Chapter 29

Shen Jibai said, “The carriage.”

Zhou Xin shrugged. “Then we can only make do for one night.”

The two of them returned to the rear courtyard. Shen Jibai’s carriage was still parked in its original place. It was just that the carriage was not large. It could seat two people, but lying down was impossible.

As if sensing what she was thinking, when they reached the carriage, he said, “Go inside and sleep.”

“What about you?”

“I am not tired.”

Zhou Xin laughed softly. “Please. After all this trouble, how could you possibly not be tired?”

Shen Jibai leaped onto the carriage shaft, sat down cross-legged, and said stubbornly, “You are injured. Go inside and sleep.”

Zhou Xin tilted her head and smiled. “Are you not injured too?”

“Only superficial wounds.” Shen Jibai pushed open the carriage door and lifted the curtain, signaling for her to go in.

Zhou Xin shook her head helplessly.

She did not refuse again. Following his words, she entered the carriage, lay down in the main seat where Shen Jibai usually sat, and closed her eyes.

The night was deep and still. The person keeping watch outside never spoke, and did not even move again.

A thick wave of exhaustion surged over her like the sea. Very soon, it swallowed her whole, and she lost consciousness completely.

Who knew how long had passed before she vaguely heard a thin, shrill voice speaking.

“...Quick, look! That two-legged beast is taking off his clothes!”

“Eh! He’s really handsome! Let’s go over and look!”

“Why are you going over? He’s applying medicine. Do you think he took off his clothes to seduce you?”

“...”

Zhou Xin’s eyes flew open, and she sat up.

She pushed open the carriage door. Shen Jibai’s broad-shouldered, narrow-waisted back entered her view. His white-jade-like skin was covered in wounds of all sizes, bloody and terribly gruesome.

He had turned slightly sideways, his right fingers smeared with ointment, and was trying hard to reach behind himself.

Hearing the movement, he shifted his gaze over. He immediately turned his head away, pulled on his outer robe, and hurriedly dressed.

Perhaps because his movements were too rushed and tugged at his wounds, his breathing clearly faltered for an instant.

“Why are you awake?”

Zhou Xin’s gaze fell on the wounds he had not had time to cover.

The mangled wounds were mixed with bluish-green ointment, blending into a shocking black. Clearly, they had been treated very carelessly.

Yet when this man had applied medicine to her palm, he had clearly been very meticulous.

She moved her lips and, for some reason, felt a little angry.

“This is how you apply medicine?”

Shen Jibai had already tied his belt, but he still had his back to her and did not answer.

“I’ll do it.”

She stretched out her hand, signaling for him to hand over the ointment.

He refused. “You must not.”

“Why?”

“Men and women should not touch each other improperly.”

Zhou Xin could not help finding this somewhat funny. She simply sat down beside him, tilted her head, and looked at him. “Improper or not, we’ve already touched. Isn’t it a little late to say that now?”

Shen Jibai turned his face away and did not meet her eyes. “Today is different from before.”

Zhou Xin raised a brow and leaned even closer. “Now I’m curious. How is today different? Is it that we did not kiss today, or that we did not embrace today?”

Under the faint moonlight, Shen Jibai looked as if he had heard something unbearably indecent. He squeezed his eyes shut.

Zhou Xin could not help laughing. She thought, He’s already shy from just this? Ancient young masters really are far too pure.

His lips moved slightly, as if he had something to say.

Zhou Xin pointed at him with her index finger and said in a commanding tone, “I’m not listening. Swallow it back down!”

Shen Jibai: “...”

She stretched out her hand. “Hurry up. I’ll count to three. If you don’t give it to me, I’ll shout that you’re taking liberties with me!”

Shen Jibai’s eyes suddenly widened. He looked at her in disbelief.

“One.”

“Two.”

Just as Zhou Xin was about to shout “three,” her hand suddenly grew heavy.

“Aiya! That’s more like it!”

She unscrewed the medicine bottle and dipped a finger in the ointment. Just as she was about to pull open his clothes and apply the medicine, that thin, shrill voice rang out again.

“Another two-legged beast came.”

“Someone beat us to it. How hateful!”

She looked around but saw no one. There were only two sparrows perched on a distant locust tree.

“Did you hear some kind of voice?”

Shen Jibai gave a low “Mm.” “There are many spirits and monsters in the mountains. It is not strange.”

Zhou Xin pushed open the carriage door. “You go inside.”

“Why?”

She put one hand on her waist. “Do you want the nearby spirits and monsters to admire the sight of you without clothes?”

Shen Jibai: “...”

He looked at the cramped carriage interior. For some unknown reason, he seemed to have some reservations and did not move at all.

