Chapter 25 Jade Face Liulang Liu Liancheng
Nearing the beginning of winter, the mornings in Bianliang were chilly, and a white mist shrouded the Bian River. The Qiongyu Tower was typically bustling around midnight, with another bustling departure of vehicles and boats near dawn, before falling completely silent. The vermilion towers jutting across the Bian River, like ghostly temples bustling with activity all night, lost some of their brilliance in the eastern sun, leaving only a number of boats moored silently around them.
Lou Chengyi hasn't slept well these days.
People need adequate sleep to maintain good health and a good mood. He hadn't slept well, and he'd been in a bad mood for the past few days. He'd changed the target several times, and the servants around him were acting more cautiously, fearing they would displease their capricious master and be chopped up and fed to the tiger in the backyard.
Today, when Ning'er had to come and get into trouble, Lou Chengyi was resting in a boat.
He lay in the rocking chair with his eyes closed, a luxurious ruby headband pressed against his forehead, his facial features deep and sharp, his brows slightly furrowed, as if he had fallen asleep, his slightly curled long hair scattered at his sides.
Ning'er pushed the door open a crack, and the rich scent of wisteria filled her nose. She hesitated for a moment, still not daring to go in at this moment. So she let go of his hand, knelt on one knee, lowered her head, and whispered softly, "Master, Yelu Dehe and his men have passed the checkpoint. He sent someone to see you first, and they are waiting outside."
She heard a slight creaking sound from the wooden chair being pressed down, as if Lou Chengyi had turned over. Then a voice came from inside, two words neither loud nor soft: "Tianxiang."
The tone was flat, and Ning'er didn't detect a single emotion from it. A slight sweat broke out on her back as she stood up and quietly opened the door. Amidst the rich scent of wisteria filling the room, she walked to the shelf in the corner and opened the incense box to add spices to the incense burner.
"Do you think this spice smells good?"
Sitting in the rocking chair, Lou Chengyi still had his eyes closed when he suddenly said, "How does it compare to plum blossoms?"
Ning'er didn't know why he suddenly asked such a question, and her mind was filled with mixed feelings during her brief thought.
Then she said carefully, "The fragrance of plum blossoms is refreshing and good. The fragrance of wisteria is priceless, and its aroma is long-lasting and delicate. I think it smells good too, and each has its own characteristics." The stick of spice in her hand stopped cautiously, and a piece of spice was placed steadily on the tip of the stick, hanging on the incense burner, waiting motionlessly for Lou Chengyi's next words.
Lou Chengyi didn't speak for a long time.
"Kill them all." After a while, he opened his eyes and looked at Ning'er. His emerald green eyes were cold and sinister. He suddenly said, "Cut off their tongues and send them to Yelu Huishi."
Ning'er's eyelashes trembled. She said respectfully, "Yes."
"Don't light the incense, bring hot water, I want to take a bath."
"yes."
Ning'er put down the spices and walked out. A maid soon arrived, bringing hot water and toiletries. She touched the whip at her waist and turned to walk down to the boat.
The magnificent Qiongyu Building's hall was empty except for two or three Liao people sitting inside. They had shaved heads and were dressed like people from Tianshui. They stood up quickly when they saw Ning'er come out.
Ning'er smiled at them, the soft whip in her hand no longer as gentle as it had been when she circled the lanterns on the river. It lashed out like lightning, twisting and yanking, the sound of bones snapping echoing. A stream of blood foamed from the mouth of the Liao leader. The other two, horrified, reached for their waists and drew their swords. Despite their formidable martial arts skills, they were no match for Ning'er, and were quickly dispatched by the snow-white whip.
"Go cut off the tongue and put it in place." Ning'er's beautiful eyes were cold and gloomy, and she whispered to the people following behind her: "Remember to wash it clean, the master wants to see it."
So, when the sun rose completely in the east, along with the calls from various restaurants, the news that three Liao people had been jealously fighting for the beauty of Qiongyu Tower and had finally killed each other spread to the streets and alleys. Everyone who heard about it laughed at the barbarians for not knowing how to be so rude and rough in such a sacred place as Qiongyu Tower, not only causing trouble but also disturbing the beauty.
When Wen Yao heard the news, she swallowed a mouthful of tea, her throat swollen and painful for a moment. She had never expected Lou Chengyi to kill someone, and to do it so quickly.
It was only a short while later that she finished her breakfast.
