Chapter 114
Man Jiangxue stood on the bridge for a long time.
The moat, like a green ribbon, encircles the entire city of Wei, its surface rippling gently with a clear, melodious sound. Above, rare white clouds float in the winter sky. Several grey herons swoop down from beneath the clouds and land on the riverbank. The reflections of the weeping willows on both banks are mirrored on the water's surface, displaying a scene of withered branches and fallen leaves, as well as the motionless white figures of the snow-covered trees.
A vendor carrying a shoulder pole approached from the other side of the bridge, the aroma wafting on the breeze. Bai Ling smelled it and her stomach growled. She called out to the vendor, "Old man, what kind of food do you sell here?"
The vendor was an elderly man with gray hair, who looked energetic and healthy. Upon hearing this, he strode over and replied, "Wontons! Delicious and flavorful wontons, eight copper coins a bowl, young lady, would you like some?"
"Yes, yes, yes!" Bai Ling had left early and hadn't had breakfast yet. She took out the copper coins and casually asked, "Does Martial Aunt want some?"
Man Jiangxue did not reply.
She seemed not to hear at all, her lowered gaze revealing obvious contemplation, showing no reaction whatsoever.
After leaving the house in the west of the city, the two stopped here. Man Jiangxue stood on the bridge admiring the scenery without saying a word. Bai Ling initially thought she was just looking at the beautiful scenery, but two whole hours had passed, and it was almost noon. Man Jiangxue still stood there silently, without even moving.
Bai Ling didn't dare ask what she was thinking about, nor did she want to disturb her. She could only stand aside and wait listlessly. She was so hungry that her mouth was watering, but Man Jiangxue hadn't eaten, so how could she eat alone?
"Hmm... never mind," Bai Ling thought, and put the copper coin back. "I don't want it anymore."
"You don't want it anymore?" The old man, who had been hawking his wares in the streets for many years, had long since developed the ability to read people's expressions. Seeing this, he looked at Man Jiangxue and said, "I say, young lady, it's not too late to think about it after you've eaten. This young lady is so hungry that her face is pale. How can she go on without eating?"
Bai Ling was taken aback and quickly put her index finger to her lips, shushing the old man not to disturb Man Jiangxue. But Man Jiangxue finally spoke up, saying, "You eat, I won't eat."
Bai Ling glanced at her, obediently replied "okay," and didn't try to persuade her further. She happily squatted down by the bridge railing with the wontons in her hand, and quickly devoured the bowl of wontons. After the old man waited for her to finish eating and put the bowl away, he picked up his load and walked away from the other side of the stone bridge.
The midday sun shone down, warming everyone. Bai Ling ate her bowl of wontons with great relish. She glanced at the sky and couldn't help but remind her, "Uncle-Master, it's already noon. Master Meng sent someone to invite you early this morning. It's probably not appropriate to delay for so long."
Man Jiangxue looked up at the sky, where the warm sun was blocked by thin clouds, and the sunlight that penetrated was not dazzling, but very gentle.
"Wait a little longer," Man Jiangxue said.
Bai Ling observed Man Jiangxue discreetly for a moment, noticing that she was unusually gloomy today, as if she had something on her mind. After thinking for a moment, she asked, "Uncle, you must have encountered some difficult problem or trouble. Although I am not very knowledgeable, I have been trained quite a bit in the palace these past few years. If you have something to say, Uncle, you might as well tell me. As the saying goes, an outsider's perspective is clearer. Maybe I can give you some advice?"
Trouble? Man Jiangxue seemed moved by Bai Ling's words. She was silent for a moment, then murmured, "It is indeed a trouble..."
Hearing this, Bai Ling became even more curious: "What exactly is the trouble? I have never seen my martial aunt look so troubled before."
Man Jiangxue paused, as if she was about to answer, but her lips moved twice and she remained silent.
Several grey herons spread their wings and flew high, circling the moat. A few feathers landed on the water. As Man Jiangxue looked at the feathers, what came to mind was the image of Yin Qiu wiping her lips on the back of her hand and the scene from last night.
Perhaps it was because she asked questions she shouldn't have asked and said things she shouldn't have said last night, Yin Qiu was clearly affected by her emotions, and stayed huddled on the other side of the bed all night, not daring to move.
