Chapter 153
A charcoal fire burned inside the medical pavilion, warm as early summer. Bloodstains spread from the doorway to the bed, and blood-stained bandages and handkerchiefs were scattered everywhere. Lu Huaiwei's eyes were tightly closed, and her face was ashen. If it weren't for the slight rise and fall of her chest as she breathed, one might not be sure if she was still alive at first glance.
The pungent smell of medicine mingled with the strong stench of blood, making one's head spin. Meng Jing sat on the edge of the couch, her light blue robe stained with blood, her hands still unwashed. She sat there motionless, her expression blank, not uttering a word. The disciples around her were focused on preparing the medicine and dared not speak to her.
"Jing'er, you stay here and keep watch, don't let your guard down," Elder Xu put down his pen and handed the prescription to a disciple beside him. "I'm getting old and can't stay up all night, so you'll have to work hard. Don't sleep for the next two days and be careful."
Hearing the voices, Meng Jing snapped out of his daze and nodded in response, "Disciple understands. Master, please go back and rest early."
"Don't be too sad or worried," Elder Xu comforted. "Take good care of him, preferably stay by his side at all times, and change his dressings as needed. Make sure nothing goes wrong."
Meng Jing closed his eyes briefly, then stood up and said, "Then I'll see Master off."
Elder Xu waved his hand: "No need to see me off. You can stay here. Be sure to keep my words in mind. If there is any unexpected situation, be sure to send someone to Wenxin Peak to inform me immediately."
Meng Jing nodded obediently, then sat back down and continued to look at Lu Huaiwei. Elder Xu glanced at her, intending to say a few more words to comfort Meng Jing, but decided against it and pushed open the door and went out without saying a word.
The sky had darkened, and palace lanterns had already been lit outside, making the surroundings bright. Yin Qiu and Ji Wanshu had been waiting for most of the day, and when Elder Xu finally came out, they quickly stepped forward and asked, "Elder Xu, how is Senior Sister Lu?"
Elder Xu sighed deeply, led the two down the steps, and stood in the courtyard. He said, "Fortunately, the Medical Pavilion and Mingguang Hall are close by, and the person was brought here in time. If it had been delayed any longer, her life would have been in danger. Although the bleeding has been stopped and she has been stitched up, and her life is not in immediate danger, she has been suffering from a cold for a long time without receiving effective treatment. Her body is already weak, and I see that she also has tuberculosis. I guess she has coughed up blood many times. In short, her condition is still not good."
Yin Qiu and Ji Wanshu exchanged a glance, both frowning deeply with grave expressions. Elder Xu continued, "As for what you said earlier, after investigating for half a day, I haven't found any medicine that can delay aging. You haven't studied medicine, so you don't know. As the saying goes, every medicine has some toxicity. Any action against nature will have a price to pay. Otherwise, wouldn't everyone in this world be able to live forever? If you want to maintain your youth with medicine, you will most likely shorten your lifespan and also damage your internal organs. To put it simply, even if you really achieve eternal youth, it's only on the surface that you look radiant. Inside, there will inevitably be toxins accumulating and you will be plagued by various illnesses. But Huaiwei is perfectly normal. Apart from a severe cold and a sword wound, she has almost no other ailments."
Hearing him say this, Yin Qiu was filled with mixed feelings of joy and sorrow, unsure of how to respond. Ji Wanshu also initially showed joy, but then became somber.
Lu Huaiwei had not taken any medication, which alone was enough to clear her of suspicion. In addition, Yin Qiubai's deductions during the day could basically prove that Lu Huaiwei was framed. However, although this was a good thing, the real spy was still hiding in the shadows, without leaving any clues for anyone to follow.
This person is truly insidious and cunning.
"Is it possible that this medicine will not leave any trace after being taken by a person?" Ji Wanshu pondered for a moment and asked, "I am not questioning your medical skills, but I have this question because I think of the Gu poison in Yin Qiu's body."
Elder Xu stroked his beard, paused, and said, "Impossible. These are two different things. The Gu poisons outside the pass are all carefully cultivated by Gu farmers. There are many kinds. Once the Gu poison enters the human body, it will eat whatever the person eats. Without the control of the Gu farmers, it will not actively harm the person infected with the Gu. Therefore, even if a famous doctor examines your pulse, he will not be able to feel the presence of the Gu poison. I have already made it very clear that to go against the will of Heaven, one must pay the price, unless she drank some kind of elixir made by a great immortal. But where in this world are there any immortals? It's just nonsense."
Yin Qiu said, "In other words, Senior Sister Lu has indeed not taken any anti-aging drugs, and her current appearance is her true appearance."
Elder Xu nodded and sighed softly, "Indeed. This time, an innocent person has been wronged."
