Yi Ye Bao Fu

Chapter 73 I Want You to Live

The sound of the board in the courtyard was heart-stopping.

Shui Ling knelt on the ground, her back straight.

Though she felt no pride in victory, she was not intimidated by the sound of the board.

Ji Zi Zhao watched everything unfold silently. Only when the courtyard fell completely quiet did she turn to Shui Ling and ask, "The deed of sale is yours. If you leave now, while you may not achieve great wealth, at least you will no longer have to live as a servant, constantly looking over your shoulder."

"My life was given to me by the old master of the Ji family and the eldest young lady. Had the old master and the eldest young lady not saved me, I would have been dead long ago. How could I be here today?"

Shui Ling, kneeling on the ground, looked up at Ji Zi Zhao with a resolute gaze. "This servant begs the eldest young lady to keep me. I am willing to serve by the eldest young lady's side for all eternity, not seeking riches, but only to share in your joys and sorrows."

In this closed-off chaotic era, slavery was starkly evident. Many poor people, from the moment of their birth, had humility etched into their very bones.

For "sharing in joys and sorrows," let alone doing it, many might not even dare to utter the words.

But Ji Zi Zhao admired the courage of those who dared to speak them.

Yong Mei would eventually be dealt with. When that time came, there would certainly be an opening for the position of the eldest maid.

"From now on, you will stay by my side. Wherever I am, you will be. There's no need to deliberately follow anyone to learn the Ji family's rules. If there's anything you don't understand, just ask me directly." Ji Zi Zhao saw in Shui Ling a decisive sharpness, a hidden strength, and a sense of purpose.

Such a person could absolutely be relied upon to handle matters independently, much like Lian Ju or Qing Zhu.

Shui Ling had not expected the eldest young lady to keep her so simply. "Doesn't the eldest young lady need proof of my loyalty?"

For someone like her, who had changed masters mid-way, the new master would naturally be wary. Typically, to prove their sincerity, a character of "loyalty" would be branded onto the servant's chest.

Ji Zi Zhao replied with a question, "Will you betray me?"

Shui Ling shook her head vigorously without a second thought.

Even if she were to die, she would never betray the eldest young lady.

"You said you wouldn't betray me. In that case, why the unnecessary gesture?"

Loyalty was built over time, not overnight.

Forcing a melon to ripen not only failed to make it sweet but could also poison one to death. This was a truth Ji Zi Zhao had learned deeply from her two lives.

Shui Ling was stunned. Her bright eyes instantly welled up with tears. She kowtowed heavily to the eldest young lady. "Eldest young lady, rest assured, this servant will follow you to the death!"

"From now on, you will call me 'Miss' like everyone else."

"This servant understands."

Shui Ling bowed heavily again, then quickly got up to fetch water to prepare for the young lady's washing.

Ji Zi Zhao turned and headed towards the inner room first.

In the room lit by faint candlelight, a cool breeze brushed against the windowpane.

The bed curtains had already been lowered on the unmade bed.

A strong scent of blood wafted over.

Ji Zi Zhao's body tensed immediately. Guarded and apprehensive, she walked towards the bedside, then sharply pulled back the bed curtain. She saw Lian Ju, whom she hadn't seen in days, lying on the bed covered in blood.

Lian Ju, her consciousness gradually fading, struggled to sit up upon seeing Ji Zi Zhao. "Miss..."

She managed only two words before the blood gushing from her mouth instantly dyed her clothes crimson.

Ji Zi Zhao, looking at the arrows piercing Lian Ju's body, her eyes turning red, gently helped her sit up and softly soothed, "Don't move anymore, and don't speak."

Just then, Shui Ling entered with a basin of water. The moment she saw Lian Ju, sitting opposite Ji Zi Zhao and riddled with arrows, she was so startled she nearly dropped the basin.

"Get my medicine chest! Quickly boil water! Heat the scissors red-hot! Hurry!"

"Yes, yes, Miss." Shui Ling nodded repeatedly and ran out.

