Entrust
Xu E led the three out of the secret passage and closed the hidden door behind him.
Suddenly, a bright and spacious room appeared before me, an elegantly furnished study exuding a scholarly atmosphere.
A large, heavy rosewood desk stands in the center, with the Four Treasures of the Study neatly arranged, and several open scrolls scattered around, revealing the owner's unpretentious nature.
Yunwei's gaze swept over the study that connected to the secret passage outside the mountain, and she saw that one of the bookshelves was abruptly filled with brand-new tales of the strange and supernatural, which was out of place with the heavy books around it.
On a corner of the desk, on a sheet of Xuan paper with ink still wet, there is a silly little dog with a wide grin.
When did Xu E develop such a childlike leisure and refined taste?
Xu E walked behind the desk and sat down casually, then called out, "Someone come here."
Two servants in black immediately entered from outside the door and bowed respectfully: "Master."
He waved his hand casually, crossed his legs, and looked very lazy: "These are rare guests, don't neglect them."
"Yes, Master." The servant bowed and replied.
Seeing the servants about to lead them away, Yunwei remembered that the key point of their trip had not yet been made clear, and immediately stepped forward, stopping in front of the desk: "Wait. I have indeed come here to ask for your help." She stepped aside, gesturing to the object hanging at Xie Lanchen's waist, "The Master surely still remembers it. Now the blade is riddled with cracks and is almost broken. I have come here with great trepidation to implore the Master to have it reforged. In addition, I also need a new sword to keep by my side, and I would appreciate your help as well."
Xu E's gaze suddenly sharpened, landing on the cracked longsword at Xie Lanchen's waist.
"That's... the Lone Goose Sword?"
He tapped his fingertips lightly on his knee, his eyelids half-closed, as if reminiscing about some old story. A look of reminiscence gradually appeared on his face, but a faint smile played at the corners of his mouth: "I haven't forgotten how you braved the snow to break into the village to tame it. Miss Yun and I have a past, so I will do my best in this matter. However... reforging a divine weapon is not as easy as forging iron into a plow. It requires drawing true fire from the depths of the earth's veins to melt refined steel to replenish its spirit, and it also requires the opportune moment of the stars and moon turning and the earth's energy rising. If it is even slightly off, all previous efforts will be in vain."
Having said that, he leaned back in his chair, his posture returning to its previous casualness: "If Miss Yun trusts me, she can stay at the manor. Within ten days, I will definitely give you a divine weapon in perfect condition."
Yun Wei remained calm on the surface, but felt no joy in her heart. Xu E's reaction was too indifferent. Seeing the Lone Goose Sword on Xie Lanchen's body, he only said "Lone Goose" indifferently, without asking why the sword had fallen into this person's hands, nor caring about when or why this divine weapon, which had a deep connection with him, had broken to this point.
"Could you hand over this sword to me first?" Xu E suddenly reached out, his eyes filled with amusement.
Yun Wei's heart tightened, and her fingertips quietly clenched into her sleeve.
The Lone Goose Sword contains her remnant soul, which is the very essence of her life. If the sword is lost, she will be annihilated and vanish into thin air.
The Xu E before her was strange in every word and action, and the undisguised probing in his eyes made her feel uneasy. How could she trust him?
However, the matter of rebuilding ultimately cannot be separated from him.
Thinking of this, she turned and walked towards Xie Lanchen.
The boy's cobalt blue eyes were unfathomable, and he was staring intently at her, his expression seemingly saying, "Do as you please."
With a soft "whoosh," the broken sword was drawn, its dim blade reflecting the light filtering through the window.
Yunwei supported the sword with her left hand, her fingertips seemingly unintentionally tracing the jagged cracks.
Beneath her fingertips, a faint, almost invisible wisp of spiritual energy quietly seeped in, one end tied to the sword's soul, the other wrapped around her wrist.
