Last meeting

Yuan Si Niang said, "To be honest, at first I only saw the Madam's entourage, which was like a cloud of clouds. In my eyes at that time, she was like an immortal. It was already a great blessing that she was willing to help me. How dare I presumptuously ask about the Madam's background? Later, as Luoyu Fang gradually grew, I met more and more people of status and position. Looking back, I felt more and more that the Madam's status was not ordinary. She was not comparable to ordinary people of high status. I dared not even think of investigating her."

Mo Yimingyue asked calmly, "Why?"

Yuan Si Niang said, "Luo Yu Fang is openly and legitimately located here. If Madam wanted to find me, she could have simply said so with her status and position. But she chose not to, which is naturally her decision. Why should I disturb her peace?"

Mo Yimingyue said, "You did very well."

This is the second time Mo Yimingyue has said this today. A Qiu could hear the complex emotions suppressed in those words.

After all, hearing about his deceased mother's life from someone else is probably one of the few opportunities he has left to reminisce about her.

Yuan Si Niang said, "Time passed like this, and the Madam never looked for me. I think it's because our statuses are worlds apart. Someone like me, she might help me out casually, but she wouldn't take it to heart. Until the turmoil in the palace, when the Hengzhou rebels attacked Jianzhang City,"

Mo Yimingyue said, "Back then, when you knew Jianzhang was about to fall, why weren't you as panicked and distraught as you are today?"

Yuan Si Niang said, "At that time, I had already obtained a lot of information from the upper echelons. I knew that the governor of Hengzhou was besieging the city with his troops and wanted to become emperor himself. If that was the case, the first thing he would do was to win over the hearts of the people in the capital. He probably wouldn't massacre and plunder our people."

Yes, A Qiu thought. The massacres brought about by the rebellion at that time were confined to the palace. The sea of ​​fire and bloodshed were all within the Grand Marshal's Gate. Pei Yuanli, with the Jianzhang Army outside the palace, did not make a move. It was likely that most of the insightful aristocratic families had reached a tacit agreement: the former Huan regime should be purged. It was just as well that the Hengzhou army was eager to become the traitor who murdered the emperor, thus avoiding dirtying their own hands.

Yuan Si Niang continued, "That may be true, but I have seen the victors enter the city. It is not my wish to gamble my life on the mercy of others. But at that time, I had no other choice. So, I was anxious and worried. On the one hand, I was busy arranging things with people at all levels, and on the other hand, I dared not let the others in the building see my panic. On the surface, I just pretended that nothing was wrong."

She remembered it clearly: that day, she was anxiously waiting for news from the north as she stood in front of Luoyufang. Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of a woman in black standing under the shade of green willows across the street.

With just one glance, for some reason, she was absolutely certain that it was the lady from many years ago.

Perhaps it was that ethereal, otherworldly aura. The lady, dressed in pure black, stood there quietly, gazing in this direction, as if she belonged to another world. This chaotic world was irrelevant to her.

The lady wore a veil, covering her face with a heavy gauze, so her appearance could not be seen.

In fact, before Yuan Si Niang, she had never met the Madam. When the Madam first helped her, she sat in the carriage the whole time, with a large entourage, and did not show up to meet her.

But with just one glance, Yuan Si Niang was certain that it was the lady who had helped her many years ago.

Almost instinctively, she immediately lifted her skirt and ran across the street.

When she was still a foot away from the lady, she had already knelt down and kowtowed repeatedly.

For a moment, gratitude, anxiety, and the suspense that had lingered in her heart for so many years all welled up inside her. She was usually eloquent and persuasive, able to handle anyone with ease, but at this moment, she couldn't utter a single word.

She could only manage to squeeze out, "Is Madam well?"

The lady seemed surprised that she asked such a question. One could sense the worldly wisdom hidden beneath her veil; she smiled gently and replied with deep feeling, "Very well. You've managed this place very well."

