Guo Baiyu reached the stairs, and he saw the Huang sisters guarding them. He walked down the stairs, carrying the bloody water basin from Ping'an's wound. Guo Longtong rushed toward him, his face etched with worry.
"How is she?" Guo Longtong asked, his voice strained.
"She is resting and out of danger," Guo Baiyu replied, relief in his own voice.
Guo Longtong patted his chest happily. "Miss Huang said you are the best doctor, but I didn't believe it."
"This is what I have been doing for the past two years," Guo Baiyu said, a faint smile on his lips. He turned to Huang Yueliang. "Thank you, Miss Huang. I am headed out for some medicine. May I trouble you to look after Ping'an?"
"Don't worry, I'll look after her," Huang Yueliang assured him, her gaze serious.
"Longtong, you should go change," Guo Baiyu suggested, noticing his cousin's blood-stained clothes.
"Baiyu, I will be back afterward," Guo Longtong promised.
Guo Baiyu was about to leave when Master Guo's voice stopped him. "Baiyu, come home with me. We have to talk."
"Master Guo, I have nothing to talk about," Guo Baiyu replied, his voice firm. "I have already said what I want to say."
"You come back home and marry Lady Wu!" Master Guo shouted madly, his face red with anger. "Nothing will change, you are still the heir!"
Guo Baiyu turned to Master Guo, his expression unwavering. "Master Guo, a mountain full of gold cannot compare to the smile on my wife's face. We love a simple life, because every minute together is priceless." He looked at Guo Yingyu. "In addition, you have many other sons to become your heir and continue your business. I wish you the best." He offered a small, polite smile to Master Guo.
"No matter what, you will not go back?" Master Guo pressed, his voice laced with desperation.
"I do apologize. I have something to do," Guo Baiyu said, gesturing towards the door.
Master Guo was very angry with Guo Baiyu, and his heartbeat faster with fury. He always knew that Guo Baiyu was his most valuable son. After Guo Baiyu left, the family's wealth had steadily drained. He looked at Wu Xiangmei, then nodded subtly. The other fifteen people, his guards, immediately blocked the front door. Fang Yaoting stood beside Guo Baiyu, a protective stance.
Fang Yaoting drew out his sword. "No one touches Baiyu," he stated, his voice sharp.
"Fang Yaoting. You are supposed to be helping us," Guo Yingyu accused.
"I am here only for Baiyu, no one else," Fang Yaoting scoffed, his eyes fixed on the guards.
The fifteen men attacked Guo Baiyu and Fang Yaoting.
Fang Yaoting's swordsmanship was highly skilled. The Wu sisters knew that if the guards continued to exchange blows with Fang Yaoting, they would surely lose.
Guo Yingyu swung his sword at Fang Yaoting. To avoid the attack, Fang Yaoting flipped backward and landed on the table where Guo Longtong and his friends were sitting. Wu Meirong immediately sent six needles directly at Fang Yaoting. When Fang Yaoting blocked the six needles with his sword, Wu Xiangmei sent out another six needles. Huang Yueliang used a sound wave energy, blocking the first four needles, but the remaining two needles were flying straight towards Guo Longtong and Lee Dachin. Huang Hongse grabbed Guo Longtong's left arm and yanked him away from the path of the needle. Fang Yaoting flipped backward again and grabbed Lee Dachin's left shoulder. Fang Yaoting spun around in front of Lee Dachin and used himself to block the needle. The needle hit Fang Yaoting behind his left shoulder blade.
"Childe Fang," Wu Meirong sneered, "if I were you, I would not move or use my spiritual energy. The more you move, the faster the poison travels."
Lee Dachin looked at Fang Yaoting, his face filled with fright. "Childe Fang!"
Fang Yaoting bluffed, a strained smile on his face. "A little poison will not hurt me."
"We will see if you can stand in half an hour," Wu Meirong taunted.
"Wu Meirong, give him the antidote!" Guo Longtong shouted, furious.
"Baiyu, go with us, and Mei Rong will give him the antidote," Wu Xiangmei offered, trying to bargain.
Guo Baiyu shook his head firmly.
Fang Yaoting's left hand began to shake uncontrollably, and his scabbard fell to the ground, making a sharp clanking sound.
Just then, Lim Peizhi walked through the front door. "If I were you, I would not move," he stated, his voice calm but authoritative.
The Wu, the Guo, and the fifteen men turned to face Lim Peizhi and his archers, who stood ready behind him.
"Any of you who dare to threaten Doctor Guozhao will respond to the army of Waterfall City," Lim Peizhi declared, his voice ringing with authority.
Guo Baiyu approached Master Guo. "Master Guo, please leave. Your fifteen people are no match for the army of Waterfall City. I chose not to fight because I still respect you. Please leave me be."
"Baiyu, if you sided with them, we will no longer be a family," Guo Yingyu challenged, his voice cold.
"I'm already with my family," Guo Baiyu replied. He approached Guo Yingyu and Master Guo. "Don't push too far. I never needed you; it's your family that always needs me." He walked to Wu Meirong. "Miss Wu, if something happens to Childe Fang, the Wu family will not be able to answer to the Fang family. I want to remind you that Madam Fang is General Tang's only daughter, and she is the only sister of the six generals of Capital City."
