El cielo sobre los ríos y lagos está despejado

Capítulo 21

I closed my eyes and said, "I think I know him better than you do. He won't cause me any trouble. You can go now."

He hesitated for a moment, but I urged him, "Go on, do you want me to see you off?"

He sighed and said, "I'm afraid he might do something to you."

I smiled faintly: "Who dares to harm me? You really can leave now."

He gave me a deep look, then turned and left. The two men beside Yi Ge saw him leave and took a step to chase after him, but I shook off Yi Ge's arm, moved slightly, and blocked the road, my cold eyes sweeping over them. They stood still, unwilling to give up.

During this time, Yi Ge remained silent as usual, and Gui Ye also fell silent.

After a long pause, I finally said, "Do you have something to discuss? Please continue. I'm sorry, I'm blocking your way to kill and cover up your crime."

After saying that, he turned around. It was getting dark, and he should go back.

Footsteps followed me. I turned around and saw Yi Ge behind me, about ten feet away, with Gui Ye and two other people. I could barely see the road, but I could still make out his left arm. Yesterday and today, Bai Yifei had stabbed him twice; the fresh wounds hadn't been treated, and blood had already stained half of his sleeve. I didn't know whether to feel bitterness or resentment. I looked away from him and turned to say, "Why are you following me? Or do you have something to discuss with me? I already covered for you earlier, didn't I? What else do you need me for?"

In the darkness, I couldn't see his expression clearly. He called out, "Princess!" Although there was some indescribable emotion in his voice, he called out, well, "Princess," not "Misty Baby."

My head was pounding like straw as I went back to the house in a daze. Yi Ge didn't come back with me.

I admit that Bai Yifei's words hit a nerve. I can disregard his status, but I cannot disregard his attitude.

Bai Yifei still considers my feelings even now, but what about him? Does he even have a trace of me in his heart? He's never been a man of many words; I used to think he was shrewd and concise, but now I wonder how much of what he says is truly sincere? Remembering Bai Yifei accusing him of using me, and his silence—was that tacit agreement? This realization made me lie in bed, unable to hold back my tears: I thought I could start a new life, could fall in love with someone again.

Good and evil have always been irreconcilable; even those who consider themselves righteous will never openly side with evil. Once Yi Ge's identity is exposed, both flattery and slaughter will likely follow. Now that everyone is unable to open the passage to the back hall, their attention will probably be focused on him. And I am no longer the meddlesome young girl I was two years ago; I don't want to bear such intense scrutiny.

The best way to protect myself is perhaps to break up with him, and then, along with the crowd, seize the Ghost Palace and find what I need.

I was startled by the thought that crossed my mind. When did I become so cowardly? But is it worth it to risk everyone's wrath for him?

Before the martial arts tournament last year, my mother gave me the Fog Token along with the invitation. Although she didn't say anything, I understood why she gave it to me. Qi Long was attending on behalf of the Si Xie Palace, and the Bei Xie Palace couldn't take the Fog Token, while I had always been innocent. Now, however, I'm connected to the Nan Xie Palace.

Author's Note: My readership has started to drop, which is sad. But I will still update, even if only one person reads it.

Please leave a review. Feedback is welcome.

Chapter Thirty-Six: Frankness

In the middle of the night, I knew he was back, but I kept my eyes closed and didn't move. His hand gently stroked my face, pausing when it touched my eyes, then suddenly he leaned down to kiss them, moving lower and lower. Before, when we had a little disagreement, his kisses would always make me snuggle into his arms. Today, however, I felt nothing, pretending to unconsciously turn over and turn my back to him. I felt him stiffen, sigh, and turn over as well.

I lay on my side with my eyes closed, feeling a bit ironic. When we got married last year, we were practically strangers. We didn't even lie back to back like this when we were in the same bed. Now, are we really sleeping in the same bed but dreaming different dreams?

When I woke up in the morning, the sky was just beginning to lighten, and I felt a burning heat on my back. It was Yi Ge holding me in his arms. When did he start holding me like this? I don't even know when I actually fell asleep last night. Habits are really powerful. As soon as he comes back, even with his back to me, I can still fall asleep.

I shifted slightly, trying to break free, but his arms around me suddenly tightened.

I turned around with difficulty, and he stared at me silently with his bloodshot eyes, I couldn't tell if he had just woken up or hadn't slept at all.