Ji Zi Zhao held Lian Ju, who was clearly on her last breath, and pressed her head to rest on her shoulder.

Regardless of who won or lost the battle in Luo Yi, the war was over.

In the past, after wars ended, the armies would withdraw from the battlefield, and the court would send people to clean up the aftermath and win back the hearts of the people. In theory, the battle of Luo Yi should have concluded long ago, yet someone was still guarding Luo Yi and had even attacked Lian Ju who went to investigate...

This was enough to prove what unspeakable secrets Luo Yi was hiding!

Lian Ju felt her young lady's warmth, as if her own cold body was also warming up. However, her consciousness was too muddled, and even the strength to breathe was gradually disappearing.

As if afraid of dying like this, Lian Ju rested her head on Ji Zi Zhao's shoulder and gasped, "When this subordinate arrived in Luo Yi after traveling day and night, the area for a hundred miles around the Luo Yi battlefield was deserted. I secretly infiltrated the battlefield and saw... rivers of blood had dried up, and mountains of corpses were exposed to the scorching sun. There were people strictly guarding the surroundings... cough cough cough... I secretly infiltrated and from, from one of the corpses, I discovered this..."

Lian Ju, from her chest pierced by arrows, retrieved a bamboo slip already stained red with blood.

Ji Zi Zhao immediately recognized it as the military handbook her grandfather, Shi Chang, had brought back to her!

But she did not take it. She merely hugged Lian Ju's shoulder, her voice trembling slightly, "Stop talking, Lian Ju..."

Lian Ju smiled faintly, resting her head on her young lady's shoulder with a sense of peace. "This subordinate, when I was leaving, I saw Fourth Miss safely arrive in Luo Yi. Miss, don't worry, I have already arranged for Fourth Miss to be in a hidden place. It is, it is this subordinate's incompetence that I could not escape the pursuit of the Second Prince's forces. Fortunately, Lian Ju has fulfilled her mission and safely delivered the military handbook to Miss. Even in death, this subordinate has no regrets..."

When Shui Ling entered with the items, she saw blood pouring from Lian Ju's mouth like a torrent, staining half of Ji Zi Zhao's shoulder and arm crimson!

Ji Zi Zhao, catching sight of Shui Ling entering, steadied Lian Ju's shoulder with one hand. Her dark eyes were steady and firm. "Hold on, Lian Ju, I will ensure you live!"

Ji Zi Zhao held Lian Ju's shoulder with one hand and took the medicine chest from Shui Ling with the other. She quickly opened it and placed a life-saving pill into Lian Ju's mouth.

"Shui Ling, come and help me support her!"

"Yes, Miss."

Shui Ling hurried forward, ignoring her fear and panic, and held Lian Ju's shoulder as instructed by her young lady.

Ji Zi Zhao turned and picked up the heated scissors. While cutting off the arrows on Lian Ju's body one by one, she opened the acupuncture kit and, with each arrow as a center, inserted silver needles quickly and accurately into Lian Ju's skin to seal the blood vessels.

"Bite down. I order you not to let go." Ji Zi Zhao stuffed a strip of soft cloth into Lian Ju's mouth. Pulling out the arrows depended entirely on one's breath. If that breath dissipated, the person would be gone.

Lian Ju's throat gurgled. She looked up at the resolute eldest young lady and, for a moment, through the person before her, she saw General Ji. At that time, General Ji was just like the eldest young lady now, composed and calm...

"Lian Ju, survive!"

As Ji Zi Zhao's commanding voice rang out, she steadily and accurately pulled out the arrows from Lian Ju's body.

Lian Ju let out a muffled groan but still bit down hard on the cloth in her mouth.

Ji Zi Zhao dared not delay. She began to pull out the remaining arrows.

One, two, three...

In the time it took for an incense stick to burn, the ground at Ji Zi Zhao's feet was covered with arrows.

Shui Ling looked down, her face pale.

A total of eight arrows, each with barbed heads!