Chapter 130: Bewitching and Mind-Stealing
As the saying goes, a dark and windy night is a night for murder.
Although Xie Huailing did not intend to kill anyone, nor did he have any intention of killing anyone, this statement was indeed the most appropriate in this situation.
Another moon hangs low, a night so dark it seems to die, the mountains invisible. Where the ghostly lamp hangs, a chilling wind blows, filling sleeves with a menacing light; its solitary glow is nowhere to be seen, as if a wronged soul has no branch to cling to. The city gates disappear into the desolate night, and tangled branches stretch out from outside the city, carrying a slightly eerie hue. Even without the fine rain, they seem forlorn, piercing the air like the limbs of spiders, densely packed and dancing, occasionally trembling.
At that moment, the two figures drifted through the woods as lightly as ghosts, followed by two maids whose ears were plugged so they could not hear a sound. If this story had anything to do with Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, they were probably heading to some kind of tomb.
But clearly, the supernatural and the martial arts world are still a step apart.
A cold wind blew by, and Xie Huailing sneezed, which seemed to refresh her. She wrapped her cloak tighter around herself and said, "It's so cold. Is this really spring? The weather is more unpredictable than people."
Although Bai Feifei was slender and curvaceous, she was incredibly strong and robust, walking in the wind without even blinking. Hearing her words, "Just bear with it a little longer, we'll be there soon—are those two people you found really reliable?"
“Reliable. If they’re not reliable, they won’t survive if they go back.” Xie Huailing wrapped herself up tighter and tighter, like a spring roll. “Wang Yunmeng can’t tolerate her maids being so incompetent. She wants everyone to be absolutely perfect when it comes to finding out information about Chaiyu Pass.”
Bai Feifei gave an indifferent snort and asked, "Is that 'Bewitching and Dream-Inducing Technique' really that effective, capable of making Dugu hurt himself, reveal all the information, and then remain completely unaware of it afterward?"
“Of course, as long as it can be used, he has no choice but to say it,” Xie Huailing said.
She rubbed her face again, trying to shift her position to use Bai Feifei as a shield against the wind: "A skill that can rival 'Heavenly Cloud Five-Flower Cotton' must have some terrifying aspects. From what you're saying, do you want to learn it? If you do, I'll give it to you. I happen to have a copy. Even if you don't want it, I'll still give it to you. You'll have no choice but to accept it."
Bai Feifei hadn't expected her to be so domineering, and said first, "Aren't you going to keep it to take back to the Golden Wind and Fine Rain Pavilion?"
Xie Huailing pointed to himself, then to the direction of Bianjing in the night sky, his face displaying an expression that was somewhere between "Are you trying to mess with me?" and "I'm not stupid." He said, "What would I do with it? Take it back for Su Mengzhen to practice? Or should I tell him that I have the unique martial arts technique of the former number one female demon of the martial arts world, which is extremely evil and crooked, and have him find someone in the building to practice it?"
Don't be ridiculous. The "Bewitching and Dream-Inducing Technique" can't compare to the "Heavenly Cloud Five-Flower Cotton." At least the latter can still be used openly as long as she insists it's for self-defense. If she goes through with this as Bai Feifei suggested, her job will probably be on and off. Another milestone in her life: she's been granted a probationary period and received a personal visit from her superior.
Come to think of it, Bai Feifei recalled Su Mengzhen from her memories, and putting her together with the "Bewitching and Mind-Controlling Dream Technique" created an indescribable eeriness. So she didn't stand on ceremony with Xie Huailing and said, "Then go back and give it to me."
The two women, accompanied by their maids, walked for a while longer and arrived near the abandoned wooden house where Dugu Shang had stayed, as Shen Lang had mentioned. After looking around, Bai Feifei handed Xie Huailing over to the two maids and went to administer the drug to Dugu Shang. As the person with the best lightness skill here, this task could only be entrusted to her.
After Bai Feifei left, Xie Huailing gave the maids a look, and they were finally able to remove the objects covering their ears. However, they still dared not speak, and just kept their heads down, as if Xie Huailing were some kind of monster, and if they looked up, they would be terrified.
"Make preparations," Xie Huailing said calmly.
The two maids straightened up abruptly, their faces as white as paper, as if they hadn't come to work tonight but to investigate her soul. They called out a title that made Xie Huailing's teeth ache: "Yes, young mistress."
