Chapter 90: My Conscience is Clear

Shan Lai is really in big trouble.

The man in the armor is the son of the local garrison commander, named He Jing. He holds a minor official position under his father and is a promising young man.

For the past two years, Heshan has been plagued by bandits who frequently robbed passing merchants, becoming a veritable menace. Suppressing these bandits was the duty of the young master He's father, and the young master He himself felt it was his inescapable responsibility. Last night, the young master He suddenly received news that it was the bandit leader's birthday, and the bandits had chartered a pleasure boat for him to enjoy himself on Linghu Lake—such blatant audacity was utterly provocative! Upon hearing this, the young master He was enraged. He immediately led his soldiers, devising a plan to use small boats as cover to secretly surround the pleasure boat, waiting to storm it in the dead of night and behead the bandit leader. That night, the young master He sneaked onto the boat, found the bandit leader's room, but couldn't find him. He immediately tried to retreat, but suddenly the pleasure boat burst into flames, and the sounds of fighting erupted simultaneously, creating utter chaos.

Young Master He has had a tough night, facing life and death, and even suffered heavy losses and caused such a commotion. If he can't catch the culprit, not only will he be in trouble, but his father will also suffer the consequences.

Fortunately, although Young Master He was young and impetuous, Commander He was shrewd and experienced.

He Shoubei received the news only a little later than his son. He immediately made secret deployments and arranged his troops in a net so tight that even a fish could not swim through it, let alone a person.

Young Master He was scolded by his father and looked displeased. He was seething with anger and determined to personally capture the bandit leader to wash away the shame.

The bandit leader was cunning and always cautious. The government had been fighting him for two years, but they still had no idea what he looked like. They only knew that he was nicknamed "Brocade-Faced Bandit" because of his handsome appearance. So Young Master He searched all over the lake for someone who could catch his eye.

After listening to their conversation for a couple of minutes, Shanlai figured they might be looking for someone. Having gone through the ordeal last night, he was too exhausted to continue and just wanted to get away as quickly as possible to see a doctor. So he asked, "Are you looking for someone?"

No one answered.

He then added, "Regardless of who you are looking for, it is probably none of my business. But if I may be so bold as to ask, is the person you are looking for male or female?"

Although the government knew very little about the brocade-faced bandit, they could determine whether he was male or female, and he was undoubtedly a man.

Shan Lai observed He Jing's expression and already knew the answer in her heart. She then said, "Sir, although I am dressed as a man, I am actually a woman. Since I am not the person you are looking for, I hope you will let me leave as soon as possible so that I can go to the doctor."

He Jing's expression in that instant was absolutely priceless.

Just then, a soldier came to report, and He Jing, upon hearing this, turned and hurried away.

Shanlai realized he was in bad shape, but his arms were still restrained, so he compromised, saying, "If you won't let me go, please call a doctor for me. I'm really in a lot of pain..."

When He Jing arrived at the encirclement, the crowd made way for him. At the end of the path was his father and a bloodied, bound man.

While He Shoubei was talking to the prefect, He Jing overheard a few words and learned that the person lying on the ground was the brocade-faced thief.

The thief and one of his men were both wounded by blades in the fishing net set up by the garrison commander and could not escape. In order to save his own life, the man stepped forward and identified the thief.

He Jing drew his longsword, brushed aside the wet hair on the man's face, and carefully examined the face. He thought the man was at most handsome, and in anger, he kicked the cloaked thief hard in the stomach, sending him flying two zhang away. Not satisfied with just one kick, he chased after him and kicked him again, gritting his teeth and cursing, "You look like a cloaked thief, and you dare to call yourself a cloaked thief!"

Minghai had been waiting for a while, and rushed to greet him as soon as he saw him.

Shanlai asked him, "They didn't give you any trouble, did they?"

Minghai shook his head and asked Shanlai a question as well.

Shanlai waved his hand: "Don't mention it again, don't mention it again! Hurry up and pack your things, let's get out of this unlucky place!"

When Minghai saw the medicine in Shanlai's hand, he was a little worried and said that it would be better to stay here and recuperate for a few days.

Shan Lai refused without any room for negotiation: "I will never come to this place again in my life!"

Minghai had no choice but to pack his things.

Shanlai washed himself thoroughly before going downstairs to meet Minghai.

She asked the innkeeper to prepare some dry food and water for her, and to settle the bill for the previous days' food and lodging. After everything was settled, she was about to leave when she unexpectedly met someone at the door.

It was He Jing who saw her and rushed straight towards her.

Shan Lai harbored some resentment towards He Jing because of the undeserved misfortune she had suffered, but considering that he was an official, she decided to avoid trouble and tried her best to give him a friendly face.

The shopkeeper recognized the young man and hurried over to greet him. He dismissed He Jing with a few words. After the shopkeeper left, He Jing stared at Shan Lai's face, which looked rather awkward. He must have known it himself, so he turned his face away and said, "Let me see your travel permit."

This is what Shan Lai fears most.

