TKTWC 16

Chapter 16

Go Find Liu Yu**

Governor Liu didn’t lecture her further. He just pulled Liu Yi to sit with him in the pavilion.

“Yi’er.” He held his daughter’s hand. “You’ve grown up. You have your own way of handling things—many times, you’re more thoughtful and meticulous than your father.”

“But what I’m about to ask of you now is something I am absolutely certain of—something I would stake my life on—that can save yours.”

Liu Yi looked at her father in surprise. Rarely did she see him so serious and assured.

“You need to go find Liu Yu, the Inspector of You Province,” Governor Liu said. “On this journey, you must keep your head down, bide your time, and try not to provoke Liu He.”

“Once you reach Guangyang, report everything to Lord Liu Yu. He will see justice done for you.”

Liu Yi thought she’d misheard: “Liu Yu? Isn’t he Liu He’s own father?”

Go tattle to the enemy’s father, and ask the father to mete out justice?

“I know you have a bias against Lord Liu Yu because of Liu He,” Governor Liu said patiently. “But Lord Liu Yu is absolutely not the corrupt, reputation-stealing villain you imagine.”

“Your father has dealt with him more than once. He is a true gentleman.”

“If you plead your case to him, he will investigate thoroughly and restore justice for you.”

Liu Yi didn’t argue with her father.

In fact, she had once viewed Liu Yu through rose-colored glasses too. In historical records, Liu Yu was indeed nearly flawless.

Born of imperial lineage, he practiced benevolent governance far and wide and loved the people like his own children.

Because he governed well, all surrounding powers respected him. He could often stop wars without shedding a drop of blood.

Later, when the realm fell into chaos and every warlord harbored hidden ambitions—they even tried to unite and install Liu Yu as emperor—he righteously refused, publicly declaring his loyalty to the Han dynasty.

So at first, Liu Yi had even felt grateful to live on land governed by Liu Yu. But after meeting his son Liu He, her rose-tinted glasses shattered completely.

Historical records, she supposed, weren’t always complete.

Even if Liu He and his father weren’t birds of a feather, a true gentleman wouldn’t raise such a son.

“Do you know why Liu He keeps humiliating you in front of the people?” Governor Liu continued. “Because he can’t stand anyone having more prestige than his father. He believes that all the people of You Province should revere Liu Yu above all.”

“When the people follow you, he wants to shatter their faith in front of their eyes.”

Liu Yi pouted: “If he really has such prestige, why does his son need to go around smashing other people’s faith?”

“Even a dragon has nine sons, each different,” Governor Liu said. “One father can have children who are good and bad. You can’t judge a father by his son’s character.”

“Promise your father—go to Guangyang and seek help from Lord Liu Yu. That is your only way out.”

“Trust your father this once, alright?”

Governor Liu gripped Liu Yi’s wrist tightly, his words so earnest that they finally moved her.

“Alright.”

She would go see Liu Yu without prejudice.

Governor Liu finally relaxed: “Good. Get some rest early.”

Liu Yi nodded and stood up. She walked a few steps, then turned back to ask her father: “Speaking of which… all these years, the villagers have been calling me ‘Little Immortal.’ That was your doing too, wasn’t it?”

Governor Liu froze, then grinned sheepishly: “Well… faith is also a tool of governance. You see, once they all thought the governor’s child was a reincarnated immortal, it saved the government office a lot of trouble.”

Liu Yi: “…”

Good grief. Half the blame for Liu He targeting her today fell on her father.

“By the way—was it also Father who spread the news that Liu He wanted to seize the people’s grain?” she asked after thinking it over. “Sister Sun and the others all knew.”

“No, I’m not foolish enough to make that kind of mistake,” Governor Liu denied. “But I noticed Liu He’s camp is poorly disciplined. It might have been leaked by his own men. Don’t dwell on it.”

Liu Yi nodded: “Understood.”

—

Taking leave of her father, Liu Yi returned to her small courtyard.

When Xiao Shan saw all the bundles Liu Yi was carrying, she rushed to help put them away.

But Liu Yi stopped her: “Don’t worry about that first—go get me some bruise medicine.”

Xiao Shan didn’t dare delay. She fetched the medicine and returned to find Liu Yi had already removed her upper garment, revealing a two-to-three-finger-wide bruise on her right shoulder, slightly swollen.

“How did you get this, Miss?” Xiao Shan gasped.

“I fell,” Liu Yi said briefly.

Of course, it was from Liu He pressing down on her on purpose.

Xiao Shan couldn’t imagine what kind of fall would cause such an injury in such an odd spot, and didn’t dare ask further. She carefully applied the ointment.

Then she brought a light blanket: “Miss, it’s best not to keep the bruise covered under clothes, but you should still cover up at night so you don’t catch a chill.”

Liu Yi hummed in acknowledgment and lay down.

They were quiet for a while. Then Liu Yi suddenly said: “I might be leaving in a couple of days.”

Xiao Shan gasped: “So soon?!”

“After I’m gone, don’t stay at the governor’s residence anymore,” Liu Yi continued. “Take the valuables in my drawer—find a place to make a living, start a small business, or marry into a reliable family. It’s all up to you.”

“What? No, I—”

The sudden dismissal caught Xiao Shan completely off guard.

Liu Yi seemed not to notice her reaction, only staring at the ceiling beam. “I thought about writing you a letter of recommendation to a good place, but then I thought better of it.”

“To the outside world, I’m male. You’ve stayed by my side all these years—people already see you as my concubine. No matter how much I sing your praises, they’ll never see it.”

“You can’t stay at the governor’s residence either. After I leave, Liu He’s men won’t dare target my parents, but they’ll certainly take it out on you.”

“So you still have to find your own path. I can’t help you much—the money is just compensation for all the hardships you’ve endured by my side all these years.”

Liu Yi had actually noticed this problem years ago.

To outsiders, and even to many in the household, she and Xiao Shan were a man and a woman alone together all day. To say nothing ever happened… not even a ghost would believe it.

She didn’t care about a woman’s “purity,” but she couldn’t control whether others cared.

She had also considered separating while they were still young, but she truly needed a capable assistant for her experiments. If not Xiao Shan, it would have to be another girl.

Her original plan was to wait until they left Yuyang and went somewhere without acquaintances, then give Xiao Shan a new identity to start over. Now it was too late.

“But I don’t feel wronged.” Xiao Shan still seemed a bit lost.

She had never imagined leaving Liu Yi one day. Even if they had to part temporarily, she would stay and look after Liu Yi’s parents, waiting for the day they reunited.

“Miss once said, when people misunderstood you, that gossip is like passing clouds—not worth being moved by. Xiao Shan has remembered that,” Xiao Shan said, lowering her head. “Besides, following you wasn’t for the money.”

Her voice grew softer: “…That day when they came to search, you told me to take the valuables and leave. I thought—even if I died, I wouldn’t take them.”

Even though that money could have seen her through the rest of her life comfortably—or even extravagantly.