Schatzkammer von Jianghu

Kapitel 61

Qiu Yeyi stood there for an unknown amount of time before putting down her brush, which was dripping with ink, and slamming her left palm onto the table. She then turned and walked out.

The gentle spring rain in Jiangnan comes and goes quickly. The refreshing rain gives the ancient towns a bright and tranquil atmosphere. The glazed tiles with their staggered eaves, the vermilion courtyards with their resounding bells and clamor, the quiet and long alleys, and the pure blue marble streets all welcome the baptism that cleanses all things.

A lingering, faint fragrance filled the air, and a layer of transparent, ethereal blue mist enveloped the outside. The sky had cleared after the rain, and the world seemed bright and open. In the east pavilion of the Yangzhou prince's residence, scattered ink marks resembled flowers, the desk was in disarray, and a marriage certificate was knocked over. The room's decorations remained unchanged since its owner's departure, except for the presence of two silent figures.

"To recall all the past events simply by writing the words 'first day of the lunar month' is rather unbelievable," the fortune teller said in a deep voice as he bent down to pick up the post.

Linghui's face paled, as if she had been holding back for a long time, before she said with resentment, "It is clear that the young master's love for Miss Leng is so deep." After saying that, she sighed heavily, "Man proposes, God disposes. It is the will of Heaven, and how can you or I do as we please?"

The fortune teller remained silent.

Linghui looked at him and said, "Miss Leng left Yangzhou as promised and disappeared without a trace. We have isolated and distanced ourselves from everyone who knows about their entanglement. Master An has also sealed the young master's memories and sent him back to two years ago, to the time when he did not appear on the first day of the lunar month. Logically speaking, this plan is flawless, but judging from the current situation, the young master left in anger, seemingly remembering the past..."

The fortune teller also sighed: "I'm afraid it's not that simple."

Linghui raised her head in surprise and asked, "Why do you say that, Steward?"

"Princess, you are unaware of this," the fortune teller said gravely, turning to look out the window. "It has been confirmed by Chef An of the Ye family that several months ago, the young master instructed An Jie with a single sentence. Upon hearing this, Wu Suan realized that the young master was the one who orchestrated everything."

"Could the steward please elaborate?"

"'Whatever the steward asks you to do, you shall do it.'" The fortune teller said solemnly, "That's what the young master said to An Jie, and then the Iron Tower martial arts competition happened."

"What does the steward mean?"

The fortune teller turned around and said, "Young master knows my temperament and guessed that I would force An Jie to cast a spell on him, so he did not stop me... Now that I think about it, I realize that the scroll was deliberately made to be seen by me by the silver light, making me mistakenly believe that you were eager to marry Chu Yi, pushing me step by step into your scheme."

Linghui suddenly stood up, her face pale, and exclaimed, "Why did he do this?"

"If I'm not mistaken, it must be to clear his name in the first year of junior high school, and also to show his true feelings."

Upon hearing this, Linghui slumped down, gave a sorrowful smile, and suddenly said, "No wonder Sister was so certain that the Crown Prince was so easily controlled; there must be some scheme behind it..."

The fortune teller sighed in silence. Linghui then added, "Enough, enough. It's fate. Let's wait and see."

The fortune teller slowly surveyed the room, then asked in surprise, "Since you remember everything, young master, where did he go?"

The canna lilies outside the window, having drunk their fill of rainwater, swelled up and raised their clusters of blossoms. In the misty, rain-drenched ancient city of Yangzhou, two boys went missing, disappearing like the receding tide, vanishing in an instant as the waves rolled in.

Wufang Island enjoys a spring-like climate year-round and is surrounded by the sea. After several days of heavy rain, it finally welcomed a foggy and overcast day.

Zhao Yong carried the bucket and grumbled as he walked toward the well. He had only taken a few steps when a white figure pierced through the morning mist and appeared coldly in front of him.

Zhao Yong's heart skipped a beat. Upon recognizing the person, he exclaimed in surprise, "Young Master, what are you doing here?"

Qiu Yeyi, with a cold and indifferent expression, walked past him toward the gate of the East Sea camp. Zhao Yong hurriedly caught up with him.

The vast sea shimmered before one's eyes, its waters a boundless expanse of blue, the sea breeze rippling across its surface. Qiu Ye stood leaning against the sword for a moment before coldly saying, "Was this where you sat on the first day of the lunar month?"