The black silk sleeves exuded a quiet and elegant fragrance, but the lady finally reached out and gently helped her up from the ground.

On her fair wrist, visible beneath her silk sleeves, was a section of a silver-patterned vine ring.

Yuan Si Niang had a thousand words in her heart, but she couldn't utter another word.

The lady said softly, "I already know your feelings. Now, I want you to do something for me."

Yuan Si Niang immediately kowtowed and said, "I owe everything I have today to you, Madam. Whatever your command, I will obey without hesitation."

The lady's voice became very gentle: "In the current turbulent times, with continuous wars, only the Gongye family has the means to transport things from Luoyang, the capital in the north. I want you to order ten Frostflower Vine from the Gongye family."

Although Yuan Si Niang did not know what kind of wood it was, she still kowtowed and said, "I will do my best to obtain it."

She wasn't surprised; the lady knew about her relationship with the Gongye family. With the lady's abilities, she could easily uncover her entire background with just a casual remark.

Even without seeing her face, one could sense the smile beneath her veil. That smile must have been captivating, enchanting all who beheld her.

When she looked up again, the lady's figure had already gone far away, but the distant echo of her voice still lingered in her ears.

"I only need nine Frostflower Vine plants. Plant the last one in your Jade Falling Pavilion."

"Take this as a sign, and even if the Hengzhou rebels enter the city, they will not attack your Luoyufang."

She stood there dumbfounded, but suddenly realized something and called out to the lady's retreating figure, "Is there anything else I can do for you, madam?"

At that moment, Yuan Si Niang suddenly realized: this was probably the only and last time she would ever see the lady in her life.

The reason why the lady came to see her in person was partly due to the fact that it was a farewell.

With the fall of the Jianzhang Palace and the impending change of dynasty, the ladies in high positions must have felt the crisis of a turbulent world.

A woman's voice carried on the wind, seemingly tinged with laughter: "If anyone claims to be the master of the Frost Vine in the future, you must serve him."

"yes!"

Yuan Si Niang kowtowed heavily to the ground. But she didn't know if the lady could hear her words.

Ah Qiu thought to himself, if Yuan Si Niang's words were true, the Gongye family had brought ten mature Shuanghua vines from the south to Madam Huachi Mo Yi Bi Shuang, and one of them was already here, but he didn't know where the remaining nine were.

It seems that Mo Yi Bi Shuang had already sensed that the situation was not good. The Shuang Hua Teng she sent out was a token from Shuang Hua Tang given to the last person she trusted.

Mo Yimingyue gazed at the vines and leaves swaying in the wind against the wall in the night, and asked, "Do you still stand by what you promised her back then?"

Yuan Si Niang said emphatically, "Of course it counts!"

In truth, Mo Yi Bi Shuang must have known all along that Yuan Si Niang had never forgotten her kindness, otherwise she wouldn't have recognized her immediately upon her appearance. In the end, she didn't make any further demands on Yuan Si Niang, yet Yuan Si Niang willingly served her.

In truth, the most difficult thing in the world is sincerity. People's hearts can be spurred on by self-interest and restrained by rules, but no amount of means can buy unwavering loyalty that transcends life and death.

As if suddenly remembering something, Yuan Si Niang exclaimed, "Could it be that you, Hall Master, are...?"

At this moment, no one responded. In the darkness, Mo Yimingyue's back stood like a mountain. He simply stretched out one hand.

On his wrist was a rattan ring with a warm luster and silver patterns.

This time, Yuan Si Niang could see clearly that on the smooth brown wooden vine, there was an ancient seal script character "霜" (frost) engraved in silver.

The rustling of the vines and leaves in the night breeze seemed to be a silent remembrance of departed loved ones.

Yuan Si Niang finally understood why Mo Yi Ming Yue had taken special care of her Luo Yu Fang all these years; it was naturally because of that lady.

Suddenly, Yuan Si Niang knelt down, bowed and kowtowed again, and said in a hoarse voice, "I did not know that the Master was related to that lady. I am ashamed that I have not been able to repay the kindness of the lady and the Master over the years!"

