Dou Akou gulped down a cup of tea, wiped her mouth, and recounted in detail how she had been imprisoned and how she had encountered Xu Liren and Ding Zisu.
Tang Xunzhen didn't react for a long time before suddenly slamming his fist on the table and jumping out to yell, "Damn it, that sissy is actually the Second Prince?! And he's even become the Emperor?!"
Gu Huaibi pressed her down: "Sit down. Akou's family is still in Xu Liren's hands, but we don't know what conditions he will offer in return. Akou, we don't know much about the affairs of the court, but your husband probably knows more. What about your husband? Let's hear what he has to say."
Dou Akou was dumbfounded: "Isn't Asin in Xiliebao?"
Gu Huaibi was shocked: "No! He parted ways with us in Qingyong City, saying he was going to prepare wedding gifts for Ding Baizhi's marriage and returned to Ziwei Qingdu. We haven't seen him since. I thought he was with you!"
Dou Akou felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave. She had been hoping and rushing for so long, and all she wanted to do was find Axin. But all she got in return was this deep disappointment!
Dou Akou could no longer hold back her tears and burst into sobs: "Xu... Xu Li said A Xin was here... A Xin is missing, and Father and Aunt are in prison..."
She cried louder and louder, releasing all the grievances and fears she had accumulated over the past few days.
Gu Huaibi and Tang Xunzhen exchanged a glance. The former coughed twice and turned his head away. Tang Xunzhen squatted down, took a handkerchief and wiped away Dou Akou's tears, coaxing her, "Akou, don't panic. Your senior brother and I are here. We're in Xilie Fort's territory. Let's see who dares to touch you."
Gu Huaibi casually added, "Ding Zisu isn't afraid of us. Akou's parents are in their hands, so even if Akou encounters us, it won't make a difference."
Upon hearing this, Dou Akou was overcome with grief and wept so much that she soaked Tang Xunzhen's handkerchief.
Tang Xunzhen gritted his teeth, wishing he could sew Gu Huaibi's mouth shut. Gu Huaibi finally realized what was happening, slapped his forehead in frustration, and then squatted down to coax Dou Akou: "Akou, since Xu Liren said that Jiu Xin is in Xilie Fort, there must be a reason. Don't worry, the martial arts tournament is tomorrow, and maybe Jiu Xin will show up."
Dou Akou gradually stopped crying. She had simply released the emotions she had been holding in for the past few days, and after crying, she immediately felt much better. She was simple-minded and optimistic. After thinking about it, she felt that Gu Huaibi's words made some sense, so she wiped away her tears and said in a hoarse voice, "Yes. I'll wait for Axin to appear. If Axin doesn't appear, I'll go find him. Once I find him, I'll go save my father and aunt."
Gu Huaibi and Tang Xunzhen sighed inwardly. Xu Liren becoming emperor, the Dou family being raided, Dou Jincai and his aunt being detained and used as bargaining chips, and Fu Jiuxin disappearing at the same time—this was no coincidence; it might have been a scheme laid out long ago. They all knew there were many hidden complexities involved, and the developments might be unexpected by everyone, yet only Dou Akou remained so simple and steadfast in her belief. Whether to call her naive or foolish was hard to say.
But if she weren't so simple and pure, how could Fu Jiuxin have fallen for her?
Ninth Brother
The martial arts tournament was held at the Gathering Heroes Platform in Xilie Fortress. Each martial arts sect occupied its designated spot, starting with its leader or their disciple, followed by their members.
Tang Xunzhen saw Dou Akou from afar and waved to her: "Akou! Over here!"
Dou Akou struggled through the crowd to reach Tang Xunzhen's side, only to find that she had taken a superb spot with a wide view of the entire Juxiatai.
Gu Huaibi stood behind the lord of Xilie Fortress, secretly glancing at Tang Xunzhen, then smiled slightly. Tang Xunzhen muttered "You're such a jerk," but his expression was quite pleased.
Seeing this, Dou Akou felt a pang of sadness, thinking of Fu Jiuxin who had disappeared.
