The Eighth Year of Shenchu
Betting Life on an Oath
Lingbi woke up feeling warm all over, and before she could open her eyes, she heard the sound of sparks exploding in the air.
“You’re awake.”
Lingbi turned around and saw Zhen Wenjun leaning three steps away from her. Her face was deathly pale, and her bandaged arm was still seeping blood. The cold-weather cloak she had worn when they left was now draped over Lingbi.
They were in a dilapidated temple, the air filled with the smell of mold. The colossal Buddha statue had cobwebs all over its head. The sound of rain could be heard outside, and a half bowl of water was placed between them.
Lingbi suddenly remembered the assassination attempt, and her expression changed abruptly, pulling at the wound on her back and causing her to break out in a cold sweat from the pain.
“Sister Lingbi, your injury is severe. Don’t move around. I found some water; drink a bit and regain some strength before we make any plans.”
Lingbi asked, “What about those assassins?”
“You sent out a signal, and reinforcements arrived quickly. I took the opportunity to escape with you. This place should be safe for now; let’s wait until we’re both able to move before heading back.”
Lingbi noticed that some herbal medicine had been applied to the wound on her back, temporarily stopping the bleeding.
“I’m fine. Are you hurt as well?”
Zhen Wenjun let her arms hang by her sides and smiled bitterly, “I’m fine, just a bit hurt. My arm can’t move for now.”
Lingbi endured the pain and stepped forward to inspect her arm. As soon as she touched it, she heard Zhen gasp in pain, “Sister, don’t… My shoulder bone should be broken.”
“This arm is also injured. Did it get hurt while shielding me from the knife?”
Zhen Wenjun pursed her lips into a shy smile.
“Why did you act so rashly? I told you not to leave the carriage, why didn’t you listen? If something happened to you, how could I explain it to the lady?” Lingbi reprimanded her angrily. Zhen Wenjun was initially stunned, then curled up, feeling wronged:
“Sister Tingxu wouldn’t care about my life or death. She only gave me a place to stay out of past sentiment. She even suspected me of being a spy from the start and watched me constantly.”
Lingbi was silent for a while and said, “The lady’s status is special, and now she bears even greater responsibilities. She can’t afford any mistakes. That she brought you by her side is already a great trust. You’ve seen yourself how many people go to great lengths to infiltrate her circle and take her life. The lady has survived until today precisely because she is cautious and doesn’t trust easily. Allowing someone close is like placing a knife at her throat. Neither you nor I can truly understand the dangers she faces. Moreover, she once…”
At this point, Lingbi suddenly stopped. Zhen Wenjun pressed further:
“Once what?”
“Nothing,” Lingbi swallowed the rest of her words. “In short, she hates betrayal the most. A gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall; this truth needs no further explanation.”
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Zhen Wenjun was pondering Lingbi’s words when a strange bird call came from outside. It was indeed odd to hear a bird chirping in the heavy rain. As expected, Lingbi raised her fingers, pressed the backs of them against her lips, and blew a few similar bird calls in response. Several shadow guards from the Wei family silently entered the temple through the rain. Leading them was a tall and thin gentleman, who, after glancing at the two of them, walked up to Lingbi and helped her up.
“Where is the lady?” Lingbi asked.
“The lady has not yet returned to Taojun City. She is very safe.”
Lingbi further inquired, “Were any of the assassins caught?”
“Twelve out of fifteen are dead. Two were captured but committed suicide by poison. One escaped.”
“He managed to escape? Do we know who they were?”
This gentleman’s brief report was indeed dramatic. Zhen Wenjun only breathed a sigh of relief at his last words. Fortunately, these shadow guards always follow Wei Tingxu closely. With Wei Tingxu gone, Lingbi was left vulnerable. The stables are on the outskirts of Taojun City, far from the city scouts. Otherwise, even with a surprise attack, no one could harm Lingbi, and she wouldn’t have had the chance to send out a message. Thankfully, she hoped the one who escaped was indeed the leader, Huozui.
The gentleman said, “Judging by their fighting style, they aren’t wandering warriors from Jianghu. It’s unclear which sect they belong to, as they might have deliberately concealed their identities.”
Lingbi sneered, “They must be assassins sent by the Xie family. They thought the lady was in the carriage.”
