Chapter 162 A Mess (First Update) She'll stay with me all night...
Unfortunately, Lin Feiran was unaware of the romantic atmosphere surrounding them.
She stepped forward, took the mustard bag, opened it, and roughly counted the amount; it was roughly the same amount she had paid for the second sprig of winter cicada plum.
The Brocade Queen was not a bully who preyed on the weak. Moreover, the Spirit Flower Clan did not participate in the siege. Even if she reached the Returning to Truth Realm overnight and became a Saint, it was really none of their business.
Why would he return most of the money and even give her a third sprig of winter cicada plum?
Lin Feiran always felt that something was amiss.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, she raised her hand and placed it on the head of the ginseng boy who had rushed over.
"Besides these, did the person who sent you to deliver this message return anything else?"
The ginseng boy nodded hurriedly: "They said there is a letter in the mustard seed bag, but it can only be opened with a special method."
Lin Feiran immediately began searching and indeed found several good letters among the pile of jade coins, but they were blank and unsigned.
She asked疑惑地问道：“What special solution?”
The boy shook his head: "I don't know about that. The person who came only told me that it was a letter from an old friend."
Old friend?
Lin Feiran couldn't figure out who it was, and she didn't want to keep Ginseng Boy waiting there. She thanked him, saw Ginseng Boy out, and then went back inside.
In the blink of an eye, he met several meaningful gazes.
Lin Feiran looked at them one by one, and finally met Ru Xian's eyes.
He had already examined the two of them and administered acupuncture. His gaze then casually fell on Lin Feiran. When he saw her looking at him, he raised his lips, looked away, and tapped the table with his finger. The ginseng boy who was preparing the medicine immediately brought him a clean cloth to wipe his hands.
Lin Feiran blinked. She thought, Ru Xian has been inside for so long, yet she hasn't been called.
On a normal day, he would have already sat on the table with his legs crossed, giving the two of them a follow-up examination while she tried to prepare the medicine and learn about pharmacology, occasionally adding a few joking remarks.
Is it because there are many people in the room that you feel a little embarrassed?
It seems that ever since he agreed to save Wei Changzai, I've been prone to overthinking.
In the silence, Qingzhu was the first to withdraw her gaze, placing the snow lychee soup she was carrying on the table with a crisp sound.
He took out a piece of silk cloth and wiped away the white liquid that had spilled out, his voice neither hurried nor slow.
"The Cicada Plum? I have heard of it. It seems to be a spiritual plant that was transplanted from Daohe Palace back then. Now there is only one in the world. The Spirit Flower Clan has always regarded it as a treasure. The fact that they are willing to give it away shows their sincerity."
To obtain even one branch is truly a stroke of exceptional luck.
Everyone had their own understanding of what plum blossoms meant to Lin Feiran, especially since the Cold Cicada Plum originally came from Daohe Palace.
Lin Feiran then looked away and turned to look.
She had previously appreciated the preciousness of the winter cicada plum, but even the most precious things are not unique if they can be bought with money.
Judging from Qingzhu's tone, she seemed quite interested in this.
She paused for a moment, then asked earnestly, "Although it cost me almost all my money to buy two sprigs of winter plum blossoms, can this be considered a stroke of luck?"
Just as Qingzhu was about to speak, she was interrupted by a clear, crisp voice.
"Not really!"
Biqing immediately spoke, her tone quite delighted.
She couldn't understand the surging undercurrents around her, nor did she understand the sudden silence of everyone. She just felt inexplicably excluded from the conversation with Xuanzhen, and felt very uncomfortable.
Now that Lin Feiran has brought up money, as one of only two wealthy people present, she finally has a chance to chime in!
"The elders said that money can buy everything, except fate and chance."
Xuanzhen suddenly remembered something, pressed Biqing back, and said in a low voice, "You forgot? Qingzhu has always been very interested in the Cold Cicada Plum. He has been searching for it for many years, but he always missed it. For him, this is the opportunity!"
Although the sound was soft, it was clear enough for everyone to hear clearly.
