Fragrance rises to dance

Chapter 83

As he spoke, he seemed lost in thought, yet also seemed not to recall anything. Everything had long been forgotten with the passage of time, and there was no trace of it to be found.

"Kang what?" Wenren Nuan asked gently, "Is he Brother Yu's... friend?"

“Kang what…” Yu Cuiwei thought for a moment, “I don’t remember, we’re not really friends… Xiaomei, a very beautiful place, at this time of year, there should be mountains full of winter plum blossoms and snow, it smells very good.”

Kang...Kang what...I've even forgotten his name, but I can't forget that scent, that smell, that place, that person...Wenren Nuan sighed, "Why didn't you go when you remembered?"

Yu Cuiwei smiled and changed the subject: "You should leave a message for Yue Dan and ask him to take you back."

“I want to stay with Shengxiang.” Wenren Nuan stopped smiling, and a layer of depression gradually appeared between her brows. “He…sigh…he…” She didn’t finish her sentence, stared blankly for a while, and slowly shook her head.

Yu Cuiwei didn't ask any questions, but just chuckled and stopped moving his chin.

There were no obstacles along the way; the usual tracking and interception did not occur. The carriage rumbled all the way to Zhuxian Town and stopped in front of the City God Temple.

Kaifeng, Baitaotang.

Shi Shimei was slightly surprised to see Shengxiang enter the room: this young master was covered in dust today, and although his clothes were gorgeous, they were covered in grime and dirt, as if he had suddenly spent half a day doing manual labor. But Shengxiang smiled brightly, didn't ask anything, and just smiled sweetly, saying that Yuxiu had taken the person out.

Shengxiang took a breath and said, "Amitabha, then this young master must also be leaving." He winked at Shishimei, "Meiniang, please say goodbye to Mutou for me." He frowned, patted the dust off his clothes, clearly very dissatisfied with his dirty clothes, and turned to leave.

“Saint Incense.” Shi Shimei came down from the third floor and said slowly, “Besides asking him to help you take people out of Kaifeng, do you have anything else to say?” The “he” she was referring to was naturally Yu Xiu.

"No," Shengxiang answered quickly and firmly.

“As long as you ask, he can help you with anything…” Shi Shimei said wearily, gently smoothing her hair. “Even Rongrong, Liuyin, Zening, and the others… would all help you. Why don’t you ever ask?”

Shengxiang answered irrelevantly, "Zening...why did he come back?"

When Ze Ning was exiled to Zhuozhou, Sheng Xiang personally went to invite him back. He preferred to spend his remaining years in Zhuozhou with his wife rather than pursue wealth and honor. So why did he suddenly return and become the Pacification Commissioner of Guangdong Circuit?

Shi Shimei stared at his retreating figure. Sheng Xiang was facing the door, his back to her. Her answer was simple: "You disappeared then."

Shengxiang seemed to smile and started to walk forward. Shi Shimei took a step after her, "Shengxiang!" she called out, only taking one step.

"Meiniang... what will you do if Yumutou dies?" Shengxiang seemed helpless and stopped when she heard this. She stood on the edge of the door frame, in front of the street and the boundless night.

Shi Shimei paused for a moment, then said, "I want to die before him."

That was an arrogant answer. Shengxiang laughed again, "What about Baitaotang?" If Shi Shimei died, how would the hundreds of women in Baitaotang survive?

Shi Mei paused for a moment, and Sheng Xiang walked forward. "Of course, you will help me no matter what, but apart from me, none of you are alone... I don't want your help."

His figure disappeared into the night, and his last words were spoken calmly and quietly, yet resolutely. Shengxiang rarely spoke forcefully, but this sentence left no room for reconciliation; it was a decision made long ago, a decision made long ago.

Shi Shimei stood beside the first table by the door. The cold winter wind blew, and her thin clothes fluttered in the wind. She gave a bitter smile, almost gently. No matter what, as long as you asked, they would help you no matter what. But this time, even if you died, you would never ask. They... were already gone.

You're going to save Yu Cuiwei, that's a huge deal, how could everyone not know?

Even if you don't want them, how can they... abandon you?

Shengxiang walked out of Baitao Hall and staggered down the street. It was New Year's Eve, and suddenly it started snowing. He looked up at the sky, feeling speechless, unsure of what to think. When he came out of Nanxun Gate, he waited at the door for a while. Around midnight, a thin layer of snow covered his shoes, and a person slowly walked towards him from a distance.

He was tall and broad-shouldered yet very thin, with his hair bristling in anger. In his right hand, he held an unusually long ancient sword, inscribed with the words "Candle Room".

Shengxiang raised her head. The newcomer had deep-set eyes that seemed to pierce through a person's soul; it was Qu Zhiliang. Suddenly, Qu Zhiliang raised his longsword and placed it against Shengxiang's neck. "Where is Yu Cuiwei?"

