The prison official did not immediately punish Tuqiu Zhi and Tuqiu Fei on the spot. Even though the situation was already quite clear, he still carefully questioned the prisoners in the two adjacent cells.
However, the prison was dimly lit, and most people suffered from night blindness. They could only vaguely see that Tuqiu Zhi and Tuqiu Fei had approached Tuqiu Jiu first and were also the ones who initiated the attack.
As for whether Tuqiu Jiu fought back, they were not entirely sure. This was mainly because although Tuqiu Jiu had kicked Tuqiu Fei twice, his movements were very subtle. Under poor lighting conditions, it was impossible to discern.
There was no way Tuqiu Jiu could have made larger movements even if he wanted to—his body simply couldn’t support such vigorous actions.
While summoning the prison doctor to examine Tuqiu Jiu, the prison official took Tuqiu Zhi and Tuqiu Fei away. It was likely they would face a flogging.
The prison doctor, looking at Tuqiu Jiu, felt somewhat weary. During the retrial of the case, it was absolutely crucial that nothing happened to this man. If he were to die, it would likely raise suspicions of foul play.
In that case, from the prison official to the prison doctor, no one would escape blame.
However, truly skilled physicians would never work as prison doctors. After feeling Tuqiu Jiu’s pulse for a long time, the doctor couldn’t pinpoint what was wrong with him. He only knew that the man was genuinely weak.
The prison doctor suspected that Tuqiu Jiu’s condition was the result of long-term accumulation of ailments, requiring gradual recuperation. But where was the time for recuperation now? The prison certainly didn’t provide the conditions for it.
Tuqiu Jiu had been feigning unconsciousness for quite some time. Sensing the prison doctor lingering by his side as if faced with a perplexing illness, he grew uneasy. Whether due to psychological factors or not, he genuinely began to feel some discomfort.
However, all that discomfort vanished instantly upon hearing the agonized screams of Tuqiu Zhi and Tuqiu Fei.
Unable to keep up the act any longer, he pretended to gradually regain consciousness, lifting his eyes to look at the prison doctor and offering a weak smile.
The prison doctor paused, his heart swelling with pity. He stood up and said, “Your condition is somewhat complex. I fear only the gods and spirits can cure it. I shall now perform a Prayer-ritual for you.”
Tuqiu Jiu was bewildered. “Huh?”
Before he could grasp the doctor’s meaning, he saw the prison doctor use an intricate method to light two medicinal herbs. As the herbs burned, smoke rose, and the Shaman-physician knelt on the ground, beginning to chant softly while rhythmically moving his arms.
Tuqiu Jiu watched in stunned silence. It took him a while to realize—ah, a Shaman-physician.
In the pre-Qin period, Shamanism and medicine were not separate disciplines. Although signs of separation emerged during the Spring and Autumn period, many physicians still sought divine or ghostly assistance, and shamans often possessed some medical knowledge.
The man before him was clearly one who practiced both.
In ancient times, when people encountered incurable or perplexing illnesses, they would turn to the gods and spirits for help. Well, perhaps it wasn’t just in ancient times—even in later eras, people would pray to gods and buddhas when afflicted with serious illnesses.
Clearly, the prison doctor couldn’t handle the ailments of Tuqiu Jiu’s body and had decided to leave the matter to the gods and spirits. If Tuqiu Jiu survived, it would be attributed to divine intervention; if he didn’t, it would be because the gods and spirits refused to heal him.
In any case, it would have nothing to do with the prison doctor.
Once Tuqiu Jiu understood this, he couldn’t help but find it both amusing and absurd. After all, he wasn’t truly injured—just exhausted from overexertion. So, even though the prison doctor was shirking his duties, Tuqiu Jiu wasn’t angry. Instead, he watched the doctor’s ritual with curiosity.
Although many later texts record the methods of Shaman-physicians, due to the passage of time and the abbreviated descriptions in ancient books, hardly anyone knows the specific procedures.
He estimated that upon returning, this set of medical practices alone would be enough to write a high-quality thesis.
Well, provided he could still return.
The Prison Doctor’s procedure was not very long, determined mainly by the burning speed of the herbs. Once the two herbs had burned out, the Prison Doctor’s Prayer-ritual also drew to a close.
After completing the Prayer-ritual, he let out a long sigh of relief, clearly indicating that such a ritual was quite taxing for him as well.
If nothing else, just sitting there and waving both arms nonstop for ten or twenty minutes would likely be exhausting, not to mention having to devote half his focus to reciting the Prayer-ritual incantations.
After catching his breath, the Prison Doctor looked up at Tuqiu Jiu. Seizing the moment, Tuqiu Jiu immediately sat up, pretending to be pleasantly surprised, and said, “I suddenly feel much better. Thank you, Doctor.”
The Prison Doctor smiled and replied, “Young master, you are blessed by the spirits. This is excellent news.”