"It is said that many officials who were staying in Qiongyu Tower saw it. The girl who was fought over by the three men was trembling with fear and knelt on the ground crying. After the government office sent people, they made a fuss for a long time. The Liao Chamber of Commerce in East Street came and took the body back without asking the Honglu Temple to handle it." Gao Shaoshan said.
"The evidence is all there, and there's no word from the Liao people, so this matter ends here."
All I can say is that Lou Chengyi's move was simple, crude and effective.
The Liao envoys didn't expose him, and even made no movement, proving that Lou Chengyi was indeed connected to Northern Liao. Wen Yao took a sip of tea, but it passed his lips three times without tasting it. His heart finally died for the second time.
The Northern Liao, growing increasingly powerful, is a threat to the northern border. Despite establishing a state, they persist in their old ways. Whenever grasslands dry up, they invade the south, burning, slaughtering, and looting, bringing untold suffering to the border residents. Recently, Tianshui was even defeated by the Northern Liao in a minor battle on the border, leaving them in a state of disgrace. This year, the Liao delegation once again visited Bianliang for the annual banquet, but judging by the provocations at Cun Yingshan and the advance guard's covert entry into Bianliang, they are clearly gearing up for a fight and harboring ulterior motives.
Zhao Xuanxu sat across from him, slowly peeling peanuts. He gathered a handful in his palm and passed it to Wen Yao. Wen Yao, preoccupied with Lou Chengyi, took the peanuts and subconsciously rubbed them together. The dark red film dissolved into crumbs that fell off.
Gao Shaoshan was also a little confused. He knew that the owner of the Qiongyu Tower, who was so legendary in various rumors, had a green eye and it was obvious from his appearance that he was not from Tianshui.
Going north and west, many foreigners have green eyes.
He couldn't help but ask, "Commander Wen, the owner of Qiongyu Tower is from Northern Liao?"
Tianshui was a prosperous place with many foreigners doing business and making a living there. However, it was unprecedented for a Liao person to have such a large business in Bianliang City.
As for the terrifying information network of Qiong Yulou, Gao Shaoshan didn't dare to imagine how much blood Tianshui would shed if it turned into a sharp sword aimed at Tianshui.
Wen Yao pinched the peanuts and shook her head. She didn't know where Lou Chengyi was from. She never asked about his past, and Lou Chengyi never mentioned it on his own initiative.
However, she and Lou Chengyi did meet in the Northern Territory.
Back then, she was much shorter than she is now, only thirteen or fourteen years old. She hadn't yet reached Mobei to obtain the Xingyi Sword, nor had she met Yan Cang and Zhao Xuanxu in Nanzhao. Her martial arts were still in the exploratory stages, and her strength wasn't strong enough. It was difficult for her to face the ups and downs of the martial arts world alone, so she continued to make a living by following the traveling caravans.
Wen Yao still clearly remembers the scene of his first meeting with Lou Chengyi.
She was escorting a car for someone, and her full truck of goods had to pass through a notorious area of deep mountains and forests to be delivered to the tea and horse trade market at the border.
At that time, Tianshui was in turmoil. The rebellion of the King of Shu had not yet subsided, with external states posing provocative threats and scattered rebel forces within. These forces joined forces, seizing every opportunity to stir up trouble, bringing hardship and social unrest to the people. In such a world, the lives of ordinary people were as fragile and worthless as duckweed, easily ripped from their stems and forced to drift into the mountains as bandits.
The deep mountains and old forests that Wen Yao was about to pass through were rich in three things: wild boar, ginseng, and bandits. Bandits were everywhere. The vast mountains were filled with countless bandits, all of whom were eyeing the passing merchants, hoping to make a small profit.
The boss miscalculated, and the main escort agency they hired was ineffective, so they were immediately killed by the bandits who outnumbered them. Wen Yao and a few other lone fighters who were more skilled in martial arts were gradually forced into a desperate situation.
Wen Yao only wanted to make money and didn't want to lose his life, so he pretended to be captured and taken back to the mountain stronghold to buy a chance to catch his breath and prepare for the situation. Unexpectedly, the bandit leader in the mountain stronghold took a fancy to Wen Yao and wanted to keep her as his wife and force the marriage immediately.
Wen Yao was naturally unwilling to sell his life or body, so he simply broke free from his guards at night and set fire to the village. The fire spread quickly, and the people in the village were busy fighting the fire and had no time to take care of Wen Yao, giving him the opportunity to escape.