He added heavily, "If everything were running normally, Luoyufang, as an intelligence hub connecting the Northern Hidden Moon Clan and the Southern Dynasty, could still do things for the Hall Master. But now that war has broken out, we can hardly even protect ourselves. It's already a blessing if we don't become a burden to the Hall Master."

Mo Yimingyue said in a deep voice, "Fourth Sister Yuan!"

Startled by the sharp shout, Yuan Si Niang immediately replied, "I am here!"

Mo Yimingyue said resolutely, "Until the situation between the North and South is clear, I want you to do everything you can to protect Luoyufang and not succumb to the threat of the Yinyue Clan. If Jianzhang City is really captured by the Northern Qiang, I will come here in person to take you to see the King of the Northern Qiang. Therefore, you can rest assured."

Upon hearing these words, A Qiu's heart felt as if it had plunged into an icy river, and she felt as if she could not even breathe properly.

Mo Yimingyue noticed her momentary loss of composure and suddenly turned around like a whirlwind, her sharp gaze fixed on where she was hiding.

A-Qiu immediately held his breath and retreated.

Yuan Si Niang burst into tears of joy and said, "Thank you, Hall Master! I will do my best for Xingfeng Hall in the future and will never rely on anyone else again."

A Qiu could no longer hear the conversation in front of the Frosty Vine, for she was now flying outwards with all her might, the flowers and trees on both sides turning into blurry, receding shadows.

Because she had fallen under the relentless pursuit of "Long Night Flying Eagle" Mo Yimingyue, who "encompasses the world and is all-encompassing".

The dark shadows of the houses in front of me kept receding, while the wind rustled behind my head, following me like a shadow.

From the sound of footsteps and clothes whistling through the air, A Qiu knew that besides Mo Yimingyue herself, at least three of the Eight Steeds of Xingfeng were chasing after them. Yin Shang was one of them.

Ah Qiu felt it was too late to regret it.

Senior Brother Mo Yimingyue has always been cautious and dislikes taking risks. Therefore, he rarely goes out alone. Even this time, when he sneaks into Luoyufang at night, he is only there to spy on the negotiations of a few women. He also brought Xingfeng Bajun with him to keep watch in the dark.

But A-Qiu's style has always been unconventional, which is the way of an assassin: if he misses his target, he can retreat easily. If he brings too many people, it's easy to alert the enemy, and escaping unscathed is not so easy either.

Even now, surrounded by the elites of Xingfeng Hall, she was confident that she could escape unscathed.

The problem is that she cannot demonstrate her martial arts skills. Whether it's the martial arts from Lanling Hall, the martial arts from Gu Yi, or even the "flower-picking finger" that she comprehended on her own from Chu Yuanyi's Wind and Thunder Slash Hand.

Because Mo Yimingyue was extremely familiar with her junior sister's movement techniques.

They had been together for nearly ten years and often sparred. Not to mention that Mo Yimingyue was bold and meticulous, A Qiu's moves were highly distinctive, as swift as a ghost and as heavy as thunder.

In the current situation, it's difficult to distinguish between friend and foe for her and Mo Yimingyue. If her master, Wanqiqing, is indeed Tuoba Han, the National Preceptor of the Northern Qiang Kingdom, then it's clear from Mo Yimingyue's words that his stance is definitely not the same as Aqiu's.

Moreover, this also involves the secrets of the past of Shuanghua Hall.

She had overheard and observed all this, and Mo Yimingyue was determined to eliminate her completely.

A strong gust of wind swept across the area as Mo Yimingyue's crescent-shaped blade slashed horizontally across the ground. A Qiu leaned back and narrowly dodged it. Immediately afterward, the sound of wind tearing through the air reached her ears again; Yin Shang's blade was attacking, and she had no choice but to leap away again.

After just a few moves, A Qiu was already struggling to defend himself and was in grave danger.