“Grand Sorcerer!!!”
Wen Ningwan jolted awake with a start. The three people playing cards at the low table beside her were startled and turned to look at her.
“How did I get here?”
Wen Ningwan stared in surprise at the three individuals who had moved the table right next to her and were now sitting cross-legged, playing mahjong.
Wasn’t I just watching the Grand Sorcerer duel that assassin?
“You got accidentally injured by Muxiu and passed out, but it’s nothing serious just a dislocated arm. My senior sister helped you set it back in place.” Miao Shiyi grinned at the woman in white sitting across from her.
Wen Ningwan glanced at her, utterly confused. Accidentally injured?
Just as the Grand Sorcerer and Muxiu were locked in their fierce battle, a flash of white light had appeared before her eyes. Suddenly, an arm wrapped around her waist, and then it felt as if all her bones had shattered. Everything went black, and she remembered nothing after that.
“What exactly happened?” Wen Ningwan lifted her newly reset arm, wincing in pain.
The woman in white spoke up, smiling lightly at her. “Originally, both of us were just spectators watching the fight. But when Muxiu swung his blade at the Grand Sorcerer and missed, it ended up heading straight toward you, who was watching from the sidelines. You didn’t dodge, so you got knocked out cold.”
“Ah?!” Wen Ningwan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “I was just a spectator!”
“Mhm.” The woman in white shrugged.
“Given the situation back then, if Muxiu hadn’t retracted his blade in time, you wouldn’t have gotten off with just lying here for a while.”
Miao Shiyi nodded urgently. “With a body like yours, if you’d taken that blade head-on, you’d either be dead or crippled.”
“Who would have thought that Muxiu, infamous for his bloodlust, would actually retract his blade for the sake of Young Lord Wen?” The woman in white chuckled, her gaze carrying a hint of scrutiny as she looked at Wen Ningwan.
Wen Ningwan asked anxiously, “And then what happened?”
“Then the Grand Sorcerer caught you. Seeing you faint in her arms, she suddenly seemed to fly into a rage.” Liu Jiaojiao wore a puzzled expression.
The woman in white nodded confidently. “The Grand Sorcerer suddenly seemed to lose all control, attacking without any form or strategy, as if venting her fury. She completely erupted, exposing her weaknesses to Muxiu multiple times.”
“And then?!” Wen Ningwan held her breath. Muxiu was, after all, that devil-like existence in the original story who was undefeated across the land. The Grand Sorcerer couldn’t possibly have.
“And then Muxiu got beaten up, of course.” Miao Shiyi spread her hands. “What ‘strongest assassin’? Not all that impressive.”
The woman in white laughed cheerfully. “Still, it was quite a sight. Opportunities to witness the Grand Sorcerer in a rage and live to tell the tale are rare.”
“This,” Wen Ningwan’s face fell. “I actually passed out during the showdown between the strongest assassin and the most powerful Grand Sorcerer?!”
“Don’t worry, it’s nothing to regret. After you fainted, it was just the Grand Sorcerer beating Muxiu single-handedly. There wasn’t much to see.” Miao Shiyi stuck out her tongue disdainfully.
I actually missed such an iconic scene?! Wen Ningwan was so frustrated she flopped back down. “I didn’t get to see it!”
The woman in white froze for a moment, then couldn’t help but laugh. “What a shame. Seeing how badly Muxiu was injured, it’ll probably be years before we get to witness something like that again.”
“…” Wen Ningwan glared at her darkly.
“Who are you? Why are you here?”
The woman in white: “…”
Miao Shiyi hurriedly interjected, “Young Lord Wen, this is my senior sister, Mu Siyun! Did you hit your head? You know her!”
“Uh!” Wen Ningwan broke out in a cold sweat, forcing a weak smile. How was she supposed to recognize someone who was only mentioned in passing in the original story?
“Oh, right!” Wen Ningwan quickly sat up again. “Where’s the Grand Sorcerer? Is she alright?”
“After all, the opponent was a top-tier assassin like Muxiu. Although the Grand Preceptor’s strength far surpassed theirs, she still got injured and is currently receiving treatment at her residence,” Mu Siyun said.
