Chapter 129
A few muffled claps of thunder echoed in the distance, and the rain soon began to fall.
Pedestrians hurried along the street, all rushing to find shelter from the rain. Vendors opened their oil-paper umbrellas and packed up their goods one by one. Rainwater was blown into the inner rooms through the windows by the slanting wind. Wen Chaoyu reached out and closed the window, looking at the person across the street and said, "Aren't you leaving yet?"
The young master held his teacup, a bamboo flute faintly visible in his sleeve. He sipped his tea slowly and said, "Wait a little longer."
"Wait for what?" Wen Chaoyu tilted his head back and took a swig of wine, his face turning cold. "If we delay any longer, Man Jiangxue will find out about you sooner or later."
The young master raised his eyes, looked at the wound on Wen Chaoyu's lip, and said bluntly, "Ji Wanshu has already left, but you are still staying in Weicheng. I can't rest easy about it."
Wen Chaoyu scoffed, deftly picked up a peanut and tossed it at his face, her tone laced with sarcasm: "You can rest assured, I didn't betray you."
The young master sat quietly, and when the peanut hit his nose, he was not angry. He simply said calmly, "Of course you wouldn't dare to expose me. If you dare to, not to mention whether I would deal with Ji Wanshu, the leader of the Nangong Cult would not let you off the hook."
He and Nangong Min had been cooperating for many years, but both of them harbored ulterior motives and had their own plans. Once Wen Chaoyu revealed Xiao Qi's identity to the public, her death would not be far off. No matter how much leniency Nangong Min showed her, he would never tolerate her in this matter.
As for Ji Wanshu, she had been in seclusion for several years and didn't know if that bitch had fed her anything she shouldn't have.
"Why the hell do you have to talk to me like that?" Wen Chaoyu's temper had been unusually volatile these past few days, and his tone was extremely unfriendly. "Do you think I don't know the stakes? You're so damn smart."
Seeing her repeatedly spewing vulgarities, Xue Tan looked embarrassed as he listened from the side. The young master, however, remained as calm as ever, stating bluntly, "It's one thing for you to understand, but it's another to be able to keep your mouth shut."
Wen Chaoyu propped her legs up on the chair, her posture extremely improper. She was seething with anger, with nowhere to vent it, so she glared at the person opposite her and said in a harsh tone, "So what exactly do you want? Stop talking nonsense!"
The young master opened the window and glanced down at the street below. At the end of his line of sight, he saw a figure in red walking about. The dark red umbrella obscured the person's face. He looked away and then stood up.
"Your people are here, and I should be leaving now. If you know what's good for you, you'd better behave yourself from now on, or don't blame me for not warning you."
Wen Chaoyu said, "Go to hell!"
The young master ignored her words, strolled down the stairs, and soon disappeared from sight.
The rain was heavy, and although there weren't many customers in the restaurant, it was still quite noisy. Wen Chaoyu peered out the window for a while, but seeing no one coming, she downed all the wine on the table in one gulp, her face grim. Xue Tan sighed, "Guardian, it's hard to be a good person. You've already done more than enough; why are you making things so difficult for yourself?"
Wen Chaoyu said, "Which eye of yours saw me struggling with myself?"
Xue Tan said, "I saw it with both eyes. You're ruining your health like this. You'll suffer from health problems later."
“I’m already a useless person, why would I care about that little bit of pain?” Wen Chaoyu said. “I might as well die. I’ve long since given up on living. Go down and buy me a coffin.”
Xue Tan sighed, "I really don't understand what you're so upset about. Although Seventh Young Master wants to deal with Man Jiangxue, that's their personal feud and has nothing to do with you. You don't need to get angry about it. If it's because of Miss Ji, haven't you already talked things out? Besides, Miss Ji is interested in you, which is a good thing!"
Wen Chaoyu paused for a moment, then said dejectedly, "What good thing? This is the worst thing I ever wanted to see." She threw the wine pot down with a clatter, glared at Xue Tan, and said, "How dare you bring this up? Who told you to tell her the truth? I'll skin you alive!"
Recalling the day Ji Wanshu questioned him, Xue Tan shuddered and said with lingering fear, "You didn't see what Miss Ji looked like. How could I not tell? She held a sword to my neck and almost scared me to death."
"Then why don't you die?" Wen Chaoyu said through gritted teeth. "Just hurry up and die, stab me before you die, and give me a quick death!"
Xue Tan dared not speak.
