Chapter 45: Chapter Forty-Five What Exactly Has His Good Wei San Hidden from Him…

Chapter 45: What Is His Good Wei San Hiding from Him?

Wei San had never been so grateful for his good fortune—thankfully, he’d woken up just in time to stop that man from revealing his secret.

No one expected the previously comatose man to suddenly spring into action. He shielded Wei Zheng, pressing the middle-aged man’s head firmly against the bamboo table with one hand, the sharp blade of his dagger barely half an inch away from the man’s carotid artery. It was only the forceful grip of a large hand that dragged the dagger back, preventing the middle-aged man from being killed on the spot.

Wei San’s face was deathly pale, his body trembling uncontrollably—clearly, he was extremely frightened. No one realized he was afraid of the middle-aged man exposing his secret; they simply assumed it was a panic response to being suddenly approached by a stranger after the assassination attempt.

"Calm down, we’re safe," Wei Zheng said softly, his voice gentle and reassuring.

Wei San looked up at him blankly, saying nothing, but the uncertainty in his eyes spoke volumes.

Wei Zheng took the dagger from Wei San’s hand and casually tossed it onto the table, where Wei Er swiftly retrieved it.

Wei San glanced down at his empty right hand, still clenched in a grip, and took in the expressions of everyone present from the corner of his eye.

He pressed his lips together silently, realizing they’d misunderstood his motives—but that was just as well, sparing him the need to explain.

He remained dazed, his hand still gripping the back of the middle-aged man’s head with such force that veins popped. Thinking Wei San hadn’t relinquished his intent to kill, Wei Zheng decisively interlaced his fingers with Wei San's and pulled him close into his embrace.

"Let him go," Wei Zheng said.

The middle-aged man’s background was still unclear; killing him rashly could tip off his allies if he had backers.

Wei San was reluctant to release him, fearing the man might say something he shouldn’t. This time, he’d intervened in time, but what about the next time, or the time after that? Eventually, he might not be able to prevent it.

A dark thought seized him: only the dead are truly safe and silent.

Wei San’s killing intent was unmistakable, and Zhong Tong, as the target, felt it most acutely. Having lived over forty years, he was no fool and understood where the problem lay.

He sighed helplessly and said meaningfully, "Young sir, you need not worry. I am merely a wandering physician who couldn’t hurt a fly. I know what should and shouldn’t be done. There’s no need for such tension."

His hint was subtle, and he wasn’t sure if Wei San would grasp it. As he pondered how to convince this seemingly harmless but fiercely dangerous young man to trust him, Wei San suddenly released his grip.

The young man said coldly, "You’d better be telling the truth."

Wei San didn’t actually believe him, but with his master watching, he couldn’t just kill the man outright, so he reluctantly let him go.

Fortunately, Zhong Tong seemed genuinely frightened and made no further mention of the earlier interrupted topic.

Wei San’s anxiety eased slightly, thinking the incident was closed, but to his surprise, Wei Zheng picked up the questioning: "Sir, you haven’t finished what you were saying earlier. How is Sui Yun’s condition? What did you mean by 'three months'?"

He asked word by word, toying with Wei San’s slender fingers, appearing casual but closely observing both Wei San and Zhong Tong.

Wei San lowered his eyelids, his lashes trembling slightly, his breath hitched.

Assassins weren’t skilled at lying, and after spending so much time with him, Wei Zheng had long since deciphered the meanings hidden beneath his expressionless facade.

This was how he behaved when nervous.

Zhong Tong, however, remained remarkably calm and said, "Oh, I meant to say the young master’s health has been deteriorating for over three months. He needs careful rest and must avoid any strenuous activity."

His explanation was a perfectly plausible cover, but Wei Zheng knew it wasn’t what he’d originally intended to say.

Especially when, as Zhong Tong spoke, the fingertips in Wei Zheng’s palm tensed momentarily before relaxing, as if relieved to have escaped death. This made Wei Zheng’s heart sink, and he regarded Wei San with increased scrutiny and suspicion.

Looking this guilty… What exactly was his little assassin hiding from him?

According to Wei Zheng’s plan, they were supposed to find a residence not far from the capital to stay temporarily, but with a better option now available, there was no need for further trouble.

Wei Zheng settled down with Wei San in the bamboo house, on the excuse of having Zhong Tong treat and nurse Wei San back to health. Zhong Tong, whether he believed it or not, didn’t question further and simply accepted twenty taels for consultation and lodging.

It was when paying that they learned the middle-aged man’s name was Zhong Tong.

Zhong Tong’s bamboo house was spacious, with a main room and two or three additional bedrooms, more than enough to accommodate two more people. The young servant prepared a room for each of them, but when night fell, Wei Zheng simply ushered Wei San into his own room, showing no intention of sleeping separately.

Zhong Tong hesitated for a long moment before, just as they were about to close the door, he couldn’t help but advise, "The young master is in delicate health. For the next two months, avoid overly strenuous activities, especially intimate relations!"

He didn’t understand the intricacies of their relationship, but regardless, they had to consider the fetus!

The fetus was still in its early stages—what if something happened accidentally?

Wei Zheng, who hadn’t even been thinking along those lines and simply wanted to hold him while sleeping, replied with a strained smile, "This Prince is not so driven by desire as to take advantage of an invalid."

Wei San’s ears turned red. Zhong Tong nodded in satisfaction. "It’s good that the Virtuous Prince understands."

The response he received was the sound of the bamboo door slamming shut.

In the following days, Wei Zheng and Wei San indeed stayed. Duan Lin and Wei Er visited a few times, mainly to relay outside information to Wei Zheng.

Wei San spent most of his days drinking herbal concoctions and sleeping; even meals seemed less important.

Since Zhong Tong rose before dawn daily to forage for medicinal plants in the mountains and Wei Zheng stayed by his side all day, Wei San had no opportunity to speak with Zhong Tong alone.

He licked his dry lips, his mood growing heavier by the day.

Zhong Tong knew his secret. Although he’d kept quiet these past few days, he was like a ticking time bomb—Wei San couldn’t predict when he might explode.

On the fifth day of their stay, Duan Lin visited again, seemingly with important matters to discuss privately with Wei Zheng. After informing Wei San, Wei Zheng followed Duan Lin out of the bamboo house.

Coincidentally, Zhong Tong hadn’t gone up the mountain to gather herbs that morning. After hesitating for a moment, Wei San tracked him down.

In the woods not far from the bamboo house, Wei Zheng and Duan Lin hid behind tree trunks, watching every move of the figures within the fenced yard intently.

Now he’d find out what his good Wei San was hiding from him.