Now that things have come to this, then so be it.
The stone was not large enough to fill a woman’s palm. It was peach-shaped, stained with the charred ashes of Tianji Temple and with the real flesh and blood from Liu Yinglian’s hand.
Yu Lin bent down and picked up the stone, clutching it tightly against her chest.
The nightmare that had interrupted her sleep countless times flashed through her mind.
Amid the crackling of flames, a familiar voice echoed in her ears, saying the same sentence as before:
“Xiao Fu, punish her.”
“Why…”
The words escaped her lips before she realized it.
Hearing her, Zhang Yao lifted his eyes.
“What are you saying?”
“Oh…”
Yu Lin hurriedly avoided his gaze.
“You heard wrong.”
After saying that, she took a soft breath and gently supported Liu Yinglian’s injured hand.
In a quiet voice, she said,
“I asked you to help me enshrine this stone. To me, it really is important. But to you, it’s nothing. Truly nothing…”
Her voice trembled.
“I couldn’t save your mother. I’m not your benefactor either…”
She paused.
“Silly girl, there was no reason for you to risk everything just to keep it safe for me.”
Liu Yinglian pressed her lips together and shook her head.
Then she buried her face in the hollow of Yu Lin’s shoulder.
Unable to hug Yu Lin with her hands, she could only lightly wrap her arms around Yu Lin’s waist.
Yu Lin understood.
The gesture was meant to comfort her.
Behind the ceremonial archway, Wang Chong made a hand signal toward Zhang Yao.
Zhang Yao glanced at him but showed no intention of leaving Yu Lin’s side.
Unable to bear it any longer, Wang Chong rolled his eyes, dismounted from his horse, and walked over.
“Get your household servant girl to stand up.”
He looked at Liu Yinglian.
“We’re taking away the woman who came out of the Guanyin Hall.”
Zhang Yao rose to his feet.
“The person I carried out of the fire. Doesn’t the Military Command want to ask for my opinion first?”
Wang Chong replied,
“What? Has this case already reached the heavens tonight or something?”
Zhang Yao said nothing.
Wang Chong continued,
“Commander Zhang, the people who end up in the Imperial Prison are distinguished guests my jailers in the Military Command can’t afford to serve.”
As he spoke, he glanced toward Yu Lin and Liu Yinglian.
“As for this woman from Tianji Temple…”
“She isn’t worthy of your interrogation.”
Looking at Yu Lin’s figure, Zhang Yao asked,
“How do you intend to interrogate her?”
Wang Chong clicked his tongue.
“A mute woman. No need for questioning. That makes things easy.”
After saying that, he stepped closer and lowered his voice.
“It was you who opened my eyes earlier. Such a massive fire—if it started without explanation, the Astronomical Bureau would be forced to comment on it, and the Censorate officials would start writing memorials. Tianji Temple would become another target in their factional struggles.”
“You carried this woman out of the Guanyin Hall, and she’s covered in lamp oil.”
“What is there for her to defend?”
“Isn’t all that’s missing a motive for arson?”
“Besides, that part isn’t important.”
“What matters is that the Fire Brigade gets to keep their lives. Even my Military Command ought to thank you.”
“I, Wang Chong, never get involved in court politics. All I care about is keeping my office safe.”
“Commander Zhang, I’m telling you the truth for once.”
“You’re an imperial investigator. No matter how big the fire is, it won’t burn you.”
“But for people like us…”
“We have to avoid disaster however we can.”
“That’s why—”
Zhang Yao cut him off.
“Is that really the truth?”
Wang Chong choked on his words.
He said nothing further.
Zhang Yao pointed at the ground before him.
“Stand there.”
After saying that, he turned and walked back to Yu Lin and Liu Yinglian.
Just as he was about to speak, Yu Lin said first,
“The Northern Pacification Bureau can’t intervene in the Tianji Temple fire right now, can it?”
