"How does Lord Yun intend for me to die?"
"I don't like having blood on my hands."
"So you'll use poison?" Mu'er asked, "Just like when you poisoned Lord Shi's entire family?"
Yun Qingxian remained silent. Mu'er then asked, "Has Lord Yun prepared any poison on his person?"
Yun Qingxian did not answer.
Mu'er sighed, "That's a bad question. Lord Yun has obviously come prepared." She paused, then said, "Lord Yun, I have a favor to ask."
This time, Yun Qingxian replied, "Go ahead."
"Please inform me before you take action, sir. That way, at least I won't be constantly on edge until that moment happens."
Yun Qingxian closed his eyes, feeling very uncomfortable, but still replied, "Okay."
Mu'er breathed a sigh of relief and shifted in her chair, seemingly relaxing a bit.
"That puts my mind at ease." She smiled, as if he had done her a great favor.
This caused Yun Qingxian even more bitterness in his heart. He couldn't help but say, "If I take you to a place where you are waited on and have no worries about food or clothing, you can play the zither and do whatever you like, but you cannot leave that place, and no one will recognize you anymore. In this world, there will be no more Mu'er. Would you be willing?"
"Does Your Excellency mean that if I obediently live in seclusion and hide my identity, I won't have to die?" Mu'er smiled. "If I say I'm willing, will Your Excellency believe me?"
Yun Qingxian was stung by her smile and tone. He grabbed the kettle and cups on the table, poured himself two glasses of water, and calmed down.
He naturally didn't believe it.
So, although the thought had flashed through his mind before his prison break, as he carefully considered the entire plan, he quickly dismissed it. Mu'er wasn't the kind of woman to be manipulated; he couldn't control her. Just as he had thought she would be unable to do anything after going blind, it turned out that everything stemmed from her.
If she doesn't die, she'll be a menace.
She even knew he wanted to kill her, yet she didn't offer to keep quiet to save her life. Because she knew that even if she told him, he wouldn't believe her.
Yun Qingxian was extremely annoyed. He wished Mu'er wasn't this kind of woman. If she weren't so intelligent, so special, so exceptionally skilled at playing the zither…
She was the best zither player he had ever seen. The way she played, the joy she felt while playing, was exactly like his mother's.
Yun Qingxian remained silent for a long time, while Mu'er had a lot of questions she wanted to ask.
"Lord Yun, after I disappear, how do you intend to resolve the case of Mr. Shi?"
"That's not difficult. Last time, when Ya Lili, the Qin envoy from Ximin Kingdom, visited, she provided us with an important clue. That was that Shi Boyin originally intended to marry her. Who is Ya Lili? She is the head of the Qin Wan Department in Ximin Kingdom. Naturally, she has extremely high standards for the Qin and its music. Previously, some people had doubts about why Shi Boyin, a dignified Qin master, would steal the score and kill someone. Now, we have the answer. The music was exquisite, and Shi Boyin wanted to use the score to present to Ya Lili as a betrothal gift. Naturally, Master Shi was unwilling to part with it, so in a fit of anger, Shi Boyin bought poison and killed her. As for what you Qin players call 'appealing for justice at the execution ground,' it was merely his dying plea to Ya Lili."
After listening, Mu'er thought for a moment and nodded: "This is indeed a very good story. It even uses Lady Ya Li, blocking her from appealing for justice again. It also silences the musicians. It upholds the original verdict, saves face for the Ministry of Justice, and makes it easier to explain to the Emperor."
"So, only Long Er and the Long family are left as problems."
Mu'er nodded: "My husband will teach you a lesson!" Her tone suggested that the Second Master would have a good talk with her.
Yun Qingxian sneered, "After tonight, the Long family will be in deep trouble. Resisting orders to break a prisoner, refusing to hand over prisoners, disrupting the law, interfering in criminal cases—if we investigate further, we'll find evidence of Long San's involvement in murders in the martial world, Long Er's shady business dealings, and Long Da's indiscretions on the front lines." He paused, lowering his voice, "Do you think Long Er will have the time to deal with me?"
