Under the bright moon and sparse stars, two figures were gliding over the Wu River.
Dongfang Liren was dressed in a python-patterned garment. Her figure was as light as a swallow, rising and falling on the tranquil river surface. Her gaze was constantly fixed on the official road along the riverbank, searching for the trace of Ye Jingtang.
True Person Xuanji, in a white dress as white as snow, walked ahead. Her demeanor had changed significantly from the dignified and composed one in the military camp. She held a wine gourd in her hand, her peerlessly beautiful face was slightly flushed with drunkenness. Her posture of treading on the water was like "riding a donkey backwards".
Although she looked wobbly and seemed likely to fall into the water at any moment, she was just like a tumbler. No matter how much she swayed, her movement skills remained light and nimble without any mistakes. She was even a bit faster than Dongfang Liren. Along the way, she instructed:
"Liren, traveling on a journey and chasing after a fleeing enemy are two different things. When using lightness skills in normal times, what matters is being light, agile, and elegant. There's no need to be so cautious and tense with every step..."
Dongfang Liren naturally understood this principle. However, she had already exerted all her strength to keep up with her wine-loving master's speed. If she wanted to be more elegant and pay attention to her demeanor, her ability simply didn't allow it.
However, since she couldn't manage it, Dongfang Liren was too embarrassed to admit it. She paid a bit more attention to her posture and became a bit more composed.
The two of them set off from a small town along the river. Instead of riding horses, they had to use their lightness skills to get here. On the way, they were afraid of passing by Ye Jingtang, who might be on his way back, so they always walked beside the official road.
They walked a hundred li on foot. Given their martial arts skills, it wasn't too strenuous for them. But since there was no urgent matter, they enjoyed the beautiful scenery of the mountains and rivers as autumn was approaching, so their speed wasn't very fast.
When the moon rose on the branches, the two of them arrived outside Wanshui Town. Looking up, they could see that the center of the town was brightly lit. There were many people walking on the street. From the taverns and brothels, they could hear the idle chatter of the common people:
"I heard that all the dead are big shots from Zezhou. Lord Fan the Eighth is among them, and he died a really miserable death..."
"Good riddance! I used to be a boatman, and Lord Fan the Eighth once robbed me on the Qingjiang River. I used to think how powerful these people were. But I never expected that as soon as an official from the Black Yamen came, he killed them all in the blink of an eye..."
"That's right. Those people in the martial arts world all brag as if even the Emperor himself would have to show them respect. But if you think about it rationally, if the court really feared these common folk in the martial arts world, how could it maintain its hold on the country? It's just that it doesn't have the time to deal with them usually..."
...
Dongfang Liren landed on the roof. Hearing these conversations, she frowned slightly.
Lord Fan the Eighth was a water bully on the riverways of Zezhou and was on the wanted list of the Black Yamen. However, because he had no fixed residence and was very alert, he couldn't be caught at all.
Upon hearing that Lord Fan the Eighth was dead, Dongfang Liren knew that Ye Jingtang must have taken care of this matter conveniently. But she was still a bit puzzled:
"Why did Lord Fan the Eighth come here? And how did he happen to run into Ye Jingtang?"
True Person Xuanji smelled the scent of blood in the night wind. Looking in the direction of the town center, she could see many street ruffians carrying buckets to wash the street. The old street was in a mess, full of broken walls and dilapidated buildings.
"This looks like a big commotion. It seems to be an ambush..."
"An ambush?"
True Person Xuanji squinted her eyes and examined the traces in the town center. Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a small, unremarkable bird perched on a house in the distance, leisurely eating dried meat.
True Person Xuanji knew that Ye Jingtang was over there and said, "Let's go and ask, and we'll find out."
After saying that, she led Dongfang Liren to land on the street and walked towards the town center together.
But not long after they started walking, True Person Xuanji's ears suddenly twitched, and she heard a few faint words:
"Little rascal, don't forget that I initially helped you and adjusted your body for you..."
...
——
The ruthless "King of Hell" from the Black Yamen took a rest at the inn. Although he didn't clear out the place, the few guests who originally stayed at the inn still silently checked out. Only three people were staying in the guest rooms.
Pei Xiangjun had injured her qi channels and couldn't participate. She could only lie on the pillow with a bit of grievance, closing her eyes to recuperate from her injuries.
In another room on the second floor, a candle was placed on the dressing table.
Ye Jingtang leaned against the headboard of the bed, taking a break. He picked up a water cup from the dressing table and thoughtfully poured water for Ning'er.
Luo Ning hugged a thin quilt and leaned against him. Her long black hair was scattered over her back, looking a bit messy. There was still a blush on her cheeks, but her eyes were filled with anger, as if she had just been "used". She didn't take the water cup when it was offered to her. Instead, she turned her head towards the inside, looking like she didn't want to pay attention to him.
Ye Jingtang wasn't surprised by this attitude. Just now, Ning'er had pulled him over for "recuperation" and had set three rules in advance. In general, it was something like - you are not allowed to move, I'll do it myself.
For such a considerate arrangement, he naturally wouldn't refuse. He lay there obediently and let Ning'er take care of him.
But Ning'er was as hesitant as ever, not fully taking the initiative. Her actions were gentle and reserved, proceeding at a leisurely pace.
He had taken too many tonics and hadn't fully digested them. He couldn't hold back halfway and took the initiative instead. Ning'er was crying and begging for mercy while grabbing the bed sheet, and he even covered her mouth. After that, she ignored him.
Seeing Ning'er holding the thin quilt with tears in her eyes, Ye Jingtang was filled with shame. He brought the water cup to her mouth:
"I was wrong. I took too many tonics. I'll definitely be obedient next time. Come on, have a sip of water..."
Luo Ning had heard the words "I'll definitely do it next time" countless times and wouldn't believe these words used to coax girls in bed. She turned her head to avoid the water cup, and her beautiful peach-blossom eyes were serious:
"Little rascal, don't forget that I initially helped you and adjusted your body for you. When you coaxed me before, you said 'I'll listen to whatever you say'. Which time did you actually listen later?"
Ye Jingtang smiled and raised his hand to put his arm around Luo Ning's shoulder:
"There won't be a next time. Come on, dear, have a sip of water."
Luo Ning had no way to deal with the persistent Ye Jingtang. She slightly opened her red lips and took a few sips of water. Then she let go of the thin quilt. With the mindset that it was better to get it over with quickly, she wanted to finish the recuperation and go to sleep early.
Noticing that Ye Jingtang's gaze shifted downward and he seemed hesitant to speak, Luo Ning understood his meaning without words. She straddled his legs, held the "little watermelon" in her hand, and leaned forward with a look of disgust:
"There, there, really... It's just like a little baby that hasn't reached one month old..."
Ye Jingtang's eyes were curved with a smile. He opened his mouth to receive the "reward", and his hand was placed on the "moon". Just as he pinched it twice, he suddenly heard outside:
"Chirp?!"
"Chirp~ Come here..."
...
Luo Ning heard the commotion and quickly leaned backward to move away. As a result...
Boop~
Luo Ning noticed that Ye Jingtang was still reluctant to part. Her delicate eyebrows stood upright in anger, and she raised her hand and knocked on the stinky man's forehead:
"Someone is here! Why don't you go out quickly?!"
"Okay, okay. Don't be angry..."
Ye Jingtang didn't expect Benben to come over at night. He quickly turned over, put on his robe, and hurried downstairs.
——
It was taboo to keep dead bodies in the inn. Therefore, the four corpses were placed in the alley diagonally opposite, and several thugs were guarding them.
Ye Jingtang came out from the inn lobby. When he looked up, he saw Benben wearing a very eye-catching silver python robe, standing in front of the corpses and examining them.
True Person Xuanji was holding the bird on her arm and rubbing its head:
"Cluck?"
"Chirp~"
Ye Jingtang adjusted his robe and quickly walked over:
"Your Highness, Fairy Lu. Why are you here?"
True Person Xuanji turned and walked towards the street: "King Wu has been captured. There's nothing to do tonight, so we came to have a look. You two talk first. I'll take it for a walk."
Dongfang Liren's face didn't look good when she saw Xuan Yuan Hongzhi's body. When Ye Jingtang came over, she frowned and asked:
"Did Junshan Terrace secretly send people to kill you? Are you not injured?"
Ye Jingtang casually raised his hand to gesture at his body:
"A few people came together to offer their lives. It's nothing. I know the Eight Steps Frenzied Saber. Junshan Terrace must be wary of me, so it's not surprising they did this."
Dongfang Liren's eyes turned slightly cold: "This Xuan Yuan Chao is really audacious. He actually dared to touch my people..."
Ye Jingtang persuaded: "Junshan Terrace insists that it was Xuan Yuan Hongzhi's own idea. At most, if the matter gets serious, the title of Marquis of Junshan will be revoked. Xuan Yuan Hongzhi will be executed according to the law for assassinating an official, and this case will be closed. As for the past personal grudges, I will deal with Xuan Yuan Chao myself. If Your Highness helps me punish Junshan Terrace, as a person from the Black Yamen, it will be difficult for me to find a reason to trouble Junshan Terrace in the future."
Since Ye Jingtang wasn't injured and Xuan Yuan Hongzhi was directly killed, even if the matter was dealt with more severely, it was impossible to behead Xuan Yuan Chao, who was a founding marquis. Dongfang Liren considered for a moment and nodded:
"You handle it with care. If you can't solve it, just tell me. I'll lead tens of thousands of troops to surround Junshan Terrace. At worst, I'll be scolded by the censors for a few years for being overbearing and harming the loyal, but they can't do anything to me."
Dongfang Liren's words were full of arrogance, but how could Ye Jingtang let Benben bear the bad reputation because of his own grudges? He just shook his head and smiled...
——
On the other side, in the inn room.
Luo Ning's recuperation was interrupted. Obviously, she couldn't lie naked on the bed with her buttocks up, waiting for the little rascal to come back and continue.
After Ye Jingtang put on his clothes and went out, Luo Ning took out a dress and dressed herself neatly inside and out. She put her soft sword around her waist, tidied up her hair bun neatly, and then got up and went out, planning to visit San Niang, who was alone in the next room.
But when she reached the door, Luo Ning heard outside:
Flap, flap~
The sound of the bird flapping its wings...
?
Luo Ning was a bit puzzled. She thought the bird had come back to beg for food when it saw she was free, so she raised her hand and opened the door.
Creak——
The two doors opened, and the dim light in the room spilled onto the wooden floor of the corridor.
First, she saw a figure in a form-fitting white dress. The hem of the dress was embroidered with pink petals, and the legs were very slender. Above were the graceful curves of the buttocks and the slender waist. A red wine gourd and a sword with a handle in the shape of the Yin-Yang fish were hung around the waist. The front of the dress bulged at the chest, forming a perfect arc of moderate size.
Looking up further, there was an extremely beautiful face that was pure and refined. The raised corner of the mouth carried a hint of mischievousness. The clear eyes were looking at her, and the slender white fingers of the right hand were covering the eyes of the bird...
The big stupid bird thought they were playing and stood on the arm, shaking its head and swaying...
!!
Luo Ning's stunningly cold face suddenly froze. Her eyes visibly widened. Subconsciously, she put her hands together and tried to close the door.
But unfortunately, before the door was completely closed, it was blocked by someone's foot.
When True Person Xuanji lived with Luo Ning, Luo Ning was still a young female martial artist of sixteen. Although they hadn't seen each other for more than ten years, Luo Ning had practiced the "Evergreen Youth-Preserving Diagram". Except that her temperament had become much more mature, there was almost no change in her body. She was still as delicate as she was back then...
Therefore, at the first glance, True Person Xuanji recognized who this beautiful young woman with a hint of lustre on her face in the room was. There was a look of great surprise in her eyes:
"Ning'er?"
Luo Ning's face turned pale. In a panic, she just wanted to close the door and call Ye Jingtang back to solve the problem.
But as the wife of a sect leader, she couldn't even defeat San Niang, so how could she be a match for True Person Xuanji?
Before Luo Ning could exert any strength, True Person Xuanji easily pushed the door open, threw out the bird that knew it had caused trouble and looked at a loss, and then closed the door.
Click~
Luo Ning stared with wide eyes and looked around with her peripheral vision. It seemed that she wanted to run, but she also knew that she couldn't escape. She could only force herself to maintain an air of calmness:
"Shuishui? Why are you here? I... I happened to pass by here..."
Her voice became smaller and smaller.
After the surprise in True Person Xuanji's eyes faded, it turned into seriousness. She walked into the room unhurriedly. She originally wanted to sit on the bed, but she smelled a strange odor...
?!
True Person Xuanji guessed something. A look of shock flashed in her eyes. However, she still remained calm and sat on the chair, squinting her eyes and looking at her former best friend who was at a loss:
"Ning'er, you left without saying goodbye back then. I went to Nanxiao Mountain in person to pick you up, but you refused to leave. You were so heartless and said that you truly liked Xue Baijin and asked me not to ruin your marriage... Now you have become Madam Xue. Officials and bandits are on opposite sides. Even if I cherish our old friendship, I have to capture you and hand you over to the court for disposal. Are you sure you just happened to pass by here?"
Luo Ning felt as if her heart was dead. She didn't even dare to look at True Person Xuanji. Now she just wanted to hide behind the man and leave the matter to the little rascal to deal with.
But the heartless little rascal had gone to accompany the Queen Princess...
What should she do? What should she do...
Luo Ning clenched her hands in her sleeves, slowly came over and sat down opposite the teacup, pretending to be calm:
"My... My matter is a long story. I have no intention of rebelling. I went to Nanxiao Mountain back then because I had a family feud, and Yuxu Mountain couldn't teach me martial arts. They asked me to seek revenge from Qianfo Temple, so..."
"So you gave yourself to Xue Baijin and asked him to help you avenge your family?"
"It's not like that. I just asked him to teach me martial arts. I still avenged my family on my own..."
"Oh..."
True Person Xuanji nodded thoughtfully:
"You accompanied Xue Baijin for more than ten years and found that he was duplicitous and had deceived you. So you looked for a better option and found Ye Jingtang again?"
"..."
Luo Ning raised her face. There was a bit of annoyance in her eyes. After all, True Person Xuanji's words completely portrayed her as a woman who would resort to using her beauty to cling to men to achieve her goals!
But in the eyes of outsiders, it seemed that the truth was indeed like that...
Luo Ning didn't want her former friend to misunderstand her like this. She forced herself to explain:
"I'm not a woman who changes her mind easily..."
"Then you first had a grand wedding with Xue Baijin, and now you're with Ye Jingtang..."
True Person Xuanji glanced at the bed, and the meaning was obvious.
Luo Ning felt extremely ashamed. She gritted her teeth secretly and explained:
"Last year, Qiu Tianhe was captured. I... I was ordered by the Pingtian Sect to come to the capital to try to rescue him. Unfortunately, I happened to run into Ye Jingtang, who had just entered the capital. He... He saw that I was good-looking and flirted with me and pestered me. I had no choice..."
What Luo Ning said was also the truth. After all, the little rascal was really like that at the beginning.
But what Luo Ning didn't expect was that as soon as she pulled the little rascal out to take the blame, Shuishui opposite her frowned:
"You're not a young girl anymore. Don't push the matter onto a young man. Ye Jingtang has a chivalrous heart and upright character. How could he be lured by beauty and do something to force a woman?"
??
Luo Ning was stunned when she heard this. It was clear that this meant - Ye Jingtang was young and had a good character, so it must be you, the bad elder sister, who seduced him, and you still want to shift the blame onto Ye Jingtang.
If that were really the case, it would be fine. But what she said was clearly the truth!
Young man?
Except for his love of watermelons, in what other way was Ye Jingtang "young"?
Luo Ning sat up a bit straighter: "Shuishui, I stayed with you for more than a year. Don't you know my character? Do I seem like that kind of woman?"
True Person Xuanji knew that Luo Ning used to be very pure. But people change. More than ten years had passed, and Luo Ning was still associated with the Pingtian Sect. Who knew if her temperament had changed greatly?
Ye Jingtang was different. A few days ago, she had leaned against him, and Ye Jingtang had remained as still as a mountain without showing any sign of lechery.
She was no less good-looking than Ning'er and had the status of "the Number One Female Martial Artist in the World" to boot. This was enough to prove that Ye Jingtang was not a man of bad character.
However, these arguments obviously couldn't be said explicitly. True Person Xuanji just said:
"I'm a good judge of people. Ye Jingtang is definitely not what you described..."
"He has changed! After he bullied me, I was very angry, and he mended his ways. I... I also softened my heart and forgave him because I saw that his character wasn't bad... Now I'm still with him because I want him to join the Pingtian Sect, but he is loyal to the court and refuses, and he won't let me leave either..."
True Person Xuanji listened for a moment and gradually understood the whole story:
"Ye Jingtang was initially attracted by your beauty and destroyed your innocence. You thought his talent and character were good, so you didn't blame him. Then, gradually, feelings developed between you two. Now you want to break off this ill-fated relationship and go back to Xue Baijin, but he doesn't want you to leave, so you're just deceiving yourself and avoiding the problem day by day?"
Luo Ning pursed her lips. She wanted to say that she had no feelings and was forced to stay here, but Shuishui definitely wouldn't believe it. She could only nod slightly.
True Person Xuanji looked at her old friend who had "strayed from the path". After a moment of silence, she gently shook her head:
"If you're like this... What about Xue Baijin? If he finds out that his lawfully wedded wife has run away with Ye Jingtang, both of you might be cut into pieces..."
Luo Ning thought it wouldn't be that serious. If Baijin found out about her infidelity, at most, he would hang the little rascal up and beat him, and then divorce her.
However, if this matter spread, Xue Baijin and the Pingtian Sect would probably immediately become the laughing stock of the martial arts world, and she would have no face to show herself in public for the rest of her life. So she replied seriously:
"I will handle this matter well. Ye Jingtang has a sense of righteousness and wants peace in the world, so he took a position in the Black Yamen and is serving Prince Jing loyally. I think what he said makes sense, and I will find a way to persuade Baijin to accept the amnesty. You mustn't tell anyone about this. Once the news spreads, it will be irreversible and lead to a life-and-death situation..."
?
True Person Xuanji frowned: "A person from the court has stolen Xue Baijin's wife, and you still want him to submit? Do you think the 'Number One in the Mortal Martial Arts World' is a clay figurine? If Xue Baijin finds out about this, it would be the least of his actions to rush to Yun'an and cause a commotion in the capital. If he's enraged and leads more than a hundred thousand troops to cause chaos in Tiannan, do you know how many people will die?"
Luo Ning felt that Shuishui wasn't as easy to deceive as San Niang. Some things couldn't be said casually, so she could only say:
"I guarantee with my life that this won't happen. Baijin... He's different from ordinary men. Hmm... He also likes men. He has a marital relationship with me, but he doesn't care about matters between men and women..."
?
True Person Xuanji sat up straight, took down the wine gourd from her waist, and her eyes were intense:
"Does Xue Baijin have a preference for men?"
"..."
Luo Ning felt that she might be severely beaten by Baijin, but at this moment, she could only bite the bullet and nod:
"That's true. Don't talk nonsense. I will handle this matter well and give you a satisfactory explanation..."
"What explanation do you need to give me? This matter has nothing to do with me."
True Person Xuanji took a sip of wine and then frowned and asked:
"Does Ye Jingtang know all this?"
Afraid that True Person Xuanji would doubt Ye Jingtang's loyalty, which might lead to Ye Jingtang being suspected by the Empress and Prince Jing, Luo Ning quickly explained:
"He knows all this. Because he feels sorry for me, he has been concealing my identity and trying to persuade me to turn to the right path..."
True Person Xuanji stroked the wine gourd, nodded slightly, and after a little consideration, asked again:
"Does Xue Baijin have a Minglong Diagram in his hand?"
Luo Ning blinked and shook her head:
"You should ask Xue Baijin about this yourself. I'm just the wife of the sect leader, and I'm only in charge of some internal affairs."
True Person Xuanji did want to ask, but facing Xue Baijin, who was now at the height of his power, her chances of winning weren't great. So she skipped this topic and instead said:
"Since you've turned to the right path, you can forget about going back to Nanxiao Mountain to renew your old relationship. If you have the intention of luring Ye Jingtang to rebel, you know the consequences. As the 'Imperial Tutor', I can't show you any mercy because of our old friendship."
Luo Ning pursed her lips: "I won't encourage Ye Jingtang to rebel. You can rest assured."
"When it comes to love, men can do anything. I don't believe what you say."
True Person Xuanji stood up and tapped with her hand.
Dong, dong~
Luo Ning's "Sticky Cloud Fourteen Hands" was taught by True Person Xuanji. Before she could react, her body went limp, and she leaned against the chair:
"What are you doing?"
"I'm going to test Ye Jingtang to prevent you from tipping him off and colluding with him. I'll take my leave for now. We can catch up later."
After saying that, True Person Xuanji went to the dressing mirror, adjusted her clothes a bit, and made an expression of "majestic without anger, fierce-looking". After making sure there was no problem, she twirled the wine gourd with her fingers and slowly drifted out.
Luo Ning knew the crazy nature of her best friend very well. She guessed that the little rascal was going to suffer.
But in her own precarious situation, she couldn't say anything. She could only hope that the little rascal, who always outtalked her, could be smart enough to make this matter go away and resolve it smoothly.
Creak~
The door closed, and the room became quiet.
Luo Ning listened to True Person Xuanji's footsteps fading away. She secretly heaved a sigh of relief. Just as she was worrying deeply, a soft voice suddenly came from the next room:
"Fox spirit, does the leader of the Pingtian Sect really have a preference for men?"
?
Luo Ning's eyes turned slightly fierce: "Mind your own business!"
"Tsk~ Why didn't I see you being fierce in front of True Person Xuanji? You're only tough with those around you..."