Wen Ningwan furrowed her brows tightly and threw off the covers, attempting to get up.
Miao Shiyi hurriedly stopped her: “Chief Minister, what are you doing? Lie down and rest.”
“I need to see how she’s doing,” Wen Ningwan replied anxiously, pushing her aside. She felt guilty for dragging the Grand Preceptor into this mess and wouldn’t rest easy until she checked on her.
The three of them quickly followed her. Miao Shiyi said urgently, “Chief Minister, His Majesty has ordered you to rest properly. You wouldn’t want to defy the imperial decree, would you?”
“I am resting properly. Going to the Grand Preceptor’s residence for a change of scenery will only help me rest better, won’t it?” Wen Ningwan retorted as she strode out without hesitation.
Along the way, the commoners smiled as they watched them. Wen Ningwan paused, then quickly hid among the three. “What are they smiling at?” she asked.
“Guess?” Mu Siyun tilted her head and grinned, looking at Wen Ningwan, who was clutching her arm.
Wen Ningwan rolled her eyes. A few passersby glanced back and whispered among themselves, “The one in the middle is Chief Minister Wen. She solved the case of the Yan Kingdom’s prince’s murder. She’s really impressive.”
Hearing this, Wen Ningwan immediately straightened her back and strutted proudly ahead. “So they’re praising me,” she said smugly.
The three exchanged glances and followed behind her with mischievous smirks.
“Yes, yes, I heard that when the Grand Preceptor faced off against that top assassin, Chief Minister Wen was watching the commotion and got injured by a sword aura. She fainted on the spot.”
“Exactly, how weak.”
“…”
Wen Ningwan quickly retreated and hid among the three again, not daring to lift her head. “This is so embarrassing,” she muttered.
The three couldn’t help but chuckle softly. Mu Siyun gazed at her tenderly, finding her utterly adorable. “It’s alright, Chief Minister. You’re famous now. A once-in-a-century showdown between the Grand Preceptor and Muxiu, and you, Chief Minister Wen, got accidentally injured and fainted. I think soon, everyone in the martial world will feel sorry for you.”
“…”
Wen Ningwan quickly averted her gaze and hurried over to a fruit vendor. “You can’t visit a patient empty-handed,” she declared.
The three exchanged looks of disbelief. Buying fruit to visit the Grand Preceptor at her residence?
At the Grand Preceptor’s residence, the physicians were bustling about, and the maids, with their heads bowed, carried out basin after basin of bloody water.
As soon as Wen Ningwan stepped into the courtyard, she held her breath in shock, her face pale with astonishment. “Is she giving birth?” she blurted out.
A maid trembled in fright, not daring to look at her.
The steward nearby sighed and looked helplessly at Wen Ningwan, who was holding the fruit. “Chief Minister, please don’t speak nonsense,” he said.
Wen Ningwan quickly fell silent under the steward’s stern gaze. The courtyard was filled with the smell of blood. Staring at the door of the side room where people were coming and going, Wen Ningwan’s heart suddenly raced for no reason. Her fair face tightened slightly, her willow-leaf eyebrows furrowing.
Inside, You Ran helped the Grand Preceptor adjust her clothes, looking at her with concern. “Even on the battlefield, you’ve never been injured this badly.”
“It’s nothing, just a superficial wound,” the Grand Preceptor replied indifferently, completely unbothered.
You Qi sighed helplessly. “This is the first time I’ve seen you like this. I was truly worried you might lose control of your energy. Thankfully, you didn’t. But by revealing your strength like this, I’m afraid some people will soon grow restless.”
The State Preceptor’s heart skipped a beat. She numbly raised her hand, staring blankly at her pale palm. She didn’t understand why, at that moment when Wen Ningwan fainted in her arms, she had lost control and felt an overwhelming urge to hit someone.
“How is she?” the State Preceptor asked, turning to look at You Ran.
You Ran snapped out of her daze. “You mean Vice Minister Wen?”
“Who else?”
