On Plum Blossom Island, an unexpected guest arrived.
Li Qingzhi sat beside Sui Yunzhu, his head lowered in shame. When he returned today, he hadn’t realized he was being followed and unwittingly led the person to the island.
This person was none other than Gao Dazhuang!
Having been a eunuch for some time, his mannerisms had become increasingly effeminate. Even the way he held his teacup could make one’s skin crawl.
“Ahem,” he cleared his throat and said to Mo Sigui, “These subordinates of mine…”
Mo Sigui blew out a smoke ring, interrupting him, “Take them all away. It irks me to look at them.”
“Sir, since we’ve come out, we don’t intend to go back,” Li Qingzhi said, a hint of killing intent emanating from him.
“Hmph,” Gao Dazhuang sneered, pointing his finger, “You think everyone is as foolish as you? If I meant to capture you and take you back, would I dare come to the island alone?”
He pointed at An Jiu, “You’re an ungrateful white-eyed wolf. What a waste of the few gu worms Grandpa gave you.”
An Jiu narrowed her eyes, “Have you decided to walk the irreversible path of a eunuch?”
Gao Dazhuang quickly withdrew his hand, rolling his eyes and ignoring her.
“Sir, if you have something to say, please speak directly. If we can help, it would be a way to repay your kindness in setting us free,” Sui Yunzhu said.
“Finally, someone who understands,” Gao Dazhuang glanced at the others. “It’s truly exhausting talking to people like you.”
He took a sip of tea and adjusted to a more comfortable position. “I didn’t follow the rules in using the gu worms because I planned to recruit you under the Second Prince in the future. Who knew you’d be capable enough to escape? Forced melons aren’t sweet, so I won’t force you. I’ve come this time to ask for a small favor.”
“Please speak, sir,” Sui Yunzhu said.
“Many court officials have submitted memorials to punish General Ling. The tide has turned against him, and there are many sycophants around His Majesty. I fear it doesn’t look good for General Ling this time,” Gao Dazhuang said. “The Second Prince wants to save General Ling. If that’s not possible, he hopes you can help break him out of prison.”
Li Qingzhi was about to nod immediately, but Sui Yunzhu spoke first, “We can only do our best.”
Meaning they wouldn’t risk their lives.
“Yunzhu,” Li Qingzhi said angrily, “General Ling is loyal to the country. How can we not risk our lives to save him from this injustice?”
“No one is stopping you from risking your life,” Sui Yunzhu replied.
Though it seemed heartless, he vaguely felt something was amiss behind this matter. Before figuring it out, he wouldn’t make any rash promises.
“What about you?” Li Qingzhi asked An Jiu.
An Jiu paused before answering, “I’ll act according to the situation.”
“You’ve all seen General Ling in battle! For such a hero, is it so difficult to lend a hand in his time of need?” Li Qingzhi’s greatest wish in life was to become a man of integrity like Ling Ziyue, but fate had driven him from that path.
Everyone remained silent.
Mo Sigui leaned back in his chair, blowing smoke rings that rippled like water before him.
“It’s good that you’re willing to help,” Gao Dazhuang stood up. “I’ll head back now. I’ll keep things quiet on my end for as long as I can. Take care of yourselves.”
Sui Yunzhu saw him to the door, and after a moment’s hesitation, Li Qingzhi followed.
An Jiu and Mo Sigui remained motionless in their chairs.
When the two returned, Mo Sigui tapped out his spent pipe. “In the future, don’t bother me with these tedious matters of yours!”
As Mo Sigui had arrived on the island first, the others subtly deferred to him as the leader. When Gao Dazhuang arrived today, they had pulled him out to entertain the guest.
“Doctor Mo, how can this be a tedious matter?! General Ling’s fate is tied to that of the entire Song Dynasty,” Li Qingzhi said, displeased.
Mo Sigui had already staggered to the doorway. Hearing this, he turned back and said, “I don’t care about these things! But I can see clearly that tying a country’s fate to one person is not necessarily fortunate.”
In times of danger, having one person to rely on while others hide behind them, unaware of the true perils, will make people increasingly naive and weak.
This was easy to understand, at least for An Jiu, just like Mei Yanran was to Mei Jiu.
If Ling Ziyue could continue to guard the border, it would be a good thing. But who could guarantee this person would stand unfaltering for a lifetime? The Song Dynasty’s current predicament was not something one or two people could reverse.
“Put in mortal danger to find a way to live,” Sui Yunzhu sighed deeply. “That someone must die for this is a great irony. Doctor, care to guess whether the wolf will devour the weakened lion, or the lion will kill the wolf?”
“Sigui!”
Cheng Changying’s urgent voice came from outside, accompanied by rapid footsteps.
As soon as he appeared, he said, “Miss Lou has fainted at the ferry dock.”
Everyone came to their senses, only to see a blur as Mo Sigui had already disappeared. They hurriedly followed.
When An Jiu reached the dock, Mo Sigui was kneeling on the ground, cradling Lou Mingyue’s head. Upon closer inspection, she saw he was using his fingers to press on a wound between Lou Mingyue’s shoulder and neck.
