Chapter 50: Awaken

Chapter 50 Waking Up

During the nine days Wei Mingjin spent at the examination compound, Feng Mo had been a nervous wreck the entire time.

Even though Xin He kept to herself, he still dared not let his guard down. It was only now, with Wei Mingjin’s return, that Feng Mo finally felt the weight lift off his shoulders.

Learning that Wei Mingjin had eaten and was now resting, Feng Mo thought he likely had no other duties for the time being and decided to return to his room for a nap. But the moment he entered his room, someone came to inform him that Xin He was looking for him.

Having already taken off his outer garments, Feng Mo had to quickly put them back on and go see Xin He.

Xin He said to Feng Mo, "The Young Master has worked hard during the examination. I plan to give him a surprise. Could you accompany me outside?"

Since their arrival in the capital, whenever Xin He went out, either Chi Yan or Feng Mo would always accompany her for her protection. So this time, Xin He came directly to Feng Mo.

Naturally, Feng Mo did not dare refuse and immediately went out with Xin He.

It was now the second month of spring, with warm and pleasant weather—a perfect time to call on friends for an outing or stroll.

Xin He had already familiarized herself with every corner of the capital and led Feng Mo directly to buy what she wanted.

In just half an hour, the items piled in Feng Mo’s arms were nearly piled up to his chin.

Xin He clapped her hands and said, "I’ve bought almost everything I wanted. All that’s left is to visit a cloth shop."

With that, Xin He led Feng Mo straight to a cloth store.

The shopkeeper warmly greeted them: "Please come in, miss. Our shop has both fabrics and ready-to-wear clothing. Would you like to look at fabrics or ready-to-wear garments?"

"I’d like to see both."

"Certainly. The ready-to-wear clothing is over here." As she spoke, the shopkeeper led Xin He to view the garments.

Xin He turned to Feng Mo and said, "I expect this will take a while. Why don’t you set down those things and take a seat to rest?"

Feng Mo said yes and placed the items on a table before sitting down on a nearby chair.

While looking at fabrics, Xin He said to the shopkeeper, "We’ve been walking for quite some time, and I’m rather thirsty. Could you pour us some tea?"

"Of course."

The shopkeeper promptly instructed a shop boy to bring tea.

Xin He took one cup and said, "My attendant is big on protocol. I’m afraid he might not dare accept tea from this young man. I’ll bring it to him myself. Could you please find the sky-after-rain blue satin fabric you mentioned earlier? I’d like to take a look at it in a moment."

"Ah, certainly." The shopkeeper hurried off to find the fabric. Just then, another customer entered, and the assistant went to attend to the new arrival.

Xin He carried a cup of tea over to Feng Mo.

As Feng Mo stood up, Xin He smiled gently and handed him the teacup: "The shopkeeper said they’ve just received a new batch of fabrics that are ideal for making clothes. She’s looking for them now, so it might take a while. Have some tea and rest here."

They had been out for nearly half an hour, and Feng Mo was indeed parched. Thanking Xin He, he took the teacup without suspecting anything and began drinking.

Soon, the shopkeeper found the fabric Xin He wanted to see, but Xin He wasn’t pleased with it after examining it.

The shopkeeper enthusiastically suggested, "We have another batch of fabrics upstairs. Shall I take you up to see them?"

"Very well." Xin He went upstairs with the shopkeeper.

Feng Mo sat dutifully in a corner, his eyes fixed on the staircase.

He waited and waited, but somehow, he suddenly felt overwhelmingly sleepy.

Feng Mo thought it might be due to the recent days of anxiety and poor sleep. He lightly slapped his own face a few times, trying to stay alert.

But it was no use; he was still so tired that his eyelids felt heavy.

Having accompanied Xin He on several outings, Feng Mo knew she was a slow shopper. He decided to close his eyes and rest for a while.

At first, while resting with his eyes closed, Feng Mo stayed alert to sounds around him.

Although the cloth shop was full of coming and going, he could distinguish Xin He’s footsteps.

Initially, he indeed listened carefully. But somehow, he eventually fell asleep.

The cloth shop was busy with customers, but because Xin He had specifically said otherwise, no one disturbed or woke Feng Mo.

Moreover, during the previous nine days, Feng Mo hadn’t slept well a single night. Now, with both his mind and body suddenly relaxed, he slept especially deeply and soundly.

It wasn’t until a loud commotion woke him that Feng Mo sat up, bleary-eyed, rubbing the back of his neck as he casually asked, "What time is it?"

But no one answered.

Only then did the newly awakened Feng Mo suddenly realize he wasn’t at home but had come out with Xin He.

Where was Xin He?

Feng Mo sprang up from the chair, rushed to the counter, and grabbed the shopkeeper by the collar: "Where is my young mistress?"

