第十二章 »协议”Chapter XII"Agreement"

第十二章 »协议"

Chapter XII"Agreement"

Before Li Xiao returned to the temple, and on the way back... Li Xiao was on her way back to the temple, walking with heavy steps after such a long day. However, she was satisfied that she had been able to pass the test. However, she is still thinking about how Jin Shen would react when he helped her. Xiao spoke to herself to me: "Why does he seem to hate me since I saw him? Then she stopped to hear someone call her. اShe turned around, asking, "Mr. Ma, are you here? Why are you following me? What's up?" Mr. Ma raised his right hand holding his hat, looked at her smiling, and said, "Haven't you forgotten something, miss?" Xiao took the hat to me in her hand and said, "Thank you, I really forgot it." Also, I was amazed by your skills that you showed today. You seem to have had a difficult training from a young age from an experienced coach of high rank." Li Xiao realized that Mr. Ma was hinting at something: "I didn't understand Mr. Ma's intention. My family is simple, and my brother was a soldier at the border, so he was experienced and taught me how to protect myself from any danger." Mr. Ma laughed and said, "I mean nothing, Miss. However, it seems that your brother is already experienced. Oddly enough, it's not known if he was so skilled." Li Xiao replied, "My brother is dead." Mr. Ma seemed surprised and expressed regret: "I apologize, I didn't know." Now I have to go back." Xiao replied to me with confusion and refusal: "There is no need, Mr. Ma. I can go back alone." He looked at her in amazement and said, "Well, I'm not going to put pressure on you. But you shouldn't be late tomorrow. On your first day, you'll be training under Jin Shen, and I won't be around, so be careful already with him."

Then she noticed something, and she said, "Okay, okay, I'm going. I beg permission." with quick steps, she caught up with a vehicle that seemed familiar to her. The cart stopped at one of the entrances to a pharmacy for herbal medicine. Li Xiao came forward and began to monitor the carriage. Next, a woman got out of the cart, she... Li Xiao shocked and said, "It's Concubine Lin." However, Li Xiao withdrew because she realized why. She said to herself, "It looks like she's going to move according to her plan. You will enable it when you make the mistake in time. I'm already late, I have to go back. I've been lucky twice today, haha." At General Jinxin's residence, he sat looking out the window at the night sky, muttering: "Minister Chen, his family, the emperor, the master, and the spy who revealed Minister Chen, all of this is connected." قطعت سلسلة أفكاره دخول مساعده، مون لين. قال: "سيدي, we're ready to go." Jinxin turned a steady step and looked at him saying, "You have to make sure you get good information, and the place can be dangerous so far, so beware." Moon Lin replied, "Yes, sir, we'll be careful." Jin Shen grabbed the cup of tea, then spoke: "Deploy the Black Guard of all the imperial provinces to conduct a thorough inspection and check if there is a specific source of grass. Give them this report to clarify more." Moon Lin replied: "Your command, sir, But sir, do you think the source of this grass is our master?" Jin Xin looked at a bewilderment and said, "I expect a lot from him, so it is not difficult for him to spread this grass to slowly destroy the empire." Moon Lin looked at him anxiously, and asked: "What if he is the main reason for spreading the grass? What grade will we be and how will we deal with it?" Jin Shen didn't answer his question, just shut up. Then he spoke more seriously: "Moon Lane, I mean what I said, Come back alive, because someone is waiting for you back." Moon Lane was aware of how much danger he would face in this life and with his master and sister who he must keep her alive. He said, "I know this sir, I ask permission now, we must go." After Moon Lin walked out of the room, the room was again vacated by Jin Xin, who looked at the sky and examined it, saying, "The night sky and its stars are far away, as in the path of our distant path."

After Li Xiao arrived at the temple, I asked Rory to prepare the bathtub. After Li Xiao entered the water, the basin was filled with fragrant red rose petals. Li Xiao touched those petals and smelled their fragrant scent, then put her hand into the water and began to wipe on her exhausted body. But for a moment, she felt severe pain in her left shoulder, a sharp and strong pain as if a knife was stuck in her shoulder. The pain spread quickly towards her shoulder and left arm, she felt like a lightning bolt penetrating her body, causing her to stop breathing for a moment. Li Xiao took a deep breath, trying to control the pain, but the pain was increasing heavily. She tried to suppress her screams, but the pain was stronger than her endurance. She began to feel a slight dizziness and cold sweat pouring from her forehead. She whispered to herself: "Why did the pain come back? Oh, it hurts badly..." She is trying to find a way to relieve this torment. But in the end, Li Xiao couldn't bear the pain that was tearing her body apart, and she started screaming, a cry of pain mixed with fear and anxiety about what was happening to her.... At the residence of Jin Xin, at the same moment, He was surprised by the pain in his left shoulder. The pain was as sharp as a sharp knife had been inserted into his muscles, quickly extending toward his chest and left arm. Jin Xin felt cold sweat running down his forehead, and the vision in front of him began to blur slightly. The cup almost fell out of his hand from the pain, but he held on and took a deep breath, trying to control the pain. This pain was familiar to him, he had visited him before, but this time he returned with more force than he expected. His body was cramping, and every breath he took was accompanied by a sharp prick of pain in his shoulder and chest. He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to ignore the pain and focus on something else. He slowly raised his right hand to his left shoulder, pressing the painful site trying to relieve the pain, but it wasn't enough. Thoughts began to race in his mind, and the same dream that he had before, he would show him a vague girl whose face he could not see, in the middle of a room, holding a sword.

