Chapter 34: Miss Bai
However, the more excited Su Mengzhen became, the calmer he became, which completely destroyed Xie Huailing's nightlife.
He dragged Xie Huailing along to discuss every detail of the plan, wanting to ensure everything went perfectly. Xie Huailing had tried to struggle, of course, but unfortunately, this time it was to no avail. Instead, Su Mengzhen's sense of boundaries, after the previous two instances of tolerance, finally snapped, mainly manifested in him starting to scold Xie Huailing. And scolding is something that easily leads to settling old grudges along with new ones, especially with someone like Xie Huailing.
Xie Huailing was genuinely curious about how Su Mengzhen managed to both scold and communicate with her, but she simply ignored Su Mengzhen's teachings. She was incredibly experienced in being scolded, and for the moment, she felt no urge to "learn from this experience."
The exchange continued inexplicably, and by the end, the time was forgotten, the six and a half minutes were no longer important, the tension had eased, and the two of them became engrossed and lost in the moment, oblivious to the world around them.
Once everything was nearly finalized and every detail had been reviewed, Su Mengzhen took a sip of her medicine to moisten her throat and said, "Let's leave it at that for now. You must listen to every word I say without fail, and don't make me repeat myself. Is there anything else you'd like to say?"
"Yes, yes." Xie Huailing looked obedient and lowered her eyes. As someone who had never lacked a few scoldings in her life, she gave her assessment: "OP, your scolding is quite pleasant to listen to."
The Chinese medicine Su Mengzhen was about to swallow choked him with lightning speed, the bitter taste spreading from his mouth to his nose. He seemed unable to believe what he was hearing; his composure, unwavering even amidst the clash of swords and the impending attack, crumbled, replaced by shock, confusion, and anger... The twenty-five-year-old coughed violently, unable to decipher the meaning behind her words.
Seeing how much he was coughing, Xie Huailing thoughtfully took out her handkerchief: "Please, use this, Master. I didn't mean to offend you with what I said earlier; it was just a conclusion based on experience."
Su Mengzhen had lost all interest in listening. He had long known that reprimanding Xie Huailing would yield no good results, which was why he had tried other methods before, and it had proven that his original ideas were correct. At this moment, whether he was angry out of embarrassment, disappointed in Xie Huailing, or had some other thought, he himself couldn't tell. With a stern face, he said in a sharp voice, "...Get out!"
Xie Huailing, who had wanted to leave for a while, went with the flow without turning her head: "The author is wise, goodnight."
She rushed off work, not forgetting to put the handkerchief back in, and locked Su Mengzhen in the room behind the door.
The world outside that awaited her was equally fascinating. Yang Wuxie and Shaman stood on either side of the door, their expressions suggesting they had overheard Xie Huailing and Su Mengzhen's entire conversation. Yang Wuxie couldn't maintain his serious demeanor; after exchanging a glance with Xie Huailing, he turned his head away, pretending to be busy looking at the hallway decorations, acting like a door god. Shaman, on the other hand, was visibly shocked, even more incredulous than Su Mengzhen still inside, her face a mixture of colors, like a spilled soy sauce bottle.
Only Xie Huailing, the instigator, acted as if nothing had happened, taking away his stunned subordinates and not forgetting to greet Yang Wuxie: "Good evening, Steward Yang. See you tomorrow. Get some rest."
Yang Wuxie didn't answer; perhaps he was also undecided and could only pretend he hadn't heard.
Xie Huailing didn't need his answer. She led Shaman around a corner and back to her bedroom. As soon as they entered, Shaman snapped out of her daze, still reeling from the words she'd just heard, speechless. Seeing Xie Huailing already pulling back the covers to lie down, she felt a pang of sympathy and, disregarding the fact that he was also her boss, pulled her back, asking, "What did you say to the landlord?"
Xie Huailing struggled for a moment but couldn't move. She looked at her bed with regret and said, "Tell me the truth."
Shaman's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, a look of shock crossing her beautiful face. She asked, "Tell the truth? What kind of truth is this? Is this something you can just say?"
“Sure, why not?” Xie Huailing said. “Look on the bright side, at least the Lord won’t want to see me for the next three days.”
But what is there to be proud of? Shaman was speechless, as if a tape had jammed, unable to form a next expression. She spent several attempts to organize her thoughts, but could only manage to utter four words: "Incomprehensible."
Xie Huailing patted her shoulder to comfort her, and instead of feeling ashamed, said, "Don't say that. You still have to work under me. It makes you look like you have a hard life."
After saying this, Shaman's already pale face darkened even more. In that instant, she thought of all the sad things in her life. Flowers bloomed and faded, her beauty dimmed in an instant, as if her life had ended just like that. She had 20,000 days left in the future, but it all came to an end in a flash. To age prematurely was nothing more than this.
.
Regardless of how much suffering Su Mengzhen endured or whether she drank the last bowl of medicine, whether Doctor Shu, who had to stay up all night again, felt comfortable or not, the plan that Xie Huailing had devised over half a night was quite comprehensive.
She meticulously wrote down how to proceed step by step, and also predicted the day when the Six and a Half Hall would begin its operation to spread negative news about Yuan Suiyun.
Their original intention was merely to force Yuan Dongyuan to seek help; they did not intend to break ties with Wuzheng Manor. Therefore, in spreading the news, they would focus on the key element of "bat," but in selecting content, they would avoid mentioning "Bat Prince," emphasizing Yuan Suiyun's involvement in the matter rather than delving into sensational truths. This was intended to throw Yuan Dongyuan into disarray without driving him to madness.