Caught off guard, the shopkeeper stumbled, angry and flustered: "Who is your young mistress? How should I know?"

"A young woman in an emerald green dress, about this tall…" Feng Mo gestured to his own height but, noticing the assistant was still there, released the shopkeeper’s collar and questioned the assistant urgently instead.

The assistant said, "Your young mistress left ages ago."

"Left?!"

"Yes, she’s been gone for two hours already. Before leaving, she told us you’ve been working hard lately and asked us not to wake you…"

Feng Mo’s mind went blank with panic.

He didn’t hear another word the assistant said; all he could think was, "She’s been gone for two hours already."

Feng Mo turned abruptly and saw that outside, where the spring sun had been shining brightly, the sky was now filled with sunset hues.

He realized that as a trained fighter with duties, however tired he was, he shouldn’t have slept for two hours straight.

Feng Mo suddenly remembered the tea Xin He had handed him earlier.

That tea must have been drugged.

Staggering out of the cloth shop, Feng Mo saw someone walking a horse nearby. He immediately lunged forward, snatched the reins, and swung up onto the horse’s back.

"Hey, my horse! Help, someone’s stealing a horse!"

The horse’s owner shouted, spreading his arms to stop Feng Mo and prevent him from leaving.

Feng Mo pulled on the reins and quickly said, "I’m sorry, it’s an emergency. I need your horse—I’ll return it later." He said.

With that, Feng Mo slapped the horse’s rump hard. The horse, stung by the pain, immediately took off at a gallop.

Not wanting to be trampled into a pulp, the man holding the horse immediately jumped aside.

"Hey, young man, you forgot your things, your things!!!" The fabric shop assistant chased out just in time to see Feng Mo's clothes disappear around the street corner.

Feng Mo held on to one last shred of hope.

Xin He hadn’t run away during the nine days Wei Mingjin was in the examination compound, and now that Wei Mingjin had returned, how could she possibly escape!

Perhaps she had seen that he was asleep, didn’t know when he would wake up, and didn’t want to wait for him, so she had gone back to the residence first.

Yes, that must be it. Feng Mo deceived himself with this thought.

He rode hard all the way back to Wutong Lane.

Catching sight of the estate gate from afar, he reined in the horse. Before it had even come to a full stop, he had already dismounted. With unsteady but urgent steps, he went to find the gate attendant.

"Where is Miss Xin? Has Miss Xin returned?"

"No, wasn’t Miss Xin out with you, Brother Feng Mo?" the gate attendant answered timidly.

Hearing this, Feng Mo’s face instantly turned ashen. He staggered, trying to enter the estate to report to Wei Mingjin, but in his haste, he missed his footing and suddenly stumbled and fell to his knees.

"Brother Feng Mo, are you all right?" Several gate attendants were startled and hurried forward to help him up.

Feng Mo was speechless at that moment. After being helped to his feet, he rushed toward the main courtyard with a panicked expression.

He had to report this matter to his master.

The main courtyard was quiet. Knowing that Wei Mingjin needed to make up for lost sleep, the servants kept indoors unless they had business outside.

But the moment Feng Mo staggered into the courtyard, Chi Yan suddenly emerged.

Seeing Feng Mo sweating profusely and looking as if he were about to collapse, Chi Yan was startled and quickly supported him. "What’s wrong? Are you sick?"

As he spoke, Chi Yan instinctively placed his palm against Feng Mo’s forehead.

Not feverish!

But Feng Mo brushed his hand away and asked in a hoarse voice, "Is the master still asleep?"

"No!" After replying, seeing that Feng Mo was about to head toward Wei Mingjin’s bedroom door, Chi Yan quickly grabbed him. "The master hasn’t slept well for nine days straight. Unless it’s a matter of life and death, you’d better wait…"

"I can’t wait." Feng Mo pushed Chi Yan away, his face full of despair. "Concubine Xin is missing."

Hearing this, Chi Yan’s face also fell.

Their master had always been cranky when woken up. Now, faced with such terrible news upon being abruptly roused, Chi Yan didn’t dare imagine what kind of storm Feng Mo would have to face.

In the next moment, without a second thought, Chi Yan went with him.

It was better for the two of them to face Wei Mingjin’s wrath together than for Feng Mo to face it alone.

Soon, Ming Xia also learned of the matter.

Ming Xia had known Chi Yan and Feng Mo for a long time. After the initial shock, she sighed inwardly and said to them, "Wait here for a moment. I’ll go in and see if the master is awake."

"Thank you, sister." Chi Yan quickly dragged Feng Mo along to thank Ming Xia.

Ming Xia turned and pushed the door open to enter the room.

It was nearly dusk, and the light in the room was dim, but she could faintly see the bed curtains drawn low and a pair of boots neatly placed on the footstool.

Clearly, Wei Mingjin was still asleep.

