Chapter 63: Lower Head

Chapter 63: Bowing Down

Xin He clutched a dagger in her hand.

It was the one Wei Mingxuan had given her two years ago, back when she was still living with the Wei family.

Over the past two years, Xin He had lost many things, but this dagger, she had kept.

Earlier, after Wei Mingjin went to see Princess Jiahe, Xin He had sat alone in her room, preparing for the worst.

If Princess Jiahe couldn't save her, she would have to save herself.

So, when no one was watching, Xin He secretly took out the dagger and hid it in her sleeve.

Wei Mingjin hadn't expected Xin He to suddenly threaten him. He was stunned but remained seated, looking at her with a helpless expression. "He Niang, stop this nonsense."

"I'm not playing games with you! Let me go, or I'll really kill you!" Xin He's eyes were resolute, but the hand gripping the dagger trembled slightly.

Wei Mingjin still didn't believe her.

Xin He was too timid to actually harm him.

"He Niang—" Before he could finish his sentence, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his neck.

The dagger was incredibly sharp, and Xin He, too nervous, trembled slightly, causing the blade to leave a bleeding gash on Wei Mingjin’s neck.

"Let me go! Or I'll really kill you!" Xin He repeated.

At that moment, Wei Mingjin finally realized that Xin He wasn't joking—she meant every word.

But instead of yielding, Wei Mingjin reached out and gripped Xin He’s hand, his eyes stubborn and desperate. "He Niang, if you want to leave, you’ll have to step over my corpse."

In other words, he would never let her go, even if it cost him his life.

He had already lost her once before. This time, he would never let her go.

Xin He hadn't expected Wei Mingjin to be so unyielding. But she was tired of being trapped in this secluded estate, seeing only the same patch of sky every day. If the rest of her life had to be like this, she would rather die now.

Since Wei Mingjin didn’t care about his own life, she would use her own life as a threat.

Xin He swiftly swung the dagger toward her own neck.

Her intention was to threaten Wei Mingjin with her life. But before she could press the blade to her neck, Wei Mingjin moved quickly and grabbed the sharp edge of the dagger.

The next moment, warm blood dripped onto Xin He’s neck.

But by then, Xin He had lost all rationality.

Her mind was filled with only one thought: she refused to be caged like a bird anymore. She wanted freedom! She wanted to break out of this prison! If she couldn't escape, she would rather die!

Seeing Xin He’s determination to die, Wei Mingjin’s eyes widened in shock. Ignoring the injury on his hand, he immediately tried to wrest the dagger from her.

Xin He refused to let him have his way.

In their struggle, the sound of a blade piercing flesh suddenly rang out.

Xin He, who had nearly lost her mind, froze. She looked down in a daze and saw the dagger in her hand plunged into Wei Mingjin’s abdomen.

Large patches of blood instantly spread across Wei Mingjin’s brocade robe, and her hands were covered in blood.

Soon, a group of people rushed in.

"Young Master! What’s wrong with you? Young Master! Someone, quick, fetch a physician! Now!!!"

In an instant, everyone crowded around Wei Mingjin.

Wei Mingjin pressed one hand to his wound while the other still tightly gripped Xin He’s wrist.

"He Niang, don’t even think about leaving me again." Even though Wei Mingjin was sweating profusely from the pain, he stared at Xin He with a frenzied, stubborn gaze.

Feng Mo and Chi Yan were at their wits' end. Just as they were about to try to reason with him, Wei Mingjin suddenly passed out.

"Young Master!!!" The room erupted in panic.

When Feng Mo and Chi Yan carried Wei Mingjin to the bed, they noticed that even though he was unconscious, his hand still firmly held Xin He’s wrist.

Xin He, meanwhile, seemed as if her soul had left her body. She sat slumped by the bed in a daze, staring blankly at her blood-stained hands.

This was the second time she had killed someone.

Soon, the physician arrived.

Seeing Wei Mingjin covered in blood, the physician hurriedly asked his apprentice to bring a hemostatic powder, which he applied generously to the wound.

Once the bleeding gradually stopped, the physician carefully cut open Wei Mingjin’s robe with scissors and began treating the injury.

Feng Mo and Chi Yan waited with bated breath, while Xin He watched with vacant eyes.

Treating the wound was delicate work. It took the physician about half an hour to finish bandaging Wei Mingjin’s injury.

As soon as the physician turned around, Feng Mo and Chi Yan asked in unison, "Physician, how is our young master?"