Seeing Biqing's confused expression, Xuanzhen reminded him, "Five or six years ago, he asked us how to obtain the Cold Cicada Plum, but we don't go to the south often and don't know how to obtain it."
Later, he even sneaked in, but he was careless and got lost in the King of Brocade's maze for three days before finally getting out.
When the matter of being trapped in the battle for three days was brought up, Biqing finally remembered the past: "It did happen. It seems that it was the first time Qingzhu had stumbled."
Is Qingzhu also searching for plum blossoms?
Lin Feiran glanced at him and met his calm expression. He smiled and said, "I have always loved collecting rare and precious things from all over the world, including the winter cicada plum, but I have always regrettably missed it."
Wei Changzai's gaze shifted slightly, finally moving half an inch away from Lin Feiran and landing on Qingzhu. For some reason, a faint displeasure suddenly arose in his heart.
Qingzhu's appearance and demeanor were unlike anyone in her memory, but the gaze that fell on Lin Feiran was strangely familiar.
Just as he was pondering, Qingzhu suddenly spoke up, her eyes smiling, "My private treasury is full of treasures, but it lacks only such a plum blossom. Now the time is just right. I wonder if Feiran would be willing to exchange it with me?"
The medicine stove in the room was still steaming, emitting a faint, bitter smell. The ginseng boy who was originally administering acupuncture to Wei Changzai immediately got up and ran to the window to ventilate the room.
The cool breeze of late autumn and early winter blew in, but before it touched her body, Lin Feiran felt a familiar chill.
"Fellow Daoist, please do not force others to do things against their will."
Wei Changzai picked up the plum blossom hairpin at her side, half-tied her hair into a bun, and stared straight ahead with her dark, lacquer-like eyes, without flinching.
The way he looked down at Lin Feiran just now was exactly like his senior brother, who always had a smile on his face but actually looked down on everyone.
If the person in front of him hadn't been a demon, he would have almost thought that Ji Changying was an undercover agent here.
Qingzhu didn't mind at all, and just looked at it calmly: "Feiran has always been clear-headed and straightforward. I am not a narrow-minded person either. If it can be changed, then change it; if it can't be changed, then don't change it. It has always been like this. The two of us will never have any grudges over this, so how can you say that you are forcing someone to do something against their will?"
He suddenly smiled, half-turning his gold-flecked fan to cover his thin lips, but his eyes curved into a smile: "Could it be that this down-on-his-luck human fellow Daoist here is also interested in this Cicada Plum? You?"
Wei Changzai's gaze suddenly froze, and he subconsciously looked at Lin Feiran.
In the past, he would have been almost certain that the plum blossom would belong to him, but now, he didn't even have the right to speak up.
Lin Feiran simply stood in the middle and did not speak up for him.
...
He suddenly realized that the firelight standing on the cliff top wouldn't wait for him forever.
Lin Feiran's thoughts were still on Ru Xian, and he paid no attention to the sprig of winter plum.
Even now, he still hasn't spoken. He just leans against the window, backlit by the sunlight, watching the snowflakes float by, quietly looking this way, his eyes unreadable.
Lin Feiran lowered his eyes for a moment, then turned to Qingzhu and said, "Although the Cold Cicada Plum is precious, it is more of a symbol to me. I already have my own plum blossom, and now my wish has been fulfilled."
Before she could finish speaking, she felt a chill on her wrist. She turned her head and met a pair of deep, dark eyes.
"Slowly... the plum blossoms should be mine."
Wei Changzai pursed his lips, his shifting gaze seemingly filled with some kind of struggle and conflict.
"You once said that plum blossoms best suit me, you can't, you can't..."
What can't be done? He was momentarily dazed.
Seeing him make such a move, two gusts of wind and two faint fragrances immediately came from the side, heading straight for Wei Changzai.
Lin Feiran really didn't understand how the situation had suddenly developed into what it was now.
A silent dispute was resolved in her hands.
Lin Feiran breathed a sigh of relief. For the umpteenth time, she was thankful that she had practiced diligently. If the three of them had really fought, this area would have had to be rebuilt.
