Chapter 92
When her gaze fell on the two identical daggers, Man Jiangxue was unusually stunned for a moment.
It has been more than ten years since she last saw Zhu Bing.
The night was covered in snow, and a few lanterns swayed on both sides of the street. Their dim light flickered in the wind, reflecting on Man Jiangxue's unhappy face, making him appear somewhat serene.
“It seems so,” Yin Qiu returned Ning Shuang to Man Jiangxue, gently stroking Zhu Bing with her fingertips. “Ning Shuang Jie Bing, a good name.”
Man Jiangxue frowned even more deeply: "Who gave it to you?"
“It’s Afu,” Yin Qiu said. “She’s the disciple of Master Meng of the Nine Immortals Hall. She came to my cell earlier.”
Man Jiangxue slightly raised her eyelashes, remained silent for a moment, and then said, "Senior Sister is still alive?"
Yin Qiu nodded first, then shook her head: "I don't know yet." After she finished speaking, she took out the invitation from her sleeve. "In the middle of next month, Weicheng will hold a conference called Mozitai. Meng Wugui asked Afu to tell me that if I go there I will be able to see my mother... I don't know if it's true or not."
Man Jiangxue glanced at the contents of the invitation and pondered, "If Senior Sister did indeed go to the Nine Immortals Hall, then Meng Wugui's help in rescuing you from the Ziwei Sect back then must have been Senior Sister's arrangement."
“I asked Afu why my mother didn’t come to see me,” Yin Qiu said in a low voice. “She said my mother couldn’t come, otherwise she wouldn’t have made this trip for her. That’s a bit strange. I’m thinking, my mother has refused to show herself all these years. Could it be because she’s not doing well, for example… some kind of physical problem?”
Man Jiangxue paused for a moment and said, "This matter must be informed to the sect leader as soon as possible." She put away the invitation and pondered for a moment before saying, "The Nine Immortals Hall has a rather special status in the martial arts world. It is neither black nor white. Every year, the Mozi Terrace invites martial arts heroes, and even the Ziwei Sect will not be left out. Since it concerns your mother's life and death, I will go with you then."
Yin Qiu responded, keeping her eyes fixed on the ice in her hand, and didn't say anything more. Man Jiangxue knew that Yin Qiu must have mixed feelings after learning about Shen Mandong's news, so she didn't say anything more and pulled her towards the post station. The two walked side by side for a while, and then Yin Qiu suddenly stopped again.
“Uncle-Master,” Yin Qiu said, “I have another question I’d like to ask you.”
Seeing that she was dressed lightly, Man Jiangxue casually draped the brocade robe from her shoulders over Yin Qiu, asking, "What's the problem?"
Yin Qiu secretly clutched her robe and tried to speak naturally: "That year at the Ziwei Sect, Nangong Min told me some things," she looked at Man Jiangxue with a slightly deep gaze, "She said that you were not present on my mother's wedding day and when she gave birth, and I want to know why."
Manjiangxue paused in her action of putting on her robe.
“I know you and my mother have a deep bond, and I’ve heard many people talk about your past interactions,” Yin Qiu said. “I also know that Uncle is a man of great loyalty and righteousness. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have come down the mountain to pick me up in person, and you wouldn’t have been so good to me all these years. It’s all because of my mother. If that’s the case, why weren’t you present on those two important days?”
Actually, Yin Qiu had wanted to ask her this question many times over the past few years, but she just hadn't found the right opportunity.
Nangong Min told Yin Qiu about Man Jiangxue's background and experiences, but she left Yin Qiu with a mystery on this matter. Nangong Min also specifically mentioned that Yin Qiu might not be able to accept the reason behind it, which made Yin Qiu feel a strong curiosity and thirst for knowledge every time she thought about it.
What could be the reason that she couldn't accept it?
If it were Yin Qiu herself, whether it was Lu Huaiwei, Ye Zhilan, or Ji Wanshu, if these senior sisters were to get married and have children, Yin Qiu would never be absent. No matter how busy she was, she would put aside her official duties. After all, a person's wedding day only comes once in a lifetime, and once it is missed, it is gone forever.
Back then, Nangong Min repeatedly claimed that the Ruyi Gate Incident was indirectly caused by Man Jiangxue. She said that Man Jiangxue deliberately broke her promise, which gave Nangong Min the opportunity to attack Liucang Mountain. So, is the truth really as she said?
Uncle-Master... is it really on purpose that you don't visit Mother?
Was the Ruyi Gate massacre really related to my uncle?
The pedestrians on the street had all gone home at some point, and a mournful wind swept across the land, bringing endless desolation.
