Chapter 169
With a loud "boom," a muffled clap of thunder suddenly sounded outside. Yin Qiu was awakened from her sleep by the thunder and subconsciously sat up, her head covered in sweat.
The echoes of thunder still lingered, as if they were right beside my ears. The bedchamber was dimly lit, with no lamps lit except for a few lanterns hanging in the outer corridor.
The sky was dark.
Listening to her own heartbeat, Yin Qiu suddenly felt uneasy for some reason, with a vague sense of foreboding. She groped her way in the dark, put on her clothes, lifted the curtain, and went to the main hall, but Man Jiangxue was not there.
"Where did my martial uncle go?" Yin Qiu leaned against the door, her voice low and hoarse from just waking up.
There weren't many people in the courtyard. A few disciples were playing with throwing knives together. When they heard the question, they all turned around and looked at Yin Qiu.
"They must have gone to Mingguang Hall. Shortly after Senior Sister fell asleep, someone came to Jingyue Peak and took Martial Uncle away."
Before she could wipe the sweat from her forehead, the cool evening breeze made Yin Qiu shiver. She looked up at the sky and, after a moment, asked, "What time is it?"
The disciples replied in unison, "It's almost the end of the Xu hour."
Her heart was still pounding, and she couldn't calm down. Yin Qiu took out a handkerchief to wipe her sweat and said, "Today is New Year's Eve. You've all eaten your New Year's Eve dinner. Why are you still here? Go and rest."
One of the disciples laughed and said, "If we go to rest, Senior Sister will be all alone in Chenxing Palace. Our Uncle-Master specifically told us to stay and keep her company before he left."
Yin Qiu clutched the handkerchief, her face pale, and asked, "Is there any news about Bai Ling?"
The disciples whispered among themselves and shook their heads: "Not yet. Even if they ride at full speed, they won't be back until at least the fourth day of the month. They probably just arrived at Mingyue Tower yesterday. Don't worry, Senior Sister. Senior Sister Ji is already waiting in Shangyuan City. If Senior Sister Bai Ling returns, we'll get the news very soon."
Yin Qiu pressed her chest, took a deep breath, and stood there stunned for a long time after hearing this before finally saying, "Alright, you can all go now. It's rare to be so relaxed in the palace during the New Year, so you don't need to guard me. Remember to drink less alcohol and don't stay up too late."
The disciples bowed in agreement and happily withdrew.
The figures disappeared one after another, and the wind subsided. The thunder that had come so suddenly was no longer heard. Yin Qiu frowned, her mind preoccupied with Fu Xiang's safety. She tried to reassure herself not to think too much, but she couldn't help feeling anxious, sensing that something bad was about to happen.
After brooding and lost in thought for a while, Yin Qiu calmed her restless mind in the cold wind. Just as she was about to turn around and enter the hall, she suddenly heard a series of steady footsteps behind her.
Hearing the noise, Yin Qiu was overjoyed, thinking that Man Jiangxue had returned. She quickly peeked out, only to find that under the dim light, it was Gongzi Fan, whom she hadn't seen for many days.
"What's wrong with Zha Fu Ke..." Yin Qiu was slightly surprised. She quickly glanced around and saw that there were no other people around. She then quickly pulled Gongzi Fan into the hall and closed the door behind her.
“What’s there to be afraid of?” Gongzi Fan’s lips curved slightly, revealing a kind smile. “Everyone’s gone, no one saw me come.”
"You're getting bolder and bolder," Yin Qiu said, peering out from the doorway. "What if someone sees us?"
The door was closed, blocking out the dim light outside. The two stood in the shadows, barely able to see each other. Gongzi Fan said, "Unless something goes wrong, I won't do anything without certainty. Man Jiangxue isn't here, and the disciples have all left, so you can rest assured."
Hearing this, Yin Qiu breathed a sigh of relief and immediately asked, "Why did you come looking for me at this time?"
“Today is New Year’s Eve,” said Gongzi Fan. “Since it is the New Year, we should celebrate with thumping cloth and pure offerings!”
