Chapter 193 Intertwined Swords Hidden in Chaoge, Unparalleled in the World
“No one in the world has betrayed Tianhu Workshop, the Lu family, or the Five Great Workshops… except for one person.” Guan Yezhi stood up. “The three thousand crossbows don’t need to be handled by everyone. Just tamper with the materials being distributed, and that’s enough.”
Wan Qixi paused for a moment, then pointed his knife at Guan Ye again, "Even if it's as you say, Guan Xiaotian can't escape the crime of negligence, and he deserves to die just the same."
Guan Ye raised her head to meet Wan Qixi's blade. "That day, Mu Chenbi and I borrowed a sword to test it. We suspected that the Pei family's sword had been tampered with a hundred years ago. What did you say then?" Wan Qixi's blade dimmed, but it was still pointing at Guan Ye without falling.
“You said: ‘If today’s test proves me right, then I win.’ But if we use today’s test to assume events from a hundred years ago, we’re being too arbitrary. Could Tianhu Workshop have become famous throughout Jin for a century through underhanded tricks? I can’t tarnish the reputation of the more than one hundred members of the Lu family who are still alive.” Guan Ye’s eyes gleamed. “What you just said about my father was also just an assumption. Isn’t that too arbitrary? My father’s title of the world’s number one blacksmith was given to him by your father. If he had any intention of harming his own workshop, wouldn’t your father have been blind to his true intentions? My father is dead, so you can tarnish his reputation?”
Guan Ye's words left Wan Qixi speechless. Though indignant, he couldn't refute her. He could only sullenly lower his sword, turn his back on her, and no longer look at her. "Who... really betrayed my Tianhu?"
Guan Ye told the two men the whole story of the Ma family's counterfeit copper coins. Who could make Old Master Ma risk his life to mint a batch of counterfeit copper coins? Who could infiltrate Tianhu Workshop and tamper with the materials for the crossbows? Who could clean up the damaged crossbows after the war, melt the missing brass into the weapons of the tomb guards, and then hand them over to Xingguo Workshop to be refined and laundered? Xingguo Workshop, a forgotten pawn, has completed the last move of this game.
Who is it? Who exactly is it? And who else could it be...?
Cui Jin's words echoed in Wan Qixi's ears—
"Why does the Imperial Advisor keep questioning that person? Do you perhaps think he's also involved in the Blood Crossbow Case?"
"The Blood Crossbow Case could not have been accomplished by Guan Xiaotian alone."
"But he was the one who led the troops to fight the enemy at Eagle's Ridge back then. No one would risk their life on a slim chance of survival..."
"Before the Blood Crossbow Incident, he was just the most inconspicuous of all the princes. After the victory in suppressing the rebellion, he was made crown prince to inherit the throne... Too many people either died or fled because of this incident. The only beneficiary was the court, and that was him!"
—That's him!
Cui Jin said that it all started when he stepped into Tianhufang and met the young lady. His good looks blinded his sister. Sister, you shouldn't have believed him.
Wan Qixi looked up at Wushuang with a mixture of joy and sorrow. Through Wushuang's face, he seemed to see that person again—that face that flickered and shimmered in the light and shadow.
The man said, "Your brother is just like you, a rare talent, a gem in the world." He also took away the sword his sister had forged herself, a sword hidden in Chaoge, unparalleled in the world.
Cui Jin also said: Such a deep-seated hatred cannot be avenged by you and me alone.
Wan Qixi staggered backward, wondering how he could avenge such a deep-seated hatred. "Your blade can kill one person, ten people, a hundred people, but can it kill a thousand people, ten thousand people, slaughter an entire army, and storm into the Zetian Palace, not pointing to the sky, but to the person sitting on the dragon throne in the palace?"
Wanqi Xi originally thought that everything stemmed from A Jing's jealousy and hatred towards him. A Jing had no evidence, and the only proof was her hatred for the person who took away her sister. Who knew... A Jing's hatred was right, and his hatred pointed out the path he had to take.
"Hahahaha." Wan Qixi stared at Wushuang's face and suddenly burst into laughter. His laughter was triumphant, arrogant, and gradually turned into grief and indignation, desolation, despair at having no way forward, and a strange and bewildering laugh that left those who heard it confused.
"He actually guessed right..." Wan Qixi looked at Guan Ye again, laughing so hard he could barely breathe. "He was right... It was him, it really was him... Hahahaha, Heaven above, Heaven above, I don't need to kill everyone, killing just him is enough. Why kill so many people when only one is needed?" Wan Qixi stared at Guan Ye for a long time, then lowered his eyes to the horizontal sword he gripped tightly in his hand, and suddenly tears streamed down his face. "Only one person needs to be killed, why kill... so many people..."
Guan Ye suddenly stepped forward and grabbed Wan Qixi's knife hilt. "You didn't kill me, so I'm still alive and well, aren't I? The dead are gone, but the living still have many things to do. You can clear Tianhu's name and save Xingguofang. Not only did you not kill anyone, you can also save more people."
Wan Qixi wiped away the tears from his face with his sleeve, drew his sword, and turned around. "After today, I will never come to the Inner Quarter again. Wushuang, I will settle the old affairs of Tianhu Quarter. The Inner Quarter is not a place for you to stay for long. Now that you have attained enlightenment, you should be free and find a place to live your own life..."
Just as Wan Qixi was about to push open the door and leave, he suddenly stopped. "Lou Cangyu is untrustworthy. Guan Jia's girl is my junior sister. Treat her like family. Life is hard, and we can look after each other. I'm leaving."
"Wanqixi, what are you going to do?" Guan Ye called out to him.
What are you doing? Wan Qixi slung his sword over his shoulder, a wild smile playing on his lips. He didn't answer Guan Ye, but kicked open the door of the Jingwu Pavilion and strode out, humming a mysterious little tune as he did so.