The lord of Xilie Fortress gave a speech, essentially saying that this treasure hunt required the concerted efforts and cooperation of all factions in the martial arts world. He hoped everyone could set aside past grievances and personal interests, obey the lord's assigned responsibilities, and perform their duties accordingly. The distribution of the treasure would depend on what treasure was buried beneath Haohui City, and would then be discussed with the leaders of each faction. Siyou Kingdom was west of Huangchao, about half a month's journey from Xilie Fortress; this half-month was to be used by each faction to prepare supplies for the long journey.
After he finished speaking, he raised his arm and called out, and the martial arts practitioners below responded one after another. The disciples of the Gongsun Mo family said that Haohui City must have a secret, and it would not be able to function without the Gongsun Mo family; the disciples of the Pangbo Sect said that fifty years had passed, and the secret might have rusted and become useless, and they would still have to rely on the Pangbo Sect's flint to blast open the underground.
Everyone chatted enthusiastically, one after another. Although some had explored the treasures of Siyou Kingdom before and returned empty-handed, this time the entire martial arts world was involved, and with everyone's talents and enthusiasm high, they were sure to gain something. Although everyone knew in their hearts that the lion's share would definitely be taken by the major sects, it would still be good for the smaller sects to get some gold and silver.
On the Heroes' Gathering Platform, everyone was full of ambition and had a forthright personality. Soon, some people couldn't contain themselves and challenged old acquaintances from other sects to spar, and they started fighting each other on the platform.
Looking at the bustling scene, the head of the Li family laughed loudly and said to the lord of Xilie Fortress, "Lord Gu, in my opinion, with all the martial arts figures gathered here this time, our trip to Siyou Kingdom will surely be fruitful. I've heard that the famous sword Chu Shi, passed down through generations of the Lord of Haohui City, can shatter the sun and moon. If we find it, I wonder if the Lord would be willing to give it to my Li family?"
Lord Gu frowned. The Li family practiced spear fighting, so why did they need a sword? Just as he was about to say something, a long howl suddenly came from above the Gathering Heroes Platform.
The person who let out the long howl possessed extremely profound internal strength. Several disciples who were sparring were inadvertently disturbed by the howl, and their internal energy surged, causing them to vomit blood.
The whistling sound soared straight to the ninth heaven, sharp and loud like a thunderclap. After the whistling ended, the man laughed again: "Chu Shi is the national treasure of our Siyou Kingdom. You think you can just take it? You'll have to see if you have the ability!"
Gu Huaibi frowned, circulating his qi to avoid being disturbed by the whistling sound. He tried his best to discern where the mysterious person was making the sound, but upon closer examination, he could only feel that the sound was gathering from all directions, and he could not determine the location based on the sound.
He raised his voice and said loudly, "This junior is being disrespectful. Senior, would you please show yourself for a chat? Sneaking around is the behavior of a petty person and is truly despicable."
The voice replied, "Disgusting? You, the righteous sects of the martial arts world, gather together to discuss how to steal other people's wealth and divide the spoils, yet you call me disgusting? How utterly laughable!"
Everyone present was hit where it hurt, and they lost face. They got up cursing and wanted to find the mysterious person.
The mysterious man remained silent. Gu Huaibi looked around and suddenly caught a glimpse of a dark figure flashing past at the southwest corner of the Gathering Heroes Platform. Although it was only a very brief and swift moment, he managed to capture it.
"Stop!" He suddenly leaped up, about to give chase, when suddenly a silver needle flew out from the location of the Ding family of the Hundred Herbs Classic, piercing the pillar where the mysterious man had just landed. Then a purple shadow flew out, quickly chasing after the mysterious man's direction.
Dou Akou was watching this dramatic turn of events with her eyes wide open when suddenly she was grabbed and lifted into the air involuntarily.
"Ding Zisu, put me down!" She turned her head and saw that the person holding her was Ding Zisu, the same purple figure who had just released the needle.
"Shut up!" Ding Zisu glanced at Gu Huaibi, who was hot on her heels, and with a few leaps, she threw a few more silver needles behind her. Gu Huaibi, trying to dodge the flying needles, was gradually left far behind.
