Chapter 15

Shao Qing was very reluctant to think that way, but Wei Jing’s expressions and actions at that moment made her unable to help but draw that conclusion. She hurried forward and grabbed Wei Jing, exclaiming, “Never mind about Yuan Hong; the Kou family is completely different…”

Mid-sentence, she paused. In a very direct manner, Wei Jing raised his sword and pointed it outward—likely because he feared that the two (matters) would be too inseparable to divide. For Kou Yue, on one side was her beloved, and on the other, a stranger met by chance; naturally, the balance tilted in favor of the one she cherished.

Yet for matters like this, no evidence is necessary; as soon as Yuan Hong dies, even the slightest doubt could easily set off a chain reaction.

Kou Yue had witnessed with her own eyes the two severely injured emerging from the riverbank, and both the Kou family and Yan Ming were well aware that he still carried residual poison—even understanding every intricate, troublesome detail of that toxin.

They knew everything about the two—their appearances, ages, and the exact time they appeared—with absolute clarity on the part of the Kou family and Yan Ming.

Considering all these complex, vicious entanglements, Shao Qing instantly pieced everything together. But still—how could the Kou family, especially Kou Yue, who owed them a life-saving favor, cultivate murderous intent?!

“Husband!” In her panic, Shao Qing could only hope it was merely her overactive imagination; perhaps he did not harbor such intentions at all.

However, Wei Jing’s next sentence completely shattered Shao Qing’s hopes. “The Kou family knows too much.”

And Yuan Hong may have been merely one of the triggers.

Today marked the sixth day since he and Shao Qing had come ashore; by now, the wanted notices for both banks along the lower Qian River should have been issued long ago. Only in remote rural areas like Gong County would there be any delay.

Wei Jing by no means lacked confidence in his ability to evade capture; however, his aim was not merely to avoid being caught.

How could he content himself with simply surviving quietly when both the former emperor and the new emperor had deceived him so thoroughly, and when the deep blood feud owed to his mother and brother still loomed large? He was determined to spare no effort in avenging that tremendous injustice and in appeasing the spirits of his mother and brother in heaven.

Yet, considering his current predicament, it would be most advantageous for him if no one were to see him alive—or even find his corpse. Jumping into the river after suffering severe injuries and poisoning left his chances of survival extremely slim. By lurking in the shadows and striking when his enemy least expects it, he could execute the optimal strategy.

However, the greatest obstacle to this perfect plan was the Kou family. Once Kou Xuan saw the wanted notice, he would likely begin to draw his own conclusions. Fleeing from his hometown with an uncertain future ahead—while still having a wife, daughter, and younger sister behind him—such a lifeline could only be effectively exploited by a prudent man.

Take Yuan Hong, for example.

If news spread that Wei Jing was still alive, it would soon be presented before the new emperor, leading inevitably to an intensified manhunt. Such a development would be highly detrimental to his plans.

Wei Jing’s eyes burned with a murderous glint as he said, “Ah Qing, the members of the Kou family must be eliminated—along with Yan Ming, Yuan Hong, and Sun Zong.”

For a moment, his lethal intent was unmistakable, yet he only lowered his gaze to look at Shao Qing. His tone softened as he raised his hand and patted her shoulder. “Don’t be afraid; just stay hidden.”

Though his pat was unusually gentle and caring for such a large hand, Shao Qing felt an icy chill run through her entire body. Her heart began to tremble, and her hands shook uncontrollably. She looked up at him and, in a hoarse whisper, said, “Then you might as well kill me too! Who knows all your affairs better than I do?”

For some reason, tears began to fall from her eyes. As she listened to Wei Jing calmly lay out the pros and cons of killing the Kou family, her whole body shuddered in disbelief.

Perhaps all those destined for greatness are indifferent to trivial matters, but she simply couldn’t accept it. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she could not tell whether she felt more shock or disappointment at that moment.

Shao Qing had always cherished life, yet now—this once—she bared her neck and pleaded, “You must kill me first so that nothing goes awry.”

