Unarmored | Chapter 28 | A Time for Parting | Novela.app

The sun dipped toward the west, casting a sallow hue over the world and stretching shadows into long, thin lines. At the Muerhe Ferry, the final crossing boat of the day was set to depart in the time it took a stick of incense to burn. The rushing waters of the Hun River were now free of floating ice; the turbid currents were slowly clearing as the rainy season waned. Xiao Nanhui gazed at the darkening surface of the river, feeling a sudden surge of emotion. When she had first set foot on this land, she never could have imagined she would experience so many upheavals in just a few short days. Not far behind her, Hao Bai finished binding Li Jingsheng and securing him onto the boat. He stepped back onto the shore to bid the group farewell. "I must thank you all for your assistance; without it, I could not have fulfilled the task entrusted to me by my clan elders. As we part ways today, I know not when we shall meet again." Zhongli Jing returned the gesture with a slight bow, his etiquette impeccable. "If fate wills it, we shall meet. However, I wonder how we should address you when that day comes?" Hao Bai gave a hearty laugh, his teeth appearing several shades whiter than his dark complexion. "My true name is Qu Mo. However, my family established a rule long ago that one must not use their real name while traveling abroad. 'Hao Bai' is the name I use in the martial world; you may all continue to call me that in the future." Xiao Nanhui suppressed a chuckle as she listened. *Qu Mo—'Ink.' What a fitting name.* Given how dark his skin was, how did he have the face to call himself "Hao Bai"—"Very White"? Hao Bai seemed to sense Xiao Nanhui’s expression, and his gaze drifted toward her. "I wonder, when we next meet, should I address Brother Yao as a young master or a young lady?" Xiao Nanhui’s expression instantly turned solemn. "Master Hao, you jest. I have always conducted myself with uprightness and transparency; I have no secrets to hide. Besides, we have been most considerate of your circumstances, yet you turn around to probe mine—what kind of logic is that?" In truth, she knew that as a physician, it would be as easy as turning over his hand for him to discern her true gender. She was simply determined to be stubborn to the end, refusing to admit it even if it killed her. In this martial world, who didn't wear a layer of disguise? Hao Bai blinked, intentionally putting on a wounded look as he theatrically clutched his chest. "I never thought Brother Yao would view me so. I admit I was a bit dark at birth, but surely not so much as to warrant the name 'Ink.' Alas, my name was given by my parents and cannot be changed. In my heart, I truly prefer others to call me Hao Bai, and I use it with everyone I befriend. I never intended to deceive." *Hmph, excuses.* Xiao Nanhui offered a thin smile, preparing to see him off. "There is no need for explanations, Brother Hao. Though our journey was arduous, it has reached a successful conclusion. Let us consider this the forging of a good bond. In the future..." She had intended to offer a polite platitude about the vastness of the world and the uncertainty of future meetings, but he cut her off, seizing the opportunity. "In the future, I shall certainly visit Brother Yao in Que City. You must not forget me then." *How thick-skinned.* To her surprise, he spoke again in the next breath, his audacity reaching new heights. "There is one more matter. Though it is an impertinent request, I hope Brother Yao might assist me." She looked at him warily. "What is it?" Hao Bai pointed toward the horses, Ji Xiang and Hua Qiu, who were wandering nearby with Bailao. "My journey home is urgent, and I cannot afford to travel as leisurely as I did when I arrived. It is difficult to purchase a horse at the ferry, and I fear it will cause a delay of several days. I would like to ask Brother Yao to part with one of your horses and lend it to me. Once I reach home, I will find a way to return it as quickly as possible." Lend a horse? Xiao Nanhui felt a bit conflicted. "It isn't a matter of being unwilling to part with them. It's just that my horses have difficult temperaments; I fear an outsider might not be able to handle them..." Hao Bai’s face visibly fell. The ferry was a chaotic place of transit where everyone was in a hurry; there truly was no one else he could turn to. She hesitated, but before she could speak, a cool voice interjected. "Does Master Yao’s servant not have a horse of his own? Why not lend that one to Master