“But how did they know about the trip to the stables today? Who leaked the information?” The gentleman turned his gaze to Zhen Wenjun, who was silently huddled in a corner. Zhen Wenjun did not look at him but noticed his scrutiny out of the corner of her eye. She couldn’t help but feel wronged: This time, it really wasn’t me! You should thoroughly check who was hired at the stables! The Xie family had infiltrated spies long ago, yet you suspect me!
Lingbi gently shook her head and said in a voice only the gentleman could hear, “I have been watching her all along; she shouldn’t have had any chance to send a message. Besides, she is also seriously injured and nearly lost her life.”
The gentleman said, “We will escort you back.”
Upon returning to the residence, all the shadow guards disappeared, but an old man arrived. This old man was short but moved swiftly. His face, above his snow-white beard, was full of vigorous energy and always smiling, though only a few sparse hairs remained on his head, making him look very elderly, like an immortal. He was carrying a wooden box, followed by a young boy. After glancing at Lingbi, he said:
“You only have some superficial wounds; applying some ointment will have you fine in less than ten days. But this young lady has broken bones and needs some time to recuperate.”
Lingbi said, “Thank you, Mr. Xu.”
“Has your lady returned?”
“The lady never tells me her whereabouts.”
“Good, good. Zhong Ji.”
The boy beside the old man responded loudly, opened the wooden box, and took out some medicine and a few thin wooden boards. Mr. Xu stepped out of the room, and the boy said to Zhen Wenjun, “Please, young lady, remove your upper garments so that I can set your bones.”
Zhen Wenjun saw that the boy was already half-grown and felt embarrassed to undress in front of him. She looked at Lingbi in distress, and Lingbi smiled and said:
“Zhong Ji is also a young lady, Mr. Xu’s apprentice. It is more convenient for her to wear men’s clothing when traveling outside.”
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“Is that so…” She looked at Zhong Ji’s serious, glistening black eyes, and found it difficult to remove her clothes.
“Why is the young lady so restrained? Is your face more important, or is your arm more important? If you don’t treat this injury properly, I’m afraid it will leave a lasting problem, and you won’t be able to lift your arm in the future.”
Zhen Wenjun was unexpectedly reprimanded by a young girl, and her anger surged immediately. She took off her clothes at once.
Zhong Ji carefully fixed her shoulder with wooden boards, her skillful technique contrasting sharply with her youthful face.
During the process of immobilizing her shoulder, Zhen Wenjun also wondered, why does she care so much about appearances? But upon closer reflection, it seemed unrelated to appearances. Even when Ah Xun treated her wounds before, she felt a bit embarrassed.
For whatever reason, this was her weakness. If she could be more open-minded, perhaps Wei Tingxu would already be under her control. If she could be like A Jiao…
After securing the wooden boards, Zhong Ji took the wooden box and left. Lingbi heard some noises, opened the window, listened carefully for a while, then told Zhen Wenjun to stay inside the room and stepped out alone.
Zhen Wenjun, enduring the pain, quietly walked to the door and listened closely. She heard Lingbi chatting with Mr. Xu and Zhong Ji before asking other maidservants to see the guests off. After the two left, she stayed alone in the corridor for the time it takes an incense stick to burn, then she heard the sound of a four-wheeled cart.
Wei Tingxu had arrived.
Zhen Wenjun’s ears almost perked up, pressed tightly against the window lattice. The voices in the corridor were as faint as mosquito buzzes, entirely inaudible. She vowed to find an opportunity to bury a jar in the courtyard, for a jar is an eavesdropping tool. Once buried properly, any whisper in this small courtyard would be captured by her.
After another incense stick’s time of conversation, Zhen Wenjun stood feeling somewhat tired. Since she couldn’t hear clearly, she sat back on the bed.
Lingbi must be reporting today’s events to Wei Tingxu one by one. It was really hard to predict how the unpredictable Wei Tingxu would react. If this self-inflicted injury strategy still couldn’t break through her defenses, what could she do? Lingbi’s attitude towards her had already changed in words and actions. If Wei Tingxu still couldn’t trust her, she could only hope that the informant successfully conveyed the message back. She would continue to stay here, looking for opportunities and waiting for reinforcements.
Lingbi returned alone, pushing the door and saying, “Lady has returned.”
