Chapter 231
In the Wenbo Pavillion, Mu Huichun had already started treating Qi Ci. For Mu Huichun, inducing amnesia wasn’t difficult. After applying a set of acupuncture techniques, he could quickly awaken the other person’s memory.
“Goodness, these scars all over the body. Could it be someone living in the wilderness, fighting wild beasts all day?” While waiting for the acupuncture to take effect, Mu Huichun followed Chu Lishu’s instructions and thoroughly examined Qi Ci from head to toe.
The injuries from earlier years had already healed, but this body was almost entirely covered in new wounds over old ones. Some were from the past few months, likely caused by wild animal bites, and some were even fatal.
Mu Huichun complained while inspecting, “Are the guards of the Saintess always in such danger? This is practically a body constantly teetering on the edge of life and death.”
Lin Qingyang also watched from the side, feeling that Qi Ci must have had a difficult time over the years.
As Mu Huichun brushed aside Qi Ci’s hair and was about to complain, he suddenly exclaimed as if he had seen something.
Lin Qingyang was about to look over when Chu Lishu, who had been silent all this while, stood up. “Leave the rest to Mu Huichun. Let’s go outside.”
Lin Qingyang didn’t think much of it, but Mu Huichun complained that they were enslaving him.
Chu Lishu coldly warned, “Keep an eye on him. He still doesn’t trust us. If he wakes up halfway, he might attack.”
Mu Huichun waved it off, saying, “Don’t worry. You’ve given him a large dose of sedative. Even the strongest martial artist will sleep for three or four hours. That’s just enough time for me.”
Chu Lishu still wasn’t reassured and reminded once more before pulling Lin Qingyang out.
The palace seemed to have returned to tranquility by now, with the moon hanging high in the sky. Lin Qingyang thought Chu Lishu must be tired, considering his complexion hadn’t been great since earlier. Lin Qingyang suggested, “Why don’t you go rest? I’ll keep watch.”
“I’m fine,” Chu Lishu said, pulling Lin Qingyang to sit down.
Lin Qingyang thought for a moment and understood. Seeing the scars on his former subordinate, and him being an amnesiac, must have saddened Chu Lishu. Lin Qingyang wondered what kind of life Qi Ci had before joining the Black Feather Guard, and how he ended up with so many injuries.
“By the way, what will we do if Qi Ci recovers his memory? We surely can’t let him stay in the Black Feather Guard. But if the Black Feather Guard suddenly loses a member, the Tianheng Kingdom will definitely investigate. It might cause trouble for Huo Luo, who just took office, and also for Yu Suoxi…”
With a pile of troubles on his mind, Lin Qingyang spoke whatever came to his mind, rambling on as if to scatter the lingering beastly roars that had haunted Chu Lishu’s ears since earlier, forcibly isolating Chu Lishu’s consciousness.
Chu Lishu gradually relaxed, allowing Lin Qingyang’s scattered thoughts to analyze the situation. Regarding the arrangement for Qi Ci, he hadn’t thought of a solid plan yet. He could only wait for Qi Ci to recover his memory and understand the situation on the Tianheng Kingdom’s side before making a decision.
Both Tianheng Kingdom and the Great Zhou Dynasty posed significant dangers to Qi Ci in his current state. Chu Lishu needed to come up with a foolproof plan to ensure Qi Ci’s safety. At the very least, he must preserve Qi Ci’s life.
Just as they were thinking, suddenly came Mu Huichun’s wretched scream.
Chu Lishu’s face changed drastically, and he rushed in, only to find Mu Huichun collapsed on the ground, shouting, “He’s escaped!”
Lin Qingyang hurried to help him up, seeing the floor covered in golden needles, and one side of the window inside the room was smashed open, with no sign of Qi Ci.
Although Chu Lishu rushed out immediately, Qi Ci was skilled in light-footed techniques, leaving behind no trace at all.
“Did he just… run away like that?” Lin Qingyang exclaimed in shock.
Chu Lishu glanced displeasedly at Mu Huichun.
Although Mu Huichun wasn’t injured, he was still angry. “What do you want from me? How would I know this kid’s willpower is beyond ordinary? He should have been unconscious, yet he managed to wake up forcibly. How scared must he have been of someone finishing him off while he was unconscious!”
