Bo Qinghuan

Bookish Abode - Ye Mi - Bo Qinghuan

Bo Qinghuan returned

Ye Mi

She came to this city following her master's orders—a debauched and tyrannical new city lord, a mysterious and profound masked man, an elegant and composed chief steward, and the enigmatic Wu You Weng. Everyone in this city has a secret!

After many twists and turns, the trap of power and lust led to his downfall. He used seven hairpins to try and win her favor, only to discover that the man he despised most was actually a sincere person...

Chapter 1

Bi Feixian led her horse into Hantian City.

White lanterns and black gauze were hung on the city gate, which was more than ten feet high. The guards at the city gate were lax, and people could come and go freely without even routine checks.

Once inside the city, most pedestrians appeared relaxed and dressed in exquisite clothing—perhaps too exquisite.

She witnessed all of this and was quite surprised.

Logically, when the city lord dies, Hantian City should be under martial law, and the people should be dressed in mourning clothes and weeping in grief. Why is what she sees completely different? If it weren't for the white lanterns and black veils still hanging on the city gate, one would never know that the city lord, Dai Maozi, had just passed away.

Dai Maozi was a hero of his generation, a man of extraordinary talent and brilliance, but his only son, Dai Kejian, was a complete fool, addicted to drinking, womanizing, and engaging in absurd and dissolute behavior—in short, the kind of spendthrift who caused nothing but trouble. How could such a person inherit Hantian City?

Master said, “Chief Steward Huai Su is indeed a talented man. It’s a pity that with Brother Dai dead, there is no one in Hantian City who can keep him in check. I’m afraid he might harbor some dissent.”

The master's wife scoffed from the side, "The so-called 'the capable should rule' means that he is better off as the city lord than Dai Kejian. Mao Zi is good in every way, but he is too selfish. He still passed the position to his son. Alas, a tiger father and a dog son. Hantian City is doomed."

The master said, "No matter what, I have known Brother Dai for half my life. He wrote to me on his deathbed asking for my help, and I cannot refuse. Feiqian, you should go to Hantian City now and help Ke Jian secure his position as city lord."

And so, Bi Feixian, the chief disciple of the Divine Mechanism Pavilion, came to Hantian City alone.

A straight bluestone avenue led ahead, lined with stalls on both sides, all neatly arranged. As she walked by, an old man called out, "Young lady, would you like a bowl of noodles? Knife-cut noodles, hand-pulled noodles, rolled noodles, shaved noodles, fish-shaped noodles, oat noodles... I have everything!"

Bi Feixian was indeed hungry, so she sat down at the table and said, "Then let's have a bowl of your best dish."

"Alright, please wait a moment, young lady." The old man lifted the lid of the pot and chatted casually, "Young lady, you're from out of town, aren't you? Are you here for sightseeing or to visit relatives? The ten scenic spots of Hantian are enchanting, especially 'Autumn Cuts in the West Huai River' and 'Sunset Glow and Hanging Mist', which are the most beautiful. You must go and see them!"

Bi Feixian said, "I heard that your city lord has just passed away. Is it really appropriate to travel at this time?"

The old man sighed, "Alas, our city lord has been ill for so long, and now that he's gone, it's a relief. Before he died, the city lord instructed that there should be no extravagant funeral, and everything in the city should remain the same. So although there are many people coming from all directions to pay their respects, there are also many people who come here to visit. You can rest assured, young lady."

"Lord Dai is truly compassionate towards his people..." Bi Feixian echoed, then changed the subject, "I wonder what your new city lord is like?"

A hint of embarrassment flashed across the old man's face as he whispered, "Speaking of this new city lord... sigh! Do you think fate is playing tricks on us? A good man like Lord Dai had to give birth to such a good-for-nothing son, skilled in drinking, gambling, and whoring, but a complete bum when it comes to horseback riding and archery. Luckily, we still have the Grand Steward! After the old city lord passed away, the Grand Steward took charge of all the city's affairs; otherwise, how could we have such peace and prosperity now?"

Bi Feixian smiled and said, "I have long heard of the name of Grand Steward Huai Su."

Before the old man could speak, a rapid sound of horses' hooves suddenly came from the other end of the street.

Bi Feixian turned her head and saw seven or eight cavalrymen chasing a young girl. The girl, dressed in red with long, loose hair, was running towards them frantically, while the cavalrymen behind her shouted, "Stop her! Miss, don't run! Quick! Stop her..."

The old man stamped his feet in disbelief, exclaiming, "Good heavens, how did Miss Li manage to run out again!"

"Miss Li?" Upon seeing the girl's exceptionally beautiful face, Bi Feixian immediately recalled a name, "Li Youyou, the most beautiful woman in Hantian City?"

As they were talking, the girl stumbled and fell to the ground. She was immediately caught up by the cavalry. The girl screamed and struggled incessantly, so the leader had no choice but to use acupressure on her pressure points, put her on the horse, and ride away. They came quickly and left quickly.

The old man sighed, "Alas, knowing she was sick, why didn't you take better care of her?"

"Illness? What illness does she have?"

"It's a tragedy..." the old man said in a low voice, "It's all because the young city lord wanted to take advantage of her, but she refused, and then somehow she went mad."

Bi Feixian felt a chill run down her spine. That Dai Kejian was actually capable of such a thing, and she was supposed to be assisting him? It was truly...

She gazed thoughtfully in the direction the cavalry had departed, and after a while, she turned her head and asked, "Old man, may I ask which is the most famous inn around here?"

The night was cool and still, and I rode the wind. At a glance, I saw rows of glazed houses, brightly lit.

Bi Feiqian landed lightly and disappeared behind a pillar. The two servants carrying lanterns walked by, but none of them noticed her. Spring flowers were in full bloom all around, their fragrance filling the air. No one had expected that the Dai family's back garden would be planted with so many flowers, stretching out like a brocade under the moonlight.

She leaped toward the brightest building, and while still in mid-air, she suddenly thrust her sword into the flower bushes.

"Spare me! Heroine!" Two hands were immediately raised from the flower bushes, and a person sat up in a very disheveled state, with petals covering their hair and clothes.

Bi Feixian's sword tip stopped just short of his throat. She coldly examined him and saw that he was very, very young, and also very, very—slovenly.

His hair was like a tangled mess, and his eyes were half-open, as if he hadn't woken up yet. Holding a bottle of wine, he chuckled and said, "Heroine, spare my life! I'm very obedient. I'll tell you whatever you want, without holding back. Whether you're stealing, spying, assassinating, or seeking revenge, I'll pretend I didn't see anything."

Bi Feixian raised her eyebrows, not expecting to encounter such a spineless person. "Where is Li Youyou being locked up?"

The boy's eyes lit up. "So you came for her. She lives in the Forget-Worry Pavilion, the one in the northwest corner with seven pink lanterns hanging under the eaves. To prevent her from escaping again, the number of guards around there has doubled, and the four envoys of 'blowing, pulling, playing, and singing' are the most skilled in martial arts. But don't be afraid. Speaking of 'blowing, pulling, playing, and singing,' as long as you strike first and prevent them from drawing their weapons, the heroine's skills should be more than enough to take them down in one move..."

Seeing Bi Feixian's surprised expression, the young man continued, "After you enter the Forget-Worry Pavilion, you will see a beautiful screen. If you rotate the orchid on the small table on the left side of the screen three times to the left, a hidden door will be revealed. You can take Li

……