Fish Meat – Chapter 118
by Little PandaThe Eleventh Year of Shenchu
The Lamp Behind the Curtain, the Sword in its Case (8)
“Keep your right hand still, and pull the bowstring taut with your left hand. Yes, that’s it…”
Not far ahead, a wild boar was foraging for food, completely unaware that an arrow was aimed at it from fifty paces away.
Zhen Wenjun’s hand covered Wei Tingxu’s right hand, steadying her movements, helping her open her chest, and guiding her left hand to draw the bow together.
“You can use your index finger as a guide for aiming.” To avoid startling the prey, Zhen Wenjun spoke right next to Wei Tingxu’s ear, her hot whisper audible only to the two of them.
“Very good…” Zhen Wenjun was waiting for the moment when the wild boar was most unguarded. Their mount, Xiaoxue, understood the tense and quiet atmosphere, remaining completely still, not affecting the aim at all.
Zhen Wenjun saw the opportunity and was about to let Wei Tingxu shoot, but before she could say anything, Wei Tingxu released the string first. The arrow flew through the air, striking the wild boar’s heart. The startled boar began to run wildly, and Zhen Wenjun held Wei Tingxu tightly as they gave chase.
Zhen Wenjun rode swiftly, and the wild boar could only use its remaining strength to flee. After less than a quarter of an hour, the boar couldn’t run anymore and collapsed on the ground. Zhen Wenjun dismounted, threw a rope lasso to catch its neck, and tied its four legs. The boar was still struggling, kicking dirt all over her.
Wei Tingxu, holding the reins, was quite pleased. She casually wiped the sweat from her temples with the back of her hand and said with a smile, “Let’s leave it here and go find our next target.”
Seeing her high spirits, Zhen Wenjun quickly tied the wild boar to a tree stump, leapt onto her horse, and asked:
“Elder Sister, doesn’t your waist hurt?”
“It doesn’t. We’ve barely been riding for long.”
“Really? Don’t force yourself. If you overdo it and get injured, who knows when we’ll be able to go hunting again. If you pace yourself, we might be able to come out once more before winter truly arrives.”
“No problem, don’t underestimate me. Let’s go.” Wei Tingxu kicked Xiaoxue’s belly once, and the horse slowly trotted forward, searching for the next target.
Wei Tingxu often observed others’ archery movements and learned quickly, as Zhen Wenjun had said. However, being unaccustomed to martial arts, her arms lacked strength. After shooting a few more arrows, her arms were sore and aching, and her hands shook so much when drawing the taut bowstring that she couldn’t aim properly.
“Alright,” Zhen Wenjun pressed down her arm from behind. “Let’s call it a day. You’ll be crying in pain when you wake up tomorrow morning.”
“When have I ever cried in pain?” Wei Tingxu, feeling the evening breeze, was still in high spirits and rarely bantered with Zhen Wenjun.
“It’s getting late, and the wind is picking up. Look at you, all sweaty. You’ll easily catch a cold like this.” Zhen Wenjun felt her forehead and brushed her sweat-dampened hair aside. Wei Tingxu turned her neck, her long eyelashes fluttering, able to see the person clinging tightly behind her from the corner of her eye.
“Hold on tight, and you won’t be cold,” Wei Tingxu said.
Zhen Wenjun, who had been seeking reasonable opportunities for intimacy and had already boldly acted on them several times, became even bolder after receiving Wei Tingxu’s permission. She wrapped one arm around her waist, pulling her into her embrace, feeling her thin, soft, fragrant body as she slowly rode the horse forward.
“I remember, if we follow this path for about a li, we’ll reach the edge of Zhuixia Valley. You can see a beautiful sunset there,” Wei Tingxu said. “When I was little, my eldest brother took me there once. Zhuixia Valley is the best place in all of Runing to watch the sunset.”
“Is that so? Then let’s go now, we can still make it.” Zhen Wenjun acted immediately. As they rode towards Zhuixia Valley, the sky grew darker. They thought they might be too late, but after passing through layers of forests and rocks, going uphill, suddenly the view opened up before them. Without any obstruction, the fiery sunset seemed within reach.
“Is this the place?” Zhen Wenjun was also amazed by the beautiful scenery.
“Yes, this is it,” Wei Tingxu gazed in fascination. “It hasn’t changed a bit.”
Seeing Wei Tingxu like this, Zhen Wenjun felt even more affectionate and held her tighter. Wei Tingxu didn’t feel any discomfort; instead, she leaned back, resting her entire body in her embrace.
They quietly watched the sun sink into the depths of the valley together. In an instant, night fell, and darkness enveloped the wilderness.