Upon hearing this, Yin Qiu couldn't help but laugh and said, "If we could meet openly and honestly, I should be the one to take the initiative to approach Zha!"
"It's good that you have this intention," Gongzi Fan took a few steps closer to Yin Qiu, leaned down slightly to examine her, "Come, let me see how you are feeling."
Yin Qiu reached out a hand to him, and Gongzi Fan placed his fingertips on her wrist. Yin Qiu said, "Aren't you going to Weicheng?"
Gongzi Fan glanced at her and said gently, "Something has held me up. After meeting you tonight, I must set off immediately."
"What's keeping you waiting?" Yin Qiu asked instinctively, then realized it was inappropriate and quickly added, "Something happened in the palace. Have you heard anything about it?"
Gongzi Fan turned his gaze to Yin Qiu's hand and asked in return, "What is it?"
“When we last met, I told you that the spy in the palace was Senior Sister Lu from Wu Hui Peak,” Yin Qiu said. “We were wrong. Senior Sister Lu was framed. The real spy was actually Senior Sister Ye Zhilan, the one from Zha Gangdao?”
After a moment's thought, Gongzi Fan replied, "I've heard of him. Is he Xie Yijun's top disciple?"
“That’s right,” Yin Qiu said. “Xiao Qi is her, the flute player is her, and the person who leaked the underground mechanism blueprints is also her.”
"Did she leak the blueprints too?" Gongzi Fan stopped, still not looking at Yin Qiu. "What grudge does she have against the Ruyi Sect?"
Yin Qiu sighed: "She had no grudge against the Ruyi Sect. She only helped Nangong Min destroy the Ruyi Sect to deal with her master. However, she is already dead. The sect leader originally wanted to capture her alive and find out who the mastermind behind those secret guards was. But he didn't expect that person to have been watching from the shadows all along and even killed her before all of us."
The cold wind lingered at the entrance, unwilling to leave, making the unlit Chenxing Palace seem even more desolate. After listening to Yin Qiu's words, Gongzi Fan offered no comment, only asking, "Your internal injuries have improved somewhat, but I see you have quite a few external wounds on your hands. How did you get that?"
Worried that Man Jiangxue might suddenly return, Yin Qiu briefly recounted what had happened that day to Gongzi Fan. Feeling uneasy, she led Gongzi Fan to the west window after finishing her story and said, "Keep it short. I don't know when my master will return. If you hear any noise, jump out the window and leave immediately. Don't let your master see you."
Seeing her flustered state, Gongzi Fan couldn't help but laugh and say, "I told you to relax, she won't be back so soon, there's no need to be afraid."
Noticing that he reacted very calmly after hearing her words, Yin Qiu felt somewhat strange and asked, "After saying so much, what do you mean by 'I'm just being a fool'?"
Gongzi Fan looked at the injury on her hand and said with his head down, "This is called being calm in the face of adversity. The person is already dead, so being surprised is useless."
Yin Qiu paused, then said, "But I also mentioned my mother... Aren't you surprised by that?"
Gongzi Fan was silent for a moment, then sighed and said, "Perhaps it's because I already guessed that Man Dong was no longer alive, so when you mentioned that she was ambushed by that person, I didn't know what to say for a moment." After saying this, he touched Yin Qiu's face, "The dead cannot be brought back to life, and it's futile to grieve. The most important thing now is you. As long as you are alright, everything will be fine."
The mask on his face gleamed with a cold light, making it impossible to discern his true expression. As Yin Qiu looked at Gongzi Fan, a strange and inexplicable feeling arose in her heart.
She had originally thought that Gongzi Fan would be greatly shocked after hearing the news of Shen Mandong's death, so she was extra careful when she told him about it and was very particular about her words. But she did not expect that Gongzi Fan would be so calm. He did not even show the slightest heartache or regret.
Is this normal?
How could someone who loved Shen Mandong so deeply for so many years and took such good care of her daughter react so calmly after hearing the news of her death?
