Небо над реками и озерами очень чистое

Глава 51

The warm, soft swelling, even through his undergarments, almost made him lose his mind instantly.

It's not the bandage under your finger that's reminding you...

For a moment, her stubborn and aloof demeanor shed its layers of defense, helplessly letting him indulge her, fragile and at a loss, so beautiful that it was hard to look away.

Such an awkward person.

Whenever they get close enough, they pull away, maintaining a detached and aloof demeanor. Their guarded hearts are filled with suspicion and vigilance, refusing any exploration, and ready to turn away at any moment.

Only in a moment of intense emotion can one glimpse the truth.

Recalling the embarrassment of Jia Ye being speechless after the dream was shattered, a smile appeared on his lips, his handsome face showing a pleasant and joyful expression.

At least that's how Xie Qinglan sees it.

"Big brother, third brother." He raised his head slightly. "That's what happened that day."

Xie Quheng sighed, feeling both love and reproach for his much younger brother.

Do you know where you went wrong?

"Qinglan should not have been so careless and let the wolf into the house."

"Anything else?"

After reflecting for a while, Xie Qinglan shook her head.

"Based on your own reflection, how should you be punished?" The boy hesitated, unable to answer for a long time.

The Bai family did not condemn him excessively and easily forgave the mistake. Bai Kunyu only said that he had been negligent and took most of the responsibility, instead offering words of comfort to his guilty conscience.

"Return to the Xie family, enter the punishment hall, receive twenty strokes of the cane, and undergo moral training again. You will be trained and disciplined alongside novice disciples for three years and are not allowed to leave the house." Xie Yunshu made the decision for him, and Xie Qinglan's expression changed upon hearing this.

"Third Brother!"

Xie Quheng frowned slightly, hesitating for a moment. "Isn't it a bit too heavy?"

Qinglan had been pampered since childhood and had never received such severe punishment before, especially being demoted to a novice disciple, which added another layer of humiliation.

Xie Yunshu looked at that defiant face and chuckled softly.

"You think you only made one mistake?"

"Qinglan doesn't understand what Third Brother means." The boy raised his head, his voice hardening.

"Failure to distinguish right from wrong and rashly intervening in local disputes is one of the reasons."

"Relying on his family background to make decisions arbitrarily, he recklessly brought enemy spies into the Bai family, this is the second point."

“They often come and go, yet they are completely unaware of the enemy’s actions and have no sense of vigilance whatsoever; this is the third point.”

"He cannot distinguish between good and evil, and even after knowing the other party's identity, he is still soft-hearted and lacks decisiveness. This is the fourth point."

"He failed to assess the situation, acted impulsively and recklessly, and was easily angered by the enemy's psychological attack. This is the fifth point."

"He speaks rudely and speaks ill of those who help him in distress, failing to distinguish between good and evil; this is the sixth offense."

"Being lenient with oneself and critical of others, indulging one's own mistakes without any remorse, this is the seventh point."

"With all of the above, what reason is there to argue that the punishment is too severe? It's already lenient that you weren't confined to the back mountain for ten years." Each word was more severe than the last, and by the end, Xie Yun's face was as cold as ice, leaving no room for negotiation.

Xie Quheng fell silent.

Xie Qinglan remained unconvinced, saying, "I'm afraid that in Third Brother's heart, the sixth point is the most unforgivable."

"You still have the nerve to argue?" Xie Yunshu wasn't annoyed, and said coldly. "Let me ask you, what would have happened if she hadn't been there that day?"

Xie Qinglan stopped talking, but she was still upset.

Xie Yunshu took it all in and said, "I'll ask you again, if it wasn't you who committed the crime, but a member of the Bai family, how do you think Old Master Bai would punish him?"

The boy paused, then silently lowered his head.

"If this brings about the destruction of the entire family, even if it is their own child, the Bai family will never let them off easily."

"The Bai family is not mentioning it now, only because of the long-standing friendship between the two families, and because the Xie family's friends managed to avert disaster and escape unharmed. Who dares to say that they hold no grudges against you?"

"If word gets out, those in the martial arts world who know what's going on will say that the Xie family has failed in raising their son and acted recklessly. Those who don't will say that the Bai family is subservient to the Xie family and has tolerated this huge disaster without mentioning it. What kind of punishment will they receive then? The Bai and Xie families have been on good terms for generations, but because of you, they will have a falling out."

Xie Qinglan's face was pale, and cold sweat poured down her back.

"Your parents loved you dearly when you were young and protected you in many ways, but that shouldn't be the reason for your ignorance and arrogance. If you still have a shred of clarity, go back and humble yourself and learn to restrain yourself. Don't rely on your family background to be arrogant and unrestrained, looking down on everyone and thinking that there are no other people in the martial arts world besides aristocratic families."

Xie Qinglan opened her mouth, but could not utter a sound.

Each merciless rebuke struck his heart like a whip, and the feeling of shame and self-loathing weighed heavily on the young man, almost suffocating him.

Xie Quheng couldn't bear it in the end.

"Go down and think it over carefully. We'll make the final decision when we return to Yangzhou."

…………

"Stop spoiling your younger brother. He's not a child anymore." Xie Yunshu watched his younger brother's hunched back as he walked away, feeling a pang of pity. "Father released him so he would learn a lesson, otherwise how would he conduct himself in the future?"

"He's only 17 years old." As the eldest brother, Xie Quheng watched his younger brother grow up and saw him dejected, he himself was no better off.

“I was captured and taken to Tianshan when I was fifteen due to my foolish overestimation of my abilities, and I don’t want him to repeat the same mistake.” How could Xie Yunshu not understand his elder brother’s feelings? “The enemy will not let him go just because he is young.”

