The three men immediately scanned the Fengbo Pavilion. Seeing Jiao Na and Chen Jianchen standing side by side, they were filled with confusion. They had heard of the Huangfu family’s headstrong young mistress, but why would she summon them without cause?

Still, as she was the daughter of the Huangfu family, they could not simply ignore her. They dismounted one by one, walked over, and cupped their hands in greeting. "Shi Hong greets Young Mistress Huangfu. May I ask what instructions you have for us?"

The Huangfu family was one of the wealthiest in Suzhou, and they were well-connected. Master Huangfu had influence in both the underworld and the establishment, with business spanning several provinces, and he even had dealings with Li Yifeng. As a mere retainer, Shi Hong naturally had to be respectful toward the young lady.

Jiao Na suppressed her inner impulse and asked, following Chen Jianchen’s instructions, "Guardian Shi, where did you go hunting so early in the morning?"

Shi Hong replied, "Reporting to Young Mistress, we were not hunting. We were under the orders of our master to search the Dongshan Southern Ridge canyon for the carcass of a giant serpent."

"The giant serpent's carcass?"

Jiao Na’s suspicions deepened.

Shi Hong explained, "You must have heard that a giant serpent has been wreaking havoc in Dongshan recently. Our master posted a government notice and invited the Celestial Master Zhang to set up an altar and cast spells, using a flying sword to slay the beast. The Master succeeded last night, and our master ordered the three of us to head to the mountain at dawn to search for the body as proof."

The news of Celestial Master Zhang’s rituals had spread like wildfire, reaching almost every village near Suzhou; it was common knowledge.

Standing nearby, Chen Jianchen frowned. Things did not seem to be going as he had imagined.

Jiao Na steadied herself and asked, "If that is the case, shouldn't you be transporting the serpent's carcass back? Why are there hares, rabbits, and foxes tied to your horses?"

Shi Hong replied sheepishly, "We didn't find the serpent's carcass. We only saw that the canyon was in a state of chaos, with trees snapped and signs of a fierce struggle, but we couldn't tell what had happened. As for these animals, we caught them on our way back. This red fox was found on the side of the road."

The three of them had actually been quite resistant to the task assigned by their master. Even though the Celestial Master claimed success, it was a one-sided story, and quite mysterious—who knew what really happened? If the serpent wasn't dead, wouldn't going there be a death trap?

They had been cautious, moving step by step, and when they saw the chaotic battlefield, they were shocked. Could it be that the Celestial Master’s flying sword had indeed clashed with the serpent? But if so, where did the serpent go? Had it been driven away rather than killed?

With that thought, the three dared not linger and retreated quickly. To satisfy their master, they caught some game along the way, and found the red fox lying unconscious in the grass by the roadside.

It was a gift delivered to their doorstep.

Guardian Shi could figure out that the fox had likely been caught in the crossfire. He immediately tied it up, intending to sell it to make some extra money as a reward for the terrifying mission.

Looking at the bound fox on the horse's back, Jiao Na was overwhelmed with emotion; the words caught in her throat.

Seeing this, Chen Jianchen stepped forward and cupped his hands. "Greetings, Guardian Shi. I am the new tutor for the young mistress. The truth is, the young mistress finds the fur of this fox quite unique, and she was wondering if you would be willing to part with it and sell it to us?"

Seeing Chen Jianchen’s attire and demeanor, Shi Hong recognized him as a scholar and did not dare to be rude. He returned the greeting, delighted to hear that the young mistress wanted to buy the fox.

A red-furred fox was indeed rare and valuable. However, this one was covered in blood and wounds, which would significantly diminish its value. It would have been hard to sell, so if the young mistress wanted it, it was a stroke of luck.

He immediately said, "I see. Since the young mistress likes it, please, feel free to name your price." In his heart, he hoped she would name a high one.

Jiao Na had been about to speak, but having never dealt with commerce, she knew nothing of prices or money. Fortunately, Chen Jianchen reacted faster. "Guardian Shi has gone through a lot of trouble, so the price should be fair. How about a hundred strings of cash?"

This was far beyond Shi Hong’s expectations. He exchanged a glance with his companions and immediately agreed. He took the fox off the horse, handing it over as if afraid Jiao Na might change her mind.

Jiao Na took the fox, untied the rope, and held it tightly to her chest. Her eyes grew red, and tears began to fall.

This display was somewhat unusual.

Chen Jianchen quickly explained, "If I may, the young mistress is still young and has a kind heart. She cannot bear to see small animals injured or bleeding. Whenever she sees such a thing, she feels a sense of compassion and tries to save them."

Guardian Shi felt a pang of regret. If he had known, he wouldn't have been so brutal when killing the hares and rabbits. If they were still alive and bleeding, perhaps the young mistress would have bought them too. It wouldn't have been much, but it would have been better than eating them.

Ma Liu, listening from the side, was baffled. The young mistress was kind-hearted? That sounded a bit fake. But as a coachman, it was not his place to speak, and even if he could, he wouldn't undermine his own people.

Chen Jianchen added, "Guardian Shi, we don't have enough cash on us right now. Would you mind following our carriage to the manor to collect it? Would that be convenient for you?"

Shi Hong nodded repeatedly, saying it was "very convenient." He felt a bit of doubt: was this tutor being too forward? It was as if he were the one in charge, while the young mistress had no opinion at all.

Could it be...

Looking at Chen Jianchen, he made a guess: Was the tutor position just a pretext for the Huangfu family to recruit a son-in-law? Otherwise, why would there be such a young teacher?

Satisfied with this conclusion, he stopped worrying about the details. As long as he got his hundred strings of cash, who cared who paid?

A hundred strings of cash—that was a fortune equal to five years of his wages as a guard. Even split three ways, it was a windfall. Hehehe, this trip hadn't been in vain. When they returned, Master Li would surely have a reward as well.

Soon, Jiao Na and Chen Jianchen boarded the carriage and headed back to the Hu Manor, with the three guards following at a leisurely pace, laughing loudly.

Inside the carriage, Jiao Na looked at her father’s wounded body, at a loss, and turned to Chen Jianchen for help.

Chen Jianchen asked, "Have you never learned any healing spells?"

Jiao Na shook her head. "No."

"Do you have any medicinal salves with you?"

Jiao Na shook her head again.

Chen Jianchen sighed. It seemed he would have to play the role of a "veterinarian" for the time being. He held Master Huangfu and carefully examined him, finding mostly external wounds. They didn't seem life-threatening, but if there were internal injuries, he would have no way of knowing. They would have to return to the manor first to decide on a plan.

Before long, they arrived at the manor. Jiao Na had the accountant pay the money to Shi Hong and his men, who left with smiles on their faces.

Jiao Na and Chen Jianchen entered Master Huangfu’s room to find medicine for his treatment.