Chapter 36 The Beauty Collapses
Xie Tan, the Whip Demon, was an expert whip user, skilled in coating the whip with potent poison, making him invincible.
Ordinary people are no match for Xie Tan's whip, and the poison is potent. Even if his master, a grandmaster-level expert, were accidentally injured by the whip and contaminated with the poison during the competition, he could immediately circulate his qi to protect his heart meridian, instead of dying on the spot.
Ning Jue had this suspicion in mind. Two months ago, after finding Xie Tan's whereabouts, he personally went to Xiangcheng and confronted Xie Tan directly.
He wanted to test the old man Xie's whipping skills and whether his research on poisons had truly reached its peak. Otherwise, how could he have taken his master's life in front of everyone?
When this matter was brought up, Duan Yi appeared eager to know the result and asked, "You inherited Situ's mantle long ago, how did the competition go?"
Ning Jue scrutinized Duan Yi, discerning subtle clues from his facial features to see if he was guilty.
Duan Yi urged, "Speak quickly!"
Ning Jue lowered his gaze and replied in a calm tone, "We fought for three hundred rounds, and that old man Xie didn't clearly have the upper hand. During that time, I deliberately feigned weakness to lure him into using his whip, and my arm was injured by his whip, the skin of the wound almost immediately ulcerated. I admit that old man Xie's whip poison is potent, but with my internal energy to resist it and my breath-holding and regulating, it wasn't difficult for me to endure it, let alone my master?"
"Even if my master was drunk and his mind was clouded, he would never have forgotten to regulate his breathing and allow the poison to erode his heart meridian. Xie Tan repeatedly stated that his intention that day was only to spar, and he had no intention of using any underhanded methods. He also lamented the death of the Sword Saint. I was suspicious, so while he was in distress, I wrapped a cloth around the whip and wiped it, getting some of Xie Tan's concoction on it. Afterwards, I deliberately got drunk and applied the poison to the wound, repeatedly testing the reaction after being exposed to the poison. Each time, it showed signs of life, so I am certain that my master's death was not as simple as being poisoned by Xie Tan's whip. This poison is not fatal."
“You have truly gone to great lengths for Situ…” Duan Yi sighed, his expression grave, and continued, “If your master’s wife had given me a clear answer back then, so that I would know whether Situ was only afflicted with whip poison, we wouldn’t be like headless flies now, full of suspicion but searching for clues in vain.”
Ning Jue's sharp gaze swept over them, and he asked, "Steward Duan has repeatedly mentioned wanting the autopsy results of Master's wife. Could it be that he already has someone he suspects, and that person is also skilled in poisons?"
Duan Yi was startled, surprised by Ning Jue's quick thinking. He replied, "I can't hide it from you, but I don't want to take unfounded suspicions as evidence of doubt."
Ning Jue wouldn't let go of even the slightest suspicion, and pressed on, "Whom do you suspect?"
Duan Yi hesitated for a moment before saying, "Many heroes from the martial arts world attended the banquet that day, and three of the four great masters of the martial arts world were present."
Ning Jue frowned: "The three of you?"
After his master died, all those who attended the banquet remained silent about it, and apart from Duan Yi and Xie Tan, Ning Jue did not know the specific guest list for that day.
Duan Yi took the initiative to open the gap, allowing Ning Jue to glimpse the warm and harmonious scene of the singing stage in the General's mansion that day.
"The Prince's residence hosted a banquet to celebrate the Crown Prince's success in the imperial examinations. The event was grand and lavish. The Left Prime Minister, Ji Fukun, representing the civil officials, even personally attended, showing great respect. Furthermore, an envoy from the Southern Min Kingdom was in the capital to present birthday gifts to the Emperor, so the number of invitees was vast. The Grand General, a martial arts enthusiast, enjoyed associating with martial arts figures, so many high-ranking officials and powerful figures, as well as numerous martial arts masters, were present. Among them was Jiang Shen'er, the 'Umbrella Immortal,' one of the top martial arts masters from the Southern Min Kingdom who had entered the Great Yan territory with the Southern Min delegation."
