Chapter 139
The room suddenly fell silent; you could hear a pin drop.
Yin Qiu sat in silence for a long time before asking incredulously, "It wasn't my father who told you?"
Nangong Min said, "He only told me about the mechanism, but he didn't give me the blueprints. He didn't even tell me the date of Shen Mandong's delivery."
Yin Qiu looked shocked: "But ever since I learned about my background, everyone has said that my father did it..."
“Because he took the blame for someone else,” Nangong Min said. “Once I break through the mechanism and enter Ruyi Gate, your mother will have no choice but to suspect him.”
"So who is that person?" Yin Qiu asked. "Besides my maternal grandparents, only my parents know about the organization. Who else knows?"
Nangong Min looked helpless: "I told you, I don't know who that person is either."
Yin Qiu looked at her with a mixture of belief and doubt.
"Believe it or not," Nangong Min said frankly, "I received a secret letter that day containing blueprints for cracking the underground mechanism, as well as news that your mother was about to give birth, and that Man Jiangxue had come to Cang County to carry out a mission, avoiding your mother. All the details were written clearly, but the handwriting on it was not your father's. I thought he had someone else write it for him, but after I stormed into Ruyi Gate, he asked me how I cracked the mechanism. Since even he himself didn't know, then someone else must have secretly helped me."
It turns out that the reason why Ruyi Sect was able to be annihilated by Ziwei Sect was not because Yin Xuan secretly tipped them off, but because someone else was pushing things along.
Yin Xuan approached Shen Mandong to seek revenge and married into the Shen family. He gained access to secrets but never mentioned the solution to Nangong Min. He fell in love with Shen Mandong, so he was willing to let go of his hatred and no longer serve Nangong Min. However, the person who actually betrayed him pinned all the blame on him.
Yin Xuan was wronged.
“It’s a pity your father is dead,” Nangong Min dismissed the maids in the hall and ordered the doors to be closed. “If he hadn’t died, he would have had a chance to prove his innocence and wouldn’t have been cursed by the world for so many years after his death.”
Upon suddenly learning the truth of what happened back then, Yin Qiu was shocked and filled with complicated emotions. She clenched her fists tightly and stammered, "Then why didn't you save him?"
"Why should I save him?" Nangong Min said as if she had heard a joke. "He didn't betray Ruyi Sect, but he betrayed me. Why should I save such a heartless and treacherous person? I am known as the demoness of the Demonic Sect, yet I have saved one unrelated person after another. In the end, apart from Wen Chaoyu, none of them are truly grateful to me. They even want to bite me back. No matter how kind-hearted I am, I am not that stupid."
Yin Qiu moved her lips, but remained silent.
“Besides, he was willing to die by your mother’s sword,” Nangong Min continued. “I originally wanted to take him back to the Ziwei Sect, but guess what? He was determined not to come back with me. When Shen Mandong’s sword was stuck in his heart, he covered the sword and walked into the sea of fire without even looking back. By the time the torrential rain extinguished the fire on Liucang Mountain, your father had become a charred corpse, dying with everyone else. But even in death, he never pulled the sword out of his heart.”
At this point, Nangong Min's gaze shifted to the Zhubing sword hanging at Yin Qiu's waist, and he said, "It's the sword you're carrying."
Yin Qiu's eyelashes trembled slightly, and tears welled up in her eyes. She subconsciously lowered her hand and touched Zhu Bing's cold, thin blade.
Even though the palace doors were closed, the cold wind still seeped in. Yin Qiu shivered violently in the invisible wind and said blankly, "Didn't you say before that you hadn't found my father's body?"
Nangong Min chuckled: "Why would I bother to collect his body after he's burned to such a ghastly state? Since he wanted to be buried in Liucang Mountain, I'll grant his wish and do as he pleases."
Yin Qiu was speechless.
Knowing that she would find it hard to accept this sudden news, Nangong Min stopped acting nonchalant. She suppressed her smile and said slowly, "That's all I have to say. If you want to find that person, you'll have to rely on yourself. I'm not some kind of pure philanthropist. Most of the people I've saved can be of use to me, but you can't bring me any benefit. That's all I can do to help you."
Yin Qiu remained silent and did not utter a word.
In fact, Yin Qiu didn't expect to get anything out of Nangong Min. She was already surprised that Nangong Min told her about Yin Xuan's affairs today. Moreover, she didn't know who sent her the secret letter. Even if Yin Qiu continued to ask, she wouldn't get any useful clues.
