Chapter 122
While Weicheng was shrouded in a downpour, Yunhua Mountain was greeted by a flurry of light snow.
The refugees in the major cities had been settled by now, and the Ziwei Sect had not made any further moves. Ye Zhilan stayed in Jincheng for a month or so, and nothing much happened there. Only after the rumors about Yunhua Palace in the martial arts world gradually subsided did Ye Zhilan return to the palace to serve Xie Yijun.
The plum blossoms in the plum garden were as beautiful as ever. Xie Yijun hadn't been going to Mingguang Palace much lately. She preferred to stay in the garden to handle official business. Looking at the snow and the flowers made her feel much better and allowed her to temporarily forget about the messy things outside.
The table was piled high with folded documents, and there were always more unread ones than read ones. Xie Yijun had been sitting here since before dawn, and now it was already afternoon, but she hadn't gotten up to move around. She even had her lunch here in a hurry.
The incense in the incense burner was almost burned out, so Ye Zhilan replaced it with a new one. She then ground ink for Xie Yijun for a while. She glanced at the sky and said, "Master has been here for quite some time today. There are always so many memorials to read. Why don't you take a break?"
Xie Yijun was already exhausted, her eyes aching and her back stiff. She put down her pen, sighed deeply, and chuckled softly, saying, "I'm getting old, and my body isn't what it used to be. I could work all night for the past two years without any problems, but now I get tired and my eyes are blurry just from reading a few documents. I really can't take it anymore."
Ye Zhilan smiled, poured a cup of hot tea and handed it to Xie Yijun, saying with a smile, "Lately, there have been too many things to deal with, and Master is overwhelmed. I am also outside the palace and cannot help Master with these trivial matters. Now that I am back, why should Master do everything personally? Just leave it to me."
Xie Yijun took a couple of sips of tea and said, "You're more tired than me. You have to handle all the affairs of the palace. In the past, Wan Shu shared the burden with you, but now that she's been in seclusion for so many years, you've really had a hard time."
As the eldest disciple of Yunhua Sect, Ye Zhilan naturally bears a heavier burden than others. Furthermore, as the disciple of the sect leader, she must set an example for her fellow disciples. Previously, when Ji Wanshu was in seclusion, the two of them handled internal affairs and external matters respectively. Ye Zhilan managed palace affairs, while Ji Wanshu handled external affairs. Now, with Ji Wanshu absent, Ye Zhilan, who rarely left the palace, has been going down the mountain more often in the past two years; in reality, she is the one who is overwhelmed.
"It's all part of my job, there's no hardship involved," Ye Zhilan said. "Wan Shu will be the successor to the sect leader in the future. Once she takes the throne, I will do my best to assist her. I need to be well-informed about everything inside and outside the palace. Doing more will also be beneficial."
Xie Yijun looked pleased: "It's good that you think that way."
“Just as my uncle is now assisting my master, so is the same for Wan Shu and me,” Ye Zhilan said. “I know that my swordsmanship is not as good as my uncle’s, so I can only work harder on these small things. I also have to thank my master for his cultivation over the years.”
Xie Yijun found it very pleasing. Her words reminded her of Man Jiangxue, so she put down her teacup and said, "Speaking of Jiangxue, the Mozi Terrace should have been convened in Weicheng these past two days. Has she sent any letters?"
Ye Zhilan thought for a moment and replied, "I received a letter ten days ago, but there has been no news in the last two days."
Xie Yijun pondered for a moment and said, "That means it's been a while since we last wrote... I'm so far away, I don't know how things are going there."
Ye Zhilan looked at Xie Yijun and suggested, "If Master is worried about Martial Uncle, how about this? I'll send someone to Jingyue Peak and have a junior brother from the secret guards go to Weicheng to investigate the situation and report back to Master. What do you think?"
Xie Yijun glanced at her and said, "Alright."
