Chapter 349

Chapter 349: No Injury, Just Looks Miserable

He wasn’t actually hurt-he just looked pitiful, as if he’d been outclassed. Oh, right: he was outclassed.

Looking at her brother’s handiwork, Yu Zhi Yi’s eyes curved with a smile as she said: “Brother, let’s go.”

Jiang Liu Yi’s icy face softened like early spring thaw. Warmth spread across his handsome features as he answered: “Alright.”

Du Zi Heng didn’t even notice anything wrong. After all, only his clothes were cut, not his skin. He stared at Yu Zhi Yi, then at Jiang Liu Yi, and blurted: “Yi’er, what did you call him?”

Yu Zhi Yi frowned and said: “Don’t call me Yi’er. We’re not close.”

Pain stabbed Du Zi Heng’s heart, and the flush from the duel drained from his face in an instant. They had been married for almost half a year, and she said they weren’t close? [We were married for months, and she says we aren’t even familiar?]

He tried to rush after her, but Jiang Liu Yun blocked him, snapping: “Get lost, scumbag. You say you want to win my sister back, yet you bring your side piece to our door?”

“Pah!” He rolled his eyes and added, fierce as a little tiger: “Listen up. Our Martial Alliance may not have the high pedigree of the Chancellor’s Manor, but the daughters of the Martial Alliance aren’t for anyone to bully. If you come buzzing around again spouting gross nonsense to disgust my sister, I’ll beat you till you’re picking teeth off the ground!”

“I wasn’t-”

Jiang Liu Yun ignored the excuse and barked at the gate guards: “Remember this man’s face-and that woman over there too. The Martial Alliance doesn’t welcome that shameless pair!”

With a cold snort, he shot a hard glare at the trouble-bringing Li Chang Huai, then sprinted after Yu Zhi Yi and the others.

Li Chang Huai sighed and said helplessly: “Brother You Lin, the Martial Alliance doesn’t welcome us. Let’s come back tomorrow.”

Du Zi Heng just stared blankly in the direction Yu Zhi Yi had left, saying nothing.

Li Chang Huai grew even more helpless and coaxed: “Stop looking. Staring won’t bring her back. Let’s go into the city, find a place to stay, and come back tomorrow for the contest.”

Jiang Liu Yun might have talked tough, but he wasn’t the one in charge. At most, the Martial Alliance wouldn’t arrange lodging for them. In fact, Li Chang Huai’s own lodging had been set long ago, and he could take Du Zi Heng there. The place was spacious enough for both. But since the hosts had said they weren’t welcome, how thick-faced would they have to be to live there?

Yu Zhi Yi’s group had already reached the foot of the mountain. Since they were going to rescue someone, she planned to travel light and ride straight out. At the base, she cast a quick divination out of habit, then, reading the result, told one of her guards: “You stay and arrange two carriages. We’ll leave markers along the road. Follow the marks to catch up.”

The guard, who had followed her from Capital City, answered: “Yes.”

They were about to set out. Horses had already been led over. Just as they were about to mount, a group came toward them-the Song family brothers, with a young miss beside them.

Yu Zhi Yi hadn’t met that miss before, but the girl shot her a fierce glare the moment they met. Yu Zhi Yi glanced at her and realized she had seen her before; she’d simply forgotten because the girl wasn’t important.

Earlier, Marquis Wu’an’s heir apparent had attracted a rotten peach blossom. His own attitude had been firm, and he hadn’t been especially rude. Even so, the little miss-rejected for the first time in her life-held a grudge and blamed Yu Zhi Yi, the “employer.”

“What are you doing, Second Miss Jiang, Second Young Master Jiang, Fifth Young Master Jiang?” Eldest Young Master Song asked with interest.

Second Young Master Song looked mature, but he was as warm and open as most boys his age. Right now, he was studying Yu Zhi Yi with bright curiosity and open admiration.

“We’ve got something to handle and need to head out for a bit,” Yu Zhi Yi said. It was an explanation that explained nothing.

The Song brothers didn’t mind, but Miss Wei bristled: “What kind of attitude is that? Do you even know who these two are?”

Yu Zhi Yi gave the Song brothers a light look. This mess had been stirred up because of them; they should handle it. She had no time for pointless jealousy between girls.

Eldest Young Master Song read the meaning in her eyes and said coldly to Miss Wei: “We’re just two commoners-no different from the public. Miss Wei, if you like to flaunt status, don’t lump us together with you.”

Miss Wei was shocked and flustered. She’d planned to pull a tiger’s skin for a banner-to use their name to throw weight around. She thought she was building prestige for them. Not only did Eldest Young Master Song refuse to thank her, he even blamed her.

Seeing through her little abacus, Eldest Young Master Song made it clear he neither felt grateful nor dared accept such a “favor.”

Commandery Governor Song’s household didn’t have messy back-yard drama, because he had only Madam Song-no concubines, no bed-servants. But that didn’t mean the Song brothers didn’t understand inner-court tricks. Among their peers, not everyone had only one real brother. In great houses, those who grew up safely were either truly simple or very, very clever. Compared with those back-yard secrets, Miss Wei’s tricks didn’t even count as entry-level.

The Song family wanted to be on good terms with Yu Zhi Yi. Seeing she was heading out, the brothers offered to go with her. She didn’t want to agree at first, but they said they wanted to broaden their horizons. Remembering that the jade Eldest Young Master Song had sent already exceeded the worth of a life-saving favor, Yu Zhi Yi agreed.

“I want to go too!” Miss Wei forced down her jealousy and tried to act normal, but a sharp edge still leaked into her voice the moment she spoke.

Yu Zhi Yi didn’t need to answer, nor did the Jiang brothers. Eldest Young Master Song’s face sank as he refused flatly: “No. I don’t like traveling with people I don’t know.”

People I don’t know! Miss Wei burned with shame. She really didn’t know them-she had found out from certain channels that they’d be on the mountain today and waited at the foot for a “romantic” encounter.

Her father had warned her: if she couldn’t secure a good future for herself, she’d have to marry the Tang Sect master as his second wife. The Tang Sect master’s martial arts were high. His reputation in the Martial World was mixed, but his standing was solid. Marrying him would bring face. The problem? He was over fifty-old enough to be her grandfather.

Earlier, she’d tried to “take” that young guard for herself. It was the only time she’d fought for a little indulgence of her own. Sadly, it failed. [That jerk didn’t know what was good for him.] She refused to marry an old man, so she aimed for the highest-status men in Tian’an Commandery instead.

But these two were even more unromantic. They exposed her little plan right to her face. For all her scheming, she was still just a teenage girl without a thick skin. She stomped her foot in shame and anger, eyes wet, then sprang up the mountain using Lightness Skill.