Miss, I pity you, yet you are ungrateful and don't trust me at all.
"Even if I wanted to leave, someone would drag me back once I got out of this alley. Do you think I don't know that Shao Yan is being followed in secret? With the head of the Dark Guard Hall around, do you think I can escape?"
He thought about it and seemed to agree, so he nodded.
Later, I took a fancy to a dark red robe with large floral patterns; it was simple in style yet warm.
"Are you still able to walk? Don't make us late for the teahouse, I need to buy some snow fruit cakes."
I hadn't gone far from the town when I couldn't bear to watch any longer.
"I'm fine, I'm... I can..." Your face turned blue and you're still saying you're fine? You're even better at lying through your teeth than I am.
"Shaoyan, come out here and take your useless younger brother back with you."
As soon as he finished speaking, a person emerged from the shadows. He looked about six-tenths like Shao Ming, but had a cold and stern expression.
"Teahouses are places of trouble, and Anqing City is a chaotic place with many people. It would be best if Miss did not go."
"Then go buy me some snow fruit cakes?"
"This is what I should do." He clapped his hands twice, and two more people appeared from the shadows.
The two men were dressed in simple, light clothing; they were handsome and imposing, and appeared to be quite skilled in martial arts.
"Do as Miss instructs." Shao Yan waved his hand, and the two disappeared cleanly and efficiently.
As expected of the leader of the Dark Guard Hall, his demeanor is indeed different.
When I returned to Chunhetang in a good mood, disaster struck before I even stepped inside. Luckily, Shaoyan reacted quickly, rolling up his sleeve to block the teacup just before it hit my head. It all happened so fast that before I could react, a dark shadow loomed over me, a gust of wind whistled past my ear, and the shadow suddenly receded a few steps.
"Nangong Ling!" It was a woman's voice filled with anger.
What?! What's going on?!
“Chunhe Hall is not a place for you.” The man’s voice was very soft, as if he were whispering. “Don’t make a fool of yourself.”
Nangong Ling held the woman's hand, which was suspended in mid-air. From my angle, all I could see was the slightly upturned corner of his mouth and his beautifully shaped chin. His long, curled eyelashes cast a shadow, radiating a dangerous aura. The woman bit her lip, her face as pale as snow.
"you……"
I made a sound, and the woman began to tremble uncontrollably, fine beads of cold sweat appearing on her smooth forehead.
"Who is she?" I had no choice but to ask Shao Yan, who was standing next to me.
Nangong Ling let go of my hand, turned to look at me, and a complex light flickered in his eyes.
"You really want to know?"
"Actually, it's okay if you don't want to talk about it." I smiled, then smiled again. Damn it, I don't even know what happened yet, why am I angry?
His dark eyes suddenly lit up, bright and dazzling.
"Shaoyan, see the guests out." He paused, then added, "Tell Master Fu to keep a close watch on the door."
Shao Yan accepted the order and, without saying a word, grabbed the trembling woman. Just before leaving, I saw in her reddened eyes a look of shock and disbelief.
"Go ahead and say it." I sat down casually, took a big gulp of Mao Feng green tea to cool down. Yue Linghe hasn't been dealt with yet, and now another one has appeared?
"I was poisoned four years ago. The poison was called Water Enchantress."
"..." I can guess about 70-80% of what happened next, so who said green tea can reduce internal heat? "Isn't your young master very capable? How could he give someone the opportunity to poison him?"
His gaze became somewhat strange, making me feel uneasy.
“Those two years were the lowest point in my life. Anyone could take advantage of my vulnerability, especially since your father was determined to kill me.”
Let me think about what I was doing at that time. It seems to be around this time of year when I happened to meet Feng Moru, who was traveling south to paint portraits of beauties, in Yangzhou. I said I wanted to catch Qiu Chan to play with, so he accompanied me to look for her in the wild forest. Who knew that we would be caught in a torrential downpour, trapping us in the mountains for several days and nights. During this time, we were almost completely cut off from the world. It wasn't until long after I returned to the city that I came to realize what had happened. But at the time, I naturally didn't think much of it, and how could I have considered the feelings of Nangong Ling, who was far away in Luoyang?
