Chapter 18
It must be said that the Taifuqing, a third-rank official of the court, had a house with a layout and arrangement that was more exquisite than that of a wealthy family.
After getting off the carriage, a servant ran over and handed her a footstool. The servants at the door bent over and hunched over. After a few words of greeting from inside the mansion, a sensible person immediately went in and called the young lady back to the mansion.
A young man walked up to him, intending to take his two swords, but Ye Min waved his hand, thanked him kindly, and sent him away.
"Oh! Miss, you're finally back!"
Wearing a bright green inner jacket and a deep purple double-breasted shirt, the old woman hurriedly stepped over the threshold to greet Liang Siqing, holding a delicate pink embroidered silk handkerchief in her hand.
"How was it? Nothing happened on the way, right? I sent a few servants to look for you, but they haven't returned yet. They've raised a bunch of ungrateful wretches!"
Liang Siqing smiled slightly, opened her arms to take the elderly woman who came to help her, and said, "Nanny, it's alright. I just went to the city on my way and met some friends who invited me to our home."
The wet nurse narrowed her eyes and quickly sized up the young men behind her.
The young man in gold robes was dressed in luxurious clothes and stood with a dignified posture. When he saw her examining him, he immediately came to his senses, smiled slightly, and bowed. The white-robed man next to him was dressed in clothes that were somewhat revealing, in a style that resembled that of people from the Western Regions. He crossed his arms and looked up at the person in front of him. His heterochromatic eyes showed no murderous intent, but rather a normal and gentle expression.
The person standing behind Liang Siqing wore a spotless green silk dress, her white hair was as white as snow, and her face was indifferent, as if the myriad stars that once shone in her eyes had all fallen to the mortal world.
The wet nurse, having grasped the situation, smiled broadly and bowed to the group, saying, "Since you are Miss's friends, you are naturally guests of the Liang family. Please come inside."
Leading the three of them around the corridor and into the inner hall, the servants orderly prepared tea.
Ye Min admired the design of the mansion. It didn't flaunt gold, silver, and jade; the pavilions were arranged in a staggered and orderly fashion, and the corridors meandered. A large area of magnolias was planted in the mansion, and the white flowers fell and carpeted the ground, then were blown into a small pond, like a boat resting on its oars, to appreciate the scenery.
Liang Siqing took the seat of honor, while Ye Min and Yang Yuan sat on the same side. A Lu glanced at the little girl who came to him to serve tea, said "Don't worry about me," and then walked outside, crossed his arms, leaned against the pillar by the door, and looked up at the sky.
Ye Min was greatly alarmed. This wasn't a martial arts sect; they wouldn't allow A-Lu to act as he pleased. He was somewhat worried about his actions. Just as the wet nurse took a step forward, about to interrogate him, Liang Siqing persuaded her to turn back.
“They’re used to traveling the world all year round, and they’re not used to sitting on these makeshift benches. Nanny, go and check on the kitchen to see how the dinner preparations are going.”
Ye Min breathed a sigh of relief, picked up the teacup, and smelled the refreshing aroma of the tea. He took a sip, and the mellow fragrance of the tea buds lingered on his lips and teeth.
"It's West Lake Longjing tea."
“Indeed. My father is a tea lover, and there is a tea garden in the manor. Every year when the season comes, he personally picks the tea to entertain distinguished guests,” Liang Siqing said, covering her face as she tasted it.
"Then what about the Minister of the Imperial Treasury now...?" Ye Min asked.
“My father has been unwell these past few days and has returned to his hometown in Sichuan to recuperate, leaving me here to handle the usual household chores,” she replied.
"These trivial matters can be left to the steward; why should a woman like you be required to handle them? Has the Tang Dynasty become so corrupt that even a woman can manage affairs of state?"
A-Lu walked in, stopped behind Yang Yuan, and looked at Liang Siqing, asking a question.
Ye Min closed his eyes, veins bulging on his forehead, thinking to himself, how dare A Lu be so presumptuous here!
He stole a glance at Yang Yuan, who was holding a teacup, savoring the delicious taste of the fine tea.
Ye Min felt a chill run down his spine. If Yang Yuan hadn't been so indifferent, A Lu would never have made such a joke.
She smiled slightly, put down her teacup, and sat up to look at Ah Lu.
"The Tang Dynasty was a prosperous and stable dynasty that lasted for a long time. Thanks to the emperor's stable governance, the people lived in peace and contentment, and all regions were safe and sound. Everyone had their own sense of destiny regarding the country and the people. How could it be corrupt and decadent?"
A-Lu picked up the teacup next to Yang Yuan, smelled it, and then put it back.
"You can't see into someone's heart. How can you guess what they're thinking?"