Although Yin Qiu had been mentally prepared for Shen Mandong's death, hearing it with her own ears still felt like the sky was falling. On one hand, she felt it was expected, but on the other hand, she still couldn't accept it. Although her feelings for Shen Mandong were not the same as Gongzi Fan's, Yin Qiu knew from the moment she met Gongzi Fan how devoted he was to Shen Mandong. He even remained unmarried for Shen Mandong's sake. No matter how you look at it, such a deeply affectionate person shouldn't be so calm now.
Yin Qiu remained outwardly calm, but inwardly she was deep in thought.
Either Gongzi Fan had indeed anticipated it, as he said, and was not surprised at the moment, or he already knew the truth about Shen Mandong's death beforehand, which is why he was not surprised at all.
Yin Qiu cannot determine the former at present, but if it is the latter, when did he find out?
Was it in the year of the Ruyi Gate incident, or on the night Ye Zhilan locked her up?
Ye Zhilan never mentioned Shen Mandong's death at the cliff edge. If Gongzi Fan didn't know about it many years ago, then he could only have heard it with his own ears that night.
In other words, he may have witnessed everything in secret, and he was actually very clear about all the events that had happened in the past few days, so there was no need for Yin Qiu to relay them.
So when he said earlier that he was delayed in going to Weicheng because of other things, was he referring to the matter of Ye Zhilan?
Could Ye Zhilan... have been killed by him?
If so, could it be that Young Master Fan... is the mastermind behind the Dark Guard disciples?
Suddenly thinking about these things, Yin Qiu felt a chill run down her spine. The more she thought about it, the more alarmed she became, and goosebumps instantly rose on her arms.
Noticing that Yin Qiu's limbs had suddenly stiffened, Gongzi Fan's lowered eyes darkened, and he asked, "Cold?"
Yin Qiu suppressed her discomfort and tried to smile as calmly as possible, saying, "It's getting colder and colder now, a little bit."
Gongzi Fan seemed to be able to see through what she was thinking, and smiled as well, saying, "Little girl, don't lie. You're not cold," he raised his head and looked directly at Yin Qiu, "you're afraid of me."
Yin Qiu was momentarily terrified, but she managed to calm herself and said, "Why would I be afraid of you?"
Gongzi Fan looked at her and sighed softly, "You don't need to be afraid of me." As he spoke, he suddenly reached out and touched Yin Qiu's acupoint, "Besides Man Jiangxue, the only person in this world you can still trust is me."
"You—" Yin Qiu's expression changed slightly as she struggled to get up, "Why did you touch my acupoint?!"
Gongzi Fan said, "Naturally, it's to save you." After saying this, he took out a pill from his pocket, stuffed it into Yin Qiu's mouth, and forced her to swallow it.
"What is this?" Yin Qiu exclaimed in surprise. "What...what did you give me to eat?"
“Anyway, it’s not poison,” Gongzi Fan said calmly as he carried Yin Qiu to the bed in the palace. “I know what you’re wondering, but as I’ve already said, you can trust me. The children in the valley have already found a way to cure the poison. That’s why I came to see you today.”
Hearing this, Yin Qiu was stunned for a moment, and said, "...You want to give me an antidote?"
Gongzi Fan nodded: "Yes."
Yin Qiu looked at him with a complicated expression: "How do you solve it?"
Gongzi Fan lowered his eyes to look at Yin Qiu, hesitated for a moment but did not answer, instead chuckled softly. He said gently, "Xiao Qiu, don't be afraid, you'll be fine after a good night's sleep. You didn't do much, Zha Gaiqi. No matter what you were thinking just now, remember that I won't harm you. Once your poison is cured, this matter shouldn't be kept from Man Jiangxue for too long. If she asks, and you really can't deny it, you can tell her about me."
By the light of the corridor, Yin Qiu stared at him intently and couldn't help but ask, "Who exactly are you?"
Gongzi Fan did not speak. He took out a small knife from his sleeve and cut a deep wound on his wrist. Warm blood immediately flowed down, staining Yin Qiu's dress.