Since she already understood, Zhang Yao merely replied,
“The fire happened in Liangjing. By law, the Military Command is responsible for investigating it.”
“You understand how the Northern Pacification Bureau operates.”
“I’m waiting for an imperial order from the Inner Court.”
“Alright.”
Originally, Zhang Yao had not intended to say anything more.
Yet Yu Lin’s reaction suddenly left him unwilling to let the matter rest.
Earlier, while speaking with Wang Chong, he had already begun considering helping her.
If she had simply asked him for help, he probably would have taken Liu Yinglian away even at the cost of acting first and reporting to Fengming Emperor afterward.
Yet all she said was:
“Alright.”
“I thought you’d ask me to help her.”
After a long silence, he could not stop himself from adding that sentence.
Unexpectedly, Yu Lin only smiled.
Calmly, she replied,
“My ten years as an official weren’t wasted.”
As she spoke, she gently stroked the head resting against her shoulder, soothing Liu Yinglian’s trembling body.
“I understand.”
“You don’t want to protect her.”
“You may even hope she dies.”
Once again, she struck directly at the center of Zhang Yao’s thoughts.
He had no answer.
Yu Lin paid no attention to his silence and continued,
“One death in exchange for a hundred lives.”
“Actually, you’re not wrong.”
“From your position, that’s already the best choice you can make.”
She smiled.
“After all, doing your job annoys you.”
A sharp pain throbbed at Zhang Yao’s temple.
He frowned.
And yet, he strangely enjoyed being cut apart by this woman’s words.
He was never a man of many words.
His literary talents were ordinary.
Half a lifetime had forced him to cultivate an indestructible shell.
But a life that no blade could penetrate left no outlet for release.
When he grew frustrated enough to wish for death, he could not even find words to dissect himself.
Yet with only a few casual sentences, Yu Lin carved his soul apart.
His merits and his sins became so clearly separated in her mouth.
It was impossible not to feel relieved.
“But, Zhang Yao…”
Yu Lin looked steadily at him.
“I’ve been wondering.”
“Is it possible that even when people like you perform your heavenly rituals, you don’t have to sacrifice the ants crawling on the ground?”
“No.”
Zhang Yao stepped closer and looked down at her.
“Let go of her and stand up.”
“I’m taking you away.”
“Wait.”
“There’s one thing I still need to ask of you.”
“Speak.”
“Please find a physician for her.”
“Treat the burns on her hands.”
The moment those words left her mouth, Liu Yinglian’s back trembled violently.
Zhang Yao examined Liu Yinglian’s hands once more.
Then he said to Yu Lin,
“Do you trust my judgment?”
“Yes.”
“Her hands can’t be saved.”
He spoke with his usual ruthless bluntness, caring little whether Liu Yinglian would be hurt by his words.
“The flesh is gone. It won’t grow back.”
“The burns reach the bone.”
“There’s no point treating them.”
Yu Lin pulled Liu Yinglian’s head against her chest, deliberately covering her ears.
“You’re really cruel.”
“That’s just how I—”
“That’s just how you are.”
She finished his sentence for him.
Zhang Yao was momentarily speechless.
“It doesn’t matter.”
Yu Lin lowered her head and looked at Liu Yinglian’s hands.
“I’m not asking because I expect her to hold a brush again someday.”
“I just can’t allow these burns to take her life for no reason.”
The moment she said that, Zhang Yao understood.
She was worried Liu Yinglian would be silenced.
She wanted to borrow a pair of eyes from the Northern Pacification Bureau.
“I can’t protect her for very long.”
“It doesn’t need to be very long.”
After speaking, Yu Lin lowered her head and whispered into Liu Yinglian’s ear.
“Listen to me.”
“After tonight, wherever you are, sleep when you’re tired.”
“Eat when you’re hungry.”
“If your heart hurts, you can cry too.”
“But when they treat your wounds, no matter how much it hurts, you must endure it.”
“Alright?”
