Liu Hong returned from selling animal hides and described the scene in the county town to Rong Zhi with great animation, his eyes filled with the excitement of revenge.
"These heartless wretches, treating human lives like grass, three days hanging is too lenient for them. They should be left to rot in the wilderness."
Rong Zhi, however, focused on the content of the document: "Does the document mention Xia Yunting?"
"Yes, it does. Apparently, there have been rumors recently that the general orchestrated this. Someone reported it to the yamen, and the prefect investigated, finding that someone deliberately paid others to spread rumors to smear his name. Hence, this special clarification."
"Oh..." Rong Zhi nodded in understanding, suddenly recalling the two people they had captured on the street last time. They were likely in cahoots with the people from Swallow Mountain.
"If what the document says is true, then we've been hating the wrong person. But who knows what's true and what's false? If Xia Yunting did nothing wrong, why would the people from Swallow Mountain blame him instead of someone else?"
Although the prefect had helped them find the missing villagers, before that, the county magistrate of Changping County and the human traffickers had colluded, leaving him with lingering fear. Naturally, he had no good feelings towards officials.
Hearing this, Rong Zhi glanced at Xia Yunting with some sympathy. Though the blame had been shifted, he had still been besmirched, and his reputation wouldn't recover completely anytime soon.
Xia Yunting agreed, "Brother Liu is right. There's no necessary reason. I suppose that General Xia doesn't have a good reputation, which is why those people seized the opportunity."
"More than just a bad reputation." Liu Hong, seeing someone agree, opened up. "He's been fighting on the frontier for many years. They say he's a victorious general on the battlefield, a living Yama to his enemies. He's always won his battles, but think about it: the glory of a general is built on the bones of countless people. Which of his military achievements hasn't been built on the white bones of ordinary citizens?"
Seeing him so indignant, he clearly held Xia Yunting responsible for the deaths of those soldiers.
At this moment, Gu Xinlan tugged at Liu Hong's sleeve and shook her head at him.
"What's wrong, Xinlan? Do you think I'm wrong?"
Gu Xinlan nodded and said, word by word, "It would be better if there were no wars."
Liu Hong was taken aback, then smiled. "Yes, it would be better if there were no wars. If there were no wars, nothing would happen. The common people wouldn't suffer, and soldiers wouldn't die in vain."
Xia Yunting said, "The border generals have been returning to the imperial city one after another, and the war will gradually subside. I reckon it won't be long before those who left home will return."
"Yes, it's good they're returning."
The village population had already more than doubled. Every household was reunited and joyous. Xia Yunting hadn't been idle either, instructing Chen Xing to intensify the search for Uncle Yu's son.
Another half month passed, and Chen Xing sent word, saying that during their investigation, they had engaged in several conflicts with the subordinates of the Blood Drinker Pavilion, losing more than half their strength. He asked Xia Yunting if they should continue.
"General, this is a good sign. Let's take this opportunity to eliminate the Blood Drinker Pavilion in one go and give them a warning. See if they dare to be arrogant anymore."
Xia Yunting's thoughts were the opposite. "No need. Have them return to the imperial city and keep an eye on the Prime Minister's mansion."
"Yes."
Chen Xing received the order and went to relay the message. As Xia Yunting stepped out, he saw Rong Zhi, Liu Hong, and Gu Xinlan setting up a table in the courtyard, with several people gathered around it. Gu Xinlan was holding a brush and meticulously imitating something.
She was imitating Xia Yunting's handwriting, which Rong Zhi had specifically asked Xia Yunting for.
They had been busy in the courtyard since morning and had already written for a full morning. Scraps of paper were piled on the table, but Gu Xinlan still showed no signs of stopping. She gripped the brush tightly, her hand trembling, yet she stubbornly wrote stroke by stroke.
"That's almost enough, Xinlan. Stop and rest!" Liu Hong couldn't understand these words well and only felt that Gu Xinlan was tired, so he urged her to rest.
Gu Xinlan shook her head. "Just a little more."
"Xinlan, rest for a while first. Otherwise, your wrist will get too tired to even hold the brush."
Rong Zhi deliberately spoke with great seriousness. Gu Xinlan hesitated for a moment before reluctantly putting down the brush.
"You must be thirsty. Let's go have some tea."
Liu Hong took Gu Xinlan to the kitchen.
Xia Yunting happened to arrive and noticed that next to his sample handwriting, a sheet of paper was filled with deliberate imitations of his writing. It was evident that the writer had some skill, but the deliberate imitation obscured it.
"How is it? Does it look pretty similar!" Rong Zhi picked up a piece and compared it. "Xinlan writes well. It's a shame she's a girl, otherwise, she could have gone to a private school and become a teacher."
"Why are you imitating my handwriting?"
Rong Zhi glanced in the direction of the kitchen. Seeing Gu Xinlan holding a bowl of tea and drinking, with Liu Hong watching her, his gaze focused and full of concern, and then thinking of Lu Yuanxiu's impatient and disdainful look, she couldn't help but sigh.
"Xinlan is saying goodbye to Lu Yuanxiu."
"Lu Yuanxiu..."
A scholar-like figure appeared in Xia Yunting's mind.
"Xinlan previously had a betrothal with Lu Yuanxiu, and their relationship was quite close. Lu Yuanxiu taught Xinlan some reading and writing. Perhaps it's their unique way of interacting. Even goodbyes have to be done through written correspondence."
