Chapter 168
Elder Xu scraped off some dregs of medicine with a bamboo knife and brought it to Yin Qiu's nose so she could smell it. Although Yin Qiu was still unconscious, she gradually frowned and her breathing became a little rapid.
"This medicine does indeed have an effect on the Gu worms," Elder Xu said with a smile, placing his fingertip on Yin Qiu's wrist. "Very good, very good. Now that we can detect the Gu worms' movements, we have a direction for finding an antidote."
Meng Jing looked at the row of medicine bottles on the table and said, "Normally, these medicines should never be used together... I really didn't expect that."
Duan Ning, with her legs crossed, sat on a wooden chair to the side. Hearing this, she beamed and said, "That's what you call catching someone off guard! I'm truly a lucky charm, bringing a lot of good fortune to your Yunhua Palace. This also proves that my destiny is definitely to bring prosperity to my husband!" After saying this, she winked at Meng Jing, "Think about it?"
Meng Jing choked, swallowing his own saliva, and quickly turned his face away.
Elder Xu said, "Let's save this dregs first. Jing'er, come with me to the library and see if we can find any related cases. If we can, then we're not far from finding an antidote. You don't need to be on duty tonight. Huaiwei is out of danger, and Yin Qiu and Jiang Xue don't have anything important to do here. Let the junior brothers and sisters watch over things here."
Meng Jing replied, "Alright, I'll listen to Master."
The two then got up and left the medical pavilion with the dregs of the medicine. Duan Ning, seeing that there was nothing more for him to do, also led a team of guards to the guest rooms to rest. The remaining disciples continued to take turns guarding the candlelight. By midnight, everyone had fallen asleep on the low couches.
As dawn approached, Yin Qiu was awakened by the howling wind outside. She opened her eyes and lay on the bed for a while, looking blank. After recalling what had happened before she lost consciousness, she suddenly sat up, hurriedly threw off the covers, and jumped out of bed.
Upon realizing that this was the medical pavilion, Yin Qiu breathed a sigh of relief, but was even more confused. Perhaps she had made too much noise, for a disciple woke up at the sound and ran into the inner room. Upon seeing her, he couldn't help but beam with joy and exclaimed, "Senior Sister Yin? You're awake!"
"How did I get here?" Yin Qiu's head was throbbing. She steadied herself by holding onto the corner of the table and asked, "Uncle-Master...where is Uncle-Master?"
The disciple stepped forward to help her up, poured Yin Qiu a bowl of water, and said, "Uncle-Master was injured and fainted yesterday. She's currently sleeping soundly next door."
My uncle was actually injured and fainted? Yin Qiu's heart sank. He hurriedly pushed open the door of the next room with unsteady steps and saw Man Jiangxue lying on the bed with her eyes closed and a blood-soaked bandage wrapped around her neck.
"Uncle-Master..." Yin Qiu rushed towards Man Jiangxue, grabbing her hand tightly. "How could this happen? What happened?"
The disciple then recounted the events of the previous day to Yin Qiu in detail, and sighed, "Uncle lost too much blood and was overwhelmed by worry, which is why she collapsed. Don't worry, Senior Sister, she's alright. As long as she rests well and changes her dressings on time, she'll get better."
Unexpectedly, so many things happened after she was knocked unconscious. When she heard that Man Jiangxue had committed suicide on the spot for her sake, Yin Qiu was heartbroken and tears welled up in her eyes.
"Senior Sister has just woken up and is still weak, so you must be careful to control your emotions," the disciple said with concern. "Don't worry, you and Uncle are both fine. It's still early, so Senior Sister might as well go back and rest a bit more. I'll stay here and watch over Uncle."
Yin Qiu stared blankly at Man Jiangxue, tried to adjust her mindset, and shook her head, saying, "No need, you can go now. I want to stay with my martial uncle."
