Chapter Forty-Nine: Reluctance to Part

The bustling crowd flowed by as a carriage adorned with tassels slowly came to a halt at a corner of the street. The guards on either side adopted a defensive stance, causing the townsfolk to instinctively keep their distance.

After a short while, the curtain of the carriage was lifted, and a man stepped out first. He seemed to be a retainer, dressed simply in deep blue attire, his features eternally cold and severe. Such striking looks on someone in a servant’s role piqued the curiosity of the onlookers, making them wonder who exactly was inside the carriage.

Miao Jian waited by the carriage. Another man alighted, his attire also simple and proper. He held a folding fan, the black fan swaying in his hand, tapping rhythmically against his other palm.

A faint, elusive smile seemed to linger at the corners of his mouth, gentle and detached. He gave off an air of harmlessness, yet his dark eyes were fathomless.

He stood still as Miao Jian slowly made his way to a corner of the wall, where several children huddled, their bodies filthy, clutching half-eaten steamed buns, gazing timidly at the unexpected visitors.

“Don’t be afraid, I’ll protect you. Later, we’ll beat them soundly,” one of the girls comforted the others, her tone fierce and commanding, as if she were the leader among them.

“But…I’m scared…” another little girl whimpered, tears streaming down her face, her bun dropping to the ground and rolling away.

“There, don’t cry. Everything will be fine… As soon as we find my mother and father, they’ll take good care of us…”

Just then, Miao Jian approached, letting the children’s words fall into his ears, his face expressionless. “Little mistress, haven’t you played enough?”

At these words, the girl who had been comforting the others abruptly looked up, her gaze meeting Miao Jian’s not far away.

“Uncle Miao Jian!” she exclaimed in disbelief and ran to his side. Despite the dirt on her small face, surprise was still discernible in her expression.

“Little mistress, the master is waiting for you over there.” Miao Jian looked at her, her face no longer displaying its usual mischievous charm, but her eyes shone bright, clear as luminous pearls, untainted by dust.

“Is the little old man here too?” At this, she stretched her neck with great effort to look behind Miao Jian, and indeed saw the little old man standing there, gently tapping his hand with his folding fan, observing her with an enigmatic smile.

Miao Jian’s stoic face remained unchanged at the girl’s address of “little old man.”

“No, I’m not going over there! What if he wants to spank me? Mother isn’t here, he’ll surely do it behind her back.” Xiaoxi clung determinedly to Miao Jian’s leg, as if she’d found a reliable protector.

Her hands were dirty, and though Miao Jian wore dark clothes, he could not escape the deep stains left by her little paws.

On the other side, Ji Wu Qing had already boarded the carriage. Miao Jian picked Xiaoxi up, unbothered by her grime.

“Wait—what about them?” Xiaoxi, emboldened, clung to Miao Jian’s collar, glancing back at the children still huddled in the corner, who were now staring at her in confusion.

“Don’t worry, little mistress. We’ll see to their proper care,” Miao Jian replied, his manner purely formulaic.

“Proper care? How?” Xiaoxi pressed on, her face earnest and grave.

“They’ll have good food and shelter. We’ll find a family to adopt them,” said Miao Jian.

“That’s not good. What if the family treats them badly, always beating and scolding them? Then it would be better for them to remain beggars, roaming free,” Xiaoxi objected, fiddling with her fingers, her face full of disapproval.

Miao Jian’s expression didn’t change. “Then how does the little mistress think they should be cared for?”

“Well…I don’t know.” She looked innocent. “Uncle Miao Jian, what do you think we should do?”

“It wouldn’t be appropriate to keep them with us. The little mistress should give it more thought,” Miao Jian replied, having already seen through her intentions.

Xiaoxi continued to fiddle with her hands, suddenly feeling she might have chosen the wrong person to rely on.

Night fell.

The room was shrouded in darkness. Ji Wu Qing stood by the window, gazing out at the dim lantern lights that glimmered like distant stars, their faint glow drifting in the mist.

“Master, according to the spies, the Dance Lord has been secretly searching for a blind girl these past years, but to no avail,” Miao Jian’s emotionless voice sounded in the room.

“Searching for a blind girl—what’s the secret behind this?”

“It seems closely tied to the Dance Kingdom’s training of the ‘Undying Army.’”

“Miao Jian, I want a definite answer,” Ji Wu Qing said calmly, the depths of his eyes swirling with inscrutable mist.