Zhen Wenjun’s chin rested on Wei Tingxu’s shoulder as she softly reminded, “Elder Sister, shall we head back?”
Wei Tingxu pondered the word “elder sister” and suddenly asked, “Do you remember how you used to call me in Mengliang?”
How could Zhen Wenjun forget? The emotions she felt when she protected Wei Tingxu in the underground waterway to escape the Chongjin army’s fire oil bomb attack on the city, and the reluctance she felt when leaving to carry out orders, were still fresh in her memory.
Seeing Wei Tingxu turn her face, waiting for her answer, Zhen Wenjun’s face suddenly felt hot. The two words were stuck in her throat, and after a while, she tentatively whispered, “Tingxu?”
“I like it when you call me that.”
Compared to Zhen Wenjun’s nervousness, Wei Tingxu was quite bold in expressing her feelings, causing Zhen Wenjun’s heart to quickly warm up.
“Then from now on, I’ll call you Tingxu…”
Wei Tingxu’s lips curled into a smile, seemingly in agreement. At this moment, Zhen Wenjun’s nose was touching Wei Tingxu’s cheek. If Wei Tingxu turned back a bit more or if Zhen Wenjun leaned in a little, their lips would meet.
Zhen Wenjun felt as if five hundred warriors were ramming her heart with wooden stakes. Just as she hesitated, she noticed Wei Tingxu’s equally hesitant blink. This small discovery was like an invisible hand pushing Zhen Wenjun’s back, leading her to quickly lean forward.
Their lips had barely touched when they heard the sound of approaching hoofbeats and Xiaohua’s searching calls.
Zhen Wenjun, feeling as if she had been caught doing something wrong, shuddered and quickly pulled away.
“My lady!” Xiaohua finally found them, panting as she rode up. Seeing the two of them seemingly admiring the sunset afterglow, she held back her worried words. Reining in her horse and turning in a circle, she said, “My ladies, night has fallen. We should head back.”
Zhen Wenjun felt a bit dejected, but Wei Tingxu found it amusing, as if they had been caught. She smiled at Xiaohua and said, “We know. Let’s go back.”
This autumn hunt yielded two wild boars, three deer, and a bunch of pheasants and rabbits—quite a bountiful harvest.
Upon returning to the Wei Mansion, Wei Tingxu could barely walk, requiring Zhen Wenjun to carry her out of the carriage.
Zhen Wenjun carried her and said helplessly, “See? I told you not to overdo it. Now you know it hurts?”
“But I have Wenjun to give me a massage, so what’s there to fear?” Wei Tingxu, hanging onto her neck, was still quite proud.
Zhen Wenjun carried her to a chair by the bath pool and busied herself preparing the medicinal water. She worked quickly to mix the medicine and pour it into the pool, fearing that Wei Tingxu might grow impatient or cold.
When the pool was filled with medicinal water, she carefully helped Wei Tingxu into it. As the buoyancy of the water supported Wei Tingxu’s aching waist, she tried moving around in the water. With gentle kicks of her legs, although there was some discomfort, she could swim on her own. Wei Tingxu swam with increasing enthusiasm. Zhen Wenjun had prepared the cold compress but didn’t want to disturb her enjoyment. Since the compress wouldn’t get warm quickly anyway, she decided to wait until Wei Tingxu had her fill of swimming.
After a full day of exertion and continued busyness upon returning, Zhen Wenjun was actually a bit tired. Thinking of what happened in Zhuixia Valley, she felt a tinge of regret, an itch in her heart.
The feeling of holding Wei Tingxu’s soft body still lingered in her arms and chest. She had often carried her before, but it was always with a purpose, to transport her from one place to another. Today’s embrace was purely out of a desire for greater intimacy.
Wei Tingxu’s thin and gentle demeanor made Zhen Wenjun want to do even more daring things.
Lying by the pool, reminiscing about the day’s events, Zhen Wenjun felt a sweet contentment in her heart.
As she lay there, she fell asleep. Wei Tingxu, having enjoyed her swim, glided to the shore. Seeing Zhen Wenjun asleep with a smile on her face, she couldn’t resist poking her nose.
Zhen Wenjun woke up from the touch, opening her eyes groggily to see Wei Tingxu with her upper body on the shore and lower body still in the water. Her long hair was completely wet, slicked back, revealing her delicate features.
Zhen Wenjun’s heart stirred, and just as she was about to speak, Wei Tingxu kissed her lips.
