Chapter 45
These fools are good for nothing but causing trouble.
Ding Lianzhen cursed inwardly.
"Do you have anything else to say?" Man Jiangxue looked at her quietly, her eyes reflecting the warm light cast by the candlelight.
Seeing that everyone's eyes were on her, Ding Lianzhen felt extremely annoyed. After remaining silent for a moment, she did not answer Man Jiangxue's question, but instead turned to the female disciple beside her and asked, "Is what this junior brother said just now true?"
When the female disciple heard her question, she knew that Ding Lianzhen was trying to pin the blame on her. The female disciple hesitated and whispered, "Senior Sister Ding..."
"I'm asking you if it's true!" Ding Lianzhen's eyes were sharp, and her tone was stern.
The female disciple's expression was restrained, her heart filled with humiliation and resentment. After a long while, she finally spoke as if resigned to her fate: "It is indeed true..."
Ding Lianzhen had been waiting for these words, and immediately looked at Man Jiangxue and said, "Uncle-Master, Senior Sister Xu, I really don't know anything about what happened today. I just caught a cold and am feeling very dizzy. I just wanted them to go in my place." As she said this, she coughed a few times and said angrily, "But who would have thought that they would do such a thing behind my back!"
“But I know in my heart that such a thing happened because I failed to discipline him properly, and it is my fault,” Ding Lianzhen sighed and bowed her head. “But I have something to say. The matter of Meng Jing angering me is completely unfounded. I have never met Meng Jing, nor have I ever had any contact with him. To say that he angered me is utter nonsense. Please, Uncle and Senior Sister Xu, do not believe such slander. I am truly wronged.”
Seeing that she was speaking so logically and twisting the truth, Meng Jing quickly said, "You're lying! Yesterday you brought people to the disciples' courtyard to look for Yin Qiu, and I was clearly there at the time. Now you're saying you've never seen me. You really know how to distort the truth!"
Ding Lianzhen looked at Meng Jing in surprise and said, "...Was that junior brother yesterday you? I only saw him briefly, how could I remember him?"
She was determined not to admit it, and that female disciple took the blame for her. Moreover, Ding Lianzhen had not personally participated in the whole incident from beginning to end. Even if someone testified about what happened, they could not do anything to her.
Meng Jing was furious and wished he could rush up and smash her hypocritical face to pieces.
Xu Lianzhi then questioned Yin Qiu and Fu Xiang again, and the two recounted what they had seen and heard. Xu Lianzhi then said, "The first rule of Yunhua Palace is that it is strictly forbidden to bully fellow disciples and to fight among disciples. Even the sect leader's personal disciple cannot escape punishment if he commits a crime. You few, relying on your status, have acted arrogantly and disregarded the palace rules. You knowingly violated them and should be severely punished!" After she finished speaking, she looked at Man Jiangxue and said, "Uncle-Master, you shall pronounce the sentence."
Man Jiangxue said succinctly, "According to palace rules, take him away."
Upon hearing that they would be dealt with according to palace rules, the female disciples immediately broke out in a cold sweat and turned pale.
It should be known that bullying fellow disciples is a serious crime. Not only will one be stripped of their sect's membership token, reduced to the lowest-ranking outer disciple, and expelled from the palace, but one will also be subjected to twenty strokes of the cane. That cane is no joke; twenty strokes will not break all the bones in one's back, but it will still leave one with torn flesh and unable to get out of bed for several months. If not properly cared for, it may even leave lasting health problems that are difficult to cure for the rest of one's life.
The female disciples were so frightened that they were like puppets. Only after being dragged outside did they realize that they were being taken advantage of, and they began to scream at the top of their lungs.
"No, no...I'm innocent! I'm innocent!"
"Master Uncle, spare us! We were only doing this under orders, please spare us!"
"Senior Sister Ding! Senior Sister Ding—! Please save us... save us!"
Soon, the disciples carrying out the punishment arrived with instruments of torture. Several people were tied to long benches and immediately began to be beaten with canes. One scream after another came out, heart-wrenching and agonizing, making people tremble.