Chu Lishu clicked his tongue. “His memory?”
“He pulled out the golden needles himself. I don’t know what the effect will be. There might be temporary memory confusion, but it will eventually recover. Just pray that he doesn’t cause any trouble during the confusion period. Anyway, I can’t do anything about it.”
With no other immediate solutions, Chu Lishu could only go and inform Huo Luo, urging him to closely monitor the Envoy Pavilion. After all, this was the palace; Qi Ci couldn’t escape. If he didn’t recover his memory, he would likely return to the Envoy Pavilion. If he did recover his memory, he would probably come looking for them.
As for Qi Ci at that moment, his mind felt like it was about to explode. His temples throbbed incessantly, every nerve stretched tight. Losing consciousness was the most dangerous situation for him. Waking up from darkness to face unfamiliar people directly triggered the primal savagery he had been trained with in the beast arena. He nearly attacked them, but the splitting headache stopped him. He no longer desired to fight, fearing being subdued once more. He didn’t know what those people wanted. He felt uneasy, frightened, driven by instinct to seek a safe place.
In the entire palace, only the Saintess could make him trust anyone.
He hurried towards the Envoy Pavilion, instinctively avoiding encounters with the palace guards along the way.
Just as he was about to cross the deserted garden to enter the Envoy Pavilion, he suddenly noticed someone had arrived ahead of him. He immediately concealed himself in the corner, silently observing. The headache had rendered him unable to think about what to do or not to do. He just wanted to avoid contact with people as much as possible. However, suddenly, his eyes lit up, like a hunter spotting its prey, staring intently at the figure cautiously moving in the darkness.
The figure sneaking out of the palace’s confinement was Ning Ziheng.
Ning Ziheng didn’t care about how the emperor would deal with him, or whether the Blood Abyss Pavilion in his hands was taken away, or how he was framed. None of it mattered to him.
All he could think about now was one thing: seeing Xiao Ci.
He needed to know if Qi Ci had truly returned.
He had intended to find Xiao Ci as soon as the ritual ended, but he was imprisoned instead. He was genuinely terrified to the point of being unbearable. He had to see for himself, touch with his own hands to believe that his Xiao Ci had returned alive. Even if it meant offending the emperor again, he was willing to do so. No one could stop him from finding Xiao Ci.
So he escaped, avoiding all the guards, crossing through this place, intending to sneak directly into the Envoy Pavilion.
But just as he was about to climb over the high wall, suddenly a figure appeared behind him like a ghost. By the time Ning Ziheng realized it, he was already captured.
“Don’t move!”
An unfamiliar voice, a strange aura, but at a single glance, Ning Ziheng knew the person before him was Xiao Ci.
Qi Ci, at this moment, had discarded all disguises, his face fully exposed to Ning Ziheng. Seeing the scars on his face, Ning Ziheng felt as though he could see the scenes of Qi Ci getting injured back then.
Trembling, Ning Ziheng reached out to touch, but Qi Ci reacted like a lion whose whiskers had been touched, turning his head aggressively, on high alert.
“Xiao Ci, Xiao Ci, let me see you, let me see if you’re okay,” Ning Ziheng’s voice almost trembling with pleading.
At this moment, Qi Ci’s irritable heart froze, allowing Ning Ziheng’s hand to touch the scars spreading from his cheeks to his neck.
Ning Ziheng finally understood. That cut must have sliced through his neck, leaving only the leather strap behind, with no trace of him.
“Xiao Ci, you’re still alive… Thank goodness, thank goodness…” Ning Ziheng could hardly believe everything before him. He wanted to smile, but his eyes reddened first. Then, he became furious. “Who hurt you? Was it Baya? It must be him! I’ll kill him, I…”
“Who… who are you! Who… who am I to you?” Suddenly, Qi Ci’s hoarse voice questioned.
Qi Ci was on the verge of madness. His memories started to blur, as if countless images were forcefully stuffed into his mind. Various intense emotions of pain flooded out all at once—happiness, hope, fear, pain, desire, regret—mingling together. He couldn’t distinguish them one by one, nor could he understand their meanings. He only felt unbearable discomfort, as if his whole being was about to explode. But he knew that the person appearing most frequently in those images was the eunuch before him.
