Schatzkammer von Jianghu

Kapitel 80

Qiu Yeyi's lips turned a pale purple, his handsome lips trembling almost imperceptibly, his expression remaining cold and unchanging. Leng Shuangcheng turned around, slightly raising her head to look at his brows, her clear, cold eyes meeting his dark, jade-like pupils: "You only feel pain in your right hand, but you never imagined that when the Eight Guests committed suicide before my eyes, my heart felt as if it had been torn apart by you!"

Qiu Yeyi swiftly bit her lips with her sword, biting until her mouth tasted bitter, before letting go and coldly saying, "Do you want a lion to eat grass?" Leng Shuangcheng sighed, "Since you are my husband, you must be considerate of my feelings, and not make things difficult for others, nor be arrogant, rude, or willful."

Qiu Yeyi coldly withdrew her hand, her left arm sweeping around her chest, and said fiercely, "If any man comes within a foot of you, I will kill them all." Leng Shuangcheng's face paled, and she was about to speak up to dissuade her, but Qiu Yeyi wrapped her arm around her waist, her cool, snow-like lips falling everywhere, and she said indistinctly, "If you hadn't run away from me, would all this trouble have happened?"

Leng Shuangcheng struggled to avoid his cheek, releasing his hand and pushing against his chest with all her might. Qiu Yeyi's eyes turned cold, gradually losing their gentleness and becoming sharp and icy. He stared intently at Leng Shuangcheng's averted profile and said coldly, "Leng Shuangcheng, why don't you dare to look at me?"

Leng Shuangcheng silently turned her gaze away, remaining silent.

Qiu Ye gripped her chin with his sword, staring intently into the depths of her eyes: "I have never lived so humbly, so cautiously, allowing you to be so disrespectful to me, allowing you to break my heart again and again. I'm not afraid to tell you, since you fled, I've been working tirelessly day and night, my heart burning like fire." The hidden anger behind him was like a sky filled with dark clouds, firmly suppressed within the clouds, not letting it pour out, simply because he couldn't bear to hurt the person in his arms.

He closed his eyes and gave him a deep, lingering kiss: "Have you ever seen a man more foolish than me?"

Leng Shuangcheng stared at that face. There was never any gentle warmth or tenderness, only his dark, cold pupils that gripped her gaze, sometimes hesitant to speak, sometimes domineering and sharp. His eyes were unfathomable, like a calm sea, trembling with an unbearable, hidden pain.

She reached out and cupped his face in her hands, resting her forehead against his chin, and sighed deeply, "What am I to do?" Qiu Yeyi's eyes brightened slightly, intending to tighten his embrace around Leng Shuangcheng's waist, but unexpectedly, she stepped back from his embrace first, saying desolately, "Let's go. The affairs of Qingzhou still require your leadership. Allow me time to think things over carefully on the way." She raised her head and smiled weakly, "I know you were worried about me and couldn't help but run away. I'm actually very grateful. Thank you for your concern." After saying that, she respectfully bowed to him, turned around, and went downstairs without looking back.

25. Compromise (Part 1)

Vibrant flowers clustered along the street, dragonflies darted about, butterflies fluttered, and birdsong filled the town, creating a picturesque scene. The wind brushed against the golden-threaded tassels of the carriage curtains, but could not dispel the slight sorrow on the brows of the silent man. Leng Shuangcheng leaned against the carriage wall in silence, listening intently to the thunderous hoofbeats of the horses behind Hualong.

Qiu Yeyijian wiped her fair face with her finger and said, "I still find you more pleasing to the eye this way." Leng Shuangcheng washed off the medicine, revealing her original appearance. Hearing Qiu Yeyijian's words, she remained listless. Qiu Yeyijian frowned, cupped her hand, and repeatedly stroked her cheek with her slender fingers: "What are you thinking about? Say something!"

Leng Shuangcheng coldly brushed his hand away and said woodenly, "Do you really want to know?" Qiu Yeyi's expression changed, his eyes darkened, and he said coldly, "You haven't told me yet, but I already know." Leng Shuangcheng kept his lips tightly closed, staring blankly ahead with a solemn expression. After a while, he simply moved to the corner of the carriage shaft and sat crookedly to rest.

Like a doll whose marrow has been extracted, she was lifeless and listless, devoid of everything. She didn't even care about the menacing young master beside her; etiquette, vigilance, and anger were all thrown to the winds.

Seeing her like this, Qiu Yeyi sneered, "You must be having a good time with someone else." Leng Shuangcheng thought of Li Mingyuan, her expression unmoved, and she closed her eyes, remaining silent. Qiu Yeyi's icy gaze swept over her, scanning her up and down, but she remained motionless and asleep.

