Chapter 70
◎Escape.◎
When Ci Ying received the news, it was already early morning of the next day.
After discussing the plan of entering Yuwen Mansion with Yan Ji in detail last night, she only slept for two hours before being hurriedly awakened.
She hadn't slept well during this period, and fatigue crept up her face like wrinkles. When she opened the door, she saw a young man in black.
The candle of the person who came.
Ci Ying actually couldn't recognize him because Zhu Er was even quieter than before.
It was the word "Madam" that brought her back to her thoughts.
Although Zhu Er hadn't said the rest of the sentence yet, Ci Ying seemed to have guessed it. She asked softly, "How is he?"
This sentence dissuaded Zhu Er from his original words. After glancing at Ci Ying, he summarized Xie Huaijin's terrifying situation last night into one sentence: "Young Master had a high fever yesterday, but fortunately it's gone now."
Ci Ying put her hands on the door and said in a softer voice, "Are you awake?"
Zhu Er said: "No."
Ci Ying turned around and packed up, called the maid guarding the door, and whispered to her to pass the message to Yan Ji. Then she packed up her things casually and went back with Zhu Er.
In the carriage, Ci Ying supported her head with her hands.
Zhu Er did not describe yesterday's situation in detail to Ci Ying, but before Ci Ying's eyes appeared large pools of blood, the young man's chest gasping for breath and his face as pale as snow. She held down her trembling hands, and it seemed as if she had only walked for one day.
Fear and terror increased little by little. When Ci Ying first met Zhu Er, she was relatively calm, but when she got off the carriage, she was so flustered that she almost fell down. Fortunately, Zhu Er supported her.
Ci Ying patted the hem of her skirt. The gate of the house was right in front of her. She looked at the door as if she was looking at a bottomless abyss.
Zhu Er pushed open the door and Ci Ying followed him in silently.
When Zhu Guang saw Ci Ying coming back, he frowned and looked at Zhu Er. Zhu Er moved away silently. When Ci Ying pushed the door and entered Xie Huaijin's room, she heard faint quarreling sounds behind them.
In terms of status and rank, Zhu Er could not refute Zhu Guang, but the close relationship they had since childhood blurred this boundary. The two people's voices alternated back and forth, and the wind blew the accumulated fear and contradictions towards Ci Ying.
"Why do you want to go find Ciying? Didn't I tell you not to go? Don't go. Who allowed you to go? Even if the young master was awake, he wouldn't let you go. Why did you act on your own?" This was Zhu Guang's voice.
"I'll go." This was Zhu Er's voice.
There was a slapping sound, and Ci Ying closed the door, her fingers trembling.
She looked at the young man on the bed. The weather was hot and humid, and the smell of medicine in the room became stronger and stronger, with an indescribable sour taste.
Ci Ying silently opened the window and walked towards the person on the hospital bed.
In fact, he looked no different from before. He had been sick and his face was always so pale. Ci Ying gently touched Xie Huaijin's forehead with her hand. Maybe her hand was too cold, so she felt like she was touching something hot, or maybe her heart was beating so fast that she even had to feel the young man's breath.
Ci Ying sat in front of the bed, a faint smell of blood rushed into her nostrils, and then became stronger little by little. Ci Ying made a vomiting gesture, but did not spit it out. She suppressed the emotion in her heart.
Ci Ying hadn't eaten much and hadn't slept well yesterday. She was suddenly stimulated by this and her vision turned blurry. She grabbed the bed railing when she was about to faint.
When Ci Ying was grabbed by a pair of cold hands, she was stunned for a moment. What a coincidence, Xie Huaijin woke up as soon as she came back.
This realization made her dazed for a moment, and her hand subconsciously let go of the railing, and her body fell vertically.
The young man's hands were completely powerless, and he fell down with Ciying. His whole body was trembling, but he had no strength at all, and he couldn't even stand up to help Ciying up.
Fortunately, Ciying's fall was not serious. She climbed up by the side of the bed and said softly, "You're awake. I'll go call the doctor in."
On the bed, the young man silently looked at Ci Ying's slightly staggering figure, with a trace of trance in his eyes.
The hands that were not holding Ci Ying seemed to no longer belong to the young man. They hung down quietly, and the mottled scars between the wrists spoke of powerlessness.