He knew he had to grab this eunuch, to ask him, maybe if he asked him, his head wouldn’t hurt anymore.
Ning Ziheng was momentarily stunned by the questioning. He quickly said, “You… indeed have lost your memory. You don’t even remember me. I… I’m your father, your adoptive father. I raised you since you were a child! Xiao Ci, do you really not remember anything?”
Father? Adoptive father? Haha…
Qi Ci suddenly erupted in anger, feeling like everyone was trying to deceive him. But what was their purpose? Naturally, it was to harm him.
He clearly felt desire for this eunuch. Whenever he got close, he felt impatient, as if he would regret it for the rest of his life if he didn’t do something. That feeling was like being chased by a beast, unable to stop, forced to move forward. But now they were all saying that the eunuch was his adoptive father. Could he have such feelings for his own adoptive father?
It was all lies, he didn’t believe it, he didn’t believe any of it.
Qi Ci suddenly reached out and grabbed Ning Ziheng’s chin, lifting it up. “Adoptive father? I’ll give you one more chance. If you lie to me, I won’t spare you.”
What was supposed to be his closest person now regarded him with hostile eyes, and didn’t even believe his words. Ning Ziheng suppressed the twisting pain in his heart. “I really am your adoptive father. If you don’t believe me, I…”
Before Ning Ziheng could finish his sentence, Qi Ci suddenly approached, his face filled with anger, looming large in front of Ning Ziheng, an unfamiliar aura enveloping them both.
Ning Ziheng’s pupils shrank, his lips were bitten, and before he could close his mouth in shock, his teeth were forcibly pried apart. In an instant, they were engulfed in a tumultuous entanglement.
Ning Ziheng was overwhelmed, his eyes widened in astonishment. He saw Qi Ci’s pained expression, but still exuding a dominant and fierce demeanor. When he finally reacted and tried to push the person away, he found himself powerless. His twisted arm couldn’t push away the sturdy figure towering over him, leaving him pressed against the wall, enduring the storm of kisses like a raging tempest.
A mix of shame and anger flooded Ning Ziheng’s mind. It wasn’t the first time he had been kissed by Xiao Ci, but this time it was real, face to face.
The feeling of ethical chaos left Ning Ziheng feeling utterly ashamed. He didn’t know what had gotten into Qi Ci; it felt like Qi Ci had become a completely different person after losing his memory.
Finally, when Ning Ziheng’s mouth was filled with the taste of blood, Qi Ci stopped.
Ning Ziheng was panting, feeling both ashamed and angry. He didn’t know how to face Qi Ci, who seemed like a stranger now. All he could mutter was, “Have you lost your mind? What are you doing? How could you treat me like this? You…”
Suddenly, Qi Ci moved, and Ning Ziheng’s face went pale. He remembered that the person he encountered before was also Qi Ci.
“You… you unfilial son!”
“Hmph! Adoptive father, do you think I would treat my own adoptive father like this? Then you’ve truly raised an unfilial son. I don’t want to kiss or hug you, but this body does. So, are you still trying to deceive me? What is your purpose in deceiving me? What do you want to do to me?”
“You’re talking nonsense!” Ning Ziheng was truly infuriated. Why would Qi Ci, who was always obedient and never talked back, suddenly…
As Qi Ci expressed his anger at everyone trying to deceive him, he was also being disturbed by the constantly emerging memories in his mind. Suddenly, one particular scene jumped out at him. In that scene, this eunuch was clearly lying beneath him, eyes tightly closed, breathing heavily. And yet, he had the audacity to claim to be his adoptive father.
Qi Ci couldn’t distinguish whether Ning Ziheng in that scene was conscious or not, but the intense desire that followed drove him into madness.
Like a wild beast, triggered by a specific stimulus at a certain time.
This person couldn’t possibly be any kind of adoptive father, so he could be with men, with eunuchs…
He couldn’t be sure, he wanted to prove…
Ning Ziheng felt uncomfortable being restrained, but he didn’t want to confront Qi Ci either. After all, Qi Ci had finally returned alive. There was a misunderstanding between them that needed to be cleared up. They were indeed father and son, but Qi Ci…
Ning Ziheng felt that Qi Ci’s emotions were unstable at the moment. He wanted to calm him down first. For Qi Ci’s sake, he was willing to seek help from those people.
