Fragrance rises to dance

Chapter 84

Yu Cuiwei and Wenren Nuan were tending a campfire. Occasionally, shouts or calls could be heard from a distance, some far from the town, the source of the noise in the wilderness unknown, and the sounds were faint. All around was silent; not even birdsong or insect chirps could be heard, for it was the dead of winter, only the sound of falling snow.

"Why—why aren't there any pursuers?" Wenren Nuan finally asked, drawing a diagram on the ground with a burnt charcoal stick. She and Yu Cuiwei had been chased all the way into the Prime Minister's residence, so there must have been people watching them when they came out. She didn't believe that changing her clothes would shake off all her enemies; that was wishful thinking.

Yu Cuiwei listened intently to the sounds in the distance, then picked up a piece of dead wood and threw it into the campfire. "I don't know."

With a crack, the bark of the deadwood split open. Wenren Nuan didn't ask any more questions, resting her chin on her hand as she looked at the flames. "Brother Yu, there's something I find very strange." Even in this situation, she still smiled gently. "Why do they call you 'Ghost-Faced Demon'? Ten years ago, were you really a wicked villain who raped and kidnapped? Did you... pick flowers?" Yu Cuiwei looked at her curious face and smiled charmingly. "Picked flowers? Not quite. A wicked villain who raped and kidnapped, maybe..." He thought for a moment, broke off a piece of deadwood, threw it into the campfire, and said lazily, "I forgot... I killed many people."

"Have you loved many people?" Wenren Nuan asked, still looking at Yu Cui Fengwei with curiosity.

Yu Cuiwei glanced at her sideways, his breath as fragrant as orchids, and blew a breath on her tender cheek. "What do you think?"

Wenren Nuan stuck out her tongue and smiled playfully, "I say yes."

"Such a naughty little girl, married to my gentle brother-in-law, his life is going to be tough from now on." Yu Cuiwei said noncommittally, tapping her head.

“Yue Dan, he…” Wenren Nuan chuckled, “He is actually very ruthless.”

"Oh?" Yu Cuiwei smiled. "What do you mean?"

Wenren Nuan smiled but did not answer, instead changing the subject: "Why hasn't Shengxiang arrived yet?"

"They're here." Yu Cuiwei pointed to the front door, and a figure slowly walked towards the temple gate from the ankle-deep snow. Wenren Nuan glanced at the figure, "Not the sacred incense..."

The newcomer moved with a graceful and deliberate gait even through the deep snow. Yu Cuiwei's gaze fell upon him, and Wenren Nuan blurted out in astonishment, "Yuedan!"

The young man who walked slowly into the temple gate was wearing a blue jacket and white gauze robe. He had a delicate and refined appearance, his breath turned to frost, and his expression was calm. Who else could he be but Wan Yuyuedan!

Why didn't Shengxiang come, but instead Wanyu Yuedan did?

Wenren Nuan and Yu Cuiwei exchanged glances, but Wan Yuyuedan looked very calm, as if he was supposed to walk in from outside the temple gate. He first bowed to Yu Cuiwei, "Greetings, brother-in-law." Then he smiled at Wenren Nuan, "Nuan, it's time to go home."

"Yuedan, what brings you here?" Wenren Nuan sighed softly and stood up.

Wan Yuyuedan sighed softly and smiled, “Do you know how many martial arts figures are lurking outside Bianjing City? How could I not come to pick you up? My brother-in-law has no fewer than twenty or thirty enemies, including eleven sects such as Kongtong, Qinghai, and Ziyi, as well as Qu Zhiliang… It would be one thing if it were just enemies, but ‘White Hair’ and ‘Heavenly Eye’ are leading many people involved, hindering everyone from harming Shengxiang. The situation is complicated, and it might easily trigger a martial arts war that has not been seen in a century. Moreover, the good and evil among them are unclear, and there are quite a few who are confused. No one knows what kind of person my brother-in-law really is, and his past grudges are hard to settle. This matter is too complicated…” He gently patted the snow off his shoulder, “Unless Shengxiang can prove that my brother-in-law has reformed, otherwise…”

“Otherwise, a great war will be unavoidable,” Yu Cuiwei said softly. “Unless Yu Cuiwei becomes a ‘good person,’ he will die—”

Wan Yuyue's clear, yet blind, eyes stared at him. "Brother-in-law, of course you can't die," he said slowly. "If you die, Shengxiang will never have the chance to prove him right..."

Yu Cuiwei chuckled, seemingly finding the idea ridiculous, her eyes sparkling and captivating. "Then, Yue Dan, will you save me? Do you think your brother-in-law is a good person," she winked at Wan Yu Yue Dan, asking with a smile, "or a bad one?"

Wan Yuyue looked at him and said softly, "Brother-in-law is a romantic man."

