Schatzkammer von Jianghu

Kapitel 44

Nan Jingqi gently pulled Leng Shuangcheng aside and whispered, "Chu Yi, be careful." He then drew the longsword he always carried in his left hand, and the sword energy surged like a rainbow as it met Leng Shuangcheng's attack head-on.

Numerous crystalline glitters suddenly appeared in the darkness, seemingly formed by condensed water droplets.

Leng Shuangcheng pinpointed the location of the sound, channeled her inner strength, and with a burst of energy, her sleeves billowed, scattering the water droplets like a celestial maiden scattering flowers. The water droplets fell to the ground with a tinkling sound, like ice beads, slightly surprising her: this water-drinking technique was indeed not to be underestimated.

After several water attacks, the figures in the shadows slowly emerged, their eyes gleaming, their bodies clad in snow-white water suits, gliding nimbly through the water.

Nan Jingqi's black robes fluttered like a roc spreading its wings. After using a move called Qingguang to force Zi Ying's fingertips away, he quickly retreated behind Leng Shuangcheng, his dragon-patterned sword lying diagonally to his side, protecting Leng Shuangcheng's right flank.

The soft moonlight illuminated their eyes, making them sparkle and shine in unison. Leng Shuangcheng was more slender than Nan Jingqi, and standing in front of him, she resembled a beautiful white poplar and a green sycamore tree, leaning against each other.

Ziying moved gracefully, perfectly complementing the Water Drinking Ninjas on the periphery, and said leisurely, "I've heard that the Nan family has a peerless sword and a world-snatching sword technique passed down through generations, beautifully named 'Twin Shadows.' Is this what a loving couple looks like?"

Nan Jingqi smiled slightly but did not answer, instead focusing his attention on his opponent. Leng Shuangcheng swayed slightly, the swift, cold sword shadows seemingly preventing her from focusing her gaze. She turned her head slightly to Nan Jingqi and asked, "Young Master Nan, do you know the Parting Sword Technique?"

"Yes, how did Chu Yi know the name of this sword technique? It's a closely guarded secret of the Nan family!"

"I can't go into details now. Please use this sword technique to deal with this water formation, young master—the frost is far sharper than the cold water and will definitely break the formation."

Nan Jingqi looked at the Dragon Pattern Sword and understood that Leng Shuangcheng's words were a reminder to him. The Dragon Pattern Sword was known for its heavy and clear light, and it became colder when it came into contact with water, making it invincible. Two hundred years ago, it was one with the "Moonlight" sword, which turned cold when it came into contact with wind. Now, to break the Water Drinking Secret Technique, one of the swords was indeed needed.

He steadied himself, formed a starting sword gesture, and thrust it straight at Zi Ying's face. He understood the principle of "shoot the horse before the rider, capture the king before the thief" just as clearly as he had on the first day of the lunar new year.

Nan Jingqi moved swiftly, and the Water Drink assassins, intending to attack him en masse, were abruptly stopped by a whooshing sound from the distance in the white mist. Leng Shuangcheng looked closely and realized that a group of black-clad guards, roughly the same height as Nan Jingqi, had appeared out of nowhere, attacking Water Drink in perfect unison. Instantly, it seemed as if hundreds of twin brothers had appeared on Jinliang Street, hundreds of arms moving as if as one, their swords flashing in the light.

"The Shadow Legion." Leng Shuangcheng was taken aback. "No wonder Nan Jingqi is known as the Shadow General. His temperament is as divine as Tian Xiao's..." She focused her gaze on the black figure in the sword light, her heart surging with passion. After watching for a while, she felt both happy and worried. She was happy that Nan Jingqi was broad-minded and his sword energy was fierce and resolute, seemingly unaffected by the ridicule of the court or the world. She was worried that the battle would drag on for a long time and would inevitably be disadvantageous to her side. She had just made a move and found that her internal energy had only recovered to 60%. Faced with the ever-changing situation, she didn't know if she still had a chance of winning.

"Foolish!" Accompanied by a deep voice, a dark blue figure leaped into the arena, blocking Zi Ying's side, and struck out with both palms to shake off Nan Jingqi's sword shadow.

The newcomer was in his early thirties, with deep, sinister eyes, especially his hands, which were dry, large, and had prominent knuckles. Ziying glanced at him and called out with a coquettish laugh, "Fifth Brother... what's the rush? It's just a game."

“If we keep playing like this, the entire Water Drink team will be wiped out, and we won’t be able to escape,” the man said grimly.

