The long moon hung high, a sudden gust of wind rose, and the official document in her hand was like a silk thread, gently tugging at her hesitant heart.
In the end, Shi Jun put away the document, quickly walked around the corridor, and headed straight for the stables. She immediately ordered someone to harness the carriage and head to Qingshan Temple outside the city.
The driver received the order and, seeing Shi Jun's urgency, quickly hitched the horses and raced out of the city at full speed.
Along the way, Shi Jun's heart rose and fell with the carriage, filled with anxiety.
She knew nothing about Xie Changxi's affairs in officialdom. But the fact that Xie Changxi stayed up late into the night for official matters could not be faked.
Moreover, Xie Changxi had shown her kindness. She could not watch Xie Changxi fall into danger while she fled.
"Faster." Shi Jun's voice trembled as she looked at the teahouses and eateries whizzing past beyond the curtain.
Hearing this, the driver cracked his whip and shouted, and the carriage shot forward like an arrow from a bow.
Seeing the city gates behind them, Shi Jun's heart calmed slightly.
The mountain road outside the city was rugged and pitch black. The rustling of branches and leaves sounded like ghostly whispers, and any small movement set her heart racing.
Shi Jun took a deep breath, steadied herself, and forced herself to calm down.
"Madam, I can see figures up ahead," the driver called back.
Hearing this, Shi Jun quickly leaned out and, by the clear moonlight, saw figures moving in the distance.
The carriage wheels crunched over dead branches and fallen leaves, and it seemed the same sound came from up ahead.
"Can you tell—are they our lord's men?" Shi Jun asked.
They were too far away, and even with the bright moonlight, it was hard to make them out clearly.
The driver squinted, and as they drew closer, he confirmed: "Yes! They're the lord's men—I can see Hemu."
Shi Jun's eyes flickered. She lifted the carriage curtain and called out into the distance: "Stop—stop—"
Her voice rang through the silent mountain forest, unusually clear, like a stone cast into water, stirring endless ripples.
Hearing her, Hemu raised his hand to signal the others to stop.
A flicker of surprise passed through Xie Changxi's usually calm eyes, and his mind wavered for a moment.
Why would Shi Jun appear outside the city?
A moment later, Xie Changxi lifted the carriage curtain and saw Shi Jun running toward him alone, her steps quick.
"Hemu, go at once," Xie Changxi ordered in a low voice, his brows tightly knit.
Hemu spurred his horse forward, but he had barely taken a step when a disturbance rose from the surrounding forest—a faint rustling sound.
Shi Jun, still dozens of paces from Xie Changxi, shouted at the top of her lungs.
"My lord—ambush—"
The moment the words left her lips, flashes of silver light appeared all around, and wave after wave of black-clad figures emerged from nowhere.
Before Hemu could reach Shi Jun, he was intercepted by the attackers. Shi Jun, terrified by the sight before her, stumbled backward in panic.
Xie Changxi retrieved his sword from the carriage, cut the reins, and charged into the fray on horseback. His attendants clashed with the black-clad men.
Blades flashed before her eyes, weapons colliding with cold, metallic sounds. Soon, the stench of blood filled the air.
Shi Jun turned to flee in a panic, but people surrounded her on all sides. A black-clad man had already raised his blade and swung it toward her.
Xie Changxi pulled hard on the reins, hurling his sword with one hand, then spurred his horse forward. As he drew close to Shi Jun, he freed a hand and swept her up by the waist.
Startled and suddenly lifted into the air, Shi Jun felt a sharp pain where his arm pressed against her waist.
"My lord! Danger!" Shi Jun stammered, her lips trembling uncontrollably.
"You can't even protect yourself, yet you rush to save others. Yingyue, what kind of saint are you?" Xie Changxi scolded harshly, but Shi Jun trembled in his arms.
He softened slightly and said in a low voice: "You are indeed the kindest of souls!"
Though Shi Jun had come to warn him, the fact that she couldn't even protect herself yet still tried to save others stirred both anger and pity in him.
Xie Changxi frowned, pondered for a moment, and decided he shouldn't be angry with Shi Jun. After all, her intentions were good.
