The narrow alley was just wide enough for one person. Mingshu was pulled behind Lu Chang, her head throbbing and her heart pounding. Shadows intertwined and her vision blurred as Lu Chang swiftly fended off their pursuers. After knocking down one assailant with a punch and kick, he turned and pulled Mingshu in the opposite direction.
The sound of footsteps and clinking metal continued behind them. Lu Chang shielded her with his body, knocking down any debris he could find to obstruct their pursuers before gripping Mingshu’s hand again and charging out of the alley.
They ran for what felt like an eternity until they reached a deserted spot. Hearing no footsteps behind them, Mingshu tugged on Lu Chang’s sleeve and bent over, gasping for breath. Her legs trembled, and she couldn’t speak coherently, only shaking her head to signal that she couldn’t run any further.
Lu Chang patted her back to help her catch her breath while vigilantly scanning their surroundings, fearing their pursuers might return.
After a while, Mingshu finally regained some strength and gasped, “I didn’t expect you could fight…”
Despite Lu Chang’s scholarly appearance, he had shown considerable fighting skills. Lu Chang glanced at her pale face, remaining silent—she had truly forgotten. Though he was a scholar, he was far from weak. Growing up with only his widowed mother, he and Madam Zeng had often faced bullying. He had learned to fight on the streets and almost became a gang leader until Madam Zeng’s tears pulled him back to the right path.
These were things Mingshu had known, but she had forgotten all of them.
“Who were those people just now…” Mingshu asked urgently, eager for answers.
“This isn’t the time to talk. Can you still walk? If you can, we need to get back to the clinic quickly.” He helped her up.
She nodded and followed him closely.
The clinic wasn’t far, and they quickly reached it by taking back roads. Madam Zeng, who had woken up and was frantically searching for Mingshu, sighed in relief upon seeing them return. She hurried over to Mingshu, scolding gently, “Where did you go? Just able to get out of bed and already running around. The wind outside is strong; you might catch a cold.” She then turned to Lu Chang, “And you, Lu Chang, disappearing for days without a word. Do you know how worried we were?”
Lu Chang didn’t argue back. Madam Zeng continued to grumble as she bustled about to prepare hot water for them. Mingshu wanted to speak up for him but saw Lu Chang stop his mother. “Mother, don’t bother with that. We need to pack our things right away. They found us,” he said, glancing at Mingshu, “We have to leave immediately.”
Those men had been waiting for Mingshu at the teahouse, clearly intending to eliminate her. Now that their location was exposed, it wouldn’t be long before they found the clinic. It was no longer safe.
Madam Zeng turned pale and muttered, “How did they find us?” She glanced at Mingshu but refrained from asking further questions, quickly and efficiently packing their belongings. Lu Chang joined in, while Mingshu stood there, unsure of what to do. Her confusion grew until she noticed a streak of blood on the back of Lu Chang’s right hand, dripping from his fingers. Alarmed, she grabbed his sleeve and said, “Your hand…”
Lu Chang quickly covered her mouth, glancing at Madam Zeng who was still packing. Seeing that she hadn’t noticed, he shook his head at Mingshu. She understood and nodded, so he slowly let go.
He didn’t want Madam Zeng to worry, so he kept silent despite the pain.
Mingshu found this odd—how could they understand each other without words? Such tacit understanding seemed impossible if they had never known each other before.
Using the excuse of needing a final consultation with the doctor, Lu Chang led Mingshu out of the room. Once outside, she immediately grabbed his right hand, pulling up his sleeve to reveal a deep wound still bleeding. It must have been caused by the knife when he saved her.
Panicking, she exclaimed, “This wound is so deep. If it damages the tendons, your hand could be crippled! How will you take the imperial exam?”
From her time with Madam Zeng, Mingshu had learned that they were heading to Bianjing for the exam and that her brother had topped the provincial exams in Jiangning Prefecture.
