Chapter 72

“Senior brother,” she said softly, “do you also feel… I’ve messed everything up?” She took the crumpled letter from her sleeve, stared at it for a moment, and then slowly tossed it into the brazier. Flames licked the corner of the paper before leaping up violently.

“In the past… I thought that if I earned more money, you wouldn’t have to risk going down the mountain so often to find those rare medicinal herbs for me.” Her voice was filled with a hazy recollection. “Back then, I was naive and didn’t understand your feelings, but all I could do was not become a burden to you.”

She moved her numb legs and knelt down again. "Later... I learned your secret, I learned how much you suffered for me... and I suddenly realized that not only had I failed to help you, but I had been a burden to you all along." The letter in the brazier had turned to ashes, and she mechanically added a few more sheets of paper money. The flames became hot again, illuminating her pale face.

“I made a deal with that person… thinking that would give you your freedom. But fate had other plans… and you almost lost your life again because of me.” Her voice choked for a moment, but quickly regained its composure. “Senior brother, you left so resolutely… did you ever think about how I would cope with being left alone?”

Her dry eye sockets began to sting again. She stared blankly at the leaping flames and the increasing ashes in the brazier.

"This was my fault... but no matter how I try to make amends, no matter how hard I try to fix it... things only get worse..." She heard hurried footsteps in the distance. She paused, quickly wiped the tears from her eyes, and stood up, supporting herself on the stone tablet.

Yunwu was covered in mud, her hair disheveled, and she was anxiously looking this way. Only when she saw Xi Xiao standing there unharmed did her tense expression suddenly relax.

Seeing her disheveled appearance, Xi Xiao found it somewhat amusing. She quickly took two steps to meet her and asked, "How did you fall? Were you not watching where you were going?"

Yunwu didn't answer, but the tension between her brows had eased. She looked Xi Xiao up and down several times to make sure she was safe and sound, before standing still as if she had exhausted all her strength.

Xi Xiao gently took the small bamboo basket off her back, then rolled up her mud-stained sleeves and took out a clean handkerchief from her own sleeve. She carefully wiped the mud off her face and the grime from her hands. Once Yunwu's breathing had completely calmed down, Xi Xiao picked up the bamboo basket containing a few mud-covered ginseng roots and carried it on her back, giving her a warm smile: "Let's go home!"

"Yes!" The little girl's face finally cleared, and she nodded heavily. The two walked back along the winding, slippery path they had come from, step by step. Although their steps were still slow and their figures were thin, leaning on each other, they seemed to have a more uplifting spirit than when they came.

As they reached the bend in the valley, a wisp of bluish-gray smoke rose from a long-abandoned courtyard nearby, along with a strong, lingering smell of medicine in the air.

Yunwu glanced in that direction and, seeing that Xi Xiao seemed a little curious, quickly explained, "I heard that the family that used to live went out to make a living, but somehow they got into trouble with some enemies, and that place became unsafe, so they moved back home."

She sniffed lightly and said, "The smell of this medicine... it's like someone in the family is seriously ill..." She shook her head, a hint of pity on her face, then remembered something and said to Xi Xiao with a slightly complaining tone, "Miss, you don't know, ever since you and the young master... went down the mountain, the villagers in the surrounding villages haven't come to our Medicine Valley much, and we've lost a lot of money!"

Xi Xiao laughed at her words and followed her lead, saying, "Then when the weather clears up, you should go out and shout a few times, saying that our Medicine Valley has reopened and is open for business again. We must make up for all the money we didn't earn before."

Yunwu's previously troubled face finally brightened completely. She smiled broadly and loudly agreed, "Then it's a deal, you have to give me more, miss!"

"Of course, of course you'll get your share." Xi Xiao couldn't resist her clingy manner and laughed as she quickly took two steps forward. The two teased each other like this as they walked further and further away, neither of them paying any attention to the house that smelled of medicine.

The following days passed with a remarkable lightness in the valley. Xi Xiao seemed to be gradually emerging from her heavy sorrow. She spent her days tending to her newly cultivated vegetable garden, playing with the chattering chicks, and occasionally sneaking into the kitchen to try and "instruct" Yunwu on cooking, only to be "scolded" out by the exasperated cook, spatula in hand. These vibrant, busy, and even slightly noisy days, in a daze, felt like a return to the days when Xi Yu would often descend the mountain with Qingfeng, leaving only the two of them in the valley.

That day, the two were squatting in the corner of the courtyard, working together to build a new coop for the chickens, when they saw a group of well-dressed people coming from the valley entrance. The head eunuch was wearing the attire that only the emperor's close attendants could wear; it was none other than Xiping.

He craned his neck, cautiously looking around. As soon as he saw Xi Xiao and her companion emerge, he quickly bowed, a fawning smile plastered on his face, and hurried forward: "Greetings, Miss! This servant has been ordered by His Majesty to deliver Mid-Autumn Festival gifts to you." He turned back and whispered a reprimand to the palace servants behind him carrying various exquisite gift boxes: "What are you all standing there for? Hurry up and move these things into the young lady's room!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a group of palace servants respectfully filed in, carrying the gifts into the room with light, deliberate movements. Xi Ping nodded in satisfaction, then turned to Xi Xiao, his tone even more humble: "The affairs of the court are very busy. Although His Majesty thinks of you constantly, Miss, he simply cannot spare the time and has had to send this servant on this trip. His Majesty hopes that when this servant returns, he can bring back some news about you, even just a few words."

