Chapter 147: Entanglement (1)

Shen Xiling never imagined that one day she would meet Gu Juhán of Northern Wei.

She had heard of him since she was a child, knowing him as Qi Ying’s adversary who repeatedly inflicted defeats on the Liang army in battles. Most people from the Southern Dynasty would change their expressions when mentioning this general, just as those from the north grew anxious at the mention of Qi Ying. Shen Xiling had always imagined this famed General Gu to be a monstrous figure with a green face and fangs. She secretly resented him for being Qi Ying’s enemy, especially during the most intense period of the northern campaign, when she had even…

Alas.

Who would have thought that now she would owe him a favor?

For a moment, she felt disoriented, unable to recall how she parted ways with Gu Juhán. After boarding the carriage, she remained silent throughout the journey. Even after returning to the Envoy’s Villa and entering Qi Ying’s room, she was still dazed.

Qi Ying glanced at the bewildered girl, then gently guided her to sit in a chair. He extended his hand towards her and said, “Let me see your arm.”

Snapping out of her thoughts, Shen Xiling was startled and looked up at him.

She hadn’t mentioned her injury to him because encountering Gu Juhán had shocked her so much that she even forgot about the pain in her arm.

Yet, he had somehow noticed…

Shen Xiling looked at Qi Ying, pursed her lips, and handed him her left hand.

He stood while she sat. With one hand holding her left hand, he gently rolled up her sleeve, revealing the bruise underneath. The shopkeeper, a burly northerner, had struck her hard with a thick rolling pin, and the impact had been severe. Shen Xiling’s left arm was already a deep shade of purple with some visible blood pooling beneath the skin.

Upon seeing this, Qi Ying’s expression immediately turned cold and menacing, his entire demeanor shifting.

Having kept her by his side all these years, he had never once laid a finger on her, always treating her with utmost care. Even during the incident with Yang Dong, she hadn’t sustained such a serious injury. Now, to see her hurt like this without cause—how could he not be enraged?

Frowning deeply, Qi Ying refrained from questioning her immediately, instead instructing Qingzhu to call for a doctor. After the doctor tended to her wound, he began to inquire about the incident.

By then, Shen Xiling was leaning against Qi Ying’s chest. Hearing him suppress his anger and ask, “Who injured you?” she quickly recounted the events leading up to the incident. To prevent him from dwelling too much on it, she added, “The injury looks worse than it is—it doesn’t hurt that much. Besides, that… General Gu has already punished the shopkeeper. He even gave me lots of buns as compensation.”

Shen Xiling looked up, meeting Qi Ying’s somewhat darkened gaze. Feeling uneasy, she lowered her voice and said, “He really did punish him… He made that man kowtow and apologize to me. He even wanted to send him to the authorities, but I stopped him because I didn’t want to make a fuss…”

Afraid that Qi Ying wouldn’t believe her, she vividly described how Gu Juhán had twisted the shopkeeper’s arm, causing him to cry out in pain, and how he had kowtowed to her in apology. She deliberately exaggerated the shopkeeper’s plight, hoping Qi Ying would calm down and not seek further retribution, thus avoiding more trouble.

Qi Ying’s face remained impassive, leaving Shen Xiling unsure of what he was thinking. However, seeing that he wasn’t angry anymore, she assumed he truly didn’t intend to pursue the matter further. Relieved, she snuggled closer to him, only to be scolded with a slight frown, reminding her to be careful of her wound.

Shen Xiling no longer feared Qi Ying much. She knew he loved her and wouldn’t genuinely scold her harshly. His sternness was reserved for others; to her, he was merely a paper tiger.

Thus, she ignored his warning and continued wriggling playfully in his arms. As expected, he couldn’t stay stern with her and eventually resorted to coaxing her gently, persuading her to settle down.

Satisfied with her small victory, Shen Xiling grinned mischievously in his embrace. Seeing him lost in thought, she kissed his cheek lightly and whispered, “Master, what are you thinking about?”

At that moment, Qi Ying was thinking about Gu Juhán.

Though they had been adversaries, one from the south and one from the north, for many years, today was their first encounter. Previously, Qi Ying had only seen Gu Juhán’s portrait in the documents of the Privy Council. Likewise, Gu Juhán likely knew him only through similar means. Thus, upon their sudden meeting, both were momentarily stunned.

Gu Juhán…

He was indeed an excellent minister and general. Despite the numerous constraints facing Great Wei today, he had still caused the Liang army considerable hardship in battles. Take, for example, the battle of Jian Mountain Pass. If Emperor Wei hadn’t listened to slander and forced the Gu family into premature warfare, Gu Juhán might have succeeded in cutting off the Liang army’s supply lines, making the outcome unpredictable.

If he were a minister of Jiangnan, perhaps the current state of affairs in the world would be different.

Qi Ying’s feelings towards Gu Juhán were complex. Naturally, they viewed each other as enemies, but setting aside their opposing stances, Qi Ying admired him. There was no need to elaborate on military prowess—Gu Wen was considered the foremost strategist of the era, even surpassing his father. What Qi Ying admired most, however, was his character. Over the years, despite frequent battles between the two nations with mixed victories, Gu Juhán had always treated captives kindly. Four years ago, when he captured three counties in Jiangnan, there was no massacre—a testament to his benevolent leadership. Moreover, today he had saved Shen Xiling, earning Qi Ying’s gratitude.

