Ich denke an dich, wenn der Wind weht

Kapitel 44

The two players in the game looked up, both inwardly cheering.

The man was exceptionally handsome, and the girl had a face as beautiful as jade; even though she was soaked by the rain, her radiance could not be concealed.

The man was dressed in black, which was meant to be low-key and discreet, but instead it made him appear cold and aloof.

The woman was dressed in white, which should have been a symbol of unblemished purity, but instead it inexplicably exuded an air of icy coldness.

If it weren't for their age difference, they would truly be a perfect couple.

“Young master, you are too kind. This pavilion is not mine. There is no need for such formalities. Please come in and take shelter from the rain.” The man playing chess gestured in acknowledgment. The old monk remained silent, his eyes beneath his white eyebrows scrutinizing the girl, as if he were paying close attention to the two of them.

The group filed in, and the pavilion immediately became crowded.

The spring rain gradually intensified, hanging down from the eaves like silver chains. Jia Ye stood by the pavilion, occasionally reaching out to catch the raindrops, her fair hands glistening with them, as beautiful as jade. Xie Yunshu stood beside her, neither stopping her nor occasionally shielding her from the splashing water.

With nothing else to do, Song Yushang leaned closer to the chess commentator, watching the two players play, disregarding the custom of not speaking while observing a game and offering his opinions. Xie Quheng turned his head and, like Bai Kunyu, sized up the players, secretly making his own assessment.

Bai Fengge stared blankly at Xie Yunshu, seemingly lost in thought.

The old monk playing chess had white hair and beard, and was calm and peaceful. He slowly sipped his tea and waited for his opponent to make a move.

The young man playing chess was dressed in fine clothes, elegant and composed, with a noble demeanor, and the fingers on his chessboard were as smooth as jade.

Jiangnan is a place where hidden talents abound, and the two playing chess must be extraordinary individuals as well. However, Jia Yemo didn't care; he simply considered it a chance encounter.

"Master is indeed formidable. At this point in the game, I have no choice but to admit defeat." After playing for a short while, the young man laughed and conceded defeat, showing no sign of disappointment after losing the game.

"Amitabha." The old monk clasped his hands in prayer. "Young master's killing moves are fierce and unstoppable, but it is a pity that he was too rash and impetuous. Otherwise, this old monk would have had no chance of winning."

"Indeed, this is a problem. Master's insightful words are absolutely correct." The young man took a wet wipe from the servant and wiped his hands.

“Steel cannot last, and extreme strength will inevitably decline. Only by controlling life and death can the Way of Heaven be established.” His long, snow-white eyebrows almost covered his eyes. “Becoming a demon or a Buddha depends on a single thought.”

"What is demon, and what is Buddha?" Song Yushang retorted with a grin. "If you ask me, Buddha and demon are one family."

These words were somewhat disrespectful, taken as a jest by the Buddha. Bai Kunyu lightly rebuked him for his rudeness, but the old monk did not take offense.

“What this young master says is not wrong. There’s a Buddhist saying, ‘Lay down the butcher’s knife and become a Buddha on the spot,’ which means the same thing.” At the end, the old monk raised his eyebrows, his sharp eyes gleaming as he looked towards the pavilion. “What does this young lady think?”

As Jia Ye was lost in thought, he suddenly heard a question and turned around in slight surprise.

"May I ask you, young lady, have you ever heard of 'laying down the butcher's knife and instantly becoming a Buddha'?" The old monk looked at her, his voice deep and resonant.

The old monk suddenly questioned the young girl, which surprised not only others but also the young man playing chess.

Jia Ye paused, her dark eyes gradually turning cold. She stopped Xie Yunshu and slowly stepped forward.

"What do you mean by that, Master?"

“I have no other intention than to advise you, my dear female benefactor, that the sea of suffering is boundless, and that turning back is the shore.”

The pavilion was completely silent, save for the rushing mountain waterfall. She hesitated for a moment, then paced back and forth a few steps.

"Have we seen this before?"

"Several years ago, I had the honor of being a guest at the full-month celebration banquet of the princess of Shache Kingdom."

"Master has a good memory. No wonder you were implying something. So you were after me all along." Suddenly realizing this, Jia Ye clapped his hands lightly, his eyes instantly turning icy.

