Chapter 24

No one asked how the man had died, nor did they inquire about the origin of the carriage.

They did not even pause for a moment, their attention entirely focused on Wen Changning. As long as the man was dead, they were safe, and Wen Changning’s wounds could finally be treated—that was what mattered most.

Next, the group gathered dry firewood to build a fire and boil water. Once the water was boiling, Madam Lu produced a clean white undergarment. Following Wen Yan’s instructions, she tore it into strips and cast them into the boiling water to sterilize them.

Wen Yan directed Wen Ruxu to peel away the cloth wad pressed against Wen Changning’s wound, then clean the injury with the boiled, cooled strips of cloth. After wiping away the filth, they carefully applied medicine and finally bandaged the wound.

By the time everything was settled, the sky had imperceptibly begun to pale, the surrounding darkness shifting from the hue of ink to a heavy, somber gray.

The Wen family were all unaccustomed to physical hardship, and having been tormented for days, they had barely managed a full night’s sleep. By now, even Wen Hening, who had the most stamina, could no longer hold out. Regardless of comfort, he curled up in a corner with his arms wrapped around himself and drifted off to sleep. Seeing this, Father Wen rose to cover him with a cloak.

The others remained exhausted but felt no urge to sleep. Wen Ruqing knelt on the ground, letting her younger sister rest her head upon her lap to make her more comfortable. Madam Lu finished tidying their belongings, walked over, and said, "Let me take over; you go get some rest."

Wen Ruqing did not move. "Mother, let me do it. You go get some sleep."

Wen Yan, sitting cross-legged on the ground with her eyes closed, listening to the mother and daughter yielding to one another, reminded them, "There is a charcoal stove inside the carriage."

The air grew still, followed by the sound of rustling. Wen Ruxu whispered, "I will do it, Mother."

A short while later, someone touched her hand. Wen Yan opened her eyes to see Wen Ruqing’s face. She was holding a cup of hot water, offering it to her: "It’s cold outside. Have some water."

Wen Yan took it, and when their fingers brushed, Wen Ruqing paused. Wen Yan’s hand was warm, not cold at all. Wen Yan took a sip and thanked her: "Thank you, Second Sister."

Wen Ruqing pressed her lips together and replied, "You're welcome."

"Aren't you going inside to rest, Second Sister?"

The green-canopied carriage might have looked unremarkable from the outside, but it was spacious, and the interior had been furnished with great comfort. It was clearly crafted with care for someone embarking on a long journey. Thus, besides Wen Changning and Madam Lu, there was enough room for Wen Ruqing to sleep as well.

Wen Ruqing shifted her gaze from Wen Yan’s face to the river not far away. "I want to sit outside for a bit."

Since she said so, Wen Yan did not press the matter. She closed her eyes once more to continue guiding the newfound strength within her.

***

When Wen Yan opened her eyes again, the sky was bright with daylight.

The others were already awake and busy with their own tasks. Wen Ruxu had managed to find a pile of fresh grass and was feeding the horse. At his feet, a chicken pecked rhythmically at the ground. Wen Ruxu was roasting flatbread, while Wen Ruqing used a tea pot and the stove to boil porridge. Madam Lu and Wen Changning were inside the carriage, the curtains drawn back for ventilation.

Only Father Wen was nowhere to be seen.

Wen Yan cast a glance around before withdrawing her gaze to wash up by the riverbank. Once finished, she sat down to eat her bread and porridge. Compared to the dry, hard flatbreads they had been chewing on for the past few days, these were roasted and carried a smoky, charred aroma. Wen Yan’s appetite was piqued, and she drank two bowls of rice porridge with her bread.

Just as she finished, Father Wen returned right on cue. He looked heavy-hearted, his brow furrowed with deep lines.

Wen Yan roughly knew where he had been, but she acted as if she had seen nothing. The Huan River was vast; Wen Ruqing had only heard that the boat had sunk somewhere in this river, but no one knew the exact location. The spots the river-scouts had searched last night were not necessarily correct either.

Father Wen’s expression was enough to show that the trip had been fruitless. Like Wen Yan, the others did not ask questions and simply buried themselves in their own tasks.

Once things were packed and the horse was fed, Wen Hening signaled for everyone to board. Wen Yan sat on the driver’s bench and flicked the reins; the carriage began to trot. Wen Hening and Wen Ruxu sat on either side of her, carefully watching her movements and occasionally asking a question or two.

By midday, the reins were handed over to the two brothers, and Wen Yan simply watched from the side. In the afternoon, Wen Hening, who was already skilled in archery and horsemanship, was handling the carriage with ease, and Wen Yan let go of the reins entirely.

Little did they know that ten days later, the quiet vicinity of the Huan River would once again become a scene of activity.

A troop of cavalry arrived, escorting a middle-aged man with a handsome beard. They first spotted the three wretched-looking corpses by the side of the road. One of the men leaped off his horse and, unbothered by the stench, reached out to search the bodies. After confirming their identities, he turned back to report: "My Lord, it is Deng Tong and the others."

"Go check the riverbank."

The bearded man addressed as "My Lord" spoke with the exact same voice as the official who had been inside the green-canopied carriage that day. They were one and the same.

His subordinate bowed and replied, "As you command."

