WBICDPH Chapter 36 Part 1

Chapter 36: The Nameless Uncut Stone

Was this… a letter that Chu Ji had written to Dongsi?

But—

Before Lin Jin could fully form the question in his mind, he suddenly sensed a sharp rise in the cold wind around him. The falling snowflakes slowed unnaturally, just as they had the last time he experienced this phenomenon.

Only this time, unlike before, Lin Jin felt completely calm.

He lowered his head and carefully folded the letter, then raised his gaze toward the space before him and called out softly:

“Miss Xu.”

Ding—

As if in response, the small bell at his waist gave a light chime.

In the next instant, Xu Dongsi reached out toward Lin Jin from within the wind and snow, just as she had before.

Only Lin Jin couldn’t tell whether it was merely his imagination, but her soul-shape seemed noticeably fainter than it had been earlier.

Without hesitation, Lin Jin hugged the wooden box to his chest and placed his hand into Xu Dongsi’s.

Seeing this, Han Ao’s expression tightened as he prepared to step forward, but Liu Fuxin raised a hand to stop him.

Watching as Lin Jin was once again pulled into Xu Dongsi’s ghost realm, Liu Fuxin said quietly to Han Ao:

“It’s fine. She won’t hurt him.”

—

After being dragged into the ghost realm, Lin Jin stumbled forward before regaining his balance. When he lifted his eyes, he was surprised to find that he was still standing where he had been. The only difference was that everyone else around him had vanished.

Of course.

Xu Dongsi’s ghost realm was the place where her body had been imprisoned. Now that her remains had been brought back into the open, that endless, despairing darkness had finally been broken.

At this moment, only Xu Dongsi remained beside him.

She stood before him, looking just as she had earlier—her eyes covered, her body clad in a faded, worn dress.

Lin Jin felt he could guess why she had brought him here.

She wanted the letters in his hands.

At first, Lin Jin had assumed the letters were something Xu Dongsi herself had kept. But the more he thought about it, the more it felt wrong.

According to Zhuetang’s account, Chu Ji should have been completely out of contact for years. How could such a box of letters have appeared out of nowhere? And even if Zhuetang’s information had been mistaken—if Xu Dongsi really had been receiving and saving Chu Ji’s letters all this time—why would the box have been sealed into the wall together with Xu Dongsi’s body?

When Xu Dongsi died in the small dark room at Mantingchun, the madam would have been frantic just dealing with the corpse. There was no way she would have gone out of her way to find something to bury with her.

That left only one possibility.

This box did not belong to Xu Dongsi.

It belonged to Chu Ji.

Lin Jin pressed his lips together, opened the box again, and took out all the letters, laying them out on the ground.

Then he hesitated and looked up at the cloth covering Xu Dongsi’s eyes.

After a moment, he let out a quiet sigh and said gently:

“If you can’t see them, I’ll read them to you.”

Miss Dongsi,

It has been several months since we parted. I’m sorry my greetings come so late. I hope you have been well.

Over these past months, I’ve traveled from place to place and, by chance, entered Prince Rui’s service. I can’t explain the details, but I believe the day we long for will surely arrive in the near future.

The peach blossoms in Jiangnan are beautiful. When I passed through, I broke off the finest branch for you. I hope you are safe and well.

—

Miss Dongsi, did you receive my previous letter? Perhaps the road was long and the courier misplaced it. I find myself waiting for your reply every day—it makes me seem rather foolish.

—

That was the content of my last letter. Unfortunately, the peach blossoms in Jiangnan have already fallen. When they bloom again next year, I’ll make it up to you.

I hope you are well.

—

Miss Dongsi, did you receive my letter? Why haven’t you written back?

—

I hope you are well.

—

Miss Dongsi, I only just learned that my earlier letters were never sent. His Highness feared our plans might fail due to such details, so he forbade any private correspondence. Fortunately, the intercepted letters were not destroyed—he returned them all to me.

Even though they can’t be sent, I still want to write to you. I’ll keep these letters, and when we meet one day, I’ll give them to you in person.

—

I hope you are well.

—

Miss Xu,

I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m truly sorry.

The man who took me out of Mantingchun that day was indeed the fiancé my mother chose for me at birth. I asked him to lend me money so I could free myself, but I never expected his father to fear being implicated by my family. He forbade him from coming to me and cut off his funds. I never imagined he would go to you—much less that my freedom would be bought with…

Though we were betrothed, there was never anything beyond friendship between us. I made it clear long ago that the engagement no longer counted. I never expected he would speak to you that way.

I apologize to you on his behalf, but those two words on paper feel far too inadequate.

Today, I finally gathered enough money to repay him, but he refused to take it. After I pressed him, he told me what happened and revealed your identity—that you were the Third Miss of the Xu family.

Of course. I should have realized sooner. A woman like you—there could only ever be one.

So your name is Xu Dongsi. It’s a beautiful name.

Why didn’t you tell me who you were back then? I think I can guess why. But I want you to know that no matter where you are, you are still the warm, radiant person I saw that day.

There’s so much I want to say that one sheet of paper isn’t enough. When we meet, I’ll apologize to you properly.

I hope you are well.

—

Miss Xu, I’ve returned to Zhongyun City today.

You must have heard the news. Prince Rui has rebelled. We’re going to overthrow that dog of an emperor and bring peace back to the world.

I came to Zhongyun City to visit Old Marquis Qin. Have you heard of him? His reputation is terrible—extravagant, debauched, tyrannical—but after meeting him, I realized all of it was false.

Second Master Qin holds immense power and wealth. Fearing the foolish emperor’s suspicion, he deliberately allowed those rumors to spread to protect himself. Today, I came as an envoy to persuade him to ally with Prince Rui—and by the time I write this letter, I’ve succeeded.

Prince Rui’s covert guards are watching me closely. I can’t get away. I’m sorry I can’t come see you in person. I’ve entrusted all the money I’ve saved over these years to a servant who looks honest enough. His surname is Wu. I warned him repeatedly to make sure it reaches you. I hope he keeps his word.

The amount should be enough. Once you regain your freedom, where will you go?

Come to Jiangnan. The peach blossoms there are beautiful.