Volume One, Chapter 44: From Now On, He Is a Broken Man!

The next day, at dawn.

Xiao Jiu’er carried a basin of hot water to clean Ning Rongsheng’s body and change his bandages. But as soon as he untied the cloth strips, he was struck dumb with horror.

“This… this…”

It was ruined!

Last night, Doctor Zheng’s wound medicine had worked well—there was no more bleeding at all.

But that one spot was completely severed in two!

As Xiao Jiu’er unfolded the bandages, half of the severed part fell to the floor.

Just then, Mrs. Li pushed open the door. She spotted Ning Rongsheng lying there, then glanced down at the thing on the ground.

Her whole body instantly went limp, collapsing to the floor. Trembling, she pointed at the bed and demanded of Xiao Jiu’er, “What… what is going on here?”

Xiao Jiu’er was terrified out of his wits. He knelt and recounted everything that had happened the previous day.

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Li was overcome with grief and anguish. “It’s ruined! All ruined! My Sheng’er, my Sheng’er! What are we to do? What can we do?”

“Mother?” Under the heavy effect of the anesthetic, Ning Rongsheng had slept deeply through the night. Only when he heard Mrs. Li’s voice did he slowly regain consciousness.

“My Sheng’er! How will we live from now on?” Mrs. Li’s mind went blank at the thought that Ning Rongsheng had lost that part of himself. She wept endlessly.

At first, Ning Rongsheng felt numb. But when he looked in the direction Mrs. Li pointed, his vision darkened and he fainted.

“My son! Don’t scare your mother like that!” Mrs. Li hurried over and pressed his philtrum to revive him.

After much effort, he came back to himself.

Mother and son clung to each other, crying bitterly.

After a long while, Ning Rongsheng gritted his teeth through immense pain and hatred. “I swear, I will make that wretched woman and the Xie family pay with their lives!”

“But the Emperor has decreed the marriage. We and the Xie family are tied together like grasshoppers on a single rope,” Mrs. Li whispered fearfully, recalling Xie Shu’s chilling words about destroying the entire clan.

If they both perished, it would be senseless.

But Ning Rongsheng could not care about Mrs. Li’s cautions now. All he knew was that from this moment on, he was a cripple.

Moreover, his father’s newly taken concubine was pregnant. If she gave birth to a boy, Ning Rongsheng’s position as heir would be in jeopardy.

“The Emperor has decreed the marriage; I cannot divorce her. Then I will force her to beg to be cast aside!” Ning Rongsheng ground his teeth. “I will make Xie Shu never raise her head in the capital again!”

Mrs. Li’s eyes darted, and she immediately thought of a plan. She leaned close to Ning Rongsheng’s ear and whispered, “In a few days, it will be the Empress Dowager’s birthday…”

***

“Zheng’s clinic cannot remain. It must be wiped out completely!” After Mrs. Li left, Ning Rongsheng gave Xiao Jiu’er a cold, sinister command, “And the guards from yesterday—none of them are to be spared.”

Xiao Jiu’er bowed his head, too afraid to meet Ning Rongsheng’s gaze. His master’s temper had grown ever more violent and unpredictable.

“Yes, your servant will see to it immediately.” Having served Ning Rongsheng for many years, Xiao Jiu’er had witnessed many dark secrets and was deeply fearful. If those men died, he would be the only one who knew Ning Rongsheng’s hidden truth.

But when Xiao Jiu’er sent people to Zheng’s clinic, it was already deserted.

“Master Xiao, they’ve fled. How are we to report back?” The men scratched their heads in confusion.

Xiao Jiu’er thought briefly, then ordered, “Set fire to it. Let it burn. Consider them dead.”

“Yes.” The man sighed but obeyed.

***

In the Zhilan courtyard, steaming hot buns had just come out of the oven.

Bai Zhi held a food box, smiling brightly as she hurried along the stone path, her mouth curved in a joyful grin.

“Why are you grinning like that?” Green Willow saw her stumble and almost fall into the melting snow. She quickly put down her work, rushed over to steady her, and took the food box from her hands. “Watch where you’re going! Don’t twist your ankle.”

