Jin Shanyao wasn't annoyed by his words. "I still don't know your name?"
He swallowed back the word "Xiao" that had just left his mouth. "Just call me Changchuan, that's what my family calls me."
Jin Shanyao smiled without saying a word, and led him to the main room, where she asked Nanny Chen to make some shortbread.
Xiao Changchuan sat in a chair, the sunlight in the room warming him, and he fell asleep without realizing it.
Jin Shanyao, seemingly oblivious, began cracking walnuts. Nanny Chen entered, glanced at Xiao Changchuan, and asked, "Master... would you like some more fried pastries?"
"Go ahead and make it. Pack it in a food container so we can take it with us later."
"Sigh..." Nanny Chen withdrew.
The room fell silent again.
After an unknown amount of time, footsteps suddenly sounded outside the courtyard. Lu Chi strode into the main room and saw his little nephew lying on a chair, fast asleep. His face, neck, and even his chest were covered with circles drawn with ink.
Lu Chi pointed at Xiao Changchuan's eyes and asked, "Boss, what's this??"
Jin Shanyao glanced at him and said indifferently, "I gouged out his eyes."
Lu Chi was stunned, pointing at Xiao Changchuan's chest, "His heart was ripped out too?!"
Jin Shanyao calmly, pointing to the other man's ear, "Tell his father, one ear costs five hundred taels, he owes me a thousand taels."
Lu Chi pointed at Xiao Changchuan's neck and said with considerable regret, "Boss, I'm afraid you won't get a single penny, because you killed him!"
Jin Shanyao taken aback. "I accidentally scratched it."
Lu Chi sneered, "A backhand stab is still death. Boss, you've lost your bargaining chips. Just wait for the Crown Prince's pursuit."
After saying that, he ordered his men to carry Xiao Changchuan away. "Boss... how did you recognize him?"
Jin Shanyao watched helplessly as her hostage was carried away, and said sheepishly, "It was Xiaosi who recognized her... I don't know where he'd seen Xiao Changchuan before."
Zhou Xiaosi??? Lu Chi knew this person; it was the one who had stolen his position as the first servant. He had heard that Zhou Xiaosi had an exceptional memory, able to remember anyone or anything he had seen just once.
Lu Chi was unconvinced. What's so great about having a superb memory? I'm also quick-witted and can apply what I've learned to other situations.
"I'm heading back now, sir. The Crown Prince is waiting for me at the Eastern Palace. His Highness skipped his riding and archery lesson today, and the Crown Prince is very angry."
As she was leaving, Jin Shanyao took the food box from Nanny Chen's hand and handed it to him, saying, "I promised him I'd treat him to some fried pastries."
Lu Chi took it, said nothing, and turned to leave the shop.
The Eastern Palace.
When Xiao Changchuan woke up, the room was pitch black. He tried to move, but his limbs were tightly bound.
His heart tightened suddenly. He looked up and saw a dark figure sitting by the bed. He hurriedly tentatively called out, "Auntie..."
The person remained completely still.
Xiao Changchuan panicked now, his eyes darting around frantically. He shouted, his voice a mix of bravado and fear, "I'm warning you... release me now, or I'll exterminate your entire family!"
Before he could finish speaking, a cold dagger was pressed against his neck.
Xiao Changchuan froze instantly in fright, his face covered in graffiti, not daring to even breathe.
The oil lamp was lit.
He finally saw who was holding the dagger, and his body went limp. "Father... what are you doing here? How did I get back?"
Xiao Yuan sheathed his dagger and said coldly, " Changchuan, you should have known that one day you'd have a dagger to your throat if you dared to go with a stranger today."
"Dad... I think that woman's eyes are clear, she doesn't seem like a bad person, and the wonton stall owner recognizes her too."
Xiao Changchuan became increasingly guilty as he spoke, "I knew she was Meng Anci's aunt, that's why..."
"So you let your guard down?" Xiao Yuan's tone became more serious. "Human hearts are unpredictable. How can you, born into Wang Household, so easily trust others?"
Xiao Changchuan lowered his head after being scolded, and said softly, feeling wronged, "Father... I just want to relax for one day."
" Changchuan, remember this: a moment of carelessness can lead you into the enemy's trap. I don't want today's incident to happen again."