He remained silent, leaving Wen Chaoyu with no one to argue with, so she could only order the waiter to bring more wine. Soon, the wine arrived, and Wen Chaoyu hugged the wine jar, tilted her head back, and gulped it down. She had only swallowed two mouthfuls when a hand suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist. At the same time, a voice she hadn't heard in a long time said above her head, "A little wine is pleasant, but too much is harmful. Protector Wen, the wine is fine, but don't drink like this."
Wen Chaoyu raised her eyes impatiently, and after seeing who was standing beside her, she couldn't help but pause, then threw down the wine jar and said with a complicated expression, "Why are you here?"
Nangong Min looked at her gently and said, "I've come to pick you up."
For some reason, Wen Chaoyu got goosebumps all over because of Nangong Min's words. The two of them hadn't seen each other for almost five years, and now that they had suddenly bumped into each other, Wen Chaoyu felt extremely uncomfortable.
"Where to?" Wen Chaoyu sat up straight and said, "I won't reveal Seventh Young Master's identity, you don't need to make this trip yourself."
Nangong Min smiled and said, "Why wouldn't it be necessary? We haven't seen each other for many years, shouldn't we catch up?"
Wen Chaoyu glanced at her, thinking to herself, "What's the point of reminiscing?" But she didn't say anything, just stood there silently.
Raindrops fell on the wooden table and on Nangong Min's red dress. She stood with her hands behind her back, her eyes filled with her usual gentle smile, and said softly, "Don't you want to go back with me?"
Wen Chaoyu frowned: "As long as I'm still a member of the Ziwei Sect, it's the same wherever I am. Who doesn't like to be free and at ease outside?"
“But now you can’t stay outside anymore,” Nangong Min said. “If this hadn’t happened, I could have let you go out and have your fun. But you told Ji Wanshu that Xiao Qi asked you to save Yin Qiu, which is tantamount to exposing her. Once Man Jiangxue finds out who her flute injured, she will definitely send someone to arrest you. So guess what? Will she force you to tell her who Xiao Qi is?”
Wen Chaoyu couldn't help but get annoyed again: "I know how to avoid trouble myself, you don't need to worry about it."
Nangong Min looked at her, then at Xue Tan, who was standing beside her like a quail, and said, "With just the two of you, master and servant, how will you avoid Man Jiangxue if she brings people to your door?" Before Wen Chaoyu could reply, she continued, "Besides, many of the people who were willing to follow you died that night in the bamboo forest. If you go through any more troubles, you won't have anyone left by your side."
Wen Chaoyu clenched her fists secretly, but suppressed her anger and questioned, "You know that someone wants to kill Yin Qiu, and you know that Seventh Young Master wants to target Yin Qiu in order to deal with Man Jiangxue, so why don't you let others help her? Protector Qin's leg isn't broken, is it? And the other two protectors are always squatting in the sect drinking tea and taking a break. Which one of them can't step forward? Why do you have to keep harping on me?"
"You're asking me?" Nangong Min said, "But it wasn't me who sent you."
Wen Chaoyu said, "So you're admitting it too."
Nangong Min took two steps closer to her, staring at Wen Chaoyu, and said, "Why can't I acquiesce? Since that person wants to kill Yin Qiu, I'll see what he's capable of. Since we arrived in Wei City, many cultists have been lying in wait outside the city. Do you think I let them sunbathe outside? It's just that those secret guards are all a disgrace. There's no need for me to personally intervene. It's more than enough for me to allow Xiao Qi to call you over to save the day. If I sent another protector, it would become a matter for the Ziwei Cult, not a mess caused by Meng Wugui. Do I need to teach you such a simple principle?"
As early as when Yin Qiu was on her way to Yun Jian City, Nangong Min had specifically warned her that someone might try to kill her. However, because Yin Qiu had Man Jiangxue by her side, Nangong Min did not pay much attention to the matter. After all, she had a lot of confidence in Man Jiangxue and did not think that anyone could do anything to Yin Qiu under Man Jiangxue's nose.
However, to Nangong Min's surprise, those secret guards did not actively seek out Yin Qiu, but were instead lured out by Meng Wugui's scheme.
