Chapter 42#

Geng Yong stepped lightly into the relay station where the Floating Pagoda Fortress group was temporarily staying. Hua Qianjue was sitting in the main seat of the main hall, sipping tea. It seemed to be Geng Yong’s illusion, but he felt that Hua Qianjue was even more dangerous than usual, exuding a bloody smell mixed with murderous intent and desire, and his imposing manner was so sharp that people couldn’t look him in the eye at all. Hua Qianjue’s face was gloomy as if a storm was coming, and he asked slowly: “Did you take him to find the medicine? Did he say anything else?”

Geng Yong lowered his head and bowed, replying: “I took the Little Young Master to get the medicine… Everything is safe and sound, the Little Young Master is also in good health, and seems to be in a good mood. He didn’t say anything else.”

Hua Qianjue suddenly flew into a rage. With a flick of his finger, the teacup in his palm flew out and hit the wall hard, making a startling loud noise. All sounds were silenced, the teacup shattered into pieces and scattered everywhere, and tea splashed all over the wall. Hua Qianjue gritted his teeth and repeated: “He didn’t say anything, he didn’t say anything…!”

Geng Yong lowered his head even more and whispered: “That is so.”

Hua Qianjue panted violently for a while, his face dark, wanting to kill casually, but finally waved his hand. Geng Yong bowed and retreated. The night outside the window was as cold as water, a waning moon hung high, and the desolate night wind made even martial arts practitioners shiver. Geng Yong subconsciously touched the two mountain-cleaving axes at his waist, thinking of the person who was still waiting alone in the mountain pavilion at this time, and felt unbearable in his heart.

— Little Young Master, I just hope that you can also understand the father-son relationship of others in the future.

Since his second son, who was only eleven years old, fell into that person’s hands not long ago, he had to start being manipulated by others. Any disciple of Floating Pagoda Fortress could casually tell interesting stories about how this burly man loved his wife and cared for his son. Facing his wife’s confused questioning about the whereabouts of their youngest son, this man could only anxiously repeat the same answer again and again: “He just went out to play, I will definitely bring him back safe and sound, I promise, I promise you!” The son he brought up with his own hands, and his beloved wife who was originally gentle and virtuous but spoiled by him to be a bit unruly, were everything in his life worth protecting with all his strength.

“There are clearly three Hall Masters, why didn’t you choose them, but chose me?” Geng Yong once asked that man.

The man in pale yellow brocade clothes lightly waved his jade fan and smiled: “Because you are the most loyal person, others won’t suspect you.”

Geng Yong couldn’t help but smile bitterly. In fact, that person simply couldn’t find any leverage to threaten Wu Qiuping and Su Meiniang. On the surface, one of them loved desire and the other loved lust. As long as sexual seduction was used, they were the best targets to start with. But who would have thought—he still asked one more question: “If they won’t suspect me, then who will they suspect?”

The man laughed loudly: “Since we are allies now, I naturally employ people without suspicion. It doesn’t hurt to tell you. I have long heard that Su Meiniang is good at the art of disguise. Coincidentally, there is also a little girl in my fortress who is good at disguise. I once asked her to disguise herself as Su Meiniang and send a box of angelica to your fortress’s Little Young Master…”

Geng Yong shook his head vigorously, forcing himself to struggle out of these hateful memories. In the more distant memory, that pink-carved and jade-polished child seemed to be still dragging an iron sword longer than himself, chasing him for a contest, saying over and over again in a childish voice: “Uncle Geng, teach me again, compete with me again, Jinian wants, Jinian wants to become a great master…”

The betrayer forced by helplessness, and the wrongly accused who knew nothing, lived silently under the same roof.

At the mountain pavilion, the mountain wind blowing through the night must be even colder than here.

“Sister Su, Sister Su…”

On the third day after the young man separated from that person, Su Meiniang was awakened from her light sleep. This familiar voice made her heart suddenly soften, so soft that it hurt a little. She hurriedly turned over and sat up, put on an outer robe, opened the door and went out to welcome him.

Outside the door, the ground was full of clear moonlight. Standing there was the child she watched grow up since childhood. He was still dressed in clean white clothes, and his hair was neatly tied into a crown, but his face was as pale as paper. Hua Jinian bowed to Su Meiniang, with a hint of a gentle smile at the corner of his mouth, but set against the young man’s emaciated face, it made people unable to be happy no matter what.

“Why are you here…?” Su Meiniang stared at the young man for a while, hesitating to touch this unusually haggard person. Hua Jinian took a step back to avoid it, facing the woman’s surprised face, and whispered: “I know I shouldn’t come at this time, but I still came, just to ask you for one thing.”

