Xiao Jin was slightly stunned.
Because she suddenly remembered the intelligence that the original owner had asked Jue Ge to investigate.
– Chu Shao, the ninth daughter of Emperor Yao, her mother was Rong Lian.
After Rong Lian’s death, she was raised by the empress for a year.
When the National Teacher returned to court, she took her over and raised her.
It was closely related to Chu Shao’s past.
Only these three people.
Xiao Jin knew a little about Rong Lian and the empress’s life through the play on stage.
But that mysterious national teacher always seemed hard to read.
However, if she wanted to know more about Chu Shao’s past, it would be better to choose Rong Lian’s memory fragments.
Xiao Jin was about to choose Rong Lian, but suddenly stopped.
Because she remembered the book she had read in the study before.
It recorded a period of history of Yao Country.
– The National teacher ‘s misgovernment.
At the time, Xiao Jin couldn’t understand the internal logic behind the National teacher’s behavior.
After all, in the end, the National teacher had become superior to others, almost having everything.
But later on, she made random decisions, built the “Liuli Palace” at great expense, and recruited a large number of soldiers to attack a small border country.
As a result, it benefited the Prince Yan of Qi Country.
When the original owner led troops to attack the capital of Yao Country, there were only over 20,000 elite soldiers left in the city.
It was as if striking a rock with an egg, and the outcome was already clear.
Thinking of the Liuli Palace built with the labor of tens of thousands of people, Xiao Jin replied, “It depends on the National Teacher.”
…
On the long street.
A silver light flashed.
Xiao Jin looked at the cold light reflected from the blade.
She hesitated and instinctively reached for the dagger in her boot to defend herself.
However, her opponent’s swordsmanship was too fast, leaving Xiao Jin no time to react.
She couldn’t even think about where she was or whether she was in her transparent state.
The next moment, the tip of the sword was close to her face.
The black-clothed man lifted his sword and brought it down.
In an instant, the wall of Long Street was splattered with blood.
Xiao Jin lowered her head and looked at the blade that had passed through her body.
The point where the blade touched her body was shining with a faint glow.
Okay, it was a transparent person.
Xiao Jin nodded.
It seemed that the system was indeed efficient.
Efficient enough that one second she was having a conversation, and the next she woke up with memories of the National Teacher.
For now, she didn’t think about whether the efficient system was a blessing or a curse.
Xiao Jin turned around.
Looking at the densely packed black-clothed people and dozens of bodies on the ground, she couldn’t help but ponder.
Which one was the National Teacher?
In Xiao Jin’s view, she could definitely find the figure of the National Teacher from among the pile of masked black-clothed people.
Relying on her transparent state, she was about to observe from multiple angles.
At this moment, the black-clothed man holding the sword suddenly stopped moving.
Because standing under the bloody sword was a girl no more than three or four years old.
The girl had her back to the black-clothed man.
The hem of her crimson skirt was splattered with a bright red blood stain.
Like peach blossoms fallen onto a branch. The black-clothed person furrowed their brows, seemingly puzzled.
Both of her parents had already been killed, yet this girl didn’t even shed a single tear.
However, this puzzlement was not enough to change the girl’s fate.
After a brief moment of confusion, the black-clothed person emotionlessly raised their blade.
In their eyes, the girl and her family were just stumbling blocks for that noble to ascend to the throne.
Merely necessary sacrifices.
However, the noble standing beside the black-clothed person suddenly exclaimed, “Wait.”
The blade still shimmered with a cold light.
Barely stopping, it hung above the girl’s head.
The noble smiled at the girl before him.
It was a long gaze.
He wasn’t the only one looking.
Even the outsider, Xiao Jin, was staring at the three or four-year-old girl with astonishment.
The reason was simple – the girl had turned around.
And because of her composure that exceeded her young age. Her face was still very tender and immature. It clashed with the horror and bloodshed that pervaded the surroundings.
Behind her were the bodies of the Duke and Duchess of Gong.
It was well known in the Jianghu world. The swords of the Jianjia Building were always quick.
