Chapter 43 How shameless!
Fang Lun is dead, and the villa is completely burned down. The girls who were raised by Fang Lun have all run away and disappeared. Only the guards and servants have come to their senses and hurriedly went to the main house of the Fang family to ask for help. However, the journey was too far, and even if they found help, it would be of no use.
At the time of the incident, Fang Lun's father, Fang Yanhai, was out of town. Upon hearing the news, he rushed back to Yecheng, only to find his son's body. He was devastated.
He ordered a thorough investigation into the cause of the fire, and learned that a group of robbers had broken into the mansion, burned, killed, and looted, all for money.
This conclusion left Fang Yanhai with doubts. Within a hundred miles of Ye City, who would dare to offend him?
He ordered his men to find the girls who had settled in various places and interrogate them one by one. The responses they received were all that thieves had broken into the mansion and set the courtyard on fire.
Unable to find any other suspicious clues, Fang Yanhai had no choice but to suppress his grief and sorrow at the loss of his son and to first handle the funeral arrangements.
Now that his son was gone, there was no need to keep the women he had previously kept in the villa. Fang Yanhai gave them money and planned to send them all away.
However, an incident occurred when the silver was being distributed.
The girls in front of them were all sobbing and wiping their tears with handkerchiefs. Whether they were genuine or not, they all pretended to be heartbroken. After receiving the money and paying their respects to Fang Yanhai, they left one after another with their bags on their backs.
Only one girl with an honest-looking face hesitated after receiving the money and did not leave immediately.
Fang Yanhai noticed her and glanced at her.
The girl mustered her courage, lifted her skirt, and walked up to Fang Yanhai, asking softly, "May I ask, Master, could I... could I ask for an extra sum of silver to erect a monument for Sister Jiuqiu in her hometown..."
Fang Yanhai sized her up, and upon hearing the unfamiliar name, he immediately became wary: "Jiuqiu?"
Xiao Nuo nodded and added, "She was also a girl in the young master's courtyard. At that time, because the young master brought a new lady into the manor, Sister Jiuqiu was jealous and heartbroken, and she quarreled with the young master. As a result, the young master got angry and ordered the steward to tie Sister Jiuqiu up and put her in the woodshed. Later, thieves broke into the courtyard and set fires everywhere. In our panic, we forgot that she hadn't escaped yet. By the time we realized it... it was too late to save her."
Fang Yanhai's expression suddenly turned serious. He stood still, frowning as he pondered these words.
He had already sent people to investigate thoroughly, and apart from finding Lun'er's burned body, no one else in the entire hospital had perished in the fire.
There was no sign of the so-called new girl she had mentioned, and the woodshed was deserted, neither alive nor dead.
Fang Yanhai, a man of deep experience, immediately sensed something amiss in the matter; it was certainly not as simple as a thief being greedy for money.
However, he has not made any enemies recently, and the Fang family business association has been doing its business honestly.
If it wasn't him, and it wasn't something that happened to the Chamber of Commerce, then it must be that Lun'er herself has made enemies...
To outsiders, the young master of the Fang family was a wicked man, but in Fang Yanhai's heart, he was just a spoiled child. He couldn't accept that his own flesh and blood should be punished by heaven for doing evil. At that moment, he harbored resentment and wanted the thief who killed Fang Lun to pay with his life.
Fang Yanhai looked at Xiao Nuo and commanded sternly, "You stay here for now. Tell me in detail what else you know. Do you know the background of the girl who just arrived at the manor that day? And Jiu Qiu, where is she from?"
Xiao Nuo didn't even get a good look at the girl who entered the mansion that day, so she had no idea about her background.
But she did know a little about where Sister Jiuqiu was from.
...
Duan Yi had been secretly keeping an eye on Fang Yanhai, fearing that he might make a move that would affect Ning Jue's plan to go south.
Fortunately, by the time Ning Jue and Bai Hua arrived at Yecheng Wharf and were about to board the ship, they did not see any action from the Fang family.
