”Brother Ding, do you know? The reason I came to Jingzhou this time is because I want to be a good person.”

　　Looking at the campfire, Nie Yun smiled sincerely. “So these pills shouldn’t be taken by you; they were prepared for Wan Zhenshan and the others.”

　　He turned to look at Ding Dian lying next to him, “This is only the fifth one. Brother Ding, don’t worry, I have many more here. There must be one you like.”

　　Ding Dian was much cleaner than when he came out of the cell that night, but his face was full of despair and fear.

　　Two days of torture were enough to haunt him for the rest of his life. Compared to Nie Yun’s poison, Ling Tuisi’s torture was nothing.

　　Nie Yun held the water pouch to his lips and said with a smile, “Have some water, it’s quite hot.”

　　Ding Dian opened his mouth and let out a low, hoarse voice: “Kill…kill me.”

　　Nie Yun shook his head. “Brother Ding, why do you say that? When you heard that the sword manual had been published, you immediately came to Jingzhou despite the danger of being discovered. Isn’t it because you want to find that treasure? Besides, there’s your beloved Miss Ling in the city. Your dream of getting both her and the treasure hasn’t been realized yet. How can you so easily talk about dying?”

　　Ding Dian’s eyes showed pleading as he struggled to say, “No…please…please, let…Shuang Hua go.”

　　Nie Yun looked at Ding Dian, but his heart remained completely unmoved.

　　”Brother Ding, you’d rather suffer endless torment than hand over the clues to the treasure to Ling Tuisi, hoping to use his influence to find the sword manual so that the treasure and the beauty would be yours. But the devil is always one step ahead; Ling Tuisi struck first, using the Golden Wave Flower to capture you and shatter your dreams. You thought you were the only one in the world who knew the sword technique, but I also understand its secrets, so you wanted my life, deliberately concealing the Golden Wave Flower and lying to me that Ling Tuisi was just a scholar. Do you know that I know everything? If you hadn’t harbored ill intentions towards me, you would already be living happily ever after with Miss Ling. I told you from the beginning that I wasn’t interested in the treasure, but you wouldn’t believe me.”

　　Ding Dian’s face was full of remorse as he struggled to say, “It was…it was my greed that led me to make unfounded suspicions.”

　　”From the moment you tricked me into going to the Ling mansion to die, the me who wanted to fulfill your and Miss Ling’s wishes was already dead.” Nie Yun stood up and looked at the night sky, seemingly much more mature.

　　He spoke as if to Ding Dian, but also as if to himself: “What great hero! What happy ending for lovers! Hah, this isn’t Jin Yong’s martial arts novel, not a reading experience that ends as soon as you close the book. Fulfillment? Salvation? Don’t be ridiculous! Wake up!”

　　Whether it was a misperception or not, Ding Dian heard a profound sorrow, a deep despair, in Nie Yun’s voice, as well as the liberation of a wild beast breaking free from its cage.

　　Nie Yun smiled nonchalantly, then turned to Ding Dian and said something that baffled him: “Hu Yidao, Guo Jing, and Xiao Feng will all hate you to death. Remember to apologize properly then! As for Ling Shuanghua, don’t worry, she’ll definitely be much happier than if she were with you!”

　　Looking at Nie Yun’s eyes, which seemed to look at a dead man, Ding Dian couldn’t help but shiver.

　　In the quiet mountain forest, a stench of blood slowly rose…

　　********************

　　Ling Shuanghua had been very happy these past two days, her face never without a smile, which made her already exceptionally beautiful even more charming. That afternoon, she took her maid to the courtyard to admire the flowers and stroll around.

　　”Brother Dian has escaped! He’s finally safe!” She walked slowly in the courtyard, her yellow dress swaying gently in the wind, like a beautiful chrysanthemum.

　　”I wonder if he will ever come back?” A blush suddenly rose on the girl’s fair cheeks, as if she had applied a light touch of rouge. “He definitely will. He said he would never leave me in this lifetime.”

　　Seeing her mistress’s shy expression, the maid Juyou smiled and said, “Miss, are you thinking about Young Master Ding again?”

　　Ling Shuanghua, embarrassed that her secret had been exposed, said shyly, “You talk too much!”

