Chapter Twenty-Nine

Duan Jing stood up and walked slowly to the soldier’s bedside, looking down at him from above. "Do you know the consequences of deceiving me?"

The soldier’s body shuddered violently, as if Duan Jing’s gaze had pierced his heart. He opened his mouth, but no sound emerged.

Just then, the soldier suddenly clutched his chest, his face turning a ghastly blue-purple. He gasped for air, as if the poison had suddenly taken effect. His body shook uncontrollably, his eyes wide and fixed, as if he were staring at something horrific.

"M-Military Advisor..." the soldier struggled to utter, his voice hoarse and faint. "Subordinate... subordinate truly... did not..."

Before he could finish, the soldier’s body gave one sharp convulsion, then went limp on the bed. His eyes closed, and his breathing ceased.

Duan Jing’s brow furrowed, and he stepped forward to examine the soldier. He reached out to check the man’s breath and pulse, his expression darkening instantly.

"Guards!" the advisor barked, his voice sharp and cold.

The sentries outside rushed in, their faces filled with shock upon seeing the "dead" soldier on the bed.

"Military Advisor, this is..." one of the guards asked cautiously.

The advisor glanced at him coldly. "Seal the news immediately. No one is to approach this room. Furthermore, send men to investigate; see if any suspicious characters have been lurking about lately."

The guards acknowledged the order in unison and withdrew to carry it out.

The advisor stood before the bed, gazing deeply at the "corpse," his brow furrowed in contemplation.

"Whose man are you, really?" he muttered to himself, his voice laced with suspicion and vigilance.

At that moment, a faint sound came from the window. The advisor spun around, his gaze lashing out like lightning.

"Who’s there?!" he demanded sharply.

The window rattled slightly, but there was no response. The advisor strode to the window and threw it open. The space outside was empty; only a light breeze blew through, bringing a touch of chill.

The advisor narrowed his eyes, scanning the area as if searching for something. However, aside from a few falling leaves, there was nothing.

"Strange..." he whispered, sensing that something was amiss.

He closed the window and returned to the bedside, checking one last time to confirm the soldier was indeed "dead."

"Guards!" he called out again.

A guard rushed in. "Military Advisor, what are your orders?"

"Dispose of this corpse. Tell everyone he died of a sudden illness," the advisor ordered coldly.

The guard nodded and began arranging for the removal of the body.

The advisor walked out of the room and stood in the doorway, staring off into the distance with a deep, contemplative look in his eyes.

"This matter is likely not as simple as it seems," he murmured to himself, a trace of coldness flashing in his eyes.

Meanwhile, Ah Sheng was hiding in a nearby corner, observing the advisor’s actions through a gap. Seeing the "corpse" being carried away, he let out a sigh of relief, a smug smile tugging at his lips.

"The plan succeeded," Ah Sheng whispered, a gleam of triumph in his eyes.

He turned and slipped away, as if he had never been there at all.

***

"Why were you gone so long?" the pharmacy boy complained to Ah Sheng, who had finally returned to his chores.

"My apologies. I think I caught a chill; my stomach was acting up, and it took quite a while. I’m truly sorry," Ah Sheng said, feigning a rub of his stomach.

"Fine, whatever." The boy curled his lip; he couldn't control such matters, so he dropped it.

Ah Sheng began grinding herbs with a satisfied expression. *What a fool,* he thought. *I already poisoned him once, and he still trusts me? Does he think I’ll let him go? How naive! What I gave him wasn't some fake-death concoction, but a lethal poison. After all, only a dead man can keep his master’s secrets.*

"Military Advisor, why didn't you just seize him?" Yang Bin asked, looking at the smug-faced Ah Sheng in the pharmacy. He was puzzled; hadn't they discussed rounding everyone up?

"There is no need. We already know it was Jiang Hui who set the fire. If we arrest him now, Jiang Hui will only dispatch or bribe another mole. It is better to identify all the traitors and keep them under our nose. They might even prove useful for passing along false information."

"The Military Advisor is truly brilliant." Yang Bin’s eyes lit up, especially seeing Duan Jing’s confident demeanor. He was indeed far-sighted. If it were up to him, he would have made the arrest immediately, never considering the long-term benefits.

