On the dark and winding mountain path, several torches flickered like ghostly flames, slowly moving along the trail.
Pei Er’s figure blended into the tree shadows, soundless, closely following the patrol group ahead. Along the way, he also took the opportunity to learn more about the situation around the outer perimeter of the bandit stronghold.
Perhaps because the night patrol was boring, or because the mountain road at night was somewhat frightening, the men continued chatting about matters in the stronghold to pass the time or bolster their courage.
“Forget the Fourth-in-command of the East Stronghold. Two days ago, even our West Stronghold’s First-in-command led a group of brothers to rob the nearby villages. If you ask me, the rules the Second-in-command set earlier have long been broken.”
“Heh, I know about that. A brother of mine happened to be among that group and went with the First-in-command. Guess what happened? They robbed a wealthy household and almost even took that family’s young lady, though it didn’t succeed. But my brother’s living large now, I personally saw a silver chain stuffed in his pocket. Unfortunately there weren’t many wealthy households in that village, so most of what they robbed was grain.”
“If you ask me, the First-in-command did the right thing! So many new people have come up the mountain now, all opening their mouths waiting to eat. If we really followed what the Second-in-command said, this can’t be robbed, that can’t be robbed, how could there be so many unjust rich people passing by here for us to rob the rich and help the poor? Would we all just sit around waiting to starve?”
“Exactly! The Second-in-command also said we can’t just let anyone come up the mountain. But I saw that a few days ago the Third-in-command had some newly arrived people sent to the East Stronghold, and they still accepted them anyway.”
“Hehe, isn’t that because the Third-in-command took a fancy to the East Stronghold’s Fourth-in-command, Xuanping? The Third-in-command is such a burly fellow, but the moment he sees the Fourth-in-command, even his speech becomes delicate.”
“Good heavens, stop talking. I’ve got goosebumps all over. And if the Third-in-command hears about it, you’d better watch your head.”
“Hehe, I’m only saying this in front of you brothers, don’t spread it around…”
Pei Er hid behind the tree shadows, following as he analyzed useful information from the words of these men,
First, the stronghold was divided into the East Stronghold and the West Stronghold. The East Stronghold was run by the Second-in-command and the Fourth-in-command, while the West Stronghold was run by the First-in-command and the Third-in-command. Second, his earlier deduction had been correct: the stronghold indeed lacked food, and the East and West Strongholds were not on good terms. Third, the Third-in-command of the West Stronghold had recently sent manpower to the East Stronghold because he had taken a liking to the Fourth-in-command of the East Stronghold… Hmm? A man liking a man?
That didn’t seem like important information, skip it.
Pei Er slightly frowned and quickly followed the men ahead again.
Suddenly, for some reason, the patrol group stopped chatting idly. The burly man at the front suddenly turned around with his torch raised.
Pei Er swiftly hid behind the tree shadows, his back pressed tightly against the trunk. His gaze grew cold and focused as he held his breath.
“I say, we’ve already finished one full round of patrol. Why hasn’t Zhao Liu caught up yet? Is he taking that long just to take a piss?” the burly man at the front complained.
Pei Er let out a breath of relief. The body that had instantly tensed and been ready to strike a moment ago relaxed somewhat.
So it was just that they had finished the patrol and were wondering why the one who had fallen behind hadn’t caught up.
Then another person said, “D*mn, that kid didn’t secretly go down the mountain, did he? Some time ago he found himself a sweetheart down the mountain. Recently he’s been absent-minded, saying he wants to go down the mountain.”
“Tsk, what a spineless fellow! Going down the mountain at a time like this, if the higher-ups find out, they’ll skin him alive.”
“Forget it, forget it. It’s none of our business. Let’s go back first.”
“Exactly.”
These men didn’t have much brotherly affection for that gaunt bandit. After a brief discussion, they didn’t even plan to turn back to look for him and walked straight toward the stronghold gate.
Pei Er leaned out to take a glance and quickly followed.
When the men reached the gate of the stronghold, they were first stopped by the bandits guarding the entrance.
The burly man at the front quickly smiled and said, “Brothers, you’ve worked hard. We just finished our patrol.”