Seeing this, the disciple didn't insist. He left the room and called the others to get up as well. They busied themselves for a while, bringing hot water and food to Yin Qiu, and also started boiling the medicine that Meng Jing had prescribed. Yin Qiu washed up, but had no appetite to eat anything. After everyone had left, she choked up and silently shed tears.
—The night passed, and it was still raining outside, but the rain was not so heavy. The noisy rain enveloped the medical pavilion, covering the footsteps and voices of the disciples.
The room was brightly lit all night. Man Jiangxue's breathing was steady, but her face was as pale as paper. Having known each other for many years, Yin Qiu had never seen Man Jiangxue injured, nor had she ever seen her face show any sign of illness. Thinking that Man Jiangxue had become like this because of her, Yin Qiu felt both heartache and guilt, and buried her head in Man Jiangxue's hand, crying uncontrollably.
It's all her fault... It's all her fault for not protecting herself. If she had the ability to protect herself, her master wouldn't have suffered such serious injuries because of her.
How did she manage to land safely on such a high cliff when her martial aunt just jumped off without warning?
Uncle-Master's injury must be very painful, right?
Tears soaked the bedding. Yin Qiu suppressed her sobs, unable to pull herself out of her grief. She unconsciously tightened her grip on Man Jiangxue's hand, squeezing it until the back of her hand turned white. But the next moment, the hand moved slightly. Yin Qiu felt a sudden heaviness on her head, and a cool touch immediately covered her hair. She looked up through her teary eyes and saw that Man Jiangxue had opened her eyes at some point and was quietly gazing at her.
"Why are you crying?"
Yin Qiu paused, staring blankly at Man Jiangxue for a moment, then her face lit up with joy. Just as she was about to call out to Man Jiangxue, Man Jiangxue gently placed her finger between her lips.
"Shh—" Man Jiangxue said, "Keep your voice down. You're such a grown-up, why are you still crying like this? People will laugh at you if they hear you."
Ignoring everything else, Yin Qiu shouted, "Shishu!" She hurriedly got up and threw herself at Man Jiangxue, crying and laughing at the same time, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry... It's all my fault, I'm the one who made Shishu suffer like this, Shishu, are you in pain? You must be in so much pain..."
Man Jiangxue gave a muffled groan, lifted Yin Qiu up a little by the waist, and said, "It doesn't hurt, it's just a minor injury, I'm glad you're alright."
Tears streamed down Yin Qiu's face as she sobbed, "How can this be called a minor injury? Martial Uncle is so foolish. You do whatever others tell you to do without ever thinking about yourself!"
“What can we do?” Man Jiangxue’s eyes held a hint of a smile as she wiped away Yin Qiu’s tears with her fingertips. “You’re hanging on that bottomless abyss. If she tells me to die, then I have no choice but to die.”
Yin Qiu said, "Uncle-Master, you're not allowed to die. If you die, I won't live either. In the end, it's all my fault..."
Man Jiangxue sighed softly, "In the end, it was I who harmed you." She slowly sat up, hugged Yin Qiu in her arms, and asked, "Are you scared?"
Yin Qiu clutched her clothes and said honestly, "I'm scared." She choked up for a moment, then said, "I'm so afraid that I'll never be able to see my martial uncle again."
"It's alright now," Man Jiangxue comforted her. "Look, we've already met up, haven't we?"
“But my master got injured and even fainted because of me,” Yin Qiu said. “When I was little, I always thought that when I grew up I would protect my master and repay your kindness. But now? I can’t even protect myself, let alone protect you. I’m so useless… I’m just a burden that makes others worry about me…”
Man Jiangxue patted her forehead and said seriously, "How can you belittle yourself like that? I don't need your protection. Between you and me, it should be me protecting you."
Yin Qiu was deeply moved, buried her face in Man Jiangxue's shoulder, and whispered, "Uncle-Master..."
"Alright, stop crying. Zhilan is dead, and no one can hurt you anymore," Man Jiangxue said. "There's always a way out. All problems will be solved. Don't worry, things will get better."
Yin Qiu responded softly, then sat up straight and said, "Then let me take a look, Uncle-Master. You must have other injuries on your body after jumping off the cliff."