Man Jiangxue unconsciously tightened her grip on Ning Shuang. She looked down at Yin Qiu, at the complex brilliance surging in those beautiful eyes, at her slightly pursed lips, and at the melancholy and tension that she couldn't hide on her face.
Why was she absent from those two important days?
My thoughts were carried away by the cold wind in an instant, and similar faces overlapped at this moment, only to be quickly separated again by a crimson autumn day.
·
The weather was lovely that day.
Liucang Mountain is evergreen all year round, with red maples planted all over the mountain like clouds and mist. Before the Ruyi Gate incident, Man Jiangxue often left the palace with Shen Mandong for long trips, and they most often went to the maple forest of Liucang Mountain to practice swordsmanship.
That day was an auspicious day, suitable for marriage.
Man Jiangxue said, "I disdain talking about people behind their backs, but Yin Xuan is really not a good match for you."
Shen Mandong smiled and shook her head: "I am the only daughter of the Shen family and the successor of the Ruyi Sect. I will eventually get married. Xuan-ge is more suitable than others."
Man Jiangxue said, "How could it be more suitable?"
“He has no parents and no family background,” Shen Mandong said. “If I were a man, it would be easier to handle, but I am a woman. My parents are old and have no children for many years. If I want to protect Ruyi Gate, I can only find a son-in-law to marry into the family. Xuan Ge is an ordinary person with no family background. Even if he becomes my husband, Ruyi Gate will not change its name. You know, there have been many people proposing marriage in the past two years, but do they really like me? They just want Ruyi Gate.”
Man Jiangxue remained silent for a long time: "But you don't truly like him either."
“My background doesn’t allow me to truly like anyone,” Shen Mandong’s smile contained a hint of bitterness. She looked at Man Jiangxue with an ambiguous expression and said softly, “As long as Xuan-ge truly likes me, that’s enough.”
Man Jiangxue looked back at her, then turned away after a moment, intending to leave.
"My fellow senior sisters and I have tried to persuade you several times, but since you have made up your mind, I will not say anything more. Senior sister, I wish you all the best."
Shen Mandong's wedding dress fluttered in the autumn wind, as if blending into the maple forest. She paused for a moment, then quickly caught up with Man Jiangxue, grabbed her arm, and said, "The wedding ceremony is in half an hour. Are you leaving?"
Man Jiangxue turned her head in the wind. She had just come of age then, and her face showed the innocence and naivety of a young girl, but her expression was exactly the same as Man Jiangxue ten years later.
—Quiet and aloof, devoid of worldly desires and the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Man Jiangxue frowned, brushed away Shen Mandong's hand, and said in a low voice, "There are still important matters in the palace, and I cannot leave."
Shen Mandong forced a smile: "But I wish you were here."
Man Jiangxue glanced at her, then turned her face away expressionlessly, saying, "If you hadn't suddenly said those things to me last night, even if you insisted on marrying Yin Xuan, I would have prepared a wedding gift and accompanied you on your wedding day. But right now, I can't do that."
Shen Mandong's smile froze on her face: "Is it really that difficult?"
“It’s not that I’m making things difficult,” Man Jiangxue said, “it’s absurd.”
Shen Mandong was silent for a moment, then closed her eyes and chuckled softly. After a while, she opened her eyes again, gazed at Man Jiangxue, and said, "Junior sister, do you know, you seem to be the kind of person who will never be bothered by the mortal world." She paused and then added, "You have never been to the mortal world, so you cannot understand my heart."
“I am just like you,” Man Jiangxue said calmly, “My background does not allow me to peek into the mortal world.”
Shen Mandong sighed deeply, "How can these be the same..."
The scene shifts abruptly; the maple forest remains, but the ground is covered with fallen leaves. Liucang Mountain gradually fades from memory, transforming into Jingyue Peak in autumn.
“Junior sister, you were too busy with official duties to attend my wedding,” Shen Mandong said, panting as she stood below the steps, her pregnant belly protruding. “I’m due to give birth early next month. You should at least come to see me that day, right?”
Several birds flew away from under the eaves, and a light feather fell with each flutter. Man Jiangxue stopped on the steps, raised her hand to catch the feather, and said, "My master ordered me to go south at the beginning of next month, but I am not free."
Several months pregnant and unable to walk easily, Shen Mandong did not have anyone carry her in a sedan chair. She walked all the way from the palace gate to here. The hair on her forehead was wet, and glistening sweat dripped from her chin. She was at a lower position, while Man Jiangxue was at a higher position. She had to look up to see Man Jiangxue.
