42 Chapter 42

Are you planning to sever the tendons in my hands and feet?

That hairpin shop not only sold hairpins, but also displayed all kinds of jewelry that women liked.

The hairpin shop owner was an elderly woman. She could tell from the fabric of Helou Wulan's clothes that she was either rich or noble, probably a wealthy merchant's wife who had come to the capital with the delegation. She treated her very attentively. Seeing that the girl was not interested in anything else and was only staring at a jade pendant, she directly took off the jade pendant and put it into Helou Wulan's hand: "Miss, you are from the Northern Rong, right? Jade is not very common where you are."

"Sir, this is for your mother—"

The old woman stopped abruptly after seeing the boy's face clearly.

She had spent most of her life setting up a stall at the Lantern Market in the capital, and had seen many high-ranking officials, talented men, and beautiful women, but she was still stunned by the face in front of her and couldn't recover for a moment.

The boy crossed his arms, a sword at his waist, and glanced at her with a seemingly expressionless face, yet a chilling warning flickered in his eyes. The old woman, observing his expression, silently swallowed the last word, "son."

Seeing that she had nothing more to say, He Lou Wulan scoffed, "I don't have such a precious son."

She held out the jade pendant in her hand and said to Su Lu, "Pay up."

Su Lu didn't move. He glanced at the bulging purse at her waist, then stopped.

He Lou Wulan raised an eyebrow, her face neither blushing nor skipping a beat: "This lady—this young lady—is a guest. Is this how you treat your guests, making them pay for themselves?"

She could be considered a "guest" of Da Yan, but not his.

"If you're not going to buy it, then go back."

The same voice, but when it came to Xie Yutang, all the subtle seduction and restrained flirting were completely gone, becoming like snow on an iceberg, cold and without a trace of impurity.

He Lou Wulan took out a purse from her waist, paid the money, and rolled her eyes without any attempt to hide it.

The old woman dared not say or ask anything, keeping her eyes down and accepting the loose silver, focusing intently on her hairpin shop until the two had walked away, at which point she glanced back out of the corner of her eye.

The girl came down from the restaurant, but didn't go back. She held the jade pendant in her hand, swaying it as she looked around, and soon disappeared into the crowd.

He Lou Wulan knew that Su Lu was behind her, and that he had no choice but to follow because of Xie Yutang's orders. The thought that he had been sent by his beloved master to protect her gave her a wicked sense of pleasure.

The two walked to the end of the street, where there was no way out but a quiet alley to their side.

The crowds were drawn to the lantern market on the main street, making this secluded alley even more deserted than usual. Even if thugs were to rob people here, they probably wouldn't be noticed.

He Lou Wulan seemed to genuinely like the jade pendant, stroking it repeatedly, completely unaware that she had moved away from the crowd and unknowingly entered the alley, examining it closely in the moonlight shining through the courtyard wall.

"There are nine clans in the Northern Rong. Besides the royal Tuoba clan, there are eight major clans led by Helou. The most valued young man in each clan will be given a nameplate by the clan leader, which also represents the identity of the next clan leader."

"Among the nine clans, each clan's nameplate is made of a different material. The Helou clan's is made of deer antler, the Qiudun clan's is made of horse bone... while the Tuoba clan's is made of jade."

Tuoba was the royal surname of the Northern Rong people.

As the only son of the Northern Rong King and also the crown prince of the Northern Rong, Tuoba Xiu was personally bestowed a jade tablet by the Northern Rong King when he came of age.

Su Lu gripped the scissor at his waist, his expression silent.

With her back to him, Helou Wulan traced the patterns on the jade pendant with her fingertips, as if talking to herself: "That old woman is right. In Beirong, jade is a rare commodity. Ordinary people may never have seen what jade looks like in their entire lives."

"Before coming to Dayan, I had only seen it once on Tuoba Xiu."

He Lou Wulan turned around, his gaze falling quietly on the boy's face, as if trying to see through him.