Upon hearing this, Yin Qiu felt a deep sense of guilt. Ji Wanshu looked towards the medical pavilion from afar, her face also showing reluctance. The two bid farewell to Elder Xu and originally wanted to go in to visit Lu Huaiwei, but considering that Lu Huaiwei was still in danger, they decided not to disturb her and left the place.
The weather was nice today, and there was no snowfall even after nightfall. It wasn't as cold as usual. However, after listening to Elder Xu's words, Yin Qiu and Ji Wanshu felt as if they were in an ice cellar, with a chill that penetrated to their very bones.
Lu Huaiwei wasn't a spy; she was framed.
The image of Lu Huaiwei drawing her sword and committing suicide flashed before Ji Wanshu's eyes. Her heart ached, and she stopped for a moment, saying in a hoarse voice, "We all wronged her."
Yin Qiu's eyes welled up with tears, and she felt the two white jade earrings in her arms burning her chest. She choked back a few sobs and sighed, "Senior Sister, there's no need to blame yourself. It's just that the spy was too treacherous and cunning. We all fell for her trick. Senior Sister Lu... will get better."
Ji Wanshu's face showed pain as she suppressed her inner turmoil, remaining silent for a long while before finally saying, "In all these years in the palace, Huaiwei was my only friend." She rarely confided in anyone, but now she couldn't help but pour out her heart to Yin Qiu, "After Wen Chaoyu returned to the Ziwei Sect, I was all alone. I couldn't even stay on Jingyue Peak. I slept on the Star Gazing Platform every day, not contacting anyone. It was Huaiwei who invited me to Wuhui Peak. She was so obedient and caring towards me. She tolerated my unpredictable temper and never held a grudge against me. Even if I got angry at her for something else, she didn't take it to heart at all. She treated me so sincerely and without expecting anything in return, but I... but I actually suspected her. I actually believed that she was a spy..."
Hearing her words, Yin Qiu felt as if she were being fried in oil, an indescribable discomfort.
Isn't she the same?
In the years since entering the palace, apart from Man Jiangxue, Yin Qiu has been close to many people, but very few can be called friends. Most of them are like Ji Wanshu, with whom she has little personal contact and whose relationship is merely that of ordinary fellow disciples.
However, Lu Huaiwei was different. From the first time she met Yin Qiu that year, she had been very fond of and caring towards her. In the years that followed, although she was often away from the palace and did not see Yin Qiu frequently, she still thought of her often. In the past two years, Yin Qiu had gone down the mountain to train quite a bit and received a lot of care from Lu Huaiwei. Compared to her senior brothers and sisters in the palace, whom she could see every day, Yin Qiu had a better feeling for Lu Huaiwei, with whom she had little time to spend.
Lu Huaiwei remembered Yin Qiu's birthday every year. For example, this year, even though she was in Jincheng, she specially prepared a birthday gift for Yin Qiu. You see, this year, Yunhua Palace has been plagued by misfortune and constant turmoil. Everyone has their own things to do. If someone isn't someone you cherish, who would bother to remember their birthday?
Not to mention that Yin Qiu herself had forgotten about it, and even Fu Xiang had forgotten. Fu Xiang used to send Yin Qiu letters and gifts every year without fail, but perhaps this year there were too many things going on and Fu Xiang was too busy to think about it for the first time. But Lu Huaiwei remembered, Lu Huaiwei had not forgotten.
Even before choosing to die to prove her innocence, she stated that she would not resent anyone, and that everything she did was to expose the palace spies, which she could understand.
Thinking about all this, Yin Qiu felt incredibly guilty. She silently stayed with Ji Wanshu, unable to find any words to comfort her. The two stood in the cold wind for a while, when Ji Wanshu suddenly straightened her back and said in a cold voice, "This is not over... I must find that person and tear her to pieces!"
She gripped her sword tightly, her eyes blazing with fury. Yin Qiu stared at Ji Wanshu, her heart churning with emotion. With a resolute expression, she said, "Since Senior Sister Lu hasn't taken the medicine, let's report this to the Sect Leader and Uncle-Master immediately."
"I'll go find the sect leader, you go to Jingyue Peak," Ji Wanshu said through gritted teeth. "No matter what, I will persuade the sect leader to open the grave and find the sword tonight!"
·
Man Jiangxue lit the lamp and sat down with Wen Chaoyu at a low table to play chess.
The night was dark, and the maple trees in the courtyard were blurred into dark shadows, making it seem desolate. There were no attendant disciples in Chenxing Palace, only three people sitting around the table. The biting cold wind howled between heaven and earth, which made Jingyue Peak seem even more lonely, like a deserted place isolated from the world.