"Who is Meng Wugui?" Nangong Min's eyes flashed as his gaze lingered on the wound on Wen Chaoyu's lips. "Back then, we only had a brief encounter at the main altar. Although I knew she was from the Nine Immortals Hall and an old member of the Ruyi Sect, I didn't know what she was up to. Besides, on the eve of this conference, she sent someone to tell me that Shen Mandong might be in Weicheng. I came here to confirm whether Shen Mandong was really still alive, but I didn't expect that Meng Wugui knew about that person's existence just like me. She lured me to Weicheng to test whether I knew about that person."
So that night she also sent people to follow him in secret, but they just watched without making a move to help? Wen Chaoyu couldn't help but raise her voice and say, "I really can't stand it anymore. So you all know who that person is, but I don't. You and Meng Wugui are the leader of the Ziwei Sect and the head of the Jiuxian Hall, respectively. Why can't you two join forces to kill that person?"
Nangong Min chuckled lightly: "Didn't I already tell you? Neither Meng Wugui nor I know if the other knows about that person's existence. Even if we do know now, there's no possibility of us joining forces for the time being. After all, I destroyed the Ruyi Sect. Unless Meng Wugui wants to make connections with me and clearly tells me what she wants to do, then I can weigh the pros and cons and consider whether or not to join forces with her."
Wen Chaoyu looked at her with a complicated expression, and after a long while said, "All this scheming and backstabbing, aren't you tired?"
"Tired?" Nangong Min patted her shoulder. "How could I be tired? Just as people say, I'm a troublemaker who thrives on chaos. What do I have to be tired about?"
"I'm tired!" Wen Chaoyu brushed her hand away and said angrily, "I don't want to get involved in this mess at all. You can fight however you want, but can you please leave me alone?"
"Doesn't this immediately give you a chance to keep yourself out of trouble?" Nangong Min readily agreed. "As long as you come back to the Ziwei Sect with me, you won't have any more worries. If Manjiangxue can't catch you, she'll have to find out Xiaoqi's identity from other places. I, the sect leader, have come to pick you up personally for your safety. Isn't that enough sincerity?"
Wen Chaoyu sneered: "Don't make it sound so high-sounding. You just want to take me back and lock me up."
"Don't put it so harshly," Nangong Min said with a leisurely smile. "If you fall into Man Jiangxue's hands, she won't treat you well because of Ji Wanshu. Yin Qiu's life is at stake, and you'll inevitably get another beating. I'm saving you, Master."
Wen Chaoyu let out another cold laugh, kicked the bench aside and shoved Nangong Min hard in the shoulder, saying as she walked away, "Then I thank you."
·
Man Jiangxue added incense to the incense burner and sat quietly in the hall for a while. Soon after, a disciple came in the rain and bowed outside the door, saying, "Uncle-Master, I just went to inquire and found out that Wen Chaoyu has been personally taken away by Nangong Min and has already left the city."
Man Jiangxue raised her head, glanced at the increasingly heavy rain outside, and said nothing.
It was also because she was a little slow to react. After discussing the Gu poison with Meng Jing the night before last, she only remembered this morning that Wen Chaoyu knew who the flute player was. Man Jiangxue originally wanted to capture her and ask her for clarification, but Nangong Min beat her to it and took her away.
Since Nangong Min personally came to pick up Wen Chaoyu, it can only mean that she also knows the flute player and wants to protect him. Once Wen Chaoyu returns to the Ziwei Sect, she will definitely be under strict supervision by Nangong Min and will not be allowed to roam the martial world, lest she fall into the hands of Man Jiangxue.
Therefore, the fact that the flutist could poison Yin Qiu and was also connected with Nangong Min proves that he must be a spy planted in Yunhua Palace. Over the years, Xie Yijun has cleaned up her own ranks and caught some of the small fry, but she has never been able to find any clues about the one who was buried the deepest. Just when she thought she had a breakthrough opportunity with Wen Chaoyu, she let her escape.
"How are Bai Ling and Wan Shu doing?" Man Jiangxue asked again after a short while.
"We haven't received any letters yet," the disciple replied. "However, a senior brother from the palace just arrived. He said he was sent by the sect leader and wanted to inquire about our master's situation in Wei City."
Man Jiangxue raised her eyelashes and asked, "Where is he?"
"He's still waiting at the door, but he refuses to come in and sit down, saying that he has to return to the palace immediately after asking about the situation, and time is of the essence."
Man Jiangxue frowned: "What's the rush?"