"Instruct those few men to report to me the moment Ah Sheng makes a move," Duan Jing said, turning away without another glance at Ah Sheng.

"Yes, sir," Yang Bin replied, following him.

That evening, Ah Sheng returned to his quarters. He shut the door, and the smile vanished from his face, replaced by a chilling expression. He walked to the table and took a small bottle from his tunic, filled with a black powder.

"My master is truly prescient. That Duan Jing is a fool," Ah Sheng thought, feeling smug. Both the poisoning of Duan Yue and the framing of Jiang Bai were believed by everyone to be Li Yuan’s schemes, but that wasn't the case. How could Li Yuan ever get close to the wounded? Only he, as Wang Da’s apprentice, had the access. It was a pity he hadn't managed to eliminate Jiang Bai.

"They are all idiots," Ah Sheng sneered disdainfully. He opened the bottle, poured the powder into a cup of water, and stirred. The powder dissolved instantly, and he drank it down.

He was not like that common soldier. He was a servant born into the Jiang family, and his people had served them for generations. How could he possibly betray the young master? It seemed, however, that the soldier’s useless family could now be disposed of.

As the night deepened, the residence of the military doctors fell silent. Ah Sheng did not notice a small, green sprout creeping in from under the windowsill. When it heard his mutterings, it swayed left and right in a strangely human-like manner.

Standing outside the courtyard wall, Jiang Bai made an "ooh" shape with her mouth, thinking to herself that villains truly die because of their chatter. She had heard everything from the pharmacy to the holding area, and it had been a fascinating listen.

"Sister, why are you up?" Jiang Ye asked, groggily seeing Jiang Bai return from outside.

"Just went to relieve myself. Go back to sleep, Xingzhi," Jiang Bai said, gently patting her. Watching Jiang Ye drift back off to sleep, her heart softened. Like her mother, Xingzhi was hard to put back to sleep once awakened, needing these rhythmic pats.

Jiang Bai lay back down, wondering before she fell asleep: since this matter had little to do with her, she might as well stay out of it. Using her supernatural abilities to eavesdrop was truly exhausting.

In the end, by the mutual silent consent of both Duan Jing and Jiang Hui, the arson was blamed on Zhang Xiao, a leader of the Southwest Uprising Army.

"I would like to trouble you with a small matter tonight, Doctor Jiang," Duan Jing said after finishing the follow-up work, wanting to discuss how to retrieve and settle "Little Radish."

"Military Advisor, if I can help, I certainly will," Jiang Bai said, suspecting it was about the boy.

"Because people have been coming and going from your house lately, it will be easier to bring him back while things are chaotic. I hope you can join me to pick him up tonight."

"Of course," Jiang Bai said, not seeing why he needed to ask.

"I also hope you will let him stay there for the night. It will explain why you ordered your servants to purchase extra grain," Duan Jing added.

Jiang Bai realized he was right; her behavior had been suspicious, and anyone looking closely would find flaws. "How about this: tonight, I’ll invite a few close acquaintances over for a small gathering?"

Duan Jing’s eyes brightened, and he nodded in approval. "That is an excellent method. But it should be people within the military whom we can trust."

"Then tonight, I shall await your arrival, Military Advisor," Jiang Bai joked.

"It seems I am someone Doctor Jiang can trust," Duan Jing said, clearly amused by her playful tone.

***

As night fell, Jiang Bai’s house was brightly lit. Several tables were set in the courtyard, laden with wine and food. Jiang Bai had invited a few close colleagues from the army, along with those who were married and their families. The atmosphere was lively and warm.

Duan Jing sat to the side with a calm expression, occasionally conversing with others, though his gaze drifted to the door from time to time, as if waiting for something.

"Doctor Jiang, what made you decide to treat us to wine tonight?" asked Zhang Tiezhu, who often led the way when collecting herbs. He held a cup with a tipsy smile, while his wife, Pang, poured him more wine with good-natured patience.

Jiang Bai smiled and clinked her cup against his. "Things have been busy lately. It’s rare to have a moment of peace, so I wanted to gather everyone to relax."