Xue Tan added a few pieces of charcoal to the stove and looked outside the hall, saying, "Why haven't Miss Yin and Miss Ji returned yet? It's already dark."
Wen Chaoyu's fingers, which were holding the chess piece, curled slightly, but she still put it down. She said, "Then why don't you hurry up and go to the door to keep watch? If anyone shows up, you should shout something so I can escape in time."
Xue Tan had no reply, but he obediently went to the door and squatted down. Wen Chaoyu was absent-minded and upset. She was also a terrible chess player and was not good at playing chess. After a few rounds, she was blocked by Man Jiangxue's white pieces and had nowhere to place her pieces.
"You've lost." Man Jiangxue stopped and took a sip of tea.
Wen Chaoyu, feeling bored, slapped the already decided chessboard, disrupting the game, and said, "I'm not playing anymore, I'm not playing anymore. What time is it? I don't have the leisure to play chess with you."
Man Jiangxue said, "Didn't you want to play chess?"
Wen Chaoyu choked, then gulped down two mouthfuls of tea: "That was before! I'm not in the mood now, I'm really annoyed."
Man Jiangxue glanced at her, picked up the fire tongs and poked at the charcoal in the stove, saying, "If you really have no face to see Wanshu, you should go back to your room as soon as possible."
Wen Chaoyu was displeased upon hearing this: "What do you mean I'm ashamed to see her? I haven't done anything wrong."
Man Jiangxue said, "Then why are you afraid of her?"
Wen Chaoyu pinched her brow, trying hard not to think about Ji Wanshu, and said, "I'm not afraid of her, I just... feel awkward."
"What's so awkward?" Man Jiangxue picked up the chess pieces one by one. "You clearly want to see her, but you're just pretending."
Wen Chaoyu looked surprised: "Me? Want to see her?" She pointed to her face, "How did you know?"
Man Jiangxue glanced at her and said indifferently, "If you really don't want to see me, you should have gone to your room as soon as you got back. There's no need to wait here and use playing chess as an excuse to kill time." After saying that, she added, "Playing chess with you is a kind of torture for me."
Wen Chaoyu said, "That's because I'm not good at chess! If you're so capable, pick something you're not good at and play against me!"
Man Jiangxue pondered, "I seem to..."
Wen Chaoyu looked at her.
Man Jiangxue said, "It seems there's nothing I'm not good at."
Wen Chaoyu: "..."
Wen Chaoyu: "You're just bragging! Can you cook? Can you do laundry? Can you chop wood, start a fire, and air out your blankets? You're such a pretentious idiot, you don't even know when you're asleep if no one serves you!"
Man Jiangxue said, "I am indeed rusty in cooking, but it's not like I can't do it. Besides, I'm not going to live with you, so what's the point of comparing myself to you in this regard?"
Wen Chaoyu rolled her eyes at her: "You're just lucky to have met such a virtuous girl as Yin Qiu. She's good at everything, from being elegant in public to cooking in the kitchen, and she treats you like an old man. If I were Yin Qiu, I would kick you to the curb!"
Man Jiangxue laughed as she listened: "I can do all these things, but Xiao Qiu won't let me get involved. If you're jealous, you can have Wan Shu treat you the same way."
Wen Chaoyu was speechless and choked with emotion. After a moment of silence, she muttered, "She was showing mercy by not killing me. Do I expect her to do my laundry and cook for me?"
Man Jiangxue said, "That's because you're unlucky."
Wen Chaoyu never managed to get the better of Man Jiangxue when talking to her. Man Jiangxue either didn't speak at all, or when she did, she completely dominated Wen Chaoyu. Wen Chaoyu scoffed, too lazy to make a fool of herself. As the two fell silent, they heard Xue Tan call out from the doorway, "Guardian—"
Wen Chaoyu immediately jumped up from the prayer mat.
Xue Tan continued, "Miss Yin is back!"
Wen Chaoyu paused, grinding his teeth as he asked, "Only Miss Yin?"
Xue Tan said, "Exactly!"
Wen Chaoyu immediately breathed a sigh of relief, but when she glanced to the side, she met Man Jiangxue's slightly teasing gaze. She awkwardly shifted her limbs in place. Soon, Yin Qiu ascended the steps and entered the corridor, and Man Jiangxue rose to greet her, asking, "How is Huaiwei doing?"
Before Yin Qiu could reply, her eyes reddened. She shook her head and smiled bitterly, "Elder Xu said that Senior Sister Lu has not taken the medicine that Uncle Wen mentioned."
Upon hearing this, the two people inside the room both showed different expressions.
Wen Chaoyu was naturally surprised and said, "She didn't take any medicine? How come... Could it be that she was really wronged?"
