Chapter 220: Early Apricot Blossoms

Xie Wei’s injury caused quite a stir in Xinzhou City.

Fortunately, the incident happened on the city gate tower, where few people witnessed it firsthand. The few who did see what happened were discreetly silenced, preventing any widespread rumors. As a result, only a very small circle knew that the event had anything to do with the so-called “Second Miss Ning.”

Most people assumed it was an assassination attempt.

Within two days, the story spread and grew more elaborate—talks of assassins striking in broad daylight, scaling rooftops, and even injuring people with plucked leaves. Some swore that this was a desperate move by the defeated Tatars, who, unable to swallow their humiliation, had sent someone to assassinate the young master Xie as revenge.

“Isn’t this just like the Tatars? They begged for peace on their knees, but in their hearts, they’re still unwilling to accept defeat. General Yan is too skilled in martial arts and always in the military camp—too difficult to take down. But the young master? He’s a top-ranked scholar, a fragile scholar—an easy target for an assassin! But Heaven has eyes! He was protected this time, and they won’t find it easy to try again!”

…

In a teahouse below the city gate tower, a few idle tea drinkers were passionately discussing the matter, gesturing wildly as they spoke, while their audience listened intently.

A fragile scholar?

Sitting in the corner of the teahouse, Jiang Xuening couldn’t help but smirk silently.

Back during the Tongzhou siege against the Heaven Sect, Xie Ju’an had shot an arrow from afar, piercing through Xiao Dingfei’s shoulder. That moment was still fresh in her mind. If anyone dared to call him a “fragile scholar,” Xiao Dingfei—who had suffered firsthand—would be the first to jump up and bash their head in.

But since she was the one behind this so-called “assassination” of Xie Wei, she had no intention of clarifying the matter. Instead, she casually lifted the teapot beside her and poured herself half a cup of tea before glancing diagonally across the street.

She had been wandering the city streets these past few days.

Originally, she was merely strolling about, but Xinzhou City was only so big. Inevitably, she would always find herself near the city gate tower. The blacksmith shop that Xie Wei had once forcefully dragged her to look down upon was just nearby.

With spring approaching, farmers would soon be busy working the fields, so the demand for farming tools seemed high, keeping the blacksmith shop bustling.

An old blacksmith with a graying beard was frowning as he instructed his apprentice, occasionally pointing at the forge and the furnace.

Blacksmith Zhou was one of the few remaining old smiths in Xinzhou. Since the town wasn’t large, most of the locals turned to him whenever they needed tools, making him well-known in the area.

However, few actually knew his full name.

The only thing everyone remembered was that he was an elderly man surnamed Zhou. For convenience, people simply called him “Blacksmith Zhou” or respectfully referred to him as “Master Zhou.”

Blacksmithing was a business built on trust.

If a plowhead forged in his shop failed to till the soil, or if there was any shortchanging in materials, customers could bring it back for compensation. Over the years, there had been virtually no complaints—his reputation was the best in the trade in Xinzhou.

Because of this, he had a good rapport with the locals.

Even the nearby teahouse staff would occasionally bring over some tea.

The smithy was hot, and even in winter, the workers would sweat. Without enough water, it was hard to endure.

But today, when the teahouse worker brought over another batch of freshly brewed tea, Blacksmith Zhou’s gaze involuntarily drifted to the young woman sitting in the corner of the teahouse.

She wore a snow-white Liu Xian-style dress, with deep blue cloud patterns embroidered along the collar and cuffs. A sheer layer of primrose-colored crepe covered her outer robes. She wore little makeup, yet her beauty was striking—like a lotus emerging from clear waters, more captivating than even the gilded statues in the temple.

If he wasn’t mistaken, hadn’t this girl been sitting there for two days already?

To say she had something to do, she never actually stepped into the blacksmith shop; yet to say she had nothing to do, every afternoon for the past few days, the moment he stepped out, he would see her gazing at the glowing forge.

However, she always left before nightfall.

The next afternoon, she would return—sometimes earlier, sometimes later.

Not only Blacksmith Zhou but also several young apprentices in the shop had noticed her presence. But since the young lady was extraordinarily beautiful, they only dared to sneak glances at her from time to time, whispering among themselves. Not a single one had the nerve to strike up a conversation.

The sun was gradually slanting westward.

The apricot trees beside the blacksmith shop had already formed buds, and a few blossoms had bloomed on the branches. Their pale pink petals were tinged with the hues of twilight, making for a striking sight.

The streets were thinning out, and the chatter in the teahouse was also dwindling as patrons took their leave.

The girl would likely leave soon as well.

Blacksmith Zhou idly mused over this thought, drank his tea, and rolled up his sleeves, securing them at his arms. He then retrieved a glowing-hot sword billet from the embers and began hammering it rhythmically.

Only when he had evenly forged every section did he lift it, weigh it in his hands, and finally pause to wipe his sweat, taking a brief rest.

