He paused, then scoffed, "Even from such a lowly mouth, you dare to mention family when you've behaved so disrespectfully? You deserve to die."
With that, he released her hand as if she were a soiled rag, clenched his fist, and stood tall, his gaze sweeping the surroundings. "Who undressed her?"
At his words, she jumped, her heart pounding. She retreated to a corner and frantically pulled her robe around her waist, trying to cover herself. But the robe was too short, and even with her legs pulled up to her chest, she couldn't hide her feet, which were red from the cold.
"I don't touch dirty things," he said, his voice cold and cutting.
"I'm not dirty, I didn't mean to..." she whispered, remembering how she had been pressed against his lap, how his skin had touched hers. She couldn't help but clench her legs. The spot on her hip where his bloody hand had been was hot and itchy, and she instinctively reached out to touch it.
She was only sixteen, and though she didn't fully understand the ways of the world, she sensed that in this moment, between life and death, this man, so reeking of blood, had aroused her.
"You've soiled yourself."
"No, no!" she cried, scrambling to her feet and wiping frantically at the spot with her sleeve. Tears welled up in her eyes.
She was cold, humiliated, and terrified. Her long hair cascaded down her shoulders, a tangled mess.
He watched her, his fingers unconsciously tightening into a fist.
They had passed Yonghe Lane, where grand mansions and elegant pavilions were hidden among tall trees. The snow was pristine, and the air was filled with the sweet scent of plum blossoms.
Jiang Ling reined in the horse and dismounted, lighting a lantern. "Master, we're here. Shall I find a doctor to tend to your wounds?"
The carriage curtain was pulled back, and a cold wind whipped through, making the woman shiver. She scratched at the ground, her nails digging into the frozen earth, causing her to gasp in pain. But she didn't stop, even though there was nothing left to clean.
He watched her frantic movements silently.
For a moment, the only sound was her increasingly labored breathing.
"It would be cleaner if you were dead," he said abruptly.
Terror seized her. She wanted to crawl to him and beg for mercy, but fear held her back. "I... I've cleaned myself. I'm not dirty anymore..."
He chuckled, then rose and stepped out of the carriage. With his departure, the thick scent of blood followed him.
Kneeling in the carriage, she watched his retreating figure with trembling fear. To her horror, she saw that in addition to the whip wound on his wrist, his back was covered in deep, angry welts. The force of the blows had torn his robe to shreds, leaving his flesh exposed and raw.
He had been tortured. But who could have inflicted such pain on a man who had so callously gouged out the eyes of a high-ranking military officer?
"Your back..." she blurted out, immediately regretting her words.
He turned his head.
The warm lamplight illuminated his profile. The quiet, snowy night and the stark beauty of the scene couldn't mask the darkness in his eyes.
He was a man of great strength, even in his thin robe. Standing alone on the snow-covered road, his back marked by countless scars, he looked like a solitary figure in a desolate landscape.
"Jiang Ling," he called.
"Yes, Master," Jiang Ling replied.
"Don't bother finding Mei Xinglin. Bring her in."
Jiang Ling looked at the woman cowering in the corner, hesitant.
"Bring her to..."
"To the Quiet Study
***
Zhang Duo, the eldest son of the Zhang family from Hebei, held the prestigious position of Zhongshujian(1). Despite his noble birth, he was a staunch advocate of Legalism, favoring strict laws and harsh punishments. He despised idle chatter and philosophical discussions, despite ironically naming his private study "Quiet Conversation Hall." Later, he turned this area into a secluded part of his estate, forbidding any woman from entering in the past five years, as far as Jiang Ling knew.
It seemed as if he had no interest in women. Or perhaps, he simply disliked sexual relations.
As for why a young man would deny himself such pleasures, no one dared to ask.
He walked ahead alone, carrying a lantern. The vast estate was eerily silent, the only scent in the air being that of blood.
Ancient catalpa trees cast long shadows, covering the snow-covered ground. The bare ground was hard and cold, and each step she took felt like a stab. She followed closely behind him, not daring to make a sound, occasionally glancing at Jiang Ling beside her. The copper bells on her ankles tinkled as she walked, their sharp sound making her freeze in place until Jiang Ling nudged her forward with his sword hilt.
Zhang Duo continued walking without looking back until he reached the door of his study. He hung the lantern on a catalpa tree and entered. Soon, a solitary lamp illuminated the room, casting his shadow on the wall.