The moment their lips touched, Zhen Wenjun’s mind went blank. She only felt that Wei Tingxu’s lips were fragrant and soft, completely captivating her. The area of her lips that Wei Tingxu’s tongue brushed against tingled unbearably, with a numb sensation drilling into her heart.
Wei Tingxu pulled back, and Zhen Wenjun followed. Wei Tingxu retreated again, and Zhen Wenjun followed once more, her upper body leaning far over the pool’s edge. As Wei Tingxu withdrew once more, Zhen Wenjun cried out “Ah!” and fell into the pool.
The bitter medicinal taste flooded her nose and mouth, causing her to cough incessantly.
Wei Tingxu, seeing her disheveled state, swam quickly to the far side of the pool, looking pleased with herself. Zhen Wenjun wiped her face and pretended to be angry, saying:
“Oh, you’re teasing me. Come here!”
Wei Tingxu refused and swam even faster. Zhen Wenjun, with her long limbs, dove forward and caught her in one stroke. Wei Tingxu, quite sensible, immediately surrendered. Mindful of her waist, Zhen Wenjun didn’t dare make any big movements but didn’t let go either, keeping her encircled in her arms.
“Alright, no more fooling around,” Wei Tingxu softened her voice, attempting to unilaterally end the playfulness.
“You tease me and then tell me to stop? It’s not that easy,” Zhen Wenjun was getting into it and wouldn’t let her go.
Their giggles carried beyond the bath pool. Xiaohua had originally come to ask Wei Tingxu if she wanted to eat venison or roast whole pig tonight. But before she could even request an audience, she heard the sounds of laughter and splashing from inside. Blushing, she didn’t dare to interrupt. After hesitating for a moment and realizing they showed no signs of stopping, she decided not to wait any longer and quickly left.
That night, the two slept in each other’s arms and woke up late the next day.
Zhen Wenjun felt refreshed all over, as if she could leap over rooftops and walls. She personally went to the kitchen to fetch Wei Tingxu’s daily medicine and brought it to her room to attend to her. Unexpectedly, she encountered Bu Jie on the way.
“My lady, someone who seemed to be from the Court of Judicial Review delivered a verbal message, saying that Lord Xie wants to see you.”
“Lord Xie? Xie Fuchen?” Zhen Wenjun felt uneasy. She looked around and asked in a low voice, “When the message was delivered, did anyone else hear it besides you?”
Bu Jie shook his head: “Wen Sheng was attentive; there was no one else around at the time.”
“That’s good.” She nodded, neither agreeing to go nor refusing. Holding the medicine in her hands, she frowned at Bu Jie for a while before instructing, “Keep a close eye on this. If that person comes again, under no circumstances should the Wei family see him, do you understand?”
Bu Jie said, “Rest assured, my lady.”
Counting the days, Xie Fuchen’s deadline was approaching. At such a crucial moment, why would Xie Fuchen want to see her? It wasn’t easy to send messages out from imprisonment in the imperial prison, let alone meet someone.
He certainly wouldn’t casually meet with someone unimportant.
What would he say? Zhen Wenjun had a vague idea—perhaps what Xie Fuchen had to say was very important.
In the dark and cold imperial prison, even without Li Yanyi’s instructions, the jailers knew that times had changed. This once-powerful Grand Marshal would soon become a stepping stone for the country to rewrite history along with Emperor Huai. Therefore, Xie Fuchen’s treatment in the imperial prison became the worst ever for a former Three Excellencies official.
Guan Xun had explicitly ordered his subordinates not to arbitrarily mistreat the prisoners, but there were still small officials who wanted to curry favor with the Wei family and the new emperor’s forces by secretly abusing Xie Fuchen. Xie Fuchen didn’t complain much, eating sandy millet and rotten stewed vegetables without changing his expression, and even maintaining his dining etiquette. After a few rounds, those jailers, unable to get any amusement, gave up. When Xie Fuchen said “thank you” to the jailer who brought him food that was not sumptuous but at least normal, it made the jailer blush with embarrassment.
Not every jailer was like this. In the dead of night, a figure cautiously crept to Xie Fuchen’s cell and softly called out, “Lord Xie? Lord Xie? Are you asleep?”
In the darkness, Xie Fuchen’s voice was heard: “Only in times of worry does one truly know how long the night is. It’s a pity there’s no window in this prison; I don’t know what the moon looks like tonight.”
After some rustling sounds in the darkness, there were two soft clicks, and a faint flame slowly came to life, driving away some of the darkness. After adjusting for a while, one could see Xie Fuchen kneeling properly on the stone bed covered with a straw mat. Although haggard, he showed no signs of being in a sorry state. He looked towards the light source and smiled, asking, “Is it the young man from yesterday?”
