Chapter 103: Unusual Movements at the Border
The gift Zhu Qiqi brought to give her was a row of jade needles, as thin as the tip of a hair, with a warm, shimmering color. Holding them in her hand felt like holding a pinch of ice. However, the faint chill that entered her fingertips did not cause any discomfort; on the contrary, it made her feel refreshed and invigorated. It made her want to take a second look, and even the most dull-witted person would know that this was a priceless treasure.
Seeing Xie Huailing's special regard, Zhu Qiqi couldn't help but feel that she had made a very clever and wonderful decision. She happily gave Xie Huailing the cloth used to wrap the needles, along with the small wooden box, and said with a smile, "This was bought for me by my eldest brother. He said that no poisonous creature in the world can escape his discerning eye. I was thinking that since you are so powerful in Bianjing, there might be people who dislike you or want to plot against you, so I brought it to you when I came to find you."
Since she gave it to him, Xie Huailing couldn't just accept it directly. He cautiously asked first, "You gave me such a good thing?"
Zhu Qiqi didn't understand her meaning and said, "Of course I'll give it to you. I don't need it, and neither does Shen Lang. He's always wandering around the martial world without a trace, and he doesn't have any enemies, so who would poison him?"
"Is his background truly innocent?"
"Of course it's innocent; it was bought legitimately from the person who made it."
Xie Huailing then dared to accept the money, and, adopting a "he who eats another's food is bound to him" attitude, wiped away Zhu Qiqi's tears again. This time, Zhu Qiqi was much more at ease and honestly explained everything clearly.
Zhu Qiqi met the "handsome young man" in a dilapidated temple at the border. He was handsome and was handing out candy to the children in the temple, attracting two or three girls who were gazing at him with obvious fascination. Zhu Qiqi already had feelings for Shen Lang, so she saw the "handsome young man" as nothing special and sat playing with the children. Perhaps it was because she was truly beautiful, but the "handsome young man" came over to her, chatting and laughing with her, and even had the children give her candy.
Zhu Qiqi was almost fooled by him and the other children. It was Xie Huailing's persuasion last year that actually worked. She didn't believe "Wonderful Gentleman" and didn't eat the candy. Seeing that she was unmoved by his words, "Wonderful Gentleman" tried to persuade her again. Only then did Zhu Qiqi realize that something was wrong. She wanted to argue with him, but since she had no evidence, she held back and left.
After walking for a while, she thought, "Wait a minute, if I keep going like this, what if he really is up to something and those girls get tricked?" So she turned back and used her light-footed skills to eavesdrop for a while. She overheard the "Wonderful Gentleman" saying that he was going to leave the unconscious girl behind and hand her over to his master later; he was already about to set off. At this moment, the situation became urgent. Zhu Qiqi could no longer hold back, burst through the door, and began to struggle with the "Wonderful Gentleman."
Then Shen Lang arrived, and many onlookers came to watch the spectacle. 'The Wonderful Gentleman' turned the tables on Zhu Qiqi, saying that he was treating the poisoned girl. Zhu Qiqi was speechless and repeatedly lost.
Actually, judging from this incident, Zhu Qiqi has made considerable progress compared to her initial recklessness. At least she has learned to think things through before acting, although she doesn't think much about it. If it weren't for the exceptionally difficult "Miraculous Young Master," she would have truly rescued the girls.
When she wasn't crying, Xie Huailing still had ways to deal with her. He flattered her a couple of times and became the first person to acknowledge her progress. Zhu Qiqi, who had never received praise from Shen Lang, was overjoyed. Without Xie Huailing asking, she recounted more details on her own.
“I pressed my ear against the door and listened inside. I could hear him talking to someone. When he mentioned his master, he couldn’t hide his reluctant flattery.” Zhu Qiqi hummed softly as she spoke, then added, “But I probably know who his master is.”
Xie Huailing rested her chin on her hand and said dismissively, "That amazing?"
Zhu Qiqi laughed, her eyes sparkling: "Of course, I'm very... well, actually not. It's just that one strange guy I've heard about at the border recently, who else could it be?"
She pursed her lips and said, "He's some weirdo from beyond the Great Wall named something like 'Happy,' his name is so strange it's hard to even pronounce. Some say he knows the swordsmanship of Emei, others say he knows the fists of Wudang and the palms of Shaolin, and whenever he goes out, he makes a frightening show of himself, and he even has men helping him seduce beauties everywhere... He's being described like a god or a ghost, he's not even human. If he were really that powerful, why is it only now that his name has spread?"
Xie Huailing sensed something was amiss, lowered his head slightly, and raised his gaze from his drooping eyelashes, asking, "He is indeed an oddball. His words are so mysterious and exaggerated; they should have spread to the Central Plains long ago. Jinan isn't too far from the border, and the Beggars' Sect headquarters is a place where information from the martial world is readily available. How could they be completely unaware of him?"
Not only are they well-informed, but the Beggars' Sect's knowledge of rumors and other information in the martial arts world is almost as good as that of the Golden Wind and Drizzle Pavilion.
Zhu Qiqi then added, "Maybe he's just putting on an act to scare people. Some people always like to have a resounding name in the martial arts world, and then they think they've become famous. But it's not that easy. He might just be bragging too much and can't stop. In reality, he's just a wicked villain. Besides, in the border areas, the government's words don't carry much weight, so he can pretend to be anything he wants. Hmph, just wait and see, he'll be in trouble if he brags too much."
