Chapter 3

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Ling Yun had only taken two steps when he suddenly felt dizzy and fell to the ground before the burly men could catch up to him.

The burly men who were about to pounce were momentarily stunned. One of them stepped forward, examined him carefully, and then stood up, saying, "He has a wound on his back."

The white-haired Gao Qianxue had already turned around and asked anxiously, "Is Young Master Yi going to be alright?"

"It's not a fatal wound, but it hasn't been treated, and he's been in the river for so long, and exposed to the cold wind. His condition has worsened significantly. He needs immediate treatment, or his life will be in danger."

"Then what are we waiting for? Take him back to the manor and treat him immediately," Gao Qianxue said immediately.

The samurai Gao Ding frowned and reported, "Miss, the wound on his back is from an arrow, a new wound, and... " He hesitated for a moment but then spoke the truth, "Based on my experience, it's not an ordinary arrow wound. It was shot by a powerful bow, not the kind used by ordinary bandits. It's a military bow."

Upon hearing this, both Gao Qianxue and Gao Mingyue's faces changed. They understood the implications of a military bow. After the current emperor established the Sui Dynasty, he issued an edict prohibiting private ownership of large knives, long spears, strong bows, and armor. Violators would be punished with the extermination of their entire clan. Ordinary hunters used soft bows and ordinary arrows. Even some bandits found it extremely difficult to obtain military-standard bows. The arrow wound on Yi Feng's body, however, was clearly from a military bow, which made his identity quite complicated.

"Miss, this person was injured not long ago. The ones who injured him might be the imperial army, and they could still be nearby. This person will be a trouble, I suggest we leave immediately and not get involved in this mess."

"No!" Gao Qianxue shook her head; she couldn't do such a thing.

Gao Mingyue was torn. Her rational side told her that Yi Feng would be a big trouble. However, she could see her sister's attitude. She knew that today's incident was not just a simple accident. After being saved by Yi Feng, Gao Qianxue's mindset had changed significantly, clearly due to Yi Feng. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been trying to force Yi Feng to marry Gao Qianxue, and it was evident that Gao Qianxue wasn't completely rejecting the idea. She was conflicted, "Sister, taking him back might bring trouble and expose our identity."

"Take him with us and leave immediately. Gao Ding, you are responsible for cleaning up and leaving no traces," Gao Qianxue decided without any room for argument.

...

Ling Yun opened his eyes and found himself in an ancient, elegant room. The floor was not a bed but wooden, covered with a mat, similar to a tatami. His head throbbed slightly, and the room had no modern elements. He looked down at himself and saw a set of white, close-fitting clothes, with a cross-collar and ties, completely in ancient style.

He closed his eyes and pinched himself, feeling the pain. Then he immediately recalled his previous memories, realizing this was not a dream.

He lifted the quilt and sat up. The room had no bed or table, but there was a small table nearby with a set of neatly folded clothes, a white robe. He recognized it as a deep robe, a type of Han clothing. On the table was a bronze mirror, and the reflection in it made him sigh. It was no longer the familiar face he knew.

A white bandage was wrapped diagonally across his shoulder, and the smell of Chinese medicine permeated. He touched it, and the bandaged area was slightly painful.

He pushed open the door, and a blinding white light shone in. Ling Yun instinctively raised his hand to shield his eyes. After adjusting to the light, he found himself in an ancient, elegant manor. The courtyards were built one after another, with green tiles, wooden buildings, artificial hills, ponds, corridors, and pavilions. There were no modern elements, no power lines, no street lamps, no cement, only ancient elegance.

He took a deep breath and stepped out of the room with one foot.

"Master Yi, you're awake!" A somewhat familiar voice called out. Ling Yun then noticed the bold and straightforward little girl from the riverbank, who had said he had hugged and kissed their young lady. She was standing in front of him with a tray, holding a bowl of steaming medicine, emitting a distinctive smell of Chinese medicine.

The little girl looked at Ling Yun with a hint of embarrassment, "Master Yi, why did you come out? You just suffered a serious injury and caught a cold. You just woke up, how can you be exposed to the wind? Go back and lie down." As she spoke, she glanced at Ling Yun's exposed, muscular chest a few times. Then she went into the room, put down the medicine bowl, and came out to support him back inside.

The little girl, who looked about thirteen or fourteen, was small and cute, bold and straightforward. She put one of his arms over her shoulder and supported his waist with the other hand. Her head only reached his chest, and her two ponytails stood up like horns. Ling Yun couldn't resist pulling her hair a few times, and she let out a light cry of pain, confirming that the hair was real. This discovery made him feel a bit disappointed but also a bit excited.

"What's your name?"

