Chapter 6 Mysteries Within the Alliance

After Lin Chengye finished speaking, a long silence fell over the room. Bian Yi's hand, which had been pried open, slowly clenched into a fist and then limply relaxed. The two people's breaths, one light and one heavy, hung in the air, unable to connect or merge.

Those words had exhausted all her strength, but Lin Chengye felt no relief whatsoever. She first lowered her eyes, averted her gaze, and stopped looking at Bian Yi.

Memories from the past three months flashed by like a revolving lantern, repeating themselves over and over again in these three days.

Her mother was seriously injured and sent back to Litao Prefecture to recuperate. Wei Liu stayed by her bedside almost every step of the way, as did Lin Chengye. However, unlike her father who was constantly in tears, she remained silent, her heart filled with desolation.

The fact that the imperial court was slow to send reinforcements meant that this was destined to be a long-planned dead end.

Lin Daiqiao aged visibly, becoming less and less lucid. She screamed like a child, saying she was in so much pain, and even her memories became confused. She tugged at Wei Liu, asking where Yun Qing was. Wei Liu choked back tears, saying that His Highness had gone on a long journey, and now only he was with the General.

About five days later, Lin Daiqiao opened her eyes again, but with an unprecedented clarity. She dismissed the servants around her, including Wei Liu, leaving only Lin Chengye. She looked at her youngest daughter by the bedside, slowly extending her withered hand to gently stroke her head again and again.

“I used to think you were too smart and precocious, but now I’m glad I can still say these things to you.”

"mother……"

Lin Chengye finally knelt by her mother's bedside like an ordinary daughter, her eyes red-rimmed, her ear pressed tightly against Lin Daiqiao's chest, her heart pounding so weakly beneath her skin.

"It wasn't like this back then."

I grew up with His Majesty and we traveled the world together. He witnessed the suffering of the people and the festering wounds beneath the prosperity of the Lai Kingdom. At that time, His Majesty was only the Prince of Yi, yet he was able to sympathize with the people and shed tears for the suffering of the displaced. As his subject, I am naturally pleased to see the king I follow so wise and virtuous.

The struggle for the throne is not something that can be accomplished overnight. I discussed with His Majesty the possibility of proceeding gradually. His Majesty also frankly stated that if he fails, he will not be fixated on the throne.

...But in the forty-ninth year of Zhenping, the late emperor fell seriously ill. Your Majesty, with the help of unknown individuals, murdered your brothers, killing the former crown prince, Prince Rui, and Prince Qin. Only Yun Qing, who had already married me and was ineligible for the throne, and who was with me in the northern frontier, escaped this calamity. However, his health was already poor, and upon hearing this news, he suffered a sudden attack of anger and died vomiting blood.

From that time on, I distanced myself from His Majesty and volunteered to guard the border for the sake of Lin's safety. But I have no ulterior motives; my only wish is to protect the territory of Lai and contribute to a peaceful and prosperous era.

Lin Daiqiao's long-dried fine lines at the corners of her eyes finally shed a tear before death.

"Unfortunately, I never truly understood His Majesty, and he never knew me either."

"Mother, people can change."

Lin Chengye's voice trembled as she watched her mother's breathing weaken. The once majestic General Zhenbei had sunken eyes when he died.

"Mother...mother..."

Lin Chengtong couldn't leave the front lines, so it was Lin Chengye who delivered the news of his mother's death.

She stood beside Lin Chengtong, who was kneeling and weeping in grief, looking at the sky in the distance, which had been scorched red by the fire.

"Brother, I'll go with you."

She never admitted defeat back then, even until her death, but now she's so exhausted she wants to give up. Lin Chengye suddenly felt a little lost. It wasn't so much exhaustion as she felt resentment towards herself, but she hadn't figured out what she was resentful about.

I wonder if they'll become vengeful ghosts from too much resentment when they walk the road to the underworld.

"Chengye, look up at me again."