The gate guard nodded and said, “Today’s password.”
The burly man hurriedly replied, “This morning we ate cabbage stewed with tofu. There’s tofu, but no cabbage.”
“Alright, go in.” The guard waved his hand and yawned.
Pei Er narrowed his eyes slightly. After those men had all gone in, he waited a moment longer. Then he suddenly lit the lantern he had taken earlier from the gaunt bandit and walked out from the tree shadows, heading openly toward the gate of the stronghold.
When he reached the gate, the guarding bandit was somewhat sleepy and yawned as he asked, “Where from?”
Pei Er suddenly smiled and imitated the tone of the gaunt bandit. “Brother, did a few brothers go in just now? The ones who were patrolling with me.”
The guard let out an “Oh” and looked him over with sleepy eyes. Seeing that his clothes looked familiar and that he was carrying a patrol lantern, he immediately understood and said, “They went in just now.”
Pei Er immediately complained, “What? Sigh, those guys really are something. I just went to relieve myself for a moment and they didn’t even wait for me…”
The guard was impatient to hear his “complaining” and urged, “Password.”
Pei Er responded with an “Aye” and quickly said, “This morning we ate cabbage stewed with tofu. There’s tofu, but no cabbage.”
After saying this, he still wore a fake smile, while the corner of his eye quietly watched the several guards, silently preparing himself.
Fortunately, the guards didn’t grow suspicious and soon waved their hands. “Alright, alright. Go in.”
After speaking, one of them yawned again.
Pei Er answered with an “Aye,” quickly lifted the lantern, and walked directly through the gate of the stronghold.
After entering, he continued paying attention to what was behind him. Only after he had walked farther away did his tense shoulders relax slightly, and his gaze shifted.
Because he had entered a step later, he had already lost track of the patrol group from earlier.
He followed the path and walked cautiously for a while before encountering several more men patrolling the stronghold at night.
Seeing that he was carrying a patrol lantern, they didn’t grow suspicious. One of them even greeted him first: “Yo, brother, finished your patrol? Hurry back and get some rest.”
Then he shook his head enviously. “Patrol’s still better. Just go out for a round and you can come back. We still have to walk around until the latter half of the night.”
Pei Er imitated the gaunt bandit’s tone and greeted them as well: “You brothers have worked hard.”
If he hadn’t guessed wrong, he should currently be in the West Stronghold. Recently the West Stronghold had taken in many new people, so when these men saw an unfamiliar face, they didn’t find it strange.
But according to what the patrol group had said, Miss Shen and Physician Hu had been captured by the Fourth Boss of the East Stronghold and should now be in the East Stronghold.
Pei Er’s eyes darkened slightly. After the night patrol group left, he immediately followed the small paths within the stronghold and headed straight east.
He tried his best to avoid places that were bright or where people might be, winding around one way and another. After who knew how long, he finally saw a courtyard gate with the words “East Stronghold” written on it.
Pei Er looked at the characters on the gate, his gaze tightening. The hand holding the lantern also unconsciously clenched.
Sure enough, he hadn’t guessed wrong earlier. Miss Shen and Physician Hu should be here.
After thinking briefly, he suddenly blew out the lantern. Then he tossed this lantern, symbol of his patrol identity, behind a rockery.
Next he stepped back several paces, staring at the courtyard wall in front of him. Suddenly he ran forward for momentum, his feet stepping against the wall, his body almost parallel to the ground as he easily leapt onto the top of the wall.
He looked down at his somewhat tight trousers. Fortunately, they hadn’t torn.
Pei Er felt relieved. Then he jumped down, his figure agile like a leopard as he easily entered the East Stronghold.
Afterward he wound around again and again. This time he headed toward places with light, thinking that if someone hadn’t gone to sleep and was outside a room, he could conveniently eavesdrop on some information.
Perhaps he might hear news related to Miss Shen and quickly find her.
Just as he was thinking this and had just passed a corner, he suddenly saw someone coming from the opposite side of the road, seemingly carrying something.
