Tesoro de Jianghu

Capítulo 4

The waiter smiled awkwardly.

The young man glanced lazily at the waiter and then uttered a startling remark: "Let's put that aside for now. You're just carrying a candlestick, nothing much, but you've put so much sleeping potion in it. Aren't you afraid it won't be able to neutralize it?"

The shopkeeper's hand trembled, and the candlestick fell to the ground and went out: "What are you saying, young master? Our shop is a small business, and we deal with so many officials. We can't afford to offend them."

"I didn't say you were impersonating someone else and running a shady business for a day, why are you so nervous?" As soon as he finished speaking, the waiter rolled on the ground and pulled out two narrow knives from his pocket, slashing at the man. The man dodged them with agility, seemingly casually.

Mu Huayan opened her mouth and vomited for a long time, but couldn't vomit anything. "Brother Weiyi, what should we do?" She tugged at Sikong Yu's sleeve, always remembering that Zhang Weiyi would have a solution in times of crisis. Zhang Weiyi's lips curled up, and he said slowly, "Hang in there, we'll find a doctor in town later." Mu Huayan's face immediately turned pale.

Xu Lianning glanced at him. If there were drugs in the food and drink, she would immediately notice; besides, Zhang Weiyi was so shrewd that she wouldn't fall for someone's trick so easily. Mo Yunzhi stood up and walked towards the back kitchen, leaving without attracting any attention at this time.

Meanwhile, the waiter was rolling on the ground, his moves both insidious and ugly, utterly uncouth. Suddenly, he brandished his twin swords and rolled towards Zhang Weiyi. Zhang Weiyi flicked his sleeve, rolled up a stool, and threw it at the waiter, simultaneously stepping onto the stool to deflect a sword strike from the young man in black. His sword strike wasn't particularly forceful; he merely used the momentum of the other's blow to land directly, stomping on the waiter beneath him, causing him to vomit blood on the spot.

The black man took two steps back: "I underestimated you. I thought that sword strike would have taken half your life. What a pity for such a good ally." He said this with a smile, so it seems he didn't have much affection for that "ally."

Zhang Weiyi didn't speak. A streak of bright red blood was still wet on the Tai Chi sword in her hand, dripping down the tip of the sword.

“I think this place is too small. It wouldn’t be good if someone got hurt by accident.” He walked to the door and said in a high-sounding manner, “You just used your true energy. I don’t intend to take advantage of that. It’s not too late to make a move when you’ve recovered your strength.”

Zhang Weiyi remained calm and replied indifferently, "No need, I have important matters to attend to."

The man paused for a moment, then turned and walked out of the post station.

The rain has gradually stopped, and the faint moonlight can be seen behind the thick dark clouds.

The sword in the man's hand, like the man himself, was sinister, slightly curved, and bluish-black in color, but without any luster.

Mu Huayan looked down on the shabby sword: "That person has a lot of nerve, daring to challenge someone with a broken sword."

"This sword may not be particularly remarkable, but that person is someone of great importance," Sikong Yu said softly. "If someone can get him to kill someone, then the person being killed can practically be considered dead. Not many people have heard of the name Phantom Assassin Yu Shaowen, so it doesn't matter if you don't know him."

"You think Brother Weiyi will lose?" Mu Huayan stared at him intently.

"What I mean is, if Yu Shaowen is after me, then he certainly won't escape today. But Brother Zhang might not necessarily lose."

Yu Shaowen drew his curved sword, unleashing a bluish-gray aura that carried a heavy stench of blood and killing intent. Beneath the layered bluish-gray, glimmers of silver and blue light flashed, indistinctly, before being quickly swallowed up again. From ten paces away, the figure amidst the crisscrossing sword aura was almost invisible, resembling a hazy yet clear mist.

"Brother Yu, Brother Yu, who's stronger now?" Mu Huayan unconsciously took a few steps forward, watching the sword energy in the rain and mist sometimes reach straight to the sky and sometimes spread out.

Sikong Yu remained silent. Xu Lianning smiled faintly: "If it were me, I would hope for a draw."

