Chapter 26 of "The Smiling Flower": Heroes on the City Wall
Today, Yi Chunjun woke her up exceptionally early to meditate and practice breathing exercises. Xiao Yuan had already withdrawn her true energy when the sky was still hazy and the sun had not yet risen.
She looked at Yi Chunjun's smile with some curiosity. He seemed to have encountered something particularly funny today, and he kept laughing as he sat there.
He sat cross-legged on a rock at the edge of the cliff, the mountain breeze gently ruffling his black hair and robes, like a celestial being about to depart. Ever since that strange kiss, she always felt a little awkward when she saw him; if he weren't currently looking at her with his eyes closed, she wouldn't even glance at him.
He acted as if nothing had happened, completely unfazed—he was so shameless! She was furious with him!
He smiled again, and when that playful smile spread across his face, she felt a tingling sensation in her heart. How could this gloomy and unpredictable man smile so...adorably?
"Senior Brother Yi! Senior Brother Yi—" Tuoba Yuanxun rushed up the mountain in a panic. He hadn't had time to wash up yet, and his hair was a little messy.
Yi Chunjun opened his eyes leisurely, still wearing that mischievous smile as he watched him run towards him. "What's wrong?"
Xiao Yuan narrowed his eyes, a suspicion creeping into his mind. Seeing him grinning like a fox, he probably already knew what was going on! He always seemed to know everything.
"Big news, big news!" Tuoba Yuanxun gasped for breath. "That Master Yuanjing is here again, insisting on seeing you and Brother Pei. Judging from his expression, it's like he's eaten shit the first time he's ever tasted meat!"
"Oh?" Yi Chunjun laughed. "Then hurry up and go see! I love seeing the expressions on the faces of so-called great heroes and valiant men eating shit." He jumped off the rock, not forgetting to grab Xiao Yuan's hand.
Xiao Yuan was held in his warm hand, and they sped along, the cool breeze blowing her hair around, which made her feel quite happy.
Her mood improved, but the atmosphere in the hall remained heavy. Master Yuanjing did not return to his seat; instead, he stood in the center of the hall, his brows furrowed, looking heartbroken.
Upon seeing Yi Chunjun return, he anxiously clenched his fist. "Everyone's here. Young Master Pei, I'm afraid only you and Young Master Yi can resolve this matter."
Everyone who was supposed to be there was there, even the senior sister was up. Although she looked sleepy, she still blinked her big eyes and carefully looked at Master Yuanjing. Xiaoyuan shook his head and smiled. He really admired her. She was usually lazy, but whenever there was excitement, she would be the first to come. He really didn't know how she did it.
Her hand was pulled, and she was involuntarily led forward, her hand still held by Yi Chunjun. In front of so many people, she tried to pull her hand back, but Yi Chunjun deliberately squeezed it tightly. She frowned helplessly. Perhaps agreeing to cooperate with him in the first place was a mistake. Before she could even achieve her goal, he had already taken full advantage of her, both openly and secretly!
One day, she will get it all back from him!
Yi Chunjun glanced at Yuan Jing's resentful expression, then coldly curled his lips. He pretended not to see him and pulled Xiao Yuan's hand to sit down in the chair in a grand manner. Now that Yuan Jing needed his help, he certainly didn't need to treat him politely anymore.
"Young Master Pei, someone actually killed Wang Guanghai last night."
Tuoba Yuanxun sneered, "With his character, it's only a matter of time before he's killed."
Master Yuanjing ignored him, saying, "Killing him and then hanging his corpse on the walls of Chengdu is the ultimate humiliation!" He shook his head and frowned as if he could see that horrific scene again.
"Just put it down," Gui Datong said impatiently.
"This..." Yuanjing glanced awkwardly at the girls present and said reservedly, "The murderer used a specially made cow tendon, and poison was scattered all around the body, both inside and outside the city, so no one dared to approach. The rope was exceptionally strong; even flying knives and arrows couldn't harm it."
“Master,” Pei Junwu smiled slightly, “the court is full of talented people, why should we, the common folk, get involved in such a trivial matter? I have a happy occasion coming up at home and I really can’t get away, so I’m afraid I can’t help you with this matter.”
