Chapter 172
Wen Chaoyu stood outside Wangchuan Palace for almost half an hour, waving the wine flask in his hand.
Cangjun is damp and cold, and the snow at the end of each year falls heavily, covering pavilions and towers with thick snow, and everything is covered in silver. Only the red maples are untouched by the white frost, as if they have been carefully cared for.
The streets outside were bustling with activity and filled with the festive atmosphere of the New Year. However, the Ziwei Sect remained unchanged, without even a few red lanterns hanging. The followers were either patrolling or on duty. The only hint of alcohol in the place came from Wen Chaoyu, who had just returned today.
"The sect leader still won't let people celebrate the New Year," Xue Tan said in a low voice, shivering in the cold wind with his hands tucked into his sleeves. "I bet the New Year's Eve dinner at Yunhua Palace is very lavish. I heard from that Bai Ling girl that they can drink and have fun to their heart's content on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day every year, and they receive double their monthly salary. The disciples take turns going home to visit their families, and the younger ones even get lucky money."
Wen Chaoyu took a swig of wine, and scoffed at this, "Well, who told you to insist on coming with me? You must be regretting it now."
Xue Tan said, "To be honest, there is a little bit."
“Then you’d better pray for me now,” Wen Chaoyu said. “If the cult leader doesn’t kill me later, you’ll get lucky money, and I’ll treat you to drinks.”
Xue Tan said, "If you can escape this calamity, I'll drink your urine, let alone drink alcohol."
Wen Chaoyu rolled her eyes, feeling that the taste of wine in her mouth suddenly wasn't so pleasant anymore. Just as she was about to curse Xue Tan, the door of Wangchuan Palace was pushed open, and Qin Zheng walked out from inside, looking at Wen Chaoyu indifferently and saying, "The sect leader wants to see you."
Wen Chaoyu said "Oh," shoved the wine pouch in her hand into Xue Tan's arms, and lifted her skirt to enter the corridor. She brushed past Qin Zheng, but after taking a few steps, she turned back and asked, "Old acquaintance, how is the sect leader's mood today? Can you give me a hint?"
Qin Zheng looked at her and smiled meaningfully: "Seeing you makes even a bad mood better."
Wen Chaoyu said, "Then I'm relieved." She looked Qin Zheng up and down, then crossed her arms and said, "But you don't seem to be in a good mood. Are you disappointed that I'm still alive?"
"Of course," Qin Zheng said gently, "I couldn't kill you in Weicheng, but I've been thinking about you constantly, hoping you would die in Yunhua Palace. Who knew Man Jiangxue was so incompetent that she didn't even dare to touch you."
“That’s all thanks to our leader,” Wen Chaoyu said. “You knew all along that Ye Zhilan was Xiao Qi, didn’t you? The leader only told you about such an important thing, and he’s still keeping it from me. Why are you still arguing with me? In the past, you were always jealous of me being the Great Protector, and now you are too. Let’s turn hostility into friendship and take care of each other from now on. What do you think?”
Qin Zheng scoffed slightly: "The Great Protector is someone you didn't want. I just picked up a bargain. You will always be the leader's favorite. How could I dare to presume to be worthy of you?"
Hearing this, Wen Chaoyu was truly relieved. She chuckled, patted Qin Zheng on the shoulder twice, and pointed at Xue Tan, saying, "Don't touch him, and don't order him around. Just let him stay here. Not a single hair on his head can be missing, understand?"
Qin Zheng snorted coldly, not even glancing at Xue Tan, and immediately turned and left.
Xue Tan immediately beamed with joy and said, "Guardian! She's willing to swallow her anger like this, it seems the Sect Leader will definitely let you off the hook!"
Wen Chaoyu, however, contradicted him: "Maybe he's just too lazy to bother with me since he sees I'm about to die," she said, her smile fading as she pushed open the door. "Just wait and see, and remember to pray for me."
She stepped inside, and before the door could even be closed, the figure in red inside turned her gaze toward her, still with that same smiling, kind and friendly expression.
Wen Chaoyu's eyelids twitched, and she closed the door behind her. She stood there upright, not daring to approach rashly.
There was no incense burning in the hall today, and no beauties were seen in the hot spring. Nangong Min leaned against the low couch, holding a letter in his hand, and looked at Wen Chaoyu, saying, "A rare guest."
