Una sonrisa puede derribar una ciudad

Capítulo 2

Along the riverbank, some people hurried along, only to be captivated by the magnificent sunset over the river. They stopped, their gaze fixed on the white sails. As they drew closer, a pale green figure stood out against the crimson glow of the sunset, strikingly vivid yet perfectly harmonious. The vibrant colors of the sky, the earth, and the river seemed to have been created just for it, like a jade bamboo soaring through the misty red fog, its beauty enhanced by a touch of ethereal elegance. The picturesque twilight instantly came alive, and the people on the riverbank felt as if they had returned to the human world.

A small boat glided past, and the man on the riverbank couldn't help but smile at the pale green figure at the bow. They were actually quite far apart, their figures blurry and faces indistinct, yet the man on the riverbank felt as if the other had returned his smile. At that moment, he was filled with joy, all the fatigue of the journey vanished, and his gaze followed the figure, followed the fleeting shadow of the boat, until darkness fell.

As dusk settled in the misty sky, the man on the riverbank came to his senses. Looking at the empty river, he felt a pang of regret. He regretted not having spoken up to greet the people on the boat, and regretted not having gotten to know them. If only he had met them, they would have been the first friend he had made since entering the world of martial arts.

If they had met that time, their lives might have been very different.

Many years later, he still thought about it.

That was the first time Ning Lang saw Lan Canyin. Amidst the magnificent glow of the sunset filling the sky, the earth, and the river, she seemed to be from another world.

This was Ning Lang's first time entering the martial arts world; he was nineteen years old that year.

He had been learning martial arts on Qianbi Mountain since he was four years old, for a full fifteen years, until he came down the mountain this March. Although his parents would visit him on the mountain every year, he hadn't been home for more than ten years. All these years, what he missed day and night was the towering tree behind the house and the wooden sword in the treasure cave. He originally thought that he would stay by his parents' side from now on and take good care of them and enjoy the happiness of family life. However, he had only been home for a month when his mother sent him to the Lan family in Yunzhou to handle an important matter.

Thinking of that crucial matter, Ning Lang's slightly dark face flushed, and his heart beat a little faster. However… when he arrived at the Lan family home, travel-worn and half-excited and half-apprehensive, the steward told him that the master had gone out and his return was uncertain. He felt both disappointed and relieved.

After leaving the Lan family, he figured that since he was already out, there was no rush to go home. Anyway, his parents were in good health and he didn't need to worry. He decided to wander around the martial world for a while. His mother always said that a man should do something great, and his former senior brothers always talked about the martial world with great enthusiasm, so he decided to go and see what it was like.

This glance revealed a romantic and erotic tale, and uncovered an astonishing legend.

Many years later, when he looked back and recalled his feelings at that moment, he could only let out a soft sigh.

If he could do it all over again, would he still be willing to watch it again?

At this moment, he would answer that he wants to see.

Many years later, he could only respond with a wry smile.

May, Yuzhou Yucheng.

On a street in the west of the city that was neither particularly bustling nor particularly remote, there stood a mansion that was neither particularly wealthy nor impoverished. The gate, covered in brass and lacquered in vermilion, was guarded by two burly servants, though no stone lions or tigers were erected to add to its imposing presence.

In the spacious garden, which covers several acres, there are no carved railings or jade steps. Several winding corridors meander like ribbons, and a few pavilions stand among the flowers and trees, creating a spacious and airy atmosphere. The roses on the trellis cluster together, resembling pink clouds from afar, while a pomegranate tree bursts into fiery bloom in the courtyard. In the center of the garden is a pond several feet in diameter, with a few green lotus leaves and lotus buds on its surface. A small pavilion stands alone in the middle of the water, surrounded by bamboo curtains on all sides, where a gentle breeze dances.

"...That's all the news from Yunzhou." A middle-aged man with a white beard was reporting to the small pavilion in the middle of the pond. "As for the matter in Yucheng, it has been handled according to your instructions."

A hazy green shadow appeared deep within the bamboo curtain.

"Does Seventh Young Master have any other instructions?" The middle-aged man by the pool asked, raising his head slightly.

As soon as he finished speaking, some noisy voices could be heard outside the courtyard, followed by the sound of weapons clashing. The middle-aged man felt a little uneasy and looked at the pavilion in the middle of the pond with trepidation.

After a long silence in the pavilion, a soft voice finally rang out: "You may leave now." The voice was extremely low, yet it stirred something deep within one's heart.

"Yes." The middle-aged man hurriedly responded and left, but just as he reached the courtyard gate, the door was suddenly pushed open violently with a bang, followed by two more bangs, and two figures flew straight in, landing solidly on the ground.

Before the middle-aged man could react, a handsome young man strode in and said loudly, "I'm looking for your master!" He held a gleaming silver spear with a hilt about the length of a sword in one hand and gripped a timid old man in the other.

