Chapter 9. Spring Shadow

Zhao Qian followed Zhang Duo through the carved lotus-patterned door.

The wet moss on the bluestone pass almost caused Zhao Qian to slip as he strode forward. He stumbled and regained his balance, calling out, "Hey, I told you, you're going to do those bloody things again."

"It's not the first time you've seen it."

"Whether it's my first time or not, I just think it's unnecessary. If you don't believe him, just drive him away. Although he's famous, but..."

He hesitated, unable to say it, but to keep the man in the shade, he lied, "He's just a country bumpkin, a disabled one at that. If you refuse to give him Yin, what can he do?"

The man in front of him stopped abruptly. Zhao Qian was so engrossed in his own words that he didn't notice he had bumped into the man's back.

"Ouch! I didn't mean to..."

"You think I like that woman?"

Zhao Qian couldn't see his expression, but he found it rather amusing to hear Zhang Duo say that in such a cold tone. So he walked over to him and continued fearlessly, "The kind of woman His Majesty would fancy is definitely a beauty. Besides, knowing you for so many years, have you ever had a woman? In your Quiet Study, no one can enter except Ping Xuan. Has Ping Xuan been here these past six days? I know you're a devout Buddhist and don't touch women, but if Ping Xuan isn't here, who cleans for you? Don't tell me you do it yourself."

The more he talked, the more pleased he became. "I may not be as insightful as that wise gentleman, but when it comes to men's minds, I..." He patted his chest, "I'm the best at guessing."

Having finished speaking, the man beside him remained silent.

Zhao Qian felt a bit embarrassed and awkwardly lowered his hand from his chest. He then raised it again and scratched the back of his head.

"I... I guess I said something wrong."

"Even after the deadly situation at Jinshan Pass, you still remain fearless. You'll die sooner or later."

"Ha..."

He chuckled, "But I have you, so I won't die. But speaking of which..."

He became more serious. "Even if he can endure torture, are you really going to send him to the Prince of Jin? The sage of Qinglu Mountain, he might not be just a title. Aren't you afraid that Dongjun will be out of your control?"

"Is it under control now? The Liu family are all fools."

He took a step forward. "Dongjun should have had more years to survive, but now it's all over. If he's not just a title, he will understand. But Liu Bi doesn't fully trust me. This is a hidden abscess, and I can't gouge it out. I need someone else."

He lowered his head and adjusted his sleeves. "Let him endure it and see. If he dies, so be it. Anyway, that woman only has four days left."

Zhao Qian chased after him, saying, "She's already lived for ten days. Mei Xinlin isn't here, and it was she who treated your back injury. Why kill her? Why don't you keep her as a little slave? Poison her? Or chain her up? She can even wipe dust for your Guanyin(2) statue."

"Chain her up? Do you think she's a dog?"

"I didn't say that... But you used to be so afraid of dogs, how come..."

Before he could finish, they had reached the courtyard of Quiet Study.

The servants were sweeping up the fallen plum blossoms. Seeing Zhang Duo return, they quickly retreated to the side.

Zhang Duo glanced at the fallen flowers on the ground and said coldly, "What's going on?"

A servant whispered, "Master, that young lady is hugging the plum tree and refuses to come out. Even Jiang Qin can't persuade her, and she won't say anything."

Zhao Qian saw Zhang Duo striding towards the tree and quickly grabbed his sleeve. "Hey, hey... she's a woman, have some mercy..."

Ignoring Zhao Qian, Zhang Duo entered the courtyard.

The old servant bowed when he saw him and then looked at the tree.

Xi Yin was in an undignified posture, her arms wrapped tightly around the tree trunk.

Most of the plum blossoms had been shaken off the tree and swept away by the servants, but she was covered in them.

It seemed that she had been pulled, her loose robe was half off her shoulder, and one of her snow-white legs was exposed, with a dark scabbed whip wound on it.

Zhao Qian exclaimed, "You even beat women, you're cruel!"

Zhang Duo turned sideways. "Jiang Qin, bring the whip."

Hearing the word "whip," Zhao Qian quickly blocked his way, shouting, "I'm here! I can't bear to see this!"

Zhang Duo sneered. "You think I'm going to hit her?"

"Then what are you going to do?"

Zhang Duo was too careless to answer him and took a leather whip from Jiang Qin, pointing it at the snow-white dog in the corner.

"Come here."

"No!"

Zhao Qian was pierced by the woman's sharp cry and quickly covered his ears. "Tsk, it's just like you used to be afraid of dogs."

Zhang Duo turned around and said, "I told you not to meddle. Get out."

Zhao Qian replied and took a big step back.

Xi Yin stared at the snow-white dog, her eyes filled with tears. The dog was also wary of her, growling occasionally.

