Три мандариновые утки и полторы пары

Глава 39

They had been communicating like this since before, and even after Shanshan got married, it was still the same. Even though Lu Mingchao knew her true secret about Su Shaochu, he still maintained their close interaction. This made Lu Mingchao begin to suspect that she, like Zhu Yu, was actually a "fake" villain who was attracted to both men and women.

"How can someone's life be without you? But Zhu Yu is so difficult to deal with. It's not easy for you to appear so I can play with him. I just want to use you to torture him more." Yan Shanshan also said coquettishly, "Okay, I'll play with him for a while longer. You're so smart, just hold on a little longer."

"I'm afraid we don't need to wait any longer. Zhu Yu is on the verge of losing his rationality." Last night, she could feel that every bit of strength and attitude Zhu Yu showed in his embrace was a form of suppression. "You want to bombard him with more jealousy and gossip, to torment him cruelly? Fine, wait until I'm dead or have gone mad before you do it."

She didn't want to witness Zhu Yu's irrational breakdown with full awareness; that kind of horror would far surpass the extent of the scheme she had set up against him last year.

At first, missing Zhu Yu's invitation was accidental, but then, whenever Zhu Yu failed to meet her, the next day it would be said that she was drinking and having fun with a group of young men, or that she was playing the zither and boating on the lake with a group of girls. Even when Wuyou and Wuchou came to ask her, she was completely confused. Even when they met in public, there were always young men from various families and daughters of powerful and wealthy families surrounding her.

Although her good relationships in the past meant she was never lonely in the palace, lately she has been extremely troubled. Even the Su family has been constantly visited by various famous sects in the martial arts world, who have repeatedly expressed that they have a young lady of marriageable age in their household. She is exceptionally beautiful, well-versed in both literature and martial arts, and they hope that the Su family will carefully consider her when deciding on a marriage.

Everyone was puzzled as to why so many people had suddenly come to propose marriage. They then learned that there were rumors circulating outside that the Su family was looking for a partner for their sixth son, Su Shaochu.

With marriage alliances with the four great families, she was sought after by royalty, nobles, and prominent figures in the martial arts world. It was obvious why wealthy heiresses approached her, and young masters from various families also hoped to achieve their goal of marriage alliances by promoting their own sisters.

When these things reached Zhu Yu's ears, he was furious. He was already unhappy about not being able to see Su Shaochu and the rumors that she was going around having fun with other people. Now, they were getting married!

Although she knew that Su Shaochu couldn't possibly marry any girl given his status, Yan Shanshan was certain that Zhu Yu, with his narrow-mindedness, would never tolerate anyone coveting him. Sure enough, news of his public instability spread during the Flower Festival, and Yan Shanshan was overjoyed. Finally, this wretched prince of the imperial family had been taught a lesson!

"You've already won by the time you're dead! Shao Chu, you're not the type to say things like that, so things must be pretty serious."

Yan Shanshan also straightened up and crossed her arms, then seemed to remember something and glared at her resentfully, "It's your own fault. Originally there was nothing, so where did the dust come from?" If you hadn't set a trap for Zhu Yu, things wouldn't have turned out like this!

"This dust wasn't difficult to clean at first, but with your encouragement, Mrs. Lu, I'm now constantly wiping it clean to prevent it from getting dirty again." I'm being careful of any potential ambush from who knows where.

"I also say, 'Bodhi has no tree, and the bright mirror is not a stand.'" Yan Shanshan waved her hand dismissively, what Zen wisdom was she talking about? "Zhu Yu is such a big speck of dust—no, it's not called dust, it's called powerful filth. It's hard to clean even if you haven't gotten on it yet, let alone clean it once you're on it."

“Benefactor, in truth all that we see and hear is emptiness, why bother caring about worldly affairs when they are all in vain?” When discussing Zen and Buddhism, Su Shaochu immediately became a wise man. “Being indifferent to things, and having no intention about things, ultimately, it is all about being indifferent, so why be so attached?”

"Ha, that's a higher level of understanding." Yan Shanshan immediately cooperated, putting her palms together in a gesture of respect. "Then may I ask, Master Shao Chu, how does one perceive 'no-heart'?"

“Let it go.” Master Shaochu returned the gesture with his palms together. “Benefactor, let go of all resentment in your heart, and don’t let resentment take hold of you, only then can you have a clear mind and body.”

