Consultor de vida de la dinastía Song del Sur

Capítulo 78

"So you know how to back down." He sneered, and as if remembering something, the icy edge in his eyes gradually melted, but his face remained as cold and handsome as ever. "For the sake of this 'husband,' I'll let Lin Qingluan have a few days of fun."

Yin Guang realized that it was Leng Shuangcheng replying to the young master. Judging from his tone, he must have understood Leng Shuangcheng's unspoken meaning, and the young master had temporarily agreed.

The wind rustled the cloth, carrying a faint scent of charcoal. Qiu Yeyi turned to look at the reply, coldly saying, "There is a post station twenty-one miles west of Qingzhou, with a stream on the left and hazel trees on the right. Leng Shuangcheng replied from there. Judging from the uneven handwriting and the lack of wear from sand on the back, I deduce that it was hastily written on horseback. Since Lin Qingluan's leg ailment is not yet fully healed, she would definitely have let him escape on horseback."

Yin Guang couldn't smell the faint scent of horsehide on the cloth, but couldn't help interjecting, "Young Master is brilliant... Do you want Yin Guang to seal off the western suburbs?"

Qiu Yeyi's gaze fell on the word "husband," and she continued coldly, "Leng Shuangcheng's goal is to go north, but he didn't take Lin Qingluan with him. Instead, he sent him west. He must have made arrangements for his future. It's probably related to his poison, so—" He suddenly faced the silver light and didn't finish his sentence.

Yin Guang still didn't understand, and asked in confusion, "What does Young Master mean?"

Qiu Yeyi coldly looked out the window: "The seven-day poison will take effect in four days. If he survives, I will send him on his way."

The tone wasn't emphasized; it was as light as mist, yet carried an undeniable certainty.

The sun shone brightly outside the window, and the flowers and trees of all seasons set off the delicate blossoms, creating a scene of radiant beauty. The silver light admired the beauty, while autumn leaves, like swords, watched the dripping water. Both were lost in their own thoughts, remaining silent.

Zhao Yingcheng hurriedly entered and bowed to Qiu Yeyijian, saying, "Young Master, after the Mountain Mountain Sect's defeat, many more groups have arrived. The grand gathering will be held soon. Do you have any further instructions?"

Qiu Ye leaned against the sword, seemingly unaware of what was happening. His dark, jade-like eyes stared intently at the hourglass, his features cold and profound, comparable to the snow-covered plains of the northern frontier. Zhao Yingcheng looked surprised and called out repeatedly, "Young Master, Young Master..."

Qiu Yeyi came back to her senses, pondered for a moment, and said coldly, "There is indeed one thing you need to pay attention to."

"Please speak, sir."

"Even with all its national strength, Japan cannot compete with the Central Plains in terms of manpower. Therefore, I am certain that their purpose is not so simple. Just in case, after the Crown Prince finishes the gathering, he will secretly mobilize all our troops to converge northward and focus on defending the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun."

Yin Guang suddenly realized that this was the reason why the young master said the army could not be conscripted!

Zhao Yingcheng seemed to have been enlightened, clapped his hands and laughed, "Young Master is indeed farsighted."

"Remember to leave the Imperial Guards and your personal guards behind, just to make an appearance," Qiu Yeyi coldly ordered again.

"Of course."

Seeing that Qiu Yeyi had regained her indifferent demeanor, Zhao Yingcheng understood and bowed before leaving.

Under the blazing sun, a figure in a light gauze dress turned past the gate, bowing respectfully: "Young Master."

"Come in," Qiu Yeyi coldly called out.

Yin Guang looked up and saw that it was Hua Bitou. This girl was a maidservant that the young master had transferred from Yangzhou. It was said that she lived deep in the Valley of a Hundred Flowers in front of the young master's mansion. The young master had found two sisters from a very far place and had her serve Leng Shuangcheng by his side. Not only was she dignified and graceful with bright eyes and white teeth, but she also had a reserved temperament. She was indeed a fairy-like beauty.

Bi Tou knelt down after entering and reported, "Princess Linghui is outside and requests an audience with you, young master."

"It seems she can't hold back any longer. You step back and call her in."

With swaying hairpins and flowing skirts, she walked gracefully, her intelligent and beautiful appearance adorned with elegant ornaments. Her cherry lips parted slightly, but she hesitated, remaining silent. Qiu Yeyi glanced at her and said coldly, "Last night, Princess, you seemed so frightened. Did something happen that worried you?"

Linghui suddenly showed joy, but a moment later her face withered and dimmed, like a flower fading. Qiuye waited calmly for her to speak, the coldness between his brows engraved with the aura of frost and snow all over his body, pale and elegant like a desolate ancient tree. As if he had received his tacit approval, Linghui silently revealed a secret.