She turned to look at Ru Xian, and the two were finally only inches apart. She could finally see his expression clearly, and a sense of surprise rose in her heart.
Although the winter cicada plum is rare, it's really not a treasure to him. Could it be... that he wants it too?
Lin Feiran stood in the middle and single-handedly withstood three attacks before the others calmed down. She carefully observed everyone's expressions, lowered her eyes to think for a moment, and then raised her eyes and spoke.
"...Including the winter cicada plum blossom I just promised, I can take a total of three blossoms. If you really like them, I will write a letter to ask for a third blossom, one for each of you, how about that?"
Her hesitation was obvious, but her tone was also decisive enough.
"This plum blossom has been an obsession for me. Now that I've seen it with my own eyes, I'm done with it. If you really want it, then take my branch as well."
"..."
The three of them suddenly fell silent and turned to look at her.
For a moment, it was unclear whether she was exceptionally intelligent or simply wise in disguise.
All three knew the meaning behind the plum blossom, but she had already made her point so clearly that anyone who tried to take the plum blossom would be putting the cart before the horse and truly taking away what she loved.
Ru Xian was the first to release her grip, but she didn't pull her hand back, letting Lin Feiran hold the golden lotus on her wrist.
Qingzhu's eyes flickered slightly as she glanced at Ruxian thoughtfully. With a twirl of her folding fan, she then withdrew from the room.
Only Wei Changzai seemed oblivious, holding her left wrist and staring down at Lin Feiran's right hand.
She has never been comfortable with excessive physical contact with others.
But when she made her move, she skillfully grasped the lotus-shaped bracelet with three fingers, even encircling it perfectly without touching anything else.
If his gaze had substance, he could almost pierce through the bracelet.
Ru Xian naturally noticed this gaze, so she slightly curled her lips and, under his intense gaze, casually moved her five fingers, unconsciously loosening her grip on the golden ring, but still not letting go.
Wei Changzai's gaze slowly moved upwards, landing on Ruoshan's face, indifferent and desolate.
While the two were exchanging words in silence, Lin Feiran asked in confusion, "So you two don't want it anymore?"
Qingzhu looked down at her, her gaze lingering on her for a moment before she nodded and smiled, "This flower is a stroke of luck for me. I always missed it when I was looking for flowers before, and it seems that it will be the same this time."
You can keep the flowers yourself. If I want to see them again, I'll come find you. That's not too much to ask, is it?
"Of course not, come anytime." Lin Feiran could only nod, completely unaware that he had cleverly used a strategy of advancing while retreating, thus solving an age-old problem.
Just then, Wei Changzai, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke up and said in a low voice, "Manman, you are questioning me today because you want to know who did these runes, right? I know who it was."
Lin Feiran glanced at him sideways: "You mean Zhang Chunhe?"
“No.” Wei Changzai raised his eyes, his gaze fixed on her. “He told me it was a friend of his. Even though Master didn’t say it explicitly, I could tell who it was from his usual words and actions.”
I want to tell you this privately: come find me tonight, I'll be waiting for you here.
Before Lin Feiran could speak, Ru Xian said, "She won't be able to stay long tonight."
He turned his head to look at Lin Feiran, his eyebrows slightly raised, but he did not explain aloud. Instead, he chose to communicate with her telepathically.
"At three-quarters past midnight tonight, I have to do something important. Of course, you don't have to come; the choice is always yours."
He withdrew his gaze, waved his hand, and the ginseng boy waiting by the medicine furnace immediately brought over with silver needles. He casually pulled out three needles and inserted them into three acupoints on Wei Changzai's body for treatment, then turned to look at her.
Have you had lunch yet?
His words jumped so quickly that Lin Feiran almost instinctively shook his head.
"Then let's go together." He put away the silver needles, wiped his hands with a clean cloth, and looked up at the others.
"Are you coming too?"
Bi Qingxuan shook her head vigorously, repeatedly saying that she wasn't hungry, but Qingzhu simply lowered her eyes, took out a bowl of snow lychee soup, and looked at Lin Feiran with a smile.
