“It’s not an assumption,” Yan Xiaohan shook his head and reminded, “Jing Yuan, don’t forget the identity of the mastermind we originally suspected.”
If it weren’t for deep hatred and unbearable circumstances, how could they turn their blades from external enemies towards those who protected their homeland with their flesh and blood?
Fu Shen might never commit such a betrayal, but it was possible for the old members of the Northern Yan cavalry.
Yan Xiaohan guessed he was feeling uncomfortable and wrapped his arm around his shoulder. Fu Shen pondered for a moment and said, “I still have one confusion: if White Dew appeared in the south earlier than the north, then this opportunity was not my injury, but something before that.”
Yan Xiaohan furrowed his brow and murmured, “Last summer… what event could have affected the south?”
The two exchanged a glance, and the same impressive scene flashed simultaneously in their minds.
Yan Xiaohan: “Last June, we had an argument during the morning court and were both fined half a year’s salary by His Majesty.”
Fu Shen continued, “It was because the court wanted to send military supervisors to the border regions, and some sycophants said the Flying Dragon Guard would be most suitable.”
The past seemed both distant and near.
Who could have imagined that the pair of enemies who once fought so fiercely in the court, almost wanting to beat each other with their writing tablets, would now be intimately nestled by a campfire in a dilapidated temple?
Having experienced a near-death ordeal, the woman no longer had any attachment to Xishan Village and would answer any question, spilling all the village’s secrets completely.
The man thrown into the river was named Tian Cheng, and the woman was surnamed Ou, a married-in woman from another village.
According to Ou, Xishan Village was nestled between mountains and rivers. Although not completely isolated, it rarely saw outside visitors. About a year ago, Qiuye Bai became prevalent in the Jingchu region. A family’s young son studying in the county town was enticed by classmates to explore the red-light district. Out of curiosity, he accidentally became addicted to the drug and even shared Qiuye Bai with his peers during a home visit. By the time his parents discovered it, the son’s addiction was so deep that quitting seemed impossible.
That family had some assets and particularly doted on their youngest son, initially dismissing the Qiuye Bai, claiming they could simply buy drugs for him. However, as the addiction deepened, the user’s demand for Qiuye Bai increased. Even in Kuang Feng County, Qiuye Bai was a rare and expensive commodity that ordinary families could hardly afford, let alone farmers. Soon, the family could no longer support their son.
When drug withdrawal struck, the suffering was unbearable. The son was tortured beyond recognition and ultimately unable to endure, running out of the house on a rainy night and drowning himself.
However, villagers whispered that the son was not suicide but was deliberately drowned by his family who could no longer bear the burden.
Due to this lesson, except for those initially involved with the drug, other villagers dared not touch Qiuye Bai. Yet, this didn’t prevent some from secretly growing a few plants around their houses, envious of its high price.
Fu Shen remained silent for a long time. Yan Xiaohan recalled the thunderbolt that split the divine statue that night; perhaps there was indeed a predetermined fate guiding them. If not for that lightning, they would have directly headed to Jingzhou after resting at the Fox Immortal Temple and would not have lingered in this small village, let alone discovered the secret that the entire village had kept tight-lipped.
“It’s not some vengeful ghost, just a plague. Perhaps because all the culprits were stained with that person’s blood, they contracted the same disease and then infected other villagers,” Fu Shen said coldly. “Karma comes full circle; those who sin cannot survive.”
Yan Xiaohan asked the Ou woman, “Your husband’s illness is beyond medical help, and he’s waiting to die. You should have many years left to live. After the authorities investigate what happened in Xishan Village, no one will escape. However, since you’ve encountered us, I can show mercy and give you a chance to survive. What do you think?
The Ou woman prostrated herself and wept, “My husband and I have been married for years. I cannot easily abandon him. I beg the noble gentlemen to show mercy.”
Fu Shen looked at her pitifully and was about to agree when Yan Xiaohan stopped him with a glance: “His disease is contagious. No matter how pitiful, we cannot let him live.”
He did not lower his voice, and the Ou woman heard everything clearly. Filled with despair, she was ultimately powerless against the heartless Flying Dragon Guard. Fu Shen dragged her out, and she watched helplessly as Yan Xiaohan gathered kindling and cloth to start a fire. Moments later, thick smoke rose to the sky, and the Fox Immortal Temple became a sea of flames.
The Ou woman knelt blankly on the ground, her tears dried, her eye sockets red, unable to shed another tear.
Fu Shen casually tossed a heavy money pouch into her arms and said softly, “You have a long road ahead. Go somewhere else and start over. One day, you’ll forget him.”
Then he turned and walked into the boundless night with Yan Xiaohan.
The Ou woman clutched the money bag, the golden-red firelight reflected in her pupils. After a long time, she murmured, “I can’t forget…”
How could there be survival after a calamity? It only leaves behind a handful of burnt ash, condemning those left behind to live in a pale shadow.
[Fu Shen lazily smiled: “Smelling of copper.”]
Yan Xiaohan deliberately teased, reaching into the blanket and rubbing somewhere unspeakable: “What animal sign are you? Just waking up, let me see if your tail is still out…”
After cuddling for a while, Fu Shen finally woke up fully, got dressed, and sat at the table to eat breakfast. In the capital, he used to act like a superior among subordinates, maintaining a “no talking while eating” demeanor, but now with just the two of them, there were no such formalities. Fu Shen swallowed a mouthful of porridge and asked, “When are you planning to meet with the Prince of Qi?”
Yan Xiaohan handed him a peeled salted duck egg: “Leaving tomorrow. The Xishan Village matter is half-resolved, and the rest depends on how the authorities handle it. What about you? Are you coming with me or returning to the capital?”
Fu Shen stabbed his chopsticks down, releasing a stream of bright yellow oil, raised an eyebrow and countered, “Master Yan, am I your accompanying family member?”
“Aren’t you?” Yan Xiaohan emphasized, never missing a chance to assert his status, “Indeed a ‘family member’.”
His demeanor was far from usual, serious yet adorably silly, which softened Fu Shen’s heart: “Fine, my lord. I’ve even thrown away my mask, so I definitely can’t meet anyone.”
Here is the edited article with irrelevant content removed:
Should you just tuck me into your pouch and take me to Jingzhou?”
Yan Xiaohan knew from his sarcastic tone that there was no chance, reluctantly saying, “I’m still not fully recovered from my addiction, and you’re leaving already.”
Fu Shen replied, “Do I owe you? Treating you is already generous. Besides, your addiction is long under control. You’re just being whiny.”
Though his tone was reproachful, his indulgence was obvious. Yan Xiaohan felt comfortable being scolded and asked considerately, “Where are you going next?”
“The day Chun Yang Daoist was executed, I said I wanted to start investigating from the Southwest,” Fu Shen said. “Since we’re already here, might as well take a look.”
