Later, Mu Huantao, the leader of the Qiong Sect, passed away, and Jiang Li succeeded him as the leader. He went to the Central Plains to find the two Holy Maidens, but he only found Mu Wanfeng. Yu Nan'er disappeared from the martial arts world.
"Why do you think Yu Nan'er won't come back to the Qiong Sect with us?" Mu Wanfeng's eyes slowly shifted.
Why?
"Because, just as it was written in that forbidden book, she fell in love with a man in the Central Plains."
"But since Sect Leader Jiang Li forcibly took you back to the Northern Desert, how could he allow Yu Nan'er to remain in the Central Plains?"
Mu Wanfeng suddenly sneered: "How could Jiang Li let her stay in the Central Plains? It was Yu Nan'er who risked her life to be with that man, and poisoned herself with the 'Unrequited Love' poison in front of Jiang Li."
Both Baili Qingyi and Yin Wuxiao were startled.
"How ridiculous! What use is a man if she's already dead? She's just too foolish and stupid to understand such a simple truth."
Yin Wuxiao was silent for a while, then said, "But Yu Nan'er did not die after being poisoned."
Mu Wanfeng laughed: "She's a genius with poisons. Although there's no antidote for 'Unfulfilled Desire' for now, with her methods, suppressing the poison in her body for a long time wouldn't be difficult. Yet, instead of living happily ever after with her man, she became your wet nurse. That's quite strange. I suppose her man isn't a good person either. Yin girl, tell me, how did she become your wet nurse?"
Yin Wuxiao glanced at Baili Qingyi. What case was he investigating that he was digging up even things from over twenty years ago? Was it just for the massacre at the Yin family mansion? She couldn't see any connection between the skilled healer and Mu Wanfeng and the massacre at the Yin family mansion.
Baili Qingyi appears easygoing, but in reality, he is extremely cunning; no one can see through his schemes. She recalled what Mansi had said: when Yu Zong Dao Mo and Qiu Shan Lao Ren fought a fierce battle that no one could resolve, Baili Qingyi quietly found Qiu Shan Lao Ren's long-lost daughter and explained the greater good to her. Filled with admiration and love for Baili Qingyi, the young woman risked her life to stop the final battle, ultimately resolving the feud between the two sides.
However, in the chaos of battle, the girl was accidentally injured in the heart meridian, and despite medical treatment, she became a heartless and mindless vegetable.
Although this was not Baili Qingyi's fault, it chilled the hearts of those who heard the story.
“Miss Yin, may I continue to clarify Qingyi’s doubts?” Yin Wuxiao raised his eyes and met Shang Baili Qingyi’s warm gaze.
She clasped her hands together and suddenly felt a chill run through her body.
“Aunt Nan came to my house before I was born. I don’t know what happened before that.” Baili Qingyi’s gaze made her feel uneasy. She paused, then continued, “I only know that before my parents rescued Aunt Nan, she was struggling with her weak body after a miscarriage. …That child was probably that man’s.”
"He... couldn't even protect her child? Or did he not want the child at all?" Mu Wanfeng was very surprised, and after a long while sighed, "Nan'er is indeed a fool. I advised her long ago, but she just wouldn't listen."
"Does Master Mu know who that man is?" Baili Qingyi asked.
Upon hearing this, Yin Wuxiao's beautiful eyes also fixed intently on Mu Wanfeng.
Mu Wanfeng's expression turned cold: "Who else could it be? It's that old man from Hundred Questions Valley, Xuan He!"
Baili Qingyi pondered for a moment: "If that's the case, then if there truly is a way to resolve the inability to obtain what one desires, why would Xuanhe necessarily know it?"
A smile spread across Mu Wanfeng's lips: "I really don't understand. Since Nan'er is dead, who else would be poisoned by the 'Unfulfilled Desire' poison? The young master in green has gone to such lengths to find out the cure for 'Unfulfilled Desire'. The person who is poisoned is truly blessed."
Yin Wuxiao was startled and looked at Baili Qingyi in astonishment.
Baili Qingyi cupped his hands and smiled at Mu Wanfeng, saying, "Thank you, Master Mu, for clearing up my doubts today." After saying that, he took Yin Wuxiao's hand and turned to leave.
Mu Wanfeng said leisurely from behind, "Young Master in green, exchanging a piece of blood jade for a story is not a loss for me. But you, when you find the other piece of blood jade, don't forget to send it to me."
Yin Wuxiao froze, his steps halting.