“But there’s one thing you can investigate,” Nangong Minfu reminded him again, “whoever made the mechanism knows how to solve it. Meng Wugui is an old member of Ruyi Sect. How did she end up in Jiuxian Hall and become its leader? What is her connection to the Ruyi Sect incident? In short, she definitely knows more than I do. Instead of asking me, you should ask her.”
Yin Qiu pondered for a long time before speaking, "I will naturally investigate this matter. As for the other murderer who destroyed the Ruyi Sect, I will find out who he is sooner or later. But besides him, there is someone else I want to ask."
Nangong Min said, "You want to know about the person who played the flute?"
Yin Qiu nodded: "That's right. He sent Wen Chaoyu to the bamboo forest to rescue me. On the surface, this wasn't your idea, but you took Wen Chaoyu away quickly afterward, which means you wanted to protect that flute player. You must know each other."
“We do know each other,” Nangong Min smiled knowingly, “but to your disappointment, I will not reveal a single clue about this person.”
Yin Qiu looked at her and said, "So, he must be a spy you planted in Yunhua Palace."
Nangong Min smiled but remained silent.
“He is definitely not a member of the Ziwei Sect,” Yin Qiu said. “You two are probably just partners. He has no ill intentions towards Yunhua Palace, he just wants to deal with your martial uncle. But your martial uncle is not an easy person to deal with, so he needs to join forces with you and needs the support of the Ziwei Sect. So what benefits did he give you to make you agree to protect him?”
Nangong Min looked at Yin Qiu, his expression seemingly praising her meticulous thinking. Nangong Min then asked, "Since you're so smart, why don't you try to guess for yourself?"
Yin Qiu immediately began to ponder this in secret.
From the moment she entered Yunhua Palace, the names Nangong Min and Ziwei Sect became legendary. But upon closer examination, apart from the refugee issue, Nangong Min has not actually posed any threat to Yunhua Palace over the years, nor has she ever had any real conflict with Yunhua Palace. Apart from the fact that she currently does not have the ability to defeat Yunhua Palace, could it be assumed that she never intended to seriously confront Yunhua Palace?
But she must have something she wants.
What is it?
Yin Qiu straightened his tangled thoughts, then suddenly raised his eyes and said firmly, "He can give you the Holy Sword."
Upon hearing this, Nangong Min slowly smiled.
Seeing her smile, Yin Qiu said with certainty, "He knows where the Holy Sword is, he absolutely knows! So he's using that as a condition to cooperate with you. The two of you each get what you want, and you're secretly colluding." At this point, Yin Qiu paused, "The Holy Sword is in Yunhua Palace!"
Nangong Min neither confirmed nor denied her speculation, but scoffed, "Don't use words like 'collusion.' What we did wasn't collusion, it was friendly conspiracy."
Yin Qiu ignored her, stood up abruptly, and continued on her own: "But he has been lying in ambush in the palace for a long time, which means that he can't get the Holy Sword so easily. But it's also possible that he deliberately let it go because he hasn't really harmed your master yet. He's deliberately stalling you. The Holy Sword... who has the Holy Sword?"
"Let me interrupt you for a moment," Nangong Min smiled dangerously, "If you keep guessing, your aunt might not be able to resist taking action against you."
Upon hearing this, Yin Qiu turned around and sneered, "You dare to touch me? The flute player wants to use me against my master. If you don't want to fall out with him, you won't easily touch me. But if you do, and he turns around and bites you, you won't have an easy time either."
Nangong Min stood up from the wooden chair and approached Yin Qiu, saying, "Do you think I'm afraid?"
Yin Qiu stared directly at her without fear and said, "You can't possibly not be afraid. I know the Holy Sword is an unprecedented treasure, and your martial arts are quite high, but you are still no match for your martial uncle. If you don't get rid of your martial uncle, Yunhua Palace will always have the upper hand over Ziwei Sect. And without the Holy Sword, you can't beat anyone. Otherwise, when Meng Wugui and Gongzi Fan appeared at the main altar at the same time, you would never have let them go so easily. So you really need the Holy Sword. Even if the Flute Player deliberately delays you before his selfish motives are fulfilled, you can't do anything about him and you even have to clean up his mess. If you cause his plan to go wrong, he can easily get the Holy Sword himself and then turn on you. Can you really say you're not afraid?"
As Yin Qiu finished speaking, a stronger gust of cold wind swept through the hall. Nangong Min's red robes fluttered wildly in the wind. She sneered, raised her hand and grabbed Yin Qiu's neck, her voice slightly deep as she said, "You underestimated me too much. But you're right, I really don't dare to touch you, nor do I need to. Even if you guess who that person is, given your current situation, you simply can't deal with him."
