It was not until the sun dipped below the western horizon that Jiang Wanning and Shen Ruzhi finally reached the ruined temple.
“Ningning, this place is deserted. What are we doing here?”
Jiang Wanning lifted the hem of her skirt and walked into the temple, replying in a low voice, “Looking for someone.”
“Someone? Who?”
“Someone who can save Pei Yanchuan’s life.”
At those words, Shen Ruzhi’s expression turned serious, and she began to search the area diligently. If this person could save Pei Yanchuan’s life, it was better for that “old man” to live than for Ningning to become a widow. Besides, setting aside the issue of his true age, Pei Yanchuan was undeniably handsome; in all the capital, only his looks were truly a match for Ningning.
Jiang Wanning searched carefully among the beggars lying on the floor.
She remembered it very clearly. In her previous life, she hadn’t saved A-Hai until a year later. At that time, he had said that if he had met her sooner, the outcome might have been different. He told her he had arrived in this place under mysterious circumstances. Initially, he had tried to perform a surgical delivery on a woman in obstructed labor to save her, but he was hunted as a murderer for “cutting her open.” He had no choice but to hide in this ruined temple among the beggars, only daring to scavenge for food at night.
It was also during the Lantern Festival a year later that Pei Anqing had claimed he was going out for drinks with colleagues. Because he hadn’t returned late into the night, she had worried and gone out to look for him, which was when she first encountered A-Hai.
“Ningning, are you sure the person who can save the Prince is here?” Shen Ruzhi couldn’t help but pinch her nose. “Hidden masters usually live on mountains.”
Jiang Wanning felt a flicker of uncertainty. In her past life, A-Hai had only mentioned that he stayed in the ruined temple for about a year; she was calculating based on that timeline. According to her estimate, he should have only recently been mistaken for a murderer.
Seeing that Jiang Wanning didn’t speak, Shen Ruzhi simply followed behind her. After all, she didn’t know what a “master” was supposed to look like. If his medical skills were great, he must be quite old.
The beggars in the ruined temple looked at the two elegantly dressed young ladies—one with a long whip at her waist and the other with a sword in her hand. Fearing they were there to find a scapegoat for some crime, the beggars huddled in the corners, keeping their heads down to remain unnoticed.
By the soft, golden light of the setting sun, Jiang Wanning carefully scanned the faces. After searching for a long time without finding anyone who looked like A-Hai, her heart began to sink. If an accident occurred in this life and she failed to meet A-Hai, then the poison in Pei Yanchuan’s system would never be cured.
“Ningning?”
Shen Ruzhi called her name several times before Jiang Wanning snapped out of her daze.
“Let’s head back first.” The two walked out of the ruined temple.
“Ningning, look!”
Just as Jiang Wanning was about to board the carriage, she followed Shen Ruzhi’s gaze to a person lying in the corner of a wall, covered in blood, their gender indistinguishable.
“They seem to be alive.” Shen Ruzhi tentatively took two steps forward and saw the person’s fingers twitch slightly.
Jiang Wanning stepped forward and reached out to brush away the blood-matted black hair from the person’s face.
“Ningning, be careful,” Shen Ruzhi whispered a warning.
Jiang Wanning used a handkerchief to wipe away the blood on the man’s face, and her heart skipped a beat. A-Hai!
“Zhizhi, help me get him onto the carriage quickly.”
Without asking why, Shen Ruzhi moved to the man’s feet, and the two of them lifted him into the carriage.
“Where to now?”
“Back to the Marquis’s Manor.”
“Ningning, this…”
Jiang Wanning knew Shen Ruzhi was worried about the man’s identity and the potential trouble if he died at the manor. “Drive the carriage through the back gate.”
Seeing Jiang Wanning’s firm stance, Shen Ruzhi said no more. The carriage soon reached the back gate of the Marquis’s Manor. Jiang Wanning went in first to explain the situation to Madam Zhou before having the family servants carry the man to a guest room.
