“…Old Feng Four suddenly grabbed Big Tiger’s knife and slashed at me, Ninth Master blocked it with his shoulder, that’s how he saved me!” Asen cried, wiping tears that seemed endless with the back of his hand. “If I had known this would happen, when Old Feng Four caught me, I should have bitten him. In his anger, he would certainly have killed me…”

“What nonsense are you talking?” Fu Tingyun scolded him in a low voice while carefully lifting Zhao Jiu’s right garment. “Since the Ninth Master was willing to block the knife with his body for you, it means he regards you as his brother. How could you say such things? Wouldn’t the Ninth Master’s sacrifice be in vain? How hurt would he feel if he heard you say this!” After speaking, she couldn’t help but draw in a sharp breath.

Zhao Jiu’s right shoulder was carelessly wrapped with several strips of cloth that had been torn from old clothes. The blood had completely soaked through the bandages and stained his clothes.

No wonder he wore a dark-colored garment.

Fu Tingyun felt as if her heart was being stabbed.

No wonder his face was pale and he drank water in such large gulps.

He must have been feeling unwell back at the City God Temple, right?

He even gave her a dagger for protection then.

He must have already sensed his injury was serious, fearing he might not make it to Xi’an Prefecture, so that’s why he did that, right?

Yet she had rejected his kindness, pushing all the responsibility of protection onto him… and to think she had sulked and sat on the small cart… pushing required arm strength, and his wound was on his shoulder… he had never let her walk before, but since then, whenever she wanted to walk, he never stopped her. Was it because the wound was too painful?

Fu Tingyun felt regret and self-loathing.

She regretted being so careless and hated herself for being spoiled and willful.

Tears blurred her vision.

Now that he was injured and unconscious, it was her turn to protect him, just as he had once done for her.

Though she thought this, she understood the vast difference in strength between them.

What should she do?

How could she find a doctor to examine him? How could she get him away from here? How could they safely reach Xi’an Prefecture?

Fu Tingyun’s legs felt weak just thinking about it.

She couldn’t let him lose his life here!

He was so young, with such a promising future ahead…

She recalled what happened to her uncle’s family.

Perhaps her older cousin’s two nephews could have grown up to top the imperial examinations, become ministers or famous officials, but all those possibilities vanished with the premature deaths of those two children…

She couldn’t let his future be cut short here!

Fu Tingyun wiped her tears forcefully.

She called to Asen: “I see that the Ninth Master and you are both familiar with this area. Do you know which town is closest to here?”

“Miss, what are you planning to do?” Asen’s eyes were red. “It’s a famine year, those towns are probably full of refugees, and there are idle gangs who specifically bully outsiders. Without Ninth Master’s protection, even if the refugees don’t rob us, those gangs won’t let us go!”

“I know!” Fu Tingyun said. “But where there’s a town, there are doctors. No matter what, we need to at least try. We can’t just stay here, can we? The midday sun is so scorching, and there’s no shade. If Ninth Master stays in this heat, I fear he’ll become dehydrated. If refugees pass by and we encounter those with evil intentions, they’ll rob us all the same. Besides, I’m not planning to enter the town.”

Asen looked at her, confused.

“Since those refugees would all go to the town to beg, the City God Temple must be empty.” Fu Tingyun explained her plan to Asen. “You and I will take Ninth Master to the City God Temple, and you can go into town to see if you can find a doctor. If you can get a doctor, that would be best. If not, you should go to Xi’an Prefecture—it’s only two days away, and your brothers Yucheng and Yuanbao should be there, right? Rather than dragging Ninth Master towards Xi’an Prefecture with an uncertain path ahead, it’s better to ask your brothers to come and help Ninth Master…”

Even smaller villages would have City God Temples, let alone towns.

Before she could finish, Asen jumped up excitedly: “Oh, how could I forget about Brothers Yucheng and Yuanbao! Miss, this is a good idea. We can ride horses back, and we’ll reach Xi’an Prefecture in just one day.” He continued, “I know there’s a town called Linchun about thirty li from here. It’s on the route from Xi’an Prefecture to Lantian County. I don’t know if there’s a doctor, but we know there’s a City God Temple at the east end of the town.”

Fu Tingyun’s spirits lifted upon hearing this: “Do you still remember the way?”

“I do!” Asen said. “I went there once with Third Master.”

“Good!” Fu Tingyun stood up. “Let’s go to Linchun Town.”

Asen nodded vigorously.

Together, they lifted Zhao Jiu onto the small cart. One supported the cart while the other pushed it, wobbling and stopping frequently, until they finally reached Linchun Town by nightfall.

During the journey, Fu Tingyun had given Zhao Jiu water three times. The last time, Zhao Jiu groggily asked where they were going.

“To Linchun Town,” she said. “Asen says it’s prosperous, and we might find a doctor there.”

Zhao Jiu made no response, tilted his head, and fell asleep again. She wasn’t sure if he approved of her choice or if he hadn’t even heard what she said.

…

The City God Temple at the east end of Linchun Town wasn’t large. Behind the three-room main hall were five or six side chambers.

When they entered, there was only one man in the main hall of the temple. He was squatting in the southwest corner, using three stones to prop up an iron pot, cooking something. The firelight illuminated his rugged face, making him look fierce and intimidating. When he saw them enter, he merely glanced up indifferently, then lowered his head again to watch whatever was in the pot.

Fu Tingyun felt the atmosphere in the temple was very strange.

She quickly surveyed the hall.

By comparison, it was relatively clean, as if people regularly stayed here.

Why was there only one person?

She exchanged glances with Asen and saw that he also looked uneasy.

“Can you tell what’s going on?” Fu Tingyun whispered to him.

“It’s strange,” Asen said softly. “Why is there only one person?”

Their thoughts aligned.

Asen glanced at the rugged-faced man and said, “I remember there are several side chambers in the back. Why don’t we settle there? There’s only one entrance, which would be easier to guard.”

If the Seventh Master were here, Fu Tingyun would have no objection. But the one suggesting this was Asen… not only was he a child, but he was also injured. If a skilled fighter burst in—like that rugged-faced man—they’d be trapped like fish in a barrel!

“Let’s rest in the grove outside the temple!” Fu Tingyun said. “Although the trees are dead, at least they provide some cover…”

As she spoke, someone called loudly from outside the hall: “Is anyone inside?” Following the call, a tall man walked in.

He was about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, with fair skin and handsome features. He wore a cocoon silk robe—its color indiscernible in the dim light—tied with a belt, looking neat and proper, somewhat like a shop manager.

Seeing the scene in the hall, he too seemed surprised. After a slight pause, he bowed slightly to Fu Tingyun and the others, saying with a smile: “We’re all travelers seeking shelter. May we impose upon you and stay here for the night?”

Since Fu Tingyun herself hadn’t decided whether to stay or not, she naturally didn’t respond. Strangely, the rugged-faced man also remained silent, making the atmosphere even more awkward.

The newcomer didn’t seem to mind. He turned and said something to those outside the door, and three men entered in succession.

They were all in their early twenties. One was rather burly with sharp eyes, pushing a small cart loaded with miscellaneous items; another was of average build with ordinary features but a carefree demeanor, carrying nothing; the third had clear features, appearing kind and friendly, carrying a bundle on his back. They all wore cocoon silk garments with belts tied around their waists.

The burly man declared as soon as he entered: “This place is not bad.” His voice was loud and resounding.

Asen suddenly moved closer to Fu Tingyun and whispered: “Miss, this man is a trained fighter.”

Fu Tingyun felt her scalp tingle. The burly man had already bowed slightly to her: “Miss, there are more of us, and we’d like to rest in the northwest corner. Would you mind giving us some space?”

Fu Tingyun then realized she was blocking their way.

She quickly lowered her head and stepped aside.

The men walked past her.

The manager-like man and the burly man glanced curiously at Zhao Jiu lying on the small cart, while the average-built man’s gaze lingered on Fu Tingyun for quite some time. The clear-featured man first followed the burly man’s gaze toward Zhao Jiu, then noticed the average-built man observing Fu Tingyun, and also looked at her.

“Miss,” Asen’s voice was barely audible, “perhaps you should stay in the hall. Those four men don’t look like bad people. I’ll go into town now and be back in half an hour at most.”

In crowded places, one usually feels safer.

Fu Tingyun was no exception.

Looking at the shadowy figures outside the hall, she nodded: “Then go quickly and return quickly!”

Asen agreed.

Fu Tingyun thought for a moment and chose a position in the southeast corner, far from both groups of men.

She laid out a straw mat, and together with Asen, they placed Zhao Jiu on it. She then positioned the small cart in front to create a defensible corner. After Asen left for town, Fu Tingyun found the dagger and placed it under the straw mat, quietly calling to Ninth Master: “…drink some water!”

Zhao Jiu opened his eyes, his gaze unfocused. He shook his head vaguely and closed his eyes again, falling into a deep sleep.

Her heart trembled. Disregarding propriety between men and women, she felt his forehead.

It was burning hot!

Fu Tingyun grew anxious. She moistened a cloth and wiped his forehead, trying hard to remember how her wet nurse had cared for her when she had caught a cold as a child.

It would be best to clean the shoulder with salt water and rebandage it.

But she didn’t know how to bandage wounds and didn’t dare touch the cloth strips.

If only Zhao Jiu would wake up, even briefly, to tell her how to wrap the bandages!

She wrung out another cloth and placed it on his forehead.

The sound of commotion reached them.

The group in the northwest corner had already arranged their bedding and were looking toward the temple entrance at the noise.

The man in the southwest corner didn’t even raise his head.

The commotion grew louder, with men laughing and cursing, and women screaming and crying.

Torches reddened the sky.

Fu Tingyun remembered the scene when Old Feng Four had appeared.

She tensed, gripping the dagger in her hand.