Xi Xiao then remembered that Ling Zhouling seemed to have written several letters, but she had not yet replied. She gave an apologetic smile: "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am doing well here. It must have been hard for Brother Xiping to come all this way." As she spoke, she took a simple purse from her waist, took out some loose silver, and gently placed it in Xiping's hand.

"Oh, thank you so much for the gift, Miss!" Xi Ping happily accepted it, bowing repeatedly to express his gratitude, his face beaming with joy. He leaned closer and lowered his voice, saying, "There's one more thing... It's good that you know, Miss. In two days, the palace will announce a national mourning, which will be declared to the world. From then on... you can live in peace."

Xi Xiao was stunned by what she heard, staring blankly at Xi Ping, unable to react for a moment.

Yunwu, however, reacted strongly, grabbing Xiping's sleeve and urgently asking, "National mourning? What national mourning? Could it be... that person...?" She suddenly turned to look at Xixiao, and seeing that although Xixiao looked dazed, her body was normal, she was slightly relieved.

Xi Ping was completely unaware of the hidden story. Seeing Yunwu's urgency, she told him the truth: "It's about the late emperor... The late emperor's body is already lying in state in the palace, and the funeral will be held soon. How... does the young lady not know this?"

These words struck Xi Xiao like a thunderbolt. She stood frozen in place, her face drained of color, unable to react for a long time. Even after Xi Ping and the palace servants bowed and took their leave, their figures disappearing at the valley entrance, she remained standing there like a stone statue, motionless.

Xi Xiao instinctively clutched her chest, her face filled with shock and disbelief. Her lips trembled slightly as she murmured, "Impossible... This is absolutely impossible... The mother Gu is clearly still..." Suddenly, as if she had thought of something, she abruptly raised her head, a flicker of fear in her eyes, and hurriedly said, "Let's go! To the house around the corner!"

Yunwu was completely bewildered by her sudden action. Without time to think, she followed closely behind Xi Xiao and walked outside.

Before they even reached the courtyard, a suffocatingly strong medicinal smell assaulted their senses, almost engulfing them. Xi Xiao abruptly stopped: the intense medicinal smell was clearly meant to mask the stench of blood. She took a few more steps forward and saw a limping man emerge from the courtyard, seemingly carrying a dark-colored earthenware jar in his arms.

The lame man wasn't surprised to see Xi Xiao. He walked forward with faltering steps and said in a steady tone, "The young lady has arrived."

Xi Xiao's gaze was fixed on the pottery jar, a strange tremor rising in her chest, as if something was responding to her. A possibility she had never considered surfaced in her mind, instantly turning her face deathly pale, her eyes filled with utter shock.

“That young master said,” the lame man’s voice remained calm and even, “that the Gu worm can only be safely removed if the host is willing. Knowing that he was about to die, he did not want to travel with the young lady on the road to the underworld, so he took his blood to feed the Gu worm in advance, hoping that the young lady could live a long and peaceful life.”

After he finished speaking, he stood quietly to the side and said nothing more.

So... so it required the host's willingness... No wonder... no wonder I couldn't save my senior brother even after trying my best last time... Xi Xiao gave a bitter laugh, her heart filled with mixed emotions, the immense shock almost making her lose her balance. She reached out and slowly took the cold, heavy ceramic jar. The moment her fingertips touched the jar, a chill pierced her to the core.

Seeing that she had taken it, the lame man added, "The young master also said that he once found an ancient book that you had lost... He took it upon himself to burn it. He hopes that you will take good care of yourself in the future and never use those... heaven-defying methods again."

Xi Xiao remained silent, only looking down at the pottery jar in her arms, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the cold glaze.

"Young Master also said..." The lame man paused, seemingly recalling, "When he discovered the letter the young lady wrote... filled with such sincere wishes for Young Master Xi, he felt... both jealousy and hatred. Now that it's his turn to wish the young lady well, he... seems to understand the young lady's feelings back then. Young Master... originally harbored selfish intentions, wanting to end things on Young Master Xi's birthday, so... the young lady would remember him somewhat. But after much deliberation and hesitation for many days, in the end... he was still afraid of incurring the young lady's displeasure..."

He didn't say anything more, but simply bowed slightly to Xi Xiao, turned around, closed the old courtyard gate, and limped slowly back into the house.

The Mid-Autumn Festival hadn't arrived yet, but a chilling atmosphere already permeated the valley, as if winter were about to descend prematurely. Xi Xiao looked up at the sky that had just cleared, and a tear silently slid down her cheek. She looked away, glancing at Yunwu beside her, who was watching her with concern. A complex smile slowly appeared on her face. "Yunwu, the winters here... are too cold. Let's... head south."

Yunwu immediately gripped her hand tightly and nodded vigorously: "Wherever you go, I will go!"

———The End———