The middle-aged man stepped forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "I am Nie Chongyuan, the head of this family. Why do you intrude here as you would?"

"You're the owner here? I'm Ning Lang, and you're the one I've been looking for!" The young man had the same appearance and voice as his name, and possessed all the clear-cut justice typical of his age. "Sunset Pavilion is this old man's family business, but why did you forcibly seize it? You even drove the old man out of his home, leaving him homeless! You...you...how can you, a grown man, bully an old man!" Ning Lang stared defiantly at Nie Chongyuan, his handsome face flushed red with anger.

Nie Chongyuan frowned, glancing at the old man. The old man, startled by Nie Chongyuan's gaze, shrank back, cowering behind Ning Lang. Ning Lang saw this clearly, and his anger intensified. The essence of chivalry lies in helping the weak and punishing the wicked!

"Elder Yue..." Nie Chongyuan moved his feet, wanting to meet the old man.

"What do you want to do?!" Ning Lang shouted and stepped forward to block the old man.

Nie Chongyuan stopped, looked at Ning Lang, then beckoned a family member over and whispered a few instructions. The family member nodded and turned to leave.

Meanwhile, the old man tugged at Ning Lang's sleeve and said softly, "Young Master Ning, let's... go back."

"Why?" Ning Lang turned around, glanced at the timid old man, and understood. "Uncle, don't be afraid, I will protect you. Today, I will definitely get justice for you!"

"Let's... let's just forget about it..." The old man glanced at Nie Chongyuan, who had a calm expression, and then lowered his head.

"How can we let this go!" Ning Lang disagreed. "They took away your family business and drove a lonely old man like you out into the street. How can such evil deeds be let go?! Uncle, don't be afraid of them. With me here, I will never let them bully you!"

"But..." the old man timidly tried to say something.

Just then, the family member who had just left rushed back, carrying a wooden box. Nie Chongyuan unlocked it, then pointed to Ning Lang, indicating that the family member should show it to him.

Ning Lang looked at the wooden box presented to him, then glanced at Nie Chongyuan with some suspicion.

"Young Master Ning will understand once you take a look," Nie Chongyuan said calmly.

Ning Lang opened the wooden box, inside which was a stack of papers, some old and some new. He picked them up one by one and looked at them. At first, he was a little confused, but then he gradually understood, and the expression on his face changed.

Nie Chongyuan saw this and smiled slightly, saying, "These are all the debt receipts of this Elder Yue and the transfer document in which he transferred Sunset Tower to me to offset the debt. They are in black and white, young hero, please take a good look."

“You…” Ning Lang turned to look at the old man behind him, only to see that his head was bowed low and his body was bent over, looking very pitiful. His heart warmed, and he turned back to glare at Nie Chongyuan, “Even if these are true, they must be fabricated by you. Uncle Yue runs such a prosperous Sunset Tower, how could he owe you so much money!”

Nie Chongyuan sighed, seemingly helpless, and said to the old man who was hiding with his head down, "Elder Yue, didn't you tell this young hero Ning the truth?"

"Say...say what..." Old Yue took a small step back and mumbled.

"What's the truth?" Ning Lang looked at the old man and then at Nie Chongyuan.

Seeing that Elder Yue seemed unwilling to speak, Nie Chongyuan could only say, "Elder Yue, due to his infatuation with women and gambling, has already squandered the Yue family's vast fortune. Not only that, he also mortgaged Sunset Tower to incur a huge debt of 90,000 silver leaves to Rain Pavilion and Taifeng Gambling House. Sunset Tower alone is far from enough to repay the debt." After saying this, he saw Ning Lang's eyebrows twitch, knowing what he was thinking, and continued, "Young hero, you may not believe my one-sided story, or you may think that I have set it up. So, young hero, you might as well go and inquire in the city. There are many of Elder Yue's former relatives and friends in the city who left because of his gambling and womanizing. Or you can ask Elder Yue directly."

Upon hearing his words, Ning Lang couldn't help but ask Elder Yue, "Uncle, is what he said true?"

"He...he..." Old Yue's thin face turned red, but he couldn't finish a sentence.

Seeing his expression, Nie Chongyuan couldn't help but feel a deep sense of regret. He said, "Miss Yunwu of Yulin Tower is stunningly beautiful, admired by all. However, her reputation for spending a fortune every night is known throughout Yuzhou. No one without that kind of wealth dares to approach her. Yet, Elder Yue spends every night in Yunwu's boudoir. Even a fortune of millions can be emptied eventually. Although 'Taifeng Gambling House' is my family business, I have repeatedly tried to dissuade Elder Yue from going there, but he not only refused to listen, but..." The gambling escalated, leading to mounting debts, and Sunset Tower faced closure due to Old Master Yue's neglect of management. Left with no other option, Mr. Nie bought Sunset Tower to extinguish Old Master Yue's obsession and prevent him from becoming addicted again. He also paid off Old Master Yue's debts at Rain Pavilion and gave him two hundred silver leaves, telling him to use them sparingly, buy a small house, and start a small business to live out his remaining years in peace. But he spent it all in a single day… Alas!” Nie Chongyuan finished speaking with a heavy sigh, looking at Old Master Yue with regret and helplessness.

