Chapter 16: Distinguishing Rivers
It sounds complicated, but it's actually not too difficult to do.
The chaos in the south of the city was within reach; the fuse had been lit; and all she needed to do was ignite it so that she could stand by and reap the benefits.
The bodyguard Su Mengzhen assigned to Xie Huailing was also a skilled martial artist. He received her ambiguous orders and remained silent, disappearing like a drop of water into the rice shop directly opposite the "mudfish's nest." This rice shop, bearing the sign "Abundant Harvest Rice Shop," had long been engaged in extortionate and domineering practices. The manager was arrogant and bossy, refusing to pay his laborers more than necessary.
If it were tomorrow, it wouldn't have mattered; the weak and powerless laborers could only endure his oppression. But this time, an unfamiliar face appeared, complaining that the manager had withheld his wages. Unwilling to take any more anger, he punched the manager's weasel-like face, leaving him dizzy, blood streaming from his nose. The scene instantly descended into chaos. Seeing that someone had finally stood up for him, the other laborers also joined in the commotion. They were also unfortunate people; if it weren't for the money, who would put up with such treatment? They grabbed their wages and ran, quickly attracting a crowd of onlookers.
The dispute escalated rapidly, and someone joined the fight with the stranger, assaulting not only the rice shop assistant but also the street thugs who were watching. The crowd gasped and shoved, and chaos spread like a plague.
The gatekeepers at the entrance of "Mudfish Nest," their hats askew, were craning their necks to watch the commotion next door, smug smiles on their faces. Suddenly, several panicked passersby were shoved and bumped into by the surging crowd, shouting, "Someone's being killed! Run!" In the chaos, fists and feet rained down on them. The door of Mudfish Nest was kicked open, and before the people inside could react, the turmoil outside, carrying with it curses and dust, rushed in, instantly turning the small place into a complete mess.
Li San's shrill shouts were drowned out by the clamor of the crowd. He angrily ordered his men to go out and suppress the troublemakers, his attention completely drawn to the commotion at the door.
Just as the chaos reached its peak, a wisp of smoke quietly rose from a corner of the "Mudfish Nest" backyard where miscellaneous items and firewood were piled up. It then transformed into a greedy, leaping tongue of fire, licking at the dry wood and thatch. Thick smoke billowed, and the pungent smell mingled with the noise from the front yard, making Li San realize that something was wrong in the backyard.
"Fire! Fire in the backyard! Help! Put out the fire!"
The entire "mudfish nest" seemed ready to explode into the sky. With mobs charging from the front and flames burning from the rear, Li San and his rabble of men were overwhelmed and in complete chaos. They had no time to care about A Niu locked in the woodshed or Zhu Qiqi, whom they had just kidnapped, gagged, and tied up in the inner room.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, the hidden guards, who had been keeping their merits hidden away from the rice shop, silently sneaked into the woodshed and cut the ropes binding A Niu with a single stroke. A Niu was an honest and simple man; although still shaken, his eyes were resolute, and he immediately followed him. On the other side, Shen Lang darted into the inner room like a cat, untied Zhu Qiqi's restraints, and tore the rag out of her mouth.
As soon as Zhu Qiqi was rescued, her fear, grievance, and lingering dread burst forth like a flood. She immediately saw Shen Lang, who had saved her, tears blurring her vision. Without a second thought, she threw herself into his arms and hugged him tightly, her body still trembling uncontrollably as she sobbed, "Shen Lang, you scared me to death! I thought… I thought…"
Shen Lang's body stiffened slightly as he sensed the genuine fear and dependence in the person in his arms. His guilt, previously exposed by Xie Huailing, deepened. Seeing her pale face, the beauty who had saved him on that snowy night now weeping in his arms, even his hardened heart couldn't resist an overwhelming surge of tenderness. Shen Lang gently patted Zhu Qiqi's back, softly comforting her, "It's alright, Qiqi, it's alright. I'm here, and Miss Xie is here too."
Zhu Qiqi cried in his arms for a while, calming down slightly, before suddenly remembering something. She looked up abruptly, her eyes brimming with tears, and saw Xie Huailing standing to the side, not approaching. Zhu Qiqi's tears welled up again. She let go of Shen Lang and rushed to Xie Huailing, hugging her tightly as well, burying her tear-stained and dusty face in Xie Huailing's clean clothes.
