"So, Yu Cuiwei was actually very good to him." Fu Zhumei asked curiously, "Why would he hate him?" Plum Blossom Numerology glared at him. "Having a notorious, lewd, and depraved elder brother who happens to be the master of Candle Holding Temple—even if the Seventh Brother ruled the Martial Arts World and conquered all under heaven, who would submit to him? If he wants to stand above all others, how could he win the hearts of the people without killing Yu Cuiwei?" A chill ran through Fu Zhumei's heart. "He... he truly is heartless."
With a clang , Plum Blossom Numerology smashed the teapot. "Ha! But ten years ago, when we brothers swore our oath and roamed the land, the Seventh Brother was so gallant and refined. Even when he spoke of killing Yu Cuiwei, it was framed as upholding justice at the expense of kinship..." He pushed the table aside and staggered to his feet. "Some people, if you only look at the surface, you’ll never see what kind of person they truly are."
Fu Zhumei steadied him and couldn’t help but nod at these words. Thinking of Tang Lici, he felt an inexplicable mix of fear and worry. "You won’t leave, will you?" Plum Blossom Numerology collapsed stiffly back onto the bed and burst into laughter. "Hahaha... My martial arts... cough ... are barely a tenth of what they once were. My joints are ruined—I’m already a cripple. What would I do if I left here? Let the Seventh Brother drag me back to crawl like a dog?" He glanced at Fu Zhumei. "I won’t leave, and neither can you. Though Azure Fall Palace enjoys great prestige, none of its disciples have reached first-class skill. Though you’re a bit simple-minded, right now, you’re the pillar holding up Azure Fall Palace."
Fu Zhumei gave a quiet "Mm." "I won’t leave." His tone was plain but firm. Often, he didn’t know what to do—but once he understood his duty, he no longer hesitated.
"Kid, what’s your name?" Plum Blossom Numerology suddenly asked.
"My surname is Fu." Fu Zhumei rubbed his head. "My given name isn’t very pleasant—just call me Xiao Fu."
"I don’t want to die." Plum Blossom Numerology closed his eyes. "Kid surnamed Fu, when facing the enemy, don’t be too foolish."
Fu Zhumei acknowledged again. He swept up the shattered porcelain from the floor, wiped it clean, and only left after closing the door behind him.
Outside, the sky was a clear azure. He hurried off to find Bi Lianyi but paused at his door for some reason before continuing straight to Hong Guniang’s courtyard.
Yet Bi Lianyi wasn’t there either. Fu Zhumei stopped lightly at the entrance and saw the woman in white standing beneath a withered tree, her forehead pressed against the trunk as she stood silently, lost in thought. After a while, she turned and leaned against the tree to sit down, staring blankly at the other side of the courtyard. Following her gaze, Fu Zhumei looked through the lattice window in the wall—outside, someone was passing by, clad in the uniform blue-green robes of Azure Fall Palace, though he couldn’t tell if it was Bi Lianyi. She watched as the figure moved from the east side of the wall to the west, unblinking, before hugging her knees and sighing softly.
"Who’s there?"Fu Zhumei cautiously stepped inside, offering her the friendliest expression he could muster. "Uh... it's me." Hong Guniang's gaze swept over his face with disinterest. "Who are you?" Fu Zhumei habitually ruffled his hair, already a tangled mess from his constant fidgeting. "My surname is Fu, Fu Zhumei. I'm the one who... was poisoned by you." The corner of Hong Guniang's lips curled slightly. "You stepped into my courtyard, so now you're poisoned by another one of my concoctions." Fu Zhumei didn't seem bothered. "Ah... it's fine. Hong Guniang... are you cold?"
Hong Guniang paused, taken aback. "No." Fu Zhumei shook his head. "I don’t know if Xiaoyue told you about Liu Yan’s whereabouts, but don’t worry. I’m sure Xiaoyue will find him soon." His voice softened. "Don’t be afraid." Hong Guniang’s chest heaved as she swung a slap toward his face. "What kind of people are you? Thinking you’re doing good for others, flashing smiles at everyone—do you think that makes me feel better? That it’ll make me one of you? Even some random passerby dares to care about my feelings? Who gave you the right? Who do you think you are, prying into my private affairs?"
Fu Zhumei dodged the slap, staring at her in shock, his face flushing instantly. "I... I just thought you looked unhappy. I’m sorry, really sorry." He practically fled, leaping backward with practiced lightness, retreating beyond the courtyard walls. Hong Guniang’s hand hung in the air, the slap having missed its mark. Watching him retreat so hastily, she froze, a vague sense of having hurt him creeping in. This man was highly skilled—Wan Yu Yuedan valued him enough to risk a trip to Shaolin Temple for Liu Yan’s sake. But this person... was nothing like she had imagined.
She had never met a man so weak, one who would feel guilty over a young woman’s harsh words, even forgetting his original purpose in his haste to leave. As if, in that moment, nothing mattered more than her feelings. She despised such weakness, yet somehow, the shadows in her heart lightened slightly. In that instant, she realized she was being respected.
It was a kind of equal respect, free from bias or ulterior motives—something neither Liu Yan nor Wan Yu Yuedan had ever given her. The feeling was familiar. Hong Guniang slowly rose from the ground. There was a man... who brought her a cup of ginger tea every day without a word, who delivered fresh bedding when the wind howled or rain poured, who confiscated the Poison she hid away. That silence, that persistence, that patience had irritated and unsettled her. But now she understood—that irritation was the same as the impulse that drove her to strike out earlier. It wasn’t hatred or disdain, just a desperate need to vent.
Since the day she set a trap to kill Wan Yu Yuedan, Bi Lianyi had rarely come with ginger tea. Lately, he hardly stepped into the courtyard at all. Yet as the weather grew colder, he still delivered clothes and quilts on time—only, she never saw him when he came.
The man who had treated her with unwavering kindness now held reservations against her—because she had tried to kill Wan Yu Yuedan.
She had always intended to kill Wan Yu Yuedan. She had always been Liu Yan’s strategist. She had always been the enemy. So why did she suddenly feel a pang of unease, as if... as if she had truly done something wrong?Hong Guniang clenched her fists, pressing them against her chest. From beginning to end, she had done nothing wrong—not a single thing. Everything she had done was for the Revered Master.
But Revered Master... where... where exactly are you?
Fu Zhumei hastily retreated from Hong Guniang's courtyard, momentarily unsure of where to go. When he turned around, he saw Bi Lianyi standing quietly by the corner outside Hong Guniang's courtyard, his expression calm. It was unclear how long he had been standing there, but the tall trees outside the courtyard had concealed his figure, making him invisible to Hong Guniang.
"Xiao Bi, Xiao Bi, Raging Orchid No Trace has left," Fu Zhumei sighed in relief upon seeing him, his voice tinged with shame. "I... I couldn't stop him."
OpenNovel