　　Juyou had grown up with her since childhood and knew that she was gentle, so he was not afraid at all. Instead, he deliberately said in a theatrical voice, “Oh my, my brother Dian is handsome, skilled in martial arts, and has a charming demeanor. He is also my soulmate. He is truly a match made in heaven!”

　　These words made Ling Shuanghua extremely embarrassed. She stamped her foot and said, “You little devil, what nonsense are you spouting! Have I been too lenient with you usually? I’ll tear your mouth apart!”

　　The two were laughing and chasing each other when they suddenly heard someone outside shout, “Assassin! Protect the master! Ah!”

　　Ling Shuanghua was shocked. Although Ling Tuisi was no longer the loving and gentle father in her heart, blood was thicker than water. Hearing that her father was in danger, she rushed to his residence.

　　Although Juyou was trembling with fear, he mustered his courage and quickly followed the young lady.

　　The two arrived at Ling Tuisi’s courtyard and saw several guards lying on the ground, seemingly dead, and the room door wide open.

　　Just as Ling Shuanghua was about to go in, she suddenly heard a scream from inside, which sounded like Ling Tuisi.

　　Ling Shuanghua had a bad feeling. Just as she was about to rush in without thinking, a masked man with a sword suddenly jumped out of the room.

　　The man seemed somewhat surprised to see Ling Shuanghua, but he quickly rushed over, his long sword flashing as he thrust it straight at her heart.

　　”Miss!” Juyou hurriedly pushed Ling Shuanghua away, but fell into a pool of blood himself.

　　”Juyou!” Ling Shuanghua was filled with grief as she watched her maid, whom she considered a sister, die for her.

　　Just then, a loud shout came from behind: “Stop!”

　　Before he could finish speaking, the masked man felt an extremely sharp gust of wind rushing towards him.

　　He couldn’t care less about killing Ling Shuanghua anymore, so he quickly turned around and swung his sword to knock down the flying knife.

　　A young man wielding a sword was seen fighting with a masked man. The two exchanged blows, each aiming for the other’s vital points. Even though Ling Shuanghua did not understand martial arts, she could see the danger involved.

　　However, the naive Ling Shuanghua did not notice that the young man with his back to her showed no sign of tension, but instead gave the masked man a wink.

　　The masked man nodded slightly, and as he turned around, he raised his hand and pulled, causing the black cloth covering his face to fall off.

　　”Brother Dian?!” Ling Shuanghua exclaimed in surprise upon seeing that familiar face.

　　Seeing that his true identity had been revealed, Ding Dian quickly forced the young man back with a few moves, then leaped over the wall and disappeared.

　　The young man did not chase after “Ding Dian,” but turned around and came to Ling Shuanghua’s side.

　　At this moment, Ling Shuanghua stared blankly in the direction where “Ding Dian” had fled, her face filled with surprise and disbelief.

　　”Miss, Miss…” The young man called out several times before he woke her up.

　　”Ah… Thank you for saving me, young master.” Ling Shuanghua suppressed her shock and quickly thanked the young man.

　　The young man waved his hand and said, “Miss, I don’t think your maid was stabbed in a vital spot. I just used acupressure to stop the bleeding. Quickly find a room for me to treat her wounds.”

　　”The room? Oh no, Father!” Ling Shuanghua then remembered the screams she had just heard and rushed into the room.

　　The young man picked up Juyou and followed her inside. Before they even entered, they heard a piercing scream: “Father—”

　　The young man entered the room and saw Ling Tuis leaning against the corner of the wall, his eyes wide open and his face showing a look of terror. Ling Shuanghua squatted beside him, tears streaming down her cheeks.

　　The young man stepped forward, touched Ling Tuisi’s neck, and shook his head helplessly, saying, “Miss, please accept my condolences.”

　　Ling Shuanghua felt like the sky was falling. She recalled the masked “Ding Dian” running out of the study after Ling Tuisi’s scream. A thought popped into her mind that she couldn’t believe but had to accept…

　　”Huh? What’s this?” the young man asked, pointing at Ling Tuisi’s hand in confusion.

　　Ling Shuanghua looked in the direction he was pointing and saw that Ling Tuisi was tightly clutching a red string with a sachet hanging from it.

　　She slowly squatted down, picked up the sachet, and then her body suddenly began to tremble violently.

　　”No!” Ling Shuanghua cried out in pain, and then fainted.