Xiao Yuan stood up and coldly uttered, "Being trapped and automatically revealing your identity, threatening the other party is the most foolish approach."
Not long after Xiao Yuan left, a maidservant tiptoed in carrying a food box. "Your Highness," she said, "His Highness has instructed you to finish this box of pastries. You are not allowed to sleep until you have finished them."
After saying that, he took out a bronze mirror and placed it on the bed. "His Highness said you should take a good look in the mirror, so you don't die without even knowing how you died."
Xiao Changchuan, filled with doubt, picked up the bronze mirror and shone it against the oil lamp. "Ah, a ghost..."
The bronze mirror fell to the ground with a thud in fright. After a while, he picked it up again and looked at himself. He saw eyes, nose, mouth, and a row of small characters written next to the mouth: his tongue had been cut off...
Enraged, he slammed the bronze mirror onto the bed, shouting, "What a scheming old woman! I'll remember you!"
After saying that, he opened the food box, picked up a piece of shortbread, and began to gnaw on it angrily.
From childhood to adulthood, his parents always repeatedly told him not to believe this or that.
He felt that everyone around him was wearing a mask, feigning concern and trying to please him. He finally met someone who looked pleasing to the eye and didn't know him, only to be drugged and kidnapped by that person.
He chewed on the fried pastry, recalling how the auntie at the wonton stall had given him a thumbs-up and said with a smile, "Amazing!" He had found that amusing at the time.
At that moment, all he wanted to do was give that woman a thumbs up and say something in return.
"Absolutely amazing..."
There are two sides to the story.
Qingzhou Prefecture, Second Estate.
Meng Anzhi had the blood-covered man carried into the house. While instructing someone to prepare anesthetic powder in the kitchen, she had Fan Er help the injured man remove his clothes.
She then soaked the utensils she needed in strong liquor for later use.
Fan Er casually tossed the man's blood-stained clothes on the ground and then carefully wiped the bloodstains off his body with a cloth.
He found the man while tilling the land on Crescent Moon Mountain. He was barely alive at the time. Knowing that the young lady was at the estate reconciling accounts that day, he hurriedly brought her back.
Meng Anzhi repeatedly washed her hands with clean water, then had Wu Yong pour strong liquor over them before stepping forward to examine the man's wounds.
His fatal wounds were in his chest and abdomen: the arrow in his chest had been broken off, and his abdomen was tightly wrapped in cloth. In addition, there were countless cuts of varying depths on his body.
Meng Anzhi glanced at the wound; the skin was torn open, and there were already signs of suppuration.
"Has the anesthetic powder been prepared?"
"Alright, alright!" Du Hongdou carried the medicine bowl and strode into the room. Just as she was about to feed the medicine, Fan Er took the bowl from her.
He helped the man up and leaned him on his shoulder, then slowly fed him the medicine from the bowl.
Meng Anzhi timed it precisely, and once the anesthesia took effect, she picked up the silk thread and began to suture the wound on the man's abdomen.
Du Hongdou stood to the side, watching helplessly as the silver needles pierced her flesh and the silk threads were pulled out. Unable to bear the nausea any longer, she rushed out of the house and vomited with a loud gulp.
Seeing that his wife was unwell, Fan Er got up and followed her out. "Are you alright?"
"It's nothing..." Du Hongdou gasped for breath, her face pale. "I don't know what's wrong with me lately, I feel nauseous all the time."
Fan Er gently patted her back, comforting her, "Once this is all over, let Miss take your pulse and see what's wrong."
Du Hongdou hesitated, "Isn't this inappropriate? Miss has come all this way, and there are so many things to do."
"Don't worry, I'm here." Fan Er patted her hand reassuringly. "You wait outside first, I'll call you if I need anything." With that, he hurriedly turned and went inside.
As soon as she reached the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), she saw Meng Anzhi holding a needle knife, aiming it at the spot where the man's arrow had broken. Without even blinking, she made a straight cut, just like cutting pork.
"Ugh..." Fan Er covered his mouth, turned around and ran out, leaning against the wall... and vomited.
Du Hongdou quickly stepped forward, patting him on the back while laughing, "I think you should also let Miss take a look at you; you're just as useless as me."
Fan Er waved his hand, his face grim. "Let's not trouble Miss. We can just go to the Anzhi Hall and see Shopkeeper Shen later..."
Du Hongdou burst out laughing.