Duan Yi and his wife came to see him off.
Before leaving, Duan Yi once again instructed Chen Fu to be cautious after arriving in Nanmin. Ning Jue was arrogant and might be difficult to guard against. He needed to be extremely careful and help Ning Jue clear away any obstacles.
Chen Fu bowed and accepted the order.
Duan Yi then chatted with Ning Jue for a few more minutes, his words essentially a reminder that Jiang Shen'er, the Umbrella Immortal, was not easy to deal with, and that he should not act impulsively.
Ning Jue disliked being lectured, so he kept a straight face and didn't respond at all.
Duan Yi was used to this and wasn't annoyed. Ning Jue didn't like to hear it, but he had to say what needed to be said to feel at ease.
On the other side, Madam Duan took Bai Hua's hand and walked to the side. Today, a rare north wind had blown, and the wind was strong and the air was damp and salty.
Madam Duan took off her own pale yellow feather gauze cloak and draped it over Bai Hua herself, not allowing her to refuse.
"Put this on. The weather is bad today, and the wind is stronger at sea. But the closer we get to the Southern Region, the warmer the climate will be, and we won't need these warm clothes then."
Bai Hua felt a little uncomfortable, but seeing the genuine concern in Madam Duan's eyes, she couldn't help but think of her deceased mother. Her nose tingled, and she had no choice but to accept it.
"Thank you for your consideration, Madam Duan."
After saying that, Bai Hua thought of something and quickly took out a handkerchief from her sleeve, inside which were the hairpins and bracelets that Madam Duan had given her before.
After much consideration, she still felt she couldn't accept it, so she decided to take this opportunity to be alone with him to return it.
However, as soon as she made a move, Madam Duan immediately knew that she intended to return the favor. So, without waiting for her to say anything, she turned around and left. Without looking back, she walked to Duan Yi's side, stood still, and smiled gently at her with a hint of apology in her eyes.
Bai Hua, holding the hairpin and bracelet, abruptly stopped, a hint of surprise in her eyes.
Madam Duan exuded elegance and grace in every gesture, but it was unexpected that she would reveal such a willful side in private. As she hid behind Boss Duan, the hairpin and bracelet could not be returned.
Bai Hua responded to the gaze with a helpless expression.
Mrs. Duan looked at her, her smile remaining warm throughout.
Once aboard the ship, Bai Hua stood at the railing, waving goodbye as she looked down. Ning Jue stood beside her, his hands casually behind his back, steady and motionless.
Bai Hua turned to him and reminded him, "Young master, you should also say goodbye. We have troubled the Duan family quite a bit these past few days in Ye City."
Ning Jue pursed his lips, somewhat unwilling, but once the boat set sail, Bai Hua patted his shoulder and urged him on. He listened to her and waved casually, but without any emotion.
Standing on the pier, Duan Yi noticed Ning Jue's waving gesture and was moved. He quickly waved both hands in response.
Bai Hua smiled and pointed it out to Ning Jue, but Ning Jue didn't bother to glance at it. He turned around indifferently and pulled her towards the cabin.
Seeing this, Chen Fu kindly waved in response to the family head, and then followed Ning Jue and Bai Hua without saying a word, taking on the responsibility of protecting them.
...
As the ships sailed further away, they slowly disappeared into the thin mist on the sea, their forms becoming blurred.
Duan Yi gently put his arm around his wife's shoulder and comforted her, "Don't worry, with Ning Jue and Chen Fu here, they can protect that little girl from the Bai family."
Madam Duan looked away with a hint of sadness and said wistfully, "She doesn't even remember seeing me when she was little, or calling me 'Auntie' in a sweet voice."
“It’s been so long, and she was so young back then, it’s normal that she doesn’t remember,” Duan Yi continued to comfort her. “You and Madam Bai were once the best of friends, but you broke off contact because of a quarrel when you were young. So many years have passed, and you two still think about each other but neither of you will back down. When the Bai family finally met with trouble, we were far away in Yecheng and found out too late.”
