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◎The Great Recluse◎
After making that cut, Qu You’s consciousness hovered between clarity and drowsiness. She pressed hard on her wound, struggling to stay awake, until the carriage finally stopped, at which point she allowed herself a small sigh of relief.
The carriage had traveled for about an hour, stopping once along the way. Outside, there seemed to be voices—evidently, they had left the city. From Bian River Street, heading east via a detour, it wouldn’t take more than an hour to reach the eastern gate of the city. The destination was likely in the direction of Jinghua Mountain.
At this thought, she could no longer hold on and succumbed to the faint floral scent, slipping into unconsciousness. When she awoke again, she opened her eyes to see fiery clouds burning through the small window.
It was already dusk.
Her outer robe must have been removed during a search for hidden items, but fortunately, her thick jacket had concealed the bloodstain at her sleeve. Her wrists were bound with coarse hemp rope in front of her body. Aside from feeling cold all over, she appeared to have sustained no other injuries.
Qu You methodically pieced together her thoughts, not yet having time to assess her surroundings when she heard a voice behind her: “Lady Zhou...”
She stiffened in alarm, quickly turning her head.
After capturing her and leaving the city, the group had found an abandoned house. This place was likely a storage shed—it was spacious, with dry straw beneath them and only one high, small window.
In the fading light of the setting sun, Qu You saw Bai Ying tied up and tossed into a corner like her. His medical box had been overturned, its contents scattered across the floor.
After calling out to her, Bai Ying watched as Qu You stared deeply at him, seemingly startled, remaining silent for a long while.
He coughed awkwardly. “Lady Zhou, what are you thinking about? How do we... Ouch, ouch!”
Before finishing his sentence, he began moaning in pain, explaining that after sitting on the carriage wheel for a moment, he somehow fell asleep and woke up here. He speculated that the kidnappers hadn’t been too meticulous, as his shoulder hurt terribly from being thrown inside.
Qu You couldn’t help but smile wryly. “Doctor Bai, perhaps you should first think about who captured us...”
Bai Ying then realized, “You’re right! We were minding our own business on the road, and someone dared to kidnap an imperial official and a noblewoman. How outrageous... Where are they? Why don’t they show themselves? Do they want money or revenge? They should at least give us some clarity.”
After shouting for a long while without response, Qu You moved closer to Bai Ying. First, she worked to untie the ropes binding his hands, then had him do the same for her.
They pounded on the door, but no one answered—only the heavy clinking of chains outside could be heard. Qu You climbed onto Bai Ying’s shoulders to peer out the small window, but it was already dark, revealing nothing.
The storage shed was empty, devoid of tools. The door appeared newly replaced, and despite their combined efforts, they couldn’t break it open. After much exertion, they collapsed exhausted against the wall, temporarily giving up.
Bai Ying rummaged through the scattered contents of his medical box, his face mournful. “These people even took my knives and needles. If I had those, I could’ve used them to pick the lock. Now, all that’s left are bandages and herbs—what use are they?”
Qu You reassured him, “Don’t worry, someone will come to rescue us.”
Bai Ying agreed, “Yes, yes. Though I’m alone in this world, Lord Zhou will surely come for you... But where are we now? Will he be able to find us?”
Qu You didn’t answer, hugging her arms as she sat in the corner, lost in thought. Noticing her shivering, Bai Ying gritted his teeth and removed his outer robe, draping it over her.
As he fastened the robe around her, he complained, “Look at you, so frail and sickly. You should wear more layers. Now that I’ve taken off this outer robe, consider it repayment for paying my expenses earlier. Of course, if you want to thank me later with more silver notes, I won’t refuse...”
Qu You initially wanted to decline, but Bai Ying, though talkative, moved swiftly, wrapping the robe around her before she could protest.
Bai Ying was familiar with Song Shixuan and didn’t always wear his official attire when entering the palace. Today, he wore a silver silk robe—the latest fashionable fabric for men in Bianjing, understated and elegant, unlike something he’d typically choose.
Qu You clutched the robe tightly, her gaze sweeping over his face as she softly said, “Thank you.”
Sensing her emotional distance, Bai Ying paused. “You don’t seem panicked.”
“For now, there’s no clue to follow. Panic is useless,” Qu You replied calmly. “Even if I were panicking, it wouldn’t compare to the days under the former Crown Prince’s captivity. No one has come for us yet, which means we still have value. Someone will rescue us, Doctor Bai. Don’t worry.”
Upon hearing this, Bai Ying fell unusually silent. He lifted his robe and sat beside her. “Give me your hand. Let me check your pulse.”
