"Miss," Qin Xue hurried over, her gaze falling on Shangguan Jin. Seeing Shangguan Jin unharmed, she breathed a sigh of relief. "The bandits within Xing Tang Road have all been apprehended."
Pei Jun trotted over. "Master, not a single escapee was left alive. All killed."
"Good."
Pei Jun's expression instantly became animated, his eyes filled with unconcealed joy, as if to say, 'The Master praised me!'
"Let's go, back to Xing Tang Road."
The group headed back to Xing Tang Road. The Scarlet Feather Iron Cavalry dragged away the corpses, bringing them back to Xing Tang Road for public display. The bodies were dragged across the sand, leaving behind a trail of marks.
In the desert under the scorching sun, blood dripped onto the sand and was quickly covered by the wind-whipped dust, also concealing the originally tragic scene, as if no battle had ever taken place here.
At the entrance of Xing Tang Road, several corpses were hanging, and crows perched on them, happily feasting.
The people within Xing Tang Road seemed unaffected, silently cleaning the sand from the streets and setting up stalls to do business. Their gazes occasionally flickered towards the entrance, accompanied by imperceptible sighs.
Those who had been restless, seeing the bodies hanging outside, found their fervor completely extinguished by the dripping blood. They were never the masters of this trade route, but rather the fallen on this path. Beyond here, they had no place to belong.
"Miss, your subordinate is incompetent. I still let you..."
"This was foreshadowed long ago. It was my carelessness, and I nearly endangered your life. Fortunately, you are unharmed," Xiao Man interrupted Shangguan Jin. "Otherwise, my Qin Xue would have likely cried herself blind."
Qin Xue cast a coquettish glance at Xiao Man. "Master, you are teasing your subordinate again."
Xiao Man smiled brightly. "When we were in the desert, I promised Ah Jin that if we came out alive, I would officiate your wedding. It's just a bit rushed, and there's nothing here, so I wanted to ask for your opinion. Are you willing to marry him? If you're not, I'll send him away immediately."
Qin Xue was both shy and annoyed. Shangguan Jin quickly stepped forward. "Miss, please stop teasing her. Marriage is such a big matter, how can it be so hasty? Let's wait until we return..."
"Wait for what? What is there to wait for?" Qin Xue interrupted him. "If we wait, who knows when it will be. Master, please officiate our wedding."
After this scare, Qin Xue finally understood that only by living well together could they be together. If something happened to Shangguan Jin, it would be a lifelong regret. Even though she should maintain her composure, she no longer wanted to delay.
"Alright, Third Sister, may I borrow your inn? Is that feasible?"
Qiu Niang's eyes crinkled into a smile. "Of course. I can even help decorate the bridal chamber."
"In that case, thank you, Third Sister."
Qiu Niang quickly called for the inn's attendants to go and purchase items for decorating the bridal chamber. Although Xing Tang Road was barren, they still had the necessities for a wedding. The attendants soon returned with the items, and Chang Yan and the others helped decorate the inn. Qiu Niang even gave up her own small dwelling for the couple to use as their bridal chamber.
As the saying goes, many hands make light work. Soon, the inn was decorated with festive cheer. Qiu Niang also prepared several large tables of food to entertain everyone. Xiao Man, as the officiant, presided over the wedding.
Watching the couple bow in matrimony and tie the knot, Xiao Man was filled with emotion. She wanted a drink, but feared getting drunk and losing composure. She picked up the wine pot, then gently set it down.
Nangong Yu sat down beside Xiao Man. "If you want to drink, then drink."
Xiao Man shook her head. "I've already had what I should drink. Excessive drinking is ultimately not a good thing."
"You've changed."
"It's not that I've changed, it's that we have changed," Xiao Man said, looking out the window. A full moon hung in the sky, tinged with a hint of haziness.
"I have never changed," Nangong Yu retorted. "But you have been constantly changing. I can't fathom your thoughts, nor can I guess them. I thought I was the one you loved, yet you cast me aside in the blink of an eye. Xiao Man, tell me, what must I do to win your heart?"
"You are caught in obsession," Xiao Man said softly. "Neither of us is one to indulge in love; why then put on such a display of deep affection?"
Nangong Yu turned to look at Xiao Man and remained silent for a long time. "Murong Sheng Rui deceived you, but I did not. I will not deceive you either. Why don't you try to believe me?"
"Ah Yu, we are like two porcupines. We cannot fully trust each other."
Nangong Yu felt a deep sadness, as if no matter what he did, he could not enter Xiao Man's heart. She kept the door to her heart tightly shut. Just when he managed to pry open a crack, she immediately closed it again, leaving him with no way in, forced to linger outside the door.
"Master," Su Su suddenly ran out. "Master, something has happened inside."
Xiao Man's expression changed slightly. She got up and went into the room, only to see Chang Yan kneeling on the ground, with A Lan lying pale in his arms, like a lifeless porcelain doll.
Xiao Man stepped forward to feel A Lan's pulse. A hint of surprise flickered in her eyes. She supported A Lan and reached behind her back to feel. After a moment, she felt something. Xiao Man pulled it out and saw that it was a hidden weapon.
"This is..."
"Bone-piercing nail," Xiao Man frowned. A bone-piercing nail entering the body caused immense pain. A Lan was a mute girl and could not speak, yet she had not shown the slightest sign of pain until she collapsed, which was quite unbelievable.
"Merchant Lord, I beg you, save her. I cannot live without her," Chang Yan pleaded with a sorrowful expression, kneeling on the ground. "Whatever you ask me to do, I will do it if you can save her."
Xiao Man looked at Chang Yan and slowly shook her head. "It's too late. If it had been discovered earlier, she could have been saved. This bone-piercing nail entered from her back, just a millimeter away from her heart. The poison has already corroded her internal organs. I am powerless."
Chang Yan was stunned. He sat back on his legs, holding A Lan, and burst into tears.
Xiao Man saw this and produced a silver needle. "Do you want to speak with her again?"
Chang Yan looked at Xiao Man, somewhat puzzled.
"I can use silver needles to stimulate acupuncture points, to ignite her last spark of life, allowing you to bid farewell," Xiao Man said softly. A Lan was too severely wounded, and it was discovered too late. She truly could not save her. The only thing she could do was to awaken A Lan so they could say goodbye.
Chang Yan looked at A Lan, who was lying unconscious in his embrace, and choked, "Is there any way to save her life?"
"I can seal her final life force, allowing her to lie there like a living dead person, but I cannot save her."
"I want her to live," Chang Yan said decisively. Even if she became a living dead person, he wanted her to live. Only by living was there hope, only by living was there a possibility of finding a cure.
Xiao Man nodded, sealed A Lan's meridians, and sealed her final life force. "Although I have sealed her vitality, it must also be supplemented with the cold energy of ten thousand-year-old ice to stabilize her condition for a long time. Otherwise, she will not last long. You must make plans accordingly."