Chapter 26
The two talked in the room for a while. The rain outside had intensified. The rain pattered on the green trees in the courtyard, and the shadows of the trees swayed everywhere. There were also many voices, which meant that the disciples who had gone out for a stroll had returned in the rain.
Holding Yin Qiu in Man Jiangxue's arms, with the soft sound of rain filling her ears, Yin Qiu gradually became sleepy. Man Jiangxue patted Yin Qiu's head and said, "Why are you so tired? Take a nap."
Yin Qiu really wanted to spend more time with Man Jiangxue, but her mind was buzzing and she couldn't stop feeling sleepy. She said softly, "No, I won't sleep..."
Seeing that she was still clutching her clothes even as she was drowsy, Man Jiangxue smiled gently and said, "There's still plenty of time. You can take a nap first. I'm going to see the sect leader, and I'll come back to pick you up later."
Yin Qiu tilted her head and snuggled against Man Jiangxue, forcing herself to look at her, and said stubbornly, "I don't want to, I'm not sleepy at all."
Man Jiangxue said, "You can barely keep your eyes open, and you still say you're not sleepy?"
Yin Qiu wanted to press her whole body against her, but still said, "I'm not sleepy at all..."
But after saying that, she closed her eyes uncontrollably and lost consciousness in an instant.
Man Jiangxue smiled silently, then sat holding Yin Qiu for a while until Yin Qiu's breathing stabilized. Only then did she gently place Yin Qiu on the bed, cover her with the quilt, and leave.
Before arriving, the rain was not heavy, and she had not brought an umbrella. Manjiangxue observed the sky from under the corridor for a while, and then flew to Mingguang Hall without touching the ground, bathed in the rain.
The false news of Yin Qiu's serious illness attracted many famous doctors. Xie Yijun had just sent all the guests away. When she saw Man Jiangxue soaked to the bone, she couldn't help but laugh and say, "Heartless, truly heartless. Now that you've returned to the palace, the first person you visit isn't me, but someone else."
Man Jiangxue paused as she entered the hall, and said somewhat speechlessly, "What kind of talk is this?"
Xie Yijun looked at her with a half-smile: "You've really put your heart and soul into being a good mother."
Ignoring her teasing, Man Jiangxue took off her brocade robe and tossed it to Ye Zhilan, then asked for a handkerchief to wipe the rain off her face.
Xie Yijun habitually fiddled with her Buddhist prayer beads, personally poured a cup of hot tea for Man Jiangxue, and said, "Zhilan and Wanshu have already told me what happened in Jincheng. You did a good job."
Man Jiangxue sat down, picked up her teacup, blew on it, and said, "After Wen Chaoyu returns, she will definitely tell Nangong Min what happened. Once she learns that Senior Sister and the Holy Sword have been obtained by Yunhua Palace, Nangong Min will definitely have a next step."
“I’m afraid Wen Chaoyu doesn’t really believe that Mandong is still alive,” Xie Yijun said. “She’s a very shrewd person, and it’s possible that she can tell whether Mandong is an imposter or not. Besides, she didn’t see the Holy Sword with her own eyes, so there’s still a loophole in this matter.”
After a moment's thought, Man Jiangxue said, "It's not impossible. She's good at acting, so it's possible she was just pretending at the time."
Xie Yijun nodded and said, "That's right. However, given Nangong Min's suspicious nature, she will definitely investigate the truth in secret. So, we have achieved our goal."
Ye Zhilan brought clean clothes, and Man Jiangxue went to the inner chamber to change back into a white dress. Through the screen, she said, "She only has one way, which is to have an inside agent in the palace secretly investigate. But at this critical juncture, anyone who dares to step forward and inquire about this matter will become a suspect."
Xie Yijun continued, "So she won't be foolish enough to expose that person too early. She'll probably stay put for a while. If she doesn't make a move, we don't need to strike first. We can just wait and see what she does."
Now the Ziwei Sect has fallen into a passive position. Whether Nangong Min believes it or not, it concerns the Holy Sword, so she will take action. As soon as she makes a move, it will reveal clues and be noticed by Yunhua Palace.
