All three assassins had been apprehended in the blink of an eye!
The figure panted. “Sorry I’m late!”
Jiyun had suffered shallow injuries in several places and was also huffing wearily. But she refused to relax her guard. “Who are you?”
The person produced a fire-starter from his clothes and lit the lamp again.
Jiyun took a close look and exclaimed with surprise, “You’re… Sir Mu?”
The newcomer was in his early twenties, tall, skinny, sporting delicate features, and wearing patched robes. His breathing was unsteady due to the great rush he’d been in. Mu Jinghu answered with a frown. “That fox had me race here when he heard the news. But it looks like I was still a bit too late.”
He turned back to look curiously at Qin Yining, cocking his head and considering the unconscious girl on the bed for a long moment. He nodded solemnly and spoke without a change in tone, “Oh, no wonder he had me come. She’s a beauty.”
Jiyun finally heaved a sigh of relief and collapsed on the footrest. She pointed at the three immobile assassins. “Sir Mu, what about them?”
“Do you want me to kill them? I actually think it’s better if we capture them alive.” Mu Jinghu rifled his worn sleeves for a small packet. “This is some medicine I put together.” He turned back and jabbed roughly at the three assassins’ acupuncture points.
* * *
Chapter 214: After The Fact
Chapter 214: After The Fact
Although Jiyun didn’t know who Mu Jinghu’s master was, she’d just seen how he’d taken out all the assassins in a mere blink of an eye. She’d also seen the man by the prince’s side before, so she was even more certain that he could be trusted.
“Many thanks to you, sir. Please wait at the door for a moment, I need to tell the marquis of what happened here.”
Mu Jinghu might be a bit wooden and inexperienced with the ways of the world, but he wasn’t an idiot. He knew that there should be a distance kept between man and woman. It was only right that he waited at the door.
He picked up an assassin in each hand and dragged them to the yard like blocks of wood. Coming back for the remaining one, he plonked them all in a row before standing in front of the study door with his hands behind his back.
Jiyun smiled gratefully when she saw this and went to find Qin Huaiyuan with the little packet of medicine.
The marquis had just sent off those from the Warden’s Office when he was greeted with the sight of Jiyun covered in wounds. She was fine just a while ago! Color drained from his face and he came out to meet her. “What is it? Didn’t I tell you to look after the miss?”
Jiyun curtsied and brought Qin Huaiyuan to a quiet corner.
“Three assassins came just now,” she murmured. “They were much more skilled than the group of attackers from earlier. I couldn’t hold them all off and suffered some injuries. Thankfully, the swordsman that the little prince sent arrived here just in time to take them all down. This is the medicine that he brought with him. Will you have the doctor check it, milord?”
Qin Huaiyuan tightened a fist around the little packet, his sharp mind clearly sorting through all the connotations of what had just happened.
Actions from the attackers had been premeditated. They’d first sent a large group to try to exterminate as much of the family as possible, then feinted an attack on the palace so that the Warden’s Office couldn’t rush to Qin Manor in time. And if all that failed, they had people lying in wait to accurately focus on the target and try again when security was relaxed.
These people must be from the Great Zhou emperor. Those in high positions of power had a certain degree of belief in fate and fortune, just like how the emperor of Great Yan hadn’t dared risk bad luck and refrained from doing anything to Qin Yining, whether or not she really could guarantee the security of the nation. The Great Zhou emperor must’ve wanted to eliminate the Great Yan talisman first, regardless of whether there was any truth to the reputation.
Qin Huaiyuan tightened his jaw and turned back to shout for an imperial physician, passing over the packet for inspection.
The physician looked through the packet with wonder. “My lord, this medicine is very fine. I don’t know the prescription, but I can tell that it’s very sophisticated.”
Qin Huaiyuan nodded, imparted his thanks and asked the physician to patch Jiyun up. He himself rushed to the outer study.
Jiyun wan’t at ease about her mistress either. The guard said she was fine after dabbing some medicine on herself and followed the marquis. Dawn was breaking over the horizon and the sun shining down on the three assassins still frozen in the yard.
