Chapter 142
The night lamps were dim, the wind rustled the gauze curtains, and the snow continued to fall throughout the long night. The lamps in Wangchuan Palace were lit again.
Several maids knelt in the courtyard, their expressions filled with fear, all weeping uncontrollably. After Qin Zheng finished asking her questions, she stood outside the door and said to Nangong Min, "Reporting to the Sect Leader, they don't know when the person died. They only noticed that there was no movement inside for a long time before they realized that Yin Qiu was gone."
Nangong Min stood by the hot spring, her red dress almost blending into the gauze curtains. She looked calmly at the wide-open window on the inside and said, "The water in this pool is still warm, so they shouldn't have been gone for long."
Qin Zheng asked, "When should we send someone to chase after them?"
“Let’s wait a bit,” Nangong Min said casually as he turned around. “It’s just for show, no need to rush.”
Qin Zheng hesitated for a moment, looking troubled: "This... I think it would be best to send someone to chase after them immediately."
Nangong Min glanced at her: "Why?"
Qin Zheng lowered her head, not daring to meet Nangong Min's gaze, and said in a low voice, "Just now, a disciple came to report that... that Protector Wen has also disappeared."
Nangong Min paused, raised an eyebrow, and upon hearing the news, instead of being angry, laughed and said, "It seems Man Jiangxue really has come." As she spoke, she stepped out of the hall, stood under the eaves looking at the maids in the courtyard, and said, "Then there's even less need to chase after her."
Qin Zheng looked puzzled.
“What a clever division of labor,” Nangong Min chuckled. “I revealed the whereabouts of the Holy Sword to Yin Qiu so that she could find out for me whether the Holy Sword was really in Yunhua Palace. Only then would I tell her who the flute player was. But Man Jiangxue secretly took Wen Chaoyu away. She must have a way to make Wen Chaoyu talk.”
Qin Zheng said, "In this way, they not only have the Holy Sword, but they also know who Seventh Young Master is. Sect Leader, we have suffered a great loss this time."
Nangong Min waved her hand: "No, no," she gestured for the maids below to leave, and then said to Qin Zheng, "On the surface, it seems that I was tricked by them, but that's not the case."
Hearing this, Qin Zheng's eyes lit up: "What do you mean by 'otherwise'?"
“First of all, the Holy Sword has been lost for many years, and I don’t care that much anymore. It would be good if I could get it back, but there’s nothing I can do if I can’t. I might as well keep a positive attitude,” Nangong Min said. “But I believe that if Yin Qiu really finds the Holy Sword, she will tell me. As long as I know that the Holy Sword is really in Yunhua Palace, there will always be a day when I can get it back.”
Qin Zheng thought it made sense and asked, "What about Seventh Young Master? She has been lying low in Yunhua Palace for so many years. Not only has she not avenged her great grudge, but she has also not fulfilled the promise she made to the sect leader. If she is captured by Man Jiangxue and the others, won't all our efforts be in vain? Therefore, I think we should inform Seventh Young Master as soon as possible so that she can make preparations."
“There’s no need for that,” Nangong Min smiled amiably. “You don’t know much about this person. She’s not so easy to bring down.”
“But Wen Chaoyu will definitely reveal who Seventh Young Master is,” Qin Zheng said. “If we don’t inform him, Seventh Young Master will be in a passive position. In that case, we won’t be able to get the Holy Sword back, and we will lose our inside man in Yunhua Palace. Wouldn’t that be losing both our wife and our army? Furthermore, even if Seventh Young Master is clever and can think of a way to escape this calamity, as long as Yin Qiu gets the Holy Sword, she will know that it was the sect leader who leaked the secret. What if she turns around and attacks you?”
“She would never target me,” Nangong Min said. “Everyone has selfish motives. The fact that she has been delaying in giving me the Holy Sword all these years is indeed a way of restraining me. So what’s wrong with me using Yin Qiu to test her? Even if she finds out, she will understand my intention. I’m just using this to give her a warning. Even if she really harbors resentment because of this, she wouldn’t dare to turn against me. She is caught between the Ziwei Sect and the Yunhua Palace, and she is always at a disadvantage. She knows in her heart who she should please.”
