Xie Lin Lang hadn’t thought about this incident in a very long time, but her eyes couldn’t help but grow watery thinking about it even now.
The Empress saved her life. In addition to secretly setting her free, she also respected her wishes and gave her a male identity, allowing her to start anew.
She was thankful for all of the kindness that she had been given. However, the clearest memory carved into her mind was still the very first hug that she received. The one that started with the cloak being placed on her back, then into a careful and warm embrace.
It was the Empress that carried her out of the dungeon. The moment that Xie Lin Lang saw the light of day again, she was also able to see the Empress’ face clearly. And at that moment in her mind, she told herself that this was a person worth protecting with her life. But…
Suddenly, Qin Jue leaned in close from the side and spoke very quietly.
“Are you…thinking about her?”
She nodded, instantly pulling herself out of her pessimism and replied with a smile, “Of course, not only am I thankful for her, I’m also thankful for you too!”
“Why?”
“Because after the Empress had let me out of the palace, she often took me to see you.”
Her eyes curved into a smile and she sighed, lost in thoughts, “At that time I vowed to her that since she saved me once, I will repay the debt that I owed her ten-fold. But in the end, she only smiled and declined, saying that she had a motive for doing good deeds. And that motive was you.”
As she spoke, she sat up straighter and looked into Qin Jue’s eyes.
“You had a fever during that time. You were very sluggish and dazed so you probably don’t remember. While the Empress was taking care of you, she told me about your naturally frail body and that the imperial physician had concluded that you won’t be able to survive past thirty. That’s why she wanted to do more good deeds and accumulate good blessings so that all those blessings could be passed on to you.”
Qin Jue’s body immediately turned rigid. Blessings?
Having his whole clan massacred and being forced to barely stay alive and survive against the world on his own? What part of this was considered a blessing?
Moreover, after all the good deeds his mother had done, she still faced a demise so harsh that she ended her life by committing suicide from extreme grief. This type of ending, was this what they meant by a blessing?
Qin Jue’s expression quickly darkened. Suddenly, Xie Lin Lang reached over and pinched his face with both her hands. She stretched his cheeks very forcefully to the side, disliking the darkened expression he was showing.
“What are you thinking about? Good people will be rewarded! Look at all the good deeds the Empress had done for you! And then I appeared, didn’t I? Are you telling me that I don’t look like a walking blessing?!”
The darkness barely even had a chance to crawl at Qin Jue’s heart before his mind cleared up in an instant. He looked at Xie Lin Lang speechlessly and dumbfounded. Then, he reached out, removed Xie Ling Lang’s hand from his face, and laid down with his back to her. It seemed like he was going straight to sleep without answering her question.
How could Xie Lin Lang accept this?
What’s with this brat’s attitude? She was literally a walking cheat sheet by his side, okay?! If this didn’t count as a blessing then what does?
She crawled from his left side to his right, facing him again and spoke straight to his face.
“Hey, what did you mean by that? Are you looking down on me, huh?! Ever since we were little, what was there that I wasn’t good at?! To have the privilege of receiving my debt of gratitude is worth eight of your lifetimes of blessings!”
Hearing her agitated speech, Qin Jue turned his back to her face once again.
Xie Lin Lang became even more angry! She crawled back to the left side. While kneeling in front of him, she spoke seriously.
“You know, I can feel that you are beginning to accept me in your heart again. Since that’s the case, I suggest you should just BaiShi sooner than later! That way, I can just pass on my secrets to you and you can start your life anew. Soon you’ll be making your way to the pinnacle of life!”
But before she could even finish her sentence, Qin Jue suddenly reached an arm out and pulled her down, immediately stuffing her into the blanket. Just when she was about to escape the blanket and continue arguing with him again, he shut his eyes and spoke with despair.
“Don’t move.”
His body pressed onto hers. Upon seeing that she really stopped moving, his voice gradually softened up unconsciously.
“Yes…you’re a blessing, alright? Can we sleep now?”
She instantly regained her energy!
“Really? Then what about me do you think is a blessing?”
He thought for a moment, then softly replied, “You can warm up hands during winter.”
“…And?”
“That’s all.”
“You…!”
“Go sleep.”
The moment he pulled the curtains down, the entire carriage submerged into darkness. Although Xie Lin Lang was completely pressed down, her face was still full of resistance! Surely her abilities weren’t limited to just warming hands. He was completely looking down on her!
Just you wait! The day will come when Qin Jue is so shocked by her abilities that he kneels on the floor begging to be her disciple!
Amidst the self-encouraging thoughts in her mind, she soon fell asleep.
After she had fallen asleep, Qin Jue, who had his eyes closed, now opened them and looked at her quietly through the darkness.
If good people were rewarded, why did his mother still die in the end? Or is it true that his mother really left him all of her blessings so that the heavens will send Xie Lin Lang to him?
Thinking about this, Qin Jue sneakily leaned in a little closer and took a deep breath, as if he wanted to memorize Xie Lin Lang’s scent in his mind.
After a long while, he smiled lightly.
He was sure now, this person in front of him was his blessing.
*
As the carriage continued down South, in this frenzy of a rush, Xie Lin Lang estimated that it wouldn’t take more than seven days until they arrive at Xiang City.
While they were having solid food for lunch one day, Xie Lin Lang sat in the shaft examining the map. With a mouth full of food, she spoke to Qin Jue.
“This Xiang City has both water and mountains, how did it become a place for exile? I think it has an excellent location!”
Qin Jue was dressing his wounds as he replied to her in a low tone.
“Because the location of the mountains isn’t convenient. In order to enter Xiang City, you would need to pass through the QiLian Mountain Range. But the QiLian Mountain Range is steep, the grounds are uneven, and the whole mountain is infested with poisonous snakes. It’s very difficult to govern Xiang City with the mountains located in between. On top of that, Xiang City also greatly lacks fertile soil and it’s also a city located on the edge of the country’s border. Hence, it gradually became the land of exile.”
Hearing his explanation, Xie Lin Lang pondered thoroughly for a minute, and soon her face opened up into a smile.
“In other words, it’s a place hidden behind tall mountains where even the Emperor can’t reach. And if I went, I could become the local tyrant?”
He glanced at her, “Local tyrant?”
“Yeah!” She answered, crawling into the carriage and taking out a certification of employment tucked in her clothing.
“Behold! Do you see this? My mission coming down here wasn’t only just to escort you, but also to take over the county magistrate position in Xiang City! With me backing you up as the head of Xiang City, you can literally do anything you want even in exile!”
Qin Jue chuckled. As he tidied up his clothes, he thought to himself, how regretful would Xie Lin Lang be once she actually sees Xiang City. No one knew better than him as to how poor of a place Xiang City was. It was a place that has been abandoned.
Just when he was about to talk, Xie Lin Lang’s constantly playful face abruptly changed and she immediately went to cover his mouth! She listened for a while while holding her breath, then whispered with a hushed voice.
“Don’t make a sound. Bring your things and exit the carriage quietly, we’re leaving.”
Seeing her sudden solemn attitude, Qin Jue realized the situation was serious. Soon, they had exited the carriage.
After getting out, Xie Lin Lang skillfully untied the carriage from the back of the horse, pulling Qin Jue onto the horse, spurring the horse, and the two rushed off.