Dingyi saw him, though the distance between them wasn't great. She shouted at the top of her lungs, but it was too late—he couldn't hear her. His panicked expression was heartbreaking. Once accustomed to a life of ease, where everything moved at a leisurely pace, he had never experienced anything like this. Now, with someone dear to him in peril, his fear and distress were laid bare. She could only pity him, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably.
She couldn’t reach him. The world around her was in chaos, her hands bound as she was dragged forward. She turned to look back—the person holding her wore a garishly painted face, features indistinguishable except for the mole on his brow, which struck her heart like a hammer.
Before she could speak, he clamped a hand over her mouth. "Don’t shout," he hissed. "I have something to say to you."
What could it be? Nothing more than the fact that she had fallen into the hands of slave traders. The procession pressed on, and though she struggled, she couldn’t break free. She could only watch helplessly as the Twelfth Master disappeared into the sea of people.
After traveling several miles, they broke away from the group. In the wild, overgrown fields, someone was waiting. They boarded a carriage and raced off, destination unknown. Once caught in their grasp, escape was impossible. She rattled the doors and windows desperately, but it was futile. Realizing she couldn’t save herself, she collapsed in defeat.
Her life had been bitter from the start—family lost, home destroyed. Then, by some fortune, she had met the Twelfth Master, who had cradled her in his hands during her most helpless moments. But just as she had begun to taste peace, she was snatched away by slave traders. Was she truly destined for endless suffering?
Refusing to accept it, she pounded on the window. "Lord Yue, let’s talk this over! What do you mean by this? Where are you taking me?"
No answer came from outside—only the pounding of hooves and the howling wind.
Undeterred, she tried bargaining in a softer tone. "What do you want? Money? Take me back, and I’ll say you rescued me. Master Jin will reward you—it’ll be more than what you’d get from selling me. Do this good deed, Lord Yue. Our master might even do business with you. This isn’t honorable!"
Still, silence. Not even a ripple of response. She knew it was over—they were determined. The folk dance troupe had swept in like a tide, and even if the Twelfth Master had guards nearby, she had been smuggled away without notice.
Pleading had gotten her nowhere. Leaning against the wattle fence, she sighed. She would have to take things one step at a time. If she had survived the past decade, she could surely navigate this danger too. Besides, the Twelfth Master would notice her absence and send men to search. No matter how far they traveled, as long as they remained within Great Britain’s borders, she would be found.
Dazed, she lay down, half from fear, half from cold. Hugging her arms tightly, she curled into a small ball. She needed to stay calm and think of a way out. But before she could gather her thoughts, they arrived. The door was flung open, and she was dragged out, shoved into a room.
It wasn’t what she had expected. She had imagined a cramped shed teeming with slaves, reeking of filth. Instead, it was a single room—tiled, sparsely furnished with a table and stools. She glanced around. No one else was inside. Two funeral candles cast a dim glow, while incense smoke curled from a burner, filling the air.She was utterly bewildered. The altar housed spirit tablets, stirring an inexplicable feeling within her. Could it be that after kidnapping someone, they still had to worship ancestors and kowtow? What kind of custom was this? Yet strangely, her heart settled, and she didn’t feel afraid.
She walked over and glanced around—four tablets in total. One by one, she examined them. The inscriptions read: "The Sacred Spirit Tablet of the Late Father, Lord Wen Lu," "The Sacred Spirit Tablet of the Late Mother, Lady Wen Zhou," and those of Ruliang and Rugong. Since they had never married, their titles were prefaced with "elder brother." It struck her like lightning. No matter how much she had imagined, she never expected to be greeted by such a scene. She crawled forward on her knees, gathering all four tablets into her arms, stroking them repeatedly while murmuring the names of her parents and brothers. The grief was overwhelming, her mind dulled by the pain.
After leaving the Wen family, she had never had the chance to erect spirit tablets for them. Constantly moving to survive, she had to conceal her identity. Only during Qingming Festival and the winter solstice could she visit their graves to burn incense, clear weeds, and send them hell money. She often dared not dwell on it—how unfilial she truly was. While others made offerings to their ancestors, she had nothing. Would her parents resent her in the underworld? Now, seeing the tablets, a chord deep within her was plucked. She pressed her forehead against the cold brick floor, sobbing uncontrollably.
