He spoke the last four words with extreme force, with thunderous rage and a kind of... panic that even he himself was unaware of.
Xin Jiuwei was stunned by the storm in his eyes, and the unhealed wound in her heart seemed to ache again. She forced herself to meet his almost devouring eyes, and her voice, though soft, was unusually clear: "His Highness is unconscious, and the military doctors are helpless. This is the only chance of survival. Jiuwei's life and His Highness's life are bound by a contract. If His Highness dies, Jiuwei and the Xin family will have no way to survive. This is for self-preservation, and also to fulfill the contract."
"Self-preservation? Fulfilling the contract?" Xiao Xun suddenly raised his hand, as if to grab her shoulder, but stopped abruptly in mid-air. He stared at her clear eyes, which were filled with stubbornness and aloofness. The anger churning in his chest intertwined with a more unfamiliar, sharp pain, almost breaking through his proud self-control.
He wanted to question her: Did she know how painful it was? Did she know how dangerous it was? Did she know the feeling he had when he learned the truth from Lin Wanyi—a feeling as if he had been pierced by a thousand arrows, or as if he had been subjected to both extremes of ice and fire?
However, all the questions seemed so pale and powerless in the face of her cold and clear words of "self-preservation" and "fulfilling the contract".
A contract. Yes, between them, there was only a cold contract. Her "life for life" was nothing more than to maintain the contract's continuation, and to ensure her own and the Xin family's "survival."
A tremendous sense of powerlessness and indescribable agitation swept over Xiao Xun. He abruptly withdrew his hand, turned around, his back to Xin Jiuwei, his chest heaving violently as if trying desperately to calm his turbulent emotions. The warm pavilion fell silent once more, with only his suppressed breathing sounding particularly heavy.
After a long while, so long that Xin Jiuwei thought he wouldn't speak again, Xiao Xun's deep, hoarse voice finally rang out, carrying a sense of weariness and an undeniable command:
"From this day forward, Jingyuan is closed to all visitors. You, focus on recovering from your injuries. Without my permission, you are not to step out of this garden." He paused, a chill creeping into his voice, "I will personally take Qi Huaiyu's life. As for yours..." He turned his head, his eyes glancing at her pale, frail figure, "...since it is mine, then keep it safe for me!"
Having said that, he didn't linger. He strode out, his dark cloak billowing in the doorway, creating a gust of cold wind before disappearing into the twilight courtyard.
Xin Jiuwei stood there until the chill from his departure dissipated before slowly and weakly sitting back on the soft couch. The wound in her heart ached slightly from the tension, but what troubled her even more were Xiao Xun's last words and look before he left.
"Since your life belongs to me, you'd better keep it safe for me!"
What is this? A new order? A disguised...declaration of ownership? Or...that elusive emotion he forcibly suppressed...?
She closed her eyes wearily. The shadow of Qi Huaiyu, the threat of the Shadow Pavilion, the increasingly complex and intractable entanglement with Xiao Xun… the road ahead remained shrouded in mist. But at least, they were still alive. As long as they were alive, there was hope.
In the days that followed, Jingyuan truly became an isolated island, cut off from the world. Xiao Xun's orders were strictly enforced, and even a foreign bird seemed unable to cross that invisible barrier. Under Lin Wanyi's superb medical skills and Jingyuan's meticulous care, Xin Jiuwei's body recovered at an extremely slow pace. The scar on her heart began to scab over, but the internal depletion and the loss of her vital essence from having her heart ripped out could not be healed overnight. She often felt exhausted and listless, spending most of her time in a daze or resting.
Xiao Xun didn't come in person again. But every day, You Ye would appear on time, bringing all sorts of rare tonics and medicinal herbs, inquiring about her condition, and then meticulously returning to report. Xin Jiuwei never asked many questions, only briefly informing him of her situation. Between them, it seemed as if they had returned to that initial cold, businesslike contractual state, only the air seemed to hold something unseen and intangible, yet incredibly heavy.
That afternoon, the rare warm winter sun shone through the window. Xin Jiuwei, feeling a little better, leaned against the soft couch by the window reading a book. Xin Kui sat on a small stool beside her, doing needlework.
The door to the warm pavilion was gently pushed open, and Lin Wanyi entered. She was carrying a medicine box, and her expression was even colder than usual.
"Miss Lin." Xin Jiuwei put down her book and nodded slightly.
Lin Wanyi approached, but instead of taking Xin Jiuwei's pulse as usual, she took out something carefully wrapped in oiled paper from her medicine box and placed it on the table in front of Xin Jiuwei.
"Qin Lang sent it secretly," Lin Wanyi said in a low voice. "He specifically asked you to receive it. He said General Xin intercepted it in the northern border and it's extremely important."
Xin Jiuwei's heart skipped a beat! Brother! She immediately sat up straight, ignoring the slight pain from her wound, and reached out to untie the oil paper package.
Inside was a secret letter. There was no signature on the envelope, but Xin Jiuwei immediately recognized it as her brother Xin Yunzhou's handwriting! The letter was short, and the handwriting was somewhat messy, clearly written in haste:
Vivian:
Brother, your injuries have mostly healed, please don't worry. Your Highness's great kindness will be etched in my memory. Now, there is an urgent matter: I have received a secret report from the Northern Barbarian prisoners that Qi Ni (Huaiyu) is not dead! He is using the name 'Shadow Pavilion' to actually serve Helian Bo, the third prince of the Western Barbarians! Helian Bo is ambitious and, taking advantage of the recent death of our Empress Dowager and the instability of the northern border, intends to collude with an inside agent in the court (suspected to be from the Second Prince's faction) to fabricate border conflicts, provoke war, and plot treason! Qi Ni is his henchman, responsible for contacting the inside agent and transmitting false information. I have already secretly informed Your Highness's confidants, but this cunning fellow has likely already moved on. The capital is probably his primary target, sister, you must be extremely vigilant! I will also be secretly investigating in the northern border, sister, take care! Your brother, Yunzhou.
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