Once dressed, Man Jiangxue emerged from behind the screen, the dagger at her waist gleaming with a bright, cold light, reflected in her serene eyes like fireflies falling into a pool of water.
Man Jiangxue said, "But the truth will eventually come out, and it won't be long before she discovers that it was a scam."
Xie Yijun smiled contentedly: "That doesn't matter. By the time she realizes it, it will be too late. Once she realizes she has been fooled, she will definitely think it over. If a lie can be made to sound true, then the person who said it is the one with the problem. At that time, Nangong Min will definitely be wary of Wen Chaoyu. She can plant spies here, so I will return the favor by sowing discord. This is called reciprocity."
“Wen Chaoyu is the head of the four protectors,” Xie Yijun stood up, walked to the palace gate and looked up at the rain. “She feels guilty towards Wan Shu, so she hasn’t completely lost her conscience. But because of this, Nangong Min no longer trusts her as much as he used to. This time, it’s like stirring up a fire between them again. Once Wen Chaoyu shows signs of falling out of favor, how could the other three neglected protectors not take the opportunity to kick her when she’s down? At that time, the Ziwei Sect will be in constant turmoil, and Nangong Min will be very busy.”
Man Jiangxue stood beside her, her gaze also fixed on the heavy rain outside. Upon hearing this, she said softly, "You are indeed suited to be the sect leader."
Xie Yijun laughed out loud, but shook her head: "Among the disciples of this generation, there are many talented people. I have never been the most outstanding one. Man Dong's swordsmanship is superb and she is deeply loved by the master. If she hadn't left for a reason, how could I have become the sect leader?" After speaking, she glanced at Man Jiangxue and said, "As for you, you are indifferent to worldly affairs and dislike conflict. You have never wanted to get involved in these scheming and intrigues of the martial world. If the master hadn't repeatedly begged you on his deathbed, you would probably have become a hermit, living a life of leisure and seclusion long ago."
The snow-covered river remained silent.
Xie Yijun suddenly sighed: "In the blink of an eye, I've gotten old. In a few years, I'll have to formally appoint a successor. I'm more worried about this than the Ziwei Sect."
Man Jiangxue knew what she meant and said, "You are hesitating between Zhilan and Wanshu."
Xie Yijun sighed again: "The palace's long-standing rule is that the chief disciple succeeds as the sect leader. But Wan Shu has too fiery a temper, is impulsive and willful, and is prone to acting on emotion. Although she is unparalleled in swordsmanship, she is not even half as steady as Zhi Lan in terms of character. Zhi Lan is calm, knows the big picture, is strategic, knows how to handle things properly, and has a long-term vision. She is more like a sect leader than Wan Shu."
Man Jiangxue made no comment, only saying, "The rules are drawn up by the sect leader. Who you choose is entirely up to you."
Xie Yijun pondered for a moment, then turned to face Man Jiangxue, carefully saying, "And what about you? You're still so young, unlike me, who'll be an old woman in a few years. The younger generation is still the younger generation; they all lack experience and maturity. I was thinking..."
Before she could finish speaking, Man Jiangxue interrupted, "Don't bother thinking about it. I have no interest in the sect leader, and there's no need to mention this matter again."
When Shen Mandong left, the position of sect leader was not directly given to Xie Yijun. Instead, Man Jiangxue was chosen first, but she refused on the spot. This made the former sect leader hesitate before leaving and he had to settle for Xie Yijun as a second choice.
In short, if it weren't for the incident at Ruyi Sect, Shen Mandong's disappearance, and Man Jiangxue's lack of interest in the position of sect leader, Xie Yijun would never have been able to take this position.
With a crackling sound, a silver dragon-like bolt of lightning suddenly tore open the distant sky, illuminating the world for a moment as bright as day, but then quickly fading back into darkness.
Xie Yijun's expression was solemn, and after a long while, she finally spoke: "Then let's discuss it another day."
