Chapter 46 Hidden Corner (Part 1) You... leave me some hope...
Before dawn, Guo Jia was organizing bamboo slips in his study by candlelight, making final preparations for the expedition.
After their passionate night together, Deng Jie pulled Guo Jia aside and made him swear that she wouldn't be angry with him and would accept reality, but he couldn't hide anything from her anymore.
Guo Jia didn't want her to be disappointed in him, so he had no choice but to tell her the truth.
Deng Jie hammered and knocked, setting up a spirit altar here, adding an extended eave to the altar, and arranging three rows of platforms to store the spirit tablets. He burned incense in front of each spirit tablet, and at each spot, he devoutly bowed once.
The top shelf contains the memorial tablets of Guo Jia's parents, Deng's mother, and Yu Ji;
The middle level contains the memorial tablets for Deng Zhao's family.
The lower layer has several arranged side by side:
One blank space represents Deng Jie's private offering to Dong Guiren and her unborn child. She knew she had no right to offer sacrifices for them and only sought peace of mind for herself.
One couple was Fu Xiao, the leader of the Yue tribe, and Liu Niang, a prostitute he had a relationship with in Wancheng. They had many interactions with the two of them back then.
As Deng Zhao said, they too have long since vanished into dust with the winds of Xingping.
One pair is for Jiao Zhongqing and Liu Lanzhi from Lujiang.
Before Deng Jie and Guo Jia left Wancheng, Liu Lanzhi was an embroiderer at Liu's Embroidery Workshop, which was under the Deng family's business, while Jiao Zhongqing worked as an accountant in the Deng family. The two had just gotten engaged at that time.
The following year, Jiao Zhongqing was chosen by Liu Xun to be a government official, so he took Liu Lanzhi and went there to seek refuge, thus escaping the calamity in Lujiang.
It turns out that Liu Xun's interest in Jiao Zhongqing was a pretense; his true interest was in Liu Lanzhi's weaving skills.
Since Dong Zhuo reminted the Wuzhu coin, grain prices have skyrocketed, and bartering and grain and silk trading have become popular among the people. Liu Lanzhi alone cut five bolts of silk in three days, not to mention bringing the other embroiderers to work together.
After Liu Xun became the prefect of Lujiang, he deliberately sowed discord between Jiao's mother and Liu Lanzhi, while he himself proposed marriage to Liu Lanzhi on behalf of his son, ultimately causing the two to die to prove their love.
It was only in the fourth year of Jian'an that Deng Zhao sent someone a brocade relic embroidered by Liu Lanzhi for the Lantern Festival in Wancheng in the third year of Chuping, and that Deng Jie and his companion learned of this matter.
When Guo Jia confessed to her last night, Deng Jie never imagined that she had so many lives on her hands... This is what gave her the idea of setting up a stage at home.
The one on the far right reads "The Position of Wang Hou, the Big-Eyed Brother".
Big Eyes was originally the chief strategist of the Yue tribe. He was impressed by Guo Jia's strategies and worshipped him to the point of adoration. When Deng Jie was in the village, he would call him "Big Eyes Brother" repeatedly, which made him very happy. He always followed Guo Jia around, cooking for him and taking good care of the two of them.
When the mountain village was destroyed in the second year of Xingping, Da Yan happened to be away from the village and thus escaped the calamity.
By chance, he met Deng Zhao again, who advised him to go north to Xu County to seek refuge with Guo Jia.
With Guo Jia's help, he joined Cao Cao's army and earned the position of Grain Supervisor two years later.
However, Cao Cao's army was bogged down in the Battle of Shouchun, and supplies were running low. Cao Cao proposed a strategy of using severed heads to boost morale, which made Guo Jia hesitate, but in the end... he still chose to support it.
Now this piece of wood has been placed in a wooden box under the table, and together with the Lantern Festival picture, it is considered a relic.
