Chapter 110: Two Sides to the Story
Shen Lang had never met Bai Feifei before, nor had anyone mentioned her to him. Seeing Xie Huailing and Zhu Qiqi's attitudes, he was quite puzzled and asked, "And who is this?"
Zhu Qiqi picked up the conversation and began to introduce, "This is the girl I rescued from human traffickers today. She has some connection with Huailing; we met before in Bianjing. Now she's Huailing's maid, and her name is..."
Zhu Qiqi couldn't recall Bai Feifei's name. She then realized that Bai Feifei hadn't introduced herself yet. Looking over, she saw Bai Feifei still standing by the table, looking timid and fearful, unsure whether to move or not.
Thinking that asking Bai Feifei might be better than asking her, Zhu Qiqi went to find Xie Huailing, but Xie Huailing also turned her head away, as if Bai Feifei had something funny drawn on her face. Completely confused, Zhu Qiqi had no choice but to ask Bai Feifei herself, "What's your name? Haven't you told us yet?"
Bai Feifei, who had placed her hand on the edge of the table, refrained from clenching it and revealed a gentle smile: "To answer your question, my surname is Bai, and my name is Bai Feifei."
"Please have a seat, Miss Bai." Shen Lang also failed to see through Bai Feifei's facade and was fooled by her superb acting skills. Indeed, apart from Xie Huailing, who else could see through her at first glance?
Bai Feifei sat down on the side, carefully taking her seat next to Xie Huailing. Once seated, she lowered her head shyly and mouthed, as if only wanting to say to Xie Huailing, "Try smiling again."
Xie Huailing took out a handkerchief and wiped her mouth. With Shen Lang and Zhu Qiqi present, she still didn't argue with Bai Feifei. She coughed twice and changed the subject back to the meal, saying, "The dishes are all served, so let's not dawdle and start eating. As for what to prepare, just tell Shaman after we finish eating."
Zhu Qiqi started eating first, talking to Shen Lang about what time they would leave tomorrow. Shen Lang, mindful of Bai Feifei's presence, only said he would call her when the time came, and placed a piece of food on Zhu Qiqi's plate to shut her up.
.
Although the servants had prepared a small amount of food, they managed to finish it all in the end. After putting down his chopsticks, Shen Lang wanted to discuss some details with Xie Huailing, so Xie Huailing asked Bai Feifei to wait for her outside the door while she spoke with Shen Lang in more detail.
So many people died inexplicably in the mine, their deaths remarkably peaceful, without a single wound. The corpse carriers and the men who died at home also met similar fates. Leaving aside any supernatural explanations, the most likely explanation is that they were all poisoned. This is where the jade needles Zhu Qiqi gave Xie Huailing came in handy. Shen Lang was instructed to carry them with him, along with some other medications to temporarily suppress the poison—better than nothing.
Furthermore, the fact that the dead farmhands were all found in the stone hall indicates that someone was lying in wait in the mine, day and night. Add to that the mine's layout, which no one knew at all, and if they were caught in a trap, they'd have nowhere to turn for help. Xie Huailing planned to have Shen Lang bring some more gadgets, so that someone could come to pick him up, and also just in case.
Finally... Xie Huailing gave Zhu Qiqi a box of things.
Inside were several small, jade-white bottles with golden patterns on them. She only told Zhu Qiqi what they were, instilling in Zhu Qiqi a sense of responsibility that no one else could do without her. Driven by this, her determination surpassed even her usual chivalrous deeds. She nodded vigorously to Xie Huailing, who then said, "Shen Lang is in your hands."
This was even more exciting. Zhu Qiqi was refreshed upon hearing this and volunteered to pack the things for tomorrow.
Watching her departing figure, Shen Lang couldn't help but chuckle, but he didn't say anything.
Xie Huailing put on his cloak and, following the same sentence structure, said, "I'm leaving Qiqi in your care."
"I know." In Shen Lang's mind, this was Xie Huailing's true meaning. He was determined not to make any mistakes this time. "I will investigate the mine thoroughly and bring Qiqi back safe and sound."
Xie Huailing added, "Someone will meet you tomorrow. You don't need to worry about the aftermath. Just do what's best for you inside the mine."
She didn't like to explain her plans, and Shen Lang wasn't one to insist on knowing everything. He simply nodded and followed Shaman. As their detailed conversation faded into the distance, Xie Huailing pinched her cheek. In the half-warm, half-chilly night, before even stepping out the door, she felt a wave of languor rising within her and the night breeze. She wanted to lean against something again, but with her plans not yet finished, even her laziness had to wait.
The curtain rippled like water, and behind the ripples lay a beauty. Bai Feifei, seeing that they had all left, entered without a word, lifting the curtain herself. She had heard everything clearly and distinctly outside, brushing away the faint chill from her body and the darkness of the night, and stood shoulder to shoulder with Xie Huailing: "You're quick on your feet."
Xie Huailing looked at the curtain, which was still swaying and had not yet settled down: "How can we not hurry? We don't have that much time."
