Fish Meat – Chapter 57

The Ninth Year of Shenchu

Attending a Banquet in Nanya (Part 4)

What a madwoman.

Zhen Wenjun’s buttocks were being whipped, causing both pain and itching. Wei Tingxu applied the force just right; the thin stick bent upon hitting the flesh and would swing to the back of her buttocks from the side, leaving arc-shaped marks similar to whip lashes. The strokes did not break the skin, but raised long, narrow welts. The technique was quite cunning, seemingly hitting certain acupoints and meridians, making Zhen Wenjun’s legs weak and causing her to slide down gradually. If her hands were not tied to the punishment rack, she would probably be kneeling on the ground by now.

She had clearly helped collect fifty thousand carts of grain but ended up in such a state, being beaten while having to say “Sister hits well.” At this moment, Zhen Wenjun despised herself, completely showing the demeanor of a lowly slave under Wei Tingxu. However, thinking about it, the news about the Grand Princess at Nanya was indeed spread by her, so being hung up and beaten like this was karma. Speaking of which, her mother had spanked her when she was very young; now at fifteen years old, being treated like this was extremely humiliating.

Wei Tingxu, tired from the beating, pulled out a long knife from behind and cut the rope binding Zhen Wenjun. Zhen Wenjun hurriedly covered her disheveled clothes, re-tied her belt, and shook her numb legs, gradually regaining some strength.

“Does it hurt?” Wei Tingxu tilted her head slightly, looking up at her with bright eyes. The culprit even showed a hint of concern. Zhen Wenjun originally wanted to bravely say, “No, it doesn’t hurt at all, Sister’s hitting doesn’t hurt,” but after thinking about it, she changed her words:

“Even if it hurts, it’s the bitter fruit Wenjun sowed herself. Overdue without return, it’s troublesome for Sister to exert her strength to discipline me. Sister’s hand must hurt too, let me massage it for you.” Zhen Wenjun took her hand, kneading the wrist up and down. “Did I use too much force? If I hurt you, Sister, please tell me.”

Wei Tingxu thoroughly enjoyed the massage. After Zhen Wenjun finished, Wei Tingxu opened her arms, indicating she wanted a hug.

Zhen Wenjun hesitated for a moment before reacting. Despite the pain in her buttocks, she stepped forward and scooped Wei Tingxu into her arms, looking around for a four-wheeled cart.

“The four-wheeled cart is outside the cellar,” Wei Tingxu reminded her, tightening her arms around Zhen Wenjun’s neck and hinting that she should carry her directly out of the cellar.

Zhen Wenjun had no right to refuse, so she could only hold the person who had just whipped her securely in her arms and walked toward the surface.

Xiaohua stood guard at the entrance. Seeing Zhen Wenjun return in the same state, she showed no emotion. Instead, Lingbi, who was beside her, saw Zhen Wenjun coming out while carrying Wei Tingxu and knew everything was fine, letting out a huge sigh of relief.

“Sister,” Wei Tingxu called softly. Xiaohua pushed the four-wheeled cart over, and Zhen Wenjun placed her safely inside. Wei Tingxu continued, “I think someone as smart as you has already noticed that the person who wrote the White Horse poem is very cautious. They used their non-dominant left hand to write, so their handwriting cannot be identified and compared to confirm their identity.”

Zhen Wenjun nodded. This was why she had kept her mouth shut. She knew that even if Wei Tingxu intercepted the message, she couldn’t definitively say who wrote it. Zhen Wenjun understood that comparing handwriting was a crucial method to uncover a spy’s identity. She rarely wrote in front of Wei Tingxu and her subordinates, and even when she did, she scribbled carelessly, never leaving distinct strokes. The day she sent the message to Yan Ye, she hid the true content and used her left hand to write, trying to make it look decent. However, Wei Tingxu still noticed something was off.

“But this person’s target is indeed the Grand Princess. Before achieving their goal, they won’t leave Nanya, and they certainly won’t leave my side,” Wei Tingxu said calmly. Zhen Wenjun had to listen carefully to catch the key points in Wei Tingxu’s words.

“Are you saying the person sending the messages is among us?” When Zhen Wenjun spoke, she didn’t look at Lingbi or Xiaohua but directed her gaze towards the shadow guards around them. The shadow guards, feeling her gaze, revealed a faint hint of malice in their eyes. Zhen Wenjun showed no fear, confidently meeting their stares.

“Possible.” Wei Tingxu looked up at the pure, unblemished blue sky, the blue reflected in her eyes. “Everyone is a possibility.”

