Chapter 18 Sleep

Bian Yi still didn't return throughout the entire second day.

Lin Chengye encountered Huang Qindong several times, and the man always looked distraught, with obvious dark circles under his eyes and even his usually meticulously styled hair disheveled. His gaze would occasionally meet hers before quickly averting, like a child who had made a mistake.

Lin Chengye found it amusing that she still felt guilty even now. But she didn't say anything. Huang Qindong would talk to her sooner or later, but neither of them was in the mood right now.

It's been raining continuously.

As night fell, Lin Chengye was fast asleep when he was suddenly jolted awake.

"well."

Lin Chengye glanced out the window but couldn't see the moon. He simply pinched the bridge of his nose, got up, casually put on his coat, picked up an oil-paper umbrella, and walked outside.

Lin Chengye had intended to go outside for a walk to clear his head, but as soon as he stepped out, he discovered that the previously empty room was now filled with a faint candlelight.

It was very dark, as if it would go out at any moment, but in this pitch-black night, it gave people a sense of security.

Lin Chengye was secretly delighted, but a mischievous thought suddenly came to mind. He quietly pushed the door open and entered without making a sound.

"Oh dear... oh dear... you really show no mercy at all..."

Inside the room, the person lay face down on the bed, burying their head in the blankets. They were muttering something, their voice muffled through the blankets.

The wooden door always makes a sound when it opens and closes. The man struggled to sit up and asked without turning his head.

"Anan?"

Lin Chengye didn't answer, but simply moved closer.

Suddenly, a faint smell of blood filled his nostrils, and Lin Chengye frowned.

"Ah... Go get me some warm water. It's too late and there's no one at Jiangjin Medical Clinic. Don't bother getting any medicinal herbs. Come here and help me take off my clothes. Those guys are really ruthless. They can't find evidence even with torture. Why torture people like that?"

The door closed and then opened again, and Lin Chengye came in carrying a basin of warm water and a towel. She gently took off the outermost layer of white robe, and although she was mentally prepared, she still gasped for breath.

The white undergarment was covered in sticky blood. The wound was stuck to the fabric, and when it was peeled off, it felt as if a layer of flesh had been torn off. The already dried wound began to bleed again, like a river bursting its banks, flowing wantonly between the torn flesh.

Bian Yi had many old wounds on his back and body, which were already light brown. From the spine outwards, there were hardly any patches of intact skin.

Lin Chengye silently wiped away the dirt around the hideous whip marks with a cloth. Bian Yi would occasionally gasp in pain, and she would stop for a while before continuing.

More than an hour had passed by the time the herbal medicine to stop the bleeding was applied to his entire back. Lin Chengye's forehead was covered in a thin layer of sweat, and his hands were trembling slightly.

Finally, she said softly.

"If we had more time, we should be able to come up with a better solution."

"Hmm? Cheng Ye?"

Bian Yi, who was lying under the covers, suddenly sat up with a start and looked back. She struggled awkwardly, trying to hide her wound, but Lin Chengye pressed down on her shoulder.

The boy's eyes were clear, like a shimmering spring in the candlelight, reflecting her figure.

Bian Yi suddenly lost his airs as an elder, his body went limp and he slumped back down, muttering something.

"I knew it! Anan wouldn't be so lenient. She always believes in a short, sharp pain rather than a long, drawn-out one, and she's quick to strike..."

"What did you use to kill those two people? Was it this thing on your waist?"

If Bian Yi continued rambling on and on, it would never end, so Lin Chengye naturally changed the subject and touched the silver threads with his hand.

From the very beginning, she noticed that the brocade belt around Bian Yi's waist was quite special. Many silver threads, like strands of hair, intertwined and fell around his waist, which was very beautiful and lively. In the night, it was like shimmering water ripples. But what made her certain was... Lin Chengye reached out and pointed to the silver hilt of the sword that was usually hidden under his wide sleeves.

It is shorter than an ordinary sword, and when it is worn on the side of the waist, it is like an ornament on a sash, with thousands of auspicious clouds embracing the moon. A piece of green jade is inlaid in the silver and iron, and it is of excellent quality, as if it were produced in Yulin City.

"Ah, you noticed. Come on, let me show you."

Bian Yi's eyes lit up, and ignoring her wounds, she sat up with a smile. With a wave of her hand, the door opened wide, and a night breeze arose, allowing Lin Chengye to feel a few raindrops falling on his face.

Lin Chengye realized what Bian Yi was planning to do, so he gripped the umbrella he had just brought in tightly with one hand and sighed twice.

"Bring an umbrella, bring an umbrella."

Lin Chengye placed his other hand on Bian Yi's forearm, and the person carried her to the window. Just as the rain was about to fall, he dropped her down. Lin Chengye swayed and sat directly by the window. The person entered the rain and stood on the tree that had not yet grown lush, but the hem of his clothes was not wet.

ah.

