"Is this kind of thing even fake?"
Seeing that Chu San and Hua Chongyang were equally composed, it took Ye Laoqi a long time to react:
"...OP."
"What?"
"You mean...you reconciled with Hua Chongyang the day before yesterday just to...to obtain the Yellow Springs Martial Arts Manual? This...how is that possible?!"
Hua Chongyang remained silent.
Chu San stood up and snatched the letter from Ye Laoqi's hand:
"What's impossible about that?"
Ye Laoqi finally began to recover from the shock, clearing his throat:
"It's nothing... I just always thought, I always thought that the poster had feelings for Lan Wuxie--"
She stopped speaking, glanced at Hua Chongyang sitting expressionlessly by the window, and for a moment didn't know how to continue. Chu San, on the other hand, sneered:
"We want to avenge Qinghua. We can't let people think that brothels are easy to bully. Think about Seventh Brother, how good was Qinghua's martial arts back then? In the entire martial arts world, there were no more than five people who could defeat her. Let alone who the murderer is, just consider how high their martial arts must be! If we want to avenge her, how can we defeat our enemies without the Yellow Springs Martial Arts Technique? In the martial arts world, the strong are respected. If you can't beat others, everything is just empty talk. The brothel owner can't be so ignorant of this principle. It's better to rely on yourself than on others. Now that Bailu has practiced the Yellow Springs Martial Arts Technique, once she comes out of seclusion, Lan Wuxie will be no match for her. The brothel's growth will be just around the corner."
The news was too shocking, and Chu San and Hua Chongyang, especially Hua Chongyang's detached attitude, left Ye Laoqi momentarily stunned. Before she could grasp the whole story, Hua Chongyang had already turned to look at Chu San:
"Sister Chu, please reply to this message for me."
"good."
"The brothel has remained aloof from the martial world for so many years; now it's time for it to finally hold its head high. Tell Sister Huang that from the moment she receives this letter, without hesitation, every minor sect from Suzhou and Hangzhou to the two lakes region, including the territory of Nan Chu Manor, that is willing to stand on our side will be rewarded with a thousand taels of gold."
Ye Laoqi was completely dumbfounded this time.
73. Pear Garden Banquet
Using money to win them over and enticing them with secret manuals, in just two days, a third of the minor sects in the seven provinces along the Jiangnan coast had joined the brothel's ranks. Not only was the Southern Chu Manor's power weakened, but even the Lan Ying Palace was affected, with its smaller factions causing widespread unrest and becoming difficult to control.
At this moment, in Hangzhou's Banlianzui, Lancao was completely enraged:
"Haven't seen you for two days, Hua Chongyang has really made something of himself! He's even vying for territory with Lan Ying Palace in the brothel business?!"
Lan Wuxie remained silent, shifting his position every now and then to continue his dazed state. Lan Cao, unable to bear it any longer, walked around to his side and said, suppressing her anger:
"Sect Leader, I think you should ask Hua Chongyang for clarification."
Lan Wuxie then looked up:
"She's been secretly preparing for so long, all for the sake of getting the brothel to take the lead."
"But the territorial dispute has reached Lan Ying Palace—"
"Let those minor sects, who can be bought off with a thousand pieces of gold, do as they please." Lan Wuxie said calmly, "It's just for creating momentum; who would really take them seriously?"
"Even so, but--"
Lan Wuxie, seemingly oblivious to Lan Cao's worries, stood up and frowned.
"but."
"But what, Pavilion Master?"
"I shouldn't have written half of the Yellow Springs Martial Arts Manual to Chongyang."
"...What?!" Lan Cao was stunned, only regaining her senses after a long while. "Sect Master, you...you wrote half of the Yellow Springs Martial Arts Manual for Hua Chongyang? When did this happen...how could this be...So...Bai Lu, Yan Bai Lu has really started cultivating the Yellow Springs Martial Arts Manual..."
Lan Wuxie still frowned, clearly worried about something completely different from Lan Wuxie:
"At the time, she only said she was curious. If she had actually admitted to possessing the Yellow Springs Martial Arts Manual, countless people would have gone after her."
The orchid finally couldn't hold back any longer and burst forth:
"Master, now is not the time to worry about that!"
Lan Wuxie looked up at him:
What are you trying to say?
"Hua Chongyang's actions have significantly damaged the reputation of Lan Ying Palace. Forgive my rudeness, Pavilion Master," Lan Cao took a deep breath, "this isn't how you spoil a woman. There's a limit to how much you pamper her. Hua Chongyang is so different now than before. Her arrogance and conceit are clearly—"
"At what?"
After hesitating for a long time, Lan Cao carefully uttered three words:
"...using the Orchid Shadow Palace."
To put it bluntly, it's about taking advantage of Lan Wuxie, but Lan Cao dares not say it.
Lan Wuxie remained silent.
Lan Cao stood to one side, her heart pounding with anxiety, before he finally spoke:
"Is she still in the gorge?"
"...Yes. It's been raining continuously over there, so I'm afraid Hua Chongyang will have to stay there for a few more days."
"What about Qingling?"
"Qingling is heading south, seemingly towards Guangxi. I wonder if it's a smokescreen, or if Yanzu Valley's hideout is truly there."
"Okay. You can go now."
"Over there at the brothel—"
Lan Wuxie sat back in his chair, pondered for a long time, and then waved his hand:
"Give the order: no one in Lanying Palace is permitted to lay a hand on anyone from the brothel."
It was almost a month later when I returned to Hangzhou.
