Rey de reyes

Capítulo 12

"I really dare not, but this is the order of Lord Anluo, and I dare not disobey."

Bi Feixian's face turned deathly pale, and her dark eyes welled up with tears. She stammered, "This is...his order? He wants to kill me...why? Why! Why do you want to kill me?"

Huai Su looked at her quietly, as if she were looking at a ridiculous, pitiful, and pathetic clown.

She then understood the reason, and instead of being angry, she laughed and said, "Good, good... As expected of that old fox, he is indeed ruthless. But to think that a cup of poison would kill me is to underestimate the chief disciple of the Divine Mechanism Pavilion Master!"

Before she could finish speaking, Bi Fei flicked her wrist, drawing her longsword and thrusting it straight at Huai Su. Taking advantage of his momentary dodge, she leaped onto her horse, shouting, "Giddy up!"

The crowd behind her caught up. Bi Feixian took out the box of rouge, turned around and threw it. Everyone who was touched by the rouge screamed and fell off their horses.

Huai Su cried out, "It's no use, Bi Feixian, that's the most poisonous 'Life and Death Lock' in the world, you can't escape it!"

Bi Feixian didn't answer, but just kept galloping away on her horse. She was riding a fine steed, so she quickly left the others behind. Just when she thought she could get rid of them, the white horse suddenly stopped, foaming at the mouth and falling to the ground.

Bi Feixian fell to the ground as well, reaching out to check the horse's breath. Damn it! How could she forget—Huai Su was always cunning and scheming. If he wanted to kill her, why wouldn't he have eliminated her horse beforehand? Was she really doomed?

She raised her head and laughed again, facing south. How ironic, how ironic! She said everything was accomplished, her son could return home—but this home was—death!

Her heart was clenching with pain. Huai Su was right; this was the most potent poison in the world. She had nowhere to escape, but she absolutely could not let herself be captured like this!

Bi Feixian stood up unsteadily, looked around, and then struggled to run westward. If she hadn't misheard, there was a water source there, and finding water meant a glimmer of hope.

Perhaps it was a sign of divine mercy, for after about half a cup of tea's time, she actually spotted a river, its current quite swift. Just then, the pursuers caught up, a circle of archers poised to fire. Huai Su reined in her horse, saying, "You can't escape!"

"Is that so?" Bi Feixian sneered, then flipped over and jumped into the water with a "bang".

Huai Su frowned and immediately sent people to retrieve her. His subordinates all went into the water to search for her, but after a long time they still couldn't find Bi Feixian. One of them reported back, "The current is so strong, she's probably been swept downstream."

"Then we'll keep chasing them down to the very bottom, we need to find them alive or dead!"

"yes!"

Water everywhere.

The water washed over her skin. Bi Feiqian held her breath, letting herself drift with the current. The Shenji Pavilion's martial arts included a method to use water to expel poison, but—what was the point of living? Revenge? Impossible. Not seeking revenge? She would live a life of resentment. Perhaps, dying like this was the best ending?

People are strange sometimes. In times of crisis, their will to survive is very strong, but once they relax, they feel that death is nothing more than that.

Why live such a difficult life? Survival is a burden to her. Life is long; if a colorful exterior cannot conceal the darkness and depravity within, then what is the point of struggling endlessly in this whirlpool?

Bi Feixian smiled sadly, then stopped holding her breath. Water poured into her nostrils, bubbles rose, and her body slowly sank, feeling as if she were falling into the eighteenth level of hell.

She's going to see her mother, isn't she? No, she can't. Her mother was such a gentle and kind person; she must be in heaven now that she's gone, while she... she's definitely going to hell, and they'll never see each other again...

Suddenly a fishhook appeared, and before she even realized what was happening, the fishing line snapped and bound her wrist, then pulled her up forcefully.

"Splash—" Water splashed everywhere, her back hit a flat, hard object, the blue sky came into view, and a few white clouds were floating by. A face moved in front of her, and she saw a pair of smiling eyes. Those eyes were so bright, as if they had gathered all the sunshine in the world... This was the last thing she saw before she lost consciousness.

In her dark and chaotic dream, she saw the little girl again, standing blankly under a tree.

In front of the tree was a magnificent house, with a window as big as the entire wall of her house. The window was wide open at the moment, and a noblewoman in fine clothes could be clearly seen sitting inside. She had a languid demeanor and a haughty bearing, but when she looked at that person, her gaze was gentle and doting.

It was a little girl of similar age to her, but she received completely different treatment. She was dressed in the most beautiful clothes and wore the most exquisite jewelry. Maids fawned over her, treating her like a star.

The girl's calm eyes betrayed neither envy nor jealousy. She watched quietly for a moment, then turned and left. On the road, she encountered a group of people, led by a man in magnificent robes and a tall hat. He looked at her, his brows furrowing slightly, and said in a deep voice, "What are you doing here?"

A woman in green rushed over, anxiously saying, "Miss, so you're here... Please come back with me!"

The tall-crowned man said sternly, "Didn't I tell you not to let the young lady run around?"

"I'm so sorry, sir! I'm so sorry! This old servant will take Miss home right away!" The woman in green said, pulling her hand and walking quickly. She turned to look at the man; his face, though not angry, was expressionless, and his gaze towards her held no warmth, as if he were looking at a stranger. So she lowered her head and followed the woman home without a word.

Passing through a withered plum grove, there was a secluded little courtyard, rarely visited by anyone. The bamboo curtains were drawn back, revealing the profile of a woman. She was no longer young; her pale face had completely erased any trace of her former beauty, leaving only weariness and aging, just like the plum trees outside.

The woman in green pushed open the door and began to grumble, "Miss, can't you just behave yourself and stop causing us so much trouble? If you anger the master, even ten heads wouldn't be enough to chop off this old servant! Honestly, the young one is like this, and the old one is like this too... Madam, that's a handkerchief, please don't cut it! Oh dear, this is giving me a terrible headache! Xiao Cui, Xiao Cui, are you blind? How can you let Madam waste things like this?"

A maid in a green shirt came out of the inner room looking tired, snatched the handkerchief and scissors from the woman's hand, and locked them in a drawer.

The woman in green wasn't finished and continued to berate, "Honestly, you know the madam is crazy, why didn't you put all these things away? All you do is sleep, sleep, sleep, you'll sleep yourself to death sooner or later! I really don't know why they sent such a lazybones like you..."

Xiao Cui raised her voice and said, "Come on, Ping Ma, you're just like me. If we were important, why would we need to send someone here to keep this madman company? Just give it a rest and stop pretending to be so great."

"What did you say?" Ping Ma, the woman in blue, put her hands on her hips and said, "Are you going to rebel?"

Xiao Cui refused to back down, and the two immediately started arguing.

Amidst the shouting and cursing, the little girl walked to the woman's side, took her hand, and whispered, "Mommy, I saw Daddy today. He was very unhappy to see me..." She paused, then continued, "I also secretly looked at 'them,' Mommy. I'm not envious of them at all. When I grow up, I'll definitely have a good life, I definitely will..."

There were still some things she didn't say, but Bi Feixian knew what she wanted to say—

One day, I'll make sure Dad stops ignoring us! I'll make him regret treating us this way!

Mom, I'm really sad. I'm so, so sad...

Her heart was like a hard fruit, not allowing any chance for her emotions to be expressed. But that cup of poison was like a heavy hammer that struck her hard, shattering the fruit's outer shell and leaving it scattered on the ground.

Why kill her? Why? Why?

In her hazy vision, someone was wiping her face with a warm towel. She couldn't open her eyes, but she could grab the person's hand tightly and ask, "Why are you killing me? Why? Why are you killing me?"

"Shh—shh—" the person gently soothed her, stroking her hair, "It's alright, it's all over, it's alright..."

"I...I...I desperately told myself not to hate you, not to hate you for the rest of my life just because you treated me and Mother that way...I tried so hard, so hard to forget the past...But why did you kill me? Why? Why did you force me to hate you? I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!" She cried, sobbing out the grievances that had been suppressed for so many years. The nightmare was like a vicious curse, following her relentlessly.

The man seemed to sigh, then pulled her into his arms and said softly, "Shh, shh... you're too tired. Get some sleep, everything will be alright when you wake up, believe me..."

His voice had a magical power, slowly calming her down until she fell into a deep sleep again. And this time, she didn't dream.

When Bi Feixian woke up, the first thing she saw was the sky-blue bed curtains and a small sword, half a foot long, hanging on a sandalwood pillar. The scabbard was inlaid with two luminous pearls the size of longan. Just this one thing alone made her feel overwhelmed by wealth.

She reached out and lifted the curtain to look outside. The elegant house was serene and quiet, filled with birdsong and the fragrance of flowers. Sunlight streamed in through the wide-open window, where two young women were sitting, embroidering and talking softly. One of them turned around, saw that she was awake, and quickly stood up, saying, "Oh, Miss Bi is awake!"

The other woman immediately put down her embroidery and came over with a smile, "Miss Bi, are you feeling better? Is there anything else that's bothering you? Are you hungry? Would you like something to eat?"