The smell of gunpowder gradually reached his nose, and Ye Min's hand holding the teacup trembled slightly. With his sharp eyes, he immediately noticed that Liang Siqing's dress wrinkled slightly because of the rapid movement of her fingers, but then she stopped moving.
Footsteps sounded outside the door, and a servant walked over with his head down and sleeves hanging down, asking questions with his back hunched.
"Miss, the food is ready."
Liang Siqing nodded.
"Then please come with me for a meal."
Everyone stood up, and Liang Siqing gestured for the three of them to move to the side hall.
As dusk fell, many of the lanterns in the mansion were lit, their red glow illuminating the house. The chopsticks of several people clattered against the porcelain bowls, producing a crisp sound.
The cooks of the imperial officials were all highly paid. They were proficient in Sichuan, Hunan, Cantonese, and Shandong cuisines. Today's dishes were also dazzling. There was Wuxing-style stir-fried fish with pickled vegetables, Xunxun sauce, and Guangming shrimp; in addition, soups, desserts, and noodles were all available. Not only were they brightly colored, fragrant, and tempting, but even their names piqued Ye Min's curiosity.
"This is called Imperial Concubine Red, a refined flavored red pastry; that one is made by frying Tai Li noodles with honey, called Sweet Snow." Liang Siqing introduced them one by one. Ye Min was dazzled, and although she had chopsticks in her hand, she didn't know where to start.
This is a famous banquet in Chang'an. Ye Min had only heard about it once from her senior sister who had returned from a trip, but seeing it in person, she found it truly lived up to its reputation and was incredibly tempting.
The lively conversation at the dinner table was gone. Everyone ate quietly, and after Liang Siqing introduced a few desserts, the rest of the meal consisted of clinking chopsticks and bowls.
Yang Yuan ate very little. Ye Min noticed that there were only a few vegetable leaves in her bowl, suggesting she was vegetarian. She tried a few pastries but didn't touch the cold dishes or meat. Ye Min guessed that she might not have a good appetite, but didn't dare to ask in front of everyone, and just continued chewing the shrimp in her mouth without making a sound.
Liang Siqing noticed this and turned to give the wet nurse a wink. A servant then brought over tea.
After the meal, guests arrived at the Liang residence. Liang Siqing went to the front hall to greet them and instructed the wet nurse to take the three of them to the guest rooms to rest. The courtyard was neither too big nor too small, with a fence separating the tea garden a few steps away. Yang Yuan went straight back to her room, closed the door, and Ye Min and A Lu said they wanted to digest their food. With permission granted, they took a stroll around the mansion.
The night was still, and the magnolia blossoms exuded their fragrance. The moonlight illuminated the pebble path beside the small pond, and the ripples on the water shattered the reflection of the entire moon.
"Do you know this Liang Siqing?" Ye Min asked cautiously.
He always felt that the two of them were hiding something from him.
Ah Lu chuckled softly.
"Don't you think she's strange?"
Ye Min was puzzled.
A-Lu continued, "Ordinary people, seeing what happened today, would either hide or watch the show. Not a single one would actually lend a helping hand. Yet she, the daughter of the Minister of the Imperial Treasury, was able to rally that group of Night-Slaying White's men."
After pondering for a moment, Ye Min said in a low voice, "The imperial court has also begun to take an interest in some unorthodox practices in the martial arts world. It seems that there is indeed a problem in the officialdom."
Ah Lu patted him on the shoulder, indicating that he had indeed become more mindful.
"But didn't Liang Siqing say that her father went to Sichuan to recuperate from an illness? What does that have to do with her?"
Ah Lu leaned against the magnolia tree with her arms crossed, looking at the petals scattered on the ground.
"I'm afraid she has connections with several families in Sichuan and Chongqing."
Ye Min looked at him and said, "What could be the connection? In Sichuan, there is only the Tang family, the Five Poisons, and the Tianyi Sect, which betrayed the Five Poisons. The civil war between the Five Poisons and Tianyi has lasted for so many years without any result. The Tang Clan is so well hidden that they can't find anything out."
"Have you forgotten that Tang Shuyan, the eldest daughter of the Tang Clan, is also there?"
Ye Min was stunned, and his thoughts suddenly became chaotic.
"You mean Tana?"
Ah Lu nodded.
"I'm just guessing. The Five Poisons Sect and Tianyi Sect are still deadlocked. Qu Yun, the leader of the Five Poisons Sect, has also negotiated with Tang Shuyan. But if the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty also gets involved, wouldn't a rebellion or uprising happen at any time?"
Ye Min lowered his head and clenched his fists.
A petal drifted down in the wind, and Ah Lu caught one in his hand. The petal was as soft as a feather. He pointed at Ye Min and said, "You don't need to worry about it. This is none of our business. At most, we'll see what this girl can do. If we really investigate, I really don't want to know too much about the trivial matters of you Central Plains people."
