Chapter 38 Past Events Are Not Like Smoke

  Yan Rou tightly closed her eyes, her breathing was rough and heavy, her hands clenched into fists. Wu Jun Hou squatted in front of the bed with a face full of shame, his complexion alternated between red and white, stuttering: "Zi Yu, I know... that thing back then was my fault, you can blame me, I have nothing to say, but... now you're injured like this, how can you not take medicine?"

  Yan Rou didn't utter a word, Wu Jun Hou——Dun Wu raised his head, looked at him worriedly, sighed, and continued to persuade him in a nagging tone, like an old lady, completely different from his usual taciturn nature.

  "If I had dragged on for over a decade, every time I closed my eyes, I would see a pool of blood. Such days...I've long been tired of them." Yan Rou suddenly opened her eyes, staring blankly at the air with a pained expression: "Over a decade ago, you injured me, and my brother didn't enter Wu Huan, afterwards becoming a captive of the Xianbei people. Day and night, I yearned to avenge this grudge, but unexpectedly...today I was again injured by your disciple, and...and became some sort of Han traitor. Am I a Han traitor? What are those people?"

  Yan Rou suddenly stood up straight, facing the stunned Dun Wu and roaring: "Dun Wu, tell me, what are you people?"

  Dun Wu awkwardly smiled and said: "Zi Yu, don't take it seriously, this traitor... is just deceiving that little kid, in my heart, I have always treated you as a brother."

  "Ptoo!" Yan Rou spat a bloody glob in his face and turned away: "I, Yan Rou, am not worthy of your attention."

  Dun Wu's lips were trembling, and he wiped the blood foam from his face with his sleeve. Rubbing his hands together, he slowly said: "Zi Yu, I know you don't believe me, actually, neither do I. That little kid does have some strength and quick hands, but he really only practiced martial arts for over ten days. I thought that even if he had talent, at most he could hold out for a moment against you. If he was lucky, maybe he could even win one or two moves. I...I was afraid he would be too scared to go on stage and also felt indignant about this Han traitor, so I said those things to stir him up. I never expected..."

  "Spare me the flowery words." Yan Rou interrupted him: "What kind of person is Dun Wu, a master invited by the hundred-year-old noble family to teach his disciples, who are naturally also masters. How can someone like me, Yan Rou, compare with them? I'm already grateful that he spared my life."

  The words were stuck in his throat.

  "Moreover, as for the title of traitor, I, Yan Rou, truly do not deserve it." Yan Rou suddenly turned her head around and gazed at Dun Wu with a sarcastic look: "The person you didn't mind using innocent lives to exchange for is the real traitor."

  "What you say goes, I'm not, I am, I'm a traitor, okay? Please, just take the medicine." Dunwu said, following Yan Ruo's tone, holding up the medicine bowl and sending it to Yan Ruo's face. Suddenly reacting: "What did you say?"

  Yan Rou stared into his eyes, revealing a cruel smile, and said word by word: "I'm saying, the noble person you once traded our brothers' lives for is now the biggest traitor."

  Dunwu's body stiffened, the smile on his face turned into a fierce glare, he stared into Yan Ruo's eyes and said word for word: "Zi Yu, you hate me, I don't blame you, even if you kill me, I'll admit it. But you can't slander my former master, otherwise I will never forgive you."

  "Since you abandoned us brothers, I have never expected anything from you." Yan Rou's eyes were bleak and her face was disdainful: "You are in Youzhou, why don't you go to the grasslands to take a look. The descendants of your former master are now nobles again, you can go to rely on them, high-ranking officials and wealth are not a problem, it's just... when you also become a traitor, I wonder if your senior disciple will be angry like this too."

  Dun Wu took a deep breath, slowly straightening his waist that had been bent for a long time. His eyes stared at Yan Rou's eyes, standing still for a good while before slowly exhaling a mouthful of turbid air. In a cold voice, he said: "If it's really as you say, without that kid lifting a hand, I'll take his head myself and send it to the general's grave to apologize."

  "Hahaha……" Yan Rou didn't even bother to look at him, bursting into loud laughter. After just a few laughs, blood began to seep out of her mouth again, and her voice became hoarse beyond recognition. Yet she still gazed sideways at Dun Wu with an icy smile, her expression extremely pleased.