"The young master is fortunate. The injury did not damage any vital organs. If it had been off by even a finger, not even a deity could have saved him." After saying this, the physician turned to write a prescription.

Having practiced medicine for many years, he knew that to live long, one should speak less and ask fewer questions to avoid trouble.

After writing the prescription, the physician handed it to Feng Mo. "Prepare the medicine according to this prescription. The method for brewing it is also written here. Administer it three times a day. I will return in three days. Also, the patient may develop a fever tonight or tomorrow. Use a damp cloth to cool him down first. If the fever doesn’t subside, brew and administer the fever-reducing medicine I prescribed. If it still doesn’t work, send someone to fetch me or another physician."

Having said this, the physician prepared to leave with his apprentice but was stopped by Feng Mo.

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Feng Mo said, "Thank you for your hard work, Physician. Could you please take a look at our mistress as well?"

Even though Xin He had just stabbed Wei Mingjin, Feng Mo and Chi Yan didn’t dare neglect her, given that Wei Mingjin had refused to let go of her even after losing consciousness.

"Where is the mistress injured?" the physician asked.

Xin He stared blankly for a moment before coming back to her senses. Hoarsely, she replied, "I’m not injured."

"But Mistress, your hands and neck are covered in blood," Ming Xia reminded softly.

"It’s all Wei Mingjin’s blood."

During their struggle over the dagger, Wei Mingjin’s palm had been gripping the blade.

The blood on her body had dripped from the blade cutting Wei Mingjin’s palm, and the blood on her hands had come from when she accidentally stabbed the dagger into his abdomen.

Seeing Xin He’s distraught state, Ming Xia, fearing they might have missed something, carefully helped her wipe the blood from her neck and hands with two maidservants. Only then did they confirm that, as Xin He had said, she wasn’t injured at all.

The elderly physician was then escorted out.

Xin He’s wrist was clamped in Wei Mingjin’s grip, so she could only stay by his side, unable to go anywhere.

Chi Yan, Feng Mo, and the others were afraid that Xin He might take the opportunity to stab Wei Mingjin again, sending him straight to meet his maker. So they took turns standing guard with others nearby, always on guard against Xin He making another move.

Xin He, whether out of fear or because she felt she couldn't succeed with them around, suddenly went quiet afterward. She either gazed vacantly at Wei Mingjin's pale face or turned to look out the window at the inky blackness of the night.

Feng Mo and Chi Yan took shifts keeping a watchful eye with others by their side.

Just as the doctor had predicted, shortly after midnight that night, Wei Mingjin suddenly spiked a fever.

Feng Mo and the others first applied a damp cloth to his forehead, but when that proved useless, they brewed a fever-reducing herbal medicine.

About thirty minutes after taking the medicine, Wei Mingjin's forehead gradually cooled down, and everyone let out a quiet sigh of relief.

Wei Mingjin remained unconscious until the afternoon of the next day before waking up.

When he opened his eyes, the sky outside was filled with vivid sunset hues. Golden light filtered through the gauze window, falling on the tables and chairs in the room, draping a soft, faint veil over everything.

Wei Mingjin's gaze, however, fell on the person who had fallen asleep leaning against the bedside.

During his unconsciousness, he had a dream.

In the dream, she had run away again. This time, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't find her, and he woke up in a panic.

Fortunately, it was just a dream.

Xin He, who was in a light sleep, faintly sensed someone watching her. She opened her eyes and met Wei Mingjin's contented gaze.

Xin He: "..."

"He Niang, it's so good, you're still here." Wei Mingjin's face was as pale as freshly fallen snow, but his gaze toward her was full of tenderness.

As if she had never stabbed him yesterday.

Xin He avoided his gaze and said hoarsely, "Since you're awake, I'll call someone to help you."

"Alright." Wei Mingjin agreed but did not let go of her wrist.

Soon, Feng Mo and the others came in. Seeing that Wei Mingjin was awake, everyone's anxious hearts finally eased.

Although the doctor had said Wei Mingjin was not in mortal danger, they remained worried until he woke up. Now that he was awake, they only needed to do as he says, which made things much easier.

"Young Master, the medicine and meal are ready. Should I have someone serve the meal first? You and Concubine Xin can take the medicine after eating?" Ming Xia asked Wei Mingjin for instructions.

Wei Mingjin, who was fastidious about cleanliness, said, "I want to take a bath first."