When Hua Chongyang returned to Hangzhou, she became much more high-profile. From her pomp and circumstance to her attire and even the manner of her speech, everything was suddenly different from before. Whether it was intentional or not, her arrival in Hangzhou happened to coincide with Bai Lu's departure. Bai Lu and Liu Dawei welcomed her back with a dozen tables set up at the Pear Garden. Besides a group of beautiful women of all shapes and sizes from the brothel, some influential figures from the martial arts world who could be invited, and the leaders of various sects, large and small, that now relied on the brothel, were also present at the tables.
Situ Qingliu sat in the VIP seat, next to Bai Lu. Below him were Rong Chenfei, Miao Yunshan, the leader of the Kongtong Sect, Xie Hongling, the leader of the Lingmen Sect, and so on. It was truly a gathering of distinguished guests.
Hua Chongyang arrived last. Although Liu Da had told her in his letter that she was going to hold a grand event, she seemed to be taken aback by the spectacle when she was ushered into the hall. After she recovered, she quickly got into character, sat down in the chief host's seat with a radiant face, right between Situ Qingliu and Bai Lu.
As soon as she sat down, Bai Lu glanced at her clothes and, without making a sound, whispered to her:
"This dress is quite nice."
Hua Chongyang picked up his teacup, covered his mouth, and replied in a low voice:
"Sister Huang was waiting at the city gate with the clothes, insisting that I change in the carriage. Why are there so many people today?"
"How can we make a good show with so few people?" Bai Lu said, glancing at Situ Qingliu with a smile. "We have to thank Brother Qing. If it weren't for him, how could so many people have given us face?"
Hua Chongyang paused for a moment before smiling and turning to Situ Qingliu:
"I must thank you, Your Highness."
"Chongyang, you're too kind," Situ Qingliu said with a smile. "This matter is clearly in my best interest as well, so why the need for thanks? If anyone should be thanking someone, it's me thanking you."
Hua Chongyang's expression changed slightly, and he quickly changed the subject:
"Where is the Crown Prince's wife?"
Given the high profile of the occasion, shouldn't Bo Jiang have been present?
Situ Qingliu smiled:
Those who walk different paths cannot make plans together.
Now that Bo Feng has reconciled with Lan Ying Palace, it's tantamount to abandoning Situ Qingliu's backing. Bo Jiang, ever opportunistic, will naturally distance himself from Situ Qingliu and avoid public appearances. After a pause, Situ Qingliu sighed with a helpless smile:
"What marriage? In the end, it's nothing but a child's play."
"That's a bit strange," Bai Lu interjected, biting her chopsticks, "Brother Qing, how could that Bo fellow be willing to give up such a juicy piece of meat like you? In terms of wealth and power, how can Lan Ying Palace compare to you?"
Situ Qingliu smiled, then shook his head after a long pause:
"That's not necessarily true. I heard that Lan Ying Palace, in an effort to win over Bo Feng, secretly gave him a gift of 100,000 taels of silver and 10,000 taels of gold."
Bai Lu opened her mouth wide, and the chopsticks in her hand fell to the ground with a "clatter." It took her a while to frantically pick them up.
"So it's true? I thought it was just a rumor! How can Lan Ying Palace be so rich? It's almost as rich as the imperial court! Brother Qing, do you know why?"
Situ Qingliu smiled but remained silent. Bai Lu looked at him and boldly pressed on with another question:
"Brother Qing, I heard that Prince Ningjing has always wanted to get rid of Lanying Palace, not only because Lan Wuxie is against the court, but also because he is too rich. Is that true?--"
"Bai Lu!" Hua Chongyang slammed his chopsticks down on her hand, interrupting her. "No one will think you're mute if you don't speak! If you're going to talk nonsense, eat more! Don't say anything out of line!"
Situ Qingliu smiled slightly, glanced at Bailu, and then slowly said:
"My father has some reservations about Lanying Palace, but I'm not entirely sure why."
Hua Chongyang served food to Situ Qingliu and then steered the conversation away with a smile:
"So, it seems that Sect Leader Bo Feng is going to side with Lan Ying Palace. Wouldn't that split the Martial Alliance into two factions?"
One faction followed the prevailing winds and aligned themselves with Lan Ying Palace; the other faction remained steadfastly by Situ Qingliu's side.
"People die for wealth, birds die for food; it's understandable that Sect Leader Bo would do this," Situ Qingliu said, picking up his chopsticks and smiling gently. "However, the martial world is the martial world; since ancient times, the court and the common people have been clearly separated. The court wouldn't get involved in this mess unless absolutely necessary."
Hua Chongyang was slightly taken aback.
Does Situ Qingliu mean that things have reached a point where there is "no other choice"? Otherwise, why would Prince Ningjing personally appear in the martial arts world a year ago, while Situ Qingliu has been staying in Jiangnan for the past year without leaving?
Could it be that the rumors Bailu mentioned earlier are true?
In that case, Lan Wuxie would not only be dealing with a small martial arts alliance, but also with the imperial court.
"Hey." Hua Chongyang was lost in thought when Bai Lu nudged her gently with her elbow and whispered, "Hua Chongyang."
"What?"
"Something's strange today," Bai Lu glanced at the door, then at the people at the table, and finally at Hua Chongyang, "Someone's missing."
Hua Chongyang immediately realized who she was talking about.
Although she had already emerged from seclusion, Bai Lu still did not know that the martial arts manual Liu Da had given her for her to cultivate in seclusion was the Yellow Springs Martial Arts Manual, and naturally she was even less aware of the somewhat strange atmosphere between Hua Chongyang and Lan Wuxie.
Seeing that Chongyang didn't respond, Bailu assumed she was just shy and pressed her advantage, whispering with a laugh:
"Logically speaking, if he had known that Brother Qing was here, he should have come over and been jealous long ago."
Hua Chongyang's expression immediately changed, and he glared fiercely at Bai Lu:
"Eat your food!"