TGWM Ch. 18

Chapter 18: Night Conversation

After discussing with the awkward guards, Yun Yan received permission and led Lin Aoxue and the others through the small town to a remote area near the outskirts. Nestled against the mountains, a few small buildings stood in seclusion.

By the time they reached the front of one of the buildings, Lin Aoxue and the rest were utterly exhausted. Yun Yan knocked on the courtyard door of one household. Before long, a woman opened the door. Seeing that it was Yun Yan, she greeted her warmly. Upon hearing about the wounded soldiers behind Yun Yan, the woman didn’t hesitate and immediately welcomed them inside.

Once the soldiers had settled into the courtyard, the woman bustled about, preparing hot water and food. After their defeat in battle, the long journey, and being turned away by the guards, the soldiers’ resentment gradually eased.

After making sure everyone was settled, Yun Yan took the initiative to check the soldiers’ injuries. Beichen Ji, still somewhat confused, suddenly recalled that the gate guards had addressed Yun Yan as “Doctor Yun.”

His eyes widened in shock, nearly popping out of their sockets. He rushed over to Yun Yan and exclaimed in disbelief, “Miss Yun Yan, you’re a doctor?!”

Lin Aoxue shot Beichen Ji a glare. “When I was looking for medicine for Lu Sheng earlier, I searched all over the Xingbei market but couldn’t find xuduan. It was Miss Yun Yan who generously gave me the medicine, and thanks to her, Lu Sheng’s leg was saved.” At this, she turned to Yun Yan. “Speaking of which, I still haven’t repaid you for your kindness last time. And now, we’ve run into trouble again and have to trouble you once more.”

Yun Yan chuckled lightly. “Young Master Lin, you needn’t say such things. You are all warriors defending the country, soldiers of Xingbei Pass. You fought on the battlefield, were wounded, and then suffered further mistreatment from petty men. What I’ve done is merely my duty.” After saying this, she suddenly stepped closer to Lin Aoxue, winked playfully, and added with a smile, “Young Master Lin, no need to feel nervous, nor to return any extra favors.”

Lin Aoxue stiffened, pressing her lips together in discomfort.

How could she let Yun Yan’s gentle and demure demeanor deceive her? Yun Yan could tease her without batting an eye—how could she possibly be a match for that?

Beichen Ji, still slow on the uptake, was preoccupied with Lin Aoxue’s shoulder injury. Upon learning that Yun Yan was skilled in medicine, he cluelessly interjected, “Oh! Miss Yun Yan! Lin-laoge got hit by an arrow in the shoulder, and Shang-xiong took a slash to the side. We were in such a hurry to get here that we didn’t have time to find another doctor. Could you take a look at them?”

Hearing this, Yun Yan glanced at the darkened bloodstain on Lin Aoxue’s shoulder. Without hesitation, she nodded. “I have some basic medical knowledge. If you trust me, I can examine the wounds.” She lifted her gaze to Lin Aoxue, gesturing for her to loosen her clothing.

Lin Aoxue took a sharp breath and instinctively stepped back, her face cold as she hastily replied, “My injury isn’t serious. Go check on Shang-xiong and the others first.” Though anxious inside, she kept her expression composed.

Since Yun Yan knew medicine, she would undoubtedly be able to determine Lin Aoxue’s true identity through her pulse, exposing her secret. Lin Aoxue dared not let Yun Yan come too close—much less examine her shoulder wound. With a tense expression, she refused outright.

Yun Yan found her reaction strange but didn’t press the issue. Instead, she simply said, “I’ll prepare some anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving medicine for you later. Make sure to take it on time, Young Master Lin.”

With that, she turned away and busied herself. With nearly a hundred injured soldiers, some wounds required urgent treatment. Compared to them, Lin Aoxue’s injuries didn’t seem too severe. She could try persuading her again once the others were taken care of.

Baffled by Lin Aoxue’s cold refusal, Beichen Ji grumbled as he hovered around her, “Hey, Lin-laoge! Did you hit your head or something? Miss Yun Yan is offering to treat you, and you’re turning her down? Your face is pale, and you’re wobbling when you walk—how is that ‘nothing serious’?”

The more Beichen Ji spoke, the more agitated he became. Suddenly, a flash of realization crossed his mind, and his expression changed. He abruptly fell silent, glanced around warily, then stepped closer to Lin Aoxue, lowering his voice with a serious look.

“Lin Aoxue, tell me…”

His sudden air of secrecy, as if some great disaster had befallen them, along with the way he called Lin Aoxue by her full name, made her tense up instantly. Had he discovered her secret?

Just as she was thinking of a way to deflect him, she heard Beichen Ji continue, “Do you have some kind of… unspeakable ailment? Is that why you’re afraid of letting Miss Yun Yan examine you?” He sighed dramatically. “Dear brother, listen, if something’s wrong, you have to get it treated! I’ll go find another doctor for you right away!”

He suspected that Lin Aoxue had some hidden illness—otherwise, why would she avoid women and refuse to let a doctor take her pulse? The more he thought about it, the more convinced he became, earnestly urging Lin Aoxue not to ignore her health out of embarrassment.

While Beichen Ji was full of well-meaning concern, Lin Aoxue’s face turned bright red with suppressed fury. Her eyes practically shot sparks. Without thinking, she lashed out with her foot, kicking Beichen Ji straight to the ground.

“I think what you really need is a good beating. Want to test whether I still have the strength to give you one?”

Beichen Ji paled and scrambled to plead for mercy.

