Zhuang Su placed her piece down and sighed softly, "Originally, Uncle Yan was indeed going to teach me, but I didn't want to." Considering that the person in front of her was the master of Liuyun Manor, she wasn't surprised that he was so familiar with her past, and answered calmly.
Mo Liyuan also placed a move: "You don't want to? While in the One Leaf Alliance, you might not need to use those killing skills, but once you enter the martial world, these are all life-saving tricks. Even if you don't want to kill, you probably won't get what you want. For example, what happened that day, do you regret not following their arrangements back then?"
"I don't regret it." Zhuang Su bit her lip slightly, her voice clear and calm. "Some people don't want me to kill anyone." She recalled the scene when Shen Jian protected her as she walked out of that dark, hellish room when she was a child, but her eyelashes drooped involuntarily.
"But the consequence of you not killing is that you're harming others." Mo Liyuan cruelly peeled back the last layer of pretense, quietly raising his eyes to look at Zhuang Su, his gaze deep and unfathomable. "Why did you have to inherit this womanly compassion..."
It seems like an exploration, but also like a self-questioning.
Zhuang Su was bewildered but did not notice the strangeness in his tone. His hand, which had been holding a chess piece, slowly fell. Looking at the fiercely contested chessboard, his lips were slightly cold: "Actually... at that moment, I also hoped that Shen Sansi would die."
With her crimson lips and slightly pale face, her gaze seemed to be fixed on a distant place, even causing Mo Liyuan to momentarily lose his senses.
“If you hadn’t shown up, I was prepared to—kill him.” Zhuang Su smiled slightly, her hand resting on the pouch at her waist. She looked at Mo Liyuan with an odd calm in her eyes. “I carry poison.”
Mo Liyuan's expression twitched almost imperceptibly, but he pursed his lips slightly and said, "Very good." It was as if nothing had happened just now. He placed a piece, but it was unclear whether he was praising the game or the game itself.
Qingchen, you tried every means to keep Susu by your side, but what was the result?
You say she will become another Qingyuan? Can you really fool yourself with such self-deceptive words?
You've probably noticed it too—Susu and Qingyuan are always different…
For a moment, no one spoke. Mo Liyuan's gaze gently swept over Su Su's handbag, concealing the smile that involuntarily crept onto his lips. Su Su was still a rough gem, and he eagerly awaited to see what she would look like when she grew up.
As the sun began to set, Mo Liyuan finished the chess game and left on his own. Zhuang Su then went back to her room to eat, but the conversation she had had with Mo Liyuan during the chess game kept replaying in her mind. The pouch at her waist felt vaguely heavy, and remembering her words from that time, she couldn't help but drift into a daze.
"Do I really... want to kill Shen Sansi?" Leaning against the window, she asked softly, her voice trembling. The image of Liu Su covered in wounds still lingered in her mind, and Zhuang Su felt a chill run through her limbs. She knew that for a moment, she had indeed considered killing him. But Liu Su's meaningful glance at that time seemed to tell her "no."
Zhuang Su felt a stinging sensation in her eyes, yet they remained dry. She didn't understand why everyone around her seemed to want to protect her, preferring to get hurt themselves rather than let her hands bleed. In truth, Shen Sansi had died from a hidden weapon used by Liuyun Manor that day; she could cure the poison in the weapon, but she chose to ignore it…
She wasn't as kind as they imagined; she didn't want to protect many things, just the people around her.
Only after leaving Shengxiao Valley did I gradually realize how vast the outside world is, and how it makes people feel powerless to control their own destiny.
"It is no harm for others to defeat me, for they harbor no resentment; but it is not a blessing for me to defeat others, for I may suffer unforeseen calamities..." Zhuang Su murmured softly, secretly resolving to cultivate her character and restrain her temperament in the future. Lost in thought, she suddenly heard someone knocking on the door. Slightly surprised that someone was looking for her at this hour, she opened the door and saw a maidservant.
"What is it?" Zhuang Su asked.
The maidservant respectfully replied, "Miss Susu, the master of the manor requests your presence at Yiqing Pavilion."
"Now?" Zhuang Su glanced at the already dark sky, hesitating slightly. The surrounding sky was dark, the glittering stars shrouded in a hazy mist.
"Please don't make things difficult for me, young lady." The maid's voice trembled slightly. Zhuang Su thought she was afraid that Mo Liyuan would blame her, so she couldn't bear to make things difficult for her. She went back to her room to get a shawl and asked the maid to lead the way.
The maid led the way, with artificial hills and strange rocks appearing one after another around the passageway. She stopped in front of a grove of trees and said respectfully, "It is inconvenient for this servant to go in. Please go in by yourself, Miss."
Zhuang Su had never been here before. Although the surroundings were unique, they seemed to lack the refined elegance of other places. Unsure of Mo Liyuan's intentions, and with the somewhat gloomy road ahead, Zhuang Su had no choice but to proceed alone.
A rustling sound filled the air as the wind passed through the trees. The woman, hidden in the dense forest, watched Zhuang Su leave until she disappeared from sight under the dimming stars. Only then did a meaningful smile appear on her lips: "I wonder if Li Yuan will kill her..."
Beneath her clear, bright eyes lay a hint of coldness. Banmei stood quietly for a moment, then silently turned and left.
The night was cool and still. Liuyun Manor remained serene.
Chapter Fourteen: It's an Old Friend Who Came (Part Two)
The tranquility of the mountain villa extends into the secluded passageway, where the bluestone faintly reflects the moonlight, creating a stark white hue. At the end of the passageway is a small, exquisitely crafted pavilion, its roof hidden by dense foliage, making it impossible to tell whether the trees grew on the roof or spread from the surrounding area.
This pavilion seems to have been around for quite some time; some of the tiles on the eaves look old and have lost some of their paint.
The three characters "Yiqing Pavilion" on the plaque appear relatively new, suggesting that it was hung up within the last few years, while the old plaque has been replaced and its whereabouts are unknown.
A person stood inside the room, dressed in flowing white robes, gazing absently at the painting on the wall.
The woman in the painting is dressed in a flowing blue robe, with delicate hands and skin as smooth as jade. Her long sleeves sway gracefully as she dances. She glances back at the person gazing at her from within the painting, her sudden turn of the head like a brush against clouds and the moon.
He stared blankly, his eyes beneath the mask seeming to hold a mist that had never dissipated for millennia. So absorbed in his thoughts, he didn't even notice someone enter the room.
"Long time no see, 'Wine Envoy'." Mo Liyuan's tone was slightly cold. "No, shouldn't I call you Alliance Leader now, Qingchen?"
Qingchen's attention finally left the painting upon hearing this, but her tone was sneer: "After all these years, you still can't forget her?"
Mo Liyuan sneered: "You seem to be the least qualified person to ask me that question, don't you?"
Qingchen's eyes darkened slightly, but she smiled and said, "You summoned me here to reminisce? Don't tell me you miss me, Mo Liyuan, the former 'treasurer' of the One Leaf Alliance?"
"'Treasurer'? That's quite an old title..." Mo Liyuan looked at the person in front of him meaningfully, vaguely feeling that he looked a bit thinner than he remembered. "Qingchen, it's been ten years, hasn't it? You've been drunk for ten years, and I haven't been able to get together with you again. We were old friends, after all."
Qingchen glanced silently at Mo Liyuan, her eyes filled with an inscrutable expression: "You captured Susu just to lure me here, right? Now that I'm here, can you release her?"
"You care about her a lot?" Mo Liyuan turned his gaze to the painting, in which the woman seemed to be smiling at him. He couldn't help but sigh, "Do you care about Susu, or Qingyuan?"
A question, suspended in the void, seemed to plunge into an abyss, leaving no echo for a long time.
This question left Di Qingchen momentarily dazed.
"If it weren't for you, Qingyuan wouldn't have died." Mo Liyuan's tone suddenly turned cold. "Do you think you have the right to keep Susu by your side as if she were Qingyuan?"
“Qualifications…?” Qingchen murmured, a touch of crimson on his lips, which appeared slightly pale as he looked at the woman in the painting. “Yes, I am indeed not qualified, but—so what?” There was a hint of self-mockery, a hint of helplessness, and a hint of desolation in his eyes, yet he remained stubborn and obstinate.
His words carried a slightly chilly tone in the wind.
"Qing—Chen!" Mo Liyuan was inexplicably angered by his attitude. The sword he drew from its sheath emanated a killing intent in the night, cutting through the air with a chilling wind. The sword light pointed straight at the man's cheek, but stopped just short of it.
