Night Song

Chapter 88

Silver Swan and Jade Falcon were idly bickering when tea and snacks appeared on the table. A woman listened silently, but with a hint of impatience. Jade Falcon was clearly trying to get close to her, and it was obvious at a glance that he had ulterior motives.

After coughing, the two immediately stood up.

Although the past is over, he is, after all, the new leader of the Tianshan sect, so he naturally has a sense of caution and deference.

"And him?"

Silver Swan gave a strange smile, as if it were hiding something, making it seem extremely ambiguous.

"In the room," he added unnecessarily. "The Snow Envoy is also there."

"When did you go in?" He understood what that smile meant, and couldn't help but laugh along.

“After arriving here yesterday.”

"Hasn't it come out yet?" Looking at the sky, he almost whistled.

"Hmm." Bi Jun lowered his voice. "They practically carried her in. I think this is bad."

He struggled to suppress the urge to burst out laughing. "You're just going to sit here and wait?"

Silver Swan shrugged. "We dare not disturb them. We accidentally stumbled upon this last time and were already severely punished by the boss, not to mention the warning we received." Following the direction he pointed, a gleaming sword tip suddenly pierced out, nailing the two lacquered doors shut. "Unauthorized entry will result in death."

Bi Jun replied seriously, "Shuang Jing knocked and confirmed that Xue Shi is still alive, but the boss won't let anyone in, let alone let her out."

Perhaps only Shuangjing was truly indignant. "That damned lecherous scoundrel."

Jiuwei raised an eyebrow with amusement. "And who is this?" He inwardly agreed that such behavior was indeed lacking in manners.

“A person from the King’s Palace, serving Xue Shi personally.” Bi Jun was extremely obsequious. “His skills are quite good; he used to be Jun Suiyu’s close attendant.”

"Since that's the case, why don't you go in and help your young lady?" Perhaps we can expect a good show.

Shuangjing glared at her angrily, too lazy to reply.

"Our arrival went smoothly, but we later learned that Jun Suiyu had given orders beforehand," Yin Hu offered the answer. "Ever since the eldest brother broke through at all costs last time, Jun Suiyu ordered that if the third young master of the Xie family comes again, we should not stop him, unless he takes the master away from the Jun family, otherwise we can let him do as he pleases."

“So we can only watch.” Bi Jun said, somewhat surprised. “I have reported the situation to Jun Suiyu, and he doesn’t seem to have any intention of intervening.”

Jun Suiyu… seemed pleased with the outcome; he was indeed an interesting character. After a moment's hesitation, Jiuwei, with a mischievous smile, stepped forward and knocked on the door.

"Ahem, Shuying, not to be a spoilsport, but you've been staying at the master's house long enough. Shouldn't you come out and give us an explanation?" The voice wasn't too loud or too soft, but it entered the tightly closed room, carrying an obvious mockery. "Xue Shi is weak. You... take it easy before you start doing this. Don't exhaust her."

After a long silence, he coughed again.

“If you don’t come out, Shuangjing will worry about her young lady’s health and will have no choice but to break down the door. I’ll give you another incense stick’s time; you can decide for yourself.”

This is the Nine Micro.

Hearing the teasing voices outside, Xie Yunshu gritted his teeth, yet couldn't help but chuckle, lying on the soft, warm body and laughing silently. After a while, he lazily got up.

Jia Ye's face was buried in the silk quilt, unable to lift, her small earlobes flushed red. He dressed her, kissed her, and wouldn't let her do anything. He picked out clothes from the wardrobe, dressing her piece by piece from the inside out. After putting on her silk stockings and lambskin boots, he carried her to the dressing table and combed her hair. Her long, black hair was smooth and silky; when he picked it up, it would fall back down. Finally, he could only clumsily tie it up, fiddling with it for a while with some dissatisfaction. When it looked neat and tidy, the door bolt made a snapping sound, and the two doors crashed to the ground, instantly illuminating the room.

Jiuwei stood by the door, a mischievous grin on her face. She twitched her fingers as she looked around, from the torn clothes scattered on the floor to the disheveled gums, and then to the stench filling the room. The faint blue shadows under her eyelashes deepened her smile.

The silver swan and the green falcon knew their limits and didn't dare to go forward, but they still craned their necks to look around in the courtyard.

He gave her a disapproving look, picked her up, and carried her out, placing her on a bearskin cushion in the next room. Shuangjing quickly fetched a hand warmer and handed it to her, then poured her some ginseng soup. The spring air had already warmed up, yet they dared not be the slightest bit negligent.

Despite her awkward laughter, Jiuwei's words were quite serious.

"Have you made up your mind?"

"Um."

"What do you plan to do?" Despite asking the question, Jiuwei roughly knew what the answer would be.

"I will take her away." He had thought it all through.

"Not going back to Yangzhou?"

"Hmm." She didn't have much time left, and he didn't want to waste it on persuading her family and dealing with social niceties.

“Or you could go to the Western Regions,” Jiuwei suggested. “I guarantee you’ll have a good time.”

