Fish Meat – Chapter 63

The Ninth Year of Shenchu

Attending a Banquet in Nanya (Part 10)

Ah Xun’s eyes reveal obvious hatred. Just like those numerous summer nights spent in the Suichuan Xie family’s backyard, when she spoke to her about the brave generals who killed the Hu thieves, her expression mirrored the hatred she felt every time she talked about the Hu thieves’ cruel killing of the Da Yu compatriots.

Ah Xun hates evil like an enemy. Once, her hatred was directed at the four great Hu tribes; now, it’s directed at her, Zhen Wenjun.

Zhen Wenjun is able to ignore anyone’s contempt. She follows behind Wei Tingxu, listening to many foul words, but she doesn’t care, because she knows she is there to save her Ah Mu. She is not a coward trying to gain favor. However, today, in order to preserve her own life, the moment she killed Xie Suishan in front of Ah Xun, she knew there was no turning back.

She lowers her head; Ah Xun’s burning gaze pierces her heart, making her feel incredibly uncomfortable as she slowly walks out of the dungeon with the dagger in hand.

The two jailers look at her in surprise as she leaves, and a quarter of an hour later, she returns, the dagger stained with blood.

“Where did you go?” the jailers asked, holding their instruments of torture without putting them down.

Zhen Wenjun did not answer him and walked over with a face like a blue stone.

The jailers exchanged glances, alertly facing her.

Ah Xun didn’t know what she wanted to do; she was almost holding her breath.

“There are many things I don’t want to say, but it’s not that I can’t. Even if I did say them, would you believe me?” Zhen Wenjun spoke to herself. It was only then that Ah Xun noticed the deep wound on her abdomen, bleeding down. Blood was soaking into her pants and staining her boots red.

“Forget it, whether you believe me or not is not important.”

Ah Mu’s severed finger and the intense pain from her pierced shoulder make the deep winter of the sixth year of Shenchu feel like it will never stop snowing.

For three long years, the shame and pain that made her wish for death have not disappeared for a single moment from her heart. Countless deep nights, she recalls Ah Mu’s teachings; every time she becomes lazy about remembering martial arts moves, she ponders them one by one in her mind. In many unclear areas, she indirectly consults Lingbi. To hide her identity, she has always refrained from showing her true strength in front of others.

Today is the moment of her self-examination.

Moving like lightning and flowing like water, she can take advantage of the guards outside the dungeon, who are caught unprepared, let alone two brave but foolish jailers.

Only after being hit back by the iron ball did these two people fall victim to Zhen Wenjun’s precisely accurate knife techniques, which stabbed into their hearts.

When the jailers fell to the ground, Zhen Wenjun, suffering from excessive blood loss, felt her vision blur and nearly collapsed as well. She leaned against the wall, shakily standing up again, and touched her abdomen, finding her palm covered in blood.

The dungeon was filled with the smell of rust from the instruments of torture and corpses, overwhelming Zhen Wenjun’s sense of smell. Her entire body was drenched in sweat, and she couldn’t help but take slow, deep breaths to ease the pain.

“Alai.” Ah Xun called out to her with a kind, familiar, and affectionate voice. Zhen Wenjun felt as if her inner softness and sense of belonging were awakened by her call, and she couldn’t help but feel her nose sour with emotion.

“Alai,” a name she herself did not like, now brought tears to her eyes.

She stepped forward to cut the rope, releasing Ah Xun.

“I don’t know how much you’ve heard… but now I cannot tell you the truth.” Zhen Wenjun sat on the ground and handed the dagger to her. “I hope that someday… we can have a chance to see each other again. At that time… I will certainly confess to you. Outside, I have already arranged footprints; you just need to follow them to leave… you should go.”

Ah Xun held the dagger, hesitating for a moment before saying, “No matter the reason, I will not forgive you for abetting evil. You killed Xie Suishan and harmed righteous men; you deserve to die. But today, you saved my life, so I will not kill you. I hope the day you speak of comes soon. At that time…” Ah Xun looked at her, her eyes filled with a surging intent to kill, “I will certainly take your life myself.”

Zhen Wenjun gave a bitter smile and did not respond.

After Ah Xun left, she fell to the ground, not knowing whose blood matted her hair. Tears slid down her cheeks as she closed her eyes…

Upon waking, the first thing she saw was Wei Tingxu, along with the worried Lingbi and the still emotionless Xiaohua behind her.

“Awake, awake!” Lingbi exclaimed as she saw her open eyes, finally letting out a sigh of relief.

“Sister…” Zhen Wenjun looked at Wei Tingxu and weakly called out.

“Don’t speak; you are seriously injured.” Wei Tingxu stroked her head, her brows slightly furrowed. She tenderly said, “I really shouldn’t have left you there alone. I was only thinking of training you and didn’t expect to cause you to get hurt. The Xie family is so bold, not only killing the guards at the door but also the jailers. You really have a strong will to live; luckily, you were discovered early. Otherwise, with excessive blood loss, you might have…”

Zhen Wenjun coughed once and grasped Wei Tingxu’s hand.

