White Robe

Chapter 80

He would risk his life for you, he would fight against the most terrifying assassin organization for you, he would risk everything for you... White Robe, White Robe, have you forgotten that in your most dangerous moments, when you needed comfort the most, when you were heartbroken and dejected—this man was always behind you, giving you warmth and care that no one else had ever given you! He killed for you, saved people for you, and pleaded for you! How could you forget all of this? Forgot?

Let me forget... let me forget...

...It is precisely because people cannot forget that they experience so much unnecessary helplessness and pain...

I coughed softly and slowly opened my eyes. Once my eyes adjusted to the dim light, I realized I was back in my little room. A single lamp flickered on the table, its light dimming, though I had no idea how long I had been unconscious. Little Green sat by my bedside, her chin resting on her hand, her head nodding repeatedly, clearly exhausted and half-asleep. Hearing my cough, she quickly opened her eyes, placed three fingers on my wrist, and softly asked, "Sister Bai, are you feeling better?"

I managed to nod slightly, raising my finger gently to point to the teacup on the table. Xiao Lü understood, quickly reaching out to gently lift my head and bringing the tea to my lips. I sipped a few mouthfuls from the teacup in her hand, feeling a slight relief from the unease in my chest. I then gestured for Xiao Lü to let me lie down again. Whether I was raising my head, drinking tea, or lying down, I used only my eyes to signal, feeling as if all the energy had been drained from my body, as if I didn't even have the strength to utter a single word.

Seeing that I was lying down, Xiao Lü stared blankly at the ceiling, still silent. Suddenly, her eyes reddened, and she choked out, "Sister Bai, I...I really didn't lie to you..." Xiao Lü grabbed my hand and cried, "Sister Bai...I just found out that Brother Shaochang isn't dead...I really didn't know...he is...he is Ye...Ye..."

I reached my cold fingers from under the covers and tried my best to wipe away the streaks of tears on her face, whispering, "Silly girl...why are you crying...How could Sister Bai blame you? I know...I know...cough cough cough—" A few coughs escaped her lips, weak and feeble. I saw Xiao Lü crying and wiping away her tears with the back of her hand, clearly heartbroken. I couldn't help but offer a few more words of comfort, and after a while, I said, "Have you...prepared some medicine for me? Bring it over for me..."

Xiao Lü stopped crying a little, and looked at me with a mixture of surprise and joy. She knew that ever since Shang Shaozhang fell off the cliff, I had never taken my medicine properly, but today, for the first time ever, I was going to drink it. Upon hearing this, Xiao Lü quickly helped me up and brought the bowl of medicine to my lips. Seeing me swallow the medicine in big gulps as if it were water, she hurriedly said, "Sister, slow down, this medicine is very bitter."

I smiled gently, shook my head, and looked unusually tired. I said in a low voice, "My dear sister, you must be exhausted too. Go back and get some rest."

Xiao Lü looked at me for a long time, then finally nodded. After tidying up her tools, she turned back to the door and said softly, "Sister Bai, you...you still can't forgive Brother Shao Chang? He's taken care of you for so long..."

My heart ached as I looked at Xiao Lü with eyes that were both hopeful and pitiful, but I didn't know how to answer. Seeing that I remained silent, Xiao Lü sighed deeply, then pushed open the door and quietly walked out.

I turned my head to the side, and a tear slowly rolled down my cheek.

Two weeks later.

I was dressed in black, walking slowly on the grass. This serious illness took more than ten days to gradually improve, but it had also made me lose a lot of weight. My face was as pale as snow against the black clothes. If it weren't for Xiao Lü's miraculous healing, I might have really not made it back from the brink of death. In the past few days, Yun Yiyang, You Hua, and others have all come to visit me at my little house. Xiao Lü has been doing everything herself, probably more so than she has ever been since she started treating herself. Only the young master Shang, who has turned back into Ye Zhi Qiu, is nowhere to be seen. I heard Xiao Lü sometimes mutter that he was afraid my condition would worsen if I saw him, and he only inquired about my condition from her when I was asleep. Whether it was the witty and charming young master Shang or the calm Ye Zhi Qiu, he was a completely different person.

I shook my head slightly, regulated my breathing, and walked towards a small bamboo hut not far ahead. The babbling brook flowed incessantly, and the bamboo rustled softly in the woods, creating a scene of serene tranquility. Occasionally, a bird's song would echo through the forest, then vanish into silence. Approaching the hut, I saw several large characters casually written in bamboo charcoal above: "Listening to Bamboo Hut."

A slight smile played on my lips as I reached out and gently pushed the bamboo door. With a creak, I realized the owner hadn't bolted it; the door opened softly with a push. I slowly stepped into the courtyard and called out, "Is Brother Su here?"