Although she said that, Qin Zheng was still a little worried: "But once Seventh Young Master is exposed... how could Yunhua Palace let her go? Perhaps I am stupid, but I really can't think of how Seventh Young Master can resolve this crisis."
Nangong Min laughed and said leisurely, "It's not that you're stupid. I told you, you just don't know her very well." She paused here, then quickly continued, "Don't worry, Xiao Qi is safer than anyone else right now."
·
At dawn, before the small town had even awakened, the disciples at the post station had already begun their activities.
Many camellias had faded, and the snow in the courtyard was covered with fallen petals. Two female disciples carrying clothes walked to the bathhouse and were about to push open the door when they suddenly saw a hunched figure walking from the front yard.
"Senior Sister Cheng, you're up early today," a female disciple said with a smile. "Is the boiler room fire lit yet? We're just about to take a bath."
Cheng Xiu, carrying a bundle of freshly chopped firewood, hunched over as she brushed past them, saying in a low voice, "There's hot water, you can go in."
Two female disciples thanked her and entered the bathhouse with light steps. Cheng Xiu followed them in, lifted the thick curtain, and went into the boiler room inside. She took the firewood off her back and piled it in the corner, sat down on the floor, took the wine flask from her waist and took two sips. When she heard the "splashing" sound of water coming from the bathhouse outside, she stood up again and quickly added firewood to the stove.
It didn't snow in Yaodingcheng today. The thin morning light pierced through the clouds and shone into the room through the window screen, making the light brighter than usual. Cheng Xiu was watching the boiler, her face still sleepy. She rubbed her messy head and was about to pull the quilt over to take a nap on the woodpile when she turned around and saw that there was someone standing by the door.
—She was a young girl dressed in a pure white disciple's robe.
Cheng Xiu paused, looked the girl over, and seemed to recognize her, but couldn't recall her name. She then asked, "You are...?"
"My name is Bai Ling," the girl said. She was unremarkable in appearance, but her smile revealed a youthful carefree spirit. "I am the current top disciple of Liuli Peak. Senior Sister was also from Liuli Peak in the past, right?"
Cheng Xiu subconsciously ruffled her hair a couple of times to cover her face and said, "Um, did you need something from me?"
“It was my master who sent me to find you,” Bai Ling said. “I visited you in Yaoding City not long ago, and after I returned, I mentioned it to her. She learned that my senior sister is now relegated to this place watching over the boiler, which my master finds very regrettable. She has a good impression of my senior sister. This time, I came down the mountain specifically on my master’s orders to take you back to the palace. She wants to keep you by her side.”
Upon hearing this, Cheng Xiu remained silent for a moment before saying, "No need. I was just an ordinary disciple before, and I never had any interaction with the Grand Elder. Besides, it's not appropriate for me to stay in the palace in my current state. Staying in Yaoding City is fine. Please tell the Grand Elder that I appreciate your kindness, but I'm doing very well and don't really want to go back to the palace."
“What disciple doesn’t want to return to the palace? Senior Sister, please don’t refuse,” Bai Ling said. “I know what you’re worried about, but don’t worry, if anyone dares to gossip about Senior Sister because of her appearance, as her eldest disciple, I will certainly not tolerate it! Senior Sister, have you forgotten? We used to go down the mountain together to carry out missions for our sect. Your kung fu is so good, it’s really a waste for you to stay here to boil water and add firewood. Since my master is willing to cultivate you, you must not miss such a good opportunity.”
Cheng Xiu raised her head slightly, looked Bai Ling up and down for a while, and said calmly, "I'm sorry, I don't remember ever working with you on any missions. You must have mistaken me for someone else. My skills are average, and now I'm not even as good as many of the younger generation. I am truly unworthy of the Elder's kindness in cultivating me."