“Oh, I really couldn’t tell that you were into this sort of thing.”

Zhou Xin bent down and leaned close to his face. Her warm breath scattered over his cheek, so hot that his lashes trembled lightly.

“So just now, you were seducing those two mountain sparrows? Did I come out at the wrong time?”

He hurriedly turned his face away, slightly annoyed. “Nonsense!”

Zhou Xin laughed. “Look at you. I hit the mark, and now you’re angry from embarrassment!”

“You—” Shen Jibai finally could not bear it anymore and stood up.

“You what?” Zhou Xin stuffed the medicine bottle back into his arms. “Then go on. I won’t disturb your refined pleasure.”

She had just turned around and was about to enter the carriage when she felt a figure brush past her shoulder and go in first, sitting down in the side seat.

Zhou Xin froze slightly. She thought, Why did I never notice before that this person is a little contrary?

After closing the carriage door, she took out the fire striker and lit the candle lamp in the corner. She sat behind him and waited quietly for a while. Seeing that he still had no intention of taking off his outer robe, she simply reached out and tugged at his belt.

Shen Jibai pressed down on her hand at once.

She said impatiently, “Excuse me, but if you don’t take off your outer robe, how am I supposed to apply medicine to your back? I’m a woman, and even I’m not as fussy as you.”

Shen Jibai said nothing.

There was a faint sound, and a cool porcelain bottle slid into her palm. The force binding her hand disappeared along with it.

Zhou Xin took the opportunity to pull off his belt and tug down his outer robe. His scarred skin was once again exposed before her eyes.

She took a deep breath. “Did you not notice that the blood from your wounds is black?”

“The paper effigies are covered in baleful qi. Once baleful qi enters the body, it is extremely insidious. Although it cannot cause you any substantial harm, it will definitely leave scars.”

“I will squeeze out the black blood first, then apply the medicine. The process will be rather painful, so endure it.”

Shen Jibai said, “Mm.”

Taking out a cotton handkerchief, Zhou Xin pressed on the wound with one hand and wiped away the stagnant blood that flowed out with the other.

She cleaned several wounds in a row, yet Shen Jibai never once cried out in pain. He did not even make a sound. Only his breathing grew heavier and heavier, and his skin became increasingly tense.

Only after she finished cleaning them did Zhou Xin open the bottle stopper, dip out the cool ointment, and gently smear it over the wounds.

Her fingertip lightly brushed over his skin. Inside the carriage, a very, very low gasp suddenly sounded.

In the hazy light and shadows, the sound carried a hint of ambiguity.

Zhou Xin’s movement could not help pausing. As if sensing it, that sound also came to an abrupt stop.

She lifted her eyes. Amid the dim yellow light, she saw a layer of soft pink slowly climb up Shen Jibai’s pale earlobe, giving rise to a trace of charm.

Zhou Xin slowly blinked. The fingertip resting on his skin suddenly felt as if it were burning.

She withdrew her hand and dipped some more ointment. The cool sensation was like a summer evening breeze, carrying away the heat that had wrapped around her.

She smeared the ointment over the injured places. Shen Jibai slowly lowered his head and made no more sound.

Only after she finished applying the medicine and leaned sideways to clean the wound on his right shoulder did Zhou Xin realize that his eyes were tightly shut, his face was pale, and sweat covered his forehead and the wings of his nose. His thin lips were pressed into a straight line.

Though he had not made a sound, the pain he was enduring was deafening.

She raised her hand, grasped her sleeve, and gently wiped the sweat from his forehead, comforting him. “...I’ll be quick. Endure a little longer.”

He quietly clenched the hem of his robe. “Mm.”

After swiftly treating the wound, Zhou Xin made as if to tear the hem of her outer robe, paused, then turned to tear her inner garment instead.

Wrapping the clean strips of cloth she had torn off around Shen Jibai’s body, she said softly, “The wound is too deep. It has to be bandaged.”

Shen Jibai said nothing, tacitly allowing it.

Only when Zhou Xin crouched in front of him did she realize that his head was covered in sweat. Even on his closed eyelids, there was a drop of sweat about to fall.

It hurt this much, yet he forced himself to endure without a word.

His temper really was stubborn.

The cloth strip wrapped from his chest to his back. As she moved with the bandaging, she also drew closer and closer, so close that she was almost touching his jaw. She could even clearly feel his breath.

As if sensing something, Shen Jibai slowly opened his eyes. His hazy gaze focused on her palm-sized face. The light in his eyes gradually grew scorching, heated. His Adam’s apple also moved slightly up and down.

