Chapter 37

Summer passed and autumn arrived.

Qingwu sat by the latticed window, her brows furrowed as she stared at the bowl of black, bitter medicine on the table. Her eyes darted around discreetly. With slender fingers gripping the edge of the bowl, she prepared to pour the remaining dregs into the flowerpot while no one was looking. The Clivia in that pot had been nourished by several rounds of herbal decoction and was currently thriving.

Huo Xun appeared behind her like a phantom. He lifted the edge of the bowl, which she had tilted to a forty-five-degree angle, and set it back down before her without spilling a single drop.

"The young mistress has been unconscious for a long time. Your spirit is often poor since waking; how can you not drink your medicine?"

"When is my spirit poor? That is just a headache. I always feel like I have forgotten something." Qingwu closed her eyes, thinking it better to endure the pain briefly than for a long time. She downed the medicine in one gulp and immediately stuffed a piece of candied fruit into her mouth.

This was fruit preserve that Du Jin had personally made for her, utilizing a clean space he had cleared on the wooden rack used for drying medicinal herbs. She tossed another small piece into her mouth, handed the empty bowl to Yun Ting, and after a quick rinse of her mouth, headed to the back kitchen to keep watch over the fires of the various medicine stoves.

Since the three of them had settled in this place, Du Jin had opened a medical clinic in the front courtyard. He claimed that because she had been deeply traumatized by her father the Emperor’s fall from the tower, her heart had suffered severe damage, and learning a bit about pharmacology would be beneficial for her. Thus, Qingwu would prepare and decoct the medicine in the back kitchen, and when he was free, he would offer her a few pointers.

Du Jin was handsome and possessed excellent medical skills; many difficult cases in this small town had only been resolved after his arrival. Furthermore, the local people were simple and honest, and the women and children were mostly kind-hearted. They never questioned the group's origins and accepted them easily.

Just like today, the local matrons had gathered in the front courtyard as if by prior arrangement, tangling Du Jin so thoroughly that he could not get away. She had thought she could finally escape her least favorite chore: drinking medicine. Who would have expected...

She wondered how long she would have to keep drinking this. Lately, she had been having strange dreams frequently. The scenes in these dreams felt as real as if they had happened right beside her. Every time she tried to focus on the face of the person in her dreams, it felt as if someone were striking the back of her head with a heavy blow, leaving her with a splitting headache.

This had been going on for several days, yet Du Jin only brewed tonic to regulate her heart and refused to prescribe any sleeping aids to help her rest. *Sigh,* Qingwu sighed to herself. Who told her that her current life depended entirely on Du Jin’s earnings? A life of being dependent on others was truly difficult to bear.

She held a small fan to control the heat of the stove, listening to the chatter between the matrons and Du Jin in the front yard. At first, they spoke of serious matters regarding this ache or that pain, but later, they transformed into meddlesome elders, concerning themselves with Du Jin’s personal life. Everyone knew that Du Jin had brought his wife to this poor little town, accompanied by two capable attendants. Such a retinue clearly indicated a background of significant wealth, yet the matrons never pried into their pasts, as if they were simply concerned for Du Jin and his wife.

"When is the wedding date for Doctor Du and his wife? We would all like to come and offer our congratulations."

Some said that Du Jin had escaped during the wars a few months prior, that all his influential family members had perished, and that he had no one to preside over a wedding ceremony, which made him appear quite pitiful. Moreover, Du Jin kept his young wife well-hidden; they had heard that a celestial beauty was kept within the doctor's residence, but very few had seen her in the flesh.

"Indeed, you cannot just perform the bowing ceremony casually; that would be too unfair to the wife. When the time comes, invite everyone in the village; how lively that would be!"

Du Jin was busy tidying his medical kit, looking as if he were about to be overwhelmed by the incredibly enthusiastic matrons.

"It will be next month." Qingwu set down the medicine pot she had been tending, leaning against the door frame to answer. The noisy matrons fell silent for a moment.

The woman had a graceful figure and leaned lazily against the frame. Her waist-length hair was tied back with nothing more than a pale yellow ribbon. Perhaps because she had spent too long by the stove, there were smudges of rough soot on her face. As she raised her bright, almond-shaped eyes, even her plain, coarse grey hemp gown could not conceal her elegant and peerless beauty.