Old Yue's face turned even redder, and his thin, bony body trembled slightly.

Upon hearing this and seeing Yue Lao's expression, Ning Lang immediately understood and was filled with shock and anger.

At noon today, he had just entered Yu City. He had heard his senior brothers mention the famous Sunset Pavilion on Qianbi Mountain, so he planned to try its renowned Broken Goose Wine. However, in front of the pavilion, he saw an old man sitting on the ground under the scorching sun, muttering to himself, his expression weary and sorrowful. Moved by compassion, he approached to inquire. The old man grabbed him and began to weep, recounting the bitterness of losing his family fortune, his destitution on the streets, and the misery of being betrayed by everyone. New to the martial world and full of righteous indignation, he was enraged upon hearing this and immediately dragged the old man to the Nie Mansion to seek justice for him. Upon arriving at the Nie Mansion, the two gatekeepers refused to let him in, saying that the master was resting and should not be disturbed. Seeing their haughty, sidelong glances, his anger intensified. He immediately taught the two lackeys a lesson and barged in, only to discover… the truth.

"Uncle, how...how could you lie to me?" Ning Lang stared wide-eyed at Old Yue.

"I...I just wanted to confide in someone, but who knew...who knew you would take it seriously and insist on dragging me to the Nie residence." Upon hearing Ning Lang's accusation, Old Master Yue retorted, "I...I didn't ask you to come..." He spoke very softly, his voice betraying his guilt at the last sentence.

"But you shouldn't have lied to me!" Ning Lang shouted.

Old Yue shrank back a few steps after being yelled at, fearing that the young hero who had cleaved the gate of the Nie family with his palm would strike him instead. "Why...why are you shouting so loudly?"

"It's good that the misunderstanding has been cleared up." Nie Chongyuan smiled gently from the side, and then added, "Young hero, there's no need to be angry. Just don't be too eager to do chivalrous deeds in the future."

"I...I..." Ning Lang blushed instantly upon hearing this, not from anger but from embarrassment.

Nie Chongyuan waved his hand magnanimously and said, "Young hero, it's just that you're too kind-hearted. I don't blame you."

"I'm sorry, I broke your front door, I'll pay for it. And... ah, these two brothers, I'm sorry, I hit you, you can hit back. Um... if you're injured, I have some medicine here, it was given to me by my master, it's very effective, here, take it..." Ning Lang was busy bowing and apologizing, taking out money and medicine, his handsome face was dark red, which was quite amusing to look at.

Nie Chongyuan was a seasoned veteran, so how could he not see that the young man's actions today were nothing more than a young man's act of chivalry? Although his heart was good, he was a bit reckless, and he even barged in in front of Seventh Young Master. Thinking about it, Nie Chongyuan couldn't help but worry. What if Seventh Young Master was angry with him for not doing things well?

Just as I was pondering this, a soft voice called out from the pavilion in the middle of the pond: "Chongyuan."

Upon hearing this voice, Ning Lang, who was busy getting medicine, and Old Yue, who was planning to sneak away, both paused. They found it clear, alluring, and captivating, yet they couldn't tell if it was male or female. Ning Lang panicked, and with a sudden jerk, everything in his arms fell to the ground, but he dared not move.

Part 1: My First Encounter with Jiang Xia, as Beautiful as Brocade (Part 2)

"What are your orders, Seventh Young Master?" Nie Chongyuan immediately turned to face the pavilion, his expression respectful.

Green shadows swayed within the bamboo curtain, as if someone had stood up and approached the curtain. However, those in the courtyard could not clearly see the person inside the curtain, only a hazy, indistinct figure that was exceptionally captivating.

"Since it's a misunderstanding, then treat Young Hero Ning well. This Elder Yue is quite old; give him another two hundred silver leaves to help him make ends meet," the green-clad figure behind the curtain instructed calmly.

"Yes, I will obey Seventh Young Master's orders." Nie Chongyuan bowed and accepted the order. He then instructed his family to fetch two hundred silver leaves, and then said to Ning Lang, "Young Master Ning, if you don't mind, please allow me to show you some hospitality."

"No...no, thank you." Ning Lang was so ashamed that he wished he could disappear into a hole in the ground. He dared not stay as a guest. "I'm...sorry, I...I'll be going now. If you need anything in the future, you can come to me, and I will definitely help you." After saying this, he turned around and left without paying attention to the pile of things on the ground. When he looked back, he saw that Old Yue was staring straight at the pavilion in the center of the pond. He felt disgusted and left without saying a word.