In the dead silence, Qiu Ye spoke coldly through the sword: "I know exactly what you're thinking. Aren't you just trying every means to leave me and live a carefree life in the streets?"

Leng Shuangcheng remained silent, her breathing even.

Looking at her blank expression, Qiu Yeyijian said angrily, "Running around like a wild horse, are you happy with that?"

Leng Shuangcheng sneered inwardly at his inappropriate words, her expression unchanged. Finally, she suddenly opened her eyes and stared coldly at him. Qiu Yeyijian also returned the gaze coldly, his eyes as dark as ink, exceptionally aloof, and his aura even more imposing than hers.

"Do you have a blanket? I'm freezing," Leng Shuangcheng said. Qiu Yeyi's eyes were sharp and piercing, like blades, piercing straight into Leng Shuangcheng's heart. Leng Shuangcheng still smiled fearlessly, his laughter laced with sneer: "It's a sweltering day, but being with you makes me unbearably cold."

Upon hearing this, Qiu Yeyijian, with all his composure, forgot everything. A nameless rage surged within him, and his icy face reached for Leng Shuangcheng. Despite the carriage's extravagance, the limited space left Leng Shuangcheng with nowhere to hide. In a single move, Qiu Yeyijian seized both of Leng Shuangcheng's wrists.

"Your heart is growing wilder and wilder," Qiu Yeyijian said coldly, binding her hands behind her back. She glanced at the four corners of the carriage, then pulled over the inner curtain, soaked it in tea, and used it to bind her wrists. Leng Shuangcheng watched coldly, a mocking smile playing on her lips. She sneered, "Besides humiliating me, what else can you do?" Qiu Yeyijian stared directly into her eyes, then tightened the ropes with a sharp "whoosh," her face utterly indifferent. Leng Shuangcheng winced in pain, suppressing a cry.

"I've already been very tolerant of you. Today I'll show you what a real man can do."

After Qiu Yeyijian finished speaking coldly, he lifted Leng Shuangcheng by the waist, parted her legs, and placed her on his knees. Upon seeing her small stature, Leng Shuangcheng's face instantly turned bright red, her cheeks flushed crimson. She stared incredulously into Qiu Yeyijian's eyes, gritting her teeth as she said, word by word, "Utterly shameless! Let me go!"

Qiu Yeyi touched her cheek, smiled slightly, and suddenly pulled open her clothes. He carefully examined her fair, snow-white skin for a long time, his gaze focused and his expression unfathomable.

The bluish-purple hue has faded, revealing a flawless, pure white exterior.

A cool breeze caressed Leng Shuangcheng's bare upper body, and Qiu Yeyi's gaze was too sharp, causing her to tremble slightly. "Don't do this, I'm scared." Leng Shuangcheng's hair brushed against Qiu Yeyi's snow-white face, and her uneven bangs pressed against his handsome profile. She lowered her body and trembled, "Don't let it be you who hurts me, I can't bear it."

Qiu Yeyi noticed her unusual behavior and decisively turned her around, pulling her into his arms. He covered her clothes while kissing her eyelids: "Tell me, what happened?"

Leng Shuangcheng's voice was muffled and trembling, unable to form coherent sentences: "Eight years old... Wan Hua Lou..." Before she could finish, she closed her eyes in pain. Qiu Yeyijian suddenly woke up, hugged her tightly, wishing he could crush her and embed her in his chest, and gently rocked her: "It's alright, you can rest now."

Amidst the gentle swaying, Leng Shuangcheng relaxed and drifted off to sleep, nestled against the comforting embrace. Qiu Yeyijian managed to free her from her restraints, silently easing her blood stasis for a moment, then took her hand and gently stroked her fingertips. Her two delicate, arched eyebrows furrowed like clouds, and finally, with a serene expression, she slowly said, "I promise you, as long as you don't leave me."

In her sleep, Leng Shuangcheng dreamt of something, and a faint smile appeared on her lips, like petals falling on the water, spreading ripples into the heart of another.

The lamplight shone like flowers, the night was like still water, and the small window faced the bright moon. A gentle breeze blew, and the moon cast shadows on the trees. Leng Shuangcheng sat by the window, her left hand lightly holding the cuff of her white robe, her right hand holding a Huizhou silver coin, painting on the snow-white Xuan paper. Her fair wrist shone like the bright moon, and the soft glow of the lamplight revealed a faint mark. She ignored this mark, painting with the steady hand of a pine tree.