“Master, what a profound state of mind! You have let go of both Buddha and sentient beings, and attained liberation in the present moment. I believe that with your state of mind, you will soon be able to attain liberation and Buddhahood.”

"Benefactor, you are exempt from becoming a Buddha. I hope you will not harbor any more thoughts of revenge and spread rumors everywhere."

"I will do my best." Yan Shanshan clasped her hands together and bowed again.

“No, you must do it.” Su Shaochu responded by bowing.

"Stop acting, will you? Even your arguments are becoming a matter of profound meaning?"

Seeing the two people in front of her bowing and scraping, Li'er couldn't stand it and cried out.

"Shanshan, Zhu Yu is capricious, narrow-minded, and possessive. He hasn't truly confronted me yet, which doesn't mean he hasn't made any moves. It just means we don't know what he's planning!" Su Shaochu turned to the beauty before him, switching to a gentler approach. "If you still hope that I can keep you company and help you laugh and relieve your boredom on the road ahead, stop using my affairs to provoke Zhu Yu. You don't want me to really know what the state of Nirvana is, do you?"

Is it that serious?

"If I fall into Zhu Yu's hands now, I won't know what it feels like to step on the ground for at least half a month."

"You mean Zhu Yu really will cut off your feet—"

That was terrifying! Shanshan and Lier covered their cheeks in shock!

"I knew that the Third Prince was extremely abnormal and vicious—" Huh? "But his foot was cut off, so how could he still step on the ground half a month later!" He didn't even need to step on it!

“Mrs. Lu, you are cruel and lustful. Zhu Yu will vent his lust first before he will start with his lust. I have not yet settled my scores with him, and you have spared no effort in being jealous. Now that you have fallen into his hands, under his ruthless revenge, I will only be able to spend at least half a month in bed.”

Half a month?! Shan Shan and Li Er stared at each other in astonishment, covering their cheeks and then their mouths. The Demon Prince's power was indeed terrifying!

"Wow, so pitiful, Shao Chu, I don't want to see you like that at all." Knowing the truth, Yan Shanshan felt guilty, but she still managed to squeeze out a glimmer of relief that something had happened. "Fortunately, the Third Prince's Mansion is magnificent, and the bed must be made of high-quality materials. It's soft and comfortable to lie on. At least there's some comfort in this miserable situation."

I heard Wuyou, Wuchou and Mingchao describe the extravagance of the Three Emperors' Mansion, where everything in sight was glittering gold.

"Would you like to lie down and take a look? You can have your husband try it first." Su Shaochu immediately thought of a good idea. "I remember that the devilish prince has always coveted your husband Lu Mingchao, especially his strong and muscular physique. Why don't we send your husband to him to enjoy?"

"The Ming Dynasty is at most a tribute. You, Su Shaochu, are a sacrificial offering that Zhu Yu wants. After enjoying the tribute, he still insists on sacrificial offerings. Wouldn't that be letting him profit for nothing?" No way! "My husband's innocence is a small matter. At worst, his manhood will be defiled by Zhu Yu. For my friends, I, Yan Shanshan, won't even flinch. The important thing is that sacrifices must have a price."

What good price can there be for such a sacrifice?

"Besides, it seems that my husband can at most satisfy Zhu Yu's cravings, but not his hunger."

"Young Madam, in my opinion, given the Third Prince's current condition, he's starving. Sending the Young Master out isn't a sacrifice, it's self-sacrifice. It would be better to just ask Young Master Su to go and kill for righteousness." This would prevent the disaster from escalating.

"You two, master and servant, should show some respect for the parties involved. There's no famine right now, and I'm not distributing rice or grain for disaster relief. What hunger or sacrifice?" This master and servant were clearly looking for fun in the afternoon, spouting nonsensical idioms.

"If that's the case, and it really happens, I should be glad that the Three Emperors' Mansion not only uses high-quality bedding, but also high-grade medicinal herbs."

"What does this have to do with medicinal herbs?" Yan Shanshan asked, puzzled.

"How can it be nothing? You'll really need it in half a month." Su Shaochu said coolly, as if analyzing someone else's situation. "After being completely ravaged for half a month, your body will probably need to take a lot of medicine before you can even stand up and speak."

