Chapter 54 Professes liking someone, but secretly...
Eight years old.
When Fu Huaiqing was eight years old, he started running Xianyun Tower. When Biezhi was eight years old, he made poison and blew up the side courtyard of Xianyun Tower.
She still remembers squatting in the yard, covered in dust and sobbing uncontrollably.
According to his master, his eardrums were almost shattered by the shock, but fortunately he calmed down and was able to avoid becoming deaf.
When Hua Chao led Fang Tingzhi over, Biezhi was squatting under the treetop counting the hardworking ants. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of her friend's blank expression. She suddenly looked up and waved.
Fang Tingzhi's blank expression instantly turned to surprise. She quickly walked to the treetop and asked, "What are you doing here?"
Biezhi raised her hand and placed it in her palm, using the leverage to stand up, and dropped a bombshell: "Jiran is the master in disguise, the master is Jiran."
"Huh?" Fang Tingzhi stared wide-eyed in astonishment, and followed her toward the stone table in a daze.
Seeing her stunned expression, Biezhi felt that she was even worse. She tugged at the corner of her mouth and smiled bitterly: "You know, I've said a lot of bad things about our master to Jiran."
Fang Tingzhi was certainly aware of it; she was even present on two of those occasions.
As she gradually regained her senses, she gasped, her gaze sweeping over the branches below, and exclaimed in astonishment, "It's a miracle you're still alive."
"Can you wish me well?" Biezhi withdrew the teacup she was about to hand to her.
Fang Tingzhi snatched it away, "You saw that in those ten days of silence, at least seven were spent speaking ill of the master—"
“It’s the 9th and a half,” Biezhi corrected.
Fang Tingzhi: "..."
Sensing her friend's speechless silence, Biezhi quietly sipped her tea to moisten her throat and subtly changed the subject, "Why did you have to disguise yourself as a man again for a mission?"
After the Chen family incident, Fang Tingzhi had not dressed as a man for a long time.
"I didn't," Fang Tingzhi retorted with a frown. "I was originally supposed to be a maid in the eldest daughter's quarters of the Su family, but somehow, the day after I entered the Su family, I was assigned to Su Ci's courtyard. It was just as I was going to find out about him anyway." She thought of what Su Ci had said and pouted, "I don't know which shameless person told him that I would destroy the house."
As she was speaking, she suddenly stopped.
The two exchanged a glance, their gazes simultaneously falling towards the study.
Fang Tingzhi silently shut her mouth.
Bie Zhi rarely saw her looking so defeated, and couldn't help but laugh out loud. What he said was indeed true. If they provoked Fang Tingzhi, the Su family would really be destroyed by the two of them working together, and then they would run away.
"Don't laugh." Fang Tingzhi glared at her. "How are you any better off than me, being confined here?"
In an instant, Biezhi's smile froze on her face, her heartstrings pierced, and she looked at her with a bitter expression.
When it comes to stabbing your own people in the heart, they really know where to strike the most painful spot.
“It’s good to be here for now,” Biezhi said.
Fang Tingzhi asked blankly, "Huh?"
What's so great about it? You're locked up and you're still saying it's good?
"Finding joy in hardship?" Fang Tingzhi asked doubtfully.
Seeing this, Biezhi knew that she had not yet received Qingshan's message. She remained silent for a moment, then recounted the events of the past few days.
Upon hearing that Jing Qing had brought assassins to kill her, Fang Tingzhi slammed her hand on the table, unable to sit still for even a moment. Biezhi quickly grabbed her and said, "Master has already sent people to search for his whereabouts."
"So, the assassin who tried to kill you a while ago was also one of his men?" Fang Tingzhi asked.
Seven or eight days ago, when she learned that the second daughter of the Qin family had died unexpectedly, she guessed that there must be something wrong, but she did not believe that Biezhi would really die tragically at their hands with her skills. She finally found an opportunity to leave the Su family and rushed home without hesitation.
She learned from her parents that Biezhi had encountered assassins on her mission and was injured in the fight, but fortunately, she was not seriously injured. Now, apart from Ling Feng, no one else knows her whereabouts. Fang Tingzhi was relieved, but she never expected that there would be more to come.
Bie Zhi looked at her and nodded: "She is his woman."
Fang Tingzhi smiled upon hearing this, but there was no hint of a smile in her eyes, which were as cold and icy as winter frost.
What right does he have to say he likes you?
Jing Qing had never told anyone other than Ji Ran about his confession of feelings to her. She frowned: "You know?"