Therefore, at this moment, the heads and bodies of the Prince Gong and his consort have already been separated. Their heads were piled together beside the girl’s shoes.
But what surprised everyone the most was the girl’s reaction.
Drip, drip, the blood flowed.
The girl raised her innocent face and curiously stared at the group of black-clothed men who were unusually silent.
After a moment, she furrowed her eyebrows and smiled innocently on her cheeks, “Father and Mother are already asleep, so are you here to take me away?”
At this moment, Xiao Jin’s shock was beyond words.
Because the smile on the girl’s face was exactly the same as Chu Shao.
The man in the traditional Chinese clothing did not respond.
After a while, he burst out laughing, “I thought the consort had given birth to a prodigy, but it turns out that she is not a prodigy, just an ignorant child.”
After he finished laughing, the man in traditional Chinese clothing said to the black-clothed men beside him, “This child is interesting, spare her life.”
The black-clothed men were somewhat embarrassed, “Master… but this child is the daughter of Prince Gong, if we don’t get rid of her completely, and if the Second Prince were to find out, we wouldn’t be able to explain ourselves.”
The man in traditional Chinese clothing raised his hand and gently touched the little girl’s hair, “What does a three or four-year-old child know?”
“Besides, when the Second Prince becomes the Emperor, today’s events will be his greatest stain.”
Stroking the little girl’s hair, the man in traditional Chinese clothing casually said, “By then, when the new Emperor crosses the river and tears down the bridge, we at Jianjia Building will sell our lives for him. Perhaps we will become the scapegoats for killing Prince Gong and his family.”
The black-clothed men asked, “What does Master mean?”
The man in traditional Chinese clothing took the little girl’s hand and smiled, “This child is good. She is the sand in the eyes of the new Emperor and the biggest weakness.”
…
From observing, Xiao Jin probably knew.
The emperor of Yao Country was seriously ill, and his sons were still very young and had not yet come of age.
Therefore, the position of crown prince was undecided.
The Prince Gong is the older brother of Emperor Yao and according to the laws of Yao Country, he is likely to ascend to the throne in place of his young nephews.
However, someone had already taken action before the internal strife occurred.
The final result was obvious —
The Prince Gong’s mansion was ruthlessly slaughtered and the second prince, Chu Xuan, ascended to the throne as a matter of course.
But there was a variable that appeared midway.
The little girl who was taken away by the man in the Chinese clothing turned her head before boarding the carriage.
Her face was full of innocence as she gazed at the beautiful head of the Prince Gong’s wife that had fallen to the ground.
Xiao Jin saw clearly.
With her back to the man in the Chinese clothing, the girl’s face was stiff.
Even the smile that emerged was more fake and ugly than crying.
Xiao Jin remained silent.
She had wanted to try to read the girl’s inner thoughts.
But suddenly the scene changed.
Incense wafted through the air, and smoke rose from the carved copper furnace.
A slender, delicate hand parted the bead curtains.
The pearls on the string glowed even more brightly against the blood that stained the fingers.
The woman had a mole of cinnabar between her eyebrows.
Her crimson robe wrapped around her body, fitting perfectly in every way, and her appearance and behavior were all incredibly noble.
But those fingers, which looked like carved jade, were now covered in blood.
A green clothes woman knelt beside her, clasping her hands and reporting, “Master, all thirteen courtyards of the Jianjia Building are now under our control.”
The woman’s expression was very calm.
With a smile on her red lips, she used her blood-stained fingers to stroke the peach blossom engraved on the square table.
Blood was a natural dye.
Soon-
The pear wood table that the owner of Jianjia Building loved the most bloomed a lifelike peach blossom.
Looking at the blood-red peach blossom, the woman smiled even more happily and said to the woman in green clothes, “Look, the peach blossom has bloomed.”
The woman in green clothes was silent for a moment and reminded her, “Master, it’s already autumn now.”
The autumn light shone on the woman’s face, making her complexion even more white and translucent like jade.
She smiled and said regretfully, “So it’s already autumn.”
Then, the woman sighed softly, “In that case, let’s kill them all.”
