Beneath the shrine
Falling asleep on horseback isn't a very pleasant experience.
Xiao Diting dreamed of an autumn hunt.
She dismissed her attendants and rode her horse through the mountains and forests. That year she was fifteen years old, and her father, the emperor, designated an area in the suburbs for an autumn hunt to celebrate her birthday.
This was an era that valued both literature and martial arts, so it was not surprising that the princess was skilled in horsemanship. The still-naive third princess asked her father for a light bow, tested its accuracy, mounted her horse, and set off to hunt for the day's prize, kicking up clouds of dust.
The wind whistled past her ears. She was in the limelight, drawing her longbow and hitting the bullseye every time, drawing gasps of amazement from the onlookers and making others envious.
She is unrestrained, roaming freely between heaven and earth.
That day, she wore a red robe, her long hair was tied up, and a jade pendant bestowed by the Empress Dowager was tied around her waist. As the birthday star of the day, she was naturally blessed with boundless fortune.
Xiao Diting unsurprisingly won the championship that day.
Being young, she couldn't hide her emotions on her face. She excitedly ran to her father and brothers to show them her achievements, expecting to receive unanimous praise.
As a result, her father simply leaned lazily to the side and gestured with his eyes that she could kneel and take her leave.
As for her elder brother, who was much taller than her, he didn't give her a kind look at all. His tall shadow loomed over Xiao Diting, and his displeased gaze swept over her, making her feel uneasy.
Xiao Diting subconsciously took a step back.
She heard her brother's malicious sneer.
Her elder brother, who shared the same mother, looked away in disgust and continued his conversation with their father, seemingly annoyed by her lack of tact and for interrupting his important business.
She heard her elder brother say, "Your subject believes that the name 'Mingzhao' is too good; she is not worthy of it."
The third princess of the dynasty, Xiao Diting, had the courtesy name "Mingzhao," which means "to judge cases with reason and to redress grievances."
Xiao Diting blinked rapidly, silently bowed, and stepped aside. The emperor closed his eyes, played with the Buddhist prayer beads in his hand, and lightly interrupted him: "This is your imperial grandmother's wish."
In her dream, upon hearing this, she gripped the light bow tightly in her hand, the bowstring digging fiercely into her palm, leaving a trail of blood.
Even though she had been incredibly glamorous just now, she couldn't hold her head up high in front of these two men.
She knew she was dreaming, but the pain was real and tangible, making it hard for her to breathe. It wasn't her palms that ached; it was her festering heart.
And so, the dream ended.
Xiao Diting's eyelids twitched, and with great effort, he lifted them up. What came into view was Pei Wenjin's collar.
The pleasant incense had faded so much from the rain that it was almost undetectable. She snuggled closer to him, and Pei Wenjin knew she was awake.
Having been chased all the way, Xiao Diting was on edge. Now that he was finally able to relax, he felt as if his bones had been disassembled and reassembled, and every joint was screaming in pain.
She could even feel her heart pounding against her eardrums, mingling with the sound of the rain to create a dizzying rhythm.
The rain poured down, splashing water onto the muddy path.
In the rain, the sound of horses' hooves splashing through the puddles was particularly clear, and the mud splattered onto the hem of Pei Wenjin's robe, spreading out in dark stains.
In a daze, Xiao Diting smelled a complex odor mixed with rainwater, mud, and blood, which made her stomach clench.
She felt that she hadn't been fully conscious for long, like a small boat bobbing in a sudden downpour, struggling to move forward.
Memory and reality constantly intertwine, sometimes clear and sometimes blurry.
"Don't sleep." Pei Wenjin's voice suddenly rang out above his head, and Xiao Diting realized that he had almost fainted again.
Her cheek was pressed against the Commander's chest, and through his soaked clothes, she could clearly feel the vibrations in his chest and his increasingly rapid heartbeat.
The large raincoat wrapped her completely, and rainwater dripped down the edges of the raincoat, forming a transparent curtain of water in front of her eyes.
This action was completely different from Pei Wenjin's usual flamboyant and high-profile style, like peeling away a prickly outer shell to reveal a piece of silk underneath.
"Hang in there a little longer." Pei Wenjin's deep voice rang in her ear, and Xiao Diting could feel the vibration of his chest as he spoke.
It was really noisy, and she wanted to sleep.
She wanted to respond, but found her throat so dry it felt like it had been burned, and she could only make a faint breath.
She tried to nod in acknowledgment, but her forehead accidentally bumped into Pei Wenjin's chin, and she heard him groan.
"Don't move." He tightened his grip on her arm suddenly, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Xiao Diting's eyelids felt incredibly heavy. He struggled to lift his chin, trying to see his surroundings clearly, but all he could see was Pei Wenjin's still dripping chin and his eyes gazing into the distance.
Those eyes remained as sharp as a hawk's even through the rain.
Xiao Diting felt vaguely that something was missing.
What could it be? She thought slowly.
It's blood.
When she suddenly realized this, a memory that did not belong to her came flooding back.