Zhou Xin raised her head and met a pair of unreadable eyes.

Their gazes met unexpectedly. He immediately looked away.

“The wound on your face must be handled carefully. If it leaves a scar, you won’t be handsome anymore.”

As Zhou Xin spoke, her fingertip gently pressed against the wound on his cheek.

“Do you care very much about appearances?” His voice was a little hoarse.

Zhou Xin admitted it openly. “Of course! Everyone in this world loves beauty.”

She lightly tapped the tip of his nose with her fingertip and smiled. “Don’t you dare say you don’t. I won’t believe you.”

Shen Jibai said nothing. He only slowly shifted his gaze and looked over.

Zhou Xin continued treating the wound on his face, but as soon as her fingertip touched his cheek, she was startled by the abnormal, burning heat.

Her wrist suddenly tightened. That person grabbed her hand hard. The temperature of his palm was frighteningly hot as well. His low voice came close to her ear, carrying a barely perceptible thread of panic. “...I will do it myself.”

Zhou Xin handed over the cotton handkerchief and said uneasily, “Why are you so hot? Do you have a fever?”

“I do not.”

After hesitating for a moment, she still raised her hand and used the back of it to test the temperature of his forehead.

Shen Jibai’s movements paused slightly. Then he suddenly tightened his grip on the cotton handkerchief in his hand, his fingertips silently turning pale.

Zhou Xin withdrew her hand and murmured, “Strange. Your forehead isn’t hot.”

He closed his eyes. His voice was terrifyingly low. “...You. Go out.”

Zhou Xin found this utterly baffling. “It’s always like this! Every time, you throw me away once you’re done using me! You dismantle the bridge after crossing the river! You pull up your pants and refuse to acknowledge me!”

He gritted his teeth. “...Do not speak nonsense!”

Zhou Xin gave a “hmph,” turned around, and walked out. With a bang, she slammed the door shut hard and jumped down from the carriage shaft.

“Fine, I’ll go! Wouldn’t want anyone to see and misunderstand, delaying your wonderful marriage prospects!”

Shen Jibai closed his eyes and exhaled heavily.

“...I truly must be mad.”

He was a nonhuman being, and did not even understand love. Yet he had actually felt desire.

After sitting silently for a long while, he continued treating his wounds.

Once the medicine was applied, he silently put his clothes back on. When he reached for the medicine bottle set to the side, his gaze fell on the cotton handkerchief pressed beneath it, and his eyes immediately softened.

After a brief pause, he tucked the bloodstained cotton handkerchief into his robe and pushed open the carriage door to go out.

As expected, that person had not stayed obediently in the courtyard. Instead, she was pressed against the paper window on the first floor of the inn, doing who knew what.

Shen Jibai walked over and stood behind her. Without realizing it, his voice carried a trace of gentleness.

“What are you trying to do now?”

By the moonlight, Zhou Xin examined the furnishings behind each window one by one and said very seriously, “Do you hear a voice? It seems to be calling for something.”

Shen Jibai listened carefully for a moment before saying, “I do not.”

Zhou Xin pointed at her own stomach. “Then listen more carefully. Isn’t it saying that it feels very empty, very hungry and thirsty, and urgently needs filling?”

Her stomach rumbled at just the right time, as if echoing her words.

“Gurgle—”

Shen Jibai: “...Can you pay attention to your wording?”

“I can’t, unless...” She looked straight into his eyes, her light tea-colored pupils shining brightly in the dark night. “You block my mouth.”

He turned his face away. After enduring and enduring, he still could not hold back and scolded, “...Shameless!”

“How is that shameless?”

Zhou Xin went on to poke at the paper window of the next room. “I really am both hungry and thirsty right now. I’m so hungry I could eat five oxen.”

Shen Jibai said, “The laws of this dynasty forbid eating cattle and horses.”

Zhou Xin was speechless. “It’s just a figure of speech. Could you not be so serious?”

She narrowed her eyes and peered into the room. Then she smiled with delight. “Finally found the place!”

Hearing this, Shen Jibai turned his head and also looked inside. “You were looking for the kitchen?”

“If I’m hungry and I don’t look for the kitchen, am I supposed to look for the latrine?”

She tore away the paper window and, with a deft motion, opened the wooden latch in front of the window.

She nimbly climbed through the window and entered the room, then took out her fire striker and lit it. By the faint glow, Zhou Xin rummaged around the stove area.

“Are you hungry?”

“I am not.”

“Contrary. You haven’t eaten all day. It would be strange if you weren’t hungry.”

“...”

Shen Jibai stood with his back to the window, raised his head to look at the moon, and became so quiet that he seemed not to exist.