"If you don't want to be bitten, let go."

She trembled all over but still held on tighter, burying her head in her arms, looking like she was ready to die.

Zhang Duo lost his patience and said coldly, "Don't you want to see Cen Zhao?"

"Master... I can't see him like this."

"What do you mean?"

"I need a complete set of clothes, a complete set of clean clothes."

A complete set of clothes.

Originally, he hadn't planned for her to live long, so he hadn't bothered to find her decent clothing.

After six days together, she had treated his carelessly given garment as if she were a lowly prostitute, never minding it. Suddenly, she wanted "complete" clothing. He was a little surprised. And this was such a trivial and boring thought that he didn't even know how to ask why, so he was glad she spoke up herself.

"Brother is a noble gentleman, the cleanest and tidiest person in the world. I... I can't dirty his eyes like this."

Hearing this, Zhao Qian couldn't help but say, "Miss, your brother is blind, what can he see?"

"No! You all bully him for being blind, but I know my brother is clearer than anyone else!"

"You..."

Zhao Qian was speechless and looked at Zhang Duo.

Zhang Duo put down the whip and was silent for a moment. The snow-white dog, sensing his mood, retreated back to the corner.

"Jiang Qin."

"Yes, Master."

"Go to Xuanping and find her a set of clothes."

"But Master, the young lady might not like…"

He impatiently interrupted the old servant.

"She can have as many as she wants."

The old servant said no more and bowed. He turned and left.

Xi Yin finally breathed a sigh of relief, releasing her grip and sitting down, panting. She looked up, tremblingly, at Zhang Duo who was walking towards her step by step.

"Thank you... Master."

Zhang Duo didn't respond to her thanks, but looked her up and down, and suddenly said coldly, "You admire the noble, yet you are lowly."

Zhao Qian, standing at the courtyard gate, was stunned by these words, feeling strangely familiar, as if he had heard Zhang Duo say something similar somewhere.

However, before he could recall, he heard someone say, "You act like a wanton prostitute in front of me, lowly and shameful, but in front of a blind man, you want decent clothes. What do you think I am? Ah? Your heart deserves ten thousand deaths!"

The voice was so loud that it made people's ears ring, and it sounded like he was really angry.

Zhao Qian looked at his slightly trembling back, but couldn't figure out what he was angry about. At the same time, a memory from eleven years ago suddenly flashed back, and he patted his forehead, finally recalling the phrase: "You admire the noble, yet you are lowly."

That should have been Zhang Duo's drunken rant.

At that time, the Golden Pass battle was under siege, and only a hundred soldiers remained in the city.

The food and supplies in the city were exhausted, and reinforcements had not arrived. Zhao Qian opened the last jar of wine and leaned against the city wall with Zhang Duo, drinking together. They were only fourteen years old that year. The autumn wind was strong, and apart from the smell of wine, the wind was full of the smell of blood. Zhang Duo raised his wine bowl and asked him, "Why did you, the son of a general, come to fight this death battle?"

Zhao Qian raised his hand and tapped his head, proudly saying, "the spirits of deceased soldiers are lonely resting here, there's no one in the northern autumn battle fields, and so I came."

Zhang Duo smiled and raised his bowl, "Well said."

But Zhao Qian laughed wildly, "Don't flatter me. I stole that from my old man. I'm just stupid. I thought I could make a name for myself in this battle, and my old man would stop nagging about his 'no successor' nonsense. Who knew I would give my life away on this cold windy day? Speaking of which, I haven't even married, it's a pity. Tsk tsk..."

After saying that, he patted his shoulder, "I'm a stupid fool, I'd be sold and still count the money for the seller. What about you? You knew early on that the Golden Pass was a dead end, that the Lord of Hejian on the west side wouldn't send reinforcements, and that the court would abandon us. Why did you come?"

Zhang Duo tilted his head back, the cold moon above was like blood, the flowing clouds were wandering, and the starry sky was low. He raised his injured arm and drank the wine in the bowl in one gulp.

"I admire the noble, yet I am lowly. So since there's no way to heaven, I'll try this dead end."

Zhao Qian didn't understand for a moment, "What do you mean, you're the eldest son of the Grand Sima, how can you say you're lowly?"

He shook his head without speaking, leaned against a dead body, and crossed his legs.

"Do you know who is the noblest?"

Zhao Qian leaned against him and lay down. The pain all over his body disappeared at once, and the alcohol rushed to his head, making him feel lightheaded.

"Huh... who is the noblest..."

"The one who rules the world is the noblest."

"Ha, what nonsense. You must be drunk."

After saying that, he was too tired and closed his eyes.

The person beside him seemed to explain something, but he was too tired and fell asleep, and didn't hear clearly.