Pei Er’s heart tightened. At this moment it was already too late to avoid the person, and doing so would only make him appear guilty and arouse suspicion.
Thinking this, he simply kept his expression unchanged and walked forward normally.
On the same path, the two walked toward each other, the distance growing closer and closer. Just as they passed each other,
“Wait!” The person who had just walked past him suddenly turned around and called out to him.
Pei Er’s figure stiffened, and he slowly turned around.
***
Inside the room, the candlelight shone glaringly bright. Who knew how much time had already passed.
Li Chanxiu’s gaze had remained fixed on the position of Lu Zhi’s leg wound the entire time. The sweat on his forehead had already been wiped away twice. Finally, when it came time to begin stitching, Physician Hu wiped his sweat once more.
The needle and thread steadily moved through flesh and skin. Xuanping and the others watching at the side couldn’t help their scalps tingling, yet they also secretly admired her in their hearts: this Miss Shen truly was a divine physician, possessing extraordinary skill and resolve.
When the stitching was finished as well, Li Chanxiu finally straightened up, raised his arm to wipe the fine sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, and let out a breath. “Alright.”
Immediately, everyone in the room finally dared to breathe deeply. The tension in Lu Zhi’s nerves also relaxed. Covered in cold sweat, he nearly collapsed back against the chair.
However, throughout the whole process he hadn’t cried out even once, enduring the pain the entire time.
Li Chanxiu couldn’t help thinking again of Pei Er. Pei Er was also someone who could endure extremely well. Earlier when he treated the other’s wound, the other had also remained silent the whole time.
Thinking of Pei Er, he couldn’t help thinking again that the other was currently under orders to suppress bandits. At this moment he should… be right below Wuding Mountain, shouldn’t he?
Beside him, Xuanping and the others had already stepped forward, unable to resist checking on Lu Zhi’s condition.
Seeing Li Chanxiu begin to put away the needle and thread, Xuanping thought of the stitching technique he had never seen before. After hesitating for a moment, he couldn’t help saying again, “Miss Shen, my elder brother still has a blade wound on his shoulder. Could I trouble you to also, ”
Before he could finish speaking, Lu Zhi, whose face was still pale, suddenly glared at him.
Halfway through speaking, Xuanping also felt it was inappropriate. Although Miss Shen was a divine physician, she was still a woman. Treating the injury on the leg of these men was one thing, but treating wounds on the body… that would really put the young lady in a difficult position.
Moreover, Lu Zhi had also frowned, clearly displeased, and Xuanping immediately hesitated.
But before he could say “maybe we should forget it,” he heard Li Chanxiu say in an easy tone, “Is that so? Then let’s treat that as well.”
Seeing Xuanping and the others stunned, he smiled again. “When saving someone, one should save them completely. There’s no principle of saving only half.”
Xuanping was overjoyed and quickly said, “Right, right, right. Miss Shen truly has great righteousness, a heroine among women.”
Lu Zhi clearly disagreed and opened his mouth to say “no need,” but Xuanping and the others were afraid he would refuse. They quickly held him down and helped him undo his upper clothing, revealing the blade wound on his shoulder.
It was also because Lu Zhi had just undergone the ordeal of scraping the bone to treat the injury, the pain leaving him nearly exhausted and without strength to resist, that Xuanping and the others actually succeeded. Seeing the situation was already set, he simply gave up and closed his eyes.
Li Chanxiu didn’t think much of it. In the wounded soldiers’ camp he treated soldiers’ injuries every day, so he had long grown used to such scenes.
Moreover, it was only a shoulder wound. Pei Er’s injury earlier had been on his right chest, even his thigh…
Hmm?
Li Chanxiu paused, suddenly realizing that today he seemed to have thought of Pei Er a bit too many times.
He quickly steadied his mind and focused his attention, first helping Lu Zhi treat the blade wound on his shoulder.
***
On the path in the courtyard, the person who had called out to Pei Er was a youth.
He was carrying a wooden basin of hot water and, using the distant lamplight, was carefully sizing Pei Er up.
After looking for a while, he frowned. “Why do you look somewhat unfamiliar to me? Were you already in the East Stronghold before?”
