Chapter 101: Rescue (First Installment)

He had seemed at first to be merely sitting on a tree branch, enjoying the breeze. Yet from such a height, he leapt down as if the ground were level and solid beneath his feet.

The two bandits, realizing they were facing a skilled fighter, immediately became wary, as if confronting a formidable enemy.

Taking a closer look—

The young man appeared no older than twenty, yet his stature was erect and robust. His features shone with vitality; his lips were red, his teeth white, and at that moment, a faint, sly smile curled at his mouth, giving him an air of mischievous cunning.

Though he wore only a simple black robe, understated and inconspicuous, the commanding presence with which he carried himself betrayed a gentleman of noble birth.

Typically, such young men are all bluff and no substance!

The two bandits steeled their nerves, and the smaller one was the first to shout, “Where do you think you’re from, kid? Move along—mind your own business!”

He cursed and roughly shoved the young man forward.

He exerted considerable force, but to his shock, the youth didn’t budge an inch.

The smaller bandit was taken aback, unwilling to accept defeat, and instinctively tried to push again—

The larger bandit, sensing something was amiss, quickly stepped forward, grabbing the smaller one’s wrist and pulling him aside.

Before them, the young man still wore that faint smile, his eyes sparkling with playful mockery.

“Boss—” the smaller one protested.

The bigger one shot him a warning glare, then turned to the youth with a mock bow. “Sir, my brother here doesn’t know any better. If we offended you, please forgive us. But as the saying goes, ‘The road is wide enough for both of us to walk on our own sides.’ We are strangers, sir. If you raise your hand, we’re just trying to make an honest living. Let’s not make things difficult for each other—it’s better for everyone.”

Though polite on the surface, his words were a blend of firmness and veiled threat.

Meanwhile, Chang Tai, who had been casually walking over carrying a water pouch, initially thought they were just fellow travelers stopping nearby to rest. But as he drew closer, he sensed something was wrong. He froze, tense and alert, staring intently at the scene.

His young master was unarmed—should he rush in to help or run to fetch a weapon?

While he was anxiously struggling with this dilemma, he saw his young master cheerfully strike up a conversation with the strangers...

“That’s a pleasant thing to say,” Wu Qingyu smiled, responding in kind.

“Thank you!” The large bandit, whether genuinely intimidated or simply relieved by the tone, relaxed somewhat.

But before they could breathe easier, Wu Qingyu abruptly shifted the topic, his enthusiasm renewed. “But I’m naturally curious. If you’re leaving, at least finish telling me what you said earlier. Which noble in the capital is so cowardly that they have to hire someone to bully a young lady? I’ve only been away a few days, but has the capital really changed so much?”

He spoke with genuine curiosity, then took a few steps toward the young woman crouched beneath the tree.

Lin Yanyao was curled up in the shadows, her feet bound and body hunched. Because Wu Qingyu had been above earlier, he hadn’t clearly seen her face. But when he jumped down, he landed precisely between the two bandits and Lin Yanyao.

“Sir, you don’t seem like a novice—you should understand the rules. Since we’ve been paid by our employer, we are obligated to keep silent...” The larger bandit’s tone grew rougher as he sensed Wu Qingyu’s audacity in meddling.

“Your employer hired you to kidnap a girl and sell her?” Wu Qingyu laughed again, glancing back at him with a carefree air, refusing to take the matter seriously. This attitude baffled the bandits, making it difficult to gauge his true intent.

The large bandit didn’t want a direct confrontation. First, he’d already been well paid for the job, having earned his fee. Second, despite the youth’s youthful appearance, he lacked confidence in besting him in combat. A conflict could cost them both dearly.

Fortunately, the young man didn’t seem like the sort to seek justice at all costs...

Quickly weighing the situation, the big bandit made a decision and changed his tone. “If you’re so displeased, the girl’s yours. Consider us friends.”

Before he finished, Lin Yanyao suddenly called out, “Cousin Wu?”

“Uh...” Wu Qingyu had been joking with the large bandit and hadn’t noticed her before. Now he looked down carefully, then froze. “It’s you?”