Soon, Ci Ying came in with the imperial physician. While the imperial physician was taking Xie Huaijin's pulse, Ci Ying sat aside and ate the pastries on the table. They were white and tasteless, but they had a solid texture like porcelain when you took a bite, as if they could plug the hole in people's hearts.
Ci Ying ate in small bites, feeling a dull pain on the inside of her wrist. She took a look and found that she had scraped the skin when she fell just now. She dipped her wrist in water and rolled it around, then heard Doctor Xu sigh again. Ci Ying looked over silently, and the old man took her pulse, seeming to want to say something but stopping himself.
Ci Ying stepped forward and said softly, "Doctor Xu, please speak."
Doctor Xu looked at Xie Huaijin, then at Ciying: "Master, Madam, I'm sorry, I can't help you."
After a high fever, Xie Huaijin woke up, but his condition became worse. It seemed that the vein of life had come to an end, like a dead leaf in winter, rotting was only a matter of time.
Ci Ying couldn't embarrass the old man. She was quiet for a moment before saying, "Thank you for your hard work. I'll take you out."
Doctor Xu had come here on someone's orders. He stood up and said, "I'm not very knowledgeable, but I have a junior sister who is very skilled in medicine. She's traveled extensively across the mountains and plains, treating the common people. If we can find her, the eldest young master might have a chance of survival."
"Only..." Doctor Xu did not hide anything and whispered, "Two years ago, she killed someone with her medical skills and was sent to prison. I tried to find out about her, but to no avail. If it's the eldest son and his wife, maybe we can find them."
The word "conspiracy" was almost written on Doctor Xu's face, but Ci Ying felt only relief in her heart.
She didn't even have time to think about whether Doctor Xu wanted to rescue his junior sister or whether his junior sister really had such superb medical skills. She was only worried about whether Xie Huaijin's body could withstand bringing the person to Mobei.
Doctor Xu noticed Ci Ying's hesitation and said in a deep voice, "I can give you a set of acupuncture. It will be very uncomfortable, but combined with the herbs, it can temporarily save your life."
The awkward words popped into Ciying's mind one by one. She could hardly hear her own voice, but her instinct made her say "thank you" politely.
Acupuncture requires a closed environment, so Ciying went out.
When she turned around, she found Xie Huaijin looking at her with an unspeakable look.
He didn't cry, his eyes were dry, like the silent snow in winter.
It was the kind of snow that covered the ground layer by layer. It looked soft, but when you touched it, it was cold and hard.
Ci Ying did not feel cold or hard, only a faint sadness, as if some invisible rope was holding her heart. The moment she closed the door, the wind outside rushed towards her. The sun was still shining brightly on her face, but she could no longer feel the temperature.
Zhu Guang walked over, and before he could ask anything, Ci Ying said, "Doctor Xu is giving acupuncture inside."
Zhu Guang was about to say something but it stuck in his mouth. He held Ci Ying's hand and subconsciously wanted to say "It's okay" but couldn't say it. In fact, Zhu Guang was the first one to fall down. She buried her head in Ci Ying's shoulder and choked with tears.
Ciying's comfort was a mechanical rocking and patting of the back, but it only lasted a few times before she sat down against the door.
The handkerchief wrapped around her wrist fell off. The wound was very light, and a thin scab formed on it in a short while. It broke again because of Ci Ying's movement. Ci Ying did not feel any pain. She just sat in the sun, and the wind warmed her equally pale face.
The young man's suppressed and hoarse voice came from inside. Ci Ying turned around and took a look, again and again, intermittently. Her hands were covered with pinch marks.
When she couldn't help but pinch him again, Zhu Guang grabbed her hand and shook his head at Ci Ying with tears in his eyes.
Ci Ying released her hand and told Zhu Guang what the imperial physician had said.
Zhu Guang understood and stood up to make arrangements.
Zhu Yi appeared silently beside Ci Ying, knelt down and applied medicine to Ci Ying's hand. Ci Ying did not refuse, but was unconscious. She remembered Zhu Er's silence today and asked Zhu Yi softly, "What happened last night?"
Zhu Yi was speechless and whispered, "Young Master is very lucky."
After escaping death, the young man was born in pain, only to suffer from even greater illness.
The worsening condition was like a sword hanging over the young master's head. After escaping death, the sword was finally chopped down.