It’s just that she was alone when she was captured, but when she escaped, there was a green-eyed man following her, and that was Lou Chengyi from that year.
Lou Chengyi wasn't in good shape back then either. He was skinny and his face was covered in dirt. Wen Yao could only see his one unique green eye. The green was so rich and pure, it didn't match his tattered clothes, it looked like a piece of royal jade.
She was injured, a deep cut on her arm. After leaving the village, she continued walking through the deep mountains and forests, constantly having to defend herself against wild animals and poisonous insects. After walking several miles, Wen Yao looked back and saw Green Eyes still following her.
Wen Yao didn't know whether the child was convinced that she could get out of the forest and that was why he kept following her. His green eyes were silent, not saying anything, like a mute.
They walked, about ten meters apart, all night, until they left the forest and reached a valley. A stream ran through the valley, and the weather was hot, so Wen Yao worried her wound might get infected. In those days, without penicillin, a careless move could easily lead to death. She wanted to boil some water to wash her wound, so she stopped by the stream and took off her shirt.
Wen Yao gathered her hair to one side and glanced back at the child following behind her. Seeing that the child was still about ten meters away from her, she couldn't help but look away when he met her gaze, and she suddenly felt a little curious.
She pulled her hair twice and asked Green Eyes: "Where are you from?"
Green eyes meant she wasn't a pure Tianshui native. While Tianshui strictly prohibited the trafficking of human beings, this only applied to Tianshui citizens, not to non-Tianshui people. Many caravans would recruit colorful-eyed slaves from other ethnic groups to fill vacancies in Tianshui. The slender and beautiful Hu Ji were highly sought after by scholars and literati.
Lou Chengyi's face was extremely dirty at that time, and he looked no more than ten years old. Wen Yao couldn't tell whether he was a boy or a girl, and could only guess that he was a slave bought by the caravan that was killed earlier.
Lou Chengyi was a young man with a lot of personality. He didn't say a word, just staring at Wen Yao like a silent wolf. Unfortunately, even the most ferocious wolf is weak in its infancy, let alone this wolf cub, which was extremely thin and had dull fur.
Even though Wen Yao was injured at the time, he did not feel that the child was a threat.
She sighed and threw the palm-sized oval iron bowl hanging from her waist. The iron bowl rolled a few times and landed right at Lou Chengyi's feet.
Wen Yao discussed with Lou Chengyi: "You go collect wood, build a fire and boil water. I'll take you out to the mountain, and then we'll be even, okay?"
After all, he's just a child, so we should save him if we can. There are countless wild beasts, poisonous snakes, and bandits in this mountain, and if a child encounters any of them, nothing good will happen.
Lou Chengyi continued to stare at Wen Yao silently and fearfully, without moving for a long time.
Wen Yao no longer cared about him, took out the handkerchief he had with him, wet it in the stream, and wiped his face first, then his shoulders and neck. It was hot and he sweated a lot, and Wen Yao could bear the pain but not the stickiness.
There was a rustling sound behind her. Wen Yao threw her handkerchief on the stones in the stream, bit her hairband, turned her head and looked at the figure who walked into the woods to pick up wood, and curled her eyes.
Lou Chengyi knew how to make a fire, and he was very skilled and boiled water quickly.
Wen Yao pulled out her dagger and warmed it over the fire. Then she cut away the rotten flesh from the wound, scrubbed the edges with a cloth dipped in hot water, and bandaged it. Sweat beads covered her forehead, and her breathing was heavy. Lou Chengyi squatted beside her, watching her, still silent.
That night, Wen Yao went out and brought back a wild boar. Without saying a word, he slaughtered it and took Xiaolou Chengyi next door to have a meal of roasted wild boar meat.
She and Lou Chengyi didn't rest in the forest for too long, as the forest was full of unsafe factors. After replenishing their energy overnight, Wen Yao took Lou Chengyi out of the forest and stayed in a small town nearby.
Wen Yao, as usual, went to the passing caravans to do odd jobs and earn some money. Her original intention was to take Lou Chengyi down the mountain and leave him to fend for himself, but Lou Chengyi followed her anyway, and with his quick movements, he managed to find a job doing odd jobs in the caravan. Only after he changed into his workman's clothes, washed his face, and tied up his messy hair did Wen Yao finally get a clear look at what he truly looked like.
She was very thin, but had beautiful features. Even if she was a slave, she must have been sold at a very high price.
