FMT 54

Chapter 54 Feng Xingzhou

They traveled by boat for another three or four days, then by carriage again.

After almost a month on the road, their group finally reached Heishi City in the western border.

Along the way, Chen Shuangning’s condition had been stable, but the day they arrived in Heishi City, after settling at the inn, he developed a fever.

Leng Shan brought the best doctor in town, who prescribed medicine to reduce the fever. It worked, but from that day on, Chen Shuangning’s condition was clearly worse than during the journey.

It was already early October. By Shuangruo’s estimation, Chen Shuangning did not have much time left.

Liandan cared for him every day in the inn. Leng Shan and the other men went out at dawn and came back at night, asking around everywhere.

Heishi City had only three main streets. In two days they could roughly cover the whole place.

For the first two days there was no news of Feng Xingzhou.

After hearing Leng Shan’s report, Liandan carried a tray upstairs to bring medicine to Chen Shuangning.

Shuangning drank it. He knew Leng Shan and the others had returned, but he did not ask for news. From Liandan’s expression, he could already tell.

Liandan sat on the bed edge and comforted him. “It’s only been two days. There are still many places they haven’t asked carefully. Brother Leng said today they even got local people to help. In two or three more days, there will definitely be results.”

Shuangning only nodded.

It was actually late by then. Back home it would already be completely dark, but in Heishi City the sun set much later. Sounds of horns and dancing drifted in through the cracks of the doors and windows.

Shuangning said, “Open the window.”

It was not cold outside, but his body was weak and could not stand the chill. Yet Liandan knew he felt stifled, so he still went to open half the window.

Shuangning leaned against the bed, looking outside, while Liandan sat by his side to keep him company.

After a while, Liandan still stood up to close the window. Shuangning said nothing, only shifted his gaze away and closed his eyes.

Liandan pulled the blanket higher over him. With his eyes closed, Shuangning said, “You are different from before.”

Liandan froze. “Different how?”

Shuangning said, “Since you came to the house this time, you rarely cry anymore.”

Liandan’s eyelashes trembled. He said, “You are very tired. I can’t keep making you worry about me.”

Shuangning opened his eyes and looked at him. “There are some things I think I should say.”

Liandan sat upright. He knew what the other was going to say.

Shuangning looked at Liandan’s swollen belly and sighed softly. “I may not live to see him born.”

Liandan’s eyes turned red immediately, but he did not interrupt.

Shuangning said, “All my possessions are with Shuangruo. I set aside hers, yours, and the children’s. I had planned to give them to you once I left the house, but you chased me here. After this is over and you return, she will give them to you.”

Liandan lifted his head, exhaled, and said, “All right.”

“Later, if you want to stay in the house or return to Kaoshan Village, either is fine. If you stay in the house, Shuangruo and Liang Yun will look after you, help with the children, and lighten your burden. But whether you stay or go depends on your own choice.”

“Yes, I know.”

“The gu I placed in Old Madam Chen’s nephew is not the same as the one in her. In three to five years it will die on its own and won’t harm him. You don’t need to worry,” Shuangning said.

Liandan shook his head. “You would not hurt innocent people. I am not worried.”

He held Shuangning’s hand. “We already have two children together. Whether you admit it or not, I consider you my husband.”

Shuangning’s throat moved, but he said nothing.

Liandan lowered his eyes. “I betrayed the Chen family, betrayed Chen Hanwen. From now on, I will have no ties with them. I will not take their house, property, or fields. But the Chen relatives are all wolves and tigers, only Old Madam’s family treated her well. I plan to give the deeds of the house and land to Zhang Xing, as repayment for the gu.”

Shuangning nodded. “Good. When the time comes, let Leng Shan handle it. If the Chen relatives cause you trouble, he will deal with them.”

Liandan felt bitter, but he forced himself to listen calmly and asked, “Is there anything else you need to tell me?”

Shuangning looked toward the window. “The books say thirty li from here is Liuli City, named after Liuli Lake. The water is clear like a mirror. In sunlight it shines like colored glass. Very beautiful.”

“If there’s still time,” he drew his gaze back from the window, “Liandan, I want to die by that lake, make it my resting place.”

Liandan could not hold back anymore. Tears slid down his face. He nodded heavily. “All right. I promise you.”

That very night, in the middle of the night, Shuangning suddenly sat up in bed. Liandan was startled awake and quickly got up to check on him.

As soon as Shuangning opened his mouth, a mouthful of blood spurted out, splattering everywhere.

Liandan stared at the blood in his hands. His mind went blank. Shuangning had already closed his eyes and fallen back on the bed, unconscious.

From that day on, Chen Shuangning’s condition declined like falling off a cliff.

He often slept through the entire day without waking. When he did wake, he ate very little, with almost no appetite.

At first, when he woke, he was still lucid and could speak a few words. Later, even when he woke, he was delirious and could not communicate at all.

Liandan realized there was less and less time left.

Leng Shan and the others realized it too.