"Why have you come out?" Seeing Qingwu, Du Jin pulled her to his side and offered his arm for her to hold.

"You, you were so busy you forgot the time. I have been hungry for quite a while, and I haven't seen you return to eat." She wrapped both hands around his arm, her beautiful eyes shimmering like a pool of clear spring water, acting with the natural charm of a spoiled child.

Du Jin immediately set down his pen and paper, ready to return to their quarters with her. Seeing his reddened earlobes, the matrons teased him, "No wonder they say Doctor Du keeps her hidden away; such a beautiful young wife, she must be guarded well!" The country women had never seen a woman of such temperament, and their eyes fell collectively upon Qingwu.

Fortunately, their curious gazes were filled with kindness and did not make one feel awkward. While Qingwu maintained a polite smile on her face, her heart suddenly skipped a beat. She felt as though these words were very familiar, as if she had heard them somewhere before. However, the harder she tried to think, the more she couldn't recall. In her mind, she even heard the sound of a bugle call meant for a charge, the stirring echo reverberating through her chaotic thoughts.

"What is it?" Seeing her support her temples, Du Jin casually reached for her wrist, finding nothing abnormal.

Qingwu soon regained her composure, feeling that Du Jin was making a mountain out of a molehill. Especially these past few days, he was always checking her pulse, as if he were terrified that something might happen to her. She dismissed it, thinking it was just physical discomfort brought on by the cooling weather. "Perhaps it is because I have been inhaling the fumes in the pharmacy for too long; I felt a little dizzy." She had often had such reactions lately; the current level of dizziness was not worth worrying about.

"Then go inside and rest." Du Jin quickly bade the matrons farewell and helped Qingwu inside to eat. After giving her a few instructions, he noticed she didn't care to listen and fell silent.

The meal had been prepared by Yun Ting. Since Du Jin had taken the liberty of arranging for people from the Princess's Mansion to stay with them, Qingwu had felt deeply indebted to Hanyue. Regrettably, Hanyue had gone missing, and she could only try to compensate Yun Ting, even entrusting him with the large chest her little aunt had given her. However, through recent observation, she noticed that Yun Ting was idle all day, spending most of his time locked in his room, and she had no idea what he was doing. Worried that he was still unable to let go of Hanyue, Qingwu intentionally found things for him to do, having him manage the group's daily expenses.

Perhaps because the two intended to eat early, Yun Ting was not at the table. Qingwu waited for him and called out, "Yun Ting—"

"Coming!" Yun Ting responded from afar. His voice sounded fine, as if he had merely stepped away briefly to attend to other matters. He sat at the desk in his room, carefully watching his surroundings. His movements were hurried as he rolled a written and dried letter into a tube. He hesitated for a moment, appearing undecided about whether to send the letter.

***

After Ningchun was taken from the cliff, she lost contact with Nanny Zhao. Someone placed her in a small, private room where she was served three meals a day with varied dishes, and occasionally, they would even send her gold and silver jewelry that young women favored. Aside from not being allowed to leave the small cottage at will, she was not mistreated in the slightest.

Having been accustomed to serving others, Ningchun had never known such leisure. She grabbed the maid who brought her meals and asked who it was that had imprisoned her. The little maid did not dare to answer and fled in a panic after setting down the food. The next day, the person delivering the meals was replaced by a stern-faced man with a thick neck and a surly expression; he didn't even crack a smile, so Ningchun dared not chat with him.

She could not communicate with the outside world and only knew it was likely autumn by the yellowing leaves falling in the distance. Just as she felt completely adrift and was preparing to go on a hunger strike in protest, a man she had never seen before entered her room and told her to follow him.

"I think I have seen you before." Ningchun recalled for a moment and finally remembered. A few months ago, when she was forced to the edge of the cliff and heard approaching footsteps, she had jumped in desperation. It was he who had swung his body around on the precipice and hauled her back up. However, he had covered her eyes at the time. Ningchun could not see his face, but she felt that his presence was strangely familiar, making her feel at ease.