Ye Zhilan responded and immediately sent a disciple to give instructions. The two sat in the garden for a while longer before packing up and returning to Mingguang Hall. After a while, the disciple who had delivered the message rushed over and reported, "It's really strange. There's not a single person on Jingyue Peak. The secret guards have all disappeared. I've been searching for a long time but can't find them."
Xie Yijun was changing clothes in her bedchamber when she heard this. She put on her outer robe, walked around the screen, and came out, frowning. "Is there no one here?"
The disciple shook his head: "I've searched everywhere, and there really isn't a single person here."
Ye Zhilan looked puzzled and chimed in from the side, "How could this be? In the past, when our martial uncles went down the mountain, they were all staying in Chenxing Palace perfectly well. There has never been such a situation before. How come they can't be found?"
The disciple shook his head again: "Is that why it feels strange... Could it be that Uncle-Master took them all with him when he left?"
Ye Zhilan pondered for a moment and said, "It's unlikely. My martial aunt has important business to attend to in Weicheng. Why would she bring so many people and make such a big fuss?"
"Perhaps they're following secretly?" the disciple guessed. "They're supposed to be bodyguards, so even if they're following their master, they wouldn't be so openly accompanying him."
“There’s no reason for her to leave without a word,” Xie Yijun said. “Jiang Xue is used to coming and going as she pleases. Whether she says hello or not is no big deal. But how can a secret guard disciple leave the palace without reporting to me?”
Ye Zhilan thought it made sense and said, "Master, don't worry, I'll go and see for myself now."
Xie Yijun fiddled with the prayer beads in her hand, but did not respond immediately.
Ye Zhilan looked at her: "Master?"
Xie Yijun remained silent for a moment, then looked up at the flying snow outside the hall and suddenly said in a low voice, "I don't know why, but for a moment I feel uneasy... Zhilan, go to Jingyue Peak and take a look. Also, arrange for other disciples to go to Weicheng. I need to know how Jiang Xue is doing as soon as possible."
Ye Zhilan readily agreed and quickly led the messenger disciple out of Mingguang Hall. Xie Yijun walked to the door and muttered to herself, "I hope nothing bad happens..."
·
The rain fell intermittently, and the courtyard was filled with shimmering water. The disciples were sweeping up the puddles. Bai Ling was carrying the doctor's newly prescribed medicine and was heading to the kitchen when she suddenly heard two knocks on the front door as she passed the front yard.
"Excuse me, are you from Yunhua Palace? I have something to ask you!"
Bai Ling's ears twitched slightly, and she immediately ran over and opened the door. There stood a young man, covered in sweat from running in the heavy rain, holding a letter in his hand.
Bai Ling put down what she was holding, nodded slightly to the man, and asked, "May I ask what business you have with me?"
“I am a servant of the Duan family in Yaodingcheng,” the man said, handing the letter to Bai Ling. “This was sent by my young lady. Your disciple Meng Jing was being chased a few days ago, but was fortunately rescued by my young lady. He is currently in Cang County. My young lady specifically asked me to deliver this message. Please pass it on to her.”
Meng Jing was being chased and killed, but was rescued by Duan Ning?
Bai Ling's expression changed, and she hurriedly took the letter. The man then briefly recounted how he had saved Meng Jing, and finally said, "My young lady said that as long as Young Master Meng's injuries improve, she will send someone to bring him back. Please don't worry."
Upon suddenly learning of Meng Jing's whereabouts, Bai Ling was both surprised and delighted. After a brief conversation, she escorted the man to the bottom of the steps. Just as she was about to rush to report this matter to Man Jiangxue, she saw a group of disciples from the Nine Immortals Hall walking towards her from the street corner as she was closing the door.
“Young lady, we are disciples of the Nine Immortals Hall. We are here on the orders of our hall master to have important matters to discuss with your Uncle Yunhua.”
Bai Ling looked at them and asked, "What important matter is it?"
The leading disciple did not answer, only saying that Meng Wugui had instructed that he must personally convey the message to Man Jiangxue. Bai Ling did not ask any further questions, led the person to the courtyard, and knocked on Man Jiangxue's door.