They nearly turned Heishi City upside down, but still there was not a trace of Feng Xingzhou.

They did find the man who had spread the rumor of seeing him. He said he had met someone in the only tavern in Heishi City, drunk and boasting that he was the famous Feng Xingzhou, skilled in curing illnesses and so on.

But it was only a fleeting encounter. When Leng Shan showed him a portrait, he could not say if the man he had seen was the same person.

The search for Feng Xingzhou had reached a dead end.

Leng Shan came to tell Liandan about the situation.

By then, Chen Shuangning had been unconscious for nearly two days without waking.

Liandan looked at the thin figure on the bed, clenched his teeth, and said, “You all stay here and keep looking. I will take him to Liuli City.”

Leng Shan agreed. He said, “I will leave two men to escort you there. I will also find more help locally and continue searching in the cities around Heishi. Any news will be sent to you right away.”

Liandan nodded.

That night, Shuangning woke once, but he was confused. When Liandan told him about this, he gave no reaction, only touched and studied the carved patterns on the bed rail like a child.

The next day, Shuangning was again in deep sleep. Liandan knew he could not delay any longer. After breakfast, he said farewell to Leng Shan and set out for Liuli City.

Thirty to forty li was not far, but the road was full of pits. The carriage jolted violently and could not move fast.

Liandan feared the jolting would make Shuangning uncomfortable, so he held him in his arms the whole way.

By the time they finally arrived, it was already dusk. They found an inn by the lake to stay in.

That night there was no moon. The lake water outside the window was pitch black. Liandan shut the window, his brows tightly furrowed.

The next morning, at first light, Liandan quietly pushed the window open. Outside, the rising sun slowly rose from where the lake met the horizon. Golden light fell over the mirror-like surface, which reflected a dazzling radiance like colored glass. It was beautiful.

“So beautiful.”

A hoarse voice came from behind him.

Liandan turned back in surprise and saw that Chen Shuangning was finally awake.

He opened the window wide so Shuangning could see clearly.

The two of them leaned close together, sitting side by side in the morning sun.

News from Leng Shan came every two or three days, but there was no progress.

The western border was vast and sparsely populated. Once outside Heishi City, finding a person became extremely difficult.

Shuangning slept longer and longer. Once, he slept three whole days before waking. When he did wake, he could not even drink porridge.

Liandan asked what he wanted to eat. Shuangning thought for a long time and said, “I want to eat the red date cake you make.”

Behind the inn was a lively street with a morning market every day.

It was still early. Liandan asked the two men protecting them to watch over Shuangning, then he hurried down with money to buy dates.

He arranged with the shopkeeper to borrow the kitchen, and the shopkeeper agreed.

Downstairs, Liandan searched for a while before finding someone selling dates. Since Shuangning rarely asked for food, Liandan chose the best dates. He had just weighed them and paid when he felt something wrong. Someone was following him.

His heart pounded. He changed direction without drawing notice, wandering from stall to stall instead of heading straight back to the inn.

When he confirmed the man was indeed following him, Liandan bit his lip and quickened his pace through the market and the crowded streets, heading toward the residential area nearby.

He turned a corner and started running. The footsteps behind him also quickened into a run.

But Liandan’s belly was heavy, and he could not move nimbly. Turning another corner, he tripped on a pile of wood on the ground and nearly fell.

At that moment, a hand grabbed the collar of his robe from behind and pulled him upright.

Liandan steadied himself, still shaken, then turned around in alarm. Before he could see clearly, the man reached out toward him again.

With a sharp sound, a short dagger flashed from its sheath straight at the man’s face.

The man let out a surprised “Eh?” and stepped back quickly, dodging the strike, then lunged forward again, chopping a fierce palm toward Liandan.

Liandan clenched his teeth and used another move to block the attack.

“Eh?” The man made a puzzled sound. His fist, already carrying the force of a strike, suddenly paused.

Liandan seized the chance to use the third move Shuangruo had taught him. The dagger thrust toward the man’s chest, straight at the heart.

“Wait, wait—ah!” The man staggered back in panic, dodging the blade, then fell on the ground.

Only then did Liandan see his face clearly and freeze.

The man sat on the ground, rubbing his backside. He pointed at the jade pendant at Liandan’s waist. “That’s my disciple’s jade pendant. Why is it on you? I thought you were a thief. But those moves of yours are also my disciple’s. Could it be you know her?”

Liandan quickly regained his senses. Hearing this, he did not relax. He raised the dagger and pressed it to the man’s chin. The man cried out again, “Ah!”

Liandan frowned. “Don’t make noise.”

The man shut his mouth.

Liandan raised his hand and searched along the man’s cheek and hairline. Though older, the man still flushed red with embarrassment. He stammered, “You little ge’er…”

Clang. The short dagger slipped from Liandan’s hand and fell to the ground.

Liandan eyes widened, staring at him, and muttered, “You… you are Feng Xingzhou!”