Поездка ранней весной

Глава 12

"It's okay, you can have more of your own will, even if it's willful, I won't mind." He really didn't mind, but what he did mind was that Queyue was too indifferent, too quiet... Even though she spoke a little more under the disguise that was not similar to her true nature, she rarely expressed her feelings.

His smile was gentle and serene, like warm light slowly embracing everything.

The mask bearing the name "Duan Jin" on Que Yue's face loosened slightly, and for a moment, it seemed to reveal Que Yue's expression.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Is Ah Di's meeting her a blessing or a blessing for her?

Just as they were making their plans, a knock came at the door. Judging from the faint footsteps, it must have been a woman. Queyue got up to open the door. She saw Xiaotao standing there, seemingly a little anxious. Upon seeing her open the door, Xiaotao suddenly looked surprised and somewhat at a loss…

"Xiao Tao, is something the matter?" She smiled slightly, not revealing her inner doubts at all—if Xiao Tao came with something, why was she so surprised and at a loss?

"No, it's nothing... It's like this, the troupe leader was worried that everyone would feel cooped up in their rooms all day, so a few days ago a distinguished guest gifted us some rare flowers, and asked me to deliver them to your rooms to change your mood."

She picked up a potted plant from the ground. Its flowers were a soft purple with a hint of enchanting blue, and their fragrance was rich and lingering without being cloying. It was indeed a rare and precious plant.

Queyue accepted it, saying, "Thank you for your kindness, Master. I really feel indebted to you for such a rare item..."

"Not at all, it's the old man who feels bad. He said he invited you two with good intentions, but he didn't expect to encounter such a thing, which has delayed your trip."

"It's alright, no one expected this. ...I wonder if anyone else has received this flower plant as a gift?"

"Oh, the owner of the clothing store also sent a pot..." Xiao Tao smiled, but her smile seemed a little forced. "Young Master Duan...you..." She bit her lower lip and hesitated repeatedly, but finally seemed to have made up her mind and said, "Young Master Duan, you should find a way to leave quickly!"

Crescent Moon's smile faded slightly, but her expression remained gentle. "What's wrong?"

Xiao Tao shook her head, "I can't say anything more, but believe me, leave quickly..."

"The government officials are guarding us now, how are we supposed to leave?" Queyue tried to downplay the situation and calm her down. Xiaotao paused, as if she had just realized this.

"This...Young Master Duan, I know that Young Master Di actually knows martial arts. Let him take you away quickly—"

"Xiao Tao? What are you still dawdling for?" A silvery voice came, and Xiao Tao's body trembled slightly. However, when she turned around, there was no trace of the panic she had just shown.

"Wisteria..."

It was Zi Teng, who had danced the drum dance with Xiao Tao, who walked over with a smile. She looked at Que Yue and then at Xiao Tao, teasingly saying, "Little girl! You just came here to loaf around after I asked you to deliver a potted plant, aren't you ashamed! Come here, don't think you can skip your dance just because something happened!" She pulled Xiao Tao over, glanced at Que Yue with a sly smile, and dragged Xiao Tao away, saying, "You little vixen, you've fallen for someone..."

She watched them walk away, then turned around and saw Adi's deep gaze.

She knew that Adi's eyes were deep. Although she had abandoned the gentle, lazy, and carefree Adi of the past, her eyes remained unchanged. When those eyes shone with a kind and gentle light, they only appeared vast and profound, obscuring their depth. She placed the flower plant carefully, staring at the enchanting purple blossoms for a moment, hesitating.

Adi also heard Xiaotao's words. He looked up at Queyue and said, "It seems your feeling was right."

—So, they really are from the dance troupe?

What does Xiaotao want to say?

Adi smiled as he looked out the door. "Looks like we should continue our investigation in this direction. You stay in the room and don't wander around. I'll go with Xiaotao to take a look."

He had just stood up when Queyue spoke up, "Wait, Adi."

