Walking all the way from the back mountain to the front mountain, everything seen along the path was collapsed rocks and corpses strewn everywhere. An occasional glance might reveal severed limbs and broken bodies, eyes still wide open in death.

Although Jiang Xuening was someone who had died once in the previous life, seeing such a scene still made her heart pound with fear.

Xiaobao guessed she was probably terrified of such bloody and cruel scenes, so he walked diagonally in front of her, using his own figure to block most of the cruel sights. They passed the courtyard wall of the back mountain all the way.

Though the Shangqing Temple had been occupied by the Heavenly Doctrine, the basic layout of the Daoist temple hadn’t changed at all.

The front was the temple, the back was the dwelling place of the Daoist priests.

Only now there were no longer any real Daoist priests, leaving only many empty houses behind the temple.

Xiaobao cleaned out a room for Jiang Xuening and said: “Teacher instructed that Second Miss Jiang should rest here first. I imagine Teacher still has words to exchange with Lord Zhang, and the Duke of Dingguo’s son seems quite seriously injured as well. I’m afraid we can’t return to the capital for now and will have to stay here for a few days.”

He even brewed a pot of tea.

Finally, after speaking with people outside, he even brought two complete sets of fresh change of clothes: “These are garments someone was temporarily sent to buy in the city. Young Master Jianshu said that compared to the fashionable styles popular in the capital, they naturally fall far short, but we can only reluctantly ask the young lady to make do for now.”

Jiang Xuening still wore the crane cloak Xie Wei had fastened on her earlier. Inside was embedded a layer of snow mink fur—just wearing it against her body made her feel warm all over.

She glanced at those two sets of clothing.

One set was aqua blue, one set pale purple. Though they truly couldn’t compare to the exquisite craftsmanship of the capital, the styles were elegant and suitable. One could see they had been carefully selected. Only, these garments being sent by Xie Wei’s people felt somewhat strange to her.

Feeling uneasy in her heart, unable to smile, she only looked toward Xiaobao and said: “So you’re Teacher Xie’s person.”

Xiaobao said: “Without an inside man, Teacher wouldn’t dare take such risks.”

When he spoke, he kept his face stiff, completely unlike the past few days when interacting with Jiang Xuening, calling her “elder sister” at every turn. His eyelids lowered, not even looking at her once. He seemed rather unhappy, appearing somewhat resentful.

So Jiang Xuening recalled that morning.

This child had put medicine in her food, having her leave the Heavenly Doctrine’s sight under the pretext of seeing a doctor, instructing her to hide in the inn across the street. But she hadn’t wanted to go back. When she discovered the matter of the Yongding Pharmacy was false, she had rushed to the government office, not hesitating to place herself in danger.

Everything had probably been beyond Xie Wei’s expectations.

That’s why Xie Wei had been so angry.

This child had likely been ordered to save her, but if Xie Wei hadn’t seen her at the inn, he would probably suffer some punishment too, wouldn’t he?

Jiang Xuening wasn’t a completely heartless person. Thinking of this, she couldn’t help but feel some guilt for implicating others. Yet Zhang Zhe’s belief that the Yongding Pharmacy had arranged support was false, which really made her suspicious of Xie Wei’s intentions.

After all, Xie Wei originally hadn’t been any kind of good person in her mind.

So though myriad thoughts flashed through her heart, she ultimately only fell into silence.

Xiaobao tidied up all the necessities, half-closed the window for her, brought water for washing, and lit a brazier in the room before saying: “I’m going out now. I’ll be not far away. If Second Miss Jiang needs anything, just call for me.”

He withdrew and closed the door.

Yet Jiang Xuening couldn’t calm her mind to rest. As soon as she closed her eyes, her mind was full of Zhang Zhe and Xie Wei’s faces overlapping and flashing past, making her heart pound. She removed the crane cloak draped over her body and gently placed it beside those two neatly folded sets of women’s clothing. The snow-white satin surface hadn’t been stained with even a speck of blood or dust. It resembled its master—possessing a kind of lofty, cold detachment like standing high in the clouds overlooking all living beings.

Xie Ju’an…

What did he have to say to Zhang Zhe?

Jiang Xuening sat in the room for a while but ultimately couldn’t sit still. She rose and stood under the exterior eaves, gazing toward the back mountain’s direction.

Many ancient pines were planted in the courtyard.

From the back mountain’s gate, a long path led to this place. At this moment, many soldiers stood guard on both sides. Whoever passed along this path, she could see clearly from here.

But after watching for a long time, she didn’t see Zhang Zhe.

Her heart couldn’t help but rise high with anxiety.

It wasn’t until nearly two quarter-hours had passed that she saw the guarding soldiers look toward the back, slightly bowing forward as if performing courtesy to someone.

Jiang Xuening’s heart immediately jumped.

Then she finally saw that familiar figure walking out from the back mountain. The wounds on his body had already been hastily bandaged, but his dark blue robe had long been soaked by fresh blood into an inky black. His complexion appeared somewhat pale from excessive blood loss.

Nothing happened.

He was fine!

The moment she saw him safe and sound, Jiang Xuening only felt her heart swelling to overflowing. Unable to control herself, she quickly walked toward him: “Lord Zhang!”

Zhang Zhe’s expression was actually like withered wood.

Seeing him at first glance, she had only fullness of joy and hadn’t noticed this small detail. A smile had already blossomed at her lips: “It’s so wonderful that you’re alright…”

So wonderful.

Before her words fell, her eyelids suddenly grew heavier. She blinked with effort. Her body swayed lightly and tilted, actually fainting straight backward.

Zhang Zhe’s heart jumped in alarm. Fortunately reacting quickly, he caught her in one motion.