"But tell me, why does Princess Ning'an, Xie Yutang, possess a jade token from the Northern Rong royal family?"

She thought the boy would show some emotion on his face, but she was wrong.

The words spoken were like drops of water falling into a deep pool, not even causing a ripple.

Su Lu was not surprised.

From the day He Lou Wulan went to see Xie Yutang, he had expected this day to come. The jade tablet was engraved with Northern Rong script. To the uninitiated, it might just look like some unique lines, but it could not fool this Northern Rong princess.

He Lou Wulan chuckled: "Does she know?"

"The nameplates of the Northern Rong royal family are as important as their lives. They are never easily shown to others, let alone given away. Giving the nameplate to someone else means that you are swearing allegiance to that person, even at the cost of your life."

"You couldn't possibly not know the meaning of the jade pendant."

"He has the blood of the Northern Rong royal family flowing through his veins, yet he entrusted his life to the princess of an enemy country."

"—Does she know of such deep affection, Min, Yi, Hou, Da, Ren?"

The first snow of the twenty-fifth year of Taihe finally fell from the sky, with goose feather-like snowflakes covering the streets and forming a thin layer on the hanging sash at Su Lu's waist.

In the twelfth year of the Taihe era, a fire broke out at the Dingfang Villa of the Muqing Prince's Mansion, and all but the young heir survived. Princess Tuoba Shu disappeared at the front lines for six years, and after a fruitless search, the Northern Rong King sat in silence all night, then issued an edict to recall all spies, declared a national mourning, and posthumously conferred upon his beloved daughter Tuoba Shu the title of Marquis Minyi.

The Northern Rong nobility is hereditary. If Su Lu returns to the Northern Rong royal family, he can inherit his mother's title and enter the Minyi Marquis's mansion.

At the same time, at Guyue Tower.

Xie Yutang felt a sharp pain in his chest.

The pain of trusting others in a past life, and being pierced through the heart by a sharp blade, has truly returned, only more painful and more unexpected than before.

He said he asked for nothing; he just wanted to stay by her side.

But he has the blood of the Northern Rong royal family in his veins, so how could he really be without desires?

If he knew his true identity and kept everything hidden by his side, his intentions would probably be no less than those of Lin Tan back then.

If he didn't know his own identity... he should know by now, so why would he give up a comfortable bed and return to her mansion to be a servant who makes beds and fans fans?

It felt as if my heart was bound by iron chains, making it hard to breathe. It was as if someone was cruelly twisting and turning the chains, displacing my internal organs and disturbing my peace.

Xie Yutang's vision went black for a moment, and he was so unsteady that he had to hold onto the edge of the table.

"Miss!"

Huai Jin exclaimed in surprise and rushed forward to support Xie Yutang, not understanding what was written in the secret letter that had led to her young mistress's predicament.

Xie Yutang's knuckles turned white as she gripped the edge of the table. She looked at Lin Tan and said, "You did this on purpose."

He Lou Wulan had indeed spoken with Lin Tan beforehand, instructing him to stall Xie Yutang. Lin Tan assumed she had taken a liking to Su Lu and was unaware of Su Lu's true identity. Now, seeing Xie Yutang's strong reaction, he guessed that the little bastard had been moved by He Lou Wulan's offer of being "the princess's consort" and had gone with her to the Northern Rong to enjoy his good fortune.

Men, what they want is nothing more than wine, women, money, and power. He Lou and Wu Lan can provide all of that, so how could they not be tempted?

"It's just to let you see the true colors of the people around you."

Lin Tan slowly put down his wine cup and strolled over to Xie Yutang. "Those who climb up from the bottom are the most adept at currying favor. He became my page to curry favor with me; he followed you to seek your protection; and now he's hooked up with the Princess of Beirong with his looks, all he wants is wealth and status—why would you be heartbroken over someone like that?"

Lin Tan gave Su Lu a thorough dressing-down, and finally brought up himself: "Only I am truly sincere towards you."

