Nachtlied

Kapitel 38

Qi Long's wedding was very lively. My second uncle and aunt also attended, as did Uncle Cong and Aunt Xin. I am a good friend of Qianqian.

I saw Wu'er and Yi Ge busy at work. Wu'er looked a bit fuller than she had been earlier this year, and her eyes were full of lively smiles. I guessed that Qi Long and Qian Qian's wedding night wouldn't be so pleasant. Sure enough, not long after Qi Long entered the bridal chamber, Aunt Xin dragged Wu'er and Yi Ge out and scolded them, "Wu'er, other people who aren't married say they're eavesdropping or something, what are you two doing here? Haven't you done 'that' in the past two years?"

It's truly astonishing that Aunt Xin, such an upright and simple person, would utter that last sentence.

Wu'er replied, "Mother, I've been married for a year and a half, and you still have doubts about this? You're doubting Yi Ge, aren't you?"

Aunt Xin's face hardened: "Yi Ge is fine, I'm just suspicious of you. Otherwise, why aren't you pregnant yet?"

Earlier this year, while in Qushui, I heard that Wu'er had suffered a minor injury to her abdomen due to Mu Ying's actions, making it difficult for her to conceive. However, it seems they never told Aunt Xin at all. Upon hearing this, I originally wanted to go up and cover for Wu'er. Unexpectedly, Yi Ge stepped forward and said, "Mother, Wu'er is fine. Perhaps it's because I'm not good enough that she can't conceive. Besides, Wu'er is still young, so we're not in a hurry."

Uncle Cong chuckled and said, "Yes, yes, Wu'er is still too young. It would be better to wait a couple of years before she gives birth."

Aunt Xin suddenly realized something: "Wu'er, I don't think you'd be that interested in listening here. Did you tamper with things in the bridal chamber?"

Before the words were even finished, a series of firecracker explosions and Qianqian's soft scream came from inside the room. In an instant, the door to the bridal chamber was flung open, and Qi Long roared, "Wu Bao, look what you've done!"

Wu'er laughed loudly, jumped up, and ran away, with Yi Ge following her. Qi Long wanted to chase after them, but how could he catch up with the couple? He could only hear her laughing breathlessly in the distance, saying, "They just put some firecrackers in the 'fertility pot,' who knew that the incense sticks would fall down?"

Aunt Xin and Uncle Cong were both amused and exasperated: "Why won't this child grow up?"

Aunt Xin murmured to herself again, "Even though Yi Ge is still following her, he can't control her."

I chuckled and said, "Don't count on Yi Ge. He might be able to manage Wu'er in important matters, but in this kind of thing, he'll definitely go along with her and spoil her a lot."

After that wedding, I took Ning'er to stay at Wu'er's princess residence for a while.

When asked about her relationship with Yi Ge, she laughed and said, "We're not exactly respectful to each other anymore. Actually, Yi Ge can be quite witty and even a bit cheeky."

Actually, in my opinion, they're living the dream right now. Just look at the way Yi Ge looks at Wu'er; it's enviable. Indeed, a person's affection might not be expressed in their words or actions, or even in what they do; it's just that loving gaze that can be so touching.

When I talked to Wu Bao about the three wishes she made when she descended Xuefeng Mountain, she said she had found a sword, and as for a confidant, whether new or old, she had one. But her wish to marry a peerless hero was truly unfulfilled. I asked her if she had any regrets, and she laughed, "No, really no. A peerless hero is just something a young girl dreams of when she's in love. As you get older, you really don't care whether the person you meet is a peerless hero or not. Besides, marriage isn't something you can decide on your own. According to A Yan, it also depends on whether the peerless hero is interested in you. Look at Bai Yifei, didn't he not like me?"

I shook my head: "I used to think that Bai Yifei was the potential hero you mentioned before. But he may not be. In terms of responsibility and commitment, he is still lacking. It's not that whoever has the best martial arts skills is a hero. In this respect, the clever and resourceful people may not be as good as someone who is single-minded and only willing to do one thing well."

She suddenly laughed and said, "Is that so? According to your definition, Yi Ge does have that potential. He really is a single-minded person. When it comes to people, he is only willing to be good to me; when it comes to things, he is single-mindedly focused on making Ghost Palace the largest secret guard organization in the history of the four kingdoms. Although it has only just begun, I have confidence in him."