She and Lou Chengyi stayed in the small town for more than half a year, and then Wen Yao met Jiang Qiaosheng again in the second month.
Jiang Qiaosheng was shrewd and sweet-talking, and Wen Yao quite liked the girl. Lou Chengyi didn't, as he and Jiang Qiaosheng were at odds and would often quarrel, like a fox and a venomous snake, glaring at each other coldly, biting each other mercilessly.
well.
Wen Yao pulled herself away from her memories, sighing uncontrollably. Who could have imagined that these two debts she'd incurred so many years ago could still cause her trouble today?
She sighed as she ate her peanuts. Qianying silently tumbled down from the beam above her head, knelt on one knee beside Zhao Xuanxu's legs, looked at him, and called out, "Master."
Zhao Xuanxu peeled the last handful of peanuts and put them in Wen Yao's hand: "Speak."
Qianying then said in front of Wen Yao and Gao Shaoshan, "Liu Liancheng suddenly developed a high fever last night and almost died. Bai Rang just went over and saved him."
The name Liu Liancheng was unfamiliar to Wen Yao. Seeing Zhao Xuanxu look at her after he responded, she immediately waved her hand and said, "Go ahead and do whatever you need. I'm going out soon, so I probably won't be back for lunch."
Although she was a personal guard, Zhao Xuanxu gave her very flexible working hours. He would always ask Wen Yao where he was going, and if Wen Yao didn't want to go, Zhao Xuanxu never stopped her.
As expected, Zhao Xuanxu nodded and said yes, then stood up and walked out. Qianying returned to the dark, and Gao Shaoshan followed Zhao Xuanxu out. When they reached the corner of the corridor, Zhao Xuanxu suddenly stopped and squinted at the pale sun outside.
He suddenly realized that he had forgotten to ask A Yao whether he had brought enough silver.
Prices in Bianliang were much higher than in the border areas, and some good things were even more expensive. What if Ah Yao wanted to buy something when he went out, but he didn't have enough money?
Zhao Xuanxu thought, raising his hand and beckoning. A secret guard immediately descended from the shadows and knelt respectfully at his feet. Zhao Xuanxu pulled a large stack of banknotes from his sleeve and asked the guard to pass it to Wen Yao before turning and continuing his walk towards the study.
Walking to the innermost screen in the study, Gao Shaoshan stepped forward and pressed down the eyeballs of the kingfisher flying high above. Soon, a hidden door, as tall as a person, appeared in the wall behind the screen. A deep tunnel led down, and it was unknown where it led.
There were lights on inside, though it wasn't as dark as the corridor in the secret guard quarters. After walking up a flight of stairs, the temperature around me dropped rapidly, becoming cold and damp.
Bai Rang was shivering from the cold as he sat on the chair, hugging his suitcase and trembling under the gaze of two ice-faced secret guards.
Seeing Zhao Xuanxu coming over, he quickly stood up, holding the medical box and saluted: "Your Highness."
Zhao Xuanxu said softly, "Are you dying?"
Bai Rang quickly shook his head. He knew the man in the cell couldn't die. Even though he was a doctor, he couldn't bear to see the man in such a miserable state. He wanted to end his life countless times, but in the end, he didn't. Last night, the man had a high fever and was on the verge of death, but he was the one who brought him back.
Oh, what a sin.
Zhao Xuanxu walked straight past him. The two secret guards in front of him quickly unlocked the iron fence and pushed open the door on the left and right. They watched their master's robe dragging on the ground, his expression indifferent as he walked in.
The cell was narrow, not big enough for three people to lie down, and it was very dark. Zhao Xuanxu entered with a white candle in his hand. As he approached, the light pierced the dark cell, illuminating the person lying inside with crystal clear, detailed illumination.
It was a human, or something that barely qualified as a human. An arm and a leg hung from its body, its hair disheveled, and its exposed skin covered in ulcers. It was a horrific sight, with faint maggots crawling and crawling through the wounds. Having just recovered from a high fever, Bai Rang had given the man injections and medicine. Now lucid, he saw Zhao Xuanxu walk in.
Liu Liancheng shuddered violently immediately.
He looked at Zhao Xuanxu's increasingly charming face in the dim candlelight. It was as if he were seeing the ugliest Shura in the world. He struggled frantically to retreat. But with a half-finger-thick iron chain tied around his neck, his range of movement was cruelly restricted to the corner, leaving him with no way to retreat.