With that thought, he couldn't help but worry about her future. If she left the protection of the marquis's household, she would likely be deceived by others.
This world was not kind to her.
Shi Jun's mind was in a daze, unaware that she was being held in someone's arms.
Xie Changxi dismounted and set Shi Jun down, seeing that she was shaking like a leaf, her gaze scattered.
His brows knit even tighter. He crouched down and looked at her with gentle eyes.
"Don't be afraid. There's no one here," Xie Changxi said softly, soothing her.
After a long while, Shi Jun's gaze slowly focused, and her breathing gradually steadied.
The moon hung like a hook, and frost covered the ground like silver.
The wind in the forest grew stronger, scattering the fallen leaves in disarray.
Shi Jun slowly raised her eyes and saw Xie Changxi right before her. Only then did she believe that both she and Xie Changxi were still alive.
She had saved Xie Changxi's life. With this, the debt of gratitude between them was settled once and for all.
"My lord, it's good that you're safe." As she spoke, Shi Jun was about to rise when she saw an arrow flying toward Xie Changxi from behind him.
In that instant, Shi Jun shoved Xie Changxi aside. The arrow pierced her left shoulder, and the pain made her grit her teeth and cry out.
Then she heard Hemu and the others rushing over. What happened after that, Shi Jun could barely remember.
"My lord, Zhao Mingli's men have all been dealt with. The real account book is in hand."
Hemu's blade was still stained with warm blood. Seeing Xie Changxi holding the arrow-wounded Shi Jun, he quickly lowered his gaze.
"Return to the residence."
Xie Changxi carried Shi Jun all the way back to the residence. Only after the physician had prescribed medicine and Lingxiang had begun decocting it did Xie Changxi return to his study.
Xie Changxi flipped through the account ledger's records. Zhao Mingli had originally been a member of the New Faction, and his closest contact among them was Duke Han Cheng.
The rest were all New Faction members—not a single Old Faction name appeared in the register.
Han Cheng had already suspected his loyalties. Now that the ledger was in hand, it remained to be seen what he would do with it.
The New and Old Factions were calculating loudly, waiting to see how he would handle the Jiangling affair.
"Send this ledger to Duke Han Cheng. Consider it my return gift for being appointed Pacification Commissioner of Jinghu North Circuit." Xie Changxi tossed the ledger onto the desk.
As for the men who had tried to assassinate him in Jiangling, there was no need to guess—it was Zhao Mingli's handiwork. Once the ledger matter came to light, Han Cheng could wash his hands clean, but Zhao Mingli would not escape blame.
Xie Changxi had not wished to destroy them utterly, but unfortunately Zhao Mingli's reach had stretched too far and crossed his path.
"Have the men been captured?" Xie Changxi asked coldly.
Hemu bowed and reported, "They are locked in the woodshed. How does the young master wish to deal with them?"
"Sever their tendons and sell them to the mines." Xie Changxi said.
Hemu accepted the order and withdrew.
Lingxiang and Lanfang kept watch over Shi Jun. When Shi Jun woke, it was already dawn.
Seeing Shi Jun conscious, Lanfang rose to report to the young master.
Lingxiang brought the medicinal broth, worriedly saying, "What's been happening with sister lately? Trouble keeps finding you."
The wound on Shi Jun's shoulder throbbed with dull pain. She raised a hand to touch it, and beads of blood seeped through.
"As long as the young master is unharmed, that's what matters." Shi Jun's lips were pale as she sipped the medicine Lingxiang fed her, mouthful by mouthful.
"Sister, you should think of yourself sometimes. When you're like this, my heart aches too."
Lingxiang's eyes welled with tears as she spoke, but she only turned her head away, composing herself for a moment.
Shi Jun felt weary and could not find words to comfort Lingxiang at the moment.
Lingxiang's words held some truth—she ought to think of herself. She couldn't keep saving others at her own expense.
Dusk settled in, and the dying sun cast long shadows.
Shi Jun was reading in her room when she suddenly heard hurried footsteps outside the door. The next moment, Lanfang was before her.