“I’ll fetch a doctor for him,” Madam Zhou said, glancing at the blood-covered figure on the bed.
“No need,” Jiang Wanning intervened. “Mother, for the time being, it’s best if as few people as possible know about him.” She was afraid of unnecessary complications.
“But if we don’t get a doctor for such injuries, how will he survive?”
Jiang Wanning looked at the man on the bed while Haitang and Shaoyao cleaned the bloodstains from his body. “Mother, I remember we have some medicinal herbs in the storehouse. I’ll have Shaoyao fetch them in a moment.”
Madam Zhou nodded, then paused as if hesitating before speaking. “Ningning.”
Jiang Wanning looked up.
Madam Zhou’s eyes filled with tears. “Mother wants to thank you.”
Haitang and Shaoyao had already told her about what happened at the Grand Preceptor’s Manor when they returned earlier that afternoon. Originally, she hadn’t visited her father’s home often because she didn’t want him to worry about her distressed state, but she had never considered how much a father misses his daughter.
Jiang Wanning stepped forward and embraced Madam Zhou. “Mother, I am also at fault in this matter.”
Her mother had been deeply hurt by the presence of Concubine Liu, yet in her past life, Jiang Wanning had been just like her father—giving her whole heart to Concubine Liu and her daughter, never considering her mother’s feelings.
“Everything will get better from now on.”
Madam Zhou wiped the tears from her eyes and nodded. Soon, she brought the herbs Jiang Wanning had requested and ordered Shaoyao to go brew the medicine.
Watching Jiang Wanning skillfully bandage the man’s wounds, Shen Ruzhi and Madam Zhou asked in unison, “Ningning, since when do you know medicine?”
Jiang Wanning froze. Her medical skills had actually been taught to her by A-Hai. In her past life, after she saved him, he wanted to repay her by teaching her all his medical knowledge. But at that time, her heart was entirely set on Pei Anqing, focusing only on how to be a good wife and scheme for his future. Although she had studied under A-Hai, she hadn’t been serious and only knew the basics.
“I read some medical books when I was bored before, so I understand a little. Since his identity is currently unknown, if we rashly invite a doctor, I’m afraid someone with ill intentions might use it against us. I’ve checked; his injuries aren’t too severe. He’s just weak from not eating or drinking for several days. Most of the wounds on his body are nearly healed.” He must have treated them himself while on the run.
“Ningning, is this the person you said could save the Prince?” Shen Ruzhi asked cautiously.
Jiang Wanning nodded. “I had a dream. In the dream, someone told me to go to that ruined temple to find a man. The face in the dream was exactly the same as his. I know it sounds absurd, but I thought—what if it’s true?”
Jiang Wanning looked at her mother. She knew that her mother had always been superstitious, especially since Jiang Wanning was born; she went to the temple every year to pray and had even sought a protection amulet, though Jiang Wanning had lost it.
Madam Zhou and Shen Ruzhi both looked incredulous. “Exactly the same?”
Jiang Wanning nodded. “Regardless, we save him first. If he turns out to be an irredeemable villain, we can just kill him then.”
Shen Ruzhi: “…”
“Mother, while I was out, has the Bige Pavilion been quiet?”
Jiang Wanning suddenly changed the subject. Madam Zhou replied, “Around noon, Jiang Wanru went out dressed as a maid. As for where she went, I don’t know.”
“That white lotus! She must have gone to see that scumbag!” Shen Ruzhi said crossly. “Ningning, why don’t I go beat her up to vent some steam?”
Jiang Wanning reached out to stop her. “They have likely been plotting for a long time. For now, let’s not alert the enemy.” She was keeping Concubine Liu and her daughter around to lure out the person behind them.
“Are we just going to endure it?” Shen Ruzhi was a bit angry. “Are you still unable to let go of that scumbag?”
Jiang Wanning smiled. “I said not to alert the enemy, but I never said we wouldn’t vent our anger.”