The fingernails on Liu Liancheng's hands and feet had been ripped out, and needle marks could be seen on the damaged flesh. He looked at Zhao Xuanxu and began to tremble in extreme fear. A strange sound came from his throat, and the trembling of his teeth was clearly audible.
Zhao Xuanxu carefully placed the candle on a nearby candlestick, then took out a handkerchief and placed it on his palm. He approached Liu Liancheng and grasped his chin. His grip was so strong that Liu Liancheng's bones creaked, a sound that could be heard clearly even in the confined space.
He bent down and looked at Liu Liancheng's face carefully.
As a famous flower-stealing thief in the past, Jade-faced Liu Lang was obviously very handsome. Although his face was now pale and thin, and his eyes were bloodshot and turbid, one could still see some of his handsomeness in his youth.
Zhao Xuanxu lowered his eyes to look at the face. His eyeballs were frighteningly black. The candlelight was reflected in his pupils, and a fire was lit inside, but not a single light could penetrate.
"You can't hold on any longer." Zhao Xuanxu said with a slightly dissatisfied tone, "I should have told you that you can't die before you see her."
Liu Liancheng lay motionless in his hands, like a dead fish with its scales scraped off.
"I'm going to mince you in front of her." Zhao Xuanxu scrutinized Liu Liancheng's face and suddenly said, "But my dear mother is going crazy now. Will she even recognize your face? What if she can't?"
He tried to imagine the scene where he was chopping someone up beside her, but the woman only screamed without any other reaction, and he felt a little angry. His face quickly darkened, and the strength in his hands suddenly increased. The soft and illusory expression disappeared, and he looked eerie and scary.
"If she doesn't recognize you, I'll peel off your skin," Zhao Xuanxu whispered. "I'll make it into a mask and hang it before her every day and night. That will make up for the longing you two have felt for each other for decades. How do you think?"
Liu Liancheng knew that every word coming out of Zhao Xuanxu's mouth was not just a threat, this madman would really do this to him.
The huge fear made Liu Liancheng shake his head desperately under Zhao Xuanxu's hand and began to struggle again.
"You don't thank me." Zhao Xuanxu was annoyed by Liu Liancheng's struggle. He pulled down his fingers and removed Liu Liancheng's chin, throwing him to the ground. He looked down at him condescendingly: "Why?"
There are thousands of lovers in the world, and many of them have to part, such as him and A Yao.
The previous separation made Zhao Xuanxu fully understand what it felt like to miss someone. When he thought of Wen Yao, he would want to see her very much. He would think of her in everything he did and wanted to be by her side. He would be happy to dig out his eyes and stick them to Wen Yao's bedside to look at her.
But Liu Liancheng didn't seem happy about it.
Zhao Xuanxu tilted his head and questioned, "I allowed you to stay with my mother, but you didn't want to? Don't you love her?"
Liu Liancheng's jaw had long been dislocated by him, so naturally he couldn't say a word. However, Zhao Xuanxu didn't want an answer from Liu Liancheng.
He went to a secret compartment in the wall and rummaged through it, pulling out a small jade box. He pushed open the lid with his fingers, and a fiery red insect, following the scent of blood, scurried out and burrowed into the hole in Liu Liancheng's fingertips.
Liu Liancheng immediately howled in agony, his voice hoarse and desperate, echoing in the dark dungeon, hardly a sound a human could produce.
That red insect is a very powerful poisonous insect. It can bite through the human blood vessels all the way to the heart without causing death.
The secret guard outside was used to this and quickly fetched a basin of warm water, wet the brocade handkerchief in it, and handed it to the master. The master, having let out his anger, was obviously in a much better mood and took the handkerchief to wipe his hands.
Suddenly, Zhao Xuanxu wiped his hands and said thoughtfully: "But you are lucky, I will let you see her earlier." A Yao said that she wanted to go west, so things here should be finished as soon as possible so as not to disturb him and A Yao.
The secret guard lowered his head and looked at Liu Liancheng lying on the ground, his breathing becoming weak again. He couldn't help but feel a little sympathy for Liu Liancheng and Bai Rang who was shivering outside.
That traveling doctor, who is timid than a quail, is about to come in again to give him an acupuncture and then vomit.
Wen Yao left Prince Yan's Mansion shortly after Zhao Xuanxu left, and went out to look for someone with the silver note that Zhao Xuanxu insisted on forcing on him.