Lin Aoxue hadn’t actually intended to beat him up. Realizing her secret was still safe, she breathed a quiet sigh of relief. But deep down, she knew that situations like this would keep happening. The battlefield was ruthless, and no matter how many years she had trained, she couldn’t guarantee she would never be injured.

If she ever lost consciousness, and a military doctor checked her pulse… her secret would be exposed for sure. That would be a crime of deceiving the emperor—punishable by death. How could she count on talking her way out of it every time?

Her brows furrowed as she fell into troubled thought.

***

The courtyard wasn’t large, but there were plenty of empty rooms. The platoon leaders and higher-ranking officers took two rooms, while the remaining soldiers squeezed ten men to a room, sharing blankets in twos and threes just to get through the night.

Not wanting to cram in with Beichen Ji and the others, Lin Aoxue only pulled a corner of a blanket over herself and slept in the farthest corner of the room.

In the middle of the night, pain from her wound jolted her awake. Unable to fall back asleep and unwilling to disturb the others, she quietly slipped out of bed and stepped outside to get some fresh air.

As she carefully shut the door behind her, she immediately sensed another presence in the courtyard. Turning her head, she saw a slender figure sitting on the stone steps in front of the house. Under the dim moonlight, she recognized Yun Yan.

Yun Yan sat on the ground, gazing up at the hazy moon, seemingly lost in thought, unaware that Lin Aoxue had come outside.

Now that they had unexpectedly met under the moonlight, it didn’t seem appropriate for Lin Aoxue to turn back into the house, nor would it be polite to remain silent. After hesitating for a moment, she lowered her voice and spoke up. “Miss Yun Yan, why are you still up so late?”

Yun Yan had also stayed the night at this farmhouse to tend to the wounded. Since she was a woman, it was impossible for her to squeeze into the crowded, foul-smelling soldiers’ quarters. The owners of the house had prepared a separate room for her.

Hearing someone’s voice, Yun Yan snapped out of her thoughts and turned her head. Seeing Lin Aoxue standing behind her, draped in a light cloak, she smiled gently. “Young Master Lin hasn’t gone to rest either, I see.”

Lin Aoxue chuckled. If not for the inflammation in her wound causing her unbearable pain, she wouldn’t be awake at this hour. But since Yun Yan clearly had no intention of explaining why she was up, Lin Aoxue had no interest in prying. She simply walked forward and sat down at a spot about five steps away from Yun Yan.

Seeing this, Yun Yan found it amusing. Tilting her head, she smiled playfully and asked, “Am I some kind of monster, that you’d be so afraid to sit near me?”

Lin Aoxue let out an awkward cough, suddenly feeling tense. She wasn’t sure why she was nervous, but under Yun Yan’s meaningful gaze, she couldn’t help but worry that her secret would be exposed. That was why she was always extra cautious around Yun Yan.

Keeping her expression stiff, she answered rigidly, “I am but a rough and unrefined person. I fear I may offend you.”

Upon hearing this, Yun Yan’s lips curved into a smile. “You truly are an interesting one, Young Master Lin.”

Under the hazy moonlight, Lin Aoxue couldn’t see her expression clearly—was that smile genuine or feigned?

Yun Yan withdrew her gaze. As if suddenly intrigued, she asked, “Why did you join the army, sir?”

Lin Aoxue hadn’t expected the question and was momentarily stunned. After a brief pause, she chose her words carefully and gave a concise explanation of why she had donned armor and enlisted as a soldier.

Yun Yan listened quietly. After a long silence, she suddenly remarked, “It seems you must have a very close bond with your parents.”

Lin Aoxue didn’t deny it. Sitting cross-legged, she gave a muffled “mm” in response.

Perhaps it was the quiet of the night that made people more inclined to share, or maybe speaking to a near-stranger made it easier to open up. Or perhaps Lin Aoxue’s story had unknowingly touched something tender and vulnerable within Yun Yan.

With a soft sigh, Yun Yan murmured, “But I… was sent to Yanyu Tower by my father.”

Lin Aoxue was taken aback. She hadn’t expected Yun Yan to share something so personal. The meaning behind her words was both startling and deeply disheartening. Frowning, she asked in confusion, “Why would your father do such a thing?” Who could be so heartless as to send their own daughter to a place like Yanyu Tower?

But Yun Yan only smiled quietly, offering no answer.

Lin Aoxue gazed at her in contemplation. She was now more than just curious about Yun Yan—there was also a growing sense of puzzlement.

As the top courtesan of Yanyu Tower, Yun Yan neither entertained guests nor drank with them. She possessed profound medical knowledge, excelled at the guqin, and was both talented and beautiful.

Moreover, she seemed to come and go from Yanyu Tower as she pleased, disappearing for days at a time without Madam Yu, the proprietress, questioning her. Even the women who greeted customers at the entrance seemed accustomed to her absences.

All these coincidences together led Lin Aoxue to a single conclusion—Yun Yan was certainly not just an ordinary courtesan.

After a brief silence, she asked again, “Miss Yun Yan, since your medical skills are so remarkable, why do you still remain at Yanyu Tower? The title of a courtesan may seem glamorous, but ultimately, it tarnishes a woman’s reputation. Why not cast it aside and live freely?”

Lin Aoxue didn’t believe Yun Yan was a woman who sought fame and fortune or had a narrow vision. With her medical expertise, she could live comfortably without ever facing scorn. Why, then, did she choose to stay in a place like Yanyu Tower, where vulgar men ogled her like a spectacle?