Someone approached from behind, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. As if traversing centuries of sorrow, they softly called her "Little Date." It was her childhood name. Her mother had said formal names were for public occasions—they needed to sound grand. Pet names, however, should be humble, as lowly names ensured survival.
Startled, she turned her head and stared blankly at the figure before her. The face, now cleansed of makeup, overlapped with her memories. No wonder she had felt an inexplicable familiarity upon their first meeting—Yue Kundu was none other than Rujian.
She shuffled forward a couple of steps. "Are you Third Brother? Are you Wen Rujian?"
Tears welled in his eyes as he answered in a trembling voice, "Yes, I’m Third Brother. I escaped from Changbai Mountain. Of the three brothers, only I survived. I ended up drifting here."
She threw herself into his arms. Twelve years of separation, countless imagined reunions—she had thought there would be endless sighs and reflections. But all that was beside the point. Now, there was only inexpressible agony, so heart-wrenching that death itself would be no worse.
The siblings clung to each other, weeping bitterly, pouring years of longing into their sobs. At last, the family was reunited—only, four had died, leaving two behind. It was complete, yet incomplete.
Lifting her tear-streaked face, she cried mournfully, "Third Brother... Third Brother, you’re alive? I went to Changbai Mountain searching for you. I asked Aha, and everyone said you’d died of the plague. My heart turned to ice. Back then, I truly wished to follow you all in death.""I'm lucky to be alive. But I'm the last surviving son of the Wen family now, the only seedling left across thousands of miles." Rujian smoothed the hair from her forehead, wiping away tears with a smile. "This is a happy occasion, don't cry. Come, let your third brother take a good look at you. Our little Zaor has grown up—mother and father would be overjoyed to see you! When Elder Brother, Second Brother, and I were in Changbai Mountain, we often thought of home, wondering how you and Mother were doing. With our family scattered, we could only pray for your safety. Later, in that hell on earth, we endured so much suffering—the only thing that kept us going was the thought of you and Mother. We planned to settle in first, wait for the storm to pass, escape, and then return to find you..." He shook his head in anguish. "But in the end, we couldn't hold on. Those Manor heads and tenants had countless ways to torment people. Newly arrived exiled officials first had to endure 'eagle training'—they'd hang you from a tree for two days and nights, starving and forbidden to close your eyes. The moment your eyelids drooped, they'd beat you mercilessly. Having been Guards before our fall, we were toughened by hardship and could still endure. When they saw they couldn't break us, they shackled our hands to carrying poles. It was the first snow of the season then—they left us bound in the snow for three days. Eventually, we had no choice but to swallow our pride and feign submission to avoid further suffering. Later... there was too much. The torment we endured is beyond recounting. I dare not even recall it—the memories still startle me awake at midnight." He rolled up his trouser legs to show her—his limbs were a horrific tapestry of scars, each with its own gruesome story. "This one was pierced by a fire poker, this by an iron hook, these were rat bites from the Water Dungeon... and then there are knife wounds, arrow wounds, whip marks—my whole body is covered with them."
Dingyi covered her mouth, weeping. Indeed, her experience had been too sheltered—in the capital under the Emperor's watch, private punishments were strictly forbidden, but in those barbaric lands, it was a different story. After exile, it wasn't just about digging for ginseng in the mountains or plowing fields—the Imperial Manors also took on private jobs. The Manor heads would accept bribes to rent out Aha slaves for tasks even beasts couldn't handle. The darkness there was indescribable.
She looked down at the two smaller Spirit Tablets, wiping the inscribed characters over and over as she murmured, "Elder Brother and Second Brother must have endured the same... Why couldn't they survive? I remember Elder Brother was so strong—he'd swim bare-chested in winter rivers while we could only watch enviously from the bank."
"Strength meant nothing in their hands—escape was nearly impossible," Rujian said. "You've inquired and know how our brothers died. When we rebelled against the oppression and were captured, they threw us into the Water Dungeon and beat us half to death. They gave us no food or water, intending to starve us to death. At that point, a man becomes desperate enough to gnaw his own flesh. Do you know what it's like to chew your own meat while enduring the pain...?" He sighed heavily. "Too horrifying! Our wounds festered black and putrid from the filthy water. Eventually, a Clerk spoke up, fearing imperial inquiry, and they pulled us out. Self-cannibalism is an abomination in heaven's eyes—after emerging, all three of us contracted vile diseases. They denied us physicians, leaving us to live or die as fate decreed. Our brothers couldn't hold on and passed away. I was barely alive myself when they dragged us all to the mass graves. They buried me first, then them. After burying them, they noticed I'd clawed my way out of the dirt. Those bastards said I must've been a cat in a past life with nine lives to spare. Just then, a slaver from the Suifen River Slave Market came looking for 'merchandise'—I was thrown in as a free bonus. That's how I ended up drifting here."Sold into slavery, and later walking the same path myself—it was truly bowing to fate, wasn't it? Dingyi listened as if hearing a long and tumultuous story. She sighed, "Why didn't you come back to Beijing to find me? I waited every day, hoping you would come for me. I knew it was a vain hope, but I waited for twelve whole years."