"Meirong, give Childe Fang the antidote," Master Guo commanded, his face pale with alarm.
Wu Meirong threw a pill at Fang Yaoting.
Guo Baiyu then walked out and said to Lim Peizhi, "Childe Lim, what are you doing in Peace Town?"
"I'm following Huang Yueliang and Hongse here," Lim Peizhi replied.
"They are inside. I have to go get some medicine. I'll talk to you later," Guo Baiyu said, hurrying out.
Guo Longtong and his two friends followed Guo Baiyu out into the street.
Lim Peizhi walked into the inn and encountered an ugly scene. He looked at his followers and ordered them to clean up the corpses and blood on the floor.
Lim Peizhi turned to the Wu and Guo families. He said politely, "I apologize for the disturbance. I am Lim Peizhi from Waterfall City. I have no ill intentions towards any of you, but if any of you wants to harm Doctor Guozhao, his wife, or his brother, I will protect them with my life."
"What are you to them?" Wu Xiangmei demanded, her eyes narrowed.
"They are the saviors of the people in Waterfall City," Lim Peizhi stated.
"You acknowledge Ping'an as his wife?" Wu Xiangmei pressed.
"Everyone in Waterfall City knows they are husband and wife. Doctor Guozhao announced this himself," Lim Peizhi replied, a slight smirk playing on his lips. "If not, I would never let him leave Waterfall City without making him my brother-in-law."
The Innkeeper approached slowly from behind the registration desk, having watched the chaos unfold.
"Please, everyone, sit and calm down," the Innkeeper said carefully, "since all the bodies and blood have been cleaned up."
Many customers went to the innkeeper to ask for a refund, disgusted by the scene. The innkeeper could do nothing but return the money to them.
The innkeeper frowned, sighing. "It's really an unfortunate year."
Lim Peizhi looked at the Innkeeper. "I will book all of the rooms," he announced.
The innkeeper's face lit up with a big smile. "I will have the chef... cook some food."
"Those who are still here, let them stay," Lim Peizhi instructed. "Those who want to leave, let them leave and make room for us."
"Yes," the innkeeper replied, his mood drastically improved. "I will go prepare those empty rooms."
Lim Peizhi took out two big gold ingots and gave them to the innkeeper. The innkeeper walked back to the kitchen happily.
The Guo and Wu families, still fuming, refused to leave, seating themselves at tables. Waiters brought the people their food. The group began to eat when Guo Baiyu walked in with medicine bags, and he walked back to the kitchen to prepare the concoction.
"What's the matter?" Lim Peizhi asked Huang Yueliang. "Doctor Guozhao doesn't look very good. Where are his wife and the great hunter Guozhao Renshu?"
Huang Yueliang explained to Lim Peizhi while a waiter walked by, put two plates of food on a tray, and then handed them to Huang Hongse.
"I'll take this to Renshu," Huang Hongse said, her expression softening slightly. "He hasn't eaten since this morning."
Huang Hongse went upstairs carrying the food tray. She walked to the room and knocked gently on the door, but there was no answer. She checked the unlocked door, then slowly opened it, and saw Zhao Renshu sitting by the bed, holding Ping'an's hand, his head bowed. Huang Hongse put the food on the table.
"Renshu, I brought some food for you," Huang Hongse said softly.
"Bring it back. I'm not hungry," Zhao Renshu muttered, not looking up.
"You haven't eaten anything since this morning. Eat something," Huang Hongse insisted, her voice gentle.
"Miss Huang, I don't know how to make you understand," Zhao Renshu said, his voice filled with frustration, finally facing her. "Please leave us alone. I beg you. Let us be alone. There are a lot of people out there. If you walk out on the street and shout out if anyone wants to marry you, I'm sure there will be many men in a row for you to choose from."
Zhao Renshu took Huang Hongse's hand, pulled her gently to the bed, and then opened Ping'an's palm.
"Did you see her scar?" Zhao Renshu asked, pointing to Ping'an's palm. He then opened his own palm. "Did you see this scar? We are born with it. There are two scars on her palm: Baiyu has one, and I have one. We have been connected from the beginning. Baiyu and I were just some souls... until she created us out of the soil and gave us her heart." He looked at Huang Hongse sadly, tears welling in his eyes. "We belong to each other. From now on, I will never go easy on anyone who wants to separate us. We have been tortured for many years, maybe centuries. We don't even know if we will see each other in the next life. We want this lifetime to be worthy. So, please leave us alone."
Huang Hongse pulled her hand from Zhao Renshu's, and she rushed out of the room furiously, tears stinging her eyes. She had never liked any man before the way she liked Zhao Renshu. She had even chased him across the country, and in the end, he had told her to get lost. When Guo Baiyu took the medicine up the stairs, she angrily walked down the stairs. Then she realized that Ping'an was injured, which was why Zhao Renshu was so angry. She walked back to the table and sat down, her anger still simmering.
"How is it?" Huang Yueliang asked, concerned by her cousin's furious expression.
"Jerk," Huang Hongse muttered madly.
"Hongse, don't be mad," Lim Peizhi interjected, trying to mediate. "I already told the waiter to bring them some food."
Huang Hongse looked upstairs, then angrily ate at the table with Huang Yueliang and Lim Peizhi, her heart still aching.