Jiang Ling stood under the tree and said to her, "Go in."
She stood shivering in the cold wind, snow falling on her hair and melting as she trembled. "I... I'm alone?"
"Yes. Besides the Lady, no one is allowed to enter the Master's study. Anyone who breaks the rule will be killed."
Her pupils dilated at the word "killed."
Yet, the door was wide open, as if waiting for her.
The room was warm, even the floor was heated.
A screen made of green silk hung in layers. A statue of Guanyin(2) was placed on a lotus-shaped pottery table, with a plum blossom in front of it. Otherwise, the room was bare and austere. He sat cross-legged on a mat in front of the table, his head bowed, wiping blood from his hands with a white cloth. His blood-stained robe was clearly visible in the lamplight.
As she was about to enter, a fierce bark echoed from the darkness. Before she could react, a white dog lunged at her. A whip cracked through the air, striking the dog. The dog howled and turned, its spirit broken. It crawled into a corner and trembled, whimpering.
"Come here," he said, setting down the whip and picking up the white cloth again.
She hesitated, staring at the trembling dog in the corner.
She couldn't understand how such a fearsome beast could be so afraid of this man.
"It likes the smell of blood," he said. "If you don't come, it will be your turn."
"No!" she cried, taking a step back.
He didn't look up as she approached his shadow.
"Sit. Wait until I'm finished cleaning my hands."
Terrified by the dog and the man, she hesitantly sat down on the floor, pulling her robe closer to cover herself.
Outside, the cold winter wind howled, and the dog in the corner whimpered pitifully.
Alone in the room, a man covered in blood and a terrified woman sat in silence.
He cleaned his hands meticulously, not missing a single spot. She watched him, her heart pounding.
After a long time, she finally spoke. "I heard they say... no one is allowed to enter the Master's study."
He hummed in response without looking up.
"So... I..."
"You are half-human, half-ghost," he said, his tone cold and indifferent.
She didn't understand, but his words filled her with fear.
He tossed the blood-stained cloth aside and looked up at her.
"Can you treat wounds?" he asked.
"No... I mean, yes, I can," she stammered.
He smiled faintly. "If you want to live, you'll have to." What's your name?"
"Xi... Yin," she stammered.
"Xi is your surname?"
"No... I don't have one."
"But you have a brother. How can you be nameless?"
Her gaze fell, and she looked at her disheveled state and the bruises on her knees. "My brother is as noble as a pine or jade. His surname... I'm not worthy of it."
He threw his head back and laughed, a harsh, mirthless sound that tore at his already wounded body. The fresh scabs on his back reopened, and blood seeped through the fabric.
She scrambled to her knees, her hands trembling as she looked at his back. "Master, please don't move. Let me... let me find some medicine for you..."
He pointed to a dark cabinet on the wall. "Second shelf, green jade bottle."
She glanced in the direction he pointed and turned back. "I'll have to take off your robe first. The wound is stuck to the fabric."
"No need. I can manage. Just get the medicine."
"Yes, Master."
She hurried over to the cabinet.
On the second shelf, she found a row of medicine bottles. Two of them were made of jade and seemed to have inscriptions on them.
Unsure which one was the healing potion he mentioned, she took both and placed them in front of him.
He glanced at the two bottles and shook his head. "Why did you bring both?"
"I can't read..."
He took one of the bottles and handed it to her, revealing a bloody gash on his arm. "Poison," he said.
Her legs gave way, and she quickly hid the bottle behind her back. "I... I really can't read... I..."
He stood up straight. "I said I'd let you live. Don't you want to?"
(1)Zhongshujian: was a highly influential position in the central government of ancient China. Originating in the Wei Kingdom during the Three Kingdoms period, it was a post close to the emperor and primarily responsible for drafting and issuing imperial edicts and handling government affairs. During the Wei, Jin, Southern, and Northern Dynasties, the Minister of Secretariat gradually evolved into a de facto prime minister.
(2)Guanyin: Guanyin Bodhisattva is one of the most revered bodhisattvas in Chinese Buddhism, renowned for her boundless compassion and her dedication to relieving suffering. Her name and image have been widely adopted not only in Chinese Buddhism but also in Taoism, Chinese folk religion, and the Buddhist communities throughout the Sinosphere and East Asia.