Chapter 13: Determination
**"For My Woman!"**
The words rang out from Liu Suiyun's lips, silencing the crowd. The young men of Lin Family Village were stunned. How could Liu Suiyun have managed to woo the proud Gu Yinghua in just one day? Wasn't this all a bit too fast?
Huoqianshu, who had already raised his meteor hammer, was ready to attack. Yet, Gu Yinghua, seated calmly on her sedan chair, remained unmoved by Liu Suiyun's declaration. She merely furrowed her brow ever so slightly. Yu Changkong, however, accepted the explanation with a resigned sigh.
"Fine! You've grown your wings, and I can't control you anymore. Don't return to Lin Family Village, or to Yunzhong County. Don't ever come back."
There was a hint of sadness in his voice, but he quickly turned to the young men. "You all shouldn't go back to Lin Family Village either. The village is empty now! Ma Qianjun lost face and has vowed to wash the village in blood. Even the old and the children are hiding. Don't go back!"
He shot a furious glare at Liu Suiyun. "This is all your doing! I don't even know how I'll face Aunt Lan now!"
Liu Suiyun, scolded so harshly, remained silent, his head slightly bowed. Yu Changkong tossed him a bundle. "Get out of Yunzhong County, you troublemaker! Remember, take the small path I showed you!"
With that, Yu Changkong turned and left with his six or seven disciples, while the young men of Lin Family Village bowed deeply to Liu Suiyun before hurriedly leaving to seek refuge with friends and relatives. The Tianyi Gang was a powerful force in Linjiang County, and they knew they'd better lay low for a while. Fortunately, Gu Yinghua, the haughty lady herself, had generously given them each a gold leaf—enough to last them a long time.
But they would need to be frugal with their spending, as they had a lot to take care of—looking after the unfortunate families of Liuxing and Brother Zhang, and even helping Liu Suiyun settle his seventy-seven wen debt. They had much to do.
Liu Suiyun watched their figures disappear into the mountains, feeling a sense of relief. He opened the bundle Yu Changkong had thrown to him, and warmth filled his heart. It was packed with food—sausages, smoked meat, and his favorite hibiscus candy. There were also a few silver taels and a map of Luoxing Mountain. Uncle Changkong had rushed over from the county as soon as he heard the news, and had prepared everything so thoroughly for him. Tears welled up in Liu Suiyun's eyes, but he held them back. He couldn't afford to cry now. His priority was to deal with the Pang family and the Tianyi Gang. Even if it meant braving fire and swords, he would ensure Gu Yinghua reached Yuanzhou safely. But how would he ever explain that impulsive declaration?
Just as this thought crossed his mind, he heard a painful groan from Gu Yinghua. The usually rosy and delicate complexion of her face turned a sickly shade of green, and sweat beaded on her forehead. Huoqianshu, alarmed, shouted beside the sedan chair, "Miss! Miss!"
It took Gu Yinghua a moment to catch her breath. She looked at the two men beside her. "It's just the illness acting up again. I'm fine. We should head to Luoxing Mountain."
Huoqianshu blurted out, "You shouldn't have used that rare fragrant pill..."
But Gu Yinghua waved her hand dismissively, her brow furrowed as she spoke to Liu Suiyun. "It's fine, really. But given the situation, crossing Luoxing Mountain might not be ideal. I'll have to trouble you and Huoqianshu a bit more."
She hesitated before finally suggesting, "Why don't we rest at your place first? There's no one left in Lin Family Village anyway."
"Alright!" Liu Suiyun agreed. "Let's go."
They lifted the sedan chair and set off, but as soon as they began, Liu Suiyun realized something. Despite her delicate appearance, Miss Gu was not light. However, the weight was nothing for Liu Suiyun and Huoqianshu to handle.
In no time, they arrived at Lin Family Village.
Once a typical mountain village of Yunzhong County, it nestled among the hills with dozens of simple houses built along the water's edge. Old folks would sit in the doorways, soaking up the sun, while young wives and girls tended to their gardens, dreaming of their loved ones. Farmers would toil in the terraced fields, and a few tiny shops would line the path. You could hear the sounds of chickens crowing and dogs barking. Liu Suiyun had once lived this peaceful life, day in and day out. But now, the entire village was eerily silent.