The woman in green clothes seemed hesitant and asked, “What about the former master? How does master plan to deal with him?”
The woman smiled and said, “You mean my master? He saved my life back then, so I should repay him.”
“I remember that some fierce dogs were sent to the building from the Western Regions some time ago. Let’s release them all now. They can bite for as long as they can, but don’t let him die too quickly.”
The Thirteenth Institute was bloodbathed.
Since then, the entire Jianjia Building fell into the hands of the Thirteenth Institute’s master.
The master of the Thirteenth Institute was named Nan Jin.
But later, few people knew her name.
Because her other identity even overshadowed her original name.
It was known by all the people in the country.
Emperor Chu Xuan abdicated after only seventeen years on the throne and passed the throne to Duke Chu Yu.
The next morning, the new Emperor Chu Yu ascended the throne, granted a general amnesty, and changed the era name to Yongning.
At the same time, he granted the position of National Teacher of Nan Jin.
Xiao Jin never expected that the infamous traitor had such a past.
What surprised her even more was…
Three years later, the seventeenth-generation disciple of the Tianya Gate came down from the mountain.
In the bright and beautiful March, the weather was always good in Yao Country.
So good that National Teacher Nan Jin was annoyed by the heat, leaning against the peach tree to hide from the sun.
The spring was warm and beautiful.
A woman in a green clothes stood beside her, chattering away with a long report.
Nan Jin was even more annoyed.
Because she didn’t want to listen. The officials of the Imperial Censorate submitted several memorials to her accusing her of corruption and lawlessness.
Nor did she want to listen to the students of the National Academy who talked about how she embezzled and broke the law.
She listened to a lot of it.
Nan Jin waved her hand.
Like a gust of wind, she drove the woman in green out in one breath.
The courtyard became quiet again.
After calming down, Nan Jin wanted to kill some ignorant students to vent her anger.
After all, those students were really stupid, and they were only used as tools by others.
However, she realized that she was now the National Teacher.
No longer the owner of the Jianjia Building on the rivers and lakes.
The power of Jianjia Building has also been completely transferred to Nan Jin.
The former stronghold has become a brothel under her name, doing some business that does not violate the law on the surface.
At this point, Nan Jin realized that she should do something else to relieve her mood.
However, she had already done what she should and should not have done.
The former emperor abdicated and handed over the throne that very night.
Nan Jin stood by and watched her cousin’s hands tremble as he shakily stamped the imperial seal.
After he finished, she briskly drew her sword and beheaded him.
The next day, the new emperor ascended to the throne.
Even the favored Ning concubine of the imperial harem was someone Nan Jin had brought from the Ning family.
But as beautiful as Ning was, she would become tiresome after a while.
To Nan Jin, being a national teacher was just like being with Ning.
Over time, it became very dull.
When bored, Nan Jin took out the jade flute from her waist and lightly played it against her lips.
The music she played was slow and drawn out.
It was like clear flowing water and towering mountains.
Xiao Jin, transparent and floating, was perched on a peach blossom tree.
She could see Rong Lian holding a sword and easily understand Nan Jin’s thoughts.
Years ago, when the Crown Prince’s consort was still alive, she often played this tune for her husband when they were in the palace.
The reason why this tune was so distant was because of lovesickness.
Lovesickness is the feeling of being separated by thousands of mountains and rivers.
As it poured out through the jade flute, it was as gentle as the flow of peach blossoms.
Xiao Jin understood why Rong Lian stopped and hesitated.
Because she was thinking, how could such a cruel person play such a gentle tune?
However, even Nan Jin herself did not realize the hidden tenderness in the melody.
After all, she was just bored on a spring day, playing a bored tune.
When she put down the jade flute, a silver-blue light flashed into Nan Jin’s eyes.
Although Nan Jin from Jianjia Building was quick, it was not faster than this light.
In an instant, Nan Jin realized and lifted the jade flute to block it.
But it was in vain, as the sword still pierced her heart.
It was just like the assassination on ChanTan Street.
First, Nan Jin saw the splattering blood, then she felt the excruciating pain.