Zhou Xin rummaged around the room for a long while and only found one hard steamed bun.

“Are you kidding me? Is this inn that poor?”

Unwilling to give up, she searched again. This time, she unexpectedly found two white radishes.

She stuffed them into Shen Jibai’s arms, then climbed back out with the hard steamed bun held between her teeth.

“What does this mean?”

Zhou Xin smiled. “For you to eat!”

Shen Jibai placed the radishes back on the windowsill. “No need.”

Zhou Xin said, “Oh.” Then added, “Remember to settle the bill.”

Shen Jibai: “?”

She walked toward the carriage. “The window has been damaged like this. Don’t you have to compensate them?”

“Why must I compensate them?”

Jumping onto the carriage shaft and sitting down, she answered with complete confidence, “Because I have no money!”

Shen Jibai: “...”

He took out a piece of broken silver, placed it by the window, walked over, lifted his robe, and sat down.

Zhou Xin leaned against the carriage door, propped one leg up, bit into the steamed bun, and chewed. “The sky will brighten in another hour. Go inside and nap for a while.”

“No need.”

Zhou Xin glanced sideways at him. “Your dark circles are already so heavy. Why are you still forcing yourself to hold on?”

“You go inside and sleep.”

Zhou Xin refused. “That seat of yours is too hard. Once I lie down, my whole body feels like it’s being stabbed. Besides, there isn’t even a pillow. How is anyone supposed to sleep?”

Shen Jibai took off his outer robe and handed it to her.

“Use this as padding.”

Zhou Xin hurriedly pushed his hand away. “It reeks of blood. Smelling it will make me even less able to sleep. Since you’re not tired, why don’t we chat?”

“Are we not already chatting?”

“What kind of chat is this? There’s not a single bit of gossip.”

With the steamed bun in her mouth, she shifted closer to him. “We can be considered friends who have gone through life and death together now. Can’t you reveal which family’s young lady you fancy?”

Instead of answering, Shen Jibai asked, “You are very curious?”

“Of course!”

Zhou Xin lightly tugged at his sleeve. “Tell me.”

He turned his head away and did not answer.

She pressed on relentlessly. “Don’t tell me there isn’t even the slightest hint yet?”

Shen Jibai: “...”

“I guessed right? It can’t be. Did you fail to grasp the proper method?”

Zhou Xin grew interested and began gesturing as she gave advice. “In my opinion, now that you’re injured, it is the perfect opportunity to show weakness! When you go back, find her and act frail in front of her, so she feels sorry for you!”

Shen Jibai slowly blinked.

Seeing that he really seemed to have listened, Zhou Xin continued offering suggestions. “Then, find an excuse for her to help you apply medicine! Once she sees your abs, chest muscles, and perfect inverted-triangle figure, she will definitely be so dazzled that she loses all sense!”

Shen Jibai shook his head slightly. His voice was somewhat helpless. “...Nonsense again.”

Zhou Xin retorted, “How is this nonsense? This is strategy!”

Shen Jibai said solemnly, “For a young lady of the inner chambers, reputation is most important. How could she casually look at a person’s wounds and apply medicine to him?”

Zhou Xin glanced at him. “You’re indirectly calling me shameless. I heard it.”

Shen Jibai immediately said, “...That was not my meaning.”

Zhou Xin gave a “hmph,” no longer wanting to bother with this piece of rotten wood, and rose to return to the carriage.

But just as she had half propped herself up, her legs went weak, and she fell into an embrace filled with the fragrance of osmanthus.

Zhou Xin: “...”

With half the leftover steamed bun still in her mouth, she slowly raised her head and met a pair of shimmering eyes. Warm spring light seemed to overflow from those black-jade pupils, tinting his gaze with a faint softness.

This Shen Jibai was one Zhou Xin had never seen before. She could not help being a little stunned.

A pair of hands steadily supported her, and his voice was filled with concern. “What is wrong?”

Perhaps she had really been struck dumb by the sight, because the scene before her gradually became blurry.

As soon as she opened her mouth, the steamed bun fell. Before she could say anything, her vision went black, and she fainted.

Shen Jibai shook the person in his arms. “Lord Lingyun?”

No response.

He picked up the half piece of steamed bun that had fallen to the ground and sniffed it. Understanding dawned in his heart.

When the Jinwu Guards arrested jianghu people, in order to avoid implicating others, they would drug the target’s food with knockout powder in advance.

The drug was quite strong. At the very least, it would be enough for her to sleep until daybreak.

Shen Jibai carried her into the carriage and placed her on the main seat.

