The Woman Disguised Herself as a Man and Abolished the Prince, Married a Princess and called the Empress - Chapter 5

Watching their figures flee in disarray, Xiong Shaoqing shook her head helplessly and turned to Su Xianfeng. She thought, “Finally, it’s over. Although it took a lot of time, at least there were no major mishaps.”

“Master, let’s go.”

Su Xianfeng nodded, picked up his simple luggage, and the two of them set off on their journey again. Along the way, Xiong Shaoqing told Su Xianfeng the story of the ox-tongue pastry. Su Xianfeng didn’t show any surprise, which made Xiong Shaoqing feel a bit taken aback.

Strange, such a bizarre thing, and Master isn’t even amazed.

“There are many unknowns in this world. What you see is just the tip of the iceberg,” Su Xianfeng said, seeing Xiong Shaoqing’s confusion and offering a hint.

Xiong Shaoqing pondered this. That’s right, the world is vast and full of wonders.

“Maintain reverence for the unknown, and walk each step of the present with a firm footing,” Su Xianfeng paused and continued, “You can also take some time to study the secret manual the white-haired elder gave you.”

“I will heed Master’s teachings,” Xiong Shaoqing responded solemnly.

These past few days, I’ve been studying it whenever I could. However, on the run, there are constant pursuers, and I have to be ready to fight at any moment. My mind is restless, so the progress has been minimal.

I urgently need to improve my martial arts. Although I’m considered top-tier among my peers, I’m still forced into a bitter struggle when I meet an experienced veteran. Even if I win, it’s a Pyrrhic victory.

Thinking this, Xiong Shaoqing secretly made a decision to put aside all distractions and focus on her training. As she planned her future, she became lost in thought, completely unaware that many years later, she would come to regret the righteousness she showed today.

The summer sunset faded. Along this journey, Xiong Shaoqing plunged into danger several times. It was as if Su Xianfeng was deliberately training her, using these pursuers as sparring partners, and never intervening until the very last moment.

After dozens of battles, big and small, Xiong Shaoqing’s comprehension of the white-haired elder’s manual grew deeper.

The coolness of autumn arrived quietly, and Xiong Shaoqing and Su Xianfeng finally made their way to Nan Hua Town, on the border between the Yu and Shu kingdoms. They settled down at an inn. Su Xianfeng consulted the “Six Lines of a Hexagram” and determined that five days later would be the best time to enter the peak.

The hour was still early, so Xiong Shaoqing put on her bamboo hat and went out to buy necessities. After a busy trip, she passed a teahouse and, feeling thirsty, ordered a pot of clear tea.

After a short rest, she was about to leave when she was captivated by a storyteller’s sonorous voice and froze in her seat.

“The story goes that the Chief Eunuch suddenly smashed a cup as a signal, and a large number of royal guards swarmed into the residence of Prince Kang. The Prince’s family had no choice but to surrender and be bound.”

“The former ‘Prince with the Same Authority as the Emperor,’ once he broke the law, his entire family was locked in the imperial prison, ultimately meeting their end.”

“As the saying goes: The horseman never leaves his saddle, only in crisis does one know death is near. Three hundred years of national turmoil, eight thousand miles away, the common people suffer. Autumn wind on the treasured sword, a loyal minister’s tear; a setting sun on the banner, a great general’s altar. The dust of the world has not settled, gentlemen, don’t take it lightly.”

Clap! The storyteller slapped the gavel. The crowd below, which had been immersed in the thrilling palace intrigue, was suddenly roused. It turned out a young waiter had come down to collect tips.

The storyteller had told a great tale, and everyone generously opened their purses.

One person in the middle spoke loudly, “Sir, I heard that Prince Kang’s family didn’t all die. I heard the Crown Prince escaped and is still missing.”

The storyteller shook his fan and looked at the questioner. “Whether he escaped or not, this old man does not know. If you are interested, you can look at the notice at the city gate. If it’s true, a wanted poster would have been sent to Nan Hua Village long ago.”

The man fell silent.

Another person asked, “This is truly a tragedy. Prince Kang was a distinguished prince who had been to battle and had great merit. How could his family be killed just like that?”

