Ji Cheng’s mind was blank, focused solely on finding Ma Yuantong as quickly as possible. The poison in Ling Ziyun’s system had been stemmed; blood no longer flowed from his mouth. However, the severe wound on his chest, combined with the previous torments he’d endured, had caused him to lose too much blood. He had fallen unconscious. Ji Cheng didn’t dare check Ling Ziyun’s breathing; she could only spur her horse forward relentlessly.
The sound of hoofbeats echoed dully in the night sky, reminiscent of dripping blood.
Ji Cheng’s heart had grown numb with cold dread. She dared not think or look, only pressing on mechanically.
As dawn broke, a black speck appeared on the horizon, gradually approaching. It was none other than Ma Yuantong. Despite Ma Yuantong’s small, almost feminine stature, at this moment, he appeared to Ji Cheng as tall and imposing as a Bodhisattva come to relieve suffering.
Ma Yuantong was surprised to see Ji Cheng and Nan Gui. Before his horse had even drawn near, he called out loudly, “Why have you two turned back?”
“Physician Ma…” Ji Cheng galloped towards him, but before she could finish, Ma Yuantong interrupted her.
“Aiya, aiya, it’s all my fault, my fault. That dimwit Jinzhu has a mouth like a sieve, can’t keep anything in. When that so-called Holy Maiden asked her, she spilled everything. To think I pitied her for being celibate for so long, I even wanted to…” In front of Ji Cheng, Ma Yuantong was too embarrassed to finish his sentence and trailed off.
Ji Cheng had been puzzled about how Zha Yina had so coincidentally guarded the mountain path and knew they had obtained the antidote. So this was the reason.
That Jinzhu was a devout follower of Zoroastrianism. Although her feelings for Ma Yuantong were undeniable, Zha Yina was the Holy Maiden of Zoroastrianism. Jinzhu wouldn’t conceal anything if Zha Yina asked, which allowed Zha Yina to succeed.
Huo De and Zha Yina were both searching for Shen Che, cooperating yet suspicious of each other. Huo De sought to kill Shen Che, while Zha Yina had other motives. Huo De, being a man focused on the bigger picture, didn’t pay much attention to Ji Cheng. Zha Yina, however, with a woman’s intuition, had people following Ji Cheng and Nan Gui. She had been trailing Ji Cheng, firmly believing she would find an opportunity through her. At that time, Zha Yina didn’t know what kind of opportunity it would be.
After learning of Ji Cheng’s significance to Shen Che, Zha Yina had been diligently collecting information about her. Ji Cheng and Ling Ziyun’s childhood friendship was no secret to anyone who cared to investigate. More critically, Zha Yina had learned that Ji Cheng had once traveled alone to the Great Qin Northern Army camp.
The followers there reported that Ji Cheng had done nothing, merely staying in a small border town inn for two days without leaving. This aroused Zha Yina’s suspicions. What was Ji Cheng’s purpose in going there?
Women often understand other women better. Zha Yina, projecting her thoughts, correctly guessed Ji Cheng’s intentions. This person still couldn’t let go of her childhood sweetheart and had gone just to catch a glimpse of him from afar.
Thus, Zha Yina conceived the idea of capturing Ling Ziyun to coerce Ji Cheng, though she hadn’t fully formulated her plan. Zha Yina had obtained a Half-Day Scatter poison from Huo De, thinking that at worst, she could force Ji Cheng to consume it herself. She wanted to see Ji Cheng writhing in agony, her intestines torn apart.
She wanted Shen Che to know that even if he had lost half his martial arts skills, he couldn’t save this woman who was holding him back. Only she — Zha Yina — was his perfect match.
Little did she know that heaven truly favored Zha Yina.
Zha Yina had been following Ji Cheng and her companions to Qu Man Mountain, unable to find a good opportunity to strike. But the information Jinzhu had revealed to her filled Zha Yina with wild joy. She finally knew how to make Shen Che and Ji Cheng turn against each other.
After abruptly cutting off his somewhat improper train of thought, Ma Yuantong looked at Ji Cheng, then at the man on her horse’s back. Frowning, he asked, “What’s going on here?”
