Part Three: On the Verge of Explosion
In the quiet night, a newborn baby, barely a month old, had just escaped the noise of a full-month celebration and closed his eyes, his consciousness teetering on the verge of drifting off to sleep.
A sudden click came from the black tiles of the roof, and the baby opened his newborn, innocent eyes. His parents' steady breathing blew in from either side of him, rhythmically stirring the almost still air.
The strange noises ceased, and the infant closed its eyes again.
In the frosty moonlight, rows of tiled roofs rose and fell like silent waves on the sea. Under the cover of night, Xiang Wu, like a surfer, sped across the crests of the waves, his black attire blending almost perfectly into the boundless ocean.
Let's rewind half an hour.
In an inconspicuous courtyard near the Unforgettable Pavilion, surging true energy flowed in a closed room.
Xiang Wu was required to stand far away from the house, but even so, he could still feel the terrifying aura of true energy.
"How is the recovery going?"
“Thanks to the Pavilion Master,” Xiang Wu replied gratefully, “I am much better now.”
Do you know Ping'an Hospital in the north of the city?
"I once heard my senior brother mention that this is the place where people from all over the world worship the Sword God."
The person inside the room continued, "Mount Mashou is not high. Thirty years ago, the leader of the Blood Palace built a palace on it, overlooking the entire Wuling City. After the failure and death, people converted the palace into a temple and built five paths and one ladder along the mountain to the top, symbolizing the inclusiveness of all rivers and the unity of all forces."
Xiang Wu nodded, then suddenly realized that the people in the room couldn't see him.
"Thirty years have passed, and there are no more villains on Mashou Mountain. The foot of the mountain is now home to ordinary people."
"This is exactly the purpose of building the ancestral temple. To eliminate evil people and ensure that the people can live in peace."
"At the entrance of Shajing Road, there is a family surnamed Song. The Song family had a daughter late in life, named Song Zhen." The person inside paused, then continued, "Including today, Song Zhen has been missing for more than half a month. We found out that she is in a mansion not far from the entrance of Xuanhua Road."
"Do you need me to rescue this Miss Song?"
"You only need to confirm Song Zhen's safety and report back to the Song family first thing tomorrow morning. You don't need to worry about anything else."
"Understood."
"There are two holly bushes hanging in front of the Tibetan mansion. It's late at night. Go get a map from Ayu and hurry."
Xiang Wucong withdrew his worried gaze from the tightly closed door and turned to leave.
"Miss Lin is in pretty good condition," the person inside said.
Xiang Wu turned around, smiled, and nodded towards the tightly closed door. He leaped into the air and disappeared into the night.
~
Behind the door, Han Yizhi wrung out a hot towel and came to the bedside to wipe the sweat from the two people enveloped in true energy.
Nana's complexion has improved significantly, and Bae Jiangxi, who is healing her, shows no signs of fatigue and seems to be handling the situation with ease.
"You're not a little disappointed, are you?" Pei Jiangxi teased, panting.
"What?"
"How come Nana's complexion looks better, but Bae Jiangxi's doesn't seem to be getting any worse?" Bae Jiangxi said in a sarcastic tone.
Han Yizhi rolled her eyes at her and said, "Why don't you tell him yourself?"
"I put in the effort, and you just say a few words and get a favor for nothing. I can't be envious of that."
~
"Two clumps of holly."
Near the entrance to Xuanhua Road, Xiang Wu easily found the mansion marked on the map. It was clearly a residence that only wealthy families could afford.
Unlike the residences of ordinary nobles, there is no plaque hanging in front of the gate here, intentionally concealing the identity of the owner.
There were six government soldiers in front of the gate, but by nightfall they were noticeably lax. Some stood by the lions in front of the gate, while others sat on the steps.
Upon entering the mansion, only a few maids and nannies were still moving about; not a single male servant, such as Wu Lian, was seen. Passing through the garden and several corridors, Song Zhen's house was easily identifiable deep within the mansion.
Song Zhen lit a lamp and secretly wept in her room. The weak light cast her sorrowful shadow onto the thin window paper.
"Miss Song."
The sudden appearance of a male voice startled the poor, tearful woman.
Before Song Zhen could cry out, Xiang Wu quickly covered her mouth from behind.
"Your parents asked me to come," Xiang Wu said. "Don't make a sound, I'll let you go. Okay?"
The girl, her face pale with fright, nodded obediently.
“My mother and father,” Song Zhen hesitated, then asked, “Are they alright?”
Xiang Wu looked around the room and found that everything, whether food or other necessities, was of the highest quality. On the table were delicate peach blossom-shaped pastries, which Xiang Wu measured with the back of his hand and found to be still warm.
"I haven't seen them yet."
Song Zhen's eyes, which had just brightened, dimmed again.
“They’re a little worried about you,” Xiang Wu said, looking at Song Zhen’s retreating figure with some confusion. “Did you run away from home, or have you gone missing?”
“I…” Song Zhen’s tears fell down again.
"Miss Song, get some rest early." The old woman's voice came from outside the door: "Good things are coming soon, Miss, you must get some rest."
"Okay, Aunt Wu." Song Zhen turned off the light and replied in a hoarse voice, "I'll rest now."
"You're always crying and wailing, what kind of behavior is that?" the old woman complained. "This is a great blessing for you. Take a good rest, the better days are yet to come."