The carriage interior carried a faint scent of blood. He pushed open the east and west carriage windows, leaned against the carriage wall, and sat down. Then he stretched out his arm and placed it under her neck, letting her use it as a pillow.

Moon shadows swayed. A cuckoo cried as it flew past. The mountain sparrows on the tree branches had also disappeared, leaving only the branches lightly swaying, their rhythm like his heartbeat at that moment.

The wind had risen.

＊

“Clang, clang, clang—”

Was someone knocking on the door?

“Who is it?”

Zhou Xin turned over groggily, only to roll into empty air. Her whole body fell from the carriage seat and hit the floor with a thud, making her grimace in pain.

The carriage curtain was lifted. Shen Jibai had already changed into a set of coarse linen clothes. Looking at a certain person who had landed face-first and fallen as if she had been gnawing mud, the corners of his mouth moved almost imperceptibly.

He placed a folded set of clothes on the carriage seat, lowered the curtain, closed the carriage door, and said softly, “They are clean.”

The clothes on her body were covered in blood. Wearing them outside would indeed be far too conspicuous.

Zhou Xin rubbed her cheek and replied, “Got it.”

The material was not particularly good, but it was brand-new. It was probably newly made by one of the inn attendants.

After changing, the two of them went to the inn’s main hall for breakfast. It was still early, so there were not many people in the hall, and there were few pedestrians on the road.

Zhou Xin ordered two bowls of wontons. The cook moved quite quickly, and before long, they were ready and brought over.

She took one bite, then gently shook her head. “The taste is far worse than Madam Shen’s cooking.”

Hearing this, a trace of a smile flashed through Shen Jibai’s eyes, and even his brows softened. “Aunt’s wonton shop does very good business.”

“...No wonder her skills are so impressive. So she is a cook.”

She took the spoon and drank a few mouthfuls of soup. Faintly, she heard a scolding voice from the road.

Looking toward the sound, she saw Zhang Qingqing, his robes dirty and disheveled and even his hair loose, blocking a passerby as if he were saying something.

The person he blocked flushed red and cursed, “Damn madman!” Then he walked around him and left.

He scratched his head in confusion, making his hair even messier. Even his hair crown tilted slightly.

Yet he did not give up. He immediately stopped another passerby.

This time, Zhou Xin heard clearly what he was asking.

“This young master...”

The passerby looked at him strangely, shook his head, and said, “I dare not, I dare not.”

Zhang Qingqing’s expression grew even more confused.

He continued, “This young brother, may I ask—”

Before he could finish speaking, the passerby had already hurried away, walking so fast that it was as if he were avoiding some disaster.

He watched the passerby’s back, raised his foot, kicked the air, and said indignantly, “...At least let a person finish speaking!”

Zhou Xin narrowed her eyes.

Probably noticing that the person opposite him had stopped using her chopsticks, Shen Jibai followed her gaze and looked over. He also frowned slightly.

“Hey!” Zhou Xin shouted at him.

Hearing her, Zhang Qingqing turned his head and looked over.

Zhou Xin curled her finger at him. “You. Come here!”

Zhang Qingqing looked left and right. Seeing that he was the only person on the road, he raised his hand and pointed at himself with his index finger. “Are you calling me?”

Zhou Xin nodded. “Yes, I’m calling you.”

His brows and eyes curved as he smiled. He half ran, half bounded into the hall and plopped himself down beside her.

Shen Jibai: “?”

His brow lifted slightly, and his gaze swept Zhang Qingqing up and down, examining him inside and out.

“Wonderful! Do you know me? I knew it. I’m dressed so exquisitely that one glance tells you I’m either rich or noble. How could anyone not know me?”

Zhang Qingqing blinked his lively eyes and chattered with wild delight.

“More or less!”

Zhou Xin propped her chin on her left hand. “Why are you here?”

He scratched the back of his head and said blankly, “...I don’t know either.”

Hearing this, Shen Jibai’s expression turned serious. “Amnesia?”

Zhang Qingqing smiled and nodded. “You could say that. In any case, I don’t remember anything from before.”

Who lost their memory and was still this happy about it? He could at least pretend better.

Zhou Xin asked, “Then where were you when you woke up?”

Zhang Qingqing pointed in a direction. “In the locust forest over there! It was quite far too. I walked for a long while before I got out.”

After saying this, he leaned closer. “This lady, since you know me, could you tell me my surname and given name, where I live, and what year it is now? If you could also tell me what our relationship is, that would be even better!”

Shen Jibai furrowed his brows, a trace of confusion appearing in his eyes.

Zhou Xin tilted her head and looked at him.

Meeting her gaze, Zhang Qingqing also tilted his head. “Can you...?”