A tall, skinny man dressed in faded-gray, patched robes was standing under the covered hallway. A tightly closed door and window with a hole in it were behind him.
When Qin Huaiyuan and Jiyun entered the study, the marquis first sized up Mu Jinghu.
The man in turn gazed back with a calm and unconcerned expression. He seemed to think of something a beat later and walked down the steps, offering a cupped fist salute. “Greetings, uncle.”
This took Qin Huaiyuan aback. This gentleman doesn’t seem to know the ways of the world. Using ‘uncle’ in the first line of a greeting gave off notes of purposefully trying to curry favor or pretend familiarity.
However, he maintained a steadfast expression and bowed. “This old man has nothing to repay this kind gentleman with. Thank you for saving my daughter. If there’s anything I can help with in the future, I will do all that I can to repay this deep gratitude!”
“Please don’t be so polite, uncle. My surname is Mu. Most people call me Blockhead. If you don't mind, call me Blockhead too.” Mu Jinghu scrambled to raise Qin Huaiyuan back to an upright position and flicked a glance at the three lying on the ground. “We should tie these three up. Do you need me to interrogate them? I can make them wish for death but not leave a single mark on them.” He spoke quite proudly and shook at a finger at the last claim.
Qin Huaiyuan wasn’t repulsed by the young man claiming familiarity. On the contrary, given the marquis’ experience in reading people, someone with eyes as pure as Mu Jinghu would certainly be an honest and kind soul. Though the gentleman’s clothes were tattered, he was very clean throughout and had a pair of steady, clear eyes. He must be the disciple of a secluded expert to be so unfamiliar with society.
“Many thanks to Sir Mu.” Qin Huaiyuan turned back to Jiyun. “Let’s go find a rope and tie these people up. My apologies for making you run this errand. We’re a bit short on staff given the enormous chaos at home.”
The attention startled Jiyun. “You’re too kind, milord. This servant would never dare.”
“Don’t say that. I need to thank you for saving darling Yi.” Qin Huaiyuan couldn’t mention Pang Xiao’s name because of the three on the ground. “Would you like to go settle in, Sir Mu?”
“Hmm… sure. I’ll look around for a place to stay. I must do well what I’ve been asked to do. Since I promised to take care of the fourth miss, I will do my best.”
“That sounds good. Please make yourself at home. We’ve been struck by catastrophe and everything is a mess. Please excuse us for anything that may be found lacking,” Qin Huaiyuan responded politely.
Mu Jinghu waved his hands with a smile. “Don’t worry, uncle. We’re all friends here.”
The marquis was worried about his daughter and didn’t want to spend more time on pleasantries with this down-to-earth person. He excused himself and went to look in on Qin Yining.
Though the inside of the house was a fearful mess, Qin Yining was under heavy guard. A handkerchief on her forehead was cooked through because of fever.
Qin Huaiyuan dipped his own handkerchief in cool water before placing it on his daughter’s forehead, heaving a melancholy sigh as he did so.
Jiyun had finished tying up the assassins by now. “Milord, let this servant wait on the miss.”
“Alright. I’ll find some more servants to
send to you later today.” He did indeed have a lot of things to do. He had to impose order on the chaotic mess that the family had fallen into. He had to hold the last rites for those who’d departed. He had to soothe the feelings of the living and liaise with the officials.
Friends would be arriving soon to express their condolences. All of this was falling on his shoulders. Though he really wanted to stay and take care of Qin Yining, he simply couldn’t. Qin Huaiyuan caressed his daughter’s head once more before leaving with yet another sigh.
……
News of the palace catching fire and the Qins almost being exterminated was the hottest talk of town that night. Bingtang was half-dead with fright when she heard the news at the Ning Manor. She couldn’t wait for the Prince of Ning to set out and charged back at first light.