"Huai Ling! Waaah... Thank goodness you came too!" Zhu Qiqi sobbed incoherently.
"If you know how to be afraid, then you'll cause less trouble. Nobody has time to clean up your messes every day." It was too much to ask Xie Huailing to say something conciliatory. She didn't hold back when criticizing Zhu Qiqi. "If you continue like this, don't even think about letting others treat you like someone. You'll just become a living troublemaker."
She was knocked back slightly by Zhu Qiqi's bump, and seeing that the girl had covered her in dust and tear stains, her hand hovering in the air, she ultimately didn't hug Zhu Qiqi back. "Oh dear, thank you so much, but my clothes are ruined."
.
Fan Fenyan practically pounced on Zhu Qiqi. Seeing his beloved sister-in-law standing there, her hair disheveled and eyes red and swollen, but perfectly healthy and lively, this "Lu Shang Tao Zhu" felt his soul return to its place. He pulled Zhu Qiqi into his arms: "My little darling, you scared your brother-in-law to death! Tell your brother-in-law what happened?"
Zhu Qiqi tearfully recounted her story in her brother-in-law's arms. She always tends to cry more easily when talking to her family. Being pampered, she knew how much her family cared for her, and she tearfully complained.
Fan Fenyan was furious, but he felt even more relieved and powerless after surviving such a disaster. He comforted Zhu Qiqi, then turned to Shen Lang and bowed deeply, saying solemnly, "Young Master Shen, I am deeply grateful. If it weren't for your chivalrous intervention, my sister would have been in grave danger. I am eternally grateful, and the Zhu family will remember this forever!"
Shen Lang quickly returned the greeting: "Master Fan, you flatter me. It's just my duty."
Fan Fenyan's gaze swept across the room, but he didn't see Xie Huailing. He only saw Shen Lang and the still-shaken A Niu. He understood that the young lady had probably made her move and didn't want to deal with this situation anymore. He turned to Yang Wuxie, who had been standing silently to the side, and said with a resolute tone, "Steward Yang, please tell Master Su that the Zhu family has agreed to what was discussed earlier. All conditions will be handled according to Master Su's wishes. Master Su will come forward shortly to sign the contract. I would like to thank the young lady again. I will never forget her noble character and chivalrous spirit."
The dust had settled. Faced with the undeniable fact that Zhu Qiqi had been in danger and rescued by the Golden Wind and Fine Rain Pavilion, and with the evidence Su Mengzhen presented that was enough to ruin the Zhu family's reputation, Fan Fenyan knew that he, or rather the Zhu family, had no way out and no room for negotiation. Accepting the Golden Wind and Fine Rain Pavilion's conditions was the only and best option.
The nearly month-long collaboration came to an end. The documents symbolizing the immense wealth of Jucailou and the future of the "Living God of Wealth" in Bianjing finally ended up in Su Mengzhen's hands. The wooden box was closed and placed on the shelf of Jinfeng Xiyulou. There was no need to mention the many close calls that had occurred.
Perhaps there was one exception—Su Mengzhen looked at Fan Fenyan and Zhu Qiqi as they left, and suddenly said, "Take down Hua Wucuo."
"Yes," Yang Wuxie replied.
Before he went to handle the matter, Su Mengzhen asked again, "Where is Miss Xie?"
Yang Wuxie replied, "Reporting to the Lord, Miss Biao and Young Hero Shen returned first after rescuing Miss Qi. They should be enjoying the scenery at the Yellow Pavilion right now."
Su Mengzhen stood up, draped his black cloak over himself, and gave the final instruction: "If there is any urgent business today, come to the Yellow Tower to find me."
.
On the top floor of the Yellow Building, by the railing.
As dusk settled, it painted Bianjing City into an endless, somber gray-blue. The outlines of distant palaces blurred, while the nearby Bian River murmured its turbid flow. The eaves and brackets of the Golden Wind and Fine Rain Tower cast shadows in the twilight, standing in stark contrast to the equally silent behemoth on the other side of the city.
