Tesoro de Jianghu

Capítulo 33

In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, almost all the disciples of Longteng Post Station had been slaughtered, with only Lin Zihan struggling to hold on. His hair was disheveled, and he had some shallow wounds on his face and body. The power in his sword strikes was also getting weaker and weaker. Suddenly, with a clang, he lost his grip, and his longsword slipped from his hand.

Lin Zihan, now without his weapon, knew he was doomed. His vision went black, and something rough wrapped around his neck, dragging him abruptly off his horse. He was dragged along the ground, occasionally bumping into pebbles, but the constriction made it impossible for him to breathe or cry out in pain.

Just as he was about to suffocate from the thing around his neck, suddenly the pressure on his neck loosened, and the dragging force stopped. He gasped for breath, looked up, and saw Zhang Weiyi standing to the side, reining in his horse, his hand twirling the whip, looking relaxed and elegant.

"Zhang Weiyi, what do you mean by this?" Lin Zihan shouted before he could catch his breath, "You despicable scoundrel, how dare you take advantage of my misfortune to humiliate me!"

Zhang Weiyi smiled faintly, his tone indifferent: "It's nothing. When I first arrived at Longteng Post Station, I was also humiliated by you. Now the tables have turned, and I can't blame anyone." He put down his riding whip and said slowly: "Brother Lin, your skills are meager, and you can't bear humiliation. You really can't do this."

"You don't need to be so arrogant here. Everyone in Longteng Post knows who you are. Only you are still deceiving yourself. If I were you, I would have been too ashamed to face the world and would have committed suicide."

Zhang Weiyi raised an eyebrow, still smiling: "Brother Lin can go back and fight those people to the death, and die for the sect. That sounds very heroic."

Lin Zihan clenched his fists, trembling with anger. But he absolutely could not bring himself to go back and fight those men in black to the death.

“Speaking of which, the other day I told Sect Leader Liu that Han Zijian and his gang died at Miss Xu’s hands. Actually, I stopped them that night and then conveniently gave Han Zijian a ride. He took advantage of the chaos to cut off my arm that day; exchanging my life for his is not too bad.” Zhang Weiyi said slowly and deliberately, “Brother Lin, do you think that’s the case?”

Lin Zihan's tone was stiff: "What is the purpose of telling me all this?"

Zhang Weiyi raised his hand and gently tapped his forehead, chuckling, "I thought my intentions were clear enough. Now that there are two paths before us, Brother Lin, you wouldn't choose the unfavorable one, would you?"

Lin Zihan hesitated for a long time before saying, "What exactly is your purpose in joining Longteng Post Station? I agree to help you now, but if you turn against me in the future, am I supposed to just accept it?"

"So, do you have any other options right now? As for the purpose behind it, you will naturally find out in the future."

After much deliberation, Lin Zihan had no choice but to nod.

Zhang Weiyi smiled slightly and said, "Then it's a deal. I hope Brother Lin will keep his promise. What Liu Junru can offer you, I can offer a hundred times more."

Lin Zihan couldn't help but laugh and said, "All land under heaven belongs to the king. Longteng Post Station now has the support of the royal family. Even if Brother Zhang comes from an extraordinary background, are you a prince or a prince?"

Zhang Weiyi's lips curled into a slight smile: "Even princes and princes have their periods of power and others. The Prince Xingxian behind you is neither the eldest son nor does he possess the charisma of the Yongle Emperor. To expect him to rule the world is nothing but a joke." He paused for a moment, then continued: "Although the Prince Xingxian has the support of Consort Wan, the Wan family's power is fleeting. Interference in politics by the empress dowager and the control of powerful relatives are major taboos. Brother Lin is one of us, so I'll be frank. If Longteng Post Station follows the Wan family, it could face the calamity of extermination one day."

After thinking about it carefully, Lin Zihan felt that there was some truth to it. The thought of being implicated and having his entire family executed made him sweat profusely.

Mingjian Villa is located on the outskirts of Zhongdu, surrounded by mountains, and is quiet and elegant.

