Chapter 13

Shen Wei was startled when someone suddenly grabbed the hem of her skirt.

Following the sound, she saw a man lying under an old plum tree. He was dressed in dark clothes, his face covered with a black cloth. A white arrow feather was lodged in his chest, and his forehead was dotted with fine beads of sweat.

Mo Qi, standing beside Shen Wei, also heard the weak sound and looked in that direction. When she saw the man, she was equally shocked by his appearance.

She quickly reached out and helped Shen Wei take a few steps back. Seeing that the man couldn’t move, but still spoke with lingering fear, she said, “How could someone like this be here at the West Mountain Temple?” After saying this, she noticed Shen Wei’s expression and immediately had a bad feeling. Not wanting Shen Wei to act too kindly, she hurriedly added, “Madam, this person’s background is unclear, and his appearance is suspicious. We shouldn’t get involved.”

Shen Wei wasn’t being overly compassionate. Though she was from the 21st century, she understood that in this era, life and death were unpredictable.

However—

She couldn’t shake the feeling that the man’s eyes seemed familiar.

Seeing that Shen Wei was still unwilling to leave, Mo Qi softly called out to her, “Madam…”

Shen Wei finally spoke, “The Buddha says, ‘Saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-story pagoda.’ He is an innocent life, and if I hadn’t seen him, it would be one thing. But now that I’ve seen him, how can I just walk away? Besides, with my husband’s memorial tablet here, saving him could still be considered a merit.”

She mentioned Lu Bu Wei, hoping to accumulate merit for him. Mo Qi couldn’t argue, so she glanced at the man in black and softly asked, “Shall I go find a monk from the temple?”

Shen Wei pondered for a moment. With the man’s appearance and severe injuries, if the monks from the temple saved him, the news would likely spread. After some thought, she asked, “I remember there’s someone in my household who knows medicine. Did she come along today?”

When the original owner married, Shen Xi Feng not only gave her most of the Shen family’s wealth but also arranged for many people to serve her.

There were those who could manage domestic affairs, those skilled in medicine, and even those who could cook excellent dishes…

It was clear he had put a lot of thought into it.

Mo Qi nodded and softly replied, “Her name is Ruyao. She is here today as well.”

“Go fetch her. Be sure not to raise any suspicions,” Shen Wei said. Noticing Mo Qi’s hesitation, she added, “Don’t worry. He’s unconscious now. With such severe injuries, he doesn’t have the strength to harm me. Go quickly and return soon.”

Mo Qi knew that Shen Wei always had a plan. Now that she had given the order, Mo Qi didn’t dare to question her further. She took one last look at the unconscious man and nodded before quickly running to the meditation room.

After Mo Qi left—

Shen Wei walked toward the man in black. When she reached his side, she bent slightly, looking down at him from above. The man had already fallen unconscious by the time they were speaking, lying silently on the ground. His pale face was vaguely visible, and she recalled the familiar feeling from earlier. She reached out to remove his face cloth to take a better look.

But just as her fingers touched the cloth, she withdrew her hand.

He was dressed this way for a reason, likely to keep his identity hidden, and it would not be proper to remove his face cloth while he was unconscious. Moreover, the original owner had been raised in the Shen family, and most of the people she knew were from prestigious families. This man’s bloody appearance suggested he was not from Bianliang.

The original owner likely wouldn’t know him.

That fleeting feeling of familiarity might have been a mistake.

Shen Wei stood up straight again, no longer paying attention to the man. She stayed a few steps away from him, under the old plum tree.

The man had regained consciousness as soon as Shen Wei had approached, but not knowing her intentions, he continued to feign unconsciousness. When he saw her step back, he opened his tired eyes and looked at her. Shen Wei stood with her back to him, her head tilted slightly as she admired the plum blossoms above.

Perhaps it was the subtle fragrance of the flowers—

Shen Wei closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying the scent.

The afternoon sun bathed the scene, shining through the leaves above her and casting a soft light over her figure. Although she still wore the simple attire of mourning, her relaxed posture and the slight smile on her lips, coupled with the small mole on her face that was accentuated by the smile, made her look gentle and graceful. From a distance, she seemed like a picture of tranquility.

A breeze blew through the trees, causing several plum blossoms to fall, some landing on Shen Wei’s moon-white cloak.

Due to the fact that Shen Wei’s back was turned, the man could only vaguely glimpse her face. He initially wanted to scrutinize it more carefully, but he had already lost too much blood and was barely holding on. Seeing that Shen Wei didn’t seem to have any ill intentions toward him, he once again fainted.