Man Jiangxue said, "I should be the one saying that. Although I checked on you when we were on the boat and you only had some scratches, I'm still worried. Is there anything else that's bothering you?"
“I’m fine,” Yin Qiu wiped her eyes with her sleeve and raised her hand to unbutton Man Jiangxue’s clothes. “I just slept for a while and woke up without any problems. But Uncle, your injuries must be more serious than mine.”
Seeing that her eyes were red from crying, and she looked pitiful and aggrieved, Man Jiangxue wanted to stop her, but thinking that she should put Yin Qiu at ease, she generously let Yin Qiu untie all the pearl buttons.
Lifting the collar and sliding it down her arm, Yin Qiu pulled at Man Jiangxue's undergarments and saw that her fair skin was covered with bruises and wounds of all sizes. She couldn't help but sob again and said, "How did you get like this? It looks so painful."
“I told you, it doesn’t hurt,” Man Jiangxue said. “Even a peerless master can’t guarantee they’ll be unharmed after falling from such a height. These are just minor injuries, and they’ll heal quickly.”
Yin Qiu was stunned, imagining the scene in her mind, and the more she thought about it, the more difficult it became to breathe. She shifted her gaze to Man Jiangxue's neck, her trembling fingers gently stroking the bandage, and suddenly said out of the blue, "My mother is dead," she paused, and said in a hoarse voice, "killed by the person behind the Dark Guard disciples."
Ye Zhilan hadn't mentioned this when they were at the cliff edge. Man Jiangxue frowned, took Yin Qiu's hand, and said, "Zhilan said it herself?"
“Hmm,” Yin Qiu said wistfully, “He demanded that my mother hand over the Holy Sword, and he lied to her, saying that as long as she was willing to change her name and leave for another place, he would not kill me. But after my mother gave him the Holy Sword, he used that sword to kill her when she turned around. Senior Sister Ye said she saw it with her own eyes, and Meng Wugui should have seen it too.”
“Now that he has killed Zhilan,” Man Jiangxue said after a moment of thought, “if I’m not mistaken, he will probably target Meng Wugui next.”
Yin Qiu forced back her tears, pulled Man Jiangxue's clothes up, and asked, "Shouldn't we send a letter to Meng Wugui as soon as possible? We need to give her some time to prepare."
“The letter must be sent, but I don’t know if it will be in time,” Man Jiangxue said. “If nothing else goes wrong, that person is probably already on his way to Weicheng. But the Nine Immortals Hall is not so easy to break into, and Meng Wugui is not so easy to kill. So I guess he will definitely choose to weaken Meng Wugui’s power in other ways, making her weak and vulnerable, so that Meng Wugui becomes someone who cannot match him, especially since I refuse to help Meng Wugui. If he makes a move, Meng Wugui’s future will only be more difficult.”
"What kind of method will it be?" Yin Qiu couldn't help but worry. "Meng Wugui is fighting alone. She has neither the full support of the Nine Immortals Hall nor powerful allies to help her. The only thing she can rely on is Mingyue Tower. However, Tower Master Fu is currently in his prime, and his abdication is far off. Fu Xiang simply cannot become the Tower Master anytime soon, and Meng Wugui will not be able to take over Mingyue Tower in the short term. In that case, it seems that she has nothing to weaken."
Man Jiangxue disagreed, saying, "Just because we can't get Mingyue Tower now doesn't mean we can't get it in the future. As long as Fu Xiang is around, Mingyue Tower will eventually fall into Meng Wugui's hands."
Upon hearing this, Yin Qiu was taken aback and exclaimed in surprise, "If what you're saying is true, Uncle-Master... wouldn't Fu Xiang be in danger?"
Man Jiangxue nodded.
