“Yes, because he loves me. But how can that one word ‘love’ compare to the ‘hatred’ he showed by wiping out my entire family? If there is such hatred for wiping out my family, why did I have to encounter such true love? Fate is cruel, never giving people a choice.” She smiled sadly, looked up at me and said, “Girl, you wouldn’t understand.”
Don't you understand? I sighed deeply and turned to look at Xiao Zuo. Our eyes met, and our gazes lingered, inseparable... Yes, who could understand unless they experienced it firsthand?
Li Qing let out a soft sigh, curtsied to us, and said, "Please take care, gentlemen. I will not see you off further. I must go and accompany my husband." With that, she turned and walked into the Dragon Palace without looking back.
As I watched her slender figure gradually disappear from sight, I couldn't help but sigh. People say that "poisonous flowers are the most beautiful, and strong liquor is the most fragrant." So, love is probably more beautiful than that poisonous flower and more fragrant than that strong liquor... I slowly turned my face and looked at Xiao Zuo again. Faintly, I seemed to see a line of words slowly appearing on the lush green mountains behind him: "A single meeting of golden wind and jade dew surpasses countless encounters in the mortal world."
Volume 1, Chapter 5: The Turmoil in Hancheng (4)
Section 5 Between Gains and Losses
As dusk approached, I stood by the window, gazing silently at the sunset on the horizon.
I don't know martial arts, so it would be easy for someone to take something from me without me noticing. However, there are always people around me: Tie Qi, Jin Zhaoyu Cui, Xiao Zuo, and Baili Chenfeng. It won't be easy to fool them. Therefore, there are only two conclusions:
First, that person was an extremely skilled expert.
Second, that person was one of our own.
The evening glow was like fire, painting the windowpanes with gold. I squinted and saw several children flying kites on the far side of the riverbank. Although they were far away, I could imagine the joyful sounds and laughter that filled the air.
A kite… My eyes lit up, and as I turned to push open the door, someone knocked on the door first and said, “Chief Steward, Miss and Young Master Xiao have returned.”
I opened the door and went out. Sure enough, I saw Gong Feicui and Xiao Zuo walking up the stairs one after the other. Both of their expressions were strange, especially Xiao Zuo, who was calm and even seemed to have a hint of grief. Had something gone wrong on this trip?
"Young Miss..." I called out, but Gong Feicui only nodded slightly at me, then turned to look at Xiao Zuo, biting her lip and saying, "Do you... want to rest for a bit?"
Before Xiao Zuo could speak, footsteps sounded downstairs again. Looking up, he saw Yu Cui running up with a stack of clothes: "Steward Feng, the clothes have arrived."
"Alright, give it to me. Go tell the waiter to prepare hot water and bring it up to Miss's room." I took the clothes from her and turned to walk up to Gong Feicui. "Miss, let's go into the room."
Gong Feicui glanced at Xiao Zuo, who smiled slightly at her and said, "I'm fine, go ahead." Only then did she follow me into the room.
"We'll be departing in an hour, so Miss can take this time to bathe and change into some new clothes." I placed the clothes on the table, and as I expected, the smooth, silk fabric immediately caught Gong Feicui's eye. She immediately came over, picked up the top garment, and exclaimed happily, "Fragrant Cloud Gauze! Fine quality!"
"Due to time constraints, the sewing is not very refined. Please make do with it, Miss."
She smiled sweetly at me and said, "Thank you, Sister Qiansu."
I lowered my eyes slightly and said slowly, seemingly casually, "By the way... did you enjoy your trip, Miss?"
Her smile vanished, and I said again, "Young Master Xiao looks very unwell. Has something happened to his friend?"
“Sister Qiansu,” Gong Feicui looked at me and sighed, “As expected, nothing can be hidden from you.”
"Has something really happened to the Dragon King?" Although it was just speculation, its confirmation still came as a real shock. What could possibly happen to someone who could have the power to control everything?
"He married a member of the Iron Fan Sect. To avenge the massacre of his family, his wife poisoned him, and there was no antidote." She spoke concisely, but I understood.
It's true what they say: even heroes have their weaknesses, and love can be a powerful force. The mighty Dragon King was destroyed by a woman, which shows how harmful love can be!
At this thought, she became even more vigilant—Feng Qiansu, you must never follow in his footsteps!
Seeing that I looked strange, Gong Feicui raised her eyebrows and asked, "Sister Qiansu, what's wrong?"
"I..." I opened my mouth, but what came out was something else, "Miss, Du San Niang's bracelet is missing."
Gong Feicui paused for a moment after hearing this, her gaze becoming somewhat unfocused. She seemed to be remembering something, so I pressed her for an answer: "Did you see it, Miss?"
"I—" She only managed to utter one word when there was a "clang" as something fell out from the folded clothes, landed on the ground, rolled a few times, and came to rest at my feet.
I slowly bent down and picked it up—the bracelet. Du San Niang's twisted silver bracelet.
Gong Feicui asked in surprise, "Is it this one? How did it fall out of the clothes?"
I pursed my lips, then smiled apologetically, "Look at my memory, no wonder I couldn't find it, it was right here."
Gong Feicui rolled her eyes but didn't say anything more. Just then, the waiter knocked and came in, saying that the hot water was ready. I immediately ordered Jin Zhaoyu to help her bathe and change, and then I withdrew.
Standing in the second-floor corridor, I clutched the bracelet in my hand, feeling a surge of annoyance: Fine, very well, do they really think I'm dead? How dare they mock me like this!
Once she made up her mind, she turned and went downstairs. At a table by the window on the west side of the lobby, Baili Chenfeng was drinking tea with Xiao Zuo. Xiao Zuo had his head slightly turned to the side, looking preoccupied, but when he saw me, his brows relaxed and he smiled and said, "Miss Feng, you've come at the right time. I have something to ask you."
“Young Master Xiao also has something to ask me? How rare. Please speak.” I smiled back at him and gracefully sat down at the table.
"Does the Wind Maiden know the exact sphere of influence of the Mountain Demons?"
I thought it was strange. He was the one who led the way, shouldn't he know more about this than I do? Why was he asking me? But I said calmly, "As far as I know, they only appear in the Nanyang and Zhumadian area."
"Have you ever heard of them doing business on the Yellow River?"
"Because their leader, 'neither human nor ghost,' once said that they would not interfere with the mountains or the water, they would never make a move in any place with water."
"So, in your opinion, if it wasn't a group of thieves who ambushed us on the Yellow River, then who could it be? The Thunderbolt Hall?" Xiao Zuo nodded and said, "Detonating ships is one of their specialties."
I shook my head: "But the people from the Thunderbolt Hall don't know how to swim. They deal with gunpowder and saltpeter all year round, and what they fear most is getting wet."
No sooner had the words left my mouth than I realized—if that's the case, then who was responsible for the ambush we encountered on the Yellow River?