Chapter 9 The Enemy Of My Friends Is My Friend?!

Silence reigned the battlefield as the two sides stopped fighting when they saw the woman in red fell off the horse, Gao Changgong and Guan Yu's faces paled as they run towards the direction where Huan Mingyun fell.

The same could be said to the veiled assassins faces as they ran towards the direction where Huan Mingyun fell, the two groups races towards her direction.

"Young Miss, Young Miss!" The veiled leader in violet was the first one to reach her, he carefully brought Huan Mingyun to his arms as he made her drink the antidote of the poison his arrow was laced with.

*cough* cough* cough*

Huan Mingyun fluttered her eyes open as she had a fit of coughing, her face twisted from the pain she felt in her shoulders. Luckily, she fell on top of a bush that cushioned her fall or else the pain would not be only coming from her shoulders.

"Xiao Yun/ Sister-in-law!" Gao Changgong's group arrived after the veiled man, they look at Huan Mingyun full of worry as they pointed their sword to their enemies.

The veiled people, even though some of them were injured because of the fight from earlier also pointed their swords at Gao Changgong not backing one bit as they created a barrier around Huan Mingyun and their veiled leader.

"Who are you people, what do you want?!" Gao Yanzong who just jumped off his horse yelled angrily as he look at his sister-in-law being held by their enemy. "Give back sister-in-law!"

"Give Xiao Yun back to us and I promise that we will give you anything you want." Gao Changgong said as he held his sword tightly, his heart ached as he watch Huan Mingyun's face twist from pain. The arrow was finally removed from her shoulders as the veiled leader was already dressing her wounds.

Huan Mingyun who was the center of everyone's attention was sweating buckets of cold sweat as she endured the immense pain in her shoulder, she who was a modern person who had never suffered before cursed the veiled leaders ancestors and descendants back and forth as she gritted her teeth in pain.

"Young Miss, how are you feeling? Forgive me for making you suffer, your servant deserves death!" The veiled leader clenched his fist tightly until blood seeps out from it, he blamed himself for being the cause of his "Young Miss" sufferings.

Hearing the word "Young Miss" and the way the veiled man acts around her, Huan Mingyun felt that the veiled man in front of her was kinda familiar.

"Who are you?" Huan Mingyun unconsciously blurted out.

"Young Miss, don't you recognize me? Its me your servant, Xihuan Shui." The veiled man explained as he pulled down his veil.

'What?!!! This guy is Xihuan Shui! That old steward of the original!'

Huan Mingyun's eyes turned as wide as saucers as she look at the old man up and down and back to his face, how could the originals people be so incompetent! They almost sent her to heaven to meet her parents this early in the game!

"Uncle Shui, what are you doing here and who are these people with you?" Huan Mingyun asked as she look at the veiled people around her.

"Young Miss, who they are is not important. What's important is that you are safe. You almost scared this old man to death when your second cousin informed us that you are missing, this old man immediately informed some few old friends to help me look for young miss. The heavens really did answer this old man's prayers and gave you back to us safely." Xihuan Shui's eyes watered as he look at Huan Mingyun happily.

'Old man, your way of safe is kinda painful you know. If that's your definition of safe then I'll be sure to be the first one to walk out of the door!' Huan Mingyun cursed as she could feel the painful throb of the wound with every movement she made, she really wants to curse this old man out loud but the fact that he was here for her made her shut her mouth.

"Uhm. Hello, are we still fighting or not?" Gao Yanzong who was listening to the conversation between the two could not help but interrupt.

Xihuan Shui and Huan Mingyun looked at the two group who was still pointing their swords at each other, Huan Mingyun smacked her head for forgetting the situation that they were just in earlier.

"Uncle Shui, they are my friends. Stop the fight please." Huan Mingyun looked at the old man in front of her.

"Are they not your kidnappers?" Xihuan Shui's forehead creased as he look at the trio in front.

"No, they are not. In fact they are the people who helped me and gave me shelter for the night when I was wandering alone in this forest, they even promised to send me back home that's why we are here." Huan Mingyun quickly explained to solve the misunderstanding between the group.

"But isn't the man between those two the famed "Demon General" of Qi, Lanling King. Why would a Prince of Qi help you the Pri-" Before the old man could finish what he is about to say, Huan Mingyun cut him to it.

"ITS BECAUSE HE IS A KIND PERSON!!" Huan Mingyun quickly yelled before the old man could utter his words.

The old man realizing his mistake almost smack himself for being stupid because of his tongue being too loose. He was glad that Huan Mingyun quickly salvaged the situation or else a thousand death would not be enough if he put his young miss in trouble.

Knowing that he had misunderstood the situation, Xihuan Shui looked at his men and ordered them to retreat. The veiled men sheathed their swords and stood behind their princess knowing that their is no threat already.