"What are you doing...?" Yin Qiu opened her eyes wide in the dim light. "Tell me first—how are you going to cure the poison?!"
Gongzi Fan remained silent. He clenched his fist and brought it to Yin Qiu's lips. Blood slid down her lips and teeth into her throat. Yin Qiu was unable to move and could only swallow.
Zha Fubi Qiu choked and coughed, shouting, "What...what are you trying to do?!"
"Don't talk," Gongzi Fan chuckled softly, patting Yin Qiu's chest with his other hand as if coaxing a child. "Once you wake up, everything will be fine. You'll soon be back to being the lively and energetic Xiao Qiu. After you recover, you'll have a lot to do. You must remember this well!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a soft halo of light immediately shone in his palm.
A familiar, sharp pain shot through Yin Qiu's chest. She gasped for breath and soon became unable to speak. Gongzi Fan then stabbed her wrist again, and more blood gushed into Yin Qiu's mouth.
The darkness was shattered, and the small world between the bed curtains was instantly bathed in moonlight. The halo of light grew stronger and stronger, and the pain in Yin Qiu's body became increasingly unbearable.
However, she soon felt dizzy, and just before her consciousness completely disappeared, Yin Qiu's eyes were half open, and she could no longer see Gongzi Fan's masked face.
All she saw was Gongzi Fan's scarred hand.
·
"This is a new medicine that Master developed today." Meng Jing sat down at the table, holding a small oil lamp, and poured a cup of tea for Man Jiangxue across from him.
No fires were allowed in the library at night, so the two stayed in the outer hall. There were no bookshelves around, only tables and chairs for people to rest. The lamp was small and the candlelight was weak, only enough to illuminate the books on the table and a small medicine bottle.
Man Jiangxue took a sip of tea and watched as Meng Jing opened the medicine bottle and poured out a small, black pill. A pungent and unpleasant smell immediately filled the air between the two of them.
“Based on those herbs, my master and I compared them and found the Gu poison that Senior Sister Ye made in the ancient books,” Meng Jing opened the book in his hand and pushed it in front of Man Jiangxue. “This Gu is called the Heart-Losing Gu, which is considered one of the milder Gu poison techniques from beyond the Great Wall.”
Man Jiangxue glanced at the page, not really interested in reading it, and said, "Gentle?"
“Yes, it is indeed mild,” Meng Jing said. “Without the active control of the Gu worm breeder, this Gu worm will not cause any trouble in the human body. Other Gu poisons recorded in this book are not so easy to deal with. People who eat them will be tortured to death in a very short time. That’s why I say it is mild.”
Man Jiangxue indicated that she understood and asked, "Then what exactly is this 'Mind Loss Technique'?"
Meng Jing said, "Gentleness does not mean the absence of any aggression. Even if the Gu keeper does not control it, if it stays in the human body for a long time, it will slowly absorb the person's essence and blood. At most, within a year, the person infected with the Gu will gradually become weak and sick, bedridden, and will become mentally impaired and lose their mind. In the end, it will develop into bleeding from all seven orifices and die without treatment."
Man Jiangxue frowned, looked at the pill, and said, "Is this the antidote?"
Meng Jing sighed deeply: "Not yet. Its current function is only to allow us to detect signs of Gu worm activity. If we want to detoxify, we still need a medicinal ingredient."
Man Jiangxue asked, "What kind of medicinal ingredient?"
Meng Jing looked troubled and hesitated for a long time before finally saying, "...I need the lifeblood of the person who raises Gu."
Man Jiangxue was taken aback, and her fingers unconsciously tightened around the teacup.
“From its infancy, this kind of Gu worm needs to be fed with the blood of the Gu worm breeder. Gu worms raised in this way will not listen to anyone except the Gu worm breeder,” Meng Jing said, his head lowered, not daring to look at Man Jiangxue, his voice barely audible. “In other words, without the Gu worm breeder’s blood, even if Yin Qiu takes this pill, the Gu worm will not eat it. Moreover, the smell of this medicine can stimulate the Gu worm, causing it to attack the Gu worm without its master’s command… So this medicine cannot be taken, and the real antidote… cannot be made.”
