Chapter 125: The Mentor

The layout of county offices was generally the same. In addition to the front halls for public affairs—the main hall, the second hall, and the Three Provinces Hall—and the side rooms housing the six administrative offices, there was a garden separating three smaller residences in the back.

The central residence, slightly more spacious, originally served as the magistrate’s home. The two smaller residences on either side were the quarters for the registrar and the assistant magistrate.

Before Dong Yun and Pear Blossom returned, Murong Jiutian had already sent people to clean and prepare these residences thoroughly, even furnishing them with brand-new furniture. Everything was ready for their arrival.

Standing at the entrance of the newly renovated courtyard, Dong Yun felt a wave of relief—finally, no more hiding and running around.

But now, the entire office complex was eerily empty. Administrative tasks had piled up into a mountain. Refugees needed resettling. The remnants of the bandits hadn’t been eradicated. The city’s economy urgently required revival. Damaged farmland needed restoration…

There was so much to do, and she was severely short-staffed.

At that moment, a figure in red came running from the front, shouting from a distance, “Big Sister—!”

Who else could it be but Murong Jin?

Dong Yun smiled and said, “You’re well-informed, aren’t you? I’ve just returned, and you already know.”

Murong Jin chuckled, “I happened to be patrolling nearby and heard from Xiaoba that you were back. Of course, I rushed over immediately!”

Dong Yun noticed Murong Jin’s unruly bangs sticking up in all directions and the dark circles under her eyes. Concerned, she asked, “These past few days must’ve been exhausting, right?”

Now that all the offices were paralyzed and the officials and clerks had fled, Murong Jiutian had no choice but to delegate tasks to his daughter and their guards. Just thinking about it made Dong Yun feel the strain.

Murong Jin waved it off with a laugh. “It’s been a bit overwhelming, but now that you’re back, Big Sister, it’s no big deal.”

Dong Yun smiled faintly. “I’m back to save you.”

Turning to Pear Blossom, she said, “We’re in urgent need of people. Tomorrow morning, go back to the village and bring the Wuyin Army here. I have tasks for them. Also, bring Zeng Guangjin with you. He can handle some of the paperwork for the office, and it’ll be more reassuring to use someone we trust.”

Pear Blossom agreed.

“Oh, right, and also about your teacher.”

Murong Jin felt uneasy when she heard her mention Xia Xunyan. She hesitated and stammered, “Sister, Teacher Xia… she’s actually at my place…”

Pear Blossom was puzzled. “Isn’t she supposed to be teaching in the village? Why would she be at your place?”

It was clear that Pear Blossom had no knowledge of what had happened with Xia Xunyan that day. She had also forgotten to ask Zhang Xiaoshi and the others how they had learned that the princess was in Daliushu Village. As a result, she hadn’t realized anything unusual about the teacher’s recent situation.

Murong Jin didn’t answer her question directly. Instead, she carefully observed Dong Yun’s expression and cautiously said, “Sister, about Teacher Xia… could you maybe not hold it against her?”

Pear Blossom froze.

“Are you pleading on her behalf?” Dong Yun raised an eyebrow.

“I guess… I am.” Murong Jin mumbled hesitantly.

Dong Yun narrowed her eyes at her half-sister and asked, “Go on, what are you hiding from me?”

Murong Jin then carefully took a letter from her pocket and placed it in front of Dong Yun. “Two days before the bandit attack, Teacher Xia had Shitou deliver a letter. Later, we ran into some bandits on the road and fought them. The letter fell out, and that’s when I discovered that one of the letters was addressed to… the Eldest Princess.”

Seeing the sharp look in Dong Yun’s eyes, she hurriedly added, “The next day, I went straight to the school to confront her. She said it was the first time she had written back to the Eldest Princess, and just as she sent it out, I intercepted it…”

“I haven’t even opened it.”

Dong Yun looked at the letter in front of her, with the words “To the Eldest Princess” clearly written in Xia Xunyan’s handwriting.

She remained silent, continuing to stare at Murong Jin.