Wen Chaoyu chuckled twice, and seeing Nangong Min gesturing for her to sit, she moved over and sat down at the table.
"Why did you come back instead of spending the New Year at Yunhua Palace?" Nangong Min said gently. "I thought you wouldn't come back after you left."
"Even wild geese know to return to their nests when they fly south, let alone people?" Wen Chaoyu said. "If you have a home, you have to go back. Besides, I was kidnapped by Man Jiangxue. Otherwise, who would want to go to Yunhua Palace?"
“Yunhua Palace is a great place to eat, drink, and have fun, and to visit relatives. You get double your monthly salary and New Year’s money,” Nangong Min said leisurely.
“I can have fun and drink anywhere, and I don’t have any relatives to visit,” Wen Chaoyu said, responding flexibly. “As for my monthly salary and New Year’s money, if the master is willing to give it, I won’t mind giving it too much.”
Nangong Min chuckled, stood up, and threw the letter next to Wen Chaoyu: "The Holy Sword is still missing, and you've revealed who Xiao Qi is. I've lost both my wife and my army; the loss is considerable."
The letter was sent by Yin Qiu. Wen Chaoyu glanced at it and said, "I was talking about Lu Huaiwei, not Ye Zhilan."
“So, I kept this up for years, precisely to guard against you,” Nangong Min said, standing with his hands behind his back, his aura gradually becoming more oppressive. “No matter who you accused, the nature of the crime is the same: you have become a traitor, that is an indisputable fact. So tell me, how should I punish you?”
That's a difficult question to answer.
Even before the two met, Wen Chaoyu had already told Qin Zheng everything that had happened at Yunhua Palace. Qin Zheng had also relayed the information to Nangong Min. Even though Ye Zhilan had lost her composure and exposed herself, and it had nothing to do with Wen Chaoyu, she was dead and that was that. Nangong Min wouldn't care about her. Right now, besides being angry that the Holy Sword was still not in her hands, she wanted to hold Wen Chaoyu accountable.
"Just say it," Wen Chaoyu thought for a long time but still couldn't figure out how to deal with the problem, so she had no choice but to say in a desperate way, "Do whatever you want with me, I'll let you do whatever you want with me."
Nangong Min scrutinized her for a moment, but instead of answering, he asked, "Where is the Holy Sword?"
Wen Chaoyu shook his head: "I don't know. We turned the observatory upside down, but we couldn't even find a trace of the Holy Sword. Ye Zhilan said she didn't touch it; it was moved by someone else."
Nangong Min fell silent, which was unusual for him.
“You know who took the Holy Sword,” Wen Chaoyu asked when she remained silent. “Then why did you go through all this trouble and team up with Ye Zhilan? Why didn’t you just ask that person for it? Is it because you can’t beat him, or are you unsure who he really is?”
Nangong Min said, "Of course I know who he is." She smiled and continued, "If Ye Zhilan wants to join forces with me, it's impossible for her not to tell the truth. It's just that I don't have any evidence. Do you think he'll give it to me if I ask him for it? Actually, I never expected Ye Zhilan to give me the Holy Sword. The reason I was willing to wait so many years and let her drag me along was simply because I had nothing better to do than to stir up trouble and have some fun with her. Now that she's dead, I don't need to play around anymore. The Holy Sword is mine, and I should take it back."
Wen Chaoyu was speechless and choked with emotion.
Knowing she couldn't retrieve the Holy Sword, she conspired with Ye Zhilan, committing all sorts of evil deeds for amusement. In truth, whether Ye Zhilan lived or died had no impact on her, because her situation remained unchanged. No matter how turbulent the outside world became, she remained calm and observed the situation.
"Then how are you going to get it?" Wen Chaoyu said. "Although Ye Zhilan was selfish, she did have the ability to retrieve the Holy Sword for you. But now that she's dead, who else can help you?"
“It’s better to rely on yourself than to rely on others,” Nangong Min sat down opposite Wen Chaoyu and poured a cup of tea. “However, I’m never in a hurry. I always know what I should do next. It doesn’t matter who has the Holy Sword. It won’t break anyway. I can let that person keep it for me for the time being and go deal with the other person first.”
Wen Chaoyu asked, "Who?"