I whispered, "Let me go."

He shook his head firmly, then tentatively pecked my lips. I tilted my head back, trying to avoid it, but he was holding me so tightly that my movements were limited, and he eventually lingered on my lips for a while. I didn't dare struggle too much, because the walls of this house were really thin, and any noise inside could be clearly heard next door and outside. I didn't want to wake Ziqian and Zibu next door so early in the morning and cause any misunderstandings.

After the kiss, he was slightly out of breath and whispered in my ear, "Are you still angry?"

I got even angrier. Did he think that by using his looks to appease me, I would calm down? Besides, his attempts weren't even that good enough. Ugh, how desperate I am! Ugh, what am I thinking? That's not the point. The point is, does he think I'm just throwing a tantrum?

Before I could react, he continued, "Yesterday was my fault. Master Gui has been saying he would tell you, but I didn't want to. I didn't want the Ghost Palace matter to bother you, and I thought I could handle it myself. But still... Actually, I know it's impossible not to involve you. I just want you to stay away."

"But what exactly did you do in the underground of the Crimson Demon Palace the day before yesterday?"

"I want to move that skeleton out and place it properly."

"You know who it is?"

He hesitated for a moment, then said, "I asked Master Gui, and he said it was the old palace master."

If I weren't in his arms, I would have jumped up and exclaimed, "How...how could this be?"

He added, "Master Gui didn't explain in detail, only saying he would tell me later."

I asked again, "Then why didn't you explain when Bai Yifei questioned you yesterday? Did you really want to kill him to silence him?"

His eyes darkened, and his tone turned cold: "Why should I explain to him? Kill him? I just wanted to..." He suddenly kissed me fiercely, but it was no longer a test. His handsome lips pressed tightly against mine, and his tongue unhesitatingly forced its way through my mouth, sweeping around. When it met my tongue, it mercilessly curled around it. Pain gradually came over me, and this really did not move me. Besides, I had only said half of what I wanted to say, so I pushed him away forcefully.

But how could I move him? He simply rolled over and pinned me down, his obvious change in body making my heart race. He finally loosened his grip for a moment, but then looked at me with bloodshot eyes: "You still have feelings for him?"

I was taken aback: "No. But..." He was at least an acquaintance, at least a chivalrous person, and I couldn't just stand by and watch him die.

He said softly, "But you're afraid I'll kill him."

I wanted to argue, but then I realized it was the truth, so I remained silent.

He stopped speaking, pressed his lips to mine again, and slowly moved them downwards, his hand slipping inside my clothes. The white silk undergarment was already slippery, and he gently pulled it down, exposing half of my shoulder to the soft light of a May morning. His breathing became heavier, and his kisses quickly landed on my shoulder, while his hand also explored my bodice. A tingling sensation washed over me, and I trembled slightly, yet I still didn't want to give in to him: it seemed as if things weren't quite settled yet.

I pushed him away, crying, "No!" But the words trembled slightly as he caressed me. He ignored me, pressing my legs down to make me kick, grabbing my hands and pinning them to the pillow. With his free hand, he began to work on my clothes. My undergarment was already loose, and he ripped off my bodice, then pulled down my soft silk underpants. I couldn't break free; my face flushed red, and I could only let his hot breath wash over my cool chest. He was serious!

We haven't been intimate since my miscarriage. At first, he was considerate of my health, but after moving into this village house, he became more reserved due to his pride. The bamboo bed is quite noisy; a little sitting or turning over would produce soft creaking sounds. If we were to make love on it, it would be unbearable—we'd probably burst into song! And the wooden walls are so thin; the thought of being overheard by family is too stimulating. While I'm thick-skinned, he couldn't handle it. Therefore, even when sparks flew, he would only kiss me and stroke my shoulders and back. Even when kissing, he'd only go as far as my collarbone, lest the sparks ignite. How he eventually extinguished those sparks, I have no idea.

But right now, the fire is clearly burning.

His eyes were frighteningly bright, and his movements were somewhat frantic. I was suddenly terrified. His hands and lips roamed over my body, and the unbearable tingling sensation made me go limp. The bamboo bed beneath me creaked, and I was about to speak when he pressed his lips against mine. He then pulled me off the bed, scooped me up in his arms, and with a swift motion, tossed the mattress and blankets to the floor, setting me down. My hands and feet were free, but I had lost the courage to struggle.

He rode me with intense passion, and beneath him I was as soft as spring water. Then, as if remembering something, he sat up, pulling me onto his lap. As he pressed me down, I almost screamed, but bit my lip hard. He was unusually fierce today, and I couldn't take it anymore, yet I involuntarily moved forward. We met on a narrow path, engaged in close combat, with no way to retreat, yet I wanted to win. But I lost, and could only tremble in his arms. Held in his embrace like this, skin to skin, my cheek pressed against his firm yet supple skin, the powerful, frantic pounding of his heart in my ear, his heavy breathing, his hot breath—it all made me feel as if his old house was on fire today. I could only stifle the screams and moans that threatened to escape my lips with deep kisses.

The sensory stimulation was so intense that my mind went blank, and I forgot why we were arguing.

When I came to my senses, I saw that his left arm had reopened, and blood was seeping through the bandage.

I felt a pang of heartache, but he didn't seem to care at all. He helped me put on my clothes before letting me get his medicine.

After tidying up the bed, he hugged me and said, "You should sleep a little longer. I'll take care of that matter myself; nothing will happen."

I don't care what happens right now; I care more about how he feels about me. Was his outburst just now because of Bai Yifei? A sweet feeling welled up inside me.

I slept soundly, completely carefree.

I was woken up by Qianqian's knocking and shouting.

Qianqian burst through the door, her cheeks flushed with excitement: "Awu, you're still sleeping? How can you sleep? Do you know what your brother-in-law, oh, your husband, did today?"

I sat up, confused, and asked, "What did he do?"

Qianqian exclaimed, "Today, he brought people to the Chi Kui Hall and confessed to the Qingyu Manor Master that he is the young master of the Ghost Palace, causing the six major sects to suspend their exploration of the underground palace. He really is the young master of the Ghost Palace? Huh, why aren't you surprised? Did you already know?"

I shook my head: "I know he is the young master of the Ghost Palace, but I don't know why he did this."

Qi Long's voice rang out from the doorway: "Yi Ge has taken the initiative, and the treasure hunt will have to be reshuffled again. Many people are unwilling to accept this."

I looked at him with some concern: "What did those Master Tao say? Won't those martial arts practitioners attack him immediately?"

Qi Long smiled and said, "How could that be? They still doubt whether he is the rightful young master. Now that it's been verified, and with Master Tao's own words at the martial arts tournament, plus his status as the prince consort, they won't do anything to him openly. As for secretly, only a fool would dare to mess with him. Even if he dies, you're still here. Even if they assassinate the princess, the treasure in this underground palace won't fall into their hands; it will truly belong to the royal family."

According to Qianqian's description, it was her turn today to visit the site of the Ghost Palace with Qilong and Uncle Xu—we've been calling it that recently. They hadn't been there long when they saw Yi Ge arrive with seven or eight people to see Master Tao, saying he was representing the Ghost Palace to talk to the six major sects. Master Tao was so shocked he couldn't close his mouth for a long time. There were about a hundred people present. When Master Gui said that Yi Ge was the young master of the Ghost Palace, some of the crowd questioned him. Master Gui said he was a protector of the Ghost Palace, personally escorting the pregnant Holy Maiden out, and watching Yi Ge's birth and raising him. Then someone in the crowd said, "It's possible you are a protector of the Ghost Palace, but he might be someone you hired to impersonate, or perhaps the princess wanted to monopolize the treasure and thus pushed out the prince consort."

"I wanted to jump out and say, 'The princess doesn't care about your crappy treasure,' but Qi Long held me back."

I said, "I cherish it, I cherish this precious sword."

She patted me on the shoulder: "Don't interrupt. Your consort said back then, 'May I ask, Master Tao, Master Bai, what is the Ghost Palace Master's secret technique?' Master Tao replied, 'Blood Jade Skill and Tongda Skill. It's said that only these two skills are practiced by the Palace Master, and no one else in the Ghost Palace can learn them.' Hmm, that's similar to our Si Xie Palace's Blood Soul Claw, which can only be practiced by a successor. As a result, the consort immediately used Tongda Skill, I think it's called Tongda Palm, which is quite strange. His palm slowly became transparent. Master Tao's face changed, and he didn't say a word. Later, Bai Chengshimei also came out to prove that Yi Ge is the young master of the Ghost Palace, and that he had already experienced Tongda Palm. When did they fight?"

I said, "I know, yesterday."

Qianqian laughed heartily: "Oh, no wonder Bai Chengshimei looked unwell, it seems he suffered a bit of a loss. His kung fu is second only to Qi Long among this generation, right? I didn't realize the prince consort was so imposing."

I said, "They're about even, Yi Ge also took a sword from him, and was wounded in his left arm."

Qianqian patted me again: "You're watching like it's a show? Later, Master Tao said that since the Ghost Palace has descendants, the matter of the underground palace needs to be discussed separately. Some people also said that the Ghost Palace members are all bad people and should be eradicated. Then Master Gui sneered, 'I knew you would bring this up. If you dare to make a move, we will all perish together today, and no one will leave.' He was holding a dark object in his hand, but everyone seemed very afraid. Master Tao said that when the Ghost Palace was destroyed, Young Hero Yi was not yet born, so no responsibility should be pursued. Some of the heroes said that he might take revenge on everyone later. The Prince Consort said that the past is like yesterday's flowing water, gone and gone. As long as the sects that had grudges against the Ghost Palace in the past do not provoke the old members of the Ghost Palace in the future, he will naturally not take action. But the underground palace belongs to the Ghost Palace, so the right to dispose of it naturally belongs to the Ghost Palace. Later, they went to discuss it. As for the result, Uncle Xu will probably come back and tell us."

The author has something to say: I have bad character, so I got the cards dealt (a derogatory term for someone who is unlucky).

I've fixed it, can it pass now?

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Old Friends

At noon, Uncle Xu and Yi Ge returned together. Everyone eagerly awaited their meal, especially Mu Ying and Chun Man, whose gazes towards Yi Ge were filled with nothing but curiosity.

Qianqian eagerly asked him what the outcome of the negotiations with the six major sects had been. Yi Ge replied, "The six major sects will continue to help the Ghost Palace explore the underground palace. If treasure is found, the Ghost Palace will receive 90%, the remaining 10% will be divided among the six major sects, and the Ghost Palace will reward the other sects that participated in the excavation. Some sects have also mentioned that the Ghost Palace possesses secret manuals from their respective sects, some of which are even lost to them, and they hope to retrieve or copy them. This has also been granted. Any other requests will be discussed separately." This seemed reasonable enough. I considered it and realized that my requests were indeed negotiable.

On the surface, things seem to have calmed down, but there are probably various ulterior motives at play. Moreover, considering the Westerners who appeared earlier, the final outcome may not be under the control of Yi Ge and the six major sects.

Since Yi Ge's identity was revealed, Gui Ye and the others no longer hid and often came to our residence, sometimes even staying for meals. Gui Ye would occasionally bring some former members of the Ghost Palace to pay their respects to Yi Ge, and what surprised me most was that among them was the leader of the Fa Men. He was a handsome man nearing fifty, who was said to have been one of the Sixteen Guards of the Ghost Palace. After the Ghost Palace was destroyed, he escaped and established the Fa Men in his hometown of Lantian. Uncle Xu nodded, no wonder the Fa Men and Fengming Sect stood up to support the Prince Consort when he revealed his identity that day.

Of the four guardians of the Ghost Palace, only Master Gui remains, and of the sixteen guards, only seven remain. These seven have each established their own small sects, some in Lingnan and some in Xilong, with the Fa Sect being the largest. It is said that the remaining scattered members have also found forty or fifty former members of the Ghost Palace, but it is unknown how Yi Ge has arranged for them.

Since Yi Ge said he wouldn't retaliate, I naturally believed him. I also understood that he really needed the treasure, after all, he had to support so many people. Although without the treasure, his salary as the Right Guard General of the Thousand Bulls Guard might not be enough to support them, the Princess's mansion's financial resources were unquestionable. It's just that Yi Ge might not be willing to do so.

I asked him what his plans were now that the matter was settled—whether he would stay in Qushui to rebuild the Ghost Palace or return to Shangjing with me. He hesitated for a moment, but still answered me that he would take care of the people in the Ghost Palace. He then asked me, "Wu Bao, are you only willing to stay in Shangjing?" I hesitated and answered, "No, but I want to be closer to my brother." Of course, that's not certain, but as for staying in Qushui, I didn't seem to have any interest in it; I didn't like the place.

