Deposed Empress General 3- Acquaintance

Zuo Canglang didn't return to Yang Lianting's dorm; not knowing why, she believed in Murong Yan. Believed that as long as he acknowledged it, he would not fail to uphold his word.

Within the small practice ground, it was currently time to receive lessons. The "masters" never cared who was late, or who didn't attend. They only wanted results, who survived until the end, who had truly become a strong person. Zuo Canglang returned to her own group, turning her head around to see Leng Feiyan, suddenly startled.

The arrow that Leng Feiyan had been shot with, how heavy its strength was, nobody other than she knew better. Even if she had hit a deer with it, it would probably had fallen over. But Leng Feiyan didn't. She didn't know when she had pulled out the arrow, her chest and clothes had been dyed red with blood, but she had held her lips together, her gaze still sharp as ever. The boy that was practicing with her was so scared even his hands were shaking.

As if discovering Zuo Canglang's gaze, she looked over and crossed her gaze. The two's gazed at each other, the surrounding youth unwittingly retreated from the yard. But Zuo Canglang didn't actually engage in combat with her; even though right now was the best time to take her life, but this person's gaze held something that moved a person with her stubbornness and firmness.

In the evening, Zuo Canglang seized some food, and went first to Yang Lianting's dorm. Inside, doctors had already changed his bandages, and were currently brewing medicine. The doctor's medicine box was just set by the side, and inside it was packed with wound medication. Zuo Canglang randomly grabbed a few bottles, and even though that doctor had discovered it, but was ultimately unwilling to bother with these half grown children, and thus didn't utter anything.

Zuo Canglang left Yang Lianting's dormitory, and walked forwards, not far, to another person's place of residence-- Leng Feiyan. Leng Feiyan's dormitory was clean and simple, no excessive grass, leaves, or dust was visible, as if nobody even lived there. Zuo Canglang stood by the doorway, and Leng Feiyan's gaze held a trace of visible suspicion and enmity, "What have you come here for?"

Zuo Canglang didn't say anything, but slowly arranged the bottles of injury medication atop the table. Leng Feiyan's gaze stopped shortly on the medication bottles, and then asked, "What do you mean by this?" She opened a bottle, asking, "You're willing to part with it?"

Zuo Canglang didn't respond to her, and turned around, leaving the room.

After she had left for a while, Leng Feiyan finally grabbed a medicine bottle; her own wound, she would know. But a few bottles of medicine for herself, would it truly be effective?

She wavered for a bit, but finally still parted her clothes, cleaned her wound, and reapplied the medication. It hurt, as the medical powder was applied to the wound, the pain wrapping around her heart. But over here, who hadn't endured hurt, or pain? The calmly pursed her lips, her gaze cold, a teenage youth, her mood was absolutely stoic.

Just as she was applying medication, outside a light sound reverberated. Leng Feiyan put away the medical bottle, and rearranged her clothes. Someone indeed came, and it was one of the "masters." Leng Feiyan has a beautiful face, one which upon seeing once, one would not forget. In this place, those who had fantasized about her did not number in the low digits, but she was like a cactus covered in thorns. All these years, who hadn't been pricked by her?

That "master" walked in front of her, his gaze stopped by her clothes, which had been dyed by blood, slowly saying, "You've received such a serious wound, how come you haven't come to look for us?"

Leng Feiyan's right hand clenched into a fist, knowing that she wouldn't be able to easily get pass the day. The children here were groomed by Murong Yan, and Leng Feiyan was but one among them. Her possibility of being picked by second prince was pretty high. So if she had already offended him, then of course, making him shut up for eternity was the best.

That "master" slowly walked over, his figure tall and big, and then he pervertedly said, "Come, let me take a look at your wound." His voice with its pervertedness sounded raw and cold, and Leng Feiyan responded, "It's not serious, I can still use my sword." She wielded her sword with her right hand; that "master" coldly laughed once, and suddenly pulled out the soft sword on his waist, charging forward.

Even though Leng Feiyan was suffering from a heavy wound, he still wasn't willing to be careless, and in a single moment, had used up all his effort. Leng Feiyan used her sword to block, but because the wound in her chest was truly not light, the blade in her hand was knocked out. She could only watch as that soft sword approached like a venomous snake, finally stopping really close to her!

She rolled and dodged, the wound on her shoulder, slowly tearing, like a blooming peony. It hurt, she bit her lips, and was suddenly startled. She only saw that outside there stood a person, sneaky and silent, not knowing how long she had been there.

It was a girl, wearing a grey robe, her hair tied up in ponytails. Zuo Canglang?

Leng Feiyan slowly shifted her gaze; over here, people died every month, even among those who had grown up together, there weren't friends. Who could count on others? It's just that if she died, other than those had had starved to death, or died of sickness, what was the difference?