"It's a rare opportunity to meet you all, and I haven't let you try my cooking yet. Why don't you stay and have a taste?"
Ru Xian glanced sideways and her gaze briefly met Qing Zhu's. Both of them had smiles on their lips, but the warmth of their smiles was different.
Xuanzhen leaned closer to smell it, her eyes lit up, and she exclaimed, "What a rich aroma! Qingzhu, haven't you always been a vegetarian and only made simple vegetarian dishes? When did you learn to make such a dessert?"
“Yes, when did I learn that…” Qingzhu pretended to ponder, then smiled and said, “About a few years ago, I was bored in the human world, so I learned some tricks.”
After saying that, he looked at Lin Feiran and said, "I've heard that most humans like this kind of sweet that isn't too sweet. Why don't you try it and see if you like it?"
The invitations have been extended several times, which is already quite generous. It would be impolite to refuse again, especially since it's just a bowl of snow lychee soup, not torture.
Lin Feiran stepped forward in a few steps, nodded to Qingzhu, then took the porcelain bowl from his hand and began to taste it.
She was always a person of plan. She originally planned to ask about the incantation in the morning, patrol the demon capital in the afternoon, ask Xun Feifei for an advance on her salary, and return to her room in the evening to meditate and release her seal, while also pondering the secret behind it.
Unfortunately, reality is always vastly different from expectations.
Who would have thought that so much would happen in just one hour? Since things are already in complete chaos, she might as well drink it while it's hot.
"She will stay here with me tonight."
A very soft voice came from behind, as if answering itself, and seemed to dissipate in the wind soon.
Ru Xian stared at him intently, a slight smile playing on her lips: "Is that so? Then we shall wait and see."
Lin Feiran coughed lightly, and Qingzhu immediately raised her hand to pat him gently, completely ignoring the noise from elsewhere: "Eat slowly, this is steamed with Yunyuan lychees, it's very smooth, you might choke if you're not careful."
Three pairs of eyes pierced her at once, and Lin Feiran felt as if she were being pricked by thorns. She didn't even have time to savor the food, and finished it in a few bites. After thanking Qingzhu again, she left with Ruxian.
The action was so fast that Biqing had only just reached out her hand: "I haven't even had a chance to ask her how it tastes. I don't really like sweet things either. Qingzhu, did you make sugar in it?"
"There's no sugar in it, just nectar from dozens of flowers, dripping into a bowl. It's not too sweet or greasy..." Qingzhu traced the rim of the bowl with her fingertips, saying, "Of course it tastes good, she finished it."
Xuanzhen had already devoured the food, but the lychee flesh mixed in was so tender that she choked on it for a moment without realizing it.
Biqing was holding a bowl when she saw this and nudged Qingzhu with her elbow: "You pat him too."
Qingzhu was slightly taken aback, then shook her head and chuckled, tapping Xuanzhen's back with the rib of her fan, but remained silent.
Xuanzhen glanced at him, coughed a few times, and pretended to pat her chest with concern, saying, "Xuanzhen, eat slowly. This is steamed with Yunyuan lychees. It's very smooth. You might choke if you're not careful."
Qingzhu: "..."
Biqing couldn't help but chuckle, leaning closer and whispering, "Qingzhu, that's not like something you would say. Are you trying to provoke him?"
She pointed to Wei Changzai, who was standing quietly by the window, seemingly lost in thought.
Qingzhu glanced at it only once and said in a calm voice, "Perhaps."
Perhaps, he also saw Lin Feiran's familiarity with Ru Xian, saw the hand holding the lotus ring, and saw her gaze occasionally falling on that person.
He couldn't help but think that he seemed to be a step too late again.
Both he and Wei Changzai were left behind here.
...
For Lin Feiran, a bowl of sweet soup was almost just an appetizer. It wasn't until she sat down at the table with Ru Xian and ate for a while that she finally felt a little full.
As always, Ru Xian ate very little and soon put down her jade chopsticks, sitting to the side and watching her.