The group dismounted, leaving one man to keep watch, while the rest followed the official down to the riverbank. However, before they even got close, they were hit by an overwhelming stench—far worse than that of the three corpses. The official pulled a handkerchief from his sleeve and covered his nose and mouth with one hand.

As the group pushed through the woods, the path opened up, and the sight before them was blood-chilling.

"My Lord, this... who could have done this?"

The official tilted his head slightly and ordered the man behind him: "Deng Kang, go take a look."

"Yes."

The thin, slight figure who had searched the bodies earlier stepped past the others, crouched down, and began examining the corpses with the same method as before. He was quick; in no time, he had inspected the bodies and began to search the ground meticulously. The official waited with great patience.

After a long while, he finally picked up a few withered leaves from the ground with great care. Deng Kang stood up, his eyes scanning the surrounding trees until he quickly found his target. He walked over briskly and plucked a fresh leaf from a branch.

Deng Kang held a withered leaf in one hand and the fresh one in the other, lifting them under the sun to squint at them for a moment. Suddenly, he said, "What a formidable technique."

Though he spoke of it being formidable, a rare smile appeared on his gloomy face, and his eyes were filled with a faint, creeping excitement.

"What did you find?"

Hearing the question, Deng Kang presented the two leaves to the official. "My Lord, please look. They all died by the hand of these leaves."

Having fallen and spent ten days exposed to the wind and sun, the withered leaf was incredibly fragile. The official did not touch that one, merely examining the fresh one. "Are you sure?"

Deng Kang was filled with agitation. "This subordinate is certain. They did indeed die by the hand of these leaves, and it was the same person who killed Deng Tong and the others."

The official asked him, "Can you identify them?"

Deng Kang shook his head. "I have never seen such a master."

The official did not question him further, instead turning to order a search: "Search along the riverbank. See if there are any other traces."

"Yes."

The men behind him scattered, searching the riverbank inch by inch. They did not keep him waiting long.

"My Lord, we have found more ahead."

"Take me to see."

They hurried forward, passing through the hillside woods to another place where someone had stayed. The traces were not cleaned up very well—there were lingering ashes, blood-stained sand, a small boat abandoned in a corner, and the wheel ruts left by a carriage.

"My Lord, this boat is an official vessel." Someone had found the mark on the small boat.

The official went over to confirm it; it was indeed the mark of an official vessel. If one calculated the timeline, it was not difficult to guess who had been here.

The official’s face turned cold in an instant. "These Wens truly are problematic."

His eyes sharpened, and he said in a deep voice, "Send word to the capital. Tell the Duke that the Wen family has escaped and ask him to send men from the Banxian Studio. Go to Xijiang City, have portraits drawn of everyone in the Wen family, and issue a maritime arrest warrant immediately."

The subordinate replied, "Yes, my Lord."

The official added coldly, "Find them—dead or alive!"

Of course, dead would be better!

Having made his arrangements, he turned to leave. "The rest of you, follow me. Continue the pursuit!"

"Yes, my Lord."

...

A few days later, seven portraits obtained from Xijiang City were delivered to the desk of the Prefect of Zhaoyun City. The Prefect took a few close looks and instructed the County Magistrate to handle the matter. Soon, seven portraits were distributed to every county in Zhaoyun City.

The Wen family, completely unaware of this, was preparing to enter the city. Since leaving the Huan River, they had been traveling through the wilderness for over ten days. Their food supplies were nearly depleted, and they needed to find a place to buy more as soon as possible.

They had originally intended to buy from farmers along the way, but due to the increasing number of refugees coming from the south, those villages, fearing trouble, no longer allowed strangers or unfamiliar faces to approach. After several failed attempts, they had no choice but to risk going to a nearby county seat. Otherwise, the further they went, the harder it would be to secure food once they left Zhaoyun City. The refugees along the way were digging into the very earth for a scrap of food.

The place they chose was a small county seat quite far from the prefectural capital. It was usually quiet, but with the increase in refugees, the city gates were crowded every day with people waiting to enter.

Wen Hening and Wen Ruxu steered the green-canopied carriage and dutifully lined up at the very end. In the early morning, the long queue was moving slowly and methodically. The officers at the front stood on both sides, occasionally lifting their eyelids to glance back or stopping a few refugees who were particularly unsightly, but otherwise, they ignored everything else.

Wen Hening whispered to his brother, "…There are no wanted posters; the news must not have reached here yet." His tense expression relaxed significantly.

Wen Ruxu said, "Better to remain cautious. Be careful in all things."

Just as the brothers were speaking, a burst of urgent hoofbeats sounded from behind. An officer galloped past the line of people waiting to enter the city and shouted: "By order of the Imperial Court: The former Prefect of Xijiang City, Wen Youzhi, has colluded with water bandits to massacre government soldiers while being escorted to the capital for trial, and has fled with his family. A maritime arrest warrant is now issued with a bounty! Anyone with information who reports them to the authorities will be rewarded with a hundred taels of silver. Those who know but fail to report shall be punished with the same crime!"

After finishing his announcement, he leaped off his horse, pulled the portraits from his robes, and had them pasted onto the wall. "Come, everyone, take a look! Have you seen any of these people?"

The crowd erupted into a buzz of activity, pushing toward the city wall to see the portraits. Wen Hening stared blankly at the portraits that looked exactly like them, his mind filled with only two words:

"It’s over!"