"Yes, it would be troublesome if we exaggerated too much," Xie Huailing said softly, then asked, "The worry is that we might not be able to exaggerate enough, and if we do, we won't even know. Where did you hear about this strange person?"
Zhu Qiqi thought for a moment and quickly recalled: "When we first arrived at the border, I went to the mortuary with Shen Lang to help out."
She only briefly mentioned the hardships she endured at the mortuary: "I was busy for three or four days in a row. An old man told me about this strange person when we were chatting. But it was actually half a month ago. At least when Shen Lang and I first arrived at the border, we had never heard of this person."
"How long have you been at the border?" Xie Huailing asked again.
"Not counting the travel time, it will take about half a month," Zhu Qiqi replied.
Xie Huailing's mind raced like lightning, turning a thousand times in a flash.
She flipped her eyelashes and met Zhu Qiqi's curious gaze. A question that had arisen since she met Zhu Qiqi seemed to be answered. She abruptly asked, "Do you know that Shi Guanyin wants to kill me?"
It was as if a bolt of lightning had struck Zhu Qiqi, leaving her completely stunned. She stood up abruptly, her face, which had held a hint of joy, now blank and expressionless, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her. Zhu Qiqi first moved her lips, then bit them hard, singing until she tasted blood before her mind returned, realizing that Xie Huailing's words were not a hallucination.
In her shock, Xie Huailing didn't first consider whether she would cry for her again. Her thoughts sank to the bottom of her heart, taking on a dark weight.
News travels slowly at the border, and people are always slower to learn than those in the Central Plains. But news of Shi Guanyin's intention to kill him should have reached the border by now, even if it takes longer than expected, before Zhu Qiqi left. So why is the news unable to get in or out? Is it simply a matter of being a few days behind, or is there a problem at the border?
Xie Huailing let out a soft sigh of relief. Zhu Qiqi, filled with anxiety and worry for her friend, froze for a moment before pressing her lips tightly together again.
Knowing that he still had to ask more questions, Xie Huailing understood that he had to bite the bullet and come up with a way to both completely deal with Zhu Qiqi and properly manage her.
Her head was throbbing, but no matter how much it hurt or how helpless she felt, she had to keep thinking. She couldn't let things hold her back; a single moment of helplessness was like an ant hole on a thousand-mile dike—a truth she understood all too well.
Furthermore...
Aside from Zhu Qiqi, who was struggling to hold back her sobs and stammering apologies, blaming herself for not coming to see her sooner, there are few people in the world who wouldn't appreciate her sacrifices and would so eagerly offer up such a pure heart. This is an undeniable fact.
.
The heavy wooden door slammed shut behind them, making a sound like a faint, mournful wail—a low, sharp groan that, in just a few notes, revealed the mood of the newcomer. Long shadows stretched across the floor inside, casting dappled shadows from the sunlight streaming in from the window, thus softening the deep, somber atmosphere that usually enveloped the room, making the movement of the wooden door all the more noticeable.
Su Mengzhen was holding a book and was intently reading it in front of the bookshelf. He could hear the sound of someone approaching. The slow steps meant that the person was not very energetic. He knew she was often like this, but he could also detect something different. It was like adding colorless powder to a bowl of clear water; it was definitely not the same. He put down the book and turned his head to look.
Xie Huailing took his chair, leaned her head against the back, and looked at him.
Her gaze was like a lake, reflecting his image and penetrating to the bone. He, who had been invisible before, now had a clear outline, completely surrounding him. Su Mengzhen put down his book and walked over.
He was a step or two away from her when he asked, "What's wrong? Is it about Miss Zhu Qi?"
"Yes." Xie Huailing collapsed into a puddle and said softly, "But it's over. Master, I have a feeling like I've broken through in martial arts. I feel like there's no one in the world I can't appease."
Su Mengzhen selectively ignored some of the content and replied, "Making progress is a good thing."
Seeing Xie Huailing's listless appearance, he wasn't sure if she was truly alright as she claimed. He raised his hand, hovering it over her forehead, then paused slightly, as if considering that she didn't look sick and he didn't necessarily need to do this. He stopped just a few fingers' distance away. Xie Huailing lowered her head and leaned forward, her frowning eyes meeting his. He slightly pulled his fingers back before pressing them against her forehead without further thought.
With a normal body temperature, Su Mengzhen withdrew her hand, meeting her gaze as if her hesitation had never existed: "Have you packed everything? I received Li Taifu's reply, and we have enough time for Lei Sun. At most, we should set off back to Bianjing in two days."
With Xie Huailing's targeted guidance, Su Mengzhen practically memorized his speech when he persuaded Grand Tutor Li, as Xie Huailing had made thorough preparations long ago. Coupled with Xie Huailing's own heroic nature and his personal visit to Grand Tutor Li, the matter was practically a natural progression, with few surprises.
Xie Huailing blinked, then shook his head in front of Su Mengzhen and said, "This is what I came to talk to you about, Master. You should go back first. I'm afraid I'll have to stay a few more days. I'll prepare the arrangements and plans for the building in advance. There are some issues at the border. There seems to be some strange change in the communication. We need to confirm it."
After a brief silence, it was hard to say what Su Mengzhen was thinking when he heard this. But he placed his complete trust in Su Mengzhen and said decisively, "Be careful in everything, there's no need to worry too much about Bianjing."
Xie Huailing trusted him just as much as he trusted her, saying, "I know there is a master in Bianjing, so naturally I have nothing to worry about."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com