The Night Watcher of Great Jing - Chapter 21

“Young lady, are you all right?”

Daoist Xuanxu did not understand the principle. Like someone confronting a mathematics problem, he might not know how to solve it, but he could recognize the answer.

He was, after all, one of the greatest experts in this world.

He quickly noticed the lines of mengshi stone and cinnabar on the ground.

“Mengshi belongs to yin, while cinnabar belongs to yang. Does the combination block yin and baleful energies?”

Daoist Xuanxu crouched there to study it.

Zhao Li thought the old man profoundly unreliable.

Was this the time for research? Help her!

Fortunately, someone reliable stood nearby.

Shen Yan pulled the small leather pouch from Zhao Li’s waist and opened it. One packet held mengshi powder, the other cinnabar.

After a moment’s thought, he crouched and carefully followed the existing lines, sprinkling the two powders separately until the breach closed.

The pressure abruptly lifted from Zhao Li’s body, as though ten thousand tons of icy seawater had been removed.

She staggered back, and Shen Yan caught her around the waist.

She turned her head and spat a mouthful of blood across the approaching Lin Zhu, teeth chattering as she curled into Shen Yan’s embrace from the cold.

“A-Li?”

Lin Zhu reached toward her with a trembling hand.

Shen Yan turned aside and avoided him.

“Oh, Grand Councillor Lin, stop making trouble!” Daoist Xuanxu seized Lin Zhu and held him fast.

“If this young woman had not risked her life to hold the breach, you would have killed every one of us.”

He called to Huang Li, who had arrived later.

“Grand Secretary Huang, hold him. If he causes trouble again, who will block the next breach?”

Huang Li immediately wrapped both arms around Lin Zhu’s arm.

“Settle down, old bastard! Are you trying to kill your own granddaughter?”

Lin Zhu went still, his expression dazed.

Daoist Xuanxu searched inside his sleeve and produced a palm-sized brocade box.

Inside lay a brown pill as large as a longan.

The loss pained him, but he handed it to Shen Yan without hesitation.

“The young woman lacks yang energy, and the fire at her life gate is fading. Quickly give her this Hundred-Herb Pill.”

Shen Yan recognized one of Qingxu Daoist Temple’s signature medicines and took it without hesitation.

Zhao Li’s teeth chattered, and her body shook uncontrollably.

Shen Yan cradled her against himself, pinched her cheeks, and forced open her jaw before pushing the pill inside.

The instant it touched Zhao Li’s tongue, an unbearably bitter taste spread.

Half-conscious, she twisted her head and tried to spit it out.

“Don’t let her!” Daoist Xuanxu shouted.

He knew perfectly well how foul his temple’s medicine tasted. He hurriedly ordered Shen Yan to cover Zhao Li’s mouth.

Bitter, spicy, sour, and astringent—and impossible to spit out.

Zhao Li was forced to swallow.

Her eyes remained closed as two streams of hot tears rolled onto Shen Yan’s hand, making him flinch.

Only after her throat moved and the pill went down did her shuddering begin to ease.

Shen Yan released her. Sweat had gathered at his temples.

He removed his outer robe and wrapped it around her.

Beyond the gray mengshi line, the black, dragonlike tornadoes gradually weakened.

As towering columns of darkness dispersed, the clouds across the sky lightened.

At last, the final wisp of smoke vanished.

The call of a kingfisher sounded in the forest, as though throwing a switch. The woods returned to the human world.

Burning sunset clouds filled the sky and dyed everything brilliant gold and red.

Thud, thud, thud.

The men beside the canal collapsed in neat rows.

Shen Yan lifted Zhao Li and carried her toward the temporary tents, giving a sharp whistle.

Jingning Guard officers immediately arrived with stretchers and strong liquor to collect the eighty-eight tree-cutters.

Amid the bustle, Huang Li continued clutching Lin Zhu’s arm.

Lin Zhu stared blankly at the golden sky.

“Ghosts and gods… are real?”

*I only learned that today myself,* Huang Li thought.

Everything seemed under control now. He violently flung aside Lin Zhu’s arm.

The old bastard had nearly killed them all.