A profound stillness settled over the place, and a deep-seated anger simmered within Liu Suiyun. He knew exactly who was to blame.
The Pang family. Yes, the Pang family. They had taken everything from him, and now they were determined to leave him with nothing once again. But Liu Suiyun reminded himself that his priority was to care for Gu Yinghua. He couldn't let this noblewoman suffer any more than she already had.
They arrived at Liu Suiyun's house, and Gu Yinghua's complexion had improved. She had intended only to rest briefly, but upon entering Liu Suiyun's home, her thoughts shifted. Despite being a skilled tiler and a meticulous gardener, his house was still a typical bachelor's pad. She had initially thought of lying down for a while.
"Do you have anything to eat? I'm rather particular about my food," Gu Yinghua said, wiping the sweat from her brow. "Make me the best meal you can."
"Yes! Of course! But my cooking isn't great, so please bear with me."
Knowing this might be their last meal before entering Luoxing Mountain, Liu Suiyun hurriedly gathered ingredients. The vegetables in the garden were flourishing, so he pulled up a variety of greens. He then retrieved all the dried meat, rice, salted eggs, and seasonings from the house, along with the provisions Uncle Changkong had packed. Just as he was about to start, Huoqianshu pushed him aside. "Let me handle it!"
Despite his rough exterior, Huoqianshu was far superior in the kitchen. In no time, he had the fire going and the pan sizzling with fragrant food. The aroma was so enticing that even Liu Suiyun couldn't resist, devouring three bowls of rice.
But his appetite was nothing compared to Gu Yinghua and Huoqianshu's. They ate bowl after bowl, with Gu Yinghua polishing off ten bowls of rice. The greens Liu Suiyun had gathered from the garden had almost disappeared. He couldn't fathom how this elegant lady could consume so much food in such a short time—more than what three grown men would eat.
"What are you doing? I don't like servants who take matters into their own hands!"
After the meal, Gu Yinghua wiped the sweat from her brow and stepped into the courtyard to stretch her legs, only to find Liu Suiyun back on the roof, busy with something. Upon closer inspection, she realized he was meticulously arranging tiles, his movements steady and precise as he restored the roof to its proper state.
"My goodness, you're fixing the roof at a time like this?" Huoqianshu marveled at Liu Suiyun's calm demeanor. "You really have the time?"
"It's done now! You two were eating, and I had nothing else to do," Liu Suiyun replied, standing up. "So I figured I'd fix the roof since there were still a few loose tiles. I also took the opportunity to scan the area for any threats."
"Worried about leaks?" Gu Yinghua clenched her fists. "As long as you get me to Yuanzhou, I won't let your efforts go unrewarded!"
She could see clearly now that Liu Suiyun had worked quickly, fixing almost all of the loose tiles, with only four or five left undone. She even recalled the village headman who had taken three taels of silver to hire a roofer, but in the end, Liu Suiyun had done it himself. So she added, "Not finishing the job? If you have the energy for this, why not put it to better use? I always reward those who serve me well."
"No, we're heading to Yuanzhou now!" Liu Suiyun replied, leaping gracefully from the roof like a bird. "I've prepared everything. We can leave whenever you're ready, Miss Gu."
Gu Yinghua noticed a black cloth bundle strapped to Liu Suiyun's back and asked casually, "I'm ready whenever you are. What's that?"
"My mother's memorial tablet," Liu Suiyun answered without hesitation.
"That's good. That's very good."
There was a tone of deep longing in his voice, but as soon as he finished speaking, he took out a fire starter and ignited the woodpile. The flames quickly spread, and Liu Suiyun and Huoqianshu lifted the sedan chair, heading towards the mountain path leading to Luoxing Mountain.
From her seat on the sedan chair, Gu Yinghua watched the fire grow, engulfing the house until the flames reached the roof—the very roof Liu Suiyun had just repaired.
She was puzzled. "You just fixed your home's roof, didn't you?"
Liu Suiyun's voice was