Chapter 94: No Doubt
Several green plum trees in Qianlin Garden bloomed early in the cold winter, contrasting with the evergreen leaves of the bamboo forest.
Jiaoran was wearing a light purple cloak and standing in the yard, not knowing what he was thinking about.
Once it snows in the mountains, snow easily accumulates and the roads become difficult to walk on due to deep snow.
There were fewer outside visitors to Qianlin Garden, and even Lu Xieying, who usually liked to come, didn't come anymore.
The heavy snow continued to fall, and the mansion was filled with joy because of Si Yuyuan's happy event. As a result, all the young men and women in the mansion, except the youngest one, had already started families.
When Lumei smelled it, Jiaoran was cheered up.
Qianlin Garden is located deep in the mountains, with snow everywhere. A rare guest has come.
"Sparse shadows slant across the shallow water, and faint fragrance floats in the moonlight at dusk. The Qianlin Garden in winter is truly beautiful." The visitor sighed behind Jiaoran.
It's hard for him to wait any longer and rush here today. The road from Shoulin Garden to here is not easy to walk on.
First, she asked the maid to remind her again and again that Mu Jin's wedding was approaching, and then she rushed to find her after the road was blocked by heavy snow.
Chai Lie was indeed getting older, but his mind was not as profound as when she first saw him when she entered the mansion.
"Young Master." Jiaoran bowed deeply.
He reached the depths of the plum forest and let out a long sigh.
Jiaoran had already seen what he was planning.
He was more anxious than her, but he was still pretending to be calm. She wanted to see how long he could hold it in.
"Where are you from, young master? Does he look like Yuyuan?" Jiaoran deliberately provoked him.
He continued to stroll leisurely around the plum blossoms, leaving a trail of footprints on the thick white snow.
He stood beside Jiaoran with his hands behind his back.
Jiaoran's hair swayed slightly in the wind. Both of them were silent at this time. She could sense that Chai Lie was forcing her to speak first, but she didn't. She could be patient, at least more patient than him.
This is the difference between the two of them. She trusts Mu Jin far more than he trusts Cheng Yuan. To be more precise, he may not trust Cheng Yuan at all.
On this bitterly cold day, he wanted to waste time here. Jiaoran smiled faintly and plucked a branch of plum blossoms. "Plum blossoms are a symbol of pride and dignity. Although appreciating plum blossoms in winter is an elegant thing, I don't think you came here today specifically to Qianlin Garden to enjoy the flowers, right?"
Chai Lie's expression changed slightly, "Don't we both know each other tacitly?"
A sneer appeared on Jiaoran's lips, "Of course not, you are anxious, but I am not.
He glared at her, and seeing that Jiaoran was becoming increasingly unrestrained, he said, "I just don't believe that you wouldn't care at all after tonight's ceremony."
Jiao Ran said, "That's my business, it has nothing to do with the eldest master, so you don't need to worry about me."
Seeing that she was unmoved, Chai Lie felt that he had lost face in front of a mere little girl. He plucked a branch of plum blossoms and waved his hand. The branch flew towards Jiaoran as fast as a dart.
Before reaching her, Chai Lie saw a light purple figure approaching in the blink of an eye.
The speed at which she moved was astonishing, showing that her lightness skills were already superior to his.
Jiaoran intercepted the flower branch in mid-air, held it in his hand with just two fingers, and easily dispelled his move.
Such progress in her martial arts was indeed incredible in the eyes of Zhuxing, Chai Hui and others, but Chai Lie did not take it to heart at all, because he looked down on this spy maid who had sneaked into the mansion from the bottom of his heart.
"My Lord, I have been so patient, not because I have a good temper, but because my sister is your sister-in-law, and I don't want to make things difficult for her."
He snorted coldly, his eyes unfriendly, "You are more sensible."
"So what if I'm ignorant? Doesn't the eldest master just want me to make a big scene and ruin the marriage?" Jiaoran said it all. He couldn't step in and wanted to manipulate her to disrupt the marriage.
"Didn't you mess up their marriage last time?"
Jiao Ran laughed a few times, "According to what the eldest master said, should I also go and get involved this time?"
A murderous look flashed across Chai Lie's face as he said coldly, "Your kung fu has improved. I wonder if you can kill your husband this time. Didn't you nearly kill him with an arrow last time? If the marriage is really completed this time, I will do it even if you don't."