"I see. But why my handwriting?"
"Perhaps... she wants to outdo Lu Yuanxiu."
Xia Yunting's brushstrokes were different from most scholars—strong, powerful, and majestic, possessing an inherent aura of dominance from years of warfare. Lu Yuanxiu, as a scholar, likely often competed in calligraphy with others. He probably cared most about this. Gu Xinlan's action, it had to be said, carried a hint of petulance.
Xia Yunting understood. "If that's the case, I'll write a few more pages for her."
He took the paper, dipped the brush in ink, glanced at Rong Zhi, and then began to write freely on the paper. The ink penetrated the paper, and soon a piece was finished.
Rong Zhi read the content on it and couldn't help but read it aloud: "Where there's a will, there's a way. Breaking the cauldrons and sinking the boats, the hundred and twenty Qin rivers will eventually belong to Chu. A determined heart will not be in vain. Enduring hardship and tasting gall, three thousand Yue soldiers can swallow Wu... Hmm, it's grand and imposing. But King Goujian of Yue endured hardship to protect his country and seek revenge. Do you also have something you need to endure and suppress, waiting for the day to vindicate yourself?"
She said this half-jokingly, but she began to seriously ponder. Rumors in the imperial city said that the Prime Minister and the General had long been at odds. Now, Xia Yunting had married the Prime Minister's daughter. Regardless of their relationship behind the scenes, they had to refer to Xing Jie as "father-in-law" in public. How could the iron-fisted Xia Yunting tolerate such a grievance? Was he unhappy about marrying Xing Jiahui, and that's why this sentence was written?
Xia Yunting blew on the ink, his face showing no resentment or hatred, but rather lost in thought.
"The first time I heard this saying was in the Medicine King Valley."
"Medicine King Valley? What connection do you have with Medicine King Valley?" Rong Zhi naturally knew he had been there, and that she had met him briefly when he was young. However, times had changed, and some details from that time were forgotten. She hadn't expected him to remember that she had taught him this saying.
Xia Yunting said, "At that time, the border was plagued by constant war, and several cities were overrun by bandits. My father was ordered to suppress the bandits, but he was ambushed on the way. A soldier was poisoned, and there was no cure. We had no choice but to go to the Medicine King Valley."
"I see." Rong Zhi's voice lowered significantly. That poison was the Seven-Day Deadly Poison. In her previous life, she had failed to treat those patients and had even perished herself. Even thinking about it now filled her with regret.
"Was the person saved in the end?"
"No."
Xia Yunting sighed. "It could have been treated, but the Prime Minister who accompanied us interfered, souring our relationship with Medicine King Valley. The Valley Master, angered, refused to provide treatment, delaying the process, and ultimately all the poisoned soldiers died."
"How could that be?" Rong Zhi's eyes widened.
Whether in her past life or this life, she, Rong Zhi, always prioritized the patients' conditions. She would never neglect patients due to personal grudges, nor would she let minor matters lead to major losses. That was not her way. Moreover, although it had been a long time, she still remembered the situation clearly. There was no animosity that had soured their relationship; she simply couldn't develop an antidote, and by the time she had some leads, she herself was poisoned. She might admit to her lack of skill, but she would never allow anyone to say she was irresponsible.
"The Valley Master of Medicine King Valley is righteous and magnanimous. Even if an enemy seeks help, they will offer assistance. How could they refuse treatment because of your personal conflict? Aren't you being misled and mistaken about her?"
Xia Yunting observed her. "Xiao Mo, you seem very angry..."
Oh, she had gotten a little carried away and forgotten to hide her emotions.
"I'm just curious. Everyone outside says the Valley Master of Medicine King Valley is a peerless divine doctor, not only skilled in medicine but also broad-minded and impartial. Was there some misunderstanding at the time?"
This explanation seemed plausible. Xia Yunting's suspicion, however, did not dissipate. After all, she had not grown up in Medicine King Valley, so she shouldn't have such deep feelings for it. Why was she so angry?
"There was indeed some misunderstanding." Xia Yunting suppressed his suspicion. "But the Prime Minister acting on his own accord, leading to the death of soldiers, is also a fact. My father also..."
At this point, a flicker of pain flashed in Xia Yunting's eyes.
"My father's death is entirely on Xing Jie. I was young and impulsive then, and I grabbed my father's sword, ready to fight Xing Jie to the death. However, I was severely injured by his guards. It was the Valley Master who saved me later. She was the one who advised me with these words."
He looked at the paper in front of him. Every word on it seemed to take him back to his childhood, to the time when the Valley Master sat by his bedside, patiently explaining the meaning and story behind these two sentences. Even after so many years, he couldn't forget.
"Where there's a will, there's a way. Breaking the cauldrons and sinking the boats, the hundred and twenty Qin rivers will eventually belong to Chu. A determined heart will not be in vain. Enduring hardship and tasting gall, three thousand Yue soldiers can swallow Wu..."
Xia Yunting read word by word, then sighed. "Unfortunately, the Valley Master also died of poisoning not long after. I couldn't repay her kindness of guidance."
To think he remembered a sentence she had said so deeply, Rong Zhi was inevitably touched, though her expression remained unchanged.
"If she knew you said this in the afterlife, she would surely be very pleased. For a doctor, nothing is more meaningful than seeing their patient alive and well."