Su Xiaoying said, "From what you've said, Xie Yuanlan seems to be a good person?"
Yi Mei said, "He doesn't refine the wrong flower pills, and that alone makes me not dislike him much."
Su Xiaoying asked, "Then, should we go to Banshao Manor to inquire about the wrong flower painting from twenty years ago?"
Yi Mei nodded and said, "That's right."
To the west of Ganzi City lies a continuous range of small hills, their rocks uniquely shaped. Though low in height, the hills are rugged and covered with ancient vines, creating a breathtaking landscape. Most remarkably, cold springs cascade down from the mountains on all sides, converging into a single depression. The springs flow year-round, never overflowing in rain nor drying up in drought, their beauty indescribable. Though only a small amount, they evoke the vastness of rivers and lakes.
Legend has it that when Xie Yuanlan was planning this land, he specially invited a feng shui master for guidance. The master praised the place highly, but had doubts about the water. It wasn't that the water was bad, but that it was too good—the moon wanes after it's full, and nothing should be too perfect. So he advised him to fill in a corner and name the village "Half a Spoon".
After Xie Yuanlan moved into the manor, everything went smoothly. Twenty years ago, a great calamity struck the martial world, causing widespread turmoil, but he survived unscathed. In the aftermath of the chaos, masters were few and far between, and prestigious families declined, allowing his Banshao Manor to firmly establish itself as one of the four great manors of the martial world.
In Su Xiaoying's mind, such a famous family should be bustling with guests, with servants constantly coming and going at the manor gate. However, this Banshao Manor was eerily deserted! Su Xiaoying knocked on the gate more than a dozen times, but not a single servant came to answer.
Yi Mei also frowned.
Su Xiaoying asked, "Could it be that you've gone out?"
Yi Mei said, "Such a grand place, doesn't it even have a gatekeeper?"
Su Xiaoying said, "But is there really no one here...?"
He was only halfway through his sentence when the vermilion gates of Banshao Manor suddenly burst open with a "whoosh," and more than a dozen men carrying spears and canes leaped out. Among them, a young man in brocade robes, holding a long sword, rushed to the front. He was slightly taken aback when he saw Yi Mei and a woman, but then he caught sight of Han Guang hanging at Yi Mei's waist. His expression changed drastically, and he shouted, "Assassin Yi Mei!"
Su Xiaoying was startled and looked at Yimei with a puzzled expression, asking, "Have you offended them before?"
Yi Mei glared and said, "I don't even know what Xie Yuanlan looks like, how could I have offended him?" But after saying that, she suddenly slapped her forehead, as if she remembered something, and said, "I heard that Xie Yuanlan's daughter is Wu Yifeng's fiancée, and the two of them are about to get married. That Wu Yifeng... this..."
Yi Mei hesitated for a moment and didn't continue.
Su Xiaoying couldn't help but say, "Why didn't you say so sooner!"
Yi Mei said, "I forgot."
However, the situation was not quite like that. Before Yi Mei arrived at Banshao Manor, no one knew that she had arrived, and there was no announcement yet. Yet this group of people were fully armed, which showed that they had been prepared in advance.
The young man in brocade robes sneered, "Have you come here because of the 'Mismatched Flower Painting'?"
Yi Mei was already suspicious, and his question only amplified her doubts, but she simply said, "That's right."
When the group saw that she had agreed so casually, their expressions changed drastically. The young man in brocade gave a soft shout, and with a "whoosh," a circle was formed, surrounding the two of them.
A cold smile appeared on Yi Mei's lips as her right hand rested on the hilt of Han Guang's sword.
Suddenly, a sharp shout rang out: "Killer Yi Mei!" A woman rushed out like a madwoman, her momentum so great that half of her hair bun came undone. The hatred in her eyes burned like flames, and with the force of her charge, she thrust her long sword toward Yi Mei with a "whoosh."
Both swords were extremely fast. In the blink of an eye, only two black and white sword shadows flashed by. With a "clang", the woman quickly stepped back. After she came to a stop, her face turned extremely pale. Several strands of black hair fell from the air. Her large lock of hair had been decisively cut off. If she hadn't retreated quickly, half of her head would probably have fallen to the ground by now.
The young man in brocade robes lunged forward, his swordsmanship even faster than the woman's. However, in the blink of an eye, he let out a muffled groan and swiftly leaped back, revealing a bright red spot on his forehead.