"Of course I know." Fang Tingzhi knew two years ago, but she could tell that Biezhi did not have romantic feelings for Jingqing but regarded him as family, so she did not tell her. "At that time, when you first met Jiran, he had not seen you for many days, so he asked about your whereabouts. I told him that you had met a man who caught your eye."
After she finished speaking, Jing Qing remained silent for a long time.
It was at this moment that Fang Tingzhi realized that he seemed to have feelings for Biezhi. Without hesitation, she immediately asked him what he was thinking. Jing Qing naturally did not tell her directly, but he did not deny it either.
"He says he likes you, but secretly he'll kill you." Fang Tingzhi laughed coldly. "He doesn't think letting you go is a sign of deep affection, does he? Whoever wants that kind of affection can have it."
"Have some tea to calm down." Biezhi smiled as she filled the teacup and patted the back of her hand. "Now that his whereabouts are unknown, we don't know if he will strike again, but no matter how rampant they are, they certainly won't dare to come to the Prince Su's residence."
Fang Tingzhi thought about it and agreed, "The Prince Su's mansion is indeed the best choice for settling down."
"It's fine," Biezhi comforted her, and also herself, "it's just that each day feels like an eternity."
“Just consider it a rest period after the mission.” Fang Tingzhi looked around. She had seen the guards patrolling outside the courtyard when she came, keeping a tight cordon. “If Su Ci comes in the future, I will come with him. Do you have anything to say to him?” She caught sight of a guard who suddenly entered. Her lips paused for a moment. The guard said something to Hua Chao, who nodded slightly and walked over.
“Miss, Lord Su is leaving the manor,” Hua Chao said to Bie Zhi.
Before half a cup of tea had passed, Fang Tingzhi was gone.
Dappled sunlight filtered through the lush branches of the tree. Gazing at the suddenly silent courtyard, Biezhi stayed there for a while before listlessly returning to her bedroom.
She didn't have much time to spare before a series of sounds suddenly echoed through the courtyard.
When Biezhi reached the door, she saw Cheng Jin directing the guards to carry items to the adjacent pavilion. With a quick glance, she recognized that most of the items they were carrying were the poison-making tools she had left in the Magpie Fan Pavilion.
"Miss." Cheng Jin, followed by guards, brought over three boxes that could easily fit two people. He gestured for everyone to put them under the eaves and said, "The boxes contain the novels you mentioned yesterday, as well as some novels that have been circulating in the market recently. I've brought them all for you."
Cheng Jin found two sets.
One set was given to the prince, and another set was brought to another branch.
The box was opened, and Biezhi looked inside at the books that were packed full of books. Even if she didn't sleep, it would take her a year and a half to finish reading them all.
She blinked.
Fu Huaiqing wouldn't really want to detain her here for two years, would he?
Biezhi beckoned to Cheng Jin, signaling him to come closer.
Cheng Jin took a few steps forward with suspicion.
"When does your master plan to let me go?" Biezhi asked in a low voice.
Cheng Jin glanced at the girl with sparkling eyes, and was about to give a vague reply when a thought suddenly struck him, and he said, "Miss, you can ask the Prince yourself."
Biezhi: "..."
She doesn't want to.
Asking him is pointless; it's better to find Jing Qing and then find an opportunity to leave.
Among the hundred or so novels, there was always a way to escape that suited her.
Within half a day, Biezhi had devoured four novels without finding a suitable method. Just as she was about to start reading the fifth one, Huachao, who was guarding the door, entered. She looked up at the window and saw that it was already sunset.
The pale pink rays of the setting sun bathed the entire courtyard in a soft, scattering glow.
Biezhi put down the novel in her hand and stretched.
Hua Chao carefully put away the books that were spread out on the table. "I heard that you like the food at Wanghelou Restaurant. The kitchen staff went there today to learn the craft from the chefs. I wonder if it will suit your taste."
Upon hearing this, Biezhi's eyes suddenly lit up.
After her injury, she ate a bland diet every day, to the point that she felt like her sense of taste was gone.
"Let's use it in the yard!"
Bie Zhi got up with great interest; good food needs to be paired with beautiful scenery.
While waiting for the food to be served from the kitchen, she found a great vantage point in the courtyard and excitedly moved the tables and chairs around, her strength so great that Hua Chao, who was standing to the side, was dumbfounded.
A short while later, the table was filled with very familiar dishes. Not only that, the kitchen staff also thoughtfully sent over a pot of sake.
As usual, Biezhi patted the spot beside him, gesturing for Huachao to sit down.
Unexpectedly, Hua Chao, who usually nodded and sat down, shook her head, her gaze seemingly glancing at the courtyard archway not far away.
Suddenly, the other branch understood.
Her eyelashes trembled slightly as she looked at Hua Chao in disbelief. "He's coming?"