A muffled sound emerged from Liu Yinglian’s nose in response.
Yu Lin straightened her clothes and supported her arm, helping her to stand.
Then she nodded at Zhang Yao.
Zhang Yao stepped aside.
Wang Chong immediately understood and raised his hand.
“Take her away.”
The Military Command officers seized Liu Yinglian and led her forward.
After staggering a few steps, she turned around.
With sorrowful eyes, she looked back at Yu Lin.
Standing beneath the archway, Yu Lin’s face glowed red in the firelight.
She brushed away the loose strands of hair before her eyes.
Her other hand tightened around the stone hidden in her palm.
She opened her mouth soundlessly.
In the end, she mouthed only two words:
“Don’t be afraid.”
“Hurry up!”
The Military Command urged her onward.
This time, Liu Yinglian did not stop again.
Watching her retreating figure, Zhang Yao spoke in a low voice.
“Yu Lin, there’s something I want to ask you. About Madam Liu’s husband-murder case, you—”
Before he could finish, he felt the person beside him slowly leaning toward him.
Turning his head, Zhang Yao saw Yu Lin with her eyes closed, painfully clutching his sleeve.
Her fingers trembled uncontrollably from pain as she tried to keep herself upright.
Her entire body was burning like a live coal.
Only then did Zhang Yao remember.
When he had taken Yu Lin from the Ministry of Revenue, her fever had already been severe.
Now, exhausted in both body and spirit, the last breath of determination she had been forcing herself to hold onto had finally dispersed.
Zhang Yao sighed.
He swung his saber behind his back to keep the scabbard from pressing against her.
Then one hand steadied her shoulder while the other hooked beneath her knees.
“Put your arms around my neck—”
Before he could finish, a weak hand had already wrapped itself around his neck with practiced familiarity.
Yu Lin’s voice sounded beside his ear.
“I’m sorry…”
Zhang Yao lowered his head.
“What are you apologizing for?”
Yu Lin coughed softly.
“You’re going to have to spend money treating me now.”
Zhang Yao replied,
“You’re really not polite.”
Yu Lin looked at him.
“That’s right.”
“That’s just how I am.”
Looking down at the fragile figure in his arms, Zhang Yao laughed at himself.
In total, he had only met Yu Lin four times.
The first time, he became a “customer.”
The second time, he knelt in the courtroom of the Court of Judicial Review and stood beneath a cangue before the Gate of Justice.
The third time, he carried Yu Lin home and was thrown into the courtyard by Zhang Min to kneel as punishment.
The fourth time, he was carrying her home again.
And he still had no idea how Zhang Min would deal with him this time.
Thinking about it that way, he suddenly found himself understanding something.
Things had already become like this.
Then so be it.
“Fine.”
Zhang Yao answered aloud and began carrying Yu Lin away.
What occupied his mind now was how exactly he was supposed to explain all of this to Zhang Min when they got back.
“Zhang Yao.”
Yu Lin called his name.
He answered casually,
“What is it?”
“What were you about to ask me earlier?”
Perhaps her hands hurt too much.
She couldn’t keep a secure hold around his neck.
As she spoke, her fingers grabbed and kneaded the fabric over his shoulder instead.
Zhang Yao wore only a thin inner robe.
With her tugging at it, most of one shoulder became exposed.
“Yu Lin.”
“Hm?”
“…”
He hesitated for a long time before finally saying,
“Liu Yinglian is in the prison.”
“I’ll keep an eye on her for you.”
“I don’t care what kind of trouble you’re planning to stir up.”
“First, recover from your illness.”
“Alright.”
After saying that, he glanced sideways at his exposed shoulder and added,
“And one more thing…”
“Hm?”
“Forget it.”
Zhang Yao closed his mouth and lengthened his stride.
But what had he wanted to say?
He wanted to tell her that his shoulder had carried a heavy cangue for ten days.
Being left exposed to the wind like this actually hurt a little.