Chapter 86: If Line 3

Chapter 86 What-If Scenario 3

◎Letters Exchanged.◎

Mu Chi pursed his lips tightly, his hand gripping the wound on his left arm unconsciously tightening. Beads of blood dripped from between his fingers onto the thick palace rug.

He didn't know why he had come here, why he hadn't sought out the gentle Qiao Qingni but instead came to Qiao Wan, whom he had initially disregarded.

But by the time he realized it, he was already at Princess Changle's manor.

The unease that had risen in his heart due to his unusual actions gradually faded into dead silence after hearing her ask, "Why is he here?"

Mu Chi recalled that everyone in Lingjing said Princess Changle was spoiled, promiscuous, and fickle.

Who was it that made her so naturally share half her bed?

Who was she waiting for tonight?

Uncontrollable speculations swirled in his heart. Mu Chi pressed his lips together and remained silent.

Seeing Mu Chi staring at her without a word, Qiao Wan frowned, got up, and lit the candlestick. Only then did she see that Mu Chi’s arm was bleeding.

Just as she was about to speak, a commotion arose outside the door, followed by Yicui’s voice: "Princess, the palace guards say an assassin was heading toward the princess’s manor. Are you all right?"

Mu Chi’s eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze fixed intently on Qiao Wan.

Qiao Wan was surprised. Mu Chi’s skills were extraordinary; it was impossible for him to break into the princess’s manor and be detected. The only explanation was… he hadn't taken Snow Bodhi yet.

Looking at Mu Chi’s pale face, Qiao Wan sighed to herself. "I’m fine. Stand down."

The voice outside acknowledged and soon fell silent.

Qiao Wan glanced at Mu Chi’s arm. "Injured again?"

Mu Chi remained silent.

Qiao Wan shrugged helplessly and pointed to a nearby chair. "Sit."

She then took out the White Jade Ointment.

Mu Chi hesitated for a moment but ultimately obeyed and sat down at the wooden table.

He hadn't obtained the Snow Bodhi, but he was certain it was indeed in a secret chamber at Prajna Temple. Qiao Wan hadn't lied.

As Qiao Wan approached Mu Chi’s side, she noticed that not only was his arm injured, but there was also a slash on his back, intersecting with the previous lash marks, the flesh slightly torn.

Qiao Wan frowned involuntarily. No matter which Mu Chi it was, he never cared for his own body.

The thought annoyed her, and her touch became rougher.

Mu Chi couldn't feel the pain, but he could sense her warm fingertips moving across his arm and back with noticeable force. She seemed angry.

He didn't know why she was angry. Perhaps it was just the displeasure of a pampered noble being woken in the middle of the night.

His attention was soon drawn to the bed curtain nearby. In one corner, a crooked character "Wan" was embroidered.

It looked strangely familiar.

Not just the curtain—the exquisite dagger by the bed, the lower right corner of the floral and bird screen, the golden whip draped over the screen…

Everywhere bore the character "Wan," as if it were her exclusive mark.

A sudden pain shot through his head. Mu Chi’s face paled slightly, and he unconsciously looked down at the webbing between his thumb and index finger of his right hand.

It was empty, but he had once dreamed that Qiao Wan had carved that same "Wan" character there, with handwriting so similar.

The next moment, Mu Chi’s body stiffened abruptly.

The delicate finger on his back traced along the edge of his lower back, like a feather-light touch.

Qiao Wan also noticed Mu Chi’s stiffness and she curled her fingers self-consciously. This time, she hadn't meant to "tease" him; it was just that there were several wounds above his waist, forcing her to touch it.

She had tried her best to avoid his sensitive areas.

Mu Chi’s long eyelashes fluttered. That hand repeatedly approached his lower back but withdrew quickly each time before touching it, like the softest tip of a feather brushing faintly before disappearing.

A hollow feeling spread through him, as if a thread were pulling downward.

"Dress the wound on your arm yourself," Qiao Wan said irritably, placing the White Jade Ointment on the table. "I’m going to sleep."

With that, she walked to the bed.

"Tonight…" Mu Chi spoke quickly but stopped after two words, his expression startled.

He had almost asked, "Who were you waiting for tonight?"