“Don’t make a fuss, it’s not that serious.” Lu Chang tried to withdraw his hand, but she held on tightly. He had to let her have her way and added, “It seems you’ve forgotten. I can write with my left hand too. Even if my right hand is injured, it won’t stop me from taking the exam.”
“Whether I’ve forgotten or not, shouldn’t you know better? And you’re joking at a time like this?” She thought for a moment, then stomped her foot, “No, saying your right hand is useless is unlucky. Come on, let’s see the doctor.”
—
Half an incense stick’s time later, the doctor had treated and bandaged Lu Chang’s wound, and reexamined Mingshu, prescribing enough medicine for the next few days. Lu Chang settled the medical fees, bid the doctor farewell, and made sure to warn him not to reveal their identity or whereabouts to anyone after they left. The doctor agreed wholeheartedly, and Lu Chang took Mingshu back to find Madam Zeng.
Mingshu overheard what Lu Chang had said to the doctor and became even more puzzled. She walked slowly, so much so that she bumped into Lu Chang’s back when he stopped outside the room, waiting for her.
“What’s wrong?” Lu Chang turned to see her troubled expression and asked.
She glanced at his heavily bandaged right hand, her mind filled with conflicting emotions that she swallowed down. She still had too many questions about her own identity and doubts about Lu Chang and his mother. But the dangerous scene earlier was still fresh in her mind. Those men had come to kill her, and Lu Chang had risked his life to save her. If they had any ulterior motives, they wouldn’t have taken such risks, especially considering he had a bright future ahead as the top scholar of Jiangning Prefecture.
Thinking this, she felt a bit guilty. He had warned her not to leave the clinic, and Madam Zeng had kept a close eye on her, but she had ignored them, leading to danger and worry, and resulting in his injury.
“Nothing…” She shook her head, her eyes still on his wounded hand. “I’m sorry.”
She didn’t say much, but Lu Chang seemed to understand. He simply replied, “No need to apologize. I’m just glad you’re willing to come back with me.”
Mingshu looked up sharply, her eyes wide with surprise. He understood her doubts about them, knew why she had left the clinic, and realized she didn’t fully trust them, yet he had never shown any resentment.
For Lu Chang, it wasn’t hard to guess. Since she woke up, she hadn’t called them “mother” or “brother,” nor had she addressed him by his name like before. Her eyes were distant, and she was always cautious, like a small, trapped animal. She was smart enough to see the differences between herself and them—the clear distinction between someone born into wealth and someone who had grown up in poverty.
Their connection should have ended in the autumn in Changkang Lane.
“Can you tell me who those people were? Why do they want me dead?” Mingshu felt that the key to everything lay in the events that led to her injury.
Lu Chang clenched his fist, the wound on the back of his hand stinging. During his three-day trip back to Jiangning, he had tried to find a reliable relative to take her in. However, after investigating for three days, he became more certain that Master Jian’s death was suspicious. The authorities concluded it was a robbery, seizing all the Jian family’s assets. None of the Jian family’s relatives were trustworthy, and sending Mingshu back to Jiangning would be like sending her into a lion’s den. He became even more determined to take her to the capital.
But how could he explain her doubts?
Revealing the truth would be a huge blow to her. Her injuries were not fully healed, and she couldn’t handle more stress. Knowing the truth might drive her back to Jiangning, where she would be in great danger. Yet, he was reluctant to lie to her again.
“Mingshu.” He had never felt so conflicted before. He sighed, gently placing a hand on her head. “As you suspect, this matter is not simple. But I can’t tell you the details yet. When the time is right, I promise I will tell you everything. Is that okay?”
Their eyes met, and after a moment, she nodded. “Alright.”
A straightforward answer, typical of her unchanging character.
“Why are you two just standing there?” Madam Zeng had finished packing and came out, holding a bundle, just as she saw the two standing face to face.
“Let me take that.” Lu Chang sighed in relief, took the bundle from his mother, and went out to prepare the horse and carriage.