The night before last, when Huang Yushuxue failed to kidnap Linghui, she sent a message through a voice, inviting Qiu Yeyijian to meet her again in the future, otherwise she would definitely come to "visit" her again. Unexpectedly, Qiu Yeyijian saw her nervousness and took her by his side to take care of her. She also saw that the prince's swordsmanship was superb. After thinking it over, she felt that she would not be at a disadvantage, so she hesitated to report the matter.

After Linghui finished speaking, Qiuye Yijian did not reveal any thoughts, but looked directly at Yinguang and said, "Send the princess back to her residence, and add more people to take care of her." Yinguang respectfully invited Linghui to leave, and Linghui bit her red lips and withdrew.

The crowd retreated, leaving the hall deathly silent, the light clear yet cold.

The sands of the Ganges rolled like a collapsing tower, each grain falling through the hourglass. Autumn Leaves, leaning against the sword, rose up, hands clasped, eyes fixed on the hourglass. Time seemed to flow too slowly; the colorful sunlight, moving into the room and casting dappled reflections, barely gave him the feeling of a cup of tea. The cold light in his eyes rippled outwards, his pupils, once focused like needles, now blossomed like a tree full of pear blossoms, a chaotic tapestry of colors.

"Why did you run away from me? Why?" Qiu Yeyijian's face was as white as snow as her clothes as she murmured in anguish, "After you left, time passed so slowly!"

He swayed unsteadily, and in the quiet, cool air, the hourglass that measured the passage of time was so conspicuous. He gathered his energy in his right hand, snapped his fingers, and flicked the double-layered dripping water. The glass shards and fine sand scattered all over the ground, reflecting a glittering light.

"So this is what it means to feel like each day is an eternity." Qiu Yeyi chuckled self-deprecatingly, his sleeves billowing in the wind as he walked towards the door, a stark contrast to his usual calm and unhurried demeanor. His white robes swept through several long corridors, a gentle breeze stirring, causing shimmering light to dance and scatter fragments of gold across the lake. He silently gazed at the lotus pond, then, turning his back to the person following closely behind, asked, "Is the matter settled?"

Bi Tou, dressed in a light blue gauze dress, respectfully replied, "As you wish, Young Master, Bi Tou prepared the required Chinese medicine and mixed it with Blue Shadow Butterfly's powder. Now that the butterfly is familiar with the scent, it can be released."

Upon hearing this, Qiu Ye Yi Jian smiled slightly, his eyes brimming with the vibrant green of the pond, beginning to glow with a sunny radiance. The ripples of the celestial abode's waters were deep and winding. He only needed to smell it once to identify the formula for Leng Shuang Cheng's bathing medicine among the herbs. Since butterflies could find people by their scent, why wouldn't he do the same?

Seeing Qiu Ye walk away indifferently with her sword, Bi Tou hurriedly lifted her skirt and caught up: "Is Young Master going out?"

Qiu Yeyi continued forward without pausing, and Bi Tou called out several more times before he coldly transmitted his voice: "Tell Yin Guang that if anything happens at the headquarters, have An Ye send me a message. In my absence, all matters should be reported to the Prince. I am worried that the Eastern Ying will launch a feint to hunt down the Lady, so I am going out now."

23. Li Mingyuan

Leng Shuangcheng bid farewell to Lin Qingluan and traveled day and night for two days. On the evening of the third day, he arrived at the foot of Baishi Mountain and leaned against the roadside to rest, slightly out of breath.

Her clothes were covered in dust, and her legs felt as heavy as lead. Leng Shuangcheng looked down at the hem of her blue robe and silently eased her legs. Since separating from Lin Qingluan, it was as if a rope had been torn in two. The secret sect could not easily find their traces, and she had entered safely without any trouble. However, her body was in a sorry state. She had shortened her journey by a day by traveling repeatedly, and she was so tired that she felt like a mountain was about to collapse.

Looking around, the mountains were silent and shrouded in twilight. Rows of low-walled houses were scattered everywhere. She walked quietly along the mud walls of the houses on the edge of the village. Everywhere she went, the doors were closed and there was no one around.

There was no smoke rising from chimneys, no children with their hair in buns, no crisscrossing paths—nothing at all, only the occasional mournful cry of a wildcat. Leng Shuangcheng was greatly intrigued and crept into some dilapidated homes to investigate.

The house is fully furnished with household utensils, clothes, and firewood, just as it was when the villagers left, as if a strong wind had blown away all the men, women, and children, leaving behind only the remains of livestock in the courtyard.