Qiao Wan waited for a moment, but when Mu Chi didn't continue, she assumed he had nowhere to go and grunted impatiently. "You should be glad Yicui isn't on night duty tonight. The daybed in the outer chamber is empty. Be gone by morning."

This time, she drew the curtains completely and said nothing more.

Mu Chi frowned deeply, staring intently at her shadowy figure through the curtain.

What would she and whoever she was waiting for engage in tonight, to the extent that even the maid was dismissed?

Would she touch someone else's body as she had when applying medicine to him?

At this thought, Mu Chi’s hand clenched unconsciously, reopening the wound on his arm and staining the white bandage red.

That night, Mu Chi slept in the outer chamber. Though it was his first time staying at Princess Changle’s manor, it felt familiar somehow.

He had a dream.

In the dream, Qiao Wan’s pale, slender waist curled in his embrace, her arms holding him tightly, her fingers lingering at his waist.

He leaned close to her ear, whispering "Princess" over and over, pressing into her repeatedly…

Her eyes were misty, brimming with emotion as she gazed at him, soft gasps escaping her lips.

Mu Chi woke before dawn, staring blankly at the pear wood rafters above him. The dream from last night came rushing back into his mind.

In the inner chamber, Qiao Wan suddenly shifted.

Mu Chi got up hurriedly, glanced quickly toward the inner room, pressed his lips tightly together, and left quietly with a grim expression.

Si Li was waiting outside the manor gates. After informing him about the secret chamber where the Snow Bodhi was kept and discussing plans to storm Prajna Temple again, Mu Chi returned to Seventh Prince’s estate.

Seventh Prince Qiao Yan was Wen Xun’s student, which made it easy for him to deploy troops.

However, since he hadn't yet regained his inner strength, he had yet to disclose his true identity.

That night, Mu Chi stayed at the Seventh Prince's estate as usual, but as soon as he closed his eyes, he recalled Qiao Wan's tone from the previous night when she said, "Why did you only come now?"—soft and spoiled, almost coquettish, like a cat's paw scratching at his heart.

He also remembered that alluring dream. The thought of himself in the dream taking the form of another man filled him with restless anxiety.

Mu Chi abruptly opened his eyes, and after a while, he got up and walked out. He stood at a street corner not far from the princess's estate, watching as the sky brightened, yet no one came or went.

On the second and third days, Mu Chi continued to linger near the princess's estate, but no man ever came or went.

Only on the fourth day did he notice Yicui, the maid by Qiao Wan's side, sneak away from the princess's estate early in the morning.

His intuition told him it was about a man.

Mu Chi pressed his lips tightly together and followed her, eventually stopping in front of the Dingguo General's estate.

The maid paused by the wall, took out a letter from her sleeve, and surreptitiously handed it to the guard at the mansion's entrance before hurriedly leaving.

Mu Chi stared intently at the scene, his gaze falling on the plaque that read "Dingguo General." He knew very well that this was the Jing family's residence.

That fop named Jing Lan was here and had had dealings with Qiao Wan a few times.

Mu Chi's eyes suddenly darkened. So, was it Jing Lan?

She truly was a wild, arrogant, and spoiled little princess!

But what did it have to do with him?

"Young master, you're here!" Si Li, after searching all around, finally found him and hurried over. "The arrangements for Banruo Temple are in place. We only need to act three days from now."

Mu Chi replied without expression, shot a cold look at the plaque, and turned to leave.

*

The letter Qiao Wan had Yicui deliver to the Jing residence was an anonymous letter.

Just as in her previous life, Jing Lan had joined the Imperial Guard and became the deputy commander. In four days, he would lead a mission to subdue bandits on Qingyun Mountain.

In this life, Qiao Wan had not taken medicine without permission and coughed up blood in her quest for the Snow Bodhi, so she naturally had no reason to go to Banruo Temple, encounter bandits, or be saved by Jing Lan.

But she recalled the incident at the market last time: even though she had avoided the conflict inside Yu Xiu Pavilion, fate still steered things along their predetermined path.

In her previous life, during the bandit suppression, Jing Lan had nearly been stabbed by one of the bandits.

The letter simply warned Jing Lan to be cautious of the second-in-command among the bandits.

