Chapter 6: Mistakes of a Past Life

The second night after Qin Youning returned, Qi Yunchu began to run a fever.

Her wounds had been treated with medicine, but the prison was dark and damp. Even though her cell was far better than the others, it was hardly conducive to rest and recovery.

Today should have been the fifth day. The wound on her abdomen had started to fester, waves of pain draining the color from her face. Her body burned frighteningly hot, and her consciousness had begun to blur.

Lying on the bed, Qi Yunchu found the situation all too familiar. She calmly closed her eyes and let her consciousness drift away.

In that final moment, she did a quick calculation: if the fever killed her now, the mission should count as complete.

There was only a sliver of Bone-Deep Love Value left. Once Qin Youning learned of her death, the rest would come in.

And so she sank into unconsciousness without worry. Unfortunately…

At the last moment, the sound of the cell door being flung open reached her ears. Someone gently wrapped their arms around her, trembling fingers brushing against her cheek.

A voice, thick with panic, called her name. Scalding tears splashed onto her face.

Qin Youning…

The world went completely dark.

Qingzhou City had already fallen to Jiang Lihan. He could at least be called a wise ruler. The first thing he did upon entering the city was offer an amnesty, dispatching soldiers from Jiangnan to post notices and reassure the people, and issuing a military order forbidding his men from looting or seizing property. Anyone caught would be executed on the spot.

Entering Qingzhou City alongside him was the mysterious Daughter of the Qin Family, Qin Youning. Jiang Lihan treated her as an honored guest, building a Qin Manor for her within the city and presenting her with more than a dozen maids and servants, along with countless treasures and silks.

Qin Youning sent the valuables all back and dismissed most of the servants, keeping only ten.

She preferred quiet, so the ones who remained moved carefully, never daring to make a sound all day.

But even this peaceful existence began to change.

The servants stared in near shock as their normally dignified, reserved mistress came running back with a woman in her arms, her face twisted in what looked almost like terror, composure utterly abandoned.

The manor’s Female Physician was summoned at once.

“How is she?” Qin Youning, who had been watching every moment, finally spoke. Her voice was hoarse and heavy.

The Female Physician frowned slightly and withdrew her hand. “One step further, and even the gods couldn’t have saved her.”

She reached out and pushed up Qi Yunchu’s sleeve, studying the wounds of varying depths laid bare beneath. Sighing, she continued, “General Qi’s injuries were far too severe. Even though they were properly dressed with medicine, without proper rest, many of them have surely become inflamed.”

“The injuries struck deep into muscle and bone, and the wound on her abdomen reached all the way to her liver and lungs…”

She glanced up at the woman who had kept her eyes lowered the whole time, her expression dim, and said with a furrowed brow, “It’s fortunate you got her out of that prison when you did… But even after she recovers, General Qi’s martial arts…”

“…I’m afraid they’ll be completely crippled.” She hesitated, but in the end, the words came out.

Qin Youning went rigid, lifting her eyes, her face drained of color. “There’s no way to cure it?”

Her voice was dry.

“No.” The Female Physician’s answer was absolute.

“Not only will her martial arts be ruined, but in the future she likely won’t be able to bear touching anything heavy. Her wrist must have been cut by a blade at some point. The tendons there are damaged.” The Female Physician shook her head, rose, and walked to the desk, where she took up a brush and wrote out several prescriptions to hand to the servant waiting outside.

“Have her drink these medicines, and apply the salves daily to nurse her along…” Looking at the woman who hung her head, uncharacteristically defeated, she could not help but shake her head again before picking up her medical case and leaving.

People really were strange creatures.

So ruthless back then, and so heartbroken now.

“One more thing… The Eldest Young Master will be arriving soon. You should prepare yourself.” Just as she stepped out the door, something occurred to her, and she turned back to say it.

The woman with her back to her paused for a moment, then slowly nodded her assent.

Who in the world did not know what Qin Youning had done by now?

Everyone who had assumed the Qin Family and Qi Yunchu would be joined in marriage was left slack-jawed. Never had they imagined the elegant, dignified Daughter of the Qin Family could be so ruthless, that with a single stroke she would send the woman who adored her straight into the depths of hell.

As for the Qin Family itself… it was in utter chaos.

