The Eighth Year of Shenchu
Peril at the Horse Stables
After that night, Zhen Wenjun felt a considerable amount of dejection and fatigue, staying in her room for three consecutive days, only getting up when Lingbi brought meals. She would sit at the table with a blank stare, responding slowly to anything Lingbi said, taking a long time to reply.
Zhen Wenjun knew she needed to seize the last moments to think of a plan, but at this point, what other choice did she have besides risking her life to assassinate?
Determined and resolute, she prepared herself for the moment when the Golden Cicada Knife would be stained with blood.
Unexpectedly, on the fourth day, it was not Lingbi who brought the meal, but Wei Tingxu herself.
Wei Tingxu pushed the wheel spokes of a four-wheeled cart herself, with Xiaohua following behind. Xiaohua carried a wooden tray in her hands, and the dishes on the tray were a splendid array of colors, indicating that a great deal of effort had been put into them.
“This is something I learned from Xiaohua. It’s my first time cooking, so my hands are a bit unsteady. Sister, come and try it, do you still like it?” When Wei Tingxu spoke, Xiaohua placed the tray on the table and presented the dishes one by one in front of the puzzled Zhen Wenjun.
Who is this, and who is that?
Zhen Wenjun looked at Wei Tingxu, who was chatting and laughing naturally, displaying an attitude of taking things as they come, and suddenly began to wonder if she had gone mad. Who was it that kneaded her that night? Who was it that ruthlessly refused and abandoned her? And now, who was it that nonchalantly delivered these heartfelt dishes?
Are there two Wei Tingxus in this world? One responsible for killing and rejecting, the other responsible for gentleness and winning hearts.
Zhen Wenjun held her chopsticks in a daze. Xiaohua helped Wei Tingxu sit across from her, and Wei Tingxu helped her pick up the dishes:
“Sister, do you have something on your mind? You’ve lost a lot of weight recently. Come, eat more.”
Zhen Wenjun thought to herself, this act of playing dumb is truly astonishing.
“Thank you, Sister.” Zhen Wenjun looked at the three dishes and one soup in front of her, so exquisite that she found it difficult to start. The astragalus-braised lamb was placed closest to her. She understood that both astragalus (a type of herb used in traditional Chinese medicine) and lamb have the effect of replenishing qi (vital energy). Although it had the fragrance of medicine when she tasted it, it was not astringent, and the flavor was fragrant and tender. The diced lamb chops were still with the skin, and the fat in the middle was stewed into the soup, making the soup thick but the meat not greasy, with a surprising taste. The roasted duck had a bright red color all over, with crispy skin and tender meat, carefully sliced with the skin and meat placed neatly on a large plate. A small pile of pepper salt was placed on the edge of the plate, enhancing the flavor when eaten together. There was also a plate of vinegar celery. The fermented celery was made into a soup dish with five flavors, aromatic, sour, and spicy, making it appetizing and relieving grease. After eating the roasted duck, drinking a mouthful of the soup was refreshing.
These dishes almost made Zhen Wenjun swallow her tongue. The last dish, fish soup, she scooped a spoonful and tasted it carefully. It turned out to be fish meat mixed with pork fat, chopped into a paste and stewed in chicken soup, extremely tender. After drinking a mouthful, the fresh taste of the fish was brought out by the chicken soup, and the pork fat moistened the fibrous texture of the fish. As soon as it touched the tip of her tongue, it slid into her stomach.
Zhen Wenjun did not expect that Wei Tingxu could make so many wonderful dishes on her first attempt at cooking. There was a time before when her greatest hobby was hiding in the Xie family’s kitchen, asking the chef what each dish was and how it was made. She, who learned scriptures and martial arts extremely quickly, had no talent for kitchen affairs and greatly envied those who could make a table full of good dishes.
