Chapter 104: Words

Li Jiancheng nodded and added, “By the way, don’t tell Father about this matter, so as not to worry him. Also, keep an eye out these next few days—Wang Wei and the others should be arriving soon. When they do, Shimin, you’ll need to take extra care.”

Li Shimin nodded and, along with the others, left Qingchun Garden. After Li Xuanba departed, Li Shimin patted Li Zhiyun’s head and said, “Thank you once again for what you’ve done today.”

Li Zhiyun understood his meaning and smiled brightly. “Second Brother, you’ve already thanked me so many times—it’s getting tiresome even for me.”

Li Shimin spoke gently, “No amount of thanks could ever repay what you’ve done for Big Brother.”

Li Zhiyun made a playful face and teased, “Second Brother seems to have forgotten that he’s my big brother too.”

Li Shimin paused, then laughed. “You’re absolutely right! I was being foolish. Alright, I won’t say it anymore. It’s late—go back quickly, or Second Mother will worry. If you need anything in the future, just come find me.”

“Second Brother, don’t worry—I won’t stand on ceremony with you. Besides, you promised to take me sparrow hunting, and I haven’t forgotten,” Li Zhiyun replied with a grin.

Li Shimin chuckled and scolded lightly, “You sure have a good memory. Fine, I’ll take you out when I have time in the next day or two.”

Li Zhiyun waved goodbye and headed toward Yuxiu Pavilion. As soon as he entered, he saw Zhāixīng giving instructions to several servants. Upon seeing him, her expression relaxed, and she dismissed the servants. Once they had left, she curtsied and addressed him, “Fifth Master, where have you been all day? Lady Wan has been so worried.”

“I spent some time with Big Brother,” Li Zhiyun replied as he walked toward the main hall. Watching him from behind, Zhāixīng felt puzzled. Hadn’t Fifth Master said he was going hunting with Second Master? Why had he gone to Qingchun Garden, Big Brother’s residence?

Lady Wan had been fretting over Li Zhiyun. Seeing him enter, she sighed in relief and pulled him close. “You’re such a child, always playing around and not coming home early. Don’t you know how worried your mother gets?”

“I understand, but I wasn’t just playing around,” Li Zhiyun explained. “Today, after hunting with Second Brother, I planned to catch sparrows. But then…” He recounted in detail what had happened at Qingchun Garden that day, leaving Lady Wan astonished. “So Ji Rong is actually an accomplice of the assassin?”

Li Zhiyun shook his head. “I’m not sure. But both she and Zhang Chenyue seem suspicious.”

Lady Wan nodded thoughtfully, her expression complicated. “So it was you who saved Jiancheng?”

“Yes. Thankfully, Master gave me that pill before I left. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to help. But…” He took out the small note and handed it to Lady Wan. “Mother, do you know what this means?”

Lady Wan pondered for a moment. “Your master is an extraordinary person, knowledgeable in astronomy, geography, and more. Perhaps he foresaw that Jiancheng would face this calamity and prepared the medicine for you in advance. As for whether to save him or not, that choice was left to you.”

“I see.” Li Zhiyun grinned. “Master is truly strange. How could I not save Big Brother? There’s no reason not to.”

Zhāixīng interjected, “Fifth Master, you’ve forgotten how Big Brother treated you. He never spoke kindly to you. Remember the last time you brought him gifts? You sent them, and he immediately threw them away, treating your kindness like dirt.”

“That’s all in the past—why dwell on it? Regardless, he’s still my older brother. How could I possibly stand by and watch him die? Father often says that brothers should support one another. Isn’t that right, Mother?”

Lady Wan smiled faintly. “Yes, if your father knew about today, he’d surely be pleased. Now go wash your hands—it’s almost time for dinner.”

After Li Zhiyun left, the smile on Lady Wan’s face vanished instantly, replaced by an icy expression. Zhāixīng murmured quietly, “Big Brother really does have incredible luck. Even in such dire straits, he didn’t die.”

Lady Wan responded coldly, “It’s because his fate isn’t yet exhausted.”

Zhāixīng sneered. “If you ask me, it’s not just fate—it’s also the help of benefactors. Without Fifth Master, Big Brother’s body might already be cold by now. Only Fifth Master, with his kind heart, would save him. If it were me, I wouldn’t even wish for his survival, let alone rescue him.”

“Zhiyun is still young and has spent most of his life secluded in the mountains under his master’s tutelage. His nature is innocent—he doesn’t understand human warmth or the treachery of hearts. Supporting one another… If those four words held true, there wouldn’t be so many cases of brothers turning against each other in this world.”

Zhāixīng thought for a moment and then suggested, “Lady, in truth, Fifth Master’s health has greatly improved, and his martial arts skills are commendable. He’s no longer frail and sickly like before. Why not… stop sending him back? Having Fifth Master away from the estate for such long periods isn’t beneficial for you.”

“Do you think I don’t understand your point? But what if something happens to Zhiyun’s condition while he stays here? Abbot Huian explicitly said that once he returns, he must never be sent back again.” Sighing deeply, she continued, “Zhiyun won’t leave until after the New Year. Let me think carefully about this matter.”

Meanwhile, at the Music Pavilion, Chunxiu grew increasingly worried as Ji Rong hadn’t returned all night. By noon the next day, news of the events at Qingchun Garden finally spread. Chunxiu refused to believe that Ji Rong could be an assassin’s accomplice. Desperate for help, she realized there was no one she could turn to, nor could she enter Qingchun Garden herself. After wandering aimlessly, she sadly concluded that all she could do was wait, hoping Ji Rong would emerge unscathed.

But waiting proved far harder than she imagined. Without Ji Rong’s protection, Chunxiu found herself once again overwhelmed with work from dawn till dusk, exhausted to the point of collapse. No one treated her kindly.

Chunxiu seethed inwardly but could do nothing. All she could do was pray fervently for Ji Rong to clear her name and cure Big Brother’s leg ailment, which would give her a chance to rise again.

While Chunxiu anxiously awaited Ji Rong’s release, others at the Music Pavilion began speculating whether Ji Rong was truly an accomplice of the assassin.

Jiang Caiping was among them. Though she disliked Ji Rong, she remained skeptical about the accusation. On a quiet day, lost in thought, she rested her chin on her hand and asked her sister, “Do you really think Ji Rong is an assassin?”

Yunyi, busy tidying up, teased, “If she’s not the assassin, does that mean you and I are?”

Jiang Caiping wrinkled her nose. “I’m serious, Sister. I remember you once told me stories about Ji Rong—they didn’t make her sound like an assassin at all.”

Yunyi neatly folded the clothes she had collected and replied, “People can appear one way but harbor different intentions. Just like before—who would have guessed that Ji Rong would frame Mu’s death on me?”

Jiang Caiping nodded. “That’s true. But I still can’t figure out how she’s connected to the assassin—or what role Zhang Chenyue plays in all this.”