The wound was very deep and gaping, seemingly having severed a major artery. But as she had been bleeding for so long, the pressure had decreased. The blood wasn’t spurting out but flowing steadily between Mo Sigui’s fingers into the lake, staining a large area red. The surrounding Dream Flowers absorbed the blood, growing wildly at a visible rate. In a short time, the buds had opened into voluptuous red blossoms, more vivid than the blood itself.
“Mingyue, don’t sleep!” Mo Sigui growled.
An Jiu rarely saw him so distraught, his gaunt face speckled with blood.
Mo Sigui slowly channeled his qi into her to ensure she wouldn’t lose consciousness during this time.
Lou Mingyue’s eyelashes were matted with blood. She struggled to open her eyes, her throat moving, cracked lips trembling, but unable to utter a word.
“Ajiu, get my silver needles out,” Mo Sigui said.
An Jiu, accustomed to receiving his treatments, knew he liked to keep his needles in his bosom. She stepped forward to retrieve them and helped support Lou Mingyue’s head.
Mo Sigui freed one hand and swiftly inserted the silver needles around the wound.
Soon, the bleeding stopped.
Mo Sigui picked her up and hurried back to the house.
Cheng Changying had already prepared everything. “This water was boiled half an hour ago and has cooled a bit. I’ve asked Pianpian to boil more.”
“Mm,” Mo Sigui quickly cut away Lou Mingyue’s clothes around the wound with scissors. He then pulled over a basin of water and used a cloth to clean the blood around the wound, while directly washing the wound with his prepared medicinal solution.
Everyone except An Jiu withdrew from the room.
Mo Sigui, with a grim expression, meticulously stitched the torn flesh back together, his forehead beading with sweat.
An Jiu wiped his brow clean with a cloth.
“You can go out now, I can manage alone,” Mo Sigui said.
An Jiu left without a word, putting down the cloth and turning to leave.
Outside the room, some stood while others sat. Little Moon, who had been lying on the ground, suddenly got up. Seeing An Jiu come out, Li Qingzhi asked, “How’s the situation? The doctor doesn’t look too good.”
“Probably fine,” An Jiu wasn’t sure if Lou Mingyue had other injuries.
Sui Yunzhu nodded, “The doctor’s poor complexion is likely because the injured person is Lou Er.”
If it were someone else, even if they were nearly bled dry, he would probably calmly apply needles without being emotionally affected.
“To wound Lou Er so severely, the opponent must be extraordinary. Qingzhi, come with me to check around the island, just in case,” Sui Yunzhu said.
“Alright,” Li Qingzhi agreed.
Zhu Pianpian brought in the boiled water, with Little Moon following. Only Cheng Changying and An Jiu remained outside.
After a moment of absent-mindedness, he suddenly asked, “Ajiu, have you ever met Lord Chu?”
“Once, why?” An Jiu asked.
“General Ling has always been steady and patient. Such a sudden change must have a reason. I’ve roughly calculated that he had already changed before you left the Northern camp. I thought…” Cheng Changying trailed off, hesitating.
“Thought what?” An Jiu had already guessed, “Is this related to Chu Dijiang?”
Cheng Changying looked at her and nodded slightly, “Perhaps the only one who can save General Ling is him, but he…”
Is the least likely person to save Ling Ziyue.
An Jiu said, “You’re telling me this because you want me to persuade him?”
“Yes,” Cheng Changying still looked sleepy, with faint dark circles around his narrow fox-like eyes, but he looked much better than before, showing that Zhu Pianpian had been taking good care of him recently.
“I also admire General Ling,” An Jiu said, then changed tack, “But I won’t persuade Chu Dijiang. If he wants Ling Ziyue to die, there must be a reason why Ling Ziyue must die.”
“If I’m not mistaken, he probably wants to use Ling Ziyue’s death to incite the Song people’s resistance against imperial power and Liao. Ajiu, do you know how risky this is?” Cheng Changying sighed, “One wrong move, and all is lost!”
Conservatives all shared Cheng Changying’s view.
“Why is the Storehouse Master concerning himself with these matters? Is Ling Ziyue your relative?” An Jiu was puzzled. Cheng Changying knew a lot but always kept to himself, only focusing on the small domain of the Konghe Institute, and never meddling in other affairs.
The strong smell of medicine wafted from the room. Cheng Changying glanced inside, “I’m just moved by it, that’s all. I just think that someone willing to risk everything for their country shouldn’t die for other reasons. If you don’t want to persuade him, just forget I said anything.”
Cheng Changying couldn’t bring himself to care deeply about the country, but that didn’t stop him from supporting those who did.
An Jiu looked at the door and windows, her lips slightly pursed.
“Also, before I left the Konghe Army, I saw news that the new Liao emperor had just ascended the throne not long ago and was gravely ill. Without heart blood, he wouldn’t live past five years. They’re determined to get it, so be careful,” Cheng Changying said.
“Mm,” An Jiu responded.
Seeing her lost in thought, Cheng Changying didn’t disturb her further. He leaned against a pillar and closed his eyes to rest. Soon, beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He was used to being busy, having always survived that way. Now that he was idle, he felt a bit anxious, always feeling uneasy in his heart.