Su Meiniang was stunned and said: “Speak.” Hua Jinian laughed in a low voice: “Sister Su, Uncle Wu, Uncle Geng, are all… the right-hand men promoted by that person, and even more so the people who accompanied me growing up. With Sister Su’s wisdom, you must have seen clearly the situation Floating Pagoda Fortress is facing this time, right? I have a way, I wonder if Sister wants to hear it.”

Su Meiniang sensed a slight unkindness in the young man’s tone, and couldn’t help but wonder even more: “That’s right, the fortress is short of funds, the organization is bloated, and the only ones who can really face the enemy are our three halls. This time Huanzhen Mountain Villa has ulterior motives. We want to resist, but we are somewhat powerless. But if the Little Young Master has a way, why not go directly to tell the Fortress Master?”

Hua Jinian’s face turned pale, seeming to be in extreme pain. After a long time, he forced a laugh: “He doesn’t forgive me at all, doesn’t want to see me… how dare I go to find him.” Having said this, he pretended not to care and shook his head vigorously, smiling: “I do have a way, but I don’t need to trouble too many people. Just one soldier is enough. Jinian has long heard that Sister Su is proficient in the art of disguise, and is a loyal pillar of Floating Pagoda Fortress, so I have a presumptuous request. Although Jinian has nothing to do with Floating Pagoda Fortress now, but… I can’t let it go no matter what…”

Su Meiniang didn’t know why, but she had a bad premonition in her heart. She always felt that the young man at this time was somewhat different from usual towards her. When had she ever heard the young man talk to her in such a polite and distant tone? But at this time Hua Jinian spoke so solemnly, she had to listen seriously, and only then asked in confusion: “What exactly is the way?”

Hua Jinian laughed in a low voice: “Sister Su, please think carefully. In the many confrontations between Floating Pagoda Fortress and Huanzhen Mountain Villa, the reason why they have the upper hand is because Shen Pinzhen always grasps our sore spots. Therefore, if we want to win a breathing space for Floating Pagoda Fortress, the simplest way is to grasp Shen Pinzhen’s weakness, disrupt his formation, and make him have no time to attend to us for a while.”

Su Meiniang’s eyes lit up and asked: “He also has a weakness? What is his weakness?”

Hua Jinian seemed to hesitate for a moment, and after a long time said: “Ruan Xiyu… is his weakness.”

After he finished speaking, he seemed to be organizing his language, and was silent for a long time before slowly saying: “Actually, it can’t be said to be a weakness, just a place to stick a knife. Ruan Xiyu has a close relationship with him, and has lived in Huanzhen Mountain Villa for a long time. There are many rumors in the martial world that Ruan Xiyu’s power in the villa even surpasses Shen Pinzhen.”

Su Meiniang was stunned, and then suddenly realized: “You want to sow discord between them? But if their relationship is not good, how could he let that person surnamed Ruan live in the villa? If their relationship is good, where do we start?”

Hua Jinian was silent for even longer this time, and then seemed to finally harden his heart, saying word by word in a low voice: “You don’t know, the leader of the Cold Moon Sect that Shen Pinzhen has been chasing to kill is Ruan Xiyu.”

Su Meiniang couldn’t help but be stunned there. The young man hesitated for a while and continued on his own: “Ruan Xiyu has completely hidden this huge matter from Shen Pinzhen. But no matter how much two people trust each other, as long as there is a little bit of deception between them, whether it is a white lie or a malicious coaxing, it will plant the evil fruit of suspicion for their relationship. We just need to add fuel to the fire in this regard, and we don’t have to worry about Shen Pinzhen not changing his target. After all… being deceived by the closest person will always make people lose their reason.”

As Su Meiniang listened, a chill rose in her heart for some reason. But looking at the young man’s thin and haggard face under the moonlight, her heart was filled with pity again—this was, after all, the child she watched grow up—thinking this, she asked softly: “I understand what you mean. What do you want me to do?”

Hua Jinian laughed in a low voice: “I want Sister Su to disguise yourself as me, sneak into Huanzhen Mountain Villa, and tell this secret to Shen Pinzhen.”

Su Meiniang was shocked: “You are crazy, why don’t you go yourself?”

Hua Jinian seemed to have expected her to be so surprised, so he rolled up his sleeves and signaled Su Meiniang to check his wrist. The woman put her hand on the young man’s pulse gate, concentrated slightly, and found that Hua Jinian’s internal breath was empty, and his internal energy was gone without a trace. She couldn’t help but cry out in a low voice.

