Chapter 5

Ling Yun has always disliked the feeling of being unable to control things. Before he mysteriously arrived in this era, he had a life he enjoyed. Although his family was not wealthy, it was warm and happy, with both parents alive and a girlfriend he had been dating since college. Their new home was almost ready for their wedding, and the wedding date was approaching, about to step into the hall of happiness.

But suddenly, he found himself here, in a completely different world from over a thousand years ago. Although he had been unconscious for several days after arriving, he was now awake, but he was restless and unwilling to stay even a minute longer. There were no computers, no mobile phones, no internet, and no television. He only knew that it was the eighteenth year of the Kaihuang era of the Sui Dynasty, and he was still unaware of his new identity. A new body, a body that had forgotten its memories. If that were all, it wouldn't have made him so uneasy.

Doctor Qian, the elderly physician from Gao Family Village, had already informed him of his condition. He had fainted not because of water immersion or wind, but due to an attack, sustaining injuries from swords and arrows. He had five arrow wounds and two sword wounds, and if it weren't for his strong physique and timely treatment, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

It was absurd, too absurd.

Mysteriously transported here, it was already absurd. But to encounter such a significant crisis upon arrival was even more absurd. Although he was a modern soul, he was well aware that his Sui Dynasty identity was in serious trouble.

Who was Yi Feng, and who wanted to kill him? Was it bandits robbing and killing, or a vendetta from the martial world?

And this Gao Family Village, with its eerie and strange atmosphere, was pressuring him to become a son-in-law.

Ling Yun was really suffering from a headache.

He was now facing a difficult choice. If he stayed, he would be forced to become a son-in-law in Gao Family Village, marrying a woman with albinism, and might even have to change his surname to Gao. Based on his understanding of the role of a son-in-law in this era, it would be a difficult and humiliating life. Alternatively, he could try to escape, but although he had inherited this Sui Dynasty body, he had no memory of it. Apart from a jade pendant inscribed with "Yi Feng," he knew nothing else. Who was he? Was Yi Feng his name? The most critical issue was, who had injured him, and would he be walking into a trap if he went out now?

Stay, or leave, leave, or stay...

This was a room with a damp and gloomy atmosphere in March, a wooden house standing quietly at the corner of the estate. It seemed to be a secluded guesthouse, but the most critical issue was that this secluded guesthouse was built on a wide pond at the corner of the estate, connected to the shore only by a wooden corridor. The house was completely exposed, and the servants in the small pavilion on the wooden corridor were watching it closely. In summer, the pond would be filled with lotus flowers, making it a perfect place for appreciating the lotus and enjoying the breeze, but now it felt more like a prison, exuding a deep, silent, and oppressive darkness, and he was a prisoner within it.

But he knew that if he decided to leave, tonight would be his last chance. Once the sky brightened tomorrow, he wouldn't be able to leave, and by tomorrow evening, he would be taken to the main hall to marry a woman he had only met once and spoken to briefly.

Leave or stay?

It was a difficult decision. Ling Yun agonized and hesitated for a long time before finally deciding to leave. The outside might be dangerous, but staying wasn't necessarily a better choice. He didn't particularly dislike Gao Qianxue, but he couldn't casually marry a stranger. Moreover, Gao Family Village seemed unusually different.

The room was located in the center of the pond, with the doors and windows sealed, and servants guarding outside. The only wooden corridor leading to the shore was also heavily guarded. After careful observation, Ling Yun finally gave up on the idea of escaping through the front. However, what made him happy was that the house was built on water, entirely made of wood. Although he couldn't fly away, he could try to leave from below.

He waited until it was completely dark, around ten o'clock at night. After a nap to regain his energy, Ling Yun immediately opened his eyes. He quietly got up, tiptoed to the door and window, and listened carefully to the outside. Confirming that the guards were dozing in the small pavilion on the wooden corridor, he walked to the corner he had chosen earlier.