Yin Qiu stood ramrod straight, his expression calm, and said, "Then why don't we join forces? Compared to an uncontrollable hidden danger, I am the best candidate to help you retrieve the Holy Sword."
Nangong Min's eyes flickered slightly. She stared at Yin Qiu, her smile undiminished, and said, "I'm not that easy to fool. If I tell you where the Holy Sword is, and you hand it over to Man Jiangxue after you get it, I will surely die without a burial place. You think you can use such a small trick to turn the tables on me? You're still too green."
“You’re just being paranoid,” Yin Qiu said. “I have no other intentions towards you. I just want to find out who the Piper is and who killed the other culprit who destroyed the Ruyi Sect. I have no interest in the Holy Sword either, but those two are different. I thought you were hiding behind the conflict and minding your own business, but I didn’t expect you to be the one who is being restrained. Now that I can help you, are you really not going to give it a second thought?”
“But both of them can handle Man Jiangxue,” Nangong Min said. “Can you?”
“I can’t,” Yin Qiu said, “but they can do the same to you, can’t they?”
Nangong Min remained silent.
Seeing that she was wavering, Yin Qiu naturally wouldn't let this opportunity pass, pressing her advantage and saying, "Not long ago, the palace arrested a spy, but we all know that Senior Sister Ye was wronged. As long as we investigate one by one, the flute player will eventually slip up. When he has nowhere to retreat, he will definitely use the Holy Sword to coerce you into going to his rescue. At that time, you will be at odds with Yunhua Palace. Once you show yourself, your master will definitely kill you. Why bother? Protecting him will not do you any good."
Upon hearing this, Nangong Min finally sighed, withdrew her hand from Yin Qiu's neck, and said with a smile, "You found out? Yes, your aunt's situation isn't much better than yours. It's said that a person shouldn't have weaknesses or vulnerabilities. Your aunt is impeccable in other aspects, but the Holy Sword passed down through generations is your aunt's Achilles' heel, whether she wants it or not. But you can't be relied on, and I can't trust you either. So, what will maintain our cooperation?"
After a moment's thought, Yin Qiu suggested, "I can compromise. I don't need you to tell me who the piper is right now. You just need to tell me where the Holy Sword is. I will verify its authenticity when I return to the palace. After all, you don't know if he really knows where the Holy Sword is."
Nangong Min said, "Ah, that's a good idea. He said it was in Yunhua Palace, but it doesn't necessarily mean it really is in Yunhua Palace."
Yin Qiu, knowing when to advance and when to retreat, stopped trying to persuade him and wanted Nangong Min to make his own decision.
Sure enough, after a moment, Nangong Min spoke again: "Then it's settled. You check for me whether the Holy Sword is really in Yunhua Palace. You've never seen that sword before. Once you see it, draw it for me. I'll know its authenticity at a glance. I'll give you an answer then, how about that?"
Yin Qiu asked, "Where is the Holy Sword?"
Nangong Min looked down at her, her red lips curving into a smile: "Didn't I already remind you?" she said, leaning down close to Yin Qiu's eyes and whispering, "At the observatory."
·
As night fell, a thick layer of snow accumulated on the window frame. Wen Chaoyu took a small brush and swept the snow away. She heard Xue Tan rush into the room behind her and shout, "Protector! I have just learned of something unbelievable!"
Hearing his exaggerated tone, Wen Chaoyu chuckled, "Making a fuss over nothing, what could possibly be so unbelievable to you?"
Xue Tan said, "It's Yin Qiu! She actually came to the Ziwei Sect on her own initiative, and was even personally invited to the sect by the sect leader!"
Wen Chaoyu paused in her snow-sweeping motion, looking out at the night snow, and asked, "Yin Qiu? What's she doing at the Ziwei Sect?"
"I don't know," Xue Tan said, warming the brewed medicine with hot water. "She came at the hour of You (5-7 PM). It's said she hasn't come out since entering Wangchuan Palace and talked with the sect leader for a long time. I guess... she might be here to see you?"
Wen Chaoyu grabbed the unswept snow in her hand, rolled it into a round snowball, and said, "Even if she comes looking for me, the sect leader won't let her see me."
Xue Tan exclaimed in surprise, "Yin Qiu is here, so it's impossible for Man Jiangxue not to come, right? After we returned with the leader last time, a disciple reported that Man Jiangxue sent Yunhua disciples to search for your whereabouts in the city. Fortunately, the leader arrived in time and brought us back safely. Otherwise, if you had fallen into Man Jiangxue's hands, you would have been in serious trouble."