"May I know your name?" Ningchun followed closely behind him, observing his back. The man had broad shoulders and a wide back; his hands were balled into fists, and his forearms revealed fluid, tense lines, suggesting he was a man of the military.

"Xizhi." The man glanced back to see if Ningchun was keeping up and replied out of politeness.

"I am Ningchun. Thank you for saving my life back then." Ningchun recited his name in her heart and said nothing more that might be considered intrusive.

A strange feeling stirred in Xizhi's heart. By all accounts, she should have been asking about his rank or trying to take the opportunity to speak more to understand what she was about to face—to know the enemy and know oneself, as the saying went. Instead, she had not said a word, following quietly as if he were someone entirely trustworthy.

Xizhi turned his head to look at her again, his gaze landing on Ningchun's face. She did not care for heavy makeup; her skin, devoid of powder, showed a healthy pink glow. She appeared young, yet her manner of doing things was practiced and mature. Her dark hair swayed with her steps, emitting the faint, clean scent of soapberry.

"Is this the way to the Princess's Mansion?" Ningchun saw that the roads on either side were becoming familiar, though they were very different from a few months ago. She had been imprisoned for several months and did not know who held power. Yet, the dull, deathly silence of the streets had vanished; pedestrians moved to and fro, and the merchants were much more bustling and prosperous than they had been months ago. The capital looked as if it had not undergone the upheaval of a dynastic change; everything was slowly returning to normal.

Except for the Princess and the Emperor.

Ningchun had not expected to truly enter the Princess's Mansion. She found her way toward the Green Bamboo Garden even more expertly than Xizhi. A man who looked much like Xizhi approached them, and the two nodded in greeting. Ningchun walked inside alone, her heart constantly guessing the intent behind this action. Could the Princess have returned? Did she need her to serve her again?

With this expectation, she pushed open the door and saw Hanyue, whom she had not seen in a long time.

"Why are you here?"

Hanyue had grown much thinner, and her once-round chin now had sharp angles. Upon hearing Ningchun's voice, tears welled up in her eyes the moment she turned around.

"What is wrong? Why are you crying?" Ningchun had always been like an older sister to the three of them, so seeing her, Hanyue no longer felt the need to suppress her emotions.

"The Princess is gone." Remembering what Zhixue had said, she spat the words out through her lips. Later, she had truly realized that letting everyone believe the Princess was dead was the best thing for the Princess, whose whereabouts were unknown. At times, she would constantly numb herself, convincing herself to accept the outcome that the Princess had died falling from the tower, so that the secret would not be leaked while outside.

Ningchun refused to believe it, thinking she hadn't heard clearly. "What?"

"The Princess did not escape. She had me take her to the city tower, and then... she took her own life." Hanyue covered her face, shaking her head incessantly. She knew this was too cruel for Ningchun, but Ningchun was the Princess's closest subordinate. If even she were heartbroken and lost control, it would make others believe the news of the Princess's death was true.

Hanyue told Ningchun everything she had seen on the city wall that day. This included the face that had been inches away after the mask was removed, and how the Emperor and the Princess had traded two lives to save the lives of everyone in the city.

There was a brief silence between them. Ningchun was the first to break the mirror, which had been cracking like shards of ice. "So, you mean that Master Pei had infiltrated the Princess's Mansion specifically for this day?"

"But it has been so long, and there is no sign of a new Emperor ascending the throne." Hanyue was confused.

Ningchun also found it inconceivable. "Then, the person who saved me at the cliff... was that Master Pei?"

"Most likely." Hanyue nodded. "The person who put us both here is likely him as well." She and Zhixue had seen it clearly that day on the city wall; the man below was Pei Muci. He probably didn't want too many people to know about this, or else why would he wear a mask even while fighting?

"But why would he do this?" Ningchun could not understand. He had clearly been nothing more than a plaything bought by the Emperor; how had he become like a wild horse that had lost its reins?

"Perhaps he is thinking that the Princess's Mansion still stands, and that we are still here... that the Princess will return sooner or later, right?"

As they spoke, Hanyue suddenly flashed, threw open the door, and stretched her neck to look around. The area outside was completely empty. She slowly closed the door, puzzled, "I clearly felt someone outside just now. Where did they go?"