Chapter Thirty-One: Saving a Life

Late that night, Jiang Han jolted awake on his bed. He glanced at the empty space beside him and sighed before closing his eyes and going back to sleep.

He awoke early the next morning.

When Zhou Yun saw that he was awake, she apologized remorsefully. “Young Master, something urgent came up last night, and I could not remain at your side. I am truly sorry.”

So there really had been some matter to attend to…

“It is enough that you are all right,” Jiang Han said.

Though the beauty was tempting, Jiang Han had not been in any hurry to take her. There was plenty of time ahead, after all. He was not a man ruled by lust.

“Next time, I must properly seek your guidance on the art of poetry,” Zhou Yun said softly.

“Very well. I shall come visit you again in a few days.”

Jiang Han left the Splendid Beauty House and made his way home.

As he walked, he pondered several matters. Although he had not managed to enjoy the company of the courtesan queen the night before, he had left a deep impression on her. In the future, learning certain pieces of information from her would be much easier.

The poem he had composed the previous night was excellent. It should spread throughout the city soon, which would help build his reputation.

Today, he planned to produce several jars of distilled liquor. On the one hand, his Dark Fragrance Dew had sold out, and he needed high-concentration alcohol. On the other, he intended to send two jars to Zhongli You.

If he wanted to expand the Dark Fragrance Dew business—or open a wine shop—he would need to rely on Zhongli You’s name.

He wondered whether Wu Wenhua had already delivered the liquor.

After some thought, Jiang Han headed toward the Wu family’s wine shop. He was not worried that Wu Wenhua would take the money and flee; he simply intended to hurry him along in person.

Before he reached the Wu family wine shop, he saw a large crowd gathered beside the river. In the middle of them stood a tall, burly figure, wailing loudly.

“The child looks only six or seven years old. How could she have fallen into the river? What a tragedy.”

“The two siblings depended on each other for survival. How could something like this have happened?”

“She is no longer breathing. She cannot be saved.”

The onlookers pointed and whispered among themselves.

Jiang Han frowned and forced his way through the crowd. There he saw Wu Wenhua kneeling before the body of his younger sister, Wu Yun, wailing as he repeatedly slapped his own face.

“What happened?” Jiang Han asked, crouching beside him and looking at Wu Yun’s deathly pale face.

Wu Wenhua raised his head and howled, “My sister—my sister was drowned! I have to avenge her!”

His large eyes were filled with tears. He clenched his fists, his teeth grinding with hatred.

Jiang Han was startled. “What happened?”

“Yesterday, I accepted your order and prepared the liquor. I intended to deliver it to you today, but some people came this morning and warned me not to sell it to you. What kind of world forbids a man from doing business? I argued with them, but they threatened me and said they would make me regret it.

“I paid them no mind and went about my work. Not long afterward, I discovered that my sister was missing. When I found her, she had fallen into the river! My sister never came near the river. Those people must have done this. I will find them and avenge her!”

Wu Wenhua’s eyes were bloodshot, his face filled with grief and rage. He rose and was about to go after the culprits.

“Wait.”

Jiang Han cleared the filth from Wu Yun’s mouth and nose, loosened her clothing, placed his hands over her chest, and began pressing down hard.

“Young… Young Master, what are you doing?” Wu Wenhua stared at the scene in bewilderment.

“Your sister may still be saved,” Jiang Han said.

“What? Young Master, are you serious?”

At that moment, Wu Wenhua was like a man caught in a raging current who had suddenly seen a great log floating past. Naturally, he clung to it with all his strength.

Even though his sister had stopped breathing, he would seize upon the slightest possibility of saving her.

As he continued pressing down, Jiang Han shouted, “Come here! Breathe into her mouth!”

Wu Wenhua froze, unable to react.

“What are you waiting for?” Jiang Han barked.

There was an irresistible authority in his voice. Wu Wenhua found himself unable to resist, and he leaned over to breathe into Wu Yun’s mouth.

The surrounding onlookers were stunned.

“What is he doing?”

“She is dead, and he is doing that to her… This is too much…”

“Young Master, if you do not know how to save her, stop tampering with the body! Desecrating a corpse is a serious offense!”

Jiang Han ignored them and continued performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation on Wu Yun.

“She is already dead. He is abusing her corpse! He will not even let her rest in peace.”

“How could she possibly come back to life? Big fellow, do not let him deceive you!”

“Wait, is he not Jiang Han, the son of Jiang Yuanjun of Dark Fragrance Academy?”

“The same fool who failed at both scholarship and martial arts, went bankrupt in business, and had his engagement broken?”

“Do not let that fool deceive you! He is desecrating your sister’s corpse!”

The words of the crowd, together with his sister’s motionless body, caused the hope in Wu Wenhua’s heart to fade bit by bit.

Thinking of his sister having been drowned, a murderous light appeared in his eyes. If she died, he would certainly hunt down those people and avenge her.

A young woman in blue stood among the crowd, holding a long sword in her arms and watching everything with a cold expression.

She was Sijian, a subordinate of the Fourth Highness, and had been ordered to keep an eye on Jiang Han.

Seeing Jiang Han perform such actions on a corpse, Sijian’s face filled with doubt. According to the information she had gathered, Jiang Han was not truly a fool. How could he not understand that the dead could not be brought back to life?

Was he taking advantage of the situation to molest the little girl?

Just then, Jiang Han pressed down once more.

The girl’s chest rose slightly. With a gurgling sound, she spat out a mouthful of water, then coughed weakly twice. Faint breaths began to stir in her chest.

“Yun’er!”

When Wu Wenhua saw the little girl slowly open her eyes, he was delirious with joy.

“She came back to life?”

“She is really alive?”

“This… she is truly alive!”

The onlookers cried out in astonishment, their faces filled with disbelief.

Someone who had clearly stopped breathing had been brought back to life after only a few presses from this young man?

Could he be a divine physician descended into the mortal world?

Sijian was stunned as well, then frowned.

Wu Wenhua gathered the little girl into his arms, laughing and crying at once. After confirming that his sister had truly survived, he knelt before Jiang Han and repeatedly knocked his head against the ground.

“Young Master, you saved my sister. From this day forward, I will work like an ox or horse for you and repay your kindness!”

Jiang Han helped him to his feet. “Who was it that came to see you this morning?”

Wu Wenhua thought for a moment. “A young gentleman.”

Jiang Han considered the matter, and his expression immediately darkened.

It must have been Gu Ting of the Gu family.

The previous night, Gu Ting had already threatened to take revenge on him. Jiang Han simply had not expected the man to target Wu Wenhua.

Most likely, Gu Ting had discovered that Jiang Han was buying liquor and wanted to cut off his supply. When Wu Wenhua refused to stop selling it, Gu Ting had drowned Wu Yun.

After some thought, Jiang Han pushed his way out of the crowd.

“Young Master, where are you going?” Wu Wenhua hurried after him.

“To settle accounts with the man who did this.”

“I am coming with you!”

Wu Wenhua was furious. If not for this young master, his sister would already be dead. He was determined to beat that man senseless.