"The flower path is left unswept, only because a guest has arrived; it turns out it's Minister Bai." A leisurely, gentle male voice drifted from the bamboo hut. I stepped inside and found it small yet quiet, clean, and spotless. The walls were made of bamboo as thick as a child's arm. A gentle breeze wafted in, carrying the fragrance of bamboo leaves, refreshing and invigorating. A man in white sat alone by the window, his long hair loosely draped over his shoulders. Before him lay an embroidered screen, and in his long, slender, white fingers held a needle as thin as a cow's hair.

This scene would seem bizarre on any other man. But for the man before me, it was perfectly normal.

Simply because he is Su Sanshou.

The embroidery produced by Su Sanshou was so exquisite that even the most skilled embroiderers in Suzhou were ashamed of their own skill.

I gave a perfunctory bow and chuckled, "Every time I see Brother Su, you're still so polite to the man in white." I glanced around and said, "Aren't my eldest and second brothers in the small residence? I haven't seen them for quite some time since I returned to Guiyun Manor."

A smile appeared on Su Sanshou's delicate face as he said, "My eldest and second brothers have gone to prepare for the wedding; they're probably still wandering around the city." He then rose from behind the embroidered railing, poured me a cup of fragrant tea, and lazily settled back into the bamboo chair. His eyes swept over my face a few times before he sighed, "Even though it's only been a month since we last parted from Minister Bai, he seems to have lost a lot of weight."

I was slightly startled, then frowned slightly and said, "Brother Su, you have a good eye. The one in white has come here with a great concern that I can't seem to resolve. I would like to ask Brother Su to help me find the way out."

"Oh..." Su San raised his eyes to look at me, a glint of shrewdness flashing in them. He smiled and said, "What does the Prime Minister wish to ask?"

I sighed softly, a few strands of my black hair falling over my shoulders. I said slowly, "The most ruthless is Chu Guanfeng... How can it not be a blessing that I, in white, can meet the world-renowned Brother Chu... But who in the world could have imagined that Brother Chu and the unparalleled embroidery master Su Sanshou are the same person?"

Su Sanshou's eyes flashed with a sharp light as he slowly raised his hand from the embroidered railing. His body, which had been lazily leaning against the window, gradually exuded a calm and oppressive aura as he stood up. As soon as I finished speaking, Su Sanshou in front of me seemed to have instantly transformed into a different person. The lazy, gentle young man was gone, replaced by this killer whose entire body was filled with a menacing aura.

This assassin was as famous as Qin Louyue, and even more terrifying than Qin Louyue.

Chu Pass Wind.

Chu Guanfeng laughed and said, "Minister Bai is really amazing. No wonder people say that your eyes are sharp and unparalleled."

I gave a wry smile and shook my head, saying, "Brother Su, you flatter me. Bai Yi was just lucky. If you hadn't intentionally left some flaws, no matter how shrewd Bai Yi is, he wouldn't have been able to tell."

Chu Guanfeng raised an eyebrow and asked, "How do you know?"

I walked to the bamboo chair and sat down, sipping a mouthful of fragrant tea. I said softly, "These past few days, although Baiyi has been ill, he has been thinking about what has happened this past year. Although there have been some thrilling moments, he has always escaped danger, which is Baiyi's great fortune. However, everything is interconnected, and it cannot be understood in just a day or two... That night, when Qin Louyue was chasing me, the 'Ye Zhi Qiu' that appeared in front of me, was it you, Brother Chu?"

Chu Guanfeng laughed and said, "How can you recognize me as Ye Zhi Qiu and Chu Guanfeng as me based on just these things?"

I said, "Based on these alone, it's impossible to recognize him. In fact, I only realized it these past few days... When Brother Chu appeared that night, he was essentially telling everyone present that Chu Guanfeng was Ye Zhiqiu, the master of Qiuye Pavilion. But no one knew what Ye Zhiqiu looked like or who Chu Guanfeng was. Brother Chu and Young Master Shang were both assassins under Wenrou's command, and you've known Qin Louyue for a long time. The one you've been hiding from... is just the person in white, isn't that right?"

Chu Guanfeng neither agreed nor denied, his eyes showing increasing approval, clearly urging me to continue. I took a breath and continued, "...If it weren't for...if it weren't for..." I gritted my teeth and said, "If Shang Shaochang hadn't reappeared before me and told me that he was the real Ye Zhi Qiu, I'm afraid Bai Yi still wouldn't have suspected that Su San Ge was Chu Guanfeng. However, although Su San Ge was extremely cautious that day, he still left some clues."

Chu Guanfeng raised an eyebrow and asked, "Oh? Where is it?"