In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the carriage was ready. Madam Zeng and Mingshu entered the carriage. Lu Chang, wearing a hat over his wind cap, pulled the brim down to cover half his face, then whipped the reins and drove the carriage out of Xunyang.
—
Fearing pursuit, Lu Chang didn’t dare stop. It wasn’t until they left Jiangnan Road and entered Yuzhou territory that he slowed the pace.
“Take a break.” Mingshu lifted the curtain and sat beside Lu Chang, holding onto the carriage wall.
Lu Chang’s eyes were bloodshot. Seeing her, he frowned, “The wind is strong, go back inside. We’ll reach the post station in about an hour, and we can rest then.”
“You haven’t rested for two nights.” Mingshu placed a warm hand stove into his arms.
She had been jolted around in the carriage for days, feeling dizzy, but she gritted her teeth and endured. At least she could hide inside the carriage, but Lu Chang had been driving for three days straight, barely resting at night. His face was pale, and his eyes were sunken.
“I can still manage.” He didn’t refuse her kind gesture; it was indeed cold outside.
“You don’t seem like a scholar.” Mingshu didn’t follow his advice to go back inside, instead looking him up and down.
“If not a scholar, then what? A farmer?” He was also exhausted, and having someone talk to him helped keep him alert.
“Scholars are usually not adept with manual labor or farming. But you’re different; you can read, fight, drive a carriage, and find your way…” Mingshu listed the skills she had observed in him over the past few days.
Indeed, he was not like the typical scholar.
“You’ve seen too little. Once we reach Bianjing, you’ll see there are many capable people in this world.” Lu Chang said this lightly, not showing much joy at her praise. It wasn’t modesty; these abilities were born out of necessity, and he didn’t find them worthy of pride.
Mingshu chuckled softly, “I don’t care about others. If you are my brother, then you are the best man in the world, better than anyone else.”
Over the past few days, she had grown more familiar with him, speaking more freely.
He turned to look at her, seeing the same bright admiration in her eyes as before. The only difference was that she hadn’t said such things before. With her changed identity, her admiration and praise flowed out easily.
Lu Chang’s heart stirred slightly, but just as he was distracted, the carriage wheel hit a large stone, causing it to jolt violently. Mingshu lost her balance and fell towards him. He quickly regained his focus, managing the reins with one hand and catching her with the other.
“Sit tight! Stop swaying around.” His voice turned stern.
Mingshu quickly settled back into her seat, and he let go of her just as fast. She huffed, muttering softly, “You didn’t drive properly, and you blame me?!”
“If you’re fine, go back inside. Don’t bother me here.” Lu Chang heard her grumble but just pressed the brim of his hat down again, covering half his face.
Mingshu didn’t move, instead blowing warm air into her hands. Seeing this, Lu Chang urged her again, “The wind is strong, go back inside.”
“I’m not going in. It’s stuffy in there, and I feel suffocated. The wind helps.” She twisted her body as she spoke, her back feeling itchy and prickly.
“Stop moving.” Lu Chang suddenly lifted the brim of his hat, his eyes fixed on her neck.
Startled by his command, Mingshu realized she had been unconsciously scratching her neck. She quickly lowered her hand, about to speak when Lu Chang’s injured right hand reached out, gently lifting her chin to turn her head and reveal her neck.
Her pale skin was covered with patches of red rashes, scratched raw and spreading under her collar.
Further down, Lu Chang couldn’t see, but he could imagine the extent of the rash.
“What happened to your neck?” His voice was stern, eyes intense.
“I don’t know, maybe it’s from the stuffiness inside.” Mingshu felt even itchier under his gaze and wanted to scratch.
“Stop scratching!” Lu Chang grabbed her wrists tightly. “Bear with it.”
Mingshu heard his sharp command. Holding her wrists with one hand, he controlled the reins with the other, speeding up the carriage towards the post station.
All she could hear were the wind and the sound of hooves.