The words spoken caused Chu Qingze’s expression to shift, as if he was recalling something heavy.
“Then the Imperial Wind Art…”
“It’s entirely normal for the Valley Master of Medicine King Valley to teach a move or two to someone he happened to like on his travels. This proves nothing. However, I can tell you that if you are truly here to solve a case, I can help.”
“Who exactly are you?”
Chu Qingze found himself unable to understand Rong Zhi.
“A wanderer of the martial world, I can’t stand to see injustice. My husband has gone to Swallow Mountain. You say Swallow Mountain serves the Zhang Manor, and the Zhang Manor is colluding with a martial arts assassin organization. I’m worried about my husband. If you can gather any information, I hope you will tell me.”
Unlike her threatening tone earlier, Rong Zhi spoke with sincerity, which eased some of Chu Qingze’s tension.
He considered for a moment and then said, “I’m going to the Zhang Manor tomorrow evening. If you want to know anything, you can come with me.”
“Alright.”
This was indeed good news, and Rong Zhi’s tone was laced with joy.
Before parting, Rong Zhi looked at Chu Qingze with some curiosity.
“May I be so bold as to ask, what is this gynophobia of yours?”
Chu Qingze’s face darkened.
“It’s a personal matter, I have nothing to say.”
“Alright.”
Rong Zhi wasn't particularly interested in his private affairs; she was merely curious about the condition. Since he didn't wish to speak, she didn’t press further.
“I’ll come find you again tomorrow,” Rong Zhi said. As she raised her fist in farewell, she reached out to pat his shoulder. Chu Qingze suddenly recoiled several steps as if he had seen a ghost, only stopping when he bumped into the wall.
“I warn you, don’t get too close to me, or I won’t be polite!”
Rong Zhi withdrew her hand and offered a smile.
It seemed he wasn’t faking it.
“Goodbye.”
After leaving the courtyard, Rong Zhi heard a sigh of relief, as if he had narrowly escaped a disaster.
Was it really that dramatic? She was growing more and more curious.
Upon returning to the haunted mansion, Xia Yunting was gone. A newly repaired wall stood in its place.
He was fast, leaving as soon as he arrived.
She wondered how powerful that assassin organization was and if Xia Yunting could handle it. Would he return safely from this mission?
Snapping back to reality, Rong Zhi was startled by her own thoughts.
When had she started caring so much about Xia Yunting?
Xia Yunting must have made preparations when he came here. He wasn’t a fool; he wouldn’t go into battle unprepared. Moreover, with his skills, if he were to clash with a martial arts assassin organization, it should be the assassins who were worried.
After some self-consolation, Rong Zhi returned to her usual routine of cooking, washing up, and sleeping.
However, habit was a powerful thing. Although Rong Zhi had lived alone for over forty years combined in her two lives, having lived with Xia Yunting for less than a month, his sudden departure made the mansion feel vast, empty, and exceptionally quiet.
That night, Rong Zhi lay in bed, gazing at the moonlight streaming through the window. The tall figure of Xia Yunting, who could remember everything yet shamelessly lie about his amnesia, involuntarily surfaced in her mind.
Honestly, Rong Zhi had disliked Xia Yunting from their very first meeting. The imperial court had taken over Medicine King Valley to exclusively treat the royal family, and he, as the enforcer, had aided and abetted their actions. Rong Zhi had initially thought he was no good.
But after spending a month together, Rong Zhi felt he wasn’t a bad person, perhaps his disguise was just too good.
Rong Zhi would never easily trust someone who worked for the emperor. Even if she was worried, it was only because she feared she wouldn’t be able to return to Medicine King Valley if Xia Yunting died.
With this thought, Rong Zhi drifted off to sleep.
As the moonlight gave way to dawn, Rong Zhi turned over and instinctively reached out to her side, only to grasp empty air and the bare mattress.
Rong Zhi’s eyes snapped open. She stared at the empty space beside her, lost in thought for a moment before remembering that Xia Yunting had left yesterday.
“This is bizarre,” she muttered. She packed her medicinal herbs and headed to the Jishetang clinic.
As per Chu Qingze’s arrangement, he was to go to the Zhang Manor in the evening, so Rong Zhi spent her day at Jishetang, treating patients who came for medicine. Today, there were even more patients than yesterday. Zhao Qiancai’s face was practically beaming, no longer looking as lifeless as before.
Even so, it wasn’t too busy. Just as dusk approached, she saw off the last customer and collected the payment for the herbs.
“Shopkeeper, I’m leaving,” she said.
After bidding Zhao Qiancai farewell, Rong Zhi went to the mass grave.
Unexpectedly, Chu Qingze was already waiting for her, holding a brocade box.
“Don’t show yourself. Hide in the shadows, and I’ll help you get information out of him.”
“Thank you.”
Hiding was Rong Zhi’s forte. By the time they arrived at the Zhang Manor, it was already dark. Rong Zhi found a secluded spot and easily slipped into the Zhang Manor’s courtyard.
Li Hao personally came out to greet Chu Qingze, a smile on his face, appearing to be in good spirits.
“Divine Doctor Chu, thank you for your trouble. Coming all this way, please come inside for a cup of tea.”
While he appeared to be welcoming Chu Qingze, his outstretched hand was actually meant to receive the box.
A flicker of disdain crossed Chu Qingze’s eyes, but he still handed him the box.
They proceeded to the reception hall, where a maid served them tea, and they began to converse.
Rong Zhi, hiding outside, gathered from their conversation that the brocade box Chu Qingze gave contained an antidote, though she still couldn’t discern what it was an antidote for.
“As expected of Divine Doctor Chu, to be able to develop an antidote even with insufficient medicinal ingredients. Even the former Valley Master of Medicine King Valley falls far short compared to you.”