Murong Jin hesitated before saying, “Technically, Teacher Xia’s letter was never delivered. If the Eldest Princess’s people came looking, it wasn’t because she tipped them off. However, she did receive two letters from the Eldest Princess before, which means the Eldest Princess already knew you were in Daliushu Village. So, your abduction this time probably has nothing to do with Teacher Xia…”

Dong Yun didn’t deny it. “The Eldest Princess did know I was in Daliushu Village, and the people who came that day weren’t her subordinates.”

Murong Jin’s eyes lit up. “Then that proves Teacher Xia didn’t betray you!”

However, Dong Yun remained indifferent and simply said, “Go bring her here.”

Murong Jin noticed that Dong Yun hadn’t made any clear statement on whether she was willing to forgive Xia Xunyan. She felt anxious and edged closer, tugging at Dong Yun’s sleeve and pleading, “Sister, even if she did make a mistake, you’re back now. Can’t you just let it go this time?”

Dong Yun shot her an exasperated look. “Oh? So now you’ve learned to act cute for another woman?”

“I’m just saying, she’s all alone and pitiful. Look at her—married, then widowed, abandoned by her husband’s family, unliked by her own family, and even forced to do things she doesn’t want to do—”

“Forced to do what?”

Murong Jin hesitated before answering, “She never wanted to correspond with the Eldest Princess in the first place. But the Eldest Princess had leverage over her family, so she had no choice.”

“So, you’re saying she came to Daliushu Village on purpose, not by chance?” Dong Yun sneered. “She hid it well, didn’t she?”

Murong Jin tensed at her tone. “Sister—”

Dong Yun’s expression darkened. “Why are you still here wasting time? I told you to bring her, not dawdle!”

Murong Jin, seeing that she was angry, dared not say more and pouted before turning to leave.

About half an hour later, Xia Xunyan arrived and followed Murong Jin into Dong Yun’s study.

Murong Jin had just opened her mouth to speak when Dong Yun shot her a look, cutting her off. “This has nothing to do with you. Wait outside.”

Murong Jin glanced at Dong Yun’s unreadable face, then at Xia Xunyan, before pouting and stepping out.

As soon as the door closed, Xia Xunyan knelt before Dong Yun.

“Your Highness, I was indeed sent to Daliushu Village as a covert agent by the Eldest Princess. The matter of the letters is also true. Please punish me.”

Dong Yun looked at her frail figure. In just a few days, her face had become even thinner. She sighed softly.

“What did I tell you before? If something happens, don’t keep it from me. Yet, you always agree on the surface while doing whatever you want behind my back.”

Xia Xunyan lowered her head further.

“With your small frame, how much can you bear? You study the teachings of sages but worry about worldly matters beyond your reach.”

“Stand up.”

Xia Xunyan didn’t move.

Seeing her like this, Dong Yun’s anger gradually dissipated.

She stood up, walked to her, and extended her hand.

Xia Xunyan looked at the slender, pale hand in front of her. Her eyes burned with unshed tears as she placed her hand in Dong Yun’s palm and used it to stand.

“If I hadn’t helped you up, were you planning to kneel forever?” Dong Yun’s tone held a trace of helplessness.

Xia Xunyan remained silent.

Dong Yun picked up the letter Murong Jin had given her earlier and waved it in her hand. “No one has read this letter. If I burn it, we can pretend this never happened.”

She was about to set the letter on fire when Xia Xunyan suddenly spoke.

“Your Highness can read it.”

Dong Yun paused, her movements halting.

“I thought we could move past this, but you refuse to let it go. What are you thinking?”

Xia Xunyan was silent for a moment before saying, “Your Highness has the right to know. You may read it or not.”

Dong Yun narrowed her eyes at her, recognizing the familiar expression and set of her lips.

After a moment of contemplation, she tore the seal open.

However, upon seeing the contents, she couldn’t help but freeze.

“I have just received your letter. The command is truly difficult to follow. What the bright moon does not desire, neither do I. I submit this response with respect and wish you well.”