The young man's face turned even more ashen than the woman's, his complexion was ashen, and his lips trembled uncontrollably. However, he still held his sword very steadily, displaying the demeanor of a descendant of a prestigious family.
These two suffered a loss, and everyone in the circle tensed up, gripping their weapons tightly, ready to attack together.
Suddenly a deep voice shouted, "Stop!"
Su Xiaoying turned around and saw a man in his fifties, with a lean build and refined appearance, whose eyes revealed a hint of authority. The group of people stopped at the sound of his voice and said, "Master!"
Xie Yuanlan was in his early fifties. His Divine Wind Swift Sword had been famous for forty years. Some people said that there were only four swift swords in the martial arts world: Honglou, Hanguang, Divine Wind, and Wuming. This ranking was not in any particular order. Apart from Honglou Sword, which had disappeared for a long time, the other three swords were currently dominating the martial arts world. Wuming was the nameless long sword in Fu Daiyue's hand.
At Xie Yuanlan's age, with his reputation and family fortune, he should be enjoying a peaceful and happy life, with no worries at all. However, he stood there with his brows furrowed, as if he were thinking about something that could never be resolved. His brows not only showed deep concern but also seemed to carry a hint of sadness.
However, when he looked at Yi Mei, he showed a polite smile and said, "I have long admired Miss Mei's name. It is an honor to meet you today."
Yi Mei rolled her eyes, turned her head and said coldly, "My surname is Dong."
The assassin Yi Mei was very famous, but few people knew her surname. Xie Yuanlan smiled slightly and then changed his address to "Miss Dong, I've heard so much about you."
Yi Mei sneered, "There's no need for such nonsense as 'I've heard so much about you.' Let's get this over with. I'm quite good at killing people, especially this morning."
Xie Yuanlan said, "That's fine. But may I ask Miss Dong, who sent that invitation?"
Yi Mei sneered, "Kill me if you want, what's with all this talk about posts? I never send out posts when I kill someone."
Xie Yuanlan was taken aback and asked, "You don't know about the post? Who are you here to kill today?"
Yi Mei coldly said, "I didn't intend to kill anyone today, but killing two or three of them wouldn't be a big deal. Draw your sword now!"
Xie Yuanlan was taken aback again, and asked again, "You didn't kill Xie Chuanshu?"
Yi Mei also became suspicious and said coldly, "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just here to inquire about something."
The young woman shrieked, "What wicked business have you come to inquire about! Assassin Yi Mei! You killed my husband, I will never let you get away with this!" She brandished her sword, ready to attack again. Xie Yuanlan shouted, "Look at Yi Mei!" Then he turned to Yi Mei and asked, "Miss Dong, what business do you have here to inquire about?"
Yi Mei said, "A painting of mismatched flowers."
Xie Yuanlan's expression, which had just begun to calm down, suddenly changed again, and she said, "Wrong Flower Painting!"
Yi Mei said, "I just wanted to ask you about the wrong flower painting from twenty years ago."
Xie Yuanlan said, "Things have changed, why are you asking this?"
Yi Mei thought for a moment and said, "There is a girl in Ganzi City who has been born with a birthmark. Her father and I have a history. I just want to find out what happened."
Xie Yuanlan's face was filled with disbelief, as if all color had drained from her body in an instant, even her lips had turned blue. It took her a very long time to calm down. Then she said to Yi Mei, "Miss Dong, please come into my humble abode for a seat, shall we?"
Yi Mei sneered, "I don't want to go in now, sorry."
Xie Yuanlan was slightly taken aback and said, "My son and daughter were rude, but there is indeed a reason behind it. Please forgive them, Miss Dong. I believe Miss Dong is not a narrow-minded person."
Yi Mei said, "You're wrong. Women's hearts are always very narrow."
Xie Yuanlan sighed and slowly said, "The grass is piled up in the evening clouds at Qingyunpu, the weary pole hastily goes without stopping, a hundred years of homeland abandoned in a single day, and the Misunderstood Flower Picture appears in Hedong. The Misunderstood Flower Picture is truly no small matter. I urge Miss Dong to condescend to come to the manor, and I will tell you the truth about it."
He had been very polite in his words, but unfortunately, Yi Mei was never one to be swayed by either soft or hard tactics. Just as she was about to refuse outright, Su Xiaoying suddenly said, "Alright, please lead the way, Master."
