Chapter 159

The weather at Yunhua Mountain has been sunny for several days, and the abundant sunshine has melted a lot of the thick snow that had accumulated in the depths of winter. The surrounding area is shimmering with water, and there is a rare sense of warmth.

Within two days, news that Lu Huaiwei was a spy had spread throughout Yunhua Palace, and even the post stations in various prefectures received the news one after another. This included the false news that Nangong Min had given the Holy Sword to the Star Gazing Platform. For a time, everyone in the palace was shocked, and everyone was discussing these two matters.

Xie Yijun offered two sticks of incense in front of the Buddha statue, bowed once while holding the prayer beads, and said to Man Jiangxue, "What have you thought about luring Xiao Qi out?"

Man Jiangxue was dressed casually today, her skirt fluttering, her sleeves wide, and the pearl buttons on her lapels accentuating her fair skin and red lips, giving her an ethereal air. She habitually fiddled with her dagger, and upon hearing this, replied, "Still considering."

Xie Yijun turned around, glanced at her, and said, "Huaiwei's crime has been settled, and the matter of the observatory has been pushed onto Nangong Min. Now is the perfect opportunity. Jiang Xue, time is of the essence. Strike while the iron is hot for maximum effect. You need to consider when to go."

A brass incense burner sat on the table, wisps of smoke rising from it. Man Jiangxue reached out and brushed away the smoke, saying, "I can't take Xiao Qiu's safety lightly. The letter has already been sent, and we'll know who Xiao Qi is in half a month."

"What if Nangong Min doesn't tell us?" Xie Yijun frowned. "If she doesn't tell us, or gives us a fake name, and we end up accusing someone else, what should we do then?"

Man Jiangxue said, "Have you ever thought that if we use Xiao Qiu as bait, she will be in great danger, and none of us can protect her?"

Xie Yijun said, "How could we not protect her? With your skills, plus Wan Shu, and Wen Chaoyu, even though she lost an arm, I think she's quite good at throwing knives. And if all else fails, we still have me. With so many people together, how could we let a sickly girl get away?"

“As I said before, taking down Xiao Qi is not a problem,” Man Jiangxue said, “but she can control Gu poison to harm Xiao Qiu. In particular, Xiao Qiu cannot use her true energy at present, and she cannot even use her lightness skill. Once she falls into Xiao Qi’s hands, she will have no way to protect herself. Even if we can lure Xiao Qi out, she can use Xiao Qiu to threaten us and escape unscathed. Since we can’t stop her from escaping no matter what, why make Xiao Qiu suffer?”

As the saying goes, even in death, one should take someone down with them. If Man Jiangxue and the others were to kill him, Xiao Qi could naturally use his Gu poison to kill Yin Qiu. At worst, it would be a fight to the death. Although Wen Chaoyu's plan had its merits, it was not foolproof. Taking risks was not unacceptable, but since Yin Qiu's life was directly at stake, it could not be done so rashly.

Xie Yijun couldn't help but feel anxious again: "What should we do? If we lure her out, she can hurt Yin Qiu. If we don't lure her out, she might escape in the next two weeks. It would be best if we could catch her in the palace, but then we would be completely helpless against her."

Man Jiangxue said, "So the only thing we can do now is wait. We need to wait for Nangong Min's reply. The situation has barely stabilized now. As long as nothing unexpected happens in the next half month, we can take her under control. That way, she won't be able to harm Xiao Qiu."

“This person is far too vicious. If we capture her, we must kill her immediately,” Xie Yijun said with a cold smile. “We must not give her even the slightest chance to harm Yin Qiu. She is your enemy, Jiang Xue. You can decide what to do with her when the time comes.”

After a moment's thought, Man Jiangxue said slowly, "No, we can't kill her so quickly. We must leave her alive."

Xie Yijun quickly realized what was going on and sighed, "That's right. She must know about the mastermind behind the secret guards. Even if she dies, she has to explain everything to me before she dies."

There weren't many people in the hall. Only Ye Zhilan and Ji Wanshu were handling official business for Xie Yijun in the outer room. The two of them kept their voices down so that the two juniors outside wouldn't hear them. Man Jiangxue glanced at Ji Wanshu through the beaded curtain and said, "I heard Wanshu mention the other day that Senior Sister has recently been thinking about establishing a young sect leader?"