"how?"

"With wisteria."

"—Okay. Be careful, in case anything goes wrong..."

"I know, go find Constable Long."

Adi smiled and nodded. Since such a convenience existed, why not take advantage of it? He lightly touched the ground and disappeared from Queyue's sight in the blink of an eye.

Queyue silently closed the door and sat down in the room. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her reflection in the bronze mirror. It was clearly the appearance of "Duan Jin," but there was no trace of "Duan Jin's" expression. Her face was expressionless, revealing no emotion whatsoever, yet only she knew the thoughts beneath that emotionless facade.

So her emotions had already moved her to the point that she couldn't even maintain her facade anymore... She clearly didn't care whether someone had martial arts skills or was a cripple; those things were meaningless to her. But when she truly faced what was happening before her eyes, watching Ah Di go out to investigate alone, she realized how useless she was to remain in her room...

Could it be that her mindset has changed in the end?

The pretense she couldn't even maintain herself was meaningless to her.

Her attention returned to the potted plant, and she glanced at it briefly. Instead of placing the pot by the window, she put it in a sheltered spot against the wall. After thinking for a moment, she picked up the teacup on the table, poured tea onto the flower stamen, and then casually pulled the tablecloth over it.

She had just sat down at the table when she suddenly heard a whooshing sound. Although Queyue had lost her hearing, she was still able to dodge to the side. In her haste, she leaned back, overturned her chair, and fell to the ground, with several hidden arrows grazing her head.

She rolled over and got up on the spot, when suddenly the door was flung open, and two masked men burst in, brandishing swords and lunging at Queyue.

With her current skills, she absolutely couldn't dodge it. But her flip just now landed right next to the flowerpot. She suddenly ripped off the tablecloth, tore off the flowers, and threw them at the eyes of the two masked men.

The two men were clearly quite wary, hastily covering themselves and retreating, utterly astonished by Queyue's actions. Ignoring the burning pain in her hand, Queyue seized the opportunity to run towards the door.

The two realized Queyue's intention and, without thinking, raised their swords to stab her again. Although Queyue reacted quickly, her hands and feet were not in good condition. Just as the sword was about to stab her, a sudden sound of sharp weapons clashing rang out. A flying knife deflected the sword's edge, and then a ribbon wrapped around Queyue's arm and pulled her away.

As the ribbon appeared, Queyue immediately spotted the pale blue figure gracefully landing. It was the same person who had crossed in front of their house earlier and then disappeared. Queyue had previously suspected that the petite figure was a woman, but now that it was before her, she realized it was not a woman, but a boy who was not yet fully grown—the ribbon-dancing boy she had seen on the ship!

Isn't he also a member of the dance troupe?

The two masked men were equally surprised, exclaiming, "Liu Zhi!?"

"What are you doing? Are you trying to betray us?!"

Both voices were female, and Queyue's eyesight was exceptional; she could never mistake the demeanor and stature of someone she had carefully observed. Since she had been able to recognize the masked constable Long who had come to test her earlier, she could naturally also see that these two masked men were two of the seven chief disciples of the dance troupe. It was just that the young man had disappeared so quickly last time he appeared, using his light-footed skill, that she hadn't had a chance to recognize him.

Another dance troupe disciple... Adding Xiao Tao and Zi Teng, could it be that all seven women are involved?

But why would Liu Zhi, who was also a student in the dance troupe, help him?

These questions flashed through her mind in an instant before Liu Zhi attacked again, not uttering a single word of nonsense, and began to fight them.

The two were shocked, never expecting that the usually well-behaved and quiet Liu Zhi would possess such skill!

They originally only wanted to kill Queyue quickly in the room and leave, but unexpected complications arose. This had already alerted the yamen runners. A palm strike came, and Long Yan's figure flew over, rushing between the three of them. A burst of energy separated the three of them.

Who are you people?!