She wasn't going to look for Lou Chengyi. Wen Yao didn't want to ask if Lou Chengyi was from Liao. She wouldn't bring up something Lou Chengyi hadn't said in all these years.
This time, Wen Yao is looking for Chu Yutang. She wants to find out what the Burning Heart Technique is all about.
Chu Yutang's Chamber of Commerce, with its network of ghost markets stretching across Tianshui and into neighboring countries, was a network of businesses. If Qiong Yulou controlled news from Bianliang, then Chu Yutang would have his eye on every little movement in the world. In his words, this was how business was facilitated.
Zhao Xuanxu's last attack was still vivid in his mind. Since the unrivaled genius doctor Wang Fu couldn't fix it, there was probably no other medical solution. Wen Yao now needed to understand the specifics of the Burning Heart Technique before making any further plans.
Zhao Xuanxu only said that the Burning Heart was a secret method of the Dali Kingdom, and he was unwilling to say anything else. It just so happened that Chu Yutang had a chamber of commerce in the Dali Kingdom. Judging from his style of doing things, he should have some contacts with high-ranking officials in the Dali Kingdom, and he might know something useful.
Chu Yutang was a very busy man, his whereabouts uncertain, unlike Lou Chengyi who stayed at the Qiong Yu Lou all day. He lived a carefree life, drinking in this restaurant today and drinking tea in that teahouse tomorrow.
Those restaurants and teahouses were all owned by him. Whenever he visited, the lanterns outside would be replaced with landscape and cloud patterns. This served as a reminder to those in the underworld or government that the Ghost Market Master was here and should not cause trouble. Of course, Chu Yutang would always welcome anyone who came to do business, as long as they had sufficient leverage.
Wen Yao wouldn't go from teahouse to restaurant looking for Chu Yutang. She headed straight to the Ghost Market and slammed the table in front of the shop owner from last time. "Go find your boss and tell him that Xingyi Sword Wen Yao wants to see him."
For the next two days, and for the next few days, the biggest story in the martial arts world will be that Xingyi Sword Wenyao is still alive. Not only is he still alive, but he's even working for the rumored ruthless Prince Yan. From last night until now, the people of the Ghost Market have been buzzing with speculation, wondering if Xingyi Sword has reappeared and whether Bai Xiaosheng will revise his World Masters List once again.
Hearing this name, the shopkeeper's expression quickly changed from "Who cares to see the ghost market owner?" to "So you're here to see my master." He nodded respectfully, turned and waved to his servants. Soon, a waiter hurried up and whispered something in the shopkeeper's ear.
"What a coincidence," the shopkeeper said quietly, "The master didn't go out today and is in this ghost market. I'll lead you there right away."
To distinguish themselves from the others, the staff at the ghost market all wore conspicuous clothing. Wen Yao, not wanting to draw attention, declined. After finding out where Yu Tang was, he descended the well to find him.
Today, Chu Yutang was drinking tea at a teahouse in the Ghost Market. Wen Yao, remembering the address the shopkeeper had just given her, hurried up to the second floor of the teahouse, pushed open a window from the east corner, and went in. She landed on the ground and turned around to see two faces. One was Chu Yutang, who was looking at her with a smile, and the other had a chubby face that looked very blessed. When he saw Wen Yao, his eyes widened in surprise.
Prince Xiang slapped his thigh and said in shock, "Oh my! Isn't this Commander Wen who serves my third brother? He actually knows Brother Chu too?"
Wen Yao stopped and looked at the Prince of Xiang who was sitting next to Chu Yutang. She was also shocked and confused.
Who was Prince Xiang? He was the second son of the current emperor, born to Concubine Jing in the imperial harem. Concubine Jing came from a prominent family, mostly composed of civil servants and nobles. She held little power and avoided the limelight at court. Concubine Jing also had a similar personality: quiet and unobtrusive, a cheerful and good person in the harem.
The son she raised was like this too. From a young age, he disliked reading about current affairs and military strategies, preferring instead poetry and songs. Whenever he had free time, he would host poetry gatherings and tea parties at the mansion. One day, he would compose music and lyrics with this singing girl, and the next day, he would paint and write poetry with that courtesan. With so many female confidantes all over Bianliang, he was known for his romantic life.
With this kind of character setting, Wen Yao would generally suspect that the other party was following the script of Long Aotian, who pretended to be a pig and eat the tiger, watched the fight between the tigers from a distance, and finally defeated all his brothers to sit on the throne and rule the world.
