Chapter 177
The three people stared at each other in the hall, and the atmosphere became silent for a moment.
Seeing that Man Jiangxue still refused to budge, Xie Yijun had no choice but to agree, "Alright, if you can get Bai Ling, it's not impossible."
Man Jiangxue said, "Then please don't take it to heart, Senior Sister. Although Zhilan is dead, Xiaoqiu's current situation is still not very safe. I need to do my best to keep her under my watchful eye at all times. As disciples of the Palace Sect, we should do our part for the sect. You are busy with official duties here. If there is anything we can do to help you, we will not refuse."
Xie Yijun certainly understood this principle. She replied, "Alright, alright, I'm not that petty. But compared to others, Yin Qiu is someone I've watched grow up. Of course, I'm completely at ease with her coming to Mingguang Hall. I'm terrified by what happened with Zhilan and the Dark Guard disciples; how could I dare to trust anyone so easily?"
Yin Qiu said, "I will take care of the matters of Mingguang Hall together with Bai Ling, so please don't worry, Sect Leader."
The three waited for a while before Ji Wanshu came out of the medical pavilion. Upon hearing that Lu Huaiwei had cried and then fallen into a deep sleep, Xie Yijun sighed and said, "Then we'll visit her another day. We must instruct our disciples to take good care of her." She looked at Ji Wanshu and said, "Now that you're back, there's no need to go to Shangyuan City anymore. Focus on preparing for your enthronement ceremony."
Ji Wanshu remained silent, only nodding.
The group left together, each heading in a different direction. Seeing that Ji Wanshu and Xie Yijun had gone far away, Yin Qiu asked, "Uncle-Master, were you about to agree to the Sect Leader's request? I haven't been able to contact my adoptive father yet, so I can't go to Mingguang Hall right now."
"I was careless and forgot about it," Man Jiangxue said, holding Yin Qiu's hand. "Why did you take so long?"
Yin Qiu sighed and took out a medicine bottle from his sleeve: "Uncle-Master, look what this is?"
Man Jiangxue took the medicine bottle, smelled it, and said, "Antidote?"
“Hmm,” Yin Qiu said, “I really didn’t expect that the bracelet that Senior Sister Ye gave me had gold beads on it. I don’t know if it contained the antidote or a special medicine made with her own blood. If I hadn’t accidentally dropped the bracelet into the medicine pot while talking to Meng Jing earlier, I’m afraid I would never have found it in my life.”
Man Jiangxue did not seem surprised upon hearing this, and said calmly, "Then we'll wait for Young Master Fan's next move."
Yin Qiufu put the medicine bottle away again and said, "Fortunately, I have been wearing that bracelet all along and forgot to take it off these days. Although I have the antidote, I still don't know how my godfather is doing. I hope he will contact me as soon as possible."
Man Jiangxue said, "Don't worry, Fanxin Valley is not to be underestimated. The fact that there is no news right now is the best news."
"That's all we can think of now," Yin Qiu said. "We need to get back to Jingyue Peak as soon as possible. I need to write a letter to Duan Ning to ask for his help in rescuing Fu Xiang."
As soon as she said this, without needing much explanation, Man Jiangxue had already figured out the relationship between the Duan family and Mingyue Tower in the blink of an eye.
"Did Meng Jing come up with this idea?"
Yin Qiu replied, "It was her. Meng Jing is meticulous and has a broader perspective than I do. If she hadn't mentioned it this time, I really wouldn't have thought of Duan Ning."
The two walked along the palace wall up the mountain path leading to Jingyue Peak. Wild daffodils grew in the grass on both sides of the stone steps. Manjiangxue bent down, picked a flower, brushed off the dew, and tucked it into Yinqiu's hair. She said, "Actually, when the sect leader was looking for people, I originally wanted to recommend Meng Jing. He is good at writing and has good knowledge. Since he stays in the palace and doesn't easily go down the mountain, he can do some clerical work."
