Chapter 24 Part 3

Holy crap—holy crap?!

What in the world?!

Shen Jiujiu perched atop Sui Ziming’s forehead as the man lay prone; that blade had whistled past his crest feathers, carving the intruder’s calf like soft tofu. It spoke volumes of the throw’s lethal precision—low, true, viciously powered.

Hoofbeats drummed nearer, frantic.

The silhouette slung along the horse’s flank vaulted back into the saddle and hauled the reins taut.

The steed reared with a piercing whinny, forehooves gouging deep furrows in the dirt.

A swirl of scarlet official robes tumbled from the saddle, and Dark Guards melted from the shadows behind him, black specters fanning out to ring the woods.

The approaching figure drew ever closer. The black cloak draped over his bloodstained court robes billowed behind him like waves of terrifying momentum.

Above the crimson emblem, a white crane poised for flight burst straight into Shen Jiujiu’s line of sight.

Pei Du’s gaze landed on Sui Ziming sprawled in a pool of blood. His face darkened, his already taut jawline clenching even tighter.

Shen Jiujiu craned his neck to look up at Pei Du. Those eyes, usually so gentle and smiling, now sharpened like freshly unsheathed swords, roiling with furious waves of rage and murderous intent.

The assassins, seeing their strike had failed, tried to retreat—only to be ambushed from behind by the Dark Guards. Struck in vital spots, they lost consciousness in an instant.

Pei Du strode forward swiftly, his knuckles still white from gripping too hard.

He crouched first to inspect Sui Ziming’s wounds. Spotting Shen Jiujiu perched on the man’s forehead, jabbing away, he slowly curved his lips into a refined and elegant smile—then pinched Sui Ziming’s less injured shoulder.

Sui Ziming: “Ow—Cousin, that hurts hurts hurts!”

“Sui Ziming, didn’t I tell you ahead of time to bring more men?”

Pei Du ground his back teeth, forcing the words out.

“I’ll let it slide that you have no brains yourself, but couldn’t you at least bring someone who does when you head out?”

“My family only has me… Stop stop stop, I was wrong, I was wrong—Cousin, careful of the court robe sleeve; it’ll be a pain to wash if it gets dirty. Ow ow ow! Aaaah!”

Shen Jiujiu, who had been eager to show off Little Bird’s flight to his Benefactor, shrank back in shock, his pupils quaking.

Who could tell Little Bird who this guy was? The one with the mild smile but a vicious tongue that pulled no punches?

Was this really Little Bird’s one-and-only best-in-the-world Benefactor Pei…?

Shen Jiujiu had been standing right on Sui Ziming’s forehead. When Sui Ziming twitched, Little Bird’s claws slipped, sending the whole bird tumbling downward.

A familiar warm palm caught him perfectly.

Shen Jiujiu peeked out from under his wings at Pei Du, inches away.

Pei Du rose to his feet and settled Shen Jiujiu on his shoulder, slipping back into his usual guise of a mild-mannered, refined scholar. “Scared?”

Shen Jiujiu: “…Jiujiu.”

Of course not.

What was there to fear at this point?

If he had to be scared of anything, it was the Benefactor from moments ago who was far more terrifying.

Shen Jiujiu was certain Sui Ziming would agree with Little Bird on that score.

Sui Ziming was carefully lifted onto a carriage by Pei Du’s men and rushed ahead to the estate. The haidongqing A Sa, with half its wing broken, was stuffed into the carriage as well.

Pei Du had clearly been waylaid by the little sparrow in the Imperial Palace. He’d rushed here in such haste he hadn’t even changed out of his court robes, merely throwing on a cloak for partial cover.

A Dark Guard knelt on one knee before Pei Du and reported, “Master, the leader got away.”

Pei Du idly turned the jade thumb ring on his thumb, his tone unsurprised. “Take all the bodies and traces. Clean up every bloodstain.”

“Yes.”

Shen Jiujiu tilted his head.

Why did both the Long Aotian Male Lead and Pei Du have this habit of scouring the scene clean?

And…

Shen Jiujiu stared again and again at the Dark Guard wrapped head to toe in pitch black, struck by an odd sense of familiarity.

Seeing them recede into the distance, Shen Jiujiu itched to fly closer for a better look. He’d barely covered a short distance when Pei Du scooped him back with both hands.

“You can fly now?” Pei Du’s expression betrayed a touch of surprise.

