Chapter 68 The Dharma of Compassion
She spoke with an extremely arrogant tone, exuding a menacing aura. Yao Chenzi quickly led her to sit down, made tea and poured water for her, his youthful face filled with worry: "What's wrong? What happened?"
“Gu Chenzi colluded with my mother…” She paused, “and perhaps she can no longer be called ‘mother’.”
When had the confident and flamboyant Miss Wei ever looked so dejected and gloomy?
At least Yao Chenzi had known her for many years and had never seen her look so dejected as if she had lost her home.
Calling him a 'homeless dog' might be a bit inappropriate, but when Yao Chenzi saw the lifeless face of this person, the first thing that came to mind was a drenched dog that was homeless and hiding under the eaves to avoid the rain while being chased and threatened by other stray dogs.
In short, it was terrible.
He was so distraught that he didn't know whether to be shocked by the previous sentence, "Gu Chenzi colluded with my mother," or by the next sentence, "Perhaps she can no longer be called 'mother'."
Wei Pingxi deeply respected and loved Madam Wei, and even developed a fondness for being a "filial daughter" because of her loving mother.
Even without her saying it, Yao Chenzi knew that the Fourth Miss rarely showed leniency towards her concubine, not only because the other party was a rare beauty, but also because the concubine was a filial daughter.
His filial piety alone won her heart.
What could possibly make someone who is usually so filial say such heartbreaking words?
Yao Chenzi poured himself a cup of tea and listened attentively.
With Yu Zhi not around, Wei Pingxi only had one close friend he could confide in. After a long pause, he said, "Madam Wei is my aunt..."
It was a bombshell.
The following words were increasingly shocking. Finally, Yao Chenzi took a sip of tea to calm himself: "So, you're the Empress and His Majesty's daughter? Your mother—no, your aunt—switched you?"
Wei Pingxi nodded.
"Is Gu Chenzi one of Madam Wei's men?"
"It can't be wrong."
Yao Chenzi took a deep breath: "You used a scheme to save your concubine from that hellhole, and the Empress herself came with the Imperial Guards to take her away. I'm not stupid; she should have guessed your plan."
"If I guessed it, I guessed it. If I tell the truth, people will believe me."
How can you be so sure that Madam Wei won't believe it?
Wei Pingxi picked up the teapot and poured himself a refill: "Eighteen years, that's quite a long time."
She didn't say anything more, but Yao Chenzi understood the unspoken meaning in her words.
Eighteen years, more than 6,500 days and nights—whether to trust the daughter she raised or an 'outsider,' Madam Wei would inevitably choose the former.
Rather than saying that Madam Wei trusted the 'daughter' she had raised for eighteen years, it would be more accurate to say that she trusted herself from beginning to end.
"She will believe you, but there are conditions for her to believe you."
The premise is that it cannot arouse the other party's suspicion.
Once the seed of suspicion is sown, it will take root, sprout, and grow into a towering tree given the right opportunity. At that point, reasoning with them will be useless; on the contrary, it will only provoke the ruthless person who switched the elder sister's child.
Yes, in Yao Chenzi's view, Madam Wei must be a ruthless person to be able to collude with his 'senior sister' who betrayed their sect and disowned her own family.
“I know what you mean.” A strange smile appeared on her face. “What I want to see is her ‘desperate measures’.”
She had a vague suspicion in her mind.
This speculation concerns her past life, and she cannot speak of it directly.
She wanted to see what kind of person her mother, whom she had loved for eighteen years, really was.
Yan Qing is ruthless to everyone, but how is she to her?
Is there even a trace of warmth?
She doesn't ask for much, half a portion is enough.
The mere presence of a sliver of warmth is enough to prove that these past eighteen years haven't been a complete farce or a joke.
Wei Pingxi fell silent.
At that moment, she seemed like a completely different person.
Calm, solemn, she grew up overnight, reaching a height that Yao Chenzi could hardly fathom, leaving him only to look up at her with pity.
"I want to kill Gu Chenzi."
She spoke again.
This time, Yao Chenzi didn't take her words as mere idle talk. The Fourth Miss was serious; she was seriously planning to fight to the death.
Eighteen years old, only eighteen years old.
He shook his head: "You are no match for her."
"One Wei Pingxi is no match for her, but what about ten? Or a hundred?"
Her words hit the nail on the head, cleverly causing Yao Chenzi's eyes to widen instantly: "You—"
Seeing his reaction, Wei Pingxi smiled casually: "I guessed right? The method left by your master is indeed a heaven-defying method."
Yao Chenzi sighed: "Have you thought this through?"
“Of course.” She said solemnly, “Only one of us, the Old Ancestor of Suspended Yin, can live.”
