Chapter 147 · Extra 5
At noon, the cramped and simple room was pitch black, with only a few slivers of light coming out near the window. It was dim and lacked any brightness, and even had a damp and rotten smell.
It's quite remarkable that they found such a small corner in such a large mansion.
Ruan Jinling sat by the window, tilting her head back to look out through the crack. Dark clouds were rising, and the wind rattled the tightly closed window, accompanied by the clanging sound of the locked door.
The wind is picking up; it's going to rain again.
She bit her lip, faintly tasting the metallic tang of blood. Her bright almond-shaped eyes dimmed, and she seemed somewhat dazed, until the door creaked open, and she quickly looked over.
It was a little boy, about seven or eight years old.
He was fair-skinned and handsome, but too pale, which made him look somewhat gloomy as he stared at her intently.
Song Xingzhi stared intently at the person in front of him.
She huddled under the broken window, her dark hair disheveled, her small face pale and filled with obvious panic, yet even in her disheveled state, her beauty remained undeniable.
Song Xingzhi's doubts along the way were explained.
Even heroes can't resist the charms of a beautiful woman; even someone like him is no exception.
He pursed his lips, looking at the person who clearly misunderstood, and without explaining, only said, "Is it you who killed my father?"
Ruan Jinling's eyes grew even darker. Her fingertips pierced through her clothes, digging into her flesh. Her heart sank, unable to tell whether it was regret or hatred, but she felt awkward facing this child, and the 'victim'.
After a long while, she finally hummed in agreement, her thoughts still wandering. She felt that the time they had spent together was like a mirage, something that would vanish at the slightest touch.
She curled up to one side, hugging her knees, burying her head, and letting the tears fall.
She began to regret it.
I don't regret escaping the girls' garden, but I do regret leaving that forest.
"Are you crying?" Song Xingzhi's hesitant voice came.
Ruan Jinling let the fabric absorb her tears, and after a while, she raised her head and asked in a hoarse voice, "Is he still alive?"
Looking at her red eyes, Song Xingzhi swallowed the sarcastic words he was about to say and pursed his lips: "You want him to live?"
Ruan Jinling: "...I want to."
Looking at her like this, Song Xingzhi couldn't help but ask, "Then why did you hurt him?"
Ruan Jinling gave a wry smile: "I don't know."
Song Xingzhi thought about the old man's words, and his expression darkened even more, becoming gloomy: "If he doesn't know anything, then why is he dying?"
Ruan Jinling was speechless, and forced a smile, saying, "I'm sorry."
"Don't tell me, you're not the one you've wronged." Song Xingzhi's expression was gloomy. His gaze swept over the dark and damp room, finally landing on the food on the table. He pursed his lips and said, "Why aren't you eating? You're pregnant, you should eat more. And this house, let's go to the main house later. These people are outrageous."
Ruan Jinling gave a bitter smile.
She's still able to live here thanks to her pregnancy.
Of course, this was just a lie she told, and those people naturally knew it, since they could tell just by taking her pulse. But what if it was a different story? Some people's pulses are just weak, and it might take three or four months for it to become clear.
No one dared to gamble until the final result was confirmed, especially now that the person's fate was uncertain.
Song Xingzhi didn't care about any of that. He only knew that if this person could move that other person's heart, then he was no ordinary individual. Thinking of the person he had seen earlier, he pursed his lips: "Should we go see him?"
Ruan Jinling looked up abruptly. Even though she knew she might have been deceived, the thought of that person still made her heart tremble, and her lips quivered slightly: "Is...is it okay?"
Others might not be allowed, but as his only child under his name, and someone personally sent by His Majesty, Song Xingzhi was naturally allowed.
He nodded: "Okay."
Ruan Jinling immediately stood up, but because she had been squatting for too long, she stumbled and almost fell. Fortunately, she grabbed the window sill and managed to steady herself. Even so, she only paused for a few seconds before staggering back outside.
"Please lead the way."
Seeing that she had regained her composure, Song Xingzhi withdrew his hand and took a step back, his expression complicated. After a long pause, he said, "Be careful."
Ruan Jinling forced a smile and said, "I can walk."
She had simply stayed in her room for too long.
It has been a month since the accident. During this month, someone has been delivering meals and cleaning her chamber pot every day. Otherwise, she has been the only one receiving food. No one has spoken to her or told her anything about the person.
Just by looking at the expressions on those people's faces, she knew that his condition must be bad.
She was somewhat weak, and her steps were unsteady as she followed behind. Song Xingzhi was worried that she would fall, so he could only slow down and walk slowly along the road.
The previous house was almost completely burned down; this one isn't the one Ruan Jinling used to live in.