"But the doctor instructed that your wound must not come in contact with water during this time..."

Before Ming Xia could finish, Wei Mingjin interrupted, "Call Chi Yan in to help me clean up."

Ming Xia was about to respond and leave when she heard Wei Mingjin say to Xin He, "He Niang, you've worked hard taking care of me these past two days. Go bathe and freshen up, then we'll eat together."

"Mm." Xin He responded, pulled her hand free, and turned to leave.

After they had each bathed and washed, it was already dark outside. Since Wei Mingjin couldn't leave the bed, the servants laid out the meal in the bedroom.

Wei Mingjin had always preferred mild food, while Xin He favored spicier dishes. So, whenever they ate together, the dishes on the table would suit both their palates, and tonight was no exception.

Xin He, who usually had a robust appetite, only ate half a bowl of rice tonight before putting down her chopsticks.

Wei Mingjin immediately looked over, "Is the food not to your liking? Should I have them make something else?"

"No, I just have no appetite." Xin He lowered her eyelashes, her expression filled with heavy exhaustion.

Ming Xia quickly added, "While you were unconscious, Concubine Xin took care of you without rest or change of clothes."

Xin He: "..."

She had wanted to leave, but with Wei Mingjin gripping her hand so tightly, how could she go? But now, physically and mentally exhausted, she was too tired to explain.

Wei Mingjin, however, followed Ming Xia's words and said, "You’ve worked hard, He Niang."

Xin He didn’t respond, only saying, "I'm tired and want to go back to sleep. Since you're injured, I'll sleep in the east wing."

Wei Mingjin very much wanted Xin He to stay, but seeing the exhaustion on her face, he eventually nodded in agreement.

After Xin He left, Wei Mingjin turned his head and instructed, "Have Shuangyue stand guard over her tonight."

Shuangyue was one of the maid-guards Wei Mingjin had found for Xin He. Ever since Xin He was brought back to the capital, whenever Wei Mingjin wasn't by her side, the maid-guards would follow her closely.

Tonight was no exception.

Before Xin He returned to the east wing, the room had already been swept for any weapons or sharp items. After confirming there were none, the maids withdrew.

Xin He had already bathed earlier. Now, after having dinner, she rinsed her mouth and washed up, then went straight to bed.

Shuangyue slept on the daybed in the anteroom, keeping an ear out for any noise in the inner room throughout the night.

But the night was uneventful.

Wei Mingjin had filed for sick leave and now spent every day convalescing at home.

Once he was able to get out of bed, wherever Xin He went, he followed.

In the past, whenever Wei Mingjin followed her too closely, Xin He would always pick a fight with him. But now, Xin He neither told him to leave nor hit or scolded him. She just sat in silence.

The servants in the mansion thought that after this incident, Xin He must have come to her senses and decided to reconcile with Wei Mingjin.

But only Wei Mingjin saw the storm brewing beneath the calm surface.

Yet Wei Mingjin still said nothing, merely following Xin He as closely as ever. Once he was able to move around, he made his way despite his injury into the palace to see the emperor.

By the time he returned to the mansion, it was barely noon.

Without even changing out of his court robes, Wei Mingjin asked Ming Xia, "Where is she?"

"Concubine Xin is in her room, with Shuangyue watching over her."

Wei Mingjin went to his study first before going to find Xin He.

When he arrived, Xin He was leaning against the carved window, looking up at the sky outside.

The weather was extremely clear today, without a cloud in sight.

Xin He was wearing a pomegranate-red dress with interwoven branches. Despite such a vibrant and bright color, it seemed to drain her of color.

It was as if a flower in full bloom was now withering and fading bit by bit before his eyes.

Wei Mingjin's hand hidden in his broad sleeve suddenly clenched. He took a deep breath, walked over to Xin He, and said, "He Niang, can we talk?"

Since Wei Mingjin woke up, neither of them had mentioned that knife strike.

Xin He turned to look, her expression calm as she gazed at Wei Mingjin: "What is there to talk about between us?"

After this incident, Xin He deeply understood that she and Wei Mingjin were at a dead end.

Wei Mingjin would never let her go, and she would never yield. Their conflict seemed like it would only end when one of them died.

But the next moment, Wei Mingjin's voice rang out: "I can give you a concubine release document."

For a moment, Xin He looked bewildered.

Wei Mingjin had already handed over a Concubine Release Letter stamped with his seal.