However, political struggles were always brutal, especially for the Gu family whose opponents were the powerful imperial relatives. This made their situation even more precarious.

After Wei’s recent defeat, Emperor Wei had already blamed the Gu family extensively. Meanwhile, the Zou clan, gaining momentum, showed no mercy, exploiting the Gu family’s downfall to stir chaos in the court. They openly demoted officials aligned with the Gu family, signaling their decline.

Such a prestigious family, once defeated in political struggles, often faced not just decline but total annihilation—like the former Shen clan of Liang, which vanished overnight, leaving only remnants behind.

The Gu family was a military clan. Since the time of the elder Duke, they had never excelled in political maneuvering. Otherwise, a century-old noble family wouldn’t have been pushed to such a dire situation by upstarts like the Zou clan relying on nepotism. Gu Juhán was likely no exception.

Ultimately, the Gu family relied on warfare for survival. Without battles, their value to Great Wei diminished, giving others opportunities to strike, easily placing them in mortal danger.

This was the tragedy of this family.

But for ministers of Liang like Qi Ying, the decline of the Gu family was undoubtedly a good thing. He would gladly watch them crumble to dust and even accelerate their downfall. Today, Gu Juhán had saved his girl, and he owed him gratitude. However, this was personal kindness. It wouldn’t soften his stance towards the Gu family—they remained political rivals, a fact that wouldn’t change.

Seeing Qi Ying’s expression grow darker, Shen Xiling became frightened. She tugged lightly on his sleeve to bring him back to the present.

He smiled at her, his usual gentle self, coaxing her to lie down for a nap. He then mentioned that he needed to go out again in the afternoon.

Shen Xiling had already found it strange that he returned unusually early today compared to the past few days when he usually came back late. Only now did she realize—he hadn’t planned to return. He had encountered her on the way and brought her back.

Knowing that he was busy with significant matters, she didn’t dare delay him, obediently saying, “Mm, go ahead. Don’t worry about me.”

He kissed her forehead and, after some thought, told her, “Stay in my room and play. If anyone asks you to do something else, ignore them. I’ll give prior notice.”

His concern naturally made her feel sweet, but his earlier words left her speechless—what did he mean by “play in my room”? It sounded as if she were still a child…

She lightly slapped him and laughed, “I understand…”

That night, Qi Ying returned very late, almost at midnight, bringing with him a person covered in wounds and blood, unconscious and supported by Bai Song.

Shen Xiling didn’t recognize him—the severely injured man was Xu Zhengning, one of the twelve divisional officers of the Privy Council of Liang.

This esteemed official had been undercover in the north for months, secretly supporting rebel forces within Wei territory. At the onset of the war, he managed to keep Gu Juhán at bay for over two months, securing invaluable strategic advantages for the Liang army. Captured by Gu Juhán in July, he had been detained in Shangjing ever since. As a high-ranking official of Liang with ties to crucial Privy Council secrets, the Wei people naturally wouldn’t let him go. For months, they subjected him to severe torture, attempting to extract information about Liang’s northern campaign.

Xu Zhengning was a man of integrity and resilience. Known as “the Executioner” in the past, he had witnessed various methods of coercion and endured them all. No matter how the Wei people tortured him, he gritted his teeth and refused to utter a single extra word, leaving them helpless.

Though he survived, his injuries were grave. On the way back, Bai Song had given him a cursory examination and found that his right leg was broken, several ribs were fractured, and his body bore countless whip and club marks, making it unbearable to look at.

That night, the Envoy’s Villa was brightly lit. Upon bringing Xu Zhengning back, Qi Ying immediately summoned a doctor, tending to his injuries until the end of the second watch before dismissing everyone to rest.

Upon returning to his room, he found the little girl sitting curled up in the corner of the bed, hugging her knees, her face pale. Seeing him return, she rushed over and clung tightly to him, her body trembling slightly.

Raising an eyebrow, Qi Ying wondered what was wrong with the girl. Then he realized she had never seen such a gruesome scene before and was frightened by it.

Holding her, he gently patted her back and consoled her, “You won’t see such scenes again. Don’t be afraid.”

Shen Xiling continued to tremble, clinging tightly to him in his arms. After a long silence, she murmured, “It’s not the sight of blood that scares me…”

Lifting her head, her eyes shimmered with tears as she gazed at him and said, “I’m just afraid that the person becoming like that might be you.”

Qi Ying was taken aback. Before he could wipe away her tears, she buried her face in his chest again, continuing in a low voice, “I know it’s selfish of me, but I’m so relieved that it wasn’t you… I never want you to get hurt—I always want you to be safe…”

Qi Ying’s expression softened further at her heartfelt words.

For a moment, he didn’t know what to say to her, so he simply held her in silence, savoring the tranquility of the moment. Gently kissing her hair, he whispered, “Everything will be fine. Once we leave, these troubles will no longer concern me—don’t be afraid.”

Nestled in his arms, Shen Xiling nodded vigorously, her anticipation for the day of departure growing stronger.

Fortunately, she knew it was near.