Chapter 23: Shelter
“Drip.”
The woodshed was locked from the outside.
Xiao Yi’s luggage was returned, with the exception of the dagger, hand crossbow, and flint; all other items were present.
He possessed a calm demeanor, accepting his situation, and took out hu bing, salted dried meat, and a water skin. He shared some with Qiu Shuang and began to eat.
“Your satchel seems to have everything.”
“Some essential items.”
Qiu Shuang did not eat the dried meat. She broke off half a piece of hu bing and chewed it slowly. She took the water skin and drank a few sips before saying, “Don’t worry, although I am a woman, my word is my bond. I will definitely ask Duke Xin Chen to spare your life.”
Xiao Yi asked, “How close is your relationship with Li Fang’s family?”
“Very close, within five degrees of kinship.”
“Then when your father was accused, it didn’t implicate his family?”
“It did affect them a little. Uncle Zhao was a high official, and he retired due to this matter. Their family has always acted cautiously and managed to protect themselves.”
Xiao Yi nodded, chewed half a piece of dried meat, and took back the water skin to drink a few mouthfuls. Since his felt sleeping bag had been discarded, he had to take off his blue sable cloak to cover himself and closed his eyes to rest.
In his ear, Qiu Shuang asked again, “You are truly very different from before.”
“People always grow.”
Xiao Yi knew that appearing cool was a feeling, and Li Fang’s suspicion of him because of it was quite troublesome.
Qiu Shuang said, “But you didn’t know how to read or practice martial arts before. You always kept your head down, spoke very softly, and your eyes would always dart away when you looked at someone, being so subservient.”
Xiao Yi said, “I don’t remember. I had a severe illness and lost my memories.”
“Xiao Yi… Xiao Yi, is that the name you gave yourself?”
“Something like that.”
Xiao Yi hadn’t intended to continue this topic. He then thought that since he had received this body, he should repay any kindness from his birth parents. So he asked, “Do I have parents?”
“They died under Shi Jingtang’s chaotic soldiers. My wet nurse said it was the winter of Tianfu Year 1. Father avoided disaster at Yique, and on the road, he encountered Jin troops who plundered and massacred Caodian Village. From a pile of corpses, he rescued four infants. You were the second, hence the name Xiao Yi. That year I was born, you had just entered the residence. You are two years older than me.”
“What about the other three? Xiao Jia, Xiao Bing, and Xiao Ding?”
“They died in infancy; they were difficult to raise.”
Xiao Yi was silent for a moment and said, “I remember the Li family’s kindness.”
“You have already repaid it.” Qiu Shuang asked, “Then, you don’t remember me either?”
“No.”
“Li Zhaoning.”
“Hmm?”
“My name is Zhaoning, my courtesy name is You Niang. A woman’s given name should not be easily revealed, but when Father brought you back, he was moved by the chaotic times and gave me this name.”
“I understand.”
“From today on, let’s not accept the titles of servants ‘bestowed’ by others. You are Xiao Yi, and I am Li Zhaoning. Don’t forget again.”
Xiao Yi was slightly stunned. He opened his eyes and saw a light in the eyes of the delicate girl in front of him.
“Alright, Li Zhaoning.”
“It’s been a long time since anyone called me that. Every time I hear ‘Qiu Shuang,’ I…”
Li Zhaoning trailed off, suddenly lost in thought.
After a while, she murmured to herself in a low voice, “They killed my entire family and gave me a servant’s name.”
She turned her head, wiped her face, gritted her teeth, and spat out four words in a low voice.
“The Shi family… die well!”
Xiao Yi looked over and saw her delicate shoulders trembling violently. It was likely that her taut nerves had suddenly relaxed, and the emotions from that night’s chopping, fleeing, and the revenge of a great vendetta were all overwhelming her.
The next moment, Li Zhaoning closed her eyes and fell backward, fainting directly.
Xiao Yi was quick. He caught the back of her head with his hand and slowly lowered her, covering her with the blue sable cloak.
He could now understand her feelings of wanting to vent her anger by chopping people.
After a long wait, the lock outside the woodshed rattled, and the door was pushed open. Li Fang entered first, standing to the side, respectfully ushering in an old man, who was presumably Li Tao.
Li Tao was about fifty years old, wearing a plain black headwear, a slightly faded robe, and an old dark crane cloak. His face was gaunt, his eyes sharp, carrying the scrutiny of someone accustomed to high position and the detachment of someone who had seen through the world.
“Duke Xin Chen has arrived,” Li Fang said, slightly raising his voice.
“Your junior, Xiao Yi, greets Duke Xin Chen. Forgive my abrupt visit.”
Li Tao stroked his beard and teased, “It is not you who is abrupt, but I who have failed to welcome you properly. I should have prepared a ladder at the wall to greet you.”
Hearing this, Xiao Yi was slightly taken aback, not expecting Li Tao to be so fond of joking.
Although Li Tao was expressing his displeasure, compared to Shi Hongzhao, who killed at the slightest provocation, and Su Fengji, who schemed maliciously, he possessed great prime ministerial bearing.
However, it was difficult to respond to that remark. Sneaking over the wall late at night was inexcusable, and he needed to answer in a way that would please the old man.
With no time to think, Xiao Yi said, “A major event has occurred tonight, and I have no one to discuss it with. Knowing that Duke Xin Chen was not yet asleep, I climbed over the wall.”
Li Tao couldn’t help but laugh and said, “If that is the case, then it is my fault for retiring so early?”
The laughter woke Li Zhaoning. She quickly got up and prostrated herself on the ground.
