Chapter 20
After being brought back to the Su residence, Jinbao first followed Doctor Que’s advice, tearfully expressing his thoughts to his young master. Although his master assured him that he should speak up if he felt wronged and that his master would stand up for him, what could Jinbao say at that point?
With Que Siming standing behind him like a demon, Jinbao could even feel the heat radiating from his body.
Even if there hadn’t been that incident between them when they were kids, Jinbao had no intention of going against Que Siming’s wishes. Just seeing how concerned his young master was made him feel that this little suffering was nothing.
Besides, it didn’t hurt that much, he wasn’t being forced to do hard labor, or being sent to walk through fire. If he thought about it, it really wasn’t a big deal. Moreover, he did feel a bit guilty towards Que Siming.
However, his master clearly didn’t believe that he would willingly become Que Siming’s servant; otherwise, why would he have run away?
Jinbao, being clumsy with words, could only stammer and struggle to explain himself while sneaking glances at Que Siming’s impatient expression, growing more anxious inside.
As he was speaking, the martial artists in the room, with their keen senses, all heard the strange noises coming from outside.
Su Yin’s face was the first to darken, and both Zhao Cai and Jinbao also caught on to what was happening.
Que Siming suddenly grabbed Jinbao, holding him with one arm from behind, then looked on with a mischievous grin and teased Jin Xiaobao, “Your little lover has returned.”
Young Master Jin’s face drained of all color, freezing him on the spot.
Jinbao recognized the voice as belonging to Zhong Zhenghuai En and grew anxious, tugging at his young master, “Young Master, let’s go inside.”
But Jin Xiaobao refused, instead ordering Zhao Cai and Jinbao to go protect the Master and Mistress immediately.
Seeing that both Su Yin and Que Siming were present, the two guessed that Zhong Zhenghuai En wouldn’t dare to do anything to their young master, so they quickly rushed to the Jin family elders’ courtyard.
Later, Jinbao learned from Que Siming that Zhong Zhenghuai En had brought a crucial ingredient needed to detoxify his young master, but didn’t stay long.
Thanks to this farce, his young master didn’t have time to interrogate him, and his situation with Que Siming was conveniently overlooked. Thus, he naturally continued to stay in Que Siming’s courtyard.
After coming to terms with things, Jinbao resumed eating and drinking as usual, and by evening, he was sound asleep.
In the middle of the night, he was suddenly shaken awake.
Jinbao opened his sleepy eyes to see a masked figure dressed in black.
Although the face was covered, he recognized those eyes immediately.
“Huh? What do you want?”
Que Siming tossed a set of night clothes onto his face and said, “Change clothes, you’re coming with me.”
Jinbao, confused, asked, “Where are we going?”
“Hurry up and change.”
Jinbao, with no other choice, grabbed the clothes and started putting them on.
Once dressed, he swiftly jumped out of bed, even yawning.
Que Siming pulled him along, “You want to know what I’ve been up to these years? I’ll tell you on the way.”
Jinbao perked up at this but then worried about his young master, thinking, What if something happens to him while we’re gone? “When are we coming back?”
“Two or three days. If everything goes smoothly, we’ll be back the day after tomorrow.”
They exited through the rear gate of the Su residence, where several people were already waiting with horses.
The leader clasped his hands and said, “Young Master, are you really going? The Master said—”
Que Siming mounted the horse prepared for him, “Cut the crap. You can follow if you want; we can go on our own if you don’t.”
The man sighed, then mounted his horse as well. The six of them rode off toward the southeast.
“How much do you know about my father, and what do you remember?”
They were resting in an inn when Que Siming asked this, half-lying on the bed. Jinbao sat cross-legged on the floor, leaning against the bed.
Jinbao thought for a moment and decided not to mention in front of others that Que Siming’s father was accused of treason. “What I know comes from what people in our area have said…”
“Did they say my father committed treason?” Que Siming sneered, “My father is a national hero. How could he commit treason? All of this is a plot by Yu Mingjing and Huang Xiang.”
Jinbao remembered that Yu Mingjing’s name had indeed been mentioned that night. It sounded familiar, but he couldn’t recall the details.
“Who is Yu Mingjing? And Huang Xiang?”
“Huang Xiang is the current national uncle, the elder brother of the emperor’s most favored consort. As for Yu Mingjing, you met him when you were young.”
“Really? Who is he?”
Que Siming pondered for a moment, “Have you heard the legend of General Yue defeating the southern barbarians?”
“Yes, I’ve heard of it. General Yue personally beheaded the leader of the thirteen tribes in the southern region.”