Tuqiu Jiu promptly added, “It is all thanks to your exceptional medical skills. Otherwise, I doubt I would have recovered so quickly.”
After exchanging these polite compliments, the Prison Doctor dutifully checked Tuqiu Jiu’s pulse again. Finding it indeed stronger than before, he felt a sense of accomplishment.
This was his first time performing the Art of Prayer-ritual, and he had not expected it to be so successful!
In his delight, he regarded Tuqiu Jiu with increasing favor and carefully advised him, “Rest more and sit less in the future. You are still young, and any physical depletion can still be restored. Do not take it lightly.”
Tuqiu Jiu sighed and lowered his eyes. “How could I not know? But the tree may wish to remain still, yet the wind will not cease. After this incident, my two younger brothers will likely hold a grudge against me. I do not know how much longer my life can last.”
He paused briefly, then smiled again. “Forgive my careless words. Regardless, I am deeply grateful for your careful treatment, Doctor. I will remember it.”
The Prison Doctor frowned slightly, stood up, and picked up his medicine bag. “I will discuss this matter with Zhi Yuli. For now, rest peacefully and avoid overthinking.”
Tuqiu Jiu politely acknowledged this. Only after the Prison Doctor left did he let out a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, the doctor had not asked whether he had seen any spirits. He had no desire to play the role of a charlatan twice in such a short time.
As for why his pulse had improved… well, he had just engaged in “strenuous” activity, and his weakened body had struggled to keep up. Naturally, his pulse had reflected that earlier.
By the time the Prison Doctor finished the Prayer-ritual, Tuqiu Jiu had been lying down long enough to recover somewhat. Having caught his breath, he naturally felt better than before.
Not long after the Prison Doctor left, Tuqiu Zhi and Tuqiu Fei were thrown back into the cell.
They were literally thrown in—whether they had been whipped into unconsciousness or were simply unable to walk on their own, it was unclear.
Zhi Yuli was quite capable, hauling one in each hand.
After tossing them inside, Zhi Yuli glanced at Tuqiu Jiu, hesitated for a moment, and then said, “If they trouble you again, remember to call for me loudly. But if you dare to make false accusations, this will be your fate.”
As he spoke, he pointed at Tuqiu Zhi and Tuqiu Fei, who lay on the ground like two dead dogs.
Tuqiu Jiu slowly rose and bowed to Zhi Yuli. “I understand. Thank you for the warning, Zhi Yuli.”
After the prison officer finished speaking, he left. Tuqiu Jiu glanced at the two men and slowly sat back down.
Ah, if it were before, he would definitely have gone over to check whether those two were awake. If they were conscious, he would have started a verbal barrage.
But now he couldn’t. There were people in the cells on both sides, and if he went over and a conflict broke out, it would easily be suspected that he had provoked it.
The prison officer’s earlier warning, strictly speaking, wasn’t to help him but more to maintain order in the prison.
Because everyone had just seen that Tuqiu Jiu was the one who had been wronged, so Tuqiu Zhi and Tuqiu Fei were the ones punished. If he were the one to provoke, then he would be the one punished.
Tuqiu Jiu sat there and began to ponder. In prison, he could still rely on the prison officer’s authority—or more precisely, the power of the judicial system. But what would he do after being released?
Family disputes might not be addressed, especially since his so-called father had always favored his two younger brothers. If a conflict really broke out, that cheap father could easily pin a charge of disobedience on him, and he would likely be severely punished, if not killed.
Thinking of this, Tuqiu Jiu couldn’t help but frown. In this era, breaking away from one’s family was extremely difficult.
If he were old enough, he could request to establish a separate household. This didn’t mean dividing family property but rather becoming independent.
The state of Qin had regulations that men of a certain age were required to establish separate households because military service in Qin was organized by household, with one person from each household serving. If families didn’t split up and large groups of blood relatives lived together, only one person would need to serve, which wasn’t beneficial for the state.
Unfortunately, for Tuqiu Jiu to survive safely for six years until he reached the age to establish a separate household would not be easy.
I wonder if there’s a way to enlist directly in the military?
In Qin at this time, joining the army was considered honorable, and promotions in rank were tied to the number of enemies killed on the battlefield. For commoners, there was no other path to quickly elevate their status besides military service.
However… with his thin arms and legs, plus his age, he probably wouldn’t even be accepted into the army.
Tuqiu Jiu sighed deeply. He never expected that the biggest obstacle to his survival would be his age.
In fact, even in later times, it would be difficult for a fourteen-year-old to break away from their family, let alone now.
Just as he sighed, Tuqiu Zhi and Tuqiu Fei slowly woke up. The first thing they did upon waking was cry out in pain, calling for their parents while groaning.
Listening to the two of them crying in pain and calling for their parents, Tuqiu Jiu suddenly remembered the young man he had seen earlier who had bowed to him.
He didn’t know if that young man was the real Tuqiu Jiu. If he was… these two at least had parents to rely on, while that young man had been worn down to the point of losing all will to live.