He gently brushed a stray hair from her temple, his eyes filled with boundless affection. "Tangtang, marry me."

*

Deep in the alley, snowflakes fluttered down, and the shadowy branches on the wall seemed to dart about, as if there were human figures.

Su Lu knew that this alleyway had been besieged by Northern Rong experts, but he showed no surprise on his face: "Is this what the princess wanted to tell me by leading me here?"

"His Majesty has been thinking of his aunt day and night since she went missing. A few days ago, he heard that her bloodline was still alive and was extremely excited. He instructed me to bring you back safely. I originally thought that the Crown Prince would at least consider blood ties, but who knew..."

He Lou Wulan's smile held a hint of mockery, but his eyes grew increasingly resolute. "Tonight, no matter what, I will bring you back to Bei Rong."

As the voices were heard, figures leaped down from the walls. A dozen or so men in black formed a battle array, their swords flashing. The flowing sword energy wove a large net above the narrow alley, sealing off all escape routes for those within the array.

The Heavenly Net Formation.

All eighteen members of the formation were experts from the Northern Rong, and they had been lying in ambush here for this very moment.

Su Lu showed no surprise on his face, nor did he utter a single unnecessary word. He simply lowered his long eyelashes and touched the sword at his waist.

A low, drawn-out sword hum rang out as the sword was drawn from its sheath.

Dozens of sharp blades appeared from all directions in an instant. Su Lu twisted his waist backward at an incredible angle, and his Xuanjian blocked the incoming swords from below. The moment the blades collided, the dozens of black-clad men holding swords felt a sudden pain in their hands, and their blood and qi surged uncontrollably in their chests.

Such powerful internal strength.

Even knowing that the young man before him was a top expert who had defeated A-Shan, the sheer force of their absolute power in the clash of swords and spears would still press in on every subtle detail.

The leader of the men in black shouted, and the others scattered. He pushed off the wall with his toes, turned around, and once again thrust his sword at the boy.

Su Lu flicked his wrist, and the scissor drew an arc. It was a very simple stroke, yet it seemed to collide with the invisible sword net in the snowy sky.

The man in black sensed something was wrong.

The sword net is formed from flowing sword energy. Because of its flow, it inevitably has relatively weak parts, just like a small whirlpool will form on the surface of water with a small opening at the bottom. This whirlpool is the weakest point of the sword energy and also the key to breaking the formation.

Su Lu's sword energy precisely struck the only key point in the formation.

The two men in black coughed up blood, and as their sword energy solidified, the entire formation shattered.

Su Lu was about to draw his sword when he suddenly felt a gust of wind behind his ear. His brows furrowed, and he raised his sword to his ear, barely blocking the cold, hard sword intent that was rushing towards him.

This sword intent is powerful and majestic, like a dragon emerging from the sea, expansive and unrestrained. In just one move, it is enough to reveal the swordsman's understanding of the way of the sword.

Looking across the Great Yan and the Northern Rong, those who could withstand this sword strike could be counted on one hand.

Su Lu was among them.

In their last encounter, he was still poisoned and had no suitable weapon, so he did not fight head-on and only used his skills to parry. But this time was different. Xuanjian was infused with the boy's inner strength, and the sword trembled slightly, emitting a long sword cry. He did not dodge or evade but directly launched this move.

Whether it was Qiu Dunyue, the Northern Rong National Preceptor, or Qiu Ranke, they had met their match and were enjoying a long-awaited moment of exhilaration. Looking at the son of an old friend, Qiu Ranke laughed loudly and said, "Let me test your strength, kid."

The two had exchanged dozens of blows in the blink of an eye.

Su Lu was slightly better than A Shan in archery, partly due to Su Lu's own exceptional martial arts skills, but also because A Shan lacked experience. Qiu Dunyue, however, was different. His swordsmanship had long been at the pinnacle of the Northern Rong. In recent years, he had traveled the Jianghu of Dayan under the alias Qiu Ran Ke, and his swordsmanship had improved countless times. Whether in terms of on-the-spot adaptability or combat experience, he was a hundred times better than the young man.