Wen Chaoyu was displeased: "What do you mean I'm doomed? I'm not afraid of Manjiangxue."
As she uttered these words, Xue Tan suddenly crowed like a rooster behind her, then stammered, "...That...that's very inappropriate. Who wouldn't be afraid of a snow-covered river...?"
Hearing him question her, Wen Chaoyu tossed the snowball up and caught it again, then yelled without turning her head, "What are you yelling about? I said I'm not afraid, and I mean it. Even if she were standing right in front of me, I would still say the same thing. Are you asking for a beating?"
As soon as she finished speaking, she was about to turn around and teach Xue Tan a lesson when her gaze shifted and she noticed a shadow suddenly appearing on the ground.
The shadow stood beside Xue Tan, holding a long sword in its hand, which was held against Xue Tan's neck.
Wen Chaoyu narrowed her eyes and threw the snowball in her hand out the window. She turned around and saw an unfamiliar young girl standing next to Xue Tan. Wen Chaoyu frowned and was about to ask a question, but then she noticed that there seemed to be another figure in her line of sight. She remained calm and turned her head with an air of composure. She saw a familiar figure in white sitting at the long table behind her.
The room was brightly lit with plenty of lamps, and the candlelight illuminated the person's fair and smooth face, making them look as beautiful as jade. Just sitting there, they created a magnificent and pleasing picture.
But Wen Chaoyu didn't find it pleasing to the eye; she only felt a chill run down her spine.
"When did you come in?!"
Man Jiangxue sat casually, her snow-white clothes billowing like a soft cloud. She held the dagger loosely, her fingertips gleaming with a lustrous sheen, and looked at Wen Chaoyu, saying, "Just now."
Wen Chaoyu was a little embarrassed, but she didn't forget to peek out to see what was going on. After seeing that there was no one in sight in the courtyard, she pulled the curtain of the outer room closed and said in an annoyed tone, "You've really become addicted to breaking into the Ziwei Sect at night. What are you doing here?"
Man Jiangxue raised her hand and tapped her from a distance with the tip of Ning Shuang's sword, saying, "Looking for you."
Wen Chaoyu reacted quickly: "I don't know anything!"
Seeing her like this, Xue Tan felt so ashamed that he lowered his head as if he couldn't bear to look at her.
“I’ve come to have tea with you,” Man Jiangxue said calmly, raising her hand in a gesture of invitation. “Sit down.”
Wen Chaoyu didn't want to sit down, her expression revealing a hint of helplessness: "I really don't know anything. You should leave quickly. If someone finds you here, Nangong Min will definitely use Yin Qiu's safety against you. Please have mercy on me and let me go. I want to have a few more days of peace and quiet."
Man Jiangxue sized her up and said in a calm tone, "Since you are not afraid of me, come and have a cup of tea with me. The way you two are standing here makes it look like I am here to interrogate you."
Wen Chaoyu thought to herself, "Isn't this obvious? They've already drawn their swords, isn't this an interrogation?" She slowly sat down at the other end of the long table, calmly poured two cups of tea, and said impatiently, "Speak quickly if you have something to say, stop hurting me. You've already hurt me badly enough."
Man Jiangxue didn't beat around the bush and went straight to the point: "Who is the flute player?"
Upon hearing this, Wen Chaoyu couldn't help but scoff: "Do you think I'd tell you? If I utter a single word, my corpse will be hanging on the city wall tomorrow morning."
"I'll collect your body," Man Jiangxue said calmly. "Who was it?"
Wen Chaoyu choked, speechless: "If you're so capable, why don't you investigate yourself? Besides, you need my help now, so be nice to me." She glanced at Xue Tan and Bai Ling beside her, "Release them first."
“You’re under my control now, so you’d better straighten out your attitude,” Man Jiangxue said unmovedly, asking once more, “Who is it?”
Wen Chaoyu gritted her teeth: "I don't know!"
Man Jiangxue grunted in agreement and glanced at Bai Ling, saying, "Throw him out."
Xue Tan's expression changed, and he quickly cried out to Wen Chaoyu for help: "Guardian—!"
“Go to hell,” Wen Chaoyu said coldly. “I’ll collect your corpse.”
Xue Tan cried out in alarm, "Guardian—!"
Bai Ling moved swiftly, grabbing Xue Tan by the collar and trying to drag him to the window. Man Jiangxue said, "It's a good opportunity to lure Nangong Min over as well. We can settle old scores and new ones together and see whether she kills Xiao Qiu first or I kill you first."