The smile disappeared from Jiaoran's face. Perhaps when Chai Lie, who usually loved to laugh the most, stopped smiling, she should have stopped smiling long ago. She took over the conversation coldly and said, "There are a few things I need to make clear to the eldest master. First, I never killed Mu Jin. It was your third brother Chai Hui who followed me and shot the arrow. Second, I will not kill Mu Jin, and I will not allow anyone else to touch him. If you dare to touch a hair on his head, I will make sure you die without a burial place. The third thing is what I want to say to the eldest master the most today. You should know why Cheng Yuan doesn't choose you. Between you and Mu Jin, she will always choose Mu Jin, because you will never be able to compare to Mu Jin in this life."
Chai Lie's eyes widened, and he stared at Jiaoran's face like an eagle. "Even now, you still refuse to admit that you have the courage to kill someone in the mansion. Ah Hui would never kill Mu Jin without my order, so there is no need to deceive me. Haha, and I want to see what Mu Jin is capable of, and I also want to see how you can make me die without a burial place."
Jiao Ran said, "Okay, I will definitely wait. I haven't had the chance to fight with the eldest master yet, Jiao Ran is really happy."
At the moment when Jiaoran provoked him, a different light in her slightly disdainful eyes shot into Chai Lie's heart.
His heart was surging like a wave. This look reminded him of a taboo in the Governor's Mansion. A few years ago, when she was still young, her eyes and eyebrows still undeveloped, he had ignored her. But now she was no longer that little girl, and some things gradually surfaced. An unspoken fear suddenly welled up in his heart, a fear that even made him take a step back.
But he was born in the Governor's Mansion and was the eldest son of the Xiutu Chai family. He had to hide his surprise and fear. Chai Lie tried his best to control himself and never let anything that should not be revealed show up.
The snow did not stop after nightfall. It stopped for an hour in the afternoon and then started falling again.
The night is deep, and the stars and the moon are hidden.
Jiaoran came to Yuyuan, walking on the white snow and holding an umbrella.
Because of the snow and the red lanterns lit every few steps in Si Yuyuan, it was not too dark along the way.
When they saw her coming, Xiaoju and Shaofeng looked at each other with uncertain expressions.
When they were at a loss, Jiaoran had already arrived in front of them.
Shao Feng spoke first, "You are a decisive person. Since the young master is going to end things with you, it's really not good for you to keep pestering him like this."
Xiao Ju also advised, "Young Master and the others are asleep. You should go back to Qianlin Garden first. It's too cold today. Be careful not to catch a cold."
Jiaoran stretched out his hand and pulled the knot of the cloak, then threw it on the ground, "Go tell Mu Jin that if he doesn't come out to see me tonight, I will just stand in the yard of Siyuyuan." He threw the cloak away, and the cloak bloomed like a purple flower on the snow.
Seeing how stubborn she was, the two of them had no other options. After spending half an hour with her, their faces pale from the cold, Shao Feng said, "Stand as long as you want. The young master won't come out anyway, so your efforts are in vain."
Then he pulled Xiaoju away and said, "Don't pay attention to her. If she doesn't accept the toast, she will be punished. She likes to suffer. You let her suffer. What's the point of us being cold?"
There were two people chatting with him just now, but Jiaoran, who had been silent the whole time, saw that they had left.
The lights in Si Yu Garden went out one by one, but she was still standing outside.
The snow was getting heavier and heavier. She stood there without knowing how to hide, and she almost turned herself into a snowman. Her umbrella was placed at an angle on the ground and was blown to the side by the wind.
The people in the room finally couldn't sit still any longer. They walked out with a flick of their long sleeves and said loudly, "Close the door. No one is allowed to come out."
Everyone in Siyuyuan turned off the lights and closed the doors and windows. No one else knew Jiaoran's temper, but how could the people in Siyuyuan not know it? She would not leave unless she was unhappy, and only Mu Jin could make her leave.
"What do you want? Just tell me."
Jiao Ran said, "I want you to come with me. You are not allowed to be the father of other people's children. You are the one who will be the father of my child in the future!"
"Go with you? Okay, I do. Let's go now."
Jiao Ran was ecstatic and stepped forward to hold his hand. "Really? Are you willing?"
"I'm willing to go with you. Are you willing to go with me too?"
Jiao Ran nodded desperately, "Of course I do."
He smiled bitterly and said, "Liar."
"What did you say?"
"You are a complete liar."
Jiaoran didn't understand why he said that.
"From the first day you entered the Governor's Mansion, you have been a liar. You are not a maid at all, but a thief who came to steal things. Everything you told me was a lie. Now you tell me that you want to leave with me, which is also a lie. You just want to temporarily stabilize me and let me not leave you. But what gives you the right? Why do you want me to never leave you, while you do whatever you want. You leave me when you want to leave me. You want to joke with your life, but you try to shake the tree with an ant. You are ignorant of the height of heaven and the depth of earth and try to slay the dragon. Do you think you are an immortal? You are just a mortal body. Have you ever thought about what I should do if I die? I have to wait for you forever? Why can I only be the one waiting? Jiaoran I... am very tired, because I have infinite expectations of you, but you can't take me into consideration at all."
