Chapter 36

Looking at this little devil who still remembered to guard against enemies at a moment like this, Jiang Fu smiled and replied, "Those fleeing for their lives should naturally be meticulous, leaving not a trace where they pass; while we swagger through the market, fighting and snatching, isn't that the perfect blind?"

This crooked logic could only make Shaowei reluctantly believe three parts of it; she faintly felt that Jiang Fu seemed to have some other reliance giving her confidence.

Jiang Fu, who was swaggering through the market, seemed intent on carrying this "darkness under the lamp" blind to the end; on New Year's Day, she very generously opened a top-grade room in the commandery city they passed through.

Before this, the party of three had only lodged in small shops in villages and counties; this was the first time entering a city. Entering the city required verification of identity; the object used to prove identity was called a "Identity Token." This object was made of bamboo slips, inscribed with the name and native place of the passer, and stamped with the official seal.

Shaowei did not know much about these travel rules, but she was very good at observing and learning. When queuing to enter the city, she saw that most people ahead presented this object; others had it, she had nothing, two empty hands, and couldn't help feeling a few parts guilty and nervous.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Fu had long been prepared; unknown at what time or place she had actually forged an identity document for her. When the city guard took it to inspect, Shaowei also secretly glanced; her gaze skipped over the native place, only to see the name written on it was shockingly the three characters "Jiang Shaowei."

Forced to take the surname Jiang without knowing, Shaowei felt resentful, but also knew she could not reveal a flaw before outsiders; she could only cooperate until the inspection was complete.

This place is the seat of Runan Commandery; the head of a commandery is the commandery city, usually the most lively and prosperous place in the whole commandery.

It happened to be New Year's Day; this bustle added the joy of the new year. After settling the green ox and luggage in the inn, Jiang Fu saw that outside lanterns were hung high, and there were even dance and music sounds passing through the streets, so she asked if anyone wished to go out with her to join the liveliness.

Mo Li was the first to raise his hand, indicating he wanted to go; on the way here he had seen many street snacks he had never seen before, and was already drooling.

Shaowei, however, said she would not go; Jiang Fu persuaded again and again, but she remained unmoved.

Jiang Fu thought this little devil was still sulking over the surname matter, so she thought to go out and buy some tasty and fun things to come back and coax her.

Who knew that upon returning to the inn and pushing open the door, Shaowei's figure was nowhere to be seen.

Jiang Fu instinctively felt Shaowei would not impulsively leave over that bit of sulkiness; she immediately only had Mo Li check the front and back courtyards of the inn, while she herself carefully searched the guest room.

This top-grade room was very spacious, and divided into inner and outer rooms, with many screens and bed curtains placed; the bed in the inner room was also exceptionally exquisite. Green bed curtains were now hung on copper hooks on both sides, soft, dense wrinkles trailing to the ground, just like green willows in spring.

Parting that dense "green willow" barrier, a small shadow was huddled with knees bent in that dim corner.

Sensing someone approach, the shadow raised its head, revealing a face full of cold sweat, deathly pale; red-rimmed eyes brimmed with tears — physiological tears, the thing that automatically appears when a person endures immense pain, having nothing to do with fragility or not.

Jiang Fu tried to reach out a hand; Shaowei instantly clenched that approaching wrist tightly with both hands, her pain-clouded eyes holding a vigilant, fierce hostility.

This time Shaowei's cold syndrome flared up more than ten days later than before; perhaps it was because Jiang Fu had been needling and medicating her along the way to regulate her.

However, ice three feet thick does not form in a single day's cold; to completely eradicate the root is absolutely not something a mere month-plus can achieve. Afterwards, Jiang Fu still needs to adjust the therapy according to her physical condition.

Shaowei had been very cooperative with medication all along this journey; only when she sensed an onset coming did she still subconsciously choose to hide herself away, not wanting her weak appearance at this time exposed before others.

A faint, barely audible sigh escaped Jiang Fu's mouth.