Hao first?" Xiao Nanhui glanced at Zhongli Jing. "If Hua Qiu is gone, what will Bailao ride?" "Little brother Bailao can ride Master Yao’s horse. If Master Yao does not mind, you may share my carriage. We are both taking the mountain roads back to Que City; our paths should align." He paused for a beat before adding, with pointed timing, "My carriage is quite spacious. Master Yao need not have any concerns." With him blocking her options from both sides, Xiao Nanhui would seem incredibly petty if she refused. Besides, there was the Secret Seal. One way or another, she needed to keep an eye on that hard-won prize. If she let that man stay in the carriage alone, there was no telling what tricks he might pull. She was no match for his labyrinthine mind; it was better to watch him with her own eyes. "Very well." Xiao Nanhui nodded. After giving a few instructions, she handed Hua Qiu over to Hao Bai. Hao Bai offered another round of profuse thanks. Before leaving, he stealthily pressed two large boxes into Xiao Nanhui’s hands, calling them a token of gratitude. By the time he had settled the horse, the hour was exactly right. The ferry slowly pulled away from the shore. Hao Bai’s conspicuous white robes stood out brightly at the stern before finally vanishing across the river. Once the last boat had departed, the merchants and travelers on the shore mostly dispersed, leaving only a few scattered trackers tidying the ropes on the pier. Ding Weixiang brought the hitched carriage around. He moved to assist Zhongli Jing inside, but paused the moment he touched the other man's hand. The skin beneath his touch was as cold as snow. He instinctively reached to check the pulse, but Zhongli Jing pulled away. "It is nothing." Ding Weixiang’s face turned pale with alarm, but since his master forbade the touch, he dared not overstep. He could only drop to one knee to beg for forgiveness. "This subordinate failed to look after Master. I deserve ten thousand deaths." Zhongli Jing merely waved a hand dismissively, indicating he would not pursue the matter. Ding Weixiang was familiar with that expression. Even when ill, his master’s face rarely changed, but there was a faint, barely perceptible lethargy in his eyes that could be discerned upon closer inspection. By now, Bailao had mounted his horse. Xiao Nanhui approached, clutching the boxes Hao Bai had given her. She was about to say that she would be troubling them by taking up space in the carriage when she was met by two dagger-like glares from Ding Weixiang. The smile froze on her face, and her polite words were choked back. Zhongli Jing had already climbed into the carriage. Ding Weixiang gave her two more harsh looks before vaulting onto the driver's seat from the other side. Feeling somewhat bewildered, she scratched her head and climbed into the carriage herself. The interior was quiet, the soundproofing and sealing excellent. Everything was clean and orderly, with not a single superfluous item in sight. Zhongli Jing sat in the far left corner, his eyes lightly closed. He did not say a word even as he heard her enter. The carriage began to move. It was getting late, and they needed to reach the border of Huo Prefecture before total darkness fell; they likely wouldn't stop again along the way. The light filtering through the window gradually shifted from warm to cold, growing dim. The carriage remained silent. Sitting beside him, Xiao Nanhui felt unaccustomed to this strange atmosphere. The scene of seizing the Secret Seal flashed through her mind. Searching for a topic to break the silence, she asked, "Why... why didn't you kill An Lü?" Zhongli Jing was separated from her by the width of a cushion. Though only half of his profile was visible, he maintained his trademark composure. Her question was somewhat abrupt, yet he answered quickly, as if he had known she would ask. "Even a lone bee will eventually return to its hive." As expected, he hadn't truly let An Lü go; he was merely waiting for a bigger fish to take the bait. An Lü was nothing more than the lure he had cast out. Perhaps because that boy was like her—a pitiful soul without parents, drifting for years—she still felt a measure of pity in her heart. "Actually, I think An Lü is only fifteen or sixteen. He might not have that many schemes. Now that the item is in our hands, the person using him probably won't look for him again. Besides, he's in Huo Prefecture. If you have to keep an eye on him even after returning to Que City, it'll be a lot of trouble, don't you think?" Zhongli Jing said nothing. He didn't even bother to turn his head, merely shifting his gaze to give her a look. Xiao Nanhui recognized that look. It said: *You don't know a damn thing.