Leng Shuangcheng looked at his face and remembered whose hands were so special: "Mr. Tang Wu." Nan Jingqi stood beside Leng Shuangcheng, breathing lightly, as if he had not suffered any internal injuries. She couldn't help but feel a little relieved.

Tang Wu gave a cold smile and didn't answer, his five fingers suddenly reaching out to grab Nan Jingqi. Leng Shuangcheng rushed towards the two of them anxiously, but Zi Ying cleverly intercepted her, standing in front of her.

Leng Shuangcheng lowered her eyes and composed herself, slowly pulling open her clothes and taking them off, holding them in her hands.

"Oh? You're so eager to take your clothes off in front of people?" Ziying covered her mouth with her sleeve and chuckled.

Leng Shuangcheng stared at her with his eyes wide open and smiled, revealing his teeth: "Madam, you should be careful with your words..." Before the smile faded, he gathered his true power in his hand and swept his long robe towards Ziying with a whoosh.

Zi Ying exclaimed in surprise, nearly being swept away by Leng Shuang's clothes. She giggled and said, "Such a handsome young man is so ruthless. He doesn't know how to cherish a beautiful woman at all." He was still somewhat wary of her true energy and only cared about running around the water-drinking formation where there were many people.

Leng Shuangcheng neither dodged nor evaded, catching all the water droplets that scattered like flowers on her clothes. After several repetitions, she finally abandoned her attack on Ziying and instead went close to chase after the silver-white figures. Ziying seemed to sense something, no longer leisurely standing outside the battle, but staring intently at Leng Shuangcheng, who was only wearing her undergarments in the arena. Her beautiful face changed drastically, and she murmured, "Authentic mental technique: Binding Wetness into a Staff..."

Leng Shuangcheng caught all the water droplets, her clothes completely soaked. With a flick of her wrist, her blue brocade robe solidified into a staff. With the staff in hand, her spirits soared and her true strength surged. She swept away the figures entangled in the surrounding battle, and without even looking, silently slashed at Tang Wu from behind.

A slender figure silently walked to Ziying's side, glanced at the situation, and said coldly, "According to my brother, Chu Yi's spear and staff skills are extremely high. He once single-handedly withstood all attacks in the midst of a thousand troops. His martial arts skills are even better than those of the Divine Spear King Yifei..." She paused and then said disdainfully, "It's a good thing that my brother is here, otherwise we wouldn't have been able to catch him."

Ziying's smile widened, and she called out sweetly, "Seventh Sister."

Tang Qi glanced at her coldly and snorted.

Leng Shuangcheng was unaware of the changes taking place in the arena. She continued to whip her long staff at Tang Wu, calling out in a low voice, "Young Master Nan, be careful of Mr. Tang's palm. This man is renowned in the martial arts world for his 'Great Search Hand,' and his palm strikes are interspersed with two variations of finger techniques..."

Tang Wu's eyes narrowed, and he turned to grab Leng Shuangcheng. Nan Jingqi retreated quickly, glanced at the guards who were fighting bloody battles, and shouted loudly, "You all retreat first, meet at the usual place." Then he pounced on Xiehe and Leng Shuangcheng to surround and attack Tang Wu.

Leng Shuangcheng glanced at his attack route and asked in surprise, "Young Master Nan, why didn't you move after giving the order to assemble?"

Nan Jingqi smiled slightly: "Since there are no trivial matters to bother me, I will be with Chu Yi this time, no matter what."

Leng Shuangcheng's heart skipped a beat. Unprepared for Tang Wu's hands, Tang Wu grabbed her with both hands and tore open her hair, leaving the ends of her hair loose and fluttering lightly in the wind.

Seeing that most of the guards had retreated from the smoke they had released, Nan Jingqi felt more at ease. He swept his sword across the ground and laughed arrogantly, "I finally found Chu Yi. My wish has been fulfilled. Today, let's fight side by side with Chu Yi."

Hearing his laughter from the sidelines, Tang Qi coldly remarked, "Why does everyone look so affectionate?"

Ziying's eyes darted around, and she giggled and exclaimed, "Oh, your hair's all messed up... Perfect timing to get revenge on Seventh Sister."

Upon hearing this, Tang Wu seemed to remember something, snorted coldly, and his five fingers sharply clawed at Leng Shuangcheng. Leng Shuangcheng's expression changed, knowing that the newcomer was hostile and aimed directly at her clothes. She was furious: This Tang Wu was actually a jealous man, easily swayed by women's slander, and wanted to avenge his sister Tang Qi's humiliation at the hands of Qiu Yeyi.