Although she didn’t see who the attacker was, she knew that the person wielded a silver-blue sword and was a master she couldn’t defend against alone.
It was just a pity.
Such a powerful master could still make a one-inch mistake.
…
Two months later.
Late spring had arrived.
Nan Jin lay on a bed.
She held a bowl of medicine and smiled at the woman in green who was wrapping bandages around her. “Is everything done?” she asked.
The woman nodded. “Except for Shen Lang and Shen Lan who escaped with their strong martial arts skills, we killed everyone in the Shen family.”
Nan Jin frowned slightly and asked, “What about Shen Da and Shen Er? And what about Shen San, the third miss of the Shen family?”
The woman replied, “Shen San’s martial arts seem to be extremely powerful. She held Shen Lang’s sword and blocked many experts in the building alone.”
Nan Jin smiled and said, “It’s fortunate that Shen Lang considered himself righteous and came to assassinate me, but in the end, he abandoned his sword and left his sister to defend the Shen family estate alone.”
“The so-called first swordsman is nothing special, not as good as his sister Shen San… By the way, where is Shen San now?” she asked.
The woman said, “Shen San was severely injured and fled to the west. She was eventually picked up by the Consort Ning’s people.”
“Consort Ning?” Nan Jin’s eyes contained a smile as she asked softly, “What is she doing meddling in this?”
The woman thought for a moment and explained, “Perhaps because the Shen family abandoned Consort Ning and sent her to the Ning family years ago. Consort Ning still holds a grudge against the Shen family.”
Nan Jin asked, “What does Consort Ning want to do?”
The woman said, “Consort Ning wants to send Shen San to Jianjia Building.”
Nan Jin knew that Consort Ning was not a good person. But fortunately… she was not a good person either.
After hearing this, Nan Jin just smiled and said, “But according to Shen San’s character, she probably won’t be willing to be controlled by others. Her fate is uncertain.”
The woman said, “Master, don’t worry. Consort Ning gave Shen San Kunlun intoxication, and now she doesn’t remember who she is.”
Nan Jin’s expression didn’t change at all, only a trace of regret showed on her face. “She was willing to waste such a precious medicine on someone who is insignificant,” she said.
She didn’t care about the life and death of her enemy’s sister.
She even found it amusing.
Nan Jin drank a spoonful of medicine and said without looking up, “Forget it, let her be.”
…
Only after that.
Nan Jin often thought of the silver-blue sword light under the peach blossom tree.
She always felt that she was too kind not to destroy the Shen family completely.
Thinking of Shen Lang’s sword, she couldn’t help but think of Shen Lang’s sister.
Nan Jin asked casually, “How is Shen San doing in Jianjia Building?”
The woman in green clothing answered, “Just hung up the sign today, and she will probably start receiving guests tonight.”
After a little thought, Nan Jin said, “Let’s go take a look.”
Crossing the Xiaoxiang River, they could see a magnificent building with bright lights.
Xiao Jin followed Nan Jin through layers of pearl curtains and came to the hall of Jianjia Building.
Nan Jin had not yet sat down, but she saw the person on stage with sleeves flying.
Her footsteps stopped.
Because the qin player was playing “Chang Xiang Si”.
And because the silver-blue figure was dancing gracefully on stage.
Chang Xiang Si, in Chang’an.
Nan Jin’s face was hidden behind the pearl curtain, and her expression could not be seen clearly.
After the dance, it was time to bid for the first night of the red card girl.
Rong Lian’s dance was impeccable.
Her face was even more heartbreaking, and it was not an exaggeration to say that she could die in the evening with a beauty in her arms.
The guests bid eagerly.
Fifty taels, one hundred taels, five hundred taels…
Finally, the Marquis of Pingcheng raised his hand calmly.
As if he wanted to end the auction, he shouted, “Three thousand taels.”
The guests heard the amount of silver and looked at the bidder.
Their teeth clenched, and they suddenly lost the desire to compete.
Xiao Jin looked at the Marquis of Pingcheng’s ecstatic expression and always felt that this person would not be happy for long.
Although she didn’t think Nan Jin was a person who loved to show off.