A sword sharp enough to cut through iron like mud. A few strands of severed hair drifted down. A touch of coldness lingered at his neck; a mere touch might splatter blood on the spot.
Qingchen glanced back, his expression still calm. In the moonlight, his eyes, clear and silent like glass, were visible, but the slight curve of his lips seemed like a mocking laugh. In his eyes, death was perhaps nothing more than a long slumber. Seeing Mo Liyuan's cold gaze, he couldn't help but smile wryly, reaching out to grasp his hand.
Blood dripped slowly from the cut skin onto the ground. The surroundings were quiet; one could almost hear the splash of the blood as it hit the ground. His long, slender hand gripped the sword tightly. Qingchen maintained a calm expression, though the blood on his hand stained the ground, and his eyes gradually reddened, yet the long, deep wound seemed irrelevant to him.
Something flickered in Mo Liyuan's eyes. With a flick of his hand, the sword returned to its sheath. As if he couldn't see Qingchen's hand bleeding profusely, he smiled mockingly: "I came to find you only to tell you that I will make that Yiye Alliance, which ruined her life, suffer eternal damnation."
Those were heartless words. Having said them, he turned and left without looking back.
Her calm gaze fell on his retreating figure, and her dry lips parted slightly without her noticing: "Thank you."
Mo Liyuan's back seemed to stiffen suddenly, but his steps only paused almost imperceptibly. His hair fluttered in the air.
The numbers were scattered about, both near and far. At that moment, a faint dripping sound suddenly came from the passageway beside them.
"Who goes there!" Mo Liyuan stopped abruptly, his eyes flashing with killing intent. A white figure had already silently darted towards him.
The person who had just arrived was caught off guard and hurriedly tried to back away, but it was too late. The gust of wind stung her face, then suddenly stopped, snapping off several strands of her hair.
Beneath the mask, his eyes, which had never shown any emotion for years, suddenly turned as cold as a thousand-year-old ice. His finger stopped half an inch from her brow, as if he was trying his best to suppress his emotions, and then suddenly swung it backward, splitting the bamboo behind him in two instantly. "You..." His breath landed softly beside her, his gaze sweeping over her to make sure she was not injured before he was slightly relieved, but he did not say anything more.
Perhaps a thousand words wouldn't suffice to answer at this moment. He'd been worried sick ever since he learned she'd left Shengxiao Valley, and this sudden encounter left him speechless. And just now—he'd almost killed her.
Upon recalling it, Qingchen felt a slight chill run through his body. He lowered his head, his voice devoid of any emotion: "What are you doing here?"
"I..." Zhuang Su collapsed to the ground from the impact, the once-thick bamboo beside her now split in two. She vaguely felt her heart pounding rapidly in her chest, still shaken. But in that instant, she looked up and saw a man in white robes, the moonlight casting a soft glow upon him, as if gilding him, making him seem otherworldly. She gazed at his masked yet undeniably handsome face, lost in thought.
His breath was close, and although his tone was cold, it felt strangely familiar to her.
"Ah, you are..." Something suddenly burst forth from her memory. Zhuang Su recalled the time she was arrested when she was seven years old, and then she remembered that she had seen this man before. At that time, her intuition told her that she should stay away from him...
"Susu." Mo Liyuan broke out in a cold sweat at what he had just witnessed, and asked in confusion, "Why are you here?"
Zhuang Su then noticed Mo Liyuan standing not far away and asked in surprise, "Didn't the manor lord send someone to summon me?"
"When did I call you?" Mo Liyuan frowned slightly. "This is a forbidden area of Liuyun Manor; no one but me is allowed to enter. This..."
"It must be a setup," Qingchen said cryptically, then smiled. "Master, now that I've come here as you wished, can you take Susu away?"
Upon hearing this, Zhuang Su realized that the masked man in front of her must also be a member of the One Leaf Alliance, and she couldn't help but secretly observe Mo Liyuan's expression.
Mo Liyuan remained silent, staring intently at Qingchen with a profound expression that made it impossible to guess what he was thinking. Just then, a bird's cry rang out in the air, and a white dove suddenly descended from the sky.
As it flew by, Mo Liyuan reached out and snatched the letter from the pigeon's leg, opening it to read. In the dim night, no one noticed his expression. He only felt the surrounding silence. After reading the letter, he remained silent for a long time before his voice came through the rustling sound: "Susu, go back and prepare. Leave Liuyun Manor early tomorrow morning."