Xie Huailing also gave her some tips: what kind of news would be spread at the Six and a Half Hall meeting, and from what angles should she approach it? And just as she had predicted, Su Mengzhen didn't want to see her for the next three days, so she sent her out to observe the changing news in Bianjing City and verify her accuracy. So, she took some public funds and went out to wander around again.
This time, we went to Jucai Tower first. "Living God of Wealth" wanted to make it a well-informed place, and with the endorsement of Jinfeng Xiyu Tower, Jucai Tower, now with the support of both, has become the number one money-grubbing den in the capital. There's no better place to gather information. Zhu Qiqi is her friend, so even if Jucai Tower didn't have a private room, they had to conjure one up for her. The manager politely invited her to the top-floor private room and then introduced her to what would be auctioned that day and which distinguished guests would be attending.
Xie Huailing flipped through a few pages but didn't find anything interesting, so he tossed the booklet to Shaman, propped his chin up with boredom, and patiently listened to the steward continue.
There weren't any particularly valuable items up for auction today, so there weren't any guests of exceptional status. However, the manager still picked some to introduce to Xie Huailing, whispering, "The person in the Earth-class wing is Elder Huang of the Beggars' Sect. He's interested in a set of medicinal herbs, presumably for the Beggars' Sect Leader Ren Ci's illness. Speaking of the herbs..."
He hesitated, clearly thinking of something but unsure whether to speak. Xie Huailing raised his head, gesturing for him to continue.
Having received the order, the manager breathed a sigh of relief and spoke with more courage, saying, "Speaking of medicinal herbs, there was another customer who came today specifically for them. She's come to inquire about them three or five times already, but each time she leaves empty-handed, not getting what she wants. Occasionally she'll buy one or two other herbs, but then she'll come back very quickly, as if none of them suit her taste."
This was something worth noting, so Xie Huailing asked, "When did she arrive, and what's her name?"
The steward had been pondering this matter for some time, so he answered fluently: "She came last month. The first time she came, she even tried to snatch some medicinal herbs from Miss Seven, but of course, she lost to Miss Seven. The next few times she came, she always asked if there were any other herbs in stock. As for her name, she gave that her surname was Bai and that she was called Miss Bai. The owner of the building has also tried to find out about her, but to no avail."
During her time at the Golden Wind and Drizzle Pavilion, Xie Huailing had become quite knowledgeable about the affairs of the martial world, but she couldn't immediately recall a girl surnamed Bai with such extraordinary abilities. Of course, she couldn't rule out the possibility of disguise or a false identity. However, there was something else on her mind: the medicinal herb that this Miss Bai was staying at the Wealth Gathering Pavilion for was undoubtedly the same Western Region herb that Zhu Qiqi had bought and given to her as a parting gift, and that herb was still lying in her private treasury.
Zhu Qiqi's ability to cause trouble without even realizing it is truly unparalleled. She sighed slightly, said nothing, but noted it down, planning to have Yang Wuxie work overtime after things at Wuzheng Manor were over.
Then Xie Huailing inquired about Wuzheng Manor with the steward. She didn't speak directly, but rather probed indirectly, asking about recent news in Bianjing. The steward pondered for a moment, recalling recent events, then suddenly his gaze sharpened, flying through the window downstairs as if he had seen something important, his expression becoming excited. Xie Huailing followed his gaze and, through the difference in perspective between the floors, saw a figure dressed in green.
The entire building is ablaze with red, as vibrant as spring, yet she chooses to be a single green amidst the myriad beauties.
The woman stood by the carved railing of the second-floor corridor, her figure slender and graceful, like a bamboo forgotten amidst a pile of brocade. She wore a light green silk robe, the fabric of which looked ordinary, yet the cut was extremely fitting, highlighting a unique air about her. Despite the surrounding wealthy guests and beautiful women adorned with gold and silver, their jewelry jingling, the music and perfumes so decadent, the laughter and chatter forming a scorching, turbid current, she alone stood proudly, keeping all the riches and splendor of the building at arm's length.
Coincidentally, her face was also covered by a light veil, obscuring most of her features, revealing only her eyes and smooth forehead. And those eyes were no ordinary young lady's eyes; they were exceptionally beautiful, like two newly blossoming pear blossoms, with slightly drooping corners. They should have possessed the delicate charm of a celestial being, yet within them lay only an extreme tranquility. This was not the tranquility that comes from seeing through the world, but rather a serpentine, oppressive calm before a storm. She had been waiting, watching intently.
Just as Xie Huailing was looking her down, the woman seemed to sense something. She didn't turn around or make any obvious movements, but her eyes suddenly lifted, and the two of them, as if by unspoken agreement, pierced through the noise and distance, their gazes abruptly colliding in mid-air.
A detached guest in the heavens, a lord of the netherworld on earth.
Just a breath.
The woman's gaze shifted nonchalantly, as if the brief exchange had never occurred. She turned slightly to the side, presenting Xie Huailing with an even more distant profile; her green dress and simple gauze seemed to blend into the background of the carved beams and painted rafters, yet also seemed as if she might vanish into a wisp of smoke at any moment.
“It’s her, Miss Biao.” The steward lowered his voice even further. “That Miss Bai.”
Xie Huailing withdrew her gaze, her fingertips lightly tapping the smooth tabletop, producing a soft "tap." She didn't speak, but silently recited Zhu Qiqi's name in her heart; this person was someone of importance.
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Bai Feifei from Volume Two makes an appearance as a setup (lying down).
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