He recognized Lin Yanyao as his cousin from his uncle’s family. Though they weren’t close, she often visited the Wu family to see Wu Tan and attended family celebrations with the matriarch. While they never spoke much, he was familiar enough to recognize her.

He remembered her as calm and gentle; despite his usual scowl, she always greeted him warmly.

“I...” Lin Yanyao’s voice broke with emotion, tears welling before she could say more.

Wu Qingyu, uncomfortable with sentimentality and needing to stay alert with the bandits behind them, quickly averted his gaze and straightened up, turning back to face the bandits.

The two were dumbfounded—what kind of situation was this? Meeting a traveler at this late hour on the official road was rare enough, yet it turned out this hostage was related to their unexpected visitor?

They exchanged wary glances as if facing a grave threat.

Wu Qingyu’s expression remained casual, a smirk still playing on his lips as he raised an eyebrow at the pair. “Oh dear, your luck’s really bad. Since she’s my cousin, there’s no helping it. Looks like we won’t be making friends tonight!”

Though his lips smiled, a cold gleam flashed in his eyes.

The large bandit still held the rope tied to Lin Yanyao’s wrist, but sensing danger, he yanked hard.

Wu Qingyu, having observed everything from above, stepped forward and stomped on the rope at the ground.

The large bandit pulled, but the rope didn’t budge. This only confirmed to him that this young man was indeed a martial artist.

Not wishing to prolong the fight, his eyes darted around before shoving the smaller bandit forward. “Brother, attack! Let’s chop up this meddlesome brat!”

The smaller one, whether out of habit or simple foolishness, obeyed. He cried out loudly and charged at Wu Qingyu, brandishing his knife.

“Master, watch out!” Chang Tai shouted, though he didn’t believe these scoundrels could truly harm his young master, but the situation was urgent.

The smaller bandit swung his blade down, its edge gleaming in the firelight. Lin Yanyao’s face drained of color in fear.

Wu Qingyu nimbly shifted aside, his foot still pressing on the rope. With his other foot stepping back, he avoided the blade and immediately lifted his leg, delivering a powerful kick to the bandit’s chest.

Though small in stature, the bandit was a grown man of over a hundred pounds. The kick sent him flying with a whoosh.

With a loud thud, he landed on a nearby fire, igniting it.

“Ahh!” He screamed as flames licked his clothes, leaping three feet high. He frantically slapped at the fire with his hands, then rolled on the ground, thrashing wildly.

The large bandit’s face turned ashen, realizing they’d met a formidable opponent. He didn’t dare press on, dropping the rope and sprinting toward the carriage to escape.

Wu Qingyu’s eyes narrowed. He lunged forward, aiming to grab the man’s shoulder, but the bandit, cunning and prepared, dropped low and dodged.

Wu Qingyu grasped at air, momentarily off balance.

The bandit then swiftly drew a dagger from his boot and twisted fiercely, stabbing toward Wu Qingyu’s abdomen.

Wu Qingyu deftly lifted his robe and stepped back two paces, evading the attack.

Seeing his strikes ineffective, the bandit gave up hope of luck or prolonged fighting. Chang Tai had now caught up, and the bandit, unwilling to waste time, shoved him aside and dashed onto the official road, fleeing full speed.

Wu Qingyu glanced around. The smaller bandit’s knife lay nearby. With a flick of his foot, he kicked it into the air. Chang Tai, alert, crouched down to protect his head.

Wu Qingyu followed with a flying kick.

The large bandit heard the rush of wind behind him and instinctively shuddered, a sense of doom washing over him. Before he could decide whether to look back, he felt a sharp coldness in his back.

A cry of pain, and he collapsed, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Chang Tai ran up and kicked him twice. “Get up! Stop playing dead!”

But the bandit twitched twice, then lay still as a corpse.

Chang Tai squatted and turned his head aside. His eyes were wide open, blood pooling at his mouth—a clear sign he was dead.

Wu Qingyu turned and untied Lin Yanyao, pulling her to her feet.

Chang Tai grumbled as he carried the water pouch back. “Master, you really don’t know how to hold back, huh? That one’s dead already!”

His tone was rude, and Wu Qingyu shot him a sharp glare.