“Meng Wugui,” Nangong Min took a sip of tea and looked at Wen Chaoyu, “her appearance is not a good thing for me. A person who knows the whole truth should not live. She has been able to endure for many years without making a move, which shows that she is resilient and unafraid of hardship. What people fear most in this world is not those highly skilled martial arts masters, but those who are willing to do anything for revenge. Look at Man Jiangxue, didn’t she suffer a great loss because of Ye Zhilan? How many times did she and Yin Qiu fall victim to her sneak attacks? With this precedent, I will definitely not let Meng Wugui become the next Ye Zhilan, and I will never give her the opportunity to plot against me.”
Wen Chaoyu was surprised that she would think of dealing with Meng Wugui at this time, and asked in confusion, "Why are you causing trouble for her now? She knows who that person is. You two can cooperate, get rid of that person first, she can take revenge, and you can take your sword. Each of you can get what you want. When they are both exhausted, wouldn't it be better for you to take the opportunity to deal with Meng Wugui?"
Nangong Min laughed as he listened: "You only see one side of the story, but not the other. If I cooperate with her to get rid of that person, then Meng Wugui will have one less enemy, which is a good thing for her. Why should I do something that benefits her? Besides, the current situation is that that person killed Ye Zhilan, eliminating a potential threat that could expose him. He will inevitably then target me and Meng Wugui. But compared to Meng Wugui, Meng Wugui is naturally easier to bully. So he will definitely deal with Meng Wugui first, and then deal with me. Why don't I go with the flow and also kick Meng Wugui while he's down?"
As long as she stirs things up behind the scenes, once Meng Wugui is defeated, the situation will stabilize again, and the predicament she faces will remain unchanged. However, if that person dies first, no one can guarantee whether Nangong Min can obtain the Holy Sword, and Meng Wugui may not be willing to cooperate with her. Even if Meng Wugui is willing, what if she goes back on her word, kills that person first, and then plots to take the Holy Sword away? In that case, Nangong Min will be at a huge loss.
Since that's the case, it's better to eliminate Meng Wugui, this guy who suddenly appeared out of nowhere, before making any further plans.
Wen Chaoyu was already used to her methods and strategies, so he wasn't surprised. He asked, "If you can think of these things, so can they. What if the two of them join forces to deal with you?"
Nangong Min said, "Impossible. If they were to join forces, there wouldn't have been the Weicheng incident. Haven't you realized it yet? Meng Wugui would never cooperate with anyone. Even if she needed allies, she would only approach Man Jiangxue. But Man Jiangxue didn't help her, which means her true purpose must be unacceptable to Man Jiangxue. So I guess Meng Wugui still wants to deal with Yunhua Palace. She must also want to rebuild Ruyi Gate. With such a grand ambition, how could Man Jiangxue possibly agree to it?"
After saying this, Nangong Min looked up at Wen Chaoyu and said thoughtfully, "However, there is something I find strange. Even though Man Jiangxue refused to help her, she could have simply told Man Jiangxue who that person was. As long as Man Jiangxue knew who killed Shen Mandong, that person would surely die. But Meng Wugui didn't say. What is she worried about?"
Wen Chaoyu was almost dozing off when she heard this and said with a hint of boredom, "How would I know? I've never even met Meng Wugui in person."
Nangong Min pondered for a moment, then suddenly asked, "That night in Weicheng, you said Meng Wugui's disciple was also present?"
Wen Chaoyu hummed in agreement: "Her name is Afu. She's a young girl, but her archery skills are exceptional. She's the one who shot an arrow at me at the main altar back then. She appeared with Meng Wugui at the time, don't you remember?"
“I have a vague recollection,” Nangong Min paused, then his eyes suddenly lit up. “Ah, I’ve got it.”
Wen Chaoyu glanced at her: "What came to mind?"
Nangong Min laughed: "I didn't think of this before. At first, I only thought that she sent Afu there to kill everyone who was lured out. Now that I think about it, she actually wanted Afu to protect Yin Qiu. That makes sense. She didn't reveal who that person was because of Yin Qiu, because she couldn't protect Yin Qiu's safety. What does this mean? It means that she cares a lot about Yin Qiu. Her relationship with Yin Qiu must be extraordinary. Meng Wugui may not just be a former member of Ruyi Sect. She may also be a descendant of the Shen family, just like Yin Qiu."