The floor of the room was made of pine wood planks, and the small wooden house was built on stilts over the water. Under the thick straw mat, there was only a layer of pine wood planks. If he could pry up one or two planks, he could escape through the water. The pine wood planks were nailed tightly, but this didn't bother Ling Yun. He had a small knife, which was included with the dinner to cut the meat. Although the roasted mutton lacked cumin and was too gamey, he barely touched it. However, he kept the small knife, which would now be his tool for escape.

Ling Yun's movements were serious and cautious. After about two hours, he finally managed to pry up a hole in the floor large enough for him to escape. He placed the removed planks and a pillow in the bed to create the illusion that he was still sleeping. After checking that everything looked normal, he lifted the curtain, crawled through the hole, and carefully lowered himself into the water, making sure to cover the hole with the mat again. Finally, he tensed his body, trying to minimize the splash and noise as he entered the water.

"Plunk!" In the silent night, the sound of the splash was sudden. Ling Yun stood still in the water for about five minutes. When he heard the creaking of footsteps on the wooden planks and the guards' grumbling as they returned, he confirmed that the guards had been fooled by his disguise and relaxed.

The pond was not deep, reaching only to his chest.

The water was cold in the late spring night, but it couldn't stop Ling Yun, who was determined to leave.

However, when he carefully walked in the pond for a while and finally reached the shore, he saw Gao Qianxue under the willow tree. She was sitting on a stone bench under the willow tree, her silver hair tied loosely in a ponytail, hanging over her shoulders. She was playing a game of Go alone on the stone table. The night was originally cloudy and moonless, but a bright moon suddenly emerged from the clouds, quietly revealing itself.

"Miss Gao!"

She looked up at him, "Master Yi." Her tone was solemn yet ethereal, "The moon tonight is very beautiful, isn't it?"

He smiled bitterly. How had he not noticed her sitting there? However, he didn't believe that Gao Qianxue would come here alone in the middle of the night to admire the moon. She was sitting alone, without a single servant or even a lamp. "It is indeed beautiful. The sky was full of clouds just now, but now the moon is high and bright. The moon has not disappointed Miss Gao, and the clouds have finally parted to reveal the moon." Ling Yun climbed out of the pond and sat by the edge, washing the mud off his feet. He could feel her eyes on him but tried to avoid her gaze.

"Even if the clouds part to reveal the moon, the flowers may have intentions, but the water has none, and they will eventually be blown away by the wind and rain," her voice carried a hint of melancholy.

"Forcefully twisting a melon won't make it sweet."

Gao Qianxue frowned slightly, "Doctor Qian said Master Yi has forgotten who he is. Have you remembered anything yet?"

"No," Ling Yun shook his head. He wished his memory would suddenly return, which would greatly help him. At least he would know his identity in this era, where his home was, and who his family members were. Most importantly, if he had his memory, he would know who had injured him. Unfortunately, he had gained no memories so far. However, he still held a glimmer of hope because he could speak the Sui Dynasty's official language with a slight Henan accent, indicating that he wasn't completely amnesic. He might remember who he was one day, but it could be tomorrow or never.

"Master Yi's injuries are severe. According to Doctor Qian, the wounds from the swords and arrows suggest that you were not attacked by bandits but by soldiers," Gao Qianxue said, holding a white Go piece between her thumb and index finger, which glowed faintly in the dark. "I believe it would be dangerous for you to leave Gao Family Village now."

"If that's the case, staying here might also bring danger to Gao Family Village and Miss Gao." Ling Yun believed Gao Qianxue, which made him feel uneasy. If the people who wanted to kill him were from the government, his situation would be dire. He turned to watch her place the piece on the board. The game was delicate, and it was a good game. Although Ling Yun wasn't a big fan of Go, he had learned it for many years before college and even dreamed of becoming a Go player in elementary school. He played a lot of Go in his youth, so he was still quite skilled.

"I have already sent people to investigate Master Yi's identity," Gao Qianxue placed another piece, "But it hasn't been smooth. We haven't found any information about Yi Feng or Ling Yun in the regions of Yang, He, Jiang, Chang, Wu, and Hao. I plan to expand the search to Hang, Yue, Xu, and Si. There's one more thing to tell you. After we returned from the river, I sent people to investigate the area, but they found nothing. The person who injured you is powerful and well-hidden. It would be too dangerous for you to leave now, especially since you have lost your memory. Where would you go? Why not stay?"

