Years later, Yelü Huangwu returned to court, while Cui Yichen abandoned his family and country to follow her alone. She distrusted the Song people and knowingly exploited the Cui clan against Cui Yichen’s wishes.
Now, Yelü Huangwu was filled with regret and anguish. However, Ning Yanli knew that if given the chance to start over, this woman would walk the same path. To bring the Cui clan under her control, she couldn’t avoid Cui Yichen. As the most talented martial prodigy in the Cui clan’s century-long history, even if he was solely focused on martial arts, he wouldn’t stand idly by if someone tried to manipulate his clan.
Foreseeing their eventual falling out, Yelü Huangwu made Cui Yichen forget his past, turning him into a martial arts fanatic. From beginning to end, only Cui Yichen naively believed their identities weren’t an obstacle.
Ning Yanli gazed at the grave mound, feeling a twinge of sympathy. Having grown up with Yelü Huangwu, she shared a unique bond with her. Despite this, Ning Yanli feared her fate might not be much better.
Her obsession with medicine wasn’t solely out of passion but because she knew that only by becoming useful could she prolong her life.
“Have you found Mo Sigui?” Yelü Huangwu asked, having wiped away her tears and composed herself. Only the slight redness in her eyes betrayed her recent sorrow.
“I heard he entered Konghe Academy,” Ning Yanli replied. She had been searching for Mo Sigui for a long time. Previously, she’d learned he was staying with the Hua family, but before she could approach him, he had already joined Konghe Academy.
“The fact that he’s still alive proves he’s already neutralized the poison you administered,” Yelü Huangwu mused, gently rubbing the cloth wrapped around her hand. “The Song country truly is a place that produces talented individuals.”
“Yet all these talents are still under our control,” Ning Yanli remarked, though her tone carried no hint of contempt.
Yelü Huangwu asked, “Is he avoiding you?”
“No, he wouldn’t shy away from a challenge in medicine,” Ning Yanli replied. Although she had only met Mo Sigui once, she had been observing him for a long time and understood his character to some extent. “The Ghost Shadow sent word that he’s there for two women.”
“Two?”
“Yes, Lou Mingyue from the Lou family and Mei Ruxue from the Mei family.”
Yelü Huangwu was more familiar with Lou Mingyue, as she was the most promising young member of the Lou family. “Mei Ruxue is…?”
“She’s the one the madman calls ‘Mei Fourteen,’ also known as Mei Jiu,” Ning Yanli explained. She knew that mentioning “Mei Fourteen” would be enough for Yelü Huangwu to understand, but she deliberately mentioned the madman and quickly glanced at Yelü Huangwu.
It wasn’t to hurt her. She just wanted to prove that Yelü Huangwu was still capable of emotions, though she didn’t know why this mattered to her.
Yelü Huangwu’s lips curved into a faint smile as if she saw through Ning Yanli’s intentions.
Ning Yanli tensed, lowering her head and ceasing all movement.
“I’ll give you half a year,” Yelü Huangwu said, extending her hand to hover over the blank tombstone. “If you can’t recruit Mo Sigui or poison him, I’ll send the Ghost Shadow to deal with him. Someone like him cannot be allowed to remain if he won’t submit.”
If Mo Sigui had chosen to live as a reclusive doctor in the mountains, Yelü Huangwu wouldn’t have insisted on his death. However, such a person couldn’t be allowed in the Konghe Army.
She narrowed her eyes, recalling the two people she had seen on the boat. One of them, capable of shooting the surprising arrow, must have been Mei Fourteen. The other, a large man…
If they hadn’t seized the opportunity to act, things wouldn’t have spiraled out of her control. What seemed like a casual decision required careful consideration for an ambush near Bianjing. Yelü Huangwu had a nagging feeling she had met her match…
The moon set in the west, and Yangzhou’s Cui Linglong tower stood silhouetted against the sky.
An Jiu sat against the wall while Chu Dijiang leaned by the window, sword in hand, observing the dock through a narrow gap.
Time seemed to stand still inside the room.
As dawn broke, Chu Dijiang finally shifted his posture and turned to An Jiu. “Why don’t you sleep on the bed for a while?”
An Jiu shook her head.
“We still have seven months. You don’t plan to sleep like this the whole time, do you?” Chu Dijiang asked.
“Is there a problem?” In the past, when surveillance technology was advanced, even the deepest hiding spots could be exposed at any moment. Therefore, she had to remain vigilant at all times. Seven months was nothing; she had been sleeping in chairs or on the ground for years. If not for Mei Jiu, she would have forgotten what it felt like to sleep in a bed.
Chu Dijiang gave her a long look before taking her by the arm and leading her to the bed.
Knowing he meant no harm, An Jiu didn’t resist.
“With me here, not even a fly will get in,” Chu Dijiang said as he laid her on the bed. “Sleep soundly.”
As she lay down, An Jiu’s muscles automatically relaxed. This sensation both pleased and worried her. If she grew accustomed to this relaxed state, it could cause problems in the future…
Chu Dijiang wanted to say more, but when he turned, he saw that the person who had just insisted on sleeping sitting up was already fast asleep!
He chuckled softly and bent to remove her shoes.
An Jiu slept lightly, aware of Chu Dijiang’s movements, but she didn’t open her eyes.
She slept soundly and woke up late the next afternoon.
The room was filled with the aroma of food. An Jiu got up, put on her shoes, and sat down at the table.
Chu Dijiang silently handed her a cup of tea.
An Jiu rinsed her mouth, sniffed the bowl of porridge in front of her, and began to eat.
Chu Dijiang picked up a steamed bun with his chopsticks and held it to An Jiu’s mouth. She took a bite, assessed it for any irregularities, and then slowly ate it.
After finishing the meal in silence, An Jiu asked, “Has work at the dock stopped?”
“Yes,” Chu Dijiang replied, sitting up straight with his arms crossed. “I observed for a whole night and found nothing suspicious.”
He didn’t doubt An Jiu’s instincts, but the dock appeared utterly ordinary to him.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.
Chu Dijiang coughed lightly in acknowledgment.
Outside, the waiter’s voice carried a hint of eagerness, “Honored guests, a room in the front has become available. Would you like to move there?”
“Come in,” Chu Dijiang said.
The waiter pushed open the door, bowed slightly, and asked, “What can I do for you, sir?”
“Has work at the dock stopped?” Chu Dijiang asked, despite already knowing the answer.
“Yes, the cargo from two ships was unloaded overnight,” the waiter replied enthusiastically. “I noticed there are no new cargo ships docking, so it should be quieter tonight. If that’s the case, this room is excellent. You can see the river view, and the evening breeze is quite refreshing.”
“Then we’ll stay another night,” Chu Dijiang said, tossing him a piece of silver. He then asked, “Who owns this dock?”
The waiter quickly pocketed the generous tip and replied, “It belongs to the Feng family. They’re wealthy merchants in Yangzhou who started in the shipping business three generations ago. They have docks all over the Great Song. Besides this, they also have ocean-going ships that collect rare items to sell across the country. I’ve heard that they can trade a foot of low-quality silk for trinkets that sell for ten or even a hundred taels of silver in Bianjing. How could they not be rich?”
Having received a substantial tip, the waiter was particularly enthusiastic, speaking rapidly. “The head of the Feng family shipping business is called Feng Fang. He’s a very capable man, and because of his philanthropy, the people of Yangzhou call him ‘Feng the Great Benefactor.’ The second in command is Feng Fang’s younger brother, Feng Hang. He’s also talented, though he’s known for his fondness for romance. The third in command is called Qin Zheng…”
“The third in command is an outsider?” Chu Dijiang interrupted.