Shen Jiujiu promptly shoved the Dark Guard from his mind. Right in front of Pei Du, he spread his wings and took off—barrel-rolling through the air, landing lightly, then fanning his tail in smug delight like a proud little peacock.

Pei Du first praised Little Bird Dumpling’s graceful display with utmost sincerity. Then he gently pinched the bird that had landed in his palm, turning Shen Jiujiu around to face the other way.

“Jiujiu, did you promise these little birds something?”

Huh?

It took Shen Jiujiu a moment to catch Pei Du’s drift. But when he looked out, there they were: the woods thick with little sparrows that hadn’t left at all. Row upon row, cluster upon cluster, they perched on branches, staring over with an almost oppressive intensity.

Spotting the long-tailed little bird glance their way, the lead Sparrow Ball flapped over. It didn’t dare land on Pei Du’s hand, settling on a nearby branch instead.

“Jiujiu~”

【As promised—if you find someone, you’ll raise us, right~】

Under the gaze of thousands, Shen Jiujiu: “…Jiu?”

Little Bird Dumpling’s wings trembled as it pointed toward the uncountable horde of Sparrow Balls.

【…These are all yours?】

The sparrow nodded firmly and swept its wing.

Instantly, the woods erupted in a cacophony of chirps from the Sparrow Balls.

Even the Dark Guards cleaning the ground below quickened their pace.

Shen Jiujiu had stashed a few pouches, thinking himself modestly well-off. Now he was flat broke—and bankrupt with no way to feed them.

He was already mooching meals and lodging off his Benefactor!

How could he have the gall to tell Benefactor Pei that the Little Bird he was raising wanted to take on thousands more sparrows?

The little bird, on the verge of shouldering the debt of an enormous sparrow household, went dark before the eyes. Feet skyward, wings crossed demurely over his chest, he lay perfectly still and serene in Pei Du’s palm.

Whatever.

If push came to shove and he couldn’t make it, sleeping away the ages like this wasn’t so bad.

“Jiujiu jiujiu jiu! Jiu jiu! Jiu jiu jiu!” The little sparrow clearly knew its clan was massive and hounded Little Bird—the debtor—with relentless chirps, demanding answers.

Lying in Pei Du’s palm, Shen Jiujiu felt the faint tremor in that hand all too clearly.

The indebted little bird cracked open his eyes and shot Pei Du a deeply woebegone look.

Benefactor had just laughed, hadn’t he?

Pei Du truly hadn’t expected that in a moment like this, he wouldn’t be able to hold back a laugh.

His finger gently brushed the tip of Shen Jiujiu’s wing, folded protectively over his belly. In a warm voice, he said, “We all came here to save someone. A little bird favor like this naturally falls to the one who was saved to repay, doesn’t it?”

Shen Jiujiu got the picture in a flash, intuitively grasping debt transfer. He sprang back to full vitality, standing ramrod straight in Pei Du’s palm. With a grand sweep of his wings toward the sparrows staring expectantly, he chirped: “Jiujiu jiujiu jiujiu jiujiu jiujiu!”

【Of course I stand by my word!】

【Remember that super tasty-smelling guy from earlier?】

【He’s everyone’s creditor from now on!】

【Once he’s awake, I’ll tell him to stock up on bird feed.】

【Every bird here gets food—for life!】

Selling off Sui Ziming’s grain didn’t hurt a bit!

The Dark Guards moved swiftly. Before long, the woods held only the lingering tang of blood that had yet to fully dissipate.

“Master, there are marks on Young Master Sui from an arrow graze, but we couldn’t find the arrow itself. It must have been taken away.”

Shen Jiujiu, who had just realized he might have forgotten something important, was jolted to remembrance by the Dark Guard’s report.

Little Bird patted Pei Du’s finger, signaling him to stay put.

Then he turned, spread his wings, and soared upward.

Unlike his earlier hopping about on the ground, Shen Jiujiu flapping his wings from behind looked utterly different from any ordinary little bird, even from afar.

The fluffy white puffball tumbled through the air, his wings blurring into shadows with each frantic beat. His long tail, usually tucked neatly together, fanned out now and then like a little fan, fluttering playfully.

He looked impossibly nimble and adorable.

Shen Jiujiu flew back in triumph, a Leaf Packet clutched in his beak. He deposited the evidence right into Pei Du’s palm, planting his bird claws atop it and chirping smugly. “Cheep-cheep-cheep!”