It must have been a rainy night many years ago, when she, or rather the original owner of this body, was curled up in Pei Wenjin's arms just like today.
The aftereffects of triggering her talent caused her excruciating pain all over her body, as if her internal organs were being clenched and unclenched by an invisible hand.
This continued repeatedly, until Xiao Diting felt an urge to vomit in pain.
Although the raincoat kept out most of the rain, she still felt bone-chillingly cold. Conversely, her body began to burn.
"Pei—" Xiao Diting gasped softly, the throbbing pain in her chest making it hard to breathe, and she couldn't utter a complete sentence.
She unconsciously gripped the fabric on Pei Wenjin's shoulder.
Pei Wenjin noticed her unusual behavior and gave her an anxious look that perfectly matched a scene from his memory.
Xiao Diting opened his eyes wide and vaguely saw Pei Wenjin carrying the original owner in the same way on that rainy night five years ago, walking quickly along the mountain path.
All she could hear were gusts of wind and the rhythmic clatter of horses' hooves. The sounds enveloped her like a tidal wave, and she began to lose her sense of time and reality.
“Pei, Pei Wenjin…” she called his name with difficulty.
The girl's hoarse voice was extremely grating, and Pei Wenjin was extremely anxious. He was torn between his inner thoughts and his own.
He knew he shouldn't involve the princess, but the princess herself insisted on cooperating.
The person in my arms was practically burning hot... If this drags on any longer, someone might die.
To evade pursuit, they fled in the opposite direction all the way, already dozens of miles away from the capital.
It's too late to rush back now, and besides, Xiao Diting's current condition can't withstand any more turbulence.
Pei Wenjin looked around, the outlines of the mountains and forests blurred in the rain.
Where would a doctor come from in this desolate wilderness?
The more I rushed, the more anxious I became. I had been running around for who knows how long, and it was getting dark. Because of the rain, it was now completely dark and visibility was extremely low.
Pei Wenjin could feel his mount's breathing becoming heavy. If they continued to rush along like this, both he and the horse would likely be in trouble.
His eyes flickered slightly as he suddenly remembered that he had stopped at a village or town nearby on his way back to the capital from Huaizhou.
"It's too late to get back to the capital!" Pei Wenjin suddenly pulled on the reins, raindrops sliding down his brow. "Everyone, follow me this way!" He turned his horse around first and charged towards the mountain path on the left.
Song Pingzhang and Ji Chuan exchanged a brief glance, said nothing more, and quickly followed.
The horse's hooves pounded the muddy mountain path, which became increasingly bumpy as it went on. It was truly a last resort, as I had stumbled upon this place by chance while trying to find shelter from the rain.
Xiao Diting barely opened his eyes amidst the turbulence and saw the faint shadows of houses peeking out from the depths of the woods ahead, like seeing the dawn in the darkness.
Outside the capital, there are many small mountain villages that adapt to local conditions, and almost all of them are composed of a single surname. This is the place where Pei Wenjin remembers settling down.
A large group of Imperial Guards rode into the area, but there wasn't a single person in sight.
They found it strange from afar. Although it was raining and visibility was good, there was no way that there would be no light in any inhabited area.
Even at its worst, the whole village shouldn't be like this, exuding a deathly stillness.
The mountain village nestled quietly in the forest, shrouded in darkness, offering no response to the group that had intruded.
The horses paced anxiously back and forth at the entrance of the mountain village, as the Imperial Guards had already entered the village to search for them, ensuring their safety.
After a while, Ji Chuan and his colleagues ran back with solemn expressions.
Pei Wenjin narrowed his eyes, a sense of unease growing within him. He asked in a cold voice, "What's going on?"
Ji Chuan's expression was grave: "Reporting to my lord, Old Su and I have searched thoroughly, and we found neither a person nor even a mouse that steals rice—"
After saying that, Ji Chuan scratched his head embarrassedly: "But we shouldn't worry about that for now. The most important thing is to find a place to take shelter from the rain."
Pei Wenjin sighed silently and gave the order: "You're right, everyone follow me."
Pei Wenjin reined in his horse and stopped in front of a fairly intact house. According to his memory, this was the village's ancestral hall—the largest house in the village that could provide shelter from the rain.
The straw under the eaves was mostly rotten, but it could at least block some of the wind and rain.
He nimbly dismounted and then reached out to lift Xiao Diting down.
"Can you walk?" He frowned, looking at her pale face.
Xiao Diting stubbornly pushed his hand away, and as soon as her feet touched the ground, she felt dizzy and almost knelt down.
Pei Wenjin swiftly grabbed her waist, picked her up without a word, and strode into the ancestral hall.
"...Put me down." Xiao Diting struggled, but his voice was weak and lacked any intimidation. "Your subordinates are all watching!"
She tried to say something to make Pei Wenjin calm down, but Pei Wenjin was clearly someone who was used to doing things his own way.
He simply turned around with the princess in his arms, facing the Imperial Guards waiting under the eaves, and couldn't help but tease them: "Who's going to watch?"