The two stood in silence for a while, and after they had talked enough, Xie Yijun returned to her bedchamber first. Ye Zhilan then brought over an oil-paper umbrella, which Man Jiangxue took. Looking at the sky, she said, "Go and tell the kitchen to make more sweet dishes and some red bean soup, and send them to my place."
Ye Zhilan agreed, but did not leave immediately, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.
Man Jiangxue twirled the umbrella handle, then looked up at her: "Is there something you need?"
Ye Zhilan respectfully replied, "There's nothing else, it's just that there's no one in Wan Shu's room, and the disciples can't find her either, so they're afraid she's gone down the mountain again."
Man Jiangxue frowned, and after a moment said, "Bring her back and tell her that I said she is not allowed to leave the palace without prior notice. If the eldest disciple acts so recklessly, the others will follow suit. Do we still need to maintain this rule?"
Ye Zhilan bowed and said, "Understood, this disciple will take care of it immediately."
“Huaiwei will be back in the next couple of days,” Man Jiangxue said again. “Find Wanshu as soon as possible. As for the matter of the spy, we still need you guys to investigate.”
Ye Zhilan nodded and escorted Man Jiangxue to the steps: "Then, Uncle, please take care. The rain is heavy and the road is slippery. Watch your step."
·
When Man Jiangxue returned to the disciples' courtyard, Yin Qiu was still fast asleep.
The rain poured down, and the room was filled with chill. It was cold everywhere. Man Jiangxue sat by the couch and watched Yin Qiu for a while. Seeing that she was curled up in a ball and her sleeping face was not peaceful, like a young and helpless animal, she couldn't bear to wake her up.
The conditions in the disciples' quarters weren't bad, but they weren't great either. Even in the depths of winter, the new disciples couldn't get any charcoal, which was a huge expense. It was already a rare privilege to be able to provide food and lodging.
Let alone small sects, even some disciples of large sects have to rely on their families for support to have enough to eat and avoid going hungry. Recruiting new disciples is not like raising children; they will not be treated with luxury. Only those who can endure hardship will be able to achieve something in the future and not have to worry about food and drink. In comparison, Yunhua Palace is already a very generous place to treat its disciples.
Man Jiangxue touched the cotton quilt covering Yin Qiu. It wasn't thick, but it was enough to keep her warm, though not very warm either. The other disciples had the care of their parents, and most of them had thick quilts and winter clothes sent from their homes. But Yin Qiu had no parents, so she could only use whatever the palace gave her.
These days, Man Jiangxue doesn't stay in the palace for long. She has many things to do and no time to take care of Yin Qiu's every aspect. Now that she is considering these things, she gets up to open Yin Qiu's wardrobe and wants to see how her clothes are.
The cabinet door opened, revealing several neatly folded disciple robes issued by the palace. They were clean, but Yin Qiu was weak and the robes were made of thin material, so they probably wouldn't keep her warm. Man Jiangxue secretly thought she should add some clothes for Yin Qiu. While rummaging through the clothes, she found a small bag of food.
Looking at the familiar oil paper package, Man Jiangxue slightly curled the corners of her mouth. Just as she was about to put it back, a small patch of emerald-green object with a cold light entered her field of vision.
Man Jiangxue casually lifted her skirt and saw a row of small medicine bottles, all placed against the back of the cabinet. There was also a small pure white porcelain bottle next to it, which looked a little out of place among the green medicine bottles.
Just as Man Jiangxue was about to pick one up to examine it, she heard Yin Qiu's soft voice call out to her, "Uncle-Master?"
Upon hearing this, Man Jiangxue stopped what she was doing, closed the wardrobe again, and turned around to ask, "Awake?"
Yin Qiu was drowsy, her eyes a little red, and looked out the window, asking, "What time is it?"
“It’s almost dusk,” Man Jiangxue said as she walked up to Yin Qiu. “Wake up first, and I’ll take you to Jingyue Peak later.”
Yin Qiu rubbed her head and shook it. Seeing Man Jiangxue after waking up made her feel incredibly at ease. Yin Qiu smiled, climbed out of bed, hugged Man Jiangxue, and asked, "What were you looking at just now, Uncle-Master?"
