Yu Yi lightly laughed and shook her head: “Captain Guan, have you become obsessed with investigation? Just because someone conceals something doesn’t mean they have a dark secret.”
Everyone has things they don’t want to share with others. Not every hidden matter means evil deeds. Some thoughts are hard to express, some experiences are embarrassing, that’s all.”
Guan Yue said, “But he lives at Xiyi Manor. How can you not know anything about his background?”
Yu Yi said, “As long as Young Master Meng can take care of me, my mother, and my sisters, I don’t care whether he’s from Xizhou Prefecture or not.”
Guan Yue was stunned but still unconvinced: “Young Master Meng won’t even speak about his background. His very name might be fake. He cannot truly love you and will never marry you. Even if he treats you well now, he’ll soon find a new love.”
Yu Yi said calmly, “I was originally a courtesan. I’m just taking advantage of my current looks to gain some male favor and save some money.”
Guan Yue asked, “Have you considered what will happen in a few years?”
Yu Yi sighed, “Even if I become old and alone in the future, there’s nothing I can do. I’ve already given up on the idea of marriage.”
Guan Yue said, “I am willing to marry you.”
Yu Yi was momentarily stunned, taking several seconds to understand Guan Yue’s meaning. She looked at him in surprise, seeing his sincere expression with no hint of mockery.
Guan Yue, having spoken these words, felt calm. He took two steps forward and repeated, “I am willing to marry. As long as Young Mistress Yu agrees, I will propose marriage soon.
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Yu Yi was at a loss for how to respond. She had just used a plaintive, self-deprecating tone to cover for Meng Qing’s identity, but unexpectedly created this situation.
After brief contemplation, she said, “Even if Young Master Meng finds new love, I at least have this manor and can survive on its modest production. Moreover…” she hesitated, then said coldly, “I would never marry a captain.”
Guan Yue was speechless, angered by her disdain for captains. Internally, he thought, “Guan Yue, she doesn’t have a bit of affection for you. Why are you doing this?
He gritted his teeth and cupped his fists, “It was Guan who spoke recklessly. I hope Miss Yu can forget about this. Guan will take his leave now.”
Yu Yi secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Although she felt apologetic towards Guan Yue, this was still better. She didn’t want to see him off, which would only create awkwardness. She decided to wait where she was until Guan Yue had gone far away.
She had just heard Guan Yue’s proposal and was thinking about how to refuse him when she forgot she was standing by the stream. As soon as she turned and took a step, she felt her foot slip into empty space, and her body instantly began sliding downward, involuntarily letting out a low cry.
Guan Yue had just turned halfway when he heard her exclamation.
Looking back, he saw her sliding down towards the stream bottom and rushed towards her.
Yu Yi inwardly groaned. They were already near the mountain base, and the height difference between the bank and the stream bottom was nearly two people tall. Normally, she could easily jump down, and even if she initially slipped, she could adjust her posture and landing point midair to land safely. But with Guan Yue watching, how could she adjust her posture?
She gritted her teeth, deciding to risk a minor injury rather than reveal her martial arts skills in front of Guan Yue. She would just fall sideways.
Guan Yue had previously stepped closer to Yu Yi, so he was only three or four steps away. Now, feeling urgent, he took two large steps and rushed to where she had slipped. By this time, Yu Yi’s body was already more than halfway down. Guan Yue lunged forward, grabbing her raised arms to maintain balance. However, he had extended most of his body outward and, while holding onto Yu Yi, fell with her into the stream bottom.
With no way to leverage himself in midair, Guan Yue knew this fall was unavoidable. Using the momentum of his lunge, he twisted his waist in midair, positioning himself so that Yu Yi was on top and he was underneath.
The stream bank was neither low nor high. He only had time to make this move before they crashed together onto the stream bottom.
Guan Yue landed right foot first, feeling his ankle hit a hard object, followed by a sharp pain in his back as he struck the icy surface.
Yu Yi landed squarely on top of Guan Yue, her face hitting his chest. She got up and looked at Guan Yue’s pained expression, anxiously asking, “Captain Guan, where are you hurt?”
Guan Yue said with difficulty, “Right foot.”
Yu Yi looked at his right leg and saw a large protruding cobblestone below his ankle. His right foot was twisted to one side, likely having struck this stone. She hesitated momentarily, wondering whether to immediately provide first aid. But if she waited for a doctor, her conscience wouldn’t allow her to see him suffer.
Yu Yi gritted her teeth and decided saving him was most important. Just as she was about to activate her terminal, she heard someone say from above, “Don’t move him.” She breathed a sigh of relief and looked up at the person on the bank.
Meng Qing had heard their conversation through his earpiece and came out. Guan Yue’s knife still had his tracking device, so he had found their approximate location. When Yu Yi cried out, he rushed over, but by the time he arrived, Guan Yue was already injured.
Meng Qing descended the gentler slope to the stream bottom and asked, “Captain Guan, besides your right foot, do you have pain anywhere else?”
Guan Yue circulated his qi throughout his body and found only muscle bruising on his back, with intense pain only in his right foot. He replied, “Nothing else matters, only my right foot hurts.”
Meng Qing crouched down, facing away from Guan Yue, and activated his terminal. A dark blue light scanned evenly across Guan Yue’s ankle. Meng Qing frowned at the terminal’s results – a fractured ankle that might leave sequelae given the medical skills of this time period. He scanned from another angle, obtaining a 3D imaging.
Fortunately, Guan Yue was a martial artist with strong, powerful muscles. Though his ankle was fractured, the displacement wasn’t severe. If he could see the displacement’s location, he could reset it.
Meng Qing felt Guan Yue’s ankle with both hands, pretending to examine the injury, then suddenly applied force to realign the bone.
Guan Yue let out a muffled grunt.
Meng Qing scanned the ankle again with his terminal, confirming the bone displacement had been corrected, then turned it off and said, “Captain Guan, I’m afraid your bone is broken.”
Guan Yue asked painfully, “Master Meng, do you know medical skills?”
Meng Qing replied, “A little.”
He then turned to Yu Yi, “Wife, go back to the main courtyard and call some strong men. Bring four bamboo poles, thick rope, and a bedsheet.”
“
Yu Yi agreed and quickly climbed up the gentler bank, running back to the main courtyard. She instructed Fu Cheng to prepare the carriage and went to find several strong men among the tenant farmers to gather the items Meng Qing requested. Fu Cheng would drive to fetch a bone-setting doctor.
Meng Qing instructed the farmers to tie four bamboo poles together, forming a rectangular “well” shape, then spread and secured a bedsheet in the center, creating a makeshift stretcher.
Two farmers supported the stretcher from below while two pulled from the bank, lifting Guan Yue up and carrying him back to the main courtyard.
Meng Qing used stones to break some ice at the bottom of the stream, wrapped it in thick cloth, and had Aunt Liu apply it to Guan Yue for pain relief.