Zhao Yong was stunned. When he met the young master's cold and unfathomable gaze, he immediately realized with a jolt: "Yes, young master. Chu Yi was sitting on this rock in a daze."

Qiu Yeyi glanced at the stone, then sat down without hesitation. However, his posture was as aloof and unapproachable as an emperor, unlike the dull and lifeless Chu Yi of yesteryear.

These were all Zhao Yong's thoughts, but of course he dared not say them aloud. He was just curious about the young master's unusual disregard for the dirt and mess of the rocks.

Qiu Yeyi stared at Zhao Yong for a moment and said coldly, "Tell me in detail what happened on the first day of the month."

Zhao Yong quickly lowered his head and said respectfully, "Yes, young master."

Zhao Yong first carefully considered his words, then described in detail everything that happened on the first day of the lunar month. During his long speech, he noticed that the young master sat motionless by the sea. After a long time, he heard him say something softly, so softly that Zhao Yong was not sure if he had misheard.

"Leng Shuangcheng, do you know how much I regret this now?"

The Ruzhou Sihai gambling den was brightly lit and filled with smoke. No matter how turbulent the outside world was, the people inside were indulging in pleasure, gambling and drinking without a care in the world.

Chai Jin smiled as he weaved through the crowd, watching them roar wildly. The red glow on his face almost flowed into his pockets, as if those pockets were already filled with countless amounts of silver.

Suddenly, the noise in the entire gambling den gradually fell silent, as if a bucket of snow water had been poured over it, instantly extinguishing the heat that filled the room. He turned around in surprise.

Qiu Ye, dressed in white robes, stood coldly in the morning sun, leaning against his sword. After his appearance, the entire world fell silent.

Everyone stared in disbelief at the incredibly handsome man, who exuded a chilling aura even under the bright sunlight.

"Chai Jincai?" Everyone heard the ice-sculpted young master utter three words.

Chai Jincai's eyelids twitched, and he said in a soft voice, "Why has this deity come?" He hurriedly went to greet him, and after glancing around to make sure there were no troops surrounding him, he knelt down with difficulty and said, "This humble subject, Chai Jincai, greets Prince Qiuye."

A murmur rippled through the crowd, followed by a flurry of chatter. Qiu Ye swept her sword across their faces, and they fell silent again, standing like cicadas in the cold.

"Take me to see the house I lived in during my first year of junior high."

"Yes, Your Highness."

The house where Leng Shuangcheng lived was still as small and dilapidated as ever, with dim and flickering light, containing only a table, a bed, and two chairs.

Chai Jin then secretly glanced at Qiu Yeyi's expression before speaking, "Does Your Highness have any instructions? My young lady is not in Ruzhou."

“Chai Jincai,” Qiu Yeyijian coldly interrupted, “you and An Jie are biological brothers. I don’t believe he didn’t tell you anything. You can also guess who I’m here for.”

Chai Jin wiped his sweat and asked, "What does the young master intend to do?"

Qiu Ye Yi Jian didn't answer. He silently walked to the table, stretched out a finger and wiped the surface: "I don't want to do anything. I just want to see what Chu Yi was thinking back then, why she made such a big decision in a room like this, to risk her life to steal the Dragon Pattern Sword from me."

After leaving Sihaili, Qiuye Yijian quietly went to Changshi Street.

As dusk settled and a gentle breeze stirred, the western sky was ablaze with the vibrant colors of the sunset, a kaleidoscope of hues spreading across the heavens, each layer deepening in intensity. Distant mountains shrouded in mist, flowers and grasses lay silent, and the long stone street in Ruzhou, where the sun set latest, transformed into a delicately painted landscape, seemingly ethereal and dreamlike.

Qiu Ye looked around as she leaned against the sword, remembering that evening and those eyes.

He stood there with his eyes closed for a long time, then bent down and tremblingly reached out to slowly touch the sword marks, deep and shallow, on the street wall and the ground.

If we add the last place, the ancient well platform in Wuzhou, Qiu Yeyijian knew that he had spent a whole month traveling through the northern frontier, where Leng Shuangcheng had once left his mark. He remembered the feelings he had in his heart at each place he visited, especially when he settled in Qingshan Temple. He stared at the Buddha statue for a long time, and Shakyamuni looked back at him with deep concentration, but told him nothing.

