Chapter 23: Little Radish

"I... I am just a little beggar. I had nowhere to go, so I... I hid here." The little beggar kept his head down, not daring to meet Jiang Bai's eyes.

Jiang Bai remained silent for a moment, seemingly lost in thought. The little beggar’s breath hitched; he had no idea how this person would deal with him.

"What is your name?" Jiang Bai asked suddenly.

"I... I am called Little Radish." The little beggar hesitated before offering a name he had made up on the spot.

"Little Radish..." Jiang Bai repeated, as if savoring the name. Suddenly, she reached out and grabbed his arm.

"Why are you here?" Jiang Bai pulled Little Radish out of the kitchen and dragged him into the courtyard. After all, the kitchen contained knives, and she did not want to risk any carelessness that might lead to the boy grabbing one and harming her.

Little Radish was stunned for a moment, then began to struggle in terror. "I'm not leaving! I'm not going anywhere!"

Jiang Bai ignored his struggle and lifted him up as easily as if he were a chick. The boy kicked wildly, but Jiang Bai’s strength was immense, and her hand felt like an iron clamp; he could not break free.

"Let me go! You villain!" Little Radish shouted. His voice echoed through the empty residence, drawing the attention of the apothecary’s assistant, who had been inside the main hall tidying up.

"Dr. Jiang, has a thief broken in?" The assistant looked at Little Radish with utter disgust. He assumed the little beggar had seen the house was empty and moved in, and there was no telling how much he had ruined in the process.

"I didn't!" Little Radish yelled back. He had been so careful—even sleeping in the woodshed just to avoid damaging anything. He had never stepped foot anywhere other than the kitchen and the woodshed!

Jiang Bai was closest to him, and the boy’s voice, yet to break, was sharp enough to make her ears ache. Annoyed, she suddenly released her grip, and Little Radish fell heavily to the ground.

"What exactly do you want?" Little Radish rubbed his bruised backside, glaring at Jiang Bai with indignation.

Seeing the boy getting angry, Jiang Bai countered with a strange question: "This is my house. Why are you asking me what I want?"

"I..." Little Radish was momentarily struck dumb. He had been so focused on being falsely accused and the pain of his fall that he had forgotten he was the one who had trespassed.

"I'm sorry. It was too cold outside, and I truly had nowhere to stay. Seeing that this place was empty, I just wanted to borrow the woodshed for a bit. It’s all my fault; I shouldn't have come in." Little Radish knew when to yield and immediately lowered his head to admit his mistake.

Jiang Bai looked at him coldly, a hint of impatience in her eyes. She turned to the assistant and said, "Go and tidy up the woodshed. Don't let this brat run around anymore."

The assistant nodded and headed toward the woodshed. Little Radish watched Jiang Bai's retreating figure, his heart racing with panic. He knew he had gotten himself into deep trouble, but it was too late for regrets.

"What is it you really want?" Jiang Bai asked again, her tone laced with a threat.

Little Radish lowered his head, not daring to look her in the eye. He knew he had to find a way out, or he would likely not escape today.

"I... I just wanted a place to stay for the night, and I'll leave first thing tomorrow morning." His voice trembled, yet a flicker of cunning crossed his eyes.

Jiang Bai sneered. "Do you think I believe you?"

Knowing his lie hadn't worked, Little Radish gritted his teeth, looked up, and met her gaze. "I... I have a secret that I can trade for my life."

Jiang Bai frowned. "What secret?"

Little Radish took a deep breath. "In exchange, I want to stay here for a while."

Jiang Bai’s eyes sharpened instantly. "Are you bargaining with me?"

Seeing her reaction, Little Radish felt a pang of fear. He had not expected such an intense, oppressive presence from a young woman who looked to be barely older than himself.

He licked his chapped lips and decided to gamble. "I know a secret about Jiang Hui. I can trade that with you."

Jiang Bai was silent for a while, considering his words. Suddenly, she said with conviction, "Jiang Hui has been turning this place upside down lately—he’s looking for you, isn't he?"

Little Radish lowered his head, his voice choking with emotion. "I’ve been hiding for so long. Big sister, please, let me hide here. If Jiang Hui finds me, he will kill me."

Jiang Bai looked at him, her expression turning complex. The boy looked two years younger than her brother Jiang Ye, yet... "Tell me, why is Jiang Hui hunting you?"

Little Radish looked up, eyes brimming with tears. "Big sister, I saw Jiang Hui kill someone. He wanted to kill me too, but I managed to escape. It was so terrifying... they have been looking for me ever since."

Jiang Bai did not respond. She neither confirmed nor denied her belief, simply staring at him steadily.

Little Radish steeled himself and continued, "I’ve been on the run for so long and I was starving, so I came in looking for food. But I haven't found anything yet. I didn't dare go into your rooms because I was afraid of making them dirty. I really didn't ruin anything in your house."

Jiang Bai turned to the assistant. "Go buy enough food to last him ten days, and get something he can eat right now. We’ll eat here at noon."

The assistant nodded and left.

Jiang Bai looked at Little Radish. "I will let you stay here, but you are to remain in the woodshed. You are not to enter any other rooms. You may go to the kitchen. I will give you some food shortly; stay there and behave. Remember, you are not to leave without my permission. I will sprinkle poison around the perimeter; if you step one foot outside, you will die."

Little Radish nodded. As Jiang Bai waved him away, he turned and walked toward the woodshed. A wave of relief washed over him. If he could not leave as she commanded, then those people outside could not get in either. He was safe, for now.

As night fell, Jiang Bai and the assistant returned to their current residence. For safety, Jiang Bai stayed in the same estate as Duan Yue and Duan Jing, while the rest of the military doctors, including Chen Jie, stayed in a different house.

After washing up, Jiang Bai lay in bed, thinking of Little Radish. She planned to wait until things were settled with the Duan brothers in a couple of days before informing them. Perhaps this would be a perfect entry point to find leverage against Jiang Hui.

A few days later, Duan Yue arrived in the city with his younger brother and Jiang Bai’s brother. They hadn't gone far when they spotted Jiang Bai waiting near the city gate.

"Big sister!" Jiang Ye called out excitedly. He waved the hand not held by Duan Yue, trying to catch her attention.

"Xingzhi." Jiang Bai responded, walking toward them. "General Duan, Strategist Duan, thank you for your hard work over these past few days. Has Xingzhi been well-behaved? He hasn't caused you any trouble, has he?"