Who poisoned it?
His jaw tightened. "I didn't want to tell you these things because I didn't want you to see too many ugly things..."
"You don't want to tell me because you're doing it for my own good? You're being too selfish and wishful. Besides, how could I not know if you didn't tell me? Which lady in the family is it?"
"...Eleventh Sister".
Since Qin Juanrou's death, Nangong Yi had been constantly taking wives and concubines. Each one of them resembled Qin Juanrou in some way—eyes and eyebrows, mouth and nose, face shape and figure—in short, they all had to bear Qin Juanrou's shadow. Although Nangong Yi's handsomeness did not diminish with age, he was ultimately looking at another woman through his own eyes. Over time, this was unpleasant for anyone, so they turned their attention to the increasingly beautiful Nangong Ling.
"Despicable tactics," I scoffed. "And then you went to Xihong Garden. Your young master has high standards; he picked the most beautiful courtesan on the spot, leading to a fleeting affair. Years later, she still couldn't forget you, and finally, unable to bear the longing, she came to see you one last time. But your young master was unappreciative, and a simple 'see you out' shattered her heart..."
"Lian'er, it's too sour." The strange light in his eyes faded, replaced by a deep smile.
Hmph, who cares about you!
Chapter 61
In the north lies a capital city, known as the Imperial City, a place where power and desire intertwine. It stands at the opposite extreme from the prestigious families of the martial arts world. No matter how powerful your family is, those without real skills are doomed to die if they try to enter the Imperial City. Even the leader of the martial arts alliance can only sit in a mid-level seat there.
It's said in the martial world that whoever can enter the Imperial City is the greatest person in the land. Unfortunately, the position has been vacant for over a decade since the previous city lord passed away. To this day, no one has been able to pass the test of the Ten Kings of Hell within the city; the furthest they've reached is the Fourth King, the Unruly Official, before anyone has been able to descend further. Currently, the most powerful and feared assassins in the world are the Ten Kings of Hell in the Imperial City. Once the city lord issues a decree, the person on the nameplate is doomed; they have never failed in nearly a century. Perhaps due to their heavy bloodshed, these Ten Kings of Hell, though powerful, have lost the hearts of the people. Those in the martial world who want to eliminate them can be numerous, and the older generation, though harboring thoughts of it, dare not act lest they lose their lives. However, in the past ten years, the decrees of the Ten Kings of Hell have not been used, and the ten kings have not caused much of a stir in the martial world. Therefore, with the change of leadership, the number of those eager to seize power has increased in the last two years.
"I already know that, why are you telling me all this?"
"Oh, we're on our way there now."
Hmm, I must have misheard. Please, even a Martial Venerable wouldn't dare act recklessly here… Anyway, you can't trust anything Qionghua says.
"It was the Palace Master who was invited by the Nine Ministers."
Below the city lord in the imperial city, the words of the Nine Dukes carry the most weight. What a joke! It's not Nangong Yi, but Nangong Ling! Those people didn't even put our Rong family in their eyes back then.
I looked at the person at the other end of the carriage who was looking at the documents with surprise. He just nodded and didn't even look at me.
"Can I not go?" Actually, I didn't have any hope at all.
"Why?" Qionghua blinked, looking quite innocent as she asked.
Why? What do you want me to say? That I was bored and made a bet with Gemini Ann, the loser had to knock on the inner gate of the imperial city, and once it was opened, they had to go inside and wander around before it was over. Unfortunately, I fell for it, and it took me so much effort to escape from the mute gatekeeper. Going there now would be like walking into a trap, wouldn't it?
"If you don't want to go, then don't go! Why ask so many questions?"
Qionghua blinked again, stared at me for a while, and then suddenly burst into laughter three times.
"What are you afraid of? Feeling guilty, huh? Hahaha... Don't let his skinny appearance fool you, little mute. He's quite the expert. If he hadn't gone easy on you, how could you have escaped from him? Hahaha..."
I told you Qionghua was no good; he did it on purpose!
Laugh all you want, don't worry about laughing until you choke.