Mu'er repeated, "Although I won't be able to see it then, my husband will still give you a good scolding."
"You seem to have a lot of faith in him." Yun Qingxian narrowed his eyes slightly. "I really want to keep you alive until that day, so you can see how Long Er begs for mercy in my hands."
"If you are willing to spare my life, I will certainly not object."
Yun Qingxian laughed heartily: "Even now, you're still making witty remarks. Do you think that if you drag this out, Long Er will come to rescue you?"
"One should always leave a glimmer of hope, shouldn't one?"
hope?
Yun Qingxian's smile froze on his face. He too had once been full of hope, and even after experiencing disappointment, he still told himself there was hope. So hope was followed by disappointment, until despair.
"Mu'er, am I a bad person in your heart?"
Mu'er pursed her lips and remained silent.
Yun Qingxian looked at her and suddenly smiled, "Actually, you must know quite a lot. You dare not say it, dare not ask me, because you're afraid I'll find out what Long Er knows. You're afraid that if I know everything, I'll turn around and deal with Long Er, isn't that right? It's alright, I'm not afraid of stalling for time. Even if Long Er doesn't find you in prison and immediately suspects me, he won't find this place so quickly. He'll be caught off guard, while I have plenty of time. I want to tell you about my affairs. This is the last time in my life that I can sit and talk to you like this. Perhaps this is also the last time in my life that I will tell anyone about this. Are you willing to listen?"
Author's Note: The next update will be on Thursday.
93. The perpetrators who recounted past events were apprehended.
"If you're willing, take your time and tell me."
The longer you talk, the better.
Mu'er always believed that Long Er would come.
He told her three times that he would pick her up at the hour of Chou (1-3 AM). Why did he emphasize the hour? She was blind, and no one would announce the time in the prison. What was the point of telling her the hour? They were clearly worried that the walls were overhearing them, yet he still said it three times.
So he will definitely come to save her. As long as she holds on. He will find her; only he can ever find her.
Then Yun Qingxian began to speak.
Yun Qingxian grew up in Guishan County and lived with his mother.
However, his mother was not a local. She came from the Western Min Kingdom, and because her family was persecuted, she fled to Guishan County with her family. Fearing that they would be found by their enemies, she changed her name to Yunxiang and lived on the outskirts of the county town, rarely contacting anyone.
Yunxiang loved playing the zither very much. Although she wasn't very good at it, she had to play a few pieces every day.
One day, she met a man in the peach grove outside the temple near her home. The man's name was Li Dongwang.
Mu'er nodded; it was pretty much what she had guessed. It was probably like the story the storyteller had told: a man and a woman fell in love, but the man went far away to seek fame and fortune and never returned.
As expected, what Yun Qingxian said later was similar to this kind of story. However, usually, women who wait in their hometowns for their lovers to return are filled with sorrow and suffer tragic fates. But Yun Qingxian's mother was different.
Yunxiang lived a fulfilling life, and she taught Yun Qingxian very well. She played the zither every day, and her skills improved considerably. She truly missed Li Dongwang, and this longing inspired her to compose an exquisite and beautiful zither piece. She poured all her emotions into the music, layer upon layer, endlessly flowing.
Everyone who has heard this piece praises it highly. Even the most famous piano teacher in the city raves about it, but he can't believe it was composed by an unknown piano player.
Yun Qingxian loved his mother dearly. She was kind, humble, and extremely talented. She remained calm and composed in the face of rumors and gossip, displaying remarkable magnanimity.
Yunxiang told Yun Qingxian that his father was a remarkable man, loyal and righteous, ambitious, and confident that he would become an official and bring benefits to the people. Regarding why this remarkable father had never returned, Yunxiang told Yun Qingxian that becoming an official was not easy, especially for an ordinary man from a poor, remote village with no money or family connections. To gain a foothold in the capital was even more difficult. Moreover, he was unaware of Yun Qingxian's existence.