Old Patriarch Qin flew into a rare fury, hand trembling as he demanded Qin Youning be dragged back home. The Qin Family Head and Qin Youyuan silently bore the brunt of his rage, neither of them having dreamed things could end up like this.

There was only one thing they were certain of.

They had wronged that Young General.

The image of the red-robed Female General atop her horse, proud and blazing like fire, was still vivid before their eyes. Even Qin Youyuan could find no way to excuse his sister now.

He closed his eyes. The unreserved adoration that had flashed in the Female General’s gaze, directed at his dear sister, had been enough to move even him.

Who could have foreseen such an ending?

The room returned to silence.

Qin Youning reached out and carefully took Qi Yunchu’s hand. Gazing at her pale, gaunt face, she knelt at the bedside and buried her face in that hand.

One wrong thought, and the whole game was lost.

A-Yun must hate her beyond all measure now, she thought quietly. She did not even have the strength left for a bitter smile.

The goal she had once pursued so relentlessly had now transformed into blade after blade, driven back into her own heart.

After a long while, she pushed herself up and reached to undo Qi Yunchu’s collar, intending to clean the wounds and apply fresh medicine.

The moment her eyes fell upon it, there was nothing but a landscape of scars, glaringly red, seared into her memory. The sight made her hands tremble with pain.

As time passed, the room grew dimmer. Someone brought in medicine during that stretch; Qin Youning took it and sent them all out. She fed the medicine to Qi Yunchu drop by drop with her own hands, and slowly, that bitter scent spread through the whole room.

The person on the bed furrowed her brow slightly. Qin Youning’s hand froze. She pressed her lips together, glanced back, and found a plate of candied fruit on the table behind her.

Rising to fetch it, she tried to feed it to Qi Yunchu, but the pieces were too large, and the unconscious woman refused to open her mouth.

Qin Youning frowned, hesitated a moment, and then, in the end, held the candied fruit in her own mouth and passed it down to the woman on the bed.

The softness of the touch made her freeze. Days of repression and restlessness eased in that instant.

The unconscious woman kept drawing sweetness from her lips, and the slight furrow between her brows gradually smoothed away.

Propping herself up, Qin Youning sat at the bedside and studied her carefully, raising a hand to gently stroke her face.

From her temple to her lips, and down to her jaw.

Flawless, as if carved by the gods themselves.

As though she might vanish the moment she let go.

Not that she wanted to let go anyway.

A hint of madness surfaced in her clear, lovely eyes. She fed Qi Yunchu the rest of the medicine, then removed her shoes, socks, and outer garments and climbed into the bed, wrapping her arms around the woman. She adjusted her into a comfortable position, gazing down at her smoothed brow, her eyes softening, a trace of a smile touching her lips.

She lowered her head, kissed the woman’s temple, and held her like a precious treasure.

Qi Yunchu wanted the world. She could give her that.

Only this time, she would make A-Yun her Empress.

I’m not like you. I’m not so heartless.

If I let you take the throne, it would only be repeating the same tragedy.

Better that I conquer this world myself, and use it as my bride-price to marry you as my Empress.

That way, wouldn’t we be together forever?

Just the two of us.

Qin Youning slowly lay down, holding the woman in her arms, watching her peaceful face as she let herself drift little by little into sleep.

So be it. So long as she doesn’t leave me, even if she hates me to the bone, I’ll be happy.

So long as she stays, whatever Qi Yunchu wants, she can carry to her and lay at her feet.

The candlelight flickered. The sky outside had darkened.

By the time Qi Yunchu woke, it was already midday. She saw the dappled warm sunlight falling through the window and realized her surroundings had changed entirely.

Propping herself up on her hands to half-sit, she surveyed the room. Glancing down, she found her clothes had been completely changed, and medicine applied to her wounds.

Whose room this was went without saying.

Qi Yunchu frowned, exhaled, and rubbed the space between her brows.

This outcome… I had considered it too.

Let me guess what this Female Lord brought me here to do?

Heal me, then lock me up and spend a lifetime together with me?

Honestly…

Qi Yunchu snorted softly and shook her head, her eyes cold and indifferent.

Childish.

The door was gently pushed open. Qi Yunchu narrowed her eyes and looked up, meeting the gaze of the woman in the blue dress. The woman seemed to freeze for a moment, then actually revealed a gentle smile, carrying the medicine into the room and shutting the door behind her.

