Chapter 24: The Tragedy of He Xi
Ever since Jin Banhua received the letter left by Chu Liuxiang, she hasn't been able to sleep peacefully for a single night.
Chu Liuxiang, the Marshal of Thieves and the Gentleman of Knights, is a chivalrous figure who robs the rich to help the poor. Many rumors circulate about him in the martial arts world. Some say he's merely a fame-seeker, while others consider him a rare and righteous hero. Some say his exceptional martial arts skills must mean he's over forty, while still others believe he's a rare talent not yet thirty. But one thing is certain: Chu Liuxiang is an undeniably capable man.
Three months ago, he had sent a letter to a wealthy merchant in the Hexi region. This merchant was known for oppressing the people and being unable to distinguish right from wrong. Chu Liuxiang wrote in the letter that he wanted to take the merchant's ancestral golden cup for a closer look. The merchant was unimpressed and hired Jin Jiuling, a former renowned constable who had once been famous throughout the region, and the second young master of the Tang Clan to guard the cupboard. Their defenses were impenetrable, but that night, neither of these masters even caught a glimpse of Chu Liuxiang. After midnight, the cupboard was empty, leaving only a single note: "The golden cup vanished under the moon, the thief's fragrance lingers."
Jin Banhua was terrified when he saw the letter. He knew he wasn't a good person; he had done many bad things outside of Bianjing, but his bad reputation wasn't well-known and people in the martial arts world couldn't tell the difference. If his prized possession were stolen as retribution, he was afraid he would want to bang his head on the ground and faint.
"Bald Eagle" comforted him, saying, "Young Master Jin, don't be afraid. The three of us are no match for Chu Liuxiang. With us here today, we will make sure he can't escape!"
Jin Banhua, however, was skeptical. He paced back and forth in the room, hands behind his back, as anxious as an ant on a hot plate. Every slight movement around him made his heart leap into his throat. Fortunately, it was less than half an hour before farewell, and the white jade beauty was still sitting peacefully in the glass cabinet. It was inanimate and unaware of the people around it who were worried about it, nor did it know that these three people who were boasting so much were not entirely sure themselves.
The surroundings remained completely silent. Apart from the music playing below, there was no other sound. Perhaps Chu Liuxiang had never come at all.
"Life and Death Judge" silently counted the time, a skill he had honed through his travels in the martial world. As soon as midnight passed, he pounced on the beautiful woman in white jade, laughing loudly, "Chu Liuxiang, Chu Liuxiang, you're nothing special after all! You didn't even dare to come tonight. The Thief King is nothing but a name in vain!"
He laughed three more times, having not felt so carefree and triumphant in a long time. "The Bald Eagle" stroked his goatee and shook his head.
Jin Banhua squeezed past the "Judgment of Life and Death," stroking the glass cabinet with a mixture of tears and laughter. He took the cabinet down, examined it closely against the white jade beauty, and breathed a long sigh of relief. A weight lifted from his heart, and he became overjoyed: "Today I have truly troubled the three of you. It is because of the immense prestige of these three senior figures in the martial world that Chu Liuxiang dared not come, thus giving me ample opportunity to build my reputation and influence..."
Before he could even finish rejoicing, a series of commotions erupted outside, filling his heart with an indescribable panic. He couldn't breathe for a moment; could there be more trouble? Was that Chu Liuxiang truly treacherous?
Jin Banhua dared not relax. He closed the cabinet behind the white jade beauty and immediately ran after the sound. He chased downstairs, only to find a scene he never expected. It was even worse than when the white jade beauty was stolen by Chu Liuxiang.
The personal maid of Miss Jin Feng Xi Yu Lou stood in front of Su Mengzhen. She took a deep breath and then presented Su Mengzhen with a letter that still smelled of tulips, trying to keep her voice from trembling too much.