Pei Er secretly tensed, but his expression didn’t change as he said, “Replying to you, young master, I only joined the stronghold two months ago. Before, I was always in the West Stronghold. A few days ago the Third Boss arranged for me and several other brothers to come to the East Stronghold.”
This was information he had heard from the patrolling bandits. After saying it, he remembered that the bandits had also said the Third Boss did this because he had taken a liking to the Fourth Boss.
Earlier he had thought it wasn’t useful information, but…
He paused, then added another sentence: “After we came, the Third Boss told us to listen to the Fourth Boss.”
After saying this, he quietly stood to the side.
From the youth’s clothing and the casual way he had called him out, the other party should have some status. But carrying a basin of hot water meant his status wasn’t particularly high, at least he wasn’t one of the stronghold’s leaders.
More likely, he was some leader’s attendant or something similar, someone very close to one of the leaders.
Sure enough, when the youth heard his words, his expression almost cracked. “You absolutely must not say that in front of Brother Xuan.”
Pei Er quickly lowered his head and said “Yes,” concealing a fleeting dark glint in his eyes.
The “Brother Xuan” the youth mentioned must be Xuanping, the Fourth Boss that the patrolling bandits had talked about earlier.
Miss Shen had been captured by him.
Pei Er silently clenched his hand.
The youth glanced at him again and suddenly said, “Alright, since you’ve already been assigned here, help out with some work.”
As he spoke, he had Pei Er take the wooden basin of hot water from his hands so he could relax his arms, then continued, “Come with me. Later you’ll just hold the hot water and wait in the outer room. When Miss Shen finishes treating the Second Boss’s injury and calls for you to bring the water in, then you go in. If you’re not called, don’t go in.”
When Pei Er heard the words “Miss Shen,” he suddenly froze. He hadn’t expected it to be such a coincidence, that he would find her so easily, easily enough that… he almost couldn’t believe it.
The youth walking ahead turned back and saw him standing there somewhat stunned, and couldn’t help frowning again. “I say, why are you still standing there? Did you hear what I just told you?”
Pei Er quickly followed and lowered his gaze. “I heard. I’ll go in when I’m called.”
“Mm.” The youth nodded in satisfaction. “Also, the Fourth Boss is inside too. You must absolutely not mention things like ‘Third Boss’ and the like. By the way, what’s your name?”
Pei Er frowned slightly at this. He couldn’t use the gaunt bandit’s name in case someone recognized it and noticed he didn’t look like Zhao Liu. It would be best not to use his own name either. Then…
He lowered his eyes slightly and quickly replied, “Shen Er.”
“Oh, Shen Er.”
The two of them walked all the way to the corridor in the courtyard. After entering the building, the youth had Pei Er remain waiting in the outer room while he himself went into the inner room.
Holding the basin of hot water, Pei Er finally lifted his head and straightened his posture.
His gaze was heavy and focused as he looked at the tightly closed carved door before him, as if trying to see through the thin paper pasted over the hollow lattice and into the room.
At last, he and Miss Shen were separated by only this thin sheet of paper. Faintly, he could even seem to hear Miss Shen’s voice speaking from inside.
Pei Er unconsciously tightened his grip on the edge of the wooden basin he was holding, his gaze fixed firmly on the wooden door.
He had to stay calm and endure.
…
Inside the room, Li Chanxiu had just finished treating the blade wound on Lu Zhi’s shoulder.
The blade wound was not as serious as the leg injury. It had not festered, nor was it poisoned, so it was quick to handle.
Before long he straightened up again, once more putting away the needle and thread, and said, “Alright.”
Everyone breathed out in relief again, and their eyes all showed gratitude.
Lu Zhi opened his eyes. Though still weak, he insisted on sitting upright and cupped his hands, saying, “Many thanks to Miss Shen for saving me. I, Lu, will engrave this kindness in my heart and will certainly repay it in the future.”