“Drink your medicine first.” She came over with the bowl in hand.

Qi Yunchu’s brow pressed down, her expression icy. “Qin Youning, what is the meaning of this?”

She knocked the offered bowl away.

Crash!

The white porcelain bowl shattered on the floor.

Qin Youning stood where she was, her fingertips twitching slightly, and sighed. “Even if you hate me, at least let your body recover before you fly into a rage.”

“I wouldn’t dare.” Qi Yunchu gave her a cold glance, then raised a hand to press against her own wrist, probing inward.

Completely Crippled Martial Arts.

She froze for a moment, the light dimming in her eyes. Her lips pressed into a thin line, and at last she lowered her hand with a frown.

Pain lanced through Qin Youning’s heart. She hurried forward and took her hand, saying softly, “It will get better. Once you’ve recovered your strength…”

“Get away!” Qi Yunchu frowned and flung her hand off, her face full of disgust.

She reached up and gripped the woman’s jaw, sneering. “Is this Female Lord upset that killing me was too straightforward? Did she want to humiliate me a little more first?”

“…I never meant to kill you… I only wanted to be with you…” Qin Youning looked at the person before her, saw the eyes brimming with coldness and loathing, and felt something twist in her chest.

She pressed her lips together, reached up, and took Qi Yunchu’s hand, a hint of obsession and madness surfacing in her gaze.

“I know you want the world. I can give it to you. Once I’ve claimed this land, I’ll offer it as my bride-price, and you’ll be my Empress… Then we can be together forever…” She looked at the woman in front of her, a dreamlike smile flickering through her usually frigid eyes.

“Just the two of us. We can be together forever, and then you’ll never be able to leave me…” she murmured, raising a hand toward Qi Yunchu’s cheek, only to be dodged.

Slap!

Qi Yunchu could not be bothered to listen to any more of her lovesick ravings. She raised her hand and struck her across the face.

【How much Bone-Deep Love Value?】

【Full.】

Well then. Mission complete.

Qi Yunchu glanced at the woman whose head had been knocked slightly askew, gave a cold scoff, and braced a hand on her abdomen to rise.

“Does A-Yun not care about the soldiers and people of the north?” Qin Youning, head still tilted, lowered her eyes and gently stroked her own cheek as the words came, sharp and sudden.

Qi Yunchu paused, turning her head slightly. “To the victor go the spoils. What business are the northern soldiers and people of mine?” she said with a light laugh.

“Then… Qi Qingyun. Does A-Yun not care about him either?”

“What do you mean by that?” Qi Yunchu’s brow furrowed slightly as the woman behind her pressed close, the soft warmth of her body making her eyes narrow a fraction.

Qin Youning wrapped her arms around the waist of the person before her, her hands tightening bit by bit, her lowered lashes concealing the dark, fathomless look in her eyes.

Her lips curved slightly. Pressing them against Qi Yunchu’s shoulder, she coaxed in a soft voice, “So long as A-Yun stays by my side, I’ll spare him.”

Qi Yunchu was silent for a long time. Then, suddenly, she laughed.

“You want me to be your Kept Favorite?”

The hands at her waist clenched hard, and teeth bit down viciously at the side of her neck, so painful her brow knit. “Qi Yunchu!”

“You are my wife. Not some Kept Favorite.” The voice behind her came slow and deliberate, suppressing a dark fury.

“Wife?” Qi Yunchu murmured the word, then laughed.

“Disgusting.”

She laughed softly.

Qin Youning’s face went pale. She closed her eyes, and after a long moment, forced the corners of her mouth up into a smile as well.

Let it be disgusting, then.

As long as I can chain this person to my side, even if she loathes me, even if she’s repulsed by me, I’ll accept it.

“Drink your medicine first, A-Yun. In half a month, we’ll be married.” She turned her head and pressed a gentle kiss to Qi Yunchu’s neck.

Qi Yunchu lowered her eyes and said nothing.

The mission was complete. Either she left this world at once, or she stayed and had some fun.

Hah. Honestly.

She really did hate the feeling of being controlled by someone else.

Qin Youning?

It would be better if she learned to behave a little more.

She needs to be disciplined.

Qi Yunchu scoffed inwardly.