“Young Master Pei!” Yuan Jing exclaimed anxiously, “This is no small matter. The murderer’s atrocities are outrageous. He stripped Wang Guanghai naked, and… and…” He couldn’t bring himself to say it, “It’s not just a matter of public morals, but it’s a matter of damaging the court’s reputation! Although Wang Guanghai is arrogant and ignorant, he is, after all, a newly appointed general of the court and a hero of our Han people! At this very moment, the two armies are at war. To desecrate the body of a hero like this will not only damage our army’s morale, but also make us a laughingstock among foreign tribes!”
Pei Junwu raised an eyebrow but did not answer immediately.
"Young Master Pei!" Yuan Jing cried out anxiously, leaning forward to kneel. Pei Junwu slowly turned his hand, using his powerful inner strength to support Yuan Jing's body and prevent him from kneeling.
"Although my junior brother and I are weak, since the master has said so much, we will give it a try."
Yan Minyu clapped her hands, "Great! Let's go see what happened to that once mighty hero!"
Yuanjing sighed, a pang of sorrow in her heart. One really shouldn't be too arrogant. Wang Guanghai probably never dreamed that after his death he would become a source of amusement for young girls. "Girls, you'd better not go..." Yuanjing said dejectedly.
"Why not go! You have to go! So what if you're not wearing clothes? What's so strange about that?!" Yan Minyu pouted. It would be a waste of the murderer's painstaking arrangements if someone who was so rude to Senior Brother Pei didn't go and see him make a fool of himself!
Even before they reached Chengdu, the girls were already too ashamed to look any further. Yan Minyu even exaggeratedly covered her face with her sleeve and made a disgusted expression, saying, "No wonder the master didn't let us come. They have such bad figures, all fat."
Tuoba Yuanxun also smiled with disgust and schadenfreude, showing no respect for the dead: "Eek—his worst part wasn't the flesh, it was really small..."
Upon hearing his words, Pei Junwu and Yi Chunjun both smiled with restraint, while the girls blushed and spat at him.
Wang Guanghai was hung on the city wall, his entire body stripped naked. Most shamelessly, a huge cloth banner was hung on his genitals. The banner was so big that it almost reached the base of the city wall, and it read: "Great Hero, Little Man".
The words "great hero" and "man" are both small, but the word "small" is extremely large.
Pei Junwu frowned. No wonder Master Yuanjing said it was "utterly humiliating." Although he also disliked Wang Guanghai's arrogance, this murderer was far too insidious, showing that he hated Wang Guanghai to the core.
Chapter 27 of "The Smiling Flower": A Missed Landing
Mi Suian, the garrison commander of Chengdu, hurried out of the city with a worried expression. He didn't even ride a horse. He looked at the few young men following behind Yuan Jing with some disappointment, not sure if they could be of any help.
"Master—" He stepped forward and bowed deeply, but Yuanjing quickly helped him up. He stamped his foot anxiously, "Master, save me! The Emperor has learned of this matter and is furious. He has issued an edict to resolve it within three days, or my entire family will be in danger!"
Yuan Jing nodded. "These young masters are all outstanding individuals with exceptional skills. They will surely be able to help you, sir." He gestured behind him.
"Sigh...sigh." Mi Suian stamped his feet repeatedly, but did not respond to Yuan Jing's words.
Yi Chunjun smiled. "It seems you don't have confidence in us, sir. May I ask, sir, what's the most shameful thing about Wang Guanghai being hung here?"
Mi Suian frowned. "Of course, he was naked and... with that banner hanging down."
Yi Chunjun smiled, pursing his lips, "Which is more shameful, being naked or hanging with a banner?"
Mi Suian glared at him, finding him long-winded and full of useless talk. "Of course it's that banner!" he shouted impatiently.
Yi Chunjun sneered, "That makes things easier." He glanced at the distance; it was about ten zhang from the city wall. The poison was scattered within a five-zhang radius, and the vegetation in the area where it was applied had already withered.