"I'll discuss it with her." He glanced behind him, his eyes filled with deep affection.

"I'll send a message to Moyao and Lanxiao in a moment, instructing them to come to Xijing." Yinhu was very astute. "At the same time, tell them to hand over their current affairs as soon as possible."

Xie Yunshu nodded. "I still need to have a talk with Jun Suiyu." After all, he is her brother, and it is only proper to inform him.

"Don't you want to say a few words to your eldest brother?" Jiu smiled mysteriously. "Your two elder brothers and one younger brother are all in Xijing, are you just going to leave like this?"

"I will explain myself later." He felt deeply guilty, but his mind was resolute.

“That will save you some time. You can go directly to the front hall to meet them,” Jiuwei offered. “They are currently talking with Jun Suiyu. You can take care of that at the same time.”

Seeing his astonishment, he added with a mischievous grin, "I came here with them and found my way straight here. Jun Suiyu invited them in for a talk, but I don't know how it went."

He glanced at Jia Ye with a start, his fair face slightly dazed, and his brows furrowed slightly.

"I'll go take a look."

"I'll go too." She was about to stand up when he grabbed her and pressed her down.

"Don't go, just rest here. I'll come back for you in a bit." His tone was both gentle and firm.

“It’s none of my business. I’ll go talk to him myself.” With her hands on her shoulders, her already weak legs made it even harder for her to stand. She glared at him with dissatisfaction.

"Leave these things to me now," he said, bending down to soothe her gently. "Don't think about anything, just take care of yourself."

"I…………"

A long, slender finger pressed to the lips, silencing any objection. A voice, low and intimately threatening, whispered in the ear, "Be good, or I'll keep you in bed for days, until you... beg for mercy."

The pleasant male voice made her ears tingle slightly, and his warm breath brushed against her skin, but what burned even hotter were the words he uttered. Knowing that no one else could hear, her face still burned, turning an uncontrollable red.

Her jade-like cheeks flushed crimson, filled with embarrassment. Her brows furrowed slightly, a tightness in her chest that she couldn't express, and even her slender neck was tinged with pink, like snow reflecting the sunset, a beauty that took one's breath away.

Everyone present was stunned, their eyes practically glued to the screen.

Stepping out of the room, Jiuwei sighed in disbelief. "You're quite something, managing to melt an iceberg into a gentle touch."

After years of caution and vigilance, he finally realized that his cold and ruthless colleague and rival was actually a stunningly beautiful woman. A single moment of her allure was enough to captivate and ecstasy; all heroic ambitions and world-conquering fervor vanished before her gentle, captivating gaze. Such a woman should be kept hidden away in the inner chambers of a secluded palace; otherwise, she would drive all the men mad.

"You have better taste in women than I do."

In contrast to the relaxed atmosphere here, the atmosphere in the front hall of the royal palace, where guests were being received, was solemn and tense.

After a few simple pleasantries, we quickly got down to business.

"Please, young master, let my good-for-nothing third brother come out." Xie Quheng bowed apologetically. "I apologize for disturbing the peace of your residence."

"Not at all. I've known the Xie brothers for a long time, and I'm especially on good terms with the Third Young Master. There's no need for such formalities." Jun Suiyu smiled. "However, even so... the Third Young Master lingered in my sister's room for so long, shouldn't you give an explanation?"

The three members of the Xie family were momentarily embarrassed, and Xie Quheng cleared his throat.

"This matter was a frivolous and improper act by my third brother, which was extremely inappropriate. May I ask what your opinion is, young master?"

Jun Suiyu's smile grew even gentler. "My younger sister is alone in her chambers, and the Third Young Master's behavior was rather rash, severely damaging her reputation. Now that things have come to this, I shouldn't reprimand him further. Perhaps..."

"No." Xie Quheng stood up abruptly, his refusal extremely firm. "Third brother has indeed wronged Miss Ye... Young Master Jun, no request from you is excessive, but this is absolutely impossible."

"Brother Xie, do you find my sister ugly?" Jun Suiyu's smile faded slightly.

"Miss Jun is so beautiful, how could you say that? The Xie family is simply not worthy of her."

"So, Brother Xie, do you disapprove of my sister's humble family background and meager dowry?"

“Your family is considered humble, who would dare to claim wealth and power? Young Master Jun is joking.” Xie Quheng’s face was stern.

"Brother Xie, what exactly is causing your dissatisfaction? I am quite puzzled," Jun Suiyu said calmly. "If you cannot give a reason, I'm afraid you look down on the Jun family."

The atmosphere became tense. Xie Qinglan secretly tugged at her elder brother's sleeve, but Xie Quheng's voice was as loud as iron as he stared directly at the other party. "The Junwang Mansion is a powerful force in the north, and its conduct has always been highly praised. However, there is no reason to force a marriage. The Xie family is unworthy, and my younger brother is immoral. We are not good enough for the young lady of the Junwang Mansion."

