Chapter Forty-Four: May I Entrust My Life to You

Hearing Linghu Chong’s slightly trembling voice, Yang Wenhao paid him no heed.

At that moment, Yilin stepped out and saw Yu Renhao lying dead on the ground; her face turned pale as well.

Yang Wenhao said, “Find a chance to slip out through the window.”

Linghu Chong hesitated for a moment. “Brother Yang, you take Yilin and leave first.”

“Hm?” Yang Wenhao couldn’t help but turn his head to look at Linghu Chong.

Linghu Chong said, “As long as you and Yilin aren’t here, even if I stay alone, nothing much will happen to me. All you need to do is protect Yilin.”

“Are you sure?” Yang Wenhao gave Linghu Chong one last look.

“Yes.” Linghu Chong nodded, his mind made up.

Seeing this, Yang Wenhao didn’t say anything more.

Yilin said, “Senior Brother Linghu, take care of yourself.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine,” Linghu Chong replied. “You two go on ahead.”

“I’ll take you out.” Yang Wenhao opened the window, wrapped an arm around Yilin’s waist, and leaped out of the room. In a moment, they had vanished without a trace.

Seeing Yang Wenhao leave so simply, Linghu Chong couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret. “If I’d known, I would have asked Brother Yang to take me along too.”

But Yang Wenhao was already gone; it was too late for regrets.

Elsewhere, the brothel’s courtyard was in chaos—a number of martial artists had broken into a fight.

But Yang Wenhao was no longer there to witness it, having already left.

In the vast night, Yang Wenhao wasn’t sure where to take Yilin, so he found another inn to settle her for the night.

“Stay here tonight. If you need anything, just call for me—I’ll be in the next room.”

After giving Yilin a few words of instruction, Yang Wenhao turned and left the room, leaving Yilin alone.

The next morning, Yang Wenhao woke early. After washing up, he made his way to Yilin’s room.

Knock, knock, knock...

Yang Wenhao rapped on the door. “Yilin, are you awake?”

“Benefactor... just a moment!” came Yilin’s hurried reply from inside.

Hearing her voice, Yang Wenhao waited outside. Before long, the door opened and Yilin, already dressed, stepped out.

“I’ll take you to get some breakfast first,” said Yang Wenhao.

Yilin nodded slightly.

In truth, she was someone who rarely made decisions for herself—kind, innocent, and gentle by nature. It was these qualities that shaped Yilin’s unique personality.

Since nuns couldn’t drink wine or eat meat, Yang Wenhao ordered only vegetarian dishes.

After their meal, Yang Wenhao once again fell into deep thought.

Now that Yilin was following him, things were different. He had always acted freely on his own, but with Yilin in tow, he needed to consider his next steps more carefully.

Originally, he had wanted to attend Liu Zhengfeng’s Gold Basin Handwashing Ceremony, but now with Yilin in his care, if Abbess Dingyi found out Yilin had spent the night away with him, she’d surely be furious.

That gathering was a den of tigers and dragons—best not to walk into that trap.

Besides, if he hadn’t been worried about causing a massacre, such a dangerous place wouldn’t have fazed him.

Suddenly, Yilin spoke. “Um... Benefactor, could you take me out to have some fun?”

Yang Wenhao looked at her. “Have fun? Where do you want to go?”

“I’m not sure.” Yilin shook her head. What she really wanted was simply to be with Yang Wenhao, not to leave his side.

She didn’t know when that feeling had begun. She just knew that being around him made her happy—much happier than she’d ever felt around her master. The comparison wasn’t even close.

Yang Wenhao hesitated, then said, “I’ll take you out for a stroll. Think of it as a way to relax.”

Yilin nodded, a bright joy lighting up her heart.

...

Yang Wenhao decided to take Yilin outside the city—things were too chaotic within the walls, and getting caught would mean trouble.

So, he chose the quiet countryside.

“Benefactor—” Yilin started to say, but Yang Wenhao cut her off.

“Don’t call me ‘Benefactor’ anymore. It sounds awkward.”

Yilin asked, “Then what should I call you?”

“Call me whatever you like—just not ‘Benefactor.’”

Yilin hesitated for a moment, then said, “How about ‘Brother Yang’? I should really call you Senior Brother Yang, but since you’re not from my sect, that’s not appropriate.”

“As you wish.” Yang Wenhao waved his hand. He thought “Brother Yang” wasn’t much better, but it was preferable to being called ‘Benefactor.’

It sounded much more natural.

“Brother Yang...” Yilin called softly.

“Hm?”

Yilin smiled and shook her head. “Nothing, I just wanted to say it.”

Yang Wenhao glanced at her, saying nothing. Who could blame Yilin for anything? She was a great beauty—beauties were always forgiven.

As the two of them walked, a sound of music drifted from the distance.

Hearing it, Yilin turned to Yang Wenhao. “Brother Yang, can we go see what’s happening?”

“Let’s go, then.” Yang Wenhao nodded slightly. He was planning to spend the day with Yilin anyway; such a small request was easily granted.

They crossed patches of wild grass, drawing closer to the source of the enchanting music.

“This music is so lovely—it sounds just like a wedding procession,” Yilin couldn’t help but say.

Hearing the melody, Yang Wenhao felt his heart lighten as well. He was eager to see who was playing such beautiful tunes.

“Of course it’s lovely. When someone is willing to entrust their whole life to another, it’s the most wonderful thing in the world.” Yang Wenhao spoke the words without even thinking.

Yilin looked up at him. “Then, Brother Yang, can I entrust my whole life to you?”

As she spoke, she suddenly bumped into something in front of her.

She looked up and saw it was Yang Wenhao.

Yang Wenhao gazed at Yilin with a strange expression and sighed softly. “You’d best forget about that notion.”

“Why?” Yilin didn’t understand.

“There’s no reason—it just can’t be,” Yang Wenhao replied, waving his hand.

“Oh.” Faced with his firmness, Yilin could only lower her head in response.

They pushed their way through the grass and came to a riverbank.

There, they saw two men playing music together.

Yang Wenhao recognized one of them: Liu Zhengfeng, the very man at the heart of the Gold Basin Handwashing Ceremony.

He was surprised—wasn’t Liu Zhengfeng supposed to be entertaining guests at his manor? Why was he here, playing music with another man by the riverbank?

Suddenly, realization dawned on him. Things seemed to be unfolding just as he had expected.

(End of this chapter)