Someone nearby responded, “I heard he colluded with foreign enemies and intended to rebel. This is a great crime, and having his whole family executed is not too much!”

“Prince Kang truly was despicable. Living in luxury was not enough for him; he still wanted to collude with barbarians. He must have been greedy, wanting to be emperor. Killing him was the right thing to do! The Emperor is wise!”

“What do you know? It’s not that simple.”

“Then what do you know? Can the Emperor be wrong?”

The people below began to argue. The storyteller picked up his covered teacup to moisten his throat, lowering his eyes without a word. The waiter, however, was startled. “I say, old men, please do me a favor. Although our Nan Hua Village is in a border region, it’s not a lawless land. We have officials watching over us. Do not discuss state affairs, do not discuss state affairs!”

The crowd was shocked and began to talk about the great drought.

In the teahouse, another person, wearing a bamboo hat, now clenched her fists until her knuckles turned white. The veil hanging from her hat hid her face. If someone were to lift the veil, they would see her face was covered in tears.

The waiter also noticed this person.

Ever since the storyteller began this part of the tale, she had sat there without moving. She only had a pot of tea and hadn’t ordered anything else. This was the busy time, and it was inappropriate for her to occupy the seat for so long.

Just as he was about to walk over, several horses galloped past the teahouse.

“The wanted posters are here! We are searching for Prince Kang’s son! Those who report a clue will be rewarded! Those who dare to harbor him will have their whole family executed!”

Everyone was startled. They hadn’t expected the discussion they just had to be true. Fortunately, the waiter had reminded them in time, and they hadn’t gotten into trouble.

The waiter broke into a cold sweat. When the fast-riding horses had passed, he looked back and found only a few copper coins on the table. The person wearing the bamboo hat had already vanished.

Xiong Shaoqing rushed back to the inn, acutely aware that someone was following her, acting furtively. But she remained calm and went back to her room.

As soon as she locked the door, she no longer suppressed her emotions. Tears rolled down like broken pearls.

The discussions of the storyteller and the guests had turned into invisible daggers, stabbing into her heart. Her wounds, which had not yet healed, were torn open again.

Father, Mother, please allow me this one last moment of release. From now on, I will put away my tears, hide my true feelings, and everything I do will be for revenge.

I can endure humiliation and bear a heavy burden. I can pretend to be someone else. From this moment on, I am no longer myself. For the ultimate goal, I can play any role and do anything.

The cold of spring was biting, the moon was cold, and the wind was high. A dark shadow flashed by the inn, silent and stealthy. A small hole was poked into the window paper of the room, and a puff of light purple smoke drifted inside. The cloaked figure held their breath, listening for any movement within the room.

After a while, there was no reaction inside. The cloaked figure relaxed, used a tool to pry open the door latch, and slipped in. Using the moonlight filtering through the window lattice, the figure saw Xiong Shaoqing lying in bed. Hearing her calm, steady breathing, they secretly sighed in relief.

The cloaked figure decisively drew a large saber and swung it at Xiong Shaoqing’s head. To their surprise, the figure of Xiong Shaoqing suddenly opened her eyes, moving with lightning speed to dodge the fatal blow.

Xiong Shaoqing swiftly drew her long sword. Her moves were fierce, the sword light glinting as it instantly sliced through the air, leaving a series of afterimages.

The cloaked figure’s sweat was pouring, and they were horrified, hastily swinging their saber to block. They tried to adjust their breathing and find an opening, but Xiong Shaoqing’s swordsmanship was simply too exquisite; she always held the advantage.

Suddenly, Xiong Shaoqing’s sword style changed. The tip of her sword pointed sharply at the cloaked figure’s left shoulder, while her right foot stepped forward, creating a brilliant, throat-sealing stance. The figure could only block in a hurry, and their saber was instantly knocked from their hand.

Xiong Shaoqing quickly subdued the cloaked figure, reached out, and tore off the mask. She was met with a face full of charm, appearing to be in her thirties.

“Another one willing to die for gold,” Xiong Shaoqing’s voice was low, like a winter wind, cold and merciless.

On this journey, she had shown no mercy to those who tried to kill her. Even if they were women, she killed them all the same.