Xie Huailing leaned against the cool, carved wooden railing, half her body hanging out. She had changed into plainer clothes, devoid of any patterns, which fluttered in the evening breeze like scrolls of unfurled poetry. She seemed to be looking at the scenery, yet also seemed to be looking at nothing at all; perhaps there was something in the void, but perhaps there was nothing at all. Her long hair was ruffled by the wind, a few strands brushing against the crimson mole beneath her eye. Her slender figure, in the twilight and the shadows of the buildings, was as small as a feather that could be blown away at any moment, blending into the deep twilight.
Footsteps came from behind, followed by the ever-present smell of bitterness.
Xie Huailing did not turn around.
Su Mengzhen walked to her side and also stood by the railing. Neither of them looked at each other, and it was unclear whether their gazes met in the air.
"What do you want from me?" This time, she asked first.
The accent she had used to disguise herself had completely disappeared, and she was no longer going to play along with him. Perhaps the story had come to this point, and it didn't matter whether she continued to lie to him or not.
Su Mengzhen was slightly surprised, but he didn't say much: "The flowers have withered, and I felt I should come and see you."
"Let's just chat casually then," Xie Huailing said.
What could they possibly talk about? To be frank, he knew nothing about her. Where she came from, what she was thinking—he knew no more than anyone else in the world. Su Mengzhen leaned against the railing, coughing twice. Waves of excruciating pain shot through his lungs. Life was always unkind to him; after victory, illness was always the first to visit him.
The sky was far away, and everything was thousands of miles away. It was as if everything had been burned to ashes, leaving only emptiness and nothingness. The golden hues of the distant mountains flickered in and out of focus. He wiped away the blood he had coughed up, pressing the metallic scent to the handkerchief in his palm, and could still faintly feel the lingering warmth of the setting sun. On the rooftop, where there was no shelter, the last rays of sunlight still lingered on them, but it was just an ordinary dusk, and he endured it with ordinary patience.
Su Mengzhen asked her, "Is today your plan?"
"Absolutely not." Xie Huailing felt like dying after hearing this. He spread his five fingers towards the sky, holding the setting sun between his fingers. "Even if I'm going to do something outrageous tomorrow, I'll sleep until noon first."
"The early bird catches the worm."
"Fake, I don't understand, fallacies, nonsense." She denied it four times in a row.
The red coral-like sunset warmed her bloodless skin, giving it a hazy glow. She then clenched her fingers as if grasping the sun.
The wind rose again, swirling up a few withered leaves. Su Mengzhen asked once more, "Why did you remind me of Hua Wucuo's matter?"
Xie Huailing didn't answer, but threw the question back at him: "And what about you? Why do you insist on negotiating the business with the 'Living God of Wealth'? Why are you so determined to win six and a half points?"
Su Mengzhen straightened his back even more, like an unyielding mountain. He faced the wind and met Xie Huailing's gaze: "Because six parts Lei and four parts Su is not enough. I, Su Mengzhen, was not born to share the glory with others."
He is determined to accomplish something no one has ever done before; this ambition is unshakable by any difficulty, as firm as a rock. He will plant the banners of the Golden Wind and Fine Rain Pavilion everywhere; his broken body cannot hold him back, and his burning ambition will surely be transformed into a magnificent landscape painting. He will become the overlord of the martial world; now that he has ascended to the top, he will not fear anything. The collapse of the court, the cruel twists of fate, and the torment of human life are nothing more than this.
Only someone with such a magnificent and awe-inspiring spirit is worthy of someone whose eyes always burn with passion.
But Xie Huailing waved her finger, still feeling that his morbid and agonizing burning wasn't enough, and wanted to explore further: "Not this, not just this."
Su Mengzhen fell silent abruptly. She truly was the most outspoken woman in the world. A thought leaped in his mind, then sank even deeper into the icy pool. Of course, he knew what she meant.
Deep buried in the deepest part of his heart was a desire more corrosive than any chronic illness, and grander than any power—a delusion he had accumulated over countless days and nights in his youth, gazing at the unseen Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, a wish to overthrow the corrupt court and cleanse the filthy world. He could not speak of it, for once uttered, the desire would become a transgression that could consume him and implicate the entire Golden Wind and Fine Rain Pavilion, more shocking and incompatible with the world than unifying the martial arts world.