After bathing in the autumn leaves, Qiu Ye walked along the corridor, her body fresh and clean. She gazed at the person in front of the window, her deep eyes fixed on that glimmer of light. Her black hair, as black as ink, cascaded down her face, and beneath her dark forehead were her frosty eyebrows and thin lips. The moonlight framed her serene profile, and a gust of wind danced on the mottled windowpane.

After regaining his composure, Leng Shuangcheng requested to stay at an inn and asked for paper and ink.

Qiu Yeyi walked towards her, bathed in the soft light of the ruler. Leng Shuangcheng held her brush and ink, her figure exuding a steadfast and unwavering aura, like a refined scholar transforming into a capable general, calmly and methodically assessing his troops.

The few strokes on the Xuan paper were clear and fluid, with just the right thickness, outlining distant mountains at dusk and desolate valleys. Qiu Yeyijian walked in and glanced at it, her voice slightly raised: "It's rare to see Leng Shuangcheng being so refined for a moment, and even rarer that he has integrated the art of calligraphy into his painting."

Leng Shuangcheng ignored his mixed praise and criticism. She already knew his character very well. She calmly put down her pen and waited for it to dry, carefully considering her words before speaking.

Qiu Yeyi extended two fingers and lightly tapped a corner of the Xuan paper, her slender knuckles slowly shifting its direction: "I can only make out the characters, not the terrain. Where is this?"

Leng Shuangcheng smiled slightly, looking at the painting: "Young master is truly intelligent. I have incorporated the calligraphy my father taught me into my painting. The trees are like bent iron, and the mountains are like painted sand. It is the style of clerical script..." Qiu Yeyijian suddenly reached out and put his arm around her waist, his grip tightening so that she coughed: "Speak plainly, don't try to sweet-talk me."

A smile welled up in Leng Shuangcheng's eyes like tea before the rain: "This is Wolf Valley in White Stone Mountain... Don't move your hands, I have something to report."

The candlelight cast a soft glow on the beautiful scenery, and the moon in the pond gradually fell asleep. Qiu Ye, leaning on his sword, faced the quiet night, absentmindedly embracing Leng Shuangcheng, pulling her to sit on his lap, and coldly saying, "I've finished speaking briefly, I'm going to rest now."

Leng Shuangcheng blushed slightly, grabbed the wandering hand, and leaned over to close the window. Looking back, the thin sunlight fell on Qiu Yeyijian's face; his eyes were tired, his pupils cold and pale with weariness. Leng Shuangcheng understood that he had indeed been traveling day and night, and that this pampered man had suffered some hardship. Her heart softened, she kissed his cheek, and stood up straight.

"I still remember the moves from that game a few days ago. Did you use the two territories under the jurisdiction of Young Master Lonely as targets?" Leng Shuangcheng bent down slightly, staring intently into Qiu Yeyi's dark eyes, his gaze extremely serious.

Qiu Ye Yi Jian indeed had this intention. Qinglong Town and Qixing Manor were not the final places where he would trap and capture the secret sect, but he ordered Zhao Yingcheng to issue a death order: Gu Du Kai Xuan could not lose these two battles, otherwise he would be dealt with according to the law.

If he wins, he won't need to mobilize the final stronghold; if he loses, he can eliminate a thorn in his side and simultaneously lure the remnants of the Tantric sect into his trap in Jiangning Prefecture.

Qiu Ye Yijian sneered, circled Leng Shuangcheng's legs around her knees, and said indifferently, "Nonsense."

Leng Shuangcheng didn't struggle. Seeing his cold and self-possessed appearance, she clenched her fist for a long time before finally grabbing a strand of hair that fell beside his ear in a fit of anger: "I took note of you when I asked you that day and you avoided answering. I thought you weren't a reliable person, so why wouldn't you have such malicious intentions?"

Qiu Yeyi's eyes were cold as she solemnly said, "If we talk about him again, things won't be so simple next time."

“Qiuye.” Leng Shuangcheng smiled bitterly to herself, but her face remained warm as spring. She stroked his ear and cheek and said with a smile, “Except for you, I treat everyone else with courtesy and regard them as guests. Are you still not at ease?” Qiuye sat coldly by the sword, his face like the lingering clouds in the evening rain, radiating a cold light: “I’ll give you a moment. If you don’t get down to business now, you’ll never have another chance.”

His words carried a warning, declaring that he was not happy to talk about other men. Leng Shuangcheng felt a surge of bittersweet emotions coursing through her body. Faced with such a young master, she sometimes felt quite helpless, yet she couldn't suppress her longing and joy for him, just like the feeling of being at a loss in the teahouse.

