readytorunbook Chapter 508 Xie Jingchun's Route: The Only Choice
Chapter 508 Xie Jingchun's Route: The Only Choice
Nan Nan bit her lip, a mix of complex emotions welling up inside her.
Xie Jingchun was injured because of her...
Finally, she said softly, "I'll go get the medicine."
Xie Jingchun forced a calm "hmm" and hummed in agreement.
But he couldn't hide the slight upturn of joy in his eyes.
A moment later, Nan Nan brought over medicine and gauze.
Xie Jingchun took off his outer robe and slowly lifted the collar to reveal the still unhealed wound on his shoulder.
Nan Nan moved extremely gently, her fingertips slowly applying the ointment to his shoulder. When her fingertips touched his skin, his body trembled slightly.
The ointment felt cool, and she moved very carefully, but he felt a burning sensation somewhere.
"Does it hurt?" she asked softly.
Xie Jingchun turned his head to look at her.
Under the lamplight, her features were gentle, her expression serene, and she looked more composed and beautiful than before.
His gaze deepened as he stared at her.
"It doesn't hurt."
After a while, Nan Nan said softly, "Okay, the medicine has been changed."
She stepped back, covered the medicine container, and whispered a reminder: "Remember not to forget tomorrow."
Xie Jingchun hummed in agreement, but did not get up.
Looking at her, he suddenly said, "Thank you. Can you help me apply the medicine again tomorrow?"
Nan Nan pursed her lips and slowly nodded.
The moonlight poured down, casting long shadows of the two people.
The next day, the aroma of tea filled the private room by the window of the restaurant.
Xie Jingchun, dressed in casual clothes, raised his glass and lightly clinked it with his friend across from him, and said with a smile, "Two years have passed in the blink of an eye, and you've now made it to the Dali Temple."
Zhou Ningchuan smiled.
"No, of course I can't compare to General Xie. He was promoted to general at a young age and his fame is unparalleled. My rank is really not enough in front of General Xie."
"Alright, alright," Xie Jingchun laughed. "It's been two years, and you've gotten even more talkative."
Zhou Ningchuan is a good friend he met a few years ago. The two share similar interests and have been hanging out together ever since.
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Zhou Ningchuan stopped smiling and lowered his voice.
"However, I have recently run into a troublesome matter."
"what's up?"
Zhou Ningchuan lowered his voice, "There's a case where three couples have disappeared, vanished without a trace, without a single body."
“Moreover…” he paused slightly, his eyes darkening, “before all three couples disappeared, they had all gone to a place called Yuanzhen together.”
"Yuanzhen, what kind of place is this?"
Zhou Ningchuan explained, "Yuanzhen is not far from the capital. The town has very strange rules. Outsiders must be married couples to enter the town. Other people are not allowed to enter."
“This town of Yuanzhen has a long history, but for some reason, something has suddenly happened in the last few months.”
Xie Jingchun frowned slightly. "Your people can't get through?"
Zhou Ningchuan shook his head and gave a wry smile. "I sent people to pretend to be a couple to try and sneak in, but they were turned away every time. It seems they could tell they were faking it."
"The Dali Temple sent people there, intending to use soldiers to seal it up, but they didn't find anything."
He looked up at Xie Jingchun, his eyes serious.
“I know you’ve only recently taken a break, and I shouldn’t be bothering you again. But this case is just too strange, and I have a feeling there’s something bigger going on.”
Xie Jingchun lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then looked up and smiled.
"In that case, I will accompany you on this trip."
Evening, at Prince Jing's residence.
"The medicine has been applied."
Upon hearing this, Xie Jingchun slowly put on her clothes.
The two sat side by side by the vermilion railing, the wind blowing through the corridor, causing the lamplight to sway gently.
Xie Jingchun fiddled with a fallen leaf in his hand and chatted with Nan Nan.
Over the years, he had come to regard Nan Nan as his closest friend and would tell her almost everything.
“I have a friend at the Dali Temple. We met a few days ago and talked about a case.”
"It's quite strange. There were three couples who went to a certain place and then all of them disappeared without a trace, without any body or clue."
Xie Jingchun went on and on.
After listening, Nan Nan's expression gradually became serious: "Are you really going?"
Xie Jingchun lowered his head and gently tossed the ginkgo leaf between his fingers, which landed on the ground and spun twice.
"The central government can't find out anything right now. If it really was done by someone, and if this drags on any longer, someone else will get into trouble."
“If I don’t go, I’ll feel uneasy.”
Nan Nan remained silent for a long time before finally unable to hold back, "But this is really too dangerous."
"Besides, to investigate the case secretly, you have to pretend to be a married couple. How can you get in alone?"
Xie Jingchun gazed at the distant night scene, the wind ruffling a few strands of hair at his temples.
"Yes, so I'll think of another way."
Nan Nan wanted to say something, but was stopped by his gaze.
"Don't worry, I'll be fine."
Xie Jingchun smiled at her, her eyes and brows lively and expressive.
Two days later, Zhou Ningchuan came to find Xie Jingchun.
Before discussing business, they also visited Qin Jiuwei and Xie Yanli at the main courtyard to pay their respects.
Then they prepared to leave.
Just as I was about to walk out of the courtyard gate, I suddenly heard a soft sound coming from the side gate.
A pretty young maid was seen carrying a stack of dried herbs out of the small kitchen.
She first avoided the slippery water stains on the blue bricks, and then casually closed the half-open window.
Finally, when passing a drooping wisteria, I stepped aside to avoid it, without disturbing a single fallen leaf.
This series of movements was fluid and natural, and Zhou Ningchuan raised an eyebrow slightly.
He stared at the little maid for a long time.
Xie Jingchun came out from the backyard at this moment. Seeing his slightly strange expression, she casually asked, "What are you staring at?"
Zhou Ningchuan looked away. "What was the name of that maid just now?"
Xie Jingchun stared at him warily.
"What did you ask her for?"
Zhou Ningchuan smiled without saying a word, and instead asked, "How skilled is she?"
"Don't even think about making a move on her." Xie Jingchun's face instantly darkened.
Zhou Ningchuan didn't beat around the bush, "Only couples can enter Yuanzhen. I was originally worried about not finding a suitable partner, but now I think you already have one by your side."
"She is extremely cautious, moves quietly, is very observant, and has a keen eye. Such a person is best suited for infiltrating cases."
"The key is that she can stay calm."
"I knew at first glance that she was the kind of person who could survive in extreme environments."
"No," Xie Jingchun interrupted him decisively.
Zhou Ningchuan leaned against the door frame, as if he had expected him to refuse.
He didn't argue, but just chuckled softly, "You don't have many trustworthy people around you, and even fewer who can observe from the shadows and help you stabilize the situation."
"She's smart, calm, cautious, and won't do anything reckless. You know I'm telling the truth."
"She is the best, the only choice."
Xie Jingchun turned around immediately and said, "No matter what you think, I won't take her with me."
Zhou Ningchuan didn't say anything more, he just smiled.
The next day, at dusk.
In the backyard pavilion, Nan Nan is drying new medicinal herbs.
A breeze ruffled a few strands of hair at her temples. She lowered her head and carefully examined the tiny flower petals in her medicine basket when she suddenly sensed someone approaching.
A gentle voice then rang out, "You must be Miss Nan Nan?"
Nan Nan looked up and saw a man dressed as a scholar standing under the shade of a tree.
His eyes were clear, and he had a smile on his lips, but he was not a member of the royal household.
She stood up alertly and gave a slight bow. "May I ask who you are, sir?"