"But you said those people are dangerous. If I stay, I might endanger you." Ling Yun was grateful for Gao Qianxue's help, and he should be thankful.

Gao Qianxue sensed the change in his expression, "You don't need to worry. Gao Family Village is not afraid."

"An arm can't resist a leg. Who can stand against the government?" He turned to look at the pond under the white moonlight, where shadows faintly appeared. In the eighteenth year of the Kaihuang era, the Sui Dynasty's prestige reached its peak. The once powerful Turkic Khaganate had split into two and had been in internal conflict for over a decade. Last year, one part had surrendered to the Sui Dynasty. How could a small Gao Family Village resist such a powerful force?

She smiled lightly, "You are overthinking it. The weapons used to injure you are military standard, but that doesn't mean the government is after you. Otherwise, your wanted posters would have been posted throughout the Jiangdong region."

"Anyone who can use military weapons and leave no trace is not simple," Ling Yun understood this.

"Meet force with force, and water with earth." She smiled, not too worried, and picked up another piece from the box. "Master Yi, if you can agree to one thing, Gao Family Village will help you recover your identity and protect you from those who are after you."

Ling Yun smiled bitterly. The conversation had finally come to this. He just didn't understand why Gao Qianxue was so persistent. With her status, even as a small landlord, she could find a good husband.

"Being a son-in-law in Gao Family Village is too much to ask," he explained, "It's not that I am dissatisfied with Miss Gao. It would be an honor to marry into such a family, but as a man, I cannot become a son-in-law."

"Being a son-in-law is indeed too much to ask," Gao Qianxue nodded, "Then we won't insist on that."

Ling Yun breathed a sigh of relief, but she immediately added, "Then Master Yi can marry, and I will marry. There will be no problem."

"But marriage is a matter of parents' consent and a matchmaker's words. Now that I have lost my memory, how can I marry without my parents' consent? Moreover, we have only met a few times. Discussing marriage now seems too frivolous."

Having a beautiful woman crying and begging to marry him, Ling Yun didn't want to refuse, but he always believed there was no free lunch, and he was cautious about this.

Gao Qianxue shook her head, "I know what I am doing. I am twenty years old and have long been of marriageable age, but I have never found the right person. When I met Master Yi, I felt that you were the one I was destined to marry. Our meeting was fate and destiny. I can assure you that this decision is well thought out."

Her words were bold and passionate, but Ling Yun was skeptical.

Just as he was about to refuse again, Gao Qianxue suddenly dropped the Go piece and pulled out a shiny silver dagger from somewhere.

"To be honest, I did not fall into the river by accident that day." She pressed the dagger to her chest, "The most painful thing is not losing, but when you think you have gained something, you lose it again. Master Yi, why did you save me and give me hope, only to cruelly take it away? If so, Master Yi, let's meet in the next life."

Damn, Ling Yun cursed under his breath, unable to resist shouting to the sky, why did he always encounter such situations?

Crying, making a scene, and threatening to commit suicide—women's ultimate weapons. He never thought that even a woman like Gao Qianxue, who seemed otherworldly, would resort to the same tactics. He couldn't tell if her actions were a performance or real. After all, he had saved her from the river a few days ago. Now, after refusing her proposal several times, she was threatening to kill herself. Although his rational mind told him that this was likely just a tactic to force his compliance, he couldn't be sure.

"I agree!" Ling Yun didn't want to gamble and didn't want to take the risk. Reflecting on his situation, he realized he was in a difficult position. With his injuries not fully healed and the dangers outside, staying might be better.

He took a deep breath and made his decision. Facing the unknown fear and danger outside was worse than staying. At least Gao Qianxue was a beautiful woman with silver hair. After being transported to the Sui Dynasty, he might as well start by being a dependent. At least he wouldn't have to be a son-in-law, which was a significant improvement.

Gao Qianxue's body trembled slightly, and the silver dagger fell to the ground. She seemed surprised.

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