He said, "I made inquiries. They said the family had fallen on hard times, and the mistress sold the estate. The small courtyard you moved into was burned down, and both you and the mistress perished inside. That was when I felt the Wen family had truly collapsed—utterly ruined... With no hope left, I should have gone elsewhere. The Central Plains were no place to linger, but I had no money. Should I have continued letting myself be auctioned off? My martial arts were decent, so I flattered and followed the slave trader of the time, becoming his assistant. Five or six years passed, and step by step, I reached where I am today." He looked at her tenderly. "I used to resent myself for being in this line of work, but a little over a month ago, I found myself weeping with gratitude to heaven. If I hadn’t stayed in this circle, how could I have waited for you? The Ke Sui Yun Lai wasn’t the first time I saw you. I was there when you came to the Aha Camp, watching from afar—your face, your figure—the more I looked, the more you resembled the mistress." At this point, he began to tremble. "Later, I sent a carrier pigeon back to Beijing to investigate. Once I had a target, it was easy to find you. Thank heavens, at least one of you was left for me. Heaven has been kind to me."
Siblings with tearful eyes faced each other, pouring out so many words—bitterness mingled with the preciousness of this hard-won reunion. Rujian held her shoulders and said, "I’ve earned some money these past two years. Let’s leave this place and go elsewhere—the Western Regions, or a vassal state—we can live comfortably. I’ve already arranged everything. We’ll cross the border while it’s frozen over, and in the blink of an eye, we’ll be free. Za’er, from now on, it’ll just be the two of us, brother and sister relying on each other. Your third brother will see you married, see you with a house full of children, and restore our Wen family."
His grip was so tight it hurt her. Of course, she wanted to be with him—her long-lost elder brother, someone truly bound by blood whom she could rely on. In the past, she would have agreed without hesitation, but now she had attachments. She was thinking of the Twelfth Master, unable to bear the thought of leaving him behind.
She hesitated as she looked at him. Rujian’s eyes were full of expectation, but the words on her lips were hard to voice, her attitude seeming lukewarm. "Leave Great Britain? Who knows what the world outside is like..."
She had grown complacent, believing she had found her place, forgetting the deep grievances she carried. She could choose not to seek revenge, to live in cowardly peace, but she couldn’t extinguish her spirit. Rujian knew something of her relationship with Yuwen Hongce. From Yuwen Hongce’s every word and action, he could sense the protective fervor of a man in love. Perhaps their feelings were genuine, but he was certainly no good match for her.He sighed deeply, "Who caused the Wen family's ruin? It was the current Emperor Emeritus! Sitting high in his hall, did he truly understand the case? Father was just a scapegoat, dying in place of Prince Zhuang, the Defender-General of the State, and the Minister of Works. The Emperor Emeritus was blinded by his nobles and powerful servants—he is the real blind one! The sins of the world lie with the ruler. With a stroke of his vermillion brush, how many lives did he destroy? If we speak of vengeance, he is the true culprit. But an arm cannot twist a thigh, and we common folk cannot enter the forbidden palace to kill him—that is our sorrow. Since we cannot oppose him, we must flee. Go abroad, never set foot in the Central Plains again..." He studied her face carefully, "Little Zaor, what can compare to family? We are full siblings—won’t you stay with your third brother?"
She was torn between family and love, unable to choose. She stammered, "Twelfth Master is the Imperial Envoy this time, tasked with reinvestigating the old case. Since Third Brother knows the truth inside, why not explain it clearly to him? Why not clear Father’s name?"