She remained calm, a smile on her face, closed the window behind her, and bowed to the Prince of Xiang: "Your Highness."
"Hey, hey." The Prince of Xiang seemed much more enthusiastic than last time at Cunying Mountain and last night. He quickly stood up and returned the favor with the courtesy of the Jianghu, saying with a smile, "Commander Wen is too polite. There's no need to be restrained. This is the Ghost Market. You can't bring your earthly status here. Brother Chu and I have been friends for many years. Since Commander Wen was brought here, I believe he has a close relationship with Brother Chu. Since we are all friends, let's put aside our status and take a seat."
Chu Yutang, dressed in a blue and white robe, looked elegant. He fanned himself and tapped the table, "Your Highness, Prince Xiang is right. Please sit down and see if there's anything you like. If not, I'll ask for more. This place makes excellent beef jerky. Would you like to try it?"
Wen Yao came over and sat down on the stool. The Prince's eyes flickered between Chu Yutang and Wen Yao, his fat face beaming with a smile. "Commander Wen is not only a master of martial arts, but also incredibly handsome. Truly a rare find in the world." He showed none of the reserved demeanor he had displayed last time at the Cunying Mountain Arena or last night; he seemed genuinely friendly.
Chu Yutang pretended to be surprised and said with a smile, "I didn't expect that His Highness knew my friend."
"We have met several times. That day at Cun Yingshan, it was Commander Wen who defeated the Liao people and brought glory to Tianshui. Yesterday on the God's Day, someone actually dared to assassinate my father, and it was Commander Wen who helped and prevented a disaster. I have heard of Commander Wen's heroic demeanor, and I am fascinated by him." The Prince of Xiang called him Zhao all the time, without any airs of a prince, and more like a man of the world.
He speaks nicely. There are many people in the world who speak nicely, but there are probably very few princes who speak nicely.
So Wen Yao also laughed: "Yeah, I didn't expect that His Highness knew you."
"Well, Zhao's own business is bound to involve him in dealings with Brother Chu. I'm deeply honored that Brother Chu has given me this honor." The Prince of Xiang sighed, "Everyone has their own path. I yearn for the carefree life of the martial arts world, but due to my status and talent, I probably won't be able to roam the world as a knight-errant in this lifetime. Bianliang City is still too small and crowded. It's not as free and easy as roaming the vast world outside."
Chu Yutang smiled as he fanned himself, "Your Highness has an open-minded character, unlike me. I am a vulgar person who doesn't enjoy the fighting and killing of the Jianghu. I only wish to live a carefree and wealthy life in the splendid city of Bianliang."
"Brother Chu is always soothing." The Prince of Xiang stood up and said with a smile, "Well, since Commander Wen has something to ask you, I won't bother you anymore. I'll ask Brother Chu to take good care of that batch of gold artifacts, especially the pair of landscape paintings. My confidante has wanted them for a long time, and if I don't give them to her this time, she's afraid she'll scratch my face."
When he said the second half of the sentence, Prince Xiang seemed to think of some scene and subconsciously touched his right cheek with real emotion.
Chu Yutang laughed and said, "Of course, Your Highness, just wait for my news."
"Then I await your good news, Brother Chu! Commander Wen, I'm leaving today. You and Brother Chu don't have to see me off. We can have a drink together later when you're free!"
It was impossible not to see him off. Wen Yao, maintaining a smile, stood up and, along with Chu Yutang, escorted the Prince downstairs. Several guards quickly emerged from various corners of the street to follow the Prince, who walked on and disappeared into the ghost market.
Wen Yao turned around and slapped Chu Yutang on the shoulder: "You actually did business with him?"
"I'll do business with anyone who's willing to do business with me and can make me money, regardless of the relationship." Chu Yutang didn't shy away from it. He folded his fan under his chin, and scanned Wen Yao with his foxy eyes. He said, "It seems like you're doing well in Prince Yan's Mansion. You look a little plumper than you were a few days ago."
Wen Yao raised his hand and slapped him again.
She was so strong that Chu Yutang grimaced and couldn't help laughing: "What did I say wrong? You have no conscience. You haven't come to see me in the past few days. Why are you here today?"
Wen Yao: "I came here today to ask you something."
"You only think of me when you have something to ask." Chu Yutang snorted, and the two returned to the room they had just been in. Chu Yutang had the wine and food on the table cleared away and replaced with cakes and fruit juice. "Tell me, what's the matter?"