With this statement, Wei Tingxu undoubtedly categorized Xiaohua and Lingbi, who had followed her for years, as potential spies. Zhen Wenjun was puzzled. Wouldn’t such words chill people’s hearts? Especially the loyal ones who are more likely to become disheartened. But strangely enough, Zhen Wenjun noticed that even after Wei Tingxu said such things, neither Lingbi nor Xiaohua showed any signs of displeasure or disheartenment. Their brows were slightly raised, making their entire faces look oddly emotional. Zhen Wenjun tried to decipher their expressions and finally came to a perplexing conclusion—pity.

When Wei Tingxu said, “Any of you could be spies,” Lingbi and Xiaohua forgave her instantly, and even pitied her.

Thinking of the burn scars and bite marks on Wei Tingxu’s back, and Lingbi’s hesitant mentions of how much Wei Tingxu hated betrayal, Zhen Wenjun became even more curious about her past.

Wei Tingxu couldn’t have been born so suspicious and ruthless. What kind of upbringing made her the person she is today?

Wei Tingxu told Zhen Wenjun to go rest for a while and come find her at dinner time, then left with Xiaohua and the others.

Zhen Wenjun and Lingbi returned to the small courtyard. Lost in thoughts about Wei Tingxu, Zhen Wenjun forgot about her injured buttocks and suddenly sat down on a wooden bench, almost jumping up in pain. She whimpered, wanting to touch but not daring to touch her own buttocks, her grimacing expression making Lingbi laugh out loud.

“Didn’t expect the lady to spank you,” Lingbi almost had “schadenfreude”¹ written all over her face. “It’s a pity I wasn’t there at the time, otherwise I would have…”

Zhen Wenjun: “Rescued me?”

“Clapped and cheered.”

“Sister Lingbi, have you forgotten all the good I’ve done for you? Who bought you the plantains and frog legs? Have you forgotten?”

“I only remember who tricked me out of my silver and stole my chicken soup.”

Zhen Wenjun’s head and buttocks both ached. She truly had no energy to argue with her and stood on the wooden bench, asking, “Do we still have any herbs for treating external wounds?”

“Aren’t all the medicines with you?”

Recently, due to the hectic schedule, Zhen Wenjun hadn’t seen any herbs for a while. She searched the house for a long time but couldn’t find any, probably because they had run out. Without medicine, healing would be too slow, seriously affecting her actions. Zhen Wenjun decided to endure the pain and go out to buy some medicine.

“Call me ‘Good Sister’ and I’ll help you buy it,” Lingbi teased, reclining on the wooden bench, sipping cool tea and enjoying the breeze, as she watched Zhen Wenjun hobble around.

“Old witch!” Zhen Wenjun turned around and hurled the three words she had intended to use on Wei Tingxu but never had the chance, straight at Lingbi. Lingbi immediately threw her teacup at her.

Despite her injured buttocks, Zhen Wenjun moved swiftly and dodged Lingbi’s attack. The tea cup, filled with rage, did not go to waste and hit Zhong Ji squarely on the forehead just as she was entering the door.

Struck head-on, Zhong Ji staggered back three or four steps and fell to the ground with a thud. Her head tilted and blood poured out, startling both Zhen Wenjun and Lingbi. They quickly lifted her up, wiped away the blood, pressed a hemp cloth against the wound, and pinched her philtrum² to restore her consciousness.

“Why are you here?” Both Zhen Wenjun and Lingbi hadn’t seen Zhong Ji for a long time and were shocked by this fierce reunion.

Zhong Ji finally recovered and, after verbally reprimanding the two of them, said, “I was going to ask Lady Wei for money to buy medicine. She gave me some silver before, but it was used up quickly. These past few days, I’ve been trying to find her to ask for more, but Lady Wei has been too busy, and I couldn’t see her. So, I had no choice but to come to you.”

“You need to buy medicine? I need to go too. Let’s go together.” Zhen Wenjun had always been interested in Zhong Ji’s medical skills but never had the opportunity to observe closely. By knowing which medicines she bought, Zhen Wenjun could infer her approach to treatment.

Zhong Ji was still a bit dizzy from the blow. Lingbi offered her a bowl of cool tea to rest and recover. After the time it takes to burn two sticks of incense, Zhong Ji was fine, and the three of them set out for Wangjing Street.

Wangjing Street was bustling at any time. Zhen Wenjun remembered a street in the Silver Market lined with herbal shops. They found the largest one to buy medicine. Without blinking, Zhong Ji rattled off more than ten different herbs. The shopkeeper busily started gathering the herbs. Zhen Wenjun noticed the prescription was quite complex, and mixing a few of the herbs could be toxic, so she asked Zhong Ji about it.