"Miss Ye... what do you mean by that?" Bai Fengge stammered, glancing at the several people in the room.

Xie Yunshu remained expressionless, staring intently at the old monk.

The young man playing chess was also quite surprised, raising his eyebrows with interest, as if he found it very interesting.

Song Yushang and Bai Kunyu were puzzled and looked at Jia Ye and Xie Yunshu in surprise.

Xie Quheng stepped forward at the right moment and pressed down on his younger brother's shoulder.

"Having spent too long in a dark room, one cannot distinguish the light of the sun and moon; having frequented abalone markets for too long, one cannot smell the fragrance of orchids and musk. With your intelligence, young lady, you should be able to distinguish right from wrong..."

Before he could finish speaking, Jia Ye snapped her fingers, interrupting him. For someone her age, this gesture was extremely rude, yet no one spoke. A growing murderous intent between her brows overshadowed her childishness, revealing a chilling, sinister aura.

"What exactly does the master want?" she teased without a hint of a smile. "It's absolutely impossible for me to become a nun."

"I dare not. I only hope that you, young lady, can uphold a compassionate heart and occasionally come to our temple to listen to the sermons. In the long run, you will surely benefit from it."

"Thank you for your kind offer, but there's no need for such formalities." She listlessly toyed with the black and white chess pieces. "The master has been kind enough; I can guess what he meant, but..."

The chess piece fell from her fingers, making soft pattering sounds on the bamboo mat.

"That's really overthinking it."

"As you get older, you inevitably think too much." She smiled faintly, her cool expression mocking and scornful. "The game is clearly over, yet the master still believes he's in it?"

"What does 'young lady' mean...?" The old monk, with his white eyebrows raised, hesitated slightly.

"I have no intention of getting involved. Why judge me by your own standards? What do worldly affairs have to do with me?"

“If that is indeed the case, then I have spoken presumptuously.” After a long silence, the old monk raised his eyes. “But if…”

"But if the tree desires stillness but the wind will not cease, please forgive my rudeness." He nodded casually. "Does the master consider this fair?"

"Amitabha, may the young lady have more time to see the scenery of Jiangnan." He paused, then added, "If you are interested in playing chess, this old monk will certainly burn incense and await you."

"Thank you." She smiled faintly and took her leave with a formal greeting for the first time.

"Now that the mountain rain has stopped, we dare not disturb you any further. Please continue, both of you."

"Why is the master so cautious about this woman?" After refilling the hot tea, another game was set up on the chessboard.

After making several moves, the old monk slowly began to speak.

"This man is a powerful figure in the Western Regions, but I don't know why he came to Jiangnan."

"To manipulate events? Master, you jest. At her age..."

"I saw her in the Western Regions five years ago, and she already looked like this." Her long eyebrows were fogged up by the hot tea, creating a charming contrast with the misty mountains and forests.

"You mean she hasn't changed in five years?"

"It may not be just five years."

"How is that possible? Who exactly is she?"

The old monk shook his head, not wanting to elaborate. "I was worried that she would cause trouble in the Central Plains, but it seems she has no such intention. This is a blessing in disguise. Your Highness need not ask any more questions. It's best if we each keep to ourselves."

"Master, you are overthinking it. Jiangnan and the Western Regions are thousands of miles apart. What good is it if they are powerful?"

"Young Master, do not entertain thoughts of fighting." As if seeing through his heart, the old monk advised him. "Although she has a background, she is still like a young girl. To win against her would be neither honorable nor a laughing matter. It would be better to give up this idea."

"How old is she exactly?" I finally couldn't suppress my curiosity.

"Well..." the old monk smiled, "I'm afraid only Buddha knows."

*Snap!* The sound of a piece being placed echoed through the mountains.

Feelings

"Who exactly is she?" Xie Quheng asked seriously. "It seems she is not an ordinary member of the Demonic Cult, otherwise Zen Master Xuanzhi would never have spoken like that."

"Zen Master Xuanzhi?"

He had heard of the highly virtuous monk who had been famous for decades. It was said he possessed several Shaolin martial arts skills, loved to travel, and was rarely seen for many years; there were even rumors that he had passed away somewhere. Yet, he had recently encountered him at Lingyin Temple and even recognized Jia Ye's true identity…

"There's no mistake, Bai Kunyu has investigated. The person he's playing against is also not simple, and we haven't found out who he is yet."