Chang Tai shrank back.

Wu Qingyu glanced at the smaller bandit still writhing on the ground—there was even the smell of burning flesh.

He asked Lin Yanyao, “Should we leave any survivors?”

Having suffered such a blow, the Lin family would surely investigate. Wu Qingyu was about to order Chang Tai to put out the fire when Lin Yanyao quietly said, “I know who did this.”

Wu Qingyu was momentarily taken aback, turning to look at her.

Given the humiliating ordeal and her day of fear, she was too fragile to speak further. Her lips pressed tight, eyes lowered to avoid his gaze, silent.

Though Wu Qingyu often sparred verbally with Wu Tan and his elder brother, he understood when to hold back.

Seeing her reluctance, he did not press, instead asking, “Are you hurt anywhere?”

“No...” Lin Yanyao shook her head weakly. “Thank... thank you.”

In the darkness, Chang Tai found the conversation between his master and the young lady strange. Upon closer look, he recognized—she was Miss Lin?

“You—aren’t you Miss Lin?” Chang Tai exclaimed.

“What are you babbling about?” Wu Qingyu kicked him. “It’s late at night. Do you think this is a sightseeing spot? Stop chatting and drive the carriage!”

Chang Tai jumped aside and hurried to bring the carriage back onto the road.

Their horses were tied up just outside a small grove. He dashed to bring the two horses closer.

Wu Qingyu and Lin Yanyao walked slowly from the roadside.

The smaller bandit, still rolling on the ground some distance away, was barely moving now.

Chang Tai asked, “What about those two?”

Wu Qingyu sneered, “You want to stay here and bury them?”

That was his usual blunt manner; Chang Tai was used to it and didn’t mind. He continued preparing the carriage.

Wu Qingyu turned to Lin Yanyao, “Get in. We’ll head back together.”

“Okay,” she nodded slightly.

Though she wanted to climb in herself, still shaken and weak, she nearly slipped. Fortunately, Wu Qingyu steadied her.

He helped her into the carriage, then took the water pouch from Chang Tai and pulled out his own saddlebag filled with dried food. He tossed everything inside the carriage.

“When you’re on the road, you take what you can get. This will hold us over,” he said.

Closing the carriage door, he told Chang Tai, “You drive.”

“Alright!” Chang Tai agreed but was curious about the incident. Afraid Lin Yanyao might overhear, he silently mouthed, “What happened?”

Wu Qingyu thought: I’d like to know too, but the girl’s already scared stiff. You idiot, you know not to pry. Why would I ask?

He shot Chang Tai a disdainful glance.

Chang Tai, never afraid of him but always wary of getting beaten, wisely kept silent and picked up the whip.

Wu Qingyu tied the horse Chang Tai rode onto his own saddle, mounted, and the three set off at a gallop along the official road toward Yinjing.

He himself wasn’t in a rush, but knowing a young girl had been abducted and was missing at night meant her family was no doubt in turmoil.

Lin Yanyao sat in the carriage, jolting along.

She wasn’t hungry, but she couldn’t sit still. She opened the package Wu Qingyu had given her, which contained flatbread and some kind of jerky. The meat looked well-prepared. She took some to eat, drinking from the water pouch and eating heartily, tears streaming silently down her face.

After less than an hour, they encountered a squad of county officers on a search mission.

“Look! The carriage!” Someone recognized the Lin family’s emblem on the carriage. Over a dozen officers quickly surrounded them, weapons drawn, ready for battle.

Wu Qingyu rolled his eyes, realizing the Lin family must have reported this to the authorities. There was no point explaining now. He asked, “Where’s your captain? Anyone in charge here?”

The lead captain, angered by Wu Qingyu’s arrogant tone, shouted, “You bandit, thief—”

Lin Yanyao, having heard the commotion, wiped her tears and peeked out the window. “Officer, you’ve got it wrong. They’re not bad people—”

Before she could finish, the captain’s expression brightened. “Are you Miss Lin?”

She nodded.

Wu Qingyu, impatient with their dithering, pulled out a badge from his waist and tossed it to the captain. “Wu Qingyu of the Marquis Dingyuan’s household. You’re officers from Jingzhao Prefecture, right? Who sent you? Bring me to them. I want to speak face-to-face.”