It turned out that he was still angry because she had provoked the dragon last time and got hurt. "I'm back, haven't I? Don't be angry anymore. Next time, I will definitely make sure I win."
"How many next times are there? What if you die next time?"
Jiao Ran asked, "If I really die, will you change your mind again?"
His eyes were sore, and he restrained himself and said, "I can't wait for you, and I don't want to worry about you anymore. What I need is a wife who can be obedient and caring to accompany me, a woman like Cheng Yuan, not a woman like you who is so arrogant that she dares to disregard her own life."
Jiaoran didn't believe it. "You want a sweet and caring wife? Haha, believe it or not. The first day I met you, you should have known that I am definitely not a sweet and caring woman. On the contrary, I am a perverse person."
"Don't you think I'm arrogant? I went to the secret room precisely because I knew my own worth. If it weren't for you, would I have done that? Don't you know that I wanted to cut off the possibility of hurting you because I felt sorry for you?"
He said, "Do you really know how much you weigh?"
"Of course." Jiaoran said.
He picked up the umbrella and drew a circle on the snow.
A blue firework was set off into the sky.
Jiaoran knew that was the signal he and Chai Che had agreed upon.
He felt that he could not deal with her, so he asked Chai Che to come and make her suffer a lesson and give her a lesson so that she would not dare to do anything wrong in the future.
But this was exactly what Jiaoran wanted. She was afraid that her senior sister would say something about her in Qianlin Garden, so she didn't dare to easily ask Chai Che to compete. She would feel ashamed if she lost, and she was worried that Chai Che would be embarrassed in front of her senior sister if she agreed.
After waiting for a while, Cha Che came.
"Chai Che, I, and you are all in a circle. If you can break out of this circle within an hour and destroy the sword formation that Chai Che and I have set, I will acknowledge that you have enough strength to protect yourself, and that what you are doing is what you should do."
Jiaoran glanced at the circle, nodded, and said, "Okay."
She looked up and estimated that in another stick of incense, the circle would be covered with new snow.
The circle is not big, but Cha Che seems to have a plan in mind.
"You don't have a sword with you. I'll send someone to get you one."
Jiaoran waved his hand, saying no, and raised the umbrella in his hand and said, "I'll just use this one."
After hearing what she said, Chai Che's face changed and he laughed loudly towards the sky. "If I don't beat you up so hard today that you can't find your way, you won't know how powerful I am. Just wait for your senior sister to come and carry you back."
Mu Jin also sighed helplessly.
As soon as the sigh died down, Chai Che and Mu Jin swung their swords alternately.
Jiaoran just stood there motionless. The two of them were using the same sword technique, which Jiaoran had seen from Chai Rou. It seemed to be the same set of moves, but the coordination of their swords was seamless, and there was no flaw to be found. I'm afraid not even a fly could fly out of this circle.
While she was blocking the attacks with her umbrella, she was also paying close attention to their sword moves. As they crossed each other, a faint light flashed. One person was the main attacker while the other was the defender, cleverly filling in all the gaps between offense and defense.
At this moment, there was only the vast snow and the two sword lights in front of her.
Falling snow is silent, but when the accumulated snow presses on the branches, it makes a sound.
The breeze is silent, but it can be heard in an empty valley.
Nothing is absolute in the world, everything has its own way.
Just go with the flow.
She put aside all distracting thoughts and heard a faint sound of swords amid the countless intersecting sword lights.
The moment the sword rang, the two beams of sword light crossed and paused for a moment.
The flaw was so subtle, it happened in almost a split second.
However, after Jiaoran's repeated meditation, sitting in silence, and practicing bamboo retreats, her reaction speed is beyond the reach of ordinary people.
She gently waved her wrist, as if the wind was helping her. She felt her wrist being pulled by the wind, and the umbrella pierced into the tight, impeccable sword formation. The umbrella in her hand pierced through the gap, and with one flick, the sword formation was dispersed.
Seeing that his sword move was broken, Chai Che winked at Mu Jin, asking him to make room. He drew the sword in his hand, and a swift cold light stabbed towards Jiaoran.
Jiaoran turned over and took a wrong step, flying like a snowflake in the small circle, easily avoiding Chai Che's sword moves.
She swept the oil-paper umbrella in her hand, and the handle caught Chai Che's sword. Surprisingly, her umbrella did not fall apart.