As they spoke, the two swordsmen slowed their attacks. Zhang Weiyi took a step back, then another, seemingly at a disadvantage. Yu Shaowen, however, remained confident, his curved sword gleaming softly as he pressed forward relentlessly. Suddenly, a brilliant silver light pierced the night, shattering all restraints and shattering the gray, murderous aura. In an instant, the situation reversed, and Yu Shaowen was forced into a frantic struggle.

Zhang Weiyi drew his sword, the Tai Chi sword landing half an inch on his opponent's shoulder, when suddenly he felt a light, unsettling force pulling him back, causing his sword strike to halt abruptly. In the darkness, something resembling shattered jade seemed to shoot towards him, forcing him to take a step back. Yu Shaowen seized the opportunity to retreat swiftly, shouting, "Today my skill is inferior, but another day..." The last half of the sentence caught in his throat, seemingly tinged with a metallic taste. Without hesitation, he turned and vanished in a few leaps.

Zhang Weiyi turned around calmly, blood dripping continuously from the Tai Chi sword in his hand.

Mo Yunzhi walked over and whispered, "I just checked in the back. The owner of this inn has been killed by the man who was pretending to be a waiter, and the cook is tied up in the back."

Zhang Weiyi remained silent. It wasn't until they entered the post station that Mo Yunzhi noticed a crimson stain on his sleeve; the blood dripping from his sword was his own. Sikong Yu looked at it and suddenly remembered that at the beginning, when Zhang Weiyi fought Yu Shaowen, his sword was already stained with blood. He assumed it was from someone from the Tian Shang Sect and didn't pay much attention, never expecting that he was actually injured.

Mo Yunzhi looked anxiously: "I wonder if that person's sword is poisoned? Miss Xu..." He turned around but couldn't see Xu Lianning.

Zhang Weiyi lowered her eyes, tore off half of her sleeve, and casually bandaged it: "It's nothing serious, the bleeding will stop in a while."

The palace is far and wide

The rain had completely stopped, the dark clouds had dispersed, and a crescent moon hung in the sky, its silvery light faint.

Xu Lianning raised her hand to brush aside her slightly damp black hair, revealing a silver lotus flower adorning her left ear, with a touch of red jade at its core. This was the accessory of the Pavilion Master of Lingxuan Palace's Liushao Pavilion. Three or four years had passed since she became Pavilion Master at the age of seventeen. Sometimes she felt... as if that day was still fresh in her mind, yet the deep resentment she once felt had long since turned into a dull ache.

"Aren't you afraid of arousing suspicion by coming here?" A clear voice reached her ears, and a man in black landed three steps in front of her, one foot on a tree stump beside him. "Don't let this attract anyone here."

Xu Lianning smiled faintly, her eyes and brows as gentle as a spring breeze: "How could that be?" She raised her hand and handed him a blue medicine bottle: "Internal injuries need to be treated slowly, this medicine is still somewhat useful."

Yu Shaowen took the medicine bottle and weighed it in his hand: "Normally, it would be too formal for us to say thank you. But this time, thank you anyway."

Previously, if Xu Lianning hadn't used a hidden weapon to slow down Zhang Weiyi's sword strike, Yu Shaowen's arm would probably have been lost if that sword had landed.

Xu Lianning said calmly, "Why are you here to kill him?"

Yu Shaowen crossed his arms and chuckled softly: "Of course, it's money."

She smiled slightly: "I knew it. So, who is the employer?"

"Of course I can't say that."

"Even saying thank you is too formal between us, what else is there that we can't say?"

Yu Shaowen's face fell slightly. "If I told you about your employer behind me, it would probably harm you. Think about the current situation. The Heavenly Sorrow Sect has made a comeback, and even Lingxuan Palace... My Martial Aunt has recently arrived in the Central Plains. This is no coincidence; it's likely that things are about to change. Zhang Weiyi is the chief disciple of Wudang, and now someone is plotting to take his life. I was just the first to test the waters. But what about you? How did you get involved with him?"

"Because he is that person's most prized disciple, and even the Tai Chi sword was handed to him. If you had succeeded just now, I would have stopped you too."