Yin Qiu leaned closer to Man Jiangxue, carefully examining herself through her eyes, and asked, "Then why wasn't that mentioned?"
A mountain breeze blew by, carrying a faint fragrance of flowers. Man Jiangxue looked down at Yin Qiu, who was standing close to her, and said, "He has a heart condition and has been working too hard lately. He should rest more. Bai Ling has a bright future. Liuli Peak will eventually be handed over to her. This is a good opportunity to train her more."
Yin Qiu stared at her for a moment, then stepped back to create some distance, saying, "Uncle-Master knows what Meng Jing wants to say to me, right?"
Upon hearing this, Man Jiangxue knew that Meng Jing was hesitant and did not dare to reveal his true feelings to Yin Qiu, so she replied, "It is not convenient for him to say it, and it is not convenient for me to do it for him. Just pretend you don't know anything and don't ask."
If Meng Jing hadn't been willing to risk his life to cure Yin Qiu's poison, Man Jiangxue would never have allowed Yin Qiu to be alone with Meng Jing for so long. Although she couldn't control the affairs of young people, Yin Qiu was already with her. How could Man Jiangxue ignore someone who showed affection to Yin Qiu? But if that person was Meng Jing, Man Jiangxue could be magnanimous and give him a chance to fulfill his wish. However, he knew when to back down and chose to remain silent. Then there would be no second time, and this matter should come to an end.
Yin Qiu felt like she was being scratched by a cat. There was something between Man Jiangxue and Meng Jing that she didn't know, and neither of them was willing to tell her. Judging from Meng Jing's behavior today and Man Jiangxue's reaction, it seemed that the matter was not something trivial. Yin Qiu was kept in the dark and couldn't get any answers, which made her feel uncontrollably agitated.
"Fine, don't tell me then, I won't ask," Yin Qiu said, jumping up the steps and leaving Man Jiangxue behind. "I won't tell my martial uncle any more little secrets!"
Man Jiangxue, composed and leisurely, followed after me and said, "It's been a while since you've thrown a tantrum at me. You have a lot of little secrets, and you haven't told me every single one of them."
Yin Qiu turned around and glared at her: "Isn't your martial aunt the same? How long have you kept my mother's feelings for you a secret from me? Several years!"
Man Jiangxue said, "You've kept your secret relationship with Gongzi Fan a secret from me for several years."
Yin Qiu choked, then retorted defiantly, "You'll have to keep this from me about Meng Jing for the rest of your life, but I have nothing to hide from you for the rest of my life."
"Really?" Man Jiangxue reached out and grabbed her, and the daffodil flower from Yin Qiu's temple fell onto her shoulder. "So, you didn't intend to keep the fact that Meng Jing is a woman a secret from me for the rest of your life?"
Yin Qiu was startled and asked in surprise, "You...how did you know?!"
“When she first entered the palace, I sent my secret guards to keep an eye on her, to see if she would cause you any trouble,” Man Jiangxue said. “Later, I discovered that she always went to the women’s quarters to bathe in the middle of the night. What else could that prove?”
Yin Qiu said in disbelief, "So, my martial uncle already knew!"
Man Jiangxue put the daffodil back on Yin Qiu's shoulder, looked up at her and said, "We're even now."
Yin Qiu paused for a moment, then said, "What do you mean by even? You know Meng Jing is a girl, but I still don't know what she wants to say to me."
“How can it not be even? If I hadn’t brought this up, you would have continued to keep it from me. It’s my own skill that I found out,” Man Jiangxue said. “If you’re so capable, then pry Meng Jing’s mouth open yourself. Otherwise, find another thing I’m hiding from you and tell me about it.”
Yin Qiu couldn't say it.
Seeing that she was at a loss and had no reason to lash out, Man Jiangxue picked Yin Qiu up by the back of her knees and said, "Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. Things need to be prioritized. Don't you still need to write a letter to Duan Ning?"