This was her backup plan: if the sword was lost or taken more than ten miles away from Biyue Manor, she could sense it immediately; if it was destroyed by external forces, her spiritual power could be used as a barrier to buy a moment of life for the remnant soul.
After doing all this, she remained calm and turned to place the Lone Goose Sword steadily in front of Xu E.
"I hope the Master will take the matter of rebuilding to heart," Yun Wei said coldly.
Xu E's smile deepened as he stroked the cool spine of the sword with his fingertips. "Of course." He suddenly glanced out the window, his eyes sweeping over the attendant standing beside him, a gesture that needed no words. The attendant shrugged slightly, clearly having received the instruction, and bowed, saying, "Distinguished guests, please follow me to the Wanmei Courtyard to rest."
Yun nodded slightly. When her gaze swept over Xie Lanchen, she saw him staring at the Lone Goose Sword in Xu E's hand, his brows furrowed. In the end, she said nothing and took the lead in following the servants out.
The three men, accompanied by their attendants, passed through several courtyards.
The Wanmei Courtyard is serene and elegant, with ivy climbing the walls and several clumps of tall, slender bamboo swaying in the wind, making a rustling sound. In the courtyard, there is an old stone table, four stone benches, and in the corner, an old plum tree with gnarled branches, not yet in bloom.
"Please rest here, distinguished guests. If you have any requests, please ring the copper bell under the eaves." The attendant bowed and took his leave.
Yunwei's gaze involuntarily fell on the familiar stone table. Her fingertips brushed across the cool surface, and the touch instantly awakened deep-seated memories.
Four years ago, on a snowy winter night, she stepped into this courtyard for the first time, and it was for the Lone Goose Sword.
At that time, Xu E was wearing a dazzling red brocade robe and sat alone by the stone table in the courtyard, stroking the spine of an ancient sword in the snowlight.
Seeing Yun Wei enter amidst the wind and snow, he looked up and smiled, "Miss, you've come through this snow, surely for this sword?"
Without a word, she placed the wrapped Lone Goose Sword on the cold stone table with a clang: "This sword is named Lone Goose. It is a precious weapon protected by a thousand-year-old black dragon, but it refuses to be used by me. I heard that the young master of Biyue Manor is well-versed in the way of weapon nature, so I have come to ask for your guidance on how to tame it."
Upon hearing such blunt words, Xu E was not annoyed at all. Instead, he laughed and said, "This sword recognizes its master, but it is unwilling to be bound. It has a spirit and a proud spirit. If you try to suppress it by force and subdue it, you will only provoke a stronger backlash."
That night, he spoke of swords as if they were people, about the balance of strength and gentleness, about concealing one's sharpness, and about how to communicate with the spirit of a weapon rather than forcibly controlling it. As he was leaving, he pointed to the old plum branch in the corner of the courtyard, bent under the weight of thick snow: "Look at it, bent but not broken, not out of cowardice, but because it knows how to yield and know when to advance and retreat. The same is true of a sword. Too much rigidity leads to breakage, too much straightness leads to damage. To feel it with your heart and understand it with your mind is the right path."
From then on, she abandoned her desire to forcefully suppress the sword, no longer fixated on subduing its ferocity with brute force. Instead, she focused on understanding its inherent qualities and guiding its sharpness. Eventually, she tamed this unruly weapon.
At that time, Xu E was a true mentor and friend.
Now, revisiting the same place, everything has changed, and the person who enlightened her back then has become someone she has to be wary of.
"This courtyard is so quiet, much better than the shabby inn we stayed in on the road! I can finally get a good night's sleep!" Nangong Ya's voice interrupted Yun Wei's thoughts.
Xie Lanchen also walked in, his voice cold: "I have some things to attend to and need to leave for a while."
Just as Yunwei was about to ask him where he had gone, she suddenly caught a commotion coming from behind the artificial rockery outside the courtyard. Her eyes sharpened, and she instantly forgot all about Xie Lanchen's whereabouts.
"Come out," she said in a deep voice.