Ye Zhilan is dead. Her body has been cremated and buried in a pile of ashes. Where in this world can her blood still be found?
“I’ve already had people search Senior Sister Ye’s room, but we didn’t find any of the medicine she left behind,” Meng Jing said, her voice trailing off, her frustration evident. “Maybe she made an antidote, but we simply can’t find it…”
The hall fell silent for a moment.
After a long silence, Man Jiangxue finally spoke again: "Besides developing an antidote, are there any other methods?"
Meng Jing put the pill back in its container, paused for a moment upon hearing this, and then said, "Yes, there is, but..."
"What is it?" Man Jiangxue asked quickly.
Meng Jing hesitated for a moment before finally turning his gaze to Man Jiangxue's face and stammering, "The ancient books say that if there is no antidote, it is impossible to kill the Gu worm directly in the human body. So the only way is to have a person with profound skills forcefully expel the Gu worm."
Upon hearing this, Man Jiangxue's serious expression eased slightly. She put down her teacup and said softly, "I have thought about this, but I don't know if it's feasible. Can you tell me exactly how to do it?"
“Uncle-Master, this method is too dangerous. It’s not as simple as just talking about it,” Meng Jing said wearily, unable to hide his exhaustion. “I know you are highly skilled in martial arts, but if there is the slightest mistake during this process, Yin Qiu could die, and, and…”
"And what?" Man Jiangxue asked impatiently, "Just tell me what to do."
Meng Jing frowned, mentally organizing his thoughts before replying, "First, the person afflicted by the Gu must be put into a state of suspended animation. This is to confuse the Gu worms, making them believe they are not attached to a living body but are inside a corpse. Then, the rescuer must feed the afflicted person their own blood. Only when the Gu worms are half-full can the rescuer begin to force them out with their internal energy. However, the blood cannot be stopped during this process. When the Gu worms realize the afflicted person is dead and there is external interference, they will naturally follow the fresh blood. Even if they are forced out, the rescuer cannot easily interrupt their internal energy and must continue to protect the afflicted person's life. This means the rescuer has no extra energy to manage the Gu worms, so they will follow their instincts and crawl towards the source of the blood. In other words, although they can leave the afflicted person, they will quickly burrow into the rescuer's wound. Uncle-Master, do you understand what I'm saying?"
Man Jiangxue was silent for a moment, then said, "I understand." She paused, "If I want to save Xiao Qiu, I have to draw the Gu worms onto myself."
Meng Jing said heavily, "That's right..." He clenched the medical book in his hand until it crumpled, and said in a hoarse voice, "Moreover, this method is not guaranteed to succeed. Even if it succeeds, the rescuer's skills will not be restored. If the situation is dangerous, the rescuer may even exhaust all the skills he has cultivated in his life, and then... then he will become a cripple. In addition, if he is also infected with Gu poison, then the rescuer's situation will only be more troublesome than Yin Qiu's, and he may not even be able to protect himself."
After listening to his words, Man Jiangxue remained silent for a moment before saying, "Since that's the case, then..."
"Uncle-Master—" Meng Jing interrupted her before she could finish, "This matter is no child's play. You must consider it carefully before making a decision."
Man Jiangxue sat quietly for a moment, a smile appearing on her lips: "No need to consider it anymore," she said, standing up while holding up her skirt. "You said it yourself, this is the only way to save Xiao Qiu. If I don't save her, she will only have less than a year to live. I can't watch her die."
Seeing Man Jiangxue's smile, which she rarely showed to outsiders, Meng Jing was stunned for a moment. He gritted his teeth and struggled silently for a while before suddenly standing up and saying, "Why don't you let me do it?"
Upon hearing this, Man Jiangxue glanced at Meng Jing and asked, "You?"
Meng Jing turned to the side, not looking at Man Jiangxue. She lowered her head, her tone carrying a hint of self-mockery: "I'm just a cripple anyway, insignificant in this world, and nobody cares. If I die, I die. As long as my martial uncle is there to activate his inner strength, I can use my blood to attract the Gu worms."
