Chapter 462: Greatly Afraid, a Strange Person

Ji Qingwu smiled at Gao Zhao Yue, her eyes curving as she revealed the silver hairpin.

"The Spider Gu raised on your blood is terrified of this hairpin. And if I’m not mistaken, so are you."

As she spoke, she brought the hairpin, glinting under the moonlight, closer to Gao Zhao Yue’s neck. The once flawless skin instantly began to shrivel and age, with brown spots appearing upon it.

"Get it away! Take it away!" Gao Zhao Yue cried out in terror.

Ji Qingwu had no desire to destroy such an unearthly beauty. She pulled her hand back and said with a smile, "Then please, proceed."

Gao Zhao Yue said warily, "Stay away from me."

Eunuch Li immediately glared. "Your life is on the line, and you still dare to be disrespectful to our Miss Ji!"

Gao Zhao Yue rolled her eyes irritably.

Ji Qingwu whispered, "Eunuch Li, it’s because the object in my hand is too close to her. It will nullify her Gu Technique."

With that, she retreated several yards away. Gao Zhao Yue shot Eunuch Li a venomous glare, then turned the palm of her hidden hand toward the sky and began to contort her body into a bizarre posture.

About fifteen minutes later, the horde of beasts surrounding the camp scattered and fled.

The wolf pack let out long howls, as if celebrating a victory. The young wolf at Ji Qingwu’s side yelped along, affectionately rubbing against the hem of her skirt.

The Black Eagles’ dives came to an abrupt halt. Chi Rui, unable to retract his sword in time, grazed one’s wing. THWACK! The eagle fell right on top of his head, leaving him dazed and confused.

Seeing this, Ji Qingwu said, "Thank you."

’This girl is thanking me? She must be a complete fool.’ A strange feeling rose in Gao Zhao Yue. She snorted coldly.

Ji Qingwu walked over to Chi Rui. "Vice General Chi, please do a headcount of the injured soldiers. Also, for the wolf pack outside the camp, bring back any that are wounded. Let the young wolf accompany you."

「An incense stick’s time later.」

Gao Zhao Yue was shackled hand and foot to a stone pillar on the empty training grounds, with Eunuch Li specifically assigned to watch over her.

Gao Zhao Yue had expected to be interrogated, or even tortured, after being captured. She never imagined that Ji Qingwu would pay her no attention at all.

Instead, Ji Qingwu was sitting on a high platform on the training grounds, boiling herbs and tending to the wounded.

The soldiers’ injuries were mostly scratches and peck wounds from the Black Eagles, concentrated on their upper bodies. They only required stopping the bleeding and cleaning the wounds.

Facing a crowd of bare-armed men, Ji Qingwu felt no discomfort. It was as if she saw no distinction of gender in her eyes. She bent over them, meticulously applying salves and deftly wrapping bandages.

The soldiers lined up, waiting their turn for treatment in an orderly fashion. Without exception, every man’s face was flushed red.

A beauty like Ji Qingwu would stand out even in Lin’an, let alone in the Northern Border Camp, where women were a rare sight.

Even knowing she was the one Emperor Wu Su cherished, they couldn’t help but let their minds wander.

Ji Qingwu’s gaze was gentle, a faint scent of herbs clung to her, and her eyes held a soft, peaceful light.

Gradually, the soldiers were influenced by her tranquil demeanor and no longer dared to harbor any disrespectful thoughts about her.

The wolves’ injuries were far more severe. The pack’s leader, the Wolf King, was the most grievously wounded, but thankfully, none of his injuries were fatal.

A she-wolf anxiously circled the Wolf King, licking his wounds with her tongue. Ji Qingwu used her arm to gently block the she-wolf.

She met its emerald-green eyes and said softly, "Easy there, little one. Don’t worry, you can leave him to me."

Only then did the she-wolf rest her head on Ji Qingwu’s lap and watch her treat the Wolf King.

The wound was even worse than Ji Qingwu had imagined, deep enough to expose the bone. She mixed a new herbal paste, adding a trauma medicine that would speed up healing.

Ji Qingwu met the Wolf King’s gaze, then carefully pulled its large, furry paw toward her. Two of its claws were broken. She switched to a small brush and meticulously applied the medicine between its pads.

The Wolf King’s nose twitched a few times, as if memorizing her scent.

While the Wolf King was distracted, Ji Qingwu secretly gave his extra-large paw pads a little squeeze. They were surprisingly springy. A satisfied smile graced her lips as she bent down to put away her jars and bottles.

Gao Zhao Yue watched all of this unfold. She suddenly spoke up, "You are a very strange person. The strangest I have ever met."

Without looking up, Ji Qingwu sorted her bottles by color and put them away. "How so?"

Gao Zhao Yue said, "You’re treating these common soldiers with your own hands? Do you have any idea of your status?"

Ji Qingwu took out a clean roll of gauze. "What is my status? Besides, what does one have to do with the other? They’re injured, and I happen to know a little medicine. I can help. That’s all."

Gao Zhao Yue truly couldn’t understand her. Based on her past experience in the Xijin Palace, Yu Wen Shuo may have wronged the entire world, but his affection for Empress Xiao was genuine. He would throw a fit if she so much as got a speck of dust on her hands. And Empress Xiao, for her part, would never lower herself to perform such menial tasks.

Gao Zhao Yue said, unable to comprehend, "The Emperor of Beili would give his life for you, yet you debase yourself like this?"

"I am a person, and they are people. No one is lowly or base."

"Treating people is one thing, but you’re even tending to this wolf. Aren’t you a bit of a bleeding heart?" Gao Zhao Yue said. "No matter what, it’s still a wolf. When you blocked it with your arm, weren’t you afraid it would bite it clean off?"

Ji Qingwu’s eyes flickered with amusement. "Why the sudden concern for my well-being? If I recall correctly, just thirty minutes ago, you were about to show me what you were capable of."

Ji Qingwu raised an eyebrow at her. "You should be thankful I’m such a bleeding heart. Otherwise, you’d be long dead by now."

Gao Zhao Yue was silent for a moment, then said, "Are you interested in joining our Heavenly Moon Clan? My clan has many secret techniques. I could teach them all to you."

Ji Qingwu’s hands paused. She looked at her in surprise. "Just a moment ago, you were accusing me of debasing myself, and now you want me to join your Heavenly Moon Clan? I think you’re the truly strange one here."

Gao Zhao Yue had never met anyone like her.

It was strange. The strangest part was that in all her forty-odd years of life, from childhood to now, she had never met someone so hopelessly kind.

Yet, she was captivating. It was as if just looking at her a little longer could warm one’s heart.

Ji Qingwu gently prodded the base of the she-wolf’s ear. The wolf’s ear twitched. She let out a breath and said, "Thankfully, it’s just a flesh wound."

She continued cleaning the cut on the she-wolf’s ear.

Seeing that Ji Qingwu was ignoring her, Gao Zhao Yue said resentfully, "I was just making a casual offer. If you’re not interested, then forget it."

Ji Qingwu paid her no mind, continuing with her work. She kept busy until she had finally treated most of the wounds on the people and wolves around her.

Gao Zhao Yue glanced up at her nonchalantly.

Ji Qingwu’s gaze swept over the area before she called out, "Vice General Chi."

Gao Zhao Yue turned her head away again.

Chi Rui answered, "I am here!"