She had a feeling that something was wrong, but she couldn't pinpoint what it was. She lay there for most of the night, thinking countless times about comforting Yin Qiu, but she didn't know where to begin. Fortunately, Yin Qiu finally fell asleep in the middle of the night, but she herself didn't sleep a wink.
"Isn't he just a martial uncle? Who else could he be?"
With Yin Qiu's words constantly on her mind, Man Jiangxue pondered them over and over, yet she couldn't understand why she was so troubled by them.
Otherwise, who else could she be but her martial aunt?
Does she still want to be someone other than her martial uncle in Yin Qiu's eyes?
But how could that be possible?
This is troublesome, really troublesome.
And it's all her troubles.
"Uncle-Master?" Bai Ling called out to Man Jiangxue again when she didn't get a response from her.
Man Jiangxue remained outwardly calm, but inwardly she sighed. She turned around nonchalantly and said, "Let's go."
·
Meng Jing swallowed some pills and drank some water in his room. He lay there for a long time before the pain in his chest subsided somewhat.
The doors and windows of the room were tightly closed, and the bed curtains were drawn, making the air inexplicably stuffy. She felt increasingly short of breath, so she simply put on her clothes, pushed open the door, and went out into the yard to get some fresh air.
The moon was high in the sky, and its light bathed the house in a deep, quiet atmosphere.
All the rooms were dark. This wasn't Yunhua Post Station, and there were no disciples on night duty. Meng Jing sat down on a bench in the corridor, the cool evening breeze easing the heat in her body, making her feel much better. She sat quietly for a long time, then noticed it was already early morning. She stood up to go back to her room, but just as she took a step, she heard a very soft sound from the other end, as if someone had pushed open a door.
Meng Jing paused, turned around, and saw by the moonlight that the door of a certain room behind him was indeed open. At the same time, a familiar figure walked out of that door.
Although no lanterns were lit in the corridor, the moonlight was quite nice tonight, and Meng Jing recognized the person as Yin Qiu at a glance. She showed a hint of surprise and was about to go over to greet him when she saw Yin Qiu quietly close the door and cautiously look around, behaving rather furtively. After a moment's thought, Meng Jing quickly turned and hid in a corner of the corridor.
The courtyard was silent, even the wind was weaker than usual. Yin Qiu's light figure darted across the eaves, quickly vaulting over the wall and disappearing without a trace. She made no noise at all, walking away quickly and hurriedly.
Meng Jing's eyes flickered, and he couldn't help but frown.
Where is she sneaking off to in the middle of the night?
Meng Jing suddenly had a bad feeling. She naturally thought of the flute player and her expression changed immediately. She hurriedly ran out of the courtyard.
But she had never practiced martial arts or knew any light-body skills, so when she chased after him outside, there was no trace of Yin Qiu.
What is she doing? Running out alone so late at night, what if the piper is watching her from the shadows and tries to follow her?
Meng Jing was filled with doubt and suspicion, and then hurriedly ran towards the house, but she stopped after only a few steps.
Man Jiangxue went to Jiuxiantang early in the morning and had not returned by this time. Meng Jing had a feeling that she could no longer hide this from her. Even if Yin Qiu really ignored her from now on, she could not turn a blind eye to the danger Yin Qiu was in.
Meng Jing made a quick decision and resolved to report the truth to Man Jiangxue. He then immediately left the house and hurried toward the direction of Jiuxian Hall.
·
Yin Qiu ran quietly across the rooftops of the houses for a while until the tall city wall came into view. She landed gracefully, found a secluded and dimly lit corner, and before the Nine Immortals Hall disciples guarding the city could turn around, she silently climbed up the city wall and nimbly jumped down.
Knowing that she would be traveling at night, Yin Qiu specially changed into a set of comfortable and easy-to-walk-in clothes. The clothes were fitted at the waist, with narrow sleeves and a straight hem. She even chose light and easy-to-walk boots. She looked tall and graceful, with the air of a young swordsman.
The moonlight was especially bright late at night, illuminating the small bamboo grove quite clearly. Yin Qiu had overslept and arrived a little late. She lingered in the grove for a while before seeing Afu flying down from above. As soon as the two met, Afu asked, "Did you come empty-handed?"