Not being able to see her best friend one last time was the thing that Mrs. Duan regretted the most.
She wiped away her tears with her handkerchief and said sadly, "When Sister Jiazhen was pregnant with Huahua, we made a secret promise that I would be the child's godmother. Later, when the Bai family had their accident, I tried several times to bring Huahua to my side to take care of her, but Huahua still had a aunt who knew she had gone to Jiling, so I didn't interfere too much. I never expected that when we meet again, it would be in this situation. I don't know why, but she's with Young Master Ning... When Master told me that Miss Apeng was Huahua, I was heartbroken. I thought that her aunt who was far away in Jiling might not have been sincere towards her."
Ning Jue did not reveal Bai Hua's true identity to Duan Yi on his own initiative.
Ning Jue was used to traveling alone, so the sudden appearance of a beautiful girl by his side naturally attracted extra attention.
Duan Yi was always a suspicious person. He was suspicious of the girl's intentions in approaching Ning Jue, but he did not want Ning Jue to misunderstand his intentions, so he simply went to investigate secretly on his own.
Recalling his previous meeting with Zang Fan, during which Zang Fan had repeatedly inquired about the Bai family in the capital, he had a direction to investigate.
Afterwards, following the clues step by step, they were able to find many matching details. When they continued to investigate Ji Ling's Rong family, Duan Yi was almost certain of the girl's identity.
If his guess is correct, it is because the Grand General Wang set up a fighting arena in Jiling that has stirred up the various sword sects in Jiling.
The Rong family, in particular, has lost the honor of being imperial merchants for generations. In order to regain their eligibility for officialdom, they resort to any means necessary, sending trusted people to approach Ning Jue and spy on his true intentions. This is not surprising.
The only surprising thing is that the spy Rong Linyan sent out was not his disciple Guangzhong, but his cousin whom he had been thinking about for many years. She was a famous beauty in the capital who was once unattainable to him. Now that her status has fallen, she is no longer out of reach. Rong Linyan has begun to forget how to cherish her.
This is why the lady was indignant upon hearing this, and felt even more pity for her. She wished she could give away all the good things around her as compensation or as a gesture of comfort; she could not remain indifferent.
Duan Yi: "I understand that you want to make up for Miss Bai's deep feelings, but you are so open about it. I'm afraid she will be wary and suspect that you have ulterior motives. Listen to me, madam. Take things slowly. When they return from Nanmin, they will pass through Yecheng again. Then you will have another chance to get along well with her."
Madam Duan gradually regained her composure and nodded in agreement, saying, "Alright, I will listen to you, sir. This journey south is fraught with danger. I will go to the Buddhist temple in a few days to pray for a safe journey for the three of them."
Duan Yi agreed: "Alright, I will accompany you, Madam."
The ship was sailing on the sea and had completely disappeared from sight.
Duan Yi helped his wife into the carriage, secretly thinking to himself that if he could find out something, it must be even less of a secret to Ning Jue.
After all, having undergone Situ Kong's special training, he possessed the most valuable secret-finding skills that an Embroidered Robe Envoy could rely on.
Ning Jue clearly knew that Miss Bai was a spy for the Sword Sect, yet he didn't expose this secret, which suggests he must have something to hide.
If that's the case, why should he bother to be clever and talkative?
Furthermore, seeing how close the two get along in their daily lives, and how they seem inseparable, it's hard to say whether in the end all of Rong Linyan's calculations will come to naught, resulting in him losing both his wife and his army!
...
Having already experienced a boat trip once, Bai Hua was much more comfortable on her second trip.
The three of them carried plenty of food in their bags. Compared to their last hurried trip, this time the Duan family had prepared bulging bags for them, containing everything they needed.
The tickets were booked by Duan Yi; there were three in total, all in the best class cabins, and the three cabins were adjacent to each other.