He gave a cold laugh and turned to gaze at the candle flame on the table. "What is a clear name worth? Can it bring back Father, Mother, or our brothers? Besides, it’s been over ten years—any evidence has long been tampered with. If I rashly come forward, I might be accused of slandering imperial officials, and then it’s truly over. I just can’t get past this hurdle in my heart, blaming myself for being powerless. Back then, when I was exiled, I was already fifteen. I served in the Imperial Study, wrestled with the Imperial Clan in the Manchu Wrestling arena—many of today’s rising nobles would recognize me. I don’t return to the capital not out of fear of death—I’ve died many times already; it’s just a matter of one last breath... I must continue the Wen bloodline. Things have come to this—if the line ends with me, it would be my greatest unfilial act."
She understood his meaning, though he stopped short of mentioning her and Twelfth Master. She felt ashamed. Though love was personal, it shouldn’t overshadow family vengeance. Yet she couldn’t let go—the thought of parting with Twelfth Master was unbearable.
She lowered her head, unsure how to refute Rujian, yet feeling she hadn’t done wrong. Trapped in a dilemma, she was caught in a whirlpool she couldn’t escape. Now she feared he might harm Twelfth Master. Hongce was in the open, Rujian in the shadows—if he could abduct her, plotting against him wouldn’t be difficult.
"Did Third Brother know early on that Jin Yangxian was Twelfth Master?" She twisted the hem of her clothes. "Then he..."
"Old Twelve was sent to Khalkha long ago, otherwise he would have recognized me too. The Nanyuan Yuwen Clan traces back to the Xianbei, mixed with several bloodlines—their looks differ from ordinary people. They can fool the barbarians here, but not me." Rujian said, "Don’t worry, I also despise human trafficking. It’s just that once you’re in this pit, it’s hard to climb out. If he wants to investigate the Ningguta Imperial Manor, good. I brought Soluntu in to give him a hand. I know he’s been kind to you—consider this my repayment before leaving, so you won’t be haunted by it forever."
Dingyi felt a chill in her heart, realizing for the first time how powerless she truly was. With tears in her eyes, she looked at Rujian and said, "In Great Britain, I have no other attachments except my master and Twelfth Master. I won’t hide it from you, Third Brother—we’ve sworn vows, to the point where I’ll marry no one but him. You can call me weak or unfilial, but I’ve lost control of my own heart."What kind of mess was this? It seemed she had no intention of cleaning it up either. Rujian could only look at her helplessly, unable to bring himself to scold her. She had suffered enough—what pampered young lady from a respectable family would ever go to an execution ground to hold a sword for someone? The thought alone was heartbreaking. Clenching his fists, he sighed deeply, "You've grown up, and such things are inevitable. Blame me for appearing at all. If I hadn't sought you out, you might have returned to the capital with him and perhaps built a future together."
His lack of angry reprimands only made her feel worse. Tearfully, she said, "Third Brother, scold me. I'm shameless, unworthy of the Wen name."
He waved his hand dismissively. "Don't say that. We each have our own hardships—it's too complicated to explain in a few words. If you truly can't bear to leave him, go back to him. I won't blame you."
The more understanding he was, the harder the decision became. How could she abandon her only remaining kin for the sake of her own happiness? She stood up and carefully returned each Spirit Tablet to its place, lighting incense with trembling hands. Gritting her teeth, she said, "Third Brother, please allow me to see him one last time. Once I've said what needs to be said, I'll leave with you without hesitation. I've missed you all these years, and now that we're reunited, I don't want to be apart again. I dare not ask you to make arrangements for me—I have no right to that. But for me, the greatest fulfillment would be to see the wicked punished and the Wen family's wrongful accusations overturned. If you're willing to consider it, your sister would be eternally grateful. If circumstances make it impossible, I understand—my vision is short, unable to see so far ahead. I leave it to you to weigh the options."
Rujian looked at her, genuinely moved, but his years in the jianglou had left him wary—who could he truly trust now?
Unclenching his fists, he nodded. "I won't stop you from seeing him. Our Wen family has never liked owing debts—it's only right you settle things properly. But remember this: not a word about our reunion today must be revealed. The Twelfth Master might show leniency, but others eager for merit could have ulterior motives. As for you..." He hesitated. "A young woman must maintain her dignity. This isn't something a brother should have to say, but with no one else left in the family, I can't afford to stand on ceremony."
Dingyi froze for a moment, a strange light flashing in her eyes before she quickly lowered her gaze. Bowing deeply, she said, "I will remember your teachings always, Third Brother. I only wish... to see him one last time, to speak my heart. I know my limits—you needn't worry."
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