He turned and called to Anping, then knelt down to take off Hua Chongyang's shoes and covered her with a soft fox fur quilt. Hua Chongyang yawned groggily, casually putting her arm around her ancestor's waist and chuckling softly.
"I thought you didn't know how to serve people."
Before he finished speaking, Anping pushed open the door and entered the room. He first put down the teapot and then walked behind Mr. Zu:
"Master, please change your clothes."
Hua Chongyang stared in disbelief as Zu Xian casually raised his hand, allowing Anping to remove his fox fur coat, loosen his belt and clothes, kneel down to take off his boots, and finally bring him a clean, white undergarment to put on. After Anping left, she sat up from the bed and grabbed the sleeve of Zu Xian's undergarment:
"If Anping sees you giving me slippers, he'll definitely try to kill me with a knife."
Zu Xian didn't speak, only looked at her gentle smile, and after a long while touched the end of her hair:
"I've been saying I'm sleepy the whole way, you should get some sleep."
Hua Chongyang shrank back onto the couch, yawning and muttering to himself:
"When I woke up, you were gone again."
"I'm not going out today; I'll stay with you tonight. *cough*"
"...You're coughing again. Don't forget to take your medicine."
Hua Chongyang gave her instructions while closing her eyes. Zu Xian sat beside her, gently stroking her hair as he watched her sleep. After a while, there was a slight noise outside the window. He looked at Hua Chongyang without looking up and murmured softly:
"who?"
The door opened a crack, and Anping peeked inside, whispering, "Master, the manpower is ready."
Zu Xian didn't look up. After a moment's hesitation, he replied softly, "Yes. Go."
The door closed again.
Zu Xian gazed at Hua Chongyang for a long time, then lay down on the wooden couch, his long, slender, white index finger gently tracing her brow, and he murmured in a hoarse voice:
"...I want you to see only me."
25. Azure Sky Heart Method
The next morning, Hua Chongyang was invited to Lake Moon Manor. Rong Chenfei had prepared an invitation and personally handed it to her, his face showing a gentle smile tinged with apology.
"Chongyang, I'm entrusting this matter to you."
Hua Chongyang simply smiled as he accepted the invitation:
"Senior Brother Rong, you're too kind."
Besides Ji Chong and Ji Feixiang, those present included Miao Yunshan, Xie Hongling, and the Shaolin monk Minghui. The highest seat, which should have been Situ Qingliu's, was now empty. Bo Jiang sat to the side of Rong Chenfei. Pin Lan, Situ Qingliu's bodyguard, stood at the door.
Beside Rong Chenfei was Bo Jiang, who arrived late in a blue silk dress, a smile playing on his lips as he sipped tea.
Hua Chongyang glanced around, a slight smile playing on her lips, and turned to leave. Pin Lan, standing at the door, clasped her hands in a fist salute to stop her.
"Sect Leader Hua."
Everyone was looking at him.
Pin Lan expressionlessly took a box from his pocket and handed it to Hua Chongyang:
"His Highness the Crown Prince asked me to bring this; please be sure to take it with you."
Hua Chongyang glanced at it curiously:
"What's this?"
"Lord of Gu."
Someone in the hall was gasping for breath.
Hua Chongyang frowned slightly:
"...Gu King?"
"This is the most potent poison among all Gu poisons in the world," Pinlan explained, holding the box. "A few days ago, a traitor from Lanying Palace stole it and presented it to His Highness the Crown Prince, claiming it was something that concerned the life of Pavilion Master Lan. The Crown Prince said that Sect Leader Hua should return it to Pavilion Master Lan."
Hua Chongyang hesitated for a moment, then took it:
"...Guard Lan, please convey my gratitude to the Crown Prince."
She wasn't an idiot; she knew that Situ Qingliu returned these things to help her. Taking them might increase her chances of returning alive. But what Situ Qingliu didn't know was that, no matter what, this trip was a losing proposition for her.
On a painted boat on West Lake, Hua Chongyang boarded, followed by a maid in a green robe who turned left and right until they arrived at a door. Inside, laughter and chatter filled the air. The maid gently knocked:
"Sect Master, Hua Chongyang requests an audience."
No one answered. After a moment, the maid knocked on the door again, raising her voice slightly:
"Master, Hua Chongyang of the Flower Sect requests an audience."
The sounds of singing, dancing, and laughter continued.
Hua Chongyang sneered, stepped forward, and kicked the door open.
The room fell silent. Hua Chongyang pushed aside the maid who tried to stop him and stepped inside. Directly opposite the door was a screen with several braziers beneath it; to the left of the screen were singing girls, and to the right were dancing girls. Behind the screen, a figure could be vaguely seen leaning against something.
A pair of maids in green immediately placed their swords against Hua Chongyang's neck.