Wei Tingxu saw her eating non-stop, and with a handkerchief, wiped the sauce from the corner of her mouth where she had accidentally smeared it: “These days you must be bored staying here all the time, right? Outside Taojun City, there’s a horse stables that belongs to the Wei family. I just recently took it back. When I was young, I loved horses very much, but unfortunately, I was too small to ride them. Now, I am even more estranged from horses. If Sister is really bored, you can go there for a walk.”
It seems Wei Tingxu still did not intend to keep her by her side, but since this horse stables was part of the Wei family’s property, it was worth investigating. If the terrain was complex, she would make her move at the stables and assassinate Wei Tingxu.
As soon as the thought of assassination arose, the meticulously prepared dishes on the table suddenly lost their flavor. Zhen Wenjun put down her chopsticks and thanked her:
“Thank you, Sister, I’m full.”
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“Did you enjoy the food?”
“Mm… I like it.”
“It’s good that you like it. Next time, I’ll make it for you again.”
Only then did Zhen Wenjun notice a red and swollen burn mark on the back of her hand. Could it be that she got injured while cooking?
She understood how much effort it took to make so many delicate dishes. In the past, even those half-hearted dishes from the kitchen would take half a day to make…
Don’t think too much, absolutely don’t think too much. Zhen Wenjun told herself not to be confused by Wei Tingxu’s ever-changing attitude. Wasn’t this attentive person mean to her a few days ago?
When it comes to assassination, the mind must not waver. Only with firm resolve can there be a possibility of success.
Zhen Wenjun had already thought of many possibilities and the steps before and after the assassination. She had long noticed that Xiaohua was left-handed, so attacking her right side might have an advantage. As long as she could force her to retreat or show a flaw, that would suffice. After killing Wei Tingxu, she would seize a horse and gallop away, fleeing into the mountains and forests outside Taojun City. Although those shadow guards were highly skilled in martial arts and Qinggong, with a treasured horse in hand, even if the shadow guards ran like the wind, they might not be able to catch up.
The racecourse was simply a tailor-made assassination opportunity for her.
About to take action, Zhen Wenjun again did not sleep a wink all night. The next day, Lingbi came to take her to the racecourse, and she did not see Wei Tingxu’s shadow all the way. Arriving at the racecourse, still no sign of her. Needless to say, she had worried for nothing again. All the careful planning was in vain. It seemed Wei Tingxu had long seen through her intentions, always disappearing at the most critical moments. Just when she was about to throw a full-force punch, she found the target gone. Unable to hit anyone, she almost stumbled herself, feeling extremely frustrated.
However, there was a slight benefit. The benefit was that as Zhen Wenjun experienced disappointment after disappointment, she gradually got used to it.
Lingbi had someone bring over a gentle and good-natured horse for Zhen Wenjun to ride. Zhen Wenjun, with dark circles under her eyes and completely lacking in energy, shook her head and said that she caught a cold last night and had diarrhea all night long, so now her legs were weak, and she couldn’t get on the horse at all. Lingbi didn’t know what she was up to this time, so she let her be. She had someone bring some wine and food; after eating and drinking, she considered her mission from the lady completed and prepared to take her back immediately.
The two of them sat in a pavilion by the field. The servants brought up some steaming hot steamed buns. Zhen Wenjun grabbed one and started eating it. Anyway, life was hopeless, and all her thoughts had turned to ashes. The person she wanted to kill had disappeared to who knows where again, and her heart was in extreme torment and exhaustion. Even if she had to die, she wanted to be a full ghost.
Zhen Wenjun ate the steamed buns heartily. Lingbi, sitting beside her, explained that this racecourse had a long history, saying that before Emperor Wen ascended the throne, he had come here to select horses. At that time, the five best horses and ten divine horses within the Da Yu territory were all here, waiting for the emperor to choose from. The racecourse became famous for a while. Emperor Wen even wrote a name for the racecourse with his own hand. The plaque still exists today, and the house where Emperor Wen used to rest is preserved in its original state. Many travelers passing through Taojun City come here just to see the elegance of Emperor Wen’s old residence…
Lingbi was just babbling on because she had nothing else to say. She knew Zhen Wenjun didn’t like to listen to it, and even she herself was too lazy to know such trivial matters. But since the lady had instructed her to serve with all her heart, she couldn’t just sit there staring blankly at Zhen Wenjun. She casually talked nonsense and then exchanged insincere smiles, ready to pack up and leave.