Ji Cheng pleaded, “Physician Ma, please save him. He’s been poisoned with Zha Yina’s Half-Day Scatter and stabbed in the chest. I beg you to save him.”
Ma Yuantong usually had quite the arrogant air of a skilled physician, but this woman was his senior apprentice brother’s beloved wife, and apparently of high status. So he didn’t put on airs, instead stepping forward to support Ling Ziyun’s head, examining his eyelids and tongue, then placing his fingers on Ling Ziyun’s pulse.
Ma Yuantong’s expression grew increasingly grim. He quickly let go of Ling Ziyun’s hand and looked at Ji Cheng angrily. “How was his Half-Day Scatter poison neutralized?”
There was only one antidote for the Half-Day Scatter. Since this man’s poison had already been neutralized, it meant Shen Che couldn’t possibly have another antidote. Ma Yuantong could figure out what had happened even without thinking.
Ji Cheng, however, asked hopefully, “Has his poison been neutralized?” In fact, after impulsively giving Ling Ziyun the antidote, Ji Cheng had become fearful. She had lost her head at that moment, not doubting the truth of Zha Yina’s words, allowing herself to be led by the nose. She had been far from calm.
Thinking about it now, there were many uncertainties. If Zha Yina had been lying, Ji Cheng might have not only failed to save Ling Ziyun but also caused Shen Che’s death.
Now, hearing Ma Yuantong say that Ling Ziyun’s Half-Day Scatter poison had been neutralized, how could Ji Cheng not breathe a sigh of relief?
“This must be your lover, right?” Ma Yuantong pointed at Ji Cheng’s nose and said, “I knew you women couldn’t be trusted. Dimwits, fickle-minded, adulterous, immoral…” Ma Yuantong hurled every insulting word he knew at Ji Cheng without hesitation.
Ji Cheng had only one response: “Physician Ma, please save him.”
Ma Yuantong jumped back. “Why should I save him? You adulterous couple! When I find my senior apprentice-brother, I’ll tell him to deal with you two properly. It’s better if he dies. If he doesn’t die, he should be put in a pig cage and drowned anyway.”
Ji Cheng closed her eyes briefly. “Please save him. If you agree to save him, I’ll give you my life.”
“Pah! As if I’d want it. I’d be dirtying my hands,” Ma Yuantong said. Seeing Ji Cheng like this made him even more furious. “You’ve lost all conscience. Do you know how my senior apprentice-brother treated you? He was so severely injured in the Western Regions just for you, wasn’t he? Poor man, he’s barely clinging to life, and your name is still on his lips.”
“You think I don’t know? It’s all because of you, you dimwit, that he was poisoned. If it were me, I would have poisoned you into a dried-up corpse long ago. Only that fool still treasures you even when he’s near death. He wouldn’t even let us avenge him. I’ve been dissatisfied with you for a long time.”
This was an old grudge, but there were new grievances too.
“And this time, he used up half his martial arts power to neutralize the Half-Day Scatter for you, didn’t he? I’m asking you, wasn’t it for you?!” Ma Yuantong’s finger nearly touched Ji Cheng’s nose. “Do you know how much this affects him? He practices the Nine Transformations Primal Yuan Technique, you know? For you, he even gave up breaking through from the eighth to the ninth transformation. And you, how have you treated him? Huh? How have you treated him? Can you face him? If not for you, this dimwit, would he have been poisoned with the Half-Day Scatter? Huh?”
Even after scolding her with spittle flying, Ma Yuantong wasn’t satisfied. He continued shouting, “This lover of yours is about to die completely. He’s taking in less air than he’s letting out. Let me tell you, I could save him, but I won’t. I want to see how he dies.”
Ji Cheng coldly looked at Ma Yuantong and said, “Your senior apprentice-brother won’t die.”
Ma Yuantong spat and said, “What do you know, you dimwit?”
Indeed, she was a dimwit. Ji Cheng should have been angry at being scolded so harshly, but for some reason, she found a strange satisfaction in it. She thought that if some people knew about this, they might not even deign to scold her.
