Chapter Forty-Three: Resolving Past Grievances

At this very moment, Wei Mingyuan’s mother stood before him, her eyes brimming with boundless tenderness as she gazed upon him. Stunned, Wei Mingyuan stared at his mother, unable to hold back the tears that welled up and slipped from the corners of his eyes. His legs trembled as he walked toward her, each step unbearably heavy.

The instant he touched his mother, every defense crumbled.

With a wailing cry, he threw his arms around her. “Mother! I’ve missed you so much!” It was as if the Yellow River had burst its banks; in an instant, his tears soaked the woman’s clothing.

She stretched out her calloused hands and gently stroked his head, her own tears streaming down her face. “My child, now that I’m gone, you must take good care of yourself. Grow up quickly and learn as much as you can, only then will you be able to protect yourself.”

She pressed her forehead to his, her voice soft and urgent. “Survive. No matter right or wrong, so long as you live, you are doing right.”

“I will remember, Mother!” Wei Mingyuan sobbed, his voice choked with emotion.

“That’s good, that’s good. As long as you remember…”

“Mother, while you were gone, I learned many skills. From now on, I will protect you. We’ll never be separated again.” Wei Mingyuan pulled away from his mother’s embrace and wiped his tears.

“My son has grown capable, and I am so happy. It’s just…” At this, her expression dimmed with sorrow.

“What is it, Mother?” Wei Mingyuan gripped her arms, worry in his voice.

“It’s just that I… I can’t stay by your side any longer.” As she spoke, her body began to fade, like dust in the wind, drifting away bit by bit.

“No, Mother! I can’t bear to lose you again, please, don’t leave!” Wei Mingyuan clutched at her clothing, feeling the chill of her body, and his weeping grew all the more desperate. The pain seared him to his core, as though he were once again left alone in the snow.

But no matter how tightly he held on, she continued to vanish, until at last she disappeared completely from that world.

Wei Mingyuan collapsed to the ground, staring at the piece of clothing in his hands, the grief overwhelming his mind, submerging him in unrelenting agony.

Yet he found himself unable to shed another tear. No matter how hard he cried, not a single drop fell.

He simply sat there, watching as the piece of clothing slipped from his grasp and was carried away by a gentle breeze, his mother’s presence dissipating into nothingness.

All that remained in the vast world was his solitary figure.

Wei Mingyuan tore the jade pendant from his chest and gripped it tightly in his palm, pressing it to his forehead, making not a sound.

Suddenly, in his sleep, Wei Mingyuan’s eyes snapped open, bloodshot and wild, like a demon from the depths of hell.

From that moment on, the darkness within his heart truly awakened.

Meanwhile, in Su Bai’s quarters—

A child lay flat on the bed, his abdomen wrapped in cloth, with his bundle beside him. The cloth strips used as bandages had been torn from bedsheets and sterilized with alcohol.

Not far away, a young woman, around thirty, was tending a pot of medicine over the fire. Time had left no trace on her face; maturity had only added grace and charm to her features.

She wiped the sweat from her brow, but the worry etched between her brows was unmistakable. Turning to glance at Su Bai, who lay on the kang, she sighed deeply. “With wounds like these, unless we have better medicine, I fear infection will set in, and his condition will worsen.”

This young woman was the Miss Lin the villagers had mentioned, whose real name was Lin Yi. From childhood, she had learned herbal medicine from her great-grandmother. Whenever anyone in the village fell ill, they would come to her family for aid. The Lin family was relatively well-off, often providing medicine and care free of charge and earning considerable respect in the village.

But recently, a band of mountain bandits had descended upon the village, slaughtering most of its people. The few who escaped did so grievously wounded. Even Lin Yi’s great-grandmother, already over ninety, had perished in the chaos.

The survivors fled with Lin Yi deep into the mountains, where they built a new home. With no fields to tend, the able-bodied men had no choice but to hunt for food each dawn, returning only at dusk after setting traps.

The women, for the most part, stayed behind to care for children and tend to chores.