Watching helplessly as her companion prepared to kill the one who had once saved her life, she felt utterly incapable of enduring it.

“What nonsense are you spouting?!” As soon as she spoke those words, Wei Jing’s expression changed drastically. “How could I ever kill you?!”

Seeing that Shao Qing bowed her head, he became agitated and enraged. In one swift motion, he threw his long sword aside and gripped her shoulder tightly. “As long as I have even one breath left, I won’t allow anyone to harm you in the slightest!”

His words hit with the force of thunder.

Everyone had betrayed him, attacked him, and schemed in every possible way to bring about his downfall. Only she had steadfastly stood by his side—caring for him, looking after him, and doing everything she could to assist him, sharing life and death with him.

In this vast and ever-changing world, she was the only one who had truly journeyed with him through wind and rain. She alone was worthy of his trust, and he would protect her as if protecting himself.

Seeing her tears streaming down like rain, her almond eyes filled with shock and disappointment, he hurriedly explained, “Ah Qing, you don’t understand—people in this world are full of deceit and treachery. Even someone as dear as your own flesh and blood, like a father, if trusted too lightly, can shatter you into pieces.”

He could not help but recall his father—the gentle, kindly man with soft brows who had loved and protected him for twenty long years. Yet it was this very man who, in one night, had consigned his own blood brother and gentle, nurturing mother to death, shattered his pipa bone, and exterminated every male in his maternal clan—leaving him decapitated, his body scattered, denied even a complete burial!

In an instant, Wei Jing’s eyes turned blood-red, his face contorted as he gritted his teeth, and a fierce, murderous intent surged forth.

He seethed with hatred, “In this world, aside from you, there is no one I can trust. That man is like that; that mother and son are the same; Yuan Hong, too—surely the Kou family won’t be any different.”

“A single lapse in judgment can bring overwhelming disaster—I must strike first and never let anyone in this world betray me!”

He gripped with both hands so tightly that a fine film of sweat broke out on his forehead. His eyes glowed blood-red, and his expression was both bloodthirsty and frenzied, steeped in deep, unyielding pain.

“Don’t be like that!”

In his urgent, solemn words, spoken in a rage, he miraculously calmed Shao Qing’s trembling. Even in that moment of tormented frenzy, his pain stirred memories within her.

According to her recollection, the young heroic Prince Qi was passionate about serving his country. From his earliest days, he vowed to expel barbarians, pacify the realm, and protect the people. When the imperial court’s relief was insufficient, he paid out of his own pocket to care for the wounded soldiers; and after battles left the elderly abandoned and homeless, he summoned the magistrate to establish a care hall to shelter them.

There were many such examples, both great and small, yet a sincere young man with a heart for his nation received rewards far less than the sacrifices he made.

He did not trust, he doubted, and he guarded himself—though not entirely his fault; he was merely a pitiable man who had paid a bloody price after being betrayed by those closest to him. The agony was excruciating—a near-death ordeal that left him scarred and forced him to change his nature profoundly to protect himself.

She was no longer afraid nor disappointed; with her heart suddenly aching, tears began to fall as she said, “I know they are no good—they have betrayed you, harmed your mother’s kin, and deserve nothing less than a thousand cuts!”

Shao Qing’s face was awash with tears, and she couldn’t help but throw her arms around him. “In the end, good and evil will be repaid. Their momentary triumph may not last a lifetime—please, do not let their mistakes become your punishment.”

Her embrace was so warm, and her words so full of tenderness that they worked like a miraculous spring breeze to calm his frantic heart.

Gradually, Wei Jing’s eyes cleared, and his expression slowly softened. Breathing rapidly, he returned her hug with great force, saying, “Ah Qing, I promise I will never hurt you. You have to trust me!”

“I do trust you—I truly, deeply trust you.”

Had she not subconsciously believed this with all her heart, how could she have spoken so freely without hesitation?