“Luckily, I am still alive… Wenjun is not afraid of death; I am only afraid that after dying, I will no longer be able to see my sister.”

Wei Tingxu sighed lightly and told her to recuperate well, suggesting that she wait until she recovered before setting out.

“I’m fine, sister; there’s no need to worry about me. Don’t delay important matters because of me. Where are we going next? I can manage.”

Wei Tingxu smiled and shook her head. “During this period, you should just rest well and not think about anything. Lingbi will take good care of you, and when you’re better, we’ll go together.”

Zhen Wenjun said disappointedly, “It’s all because I am too useless. If I could have diligently studied martial arts and practiced harder, I wouldn’t have let the important assassin escape.”

“Younger sister is motivated. After you recover, let Xiaohua teach you some external martial arts. Xiaohua is the last disciple of the martial arts master Chongguang; learning external martial arts from her will surely be beneficial. If you are also interested in internal Qinggong, I can help you find a good master.”

“Really?” Zhen Wenjun’s eyes lit up.

“But there is a prerequisite.” Wei Tingxu lightly tapped her forehead. “That is to obediently take your medicine and heal properly. Everything must wait until after you are healed, understand?”

“Mm! I can get better in three to five days! By the way, sister… has the Xie family woman who escaped been caught?” Zhen Wenjun asked.

Before Wei Tingxu could respond, Lingbi harshly “hummed” in annoyance. “The number of people who came to rescue her was not small, and they seemed to be very familiar with the surrounding terrain. Their footprints were only found by the riverside, and it seems they escaped along the river. This river flows all the way east from Nanya, very rapidly; using the current, they have probably already left the Nanya territory. These thieves are really detestable. Xie’s Ah Xun better not let me encounter her again, or I will certainly flay her to avenge today’s enmity!”

Hearing Lingbi say this, Zhen Wenjun felt relieved; it seemed Ah Xun had already left.

Wei Tingxu was watching her closely, and she was afraid she might accidentally reveal a sense of relief. She hurriedly coughed continuously for a good while; after coughing, the wound on her abdomen hurt so much that her face contorted. This was real pain, and Wei Tingxu surely couldn’t discover anything.

After three days of recuperation, Zhen Wenjun was able to get out of bed. The stab on her abdomen had been inflicted by a guard, originally aimed at her chest to take her life. Luckily, she had dodged in time to save herself, but it left quite a few aftereffects. After getting out of bed, she slowly walked around the courtyard. The wound faintly ached, so she had to casually sit on the veranda.

The peach blossoms in the courtyard had bloomed, and a few petals fell. She raised her hand to catch them, gently stroking the fragile yet beautiful petals with her thumb.

In the past, the Xie family in Suichuan also planted peach blossoms. Every peach tree was cultivated by her and her mother together. Ah Xun loved peach blossoms the most, always looking forward to practicing martial arts and reading books under the peach trees when they bloomed. Zhen Wenjun knew she liked them and had always carefully nurtured the peach trees, just waiting to give Ah Xun a splendid view.

Now, I wonder if the peach blossoms in Suichuan have bloomed, and if there is anyone still carefully planting them for her to please her…

“You’ve only walked a few steps and already you’re lazy.” Lingbi moved her arms as she passed by behind her. “With your lazy attitude, when will the wound ever heal? How long do we have to wait for you?”

Zhen Wenjun lowered her head and continued to play with the petals, ignoring her.

“How is the wound? Is it still very painful?” Lingbi sat beside her.

“It hurts; it hurts terribly,” Zhen Wenjun said casually. “Where are we going next?”

“Return to Suichuan.”

“Suichuan?”

“Yes, this time the Grand Princess received news at the last minute and came to Nanya to collect grain. The final battlefield is still in Suichuan. After all, the upheaval in Suichuan this time presents a huge opportunity; whoever can take Suichuan can not only gain significant public support but also align with Dongchun.”

“Align with Dongchun?” Zhen Wenjun keenly sensed the implications. “Is it preparing for war? That makes sense… the struggle for the throne inevitably ends in military confrontation.”

“The lady has great hopes for you; she says you are a prodigy.” Lingbi looked at the courtyard full of spring flowers under the blue sky. “It’s just that sometimes you are too reckless, and being in danger several times really worries her.”

“She said this to you?”

“Of course, the lady wouldn’t say it directly to me, but I can sense it from her words. After all, I have served her since I was young. She rarely cares about someone so much. Little monkey, I really envy you.”

“Is it?” Zhen Wenjun’s heart was extremely conflicted.

“Why so downcast? Are you still thinking about your narrow escape from death? I didn’t think you were the type to be unable to take a hit.”

“Can’t someone who just escaped from the King of Hell’s place feel a bit down?”