Xuanping also stepped forward, his eyes slightly red, and said, “Miss Shen, we offended you earlier, please forgive us. Thank you for not holding it against us and helping my elder brother treat his injuries. If there is anything you need in the future, please feel free to command me. As long as I, Xuanping, can do it, I will never refuse. Even if my ability is limited and I cannot accomplish it right away, I will still, ”
“Don’t rush to thank me yet,” Li Chanxiu interrupted with a smile. “This Young Master Lu’s leg injury has only been treated for now. The most important thing, the poison, has not been resolved. Although I have some medicinal materials with me, it’s not enough to make the antidote. I wonder whether your stronghold has any medicines?”
Hearing this, Xuanping first froze, then lowered his head. “Ashamed to say, medicine in the stronghold is currently in short supply…”
But he quickly added, “However, you can tell me what medicines are needed, and tomorrow I’ll find a way to go into the city to buy them.”
“That works.” Li Chanxiu nodded.
Just then, a youth who had left earlier quietly slipped back in. After closing the door tightly and raising his head, he saw that Li Chanxiu had already finished stitching and couldn’t help but be stunned.
Then he quickly walked over and said to Xuanping, “Brother Xuan, the hot water has been brought.”
Xuanping: “…”
“Then why did you come in empty-handed? Where’s the water?” Seeing his empty hands, Xuanping couldn’t help glaring at him. “Miss Shen happens to need to wash her hands, and then she can write the prescription.”
His voice was rough and harsh. With that glare, despite his handsome features, he appeared somewhat fierce.
The youth let out an “Uh” and said, “It’s outside. I’ll have someone bring it in right away.”
As he spoke, he turned to call Pei Er in.
Li Chanxiu interrupted, “It’s alright. I’ll wash outside. Young Master Lu’s wound was just treated and he needs rest. It would be best if you all come out as well.”
He could see that Lu Zhi was in so much pain that he was nearly exhausted, yet he had been forcing himself to sit upright. This person was the same as Pei Er, someone who could endure and would not easily show weakness.
Lu Zhi also understood his good intentions and secretly admired his perceptiveness. Forcing a smile, he said, “Many thanks to Miss Shen, and also…”
He looked toward Physician Hu beside him and added, “and Physician Hu.”
Physician Hu hurriedly said “I wouldn’t dare.” Although he was no longer as afraid of this group as he had been at the beginning, he had still entered a bandits’ nest and did not dare fully relax.
Lu Zhi nodded, then instructed Xuanping to arrange lodging for Li Chanxiu and Physician Hu for the night, reminding him to treat them well and not be discourteous.
Xuanping naturally assured him repeatedly and led the two of them outside.
Li Chanxiu couldn’t help taking another look at this future great general Xuan, Lu Zhi’s future right-hand man, who was still very young now. Hearing his voice constantly rough and hoarse, he couldn’t help asking, “Fourth Boss, your throat is…”
“Oh, there was a fire at home before, and the smoke damaged it,” he said with a smile, scratching his head somewhat embarrassedly. “My voice is rough and crude, did it frighten Miss Shen?”
Li Chanxiu shook his head. As the youth walking in front pushed open the door, he said, “If the Fourth Boss’s throat usually feels uncomfortable, you can…”
Before he could finish the word “can,” he suddenly froze.
As the carved wooden door opened, a familiar face that should not possibly appear stood outside, his deep gaze meeting Li Chanxiu’s.
Li Chanxiu’s voice abruptly stopped. His entire body stiffened slightly, his clear eyes staring at the person before him in disbelief.
For an instant, he even wondered whether Pei Er had a twin brother. Otherwise, how could the person before him look exactly the same as him? Surely it couldn’t be… that Pei Er was also in the bandit stronghold?
The moment Pei Er saw him, he almost immediately tightened his grip on the basin’s edge, his gaze suddenly sharpening. But very quickly he lowered his eyes again, adopting a respectful attitude as he reminded him, “Miss Shen, my name is Shen Er. That young master just now told me to wait here with hot water for you.”
Li Chanxiu snapped back to his senses at once. He felt as though he had been frozen for a long time, but in reality it had only been an instant.
He quickly turned his head in concealment and looked toward Xuanping.
Xuanping happened to turn his head as well. Hearing him stop halfway through speaking, he asked in confusion, “And then?”