Zhu Yi's words echoed in Ci Ying's mind. The young man in the room could no longer hold back. His usual dignity, courtesy and elegant temperament were gone, and he roared in pain.
Ci Ying's hair stood on end and her eyes trembled, but she still told herself that it was okay.
At least he's alive.
When Doctor Xu came out, Ci Ying was standing outside the door, just quietly looking at Xie Huaijin in the room.
He was so weak that he couldn't even open his eyes, his clothes were all soaked with sweat, his fingers were trembling unnaturally, and bright red blood stained his slender neck, like a slaughtered swan.
She saw his white feathers, silent wailing and silent prayers.
Doctor Xu and Zhu Yi explained the rest of the matter. Ci Ying walked in slowly and sat down beside Xie Huaijin's bed. She didn't call his name or hold his hand, but simply asked softly, "Does it hurt?"
Xie Huaijin, are you in pain?
This sentence became the silent words in Ci Ying's heart for a long time after she looked at Xie Huaijin.
After a long time, the young man finally regained some strength and shook his head gently at Ciying.
Ci Ying looked at him, looked at him for a long time, just like many times before.
She said, "I'll ask Zhu Guang to get Doctor Qiao. Xie Huaijin, you hold on."
The young man nodded to her.
Ci Ying used a handkerchief to wipe the blood from the corner of the young man's lips, bit by bit. When she wiped it to his neck, her fingers touched the young man's weak breathing. For a moment, she felt the young man's pulse beating through her pulse.
She silently let the young man grab her.
Xie Huaijin looked at Ci Ying so tenderly until he fell asleep.
In the following days, Xie Huaijin was not conscious for long, but as Doctor Xu said, his life was temporarily hanging on.
The summer passed like this.
When the autumn heat came, Ciying didn't feel it until one night when she was blown by the cold wind and shivered subconsciously, she suddenly realized that autumn had arrived.
At that time, she was reading a letter from Zhu Guang, in which Zhu Guang said that they were late.
Doctor Qiao killed a powerful official, who was secretly beheaded a few years ago.
Ci Ying probably understood that there was injustice involved, but the despair in her heart had made her unable to care about things far away. Her hands were shaking when she picked up the pen to write a letter to Zhu Guang asking him to come back first. The short line of words was written crookedly, but she no longer had the strength to rewrite it.
Ci Ying occasionally thought that she actually didn't care that much.
Even if Xie Huaijin died, even if... she couldn't do anything, she wouldn't even visit Xie Huaijin's grave every year, but maybe because Xie Huaijin was still alive, she couldn't help but walk towards that person when she looked at him.
She kept the matter secret.
Zhu Yi and Zhu Er were looking forward to Doctor Qiao's arrival. She didn't know how to tell Zhu Yi and Zhu Er. In fact, she hadn't even convinced herself yet.
When Xie Huaijin woke up today, Ciying happened to be there.
The young man wanted to see the wound on her hand, and Ci Ying said softly, "It's healed already."
Xie Huaijin was stunned for a long time before he said softly, "I forgot."
He could only be lucid for a short time each day, and had long lost track of time in the human world. Ci Ying turned her wrist over to show him. His eyes lingered on the layer that was so pale it was completely invisible, and he said softly, "Okay."
What's good about it?
Nobody knows.
Ci Ying was speechless again. She still hadn't slept much recently. Every day when she fell asleep, she dreamed of the young man's low and painful roar in the room that day. It was like the lightning in the inn that night long ago, trapping her day after day.
Zhu Guang continued to look for a doctor outside, and Ci Ying had to start her plan with Yan Ji.
A lot of time has been wasted for Xie Huaijin. If we delay any further, everything will change.
Ci Ying could not gamble with the future of the Yan family army and Yan Ji's trust. Even though she was worried about Xie Huaijin's health, she had to spend most of her time planning and scheming.
This is a battle that she has to fight to the end once she steps onto the chessboard.
When she told Xie Huaijin about this, the young man looked at her quietly and gently.
Fortunately, Xie Huaijin was able to speak now. The young man's voice was just as gentle: "Well, I believe Ciying."
This is not what Ciying wants to hear.
But she didn't know what she wanted to hear.
They both knew that there were some things Ciying had to do.
Xie Huaijin's eyes were gentle, but he couldn't help coughing. His weakness gradually showed through his gentleness, and gradually entangled Ci Ying, leaving her speechless.