Yin Qiu nodded and replied, "Elder Xu said that if we use medicine to forcibly delay aging, we will inevitably pay a price. Even if we maintain our youthful appearance, we will be affected internally. It is impossible to leave no trace. However, apart from the tuberculosis caused by the cold and the sword wound caused by her suicide, Senior Sister Lu is no different from an ordinary person and shows no signs of taking medicine."
Man Jiangxue pondered for a moment, then asked her, "Have you told the sect leader?"
Yin Qiu said, "Senior Sister Ji has already gone to Mingguang Hall, and the sect leader should already know by now."
“That’s terrible. We’ve really fallen for their trap,” Wen Chaoyu said, frowning. “It seems your speculation during the day was true. Xiao Qi disguised herself as Lu Huaiwei. She started planning this years ago and fooled all of us.”
Yin Qiu sighed and said sadly, "The only way now is to open the grave and search for the sword. As long as Nangong Min is willing to tell us who the real Xiao Qi is, there is still room for maneuver."
“What I’m afraid of is that she’s playing tricks on us,” Wen Chaoyu said. “And more importantly, what if even Nangong Min doesn’t know who Xiao Qi is?”
“She must know,” Man Jiangxue said. “Otherwise, she would never have been so calm when I secretly took you away. Just as the sect leader said before, she wasn’t worried at all about you exposing Xiao Qi, because the Xiao Qi you saw was a fake.”
Wen Chaoyu couldn't help but angrily say, "Anyway, I'm just someone's pawn! Nangong Min is a real scoundrel! This time, I really don't want to go back to the Ziwei Sect!"
Upon hearing this, Xue Tan immediately nodded vigorously by the door: "Guardian! You must keep your word!"
"Senior Sister Ji said she must persuade the Sect Leader to go to the Star Gazing Platform to find the Holy Sword tonight," Yin Qiu wiped her eyes and looked at Man Jiangxue. "This is no small matter for the Sect Leader, and she is in a difficult position. Uncle-Master, let's go and take a look quickly, lest Senior Sister Ji and the Sect Leader have a falling out."
Man Jiangxue responded with an "okay," patted Yin Qiu on the head, and the group immediately left Jingyue Peak and headed back towards Mingguang Hall.
When they arrived, Ji Wanshu was kneeling in the hall, while Xie Yijun was pacing back and forth. Both of them looked rather grim, clearly having had a quarrel.
Seeing Man Jiangxue and the others arrive, Xie Yijun said with a complicated expression, "This time it's really a case of the flood washing away the Dragon King's temple. It's like family members fighting each other. Huaiwei is innocent. She was forced to such a point. What should we do? I'm really worried sick."
Yin Qiu helped Ji Wanshu up from the ground, and Man Jiangxue said bluntly, "Then we should find out the real Xiao Qi as soon as possible, so as to make up for the injustice suffered by Huaiwei."
Xie Yijun sighed repeatedly and said in a deep voice, "I know what you want to say, but... but those are the cenotaphs of our ancestors. How can I let someone dig them up? I just can't bring myself to say that."
Seeing that she was still hesitating, Wen Chaoyu said impatiently, "Can you stop looking back and forth? People have already died! What could be more important than human lives? If Xiao Qi isn't brought to justice, more people will die in the future. Don't forget who she's really after. Isn't it just a bunch of cenotaphs? No one is actually buried in them. The real mausoleum is in Tianchi. Your grandmasters are sleeping soundly in Tianchi. Hurry up and dig them up! You're so long-winded!"
Xie Yijun was no longer in the mood for arguing with her. Upon hearing this, she did not react but simply pondered in silence.
Even if it's a cenotaph, it's still the graves of our ancestors. As the sect leader, it's understandable that Xie Yijun is hesitant. So everyone quieted down and let Xie Yijun think it over. But after a long time, she still didn't seem inclined to agree. Wen Chaoyu couldn't help but urge her again, "Just say something about whether you're going to dig it up or not! If it really comes down to it, I'll take the blame. I'm not from your Yunhua Palace anyway, so I don't have any psychological burden, and I'm not afraid of being criticized. I'll just do a good deed and fulfill the benevolence and morality of you disciples and grand-disciples!"
After she finished speaking, she turned around and walked towards the outside of the hall. Seeing this, Ji Wanshu quickly followed Wen Chaoyu's footsteps. Xie Yijun's face turned pale, and she hurriedly shouted, "Wait, wait a minute!"
Wen Chaoyu and Ji Wanshu stopped at the same time and turned to look at her.
Xie Yijun glanced at Yin Qiu, then at Man Jiangxue, and finally made up her mind, lowering her voice to say, "Let's sneak off!"
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