·
Ding Lianzhen's body stiffened as she listened to their cries, and a layer of white sweat immediately broke out on her back.
She knelt motionless, feigning utmost composure, her brows furrowed and eyes lowered, seemingly indifferent to the commotion outside.
As a result, only Ding Lianzhen remained kneeling in the hall. Yin Qiu and Fu Xiang, having received Man Jiangxue's order, stood up and sat down.
The silence in the hall only amplified the screams outside. After a while, Man Jiangxue spoke again: "As for you, you have been forming cliques in the palace for years, using your position to seek personal gain and corrupting the atmosphere. This time, you even instigated your disciples to retaliate against the younger generation. Even if someone takes the blame for you, it doesn't mean you can stay out of it."
Ding Lianzhen was already feeling a bit guilty, but she knew she couldn't show any weakness, so she straightened her back and said, "I'm sorry I don't understand what you're saying, Martial Uncle. They have all confessed their crimes, and no one has accused me of instigating them. Besides, their claim that Meng Jing angered me is just them using my name to cause trouble. That's an even bigger crime, and it has nothing to do with me. Martial Uncle, you need to provide evidence for what you're saying."
Man Jiangxue remained silent on her words, disdaining to engage in a verbal exchange. Xu Lianzhi, however, slammed her hand on the table and shouted, "Insolence! How dare you be so rude to your martial uncle!"
Ding Lianzhen said, "This disciple is simply stating the facts and addressing the matter at hand."
"You—" Xu Lianzhi was so angry that she wanted to whip her. She shouted, "Ding Lianzhen, I advise you to watch your attitude! Anyone with eyes can see that those people outside were beaten for you. Since they did it willingly, they've been punished. After all, they're just accomplices. But you, don't be so ungrateful and push your luck. Otherwise, I'll drag you out and beat you too!"
However, despite what they said, everyone present knew very well that Ding Lianzhen could not be punished this time. Even if she were to be punished, she could only be found guilty of dereliction of duty and not be flogged. It would be harmless to scold her a couple of times if they were unhappy, but if they were to convict her of instigating her disciple to commit violence, there would indeed be insufficient evidence.
Ding Lianzhen understood her situation well. She knew that even Man Jiangxue couldn't do anything to her, but after hearing Xu Lianzhi's words, Ding Lianzhen wisely softened her attitude and asked, "Then may I ask, Master Uncle, how should I be punished?"
Man Jiangxue did not answer immediately, but after a moment said, "Take away her waist token."
Ding Lianzhen was stunned for a moment, then quickly protected herself: "Uncle-Master!"
She was a disciple of an elder of Tianyin Peak, and her status was not low. Over the years, she had relied on this position to act arrogantly and domineeringly. If she were to lose her waist token, she would be nothing.
Several guards stepped forward together, divided the tasks, and worked together to take Ding Lianzhen's waist token.
"Uncle-Master!" Ding Lianzhen realized the seriousness of the matter and said urgently, "Admittedly, I have done something wrong, but it is not to the point of having my waist token removed. This matter was not my intention from beginning to end! Besides, I am Elder Cheng's personally accepted disciple. If you want to remove my waist token, you should first invite Elder Cheng to discuss it!"
Man Jiangxue smiled silently, stood up from the table, walked to Ding Lianzhen and stopped, saying, "I will not only take off your waist token, but also punish you to go to Tianchi to guard the tombs of our ancestors for three years. If you sincerely repent, you will be able to come back after three years if you behave well. If you do not repent, then we will talk about it when you have thought it through."
Ding Lianzhen's eyes turned red with anxiety.
Tianchi...that place has nothing but graves, and no one who has been banished there has ever been able to return.
To spend one's entire life in that godforsaken place is more unacceptable than receiving twenty strokes of the cane.
Even if she returns in three years, she will no longer be a senior disciple of Tianyin Peak. She will have to start from the lowest level of outer disciple. With a criminal record, it will be almost impossible for her to gradually return to the inner disciple level.