She had a vague premonition that either she would kill Gu Chenzi or be killed by him, and it was coming soon.
The room fell into a deathly silence.
The incense burner emitted wisps of smoke, and Yao Chenzi sat there, deep in thought.
Wei Pingxi gave him time to consider, understandingly refraining from urging him.
The spring sunshine was bright and warm outside, much warmer than inside. She looked longingly out the window, her mind racing with a series of thoughts—it was too risky for her to do it alone; she needed more outside help.
She wanted to live.
Completely reverse the tragic ending of the previous life.
Okay. Here you go.
Yao Chenzi made a desperate gamble, his eyes flashing with a strange light: "But you must promise me, you must not die."
"Immortal".
Wei Pingxi stood up and bowed to him respectfully.
This bow was a bow to the true compassion of the compassionate monk, and a bow to Yao Chenzi's unwavering support.
The two latticed windows were open, letting in the spring breeze.
Yao Chenzi took out the secret manual that his master had prepared long ago from the bottom of the wooden cabinet, his expression complicated: "When Master learned that Senior Sister was practicing evil magic, he was worried that one day it would be impossible to deal with."
"He painstakingly created a method to subdue evil, and when he gave it to me, he forbade me to open it. He specifically reminded me that the method should not be given to others to learn unless absolutely necessary."
"I asked why, and my master said that this technique is based on fate. Only those who are destined to learn this technique can live without dying."
"This method is a quick fix; I've never accessed it before..."
Yao Chenzi was overcome with grief at the thought of his deceased master. He carefully placed the kraft paper scroll on the table without looking at it, not wanting to be reminded of his painful memories. Wei Pingxi took the 'secret manual' and carefully unfolded the kraft paper.
The opening lines are words from the compassionate Master to those with affinity—
“My unfilial disciple has become unruly, practicing evil magic and going astray. I have failed as both her teacher and father, and I cannot bear to kill my own daughter…”
Her own daughter?
She suppressed her surprise and continued watching.
"...I am destined to suffer this calamity and die at the hands of my wicked disciple. My death is not a pity, but I pity the people of the world who may suffer from the poison of my wicked disciple. Therefore, I created a quick method."
"Any quick-fix method inevitably has drawbacks. Successful practitioners will become unparalleled in martial arts, while failures will result in death and the loss of one's soul. I advise you not to learn it lightly, but to be cautious and serious."
"This method is called 'Compassionate Subduing of Magic.' Those who learn my method should have the intention to sacrifice themselves for righteousness..."
Wei Pingxi read it word by word and said softly, "Gu Chenzi is your master's daughter."
Yao Chenzi stood there, stunned, thinking she was talking nonsense.
"It's true, my master admitted it himself."
However, in a short while, the cowhide roll ended up in Yao Chenzi's hands.
The world's greatest martial arts master not only died at the hands of his chief disciple, but was also killed by his own daughter with a single palm strike...
Wei Pingxi lowered his eyes. Killing wicked disciples and eliminating evil spirits was an act of compassion for all people, but killing his own daughter and his chief disciple was cruel to his father and teacher.
The compassionate monk spent his life being compassionate, choosing neither option, and in the end, the only choice he had was to be cruel to himself.
I'd rather die.
Yao Chenzi, a grown man, was now wetting his clothes with tears: "Master..."
Wei Pingxi placed one hand on his left shoulder. At this moment, words of comfort seemed too frivolous. The truth about the passing of the Compassionate Master had come to light many years ago, and she sighed, "What a tragedy."
The renowned physician wept uncontrollably, and hearing him cry, the Fourth Miss couldn't help but think of that woman who loved to cry.
I wonder how that crybaby is doing at Gan Ning Palace.
She was thinking of Yuzhi here, and Yuzhi was also thinking of her a lot in Ganning Palace.
Once the longing for you arises, it becomes uncontrollable.
She was staring blankly out the window again when Yan Xiu sat down with a bowl of nourishing soup: "Drink it while it's hot."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Yuzhi took the bowl, held it with both hands, and sipped the water slowly.
Sunlight fell on her soft, black hair, and Yanxiu affectionately picked up a stray strand of hair, as if she were thinking of her daughter, whom she had been pregnant with for ten months, through Yuzhi.
She had a difficult childbirth when giving birth to Xi Xi, and it's no exaggeration to say that she almost lost half her life.
Before she knew it, her daughter had found someone she liked.
Time flies, and it's a pity that her silly daughter seems to have figured things out but not completely. Once this matter is settled, she will be recognized by her ancestors and return to her family. However, she still has a long way to go before she can win the heart of her beloved.
Zhizhi is a bit timid.
...