Chapter 39: The Unbridled Horse
Unlike places like Yushanlong or Jucailou, Wangyou Pavilion, located in Bianjing, had absolutely no connection to extravagant establishments. It was simply a place where wandering swordsmen could rest. However, because its prices were reasonable and its waiters were efficient, it had gained a small reputation in Bianjing. Ordinary swordsmen would give it face and stay for a few days, resulting in a constant flow of customers and a thriving storytelling business.
The Forget-Worry Pavilion is even more magnificent than it used to be.
People were packed shoulder to shoulder, even the aisles were filled with tea drinkers tiptoeing to get a better look. The air was so thick you could wring water out of it, the astringent taste of the cheap tea mixed with the smell of sweat and the aroma of meat noodles, all mingling together as they looked at the sprightly old gentleman on the stage, waiting for him to tell a story.
The gavel slammed heavily onto the gleaming table, the sound echoing throughout the hall, silencing the whispers of the audience. The old man's gaze swept across the sea of heads below. He was a famous storyteller in Bianjing, nicknamed "The All-Knowing One." He stroked his goatee and began: "Ladies and gentlemen, last time we talked about how that 'Bat' committed countless evil deeds, his methods as venomous as snakes and scorpions. Today, I will also tell you about 'Bat.' You should have heard about what happened in Bianjing a few days ago. Let me tell you again about a shocking tragedy of bloodshed and injustice!"
He deliberately exaggerated his words, skillfully observing the reactions of the crowd below the stage: "That victim was a girl who was harmed by the 'bat,' who had her eyes gouged out, her eyelids sewn shut, her entire family wiped out, and who suffered the most unbearable human suffering!"
A collective gasp rippled through the audience, followed by a buzz of discussion.
"Silence! Silence!"
Sai Baixiao struck the gavel again: "That girl's name is no longer important; what matters is her tearful accusation. She said: 'The bats' evil deeds are all orchestrated by a man known as the "Bat Prince." This villain's viciousness and cunning are unparalleled in my life. Do you all know that the girl's entire family—the old, the weak, the women, and the children—all suffered at the hands of the "Bat Prince" for no reason? Only she, because of her sewn-together eyes, managed to escape, but her suffering is worse than death!'"
"hiss--"
"Damn it!"
"Beast! Absolutely a beast!" A chorus of curses erupted from the audience, their anger palpable. A burly bodyguard in the front row slammed his fist on the table, sending teacups tumbling about.
Sai Baixiao was clearly very satisfied with the scene. He continued, "Fortunately, there are many heroes in our martial arts world who will help those in need. This girl has received help along the way to reach Bianjing. Gentlemen, now she is dragging her crippled body, her head covered in blood. What does she ask for? She only asks for a hero to take action to seek justice for her tragically deceased family and for her eyes that will never see the light of day again, and to bring that 'Bat Prince' and his henchmen to justice and punish them in a just manner!"
The subtle flattery he conveyed to the江湖客 (jianghu ke, martial arts practitioners) fueled their pent-up rage. Regardless of whether they considered themselves good people, at this point, they couldn't wait to kill the "Bat Prince."
Someone shouted, "If you ask me, this damn 'Bat Prince' deserves to be torn to pieces!"
A young man who looked like a scholar in the back row anxiously asked, "Has the girl been found? Is anyone helping her?"
Sai Baixiao stroked his beard, a hint of respect appearing on his face: "A good question. Heaven has eyes! This girl not only encountered a hero, but a true hero. I've heard that the one who passed by on the street that day was none other than the ruthless chief constable, who is said to be 'legless yet travels a thousand miles, and a thousand hands cannot defend against.' And what kind of person is the ruthless chief constable? How could he sit idly by and watch such a tragedy unfold?"
He mimicked the cold, detached voice with uncanny accuracy: "The chief constable personally told that unfortunate girl: 'The Divine Constable's Mansion has taken on this case and will surely give you justice.'"
"good!"
"The Ruthless Chief Constable is truly mighty!"
"With the Divine Marquis's Mansion taking action, they're sure to find that damned Bat Prince!"
The audience erupted in enthusiastic cheers and applause, as if they could already see the villains being brought to justice.
After the clamor subsided, Sai Baixiao's voice circled around before suddenly becoming extremely low: "However, gentlemen, now that the Divine Marquis's Mansion has made its move, it's clear that 'Young Master Bat' is no ordinary person. Just who is he? This old man, though not very talented, has recently heard some rumors..."
He deliberately dragged out his words, his gaze sweeping across the entire room. Seeing that everyone was holding their breath, he slowly said, "This person is indeed ruthless and cunning, but his identity is not necessarily that of a cowardly coward. Think about it carefully, everyone. To be able to train such vicious henchmen and to set up such a meticulous plan, how could such a person be an ordinary outlaw?"
The audience, completely manipulated by his words, murmured amongst themselves, "That makes sense!"
"Could it be that some major sect secretly trained him?"