Yu Shaowen scoffed, "What's so great about him? He's just a pretentious, cultured scoundrel."

Xu Lianning didn't want to discuss it further, so she changed the subject: "My master wants to see you. I guess she probably wants to hand over Lingxuan Palace to you."

"Uncle-Master, are you joking?" Yu Shaowen frowned. "If I, a man, lived among women all day long, wouldn't I be laughed at?"

She smiled gently: "That's just other people being jealous."

The two suddenly stopped talking and looked into the distance, where they could vaguely see several figures passing by.

"It seems to be a gathering of the Heavenly Sorrow Sect," Yu Shaowen said in a low voice. "They killed Mo Ran, and they'll probably try to find a way to deal with Zhang Weiyi. You need to be extra careful."

"I'll go take a look." Xu Lianning turned around. "You're injured, so find a place to rest properly first."

Yu Shaowen smiled and said, "I'll come find you after I've finished what I'm doing."

She moved with light, nimble steps, landing almost silently, and followed several disciples of the Heavenly Sorrow Sect at a distance without being noticed. After turning a few corners, the road gradually became more secluded, and the flickering firelight on the hillside could be seen in the distance.

Suddenly sensing someone approaching from behind, she was about to draw her sword when she heard a low voice from behind: "It's me, Zhang Weiyi." Xu Lianning turned around and noticed that his complexion was not good, and there was a light brown stain on his sleeve: "Are you injured?"

Zhang Weiyi flicked his sleeve and said, "Come with me." He took two steps and saw her looking at him: "Hiding up there is easy to be discovered. It's better down the hillside."

Xu Lianning knew he was right. She followed him around to the bottom of the hillside. There was a protruding rock above them, directly above the hill where the Heavenly Sorrow Sect was holding their meeting. Standing in this spot, as long as they didn't make too much noise, they wouldn't be easily noticed.

"Hold on to me, don't fall." Zhang Weiyi suddenly reached out and grabbed her arm, leaping onto the rock where she could land.

There was enough space for one person to stand, but two would be too cramped. Xu Lianning didn't like being close to others, so she stepped back, only to be immediately pulled aside. Zhang Weiyi had a faint scent of laurel wood on him, probably the kind burned in the study. "I'm warning you, if you move again, I'll push you down." He lowered his head, his voice low and slightly hoarse.

What kind of warning is this? Xu Lianning looked up and saw that he lowered his eyes slightly, his eyelashes obscuring the expression in his eyes, leaving only a faint double image.

"There's no one else around, is there?" A cold, deep voice came from above, followed by the rustling of grass and trees, presumably members of the Heavenly Sorrow Sect checking the surroundings for anyone. The cold, deep voice returned after a long pause: "No need. There's probably no one else around. With so many people tonight, if we can't even handle those few, what's the point of keeping them around?!"

The atmosphere froze for a moment, and after a long while, a voice cautiously said, "Reporting to Vice Leader Yun, Young Master Yujian's martial arts are extraordinary. He was accompanied by the Pavilion Master of Lingxuan Palace, and Hall Master Mo has already died for his cause."

"Lingxuan Palace? What can Rong Wanci's disciples amount to? With the sect leader's reputation, he's already planted a hall master there. Lingxuan Palace is no match for him." The voice sounded like it was pondering something. "Is Zhang Weiyi really that different from what's said? I heard he's also involved with the imperial court..."

Xu Lianning couldn't hear anything else. The Vice Sect Leader Yun had mentioned placing a Hall Master of the Heavenly Sorrow Sect in Lingxuan Palace—who was that person? Judging from his tone, he seemed to be an important figure in Lingxuan Palace, possibly even one of the four Pavilion Masters. But who could it be? Various guesses flashed through her mind, but she dismissed them all.

Suddenly, Zhang Weiyi's cold, detached voice rang out: "They're all gone. You wouldn't like being held by me, would you?" Xu Lianning looked up, glaring at him angrily: "What do you think?"

A faint smile flickered in Zhang Weiyi's eyes as he pulled her down to the ground.

"How did you end up here?" Xu Lianning pursed her lips, suddenly feeling a little guilty.