As Zhen Wenjun was eating, she suddenly paused in her chewing. There was something in her mouth that she couldn’t chew, feeling somewhat like burlap.
The first thing she thought of was that someone had hidden a message in the steamed bun to pass to her.
“…So, what does the young lady think?” Lingbi’s voice, long ignored, suddenly fell from the sky back into her ears. What was said before was a blur; only the last question and the expectant gaze were exceptionally clear.
She was waiting for an answer, and Zhen Wenjun had a secret code hidden in her mouth.
Dry leaves fell to the ground, soft clouds floated. The red horse neighed, mosquitoes bit, and insects stung. The groom yawned.
The two of them just stared at each other like this. The smile on Lingbi’s face was about to fade. Was this person poisoned or going mad? Why were her facial features all out of place, with a strange expression, and not saying a word?
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Zhen Wenjun, who did not know what she was asking and could not speak, could not reveal any flaws at this critical moment. Finally, she smiled and nodded gently.
Lingbi stood up with a “swish”: “It’s good that the young lady agrees, then let’s go back now.”
Going back so soon? Well, since Wei Tingxu wasn’t here, and she unexpectedly received some information, this trip had already yielded considerable gains. But with the secret code in her mouth, she couldn’t possibly keep silent the entire way back. Lingbi was sharp and had surely noticed something unusual; she would definitely try to make her speak along the way. She absolutely couldn’t keep the secret code in her mouth the whole time.
Just as Lingbi stood up, Zhen Wenjun made a retching sound, covering her mouth.
The veins on Lingbi’s forehead bulged as she forced a smile through clenched teeth: “Young lady, what is it now?”
Zhen Wenjun clenched her fist and patted her chest to ease her breath. After finally calming down, she smiled at Lingbi: “During this period, I got used to eating delicacies from mountains and seas. I got too excited when I suddenly ate steamed cakes and accidentally choked. Ah… you say I have this poor fate.”
Lingbi: “…Let’s quickly go back, young lady.”
“Alright!”
As they walked to the carriage, Zhen Wenjun rubbed the hemp cloth between her palms. When she raised her hand to protect her head from hitting the crossbeam upon boarding the carriage, she unintentionally glanced up and quickly read a short line of words:
“Kill quickly, or Xiaoshi’s life will be in danger.”
Zhen Wenjun sat down in the carriage, unable to help but curse inwardly. This group of Qingliu painstakingly sent a secret message, and she thought it was valuable information, but it turned out to be a threat. If it were possible to kill quickly, wouldn’t I want to? Clearly, there was no chance to strike! If they had the ability to infiltrate the Wei family’s stables, why wouldn’t they think of how to assassinate themselves?
Zhen Wenjun was so angry she almost floated away, but she still had to maintain a smile in front of Lingbi without revealing any flaws.
As the carriage returned, Zhen Wenjun pondered why Qingliu still had forces hidden in the stables. She recalled that during her conversation with Lord Yunmeng on the lone boat, they did mention that a spy had been killed, but it was another person who transmitted the fragmented information about “Wei Zizhuo.” Two of them had infiltrated Wei Tingxu’s side, one was discovered and tortured to death, and the other one’s whereabouts were unknown. It seemed that this person was hiding in these stables.
Wei Tingxu had difficulty walking and should rarely go to the stables. This person did not have a better chance to approach her. Even if they saw her in person, they might not realize that the disabled girl in front of them was the Wei Zizhuo they were desperately looking for. In the end, Qingliu’s thinking was too simplistic…
Zhen Wenjun continuously disparaged Qingliu in her heart. Suddenly, the sound of killing erupted outside the carriage. Zhen Wenjun and Lingbi exchanged a glance and simultaneously started to get up. Lingbi pushed her back down, drew a soft knife from her waist, and said, “Stay in the carriage and do not come out!” After saying this, she lifted the curtain and rushed out.