The gleaming, cold long sword was pointed at the figure’s throat, as if it would fall in the next second.

The cloaked figure looked up, a hint of despair in her eyes, but also a glimmer of pleading. “Please! Don’t kill me yet! My mother is very ill, and she’s counting on that bounty to buy some good medicine. That’s why I wanted to kill you for the reward.”

“If you don’t believe me, come to my house and see. It won’t be too late to act after you’ve seen for yourself.”

Hearing this, Xiong Shaoqing’s eyes flickered slightly. The cold light from the sword’s tip cast a cruel shadow on the woman’s face.

Alas, Father, Mother, I know that sometimes kindness is a sign of weakness. But if I were in this woman’s position, I’m afraid I would make the same choice. So be it. Let’s see if what she says is true.

“Lead the way,” Xiong Shaoqing’s words carried a hint of heaviness. The tip of her sword slowly rose. “If you dare to pull any tricks, I won’t be lenient!”

Upon hearing this, a trace of gratitude flashed in the cloaked woman’s eyes. She quickly kowtowed in thanks. “Bai Mei thanks you, my benefactor, for sparing my life.”

Xiong Shaoqing’s gaze remained cold, but she had put away her sword. The killing intent was temporarily suppressed.

“Master, please come with me,” Xiong Shaoqing said, looking at Su Xianfeng, who was standing nearby.

Su Xianfeng nodded. From the beginning of the fight, he could tell that the cloaked figure was no match for Xiong Shaoqing, so he had watched from the side with ease.

The two followed Bai Mei to a farmhouse. The moonlight was hazy, casting a silver glow. Dew was quietly dripping from the worn thatched roof, the sound of which was particularly clear in the night sky.

Bai Mei opened the door and went inside, followed closely by Xiong Shaoqing and Su Xianfeng. Bai Mei lit an oil lamp, and the weak yellow light projected through the cracks, creating a dim, warm glow on the dirt floor.

On a bed woven from straw lay a pale woman, unconscious. Her hands were as thin as dry wood, full of the marks of time. She was covered by a worn hemp blanket, looking frail and helpless.

On a wooden stool by the bed sat half a bowl of herbal medicine. The scent of the herbs mingled with the faint smell of soil in the air.

In the corner, clothes were scattered, clearly having been sold to pay for medical treatment. In another corner, several empty rice sacks and a few shriveled sweet potatoes lay quietly.

Xiong Shaoqing’s eyelids trembled slightly, and her brow furrowed.

Su Xianfeng was also touched by the desolate scene. She walked forward and placed a hand on the woman’s pulse. She closed her eyes, concentrating fully, sensing the life force transmitted through the pulse.

The pulse was weak and chaotic, like a candle flame in the wind, threatening to go out at any moment. Su Xianfeng’s brows were tightly furrowed, knowing it was a sign of poisoning. The toxins had already invaded the blood, endangering her life. She continued her examination and found the pulse to be intermittent, sometimes there, sometimes not.

After about a quarter of an hour, Su Xianfeng withdrew her hand, her expression solemn. “This strange illness is caused by poison. Based on my initial diagnosis, it should be the miasma from Mount Gou Mang.”

“Looking at the situation, it’s been about two years. The poison has already invaded her internal organs. I can only temporarily suppress it. To completely cure it, we must find the special antidote made by the Gou Mang tribe.”

Upon hearing this, Bai Mei’s knees went weak, and she knelt on the ground without hesitation, her hands clenched into fists. A look of remorse flashed across her face, and her voice trembled but was firm:

“I know what I did was a terrible thing. How can I still have the face to ask for your help? I deserve to be punished for my mistake, but my mother is still sick in bed with no one to take care of her.”

“How about this? Let me chop off my arm to atone for my sin. After I’ve taken care of my mother until she passes, you can take my life at any time, without any hesitation!”

Having said that, Bai Mei immediately stood up, drew her saber, and aimed it at her left arm.

Suddenly, a silver ingot knocked the saber away. The expected pain did not come.

Xiong Shaoqing walked forward slowly, her brow slightly raised. “Those who can admit their mistakes can still be saved. Make up for it with your actions in the future. My Master and I will go to Mount Gou Mang tomorrow to see if we can find an antidote.”