As he was leaving the temple, Master Kumu stopped him and said, "Young master, Master Dongge once predicted to me that you would definitely come to this place, and you have indeed come."

Qiu Yeyi turned around coldly and asked, "Did Dongge have any last words for you to convey?"

Master Kumu clasped his hands together, bowed, and said, "Young master is wise. My master asked me to pass on a letter to you and to tell you a story."

Autumn leaves lean against the sword, standing silently.

After bowing, Kumu ignored his indifference and said, "Mr. Dongge always believed that he had met Benefactor Chuyi once before. He had searched for her origins in the northern desert region and one day discovered a jade statue in a remote desert village. According to Mr. Dongge, the jade statue was sculpted so lifelike that no one could surpass it. You may have guessed that the sculpture is a jade carving of Benefactor Chuyi's true size. There is an inscription on the back, signed by the name of Young Master Li Tianxiao."

Qiu Ye Yijian's body trembled, and she asked anxiously, "Where is that letter?"

Silently, Kumu handed a letter from his sleeve. Qiuye grabbed it with his sword, but hesitated for a long time before opening it. Kumu sighed softly, flicked his finger to seal the letter for him, and handed it to him again.

Qiu Ye Yijian quickly skimmed through the letter, his face turning ashen. The letter contained a comment from Mr. Dongge, which he quickly understood as an explanation of the purpose of the letter. It turned out that Mr. Dongge deduced that if Qiu Ye Yijian could come to Qingshan Temple, it would mean that he had accepted the first day of the lunar month and had begun to repent and turn to Buddhism.

Qiu Yeyi's gaze was fixed on the end of the letter, her lips repeatedly murmuring "Li Tianxiao," "Li Tianxiao," for the entire inscription was engraved there—

I felt sorry for Acheng because of his many misfortunes in his youth.

In the second year of the Zhide era, he was separated from his parents at the tender age of two. A wolf carried him to nurse for more than four years, leaving him disheveled and barefoot, beyond description. In his childhood, he was unable to enjoy the company of his parents, as his family suddenly changed, and he was the only survivor. He then wandered the world. When I first saw him, it was the first year of the Shangyuan era. The snow was knee-deep, and he was leaning against the door, shivering and curled up.

As he grew older, he was constantly on the move due to his grudges. When I saw him again later, he had already traversed the northern deserts and crossed the vast ocean, speaking and acting cautiously, all alone, yet his will remained steadfast despite his hardships. I felt sorry for his loneliness and waited for an opportunity to meet him. I was careless and thought that abandoning him would soon lead to a feast, but I knew that I would eventually want to spend more time with him. Even if I faced countless difficulties, I would not abandon him for a single day.

If I could hear of the changes that have taken place, and that I have not been lenient with them, and that we are now separated by the ends of the earth forever, I would weep bitterly and sigh, but I will not say more.

Author's Note: Simu is rolling around... rolling around in circles... Please support me, don't rush me to write about the two meeting... I need to finish developing the plot and laying the groundwork...

Regarding Yuwen Xiaobai: I've suffered so much for love, I will definitely give her a carefree life for the rest of my life. Being an idiot is good, you don't have to think about so many responsibilities.

Wu Suan sounds like "miscalculation," which is why I had already decided on his name a long time ago.

Inscription interpretation: I am grateful for the many hardships Shuangcheng endured in her childhood, and I secretly feel great pity for her.

In the second year of the Zhide era, she was separated from her parents at the age of two. The wolf king carried her away and raised her. Four years later, with disheveled hair and bare feet, her wildness was indescribable. She could not enjoy the company of her parents during her childhood, and her family suffered a great upheaval. She was the only survivor, so she wandered the world as a fugitive. The first time I saw her was during the Lantern Festival. It was snowing heavily, and the snow was up to her knees. She was shivering and leaning against the gate tower, curled up.

As she grew up, she began to toil and struggle because of her family's feud. When I saw her again, she had already crossed deserts and oceans. She was very cautious and lonely, living in dire straits, yet she persevered in everything she did. I felt sorry for her, seeing her helpless and alone, and tried to meet with her whenever I could. But I was too careless then! I thought that by leaving her so easily, I could reunite with her immediately and never be separated again. If I had known what would happen next, even if countless hardships were to befall me, I would not have left her so easily.