"Or is he a notorious villain wanted by the imperial court?"
Sai Baixiao snorted loudly, raising his voice: "Not so, not so. I heard that before the poor girl had her eyes gouged out, she saw this monstrous figure. He was dressed in fine clothes, with an elegant demeanor, and walked with a natural gait, seemingly unaffected by the darkness. Think about it, in Bianjing, in the martial arts world, how many people can move freely in the dark with such an air of superiority, and also afford to wear fine clothes?"
These words were like a spark thrown into boiling oil, instantly igniting the entire room. A heated argument erupted and quickly spiraled out of control.
"Wuzheng Manor, originally Suiyun?"
"My God, is it really him?"
"Impossible! How could Young Master Yuan do such a thing? He's from Wuzheng Manor!" someone immediately retorted vehemently.
"Why not? You can know a person's face but not their heart. Are you a mind reader?" someone immediately retorted.
"That's right. I also heard other old storytellers mention it last time. Wuzheng Manor is not bad, but it hasn't done anything good for many years. I've never heard of it since I started in the martial arts world. The stories people tell are all from a hundred years ago." Someone brought up old grievances.
The teahouse was in complete chaos, with supporters and opponents arguing fiercely, almost to the point of tearing the roof off. Sai Baixiao, unperturbed, waited until the argument subsided before leisurely tapping his gavel again.
"Gentlemen, gentlemen, please calm down! As I just said, it was merely hearsay, and I spoke without thinking." He said this, but his face wore a profound expression. "Whether it is true or not, the Divine Marquis's Mansion will investigate thoroughly, and Heaven will reveal the truth. However—"
His tone became incredibly heavy, "If this matter is truly connected to such a reputable family, then that would be truly shocking, the greatest trampling on the code of the martial world, on the principles of heaven and humanity. Therefore, it should be investigated thoroughly. In my opinion, Wuzheng Manor should step forward first. If they didn't do this, they should clear themselves of all responsibility. Then, when the Ruthless Chief Constable arrests the 'Bat Prince,' if he can be executed, we'll all go and watch! What do you all think?"
"yes!"
"That's right, whoever it is, find them out. If Wuzheng Manor didn't do it, they should explain themselves first!"
"Punish them severely and bring justice to that girl! Restore a just and fair world to the martial arts world!"
The roar from the audience was deafening; their fervent emotions were completely ignited and utterly out of control. Sai Baixiao's arguments were fallacious, but who cared? At least in the audience, everyone was focused on making Wuzheng Manor prove itself. From then on, speculation about the "Bat Prince's" identity and all sorts of doubts about Wuzheng Manor would surge like wild horses, rampaging through every corner of Bianjing City, impossible to contain.
Sai Baixiao laughed, raising his glass high as if to add fuel to the fire: "In the end, it's a pity for that girl. Without her, who would know that such a thing happened in broad daylight? We men of the underworld must uphold loyalty and justice. Gentlemen, let me first toast that girl, and to the wronged souls who died tragically at the hands of 'Bat Prince'!"
He crossed his wrist, and a glass of wine was poured onto the ground, turning into a crescent moon.
The crescent moon shimmered, reflecting the crowd's indignation, their curses and condemnations, like a large fire burning on a bottle of wine. Sai Baixiao started talking about other things, but the fire wouldn't die down; the truth wouldn't come out, and the wine would burn until it was dry.
The crescent moon also resembles a pool of water. A sudden downpour enveloped Bianjing City, and beneath the fierce thunder, there were many other pools of water, just like the crescent moon, all caught in the howling wind and rain.
.
Jin Lingzhi stepped across a puddle.
She forcefully wiped away her tears, which could also be considered rainwater, and ultimately wouldn't be anything important in the future.
The rain curtain fell like pillars beneath her umbrella as she walked forward. The flowers were withered and faded; she couldn't see a single beautiful scene, or perhaps she didn't perceive any. In the chill of the autumn rain, the anger in her heart grew stronger and stronger. Finally, a gust of cold wind blew, and she couldn't suppress it any longer. She kicked a puddle, splashing water droplets and causing the grass and trees to tremble.
Xie Huailing was lucky not to get splashed by the water droplets. She quietly fell half a step behind her and said, "Stay away from the flowers and plants. If you kick them and break them, I'll have to explain to my cousin."
Jin Lingzhi didn't take it seriously and said, "What's the big deal? Would your cousin get angry with you over a few flowers and plants? Besides, I know what I'm doing. And if you break them, I'll compensate you tenfold." After saying this, she took off the pearl from her head.
A pearl the size of half a chicken egg was stuffed into Xie Huailing's hand. Normally, Jin Lingzhi would have been reluctant to part with it, but she was currently so upset that she didn't think it was anything valuable anymore. It was not as important as getting her to vent: "I really can't take it anymore. I went to ask him if he had done it or not, and he actually told me to ignore it. Later, he even asked me if I didn't trust him and my feelings for him."