Originally, she wasn't afraid, but since Li Mi was a scholar on the travel permit, and He Jing knew she was a woman, if she showed it to him, he might not pursue the matter, but if he did, she would be in trouble. So she became even more respectful and reached out her hand, saying, "Sir, please let me speak with you in private."

He Jing glanced at her, listened to her words, and went to the place she indicated.

After comforting Minghai with a few words, Shanlai followed him, and the two arrived at a willow tree by the bridge.

He Jing spoke first: "What do you want to tell me?"

"Shanlai" is a gesture of asking for something, and one should bow before speaking. Because of this habit, the bow is a simple one. As soon as the person in front of him bent over, he asked, "Aren't you a woman?" His tone was somewhat aggressive.

Shanlai said helplessly, "It's true that I'm a woman, but the way I'm dressed now..." She spread her arms and spun around on the spot.

He Jing looked at her without saying a word.

He didn't speak, so Shanlai continued.

“I have heard that the thief has been caught. I am sure you know my innocence. I am not a criminal. I disguised myself as a man only for my safety on the road. Why do you have to make things difficult for me?” After saying this, he took out a stack of banknotes from his sleeve, bowed his head and respectfully offered them. “I hope you will be lenient.”

Shanlai waited for a while, but received no response. He then looked up and saw that the person opposite him had a burning face, and seemed to be in a state of shame and anger.

Shan Lai was puzzled when He Jing suddenly grabbed her hand holding the money, startling her so much that she trembled violently and instinctively tried to pull her hand away.

It wasn't pulled out.

He Jing gripped her wrist tightly.

"Someone has accused you of being a runaway slave. You can't produce a travel permit, and you've attempted to bribe an official of the imperial court. Your crime is compounded! Come with me to the prison!"

Runaway slaves.

The two words struck Shan Lai squarely in the heart, leaving her momentarily stunned. She was actually dragged by He Jing for more than ten feet before she came to her senses, forcefully shaking off He Jing's hand and shouting, "I am not a runaway slave!"

"You're only nine years old and you can sell yourself for five hundred taels? Even if someone were to buy a person, they wouldn't get that price!"

Shan Lai abruptly pulled back his contract, suppressing his anger, and said, "I have now proven to you, sir, that I am not a runaway slave. You are wise to see that I traveled thousands of miles home to have my slave status removed. I hope you will do me a favor and not delay my plans."

The story about someone reporting the runaway slaves was fabricated by He Jing. He came to talk to Shan Lai... However, Shan Lai thought of him as a corrupt official who could be bribed with money.

This made him feel humiliated.

Because of his secret thoughts that he couldn't share with outsiders, this humiliation became even more unbearable for him. He got angry and thought of scaring her to save face, but he just happened to stumble upon the truth.

Originally, He Jing only wanted to check the travel permit in order to find out Shan Lai's name. Now that he knew, he naturally didn't mention the travel permit. Instead, he used the indenture to start a conversation with Shan Lai, hoping to get to know her.

He smiled and said, "So you're from Pingcheng. I've been to Pingcheng before. I have a good friend there, and I visit him every year. You have a place called Qingtan, right? I love riding horses there; I always come in first, no one can beat me! I've passed by your mansion before; those two big stone lions at the gate are so impressive! My friend also told me about your young master, saying he's about our age, and he's a..." He's a precious gem, even more precious than a girl, but he couldn't say that out loud. He suppressed a laugh and continued, "I've always wanted to meet him, but my friend said he doesn't even ride a horse, he always travels by carriage or sedan chair, he's not one of us, so I didn't ask him to make connections. If I had known, I would have come to your mansion sooner..."

Shanlai finally could not bear it any longer: "My lord, my home is in a mountain valley, just three thatched huts, I dare not call it a mansion." He continued, "It is not that I have betrayed my master and forgotten his kindness, but being a servant is not a glorious thing. Even if I were rich and noble, I would not feel honored. My lord, please do not mention this matter again! Now my former master's family is all in the capital. If you wish to befriend them, just send them a letter. I dare not delay your business. Farewell." After saying this, he bowed deeply and strode away.

Seeing her like this, He Jing knew he had said the wrong thing. He slapped himself in the face in frustration and quickly chased after her.

It was late July, the season of transition from summer to autumn. The weather was mild and clear, the sky was high and the clouds were light, and the scenery along the way was beautiful, which made people feel happy.

It would be even better if there were no eyesores.

Shanlai was still flipping through her illustrations when Minghai asked nervously, "He's been with us for several days now, what does he want to do?"

Shan Lai didn't even look up. "This road isn't for any particular group of people. It's not our business. Just pretend we don't see it."

Since Shanlai and Minghai set off from Ping'an Ferry, He Jing has been following behind them for about ten days. Although Shanlai appears calm on the surface, he is already quite annoyed inside.

The bright moon hung high that night. Shanlai and Minghai camped in the wilderness, while He Jing tied his horse under a tree, sat cross-legged, propped his chin on his hands, and watched the people by the fire from afar.

As the moon rose high in the sky and Mars faded, He Jing, unable to resist his drowsiness, slowly closed his eyes. Sometime during the night, he suddenly woke up without warning, sat up abruptly, and found a pile of firewood burning nearby, crackling loudly. Meanwhile, the people and vehicles in the distance had all disappeared.

