Chapter 158 Eavesdropping: Song Mian Cannot Stay
Seeing Guan Ye's eyes filled with tears, Xiao Ma lowered his sword and looked at her intently, saying, "Go with A Jiu. We are all just passing through Canglang Island. Everyone has their own destiny, and we are only traveling together for a while. You are the daughter of Guan Xiaotian of Tianhu Fang, possessing the unique skills of Tianhu, and you have inherited your father's mantle. You should not hide in Xingguo Fang, and you should not die quietly... The world is vast, and there must be places better than here."
Before leaving Canglang Island, Guan Ye told herself: this time she would not run away again. Returning to Rongdu was fraught with danger, but Guan Ye never considered backing down. Now, with the future of Xingguo Fang uncertain, her comrade Xiao Ma advised her: you should go too.
Leaving... The hardships Father endured when he fled with the whole family, and now A-Jiu and I have no ties, escaping and living in seclusion isn't difficult, but can we really leave others behind? Not just Xingguo Ward in Rongdu, but also those left behind on Canglang Island... If something really happens, they definitely won't be able to escape...
Every day after he fled, his father regretted not being able to tell everyone. If he could do it all over again, he would rather stay in Tianhufang with everyone, just like his mother said: We can't be cowards, we can't abandon others.
Guan Ye is not a coward, nor will she abandon others; this time, she will not run away.
"I'm not leaving," Guan Ye said firmly.
"Stay and live or die with Xingguo Fang?" Xiao Ma shook his head. "You've helped Xingguo Fang many times; that's enough to repay their kindness in taking you in. The Pei family won't amount to anything, so why bother..."
Guan Ye turned away from Xiao Ma. "You may not know the truth, but I'm determined to know. We're all going to eat and play until we're old. Who says we have to die?"
"Guan Ye..." Xiao Ma wanted to insist a few more words.
"You can go now," Guan Ye interrupted. "I won't tell anyone."
Xiao Ma's lips parted slightly as he watched Guan Ye's figure recede into the distance. His mind raced with conflicting emotions. He, who had so vehemently vowed to seek justice, had become the first defector from Xingguo Ward. Feng Shisan had even offered to help him beat the drum at the yamen… He had thought his resolve was as firm as a rock, but it turned out he was nothing more than a fragile bubble, shattered so easily.
"Ma Lin, it's enough that you came back alive."
Is coming back alive really enough?
Inner Foundry
In the vast foundry, clusters of magnificent white fireworks were set off. A man dressed in a crimson outfit was mesmerized by the sight. Through the dazzling fireworks, he could hear the joyful sounds of his family from many years ago—"These fireworks are just like thousands of pear blossoms!" Now that he sees them again, they really are... just like them.
"Is this your first time seeing this?" The door of the Jingwu Pavilion opened, and Wushuang slowly approached. The expanse of the blooming fireworks seemed to represent half a lifetime. "You should also know this technique."
Wanqi looked up at the sound, and the fireworks gradually dimmed, making Wushuang's face clearer. Their eyes met, their meaning deep. "Sister said she would teach me when I was older, but Lu Xiaojun has grown up and is now middle-aged, and still doesn't know how. The person who said she would teach him... is no longer alive."
The last cluster of white flames went out. Wushuang picked up the fragments and blew them away, the scattered sparks like fireflies in the mountains. "She's gone. I'll teach you."
Wanqi Xi's gaze followed the dancing fireflies. "It's better not to learn. It's enough that you've inherited it. I still need to do what I should do."
"Has the sword belonging to the tomb guards been delivered to Xingguo Ward?" Wushuang asked in a low voice. "What did Guan Ye... say?"
Wan Qixi nodded and said, "The thousand swords have been sent over, and Guan Ye has accepted them all and promised to complete the project on schedule."
"She's quite adaptable." Wushuang seemed to smile. "She doesn't mind doing anything. As a blacksmith, she can even accept being asked to melt copper instead of forging swords."
Wan Qixi pictured Guan Ye's innocent face. "She looks a lot like Guan Xiaotian... that simple, honest, and craftsman-like quality is just like him."
"That blacksmith who defected from Tianhu Workshop," Wushuang pondered, "did he know the Lu family's method of accelerating fire?"