But fortune did not last. The hazards of hunting meant the men were frequently injured, leaving Lin Yi busier than ever, tending every wound and illness. Supplies of medicinal herbs quickly dwindled.

Left with few options, she taught the more astute women to identify wild herbs in the mountains. Each day, three or four men would escort them out, ensuring their return before nightfall.

Accidents still happened, but most were minor. Life in the village, though harsh, had stabilized.

Su Bai, meanwhile, had finally awoken. He glanced around, tried to sit up, and was met with a sharp pain in his lower abdomen.

Hearing his groan, Lin Yi hurried to his side, one hand supporting his back, the other steadying his chest. “You mustn’t move. Rest is crucial for your recovery,” she admonished gently.

With her steadying presence, she eased him back down. “Your wounds look as if they were caused by a sharp weapon, but not a blade or dagger. The last injury reopened the wound, and I lack the proper medicine to treat it.”

She gestured to his bundle, looking embarrassed. “You have some pills in here, but I don’t recognize most of them. If you have medicine that can help, I’ll fetch it for you.”

Su Bai glanced at his bundle and managed, “There’s a red bottle with healing pills. Just hand it to me. I’ll be able to leave in ten days, once I’ve recovered.”

Lin Yi nodded and passed him the bottle, then hurried out to tend to the medicine brewing on the fire.

As he gripped the bottle, Su Bai could hardly believe he’d escaped with his life.

“I was as good as dead, and yet Wei Mingyuan managed to get me out. Then, by chance, some young girl rescued me and brought me here. Fate is truly… unpredictable.” He marveled at the twists of destiny: one moment at death’s door, the next—receiving such care.

“I’ll rest here and recover for a while before moving on.” With that decision, he opened the bottle and swallowed a black pill.

But soon, Wei Mingyuan’s voice came from outside.

“Doctor Lin, how is my brother’s injury?”

She hesitated. “It’s hard to say. He brought his own medicine, but I don’t recognize any of it.”

Wei Mingyuan hadn’t expected even Lin Yi, the most knowledgeable healer in the village, to be stumped by Su Bai’s medicine. Any thought of pilfering pills while Su Bai was injured was now dashed.

“Can I go in and check on him?” he asked.

Lin Yi nodded. “As long as you let him rest.”

Wei Mingyuan entered quietly. He saw Su Bai lying on the kang, having just finished his medicine. Hearing someone approach, Su Bai glanced back.

Before Su Bai could turn fully, Wei Mingyuan strode over, gently laying him back down. Su Bai, confused by the sudden gesture, was even more surprised by what happened next.

Wei Mingyuan, abandoning all his previous hostility, dropped to one knee and, filled with remorse, addressed Su Bai: “Big brother, I truly and sincerely call you brother from today on.”

Tears welled up in Wei Mingyuan’s eyes, his face full of repentance, utterly unlike the boy he had been.

Not knowing what had brought about this change, Su Bai could only pretend he understood, accepting the apology with a calm nod.

Seeing this, Wei Mingyuan became more convinced that Su Bai had indeed saved his life.

Emboldened, he pressed on, his face strained with emotion. “I never imagined you would save me, despite everything. I thought I was dead for sure, but you—”

At this, he began slapping himself, again and again. “I deserve to die! I deserve it! If you hadn’t tried to save me, you wouldn’t be lying here suffering. I’m not even human!”

Su Bai merely watched, unmoved by the theatrics. He wondered if perhaps Wei Mingyuan had lost his memory. His own principle was: If you can’t defeat an enemy, try to make peace. But he also knew that this boy’s cunning rivaled that of a grown man, so he kept his guard up.

Wei Mingyuan, seeing Su Bai’s lack of reaction, was puzzled. “If he saved me, why does he still act so distant? Did I misjudge him?”

Before he could dwell on it, Lin Yi, alarmed by the commotion, entered. Seeing the red marks on Wei Mingyuan’s face, she guessed at his remorse.

