[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-my-life-as-a-rising-force-in-the-red-chamber":3,"chapter-my-life-as-a-rising-force-in-the-red-chamber-my-life-as-a-rising-force-in-the-red-chamber-chapter-38":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","My Life as a Rising Force in the Red Chamber",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2310836,4515,"Chapter 38: Spare His Life","my-life-as-a-rising-force-in-the-red-chamber-chapter-38",38,"\u003Cp>The girl was Liu Wuer, daughter of the kitchen’s Liu Sou, and since childhood had been closest to Zhi Shao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Last time Jia Cong broke the Purple Jade Seven Treasures Ruyi, Jia She beat him severely, and since his monthly allowance had been withheld by Lady Xing, he lacked funds to buy fresh food from the kitchen to recover.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was thanks to Wuer secretly slipping him food from the kitchen that Jia Cong and Zhi Shao survived the hardship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In recent days, many servants had been sent outside the city to search for Jia Cong; shortly after Lai Da left Rongqing Hall, rumors spread through Rongguo Prefecture that Jia Cong had been murdered outside the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wuer, upon hearing the rumor, rushed to the Eastern Courtyard to warn Zhi Shao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That day, when Zhi Shao returned from the western city, she naturally found no Jia Cong; later, upon hearing Guo Zhi had returned, she went to ask and learned Jia Cong had been ambushed by bandits en route.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After returning, she wept all night in her room, wandered dazed for two days, and still received no word of Jia Cong—her heart had half-dead; only after Aunt Zhao spent hours consoling her did she finally eat something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wuer knew Zhi Shao had served Jia Cong since childhood, and the two had always depended on each other; hearing such terrible news, she feared Zhi Shao would be crushed by grief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now the entire household was whispering—it was only a matter of time before everyone knew; better to tell her herself and offer comfort while she was still near, not to betray the bond they shared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The female bandit said coldly: “In recent days, while hunting, I’ve often seen servants dressed like yours lurking nearby—they’re not officials; they must be from your household.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wuer, though also a household-born servant, was as beautiful and refined as Xi Ren or Zi Juan, the senior maids.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But since childhood, she had been frail, constantly taking medicine every few days, so she’d never been assigned duties—only helped her mother in the kitchen with idle tasks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black ointment was remarkably effective; the bandit’s sword wound had healed over half, and if she avoided violent movements that might reopen it, she’d be fully recovered in six or seven days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After applying the ointment, Jia Cong stepped back against the cave wall, watching as the woman calmly dressed herself, then slowly turned toward him, her right hand still gripping the gleaming curved blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was already late, and she thought of returning to fetch warmer clothes—her weak body would catch a chill, forcing her mother to spend more on medicine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Cong suddenly felt something was wrong; at this moment, he wished she’d simply knock him out again, as she had these past days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just tie my hands and feet—why do you always knock me out? I’ve helped you apply medicine for days.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, he couldn’t help coughing softly twice—the air was still cold, and she’d rushed out without enough clothing; the wind had already triggered her cough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Knocking you out first makes binding you easier. You scholars all have black hearts—smiling to your face, stabbing in the back. That’s why I guard against you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Jia Cong woke again, he smelled the familiar scent of roasted meat—the woman was roasting a wild rabbit over the fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a long while, Zhi Shao replied: “Don’t worry—I’ll be fine. I’m waiting for Third Master to return.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Cong, thinking of being knocked out again after the ointment, gritted his teeth—but scholars had no power against soldiers; he snatched the rabbit and gobbled down a few bites, barely half-sated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You must take care—if Third Master Jia returns and sees you like this, tell me what you want to eat, what you need.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wuer sighed in relief—she believed Zhi Shao had heard her final words; deep down, she still cared for Third Master Jia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Zhi Shao stare blankly, her face devoid of expression, Wuer grew even more worried.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Cong recalled how she’d killed Wu Jinrong—a scholar—and her venomous tone suggested she held deep contempt for scholars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The female bandit untied his hands and feet and tossed him half the rabbit: “Eat. Then apply the ointment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll be going now. Stay indoors. If anything happens, send Aunt Zhao to find me—I’ll come speak with you when I can.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zhi Shao, don’t panic. Lai Da’s warning was dire, but he hasn’t seen the body—it doesn’t mean he’s dead. Third Master Jia is kind-hearted; he’ll surely escape misfortune.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After I kill you, I’ll make sure they find your body—I won’t leave you to rot in the wild.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Cong’s hair stood on end: “Why do you want to kill me? Your wound is healed—you can leave. I haven’t even seen your face. I’m no threat to you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You saw my body. You touched me. Do you think I’d let you live?