The disciple said, "He said that the sect leader discovered that all the secret guards of Jingyue Peak have disappeared. In addition, you haven't written to the palace for a long time, so the sect leader is very worried and feels that something is amiss. Therefore, he told him to go and come back quickly and not to delay on the way." After saying this, he looked at Man Jiangxue and said, "Speaking of which, we really went through some danger in Weicheng, but the palace still doesn't know. The sect leader must be very uneasy to discover that the secret guards have vanished. However, my master instructed the disciples not to send letters to the palace for the time being, but we can't get back quickly. So, should I tell him the truth?"
Man Jiangxue kept it a secret from Xie Yijun to prevent her from losing her composure and making a rash move that would alert the enemy. But now that Xie Yijun has realized something was wrong, there's no need to keep it from her any longer.
Man Jiangxue said, "Then report the situation here truthfully. Tell that disciple not to tell anyone about the secret guards except for the sect leader. Also, ask the sect leader to investigate in the palace and find out where these secret guards came from."
The disciple readily agreed, and as he turned to leave, Man Jiangxue added, "One more thing: just tell them that all the secret guards are dead, but don't reveal that we captured one alive, understand?"
"Uncle-Master, rest assured, I understand."
Man Jiangxue waved her hand, and the disciple hurriedly stepped into the courtyard again, braving the rain.
·
Yin Qiu leaned against the railing, watching the rain patter on the pavilion. The world was shrouded in mist, and the only bright spot in her lowered gaze was the newly added clivia in the courtyard.
Meng Jing sat to one side, holding a small bamboo fan. After the medicine in the bowl was no longer so hot, she handed the bowl to Yin Qiu and said, "When the young guards are interrogated, will you go and listen?"
Yin Qiu downed the medicine in one gulp, wiped his mouth with a handkerchief, and replied, "I've already spoken with my martial uncle; I'll go and interrogate him."
Meng Jing glanced at her, then casually washed the medicine bowl and said, "Are you alone?"
“Yes, I’m all alone,” Yin Qiu said. “I’ve been in a daze these past few days, my mind isn’t very clear, and I don’t have the energy or the inclination to think about those messy things. But after having a long talk with you earlier, I’ve sorted out my thoughts, and I have a better idea of what to do next.”
After her serious injury, she spent her days adjusting after waking up. She deliberately avoided talking about some issues, not only to her disciples but also to Man Jiangxue. However, things always have to be faced eventually, and she could no longer remain passive; she had to take the initiative.
Meng Jing asked, "So, what are you going to do next?"
Yin Qiu smiled and said, "There are many things to do, but before that, I need to meet with two people."
Seeing that she did not specify who she wanted to see, Meng Jing did not ask any further questions, but simply said, "If there is anything I can do to help you, please don't hesitate to ask."
"I won't stand on ceremony with you, but I'm so sorry," Yin Qiu sighed softly. "This time, I've dragged you into this mess."
“I only have a minor scrape,” Meng Jing said. “Compared to your injury, mine is nothing.”
Yin Qiu looked at her: "Speaking of which, I really have to thank Miss Duan for saving you this time. Is she still in Cang County?"
Meng Jing shook his head: "When I came back, she had already set off back to Yaoding City."
“I’ll find an opportunity to visit you and express my gratitude,” Yin Qiu said. “We cannot be careless in repaying your life-saving kindness.”
Meng Jing hummed in agreement and glanced at the sky: "It's about time."
“Then please tell my martial aunt for me,” Yin Qiu stood up, “that I will go to see her after I finish the interrogation.”
Meng Jing said, "Okay."
The two then left, each heading in a different direction. Yin Qiu went out of the corridor and turned to the backyard. The man in black was locked in the east wing where Wen Chaoyu had stayed before. However, he did not receive the same treatment as Wen Chaoyu. The disciples deliberately removed all the furnishings in the room, and did not even lay out straw. They tied him up and threw him on the ground, giving him cold water and cold steamed buns every day, making his life miserable.
It was still early, but the rain made it especially dark. Yin Qiu carried a small oil lamp, and the disciples guarding the gate set up a table and chairs for her inside. She closed the door, placed the oil lamp on the table, and then sat down.
Seeing that the disciples outside had closed the door, the man in black seemed puzzled and kept looking towards the doorway.
"Stop looking, your martial uncle won't be coming," Yin Qiu leaned back in her chair, her gentle voice sounding much the same as before. "Today, only I am here to see you."
The man in black was disheveled and filthy. He moved from the ground, panting heavily, and leaned against the wall.
"It doesn't matter who comes, I won't say anything."