Seeing this, Shen Jibai’s brows furrowed even deeper.

Zhou Xin raised a brow at Zhang Qingqing and sang softly, “Where did you come from, my friend?”

The smile on Zhang Qingqing’s face instantly froze.

With an expression as if he had been struck by lightning, he tentatively sang the next line. “Like a butterfly... flying into my window?”

Zhou Xin picked up her bamboo chopsticks and tapped the porcelain bowl of wontons. “Imperial Jade Wine!”

Zhang Qingqing opened his mouth and tentatively continued, “One hundred and eighty a cup?”

“How is this wine?”

“...Listen as I brag to you?”

“Quick, use the nunchucks!”

“...Heng heng ha hei?”

With a plop, the spoon in Shen Jibai’s hand fell into his bowl.

Zhou Xin did not have the attention to spare for the person opposite her. Inwardly, she thought, How did another one transmigrate? Does transmigration come wholesale these days? Can people come in groups now?

She said mysteriously, “Do you know where this is?”

Zhang Qingqing shook his head hard. He blinked his watery eyes, looking like a newbie waiting for an expert to explain.

“This is Feishui Inn outside Eastern Capital Luoyang. It is currently the fifth year of Xianqing.”

Probably feeling that the hint was not obvious enough, she added, “Do you know who is above?”

Zhang Qingqing’s eyes flashed, and he broke into a bright smile. “The glorious Tang dynasty! A good time! A good time indeed!”

He muttered to himself, “If I write a few poems at this time, wouldn’t there be nothing left for Li Bai? But which of his many poems should I write first? Bring in the wine, stop not the cup?”

Zhou Xin: “Heh.”

Zhou Xin: “I advise you not to.”

Zhang Qingqing sighed softly, his expression full of regret. “Ai! Even if I wanted to, I don’t remember many. But you should remember them, right? Do you want to give me a couple? We can become equally famous poe—”

Zhou Xin hurriedly cut him off. “Let’s return to your identity! You are Zhang Qingqing, the eldest legitimate son of Zhang Guangji, the richest man.”

His brows shot up high. His voice was full of excitement, as if he had been blessed by heaven. “The richest man? He’s the richest man?! I didn’t hear wrong, did I? Are you sure he’s the richest man?!”

“What... are you two talking about?” Shen Jibai finally could not help interjecting.

Zhou Xin said, “Want to know?”

Shen Jibai said, “Mm.”

Zhou Xin smiled sweetly. “It’s a secret. I cannot tell you for now.”

Shen Jibai pursed his lips.

Zhou Xin said, “You were the one who said that when I don’t want to say something, I don’t have to say it! This time, I’m not lying to you!”

Hearing this, Shen Jibai’s expression eased slightly.

“Mm.”

He picked up his spoon and appeared to calmly drink a mouthful of soup.

Zhang Qingqing looked as if he had discovered a new world and asked in surprise, “There isn’t even any soup in your spoon. What are you drinking? Air?”

Shen Jibai: “...”

Zhou Xin stood, grabbed Zhang Qingqing by the arm, and hauled him up. “Let’s go. We’ll take a look at the place where you woke up.”

Shen Jibai: “?”

Zhang Qingqing: “?”

＊

“Hey, brother, is this really necessary? This locust forest is so big, I might not remember the way and might get the place wrong.”

Zhang Qingqing chattered as he led the way ahead, turning back from time to time to look at them.

Zhou Xin crossed her arms. “It is very necessary.”

She quickened her pace and walked beside him in a few steps, then said in a voice only the two of them could hear, “You came here, which means the original person... kicked the bucket.”

Zhang Qingqing suddenly understood. “You’re right!”

“And I suspect he died an unnatural death.”

Zhang Qingqing’s face turned pale. “...Surely not.”

He looked around and shivered as he leaned closer to Zhou Xin. “Don’t scare me!”

Zhou Xin lightly dodged away. “When you woke up, did you notice anything strange?”

He thought back for a moment, then shook his head. “Aside from an extremely ugly rat lying on my face and scaring me half to death, I didn’t notice anything unusual.”

Zhou Xin: “...”

“Look, it was here.” Zhang Qingqing pointed ahead.

Zhou Xin raised her eyes and looked over.

The vegetation here was lush, and the locust trees were stronger than those in other places. Interwoven branches and leaves blocked out the sunlight, making the place seem somewhat gloomy.

Most importantly, she sensed a faint trace of baleful qi.

Zhou Xin turned her head to look at Shen Jibai. “Can you see anything?”

Shen Jibai blinked and nodded slightly. “There is a black qi.”

“Then that is right.”