Like Man Jiangxue, Meng Wugui was also deeply troubled by Yin Qiu's life. While the death of Ye Zhilan had resolved a troublesome matter for Man Jiangxue, the situation remained very difficult for Meng Wugui. That person could kill Ye Zhilan from the shadows, and naturally, could also find an opportunity to kill Yin Qiu. The reason Meng Wugui hadn't revealed the person's identity was because she couldn't guarantee Yin Qiu's safety. Conversely, the reason that person hadn't actually harmed Yin Qiu was also because they were wary of Meng Wugui and didn't want things to escalate to an irreversible point.
This is a stalemate where both sides are temporarily safe because of Yin Qiu's presence, yet both face unknown calamities. But now that Ye Zhilan has been eliminated, that person will naturally press their advantage and further suppress Meng Wugui. No matter how you analyze it, Meng Wugui is undeniably at a disadvantage; she can't even easily retaliate and is in a very passive position.
She couldn't keep Yin Qiu by her side because she couldn't let Nangong Min know about her relationship with Yin Qiu. At the same time, she couldn't cause trouble again and launch an offensive against that person because that person would find Yin Qiu faster than she could. Even with Man Jiangxue around, it was still hard to guard against a hidden arrow. So Meng Wugui could only swallow her anger. And once Fu Xiang got into trouble, Meng Wugui would be completely trapped in a dead end in this game.
Her mistake was that she was too ambitious and shouldn't have wanted to deal with Yunhua Palace. Otherwise, Man Jiangxue wouldn't have stood by and watched because of Yin Qiu. If Meng Wugui had given up on dealing with Yunhua Palace, then her revenge plan could have continued.
“No, I must remind Fu Xiang immediately,” Yin Qiu said solemnly, and immediately found pen and ink. “Jinhuai City and Shangyuan City are not too far apart. As long as the messenger travels day and night to reach Mingyue Tower as soon as possible, there is still a chance to save this matter. Even if our speculation is not accurate, it is always better to be prepared.”
She hurriedly finished writing the letter, and just as she put down her pen, the door was pushed open, and Bai Ling, who had come to visit, appeared. Yin Qiu's eyes lit up, and she quickly called out, "Perfect timing! Bai Ling, you're skilled in riding and have excellent horsemanship. Please set off immediately and deliver this letter to Fu Xiang. It's extremely urgent, the sooner the better, and try not to delay on the way!"
Bai Ling reacted incredibly quickly, listening to every word Yin Qiu said. She replied with an "okay," without asking any further questions, and hurriedly went to the stable to get her horse, braving the rain to head down the mountain.
"Please don't let anything happen, please don't let anything happen..." Yin Qiu's heart pounded, and she turned around to hug Man Jiangxue. "Fu Xiang must not be hurt..."
Man Jiangxue embraced her, patting Yin Qiu's back while gently comforting her. She lowered her head, about to place a kiss on Yin Qiu's forehead, when a figure suddenly appeared in her peripheral vision.
Man Jiangxue turned her gaze and saw Meng Jing, clutching a medical book, standing at the door watching her.
Noticing Meng Jing's unusual expression and the obvious worry in his eyes, Man Jiangxue was about to ask him a question when Meng Jing gestured for her to be quiet, pointed to the medical book in his hand, and silently said, "Don't let Yin Qiu know."
Seeing what her lips were saying, Man Jiangxue frowned slightly, then nodded after a moment to indicate that she understood. Meng Jing glanced at Yin Qiu's back before quietly retreating.
·
A few days later, the sun shone brightly in Jinhuai City, and the weather was clear. The next day was New Year's Eve, and the streets and alleys were filled with joy. Colorful lanterns and red silks were everywhere, making it exceptionally lively.
Bai Ling rode her horse through several crowded streets, galloping wildly until she reached the gate of Mingyue Tower. As soon as she dismounted, she shouted, "Gentlemen! Please inform your young master that Yunhua disciple requests an audience and that she must come in person!"
Seeing her flustered demeanor, the gatekeeper disciple dared not hesitate and quickly ran inside to find her. Bai Ling waited for a while, then saw Fu Xiang walking briskly towards her, and asked in surprise, "You are... Bai Ling?"