I slowly said, "Back then... before meeting Brother Su, Baiyi had indeed faced death by a hair's breadth. Some things, though not thought of at the time, would gradually surface in my mind afterward... When Brother Su used the Returning Wind Veil, it opened Baiyi's eyes wide! Tell me, which man in the world can handle this woman's thing so gracefully and skillfully? However... when Brother Su used the Returning Wind Veil to roll Baiyi into the sedan chair, Baiyi saw your hands!" I looked at Chu Guanfeng's slowly lowering hands and said, "Hands as delicate and skillful as Brother Su's, let alone men, are hard to find even among women. How could Baiyi not notice them?"

Chu Guanfeng smiled wryly, "So the flaw was in my hands. It makes sense." He slowly bent and straightened his fingers, and as light shone into his hands, each finger appeared smooth and slender, like jade. The veins on the back of his hands were faintly visible, and they were snow-white and flawless. Such hands were rare even on a woman, let alone on a man.

I said, "However, this is just one flaw. We need to connect the other suspicious points to discover the truth." My gaze swept around and finally settled on a small bronze incense burner on the bamboo table. A few sticks of incense were burning in the burner, and wisps of smoke rose gently, filling the bamboo hut with a faint sandalwood scent. I said softly, "Every time Third Brother Su embroiders, he always burns some sandalwood to calm his mind. This fragrance is different from ordinary fragrances. It is said that Third Brother bought it from a merchant from the Arab world. The fragrance lasts a long time and is much better than ordinary incense. Unconsciously, Third Brother Su's clothes must have been stained with some fragrance. Although I didn't see the face of the person in the sedan chair at the time, I couldn't forget this unique fragrance."

Chu Guanfeng's handsome face underwent several changes of expression before he finally burst into laughter: "Well done, Prime Minister Bai! Your insight is indeed extraordinary. I thought I could deceive the world, but I didn't expect to be so full of loopholes in front of Sister Bai! However—" A sly glint flashed in Chu Guanfeng's eyes as he said, "Aren't you afraid I'll kill you to silence you after telling you all this?"

I bowed slightly: "Brother Su, you flatter Bai Yi. Bai Yi relies solely on a woman's intuition. Sometimes, a woman's nose is more likely to precede her eyes. Besides..." I chuckled: "Brother Su, you've been incredibly kind to Bai Yi. You've had countless opportunities to kill Bai Yi, why would you wait until now?"

Chu Guanfeng nodded and smiled, "Since you still call me Brother Su, how could I possibly lay a hand on you?" The two looked at each other and laughed heartily. After laughing, Chu Guanfeng said, "Sister Bai, you've come here today not just because of my identity, have you? Isn't that right?"

I nodded and said, "Third Brother is brilliant. Then please guess why I'm here today."

Chu Guanfeng looked up at me and asked, "Sister, did you come here because of Ye Zhi Qiu?"

A look of surprise flashed across my eyes, but I couldn't think of anything to say in rebuttal. I couldn't help but sigh deeply and say, "Brother Su is right. I came here... precisely for this matter."

Chu Guanfeng said, "You want to know why, with my martial arts skills and reputation, I would act as Shang Shaochang's double and impersonate Ye Zhiqiu for him, right?"

My heart was filled with a torrent of emotions, my hands twisting nervously together. I moved to the window and slowly said, "I'm afraid Brother Su won't believe me if I tell you... To this day, I don't know if it's better to know the truth, or to continue living like this, in this daze... Ever since I met Young Master Shang, almost every day has been incredibly dangerous, not knowing if tomorrow will bring new danger... But even so, I can feel his affection... It made me incredibly happy in that kind of life, and I even hoped that those days would last forever. But..." My eyes filled with increasing pain as I said, "But I will never know what he's thinking, what I am to him... Just like before he jumped off the cliff, he told me at the Prince Ning's mansion: As an assassin, he never needs unnecessary..." The burden... He said he would protect me, but he kept hurting me. He told one lie, and then a thousand more to cover it up... He was clearly poisoned, yet he made me believe he was despicable and shameless; he clearly wanted to keep me with Prince Ning, yet he hardened his heart and verbally abused me; he was clearly Ye Zhi Qiu, yet he used two identities to toy with me! ...He...what word of his was true?! He jumped off Zhu Gong Cliff, and I was so heartbroken I wanted to follow him, but...but eight months later, he appeared before me, alive and well! Does he know what kind of living hell I've endured for these past eight months?! I covered my face with my hands, my voice trembling, "What...what should I do? Should I love him, or hate him a thousand times more?! Even if I knew the truth, what good would it do!"

Chu Guanfeng walked up behind me and said slowly, "The deeper the love, the more intense the hate. The line between love and hate is very thin."

"But—there has to be a reason!" I turned around and said, word by word, "What is all this for! Young Master Shang—he—"

Chu Guanfeng stared at me for a long while, then nodded and said, "Very well... I also have a story between me and Shang Shaochang that can hardly be called a story..." Chu Guanfeng pondered for a moment: