Just past noon, Bai Yuan, Gao Chuwu, Zheng Daniu, and others returned.
Accompanying them were the injured Wang Er, nearly a hundred wounded Wangjia Villagers, and fifty followers of Zhuang Guangdao and Zheng Yanfu.
Li Daoxuan picked up his magnifying glass and meticulously examined each figure—starting with his own villagers, for this deity was fiercely protective of his own.
Thankfully, none were injured, though they looked exhausted and hungry. Their midnight mountain trek and subsequent battle had stretched from last night till noon—exhaustion was inevitable.
Wang Er seemed gravely wounded, covered in blood and unconscious on a stretcher. Wangjia Villagers bore various injuries, spirits visibly broken. Curiously, Zhuang Guangdao and Zheng Yanfu’s men remained unscathed.
Li Daoxuan understood instantly: no battle had occurred last night. The rebels must have surrendered immediately when Bai Yuan’s group arrived.
The reason was obvious—simply revealing Zhuang Guangdao and Zheng Yanfu’s deaths would have shattered their will to fight.
Upon seeing the returning group, Gaojia Villagers rushed forward, with Thirty-Two leading the charge.
Wang Er and the wounded Wangjia Villagers were ushered into Gaojia Fortress, temporarily sheltered in a large courtyard.
Thirty-Two, remembering Wang Er’s earlier escorting kindness, crouched anxiously beside his stretcher. “How is Brother Wang?”
“This man is severely injured,” Bai Yuan spread his hands helplessly. “Healing is regrettably not among the Six Arts of Gentlemen.”
Thirty-Two pressed, “Are his internal organs damaged? Can’t you at least tell that?”
Bai Yuan clasped his hands behind his back and turned away. “I remain but an unaccomplished gentleman, flawed in many ways.”
Thirty-Two snapped, “Just say you don’t know!”
Silently, Bai Yuan gazed skyward at a forty-five-degree angle, eyes distant.
Thus, no one could assess Wang Er’s wounds.
Even Li Daoxuan’s magnifying glass proved useless, leaving all helpless with worry.
Finally, Wang Er himself opened his eyes. Gratefully scanning the faces around him, he rasped, “I’m… fine. Tough as nails… won’t die… Got any incense ashes? Rub it on… my wounds… If I can’t pull through… just let me die…”
“We’ve no incense ashes, but soot from the bottom of a…” Gao Chuwu began. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ novel•fire.net
Gao Yiye abruptly cut him off. “Hush! The Deity speaks.”
Tilting her head attentively, she suddenly raised her hands skyward. “We give thanks for the Deity’s medicine!”
Li Daoxuan had already opened his home first-aid kit. Retrieving a bottle of Yunnan Baiyao Wound Powder, he scraped a minuscule dusting onto his fingertip, then reached down into the box, depositing it before Gao Yiye.
To others, only a cluster of white orbs seemed to flutter down from the sky.
With reverent hands, Gao Yiye collected the powder from the deity’s fingertip.
Her tiny fingers brushed against the colossal hand.
Inside, a thrill surged: I touched the Deity’s hand!
Pulling back her trembling hands, she placed the white pellets on a table. “The Deity decrees: crush these into powder. Apply it to all wounds. Fate will decide its efficacy—if one’s time hasn’t come, it shall staunch blood and renew flesh; if destiny demands… even this divine medicine won’t save them.”
Bai Yuan and Thirty-Two clasped fists. “We obey the Decree of the Deity.”
Drowsy and disoriented, Wang Er missed the commotion. But his fellow Wangjia Villagers, bearing minor wounds themselves, stared awe-struck as Gao Yiye lifted her hands—and white medicine descended from the heavens.
White Cat was the first to move, crushing the medicinal pills into fine white powder. Together, they scattered the powder over Wang Er’s and the injured villagers’ wounds.
Yunnan Baiyao is no joke—this healing ointment has been our dynasty’s top-ranked panacea since ancient times. The moment it touched their wounds, the bleeding ceased immediately.
The Wangjia Villagers murmured among themselves, “What kind of medicine is this? So powerful!”
“I heard Miss Gao say it seems like divine medicine.”
“It fell from the sky just now.”
“They say it’s medicine bestowed by the Deity… what Deity?”
“Seems like the Dao Xuan Deity.”
“Never heard of that immortal. I’ve heard of Guanyin Bodhisattva and the Primordial Deity…”
As whispers rippled through the crowd, Wang Er suddenly stirred. “Eh? Am I… in Gaojia Village?”
Thirty-Two replied, “Yes, Brother Wang. We brought you to Gaojia Village. Rest and heal here now.”
“No… No, I can’t heal here…”
Wang Er frantically struggled to sit up, but his injuries were far too severe. With a thud, he fell back onto the stretcher. He turned urgently to the nearby villagers. “Your injuries aren’t bad, right? Carry me. Let’s go. Quickly.”
The Wangjia Villagers startled in alarm, “Brother, in your condition… you can’t move recklessly.”
Thirty-Two added, “Brother Wang, please don’t push yourself.”
Wang Er shook his head. “I’m the great rebel who killed officials. If anyone knows Gaojia Village sheltered me, you’ll face trouble. Once the imperial army arrives, we’ll all die without graves.”
Gao Chuwu scratched his head blankly. “Lord Bai said the court doesn’t care anymore! Said to let rebels ‘loot starting next spring…’ What was that line? Anyway—he just said they don’t care! By next spring, you’ll be a law-abiding citizen again!”
The group collectively rolled their eyes at Gao Chuwu, cursing inwardly: What a fool, spouting nonsense again.
Wang Er shook his head. “Others can become citizens again next spring. Not me.”
Gao Chuwu asked with great curiosity, “Why not you? We’re all born from parents—two eyes, one mouth, two arms, two legs.”
Wang Er explained, “I’m the leader. I incited the villagers to kill the county magistrate, threw all Chengcheng County into chaos. Every rebel running wild out there now learned from me. The court won’t spare me.”
Gao Chuwu scratched his head sluggishly for the longest time before understanding finally dawned. “Ah! Why, being the leader has this bad side too?”
He grinned foolishly. “Then… if our privately crafted steel armor is discovered later, won’t everyone else get pardoned except Third Lady?”
Thirty-Two’s face flushed red instantly. “You idiot! Shut up!”