Ding Lianzhen's original intention was to have the female disciples take Meng Jing to Tianyin Peak and make him do some tiring and hard work so as to teach him a lesson. However, she did not expect that those idiots would make such a fuss. Not only did they reveal their names in front of Meng Jing, but they also let Man Jiangxue's secret guards hear them without missing a word. Wasn't this going to kill her?
"This disciple is not convinced!" Ding Lianzhen argued vehemently. "They are the ones who hit me, and they are the ones who slandered me. I don't ask my master to clear my name, but you can't punish me like this without cause. I cannot accept this!"
“You think I’m punishing you for this?” Man Jiangxue said. “Then you are very wrong.”
Behind her, a disciple of the secret guards brought out an account book at some point. Man Jiangxue reached out and took it, then tossed it in front of Ding Lianzhen's lap.
"This is the account book of your embezzlement of Tianyin Peak's public funds in the palace over the years. It records clearly how much you used, when you used it, and who you gave it to."
Ding Lianzhen choked on her breath, her expression one of shock.
She stared at the ledger, hesitating to reach out and flip through it.
"In addition, this ledger was given to me by your master, Elder Cheng, yesterday," Man Jiangxue added.
Ding Lianzhen felt as if she had been struck by lightning; her face grew even paler, and she murmured, "Master... him?"
“Years ago, Elder Cheng was traveling around when he happened to see you, a young child, selling yourself on the street to bury your father,” Man Jiangxue said calmly, looking at the darkening sky outside. “He took pity on you, who were all alone, and brought you back to the palace to take good care of you. The reason you are respected on Tianyin Peak is not only because Elder Cheng treated you like his own daughter, but also because you are ambitious and capable in both literature and martial arts, and you helped Elder Cheng manage Tianyin Peak in an orderly manner, which is evident to all.”
Man Jiangxue stopped there, and Xu Lianzhi stood up beside her, continuing, "I never expected you to become such a power-hungry scoundrel, acting recklessly in the palace behind Elder Cheng's back. You were originally a promising talent, but you've gone down this crooked path. It's a pity that Elder Cheng is over sixty and will have to clean house one day. He's keeping a record of everything you've done. Do you really think he doesn't know? He's just waiting for you to hit a brick wall and dig your own grave!"
Ding Lianzhen's eyes welled up with tears, and she froze, completely stunned.
At this moment, she suddenly remembered the profound words her master had spoken to her in the past.
At the time, she couldn't understand or comprehend it. Now, looking back, she realizes that her master had given her countless reminders and warnings. In truth, her master knew everything, but he never pointed it out, always giving her opportunities to turn back from her misguided path. However, she thought herself clever enough to ignore it, and now that she's stumbled, she has no one to blame but herself.
With the evidence right before her eyes, written by her master himself, the situation was hopeless. Ding Lianzhen had no power to argue anymore. She covered her face and wept bitterly, collapsing to the ground.
Man Jiangxue glanced at her, then walked to the door and said, "Take her to Tianyin Peak. Elder Cheng wants to see her one last time."
Several guards stepped forward again and quickly tied up Ding Lianzhen, then immediately escorted her to Tianyin Peak.
·
This turn of events was something no one had expected.
As Ding Lianzhen left, the punishment hall fell silent instantly. Xu Lianzhi ordered everyone to disperse, and Yin Qiu and the others followed her out of the hall. Just then, the female disciples outside were carried over. They were all beaten bloody and mangled, their backs covered in bright red blood, looking quite horrifying.
"That's terrifying," Fu Xiang said in astonishment. "His skin and flesh must be rotten from being beaten like that."
Meng Jing snorted coldly: "They deserved it, but Ding Lianzhen deserved to be beaten even more."
Yin Qiu watched as the female disciples were carried away, feeling a lingering fear: "If our senior uncle and senior sister hadn't come, we would have been the ones getting beaten up."
Fu Xiang said, "That's right. Sigh, I felt a little sorry for them when I saw them being beaten like that, but after hearing what you said, they really deserved it! They might have even been gloating when we were being beaten!"