  Dun Wu was stunned for a moment, then gently stuffed the medicine bowl into Yan Rou's hand and said in a cold voice: "Yan Zi Yu, you can't die now. I'll go to the grassland, if you're talking nonsense, I'll kill you with my own hands, if...if it's true, I want you to watch me kill him."

  Yan Rou hesitated for a moment, took the medicine bowl and drank it all in one gulp. He then smashed the bowl to the ground, wiped the medicinal liquid off his beard with his hand, and coldly sneered: "Dare not to accompany."

  Dun Wu quietly watched Yan Rou drink the medicine, closed her eyes and fell asleep. Only then did he turn around and leave the door. He stood outside the door for a while before heading to the front yard, his slow footsteps were extremely heavy, and he suddenly seemed to have aged a bit.

  He walked through the noisy courtyard, standing in the shadow of the rain corridor, looking at the host and guest laughing and talking on the hall, but there was no smile on his face, and a sharp cold light shot out from his slightly closed eyes, then he quickly turned around and left the yard from the side door, rushing to the Jing She.

  Liu Bei was changing clothes in the house, preparing for the upcoming drinking party. This time it was the Mao family's celebration banquet, and Lu Zhi and Li Ding were both there, and might even evaluate the students on the spot. These two men, one being the pride of Zhuo County and the other holding the power to recommend officials, whoever could get a good comment from either of them would be able to make a name for themselves in Zhuo County. Liu Bei knew this was an opportunity and naturally didn't dare let it slip away easily. He not only hoped to get a good evaluation but also wanted to find an opportunity to ask Li Ding what had happened to his eyebrows, which had led to such an embarrassing situation the other day?

  Seeing the indifferent face of Dunwu, Liu Bei was stunned for a moment before regaining his composure and hastily stepped forward to pay his respects. He had just heard from Liu Xiu that the main reason they were able to defeat Yan Rou today was because this military officer had given him some crucial advice early in the morning.

  "General, you have arrived. What instructions do you have?"

  "Is Liu Xiu here?" Dun Wu asked bluntly, his eyes scanning the room and not seeing Liu Xiu's figure, he immediately furrowed his brow and said with a tone of displeasure: "Where did he go?"

  Liu Bei was made somewhat uneasy by the displeasure in his tone, and hastily explained: "Elder brother has just gone to the valley, please wait for a moment, I will go and call him."

  "No need, I'll go find him myself." Dunwu turned around and left, his words had barely faded away when he was already outside the courtyard. Liu Bei looked on, his mouth agape in surprise. He had heard Mao Zong mention before that Wu Jun had a nickname called "Ghost Hand", with moves as swift and fierce as can be, but he didn't expect him to walk so fast too. What a pity, such a master should have been his own teacher, yet he went to teach Liu Xiu instead?

  Liu Bei secretly sighed and his face became somewhat complicated.

  Dun Wu arrived in the valley, just as he was about to turn a corner, a figure rushed past him. He hastily dodged to one side, and saw that the person was running with their head down, fleeing wildly like a dog whose tail had been stepped on. Dun Wu was startled, and when he looked closely, he saw that this wretched individual was actually Liu Xiu. Just as he was about to call out to Liu Xiu, footsteps sounded from behind him, and a man wearing leather armor and a bronze helmet, wielding a ring-headed saber, rushed past him in pursuit, shouting loudly: "You beast, don't think you can escape, take my blade!"

  Dun Wu was taken aback for a moment, and upon hearing the voice, he realized it was Mao Jie. He couldn't help but be startled. He hastily called out: "Miss!"

  Mao Jie had already rushed out a few steps, hearing Dun Wu's voice, and hastily stopped, turned around to lift up her face armor, revealing her crimson face, and angrily said: "Wu Jun Hou, you've come just in time, quickly help me catch that beast, he ran too fast, I couldn't keep up."

  "What are you chasing him for?" Dun Wu was confused, looking up and down at Mao Jie who was running out of breath, and asked suspiciously: "Besides, how can you chase after him? In terms of martial arts, you're not his match."

  "What's wrong with taking action?" Ma Jie's eyebrows rose, and she was furious: "No, my martial arts are not as good as his, but you, Jun Hou, have forgotten one sentence - evil cannot defeat justice. I relied on a bellyful of righteous energy to defeat this beast."