The maid spoke of Xie Huailing's words to Su Mengzhen before he left. No one but Su Mengzhen could hear them, but the contents of the letter quickly spread because Su Mengzhen read it aloud. The letter contained the following passage:
The moon is bright and the wind is gentle; such a fine night is rare. Tonight, I had intended to witness the unparalleled beauty of the Jade Beauty, but upon entering the jeweled pavilion, I was astonished to discover another rare treasure within—your younger sister, with her ethereal beauty and radiant gaze, surpasses even the Jade Beauty by a hundredfold. Is she not the "Jade Beauty" created by the heavens and earth?
Now that I have seen the true beauty, the jade carving on the table, though exquisitely crafted, is nothing more than an inanimate object. Therefore, the "jade beauty" I "stole" tonight is actually your younger sister. I would like to invite her for a chat, to enjoy tea and discuss philosophy. Do not worry, sir, I will return the beauty intact before noon on the bright moon.
I sincerely apologize for any disturbance caused. The lingering fragrance in the room serves as my apology.
Chu Liuxiang bows his head in gratitude for the lingering fragrance of moonlight.
Su Mengzhen crumpled the letter into a ball, wondering what Xie Huailing had left behind. He didn't get angry, nor did he pursue the matter with Xie Huailing's maid. He coldly surveyed all the passersby around him, and Jin Banhua's legs went weak, and she knelt down.
.
Xie Huailing's condition is not good. Specifically, she is about to vomit, but she hasn't vomited because she is in good health; it's just that she hasn't eaten anything and can't vomit.
The truth that people with poor health shouldn't challenge extreme sports is truly the greatest truth in the world. Chu Liuxiang led her on a nighttime walk through the residential areas of Bianjing. No matter how beautiful the scenery was, or how exhilarating it was to ride the wind, she felt nothing. All she could feel was the churning in her abdomen and the splitting headache, as if something was swirling inside her, about to burst out on its own.
When Chu Liuxiang put her down, she almost lost her balance and her vision went black. Fortunately, Chu Liuxiang caught her quickly, preventing her from falling. She was able to lean on Chu Liuxiang and catch her breath.
The surrounding area was a scene of dilapidated houses, hidden in winding alleyways. Every city has such places, where people may die soon or may barely survive. They are like this place, shrouded in darkness and hopelessness. No one will care about their deaths, only their lives will be met with contempt.
Even in Bianjing, even under the emperor's nose, this will not change.
Seeing her appearance, Chu Liuxiang smiled slightly and held her even tighter: "This place is really simple, and it must have been tiring for Miss Xie to come in such a hurry. It's my fault."
The young master of the chivalrous world spoke so eloquently, taking all the blame upon himself. No sooner had he finished speaking than the people inside the room heard him and quickly opened the door, revealing a very graceful young woman, slender as a willow, walking as if floating.
Her smile was gentle, a warmth emanating from the deepest recesses of her eyes. She didn't look at Chu Liuxiang, but instead stared at Xie Huailing, surprised: "This is..."
Chu Liuxiang then said to the girl, "Rongrong, it's a long story, let's go inside first."
The interior of the house was far better than the dilapidated exterior; every visible surface was meticulously cleaned, free of dust and odor. A straw mat sat in the center of the room, upon which lay a veiled figure, presumably a young woman. Her clothes had likely been changed; the skin beneath was cracked and chapped, like fissures in the earth, conveying a harshness incongruous with the soft fabric.
The moment Chu Liuxiang's gaze met hers, a hint of sadness crept into his eyes: "How was Xiao Yan tonight?"
The girl Chu Liuxiang called "Rongrong" was actually named Su Rongrong. She went to fetch the teapot and said, "Everything's fine tonight. I've taken my medicine a few times and fallen asleep, but I don't know when I'll get better. And you, weren't you going to...? Why did you bring that girl back?"
Knowing his actions deviated from the original plan, Chu Liuxiang flicked his nose, guiltily avoiding her gaze. He gave a wry smile: "This is Miss Xie from the Golden Wind and Fine Rain Pavilion. Anyway, let's clarify the situation first."