A bolt of Shu red brocade, vermilion as its base, woven with gold thread in a pattern of interlocking treasure flowers, the flower hearts adorned with coral beads the size of rice grains—along with two jade bangles of excellent quality.
Beneath these lay two more bolts of fabric: sky-water green and moonlight gauze.
"Sister, these are gifts from the young master." Lanfang had never seen such things before. She stared at them longingly, unable to hide the envy in her eyes.
Shi Jun only glanced at them and said flatly, "Put them away."
She had saved Xie Changxi's life yesterday, so his reward was not surprising—but weren't these fabrics a bit too precious?
The moon rose above the branches, and thin moonlight spilled through the window paper. Shi Jun was reading a storybook by her bedside.
Holding the book, Shi Jun felt a strange stickiness in the air around her, as if something were wrapping around her.
Before long, Shi Jun lifted her gaze faintly and caught sight of Xie Changxi standing at the door from the corner of her eye.
Shi Jun looked at him with confusion, wondering when he had arrived and why no one had announced him.
Seeing that she had noticed him, Xie Changxi entered the room.
"How is your wound?" Xie Changxi looked at her with a gentle gaze.
Shi Jun said, "It still hurts a little."
"Is there anything else you want? Tell me all of it." Xie Changxi's eyes lowered.
Shi Jun saw that gaze like a deep pool of water, as if it would swallow her whole.
Shi Jun steadied herself and said, "Young master, this servant desires nothing else. I only ask that you fulfill what you promised before—grant me my freedom."
Hearing this, Xie Changxi's brows furrowed slightly. He saw how slender Shi Jun was, and she was not without beauty, but her nature was kind and gentle.
How could someone like her leave him?
First she had fallen into Tang Zhisheng's trap, and then she had been deceived by Luluo. If she regained her freedom, she would likely meet a miserable end.
At this thought, Xie Changxi let out an imperceptible sigh and did not answer.
Xie Changxi's hesitation made Shi Jun uneasy, though she quickly suppressed the feeling.
She served Xie Changxi attentively and thoughtfully. Even if he was reluctant to part with such a capable subordinate, she had also trained two capable assistants for him.
Xie Changxi had no reason not to release her.
Due to her injury, Shi Jun rested in her room these past few days, with Lingxiang keeping watch by her side, while Lanfang took over the duties of attending to Xie Changxi.
During her leisure time, she recorded everything about Xie Changxi's daily routines, tastes, and preferences in a notebook.
Lingxiang looked at the meticulously detailed notes and said in surprise, "Sister is truly meticulous."
Shi Jun smiled. "In the future, you and Lanfang will be the ones taking care of the young master."
Lingxiang held the notebook, slightly puzzled. "Sister, do you know? The young master is gentle-natured. What's wrong with serving him? Why do you want to leave?"
"Sister, do you know? My uncle and aunt fled into the mountains to avoid the court's taxes. The government pressed down on us until we could barely breathe. Everyone in our village ran into the mountains."
Lingxiang's voice was very low as she spoke, and she let out a deep sigh afterward.
She had lived in fear of those days. Now, to have a meal and a stable life was something she could never have begged for before.
Shi Jun understood Lingxiang's concerns and said calmly, "It's different, Lingxiang. Following the young master may indeed ensure a smooth life, but when would we ever have the chance to stand tall and speak our minds? Life and death hang on another's whim."
The destitution outside and the trepidation within the Marquis's residence were ultimately different things.
Outside, one could still make decisions for oneself; within the Marquis's residence, if one failed to win the master's favor, one could only be at the mercy of others.
Lingxiang didn't fully comprehend, but she could see that the young master treated Shi Jun extremely well, so she asked curiously, "Sister, what if the young master can't bear to part with you?"
Shi Jun was slightly taken aback. This question from Lingxiang was precisely what she least wanted to consider.
Yet she truly couldn't imagine what Xie Changxi would find hard to part with—after all, she was merely a maidservant, and there would always be those in the world willing to serve at his side.
"That won't happen. The young master is a good man." Shi Jun smiled faintly.
Hearing Shi Jun's words, Lingxiang didn't press further and quietly kept her company by her side.