“Oh.” At the mention of Wei Tingxu, she showed a sorrowful and discouraged look, saying no more, outwardly appearing sickly and pitiable, while inwardly pondering. It seemed that Mr. Xu and Zhong Ji had not gained Wei Tingxu’s trust. When they were present, Wei Tingxu didn’t show up. After sending a signal indicating she had returned to the residence, she appeared only after Lingbi saw them off. And now, where had she gone? Could she have just come back and left again? With such back-and-forth, when could she find an opportunity to assassinate?
“The lady said to let the young lady rest in the room for a while. She will personally prepare two dishes and bring them over shortly.”
She was going to bring dishes again? This time’s gesture of goodwill, could it be to thank her for saving Lingbi? But using the same method twice in a row didn’t quite seem like her style.
Zhen Wenjun’s heart pounded. Her intuition told her that this time, something seemed different.
When Wei Tingxu and Xiaohua arrived, Xiaohua was still holding a wooden tray with two large bowls covered inside.
“Little Sister Wenjun, older sister must first apologize to you.”
Wei Tingxu’s dark hair was tied high, and a pair of black eyes fixedly stared at her. Zhen Wenjun had been gazed at by her many times; this face was not unfamiliar. Yet, for some reason, there was something indescribably different about Wei Tingxu today.
Xiaohua placed the large bowls on the table between them. Wei Tingxu opened the glass covers of the bowls, and Zhen Wenjun’s gaze fell upon them, causing her to nearly black out, thinking she had gone blind.
A plate of pitch-black pork and a similarly charred lamb dish lay before her, completely different from the exquisite three dishes and one soup of that day.
“This…” Zhen Wenjun truly did not understand her intention.
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“The dishes from that day were made by Xiaohua. Today, these two dishes were personally cooked by me. Although they look unappetizing, they might taste even worse.”
Zhen Wenjun was slightly stunned, then burst into laughter. Laughing a couple of times tugged at her wounds, causing her to cry from the pain.
Wei Tingxu did not beat around the bush any longer and got straight to the point: “Lingbi entered the Wei mansion at the age of ten and has followed me for another ten years since. I have always regarded her as my right-hand person. Today’s peril was averted thanks to you risking your life to save her. Such great kindness, I, Wei Tingxu, will never forget.”
“This… Sister, why are you suddenly saying this? Sister Lingbi has been taking care of me diligently these days. I have long considered her as family; how could I bear to see her get hurt?”
Wei Tingxu continued, “Years ago, when I was in danger in the Suidong Mountains, it was thanks to you and your father that I was saved. At that time, I told you I was ambushed by mountain bandits, but that was not the truth. In fact, I was being assassinated by my father’s political enemies. They wanted to capture me to use as leverage against my father. My whereabouts were leaked by a spy within the Wei mansion. Since then, I have found it increasingly difficult to trust others. I searched for you for many years and never expected to meet you suddenly. I couldn’t help but ponder the circumstances of our meeting, and thus distanced myself from you out of caution. I didn’t expect that despite your young age, you would be so magnanimous, disregarding past grievances and risking your life to save Lingbi. This makes me feel deeply ashamed. Although these two dishes look unsightly, they are my first attempt at cooking and are meant as an apology to you.”
Zhen Wenjun hurriedly responded, “Sister, you overstate it. Although I saved you back then, given your status, even if you had casually given me some silver, I would have been eternally grateful. Instead, you brought me into the mansion and had Lingbi take care of me attentively. I truly am…” Zhen Wenjun, getting emotional, tugged at her wound, took a deep breath, and continued, “Lingbi was right. You bear heavy responsibilities and face hidden dangers everywhere. It is only natural you would be wary of me. If I were in your shoes, encountering an old acquaintance near assassins, I too would be suspicious. I have never once resented you, Sister. On the contrary, seeing you busy day and night, I wish to help you, but I know my own clumsiness and fear I would only hinder your important matters. Fortunately, those foolish assassins encountered me and Lingbi today. If you had been in the carriage, wouldn’t it have been dangerous?”
“To me, you are a lifesaver. I have said before that even if you wanted my life, I would give it willingly.”
Upon hearing this, Zhen Wenjun painfully shifted her position and knelt before Wei Tingxu, “I lost my mother when I was young, and my father was the only one who truly cared for me. After his death, my foster parents provided for me but never treated me as their own. Now, Sister, you have opened your heart to me and taken me in, which is my greatest fortune. I, Zhen Wenjun, vow here and now that I will never betray the kindness you have shown me. If I do, may I die by a thousand arrows!”
