go." The deep and determined voice declared the speaker's unmovable resolve."Reason!" Shen Yang angrily demanded, "Give me a reason why you don't value your own life! As a physician, I have the right...6. Cloud Song (Part 5) by Feng Qing

6. Cloud Song (V). In the Central Plains during June and July, it is unbearably hot everywhere. In Gaoling City north of Yunlan River, an elegant yellow-robed maiden strolls leisurely down the streets. Although the recent wars have just ended, all places north of the Yunlan River now fall under the jurisdiction of Prince Ding's domain; the once vast territory of Great Chu has truly become isolated. The efficiency of Prince Ding’s administration is impressive—just two or three months after the war’s end, Gaoling, which was barely touched by the conflict, had already resumed its former splendor.

The yellow-robed maiden strolls down the busy streets with ease, occasionally glancing and touching things on either side of her. Her beautiful face is lit up with a radiant smile, attracting the attention of passersby.

This maiden is none other than Miss Yun Ge who ran away from Xu Family in Li City. After leaving Li City, Yun Ge traveled southward, practicing medicine and enjoying sightseeing along the way. Although she encountered some minor troubles during her journey, with her skills, they were easily resolved. This allowed the young lady, embarking on her first long-distance solo trip, to reach Gaoling unimpeded.

"Miss… Miss are you Shi Yun Ge"

Yun Ge was frowning at a candy stall on the street corner, hesitating whether or not to buy something when an unfamiliar man suddenly approached her and pulled her towards him. Yun Ge blinked, looking puzzled as she asked, "I am Shi Yun Ge, who are you How do you know my name"

"Miss Shi… Miss Shi please save my mother," the man urgently pleaded, about to kneel on the ground. Yun Ge quickly steadied him and said, "Don't worry, tell me slowly. How did you know… I could help your mother"

The man replied, "Miss Shi is a skilled physician with a compassionate heart. You've saved many lives; I heard about it from others. Upon hearing that Miss Shi had arrived in Gaoling, I hurriedly came to find you. Please show mercy…"

Seeing his anxious flushed face, Yun Ge nodded quickly and said, "Don't worry, I will definitely help your mother. Where is… where is she"

The man, blushing and somewhat embarrassed, said: "I rushed into town to find you and left my mother staying with a family in the countryside outside of town."

"Then let's go quickly." Seeing how anxious he was, Yun Ge did not waste time but headed straight for the city gate.

At the same tea house in Guangling City sat a gentleman dressed in white by the window. He leisurely observed the bustling street below.

"Sir," said a man wearing gray clothes as he quickly ascended the stairs and whispered to Xu Qingchen, "Miss Shen has left town again." The Clean Dust Nobleman frowned slightly and asked, "She just arrived in town; why is she leaving already"

Since leaving Li City, the Clean Dust Nobleman had followed Yun Ge's trail. However, due to Yun Ge's unstable nature and unpredictable movements—sometimes traveling two or three hundred miles in a day—it was impossible for the physically weak Clean Dust Nobleman to keep up with her pace. It wasn’t until a few days ago that they finally caught up with Yun Ge’s tracks. Yet, Xu Qingchen did not immediately seek out Yun Ge but instead had someone follow her secretly from afar.

Yesterday, when Xu Qingchen guessed that Yun Ge might come to Guangling City, he arrived there early, only to find that she had already left town after just arriving.

"Someone on the street found Miss Shen for medical treatment. She followed them out of town," whispered the man in gray clothes. "Somebody has already been following."

"Seeking medical help" The Clean Dust Nobleman frowned; Yun Ge had always helped whenever she encountered someone who needed assistance, and her medical skills were praised by Shen Yang for good reason. Along the way, they observed some social conditions, but...

Seeing his serious expression, a guard quickly added, "Sir, don’t worry. Miss Shen is quite capable in self-defense, and we have guards following secretly to ensure her safety." Xu Qingchen thought about it for a moment, then stood up and said, "We should go see what’s happening." Yun Ge was indeed skilled in martial arts, but she had virtually no experience in the ways of the江湖 (jūngàng). Otherwise, they wouldn’t have been able to follow her without being noticed. Xu Qingchen felt that something was strange about the person who stopped Yun Ge on the street for medical help. Even if Yun Ge left a good impression at places she passed through, it shouldn't spread so quickly. Additionally, given Yun Ge’s travel pace, the other party couldn’t be someone carrying an ill patient from behind.

