Chapter 47 Fragrant Lady in a Daze
After taking the medicine and resting overnight, Huo Qin's condition improved significantly. He first went next door to check on Zhou Ziheng, who was unconscious, and fed him some blood as usual before knocking on Xi Bingyi's room.
When the door opened, Xi Bingyi's complexion was even worse than his.
Huo Qin: "...Did you not sleep all night?"
Xi Bingyi yawned: "I'm fine, let's get going."
The two woke up the unconscious Zhou Ziheng and joined the flow of people entering the city.
"Get out of the car, check!" came the guard's voice from the front of the group. Xi Bingyi lifted the car curtain and squinted to look ahead.
Xi Bingyi: "How strange, why are they suddenly starting to check people when entering the city?"
Upon hearing this, Huo Qin also looked forward: "It looks like they're looking for someone."
Soon the guards arrived at Xi Bingyi's carriage. She openly allowed the guards to inspect the people inside, and then, taking advantage of the guards' inattention, she secretly glanced at the portrait.
She took a deep breath and, after confirming that the guards had given her permission, lowered the carriage curtain and said to Huo Qin, "It's Xu Yi and Zhang Yuanqian."
Huo Qin frowned: "It seems that Zhuang Lan's matter has caused quite a stir, but why is the court so certain that Zhang Yuanqian and Xu Yi will come to Zhuoxian?"
Xi Bingyi shook her head, not taking the matter to heart. She rubbed her hands inside her sleeves and said calmly, "Let's go back to Xibao as soon as possible. Senior Brother can't wait any longer."
Entering Zhuoxian, it takes only half an hour to return to Xibao.
As the fortress-like building drew closer, Xi Bingyi felt a sudden surge of fear, as if it were not her home, but a man-eating beast.
It wasn't until she got off the bus and walked to the gate of the castle that she snapped out of her daze and felt the reality of being home.
The door that Xi Bingyi pushed open creaked open, like opening a cage that imprisoned a wild beast.
Huo Qin carried Zhou Ziheng on his back. During this time, the other party was not awake for long periods of time, spending most of the time in a daze. There was really no other way but for him to carry Zhou Ziheng on his back.
He was clearly looking at the two characters "Xibao" on the high gate, but what flashed before his eyes was the character "Xi" on the bamboo slip.
Huo Qin was willing to gamble, gambling that his father was still alive and had intricate connections with Xi Bao, and also gambling that he could save Zhou Ziheng from all the conspiracies and schemes.
He stepped in, a resolute glint in his eyes.
The town of Shib was unusually deserted. All the servants who swept, tended the flowers, and watched over the gate were nowhere to be seen. In the distance, a few withered leaves were even floating in the pond. No one was taking care of it, making it look lonely and desolate.
Only in the courtyard, the plum trees remained lush and vibrant, their petals layered upon layer covering the stone steps.
Xi Bingyi felt uneasy, but she pretended to be calm and turned to Huo Qin, saying, "I'll take you to the hall to wait. I'll go find my father."
Huo Qin nodded, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
After settling the two of them in, Xi Bingyi quickly walked towards the study.
There wasn't a single servant along the way, and her unease grew. She walked faster and faster, almost running towards the study.
Fortunately, it sounded like someone was in the study.
Xi Bingyi, panting heavily, stood outside the study for a long time, hesitating and even pondering what she should say to Xi Ling when she saw her again.
After Mei Zhiying died, she never returned to Xibao, and naturally never saw her father again.
What is my father like now? Has he grown old? Is he in good health? Has he recovered from the grief of my mother's passing?
Does he still remember me? Does he still recognize me?
In that instant, Xi Bingyi put aside all her doubts about the conspiracy and worried about her father with a sense of trepidation as she approached home.
Before Xi Bingyi could hesitate for long, the study door opened from the inside.
The sunlight outside illuminated the dimly lit study. Strangely, Xi Bingyi's gaze first fell on the Liang Zhu painting hanging high above, before she looked down to observe her father.
Xi Ling is a very easy-going person most of the time, which makes him look like he has never aged, and his eyebrows and eyes still show the appearance of his youth.
Xi Bingyi's gaze lingered on Xi Linghua's white hair.
Xi Bingyi opened her mouth, a heavy feeling welling up inside her: "...Father."
Xi Ling acted as if nothing had happened.
He smiled and patted Xi Bingyi's hair: "Bingyi has grown up so much, I almost didn't recognize her."
Through the Liang-Zhu sword, Xi Bingyi recalled the trials and tribulations she had faced along the way.
She smiled, but it was a forced smile: "Father, I brought back two friends who really need help."
"The first thing Bingyi did when she got home wasn't to act cute towards me. It seems these two friends are very important to you."
Xi Bingyi lowered her head and sniffed: "Yes, it is very important."
Xi Ling nodded, "Alright, where are your friends? Let me see what kind of friends could make Bingyi say such things."
Despite saying this, Xi Ling had already walked towards the hall, seemingly having anticipated this and not needing Xi Bingyi to give directions.
“Father,” Xi Bingyi stopped in her tracks, turned to look at the broken sword Liang Zhu, and asked softly, “I heard a story from my grandmother. Uncle Huo Yunfeng is your friend, isn’t he?”
Xi Ling paused for a moment, then said, "Yes, he is my friend, and a very important one."
At the same time, another version of Xi Ling spoke up: "Huo Yunfeng... Huo Yunfeng..."
In her frenzy, she kept muttering incoherently in her ears. Xi Ling remained calm and continued walking: "Let's go, Bingyi. Let me meet your friends."
Hearing Xi Ling's affirmative answer, Xi Bingyi felt an even deeper chill.