Yin Qiu said, "I'm so angry."
Man Jiangxue shook her and said, "I know you're angry, I'm just trying to comfort you."
Yin Qiu raised her arms and wrapped them around her neck, saying, "I'm not capable on my own, I don't need you to coax me."
“Oh,” Man Jiangxue said, “then I won’t coax you. You can get down and walk by yourself.”
Yin Qiu angrily bit her on the side of her neck.
“If you still bite, then I don’t want to hug you anymore,” Man Jiangxue pretended to put Yin Qiu down, “so that if I carry you back and the disciples see you, you’ll be embarrassed again.”
Yin Qiu immediately hugged her tightly, her legs stiff and refusing to touch the ground, shouting, "I won't go down!"
Man Jiangxue said, "Hurry up and get down, your skirt will get dirty."
Yin Qiu lifted the hem of her skirt and complained, "Uncle-Master is so mean! You're the one who's hiding things from me. You made me angry and you won't even try to comfort me."
"Didn't you tell me not to coax him?" Man Jiangxue said. "Why is everything my fault?"
Yin Qiu said, "It's your fault."
Man Jiangxue found it amusing, but still held Yin Qiu firmly in her arms. As she walked up the steps, she said, "Okay, you decide." She turned her head and kissed Yin Qiu, then added, "Xiao Qiu is right about everything."
Yin Qiu stopped moving and remained silent.
Man Jiangxue asked, "Are you still angry?"
Yin Qiu said, "There's one more thing."
Man Jiangxue then kissed her again: "And now?"
Yin Qiu said, "There's still a little bit left."
Man Jiangxue stopped abruptly, kissed Yin Qiu until her cheeks flushed, and said, "Can you forgive me now?"
"Mmm..." Yin Qiu said in a soft voice, "I forgive you."
Man Jiangxue chuckled softly, then carried Yin Qiu and leaped to the top of the stone steps. Passing through a patch of red maple leaves, she calmly entered the Chenxing Palace amidst the disciples' astonished gazes. Both of them were covered in the moisture of the forest. When Yin Qiu was laid down on the bed, the narcissus flower from her hair fell into the cloud-patterned quilt. Her face flushed, she was pressed down by Man Jiangxue and kissed for a while.
Man Jiangxue bit her.
His lips lingered on her neck, leaving red marks on her fair skin. Yin Qiu kept dodging, pleading, "Stop biting me, I'm too ashamed to face anyone..."
“Then I won’t see him,” Man Jiangxue persisted, “Besides me, you have no need to see anyone else.”
As their feelings deepened and changed, Man Jiangxue's behavior in this love affair became increasingly different from before. She never deliberately avoided the topic and was never ashamed to talk about her relationship with Yin Qiu. In the time they spent together, she became more and more willing to reveal her inner thoughts to Yin Qiu.
She was always proactive and guiding, and at many necessary moments, she would use actions and words to directly convey a lot of emotions to Yin Qiu.
Like now.
The palace doors were already closed, and the curtains were drawn tightly. The sound of the disciples' deliberately light footsteps could be heard outside. Man Jiangxue closed the window with her internal force without turning her head. Yin Qiu propped himself up and saw figures peeking out and listening intently through the window.
Yin Qiu's heart pounded like a drum, and she quickly whispered, "Why did you close the window, Uncle-Master? I'm so ashamed to face anyone now!"
Man Jiangxue raised an eyebrow: "Are you suggesting we leave the window open and let them see?"
"That's not what I meant!" Yin Qiu said. "You're just trying to cover it up!"
Man Jiangxue said, "Okay, then I'll drive there."
Yin Qiu quickly pulled her back: "No!"
Man Jiangxue said, "Then I'll chase them away."
Yin Qiu's face turned even redder: "No...no, that won't work either!"
Man Jiangxue laughed and said, "Then what do you want?"
