Le Premier ministre stupéfiant

Chapitre 15

New story, new novel! Thank you all for your support, brothers and sisters. I'll just keep updating to express my gratitude. *bows*

Volume One: Ten Years in the Jianghu, Chapter Thirty

"Since you've said that, you must have prepared reasons that I can't help but believe. Well, if it were me, I wouldn't want to put such a beauty in danger unless absolutely necessary." Mo Xibei stuffed the pastry into his mouth. This white jade pastry was a type of dessert that originated from the palace. It was made primarily with milk, with various dried fruit crumbs added, and the filling was made by mixing milk and butter. It was meticulously crafted and made with plenty of ingredients. It was crispy when you first tasted it, and after melting, the aroma of milk and the sweetness of dried fruit lingered for a long time, making her squint her eyes in satisfaction. Her fingertips gently tapped the table to the accompaniment of the zither music. After a while, she said, "The Shaolin disciples died without cause. It's been a rare quiet night. They must have called in people from all over, and they'll naturally find that we're not here. Then someone will find this place, and we'll obviously have been drinking and carousing here all night. What a carefree young man! Haha... Everything was in your plan. So, who killed Liu Yizhou? What is the connection between all the things that happened on the way to Luoyang and his death?"

"Brother Mo is a man of meticulous thinking; I suppose you guessed there must be a reason for this long ago." Chu Junfeng put down his wine cup, sighed slightly, but did not immediately answer Mo Xibei's question.

"Don't flatter me. I've already said, I'm just a businessman, an ordinary businessman who only cares about money and doesn't want to think about anything else. The martial arts world has nothing to do with me. I only came to Henan Prefecture for dried duck. But I'm also quite stupid. Since I met you, one bad thing after another has happened. First, there was that inexplicable tragedy on the water, then my precious ship was blown to pieces, and then I became the son-in-law of the martial arts alliance leader. Now, I'm about to be sold out and I'm still helping the seller count the money. Tell me, I've already suffered so much. In the end, shouldn't I die knowing the truth?" Mo Xibei smiled self-deprecatingly as he finished this long string of words.

“Talking to Brother Mo is so effortless,” Chu Junfeng’s expression changed, and he suddenly laughed heartily. He was naturally handsome, and this laugh was like the sun breaking through the clouds, instantly brightening the hearts of everyone in the room. However, Mo Xibei’s heart sank to the bottom after this brightening. The dangers of the martial world and the wickedness of people’s hearts had long remained in books. In her more than ten years in this world, she had seen many hypocrites and villains. What they were after was nothing more than money. Problems that could be solved with money were not big problems. This was Mo Xibei’s principle in life, so she still lived happily. But the person in front of her, this chivalrous man who seemed so calm and collected at first glance, was now truly unfathomable and incomprehensible. Thinking this way, Mo Xibei felt a sudden loss of interest. With a wave of her hand, a window was pushed open with her true energy. The night was still hazy, and the moon had quietly hung in the western sky, while the stars twinkled and shone brightly.

"The affairs of the martial world are left to the martial world to handle. I am not a member of the martial world, nor do I intend to get involved in its affairs. Brother Chu, could you please be lenient and let me off the hook?" Mo Xibei asked. In fact, he knew that he had already waded into these muddy waters, and it would be difficult to extricate himself.

"Believe it or not, the moment I first saw you on the canal that day, I felt you were someone I could travel with, and I still feel that way today. Involving you in these江湖恩怨 (jianghu grievances) wasn't my intention; call it a twist of fate, call it destiny's cruel joke." At this point, Chu Junfeng suddenly reached out and grasped Mo Xibei's hand, his gaze intense. "Xibei, the reason I asked you to meet today is simply so you can understand that things aren't entirely as you think. My loss in the arena did have an element of intentionality because I received an important message, and compared to Murong Lianyun, that message was more important to me. Therefore, I had to let go at the last moment. As for what happened on the canal, and what happened with Liu Yizhou tonight, I can only say that these things were purely accidental for me. Are you willing to believe me?"

Mo Xibei was momentarily stunned. Chu Junfeng's palm was warm, and as they clasped hands, her own hands seemed even colder. The table Li Qingchen had prepared for them wasn't large, so naturally, she didn't have enough distance to avoid Chu Junfeng's gaze. Seeing is believing, hearing is deceiving, Mo Xibei told herself. However, at this moment, another self in her heart, the one she called intuition, was urging her to trust him this once, just this once.