The house was even larger and was heavily guarded. Guards followed us all the way, and there were people watching over us every few steps. Not even a rat could get in, let alone an outsider.
And they did all this because of her.
Ruan Jinling could feel their strange looks all the way, as if they were saying how dare she show her face in public. She clenched her fists tightly, but she didn't care about them. She followed behind them halfway until they reached the courtyard where Qu Maoze was hiding.
From the courtyard gate to the house door, the front and back yards were filled with well-trained people.
The entire mansion had over a hundred well-trained guards.
Ruan Jinling had guessed that he was someone of great importance, but at this moment, she realized she had underestimated him. He held a high position and wielded great power, no less than those who had initially tried to give her away; otherwise, they wouldn't have gone to such lengths to exploit her.
A bitter feeling welled up inside her. Looking at the door and smelling the medicine in the wind, her anxiety seemed to freeze, and she stood there, too afraid to move.
He has a wife and children, so what does she matter?
During the pause, Song Xingzhi opened the door and stepped inside. After a few steps, hearing no sound, he turned back and looked at her. Seeing her motionless, her childish brows furrowed, and her clear voice asked, "What's wrong?"
Ruan Jinling hesitated for a while, but in the end, worry prevailed. She clenched her hands and took a step: "...It's okay."
She'll just glance at it, that's all.
Ultimately, it was she who owed him.
As I entered the room, the door creaked shut again. The room was dimly lit, with only candlelight—no, that wasn't candlelight.
Rows of nightlights were placed by the window, emitting a soft, pearly glow.
Glowing mosquitoes scurried around inside the lantern, dispelling the darkness of the room.
It's more like a courtyard than a room; it's quite large.
The room was surrounded by layers of screens, like a maze, and you could only walk around it.
A strange medicinal smell filled her nostrils, and the buzzing of mosquitoes filled her ears. When Ruan Jinling looked up, she was face to face with a black snake sticking out its tongue. She was startled and stumbled.
Song Xingzhi supported her, his face stern: "This is Lingnan Gu magic. He is too badly injured, and ordinary medical techniques are useless. Even now, we cannot guarantee that he will survive."
After all, the Gu clan fears fire the most.
Ruan Jinling's face paled even more: "Gu magic?"
"The Lingnan Gu scourge, haven't you heard of it?" Song Xingzhi's face grew increasingly gloomy, then he sneered, "Oh, I forgot you have amnesia, so you probably haven't heard of it."
Ruan Jinling bit her lip, unable to speak. She could only lower her head and follow him forward, bypassing the screen filled with various mosquitoes, and into the inner room.
A white cloth hangs down, strange insects fly around, the bath below is pitch black, and the shadowy figures are immersed in the water, with only their faces above the surface to breathe.
The person in the water has their eyes closed, with slightly upturned phoenix eyes, a high and straight nose, a narrow and prominent profile, and a slightly pointed chin. Their long hair meanders in the water like water plants. From afar, they exude a breathtaking beauty that is almost too stunning to look at directly.
Ruan Jinling's vision was blurred, and she stood there blankly, unable to say a word.
Song Xingzhi pursed his lips: "Although I don't know how he did it, he can indeed change his appearance. Qu Maoze is an identity he occasionally uses. His real name is Song Shang, you should have heard of that, right?"
At the beginning of the new dynasty, he murdered his own father, pacified the princes, and beheaded the rebels...
While trapped in the women's garden, Ruan Jinling overheard the guards discussing his 'bad deeds' and heard about his reputation as a killer.
She never imagined she would have any dealings with such a person. Thinking back on their time together, she still found it hard to connect the person with the rumors. She took a step back and murmured to herself.
Song Xingzhi didn't hear clearly and frowned: "What did you say?"
Ruan Jinling murmured, "Song Shang, Song Shang, he doesn't get close to women, where did he get a son?"
Song Shang was renowned, and alongside his ruthlessness and resourcefulness, what was equally talked about was his abstinence from women. She had heard men complain before, wondering if he lacked the ability; otherwise, how could someone in such a high position remain celibate? What was the point of living then?
"..."
Song Xingzhi was speechless for a long while, then said with a heavy heart, "Is that all you could think of?"
Is this the kind of vision Song Shang had?
It's all about looks now?
Feeling embarrassed by the child's disdain, Ruan Jinling's cheeks flushed slightly. She loosened her clenched fist, revealing bloodstains on her palms that stung slightly but were no longer painful.
She stammered, "So you are?"
Song Xingzhi had a gloomy face, but because he was too young, he was not very threatening. He just stared at Ruan Jinling's curious, bright almond-shaped eyes, and soon he gave up and hung his head.
"I am Song Xingzhi. I was rescued and adopted by him during the Lingnan Gu calamity."
It must be adoption, right?