But Su Bai needed rest, and this display was counterproductive.

“If your brother is to recover, he needs peace and quiet. The best thing you can do is let him rest,” she said.

To her surprise, Wei Mingyuan nodded at once. “I won’t disturb him. Please, Doctor Lin, allow me to help take care of him.”

Lin Yi hesitated.

But Su Bai spoke up. “I agree, Doctor Lin. Don’t worry. Mingyuan knows his limits. He was just overwhelmed by emotion. Please allow it.”

Since the patient himself had spoken, Lin Yi could only agree.

Though Wei Mingyuan was still uncertain, he was satisfied that things were proceeding as planned. He showered Lin Yi with gratitude and made earnest promises to care for Su Bai.

The next day

As soon as Su Bai awoke, a fragrant medicinal aroma greeted him. On the small table before him was a steaming bowl of nourishing soup.

He struggled to sit up and looked around, but saw no one.

Just as he was about to drink, Lin Yi entered, looking troubled, as if wanting to say something but hesitating.

“Is there something you wish to say, Doctor Lin?” Su Bai asked.

Though he hadn’t spent much time with her, he knew her to be kind-hearted, respected by all. He was not worried she might mean him harm.

“At dawn, Mingyuan came back covered in blood, clutching a herb he insisted be made into medicine for you,” Lin Yi explained, her feelings conflicted. She blamed herself for letting such an accident happen under her watch.

She continued, “Your brother’s injuries weren’t serious—just some cuts and scrapes. But he exhausted himself and lost too much blood while gathering the herb. He’s sleeping now.”

Su Bai stared at the dregs of medicine in the bowl, conflicted. “Did Wei Mingyuan truly brave the mountains to gather medicine for me? Perhaps I am too suspicious. He only wants to reconcile, after all, and he’s just a nine-year-old boy. Have I let this world make me see enemies everywhere?”

He looked up at Lin Yi. “Please, take care of my brother’s wounds.”

Lin Yi nodded. “I will,” she promised, and turned to go.

Su Bai added, “Thank you. You’ve done so much for us.”

“Healing is my duty. There’s no trouble at all. Your recovery is all the thanks I need,” Lin Yi replied softly, not looking back.

Su Bai sighed deeply, gazing at the medicine bowl, lost in thought.

Elsewhere, Wei Mingyuan lay on the kang, also being treated, his eyes wide open. As soon as Lin Yi entered, he asked anxiously, “Did my brother drink the medicine?”

“Don’t worry, he’s taken it,” Lin Yi replied, her tone reproachful. “You’re still a child. If something had happened to you, how could I explain it to your brother? He’s already suffered so much for your sake. If you’d died gathering medicine, would he be comforted or only more pained?”

Wei Mingyuan’s eyes shone with excitement at her words, but he accepted her admonishment humbly.

Seeing him admit his mistake, Lin Yi finally relaxed. She approached and gently stroked his head, comforting him with a mother’s warmth.

Feeling her tender touch, Wei Mingyuan’s heart wavered, but he quickly gathered himself. “Your mother is dead, Wei Mingyuan. You have only yourself to rely on. Never trust outsiders—they will strip you to the bone before you even realize it.”

Still, he wore a look of utter contentment, basking in her affection.

Just then, a hunting dog appeared at the spot where Su Bai and Wei Mingyuan had first been found by the young girl. The dog sniffed the ground, then began to bark furiously.

A group of burly men quickly appeared behind it. One said, “Looks like those two didn’t take the eastern path, but followed this mountain trail into the valley.”

“Boss, this is our chance to score big!”

Gao Wuting grinned approvingly. “You’ve got sharp eyes. Those two are worth more than you know. This time, I’ll be sure to impress General Tang.”

“Then let me congratulate you in advance, sir!”

He laughed boisterously. “Follow the trail. I want those two found by nightfall. And listen—bring them back alive!”

As the sun blazed overhead, a triumphant smile spread across Gao Wuting’s face, as if the heavens themselves were celebrating his coming victory.