She pulled open the cloth strip wrapped around her right palm and used the bloodstains on it to draw a talisman on the back of her hand.

She shouted in a low voice, “Gather!”

A light breeze blew past. Branches and leaves trembled, and the plants swayed. The rustling sounds were like the wind’s murmured whispers.

The black qi gathered with the wind and transformed into a black butterfly.

Zhou Xin said, “Follow it.”

Zhang Qingqing was extremely astonished. Only then did he notice that although she was wearing coarse linen clothes, there was a green jade hibiscus crown on her head.

“...A living Daoist?”

A cold black gaze swept over him. Shen Jibai’s voice sounded chilly. “Has Zhang Jun only ever seen dead Daoists?”

“Uh...”

Zhang Qingqing hurried a few steps to catch up with Zhou Xin, raised his hand, and poked her shoulder. “I wasn’t trying to insult you!”

He pointed at Shen Jibai behind them. “He’s the one who said it! If you want to settle accounts with someone, remember to find him.”

Shen Jibai: “...”

Zhou Xin followed closely behind the butterfly without even turning her head. “Forget it. I can’t beat him.”

Shen Jibai said, “You can.”

Zhou Xin did not think so. “Unless you don’t fight back.”

Shen Jibai said, “Mm. I will not fight back.”

Zhou Xin looked back and glanced at him. “Wouldn’t someone who doesn’t fight back be a fool?”

Zhang Qingqing, who was following at her side, poked her arm with his finger again. “Where are we going? The farther we go into this forest, the colder it gets. Could there be ghosts? I’m scared—”

Before he finished speaking, the person beside her suddenly vanished.

Zhou Xin looked back again and saw that Shen Jibai had pulled him behind himself. His voice was slightly cold. “If you are afraid, stay behind.”

Zhang Qingqing moved his lips, seeming to want to say something, but the moment he met Shen Jibai’s gaze, he immediately shut his mouth.

She turned back and realized that the black butterfly in the air had disappeared.

Zhou Xin stopped and looked around.

Shen Jibai, who had caught up to her side, also stopped. “What is it?”

Zhou Xin said, “Too much time has passed, and the baleful qi is about to disperse. Even using a tracking art, it cannot last long.”

In that case, Zhang Qingqing had been killed last night.

She cupped her chin and made a thoughtful expression. “Zhang Sheng had been mad for so long, yet the evil cultivator never harmed his life. But as soon as we went to the Zhang residence, he developed killing intent.”

Shen Jibai said, “That day, the Tang siblings also went.”

Those words were like enlightenment poured over her head. Zhou Xin clapped her hands. “I know! It was the elixir Seventh Lady Tang gave him! Xuchenzi claimed that the medicine could cure madness, and I also said Zhang Sheng was no longer in serious condition. The evil cultivator was afraid that once he woke up, he would reveal the truth, so he acted again! From this, it can be seen that Zhang Sheng really did discover something that night!”

Shen Jibai nodded. “The evil cultivator will not give up.”

Zhou Xin curled her lips into a smile as an idea rose in her heart. “I’m not afraid that he’ll make a move. I’m only afraid that he won’t.”

Shen Jibai understood. “I will arrange it.”

Zhang Qingqing stopped behind the two of them, looking blank. “What exactly are you two talking about?”

Shen Jibai glanced at him and said nothing.

Zhou Xin turned around. “Let’s go back first.”

Zhang Qingqing immediately turned and walked at the very front.

“There is a formation I set up in Zhang Sheng’s room. Evil spirits cannot approach, so they must have thought of a way to lure him out. As for how they lured him, I’m afraid we will have to go to the Zhang residence and ask,” Zhou Xin analyzed.

Shen Jibai said, “Why choose the locust forest? This place is very far from the Zhang residence.”

Zhou Xin said, “Locust trees attract yin. Drawing baleful qi here achieves twice the result with half the effort.”

Shen Jibai asked, “Do we need to summon yamen cultivators?”

Zhou Xin shook her head. “No need. Martial officers will do. It is not yet time for morning roll call. You can go home first and find a physician to treat your wounds.”

Shen Jibai said, “What about you?”

Zhou Xin looked into the depths of the locust forest. “Back to Taiqing Temple. There are some things I want to ask the Perfected One face-to-face.”

Shen Jibai nodded. “Then let the Jinwu Guards send Zhang Sheng back.”

When these two spoke, an invisible field that kept others from interrupting seemed to rise around them, blocking everyone else outside.

Zhang Qingqing tried several times but could not cut in, so he had no choice but to give up.

The three returned to Feishui Inn. There were clearly many more people inside the inn than before.