Su Ling led the way, and the group walked through the bamboo path. In the distance stood a large house with white walls and black tiles, looking quite old. The house had been renovated, and traces of moss remained on the corners of the walls, giving it an antique feel. A gentle breeze occasionally blew through the bamboo grove; the autumn wind was already cool, but it had its own unique charm.

Su Ling reached out and grasped a bamboo branch, a faint melancholy in her eyes and brows. Instead of heading towards the mansion, she walked straight into the depths of the bamboo forest.

Just as Qingyin was about to ask, she saw Chongxuan shake his head slightly at her.

Deep within the bamboo path, fallen leaves fluttered, and the glint of sword light flickered. A rather composed and elegant man, his sleeves billowing, exuded a refined and graceful air in every gesture. With just a few simple sword techniques, he wielded them with a sense of effortless ease and fluidity, like water.

Xu Lianning stepped forward and said, "Master Shang."

Shang Mingjian loosened his grip, and the sword slid cleanly into its sheath. He turned and walked towards them, saying, "Master Xu, is there anything I can do for you?" He glanced at Su Ling beside him and smiled gently, "Miss Su, it's been a long time."

Su Ling also smiled, her almond-shaped eyes crinkling: "Yes."

Xu Lianning said, "There is something I need to trouble Master Shang with. It is a very important matter, and right now, the only person I can trust is Master Shang."

Shang Mingjian gave an "oh," and turned to the side, saying, "It's inconvenient to talk standing up, so please follow me." He wiped the sweat from his brow with his sleeve, and led the way. His loose outer robe fluttered in the forest breeze, and a wisp of mist drifted by, making it seem as if he were walking on clouds. He led the group to a pavilion, where a charcoal stove, a water pot, and tea sets were all laid out on a stone table.

He raised his hand and said, "This place is simple, but quiet. No one will intrude. Please have a seat."

Xu Lianning smiled slightly and said, "Thank you."

She sat down at the stone table, looking at the scenery outside the pavilion. It was clear that the person who arranged it had put a lot of thought into it. It was late autumn, and the chrysanthemums outside the pavilion were in full bloom.

Shang Mingjian added some charcoal to the stove, lit it with a tinderbox, and then added tea leaves to the kettle. A wisp of steam escaped from under the slightly ajar lid. Soon, steam began to rise, and the sound of water could be heard. The edge of the kettle began to gush forth like a spring, and the rising steam blurred his features slightly.

After the tea had boiled three times, Shang Mingjian personally poured the tea and set it on the table before saying, "Miss Xu, please speak."

Xu Lianning held his teacup and said calmly, "If we were to start from the beginning, this matter would likely take a long time to explain. I wonder if Master Shang would like to hear the key points, or the whole story?"

Shang Mingjian sat down at the table, tapping his fingers lightly on the surface. He lowered his eyes and said, "If Miss Xu doesn't mind the trouble, then please explain the whole story."

Xu Lianning thought for a while and said, "Actually, to trace the whole matter, we have to start from the beginning of this year." The water vapor in front of her was rising, and she felt that those past events were like a distant memory: "At the beginning of the year, there were far more martial arts practitioners staying in Hangzhou than in the past. My senior uncle had excellent medical skills and was quite famous, so many people came to Gushan for treatment, some of whom were well-known seniors."

Among those seeking medical help was the renowned swordsman Zhang Weiyi.

“Most of those seeking medical help were injured while trying to steal some treasure. Since this treasure is just a myth, the person who secretly fabricated this rumor must have ulterior motives.” Xu Lianning paused, then suddenly remembered that Zhang Weiyi had said she was seeking medical help for the current emperor, but it just so happened to be at this time. Could it just be a coincidence? Even though the imperial physicians were helpless, and she was not as skilled in medicine as her senior uncle, he didn’t care much.

Shang Mingjian said calmly, "I've also heard about this matter; I've even seen the legendary treasure map."

"After that, I went to the capital with Zhang Weiyi. On the way, we were besieged by the Tianshang Sect. Yu Shaowen also came to intercept us. Yu Shaowen and I were from the same sect. When I asked him why he did this, he refused to say. I later learned that he was under orders from Longteng Post Station at that time."

Su Ling asked curiously, "What are you going to the capital for?"

Xu Lianning took a sip of tea and slowly said, "His Majesty has contracted a strange illness, so I went along to see him. Young Master Zhang's original surname was Zhu, but Zhang Weiyi was the name he changed after joining Wudang. In fact, he is a prince."

Su Ling smiled slightly and said, "So there's this hidden story. This is the first time I've heard of it. If Young Master Zhang wants to hide something, there really isn't anyone who will know."

"There are many gossips in the martial world, Brother Zhang is probably worried that this identity will cause trouble." Shang Mingjian lowered his eyes. "So what happens next?"

"After that, I stayed in the capital for a while, but I received news that our secret sentries in Nanjing had been razed." Xu Lianning hesitated for a moment, then continued, "It doesn't matter if I say it, although Lingxuan Palace is located in Helan Ancient Path and seems to be indifferent to the affairs of the martial world, it is not like that at all. In recent years, it has also laid out spies in the Central Plains."

"For example, there were rumors at the time that Lingxuan Palace had wiped out those martial arts families, which wasn't entirely unfounded," Su Ling said leisurely.

Xu Lianning nodded: "I immediately rushed to Nanjing Prefecture and discovered that the secret passage of the sentries had been opened. I thought that either someone had survived, or someone from Yiping was left behind in the passage to wait for me to find them. But in the end, I couldn't find out who did it. After that, the martial arts tournament was approaching, so I went to Suizhou and met Xiao Qianjue, the leader of the Tianshang Sect. Although Mr. Xiao's actions were somewhat ruthless, he was still upright, and I didn't think there was anything wrong with him. After spending some time with him, Senior Sister Qingxuan met up with me and then went ahead to Wudang."

“We all know about Miss Ruan, so there’s no need to go into it,” Shang Mingjian said.

Xu Lianning gave a soft "hmm": "In the battle against the Tianshang Sect, most of the famous sects suffered heavy losses, which can be said to be due to their actions being seen through beforehand. Before Mr. Xiao committed suicide, he asked me to go to Suizhou. I found some letters written by the sect leader of Longteng Post Station to the Tianshang Sect. Longteng Post Station and the Tianshang Sect probably started colluding a long time ago."

Su Ling asked seriously, "What about those letters?"

Chapter Forty-Two

“The letter is still in Suizhou. I’m afraid something might have happened on the way, and it might have fallen into the hands of Longteng Post Station,” Xu Lianning said. “After leaving Tianshang Sect, I was ambushed with Young Master Zhang, and he disappeared that night. I happened to stumble upon Longteng Post Station’s plot to annex Tang Clan, so I thought I’d go to Longteng Post Station to take a look. As a result, in the tunnel, I discovered that a secret room contained a lot of martial arts manuals and weapons from the Five Great Families.” As soon as she finished speaking, the teacup in Su Ling’s hand made a soft click.

"That night, when I came out of the tunnel, I saw Zhang Weiyi. He had already joined Longteng Post Station." In the darkness, she could see the unfamiliar ruthlessness on his face. During the day they spent together, she also felt that Zhang Weiyi would suddenly become extremely murderous, as if he wanted to stab her to death with a sword, but in the end he didn't make a move.

“I can’t guess Young Master Zhang’s intentions. My master seems to have some grudges with his ancestors, so he’s been looking out for him. At that time, Young Master Zhang was seriously injured and bedridden. Those people from Longteng Post Station came to humiliate him, but he didn’t get angry at all. Such a person’s thoughts are truly terrifying.” Su Ling pursed her lips. “However, I heard from Lian Ning that you just mentioned that you are of royal lineage, and it seems that some high-ranking officials and nobles have visited Liu Junru with very long invitations. I wonder if it’s related to this.”

Xu Lianning frowned slightly. She had indeed seen many rare treasures in the secret room of Longteng Post Station that day. If it involved the imperial court, then Zhang Weiyi's purpose was obvious.