It turned out that Li Dongwang and Yunxiang's marriage was a hasty affair, essentially a private engagement. The two prayed to Buddha and Heaven at the temple, but didn't even have a drink. At that time, both families had no elders and no money, so Yunxiang asked for nothing. She even gave all her savings to Li Dongwang to support his journey to the capital for the imperial examinations.
Not long after Li Dongwang left, Yunxiang discovered she was pregnant and eventually gave birth to Yun Qingxian.
Yun Qingxian's original name was Li Qingxian. Yunxiang talked to him about Li Dongwang every day. She didn't want her son to be unaware of his father, nor did she want him to harbor resentment towards him.
Therefore, Yun Qingxian grew up amidst his mother's praise of his father and the exquisite zither music.
When Yun Qingxian was fourteen, Yun Xiang died of a serious illness. On her deathbed, she held Yun Qingxian's hand and told him to go to the capital to find his father. She said that Li Dongwang must be struggling to achieve his ambitions in the capital. She told Yun Qingxian not to blame him, and she also asked him to tell Li Dongwang that she had been waiting for him to return and marry her, but due to her poor health, she could not keep her promise, and asked him not to blame her.
Yun Qingxian was heartbroken. He changed his name from Li Qingxian to Yun Qingxian in memory of his mother. Anyway, no one had ever called him by the surname Li.
Yunxiang was right about one thing: a poor boy without money or family connections has a hard time getting by in the capital. Yun Qingxian suffered a lot, endured much hardship, and even suffered many humiliations, but he endured it all. He searched everywhere for a middle-aged man named Li Dongwang, but he could not find him.
Until one day, he met a benefactor named Shi Zechun.
Shi Zechun took a great liking to this young man who had traveled thousands of miles alone to the capital to find his father. He also admired his hard work and began to arrange some jobs for him so that he could earn wages and no longer worry about food and clothing.
Yun Qingxian learned martial arts from a monk in the temple from a young age and became highly skilled. He was intelligent, had his own opinions, was upright and serious, and quickly distinguished himself among the new recruits.
Shi Zechun treated him very well, not only arranging for someone to continue teaching him martial arts and recitation, but also personally instructing him on how to navigate officialdom.
Yun Qingxian was extremely grateful to him, and he asked Shi Zechun to help him find his biological father. He took out his mother's belongings, a red dress that she had made to symbolize her secret engagement to Li Dongwang. The cloth was coarse and the style was old-fashioned, but it was kept clean and tidy. Yunxiang had said that when she wore this dress, Li Dongwang praised her for looking beautiful.
Shi Zechun agreed, but the search for Li Dongwang remained unresolved. Where had he gone? Why couldn't even high-ranking officials in the capital find him?
At this time, Yun Qingxian encountered Ding Yanxiang. She was being harassed by an old man in her own garden. Without thinking, Yun Qingxian rushed to her rescue. Later, he learned that the young lady's name contained the character "Xiang," the same as his mother's. But that was all; at that time, she was merely a passing phase in his life.
One day, by chance, Yun Qingxian met Shi Zechun, who was soaking in a hot spring. The Qilin birthmark on his shoulder made him suddenly understand everything.
Why would a high-ranking official treat a poor boy so well? And why can't his father, Li Dongwang, be found?
What was once far away is now right before our eyes.
What angered him most was that Shi Zechun already had a wife and children. His wife was the daughter of an official.
Yun Qingxian had gone through several years of ups and downs and was no longer the naive young man he once was. He calmly explained everything to Shi Zechun. He said he knew that Shi Zechun was his biological father.
Shi Zechun was somewhat flustered at the time. He said that he could not enter officialdom without fabricating a new identity, and he could not achieve his ideals without marrying that wife. He said he had been trying to find a suitable opportunity to clear Yunxiang and Yun Qingxian's names and have them recorded in his family's register.
Yun Qingxian believed it. Or rather, he wished he could believe it.
