Imprisonment
The window on the carriage suddenly opened, revealing the face of a young woman. She covered half of her face with a fan.
Those eyes first landed on me, carrying a mixture of surprise and curiosity, as they appraised me from head to toe. The bright and clear phoenix-like gaze, with straight eyebrows that lacked curvature, added a touch of sharpness to the face.
"What nonsense is Jiangguan talking about!" Gongyang Gui stepped forward, positioning himself in front of me. "This is my wife Fang Shi, how could she be someone from Fu Shi!"
That Liu County Magistrate on horseback glanced at him, smiled casually, and said, "Your wife?" He suddenly pointed behind Uncle Huang, "Then who is this? Chengxiang's Si Gongzi, also your family?"
I could hardly hear the sound of my own heartbeat.
Uncle Huang's face turned stiff, and behind him, Wei An stared at those people with an expressionless face.
"Someone come," the woman inside the carriage said slowly. "Take them away."
I ended up going to Wancheng after all.
Wei An and I, due to our noble status, were crammed into a carriage. The others had their hands tied and were walking on foot. Gongyang Gui's sword and Wei An's tools were confiscated. Glancing out of the window, I noticed that despite his bound hands, Gongyang Gui still walked with an upright posture.
As I looked towards the city walls, memories of yesterday's slaughter flooded my mind, causing me to glance at the sides of the city gate. To my surprise, everything looked pristine and untouched.
It's likely that General Song Ke and those soldiers faced grave danger, and the odds are not in their favor.
"Looking is not allowed!" One of the soldiers outside noticed my gaze and spoke harshly.
I turned my head away, refraining from looking outside any longer.
Now is not the time for reminiscing and lamenting. Leaning against the carriage wall, I took a deep breath and gently placed my hand on my abdomen. Perhaps it was the realization that there was someone inside me sharing the burden, but my emotions inexplicably settled into a calm state.
I opened my eyes to find Wei An sitting across from me, his lips pursed and his brow furrowed slightly.
He's someone whose emotions are impossible to hide. Whenever I see that expression, I know he's angry. As for the reason for his anger, I believe it's not because of being captured, but rather because Wu Kun's soldiers took away his tools.
After getting off the carriage, we were confined within a small courtyard.
One room for me, one room for Wei An. As for where the others were taken, I had no idea.
The room contained only a cot, and the tattered mats on the floor were in ruins. Layers of cobwebs hung from the ceiling beams.
Just as I was nervously speculating about what would happen next, the door was suddenly pushed open, and the woman walked in.
From the brief glimpse in the carriage earlier, I had only seen half of her face. Now, standing before me, I noticed she was slightly taller than me. She wore silk and gauze garments, adorned with delicate jewelry. The ivory and gold fan in her hand hinted at her affluent background.
Even though I was captured, I knew I still held some value. I couldn't let my dignity slip away too quickly.
I looked at her without saying a word.
"Qiu Fu, why aren't you paying your respects to Nǚjun?" A maidservant behind her frowned and scolded.
I remained composed and unrushed, "What pay respects? In terms of hierarchy, your esteemed father, Wu Xiu, was once a subordinate of Qie's father. In terms of age, Qie is older than Nǚjun. If Nǚjun requires Qie to bow, is it not an act of aggression?"
The woman's expression slightly changed as she looked at me. After a moment, she lowered the fan she was holding.
I was somewhat surprised; her delicate nose and cherry lips were accompanied by a facial structure that differed from my expectations. Her cheeks were plump, giving her the appearance of a sixteen or seventeen-year-old young girl.
"Furen certainly possesses eloquence," she chuckled with a touch of arrogance. "However, I'm curious, how does Furen know about my background?"
I also smiled. In truth, it wasn't difficult to guess at all. When they arrived, they carried the flag of the "Wu" family. And now, this woman was addressed as "Nǚjun" by the county magistrate. Therefore, it was highly likely that she was a sister of Wu Kun.
I'm not aware of the specific number of sisters Wu Kun has, or which one she might be.
However, her scrutinizing gaze remained unchanged – a mixture of curiosity, wariness, and suspicion. I had dealt with this kind of look many times before back in Chang'an, and I had even reviewed it with Qiao Ti once before – it was the look of a love rival.
Qiao Ti and Ah Yuan both mentioned that Wu Kun intended to marry one of her sisters to Pei Qian. If he doesn't have any other sisters and is still showing interest in Pei Qian, then undoubtedly, she must be the one.
I didn't respond to her earlier statement and instead said, "Since Nǚjun has graciously come, if there's something to say, feel free to speak your mind."
The woman seemed somewhat displeased. She walked over and paced around me, her fingers toying with the fan in her hand.
My expression remained impassive.
"I heard from Liu Junshou that Furen was previously in Qiling. If I'm not mistaken, Furen must have escaped from Qiling the previous night," she suddenly said.
This couldn't really be considered a secret. I replied, "Nǚjun is quite astute."
She smiled, "Curious about the situation there? My Xiongzhang and the Liang troops set fire to Wei Jue's camp. Now he's escaped to the northwest. I've heard that Wei Tan sustained severe injuries during the battle, and his life is in jeopardy."
It felt as though a thunderclap had exploded in my ears, leaving my mind momentarily blank. The anxiety within me intensified, and a sense of panic began to creep in.
"Aren't Furen worried?" The woman stared at me, a malicious smile playing on her lips. "I've heard that Furen's husband treats Furen exceptionally well. Just last year, he personally went to Huaiyang to welcome Furen."
I looked at her and spoke softly, "If Qie was to express One's inner worries, would Nǚjun consider letting Qie go?"