But she also anticipated the ending.
The madam’s mouth curved upwards in a smile, but from behind the beaded curtain came a laughing voice: “One thousand gold pieces.”
When the crowd heard “one thousand,” some had been disdainful.
But as soon as the person bidding raised the offer to one thousand two hundred gold pieces, they were instantly stunned.
One thousand… in gold?
This was pure gold.
One tael of gold could be exchanged for ten taels of silver.
All for a courtesan.
To speak up and offer ten thousand taels of silver?
And what was even more bizarre was that the bidder appeared to be a woman.
The guests couldn’t help but begin to speculate.
Was this person insane or foolish?
Xiao Jin was satisfied and nodded in approval.
Not bad.
Having such power and not showing off, she really couldn’t stand it.
The Marquis of Pingcheng was taken aback and then became somewhat angry.
He wondered who was so foolish as to dare to compete with him for a woman.
So he puffed up his face and called out an inflated price: “This marquis offers two thousand gold pieces!”
Nan Jin was also extremely surprised.
A small Marquis of Pingcheng, daring to compete with her in bidding?
Encountering such a novel thing, Nan Jin was very happy.
Happy enough to continue raising the price: “Three thousand gold pieces.”
A lunatic.
The only thing on the Marquis of Pingcheng’s mind was regret.
Whether it was for a woman or for face.
Spending five thousand gold pieces was simply not worth it.
But he felt relieved when he thought that the madwoman should continue to raise the price.
After this time, he would not follow up on the price.
Perhaps the other party was a ringer invited by Jianjia Building, who came specifically to raise the price and disrupt the scene.
Who knew, just after he had finished calling out the price.
Behind the beaded curtain, there was silence.
The Marquis of Pingcheng became a little anxious.
But what made him even more anxious was yet to come.
After a moment, several crisp claps sounded in the hall.
A woman in a crimson robe pushed aside the beaded curtain and walked out slowly.
She clapped her hands and a smile appeared on her face: “Marquis Pingcheng is so generous, throwing money around like that. I, a humble servant, can only admire you.”
…
What happened next was just as expected.
As everyone stood there stunned, the Marquis of Pingcheng’s face turned pale. He forced a smile and ordered his servants to gather five thousand gold pieces from various places.
Boxes of silver and gold were placed in the center of the hall.
The glittering and dazzling light made it impossible for the guests to open their eyes.
The Marquis of Pingcheng could only smile and say to Nan Jin: “Since the national teacher likes this woman, I will buy her for you to spend the night with.”
In fact, everyone knew that the mastermind behind the Jianjia building was the national teacher.
The Marquis of Pingcheng was being taken advantage of.
He was really being taken advantage of.
Nan Jin smiled and said without hesitation, “This humble servant cannot disrespect you, Marquis of Pingcheng. I can only thank you for your kindness.”
That day, the Marquis of Pingcheng ground his silver teeth to pieces.
It was also on that day.
Nan Jin entered Rong Lian’s tent and looked at her for a while before asking with a soft smile, “Can you serve someone?”
Rong Lian’s expression remained calm as she shook her head.
Just as Nan Jin didn’t like the do-gooders who acted chivalrously.
Rong Lian didn’t like Nan Jin.
Even if she didn’t remember who she was or the deep-seated hatred between them.
There was still a faint trace of disgust in Rong Lian’s brow.
Who knew that Nan Jin would look up at the nameless sword hanging on the wall and smile.
Turning her head, she said to Rong Lian, “I will serve you.”
…
As for how she would serve her.
Xiao Jin didn’t bother to look into it.
She only knew that when Nan Jin took off Rong Lian’s clothes, she casually picked up a wolf hair brush from the table.
The tip of the pen turned, lightly sweeping over the other’s shoulders.
Holding the thin brush back and forth, she filled it with large areas of silver-blue patterns.
Afterwards, in the midst of confusion, Xiao Jin consciously avoided it.
Looking at the stars in the sky.
Xiao Jin propped up her chin and counted.
She counted three, four, five, six, seven, eight, and the scene changed again.
In an instant, