Beggar Travels the World

Chapter 38

Baili Qingyi looked once more at the distant, overlapping, and vast mountain ranges. "Tomorrow morning, we'll attack the mountains."

The spies planted at Chuxiu Manor had already thoroughly searched the entire manor, discovering numerous correspondence between officials and high-ranking court officials in a secret room. However, these were matters for Cen Lu to handle. Their current challenge was to ruthlessly drive Qin Qiyun, with whom they had shared six years of brotherhood, into a corner.

"Brother was right after all. This Miss Yin is truly the key to solving everything," Baili Hanyi said with sincere admiration. If they hadn't initially focused their clues on Yin Wuxiao, they wouldn't have been able to follow the trail and uncover the subtle connection between the "Traceless" owner and Qiao Fenglang, nor would they have been able to glean Qin Qiyun's hostility towards Qiao Fenglang from his actions. With both factors combined, the identity of the "Traceless" owner became obvious.

Baili Qingyi showed no joy on her face: "Once this matter is settled, I will have fulfilled all of my father's dying wishes."

"Uh?" Baili Hanyi blinked, feigning ignorance and asking, "Big brother, what do you mean by this...?"

Baili Qingyi smiled slightly, offering no further explanation.

Baili Hanyi suddenly remembered something else and hesitated before speaking: "But isn't this ending a bit too cruel for Miss Yin?" The death of her loved ones, the poisoning, and now the family tragedy, the deception and betrayal of her close friends, and in the end, even Baili Qingyi was just using her to set a trap for the sake of so-called chivalry. Alas, if she knew all this, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"You talk too much." Baili Qingyi suddenly frowned and spoke coldly.

"..." A bead of cold sweat dripped down Baili Hanyi's face. He recalled six years ago, when his elder brother was tracking down the previous owner of "Traceless," he was injured by the other's hidden weapon due to an unhealed old wound. After returning to the Baili manor, he didn't mention how he had narrowly escaped death, but instead brought back a half-dead Qin Qiyun. Then, he would sit by the window every day, and even seeing birds flying by would make him smile. Later, Baili Tieyi couldn't stand his elder brother's sudden change and couldn't help but ask, "Brother, are you in love?"

Baili Qingyi was not angry upon hearing this; instead, he laughed loudly, then picked up a large brush and went to the screen wall in the main hall of his house to write a poem:

Go to the pine trees on the mountain, the moon shines over the Xiang River, the jade boat carries a silver sword, and the Yue maiden wanders three times.

None of his brothers understood his meaning, but Baili Qingyi laughed and said that even if he were to be moved, the other party would at least have such talent.

Unexpectedly, this rumor spread like wildfire, eventually becoming the saying that whoever could match the lyrics would be the destined beauty of the young master in green. Initially, when they learned that Baili Qingyi had accidentally saved the second young lady of the Yuwen family, Yuwen Hongying, they assumed that Baili Qingyi had truly fallen for her and was therefore developing feelings for her. However, in the following years, it was always Yuwen Hongying who took the initiative to pursue him, and Baili Qingyi never responded, which led them to dismiss their initial assumption.

But ever since Baili Qingyi wrote that poem, everyone in the Baili household knew that the young master in green had someone in his heart.

Today, there is no need to guess who that person is.

“Brother, why take Father’s dying words so seriously? If… if Miss Yin also has feelings for you, you should explain everything to her instead of both of you being heartbroken.”

Baili Qingyi glanced back at him, and the calm pool suddenly rippled. She sighed softly, "How can you understand? For a woman as strong and decisive as her, all her excuses are just pretexts. Even if you can gain her understanding, you can no longer win her heart."

Baili Hanyi was speechless. Only now did she realize that love could truly be so burdensome!

A guard from Baili Prefecture suddenly appeared, standing steadily behind Baili Qingyi, his voice no longer calm:

"Young Master, the members of the Qiao Gang are not convinced by your plan and have already taken the lead up the mountain!"

"What?" The two exchanged a glance, their expressions suddenly changing.

Lotus seeds are as clear as water

Yuwen Cuiyu reached out and grabbed a robe to cover her naked and disheveled body. She slowly got out of bed, the pain between her legs causing her to twitch her lips slightly.

