88: Embroiderer seeks help

The newcomer was a small Medicine Boy from the Spirit Herb Hall. Panting, he said:

"Madam, Madam Embroiderer from the Brocade Pavilion requests an audience."

Jiang Yumei took a deep breath, trying her best to calm the panic in her heart. Her voice returned to its usual gentle and peaceful tone as she instructed the Medicine Boy:

"Please ask Madam Embroiderer to wait in the front hall. I will be there shortly."

After the Medicine Boy left in a hurry, she turned around, her eyes full of affection and reluctance, and whispered to Situ Jun:

"Hide here first. I will be right back."

Situ Jun nodded, his gaze following her departing back until that flash of moon-white disappeared behind the door. Only then did he slowly restrain his aura and hide his figure.

In the front hall, Madam Embroiderer of the Brocade Pavilion was sitting on a carved mahogany chair, playing with an exquisitely embroidered handkerchief, her movements appearing slightly irritable.

Her brows were tightly knit and her expression was anxious; it was clear that her heart was troubled by annoying matters.

Seeing Jiang Yumei enter, she hurriedly stood up, a forced smile barely squeezing onto her face:

"Sister Jiang, it has been a long time. Your grace is even greater than before."

Jiang Yumei managed a small smile and curtsied in return:

"You are too kind, Embroiderer. I wonder what brings you here today?"

Hearing this, the smile on the Embroiderer's face immediately froze and slowly vanished, replaced by a face full of sorrow.

She sighed and said helplessly:

"I am being pestered by someone and have truly run out of options. Thinking that as an Alchemist, you have a wide network and are well-informed, I came specifically to beg you, sister, to help me out of this predicament."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yumei's beautiful eyes were filled with surprise as she asked in confusion:

"Embroiderer, you know quite a few capable people. Can even they not help you? Just who could push you to this point?"

The Embroiderer gave a bitter smile, her eyes full of bitterness and helplessness:

"The other party is named Zhuang Xian. He is a Young Master who claims to be from the Xihua Sect. He is accompanied by a powerful Cultivator and claims not even to care about the City Lord. Moreover, they are staying in the City Lord's Manor and have specifically demanded that I become his maidservant, otherwise..."

Her voice trembled slightly, and her expression was somewhat unnatural.

Although Jiang Yumei was not clear on what kind of power the Xihua Sect was, when a Sect was involved, none were simple characters.

She sighed inwardly; no wonder the Embroiderer had been pushed to such a desperate situation.

She gave a bitter smile and said:

"Embroiderer has truly given me a difficult problem. If it were just this small patch of land in Northern Border City, I could help a bit, but if the other party doesn't even care about the City Lord, I am also powerless."

Hearing Jiang Yumei say this, a look of sorrow appeared on the Embroiderer's face, and she said with a bitter smile:

"Thank you, sister. It seems I can only wait for death. Sigh!"

Jiang Yumei had known the Embroiderer for many years. Seeing her so desperate, she also felt very upset in her heart.

The expression on her face changed repeatedly, not knowing how best to comfort her.

After hesitating for a long while, she slowly said:

"How about you go outside to hide for a while, Embroiderer? Wait until the other party has left or forgotten about this matter, then secretly return to Northern Border City?"

The Embroiderer was startled. She bit her silver teeth and thought for a moment, saying:

"Does sister have any suggestions for a good place to go?"

Jiang Yumei thought for a moment and said:

"If you are willing to give up your property in Northern Border City and take advantage of the other party's lapse in attention to leave secretly, you can start over anywhere. If the other party does not give up and is determined to find you, then nowhere is safe unless you are isolated from the world and do not interact with outsiders."

Hearing this, although Madam Embroiderer was somewhat disappointed, it was at least a good suggestion, and her heart became much more active.

She hurriedly said:

"Thank you, sister. If not for your guidance, I would still be troubled by anxiety and not know what to do."