Xie Yuanlan then noticed Su Xiaoying and, somewhat puzzled, asked Yi Mei, "And who is this...?"
Su Xiaoying quickly replied, "My name is Su Xiaoying, and I am a servant hired by Miss Dong."
Misunderstanding Flower Medicine
It was late spring, and the Banshao Manor was bustling with activity, its winding corridors and vibrant flowers creating a lively atmosphere. Yet, despite its size, the manor was surprisingly sparsely populated with servants. As they entered, apart from the few people who had come with them, they didn't see a single other person.
After the guests and hosts were seated, a maidservant served tea. Xie Yuanlan said, "This tea is called Purple Bamboo Shoot. The buds and leaves are tender and slightly purple, curled like bamboo shoots. The tea soup is green and fragrant, comparable to orchids. My daughter brought it back from the south last year. It is only served to distinguished guests—Miss Dong, please."
Yi Mei asked, "Is that the young lady from Wuyi Peak who was supposed to marry just now?"
Xie Yuanlan remained expressionless and said, "That's right."
Yi Mei said, "I can't really tell the difference between good and bad tea. Why don't you tell me about the wrong flower painting, Master?"
Xie Yuanlan smiled slightly and said, "It's a long story. Let's have some tea while we talk."
Yi Mei picked up her teacup, took a sip, and indeed found it very fragrant, but she couldn't quite put her finger on why it was so good. She thought to herself that this was just the kind of thing that rich people did to be particular, and then she smiled.
After drinking his tea, Xie Yuanlan slowly said, "'Ten years of serving my hometown, abandoned in a single day; the Misunderstanding of Flowers Appears in Hedong.' Twenty years ago, the Misunderstanding of Flowers almost caused chaos throughout the land. Even now, thinking about it still makes one shudder!"
He paused here, sighed, and said, "The 'Incorrect Flower Diagram' appeared in the martial world overnight. No one knows where the first 'Incorrect Flower Diagram' started circulating, nor who refined the first 'Incorrect Flower Pill.' It seems that the 'Incorrect Flower Diagram' has spread throughout the martial world overnight."
Yi Mei asked, "Weren't there any signs at all?"
Xie Yuanlan smiled bitterly: "What kind of signs are needed for this kind of thing? In the beginning, because the wrong flower pills harmed the lives of innocent children, several senior scholars jointly issued a decree listing the alchemists as heretics and ordering their execution. However, not long after the decree was issued, it was discovered that the matter was out of control. First, the martial arts skills of those who took the wrong flower pills improved by leaps and bounds; second, the disciples and nephews of these senior masters also began to take the wrong flower pills."
Xie Yuanlan paused, took a sip of tea, and said, "So these senior masters, in the spirit of fairness in the martial world, agreed to gather at Qile Hall in Zhongzhou to discuss countermeasures."
Yi Mei gave a cold laugh and said sarcastically, "This kind of countermeasure based on the principles of fairness in the martial arts world is generally something that cannot be discussed and agreed upon."
Xie Yuanlan was slightly taken aback and said, "Miss Dong's words seem a bit harsh."
Yi Mei sneered, "The harshest words are the truth."
Xie Yuanlan smiled slightly and continued, "Those who gathered at Qile Hall at that time were all top-tier masters. The head of Qile Hall, Tang Duoling, possessed a left-handed flower-picking skill that was said to be unparalleled. It was said that there was nothing in the world that he could not crush. His Goose Wing Step was unmatched in the martial arts world, and even an eagle or a rabbit could not match his speed when he performed it. However, he was not the best among them. There were at least two masters who were above him. One of them was Ye Mingdang, whose Pipa Three Yin Finger technique was so skillful that his fingernails were pure black yet crystal clear, and he had already reached the realm of Yin and Yang in harmony. The other was Shui Zhenhong, whose Startling Moon Sword Technique was enough to shake the heavens and the earth."
He paused here, and then Yi Mei said, "I've heard about this before. These masters actually died together in Qile Hall."
Xie Yuanlan sighed, "It's said that there were eleven people at the gathering, including the Master of Healing Xiao Guanyin, the White Copper Knife Sun Zhongsan, the Wooden Fish Master... In short, they were all unparalleled masters of their time. What a pity! Alas..."