Ming Xia sighed inwardly again.

If Wei Mingjin were awake, it would be one thing for Feng Mo and Chi Yan to come in and report that Xin He was missing. But if Wei Mingjin were still asleep and they woke him to report her disappearance, that would be an entirely different matter.

Today, clearly, Feng Mo and Chi Yan were unlucky.

Though Ming Xia wanted to help them, there was nothing she could do.

Just as Ming Xia turned to leave, a voice suddenly came from behind the bed curtains: "He Niang, come here."

Ming Xia paused, then turned and bowed. "Master, it is your servant."

The person behind the curtains hesitated for a moment, then a hand lifted the curtain, revealing Wei Mingjin’s sleepy face.

"What is it?" Wei Mingjin asked.

If it weren’t important, Ming Xia wouldn’t have entered without knowing whether he was awake or not.

"Master, Feng Mo and Chi Yan are outside. They say they have something to report to you."

Wei Mingjin rubbed his temples, lowered his eyelashes, and said, "Let them in."

Ming Xia acknowledged and withdrew.

Soon, Feng Mo and Chi Yan entered, walking in stiffly and nervously.

Wei Mingjin had just woken up and was still somewhat dazed, leaning against the soft pillow. Hearing their footsteps, he said without looking up, "Speak."

Feng Mo dropped to his knees with a thud before Wei Mingjin.

"Master, Concubine Xin is missing," Feng Mo reported, shaking.

Wei Mingjin’s relationship with Xin He was known to the three of them who had come from Qingyuan County to the capital together, so in private, they still referred to Xin He as "Yiniang" in front of Wei Mingjin, following the old way.

Wei Mingjin’s hand, which had been massaging his temples, paused. A rare trace of confusion flickered across his face, pale as jade.

He had just woken up, his mind still foggy, and for a moment, he didn’t understand what Feng Mo meant.

"What do you mean, Xin He is missing?" Wei Mingjin lowered his hand and stared blankly at Feng Mo.

"After you fell asleep earlier, Concubine Xin came to find me. She said she wanted to prepare a surprise for you and asked me to go shopping with her to buy some things, so I went with her. When we reached a fabric shop, she handed me a cup of tea and told me to drink it while waiting for her. After drinking the tea, I somehow became drowsy and slept. By the time I woke up, Concubine was already gone." Feng Mo knelt before Wei Mingjin, trembling as he recounted what had happened.

This time, Wei Mingjin understood.

Xin He was missing. More accurately, she had run away.

The moment this realization struck him, Wei Mingjin felt nothing but disbelief and absurdity.

Xin He’s last escape attempt had been two years ago.

Over these two years, although Xin He had been completely obedient by his side, Wei Mingjin had never lowered his guard around her.

Whether during those two years or on the journey to the capital, he had given her multiple chances to escape. But Xin He had clung to him like a dodder that couldn’t survive without him, never once showing any intention to run away.

After repeated testing, Wei Mingjin had come to believe she had no treacherous intentions.

But now, she had fled.

Wei Mingjin couldn't help but recall how, before he fell asleep, He Niang had given him a sly smile and said, "When you wake up, I have a surprise for you, my lord."

So this was the surprise she had for him.

Wei Mingjin was furious, enraged, and filled with hatred, but in the end, he laughed instead: "He Niang, you truly have given me a great surprise."

Feng Mo and Chi Yan knelt together on the floor, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.

"Chi Yan, have the steward report to the authorities. You personally lead the search. Within three days, I want to see her, 'dead or alive'."

Upon hearing those last words, Feng Mo and Chi Yan both shuddered.

Although their lord hated betrayal the most, He Niang had been by his side for many years and had once carried his child. Though the child wasn't born safely, there was still some affection between them. While He Niang’s escape was indeed wrong, wasn't "dead or alive" too cruel?

But at the moment, Wei Mingjin was in a rage, and neither Feng Mo nor Chi Yan dared to provoke his wrath.

"As for you..." Wei Mingjin’s gaze fell on Feng Mo, murderous intent clear in his eyes. "If even a helpless woman can outmaneuver you so completely, what use are you?"

"My lord, Feng Mo deserves punishment for his mistake, but the urgent matter now is finding Xin Yiniang. I alone may lack the resources. Why not let Feng Mo assist me in searching for her first? Once we find Xin Yiniang, you can punish him then?" Chi Yan cautiously pleaded for Feng Mo.

Feng Mo also kowtowed and said, "My lord, I failed in my duty. Xin Yiniang was lost under my watch. I beg you to give me a chance. Once I find Xin Yiniang, I am willing to atone with my life."

The capital was not like Qingyuan County. The current Wei Mingjin held no official position and had no connections. Having one more capable person searching for He Niang increased the hope of finding her quickly.

