The festering wounds of the Jiangbei Prince's Mansion

The little slave pursed its lips and stared nervously at the wooden sign. The moment it was thrown back, it caught it and quickly tied it back around its waist, covering it with its tattered clothes, afraid that the other party would try to take advantage of it again.

Jiang Yanhui, who had calmed down after a while, regretted it a little. She had originally planned to go back to the building to continue her pleasure until dawn, but now that she had a dirty little thing following her, she had no choice but to return to her mansion in Lingzhou first.

The Prince of Jiangbei's mansion in Lingzhou was a place where he enjoyed the highest honors and privileges. The overwhelming imperial majesty made people unconsciously cautious.

Jiang Yan dismounted and casually tossed the reins and whip to the stable boy. He raised his hand to untie the little slave's chain, but the sudden movement startled him so much that he trembled and took a half step back, his clear eyes filled with panic.

Jiang Yanhui found it inexplicably amusing that the woman treated her like a monster. She withdrew her hand and put it behind her back, then said to the kind woman who came out to greet her, "Aunt Pan, wash him clean and keep him in the household to work from now on."

Aunt Pan was dressed neatly and cleanly, and looked to be about fifty years old. Unlike the other servants, she was more easygoing and relaxed, making people want to trust her for no reason.

Ah Chou stared blankly at the woman's retreating figure until she completely disappeared from sight. Then he looked up at the tall lintel, where the inscription "Jiangbei Prince's Mansion" came into view.

Aunt Pan approached and untied the bone chain embedded in his flesh. Blood flowed down the wound, soaking his entire shoulder. Ah Chou bit his lower lip, his face pale, and he didn't utter a sound.

Following Aunt Pan's footsteps, A Chou entered the mansion. The vast mansion was meticulously renovated down to every flower and tree in every corner, a novel and unique sight never before seen.

A burst of curiosity made Ah Chou forget his fear and focus on admiring the beautiful house.

Walking along the winding corridor, Ah Chou frequently stopped to watch the koi swimming freely in the ponds on both sides, her bright eyes full of curiosity about the unknown.

Aunt Pan and the others stood by with smiles, not urging him on. When Ah Chou came to his senses and realized his special status, he blushed shyly and followed closely behind Aunt Pan, no longer daring to look around.

The palace was too big, with too many buildings. After wandering around in circles, Ah Chou was so dizzy that he stopped outside an ordinary-looking house.

Aunt Pan knocked on the door, and a middle-aged man who was dressed up carefully opened the door. He smelled of perfume.

Aunt Pan's expression softened noticeably, and she said softly, "The little boy that Wang Zun brought back, you can clean him up and arrange for him to work behind you."

The man's eyes swept over Ah Chou, who was staring blankly. Even with his age, Ah Chou still possessed a captivating charm. He spoke softly, "Come in."

After spending a short time together, Ah Chou had already trusted Aunt Pan. He looked at her for help and only dared to enter the house after Aunt Pan nodded. He almost tripped over the threshold and blushed to his neck.

The room smelled as sweet as the man himself, and the fresh and elegant decor reflected the homeowner's taste.

"Just call me Uncle Ban," the man said.

Uncle Ban led him into the bathroom at the back. Thick, soft clothes hung on the clothes rack, gauze and medicine for treating wounds were placed on the low cabinet, and hot water was prepared in the wooden tub.

Uncle Ban rolled up his wide sleeves, held a small pair of scissors over the candlelight, and glanced at the reserved man, saying, "Take off your clothes."

Perhaps unaware of any malice, two rustling sounds were heard as tattered clothes fell to the ground at her feet. Ah Chou noticed a full-length mirror in the corner of the bathroom and saw her own wretched appearance.

His disheveled, dirty hair was tangled and curly like a beggar's, his emaciated body was covered with crisscrossing bruises, and the horrifying wound on his shoulder had congealed. Unbeknownst to him, blood had flowed all over his arm, and the dried bloodstains clung tightly to his skin, making him feel very uncomfortable.

Even Uncle Ban, who had witnessed many bloody scenes, couldn't help but feel sorry for the young person who had suffered such torment.