After paying his respects to the memorial tablet with the large eyes, Deng Jie silently glanced around, praying and mourning for them in his heart.
“Say yes…” He watched quietly as Deng Jie finished the solemn ceremony, his heart filled with a mixture of guilt and tenderness.
But the time for farewell had finally come. He came out of the study, carrying a cloth bag on his back, and bowed deeply to the altar.
Deng Jie turned to greet him, noticing his bulging baggage and worried expression. He took the man's arm and led him back, asking, "Will this journey... take a long time?"
"...It won't be soon."
Deng Jie gripped his sleeve tightly, "On the battlefield, swords and spears have no eyes..."
Guo Jia placed his hand on hers and gently comforted her: "Don't be afraid. You know from your military experience that I'm just a strategist in the camp. I'm not the one who goes to the front lines to fight the enemy."
"But Yuan Shao's army is strong and well-equipped, and this time he has come with his entire force..."
"Is it really as smooth as you say?" Deng Jie asked absentmindedly, while her hand reached into his clothes and her cold face snuggled against his neck for warmth.
"When two armies are at war, it's common for spies to plant each other's spies..."
Guo Jia was taken aback by Deng Jie's sudden affection, his heart burning. "Tell me...tell me..." He grabbed Deng Jie's hand, "You..."
"What's wrong?" Deng Jie looked up at him calmly, the matter-of-fact look in his eyes giving Guo Jia the illusion that the world had turned upside down.
He swallowed hard. The embers of last night were reignited by the wind. All his plans and analyses had to surrender at this moment. He sighed softly, dropped his baggage, and wrapped his arms around her waist. "You... leave me some hope."
As dawn broke, Guo Jia straightened his clothes, shouldered his bag again, and stepped out of his study.
"Wait for me."
Guo Jia stopped her at the gate of the house, saying, "If you encounter any trouble, go to Wenruo. Never venture out alone, never go to unfamiliar places, never..."
Deng Jie raised her hand to cover his mouth and sneered, "I'm not a child, so don't worry about me!"
Guo Jia took two steps reluctantly, then stopped and turned back, saying, "Whatever you do, don't go to the palace!"
Deng Jie felt a chill run down her spine and nodded: "I've got it. Besides, I'm just a common woman, and they have no excuse to summon me now."
Guo Jia's gaze softened slightly, then he took a deep breath and called out:
"Xu Ta!"
A tall, thin man dressed in gray with a sword emerged from the dark alley: "Sir."
"Protect Madam. If anyone tries to forcibly take her away..." He looked sharply at Xu Ta, "no matter who it is, execute them first and report later!"
"promise!"
After seeing Guo Jia off, Deng Jie closed the gate of the house, and Xu Ye retreated into the dark alley as usual.
This Xu was a guard whom the two of them recruited when they passed through Wancheng on their way from Xinye to Xuxian in the third year of Xingping.
Before entering the city, this person was prevented from entering because he had been separated from his brother and did not have a talisman. With the help of Deng Jie, he was able to enter.
Shortly after entering the city, when Deng Jie and Guo Jia went their separate ways, Guo Jia was suddenly taken away by the Wancheng soldiers. Deng Jie was told that he was suspected of poisoning Xu Yi, Yuan Shao's envoy.
Just as Deng Jiezhen was determined to find evidence to clear her husband's name, she encountered the swordsman again and learned that the deceased Xu Yi was his brother, who was also investigating the truth behind the death.
The two hit it off immediately. Xu Ta helped her sneak into the prison to meet Guo Jia. She helped Xu Ta find concrete evidence and eventually successfully caught the murderer, clearing Guo Jia's name. From then on, Xu Ta followed the two and always protected them.
Upon arriving in Xu County, Guo Jia placed him in the inner courtyard of the School Affairs Office and put him in charge of liaison with Deng Zhao.
Now that Deng Zhao is dead, the deepest source of information from Jiangdong has been cut off. Coupled with the lingering echoes of the imperial edict, Guo Jia is still worried about Deng Jie's safety, so he has arranged for Xu Ta to be his bodyguard.