“Yes, I understand, master.”

Zuo Qiu Ye Li, the Undying Army, the Soul Guidance Art, the blind girl… Xue’er.

“Little old man, are you in there?” A child’s voice called from outside the door. She pounded on the door energetically, shouting for the little old man.

The door opened, and the little girl cautiously poked her head in.

The room lit up with candlelight. Xiaoxi, unfazed, skipped lightly over to Ji Wu Qing, tugging at his wide sleeve. “Little old man, what are you thinking about? When are we going to find mother?” She gazed up at him, catching him in a moment of contemplation.

“So, you’re not afraid I’ll spank you now?” Ji Wu Qing finally lowered his head, looking at the little one clutching his sleeve.

“Well…if you dare spank me, then…then I’ll cry in front of you.” She looked up at him, her chubby cheeks glowing with mischief.

“And what good will that do? Xue’er isn’t here,” Ji Wu Qing replied calmly, his face void of a smile.

“Little old man, your expression is really awful… Don’t be sad, mother will come back. She can’t bear to leave you.” Seeing Ji Wu Qing remain silent, Xiaoxi’s bright eyes flickered with cunning as she set about comforting him.

“Is that so? You make it sound nice, but she probably can’t bear to leave you, not me. Isn’t her heart harder than anyone’s?”

“No, little old man. Mother can’t bear to leave you, I know she can’t. You must believe me.” Xiaoxi grew anxious, clutching at his sleeve, not knowing how to convince him. “It’s like when I asked mother why she loves fish but never eats it. She said every time she eats fish, she gets pricked by the bones, every single time. So…so she stopped eating fish altogether.”

Xiaoxi babbled on, and at last Ji Wu Qing reacted, lowering his head to look at her. “What exactly are you trying to say?”

“I…I—oh! Little old man, you’re like the fish mother loves but doesn’t dare eat. Mother must be afraid of pain, afraid of being hurt by the bones.” Xiaoxi’s childish explanation was muddled even to herself.

Yet these words, to Ji Wu Qing, were as if a ray of light had pierced the gloom.

“Oh, little old man, how can you be so dense! No wonder she won’t tell you.” Xiaoxi stomped her foot in frustration at his lack of response.

In truth, Ji Wu Qing had fallen into deep thought over her words.

The sky was shrouded in heavy clouds, like a drop of ink dissolving in clear water, gradually forming an unbroken shadow. Though it did not rain, the air was dry, a thin veil of mist draping the horizon, turning all before the eyes into a shimmering mirage.

It was unclear where she was now; the place felt remote, encircled by woods, with not a soul in sight despite a long walk.

At last, a lonely inn stood ahead, dimly lit, only a lantern swaying at the door.

Upon entering, she heard the sound of horses; it seemed there were other travelers resting here. The coachman parked the carriage in the courtyard. Xuexue alighted, now dressed in plain, simple attire, appearing much more modest.

“You’ll wait for me here tonight,” she instructed the coachman before heading inside.

The coachman was bundled tightly, his face unseen, only black hair showing. He leaned against the carriage, huddled in silence.

Inside, the inn was quiet, the walls hung with flickering candles that gave off a hazy, indistinct light.

But this did not trouble Xuexue; she walked straight in. The innkeeper, dozing in the back, brightened instantly at the sight of a guest.

“Miss, will you be staying the night? We have hot meals and baths ready, and all your needs will be seen to.” The innkeeper bustled forward, his narrow eyes openly sizing up the plainly dressed girl.

“Are you worried I can’t pay, the way you look at me?” Xuexue stared straight back, her gaze icy.

“Not at all, miss. What would you like?” The innkeeper quickly shifted his gaze. “But this place is so remote. How did you come to be here alone? It’s not safe.”

“I’m used to traveling alone. Please prepare a room for me and send my meal there,” Xuexue replied coolly, discreetly ‘surveying’ the inn, sensing something amiss.

“That’s no problem. Go to your room, and food will be sent up shortly,” the innkeeper replied, his shifty look growing even more suspicious.

Xuexue nodded and went upstairs.

Shortly after, her eyes regained their usual clarity. She had overused her illusion arts, and her body was weary. She knew she must remain vigilant in this inn.

Her room was spare, a bit damp, with a faint hint of mold in the air.

Downstairs, the innkeeper and a servant whispered furtively, but their every word was overheard by an unseen listener.