Caught in a dilemma, Yin Qiu had no choice but to push Man Jiangxue away, run to the table and sit down, trying to calm herself down, saying, "I...I have important things to do, I won't mess with you anymore."
Man Jiangxue then let Yin Qiu go and stopped bothering her. The disciples outside the window eavesdropped for a while but heard no movement, and soon quietly left. Man Jiangxue ground the ink for Yin Qiu, and only after Yin Qiu finished writing the letter did she become serious and say, "Go back to your room for the next few days. Gongzi Fan might send someone to look for you, so you'd better not miss it."
Yin Qiu put the letter into an envelope, nodded upon hearing this, and said, "With the antidote, I'm not too worried, but Fu Xiang's matter is still a bit tricky. I don't know if Duan Ning will agree to save her. This matter depends on what Master Duan thinks."
Man Jiangxue said, "If they are also willing but unable, then we can only wait and see how Meng Wugui will respond."
Yin Qiu said, "If Meng Wugui is too busy to protect Fu Xiang, then I can't worry about anything else. I can only go to Jinhuai City to help Fu Xiang find out the truth. As long as I don't contact Meng Wugui, that person shouldn't be in a hurry to make things difficult for me."
Man Jiangxue said, "This is a poor strategy."
Yin Qiu dripped wax onto the seal and sighed, "I hope Fu Xiang can turn misfortune into good fortune this time and be safe and sound."
·
Fu Xiang sat against the wall, reading the petition in his hand by the dim light of the small oil lamp overhead.
The solitary confinement cell wasn't a prison; it was very clean. During the days she had been locked up, Fu Xiang had kept herself impeccably groomed, even cleaner than when she was diligently practicing her inner cultivation techniques in the secret passage. While she was working hard in the secret passage, she had no time to bathe or change clothes, and she always had to shower thoroughly before going to bed. But here, she didn't even sweat; her movements were restricted, and she had no freedom.
Several serious-looking disciples of Mingyue Tower stood outside the door, while Fu Cen sat at the other end, looking at Fu Xiang expressionlessly.
“The Luo family has already reported the case to the authorities. The complaint lists all your crimes. I’ve been pulling strings to suppress this for so long. Do you admit it or not? Do you want to settle this officially or privately? I’ve given you a choice. I can’t appease the Luo family any longer. Several groups of officials have come. I’m losing patience. Give me a straight answer as soon as possible.”
Fu Xiang chuckled and tore the document in his hand to shreds without saying a word, saying, "Jianghu matters should be settled in Jianghu, why report to the authorities?"
Seeing her actions, Fu Cen held back and didn't argue with her on the spot. He said, "You've gotten yourself into a murder case. How can this be considered a matter of the martial arts world? If someone kills, you have to go to the authorities. No matter how arrogant a martial arts hero is, if he commits a crime, he still has to be dealt with by the government. Besides, the Luo family are commoners. What else can they do in this situation but report it to the authorities? How long can you hold out?"
"Who saw me kill someone?" Fu Xiang's eyes turned cold. "I don't believe you haven't considered the strangeness of this matter these past few days. Someone wants to deal with Mingyue Tower and make you childless. And yet, you're trying to convict me without even knowing the facts, playing right into their hands. Father, tell me, if this isn't a feud between the martial world, what else could it be?"
She's right. Ever since the day he slapped Fu Xiang and had her imprisoned here, Fu Cen had actually calmed down quickly. Someone wanted him to die without an heir, wanted Mingyue Tower to have no successor. This was not something that could be resolved by going to the authorities. He was being targeted by someone, or more precisely, Mingyue Tower was being targeted by someone.
“I, Fu Cen, have lived an upright life and made many friends in the martial arts world. I have never had any enemies,” Fu Cen stood up, walked to Fu Xiang and looked at her. “Rather than saying that person wanted to deal with Mingyue Tower, it would be more accurate to say that he was after you. Who have you had a grudge against? You wretched child, Mingyue Tower has been implicated because of you. What evil things have you done behind my back?”
