Chapter 13
His question came so suddenly that Yan Nanjing was momentarily stunned, looking at him with confusion.
Qi Yun’s robe was stained all over with blood, and his face bore splashes of it as well. He smiled, a smile streaked with partially dried blood—warm yet tinged with a deadly edge.
“There are some. I will deliver them to you when the time comes,” she said.
After speaking, she gave Qi Yun a slight nod and turned to leave.
“Miss,”
Just as she turned away, Qi Yun’s voice came from behind.
“Does my lord have something else to say?” she asked, puzzled.
“Nothing important, just a reminder: never say those words to a man again,”
She raised an eyebrow as Qi Yun continued, “All men under heaven are beasts cloaked in civility, especially in times like these.”
Yan Nanjing feigned sudden understanding and nodded, showing no hint of embarrassment or awkwardness.
“Thank you for your reminder, my lord.”
With that, she helped Ayuan to her feet and returned to her courtyard.
By now, Ayuan had somewhat recovered, insisting on getting up to pour hot water to wash. Yan Nanjing shook her head and went to fetch hot water from the fire pit outside. She carefully wiped the dried blood from both herself and Ayuan.
“Miss, those two men…” Ayuan lowered her eyes.
Yan Nanjing replied with a reassuring hum, “Rest assured, they should not harm us anymore.”
Though still uneasy, Ayuan nodded, recalling how Qi Yun had killed to protect Yan Nanjing.
“Truly unexpected…” Ayuan sighed, “I thought those noblemen wouldn’t care about our lives.”
Yan Nanjing gently pressed the cloth into the water after cleaning Ayuan’s face. “After all, he wants to summon Brother A under his banner. Naturally, he must show sincerity.”
“He does not lose out either,” Yan Nanjing said, placing the clean cloth aside.
“Whether it’s sending wealth or servants, he is clearly overwhelmed. But saving a relative—that’s a great favor.”
Ayuan’s expression shifted strangely. “Miss, since those noblemen saved our lives, shouldn’t we not think ill of them?”
Yan Nanjing nodded. “It is indeed a great kindness, and I remember it well. When Brother A returns, I will speak to him properly.”
“I never said I would forget their kindness.” She sat quietly. “Ayuan, don’t be fooled by the older one’s affability; he is far harder to deal with than the younger one.”
Yan Nanjing recalled Qi Yun’s words before leaving—her previous actions were merely a test.
As he said, men are not to be trusted. She had seen her father falsely imprisoned, nearly losing his life and his long-earned reputation almost completely destroyed.
Human nature has always been the same.
Those who offer help are like this—let alone strangers. As for the few words of admiration spoken by that man, they were mere pleasantries to fill the air. To take them seriously would be to risk losing one’s life someday.
The tangerine she handed him was just a test. People often speak with a forked tongue, but the body is honest. Beauty is the truest measure of truth.
If he truly harbored ill intent, she would strike.
---
Killing with a blade was too laborious; instead, she planned to slip some cocklebur into the stew. Even if tested for poison, it wouldn’t be obvious. After all, there was a long delay between ingestion and symptoms, and those unfamiliar with the poison would simply eat the meal without suspicion.
This plan could not be shared with Ayuan, whose kind nature would be frightened by such intentions.
“Better to rest early.”
Yan Nanjing wrapped her outer robe tightly and lay down beside Ayuan.
Ayuan gently loosened her hair, as she had done in childhood, softly patting the quilt.
“Sleep well, miss.”
After a night fraught with peril, her strength nearly spent, Yan Nanjing soon fell into a deep sleep.
The next morning, Ayuan rose early and prepared a hearty meal in the kitchen. Because of the previous night’s events, she made it particularly generous.
Zheng Xuanfu eyed the meal with curiosity. “Is this your lady’s doing?”
Recalling Yan Nanjing’s cold demeanor before sleep, Ayuan smiled brightly and nodded.
Zheng Xuanfu chuckled, “Your lady knows manners.”
He looked around. “Why isn’t she here to thank us personally?”
Ayuan was momentarily at a loss for words, but fortunately, Qi Yun interjected.
