The mother and her two daughters tilted their heads back, not daring to reach out and take it for a long while.
“I have no appetite. Take it and do whatever you want with it,” Song Chuyi said, then set the bowl on the ground, turned, and went into the house.
Ji Huan looked at the doorway with a puzzled expression for a moment, then continued eating.
They rested for a night.
The next morning, after Song Chuyi finished drinking a bowl of noodle soup, she told Ji Huan to go out and gather information, while she continued sitting in the courtyard watching the twin sisters sow seeds.
Perhaps because they felt Song Chuyi was easier to approach, and Ji Huan was not there, one of the young girls mustered up the courage to ask, “Sir, what are you looking at?”
Song Chuyi faintly uttered a single word: “Soil.”
Although Song Chuyi usually appeared carefree and always wore a smile on her face, she was in fact not as approachable as she seemed. The young girl could sense her coldness and did not dare to speak again.
Having met only a few times, Song Chuyi could already tell the identical sisters apart. One of them still had a somewhat lively expression; the other, however, seemed like a pool of stagnant water, occasionally showing expressions like shyness or fear, but giving off a feeling of lifelessness.
Just past noon, Song Chuyi felt a little sleepy. She stood up and was about to go take a nap when, turning around, she saw three people walking over from outside – one was Ji Huan, and the other two were… Nan Qi and Ji Mian. Song Chuyi frowned slightly.
When Ji Mian saw Song Chuyi, he strode quickly inside, rushing up to her in a few bounds, and gave her a fierce punch on the chest. “You bastard, you leave without a word and arrive without a word. I thought that although we’d known each other only a short time, we were at least kindred spirits. I never expected you never considered me a friend at all.”
“Cough, cough.” Song Chuyi clutched her chest and lifted her foot as if to kick him in the crotch.
Ji Mian hurriedly jumped away.
Only then did Song Chuyi recover and say, “I told you not to pound my chest.”
Seeing that the danger seemed to have passed, Ji Mian grinned and went up to sling an arm around her shoulder. “Half a year without seeing you, and you seem to have changed a lot. But this time, you’ve made a name for yourself – just not a successful one.”
“Hmph, not just unsuccessful – a complete defeat,” Nan Qi said coldly.
Song Chuyi gave him a lazy glance. “It seems that during my absence, Brother Nan has become king of the mountain. He’s nearly forgotten his former crushing defeat.”
“Huaijin, your tongue is still as venomous as ever,” Ji Mian said with a laugh.
Song Chuyi knocked his hand away and said, “Sit on the ground – no tea to serve guests.”
The group entered the house and sat down on the floor. Ji Huan had not dared to look directly at Song Chuyi the whole time. Both times he had gone out with Song Chuyi, they had never been caught by acquaintances. This time, going out alone, he had clearly been very careful too, yet in less than half an hour he had run into Nan Qi and Ji Mian.
“Huaijin, Commander Ji is probably in grave danger this time,” Ji Mian said with a sigh. Ji Yu often came and went from the Longgu Residence. Although Ji Mian was only on nodding terms with him, in his heart he admired this loyal and brave man.
Song Chuyi said, “Are they interrogating him under torture?”
Ji Mian nodded. “These past few days the Wei envoy has been pressing hard. The lord has no choice but to interrogate Commander Ji, but he stubbornly insists he knows nothing. You know how it is… once things become urgent, those doing the interrogation stop holding back. And this morning General Jia said that for some reason, the envoy suddenly demanded that Commander Ji be beheaded, at noon tomorrow.”
“They probably have a rough idea of my movements and want to force me to show myself,” Song Chuyi said.
Wei’s spies were several times stronger than those of the gaming house, and they were spread throughout the various states. Once intelligence from all sides was gathered together, they could guess roughly what area Song Chuyi was in.
And even if Song Chuyi did not show herself, killing him would just mean killing him. Since they already knew her approximate location, finding her was only a matter of time.
“Where will the execution take place?” Song Chuyi asked.
“At the earthen platform on East Street. The lord will personally see Commander Ji off,” Ji Mian paused, then asked, “Do you plan to show up and rescue him?”
Song Chuyi nodded.
“How much do you know about the Marquis of Wey?” Nan Qi stared into her eyes. “He is not a weak or merciful ruler.”
“So what?” Song Chuyi said with a faint smile. “I have broken my word to many people, but I will not break it to Ji Yu. Because he values honor and integrity, and he has always believed in me.”
If it had not been for trust, back in the State of Zhao, she could not have so easily brought him down; if it had not been for honor and integrity, he would not have remained tight-lipped despite being severely tortured.
For a man like that, Song Chuyi would not gamble with his life.
“Very well. Since you put it that way, I will take it that you have a clever plan. Come back secretly with me today, without letting General Longgu know,” Ji Mian said earnestly.
Song Chuyi pondered for a moment, then cupped her hands and said, “Thank you both.”
If they really meant to harm her, would it not be safer to simply follow Ji Huan and then bring men to kill their way to her door? Besides, having spent some time together, Song Chuyi had come to understand these two fairly well. Nan Qi came from the Huang-Lao Daoist school. Because the Daoists were not much favored, he could only attach himself to a small state; Ji Mian was a Legalist, and with the reforms in the various states just having concluded, he was unwilling to be merely a law enforcer, so he drifted through the State of Wey. Both were men who valued aspirations and belittled fame and profit.
After the group agreed on a plan, they left immediately.
Since Ji Mian’s residence was a little far from the Longgu Residence, Song Chuyi and Ji Huan would stay at his house for one night.
In the carriage, Ji Mian said, “Someone is secretly watching our courtyard, but they probably think it impossible for you to risk coming, so they are quite lax.”
The Marquis of Wey directed the vast majority of his attention to Ji Yu, because he believed that if Ji Yu held fast and said not a single word, he must know the truth.
The carriage drove into the courtyard as usual, without trouble.
The group got out and went inside. Nan Qi stayed a little while, then took the carriage back to his own courtyard.
Because Song Chuyi would be going alone into danger tomorrow, and there might be people watching nearby, Ji Mian did not pull her aside to talk about old times. After washing up separately, they each went to rest.
Having been on the edge of life and death more than once or twice, Song Chuyi was not nervous. She only thought things through carefully a few times, then closed her eyes and slept.
The night was dark and the dreams sweet.
Song Chuyi slept soundly until dawn. Only when the aroma of food drifted in from outside and her stomach gave a growl did she wake up.
Remembering that she had not eaten dinner the night before, Song Chuyi rolled out of bed, threw on a robe, and walked out with her hair in a mess.
Ji Mian, who was drinking congee, stared dumbfounded at her appearance. He only came back to his senses after she, with the ease of long familiarity, found some salt to clean her teeth and returned. “What did you do last night?”
Ji Huan truthfully told her, “You can sleep in a very lively way all by yourself.”
Song Chuyi squinted half-closed eyes, served herself a bowl of congee, took a piece of pickled vegetable in her mouth, and chewed slowly, not intending to pay them any attention.
“I prepared clothes for you. They may be a bit big, but I guarantee that once you put them on, you will dominate the whole place,” Ji Mian said, rubbing his hands excitedly.
Song Chuyi took a sip of congee, and only after quite a while said, “Not wearing anything would dominate the place even more.”