"I may not be in the house when you wake up tomorrow." Ci Ying said softly.
The young man said: "Okay."
The two people's hands were very close, but neither of them took another step forward.
The young man looked at Ci Ying, who was so close to him, with a look of fondness. He was already on the verge of death, but he still said, "Don't be afraid, Ci Ying."
The brilliant and powerful eldest son of the Xie family no longer possesses many things, but fortunately, the power that was stripped from his bones and flesh and blood allows him to fearlessly try it with Ci Ying in his arms.
Ci Ying is not afraid.
At that time, she naively thought that she could handle everything.
Whether it is the Yan family army, the Yuwen Mansion, or Xie Huaijin's illness.
She can find a balance point, and she can slowly do everything well.
Her path forward was too smooth, almost a straight one. She was anxious to finish everything, and in a panic, she piled everything on herself, so much so that she forgot that she was just a person, and forgot that a taut string would eventually break under heavy pressure.
......
The next day, before Ci Ying got up to meet Yan Ji, she first took a look at Xie Huaijin.
She sat quietly by his bed for a quarter of an hour, then got up and left.
For several days, the two of them didn't say a word. When Ci Ying was in the mansion, Xie Huaijin was not awake, and when Xie Huaijin woke up, Ci Ying had already left.
Ci Ying asked Zhu Yi about Xie Huaijin's situation every day. After finding out, she looked at the comatose Xie Huaijin and went back to deal with the affairs of the Yan family army. Yan Ji told her that Yuwen Shu had instructed him to bring her into the mansion in a few days. The opportunity they had been waiting for was finally here.
Yan Ji was talking happily, but he saw that Ci Ying was a little absent-minded. He frowned and called Ci Ying, who suddenly raised her eyes and said "sorry".
"Didn't you sleep well?" Yan Ji asked.
Ciying shook her head, then nodded.
Yan Ji raised his eyebrows, and Ci Ying explained, "I want to finish the Yan Family Army's affairs as soon as possible."
Yan Ji couldn't help but ask: "How many hours have you slept these days?"
Ci Ying remained silent. Only after Yan Ji pressed her, she said, "Seven hours."
"...five days and seven hours."
Yan Ji looked at Ci Ying with a look that said "Are you crazy?" He forcefully took the file from Ci Ying's hand and forced Ci Ying to go to sleep. "Just prepare for Yu Wenshu's affairs. You'll be busy in a few days. Go to sleep now."
Ci Ying was unable to resist. After Yan Ji left, he ordered the maid to burn incense to calm the mind.
Ci Ying slept until late at night. When she woke up from her dream, she looked at the dark sky outside. She threw off the quilt, put on her shoes and clothes, and was about to go out when the maid who was resting nearby caught up with her and said, "Miss, Miss, General Yan asked you to rest here today."
Ciying still rushed back.
As expected, Xie Huaijin was in a coma.
She sat beside his bed, the moonlight from outside faintly shining in. Ci Ying looked at the pale young man, counting the days they hadn't seen on her fingers. As she left, Zhu Er said to her, "Young Master, you've been awake for a long time today."
It's a good sign.
But Ciying didn't know why she wanted to cry.
Zhu Yi scolded Zhu Er harshly. Zhu Er did not argue with him like he had with Zhu Guang. Instead, he just walked into the shadows with his sword in his arms. Zhu Yi stepped forward and said with lowered eyes, "Miss Ci Ying, I apologize on behalf of Zhu Er. I will teach Zhu Er a lesson for his rude words later."
Zhu Yi rarely spoke such a long speech, so Ci Ying said, "No need."
She looked inside the room and did not leave. She just sat in front of Xie Huaijin's bed and waited until Xie Huaijin woke up.
It was already noon, and the young man was a little surprised when he opened his eyes and saw her.
"It's still daytime. Don't we have to go to Yan Mansion today?"
The young man's voice came intermittently, and the bitter smell of medicine seemed to have penetrated into Ci Ying's bones. The room was filled with the rich aroma of medicine when she breathed, and the strong sandalwood could not cover up the smell of blood on the young man.
Ci Ying rummaged through the young man's clothes and whispered, "Are you vomiting blood again?"
Xie Huaijin neither nodded nor shook his head. He looked at Ci Ying and said softly, "I've been feeling much better lately."
