Free Web NovelIt was only when her Spiritual Energy was almost completely drained, and she was on the verge of collapsing and fainting, that Xia Lianqing realized the difficulty of treating Shen Baiwei's injuries exceeded her expectations.
Once Shen Baiwei's condition stabilized, Xia Lianqing leaned against the wall as she walked out of the room, immediately summoning a maid to help her back to her room to rest.
The maid was stunned to see her in such a state.
The last time Xia Lianqing had emerged from someone else's room, pale-faced, leaning against the wall, and with trembling legs, was when the Nanling Commander was still alive.
At that time, it was the dear Prince who, having discovered Xia Lianqing's identity as a spy, intentionally made things difficult for her, tormenting her until she couldn't get out of bed...
The maid struggled to help the weak Xia Lianqing back to her room.
She had just lain down and hadn't had time to rest properly when the young attendant she had sent earlier to follow Lu Yibei reappeared before her.
This slender, short young man, whose appearance made it difficult to discern his gender, was a subordinate Xia Lianqing had cultivated when she first infiltrated Yumen Pass as a spy.
How could one be a spy in a place like Yumen Pass without cultivating a few absolutely trustworthy individuals?
However, as Xia Lianqing betrayed the Shaman King, this young man also followed her, becoming a young attendant in Daimu Courtyard.
Sending this young man to follow Big Shen wasn't because Xia Lianqing suspected Big Shen; Xia Lianqing was just worried that Big Shen wouldn't be able to handle the riots in the market alone. Having someone watch and report the situation at any time would allow her to find ways to provide support immediately.
However, when she finished listening to the young man's report, she was truly surprised.
"You mean, Miss Shen alone burned down the entire market?"
"Yes, yes!" The young man nodded, "Just one person, she closed and opened her eyes, and the entire street turned to ash; not even a single intact stone could be found."
"..." After a brief silence, Xia Lianqing asked again, "Where is she now?"
"She went to Military Officer Yu's place," the young man said. "Dragon Commandant somehow got caught in that riot and was seriously injured. Miss Shen brought Dragon Commandant back to Daimu Courtyard, asked where someone could be found to treat Dragon Commandant's injuries, and then followed the path Li Mama pointed out."
Upon hearing this, Xia Lianqing nodded.
That Longxiang Army Armored Soldier, Yu Sheng, had a Master who was a famous physician in the Long Xiang Army, and he had saved many Longxiang Army Armored Soldier's lives in the battle at the South City Wall.
Now his Master, along with those more than twenty veteran Long Xiang Army soldiers, had sacrificed themselves on the battlefield, making him the only remaining physician within the Divine Kingdom Jade Gate.
If Dragon Tang was seriously injured, going to Yu Sheng was indeed the right choice... Xia Lianqing thought, then suddenly seemed to realize something important, narrowing her eyes as she scrutinized the young man before her.
"That's not right! You went out with Miss Shen, and even if you add the round trip to Yu Sheng's place, it shouldn't take much time. Why did it take nearly two hours for you to come and tell me?"
"Tell me! Where did you go to slack off during that extra time?"
"Miss, I've been wronged!" The young man explained with a bitter face, "I just happened to overhear some rumors on the way back that I thought you might be interested in. I just investigated a bit, and it only took a little time."
"What rumors?" Xia Lianqing asked, looking at the young man askance.
The young man looked left and right, then lowered his voice and said, "When I came back, I heard people saying that Big Shen isn't human at all, but a drought deity. The dryness in the city these past day or two, and the riot in the market just now, are all her doing. If we want to return to the peaceful days of the past, we have to throw her..."
"Nonsense!" Before the young man could finish his sentence, Xia Lianqing sharply interrupted him, "Have you all forgotten that Miss Shen fought with her life against the Shaman King's army outside the city gate?"
"Who is spreading such baseless rumors? Where did you hear them?"
"This..." The young man turned his head to look outside the door and mumbled, "It's not just one person saying it; everyone is saying it."
"Everyone?" Xia Lianqing's expression changed slightly.
That riot that occurred in the market was clearly orchestrated by the Shaman King, so how could it involve Miss Shen?
Could it be... the Shaman King has already discovered Miss Shen's actions and started to take /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ action against her?
As she pondered, an ominous premonition arose in Xia Lianqing's heart.
As a former follower of the Shaman King and a spy from the Huihe Tribe, she was all too familiar with the Shaman King's methods.
Using rumors to provoke suspicion, and then allowing suspicion to escalate into conflict, could be said to be one of the Shaman King's usual tricks.
She felt that if she didn't do something quickly, Miss Shen would probably be in danger.
"Help me up. Let's go outside and see. I want to hear how they're spreading rumors about Miss Shen," Xia Lianqing said to the young man.
----
After hearing the young man's words, Xia Lianqing initially thought that the rumors about "Shen Baiwei being the source of all Disasters in the city" had only just begun to show an ominous trend.
However, before she could even go out to investigate, merely by inquiring discreetly around Daimu Courtyard, she discovered that the rumors had spread to an uncontrollable extent, and there was a significant tendency for them to become increasingly outrageous with each retelling.