Bai Ling paused for a moment, then asked strangely, "Senior Sister, don't you remember me?" She took a few steps closer to Cheng Xiu, tilting her head, and said, "Six years ago, when you were trapped in the dilapidated temple by the Ziwei Sect, it was I who led people to rescue you. At that time, Senior Sister was so badly injured that she almost lost her life, and it was I who took you on a fast journey to a nearby town to treat your injuries. Although I have been busy with official business in recent years, and you have disappeared without a trace, and we haven't had much contact, how could Senior Sister forget this life-saving grace?"
Cheng Xiu frowned, her eyes hidden behind her messy hair scrutinizing Bai Ling again and again. Finally, she saw Bai Ling's expression of realization and asked in surprise, "You were the one who saved me?" She smiled somewhat awkwardly, "I'm sorry, I was badly injured at the time and was in a daze, so I didn't see your face clearly. Plus, so many years have passed and I've long forgotten. Please don't blame me, Junior Sister."
Bai Ling then laughed as well: "So Senior Sister did remember after all?"
Cheng Xiu hummed in agreement: "I remember now, thank you, junior sister."
"You really remember?" Bai Ling bent down, scrutinizing Cheng Xiu with a direct gaze. "But what I said just now was a lie."
Upon hearing this, Cheng Xiu's smile froze instantly, and a hint of coldness flashed in her eyes: "You're lying to me?"
"Six years ago, I was still in the new disciple's courtyard. I was neither the top disciple of Liuli Peak nor had I ever left the mountain," Bai Ling said, immediately drawing her sword and approaching Cheng Xiu. She said in a deep voice, "Most of your group were burned to death in the dilapidated temple. Although you survived, you were not saved by the disciples of the palace. You escaped by sheer luck and were saved by passing villagers. You are not Senior Sister Cheng at all. Who are you?"
Cheng Xiu gave a cold laugh, straightened up under Bai Ling's sharp gaze, moved her lips but didn't say a word, raised her hand and knocked away Bai Ling's sword with a palm strike, then jumped out of the window and escaped, her movements were very clean and neat.
Seeing her skill, Bai Ling became even more certain that her claim of having mediocre skills was absolutely false. However, seeing that Cheng Xiu had already escaped quickly, Bai Ling was not in a hurry at all. She calmly jumped down from the window, and just as Cheng Xiu was about to climb over the wall, a white figure appeared on the high wall in time, blocking Cheng Xiu's way.
Upon seeing who was blocking her way, Cheng Xiu was overcome with panic. Without thinking, she immediately turned back, intending to find another way to escape. However, the white figure behind her appeared in front of her again with lightning speed and struck her hard in the chest. Cheng Xiu coughed up blood and staggered back several steps before falling to the ground.
Seeing this, Bai Ling leaped over and quickly took out a rope to tie Cheng Xiu up tightly.
"Let's go first," Man Jiangxue said, glancing at Cheng Xiu. "Don't let the disciples in the post station notice anything."
Bai Ling responded with an "okay," and quickly pressed Cheng Xiu's acupoint, leading her to catch up with Man Jiangxue.
·
When Yin Qiu woke up, it was just getting light. The thin morning light shone through the window cracks onto the bronze mirror, then refracted and fell into her eyes.
It was still early, and many footsteps could already be heard in the inn. The cold wind swirled outside. Man Jiangxue was no longer on the bed beside her. Yin Qiu lingered in bed for a while. When she got dressed and went to wash up, the door to the outer room was gently pushed open. She turned around, holding a handkerchief, and saw that Man Jiangxue had entered first, followed by Bai Ling carrying Cheng Xiu.
"So fast?" Yin Qiu was slightly surprised. "I thought you had gone downstairs to eat first, and I was just about to go find you so we could go back to the inn together."
Bai Ling tossed Cheng Xiu to the ground like a sack of potatoes, grinned, and said, "Your injuries haven't healed yet, but with me and my martial uncle, that's enough. See? It's a piece of cake!"
Yin Qiu ran over happily and called out to Man Jiangxue, "Uncle-Master!"