But the next moment, Qi Ci suddenly reached out and forcefully tore Ning Ziheng’s waistband.
Startled, Ning Ziheng was swiftly pushed into the secluded area among the artificial rocks. The surroundings were rough and uneven, and he felt a sharp pain in his back from the impact.
“Xiao Ci!” Ning Ziheng was shocked beyond words. His instincts screamed at him to flee, warning him of impending danger, but Qi Ci directly used force to suppress him. In an instant, Ning Ziheng’s robes were in disarray, and he found himself completely powerless to resist.
Feeling a sudden chill beneath him, Ning Ziheng immediately exclaimed, “Qi Ci, stop! What are you doing? Have you lost your mind? This is not right!” But no matter how he struggled, it was futile.
Each punch he threw, Qi Ci effortlessly tore off the leather strap from his wrist and bound his hands together, tethering them to a protruding rock, rendering him unable to break free. His attempts to kick back only seemed to create more opportunities for his assailant.
Seizing Ning Ziheng’s wrist, Qi Ci prevented him from retracting, then sneered menacingly into his ear. “Still trying to act with me? Humph, you’ve done it before. I’ll see how long you can keep lying to me!”
Ning Ziheng’s mind went blank. What was Qi Ci talking about? How could… they hadn’t…
But then, his breath hitched, and a sudden explosion of pain tore through his scalp, as if ripping apart his entire body. Even Ning Ziheng, who could endure any amount of pain without flinching, felt as if he were on the verge of passing out from the excruciating agony.
But the person pressing him against the artificial rocks showed no mercy, offering him no chance to catch his breath or adjust. It wasn’t like in the past when Qi Ci would see him injured and immediately tend to him with concern, silently healing his wounds.
Ning Ziheng was in pain—physically, emotionally, and his heart ached with a pain that felt like it was tearing him apart. How could he do this kind of thing with Xiao Ci? How could his damaged body possibly keep up with Xiao Ci’s… especially in this situation, where Qi Ci had forgotten who he was, forgotten their feelings for each other…
It was too tragic, too painful. This shouldn’t be happening. At this moment, overwhelmed by shame, Ning Ziheng wished he could just die.
Ning Ziheng’s eyes lost focus, his face pale. He had long since given up resistance, allowing Qi Ci to torment him while only the sound of Qi Ci’s breathing echoed in his ears.
Suddenly, he recalled the moment four years ago when he had sent Qi Ci off to the battlefield. By then, their relationship had already become extremely strained, or rather, Qi Ci had become extremely out of line.
He didn’t want to confront it, just kept a straight face and urged Qi Ci to marry soon, to have children and carry on the family line, otherwise it would be a betrayal of his nurturing.
But before leaving, as he bid farewell, Qi Ci had looked at him earnestly and said, “Ziheng, when I come back, there’s something I must do. Regardless of whether you’ll hate me for it, I’ll still do it. I can’t bear to endure it any longer.”
Faced with Qi Ci’s gaze, Ning Ziheng’s heart skipped a beat for a moment, but he maintained a stoic expression. “Stop talking nonsense.” He had forgotten when exactly this child stopped calling him father.
Yet Qi Ci’s eyes held a profound depth. “Do you know what I’m talking about? You’re so clever, you must know.”
Ning Ziheng wanted to get angry, but seeing that Qi Ci was about to leave, he couldn’t bring himself to. “Take care and follow His Highness in battle. Don’t take unnecessary risks, stay safe, and come back to me unharmed.”
Qi Ci opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he just said, “I will come back, after all, you only have me.”
Ning Ziheng’s breath hitched, and until now, he deeply regretted not replying, “Yes, I only have you, you must come back.”
He originally thought that Qi Ci was too clingy to him, and since he was a eunuch, he didn’t count as a real man. Only by being around him since childhood would Qi Ci become momentarily confused. As long as they stayed apart long enough, Qi Ci would understand.
But this separation lasted too long. Now, Qi Ci has returned, but ultimately, they veered off track, making their situation even more absurd.
Ning Ziheng’s eyes lost focus, and the pain gradually subsided. A strange sensation surged within him, but it only made him feel more uneasy. He desperately bit his lower lip, refusing to make any noise, fearing that if he did, his dignity as an elder would be shattered, leaving him utterly embarrassed.