“I’ve been craving spicy food these past few months, so I think I’m going to have a daughter,” Shen Mandong said. “I’ll have her join Yunhua as well. You can take care of her the way I took care of you before, okay?”
Man Jiangxue toyed with the bird's feathers, asking in a slightly casual tone, "Have you thought of a name?"
Shen Mandong smiled and nodded: "I like autumn. She will be born in autumn, so let's name her Yin Qiu. It's simple and easy to pronounce."
Man Jiangxue said, "Not surnamed Shen?"
“I won’t take the surname Shen,” Shen Mandong said. “My father said that daughters take Xuan’s surname. It’s not too late for me to take the surname Shen after I give birth to a son.”
Man Jiangxue asked, "Did you also win the Ice Chaser award?"
Shen Mandong was taken aback, and the hand that was covering her stomach fell down, but she still smiled and said, "I stopped carrying it a long time ago, and I can't carry it anymore."
A beloved and privileged young woman, a swordsmanship prodigy admired by all, eventually marries and has children, losing her once-sharp sword.
All for a man she didn't love.
Man Jiangxue loosened her fingers, letting the bird feather fall heavily onto the moss by the steps, getting covered in mud. She quietly watched it, unsure whether she felt sorry for Shen Mandong giving up her future to become a wife, or regretted not being able to persuade her to stay. Man Jiangxue sighed silently and turned to the side, saying, "Go back."
Shen Mandong looked up at her.
Without turning her head, Man Jiangxue said, "I have important business to attend to in the south. As for what you just said, if Yin Qiu wants to become a disciple of Yunhua when she grows up, I promise you that I will take good care of her."
Shen Mandong watched her retreating figure, then lowered her eyes and said, "Thank you very much..."
·
Why was she absent from those two important days?
Of course, it's because she deliberately stood me up.
Actually, it wasn't intentional breaking of promise, because she never agreed to go in the first place.
Although I went there eventually, it was too late.
Over the years, Man Jiangxue has thought more than once: if she had gone back then, would the ending have been different?
However, the choice made cannot be changed, and the deceased will forever rest in peace. Her guilt and self-blame are of no use now, so she can only do her best to fulfill that promise.
—I promise you, I will take good care of her.
·
The snowflakes fell heavier in the silence, but there were still no passersby on the street. Only two snow-white figures stood face to face, and no one spoke for a long time.
The unspoken thoughts in my heart are like a continuous drizzle, dense and complicated, I don't know where to begin, nor how to begin.
Snowflakes clung to her hair, fragile and cold. Yin Qiu raised her hand and stroked Man Jiangxue's temples, saying, "Every time my mother is mentioned, my uncle always seems to space out." Perhaps realizing the atmosphere was a bit heavy, she smiled softly, "What exactly happened back then?"
Man Jiangxue frowned, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Back then..."
Thinking she wouldn't answer, Yin Qiu involuntarily held her breath when Man Jiangxue spoke. But before Man Jiangxue could finish speaking, a loud voice suddenly called out from not far away, "Yin Qiu!"
Man Jiangxue paused, her lips snapping shut, and Yin Qiu felt a lump in her throat.
The two turned their heads simultaneously and saw Duan Ning rushing towards them in a flurry of activity, followed by a group of Yunhua disciples, including Meng Jing.
"You're out!" Duan Ning exclaimed. "You actually got released before us! I was worried about you for nothing!"
Yin Qiu and Man Jiangxue's conversation came to an abrupt end when she suddenly interrupted them. Yin Qiu, holding her breath, couldn't help but feel a little irritated. She calmed herself down and said, "What are you worried about me for?"
Speaking of their relationship, it seems that it's not so good that either of them is worried about the other.
Then Duan Ning said, "Of course I'm worried about you getting into trouble in prison! If anything happens to you, your Senior Brother Meng will definitely not let me off the hook! You don't know..." As she chattered on, she inadvertently glanced at Man Jiangxue to the side, and immediately gasped with an incredibly long breath, screaming, "Whoa! Who is this celestial being descended to earth?!"
Ever since leaving the Duan family gate, Duan Ning had been bickering with Meng Jing, venting her anger the whole way. Meng Jing remained silent and ignored her, so Duan Ning ran ahead angrily. When she shouted, the disciples behind her hurriedly caught up. In the dim light, they all saw Man Jiangxue and were quite surprised.
"Ah! It's my martial uncle!"
"It really is my martial uncle! What brings you to Yao Dingcheng all of a sudden?"
"Haha! I didn't expect my martial uncle to come down the mountain too!"
...
Man Jiangxue was always well-liked in the palace. Her disciples were overjoyed to see her and flocked to surround her like stars around the moon.