Such deep-seated hatred cannot be avenged by you and me alone. A-Jiu's face has already opened the door to revenge. A-Jiu? Wan Qixi scoffed. When did the hatred for Tianhufang become the responsibility of a beggar from Cangshan? Whoever commits the sins shall suffer the retribution of a thousand cuts. And Guan Ye, no amount of revenge is her business. I already owe her enough…
Guan Ye was right; if she died, Guan Xiaotian would surely crawl out of his grave and strangle himself. Wan Qixi laughed at the thought. Master, oh Master, did you ever imagine that your sword would end up in your little disciple's hands? So be it. Wan Qixi looked up and took a deep breath of the biting winter wind. It's better to rely on yourself than on others. Wan Qixi, you're all alone now, with no more attachments. Let's see how many people your sword can kill, and whether you can storm into the Zetian Palace.
Inside the Jingwu Pavilion, Guan Ye brushed her hand over the blue copper mineral stains on the table, then looked at Wu Shuang. The two were silent, yet it seemed as if they had already said everything.
"There's still one thing I don't understand." Guan Ye gazed at Wu Shuang's familiar yet unfamiliar face. "That day, I saw you jump into the Heavenly Furnace with my own eyes... like a moth..."
"Like a moth drawn to a flame? Reduced to ashes?" Wushuang revealed an innocent smile. "What kind of person would willingly throw themselves into the flame and turn to ashes? Too foolish, too foolish. Guan Ye, you don't believe what you saw with your own eyes, and you think there can't be such a stupid person in the world, so you'd rather believe that Jiang Muyun is not dead, but still standing alive in front of you?"
Guan Ye didn't understand the meaning behind Wu Shuang's words. Wan Qixi was Lu Xiaoyun, Lu Chaoge's younger brother, but Lu Xiaoyun couldn't produce white flames, while Jiang Muyun could. The facts were clear: Jiang Muyun and Lu Chaoge had countless connections. What kind of connection allowed her to possess the secret techniques of Tianhufang? The answer was obvious: Jiang Muyun was Lu Chaoge's daughter. She was also Lu Xiaoyun's only remaining family member in the world.
It was Lu Xiaoyun who took Jiang Muyun away… That makes sense now. But how did Jiang Muyun escape in front of everyone…? Guan Ye looked at Wushuang again. Her uncle, filled with hatred, had disappeared without a trace, but Wushuang showed no grief. She seemed to be listening to someone else's story, seemingly uninterested in avenging Tianhu Workshop. Lou Cangyu's broken sword, the astonishing skill before the emperor… all of this, her obsession was only with Xingguo Workshop. Everything she did was simply to show the world Xingguo Workshop's incompetence and prove that she was the unparalleled blacksmith…
She is Jiang Muyun, yet she also seems... not to be.
Guan Ye acted as if she had never known her before. "You said you did it willingly..."
"Willingly?" Wushuang laughed. "Willingly go to your death?"
Guan Ye took a step back. "You help others, and others help you. You've helped me, so I should help you too, right?"
Wushuang stared at Guan Ye's pale face, "But you still couldn't help her, could you?"
"Who exactly are you...?"
"—Am I not Jiang Muyun?"
Guan Ye steadied herself against the doorframe. It was as if she had returned to the day the treasure ship delivered the meteorite. On the beach of Canglang Island, she saw Jiang Muyun in the distance, one hand holding his clothes and the other picking up seashells. As if sensing that someone was watching him, Jiang Muyun stopped. The sky was not yet cool, and in the dim light, her silhouette seemed like a mountain spirit or ghost hiding in the world, standing faintly among the sand.
"Wushuang!" Lou Cangyu rushed to Jingwu Pavilion. "Wanqixi is gone. Guan Ye, what are you still doing here? If you don't leave, don't blame me for being ruthless."
Guan Ye turned around and slapped Lou Cangyu hard across the face, making him see stars. "Are you crazy?!"
“This slap is for Ji Fang.” Guan Ye grabbed Lou Cangyu’s collar and slapped him again with her backhand. Lou Cangyu was stunned and forgot to dodge. A trace of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth. “This slap is for Steward Pei.”
Lou Cangyu snapped out of his daze, broke free from Guan Ye's grasp, and reached for his sword. Guan Ye drew a sharpened dagger from her sleeve, strode forward, and pressed it against Lou Cangyu's bare neck. The blade was sharp and cold, frightening Lou Cangyu into immobility. "Guan Ye, put down the sword. Let's talk this out..."
Guan Ye's eyes were filled with tears, but her hand holding the sword did not tremble at all. "You broke the Blood Alliance. No one really wanted your life, but you really wanted everyone's life. Ji Fang treated you as a brother, and you personally sent him to his death. Lou Cangyu, there are still people on Canglang Island. Your mother and your elder brother are still on the island. Xingguofang has suffered a disaster. Do you think they can survive?"
"Put the sword down..." Lou Cangyu's lips trembled, his eyes constantly glancing at the blade at his neck, "Guan Ye... Guan Ye..."
"If only time could turn back," Guan Ye blinked and tears fell, "I really want to go back to the day your sword was broken. I would have stopped Ji Fang and made you cut yourself off from the world, to die by your own hand." As she spoke, Guan Ye slowly lowered her short sword, turned and left without looking back at the person behind her.
"Guan Ye, you!" Lou Cangyu angrily reached for his sword.
"Lou Cangyu," Wushuang called out to him, "You were wrong, so let Guan Ye go."
Lou Cangyu harbored resentment, but dared not disobey Wushuang's wishes. He could only watch helplessly as Guan Ye left the inner quarters, secretly making a grudge in his heart.
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