But when he looked up, he was surprised to see that the girl had unknowingly walked over to the apricot tree, where the early blossoms had begun to bloom.

Startled, he instinctively spoke, despite not knowing her: “Spring comes late in the northern lands, but the blacksmith shop is always giving off heat. That’s why the flowers and trees here tend to bloom earlier than elsewhere. It’s the same every year.”

Jiang Xuening was momentarily taken aback. “Is that so?”

Blacksmith Zhou nodded. “I’ve seen you sitting outside for a few days now, watching the smithy but never stepping in. Are you troubled by something?”

Troubled?

Not exactly.

She had only been trying to sort through her thoughts. Every time she wandered here, she unknowingly sat down and ended up staying the whole afternoon.

Jiang Xuening gently shook her head. “I appreciate your concern, but there’s nothing troubling me. I’ve just been out for a walk. I happened to pass by and saw how lively the smithy always is, with the constant clanging of metal. I also noticed you’ve been forging that sword for several days now, yet it’s still unfinished. I must have gotten lost in thought watching it for too long.”

Blacksmith Zhou glanced at the sword billet and chuckled.

Stroking his graying beard, he perked up slightly as he spoke about his trade. “Steel, after all, starts as raw ore from the mountains—it’s just pig iron after the first smelt. To become truly refined, it must be heated to a glow and hammered a thousand times to remove impurities, only then achieving both strength and flexibility, sharp enough to slice through hair and jade alike. But the days of ‘hundred-forged steel’ are long past. Nowadays, we refine iron into molten steel, and the finest weapons must undergo ‘ten thousand reforgings.’ Ten days or half a month to complete one? That’s considered quick.”

Hundred-forged steel, ten-thousand-reforged swords.

Jiang Xuening’s gaze drifted past Blacksmith Zhou to the towering furnace behind him, where molten iron was being smelted. Her eyes flickered with thought as she murmured, “That truly sounds arduous.”

Blacksmith Zhou laughed. “How could it not be?”

As he spoke, he bent down and pulled the bellows hard, making the flames in the furnace roar higher.

Without looking up, he added, “Even people face hardships in life—diseases, disasters, and difficulties. How could a sword be exempt?”

Jiang Xuening lifted her gaze slightly, watching the apricot blossoms in full bloom on the branches.

When Blacksmith Zhou finished his work and stood up, he noticed her expression and said, “If you like them, go ahead and pick a branch.”

Jiang Xuening remained still.

Blacksmith Zhou’s wrinkled features softened with the warmth of an elder as he added, “My little granddaughter always picks a couple of branches when she sees these apricots blooming early. It’s nothing to worry about.”

Jiang Xuening did indeed like these early-blooming apricot blossoms. Hearing his words, she smiled, rose slightly onto her toes, and plucked a small branch barely longer than her palm. Then, she bowed slightly and said, “Thank you, Master Zhou.”

On the branch, a dozen delicate apricot flowers clustered together in three small bunches.

A number of the apricot blossoms had already opened, while some buds remained shyly closed, but they all looked stunning in her delicate, fair hands.

Blacksmith Zhou smiled widely and waved his hands repeatedly. “Oh, it’s nothing, just a single branch of flowers.”

He then noticed the sun was setting and pointed to the sky. “It’s getting late. Shouldn’t you head home? What’s the worst that could happen? A good night’s sleep, and tomorrow it will be fine.”

Jiang Xuening lowered her gaze and smiled faintly, not saying much more.

Indeed, the hour was late, and she figured it was time to head back. She bade Blacksmith Zhou farewell.

The slanting sunlight dipped behind the horizon, and the street grew empty and quiet.

Jiang Xuening walked further away.

Blacksmith Zhou lingered under the eaves for a while, watching. He saw the young lady, at some point, casually walking with her hands behind her back, apricot blossoms loosely hanging between her fingers. She seemed so at peace, like she was perfectly content in her surroundings.

---

When Jiang Xuening returned to the General’s Mansion, she happened to encounter a few fine horses coming through the side gate, kicking up some dust. The lead horse, however, appeared to notice her and stopped right at the entrance of the mansion.

Yan Lin was seated atop the horse.

He wore a dark-colored, sleek outfit that looked sharp and tidy. But when he gazed at Jiang Xuening, his brow furrowed slightly. It seemed like he had a lot to say, but as he was no longer the reckless, carefree young man he once was, he hesitated in silence.

These past days, Jiang Xuening had been wandering outside, so she had not run into the others in the mansion much, especially since Yan Lin was often out early and returning late, spending most of his time at the army camp. Naturally, they hadn’t had a chance to cross paths.

It seemed that Yan Lin had been thinking about the injury to Xie Wei as well.

Jiang Xuening appeared to sense his silence and broke the quiet with a smile. “Are you heading to the camp again?”

Yan Lin wasn’t an outsider. He didn’t witness the events at the city gate, but he knew the general details. Seeing her so calm as if nothing had happened made it harder for him to speak out.