If even the Bai family, with their influence in Hangzhou, couldn't find anything, then they must be someone of considerable importance.

"And her expression that day..." Xie Quheng didn't know how to describe it. At such a young age, she had such a terrifying killing intent. Her words were full of arrogance that looked down on everything, which was very different from what he usually saw. Such a sharp aura could not be that of an ordinary person.

"I initially thought she was a servant of the Demonic Sect, whom you kindly brought to Jiangnan." Although I vaguely sensed that the bond between the two was deeper than I had imagined, I never expected it to reach this point. "When I saw you...you...even if the Xie family doesn't care about her background, your ages are...cough..."

"Big brother saw it? No wonder..." Seeing Xie Quheng's embarrassed and speechless look, he smiled.

“Jia Ye is no longer a child; she is only two years younger than me.”

"How is that possible? She looks no more than thirteen years old." Unbelievable, as expected.

“Because… for certain special reasons, she won’t grow up, but her mind and experience will already be that of a mature woman.” He explained vaguely, then smiled. “Don’t worry, brother, I wouldn’t go so far as to harm a child.”

"The Demonic Cult is indeed extremely evil," Xie Quheng muttered to himself in surprise, still puzzled. "Her real name is Jia Ye? Her identity..."

“She is one of the four envoys of the Demonic Sect, the Snow Envoy of Tianshan who is in charge of affairs of the thirty-six kingdoms of the Western Regions, and she has been my master for the past few years,” he said calmly.

Xie Quheng suddenly stood up, "She's the one who drove you into slavery?!"

"Um."

"Why keep such a person around, especially bringing her to Jiangnan?" Xie Quheng said angrily. "Are you planning to bring this troublemaker to the Xie family next? You're actually protecting her on multiple fronts. Have you lost your mind?"

She's not what you think.

“I saw with my own eyes how she spoke to Zen Master Xuanzhi. She was so arrogant and unrestrained. What could be good about her? How did she bewitch you so much that you wouldn’t even listen to your elder brother?”

“If it weren’t for her, I would have died countless times and would never have come back alive.” Compared to Xie Quheng’s anger, he simply insisted calmly. “She is a good woman, and to be honest, I am not good enough for her.”

Although she was ruthless, cunning, and merciless, she was still a rare and good woman... He always thought so.

“I know you’ve suffered so much these past years, that even your heart has become a slave to you. It wasn’t like this back then.” Xie Quheng was extremely saddened as he watched his younger brother defend that witch. “Third brother, you have disappointed me greatly.”

He remained silent; the past, so complex and entangled, could not be explained in words. To him, Jia Ye had long transcended being a mere subject; even his closest relatives could not comprehend her.

"She has already left the Demonic Sect. She came to Jiangnan only to enjoy the scenery and has no intention of getting involved in the conflicts of the martial world. Brother, you don't need to worry."

"What exactly is your relationship?"

He paused for a moment, then, noticing Xie Quheng's expression, he suddenly realized what was happening and almost laughed.

“We have no relationship for now, she is still…” He didn’t finish his sentence, and Xie Quheng roughly guessed what he meant, somewhat surprised. “You mean she… isn’t the Demonic Sect…”

"The Central Plains doesn't understand the Demonic Sect, often referring to it as a kind of evil or demonic entity. In reality, it's just an organization similar to a sect, the only difference being its strict hierarchy, cruel punishments, and secretive methods. She is by no means as despicable as my elder brother thinks; she only has her equal status because of her own strength."

No matter how hard you try to imagine, you can't fathom how a girl who looks about thirteen years old could give orders.

Xie Yunshu briefly explained some points so that his elder brother could get a general idea.

Although it was a brief explanation, it was already dark by the time I finished.

The details weren't elaborated on, but what was mentioned was enough to horrify Xie Quheng. The layers of bloody selection and slaughter, the repeated deadly assassinations at the royal court, and the constant rebellions and treasonous plots far exceeded his wildest imagination.

"...She was originally from Jiangnan, but like me, she ended up in the Tianshan Mountains by some twist of fate... She plotted revenge... After killing the King of Pope, she had no more attachments and abandoned her power to flee far away..."

After listening, I remained silent for a long time.