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Chapter 82: Eighty-Two Treasures

The concubine sat up and warmly greeted her, "Oh, it's you! Come, sit with me."

The woman at the door slowly approached.

Her appearance was plain, but her deep blue eyes revealed her identity—it was Xun Qianchun, come to reconnect with the concubine.

Xun Qianchun's expression was somber.

She had come to seek the concubine's help. They had met before; the concubine was the woman in blue she had seen outside her old residence during her student days in Chang'an, a friend of her sister.

She had seen her twice more.

Once, two years ago, when she and her teacher spent the New Year in the former Xianbei territory, she saw this blue-clad woman sweeping with a bamboo broom in the distance.

The other time was a few days ago when Xu Zhen planned to sneak into the palace. Xun Qianchun had scouted ahead that night, discovering that her sister's friend was the infamously maligned new emperor.

Though they hadn't met often, Xun Qianchun had few people she could trust and thus sought out someone with power and influence.

The concubine, in a good mood, reminisced, "It's been a while. What brings you here today?"

Xun Qianchun remained silent.

Smiling, the concubine asked, "Your little lady has gone to the battlefield. Aren't you worried? Why aren't you protecting her?"

At these words, a fierce, almost feral glint flashed in Xun Qianchun's eyes.

The concubine paused, concerned, "What's wrong?"

Xun Qianchun closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, they were bloodshot. Her voice was husky as she replied, "I can't go."

The concubine was puzzled, "Why not?"

Xun Qianchun didn't answer immediately. After a moment, she said, "I've come to ask you for a favor."

The concubine, still smiling, asked, "What is it? I've told you before, if it's within my power, I'll surely help you."

Xun Qianchun, her patience thin, spoke urgently, her voice slightly shaky, "Help me protect my teacher. Tell her I've returned to Zhenbei and not to worry about me."

The concubine sensed something amiss.

Xun Qianchun's face was serious, but when she mentioned Xu Zhen, her voice softened, like a younger sister from a common family. She rarely spoke so much, and now it seemed as if she was giving her final words, "My teacher seems eager to clear my family's name. She mentioned something, but... I can't remember. If you're willing, you can tell her about the Xun family, so she won't exhaust herself."

Everything she said revolved around Xu Zhen.

The concubine, realizing something, asked, "You—"

Xun Qianchun interrupted, stating directly, "The poison has taken its course."

Her expression was calm, as if discussing something mundane, yet in truth, the poison in her body had reached a point beyond cure. She could no longer wield her sword, struggled to hear clearly, and her memory frequently faltered.

She even had thoughts of merging her teacher with her own flesh and blood.

She overestimated herself. She always thought she could overcome it. But in reality, she was just an ordinary person, incapable of controlling her own foul thoughts.

She should not have wasted the gentleman's time.

Once a skeptic of fate, she now believed in it. She couldn't pass Mount Tai, nor cross the Huai River. She had to stay far away, carrying her filthy and toxic self, looking for a place to bury it.