The young girl’s slender waist couldn’t fill a single grasp. Her cheeks were pale and thin from the exhaustion of these days of travel. Her eyelids gently closed, and those two slender willow-leaf eyebrows relaxed.

She actually looked like she had fallen asleep.

Xiaobao had originally been watching from the other side of the eaves. Seeing Jiang Xuening faint, he was startled and was about to rush down to help.

But seeing Zhang Zhe catch her, his footsteps involuntarily stopped.

Across a distance, he saw Xie Wei standing quietly at the other end of the pathway, watching this scene from afar, yet not walking over. And up close, this Lord Zhang’s facial expression changed several times, ultimately returning to a desolate silence. He simply held that Second Miss Jiang, who had already fallen into deep sleep, around the waist and walked past him, gently placing her back on the bed in the room, carefully tucking in the corners of her quilt.

Finally it snowed.

Above Tongzhou city, dark clouds massed densely. The cold wind howled. From midday onward it had grown several degrees colder. By dusk, heavy snow began falling in flurries. Goose-feather-like snowflakes fell from the sky. In less than half an hour, they covered the city’s roof tiles in white. On the sturdy pines of Shangqing Temple’s low mountain, clusters of snow piled even higher. Looking from afar, it resembled rime ice glittering magnificently.

If Xiao Dingfei remembered correctly, this was the weather Xie Wei detested most.

Jinling was in the south and rarely saw snow.

But over time there were inevitably some exceptions.

There was such a year when cold air moved south. One night the wind knocked at the windows. Looking upon rising in the morning, the artificial mountains and pavilions were all in snow. Inside and outside Jinling city, refined scholars gathered, quite excited, making appointments to appreciate the snow.

Naturally some dandies came to invite him as well.

At that time Xie Wei had not yet taken the imperial examinations, but in Jinling he already had considerable renown for talent. Xiao Dingfei thought himself an embroidered pillow stuffed with straw. These people affecting refinement would inevitably write poems and paint pictures. Better to call Xie Wei along, especially since he happened to be there too.

But he hadn’t expected that when he went to the courtyard, he would see the gate tightly closed.

All the servants in the courtyard were busy sweeping snow.

Xiao Dingfei felt it strange: “This snow hasn’t stopped yet. Looking at it, it will continue for some days. Even if you sweep it clean now, after a while it will pile up again. Wouldn’t that be wasted effort?”

The people in Dujun’s courtyard were all taciturn and quiet.

No one answered him.

Instead, Jianshu on the corridor, carrying a bowl of freshly prepared medicine, walked over. Seeing him, his footsteps paused and he said: “Young Master Dingfei, Teacher isn’t going out today. Please return.”

Xiao Dingfei was surprised: “He’s ill?”

Jianshu said: “Caught a slight chill.”

Xiao Dingfei immediately felt bored. Shrugging his shoulders, he was about to leave. Only at the instant of turning around, the corner of his eye flickered. He actually glimpsed that when Jianshu opened the door carrying the medicine, from inside the door floated out a corner of thick, light-blocking black curtain. In broad daylight, several lines of candle and lamp light vaguely shone out.

His heart immediately jumped.

That door quickly closed.

Yet Xiao Dingfei sensed something strangely uncanny. However, when curiosity arose, he couldn’t help but consider his own position within the Doctrine. Ultimately he didn’t dare ask anything, much less dare to linger long in this courtyard.

Outside, the servants sweeping snow remained busy.

He suppressed his secretly arising doubts and quickly slipped out to appreciate the snow with that bunch of dandies.

Only after so many years had passed, that scene from that day still occasionally crossed his mind, leaving an enormous mystery in the depths of his memory.

Originally today’s affair was so significant. Xie Wei shooting and wounding him with an arrow clearly meant he was coming to find him.

But seeing the heavy snow at Shangqing Temple, in the depths of his being Xiao Dingfei felt this person probably wouldn’t come.

At least not during the day.

Sure enough, he waited until the sky grew dim and dark, the entire temple completely shrouded in darkness, before a dim yellow lantern finally appeared ahead, illuminating the already swept-clean pathway, coming toward his room.

Both Jianshu and Daoqin followed at his side.

One carried the lantern, one held the umbrella.

Arriving at the steps, they hung up the lantern and furled the oiled-paper umbrella before stepping forward to push open the room door. Seeing him first, they were extremely courteous in calling: “Young Master Dingfei.”

Xiao Dingfei had already lain back on the bed.

A brazier burned in the room, making it toasty warm.

He wore only white inner garments. The arrow that had originally pierced his shoulder had already been removed. The wound had been treated with the finest golden sore medicine and had long stopped bleeding. Only the physician had instructed him not to move about casually and to rest quietly.

Xie Wei entered afterward.

His face was calm, his gaze profound. His long robe like snow, his black hair held with a wooden hairpin—truly the elegant bearing of a genuine recluse outside the mundane world.

Jianshu closed the door behind him.

Bright candlelight shone on the window paper, dispelling some of the snowy light reflecting in from outside, making his features appear increasingly peaceful.

Xie Wei said: “Your legs and feet are quite good.”

Xiao Dingfei smiled carelessly: “But running still isn’t faster than Teacher’s arrows.”

Xie Wei didn’t smile: “What a pity the aim wasn’t good enough. How did I not shoot your head off?”

Xiao Dingfei knew he harbored killing intent toward him. Staring at him, half-jokingly he said: “Who told me I’m still of great use to Teacher? I knew it—Teacher Xie hates me the most.”

Xie Wei rested one hand on the table’s edge, saying nothing.

Xiao Dingfei’s face also lost expression. He only said: “Who told me to use the name and surname you hate most?”

All these many years, probably every time he heard it, he hated it once more. Layer upon layer, growing deeper and deeper, never to be dispelled.