The "King of Joy" waits for no one, and the situation in Bianjing waits for no one either. Lei Sun's behind-the-scenes schemes are like a sword hanging over the Golden Wind and Drizzle Tower; whether it will fall as a feint or strike directly at the heart of the matter remains to be seen. Since she is not in Bianjing, no matter how quickly the news arrives, there will inevitably be times when she is caught off guard.
Furthermore, if she doesn't return, the suspicions of the Six and a Half Hall will only grow stronger, and they will go to great lengths to find out what she's doing. Back in the Beggars' Sect, she used the pretext of discussing cooperation, and the later incident with Shi Guanyin further solidified that excuse. But this time is different; before Zhu Qiqi arrived, she had no idea she was about to embark on this journey.
In Bianjing, Su Mengzhen had fabricated a serious illness for her, claiming that although she had won her contest with Shi Guanyin, she had been tricked. The injury wasn't life-threatening, but she urgently needed rest and had to postpone her return to the capital, instead recuperating outside Bianjing to avoid scrutiny. However, both she and Su Mengzhen knew this excuse couldn't be kept secret for long; the longer it dragged on, the more complications would arise. No matter how convincing they were, they understood it was best to return as soon as possible.
Bai Feifei not only understood everything tonight, but also saw it without making a single mistake. She pretended to do everything perfectly and chatted with her: "Are you sure Zhu Qiqi can use that thing you gave her properly?"
Xie Huailing was somewhat surprised and said, "You know her too? Of course she can use her well, and only she can use her well. If I gave her to Shen Lang, he would be more hesitant. Giving her to Zhu Qiqi is just right. She suits her temperament best, and she can use her most smoothly. Most importantly, after going down into the mine, her only companion is Shen Lang. There's no need to worry about her dragging Shen Lang down with her. It's best for her to go."
Bai Feifei didn't understand her arrangements and didn't intend to comment too much, but Xie Huailing wouldn't let her off the hook and whispered her own plans to her.
Even someone as composed as Bai Feifei couldn't help but change her expression. After pushing the person away, she looked Xie Huailing up and down. It wasn't that she felt it was excessive, nor was she surprised by it; rather, it was an indescribable emotion, as if she had seen something strange. But in the end, it turned into a speechless feeling of "I'm not surprised by this person." She said, "Do you still remember that you belong to a prestigious sect?"
Xie Huailing raised an eyebrow at her and said, "I remember, I've always been like this, so what? Having a good reputation has its pros and cons. The past is the past, now it's a freak."
Bai Feifei felt she should say something, but then thought it inappropriate to say things like "You seem a bit too extreme" or "It's really bad luck to run into you," so she kept quiet. The two of them left the side hall together and returned to Xie Huailing's bedroom, closing the doors and windows tightly.
A new pot of tea had been brewed, but neither of them intended to drink it. They sat facing each other, each with a book, and chatted casually, skipping over the earlier incident.
“I know he has people there.” Bai Feifei spoke abruptly, her tone calm but already showing a hint of unease. “But I don’t know which one, or which few. Even before he entered the pass, he already had quite a few men.”
“Then you made the right choice,” Xie Huailing said.
She seemed oblivious to the danger and the possibility of failure. After thinking for a moment, she asked Bai Feifei, "How do you think we should choose the people to meet them?"
Without hesitation, Bai Feifei's answer came even before her next breath, and she entered the room: "One must have high martial arts skills, be agile, and be quick-witted. But you don't have many people like that around you, do you?"
The situation is extremely changeable, and her judgment was also Xie Huailing's judgment. Xie Huailing nodded and replied, "Indeed, there aren't many. People who meet all three of the criteria you mentioned are considered top performers in the Golden Wind and Fine Rain Pavilion. I didn't originally plan to experience so many things when I came out this time. The only person around me who possesses all three is Shaman."
Bai Feifei found it amusing, glanced at her sideways, and said, "Let's not even talk about whether there's anyone to watch over you when she goes. If you send her out, then there will be no one to help you check for information all day."
“That’s true.” Xie Huailing sighed dramatically, deliberately making the sigh sound, and said, “So in order for Shaman to stay here and help me investigate, I need to choose someone who can do both things and meet the requirements to go and meet them.”
"who?"
Xie Huailing's distant gaze drifted over at that moment, pausing for a few seconds to leave room for suspense, before giving an extremely surprising answer: "Me."
Bai Feifei was speechless for a few seconds, not even wanting to look at this person: "Are you trying to make me laugh? Where is your martial arts skill?"
“I’m serious,” Xie Huailing said. “Martial arts skills aren’t a problem either.”
She pointed at Bai Feifei herself and naturally began to order her around: "Since you've eaten my family's rice, you can't just not do any work, Miss Bai Feifei."
Only then did Bai Feifei realize the gravity of her mistake and forget what kind of person he was. But it was too late; she was already standing there, and there was no going back. No matter what the consequences, she had no choice but to go through it with him.
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