It was already evening, and candles were lit inside the house, but no one was in sight. Man Jiangxue had not yet appeared. The disciple of the Nine Immortals Hall was not in a hurry. He simply stood in the courtyard and said loudly, "I have come here for no other reason than that our Nine Immortals Hall's grand meeting has already begun. Apart from your esteemed sect, all other sects have already gone. My hall master instructed us to come and ask when Yunhua Palace will be able to attend?"
No one answered for a long time.
Bai Ling glanced at the tightly closed door. The group waited in the drizzle for a while, but Man Jiangxue did not reply. After a while, Ji Wanshu came through the corridor. Bai Ling then told her the purpose of their visit. Ji Wanshu said, "No time, and no one cares to go to your Nine Immortals Hall to see some kind of mechanical exhibition. Go back to where you came from."
As for what exactly happened that night, even though Yin Qiu was still unconscious and did not know the whole story, Man Jiangxue had a general idea. Ji Wanshu learned some information from her and knew that it was Meng Wugui of the Nine Immortals Hall who was behind it. Naturally, he did not give these people a friendly look.
The disciple from the Nine Immortals Hall seemed to have anticipated being rebuffed, so he didn't blush and simply said respectfully, "It's like this: my hall master specifically instructed that there is a very important item to be exhibited at this mechanical assembly. She said it doesn't matter whether others see it or not, but your Yunhua Palace must not be absent."
Ji Wanshu looked him over and asked, "Then tell me, what kind of extraordinary object is it?"
The disciple replied, "I don't know either. The hall master didn't say it explicitly, only that your Uncle Yunhua would understand if he heard this."
Ji Wanshu frowned, about to turn around and ask Man Jiangxue for instructions, when the door opened as she turned around.
A white figure gracefully appeared amidst the halo of light. Man Jiangxue simply stood at the doorway, not stepping out. The lanterns in the corridor made her appear somewhat cold, and her gaze towards the courtyard was inexplicably tinged with a chilling aura.
“Go back and tell Meng Wugui,” Man Jiangxue said, “whatever she wants to show me, tell her to be prepared.”
The disciple bowed and asked, "May I ask what preparations my master is making?"
Man Jiangxue said succinctly, "She should understand after hearing what I said."
The disciple looked slightly puzzled, but wisely refrained from asking further questions. After Man Jiangxue finished speaking, she went into the room. Ji Wanshu immediately snorted coldly and ordered, "Get her out of here."
Although Bai Ling didn't understand why Ji Wanshu was so cold to them, she didn't hesitate when she heard this. She immediately led several Yunhua disciples to the courtyard and pretended to kick them out. The Jiuxiantang disciples' expressions changed slightly, and they hurriedly quickened their pace and retreated.
"Senior Sister Ji," Bai Ling handed the letter to Ji Wanshu after everyone had left, "there's news about Meng Jing."
Ji Wanshu opened the letter, glanced at its contents, and raised an eyebrow, asking, "What enemies has that kid gotten himself into this time?"
Bai Ling sighed: "It's not that he has any enemies. Meng Jing always goes down the mountain with me. He doesn't have any enemies. I guess... his accident might be related to Xiao Qiu. Otherwise, why would anyone chase after someone who doesn't even know kung fu?"
Ji Wanshu hummed in agreement, signaled Bai Ling to leave, and went into the room to hand the letter to Man Jiangxue.
After glancing over the contents of the document, Man Jiangxue said slowly, "It's good that he's alright. We can ask him when he gets back. What about you?"
Ji Wanshu was a little confused: "Me?"
Man Jiangxue glanced at her and said, "It's been almost seven days. I asked you to ask Wen Chaoyu who ordered her to help Xiao Qiu, but you didn't ask?"
Ji Wanshu paused, lifted her skirt and sat down at the table, remaining silent for a while before saying, "I didn't have a chance to ask."
