Chapter - 439 The Bride's Pale Arms Parts the Red Clothing (14)

A trace of blush arose on Zhao Min's pale face. "If you come and disrupt, I am going to kill you," she said with a laugh.

Suddenly Zhang Wuji heaved a sigh, he was silent and looked low-spirited.

"What is it?" Zhao Min asked.

"I wonder," said Zhang Wuji, "That Jun Ma Ye must have done many good deeds in his previous life that he deserves such a good fortune."

Zhao Min said with a smile, "It is not too late for you to do some good deeds right now."

Zhang Wuji's heart skipped a beat. "What?" he asked.

Zhao Min blushed, and suddenly went silent. At this point, the two of them felt uncomfortable to continue having an intimate talk, so after they rested for a moment, Zhang Wuji re-applied the medicine and carried her westward.

Zhao Min was carried on his back, her cheek were close to the left side of his face. Zhang Wuji's nose caught the fragrance of her perfume, his hands were supporting the soft flesh her warm body; he could not help his heart from racing like a wild horse and his mind jumping around like an ape. If only he was not anxious to rescue Yifu, he was seriously contemplating of slowing down his pace to enjoy this once-in-a-life-time opportunity of strolling in the wilderness.

That evening they spent the night on the uncultivated hills at the western suburb of Haozhou. It was only the next day that they found a small town, where they bought two healthy horses. Zhao Min's poisoned wounds were very difficult to heal that quickly, her body was still too weak to ride the horse alone; she had to lean on Zhang Wuji, riding one horse together. Riding this way, after five days they arrived within the boundary of Henan.

They were riding along that day, when suddenly they saw the dust was raising ahead of them, as more than a hundred riders gallop their way. They heard the tinkling of iron armors, and saw that it was the Mongolian cavalry. Zhang Wuji held the rein and stopped by the side of the road to make way.

As this Mongolian cavalry group galloped past, dozens of 'zhang's behind them there was another group of riders. This latter group was not arranged in neat formation, some were riding ahead, some were lagging behind, in a very loose array.

Zhang Wuji took a glance and to his surprise saw that the 'shen jian ba xiong' [Eight Divine Archers] were among these riders. "Not good!" he silently groaned, and quickly turned his head away.

These twenty-odd riders saw Zhang Wuji's clothes to be expensive and fancy, with a young woman in his bosom, their faces were turned the other way, actually they did not give these two any thought. The Eight Divine Archers also did not recognize them.

As the riders past, Zhang Wuji was just about to pull the rein to continue forward, when suddenly they heard the sound of hooves beats again. Three riders flew by. The horse in the middle was white, the rider wore an embroidered robe and gold crown. On the either side of him was a chestnut horse. On their saddles Lu Zhangke and He Biweng, the Xuanming Elders, were sitting impressively.

Zhang Wuji was about to turn his head around when Lu Zhangke saw these two and called out, "Jun Zhu Niang-niang [princess], don't worry, help is on the way!" While He Biweng made a long whistle.

The Eight Divine Archers and their company heard his whistle and immediately turned around, encircling Zhang Wuji two people in the middle. Zhang Wuji was startled; he looked at Zhao Min in his bosom as if he was saying, "So you are secretly preparing an ambush here to attack me?" But then he noticed her anxious expression and realized he had wrongly accused her, so his heart was relieved.

"Gege [big brother]," he heard Zhao Min say, "I did not expect to see you here. Is Father well?"

It was only after hearing Zhao Min said 'gege' two characters did Zhang Wuji pay attention to the young man in embroidered robe; he recognized him as Zhao Min's brother, Kuku Timur, who adopted a Han name of Wang Baobao. Zhang Wuji had seen him at Dadu twice, but this time his full attention was on Xuanming Elders, so he did not recognize the third person right away.

As Wang Baobao saw his beloved sister again, he was pleasantly surprised; but he did not know Zhang Wuji. Frowning, he said, "Meizi [younger sister, term of endearment], you … you …"

"Gege," Zhao Min said, "I fell into the enemy's evil plot and suffer a heavy poisoned wound. Luckily this Zhang Gongzi [young master] came to help me; otherwise, I wouldn't be able to see Gege today."

Lu Zhangke put his mouth next to Wang Baobao's ear and said in a low voice, "Xiao Wangye [young prince], that man is the Devil Cult's Cult Leader, Zhang Wuji."

Wang Baobao had long heard Zhang Wuji's name; he believed Zhao Min was under his control and was forced to say such thing. He waved his right hand, and Xuanming Elders immediately came to within five feet to the left and to the right of Zhang Wuji. Four of the Eight Divine Archers also bent their bows, with the arrows aimed toward Zhang Wuji's back.

"Zhang Jiaozhu," Wang Baobao said, "Sire is the leader of a cult, a renowned hero within the Wulin world, yet you are bullying my weak little sister; won't you be a laughingstock of the people? Quickly release her and I'll spare your life today."

"Gege," Zhao Min said, "Why did you say that? Zhang Gongzi definitely showed kindness to me, why did you say he was bullying me?"

Wang Baobao still believed that his sister was under the enemy's power that she did not have any choice but saying like she did. "Zhang Jiaozhu," he said loudly, "Although your martial art skill is strong, a pair of fists cannot match four hands; quickly put my sister down. Today we, both sides, are not going to fight each other. I, Wang Baobao, is true to my words, you don't have to be overly suspicious."

Zhang Wuji thought, "Miss Zhao's poisoned wound in serious; if she is busy running around with me for a thousand 'li's, she won't be easily recovered. Now that we meet her brother, she'd better go with him. The renowned doctors in the prince's palace will certainly do her good." Therefore, he said, "Miss Zhao, your honorable brother wants you to go back, let us part here then. Only, please tell me my Yifu's location, I'll think of some way to rescue him. We will meet again in the future."

While saying that, he could not help but feel heartbroken, knowing full well that they were of different tribes, a Han and a Mongolian, of different status, a royalty and a commoner; the enmity between two sides was very deep. But on the verge of this separation, he had to admit that he felt strong attachment to her. To his surprise, Zhao Min replied, "All along I was intentionally unwilling to tell you Xie Daxia's whereabouts. I only promised to take you there, but I can't tell you the place."

Zhang Wuji was taken aback. "Your heavy injury is not healed yet," he said, "It won't be beneficial for you to make a long and wearisome trip with me. I think you'd better follow your honorable brother to go back home."

Zhao Min's face bore a stubborn expression. "If you cast me away, you won't know Xie Daxia's whereabouts," she resolutely said, "My injury is getting better by the day. The longer we go, the faster I will heal. If I return to the palace, I will die of suffocation."