“Alright, feel down, but not for too long. Once we arrive in Suichuan, that’s the real battlefield.”

Wei Tingxu was waiting in Nanya for Zhen Wenjun to recover, while Li Yanyi, feeling impatient, couldn’t wait and rushed to Suichuan.

Xie Fuchen’s whereabouts are mysterious, and she has a foreboding feeling that the longer the delay, the more dangerous it becomes.

The Huben Army escorted her for a three-day journey, camping at Langyan County on the northern side of Nanya.

The royal procession was originally grand, but Li Yanyi never cared about such things. If she wanted a comfortable life, she could have stayed in the luxurious imperial garden, with clothes provided and meals served. Since she stepped out of her comfort zone for her ideals and ambitions, she knows what she wants, and mere high mountains and remote villages can’t deter her.

Passing by the bonfires, there was no time to meet the Langyan County magistrate, and the Minister of Agriculture had already sent him away. Killing the fleas inside the tent, Li Yanyi pulled the cap off the flask and took a few large gulps of liquor to drive away the cold.

The farther north she went, the colder it became. She reviewed the money and items acquired in Nanya this time, which the Minister of Agriculture had thoroughly accounted for, and she became furious upon seeing it. Now the national treasury is empty and the people are destitute, yet these southeastern noble families have hoarded so much gold and silver, amounting to the total income of the entire Da Yu for half a year. These noble families, generation after generation, consume Da Yu’s resources and enjoy the court’s favors, yet they do not think of giving back to the people; it is truly detestable. Once the matter in Suichuan is settled, she must return to settle accounts with them properly. No, if even a small Nanya can yield such a large sum, what about the other counties? If investigated one by one, there might be unexpected gains.

Li Yanyi threw the bamboo slip aside; the effect of the alcohol finally brought some warmth. She wrapped the old sable fur coat tighter and suddenly noticed a hole in it. When it got torn, she hadn’t even realized. True, she had worn this coat for three years, traveled many places with it, and never had the mind to carefully protect it, so it was inevitable that it would tear.

Looking at the hole, Li Yanyi scratched it with her fingers, murmuring to herself:

“Long night unable to sleep, bright moon so radiant. Wish to hear scattered calls, empty promises in the air…”

“You still remember this song.”

A voice sounded from behind the candlestick. Li Yanyi quickly stood up and drew the sword that never leaves her side.

“Who?” Li Yanyi instinctively questioned but quickly found the answer in her heart.

Xie family’s Ah Xin emerged from the darkness, her tightly pressed lips framed by a cold gaze.

“Ah Xin.” Li Yanyi put the sword away, tossed it onto the wool carpet, and in an instant dropped all her guard, even though the hilt of the cyan-green long sword on Ah Xin’s back glistened with a cold light.

“You actually have no defenses against me. Aren’t you afraid I’ll kill you with one sword?”

Li Yanyi slightly pouted, showing no fear or defensiveness. “If you wanted to kill me, you wouldn’t have spoken. However, Qingqing’s training on the northern front did indeed yield results, allowing you to avoid the Huben Army’s surveillance and secretly enter my tent.”

“Do not call me that!” Ah Xin’s expression was not friendly, yet it inevitably carried some blush. “The person who attempted to assassinate you in Nanya truly was useless; they couldn’t even kill you.”

“Oh? So you really are here to kill me?” Li Yanyi was utterly unconcerned, turning around to face her. “If it weren’t for the sword you carry, sneaking into my tent in the dead of night would make me think you wanted to ‘reminisce’ with me.”

As soon as Li Yanyi said this, Ah Xin immediately placed the sword against her neck.

Li Yanyi glanced sideways at the sharp green blade, her expression unchanged.

“Our past matters can still anger you; it’s truly peculiar. Only when something is still on one’s mind does one care. Moreover, those past events have been passed down as ‘tales,’ even sung into plays. Killing me won’t erase them. Besides… the Begonia pact—you still remember it in your heart.”

Ah Xin said, “Can you only speak such wild words?”

Li Yanyi’s neck was gradually cut, blood staining Ah Xin’s sword.

“You didn’t come just to be teased by me, did you?” Li Yanyi said. “Knowing I was attacked, you were concerned about me, afraid I was injured, so you came to visit at night, right? It seems I was right; otherwise, your hand wouldn’t be trembling. This isn’t the composure a soldier should have, whether facing a vicious enemy or a past lover.”

Ah Xin put away the sword and spoke in a low voice, “I just don’t want you to die at someone else’s hands. The only one who can kill you is me.”

Li Yanyi curved a smile, a smile that saw through her.

“Seeing you are not dead, I am relieved.”

“Leaving already?”

Ah Xin lifted the already cut-open exit of the tent, facing the mountain wall. There are Huben Army guards on the mountaintop, but she has a way to avoid their surveillance.

“We have plenty of opportunities to meet again; I hope you can live until that day.” Ah Xin left these words behind before departing.