Since joining the Imperial Hospital, apart from treating Song Shixuan and Zhou Tan, Bai Ying rarely examined others. Technically, he shouldn’t have treated Zhou Tan without permission, but since the assassination attempt, Zhou Tan’s health had been under his care, and he didn’t trust anyone else with it.
Qu You hesitated, but before she could extend her hand, Bai Ying grabbed her sleeve and pulled her arm over. Lowering his lashes, he sighed in relief after a moment. “It’s good. Perhaps because you’ve been well cared for, you haven’t developed any illnesses. I heard Song Shiyan often visited the Ministry of Justice to torture people for fun... It seems he still harbored some feelings for you and didn’t resort to extreme measures.”
The long night was quiet, and neither of them felt sleepy. Since she was married, they couldn’t huddle together for warmth. Bai Ying made a makeshift bed of straw beside him and curled up into a ball. “Whoever captured us hasn’t shown their face... I haven’t had a drop of water all day, and I’m cold and hungry. I feel like I’m dying.”
Qu You hummed in acknowledgment but didn’t respond. Puzzled by her uncharacteristic silence, Bai Ying shifted and accidentally brushed her forehead, feeling icy sweat on his palm.
She was wrapped in his robe—why was she sweating so much?
Bai Ying immediately called out, “Lady?”
Qu You didn’t respond. Alarmed, Bai Ying fumbled in the dark for a long while and miraculously found a damp tinderbox in his medical kit. After much effort, he managed to light a half-burnt candle. The flickering light revealed her face, pale and ghostly.
Something wasn’t right. Cold alone shouldn’t cause this.
Leaning closer, he suddenly caught a faint whiff of blood. His expression changed abruptly as his eyes landed on her arm, which she had unconsciously been clutching. Earlier, when he had pulled her over, she seemed unable to exert much strength.
Bai Ying lifted her sleeve and gasped—beneath her robe and jacket, the area was soaked red. A hastily tied handkerchief covered the wound, now saturated with blood.
Staring at the injury, Bai Ying inexplicably froze.
Until Qu You weakly joked, “Doctor Bai, seeing a patient, why are you stunned?”
Snapping out of his daze, Bai Ying frantically rummaged through his medical kit for herbs and pulled her arm over to clean the wound. “You... No wonder your pulse felt weak earlier—I thought it was just from the cold. Why didn’t you tell me you were injured? With a doctor right here, were you afraid I’d demand an exorbitant fee afterward? Money isn’t as important as life!”
“It’s just a small wound. How could it endanger my life?” Qu You replied faintly. “I was so tired earlier, I forgot about it.”
Bai Ying glared at her and focused on treating the wound. After wiping away the blood, he realized the injury wasn’t severe. Her pallor was likely due to hunger, cold, and exhaustion.
Looking at Bai Ying, Qu You suddenly said, “It’s been a while since we last saw each other, Doctor Bai. Let’s talk.”
Without lifting his eyelids, Bai Ying grumbled, “What’s there to talk about? Like how you suddenly decided to cut yourself...”
He abruptly stopped mid-sentence. Qu You smiled. “It wasn’t a sudden decision.”
Under the dim candlelight, she saw Bai Ying’s expression shift unpredictably. He waited a long while without continuing.
Only after tightly bandaging her wound did Bai Ying suddenly speak. “Come to think of it, there is one thing I’ve always been curious about...”
Qu You prompted, “Hmm?”
“When... when Xiao Bai was still serving as Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, you were forced into marriage under imperial decree and endured humiliation from the Ren family.” Bai Ying recalled thoughtfully. “You sought me out to treat Xiao Bai’s injuries, merely out of pity for his near-death state. I remember you were wary of him back then, but later, the two of you grew harmonious and deeply connected. To let go of suspicion... is such a difficult thing. I’m truly curious—what happened in between?”
Surprised by his question, Qu You paused briefly before breaking into a wide smile, as if reminiscing about something delightful. “Doctor Bai... have you ever had childhood friends?”
Bai Ying shook his head blankly. “I make friends based on mutual understanding, coming and going freely. Many old friends have faded from memory.”
“Making acquaintances is indeed about mutual understanding, but maintaining relationships takes much longer,” Qu You mused, resting her chin on her uninjured hand. “Perhaps it’s better to say this: Before meeting someone or shortly after, I always imagine countless scenarios about them. If every scenario aligns perfectly, we become close friends. If each falls slightly short, we exchange polite nods and part ways.”
“So...” Bai Ying asked earnestly, a rare moment of seriousness from him, “Does Xiao Bai perfectly fit your imagined scenarios?”
