Chapter 6: An Old Friend by the Wall

Chapter 6: Meeting an Old Friend on the Wall

Mu Jin’s whole body stiffened once again. After a brief pause, she suddenly lowered her head with a sharp nod. “Everything I said is true.”

Yun Jiao sighed softly, somewhat disappointed. “If you say so, then I have nothing more to say. But I absolutely cannot keep you by my side any longer.”

“Milady, I know I was wrong. I truly know I was wrong,” Mu Jin crawled on her knees to Yun Jiao’s feet, clutching her calves and pleading desperately, “Please, milady, give me one more chance. I would never dare to...”

“Mu Jin, what did the lady ever do to you for you to harm her so?” Just as the door curtain was about to fall, Jian Jia burst in with large strides, her face flushed with urgency. She pointed angrily at Mu Jin. “How could you treat the lady this way? Has your conscience been eaten by dogs?”

“Jian Jia, I know I was wrong. I shouldn’t have believed Master Shen’s slanders,” Mu Jin cried, tears streaming down her face. “Please help me beg milady to let me stay. I swear I won’t dare to do it again...”

Jian Jia’s anger only intensified. Hearing just half of the story, she scolded fiercely, “Mu Jin, if you have feelings for Shen Changdong, you should tell the lady directly. We’ve served her for years; she has treated us well. If you willingly go with him, the lady would have supported you. How could you betray her like this? Don’t you know the lady nearly fell into ruin because of you today?”

Mu Jin was utterly ashamed, sinking weakly to the ground in a kneeling collapse, sobbing uncontrollably.

As Jian Jia’s reprimand went on, her eyes reddened despite herself. They had been together for so many years; even if it was just raising a little kitten or puppy, a bond forms. How much more so with someone like a sister who shared every day.

“Enough,” Yun Jiao sighed. “Jian Jia, bring me a silver ingot.”

Jian Jia wiped her tears, took a key from her sleeve, and opened a camphorwood box patterned with tiger stripes. She took out a silver ingot and handed it to Yun Jiao with both hands.

Yun Jiao accepted it, then stood and pressed the ingot into Mu Jin’s hands. “I don’t wish to go into details about today’s matters. Take this silver as support. Whatever you do from now on, you’ll have something to rely on. After so many years of service, let this silver be the closure of our bond.”

“Milady...” Mu Jin clutched the silver, kneeling on the ground, tears making it hard to rise.

She had betrayed the lady and nearly ruined her purity. Yet the lady still treated her kindly. She despised herself from the depths of her heart—it was truly heartless.

---

“Jian Jia, take the food box and go check on Grandmother,” Yun Jiao said as she stood.

Jian Jia took a deep purple satin cloak and draped it over Yun Jiao’s clothes, tying a ruyi knot at her neck, then hurried to lift the door curtain.

Yun Jiao glanced back at Mu Jin. “Your indenture contract is in the imperial capital. When I return, I will destroy it. You need not worry. From now on, you will be free.”

She sighed, still steeling her heart as she turned to leave.

“Milady...” Mu Jin’s regret twisted like a knife in her gut. She hurried after her.

Such a good mistress, easy to serve—if she lost her, no matter how far or high she searched in this life, she would never find another like her. She was nothing but a servant; meeting such a kind mistress was her fortune. But she had been forced into this, had no other choice...

Yun Jiao stopped in the courtyard and looked back at Mu Jin. “Go where you will. If you wish to stay with my second uncle, that is your choice. But you must tell my cousin Xianglan clearly that you are no longer my servant, so she won’t misunderstand about me.”

“Milady, I was wrong. I don’t dare have such thoughts,” Mu Jin pushed aside the dampness from melting snow, rushed forward, and knelt again, weeping sincerely. “Even if you truly want to send me away, wait until we return to the capital. If I leave now, only Jian Jia will remain by your side. She’s young and alone—how could she take care of you properly?”

“My fate is my own,” Yun Jiao said softly, “You need not worry. Since you refuse to be honest with me, then go.”

“Please, milady, keep me. No matter what, let me stay,” Mu Jin begged, “If I serve you safely back to the capital, whatever you do to me after, I will accept.”

Let it be a repayment, let it be, as you said, the end of our bond.

Jian Jia’s heart softened, tears welling in her eyes. “Milady, if she leaves now, she has nowhere to go. Why not give her a chance to redeem herself?”

Yun Jiao was silent, her brows furrowed slightly as she sighed.

“Long time no see. Little Jiu has grown more decisive now,” a clear, youthful voice rang out with a smile.

---

Hearing the voice, Yun Jiao turned her head to see a boy sitting casually atop the courtyard wall. He looked about thirteen or fourteen, with clear, delicate features and a gentle demeanor. A bright green blade of grass dangled from his mouth. He wore a purple and gold cloud-patterned robe, overlaid with a black and gold satin vest, and tiger-headed cloud war boots. One foot rested on the wall, the other hanging along the side.

Yun Jiao thought perhaps it was the clothes, but Qin Nanfeng’s relaxed stance was strangely pleasing, exuding a certain leisurely elegance.

Qin Nanfeng noticed Yun Jiao’s gaze, sat still, his eyes mischievous, a slight smile on his lips.

Little Jiu had grown taller, his black hair tied into two buns, no flower pin in sight. This made him stand out more, simple and refined. His small face was pink and childlike, yet he wore a serious adult expression. It was quite amusing.

Yun Jiao suppressed a smile and shot him a glare. “Qin Xiaowu, long time no see. You haven’t improved at all; instead, you’ve picked up a new bad habit—listening at the wall? Such petty, sneaky behavior! Is this how a Qin family man behaves?”

Qin Nanfeng, styled Zhuyun, was thirteen. He was the fifth son in his family. His father currently served as Grand Academician at the Hall of Literary Observation, a second-rank official. The Qin family had a long literary heritage.

“Little Jiu,” Qin Nanfeng sighed with feigned grievance, “I remember you as a well-behaved child who always called me brother. How is it that now you’re so disrespectful—not calling me brother, but calling me Qin Xiaowu? Seems I wasted my affection on you as a child.”

Qin Nanfeng’s uncle, Zhao Zhongyong, was once sworn brothers with Yun Jiao’s late cousin, Qian Xiangshan. Even though Qian Xiangshan had passed years ago, Zhao Zhongyong still came to pay respects whenever his military duties allowed.

Though born into a scholarly family, Qin Nanfeng loved martial arts from a young age. As he grew older, he shunned the classics and instead spent his days following his uncle, a loyal martial commander in the army.

Yun Jiao had been raised by her grandmother, often enduring cold stares and teasing from Qian Yan. Qin Nanfeng, who often came with his uncle, would stand up for her during their games.

Yun Jiao snorted lightly. “I was naive when I was young and was deceived by certain people.

“But now that I think about it, since your uncle and my cousin were sworn brothers, by that reckoning, you should be calling me aunt.”

(End of chapter)