“It’s all my fault,” Fu Xiang stood up, the shackles on her feet clanging. “If you’re so troubled, you can just hand me over. What’s the use of keeping me locked up here? My mother has miscarried, and the son you’ve been longing for is gone. The Luo family is relentless and determined to send me to the executioner’s block. You treat me like dirt anyway, and you can’t find out who the real culprit is. You might as well let the officials take me away as soon as possible. You’ll be righteous and loyal, and Mingyue Tower will have a good reputation. As for continuing the family line, just let my mother have another child. If she can’t have one after this incident, you can always marry another. You can choose any of the noble ladies in Jinhuai City. Mingyue Tower will never have to worry about finding an heir.”
Her words were sharp, and she showed no regard for Fu Cen whatsoever. Even though Fu Cen didn't want to argue with her, he couldn't help but get angry and retorted, "Insolence! In your eyes, is your father such a heartless and ruthless person? If I truly regarded you as worthless, you would have been killed by the Luo family by now! Your father has put in a lot of effort to ask you some questions, and this is your attitude. Do you want to die?"
Fu Xiang laughed: "Heartless and cruel...aren't you heartless and cruel? From the moment you sent me to your maternal relatives' house and ignored me, you have been burdened with the words 'heartless and cruel.' I only regret that I am a woman. If I were a man, I would not be in this situation today."
Every word she said struck at Fu Cen's sore spot, a far cry from her usual respectful and humble demeanor. Fu Cen felt a chill in his heart, yet he had to admit that what she said made sense.
“I have wronged you as your father, but I have been trying my best to make up for it over the years. Let’s keep things separate. I know you have resentment in your heart, but now is not the time to talk about those things. Right now, your life is the most important thing. If you don’t explain things to me clearly, how can I, as your father, save you?”
Upon hearing his words, Fu Xiang fell silent for a moment.
How could she explain it to him clearly? Was she supposed to tell him that she too was a wolf eyeing Mingyue Tower? She wanted to help Meng Wugui take revenge, which was why she had to endure humiliation and diligently practice, all so that Fu Cen would look up to her and pass the position of Tower Master to her. Almost nothing behind this was something she could tell him frankly. Even though Fu Cen had already realized that Fu Xiang had been framed, he knew nothing about what Fu Xiang was hiding. If Fu Xiang didn't speak, he would be clueless and unable to save her.
The son he wanted was gone, and his daughter was no pushover either. Mingyue Tower was in crisis because of Meng Wugui, and there were likely to be other dangers to come. Having been able to eliminate the second largest sect in the martial arts world, the Ziwei Sect would certainly not let go of such a good opportunity. Nangong Min was probably already making moves. Fu Cen was deeply caught in the vortex but did not know it, and no one could tell him the truth.
Fu Xiang hated him, but at this moment she also felt sorry for him.
When will all these grudges and intrigues finally end? And when will she be able to live the life she truly wants?
A faint sadness welled up in her heart, but Fu Xiang maintained her composure and said softly, "May I ask how things were handled in the public setting, and how things were handled privately?"
Hearing her still asking this, Fu Cen snapped, "Is that even a question?!" He paced back and forth, his mood extremely agitated. "Although your personal maid is nowhere to be found, everyone around your mother knows that she was the one who gave the purse to her. So now we have both witnesses and evidence. Officially, you'll be sent to the authorities. Murder is punishable by death, and according to the law, you'll lose your head! As for a private settlement, the Luo family head wants me not only to expel you from Mingyue Tower, but also to get your mother's good-for-nothing younger brother a managerial position at Mingyue Tower, and for me to swear never to marry again. After something like this, no matter how harsh their conditions are, no matter how much pressure they put on me, I'm ultimately in the wrong, and I can't refuse. If I have to protect your life but don't give the Luo family any compensation, where will my reputation as Fu Cen and the face of Mingyue Tower be?"
