Chapter 603 – The Legacy of Nan Sheng (Part 2)
Due to hunger, this person had a rather emaciated figure, but the muscles visible on his exposed arms indicated that he had once undergone training. The evidence lay in the prominent calluses on his right hand, a testament to his long history of martial arts practice. The slight deformity of his knuckles suggested he had also learned to read and write; at the very least, he could flirt with the concept of being “well-rounded in both civil and martial affairs.”
His feet were bound in worn-out straw sandals, and the garments wrapped around him could scarcely be considered warm; they barely resembled rags. Such harsh living conditions had inflicted severe frostbite on him, to the point where just seeing it made one wince. Yet, he responded with complete indifference.
Either he was numb from pain, or he possessed a temperament strong enough to endure silently.
The soldier remarked that he had a good table manner.
One might ask how a person who had fainted in the snow, nearly buried under its thickness, could maintain composure upon seeing steaming food?
Not only did he maintain composure, but he also embodied discipline as if it was ingrained in him.
Even after hitting rock bottom, he still held on to the last fragments of dignity?
Jiang Pengji glanced at his face; it wasn’t the type that exuded calm. His features carried a hint of aggressiveness, but the hard life had somewhat dulled his pride, leaving a sense of tranquility that came with enduring hardship and an unyielding spirit in his eyes.
To put it metaphorically, he resembled a wounded wolf; even when on the brink of death, he still glared defiantly at his enemy’s throat.
However, appearances matter.
No matter how noble or lavish this man had been before his troubles, after half a year without bathing, his current state was far from presentable.
With a shift in her thoughts, Jiang Pengji understood a great deal.
Any further probing was cut short when he humbly thanked her.
Had Jiang Pengji not sent someone to rescue him, his body would likely have already grown cold.
Jiang Pengji smiled, saying, “No need for formalities; I can tell that before your misfortune, you must have come from a prestigious background.”
With that, she had someone fetch a clean set of warm garments for him.
Given the limited resources, the clothes couldn’t be new, but they were clean, warm, and fit him fairly well.
The man’s gaze was tinged with a bit of gloom and detachment; no matter how Jiang Pengji tried to engage him, he only replied to unimportant questions.
To others, he seemed to reveal little of significance, but for Pengji, she had already accumulated enough information.
Beyond her earlier analysis, Jiang Pengji confirmed several key points through a few probing attempts.
This man was not a native of Dongqing; his homeland had suffered from foreign invasions, and he referred to himself as a “stray dog,” which led to the conclusion that he hailed from Nan Sheng, a state recently destroyed by the four tribes of the Southern Barbarians. His southern accent served as further evidence of this.
After a few attempts to probe, Jiang Pengji chose not to pursue it further, and the man secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
At that moment, the soldier had procured a clean outfit for him, including a base layer and a warm woolen shirt.
Jiang Pengji suggested, “The people below have boiled extra water; if you don’t mind, you can wash up with hot water before changing clothes. It will keep you warmer. The weather is freezing, and I see your frostbite is severe. If left unchecked, it could lead to long-term suffering.”
Despite her seemingly harmless and warm demeanor, the man’s wariness did not subside.
At present, he was broke, reduced to this state, with his homeland lost—what could possibly make this noble girl want to scheme against him?
He secretly scoffed and thanked Jiang Pengji for her kindness.
He had forgotten how long it had been since he’d cleaned himself; bathing was a distant luxury, let alone using warm water for a sponge bath—such indulgence hadn’t existed for several months.
The soldier boiled snowwater until it became hot, and the man meticulously washed himself in an idle cart.
Even the soldier couldn’t help but stare in disbelief.
The amount of grime on him was staggering; he managed to turn a once white cloth into a filthy gray, and it took several changes of water before the basin finally cleared.
The first exchange was disgustingly black, enough to stir one’s stomach, and it took several basins to eventually return to clarity.
“This is the medicine the lord has prepared for you; it’s effective for treating frostbite.”
The biting cold of the northern winter was incredibly long, often resulting in frostbite for many common people, causing both pain and discomfort. If not properly cared for, they would deal with recurrences every year and face a lifetime of suffering. That’s why slightly better-off northern citizens tended to keep some salve handy.
“Thank you.”
Initially, the man intended to only wipe down a little, but once he started, he couldn’t stop himself and ended up thoroughly washing his long hair as well.
The soldier remarked, “You’re lucky; you ran into our lord. If it had been someone else, you’d probably be meeting the king of hell by now.”
A stiff smile hung on the man’s face as he remained silent.
Seeing his lackluster reaction, the soldier couldn’t help but grumble internally, feeling a bit disgruntled.
This guy’s response was way too cold! They weren’t looking for him to be forever grateful, but a little warmth wouldn’t hurt, right?
They had boiled several pots of hot water, all just for his bath.
One ought to know that even their lord and several scholars wouldn’t be so extravagant. They usually made do with a sponge bath every other day or at most a small wash every five days.
And this was in winter! If it had been summer, he would have surely stunk up the place.
Feng Zhen was playing chess with Wei Ci inside the carriage when he overheard the soldiers whispering outside, sparking his curiosity.
“Hehe, our lord is a typical case of no profit, no early start! If there’s no gain in sight, how could she be so kind? I wonder who that man really is, to receive such treatment from her; he must not be an ordinary person.”
Despite often goofing off, Feng Zhen was quite perceptive and had some understanding of Jiang Pengji’s ways.
But…
Was it just a coincidence to run into a “big shot”? Wasn’t that luck just a bit too good?
With that, Feng Zhen wrapped himself in a warm cloak, shielding himself before cautiously stepping down from the carriage.
Wei Ci had no choice but to follow.
Without beating around the bush, Feng Zhen directly inquired about the man’s identity.
Jiang Pengji glanced at the self-righteous and curious Feng Zhen, and then at Wei Ci trailing behind, suppressing a laugh in her heart.
“You two look less like spectators and more like close friends snooping for infidelity,” Jiang Pengji teased, to which Feng Zhen took no offense, though Wei Ci’s heart skipped a beat. She continued, “That man is a noble from Nan Sheng; I’d wager his lineage is quite commendable.”
Nan Sheng?
Feng Zhen raised an eyebrow and scoffed, “Nan Sheng? Isn’t it gone already?”
In just a few years, Nan Sheng had fallen from glory to ruins.
Not only did the royal family get wiped out, but it also dragged countless innocent people down with it.
“While the nation may be gone, the Southern Barbarians didn’t have eight hands to execute everyone. Surely, some fish slipped through the net,” Jiang Pengji explained. “As for nobility, having multiple escape routes is a necessary skill. If he’s resolute about escaping, the Southern Barbarians can’t possibly dig three feet into the ground just to find one dried fish. But that’s merely my personal deduction; he’s quite tight-lipped.”