Lin Chengye opened his mouth, then silently held the umbrella over his head. The night was deep and quiet, with only the sound of falling rain.

The person's voice sounded indistinct through the rain curtain, but she spoke each word with great seriousness, which was quite different from her usual demeanor, causing Lin Chengye to smile.

"The moon sets and the stars sink, a thousand threads of emotion; the dust settles and the human world is in disarray."

Bian Yi stood on the treetop, the sword hilt sliding into her hand like a swimming fish. A surge of powerful internal energy flowed in, and the fine, wispy threads seemed to come alive as they coalesced into a blade as thin as a cicada's wing!

Bian Yi seemed to dance casually, the blade gleaming coldly. As she danced, it spread out and then gathered again, as if the silver thread were soft silk. Yet, the broken branches fell one after another, proving that this was indeed a murder weapon.

Lin Chengye suddenly remembered that the two people had died in the same way, and couldn't help but feel that the sword carried killing intent and blood red. But she really couldn't feel any fear in front of Bian Yi.

Tonight is gloomy; she is the moon.

I don't know what this sword technique is called. It seems light and graceful, but every movement is expansive and unrestrained, not concerned with minor details. It is quite similar to Bian Yi himself.

Lin Chengye couldn't help but recall his previous descriptions of this person, and now he felt that the words "immortal banished to heaven" were too one-sided, too vivid and distinct.

After sheathing his sword and finishing his dance, Lin Chengye clapped his hands generously and shouted loudly.

"good!"

Bian Yi flew back into the house, bringing Lin Chengye back with her. Her face was exceptionally gentle in the candlelight, but her eyes sparkled, like a puppy sharing its precious treasure, placing the sword in Lin Chengye's hand.

Without the infusion of internal energy, the silver thread had already become as soft as silk wrapped around a finger.

"This is very different from what I've seen before. When my mother and brother used guns at the Lin residence, they were both like generals, and every move they made was like an overwhelming force."

Lin Chengye stroked the dust, and for the first time, he spoke calmly about the Lin family, his mother, and his brother.

The result was a mess, and Lin Chengtong couldn't stand it, so he suggested finding her a teacher. Lin Chengye refused outright. She didn't like martial arts to begin with, and dealing with her mother was already difficult enough; how could she possibly have a teacher?

"You will definitely be able to pick up a sword again, I promise, and it will happen soon. Go back to Jiangjin Alliance in a few days to recuperate for a while. When you recover, I will take you to find a way to rebuild your meridians."

Bian Yi sat on the edge of the bed, looking into Lin Chengye's eyes and speaking earnestly.

She leaned slightly towards Lin Chengye, a posture that should have been one of an elder's tolerance towards a child, but because Bian Yi was shorter than Lin Chengye, it made them look more like old friends of the same age.

"As for the contemporary sword god, that's giving Guan Yuehan too much credit. His swordsmanship was full of flaws at first, and Ah Sui and I helped him revise it many times before it became decent."

Even without drinking, he could still mutter to himself, which amused Lin Chengye, though she was happy to listen.

Lin Chengye's gaze was very gentle as he suddenly spoke.

"Okay, then you can teach me."

"Sure, but do you really want to learn swordsmanship? Nothing else? If you want to learn something else, that's fine too. I'm not very good at it, but I can find someone to teach you."

Bian Yi probably felt it was too late, and suddenly changed the subject, patting one side of the pillow.

"I'm a quiet sleeper, why don't you squeeze in with me tonight?"

Lin Chengye immediately complied and lay down in bed. Bian Yi waved her hand, and the faint candlelight went out. Lin Chengye's vision went black for a moment, then quickly returned to a blurry state.

Bian Yi continued rambling on and on.

"Oh right, if you have time, please talk to Huang Qindong for me. She tends to overthink things. I did kill Xie Shengmin for her sake, but it was really just a matter of a swift stroke of the blade, nothing serious... It's not her fault, she's still young, and these kinds of grudges are the most tormenting."

When I set that rule, I already envisioned this day.

Everyone who enters the Jin Alliance in Jiang must recount their past in front of a rock inscribed with the six characters "Forget the past, settle grudges" before their gate. Then, Bian Yi pours a cup of strong liquor onto the rock, as if to wash away the past and be reborn.

But how difficult it is.

"How old is she? You're not exactly fifty, are you?"

Lin Chengye was puzzled, so she turned her head to look at Bian Yi. The man's eyes were droopy, and there were no marks on his face, so it was impossible to tell how old he was.

"No, I'm in my early thirties. I'm a full twenty years older than you."

Bian Yi laughed.

"...I really didn't expect that."

Lin Chengye pinched the bridge of his nose, pulled the blanket over their necks, and said.

"Alright, go to sleep. Be careful not to put pressure on your wound."

"Um."

The person next to him responded softly.

...

