Ich denke an dich, wenn der Wind weht

Kapitel 100

Xie Feilan smiled to comfort her second sister-in-law, who was still shaken, but secretly felt a chill run down her spine as she observed the scene unfolding before her.

The sudden turn of events was met with remarkable composure, and the heavily guarded surrounding him offered no opening for attack. Even the seemingly unfathomable young man, who appeared out of nowhere, remained a mystery. His movements were elusive, he stealthily protected the attacker, observing the battle from the sidelines, and offering insightful critiques afterward. This deadly attack appeared to have become a test of his skills.

The Bai family of Hangzhou has such profound hidden secrets.

Qinglan watched as her subordinates finished dealing with the invading enemy, and just then she overheard him muttering to himself in a very low voice.

"What did Fourth Brother say?"

“I mean…” he gestured with his eyes. “She’s amazing.”

Qinglan laughed. "Of course, that's why I'm reminding you not to mess with them."

“What you said makes sense…” Xie Feilan noticed the woman’s absent-mindedness and suddenly realized something was wrong. “You reminded me…you said she is…she…”

Her elder brother's expression changed drastically. Before Qinglan could ask anything, the sound of hooves, as swift as a rainstorm, came from the roadside. Soon after, a white horse emerged from the depths of the willow shade. The man on horseback was covered in dust, but his imposing and heroic figure was still undeniable. Upon seeing the crowd, his weariness instantly turned into joy, and he dismounted.

"Third Brother!" Qinglan exclaimed with delight. "So fast? Wasn't it supposed to take more than ten days for the letter from Eldest Brother to arrive?"

Upon her brother's return, Xie Feilan smiled, but inwardly she felt a deep sense of unease, as if gripped tightly by a giant hand, making it difficult to breathe. She… what was she…?

His handsome face smiled, as radiant as the bright sun, captivating all who beheld him. "With the affairs of Qiongzhou settled, I returned first, a few days earlier than my elder brother."

It's been more than ten days faster than expected; it's not just a few days earlier. They must have been traveling at breakneck speed.

"Third Brother is worried about home," Xie Feilan teased with a faint smile, his palms unconsciously clenching. "I guess he came back because he found Third Sister-in-law wasn't there."

Xie Yunshu smiled without saying a word, tacitly agreeing.

He walked over, nodded to the women, greeted them one by one, and then looked at the person he had been longing for.

Her fair face radiated a captivating glow, her dark eyes sparkling like morning stars, a silent joy welling up within her, gradually blossoming into a smile. Before he could even stand up, he pulled her into a tight embrace, holding her soft, fragrant body tightly, unwilling to let go. Separated for months, the intense longing had almost overwhelmed him.

"I'm back," he whispered in my ear.

She bit her lip and responded softly.

鹣鲽

The water gurgled and shimmered, and Xie Yunshu enjoyed soaking in the bath. The months-long campaign was finally over, and the fatigue from the long journey washed over him. The warm water almost lulled him to sleep.

In the hazy distance, someone approached, a slender and graceful figure carrying a tray, which she gently placed by the pond. Her hair was loosely tied up, and her narrow sleeves were made of light silk, like a lotus flower blooming in the summer breeze.

After gazing at each other for a moment, Xie Yunshu chuckled softly, pulled her closer, and kissed her for a long time until his breath became unsteady. He then reluctantly released her, rubbed his lips against her rosy lips, and barely managed to suppress his surging emotions before picking up the medicine cup on the tray and drinking it all in one gulp.

“You… came back faster than I expected.” She massaged his shoulders by the pool, her fair face slightly flushed, without looking at his naked, muscular body underwater.

"Because you missed me." Xie Yunshu looked up at her, his eyes and brows full of loving smiles. "How could I bear to let you suffer the pain of unrequited love?"

"I didn't." She was about to deny it when her wrist tightened, and she was pulled into the pool, falling into a firm embrace. Startled and soaked, she felt a slight annoyance, but he lifted her chin and kissed her deeply. Her mind gradually drifted away. After a long separation, their young bodies longed to be entangled, and their love and desire burned like wildfire.

He took a deep breath and forced himself to back away. Not yet, he'd just taken his medicine; he had to wait at least a quarter of an hour…

"Pianxian." His low, husky voice was filled with desire; he began to regret dragging her into this mess. Her semi-transparent silk dress was barely concealed, its intoxicating softness caressing every inch of her skin.

"Um."

Noticing the change in his body, she blushed as well. Her wet, black hair clung to her neck, and her long eyelashes were glistening with water droplets; her innocent sweetness made one want to possess her.

"This is the first time you've said you miss me, and I'm so happy."

She wasn't used to such an intimate declaration of love and awkwardly looked away. "I didn't say that."

