Prince Duan's plan was brilliant! But he hadn't anticipated Lin Sen's unexpected intervention, nearly turning the charade into reality. Enraged by the near-death experience, Lin Sen vowed to eliminate the two in revenge. Mo Xi secretly marveled at the unstoppable power of love.
Chu Huaiqing, as a marquis, personally traveled south, likely not solely to avenge his father's death. Since the organization had already reached an agreement with them, it would surely honor its promise and hand over Lin Sen and Wu Hao; why would he, in his frail state, personally venture into such a dangerous place? Gunpowder, like firearms in modern China, was strictly controlled by the imperial court. Even a gang of this size didn't possess the formula, let alone use it. Revenge was a personal act; it shouldn't warrant the use of gunpowder. That leaves only one explanation: Chu Huaiqing was acting on the orders of Prince Duan. His personal command of this joint operation, while driven by a relentless determination to achieve his objective, was likely also because he wanted to assess the group's true strength and their ability to coordinate attacks. Prince Duan wanted to incorporate the organization's power, especially these skilled fighters, into his own ranks.
Mo Xi omitted the details of the Northwest army's provisions and account books, and explained his reasoning in detail.
The tense situation between the two princes was so close that even ordinary people in the capital had heard about it. Moreover, Lin Sen, who had handled assassinations of high-ranking officials for political purposes, quickly agreed with Mo Xi's analysis and even began to admire her quick thinking.
As for testing whether Chu Huaiqing truly possessed a photographic memory, Mo Xi was merely confirming that the main altar had set up a trap. That day in the carriage, Mo Xi asked Chu Huaiqing what book he was reading, simply to gauge his abilities and find a way to understand him. This man was extremely difficult to extract information from. Mo Xi then went on to describe a dish of quail stewed with barley: "Ten quails, one ounce of barley, two mace each of astragalus and soy sauce, appropriate amounts of pepper and lard, plus meat broth"; while the recipe in the book was: "Ten quails, one ounce of barley, three mace each of astragalus, ginger, and soy sauce, appropriate amounts of pepper and lard, plus meat broth." At that time, she was unaware of Chu Huaiqing's photographic memory; she said this simply because she herself disliked ginger and preferred a lighter taste, so she modified the recipe herself. Asking Chu Huaiqing if the recipe was correct was to test whether he was reading *The Record of Medicinal Cuisine*. If so, he could have easily checked the book, but he didn't. However, this doesn't necessarily mean that Chu Huaiqing wasn't reading *The Record of Medicinal Cuisine*. He might simply have been too lazy to argue with Mo Xi. The problem lies in the "photographic memory." Mo Xi was referring to the first chapter of *The Record of Medicinal Cuisine*. If he had actually read the book, he should know that Mo Xi's account differed from the actual text. Therefore, what he was reading wasn't *The Record of Medicinal Cuisine* at all. He had never read that book before.
Mo Xi guessed that Chu Huaiqing was reading Lin Sen and Wu Hao's files. Knowing your enemy is half the battle. Furthermore, the "wind" in Chu Feng's name corroborated this, confirming that the textbook was indeed his own handwriting. He wasn't actually a steward; only with the two men's files still existing could he have written this textbook. The files hadn't actually fallen into the hands of Lin and Wu.
The files for these two individuals shouldn't be too thick; even an ordinary person with a basic understanding of literature would have finished reading them during the days spent on the road, let alone Chu Huaiqing. However, the morning Mo Xi saw Chu Huaiqing again as a steward, his eyes were bloodshot and his face was pale, clearly from staying up all night. This man eats every two hours and drinks only black tea to soothe his stomach, demonstrating his self-care; he wouldn't stay up all night so casually. He had stayed up all night reading the files of the other thirty-five people at headquarters. This further confirms that the purpose of Prince Duan sending him was to ascertain their backgrounds and recruit them for his own use.
Court officials vie for wealth and power by claiming credit for the emperor's ascension, while江湖人士 (jianghu figures, people of the martial arts world) are blindly enthusiastic. But once the emperor ascends the throne, won't he immediately kill them to silence them for knowing their past? Like the saying goes, "When the cunning rabbit dies, the hunting dog is cooked." At that point, these pawns will be stains he needs to erase from his record.
She just said she helped Lin Sen to save her own life, and right now, Mo Xi is still trying to save her own life, but she also wants to plant a time bomb for Prince Duan. Mo Xi's principle has always been this: whoever makes her unhappy, she will never let that person have an easy time!
Thinking of this, Mo Xi said coldly, "I have a way to get you out of here. But I need your cooperation."
Lin Sen might not have believed she could do it if she had said that earlier, but now Lin Sen only needs to worry about whether Mo Xi is reliable.
Seeing his hesitation, Mo Xi said coldly again, "You can kill me, but killing me will kill your only chance to save your life."
"What are the conditions?" Seeing that there was a chance, Mo Xi suppressed his excitement at almost escaping and decisively said, "Your sword technique."
It wasn't that she was taking advantage of his vulnerability and making exorbitant demands. If she had said there were no conditions and it was completely free, Lin Sen wouldn't have believed her.
Sometimes, having something in mind makes the other party feel more at ease.
"Okay!" Lin Sen readily agreed.
Mo Xi wasn't afraid that he would go back on his word. Even without the sword technique, saving his life was enough.
Seeing that the time was right, Mo Xi tentatively asked him to untie her and release her pressure points so she could get the map.
Lin Sen readily agreed. After all, even if she moved freely, she wouldn't be a match for him.
