Suzhou, Mu Mansion.
Wang Lianhua sat in a rocking chair with his legs crossed, basking in the sun. He had arrived here four months ago and met Mu Rufeng, the master of Wuyan Pavilion, three months ago. He learned from Tang Yang that Mu Rufeng had a half-brother who had escaped with injuries. When they met again, Mu Rufeng called himself "Yan Liang".
He chuckled to himself, thinking to himself that he and Yan Liang were destined to meet.
Tang Yang's description of Yan Liang was exactly the same as the mischievous and dog-like Yan Liang in his memory, so Wang Lianhua was quite certain that "Mu Jiangchuan" was Yan Liang.
He had been watching the younger generation make a name for themselves in the martial arts world, and since he had nothing better to do, he decided to go out to sea to find Shen Lang and his wife. However, he encountered another storm, and his boat capsized halfway through the journey, eventually leading him to this place.
Wang Lianhua could thrive anywhere, and this time was no exception. After learning about the entanglements between Wuyan Pavilion and Yan Liang and Lu Xiaofeng, he had a sudden inspiration and began to stir up trouble.
He spoke a series of dubious words to Mu Rufeng, claiming he had seen people who possessed bodies and were reincarnated, trying to convince Mu Rufeng to believe him. Mu Rufeng, already depressed from being crippled and defeated by "Mu Jiangchuan," had even contemplated suicide. After years of despair, he actually believed the absurd claim that "Yan Liang might still be living in someone else's body."
Tang Yang only thought that Mu Rufeng was not trying to kill himself, so he let Wang Lianhua, a person of unknown origin, lead Mu Rufeng to cause trouble, while he himself worked diligently for Wuyan Pavilion.
The Smokeless Pavilion should have been his all along, but now that Mu Rufeng is a cripple, it has returned to his hands. Tang Yang doesn't really like this joke that fate has played on him.
Jiang Qing was already married, and she couldn't support the Mu family alone. After Mu Jiangchuan's death, she sold off her family's property and returned to her father's family's old territory. The property she sold was bought by Wuyan Pavilion, and after many twists and turns, the Mu family once again became the property of Mu Rufeng.
Mu Rufeng once wanted to send someone to kill Jiang Qing, but Tang Yang was too lazy to pay attention to his useless request, which was purely for venting his anger, and let Jiang Qing return to her old place, get married and have children.
Mu Rufeng was short-tempered and eccentric. Although Wang Lianhua was impatient with him, she was sometimes happy to listen to him talk about Yan Liang and himself.
Seeing Mu Rufeng's disheveled and dejected appearance, Wang Lianhua sighed, and even somewhat appreciated that Yan Liang's decision not to go too far seemed to be a good one—compared to death, the despair and grief brought on by incompetence were far more ruthless to a proud person like Mu Rufeng.
The prolonged torment had robbed Mu Rufeng of his former vigor, leaving only a gloomy aura emanating from within.
So at this moment, Wang Lianhua chose to stay outside and bask in the sun rather than listen to Mu Rufeng's constant complaints, which would not make him feel happy either.
He gazed at the drifting clouds on the horizon and recalled that many years ago Yan Liang had told him that he would help him out of his predicament. For a moment, he was curious whether Yan Liang would be the one to help him out of his predicament this time—if so, he would not mind waiting for another two years.
The clouds obscured the sun, and the sky grew dim. Wang Lianhua got up, carried a chair into the house, and then went to talk to the three men again. Lu Xiaofeng and Hua Manlou were Yan Liang's friends, but Wang Lianhua had never heard Mu Rufeng mention a man named Zhan Zhao.
And there was also the young man in white who wielded a knife.
＊
The three people in the room were deducing the reasons and purposes of Wuyan Pavilion's actions. Lu Xiaofeng briefly introduced to Zhan Zhao, who did not know much about Wuyan Pavilion, how Hua Manlou had saved "Mu Jiangchuan" back then, as well as his own entanglement with "Mu Jiangchuan" (Yan Liang) and Wuyan Pavilion.