Two months after the expedition began, Deng Jie learned from Bian that the Battle of Yanjin had been won and the battle line had shifted from Yanjin to Guandu.
That day, Deng Jie was pounding herbs in the front yard, and A Xiang was by her side, learning to identify the herbs and helping her sort them.
A slow, deliberate knock on the door broke the silence.
Hearing the noise, Ayu went to open the door. "Who is it?"
The newcomer was a young woman, who looked to be under twenty. She wore a simple dress and a plain hairpin, and had a slender figure. She was holding a boy who looked to be about three years old in her arms.
Her voice was clear and resonant, carrying a touch of authority, yet her words were quite polite: "I apologize for bothering you. I've heard that Madam Deng is kind-hearted and offers free medical consultations. My child is terrified at night, so I've come to ask Madam for a look."
"Please come in quickly, the lady is in the front yard." Without thinking too much, Ayu led the mother and son inside and called to Deng Jie, "Madam, this lady has brought her young master to see a doctor, saying that she can't sleep well at night."
Deng Jie put down the pestle, wiped his hands, and gestured to the empty seat opposite him, saying, "Madam, please sit here."
The woman, holding the child, sat down as instructed, her movements showing a degree of caution.
After being put down, the child seemed a little scared of the unfamiliar environment and nestled in her arms.
"Please, madam," the woman said, handing the baby to Deng Jie, "this child has been having trouble sleeping at night lately, suffering from nightmares and constant crying, which has left him listless and unable to eat during the day."
Deng nodded, placed his fingertips on the pulse, and examined it carefully: the pulse was normal, with no obvious abnormalities.
She then carefully examined the child's tongue and eyelids, and asked about details of his diet and daily life.
The child was initially reserved, but gradually became attracted by Ah Xiang, who was arranging herbs next to him, and reached out to pinch the herbs as well.
Seeing his curiosity, Ah Xiang imitated Deng Jie's tone from earlier, speaking to him in a soft, serious voice, "This is licorice, it's sweet..." As she spoke, she even put the licorice in her mouth and sipped it.
The boy glanced at the woman, broke free from her grasp, and ran to learn from Ah Xiang.
After observing for a moment, Deng Jie frankly said to the woman, "Madam, judging from the pulse and the young master's current condition... his health should be fine. The child's night terrors and nightmares are probably due to some kind of fright or restlessness... I cannot prescribe medicine for this."
The woman was somewhat disappointed, then earnestly asked, "But he cries every night, and I really can't bear it... Does Madam have any way to alleviate this?"
Deng Jie pondered for a moment, "In that case, I will prepare a calming sachet for the lady. Hang it by the master's bedside at night to spread fragrance, which may be helpful."
She was about to get up when she was startled by the woman's casual remark, "Since it's for fragrance, why not use a box of incense powder? Burning incense is always better than just hanging it up."
Most of those who come for free medical consultations are poor people who are already extremely grateful for any donations they receive. No one would ask for incense as soon as they ask for it.
Deng Jie turned around and looked at the woman with a strange expression. Although she deliberately dressed in a simple and rough manner, her features were striking and her eyes and brows exuded a sense of majesty and nobility. Her natural demeanor was definitely not that of an ordinary commoner.
Deng Jie was startled. Looking at the child again, although he was dressed plainly, he had fair skin, was well-behaved, and even less lively than Ah Xiang. He had obviously been disciplined.
She glanced at the side room; Mr. and Mrs. Yu weren't outside. She lowered her voice and asked, "Just who...is Madam?"
The woman was also slightly taken aback, but then she dropped her feigned shyness and smiled slightly.
"They're more vigilant than I thought."
She looked up and met Deng Jie's terrified gaze, deliberately drawing out her words as she softly replied, "This humble servant... comes from the palace, and my surname is..."
"Lie down."
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