Furthermore, although various martial arts have commonalities, each has its own specialization. Su Lu has already reached such a level in archery, and at his age, it is absolutely impossible for him to surpass Qiu Dunyue in swordsmanship—after all, at the level of a top master, every inch of progress requires years of accumulation.

Helou Wulan watched from the sidelines, initially calm and composed. Not only her, but the entire Northern Rong had unwavering faith in Qiu Dunyue's strength. Capturing this young man alive and bringing him back was the only and essential task set by the Northern Rong King for this delegation's trip to the capital.

After several dozen moves, He Lou Wulan's expression gradually became serious. Although Qiu Dunyue kept attacking, Su Lu was able to neutralize every move of his without any flaws, and there was no hesitation between his moves.

If this continues, Qiu Dunyue will be the first to fall into a decline due to excessive consumption.

Although they had cleared the surrounding area, they were not completely silent. It was unknown how long Lin Tan could hold off Xie Yutang. This battle had to be won quickly.

Qiu Dunyue's mind raced, and he immediately revealed a slight flaw in his attack. The flaw was fleeting and could not be considered a mistake, but he was facing Su Lu.

The hanging blade was right in front of them in an instant.

Qiu Dunyue immediately changed his moves in mid-air to avoid the sword's edge, but upon landing, he staggered back several steps and suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood.

He Lou Wulan was shocked: "Imperial Preceptor!"

Qiu Dunyue braced himself with his sword, raised his hand to block He Lou Wulan's approaching footsteps, and fixed his gaze on the boy's face for a moment, with satisfaction and pride slowly rising in his eyes.

"Good! Good! Good!"

He said "good" three times in a row, smiling as he looked at the swirling snowflakes in the sky: "My dear, you are truly worthy of being your son."

Qiu Dunyue sheathed his sword and knelt down, his low, hoarse voice, like sandpaper being ground, clearly rang out in the snowy night.

"Your subject Qiu Dunyue met with Marquis Minyi."

All around, people knelt down, except for Helou Wulan, all of them knelt and clasped their hands, performing the Northern Rong state etiquette: "Greetings to Marquis Minyi."

The snow fell silently and quietly, and the world was covered in a vast expanse of white.

The hometown he had never returned to materialized in that address of "Marquis Minyi." He could have his comfortable bed, wealth and honor, fame and fortune, and even blood relatives he had never met. All of this was within reach if he answered the call of his name.

The boy's eyes were calm and serene, yet they seemed to traverse two lifetimes, quietly reflecting his true self: "I have said it before, I am just Su Lu."

The world was quiet.

After a long pause, He Lou Wulan said softly, "So you knew all along."

He always knew his true identity, but refused to acknowledge it to them.

Su Lu lowered his long eyelashes, about to speak, when he suddenly heard the sound of several sharp blades cutting through the air beside his ear.

The eighteen kneeling masters did not rise, but instead fired hidden arrows from different directions at tricky angles. No matter how fast your sword or how strong your internal energy, it would be impossible to dodge them all.

Su Lu noticed their movements almost instantly and deflected several hidden arrows with his scissors, but the arrow blade still grazed his left arm, tearing his clothes and causing blood to seep from his porcelain-like skin.

The injuries themselves weren't serious, but a strong feeling of dizziness followed.

The arrow was poisoned.

They had already decided that if he didn't agree, they would forcibly bring him back.

"Don't worry, it's just a tranquilizer. Young Master, take a nap, and we'll be home when you wake up—"

Qiu Dunyue's words came to an abrupt halt.

Without a moment's hesitation, Su Lu raised his sword and stabbed himself hard in the left shoulder with his backhand.

Qiu Dunyue's pupils dilated violently.

He Louwulan covered her mouth.

