Su Yan was startled and clutched the blanket tightly. “Wangye, please don’t!”
“Why not?”
“My body is unworthy of Wangye’s esteemed eyes.”
“No matter, I’ve seen wounds before. I just want to make sure you’re healing well so I can be at ease.”
Su Yan, weakened by his injuries, could not resist. In just a few moments, the thin blanket was pulled away. Overwhelmed by shame and anger, Su Yan buried his face in the bedding, teeth clenched as he fought the urge to lash out at him.
Yu Wang gently lifted his undergarments, and upon seeing the crisscross of gruesome wounds, he couldn’t help but gasp. Watching Su Yan’s trembling shoulders, thinking it was from pain, he quickly grasped his shoulder, speaking softly, “I have a rare medicine from Yunnan that works wonders for wounds…”
As he spoke, he took out a bamboo jar from his robe and personally applied the gel-like ointment to Su Yan’s hip.
At first, Su Yan felt a sharp, burning pain, but in an instant, a cool sensation seeped into his muscles, reducing the pain considerably, and even his mind seemed clearer. It was indeed a miraculous healing ointment.
Yu Wang wiped the remaining ointment off his fingers on Su Yan’s clothes. “The southern barbarians who offered this ointment said it could heal wounds from blades and sticks, leaving no scars. If that’s true, then I should be grateful for preserving the flawless jade-like beauty of Qinghe.”
Su Yan could no longer bear it and responded stiffly, “I am not a woman, so why should I care about appearances? If one day I lay down the pen and become a soldier, wielding my spear on the battlefield with blood-stained sleeves, then scars would be the true mark of a man.”
Yu Wang was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter. “I always thought Qinghe was charming and tactful, but now it seems you are soft on the outside and strong on the inside. I misjudged you.”
Su Yan silently cursed: If I had known you were someone who only respects toughness, I would have beaten you up a long time ago to keep you in line!
Yu Wang held his hand briefly before releasing it just as Su Yan tried to pull away. “I admire your strong-willed nature,” he said with a faint smile. “Matters of affection must be mutual to have any real meaning. Using force to impose my will has never been my way. If you insist on treating me as a friend, I’ll have to set aside my other thoughts. But if one day you could return even a shred of feeling, it would be a joy beyond measure.”
Su Yan was startled by the sincerity of Yu Wang’s words. Turning to examine his expression, he found it unreadable. Half-doubting and half-believing, he responded cautiously yet courteously: “Wangye, you overpraise me. What virtue or talent do I possess to deserve your earnest regard? I can only offer a heart as pure as ice, reflecting the bright moon above and washed by the clear waters below. While I dare not compare myself to the likes of Yu Boya and Zhong Ziqi, I hope to uphold the integrity of a gentleman’s friendship, unashamed before heaven and earth.”
Yu Wang was silent for a long moment before letting out a faint, melancholic smile. “I understand your sentiments, Qinghe.”
He stood, straightened his robes, and left a jar of medicinal ointment by the bedside. “You’re tired. Rest for now. I’ll visit another day.”
Su Yan watched his retreating figure, his mind racing. He’s a prince with great power; offending him is unthinkable. I am alone and powerless in this world. If he were to truly force his will, could I resist?
Lan Xi was right. If I don’t rise, I’ll only serve as a stepping stone for others. Without power in my hands, there’s no way to protect myself. If I am to serve at court, I must aim to become a minister of great influence and authority. Otherwise, should danger strike again, who would even be there to gather my remains?
His resolve solidified. Taking a deep breath, he felt a newfound clarity and vigor, as though the once-dim path ahead was no longer as daunting.
At that moment, Su Xiaobei entered the room hesitantly, his expression nervous. “Master, I saw so many guards at the door and heard it was Wangye. I didn’t dare stop him…”
Su Yan gave him a small smile. “It’s not your fault. Even I wouldn’t have dared stop him.”
Su Xiaobei looked both ashamed and relieved. “That’s a relief—”
Su Yan interrupted him. “By the way, what about the man I saved?”
Su Xiaobei froze for a moment. “The day you left for work, he was still unconscious. These past two days, I’ve been so busy taking care of you that no one’s checked on him. I don’t know if he’s alive or dead.”
Su Yan’s heart sank. If the man he rescued ended up dying of hunger or thirst, it would be absurdly ironic. He quickly said, “Go to the side room and check on him. Change his bandages, give him water. If he’s still unconscious, call for a doctor immediately.”
***
The ancients said: Reading banned books on a snowy night is one of life’s great pleasures.
Though it was late spring and there was no snow to enjoy, Su Yan’s stash of forbidden texts was more than adequate.
Bored and resting on his bed, he flipped through an illustrated copy of The Tale of the Auspicious Lord.
Su Xiaobei knocked lightly on the door and entered. “Master, the man has woken up, but he still can’t move.”
Su Yan closed the book and made to get out of bed but immediately winced in pain as his injuries flared up. “I forgot—I’m still seriously injured myself. Never mind. Go ask him his name and background.”
“I’ve tried asking, but he won’t say a word,” Su Xiaobei said with a shrug. “If you ask too many questions, he’ll glare at you, and his gaze feels like a blade. He scared Su Xiaojing so much he dropped the washbasin.”
Su Yan rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “This man seems interesting… Just bring another bed into my room and move him here so I can talk to him.”
Su Xiaobei was startled. “We mustn’t! I saw that man has a strong build, calluses on his right hand at the base of the thumb, and he carries a sword that could cut through gold and jade. He’s definitely a martial artist. If he harbors ill intent toward you…”
Su Yan chuckled. “He’s injured so badly—what could he possibly do? Besides, I’m his savior. No matter what, he wouldn’t repay kindness with betrayal. You two are already managing the house; bringing him over here will save you the trouble of running back and forth to take care of him.”