The footsteps faded into the distance.
"Please tell my parents for me," Song Zhen choked up several times before finally saying the rest of her sentence, "that Zhen'er is doing well and that they shouldn't worry about her."
"You don't need to worry about these unnecessary things." Han Yizhi's words echoed in Xiang Wu's ears.
"There are quite a few guards at the gate. Do you need me to escort you home?" Xiang Wu asked instinctively.
Song Zhen's eyes gradually adjusted to the darkness. She looked at the thin, masked man in front of her, shook her head, and said, "As long as I'm still in Wuling City, I won't be able to leave this courtyard. Please help me send my regards to my parents."
"Is that all?" Xiang Wu was somewhat conflicted.
"If possible, young hero, please check on my father and mother for their well-being." Song Zhen lowered his eyes, "and let me know as well."
"How are you?"
"Mmm." Song Zhen tried to suppress her trembling shoulders.
“I will come again tomorrow,” Xiang Wu said.
When Song Zhen looked up again, she was all alone in the room. It was as if she had just woken up from a dream.
The wind blew by, and the window creaked and swayed.
Only the wailing windows proved that none of this was a dream.
~
The next day happened to be market day, and Xiang Wu was worried that he wouldn't be able to find the Song couple if he arrived late, so he waited on the steps in front of the door before dawn.
The door opened, and the two elderly people were startled by the young man standing in front of it.
"Uncle Song, Aunt Song," Xiang Wu greeted the two elderly people with gray hair and beards in front of him respectfully.
The couple looked at each other, neither of them knowing where the young man came from.
When the old lady saw Xiang Wu's shoulders covered in dew, she quickly said, "Let's go inside and talk, it's cold outside."
The two welcomed Xiang Wu into the house, and poured hot water from their water bags and placed it in front of Xiang Wu.
After Xiang Wu took a sip, Song Zhen's father asked, "Young man, this old man is a bit confused and doesn't remember things well. I don't know which family you are from."
The dilapidated mud house was almost bare, and the most precious thing was probably the ancestral tablets hanging on the wall facing the front door.
Beneath the memorial tablet was a square table with uneven legs. Beside the table were two short stools, one of which had legs pieced together from different colored woods. Despite its pitted and worn surface, it was spotless. Both the table and chairs had been carefully wiped clean.
“Uncle Song, Aunt Song,” Xiang Wu exchanged a glance with the two elderly people and said, “I have met Miss Song Zhen. She asked me to tell you that she is doing well and that you should not worry too much.”
Song Zhen's father's furrowed brows did not unfurrow; instead, his features drew closer together, his face a mixture of grief and relief. He lowered his head and nodded repeatedly.
The old lady couldn't help but grasp Xiang Wu's hand and asked, "Is Zhen'er alright?"
"When I saw her last night, she was perfectly fine." Xiang Wu carefully chose her words, afraid of saying the wrong thing and causing the two elderly people more worry.
Xiang Wu then said, "Miss Song asked me to inquire about the health of the two elders."
"Everything's fine, my husband and I are both in good health." As she spoke, tears streamed down her face, but her voice remained calm.
Xiang Wu reluctantly turned his head, looked at the half-bowl of hot water left on the table, and then noticed the two dark marks that had appeared on the ground.
"I should go back now," Xiang Wu said, withdrawing his hand and turning his face away.
"Please take care of yourselves, both of you." Xiang Wutao walked towards the door as if fleeing.
"Young hero!" Song Zhen's father suddenly called out from behind.
Xiang Wu stopped in his tracks, frozen in place like a child whose lie had been exposed.
"Can we see the real one?" the old man said tremblingly.
The old lady came up and said, "Take a look, is there anything else you like? If you'd like, you can take this house too."
The old lady wiped away her tears: "Just let us see Zhen'er."
Xiang Wuxin felt a mix of emotions and explained, "Auntie, we don't want your money."
As if she had lost all support, the old lady collapsed to her knees with a thud.
~
Unforgettable Pavilion.
Ayu was putting the overturned bench back on the floor, its crimson surface reflecting his shadow. Occasionally, he'd spot a speck of dust and brush it away with his sleeve; with a gentle touch, the dust would slide off as if on ice.
Xiang returned to the pavilion in a huff, only to find that only Ayu had arrived.
"Who will go to rescue Song Zhen?" Xiang Wu asked bluntly.
"Song Zhen?" A Yu glanced at Xiang Wu: "You mean the one at the entrance of Shajing Road?"
"That's right."
"Have you met her parents?"
"I just saw him."
"That's good then." Ayu nodded and said, "Go back and rest. You don't have anything to do for the next couple of days."
"You drained two elderly people's savings," Xiang Wu angrily questioned, "and all you did was tell them that your daughter was alright and that was it?"
"Watch your words." A-Yu scrutinized Xiang Wu, her gaze sharp as a blade. "The Unforgettable Pavilion will not force anyone; everyone participates in the exchange voluntarily."
Ah Yu put down the last bench and said, "If you don't want to, you can leave now with your Miss Lin."
"I advise you not to meddle in other people's business." A-Yu walked behind the screen without turning her head. "Song Zhen's matter is over. You can come in and exchange information about your master."
Xiang Wu was speechless, looking at the empty Buwang Pavilion, feeling a sense of powerlessness as if a turbulent current had merged into a calm ocean.
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