Just three simple lines, easily read at a glance.

Raising her eyes again, she looked at the woman standing before her. She remained there quietly, her slender figure resembling a bamboo stalk—resilient yet lonely.

Dong Yun snapped back to reality, her emotions complex and difficult to put into words.

Xia Xunyan lowered her head and said, “No matter what was written in the letter, it was my mistake to cooperate with her, to follow her orders, and to travel to Daliushu Village.”

Dong Yun turned her back, standing motionless for a long time before finally turning around again. “Jin’er said you collaborated with the Eldest Princess because she had leverage over you. What kind of leverage? Tell me, perhaps I can help.”

However, Xia Xunyan gently shook her head. “There is no leverage.”

The usually composed female scholar stood with her back straight, her slender hands hanging at her sides. Her expression hardly changed.

Dong Yun was taken aback by her response.

But soon, she understood. A sudden sting rushed to her nose.

If she wasn’t coerced by the Eldest Princess, then why travel all this way to Jinyang? Did it even need to be said?

If she hadn’t come, the Eldest Princess would surely have sent someone else.

But to her, no one else could compare to her coming personally.

Thinking of the past by the Wei River, her heart twisted, and she bit her lip, standing firm. “Why put yourself through this—”

At these words, the once composed Xia Xunyan’s eyes turned red in an instant. She lowered her head, her throat moving slightly as if struggling to suppress her emotions.

Her hands, once hanging freely, retreated into her sleeves, clenched into fists. Her body trembled slightly.

It was a silent cry, as if all her pent-up emotions had finally found an outlet.

And there was a hint of shame—shame at being seen through, at emotions she thought she should no longer hold.

But this pain, though overwhelming, remained silent—just like the restraint she had always practiced.

Her shoulders trembled slightly, yet she bit her lip tightly, refusing to make a sound.

At this moment, Dong Yun felt just as uneasy.

To have come to this point with the person she once deeply loved—was it fate’s cruel hand, or was she to blame?

To blame herself for being weak, for failing to protect her, for always being the one sheltered by her—relying on her fragile yet unwavering strength.

If only she had been as powerful as the Eldest Princess, with a fief of her own. Even with enemies surrounding her, she could have created a safe haven for them, a place to shield her from the storm.

Dong Yun’s heart ached, but there was no changing the past.

She stepped forward and embraced her.

Xia Xunyan could no longer hold back—leaning against her shoulder, she let out a soft sob.

“Mingyue… it hurts so much…”

Years of silence, of no word or news—she had missed her so terribly.

She just wanted to know if she was doing well. Just one glance would have been enough. So when the Eldest Princess’s people came for her, she followed without hesitation.

But she knew she no longer had the right to be by her side. So she had poured her efforts into training Pear Blossom—the girl who had ten thousand times more courage than she did—hoping she could protect her, fulfill her wishes.

It was the only thing she could do for her now.

Feeling the dampness on her shoulder, Dong Yun felt an indescribable sorrow.

However, after just a few breaths, Xia Xunyan lifted her head and gently pushed her away.

Her eyes were still red, but she seemed to have already withdrawn from the emotions of moments before, regaining that usual restraint and detachment—as if the person who had just broken down wasn’t her at all.

“Now that you have returned safely, I have no regrets.” Her voice was calm again. “Someone is protecting you now. Your path will be smooth from here on. My task is complete.”

Dong Yun’s heart clenched at those words. “Where are you going?”

Then, in a sharper tone, she added, “You are not allowed to leave!”

Xia Xunyan smiled faintly, her eyes still glistening with unshed tears. “I should return to the capital, to my grandfather—”

“No. You can’t go.” Dong Yun’s voice was firm.

She could no longer love her the way she once did, but she couldn’t abandon her either.

“If you leave, the Eldest Princess will send others. I’d rather it be you. Whatever she wants to know, just tell her. It’s not that important, is it?” Dong Yun’s eyes carried a plea.

