Chapter Seventeen: A Mother's Love and a Son's Devotion

The surroundings fell into silence. Even the wind passed by without a sound, and the treetops swayed silently.

Song Shiyu stood there absentmindedly, her heart empty and hollow, like a lost spirit wandering without direction, unaware of her whereabouts.

“Hey, crazy woman, if you let me go now, I might spare your life!”
“Exactly, release our miss immediately, or the Gu family will never let you off!”
“What, are you planning to kill us to silence us?”
“You probably don’t know how formidable the Gu family is, nor how fierce our madam is!”

Gu Shiyan and Xiao Jing echoed each other, yelling incessantly, their voices loud and chaotic. The noise dragged Song Shiyu’s scattered thoughts back to the harsh reality—she had already been reborn, was no longer the Gu Shiyu of the past, and in this world, the person named Gu Shiyu no longer existed.

Suddenly, an uncontrollable fury surged within her. She raised her hand and slapped Gu Shiyan hard across the face. “Shut up!”

That slap had long been held back—from her previous life until now.

Gu Shiyan’s face flushed red and swelled instantly. She covered her face and sobbed loudly, “How dare you hit me! You actually dared to hit me!”

Song Shiyu grabbed Gu Shiyan’s neck with a fierce grip, her eyes blazing red, her expression terrifying. “Someone once told me that those strangled to death look ugly. Want to test that theory?”

Gu Shiyan immediately fell silent, choked by the grip, her swollen eyes filled with tears she dared not shed, biting her lip hard and shaking her head repeatedly.

Suddenly, rustling came from the bushes, and a gray wild rabbit dashed out in panic.

Song Shiyu’s rage subsided abruptly. Her expression returned to normal as she released her hold and turned around to ask, “Which courtyard of the Wanfo Temple is the Gu family staying in?”

Gu Shiyan whimpered, “In, in the Jinghe Courtyard.”

Song Shiyu said nothing as she drew a knife and cut the ropes binding them. “If you don’t want to die, get out of here quickly. Don’t let me see you again on Qishan.”

Gu Shiyan never expected to survive. She didn’t dare utter a word, stumbling away.

“Wait,” Song Shiyu suddenly called out again.

Gu Shiyan was startled, collapsing to the ground in fright, her mouth trembling. “You—you said you’d spare us. You can’t go back on your word!”

Song Shiyu looked at Gu Shiyan’s pitiful, helpless expression and almost laughed in disbelief.

In her previous life, she had been so powerless and useless that she had been completely manipulated by this fool.

“Leave all your silver behind!” Song Shiyu said venomously.

At these words, Gu Shiyan finally realized Song Shiyu was truly a bandit, not someone sent to frame her. She readily took out the silver.

“Here, it’s all here,” Gu Shiyan carefully placed the silver on a stone.

Song Shiyu glanced casually, then looked up at Xiao Jing. “What about you?”

Xiao Jing stammered, “I—I’m just a maid, I don’t have any money.”

Song Shiyu sneered. “You’re a personal maid with no silver? Are you kidding me?” She raised her hand again, plunging the knife’s tip deep into the stone. “Are you really willing to risk your life for money?”

Frightened, Xiao Jing knelt down, no longer daring to take chances. She pulled out some silver from her bosom and placed it tremblingly on the stone. “This is all I have.”

Song Shiyu pulled out the knife and flicked the silver coldly. “You really have been quite greedy.”

Gu Shiyan glanced at the silver, suddenly coming to her senses, and slapped Xiao Jing hard across the face. “How dare you steal my silver!”

Xiao Jing covered her face, unable to cry or scream in pain. “I didn’t, I wouldn’t dare, Miss, Miss, I wouldn’t dare.”

“You wouldn’t dare? You get one and a half taels of monthly wages every month, all of which you hand over to your parents without missing a single coin. If you didn’t steal from me, then tell me—how did you save up twelve taels of silver?” Gu Shiyan’s eyes flashed ferociously. “Did you consort with some wild man?”

“Miss, Miss, I didn’t! I’m innocent!”

Those accusations were grave—either one could cost her life. She dared not admit to either, only covering her face and kowtowing repeatedly.

Gu Shiyan had no time to argue with Xiao Jing. She turned and started walking down the mountain.

Xiao Jing followed, crying as she ran after her.

Song Shiyu sneered, wrapping the silver carefully, and gazed blankly at Wanfo Temple.

Zhao Yizhen arrived at the mountain gate of Wanfo Temple and saw Empress Dowager Wen standing in the wind. Though her face was well maintained, a few silver strands fluttering in the breeze betrayed her age and the years of relentless toil.

His heart softened; the distance that had grown between them over the past few days quietly diminished. He hurried forward and took the Empress Dowager’s hand. “It’s still cold in the mountains this early. Mother, you really shouldn’t be out in the wind.”

Empress Dowager Wen patted the back of his hand. “The mountain path is difficult. His Majesty came out during the night. I was worried—how could I not come out to see him?”

Zhao Yizhen was deeply moved and looked at Shaoyin. “You’ve been by Mother’s side for many years. How come you didn’t persuade her or at least bring her a cloak?”

Shaoyin’s expression changed; she quickly apologized. “The Empress Dowager worries about His Majesty. I couldn’t convince her. Please forgive me, Your Majesty.”

Empress Dowager Wen quickly stopped Zhao Yizhen. “This was my own wish to come out and greet His Majesty. It has nothing to do with Shaoyin or the others. His Majesty must not blame or punish them.”

“Since Mother doesn’t blame them, I’ll let it go this time,” Zhao Yizhen smiled lightly and let the matter drop.

Shaoyin hurriedly expressed her gratitude.

Zhao Yizhen supported Empress Dowager Wen as they entered Wanfo Temple. “Mother, have you been attending Zen meditation sessions with Master Huizhi these past few days?”

Empress Dowager Wen’s expression darkened momentarily, then returned to normal as she smiled and spoke of her recent insights from meditation.

To outsiders, it appeared as a tender scene of motherly love and filial piety.

Yu Zhong and Shaoyin exchanged a glance and both exhaled in relief.

Obviously, the power struggle between the two superiors made even their close attendants anxious and uneasy.

“Chief Steward, Chief Steward, what should we do with this person?” A guard carrying Li Xubai caught up with Yu Zhong and whispered.

Yu Zhong didn’t regard a commoner as worth his attention and didn’t even glance at Li Xubai. He lazily replied, “Find him a side room to stay in, keep him away from His Majesty. Mountain folk haven’t seen the world; don’t tell him who we are, and don’t mention His Majesty. Don’t scare him. When he wakes up, give him a few taels—no, twenty taels of silver—and send him on his way.”

Yu Zhong’s thinking was simple: a poor mountain man probably never saw twenty taels of silver in his life.

The guard whispered his compliance and naturally obeyed.

Li Xubai wrinkled his nose, clinging to the guard’s back.

What had he not seen? Modern society’s high technology—he had witnessed it all. Could a few ignorant ancient people scare him? Ridiculous!

But for now, not knowing their true identities was no bad thing.

After all, their social status was worlds apart; knowing too much could only bring trouble.

It was better to feign ignorance, make some unexpected money, and stay safe.

Li Xubai weighed the pros and cons repeatedly and decided to keep playing dead until the right moment to awaken.