Xie Huailing had encountered something even more painful than Su Mengzhen calling her "Huailing" so affectionately. She didn't want to look at the two of them, and she realized that Wang Yunmeng had given the order. She was speechless and didn't want to say another word, for fear of thinking about Wang Lianhua again.
Unfortunately, even though she didn't want to cause trouble, trouble still came looking for her. The two maids looked at each other, their beautiful eyes almost filled with tears. When they really couldn't refuse anymore, one of them stepped forward, her voice trembling as she spoke: "Young... Young Madam, the young master asked me to pass on a message to you."
Xie Huailing didn't have a toothache; she had a stomachache. She said, "Speak."
The maid swallowed hard, thinking that she was too timid and had displeased Xie Huailing. She was really worried about her life, so she tried her best to not stutter so much: "Young Master said that he hopes you can go to see him again when you have time. He has some private things to say to you."
He had some disgusting things to say to me. Xie Huailing instantly understood Wang Lianhua's implication. This guy was really too idle. Did he not suffer any hardship at Wang Yunmeng's place after returning? Thinking that she did not see him when she went to find Wang Yunmeng today, she asked, "How was he after he went back the day before yesterday?"
The maid shuddered, pursed her lips, and dared not speak, as if weighing whether Wang Yunmeng or Xie Huailing was more terrifying. Then she thought again that the young mistress and young master were practically husband and wife, so there was no harm in asking, and the mistress probably wouldn't be angry. So she replied, "To answer the young mistress's question, I'm not quite sure either. I only know that the young master seems to have been beaten."
Not surprising at all. Xie Huailing didn't ask any more questions, and as soon as he turned around, Bai Feifei returned in the night.
The subsequent progress can be described as a natural progression. The maids that Wang Yunmeng had personally handed over were naturally capable in this regard, not to mention that they were motivated by the danger to their lives. Faced with their basic "bewitching and dream-inducing techniques," Dugu Shang, who had already been drugged, did not even have the will to resist.
When Xie Huailing and Bai Feifei entered the room, the dignified "Qi Shi" was sitting on the only wooden chair, his eyes empty and devoid of any light, his face ashen and defeated.
Knowing they shouldn't remain in the room, the two maids carefully retreated outside. Bai Feifei stepped forward and waved her hand in front of Dugu Shang. Seeing him still listless and disoriented, she couldn't help but admire Wang Yunmeng's methods. If the "Bewitching and Dream-Inducing Technique," combined with drugs, could achieve such a level in the hands of just two maids, then how terrifying would the "Bewitching and Dream-Inducing Technique" have been in Wang Yunmeng's hands when she roamed the martial world?
This was a chilling question, but Bai Feifei felt confident that she would succeed. She believed that if she practiced, she would be no worse than she had been back then.
She made way for Xie Huailing to approach Dugu Shang and said, "You ask."
Xie Huailing nodded, examined Dugu Shang more carefully, and, confirming that he was still unconscious, bent down slightly and asked, "Who are you?"
Dugu Shang seemed devoid of spirit, his voice as faint as a whisper: "Dugu Shang."
"Whom do you work for?"
"'King of Pleasure'."
What is his full name?
"...Chai Yuguan".
Even when asked this question, Dugu Shang answered correctly, which put Xie Huailing at ease, and she straightened up.
Instead of getting straight to the point, she asked questions one by one, saying, "Two months ago, outside the pass, someone came to Chai Yuguan to inquire about Wang Yunmeng, who died nine years ago in the Hengshan disaster. What happened? What exactly did he ask?"
Dugu Shang's lips moved, his expression remarkably lifeless: "...That man came from Bianjing. He brought a generous gift—Wudang sword techniques. My master met with him. He asked my master if Wang Yunmeng had truly died nine years ago at Hengshan. My master said it was absolutely true; he had personally killed Wang Yunmeng, she was as dead as could be, and he had taken all her property. The man then asked what was in Wang Yunmeng's property, and my master said it was just gold, silver, jewelry, and antiques."
"That person also asked if Wang Yunmeng had mentioned to the master that she had disappeared from the martial arts world for several years more than ten years ago, and where she had gone during those years. The master said no, there had been no news of Wang Yunmeng during those years, and the master almost thought she was dead."
"The man then stopped asking questions and instead discussed other matters with his master, promising him immense power and saying that he wanted to invite his master to enter the pass to kill someone."
Xie Huailing pressed further, "Does Chai Yuguan really listen to him so much, and believe that he can afford to give him power?"
Dugu Shang replied blankly, "His master can afford it."