Xie Yijun poured two cups of hot tea, and chuckled when she heard this: "I knew she was going to tell you. This child... I really can't control her anymore. Aren't you going to help me persuade her?"

Man Jiangxue said, "She asked me to persuade you, and you asked me to persuade her. I'm caught in the middle and it's difficult for me."

"What's troubling you?" Xie Yijun pointed to her temples and said, "Look, my hair is almost white. If I don't appoint a young sect leader to share some of the burden, I'll die of overwork sooner or later. Although that child has a bit of a strange temper and is impulsive and easily angered, she's not a bad person at heart. She's pure, kind, and upright, and she won't make mistakes on important matters. As for minor matters, Zhilan will be there to keep an eye on things. One is a scholar, and the other is a warrior, so I'm at ease. Besides, there have been constant upheavals in the palace this year, and the disciples are all in a state of panic. Appointing a young sect leader now would be a good way to appease everyone. Why not?"

Man Jiangxue neither agreed nor disagreed with these words, but simply watched the two people outside who were working silently.

Ji Wanshu had only recently begun learning to handle palace affairs, and there were still many things she hadn't quite grasped. Sitting there looking irritable, one could sense that she might flip the table at any moment. In contrast, Ye Zhilan remained calm and composed, patiently guiding and explaining things to Ji Wanshu, her entire demeanor dignified and composed.

This scene would make anyone admire Ye Zhilan even more; she truly has more of a leader's demeanor than Ji Wanshu.

“I noticed that Zhilan doesn’t look well, and she’s lost a lot of weight,” Man Jiangxue said. “Has she been suffering in the torture chamber?”

Xie Yijun followed her gaze and sighed, "Anyone locked up in the punishment hall for a month would not recover, let alone after this incident. She is even more cautious than before, practically a frightened bird. She asks for my opinion on even the smallest things and dares not make decisions on her own. I told you before that Wan Shuruo is really not up to the task. I did consider passing the leadership to Zhilan, but the suspicions against her have not been cleared, so I had to give up on that idea."

Before their conversation, Man Jiangxue had already questioned Ye Zhilan. She was still completely clueless about the mask material and the secret guard disciples, and couldn't come up with any reasonable explanation. If it weren't for keeping Xiao Qi in check and framing Lu Huaiwei, Ye Zhilan wouldn't have been released. Now that she's out, she's greatly affected, even doing small things like serving tea with trepidation, afraid of upsetting Xie Yijun.

Man Jiangxue looked at Ye Zhilan for a while and said, "Wan Shu is of good character and her swordsmanship is also good, but she is not cut out to be the sect leader. Besides, she is so unwilling. Even if she becomes the sect leader, I'm afraid she will not be able to shoulder the heavy responsibility. As the saying goes, a forced melon is not sweet. I am not speaking up for her, but from the perspective of the big picture, Senior Sister can indeed choose another candidate."

After all, Ji Wanshu was not even a satisfactory chief disciple and was full of complaints, let alone a sect leader.

Xie Yijun looked troubled and asked, "Then what do you mean?"

Man Jiangxue said, "Let's wait two more years. There are rising talents out there. Senior Sister, there's no need to rush. Don't forget that Master was not even sixty when she passed away. If she hadn't been seriously ill, she wouldn't have stepped down even at eighty. So what are you panicking about?"

After careful consideration, Xie Yijun could only reply, "What you said makes sense. Let's observe further then..."

As soon as she finished speaking, Ji Wanshu outside suddenly stood up, picked up his sword, and said, "I'm not looking anymore, my eyes will go blind if I keep looking. I'm going out to practice my sword for a while."

Ye Zhilan was about to persuade her to stop when Xie Yijun, who had overheard everything in the inner room, scolded, "You're already restless after reading for only a short while? How old are you? Are you still a three-year-old? You're not going anywhere until you finish reading this memorial!"

Ji Wanshu stood there, his face clouded with gloom.

Ye Zhilan smiled and said, "Master, please don't be angry. Wan Shu is just beginning to learn how to handle these official duties and needs time. Let her take her time. I will take care of the rest."