After spending so many days with Lingbi, she never knew that Lingbi actually carried a soft knife with her. Truly, she was deeply hidden.
But who were the people outside trying to assassinate them? In the carriage, there were only her and Lingbi. No matter who it was, they were not worth assassinating.
Zhen Wenjun looked outside and saw the coachman and the other three attendants surrounded by fifteen or sixteen masked men in black holding knives. In an instant, two of the attendants were killed. Lingbi shouted sharply and flew over, her soft knife moving unpredictably, quickly forcing the men in black to retreat. At the same time, she pulled out a long tube from her sleeve, pulled hard on the long string at the bottom of the tube, and with a loud “bang,” a burst of red light shot up to the sky, cutting a dazzling streak across the blue sky in broad daylight.
After releasing the signal, Lingbi immediately drew her knife to block the attack of the men in black and engaged in fierce battle with the enemy.
Lingbi’s skills were amazing. Zhen Wenjun saw her moves were incredibly fast and wild. These men in black had no chance of winning one-on-one against her. But after all, she was outnumbered. She received a stab on her back, but Lingbi gritted her teeth without making a sound. She reversed her hand and slashed diagonally, chopping off the knee of the person who injured her. The man let out a miserable scream and fell to the ground, then received another slash on his neck, spraying blood all over Lingbi’s face.
Among the men in black, there was one who was huge in stature but moved with agility, fighting with Lingbi in a dazzling display. Zhen Wenjun saw that the strong man looked very familiar. Lingbi ducked to avoid a strike, her legs bent and crossed, and before she could stand up, she stabbed upwards towards the strong man’s chin from below. The strong man retreated, nearly having his mask lifted. In that brief moment, Zhen Wenjun saw clearly the scar at the corner of the strong man’s mouth and her heart trembled—she recognized this man as the Xie family’s henchman who had once pierced her shoulder with a trident on a lone boat!
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These people were from the Xie family, or rather, assassins from the Qingliu!
They must have mistakenly thought Wei Tingxu was in the carriage and wanted to assassinate her. Truly a bunch of fools who didn’t know what they were doing!
Zhen Wenjun stomped her foot in anger. In her frustration, a sudden idea struck her. Seeing that the coachman and all the attendants had been killed, and a man in black behind Lingbi was secretly looking for an opportunity to launch a sneak attack, just as he was about to take Lingbi’s life, Zhen Wenjun seized the moment and immediately rushed forward to push Lingbi away. The knife slashed her arm fiercely, leaving a long wound.
Lingbi turned her head and saw that Zhen Wenjun had actually risked her life to save her, which was quite unexpected. Just as she was about to tell Zhen Wenjun to run away quickly, she received a heavy blow to the back of her neck, causing her vision to darken and her consciousness to fade, and she collapsed to the ground, powerless.
Zhen Wenjun saw that Lingbi’s consciousness was fading, so she immediately grabbed the scar-mouthed strong man and rolled around with him. The strong man had already seen her face and recognized her, so he did not use harsh force. Zhen Wenjun pulled on his clothes and whispered:
“Wei Zizhuo is not here! You all should retreat quickly! The Wei family has hundreds of scouts and countless shadow guards in Taojun City, and they will arrive immediately! Remember, Wei Zizhuo’s real name is Wei Tingxu, and she is a woman! This person is extremely ruthless and cunning; I cannot accomplish this alone! Listen, inform Xie Taihang and the others of this matter, give me more time, and send some reinforcements to assist me!”
After finishing, she pushed the strong man forcefully outward. The strong man steadied his steps and stopped the other men in black from advancing.
Zhen Wenjun, panting, looked around at them, finally picking up a stone with her injured arm and forcefully hitting it against her other shoulder, breaking her own shoulder bone.