Yin Qiu clasped her hands together, looked at him and said, "All your other senior brothers are gone, and so are your relatives. At a time like this, you still won't tell me?"
The man in black grinned: "Xiao Qiu, I know your personality. You don't lie, so I believe you when you say they're gone. But I'll say it again: I won't say anything. Don't waste your time on me."
“Then let’s not talk about that,” Yin Qiu dusted off her skirt, her words gentle. “We’ve known each other for a while, so there’s something else we can talk about.”
Seeing that she wasn't like Meng Jing, who would stab him in the back at the slightest provocation, the man in black felt a little relieved and asked, "So what do you want to say?"
Yin Qiu's eyes were clear and sharp, with a smile in them: "Someone died outside just now, did you hear the noise, Senior Brother?"
“No,” the man in black scrutinized her, “who died?”
Yin Qiu said, "The people who came to kill you."
The man in black was taken aback at first, then laughed and said, "Trying to trick me?"
“I’m not lying to you,” Yin Qiu said, leaning on the table with his elbows propped up. “Knowing that you’re in our hands, how could the person behind you be at ease? Although I don’t know who he is, and I don’t expect you to tell me, you must know him very well. So, how much of what I say about him sending someone to silence you do you think is true, and how much is false?”
The man in black still laughed: "Alright, you think you'd spread the news that I'm still alive? You were just praising me for not lying, and now you're starting?"
“It wasn’t us who leaked it out,” Yin Qiu said calmly and composedly. “Back in Cang County, news of you had already leaked out. Miss Duan is not a member of the martial arts world; she is the daughter of a merchant, and her followers are numerous and diverse. No one can stop the gossip. In short, many people already know that you are still alive.”
The man in black paused, as if considering the truthfulness of her words, before finally replying, "Even if my master hears the news and really wants to kill me, there's no need to worry. With you all here guarding me, what do I have to be afraid of?"
“It seems you still don’t want to die,” Yin Qiu said. “But you should know that Sixth Brother was willing to sever his own heart meridian and die in front of me to keep the secret. He was willing to go to such lengths, but he still couldn’t protect his family. Not to mention you, you are so afraid of death. You’ve been living like this since you came from Cang County to Wei City. Who knows if you’ve said anything you shouldn’t have? Even if you haven’t said anything, in your master’s eyes, it’s as if you have. Now you’re unwilling to commit suicide, but you want to rely on us to save your life. I’m afraid there’s no such good thing.”
The man in black hesitated for a moment, then, as if he had nothing to lose, said, "Then why don't you just kill me? Why waste your breath talking to me here? We're all going to die anyway, so what difference does it make who kills us?"
Yin Qiu laughed: "Since you have this request, I will naturally grant it." After saying that, she immediately turned her head and called out to the door, "Come in, drag him out, and hang him by the door to wait."
Several guards immediately kicked the door open and entered, making a move to drag the person away.
"What are you doing?" A hint of panic flashed across the man in black's face. "If you want to kill me, just slit my throat. What's the point of dragging me out?"
Yin Qiu stared at him: "I'm not joking with you. After all, we're like brother and sister. I can't bring myself to kill you. I can only let your master deal with you. He'll just hang you up at the door and leave you there. He'll collect your body at dawn. Isn't that convenient?"
The man in black struggled for a moment, then shouted, "Stop! I don't want to die!"
Yin Qiu did not respond.
Several disciples moved swiftly, dragging the man to the door. Upon seeing this, the man in black quickly looked at Yin Qiu and gritted his teeth, saying, "I only obey my senior brother. I have never seen my master. If you really want to know, go ask my senior brother! He knows who my master is!"
"The eldest brother is dead." Yin Qiu felt the oil lamp was too bright and moved it back.
"I'm telling the truth!" The man in black's eyes were bloodshot. "Since I became a disciple of the Dark Guard, I have never seen my master's true face! All these years, we have only obeyed the orders of our eldest brother and the sixth brother. The two of them know everything. The rest of us disciples know very little!"
Yin Qiu ignored him and looked at the burning wick, saying, "Since you've all gathered together, there needs to be a leader. I'm afraid the eldest brother and the sixth brother don't have that ability."
The man in black's chest heaved violently. Seeing that Yin Qiu remained unmoved, he spat and said, "It's...it's Senior Sister Ye."
Yin Qiu slightly raised her eyes, but still didn't look at him: "Who?"
"Ye Zhilan!" the man in black exclaimed in frustration, "It was Ye Zhilan who formed us!"
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