Ning Jue roughly understood why Duan Yi had such suspicions.
The four greatest masters in the martial arts world are—Sword Saint, Whip Demon, Umbrella Immortal, and Mad Fist. Among them, the one most skilled in making and using poison is not Whip Demon Xie Tan, but "Umbrella Immortal" Jiang Shen'er from the Southern Min Kingdom.
In the southern region, people revered witch doctors and folk remedies, and practiced alchemy and medicine making. Many farms specialized in raising poisonous insects and plants.
Therefore, the people of the Southern Region are the true experts when it comes to using poison, and this Umbrella Immortal is the expert among experts.
The master's wife studies poisons to fight poison with poison, which will eventually be applied to medical prescriptions to save lives; while this umbrella fairy truly uses poisonous insects and herbs as weapons to kill. Everyone who has been killed by her Nine-Colored Spirit Rhinoceros Severing Thoughts Umbrella bleeds from all seven orifices and dies with their eyes wide open in disbelief.
However, Master has never had any dealings with the people of the Southern Region, nor has he ever been enemies with them. So what motive did Jiang Shen'er have for plotting against him?
Thinking of this, Ning Jue frowned with concern and did not express his opinion for a moment.
Seeing his hesitation, Duan Yi told him all the latest information he had gathered: "Back then, I had some suspicions about Jiang Shen'er, but she quickly left the capital with the delegation and returned to Nanmin, so I couldn't find anything. After resigning from my official post, I secretly operated my own intelligence network in Yecheng under the guise of running a tea business. I sent spies to Nanmin several times through caravan transport. Fortunately, my efforts paid off. Three months ago, my mole in Nanmin sent word that the young emperor of Nanmin had promoted Jiang Shen'er, given her real power, and appointed her as the head of Tianji Pavilion."
Ning Jue: "Tianji Pavilion?"
Duan Yi added, "It's an intelligence agency in Southern Fujian, with duties similar to our Embroidered Uniform Guard. Now that the Great Yan Embroidered Uniform Guard has been abolished, an intelligence agency in Southern Fujian has emerged. I don't believe it's just a coincidence. Two years have passed, and Jiang Shen'er has weathered the storm and is now taking office in glory. Is it really just a coincidence, or was it... that we were all framed by her in the past?"
Duan Yi spoke with bitterness, and Ning Jue's expression also turned solemn.
“You got a lead three months ago, and even now that I’ve arrived, you still haven’t taken any action,” Ning Jue said calmly.
Duan Yi sighed, not hiding his personal motives: "Yes, now that I have resigned from my official post and live in seclusion, I don't care about power or profit. I am only obsessed with two things: one is to protect the safety of my family, and the other is to find out the truth about Situ's death. Although I have some clues now, I dare not go to Nanmin rashly. I am afraid that if something goes wrong, it will bring disaster to my family. After thinking it over, I had no choice but to ask you to come and discuss a solution."
Ning Jue understood the whole story. At this moment, he had about 60% trust and 40% suspicion towards Duan Yi.
But as long as there is even a credible clue, he will do anything to find out the truth about his master's death.
Others have wives and children, struggling to make ends meet, while he is all alone, his life and death in the hands of fate, so what is there to hesitate about?
The only person he could think of was Bai Hua; she was probably the one he was worried about.
After a moment of silence, Ning Jue told Duan Yi his decision: "I will go to the Southern Region myself. I will take care of your undercover agents. If it is found that the cause of Master's death is indeed related to Jiang Shen'er, I will use her life as a sacrifice to comfort the spirits of Master and Mistress in heaven."
Duan Yi stood up and bowed to Ning Jue, his eyes swirling with emotions, a mixture of gratitude and apology: "It is a blessing for Situ to have a disciple like you, and it is also a joy for us relatives and friends."
Ning Jue scoffed arrogantly and said bluntly, "Don't flatter yourself. In terms of closeness or distance, in Master's heart, I am definitely ahead of you."
Duan Yi shook his head and smiled, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
He took out a black iron token from his pocket that could be used to command hidden agents and solemnly handed it to Ning Jue.