Yin Qiu stood by the door, recalling what had happened at the training ground, and suddenly fell silent, lost in thought.
Seeing that she seemed to be in a daze, Fu Xiang nudged Yin Qiu and said, "What are you daydreaming about? Aren't you going to chase after Uncle Man?"
Yin Qiu snapped back to her senses in an instant, looked up, and saw that Man Jiangxue was nowhere to be seen in the courtyard.
Yin Qiu asked in surprise, "Ah, why didn't Martial Uncle wait for us?"
Meng Jing said from behind, "With such a big incident, of course she has to report to the sect leader. How could she have time to wait for you?"
Yin Qiu said, "That's true."
After she finished speaking, she seemed to suddenly remember something, turned around and glanced at Meng Jing, and as soon as her gaze fell on him, Yin Qiu couldn't help but drift off into thought again.
The image of Meng Jing lying weak and in pain on the ground flashed before my eyes. His eyebrows, skin, neck... everywhere was like an inescapable cloud, constantly replaying in my mind.
Yin Qiu looked at him, hesitant to speak.
Noticing the complicated look in her eyes, Meng Jing scrutinized her suspiciously for a moment before asking, "Why are you staring at me like that? Is there something you want to tell me?"
Yin Qiu was about to ask him something when she remembered that Fu Xiang was still there, so she shook her head and said, "Nothing, I just wanted to ask if you are still in pain."
Meng Jing looked at her for a while and said, "It doesn't hurt anymore, I'm fine."
Yin Qiu then fell silent again.
Noticing that the atmosphere between the two of them was a bit unusual, Fu Xiang scratched her head and asked, "Why are you two acting so strangely?"
Yin Qiu and Meng Jing said at the same time, "What's strange about it?"
After saying that, they both paused in surprise.
Fu Xiang rolled her eyes: "You two became friends after a fight, and now you're hiding things from me!"
Then Yin Qiu and Meng Jing said in unison once again, "What do you mean we're hiding something from you?"
After speaking, the two fell silent and remained stunned.
"Do you two have to be so in sync?!" Fu Xiang exclaimed in frustration. "I don't care, I'm getting jealous!"
What's going on? These two seem to get along better than she does!
Yin Qiu couldn't help but laugh and said, "Alright, if there's nothing else, go back quickly. I haven't eaten yet, I'm starving."
Fu Xiang said, "Hmph."
Yin Qiu then pulled her aside and said gently, "Why are you being so petty? I didn't do anything to you."
Fu Xiang said decisively, "Something must have happened between you two! Tell me now!"
Yin Qiu glanced at Meng Jing and said, "It's nothing, what could possibly be wrong?"
"No," Fu Xiang insisted, "There must be!"
Meng Jing ignored her, and having witnessed Fu Xiang abandon Yin Qiu and run away yesterday, he looked down on her behavior. So he said "I'm leaving" and left first.
"Why is he looking at me with such hostility?" Fu Xiang put her hands on her hips and stared at Yin Qiu. "Tell me quickly, did you say bad things about me to him after you got together with him?"
Yin Qiu said weakly, "What nonsense are you talking about? Why would I say bad things about you to him?"
Fu Xiang said, "Then why did he look at me so fiercely just now? I have no grudge against him."
Yin Qiu said, "How should I know? Go ask him."
Fu Xiang roared, puffing out her cheeks in anger, "I don't care! You can be with him, but you can't be with me!"
Yin Qiu was amused by her words and replied repeatedly, "Okay, okay, don't overthink it."
Author's Note: Something strange happened... How come I suddenly got so many more favorites after waking up?!
Will the price drop back after April Fool's Day? (sad)
Ancient literature is so cold, and martial arts is even colder. Although I swore when I wrote my last martial arts novel that I would definitely write a modern one, I still broke my promise and embarked on the Antarctic journey with no return...
Although it might be a matter of my understanding, I still want to ask, when will martial arts fiction be able to stand up again?
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