He sighed, a sigh of helplessness at the cruel twists of fate, and also of relief that he had been rescued by Wang Zun.

"Sit down here, let me treat your wound first."

The round stool was covered with a thick cotton cushion. Ah Chou hesitated for a moment and then moved the clean cushion aside.

Uncle Ban saw Ah Chou's little actions but did not stop him. He took a folded cotton handkerchief and let Ah Chou bite it. The tip of the scissors he was holding was already red from being burned.

“Your wound has become festering, and letting it get infected will endanger your life.” He looked at Ah Chou with a firm and calm gaze, his tone leaving no room for refusal. “I will scoop out the pus and cut away the rotten flesh. It will be very painful, so you have to bear it and not move around.”

Ah Chou stared wide-eyed in terror, biting her lip on the cotton handkerchief and twitching nervously a few times before closing her eyes tightly and nodding.

Aside from the snip of scissors, the bathroom was filled with heart-wrenching sobs. Even though Uncle Ban was skilled and efficient, the pain of cutting out pus and flesh still left Ah Chou feeling exhausted, as if he had just been pulled out of the water.

Sweat mixed with blood dripped onto the clean floor. Ah Chou lowered his eyes and stared at his pale face reflected in the blood, blinking numbly.

The moment the wound medicine was poured on him, Ah Chou seemed to know that he had fulfilled his promise, and his body collapsed backward, exhausted.

As if he had anticipated this, Uncle Ban stopped him from behind and poured the ginseng soup, which had already cooled down, down his throat.

She brushed aside the wet hair clinging to his face and said in an extremely gentle tone, "You did a good job. It's over."

As soon as the ginseng soup stopped, Ah Chou's pale lips regained some color, and her wet eyelashes clumped together as she slowly blinked to express her gratitude.

Uncle Ban dampened a handkerchief and wiped Ah Chou's blood-stained skin, avoiding the bandaged wound. After the dirt was wiped away, Ah Chou's skin was surprisingly fair and delicate, unlike someone from a sandy place.

"Now that the King has bought you, you are now a member of the King's mansion. Loyalty is the most important thing for a servant; everything else is just icing on the cake. From now on, you will work behind me. You must pay close attention to what I say and teach you."

Uncle Ban was good at judging people by their appearance. The man in front of him was good-looking and obedient, not someone who was difficult to manage. So he asked, "What's your name?"

Ah Chou opened his mouth, then shook his head.

Uncle Ban was taken aback, then asked, "Does it have a name?"

Ah Chou nodded, tugged at Uncle Ban's sleeve, and awkwardly wrote the two characters "Ah Chou" on his palm.

"Then I'll call you Ugly from now on."

Uncle Ban didn't delve too much into how Ah Chou was chosen and bought by Jiang Yan Hui, nor did he care to learn about Ah Chou's past. He directed people to sit in the wooden tub, where the steaming water reached just to their chests.

He sat behind Ah Chou, combing his frizzy, tangled hair.

"The servants in the Prince's mansion are never mistreated in terms of food, clothing and daily necessities. You can live here in peace. The Prince does not come back often. If you see him in the mansion, you must pay your respects. Once you have recovered, I will slowly teach you the manners."

—

After returning home and changing her clothes, Jiang Yan returned and left again. When she rode her horse past a brightly lit brothel, she stopped. The male prostitutes upstairs, who were soliciting customers by the railing, smiled more brightly than flowers when they saw her and intimately and blatantly invited her to come up and sit down.

Jiang Yanhui suddenly lost interest and whipped his horse to leave.

Under the cover of night, the military camp was ablaze with firelight, the sentries on the watchtowers stood ready, and the changing of the guards proceeded in an orderly fashion, all exuding an air of grim determination.

Jiang Yan led Hei Yun into a separate stable, personally carrying hay and beans to the feeding trough, and brushed Hei Yun's fur without caring about the late hour or the fatigue.

Where the sky meets the earth, a hazy blue expanse stretches to the horizon, barren and devoid of vegetation. Autumn winds whip up sand and gravel, stinging the face. On the training ground, soldiers, led by their instructors, begin their morning drills, chanting "Hey!" and "Ha!"