“Know when to stop. It’s not even dawn yet. Sending a young lady to a man’s place—some might think you have ulterior motives.”
“What motives would I have!” Zheng Xuanfu retorted, displeased. “You always paint me as ill-intentioned!”
“I never said that,” Qi Yun gestured for Ayuan to set the food on the low table, then pressed his hand on Zheng’s shoulder and squeezed firmly.
“I just said you speak without thinking,” he said, his eyes shifting to meet Zheng’s. “You’re overthinking.”
Zheng Xuanfu had no comeback, glaring silently.
“She’s weak,” Ayuan whispered in Yan Nanjing’s defense. “It’s colder today than yesterday, so she can’t come herself. Please forgive us, sirs.”
Zheng Xuanfu recalled the bloody chaos of last night. In his impression, Wu Chu women were small and timid. The young lady’s courage to hold a torch high amidst the fight to intimidate the bandits had earned his respect.
His previous resentment vanished, and he settled happily.
“Tell her to rest well. We’ll handle what comes next.”
After Ayuan left, Zheng Xuanfu looked at Qi Yun with a strange gaze.
“Rare to see you so reasonable,” Qi Yun said, picking up his bowl and chopsticks. “Usually, you and this young lady are at odds.”
“What quarrel do I have with her?”
Zheng Xuanfu lowered his head and drank his millet porridge. The congee was fully cooked, with plenty of meat inside.
“Besides, no one’s going anywhere anytime soon.”
It had been raining and snowing for days. Though the chill in Chu was milder than in the north, it brought its own troubles and inconveniences.
“We’ll have to stay here a while. Since you won’t let me deal with everyone, there’s no point in us continuing to glare at each other.”
Qi Yun laughed. “You’ve figured it out yourself. Then I have nothing more to say.”
---
However, Zheng Xuanfu’s good mood vanished entirely while dragging the corpses out.
Dead bodies weighed far more than the living, especially after a night, when rigor mortis set in. Even with ropes around their feet, dragging them was difficult. By the time they reached the hillside, Zheng Xuanfu was full of complaints.
“I shouldn’t have gotten involved last night! Do as you please; you promised, not me. Why drag me into this?”
Qi Yun glanced at him helplessly. “Say less. The breakfast was barely enough—used it all feeding your mouth.”
“Besides, can you bear living in a house full of corpses?”
The sons of noble families prized cleanliness. Although Zheng Xuanfu wasn’t the type who demanded servants sweep the streets wherever he went, he couldn’t stand a courtyard soaked in blood. Truth be told, he hardly slept amid the stench, glaring all night at Qi Yun lying on the couch.
“Why not let the servants handle it?” he shot back.
Bai Su was only thirteen or fourteen, thin and small. While he could manage light chores, dragging corpses was beyond him.
“Don’t tell me you have a thing for that little girl.”
Qi Yun smiled ambiguously.
Zheng Xuanfu choked but refused to concede. “Never seen two like us—no arrogance, even doing servant work. If word got out, we’d be mocked.”
Qi Yun ignored him, indifferent to the jab. They reached the hilltop, and the corpses were rolled down the other side—task done.
On the way back, Zheng Xuanfu complained again, dragging Qi Yun into it. Qi Yun remained unmoved, and Zheng, finding no support, fell silent.
At the gate, Bai Su awaited them, beaming.
“The two lords have returned.”
“Your legs aren’t weak anymore?” Zheng asked.
Bai Su smiled awkwardly, saying nothing, and bowed to open the door.
Qi Yun and Zheng Xuanfu entered, walking only a few steps before a young woman approached gracefully.
She’d changed her robes—not bright or flashy, but somewhat dull in color. Her hair was let down, tied loosely at the back, with two wisps framing her face, gently swaying as she walked.
Her delicate beauty seemed washed by water—soft and ethereal.
Her features were already lovely, now imbued with an otherworldly grace, the very elegance sought after in these times.
“The two lords have returned.”
The words from her lips sounded entirely different from those of the young servant—warm, alive, and unlike her usual distant demeanor.
She seemed to come fully to life.
Qi Yun was about to speak when Zheng Xuanfu stepped ahead of him.