Zhan Zhao frowned slightly. He was quite displeased when he heard that Mu Rufeng had severed his brother's tendons. Hua Manlou lowered his eyes slightly, the sound of rain from that rainy night echoing in his ears, and the damp smell of blood seemed to linger in his nose. For a moment, he couldn't tell whether he felt sad or melancholy.
"And who is Wang Lianhua?"
Zhan Zhao asked.
Lu Xiaofeng stroked his beard and said with a wry smile, "I've never heard of him before."
Such a person, skilled in martial arts, medicine, poison, and disguise, should not have never been heard of.
Wang Lianhua pushed open the door and entered. He leaned against the doorway, meeting the surprised gazes of Lu Xiaofeng and Zhan Zhao, and said with a smile, "It would be strange if you had heard of it."
Lu Xiaofeng was startled that he had not sensed the person's presence, but he remained calm and smiled in response, "That's why I haven't heard of him."
Wang Lianhua looked at him with a half-smile and said leisurely, "You've got some nerve."
Lu Xiaofeng humbly accepted the praise.
Wang Lianhua closed the door behind him, sat down at the table, and stared at Hua Manlou for a while. Hua Manlou noticed his gaze, turned his head, and smiled slightly at him.
"..."
He thoughtfully withdrew his gaze, then turned to look at the solemn-looking young man in blue opposite him. Wang Lianhua had originally intended to ask them about Yan Liang's past, but having overheard everything outside the door, he knew without asking. What intrigued him was why this young man named Zhan Zhao was so unfamiliar with the martial world, knowing only a superficial understanding of everything... just like him.
Most importantly, Wang Lianhua heard Lu Xiaofeng say, "His alias is the same as your friend's, Yan Liang."
It's no coincidence that people who had never crossed paths before all had a friend named Yan Liang.
Wang Lianhua said to Zhan Zhao, "I heard that you have a friend named Yan Liang."
Zhan Zhao was slightly taken aback, wondering how long the other party had been listening and how much he had heard. After a moment of hesitation, he nodded: "...Yes."
"Oh...what a coincidence, I also have a friend named Yan Liang."
The three were filled with doubt and uncertainty, unsure whether Wang Lianhua was telling the truth or lying to tease them; if it was the latter, it would be infuriating, but if it was the former... it couldn't be explained by mere coincidence.
Wang Lianhua looked directly at Zhan Zhao and said meaningfully, "I have been here for four months... and you?"
Upon hearing this, Zhan Zhao was taken aback at first, then his eyes lit up. He couldn't tell whether it was surprise or unexpected, but considering that Wang Lianhua seemed to be in cahoots with Wuyan Pavilion, Zhan Zhao chose to answer his question cautiously, saying, "Brother Bai and I have been here for over a year."
Wang Lianhua nodded, and Zhan Zhao pressed on, "Could you please tell me, Young Master Wang, why has the Smokeless Pavilion trapped us here?"
"What else could it be? It's naturally because Mu Rufeng wants to vent his anger." Wang Lianhua asked curiously, making no mention of her own role in fueling the fire and even subtly instigating it. "Although you suffered an undeserved calamity, you didn't come here for nothing. At least you met me, didn't you?"
Zhan Zhao: "..."
Lu Xiaofeng and Hua Manlou, who had been listening in the whole time but barely understood what the two were saying, were speechless.
Even Zhan Zhao couldn't help but smile bitterly: "But we've been trapped here for eight days, and we've only seen you. We haven't even seen that Pavilion Master Mu."
Wang Lianhua glanced at him and said, "It doesn't matter whether you see him or not. What he wants to see is not you, but Yan Liang."
There was a moment of silence in the air. They all knew that the Yan Liang that Mu Rufeng wanted to see, as Wang Lianhua mentioned, should be his elder brother, Mu Jiangchuan, so they were somewhat puzzled.
