Bandits from Baotian Peak raided the Meng Mansion under cover of night. The second-in-command, Lü Anguo, personally led the assault and seized the opportunity to kidnap the Meng family's eldest miss in the chaos. A newly arrived guard from the mansion pursued them alone, fighting across a hundred li of wilderness outside the city walls, cutting down countless enemies before successfully rescuing the young miss and bringing her back safe and sound.
When word spread, the entirety of White Jade City was shaken.
Rumors said that the Meng Mansion's new guard possessed unfathomable strength. Facing several hundred horse bandits without a shred of retreat, he wielded a blade in one hand and a sword in the other, slicing off bandit heads like melons and cabbages.
Rumors said he stood three zhang tall, with three heads and six arms, a towering frame that devoured the hearts of every bandit he killed.
Thanks to his valor, he held out long enough for the young city lord of White Jade City to arrive with reinforcements, routing the Baotian Peak horse bandits completely.
Everyone who heard the story was astounded by the guard's extraordinary strength — and equally filled with admiration for his unwavering loyalty.
Baotian Peak was the bandits' stronghold. Everyone could imagine what would have become of a delicate young lady like the Meng family's eldest miss had she truly been taken captive. It was precisely because of this guard's steadfast protection that the young miss had been able to preserve her virtue. When people learned that this guard was one of those the Meng family had recently selected from the fighting arena, many families quietly grew envious, feeling the Meng Mansion had struck gold.
In times like these, a guard this loyal was exceedingly hard to come by.
Inside the Meng Mansion, Yang Kai lay in a deep, unbroken sleep. His battle against the Baotian Peak horse bandits had pushed him to the absolute limit, and he had endured by sheer force of will alone.
Had the city lord's garrison arrived even a quarter-hour later, he might not have held on.
After Yin Zhiyong and the others had treated his wounds, the young city lord Feng Chengsi personally escorted the eldest miss back to the mansion. Yang Kai, who had rendered extraordinary service in the incident, received the most attentive care of all.
He hadn't even woken yet, and the head of the Meng household had already bestowed generous silver rewards upon him, along with a standalone residence and top-grade healing salves. Each day, a maidservant came to dress his wounds and tend to his injuries.
For an outer courtyard guard to receive such treatment — it had simply never happened before.
The Meng Mansion's steward also visited Yang Kai in person, instructing Yin Zhiyong that the moment Yang Kai woke, he was to be notified immediately.
Yin Zhiyong naturally agreed over and over.
Many guards came to visit Yang Kai. Though he hadn't been at the Meng Mansion long and wasn't familiar with most of them, this time he had risked his life to redeem the honor of the entire guard corps. After all, the young miss had been snatched right from under their noses. If Yang Kai hadn't acted decisively and given chase, every one of them would have been punished by the mansion — and quite possibly some would have lost their lives.
Every guard who came to check on Yang Kai fell silent the moment they saw the state of his injuries.
They were far too severe. There was scarcely a single intact spot on his entire body. He was wrapped up like a cocoon, the bandages soaked through with seeping blood.
In truth, no one could fathom how a person with such grievous wounds had survived at all.
The chipped saber and the notched longsword, at the young miss's instruction, had been retrieved by Yin Zhiyong. Those two weapons were drenched in bandit blood — the finest proof of Yang Kai's heroic battle.
The eldest miss sent a personal maidservant named Qianqian every day to check on Yang Kai, then report back to her on his condition.
If it were possible, the eldest miss would have come herself. But she was a woman, and the eldest miss of the Meng Mansion at that. It would hardly be proper for someone of her stature to personally visit a guard's sickbed.
Even now, with Yang Kai having performed meritorious service, the head of the household had never come to see him in person. He'd merely sent his most trusted steward once.
Different stations carried different obligations. Fighting to the death for one's masters was simply what guards were meant to do.
It took a full seven days before Yang Kai finally regained consciousness.
When he opened his eyes, he had never felt so miserable in his life. His entire body throbbed with pain, and his throat burned as though on fire. In all his years of cultivation, he had never sustained such severe injuries.
Even though this was only the Samsara World, everything felt entirely real.
His eyes rolled to the side, catching sight of Yin Zhiyong sitting at a nearby table, holding a young maid's hand in his — apparently reading her palm.
The maid had her head bowed, face flushed red, wanting to pull her hand back but lacking the strength to do so, not daring to cry out either, tears nearly spilling from her eyes.
Yin Zhiyong pretended not to notice, chattering away without pause, telling her fate had been harsh and life would be full of hardships, but that she would eventually meet a noble benefactor, and so on.
Yang Kai simply couldn't watch any longer. He raised his hand and rapped it against the bedside.
At the sound, the maid startled and yanked her hand free. Yin Zhiyong, however, turned his head toward Yang Kai, his face splitting into a wide grin. "Brother Yang, you're finally awake!"
He hurried over to Yang Kai's side, concern in his voice. "How are you feeling? Is anything uncomfortable?"
"Water!" Yang Kai found that the moment he opened his mouth, fire seemed to pour from his throat.
"Oh — water, water, water!" Yin Zhiyong hurriedly called out to the maid, who fetched a water kettle, sat by the bed, and carefully helped Yang Kai drink.
After a full kettle of water, Yang Kai finally felt somewhat better.
Yin Zhiyong wore a broad, cheerful grin. "Brother Yang, you had me worried sick. I was honestly afraid you'd never wake up."
Yang Kai couldn't see a shred of genuine worry on the man's face.