Fu Xiang remained silent.
After a long while, she finally spoke, looking slightly tired: "Then don't protect me. You should sever your father-daughter relationship with me and expel me from Mingyue Tower."
Upon hearing this, Fu Cen's suppressed anger surged again, and he cursed, "Who exactly did you offend! Things have come to this point, and you'd rather leave Mingyue Tower than tell me the truth. Do you have no attachment to this family at all? Do you really want to be someone who is abandoned by everyone and bears a bad reputation!"
Fu Xiang bit her lip and said coldly, "My departure will only benefit Mingyue Tower, not harm it. You and I are father and daughter. Although we have no feelings for each other, we are still inseparable by blood. This is all I can do. Don't ask any more questions. The more you know, the more dangers Mingyue Tower will face. You value Mingyue Tower more than your own life. What am I to you? From now on, we will go our separate ways. Without this scoundrel of mine, Mingyue Tower can live in peace. You should tell the Luo family head that I want to settle this privately."
At this point in the conversation, Fu Xiang had already made her determination clear. The father and daughter could not reach an agreement no matter what they did, and in the end, they had to part on bad terms.
Fu Cen angrily turned and left, without immediately agreeing. His figure disappeared one after another, and the door was closed again.
The room returned to silence. Fu Xiang looked grief-stricken and leaned back against the wall, sitting on the floor. She looked up; the moonlight outside the skylight was so bright, yet it couldn't penetrate her heart.
Master, I'm sorry...
Overwhelmed with guilt, Fu Xiang turned off the light and wrapped herself in the blankets in the darkness.
·
"You heard everything?"
Outside the confinement room, directly below the skylight, two figures, one tall and one short, were hidden among the plum branches. Their low voices were muffled by the cold wind and barely audible.
Afu, frowning, hugged her bow and sat on the ground, nodding.
Meng Wugui parted the blossoms and walked into the depths of the plum grove. Afu followed her sullenly. After walking for a while, Meng Wugui said slowly, "They say that you raise an army for a thousand days to use it for one. I have raised you for so long, but when it comes time to use you, you only think of retreating." She turned to look at Afu, her eyes cold and clear. "The bond between master and disciple and the debt of gratitude for raising you are ultimately no match for that thin blood relationship."
Afu barely dared to breathe, her voice barely a whisper as she said, "Senior Sister is also in a difficult position..."
"She's in a dilemma?" Meng Wugui sneered. "Do you think Fu Cen is really worried about her? He's only worried about Mingyue Tower. Your senior sister has always been soft-hearted. After listening to a few words from Fu Cen, she forgot who she was. She chose Fu Cen over me. So tell me, who should I choose?"
Afu kept her head down, not daring to reply.
“If she leaves the Fu family, I will have a hard time getting Mingyue Tower,” Meng Wugui said. “So she can’t leave; she is destined to be the tower’s owner.”
Afu hesitated for a moment and asked, "Master, do you really want to... But what if Senior Sister finds out and hates you?"
“She has no right to hate me,” Meng Wugui said coldly. “She doesn’t even have the right to betray me. And now that she’s making this choice, she’s abandoning me. So she can’t blame me.”
"Master! Let's go see Senior Sister!" Afu said anxiously. "Let's talk things out face to face. Maybe Senior Sister was just pretending to deal with Master Fu? I believe in Senior Sister. She's definitely on our side!"
Meng Wugui snorted and said, "Don't you understand? No matter whose heart she has, there is only one way to solve the current predicament. I will not change my mind about this. If you are going to run away like her, then say so as soon as possible so that I can clean up the mess and save you from getting in my way!"
Afu's face was deathly pale, and her lips trembled as she couldn't speak.
“I don’t mind if she hates me, or if she wants to betray me,” Meng Wugui said coldly, his voice firm and resolute. “But she has to pay the price. I want her to know that those who betray me will never have a good end!”
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