Chapter 196
Yin Qiu brought hot water to wipe Meng Jing's body and changed her into a clean set of clothes. After Elder Xu took her pulse and confirmed that Meng Jing had only fainted and was not in any danger, Yin Qiu forced herself to leave Wenxin Peak.
On the way, she encountered several disciples who looked flustered and somewhat familiar. Yin Qiu didn't intend to ask them anything, but seeing that they all stopped in their tracks when they saw her, she took the initiative to speak up: "What are you all rushing off to?"
It turned out that these disciples were the ones on duty in the Punishment Hall today. Because Meng Jing killed that secret guard disciple, Xie Yijun scolded him severely. Although Man Jiangxue and Xie Yijun did not blame him, the senior brother in charge of the Punishment Hall still punished them after hearing about it.
"Not only were two months' salary deducted, but we also have to go to Tianyin Peak to help burn charcoal," a disciple said with a bitter face. "Senior sister may not know if she hasn't been there, but the sword-forging furnace is like the heat of summer every day. People just stay nearby to add some charcoal and they'll be sweating profusely. We have to stay there for a month. It's a real disaster."
To be honest, they were innocently implicated and punished without any recourse. Yin Qiu felt bad and said, "The punishment was indeed too harsh. I will go to Mingguang Hall to see the sect leader and my uncle later, and I will speak on your behalf."
Upon hearing this, the disciples' expressions improved, and they all bowed to Yin Qiu to express their gratitude. Yin Qiu, who was originally exhausted and had not slept all night, went to Mingguang Hall after learning about this, but was stopped outside by Bai Ling.
“I suggest you don’t go in. The sect leader is in a bad mood and his mind is in turmoil,” Bai Ling said. “Leave this to me. I will go and speak with the disciple in charge of the punishment hall. Since neither my uncle nor the sect leader has blamed him, there is no need to punish him so severely.”
Yin Qiu asked, "Why did you and the sect leader decide to go to the Punishment Hall to find that secret guard? Have you heard what it was about?"
Bai Ling shrugged and replied, "They didn't say. They both seemed unhappy today, so I didn't press them. But you, why do you look so tired? And what happened that you and Meng Jing went to the punishment hall to kill someone so early this morning?"
"Don't even mention it," Yin Qiu sighed, giving a bitter smile. "Meng Jing's heart condition relapsed yesterday, and her condition was critical. I stayed by her side all night, and she only woke up this morning. After she woke up, she talked to me for a while, and not long after, she asked me to help her to a certain place. It's my fault for being slow to react; even after we entered the Hall of Punishments, I still hadn't guessed what Meng Jing wanted to do. If I had known earlier that the Sect Leader and my martial uncle would go to question that secret guard, I would definitely have stopped them. I don't know what they wanted to ask, but I hope they didn't ruin things."
“It shouldn’t be anything bad,” Bai Ling said. “Otherwise, you and Meng Jing would definitely have been called over and scolded. Since the sect leader only lost his temper and didn’t pursue the matter, it probably isn’t anything serious.”
Yin Qiu nodded: "The sect leader has a lot of things to do here, and she gets easily irritable when she encounters something unpleasant. You will inevitably suffer some temper tantrums in the Mingguang Hall, so please be understanding. If you have any undecided decisions, you can discuss them with me. I can come and help you anytime."
Bai Ling smiled and said, "Take care of yourself first. Go back and get some sleep. You've only recently recovered, and you look much thinner than last winter. Don't worry about others anymore. It's more important to fatten yourself up first."
Yin Qiu smiled and said, "I know, you too."
After exchanging pleasantries, Bai Ling went to Mingguang Hall to continue her official duties. Yin Qiu returned to Jingyue Peak, where the disciples greeted her happily in the maple forest, pestering her to have a swordsmanship contest, causing quite a commotion.
"Please spare me," Yin Qiu said with a helpless smile as she leaped out of the crowd. "I don't have the energy to play around with you guys today. Let's talk about it after I wake up."
One disciple joked, "Senior Sister didn't come home all night. I wonder what she's been up to. Martial Uncle went to Mingguang Hall this morning and came back looking rather sullen. He's been sitting in Chenxing Hall all this time without moving an inch or saying a word. Senior Sister, could it be that you and Martial Uncle have had a fight?"