Hua Jinian smiled: “That’s the truth. The abbot of Jiaye Temple destroyed my foundation mental cultivation method, plus various illnesses inside and outside the underground palace, my skill is completely ruined.” As he spoke, he bowed to Su Meiniang again: “To delay Huanzhen Mountain Villa’s attack on Floating Pagoda Fortress, the only way is to make them fight among themselves. Although this trip is dangerous, Jinian is not a person who is greedy for life and afraid of death. The only blame is… I can’t even beat an ordinary farmer at this time. Asking me to sneak into Huanzhen Mountain Villa to find Shen Pinzhen, I really have the will but not the strength. Therefore… I can only come to beg Sister. After all, Shen Pinzhen has been an ally with me for several years, and knows that I have never told a lie. He may not disbelieve what I say.”

“Sister Su… only you can help me with this matter.”

Su Meiniang sighed, closed her beautiful eyes tightly, and after a long time said softly: “Even if I have the heart to help you and am willing to give it a try for Floating Pagoda Fortress, disguising as you is a bit of a fantasy. Yes, if I want to pretend to be you, I can indeed change my height, face, disguise my voice and form at will. I have known you for many years, and I believe I can imitate your tone of voice vividly. But there is only one point… No matter how I cover up the fragrance of rouge and powder on my body, there will be a few traces left. Disguising as anyone else, this smell of rouge and powder is excusable, but disguising as you… how can it not make people suspicious?”

Hua Jinian was quiet for a while, then suddenly laughed in a low voice: “Since trying to cover it up only makes it more obvious, why not do it with great fanfare? You just pretend to be me, put on a red outfit to find him, be particular about accessories, draw your eyebrows and eyes, apply rouge and powder, fumigate with sandalwood all over, do whatever you want… Take a big red soft sedan chair, be extravagant with utensils. Anyway, Shen Pinzhen has long expected that I would be hit hard at this time. You might as well act crazy for him to see. The less you look like me, the less suspicious he will be.”

Su Meiniang’s expression froze there. After a long time, she said: “How can I refuse you? You call me Sister Su, but you have never asked me for anything. How can I let you call me sister in vain.” She paused, suddenly giggled, but with some bitterness: “I will go at dawn.”

Seeing this woman, Hua Jinian’s heart was originally full of suppressed anger, but hearing this familiar string of silver bell-like laughter, his heart suddenly hurt. He couldn’t guess whether this smart woman understood something, understood his viciousness and determination to eradicate the internal traitor.

His plan could be described as seamless. He determined that Su Meiniang had betrayed Floating Pagoda Fortress and become a spy for Huanzhen Mountain Villa. If she was a spy, even knowing that this information was harmful to Shen Pinzhen, she had to report it truthfully. After informing, even if Shen Pinzhen did not implicate her in his rage, how could Ruan Xiyu spare her? If she was not a spy, then pretending to be him and doing her part for Floating Pagoda Fortress was also appropriate—although those people would never spare this “Hua Jinian” afterwards. In the struggle between the two sides, whether they capture “him” as a bargaining chip, kill “him” to eliminate future troubles forever, or take revenge for the many grudges of getting along in these years—

Anyway, he himself was about to die. That person didn’t want to see him, so saving Floating Pagoda Fortress became his only wish. It didn’t matter how much sacrifice was needed, he didn’t care, let alone just an internal traitor? In any case, this would be his last meeting with Su Meiniang. He knew that her life would end earlier than his, but who told this woman to have foolishly agreed to his request.

“Sister Su.” Hua Jinian didn’t know why, but suddenly felt tight in his heart, and choked out the woman’s name again. But Su Meiniang didn’t look back, turned quickly back to her room, closed the door tightly with her hand, and never looked at him again.

Today she wore a pomegranate-red pleated skirt sprinkled with gold, and a rose-colored outer robe draped over her upper body. She always dressed so beautifully, with a huge fresh peony still blooming by her temple, finely drawn eyebrows and eyes, giggling. Exactly the same as in his memory, she always took his hand and ran in the flowers, then giggled: “Jinian, look there is a red dragonfly, do you want it? Watch sister catch it and give it to you to play with.”

“You don’t want the red dragonfly? Then sister will teach you to sing.” That woman who knew better than anyone how to make herself bloom beautifully smiled charmingly, clapping her hands and smiling brightly deep in the flowers: “Stinky Taoist, Taoist stinky, Wu Qiuping is a bull nose…”

“Sister Su…” Hua Jinian stood in front of her closed door, wrapped in the endless night. He took a step back, but didn’t know what he knocked over. A clang sounded, scary clear in the quiet night. At this time, a familiar voice sounded uncertainly: “Who is outside?”