When her horse rounded the corner to see the Qin Manor doors wide open, traces of blood on the ground, and burnt houses just visible beyond the door, she almost fainted with horror. She jumped off her horse and rushed in, medicine kit in hand. In her enormous haste, she crashed right into Steward Zhong who was also running into the manor.
“Grand Steward?”
“Miss Bingtang! Is everything alright with the miss?”
“I don’t know, I just came back from the Ning Manor.”
“Aiya! What to do?”
The two stampeded randomly in the manor before finally bumping into a pageboy with a white mourning band around his waist.
“The memorial service is set up in the great hall.”
Bingtang grabbed the boy’s hand frantically when she heard ‘memorial service’. “Who died?”
This prompted tears from the boy. “So many people! My older brother died too! The third madame, madame, first wife, ninth master, several misses, and so many older sisters and mamas are all dead!”
“What about the fourth miss?!” The steward roared angrily.
“She was struck by a sword,” the pageboy choked out. “We don’t know if she’ll make it. She’s in the inner residence.”
Bingtang and the steward rushed for the flower-hung gate when they heard this.
* * *
Chapter 215: Revenge (I)
Chapter 215: Revenge (I)
A very long and heavy nightmare plagued Qin Yining that night. Shouts and cries of violence shrilled constantly, accompanied by a scent of blood that invaded and lingered in nostrils.
There were always people chasing after her, calling for her head. She was at first confident that she could get away, but realized with horror after she started running that she was just a child with short legs.
The pursuers quickly caught up to her and she shrieked fearfully when the blade stabbed into her shoulder. Violent tremors wracked her body and her eyes popped open.
It hurt, her shoulder really hurt!
Looking at the familiar, elegant magnolia embroidery on baby-blue sheets, she couldn’t immediately discern if she was awake or in another dream. Her last memory had been her family caught in a dead-end, fire in front and assassins to their rear. She was leaning on her father’s arm, having just watched Concubine Lin commit suicide out of despair over her twins’ deaths.
Why was she back in her own room? Was everyone alright?
“Miss, you’re awake!” Bingtang exclaimed joyfully from her position next to the bed. “How do you feel?”
Qin Yining opened her mouth. Her throat was so dry and hurt so much that she couldn’t actually say anything.
Bingtang quickly fetched a white porcelain bowl and spooned half of it to the fourth miss.
A sweet and salty liquid entered Qin Yining’s mouth, but it did quench some of the fire in her throat. “How long was I asleep for?” she rasped out. “What day is it? What time is it?”
“In response to the miss, you’ve been asleep for a day and a night. The hour of the pig just passed. I came back this morning because I heard of what’d happened. You were burning with fever then. But thankfully your body is strong, so you’re much better now.”
Qin Yining nodded. “Who else is alive?”
Bingtang hesitated before responding cautiously, “Don’t ask so much, miss. The old dowager, marquis, and madame are fine. Jiyun says that rescuers arrived after you fainted last night, so everyone was fine after that. Even the injured eleventh master woke up a little while ago. He said he was hungry! Jiyun has a few shallow wounds but it’s nothing major. I gave her some medicine and had her go to bed.”
“I remember that Jiyun wasn’t injured last night.” Qin Yining turned weakly to Bingtang. Jiyun must’ve done a lot in the fighting that followed after.
Bingtang’s heart still pounded with fright when she thought of what Jiyun had told her. The maid helped Qin Yining sit up and placed a large, soft cushion behind the fourth miss’ back before offering more water from a bowl.
“Apparently three more experts showed up after that large group left. The marquis had put you up in the outer study, leaving only Jiyun on guard. Those three were too highly skilled and Jiyun had a very difficult time. Thankfully, the little prince’s helper arrived just in time to take the assassins out. Otherwise… I don’t even dare think about it!”
“Pang Zhixi arranged some of his own men?”
“Yes. A young hero showed up with amazing martial arts skills. His medical skills should be higher than mine. The medicine he put together for you is really effective, and he captured all three assassins alive.”
“Where are they now?”