"Yes," replied the guard as he followed Xu Qingchen down the stairs, sensing that something serious might be happening.

Outside Guangling City, Yun Ge followed the man seeking medical help to a more remote area and stopped with some puzzlement.

"Miss Shen... What's wrong" The man turned around and smiled apologetically at Yun Ge. Yun Ge frowned and asked, "Where is your mother There’s no one around here."

The man’s expression stiffened slightly as he said, "It’s just ahead. Miss Shen, let’s hurry up." After a moment of hesitation, Yun Ge nodded her head and followed the man forward.

After walking for some more distance, Yun Ge finally felt something was wrong, "Where exactly are you taking me" Along the way, she had encountered several incidents that made her realize this world wasn’t full of good people. Although at first, because of the man’s anxious and pleading face, she didn't think much about it, but if there was really a patient, why would they be left in such an isolated place

The man turned back and chuckled at Yun Ge. The originally honest-looking face now wore a malicious smile, which made him appear even more disgusting, "Hehe, Miss Shen, you’ll know where we’re going if you just follow me, why so many questions"

"I won’t walk anymore!" Yun Ge said solemnly, "I want to go back. You don't really need a doctor for anyone."

"Though there’s no one sick Miss Shen... Haven’t I fallen ill soon after you arrived" A somewhat slick voice came from behind her. Several men suddenly appeared on the desolate mountain path that was previously empty, with a thin and gaunt youth leading them. He had yellowish skin, bony limbs, and his cloudy eyes carried an air of depravity; even more so with his plain looks, he looked extremely detestable at first glance.

But Yun Ge silently observed the few men before her. These people were no ordinary folk. Even that thin man knew some martial arts, "Move aside, I want to go back." Yun Ge frowned and said in displeasure. She wasn’t someone without a temper either; after being tricked despite offering help out of goodwill, it would be a lie to say she wasn't upset.

"Move aside" The crowd looked at each other and burst into laughter.

"Miss Shen, I followed you for half a day just to see you. Wouldn't it be too much of a loss if you left like this" The thin man leered at Yun Ge with a lascivious gaze and said, "I sincerely wish to request your medical treatment. How about staying in my place for a few days instead"

Looking into his hazy eyes made Yun Ge feel nauseous. She glanced at him and said, “You don't have any illness; you just need to nurture yourself properly.” This man was thin with hazy, silent eyes—a clear sign of excessive indulgence.

Afeter finishing her sentence, she ignored the men and turned around to walk back along the path. Seeing Yun Ge refusing to give him face, the man couldn't help but get angry. He waved his hand and shouted, "Hurry up and bring this beauty back to be my guest."

"Yes!" The people following him responded in unison and stepped forward to surround Yun Ge.

“Be careful not to hurt my beauty.” This man was a wealthy nobleman near Guangling. Although he himself had no talent, he relied on his parents' assets for extravagant living and often engaged in the abduction of women due to his lustful nature. However, with the emperor far away, no one bothered with him now that the country had just been unified. This morning when he left, he saw Yun Ge treating some homeless people in a small town. With this brazen audacity, he followed her for miles and only thought of ways to lure her back.

Yun Ge wasn't someone who could be easily bullied. Irritated, she glared at the crowd and slapped one man who was approaching her. Although these men weren't skilled martial artists, they had learned some techniques. Upon seeing Yun Ge's move, they rushed over to attack her as well. Seeing that Yun Ge knew kung fu, the thin man became even more excited: "So she knows kung fu Great! Quickly... bring this little beauty back to me; I want to take her as my concubine!"

Furious, Yun Ge's face turned red and she shot an invisible beam at him. This man knew some martial arts too and quickly dodged the incoming weapon, only to be startled when he saw a dart stuck in a tree behind him.

"Useless! Hurry up or you can't even defeat a woman!" The man roared angrily.