Seeing the displeased expression on the State Preceptor’s face, You Qi quickly interjected, “You Ran was worried you’ve been staying here all this time. But I heard Vice Minister Wen is fine. She’s just upset because she fainted and missed you beating up the Munxū. She’s already on her way to see you.”
The State Preceptor breathed a sigh of relief and stood up, but suddenly staggered. You Ran moved to support her, but the State Preceptor raised a hand. “No need. Help me change.”
You Ran looked confused, but You Qi hurried forward. “I’ll do it.”
“Where are you planning to go? You’re badly injured. If there’s anything you need, just give us the orders.”
You Qi gave You Ran an exasperated look. “The State Preceptor doesn’t want Vice Minister Wen to see her in such a disheveled state. How dense can you be!”
“Do I look that disheveled now?” the State Preceptor asked, glancing at the person helping her change. You Ran smirked mischievously.
“The State Preceptor is anything but disheveled! She got injured saving Vice Minister Wen. How could Vice Minister Wen possibly mock our State Preceptor?”
“…”
“…” You Qi broke out in a cold sweat. It was obvious the State Preceptor didn’t want the other party to worry or blame herself, yet You Ran had to say something like that clearly trying to upset the State Preceptor.
Just then, the physician walked in and, seeing the three of them, chuckled. “Getting ready to receive a guest?”
The State Preceptor gave a noncommittal hum and raised her arms as You Qi fastened her belt.
The physician teased, “She really is a little beauty, the kind you’d want to tidy up for before meeting.”
You Ran looked puzzled, glancing at the three who seemed to share some unspoken understanding. Did meeting Vice Minister Wen require such formality? Vice Minister Wen herself never followed any rules, why would she care about formalities?
“By the way, she’s quite the amusing little beauty too. When she saw the basins of bloody water the maids were carrying, she said.”
“Said what?” the State Preceptor asked, eyeing the physician’s mischievous grin.
“She asked if you were giving birth.”
“…” The State Preceptor’s face instantly darkened. She pushed You Qi’s hands away and sat back down on the bed, displeased.
“Send her away. I don’t want to see her.”
No sooner had she spoken than a cheerful voice sounded from the doorway. “State Preceptor!”
Wen Ningwan pushed the door open and strode in. The steward, unable to stop her, looked anxiously at the State Preceptor sitting by the bed. “Vice Minister Wen came in on her own.”
Wen Ningwan hurried over, scrutinizing the State Preceptor from head to toe. She reached out, lifted the State Preceptor’s chin, and studied her face intently. “Your complexion looks rosy, you don’t seem injured at all?”
Everyone: “…”
Would you please look at the State Preceptor’s ears? No one’s ears turn red from a rosy complexion that’s blushing, for heaven’s sake!
You Ran noticed the State Preceptor’s throat move as she swallowed. Confused, she pulled Wen Ningwan away. “What are you doing?”
The State Preceptor’s gaze lingered on Wen Ningwan’s hand before shifting to the fruit basket in her other hand. “And this is?”
“Oh, a gift for you. You know, for visiting a patient.” Wen Ningwan proudly presented the basket. “I picked these out specially. What do you think?”
Once again, everyone was speechless: “…”
They glanced at the tribute fruits from the south, the freshest available, displayed on the nearby table, then back at the significantly smaller fruits in Wen Ningwan’s basket.
The State Preceptor shot You Qi a meaningful look. You Qi immediately stepped forward to take the basket. “Thank you for the gift, Vice Minister Wen.”
Wen Ningwan beamed cheerfully at her until she noticed the basket being placed on the table. Compared to the one from the State Preceptor’s residence beside it, hers was simply, too shabby!
Embarrassed, Wen Ningwan stepped forward with an awkward smile and picked it up, grinning at the stunned State Preceptor. “Just a joke! This isn’t really a gift for you. I just bought it casually for Eleven and the others. Focus on recovering well, and I’ll come back another day with a proper present to see you!”
Watching the fleeing figure, the physician couldn’t help but chuckle. “How amusing. No wonder the State Preceptor holds her in such high regard.”
You Ran was still baffled. “What does that mean?”