Feng Jiu’er set the small cloth pouch to one side and lowered her eyes to look.
“That is likely not the only one.” She drew a slow breath and settled onto the edge of the bed. “Be gentle. Every wound — they all need to be treated immediately.”
“Understood.” Xiao Yingtao gave a small nod.
Before Xiao Yingtao could begin, Feng Jiu’er pressed one more pill between Qiao Mu’s lips.
Qiao Mu seemed to sense something. She opened her eyes slowly.
“Jiu’er.” She called out softly, and then her heavy lids drooped shut again.
“Don’t speak. I’m back. Swallow the medicine.” As soon as the words left her mouth, Feng Jiu’er turned to reach for the tea.
Qiao Mu gave a small nod. Her throat made the motion of swallowing, and her eyes did not open again.
Even when Feng Jiu’er helped her drink, she did not resist — she simply swallowed a few quiet mouthfuls of water.
Watching Qiao Mu like this, Xiao Yingtao’s heart ached.
In this battle, the heaviest casualties had been among the unit Qiao Mu led. By the time the others arrived, it had already been too late.
After taking the medicine, Qiao Mu slipped back into unconsciousness.
Feng Jiu’er and Xiao Yingtao carefully peeled away the clothing that had dried and stuck to her skin, cleaned the wounds one by one.
At the sight of the injuries covering Qiao Mu’s body — each one a grim testament to what she had endured — Xiao Yingtao choked back tears more than once. Feng Jiu’er kept her face composed throughout.
It took a full hour before they finished cleaning every wound on her body, applied the medicine, finished the bandaging, and helped her into fresh clothes.
By then, Qiao Mu lay so still — whether asleep or barely conscious — that not the slightest sound came from her.
Xiao Yingtao pulled the blanket over Qiao Mu and pressed a hand to her forehead.
“Jiu’er, she’s getting hotter and hotter. She will be all right, won’t she?” She looked back at Feng Jiu’er, her face drawn tight with worry.
“Go get another basin of water. I will use acupuncture to bring the fever down.” Feng Jiu’er set down the cloth she had been using to dry her hands and rose to move toward the bedside.
“Yes.” Xiao Yingtao dipped her head and stepped aside to make room.
Feng Jiu’er sat down on the chair beside the bed and began the acupuncture treatment.
Only after Xiao Yingtao pulled the door shut behind her did Feng Jiu’er let out a long breath, the rims of her eyes growing red.
“Qiao Mu, you have to get better. The scars — don’t worry about them. I can help you get rid of them.”
“Your brothers are waiting for you. Rest well. When you’ve rested enough, we can all drink together again.”
“I, Feng Jiu’er, owe you a debt — think about what you want in return. Whatever I can repay, I will do my utmost to repay it. Just don’t sleep too long.”
She tipped her head back to push the tears from her eyes and then bowed her head again, continuing the acupuncture.
Xiao Yingtao returned not long after with fresh water, and came to stand beside Feng Jiu’er.
Feng Jiu’er had already composed herself into the unshakeable person she always was, any trace of the earlier tears gone as though they had never been.
Xiao Yingtao was not so resilient. Looking at Qiao Mu’s pale face, tears welled in her eyes once more without her meaning them to.
Not wanting to disrupt Feng Jiu’er’s treatment, she could only stand to the side and wipe them away in secret.
“Qiao Mu, you have to get better. There’s still so much left for us to do.”
“You said it yourself — we still have to help Jiu’er reclaim the Feng Clan’s territory. How could you fall in a small battle like this?”
“She will not die.” Feng Jiu’er’s low voice broke in.
Xiao Yingtao nodded at once, then shook her head quickly.
“Right, you’re not going to die. I was too anxious. Sleep a little longer if you need to — Jiu’er bought us seven days.”
“During these seven days, you can rest all you like. But sleeping too long changes your shape — and you’re not yet married off, so you’d better not sleep too long.”
At Xiao Yingtao’s words, the corner of Feng Jiu’er’s mouth curved faintly.