Hua Chao nodded slightly.
Seeing this, Biezhi followed her gaze and saw no one else at the archway except for the guards on duty. She remained silent for a moment, then picked up the bamboo chopsticks without the slightest hesitation.
Just as the chopsticks were about to land on the crab meat lion's head, a tall figure suddenly came into view.
Seemingly aware of his own thoughts, he didn't walk too slowly, covering the distance of about a hundred steps in no time.
Fu Huaiqing lowered his eyes, glancing at the untouched food on the table. He looked up at Biezhi, whose almond-shaped eyes were slightly wide, and said with a slight smile, "It seems I've arrived just in time."
"Long legs and fast walking, that's impressive," Biezhi muttered to herself.
"What?" Fu Huaiqing sat down, not having heard.
Bie Zhi smiled and said, "It's nothing."
Fu Huaiqing noticed that she didn't seem to be alright.
Since Biezhi could remember, today was the quietest meal she had ever had; she could never find such a quiet time again.
I feel uncomfortable all over.
She slightly lifted her gaze, and their eyes met. She vaguely saw a smile in the man's deep eyes, a smile that seemed to exist but contained a color she couldn't understand.
He stared intently at her, leaving Biezhi bewildered, as if she were merely a dish on his plate, something to be eaten with rice.
Biezhi: "..."
Actually, it wasn't that delicious.
Fu Huaiqing picked up the chopsticks that had fallen onto the bowl and plate, and put a piece of braised pork knuckle into her bowl. "I remember you even took me to Wanghelou to buy their braised pork knuckle and see if it was similar to the one at Wanghelou."
With her gaze fixed on the braised pork knuckle in the bowl, Biezhi recalled the scene from more than half a month ago and suddenly realized that Jiran was indeed the man in front of her, and that they were the same person.
She pursed her lips slightly, "Similar, but not made by the same cook."
Upon hearing this, Fu Huaiqing's expression froze for a moment, and he said, "Even if two different cooks use the same steps, there will still be similarities."
“The taste is still different.” Biezhi handed over a pork knuckle, which melted in the mouth and was very similar to the one from Wanghelou, but there were still some differences. “Jingqing and I were both taught swordsmanship by our master. The same swordsmanship will be different when used by different people.”
Fu Huaiqing remained silent.
Haste makes waste. She has only known the truth for two days, and it is already difficult for her to accept that Ji Ran was actually her disguise.
Asking her to suddenly accept other things would be putting her in a difficult position.
It will take time for the branch to grow, and it will also take time for him.
Fortunately, they have plenty of time to spend together right now.
Fu Huaiqing picked up the wine cup beside him. The clear wine seeped into his throat, and a faint bitterness spread around him. He didn't know how long it was before the sweet aftertaste finally lingered in his throat.
Seeing that his mood seemed to have dropped, for some reason, Biezhi felt a lump in her throat, followed by an inexplicable bitterness that quickly swept over her throat.
She picked up the sake and took a small sip.
Drunken Flower Wine.
The last time I drank Drunken Flower Wine was the night I took Jiran to meet my senior brothers and sisters.
It was obvious that the man from her past was not the real Ji Ran, but rather Ji Ran disguised as Fu Huaiqing.
Thinking of this, Bi Zhi's heart was in turmoil.
In two days, she had accepted that Ji Ran was her master, and her master was Prince Su. However, she would often subconsciously avoid the topic and was unwilling to bring up the past. On the one hand, she felt embarrassed and scrambled around when she thought about the past, and on the other hand, she was angry at his deception. He had many opportunities to tell her the truth.
Very occasionally, he wondered if he had been too decisive. He had his own plan to disguise himself as Ji Ran and infiltrate Wuweipu. He had no choice but to walk into the door by himself.
A variety of thoughts flooded into Biezhi's mind, making her restless.
If you can't figure it out, you can just avoid it.
Thinking this way, the chaos in Biezhi's mind gradually cleared up.
She slightly raised her eyes to look at Fu Huaiqing, who had been silent for a long time. The moment their eyes met, Biezhi was a little dazed. The night fell and the bright moonlight fell on him, just like the night when the two of them sat under the eaves of the thatched house.
Especially those eyes, they were exactly the same as the ones I saw that night.
Many years ago, when Biezhi was learning the art of disguise, her master told her that if she were to use the art of disguise in the future, she must find a face with similar eyes to use for the transformation.
Disguise isn't difficult; as long as you have the face you want to change, it's a piece of cake.
Only the eyes can be easily deceived.