Xie Lanchen clearly noticed the strange noise as well. He flashed to the side of the artificial hill and pulled the hidden figure out from behind the stone.
"Ouch!" came the old man's painful cry.
Yunwei looked closely and saw that the man had white hair, was dressed in the clothes of a servant of the manor, and had a face full of wrinkles and looked haggard, but she still recognized him.
"Uncle Fu?" Yunwei asked tentatively.
She remembered that when she first came to Biyue Manor four years ago, it was this kind old servant who led her to this Plum Blossom Courtyard to meet Xu E. In just four short years, Uncle Fu had aged and become so haggard, his back hunched over badly, and his cloudy old eyes filled with fear.
Xie Lanchen released his grip upon hearing this.
Xu Fu staggered and steadied himself. When he saw that it was Yun Wei in front of him, all the color drained from his old face, and his lips trembled: "Miss Yun? Is it really you? You... why did you still come?" His eyes flickered, desperately avoiding Yun Wei's clear gaze.
Yun Wei's gaze sharpened slightly as she asked in a gentle voice, "I have come here to reforge my sword, and I apologize for disturbing you. Why are you hiding here? And why are you so alarmed?"
"Don't ask! Miss Yun! Please don't ask!" Xu Fu abruptly interrupted her, his whole body trembling like a frightened bird, almost delirious. "This old servant can't say! I really can't say! The Master... the Master..."
Standing to the side, Nangong Ya couldn't help but mutter under her breath, "What's wrong with him? He looks like he's lost his mind?"
"Miss Yun! This old servant... this old servant only begs you for one thing!" Xu Fu's withered hand suddenly reached out and grabbed Yun Wei's sleeve tightly with astonishing strength. "The old master and his wife... they died unjustly! The real culprit... the real culprit is in this manor! Right here!" His withered fingers pointed hard at the ground beneath his feet, his voice shrill, "Please... please, for the sake of our past relationship... help me!"
Is the real culprit inside the villa?
Xu E clearly stated at the foot of the mountain that he had concealed his identity and descended the mountain to investigate the real culprit who killed his parents, but Uncle Fu said that the real culprit was in the village.
Yun Wei's voice was calm: "Uncle Fu, who exactly is the real culprit you're talking about? What's his name?"
Upon hearing this, Xu Fu froze, retreated in terror, and muttered to himself, "I can't say... I really can't say... the name... I can't mention it..." He spoke incoherently, then turned and staggered out of the courtyard gate.
Nangong Ya was completely confused: "He said the real culprit is in the manor? Then who was Master Xu investigating after going down the mountain?"
Xie Lanchen looked in the direction where Xu Fu had disappeared, then turned to Yun Wei and said coldly, "You know this person? He seems to trust you a lot, even entrusting you with such a secret matter."
"He was the one who guided me when I first came to the manor four years ago," Yun Wei said succinctly, without going into details of the past.
The young man remained silent for a moment, his long eyelashes drooping to conceal the thoughts in his eyes. Finally, he said coldly, "At the eatery down the mountain, Xu E said he concealed his identity to track down the real culprit. Now this old servant says the real culprit is in the manor. Their stories contradict each other; either one is lying, or both are deceiving you. Xu E is an old acquaintance of yours. Whether you help him or not, and how you help him, is up to you to decide." With that, he turned and left, his figure quickly disappearing outside the courtyard gate.
Yunwei was filled with thoughts: What was Xu E's true purpose in coming down the mountain? If he was really investigating the murderer, why didn't Uncle Fu tell him directly? Or was Xu E himself someone who knew the truth?
Information is chaotic and confusing, making it difficult to distinguish between truth and falsehood.
"Yunwei, what do we do now?" Nangong Ya looked at the darkening sky, feeling uneasy. "I have a feeling that this Biyue Manor is not simple."
Yun Wei withdrew her gaze, her tone calm and even: "It's getting late, let's settle down first. Whether it's a person or a ghost, we can investigate tomorrow."
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