* *Hmph. Fine, don't talk then. It's none of my business anyway.* She started to turn away but stopped suddenly, looking back at the man beside her. Something definitely felt wrong. After looking at her, Zhongli Jing had closed his eyes again. His lips were pale, and the hair at his temples was damp; he seemed to be sweating. "Hey?" There was no response. She instinctively reached out and touched his arm, but even through the fabric, she felt an abnormal heat. When she touched his forehead and palms, they were burning. Xiao Nanhui was startled and immediately called out. "Ding—" Before she could finish the name, a hand clamped firmly over her mouth. "What are you shouting for? I'm not dead yet." Xiao Nanhui turned her head tremulously, meeting a pair of pitch-black eyes. His burning breath was right by her ear, so close she could see his eyelashes dampened by cold sweat. No wonder he hadn't moved since getting into the carriage. He was clearly in extreme discomfort. He must have caught a chill back in the swamp; he'd had no time to rest and had been forcing himself to endure until now, when he could hold out no longer. In truth, if one counted from the end of the Zhuming Festival the night before last, to chasing Zou Sifang into the marsh yesterday, to this evening—they hadn't closed their eyes for nearly two days and nights. This man truly knew how to endure. His fingers, slightly hot from the fever, slowly moved away from her lips. He pointed weakly toward a corner. "There are several porcelain bottles in that chest. Give me the green one." Considering he was a patient, Xiao Nanhui didn't take offense at his commanding tone. She turned the large chest in the corner upside down until she found the medicine and handed it to him. "Since you're in this state, why didn't you say something earlier? Even if Hao Bai was in a hurry to leave, we could have at least gone back into the city to find a physician, rather than suffering out here in the wilderness." "I am in a hurry to return." He expertly opened the bottle, poured out two pills, and swallowed them without even a drop of water. "Besides, suffering is better than losing one's life." Xiao Nanhui fell silent. He was right. Though they seemed to have won a great victory, they were still surrounded by danger. Until they left the borders of Huo Prefecture, nothing was settled. They might not be the only ones who knew about An Lü; and then there was the mysterious person behind An Lü who had never appeared—were they watching from the shadows even now? At this thought, her groggy head snapped upright. She solemnly assumed a cross-legged meditative posture used in the military, lifting the carriage curtain every so often to observe the surroundings. However, the rhythmic swaying of the carriage and the steady drone of the wheels were powerful sedatives. She managed to hold out for less than half an hour before she slumped over, falling into a dead sleep. Beside her, the man who had been resting quietly since taking the medicine slowly opened his eyes. He glanced at the person sprawled on the floor: her high-bound hair had partially come loose, her clothes were badly twisted beneath her, and she looked like a common drunkard. Only her face, softened by deep sleep, lacked the stubborn sharpness it held when she was awake. In truth, even at her fiercest, she never quite reached the level of "sharpness." At most, she was merely putting on a show of bravado. It was the look of someone who had never truly been broken. Though her hand was heavy, her heart could never be truly cruel. Zhongli Jing watched her for a moment, then suddenly pulled a blanket from the side and tossed it over the person on the floor. The blanket fell, covering the woman's head completely. Only then did true peace seem to settle over the carriage. Zhongli Jing shifted his position and softly closed his eyes. *** **Glossary** Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation --- | --- | --- 瞿墨 | Qu Mo | Hao Bai's real name. "Mo" means ink. 墨 | Mo | Ink; black. 白 | Bai | White. 穆尔赫渡口 | Muerhe Ferry | A ferry crossing point. 昏河 | Hun River | A river mentioned in the text. 霍州 | Huozhou | Huo Prefecture. 朱明祭 | Zhuming Festival | A festival mentioned in the previous context. 邹思防 | Zou Sifang | A character mentioned as being pursued into the swamp. 吉祥 | Ji Xiang | One of the horses (name means "Auspicious"). 花虬 | Hua Qiu | One of the horses.