Ye Min turned to face A Lu and said, "A Lu, I know that your Ming Cult formed some alliances with the Tang Dynasty after the Battle of Maple Valley. But no matter what, I hope that we will never have a day when we turn our swords against each other."
A-Lu withdrew her hand and looked at him.
"so what?"
You know exactly what I mean.
The two stared at each other, and the air currents between them gradually distorted in the air. The petals on the ground were blown up by the powerful internal force and flew wildly.
Ah Lu closed her eyes and smiled, snapped her fingers, and turned to leave. The fluttering petals suddenly stopped, then drifted around and landed.
"Ye Min, you just need to remember this. As long as I live, you will be my friend. Although my Aluling lineage is not a prestigious or righteous sect, I can at least protect you."
Watching his departing figure, Ye Min quickly followed and called out, "Where's Yang Yuan?!"
Ah Lu waved her hand without responding.
"Go back to sleep. Aren't you being cheesy by saying these things?"
"Speak now! Or you'll be eating my Crane Returns to Lonely Mountain!"
"Invisibility".
"Hey, hey, hey, you're underestimating me!"
"You act like you can hit me."
"Not convinced? Let's try again!"
...
After seeing off the last visitor, Liang Siqing finished up some remaining chores, gave instructions to the wet nurse, and returned to her room alone. Pushing open the door, she found the servants had already lit candles, making the room quite warm. A small brazier of charcoal burned near the bed, covered with a gold thread to prevent smoke.
She sat before the bronze mirror, removing her headdress and makeup. Her long hair cascaded down her shoulders. Gazing at the person in the mirror, her eyes seemed veiled, devoid of luster.
"Miss, today's medicine is ready." The maid who came to deliver the medicine knocked gently on the door and called out to her.
"Come in."
Liang Siqing got up and sat on the edge of the bed, straightening her clothes. A maid quietly entered, carrying a small white porcelain bowl, and bowed as she presented it to her.
She stared at the liquid in the bowl for a while before picking it up and drinking it all in one gulp.
The medicine wasn't bitter, but it had a very fishy smell. Even after processing, it still didn't smell good.
The maid took the empty bowl, waited for Liang Siqing to lie down on the bed, took off the bed curtains for her, checked the charcoal fire, and tiptoed out of the door.
As she reached the door, a gust of wind blew by, stirring up dust. She quickly reached out to cover her face, and the porcelain bowl slipped from her hand.
Before anyone could exclaim in alarm, a hand behind them caught the fragile item as it fell. Ah Lu picked it up, quickly brought it close to her nose to sniff, and then handed it to the girl who had come to her senses.
"Ah! Thank you, young hero." The girl blushed when she saw his handsome face and looked around with her head down.
"You're welcome. Be careful next time." Ah Lu greeted her with a smile and saw the little girl off.
He glanced back at Liang Siqing's door, his face darkening. He circled around the backyard, leaped onto the bricks and tiles, stepped over the eaves, and landed in front of Yang Yuan's door.
The candlelight was still burning; she hadn't gone to sleep yet.
He walked slowly to the door, reached out to knock, then lowered his hand and looked down.
"What is it?" came a voice from inside the door.
Yang Yuan is no longer the same as before. Even someone as skilled in light-footed kung fu as A Lu, whose footsteps are almost undetectable, cannot escape her ears.
Alu remained silent for a moment, then took a few steps back.
“You guessed right, Liang Siqing is indeed related to the Five Poisons. I went to her door just now and bumped into the maid who was bringing her medicine. I could only smell a sweet, pungent odor. It seems she is consuming blood to remove the poison from her body.”
There was no movement from inside the door for a long time, and Ah Lu didn't speak either, staying in place waiting for her reply.
"Creak—" The two wooden doors were pushed open lightly, and Yang Yuan was still wearing her usual ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), her long, snow-white hair flowing freely, looking at him from a few feet away.
"Why aren't you resting?" she asked softly.
Ah Lu smiled and said, "I wanted to see if you were asleep."
"In that case, get some rest." She took a step back and prepared to close the door.
"Yuan'er," Alu called out.
His hand, which was resting on the wooden door, trembled, then he gripped the threshold tightly and immediately closed the door.
A-Lu stood on the cold bricks, the warmth gradually fading from his feet. He stared at the house for a long time, until the moon peeked out from behind the clouds to observe him, then he lowered his head and went back inside.
There wasn't much sadness in A-Lu's eyes; the flowing emotion, accompanied by the rhythm of his eyeballs, slowly and continuously transmitted to all parts of his body, expressing his sorrow.
Yuan'er, I wish you well.
I just want to be closer to you.
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