She clenched her teeth, grasping the sword of the "master" in front of her, the blade of the sword stabbing into her palm, his eyes carried bloodlust, and his right hand opened its claw, choking her throat with a lot of effort. The "master" wasn't actually surprised, as over here, everyone knew that she was such a spicy and cruel person. She exerted a lot of effort trying to pull out the soft sword, but suddenly, behind her, she felt a quick breeze.

He was suddenly startled, and he didn't even have time to turn his head before he felt a coolness against his neck. A bamboo arrow had pierced his throat from right to left. He could not even turn his head, his throat felt a trembling, collapsing to the floor, dead. Leng Feiyan gasped for air, her gaze towards Zuo Canglang still carried a bit of surprise-- she actually killed the master!

Over here, anyone not abiding by the masters' orders was already due for a death penalty! Who would have the gall to go and murder them of their own volition?

Zuo Canglang walked in from outside, bending her waist over to lift the body, glancing once at Leng Feiyan, and finally opened her mouth, "Second prince promised to cure Yang Lianting, and had sent a doctor for him. If you go over to where he is, the masters will probably believe that he gave an order for you two to both be cured; I think there won't be anyone else coming to trouble you."

Leng Feiyan squinted her eyes, Zuo Canglang had always been a shut gourd, the two of them had been in the orphan camp for more than two years, altogether, they hadn't said many words. Who would have thought that once she made her move, it would be so cruel and hot. Leng Feiyan got up, but Zuo Canglang had already carried the corpse out. It was just a desolate mountain outside, with plentiful cliffs and traps. Wanting to get rid of a corpse and the evidence was not a difficult thing.

In the dorm, after Yang Lianting had taken the medicine, and his fever had retreated, he still had not awoken. Leng Feiyan shook him a few times, and seeing that he really didn't have a response, also was not cordial, but lied down beside him, but was afraid to fall asleep. Over here, surviving was not easy, it was better to still retain a bit of suspicion.

When Zuo Canglang returned, Yang Lianting was still asleep. She put a few bread buns on the table, and sat down by his bed. Suddenly a dark little forehead snuck out, and once Zuo Canglang quickly grabbed her blade into her hand, that head had already squeezed near; it was actually Leng Feiyan. She passed the medicine bottle back to Zuo Canglang, "The wound on my back, I can't reach; help me apply some medication."

Zuo Canglang's face finally got angry, "What the f*ck has that sh*t got to do with me! You really got the guts to stare at my nose and crawl up my face!" Leng Feiyan, unabashedly said, "Owing one favor is a debt, owing two favors is also a debt. Why would I not look for you? Quickly now, quickly now, right here......"

She loosened her shirt, and Zuo Canglang saw that on that young girl's skin was band after band of various deep and painful scabs. Some had already healed and turned light, only leaving the shadow of their difference. She wiped her hands clean, and took some medication, slowly rubbing it over the wound. Leng Feiyan used her chin to motion at the sleeping Yang Lianting, "How come he's still sleeping?"

Zuo Canglang wasn't in a good mood, "Wasn't it all because of you!" Leng Feiyan didn't say anything more, but rather crouched on the bed, leaving Zuo Canglang to rub and apply on her back. That arrow of Zuo Canglang's, had pierced her whole person, but luckily, she dodged a lot and was very agile, and managed to avoid a fatal blow. That arrow was really crude, and when she pulled the arrow herself, it had left behind a lot of splinters. Zuo Canglang slowly extracted all the little wood splinters in her wound before applying medication. Leng Feiyan didn't say anything else, but crouched beside Yang Lianting, managing to fall asleep.

The night scene was dark like ink, and occasionally there would be two or three sounds filling the air. Zuo Canglang didn't awaken her. She sat by the wood bed, staring, the two people on the bed-- one had deep breaths, while the other had shallow ones, as though they were just making noise. The matter of the "master" being killed, she wasn't sure if it would be exposed, and the two people inside the room both pretty much shared in difficulties; she could not sleep, so she crossed her legs, sitting, shutting her eyes. A moment later, it seemed as though a wind blew past the roof, making a "Shaw shaw" noise.

The next day, just as it was getting light, Yang Lianting first sat up. The moment he moved, Zuo Canglang opened her eyes. Yang Lianting's gaze carried some guilt, "I only wanted to drink some water." Zuo Canglang got up and poured him a bowl of water, which Yang Lianting grasped, asking, "Why is Leng Feiyan here? Who took care of my wound?" Zuo Canglang didn't say anything, and when the rooster had crowed thrice, others had awoken outside. Leng Feiyan didn't know when she had also awoken, but suddenly said, "Hey, I'm not going to practice martial arts today, bring me some breakfast, too, ah!"

Zuo Canglang took a look at Yang Lianting, only carrying a bit of concern, which resulted in Leng Feiyan becoming unhappy, "Relax, I won't do anything to him!" Yang Lianting stared at the wall, stay away from him, anyone could take a look at her and tell that her wounds weren't light, so he nodded towards Zuo Canglang.