“Don’t talk nonsense,” Yin Qiu said seriously. “What kind of quarrel could my martial uncle and I have? Everyone, go away.”
The disciples cast meaningful glances at her, and after hearing this, they all laughed and ran off. Yin Qiu glanced at Chenxing Palace in the distance, stood there thoughtfully for a while, and then entered the corridor. Sure enough, as the disciples had said, Man Jiangxue was sitting alone in the palace, lost in thought, seemingly pondering something. Yin Qiu rarely saw her so absent-minded, so she didn't rush in, but stood silently at the palace entrance, observing Man Jiangxue.
The sun climbed over the rooftops at midday, its brilliant rays bathing the world in the warm spring sunshine that enveloped Jingyue Peak. On such a fine day, Chenxing Palace needed no lamps; it was brightly lit everywhere. Manjiangxue leaned back in her chair, her fingers loosely holding a dagger, looking preoccupied.
Yin Qiu noticed that the hem of her skirt was stained with mud and her cloud-patterned boots were not very clean, and he couldn't help but frown.
Man Jiangxue was fond of cleanliness, even to the point of being a bit of a germaphobe. She would bathe and change clothes every day, and the washed clothes had to be scented with a special fragrance before she would wear them. If she was only moving around in the palace, she wouldn't be so particular, but if she went down the mountain or went to some forest, she would always change into clean clothes upon returning. It was quite rare for her to be like this today.
Moreover, whenever she returned to Chenxing Palace, she would either light incense and find a book to read, or she would set up a small stove to brew tea. She would never do nothing like this now, just sitting in a chair in a daze.
What happened to my martial uncle?
Yin Qiu stood hidden outside the door, observing Man Jiangxue for a long time before entering the hall. As soon as she appeared, Man Jiangxue quickly came to her senses and looked at Yin Qiu, saying, "You're back?"
Yin Qiu responded and sat down next to Man Jiangxue, observing her closely as she said, "I've been back for a while now, and I've been hiding outside peeking at you the whole time. My martial aunt didn't even notice."
"Spying on me?" Man Jiangxue placed Ning Shuang on the small table and looked at Yin Qiu, saying, "Why are you peeking?"
Yin Qiu smiled and said, "Because my uncle is handsome, he looks like a painting sitting here."
Man Jiangxue smiled slightly, poured a cup of cold tea, and pulled Yin Qiu into her arms, asking, "How is Meng Jing?"
Yin Qiu had been on tenterhooks since yesterday, but now that she was leaning against Man Jiangxue, she finally relaxed. She got up and moved closer to Man Jiangxue, and replied, "I'm mostly fine now, but I'm very weak. I'll probably have to stay in bed for the next few days and suffer a bit."
Man Jiangxue asked, "You look tired, did you not sleep all night?"
“I dare not sleep, for fear that something will happen to Meng Jing if I fall asleep,” Yin Qiu said, burying her head in Man Jiangxue’s chest and muttering, “Last night Elder Xu told me that Meng Jing may not live past thirty… My martial uncle knows about this too, right?”
Man Jiangxue neither agreed nor disagreed, but simply stretched out her arms and hugged Yin Qiu, placing her on her lap.
The two looked at each other face to face. Yin Qiu's eyes were bloodshot, and there were obvious dark circles under her eyes. Man Jiangxue touched her face and said softly, "Sleep for a while?"
Yin Qiu felt extremely guilty and quickly glanced back, saying, "It's broad daylight, if they see me, they'll gossip everywhere. Uncle, please let me down."
Man Jiangxue neither let her down nor closed the door, simply keeping her pinned to her lap. Man Jiangxue said, "We're not thieves, what's there to be afraid of?"
She held Yin Qiu's wrist with one hand and supported Yin Qiu's waist with the other, but her expression remained calm and indifferent.
Yin Qiu struggled a couple of times, then said somewhat irritably, "Stop fooling around, I'm talking to you about serious matters."
"Hmm," Man Jiangxue leaned back lazily in her chair, looking up at Yin Qiu, "I heard you."
Yin Qiu asked, "What's wrong with my martial aunt today?" She struggled for a moment but couldn't break free, so she had to let Man Jiangxue hold her. She then asked, "Why didn't you tell me about Meng Jing sooner?"
Under the bright sunlight, Man Jiangxue seemed a little tired. She closed her eyes briefly and said, "It's not that I deliberately kept it from you, I just haven't found the right time yet."