"Master Mu," she suddenly spoke, "Aunt Nan met a man in the Central Plains back then, so what about you? Didn't you meet anyone?"
Mu Wanfeng's expression changed drastically.
"Aunt Nan refused to go back to Mobei with Jiang Li, so why are you willing to go back with him?"
"If Aunt Nan's man isn't worth her sacrifice, does that mean your man is worth it?"
With a snap, the armrest of the wooden chair was crushed, sending wood chips flying everywhere.
Mu Wanfeng suddenly stood up, her figure swift as the wind as she pounced on Yin Wuxiao, raising her hand to slap him. Yin Wuxiao was stunned, not even knowing how to dodge.
Mu Wanfeng's wrist was held by Baili Qingyi.
"Master Mu." Baili Qingyi's expression was stern as he spoke clearly, "With me, Baili Qingyi, here, I will never allow you to harm a single hair on her head."
Mu Wanfeng was taken aback, then slowly withdrew her hand, sneering, "No wonder such a boring person as the Green-Clad Gentleman has so many women admiring him. It turns out he's actually a chivalrous man. But, the Green-Clad Gentleman's tastes are truly indiscriminate." She looked Yin Wuxiao up and down, her words carrying a hidden meaning.
Baili Qingyi snorted, gripped Yin Wuxiao's hand tightly, and strode out the door.
Yin Wuxiao followed behind him with unsteady steps, feeling as if her hand was being gripped so tightly that it was about to catch fire.
Chapter Twelve: Sharing a Pillow, A Boat Listening to the Autumn Rain (Part Four)
Baili Qingyi was angry, and quite angry at that.
Logically speaking, she and Baili Qingyi weren't very familiar with each other, so it should have been difficult for her to tell whether he was angry or not. But he just kept leading her out without looking back, leaving her staring at his back for a long time, which was quite boring. His back was stiff, his hands were extremely strong, and he radiated a strong anger. Even a fool would know that he was angry.
It's quite impressive that she could deduce so much information from just one person's spine.
Yin Wuxiao was completely baffled. Baili Qingyi's anger seemed to have no reason at all. He dragged her by the hand out of the inn and all the way to the back mountain of the inn. She could even hear the rustling of owl wings.
She finally couldn't hold back any longer and said, "Let go."
It wasn't that she was petty, but rather that the situation was the perfect setting for murder and concealing a body. If Baili Qingyi were truly all show and no substance, wouldn't she be utterly wronged?
Baili Qingyi suddenly turned around. Under the moonlight, his handsome face, as clear as a pine tree stream, was deeply furrowed with heavy brows, looking as if he was disappointed in his son.
Yin Wuxiao tried to pull his hand away timidly, but he was held tightly and could not move.
"What...what are you doing?" Her voice trembled slightly. Since she became an adult, had no man ever treated her like this? Even the lecherous Yin Bitong only dared to occasionally touch her, and then quickly shrank back under her sharp gaze.
Who else would hold a young woman's hand under the cover of darkness like Baili Qingyi, without blushing or feeling guilty, but instead acting as if she owed him thousands of taels of silver?
Why didn't you dodge?
"Huh?" Her mind was clearly not on the same wavelength as his.
"Why didn't you dodge when she hit you?" Baili Qingyi's expression was stern, with not a trace of gentleness or warmth left.
Yin Wuxiao realized this, then smiled bitterly: "Who is Master Mu? Even if I wanted to hide, I couldn't."
"Whether you can dodge it or not, isn't it human nature to dodge when faced with danger?" Baili Qingyi grabbed her hand, took two steps closer, and his handsome face quickly magnified in front of her.
"Uh..." Yin Wuxiao swallowed hard. "I'm used to it..."
"I didn't do it on purpose..." she murmured.
Baili Qingyi's anger seemed to have subsided considerably because of her gentle words.
After a long pause, he sighed, "It's good that you're alright. Since you're not capable of protecting yourself, don't deliberately provoke others in the future."
Yin Wuxiao was baffled. This person was actually lecturing her on how to be a person? Tch!
It was said that this young man in blue was a calm and composed person, and that no one had ever seen him angry. How come he seemed so capricious today? She thought to herself: Rumors really are unreliable.
"Young Master in Blue, if there's nothing else, I'd like to go back."
Baili Qingyi's anger had just subsided when her words reignited it. She snorted angrily, "Do you still think that Yin Bitong is a good person? Don't follow him anymore!"