He paused for a long while, wanting to say something but unsure what. Eventually, he simply said, “Ning Ning, I stand with you.”

Jiang Xuening was momentarily stunned but then smiled in return. She didn’t treat his words lightly, instead replying seriously, “Okay.”

Only then did Yan Lin turn his horse and leave.

The others quickly followed behind him.

The horses soon disappeared at the end of the street.

Jiang Xuening continued her way into the mansion, but halfway down a quiet corridor, she paused for a moment. Eventually, she decided to follow the path and continue forward.

In the secluded courtyard, there were few attendants.

As she entered, she saw Jian Shu carrying an empty medicinal bowl out of the room. When he saw her, he froze in place.

The door hadn’t yet been closed.

From inside, one could still see outside.

Perhaps noticing Jian Shu’s pause and the change in his demeanor, someone inside the room hesitated and called out, “Aren’t you coming in?”

Jiang Xuening knew the voice was directed at her, but she replied, “No, I’m just here to ask about Zhou Yinzhi’s situation. Have you found anything?”

Xie Wei answered from behind the window, “No news yet.”

Jiang Xuening lowered her eyelids slightly, suppressing the slight annoyance rising in her heart. “I still don’t trust this person. After thinking it over, leaving him in Xizhou is a risk. It’s better to arrest him and lock him up first, to prevent him from causing trouble. If we clear his name later, we can release him.”

Xie Wei coughed lightly. “Aren’t you worried he will harbor resentment?”

Jiang Xuening replied, “What resentment could a fence-sitter have? He knows when to yield. He won’t make trouble.”

Xie Wei then said, “In that case, let Dao Qin handle it.”

Jiang Xuening nodded slightly, stood still for a moment, then glanced at the small branch of apricot blossoms in her fingers. “Tomorrow, I need to send Fangyin and Ren Weizhi off to leave Xizhou. There will be some things to attend to, so I’ll have to come another day.”

Xie Wei replied, “Then we’ll change the day.”

Jiang Xuening heard his voice, which seemed the same as usual, but the lingering scent of herbs in the courtyard made the air feel slightly bitter and dry, as though it had touched her tongue. Her mind began to wander, and she recalled the conversation from that day.

She slowly turned the apricot blossom in her hand. “Perhaps you were right. I may be just like any other ordinary person in the world. But in this world, there are all kinds of people. Some love someone so much that they will try every means to be with them. But others, when they love someone, might simply want the other person to be at peace and happy, without necessarily expecting anything in return. These two types of people are not better or worse than each other. Zhang Zhe was like coal in the snow, a light in the dark room, a boat on a dangerous river. Even if he has become a memory of ‘once cared for,’ I would rather not hear anyone speak ill of him. Xie Ju’an, let’s not mention him again, shall we?”

Jian Shu stood still at the door, hesitant to make a sound.

The room was quiet.

Jiang Xuening couldn’t see the expression of the person inside. After a long silence, she finally heard a calm, deep voice say, “Okay.”

At that moment, she couldn’t quite understand the emotions stirring inside her.

A breeze passed through the corridor, making the pink petals tremble.

Jiang Xuening raised her hand lightly and, before leaving, silently placed the small branch of apricot blossoms on the windowsill.

Jian Shu stood there, stunned.

After Jiang Xuening left, he put the lacquer tray with the medicinal bowl aside and took the branch of apricot flowers from the windowsill, returning to the room to present it to Xie Wei.

Xie Wei was reclining on a soft couch by the window.

Zhou Qihuang’s medical skills were undoubtedly exquisite, and after several days of rest, his wounds had started to heal, though his face still looked pale and weakened. He appeared not much different from before.

Jian Shu quietly said, “The second Miss Ning placed this on the windowsill just now.”

Xie Wei reached out and took the branch.

The break in the small branch still had fresh marks where it was snapped. The pale pinkish-white petals, blooming in this late winter and early spring period of the northern land, looked fragile and tender—almost inconceivable.

Where did apricot blossoms bloom this early?

In that moment, Xie Wei stared at the delicate pink blossoms and felt as if his heart itself had softened and melted. It was a feeling of contentment, like a dream, but his smile, though faint, added a layer of quiet warmth and tranquility.

His gaze shifted, and Xie Wei looked out the door.

The sun was setting in the west, and everything around was still.

Jian Shu, not daring to interrupt, waited in silence for a while until Xie Wei finally turned his attention back. Then he spoke softly, “About what Miss Ning said earlier, should I have Dao Qin handle it?”

Xie Wei nodded slightly.

Jian Shu bowed and was about to leave, but halfway through, he hesitated and stopped, as though something had come to mind.

Xie Wei looked at him.

Jian Shu hesitated for a moment before asking, “Miss Ning’s intention is to capture him alive and lock him up to prevent trouble. But if…”

Xie Wei’s brows raised slightly, his gaze still fixed on the small branch of apricot flowers, not at all concerned about Zhou Yinzhi. His voice was calm and indifferent as he responded, “Then capture a dead one.”

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