"We are so grateful to Miss Ye this time, otherwise the consequences would have been unimaginable." Xie Quheng still felt lingering fear when he recalled the situation. Qinglan had been used, and if Xiao Shicheng had succeeded, the Xie family would have been utterly ashamed.

"How badly was she injured?" He knew the answer in his heart; the scene was still vivid in his mind.

"Hmm." A flicker of guilt crossed her eyes, and her voice softened. "She rarely suffers such a serious injury."

"I thought she would at most save Qinglan, but I didn't expect..."

"If the Bai family is destroyed, Qinglan will be ruined too." Xiao Shicheng deliberately used this incident to damage the Xie family's reputation, achieving multiple goals at once. Once he becomes the culprit in destroying an ally, whether it's the mental remorse or the Xie family's punishment, there will be no hope of ever getting ahead. All sorts of rumors are enough to overwhelm the still-growing youth. "She promised to take care of him, so she won't let the worst happen."

"fortunately……………"

Xie Quheng didn't say anything more, and patted his third brother on the shoulder.

"Speaking of which, there have been some rumors lately about Miss Ye." Song Yushang slipped in through the door. He was always traveling around and had all sorts of information. At this moment, his brows furrowed with curiosity, undoubtedly here to get firsthand information.

"What's the content?" Xie Yunshu, who had been staying by the bedside the whole time, heard this for the first time and his heart sank. Could it be...?

"Rumor has it that she and the woman in white have some connection, and it is very likely that they are master and disciple."

"Based on?" The cryptic question left Xie Yunshu bewildered. "Also, who is the woman in snow?"

“Her sword.” Song Yushang gestured with the length of the sword, “It gleams under the moonlight, its blade gleaming white. They say it’s exactly the same as the one the Snow-Clad Woman used back then.”

Kaga's Sword...

"The Snow-Clad Woman was a mysterious figure in the Central Plains martial arts world back then. She always wore white and her movements were exceptionally agile and ghostly. No one had ever seen her face. She appeared briefly in the martial arts world, killed several generals, and it was impossible to say whether she was righteous or evil." Song Yushang's gossip was quite comprehensive. "Logically, Miss Ye comes from the Western Regions, which is thousands of miles away from the Central Plains. She shouldn't be from the same place, but that sword..."

"Has the news gotten out?"

"Yes, such a major event for the Bai family has sparked much speculation, with many guessing about her background." To single-handedly cause the Prince of Nanjun's heir to kill Yu and return home, and to be a young girl who has never appeared before—how could this not raise suspicions? Song Yushang reminded her, "You'd better be careful. The woman in white is secretive; you might attract enemies."

He had a vague, inexplicable premonition, and he frowned slightly.

What exactly is that peculiar short sword that Jia Ye always carries with her, a family heirloom...?

sailing

On a summer night, the wind carried the scent of flowers and perfume, skimming across the rippling river. The temperature wasn't low, yet he still took a thin cloak and wrapped it around the man recovering from his serious injuries.

Do you like the scenery on both sides of the river?

She nodded and nestled into his arms. Her fair face, illuminated by the hazy glow of the palace lanterns on the shore, took on a touch of color.

"It has a different charm at night."

Bai Fengge and her maidservants, accompanied by Song Yushang and Xie Quheng, were enjoying the scenery not far away.

The second young lady of the Bai family looked melancholy, her mood remaining somber despite the picturesque scenery. Song Yushang frequently glanced around, paying close attention to the situation. Judging from her posture, if she weren't so embarrassed, she would have definitely come over. Xie Qinglan had remained secluded since that day, not even leaving his house after boarding the ship back to Yangzhou. Xie Quheng had tried to persuade him several times, but knowing his low spirits, he simply let him be.

The four men sat around the other end of the boat, chatting and laughing in hushed tones, occasionally joking and playing around.

She glanced at it and a slight smile appeared on her face.

"What a coincidence that we met in Jiangnan." I thought we would never see each other again after this parting.

"Thanks to Heaven, the plan to instigate an attack on the Prince of Nan's residence has gone much more smoothly."

"Let them follow you, so they won't cause trouble in the martial world and get themselves into trouble." She picked up a grape and popped it into her mouth; the chilled sweet and sour taste made her squint her eyes slightly.

“That’s what I’m planning to do too.” He lowered his eyes, his fingertips deftly tying a knot, and attached a jade ornament to her sash.

"What is this?" The warm and delicate jade pendant, with its intricate and exquisite carving, clearly indicates its high value.

"This is for you." He smiled slightly and leaned in to kiss her pink cheek. "It suits you very well."

"Something from the Xie family?" She held it in her hand and turned it around, quite surprised.

“My things,” he corrected her. “Each member of the Xie family got one piece; luckily, I left mine at home back then.”

"I don't remember you going back."

"Qinglan brought this for me." He guided her fingertips to trace the uneven engravings. "Look, mine is a cloud pattern, while Qinglan's is a wind pattern."

"What's the use?"

"With this token, one can travel freely among the major sects in Jiangnan and also collect money from banks across the land." It sounds simple, but its hidden uses are certainly more than that. She glanced at it, raised her hand to undo it, but he stopped her.

"I don't want something so troublesome."

"Just wear it, treat it like a regular accessory," he coaxed gently, pulling her hand away.

"I don't need it."

"It won't be a problem. If it's inconvenient, you can return it to me."

"It might be lost tomorrow." She muttered to herself, clearly displeased with the jade pendant hanging from her waist.

"It's alright if you lose it." He looked at her with a smile, his meaning clear. "I want to give it to you."

As if burdened by some responsibility, she pouted and listlessly leaned into the soft chair.

“Gaye”.

"Um?"