148 Tearstained Farewell (1/2)
Saying goodbye was a tearful experience for Jiang Fengmian. She had never before had anyone she could consider a friend, yet on this travel she had grown close to both Xue Wei and Hei Gou.
In her eyes, they were the people who had given her a new lease on life. Although she wished that they could stay together forever, she was also aware that these two men had dreams that surpassed the heavens, aspirations and goals that would never be reached if they stayed in this backwater kingdom.
As they said goodbye, Jiang Fengmian was tearing up. She was so saddened by her friends leaving that she could hardly push out any words. She had no belongings, so it was also impossible for her to buy them any parting gifts. When she clutched her hands in front of her and Xue Wei and Hei Gou saw them shaking, both of their hearts softened.
”Don't worry,” Xue Wei said as he reached out and cupped Jiang Fengmian's hands within his own. ”We will be fine. Our journey is long and dangerous, but when we need a place to rest, somewhere to calm our minds, we will always return here to the temple in the Western District of the Vermilion Forest Kingdom's capital,” he promised.
”We have no family, we have no home, but we have a good friend like you. This is not a goodbye forever, this is just a temporary parting,” he reassured Jiang Fengmian before letting go of her hands.
Jiang Fengmian nodded her head, and the tears stopped flowing. She was once more the expressionless young woman from back when they first crossed paths, and eventually a gentle and soft smile blossomed on her face.
”I do not have much,” she said, ”but I will always welcome the two of you. For giving me a new lease on life, I owe you my everything. Instead of taking advantage of me, you gave me a hopeful future where I can do what I wish to do. I cannot thank you enough!”
”Since my junior sister has said as much, I will always have the gates of this temple open to you,” the monk said with a gentle expression on his face. He had taken Jiang Fengmian in as his disciple, but regarding seniority, he was her elder martial brother.
Xue Wei and Hei Gou quickly expressed their gratitude to the monk with cupped fists. After a last glance at Jiang Fengmian, they smiled and walked out of the temple.
The Western District was as dirty and disorderly as when they first came, but even this place had a specific set of rules. Among them, the most important was that the ones from the temple were not to be touched.
Partly because a supreme expert protected them, but also because they provided every citizen with a meal a day. Without the temple, their lives would be hell, and many would starve to death.
Xue Wei and Hei Gou left the Western District without meeting any trouble, but the story was different when they reached the southern district; here, a group of guards seemed to be waiting for them.
”You two!” someone called out. Xue Wei instantly recognized this guard as being the agitated and furious expert from the raid of the Western Temple a couple of days ago.
”You thought you could escape serving your time in the army, huh?” he asked, while pushing his chest out in an attempt to appear intimidating and important. ”I am here on behalf of his majesty. All sixteen-year-old citizens of the Vermilion Forest Kingdom are to sign up for the army or they will be seen as deserters.”
”Deserters are to be executed!” The man snickered as if everything was under his control, but both Xue Wei and Hei Gou looked at him as if they were looking at an idiot. Did this person forget that the monk from before had told him that they were not citizens of the Vermilion Forest Kingdom?
”Uh, mister, I think you are mistaken. We are not from your Vermilion Forest Kingdom,” Xue Wei said while rubbing his nose. ”We came here from the Flowing Blood Prairie,” he continued – and even if someone tried to test his words, he was not lying. They had indeed come from the Flowing Blood Prairie.
The guard's face turned dark, and his body started trembling. ”Going against the rules?! Going against authority?!” he suddenly spat out, almost screeching. It was clear that he was getting increasingly furious, but neither Xue Wei nor Hei Gou was worried.
If they were incarcerated, then the monk would hear about it, which would resolve the situation the moment he caught wind of it.
Even if this guard was outrageous, he would not go so far as to try and execute them in public, would he? That would be an even more significant breach of law and order than what they were accused of doing.
Seeing that the two youngsters were utterly calm and collected, while their leader was furious to the point that his entire body was trembling, the other guards were somewhat confused.
”Excuse me, young master,” one of the other guards spoke up and looked at Xue Wei. ”We were informed that we had to gather together and capture two deserters. Are you telling the truth when you say that you are not from the Vermilion Forest Kingdom?”