Sure enough, Zhang Weiyi's voice was cold: "Lingxuan Palace's hidden weapons are famous throughout the world. Are they called Xuanbing Pohen? I didn't see them clearly today, so I came along to take another look."

She was slightly taken aback, but immediately realized that he was referring to her helping Yu Shaowen. Under the moonlight, Zhang Weiyi's expression was extremely indifferent, but his tone turned cold: "Miss Xu, do you think that I still need to rely on your medical skills, so you are fearless in everything you do, and are sure that I will not do anything to you?"

Xu Lianning involuntarily took a step back: "If you do anything to harm me, you'll definitely regret it later." In her panic, she missed a step and stumbled. Zhang Weiyi stepped forward and caught her as she fell backward due to her unsteady center of gravity, her expression a mixture of amusement and skepticism: "Is that so?" She paused slightly, her tone slightly amusement: "That sounds like a threat. Or do you think there's some possibility of romance between us in the future, and you're deliberately reminding me?"

Xu Lianning was furious. He was usually quite composed, but this man had repeatedly broken his composure: "How could I possibly—" Something warm seemed to brush against his lips, but before he could react, Zhang Weiyi hastily pushed him away. Zhang Weiyi took a few steps back, his long fingers pressing against his lips, his face blank and lost, with a hint of…disgust. He should have been happy to see him so panicked and retreating, but something felt off.

"Don't worry about it, you just kissed me." Zhang Weiyi raised her head, her tone flat.

Xu Lianning was momentarily at a loss for how to react. Other women might have cried and made a scene, while someone like Zhang Weiyi would probably have stuck with him and lived a life of luxury. But the treatment she had received was far worse than what had just happened; the nausea would pass quickly.

Judging from Zhang Weiyi's expression, who was also waiting to see her suffer, she resumed her usual demeanor, a half-smile on her face.

“So, Your Highness,” Xu Lianning smiled naturally, “I was wrong just now.”

Zhang Weiyi's face turned pale. He flicked his sleeve, turned around, and left. After taking two steps, without turning back, he said in a very unpleasant tone, "What are you standing there for? Waiting for the people from the Heavenly Sorrow Sect to come?"

Seeing the other person angry was such a refreshing thing. Xu Lianning didn't argue with him, and the two walked one after the other towards the post station.

The next day they had to continue their journey, but with two more people, they weren't as rushed as in the previous days. Fortunately, they weren't far from the capital, so they slowed down. As they traveled further north, the scenery became vastly different from that of Jiangnan. Mo Yunzhi saw that his lord appeared the same as always, but seemed to be choking on something, so he didn't press the matter.

Instead, Sikong Yu and Xu Lianning enjoyed the scenery together, quoting classical texts and engaging in lively conversation. Mu Huayan, bored and unable to join the conversation, reached out to tug at Zhang Weiyi's sleeve with reddened eyes. Zhang Weiyi, unlike Sikong Yu, simply shook her off, saying, "If you can't stand it, go and talk to her yourself."

Xu Lianning saw this and tactfully walked away. As for Zhang Weiyi's worry that the Mu family princess's beloved wasn't her, it had little to do with her. She only agreed to let him treat the person, and would leave once he was cured, lest she impulsively poison him and thus benefit him.

"Master Xu is truly a man of exceptional talent; we were having quite a lively chat just now," Zhang Weiyi said, glancing over without comment.

Xu Lianning was not naive enough to think that the other party was praising her, so she replied in a neutral tone, "Young Master Zhang is excellent in both literature and martial arts. Such praise makes Lianning feel uneasy."

"Not at all, as I said before, I am not very talented, and it is a great pity that I do not have such a beautiful lady by my side." Zhang Weiyi smiled, his words laced with sarcasm but not so simple.

Xu Lianning felt that she had become more calm and composed in the past few days, and was no longer as easily angered to the point of being speechless as she had at the beginning: "It would be very easy for Young Master Zhang to have a beautiful woman by his side. He must have quite a few confidantes in the capital."