When I left Yicheng, the scene was quite different.

Lin Chengye and Bian Yi rode in the same carriage, while Huang Qindong and her children rode in another. Only about 10% of them survived, a total of six people.

Chai Hu Nan is elusive and has probably already left.

The Red Pavilion was burned down, and the owner of the Flower Beauty Pavilion died.

The false prosperity of Yicheng was ripped apart overnight by fire, leaving only faint black smoke in the air, revealing its utter decay. The streets were deserted, with only beggars searching for usable tools and perhaps some gold and silver that had been dropped by people in the scorched earth of the Love Red Mansion.

Looking at it this way, Yicheng is actually just an ordinary little piece of land, with no special charm or allure whatsoever.

The carriage wheels rolled slowly, crushing stones with a soft, rustling sound. The place was desolate and lonely, but they eventually emerged from the city gate.

Lin Chengye saw that there were still carriages going in the opposite direction in the distance, heading into Yicheng. If they were young ladies and gentlemen seeking pleasure, they would probably be disappointed by the burned-down Qinghonglou.

However, the carriage was quite simple, unlike the kind of extravagant and ostentatious carriages that wealthy families would use.

"If things continue like this in Yicheng..."

Lin Chengye lifted the carriage curtain and sighed.

Suddenly, she narrowed her eyes.

Before they knew it, the plain-looking carriage had already brushed past them, so close that it was only an arm's length away.

"parking."

Suddenly, a somewhat hoarse female voice came from the carriage. Lin Chengye tapped his fingers on his knee, his eyes darting around, and quickly ordered the driver to stop.

A pair of well-defined, wrinkled hands slowly parted the carriage curtain, revealing the rear half of the carriage.

The woman wore a light green robe, with a string of Bodhi beads hanging from her wrist. Her hair was neatly gathered under a crown, and although she had some white hair, it did not show any signs of decline; instead, it made her appear more composed and elegant. She smiled faintly, but her upturned eyes were devoid of any emotion as they sharply swept over Lin Chengye and Bian Yi.

But soon, the woman spoke with a smile.

"Are you two...江湖人士 (jianghu people)? I see a wooden plaque with the character 'Jiang' on the carriage, so you should be from the Jiang Jin Alliance, right?"

"No, it's just that the Qinghong Mansion was burned down last night, and both Elder Huang of the Jiangjin Alliance and I were suspected of being the murderers. But we ended up becoming friends because we appreciate each other. Elder Huang is kind-hearted and gave me and my friend a ride."

Lin Chengye cupped his hands in a gesture of respect to the woman, made up a lie, and asked her the question.

"Who are you? You look like...someone from the imperial court?"

"I am Ye Jun, the newly appointed magistrate of Yicheng County, who came from Linshu, the capital. As you can see, this place is chaotic and the people are suffering."

Ye Jun sighed deeply.

"His Majesty is kind and benevolent, and compassionate towards the people. On behalf of the people of Yicheng, I would like to thank Magistrate Ye."

Lin Chengye spoke these words, but there was no sincerity in his eyes.

The woman suddenly smiled. Lin Chengye raised an eyebrow, his lips moved slightly but he remained silent.

"...The Eldest Princess?"

Ye Jun suddenly smiled, shook her head, and lowered the carriage curtain, concealing half of her face, leaving only a shadow. Lin Chengye was now genuinely curious, and lightly tapped the edge of the carriage window with his finger.

Then a voice slowly came from inside the carriage.

"The Third Prince values ​​talent and looks up to me, a mere scholar. I will repay him with a peaceful and prosperous Yicheng."

Young hero, it's fate that we meet again.

Third Prince, Wei Jingchen?

Lin Chengye also closed the carriage curtain and gently closed his eyes; she really hadn't expected this.

His Highness's achievements are not numerous, but during the major floods in the north two years ago, he handled every disaster relief task with swift and decisive action, punished a number of corrupt officials, and personally supervised the implementation of the measures.

Unfortunately, the northern border was too far from the capital, and she had only heard rumors about the power struggles within the palace. However, the Third Prince was rumored to be in a very marginal position, and his political achievements were not comparable to those of the Crown Prince.

Now it seems they are about to make a move?

However, Yicheng's problems were deeply entrenched, and only a ruthless approach could be taken to completely eradicate them. A gentleman judges by actions, not intentions; it was truly commendable that the Third Prince had sent someone to take over this mess.

Lin Chengye was in a much better mood and stopped delaying, instructing the driver to continue.

...

Sitting in the car, Ye Jun had dropped her forced smile and instead frowned seriously, slowly massaging her temples.

She felt that the young man in black looked somewhat familiar, but she was certain that this was the first time she had met that martial arts master.

after all……

Who does he look like?

A note from the author:

The second-to-last chapter of this volume! Ah, finally almost finished with Volume One! Jing Chen even makes an appearance! [ear emoji]