His hand, still carrying the chill of early spring, clung to her forearm once more. Lin Chengye shuddered, slowly raising her head. She was most afraid that if she looked at his pitying expression a few more times, she would truly be reluctant to leave.

"I...I know I can't stop you now, but you can't die under my nose. I finally managed to save you, I can't take it anymore."

Bian Yi's speech was already fragmented, and now it was even more incoherent.

"Do you hate me, Chengye?"

hatred?

In the instant he looked up, Lin Chengye suddenly found himself reflected in Bian Yi's dark eyes.

Lin Chengye clenched his fists so tightly that his nails almost dug into his flesh. She nodded heavily, but then slowly shook her head, her breathing becoming heavier.

"His Majesty handled the matter decisively and with dignity. He gave his mother posthumous honor, but refused to spare her life."

"So you want... the emperor's life?"

Bian Yi's few words, spoken lightly, felt like a thousand-pound boulder. Lin Chengye's mind went blank, and his pupils trembled.

She roughly knew what Bian Yi was going to say, and she also knew exactly what Bian Yi was blaming her for.

"If you want, it's not impossible to go to Southern Qi or Northern Yan under an assumed name and serve as a strategist, military advisor, or guest minister to devise plans for them. How about one day storming the capital and personally killing that emperor?"

"impossible."

Lin Chengye answered without the slightest hesitation.

“I am from Lai, and I will never change that I come from a military family. This is the place my mother guarded with her life; in the end, she wasn’t protecting the emperor, but the people.”

"Don't bite yourself, your lips are already bleeding."

Bian Yi's beautiful face crumpled up, and her fingers suddenly pressed against her lower lip. Only then did Lin Chengye realize that his mouth was already full of blood.

“I hate it, how could I not hate it? But I… from the moment I was born, all I heard was about loyalty to the emperor and serving the country. My mother trusted His Majesty, and so did I. But I… I couldn’t even imagine myself killing… killing…”

She resented herself for not hating enough, for not even hesitating to avenge the Lin family and Wei Lai's army. She hated herself more than that person.

When she was in excruciating pain, she wanted to live, but now that she is truly alive, all she wants is to die again in agony.

"I...I don't want to live anymore..."

In Bian Yi's eyes, her body trembled in a disheveled state. But more than that, she saw the man's heartache almost overflowing, tears already welling up in his eyes.

“That’s not how it is, Chengye. Don’t see ‘not hating enough’ as your mistake, and don’t see seeking death as your punishment. You are from a military family, and you learned to be loyal to the emperor and serve the country. You are different from us unrestrained people of the martial world. You cannot use the death penalty of blood debts in the martial world to demand of yourself.”

Bian Yi's voice was almost pleading.

"If you can't figure it out now, just think about it slowly, okay? And no one will blame you, whether you take revenge or choose to live a peaceful life, General Lin will definitely not blame you."

Lin Chengye's throat tightened. Why, why did this person treat her like his own flesh and blood? With such pity and tenderness, it was so flawless.

“...I overheard some of the things you said to my mother that day, so I have been suspecting you of any involvement in the downfall of the Lin family these past few days. I apologize today.”

"Ah...you mean that day. I actually knew there were people listening outside, but because the situation was urgent and there was no time to delay, I didn't care."

Bian Yi was stunned, not expecting Lin Chengye to suddenly bring this up.

“Your mother and I are old acquaintances. I went there that day because I sensed some rumors and wanted her to leave early, but obviously, she refused. However, she was also afraid that what I said was true and that something bad would happen to the Lin family, so she gave me the lightness skill and internal energy cultivation techniques passed down through generations of the Lin family. I…”

"Okay, okay, I believe you."

Lin Chengye quickly put a finger to his lips to calm her down. Although Bian Yi's words were not very clear, her anxious manner of explaining was definitely not feigned. Given her attitude towards herself and her mother, she would not go so far as to harm the Lin family.

The two were now extremely close together, and Lin Chengye could see Bian Yi's drooping eyelashes when he looked down.

Suddenly, Bian Yi spoke softly.