Though the Lin family had mobilized officers to search, some details were best kept quiet.

“Ah, it’s the second son of Marquis Dingyuan. We were mistaken,” the captain apologized upon seeing the badge and the two did not look like vicious criminals.

The Marquis’s reputation was not to be challenged. Without further delay, they escorted the group back.

Hu Tianming, a favored protégé of the late Lin family patriarch and newly promoted official, had personally led the search team with a letter of recommendation from the patriarch. However, he had been held up investigating a clue at an old horse’s burial site and had dispatched another team to continue the search.

The medical examiner had just arrived, and everyone was searching feverishly nearby, fearing the worst for Miss Lin.

As Hu Tianming felt overwhelmed, he saw the officers returning, escorting the carriage.

He let out a sigh of relief and approached the main road. “Found her?”

Before the captain could answer, Wu Qingyu galloped up, smiling. “Hey! I’m just out for a stroll with my cousin and look who we meet—Commander Hu! Your dedication is admirable, coming out at this hour.”

Though Wu Qingyu was less prominent than Wu Qinglin in the capital, both sons of the Wu family were impressive, and Hu Tianming recognized him.

Lin Yanyao’s situation had already been clearly explained by Lin Xiucheng. Wu Qingyu’s playful interruption was understood as goodwill.

The accompanying officers knew the truth, but some matters were best left unsaid.

Hu Tianming tactfully changed the subject. “I heard the second son recently accompanied the Marquis to the southern battlefield. When did you return?”

Wu Qingyu laughed heartily. “Only a few days ago. My third sister is about to marry. Father can’t come, and my eldest brother is busy, so I was sent back to help.”

He glanced back at the carriage. “Meeting you here is a coincidence. I need to rush back. Could you send my cousin home?”

Having done all he could, Wu Qingyu was glad to leave the Lin family’s care to Hu Tianming.

“Very well,” Hu Tianming agreed. “If you have business, return to the city. I will arrange an escort for Miss Lin.”

“Thanks!” Wu Qingyu bowed, then rode back to the carriage and knocked on the door.

Lin Yanyao, embarrassed and unsure how to face everyone, had remained hidden. Now she lifted the curtain and peeked out.

Wu Qingyu smiled at her. “Commander Hu will escort you home. I’m leaving now.”

“Okay,” she replied nervously.

As Wu Qingyu turned to leave, she suddenly remembered. “Cousin Wu, today—”

She had meant to say “thank you,” but noticing the officers watching, she changed to “thank you for your trouble.”

Wu Qingyu said nothing further and called to Chang Tai.

Chang Tai handed the carriage over to the Jingzhao officers, untied his horse from Wu Qingyu’s saddle, and mounted.

Suddenly recalling something, Wu Qingyu hesitated then spoke to Hu Tianming. “Commander, about ten miles ahead, two men tried to rob me. I cut them down—though perhaps I was a bit heavy-handed. I need your office to send men to clean up. When you have time, send someone to my mansion. I’ll come to the office and give a statement. Does that sound acceptable?”

Hu Tianming understood the situation but knew some things were better left vague until reporting back to the Lin family.

“Very well,” he replied with a slight nod.

“Thank you!” Wu Qingyu bowed and without delay, rode off with Chang Tai back to the mansion.

It was nearly the middle of the night when they arrived.

A young servant guarding the gate was startled awake by the knocking. “Second Young Master? Why are you back so soon?”

“This is my home. Why wouldn’t I return?” Wu Qingyu answered bluntly, brushing past him.

The servant hurried after him. “Madam will be pleased to know you’re back. Shall I inform her?”

“It’s the middle of the night! Go sleep!” Wu Qingyu snapped, not even looking back as he passed the entrance screen.

Chang Tai was still loading luggage and intended to go straight to his room after the long journey, exhausted. But halfway there, he suddenly changed course and headed toward the Mirror Spring Study in the rear garden.

—End of side note—

Well, with Brother Lin away on business, Brother Yu is temporarily stepping forward to gather some admirers╭(╯^╰)╮

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