Xie Yijun looked at Ji Wanshu and shouted, "Look at you! Whether it's your martial aunt or your martial sister, aren't they all protecting you and spoiling you? You should try to be more assertive!"

Ji Wanshu muttered, "...I don't want to be the sect leader."

"Say that again!" Xie Yijun pulled out a ruler, as if to hit someone.

Ji Wanshu seized the opportunity to escape, and took the chance to leap out of Mingguang Hall, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Xie Yijun was furious and complained to Man Jiangxue, "This is all because you spoiled her!"

Man Jiangxue found it amusing and said, "What have I done to spoil her? I'm not her master."

“Yes…yes,” Xie Yijun said, her chest heaving, pointing in the direction of Jingyue Peak, “They were both raised by that master of hers. The two of them are exactly the same!”

Man Jiangxue smiled without saying a word, and Ye Zhilan quickly served her a cup of hot tea, comforting her, "Master, please don't be angry, be careful not to hurt yourself."

Xie Yijun snorted coldly, pushed away her teacup, and said, "Forget it. Hasn't Wan Shu angered me enough times? There's nothing I can do about her. You should go and rest too."

Ye Zhilan nodded: "Then I'll go to the medical pavilion to see Junior Sister Lu."

Xie Yijun was about to object, but after thinking about it, she agreed: "Go, go."

·

Yin Qiu carried the food box into the medical pavilion and knocked twice on the door.

Meng Jing opened the door, stepped aside, and said, "Why are you here?"

Yin Qiu smiled and went inside, saying, "Why can't I come?" She placed the food box on the table and took out the food. "I brought you some food. How is Senior Sister Lu doing?"

The room was warm with many charcoal braziers burning, as warm as spring or summer. Yin Qiu took off her outer robe, and Meng Jing poured her a cup of tea before sitting down, saying, "Her life has been saved, but I don't know when she will wake up."

Yin Qiu glanced at Lu Huaiwei through the curtain. She was still unconscious, her face as pale as paper. The bandage around her neck looked clean, as if it had just been changed. Yin Qiu glanced outside and, seeing that no one was around, spoke again: "Senior Sister Lu has suffered this time. When she wakes up, I really don't know how to face her."

Meng Jing picked up a few bites of food, but had no appetite. She said in a low voice, "Right now everyone thinks she's a spy from the palace. But when will we be able to find the real spy?"

Yin Qiu turned around and sat down at the table, holding her teacup. She said, "If my master doesn't agree to let me lure Xiao Qi out, then we can only wait for Nangong Min's reply."

"What if she doesn't reply?" Meng Jing said. "Senior Sister Ye and Senior Sister Lu were framed one after another. How could Nangong Min not know about this? You have to understand that Xiao Qi and Nangong Min are in the same boat. Even if Xiao Qi lied to Nangong Min about the Holy Sword, Nangong Min might not necessarily turn against Xiao Qi because of this. If the two of them work together and use the same trick to slander others again, how will we deal with that?"

Yin Qiu pondered for a moment and replied, "I met Nangong Min in Cang County this time. I can't say I'm 100% sure, but I'm at least 80%. She only agreed to join forces with Xiao Qi because of the Holy Sword. Now that she knows that Xiao Qi has been lying to her all along, I don't believe she can swallow her anger. So Nangong Min will definitely reply to my letter."

“But there’s a loophole,” Meng Jing said. “What if Nangong Min thinks you’re trying to get something for nothing? After all, she has no way of knowing whether we’ve found the Holy Sword or not.”

Yin Qiu took a sip of tea and said, "This senior uncle has already considered this, but there is no better way at the moment. We can only place our hopes on Nangong Min. If she refuses to tell us, then we can only find another way out."

Meng Jing pondered, "Since my uncle won't let you be the bait, besides hoping that Nangong Min will keep his word, is there any other way to lure Xiao Qi out?"

Yin Qiu looked up at her: "The sect leader and my master have already discussed all the possible solutions, but none of them are quite suitable. As for you, I know you are meticulous and quick-witted. Have you thought of any countermeasures these past two days?"

Meng Jing sighed: "These past few days I've been focused on Senior Sister Lu, my thoughts are all jumbled up, and I haven't had the energy to think about anything else. I haven't come up with any good solutions yet."

Yin Qiu asked, "You're at least an observer, not deeply involved in the mystery. From your perspective, who do you think is most likely to be Xiao Qi?"

Meng Jing frowned and pondered, "It's hard to guess. The scope is too broad. Anyone in the palace could impersonate Senior Sister Lu. She's also extremely cautious and hasn't left any clues for anyone to follow. I can only say that I can't help her with this." After saying that, she looked at Yin Qiu and said, "But after she gets through this storm, she will definitely cause trouble again. She will never just stay quiet. We don't even know if she believes in the matter of the Star Gazing Platform. If she notices something amiss, it's not so bad to escape in secret. What I'm afraid of is that she will target you again. That would be impossible to guard against."

Yin Qiu hummed in agreement, then said thoughtfully, "You're right."

“So for the next two weeks, you’d better not leave your master’s side for even a moment,” Meng Jing said. “Whenever you are alone, you could be ambushed by Xiao Qi, but as long as you stay by your master’s side, she won’t dare to make any rash moves. Even if she can hurt you with her flute, as long as you don’t fall into her hands, the situation isn’t too bad. But if she kidnaps you one day, that would be terrible.”

Upon hearing these words, Yin Qiu felt a chill run down her spine.

She really hadn't thought about this.

In recent days, not only Yin Qiu, but also Man Jiangxue and Xie Yijun have been focused on how to capture Xiao Qi. Almost no one has considered this aspect. It was only after Meng Jing's reminder that Yin Qiu suddenly realized how bad her situation was.

The reason for convicting Lu Huaiwei was to prevent the excavation of the cenotaph from alerting the enemy, and also to reassure Xiao Qi. Xiao Qi might suspect Nangong Min of making a secret deal with Yunhua Palace because of the Star Gazing Platform, but seeing that Lu Huaiwei was already regarded as a spy by everyone in Yunhua Palace, she would definitely choose to remain inactive and continue to observe the situation from the shadows.

—But this is just Yin Qiu and her group's idea.

What if Xiaoqi didn't believe it at all?

The observatory has been razed to the ground, and there's almost no way to hide it anymore. Prescribing a real crime on Lu Huaiwei is ultimately just a temporary measure. Man Jiangxue only proposed this plan when she was at her wit's end and hoped it might keep Xiao Qi calm. But if Xiao Qi is unmoved and has already seen through their intentions, then whether they convict Lu Huaiwei or push the matter of the observatory onto Nangong Min, it will all be in vain.

Meng Jing is right. It's not that Xiao Qi's escape from justice is scary; what's scary is that she might target Yin Qiu.

Once this actually happens, there will be virtually no one who can save Yin Qiu. The enemy is in the shadows, while she is in the open. Yin Qiu is not only poisoned by Gu, but her injuries have not yet healed. If she falls into Xiao Qi's hands, then Yunhua Palace will be completely in a passive position in this game.

In that brief moment, Yin Qiu pondered many things, and the more she thought about it, the more alarmed she became.

It seems that Yunhua Palace is no longer a safe place for her. Only by staying by Man Jiangxue's side can Yin Qiu have a little bit of safety left. Meng Jing's words were like a wake-up call. Indeed, those involved are often confused while bystanders see things clearly. Her reminder was very necessary!

·

“I’m going back to Jingyue Peak right now,” Yin Qiu put down her teacup and stood up abruptly. “What you just said really hit the nail on the head. I’ve been so busy these days that I’ve overlooked this. If Xiao Qi really does try to harm me in the palace, then my master will definitely be coerced by her and won’t be able to fight back. Before Xiao Qi is exposed, I have to stay by my master’s side at all times.”

Meng Jing immediately stood up as well: "Then I'll see you off."

Yin Qiu wanted to agree, but when she thought of Lu Huaiwei being left unattended, she waved her hand and said, "No need. You should take care of Senior Sister Lu. I won't be able to visit her anymore. If she wakes up, please remember to convey my greetings."