"I've been planning this for a long time, just waiting for this day."
Ning Jue took it and clenched it tightly in his palm.
...
Bai Hua sat in the lobby of the Fairy Maiden Restaurant, having waited for quite some time, and was indeed feeling a bit hungry.
If it were for her own sake, she wouldn't mind enduring it. She was just thinking that after the young master finished discussing business and came downstairs, the two of them could take some cooked food back to the inn to eat. With that in mind, she beckoned to the waiter and ordered a few hot dishes that the young master liked.
She had just ordered her food when a man dressed as a waiter came down from upstairs, stood in front of her, and politely asked, "Excuse me, sir, are you your master?"
Bai Hua stood up, glanced up at the second floor, and nodded in response, "Exactly."
The other party said, "Your young master and my master have important matters to discuss. He told me that there is a secret letter hidden in the lining of his clothes in his baggage. Because he was wary, he did not carry it with him. Now that the cooperation has been agreed upon, the young master asked me to go downstairs to deliver a message, saying that he does not trust anyone else and that you need to go back to the inn in person to retrieve it. The young master specifically said that the secret letter is hidden in the lining of his blue robe, and he hopes that you will go and return quickly."
Bai Hua hesitated, somewhat alarmed.
How did the other party recognize her as a young lady at a glance? Was it because she was not good at disguising herself, or did the young master tell her?
She remembered the young master's instructions to her before he went upstairs, telling her not to wander around and to stay in the lobby and wait for him to return.
Bai Hua gradually calmed down and asked the man before her with doubt, "If you did not tell me personally, I cannot obey your orders."
The other person looked anxious and continued to persuade her, "It's good that you're suspicious, young lady. When you're traveling, how can you not be wary of strangers? But the young master has already told us your identity as a young lady and that you are currently staying at the Yunshui Inn. He wants us to accompany you and protect you and the secret letter. If you still don't believe me, please look at this. The young master gave it to us because he was afraid you would be too cautious and suspicious."
As soon as he finished speaking, the other person opened his palm and showed off a jade bone whistle.
Bai Hua was taken aback; this was the very same one that the young master had bought from the Fujian merchant the day before yesterday.
After hesitating for a moment, Bai Hua said somewhat conservatively, "The inn is not far from here. I will go back by myself. You don't need to come with me."
The other person thought for a moment, nodded in agreement, and then added, "That girl should be careful when she goes out."
Bai Hua responded and got up to leave the inn.
With the jade bone whistle as a token, Bai Hua's doubts lessened considerably. She assumed that the young master truly needed the secret letter urgently, so she quickened her pace and dared not delay.
At the same time, she was also curious about the contents of the secret letter, as well as the purpose of this trip.
The two spent seven days at sea together, yet she never noticed the existence of the letter. Now, she realizes that she was far too careless as a spy.
And... did the young master sternly refuse her offer to help wash the clothes because he was wary of her from the very beginning?
Thinking of this, Bai Hua felt a sense of dejection.
Upon arriving at the inn, she instinctively turned around cautiously, checking for any tails following them. Although they already knew they were staying here, what if there were other third-party forces in the area?
Having been lurking by the young master's side for so long, she thought she should have made some progress by now.
Unaware of anything amiss, Bai Hua went upstairs to her room, took out the young master's package, and began rummaging through it.
She did remember that the young master had a blue pine shirt. Since his most frequently worn color was moon white, she remembered this slightly different color even more clearly. It must have been the second day of the sea voyage, the day he was grilling fish skewers.
I searched carefully but couldn't find any letters hidden there.
She thought that perhaps the young master had misremembered the color of the clothes, so she took out several other white clothes to look for them, but still couldn't find them.
Just as I was wondering what was going on, I suddenly caught a whiff of a strange fragrance, sometimes strong, sometimes faint, but not to be ignored.
She cautiously turned back to look at the door with the latch down, frowning as she investigated the source of the fragrance. Just as she was about to get up to take a look, she felt unsteady and dizzy as soon as she stood up.