"That's right, it's me!" Bai Ling was somewhat pleased to see Fu Xiang and immediately took out the letter from her bosom. "This is a letter Xiao Qiu asked me to deliver to you. Two horses died on the way. She said it was an extremely urgent matter. You should quickly read what she said!"
Fu Xiang's expression hardened, and she hurriedly tore open the letter. When she saw what was written on it, her eyes changed drastically, but she quickly calmed down and said to Bai Ling, "You must be tired from your journey. Come inside and rest with me."
Bai Ling had barely slept these past few days and was both exhausted and hungry, so she didn't refuse and followed Fu Xiang into Mingyue Tower. The two went to the reception hall, where Fu Xiang immediately ordered people to serve good tea and food, and arranged a guest room for Bai Ling to stay for a couple of days.
"There's no need for lodging. I have to hurry to the palace," Bai Ling said. "I'll sleep for two hours before I set off. Could you please find me some clean clothes to change into, and boil some water for me to take a bath? I'm covered in dust from the journey. I've never ridden such a fast horse in my life."
"I never imagined that Senior Sister Ye would be a spy for the Ziwei Sect, and even a Xiling royal heir seeking revenge against her master," Fu Xiang sighed after reading Yin Qiu's letter over and over again. "It's fortunate that Xiao Qiu is alright, and it's also fortunate that Miss Duan's shipment arrived at just the right time. The sect is in such a dire situation, and I can't help them. I'm truly ashamed."
Bai Ling said, "There's nothing to be ashamed of. You're far away in Mingyue Tower, and your reach can't extend that far. Since you might be in danger right now, and Xiao Qiu has reminded you in time, you must be careful in everything you do and make sure to protect yourself."
Fu Xiang clasped his hands and said, "Thank you. Your arrival to deliver this message may have been discovered by that person's spies. You must be extra careful on your way back. Actually, in my opinion, tomorrow is New Year's Eve. No matter how fast you rush, you won't make it back to the palace for the New Year. Why don't you stay? It's a rare occasion for us fellow disciples to meet. Let's celebrate the festival together and catch up."
Bai Ling smiled and was about to politely decline when a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the hall. The two turned around at the same time. Steward Zhao had a gloomy face and looked at Fu Xiang, saying sternly, "You still have the mind to chat and laugh with old friends? Young Master, something terrible has happened!"
Fu Xiang was stunned, and immediately stood up: "What serious thing happened?"
Before Butler Zhao could answer, Fu Cen stormed in from outside and slapped Fu Xiang hard across the face.
"You wretched child!"
Before Fu Xiang could even react, the slap sent her staggering, blood trickling from her lips and teeth.
Bai Ling's chopsticks fell to the ground with a "clatter," leaving everyone in the hall stunned and speechless.
"If I had known this would happen... I shouldn't have let you into this family in the first place!" Fu Cen's face was ashen, and he was furious. "How could I have raised such a heartless and ungrateful creature!"
Fu Xiang's head was buzzing and her ears were ringing. She spat out a mouthful of blood and stared blankly at Fu Cen: "Father...why did you hit me?"
"How dare you ask!" Fu Cen's breathing became erratic, his chest heaving violently as he shouted, "Your mother is less than three months pregnant, and it was only recently discovered. You can't tolerate her like this? You can't tolerate her child like this? The position of the sect leader will be yours sooner or later. Even if she gives birth to a son, he won't stand in your way! But you were so heartless as to kill your unborn brother. How am I supposed to explain this to the Luo family? How am I supposed to explain this to your mother? You... you're really going to make me die of anger!"
Upon hearing his words, Fu Xiang instantly understood. She hurriedly looked at Steward Zhao and asked with a pale face, "Young mistress...Young mistress, she..."
"What 'little wench'! You should call her 'Mother'!" Fu Cen trembled with rage. "You unfilial and rebellious child! You have committed such an unforgivable crime! How can you possibly stand in the Fu family now? What will people think of you? What will they think of our Mingyue Tower?!"
