Chapter 154: Once the bow is drawn, there is no turning back.
Su Mengzhen was probably having a bad day today. Even his usually calm and composed face showed a moment of silence, almost revealing his true feelings. To remain calm at this moment would undoubtedly be an extreme test of one's composure and mental fortitude, something he had almost no experience with before, and the few times he had managed to do so were all thanks to Huailing.
It seemed that the last time he bumped into Wuqing was also at the door of the study. He was so glad that Wuqing wasn't the type to pry into his friends' private affairs; otherwise, if Wuqing had asked him something, he really wouldn't know how to answer.
Just like now, he doesn't know whether he should keep Xie Huailing here anymore.
On the other side, his expression was as still as a deep autumn pool. No matter how many thoughts swirled within him, they were barely visible. Perhaps he wanted to glance at Xie Huailing and then at Su Mengzhen—it was only natural, after all, and with things happening repeatedly, even someone who disliked excitement would begin to feel curious. But ultimately, he restrained himself, refusing to pry into other people's private affairs. The pool remained calm and undisturbed, reflecting only ripples.
It would be better to lie down and take a nap than to expect Xie Huailing to clean up the mess. After thinking it over, he decided that business should come first and personal matters should not interfere with official business. Su Mengzhen first greeted Wuqing and then invited him to the reception room. The study was not the place to talk today.
Then, he made up his mind and glanced at Xie Huailing.
Xie Huailing hesitated for a couple of steps at the study door, thinking that she had somehow managed to avoid this situation. She really didn't think there was any need for her to go; it didn't matter whether she was there or not. The relationship between Jin Feng Xi Yu Lou and Shen Hou Fu was not bad, and Zhuge Zhengwo and Wu Qing were certainly not unaware of Su Mengzhen's character. Before Wu Qing arrived, he had probably already guessed the outcome of this trip, just as Su Mengzhen also knew why Wu Qing had come to see him.
But for people like them, there are things they'll do even if they know the outcome. Xie Huailing actually quite likes these kinds of people in this respect. She knows she'll never be one of them, but that doesn't stop her from not disliking them.
Although she still wanted to struggle, she still gave Su Mengzhen face in front of outsiders and was ready to be obediently caught by him and follow behind him, keeping her eyes down and minding her own business.
Unexpectedly, Su Mengzhen said, "You should go back first. If there is anything important, I will come to find you again."
He probably figured it out. No matter what, since he was willing to release the person, Xie Huailing didn't care what he was thinking and just agreed.
To get to the reception room, one had to go downstairs, and so did she when she left. She followed the two men, overhearing that although they said they would discuss matters in the reception room, Su Mengzhen and Wuqing actually exchanged a few words on the way. For them, there were always endless things to pay attention to in Bianjing City. Even setting aside the most important official business, there were always other things to talk about, and they would occasionally check in on each other, embodying the saying that a gentleman's friendship is as light as water.
Xie Huailing listened for a moment and found it uninteresting. For some reason, he missed Lu Xiaofeng and wondered when he would bring Hua Manlou to the capital.
Let's forget about it; now isn't the right time.
Lost in thought, Xie Huailing snapped out of her reverie in the second-floor corridor and bid farewell to Su Mengzhen and Wuqing. She merely nodded slightly before turning the corner with a flourish, intending to go find Bai Feifei again and reconcile their accounts for the next incident.
At this point, in her view, this matter was completely irrelevant to her.
However, that's not entirely true.
.
Su Mengzhen gave up on catching Xie Huailing, but Xie Huailing was caught by Yang Wuxie halfway through harassing Bai Feifei by the Tianquan Pool.
Who is Chief Steward Yang? He is the only person Xie Huailing truly admires in the world. As mentioned last time, Xie Huailing had two unsolved mysteries: first, why Su Mengzhen hadn't died suddenly; and second, how much more overtime Yang Wuxie could possibly work. This perfect subordinate—approachable, extremely capable, and while pushing himself to the limit, he still selflessly shared Su Mengzhen's burdens—had repeatedly made Xie Huailing sigh with regret, lamenting that he couldn't poach Su Mengzhen's man, a regret that Yang Wuxie himself was unwilling to do so.
In conclusion, when Yang Wuxie came to arrest her, Xie Huailing was still very polite. She asked politely what was wrong and learned about the movements of the Six and a Half Hall from Yang Wuxie.
"According to the undercover report, several branches of the Six and a Half Hall near Bianhe Street have begun to be reorganized. According to past practice, there will be a major operation within two days." Actually, it wasn't an arrest, but a sudden and urgent report. Yang Wuxie first met Xie Huailing and told her everything. He added, "In addition, Lei Sun sent a letter, saying that he wants to meet with the Master at a later date to discuss the matter of the Deputy Master injuring Lei Gun and crippling his arm. There must be an explanation."
Xie Huailing nodded slightly, indicating that she had taken it to heart. The Six and a Half Hall would make a move within two days, but Lei Sun still insisted on a meeting every day, implying that he wanted to settle a matter before negotiations. She only asked him, "How far has the news of Lei Gun losing an arm spread in Bianjing City?"
Yang Wuxie replied, "The Six and a Half Hall intends to make a big fuss. Ordinary people may not know this, but people in the martial arts world are probably all aware of it."