"Did you sleep well?" Man Jiangxue brushed aside Yin Qiu's damp hair and asked, "What would you like to eat?"
Yin Qiu thought for a moment and said, "Now that we're in Yaodingcheng, of course we have to eat wonton noodles!"
“Okay, I’ll go out and buy it,” Bai Ling said, raising her hand with great tact. “You guys continue the interrogation, I’ll be back soon.”
Yin Qiu smiled, thanked Bai Ling, glanced at Cheng Xiu, and said, "Uncle Wen is still next door, why don't we call her over too?"
Man Jiangxue said, "I sent Xue Tan to the government office. Can you carry Wen Chaoyu on your back?"
Yin Qiu asked, "Can't my martial uncle carry it?"
Man Jiangxue said, "Shall I carry her on my back?"
Yin Qiu said, "Then you can bring it over."
“…I don’t want to hug her,” Man Jiangxue said with a troubled expression, then grabbed the rope on Cheng Xiu’s body and dragged her along, saying, “This will do too.”
Yin Qiu couldn't help but chuckle as she followed Man Jiangxue. The two of them dragged Cheng Xiu to the next room, where Wen Chaoyu was lying upright on the bed with her eyes closed, resting. She opened her eyes when she heard the noise.
“Uncle-Master Wen,” Yin Qiu walked to the bedside and sat down, helping Wen Chaoyu up, “look who we’ve captured?”
Wen Chaoyu lowered her eyelids, rolled her eyes at Cheng Xiu, and said, "Who is it? I don't know her."
“She’s Senior Sister Lu’s subordinate,” Yin Qiu explained. “With her testimony, Senior Sister Lu’s crime will be easier to prove.”
"What's it to me?" Wen Chaoyu said bluntly. "Hurry up and relieve my pent-up desire! I'm dying to get rid of it!"
Ever since being knocked unconscious by Man Jiangxue's chop to the neck, Wen Chaoyu had been unable to move on the way from Cangjun to Yaodingcheng. Even when she was eating or relieving herself, Bai Ling stayed by her side every step of the way, afraid that she would slip away if she had a chance.
“I can’t cure it,” Yin Qiu said seriously. “You’ll run away.”
Wen Chaoyu gritted her teeth: "You've learned all sorts of things you shouldn't have from Man Jiangxue! How despicable! I'm already in your hands, why should I run away? I'm not stupid enough to go back to the Ziwei Sect now, am I?"
“That’s not impossible,” Yin Qiu said. “We’re doing this for your safety. Anyway, you have to come with us to Yunhua Palace to testify against Senior Sister Lu in person. After this is over, we’ll hand you over to Senior Sister Ji. As for whether Senior Sister Ji will let you go or not, that’s not our business. Just bear with it a little longer.”
"Man Jiangxue!" Unable to vent her anger on Yin Qiu, Wen Chaoyu could only curse Man Jiangxue, "You shameless scoundrel!"
Man Jiangxue ignored her anger and simply said to Yin Qiu, "Sit down first, and we'll interrogate her again when Bai Ling and Xue Tan return. We have plenty of time."
Yin Qiu smiled and agreed, then pulled up a chair and sat down next to Man Jiangxue. The group waited there, and after about half an incense stick's time, they heard a series of footsteps coming from the corridor. Bai Ling entered the room carrying a food box, followed closely by Xue Tan, who was holding a portrait in his hand.
"The Liu Ba you're talking about was beheaded by the authorities a long time ago, but he left behind a portrait before he died, saying that the person he contacted looked like this. Take a look?"
Bai Ling placed several large bowls of fragrant wonton noodles on the table, and was the first to peek over and say, "Hmm? This person looks familiar, like I've seen him somewhere before."
Upon hearing this, Yin Qiu immediately looked at the portrait and said with surprise, "...He does look somewhat familiar. I think I've seen him before."
Man Jiangxue glanced at Bai Ling indifferently and asked, "You said earlier that she wasn't really Cheng Xiu?"
Bai Ling nodded: "I tested her, and she fell for my trap. She's definitely not him."
