Shen Zhili awoke several days later. The hidden needles in her shoulder had already been removed, and Ningxiang was sobbing uncontrollably as she bandaged the wounds.
Speaking of Ningxiang, Shen Zhili had little memory of her. In her previous life, when she had transmigrated, Ningxiang was no longer at the princess's manor.
Though she seemed like a glutton who ate nonstop, she was actually highly skilled in martial arts and deeply devoted to her mistress. She had been crying for an hour without pause.
Ningxiang wiped away her tears and choked out, "Miss, you scared me to death!"
"Alright, I'm fine now, aren't I?" Shen Zhili's mind felt sluggish, as if she had forgotten something. She slowly dressed herself and glanced around the sparsely furnished room.
She washed up, ate breakfast, and even made a trip to the outhouse.
Finally, it came back to her!
She slapped her forehead and exclaimed, "Where is He Chengyuan?!"
"H-he-he-he… Could he have been taken by the Heretical Sect? Before I passed out, I saw someone with a knife emerging from the fog and heading toward him!"
"Wait! Why didn't I see you before I fainted? Were you hurt anywhere?"
Her mind finally kicked back into gear, firing off a barrage of questions that left Ningxiang no room to interject.
"I was buried under the broken wood. I wasn't injured, and when I woke up, I didn't see any strange people—only you and the Slayer lying unconscious."
Shen Zhili thought for a moment. No strange people? Could she have been so disoriented that she imagined it?
But now…
"Where is he?"
Ningxiang replied, "Naturally, we brought him along. We spent all our silver—we absolutely can't let him run away."
Shen Zhili breathed a sigh of relief. "Good, good that we brought him along."
Otherwise, it would have been a waste of money and effort for nothing. If the Heretical Sect had really come after him, they would have taken him away long ago. She must have imagined it.
She looked left and right. Outside the room was a small square courtyard, where a half-dead, rotting tree stood. Beneath the tree was a water-filled vat, and the grass on the ground was withered and yellow, as if on the verge of death. The roof tiles were covered in moss, and the only bright spots were the red "double happiness" characters pasted everywhere.
"Where is He Chengyuan? And where are we?"
Before Ningxiang could answer, a figure appeared in front of them. Long legs strode into the courtyard, and his pristine white robes fluttered gently in the sunlight. His handsome, gentle features were complemented by eyes that seemed to hold stars, brimming with tender warmth.
"A'Li." Shen Zhili froze for a moment. This was…
Ningxiang explained, "Miss, it was Young Master Xie's people who rescued us and brought us here."
"Xie… Gubai?"
Xie Gubai stepped forward and examined her from head to toe. "A'Li, are you feeling unwell anywhere?"
"Ningxiang, did you bandage your mistress's shoulder wound properly?"
"Has she taken her medicine today?"
"Ningxiang, how could you let her travel thousands of miles on a whim? What if she had encountered danger?"
Ningxiang: "…"
Another person who talked incessantly, leaving her no chance to speak.
Xie Gubai chided gently, "A'Li… you mustn't be so reckless next time. With a tyrant on the throne and warlords rising everywhere, Ningxiang alone cannot protect you. If my people hadn't happened to pass through You Shui City this time, the outcome could have been dire."
"Have you eaten, A'Li?"
"Your clothes are all dirty. You must have had a hard time on the road these past few days. Let me take you to buy some things."
He kept calling her "A'Li," his tone intimate and affectionate.
Shen Zhili was completely overwhelmed by his enthusiasm and pulled her hand from his grasp. "Um… Young Master Xie."
"What does A'Li call me now?" Xie Gubai froze, his eyes dimming with a touch of melancholy. "Have we… grown so distant? You used to call me Brother Xie."
Shen Zhili hesitated, words caught in her throat. "I…"
Xie Gubai thought her coldness was due to his marriage, a deliberate effort to draw a line between them.
He cut her off, explaining, "A'Li… marrying her was something I had no choice in. I…"
He lowered his head, sorrowful. "Back then, the vast Xie family, hundreds of people, only I survived, barely clinging to life. A'Li, I am not worthy of you… Ningxiang told me you said you would rather be my concubine than not be with me at all. You must not say such things anymore. A'Li will meet someone who truly understands her… Don't be willful like that."
"You've endured a long and arduous journey. When the servants brought you back, your clothes were covered in mud—you've suffered greatly. Today, I'll take A'Li out to enjoy herself."
