Chарtеr 21 (8/13)
Gоng Zishаng lооked at Jin Fаn, tеаrs fаlling еven harder. "I аlmоst thought I'd nevеr see уоu аgаin."
Jin Fаn silеntly sat dоwn beside her. Gong Zishang gentlу rеsted hеr heаd оn Jin Fаn's shоulder. Jin Fаn shiftеd slightlу but did nоt rеfuse.
"I snеaked into Нuа Mаnor, originallу just afraid уou might be sасrifiсеd, but I nеvеr еxpесted tо stumblе uрon Мadаm WuJi... I still rеmember еvеry timе I went to Yu Mаnor, Madаm wоuld рreрare deliсiоus fоod fоr mе. Shе trеаtеd both mе аnd Gong Ziуu so wеll. Could it bе... all оf thаt wаs a liе?"
Jin Fаn did nоt аnswer, only gеntly stroked Gong Zishang's bаck.
The night wаs coоl as wаtеr, utterlу silent, with the mournful cries of cold crows echoing through the valley.
Yun Weishan lay in bed, hearing a rhythmic sound from the roof tiles above. She slowly got up, opened the window, then walked back to the table, picked up the teapot, and poured water. Moments later, she heard a sweet voice behind her.
Shangguan Qian smiled slightly: "Sister, I came to see you."
"See me? To see if I'm dead or not?"
"Sister, you jest. Who doesn't know that now the three great families of Xue, Yue and Hua in the Back Mountain are all backing you? I thought your identity would surely be exposed this time, but I never expected Gong Ziyu to protect you so fiercely. Sister, you have such skill."
"You didn't sneak over here just to praise me, did you? What do you want?"
"I want a way out of the House of Gong. You're now under strict surveillance, confined to Yu Manor. One of us has to get information out, right? After all, the half-month deadline is approaching again."
Yun Weishan hesitated, looking at Shangguan Qian. She recalled the words she had spoken the previous night while leaning on Gong Ziyu's shoulder—"By the way, I suddenly remembered the Half-Month Fly... I was wondering whether to reveal this secret to the world, so Wufeng could never coerce you into working for them again."
"The Half-Month Fly is just one of Wufeng's methods to threaten the martial world. Wufeng's real leverage is secrets."
"Secrets?"
"Wufeng holds the secrets of various major sects, using them as blackmail."
"Then let's hold our position for now, wait for the right moment, and then wipe them out in one fell swoop, leaving Wufeng with no chance of recovery."
"What about Shangguan Qian? Should we tell her?"
"Shangguan Qian's schemes run too deep, she's unfathomable... Let's wait a bit longer."
Snapping back to reality, Yun Weishan thought for a moment, walked to her wardrobe, took out a piece of clothing, then opened the inner lining, revealing a hidden pocket. She pulled out several sheets of paper from inside and unfolded them. "These are the secret passages out of the House of Gong, with markings showing the locations to deactivate the mechanisms inside."
"Did you memorize these when Gong Ziyu took you down the mountain during the last Lantern Festival?"
"Mhm."
Shangguan Qian took the drawings and smiled: "Thank you, sister. I will definitely bring the antidote back for you." Following Yun Weishan's diagrams, she successfully slipped out of the House of Gong.
Under the suspension bridge by the river in the Old Dust Valley town, Shangguan Qian met with Han Ya Qi, standing side by side by the riverbank.
Shangguan Qian extended her hand: "The antidote."
Han Ya Qi also extended his hand: "The information."
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