The person hurriedly said, “It is I!” Then he took out a cloth package from his chest and passed it into the cell: “Lord Xie, my humble wife made some steamed buns. I brought them for you. Please eat them while they’re still warm.”
Xie Fuchen came forward to accept the package, which was still warm, having been kept close to the young jailer’s body all the way. Xie Fuchen thanked him and began to eat the steamed buns slowly and carefully, not letting a single crumb fall from the corners of his mouth.
After hesitating several times, the young jailer said, “Lord Xie, I’ve delivered the message you asked me to pass on, but the young lady didn’t say whether she would come or not…”
Xie Fuchen smiled and shook his head: “It’s alright. I’ve caused trouble for you, young man, but at this moment I have nothing to repay you with.” He then bowed deeply to the young jailer.
The jailer hurriedly waved his hands: “No, no, no, Lord Xie, you’re too kind. Although I haven’t read many books, I’ve heard the words of the sages. Lord Xie is a great Confucian scholar of our time, highly virtuous and respected. If not for your current misfortune, how could a small official like me have the chance to speak with Lord Xie? I only regret that I’m just a lowly jailer and cannot clear your name, forced to watch you suffer these villains’ humiliation in this imperial prison!”
Xie Fuchen smiled bitterly and said, “The thirsty do not drink from a stolen well, nor do the hot rest in the shade of a wicked tree. Even a small jailer like you still has a bit of backbone and refuses to deviate from orthodoxy, yet those standing in the court are all fawning sycophants, and those in power harbor evil intentions. She, Li Yanyi, still has the audacity to call herself heaven-mandated. How can the Li family’s reign not change?”
Seeing his demeanor, the young jailer couldn’t help but shed two hot tears and said, “Lord Xie, I… I’ve heard that in three days they will carry out your execution. I wonder, does Lord Xie have any unfinished business?”
Xie Fuchen sighed deeply, as if talking to himself: “I once promised Ah Qiong that I would accompany her for life. But after twenty years of toil and scheming, I couldn’t even see her one last time. Young man, there’s a grave on top of Liaoxishan Mountain that says ‘Ah Qiong’s Tomb.’ I implore you to bury my remains next to hers, and there’s no need to erect a tombstone. Other than that, I have no unfinished business.”
The young jailer agreed repeatedly, and not being able to stay long, left the candle he had used for lighting with Xie Fuchen, trying to provide him with a bit of light.
The next day, the emperor’s decree arrived at the imperial prison, and Guan Xun, the Minister of Justice, came to read it personally.
The Xie clan, guilty of treason, was to be executed to the ninth degree. In three days, they would be publicly executed by waist-chopping in the East Market.
After hearing the decree, Xie Fuchen calmly asked Guan Xun, “May I request a small window from Minister Guan?”
Guan Xun looked at Xie Fuchen with eyes full of vigilance. He had specifically arranged for a cell without windows to prevent Xie Fuchen from communicating with the outside world. Guan Xun still remembered how Xie Fuchen had used Ah Weng’s life to threaten and entice Jiang Wang. This man’s schemes were profound, and no one knew if he still had any tricks up his sleeve until the very end.
Xie Fuchen seemed to know what Guan Xun was worried about and smiled, saying, “The Minister need not worry. My days are numbered, and there’s just one person I want to see. If there were a window, I could see the sun rise and the moon set, and know the time.”
Guan Xun flatly refused: “No.”
Xie Fuchen hurriedly called out to Guan Xun, who was about to leave: “Minister! If the Minister doesn’t trust me, you can put me in shackles. This way, I absolutely cannot make any moves! I beg the Minister to be lenient and fulfill my last wish.”
Guan Xun’s footsteps paused for a moment before he left without looking back. Only when he was outside the imperial prison did he instruct his subordinates to put Xie Fuchen in shackles and move him to a cell with a window.
The so-called window in the imperial prison was just a palm-sized opening. Fearing that prisoners might communicate with the outside world, this small window was set six feet high. Xie Fuchen, wearing shackles, couldn’t stand straight or lie flat, and could only hunch in the corner.
He waited like this for two days, but Zhen Wenjun never appeared. Xie Fuchen hadn’t slept at all.
There were less than six hours left until the execution.
As the sky gradually brightened, the jailers, who had drunk some wine the night before, were still asleep. Even across the long corridor, one could hear their thunderous snoring. The young jailer once again sneaked to Xie Fuchen’s cell, with someone following behind him. The light was dim, and this person’s face was completely hidden in the darkness, but Xie Fuchen already knew that the person he had been waiting for had finally come.