After Yicui delivered the letter, Qiao Wan breathed a sigh of relief and asked, "The Jing family didn’t recognize you as someone from the princess's residence, did they?"

Yicui smiled. "Don’t worry, Princess. I randomly paid a stranger on the street a tael of silver to deliver the letter. Even if I had to identify that person again, I wouldn’t be able to."

Reassured, Qiao Wan then remembered something else. She returned to her bedchamber and brought out a bottle of White Jade ointment. "Find someone to deliver this bottle of White Jade ointment to Princess Zhaoyang's residence. Say that I’m concerned Third Princess might have injured her hands while playing the guqin and specially sent this ointment."

Qiao Wan had been pondering these past few days: in this life, she and Mu Chi had hardly any contact, and it was his own choice not to stay by her side. So why did he come to her when he was injured?

Every time she saw Mu Chi acting coldly toward her, she couldn’t help but think of him in her previous life and the best years they had shared, which left her feeling inexplicably low and upset.

After much thought, Qiao Wan could only conclude that Mu Chi had come for the White Jade ointment.

After all, White Jade ointment was a wonder drug for stopping bleeding and promoting healing. In just a few days, it could heal wounds remarkably.

And outside the palace, only she had White Jade ointment.

She figured that now that Qiao Qingni also had the ointment, he probably wouldn’t come looking for her again.

Though Yicui didn’t understand why her princess was suddenly concerned about Third Princess, she obediently followed orders without question, nodded, and left.

A few more days passed, and Qiao Wan heard upon waking that Jing Lan had returned from suppressing the bandits. Nearly 400 bandits on Qingyun Mountain had been dealt with—over 200 dead or wounded, and the rest captured.

The emperor was delighted and intended to hold a celebration banquet.

However, Major General Jing was injured and recuperating at home, so the banquet was postponed until the 21st of the twelfth lunar month.

In her previous life, around this time, Qiao Wan had taken medicine without permission and coughed up blood in her pursuit of the Snow Bodhi, and the emperor had ordered her to rest at home.

In this life, she was in good health and had no excuse to miss the palace banquet.

Along with the news of Major General Jing's bandit suppression came a rumor spreading privately: Banruo Temple had been robbed again, and the Snow Bodhi had been stolen.

Since Banruo Temple was one of the most tightly secured places in Lingjing, as secure as the imperial palace, the incident was kept quiet to avoid embarrassment, and the thieves were hunted down quietly.

When Qiao Wan heard this news, she was taken aback for a moment before smiling lightly.

Now that Mu Chi had taken the Snow Bodhi, she figured few could harm him.

Even if he were injured, Qiao Qingni had the White Jade ointment.

That evening, as night fell, someone from the Jing family suddenly sent an invitation, stating simply that they awaited her presence at the celebration banquet.

Qiao Wan turned the invitation over several times. Though it wasn’t signed, the flourishing handwriting clearly indicated it was from Jing Lan.

But in this life, she had little interaction with Jing Lan. Even the previous letter she sent was written in a different handwriting to avoid him recognizing it as hers.

The only connection between them was that Qiao Heng intended to arrange a marriage alliance between her and Jing Lan.

Therefore, Jing Lan’s letter could only be about discussing how to avoid the arranged marriage.

Now that Jing Lan had earned merits, rejecting the marriage would be a logical move.

Having figured this out, Qiao Wan shrugged her shoulders, casually placed the invitation on the table, and took a bath and turned in.

Unexpectedly, that night, as Qiao Wan slept soundly, she once again felt that chilling gaze.

Though silent, she was so familiar with it from her previous life that she sensed his presence the moment he appeared.

Opening her eyes, she indeed saw Mu Chi standing by her bed, quietly watching her.

On his snow-white robe, a faint bloodstain bloomed on his left shoulder, though the scent of blood was not strong.

Qiao Wan sat up, beyond exasperation, and said helplessly, "Why have you come again?"

Mu Chi looked at her for a long moment, then gestured with his left arm slightly to indicate his injury.

The wound wasn’t deep—just a graze from a thrown dagger when Si Li helped him leave Banruo Temple after taking the Snow Bodhi.