Shang Mingjian tapped his hand lightly on the table: "Then our top priority is to get those letters and then find a senior figure in the martial arts world who is highly respected and can command a large following to help us."

Xu Lianning was taken aback upon hearing this: "Then who should we look for?"

He smiled slightly, his features refined: "Miss Xu, have you forgotten? There is someone right now who has a deep connection with you and will surely lend a helping hand."

Just as Shang Mingjian finished speaking, a loud crash was heard from the side. Qingyin tumbled off the stone bench, shattering her teacup. Su Ling, sitting to her right, reached out and grabbed Qingyin's back, pulling her back. Looking at Qingyin's face, she didn't think she had fainted from poisoning; she was just pale.

Xu Lianning stood up and said across the table, "Sister Ling, let me take her pulse."

Qingyin was still conscious. She rubbed her eyes and said softly, "Qingyin doesn't know what's wrong. She suddenly feels very tired and wants to sleep for a while."

Xu Lianning took her pulse and said with a slight surprise, "There seems to be nothing wrong with her. She is neither injured nor poisoned. She may have just been traveling too fast and got tired."

Su Ling frowned slightly, remaining silent in thought.

A gentle voice came from behind: "This young lady looks tired. Why don't you go to the side room and lie down? I'll go and tidy up right away."

Su Ling was startled, her expression complicated, and even the smile on her lips completely froze.

Xu Lianning looked up, following the sound, and saw the woman who had spoken earlier swaying gently as she slowly approached. She had gentle eyes that seemed to be smiling faintly at times, pale lips, and a slightly downturned mouth, giving her an air of melancholy. Shang Mingjian stepped forward, put his arm around her shoulder, and smiled slightly, "It's chilly outside, why don't you wear another layer?" The two smiled at each other, their expressions intimate.

Xu Lianning turned to look at Su Ling, only to see her biting her lip, seemingly smiling yet also seemingly crying.

Shang Mingjian turned around, his features refined: "This is my wife, Qiuwan."

Xu Lianning looked at Qiu Wan and noticed that her every move seemed to indicate she possessed martial arts skills. Her appearance was far inferior to Su Ling's; she was merely passable, the kind of person you'd only glance at and then forget. There was nothing about her that Su Ling could match, except for that natural, gentle demeanor that Su Ling could never attain.

"I'll be going out for a few days, but I'll be back to be with you soon," Shang Mingjian said softly. "Take care of yourself and don't worry too much."

Qiu Wan shook her head, smiling gently, "You should take care of yourself." She turned her head and saw Xu Lianning. Her eyes widened slightly, her expression one of utter shock: "You...you..."

Xu Lianning was somewhat puzzled by her attitude.

Shang Mingjian said, "This is Pavilion Master Xu of Lingxuan Palace. Have you met him before?"

Qiu Wan's expression changed, and her tone became serious: "Perhaps I'm mistaken. After all, so much time has passed. But Miss Xu, may I ask you something?"

Xu Lianning said calmly, "Please speak, Madam."

Qiu Wan said slowly and deliberately, "In the early years of the sixteenth year of the Chenghua reign, did you go to the vicinity of Suizhou City?"

Xu Lianning thought for a moment. At that time, she had just taken over as the head of Liushao Pavilion. She was passing through Suizhou with Ruan Qingxuan when she suddenly remembered being slashed on the back with a woodcutter's knife by the farmer she had been fostered by when she was young. This incident had caused her great hatred today, so she went to seek revenge. She raised her eyes and looked at Qiu Wan. Seeing the bitterness on her face, she said softly, "Yes, I was in Suizhou at that time."

Qiu Wan took a step back, her smile bitter: "Back then, I finally found out where my biological parents were, but when I got there, I saw you coming out of the house. Inside, my parents were lying in blood, crying out in pain, but unable to find relief. And my younger brother, who was about ten years old, had been stabbed to death. Miss Xu, did you do all this?" Shang Mingjian reached out to grab her, but she broke free.