Upon hearing this, Man Jiangxue was surprised, and her brows, which had just relaxed, furrowed again.
Away from the lamplight on the long table, Meng Jing seemed to melt into the darkness. After a moment of silence, as if she had made up her mind, she turned around to meet Man Jiangxue's gaze and said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Uncle-Master, I know that you and Yin Qiu are in love, but... but I actually have feelings for her too!"
Upon hearing her words, Man Jiangxue slightly raised her eyelashes, and a glint flashed in her eyes.
Meng Jing clenched his fists. Despite feeling utterly insecure in front of Man Jiangxue, he forced himself to suppress his shame and said firmly, "I've admired Yin Qiu for a long time. I really like her. Maybe in other people's eyes, I'm just a poor boy from a rural family, unworthy of Yin Qiu. I even hated her and bullied her when I was young, but I know I was wrong. Over the years, I've tried my best to make it up to her, even though what I've done is far from enough, and Yin Qiu already has someone else in her heart. But that doesn't stop me from continuing to like her. In my heart, Uncle-Master is indeed the most suitable person to accompany Yin Qiu, so... so I hope you two can be together! I'm willing to save her. My life is worthless, but it's different, Uncle-Master. If something happens to you, Yin Qiu will be very sad, and that's not what I want to see—Uncle-Master, I'm serious, let me do it!"
Man Jiangxue looked at her quietly, without saying a word for a long time.
Meng Jing had nowhere to hide under her gaze, and was unable to move. She had stripped herself bare, revealing herself completely to Man Jiangxue. This was no easy task; she had abandoned the dignity she had strived to protect since childhood, and for the first time, she had shown her true feelings to someone. She trembled at this frankness, and was also delighted by her own courage.
Even though that little bit of joy was so insignificant and trivial.
The two sat facing each other silently across a long table. After a long while, Man Jiangxue sighed and said, "First of all, everyone has their own value in life. You don't need to belittle yourself. At least Xiao Qiu cares about you. She has never held a grudge against you since childhood and has always considered you a friend." She paused after saying this and continued, "Secondly, one should take responsibility for one's own actions. I am to blame for Xiao Qiu's life being in danger. Therefore, there is no way for you to come and save her, nor can anyone else."
Meng Jing hurriedly said, "But..."
“No buts,” Man Jiangxue waved her hand, indicating that she didn’t need to say anything more. “You’re a good child who knows how to correct her mistakes. I’ve seen your behavior in the palace all these years. You’re not as worthless as you say. It’s true that you like Xiao Qiu and it’s true that you want to save her with your own life, but I can’t let you take that risk. Don’t mention this matter again. I understand your feelings, but I won’t convey them to Xiao Qiu for you. After she recovers, you can talk to her yourself.”
Meng Jing said, distraught, "But this method is far too dangerous. What if something happens to you? What about Yin Qiu...?"
Man Jiangxue said, "If something really happens, then we can only leave it to fate. But don't worry, I will definitely protect Xiao Qiu and make sure nothing happens to her." She glanced at Meng Jing, her eyes softening. "If I succeed, I will have to entrust Xiao Qiu to you from now on. You must take good care of her for me."
Meng Jing stood there silently, her eyes red.
“If I only have a year to live, I will leave Xiao Qiu before I die,” Man Jiangxue said. “She just needs to remember what I look like normally. After I die, you must protect her, understand?”
Meng Jing choked up, tears streaming down his face, and said, "Uncle-Master..."
“Then remember to keep our conversation tonight a secret from Xiao Qiu,” Man Jiangxue said. “You must not reveal a single word to her until things are successful.”
Meng Jing covered his face and wept bitterly, his voice trembling as he sobbed a few times before he could no longer speak.
Man Jiangxue looked at her for a while, walked up to Meng Jing and patted her head. Then she turned around, picked up the medicine bottle on the table, and slowly walked away from the library.
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