The loess piled up into mounds, scattered and invisible. Leng Shuangcheng carefully dug them open and discovered animal carcasses, guessing that the poultry had starved to death.

Who knew that two hundred years later, I would return to the land of dreams.

The grass on Baishi Mountain is amazing. Tender green shoots emerge from the thick grass roots, bending down in the wind. The light and dark colors are like layers of accumulated waves. Leng Shuangcheng stands among the grass, and all that can be seen from afar is the wild and lush greenery.

An ancient poem says, "The closer one gets to home, the more timid one becomes." This is not her former residence, but it is the place that haunts her dreams—the place where she grew up as a wolf child two hundred years ago.

A profusion of trees blossomed, hundreds and thousands of apple trees draped in a pink brocade, marching in neat rows deep into the broken wall. Leng Shuangcheng slowly trod on the knee-high green grass, reaching out to touch each tree, her eyes brimming with tears. A warm breeze rippled, the branches swayed, making soft rustling sounds, and the familiar yet long-lost scent made her close her eyes tightly.

Through my blurry vision, I seem to see a dream from the past again. A five-year-old child, disheveled and ragged, innocently and stubbornly chases after the sound of the wind and the moonlight. The child is barefoot, and his little feet leave one bloody footprint after another, winding from the wolf's den under the broken wall to the apple tree on the mountaintop, night after night, so stubborn.

"I'm back, are you still there?" Leng Shuangcheng knelt down, prostrating herself to kiss the tender grass leaves. She pressed her face against the emerald green blanket, speaking gently and tenderly, like a lover's murmur: "I'm back, are you still there?"

How many gentle breezes and bright moons, lakes and mountains, and flowing clouds have passed for a thousand years? How many times have the winds faded and the moon disappeared, and plum blossoms and osmanthus rains lingered deep in her memory? All things bow down in submission with the passage of time, their faces changed. Leng Shuangcheng asked with tearful eyes, her words slow and bitter on her tongue. The vortex turned towards the blue sky, and in her speechless sobs, the wind howled, but there was no reply from anyone.

Lost in thought for a long time, the wind howled incessantly, and the setting sun cast a faint red glow on the grass blades. The black and white contrasted sharply with the stillness and movement, like the night scene of a cold lake where the rocks had been revealed. Leng Shuangcheng looked at the contrasting black and white and thought of Qiu Yeyijian's eyes. She was startled and got up to check the vegetation along the mountain.

The ridge faced the sun, its verdant slopes shrouded in mist, thriving as ever. The ridge itself, descending from the summit, was covered in ancient, dense trees that stretched as far as the eye could see. Dressed entirely in green, Leng Shuang darted and leaped through the forest, concealing her form. As the sun began to set, two sheer cliffs, like gateways, loomed before her, blocking all further progress. She looked up at the cliffs, vaguely remembering how she had sprung from here that moonlit night, running all the way to the summit to grab fruit and fill her stomach. Looking around, she saw rows of robust apple trees, their fragrance more vibrant than ever. A thought struck her; she turned back and picked wild fruits from near and far to taste, until finally, she noticed a slightly bitter flavor in the fruit growing near the base of the cliff.

Since the soil is dry and bitter, the roots of the fruit trees must have absorbed different types of soil.

The forest gradually darkened, and from the towering gate, the faint howling of wolves could be heard. One cold gust after another swept out, making her clothes flutter in the wind. Leng Shuangcheng calmed her mind, slowly walked to the top of the mountain, leaped onto a branch, and stared blankly at the two or three scattered summer stars.

The entire village has vanished, and wolves are fiercely guarding the broken walls. If it weren't for the iron mine attracting the secret sect to silence them and protect the secret, she really couldn't think of any other reason. However, this deduction still needs to be confirmed after dawn.

A cool breeze rustled through the wind, and Leng Shuangcheng, exhausted from days of travel, quickly drifted off to sleep.

My dreams of returning home are like spring water, gently flowing around my hometown.

The next morning, Leng Shuangcheng finished washing up, packed her things tightly, and searched around for some green bamboo. She then cut it into pieces and managed to drag it into the cliff.

Although Baishi Town bears the name of Baishi Mountain, it is a hundred miles away from the mountain. Leng Shuangcheng thought about the origin of the town's name while also feeling somewhat amused and exasperated.

Could it be that a town's fame doesn't depend on its size, but on the presence of a mountain?

The town is ancient yet not decadent. Its pavilions, towers, deep alleys, and high courtyards, with their misty red doors and sunlight shining through the glazed tiles, are no less beautiful than those in the misty Jiangnan region. Everywhere is elegant. Leng Shuangcheng carefully examined the scenery, trying his best to take in the sights he had overlooked on his way here.