"Brother Xie, do you think I forced you?" Jun Suiyu's smile faded, and he raised an eyebrow. "May I ask if we kidnapped the Third Young Master and brought him to the Jun residence? My sister refused to leave the house time and time again, but each time the Third Young Master forced his way in. How come you say that the Jun family used their power to force us in? Brother Xie has always been known for his chivalry, so I would like to ask you about this reasoning."

Xie Quheng choked, realizing he was in the wrong, and decided to speak his mind without any regard for sentimentality.

“Young Master Jun visited Yangzhou back then and is aware of the ill-fated relationship between my younger brother and Miss Jun. Now that Miss Jun has entered the Jun family, my younger brother should have given up his delusions long ago. Everyone knows how much Young Master Jun loves your younger sister. Her status is different from before. Please choose another suitable match.”

"Find another suitable match. Looking across the martial world, is there anyone more outstanding than Young Master Xie?" Jun Suiyu asked with a half-smile. "Brother Xie, do you feel that Pianxian, though nominally my sworn sister, is not worthy of a legitimate son like you?"

"I wouldn't dare," Xie Quheng said, but his eyes showed disdain. "I only know that a wife should be virtuous. Even if Miss Jun is as beautiful as a fairy and her dowry is worth more than ten thousand, the Xie family would never dare to welcome her into the family."

These words were extremely harsh, and Jun Suiyu's expression immediately changed, his face darkening.

“As for status, Pianxian is a young lady born of the King’s mansion, my sister born of the same father. How is she unworthy of Xie Yunshu?” His gaze was cold, and he was indifferent and displeased. “As for her character, you know her better than anyone else, Third Young Master Xie, after more than ten years on Mount Tian. There is nothing for you to criticize.”

The Xie family members were stunned for a moment.

Xie Jingze blurted out, "How could she possibly be a young lady from the Prince's Mansion?"

Jun Suiyu's eyes dimmed. "Pianxian... was born in Yangzhou, the daughter of my late father and another woman. He loved her dearly, cherished her like a precious jewel. Twenty years ago, when she was brought back to Xijing, she was unfortunately separated from him and wandered to the Western Regions. My late father was deeply saddened by this, searching for her for many years without any news, and died in despair. Until four years ago, when she was found in Yangzhou..."

"I went to the Xie family for her sake. To avoid attracting too much attention, I used an alias. At first, I was unsure because the age didn't match up. Later, I found out that it was true... If Brother Xie doesn't believe me, you can check your family genealogy. The name Pianxian was given by my late father and has already been recorded in the genealogy."

"Then why do you claim to be her adopted sister?" Qinglan asked, puzzled.

“Pianxian is so determined.” Jun Suiyu sighed. “It’s been so many years, there’s no need to add to the gossip. She doesn’t want the deceased’s reputation to be tarnished.”

The ruthless witch... suddenly transformed into the genuine heiress of the royal palace, a fact that's hard to believe.

“In the past, she and Young Master Xie were deeply in love. Now that the misunderstanding has been cleared up, she has returned to the Jun family. If we can clear up the entanglements and arrange a marriage, it would be the perfect match. Why must Brother Xie be so prejudiced?” Jun Suiyu sincerely cupped his hands. “If it’s not for anything else, but just for Young Master Xie’s good intentions, please consider it carefully.”

Xie Jingze hesitated, while Qinglan looked at her elder brother expectantly.

Xie Quheng softened his tone, considering that the other party didn't have much time left and was on the verge of death, but still disagreed. "Young Master Jun sincerely apologizes for my previous rudeness, but marriage is not a trivial matter. My father resolutely opposed it four years ago, and I dare not agree. Miss Jun is of first-class family background and appearance. After recovering her health, she will not have to worry about finding a good match. Young Master Jun, please release my brother."

Jun Suiyu remained silent for a moment, then suddenly sneered.

"In the end, Brother Xie still thinks that Pianxian is not good enough for your younger brother, but the Third Young Master Xie seems to think otherwise. I heard that he would rather leave the Xie family than do something heartless. What should we do about this?"

“Young Master Jun is joking. Marriage is entirely determined by the parents’ wishes and the matchmaker’s words. How can one act willfully and recklessly?”

"Oh?" Jun Suiyu's voice was calm and unhurried. "I think the Third Young Master Xie is a man of strong character. If he is truly not accepted by the Xie family because of this, it would be fine for the Junwang Mansion to take him in as a son-in-law. Although it may be a bit of a grievance, he will surely not mind too much if he can be with his beloved."

Xie Quheng's face immediately turned pale. The other two also paled; if the Xie family's favored heir were to be taken in by the royal family, they would truly lose all face.

"Is Young Master Jun trying to blackmail me?"

“What a joke.” The other party spoke rudely, but Jun Suiyu remained calm, his words carrying a double meaning. “Who can force Young Master Xie to do something he doesn’t want to do? Even his own brother… might not be able to do it.”

"Or perhaps I could spread the word that I'm looking for a brother-in-law, and Brother Xie, who do you think would be the first to get anxious?" With a deep laugh, Jun Suiyu casually dusted off his sleeves. "Please consider this carefully."