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Cong’s nose nearly twisted off: “Unbelievable! You made me apply the ointment—you didn’t force me to look!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though they stood at the brink of life and death, their words carried an odd intimacy—the cave exuded a strange atmosphere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Cong finally understood what was wrong: the woman had long planned to kill him—she’d merely needed his help applying medicine while her wound was severe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her reason for killing was absurd—no doubt such a bandit woman killed as casually as slaughtering chickens, valuing no human life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She also wanted to silence him, to prevent him from revealing her whereabouts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His right hand curled into a fist, his thumb extending between index and middle finger—he’d learned this gesture from a famous bone-setter in his past life: striking the chest’s Danzhongxue  could instantly paralyze—or kill—a man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t sure if the physician had been lying, but at this moment of life or death, he had no choice—he couldn’t just wait to die.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman stepped within a pace, raised her curved blade to strike—Jia Cong’s right hand thrust forward at the same instant, aimed at the center of her breasts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t that he sought to grope her—it was simply that the Danzhongxue  lay there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman never expected this half-grown boy to resist; caught off-guard, her blade halted mid-swing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her left hand shot out, seizing his right wrist—she was both furious and humiliated: this boy had targeted such an indecent spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Cong felt searing pain in his right hand—his bones felt ready to snap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, they stood half a pace apart, their faces nearly touching; Jia Cong clearly saw the woman’s luminous, expressive eyes—beautiful eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now they blazed with shame, rage, and killing intent; the blade suspended in midair plunged violently toward his neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Cong caught the glint of the blade in his peripheral vision—his heart froze; he thought he’d failed to evade it, and closed his eyes to await death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, he sensed something strange—he opened his eyes again. The curved blade rested against his neck, unmoved; its icy edge made his neck pores flare open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman’s eyes locked onto his face; Jia Cong could even see his own reflection in her gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That day, when she stole his carriage to flee, she hadn’t properly looked at him; after dismounting, darkness had fallen, and she’d been evading pursuers, never glancing his way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the cave, the dim light had given only a vague impression—he hadn’t paid much attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each time they came closest, she’d turned her back for him to apply the ointment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the first time they’d truly studied each other’s faces up close.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman’s face was fully veiled, leaving only her eyes exposed; she stared intently at Jia Cong’s face, her gaze filled with profound astonishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even more surprising, the woman released his wrist, stepped back several paces, picked up a burning branch from the fire, and brought it close to illuminate his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She continued staring at him as if searching for flowers blooming on his skin; Jia Cong, embarrassed, touched his own face—found nothing amiss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was this woman mad? What nonsense was she playing at?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who are you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I am Jia Cong, son of Jia She, First-Rank General of Rongguo Prefecture.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman stared at him, her eyes flickering—she seemed lost in thought, perhaps making a decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I won’t kill you. But if you utter a single word about these past days, no matter how high Rongguo Prefecture’s walls, I’ll slip through them and take your life as easily as plucking a leaf.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Cong, stunned by her sudden change of heart, paused, then exhaled in relief—joy surged at surviving, yet countless doubts rose: why had she suddenly spared him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wouldn’t be so foolish as to believe his looks had softened her heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He forced his scattered thoughts to settle: “Don’t worry—I’ll keep silent about these days. I don’t want trouble either.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for claiming he didn’t want trouble—he already had plenty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Guo Zhi returned, he’d surely report Jia Cong had been kidnapped; Jia She didn’t care if he lived or died, but Jia Zheng would surely report it to the authorities and send men to search.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he returned unharmed, how would he explain everything? He’d need to spin a long tale—and the news would inevitably reach Zhou Jun of the Judicial Court.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Involving remnants of the Hidden Sect—that was a bottomless pit. Thinking of it gave him a headache; he glanced at the woman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1576,"2026-06-20T12:19:54.434Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","cf0c792ed0891400fdd5a99cf70f3c31a8dfec1d7506b75d203d6308c7154010","my-life-as-a-rising-force-in-the-red-chamber-chapter-39","my-life-as-a-rising-force-in-the-red-chamber-chapter-37",920,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fmy-life-as-a-rising-force-in-the-red-chamber-cover.jpg"]