The carriage stopped shortly afterward. Qionghua was still smiling, the feathers on her fan trembling like withered leaves in the wind. Nangong Ling walked up behind him and gently patted him.
"Be careful not to get a stitch." As soon as I finished speaking, I saw Qionghua's smile freeze on her face.
Nangong Ling helped me out of the carriage. I turned my head and saw Qionghua's face slowly turning blue. Suddenly, she started coughing. It seemed she had really twisted her side.
"Don't you really like lychees? There are fresh lychees to eat all year round in the city, so let's treat this as a trip."
"Fresh lychees all year round? No way, are you kidding me?"
"It is quite fun." He smiled, his gentle smile as warm as a spring breeze. "But I'm not lying to you. There's a remarkable person in the city who can create flowers with his skillful hands. No matter what kind of exotic flowers or rare herbs he has, he can do it all. The city is like spring all year round, with flowers blooming without fading, all thanks to his skillful hands and his exquisite mind. Such a wonderful person, don't you want to go and see him?"
Given my curiosity, it would be a miracle if I didn't go.
"I didn't have a choice in the first place. Can anyone change your decision?"
A hand as white as jade gently pinched my face, her smile as soft as cotton, so tender it seemed to drown my tears.
It was late autumn, early winter, and the golden sunlight cast a warm glow. A gentle breeze blew, ruffling the stray hairs on his forehead, and his flowing robes accentuated his tall, slender figure. At that moment, he was like a water lily blooming in the mist, so ethereal and almost unreal that his beauty was almost cruel.
His smile is the most irresistible; it melts your heart.
"Let's go, stop spacing out."
"oh."
They only stayed at the inn for one night and hurriedly set off early the next morning.
The imperial city is surrounded by mountains on three sides and faces the river on the other. The outer city is prosperous, with numerous shops selling various goods, bustling with activity and people – a truly beautiful place. Passing through the Guangdian Gate, a long street leads directly to the Changsheng Gate in the inner city. On both sides of the street are rows of ordinary shops as well as larger antique-style pavilions, with blue bricks and gray tiles, brown pillars and painted beams, red railings and carved windows, decorated with brick, stone and wood carvings, simple and elegant, beautiful and understated yet lively. At the north end on the west side is the Xianhe Tower, composed of five pavilions: east, west, south, north and central. Each pavilion is three stories high and faces the others. Each pavilion is independent yet connected by flying bridges, railings, long corridors and secret passages, creating a unique and exquisite layout.
"Do you like it here?" The carriage stopped in front of Changsheng Gate, and the person who helped me out of the carriage suddenly asked.
"Of course I love it! It has everything here, and the scenery and climate are wonderful. Let me tell you, the time before last I came here, I caught a golden cricket. I named it the God of War General, and that little thing really lived up to my expectations, winning all the way back to Lin'an for me. It's a pity its lifespan was too short. Alas... it died a few days after arriving in Lin'an."
He put his arm around my waist, lowered his eyes and smiled, "If you like it, then I'll catch as many golden crickets as you want in the future, okay?"
Upon hearing this, I was stunned for a moment, and finally managed to vaguely grasp something.
This trip to the capital city will surely be extraordinary.
At that moment, the sky was clear and the river shimmered. A mountain rain was brewing, but the east wind was still lacking.
Chapter 62
When the gate to immortality, which was more than five people tall, was slowly opened, I suddenly felt a surge of tension, as if my future was unfolding behind that gate.
The mute man's pale, frail face emerged from behind the door. He carefully examined the people standing in front of the door, and seeing that I only glanced at him indifferently for a moment without lingering, he moved aside. After he finished scrutinizing Nangong Ling, his calm, dark gray eyes flickered strangely, and he slightly bowed to make way for her.
After closing the door, he walked in front of us, bowing as he headed straight for the main hall.
“Ayu, Yan Suqing’s Iron Fist has improved a lot.”
As they walked, Nangong Ling smiled and said softly, "I saw the person in front of me hunch over and tense up."
The mute man named Ayu walked with light, disordered steps, revealing the profound impact that seemingly insignificant sentence had on him.