"Empty-handed?" Yin Qiu was a little confused. "Should I bring something?"
“A sword!” Afu said. “How can someone who practices martial arts not have a weapon?”
Yin Qiu glanced at her and thought the girl was talking nonsense, so she took the ice cream hanging on her waist and said, "Isn't this with me?"
Afu's eyes lit up immediately, and she said with relief, "That's good, that's good." After she finished speaking, she pulled Yin Qiu away to the darkest spot in the bamboo forest and whispered, "Don't make a sound yet, wait a moment."
Yin Qiu was a little confused by her behavior, but she lowered her voice and asked, "Waiting for what?"
Afu, her eyes fixed intently on the surroundings, replied, "Don't ask so many questions. Just listen to me and wait. Someone should be here soon."
Seeing her acting so mysteriously, Yin Qiu couldn't help but ask, "Didn't you tell me to come see my mother? Where is she?"
"Oh dear, why are you so disobedient?" Afu couldn't help but feel impatient. "Just do what I say, it won't hurt you!"
She was a straightforward person who always acted as she pleased when dealing with people, without considering the feelings of others. She was used to doing things her own way. Afu only knew that once she spoke, the listener should obey her completely. When she met someone like Yin Qiu, who was cautious and opinionated, Afu naturally found her to be long-winded and difficult to cooperate with.
This wasn't the first time Yin Qiu had been disliked by her, so she didn't mind. After hearing what Afu said, she quieted down and didn't ask any more questions.
However, the two waited huddled together for a long time, but no one ever appeared out of nowhere.
Although Yin Qiu had never truly believed Afu's words from the beginning, she still couldn't suppress her anticipation because it concerned Shen Mandong. However, she arrived as promised, but after a long while, she still hadn't seen him, and naturally, she felt a little anxious.
"What tricks are you playing?" Yin Qiu held back for a long time, but finally couldn't help but ask, "If you're lying to me, just say so now and I won't hold it against you, but don't treat me like a fool."
Afu was immediately displeased by these words. She leaned closer to Yin Qiu and said in an unfriendly tone, "Who's been ignoring you? Haste makes waste! Besides, I'm not even sure if they'll come or not. We'll just have to wait and see!"
Yin Qiu glanced at her and suddenly noticed that she was not only carrying her bow as usual, but her quiver was also full of arrows. Yin Qiu's gaze deepened, and then he suddenly remembered that she had deliberately mentioned weapons when they met, and he couldn't help but become a little suspicious.
"What are you going to do with so many arrows?" Yin Qiu shifted his gaze from Afu's shoulder and said casually, "It can't be that you're out hunting at night, there aren't many wild animals around here."
Upon hearing this, Afu paused for a moment while peeking out, which Yin Qiu immediately noticed. She secretly tightened her grip on the ice-purifying sword in her hand and heard Afu say irritably, "Annoying, so annoying. I really don't want to deal with people like you. If it weren't for Master... I wouldn't bother coming here!"
"Master? Master what?" Yin Qiu stared at Afu's profile, then suddenly realized what she meant. "It was Meng Wugui who asked you to call me here. She even invited my martial uncle away during the day just to get rid of her. Actually, my mother won't be coming tonight, right?"
Afu was a little surprised and a little discouraged by her words. She looked at Yin Qiu with a complicated expression and said, "Although I find your personality annoying, I have to say that you really have a clever mind and are surprisingly perceptive."
Yin Qiu felt that her words had been confirmed, and said in a deep voice, "It's more accurate to say that you thought I was too easy to fool."
After she finished speaking, she stood up straight.
"Hey! Where are you going?" Afu quickly grabbed Yin Qiu. "You can't leave yet!"
"Let go," Yin Qiu said, a rare hint of coldness in his voice. "Before I get truly angry, stop your tricks to toy with me and don't bother me anymore."
Afu shrank back, startled by the sudden coldness she exuded, and whispered, "But this matter is very important to you. You are the main character. How can this play continue if you leave?"