"Mulan!" After helping Ling Yun lie back on the mat, the little girl's face turned slightly red, whether from the effort of supporting him, from secretly looking at his half-naked, muscular body, or from Ling Yun pulling her hair and his bold gaze. Her tone became a bit stronger, and she even glared back at him.

Mulan served him the medicine in the room and chatted with him for a while before leaving to inform the young lady that he was awake.

The room fell silent again, and Ling Yun lay there, somewhat lost in thought.

He sighed deeply. Now he had a better understanding of his situation, no longer completely in the dark.

This was no longer the familiar world he knew, just as he was no longer the person he used to be.

This was the Sui Dynasty, the great Sui Empire that ended the nearly four centuries of division since the Western Jin and Southern and Northern Dynasties, reuniting China. It was an empire that was both civilized and powerful but also short-lived, lasting only 38 years.

It was now the eighteenth year of the Kaihuang era of the Sui Dynasty, the eighteenth year since Emperor Wen of Sui, Yang Jian, usurped the Zhou Dynasty and established the Sui Dynasty.

Twenty-two years ago, the Northern Zhou conquered Qi. Eighteen years ago, Yang Jian usurped the Zhou Dynasty and established the Sui Dynasty. Eleven years ago, the Sui conquered the Western Liang. Nine years ago, the Sui conquered the Southern Chen.

He was now in Gao Family Manor, not far from Jiangdu City in Yangzhou, Jiangnan. The owner of Gao Family Manor was the beautiful, white-haired woman he had saved. Her name was Gao Qianxue. From the little girl, he learned that Gao Qianxue had always had very fair skin and white hair from birth. The domineering Gao Mingyue was not Gao Qianxue's biological sister but her distant cousin. The Gao family was said to have lived in Hebei north of the Yellow River, but later moved to Jiangnan to avoid war. However, Gao Qianxue and her sister's parents died in the war when they moved south, and they were brought to the south by their relatives, eventually settling in Yangzhou.

However, Ling Yun felt that the little girl's words were not entirely true. From what he saw at the riverbank, Gao Qianxue's family owned such a large estate and had those strong servants. How could it be so simple? Ordinary estate owners couldn't have such fierce servants, and they certainly couldn't all carry swords and ride horses.

While he was lost in thought, the door was knocked on, and Gao Mingyue entered with two old women and several maids, carrying trays covered with red cloth.

"Yi Feng, you're finally awake," Gao Mingyue said with a smile, but the smile made Ling Yun feel somewhat sinister, like a weasel wishing a chicken a happy new year.

Thinking back to the day she forced him to marry her sister and threatened to kill and dispose of him if he refused, Ling Yun couldn't smile. He nodded cautiously, "Thank you, Miss Gao, for saving me. I am very grateful."

"We will soon be a family, so there's no need to be so formal. It's good that you're awake. Mulan, go and ask Doctor Qian to come and check him again. We can't have any setbacks. If he faints again during the wedding, it would be embarrassing," Gao Mingyue said to Mulan with a satisfied look, her eyes seemingly telling Ling Yun, "You said you'd rather die than comply, and even jumped into the river. Now, where will you run? Where can you go?"

"Wedding, what wedding?"

"Of course, it's the wedding of you, my brother-in-law, and my sister. The manor has already prepared everything. Grandfather has even consulted the fortune-tellers in Jiangdu City, and tomorrow is a lucky day, perfect for a wedding. Look, I've brought all the things you'll need for the wedding tomorrow. Get ready, and when the auspicious time arrives, you'll get married and enter the bridal chamber with my sister."

Damn, Ling Yun couldn't help but curse in his heart. This was really endless. "Who agreed to marry your sister?"

"Wrong!" Gao Mingyue immediately corrected him, "It's not you marrying my sister, but you joining our Gao Family Manor. There's a big difference."

"Who agreed to join your Gao Family Manor? I didn't agree! A man of honor can't be forced to join a family. Although Gao Qianxue is very beautiful, no one likes being forced."

"You have to agree, whether you like it or not. You've already compromised my sister's reputation. Do you think you can get away with it? Besides, my sister has already accepted your token of affection. Do you think you can back out now?"

"What token of affection?"

"Your jade pendant!" Gao Mingyue said triumphantly. "Yi Feng, don't act innocent after getting what you wanted. My sister is a goddess, and it's a great fortune for you to be chosen by her. Don't be ungrateful. Rest well and don't miss the auspicious day tomorrow!" With that, she lifted her skirt, and the jingling of her jewelry echoed as she led the old women and maids out, leaving the trays of wedding items behind.

As soon as they left, the door was slammed shut and even locked!

Ling Yun was left alone in the room, facing the red wedding clothes, jade belts, and hats, completely stunned.

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