She turned to look at the man on the bed, her face turning pale.

She didn't know why, why that face, which seemed so terrifying to others, didn't evoke any aversion in her, why this man felt so familiar yet strange, why she had given him her virginity without any resistance, and why she couldn't find a trace of regret in her heart at this moment.

But why does her heart still ache? She covered her heart with her delicate hand, and as she thought of Qiao Fenglang, a tearing pain spread through her.

No, she couldn't think about it anymore. She turned her head away and was about to leave.

Suddenly, a tremendous force exploded from her wrist, pulling her violently back onto the bed. What quickly covered her was the body that had just been entangled with her.

"So eager to escape?" Her dark eyes flickered with an incomprehensible emotion.

Yuwen Cuiyu bit her lip, deliberately ignoring the fact that their skin was pressed tightly together: "I... from today onwards, I will no longer owe you a single thing."

That's probably it. At the wedding banquet at Chuxiu Manor, she always felt a little guilty towards Qin Qiyun, after all, this man had never mistreated her and had an amazingly good temper.

His dark eyes narrowed: "So, you were paying off a debt just now?"

Yuwen Cuiyu pushed him away without emotion, got off the bed, and answered with her back to him, "Not bad." She picked up the clothes scattered on the ground, forced herself to suppress her unease, and slowly put on her clothes.

Qin Qiyun gave a cold snort.

“You should know that everything I did was to deal with Qiao Fenglang,” he suddenly said, emphasizing the last three words.

Yuwen Cuiyu trembled slightly, but immediately replied calmly, "I know."

"Then why are you still cooperating with me?"

“I’m cooperating with you to deal with Yin Wuxiao. As for him, you absolutely cannot bring him down.” Yuwen Cuiyu did not turn around.

Her confident tone enraged him, and he suddenly grabbed her by the neck.

"So you still only have him in your heart, even though..."

"There is no such thing as 'even if'!" Yuwen Cuiyu shouted, her beautiful face forced to rise, meeting his intense anger. "You ugly person have no right to talk about 'even if'."

"You..." Qin Qiyun's cold eyes widened, his disfigured face radiating anger, making him look like half a Yama.

With a "smack," Yuwen Cuiyu was knocked to the ground, her cheek quickly swelling and turning red.

"Get out!" Qin Qiyun spat out a single word through gritted teeth.

She didn't look up, straightened her clothes, and turned to leave expressionlessly.

It should be so. The person she had loved for six years was now Qiao Fenglang, the leader of the Qiao Gang, while Qin Qiyun could not stir even a chord in her heart.

※ ※ ※

"Hey, Cousin Qiao, haven't you always treated Xiao'er like your precious darling? How come you're helping outsiders bully her now?" Shi Mansi casually tossed peanuts into her mouth. Seriously? Things have gotten this far; wouldn't she be a fool not to guess the truth?

Glancing at her, Qin Qiyun casually uttered a startling statement: "Although I can't kill you, I wouldn't mind cutting out your tongue."

"..." Shi Mansi almost choked on the peanuts. She glared at Qin Qiyun with resentment and covered her lips.

"What do you want to see me about?" Qin Qiyun turned to Yin Wuxiao.

Yin Wuxiao hesitated for a while before finally saying, "Brother Fenglang." Perhaps because she had seen the Blood Jade Pendant and knew that she had guessed his identity, Qin Qiyun did not disguise herself.

He nodded, but his eyes were devoid of emotion.

"Do you hate me?" Yin Wuxiao asked in a trembling voice, somewhat afraid of his answer.

"Hate?" Qin Qiyun smiled, somewhat surprised. "How can I express hatred? Ignorance is no excuse."

"I..." Yin Wuxiao's heart tightened. It wasn't that she didn't know, it's just... the unease she had been vaguely sensing couldn't be confirmed, and she was subconsciously afraid to investigate, wasn't she?

“That day… in the Valley of a Hundred Questions, when you asked me… which one was true, I already vaguely sensed the truth, but… but under those circumstances, I dared not say it.”

"Hmph, what difference does it make whether I say it or not?"