Bi Feixian frowned slightly and asked, "Where is this? Who saved me?"

"This is Raven Hill. Our master saved you."

Crow Mountain? That sounds familiar… She suddenly remembered hearing Elder Feng mention in the council hall that a band of bandits had been eyeing Hantian City, but after the bandit king Shi Balong died and the strategist Bai Ya surrendered, peace was restored. Could their so-called master be Bai Ya? These two called her "Miss Bi," clearly recognizing her, but how would ordinary bandits know her identity?

Suspicion arose in his mind, and he immediately asked warily, "Who is your master? May I personally express my gratitude for saving my life?"

The two girls exchanged a glance and burst into laughter, their laughter carrying a hint of mystery. Bi Feixian was taken aback.

A young girl presented a box and said, "My master said that after Miss Bi sees this, she will know who he is."

Bi Feixian took the box, and the two girls giggled again, saying in unison, "Miss Bi must be hungry. We'll go and prepare some food for you." Then they left hand in hand.

How strange, their expressions were like watching a good show, with a hint of ambiguity. Could it be that the things in this box have some origin? She opened the box, and her expression changed from suspicion to a mixture of amusement and exasperation—it turned out to be that guy who liked to play tricks!

Picking up the glass hairpin from the box, I found a note underneath with the words: "When you attain enlightenment, your heart will be like glass."

Bi Feixian's eyelashes trembled, and her eyes immediately became hazy.

This phrase comes from the *Medicine Buddha Sutra*, specifically one of the twelve vows. The original text reads, "When I attain Bodhi in my next life, may my body be like lapis lazuli, clear and pure inside and out, without any blemish." The next life…the next life…is he implying that she has already died once, that the past is gone, and she should face a new beginning? However, to have a heart like lapis lazuli…how easy is that!

She found her shoes, put them on, and then pushed open the door and stepped outside. Sunlight instantly bathed her, warming her as if she were melting. The house was built on a hilltop, offering a panoramic view.

Bi Feixian bit her lip, made a decision in her heart, and turned to look for a way out. At this moment, the two girls returned with food and asked her, "Miss Bi, where are you going?"

"I want to go down the mountain."

The two girls were taken aback. "Why are you coming down the mountain? Miss Bi, the residual poison in your body hasn't been completely eliminated yet, you shouldn't move around too much..."

"Please tell your master that I have remembered his kindness, but I have things to do and must descend the mountain immediately." Bi Feixian glanced at the two of them and said firmly, "Don't stop me!"

The two girls looked at each other, unsure of what to do, and watched helplessly as she walked away.

Just as Bi Feixian reached the corner, a figure suddenly dangled down from above like a bat, grinning and saying, "Even if you want to force me to show myself, you don't have to use this method, do you?"

Bi Feixian took a few steps back in surprise, staring at the person as if she had seen a ghost. The person raised an eyebrow, blinked, and landed steadily on the ground with a final somersault, saying, "What's with that expression? Are you unhappy to see me?"

Bi Fei sighed deeply and said in a low voice, word by word, "So that mysterious person really was you... Dai Kejian."

Standing before her at this moment was none other than Dai Kejian, who was supposedly confined to his study in the Dai residence, reflecting on his mistakes and anxiously awaiting the arrival of the imperial edict.

"Didn't you already guess it was me?" Dai Kejian grinned and teased, "You even brazenly barged in to look for the hairpin while I was taking a shower."

Seeing that Bi Feixian remained silent, he widened his eyes and deliberately feigned surprise, saying, "Really? Did you come in just to see me? Um... I know I have a great figure, but with your enthusiastic support, I'm really a little embarrassed..."

Sure enough, Bi Feixian frowned and tried to leave after hearing this, but Dai Kejian grabbed her arm and said, "Alright, enough joking. You can't go down the mountain now."

Bi Feiqian pursed her lips and said, "It's none of your business."

“I saved your life, so I have the right to do what I say!” Dai Kejian tightened his grip, speaking with a rare seriousness, “Once you leave this mountain, I won’t be able to protect you anymore.”

"I don't need your protection!" Bi Feixian flung his hand away, tears welling in her eyes. "Don't pretend to be kind, I don't appreciate it! You clearly knew my identity all along, and you knew my true purpose in coming to Hantian City... You know everything, yet you pretend you know nothing. You're even more terrifying than Huai Su! He at most endured seven years, but you've played dumb for eighteen! Everyone says that Old City Lord Dai was a hero, but he had a good-for-nothing son who's lecherous, a drunkard, vulgar, and mischievous. So many negative comments have successfully created the image of you as a good-for-nothing! You've worn so many masks, who knows when you're telling the truth and when you're lying... Protect me? How ridiculous! I treated you like that, I was your enemy, and yet you turn around and protect me?"