Xu Lianning slowly lowered her eyes: "Yes."

"How could you do this?" Qiu Wan suddenly stepped forward and grabbed her sleeve, her eyes wide open. "You deliberately injured their backs, you might as well have just stabbed them to death. Do you know how hard it is to live after being crippled? And my brother, he's only ten years old, and you didn't even spare him!"

Xu Lianning let her grab her clothes and shake her. Qiu Wan knew no martial arts at all, and even if she tried her best to pull, she couldn't hurt her in the slightest. Suddenly, Su Ling's clear voice came: "Master Shang, let's pretend we never came here. We'll take our leave now."

Shang Mingjian frowned slightly. Before he could speak, Xu Lianning pulled back her sleeves, drew her sword with a clang, and held the pale red blade to her neck: "Master Shang, I hope you can agree to this matter. After all, it is related to the code of the martial world and would not disgrace your reputation. As for your wife's matter, I will take care of it myself."

Su Ling took a step forward, then stopped. Chong Xuan said anxiously, "Sister Ning, quickly put the sword down!"

Xu Lianning looked at Qiu Wan and smiled slightly, "Madam Shang, do you want me to commit suicide immediately, or cut off my own arm or something?"

Qiu Wan stared at her for a long time: "Do you think that if you die, or cut off your arm, you can bring back my family?" She stomped her foot, then suddenly covered her face and left.

Shang Mingjian paused, turned around and said, "Miss Xu, it would be best if you left for now." Then he turned and chased after Qiu Wan.

Chongxuan snatched the sword from Xu Lianning's hand and said in a low voice, "If he doesn't want to go, so be it. Why do you have to..."

Su Ling chuckled and blinked: "How come you two siblings are so different? Lian Ning, you're so smart, yet you have such a silly younger brother."

Xu Lianning tilted her head and smiled slightly: "It's good that you're so reserved. You don't have to be like me."

Su Ling helped Qingyin walk a few steps: "Do you think Master Shang will come after us?"

Xu Lianning said, "Madam Shang will definitely persuade him to come, so we can take our time." She paused and then said, "Madam Shang is kind-hearted. She was concerned about Qingyin when she first met her, so she naturally wouldn't watch me commit suicide in front of her. I originally wanted to hand the sword to her so she could do it herself, but I was afraid she wouldn't be able to hold it properly."

Chongxuan frowned slightly: "You are not Madam Shang after all. What if you guessed wrong? Don't do such risky things again in the future."

Xu Lianning chuckled and said, "Yes, I do enjoy guessing what others are thinking and talking, and I'm always scheming. I'm so busy guessing that I've never truly trusted anyone. What's the point?"

Just then, footsteps sounded behind them. Shang Mingjian, now dressed in a different robe, strode over. As he approached, he said calmly, "This time, I'll go with you." He glanced at Xu Lianning, his expression complex, and after a moment, said, "My wife said that the past cannot be brought back to life. As long as Miss Xu shows some mercy in the future and doesn't harm the innocent indiscriminately."

Xu Lianning smiled faintly and said quietly, "Master Shang is right to reprimand me."

Yin Han waited outside the door, only to hear the people inside speaking in hushed tones, creating a buzzing sound that made it impossible to discern who was speaking. Suddenly, the door creaked open, and she quickly took two steps back to avoid being hit in the nose. Zhang Weiyi stepped out first, glancing at her with a half-smile, before strolling past her. Following him were Su Sheng and Lin Zihan, who filed out one after another.

She glanced at Su Sheng, whose face was expressionless, then at Lin Zihan, whose face was bruised and purple from being slapped by her father. She bit her lip and turned to chase after him, saying, "...Wait a minute!"

Zhang Weiyi paused, turned her head slightly, and asked, "What is it?"

Yin Han hesitated for a moment, then asked softly, "What were you talking about just now?"

Zhang Weiyi said calmly, "Master Su and the others have gone to Zhongdu. With Shang Mingjian's help, they are now heading towards Suizhou. Sect Leader Liu wants to set off tomorrow morning, so we will intercept them before then."