“No,” Qu You shook her head immediately, her smile deepening. “He exceeds my expectations. Everything he does surpasses what I imagined, some even beyond what I could have dreamed. Meeting someone like that, wouldn’t you admire and love them, growing fonder each day than the last?”
Bai Ying remained silent. Qu You’s fingers brushed the smooth silk robe as she brought up another topic. “A few days ago, my husband hosted a banquet for Su Chaoci and Scholar Shisan at Linfeng Pavilion.”
Bai Ying didn’t catch on immediately. “Huh? Don’t you often entertain them? Boss Ai is busy, and I wasn’t in the capital, or I’d have joined you for a drink.”
Instead, Qu You asked, “Do you know why, since His Majesty ascended the throne, my husband has always opposed him?”
Bai Ying’s brow furrowed.
“In simple terms,” Qu You explained succinctly, “my husband told Su Chaoci that he would sacrifice his reputation to elevate him to a high position and stabilize the court. As a scholar from a prestigious family, Su Chaoci already had a clean reputation. Removing a despised villain would earn him renown akin to Chancellor Gu, helping him end factional strife and nurture the people.”
The candle was nearly burned out. Qu You lowered her gaze and noticed Bai Ying’s bare hands trembling violently.
He coughed twice, as if struggling to believe, and hoarsely asked, “In this bustling world, everyone seeks profit... Could there really be someone willing to give up everything for their ideals?”
“Yes,” Qu You murmured dreamily. “In the end, in his heart, posthumous fame matters less than tangible benefits for others. He may not care, but I do. I cherish him as much as I cherish my own flesh and blood. If he can’t protect himself, I’ll protect him.”
As she spoke, a profound sorrow enveloped her. Her eyes stung, but she continued. “...But before proceeding, there was one thing we were uneasy about. Before the Crown Princess died, I extracted a clue from her. Beyond the deposed Crown Prince and the Crown Princess, there was another person.”
“He lay low for years, carefully observing each of us. Living in the most dangerous yet safest place—this is what they call ‘the great recluse hiding in plain sight.’ He manipulated the court, playing us all like puppets. Even Song Shiyan, upon realizing his identity before death, lost his will to fight and accepted his fate calmly.”
Bai Ying attempted a smile but failed. “You speak of something terrifying. What kind of person... could he be?”
“With such painstaking efforts for the sake of the world, he certainly isn’t ordinary,” Qu You clenched the edge of her robe, struggling to continue. “...Back then, in the old Su case, Song Shiyan, in his rage, overlooked the most crucial detail—did that woman from Xishao really kill the Empress’s son after leaving the palace? She should’ve stayed far from Song Shiyan her whole life. Why risk seeing him? If not for familial affection, then something beyond her control must have threatened Song Shiyan, compelling her to inform him at all costs.”
“Unfortunately, Song Shiyan wasn’t merciful. Upon learning of their kinship, he drew his sword and killed her, hearing only half her warning. It wasn’t until the Crown Princess revealed her true colors that he understood what he hadn’t fully grasped back then.”
Bai Ying echoed her words. “What was it?”
“A few days ago, while helping Liuchun inventory Chunhua Huayu Pavilion with Yunyue, we unexpectedly discovered a witness from those days. She didn’t hear much, but a few words suddenly made everything clear to me.”
The candle went out, plunging them into darkness. In the pitch-black silence, Qu You spoke slowly. “Perhaps the Empress’s son didn’t die. That person... is the one connected to Li Yuanjun and the Li family. They knew about this long ago. Hence, Li Yuanjun meticulously approached Song Shiyan, drugging him to make the sole heir volatile and tyrannical. This way, upon the late emperor’s death, turmoil in the court was inevitable...”
“The other princes were unfit, leaving the dynasty without a successor. At that moment, he appeared, poised to seamlessly assume everything—with the Li family vouching for his identity, he’d even gain widespread support. But he didn’t anticipate the late emperor leaving a secret edict, forcing him to alter his plans and remain hidden. However, with Li Yuanjun exposed, his time is running out.”
After finishing, Qu You chuckled softly, unsure whether she mocked him or herself. “Without eliminating this person and the remnants of the Li family, my husband can’t proceed with what he wants to do. So, we discussed and decided to set a trap to lure him out—he’s waited so long, he couldn’t resist taking a desperate gamble when the opportunity arose. It was expected.”
She heard Bai Ying’s labored breathing, one breath after another.
Her vision blurred with tears.
“But... until today, I overlooked many things I should have noticed because I never imagined...”
Though she couldn’t see his face clearly, she raised her head and calmly concluded.
“...That person would be you.”
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