Wen Chaoyu angrily shouted, "Man Jiangxue! You despicable person!" She hurriedly turned around and yelled at Bai Ling, "Stop! Stop! Come back!"
Bai Ling didn't react. She kicked Xue Tan to the window frame, where he lay prone. Then she took out a rope from her sleeve and tied him up, while pretending to push him off.
Seeing this, Wen Chaoyu had no choice but to get up herself, run over and pull Xue Tan behind her, cursing loudly, "Man Jiangxue! Do you have any humanity?! What does this have to do with him?! If you have a problem, come at me directly! Don't try this!"
Man Jiangxue twirled the dagger, looked at Wen Chaoyu, and asked, "Who is it?"
Wen Chaoyu was absolutely furious with her: "I already told you I don't know!"
Man Jiangxue said, "As long as you are willing to tell me that person's name, I can take you away from the Ziwei Sect and arrange a good place for you that Nangong Min can't find." After she finished speaking, she deliberately added, "I will also have Wan Shu take care of you and keep you company."
Wen Chaoyu was already furious, and upon hearing this, she couldn't help but sneer again: "Don't try to bribe me with Wan Shu. I was born a member of the Ziwei Sect, and I will die a member of the Ziwei Sect. Your threats and inducements won't work. Just get out of here!"
Man Jiangxue looked at her for a while, and then actually got up. She gestured for Bai Ling to follow her, and when the two reached the door, Man Jiangxue turned back and said, "I'm giving you one last chance. Will you tell me or not?"
Wen Chaoyu coldly replied, "I won't talk!"
“Very good,” Man Jiangxue glanced at her sideways, “Then you should be prepared for Wan Shu to come looking for you.”
Wen Chaoyu was taken aback for a moment, then asked suspiciously, "What does she want with me?"
"What do you think?" Man Jiangxue's expression remained unchanged, but her tone had become colder. "If she knew who you were, wouldn't she come looking for you?"
Wen Chaoyu's eyelids twitched, and she couldn't help but become serious: "What do you mean?"
Man Jiangxue looked at her coldly: "I don't care about anyone except Xiao Qiu. As long as I can protect her, I don't mind being the bad guy. Since you are so stubborn and unyielding, I can only let you suffer a little. It's time for Wan Shu to know that you are the eldest daughter of the Ji family."
After saying that, she pushed open the door and left, leaving Wen Chaoyu with only a cold back view. Wen Chaoyu was terrified and shocked. Without thinking, she quickly leaped towards the door and blocked Man Jiangxue in the corridor.
"Wait a minute! How did you know?"
The courtyard was dimly lit by only a few scattered lights. Man Jiangxue stood at the door, her face divided by the light into alternating patterns of brightness and darkness. She did not answer, but Wen Chaoyu had already guessed: "Did Man Dong tell you? You two really are best friends who can talk about anything!"
At this moment, Man Jiangxue was no longer calm as before. She exuded an imposing aura and said with icy eyes, "If Wan Shu were treated like this, I don't believe you could sit still."
“Our situations are different!” Wen Chaoyu said. “Actually, I don’t want to see Yin Qiu suffer either, but I have no choice! If I really say it out loud, not only will I lose my own life, but Wan Shu will also be implicated!”
“I told you, I’ve already paved the way for your future,” Man Jiangxue said. “Do you intend to follow Nangong Min for the rest of your life?”
Wen Chaoyu looked conflicted.
“Whether you think I’m despicable or shameless, I don’t care at all,” Man Jiangxue said. “I have never claimed to be a good person. When necessary, I will not hesitate to use any means necessary. If you insist on not telling me, I can only threaten you with Wan Shu. You can decide for yourself.”
Wen Chaoyu clenched her fists, agonizing for a long time before finally gritting her teeth and saying, "If I tell you who it is, can you promise to keep it a secret?"
Man Jiangxue put two fingers together and said, "I swear to God."
“Fine,” Wen Chaoyu frowned, finally accepting her fate, and said, “...That person’s name is Xiao Qi. She had already infiltrated Yunhua Palace as an undercover agent many years ago. The reason I was able to get the mask and kidnap Yin Qiu to Ziwei Sect that year was because she helped me. This time, it was also her who asked me to rescue Yin Qiu.”
Man Jiangxue's eyes sharpened: "What's your name?"
Wen Chaoyu glanced at her and said in a deep voice, "Lu Huaiwei."
Author's Note: Hehe.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