"The same old trick, fake your death. This is the Northern Desert Grand Canyon, and this is our current location. You two head north along the mountain range. I'll guide those guys to chase after us. You just need to cooperate and maintain your distance. Once you reach the Grand Canyon, jump down. Use this hundred-foot rope to drive one end into the cliff face to stabilize your fall. Then drive the other end into the cliff face below, and then release the upper end. Repeat this process until you reach the bottom of the valley. Then use the same method to climb back up from the other side. With this natural barrier blocking the pursuers, you'll be safe. Remember, you must act immediately after jumping down." Mo Xi was worried that the force of gravity would make their fall too strong and too fast, rendering the trick ineffective. The method is similar to modern rock climbing. Mo Xi explained while gesturing on the map.
She never asked a single question about Wu Hao's current situation. Lin Sen was now a mother wolf, blinded by rage and fiercely protective of her cubs. Mentioning Wu Hao would only make him wary and ruin everything. Besides, she never cared about other people's lives.
When Mo Xi finally emerged from the tree hollow, her inner garment was soaked with cold sweat. After all, Lin Sen had already learned her method; whether he wanted to kill her to silence her or prevent her from going back on her word, killing her was justified. But she truly had no other choice but to take another gamble. Fortunately, this man was loyal and had a strong sense of honor. The reason he had survived to this day was entirely due to his formidable strength, unlike herself, who resorted to all sorts of crooked and evil methods.
Mo Xi immediately returned to the place where they had been ambushed. In the blink of an eye, she killed Laozi, but spared the life of the Melancholy Movie Emperor, using her unique technique to strike his pressure points as a way of thanking him for the duck leg. The Melancholy Movie Emperor was a smart man; he knew Mo Xi's actions had saved his life and asked nothing. The two of them made themselves look utterly disheveled, as if they had just survived a bloody battle, and then waited to rejoin the main force.
――――――
Mo Xi pretended to be crazy the whole way and returned home safely. After a period of rest and recuperation, he soothed her little heart, which had been on a roller coaster ride.
On a moonlit night with few stars, she received a gift that was both expected and unexpected. The delivery method was peculiar; it was inside the belly of a large white goose. Mo Xi took out a wax-sealed dumpling the size of a pigeon egg and carefully opened it.
The Flying Star Sword Manual and the Flowing Frost Sword Manual came into view.
She was very satisfied with the prize money she received. Her eyes, bright as stars, shone as she smiled, like a crescent moon in the sky.
He was secretly planning to invite the guy who slept in forever to come and make braised goose the next day.
extra
( ) Do joyful things with your lover, don't ask if it's fate or misfortune.
As soon as the morning mist dissipated, the village children ran around in groups to tread on the waterwheel.
Clear water flows over the bluestone slabs at the village entrance and slowly irrigates the lush green fields. Villagers who get up early to work like to take advantage of this time to wade barefoot in the water on the bluestone slabs.
A slender young man, carrying a fish basket and fishing rod, with his trousers and sleeves rolled up to three-tenths of the way down, walked leisurely on the bluestone slabs with a smile on his face. The water washed over his feet, feeling indescribably cool and refreshing.
He walked to a section of the stream where the current was slightly calmer, put down his fishing gear, and sat down on the ground.
A few meters away, there's a small waterfall called Pearl Waterfall. It has three tiers, each with a turn, and the water flows in several silvery-white streaks, arranged in a pleasing and orderly fashion, making it quite beautiful. The water here is incredibly light, cascading down like countless pearls, hence the name.
Whether it was because there were a lot of fish here or the young man was particularly lucky, two lively, fresh fish soon entered the basket. At this moment, a handsome young man with red lips and white teeth rushed over and punched him in the straight back.
Caught off guard, the young man's hand jerked, causing a small splash in the stream, and the hooked fish escaped...
He wasn't annoyed. He turned his head slightly and said gently, "Who upset you?"
The handsome young man knew he had just been seriously injured, but he still complained, "Where did you take Little White? How dare you steal food from me?" After saying that, he put his arm around the man's neck and sat down with him. After thinking for a while, he was still not satisfied. He picked up the fish basket and poured it into the stream. The two fish disappeared in a few darts.
The young man laughed, his laughter deep and pleasant. With that laugh, his eyebrows slanted, revealing a natural charm that captivated the handsome young man.
The young man casually put his arm around his waist and whispered, "Don't you know whether I stole the food or not? You let the fish escape, how are you going to compensate me?"
The handsome young man stared blankly and said "Ah," his face turning slightly red. He jumped up, glared at him, turned to run away, then remembered something and said softly, "Have you sent out our return gifts? If you ask me, you're too stingy. You should have given them all your random secret manuals and stuff."
"She has no set moves, her sword moves as she pleases; it's best not to be bound by them. Such talent and beauty are unworthy of those other techniques. Your Flowing Frost Sword, on the other hand, follows a path of unrestrained freedom, free and unrestrained. If she can master it, she will surely achieve great success within three years." At this point, his expression gradually turned solemn: "What good are unparalleled martial arts skills for people like us? I dare not take her as a disciple. Let her have her; at least she will have some solace."
The two leaned against each other, speechless for a moment. They both thought that as long as he lived, they would be happy.
The Wondrous Monk Like Mist
( ) Osmanthus blossoms fall in the moonlight, their heavenly fragrance drifting beyond the clouds. — Tang Dynasty, Song Zhiwen, "Lingyin Temple"
Hangzhou. Lingyin Temple.
The moonlight is bright and clear, and the osmanthus blossoms are fragrant.
Zen temple on the mountaintop.
A subtle fragrance wafts through the air, and silver frost blankets the ground.
Mo Xi lay on her side on the meditation couch and soon fell asleep.