“Of course, I know. Zha Yina loves Shen Che in her heart. She won’t let him die,” Ji Cheng said. Although Zha Yina had said she could die with Shen Che, the more she said such things, the more Ji Cheng was certain that Zha Yina must have other ways to save Shen Che.
Zha Yina’s thoughts were also easy to guess. She didn’t want Ji Cheng’s life, nor did she want Ji Cheng to exchange her life for Ling Ziyun’s. Rather, she wanted Ji Cheng to choose between Ling Ziyun and Shen Che. This wasn’t normal behavior; Ji Cheng could only think that Zha Yina’s purpose was to drive a wedge between her and Shen Che’s marital relationship.
If Shen Che were truly dying, what would be the point of all Zha Yina’s actions? Therefore, Ji Cheng was certain that Zha Yina would be able to save Shen Che. The moment when Ji Cheng betrayed Shen Che, would be the perfect opportunity for Zha Yina to take advantage.
“What do you know?” Ma Yuantong repeated, but after hearing Ji Cheng’s words, he suddenly remembered a rumored secret technique of Zoroastrianism that might indeed be able to neutralize the poison in Shen Che’s body.
Although Ma Yuantong was still scolding, his tone had softened somewhat. Ji Cheng seized the opportunity and said, “Since you know Shen Che’s feelings for me, you should know that if I die here now, he will never forgive you for the rest of his life.”
Ma Yuantong looked at Ji Cheng in disbelief. “You…”
Ji Cheng had a protective dagger on her. Without thinking, she held it to her neck. “Doctor Ma, I beg you to save him.” Ji Cheng had been pushed to her limits, walking a path of no return. Now, only one thing mattered to her: Ling Ziyun’s life. If he died, everything she had done would have been in vain.
Blood beaded on Ji Cheng’s neck. Nan Gui spurred her horse forward, but Ji Cheng stopped her with a sharp command, “Don’t come any closer!”
Ma Yuantong looked at Ji Cheng as if he wanted to devour her alive, but he truly didn’t dare take the risk. His senior apprentice brother had always had a bit of a masochistic tendency since childhood; otherwise, he wouldn’t have chosen the most punishing Nine Turns Profound Origin Technique back then. Ma Yuantong really couldn’t be sure if Ji Cheng died, whether Shen Che would kill him or not.
“Damn it, just you wait. Even if I save this son of a bitch, neither of you will have a good ending,” Ma Yuantong said.
The blood from Ling Ziyun’s chest was finally stopped. Though he was still unconscious, he was no longer in mortal danger. Ma Yuantong had already walked away, cursing. Out of sight, out of mind – this poisonous woman didn’t care about his senior apprentice brother’s life, but he did.
Ji Cheng was running a high fever. She watched Nan Gui bustling about without saying a word, not understanding why Nan Gui hadn’t left.
“Nan Gui, do you have something to say to me?” Ji Cheng asked weakly.
Nan Gui lowered her head without speaking, not even looking at Ji Cheng. It wasn’t that she didn’t dare, but rather that she was unwilling.
Ji Cheng had some vague guesses in her heart and continued to ask, “Nan Gui, when I told you to get the antidote, why did you obey so readily?”
This was truly the most incredible part. Ji Cheng had originally thought she would have to fight Nan Gui to get the antidote, but Nan Gui had only hesitated slightly.
Nan Gui still kept her head down, not looking at Ji Cheng: “Because the Young Master said that from now on, my mistress is only the Young Madam, and only the Young Madam.”
Tears slowly flowed from Ji Cheng’s eyes.
Many words didn’t need to be said. In this life, she ultimately owed Shen Che. If in the next life, he was still willing, she would repay him by being grass or a butterfly.
“Since you still acknowledge me as your mistress, then help me do one thing.” Ji Cheng took out a banknote for 100,000 taels of silver from her bosom and handed it to Nan Gui. “Please deliver this banknote to Huang Yue for me. This is what I owe him.” Huang Yue was the one who provided the information that Ma Yuantong was on Qu Man Mountain.
Nan Gui took the banknote, paused for a moment, and softly replied, “Yes.”