The numerous, well-known prefixes made Su Rongrong's hand tremble, almost burning herself. She turned to look at Xie Huailing, then at Chu Liuxiang, her eyes filled with worry and fear, but in the end, all of it transformed into trust in Chu Liuxiang. She believed that since this man dared to do this, he must have his reasons.
Su Rongrong poured Xie Huailing a cup of tea. It was clear that they had only recently settled in, as the cups and utensils were still almost brand new. She invited Xie Huailing to sit down and, without asking about the situation, said, "Miss Xie, please have some tea. It's good tea, so please enjoy it. This place is too simple to properly entertain you."
Xie Huailing was afraid she would vomit if she drank it, so she held it in her hands to warm them and dared not put it to her mouth. She glanced at Xiao Yan, who was covered by a veil, and waited until she felt better before asking Chu Liuxiang: "Young Master Chu went to great lengths to steal the White Jade Beauty and invited me here. You should speak frankly about what you have to say."
Chu Liuxiang didn't answer her, but instead asked, "How courageous is Miss Xie?"
Xie Huailing replied, "I've never been frightened since I was born."
"How horrifying were the corpses and the harvesting of the living?"
Never.
"Excellent! Truly a heroine, a woman of great courage and heroism," Chu Liuxiang said.
His hand grasped a corner of Xiao Yan's veil, then hesitated, as if he were about to do something that would hurt someone, or as if he were about to witness a scene of utter devastation. His compassion was palpable, and it prepared Xie Huailing for what lay beneath the veil. Chu Liuxiang finally uttered "Excuse me," and lifted Xiao Yan's veil.
This girl sleeping peacefully, a girl who has suffered a lot, is not ugly.
Her nose and mouth were the typical features of an ordinary girl, and she had a few minor scars on her face, but her fair skin gave her a delicate and pretty appearance.
She's scary because she has no eyes.
It wasn't just her eyes that were sunken; her eye sockets, where her eyes should have been, had been gouged out and then sewn back on. The grotesque sight was a tragedy even Xie Huailing couldn't depict in the illustrations of supernatural tales. Such a tragic appearance made it unthinkable what she had endured. In the prime of her life, all her brilliance was hastily withered away, leaving nothing behind. She grew into a monster in the eyes of others, a figure who required immense courage to even live.
She is the reason why Chu Liuxiang made this journey.
Xie Huailing was not afraid. She looked at Xiao Yan with neither disgust nor fear, and said firmly, "You must stand up for her."
Chu Liuxiang replied decisively, "That's right."
She continued, "You stole the White Jade Beauty for her. What you want is not the White Jade Beauty, but a place where heroes of the capital gather."
Chu Liuxiang said, "That's right."
She continued, "You came to me because you couldn't find the person you were looking for in Yushanlong, and you thought I might be able to help you. That 'maybe' is worth the risk."
Chu Liuxiang smiled and said, "That's right."
"What is your purpose?"
“I met her, and I witnessed such a human tragedy, so I could not stand idly by.”
Chu Liuxiang covered Xiao Yan's face with his veil again and tucked the blanket around her. The night was deep and the dew was cold; her body couldn't afford any more harm. He genuinely sympathized with her and was truly unable to accept that such a tragedy had happened before his eyes. If he didn't do something, he couldn't bear it either.
Chu Liuxiang gazed out the window for a while, and he kept sighing, "Miss Xie's quick wit is truly admirable."
"It's just half-thinking and half-guessing," Xie Huailing said calmly. "But in the past, my guesses were mostly true."
Chu Liuxiang smiled again and said to her, "Even if Miss Xie is not from the Golden Wind and Fine Rain Pavilion, her intelligence is still remarkable. I feel that I have found the right person tonight."
“But that’s exactly what I am.” Her indifference turned into cold-bloodedness at this moment. “So when you saw me, why did you think, ‘Maybe I can help you?’”
Xie Huailing was perfectly aware that he was never a compassionate person.
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