"Have you ever heard of the Dali Kingdom's secret technique, the Burning Heart Technique?"
Chu Yutang glanced at Wen Yao.
Oh, so you came to see him because of Zhao Xuanxu.
He didn't answer, but only said in a sarcastic tone: "Commander Yan Cang is very capable. He accepted the Third Prince of the dynasty as his apprentice, and asked you to take care of him like this... Does the old emperor know about this?"
Wen Yao: "Don't interrupt. Do you know the Burning Heart Technique?"
Seeing Wen Yao's expression, Chu Yutang's smile faded slightly. He put down his fan, picked up the wine jug on the table, and filled the cups in front of him and Wen Yao. The fragrance of the grape juice, worth a hundred gold coins, wafted out and filled the room.
"I know, I know. I can't persuade you anymore. You're determined to step into this most stinking and filthy muddy water in the world." Chu Yutang sighed, "The Burning Heart Technique is the secret technique of the Dali royal family. The mother of your friend's apprentice is the daughter of the previous ruler of Dali. You mentioned the Burning Heart Technique, and how come His Highness Prince Yan actually practices this evil technique?"
Wen Yao: "What the hell is this?"
"A kind of martial arts that consumes blood and energy in exchange for a rapid increase in internal strength. When it occurs, it will cause a person's temperament to change drastically, and he will become bloodthirsty and murderous. He often does not have a good end and becomes obsessed. Few people who practice this thing live to the end of their lives. Most of them die halfway." Chu Yutang said.
"Why would the Dali royal family possess such a technique?" Wen Yao felt it was incredibly dangerous. It was a surprise that Zhao Xuanxu had told her it was no big deal. Her heart tightened, and she asked, "Are they using this to train assassins?"
"No, no. Originally, this Burning Heart Technique wasn't called the Burning Heart Technique. It was a complete mental method, consisting of two sets, the upper and lower yin and yang. Practicing them together can perfect your internal strength and activate the small heavenly circulation, preventing so many troubles." Chu Yutang waved his fan, shaking his head and saying, "Unfortunately, many years ago, during the civil strife in Dali, half of this technique was lost, and only fragments remained in the hands of the Dali royal family. The fragments of this mental method have a strong and overbearing yang energy, are too rigid and easily broken, and without restraint, they often torture the host to a tragic end. After death, when the body is opened, the heart is completely burned, hence the name Burning Heart Technique."
He narrowed his fox eyes, curled his lips and leaned closer to Wen Yao, asking curiously, "Is Zhao Xuanxu really practicing this kind of evil magic? Doesn't that mean he won't live for many years?"
Wen Yao: "I will never let him die."
Chu Yutang: "If you want, you can only disperse his martial arts and true energy. Or you have to find the other half of the lost secret method."
"I want to try the second method." Wen Yao stared at Chu Yutang: "Do you have any clues about the other half of the lost secret method?"
"Hey." Chu Yutang held up a finger. "You have to pay for information in the ghost market. If you want this secret method, I won't charge you. If Zhao Xuanxu wants it, he and I are not related at all, so he needs to give me 10,000 taels of gold."
"How much? Ten thousand taels of gold?" Wen Yao was surprised. He didn't expect Chu Yutang to be so cruel.
"I'm a businessman, and businessmen should stick to their rules. Is it possible that the life of the dignified Prince Yan isn't worth ten thousand taels of gold?"
Wen Yao looked calm and said quickly, "He doesn't know I came to see you. I'll owe you the money first. Tell me where the other half of the secret method is."
Oh, come on, come on, someone is doing business in broad daylight without paying and trying to force Chu Yutang to buy or sell.
But what can he do?
Chu Yutang stared at Wen Yao intently for a long moment, then sighed and said, "During the civil strife in Dali, it was rumored that someone escaped to the Western Dynasty with the remaining half of the cultivation method. I've had people verify this. Zuo Fengjiang, the commander-in-chief of the Western Dynasty's Red Guards, used a cultivation method very similar to the one recorded in Dali. If you want to verify this, you can find a way to ask him."
Wen Yao was stunned for a moment, then frowned: "Zuo Fengjiang? Is he a eunuch with white eyebrows?"
Chu Yutang raised his eyebrows and nodded with a smile: "I know him."
Wen Yao thought to herself, what a coincidence! Not only did she know him, she had even fought with Zuo Fengjiang.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