He went towards her, hugged her tightly, then leaned his head on her head, uttering words but not hearing what he was saying. The girl walked away from him and grabbed the tip of his sword, then stabbed herself in the heart. Despite the pain, he would have liked to complete the dream and understand why this girl hesitated in his thoughts, even he didn't know her. Next, He has to rely on his inner strength to face this unescapable pain. He sat still, remembering that patience was key. He tried to regulate his breathing, taking a deep inhale and a slow exhalation, trying to calm his accelerating heartbeat. Continue to press on his shoulder and massage the surrounding muscles slowly, focusing on relaxing his body. Over time, the pain slowly began to fade, leaving behind a feeling of numbness and fatigue. He opened his eyes slowly.... At Li Xiao's residence, Rory heard her lady's screams, so she ran quickly to the bathroom. "Madam! Are you okay?" she screamed as she quickly opened the door. Li Xiao looked at her with eyes full of pain and tears. "Rory... Pain... Rory rushed towards her and helped her get out of the sink, sitting next to her on the floor. "Calm down, ma'am. I'll get you something to relieve the pain." Rory said in an anxious tone. Rory quickly brought a damp cloth and placed it on Li Xiao's shoulder, trying to calm the pain. "I'll stay with you, don't worry. After moments of deep breathing and care from Rory, the pain gradually began to subside. Li Xiao sat quietly, trying to regain her normal breathing. I looked at Rory and thanked her with grateful eyes. "Thank you, Rory. I don't know what I would have done without you," Xiao told me in a calm and tired voice. This is my duty, madam. Rory replied with a warm smile, then spoke seriously. "Because you care about me, ma'am, please tell me what's going on with you. I'm very worried about you. I don't know where you're going, And your actions are worrying. I became more secretive, so I don't know what you're going through and what you're experiencing on your own. As Rory spoke, Li Xiao felt heavy as if she had lost her senses, heard nothing for a moment, and then fainted in Rory's hands.

The next morning, Li Xiao was on her bed. When she felt herself, she opened her soft eyes and got out of bed, stretching her hands up, but she felt no pain from yesterday. Suddenly, I remembered: "I... It's the first day, I'm late! I won't be spared from Jin Xin, oh my God!" she moved quickly as she prepared to go out. After I managed to get out, I hurried to the camp. When I entered, She saw that the training had already begun. She was standing watching, but she wanted to explain why she was late. As she thought about what to say, she was interrupted by someone standing in front of her. It was tall, so she raised her head to look at him with her wide eyes. Jin Xin was arched eyebrows and stern in expression." What time is now, apprentice?" he asked in a cold voice.Xiao replied to me nervously, "I apologize sir." Jin Xin replied in a sharper voice, "It's your first day and you're late. Is this a place to hike and go in and out whenever you want?" Xiao stepped back to me and replied in a shaky voice as she looked down, "I apologize sir, but... It won't happen again, I promise." Jin Xin's expression grew more serious, "Do you think this is an acceptable excuse? Discipline is the basis of my training, Your delay shows disrespect for me and your colleagues." Li Xiao knew she was wrong, but she didn't really mean to. "Sir, it was an emergency so I was late. However, I sincerely promise that I will not delay again, and accept any punishment." Jinxin turned steadily toward his position, then said in a firm voice, "I noticed that the sun is shining well today. Punishment? Well, get on your knees in that square, and don't move without command. It is forbidden to serve food or drink."

"Now, apprentice, withdraw to receive punishment." Li Xiao took the order and took steady steps to the square, where she knelt down in the hot sand because of the sun shining on her. Jin Shen continued to train other trainees rigorously and vigorously, guiding them with assertive movements and a sharp voice. But he would take frequent glances at Li Xiao, watching how steadfast she was. Despite all this, Xiao showed me no weakness or fatigue. After three continuous hours of training, everyone withdrew, the sun intensified on her, and she began to feel the flames of the sun on her body. The square was open, and no shadow protected it from the sweltering heat. The reflection of the sun on the white sand increased the feeling of heat, as if the earth itself emits flames. Sweat started pouring from her forehead, flowing down her face, But she hasn't wiped her sweat, she stays in her posture and the heat of the sun burns her skin. Time passed until sunset, she was already collapsed and she was complaining, "Beautiful, on my first day I was punished like this, oh, my knees don't feel pain, I'm thirsty and hungry, that's Jin Shen, we'll take revenge on him one day. It's a disturbing day, will he torment me all these days? ah Oh my God, we will already collapse, even if the sentence is over, I don't know how I will return." A voice comes from behind her, "So I'm annoying, really mean? But when will you take revenge? You have the audacity, apprentice." Then he stood in front of her, Li Xiao was surprised and regretful at the same time, and did not know how to justify what happened. She smiled a confused and artificial smile. The corners of her lips rose slightly, but her eyes remained firm and cold. None of the wrinkles that accompanied a sincere smile appeared around her eyes, making her smile look forced. "Oh, sir, here, did you have a good day?" His expression was cold as he replied, "Is our relationship so close to ask about my day? However, I believe that this punishment has not ceased. Do you agree?"