Many years later, her words indeed came true, or rather, the single-minded Yi Ge truly succeeded. The Ghost Palace indeed became the largest secret guard organization in the history of the four kingdoms. The royal families and nobles of the four kingdoms all wanted to hire secret guards from the Ghost Palace, whether for long-term or temporary protection. Some even paid the Ghost Palace to find and train secret guards from a young age.

Surprisingly, while the secret guards from the Ghost Palace were extremely loyal to their masters, they were even more loyal to the Ghost Palace organization itself. Unbeknownst to them, the Ghost Palace had acquired some of the secret intelligence of the four kingdoms. Although the Ghost Palace had never used this information to threaten any of its clients, the nobles of the four kingdoms were vaguely wary of it, both relying on and respecting the Ghost Palace.

Time flies, and Nanfeng Fort is constantly changing. First, the old fort lord, Nan Cong's grandfather, passed away. Then, my father-in-law gradually transferred the affairs of the fort to Nan Cong. Although he still held the title of fort lord, everyone in the fort knew that Nan Cong was the actual master of Nanfeng Fort.

One day, Nan Cong took out the Xuan Tie token and handed it to me, saying, "This is the fortress lord's token. Father is officially handing it over to me today."

I smiled faintly: "Congratulations. Is this thing really that important? I once saw someone obtain the Fog Token, but then give it to someone else because they loved another person."

He knew who I was talking about, and said somewhat dejectedly, "Mei'er, I know this Xuan Tie Token can't compare to the Mist Token. Not to mention the Mist Token, I'm afraid even the White Horse Token and the Ghost Palace's Cross Crystal Starburst can't compare. But, with a token in hand, I can still do some things according to my will."

I sighed and said, "Yes, I shouldn't have underestimated you. You are different from most people in Nanfeng Fort, but sometimes you go too far and use family ties as the standard for right and wrong. I hope you can change the atmosphere in Nanfeng Fort."

He gently embraced me and said, "Mei'er, back then, I thought you really would just leave. Thank you for still staying by my side. I know my flaws. The difference between me and Bai Yifei isn't just martial arts, but perhaps also a bit of righteousness. But haven't I made some progress over the years?"

I smiled and nodded: "Consider it a change of heart. Otherwise, how could you have raised Ning'er and Hui'er to be chivalrous heroes?"

A few years later, one day, Nan Cong received a letter from Bai Ma Zhuang and frowned slightly.

I leaned over to take a look, and it was a letter written by Nan Ya. The gist of it was that Bai Yifei wanted to take a concubine, and that the woman was a courtesan who looked just like Qi Wu.

Hearing Nan Cong sigh, I asked, "What are you planning to do? Go and confront them?"

He remained silent for a long time before finally saying, "A forced marriage can never be sweet. Although Bai Yifei and Xiaoya have a vow to grow old together, he has not said that he will only marry her. What fault can I find? He was never deeply in love with Xiaoya to begin with. I'm just afraid that if that concubine has a bad temper, Xiaoya will suffer."

I scoffed. With Nan Ya's cunning, she wouldn't be defeated even in the palace; at worst, she'd fall out of favor, but she'd never suffer. Besides, Bai Yifei wasn't unkind to her, just not the kind of love that runs deep. Moreover, Bai Yifei's character has become increasingly resolute over the years; he's not a man easily swayed. I think back then, when he hurt Wu'er so badly he almost couldn't love again, he probably hurt himself quite badly too. Love is always like that—it's a double-edged sword.

I said, "No, if you're worried about her suffering, then manage Nanfeng Fort well. If she has a powerful maternal family, Baima Manor won't bully her too much, and at least her status will be secure."

Two years later, another martial arts tournament was held to elect a new leader, this time at White Horse Manor. Needless to say, with Bai Yifei's current martial arts skills, the position of leader was a piece of cake. Moreover, the Si Xie Palace and the Ghost Palace had long since lost their will to cause trouble, and probably wouldn't even come to observe the ceremony. Who could possibly compete with them?