The maids in Daimu Courtyard said that Miss Shen was a demon transformed, and wherever she stayed, there would be a great drought for three years. If she wasn't removed, the crops would wither, and there would be no harvest. Only by drowning her in a well and sacrificing her to the Dragon King could sweet rain fall again.
The young attendants in Daimu Courtyard also said that Miss Shen was inherently evil and needed to consume the vital essence of living people to maintain her human form. Too much contact with her would not only shorten one's life but also harm one's descendants.
Even the Longxiang Army Armored Soldiers who appeared near Daimu Courtyard said that the recent riot in the market and the recent quarrels in the city were all instigated by the person named Shen. They gathered in groups of two or three, shouting that they wanted to eliminate harm for the people.
Whenever the name "Shen Baiwei" was mentioned, those people at least half the time wore a look of gnashing teeth and deep hatred.
Some even secretly asked Xia Lianqing if she wanted to join some so-called Miracle Order, urging her to believe in the miracle and embrace a bright future together.
Although a city pass like Yumen Pass, which has trade caravans from various Western Regions countries passing through it year-round, has various strange cults circulating, was there ever a cult like the Miracle Order before?
Never heard of it, alright?!
It's simply inexplicable!
The already weak Xia Lianqing, after questioning everyone in and around Daimu Courtyard, felt a surge of anger and even greater fatigue. She didn't even make it back to her own room, instead sitting down in a corner of the Daimu Courtyard hall and complaining to the young man who had followed her the entire way.
"You know, why didn't I realize before that those people are all ungrateful scoundrels?"
"Calling her a 'demoness' one moment and an 'evil spirit' the next, have they completely forgotten what she has done for Yumen Pass?"
"I..." freewёbn૦νeɭ.com
Xia Lianqing was halfway through her sentence when a loud shout suddenly erupted in the hall, interrupting her.
"Everyone! Now that the demoness Shen Baiwei is here, Yumen Pass is in dire peril, and the common people are in extreme distress. She is hated by both gods and men, and cannot be tolerated by heaven and earth. Fortunately, Holy Monk Hongbian, in accordance with heaven and humanity, has brought forth the miracle flower, spreading its fragrance everywhere! We, who are blessed by him, should act according to heavenly principles and human sentiment, and forever enjoy peace and tranquility!"
Xia Lianqing looked in the direction of the voice and saw a thin, sallow-faced girl standing on the round table in the center of the hall. As she shouted, she pulled out a roll of white cloth from her bosom. As her words fell, she unfurled the white cloth with a 'whoosh,' revealing four large characters—【Miracle Order】.
In the corner of those four large characters, there was also a distorted, bizarre, and chaotically drawn seven-colored mass, the depiction of which was unknown.
Seeing this, Xia Lianqing clenched her fists, her eyes wide, and her breathing gradually quickened, accompanied by the rising anger in her heart.
"This is outrageous! Absolutely outrageous! How long has it been? They're already so brazen as to openly spread heretical ideas and incite the populace in Daimu Courtyard? Do they truly disregard the Long Xiang Army?"
She said through gritted teeth, just as she was about to stand up and confront the girl, she saw a Longxiang Army Armored Soldier step out from the crowd and cup his hands towards the girl.
"Miss, don't use such flowery language; it's confusing. Everyone here is a rough person and doesn't know many characters. Can you say something everyone can understand?"
The Longxiang Army Armored Soldier's words and actions conveyed a message: he was very interested in the Miracle Order.
Forget it, there's no hope, let it be destroyed! Xia Lianqing pressed her hand to her forehead.
"Well..." The girl turned her head to look at the Longxiang Army Armored Soldier, raising an eyebrow. "Easy, easy! My meaning is very simple: everyone follow me, and let's go screw that Shen Baiwei!"
"..." The Longxiang Army Armored Soldier frowned slightly upon hearing this and asked, "Miss, although everyone wants to get rid of Shen Baiwei now, why must we follow you? We can all get rid of Shen Baiwei ourselves!"
As soon as these words were spoken, a series of disgruntled voices immediately erupted in the hall.
"Exactly, exactly! Little girl, looking at you, you haven't been weaned yet, have you?"
"Where did this yellow-haired girl come from, wanting everyone to listen to you? Come on, you first spar with Old Ma Wu. If you can withstand three of my punches, then you win!"
"..."
Facing everyone's sarcasm, the girl's expression remained unchanged. She merely shook the white cloth in her hand, raised her finger, and pointed at the four large characters on it, saying, "Do you see what's written on this?"
"What's wrong? Miracle Order! We still recognize these characters."
"Do you know how the Miracle Order came about?" The girl continued, "The Miracle Order and the miracle flower are gifts left by Holy Monk Hongbian, and they are the key to getting rid of the demoness Shen Baiwei!"
"What does that have to do with you?" A voice asked from the crowd. frёeweɓηovel.coɱ
"Good question!" The girl pointed in the direction of the voice, then straightened her back, patted her chest, and said, "Because I, Fang Ji, am the Miracle Saint chosen by Holy Monk Hongbian!"
Xia Lianqing, "..."