After comforting him for a while, Shao Qing lowered her voice and gently pleaded, “Husband, please spare the Kou family, okay?”

“The Kou family owes us a life-saving favor. If we kill them on some baseless charge, aren’t we just as bad as they are?”

Looking up at him, she asked, “Can we not become like them?”

Wei Jing’s face showed hesitation. He doubted that the Kou family’s intentions had changed, and he was also determined not to let word spread that he was still alive. Yet, at this moment, seeing hope in Shao Qing’s eyes, he did not want to disappoint her.

“Then let’s bring along those with the surname Yuan and the Kou family members. If we find anything amiss, I’ll kill them,” he declared.

In the end, he said just that.

Shao Qing offered no further objections. She did not wish to press Wei Jing any longer—and besides, she was no saint herself. If the Kou family members were to try profiting by leaking our information, then, sorry, that would mean nullifying both her kindness and loyalty—with one Daoist companion perishing while this poor Daoist survives.

She murmured a soft “mm” and said, “Alright, I’ll do as you say.”

After the fierce argument, no rift grew between them; instead, they found a deeper understanding and compassion for one another.

“Husband, then how are we to handle the Kou family? They’re resourceful and have minds of their own—you must come up with a way to persuade them, right?” she asked.

Shao Qing’s bruise on her forehead had not yet fully healed. Having burst into intense tears earlier, her head now pounded with pain, and she felt a bit dizzy and couldn’t help but close her eyes as she spoke.

“This is easy.”

Bringing people along was hardly more difficult than killing them with a single strike. Yet, seeing Shao Qing in this state, Wei Jing frowned. He pulled her to the bedside, gently pressed her down, and reached out his fingertips to touch her forehead.

The bruise by her temple, which she had been treating daily with medicine and massage, had changed—from a hard, dark bluish patch with hints of black to a soft, purplish-red one. It was improving, yet the process inevitably caused it to spread into a larger area, which looked rather frightening.

Wei Jing frowned. He picked up the white porcelain bottle by the pillow, poured the brown medicinal wine from inside into his palm, and pressed it against her injury, massaging it with a gentle firmness.

That bruise had hurt a lot in the beginning. Shao Qing applied the medicine herself and didn’t dare let him massage it until it gradually improved after a couple of days. Now, although massaging it still caused a little pain, it was completely within an acceptable range. She closed her eyes and let him massage it evenly.

Since he had said that bringing people along was easy, she decided to let him handle it and no longer bothered herself with the matter. The warm heat from his palm, along with the medicinal effect, permeated her skin; the throbbing pain gradually subsided, and the slight frown between her brows completely relaxed.

Neither of them paid much attention to the matter of escorting people, yet they hadn’t expected that it would turn out to be even easier than they had imagined.

Shao Qing’s head no longer hurt, but her eyes were still red. She wrung out a handkerchief for a cold compress and applied it several times. When she felt the pain had subsided enough—and without a mirror—she asked Wei Jing.

Wei Jing had just nodded when he heard footsteps coming from the main room. Immediately afterward, the door of the west chamber was knocked.

It was Kou Xuan.

Wei Jing narrowed his eyes as he glanced toward the door; after a moment, his expression returned to normal as he invited his guest in.

“I wonder what matter you have, Brother Kou?”

After exchanging greetings, Wei Jing inquired in a perfectly proper manner. Shao Qing heaved a sigh of relief and quietly stood aside to watch.

“Our family is beset by trouble, and now we have no choice but to flee under cover of night,” Kou Xuan said.

Kou Xuan let out a long sigh and recounted the previous events. Then he advised Wei Jing, “We have truly failed Brother Yang. This place is no longer safe; I fear you two must leave as soon as possible, lest our troubles drag you down.”

Expressing himself earnestly and clearly outlining the gravity of the situation and offering the most considerate advice, Kou Xuan finally asked, “Is Brother Yang’s leg injury still a problem? I have a donkey cart at home—why not leave with us tonight for our hometown and then plan our next move later?”