Since Nan Cong took over Nanfeng Fort, I haven't been out for a long time. So now, I'm going out for some fresh air and to visit some relatives with Ning'er and Hui'er.

We met Bai Yifei's second wife at Baimazhuang. She was holding a chubby baby boy in her arms, her belly protruding high. She did resemble Qi Wu somewhat, but she was quiet and gentle, lacking Qi Wu's free and easy spirit. However, this kind of temperament was perhaps exactly what Bai Yifei liked.

So many years have passed, and Wu'er has been living a very happy life. I no longer hate Nan Ya as much. When I saw her eyes redden as she came to greet me, I felt a little sorry for her.

Nan Ya gave birth to her daughter Bai Yiruo in the second year of her marriage, but there was no further news of her pregnancy after that.

There were some things she couldn't tell Nan Cong, so even though we weren't on good terms, she still told me. She said that after giving birth to Ruo'er, there was no further news. At first, it was possible that Bai Yifei had added contraceptive ingredients to the medicine she was taking to regulate her body. Later, because her belly remained flat, she became anxious and naturally found it difficult to conceive. Then, Jiang Rong appeared. Now, Bai Yifei spends most of his time in Jiang Rong's room, only visiting her for a day or two a month. They didn't have many heart-to-heart talks to begin with, and now they talk even less and less, mostly about Ruo'er or some miscellaneous affairs of the manor. Originally, she was the only one in charge of the manor's affairs, but now Bai Yifei said she was working too hard and asked Jiang Rong to help her. Actually, he probably didn't want her to manage the household alone, fearing that she would mistreat Jiang Rong and the child Jiang Rong had given birth to.

I asked her, "So, is Jiang Rong easy to get along with?" She smiled bitterly, "Easy to get along with? I hardly get along with her at all; we each stay in our own courtyards. She's relatively well-behaved towards me, but she's actually quite cunning. Although Bai Yifei spends a lot of time in her room, according to the maids, 'they treat each other very politely, and the master often stares blankly at his second wife.' It's said that they only have sex three or four times a month, and sometimes he even calls her by the wrong name. She's really just a substitute. But we treat her with the same food, clothing, and other necessities as the main wife."

I can only sigh. Bai Yifei is such a stubborn person. Who did this marriage ruin? Fortunately, Wu'er has completely moved on. It really is thanks to Yi Ge, that real man.

That year, Bai Yifei indeed became the leader of the martial arts alliance.

There was a little incident during the martial arts tournament. Someone from the Dragon Mist Sect came to observe, a handsome young man with smiling eyes and a striking resemblance to Wu'er. When I asked his name, he looked at me with a grin and said, "You must be Sister Yi Mei, right? You know my eldest brother, eldest sister, and second brother, but you haven't seen me before, have you?"

I suddenly laughed: "You are Helan Xu, aren't you? I've seen you before, but you were only seven years old. Has it been so long?"

He laughed and said, "I'm sixteen too. My second brother has been down the mountain for many years." Indeed, Helan Yan, who held the Fog Token, has been down the mountain for many years, appearing and disappearing mysteriously, but he has also left behind some legends.

Two years later, I heard that Nan Ya had given birth to another daughter. Perhaps her previous claim that Bai Yifei had used drugs on her was just speculation. She appeared calm on the outside but was actually very anxious inside, but there was nothing anyone could do to help her with that.

Yi Ge resigned from his position in the Northern Di Palace and focused on the Ghost Palace. I now have the opportunity to get close to Wu'er and see her naughty little daughter and well-behaved son.

When I saw her that day, she wasn't in the Ghost Palace, but in one of Qu Shui's villas. The house wasn't very big, but it had a large courtyard. The servants recognized me, so they just told me that the masters were in the backyard. I told them not to announce my arrival and then led Ning'er and Hui'er inside.

Before even reaching the round gate, I heard laughter coming from the backyard. In the distance, I saw two children playing. Under the trellis, a low couch was set up; Yi Ge sat on it, while Wu'er reclined against him, her gaze gentle as she watched the two children running around. Her hand lightly stroked her high, round belly. Suddenly, she looked down at her stomach and smiled. Yi Ge's eyes, however, remained fixed on her. He then leaned down and gently kissed her cheek. Sunlight filtered through the trellis, dappling them like scattered gold—a scene that made me envious. I almost didn't want to break this beautiful moment.