She did want to ask, but every time she went to the east wing, she couldn't help but argue with Wen Chaoyu. The two of them had no chance to calm down and talk. Once they started arguing, Ji Wanshu would only focus on verbal exchanges with Wen Chaoyu and would forget about the important matter.
What's even more troublesome is that even though Ji Wanshu wanted to ease the tension, Wen Chaoyu wouldn't give her a kind look. She would either sulk and refuse to talk to her, or she would throw things in her room and yell at her. Apart from the first day, Ji Wanshu hadn't even stepped into Wen Chaoyu's room yet.
“After five years apart, I thought there would be some warmth between you two,” Man Jiangxue said softly, glancing over the bed curtains at Yin Qiu, who was fast asleep inside. “How come you seem even more distant than before?”
Ji Wanshu remained silent.
She lowered her head, staring at the table, as if in a daze.
Man Jiangxue glanced at her again and said, "You may leave."
Ji Wanshu stood up, bowed, and left in a sullen manner.
She had just closed the door when Bai Ling arrived and said, "Senior Sister Ji, the disciples have captured a member of the Ziwei Sect. He's in the backyard and they want to ask you to come over for questioning."
Ji Wanshu raised her eyes: "Is his name Xue Tan?"
Bai Ling nodded.
Ji Wanshu said, "Let's go."
·
As the sound of footsteps faded into the distance outside the door, Man Jiangxue ate a few bites of the food Bai Ling had brought her earlier, then called her disciple to bring some hot water before taking a bath in the room.
Seven days have passed, and Yin Qiu has not fully woken up. During this time, she only called out twice in the middle of the night that she was thirsty. Man Jiangxue fed her some water, and she quickly fell into a drowsy sleep again, never waking up.
During these seven days, Man Jiangxue did not get a good night's sleep. She held Yin Qiu in her arms day and night, and when she was sleepy, she would lean against the headboard and doze off for a while. If she heard the slightest noise, she would open her eyes to see if Yin Qiu had woken up.
Under these circumstances, Man Jiangxue had no time to care about anything else, and devoted all her attention to Yin Qiu.
Now it seems that the news of Shen Mandong in Weicheng was just a lie spread by Meng Wugui, and Man Jiangxue already knows her true identity. As for Nangong Min, she has disappeared these past few days, and it is said that the matter of Mozitai was handled by Protector Qin Zheng on her behalf.
As a result, there was no need to participate in the conference. With Yin Qiu in a bad situation, Man Jiangxue could not abandon her to go find Nangong Min. She had completed two of the three tasks given by Xie Yijun. As for killing Nangong Min, Man Jiangxue naturally put it aside for the time being.
As the rain pattered outside, Man Jiangxue quickly finished her bath. Just like the previous two days, she personally fed Yin Qiu the medicine, then held her in her arms, leaned against the headboard, closed her eyes to rest, and soon fell asleep in that position.
She didn't know how much time had passed when the rain outside suddenly intensified. The dense, noisy sounds reached her ears, and in her half-awake state, it was as if someone was whispering in her ear. Man Jiangxue slightly regained her senses from her dream and tried to listen carefully, but she was too tired. Her consciousness only gathered briefly before quickly dissipating.
It wasn't until a hand gently touched her cheek, weakly and limply, that Man Jiangxue suddenly opened her eyes and fully woke up.
She instinctively lowered her head and saw that the person in her arms had woken up at some point and was looking at her with hazy eyes.
"Uncle-Master..."
Hearing that familiar call, Man Jiangxue's eyes lit up, and the worries and fatigue of the past few days vanished instantly. She quickly sat up, holding Yin Qiu, her movements as gentle as if she were holding something fragile.
"Xiao Qiu?" Man Jiangxue finally breathed a sigh of relief after being on edge for the past few days. "You're finally awake."
Yin Qiu nestled in her arms, still looking pale and lifeless. She glanced blankly at the room's furnishings, her mind a complete blank.
Where am I...?
Man Jiangxue tidied her disheveled hair and said softly, "We're still in Weicheng. How are you? Are you in pain?"