But Qi Ci continued to be aggressive, relentless in pursuit, almost causing him to collapse.
Ning Ziheng looked at Qi Ci, tears eventually streaming down his face. He, who was fearless in the face of anything, now wished to disappear out of fear.
“Xiao Ci… I’m begging you, please stop… This isn’t right…” Ning Ziheng pleaded weakly through his tears, only to be met with even more fierce treatment. After what seemed like an eternity, there was a muffled groan from Qi Ci, and Ning Ziheng finally sobbed aloud.
Qi Ci seemed to snap out of it, stepping back in astonishment. Ning Ziheng, left unsupported, awkwardly sank to the ground. His already loose clothes failed to conceal the red and white marks on his legs, making him look utterly pitiful. Qi Ci stared at everything before him in disbelief.
Ning Ziheng’s legs were devoid of strength, his hands still tied, his back scraped raw by the artificial rocks, now a bloody mess. Yet Qi Ci had completely failed to notice it just moments ago.
What… what have I done?
The sobbing cries disturbed Qi Ci’s heart, filling him with waves of fear and remorse. Memories were still jumbled in his mind, but regret had already begun to creep in. He quickly reached out to untie Ning Ziheng’s wrists, intending to lift him up and protect him. However, before he could do so, the orderly sound of footsteps outside caught his attention. Qi Ci couldn’t afford to be distracted, but Ning Ziheng suddenly snapped awake, scrambling to dress and get up.
“Quick, you’re not disguised. You can’t let anyone here see your face. It’ll be dangerous if you’re recognized. You… No, you stay here, I’ll distract them.”
At that moment, Qi Ci’s safety outweighed any humiliation or pain.
Ning Ziheng winced in pain with every movement, but he still forcefully pushed Qi Ci deeper into the rocks of the fake mountain. “Remember, no one else can be trusted, only… only Chu Lishu from the Wenbo Pavilion, and General Huo Luo of the Imperial Guards! If you’re in danger, you can only rely on them!”
“But you…” Qi Ci tried to say something but was quickly silenced by Ning Ziheng’s stern tone.
“Listen to me, Xiao Ci!”
Qi Ci was already feeling panicked, and being bossed around by Ning Ziheng only added to his anxiety. In the end, he could only stand there stiffly, watching as Ning Ziheng ran out. Despite just moving a moment ago, causing him intense pain and cold sweat, his face turning pale, he was now running around. Qi Ci’s heart ached even more witnessing this.
The pursuing guards quickly arrived, originally sent to capture the fleeing Ning Ziheng. However, upon seeing him, they found him barely standing, looking on the brink of death, especially with his back soaked in blood. Unsure of what had happened, they decided to bring him back first.
Qi Ci’s heart was torn, instinctively wanting to follow, but memories flooded back, causing his head to throb uncontrollably. Eventually, he collapsed unconscious on the fake mountain rocks.
Throughout the night, Lin Qingyang and Chu Lishu only heard news of Ning Ziheng escaping and being recaptured, but there was no sign of Qi Ci.
Meanwhile, the Tianheng Kingdom’s envoy delegation also realized that one of their own was missing.
The news of the disappearance of a member of the Black Feather Guard quickly caught the attention of everyone.
While Tianheng Kingdom officials were concerned about their missing personnel, the Great Zhou Dynasty suspected that their disappearance might be linked to some nefarious activities, perhaps related to the previous assassination attempts.
However, before long, Qi Ci returned to the envoy residence, now disguised. When others saw him again, he was already wearing a disguise.
This should have been Huo Luo’s responsibility, but Zhao Cheng suddenly arrived with an order from the Emperor to detain Qi Ci separately. However, his attitude was still friendly, stating that it was to investigate if anything else had happened in the palace that night. He mentioned that Qi Ci would only be detained for one day, and if nothing was found, the incident of the Black Feather Guard’s mysterious disappearance would not be pursued further. This request seemed reasonable, so everyone cooperated.
While Huo Luo escorted Qi Ci, Qi Ci suddenly whispered, “Huo Luo, I’m sorry. Please tell His Majesty that after this is over, I will come to find you all. Also, could you help me check on Ning Ziheng?”
Huo Luo was suddenly overjoyed. Qi Ci had regained his memory!
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