Placid Chang’an

Chapter 9: The Unexpected Visitor

On the way back, Su Cen had no interest in appreciating the reflections of pavilions and the bright moon's clear radiance. He muttered to himself, cursing the cunning old fox who pretended to be a good hand at the banquet while secretly plotting his demise.

He couldn't believe that the old man had the audacity to play nice and even showed a hint of compassion by toasting him with a couple of glasses of cold wine. If he had known better, he would have gladly risked his life to poison that old geezer.

And to think he found those eyes attractive?

What a load of nonsense!

He cursed all the way back to his residence. Ah Fu had fallen asleep, and a lamp was left on in the room for him.

As he lay on the bed, he suddenly felt dizzy. It hit him hard, and everything started spinning. He hadn't eaten much that night, but he had consumed quite a bit of alcohol, all of it cold. Now it churned and surged in his stomach, causing discomfort to spread throughout his limbs.

He felt miserable.

Those eyes stared at him like a cask of aged wine, denying him the chance to become a personal reader to the emperor or to enter the Imperial Academy. For a moment, he had thought that the man appreciated him and wanted to keep him by his side for his own purposes. Now it seemed that he just wanted to keep a close watch on him, like a dog on a leash, to prevent him from causing trouble.

He felt miserable.

Tossing and turning for a while, sleep eluded him completely, and his head felt like it was about to explode. Su Cen decided not to force it any longer. He got up, opened the door, and walked towards the backyard.

Get some fresh air, sober up.

A huge hawthorn tree dominated the backyard, planted by the previous owner of the house. It was in full bloom, with clusters of small white flowers flourishing. During the day, they emitted no noticeable fragrance, but in the darkness of the night, a faint scent wafted through the air.

Su Cen sat under the tree, and the fallen white petals covered the ground. It wasn't particularly warm on this March night; instead, a cool breeze dispersed most of his drunkenness.

Just as he began to feel drowsy, he suddenly heard rustling sounds coming from the bushes behind the tree.

A cat?

Su Cen furrowed his brow.

As soon as he got up, the sound disappeared. Su Cen became even more certain that it wasn't a cat or any animal. The sound he made when he got up wasn't loud, but it was enough to be heard from this distance. If it were a small creature, it would have already fled.

Not an animal, but something that moves. Then...

It was a person.

Su Cen grabbed a piece of dried firewood that Ah Fu had prepared and approached slowly, holding his breath. He parted the dry straw, ready to strike with the stick at any sudden movement.

When he got closer, Su Cen saw it clearly.

Indeed, it was a person. Dressed in blood-soaked clothes.

Before Su Cen could make a move, the person in the grass let out a loud cry and then immediately passed out, unable to catch their breath.

Su Cen: "..."

If this person died here, his first case in the Imperial Court would be his own.

Slowly lifting the face covered by wet hair, Su Cen let out a soft exclamation. The pointed chin, narrow eyes, and pale complexion under the moonlight, perhaps due to blood loss, gave the person a particularly pale appearance, like an ancient jade with a hidden bluish tint.

It was the young attendant from the teahouse that day.

If Su Cen remembered correctly, this person had said his name was Qu Ling'er.

Dragging the person from the backyard to the front hall, Ah Fu was clearly awakened by the previous cry. He came out, still half-dressed, and looked surprised until Su Cen urged him to lend a hand.

This person seemed light and delicate, as if they had no weight. But once they lost consciousness, they became as heavy as a thousand catties (a Chinese unit of weight equal to 500 kilograms). It took quite an effort to drag them onto the bed. Instructing Ah Fu to boil some water, Su Cen finally took a candle and carefully examined the person.

Their white clothes were stained with blood, both fresh and dried. Looking at their bruised and scratched face, bluish complexion, and pale lips, with cold sweat on their forehead, Su Cen gently removed their clothes and furrowed his brow. That slender body was covered in bruises, abrasions, and even knife wounds. The most dangerous one crossed horizontally from their waist, reaching a depth of one inch. The attacker showed no mercy.

Someone wanted to take this person’s life.

Su Cen helped clean and dress the person's wounds, and after changing the clothes, he finally stopped after a busy night. He slept on the table for a while until the rooster crowed at dawn. When the person on the bed moved, he immediately woke up.

The person had opened their peach blossom eyes and smiled at him. Their first words were, "I'm hungry."

Su Cen remained unmoved, staring coldly at them. "Who wants to kill you?"

Qu Ling'er's eyes turned, watery as they looked at Su Cen. "I'm starving, can't talk anymore."

Su Cen stared at them for a moment, nodded, and then stepped out of the room, facing outside. "Ah Fu, go report to the officials."

"Hey, hey!" Qu Ling'er jumped up from the bed, grimacing in pain as he supported himself and clutched his waist, shouting towards the door, "Don't report to the officials! I have the strength now, cn’t I speak?"

Su Cen leaned against the door frame, looking impatient and on the verge of erupting.

Qu Ling'er leisurely lay back on the bed. "I fell."

Su Cen raised an eyebrow. "Fell from my wall?"