"That saves me some effort." A thought flashed through her mind, but she couldn't see what she was looking at. She only saw that Bai Feifei had turned her head and was still chatting and laughing with her. "Look at your grand entrance. Liufenbantang really knows how to help you build your reputation. Don't waste their good intentions."
Bai Feifei then smiled. The smile reached her eyes, then froze at a perfectly moderate curve, fading away little by little as she pondered, leaving behind a complex mix of clarity and indistinct warmth. The only certainty was that it was a genuine smile, but as for its purpose, the smile was less than beautiful.
“That’s right.” She quickly understood Xie Huailing’s meaning; at least on this point, Jin Feng Xi Yu Lou and Liu Fen Ban Tang shared the same goal.
The moment the rumors reach their peak, the drama of the victors and the vanquished will naturally begin.
Xie Huailing didn't wait long for this moment, but the Golden Wind and Fine Rain Pavilion itself had been waiting for far too long.
In this way, it seemed that the harassment could not continue. Bai Feifei quickly wrapped up her brief free time and turned to go back to work. Yang Wuxie was also eager to find Su Mengzhen and disappeared in a few steps. Xie Huailing was left standing blankly by the Tianquan Pool, with nothing to do.
Whenever Su Mengzhen was around, she was always like this. Most of the work and the most hands-on tasks always belonged to Su Mengzhen, while Yang Wuxie handled the most tedious parts. Her mind would work intermittently, often pausing and then blanking out. Apart from offering advice at the most complex junctures, she didn't have much else to do.
The sky, clear and bright, resembled a young woman in her early twenties, unwilling to let anything obscure her beautiful face. She meticulously polished her mirror to reflect her features, yet remained dissatisfied, eventually tossing the mirror away, revealing a clear, azure sky. Below, the surrounding mountains rose and fell like carriages and horses, seemingly moving back and forth within the clear mirror. Looking further, the majestic Bianjing city seemed to greet the sun with joy, locking away all the chaos within.
Xie Huailing looked down at Tianquan Pool again, where his own reflection was mirrored in the water. He looked at himself until the water rippled gently, and he also heard the sound of the wheelchair.
He could have easily prevented her from hearing it, and he could have simply left without a trace, but since she heard it, it meant that he still had something to say to her.
Xie Huailing didn't turn around, but squatted down and fiddled with her reflection in the water.
"Miss Xie," Wuqing called out to her.
He also stopped by the Heavenly Spring Pool, looking at Xie Huailing's profile. She dipped her fingers into the water, the water and jade perfectly complementing each other, and said, "Has the Chief Constable finished talking with the Lord? Or is it that it wasn't, but there was simply no need to talk anymore?"
She had hit the nail on the head; he remained silent, devoid of emotion. He and Su Mengzhen had indeed not finished their conversation; the moment Yang Wuxie knocked on the door, he knew there was no need for further discussion.
In this world, once the arrow is released, there's no turning back.
Wuqing said slowly, "The court is not yet stable, and there are no telling how many more storms there will be, or who will fall. The people of Bianjing City are all terrified at the thought. Jinfeng Xiyu Tower and Liufenban Hall are both large and powerful families. If the court is not at peace and the martial arts world fights amongst themselves, in the end, it will be the people of the city who will be filled with fear and suffer."
"But what doesn't happen now will definitely happen in the future. Two tigers cannot share one mountain. Lei Sun and the lord both want to sit in the top seat of the martial arts world, so naturally they have to rely on their own abilities. Such a conflict is irreconcilable."
Xie Huailing spoke in detail, splashing water as he pushed it back into the water: "Perhaps the chief constable thinks that now is the most inappropriate time, but in my opinion, there is no more appropriate time than now."
"As the chief constable himself said, both the Golden Wind and Fine Rain Pavilion and the Six and a Half Hall are large and powerful families. The chief constable should also know that the two are involved with countless forces and have their own connections with the imperial court. If we do not fight now, while no one is putting up their cards and no one is willing to act for profit, and decide the winner, but instead fight later... that would be the most inappropriate time."
She seemed to be singing softly, dissolving the surging imagery of the pool beneath the surface: "Bianjing is like a quagmire. The most scarce resource is the ability to act decisively and cleanly, and the rarest is the ability to remain unconstrained by various forces. Only under such circumstances can a completely new situation be created, and only then can the atmosphere be cleansed."
"The chief constable must know the character of the host, so I won't say more. I'll just say that everything that has happened in this world in the last thirty years has been a tragedy for the common people. Whether it's prosperity or ruin, the people suffer. But if we are always worried about everything, when will this suffering ever end?"
It must be admitted that Xie Huailing's words were absolutely true.
He had never had a proper conversation with Xie Huailing. In the Li Xunhuan case, she mostly dealt with Leng Xue. Although he knew she lived up to her reputation, only now, after hearing her words, did he truly understand the meaning of her supposed wisdom as the best in the martial arts world. Seeing that this young girl was no less capable than anyone he had ever met, he fell into a long silence, unable to utter another word.
Xie Huailing raised her arm, and the pool water rolled down her arm. She shook her hand, and the water droplets that followed her continued to flow into the pool, becoming her mirror. The fragments pieced together and transformed, and her image reappeared, also a reflection of the day and the moon.
Watching her movements intently, she turned around, and their eyes met. She said, "That's all I have to say. Chief Constable, please return."
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