After a while, the family brought the silver leaf, and Nie Chongyuan sent Yue Lao away again, and the courtyard finally returned to tranquility.

"Chongyuan, you handled this matter well." The clear, enchanting voice of the green shadow in the pavilion carried a faint smile.

"I wouldn't dare," Nie Chongyuan hurriedly replied. "It's all thanks to Seventh Young Master's guidance on 'catering to their preferences,' otherwise I would still be at a loss."

"Hehe... catering to his tastes..." A light laugh came from the pavilion. "In any case, I am very satisfied with your work this time, so I will leave the Sunset Pavilion to you to manage."

"Thank you very much, Seventh Young Master." Nie Chongyuan was overjoyed and quickly bowed to express his gratitude.

"It's truly unexpected that this old man Yue, with most of his body buried in the ground, is still so obsessed with beautiful women." The Seventh Young Master in the pavilion spoke with a smile, yet also with a hint of sarcasm. "People just can't escape the two things: 'wealth' and 'beauty'." After saying that, the green shadows in the pavilion swayed, and the person seemed to lie down again.

Nie Chongyuan hesitated for a moment, then said, "The fact that things went so smoothly this time is largely thanks to Yun Wu."

"Oh?" Seventh Young Master responded lazily, then casually asked, "How is Yunwu doing lately?"

“Miss Yun is in good health, but she misses Seventh Young Master very much,” Nie Chongyuan said, forcing himself to speak. He thought to himself: Yun Wu, you helped me before, so now I will risk helping you in return. Whether it succeeds or not depends entirely on how much Seventh Young Master cares about you.

"Is that so?" Seventh Young Master said calmly, neither pleased nor angry. But after a while, he said something that made Nie Chongyuan overjoyed: "There's nothing interesting to do in Yu City. I'll go and see her."

"Then I will send someone to inform them immediately," Nie Chongyuan quickly replied.

"No need." The green shadow in the pavilion moved slightly, as if waving its hand. "I will go when I want to. You go ahead with your business."

"Yes." Nie Chongyuan lowered his head and was about to turn and leave when Seventh Young Master called him back.

"Did you figure out anything about Ning Lang today?"

Nie Chongyuan pondered for a moment and said, "He should be a young disciple from some sect who has just entered the martial world. Judging from his demeanor and figure, his martial arts foundation is very solid. He will surely become a figure in the martial world after a long period of training. However, at present, he is just a reckless calf and is not worth worrying about."

"Hmm." Seventh Young Master seemed to agree with him. "Did you see the gun in his hand?"

"Silver Spear? Could it be... he's from the Ning family?" Nie Chongyuan exclaimed in surprise.

“That’s right, he should be from the Ning family of Lanzhou,” said Seventh Young Master, though his charming voice carried a hint of inexplicable amusement. “When you see him in the future, remember to treat him with courtesy, and also… be careful in your actions.”

"Yes," Nie Chongyuan replied. However, he was somewhat puzzled. Although the Ning family of Lanzhou was one of the six great families in the martial arts world, the Seventh Young Master was never one to back down from trouble. Why was he treating Ning Lang, who posed no threat at the moment, differently?

"It's alright, you can go now."

"Yes." This time, Nie Chongyuan truly stepped down.

When there was no one left in the courtyard, the bamboo curtain was gently lifted, and a green figure stepped out. Instantly, the simple and elegant courtyard was draped in a magnificent robe, and the vibrant colors of the roses and pomegranates paled in comparison.

Looking at the pile of things Ning Lang had left by the pond, a faint smile appeared on the man's face. "Ning Lang... what an interesting person. But, after spending a long time in this martial world, will he still be like this?" The soft laughter faded away, leaving one with endless longing.

At dusk.

A young man in blue was walking along the street in Yucheng with a worried look on his face. Occasionally, he would glance at a restaurant, swallow hard, and then look away before continuing to walk slowly.

The young man was Ning Lang. He had rushed out of the Nie residence in a panic, forgetting to pick up his belongings left in the courtyard, leaving him penniless. At lunchtime, he had believed Old Master Yue's one-sided story and, in a fit of anger, decided to go to the Nie residence to seek justice, completely forgetting to eat. Now, it was dinnertime, and pedestrians on the street were hurrying home. The aroma of food wafted from every restaurant and tavern, making his empty stomach rumble even louder. However, he was too ashamed to go back to the Nie residence to ask for his silver leaves back.

What to do? What to do? Without money, there's no food, no place to stay, let alone the chance to make my way in the world. But even going home is difficult, and there's no one I know here to borrow from. What can I do?

Ning Lang walked along, troubled.

"Yunwu, Yunwu, I've come to see you."