Ji Cheng watched Nan Gui walk out of the small tent. Their master-servant relationship had come to an end. Initially, she had thought Nan Gui was Shen Che’s spy and had rejected her at every turn. Now that they had finally developed a sincere relationship, they were parting ways.
Nan Gui rode her horse far away, but then reined it in and galloped back to the tent. She didn’t enter but knelt outside the tent to kowtow to Ji Cheng. “Young Madam, I can understand why you gave the antidote to Young Master Ling, but the Young Master is the master I’ve chosen to serve. Please forgive me, but Nan Gui can no longer stay by your side.”
Even servants are human and have their own choices, especially since Nan Gui wasn’t truly a servant; she had no indentured contract. She had come to Ji Cheng’s side because of Shen Che’s request, but now she was leaving by her own choice.
Ji Cheng softly responded with an “Mm” and said, “Take care.”
Ji Cheng herself wasn’t sure how she had reached this point of being abandoned by all. She thought that if time could flow backward, she definitely wouldn’t have gone to see Ling Ziyun at the Northern Expedition Army. It was all because of her mistake that the innocent Ling Ziyun had been dragged into this, and then many more people had been harmed.
Ji Cheng’s tears fell on Ling Ziyun’s face, causing his eyelids to twitch. Ji Cheng quickly wiped away her tears and lowered her head to whisper in Ling Ziyun’s ear, “Take care.”
The people of the grasslands also loved Great Qin’s silver, and Ji Cheng had a lot of silver. She gave silver to a simple-looking shepherd by the roadside. She had observed him for two or three days and was certain that he was honest, so she entrusted him to use a cart to send Ling Ziyun back to the Northern Expedition Army, telling him that someone there would give him an even larger sum of silver.
Ji Cheng couldn’t send Ling Ziyun back herself. Her body was almost completely exhausted, and the beliefs that had supported her had all collapsed. Moreover, if she were to send Ling Ziyun back, it would only make his situation worse, inviting more rumors and bringing shame to both Shen Che and Ling Ziyun.
Now, there truly was no lingering attachment between Ji Cheng and Ling Ziyun, but no one would believe that anymore, nor would anyone care.
In this vast world, Ji Cheng realized for the first time that she had nowhere to belong.
Once she had Cloud Mother, but now even that was gone. She couldn’t return to the Ji family; she had angered her father, and her elder sister-in-law didn’t like her. Her return would only bring trouble to the Ji family; how could they dare to oppose the Shen family?
The Shen family? Ji Cheng didn’t dare to think about it and skipped over it entirely.
Ling Ziyun’s Ling family was no longer her aspiration either.
Ji Cheng’s forehead was burning hot, her eyes stinging, her throat dry as smoke. She lay prostrate on horseback, letting the horse take her wherever it would go.
In her hazy state, Ji Cheng remembered the words Concubine Xiang had once cursed her in private, calling her a bringer of misfortune. Now that she thought about it, it wasn’t wrong.
In a sense, even Cloud Mother’s death could be attributed to her. If she hadn’t been so set on marrying into a noble family, Lady Xiang wouldn’t have harbored evil intentions out of fear for her position.
And her second brother had lost a leg for her sake back then.
Ling Ziyun had also endured endless torment for her. Now, although he had been sent away, his future was uncertain, and it was unknown whether his body would suffer any long-term after-effects. But Ji Cheng knew he would be very, very hurt because he couldn’t bear to see her suffer. And she? She selfishly preferred Ling Ziyun to suffer rather than owe him anymore.
Because if she had to owe someone, Ji Cheng would rather owe only Shen Che. The more she owed him, perhaps the more hope there would be in the next life.
But ironically, Shen Che probably wanted least of all for her to owe him, right?
Thinking of Shen Che, Ji Cheng couldn’t help but smile. He was probably the most unfortunate. He had nearly died in the Western Regions because of her, and now he had lost half his cultivation because of her harm. Who knew if she would end up causing his death?
And what about the common people of Great Qin? Perhaps many of them would also die because of Ji Cheng’s actions.
Truly a bringer of misfortune, Ji Cheng thought. How had she never realized it before? If she had known this earlier, she might as well have submitted to Zhu Jijun back then and died.