Zhong Ji replied, “You are right. Some of the herbs in this prescription are indeed mutually antagonistic and toxic. The poison of the Ghost Dove is not something ordinary medicines can cure. I have no choice but to take a risky, unconventional approach.”

“Has Xiaohua’s poison been alleviated?”

“No,” Zhong Ji said dejectedly. “You’ve seen her, right? Her poison has worsened. The ten-year poison onset period is approaching, and the toxins are beginning to stir restlessly. I’ve already administered strong medicines, but they have been unable to control it, and it seems to be getting worse. If I can’t find a breakthrough soon, I’m afraid Lady Xiaohua’s life will be lost here.”

Zhen Wenjun hadn’t expected such a dire outcome and could only encourage her, “For the sake of your own life, you should go all out.”

Zhong Ji, despite her young age, already had a shallow crease between her brows. She smiled bitterly, “My life isn’t worth much, but if I die, I’m afraid no one else in the world will be able to save Xiaohua, nor will anyone be able to cure the Ghost Dove’s poison.”

Zhong Ji exhibited a maturity beyond her years. Seeing her as just a child, Zhen Wenjun was amazed at how deep her thoughts were.

Since she was young, her mother had always praised her, intentionally or unintentionally, for being smarter than other children. Only when she went to a larger place and met more people did Zhen Wenjun realize that there were many child prodigies, and there were always people better than oneself.

Just after taking the medicine and stepping out of the herbal shop, Zhen Wenjun was nearly spun around and almost fell to the ground when a person rushed past her. Luckily, she grabbed Lingbi’s neck to stay upright; otherwise, the fall might have taken half her life from the pain.

“What happened? Why are you all running?” Lingbi caught one of the panicked people and asked. A chaotic crowd was rushing in from the direction of the horse market, turning the Silver Market into a mess.

“A giant elephant in the horse market went berserk for some reason and has already injured several people! When the elephant got angry, all the horses went mad too, and nothing could stop them—they all ran out!” The person’s face turned deathly pale as he looked back toward the horse market in terror. “Look! It’s coming! Run!”

Pushing Lingbi aside, the person scrambled away. In the distance, a cloud of dust rose, and the ground trembled under the pounding hooves. The shouts and crashing sounds blended into chaos. Zhen Wenjun only had time to shout “Run!” before Zhong Ji was knocked to the ground by the panicked crowd. As she tried to stand, a dark shadow loomed in front of her—a powerful black horse reared up, its front hooves poised to stomp down on her.

Lingbi was pushed aside by the crowd. Zhen Wenjun wanted to protect Zhong Ji, but the intense pain in her buttocks caused her to fall to the ground. Zhong Ji, in her shock, couldn’t stand up.

At the critical moment, a figure dashed out, scooping up the slender Zhong Ji with one arm. Just as the horse’s hooves were about to strike the person’s back, they grabbed the horse’s bridle³ with a reverse grip, and with a furious shout, they forcefully pinned the frenzied horse to the ground.

The horse’s four legs kicked wildly but couldn’t get up. Taking advantage of the situation, the person, holding Zhong Ji, darted into a nearby fabric shop, averting the crisis.

Zhong Ji, still shaken, trembled as she thanked the person.

“No need to thank me. Are you alright?”

Zhong Ji shook her head.

When Zhen Wenjun and Lingbi arrived, they saw that the person who had subdued the horse with one hand was actually a woman. She stood tall and graceful like a jade tree, her eyebrows furrowed slightly. She wore a blue long robe with a brocade pouch at her waist and carried a green sword on her back, looking both like a wandering swordsman and a martial general. Her hair was not styled in the complex, ornate fashion typical of women but was simply and securely tied into a bun, covered with a net. This woman was extraordinarily beautiful but not delicate; her skin had a healthy tan from long exposure to the sun. Her features were exquisite, her expression calm, and her appearance was as striking as a figure in a painting.

Zhen Wenjun found her somewhat familiar but was certain she had never met this person before.

The woman glanced at Zhen Wenjun and Lingbi and softly said to Zhong Ji, “Don’t be afraid, your mother and sister are here.”

Mother?! Zhen Wenjun and Lingbi were stunned.

Zhen Wenjun looked at Lingbi, who had become darker and thinner from recent exposure to the sun and had aged a few years, and immediately passed the “mother” title to her: “Mother, shouldn’t you check if your daughter is alright?”

Lingbi, expressionless, replied, “How pitiful, so young and already blind.”

1. Schadenfreude: A German term meaning pleasure derived by someone from another person’s misfortune.
2. Philtrum: The vertical groove between the nose and the upper lip.
3. Bridle: The part of the horse’s harness that includes the reins, bit, and headstall, used to control the horse.