Bie Zhi pondered for a moment and realized that she had trusted Ji Ran too much later, which was why she did not suspect anything when she met Prince Su. Otherwise, she would have been more or less suspicious.
She sipped her sake and sighed deeply.
Fu Huaiqing, whose gaze remained fixed on her face, could hear her sighs from time to time. Her eyes would sometimes brighten and sometimes darken, as if she were extremely worried.
Fu Huaiqing rarely saw Biezhi looking so worried. In the past, many things were just passing clouds to her, and she would never think about them again after venting. Now, she had nowhere to vent, so she could only keep them in her heart and digest them herself.
"Biezhi." Fu Huaiqing parted his thin lips slightly and called her name.
Biezhi, regaining his senses, was taken aback by what he heard. For a moment, when their eyes met, he was slightly dazed, thinking that Jiran was calling his name.
She quickly realized what was happening.
It wasn't Ji Ran, but Fu Huaiqing.
Bie Zhi's eyelashes trembled slightly as she stared intently at Fu Huaiqing.
After his disguise as Ji Ran was exposed, this was the first time he called his own name.
Fu Huaiqing said, "Just pretend I am Jiran, okay?"
Bie Zhi's heart skipped a beat: "Hmm?"
Fu Huaiqing: "The silence that speaks, the silence that echoes your words."
"You can talk to him about whatever's been going on lately, even if you complain about him to his face, he'll listen to you and agree with you as always."
The man's voice was gentle like a spring breeze, brushing past the treetops and reaching the ears of others. She couldn't help but imagine what it would be like if Jiran could speak, whether she would echo her words as he said, and no longer be the one chattering away.
As she pondered, Biezhi suddenly came to her senses and frowned slightly.
The silence that had just entered her mind gradually faded, leaving only her eyes. The man who reappeared in her field of vision was clearly Fu Huaiqing.
What does he mean?
Do I wish I could cricket him in person?
Biezhi: "..."
Even if you gave her a million times the courage, she wouldn't dare.
"No need to rush to answer me." Fu Huaiqing saw the struggle in the depths of her eyes just now, and it was obvious that she had considered what he said, but was just uneasy and unable to accept it. "You don't need to tell me after you've thought it through, just take action."
Biezhi was indeed somewhat tempted.
She had a lot to say, but didn't know who to talk to. She was worried that if she wasn't careful, she might unknowingly criticize him to his face again.
He was criticized and denounced in front of Fu Huaiqing...
It's a bit embarrassing to talk about.
The old scores haven't been settled yet, so we can't easily provoke the powerful.
She pondered for a moment, her almond-shaped eyes, shimmering with water, filled with a hint of confusion, and asked, "You're not planning to lure me into doing something, and then settle old scores all at once, are you?"
Fu Huaiqing gazed at Biezhi, tilting her head slightly. Her clear, spring-like eyes rippled with a hint of intoxication, just like a newly brought-back raccoon cat tentatively reaching out its little paws.
After waiting for a long time without receiving a reply, Biezhi pouted.
Liar, big liar!
I knew he couldn't be trusted.
A faint smile appeared in Fu Huaiqing's deep eyes as he replied, "Of course not."
Slightly drunk, Biezhi shook her head, trying to shake off the intoxication in her mind. Unexpectedly, she probably shook herself even more, because she glanced at the wine pot on the side of the table and muttered, "I drank a whole pot last time and didn't see any problems."
"Fake alcohol!"
A sweet, cloying scolding voice rang out, and Fu Huaiqing couldn't help but chuckle.
Fu Huaiqing reached out and picked up the wine pot on the table. He had only drunk half of the pot of Drunken Flower Wine. He glanced sideways at Cheng Jin under the eaves.
Cheng Jin, who had specially rushed to Tan County to find the Drunken Flower Wine, scratched his head suspiciously. He hadn't tried it after bringing it back, so he naturally didn't know if there was any counterfeit wine in it, and the local officials wouldn't dare to deceive him.
Suddenly, Cheng Jin remembered something.
He was also worried that the newly brewed Drunken Flower Wine would not be flavorful enough, so after finding a box of new wine, he specially asked local officials to bring him some aged wine that he had found over the years. One of the boxes was a Drunken Flower Wine that had been brewed for nineteen years, and it was as old as the other branches.
"What was delivered from the kitchen today should be aged wine."
Upon hearing this, Fu Huaiqing withdrew his gaze.
Upon closer inspection, the girl opposite him suddenly stood up, bent down, and picked up the brown pear wood stool beside her. Fu Huaiqing frowned, stood up, and reached out to grab her wrist, only to see her lift the stool and move step by step to her side.
She settled down on the wooden stool, sat down, and looked up.
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