The two chatted for a while longer before the Embroiderer finally composed her emotions and stood up to take her leave.

Jiang Yumei saw her to the door. Watching her departing back, her heart was filled with mixed emotions.

Once the Embroiderer's figure disappeared into the night, Jiang Yumei walked quickly back to the Alchemy Room.

Situ Jun stepped out from the shadows. Seeing her tightly knit brows, he asked distressedly:

"Did that Embroiderer have something that made things difficult for you?"

Jiang Yumei shook her head, then nodded again:

"I have known the Embroiderer for many years. Now that she is in trouble and I cannot help, I really don't feel good about it."

Situ Jun gently took her into his arms:

"Tell me about it. Perhaps I can help?"

Jiang Yumei leaned in his arms, her beautiful brows slightly furrowed. She explained the whole story in detail again and said worriedly:

"This Northern Border City has always been peaceful. Now, a Young Master from the Xihua Sect has suddenly appeared and is acting so recklessly. I really don't know what kind of trouble will be stirred up."

After listening to Jiang Yumei's account, a hint of surprise appeared in Situ Jun's eyes.

Wasn't the person making things difficult for the Embroiderer the same Zhuang Xian that the manor had been reporting to him about these past few days? He truly was everywhere. These past few days, Situ Jun had been thinking about how to get this second-generation ancestor to leave the City Lord's Manor.

After thinking for a moment, he asked:

"Where is the Brocade Pavilion that the Embroiderer runs? Tomorrow I will go and buy out the shop so she suffers fewer losses."

Hearing this, Jiang Yumei was deeply moved. The gaze she directed at Situ Jun was so tender it almost seemed like it could turn into water.

Her jade-like hands tightened around Situ Jun's waist as she slowly said:

"It is on the eastern street. From my place, it takes about half an hour by Carriage..."

Through Jiang Yumei's account, Situ Jun not only learned the location of the Brocade Pavilion but also many trivial details of the interactions between Jiang Yumei and the Embroiderer.

The night grew deeper. The Waiter in the Spirit Herb Hall had long since closed the doors, and the entire Alchemy inner courtyard was silent. The moonlight was like water, spilling through the window lattices and adding a touch of hazy beauty to this quiet space.

Situ Jun held Jiang Yumei, his heart feeling as if it were on fire.

His hurried and burning breath fell on Jiang Yumei's face. As their eyes met, their lingering affection could not be hidden.

"Is it alright, Yumei?"

Situ Jun asked, his voice carrying a hint of a tremble. In his eyes, there was both longing and a cautious testing.

Jiang Yumei gave a shy smile and pinched him:

"I just hid you away so no one would know. You tell me if it's alright! You dummy!"

Her voice was coquettish and her cheeks were flushed crimson, as beautiful and moving as a peach blossom in full bloom.

Having received confirmation, Situ Jun was exceptionally joyful. He picked up Jiang Yumei and sat on a meditation cushion.

He reached out to gently stroke her hair. Their two fiery hearts were like ignited torches. The room was filled with the atmosphere of summer; the fragrance of Spiritual Plants intertwined with the breath of the two, making one intoxicated.

Until Jiang Yumei almost lost herself, she lightly bit Situ Jun's lip and said:

"My legs are numb and I can't walk. Carry me back to the room; I'll show you the way."

After speaking, she buried her face in Situ Jun's chest with a shy look. Her movements were gentle and her voice was soft, full of dependence.

Situ Jun's heart beat like a drum. His arms steadily supported Jiang Yumei's knees and back, and he stood up amidst her soft cry of surprise.

The medicinal fragrance lingering on her body mixed with the faint, sweet scent of a young woman, making his heartbeat even more erratic.

Moonlight spilled into the Alchemy Room through the window lattices, flowing like a silver river on the blue brick floor. He held the person in his arms and carefully avoided the medicine cabinets, though his steps trembled slightly due to his eagerness.