Tang Wu's attacks were accompanied by a constant whooshing sound; if it weren't for his superior staff skills, Leng Shuangcheng would have been captured long ago. Zi Ying's eyes darted around again, and as Tang Wu grabbed Leng Shuangcheng, she pulled out a soft, icy rope and silently attacked Nan Jingqi. With Nan Jingqi's attack route split, Leng Shuangcheng could only struggle to hold on alone. After ten moves, Tang Wu finally caught her. Tang Wu placed his hands on Leng Shuangcheng's clothes and pulled, but without tearing the inner garment, he exclaimed "Eh!" and lifted Leng Shuangcheng close to examine her.

Seeing this, Tang Qi stepped forward and examined Leng Shuangcheng from head to toe. He then noticed that her hair was damp with water droplets, but her inner garment was completely dry, which surprised him. Tang Wu glanced at Leng Shuangcheng, his eyes gleaming, and said coldly, "They actually dressed him in one of the three treasures of warding off evil—the water-repelling garment. This person really can't be killed; he must have a great connection with the young master of the Evil-Repelling Sect."

Leng Shuangcheng was shocked. Before she could say anything, everything went black, and Tang Wu struck her pressure points, knocking her unconscious.

14. Layout

The sixteenth day of the first lunar month, at the hour of Chen (7-9 AM).

Zhao Yingcheng passed through the gate of Daqing Palace. Two magnificent golden shadows rushed past him. He hurriedly jumped into the carriage, said "Ye Mansion" to the driver, and the carriage headed straight for Yunqi Bridge.

Yin Guang was waiting silently in front of the mansion. When he saw the carriage approaching, he bowed and went to greet it: "Your Highness."

Zhao Yingcheng continued walking, muttering, "I want to see your young master, why haven't you gone to announce my arrival?" He looked up and immediately understood why Yin Guang hadn't gone to announce his arrival—Qiu Yeyijian stood motionless under the eaves of the main courtyard. He was like a sculpture embedded in a backdrop of lush flowers and trees, his icy, glassy pupils staring straight into the air. Zhao Yingcheng looked closely and noticed a deep serration on Qiu Yeyijian's right ear, clearly visible against his flowing black hair, beneath the golden crown binding his hair.

Zhao Yingcheng looked at Yin Guang, who hesitated for a moment before saying, "Young Master has been standing here all night."

Qiu Yeyi's purple dress was slightly damp, clinging to her body and emanating a faint chill. Although Zhao Yingcheng was surprised, he still stepped forward and said loudly, "Young Master, there is an urgent matter from the palace that needs to be discussed with you."

A morning breeze swept by, seemingly awakening the autumn leaves. He coughed lightly twice, then turned and walked coldly into the hall. Zhao Yingcheng, familiar with his temperament, paid no attention, smiled slightly at Yin Guang, and entered the grand hall.

After the three of them sat down in different directions, Zhao Yingcheng took out a scroll from his sleeve and spread it out in front of Qiu Yeyijian.

Cheng Xiang, Princess Changping, whose family owned many businesses and was skilled in using the Flying Phoenix Feather Whip, disappeared at dawn on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month in the Qingfeng Tower on Quyuan Street, and her whereabouts are unknown.

Zhuang Chuchu, daughter of Prince Zhuang Jing, possessed unparalleled beauty and talent in playing the zither. She disappeared from the Zhuang family courtyard at 11:15 on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. The servant beside her remains unconscious, and no clues have been found.

Ruan Ruan, Chu Xuan's sworn sister, is disabled in both legs. She disappeared at 11:15 on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month near the arched bridge of the Zhuang family mansion. It is said that she was performing for Princess Chu Chu at that time.

Nan Jingqi, the former top general of Jingxiang Kingdom, was a master swordsman. He appeared near Zhouqiao at 3:45 PM on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month and has not been seen since.

Qiu Yeyi glanced down at the sword, then looked up and said coldly, "What does the young master want to know?"

Zhao Yingcheng replied with a smile, "Although you gave me some instructions before, I took over this case halfway through, so I need you to give me more guidance on the details."

"please."

"These four all disappeared yesterday, and although the times were different, they revealed a few unusual points." Zhao Yingcheng glanced at Qiu Yeyi's face, noticing her usual coldness, and smiled slightly before continuing, "First, they all disappeared around the moat, which is where the water is, so it must be related to the 'water drink' you mentioned earlier. Second, since the water drink appeared, Ziying will inevitably appear as well. I suspect she could use Tong Tu to blackmail Nan Jingqi, but why would she kidnap the other three? Third, Cheng Xiang and Nan Jingqi are not weak in martial arts, so how could they disappear without being noticed?"