When the two men collided, Chai Che's palms trembled. He felt a huge force coming from Jiaoran's umbrella body and seeping into it. He used all his internal strength to pour into his sword moves and hurriedly resisted.
But Jiaoran was neither hurried nor slow. She suddenly loosened the umbrella in her hand. The sword that Chai Che had infused with his power was originally crossed with Jiaoran's umbrella. When she loosened her hand, he staggered forward uncontrollably.
Mu Jin still wanted to cooperate with him, but he could no longer catch up with Jiaoran, and Jiaoran slipped away in the sword light.
He turned around and laughed, then left the sword circle.
"How? I broke your sword formation."
Chache stood in the circle, looking at her in surprise.
Since he had fought with her several times, she had been making progress each time, and each progress was as if assisted by God. It was undeniable that she must have enough talent, but her progress seemed to be unable to be simply summarized by the word "talent". He had seen countless talented martial artists in the world in his life, but if Jiaoran was placed in this group of people, they would never be able to touch her.
Chaiche slowly walked out of the circle and saluted with his arms crossed, "I admit defeat."
Jiao Ran was stunned for a moment when she heard this. She had never thought that Chai Che would admit defeat to her. The corners of her lips could not help but rise, "Thank you, thank you."
Chai Che was sweating and walked straight into the wing of Si Yuyuan and waited.
Jiao Ran said, "Look, I thought the chances of winning were great today, so I took action. Turns out, I was right."
Seeing Mu Jin didn't say anything.
She added, "I win, you have to come with me."
He said, "When did I say I would go with you if you won?"
"you--"
He really didn't say that, Jiaoran was careless.
The cold air was invading. Jiaoran stood opposite him and he coughed lightly a few times.
Jiaoran couldn't help but step forward and touch his hand, and it was indeed cold.
"If you really love me, don't bother me anymore."
"Pester? Bullshit, I'm just persistent. I've always been like that, don't you know?"
Mu Jin pursed her lips tightly, as if her heart was pierced open and filled with honey.
"I know you must have your own plans for suddenly doing this. I just can't let go because I know you so well."
"I don't have any hardship. I'm just... tired."
"If you say you're tired of waiting for me for a year or two, I don't believe you. If it's ten or twenty years, and you say you've changed your mind, fallen in love with another woman, and want to marry someone else, I'll believe you, but Mu Jin, you will never change your heart in such a short time."
"Men in this world are so fickle, don't you understand? The biggest difference between men and women is that if a man wants to fall in love with someone again, it's not difficult for him at all."
Jiao Ran said, "That's nonsense, complete nonsense. Do you think I will believe you if you say that? I will listen to you and never come to see you again, never miss you again, and then watch you and Cheng Yuan together from afar? No, I can't do that. I want you to believe that you don't love me anymore, unless... unless you dig out my heart."
Mu Jin wanted to say more, but she covered his mouth and hugged him. "I don't care what you want to do, I will not give up on you. In this world, I have already decided on you, and I will never let you go. Cheng Yuan said she would have a child with you, and I said I didn't believe it, but the truth is I am very scared. I am afraid you will betray me. Listen carefully, if I find out that you really betrayed me, I will definitely kill you and then kill her."
After that, she handed the umbrella to him and asked him to go back to the house with it.
He then returned to Qianlin Garden in a swagger.
As soon as I opened the door, the warmth of the house hit me.
Seeing that he was still there, Mu Jin said, "How about you test her today? If the blood exchange technique is activated and she resists, can you temporarily suppress her?"
"It's hard to say. If she resists with all her might, even I and the Holy Witch might find it difficult to control her. You have to find another way."
Chai Che finished his tea, washed his hands, and said, "It would be better to take advantage of this fake argument to really separate from her."
"Why?"
Chai Che said, "Just now I opened the window and faintly heard her say that if you betray her, she will definitely kill you."
Mu Jin couldn't help but chuckle.
"You think she's kidding you? I think she can really do it."
"No, I feel very happy."
"She's about to kill you, and you still..." Chai Che looked at him helplessly.
"It would be strange if she didn't react. She has always had a clear distinction between love and hate. She wanted to kill me because she cares about me too much. If she didn't love me at all, how could she say that?"
After he said this, Chai Che suddenly realized that the two of them were actually a match made in heaven. Other men would never be able to stand Jiaoran's tyranny, overbearing and willful nature, but Mu Jin just needed these. What he needed was for the other party to come forward and hug him fiercely and express his love after he pushed him away again and again.
What he needed was the bright and unquestionable love from a stubborn girl like Jiaoran.
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