Yin Qiu was in pain all over; her limbs and bones felt like they had been brutally beaten. The severe internal injuries caused her internal organs to ache continuously. But she didn't tell Man Jiangxue. She just shook her head and said, "I'm so thirsty."
Man Jiangxue immediately withdrew her hand and was about to let go of Yin Qiu to pour her a glass of water, but at that moment Yin Qiu grabbed her clothes tightly and her breathing became rapid.
Before Man Jiangxue could ask a question, Yin Qiu choked back two sobs, then released her grip on Man Jiangxue's hand and collapsed by the bedside, vomiting several mouthfuls of yellow fluid.
She hadn't eaten for days, and all she had been given was medicine or life-sustaining soup. She couldn't vomit anything but water. When Man Jiangxue saw her like this, her heart, which had just settled down, clenched again.
"It's alright, it's alright," she gently patted Yin Qiu's back, comforting her softly, "You'll be fine once you throw up, you'll be better soon."
Yin Qiu's eyes were bloodshot from vomiting, and her stomach felt like it was on fire. She gasped for breath and, after a long while, finally couldn't help but say, "I feel so awful..."
Man Jiangxue sighed, wiped Yin Qiu's mouth with a handkerchief, then simply picked her up and sat her down at the table. While pouring water, she said, "Uncle knows that Xiao Qiu must be feeling very uncomfortable, but it's okay. Uncle will stay here with you, alright?"
Listening to her gentle voice, Yin Qiu felt as if she were still in a dream. Various images flashed through her mind, and blurry faces appeared before her eyes. She had just woken up and her mind was not yet clear. She could not yet distinguish between dream and reality. She could only try her best to cheer herself up and listen to the sound of rain outside and Man Jiangxue's voice.
In the stillness of the night, the swirling rain enveloped the world. The flickering candlelight made this corner seem like a secluded paradise far removed from the world. A touch of coolness touched her lips, and Yin Qiu looked at Man Jiangxue through teary eyes. She opened her mouth to drink some water, but was in too much pain to speak.
"Little Qiu, be good. Your Uncle is always here," Man Jiangxue hugged her and coaxed her like a child. "When you get better, your Uncle will buy you candy. You can have whatever you want, as much as you want."
Yin Qiu tilted her head and leaned against Man Jiangxue's chest. Her eyes were slightly closed, and glistening tears hung on her long eyelashes.
Manjiang Xueteng reached out and brushed away the tear with his fingertips, then buried his head in Yin Qiu's forehead and kissed her, saying softly, "Sleep some more, you'll feel better after a good night's sleep. When you wake up tomorrow morning, your martial uncle will still be here. We won't go anywhere else."
Yin Qiu's nose stung, and the grievances in her heart burst forth like a tidal wave. Listening to Man Jiangxue's voice, she couldn't help but burst into tears, crying with suppressed sorrow.
Man Jiangxue looked down at her, her tired face bearing a faint smile. She patted Yin Qiu's shoulder, patiently comforting and coaxing her.
Yin Qiu cried harder and harder, tears streaming down her face, dripping from her hair onto Man Jiangxue's sleeves, soaking the fabric. Man Jiangxue's hands were dry and warm, gently stroking Yin Qiu's face, but she couldn't wipe away the tears, nor could she calm Yin Qiu down.
"Okay, okay, Xiao Qiu, don't cry, don't cry..."
Man Jiangxue felt guilty and remorseful, and didn't know how to comfort Yin Qiu. She could only keep talking and hold her tightly in her arms. When Yin Qiu's emotions gradually calmed down, she lowered her head again and kissed Yin Qiu's cheeks again and again, kissing away the wet tear stains on her face and kissing her trembling, butterfly-wing-like eyes.
The night grew even deeper in the rain.
Feeling the person in her arms gradually calm down, stop trembling, and seem to have fallen asleep again, Man Jiangxue stopped talking and raised her hand to touch Yin Qiu's face.
She sighed, pulled Yin Qiu closer to her, and gently kissed her forehead again.
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