If she hadn't remembered what Xie Huailing had said, and remembered that she was also a young lady from a wealthy family, why should he ask her such a question? She hadn't owed him anything, and she would have pitied his eyes, thinking about her feelings for him, and how he had turned the question around.
At this point, Jin Lingzhi turned around abruptly and said to Xie Huailing, "I really don't understand why he won't say a word about it. Could he have actually done it?"
Xie Huailing cared more about whether Jin Lingzhi could come inside and talk than whether Yuan Suiyun had done it or not. She sneezed, wanting only to introduce Jin Lingzhi to Zhu Qiqi: "Then let's do it. Anyway, the ruthless chief constable is going to make a move, and the truth will eventually come out. What did you say to Yuan Suiyun afterward?"
"What did he say?" Jin Lingzhi asked, her tears still wet on her face. "I was so angry with him that my eyes welled up with tears, and we immediately had a fight. Then I rushed out to find you."
Xie Huailing thought about the bustling street in front of the former mansion and knew that this matter was likely to cause a big stir. She reminded Jin Lingzhi, "Don't let gossipy people find fault with you."
Jin Lingzhi gripped the handle of her whip, arrogantly raised her chin, and said, "Anyone who wants to gossip about me will have to get under my whip first!"
She had so much to complain about, just like a girl who's broken up with her boyfriend always has a ton of things to say to him. Especially since she'd already decided she'd made a mistake in choosing him over the past few years, she was incredibly eloquent. She should kick Sai Baixiao out of the running and let her take over. At times like this, Xie Huailing was grateful for the experience she'd gained from Zhu Qiqi. All she had to do was agree with Jin Lingzhi. If she pointed out something wrong with Yuan Suiyun, she'd just echo that, showing all her meanness.
As for right and wrong... when Jin Lingzhi comes to her to complain, what she wants to hear is definitely not reason. Xie Huailing is not likable and often deliberately makes herself unpleasant, but she doesn't have that kind of interest in Jin Lingzhi either.
Jin Lingzhi cursed a lot, and cursed in the rain for almost an hour. She was still not satisfied and said she would come again next time when she left.
She also said Xie Huailing was a good person, because Xie Huailing had helped her scold Yuan Suiyun, so she found Xie Huailing's strange behavior interesting. She wanted to be friends with him and gave him a bouquet of flowers. These were originally the flowers she had brought for Yuan Suiyun when she visited him; she had specially bought the most beautiful bouquet, so giving them to Xie Huailing wouldn't be a waste. Xie Huailing didn't intend to accept them, so Jin Lingzhi said she could give them to someone else.
When Jin Lingzhi said that Xie Huailing was a good person, even the aloof Shaman couldn't bear to look directly at him and looked away. After the carriage from Wanfu Wanshou Garden had gone far away, she couldn't help but say, "Miss Jin has been with Yuan Suiyun for too long, and her eyesight has deteriorated."
Xie Huailing weighed the flowers in her arms and said, "That's not the case at all. On the contrary, she is truly the person with the best judgment in the world."
Shaman felt a chill and instinctively hugged his arm. When he touched it, he found that he was covered in goosebumps.
Xie Huailing, however, sought her approval and pressed her, "At least I'm good-looking, right?"
"..." That was true, but Shaman didn't want to talk to her anymore and turned her head away.
Before returning to her room, Xie Huailing had to deal with the flowers. She asked Shaman, but Shaman firmly refused (most likely because she didn't want Xie Huailing to give her any). Xie Huailing didn't know many people at the Golden Breeze and Drizzle Pavilion anyway. Holding the extremely romantic bouquet in her arms, she thought of someone who hadn't been around much these past few days except for work.
Su Mengzhen. Just like she said earlier, men are truly born masters of emotional abuse.
Xie Huailing actually knew what he was thinking. But having to provide psychological counseling to the boss and manage interpersonal relationships with him at work was a bit too much like a ghost story. Anyway, Su Mengzhen was a good person, and he would keep his promise of "mutual trust," so she was too lazy to ask him what he had been struggling with these past few days. Now that she thought about it, it was because she really didn't know anyone due to her poor interpersonal relationships.
Xie Huailing decided to go find Su Mengzhen. It's only natural for a boss to act as a dumping ground for his subordinates, right?
So, what is he busy with today?
Xie Huailing went to the brothel with the flowers in her arms. Shaman was not happy about it, so she didn't insist and went by herself. On the way, she slowly recalled that Su Mengzhen should be busy with Wuqing's affairs, and the complicated matters afterward should be discussed with Wuqing. Therefore, if she went there now, she would probably run into this chief constable.
It's a good thing, Su Mengzhen can't afford to embarrass her in front of her friends; being too polite is a disadvantage.
Thinking this way, her thoughts wandered and turned into rain. She walked in the rain at the Golden Wind and Drizzle Pavilion, and she seemed to have become a painting herself.
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