Yin Qiu couldn't help but feel a little depressed.
Man Jiangxue pressed her back, pulling Yin Qiu into her arms, and whispered, "How can I bring this up with you? That year, when Wan Shu brought her to the post station in Qingluo City, you didn't get along. You tolerated her many times, and you already felt somewhat guilty towards her. If I tell you, I'm afraid you'll suffer even more, and I'm also afraid she'll bully you even more. Life and death are predestined, and that's not something we can control. It's not too late for you to know now."
If it weren't for this incident, and given that Meng Jing had repeatedly ignored advice and made things difficult for Yin Qiu back then, even without Man Jiangxue's intervention, Ji Wanshu, with her temperament, would have already abandoned her on the street. However, now that they knew, and considering it was a living, breathing human being, throwing her out would damage Yunhua Palace's reputation. That's why Lu Huaiwei suggested separating the two of them, and Man Jiangxue didn't pursue the matter further with Meng Jing.
If she really wanted to pursue the matter, there was no guarantee that Meng Jing wouldn't roll his eyes and die on the spot. A child in his teens, seriously ill, and having just lost a loved one, how could she hold a grudge against her? But Man Jiangxue really didn't expect that Yin Qiu and Meng Jing could reconcile and even become friends now. In this way, even if she wanted to say something, she wouldn't know where to start.
A burst of laughter came from outside the hall; the disciples who had been practicing swordsmanship in the maple forest had returned. Yin Qiu's mind raced, but before he could speak, Man Jiangxue had already raised her hand and closed the hall door from a distance.
Yin Qiu buried her head back down, finally able to vent the emotions she had been holding back all morning. She choked out, "Uncle must already know about Senior Brother's matter. I went with Meng Jing."
Man Jiangxue gently patted her back and said, "It's alright, no one will blame you."
Recalling Meng Jing walking out of the prison covered in blood, remembering to clean Zhu Bing and return it to her even after killing her enemy, Yin Qiu said blankly, "We were sitting under the eaves, and Meng Jing asked me to tell her about us. I did, but before I could finish, Meng Jing went silent." She was still shaken, her fingers unconsciously gripping Man Jiangxue's clothes tightly. "I... I almost thought she was dead..."
Man Jiangxue paused for a moment, then asked, "What did you tell her?"
Yin Qiu thought for a moment and said, "I said a lot, but I don't know if she heard me or not."
Man Jiangxue couldn't help but feel heavy-hearted, and sighed softly: "Alright, don't be sad. The great revenge has been achieved, and she's safe and sound. No matter how long she can live, at least her long-cherished wish has been fulfilled. You should be happy for her."
Yin Qiu felt a deep sense of loss and mixed emotions.
Man Jiangxue wiped away her tears with her fingertips, hugged Yin Qiu and bounced her around, saying, "Do you know why the sect leader and I went to the punishment hall to find that secret guard disciple?"
"I was just about to ask," Yin Qiu said, trying to compose herself, and nuzzled her face against Man Jiangxue's chest. "We didn't mess anything up, did we?"
Man Jiangxue shook her head: "It didn't cause any problems. Since I told Meng Jing that she could deal with that person, it means that the person is no longer useful. She can make her move whenever she wants."
Yin Qiu asked, puzzled, "Then why are you and the sect leader still going to find him?"
Man Jiangxue picked up the poured cold tea and took a sip. Just as she was about to answer, Yin Qiu's stomach suddenly growled.
Seeing Man Jiangxue pause in her tea-drinking motion, her expression a half-smile, Yin Qiu immediately said, "I haven't eaten or drunk a single drop since last night, so you're not allowed to laugh, Uncle!"
Man Jiangxue suppressed the smile that was about to burst out and said calmly, "Then let's fill our stomachs first."
In fact, Yin Qiu was just making a few noises. Given the heavy atmosphere, Man Jiangxue should have laughed, but her serious demeanor made Yin Qiu feel a little embarrassed.
“You should still laugh,” Yin Qiu said dejectedly. “My stomach is growling, but I’m not hungry at all. I have no appetite.”
“I’ve missed my chance, so I can’t laugh anymore,” Man Jiangxue sighed. “I’ll eat a little something. It should be lunchtime now. I’ll have them bring the dishes.”