Xie Yunshu simply smiled. His wife was such a shy person; how could she possibly reveal her true feelings? That short note with four characters, written thousands of miles away, already conveyed her subtle and lingering longing.

Flowers bloom along the path.

Flowers are blooming along the path; you may return home at your leisure.

The indescribable tenderness was intertwined within, and the gentle affection stirred his heart, allowing him to see through it all at a glance, making him wish he could sprout wings and return from Hainan Island.

Several months had passed since they parted, and their hearts were heavy with longing for each other. If it weren't for the wild, humid, and miasmatic climate of Qiongzhou, and her frail health making long journeys impossible, he would never have left her alone at home. He looked at her beautiful face with affection and asked about everything that had happened during their separation.

"You'll be gone for a long time this time. Are you doing alright at home alone?"

“Very good, Mother and sister-in-law are taking good care of me.”

Is there anything bothering you?

She smiled slightly, her beautiful eyes seeming both reproachful and resentful. "Didn't you have Shuangjing and Moyao make all the decisions for you? How could I possibly hear about such trivial matters?"

Xie Yunshu did not deny it. "You don't like it?"

"Not really." After being embraced for a while, she simply rested her head on her shoulder. "If I really had to deal with it, I might not be able to stand the annoyance. It's just that I feel like I'm a bit useless."

"I don't want you to waste your energy on mundane household chores."

"Then what would you use it for?" She rolled her eyes dismissively.

"Use it on me." He smiled slyly, becoming restless. "It would be best if you could cling to me and never leave me." His fingertips wickedly caressed her, sending a shiver of weakness through her body.

“You…” Her voice was so soft and seductive that she couldn’t bear to listen to it, and she bit her lip with difficulty.

"Don't do this." Xie Yunshu coaxed indistinctly, prying open her teeth with a kiss. "I want to hear your voice." As she spoke, she tore open her silk robe and ran her hand up between her legs.

"Just got back and... um..." The soft, panting murmur was intoxicating.

"I miss you so much." A hoarse whisper whispered in my ear, burning with an impatient flame. "You'll soon find out how much I miss you."

Xie Qinglan curiously approached Xie Jingze's room, examining the rare treasures her third brother had brought back from Qiongzhou. Xie Feilan was dragged along as well, silently listening to their conversation in an unusual silence. The objects were indeed strangely shaped; even someone in a bad mood couldn't help but scrutinize them closely. Xie Feilan had participated in the final battle, but mainly in the flank attack and hadn't entered the Qiongzhou Sect's main hall; this was the first time he'd seen these items.

Inside a jade box, a peculiar plant was held together by a silver thread.

It is long and star-shaped with six points, but its edge extends out with countless messy black lines that coil together. It is soft to the touch, pitch black, but interspersed with wisps of gold light, and emits a strange fragrance that clears the mind.

"This is the secret that the Qionghai School never reveals..."

“Hai Mingxiao,” Xie Yunshu replied, taking it from her hand.

"Third Brother is here, where is Third Sister-in-law? Wasn't she supposed to have her pulse checked again today?" Qinglan peeked out.

"She's still resting; she'll come over this afternoon."

"Still sleeping?" Qinglan glanced at the sky and muttered softly. "It's about time..."

Xie Jingze chuckled and patted his fifth brother on the back of the head. "Did you forget that your third brother just got back yesterday?"

Xie Feilan tugged at the corners of her lips, a half-smile playing on her lips. "I suppose Third Brother has exhausted himself."

Ren, seemingly unconcerned, teased Xie Yunshu, who smiled and picked up the Haiming Silk to examine it closely.

After two years of planning and several months of hands-on work, the Xie family, leveraging Xie Feilan's business interests in Quanzhou, finally acquired this rare treasure that was only known by name but never seen by outsiders. It is said to grow in a dark, secluded place on a sea cliff, absorbing the sea's moisture for hundreds of years to form this unique plant, which is regarded as a priceless treasure by the Qionghai School and is considered the school's most prized possession.

Qinglan tilted her head and stared at it for a long time. "Is this the legendary treasure that can bring the dead back to life and greatly increase the internal strength of martial artists, adding sixty years' worth of power?" She really couldn't tell.

"That's a lie," Xie Yunshu said calmly, rubbing his fingertips together. "Actually, its effects are to mend broken meridians, replenish qi and calm the mind, and it has a remarkable effect in removing cold toxins."

"That's all?" Qinglan was slightly disappointed. "Why does the Qionghai Sect have to be so vigilant? It's caused us to lose so many people."

"I forgot to mention, there's another benefit." Xie Yunshu suppressed a laugh. "The reason it can remove cold poison is precisely because it grows in cold and damp places, and its nature is extremely potent. The upper echelons of the Qionghai Sect are all old men, and they value this very much."

