Reborn: The First Rank 'Madam” – C14

C14 – Brother! Are You Still Alive?

As the night gradually deepened, the Zuo’s Mansion reverted to its usual tranquility. Nanny Liu, too old to stay awake all night, had retired, leaving Luo Xiaoliu as the sole vigil keeper.

Just past midnight, Zuo Shaoqing awoke to the sound of heavy breathing emanating from outside. He climbed out of bed, donned a gray robe, and ventured forth.

Silently, he approached Luo Xiaoliu, scrutinizing the capable attendant up close. Zuo Shaoqing found himself quite content with Luo Xiaoliu’s recent performance. “If you prove your loyalty to me, then past grievances will be forgiven,” he whispered.

Zuo Shaoqing gently pushed open the door and ventured outside.

It had been nearly half a month since he last left this room, and the need for some fresh air had become undeniable. Given the scarcity of night staff, he harbored little concern about being discovered.

Passing by the Wu Ya Academy, Zuo Shaoqing’s expression turned icy. He gracefully leaped onto the roof and made his way towards Mrs. Xue’s chamber.

While he had only advanced to the first stage of the Heart Cleansing Method, and his martial skills were scarcely superior to that of an attendant, his qinggong had returned to peak form.

As he lay on the rooftop, Zuo Shaoqing overheard Mrs. Xue’s restrained tirade from below. “That wretched old woman! After all the effort I put into organizing this birthday banquet, purely for the sake of her reputation, she had the audacity to humiliate me in front of everyone!”

Zuo Shaoqing had just witnessed Mrs. Xue shoving away a servant girl offering her water before pacing around the room in anger.

“Mother, you know that Grandmother holds her faith in Buddha above all else. Third Brother’s wedding gift truly resides in your heart.” In the room, Zuo Shuhui dismissed the servant girl and guided Mrs. Xue to a stool, urging her to take a seat.

“Hmph, your elder brother spent a fortune on that Jade Guanyin, only to be outdone by a few scraps of paper. How can I accept this?”

“What if he enjoyed some temporary glory? It was just a fleeting moment of fame, not an ascent to the heavens. Someday, my daughter will embroider a Guan Yin image for Grandmother. I assure you, she will be pleased.”

Zuo Shaoqing took a step back. The room reeked of blood. It was evident this person had suffered severe injuries, and he didn’t wish to invite trouble.

However, he couldn’t simply let the person perish here, could he? Otherwise, he’d have to abandon this carefully arranged thatched cottage.

Zuo Shaoqing approached quietly and used the tip of his shoe to nudge the “body” on the floor. “Hey, friend, are you still alive?”

No response? Zuo Shaoqing cautiously increased the pressure under his foot, yet there was still no reaction.

Was he already deceased? That would be convenient. He could simply dispose of the person in the ravine and obliterate any trace of them. In a couple of days, not even a speck of bone would remain.

Zuo Shaoqing knelt down, turned the man over, and placed two fingers on the man’s carotid artery.

There was indeed a pulse, faint but still a sign of life.

In the moonlight, Zuo Shaoqing located the oil lamp prepared in the room. After lighting it, he meticulously assessed the man sprawled on the ground.

“Hiss... So much blood?” He observed the ground beneath the man, entirely soaked in crimson. Zuo Shaoqing murmured to himself, “He’s not dead yet; he’s remarkably resilient. Seems like he’s not an ordinary individual.”

Undoing the man’s clothing, Zuo Shaoqing examined him from head to toe, noticing that the most severe injuries were on his shoulders and thighs, each marked by a shattered arrow. While there were minor abrasions elsewhere, they appeared more like scratches.

To rescue or not to rescue? Zuo Shaoqing sat on the bed, his gaze fixed on the man on the floor. Merely from his attire, one could surmise that he belonged to a wealthy or noble class.

When Zuo Shaoqing beheld that face, he felt somewhat taken aback. Despite the stubble on the man’s chin, his resolute and handsome visage compelled him to take a closer look.

“Given your appearance, you needn’t worry about repaying me for saving your life.” Zuo Shaoqing muttered to himself as he began searching the thatched cottage for tools.

He dared not extract the two shattered arrows. If they had barbed heads, pulling them out could prove fatal rather than life-saving.