Hua Chongyang stared straight at what was behind the screen.
After a long while, a black figure flashed out from one side of the screen. Lan Wuxie, draped in a black undergarment, walked to the screen and lightly raised his hand, instantly removing the sword from Hua Chongyang's neck. The door swung open, letting in a gust of cold wind that ruffled his long, disheveled hair. Lan Wuxie covered his mouth with his hand and let out a muffled groan, his golden mask tilting to the side.
"Hua Chongyang, have you thought this through?"
A maidservant stepped forward and draped a silver-embroidered blue brocade cloak trimmed with sable fur over his shoulders. Lan Wuxie casually waved the maidservant away and took a step back to sit in the armchair in front of the screen.
Hua Chongyang looked at him and took out an invitation from his sleeve:
"Lake Moon Villa asked me to send an invitation, inviting you to come forward."
Lan Wuxie raised her eyes.
The maid who handed him the cloak then took the invitation and gave it to him. He glanced at it only once before tossing it onto the table beside him and looking at Hua Chongyang:
"You rabble. I've already told you, if you come to see me again, that means you've agreed."
He leaned on the armrest, his black undergarment half-open, revealing his muscular chest; the pale skin contrasted eerily with the gold mask on his face. Hua Chongyang stared at him for a long time before letting out a barely perceptible sigh:
"I'll only agree to your request if you agree to two conditions."
"explain."
"First, tell me Yan Zhao's whereabouts. I want to see him alive or dead. Second, I want you to set one of your men free and never bother him again."
Beneath the golden mask lay a pair of deep, expressive eyes, alluring yet not seductive with their upturned corners. He slowly raised his gaze to Hua Chongyang, then cleared his throat:
"I'll only agree to one thing. You choose."
"I choose not to grant your request."
"Your life, and that old man's life, are as easy for me to take."
"Lan Wuxie, you are the most shameless person I have ever met."
Lan Wuxie turned his head slightly:
Which one do you want?
After lowering his eyes for a long time, Hua Chongyang said in a low voice:
"...I choose the first one."
Lan Wuxie's expression remained unchanged. After a moment, she slowly rose and walked back behind the screen.
"I can go to Lake Moon Villa at noon two days from now."
Bright sunlight streamed in, and Hua Chongyang stood in the doorway, watching the sunlight lengthen his shadow. The painted boat swayed gently on the water, and the shadows of the people on it swayed slightly as well. From behind the screen came a woman's flirtatious laughter, echoing the figure on the screen raising a cup:
"Does Master Lan want me to sing or dance?"
Hua Chongyang numbly curled the corners of his lips, turned around, and was about to step out the door when Lan Wuxie's deep voice came from behind him:
"Hua Chongyang, don't forget our promise."
Hua Chongyang paused, then stepped out the door without looking back. As his figure receded into the distance, a maidservant at the door frowned and approached the screen:
"Master, should we let her go?"
"Lanzhi doesn't understand. What if she runs away?"
After a long silence behind the screen, Lan Wuxie finally answered:
"She won't."
The sky had already darkened. In Ye Qinghua's room on the third floor of the brothel, Ye Qinghua had just woken from her afternoon nap and immediately saw Hua Chongyang sitting at the table. She put on her robe, walked over to the table, and shoved Hua Chongyang on the shoulder:
When did you arrive?
"Just arrived."
"Why haven't you come to visit me in so long? Is it because I didn't help you last time?"
Unexpectedly, Ye Qinghua brought it up so directly. Hua Chongyang smiled and shook his head:
"If you can help, you will definitely do so, why should I blame you?"
Ye Qinghua was taken aback, then gave a light sneer:
"It's rare to find someone as clever as you. But I also understand that you already consider me an outsider."
Flowers bloom silently on Double Ninth Festival.
Ye Qinghua glanced at her, lazily poured herself a bowl of tea, took a sip, and sighed softly:
"You won't even bother to cover it up? I don't blame you, I blame myself. I have my reasons for not being able to be considerate of you. But I also believe in your abilities. If you could be so easily bullied, you wouldn't be Hua Chongyang."
Is it belief in her abilities, or belief that that person won't harm her? Hua Chongyang didn't answer, only smiled faintly. Ye Qinghua poured herself another bowl of tea and drank it down in one gulp, replacing it with her usual lazy smile:
"People in the building said they saw you on the street last night."
She paused, glanced at Hua Chongyang out of the corner of her eye, and smiled radiantly.
"You, and a young man. Who are you?"
"Ahem, blue and white porcelain—"
Ye Qinghua stared at Hua Chongyang's expression, raised an eyebrow, sat up straight, and suppressed her smile:
"Hua Chongyang, don't tell me that man is Zu Xian."