In its heyday, the Xie family was immensely wealthy, a dominant force in the region, with mountains of gold, silver, and jewels. Unfortunately, they were later raided, and out of hundreds, only Xie Gubai and his mother managed to escape. Though not as prosperous as before, over the years apart, he had engaged in some small businesses and earned enough silver to buy a modest residence to settle down, living a peaceful life with his humble trade.
Shen Zhili was about to refuse but couldn't find a suitable reason when a woman entered the courtyard. Her delicate brows slightly furrowed, tears glistening in her eyes, her tone soft and fragile, she still wore her wedding attire, reluctant to take it off.
"Gubai… didn't you say today you would accompany me back to my family home?"
She breathed weakly, coughing twice as if uncomfortable, seemingly having rushed here in great haste, afraid that her beloved would be taken away.
Xie Gubai hesitated for a long time, unable to decide. Shen Zhili said, "You should go. My legs still ache a bit today; I don't feel like going out."
"A'Li's legs are injured too? The physician said there were no internal injuries, but he must have overlooked something. I'll call the physician to examine you again."
"No need. It's just from walking for several days; I'm tired."
Shen Zhili declined, her gaze sweeping across the small courtyard. "By the way, where is the young man who traveled with us?"
"That young man is covered in wounds, not a single spot intact, and the poison in his body hasn't been neutralized. Ningxiang said you insisted on bringing him no matter what. He's filthy all over, a mere Slayer—dangerous and burdensome. What use is bringing him along?"
Shen Zhili: "I paid for him."
"If you need attendants, I can buy you some skilled ones today."
"No need. I want him."
Her attitude was firm, and Xie Gubai couldn't press further, so he let it be.
Shen Zhili watched the two leave, then pushed open the door to He Chengyuan's room. The young man had changed into clean clothes, his long eyelashes lowered as he lay motionless on the bed.
No one cared about his eyes. Fortunately, she had brought a clean white cloth and carefully covered them for him.
Even moonlight was too bright for him, let alone the blazing sun.
She briefly examined him; his external wounds had been treated, but she didn't know what to do about his internal injuries. Frowning with worry, she sat quietly by his bedside for half a day, yet there was no sign of him waking. Before leaving, she noticed a pot of tea on the table far from the bed. She poured a cup and placed it within his reach. Passing the table again, a glance from the corner of her eye revealed a thin layer of dust covering its surface.
A Slayer whom no one cared for—not even his room was cleaned. She hesitated for a moment, glanced at the sleeping figure, and still made no sound as she pushed the door open and left.
Unbeknownst to her, the moment she left, the young man who had seemed on the verge of death just moments ago sat up.
He Chengyuan ran his fingertip over the clean blackout cloth, then tore it off in one swift motion. Slowly opening his eyes, his vision was filled only with murky darkness and exploding spots of blood. He could not make out any shapes; the air and the light filtering through the window felt like blades scraping against his eyes, causing intense pain.
Attempting to circulate his energy, he discovered his Internal Energy was completely gone. Instantly, his temples throbbed violently, veins bulging. His fingers, gripping the white cloth, dug into his palms as a surge of long-unfelt, unquenchable hatred churned within him.
What was going on?
He distinctly remembered having just slaughtered You Shui City. Amid the ruins, a woman in a pale yellow dress stepped out from the crowd, unafraid of his long blade, saying she was willing to sacrifice herself to save those unrelated people.
Finding it interesting, he took her with him.
She was skilled at using sweet words to deceive, unaware that he could see right through her at a glance. Yet, she was amusing, adding a sliver of vitality to his gray, stagnant life.
He would keep her for now, planning to kill her to silence her whenever she became annoying.
Unfortunately, she exposed herself too quickly. In less than three months, she could no longer restrain herself and drew her blade.
When he killed her, the world seemed to return to calm. His inner feelings were no different from when he had killed others. He left her corpse in the wilderness, turning away without a trace of attachment.
This bizarre retribution came too swiftly. When he opened his eyes again, he had returned to the gambling den from five years ago—blind, legs broken, and before he could grasp the situation, he heard the gamblers cheering as he was pushed into a new match in the Fighting Arena. Only when that cold beam of light struck him did he snap back to reality.
He had returned to the day he was taken by the Heretical Sect.
The loss of Internal Energy… this hadn’t happened in his previous life. If he truly became a cripple, the Heretical Sect wouldn’t have insisted on taking him. Could it be that encountering this woman had caused a disruption in the events that were supposed to unfold?
He Chengyuan felt for the teacup by the bedside, still warm. Bringing it to his lips, he sniffed lightly but ultimately did not drink. After covering his eyes, he quietly left the room.
Shen Zhili was daydreaming in the courtyard.
Ningxiang idly pulled weeds from the ground, complaining, "Miss, we’re penniless now. How are we going to get home? If only we hadn’t given away so much money—a lowly servant actually demanded over eight hundred taels!"
Shen Zhili: "…"
At the Fighting Arena, it had seemed like too little; now it felt like too much.
"I thought I’d finally get to try Yujiang’s famous tea pastries."
Ningxiang sighed deeply, full of regret.
This foodie probably agreed to travel all the way to Yujiang with Shen Zhili just for the snacks.
Shen Zhili: "Although Yujiang isn’t far from You Shui, they’re in opposite directions. How did Xie Gubai’s people end up there?"
"But still, it’s fortunate we met him and he rescued us. Otherwise, we might have been left dead in the wilderness."
Ningxiang muttered, "You finally realize that, miss."
Her mouth never missed a chance to jab, as if afraid of missing an opening.
"This bride is from You Shui. Perhaps she got married a few days ago, and the two families are close, so we happened to run into them."
Worried that her young mistress might be upset about Young Master Xie’s marriage and cause a scene, Ningxiang quickly changed the subject. "Miss, let’s not dwell on this. We need to figure out how to get silver. Should we borrow some from Young Master Xie? I can go without tea pastries, but we can’t do without a carriage for the journey back. We’ve been away too long; if we don’t return soon, we’ll get caned."
Shen Zhili looked at her with disbelief. "You can go without tea pastries?"
"Well… I c-could… maybe go without."
Shen Zhili spun the festive lantern hanging from the withered branch. "Don't worry, I've thought it through over these past few days. Since he's already married, I certainly won't make a scene and embarrass him, tarnishing the reputation of the Princess's estate."
"Has the young lady truly thought it through?"
Ningxiang thrust the wooden branch into the soil. "Actually… the young master also has his difficulties. Marrying her was something he was forced into. The young lady doesn't like her, and neither do I. Back when you and the young master were deeply in love, everyone knew you were a perfect match, destined to be wed. She just had to butt in, always finding excuses to visit the Xie residence and pester the young master, even staying over. If the Xie family hadn't been unjustly raided, how could she have succeeded? I suspect she's involved in the Xie family's downfall."
Shen Zhili: "Don't speak recklessly."
"But it's true. Who knows what's wrong with her health? She was perfectly fine before, but now she's turned into a medicine pot, insisting it's because she exhausted herself trying to save the young master. She's latched onto him—it's so annoying. I don't like her."
Shen Zhili knew nothing about these matters and could only nod or shake her head in agreement, brushing it off. "Alright, alright. After we finish the tea pastries, once He Chengyuan recovers, we'll go home."
"Young lady, really, why waste your energy worrying about a Slayer?"
"I paid for him."
Suddenly, a clamor of gongs and drums sounded outside the residence. Curious, the two walked to the gate to look. It was a funeral procession—two coffin palanquins, with people wailing and wiping tears, blowing funeral horns and scattering paper money. The leader posted a bounty notice, instantly drawing a crowd.
Yujiang relied on the river for its livelihood, and there was a tyrant who monopolized river transport, raising shipping prices. He had bought up many plots of land in Yujiang, selling them at low prices but collecting high taxes, even becoming a landlord. He practically squeezed the life out of the area, acting like a bully in Yujiang. The one posting the notice was the tyrant's legal wife. The deceased were the tyrant and his concubine. The cause of death, it was said, was at the hands of an assassin. The reward for capturing the assassin was five hundred thousand taels of silver, along with a boat and reduced land taxes. Such an enticing offer—it seemed she was determined to avenge her husband at any cost.
Shen Zhili said, "Ningxiang, your money has arrived."
Ningxiang exclaimed in shock, "Young lady? That's a wanted criminal! How could you send me? Send that Slayer—it's time he made himself useful. I'll go call him!"
Without a moment's delay, she turned and stormed into the courtyard, kicking open He Chengyuan's door.
Shen Zhili was still reflecting on how one household celebrated while another grieved when she heard Ningxiang shout from behind, "Young lady! The money has run away!"
Now the grief had landed on her own head.
"What?!"
She rushed into the room, rummaging through chests and cabinets to check—everything was empty. "What? Wasn't he unconscious? Was he faking it?!"