Wei Mingjin finally agreed: "Then your life is temporarily spared. Once we find He Niang, I will take it."

Feng Mo and Chi Yan both bowed to Wei Mingjin once more before leaving to carry out his orders.

Wei Mingjin sat alone on the bed.

Outside, the setting sun was like blood, slowly sinking in the west. Gradually, the darkness swallowed the last trace of light in the world.

The Wei household lit their lamps, but in the main room, without Wei Mingjin’s orders, no one dared to enter without permission.

Wei Mingjin sat alone in the room, enveloped in darkness.

After what felt like a long time, Ming Xia, who had been waiting under the corridor, heard Wei Mingjin call for someone and hurried to the door: "Your maid is here, my lord. What are your orders?"

"Light the lamps and have a meal prepared." Wei Mingjin’s voice came from the darkness.

Ming Xia quickly gave the orders.

Soon, the main room was brightly lit again.

The maidservants set the meal on the table. After washing up, Wei Mingjin, wearing a loose robe, sat at the table and ate leisurely by himself.

Ming Xia attended to him, ready for any orders.

After the meal, Wei Mingjin rinsed his mouth and went to the study.

The spring examinations were over. Other candidates were either resting or feasting and enjoying themselves day and night, but Wei Mingjin spent most of the night in his study.

By the end of the hour of Hai (9-11 PM), Wei Mingjin emerged from the study holding a scroll portrait and ordered, "Have Chi Yan come see me."

A quarter of an hour later, Chi Yan, drenched in sweat, knelt before Wei Mingjin.

They had reported to the authorities and searched with the household servants, but not only had they not found He Niang, they hadn’t even found a trace of her.

Wei Mingjin could tell the result just by looking at Chi Yan’s expression. He handed the scroll portrait to Chi Yan.

"Take this portrait to the black market and post a gold-tier bounty."

Every place had both lawful and unlawful paths. The path exposed to the sun was the official way, while the places the sun couldn’t reach were the black market.

The capital also had a black market. Things strictly forbidden by the authorities could be traded there. Searching for people or items could also be posted on the black market. As long as the reward was sufficient, there were plenty of bounty hunters eager to take the job.

Bounties on the black market were divided into gold, silver, and bronze levels.

The gold level attracted the most takers, but the reward was also the highest of the three.

Chi Yan took the portrait with both hands and, after a moment of hesitation, couldn’t resist asking: "My lord, should the bounty notice also say 'dead or alive'?"

Bounty hunters, unlike the authorities, didn't care about laws and human lives. Once the words "dead or alive" were added to the bounty notice, what would likely be brought back was a corpse.

After all, for those black market bounty hunters, a corpse was far easier to transport than a living person.

"Write it. Since she dares to betray and flee, she should not blame me for being merciless." Wei Mingjin sat amidst the lamplight, but he seemed like a life-taking rakshasa.

Chi Yan immediately dared not say more. He acknowledged the order and withdrew.

But as he reached the door and was about to step over the threshold, Wei Mingjin’s voice suddenly called out from behind.

He had changed his mind.

"I want her alive."

Chi Yan couldn’t help but turn back.

He saw Wei Mingjin still sitting in the bright lamplight. Though he had changed his mind, his brow was clouded with a sinister aura that promised a fate worse than death.

Suddenly, Wei Mingjin lifted his eyelids and looked over.

Chi Yan’s heart trembled. He quickly acknowledged the order and hurried away.

After Chi Yan left, Wei Mingjin returned to his bedroom and went to bed.

The bedding carried a faint fragrance, identical to the one on He Niang.

The scent was like fine threads, wrapping around Wei Mingjin.

Wei Mingjin laughed coldly in the fragrance.

He laughed at He Niang for being an ungrateful wolf, and he laughed at himself for being foolish.

Today, when he left the examination hall and saw He Niang smiling at him from the crowd, Wei Mingjin had felt completely at ease with her while simultaneously making another decision in his heart.

Originally, he had thought that after he passed the exams and took a wife, he would take her as a concubine and protect her for life.

But in that moment, he had suddenly changed his mind.

He would grant He Niang the status of a noble concubine.

But he never expected that He Niang would immediately slap him hard across the face, making him realize how ridiculous his wishful thinking was.

He accepted this surprise.

Lying in the brocade quilt, Wei Mingjin stared at the ceiling with open eyes, his expression contemptuous as he said: "But He Niang, if you want to escape, you should first see if you have the ability to escape from my grasp."

He had filed a report with the authorities and also posted a bounty on the black market's bounty board, confident that they would meet again soon.

The night was deep, yet Wei Mingjin remained wide awake.

He remembered how Xin He had once begged him to save her, swearing she would obey his every command and never betray him.

But now she had broken her promise.

Through the faint, lingering scent, Wei Mingjin wondered: How should he punish her when the time came?