The girl's hands were still too small; one hand could not fully clench an adult's wrist; she needed both hands clasped together to resist before she felt safe.

Jiang Fu ignored the pain in her wrist, then extended her other hand, gently placing it on the girl's crown.

Shaowei glared at her with eyes full of hostility, but made no further attacking move.

"Little devil, don't be afraid."

Jiang Fu's voice lacked the usual casual teasing that made one unable to tell truth from falsehood; in Shaowei's ears, those words that seemed to come from the distant horizon were as sincere and devout as a sworn fate-contract: "I will not harm you in the slightest."

As Shaowei's vigilance inexplicably loosened, a fine silver needle from Jiang Fu's hand sank into her hair at the crown.

This instant's subtle pricking pain could no longer be perceived by Shaowei, in pain to the extreme; after the needling, that adult woman's soft hand still did not hurry to leave, but gently and slowly stroked her head.

That stroking seemed to also have medicinal power; each stroke took away some pain.

Outside the guest room firecrackers clamored, children chased and played singing nursery rhymes; myriad sounds composed a clamorous movement, like a lullaby this lively New Year's Eve night gifted to the older child.

Jiang Fu carried the unconscious Shaowei to the bed; this was the first time on this journey that Shaowei slept on the bed.

After needling Shaowei a few more times, Jiang Fu shook her wrist that had been clenched painfully, and exclaimed with satisfaction: "Little devil, no matter how unwilling you are to share a bed with Master, tonight you can't escape, right?"

As she spoke, she walked to the window side, raised a hand and opened the window; just as she turned sideways to avoid for an instant, a gray figure pried the window single-handedly, lifted its body and leaped in, the other hand holding a wine jar, unknown how long it had waited outside the window.

It was a man with a full beard, wearing coarse cloth clothes, bearing an unrestrained, unruly air; his gaze swept over the bed, his voice somewhat hoarse but lowered as much as possible: "Is the child asleep?"

"Yes, just coaxed to sleep with needles." Jiang Fu sat cross-legged before the food table, patted the table, signaling the bearded man to come pour wine.

Mo Li returned from outside: "Head of Household, couldn't find her!"

Then, without waiting for Jiang Fu to answer, he had already seen Shaowei lying asleep on his own, and let out an "oh."

Seeing the gray-robed man pouring wine, Mo Li had no reaction; he ran to the outer room to fully enjoy the various fried fruit snacks bought back.

The New Year's blessing wine with added cassia twig and Sichuan pepper had a rich, intense flavor; the wine aroma drifted out the window, urging the peach branches at the alley mouth to sprout new buds early.

The southern wind already held a trace of warmth, yet in Chang'an City, which Shaowei often gazed at from afar, another spring snow had fallen.

Along with this vast, white New Year's spring snow, the Ren Emperor suddenly fell ill.

In recent years the Son of Heaven had become increasingly superstitious about ghosts and spirits; he built the Xian Tai Gong, gathering talented persons and Taoist priests to manage auspicious and inauspicious matters.

The world-renowned Xiangshi Baili Youyi was the head of Xian Tai Gong; this person had held the high position of National Preceptor since the age of seventeen.

Since the eighth month of last year, this young Baili National Preceptor had been in seclusion until now, and had not appeared before people for a long time.

The National Preceptor's seclusion must concern a great matter of national fortune, but His Majesty is gravely ill; Xian Tai Gong must set up a blessing ceremony — this matter naturally cannot be without someone presiding. In the end, Crown Prince Liu Gu personally went to Xian Tai Gong to pray for blessings and longevity for his Imperial Father.

This was originally a praised act of benevolence and filial piety, until the third day of the blessing ceremony, a participating Daoist priest appeared before the throne in panic, trembling as he presented an object to the Ren Emperor.

Good morning, recommending friend Thorns Song's new book, already on shelves, exploding with updates, click quickly: "Qin Shi Ji Shi": Bringing ibuprofen through time, encountering a Qin King with a fever that won't subside!

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(Chapter End)