Only Meng Jing was left out, standing alone on the periphery of the crowd, quietly watching Yin Qiu who was unharmed.
It was a coincidence that Meng Jing and his group were blocked by the officials at Zhengya Hall during the day and had no chance to know that Man Jiangxue had arrived. Just as they went to the Duan family, Man Jiangxue took Lu Huaiwei to the clinic. The two groups missed each other perfectly and only met at this time.
The disciples quieted down after a while. Man Jiangxue had regained her composure and returned to her usual calm. Yin Qiu looked at her, sighed inwardly, and looked at Duan Ning, saying, "You've come to save me?"
Duan Ning stared intently at Man Jiangxue, wondering what kind of place Yunhua Palace was. How come everyone there was so beautiful! Her eyes were filled with Man Jiangxue's outstanding appearance, and upon hearing this, she immediately replied, "Of course! Your Senior Brother Meng led a whole bunch of people to our Duan family to coerce and bribe you in order to get you out of prison!"
Yin Qiu looked past the crowd at Meng Jing and smiled, "Really? How did you coerce and entice him?"
Meeting those smiling yet scrutinizing eyes, Meng Jing seemed a little uncomfortable. She coughed, cupping her fist to her lips, and said, "It's not as exaggerated as she described."
"What's exaggerated? Even my dad was so angered by you that he lost. You're quite capable!" Duan Ning said, nudging Yin Qiu with his elbow. "He even had a heart attack himself, but he still endured the pain to try and pull me out of the water to save you. You two have a pretty good relationship!"
Meng Jing casually looked away and coughed lightly twice.
Yin Qiu teased, "Then thank you very much, Senior Brother Meng."
Meng Jing remained calm and replied indifferently, "You're welcome."
Seeing that Yin Qiu had come out unharmed, the disciples took turns asking him a few words of concern. After a while of chatting and laughing, Man Jiangxue said, "Let's go back."
After she finished speaking, she took Ning Shuang and walked ahead. After taking a few steps, she turned back to look at Yin Qiu. Yin Qiu met her gaze and then followed. At this moment, Duan Ning suddenly pulled her, as if she had something to say to Yin Qiu. Seeing this, Man Jiangxue did not wait for her and set off with the other disciples.
"Who is that?" Duan Ning's eyes lit up as he stared intently at Man Jiangxue's retreating figure. "Damn, she's so beautiful!"
Yin Qiu followed her gaze, smiled, and said, "This is our Yunhua's martial uncle, named Man Jiangxue."
"Man Jiangxue?!" Duan Ning exclaimed in surprise. "Is that the same Man Jiangxue who was known as one of the Twin Swallows of Yunhua, along with Shen Mandong?"
Upon hearing Shen Mandong's name, Yin Qiu's emotions, which had just calmed down, couldn't help but ripple again. She paused for a moment, then nodded and said, "Yes."
Duan Ning looked at Man Jiangxue with surprise and even more admiration: "It's actually her! She's very famous in the martial arts world. I've heard people talk about Man Jiangxue from Yunhua Palace since I was a child, saying how skilled she is in martial arts and how outstanding she is in appearance. Seeing her today, she is indeed extraordinary!"
Yin Qiu glanced at her sideways but didn't say anything.
"Hey, does Yunhua still accept people?" Duan Ning nudged Yin Qiu again, and said in a serious tone, "To be honest, I just like good-looking men and women. They're pleasing to the eye. Your Yunhua Palace is amazing. Not only are all your disciples outstanding, but you also have such a stunning beauty as your Martial Aunt Man. It's a wonderful place! But I'm already eighteen years old. Isn't it too late for me to join Yunhua now?"
Yin Qiu thought for a moment and said, "It's not too late. I entered the palace when I was ten years old, and I already had classmates who were about your age at that time."
"Great! Great!" Duan Ning's face lit up with joy, and she snapped her fingers. "Then I'll go back and tell my father to get me into Yunhua Palace!"
Yin Qiu smiled but remained silent.
"Hey, which peak does your Uncle Man belong to?"
"Surprising Moon Peak".
"Can I go?"
Yin Qiu raised her eyelashes slightly, about to reply, when Meng Jing behind her interrupted, "Don't be delusional. Jingyue Peak is not a place anyone can go."
Duan Ning was in a good mood when she was suddenly doused with cold water. She turned around with a displeased look, raised her eyebrows and asked, "Why?"
Meng Jing held the handkerchief, looked up at the dark blue sky in the distance, and said, "No one can get close to my martial uncle except for Yin Qiu."
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