Qu Ling'er's eyes shifted and they nodded. "Yeah."

Su Cen said, "Ah Fu--"

"No, no," Qu Ling'er hastily waved his hand. "Jumped off a cliff. I fell from jumping off a cliff."

Su Cen frowned but didn't interrupt, gesturing for him to continue.

"Somebody was chasing after me, and I had no choice but to find a way to escape. If they caught me, I'd be dead for sure. I had everything planned out at the bottom of the cliff and on the cliff face, but I didn't expect this injury on my waist to cause some trouble."

"Is it Li Shi?" Su Cen suddenly asked.

Seeing this person covered in injuries, Su Cen immediately thought of Li Shi. Given Li Shi's status and position, it would be as easy as turning one's hand to kill someone. Thais was why he didn't simply throw this person out. If it was really Li Shi trying to kill him, his death would be imminent. As fellow wanderer, he couldn't be considered sympathetic, but at least he could lend a helping hand.

But Qu Ling'er's eyes dimmed and he shook his head. "It's not him."

"Not him?" Su Cen stood up straight, feeling inexplicably relieved.

Whether it was a narrow escape or just a momentary relief, at least those eyes he couldn't understand weren't filled with murderous intent.

"Then who wants to kill you?" Su Cen continued to ask.

Qu Ling’er remained silent on his side, and Su Cen was worried that he had passed out again. He took a few steps forward to check and saw that the person had covered his eyes with half an arm. His lips were pale as he whispered, "I really can't tell you this. Even if you send me to see the officials, I still can't say."

Everyone has their difficulties, and since Su Cen had learned the answer he wanted to know, he didn't press further. He instructed Ah Fu to cook some plain congee for the person to drink, and he sat aside, gnawing on half a chicken wing.

Qu Ling'er looked at the chicken wing with salivating eyes, his gaze gleaming. Unfortunately, the person seemed oblivious and ate while saying to Ah Fu, "Our family sells tea, not salt. If you put so much salt next time, I'll sell you to get some salt."

When the person had eaten enough and their face showed signs of life, Su Cen continued to ask, "Why did you come looking for me?" Seeing his eyes flicker, Su Cen added, "I don't believe that it was just a coincidence for you to stumble into my yard. If you don't tell the truth, I'll throw you out."

Qu Ling'er pursed his lips. "Why are you so fierce?" He turned his head and smiled playfully. "You saved me once before. I don't like owing too many people favors. Since I owe you already, one more won't make a difference."

Su Cen rolled his eyes. "I lend you rice, and you pay me back with bran. Do you think that's fair?"

"Gratitude for a drop of water will gush forth like a spring. I'll repay you in full someday," Qu Ling'er said after finishing the congee. He covered his waist and lay down flat, having escaped death and enjoyed a full meal. Qu Ling’er sighed in comfort, closed his eyes, and didn't want to move anymore.

"If you don't want to tell me who wants to kill you, I won't force you," Su Cen said. "But you have to tell me why they want to kill you."

"It has nothing to do with you," Qu Ling'er opened his peach blossom eyes slightly. "As long as you don't go around blabbering, they won't find you."

"The person you tried to assassinate that day was a prince of the current dynasty. Is your pursuit related to that?" Su Cen asked.

"I didn't plan to assassinate him. It was just an act. Li Shi realized it too; otherwise, he wouldn't have let us go so easily that day," Qu Ling'er smiled at Su Cen. "So, rest assured, I'm not a criminal of the court. They all think I died by jumping off a cliff. They won't find their way here anytime soon. Just treat me as a cat or a dog you're keeping. As soon as I heal my injuries, I'll leave immediately. I won't burden you."

Su Cen was taken aback for a moment. He wanted to say something, but the person had already closed his eyes. He silently shook his head and helped Ah Fu clean up the dishes.

Before leaving the room, he glanced at the person again. Hisface was still pale, with creased brows, lacking the cleverness Qu Ling’er had shown before.

He wasn't someone who liked to meddle in other people's business. He already regretted helping someone and getting into trouble last time. Now, letting this person stay again, to be honest, he hesitated.

He had ambitions and aspirations to serve the country and its people. He was willing to enter the Ministry of Justice and wield the truth and justice as a sharp sword, assisting those seeking revenge and helping those seeking justice for their grievances. But this person was an assassin, and Su Cen couldn't figure out his background and identity. 

Moreover, Qu Ling’ercarried so many secrets with them. He knew nothing about whether he was an enemy or a friend, good or bad. However, looking at Qu Ling’er’s exhausted face and the fact that he compared himself to a cat or a dog without any concern, it seemed that he had reached a dead end. Otherwise, he wouldn't have climbed over the wall in the middle of the night to seek refuge with him, someone he barely knew.

Su Cen observed that the person appeared to be quite young. What kind of deep grudge would require him to jump off a cliff to save his life?

After closing the door, he instructed Ah Fu to keep a close eye on the person and notify him of any suspicious activities.

Speaking in a loud voice to ensure that the person inside heard him, Su Cen glanced at the door once more and then returned to his room to get some rest.