She lost her balance and stumbled, collapsing against the bed frame, her lips moving in and out, and cold sweat beading on her forehead.
"What's going on...?"
Bai Hua murmured, her consciousness growing increasingly unclear, until finally her eyelids grew heavy and she fainted.
After a stick of incense that had pierced through the window paper burned out, someone outside the door used a thin blade as a tool to carefully and skillfully pry open the door latch without disturbing anyone.
The door was wide open, and a young man dressed in a crimson brocade robe embroidered with gold patterns and wearing cloud-patterned shoes entered, holding a folding fan in his hand.
Seeing the beauty slumped on the ground, in a dazed state, Fang Lun took a few steps forward and squatted down to check on her. The more he looked, the more he felt sorry for her.
He originally thought that there were many beauties in Yecheng, and even after traveling around the world, he had never seen a girl more alluring than the courtesan of the local Drunken Flower Pavilion. However, on his return journey, he was fortunate enough to meet a beauty who was as beautiful as a fairy and had a graceful figure.
Since they were destined to be together, he had no reason to let it go.
Fang Lun was used to being lawless, always having his father to back him up. He had done all sorts of outrageous things, so what difference would one more time make?
He didn't care that someone with a sharp sword was by Bai Hua's side. At this moment, he was completely blinded by lust and only wanted to spend the night with the beauty. As for the trouble that would follow, he only wanted to settle everything with money and didn't care about it at all.
So he got up, smiled and gave the order: "Take the person to my other courtyard. Be careful not to hurt the beauty."
The subordinates responded eagerly, while others looked hesitant and tried to persuade them again.
"Young Master, you saw it yourself at the Fairy Maiden Restaurant. The person they were meeting was Master Duan. Master Duan runs a tea business and has a close relationship with our Fang family. Now, if we rashly make trouble for his guests, wouldn't that..."
Fang Lun waved his hand impatiently and said, "Whether it's Master Duan or Master He, as long as they're not family members, what business is it of theirs who I touch? Besides, judging from this woman's appearance, she's definitely still a virgin. Her relationship with that swordsman was just a fling. Since that's the case, I've already taken a liking to her at first sight, so why would I let her go? Moreover, I can agree to take her as a concubine afterward and take responsibility for her. Stop talking nonsense and get moving."
Upon hearing this, his subordinates stopped trying to dissuade him and had no choice but to obey orders.
Fang Lun stared at Bai Hua's delicate, supple body, yet she was dressed in simple men's clothing, which he found utterly displeasing.
He still preferred the image of her when they first met on the ship, when her flowing robes and graceful figure were so captivating.
"Go and fetch the matron who's in charge of dressing and grooming the girls at the Drunken Flower Pavilion. This lady's outfit... needs changing." Fang Lun touched the fabric, let go of it with disgust, then gave a wicked smile and added, "Also, get those pills we bought at a high price from the Fujian merchants. I heard that if you give them to the girls, they'll be completely uninhibited, even more unruly than a drunken yellow snake. I'll personally test the medicine today and see if it ruins their reputation."
"……yes."
...
On the other side, Ning Jue and Duan Yi reached a consensus.
Ning Jue plans to travel south by sea the day after tomorrow, but he is currently struggling with how to arrange Bai Hua's future.
Ning Jue was worried about leaving her to wait in Ye City.
Sending her back to Jiling was a long journey, and she couldn't take care of herself at all.
Taking her to southern Fujian is not a good idea, as the road ahead is fraught with unknown dangers.
For a moment, Ning Jue felt a headache coming on.
Duan Yi offered to help share the burden, saying that he could arrange for Bai Hua to stay at his residence temporarily, and then pick her up when Ning Jue returned from Nanmin.
That's an idea.
Ning Jue thought for a moment and did not immediately agree. He decided to discuss it with Bai Hua first and hear her opinion.
Duan Yi intended to host a banquet for Ning Jue as a farewell dinner and a celebration of their reunion.
Ning Jue, however, showed no respect and said in a low voice, "You are my master's friend. If you call me a friend now, wouldn't that be a difference in seniority?"