Although Wen Chaoyu had stayed at Yunhua Palace for a while, she didn't know who Meng Wugui was. Upon hearing this, she was surprised and asked, "The Shen family only has two descendants. Shen Mandong is already dead. So, according to you, Meng Wugui is... Shen Manzhen?"
“Now it seems so,” Nangong Min said. “You must have seen her when you were at Yunhua Palace.”
Wen Chaoyu had not only seen her, but she had also played with Meng Wugui, who was still quite young at the time, whenever she and Shen Mandong returned to Ruyi Gate as guests. Wen Chaoyu said in surprise, "I thought she was long dead."
“So, Protector Wen, how did you mess up my plans again?” Nangong Min said. “After I brought you back from Weicheng, you didn’t mention that Afu went to the bamboo forest to protect Yin Qiu.”
Wen Chaoyu was taken aback, and said somewhat awkwardly, "I forgot."
That's true; she really forgot.
“Good riddance,” Nangong Min said. “If you hadn’t forgotten, I would have guessed who Meng Wugui was long ago. Look at you, you’re more trouble than you’re worth, you just cause me trouble.”
Wen Chaoyu cleared her throat: "It's not too late for you to guess now... So how do you plan to deal with Meng Wugui?"
Nangong Min said, "How could I not tell you? How could I possibly give such an important plan to a traitor?"
"Fine, don't tell me then!" Wen Chaoyu said. "Alright, I'm not really that interested anyway."
“Now it’s time to talk about you,” Nangong Min said, his eyes sweeping over Wen Chaoyu as he scrutinized her for a moment. “How do you want to die? I can grant your wish.”
Wen Chaoyu thought for a moment and said very seriously, "You can knock me out first, then stab me in the heart. This way of dying is painless, and I can accept it more."
Nangong Min looked at her.
Wen Chaoyu said again, "You don't agree? Then give me a cup of poisoned wine. I'll drink it, knock myself unconscious, and die in my sleep. That wouldn't be bad either."
Nangong Min suddenly sighed and stood up: "Aren't you going to beg me? Do you really want to die?"
Wen Chaoyu said, "If you're willing to let me go, I'm willing to beg you."
Snow was still falling outside. Nangong Min opened the window, reached out and caught two snowflakes. She was silent for a moment, then turned to look at Wen Chaoyu and said, "Do you know why I have indulged you time and time again?"
Noticing that her expression was unusually serious, Wen Chaoyu shook her head and remained silent.
“You shouldn’t have come back,” Nangong Min said. “This time is different from before. So many eyes in the sect are watching. Even if I wanted to protect you, I couldn’t. In the past, I let you do whatever you wanted to make those three protectors jealous and work even harder for me. But this time you have become a traitor known to everyone in the sect. No matter what, I can no longer protect you openly as I used to.”
Wen Chaoyu asked, "Then why are you protecting me?"
Nangong Min laughed and said, "I won't tell you."
Wen Chaoyu observed her, many thoughts flashing through her mind, and then she said with a strange look in her eyes, "Master, I have someone I like."
Nangong Min burst out laughing: "What, you think I have ulterior motives towards you?"
“You like women too,” Wen Chaoyu said. “That’s the only way I can guess.”
Nangong Min was still smiling: "Don't worry, I don't have those kinds of feelings for you, and I can't bring myself to do it."
Wen Chaoyu said, "Then why exactly did you..."
“I’m happy, no amount of money can buy my happiness,” Nangong Min said. “You may leave.”
"Leave?" Wen Chaoyu asked in surprise, "Where to?"
“Go where you want to go,” Nangong Min said, “go see who you want to see.”
Wen Chaoyu was caught off guard: "You're going to let me go?"
“Yes,” Nangong Min said, “I can’t keep you anymore, I can’t keep anyone.”
Wen Chaoyu felt lost. She leaned back in her chair, her brows furrowed, and said, "But where else can I go besides the Ziwei Sect...?"
“The world is vast, and there is a place for you to belong,” Nangong Min said. “We are not on the same path, and we will part ways sooner or later.”
Wen Chaoyu remained silent and sullen.
“You don’t want to deal with Yunhua Palace, and Meng Wugui is Shen Mandong’s sister, so you probably can’t bring yourself to kill her either,” Nangong Min said. “In that case, you’re of no use staying in the sect. I don’t keep idle people here. Go do what you’re supposed to do and stop clinging to me.”