Lu Xiaofeng said directly, "But he passed away five years ago."
Hua Manlou looked at Wang Lianhua with a hint of confusion on his face—he really didn't understand why the other party would say such a thing.
Wang Lianhua continued, "When I came to find you, I met the person in charge of information in the martial arts world at Wuyan Pavilion. He said that not long ago, a young man who called himself Yan Liang appeared in the martial arts world."
"But... Mu Jiangchuan is no longer here."
Hua Manlou said softly, the more Wang Lianhua mentioned Yan Liang, the sadder he became. The deceased was gone, but Wang Lianhua mentioned the deceased in such a casual manner that he almost thought Yan Liang was still alive.
Yes, both Mu Jiangchuan and Yan Liang are dead.
Zhan Zhao thought of his friend who died at Chongxiao Tower, and lowered his eyes slightly to hide the deep thoughts in them; Lu Xiaofeng's expression was subtle. Of course, he could tell that Wang Lianhua's words had a hidden meaning, but if he thought about it more deeply, he would surely get an unbelievable answer.
Wang Lianhua smiled at Hua Manlou, not caring whether the other could see her or not, and laughed heartily: "Bai Yutang and a young man named Yan Liang are on their way to Suzhou. Who do you think Yan Liang is?"
He left with this nonsensical remark.
Wang Lianhua didn't care what they thought, but the thought of Yan Liang being on his way to Suzhou made him wonder how he could trick his long-lost friend.
Achoo!
Yan Liang sneezed, a chill ran down his spine, and he had a feeling that someone was talking about him with ill intent.
Bai Yutang, holding his knife and carrying Zhan Zhao's Juque sword on his back, crouched together under the eaves of a dilapidated temple to shelter from the rain. Behind them, inside the temple, was a soaking wet carriage and two horses resting on the ground.
Since setting off, Bai Yutang had already vaguely learned about himself from Yan Liang, and knew that it was probably something that couldn't be said in detail, so he didn't ask any further questions. He simply nodded when Yan Liang told him that he would send them back.
The two chatted casually. Yan Liang said that he and Wang Lianhua were friends, and that Wang Lianhua liked to cause trouble, but would not hurt people casually, so Bai Yutang could rest assured.
Bai Yutang was taken aback, his eyes sharpening: "He knows about you?"
Yan Liang nodded in agreement: "He encountered the same thing as you back then. I was the one who sent him back. I met him again later, and he guessed it the first time."
Bai Yutang snorted softly, staring thoughtfully at the rain. He wanted to say something, but then he remembered that Yan Liang was right beside him, sheltering from the rain together, and decided it didn't matter.
Yan Liang's death at Chongxiao Tower has always been his regret. Now that he knows that Yan Liang once lived in a place unknown to him and that they have met again here, although there is still a trace of regret, it seems to be nothing much in the face of the fact that his old friend is still alive.
—That's what I thought, but I'm still a little unhappy.
Bai Yutang stood up, smoothing out the wrinkles in his clothes. He was still gazing at the green mountains that were faintly visible in the misty rain. Suddenly, he remembered Yan Liang's martial arts practice this morning. His eyes lit up, and he looked down at Yan Liang, who was squatting on the ground, and slowly spoke.
"When we get to Suzhou, we'll have a fight."
Yan Liang looked up at him in shock: "Why?!"
Bai Yutang looked at him and asked in return, "Why do you say that?"
Yan Liang's gaze shifted for a moment before he agreed, "...Okay."
Author's Note: Aaaaaaah, I made a mistake! _(:з」∠)_
Oh my god, I'm a little confused and thought the rankings changed today.
I'll try to thank all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants between 21:17:56 on May 4, 2020 and 12:01:10 on May 6, 2020!
Thank you to the little angels who watered with nutrient solution: Qingying July 10 bottles; Qianxi 5 bottles;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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