The eighteen men in black who had launched the sneak attack stared silently and in shock at the boy in the alley.

The sharp pain was like gunpowder exploding inside my body, every nerve was being pulled as if it were about to break, and with each slight rise and fall of my breath, I could feel the cold blade cutting deeper into my flesh.

The intense pain instantly dispelled the overwhelming weariness.

Su Lu smiled, gripped the hilt of his sword, and pulled it out sharply. A line of blood fell with the tip of the sword, forming a slightly curved line on the snow, like a blooming red plum blossom.

No one expected him to be so resolute.

Su Lu calmly looked at Qiu Dunyue, whose expression was complicated, and asked very calmly, "Are you planning to sever the tendons in my hands and feet?"

Qiu Dunyue retorted angrily, "What nonsense are you spouting! You are Nannan's son and the King's grandson, how could I possibly..."

"Then how can you guarantee that you can keep an eye on me?"

Qiu Dunyue was taken aback.

The boy pressed his right hand against his left shoulder, blood seeping from between his fingers. His face was pale, but his tone was almost cruelly calm: "I have no intention of returning. Even if you forcibly take me back to Beirong, how long can you keep me there?"

Everyone fell silent.

Su Lu is right.

Even if they really locked him up and imprisoned him with eighteen iron gates, with his martial arts skills, it was only a matter of time before he escaped.

Besides, they went through all sorts of hardships to bring their beloved young marquis back to Beirong, not to be imprisoned like a prisoner.

The eighteen men in black surrounding the alley hesitated, all looking at Qiu Dunyue.

"madness!"

An angry female voice shattered the silence of the alley, "Do you think you can get her by giving up all this for her?"

"Impossible! I'm telling you, impossible!"

He Lou Wulan's face was full of disappointment and indignation, as if she couldn't bear to see a beautiful woman willingly degenerate. "Women in this world only favor men with power and influence. Instead of seeking power and profit and striving to climb up the social ladder, you've trapped yourself in a self-imposed prison because of women."

"You give up power for her, but even she will abandon you!"

Su Lu listened quietly, then smiled gently. His eyebrows, which had been flattened by the pain, were now tinged with a vibrant color. Blood was still gushing out, but he was as pure as the snow on the peak of Kunlun Mountain, untouched by the world.

"The princess forbids me from trapping myself in my own self-imposed prison, but which woman in this world isn't forced to trap herself in her own self-imposed prison?"

He Lou Wulan was taken aback.

"A woman must be gentle, kind, respectful, frugal, and yielding; she must humble herself and make her husband her heaven; she must marry a man with some power, serve him, bear children, and fight with him. Is this a good ending?"

"Who listens to their wishes, their preferences, their voices?"

Despite the seemingly calm tone of voice, He Lou Wulan felt as if a golden gong was ringing in her ears, leaving her speechless.

Su Lu glanced at the black-clad men kneeling before him. Qiu Dunyue sighed and waved his hand, and the eighteen black-clad men disappeared back into the night like a tide.

He walked step by step toward the alley entrance.

Once you exit the alley and turn left, it's only a hundred meters to the Guyue Tower where Xie Yutang is located.

Where the crabapple blossoms bloom under the moon, I know this is my hometown.

The boy's gentle voice was exceptionally clear in the snowy night, without any hesitation.

"A man does not necessarily have to be in a high position to win a woman's heart. A woman can also sit in a high position and enjoy the support of others."

—It wasn't that he hadn't thought about it or seen it clearly; rather, he had thought about it a thousand times over and asked himself the same question a thousand times over.

Knowing full well the quickest way to get what he wanted, he still chose the path that was best for her.

The boy walked to the alley entrance, paused for a moment, and turned around.

The moonlight spilled down, casting half of his face in light and half in shadow, giving him a divine compassion. He said softly, "With such a magnanimous heart, does the princess truly wish to imprison herself in her chambers and serve as a stepping stone for others?"