“Second Master wrote to say he’ll be back in a few days!” Bai Zhi pulled a letter from her sleeve and handed it to Green Willow. “I wanted to tell Third Miss as soon as possible.”

“Third Miss? She’s the heir’s wife now.” Green Willow tapped Bai Zhi’s head and took the letter. “Don’t call her the wrong title from now on.”

Bai Zhi reluctantly agreed. “I know. But our Miss isn’t happy to be the heir’s wife either!”

Although a little slow, Bai Zhi had heard some things from outside. Even though this was an imperial marriage, their Third Miss had suffered greatly.

“Don’t say that in front of Second Master.” Green Willow warned her.

Xie Yu was quick-tempered and reckless. Green Willow feared that if he returned and heard such things, he might storm the Marquis of Cheng’en’s mansion.

“Yes, yes, I understand.” Bai Zhi nodded obediently.

***

“What’s that delicious smell?” Inside the room, Xie Shu stretched lazily.

She had expected a long night of suffering, but it was all just a beautiful dream.

Only the lingering chill made her catch several sneezes, her nose running uncontrollably as she rubbed it constantly.

“These are freshly made scallion pork buns, just out of the oven. I brought them right away.” Bai Zhi smiled cheerfully, her usual carefree self, having already forgotten how much she had cried the night before.

“Let me try,” Xie Shu bit into a bun, burning her mouth immediately, then set it down.

Seeing her pout from the burn, Green Willow put the bun aside to cool and brought out a bowl of plain porridge. She handed it to Xie Shu. “Drink some warm porridge first to warm your body.”

“I’ve already asked the doctor to prescribe some medicine to dispel the chill. Fortunately, it’s a fever. Taking a few doses should make you better.” Green Willow knew Xie Shu disliked medicine. Seeing her frown and look displeased, she quickly changed the subject and urged, “You can’t still be ill when Second Master returns, can you?”

***

“Is there news from Second Brother?” Hearing this, Xie Shu suddenly brightened and asked eagerly.

Green Willow handed her the letter. “Here.”

Xie Shu carefully unfolded the paper and read the contents. Xie Yu wrote mostly about landscapes and martial tales, easing her worries. “Thankfully, he hasn’t heard any rumors.”

The Emperor had decreed that information about General Zhenyuan’s mansion was not to be leaked. Everyone was on edge, afraid to speak carelessly. Before the matter was settled, Xie Shu feared her brother might panic and rush to the border to find someone, playing right into their enemies’ trap.

Now, receiving this letter proved that Zhou Xunli was trustworthy.

In just a few days, he had located her brother.

“This bun is good. Make more and send some to the Jingzhao Mansion. Lord Zhou helped me a great deal yesterday.” Xie Shu sipped the porridge. Its gentle sweetness reminded her of the dream, and she wondered if those soft lips were truly as sweet as in her vision.

***

Jingzhao Mansion.

Lin Sheng entered carrying a basket of buns, just in time during his watch, coinciding with the Xie family delivering their gift.

“Being so generous? Treating the brothers to buns?” Zhou Xunli appeared suddenly behind, startling Lin Sheng.

Lin Sheng turned and handed a bun to Zhou Xunli. “Thanks to the prefect, this is a gift from the Xie family—a basket of meat buns.”

Meat buns?

For some reason, Zhou Xunli recalled Xie Shu’s fierce words from the previous day and felt these buns might be symbolic. He bit into one; the juicy meat and soft dough melted in his mouth.

“Meat buns to beat the dog—gone with no return.” Lin Sheng suddenly said as he ate. “That heir’s wife is something else—sending a basket of meat buns to repay a life-saving favor!”

Lin Sheng’s remark made Zhou Xunli suddenly think: perhaps, to Xie Shu, he was the meat bun.

“Prefect, why aren’t you eating?” Lin Sheng asked, noticing Zhou Xunli was lost in thought.

Zhou Xunli smiled wryly. “Nothing. Just pondering.”

Pondering or not, he worried she was toying with him while he was under the influence of the medicine.

If he truly believed it, wouldn’t that just be self-deception?