"Oh, that's terrible. Okay, if you really fall into Zhu Yu's hands, I... I'll drug Ming Chao and send him to the Three Emperors' Mansion to share your pain, so you can walk on the ground a few days sooner, drink less medicine, and have a little more breath left." That's enough of a friend, isn't it? Any more, she doesn't know what else to do.

"Shanshan is indeed a loyal and devoted friend; your sacrifice is truly touching." She felt a deep sadness within herself, as if she were really facing this situation. "I'm just afraid that the psychological trauma inflicted on Mingchao's brothers will be difficult to heal."

“It’s alright. I will tell him to live on strongly. I won’t despise him, and neither will the baby who is just a month old.”

In the afternoon, a gentle breeze blew, once again witnessing the preciousness of friendship, and the loyalty that Yan Shanshan was never unfamiliar with, even to the point of betraying her own husband.

Chapter Eight

A tall, slender figure stood atop the peak behind the Su family's mountain. After a melody on the flute, his eyes, gazing at the stars, narrowed slightly. The bright stars and moon seemed to reflect a cold light, and his heart was filled with unease.

"On a quiet night, I wander through the music again, my thoughts scattering, asking about the past, how heavy is the weight on my heart?" The melody echoes in the night sky, and also in the inner turmoil of my heart. "Holding up the old days, it's as if it were yesterday, but the dream is over and the feeling is gone."

Her eyes, which had been slowly lowering, held a complex expression. Ever since the boy she had saved that night had died tragically before her eyes, a deep sorrow had been weighing on her heart.

Until the sound came from behind, Su Shaochu put down his long flute and turned to look at the three swordsmen who were kneeling on one knee in front of him, each carrying a long sword on their back.

"The Three Mysterious Swords." Su Shaochu asked with a smile, "Was the journey to Nanyuan safe?"

"Thanks to Fourth Young Master, may you have a safe journey." Gong Xuan, who was at the head of the group, led his two junior brothers, Bing Xuan and Yu Xuan, and said with clasped hands.

“Since you’re returning home to visit your master, you should spend more time with him at Miaofa Daoyuan. Why rush back?” Judging by the time, they probably didn’t stay for many days.

Su Shaochu helped them up. These three had been protecting her ever since she was in the Central Plains. Originally, she and the old abbot of Miaofa Daoyuan were close friends despite their age difference. When she decided to return to the Central Plains, the abbot sent three young swordsmen who had just completed their training to protect her, hoping to use the opportunity to hone their experience in the martial arts world. Over the years, these three had regarded her as their master.

"I am concerned about everything concerning the Fourth Young Master and dare not delay any longer." The palace maid reported to her master's instructions, "Master misses the Fourth Young Master very much, and said that you haven't visited him in a long time. Could it be that you have forgotten about him?"

"How could I forget the old abbot? I must make a trip to Miaofa Daoyuan this year." It's also time to visit my old friend in Nanyuan again.

"During our trip to Nanyuan, we also visited Young Master Xuechu. This is what Young Master Xuechu asked us to deliver to you." Gong Xuan untied the package and handed it over. "Young Master Xuechu said... this is related to the death of Miss Feng."

"Jun'er?!"

Su Shaochu opened the package and saw a red round drum, his expression changed.

"This..." The unique drumhead has a textured surface, and it is not for ordinary amusement.

"Originally, Young Master Xuechu noticed something amiss when he was performing the funeral for Miss Feng, but he had no evidence. It wasn't until the beginning of the year when Miss Feng's clan delivered this drum to Young Master Xuechu that he confirmed the matter. Young Master Xuechu knew that someone from the Eastern Region had come to the Central Plains, and fearing that the Fourth Young Master might encounter danger without knowing it, he ordered us to give this item to the Fourth Young Master."

"Did any of Feng's people say what happened to her before she died?"

Stroking the drum, Su Shaochu looked sorrowful.

"According to the maid who took care of Miss Feng, she often asked Miss Feng to beat this drum a few days before her death, and then play a tune on the flute, in order to combine it with another kind of medicine to promote the circulation of blood and qi in her body," Gong Xuan said, recalling the trip to Nanyuan. "A few days later, when the maid beat the drum again, Miss Feng suddenly collapsed and passed away in her sleep before dawn."

Is the use of the xiao (vertical flute) to accompany the music a way of locking the pulse by the sound of the drum?