Still cursing, Huang Li followed Daoist Xuanxu to examine Zhao Li.

He did not yet understand what had happened.

But he knew one thing.

Judging by the terrifying display, that Zhao girl A-Li had saved their lives.

A young woman with such ability would be his own beloved granddaughter from now on!

Lin Zhu stood in a daze a while longer, then suddenly remembered something and turned to leave.

Pain stabbed through his waist.

Clutching his lower back, he could only shuffle step by step.

Many tents had been erected behind the hollow, with blazing braziers around them.

Zhao Li had known in advance that the eighty-eight men would require rest and nourishment.

She had prepared abundant firewood, strong liquor, and warm blankets.

The roosters they slaughtered would be plucked as quickly as possible, stewed with yang-nourishing herbs and pepper, then fed to the men as chicken soup.

Zhao Li simply had not expected to become one of the patients.

Still holding his lower back, Lin Zhu made his way back to the camp.

He asked a commandant for directions. Before entering the tent, he heard Daoist Xuanxu and Huang Li speaking.

“Yin energy has invaded the young woman’s organs. Lord Shen, send someone to Qingxu Daoist Temple in the capital and fetch more warming restorative pills,” Daoist Xuanxu said.

“My residence has a century-old ginseng root in storage. Have them collect it on the way and brew it into soup,” Huang Li added.

Lin Zhu lifted the tent flap by a crack.

Inside, Shen Yan held a wine flask and was feeding Zhao Li.

Her eyes were closed. Felt blankets wrapped her so completely that only her palm-sized face showed.

Her complexion was white as paper. Blood remained at the corner of her lips, and a scabbed wound crossed her cheek.

Lin Zhu watched secretly for a long time, then gently lowered the flap.

He stood outside until his attendant found him.

“Old Master! What happened to you?”

The attendant, who had not been permitted to approach earlier, asked with concern.

“Nothing.” Lin Zhu waved a hand. “Help me back to my tent.”

After two steps, he abruptly asked, “Someone gave me a lingzhi mushroom for my birthday last year, didn’t they?”

Supporting his arm, the attendant thought.

“Yes. The Second Master obtained it from Yazhou. It is quite old and extremely rare. Didn’t you say yesterday that you intended to send it to the Zhao estate?”

Lin Zhu stopped.

“Has it been sent?”

“Not yet.” The attendant shook his head.

“Then send guards to fetch it and bring it here.”

“Also bring the fish maw, isinglass, and bird’s nest the Eldest Master sent from the south. Bring everything good.”

“All—all of it?”

“Yes.”

“For whom?”

Lin Zhu froze and said nothing for a long time.

“Old Master?” The attendant looked confused.

“Send them to Commander-in-Chief Shen.”

“What?”

The attendant’s mouth opened wide enough to swallow an egg.

The old master’s favorite pastime was cursing Shen Zhixing and Shen Yan. Why would he…

“I am merely asking him to pass them along!”

Did they think he would bow to those two men?

“Yes, yes.”

Seeing Lin Zhu’s foul expression, the attendant dared not ask more. He changed the subject.

“Why is there blood all over you? And why is there a small footprint on your waist?”

“Why do you talk so much?”

The two gradually walked away, Lin Zhu’s furious curses trailing behind.

…

Inside the tent, Zhao Li remained worried about the operation. After someone poured several mouthfuls of chicken soup into her, she woke in a daze.

The moment she opened her eyes, she saw Shen Yan beside her.

Half his face was black as the bottom of a pot, and his brow was furrowed deeply enough to crush a mosquito.

Zhao Li’s heart sank.

Had the operation failed after all?

Whether it had or not, she should grovel and apologize to her superior first.

Act pitiful. Clear herself of blame.

It was all that damned old man’s fault anyway.

Zhao Li struggled upright from beneath the felt blankets that nearly buried her.

“My lord, this subordinate was incompetent.”

Shen Yan had been overwhelmed with worry, his mind filled with the sight of Zhao Li shielding him.

He had been staring blankly at the brazier when he heard her move. He spun around, only to see her lowering her eyes pitifully and admitting fault.

Shen Yan stared.

What suicidal bastard dared call her incompetent?