　　********************

　　When she woke up again, she found herself in front of the familiar pink bed curtains, lying in her own bed. She slowly sat up and suddenly heard a voice full of surprise: “Miss, you’re finally awake?”

　　Ling Shuanghua turned her head and saw that her other maid, Lan Rui, was looking at her with a joyful expression.

　　Ling Shuanghua opened her mouth, but felt her throat was dry and sore, and for a moment she couldn’t speak.

　　Lanrui quickly said, “Miss, don’t worry, I’ll get you some water right away.”

　　After taking a sip of hot water, Ling Shuanghua finally felt a little better. Looking at the sunlight outside the window, it seemed to be noon.

　　She handed the cup to Lanrui, and was about to ask where Juyou had gone, but suddenly froze on the verge of speaking.

　　The heart-wrenching scenes before I fainted flashed through my mind: the masked men attacking… Juyou protecting his master… the young man saving me… Ding Dian appearing… my father’s tragic death… holding a sachet…

　　“Brother Dian!? You… why…” Ling Shuanghua sat there blankly, tears streaming down her face.

　　Looking at her, Lanrui said with heartache, “Miss, please accept my condolences!”

　　Ling Shuanghua didn’t speak, but silently shed tears.

　　”Miss…” Lanrui couldn’t help but shed tears when she saw her grief-stricken face. “Miss, you must hold on!”

　　Ling Shuanghua closed her eyes and suddenly remembered what the young man had said before she fainted.

　　”By the way, Juyou!” she quickly pulled Lanrui aside and asked, “How is Juyou?”

　　Lan Rui quickly said, “Miss, don’t worry. Young Master Nie’s medical skills are superb, and Juyou is already fine.”

　　”Young Master Nie? Which Young Master Nie?” Ling Shuanghua asked in confusion.

　　”It’s Young Master Nie, the leader of the Huashan Sect!”

　　At the mention of Nie Yun, Lan Rui’s eyes lit up instantly. “Thanks to Young Master Nie, otherwise those heartless people would have already taken everything from the manor. And Young Master Nie has been helping out with everything…”

　　As Lan Rui recounted her story, Ling Shuanghua gradually learned what had happened after she fainted the previous day.

　　After she fainted yesterday, the servants in the mansion were in complete chaos, and a few even tried to take advantage of the situation to steal things.

　　The young man who saved her, also known as Young Master Nie Yun from Lan Rui’s words, acted decisively and gave the troublemakers a good beating, using his martial arts skills to intimidate everyone present.

　　Then they found the steward and wet nurse from the manor, and arranged for one to handle external affairs and the other to handle internal affairs, so that they could manage all the affairs of the manor.

　　Meanwhile, he was busy treating the injured people in the mansion. Many of them were so badly injured that he had to use his internal energy to heal them to survive.

　　After that, he kept patrolling around the mansion, and hadn’t slept for a day and a night.

　　Hearing Lan Rui’s words, Ling Shuanghua felt secretly grateful. Recalling how Nie Yun had descended from the sky like a god yesterday, she felt an indescribable flutter in her heart.

　　The hero rescuing the damsel in distress has always been a surefire way to win a young girl’s heart; of course, if he’s too ugly, he can only be reborn as a ghost in the next life.

　　Ling Shuanghua had Lan Rui help her put on a plain dress, and her hair was tied up with only a white jade hairpin.

　　She went to the living room and asked someone to invite Nie Yun over.

　　To avoid suspicion, the housekeeper and wet nurse also stayed by his side.

　　“Miss Ling, I am Nie Yun from Mount Hua. Greetings.” Nie Yun bowed slightly to Ling Shuanghua as he entered the room.

　　He wasn’t as elegant and dashing as usual; instead, he looked weary. Ling Shuanghua knew this was because he had been working tirelessly for the household, and she was even more moved.

　　”Young Master Nie, there’s no need for such formalities. I am deeply grateful for your timely rescue yesterday.” Ling Shuanghua first stood up and bowed to Nie Yun.

　　“Miss Ling, you’re too kind. I just happened to be passing by, but unfortunately I arrived too late…” Nie Yun shook his head and said with a regretful expression.

　　Thinking of her deceased father, Ling Shuanghua felt a pang of sadness and couldn’t help but shed tears.