Bai Mei could hardly believe her ears. It took a long time for her to react. She knelt again, bowing repeatedly in thanks.

“My benefactor, Bai Mei will remember this life-saving kindness! I have nothing to repay you with, so I only ask to follow you. I’ll do anything!”

Xiong Shaoqing quickly pulled Bai Mei up, looking rather helpless. “You can follow me, but don’t always kneel, and don’t call me ‘benefactor.'”

She paused, looked at Bai Mei carefully, and added:

“Seeing as you’re older than me, it feels a bit awkward to be called that.”

A flicker of embarrassment crossed Bai Mei’s face. “Then I’ll call you ‘Young Master’ from now on. I’m thirty-two this year. I got married when I was eighteen, but not long after, my husband passed away.”

“The people in the village all said I brought him bad luck and cursed me as a jinx. I couldn’t argue. For all these years, it’s just been me and my mother, taking care of each other.”

Bai Mei told Xiong Shaoqing about her family’s situation. Her mother was seriously ill, and she had been running around doing bounties to earn money for medicine. She had long memorized the wanted portrait from the imperial court and thus recognized Xiong Shaoqing. To ensure success, she had used the smoke.

Listening to Bai Mei’s confession, Xiong Shaoqing’s internal conflict gradually subsided. She turned to Su Xianfeng and requested in a low voice:

“Master, please use your needles.”

Su Xianfeng nodded and took out a set of golden needles from her sleeve. With a flick of her wrist, the first needle was precisely inserted into the Bai mother’s Baihui acupuncture point, like the first note of a plucked string. Then came the second, the third, each needle as if drawing an invisible meridian map.

Each acupuncture point was chosen with incredible precision, engaging in a silent confrontation with the poison. Su Xianfeng continued to apply the needles. With each insertion, a faint stream of spiritual energy was injected into the Bai mother’s body.

After about half an hour, Su Xianfeng withdrew the needles. The Bai mother actually stirred awake. Bai Mei was overjoyed and rushed forward to hold her mother’s hand. “Mother, you’re finally awake! You scared me so much! This is the divine healer who used acupuncture to save you.”

Bai Mei said, respectfully looking at Su Xianfeng. Following her gaze, the Bai mother looked at Su Xianfeng and thanked her repeatedly, her voice very weak and powerless.

Su Xianfeng replied with care, “No need for formalities. Rest well. It’s late. We’ll take our leave.”

“Mei’er, go… see them… off…,” the Bai mother said, laboriously and disjointedly.

“Mother, I understand. You rest peacefully and don’t exert yourself by talking. Getting your health back is more important than anything.” Saying this, she covered her mother with the blanket and walked towards Xiong Shaoqing.

“Young Master, Divine Healer, let me see you off.”

“Okay.”

As soon as Bai Mei saw them out of the house, Xiong Shaoqing stopped walking. “No need to see us off. Come to the inn at si shi yi ke [9:15 am] tomorrow morning, and we’ll go to Mount Gou Mang together.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

Bai Mei watched the two of them walk away before turning back to her room.

The next day, at si shi yi ke, Xiong Shaoqing had finished packing and saw Bai Mei arriving from a distance.

The three of them set off together. Along the way, Su Xianfeng explained the dangers of Mount Gou Mang, especially the miasma. Besides that, there might be a formation, and they must stick close to him. Xiong Shaoqing and Bai Mei both nodded solemnly.

After about an hour of walking, the three of them arrived at the foot of Mount Gou Mang. White mist billowed, obscuring its true appearance.

“Master, this is miasma, right? It looks quite thick. Should we go up the mountain later?”

Su Xianfeng shook his head gently and explained:

“You are right, this is miasma, but according to my calculations, this is the time when the miasma is at its weakest. If we wait any longer, it will get stronger. Take this detoxification pill and follow me up the mountain. Remember, you must stay close.”

Xiong Shaoqing and Bai Mei both took the detoxification pills and followed Su Xianfeng closely. They passed through thorny, overgrown paths, being cautious with every step. Suddenly, a strange force caused the surrounding trees to twist and deform, forming stone gates, each engraved with a mysterious Eight Trigrams pattern.

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