Normally, he wouldn’t pay any mind to such a minor injury, but this time, he felt oddly pleased.

Qiao Wan stared at him speechlessly. Knowing him as she did, he usually wouldn’t care about a wound like that on his shoulder. Even a much more serious injury probably wouldn’t bother him.

Somehow, he had suddenly gotten finicky.

After a moment of silence, Qiao Wan knit her brows and said, "Third Princess also has White Jade ointment now."

A hint of confusion passed through Mu Chi's eyes as he looked at her, uncomprehending.

Qiao Wan continued, "From now on, go to Third Princess for medicine."

Mu Chi's expression shifted slightly, his face suddenly paled. He gazed at her, then after a long moment, lowered his eyes and asked softly, "What does Princess Changle mean by this?"

Qiao Wan frowned and said seriously, "I have already sent someone to deliver the White Jade Ointment to Princess Zhaoyang's manor. Since you're Third Princess's man, there is no reason for you to come to me again!"

"Besides, I have no interest in Third Princess's things—or her people!"

Mu Chi's pupils constricted abruptly, his gentle tone turning strained. "Then what is Princess Changle interested in?"

Qiao Wan hadn't expected him to ask this. Her gaze lingered on his face for a long moment before she shook her head. "Even if I told you, you wouldn't get it."

Mu Chi's body tensed. After watching her for a while, he suddenly turned and vanished into the darkness like a white shadow.

Qiao Wan paused, huffed, and lay back down.

But before an incense stick could burn down, the window was silently pushed open again, and a familiar chill filled the room.

Qiao Wan's chest tightened. She looked at Mu Chi, who had returned, sat up, and said impatiently, "Why are you back ag—"

Her voice cut off abruptly.

Qiao Wan stared at the porcelain bottle in Mu Chi's palm, her brow furrowed.

In his hand was the very bottle of White Jade Ointment she had given to Qiao Qingni.

She now noticed that the wound on Mu Chi's shoulder was more severe than before, and the smell of blood was much stronger.

"What are you doing?" Qiao Wan asked.

Mu Chi paused, walked to the table, and sat down. Lowering his eyes, he murmured, "I'm injured."

Qiao Wan was stunned for a moment, as if she'd seen the Mu Chi from her past life.

After they married, he'd figured out that she disliked his indifference to his own well-being. Whenever he suffered even the slightest injury, he would come to her, nestling pitifully against her shoulder and saying, "I'm injured."

What a little brute!

That much hadn't changed.

"Who are you looking at?" Mu Chi suddenly asked.

He always felt as though she was seeing someone else through him.

Qiao Wan jerked back to the present, pressed her lips together, and said nothing. In the end, she still dressed his wound.

After finishing, Qiao Wan went straight to bed and closed the bed curtains.

Mu Chi remained seated at the table, his originally cold aura gradually softening. He unconsciously smirked.

Just then, Qiao Wan's snorted came from behind the curtains: "Make sure you're gone before anyone sees you."

Mu Chi's smile froze.

Leave before anyone notices.

Back at the Songzhu Pavilion, she had bought him publicly in front of everyone. Now, she felt he was unsightly?

Or perhaps… she was afraid of someone misunderstanding?

Mu Chi pressed his lips tightly together. Out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly spotted a letter nearby.

Narrowing his eyes, he turned to look.

An invitation had been casually tossed on the table, inconspicuous.

Mu Chi opened the invitation. It read: "On the twenty-first of the twelfth month, awaiting Princess Changle."

There was no signature. It appeared to be a palace invitation for her to attend.

Mu Chi narrowed his eyes and glanced at Qiao Wan—her breathing now steady.

He naturally knew what day the twenty-first of the twelfth month was. After all, he had already discussed with Wen Xun that he would perform as a guqin player to sneak into the palace at night.

Would she be there too?

Mu Chi lowered his gaze, suddenly feeling that the previously dull palace banquet held a bit more appeal.

Author's Note:

Pup: Came obediently for treatment from the princess again today.

Pup: Only you can put White Jade Ointment on me! Not anyone else!

Still Pup: Looking forward to meeting at the palace banquet!

Wan Wan: Little brute!

Meanwhile, the big pup is still struggling on his way to waking up~