"Are you finished?" Dai Kejian asked calmly.

“I have nothing to say to you. If you think I owe you something and want revenge, that's fine, but wait until I've settled my personal matters. I'll give you an explanation then!” After saying that, Bi Feixian walked past him without looking back.

"What do you mean by private matters? Are you going back to Hantian City to find your cold-blooded and heartless father who would even abandon his own daughter? Or are you going back to Shenji Pavilion to find your master who had high hopes for you but was destined to be disappointed?"

Dai Kejian's cold words froze her in her tracks. Bi Feixian instinctively reached out and grabbed the wall, her voice trembling as she asked, "What are you saying?"

"Do I need to repeat myself?" Dai Kejian approached her, raising his eyebrows. "Huai Su has laid a net to find your body. Do you think you can reach Anluo City safely? Even if you do reach Anluo City, so what? Do you think Luo Su will soften his heart and regret what he did to you when he sees you?"

Upon hearing the name Luo Su, Bi Feixian turned completely pale. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but nothing came out.

Dai Kejian took a few more steps closer and pulled her hand down from the wall; her hand was icy cold.

"I don't understand, why would someone as smart as you have such unrealistic fantasies about someone like that? Just because he's your father?"

Bi Feixian raised her eyes and said softly, "Isn't this reason enough?"

Now it was Dai Kejian's turn to be taken aback.

“He is my father, his blood flows in my veins, and after my mother died, he was my only family in this world… Isn’t that reason enough?” Bi Feixian began to laugh, lighter than the wind. “I don’t understand why my father didn’t like my mother. Before she went mad, she was a very gentle and virtuous woman; I also don’t understand why my father didn’t like me. I was so obedient and well-behaved… Later, when I read Mencius’s ‘Heaven will entrust great responsibilities to those who are capable,’ I realized that the reason my father was so cold to me was perhaps because he thought I was a promising talent and wanted to hone me. After my mother died, my father knew that she had a relationship with my master, so he sent me to the Divine Mechanism Pavilion, instructing me to conceal my true identity and to be good to my master.” "Study. I waited at the Divine Mechanism Pavilion for a full ten years, so long that I thought I had been forgotten, abandoned. Then, your father sent a letter. Master sent me to Hantian City to assist you. On the way, I finally saw my father again. Ten years had passed, and that face had been etched into my mind, but when I actually saw him, I found he was no longer the handsome young man I remembered. He had aged, his face etched with the marks of time, and those wrinkles made me realize that his days on earth were numbered… But I didn't want to lose him! I had already lost my mother; I didn't want to lose my father too! So I agreed to his request to come to Hantian City, ostensibly to assist you, but actually to cooperate with Huai Su in seizing power."

Her voice turned cold again as she stared directly at Dai Kejian, saying, "Now you understand. I've never had any good intentions towards you from beginning to end. I was strict with you to embarrass you; I was lenient with you to corrupt you. Everything I did was to make it easier for Huaisu to bring you down. He didn't want to kill you, but he wanted to replace you in the best way possible, so he colluded with my father, promising to cede all the land of the Boshan lineage to Anluo City after the deed was done. So, Huaisu and I are in cahoots, Dai Kejian. We've ruined your reputation, and you're about to lose everything, and now you want to protect me? Ha! Haha! How ridiculous, how ridiculous..."

Dai Kejian tightened his grip on her hand; it was warm and dry. A warmth spread from her fingertips, rising to her heart, and Bi Feixian couldn't help but suppress her smile, becoming somewhat dazed.

"Don't you remember what I once said: From a young age, my mother taught me to always give way to girls, to please them and make them happy, even if it means suffering a little loss myself? Besides, there's nothing in this world that you can't give up. If it can win a girl's favor, especially the favor of the girl I like, then what's wrong with giving it to you?" His breath was gentle, like a spring breeze caressing the earth, warming not only her hands.

Bi Feixian lowered her eyes and murmured, "You're lying, you're lying, you can't be trusted... I don't believe you..."

"Otherwise, why do you think I would let you frame me when I already knew about your affair with Huai Su?"

Bi Feixian began to tremble.

Dai Kejian smiled and said, "Firstly, I don't value the position of City Lord of Hantian. I'm a playful person and can't stand being tied down, but my father insisted on passing the position to me and died before giving me a chance to refuse. I had no choice but to take the position. To be honest, no matter how you look at it, Huai Su is indeed more suitable to be the city lord than I am; secondly, do you know why Huai Su is so sick?"