Chapter 6 Sima Nan

  The man didn't say a word, picked me up and took me to another room, putting me on the bed. I don't know what he used, but he fiddled with something around my neck for a while, maybe it was anesthetic, I couldn't feel any pain at all, just my head being lifted up and down, making me dizzy. After a while, the movement stopped, and I finally regained some consciousness, opening my eyes to look at the man in front of me, his face still covered with a mask.

  "I've wronged you a lot." The man said, and then began to remove my outer jacket. Although it was the outermost layer of clothing, as Wan Ri Cheng's long sword pierced in, it still brought in some fabric. When it reached the wound, it suddenly activated the painful nerves, and I cried out in pain. In the next second, I completely lost consciousness.

  "Dad, what's this? You're making me learn it! I haven't even mastered Chinese characters yet!"

  "This is our family's heirloom, it must be passed down from generation to generation, Liu Liu must learn it seriously."

  "What's the point of learning this? Do other kids know how to do it?"

  "Hmm, this is a bit hard to explain, let's wait until you're a bit older and Daddy will tell you then, okay?"

  "Good."

  "However, Liu Liu, you must remember that fortune and misfortune are entirely dependent on oneself; when grievances disappear, blessings will arrive."

  "What's this? Father? Father?"

  It was all just a dream after all.

  "I'm awake." I struggled to open my eyes and looked at the person in front of me, whose face was blurry.

  "Who are you?"

  "Siman Nan." Sima Nan, a very familiar name, Sima Nan, ah, it's him, another trustworthy person mentioned by Master Xiang.

  "How long... did I sleep? Ah... it hurts, hurts, hurts!"

  "Don't get up yet, the wound is still painful, Master has been unconscious for two days." Master?

  "What's your name?"

  "Master."

  "Must have called the wrong person..."

  "Master Xiang has instructed me to treat you as our master."

  "But I... never mind, whatever. What's the point of arguing with Sima Nan when I'm half-dead? I can ask again later, 'Did the entire Zhang family really die?'"

  Siman Nan didn't respond, but walked up to me, lifted the quilt, helped me change my dressing, and then covered me with the quilt again. For the next few days, I stayed in the house, nursing my wounds in a daze, thinking that I was really unlucky. The only ones who came to visit were Siman Nan and Wand Rongcheng, and every time Siman Nan came, he just helped me change my dressing and left after finishing.

  Wan Ri Cheng, at first still had some resistant emotions and eyes full of sorrow. Later on, he didn't have any expression anymore, just came in to take a look at me, respectfully calling me "master", asking if I needed anything, and if not, quietly left.

  I'm not sure if the two of them had an agreement, but they stopped talking to me, and the silence lasted for several days, making me extremely uncomfortable, I was furious, when they came again, I pretended to be mute and blind.

  After a few more days, I was finally able to get out of bed. Although my injury wasn't fully healed, getting up and walking around didn't have much impact. However, I had many doubts in my mind - why did Master Xiang arrange things this way? I asked Sima Nan, but he wouldn't say; I asked Wan Ri Cheng, but he remained silent.

  I asked Wan Rijiang about the handling of Prime Minister's family affairs after his death, and he said that the imperial court had sent people to investigate the cause of Prime Minister's death. The Emperor himself came to pay his respects, quietly arriving and quietly leaving. Afterwards, the entire Prime Minister's family was buried in their mansion.

  Then they told me some recent things related to my father, such as which big shot came to offer condolences and which big shot came to comfort us. When I asked about other things, the two of them simply continued to play dumb or completely ignored me.

  "Master?" Alright, this time I won't let it go until I get a clear answer.

  "Come in." I walked over to a nearby sofa and sat down steadily. Wan Ri Cheng and Sima Nan had already opened the door and entered.

  Siman Nan came forward again to look at my injuries, although he had been holding back a bellyful of anger, but at this moment I still couldn't help but look at him. This was the first time in a long while that I had clearly seen his appearance, and it was different from Wanri Cheng's. He was taller than Wanri Cheng, with an expression that wasn't as stern or firm, but rather gentle, yet not weak or effeminate. His eyebrows were clear and bright, his nose straight and sharp, his mouth fine and smooth, and his hair was casually tied back, without being too neat or tidy.

  I stared at him like this, and he seemed to have noticed it too. He turned his head and smiled at me, nodding slightly before getting up and retreating. If Wan Ri Cheng gives people a feeling of loyalty, then Sima Nan is heartwarming.

  "Siman Nan?"

  "Yes."

  "How old are you?" I asked, nothing much, just curious.

  "Twenty-four." So young.

  "Are you under the control of the Shen family?"

  Nothing.

  "Does the Shen family have a favor to ask of you?"

  "Yes." Sima Nan's smile makes me want to punch him.

  "Are you going to spend your whole life serving the Shen family?"

  "Yes."

  "Entrust it to me?"

  "It is." Better just kill him and be done with it.

  "Even if I'm not a member of the Shen family."

  "Yes."

  "Why?"

  "Whatever you've entrusted to me."

  "Wan Ri Cheng, how about you?"

  "My life is now in your hands."

  "How old is he?"

  "Twenty-three years old." What! Who will get me a kitchen knife?

  "Has the reason for what happened to Master Xiang in the forest been found out?"

  "Bandits outside the pass, wanting to take advantage of this to disturb the Central Plains, the court has already sent people to capture them and execute them on the spot."

  "What is the Lingyue Palace after all?"

  "Gathering intelligence and selling it to those who need it."

  "Wan Ri Cheng, you also know?"

  "Yes."

  "Do you know Sima Nan?"

  "Yes."

  "Did your master tell you to kill the whole family?"

  "No."

  "You..."

  "Master Xia's personally autographed hand."

  "What?"

  I couldn't sit still anymore, I suddenly stood up, and my vision went black, my head was a bit dizzy, my body swayed, Sima Nan came forward in time to support me, only then did I not fall down. It turned out that it was Xiang Ye who personally helped me, how much determination is required for this? Who can have an iron heart? Xiang Ye, you really are ruthless.

  "Why did you say it was yourself?"

  "After doing some after-sales work, it's just to keep you alive."

  I let out a sigh, slowly sat back on the couch, Sima Nan retreated, and I stared blankly at the floor, my mind replaying recent events, unable to make sense of them or see through them. Thinking about the days when Dad was with me didn't provide any clues either.

  My neck was a bit sore from being lowered, so I lifted my head and turned it around to look out the window. The sky had already darkened, but when I turned back, I was truly shocked - they hadn't left. Sima Nan was sitting in a chair on one side, while Wan Ri Cheng was still standing in his original spot.