Yin Wuxiao, somewhat angered by his reprimand, retorted, "Of course Yin Bitong is no good person. Who in this world doesn't know that only the young master in blue from Baili Prefecture is the greatest good person in the world!"
What right did he have to drag her out of bed in the middle of the night to listen to these old stories? What right did he have to meddle in her affairs? What right did he have to hold her hand so tightly? What right did he have to make her fawn over him like this?
Damn it, what gives him the right?
Baili Qingyi was startled, and unconsciously increased the pressure on her hand: "I'm doing this for your own good!"
Yin Wuxiao winced in pain, but forced himself to endure it, gritting his teeth as he said, "What right do you have?"
"I..." Baili Qingyi was taken aback by her question. "I naturally have my reasons!"
His reasoning? Why should everyone act according to his, the Green-Clad Young Master's, reasoning? It turns out that Baili Qingyi, the guardian of the martial arts world, is actually this kind of person!
Yin Wuxiao's eyes grew cold.
Fine, since he spoke so domineeringly, she would lay everything out in the open with him.
“Young Master in Green, I’m not stupid. Since Yin Bitong knows nothing about medicine, why would he think of bringing me to Hundred Questions Valley? You probably leaked this information to him, right? You’re incredibly resourceful; finding a way to make Yin Bitong owe you a favor wouldn’t be difficult for you. I…”
She was so angry that she felt weak, so she pressed her other hand to her chest before continuing to speak, panting.
"Bai Can taking me away from the capital was your arrangement. Yin Bitong abducting me from the Yuwen residence, while not entirely at your behest, is certainly related to you. How laughable that I, Yin Wuxiao, have never escaped your grasp, Young Master Qingyi, all this time! What more do you want to satisfy me?"
Baili Qingyi was greatly shocked. He thought she was completely unaware of everything, but little did he know that she had already seen through his intentions.
The scroll of paper carried by the carrier pigeon "Pear Blossom White" was addressed to Yin Bitong.
His deep, star-like eyes fixed on her, his lips moved, but he didn't know what to say. A thousand words were tangled in his eyes, but he couldn't express them.
"Isn't it good for you to stay by my side? I'll do everything in my power to protect you," he said with difficulty.
"Stay by your side? May I ask, young master in blue, you are so busy with affairs of state, why do you go to such lengths to show kindness to an orphan like me?" she said sharply.
“I have a responsibility to you.” He suddenly became tongue-tied. He was usually capable of persuasive speech, but in front of her, every word he uttered sounded hesitant. It was simply that every question she asked hit the nail on the head, piercing his sore spot.
"Are you referring to the matter of being asked to do this by Brother Fenglang?" Yin Wuxiao's face showed sarcasm.
"You!" Baili Qingyi gritted her teeth, utterly bewildered that there could be a woman in the world who could feign ignorance and act so nonchalantly. "Don't you remember six years ago, when we went to Yunshan..."
“I don’t remember!” Yin Wuxiao interrupted him quickly. She raised an eyebrow. “Young Master in green, I am a lady who never leaves her home. I know nothing about going to or coming to Yunshan.”
Baili Qingyi felt a sharp pain in her chest from the words. She remained silent for a long while, but did not retaliate.
He swept his gaze across her dignified face.
"So it turns out I mistook you for someone else. Please forgive me, Miss Yin." There was a hint of woodenness in her voice.
Yin Wuxiao was surprised. How could this person change his tune so quickly?
After a long silence, Baili Qingyi sighed, "I really don't understand why... why you avoid me like the plague? Is it possible that in your eyes I'm not even as capable of protecting you as that assassin Yin Bitong?"
She suddenly looked up and met his eyes, which were as black as jade. His gaze was both fiery and calming.
The affection in his eyes was obvious.
Yin Wuxiao was startled. Did Baili Qingyi have feelings for her?
How could that be? How could he have feelings for her? Who is he? How could he possibly have feelings for her?
So, he was never angry, yet he was angry for her, simply because he was jealous? He felt it was absurd that she didn't rely on the guardian angel whom everyone else relied on, but instead associated with a wicked assassin.
My heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to burst through my chest.
She then lowered her head and laughed at her own wild imagination. How could that be?
But when he looked up again, he saw his stern eyes, which did not seem fake.
"To be in a romantic relationship with such a serious and earnest person must be an extremely difficult thing," she thought to herself.
So he smiled slightly and said, "Young Master in Blue, you flatter me."