The young man was startled, sensing a trace of bloodthirsty oppression in the air beside him, and suddenly panicked. He tried to lighten his steps and hide in the dark. The relay station where they stayed was not in a prosperous area. After running for dozens of meters, there was a large area of reed wasteland. Hua Jinian didn’t know if that person had chased him, just ran into the reeds as tall as a person in a flurry. A silver moon plated on the reed clumps, the snow-white reed flowers reflected a dreamy soft luster. When clothes rubbed against the reeds and ran past in a hurry, there was a rustling sound.

Hua Jinian ran for a long time, feeling his mood gradually calm down, so he slowed down and looked behind him, only to see a man in a blood-red robe standing not far away, looking at him with a murderous gaze. Hua Jinian was so scared that he almost screamed, his face pale, he took a few steps back, and ran towards the dense reeds again. Not knowing how long he ran, he only heard someone snort coldly from far away, and did not continue to chase.

Hua Jinian didn’t know whether he was scared or disappointed in his heart. The words that person said echoed in his ears one by one—This time I left first.

— Don’t let me see you again, I will kill you every time I see you.

Hua Jinian would never forget yesterday, how he waited in the mountain pavilion, his heart filled with countless words of weakness, thousands of apologies, thousands of longings, but in the end, he couldn’t say a single word. Waiting makes people sick with longing, makes people sit on pins and needles, makes people heartbroken. He was shivering with cold, but couldn’t find a warm shackle. He thought of returning all night long, but couldn’t return to the place where he belonged.

— I will kill you every time I see you.

Hua Jinian listened to the rustling sound of the reed clumps, which was the footsteps of that man slowly leaving. In an instant, the young man felt a sharp pain in his heart. If he missed this, it would be a farewell forever. Separated by life and death, separated by yin and yang, even if not separated by a Yellow Spring Road, could the membrane on the heart really be eliminated by a few confessions? He didn’t know, no one knew. He only knew one thing clearly. The moment the man turned and left, his body had already run uncontrollably towards the man’s direction. His mind hung high in the air, watching indifferently, even more powerless.

Some old broken reeds were stepped under his feet, the sharp cross-sections stung the soles of his feet, but he couldn’t care less. He only felt that the moment he ran towards that person, even his soul was light enough to float. Wanting to touch him again, look at him again, this simple thought actually made his body ache in bursts as if it was about to explode with desire. Hua Jinian forcefully separated the reeds blocking the way, looked at the man finally close in front of him, with his tall figure back to him, choked softly in his throat, and tears streamed down his face in an instant. Before he could think more, his body had already pounced over, hugging the man’s waist tightly from behind, leaning his face on the man’s strong back, then his knees softened, and he slowly knelt down.

“Father, forgive me, Father… kill me if you want, don’t ignore me…” Hua Jinian cried and begged with a nasal voice that was almost inaudible. “Jinian knows he was wrong, really knows he was wrong…”

He repeated the apology again and again without any method, crying non-stop. He didn’t know how many times he said these few sentences over and over again. He only knew that the man didn’t kick him over as he imagined, but kept his back to him, maintaining the original posture, silently listening to his constant begging and crying. That person had his back to him, so Hua Jinian couldn’t see his expression at all, and could only dully feel that the person’s originally murderous bloodthirsty momentum gradually changed, becoming like the wanton laughter when that person was smug.

Did he forgive me?

Hua Jinian vaguely turned this thought over. Once he relaxed, the fatigue of five or six days fell overwhelmingly. His vision went black, and he knew nothing.

An extremely luxurious red gauze sedan chair, carried by four people, walked slowly on the mountain road.

The young man in pale green robes looked down from the top of the mountain, waved his hand gently, and instructed the left and right: “Hua Jinian was seriously injured after fighting with me. No need to hesitate, do it.”

At a fork in the mountain road, the sedan chair turned a corner.

At the end of the road, heavy troops were hidden, and sword light suddenly rose.

Hua Jinian struggled in this long sleep. He vaguely felt that he was carried horizontally, and after a burst of confusion, he lay on the bed again. His clothes were completely untied, hot breaths and kisses fell like raindrops, but his eyelids hung heavily, unable to open no matter how hard he tried. He could only let that familiar big hand stroke every corner of his body again and again. For the first time, vague ambiguous hums and gasps leaked out from deep in his throat without scruples. That person’s hand was like plucking the most beautiful instrument, igniting clusters of flames in his body, and then drowning. When penetrated, he was forced to wrap his legs around that person’s waist. Obscene posture, shameful pleasure, blurred enjoyment and endless bliss.