She replied with false confidence even though she was nervous and anxious, and tried hard to figure things out, "Oh sir, punishment was enough, and also this talk is not about you, it's someone else." Jin Shen raised his eyebrows and focused his gaze on her, showing his disbelief in his eyes. "So who? Explain to me."

Li Xiao took her gaze and turned her eyes around to think about what she would answer. For a moment, she said, "In fact, I was talking about myself, I was scolding myself for being late today. I was annoying and mean, and my behavior for today is unreasonable. I deserve this punishment, huh." Jin Xin used to say, "So is your name Jin Shen?" Li Xiao was confused, "It's... In fact..."Jin Xin remained silent, looking at her coldly. Before speaking, Mr. Ma entered the square and noticed the tense situation between the two. "They told me that General Jin Shen is here, oh, he's the trainee," he said. What, did Jin Shen punish him?" they both looked at him.Mr. Ma said, "I have some important files that we should discuss together." Then he turned to Li Xiao, "Also, I think the punishment is taking its course, maybe it's time to end the punishment." Jin Shen replied indifferently: "He doesn't need your constant help, the time for punishment is already over. Also, don't be late again, or consider yourself expelled. There is no need to go into the camp again." Mr. Ma reached out holding her hands and helped her get up, but when she tried to get up she felt severe pain in her knees due to kneeling for a long time and the heat of the sun that hurt her, As well as hunger and thirst. Li Xiao couldn't walk because of the pain, and tried to step but stumbled and fell to the ground. Mr. Ma grabbed her, saying, "Are you okay? You won't be able to walk like this, you need medicine for your knees." Li Xiao looked at him, but she felt overly tired and quickly fainted. Jin Xin looked at her with arrogance and did not pay attention to her, while the master was not showing interest and anxiety. Quickly, kneeling beside her, he looked at her pale face and realized that she needed immediate help. He slowly lifted her up in his arms, feeling her emaciated body loosen in his arms. Hold her carefully, trying not to cause her more pain, and hug her gently. Li Xiao looked like a little girl in his arms, her exhausted face leaning on his chest.Mr. Ma walked away, leaving behind Jin Xin without another word, only to look at them as they walked away.

After that, he went into the medical room and gently placed her on the bed. After looking at her face and contemplating her fatigue, he brought water and poured a little on her forehead, trying to revive her, then took out a bottle of medicine and started applying it to her knees. He sat next to her feet on the bed, removed the shoes from her feet and showed the location of the wound and then began to apply the medication.

After a while, Mr. Ma walked into Jinxin's office with a firm face, saying, "Why didn't you tell me about the death or cause of Zhou's family?"

"Why don't you share information with me? Jin Shen, I work with you by His Majesty's order, no need to be arrogant with me." Jin Shen raised his gazing eyes at the document to look at it, saying, "I prefer our information to remain our own. And it's not reasonable that you don't know what happened to him. You have a lot of hands in many places, Mr. Ma." Mr. Ma took steady steps, saying, "I can inform His Majesty in my own way." Jin Shen laughed, with sharp glances at Mr. Ma, "Are you threatening me or what? Mr. Ma, be sensible." Mr. Ma was standing in front of the desk, placing both hands on the edge of the table, leaning slightly and whispering his words: "General, don't be too arrogant. Because anonymous people like you I can expose them in my own way. Don't think His Majesty's protection of you prevents me from doing business with you." The faces of Jin Xin and Mr. Ma approached each other, each looking sharply. Jin Shen said coldly: "Try. You can do whatever you want. However, Mr. Ma, you're very impulsive today, aren't you? Don't tell me it's because of that lean intern." The master looked away for a moment and then walked away, saying steadily, "What do you think, what do you suggest?" Jin Shen leaned his back back more comfortably on the chair, and replied provocatively: "I have nothing to suggest. Also, the information will reach you in due course."Mr. Ma replied in a confident voice, smiling, "Those people I appointed will not be able to solve the meaning of the symbols, so I can help you interpret the symbols." Jin Xin replied in a clear, steady voice, their eyes staring at each other, "I told you, Mr. Ma, you know a lot without me telling you," Mr. Ma laughed, so why don't you cooperate with me, since you know, "Jin Shen got up and stepped towards him, "I won't trust you," "Because we're in the same boat." Jin Shen paused for a moment, answering, "We are not, but let's agree on its formulas, help solve the code, then you can cooperate with me."

-To be followed in the next chapter.

-Thanks for reading.