Yin Qiu said "Oh," and made a move to jump off Man Jiangxue's lap, but Man Jiangxue didn't give her the chance. As she got up, she also pulled Yin Qiu up with her. Yin Qiu leaned back first, and then was held firmly against Man Jiangxue's chest. Yin Qiu could only awkwardly hug her neck, her ears and cheeks burning instantly.
"Master, Uncle-Master!" Yin Qiu exclaimed, both surprised and embarrassed.
"Hmm?" Man Jiangxue lifted her leg and walked towards the door, glancing at Yin Qiu.
"Put me down right now!" Yin Qiu said anxiously, not allowing Man Jiangxue to leave.
“I won’t open the door,” Man Jiangxue said, “I know you’re shy.”
Yin Qiu's face flushed red. Startled by their current position, she was at a loss for what to do and said in a voice barely audible, "That won't do... Let me go."
Man Jiangxue lifted her legs and held her firmly on her waist. Seeing that Yin Qiu's eyes were darting away and her limbs were stiff, she chuckled and said, "There's nothing wrong with that. Or do you just not want me to hold you?"
Yin Qiu said, "I've never hugged you like this before... I'm not used to it."
Man Jiangxue calmly said, "Practice makes perfect. You'll get used to it after a couple of hugs." She walked to the door in that position, gave a few instructions to the disciples resting in the corridor, and then looked at Yin Qiu and said, "See, I didn't lie to you. I won't open the door."
Yin Qiu gripped the back of her collar with both hands, remaining silent.
Man Jiangxue had been feeling down because of Xie Yijun's matter. With Yin Qiu not in Chenxing Palace, she had no one to talk to, so she could only sit quietly lost in thought. Now that Yin Qiu had returned, most of the negative emotions in Man Jiangxue's heart dissipated. Now, playing around with Yin Qiu, Man Jiangxue was even less worried.
"What are you shy about?" Man Jiangxue slightly curled the corners of her mouth and looked at Yin Qiu leisurely, saying, "When you were little, I often hugged you like this."
Yin Qiu lowered her head, her gaze falling on the pearl button on Man Jiangxue's dress, and said weakly, "But I've grown up..."
With the door closed, the intense sunlight was blocked out, and the light that seeped in became much dimmer. In that soft, thin light, Yin Qiumu's eyes were like amber dripping with dew, clean and clear. Her long, fan-like eyelashes spread out, obscuring some of the subtle light in her eyes, while the remaining light flickered like stars in an autumn night, revealing an infinite meaning that she herself was unaware of, quite alluring with a hint of unspoken words.
At that moment, Man Jiangxue suddenly realized that Yin Qiu seemed to have grown up a bit more.
Perhaps it was because of the turmoil she had endured, making her appear much thinner, or perhaps it was because she had grown older and was no longer a naive young girl. In any case, the immaturity and naivety on her face had faded imperceptibly, and her features had become increasingly defined, gradually giving her the appearance of a young woman. She had changed a lot imperceptibly, but her eyes remained the same, still the gentle and quiet beauty that Man Jiangxue remembered. The expression in her eyes never changed; it was the innocence, naivety, and pure kindness that Man Jiangxue wanted to protect with all her heart.
A gentle breeze seeped in through the crack in the door, causing the wisps of hair on Yin Qiu's forehead to sway slightly in the wind. Not hearing Man Jiangxue reply, she slowly raised her eyelashes and looked at her. In that glance, Yin Qiu met Man Jiangxue's gaze, a gaze that contained joy and delight, as well as relief and deep affection, and many other emotions that Yin Qiu could clearly see but could not describe.
Even though Yin Qiu's heart was as still as water, it was still stirred by Man Jiangxue's meaningful gaze.
Her breath hitched, and she felt the warmth from Man Jiangxue envelop her in a gentle, warm stream. She floated weightlessly in the water, Man Jiangxue supporting her and preventing her from sinking, but she willingly let herself drown.
The two were separated by that tiny distance, their breaths silently mingling. Man Jiangxue hadn't done anything, yet Yin Qiu seemed drunk, almost melting into her palm.
When their eyes met, Man Jiangxue finally let out the smile she had been holding back. She turned her head and kissed Yin Qiu, saying in a low and gentle voice, "What will my little Qiu be like when she grows up a little more?"
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