—-

Mo Qi, concerned about the situation and fearing that Shen Wei might be in danger, spent only about a quarter of an hour on her errand. From a distance, she saw that Shen Wei was standing under the old plum tree, unharmed, and she finally sighed in relief. Her tone was much calmer as she spoke, “Madam, the person is here.”

Shen Wei turned around upon hearing this.

She glanced at the apothecary standing next to her and said, “There’s no need for more questions or words. Go ahead and take a look; is it possible to save him?”

The apothecary, realizing the urgency, didn’t say much. She nodded lightly, bowed, and then walked ahead. Upon reaching the man’s side, she first checked the bloodstains, then turned to Shen Wei, saying, “Madam, the arrow isn’t poisoned. It only needs to be removed and properly bandaged.”

“However…”

She hesitated for a moment, lowering her voice slightly, “Madam, your noble body might get blood on your eyes. I suggest you return first.”

Shen Wei wasn’t afraid of blood, but she had been out for quite a while, and to avoid raising suspicion, she nodded without saying much. She gently replied, “Once you’ve finished bandaging him, return as soon as possible.”

After the apothecary acknowledged her, Shen Wei said no more and allowed Mo Qi to help her walk back toward the meditation room.

Before they reached the meditation room, they saw Lu Qihuai coming from the small path. He paused when he saw Shen Wei and quickly approached her. Upon reaching her, he bowed and respectfully said, “I thought you were in the meditation room, so I was coming to pay my respects.”

After speaking, Lu Qihuai noticed the bloodstains on her skirt and his gaze darkened.

“I ate too much earlier and went out for a walk…” After saying this, Shen Wei glanced at him and asked, “Is something the matter?”

Lu Qihuai lifted his face, the warm afternoon sun casting on him. He still appeared as calm and gentle as ever, and his voice matched his demeanor: “Nothing. I just wanted to ask when you plan to depart. Since you’ve just finished your walk, we can wait until you’ve rested before leaving.”

Shen Wei nodded, acknowledging his plan, and then, still supported by Mo Qi, continued toward the meditation room.

As Shen Wei turned onto the small path—

Lu Qihuai’s previously gentle expression turned serious. He stood silently, staring at her departing figure, and after a moment of contemplation, he muttered, “Check if anyone was injured at the temple today.”

After speaking, he saw Shen Wei’s figure enter the meditation room and then continued walking toward his own meditation room.

—-

Once inside the meditation room, Mo Qi helped Shen Wei remove her cloak, and then a surprised exclamation sounded.

Mo Qi, who was usually calm, hardly ever reacted so dramatically. Before Shen Wei could speak, she hurriedly said, “Madam, there’s blood on your skirt.”

Blood?

Shen Wei frowned. She looked down and saw the bloodstains on the white skirt—likely left when the man had grasped her skirt earlier. She hadn’t noticed it while the cloak covered it, but now, without the outer covering, the stains were visible.

Noticing Mo Qi’s panic, Shen Wei gently reassured her, “It’s fine. We didn’t encounter anyone on the way, and with the cloak covering it earlier, no one would have noticed.”

Once she finished speaking, she added, “Go bring me a new outfit. I’ll change.”

Women from noble families usually carried extra clothes when traveling, just in case. Mo Qi, now reassured, responded and went inside to find an outfit.

Once Mo Qi left, Shen Wei’s thoughts shifted. She wasn’t worried about others, but Lu Qihuai… that man was perceptive, and the bloodstains on the skirt wouldn’t escape his notice.

However—

Even if he noticed, it wouldn’t matter much.

She didn’t know who the man was, and what had happened today was just a coincidence. Shen Wei’s mind calmed as she thought this.

After changing, the apothecary returned, and Shen Wei, sitting on the couch by the window, held a teacup in her hand. She listened to the apothecary’s report, saying nothing more than nodding and gently speaking, “You’re one of my old servants, so you should know what can and cannot be said.”

The apothecary quickly responded, “Rest assured, Madam, I understand.”

Shen Wei didn’t say anything further, and then told Mo Qi, “Take her down to clean up. In about another quarter of an hour, we’ll return.”

She had done all she could, and as for what would happen with the man later, it had nothing to do with her.

—-

Meanwhile, in another meditation room, the secret guard knelt behind Lu Qihuai, speaking respectfully, “Someone was indeed injured. When I arrived, I saw someone had already taken the man in black away…”

After pausing, he added, “But from their attire, they seemed to be from Qiyun Mountain Manor.”

Lu Qihuai, who had been standing by the window, showed no change in his expression, though the hand that had been rubbing his jade pendant stopped.

He glanced out the window at the distant mountains, shrouded in mist, which looked like an otherworldly paradise. He stood there, hands behind his back, letting the cold wind brush his face. His eyes narrowed slightly, and his voice remained calm: “Qiyun Mountain Manor, so it was him.”