Qiu Yeyi remained silent for a moment, then looked at Zhao Yingcheng and said coldly, "The young master has overlooked two places."

"please."

"The guards of the Zhuang family are usually well-trained, but they have been ambushed and remain unconscious. That's one reason. Apart from Ruan Ruan, the other three have very special identities. That's another reason."

"What does the young master mean..."

"There is no doubt that the Shuiyin martial arts under Ziying's command are highly skilled. They can only deal with the servants of the Zhuang family and Ruan Ruan. If they want to kidnap Cheng Xiang and Nan Jingqi, they obviously need someone more powerful."

Zhao Yingcheng thought for a moment, seemingly agreeing with Qiu Yeyijian's deduction, and continued to ask, "Young Master is so certain, you must already understand the intricacies of the matter?"

Qiu Yeyi turned to stare at the files on the table. Zhao Yingcheng looked at them again and noticed that his gaze was fixed on the "Nan Jingqi" side. He glanced at Yin Guang with slight surprise. Yin Guang shook his head slightly, indicating that he was not quite sure either.

"The reason is very simple." Qiu Yeyijian finally spoke coldly after a long silence, "I'll tell you a story and you'll understand."

"Twenty years ago, Ziying was a spy sent to the Central Plains by the Japanese esoteric sect. She hid in a brothel in Yangzhou and became the top courtesan. After gaining fame, she chose to marry the then-prefect of Yangzhou. That man was Chu Xuan's father. Fifteen years ago, the esoteric sect lost its young master due to internal strife. Ziying wanted to seize the young master and take back power, so she married Wang Huaijin, who was more powerful. Until the end of last year, when the emperor purged the Wang faction, her plans changed."

"Zi Ying is nothing more than a prostitute. How much ability could she possibly have? I've always suspected that with her short-sightedness, she wouldn't have the audacity to assassinate the Saint. That's why I deliberately let them go, hoping to draw out the hidden forces behind them. It's easy to find a way to break through their defenses: Tang Qi. I let Cheng Xiang lead Tang Qi away while secretly sending the Three Elders to keep watch. But the Three Elders failed, proving that there's a master in Zi Ying's group. It's easy for me to think of Tang Wu. Tang Wu is currently ranked number one in palm techniques in the martial arts world. If he uses a trick, he'll definitely fool the Three Elders. That's also why Cheng Xiang disappeared. Since Tang Wu and Tang Qi are working for Zi Ying, they must have poisoned and kidnapped Zhuang Chuchu and the others as planned. Why Ruan Ruan is on the list is still unknown. As for Nan Jingqi..." Qiu Yeyi paused before continuing, "either it's related to the widely publicized 'Empress's Marriage' case in Jingxiang Kingdom, or, as the Prince said, he's being held hostage. You already know the specific rumors, so I don't need to say more."

After hearing this, Zhao Yingcheng pondered for a while, and then asked, "Did you mention the power behind Ziying? Is it related to the case of kidnapping these four people?"

"The Crown Prince did not attend the banquet yesterday, but only sent an interpreter. Why is that?" Qiu Yeyi turned to Zhao Yingcheng and asked instead of answering.

"It was originally intended to facilitate communication with the Western Xia envoys..."

"The problem lies with the deputy envoy beside that envoy. On the day of the celebration, I only protected the Emperor and the envoy. In such chaos, the deputy envoy managed to retreat safely. Clearly, his martial arts skills are no less than mine. If I'm not mistaken, Ziying ultimately sided with him and worked for Xixia."

Zhao Yingcheng and Yin Guang both trembled, staring directly at Qiu Yeyijian as they pressed, "Does the young master have any evidence?"

"If there is concrete evidence, I will arrest him personally that day."

Zhao Yingcheng sighed heavily and said, "It involves disputes between the court and other countries, so we really can't act rashly."

Qiu Yeyi pursed her lips, her gaze fixed on the air. Yin Guang seemed still somewhat doubtful and couldn't help but ask, "What exactly is their reason for kidnapping the princess and the others?"

"To force me to take action." Qiu Yeyijian looked at the flowers and trees outside the hall and suddenly spoke coldly, "Tang Wu and Ziying have only one purpose in joining forces, which is to force me to take action. If I don't take action, the next target will be Prince Zhao."

Zhao Yingcheng smiled slightly and nodded.

Yin Guang stared blankly at the two, clearly unable to react as quickly as Zhao Yingcheng, and kept stammering as if he wanted to say something. Zhao Yingcheng saw this and smiled, replying, "Since the conquest of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun last year, Young Master Qiuye and I have been a thorn in the side of our enemies outside the court, with a bounty offered high enough to grant us a title and fief. If Tang Wu simply wanted to avenge the Tang Clan, he wouldn't have waited until now to act. The Cheng Xiang and Princess Chu Chu they captured are both relatives of the emperor. If they can't force you to submit, they will definitely take further action until you make your move."