Around the corner, in the sunlight, a tall, aloof figure walked in with a stern expression, his brows furrowed as firm as a mountain, his eyes as black as ink.

Leng Shuangcheng glanced at him and secretly applauded in his heart: What a handsome young man!

The newcomer's attire was simple yet elegant, much like the quiet town behind him. The black stand-up collar accentuated his fair and handsome face, striking and profound like a towering ancient tree. His appearance differed from that of the Song Dynasty people; a wide black belt hung from his waist, and a snow-white long robe was covered with a dark blue knee-covering, its long hair reaching his boots and fluttering gently, like an ancient swordsman emerging from the depths of mountains and rivers.

The black-clad swordsman walked steadily, clean and crisp, each step perfectly in sync with his heartbeat, without the slightest deviation. Leng Shuangcheng noticed that he carried an unsheathed iron sword on his back, its dark blue carved hilt and exposed diamond-shaped tip gleaming eerily in the sunlight.

If she remembered correctly, this sword should be called Nameless, an iron sword that has existed since the previous dynasty.

Few people recognize this ancient sword because its history far surpasses that of any of the divine weapons used by Empress Wei Zifu.

However, Leng Shuangcheng recognized the sword, which stirred up her memories of her past life. She stood silently by the street, watching the man and the sword. Since the newcomer possessed this sword, he must have some connection with the Iron Sword Sect from her past life. Moreover, she was certain that Zhao Yingcheng's failure to invite the Iron Sword Sect disciples to the gathering meant he was unaware of the existence of such a secluded sect deep in the mountains.

A young man with a chilling aura passed by Leng Shuangcheng, his eyebrows like distant mountains, his lips like thin blades. Leng Shuangcheng turned back with a sigh, watching him slowly walk into the teahouse by the street. The teahouse was exquisite and beautiful, with tinkling copper bells hanging from its octagonal eaves, their whistling in the wind creating a burst of music. Suddenly, with a "whoosh," a body flew out from the carved and openwork handrail on the second floor, crashing squarely into Leng Shuangcheng, who was standing under the eaves of the alleyway, stunned and bewildered.

The sound of the wind was louder than the ringing of a bell, demonstrating the force with which the thrower used it. Leng Shuangcheng reacted with lightning speed, spinning around as he raised his right hand, a force accompanying his sleeve lifting the body of the person being thrown.

The person thrown down was a fat man, but unfortunately, he had already been knocked unconscious. Leng Shuangcheng dissipated the force of the blow with his palm, and the fat man's body rolled several times like a ball of flowers before finally lying lightly on the ground.

A striking face appeared on the second-floor railing; it was the same young man in black and white from before. He glanced at Leng Shuangcheng's actions, then bowed respectfully: "I am Li Mingyuan, here to apprehend a traitor to our sect. If I have inadvertently injured you, sir, I hope you will forgive me."

When this person was still, he was like an ancient sword drawn from its sheath, calm and imposing; once he moved, he was even more thunderous and murderous. Leng Shuangcheng was amazed by his proper manners and dignified demeanor, and quickly returned the greeting with gentle elegance.

The second floor of the teahouse offered a panoramic view of the surrounding streets and alleys. Li Mingyuan, with impeccable manners, ordered a pot of Tieguanyin tea for Leng Shuangcheng. His demeanor was composed and confident, exuding an aura of leadership. He raised his hand to offer a cup of fragrant tea and said, "To be honest, when I saw you standing by the roadside observing, I became suspicious and sent my disciple to test you. You, sir, righteously stepped in to rescue me, which I greatly admire. I will now apologize to you." True to his word, he stood up and bowed deeply.

Leng Shuangcheng grew increasingly inclined to befriend him. She was aware of Li Mingyuan's probing, but she hadn't expected him to speak so openly and honestly, truly a gentleman. Moreover, after calling his disciples "traitors," his words were composed and respectful, always referring to his disciples in a way that upheld the sect's reputation. This meticulous caution won her great favor. However, his use of his disciples as pawns to test her was a cunning tactic reminiscent of Chu Yi's mention of Nie Wuyou years ago. Leng Shuangcheng found it increasingly intriguing. She smiled slightly, offered him a cup of tea, and said, "Please, sir, don't stand on ceremony. I am Leng Shuangcheng. I happened to pass by this ancient town and saw your elegant and refined demeanor, and couldn't help but glance at you a few more times..." She smiled shyly, concealing her expression as she drank the fragrant tea.

Li Mingyuan remained expressionless and calmly said, "Since you are not leaving, young master, is there anything you wish to tell me?"