Su Mengzhen held his breath and finally said, "...The chessboard is too small and there are too many pieces."
He should have killed her. After saying this, Su Mengzhen thought of it again.
The conversation seemed to have ended there, but he changed the subject again, his voice as cold as a knife: "Now that the situation is settled, the Zhu family has no other choice. Hua Wucuo has also received the ending he deserved."
Xie Huailing gave a lukewarm "hmm," her reaction indifferent, as if Hua Wucuo's life wasn't something she had fast-forwarded.
“I thought you would be concerned about how I deal with him,” Su Mengzhen said.
"Concern?" Xie Huailing seemed to find the word interesting, glancing at him sideways. "What's the point of caring about his fate? Does he expect me to write a will for him? If you can dig him up and have him write a will, I might not be so reluctant."
“Okay.” Su Mengzhen was used to her personality. “He’s not dead yet.”
Xie Huailing's sidelong glance turned into a head tilt, and for the first time, genuine astonishment was clearly written on her usually expressionless face. Her eyes instantly focused, her gaze fixed directly on Su Mengzhen's face, conveying a sense of absurdity and utter incomprehension: "Not yet? Why?"
In her view, traitors, especially traitors like Hua Wucuo who hold key positions, pose a great threat, and have no further profit to be gained, should be eliminated immediately, like brushing dust off clothes, without any hesitation.
Su Mengzhen covered his mouth, first letting out a series of heart-wrenching coughs, with specks of scarlet blood seeping from between his fingers. Only after the churning pain subsided did he lower his hand, his face flushed an unnatural red.
“You’ve reminded me,” he said. “‘Hua Cuo’ is just your side of the story. I only have indirect clues, not direct evidence. Hua Wu Cuo, he went through life and death with me, through thick and thin, never retreating a single step. His blood has flowed on the bricks of the Golden Wind and Fine Rain Pavilion, and it has also flowed before my eyes.”
His eyes churned with a complex mix of emotions—grief, anger, disbelief, and above all, a heavy sense of responsibility.
“I, Su Mengzhen, never easily doubt my brothers. Since my father’s time, Jinfeng Xiyu Tower has always been the first tower of geniuses and loyalty. If I were to kill someone just because of your words or some circumstantial evidence, how would I be any different from a muddle-headed and tyrannical dictator? It would chill the hearts of the hundreds of brothers in the tower. I trust him; that is the trust I have placed in him, and it is also my choice.”
The conversation abruptly shifted, the ruthlessness and decisiveness of a powerful figure overwhelming any sentimentality:
"But the Golden Wind and Fine Rain Pavilion is not just my pavilion, Su Mengzhen's! The lives and fortunes of thousands of brothers in the pavilion, the foundation built by generations of hard work, all depend on this. I cannot gamble, nor can I afford to gamble. As a leader, one can be suspicious of others in every way, until one is left all alone. This is fate. However, even suspicion must have its rules and evidence for killing."
The glimmer of brotherhood in his eyes faded, leaving only the scheming of the landlord:
"After you pointed it out, I immediately transferred him away from the capital and sent him to Jiangnan to oversee a batch of urgently needed supplies. At the same time, Yang Wuxie personally led men, under my orders, to make two preparations: I will not investigate him. If what you said is false, his trip to Jiangnan is both a training and a test, and he will still be a brother when he returns. It's not too late for me to kill you then; if he really colluded with Di Feijing..."
"That would mean being caught red-handed, with irrefutable evidence. At that point, killing him would rid the Lou family of a scourge, uphold the law, and leave no one to complain, no one to dare to complain."
Torn between loyalty and responsibility, Su Mengzhen made a difficult, almost tragic, decision.
“Brother?” Xie Huailing repeated, his tone carrying a strange sarcasm. “He went through thick and thin with you; he was indeed your brother.”
"Just for this?" she pressed. "You want to accomplish your grand ambitions, you want to win the top spot in the martial arts world, every step is fraught with thorns, every move is risky, yet you still want to preserve your brotherhood and entrust your trust? You want to wield the knife that kills, yet you also want to keep the fire that warms people... Su Mengzhen, don't you think you're being too greedy? Aren't you afraid of being shattered to pieces, of your success or failure both stemming from your brothers?"