“Duke Xin Chen, my daughter…”
“There is no need to say more.” Li Tao’s teasing expression vanished, replaced by a hint of shame in his eyes. He offered a gesture of support and murmured, “The daughter of an old friend has fallen into a den of wolves, and I, separated by only a wall, failed to offer assistance. I am deeply ashamed! Deeply ashamed!”
“Your Grace, please do not say that. General Shi is tyrannical and cruel, and General Su is cunning and narrow-minded. It is fortunate enough that Duke Xin Chen was not implicated.”
“You have suffered all these years. I have already sent someone to wake your aunt. Go to the rear courtyard with the maid outside to see her first. Go.”
“Thank you for your great kindness, Duke Xin Chen.” Li Zhaoning curtsied in response and quickly asked, “This is Xiao Yi. I implore Duke Xin Chen to help and protect him as well.”
Li Tao said, “You ask me to save him, then who is he?”
“Replying to Duke Xin Chen, he is nominally an old servant of the family, but in reality, he is like my father’s adopted son. From childhood, Father taught him literature and martial arts. Tonight, he even risked his life to save me… He is my family, my benefactor.”
A smile appeared on Li Tao’s face. “Since You Niang says so, I trust her. You go first, and don’t keep your aunt waiting. I have a few words to say to him.”
Li Zhaoning was still somewhat uneasy and looked at Xiao Yi.
“Go.”
Xiao Yi nodded. Seeing her pale cheeks and colorless lips, he added, “You might be ill, take care.”
“Mmm.” Li Zhaoning replied, curtsied to Li Tao, and bid farewell. She still looked back with concern and said, “Thank you for your great kindness, Duke Xin Chen. Then he…”
“Don’t worry, I will speak with him for a moment.”
Only then did Li Zhaoning leave, looking back repeatedly, forgetting that she was still wearing the blue sable cloak.
After she left, Li Fang smiled faintly, put his hands behind his back, and looked at Xiao Yi, saying, “I don’t believe my cousin. If you were truly my uncle’s adopted son, you would have been summarily executed by the Shi family long ago.”
Xiao Yi said, “But what we said is true.”
“Very well, since you once came to Raoyang to pour wine for me, when was that?”
Xiao Yi thought that since it was a ancestral ceremony, it should have been Qingming, with the chilly spring air, which was why Xiao Yi had a runny nose.
But then he thought that he ultimately couldn’t hide it. Rather than lying, it was better to be honest.
“Brother Li, to be frank, I was struck by a blow from Shi Erlang not long ago, and I don’t remember many things.”
“So that’s it. This is your sincerity.” Li Fang blocked Li Tao and said, “Duke Xin Chen, saving You Niang is a matter of affection, but handing him over is a matter of duty. Shall we consider tonight’s events concluded?”
“Very well, but I fear he might expose me.”
“Drag him under the wall and deal with him, then hand him over to the Imperial Guard.”
For a moment, Xiao Yi considered making a direct dash for it.
He quickly scanned his surroundings. The two people in the room couldn’t stop him, but he was concerned about the guards outside the door and the possibility of them shouting and attracting officers and soldiers to search for him.
No, if Li Tao and Li Fang truly intended to kill him, they wouldn’t have stated it so directly. They were testing his reaction.
There was still a chance to persuade them.
Xiao Yi calmed himself, smiled slightly, and said, “Duke Xin Chen enjoys joking, but in reality, saving me is your duty, isn’t it?”
Li Tao’s eyes held no warmth. He sneered, “A remnant of the Shi residence, trespassing into my home, intending to drag my entire family down with you as a burial offering. Facing death, you still spew flowery words.”
Xiao Yi said, “My arrival may not be without providing Duke Xin Chen with an opportunity.”
Li Tao shook his head. “With the sudden upheaval in the palace, I am struggling to distance myself. What opportunity could there possibly be?”
“The situation is unclear. Duke Xin Chen must be cautious and not rashly take sides.” Xiao Yi bowed deeply, his tone steady. “The late Emperor’s entrusted ministers, pillars of the state by day, were ruined and their families exterminated by night. The Emperor executed them without trial; how can the powerful regional lords of the realm stand idly by such drastic changes?”
“Well said, ‘The powerful regional lords of the realm’!” Li Fang scoffed. “You are indeed from the Shi residence. Arrogant and rebellious enough.”
Li Tao nodded and said, “It is not unjust to kill him.”
Xiao Yi felt the pressure and doubted his own intuition, but he gritted his teeth and continued, “With the Shi family gone, how can the border generals who were friendly with them not be in fear for their lives? The Emperor destroys his own Great Wall, not only destroying the founding generals but also the trust between the ruler and his ministers. This act harms the country and its people. With villains like Li Ye and Su Fengji in the court, is this a blessing for the nation?! Now that Guo Wei holds the command seal and governs Ye Du, he must…”
He had intended to say that Guo Wei was destined by heaven. As the words reached his lips, his mind suddenly shifted. He realized that although he knew the general trend, he couldn’t forget to consider it from the perspective of people of that era.
So he changed his tack.
“Now that Guo Wei holds the command seal and governs Ye Du, he must raise an army to protect the Emperor and remove corrupt officials, eradicating wicked traitors like Li Ye and Su Fengji, bringing peace and clarity back to the world! Duke Xin Chen, Brother Li, how can you bear to see corrupt officials deceive the Son of Heaven and control the court?!”
That was close.
It wasn’t dangerous in terms of others’ intentions, but rather because he almost said the wrong thing.
If he had advised Li Tao to help Guo Wei rebel, he would have certainly died. But with a different phrasing, it was different.
The difference between righteousness and rebellion was as vast as the sky and the earth, depending on a single sentence.