Fortunately, Chu Junfeng didn't say anything more. He simply withdrew his hand, sat quietly opposite him, and drank one cup of wine after another.

The Daughter's Red wine, aged over sixteen years, had a pure and mellow aroma. Mo Xibei, who was not a heavy drinker, was drawn in by the aroma and couldn't help but take a sip. Just as he was pondering what to say, he heard a jumble of footsteps coming from the alley in the distance.

Both she and Chu Junfeng couldn't help but look out the window. Of course, the people coming were still far away and they couldn't see them at all. However, their ears had already reported the situation to their master. There were about a hundred people outside. Their footsteps were heavy and light, indicating that the people coming were of different levels of martial arts. Their breathing was also different, indicating that they came from different sects. It was probably because after the murder, they counted the number of people and found that she and he were not there. They probably asked Tian Xin and then came here.

By the time the chaotic footsteps reached downstairs, Mo Xibei had already drunk half a pot of wine, her face slightly flushed. Only after everyone had gone upstairs did she stand up, swaying slightly.

"Young Master Mo, you're in high spirits! You haven't even married your wife yet, and you're already eager to come to this brothel to enjoy the pleasures of having two wives." Leading the way was Murong Songtao, his brows slightly furrowed as he remained silent. But behind him, someone spoke in a sarcastic tone as soon as they came upstairs, the remark dripping with sarcasm. Mo Xibei turned her head slightly. She vaguely recognized the speaker; it was Jiang Jie, the legendary Qingcheng disciple who had been rejected in his marriage proposal.

"Greetings, Father-in-law." Mo Xibei smiled, bowed deeply, then stood up and looked up, feigning bewilderment, saying, "On such a fine night, why are you all here instead of resting and preparing for battle?"

"I haven't even asked you why you came here. Where do you think Yun'er's face is going?" Murong Songtao glared, his voice authoritative without being angry, suppressing the whispers behind him.

"Reporting to my father-in-law, this is a good place to drink. It's quiet and there are few people. Master Chu invited me here to drink, discuss swordsmanship, and listen to some music. It's just for the sake of elegance," Mo Xibei said calmly.

"I doubt the elegance, but the flirtatiousness is certainly real. However, I've heard that Young Master Mo originally ran a brothel, so it's no wonder he finds this place elegant." Jiang Jie's voice rose again, full of sarcasm. Mo Xibei sighed inwardly. No wonder this guy had failed to win his hand in marriage so many times. He was so impatient. What good daughter would want to marry such a man?

Volume One: Ten Years of Wandering the Jianghu, Chapter Thirty-One

"I doubt the elegance, but the flirtatiousness is certainly real. However, I've heard that Young Master Mo originally ran a brothel, so it's no wonder he finds this place elegant." Jiang Jie's voice rose again, full of sarcasm. Mo Xibei sighed inwardly. No wonder this guy had failed to win his hand in marriage so many times. He was so impatient. What good daughter would want to marry such a man?

"Jie'er, don't talk nonsense." Liu Ruchen, the leader of the Qingcheng Sect, had been standing in the crowd waiting to watch the show. When he heard his disciple, consumed by jealousy, veer off-topic, he quickly intervened. A murder had occurred that night, and the investigation had just begun. Everyone from all the sects was present except for Mo Xibei and Chu Junfeng. Mo Xibei's maid had no idea why her master wasn't in his room. Although Chu Junfeng's page calmly claimed they were drinking there, there was much to be done in matters of life and death. If handled properly, it could kill two birds with one stone. Not only would Mo Xibei and Chu Junfeng be in trouble, but Murong Songtao would also be implicated.

"Yes, it's no secret that I started out running a brothel. Professions aren't inherently noble or lowly; it's just a matter of different roles. What distinguishes high and low is the human heart. Take this dynasty for example, even the founding emperor was once a beggar and a monk. Even sages say that a hero's origins shouldn't be questioned. Of course, such profound philosophy isn't something even a bear or sparrow can comprehend. It's not surprising that Young Master Jiang would say this." Mo Xibei wasn't stupid, so he didn't let the topic drop. He glanced at Jiang Jie and continued, "Buddha said, 'A pure heart is pure, a dirty heart is impure.' Brother Chu and I find this place peaceful and comfortable, while Young Master Jiang sees it as a place of worldly pleasures. What can we do about it?"