Seeing the other group sheath their swords, Gao Changgong and the other two also sheathed their swords and worriedly approached Huan Mingyun.

"Sister-in-law, are you alright? Does it hurt, huhu, I'm sorry sister-in-law! It's all my fault!" Gao Yanzong cried as he sat beside Huan Mingyun who only rolled her eyes at him.

Hearing the word "Sister-in-law", Xihuan Shui who just calmed down was set on blaze as he stared holes at Gao Yanzong. Seeing his expression, Huan Mingyun gave him a look that she will explain everything when they got back that made the old man's raging fire somehow calm down but he was still staring holes at Gao Yanzong.

"Xiao Yun, does it feel too painful?" Gao Changgong looked at her with gentle eyes as he look at the bandaged wound on her shoulder.

"I'm fine, Xiao Su. It does not hurt at all." Huan Mingyun forced a smile even though her wound hurt like h*ll.

Gao Changgong would have believed her lie if only not because of her pale face and lips that almost lost color because of the lost of blood and the intense pain that she felt, big drops of sweat were even dripping down her pale cheeks.

Gao Changgong felt bad for her, he knew that it was painful just base on the sweat that littered her forehead but even though she must be hurting like h*ll she still forced a smile to comfort them.

Even though the situation between the group was just a big misunderstanding, what Huan Mingyun did was real. She sacrificed herself selflessly when she saw that the arrow was about to hit Gao Yanzong, she unhesitatingly block the incoming arrow for him. If he were to some things up, he and she are just strangers even the little interactions between them was not enough time for them to know each other much less Gao Yanzong who she only interacted for no less than 3 hours if he were to sum up all the times that Gao Yanzong bothered her.

But despite all this, she selflessly block the attack for him without thinking of the consequences. This action of hers gained a lot of respect in the hearts of the trio, Zhou person or not, she will always be their friend!

"Young lads, I owe you for protecting our young miss and also I owe you an apology. This old man was clouded with anger when I saw my missing young miss together with you three, I must be blind too not realize the harmonious air between you four and even hurt my young miss in the process. I hope that you can forgive this old man for being blind." Xihuan Shui cupped his fist together as he bowed deeply at them, he is ashamed for what he had done.

"Old man, its fine. Its normal to get worried when your family member is lost, instead of apologizing to us you should take good care of your young miss. She was the one who had it hard than us." Gao Yanzong said as he referred to the fact that it was Huan Mingyun who suffered greatly in this ordeal, she was the one who was poisoned and injured.

"Yes, yes, yes, you are right but still I owe you three an apology." Xihuan Shui said as he help Huan Mingyun up, it was time to go.

"Xiao Su, everyone..." Huan Mingyun looked at the trio teary eyed as she got the hint from her old man that it was time to go.

Their adventure together maybe short but she will still miss them, most of all her "Demon General".

"Sister-in-law/Xiao Yun."

"Young Miss..."

"Sister-in-law be careful, okay? We won't be by your side anymore so you must take care of yourself." Gao Yanzong cried with no tears.

"Sister-in-law, you must always eat on time alright. The food in the Capital is much more tastier than the food I cook!" Guan Yu also cried tearlessly joining the fray.

"You two..." Hearing what the two idiots said made Huan Mingyun smile and also having the urge to kidnap Guan Yu but this was suppose to be a good farewell party not a bloody kidnapping party so kidnapping is a no no in this part.

"Xiao Yun...." Hearing the all too familiar voice, Huan Mingyun faced the owner of that voice with a beautiful smile. "...take care."

"En. You too, take care of yourself." Huan Mingyun said with a beautiful gentle smile, she would surely miss this man.

"Young Miss, its time to go." Xihuan Shui said as she pulled a horse along with him.

"Then, everyone this is goodbye." Huan Mingyun said sadly but still she carried the hope in her heart that they will surely meet again in the future.

Huan Mingyun then turned her back on them, she walk one step then two step when she suddenly turned back and ran back to them.

"I forgot something, here, this is for you Xiao Yun." Huan Mingyun grab Gao Changgong's hand and passed him something. "In the future, if you ever visit the capital or need help you can always come to LianHua Inn. Just show this thing that I gave you to the inn keeper and they will surely help you to the best of their abilities, in this way I will know that you are in the Capital and see you. Later then, see you again everyone!"

Huan Mingyun quickly ran away and sat on top of her horse, the group quickly set off when she was already ready.

Gao Changgong along with the duo watch as the figure of Huan Mingyun disappeared from their sight, this parting was really heavy on their hearts.

Gao Changgong opened his closed palm and saw the thing that Huan Mingyun gaved him, it was a pearl in a shape of a lotus. It was as big as a marble and was attached with white rubber that holds it on both ends forming a bracelet.

"Xiao Yun, if fate allows it I hope to see you again."