"But didn't you just say you couldn't protect me?" Wen Chaoyu asked incredulously. "Now you're suddenly letting me go. How are you going to explain this to the cultists?"
Nangong Min said, "I am the leader of the sect. Why do I need to answer to anyone?"
Wen Chaoyu said, "What if I don't leave?"
“If you don’t leave, I will have to punish you; that would truly be an explanation to the believers,” Nangong Min said. “Do you really want to die?”
Wen Chaoyu's feelings suddenly became complicated.
She could no longer stay in the Ziwei Sect, and Yunhua Palace was not a place for her to belong either. Nangong Min was wrong; the world was vast, and there was really no place for her to belong.
"You have made great contributions and worked hard in the sect over the years, and I will not treat you unfairly." Nangong Min said, clapping his hands together. A maid from the inner palace immediately brought over a brocade box and placed it on the table.
When Wen Chaoyu opened it, she saw that it contained bright yellow gold.
“Wealth begets wealth, you won’t have to worry for the rest of your life,” Nangong Min said softly, gazing at the snow scene outside the window. “From now on, you will have no further connection with the Ziwei Sect. You are free.”
Wen Chaoyu stood there, as if she hadn't heard what she said.
Soon, the door opened, and the red figure in her peripheral vision gradually disappeared into the distance. Wen Chaoyu's mind went blank. Then she suddenly stood up, strode out of the hall, and shouted at Nangong Min's back, "Wait... I still owe you a life!"
The person has already gone far away.
The patrolling pilgrims passed by and never returned. The maids in Wangchuan Palace extinguished the lights, handed the brocade box on the table to Xue Tan, and then left one after another. In the swirling snow, Wen Chaoyu stood under the eaves, like a statue.
"Guardian, this..." Xue Tan asked, puzzled, "What did the sect leader say to you?"
Wen Chaoyu was stunned for a moment, then gave a bitter smile and looked at Xue Tan, saying, "She kicked me out."
"...They gave me so much gold after kicking me out?" Xue Tan didn't know whether to be happy or worried. "So, where do we go next?"
Wen Chaoyu leaned against a pillar, covering her face with one hand, and said, "I don't know."
Xue Tan said excitedly, "Why don't we go back to Yunhua Palace now? Miss Ji is still waiting for you! You made an appointment with her before you left to go back and see her. As long as you don't delay on the way, you might even make it to her grand ceremony for ascending the throne as the young sect leader! Miss Ji would definitely love to see you there for such an important event!"
Wen Chaoyu felt a piercing pain in her chest. She sat on the steps, covering her face completely with both hands.
Xue Tan was still rambling on: "With so much gold, we need to deposit it in a bank first, and then buy a gift for Miss Ji. What should we buy... what kind of things does she usually like?"
Wen Chaoyu ignored him.
Xue Tan looked at her and said, "Guardian, what's wrong?"
Wen Chaoyu still didn't react.
“You are the first person to be personally pardoned by the leader and forced to leave the Ziwei Sect,” Xue Tan said. “Your subordinates have also benefited from this, which is a good thing! Why aren’t you happy at all?”
Wen Chaoyu kept her head down and remained silent for a long time. After a while, she suddenly stood up and said, "Who do you think might have the Holy Sword?"
Xue Tan scratched his head: "Who can guess? But I think... whoever killed Ye Zhilan should have the Holy Sword in their hands, but we just don't know who that person is."
Wen Chaoyu jumped down the steps, her deep-set eyes seemingly wet with tears. She sighed and said in a deep voice, "Then find this person, find the Holy Sword, and return it to Nangong Min."
Xue Tan paused for a moment, then said earnestly, "Guardian, since the sect leader has shown you such leniency, I think you should stay out of these matters. With this gold, we can buy a house in Shangyuan City. Aren't you embarrassed to return to Yunhua Palace? Then live in the house you bought yourself. That way, Miss Ji won't have trouble seeing you after she becomes the sect leader. You don't need to worry about those complicated things."
"Do you think you can just leave the martial world whenever you want?" Wen Chaoyu clenched her fists and glanced back at Wangchuan Palace. "This is the last thing I can do for Nangong Min."
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