"Why did you only hand over this drum now?"

"This drum was just placed in the ancestral hall with Miss Feng's relics until the beginning of the year, when the ancestral priest felt that this drum was not right, so he ordered someone to send it to Young Master Xuechu on Meixiu Mountain."

"Fourth Young Master..."

Suddenly, Su Shaochu closed his eyes in deep sorrow, and when he opened them again, tears streamed down his face.

"Jun'er, has the wind of Nanyuan chilled your bones?"

***Exclusively produced by Fengmingxuan*** ***

On a dusty afternoon, after bidding farewell to the Third Prince Zhu Yu, Ke Luoqi and his party set off back to the Eastern Region.

Walking along the Longjiang River in the capital, there were many small wine shops along the way. When they entered the maple forest, the group took a short rest.

Before the season for maple leaves arrives, the forest is not ablaze with fiery red. Instead, the sunlight, though soft and gentle, casts scattered spots of color across the riverbed below.

As Ke Luoqizhen strolled along the riverbank, gazing thoughtfully at the turbulent waters, she noticed a figure on the opposite bank, also leisurely walking along the riverbank.

"Fourth Young Master Su".

On the opposite bank, a snow-white figure held a long object wrapped in a cloth, smiling faintly at her profile.

"Since the princess is leaving the Central Plains, how can Shao Chu not see her off?"

"Your hospitality is so kind, Fourth Master, that I, a mere acquaintance, am truly flattered," Ke Luo Qi Zhen replied with a smile.

"I wonder if Lan Qingxuanhong was able to save the surviving assassin?"

"The assassin is too deeply poisoned by the Azure Calyx Poison, and it's too late to use the Azure Rainbow."

"Is the princess heartbroken?"

“The young king of the Xuanhong clan and I are very close friends, so he is naturally saddened by this.”

"At least we've confirmed where the Azure Rainbow Sword is, right?" Su Shaochu asked meaningfully as he strolled across the riverbank. "The Azure Rainbow Sword was one of the earliest treasures of the Eastern Region's Demonic Hope Sect. The Demonic Hope Sect has always hoped to retrieve this sword, but unfortunately, it was lost after being presented as tribute to the Central Plains in its early years."

"There are indeed people within the Moxi Cult who want to reclaim the cult's most prized possession and restore the Moxi Cult's prestige."

After its excessive growth, the Moxi Cult split apart. In addition, it drifted further away from the royal family of the Eastern Region, and its internal factions became independent and self-governing, making it outwardly strong but inwardly weak.

"The assassin who tried to kill the Third Prince was just a vanguard sent to his death. The real purpose was to confirm the existence of the Blue Azure Profound Rainbow, which is why the Azure Calyx Poison was used on the assassin, right?" After all, this was a precious sword from many years ago, and the other party wanted to determine the location of the sword.

Ke Luoqizhen stopped, but didn't speak, just stood there.

"Ran Liu Xuan Hong's features are too easy to identify. Sending them to assassinate him is tantamount to announcing their identity as coming from the Eastern Region. If the princess present expresses her desire to know why the assassin came to the Central Plains to carry out the assassination, and to save the assassin who is poisoned by E Qing, no matter where Lan Qing Xuan Hong is, the Third Prince's power will surely be able to obtain it. It seems that it is not so difficult to deduce the motive for sending the assassin to his death."

"Fourth Young Master's words seem to confirm that Qi Zhen is in cahoots with the assassin behind the scenes." A pair of beautiful, bright eyes gleamed.

"Conspiracy?!" Su Shaochu raised an eyebrow, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Weren't they the masterminds? To avoid any mishaps in the assassination of the Third Prince, they also used the ignorance of Ran Liuxuanhong and his group of youths to search for the Ice Moon Goose."

"At that time, you couldn't be sure of Bingyue Zhiyan's status in the Central Plains Imperial Palace, but as long as the news of the search reached Bingyue Zhiyan's ears, once she discovered that the young master Xuanhong was trapped by Eqing, Bingyue Zhiyan would also go to find Lanqing Xuanhong out of both loyalty and duty."

"Young Master Su, everything should be based on evidence. Otherwise, making baseless accusations will lead to anyone being convicted."

"May I ask the princess why the assassins sought help from me the other day, but not from the princess of the Eastern Region, who is on good terms with the Xuanhong clan?"