Man Jiangxue looked at the portrait back and forth with Cheng Xiu for a while, and said, "I had Meng Jing examine it that day, and he didn't find anything unusual. Perhaps we underestimated Huaiwei's disguise skills. Take another look at her face to see if she has a mask."
Bai Ling understood and immediately squatted down in front of Cheng Xiu, feeling around on her face. But after a while, she couldn't find anything wrong, so she said suspiciously, "That's strange, she really doesn't have a mask on her face." After saying this, she patted Cheng Xiu's face with the back of her hand, "Who exactly are you?"
Cheng Xiu's expression was indifferent, blood still dripping from the corner of her lips. Her lips were tightly closed, as if she didn't want to pay any attention to Bai Ling at all. Instead, she looked at Yin Qiu and said, "You said earlier that you wanted to convict Senior Sister Lu. What crime?"
Yin Qiu swallowed the cloud in her mouth, turned her head to look at her and said, "Senior Sister Lu is a spy planted in the palace by the Ziwei Sect, didn't you know? Of course, that's the crime."
Upon hearing this, Cheng Xiu was clearly taken aback, and after a long while, she said in a hoarse voice, "How did you find out?"
“If you don’t want anyone to know, then don’t do it in the first place,” Yin Qiu said. “If you do something bad, you’ll always be found out eventually. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have come looking for you. But don’t worry, as long as you’re willing to cooperate and confess honestly, we won’t make things difficult for you. Besides, you’ve seen it yourself, my master is right here. I’m not lying.”
Cheng Xiu was filled with doubt and uncertainty, countless thoughts flashing through her mind at that moment. But looking at Man Jiangxue and then at Wen Chaoyu on the bed, she struggled for a moment before finally resigning herself to her fate and asking, "Then what do you want to ask?"
Upon hearing this, Bai Ling knew there was hope. She exchanged glances with Yin Qiu and Man Jiangxue, took the portrait from Xue Tan's hand, and said, "Let's go through them one by one. First, tell me who you are."
Upon hearing this, Cheng Xiu first scoffed and looked at Yin Qiu, saying, "Who am I? Why don't you guess?"
Noticing the hatred in her eyes, Yin Qiu asked in confusion, "Do we know each other?"
“Of course I know you,” Cheng Xiu said coldly. “I’ve ended up in this situation because of you.”
Yin Qiu was slightly taken aback: "Me?"
“Take a closer look at this portrait,” Cheng Xiu said with a hostile expression. “Look at it a few more times. I don’t believe you really can’t remember.”
Yin Qiu frowned slightly and looked at the portrait again. It depicted a young man who, as Liu Ba had said, was quite handsome. If the man himself were present, he might even catch one's eye.
"So, the person in this painting is you in disguise." Yin Qiu examined the painting closely, feeling that the man looked more and more familiar, but she couldn't match the face with anyone, and couldn't even think of a random person to guess at.
Seeing that Yin Qiu couldn't say her name, Cheng Xiu's face turned ashen, and she said angrily, "I suffered so much because of you, living like a half-human, half-ghost for years, and you've actually forgotten me?" She gritted her teeth and said, "How ridiculous!"
Bai Ling couldn't help but roll her eyes and said speechlessly, "So, should she say 'sorry' to you? Get this straight, you and Senior Sister Lu are now the traitors of Yunhua. Who knows how many dirty things you've done in secret? Why are you being so fierce!"
“I really can’t remember,” Yin Qiu said, no longer looking at the portrait, but shifting her gaze to Cheng Xiu. “Just tell me, who are you?”
Cheng Xiu coughed violently for a while, and then suddenly burst into anger, saying, "You caused me to leave Yunhua Palace and be sent to Tianchi, where I suffered all kinds of cold looks and hardships! I tried my best to take revenge, but in the end you don't even remember me! How can you not remember me!"
Upon hearing her words, Yin Qiu's heart skipped a beat: "Tianchi...?"
She quickly looked at the portrait again, then asked with surprise, "You...you're Senior Sister Ding from Tianyin Peak?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