The car sped along, the wind whistling past their ears, and dewdrops condensed on their foreheads and temples. Shanlai said to Minghai, "You've had a hard night. When we get to a place where we can rest, you should get some rest."

He Jing used fresh branches to extinguish the fire, untied his horse, and was about to chase after them. But once he was on the horse, he couldn't help but think that they were completely ignoring him and had even traveled through the night to avoid him. If he were to chase after them after that, he would be too rude and would have no dignity as a man. So he dismounted and thought, "I'll go back tomorrow."

Having made this decision, he went back to sleep under the tree, but as soon as he closed his eyes, all he could see was that section of snow-white neck in the misty morning light, as if it had been illuminated by the sunlight.

Shanlai looked back again, but still didn't see the person he didn't want to see. He felt a sense of relief, and involuntarily leaned back in the carriage, letting out a long sigh.

Minghai was also happy and was about to say a few words of congratulations when he suddenly heard the sound of rapid hoofbeats behind him, which made his expression change.

Shanlai had already leaned out to look back.

At the edge of the horizon, dust and smoke drifted like clouds, and in the center was a person I already knew well.

Shanlai immediately told Minghai to stop the car.

He Jing saw Shan Lai by the roadside, reined in his horse, tilted his head, and asked, "Is he waiting for me?"

Shan Lai nodded: "That's right."

He Jing smiled, his eyes crinkling, and jumped off his horse.

Shanlai cut to the chase and asked, "What exactly do you want?"

He Jing scratched his head and laughed, "It's still far from your home. I was worried something might happen to you on the way, so I followed you."

Shanlai didn't speak, he just looked at him.

He Jing understood immediately and said, "If we're going to delve deeper, you definitely know what I'm thinking." After saying that, he asked, "You know, right?" Then he just smiled.

Shan Lai nodded and said, "I might know."

He Jing's smile widened.

Unexpectedly, Shan Lai added, "But I think I have already made my intentions clear."

He Jing's smile froze, and after a while he said in a low voice, "Actually, I was planning to go back today, and I really did go back... but I turned back on the way, so I'm only here now."

Upon hearing this, Shanlai said, "You should go straight home."

He Jing laughed again and said, "I know that myself, but I still came after you in the end." He gripped the whip tightly in his hand and said, "To be fair, I'm not a bad person, and I'm very sincere. If you don't believe me, time will tell. I'll let you know. You don't need to refuse so early. Besides, my following you will be beneficial to you."

He speaks sincerely, his face is sincere when he speaks, and perhaps his heart is sincere as well.

Shanlai didn't want to say anything harsh, so he just asked, "You came here, aren't you going to work?" He still wanted to tell him to go back.

Upon hearing this, He Jing curled his lip and said irritably, "My father is cold-hearted and hard-hearted. He thought I had disgraced him, so he dismissed me from my post. Now I'm a nobody."

Since Minghai was not far away, Shanlai said to He Jing, "Please come this way to talk." After saying that, he took a step away.

He Jing quickly followed, and the two stood in front of a clump of bushes.

Shanlai cut straight to the point, “I won’t lie to you, because I met someone who treated me very well. Even though we were not meant to be, he was the only one in my heart, and there will be no one else. You may be really good, but I can’t accept it. I don’t want to waste your feelings. You should go home and give your heart to someone who deserves it.”

He Jing felt depressed after hearing this.

Having said that, he really should have just left, but he was still unwilling to give up.

So he asked Shanlai, "Is there really such a person? How well has he treated you?"

"This person truly exists, and the kindness he showed me is countless." She then became dazed, saying in a daze, "He was so good he was practically perfect... There's no one better than him in the world..."

A pang of jealousy rose in He Jing's heart, and he asked, "If it's so good, why are you all alone now?"

Shanlai smiled sadly and said softly, "Because I don't want him to suffer for me..." As she spoke, her heart ached, aching so much that she could hardly breathe...

She looked sad, her eyes staring blankly ahead, devoid of any spirit. He Jing looked at her, a pang of pain rising in his heart.

After an unknown amount of time, Shanlai suddenly said, "So you should go back. I have already foreseen the rest of my life, so don't waste your energy here."

He Jing kept his head down.

Shan glanced at him, then walked away without a word. After walking about ten zhang, he looked back and saw that Shan was still standing motionless in front of the bushes, leading his horse.

It should be resolved.

When Minghai and the others returned to Shanlai, he asked her, "Is everything alright?"

Shanlai smiled and said, "Alright, he shouldn't bother us anymore."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the sound of thunderous hooves came from afar, and in the blink of an eye, they were upon him.

Shan Lai looked up and stared in astonishment.

He Jing, still smiling, said, "Let me tell you, I'm a decent person. That's no lie. I have a clear conscience. I only escorted you because of your safety. If I were to forget my original intention just because of what you said earlier, it would make me seem like a scheming person. I don't want that. Anyway, let me take you home first. Just consider it as me visiting a friend. We're going the same way."