Meng Jing said, "Alright, I don't know kung fu and can't protect you, so I'll ask other senior brothers and sisters to accompany you for a while."

Yin Qiu readily agreed, and the two immediately set off, pushing open the door and stepping out. As soon as they entered the corridor, they saw a familiar figure in the courtyard, walking towards them.

"Senior Sister Ye?" Yin Qiu paused for a moment, then quickly stepped forward to greet her, "Why are you here at this hour?"

Ye Zhilan's breathing quickened slightly. She coughed twice, pressing her fist to her lips, and said, "My master sent me." She lifted her skirt and went up the steps, asking, "Where are you all going?"

Yin Qiu smiled and said, "I just finished visiting Senior Sister Lu and was planning to return to Jingyue Peak."

“My master’s uncle is still talking with my master in the Mingguang Hall,” Ye Zhilan said. “Why don’t you wait a while? After I’ve seen Huaiwei, you can come back with me.”

Yin Qiu said, "Then please come in, senior sister. I'll be waiting for you."

Ye Zhilan agreed and went into the room to visit Lu Huaiwei. Meng Jing watched her back and said, "That's perfect. You can go with Senior Sister Ye, which will save you trouble for others."

“Senior Sister Ye has been in the Punishment Hall for a month and has lost a lot of weight,” Yin Qiu said to Meng Jing. “Why don’t you take her pulse later? I heard from Senior Sister Ji that she has been depressed and quiet these past two days. Maybe she has made herself sick from being cooped up in the Punishment Hall.”

Meng Jing said, "She does look unwell... I'll take your advice and check on her later."

Lu Huaiwei was unconscious, so there wasn't much to visit. The two of them hadn't been standing in the corridor for long when Ye Zhilan quickly came out again. Meng Jing then took the opportunity to say, "I see that Senior Sister looks sickly. She must be feeling unwell. Would you like me to take her pulse?"

Ye Zhilan's lips were bloodless, and she looked unwell and quite dejected. She sighed and said in a slightly hoarse voice, "It's alright. I had other medical disciples check on me yesterday. I'm fine. Thank you for your kindness, junior brother."

Yin Qiu said with concern, "Then Senior Sister should go back to Mingguang Hall to rest. You've only been out of the Punishment Hall for two days. There's no need to rush to take on official duties. Taking care of your health is the priority. Besides, Senior Sister Ji has already come out of seclusion. With her here, Senior Sister doesn't need to worry about having no one to serve the Sect Leader."

Ye Zhilan remained silent for a moment, then said wearily, "Alright, I understand. Thank you for your concern, Junior Sister. Let's go."

Seeing that Ye Zhilan looked tired and preoccupied, Yin Qiu considerately helped her down the steps. Meng Jing stood under the corridor and nodded slightly to Yin Qiu. The two looked at each other for a moment before turning around and walking in different directions.

The ground was slippery and difficult to walk on. Ye Zhilan was also absent-minded and worried, so Yin Qiu had no choice but to support her all the way. But he couldn't help but say, "Since you're not feeling well, why bother making this special trip? Why don't we skip Mingguang Hall and I'll take you back to your room to rest?"

Ye Zhilan paused for a moment, then said softly, "No need. I... have already been disliked by my master. If I continue to be lazy and unmotivated, my master will be even more disappointed in me."

"Senior Sister, please don't say that," Yin Qiu comforted softly. "How could the Sect Leader be tired of you? Senior Sister is overthinking it."

Ye Zhilan smiled bitterly: "Although my master ordered me to be taken out of the punishment hall, she has barely looked at me these past two days. She only sees Wan Shu and rarely speaks to me. If this is not because she is tired of me, then what is it?"

Yin Qiu sighed softly, but she couldn't gossip about Xie Yijun behind her back, nor could she say to Ye Zhilan that she still had unresolved suspicions. Fortunately, Ye Zhilan seemed to know that Yin Qiu was not comfortable replying, so she quieted down and didn't say anything more.

After the two left the medical pavilion and walked for a while, just as they were about to reach the Mingguang Palace, Ye Zhilan suddenly stopped and leaned against the wall beside her, panting heavily.

