According to Yuan Gu, the two of them were childhood sweethearts who grew up together in the Ten Thousand Serpents Valley. Later, when Deng Youning returned to Dongji, Yuan Gu followed her every step of the way, accompanying her through many ventures. Yet, whenever Deng Youning asked for specific details about those experiences, Yuan Gu could never provide a coherent answer. It was as if he had only heard these stories from others himself.
Deng Youning was naturally suspicious. She wanted to wait until she could see her cousin, Han Xian, and her handmaiden, Yingshi, whom she had brought with her from Dongji, before making any judgments. Perhaps they would know the truth. However, the heavily wounded Han Xian remained unconscious. Yuan Gu claimed that his injuries were inflicted by bandits, but Deng Youning felt something was wrong. What about the Han Family Army that always accompanied Han Xian? Were they all dead? If so, the bandits here must be remarkably powerful.
Yingshi, though also severely injured, had regained consciousness. Like Deng Youning when she first woke up, her eyes were hollow and her expression dazed. She was currently wandering about, trying to recall her memories. When she saw Deng Youning, her eyes suddenly lit up, as if she had finally found the only familiar thing in a strange place.
Chapter 309