Chapter 49 Questioned about Lin Wen, Secret Rift

Chapter 49: Questioned About Lin Wen, a Hidden Rift Emerges

After traveling for several days, the army camped at the foot of Huoji Mountain. The winter moon slowly revealed its shy form, casting a full pool of moonlight over the Lingnan Army.

“Young Master Qin, I’m here to take your pulse.”

After Xiao Baiyu left, the task of taking Qin Jiao’s pulse fell to Military Doctor Hou. He was now standing at the entrance of Qin Jiao’s tent, carrying his medicine box.

“Military Doctor Hou, please come in!”

Qin Jiao invited Doctor Hou into the tent and asked Cong Shuang to serve hot tea.

After serving the tea, Cong Shuang watched nervously as Doctor Hou took the pulse. A moment later, Doctor Hou smiled. “Don’t worry, the young master is recovering well.”

Cong Shuang let out a nearly inaudible sigh of relief, then smiled and helped Doctor Hou pack up his things.

The tent was brightly lit with candles, and as Doctor Hou packed, his eyes involuntarily fell on the Fengxue Bracelet on Qin Jiao’s left wrist.

This was the third time Qin Jiao had seen Doctor Hou, and almost every time, the doctor would look at the bracelet on his hand. Qin Jiao said softly.

“Doctor Hou, rest assured. Once I’m feeling a bit better, I’ll return the bracelet to the prince.”

“No need to bother,” Doctor Hou said with a smile, stroking his white beard.

“That won’t do—I must return it…”

“The Fengxue Bracelet already belongs to you,” Doctor Hou interrupted Qin Jiao: “You’ll understand later.”

At that moment, Qin Jiao thought Doctor Hou meant that Xie Nai had already decided to give him the bracelet, and no one else had the right—or dared—to interfere with Xie Nai’s decision. It was only much later that Qin Jiao understood the deeper meaning of Doctor Hou’s words.

After taking his pulse, Doctor Hou picked up his medicine box and left. Qin Jiao paced around the tent a few times before deciding to go find Xie Nai.

Without asking Cong Shuang to come along, Qin Jiao put on a heavy fox-fur cloak and picked up an oilpaper lantern, and headed toward Xie Nai’s tent.

By now, Qin Jiao was a familiar face in the Lingnan Army. The patrolling soldiers glanced at him but didn’t block him.

He walked without hindrance all the way to Xie Nai’s tent. Just as he was about to ask a soldier to announce his presence, Xie Nai lifted the tent flap himself and stepped out.

Xie Nai glanced at Qin Jiao: “Looking for me?”

Qin Jiao looked at Xie Nai, who was neatly dressed, elegant and tall, and thought to himself: Is he leaving camp?

“Qin Jiao?” Seeing Qin Jiao staring at him without responding, Xie Nai called him again.

“Ah! Yes, I’m looking for you. I wanted to ask about the two assassins in black who attacked me.”

Qin Jiao hadn’t seen the two assassins last time, and this matter had been weighing on his mind. “But are you leaving camp, Prince? Should I come back later?”

Xie Nai: “I was actually going to find you. Let’s talk as we walk.”

Qin Jiao was caught off guard. “Oh, all right.”

The sky was darkening, and the moonlight was bright. Qin Jiao and Xie Nai walked side by side. The branches of the firethorn bushes along the path twisted together, casting strange, grotesque shadows across their robes.

They stopped in front of a cluster of firethorn bushes, and Qin Jiao asked, “What business did you have with me, Prince?”

Xie Nai’s tall figure loomed beside Qin Jiao, their shadows merging in the darkness. He replied:

“I came to tell you that the two assassins who attacked you are dead.”

“What?” Qin Jiao was stunned. “Dead?”

Qin Jiao started to ask how they died, but noticed Xie Nai’s cold expression. A guess formed in his mind: “Was it because their injuries were too severe?”

Xie Nai nodded.

“Hmm… Well, dead is dead. At least it saves the trouble of having to transport them all this way.”

Earlier, Xie Nai had told Qin Jiao that the two assassins had been tortured and were gravely wounded, so their death came as no surprise.

“And the token they mentioned—did you get it?”

After Luo Yue returned from Huoji Mountain, he had been busy, and Qin Jiao hadn’t had a chance to ask him about the token. Now that they were passing Huoji Mountain, Qin Jiao felt he couldn’t delay any longer. Since he couldn’t catch Luo Yue, he might as well ask Xie Nai.

“Here.”

Xie Nai took something from his sleeve and handed it to Qin Jiao.

It was a white jade seal, decorated with three small blue flowers so lifelike that even the veins on each petal were clearly visible.

“This might be Lin Wen’s personal seal,” Xie Nai said.

Qin Jiao lifted the lantern closer. At the bottom of the seal, the characters “Lin Wen” were engraved in willow-leaf script, clearly visible.

Qin Jiao’s expression changed instantly, a flicker of something complicated in his eyes. “Are you sure this is the token Luo Yue brought back, Prince?”

“I’m certain.”

“No mistake?”

“None.”

Xie Nai answered without a moment’s hesitation. Qin Jiao’s dark eyes darkened. He clasped the seal in his palm and took a deep breath. “Alright, I’ll keep the seal then. Thank you, Prince.”

Whether it was the cold wind or Xie Nai’s imagination, he felt Qin Jiao’s voice had become stiffer than before.

“Are you that concerned about Lin Wen?”

Xie Nai interpreted Qin Jiao’s change as his temporary inability to accept that Lin Wen would actually send someone to assassinate him.

Qin Jiao said little, softly replying, “Perhaps.”

The clusters of bright red firethorn berries at their feet were soaked in moonlight, their once intense color turning hazy. Xie Nai’s expression, too, was hard to read. Qin Jiao suddenly asked:

“May I ask why you and Prime Minister Lin don’t get along?”

Seemingly not expecting Qin Jiao to ask about this, Xie Nai’s expression noticeably stiffened. “Isn’t it common knowledge in the capital? Does the young master not know?”

“No. Can you tell me, Prince?”

Qin Jiao was lying.

He had actually heard rumors. A year ago, at the birthday celebration of the Young Emperor Xie Xuanran, Xie Nai was summoned back to the capital. During the birthday banquet, Lin Wen and Xie Nai inexplicably had a quarrel. The room was in shambles, with jade and ceramics shattered, and Xie Nai even drew his sword, intent on killing Lin Wen.

What happened afterward was known to no one. In the end, Xie Nai led his troops back to Jing Pass that same night, ignoring all pleas from the Young Emperor.

Xie Nai dodged Qin Jiao’s question. “Just old matters, not worth talking about.”

“Do you still hate him now?”

Qin Jiao wasn't sure if "hate" was the right word to use. Xie Nai was not one to show his emotions openly. Only when Qin Jiao first asked about Lin Wen did he reveal a hint of surprise, but afterwards he kept his emotions well-hidden, and Qin Jiao couldn't see through him.

A slow night breeze came, ruffling their robes. After a long moment, Qin Jiao heard Xie Nai say, "It's just that I don't hate him to the bone anymore."

Qin Jiao paused, then murmured, "Alright, I understand."

Xie Nai turned to look at Qin Jiao, about to ask what he understood, but Qin Jiao simply turned around and walked back. "Let's go back. I'm tired."

Xie Nai's eyes narrowed slightly. "Alright."

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