“That’s right. The leader of those thirteen tribes was the chief of the Wu Bo tribe.”
“After my father led the charge and killed the Wu Bo tribe chief, he took something from the Wu Bo tribe, which later became the root of the problem.”
Jinbao swallowed nervously, “What was it?”
“The Wu Bo tribe had a treasure passed down through generations called the Longevity Stone. It is said to cure all illnesses, eliminate chronic ailments, extend life, and maintain eternal youth. The chief of the Wu Bo tribe was rumored to be over a hundred years old but still looked to be in his forties or fifties.”
Jinbao widened his eyes in shock. Reaching seventy was considered very old; he had never heard of anyone truly living past a hundred.
“After my father killed him, he took the Longevity Stone but didn’t give it to the emperor.”
“My father was nearing forty at the time, with four wives and concubines, yet none could bear him an heir. He had consulted many famous doctors, who all said the problem was with him but no one could cure it. Keeping that stone was a personal hope that the treasure might indeed have divine power and help him produce an heir.”
“It was this Longevity Stone that sowed the seeds of disaster.”
“My father kept the Longevity Stone with him. After reuniting with my mother, she became pregnant within three months. However, I was born prematurely and was very weak. Many doctors said I wouldn’t survive a full month, so my father placed the stone on me…”
Jinbao listened intently, feeling a bit moved. Even though Que Siming spoke with a calm exterior, Jinbao could sense the dark emotions suppressed within him.
“At that time… my father’s reputation among the people even exceeded that of the young emperor. To have greater merit than the ruler was a serious taboo. Although the emperor highly valued my father, he was still unable to manage state affairs, which were entirely under the control of his maternal grandfather, the Left Chancellor. My father felt the pressure and, before the Left Chancellor could act, he resigned from his position to temporarily preserve the lives of his family.”
“At that time, rumors about the Longevity Stone had already spread throughout the court and the public, but there was no concrete evidence.”
“After a few years of peaceful days, Yu Mingjing came to my home…”
“I later learned that he was the youngest son of the Wu Bo tribe chief. During the chaos, a Wu warrior had fought their way out to save him. After a few years, he changed his name and claimed to be proficient in medicine. He came to my home seeking revenge.”
Que Siming’s fists slowly clenched, “He first poisoned my mother, then colluded with Huang Xiang, who coveted the Longevity Stone, to frame my father. This led to our family being confiscated and our home raided. I was rescued by my master while being transported. Yu Mingjing tried to take me but failed, so he placed a blood curse on me!”
Jinbao was deeply shocked, realizing the hidden depths of the past events.
No wonder there was a severe drought in Huai West at that time, and some said it was due to General Yue’s grievances, with heaven showing its anger. Now it seemed there might be some truth to that.
The legendary General Yue, whose story had remained vivid for over a decade, suddenly felt closer and more tangible due to Que Siming’s revelations. The feeling of uncovering the hidden truth was both astonishing and somewhat melancholic.
Seeing the tangled veins on Que Siming’s face, Jinbao couldn’t help but think about how much this person must have suffered in his childhood.
Que Siming noticed his gaze and touched his eyelids, “Yes, it’s these things.”
“Years ago, Yu Mingjing implanted a blood worm in me. The mother worm is nourished by his blood. As the host for the child worm, whenever I am within his sight, he can control my body.”
Jinbao couldn’t help but reach out and touch his eyelids. The skin was smooth with no noticeable lumps. The veins seemed to be underneath the skin, which made him frown and ask, “Does this mean you have to avoid seeing him for the rest of your life? How do you remove the worm?”
Que Siming sighed, “To remove the worm, it requires the blood of the mother worm’s host to lure it out. I can’t see him, but I must find him; otherwise, I don’t know how long I can endure.”
“Will… this lead to death?”
Que Siming shook his head, “No, the child worm only leaves marks on my temples at first. Over time, it crawls up to the center of my forehead. When it congregates there, I will completely lose my mind and memory, becoming a puppet of the mother worm’s host.”
Jinbao felt a chill run down his spine. The blood worm was truly terrifying; once successful, it could fully control a person. He looked into Que Siming’s eyes and asked, “How much time do you have left? Has the worm already crawled over most of your eyes?”
“If Yu Mingjing had taken me back then, I would have become his puppet, completely under his control within three months. However, I’ve been protected by my master all these years, and Yu Mingjing has been unable to get close to me. The child worm, deprived of the mother worm’s blood, remains in a dormant state, growing very slowly. It has only reached this stage after thirteen years. But slow growth doesn’t mean it stops growing. If I don’t remove the blood worm soon, eventually, I will become a soulless corpse.”