"Actually, when I first met Miss Xu, I wondered how Lingxuan Palace could not even afford to support a disciple. Now it seems that Miss Xu is not too short, she is just not even up to my shoulder, and she doesn't look like she has much flesh on her bones. Could it be that she is struggling to make ends meet?"

Xu Lianning gritted her teeth inwardly, plotting how she would torture him once he fell into her hands.

“After traveling for half a day, Miss Xu should eat something to make up for what she’s missed.” Zhang Weiyi seemed considerate, and his tone was gentle and refined. Xu Lianning looked at the piece of braised pork he handed her and was furious: “Naturally, it’s not as slender as a bream or as sturdy as a tortoise as Your Highness.” Zhang Weiyi smiled and said: “You flatter me. It would be impolite to refuse.”

Mo Yunzhi listened to the two arguing back and forth, their arguments becoming increasingly childish, yet their voices kept pouring in, leaving him no choice but to listen.

If they continue arguing like this in front of outsiders, the Wudang Sect and Lingxuan Palace will lose face.

Fortunately, after a few days, they arrived in the capital.

Mo Yunzhi escorted Princess Mu back to the Prince's residence, while Zhang Weiyi went directly into the palace. No one stopped or questioned him along the way, and he arrived directly at the Hall of Mental Cultivation, where the current Emperor was recuperating. Xu Lianning didn't ask who he was treating, and he didn't mention it either; some things really didn't need to be told to others.

Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, someone had already brought a soft stool and placed it beside the bed, and moved a tea table over. They brewed tea and served several kinds of pastries. As soon as Zhang Weiyi entered, they hurriedly knelt down and said, "Greetings, Sixth Prince."

Zhang Weiyi said in a low voice, "No need for formalities. I wonder how Father's condition has been these past few days?"

The eunuch at the front, seemingly of the highest rank, stood up and said, "His Majesty remains the same, occasionally falling into a coma. However, recently he's been consuming less fluids, and the imperial physicians at the Imperial Hospital are at a loss." As he spoke, he stepped forward and rolled up a small portion of the bed curtain. Xu Lianning, standing beside the bed, could just see the Emperor's face. His features vaguely resembled Zhang Weiyi's, but with a square face and a prominent jaw, he possessed a certain air of authority.

She put down her medicine box, sat on a soft stool by the bed, and took the emperor's pulse. After a long while, she stood up and looked at Zhang Weiyi: "Did Your Majesty take any elixirs concocted by alchemists before?" For the past three years, she had been with her senior uncle, who was known as a divine physician, and benefited greatly from his guidance. Naturally, she had also read a lot about medicine and even had some understanding of alchemy.

A eunuch standing to the side with his hands at his sides said, "His Majesty had been taking elixirs all along, and the prescription was sent by Minister Li of the Ministry of Personnel."

The so-called elixir, initially invigorating, is actually like a slow-acting poison; an overdose will result in immediate death. Xu Lianning gave a soft "hmm," took the paper and pen from a nearby maid, and wrote out a prescription: "Decoct the medicine according to the dosage above, three times a day." Then she wrote another prescription: "Tomorrow morning, decoct the medicine according to this prescription again. You may experience some vomiting and diarrhea. Just take it twice, then switch back to the previous prescription. Don't mix up the order." After writing, she put it back on the tray.

The eunuch immediately ordered someone to prepare the medicine, and then added in a low voice, "Send it to the Imperial Hospital for them to take a look."

Zhang Weiyi said calmly, "Sending him to the Imperial Hospital is unnecessary. I will take responsibility for any mishaps." He said this with a smile. Xu Lianning glanced at him, truly unable to understand why he seemed to have changed his personality again.

Upon receiving these words, the eunuch naturally complied.

As they left the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Zhang Weiyi asked, "Miss Xu, would you like to stroll around the palace now, or come back with me directly?"

Xu Lianning looked at him and couldn't help but ask, "Is Young Master Zhang in a good mood today?" After spending these days together, she had more or less figured out his personality. He was really awful to the core, and his words were always a mix of praise and criticism.

Zhang Weiyi stopped, a half-smile on her face: "Is it that obvious?"