Song Xingzhi wasn't entirely sure either, as he hadn't seen this person more than a few times since he was brought back.
Ruan Jinling breathed a sigh of relief, her mood immediately brightening. Although this feeling shouldn't have come at this moment, compared to the fact that her beloved was a big liar with a wife and children, the fact that he was just changing his appearance and hiding his identity to be with her didn't seem so painful anymore.
After all, she wasn't much better off.
Thinking of the hardships and worries she had endured along the way, Ruan Jinling looked at the seven or eight-year-old Song Xingzhi in front of her with some resentment and accused him: "You're a bad thing just like your father."
Song Xingzhi: "..."
She's so arrogant! Has she forgotten who she is?
Ruan Jinling hadn't forgotten, but guilt and anger could coexist. Looking at the lifeless person in the medicine pool, her heart ached with a mix of heartache, regret, and worry. But looking at that unfamiliar face, she couldn't help but feel angry and sad.
That big liar.
She couldn't help but walk over to the edge of the pool to take a closer look.
He was tall and slender, not particularly robust, but his martial arts skills were evident even when he lay down; his muscular physique was undeniable. A black mole adorned his waist, and there were numerous scratches on his shoulders. Even a finger's width from his chest bore an arrow scar, and that...
She couldn't see very clearly through the medicine pool, but it was definitely a body she was familiar with.
Ruan Jinling looked at the naked body, disregarding her embarrassment, and examined the person from head to toe. She found no fatal injuries, not even burns on the face, and breathed a sigh of relief.
She turned to look at the old man with white hair and a youthful face sitting on the other side. He was pounding things in a stone mortar, surrounded by various insects and snakes that she had never seen before, which he was pounding and throwing into the mortar little by little.
Ruan Jinling bit her lip: "Is he better now?"
The old insect chuckled: "Good? Not good at all. It's you, girl, who made him look like this?"
Ruan Jinling nodded, feeling distressed, and then asked, "When will he get better? Is he asleep or unconscious right now?"
The old insect looked her up and down: "Is he better? Whether he can get better is uncertain. Don't be fooled by his lack of external injuries; he's seriously injured inside. But I heard that you're pregnant with his child?"
Ruan Jinling felt guilty. After all, she had just made this up, but if she admitted it, who knew what these people would do without any scruples? She clutched her clothes and whispered, "That's possible, isn't it?"
After all, more than ten doctors had already taken her pulse, so that was all she could say.
A month has passed now, and at most she can last two more months, which is enough.
Seeing her like this, Old Insect knew everything. He chuckled and said, "Come here, let me take a look. It's been a month. If she's really pregnant, she won't escape my eyes."
Ruan Jinling dared not show it to him. She stood there hesitantly, her head down, her face pale, and her chin pointed.
“Don’t be afraid. Unless Father gives the order, no one will dare to do anything to you.” Song Xingzhi’s voice came from behind. After a year in the capital, being taught by various scholars, he had a hint of Song Shang’s aura. He looked at the cowering Ruan Jinling and said, “If he dislikes you, it doesn’t matter whether you’re pregnant or not.”
If he liked her, things would be like this now, even though she almost killed him, he's still alive and kicking, eating and drinking well.
Ruan Jinling felt even more guilty and remorseful. Looking at the lifeless person in the medicine pool, she slowly walked up to Elder Chong and reached out her hand.
She was already slender, but after a month of not eating or sleeping well, she lost a lot of weight. Her wrist became even thinner, and the jade bracelet hanging on it was now empty, with the pale blue veins clearly visible.
The old insect chuckled as if watching a joke, grabbed her wrist to take her pulse, and then his expression changed. His smile gradually turned serious, and he reached out to pull open her collar.
Ruan Jinling's expression changed, and she retreated in alarm, her face flushed with anger: "What are you doing?"
Song Xingzhi also ran up, the little boy blocking her way, his face dark: "Old man, what do you want to do? Think about your son and those insects, and behave yourself."
Old Insect rolled his eyes, his face gradually darkening: "What do you mean? You think I'd be interested in such a young, blonde girl?"
Not to mention she's Song Shang's woman; does he think he's living too long?
Song Xingzhi angrily asked, "Then what did you just do?"
Old Chong snorted and subconsciously looked towards the medicinal bath. Seeing that Song Shang had her eyes closed, he breathed a slight sigh of relief, suppressed his guilty conscience, and changed the subject: "I'm taking her pulse. Now I have good news and bad news. Which do you want to hear first?"
He looked about the same height as Song Xingzhi, and his skin was smooth, but you could tell at a glance that he was an old man. Looking at them now, although he was a bit mischievous, he certainly didn't have any lust for beauty.
Ruan Jinling clutched her clothes, both nervous and confused: "Bad, good, or good news, please?"