"You—!!!" Jiang Jie was so angry he jumped up and down, but was silenced by a sharp look from Liu Ruchen. At this moment, Murong Songtao said, "Northwest, were you and Hero Chu here all night? Why didn't you say anything when you went out? Even your maid didn't know where you went?"

“Father-in-law, you don’t know this, and I shouldn’t say it, but since you asked, I can’t hide it. It’s just that Lianyun and I traveled together for a few days. Women get along better and don’t hide anything from each other. Although I am pure of heart, my girl may not think so. She is eager to make a good impression on the madam, and if she adds fuel to the fire, it will only cause trouble. Besides, drinking at night is not a big deal. Where the master goes, there is no need to tell the girl, is there?” Mo Xibei looked completely innocent. Chu Junfeng also said to Murong Songtao, “Senior Murong, this is all my fault. I just wanted to find a quiet place to discuss martial arts with Brother Mo. Because I was unfamiliar with the city, I sent Tianxin to ask around and found out that Qingchenju was the most elegant place in Henan Prefecture at night. I didn’t think too much about it and just made an appointment to come. I didn’t expect such a small matter to disturb so many seniors and friends in the martial arts world.”

“You young people, where you drink and chat is a minor matter,” Murong Songtao waved his hand, “but tonight something really serious has happened. Looking around, only the two of you are missing. One of you is a distinguished guest I invited, and the other is my future son-in-law. I have to give my friends in the martial arts world an explanation.”

"Something big has happened. What big thing?" Mo Xibei and Chu Junfeng were both taken aback and asked quickly.

"The Shaolin disciple Liu Yizhou was murdered at the foot of Mangshan Mountain. Do you two really not know, or are you just putting on an act?" Seeing that no one spoke up, and a few people even glanced at his disciple with slight disdain, Liu Ruchen couldn't help but ask coldly.

"Now you know, who killed him?" Mo Xibei nodded, glanced at Chu Junfeng beside him, and then asked.

"I'd have to ask you two to find out," Jiang Jie said, picking up where his master left off.

"Ask us? Young Master Jiang's words are getting stranger and stranger. You didn't even inform us before you killed him, and now you're sending someone to ask us?" Mo Xibei sneered. "What kind of logic is that?"

"Who said I killed someone?" Jiang Jie said anxiously. "Everyone knows that I am no match for Senior Brother Liu."

"Oh, so you're no match for him? That means if you were his match, you'd be prepared to kill him?" Mo Xibei chimed in, secretly chuckling to herself. This kind of unreasonable and sophistry was innate to her; she wasn't afraid of anyone.

"You—!!!" Jiang Jie's hand was on the hilt of his sword, about to strike, but Liu Ruchen stopped him. "Jie'er, what right do you have to speak here? Step back." After speaking to his disciple, Liu Ruchen turned his head. "If Young Master Mo didn't kill anyone, why is he so eager to shift the blame onto my foolish disciple?"

"What Headmaster Liu said makes me even more confused. According to your reasoning, if you didn't kill anyone, why did you and your disciple insist that I kill the Shaolin friends?" Mo Xibei's eyes darted around. "Or perhaps you not only want to frame me, but also to put my father-in-law in an unjust position?"

"Alright!" As soon as Mo Xibei finished speaking, Liu Ruchen's face turned as white as she had wished. Murong Songtao, who had been silent for a while, also spoke up at the right time, stopping the argument that could have turned into a long debate. "Bei'er, how can you speak to your senior like that? Headmaster Liu has led the Qingcheng Sect for many years and is a famous hero in the martial arts world. How could he frame you or put his father in an unjust position? It was all a misunderstanding. You should apologize to Headmaster Liu."

As soon as Murong Songtao spoke, everyone present understood the implication. He referred to Mo Xibei as "Bei'er" and called himself "father," clearly indicating his stance to everyone. Although he hadn't yet married his daughter, he treated Mo Xibei like a son. A father naturally trusts his son, and his demand for an apology from Mo Xibei was merely a way to save face for Liu Ruchen, giving him a way out. Liu Ruchen also understood that if Mo Xibei could so easily reveal his thoughts, Murong Songtao could too. He suspected Murong Songtao was now suspicious of him. He knew about today's events; his disciple had tried to take advantage of the situation to vent his past anger. He hadn't expected his usually clever disciple to fail so miserably, not only losing out but also getting pecked in return. Feeling indignant, and thinking of his incompetent disciple, he turned and glared fiercely at Jiang Jie.