A widow like her—where could she go? The Zhennan General’s Manor had no place for her. Her mother had passed away, her stepmother was indifferent, and her half-siblings had no desire to welcome an elder sister back to compete for resources—especially one who had been married off. The Prime Minister still valued his granddaughter, but he was old, and Yuwen Jing’s men were watching him. If she went to him, wouldn’t she just be stepping into another prison?

“Stay. I need you, and so do others…”

Xia Xunyan lowered her head, suppressing the sting in her nose.

If she could, she would never want to leave her.

However, when she heard Dong Yun’s next words, a faint hope ignited within her.

“Ah Yan, this world is not just about romance and entanglements. There is a vast world out there waiting for us to explore, to make our mark. I once lived confined within the palace, narrow-minded like a frog in a well; and you, though having read countless books, have been bound by words, never seeing the world’s true breadth.”

“Now, fate has given us this opportunity. We finally have a chance to carve our own path—how can we let it slip away?”

“Jinyang holds endless possibilities. Every step is an opportunity. Don’t you want to stand side by side with me?”

“Even if not for that—look at the world today. It is in chaos, and the people are like starving, abandoned infants, with no one to protect them. If we don’t think of them, what was the point of reading all those books on righteousness?”

Dong Yun’s words were firm and passionate, every word resonating deeply.

Xia Xunyan looked up at her, and Dong Yun’s eyes sparkled, as though a stone that had slept for years was now emitting a brilliant light.

At this moment, she seemed just like when they were young, talking grandly about the world and the universe.

She was no longer the naive little princess in the deep palace, nor the desperate, destitute person on the run, nor the frightened village woman in the Daliushu village.

She was the shining bright moon!

Xia Xunyan admitted she was moved and willing.

She pressed her lips together, finally speaking: “You really don’t mind—”

“I don’t mind anything. You’ve never done anything wrong. Although we’ve often had to make difficult choices because of various reasons, it doesn’t matter. What’s important is that we now have the chance to start over. Ah Yan, don’t you think that’s amazing?”

Xia Xunyan was uplifted by the passion in her eyes. The bright moon seemed no longer the same moon from the past. It was grander, clearer, and more insightful than she had imagined.

But she was still the same bright moon, with a slight frown and a gentle smile, graceful and composed.

Yes, there were still so many things to be done.

Why keep holding on to that form? They could walk forward together, hand in hand, more calmly.

In an instant, the heaviness in her heart dissipated, and everything became clear.

“Alright!” she said softly.

Dong Yun looked at her gaze and knew that everything had been settled.

She opened her arms.

Xia Xunyan stepped forward, hugged her shoulder, leaned against her arm, and smiled.

This slight smile was both the joy of a long-awaited reunion and the warmth of intimacy, and the relief of letting go of the past’s entanglements.

Dong Yun playfully tapped her arm, saying, “There’s so much happening in Jinyang City. I can’t do without you by my side. Let’s move to the government office tomorrow.”

Xia Xunyan responded with an “mm.”

Dong Yun let go of her, then remembered to deal with some past matters, “That day in the Daliushu village, that Bai Choushen stepped on you before leaving, making you feel helpless. Jin’er’s temperament, she must have made things difficult for you. Not to mention she still has that letter. I’ll give her a lesson.”

Xia Xunyan hurriedly said, “She didn’t make things hard for me… She’s just a sharp-tongued, soft-hearted young girl. Don’t take it personally.”

“Shouldn’t that be something I say to you?” Dong Yun laughed and cried at the same time. “Just now, she thought I was going to cause trouble for you, and kept pleading with me.”

She then turned to the door and shouted, “Murong Jin, come in.”

Murong Jin, who had been anxious about whether her sister was scolding Xia Xunyan, hurriedly rushed in when she heard her name being called. Seeing the two of them standing face to face with a harmonious atmosphere, she breathed a sigh of relief and quickly asked, “What do you need, sister?”

Dong Yun threw the letter at her face, saying, “See what you’ve done!”

Murong Jin quickly picked up the letter that had fallen on the ground, glanced at it, and froze for a moment, but quickly smiled, “Well, well, everything’s fine.”