This was in response to Qingchen's request.
"I didn't do this for you."
Mo Liyuan's deep voice drifted past her ears. Qingchen casually caught the letter that was tossed to her, and after reading its contents, her expression showed a hint of unusual turmoil.
Zhuang Su was surprised by Mo Liyuan's sudden change in attitude and couldn't help but glance at the letter tightly clutched in Qingchen's hand. Just then, she heard Mo Liyuan call out, "Let's go." Without asking any further questions, she followed behind him. As she left, she couldn't help but look back; the white-clad figure stood for a moment amidst the trees, looking slightly melancholy. Faintly, she felt a strange sense of familiarity…
Zhuang Su couldn't help but think of her father, who also liked to wear white and had a casual demeanor. She wondered how he was doing now and couldn't help but feel a little sentimental.
People who like white clothes seem to have a unique, ethereal quality.
This glance back caused the image in her mind to gradually overlap with the person in front of her, making it difficult to distinguish them for a moment.
When that person approached her, there was an aura of cold indifference about him. Recalling that moment, Zhuang Su felt a strange heat rise to her face. It was indeed that he had barely stopped, saving her life. When he spoke to her, he looked directly into her eyes, even the breath on her face was icy. She felt that this person seemed utterly heartless…
Zhuang Su vaguely remembered sensing the man's danger under his gaze many years ago. Now, seeing him again, she couldn't help but wonder if he still remembered her. The people from the One Leaf Alliance must have been sent by Qing Chen to bring her back. Zhuang Su felt a slight sense of relief. During her years of studying poison in Yanbei, she vaguely sensed that Qing Chen's weakness might not have been due to illness, but rather—a kind of poison. Fortunately, he hadn't traveled all that trouble to find her himself; otherwise, it would have been truly worrying…
"The 'Wine Envoy' has come to personally welcome you back. I knew I wasn't wrong, Su Su..." Mo Liyuan left after uttering these cryptic words, leaving Su Su stunned. The Wine Envoy? Could it be the head of the Silver Hall, the one who gave Shen Jian this mission?
She pursed her lips slightly, but a thought was vaguely forming in her mind.
The full moon in the night sky appeared somewhat dim. The wind rustled through the leaves, stirring a restless energy.
After reading the letter, both of them changed their expressions slightly, as if a storm was brewing.
Chapter Fifteen: Fallen Petals, Heartless Things (Part 1)
The morning sun had already set, and a man was leisurely playing chess alone in the garden. A black piece was placed, followed by a white piece.
A man walked in from outside the archway. Seeing him like this, he couldn't help but smile and say, "Master, aren't you going to see Miss Su Su off?"
Mo Liyuan paused slightly as he placed his piece, looked up at Yun Qing, and shook his head, saying, "I'm not going."
Yun Qing's gaze gently fell on him, and seeing that he had started playing chess alone again, she looked slightly helpless: "Master, what about Miss Banmei..."
"I didn't kill Susu, is she disappointed?" Mo Liyuan snorted coldly and said indifferently, "Yunqing, have someone tell her that if she tries to be clever again, she should get out of Liuyun Manor."
Yun Qing felt a slight headache. It seemed only he himself didn't care about Banmei's feelings for Mo Liyuan; he was far too cold-hearted. With a soft sigh, Yun Qing's voice softened, "Master, Banmei is, after all, a guest. Wouldn't treating her like this be—too hurtful?"
Mo Liyuan paused slightly as he placed his piece, his expression softened, and his voice became gentler: "She also needs to know her limits... If she wants to stay in Liuyun Manor, she must abide by the rules of the manor. I, Mo Liyuan, never need a reason to kill."
Seeing that his attitude had softened, Yun Qing couldn't help but tease, "Speaking of Miss Su Su, are you really at ease letting her leave like this, Master?"
"Gather all the guards." Mo Liyuan casually tossed the chess piece into the board, losing interest in playing. "That old man has somehow started paying attention to Susu. Before he knows Susu's background, we need to escort them away. At least Qingchen won't harm Susu."
"You mean the imperial court already knows about Miss Susu's matter?" Yun Qing asked in surprise. "Isn't that dangerous?"
"That's why I made them leave Liuyun Manor," Mo Liyuan said bitterly. "Otherwise, how could I have let Qingchen take Susu away?"