Ji Chengxuan

"It's fine." Murong Yu said as she shook her head. She was merely worried, worried that her return to this life would once again offend the dreadful person she had wronged before.

But as fate would have it, just as Murong Yu was walking with Aman to the back garden to appreciate chrysanthemums and unwind, they overheard two guards at the courtyard gate discussing.

"Do you think that nomad slave is at his limit?"

"Probably so. He got shot through the heart."

Murong Yu's knees went weak. Aman, with quick reflexes, caught Murong Yu before she fell. Aman said, "My lady, what's wrong? You're scaring me!"

Murong Yu was equally terrified.

"What were you just saying?" Murong Yu asked. She steadied herself on Aman with great difficulty and approached the guards, her face as white as a sheet.

The guards bowed before replying, "Lady Yu, we were discussing the nomad slave who was just carried back."

"What happened to him?" Murong Yu asked anxiously.

"He's likely on the brink of death. He took an arrow through his heart while at the hunting grounds," said one guard, specifying. "The arrow pierced his left atrium."

Murong Yu's legs gave way, and she practically collapsed onto Aman.

'So it was at this moment that the arrow struck him! I had seen the scar when I became his concubine but hadn't known its origin. Only after he sarcastically reminded me, I knew.' Murong Yu thought.

Ji Chengxuan had accompanied Murong Yu's brother on a hunting trip; he, as a mere foot soldier, had risked his life and narrowly survived.

After telling Murong Yu the infuriating details, Ji Chengxuan took out his accumulated anger and torment on her, blaming her for all the suffering he had endured in her residence.

At the moment, however, Murong Yu didn't have the luxury to be outraged. She asked, "Where is he? Take me to him!"

"He's in the stables." the guard answered, clearly surprised. "It's dirty and messy there, are you sure about this, Lady Yu?"

"My lady, why are you going there??" Aman also chimed in.

"I just made a vow to the Bodhisattva to abstain from meat and chant sutras for a month. And now this happens? Are you intentionally trying to make me break my vow?" Murong Yu rambled nervously.

The guards hastily led the way. Aman wondered when Murong Yu had made such a vow.

Arriving at the stables, Murong Yu saw Ji Chengxuan. He lay on a heap of straw, as limp as a dead dog. Murong Yu hurriedly checked for breath and exhaled only when she found that he was still alive.

The stables were cramped and filthy, with an overwhelmingly unpleasant smell.

Aman nearly choked upon entering but Murong Yu seemed unphased. Murong Yu examined Ji Chengxuan's injuries further and suddenly ordered, "Aman, go get the royal physician, Dr. Wang immediately!"

"I will, but let me escort you back to your room first," Aman said. She was almost passing out from the stench.

"I'll wait here. Go quickly." Murong Yu dismissed Aman.

Aman wanted to insist, but Murong Yu sternly interrupted, "What, are you not listening to me now?"

"I'm going right away!" Aman said.

As Aman left, Murong Yu turned to the guards and said, "You, fetch a basin of clean water and a clean cloth. And you, clean up all the horse dung."

The guards promptly complied, not daring to waste time. Soon, the small, dirty stable was cleaned. Water was also brought in.

"I can handle it," said Murong Yu. She took the cloth from a guard and began to wipe Ji Chengxuan's dirty face.

After cleaning Ji Chengxuan's face, Murong Yu continued cleaning his torso. Seeing his protruding ribcage and lash marks, and especially the festering arrow wound in his chest, her eyes reddened.

'I'm still too late.' Murong Yu thought.