When the rooms were arranged, Bai Hua followed Ning Jue's arrangement and chose the middle room. As for Ning Jue and Chen Fu, they were separated to the left and right, so that they could protect her from both the front and the back.
After dinner, the three of them took a short walk on the deck to digest their food. Bai Hua had lost her initial enthusiasm for watching the sea and feeling the breeze, and after strolling around for a while, she suggested going back to the room to rest.
Ning Jue had no objection.
Chen Fu had no objection.
Bai Hua returned to her room, lay down on the spacious bed, and rolled over from side to side. Compared to two small beds pushed together, this large communal bed was much more comfortable to sleep on.
Her memories began to resurface uncontrollably, and she couldn't help but think of how Zang Fan had bought tickets at the last minute and could only get a twin cabin, so she and the young master had to make do with the limited space and couldn't avoid the suspicion of being a man and a woman.
They even combined the two beds together during thunderstorms, sleeping snuggled close together – a truly incestuous act between master and servant…
Thinking back on it now, my face still feels burning.
Bai Hua felt embarrassed and raised her hand to fan herself, forcing herself to pull her thoughts back and stop daydreaming.
She got up to wash up in the bathroom, and on her way back, she coincidentally bumped into Ning Jue at the corner.
Bai Hua was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and greeted him first.
The two had been seeing each other all the time, and less than an hour had passed since they parted. There was no need for pleasantries, so Bai Hua turned to the side, intending to walk straight back to her room.
Ning Jue narrowed his eyes, feeling somewhat ignored.
He was displeased, reached out and grabbed Bai Hua's wrist, pulling her into a storage room.
As soon as the two went inside, passersby walked by outside, making a lot of noise, with about four or five people making a sound.
After these people had gone some distance, Ning Jue cornered them against the wall with one hand and asked, "Why are you ignoring me?"
Bai Hua blinked, feeling wronged: "Young Master, weren't you just about to wash up? I didn't want to take up your time. Or perhaps, Young Master has something important to tell me?"
Ning Jue retorted unhappily, "Can't I come to you if it's not for something important?"
Bai Hua's mouth moved slightly. Given the current situation, she naturally went along with him and said, "Okay, I'm at your service anytime, young master."
Ning Jue was barely satisfied. He released her and said in a calm tone, "The boatman just gave us a last-minute notice that the ship might enter a thunderstorm area in the latter half of the night. He reminded passengers that the rocking of the ship is normal and there is no need to panic. It will be fine after you fall asleep."
Upon hearing this, Bai Hua let out an "Ah!" and her little face scrunched up in a pained expression.
She thought to herself, "What bad luck! We're caught in a thunderstorm on our very first day on the ship!"
Ning Jue leaned in, wrapped his arms around her, and pressed down on her, asking, "So, do you want to come to my room?"
Bai Hua looked at him, took a breath, and her cheeks flushed involuntarily.
She didn't know how the young master could so naturally utter such suggestive words.
She was indeed afraid of thunder, and even after experiencing it many times, she was still afraid. But she didn't want to bother others with this and seem so delicate.
After hesitating for a moment, Bai Hua mustered her courage and refused, "No need, young master, you can rest peacefully. A Peng has already gotten used to encountering storms on the boat."
Ning Jue stared at her intently: "Are you sure?"
Not wanting to be looked down upon, Bai Hua replied defiantly, "Confirmed, I can do it myself."
Ning Jue didn't say anything more, but reminded her before leaving: "Remember, my room is on your left when you go out. If you regret it in the middle of the night and want to find me, don't wander into someone else's room in the dark."
After saying that, he patted her head and walked away without looking back.
Bai Hua leaned against the wall, took a deep breath, and after calming her heartbeat, she comforted herself—it's okay, the boatman only said there might be thunderstorms, maybe the heavens will be on her side in the middle of the night, and everything will be calm and peaceful.
...
As night deepened, the moon was covered by thick clouds.
Chen Fu went up to the deck alone to get some fresh air.