"Take it easy," Leng Shuangcheng told herself, "because he always gives in a little each time." She took his left palm and, mimicking his usual careful caress, pointed out on the diagram: "There are many corpses in Wolf Valley. Men, women, and children were all dragged into the wolf pack and buried alive. The bones are from a long time ago, indicating that someone cleared out the surrounding villages very early on..."

"Get to the point." Qiu Yeyi interrupted her, her hand roaming over her body.

Leng Shuangcheng couldn't help but pinch himself, and said in a deep voice, "The Tantric sect used ice cicada silk to kill the villagers in order to keep the secret that there is an iron mine at the bottom of Wolf Valley. Wolf Valley is located in a low-lying area, deep and concave like a plate, and it is not easy for ordinary people to come out once they enter..."

"Are there any recently deceased male remains inside?" Qiu Ye asked through her sword.

"Yes, it can be seen that he died only two or three days ago, and there are silver clothes and cloths scattered on the tree branches."

"So that's why we hadn't received any news," Qiu Yeyijian said coldly. "They were all killed." Leng Shuangcheng was shocked. Qiu Yeyijian glanced at her and added, "It was Shao Yu."

Leng Shuangcheng was stunned for a moment, but she was too exhausted to think about anything other than Shuxue. Her inaction was noticed by Qiu Yeyijian, who asked coldly, "Wolf Valley is a dangerous place. How do you know all the details?"

“I grew up in the mountains and know a shortcut for wolves to get in and out. You also know the methods of geological exploration, so I won’t go into details.”

Upon hearing her mention the painful past, Qiu Yeyijian's hand paused for a moment before resolutely stroking it again: "It seems the Tantric people are still in the valley."

"Yes, I suspect there were underground processing plants or something similar, because there were no young men among the old corpses, so it's highly likely they were controlled and forced into hard labor."

As Leng Shuangcheng spoke, she frowned, her left hand secretly curling into a ring behind her back, her long fingers tracing a deep crease on the paper. She thought of Wu Sanshou, of the devastated rubble at the bottom of the pit, and a cold thorn pierced her heart like a thorn sprouting needles, her hatred spreading to her eyes.

At the bottom of that pit, littered with white bones, the infant's cervical vertebrae were clearly separated from his spine. When the child was in pain, where were his parents? Were they watching this tragedy with heartbreaking grief until they stopped breathing?

She felt a deep hatred for herself, but she could only endure it all for now.

"I have never hated anyone so much..." Leng Shuangcheng couldn't hide her thoughts and murmured incoherently.

Upon hearing this, Qiu Yeyi raised her head, her dark eyes gripping her heart: "I'm sorry to have troubled you, Leng Shuangcheng." Leng Shuangcheng lowered her eyelids and remained silent, her long, curled eyelashes trembling slightly, her face showing a look of suppressed resentment.

Looking at her like this, Qiu Yeyijian pulled her into his arms and slowly picked her up: "You must have been holding back for a long time when you were standing on the top of Baishi Mountain, right? Given your usual impulsiveness, you would have definitely rushed in once you discovered any activity from the Tantric sect. Luckily you weren't so impulsive, or I would have been worried again."

Leng Shuangcheng smiled, somewhat awkwardly, "I stood there with my fists clenched for over an hour before I realized the wind was making my cheeks hurt." Qiu Yeyi kissed her cheek, looked into her eyes and said, "Tell me, do you have another idea? I'm really afraid you're doing something dangerous behind my back."

His eyes were deep and clear, revealing too much emotion through his obsidian-like pupils. Leng Shuangcheng looked at his cold, snow-white face and his dark, ink-black eyes, her heart pounding, her throat dry and hoarse. Before she could be overwhelmed by his gaze, she turned her face away and remained silent.

Aside from the night they planned their escape, Qiu Ye had never seen Leng Shuangcheng so shy before. A playful chuckle escaped his lips, and he put aside his earlier concerns. Leng Shuangcheng felt a little relieved and whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck, "Qiu Ye..."

Qiu Yeyi hummed in agreement, listening intently to the fluttering heartbeat of the person before him, then turned his head and kissed her black hair. Leng Shuangcheng hesitated for a long time, then tightened her arms, pressing her ear close to his delicate earlobe. She looked, and saw it was the same ear that had bitten her before. A warm current surged within her, and she stammered, "Qiu Ye… I really have been… thinking of you."

26. Compromise (Part 2)

Leng Shuangcheng's cheeks were flushed, her eyelashes trembled slightly, and her thin lips were moistened with the soft, intoxicating scent of tobacco. She clasped her white sleeves together and tightly embraced Qiu Yeyi's neck. Her face, flushed with rosy hues, trembled slightly, and she was truly too shy to speak.