Extra Chapter 6: Wei Qingping (Part 1)
【1】
In Great Chu, there was a universally acknowledged truth: if one were to name the most fortunate woman in the world, it would undoubtedly be Wei Qingping, daughter of the King of Wei.
The King of Wei was one of the rare non-imperial princes in Great Chu, stationed far in the southwestern borderlands with elite troops under his command. In his youth, he had been a dashing and elegant gentleman, beloved by many women.
Wei Qingping’s mother, Jiang Huarong, was the daughter of the master of the Hundred Herbs Pavilion and once hailed as the greatest beauty in Great Chu. Her medical skills were extraordinary, and her admirers were countless.
The two met while wandering the martial world. Eventually, the King of Wei married Jiang Huarong as his principal wife, first siring the heir Wei Guangchuan, then giving birth to Wei Qingping. However, shortly after Wei Qingping’s birth, the King of Wei was caught by Jiang Huarong in bed with another woman. Jiang Huarong, who had pursued a lifelong ideal of "one love, one lifetime," left a "letter of divorce" and parted ways with the King of Wei, returning to the Hundred Herbs Pavilion to resume her role as its young mistress.
Everyone assumed the King of Wei would be furious with this woman. To their surprise, he transformed overnight and began a decades-long performance of passionately pursuing his wife.
Burdened by regret and love for his wife, the King of Wei doted excessively on their two children. As their daughter, Wei Qingping was recognized by Jiang Huarong as the heir to the Hundred Herbs Pavilion and spent half of each year there. The King of Wei, seizing every opportunity to escort Wei Qingping to and fro, used these occasions to interact with his wife. Consequently, he went to great lengths to ingratiate himself with Wei Qingping. Anyone who witnessed this could only sigh and remark—spoiled.
Wei Qingping not only enjoyed an illustrious lineage, extraordinary parental affection, and a harmonious family, but she herself was also remarkably accomplished. From a young age, she possessed exceptional beauty, displayed outstanding talent in medicine, and was no less skilled in martial arts. It could be said that heaven had bestowed nearly all its favor upon her, evoking immense envy in others.
Perhaps because her life had been too smooth sailing, by the age of thirteen, Wei Qingping began to find her existence dull. After discussing with her parents, she embarked on a life of wandering the martial world.
Relying on her exceptional medical skills, she traveled far and wide, healing the sick and saving lives, earning the reputation of the "Jade Bodhisattva" in the martial world. Nearing eighteen, she still had no intention of marrying, becoming famously known as an "old maid." Yet, born with such superior advantages, even as an old maid, she had countless suitors. For such an effortlessly charmed life, Wei Qingping felt—
Rather boring.
【2】
She began to find life interesting, probably from the moment she met Qin Shiyue.
It happened on her way to Hexi. She had been entrusted by someone to provide free medical treatment in Hexi. At the time, her carriage had stopped, her attendant had gone to fetch water from the surroundings, leaving her alone in the carriage reading. Just as she was turning a page, someone abruptly burst into the carriage, pressed a dagger to her throat, and coldly commanded, "Get out."
Wei Qingping said nothing, her gaze fixed on the young man before her. He appeared to be in his early twenties, covered in blood, his face smeared with a mixture of blood and grime, yet his eyes shone with startling intensity. For the first time in her life, Wei Qingping was being robbed, and she found it rather intriguing. Complying with his order, she set her book aside and followed the young man out of the carriage, waiting to see what he would do next.
Seeing that she offered no resistance, he did not trouble her further. Raising his hand, he attempted to deliver a heavy blow to her neck. Wei Qingping surmised he intended to knock her unconscious and, quite cooperatively, "fainted," collapsing onto the grass without a word.Seeing her faint, the other party finally turned around and dragged another person out from the nearby grass. Wei Qingping quietly opened her eyes to observe this man—he was clearly at the end of his strength, relying solely on willpower to keep going. The person he was dragging had completely lost consciousness. Each step was a struggle, yet the young man refused to give up, gritting his teeth as he dragged the other person, inching painfully toward the carriage.
Wei Qingping couldn’t bear to watch any longer. She calculated the timing, counting silently in her heart: "Three, two, one…"
Just as she finished counting, the young man could hold on no longer and collapsed to the ground.