Lang Rong, who was passing by the side tent, was startled by the suddenly lifted curtain. He stared at Jiang Yan Hui with wide eyes, looking as if he had seen a ghost.

Jiang Yanhui wore a black training uniform, the fitted design of which made her body appear more flexible and slender, like a powerful bow ready to be released.

His bangs and eyelashes were wet, like ink spreading on rice paper. Water droplets slid down his slightly sharp chin and into his soaked collar, giving him a wild and untamed look.

"You came back last night?" Lang Rong withdrew his hand from the hilt of his sword. "I thought there had been a thief in your tent."

Jiang Yan stretched and said lazily, "Aren't you going to come back and wait to be impeached by Deng Jiajin?"

Last night, Lang Rong was thinking about how to persuade and mediate the situation. Since they would be working together in the future and would see each other all the time, it would be bad if they had an awkward relationship.

As she pondered how to bring up the topic in a neutral yet humorous way, Jiang Yanhui clicked her tongue in extreme impatience and turned to leave without giving anyone any face.

Looking into the distance, Lang Rong saw Deng Jiajin leading her subordinates on a tour of the military camp. When she saw her looking over, Deng Jiajin smiled and bowed politely.

Lang Rong glanced helplessly at Jiang Yan Hui, who had already walked away, clasped his hands apologetically to Deng Jia Jin, and hurriedly chased after her.

The undisguised hostility displeased the civil officials who came to the camp, but they dared not speak out in person due to Jiang Yanhui's status and personality, and could only vent their grievances in private.

One of them scoffed, "Our dynasty has always been courteous to scholars, yet they are treated with such contempt in Lingzhou. Jiang Yanhui truly knows no manners! I will definitely impeach her in the monthly secret report!"

"Yan Cong, be careful what you say. The power of secret reporting granted by His Majesty is not for you to use to vent your personal grievances. You must not betray His Majesty's trust."

Despite being slighted, Deng Jiajin remained calm and composed, her hands casually tucked into her sleeves in front of her, her gaze lingering.

"For the past ten years, Lingzhou has been kept stable thanks to her and Dou Yao. Jiang Yanhui has every reason to be arrogant. Besides, did she scold us or hit us? She just ignores us when we meet. Isn't it shameful to complain to His Majesty?"

Yan Cong and his colleagues who shared the same thoughts looked at each other, lowered their heads in shame, and were speechless.

Lang Rong trotted to the stable and saw Jiang Yan leisurely feeding and grooming the horses. He laughed out loud and grabbed a handful of beans, scattering them into his horse's trough.

He clapped his hands and said, "I know you don't like those civil officials, but you have to keep up appearances, otherwise I'll send you all over the capital to complain."

"Go ahead and submit them. Do you think I'm short of their memorials?" Jiang Yanhui shrugged indifferently.

I reckon the memorials impeaching her since she took office are almost as tall as her. I've long been immune to the civil servants' habit of writing complaints and accusations. They just repeat the same few sentences over and over again. I'm even curious what new tricks they can come up with.

Lang Rong glanced at Jiang Yanhui, who was diligently brushing his fur, then stepped over and leaned against Hei Yun with his arms crossed, clinging to the last shred of hope, and said, "If you really didn't care, you wouldn't have come back last night."

After speaking, Lang Rong seemed to acknowledge his newfound viewpoint, a smug smile playing on his lips, as if he had seen through Jiang Yan Hui.

Jiang Yan looked at her as if she were a fool. "I just didn't want to put the General in a difficult position."

"Just this?" Lang Rong pressed on, "What did you do after you saw Deng Jiajin and the others?"

“I slept in the building the other day and my clothes were stinking from the smell of rouge and wine. I went back to the manor to change my clothes. Is that any of your business?” Jiang Yan replied.

With his last glimmer of hope shattered, Lang Rong rubbed his face in despair, announcing that his plan to persuade Jiang Yan had completely failed.

Jiang Yan ignored Lang Rong, who was having a lot of internal monologues, and began to ponder with a furrowed brow.

I think I brought something back last night... What exactly did I bring?

A note from the author:

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Jiang Yanhui: What have I forgotten?

Ah Chou: (Smiling)