Although these men were tall and strong, they weren’t Yun Ge's match in martial arts. During the fight, they exchanged glances and two of them took out something from their pockets and threw it towards Yun Ge. Yun Ge was alarmed: "Sedative powder!

Yun Ge, being someone who studies medicine, naturally knew how dangerous the Soft Sinew Powder was. However, she had been surrounded by several people and despite her efforts to avoid them, she still managed to come into contact with some of it. At that moment, she didn't care about anyone else; Yun Ge struck out at one man with her palm and leaped off towards a distant spot. She knew very well that once the effects of the Soft Sinew Powder set in, she would be completely at their mercy.

"Why aren’t you chasing her! A bunch of good-for-nothings!" The young man was furious when his prey got away and shouted angrily.

"Young Master… that lady doesn't seem to be an ordinary person…" One of them whispered, trying to dissuade him. Although they were not well-informed, the fact that someone who had been hit by Soft Sinew Powder could still run, and was also such a skilled martial artist, didn’t look like it belonged to an average person at all. What if they angered someone they shouldn't have…

"I don’t care whether she’s ordinary or not," the young man sneered with a cold laugh: "In Guangling, is there anyone more powerful than my Yellow Family Once she becomes part of me…" Seeing his determination, none of the guards dared to argue against him and hurriedly chased after Yun Ge's direction.

While using her light-foot skills to run towards Guangling City, Yun Ge could clearly feel herself sweating profusely and her body weakening as it struggled with strength. Clearly, due to her frantic running, the effects of the Soft Sinew Powder were becoming more severe. However, at present, she didn’t have any medicine that could counteract its effects.

Gradually, even using light-foot skills was no longer possible. Yun Ge finally collapsed onto the roadside, feeling completely powerless as her hands barely lifted off the ground.

"Damn it…" Yun Ge couldn't help but curse those scoundrels inwardly while also growing anxious. She remembered seeing some antidote on the way here… Trying to recall where she had seen them earlier, she struggled to get back onto her feet and move in that direction. But as soon as she stood up, she collapsed again.

Soon enough, those men caught up with her once more. Seeing Yun Ge lying on the ground, the thin young man laughed triumphantly: "Pretty girl, why have you stopped running"

Yun Ge glared fiercely at him: "You bastard… despicable!"

The man laughed even more arrogantly, "Scoundrel Despicable This is all your fault, miss. If you weren’t so reluctant to listen, this gentleman wouldn't have been so abrupt with such a beautiful lady. My family possesses immense wealth; if only you would obediently return with me, you will be enjoying luxuries and riches beyond imagination."

"Who cares about your countless riches!" Yun Ge said disdainfully. She herself had plenty of money too. Xi Jie had told her that the money left to her by her father was enough for her to live a life of luxury for the rest of her days.

The man, who had already lost his patience, sneered when he heard Yun Ge’s words: "Don’t care Wait till you change your mind. Come here and bring this beauty back to me."

The two men who were following him stepped forward and tried to pull Yun Ge up. Yun Ge bit her tongue hard and took advantage of the excruciating pain by throwing a concealed weapon at them. Then, using what little strength she had accumulated, she stood up and struggled to run forward as people dodged the thrown weapon.

"Catch her for me!" The man behind her shouted in frustration.

Yun Ge pushed herself to keep running, but even with the strongest willpower, there was a limit to what could be done when under the influence of drugs. Using too much strength, Yun Ge clearly felt darkness clouding her vision and when she stopped moving again, not only did she feel utterly exhausted, she would completely collapse into unconsciousness. Therefore, she forced herself to tell herself over and over that she couldn’t stop running, she just couldn’t...

"Stop! You little brat..." The men caught up with her.

Yun Ge felt a sense of hopelessness; she was merely an inexperienced girl who had not seen many things in life. She was already considered to be very rare and remarkable for how long she had been able to hold out. Tears began sliding down the corners of her eyes as Yun Ge fell to the ground once again.

"Wah wah..." in the town, with occasional sounds of fighting heard from alleys. When Ye Li’s group entered the city, soldiers who had arrived earlier reported, "Zhu Yan is still on top of the city wall."The other...