Chapter Seventy-Three: What Happened in Qimo's Past

When the commander was suddenly questioned, he panicked at once. But then, he quickly recalled that although this man was a prince from the capital, he knew nothing of the affairs out here on the frontier. Even if he made up something on the spot, the prince would have nowhere to verify his claims. After all, the entire border was under their control; as long as none of their people volunteered information to the prince, he would have no means of investigating, no matter how he tried.

Thinking this through, the commander regained his composure and replied, “In truth, it’s simply that the soldiers are exhausted from training and are resting now. They’re not usually like this. Our unit is the strongest on the frontier.” The commander spoke with such conviction that he almost believed it himself. But Shen Hezhi was not so easily deceived. He knew he was in no real danger here and had done nothing to earn their trust, so there was no way he could get any answers from them. Yet the circumstances had changed—now he had Qimo. If he wanted to know anything, all he had to do was ask. From Qimo’s reaction just now, it was clear he had long harbored resentment toward the commander and this unit. There was surely something wrong with both.

“Well, since that’s the case, I’ll let you rest. But this man—I’m taking him with me,” Shen Hezhi said, dropping any further questioning about the commander or his troops. The commander, seeing Shen Hezhi relent, was quite satisfied. After all, losing one man was no great loss—especially one who had always opposed him. He’d long wished for an excuse to get rid of him. Now that the new prince willingly agreed to take him away, it suited him perfectly; he wouldn’t have to look at that irritating face any longer. “If that is your wish, Your Highness, then of course you may take him,” the commander replied ingratiatingly.

Shen Hezhi gave him a cool glance, then turned and left with Qimo.

He brought Qimo straight to the post station, and the two of them sat down in the study to talk. Before they began, Shen Hezhi had already instructed Shen Yi and the other shadow guards to stand watch at the door, to prevent any eavesdropping. Shen Yi was the leader of the male shadow guards and the only one who regularly appeared at Shen Hezhi’s side; in public, he served as the prince’s chief steward. The other shadow guards only revealed themselves if absolutely necessary, such as in combat.

Once the door was closed, Shen Hezhi immediately asked, “All these years, where have you been? How did you escape danger back then? I saw with my own eyes that you were gravely poisoned—how did you...”

Shen Hezhi had meant to ask how he had survived the poison, but upon reflection, he realized he had no right to do so. He had been the one to abandon Qilian Mountain when he was on the verge of death from poisoning. To now ask how he had escaped was like rubbing salt into his wounds. Regret filled Shen Hezhi as soon as the words left his lips, but Qimo showed no reaction.

“It’s actually rather complicated,” Qimo began. “At the time, I really was severely poisoned, and I thought I was going to die. The men hunting us saw that I was stricken and gave up the chase, so I assumed the poison was incurable. But as I closed my eyes, ready to meet my end, a young woman suddenly appeared. She took me away and managed to cure me. I never learned how she did it, because she left after saving me, and I’ve spent all these years searching for her in vain.”

He sighed with regret.

Then he recounted how he had come to the frontier. At first, he had intended to find his savior, but after endless searching with no success, he thought to continue on to the capital to aid Shen Hezhi. But midway, he was robbed by thieves and left penniless. With no means to reach the capital, he was forced to seek menial work to feed himself. Unexpectedly, he was tricked by a group and transported to this harsh borderland as a laborer.

That didn’t last long, for soon after war broke out, and the laborers all fled. Qimo could have used the chaos to escape and head for the capital, but seeing the miserable plight of the frontier’s common folk, he chose to stay and join the fight. Having been born into poverty himself, he could not bear to witness their suffering, and besides, he was not sure he could find Shen Hezhi even if he made it to the capital. The distance was vast, and even if he managed to scrape together some travel money, he doubted it would be enough.

After much deliberation, he decided to remain on the frontier and enlist in the army. He never forgot Shen Hezhi’s mission—to kill the emperor. He was one of the few who knew of the enmity between Shen Hezhi and the emperor.

It was partly for Shen Hezhi’s sake that Qimo resolved to make a name for himself on the border. In this way, he would hold military power and be able to aid Shen Hezhi in his struggle against the emperor.

……

After hearing all this, Shen Hezhi was overcome by a storm of emotions. Though there was little to be said about abandoning him in such dire circumstances, guilt gnawed at his heart. And now, the very man he had abandoned had spent all these years thinking only of how to help him fight the emperor. Shen Hezhi’s sense of guilt only deepened.

Perhaps sensing this, Qimo suddenly said, “Everything I have done has been of my own free will, Your Highness. It seems you have misunderstood.”

Shen Hezhi looked up at him. “I could have stayed to save you. Since that young woman managed to cure you, it proves your poisoning was not beyond hope. But I left you behind. I…”

Qimo smiled helplessly and cut him off. “If that’s what weighs on your mind, Your Highness, then set it aside. In that situation, anyone would have run. If you hadn’t escaped, you would simply have died beside me. Besides, the poison was indeed deadly—I knew it myself. That’s why I am so curious about how that young woman managed to save me.”

Seeing a trace of guilt still linger on Shen Hezhi’s face, Qimo continued, “A hero like Your Highness surely wouldn’t let such trivial matters trouble you forever, would you? Don’t make me think less of you!”