Man Jiangxue took out her coat and draped it over Yin Qiu, saying, "See if you have enough clothes. I'll have someone send you a few thicker ones another day."
Upon hearing this, Yin Qiu was overjoyed and said, "Thank you, Martial Uncle."
"No need to thank me," Man Jiangxue said. "I saw a lot of medicine bottles in your cabinet. Besides the ones I gave you, where did the others come from?"
Yin Qiu was stunned, never expecting Man Jiangxue to discover the medicine bottles. She couldn't hide her panic and after a moment of hesitation, whispered, "It was...it was Fu Xiang who brought them..."
Seeing the change in her expression, Man Jiangxue unconsciously frowned, but did not show anything, and said calmly, "I smell that it is the same kind of medicine that I gave you."
Yin Qiu tried her best to suppress the turmoil in her heart, avoiding looking at Man Jiangxue, and said, "I guess so... I don't know."
Man Jiangxue looked down at her, her tone as usual: "That medicine can only be obtained from the Medical Pavilion. New disciples are not allowed to leave the disciple's courtyard until they have been there for a year. Who did she ask to get it?" She paused and then added, "And how could she get so much?"
What seemed like an ordinary question struck Yin Qiu like thunderclaps, making her uneasy. She instinctively gripped the hem of her clothes tightly. There was no time to make up a lie to deceive Man Jiangxue, so she could only continue to play dumb and say, "This... I don't know either. Fu Xiang... Fu Xiang didn't tell me."
Man Jiangxue fell silent.
Feeling her gaze fixed on her, Yin Qiu's face flushed instantly, while her back felt cold. She felt ashamed and afraid, and worried that she might say something wrong and arouse Man Jiangxue's suspicion, so she fell silent.
At this moment, Yin Qiu felt an unprecedented, invisible pressure in front of Man Jiangxue.
Even though Man Jiangxue didn't say anything and her tone was as gentle as usual, just standing quietly in front of Yin Qiu, Yin Qiu still sensed the sudden chill emanating from her. It wasn't strong or obvious, but it was enough to make Yin Qiu tremble with fear and her limbs stiffen.
The wooden door was slightly ajar, and a cold wind swept past Man Jiangxue's body, hitting Yin Qiu's feverish face. While dispelling some of the dryness, it also carried the delicate fragrance emanating from Man Jiangxue.
As Yin Qiu smelled the fragrance, a feeling of guilt welled up in her heart.
She lied to her martial uncle; she deceived him, the only person in the world who was kind to her.
But what's done is done. If she reveals what happened to Gongzi Fan, her martial uncle will definitely be very angry. At that point, will he never speak to her again? Will he think she's a bad child?
For a moment, Yin Qiu's mind was filled with complicated emotions. In this brief moment of tranquility, she let her thoughts wander. After a long while, she finally couldn't hold back her tears, and two large tears fell down her cheeks.
Seeing Yin Qiu suddenly burst into tears, Man Jiangxue already knew what was going on. She knew that Yin Qiu must have lied to her, but it was just a few medicine bottles. What couldn't she tell her?
"Why are you crying all of a sudden?" Realizing that she might have been a bit too serious and had frightened Yin Qiu, Man Jiangxue softened her tone, lifted Yin Qiu off the bed, and sat her down in her arms.
Upon hearing Man Jiangxue soften her voice, Yin Qiu felt even more aggrieved and sobbed, "Uncle-Master...Uncle-Master is mean to me."
Man Jiangxue paused in patting Yin Qiu's back, finding it somewhat amusing: "Where did Martial Uncle scold you?"
Yin Qiu was sobbing uncontrollably, and mumbled, "Yes, you were so mean to me just now..."
Man Jiangxue could only coax her, saying softly, "Okay, okay, I'm not fierce, Uncle-Master isn't fierce."
The simple words conveyed comfort and affection. Yin Qiu thought that she was the one who had done wrong, but Man Jiangxue was comforting her instead. Yin Qiu felt even more upset and buried her head in Man Jiangxue's arms, crying in a suppressed and restrained manner.
Author's Note: Waaaaah!
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