Jinbao inhaled sharply, “Then… since you can’t get close to Yu Mingjing, maybe someone else can kill him and bring back his blood.”
Que Siming nodded, “But his blood must be fresh. Even if it’s been out for the time it takes to burn an incense stick, it won’t be effective. I am hiding from him while searching for him, and he is doing the same. He has to avoid me while trying to find me. Although Yu Mingjing is skilled in dark arts, his martial abilities are mediocre. After thirteen years apart, the blood worm’s potency has greatly diminished. If I remain strong-willed, it is possible to escape his control before the child worm is fully mature. If he rashly approaches me, he might be captured by me or my companions. However, I’ve never been under the mother worm’s control, so I don’t know its full power and can’t take reckless risks. Therefore, I also can’t approach him. We are in this deadlock, but he can wait, while I cannot.”
“So, you came here to…”
“No, I haven’t yet found Yu Mingjing’s exact whereabouts. But I’ve heard that the Wu family’s soldiers have been spotted in Xiangbi Village, about ten miles away. They have had contact with Yu Mingjing, so finding them might lead to clues about him.”
Jinbao nodded, “So, why did you bring me…”
Que Siming proudly said, “My matters are your matters.”
Jinbao forced a smile, “If I come across such a villain like Yu Mingjing, I’ll help you deal with him.”
Que Siming leaned in and pinched his face, “That’s right. Just like when we were young. I hated him, so you followed suit. Now that I have a mortal feud with him, it’s the same as you having a grudge against him. If he tries to harm me, you need to protect me, or you’re not a man.”
“Why do you keep bringing up whether I’m a man or not? Setting that aside, if something happens to you, what will my master do? I’ll protect you with my life.”
The physician found this response quite displeasing and his face darkened immediately, “Master, master, that useless Jin Xiaobao—what’s so worthy of your loyalty?”
Jinbao opened his mouth to retort but couldn’t come up with anything praiseworthy about his master, making his eyes twitch in frustration. “We… we have a good relationship. We grew up together.”
“When you called him ‘master,’ Jin Xiaobao was not even around. Now, my situation is even more dangerous than Jin Xiaobao’s. Why aren’t you so worried about me? Hmm?” Que Siming pinched his chin and said fiercely.
Jinbao wanted to say that he was tall and healthy, and it was hard to see him in danger, but he didn’t dare. He hesitated and explained, “I didn’t forget, it’s just…”
Que Siming jumped up and threw himself at Jinbao, “How dare you use that as an excuse! My father died unjustly because he wanted a son to continue his lineage with a damn stone. Now, the bloodline will end with me because of you. If my parents knew how you treated me, they would never forgive you, even from the afterlife.”
Jinbao was terrified by these words, his mind racing with fear. He quickly covered Que Siming’s mouth, “You… you can’t say such things!”
The idea of being cursed for causing the extinction of a lineage was terrifying enough. On top of that, the thought of facing an angry spirit in the afterlife made Jinbao shudder. He wondered what kind of sin he had committed to deserve such torment, both mentally and morally.
Que Siming stuck out his tongue and lightly teased Jinbao’s palm. Jinbao, startled, quickly pulled his hand away.
The physician leaned in with a warning tone, “So, will you be good to me in the future?”
Jinbao nodded vigorously, “Yes! Yes! I will be good!”
“How good?”
“Uh… as good as I am to my master.”
“No. Do you dare compare me to Jin Xiaobao?”
“Then… even better than my master… is that good enough?”
“You must put me first.”
Jinbao was earnest and couldn’t lie. He wasn’t sure how to actually achieve this, and with Que Siming pressing him for promises, he felt increasingly uneasy.
Que Siming narrowed his eyes, “My father is watching…”
Jinbao was terrified, feeling as if a chilling aura was suddenly rising behind him, as if a pair of vengeful eyes were glaring at him. He quickly nodded vigorously, “First! First!”
Que Siming then beamed with satisfaction, giving Jinbao a kiss on the lips before turning over and resting his head on Jinbao’s lap. “Come on, give me a head massage.”
Jinbao’s cold hands gently massaged Que Siming’s head.
“By the way, haven’t you eaten?”
Jinbao thought, “If I really apply force, I could crush your skull.”
Que Siming lazily said, “If you curse me in your heart, I can’t hear it, but my father can.”
Jinbao was on the verge of tears, “Physician, please spare me.”
The physician smiled contentedly.