The woman remained silent, locking eyes with me, her gaze filled with even greater scrutiny.
"Worries?" She scoffed lightly and said, "Furen and Wei Tan have been married for just over a year, yet your love seems as deep as the ocean. Jiyuan Gongzi and Furen have a history. But when Wei Jue attacked Huaiyang, did you ever worry for Jiyuan Gongzi's life?"
"This has nothing to do with Nǚjun," I restrained myself and said calmly.
The woman didn't seem convinced. She glanced at my attire and after a moment, called over a soldier from outside the door.
"Keep an eye on her. We'll deal with her once my Xiongzhang arrives," she said.
The soldier acknowledged her command.
"Oh, yes," the woman said as she walked to the door. She turned back to look at me, a slight smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "My surname is Wu, named Jiao. Don't forget."
After the door was closed, no one came for a long time.
I sat on the cot, lost in thought as I gazed at the faint ray of light filtering in through the door.
In the darkness, the sound of my heartbeat was particularly vivid, especially when I recalled the image of Wei Tan sending me away – it echoed loudly in my mind.
He was injured, severely injured.
And he's still running for his life…
A voice kept reminding me: it's just Wu Jiao's fabrication, she never actually went to the battlefield. She's saying this to unsettle your emotions…
If that's the case, she has indeed succeeded.
I buried my head between my elbows and shook my head vigorously, attempting to drive away the things that had unsettled me.
You still have a child.
My nose suddenly felt sour.
Since leaving Qiling, this was the first time I felt so helpless. Wei Tan's fate was uncertain. I couldn't help him, nor could I help myself. With what could I protect the fragility of the life growing within me?
****
Wu Jiao didn't visit again, and the soldiers didn't bother me either. Food, water, and even waste were brought in and taken away by an elderly woman. Other than that, I remained alone in the room.
There was no news from Wei An, Ah Yuan, Gongyang Gui, or any of them.
The alternating play of light and shadows from outside the door illuminated the time of captivity, which had become tormenting due to my heavy thoughts. Nonetheless, I followed Wei Jiao's advice and maintained a regular routine. Unable to leave the room, I paced around in circles; unable to sleep, I closed my eyes and forced myself to sleep.
In this state of confusion, I counted on my fingers, and four days had already passed.
Four days. I didn't know if that was enough time for a war to conclude, but what I did know was that if Wei Tan were dead or captured, my existence would lose much of its meaning. If Wei Tan managed to return safely to the north, then my value would still hold. Regardless of the outcome, someone would come to tell me.
At night, while I was lying on the cot, trying to lull myself to sleep by counting on my fingers, I suddenly heard some hurried footsteps outside.
"I heard they've got someone from the Wei family here! Drag them all out!" a rough voice shouted.
"Jiangjun..."
"Where are they? Drag them out!" the voice exclaimed loudly.
I had just settled onto the cot when the door was suddenly slammed open. The abrupt glare of torchlight made my eyes uncomfortable.
"Jiangjun! This..." a soldier rushed forward to intervene but was pushed aside by the person at the door.
"General, it's a woman!" The person with the torchlight shone it on me and looked surprised.
"Drag the woman out too!"
The person strode over to pull me up.
"No need to trouble yourself," I quickly interjected, speaking coldly. "I can walk on my own." With that, I straightened my attire and walked towards the door.
There were over a dozen people standing in the courtyard, their torches casting a bright light. I saw Wei An, Gongyang Gui, and the others also had been brought out.
"Furen!" Ah Yuan choked back a sob, trying to come forward but being held back by the soldiers.
A burly man stood in the courtyard, his gaze fierce and unrelenting. He held a horsewhip in his hand and surveyed everyone present.
"I've heard there's a son of Wei Jue here, who is it?" he asked.
"Jiangjun, it's this one!" someone pointed at Wei An.
The burly man looked at Wei An, grunted, and gave the horsewhip in his hand a sharp snap. "Tie him up."
My heart sank, and I watched as a soldier prepared to tie up Wei An with a rope. Just as I was about to speak up, a stern shout rang out, "Hold on!"
Looking over, it was Gongyang Gui who had shouted.
He stood in the corridor and spoke, "Jiangjun, we are here at the behest of your esteemed Nǚjun. Mou have heard of your family's reputation for benevolence. Those who are weak, women, and children—those who pose no threat—are under your care…"
"What unarmed innocents!" the burly man shouted. "Wei Tan killed a thousand of my soldiers! That woman has been pampering you ants and rats with fine food and drink! I've come here today to vent my frustration for my brothers!" He finished with a cold laugh, "The women are for my brothers to enjoy, and the men will be beaten to within an inch of their lives!"
Following his orders, the others gathered around.
Ah Yuan screamed, and I quickly retreated behind a pillar. However, a hand suddenly grabbed my clothes, and I struggled hard but was forced down to the ground.
"No..." I curled up, desperately protecting my belly. But just then, my clothes were torn open, and before long, I was kicked in the side.
In an instant, all the sounds became muffled.
I stared wide-eyed at the ground, the flickering firelight intermingling with the dark figures, as if specters were dancing.
Pain surged from the depths of my body, accompanied by fear. It wasn't just about humiliation; it was for the life I had been protecting with all my heart.
It seemed like someone was angrily shouting, and there were chaotic footsteps, but it all felt distant and unrelated to me.
My breathing became labored. In a daze, Wei Tan smiled at me.
Ah Jin... he was calling my name…
"Ah Jin!" I was turned over by someone, and above me, Pei Qian's expression was filled with concern.
"Wei Jiao... call Wei Jiao! I beg you..." Tears blurred my vision as I clutched my belly, desperately opening my eyes wide, pleading.