The young jailer quietly opened the cell door and whispered, “Young lady, Lord Xie, please speak freely. I’ll keep watch outside.”
“Much obliged,” Xie Fuchen said, only able to nod slightly to the young jailer in thanks, as his hands and feet were bound by chains.
The person in the darkness unhurriedly stepped into the cell. The light gradually moved up her body, stopping at her chin.
“You wanted to see me?”
Zhen Wenjun was very wary of Xie Fuchen. Even though this man would face waist-chopping execution in less than six hours, even though he was bound in chains and shackles, Zhen Wenjun always felt that this old fox made her inexplicably nervous. So she didn’t want to place her face in the light, preventing Xie Fuchen from guessing her thoughts from her expression.
Xie Fuchen knelt on the ground. He wanted to raise his head to look at Zhen Wenjun’s face, but the shackles pressed him down, making it impossible to lift his head. The shackles in Da Yu were designed to make criminals bow their heads and repent for their crimes.
Only able to see the hem of Zhen Wenjun’s skirt, Xie Fuchen sighed lightly and said, “Alai, is this… how your mother called you?”
Hearing Xie Fuchen mention her mother, Zhen Wenjun’s eyes flashed: “Lord Xie seems to have forgotten, my mother was already killed by you.”
Xie Fuchen suddenly asked a strange question: “Do you hate me?”
“I used to,” Zhen Wenjun paused before continuing, “But you’re about to die. What’s there to hate about a dead person? Whatever the Xie family gave me, I have already paid back in full. My life is still long; you don’t deserve to be remembered for a lifetime. Rest assured, Lord Xie, I, Zhen Wenjun, will live my life to the fullest, living even better! If there’s any regret, it’s probably the small matter of not being able to send you off personally, Lord Xie. It’s insignificant.”
Xie Fuchen smiled with satisfaction, nodding: “Very well, very good, very good.”
Zhen Wenjun couldn’t quite understand. She didn’t comprehend the significance of Xie Fuchen calling her for this meeting: “Does Lord Xie have any other instructions?”
Xie Fuchen said, “Regarding your mother’s death, I do feel guilty. When I brought her to Runing, I never personally visited her, always busy with other matters. I didn’t know she was so close by, which I regret to this day. You may not believe me when I say this, but your mother’s death was not on my orders; it was an accident. Since she came to Runing, I had her settled in a separate courtyard in the suburbs of Runing city, and never mistreated her. The fire in the courtyard, I only learned about it the next day. Your mother perished in the fire…”
“Enough!” Zhen Wenjun interrupted him: “Whether Lord Xie meant it or not makes no difference to Zhen Wenjun! From the moment your Xie family used my mother to threaten me, forcing me to become a knife planted by Wei Tingxu’s side, I swore to take the lives of your entire Xie clan! How Xie Taihang treated us mother and daughter, how you coerced and enticed me, and how you took my mother’s life, Zhen Wenjun will never forget! What’s the point of Lord Xie confessing to me today? All of this is what you deserve!”
Zhen Wenjun raised her head and laughed coldly: “If Lord Xie truly repents, then tell me, where have you thrown my mother’s remains?”
Xie Fuchen: “They’re on Liaoxishan Mountain, between two cypress trees. You’ll know when you see it.”
Having gotten what she wanted, Zhen Wenjun immediately turned to leave.
Xie Fuchen called out to her: “Alai!”
Zhen Wenjun stopped but didn’t turn back.
Xie Fuchen spoke to her back: “This is the pet name your mother gave you. You shouldn’t abandon it.”
Zhen Wenjun said: “Alai died along with my mother, killed by your Xie family. From now on, there is only Zhen Wenjun in this world, no more Alai. Lord Xie, I wish you a good journey.”
Leaving the imperial prison, Zhen Wenjun immediately headed for Liaoxishan Mountain. On the way, she thought of something extremely suspicious.
That day when she disguised herself and sneaked into the Xie Mansion, Lord Yunmeng recognized her as “Sanlang” and told her to keep her already dead mother’s hand and eyeballs well preserved to further threaten her. But just now, Xie Fuchen said her mother had perished in a fire? If she had died in a fire, how could her hand and eyeballs be preserved? Even if they were preserved, they would most likely be charred beyond recognition. Wouldn’t using them as a threat raise suspicions? Or was it that her mother had only died from smoke inhalation?
The more Zhen Wenjun thought about it, the stranger it seemed. She couldn’t help but whip Xiaoxue, speeding towards Liaoxishan Mountain.
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