Shengxiang noticed the mud and snow mixed in with the hem of Qu Zhiliang's robe. The snow was melting, and his shoes and the hem of his robe were soaked with mud, making him look somewhat disheveled. Clearly, he had been lingering outside the Prime Minister's residence for the past few days, undecided whether to go in and make his move. Tonight, he had been tracking Yu Cuiwei for a long time after he left the residence, a very arduous task. Although Yu Cuiwei had disappeared at Baitao Hall, he hadn't lost heart. He waited outside the city and, sure enough, saw Shengxiang leave alone. Shengxiang knew that it was very risky for Wenren Nuan and Yu Cuiwei to leave the city like this; they would definitely be followed by many people, and whether they could escape successfully was uncertain. He waited a while at the city gate and, sure enough, saw the disillusioned Qu Zhiliang. He smiled inwardly: this proved that Yu Cuiwei had escaped.

Given Qu Zhiliang's past as a chivalrous hero, he would unconsciously avoid contact with courtesans, especially those accompanied by patrons, as it would be beneath his dignity. When Yu Cuiwei was accompanied by Wenren Nuan and taken away by Yu Xiu, Qu Zhiliang truly didn't notice.

"Where is Yu Cuiwei?" Seeing that Shengxiang did not answer, Qu Zhiliang tightened his wrist, and the blade pressed a thin line of blood on Shengxiang's neck, with a drop of blood winding down the blade.

"Hey." Shengxiang raised her right hand and grasped the sword through her sleeve.

The sword killed Bi Qiuhan; the scene from that day was vivid in his mind, he remembered it clearly. He only heard Shengxiang say, "Besides killing, what else can you do?"

Qu Zhiliang sheathed his sword, leaned on it, and coldly asked, "Where is he?"

Sheng Xiang patted his sleeves and stood ramrod straight under Qu Zhiliang's imposing gaze. "Qu Zhiliang, to be honest, when it comes to fighting, you can be considered the best in the world. I, this young master, am at most the ninety-ninth in the world, but I look down on you." His answer was irrelevant, but his words were clear, resounding, and forceful.

Qu Zhiliang showed no anger. At first glance, this man remained stern and upright, without a trace of malice.

To master martial arts like Qu Zhiliang requires decades of patience, perseverance, resilience, diligence, and hard work. If he weren't under someone else's control, his sheer tenacity alone would earn him respect. Sheng Xiang, after saying "This young master despises you," raised his eyebrows and shouted, "A grown man controlled by others, only knowing how to obey without resistance, killing and arson with a clear conscience and a sanctimonious air—you're nothing but a mad dog wearing a hero's mask! Whatever your reasons, have you ever considered—from the moment you killed the first person, you've already ruined yourself beyond recognition, trampled into something neither human nor ghost? Have you thought about whether it's worth it? Is it worth it? Is it worth it?" He roared, pointing at Qu Zhiliang's nose, his breath still ragged, the pain in his chest resurfacing, yet his mood was exhilarating, a flood of thoughts surging within him.

Qu Zhiliang's anger was gradually aroused by his words, and when he heard him say "Was it worth it?" three times in one breath, he finally couldn't help but blurt out: "You don't understand anything at all, he—"

He realized he had lost control as soon as he uttered the words, and Saint Tun had already seized on his words, "Who is he?"

With just three words, Qu Zhiliang was speechless, unable to answer. Sheng Xiang, however, reacted swiftly, shouting, "Even if you kill Yu Cuiwei, you can't save him, can you? How long will you keep killing for him? If I were him, I would have—" Before he could finish, "I would have committed suicide," a strange change occurred in Qu Zhiliang's expression, turning him extremely fearful and pale. Sheng Xiang paused, not saying "I would have committed suicide," and the atmosphere remained tense. After a long while, Sheng Xiang's tone softened: "Is he still alive?"

Qu Zhiliang, his expression stiff, suddenly asked sharply, "Where is Yu Cuiwei?"

Saint Fragrance retorted loudly, "Is he still alive?"

The two stared at each other, locked in a tense standoff, like two hostile bulls. Saint Xiang took a few breaths, a strange premonition that he would win this contest. "Is he still alive?" he asked, enunciating each word clearly.

Qu Zhiliang's hand holding the sword trembled. Suddenly, he let out a sharp cry, turned around, and sped away, becoming a black dot on the snow in an instant, disappearing with terrifying speed.

With a "thud," Shengxiang collapsed to the ground. He had no idea what "he" was—male, female, cat, or dog… He had taken a gamble and won. He seemed cruel tonight because he had been injured first… Now that he had vented his anger, he felt utterly empty. He could understand—the pain Qu Zhiliang felt from being stabbed, the fear he had instilled in him—but to save Dayu, he had to force Qu Zhiliang away!

The snow continued to fall, settling on his brocade robes and the tips of his hair. Shengxiang stared blankly at the night sky; tonight, with the snow, not even the stars could be seen. He was alone in the desolate wilderness. Qu Zhiliang had killed Bi Qiuhan, but perhaps the killer suffered more than the victim. Life… a dreamlike, absurd, and bizarre or surreal existence. Perhaps even in the dead of night, he wouldn't believe he had become this kind of person. Why insist on saving Yu Cuiwei? Perhaps Yu Cuiwei showed him that even in the most desolate and lonely world, the ultimate humanity is still warm.

After a moment of blankness, Shengxiang smiled slightly, patted her clothes, and walked towards the official road outside the city.

Zhuxian Town City God Temple.