Wei Qingping stood up and walked curiously over to the young man, crouching down to examine the injuries of both individuals.
At that moment, her maid Feng’er returned with a basin of water. As soon as she arrived, she saw Wei Qingping crouching curiously beside two bloodied figures.
Feng’er screamed, the basin clattering to the ground. She drew her sword and rushed in front of Wei Qingping, declaring fiercely, "My lady, I will protect you!"
Wei Qingping looked at her trembling maid and, after a moment of silence, finally couldn’t help but say, "I believe the most urgent matter right now is for you to fetch another basin of water."
【3】
When Qin Shiyue woke up, his wounds had already been treated by Wei Qingping.
She had dragged him to an inn. The first thing he did upon waking was instinctively reach for his sword.
But his sword was gone, so he rolled out of bed and hurried outside. As soon as he stepped out of the inner room, he saw Wei Qingping sitting calmly in her seat, sipping tea.
Qin Shiyue halted, clenching his fist discreetly as he assessed the woman before him. She was no ordinary person, he thought.
"Awake?" Wei Qingping glanced up at him, curiosity in her eyes. "You and your friend were both injured. The wounds are unusual—not like those inflicted by martial artists, but more like soldiers’ handiwork. Especially your friend—he’s been poisoned. Who are you? You’re not from the martial world, are you?"
Qin Shiyue remained silent. His gaze fell upon the jade plaque hanging at Wei Qingping’s waist, inscribed with the character "Hundred."
Taking in her appearance, recalling the method she had used to make him faint earlier, and now seeing this plaque, Qin Shiyue deduced that this must be Wei Qingping, known in the martial world as the "Jade Bodhisattva."
This time, Wei Qingping had secretly violated his agreement with Zhao Yue to purchase horses in Hexi, only to be ambushed by Zhao Yue’s men. This matter absolutely could not be leaked. And as the daughter of the King of Wei, Wei Qingping’s stance was unclear. If he were to kill her outright… it would likely turn the King of Wei into an enemy. Yet leaving her alive posed a hidden danger…
Qin Shiyue’s mind raced with considerations. Seeing his silence, Wei Qingping frowned, assuming he was like other men who had been captivated by her beauty. Feeling somewhat displeased, she stood up and said, "Even if you don’t tell me, I’ve already guessed most of it. I saw your friend’s waist plaque…"Wei Qingping's words made Qin Shiyue's expression turn stern. He made up his mind, and in the instant she was speaking, he suddenly charged toward her. At the same time, he removed the black pearl-like earring from his ear and placed it in his mouth. Seeing his sudden attack, Wei Qingping’s expression changed drastically. Her Sleeve Blade shot out from her sleeve, thrusting straight toward him. A normal person would inevitably dodge such a strike, but this young man threw himself directly onto the Sleeve Blade. As blood splattered, he pressed her head and fiercely kissed her, using his tongue to push a small, smooth, and slightly cool object between her lips and teeth.
Her eyes widened in shock, and for a moment, she was so stunned that her entire body froze. After pushing the object into her mouth, he withdrew from her lips without the slightest hesitation. Gasping for breath mere inches from her, he said, "Mother-Child Gu. If I die, you die; if I hurt, you hurt."
Hearing this, Wei Qingping suddenly understood. Enraged, she kicked Qin Shiyue away, sending him crashing into a screen. Immediately afterward, she felt various pains surfacing all over her body.
In the Chen Kingdom’s Mother-Child Gu, the person carrying the Mother Gu must live for the one implanted with the Child Gu to survive. If the Mother Gu dies, the Child Gu will die. The only way to resolve it is for the Mother Gu’s bearer to voluntarily recall the Child Gu.
"Save my master, and I will recall the Child Gu," Qin Shiyue gasped, clutching his wound. "Princess, desperate times call for desperate measures. My apologies."
"You ungrateful wretch..." Wei Qingping’s hand trembled as she raised her sword, pointing it at Qin Shiyue. Overwhelmed by pain and fury, she lost her composure for the first time. Staring at Qin Shiyue, she roared, "Just wait for death!"
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