"Who is his master?" Xie Huailing had already made up his mind.
She had considered Lei Sun, since he was secretly plotting something, and the timing matched up. However, when it came to Wang Yunmeng, this conjecture didn't make sense.
"I was moved to fight for the highest position of power for women in the world, not just in the martial arts world. So I did something."
That's what Wang Yunmeng said.
The pinnacle of power for women in the world points to only one place, and the pinnacle of power for all the world also points to only one place. Combined with the secret Wang Yunmeng revealed, the place she went back then becomes obvious.
The place where kings and generals prostrate themselves, the place that scholars and poets yearn for, the temple in poems of those who are not successful, and a place that ordinary people would rather kowtow to than look at.
It is the most indifferent, arrogant, selfish, ruthless, hateful, and foolish place in the turbulent Bianjing, a melting pot of humanity. Countless tears of blood flowed eastward to this place, and the shame of a hundred generations will be unveiled. Yet, the people here are still a colossal behemoth full of self-satisfaction.
Lei Sun wasn't qualified to even get close to them.
As he expected, Dugu Shang's lips trembled once again, and the name came out of his mouth.
He said, "Cai Jing."
Bai Feifei was greatly shocked and immediately looked at Xie Huailing's face, but Xie Huailing's expression remained unchanged, like a pillar of strength.
She was as cold as the moon outside, gloomy and eerie, her eyes burning with ghostly light. She already knew the answer in her heart about the person who was coming to this city to see Chai Yuguan.
The reason why Cai Jing's subordinates still tried to win over Situ Bian was probably because he still didn't trust Chai Yuguan. Perhaps he was still worried that Chai Yuguan was still in contact with Wang Yunmeng. After all, Wang Yunmeng had been involved in such a major event, and Cai Jing would have to confirm it repeatedly before he believed that she was dead.
Before this, Cai Jing had to be extremely careful in choosing the person to send. He had to be of high enough status and powerful enough that Chai Yuguan would not dare to kill him under any circumstances; he also had to be smart enough, cunning enough, and shrewd enough to investigate Wang Yunmeng's death again.
In addition to these two points, he also needs to have enough free time, and that everyone in Bianjing who is watching him knows he has enough free time, so they won't doubt his sudden leisure or his sudden seclusion.
There happened to be one person among Cai Jing's entourage who met all three criteria. It was winter, and after Li Taifu and Cai Jing had finished their argument, and Cai Jing had been tricked into abandoning his cronies, the following event occurred: Cai Jing, forced to sever his subordinates, had to hand over not only the small fry but also someone of high enough status to take the blame. Zhao Ji wasn't stupid; how could he believe that these rabble could steal official grain? Someone else had to have made a mistake in this matter.
Cai Jing could tolerate his own mistake of failing to supervise the situation, but he could not tolerate such a huge oversight again. He needed to find a scapegoat of a high enough position.
He had many people he could have chosen, and he had helped many officials rise to their positions, but he chose someone else.
Xie Huailing later learned from Grand Tutor Li that Cai Jing had been suspecting this man of being too powerful and harboring disloyal intentions, fearing he might overshadow him, for some time now. This time, taking the blame would be a perfect way to put this man in check, making him demonstrate his loyalty without reigniting his suspicions. Furthermore, since he openly held differing opinions, Emperor Huizong (Zhao Ji) would be more prudent and the punishment wouldn't be too severe—a win-win-win situation. Moreover, his favor with the emperor was immense; if Zhao Ji sidelined him for a while, he would eventually lift his suspension, just as Cai Jing had done when he made mistakes.
Now, there's still some time before this person's reinstatement. Even more coincidentally, he's even more deeply involved in the matter concerning Wang Yunmeng, and he must have actually seen Wang Yunmeng at that time.
No one is more suitable than him.
Xie Huailing finally confirmed: "Who is the person Cai Jing sent to come into the city?"
Dugu Shang remained motionless, only his cracked lips parted to utter the name Xie Huailing had been thinking of.
Then, Bai Feifei saw Xie Huailing smile.
It was a cold laugh, one that couldn't be called a normal laugh at all, but it came from the heart, and she didn't find it difficult. On the contrary, she was completely enlightened.
Xie Huailing turned to Bai Feifei and said, "That's great, I finally have a solution."
Bai Feifei saw that although she spoke softly, her expression clearly showed that she had returned to Bianjing, ready to stir up trouble and make a decisive move from afar.
Xie Huailing said casually, "Once you're here, don't leave."
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