I now know about this change, but I feel that I haven't treated her well before. Because we are separated by such a great distance, I am so sad that I can't cry or say anything.

Volume Three: East and West Rise, Sun and Moon

1. Chance Encounter

Jingxiang is located in the heart of the Song Dynasty, to the lower left. If one travels downstream along the river, one can reach it in two or three months. Leng Shuangcheng took Ziying to Jingxiang, and considering her pregnancy, they traveled by a combination of water and land routes, which delayed them considerably.

Their journey over the past two months has been truly arduous.

In the early stages, Ziying was unwell and often vomited acid. Leng Shuangcheng took her pulse and examined her every day. At night, Leng Shuangcheng often slept lightly and was on guard against the assassination attempts of the Water Drink Ninjas every night. She repelled three attacks in two months, but she also kept an eye on things: the Water Drink Ninjas' assassination attempts were just a small test. She noticed that Ziying's expression was becoming more and more unpleasant, often with a gritted-teeth look.

When Leng Shuangcheng left Yangzhou, she did not reveal any trace of her whereabouts. However, she did instruct Wu Sanshou to carefully study the structure of the Sun and Moon Golden Wheel in case the imperial court or the martial arts world needed his skillful hands in the future.

Today, under a bright sun and clear blue sky, with white clouds stretching for miles and green waters flowing gently, the two abandoned their carriage and horses, slowly making their way along the inner river. To make it easier to find lodging and continue their journey, Leng Shuangcheng had obtained a human skin mask from Wu Sanshou, disguising herself as a servant of the wealthy and dignified Lady Ziying. Ziying, also concerned for her safety, cooperated by simply changing her appearance. However, Ziying was naturally vain, and this disguise probably wouldn't fool anyone with discerning eyes. Even now, though Ziying's face was plain, her graceful figure attracted the attention of passersby.

Leng Shuangcheng, who was behind Ziying, sighed inwardly upon seeing this scene. However, she wouldn't force anyone to do anything, so she pretended not to see it.

Ripples spread across the water, and the riverbank scenery was picturesque. Ziying gazed at the water for a long time, then turned to Leng Shuangcheng and said, "After traveling for several days, the carriage has shaken me to pieces. From today onwards, let's travel by water!"

Ziying was not unaware that traveling by water would make it easier for the assassins to strike, but she noticed that the fetus in her womb was somewhat unstable, and after some hesitation, she finally spoke up.

Leng Shuangcheng smiled slightly, said "okay," and helped her onto a merchant ship. The ship was quite imposing and tall, with four decks. Its colorful sails alone made it as spacious as a wealthy mansion. Leng Shuangcheng was somewhat surprised when she first saw it, but she remained expressionless.

This merchant ship is so luxurious and grand that it is usually a merchant group led by envoys to China. There is some trade between the two countries, and some Song Dynasty people are also brought across the river.

Leng Shuangcheng carefully helped Ziying sit down in the corner of the deck. The warm sunlight made Ziying smile comfortably.

The green hills were reflected in the clear water, and the flowers and trees on both banks came into view. Apart from the creaking sound of the mast being blown by the wind, the two of them were as speechless as ever.

Humans are often strange creatures. The more reserved and silent Leng Shuangcheng was, the more curious Ziying became about her. Over the past two months, Ziying had seen her meticulous care and sighed inwardly. The snow in her heart seemed to gradually melt away, and she was about to burst forth with her feelings.

What choked her most was that she cared deeply about Leng Shuangcheng's thoughts and his feelings for Qiu Yeyijian.

So, Ziying stared at the river for a long time, and after making up her mind, she said, "Shuangcheng, there's something on my mind that I have to tell you, otherwise I'll feel uncomfortable keeping it to myself."

Leng Shuangcheng had been subtly observing the movements inside the ship. When she heard her speak, he thought that it was not advisable for a pregnant woman to have a troubled mind, so he calmly replied, "Please speak, Madam."

"I do secretly admire Young Master Qiuye," Ziying replied without hesitation, glancing nervously at Leng Shuangcheng. When she realized that the person beside her was staring at their surroundings without moving, she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

Leng Shuangcheng glanced at the wind direction and quietly moved to Ziying's side, shielding her from the turbulent waves. "Madam, please feel free to speak your mind; it's good for your health."