Duan Yi smiled awkwardly: "I dare not presume to be an elder, for fear that you will stab me to death with your sword."
Ning Jue raised an eyebrow: "Manager Duan does have some self-awareness."
He still habitually referred to Duan Yi by his former official title, but this title could only be used in private. If outsiders were present, he had to be more careful about using it.
Duan Yi instructed his men to call the waiter to prepare the dishes, and also to invite the people that Young Master Ning had brought up from the lobby downstairs.
The other person responded to the previous statement, then heard a puzzled voice say, "That young master with the jade face is no longer here."
Duan Yi: "Where did you go?"
The subordinate shook his head, looking bewildered: "My brothers and I went to the restroom together, and when we came back, we found that the young master was no longer there. We asked the waiter, and he said that the young master had just left the inn. We thought that the young master had discussed it with Young Master Ning in advance, so he left early."
Ning Jue stood up and stared intently at Duan Yi, as if silently questioning him.
Duan Yi looked wronged, his expression anxious: "Our negotiations went smoothly, and we were originally on the same boat. What motive would I have to abduct your people? Don't think the worst. Perhaps she's tired of waiting and wants to go back to the inn to rest first?"
Based on Ningjue's understanding of Bai Hua, this possibility is very small.
She has always been a considerate person. Even if she was really tired, she would stay where she was so as not to worry him. How could she leave without saying a word?
There must be something fishy about this, so Ning Jue rushed back to the Shuiyun Inn to look for the person.
Duan Yi went with him. As soon as they entered, the strange fragrance lingered and could be smelled even with a quiet sniff.
Ning Jue summoned the waiter to inquire about the situation.
The waiter looked troubled, a fleeting look of guilt crossing his face. Ning Jue noticed it immediately, grabbed his collar, and slammed him against the wall, demanding, "I'll ask you one more time, where are my men?"
The waiter had already accepted hush money, but the young master in front of him had such a strong aura that it seemed he would be stabbed to death if he didn't tell the truth. He worked honestly and occasionally earned some extra money by keeping quiet, but he didn't want to risk his life for it.
He stole a glance at Ning Jue's sword, intending to give instructions, but dared not directly mention Young Master Fang's name. After all, his father was the president of the Ye City Chamber of Commerce. If he offended them, he would never have a good life in the future.
So he carefully said, "I saw that group of people go to the east of the city. The leader was dressed in brocade and looked like a young master from a wealthy family."
As he spoke, he exchanged a glance with Duan Yi.
Having spent a long time in Ye City, Duan Yi had dealt with all sorts of strange and unsavory characters. Seeing the waiter's suggestive look, he immediately understood who the other person was.
"I can roughly guess who he is. He's a notorious playboy in Yecheng. Afraid of his father's control, he bought a secluded courtyard in the east of the city. Every day, the women in that courtyard flutter around him, but he still can't stop trying to seduce and play with respectable women. He looks gentle and frail, as if he has some knowledge, but inside he's a truly rotten person."
Ning Jue gripped the hilt of his sword tightly with his right hand, the veins on his arm bulging.
He forced out a breath, his eyes deep and unfathomable, and gritted his teeth as he forced out, "You, lead the way!"
Duan Yi was startled and quickly waved his hand to signal his men to follow orders.
He hurried to catch up with Ning Jue, watching him use his lightness skill to move swiftly, and secretly worried for Fang Lun.
He was also worried about the plan to go south.
They had just finalized the agreement; if trouble broke out and bloodshed occurred now, how could their southward journey proceed discreetly and discreetly?
But clearly, Ning Jue couldn't care less about that at the moment.
Judging from his sharp and cold eyes just now, what else could it be but a murderer?
The last time I saw him, he was just over twenty years old, naive and ignorant of worldly affairs, like a loyal and sharp sword in Situ's hand, born only to be loyal to his master and mistress.
But things are different now.
He has found someone else he wants to protect.
If Situ were still alive, he would surely feel gratified to see that his exceptionally talented but socially awkward disciple now has emotional attachments.
Now is not the time for sentimentality.
Save lives first!
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