He made no mention of what had happened before. After the food was cleared away, he got up, went to the table to make incense sticks, and chatted with her as usual.
"So that's why I only ate some steamed buns this morning. It turns out I ran out of money. The shopkeeper thought you were seriously injured during the siege and couldn't eat. He talked to Xun Feifei for a long time. Xun Feifei was also worried, so she came to find me."
Lin Feiran looked up at him and replied, "I will tell them the truth later."
After Ru Xian responded, the surroundings gradually quieted down.
This is a room filled with the sound of scattered pearls. The carpet on the floor is as soft as clouds, and large, round pearls are scattered among it, making a few crisp sounds when you walk on it.
On the central table was a jade carving depicting a snowy mountain scene with pine trees. The top, where the sunrise was located, was openwork. After he placed the plum blossom incense stick inside, the emanating icy smoke flowed down, and the green pine snow scene suddenly became graceful.
Lin Feiran knelt on one knee beside the table, quietly looking at the exquisite jade carving. It was actually priceless, but in his hands, it was nothing more than an incense burner, not a real treasure.
Seeing her focused gaze, Ru Xian extinguished the flame at her fingertips and asked, "Do you like this?"
Lin Feiran shook his head, then suddenly brought up past events: "During the grand banquet, many tribes came to present gifts, but it seems you didn't have any particularly prized treasures at that time?"
“Treasures? Those can only be considered rare items at best. They are common in my collection and are nothing special.”
Besides, he had already seen the best one that day, so how could the others be worthy of his attention?
Ru Xian looked at Lin Feiran, her snow-white eyelashes slowly lowering: "Why are you suddenly asking this?"
Lin Feiran was still staring at the jade carving, somewhat lost in thought: "I just suddenly remembered..."
She turned her gaze back to Ru Xian, and seeing him get up and walk to the bedside, seemingly preparing to rest, she asked, "Didn't you say last night that you wouldn't have to work day and night in the future?"
"It's not necessary, but you should still take a nap."
Like a hailstone, he loosened his outer robe, leaving only a thin garment.
"I thought you'd forgotten everything that happened last night. Why do you think I needed to take a nap?"
Lin Feiran sat behind the desk, looking through the wisps of smoke, and could only vaguely make out his smiling eyes and brows.
As her memories became clearer, she suddenly recalled that after clearing her meridians last night, Ru Xian wanted to get up but couldn't. So she leaned against the table and whispered that sentence in her ear again and again.
"I won't abandon you... I will always discipline you."
Lin Feiran suddenly stood up, hurriedly uttered the words "patrol the city," and then jumped out of the window and left. For a moment, only the crisp sound of pearls and jade clashing in a panic could be heard in the room.
Ru Xian chuckled softly, his lowered hand touching the velvet carpet, stirring the scattered pearls, but thinking of what had happened that day, his hand quickly slowed down.
He told himself to be more patient; he could only get closer to Lin Feiran little by little.
Don't rush.
...
After the siege, the Demon Capital was still somewhat chaotic. Today it was Lin Feiran's turn to lead the patrol. After capturing a criminal demon for the third time and expelling him from the Demon Capital, she simply ordered her men to split into teams for patrols, which would be faster.
However, as she patrolled the city and the sun began to set, she had to think about what would happen that night.
She wasn't so conflicted before. In the past, she could have gone to see Consort Wei first, asked the questions she needed to, and then gone to see Ruxian before midnight. The two things didn't actually conflict.
But she did indeed feel the difference at that moment.
...
As autumn draws to a close, the nights are cool and still, and even in Lancheng, a city known for its year-round spring-like climate, a chill can't help but be felt.
In the spacious medicine hut, only the central building had a single lamp lit, its dim light reflecting off the building and accompanied by the dripping sound of water, making the place even more secluded and quiet.
Lin Feiran rolled over and landed in the courtyard, heading straight to the center. She knocked on the door, and after a moment, the sound of water inside suddenly stopped. She heard Wei Changzai answer.
"Come in slowly."
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