Dou Akou's lightness skill was terrible. But Ding Zisu's lightness skill was obviously superb; even while carrying someone, she was still able to keep up with the fleeing mysterious person.
As she pursued him, she aimed at the branch where the mysterious man had landed, and shot out handfuls of silver needles.
The chase hadn't gone far when the mysterious man suddenly stopped a short distance ahead, turned around, and cursed, "You little girl! How long are you going to chase this old man? If it weren't for your young age and the fact that you're a woman, I would have made my move long ago!"
Ding Zisu landed as well. Dou Akou, who had been flying through the air and was feeling dizzy, finally managed to put her feet on solid ground. She quickly broke free from Ding Zisu's arm and looked at the mysterious person.
The mysterious man was dressed in a black cloak, completely covered from head to toe. Dou Akou's gaze fell on his face, and she was taken aback. This man was actually an old man with white hair, but he was very vigorous, especially with a pair of hawk-like eyes.
Ding Zisu pushed Dou Akou forward, towards the old man.
The old man was taken aback, then angrily asked, "What are you doing?"
Ding Zisu smiled and said, "This is an old friend of your young master. Take her to see your young master, and he will naturally know what to do."
Upon hearing this, the old man carefully examined Dou Akou from head to toe several times, muttering to himself suspiciously, "An old friend?"
Dou Akou felt extremely uncomfortable under his gaze; his eyes were so sharp, it felt like he was slowly cutting her flesh piece by piece.
The old man looked at Dou Akou and saw that her martial arts skills were not very good, at most only above average. He then looked at Ding Zisu. Although this girl had excellent lightness skills, her internal strength was insufficient and she was not enough to pose a threat.
He frowned: "Fine. If the young master doesn't recognize this little girl, don't blame me for silencing her."
He looked at Ding Zisu again, wondering whether he should kill her, but Ding Zisu said calmly, "I have a deal to make with your young master. If you kill me, you'll regret it."
The old man was extremely suspicious. His eyes darted between Dou Akou and Ding Zisu several times before he said, "Alright. I'll take her in."
Without hesitation, and without wanting to find the old man's last resting place, Ding Zisu turned around and disappeared into the woods in a few leaps.
Poor Dou Akou, she had just been carried so far by Ding Zisu, and now this old man was carrying her like a chick, making her leap and fall through the forest again.
She closed her eyes tightly, only hearing the wind whistling past her ears. In the past, when Fu Jiuxin held her in his arms and flew, she felt both excited and thrilled; but with someone else, she only felt terrified.
After flying for an unknown amount of time, the old man gradually slowed down, and then Dou Akou was unceremoniously thrown to the ground: "We're here. Get up and walk yourself."
Dou Akou opened her eyes and gasped in surprise.
She roughly estimated that it had been more than half a day's journey from here to Xiliebao, but unexpectedly, there was a small palace deep in the dense forest. Hidden among the dense forest, the blue tiles and white walls were faintly visible, and the sound of flowing water and waterfalls could be heard in the distance.
The old man pushed her, saying gruffly, "What are you daydreaming about? Hurry up and go."
He pushed Dou Akou to the palace gate, turned the mechanism a few times, and the stone door creaked open slowly. Several young men inside were practicing martial arts. Hearing this, they turned to him and smiled, "Uncle Chen is back? Did you find out what happened—oh?"
Their probing gazes fell on Dou Akou, and they asked curiously, "Who is this little girl?"
It looks well-behaved and clean, like a delicate and translucent glutinous rice ball filled with osmanthus.
The man called Uncle Chen turned around, closed the door, and said with a laugh, "Don't ask questions you shouldn't ask. Where is the young master?"
They raised their chins: "Inside the Jade Spring Pavilion."
Uncle Chen nodded and led Dou Akou toward the Jade Spring Pavilion. The Jade Spring Pavilion was located at the highest point of this imperial palace. The blue stone steps were laid in layers, and there were peach trees on both sides. Occasionally, when the wind blew, peach petals fell all over the ground, making it feel like being in a fairyland.
