Chapter 163: I Respect Your Choice

"Yes, looking for hawthorn, miss, how many roots this time?" The old woman nodded in agreement, not thinking further.

"Two hundred roots." Jiang Yunchu said directly.

The old woman beamed with joy, "Good, two hundred roots, I'll go get the hawthorn!"

As they spoke, the old man and old woman went out; Zi Su and Bai Zhi exchanged a glance, both went to the courtyard and stood guard at the gate.

Zhang Lao San, seeing this situation, knew this miss was no ordinary girl.

"Miss, if you have something to say, just speak plainly." Zhang Lao San coughed lightly a few times, but he felt his body less heavy, instead feeling somewhat relaxed.

He had been suffering from wind-cold for some days, he knew it himself; these past few days it's gotten colder, his disabled leg increasingly painful, the cold plus leg pain made him feel doubly tormented.

Jiang Yunchu smiled faintly, "Should I call you Zhang Lao San, or Zhang Luo?"

When the name Zhang Luo appeared, Zhang Lao San's eyes indeed shrank rapidly, indicating a swift change in his mindset.

When Jiang Yunchu saw the carving, when she inquired with Steward Yun about the carving master, and when she noticed Zhang Lao San's evasive expression, she had formed a suspicion in her heart.

This person! It's Zhang Luo!

Zhang Luo narrowed his eyes, carefully sizing up Jiang Yunchu.

Then he smiled, "Miss, you're no ordinary person; if you were sought from the south, I would surrender this wretched life of mine."

Hiding, concealing, he was already exhausted.

Avenging, he no longer wanted to.

Now he even thought, just ending it all wouldn't be bad.

"I'd like to ask you to come out of seclusion, but first I need to know your past entanglements and your story." Jiang Yunchu said.

Regarding the Zhang family's affairs, the old woman had mentioned some things these two times.

They always said the Zhang family was a household of good people, whether it was the earlier Zhang Lao Yezi or the present Zhang Lao San, both were great benefactors, helping neighbors quite a lot.

But Zhang Luo was fleeing pursuit, hiding his identity; in this unknown, dilapidated alley, naturally he had his story.

"Miss, shouldn't you tell me about your identity?"

"Also, how did you guess mine?"

Zhang Luo was somewhat surprised; the first time, he noticed this miss, her identity extraordinary—after all, ordinary people would just think the carving looks really good, not show such astonishment, and moreover, holding that rabbit, she stroked the carved lines, a habit only carvers possess.

Yet, it appeared in this miss's hand.

When she appeared, he knew that day wouldn't be far off.

"The three great carvers: one is Ze, two is Ying, three is Zhang Luo, as if true."

"The first time, I didn't know you were Zhang Luo, but by chance there was someone at home who liked carving; she told me about the three great carvers, and then said Zhang Luo excels at animals and plants, lifelike."

"That's how I guessed it was you."

As she answered, her face bore a smile, and she also possessed a confidence she herself hadn't noticed.

"Not bad, I am Zhang Luo." Zhang Luo nodded again, now drenched in sweat, the medicine's effect had risen, the fever was slowly subsiding, his whole body felt unprecedentedly relaxed.

"I am Jiang Yunchu, Princess Consort of the Regent Prince's Manor." Jiang Yunchu raised her eyebrows, speaking frankly.

Zhang Luo's face showed surprise, then he hastily tried to rise.

"No need." She said lightly.

Zhang Luo gave a bitter smile and shook his head, "Who would have thought the Regent's Consort would come to his dilapidated courtyard?"

Earlier he had bought so many candied haws, no wonder she said, with so many people in the household, one hundred fifty roots aren't enough to go around!

"Now, can you tell me your story?"

Zhang Luo first sighed, then his complexion looked somewhat bad, his eyes filled with bewilderment, evidently he had sunk into contemplation.

"Youthful recklessness, leaving home to study the arts." One sentence, two words, spoke of his mood then and the young man's vigorous spirit.

"I alone went down to Jiangnan."

"I used my will and patience, constantly honing my skills, eventually gaining my master's favor and entering his school."

"My master devoted his life to practicing carving; even at death, his hand tightly gripped the carving knife."

When Zhang Luo spoke to this point, he paused, giving a bitter smile and shaking his head.

"I am the master's second disciple; above me there is a senior brother."

"The senior brother was originally the child of my master's old friend; before his passing, he entrusted him to the master."

"But he lacked talent in this area, and his thoughts were changeable; unable to focus on honing his skills, after being reprimanded several times by the master, he planted the seed of resentment in his heart."

Zhang Luo coughed lightly; though his body felt light from sweating, his physical fatigue was nothing compared to the weariness in his memory.

In his gentle narration, that senior brother's grudge deepened over time, and he lost respect for the master.

Later, his master died under the senior brother's carving knife.

That was when the senior brother first entered the school; the master personally gave him that carving knife!

Later he learned that the senior brother had allied with outsiders, seeking the master's carving album—actually, the master had no such album.

The master's experience was passed on to them during every lesson.

Alas…

The senior brother, obstinate and unenlightened, killed the master yet failed to find the album, then turned his gaze toward him.

"Later, my leg was broken by the senior brother; it was the junior sister who secretly let me go." As Zhang Luo spoke here, he pounded his leg with his fists—those useless legs—now the junior sister's fate is unknown.

"Junior sister?" Jiang Yunchu raised her eyebrows.

"She is my master's daughter, but she doesn't like carving; from childhood she never touched carving. He always favored the junior sister; after the master's death, he confined her, yet later the junior sister saved me—her life or death unknown." Zhang Luo's eyes welled with tears as he recalled those events.

Jiang Yunchu narrowed her eyes, this traitor, well…

"Your affair, I will send people to investigate its truth."

"You have two choices: first, I naturally don't know your identity and won't disturb you; you continue living here in hiding, but if I have any needs, I'll come find you—of course I'll pay you."

"Second, you come with me to serve me; I'll arrange lodging, personnel, and also give you acupuncture; though your leg won't improve, your waist should gradually recover."

When she took his pulse earlier, she roughly measured his bones; his leg wanting to heal is too difficult—after all these years, those bones can no longer be repaired.

"I respect your choice." After Jiang Yunchu said that, she turned around and looked at the ornament placed on the cabinet.