Seeing that I didn't move, Ning'er and Hui'er couldn't help but call out "Mother!" Yi Ge and Wu'er both looked up and greeted me with smiles.

I let Ning'er and Hui'er play with the two other children, then walked over and asked with a smile, "Haven't seen you for a year, are you expecting another baby in the family?"

Wu'er pulled me down to sit, pointing to my belly under my thin shirt and saying, "Yi Mei, look, look! So the baby can move around in the belly too. Look, you can see the little hands and feet clearly."

I was both amused and exasperated: "You've already had two babies, don't you know they move around in your belly? It would be worse if they didn't move!"

She explained, "I'm not saying he kicked me or anything, but it's clearly visible on my stomach. The previous two babies were born in winter, and I didn't notice them because I was wearing thick clothes. But this one is so obvious."

I reached out and stroked her belly: "How much longer?"

She smiled slightly and said, "It'll be another month or so. This is the first child born in Lingnan."

I joked, "Oh, from what you're saying, it sounds like you're going to have a lot of children in Lingnan?"

She said nonchalantly, "Well, I'm lazy. If I have a child, I'll have it. I'll just let nature take its course."

Yi Ge, standing to the side, looked anxious: "No, no, we won't keep this baby after it's born. Wu Bao, the contraceptive pills have been made into pills, they're safe to take."

Wu'er pouted and said, "Is it a pill or not? All medicines have some toxicity, I won't take it."

Yi Ge said, "That Wu Bao, you're not trying to suffocate me, are you?"

Uh, I was really shocked, and cold sweat broke out all over my body. Was that Yi Ge, who rarely made a sound? So blatant?

Wu'er patted me and said, "Were you scared by him? That's just how he is; he's always silent until he makes a big splash." Then she turned to Yi Ge and said, "Palace Master, can we discuss this issue when it's just the two of us?"

Yi Ge said nonchalantly, "When there are two of us, there are more important things to do."

Sigh, I admit I'm getting a little restless, thinking maybe I should just let them be "the two of them" right now.

Wu'er patted her stomach lightly and said, "There's no important thing to do right now."

Yi Ge scratched his head and suddenly called the children to go to the corridor for some snacks.

I helped Wu'er up and asked with a smile, "You probably never imagined that someone as quiet as you would one day develop this kind of personality, did you?"

She laughed and said, "Yes, how could I have known what would happen in the future? I used to say that I wanted to marry a peerless hero. Back then, I thought that anyone who made a name for themselves in the martial arts world was a peerless hero."

I interjected, "Like Bai Yifei, the current leader of the martial arts alliance?"

She shook her head: "So, how superficial we were back then."

She suddenly asked, "I heard that Nan Ya is very ill?"

I nodded in agreement: "Nan Cong has already gone to Baima Village to see her. I heard that her health has been poor ever since she gave birth to her youngest daughter two years ago, and she has been recuperating at the villa. I heard that her condition has worsened and she seems to be having some trouble getting through this."

She lowered her head: "She's too calculating, and she can't stand being mistreated after giving birth. Perhaps the second mistress of White Horse Manor isn't as simple as she seems?"

I was surprised: "You knew all that?"

She laughed and said, "Don't you know that another function of the Shadow Guards is to collect intelligence in secret? But actually I also know that she didn't use any amazing methods, it was just the right amount of time. It can only be said that one thing can overcome another."

I sneered: "The key is that Bai Yifei is far from being that deeply affectionate. He's just fulfilling his duties as a husband, perhaps even the duties of a good husband, but feelings are always outside the bounds of propriety. So what if she marries a peerless hero?"

She suddenly smiled and said, "Actually, I think I've fulfilled my wish. Everyone has their own definition of a peerless hero, and it's not static. I'm increasingly convinced that Yi Ge is my peerless hero."

I admit from the bottom of my heart, isn't a man who can influence the political situation of four countries from the shadows a peerless hero?

Author's Note: This story is now officially finished. I may revise it later. I might also write a separate short story about Yi Ge's parents soon. Please follow my column. It's in the synopsis; if you're interested, please click to add it to your favorites.