Just as I expected, after Yi Ge's identity was revealed, he attracted a lot of goodwill from people in the martial arts world. Among them, the Sun Jing and his sister from the Famen sect were the most frequent visitors. The senior sister was also a beautiful woman, but she always had a bit of arrogance in her expression. However, she always greeted Yi Ge with a smile. In comparison, the junior sister Mu Ying was indeed more adorable.

I believe that Famen must have known about Yi Ge's identity from the beginning. Mu Ying also mentioned that when we explored the right passage, she saw Yi Ge at Famen's camp after meeting her senior brothers and sisters.

The next day, the mechanism leading from the underground hall to the interior was finally found and opened. As Master Gui had mentioned, the Palace Master seemed to have opened the passage in front of a table, and indeed, Young Master Ouyang found the mechanism inside the table, which was connected to the floor. Behind the hall was indeed a stone chamber, a library containing many martial arts manuals from various sects. Another wall held a collection of weapons, powerful but without any notable names. The stone chamber was no longer illuminated by oil lamps, but by luminous pearls. It seemed the rumors of a treasure were slowly being confirmed, but only through the luminous pearls. Although the map no longer marked the underground passage, they still deduced that there should be another passage or stone chamber beyond. Sure enough, someone discovered a well-hidden door in the stone wall, with a small indentation. Young Master Ouyang said this was the mechanism, but he didn't know how to open it.

The distribution of the secret manuals of various sects in the library will be arranged uniformly after the treasure is found. When Master Tao announced this, I saw some people's faces showing disapproval. I was afraid that the night patrol teams of the six major sects would have something to do again.

The next day, I ran into Master Gui on my way to a walk by the stream. He greeted me with a smile and then suddenly said, "Princess, there is something I need to discuss with you." I looked at him in surprise, and he hesitated for a moment before slowly saying, "I heard that you have suffered some injuries and seem unable to have children. Your young master is in the prime of his life and cannot be without an heir. Perhaps we could consider arranging for him to take a concubine to continue the bloodline?"

I felt as if I had been punched in the chest, and I was immediately stunned. After a long while, I finally said, "What Yi Ge said, he should tell me himself."

He added, “The young master is naturally aware of his heavy responsibilities. He has a deep affection for the princess and is reluctant to say it aloud. But let alone the young master, even a normal man longs for an heir. I hope the princess can consider the young master’s feelings and arrange for him to take a concubine.”

Although I was heartbroken, my mind remained clear. I knew it was their idea, and Yi Ge might not have given it his approval. But I still couldn't help asking, "Then you must have someone in mind?"

Master Gui nodded: "Fang Lan'er, the second disciple of the Fa family, is beautiful and quite a good match for the young master. Would the princess consider her?"

Who is Fang Lan'er? I thought for a while before realizing that she was Mu Ying's pretty and proud senior sister. No wonder she's been coming to our place so often these past two days, bringing something today and delivering a letter tomorrow. Even Mu Ying said that her senior sister used to be quite accommodating, but now she's smiling.

I said stiffly, "Oh, I understand, but it's best if Yi Ge tells me about this himself."

I was still smiling, but as I walked further and looked in the stream, the smile looked absolutely hideous.

Back at the cabin, Yi Ge wasn't there. I asked Chun Man, who said the gatekeepers had gone to invite the prince consort. My heart skipped a beat; had he really gone on a secret rendezvous?

Before I could finish my wild thoughts, Yi Ge returned, still with a blank expression. It was so hard to tell from his face what had happened.

Feeling wronged, I spoke sharply, asking directly, "You went to the gate? How is Fang Lan'er?"

He was taken aback: "Fang Lan'er?"

I said with a bitter taste in my mouth, "Are you getting along well? Keep exchanging ideas, it'll lay a foundation for the future."

He took two steps forward: "Wu Bao, what's wrong with you? Why are you talking so strangely today?"

I said sarcastically, "Is it strange? It's not stranger to want to take a concubine without telling me. Why pretend you don't understand?"

His expression changed slightly: "Wu Bao, who told you I was going to take a concubine?"