Wan Qixi shook her head. "Only my sister knows this method. Although Guan Xiaotian is always present and knows that this method exists, he doesn't understand it. What, are you afraid that Guan Ye also knows it?"
Wu Shuang frowned. "I'm afraid she knows? I'm afraid she doesn't. Back then... if Mother had died in that shipwreck, this method would have disappeared from the world. It would be such a pity for the Tianhu Workshop to lose the combustion-enhancing method that they had searched for for a hundred years. Would future generations have to search for it for another hundred years? This method shouldn't have been known only by the Tianhu Workshop. National skills and people's skills can be learned by every workshop and used by everyone. That's the principle of promoting skills. It's a pity..." Wu Shuang recalled Guan Ye's words before the Emperor, "I asked Guan Ye to come to the inner workshop to help me, but she refused. Trapped in Xingguo Workshop, associating with those useless people, even if she has high talent, she can hardly use it."
“That Guan girl is incredibly stubborn, just like her father.” Wan Qixi smiled, as if he could see Guan Ye arguing with everyone and everything. “But she’s also very clever. I went to the Xingguo Fang foundry and she even managed to find my sister’s spiral blower and repair it quite well. You know what, maybe one day she’ll actually come up with a method to help with combustion.”
"After all, it was the one that forged the Meteor Sword." Wushuang murmured, a thought welling up between his brows. "Courageous and insightful, daring to think and act."
“Speaking of which,” Wanqi Xi said, narrowing his eyes as if remembering something, “how exactly is the meteorite melted? Since there’s no combustion aid, Xingguo Workshop shouldn’t be able to melt that meteorite from outer space. Could it be… that you intervened?”
Wushuang's expression was gloomy, and he remained silent for a long time. Wanqixi smiled and said, "It's good that you helped. Xingguofang leaving the island will benefit both of us, and my work will be more successful."
"Tell me what you're going to do." Wushuang changed the subject slightly. "You've even taken your business to the Salt and Iron Bureau. It must be something really important."
Wanqixi carefully examined Wushuang's beautiful face. Her appearance was not very similar to her sister's, but the arrogance in her eyes was exactly the same. Her sister never did anything without certainty, and her decisions were never wrong. Wushuang was the same. She dared to make a vow to cut off her arm. Wanqixi was not worried at all about whether Wushuang could do it. She agreed and she would definitely do it, just like her sister back then.
Who could have imagined that the adorable, delicate child who followed her sister along the beach more than a decade ago would grow into the resolute and confident person she is today? Her sister, in heaven, would surely be gratified to see someone finally carrying on her legacy.
She is her sister's flesh and blood, and she will do everything in her power to protect her. She has her own path to walk, and Wanqixi also has her own things to do.
"My affairs are none of your business." Wan Qixi's voice turned cold. "You act all high and mighty in front of others, but in front of me you're just a little girl. What, you want to meddle in your uncle's affairs?"
Wu Shuang, having softened her tone, was about to say something when Wan Qixi suddenly pinched her cheek. Wu Shuang stopped abruptly, a hint of nervousness flashing in her eyes. Wan Qixi gently pinched her cheek and said with a smile, "What? Are you still estranged from your uncle now that you're in Rongdu? I used to pinch you like this too." As she spoke, she pinched the other cheek with her other hand, leaned close to Wu Shuang's face, and made a face at her. "Back then, when I pretended to be a ghost to scare you, you would look at me and giggle. Blood is thicker than water, and it's always different from other people."
Seeing that Wushuang's expression was expressionless, Wanqixi felt bored and let go, saying, "You're getting more and more reserved as you grow up? There's no one else here... Never mind, girls change a lot as they grow up, and your uncle can't control you anymore. Let's go."
After taking a few steps, Wanqi Xi turned back, staring at Wushuang for a long time, and said gently, "Zhaoge Muyun, Wushuang sounds nice, but I still prefer the name Muyun. Your swordsmanship in front of the emperor amazed everyone. Seeing how scared Xingguofang was, it was truly exhilarating."
"My name is Wushuang, and I aspire to be an unparalleled master craftsman, a swordsman of extraordinary talent." Wushuang avoided Wanqixi's gaze and picked up the sword beside her, slowly wiping it.