Shen Jibai went to the counter to settle the bill. Zhou Xin leaned against the counter and waited nearby.

Who knew where Zhang Qingqing had snatched two steaming hot buns from. He ate while pointing at Shen Jibai. “He’s paying.”

Shen Jibai refused. “Pay for them yourself.”

Zhang Qingqing would not have it. “You already treated her to wontons. What harm is there in treating me to two buns?”

Shen Jibai’s attitude was cold. “I will not.”

Zhang Qingqing found himself a way down. “Could it be that you have no money?”

Shen Jibai gave him no face at all. “I do.”

Zhang Qingqing curled his lip. “Stingy ghost.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he cried out loudly.

Zhou Xin shifted her gaze over and saw a Jinwu Guard twisting his shoulder and restraining him, scolding, “You madman! How dare you pester Court Minister Shen!”

Shen Jibai’s phoenix eyes swept over, his gaze sharp and his voice icy. “Release him.”

The Jinwu Guard froze. “Court Minister Shen may not know, but this person is—”

“Of course this lord knows who he is,” Zhou Xin straightened and said coldly. “He is this lord’s friend. How dare you be so rude to him?”

Hearing this, Shen Jibai glanced at her.

The Jinwu Guard was somewhat unable to understand the situation. Seeing that Shen Jibai did not refute her, he released his hand.

The commotion here had become rather loud, and the guests eating in the hall all looked over.

At that glance, everyone’s gazes coincidentally landed on the disheveled Zhang Qingqing.

“Is that not the madman of the Zhang family? Why has he come here? Don’t tell me he followed the beauty here?”

“The beauty?”

“You haven’t heard the story of the madman and the beauty? It has already spread all through the capital!”

“I haven’t. What happened?”

The dense murmurs filled the main hall, not restraining themselves in the slightest just because the person involved was present.

“Look! As soon as the madman appears, doesn’t the beauty come too?”

Someone gestured toward upstairs with their eyes, and everyone shifted their gazes toward the staircase behind the counter.

There stood a beautiful young lady with picturesque brows and eyes. Her autumn-water eyes shimmered softly, and her bearing was gentle, graceful, and refined. It was none other than Tang Jiuwei.

Zhang Qingqing raised his head and looked at the person standing at the second-floor staircase. His mouth slowly fell open, and the bun in it suddenly dropped to the ground.

Tang Jiuwei lowered her eyes slightly and quietly studied him. Her gaze moved faintly, as if a thousand words were caught in her heart.

The discussions in the hall gradually grew louder.

“Isn’t that Seventh Lady Tang? What relationship does she have with this madman?”

“You don’t know? Seventh Lady Tang is fond of Zhang Sheng. It is said she swore that in this life, she would marry no one but him!”

“That sounds fake as soon as you hear it. What kind of family is the Tang family? How could they want a madman as a son-in-law? Besides, with Zhang Sheng’s background, even if he weren’t mad, he still wouldn’t be worthy!”

“All the major teahouses and wine shops in the capital are spreading songs about the two of them! It’s only that you haven’t heard them. In my opinion, this matter is most likely true. Two days ago, Fifth Young Master Xue mocked Zhang Sheng at Zuixian Tower, saying he had gone mad from wanting an official post too badly. Seventh Lady Tang heard it and quarreled with him. By the end, she had even pulled out her hairpin and tried to stab him!”

“No way. Seventh Lady Tang is such a gentle person. She could not possibly do something like that.”

“Even the gentlest person has a temper! Who could endure others slandering the person in their heart like that?”

Zhang Qingqing leaned close to Zhou Xin and lowered his voice. “So transmigration even comes with an arranged marriage? Is she my future wife? She’s really beautiful! How old is she this year?”

Zhou Xin rolled her eyes at him. “You really know how to grasp the important points. So many people are saying your family status doesn’t match, and yet you don’t hear a single word of it!”

Zhang Qingqing scratched his head and smiled. “Winning a beauty’s favor is most important. Who cares about that?”

Shen Jibai’s gaze wandered between the two of them, and his expression darkened slightly.

He stepped closer, interrupting their whispers. “This matter is suspicious.”

Zhou Xin agreed. “Spreading this so widely and ruining the reputation of an unmarried young lady so openly—it is clearly someone with a grudge against the Tang residence.”

She turned her head to look at the Jinwu Guard. “Have you investigated this matter? Is it connected to Fifth Young Master Xue?”

The Jinwu Guard did not dare conceal anything. “Replying to Lord Lingyun, it was indeed done by several young masters, with the Xue family at the head.”

Zhou Xin said, “Why would they do this?”