She realized, quietly, that the things she said and did had become so familiar to those around her that they were weaving those words into their own lives.
She thought of the half-year they had all spent together in the Imperial City, and slowly, warmth began to ease the weight on her heart.
Catching the faint smile at Feng Jiu’er’s lips, Xiao Yingtao’s own spirits lifted a little.
“Jiu’er, Qiao Mu is not going to die, is she?”
“She is Qiao Mu — sturdy wood, not rotted wood. How could she die so easily?” Feng Jiu’er said softly.
“Oh.” Xiao Yingtao looked at her, understanding only vaguely, then gave a slow nod.
After a moment, she asked in a quiet voice: “Is Qiao Mu a particularly strong kind of wood?”
Feng Jiu’er raised an eyebrow and nodded. “Something like that. Quick — use a cloth to help cool her down physically.”
“All right.” Xiao Yingtao gave a nod and turned to fetch what was needed.
With Feng Jiu’er’s words in her ears, she was no longer afraid. If Jiu’er said it would be fine, then no matter how serious the wounds, Qiao Mu would surely wake.
Physical cooling was mainly done by using a warm, damp cloth to wipe the forehead, face, neck, palms of the hands, and soles of the feet.
This was something not only Xiao Yingtao knew — the brothers around them had all learned it long since.
Once Qiao Mu’s condition had stabilized somewhat, Feng Jiu’er left her room, leaving only Xiao Yingtao behind.
There were still many brothers who needed treatment. She could not afford to rest for even a moment.
From entering the city in the morning to deep into the night, Feng Jiu’er moved without stopping between the residences and inns where the wounded brothers had been settled throughout the city.
The area near the city gates was relatively well-off. Even though the common residents had moved to the other side of the city, the food, lodging, and clothing to be found here were still adequate.
Aside from a brief midday interlude at mid-afternoon, when Feng Jiu’er had eaten a few bites of a steamed bun, she had had almost nothing to eat the entire day.
Only once all the wounded brothers had been stabilized did Feng Jiu’er allow herself to exhale with real relief.
Everyone had gone off to rest. When she returned to Qiao Mu’s room, Xiao Yingtao was slumped over the edge of the bed, fast asleep.
“Xiao Yingtao.” Feng Jiu’er gave her shoulder a light pat and called out softly.
Xiao Yingtao stirred, lifting her head to look at Feng Jiu’er.
“Jiu’er, what’s wrong? Is it Qiao Mu—” She looked back at the bed and scrambled upright. “Jiu’er, is Qiao Mu all right?”
“She’s all right. Go rest. I’ll stay here.”
“All right then.” Xiao Yingtao pressed a hand to her chest in relief. “Oh, right — Jiu’er, Xing Zizhu said he brought back the things you asked for. Take a look when you have the chance.”
“Have you eaten dinner? If not, I’ll go prepare something.”
“I’ve eaten. Go get some sleep.” Feng Jiu’er waved her off.
Xiao Yingtao glanced back once more at Qiao Mu, then carefully climbed onto the bed.
“The bed is large enough. I’ll sleep on the inner side. If Qiao Mu wakes up in the night, I can help look after her.”
No sooner had she said it than she pulled a corner of the blanket over herself, let out a yawn, and closed her eyes.
“Jiu’er, you go ahead and rest. I’ll keep watch over Qiao Mu. If anything happens, I’ll come find you.”
Watching the weary figure before her, Feng Jiu’er shook her head quietly, then turned and left.
“Mm. Rest well, all of you.”
She still did not know, even now, what everyone had been through in these past few days.
But one thing was clear — no one had had a moment to let their guard down.
Even though she still held a grievance against Zhan Yuheng for what had been done to Qiao Mu, Feng Jiu’er could not help but feel a trace of gratitude toward him.
Had he not been willing to give her that concession, if the battle had continued, her side would have been completely wiped out before seven days were up.
As it stood now — this was not bad at all.