"Which point?" Qinglan was puzzled. After waiting for a long time, Xie Yunshu smiled but did not answer. Xie Jingze lowered his head and pretended to flip through a book, only looking at Xie Feilan with a strange expression.

After a long pause, the other person's mouth twisted into a crook, and they kindly gave an answer.

"Aphrodisiac".

"Huh?" After a long pause, Qinglan blushed. "Then... can it be used by Third Sister-in-law?"

Xie Jingze coughed. "It's different when used on my sister-in-law. Her meridians are weakened and the cold poison is not completely gone. This is exactly what she needs. If she is properly treated, she can live at least another fifteen years."

"Only fifteen years..." Qinglan couldn't help but feel regretful that such a huge amount of effort had only resulted in this.

"Don't even mention fifteen years, I'll still go and seize it even if it's delayed by a year or two." Xie Yunshu calmly closed the jade box. "At least I can use that time to find other spiritual herbs."

When Jun Suiyu first discovered Hai Mingxiao's whereabouts, he was faced with the great difficulty of launching a long-distance attack due to the vast distance between Qiongzhou and Xijing. Furthermore, laying the groundwork was not something that could be accomplished overnight. Therefore, he took advantage of the wedding to negotiate that the Xie family would take the lead in the attack, while the Jun family would secretly provide substantial financial assistance. This led to the conquest that spanned the Central Plains.

Xie Feilan stared for a long time, then suddenly asked directly.

"Why is Third Brother so concerned about her? Is it because she comes from a royal family, or...?"

Xie Yunshu paused slightly. "When I met her, she..." Recalling their encounter many years ago, layers of memories surfaced in his mind, and a faint smile appeared on his face.

"...Her surname isn't Jun, and mine isn't Xie..."

Back then, I never imagined I'd be where I am today...

The Four Envoys on Mount Tian...

That ethereal fairy, untouched by worldly concerns, wielded immense power and bloodshed in the Western Regions with a flick of her finger, even her third brother was at her beck and call. Qinglan's awe and fear stemmed from this. Such a person…

"Fourth brother."

Xie Feilan suddenly came to his senses, and Xie Yunshu chuckled and raised his glass, "This time, we owe you a lot. Otherwise, the situation in Southern Fujian would have been complicated, and the people would have been rough and unruly. We really wouldn't have known where to begin."

"Third Brother, what are you saying? We're all family." With a hearty laugh, Xie Feilan downed his drink and poured a toast to his elder brother. "Eldest Brother has worked the hardest. It's a rare opportunity for us brothers to reunite, so we must drink a few more cups."

Xie Quheng was the last to return home, still looking travel-worn, but his face was relaxed and cheerful.

"Finally, we've settled one of the third brother's worries. Otherwise, he'd be anxious about it every day, which was quite annoying. It just so happens that the Qionghai Sect has exposed itself in Yangzhou, so this can be considered a complete resolution."

"Thank you for your trouble, elder brother." Xie Yunshu raised a glass, his affection evident. "And thank you, second brother, for taking care of her at home; otherwise, I really wouldn't be able to let go of her illness."

Xie Jingze accepted the cup with a smile.

"Never mind." Xie Quheng sighed. "Now that I've married her, it's my duty to do whatever I want, and it's only right to put in some effort. Besides, this matter is quite helpful to Lao Si."

"Jun Suiyu really cares about this sister he found halfway through his journey." Xie Feilan unconsciously added with a hint of sarcasm.

Xie Yunshu smiled, and Qinglan sighed.

"That's right, Fourth Brother will understand once he has the chance to visit Night Pavilion."

"Night Pavilion?"

"Back then, in order to marry this Miss Jun, who came from a very prominent family, Father ordered the merger of several guest gardens, including Fanghua Garden, and rushed to build a new garden. According to Third Brother's wishes, skilled craftsmen were invited to design the Hibiscus Jade Pond, water pavilions and vermilion towers, and planted with willows and exotic flowers. The scenery in that area can be called the best in the Xie family. Fourth Brother, you may want to go and take a look when you have time."

Xie Feilan raised an eyebrow. "What a lot of trouble you've gone through. What kind of place is this Night Pavilion you're talking about?"

Qinglan, caught up in the moment, spoke at length. "The Jun family is incredibly wealthy, possessing countless treasures. Jun Suiyu gave half of the mansion's rare treasures as her dowry. There were so many that they couldn't be left lying around, so my third brother built a night pavilion in the garden to house them. Last time, I was so curious that I begged my third brother to take me there. Several layers of dazzling treasures left me dazzled. Things like luminous pearls and coral trees were nothing special, and there were so many things I'd never even heard of before..."