Thinking of this, he inexplicably felt a surge of hatred toward these two.
Tuqiu Jiu frowned, suppressing the hatred within him. He deeply felt that the lingering resentment in this body was quite strong. He pitied the original owner and disliked Tuqiu Zhi and Tuqiu Fei, but he didn’t hate them to that extent, nor did he want to do anything irrational because of this hatred.
After all, when the prison officer came earlier, he hadn’t pushed for the harshest punishment—he had only asked the officer to discipline them.
Tuqiu Jiu adjusted his emotions. After Tuqiu Zhi and Tuqiu Fei had cried enough, they remembered him and turned to look at him, saying angrily, “Just you wait.”
Tuqiu Jiu, who was in the midst of adjusting his emotions, immediately felt his temper flare up.
Since they were already enemies, trouble was inevitable once they got out. Whether he backed down now or not, the outcome would be the same. So why not let these two brats experience a taste of society’s harsh lessons?
Tuqiu Jiu didn’t react at the time, shrinking to the side as if frightened.
Tuqiu Zhi and Tuqiu Fei, injured as they were, naturally wouldn’t come looking for trouble. After a couple of days, when Tuqiu Jiu estimated their superficial wounds had mostly healed, he began subtly provoking them.
Provoking these two was almost too easy. They had been spoiled since childhood, and even after their family’s misfortune, they had never suffered, which led them to develop a domineering and impulsive temper.
Tuqiu Jiu didn’t need to do much—just a few words were enough to ignite their anger. Yet, to others, his words seemed harmless.
It’s hard to stay rational when angry, and physical confrontations are almost inevitable. Tuqiu Jiu kept Zhi Yuli’s words firmly in mind: if these two tried to lay a hand on him, he would call for help.
And so, Tuqiu Zhi and Tuqiu Fei were dragged out and beaten again.
By all reasoning, they should have learned their lesson after being beaten twice. But, to his surprise, these two seemed to remember only the rewards, not the punishments.
By the third time, Tuqiu Jiu was still able to trick them. Honestly, even he hadn’t expected it to be so easy.
After this, Tuqiu Zhi and Tuqiu Fei finally learned to keep their distance from him, though they clearly still harbored resentment. Tuqiu Jiu guessed he could probably succeed again if he tried a different approach.
Unfortunately, there was no more opportunity—they were each called in for re-interrogation, and the new testimonies became part of the updated judicial record. Within a few days, the case was solved.
While Tuqiu Zhi and Tuqiu Fei were still nursing their wounds, they were taken to the courtroom.
When they arrived, Wen Wuhai sat solemnly at the front, with a bound man kneeling below. Once Tuqiu Jiu and the other two arrived, Wen Wuhai announced, “All are present. Proceed with the sentencing reading.”
Tuqiu Jiu immediately perked up—this meant a new verdict had been reached.
He stood there obediently and listened. Through the sentencing reading, he learned that the one who killed Li Bu was Zhang Xiang.
The reasons were complex. The Zhang and Li families had some political disagreements.
After all, one followed the School of Diplomacy, the other the Legalist School, and both sought to secure a place for their doctrines. The Zhang family was slightly at a disadvantage.
If that were all, it wouldn’t have driven Zhang Xiang to murder. The real problem was Li Bu being chosen as the Principal Consort.
The Qin, the document recording the criminal’s charges, stated that Zhang Xiang harbored jealousy because of this.
It was clear that Zhang Xiang had long been infatuated with the Grand Princess and had likely strived to become the Principal Consort himself, only to be beaten to it by Li Bu.
On top of that, Zhang Xiang and Li Bu had some minor conflicts between them, which accumulated until Zhang Xiang grew malicious.
Even so, if he were to kill, he didn’t want to implicate himself—he still hoped to marry the princess after Li Bu’s death.
To this end, he spent nearly half a year planning meticulously, including gradually befriending Li Bu, devising an elaborate assassination method, and finally selecting a scapegoat.
If Tuqiu Jiu had not crossed over, perhaps he would have truly gotten his wish.
In the end, Zhang Xiang was inevitably sentenced to death. However, as the descendant of a noble official, he did not implicate his family like Tuqiu Zhi and Tuqiu Fei had.
After the verdict was announced, Zhang Xiang fainted on the spot, and his family wailed in grief. Yet no one petitioned for a retrial—the evidence was complete, the process meticulous, leaving no room for appeal.
Upon hearing this verdict, the heavy stone in Tuqiu Jiu’s heart finally vanished.
But before he could even breathe a sigh of relief, the judgment for him, Tuqiu Zhi, and Tuqiu Fei was announced: for retracting their confessions, the three of them were also deemed guilty and thus sentenced to Guixin (Ghost-fuel/Penal servitude), effective immediately.
Author’s Note:
Tuqiu Jiu: Smile slowly fading.jpg