Seeing that he couldn’t dissuade him, Su Xiaobei reluctantly brought over a six-legged folding rattan bed and placed it in the corner. With Su Xiaojing’s help, they moved the man onto it.
When Su Yan looked over, the man was wrapped in bandages from head to toe, lying stiffly with his eyes closed, looking about seventy percent like a freshly unearthed mummy. Su Yan couldn’t help but laugh aloud.
At that moment, the man opened his eyes and slowly turned his head to look at him.
Su Yan felt as though two icy bolts of lightning shot from the man’s jet-black eyes, like the sharp chill of late autumn cutting through him. He shivered involuntarily. Composing himself, he waved for Su Xiaobei and Su Xiaojing to leave.
The room fell silent. Even the flickering candlelight seemed frozen, and the thin trail of smoke from the flame stretched out like a narrow, blade-like shadow.
“Are you a death soldier or a killer?” Su Yan asked.
The man flinched slightly, his gaze shifting to the youth reclining on the couch across from him, draped in a dark blue robe.
Through the hazy candlelight, the youth’s features were vibrant, and a faint smile graced his lips. At first glance, he appeared to be a handsome scholar, but a closer look revealed a subtle depth in his eyes—a profoundness far beyond his years.
With a faint smile, the youth spoke calmly, “Do you want to know why I ask?”
Almost as if drawn by the natural ease in Su Yan’s smile, the man rasped, “Why?”
“Because you carry an indelible aura of death,” Su Yan said softly. “It’s like a blade that can never return to its sheath.”
The man was silent for a long time.
The candle flame flickered slightly, as if brushed by a frosty wind, and the wick crackled softly a few times.
Hatred surged in his eyes as he coldly said, “The sword cannot be sheathed until it drinks blood!”
“Perhaps it’s not that it cannot, but that it’s unwilling. Considering I saved you from the Embroidered Uniform Guard, would you tell me your name?”
The man lowered his eyelids and slowly said, “Wu Ming*.”
* also sounds like no name
Su Yan smiled, not pointing out the obvious alias, and said, “My name is Su Yan, but you can call me by my courtesy name, Qinghe.”
Wu Ming turned his head sharply. “Are you Su Yan? The newly appointed scholar who risked his life on the Golden Throne to impeach that corrupt official Wei Jun?”
Su Yan was taken aback. How was he supposed to explain to everyone that it had all been a misunderstanding?
Wu Ming struggled as though trying to sit up despite the layers of bandages, but in the end, he slumped back in defeat, his voice hoarse. “Lord Su, you spoke out boldly and righteously. Though you couldn’t eradicate that old scoundrel Wei Jun, you at least vented some anger on behalf of the suffering commoners.”
“From the sound of it, you seem to have a grudge against Wei Jun.”
Wu Ming gritted his teeth. “A blood feud! One that cannot coexist under the same sky!”
“Would you care to share it with me?”
“…I was orphaned at a young age, with only my elder sister to raise me through hardship. Later, she married a private tutor in the capital. Finding that my sister had married a good man, I felt at ease traveling the world alone, taking on dangerous jobs for money.
Who would have thought that during this year’s Lantern Festival, my sister would catch the eye of that old scoundrel? When he couldn’t buy her outright, he fabricated a charge to imprison her husband. To save him, my sister endured humiliation and entered the marquis’s mansion, hiding it from me for fear of implicating me.
Soon after, I learned that her husband had died in prison under unbearable torture. Overwhelmed with guilt and grief, my sister, armed with scissors, attempted to avenge him but was discovered by that villain. With a single sash, he strangled her to death and left her body exposed in the wild, where it was devoured by stray dogs….
By the time I arrived to retrieve her remains, I couldn’t even find a single intact bone!”
Hatred and killing intent nearly burst forth from Wu Ming’s chest. He stared at the ceiling, and from his enraged, wide-open eyes, a blood-red tear rolled down.
Su Yan was struck silent by grief.
In books, such tales might fade with time, losing their vividness. But hearing it firsthand, the hopelessness and sorrow were indescribable.
In this era, there were far too many people who had no control over their fates. Their tragedies and toil, blood and broken bones, piled up like grains of sand to form the massive foundation of history’s towering edifices.
After a long silence, Su Yan slowly asked, “Did you attempt to assassinate the Marquis of Fengan that night?”
“I did. I just hate that the old villain got lucky and had a top-notch guard by his side, causing me to fail.”
“I’ve been unconscious for the past two days. The news of the attempted assassination on the Marquis must be spreading like wildfire in the capital. The Embroidered Uniform Guard will be hunting you down, making it impossible for you to move. You might as well stay at my place and recover. Once things calm down, I’ll help you escape the city.”
Wu Ming said firmly, “My enemy is still alive. What would I do outside the city? Once I heal, I’ll return and make him bleed.”
Su Yan frowned. “Wei Jun has already suffered a scare and will surely tighten security at his residence. If you go back, you’ll be throwing your life away.”
Wu Ming replied coldly, “Do I have any other path to take?”
“There are many ways to seek revenge; it doesn’t have to be a life-for-a-life.”
“I’m a killer. That’s the only way I know.”
Su Yan said, “I offended Wei Jun during the palace exams, and this time I almost lost my life because of it. I’m certain he’s involved. Should I just sit back and wait to die? Even though my position is low, there are still opportunities to bring him down—it’s just that the time isn’t right yet.”
Wu Ming didn’t respond, lying still as if he had fallen asleep.
Su Yan sighed and let the matter drop.