He gazed at the distant sea, not thinking about anything, his mind blank, simply wanting to relax.
After standing there for about the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, he felt that it was about time, so he looked away and prepared to return to his cabin.
Just as he was about to turn around, a woman suddenly approached him. She was surrounded by fragrance and her hairpins jingled.
Chen Fu was on high alert for any unusual movements around him. Almost the instant the other person approached, he gripped the hilt of his knife, ready to strike at any moment.
However, the other party did not continue to conceal her purpose and spoke to him directly: "May I ask if you could tell me my name, sir?"
Chen Fu turned to the side, his gaze sweeping over her with a probing look.
The girl standing before me was exceptionally beautiful, with eyes that sparkled with spring-like charm, and she seemed quite adept at using her gaze to flirt, especially with men.
Chen Fu replied in a deep voice, "Miss, you've mistaken me for someone else."
The girl shook her head, her eyes fixed intently on him: "I won't mistake you. I boarded the ship to find you."
Chen Fu frowned and asked again, "Do we know each other?"
The young woman replied honestly, "My lord saved my life. I wonder if this counts as us being acquainted?"
Upon hearing this, Chen Fu seemed to be deep in thought, and looked at her face again, indeed feeling a sense of familiarity.
He quickly recalled that when he set fire to the Fang family's villa that day, he had found a girl bound in the woodshed. She had already fainted and was unconscious; if left unattended, she would likely be burned alive.
Feeling compassion for an innocent person, he helped her untie the ropes after setting the woodshed on fire, and then carried her out of the woodshed. However, he did not expect that she was not completely unconscious at that time. She not only had the strength to open her eyes, but also saw his face clearly.
This was an oversight; they should be silenced.
Chen Fu needed to be loyal to his master, and at that moment, he felt murderous intent.
The woman looked at him and spoke sincerely, her voice melodious: "My name is Jiuqiu. If it weren't for your kindness in rescuing me that day, I would have perished in the fire. Now I am helpless and have nowhere to go. I only wish to stay by your side to repay your life-saving grace. I know this matter is of great importance. If you fear I will leak the secret and want to silence me, I will have no complaints. In fact, I made all the preparations when I decided to board the ship and recognize you. Since you saved my life, if you want to take it back, then so be it."
Chen Fu did not actually draw his sword. After a moment of silence and contemplation, he asked, "If you go far away and leave Ye City, I will not kill you."
Jiuqiu: "This is the ship we're boarding to Nanmin. If we go south with you, sir, won't we just be getting further and further away from Ye City?"
Chen Fu: "That won't do."
Jiuqiu: "Why not? My lord can't bear to kill me, but he's afraid I'll leak the secret. Why not keep me by your side and watch over me at all times?"
Chen Fu was getting impatient and frowned, saying, "I said no. I can't make the decision for this trip. If my companion finds out about you, he won't let you stay."
He was trying to intimidate her with this.
Upon hearing this, Jiuqiu smiled and showed no fear whatsoever.
She was not only unafraid of him, but also unafraid of the cold-faced, white-clad young man who was traveling with him.
Moreover, she had her own arguments to persuade the swordsman to take her south with him.
"If your companions are willing to take me with them, will you agree to let me go?" Jiuqiu asked to confirm.
Young Master Ning hates trouble the most, and apart from Miss A Peng's affairs, he won't bother with other people's business at all.
Therefore, trying to persuade Ning Jue was obviously impossible, and even saying the wrong thing could cost him his life.
But he tried to persuade them, but they wouldn't listen, so he could only leave it to fate.
Chen Fu, unwilling to continue entangled with her and attract too much attention from passersby, said, "Yes, if you can persuade me, I have no objections, but I must remind you, I am with him..."
He was interrupted before he could finish speaking.
Jiuqiu's eyes were full of affection as she looked at him and said, "My lord, you don't need to worry about me."
Chen Fu glanced at her coldly, thinking to himself, "This woman is truly shameless."
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