Su Mengzhen did not evade the question; his voice was slightly hoarse: "Perhaps, but this is my way, my righteousness."
"Without this unwavering trust, how could Jin Feng Xi Yu Lou have achieved its current status? It would merely be another cold, power-hungry den. Brotherly love and loyalty are the foundation of our tower, and we will never forget them. This friendship and trust are not a burden, but the backbone of Jin Feng Xi Yu Lou."
“I know in my heart that the path I am about to take cannot accommodate loyalty and righteousness, and I have long been prepared for the outcome of this path, regardless of success or failure. But on this road leading to utter desolation, as long as there is a sliver of possibility, I will hold fast to that righteousness until it is extinguished on its own, or until it is proven that the two are ultimately mutually exclusive, and then…”
His cold, gray lips pressed into a sharp line: "Though my heart aches, I will not regret this knife."
The resounding words echoed in the twilight, and Xie Huailing fell silent. This silence was longer than any before.
She looked at Su Mengzhen, at this terminally ill man who carried everything on his shoulders, at the complex light in his eyes—a light that yearned to protect something even in dire straits, yet was capable of destroying everything when necessary. This contradiction, this heaviness, this reckless courage to do the impossible, this burning flame of loyalty struggling beneath the surface of his ruthless nature—completely exceeded her initial cold assessment of him as a "power-hungry animal."
After a long time, until the last ray of sunset on the horizon had completely sunk into darkness and the wind on the building had grown even colder, Xie Huailing finally let out a very light breath.
His flames were reflected in her eyes, clearer than ever before in her life. She admitted she had misjudged him; in her eyes, Su Mengzhen had finally transformed from a man she could exploit into someone worthy of her serious consideration.
After Su Mengzhen finished speaking, he pressed her again, "So why did you remind me of Hua Wucuo's matter? Because your life and fortune are now in my hands?"
"Life and fortune?" Xie Huailing repeated, "What is there to worry about? It's just death."
"People fear death because they have unfinished business and things they are eager to pursue. But life is life; death is death. If you live, you can achieve great things and be remembered in history, and enjoy life to the fullest. If you die, you can also grieve because life is so short, and you can leave your last words in the mournful wind. You are nothing more than a speck of dust in the world: what is there to be happy about or sad about, what is there to fear or regret, what is the joy of living or the suffering of dying?"
These unorthodox and disregard-of-life remarks even caused Su Mengzhen, a man who frequently faced death, to feel a slight tremor in his heart. Su Mengzhen's voice lowered: "So why?"
Why remind me? Why point it out when you're so indifferent to everything else?
Xie Huailing still didn't answer. She gazed at the lights gradually illuminating the Golden Wind and Drizzle Tower below, and in those twinkling lights symbolizing power, struggle, and the fates of countless people, she saw a ceaselessly flowing river. She knew where it was headed, knew it would spiral out of control and burst its banks, and she decided to jump.
She rarely looked Su Mengzhen in the eye, and said to herself, "Actually, I know why you're telling me all this. It's because you want to use me. I know that perfectly well."
Su Mengzhen's pupils suddenly contracted.
“I know why I came here,” she said softly.
Su Mengzhen's throat tightened, and she was about to ask another question—
“There’s no need to rush.” Xie Huailing interrupted him, raising her chin. Her demeanor was no longer the nonchalant perfunctory one she had been before. Her beauty and her poise had reached a new level.
"I'll come and invite you."
She used the word "please".
The twilight stretched on and on, and she knew there would be many more to come.
————————
Regarding why the original poster wrote such a long post: He wants to use Ms. Xie; he has made up his mind.
Regarding Ms. Xie's mindset: I am very satisfied with my boss and I am preparing to apply for other jobs independently. As a woman, I should fight for my own treatment.
To put it simply, what she wanted was to be different, different from everyone else in the quagmire of the Song Dynasty: not to be a pure power-hungry animal, but to retain a bit of pain and hatred while being ambitious, so that she could move forward better.
That's why she started to appreciate the original poster.
She has a big task to prepare for you before you start your job, but it's not a bad thing for you.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com