"...If you hate me because I lied to you that day, I have nothing to say." After a pause, she continued, "I can imagine how much suffering you endured being forgotten outside for six years. You...you have every reason to harbor resentment."

"You can imagine?" Qin Qiyun seemed to find the words amusing, then turned back to her coldness: "How did you guess my identity?" If she could guess it, did that mean that Baili Qingyi, or even Qiao Fenglang, had also noticed it?

Yin Wuxiao calmed her breathing: "Our sibling relationship of over ten years is genuine. Apart from appearance, Qin Qiyun is none other than Qiao Fenglang from back then. It's just... it's just that you said you had lost your memory in the capital. I thought you might be happier forgetting everything, so I didn't acknowledge you. But I never expected to later discover that you are the master of 'Wuhen'." She looked ashamed but had to ask: "Brother Fenglang, you have never been a belligerent or bloodthirsty person. Why did you come to this?"

"Oh? So you think I've frightened you, that I've made you hate me now?" Qin Qiyun's lips curled into a cruel smile. "Actually, you don't care at all, do you? You don't care whether the person bearing the name Qiao Fenglang is me or him. You, including Aunt Yun, only care whether this Qiao Fenglang can lead the Qiao Gang, whether he can bring glory to the family." He touched his mutilated face with one hand. "This hideous cripple is better off dead to you, isn't he?"

"How...how could you say that?" Yin Wuxiao's eyes were filled with shock and pain. Was this really the same Qiao Fenglang who was always smiling, gentle, and kind?

"Why can't I?" Qin Qiyun took a step closer, his smile seemingly widening. "You shouldn't be surprised. After all, my mother was a cult witch, a ruthless killer; my father appeared respectable on the surface, but was a heartless and opportunistic scoundrel in private; and my twin brother..." He sneered, "to replace me, he cruelly killed me, disfigured me, and dumped my body off a cliff. Tell me, what else can I do but love killing?"

Twenty-five years ago, Mu Wanfeng gave birth to twin boys. One was taken back to the Qiao Clan by Qiao Baiyue and named Qiao Fenglang, while the other was taken back to the Northern Desert Qiong Sect by Mu Wanfeng and named Mu Li. The two grew up in different environments. Mu Li was bullied from a young age and developed a resilient and stubborn personality, while Qiao Fenglang was pampered and kind-hearted. Ten years later, Mu Li accidentally learned the secret of his birth and, behind Mu Wanfeng's back, went alone to the Central Plains to find his father.

And he did indeed find it.

When Qiao Baiyue saw Mu Li, he was both surprised and frightened, only then realizing that Mu Wanfeng had given birth to twins. However, Mu Li had grown up in a cult, and his personality had become quite eccentric and difficult to control. Moreover, the martial arts world of the Central Plains had never heard of Qiao Baiyue having another son. After much deliberation, to prevent his past affair with the cult's enchantress from being exposed, he resolutely imprisoned Mu Li in a secluded place in Quyun Mountain, assigning only trusted confidants to guard him and prevent him from stepping outside the gate.

However, Qiao Fenglang was a very kind young man at the time, and Qiao Baiyue did not hide the matter from him. So he often went up the mountain to meet Mu Li, and the two brothers grew closer day by day. Over time, Qiao Fenglang would even exchange clothes with Mu Li and take his place to see the world. Mu Li never thought of really taking his place. Every time, he would return to the garden on time to change his identity. This happened repeatedly, and no one noticed. Over time, the two became very good at imitating each other.

Such clandestine operations only went wrong once. On that occasion, Qiao Fenglang brought Yin Wuxiao to the garden, but he was caught off guard and Yin Wuxiao saw two identical boys. Fortunately, Qiao Fenglang later covered it up with words.

However, Qiao Fenglang never imagined that one day, his twin brother, whom he trusted completely, would escape from the garden when the guards were lax and lure him to the edge of a cliff to ambush him. When he awoke, his face was covered with dozens of deep, bone-revealing cuts from a knife, and he lay on the ground at the bottom of the cliff, severely wounded and barely breathing.

"When I first recovered, I did indeed lose my memory, but a year later, my memory gradually returned. At that time, I discovered that a man named Qiao Fenglang had taken over the position of leader of the Qiao Gang, inherited his father's business, was filial to his stepmother, and had a fiancée who was the most talented woman in the world. Everyone was proud of him. And me? I was just a cripple who had even lost his own face!" Qin Qiyun, no, it should be said that it was the real Qiao Fenglang, his eyes were filled with pain and hatred, his eyes were bloodshot, and the sparks of hatred were burning.

Yin Wuxiao slumped in her chair, clutching her chest. Although she had already guessed all of this, hearing him confirm it with her own ears still left her unable to accept it for a long time.

"You...you've suffered." She looked at Qiao Fenglang, trembling, unable to imagine how he had managed to survive in this violent and cruel world after everything he had been taken away over the past six years. "And how did you later become the master of 'Traceless'?"

"Six years ago, the previous owner of 'Wuhen' lost his successor. Knowing that his days were numbered, he had no choice but to search for a new successor in the martial arts world. And I was very fortunate to become his chosen one."

"The heir is lost?" Yin Wuxiao's heart skipped a beat. Given the coincidence of the timing, could all of this be related to Yuwen Cuiyu?

She sighed. Qiao Fenglang made it sound so easy, but to climb from nothing to become the leader of "Wuhen," his path must have been incredibly difficult. Looking at herself, apart from the calamity three years ago, her life had been almost entirely smooth sailing. Three years ago, she had contentedly enjoyed peace and tranquility, having no right to comment on the suffering of others.

But now, she suddenly understood the hatred and resentment in Qiao Fenglang's heart, his eagerness to punish everyone who had wronged him. Yet, she couldn't offer him encouragement or even comfort. What could she do? If she were in Qiao Fenglang's shoes, perhaps she would be even more ruthless than him today. But she couldn't let Qiao Fenglang continue like this. Was she supposed to just watch her two brothers kill each other?

"Brother Fenglang, what... do you intend to do to me?" She lowered her head.

"What am I going to do with you?" Qiao Fenglang smiled strangely, his tone suddenly becoming very gentle. He raised his hand, saw Yin Wuxiao flinch, and couldn't help but smile again, then his fingertips traced across Yin Wuxiao's eyebrows and eyes.

"Xiao'er, how could I bear to do anything to you?" he sighed softly, but Yin Wuxiao felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave.

His fingertips caressed her smooth cheek with varying pressure, and his husky voice lazily whispered, "Tell me, if you and I got married in front of him, how would he react?"

Yin Wuxiao was startled: "Who are you referring to?"

"He is Qiao Fenglang, the leader of the Qiao Gang, whom you were originally supposed to marry." He chuckled softly. "What, you're willing to marry him, but not me? After all, I was the one originally betrothed to you." He grasped her chin and gently lifted it. "I can see that he values you highly, even willing to offend Baili Qingyi for you. But do you want to know just how far he's willing to go for you?"

"You... want him dead?" Yin Wuxiao vaguely understood.

"You want him dead?" Qiao Fenglang raised an eyebrow. "That would be too easy on him. No, I want to expose everything about him to his face. I want to possess you, enjoy you, and destroy you in front of him, until... I destroy him."

Suddenly, Chou'er reported from outside the door: "Master, the Qiao Gang members have disobeyed Baili Qingyi's orders and have taken the lead in attacking the mountain."

"Understood." Qiao Fenglang's dark pupils stared intently at Yin Wuxiao's ashen face as he slowly instructed, "Arrange the hall and send over the wedding dress." He smiled as he enjoyed Yin Wuxiao's reaction: "It's still the same wedding dress you wore when you came, except this time you're marrying me."

Watching Qiao Fenglang's departing figure, Shi Mansi opened her mouth, unable to utter a word for a long time, before finally saying awkwardly, "There are so many people who want to marry you lately..."

Yin Wuxiao's unfocused eyes slowly met Shi Mansi's.

Finally, Shi Mansi cried out, "Don't look at me like that! I have a way! I have a way, isn't that enough?"

The lotus heart turned completely red

"This is the method you mentioned?" Yin Wuxiao stared blankly at the small pill in his palm, his face full of disbelief.