Mo Xibei, having won a great victory, stepped forward and gave Liu Ruchen a seemingly sincere apology with a grin. However, he then caught sight of Chu Junfeng, who had been standing aside watching the commotion. He felt annoyed and cursed the cunning and treacherous fellow in front of him.

Volume One: Ten Years in the Jianghu, Chapter Thirty-Two

Mo Xibei, having won a great victory, stepped forward and gave Liu Ruchen a seemingly sincere apology with a grin. However, he then caught sight of Chu Junfeng, who had been standing aside watching the commotion. He felt annoyed and cursed the cunning and treacherous fellow in front of him.

When they returned to Murong Manor, Liu Yizhou had already been carried back and placed in the main hall. The two sword wounds on his body looked unremarkable, and it was impossible to discern which sect he belonged to. While there weren't many people in the hall who could have injured Liu Yizhou without his knowledge, there were still quite a few, leading to inevitable speculation and a heated argument that lasted until dawn. Since the competition was to continue, Murong Songtao stepped forward, promising to investigate thoroughly and provide an explanation. He asked everyone to go back and rest for a while to prepare for today's match. Upon hearing this, those with ulterior motives immediately left, while those who had been deliberately causing trouble, who were only there to stir up trouble, also left, fearing they would be exposed. After a short while, only the Shaolin disciples remained in the hall.

Mo Xibei was the first to leave. She had many questions in her mind, but she couldn't find the right direction to think about them. The hall was crowded and noisy, which gave her a headache. However, since Murong Songtao hadn't spoken, she couldn't just leave. So, as soon as she heard that she could go back to rest, she was the first to turn around and go back to her residence.

Compared to the outside, it was very quiet here. The rising sun gilded everything in the courtyard. Mo Xibei casually pushed open the door, which was ajar. She remembered that when she left, the door was closed. Of course, after the incident, someone came looking for her, and perhaps the door wasn't closed properly then. Thinking this, she stepped inside, then suddenly spun around, her fingertips pinching her throat, and she caught something cold.

“Miss Rongrong, swords are for hurting people, not for playing with. Such jokes are not funny so early in the morning.” Mo Xibei pushed the tip of the sword with his finger, raised his eyes, and flashed his sharpness, signaling Rongrong, who had suddenly jumped out of the door and was glaring at him, to put away her sword.

“Nobody’s joking with you. You’re not even married to my young lady yet, and you’re already going to brothels to have your fun. My young lady can tolerate it, but we can’t.” Rongrong said righteously, refusing to back down.

"You said your young lady was patient, and she accepted it. Who do you think you are, meddling in other people's business?" Mo Xibei raised an eyebrow and became less polite. Rongrong didn't even see Mo Xibei's movements clearly. She only felt a blur before her eyes, and the sword in her hand clattered to the ground. Mo Xibei had already entered the house.

Beside the bed, Murong Lianyun sat with tears streaming down his face, looking pitiful. Hearing the noise, he looked up and saw Rongrong stamping her feet and pouting, her sword falling to the ground. In an instant, he could no longer stop his tears. He looked at Mo Xibei and said, "Brother Mo, do you hate me that much? If you hate me, why did you come to the arena to fight? Why did you agree to marry me?"

"Lianyun, where did this all begin?" Mo Xibei rubbed his temples hard, feeling a headache coming on. But he had to deal with the mess he had made. After weighing the situation in his mind, he knew that it was best to let things go for now. So he walked over and sat down next to Murong Lianyun, gently comforting her, "You heard that I went drinking last night. It was just drinking, and I wasn't alone. Why did you cry?"

“Li Qingchen is a beauty, isn’t she? That’s why you didn’t come back all night.” Murong Lianyun, who had stopped crying, started crying again upon hearing this.

"I couldn't see her through the screen, but no matter how beautiful she is, how can she compare to Lian Yun?" Mo Xibei thought to himself, but quickly said something nice.

"You didn't see her?" Murong Lianyun stopped crying again and looked up at Mo Xibei.