She pulled her coat tighter around herself, thinking of the woman who had left the city, and of Huo Yunfeng, who was now lifeless.
He was an important friend, yet he was imprisoned until death?
She couldn't help but shudder, and began to hesitate. Was it right or wrong to bring Zhou Ziheng back to Xibao?
With a click, the study door closed completely behind them, and Liang Zhu closed her eyes.
We arrived at the lobby.
Huo Yunfeng's son.
Xi Ling looked at Huo Qin in the hall, her gaze lingering for a long time, as if she were reminiscing about the old friend's youthful appearance.
Xi Ling smiled inwardly.
Ning Hanshuang's son.
Unable to control his wary gaze, Huo Qin couldn't help but sneer, "Mr. Xi, you've been looking for so long, why haven't you said anything? What are you thinking about?"
Xi Ling smiled gently, not minding Huo Qin's offense, and instead said bluntly, "The son of an old friend indeed has the bearing of an old friend."
"I just wonder if the son of my old friend also wields a sword?"
This seemingly ordinary greeting sounded extremely offensive to Huo Qin.
They all knew that Huo Yunfeng had complex feelings toward the "sword," and what ultimately led him to the abyss was the swordsmanship talent that came with winning the laurel wreath.
Therefore, Huo Qin's expression immediately turned cold, and even Xi Bingyi stared at Xi Ling with a solemn look.
"Father, why are you saying this?" She unconsciously shielded Huo Qin and Zhou Ziheng behind her, confronting her father.
Xi Ling chuckled softly and lowered her head slightly: "I'm sorry."
"It's just that seeing how deeply your senior brother is cursed, I couldn't help but think of Huo Yunfeng."
He kept his head down, so his expression was obscured, but a little thought revealed that it wasn't a sincere apology; rather, it was a disgusting excuse.
Xi Bingyi also knew that in addition to anger and hatred, there was now a layer of confusion.
Why did Xi Ling become like this?
Before Xi Bingyi could ask any questions, Xi Ling spoke up, "I know why you've come."
“When Huo Yunfeng was in critical condition, Zhiying and I did find a way to save his life.”
His tone was earnest and nostalgic: "As long as we kill 'Xiangjun' and use her bones as medicine, the curse can be eradicated."
Like a clear sound breaking through the fog, in an instant, all the chaotic and delusional thoughts dissipated like the receding tide, and Huo Qin immediately understood that this was "killing someone to take their bones"!
The information is identical to what Huo Yunfeng himself said, and it is very likely true.
Xi Bingyi immediately realized what was happening and asked, "Who is 'Xiangjun'?"
Xi Ling slowly stood up, her face half in shadow and half in light, her voice calm and devoid of emotion.
"Huo Yunfeng's 'Xiangjun' is Ning Hanshuang, but your senior brother's is..."
Before he could finish speaking, Zhou Ziheng, who had been unconscious, seemed to sense something, coughed, and interrupted Xi Ling.
Zhou Ziheng had woken up at some point, and the torment of the curse had not left any trace of illness on his brows; on the contrary, it made his eyes appear bright.
His clothes were disheveled from sleeping, but he casually straightened them, as if he had only taken a nap and felt no remorse whatsoever.
He remained polite even when facing the potential "culprit":
"Junior Zhou Ziheng greets Uncle Xi."
Xi Ling forced a fake smile, immediately realizing that Zhou Ziheng didn't want him to continue.
He readily ended the conversation, and then Zhou Ziheng continued:
“We came from Plum Blossom Villa and saw Aunt Mei’s notes.”
Mei Zhiying was practically bait for Xi Ling. Even though he knew those notes were just nonsense, he still turned his head and showed an expression of listening attentively.
Zhou Ziheng gave Xi Bingyi a look. Although she didn't understand what her senior brother was up to, she still replied:
"My mother wrote a travelogue, which is quite interesting."
Upon hearing Mei Zhiying's name, Xi Ling slightly turned his head, and the half of his face that had been dark was now exposed to the light. The dividing line disappeared, and he seemed to have returned to the human world.
He wore a nostalgic expression, and in the light, he looked exceptionally gentle.
"Really? Did you bring it back?"
Xi Bingyi was about to shake her head when Zhou Ziheng magically produced a travelogue and handed it to her.
Xi Ling tried to take it, but Zhou Ziheng held on tightly and wouldn't let go.
Only then did he reveal his true intentions, using Mei Zhiying's belongings to force her to agree to his demands:
"Uncle Xi, let's not worry about 'Xiangjun' anymore. I just hope we can suppress the curse for now, okay?"
As he spoke, he tightened his grip on the travelogue slightly, giving it a threatening twitch.
Xi Ling then shifted her gaze from the travelogue to Zhou Ziheng's face.
The last glimmer of light disappeared from his face.
He remained silent for a moment, his expression unreadable as his face was completely hidden in the darkness.
Xi Ling stared at Zhou Ziheng for a long time.
Finally, he slowly said:
“Suppression? Of course there are ways to do it.”
"But we are missing one crucial medicinal ingredient."
The crazed, illusory Xi Ling circled around Zhou Ziheng, his face displaying an undisguised savage grin and glee. "Medicinal herbs, medicinal herbs!"
The two voices overlapped: "...Heavenly Snow Lotus."
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Author's Note: It should be quite obvious who Zhou Ziheng's Xiangjun is.
When Huo Yunfeng first saw Ning Hanshuang, the first thing he noticed was the flower pattern between her eyebrows.
When Zhou Ziheng first met Huo Qin, he also noticed a small flower bud between the other's eyebrows.
That's why they say there's a sense of destiny between the two generations!
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