This time, Pei Du truly had no idea what Shen Jiujiu meant, but he carefully tucked away the item the bird had so deliberately fetched for him.

Only a handful of Sparrow Legion stragglers trailed after Shen Jiujiu now, likely hoping to get their bearings on the location and its people.

Shen Jiujiu had started out perched on Pei Du’s shoulder, but once Pei Du swung up onto his horse, he paused, then gently plucked the bird down and tucked him inside his lapels. He draped his cloak over top for good measure.

On the way in, the wind had tousled him into a featherbrained fool. On the way out, though, he nestled in his benefactor’s toasty embrace. Shen Jiujiu pressed his cheek against Pei Du’s robes and let out a contented little bird sigh.

It seemed he’d never amount to a fierce raptor general in this lifetime. At best, he could manage to be a bird who studied policy essays.

Muffled through layers of cloth, the horse’s hooves clopped distantly.

After a whole day of nail-biting tension and frantic activity, Shen Jiujiu’s eyelids grew heavy.

Just before drifting off, Little Bird Dumpling suddenly recalled that long saber kicked his way.

That blade… had Pei Du been the one to kick it over?

But the force and precision of that kick—surely only someone well-trained in martial arts, exceptionally skilled even, could manage it?

Did his benefactor… know how to fight?

And even if he did, why go to the trouble of kicking a saber over?

Shen Jiujiu had clearly seen the bow and quiver slung at the side of Pei Du’s mount on the way in.

Wouldn’t it have been quicker and easier to just nock an arrow and shoot?

~~~

Shen Jiujiu awoke from a deep sleep not only back at the residence but nestled right on Pei Du’s pillow, covered by a medicinal-scented handkerchief.

Little Bird stretched his wings wide in a luxurious yawn, then pinned the handkerchief over his belly with his wings. His tiny claws poked out to either side as he wiggled his toes with gusto.

He held the big-spread-claw pose and lay flat on Pei Du’s pillow, mentally replaying the day’s events from beginning to end.

A soft rustle sounded in the room. Shen Jiujiu craned his neck and peeked through a gap in the bed curtains. It was the usual attendant who shadowed him, setting out some pastries and fruit on the table—provisions left ready for whenever he stirred.

Worn out from the day’s rugged travels, Shen Jiujiu felt lazy and decided to lounge a bit longer. His gaze idly swept over the attendant’s back as the young man turned to leave.

“Cheep!!”

The sharp bird call halted the attendant mid-step.

He glanced toward the inner chamber.

Slowly, a little bird head emerged from the curtain gap, its bright eyes fixed unblinkingly on him.

For some inexplicable reason, the attendant broke out in a sweat under that stare.

The long-tailed little bird perched with utmost dignity on the bed’s edge. One wing drew back the curtain; the other crooked toward the attendant in a clear beckon.

“Cheep-cheep. Cheep-cheep-cheep.”

【Come over. Step closer.】

The attendant, drenched in sweat and sensing something profoundly off about the scene: “…”

Pei Du had barely set one foot through the door when he caught sight of Shen Jiujiu like this. His eyelid twitched.

He cleared his throat lightly and waved the attendant away.

Grateful for the reprieve, the young man bolted from the room at top speed, not forgetting to pull the door shut behind him.

Pei Du approached the bed and drew back the curtain, a faint smile playing on his lips as he regarded the solemn little bird face. “You’ve figured it out?”

Shen Jiujiu nodded with steady gravitas, his motion carrying a hint of Pei Du’s own poise.

Little Bird had indeed discovered it.

He had uncovered a secret so explosive that in any other novel, he’d be gagged or outright assassinated within minutes.

What sort of court heavyweight housed Dark Guards in his own residence—shadowy figures who appeared and vanished at will, yet blended seamlessly as tea-pouring attendants without a hint of suspicion?!

Little Bird’s claws, dangling off the bed’s edge, slowly drew together, rubbing awkwardly.

It was established: his benefactor was the original story’s archvillain, while the protagonist—Long Aotian—would be thrice entreated before reluctantly ascending the throne to usher in a new dynasty. Which left the burning question.

His benefactor: scion of a noble house, Court Prime Minister, Leader of the Pure Stream, master of the realm’s three great powers, Lord Pei. Was he wearing the mask of the loyal subject…

Or was he scripting a rebellion?

…Hold on.

Shen Jiujiu’s wings snapped back tight as realization dawned. He glanced belatedly at the firmly shut door.

At last, he raised his head and met Pei Du’s gaze.