"...Then would you be willing to help me?"

What a clumsy attempt to persuade her to stay. Lin Chengye almost burst out laughing. But by sheer luck, this person had found the only way to keep her there. Her savior had spoken; she couldn't possibly ignore it.

Moreover, this person was her only childhood imagination of the martial arts world, and she was grateful to this person for giving her the yearning for another kind of life, even though she had now unwittingly stepped into the martial arts world herself.

Consider it repayment for this kindness.

So Lin Chengye pretended to hesitate and nodded, and sure enough, he got a bright look from Bian Yi.

"Well, actually, I've noticed that someone in Jiang Jinmeng is being a bit restless. But I'm not that smart, so I need someone to give that person a warning and figure out what she's up to."

"...Then I'll trouble Alliance Leader Bian to bring me the medicine."

Lin Chengye chuckled inwardly, thinking that the warning was probably just a pretense, and the last sentence was the real message. But she was in a very good mood and even had the energy to joke around and tease people.

"So you're agreeing? You can't go back on your word!"

Bian Yi's eyes brightened, her smile blossoming into a crescent moon, brighter than the new moon in the sky tonight. She took a paper packet from her clothes and poured it into the medicine pot, then took a small flame from the brazier and used the fan at her waist to fan it. Later, perhaps feeling it was still too slow, she simply used her internal energy to connect the flames into a circle. Lin Chengye sat on the bed, speechless and choked with emotion, truly heartbroken by this careless use of internal energy.

"By the way, you don't have to call me Alliance Leader. You can call me whatever you want. I'm much older than you. Or you can call me Aunt Bian? Or Sister Bian..."

“Bianyi”.

Lin Chengye reluctantly put down the medicine bowl, the porcelain spoon falling into it with a clinking sound.

"Um?"

Bian Yi stopped talking and blinked in confusion.

“I said, I will call you by your real name.”

Lin Chengye repeated it again.

...

As Bian Yi stepped out of Lin Chengye's courtyard, she concealed the trivial emotions in her eyes and quickly became indifferent. She clapped her hands lightly, and under the influence of her inner strength, the ripples spread like transparent water. Soon, a rustling sound came from afar, but the person was too fast and almost blended into the night. Ordinary people could not see them at all. In just a few breaths, a person landed in front of Bian Yi.

"Alliance Leader."

The man wore a large hooded black robe that completely obscured his face and figure; even his voice was flat and stiff, making it impossible to discern his gender. He respectfully clasped his hands in a fist and bowed slightly, awaiting Bian Yi's instructions.

"...The only things in the world capable of reshaping meridians are the Golden Double-Headed Poisonous Herb of the Northern Yan royal family and the Bone-Growing Double-Headed Serpent of the Divine Pivot Heavenly Mystery Sect."

"yes."

"Anan, go to Nanqi and send a letter to the sect leader of Shenshu Tianji Sect. Ask how you can get them to give me this Bone-Body Two-Headed Serpent. The price is negotiable. You can decide how to phrase it. Also, write another letter to Guan Yue. No need for a signature, just write 'Bone-Body Two-Headed Serpent'."

The one called Anan responded again, straightening up but standing there like a statue.

"What are you doing?"

Bian Yi and Anan stared at each other for a while, but the man was wrapped up tightly, so there was no point in looking. However, Anan was always efficient and didn't like wasting time, so he probably had something to say today. Bian Yi tilted his head and asked.

"Leader, your eyes are a little red."

Before Anan finished speaking, he moved, using only his right foot to support himself as he quickly fell to the left, almost parallel to the ground, but without actually landing. He narrowly avoided the sandalwood fan that was heading straight for his face. The fan flew straight out, embedded itself in the wall with a thud, and then, as if drawn by a thread, hummed slightly before turning and returning to Bian Yi's hand.

Anan dared not linger. He turned around and jumped onto the wall, disappearing into the night like a ghost, leaving Bian Yi's angry and energetic shouts behind him.

"Don't tell me, get out of here!"