Wan Qixi looked on with admiration, "No matter what you're called, you're still my good niece. You're gone, really gone."
Seeing that Wushuang didn't look up, Wanqixi felt a little disappointed. Then he thought that since the two were in the inner workshop, he should be careful. He, as her uncle, wasn't as cautious as this little girl. Wanqixi gave a self-deprecating smile and turned to walk out of the foundry.
"Song Er?" Wan Qixi saw a figure outside. The person stood frozen by the oxcart, holding a whip and looking somewhat dazed.
“I…I’ve come to return what you left behind.” Song Mian’s legs went weak for a moment, and he hurriedly went to carry the large bag on the cart. “You left behind a bag of saltpeter. I was afraid the inner workshop would need it urgently, so I brought it here before you had to go back to get it…”
Wan Qixi walked confidently towards the oxcart, poked his finger into the sack, dipped it in, and seeing that it was indeed saltpeter that had fallen, calmly said, "You're quite meticulous. How long have you been here?"
Song Mian wiped his sweat. "I just arrived a moment ago. I was just about to carry the bags when I arrived..." Song Mian turned his head. "If you don't believe me, go ask the guards in the inner quarters."
"Why are you asking the guards about such a trivial matter? Move it to the storeroom and don't disturb the important matters of the inner workshop." Wan Qixi brushed the saltpeter powder off his fingertips and strode towards the inner workshop gate. The guards on both sides of the gate stood straight. Wan Qixi opened his mouth as if to ask something, but then sensed that someone was watching him from behind, so he could only keep his eyes straight ahead and walk away.
Seeing Wan Qixi walk away, Song Mian breathed heavily, but when he turned around, he was scared half to death again. The young swordsman from Xingguo Ward was staring coldly at him from the corner. This person... Song Mian had seen him appear in the inner ward more than once. It seemed that his name was... Lou Cangyu.
Song Mian shouldered the large bag, but as soon as he raised his eyebrows, his legs seemed to move on their own. He saw Lou Cangyu walking towards him step by step, sword in hand, his sharp eyes like unsheathed blades, staring at him with nowhere to hide.
"You're not being honest." Lou Cangyu approached step by step. "You've been here for a while now, listening intently. What did you hear? Tell me."
Song Mian, carrying a large bag, swayed with his legs, and said with feigned strength, "I was just taking a break. What did you hear? Are people talking inside? You're scaring people in broad daylight."
Lou Cangyu sneered, brandishing his sword at Song Mian. Song Mian dodged and fell off his large bag, the saltpeter hitting his foot and making him wince in pain. "In broad daylight, you dare to draw your sword against me? If you dare to take another step closer, believe me, I'll scream... I'll scream!"
Lou Cangyu slowly lowered his sword, disdainfully saying, "Has my sword been drawn yet? With your guts, you dare to work in the weapons trade? You should go back to your old profession, shut your mouth, and go back to selling your fried cakes."
Song Mian found the words grating, his shriveled face flushed red, and he mustered his strength to carry the heavy bag again, ignoring Lou Cangyu, and staggered towards the warehouse. Fine saltpeter leaked from the small hole that Wan Qixi had poked, dripping onto the ground.
Lou Cangyu heard it. Song Mian was even closer than him, so Lou Cangyu was sure he heard it too—Wan Qixi and Wushuang… were actually old acquaintances… Uncle? Although Wushuang didn’t say anything, Lou Cangyu heard the word “uncle” very clearly.
Wan Qixi also said: Chaoge Muyun, he really likes the name Muyun, it doesn't matter what Wushuang is called, she's his... niece.
Chaoge... Muyun... Chaoge, Chaoge... This name seems familiar... Lou Cangyu unconsciously tightened his grip on the sword in his hand. Although he didn't know what they were going to do, Lou Cangyu only knew that he had to protect Wushuang and not let anyone stop Wushuang's progress.
"Why are you still here?" Song Mian brushed the nitrate and lime off his body, climbed onto the oxcart, and whipped it away. "I also want to give you a piece of advice: mind your own business and go back to being a swordsman in Xingguo Ward."
The oxcart creaked away, and Lou Cangyu turned around sharply, the veins on the back of his hand gripping the sword bulging. He knew that Song Mian... could not be allowed to live.
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