　　Ling Shuanghua’s wet nurse’s surname was Zhang, and the servants usually called her Zhang Ma. Because Ling Shuanghua lost her mother at a young age, Zhang Ma had raised her, so she treated Ling Shuanghua like her own daughter.

　　Zhang Ma patted Ling Shuanghua’s shoulder and comforted her, “Miss, be careful not to cry yourself sick.”

　　Nie Yun offered a few words of advice, then said, “Miss Ling, as an outsider, it is inconvenient for me to remain in the mansion. Yesterday, I only took the liberty of doing so because there was no one else in charge. Now that you are awake, I will take my leave.”

　　He then got up to leave.

　　Ling Shuanghua stood up, wanting to say something, but not knowing how to begin.

　　Now, she has suddenly encountered a huge change and has no idea how to handle the current situation. When she saw Nie Yun about to leave, she suddenly felt abandoned.

　　Butler Liu quickly said, “Young Master Nie, please don’t be in a hurry, I have something else to say.”

　　Seeing his anxious look, Nie Yun sat back down in his chair and said, “Old man, please don’t be so polite. Just say what you have to say.”

　　Uncle Liu carefully considered his words before saying to Nie Yun, “To be honest, young master Nie, my master has unfortunately passed away, and my young lady has lost all her family. If you were to leave, I’m afraid she wouldn’t be able to support this vast family business on her own.”

　　Aunt Zhang nodded in agreement, saying, “Yes, and I heard from Juyou that the murderer who tried to assassinate the master that day has not yet been caught, and I heard that he also wants to kill the young lady. If the young master leaves, I’m afraid that villain will come back to commit murder, and then the young lady’s life will be in danger!”

　　Nie Yun looked troubled and said, “This… I have no relation to you, Miss. If I stay here, I’m afraid it will damage your reputation. You should know that gossip can be terrible, and accumulated slander can destroy a person.”

　　After thinking for a moment, Zhang Ma looked Nie Yun up and down and said, “Could you please wait a moment, young master, so that we can discuss a solution that satisfies both sides?”

　　Nie Yun nodded and said, “That’s fine then, you can go and discuss it.”

　　Aunt Zhang and Uncle Liu led Ling Shuanghua into the inner room, leaving Lanrui to serve in the hall.

　　Nie Yun picked up his teacup, a smile appearing on his face. That charming smile made Lan Rui blush and her heart race.

　　After a while, the three returned to the living room.

　　Zhang Ma said to Nie Yun, “Young Master Nie, how about this? My lady’s maiden name is also Nie. Why don’t you stay at our mansion as my young lady’s cousin? This way, we can help the young lady through this difficult time without causing any gossip.”

　　“This…” Nie Yun hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said, “Alright, then I’ll take my leave.”

　　********************

　　For the next two months, Nie Yun lived in the Ling residence as Ling Shuanghua’s cousin, and was in charge of some external affairs.

　　The funeral arrangements for Ling Tuisi were not completely completed until the seventh day after his death, from announcing the death and preparing the body for burial to keeping vigil and paying respects.

　　During this period, Nie Yun also blocked many probing attacks from all sides, and he neutralized all kinds of tactics one by one.

　　If open methods don’t work, then use force; if force doesn’t work, then use poison. There’s always a way to make someone submit.

　　In the end, no one gained any advantage. Nie Yun directly prepared a document with the government to preserve the Ling family’s property without losing a single penny, and transferred it all to Ling Shuanghua’s name.

　　Nie Yun always maintained proper etiquette towards Ling Shuanghua, who was known as the most beautiful woman in Jingzhou. He rarely spoke to her unless absolutely necessary, and whenever they met, they were either separated by a room or accompanied by Zhang Ma and Uncle Liu. He never met with her in private.

　　But in daily life, he arranged everything meticulously and thoughtfully, never letting the girl suffer any grievances.

　　This also put the minds of the group, who had been anxious after making the decision, at ease, and they all secretly admired Nie Yun for his gentlemanly demeanor.

　　The entire Ling family was completely convinced of the sudden appearance of this young master. The two old ladies, Zhang Ma and Uncle Liu, often looked at Nie Yun with maternal smiles, while the two young maids, Juyou and Lanrui, would occasionally say things like, “If only Miss’s future husband could be as outstanding as this young master,” making Ling Shuanghua extremely embarrassed.

　　She wanted to argue, but an inexplicable reason prevented her from speaking.