"Haha, well, we owe you a great debt, Doctor Jiang! We haven't had such good wine in a long time!" Tie Chui echoed, downing his cup in one go.

Duan Jing smiled slightly, stood up, and raised his cup. "Everyone, it’s rare for us to be together like this. I’ll toast you all as well."

The crowd raised their cups, and the atmosphere grew even warmer. Just then, faint footsteps sounded outside. Duan Jing’s ears twitched, a flash of keenness in his eyes. He set his cup down and gave Jiang Bai a look. Understanding, she stood up and told the guests, "Everyone, I have a small matter to attend to. Please, continue drinking; I shall return shortly."

With that, Jiang Bai and Duan Jing stepped out of the front courtyard into a secluded corner behind the house. In the darkness stood a small, thin figure—Little Radish. Seeing them, a look of nervousness crossed his face.

"Little Radish, why did you come here?" Jiang Bai asked in a low voice, filled with concern.

The boy lowered his head, his voice trembling. "Sister Jiang, I... I heard you had many guests over. I was afraid of being discovered, so..."

Duan Jing stepped forward and patted the boy’s shoulder gently. "Don't worry, we have everything arranged. They are currently enjoying their wine, which is the perfect time for us to take you."

Little Radish nodded, though he remained restless. Duan Jing felt a pang of guilt; the fire had been a sudden, terrifying ordeal for a child. He understood that the boy’s lack of trust was inevitable, so he comforted him softly: "Don't worry. Once you reach the barracks, you will be safe. Even with all his power, Jiang Hui cannot fly into the army camp."

Duan Jing was considering heading out the back door, pretending he had simply had too much to drink and was returning to his residence. But Jiang Bai, looking at the bright, alert eyes of the boy, had a sudden flash of inspiration. "What if we dress him as a girl?"

"What?" Duan Jing, who had been about to pick up the boy to put him in the carriage, paused, not immediately registering the suggestion. "A girl?"

"Sister Jiang?" Little Radish was just as confused; how could he possibly dress as a girl? That was impossible.

"Since he is a boy, we will dress him as a little girl," Jiang Bai reasoned, finding the idea increasingly sound. "We will say he is a maid I purchased. Since you are preparing to spend the winter here, it is only natural to have help. Buying a maid to serve the house is perfectly normal."

"A brilliant idea!" Duan Jing was impressed. It was the perfect way to hide in plain sight. Even if Jiang Hui were to circle the boy three times, he might not realize the girl before him was the one he sought.

"Sister Jiang, this... this won't work." Little Radish was so anxious that sweat broke out on his nose. Being a beggar was hard enough to accept; how could he dress as a little girl?

"It is for your safety. While the Military Advisor says he can protect you, one must be cautious. Once you are dressed as a girl, not only will Jiang Hui be fooled, but even those who once knew you might not recognize you."

Little Radish still resisted, but he was eventually swayed by Jiang Bai’s logic. She quickly took him into her room, while Duan Jing stood guard outside to ensure no one approached.

"Military Advisor, we are ready. Do you see anything out of place?" Jiang Bai had dressed the boy in her own childhood clothes and tied his hair into two small buns. The boy was young, and in these clothes, he looked every bit like a little girl.

"I must say, he looks quite pretty," Duan Jing said with a smile, looking down at the boy’s wrinkled face. He leaned down and comforted him, "It’s alright. Think of it as a sacrifice to stay alive."

"I know, but it’s still so awkward," the boy tugged at the thick clothing, feeling a swell of gratitude. These clothes were far better than his old rags. He realized Jiang Bai had given him her own high-quality garments, and he was deeply moved that she would do so much just to help him.

"Military Advisor, I leave Little Radish in your hands. I will stay here one more night to clear out any traces of his presence, and I’ll return tomorrow." It was better that fewer people knew about this. She needed to tidy the woodshed and remove any signs that someone had been living there.

"Very well, thank you, Doctor Jiang." Duan Jing didn't linger. He carried the boy out the back door and into the carriage, then stumbled toward the front yard, feigning the gait of a man who had drunk too much.