Xie Yuanlan's gaze was heavy as he stared at the unknown place ahead. He continued, "These experts gathered here to discuss a strategy, but unexpectedly, a major disturbance occurred. As for how this disturbance started, no one knows for sure. Afterwards, various rumors circulated. My guess is that, apart from the grandmasters who founded their own sects, most of these experts are solitary and arrogant, and may not be willing to cooperate. Moreover, people like Ye Mingdang are difficult to distinguish between good and evil, and may not object to taking the Wrong Flower Pill. In short, this gathering did not go smoothly."
Yi Mei sneered, "Are you parting on bad terms?"
Xie Yuanlan said, "It's fine if we part on bad terms, but it shouldn't have led to such a disaster."
Yi Mei asked, "What great calamity?"
Xie Yuanlan said, "Perhaps there was a disagreement at the meeting, and somehow these people started fighting. Miss Dong only needs to think about how fierce that battle was to understand seven or eight tenths of the extent of the carnage. Three days later, a huge fire broke out on the ground, and the fire was so fierce that it burned Qile Hall to the ground. From then on, Qile Hall in Zhongzhou disappeared without a trace. Not only that, all the experts who attended the meeting vanished without a trace, like bubbles blown into water, disappearing in the blink of an eye with a 'poof'. These people were like a dream, as if they had never existed. Later, some people went to search the ruins of Qile Hall and only found some charred bone fragments and a few pieces of weapons that were not easily burned out."
Yi Mei was startled and asked, "Aren't there any survivors?"
Xie Yuanlan said, "There is one survivor."
Yi Mei asked, "Who?"
Xie Yuanlan said, "This person—" He paused for a moment, as if to set the mood, before slowly saying, "You must have heard of Meijian Wuyou."
Yi Mei exclaimed in surprise, "Master Wuyou!"
As soon as those four words were uttered, the two fell into an unusual silence, and the living room became completely quiet, the atmosphere seeming somewhat strange.
After a while, Yi Mei said, "This matter is widely circulated in the martial arts world, but there are many different versions of it. I have never paid attention to it before. I only know that apart from these top masters, ordinary martial arts practitioners, and even villagers and citizens who do not know martial arts, have suffered more from the Mistake Flower Diagram."
Xie Yuanlan sighed, "That's right. Families with little girls live in constant fear, and many families are destroyed because of a little girl. Martial artists will do anything to buy a 'Mistake Flower Painting'—they will betray their teachers and friends, even sell their wives and children."
Yi Mei asked, "So, what exactly does the 'Incorrect Flower Painting' look like, and why is it called the 'Incorrect Flower Painting'?"
Xie Yuanlan said, "The 'Cuohua Tu' is just a prescription, which records the method of making a pill. Because it is written on a silk painting, it is called a 'Tu'. As for why it is called that, it is because the person who wrote this prescription was named 'Cuohua'."
Yi Mei asked curiously, "A person's name?"
Xie Yuanlan said, "I have seen the 'Mistake Flower Picture' before. The prescription recorded in that picture is signed with this name."
Yi Mei asked, "Since it's just a prescription, it's easy for people to copy it, so how could a single image be worth a fortune?"
Xie Yuanlan said, "Miss Dong, you may not know this, but the 'Inlaid Flower Painting' is exquisitely crafted, truly a masterpiece. The characters on the painting are not made with ordinary ink, but with a medicinal ingredient. When making elixirs according to the painting, the painting needs to be immersed in boiling water, and the characters will automatically wash off. It is also a medicinal ingredient."
Yi Mei asked, "What kind of medicine is that?"
Xie Yuanlan sighed, "I just don't know the origin of this medicine! After the Cuohua Tu scandal broke out, it alarmed the imperial court. It is said that many famous doctors in the Imperial Hospital studied it for several months, but they couldn't find a clue. More than a dozen doctors had more than a dozen different opinions. Later, the imperial court made every effort to eradicate Cuohua Tu. Anyone who privately possessed it was implicated, and their entire family was punished. People in the martial arts world who refined Cuohua pills either died or were crippled. After a few years, the matter gradually faded away, and later almost no one mentioned it anymore."
Yi Mei remained silent, lost in thought. Xie Yuanlan said, "Besides this, there is another short poem beneath the painting of mismatched flowers."
Yi Mei asked, "Little Poem?"