Shi Zechun explained that his identity was somewhat problematic; if he suddenly acknowledged that his son was his son, the fabricated identity he had created would be exposed. Therefore, he hoped his son could give him more time. At this moment, Yun Qingxian wondered, what if his identity were more noble?
He then encountered Ding Yanxiang. She was a pitiful, helpless young lady from a powerful family. Yun Qingxian then wanted to become her husband.
But Shi Zechun still wouldn't budge. Yun Qingxian's patience was wearing thin, but then he encountered a problem: he needed Shi Zechun's help.
That's Zhuo Yi.
Zhuo Yi was Yun Qingxian's childhood playmate. Because Yun Qingxian had no father, and in the eyes of outsiders, Yun Xiang was an unmarried girl who had given birth to a child in such an ambiguous situation, there was no shortage of gossip. As a result, Yun Qingxian's life was not easy. But Zhuo Yi always protected him. She was like his own sister, accompanying him in his studies and helping him practice martial arts. She chased away the bad children who bullied him, and she encouraged him not to cry, but to be a man.
Zhuo Yi even said that she would wait for Yun Qingxian to grow up and then marry him as his wife.
But she didn't live to see him come of age; she married someone else through her family's arrangement. Her husband treated her well, and Yun Qingxian was very happy for her. To him, Zhuo Bianyi was like his own sister.
Unexpectedly, years later, things had changed drastically. His beloved sister had fallen into prostitution. Yun Qingxian didn't have that much money, nor did he have that much power. Besides, by then he had learned his lesson; he couldn't afford to leave a stain on his reputation.
So he gritted his teeth and went to find Shi Zechun.
Surprisingly, Shi Zechun readily agreed to help him. However, he also told him that having a relationship with a courtesan was a scandal, and he needed to handle it carefully and make some arrangements. In addition, he was busy with other matters recently, and the family reunion would have to be postponed.
Although Yun Qingxian felt that he was making excuses, it was indeed too difficult for Shi Zechun, given his status, to help him deal with the affairs of a courtesan. So he listened and did not mention the matter of recognizing relatives again.
So the matter was delayed again and again.
Shi Zechun loved the zither, as did Yun Qingxian. He suddenly thought of playing the zither piece his mother had composed for his father for Shi Zechun. He found an opportunity, and the effect was unexpectedly good. Upon hearing it, Shi Zechun was moved to tears, and the father and son embraced and wept, sharing many intimate words.
As things progressed, Yun Qingxian realized that his father was truly sincere towards him, and he continued to wait.
Not long after, Shi Zechun suddenly asked him what the piece was called and if there was a score. Yun Qingxian told him frankly that there was a score, which his mother had carefully studied and written, but the piece itself was untitled. His mother had said that they would name it together after his father returned.
Shi Zechun took the sheet music away.
Soon, Yun Qingxian heard rumors that Shi Shang, who was obsessed with the zither, had acquired a peerless zither score. Yun Qingxian jokingly inquired with the person who had leaked the information, wondering where the score came from. The person replied that Shi Shang said he had found it from a peddler who didn't know its value.
Yun Qingxian forced a smile, but inside he was furious.
That was a mother's overflowing affection, her wholehearted trust and waiting for this faithless man, but all of this was exchanged for deception, perfunctory treatment, and plunder.
Yun Qingxian went to see Shi Zechun again and asked him how to handle the matter of recognizing his mother as his wife. He said that his mother was thinking about not being able to keep her promise to continue waiting for him on her deathbed, so he should at least acknowledge his mother as his wife.
Shi Zechun's response was that he had a family to support, a whole house full of people, and he needed to arrange, appease, and deal with them. It wasn't something that could be explained in a short time, so he told Yun Qingxian to continue waiting.
Yun Qingxian left the Shang residence with a smile. He felt he had to give his mother an explanation.
He was waiting, but he was waiting for an opportunity to punish this unfaithful man. He said that since he had a family and a house, he could not acknowledge his mother, so he would make everyone in that house die.
He felt he had to do it.