Ci Ying stopped her hand and just looked at Xie Huaijin with her eyes. She couldn't say anything about why the doctor couldn't be found. She only said that Doctor Xu would come to take her pulse in two hours.
So I need acupuncture again.
Ci Ying looked at the densely packed black and blue bruises on the young man's hands that had not yet disappeared, and her eyes felt a little sore.
She told Xie Huaijin everything she had done these days. The young man looked at her gently the whole time, without commenting, and only whispered, "Don't be too tired."
He seemed to want to raise his hand to touch her head, just like before, but he couldn't lift his hand no matter how hard he tried.
The young man slowly accepted this fact. He was like a ship that no longer docked, with only a pair of quiet eyes.
Ci Ying took the initiative to put her head on the young man's hand. She choked with sobs. The young man was stunned for a moment, and a smile appeared in his eyes, but he couldn't raise his hand. He just raised his fingers slightly and ran them through Ci Ying's hair bit by bit.
Later, whenever Ci Ying thought of this day, she would remember the smile on the young man's lips.
His smile was as weak as he was, like the moon in the water, which would disappear if he scooped it up.
When did it start to deteriorate?
Ci Ying thought that it might have started because she was getting busier and busier.
In fact, later on, Xie Huaijin stayed awake longer every day than before. Although she was busy with the affairs of Yan Mansion and Yuwen Mansion, she would still meet Xie Huaijin who was awake once or twice a day.
No one mentioned Doctor Qiao again, and Xie Huaijin never asked why Zhu Guang never returned.
During the busiest times, Ciying would often go out early in the morning and come back late at night.
Xie Huaijin had a high fever several times. The first time, Ciying was extremely panicked. The second time, Ciying was busy asking for a doctor. The third time, Ciying asked Doctor Xu to stay in the mansion. The fourth time, Ciying was already a little numb.
Whenever she opened the door and saw Xie Huaijin's face, she would think of the scene of the young man vomiting blood.
The knife slowly cut her nerves, every day, every moment.
Ci Ying is like a walking corpse, and sometimes she doesn't even know what she is doing.
Until one day, there was some trouble in the Yan family army, and Ci Ying was forced to stay in the military camp for a few days. After not seeing Xie Huaijin for a few days, Ci Ying hesitated and actually felt a little relieved in her heart.
This was a terrible thought. When she returned home the next day feeling guilty, she heard Zhu Yi say that Xie Huaijin had been doing well these days.
......
Xie Huaijin hadn't seen Ciying for many days. He heard from Zhuyi that Ciying came back late at night and asked about his situation. Zhuyi replied that everything was fine.
Ciying seems to be very busy.
The young man looked at his hand which he couldn't lift, and somehow recalled Ci Ying's dark eyes when she came to see him.
The girl was completely unaware that fatigue and silence were written on her face.
He also noticed her absent-mindedness, time and time again. Sometimes Xie Huaijin wished he was not smarter, but was glad that he was smart enough.
Xie Huaijin thought that he seemed too heavy.
Another day passed, and Xie Huaijin finally met Ci Ying, but he only saw Ci Ying's evasive gaze. Ci Ying lowered her eyes and talked about things in the military camp. While speaking, she realized that it was already winter.
She couldn't help but be stunned.
In a flash, half a year had passed and the plan was halfway done. In two months, her identity would be announced to the world through Yuwen Shu, and she would be able to take charge of the Yan Army with full legitimacy.
As for Xie Huaijin...As for Xie Huaijin, Ci Ying only remembered Zhu Yi saying that everything was fine.
Ci Ying looked at Xie Huaijin. He was still looking at her gently. When he saw her looking at him, his brows softened and he said softly, "Ci Ying, I'm sleepy."
He hadn't called her name for a long time, so Ci Ying was a little stunned, but she quickly said, "Okay, then I'll go out first, you have a good rest."
Xie Huaijin looked at Ci Ying quietly and smiled lightly.
Just now, the girl's face revealed a sense of relief that she herself could hardly detect, and she even breathed a sigh of relief when she went out.
The sky outside gradually brightened. It took the young man a long time to get up from the bed. Just by holding on to the bed, his whole body was soaked with sweat. A mouthful of blood flowed out of his mouth and flowed down his thin jaw.
He vaguely saw the sun rising outside.
【Author’s words】
He doesn't know how many tomorrows he has left.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
