Chapter Nineteen: The Hidden Arrow Finds Its Mark

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“Giddyup, giddyup, giddyup…”

The two groups raced toward the center line. Fortunately, I had received professional training in horseback riding and swordsmanship, so this was well within my abilities.

My opponent was Qin Jingsheng, another worthless fool. Aside from flattering people, I truly had no idea what other talents he possessed. I had also heard that he often wandered about in his sleep at night. What a frightening affliction.

After only a few exchanges, I drove him back with a fencing maneuver. Unexpectedly, Liu Xiangdong suddenly cut in with his sword.

“Liu Yiqing, let this young master have a go at you.”

“Do you really think I would be afraid of a useless good-for-nothing like you?”

I thrust my sword at Liu Xiangdong, but he dodged it with ease.

Who would have thought that Liu Xiangdong, who had always seemed so cowardly, actually knew a few tricks? Did all the ancients like to conceal their true abilities?

“Liu Yiqing, yesterday you humiliated me in front of everyone. Today, do you dare accept my challenge? We’ll fight one-on-one.”

Liu Xiangdong pointed his sword at me.

“Of course. What could I possibly be afraid of? Go on, then. How exactly do you propose we fight one-on-one?”

I was gambling. I was betting that Liu Xiangdong really was a useless fool.

“There are too many people here. Why don’t we go somewhere secluded and have our match?”

Liu Xiangdong smiled smugly.

I understood the principle that one should never pursue a desperate enemy too far. An invitation this blatantly tempting was clearly a trap.

When he saw that I did not answer, Liu Xiangdong continued, “What? Are you afraid? Has the illustrious Young Master Liu finally learned how to write the word ‘fear’?”

I gave a cold laugh. “I’m terribly sorry, but I truly don’t know how to write the word ‘fear.’ Perhaps Young Master Liu would be kind enough to teach me. Lead the way.”

I spread my arms and rode after Liu Xiangdong, leaving the group behind. I refused to believe he could come up with anything impressive. At most, he wanted to play a prank on me—but we would soon see who ended up being humiliated.

I followed Liu Xiangdong into the Reed Marsh. He rode very quickly, and my horsemanship was not good enough to catch him. After a while, he disappeared from sight.

“Ah!”

Suddenly, a hemp rope appeared in front of me and tripped my horse, sending me crashing heavily to the ground. This had to be Liu Xiangdong’s doing.

Holding my lower back with one hand and a wooden sword with the other, I searched through the reeds. Where had Liu Xiangdong hidden himself?

“Liu Xiangdong, you coward! You despicable bastard! Come out here!”

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I turned around.

Whoosh!

An arrow shot straight toward my face.

“Ah!”

Terrified, I squeezed my eyes shut and screamed. A moment later, I heard the arrow fall to the ground.

I opened my eyes and let out a long breath. I had not been hit. But strangely enough, Ma Wencai was standing in front of me.

“What are you doing here?”

“I saw you ride away alone with Liu Xiangdong, so I followed to check on you. Are you all right?”

I shook my head. “I’m fine… Ah, look out!”

Another arrow flew toward Ma Wencai from behind. I shoved him to the ground, but in doing so nearly ate dirt myself. Fortunately, Ma Wencai served as a convenient cushion. Just as I tried to push myself up, a sharp pain shot through my arm the moment I exerted any force.

“Ah! My arm!”

I collapsed heavily onto Ma Wencai again.

Ma Wencai helped me up and immediately ran toward the direction from which the arrow had come, but he found nothing. He crouched beside me and rolled up my sleeve.

The wound was long and deep, with blood running freely. I cried out in pain.

Ma Wencai stared at my arm for quite some time. Then he tore off a strip from the hem of his robe and began bandaging me. It had not hurt this much before he wrapped it, but once he started tying the bandage, the pain became unbearable.

Even when I had received injections in the buttocks back in the modern world, I had been able to cry from the pain. When had I ever suffered like this?

With tears in my voice, I whimpered, “Could you be a little gentler?”

Ma Wencai looked at me as though he only half understood, then nodded.

“Oh.”

Tragically, that “oh” was only verbal. His hands did not become gentler in the slightest. A stabbing pain tore through me. I cried louder and louder, repeatedly kicking his legs.

“Gentler! Please, gentler… sob, sob…”

I suddenly thought of Father. Back in the modern world, whenever I was injured during training and wanted to give up, he would stay by my side and encourage me, telling me never to surrender so easily.

Now I had truly crossed into another world and fulfilled his dream—but I had to endure such a terrible injury.

Father, it really hurts!

I threw myself into Ma Wencai’s arms and burst into loud sobs. Apart from the warmth of his body, I could have sworn I was hugging a block of wood.

After crying for a while, I grew tired. I grabbed Ma Wencai’s clothes and rubbed my face against them. Tears, mucus—everything was there. I had better wipe myself clean before returning, lest the others laugh at me.

When I raised my head, Ma Wencai was staring at me with an indescribable expression.

Had he noticed something suspicious?

Feeling guilty, I glanced around and muttered, “Let’s go back. Sir will be worried.”

“Mm.”

Ma Wencai nodded and helped me up from the ground. I had felt nothing when I kicked him earlier, but the moment I stood, pain shot through my right ankle. I could barely walk, leaning heavily on my leg.

Ma Wencai stopped.

“Your foot is injured. I’ll carry you.”

Pouting, I slowly climbed onto Ma Wencai’s back and unconsciously muttered, “At least you have a conscience.”

Ma Wencai carried me back to the training grounds. The teacher, Liang Zhu, and the others were anxiously searching for us. Xun Jubo was the tallest and spotted us first.

“They’re over there!”

I waved at them with great effort, signaling that I was not dead yet.

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Ma Wencai ignored them completely and carried me straight toward the academy. I fidgeted restlessly on his back.

“Ma Wencai, where are you going? The teacher and the others are over there!”

I waved my left hand at Wang Lantian in the distance.

“Hey, Brother Lantian! I’m over here!”

My squirming made Ma Wencai stagger from side to side. He gave me a forceful shake.

“Stop moving. I’m taking you to the infirmary.”

“But shouldn’t we at least greet the teacher and the others?”

Ma Wencai snorted.

“You just want to greet your Brother Lantian, don’t you?”

Just then, Xie Daoyun, Wang Lantian, Liang Zhu, and the others came rushing over.

“Ma Wencai, what did you do to Yiqing?” Wang Lantian demanded anxiously.

“That’s right, Ma Wencai. You and Yiqing left the group together, and now Yiqing has returned injured. What exactly are you plotting?” Xie Daoyun asked.

Ma Wencai turned his head aside, too lazy to answer them.

“Teacher, Brother Lantian, you’ve misunderstood.”

I looked through the crowd, searching for Liu Xiangdong.

“It was him. Liu Xiangdong lured me into the Reed Marsh. He even tried to shoot me to death with an arrow. Brother Wencai saved me, but that scoundrel still wasn’t satisfied. He tried to shoot both of us afterward. We were lucky to survive.”

“What proof do you have that I shot at you? I was at the training grounds the entire time. Did any of you see me leave?”

Liu Xiangdong looked around at the others. They all shook their heads, saying they had not noticed.

“Liu Xiangdong, I’ll settle this debt with you slowly.”

Ma Wencai fixed Liu Xiangdong with a sharp, piercing gaze, frightening him until his face turned pale.

“Yiqing, you’re injured?”

Wang Lantian seized my hand. The wound was so deep that blood had already seeped onto the back of my hand.

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