Yu Cuiwei laughed loudly.

"Being a romantic requires more shrewdness than being a good person."

Wan Yuyue said softly, “Unlike being a heartless person, I only need one mind, and I will die with that one person, so that no one can move my heart.”

Upon hearing this, Wenren Nuan and Yu Cuiwei sighed in unison. Wenren Nuan glanced outside, "Brother Bi didn't come with you?" Wan Yuyuedan narrowed her eyes slightly, "He's been with Qu Zhiliang, while Fu Ping and Fu Han are with me."

Wenren Nuan said, "Since Yue Dan was able to find this place, Fu Ping and Brother Fu Han must have been following me for a long time, right?" She knew Wan Yu Yue Dan well, and her bright eyes were fixed on him. "Where's Sheng Xiang? Have you seen him?"

Wan Yuyuedan seemed completely unconcerned about her concern for Shengxiang, and smiled slightly, "He met Qu Zhiliang."

Wenren Nuan and Yu Cuiwei were both taken aback, their expressions changing slightly. Wan Yuyue added, "But I don't know what he said to Qu Zhiliang that scared him away."

Wenren Nuanhe and Yu Cuiwei exchanged bewildered glances; the sacred incense was indeed incredibly powerful.

"Anuan, let's go home," Wan Yuyue said gently. "It's dangerous here, and it's very cold tonight. It's safer for you to go home as soon as possible."

Wenren Nuan looked up and smiled. "Did you receive the letter I sent home?" She was asking about the letter she had sent pleading for help.

Wan Yuyue didn't even blink. "Received it."

Wenren Nuan sighed softly, "You really—can't help him, and you don't plan to save your brother-in-law either?" She stared at Wan Yuyuedan, "You're just here to take me home? You really don't care about anything else?"

Wan Yuyue said softly, "Anuan, how can you ask the 133 survivors of Biluo Palace to die for your brother-in-law?"

Upon hearing this, Wenren Nuan fell silent, her voice low as she murmured, "Then why... can the Holy Incense..."

“Because he is all alone.” Wan Yuyuedan said more gently, her tone somewhat wistful yet very sad, “He has always been alone, and he doesn’t have to be responsible for the life or death of others.”

After saying this, Wenren Nuan said softly, "Yue Dan, you are really cold-blooded, frighteningly calm. I think... you would be a better leader than I imagined. If you are willing, maybe one day you can really dominate the world. But..." She smiled, tears streaming down her face, "I just want to ask you the truth. I won't talk about the situation or responsibility. You really don't want to save Sheng Xiang?"

Wan Yuyuedan's eyelashes trembled slightly, as if Wenren Nuan's words "dominate the world" had shaken him, a moment that seemed to have been waiting for a long time. "I don't want to," he answered calmly.

Before Wenren Nuan could finish her sentence, "Why," Wan Yuyuedan had already answered, "Because you love him."

Upon hearing those five words, Wenren Nuan froze, as if struck by lightning, her world turning upside down in an instant. Yu Cuiwei let out an "Ah," looking at Wan Yuyuedan with a half-smile, his eyes narrowed. Yu Cuiwei sighed softly, his brows furrowing slightly, seemingly troubled as well. "Anuan, let's go home."

Wenren Nuan didn't hear him speak, and after a moment of stunned silence, she suddenly asked him in a low voice, "Yue Dan, are you crazy?"

Wan Yuyue did not answer, and Wenren Nuan's face became even more bewildered and melancholy. "I—swear—" she whispered, "when I marry you, I will forget him."

Wan Yuyue frowned even more deeply, then relaxed into a smile. Without saying anything, she clapped her hands, and four fine horses slowly walked past the door, followed by a carriage. "Let's go home."

"I swear that when I marry you, I will forget him. Can I stay and keep him company?" Wenren Nuan's tears slid down her cheeks, her smile was sad, and she stood there motionless.

Wan Yuyue said in a low voice, "Take Miss Wenren home!"

Two figures darted out of the carriage, snatched Wenren Nuan, who was standing motionless, and pulled her inside. The carriage then turned and drove away, leaving Wan Yuyuedan behind at the temple. Yu Cuiwei was somewhat surprised and raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you leaving?"

Wan Yuyue took off his mink cloak and sat down on the ground, looking quite comfortable. He said, "I'll sit for a while, I'll be leaving soon..." He sat there, looking up at the wind and snow outside the temple gate, and said desolately, "If I could, I really wouldn't want to travel at a time like this."

"You—are you truly sincere towards Nuan?" Yu Cuiwei laughed in a tone that was both mocking and teasing.

Wan Yuyue seemed to relax a bit when facing Yu Cuiwei. He slowly touched his lips with the fingertips of his left hand, once, twice... Suddenly, he said decisively and in a hard tone: "I have never loved a second woman."