Li Chanxiu smiled. “I was thinking which prescription would suit the Fourth Boss better.”
Xuanping also laughed upon hearing this. “No matter. My throat has been like this for a long time, I’m already used to it. The fact that you could help cure my elder brother is already more gratitude than I can express.”
Hearing this, Pei Er couldn’t help lifting his head again to look at the two of them.
Xuanping noticed and happened to say to him, “You there… Shen Er, right? Quickly bring the water over so Miss Shen can wash her hands.”
Pei Er stepped forward a few paces. His pitch-black eyes looked toward Li Chanxiu before quickly lowering again.
He should have set the basin down and then stepped away. But at this moment he stood there like a wooden post, bringing the basin in front of Li Chanxiu yet not moving at all.
Li Chanxiu glanced at him without showing it and placed his hands into the hot water in the basin, thinking to himself: Shen Er? He really managed to come up with that.
Pei Er’s gaze lowered, landing exactly inside the basin, watching as Li Chanxiu’s long, beautiful fingertips slowly submerged into the hot water.
Li Chanxiu washed absentmindedly, his gaze subtly examining him, not noticing that he himself was also being examined by the other.
He rubbed his hands unhurriedly, his fingertips alternating in the clear water. His skin slowly turned light pink in the heat, then a deeper rosy color. His slender fingers were like finely polished jade, thin, translucent, and beautiful.
Like peach blossoms in spring touched with morning dew.
Pei Er’s lowered gaze grew deep. Not long ago he had suffered memory loss; by rights he had not yet seen peach blossoms in spring. Yet the thought suddenly appeared in his mind.
His throat grew slightly dry, and he imagined the scene of holding that peach blossom in his mouth and drinking the dew from the petals. Even… if what he held was not a peach blossom, but the fingers in the water…
“Splash…”
Suddenly, Li Chanxiu finished washing and withdrew his hands from the wooden basin.
Pei Er could not help raising his head, his gaze following covertly.
Li Chanxiu tried his best not to reveal anything. He accepted the towel handed over by the person beside him and wiped the water from his hands.
Physician Hu, who had been standing behind him the whole time, was already dumbfounded. Naturally, it was not because of the silent interaction between Li Chanxiu and Pei Er while he washed his hands, but because he was frightened by Pei Er’s sudden appearance.
Fortunately, he had been walking at the back, and Xuanping and the others’ attention was on Li Chanxiu, so they did not notice his abnormal reaction.
After wiping his hands, Li Chanxiu accepted the paper and brush Xuanping handed over and, as if no longer paying attention to Pei Er, calmly wrote down the prescription.
When he finished, he raised his head and said to Xuanping again, “This medicine is troublesome to prepare. Fortunately I brought some medicinal ingredients with me, so I can make some trauma medicine tonight for Young Master Lu to use first. It won’t cure the poison, but it can prevent the wound from worsening. However…”
The moment Xuanping heard this he was overjoyed, but hearing the turn in his words, he became nervous again. “But is there some difficulty?”
Li Chanxiu shook his head. With the corner of his eye he glanced at Pei Er and smiled. “It’s just that grinding the medicine powder requires strength. I need someone to help me with the work.”
Hearing this, Xuanping immediately relaxed. He thought: I thought it was something difficult. If it’s just grinding medicine powder, how hard can that be? I have plenty of strength!
He was just about to speak when he heard Li Chanxiu say again, “I saw the person who brought the water just now. He could carry a basin of water without even the surface rippling. He must be steady and strong, with extraordinary arm strength, perfect for pounding and grinding medicine powder. How about him?”
Hearing this, Pei Er suddenly looked at him.
Xuanping also froze and could not help carefully examining Pei Er.
No wonder Miss Shen seemed to look at this person a bit more while washing her hands earlier. So she was observing his arm strength?
But Miss Shen’s judgment was probably mistaken. This person was clearly wearing somewhat tight clothes, and his arms indeed bulged in lumps, but… wasn’t that just because the cotton clothing was being squeezed?
He didn’t believe that someone who looked about as thin as him could be stronger!
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