“Enough pleasantries, give me the money.”
“Hahaha… Divine Doctor Chu is truly straightforward. Here, this is the payment for this task. If it proves effective, this is merely a drop in the ocean.”
Rong Zhi poked a hole in the window and cautiously peeked out. She saw a young maidservant carrying a tray laden with gleaming silver.
Dirty money, she thought. Dirty money!
Hurry up and ask about the assassins!
Chu Qingze didn’t falter and soon steered the conversation toward the assassins.
“With so many antidotes, you must protect them well. What if they were intercepted along the way…”
Li Hao, who had been wearing a forced business smile, paused. He inexplicably glanced around before regaining his smile.
“That’s not for Divine Doctor Chu to worry about. As they say, one can’t walk by the river without getting their shoes wet. But I, Li Hao, have walked by the river countless times, and when have I ever been taken advantage of? Even the authorities dare not do anything to us.”
“Steward Li speaks with great confidence. It's only because this is a remote and impoverished area, and the local constables are too incompetent. If it were constables from the prefecture, you might not be so fortunate.”
“Why is Divine Doctor Chu suddenly concerned about this matter today? Usually, you wouldn’t even spare me an extra word.”
“Just a friendly reminder. Farewell.”
Chu Qingze didn’t linger. He stood up to leave, but before departing, he pointed his index finger in the direction of the roots, precisely where Rong Zhi was hidden.
Li Hao’s expression changed, and his smile deepened.
After Chu Qingze left, Li Hao slowly approached the window, suddenly pushed it open, and leaped out. The moment he landed, a dagger from his sleeve was plunged deeply into the ground. The entire process took less than a second.
Li Hao’s brow furrowed as he looked at the empty ground.
Where was the person?
A shadow vaulted over the wall in the darkening night, and Li Hao’s eyes caught it.
“You’re seeking death!”
He leaped up with his qinggong and pursued.
Rong Zhi ran at full speed, cursing Chu Qingze in her mind. That little brat, daring to play tricks on her and betraying her at a crucial moment.
But how could a mere steward easily catch up to her?
Her agile figure weaved through streets and alleys. As she passed a narrow lane, Rong Zhi casually grabbed a nearby basket and pulled it over herself. As she squatted on the ground, Li Hao’s voice echoed closer. Without a doubt, he failed to find Rong Zhi.
Rong Zhi’s lips curled into a smirk. With those eyes, how could he chase anyone?
After a while, there was no sound around. Rong Zhi relaxed, dropped the basket, and prepared to leave. The next moment, a sudden tightness seized her heart. She leaped onto the wall with qinggong. At the same instant, a dagger plunged deeply into the ground where she had just stood.
“What lowly thief is this? Where are you running?”
Rong Zhi quickly tore off a piece of cloth and tied it around her face. She lowered her voice and sneered.
“If I were truly running, could you catch me? I was going easy on you. You’re taking advantage and then complaining.”
“Stop with the slick talk. What do you want by sneaking into our house to eavesdrop?”
“If you can beat me, I’ll tell you.”
A surge of killing intent washed over her. Rong Zhi saw a black shadow flash before her eyes. Before she could even discern the opponent’s moves, her body instinctively reacted, and she engaged in combat.
During the fight, Rong Zhi was surprised to find that her opponent’s skills were not simple, and their fighting style seemed somewhat familiar, though she couldn’t recall where she had seen it before.
The other party seemed confident of victory, even boasting as they fought.
“If you kneel and beg me now, I can guarantee you a whole corpse.”
“There’s a ghost behind you.”
“Playing games with me?” Li Hao seemed to hear the joke of the century and naturally didn’t turn around.
However, the next moment, a strange scene unfolded. Rong Zhi, who had been in front of him moments ago, suddenly vanished. By the time he reacted, a gust of wind swept past his back, followed by a sharp pain. Li Hao slowly turned around and discovered that Rong Zhi had somehow gotten behind him. By the time he understood, his consciousness had already begun to blur.
With a thud, Li Hao fell to the ground.
“Although your skills are good, you’re still far from mine,” Rong Zhi snorted coldly. She turned and headed in the direction of the mass grave, planning to settle the score later.
To Rong Zhi’s surprise, when she arrived at the mass grave, it was completely empty. Only the oddly shaped skeletons remained, along with an uncleared table of medicinal herbs.
He ran?
Rong Zhi immediately thought that something was wrong. Although her martial arts were superior to Chu Qingze’s, he wouldn’t abandon such important items and flee for such a trivial reason.
But the person was genuinely gone. Rong Zhi had no choice but to return to Yunshui Village for the time being.
The following few days were quiet. Rong Zhi continued to deliver medicine to Jishetang as usual. At night, she would check on the mass grave, but for several consecutive days, Chu Qingze was nowhere to be seen.
Rong Zhi even began to doubt her own judgment. Perhaps Chu Qingze wasn’t a disciple of Medicine King Valley. She had simply believed his initial reaction. When he saw the appearance of her Valley Master, he had blurted out “Grandmaster,” so he must be a disciple of Medicine King Valley.
At the time, she was too eager to investigate the forces behind the Zhang Manor and was anxious, which led her to let down her guard.
Now, it seemed her actions were dangerous, and she might have put Xia Yunting in peril.
Rong Zhi’s unease grew, and she felt as if something bad was about to happen, but she didn’t know how to intervene.
Then, during a thunderstorm, a ghastly figure illuminated by a flash of lightning made Rong Zhi jump. She instinctively thought it was Xia Yunting. When she opened the door to check, she saw Liu Hong standing in the pouring rain, covered in injuries. Blood mixed with rainwater streamed down him. Upon seeing Rong Zhi, the first words he spoke were:
“Brother Xia… is dead.”