After Zuo Canglang left, Leng Feiyan dropped her head back onto the bed, after all, young people don't remember wrongs. Two sick people, lying in bed, they might as well gossip a bit. Leng Feiyan began talking to Yang Lianting, saying, "How did you get in here?"

Yang Lianting said, "My grandfather is Yang Xuanhe." This name, Zuo Canglang hand never heard of, according to Leng Feiyan's phrasing, she was just a "rustic mountain villager," who had no exposure to the outside world. When Leng Feiyan heard this name, she naturally said, "Godly doctor, Yang Xuanhe, eh?"

Yang Lianting said, "Mmm! My father was set up by someone, resulting in the extermination of the entire Yang family. Because I was young, my punishment was changed to being sold as a slave. It was second prince who brought me here."

Leng Feiyan made an "Oh" sound, and didn't say anything. Yang Lianting turned over to ask her, "How about you, how did you come to arrive here?"

Leng Feiyan said, "Flooding. My father and mother are both dead. I was sold to a tavern, and second prince was eating there." Yang Lianting said, "Tavern? Being a waitress?"

Leng Feiyan smiled a bit, saying, "When the second prince saved me, the cook was just sharpening his knife."

Yang Lianting slowly turned sullen, his eyes growing wide, "They eat people?"

The two of them didn't continue speaking, this country of Great Yan, ah, filled with warfare and chaos for all these years, resulting in people no longer resembling people, and families falling apart.

For a while, they were stuck in thought, before Leng Feiyan asked, "The one with you, that Zuo Canglang, how did she arrive here?" Yang Lianting shook his head, "I don't know; she never spoke about these things." Thinking a bit, he also asked, "Who gave us the injury medication? The components to these medications are extremely expensive and precious, even the masters here probably couldn't even get to use them."

Leng Feiyan stretched her shoulder, "Second prince, and I also don't know why. But, use your toes to think for a bit, and you can probably understand that it was Zuo Canglang going to beg for grace." Yang Lianting was in deep thought, and Leng Feiyan turned over here, with a face full of gossip, "I say... between you two, what type of relationship do you two really have for her to take so much care of you?"

Yang Lianting still didn't say anything, and Leng Feiyan continued thinking, before suddenly, her face filled with annoyance saying, "Unless you two...... already......"

Yang Lianting got so angry, he hit her chest with a fist, but Leng Feiyan caught his fist, laughing until she lost her composure.

That night, Zuo Canglang brought food to eat. It was still wheat buns and meat buns. Leng Feiyan went and grabbed two buns, busily eating into them, asking, "Hey, how did you come here?" Zuo Canglang didn't say anything, and Leng Feiyan found it boring, "You, you're just like this, can't get a word out of you even if you were beaten with two sticks."

By the side, Yang Lianting also grabbed a meat bun, he was the master of a wealthy family, even though he had fallen to this state, his posture in eating was still extremely civilized. Upon hearing this word out of Leng Feiyan, he gave her a big stare, "You're a little girl, how can you speak like this!"

Leng Feiyan actually scoffed, saying, "I'm a little girl, I should be pampered and doted on, and receive riches and treasures, huh! But how about now? Stooping here to chew on bread buns and drink cold water!!" After finishing, she chewed a few mouthfuls, continuing, "One day, I will learn unparalleled martial arts, get rid of the strong, and help the weak, solving the travails of the world!"

Yang Lianting was not satisfied, coughing out two "Heng heng." sounds, saying, "Based on your personality, at the best you'll become a bandit." Leng Feiyan got so enraged, she shot a kick out, "Bastard, this one is called having big ambitions and aspirations, don't you understand!"

Yang Lianting said, "I don't care about what big aspirations; I only wish to restore Yang family, to bring to justice those who framed me! My grandfather spent his life sacrificing for the people, performing medicine, and my father also always had an upright character....." before his words were finished, Leng Feiyan interrupted saying, "Whatever, still upright, who knows if he was actually evil to the core, getting his just dues......"

Yang Lianting's eyebrows had gone straight (from anger), and no longer even cared about the wounds on his body, suddenly turning his body around to choke her throat. Zuo Canglang left them alone to their messing around, and Leng Feiyan quickly managed to once again squish Yang Lianting beneath her, taking full control over him. "Little boy Yang, still wanting to break through the heavens, you!"¹ She rather gleefully celebrated, not noticing her wound, with a tearing sound, turned up towards Zuo Canglang, asking, "You! you! Don't you have any large ambitions or hopes?"

Zuo Canglang spared her a glance, and turned, but was looking at the sky behind the pomegranate tree, outside the window.

TN: 
1. Here, Leng Feiyan was basically acting out a scene in Journey to the West, where Buddha basically locks Sun Wukong (the monkey king) beneath a mountain, trapping him. Basically, Sun Wukong had broken into the heavens and made a huge ruckus, so here she is sitting on Yang Lianting like the proverbial "mountain", trapping him, and making fun of him, because he's essentially powerless to do what he wants.