Could she have some terminal illness?
She has felt inexplicably weak these past two days, but it's normal for her to feel weak because she's eating little and is worried. It can't be considered bad news, right?
As for the good news, thinking about what Elder Chong had just said, she inexplicably felt a sense of anticipation again.
Could it be...?
Seeing her like this, the old insect knew what she was thinking. He chuckled and said, "The good news is that you've been poisoned by a Gu, specifically the Red Thread Gu, one of the ten Gu of the Gu Clan. Those poisoned by Gu will eventually have their flesh and blood devoured from the inside out, until only skin and bones remain."
Ruan Jinling's face turned deathly pale: "How...how could this be?"
Old Insect: "Look at the red spot on your chest. You didn't have this before, did you?"
Ruan Jinling looked down instinctively and saw a red spot, like a mole, on her left chest, below her collarbone. She hadn't seen it before, and her hands and feet felt weak.
Song Xingzhi also frowned deeply. He had also heard of the Red Thread Gu's reputation. He looked at Elder Chong suspiciously: "Since it's the Red Thread Gu, how can this be good news? Can you solve it?"
The old insect chuckled, “Of course. It’s hard to say about other things, but the Red Thread Gu, I happen to have the mother Gu. She’s only been infected for a little over a month, so it won’t be difficult to get rid of her. Besides, the Red Thread Gu is a pair of Gu, and that kid Song Shang has some too. Perfect, this girl can share some of the burden for him, reducing his pain and danger. It’s just a matter of bleeding him out and cutting off his flesh, enduring the pain of being eaten by the Gu. It all depends on whether you’re willing to do it.”
“I’m willing,” Ruan Jinling stepped forward instinctively, eagerly. “Can I help him? I’m willing to do anything, I, I.”
Thinking that Song Shang's current state was all because of her, her eyes reddened, and tears fell one by one, filled with unconcealed pain and regret.
The old insect could see her sincerity and said, "You don't need to blame yourself too much. The reason you have the Red Thread Gu is because you were dragged down by Song Shang. If it weren't for him, you wouldn't need this thing. You have a offspring Gu in your body, which will affect your mind and cause you to do things you don't want to do. That's normal."
Ruan Jinling murmured, "Is that really how it is?"
But even if it weren't for her, it might not have made him lower his guard. In the end, it was still her fault.
Ruan Jinling wiped away her tears, her expression resolute: "What can I do to help him? Just bleed him out and cut off his flesh? I'm willing to do it no matter what."
"That's quite affectionate, but unfortunately, there's bad news too." The old insect picked up a dried insect from the side and stuffed it into his mouth, crunching and chuckling: "You're pregnant."
Ruan Jinling was stunned.
The old insect continued, "You've been infected with the Red Thread Gu, and your body will gradually weaken. To cure the Gu, you'll need to take medicine and eat insects, so this child won't be easy to give birth to. Besides, if you're pregnant and taking all sorts of random medicines, even if you manage to give birth, it's hard to say what kind of insect baby it will be."
Ruan Jinling's face turned deathly pale again, and she instinctively clutched her stomach: "You mean, this child can't be born?"
"I didn't say that. I said it wouldn't be easy to give birth, but if I do, I can't help this kid with the Gu poison. I can only choose one, hehehe." The old insect crunched and chuckled sinisterly. "But it's easy to choose. This kid Song Shang will just suffer a bit more. Whether you're there or not, he might not survive. But if you give birth to this child, everything will be fine from now on..."
"Save him." Ruan Jinling clutched her stomach, her face drained of color, her almond-shaped eyes brimming with tears, her voice choked with emotion yet still resolute, "Save him. If I share the burden, he'll feel better, won't he?"
Song Shang lay in the medicinal pool, seemingly without any external injuries, but the way the room was arranged and the many people guarding outside could only mean that his condition was more dangerous than that of a typical serious injury.
The fire burned down an entire courtyard in the blink of an eye.
She thought he was dead and instinctively wanted to run away. But when she got to the city gate, she heard someone say that he was still alive and they were looking for a doctor. Torn between these thoughts, she ran back.
Thank goodness, she's back.
Thankfully, he's alright.
Fortunately, she was still somewhat useful.
Ruan Jinling wiped away her tears and said softly, "This child came at the wrong time."
“It’s definitely not the right time.” Suddenly, a hoarse voice came from the side.
Ruan Jinling looked over in surprise and saw him slowly sit up, looking at her coldly with that unfamiliar face, as if she were a stranger. His voice was extremely cold and cruel.
"Don't pretend to do anything for me. This child won't stay."
[Author's Note]
Song Shang: My wife is not in good health, we can't keep this child.
Future Child: Huh? What did you say? You don't want anyone?
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