“Handed over to the lord. I don’t know how he’s going to deal with them.” Bingtang put down the bowl and felt Qin Yining’s forehead. “Your blood vessels were nicked in your injury and you lost a lot of blood. It’s harmed the foundations of your health, so you need to rest well to get back on your feet, miss. Don’t think about anything else. The lord, second elder master, and third elder master are discussing what to do. I’m sure that with the marquis’ intelligence, he’ll handle things well.”
Qin Yining closed her eyes tiredly and shook her head lightly. “We can’t let the matter blow over like this.”
“Even if we can’t, you can’t put your body through more stress. Will you have energy for anything if you don’t fully recover?”
Qin Yining tamped down her desire to immediately get to work on the matter and whispered, “Where’s my medicine? Let me take some.”
Bingtang almost cried. Qin Yining was the strongest girl she’d ever seen. Any other girl who’d experienced the same things would’ve probably gone mad. The fourth miss had personally witnessed the deaths of her family, assassins had said that they would spare her family if she was handed over, Concubine Lin carried hatred to her death because of the death of the twins…
Fury from her family being slaughtered, terror of being hunted, resentment from her family, and watching people die right in front of her… And I heard that Songlan died because she took a blow for the miss.
Even if one wasn’t driven by all this, they would sink into self-pity and depression, wanting to rely on others for everything.
But Qin Yining remained rational and strong. There was no hint of self-victimization. She knew what she wanted to do. This degree of maturity would be a given in an experienced mistress of the household. But the fourth miss was only fifteen!
Bingtang was the same age as Qin Yining. She’d been sent away half a year ago when the Tangs had met their downfall. She’d only heard of what had happened and hadn’t seen anything with her own eyes.
But even so, sleep was a long time coming whenever she thought about it. Passionate hate and paralyzing terror afflicted Bingtang in equal parts; her emotions rampaged wildly out of control. If she were to go through what Qin Yining had just suffered, the grass on her tombstone would likely be three feet tall.
Sniffling, Bingtang rose to bring back a bowl of finely stewed brown sugar millet stew. “Miss, eat something first. This is nutritious and easy to digest. It’ll be good for you. We can take some medicine after eating it.”
> The fourth miss nodded and raised listless hands to hold the bowl. Her arms shook as she ate the warm stew. She downed the medicine in one gulp after, then rinsed her mouth.
There were painkillers and relaxants in the medicine, so sleep came looking for Qin Yining when she laid back down. She imparted some more instructions before she fell asleep, “Tell my father and mother that I’m fine. Take a good look at their bodies as well.”
“Understood, don’t worry, miss. Steward Zhong has sent many people to help us after hearing what’s happened. He hasn’t gone back either and has been helping the lord. Just rest and recover. You can do things only after you’ve healed.”
Qin Yining’s eyelids grew heavier and heavier. She allowed herself to drift peacefully off to sleep after listening to Bingtang’s response.
It was still night when she woke up again. She felt a bit more energetic this time and refused to go back to sleep after having more brown sugar millet stew, overcooked vegetables, and more medicine. She had Bingtang and Qiulu help her down from the bed and headed to the great hall.
* * *
Chapter 215: Revenge (II)
Chapter 215: Revenge (II)
Though it was a summer night, Qin Yining’s weakened state meant the smallest gust of wind induced bone-deep shivers. She clenched her teeth against the elements and passed through the flower-hung gate.
White cloth drapes and flag streamers greeted her as soon as she turned into the main yard. An absence of color enveloped everything; rows of coffins were laid out in the yard and great hall. Candles within white lanterns flickered with the wind. The burnt smell of burning paper money filled the air.
The sight made Bingtang and Qiulu’s hairs stand on end. Tears fell uncontrollably when they thought about how they knew most of the dead, and that all those dead were innocents.
Qin Yining walked past the open coffins, declining to take close looks after she looked at a few. Qin Yu, Qin Han, the second and third elder master, and Qin Huaiyuan were standing in front of the altar. They were dressed in mourning robes and placing paper money into a ceramic brazier.
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