Episodes 25-26

Seeing that their scheme had been exposed, the two tried to leave, but with Long Yan and the constables present, escape was impossible. They were resigned to death, hoping only to die peacefully. So they ignored Long Yan and focused only on Queyue, asking, "Why weren't you poisoned?!"

Queyue said calmly, "The Demonic Purple Flower is a rare and exotic flower found very rarely in the Central Plains. It is extremely poisonous; even just being within three feet of it, just smelling its scent, will cause poisoning. At first, it is difficult to detect, but one's true energy will dissipate and one's strength will be difficult to concentrate. If one is poisoned by the sap of its flower, one will gradually become weak all over. After a few years, even a child could easily defeat one. Because it is so rare, very few people in the martial arts world know about it, and those who do know about it dare not approach it. However, many years ago, this Demonic Purple Flower was modified by a strange person, and its toxicity changed. If one takes proper precautions, even touching it will not cause poisoning, which is why only a very few people have begun to use it..."

"You—" The two people were extremely surprised, and even Liu Zhi couldn't help but look at Queyue in astonishment. The two exclaimed, "You actually knew!?"

Very few people in the martial arts world knew of Yao Lianzi's existence, which is why they dared to send this flower to Queyue and Adi's room, intending to easily poison them once they were poisoned—however, Queyue not only knew about this flower, but even tore it apart with her bare hands, seemingly unafraid of being poisoned!?

Queyue ignored their incredulous gazes, remaining indifferent and expressionless.

How could she not know about Yao Lianzi? That alluring, enchanting blue-purple had once bloomed boldly alongside all sorts of vibrant and bizarre colors, filling her courtyard. And the one who transformed Yao Lianzi was none other than Xinyue, who had lived in the same courtyard with her for many years. How could she not know?

"It's not that I wasn't poisoned. In that moment of panic, I tore off the flower stem with my bare hands without any time to take any precautions, so I was naturally poisoned. It's just a pity that I have old injuries, and no part of my body is intact. I'm already weak in my limbs and have no internal strength, so whether I'm poisoned or not, what difference does it make to me?"

No matter how much I planned, I never expected to meet someone like this!

How could they accept this? How could they not be resentful? Was this fate...? The two gave a desolate smile, then suddenly raised their swords and slit their own throats—

"Stop!" Long Yan thought they were going to fight like cornered beasts, and instinctively wanted to protect Que Yue, who was unable to protect herself. But by the time he realized their true intentions, it was too late to stop them.

Long Yan stared at the two corpses on the ground with a dark expression. After pulling down his mask to reveal their faces, he frowned and turned to Liu Zhi, asking, "You were both from the dance troupe, why did you fight with them? What happened?"

Liu Zhi glanced coldly at Long Yan and said indifferently, "How would I know they were from the dance troupe when their faces were covered? I just saw someone committing murder and intervened."

Long Yan was furious, but he couldn't bring himself to be angry at a child. Que Yue considered for a moment and then briefly recounted the events to Long Yan. Long Yan glanced at Liu Zhi's indifferent expression, realizing he wouldn't get anything out of her, and angrily turned to the constables, saying, "Leave two men here to guard and protect Young Master Duan. The rest of you come with me to see Master Rong!"

"yes."

Although the two masked men were from the dance troupe, there was no evidence that Troupe Leader Rong was responsible. However, this did mean that Troupe Leader Rong couldn't escape responsibility either. After Long Yan and his men left, Que Yue finally had time to face Liu Zhi, who had suddenly appeared and saved her.

Since arriving, Liu Zhi had maintained a cold and stern expression, uttering not a single word and never cracking a smile. However, upon facing Que Yue, her expression suddenly changed, transforming into a charming smile as she sweetly asked, "Sister, are you injured? I hope I didn't frighten you? Oh, someone like you wouldn't be frightened by such a small matter. The Master was absolutely right..."

"The owner? The owner of the clothing shop?"

"Yes, is there a second owner here?"

"You're not from the dance troupe?" Queyue asked, her expression still indifferent. Liu Zhi blinked, seemingly a little uncomfortable under her gaze. "I'm from Qinlou... The master wanted me to come to the dance troupe. I shouldn't let others know, but now that old fox's tail has been revealed, and I can go back to Qinlou, so it doesn't matter... Sister, you look... so different from before. You look better when you smile. You... hehe..." He laughed awkwardly. Queyue knew that from the beginning, she hadn't maintained the demeanor that "Duan Jin" should have.

Why did you come to help me?

"The owner of the club sent me here. He received the flower plants from the dance troupe and knew that you had a set too. He knew something was wrong and immediately sent me over."

A thought flashed through Queyue's mind, and she hurriedly asked, "Has Master Yi also been poisoned!?"

Liu Zhi was stunned, as if she had just realized the problem, and exclaimed, "Ahhh!! How come I didn't think of that! What should we do!?"

Queyue had no mood to say much to him; feeling inexplicably anxious, she turned and walked towards the clothing store owner's room.

As soon as they reached the door, it opened from the inside, and Yi Moran stood inside, nodding with a faint smile, her demeanor as serene as a passing breeze carrying a sense of profound melancholy.

"Miss Duan."

"Master Yi." Queyue returned the greeting slightly, lowered her eyelids slightly, and looked up to say, "My name is Zhijin."

Yi Moran smiled and nodded. "Come in."

Queyue observed him closely. He was always pale and thin, and it was indeed difficult to discern anything, except that he seemed to be in even worse spirits. Liu Zhi followed behind, but after glancing into the room, she did not come in.

"Master Yi, may I take your pulse?"

Yi Moran smiled and nodded gently, then sat down at the table and placed her arms on it.

When she touched his wrist, even through his sleeve, Queyue felt a slight twitch in her heart, a strange tension creeping in. For a moment, she wanted to pull her hand away, but she managed to steady herself, her expression remaining unchanged.

This feeling was unfamiliar to her; she was used to being calm and composed, so she wasn't afraid to face anything. But this subtle tension, like a slight twitch in her chest, left her somewhat at a loss.

She calmed herself down, checked his pulse, and slowly withdrew her hand, not daring to let him notice anything unusual about her.

"Master Yi, since you know about Yao Lianzi, you must be aware of your own situation. Although I know how to cure the poison, the necessary ingredients cannot be gathered in a day or two..."

"It seems that the only way is for Miss Zhijin to return to Qinlou with me after the case here is over. I had originally planned to do the same, so the matter of the musical score can be resolved at the same time." He smiled gently, but his smile was different from Adi's affable one. It was gentle, yet maintained a distance, like a clear stream flowing through one's heart.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Queyue calmed herself down and asked, "But I wonder how the owner of the clothing store knew I was in danger?"

Yi Moran's smile faltered slightly, and she slowly withdrew her smile. The expression in her eyes vaguely resembled the one she had when she first heard of someone's death—desolate and chilling.

“I roughly knew some of what was going to happen here… but I didn’t expect that Old Man Rong would actually do this. In the end, you’re just replacing me. Actually, at first, Old Man Rong intended to pin the murder on me, but because you arrived at this time, the situation changed, and the matter ended up involving you.”

Yi Moran spoke vaguely, but Queyue understood perfectly.

"I originally intended to leave, which is why I persuaded you to come with me. Unfortunately, I was too late. While we can't be considered close friends, we've known each other for years. I never expected Old Man Rong to be so ruthless in his actions," Yi Moran said indifferently, yet with a hint of sarcasm. He was mocking himself. Queyue vaguely understood his thoughts. No matter what he said, he probably considered Master Rong a friend at one time; otherwise, he wouldn't have delayed his departure until now. Presumably… he hoped his guess was wrong, clinging to a sliver of hope that he had misunderstood Old Man Rong. After all, a friend of many years had turned out to be nothing more than a tool to be used…