Yin Qiu was startled and quickly helped her to her feet, asking, "Senior Sister, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

Ye Zhilan coughed violently and hurriedly took out a handkerchief to cover her mouth. Yin Qiu noticed that there were traces of blood seeping through the handkerchief and asked in surprise, "Why are you coughing up blood? Senior Sister, wait for me, I'll go and call Meng Jing over right away!"

"Xiao Qiu—" Ye Zhilan hurriedly grabbed Yin Qiu and said weakly, "There's no need to call for help. The punishment hall is dark and damp. I just caught a chill; it's nothing serious."

Yin Qiu said, "He's coughing up blood, isn't that a serious illness?"

Ye Zhilan calmed her breathing, stood up with great effort, put her hand on Yin Qiu's shoulder, and said, "Don't worry, I'm fine. I already got medicine from the medical pavilion yesterday. Help me back to my room to rest first, and then tell my master for me later."

Yin Qiu agreed without hesitation and immediately helped Ye Zhilan around Mingguang Hall back to her residence. As soon as they entered the room, Ye Zhilan staggered and fell onto the bed, saying to Yin Qiu, "There is still some medicine left on the table outside. Please bring it to me."

Yin Qiu said "Oh," and quickly lifted the beaded curtain and ran out. She touched the medicine bowl and said, "This medicine is cold. I'll go and heat it up for my senior sister."

A rustling sound came from behind her. Yin Qiu turned around and saw Ye Zhilan propping herself up on her arms and sitting up in bed. She looked at Yin Qiu, her lips moving but she couldn't say anything.

"Senior sister?" Yin Qiu asked, her eyes filled with inquiry.

Ye Zhilan smiled suddenly and said, "No need to heat it up, just bring it here."

Yin Qiu glanced at her, then walked over to her with the medicine bowl in her hand. Ye Zhilan drank the remaining half bowl of medicine in one gulp, and then said, "Did you see the box on the desk?"

A box? Yin Qiu turned around and saw a small, exquisite wooden box on the desk under the window.

“That’s a birthday gift I prepared for you,” Ye Zhilan said.

Upon hearing this, Yin Qiu was pleasantly surprised and said, "Senior Sister just came out of the Punishment Hall, and you actually prepared a gift for me?"

Ye Zhilan looked at her and said softly, "Open it and take a look."

Yin Qiu pursed her lips, replied "Okay," and immediately walked to the desk, reaching out to lift the lid of the wooden box.

Inside was a palm-sized, emerald green purse. The stitches were fine and the patterns were lifelike. It was beautiful, but it was very old, at least five or six years old.

“This purse…” Yin Qiu paused for a moment, then her eyes lit up. “Isn’t this the embroidery I made for my senior sister the year Fu Xiang left the palace? I didn’t expect my senior sister to still have it.”

Ye Zhilan stared intently at her retreating figure, her hand, hidden beneath her sleeve, moving slowly as if touching something. She calmly said, "The thing is in your purse. You'll like it when you see it."

Yin Qiu couldn't help but be curious, so she gently pulled open the drawstring at the top of the purse and peered inside.

A tiny glimmer of gold immediately sparkled in her eyes.

Yin Qiu was stunned for a moment, then reached out and pinched the golden light. When she took it out and looked at it, she realized that it was actually a small gold bead engraved with patterns.

To be precise, it was a bracelet strung with gold beads, and a light, blue-gray bird feather hung on one side of the beads.

Yin Qiu's smile froze instantly, and she stood there stunned.

She turned around in disbelief and saw Ye Zhilan standing behind her, holding a bamboo flute in her hand.

"You..." The purse and bracelet fell to the ground at the same time. Yin Qiu looked shocked. "You are..."

Ye Zhilan smiled silently and raised her hand to bring the bamboo flute to her lips.

Yin Qiu's face turned pale, and he immediately turned and ran.

However, Ye Zhilan was faster than her. The moment Yin Qiu set off, a sharp and piercing flute sound exploded in her mind, more intense and swift than ever before, and unstoppable.

Yin Qiu's vision went black, and all her strength vanished like a receding tide. Her legs went weak, and before she could even cry for help, she collapsed to the ground, losing consciousness in an instant.

Author's Note: Hehe.