Ink Blade Chapter 76 (Part 1)
This is the very last chapter, thanks so much for reading to the end!
Translated by Sylver (ko-fi)
Extra 9.1 If (Part 5.1)
When Chu Yan coughed up blood, it shocked everyone around him, causing them to scream in unison.
“Palace Master!!”
Mo Ren felt as if he had been brutally whipped, his previously limp body suddenly sprang up, his thin chest tightened like a bow that could break at any moment.
He was terrified and wanted to help Chu Yan, wanted to see what was wrong with his master.
But his body, full of wounds, couldn’t bear such a sudden movement, a wave of dizziness accompanied by palpitations attacked him.
He was no longer the invincible guard who always protected his master.
He was a criminal with disabled hands and feet, a servant gasping for breath, who twitched once and then fell unwillingly, his vision swallowed by darkness.
The difference was, this time, he didn’t fall to the ground.
Chu Yan held Mo Ren, who was on the verge of fainting. The palace master’s eyes were scattered, he put his lips to Mo Ren’s ear, his voice trembling. “It’s okay, it’s okay… it can be cured, everything can be cured. Ah Ren, be good, tell this Master when you got hurt, we’ll treat it slowly, okay?”
If…if it’s a new injury, maybe there’s still time to treat it.
“Master.”
Qiu Jin was weak all over, she reached out her hands to pull Chu Yan, choked up and said, “Master, don’t do this, Master, you wake up…”
Lin Yun stopped the maid’s hand, the Medicine Hall Master was also pale at this time. “Miss Qiu Jin, the Palace Master seems to be not very conscious, don’t stimulate him.”
Mo Ren was so dizzy that he couldn’t make a sound, he just lay in Chu Yan’s arms, gasping intermittently.
Chu Yan carefully protected his thin neck, and murmured again. “This Master will ask Lin Yun to prescribe medicine, Ah Ren will not hurt after taking the medicine, will not be uncomfortable… Ah Ren, tell this Master, who hurt you, this Master will avenge Ah Ren.”
Another bout of piercing headache. Chu Yan blinked his godless eyes sluggishly, perhaps because the body in his arms was too cold, he saw Mo Ren turn into a block of ice, the tighter he held, the faster the ice melted.
At first, he was angry and scolded the disobedient guard, then he panicked, stammering and begging him not to go, not to go, not to go.
Mo Ren closed his eyes with a pale face, turned into water and trickled away from his arms and fingers.
Chu Yan desperately tried to gather those droplets of water, but he couldn’t. It was like trying to retrieve spilled water, he couldn’t hold onto Mo Ren’s fading vitality.
No, it’s wrong, all wrong. Chu Yan thought in confusion. It was as if an axe was hacking at his brain, with each chop, bloody memories splashed out. They splashed all over the place, finally dirtying the clear water that had just melted.
He suddenly remembered the first time he had sentenced Mo Ren to the Punishment Hall.
He still remembered that after he gave the order, the young guard suddenly raised his face, a look of disbelief clearly flashed in his eyes, and then he bowed his head to accept the punishment in the next moment.
He suddenly felt a pain in his heart, moved his lips, and wanted to take back his words.
But Bai Hua came up pitifully and poured him half a cup of wine. Then the second cup, the third cup. He drank a lot of wine, got drunk all night, and when he woke up the next day, he was still groggy. When he heard that the punishment was over, it was over.
From beginning to end, he didn’t know how badly Mo Ren was hurt.
Until this moment, he didn’t know how badly Mo Ren had been hurt over the years.
But he never thought about taking Mo Ren’s life, never thought about turning Mo Ren into a cripple, never thought about…destroying him.
Suddenly, a cold wind blew outside the window, making people shiver all over.
“Palace Master, you seem to have forgotten.”
Lin Yun spoke solemnly, choosing his words carefully. “Mo Ren’s hands and feet were severed, it was three years ago when he…when he committed a great sin.”
Chu Yan’s chaotic thoughts were tripped by this sentence, and for a moment, a look of confusion mixed with helplessness appeared in his eyes.
“Three…years ago?” Chu Yan repeated, “Three years ago? When he made a mistake? His… his injury wasn’t in the Side Hall…”
Qiu Jin bit her lip, she seemed to want to hold back something, but in the end, she couldn’t. “Before Elder Brother Mo was punished to the Side Hall, the last time this servant saw him, he was already…having difficulty getting up.”
The always steady maid raised her tearful face, the long-suppressed grief finally leaked out from between her teeth, “Master, it was your order! You forgot…”
Chu Yan’s face was as white as a frozen statue.
His Adam’s apple rolled with difficulty, the Jiuzhong Palace Master stared at his maid like he had seen a ghost. He could only spit out three words, “…Not this Master.”
It was not his order.
Qiu Jin and Lin Yun looked at each other, the latter slowly and sadly shook his head.
Chu Yan finally came back a little, he trembled and laid Mo Ren on the bed, then staggered himself, wanting to walk towards the howling wind outside the hall.
“You’re talking nonsense, this Master never gave such an order.”
“Who is it, who dares to impersonate this Master and give orders…”
Qiu Jin lowered her eyes in disappointment, she held Chu Yan’s arm. “It’s late, Master should rest.”
Chu Yan was helped by Qiu Jin to stagger back a step, his face was ashen as he looked at the calm maid.
He turned his head again, staring straight at Mo Ren leaning against the head of the bed, and said in a pleading tone. “It’s not this Master, Ah Ren, this Master never…”
“…..” Mo Ren struggled to lift his eyelids a bit, his pupils scattered, his gaze settled on Chu Yan’s face.
“Ah Ren, why… why are you… why are you looking at this Master like this.”
Chu Yan looked like he was crying and laughing, his face was pale, his hair was disheveled, but he was retreating step by step. He looked at the maid again, his voice trembling, “Qiu Jin, that wasn’t this Master’s order… no, no, this Master doesn't know.”
Mo Ren, Qiu Jin.
Oh, and there’s Ying Yu who sometimes casts a sorrowful gaze, Ying Lei who leaves in anger, Lin Yun who often claims to be sick and doesn’t come out, and Qiu Jin who is increasingly silent and shrinking… So that’s it, everyone thinks it was him. It wasn’t him, how could he do such a thing, he was so fond of Mo Ren…
Fond?
The palace master’s mental state was completely abnormal, Lin Yun quickly said, “Yes, yes, the Palace Master never gave the order…maybe Miss Qiu Jin remembered it wrong. Palace Master should rest early, it will be better tomorrow.”
“Rest?” Chu Yan’s voice trembled, “This Master said, someone in the Jiuzhong Palace is impersonating this master’s order–”
How did they get along when they were fond of Mo Ren back then? He couldn’t remember, he didn’t know… his head hurt so much, so much.
“Yes, Master should rest first,” the maid calmed down, wiped away the tears from the corner of her eyes, her tone was flat, “Qiu Jin will go and check.”