Upon hearing this, Yin Guang felt anxious and couldn't help but whisper, "Young Master, don't go!"

Zhao Yingcheng smiled upon hearing this, then turned to look at Qiu Yeyijian: "I have always been grateful for your care, young master. This time, I, Zhao Yingcheng, will go to this treacherous banquet."

Qiu Ye Yi Jian didn't look at anyone, only staring motionlessly at the flowers and trees outside the hall. Seeing the young master's cold silence, Yin Guang felt a chill creep into her heart and couldn't help but shout, "Young master, I know what you're thinking! But you're still recovering from your cold and the Gu poison is just starting to flare up. Yin Guang will fight to the death to let you leave!"

"The cold hasn't healed and the poison is just starting to flare up?" Zhao Yingcheng was genuinely surprised when he heard this. He then carefully observed the profile of the person in front of him and vaguely noticed that Qiu Yeyi's face was thinner, but it still carried a cold aura.

"I heard Yu Xue is at your residence?" Qiu Ye turned her head towards the sword, seemingly not having heard Zhao Yingcheng repeat his words, and suddenly spoke. Zhao Yingcheng knew that if Qiu Ye didn't answer, it meant she didn't want to talk about it, so he nodded and didn't ask any further. Yin Guang was a little stunned and silently looked at the two young masters sitting on the seat.

“If Yu Xue uses ‘Shang Que’, she can only contend with Tang Wu. The three elders can easily defeat Shui Yin with their combined strength, but still no one can withstand that deputy envoy.” Qiu Ye Yi Jian’s gaze finally returned from the vastness, and he said coldly and firmly.

"I understand what you mean, young master. You want Zhao Yingcheng to consider this carefully. I'm sure you already have a plan in mind..."

"I can set a trap to force out all their incriminating evidence. Once the deputy envoy takes action, I will handle it. As for you, Prince Zhao, you must ensure the safe rescue of these people. I need your promise: five people in total, and not a single life can be lost."

Zhao Yingcheng looked at Qiu Yeyijian with surprise and suspicion, only to see his bright, cold pupils staring at him like icy dew, vast and boundless. Even though he knew in his heart that the one who spoke these words was no longer the usually aloof Qiu Yeyijian, under his intense gaze at this moment, Zhao Yingcheng couldn't help but nod calmly.

Yin Guang respectfully saw Zhao Yingcheng off, then quickly leaped into the main hall and headed straight for Qiu Yeyijian.

Qiu Yeyi glanced at him, then with a flick of her right hand, lifted his kneeling body. Yin Guang was even more horrified and hurriedly cried out, "Young Master, why did you say that just now…?"

"Light." Qiu Yeyijian coldly uttered a low shout, just as she had taught him to stay calm that day, cutting him off once again. "I know what you're worried about. I'm not so jealous that I can't tell what's important—I'm not going there just for Leng Shuangcheng."

Qiu Ye sat in the center with his usual indifference, looking at the silver light. "I eat the king's food and serve the king. This is a principle that I, as a subject, have long understood. I enjoy endless prosperity and wealth in my daily life, and I must also bear more responsibility when disaster strikes."

Yin Guang was deeply shocked and stared at the young master for a long time without uttering a sound.

"I don't mean to preach, I'm just telling you my choice." Qiu Yeyi stood up, walked to the window, and suddenly said coldly, "I stood in the wind and dew all night, feeling empty and numb. It wasn't until dawn that I understood many things. The harsh wind and frost are nothing compared to the greatest pain of not being able to overcome my own suspicion and regret... I've been thinking about what kind of life Leng Shuangcheng lived before. If she continues to be so restrained and disgusted, will I still have a chance to keep her by my side? To be honest, although I am in pain, I am not confused."

Yin Guang's eyes widened in surprise and doubt. Just as he was about to ask a question, the young master suddenly turned around, flicked his finger, and his body instantly became paralyzed. Qiu Yeyi didn't even look at him, walked out the door, and ordered, "Keep an eye on him. Don't let him leave the manor today." Then, with her clothes slightly billowing, she turned and left. Through the window screen, Yin Guang could see the young master's back, still moving at a leisurely pace, gradually disappearing around the corner of the corridor as his hair gently swayed.

Qiu Yeyijian followed the footsteps she had walked in the past, visiting every corner where she had spent time with Leng Shuangcheng.