Dou Akou had no interest in appreciating the scenery. She followed behind Uncle Chen, and the higher they went, the clearer and more melodious the sound of the water became, a truly delightful sound.
As the upturned eaves of Yuchun Pavilion slowly emerged from the peach grove, Dou Akou spotted the figure in the courtyard at a glance.
Her husband had never liked wearing fancy clothes, and now he was dressed simply in a blue long gown with a matching cross-collar and a blue belt around his waist, which made his figure look even more upright and slender.
Dou Akou's eyes welled up with tears. When the person she had been thinking about for so long finally appeared in front of her, she was speechless and stammered.
Dou Akou sniffled and sobbed, "Axin!"
Fu Jiuxin's body trembled, and he turned around to look at Dou Akou: "Akou?"
Dou Akou pouted, let out a soft "woof," and threw herself into Fu Jiuxin's arms, hugging his waist and rubbing her face against his chest as she always did: "Axin, I found you!"
She didn't notice the momentary hesitation Fu Jiuxin showed when he picked her up, nor did she see the lack of joy on Fu Jiuxin's face, nor did she notice the probing expression on Uncle Chen's face. She lingered for a long time until Fu Jiuxin gently pushed her away, and only then did she realize something was wrong.
"Sir?" She was a little uneasy and carefully changed her way of addressing him, thinking that Ah Xin was unhappy because she was impolite.
Uncle Chen smiled and said, "Young Master, this is..."
"Miss Dou, the daughter of Dou Jincai," Fu Jiuxin said casually, introducing Dou Akou's identity in this way.
"Ninth Brother, is she the Dou Akou you mentioned?" A coquettish voice interrupted from the side.
The voice was familiar. Dou Akou felt a chill in her heart and turned around. Sure enough, it was the woman she had seen by the river in Longfeng Town last night. She couldn't mistake that voice.
Fu Jiuxin did not answer.
The woman asked again, "Ninth Brother, is it or isn't it?"
Dou Akou had only one thought in her mind: this woman called her Brother Axinjiu.
glutinous rice balls
Fu Jiuxin turned around and nodded to the woman: "Yes."
Uncle Chen suddenly realized: "So it's Miss Dou. She's the one who saved my young master's life. I hope Miss Dou will forgive my rudeness earlier."
Dou Akou was shocked. Young Master? The old man had just used his internal energy to transmit a message on the Gathering Heroes Platform, talking about the Siyou Kingdom. So Axin was a descendant of the Siyou Kingdom.
Dou Akou blankly turned her gaze to the woman next to Fu Jiuxin.
The girl clearly didn't know martial arts; she was delicate and timid, like a white lotus that couldn't withstand a cool breeze, needing to be carefully protected.
She had traveled thousands of miles, enduring wind and rain, to reach this place, her face covered in dust and grime, with a large knife tucked at her waist.
For the first time, Dou Akou felt pain. It was as if a thorn was stuck in the flesh of her heart, and she dared not pull it out, for fear that if she did, it would leave a wound that would fester on its own.
A thought flashed through her mind: only a gentle and elegant girl like her was worthy of the gentleman; as for her, she was only suited to wandering the world and wielding a big sword.
Dou Akou stared dejectedly at the knife at her waist.
Fu Jiuxin followed her gaze to her waist and recognized the knife as the imperial Shangfang knife of Xu Lishi of the Huang Dynasty. His eyes darkened, and he wanted to ask Xu Liren what he had done to her, but he caught a glimpse of Chen Bo's probing gaze out of the corner of his eye. He immediately suppressed all his emotions and said calmly to Dou Akou, "Akou, since you've come looking for me, stay here for a few more days. I'll pass on the message to Master Dou."
Dou Akou's nose tingled, and she choked up, saying, "Father and Aunt have been imprisoned by Xu Li. Axin, will you come with me to rescue them?"
She looked at Fu Jiuxin earnestly, her eyes filled with pleading, hope, and a cautious unease.
Fu Jiuxin said, "Master Dou is my savior. Now that he is in trouble, I will do my best to help him. Akou, you don't need to worry."
Such polite words make it seem as if she is just a familiar stranger to him.