"Father!" Fu Xiang cried, tears streaming down her face, "I didn't do it! I didn't harm Mother, I didn't harm anyone!"
Fu Cen pointed at her and cursed, "Still trying to deny it! Besides you, who else in this vast Mingyue Tower wouldn't want that child to be born? Yes... your mother died because of your difficult childbirth, and I took my anger out on you, sending you to a distant relative and ignoring you. That was wrong of me as your father. But since you came back, ask yourself honestly, how have I treated you? I saw that you had some talent and were diligent and eager to learn, so I defied the Fu family's rules and passed on the secret technique that was only passed down to sons to you. That was my expectation and affirmation of you! But how could you be so disappointing? You went and killed someone! With your insidious actions, how can I entrust Mingyue Tower to you? Tell me, how can you still have the face to stay in Mingyue Tower!"
Fu Xiang felt dizzy and her ears were ringing. Heartbroken by Fu Cen's words, she sobbed, "After five years together, I don't believe Father knows nothing of my character! I've always disdained the position of Pavilion Master, if not… if not!" She paused, forcing back the truth, "In short, compared to the Pavilion Master, I yearn for the freedom of the martial world! You say I harmed someone, but that's just empty talk. Show me the evidence!"
Fu Cen said, "You won't shed tears until you see the coffin! You want proof, don't you?" As he spoke, the steward Zhao behind him immediately understood and took out a small purse from his sleeve.
"Your maid gave this to your mother a few days ago, saying it was a pregnancy-stabilizing incense you specially ordered, but it actually contains a bunch of poison!" Fu Cen threw the purse at Fu Xiang's chest. "From the day you returned from Yunhua Palace, this purse has been on you every day. It's your personal possession, your personal maid, and your unique motive for murder. And you still say you didn't kill anyone!"
Fu Xiang was shocked and clutched the purse tightly. It was a gift from Yin Qiuxiu to her when she left the palace. Everyone in Mingyue Tower knew that she treasured this purse and was reluctant to replace it even when it was worn out. It was a cherished item.
"It wasn't me...it wasn't me!" Fu Xiang vehemently protested. "This is a deliberate frame-up! Where is the maid? Bring her here; I want to confront her face to face!"
"I also want to know where that maid went!" Fu Cen said through gritted teeth. "Your mother miscarried in her room today. When the doctor came, he smelled something strange about her. After asking, he found out it was your purse that was behind it! I sent someone to question that maid earlier, but she was long gone! If she wasn't guilty, if she wasn't worried about being used as a scapegoat if things came to light, why would she run away!"
At this moment, Fu Xiang was speechless.
Fu Xiang still held the letter Yin Qiu had sent in her hand. She really hadn't expected the danger she had anticipated to come so quickly. Fu Xiang originally thought that the person behind the scenes would target her personally, but unexpectedly, he had targeted Fu Cen's sore spot. This move was extremely vicious, even more unexpected than directly killing Fu Xiang.
With physical evidence in hand and the witnesses still missing, she certainly had a motive for murder. Fu Cen was currently enraged and would only believe what he saw. Although Fu Xiang was filled with grief and indignation, she knew that arguing was futile, so she coldly said, "Enough! Since you've decided I'm the murderer who poisoned my mother, I won't struggle. Give me a straight answer on how you intend to deal with me!"
"You—!" Fu Cen was furious when he saw that she not only did not admit her mistake, but also had such a disrespectful attitude. He shouted, "You wretched child...you are truly a wretched child! Guards!"
A group of disciples stood dumbfounded outside the door, too afraid to move when summoned.
"What are you standing there for! Take her to the solitary confinement room and lock her up!" Fu Cen said coldly, looking at Fu Xiang. "From this day forward, there will be no more young master in this building! If you are willing to confess your crimes, I will spare your life out of consideration for our father-daughter relationship. But if you do not repent, I will have no choice but to hand you over to the head of the Luo family. Whether you live or die is not up to me!"
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