The superior officer always had his own quirky sense of humor, and the rest of the Imperial Guards had been tacitly looking down at their toes from the very beginning. Ji Chuan was even more excited when he spotted a group of ants moving house, and nudged Song Pingzhang, who was silently wiping his knife, with his elbow.
Song Pingzhang closed his eyes, feeling a headache coming on.
Pei Wenjin carried Xiao Diting inside with satisfaction.
Upon entering the ancestral hall, he glanced arrogantly at the dilapidated, cobweb-covered statues before walking straight to a relatively dry corner behind them and setting her down.
The interior of the ancestral hall was even more dilapidated than the exterior. Cobwebs covered the corners, a wooden table with a missing leg leaned against the wall, and several moldy straw mats were scattered on the ground.
"At least it doesn't leak." Pei Wenjin looked around, his tone as indifferent as if he were commenting on an inn.
Xiao Diting sat down against the wall, her soaked clothes clinging to her body. She felt extremely uncomfortable, so she curled up, burying most of her face in her arms, leaving only her eyes showing.
She watched as Pei Wenjin deftly inspected every corner, finally carrying back a bundle of relatively dry firewood.
"How did you know there was an abandoned village here?" she couldn't help but ask.
Pei Wenjin didn't even look up, squatted down and started a fire: "Just passing by, let's take a break."
Xiao Diting gave a muffled "Oh".
Pei Wenjin pulled out a flint from somewhere and quickly lit a fire. The orange-red flames illuminated his features clearly.
With the fire to keep warm, Xiao Diting finally felt a little better, and the aftereffects of "Diting" were slowly fading away.
She regained the strength to speak.
Only after Pei Wenjin finished doing all this did he remember the matter of avoiding suspicion. His gaze kept wandering and never fell on Xiao Diting, which Xiao Diting suddenly found somewhat amusing.
She retorted sarcastically, "Does Lord Pei also feel embarrassed?"
Pei Wenjin coughed lightly, then reverted to the irritatingly polite manner he had before setting off: "Not at all, not at all. This humble servant has offended Your Highness many times... Please forgive me, Your Highness."
"Too late." Xiao Diting gritted his teeth and called out to the commander who was about to slip away, suppressing his anger as he began to settle accounts. "That statue outside, which I don't know what it is, let's just call it a god for now... Lord Pei, are you still not going to tell me the truth?"
Pei Wenjin paused slightly, then turned his back to her. The firewood crackled and popped as it burned. In this silent stalemate, Pei Wenjin was the first to give in.
He turned his head and met Xiao Diting's staring eyes. The firelight illuminated half of her face, involuntarily reminding him of the gaze of a predator.
He remained outwardly calm and began to evade the question with a smile: "Your Highness's hospitality is too much for me to refuse—but there are some inconveniences at the moment, so I will reply to you from outside."
Xiao Diting was not someone who was easily appeased, and kept pressing for an answer: "Why?"
Pei Wenjin glanced at her meaningfully: "You should dry your clothes first, so you don't catch a cold."
Her clothes were completely soaked by the rain; no wonder Pei Wenjin had held her tightly the whole way and even tucked her into the ancestral hall alone...
Because of this gentlemanly demeanor, Xiao Diting found him more agreeable: "What if you run away?"
"Where can this humble servant run off to?" Pei Wenjin couldn't help but smile bitterly. Her Highness the Princess was truly a divine being. An ordinary girl would have already been too ashamed to leave him by now.
But our princess is different. She openly tries to extract information from him. I must say, she is indeed an excellent partner.
Pei Wenjin was filled with mixed feelings. If he didn't do something, Xiao Diting would definitely not let it go. After thinking for a moment, he took out a handkerchief and a string of thin thread from his pocket.
"Wipe the blood off."
Xiao Diting was caught off guard by the sudden gesture of goodwill and reached out to grab Pei Wenjin's hand. Pei Wenjin took the opportunity to tie a thin thread around her wrist while handing her a handkerchief.
He said helplessly, "If Your Highness is worried about me, just pull on it to confirm."
Xiao Diting fiddled with the thin thread on his wrist with satisfaction, and smiled as he gestured for Lord Pei to go stand outside.
As she watched Pei Wenjin leave, Xiao Diting felt the thin thread gradually hooking around her wrist until it tightened.
The thin line wasn't long, and Xiao Diting knew that Pei Wenjin was only separated from him by a wall.
"First question, how does it feel to be using me, Lord Pei?" Xiao Diting slowly broke the relaxed atmosphere between them. Pei Wenjin looked behind him, where a dilapidated statue was looking down at him with an extremely strange smile.
Whether out of conscience or something else, Pei Wenjin felt uneasy for the first time about Princess Mingzhao's talent, and he was unwilling to lie to her.
Xiao Diting's voice pierced his ears like needles.
After a long while, he finally found his voice.
"This is my fault, and I will certainly apologize to Your Highness in the future."
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