Then she remembered that she had used this letter to coerce someone, and her face turned pale. She looked at Xia Xunyan and her expression became awkward.

“Later, go back to the courtyard and pack up, move Xia master’s luggage over, she’ll stay at the government office from now on.”

Murong Jin reluctantly pouted, dragging out her words, “Oh…” After a while, her eyes lit up and she quickly added, “Sister, I’ll move in too. I’ll help you with the official business. You can assign me a position as a yamen servant, and when you’re handling cases, I can be downstairs, banging the staff and shouting ‘Majesty,’ how about that?”

Dong Yun gave her a look, “What yamen servant? There are still many bandits around the county that need to be dealt with, and many refugees haven’t been settled. For the next few days, stay with Pear Blossom and handle these things first.”

She didn’t directly say no to Murong Jin moving in, and Murong Jin secretly rejoiced, hurriedly saying, “Then sister, I’ll go back now and pack up. I’ll move in with Xia sister later.”

She then turned and ran out the door, afraid that Dong Yun might change her mind.

Dong Yun watched her rush out and shook her head with a smile.

After Xia Xunyan also left, Dong Yun called Pear Blossom to discuss the plans for returning home the next day.

“Should we bring Fubao here?” Pear Blossom asked.

Dong Yun thought for a moment, “Jinyang County is in dire need of rebuilding, and we’ll have a lot of work to do. We won’t be able to care for her, so let your mother take her for now.”

“What about the Wuyin Army? Should we settle them in the city?”

Dong Yun shook her head, “Wait until we finish organizing the nearby villages’ records. If there’s any vacant village near the city gate, we’ll settle them there. But for now, the government office is empty. You’ll need to arrange for twenty or thirty people to come in and act as yamen servants.”

“As for the rest, split them into groups to tackle the bandits. Set up six to ten roadblocks in the north, south, east, and west, with people rotating shifts. If anyone sees thugs, bandits, or refugees disturbing the people, they should be captured immediately, ensuring the safety of the people on the road.”

Pear Blossom said, “But with this, the manpower will be insufficient.”

Dong Yun nodded, “We’ll keep recruiting more people later. If it’s not enough, go ask Jin’er for help.”

Pear Blossom agreed, about to leave when Dong Yun suddenly called her back, with a hint of hesitation in her voice, “Do you mind the past between me and master?”

Pear Blossom turned back, thought seriously for a moment, and honestly replied, “I don’t mind. Sister becoming who she is today is a result of everything in the past, and that includes her influence. I like my sister, so of course, I accept her past… But in my heart, there’s a bit of sourness. I’m jealous that master also received the love my sister had before.”

I wish that the love from the past had been given to myself.

“Greedy ghost,” Dong Yun scolded her with a glance, then waved her hand toward her.

When the person walked up, she stood up, pecked her lips, and then gently nudged her nose.

Only then did she change the subject, “What do you think about the matter between the master and the eldest princess?”

The person in front of her was a straightforward child, and Dong Yun was quite interested in hearing her thoughts.

Pear Blossom replied, “Although I also dislike the eldest princess, the two gentlemen she sent have been tirelessly teaching me. Master Zuo Qi teaches me archery and body techniques, while Master Xia teaches me knowledge and strategy. Without them, I might not be who I am today. I wouldn’t have grown so quickly, and I might not have been able to handle the things I encountered before, nor could I have saved my sister. When I think about it, I’m also someone the eldest princess trained to protect my sister…”

Dong Yun was stunned after hearing this.

She had never considered this angle before. Because of the matter with Fifth Aunt and Li Yue’e, she hated that person to the core and refused to accept any good from her.

She even felt that the person had never cared about her well-being!

But now, as she thought about it, how much of her survival up to this point had been due to the eldest princess’s careful planning?

But when this thought crossed her mind, she quickly stopped herself. Without seeing Fifth Aunt, she absolutely could not allow her heart to waver, nor could she entertain any thoughts of yielding to that person.