"Is it more important to me, or to you and Meng Wugui?" Yin Qiu tried her best to suppress her displeasure. "You used my mother's life and death as a pretext, setting traps for me time and time again, luring me to Weicheng, and then to here. Do you even understand that such actions are immoral and unacceptable to me? What do you mean by saying that you haven't seen my mother for so many years and aren't in a hurry? You make it sound so easy, but you don't apply it to yourself."
Afu was speechless, feeling guilty and regretful for speaking without thinking, revealing something she shouldn't have said, which made Yin Qiu realize what was happening.
"Oh dear, don't be angry... Alright, alright, your mother really won't come. Master told me to use this to deceive you," Afu had no choice but to tell the truth, trying her best to keep Yin Qiu. "But you really can't leave. There's a real reason why I asked you to come here. Calm down first, and I'll talk to you properly, okay?"
Yin Qiu brushed her hand away, her expression unchanged, and said, "Then please speak."
Afu stomped her foot in frustration and gritted her teeth, saying, "I was just following Master's instructions, and I don't know much. Master only said that someone would kill you. If Man Jiangxue were here, that person would have a hard time making a move. So she called Man Jiangxue away and used other methods to keep Man Jiangxue at Jiuxian Hall and prevent her from coming back. Then she asked me to call you out of the city. Since that person wants to harm you, he will definitely be watching you in the dark at all times. Seeing that you are alone and have come to a place like this, he will definitely not let go of such a good opportunity and will definitely send someone to kill you."
Yin Qiu's expression changed several times as she listened, half believing and half doubting. She remained silent for a moment before saying, "As you said, you and Meng Wugui deliberately plotted to make me lure that person out... You were actually helping me?"
"Of course!" Afu said, "Isn't that what I'm doing to help you? I left you a note the other day, but I couldn't trick you out, so I had to use your mother to trick you again. I didn't mean to tease you! Now that you understand, don't abandon me and run away. If Master finds out that I not only told you the truth but also told you to run away, I'm doomed!"
“We’re definitely doomed,” Yin Qiu said coldly, his brows furrowed. “Let’s not even talk about whether that person will come or not. If he doesn’t come, that’s fine. But if he does come, and he brings a large number of assassins, the two of us won’t be able to hold him off no matter what.”
Afu scratched her head, glancing subtly in a certain direction in the woods, and stammered, "...How could I not withstand it? Your kung fu is so good. I heard that you have never lost to anyone in Yunhua Palace. Even in the martial arts world, it is said that you are a descendant of Shen Mandong, surpassing her..."
“Those are just exaggerated rumors,” Yin Qiu interrupted her. “Besides, that person can injure me from a distance with the sound of his flute and make my internal energy disordered and uncontrollable. Even if I were a genius, I couldn’t do anything to him.”
"W-what flute music?" Afu was taken aback. "Master never mentioned this! You've already fought with that person?!"
Seeing the look of surprise and doubt on her face, Yin Qiu said coldly, "Since you know that someone wants to kill me, how come you don't know what methods he has? You rashly devised this plan without even discussing it with me beforehand. I really don't know how to evaluate you." After saying that, she didn't waste any more words and turned around decisively. "There's no time to lose, let's leave as soon as possible!"
Afu's eyes widened, and she immediately shouted, "How could you do this? You're really going to kick me while I'm down!" After shouting, she quickly covered her mouth and hurried after Yin Qiu, "...I've really fallen for you. Oh, let me tell you this, even if you're crippled today, it doesn't matter if that person comes, my senior sister..."
Before she could finish her sentence, a sharp sound suddenly rang in her ears, as if something sharp and piercing was rushing towards her, tearing through the night wind. Afu was startled and her ears rang, and half of her body felt as if it had fallen into an ice cave.
"Watch out!" Yin Qiu hurriedly dodged and pulled Afu behind him with all her might.
As she shifted positions, she raised her eyelashes and saw a long sword gleaming coldly in the night.
"They're here! They're here!" Afu exclaimed with delight, her face beaming. "See? I didn't lie to you! Someone really is trying to kill you!"
The longsword seemed to possess a spirit, failing to strike their bodies, and quickly turned to attack their faces. Yin Qiu held Afu firmly in her arms, flipped her into the air, and dodged the attack once again.
"I don't need you to tell me!" Yin Qiu replied to Afu amidst her busy schedule. "And there's no need to be so happy!"
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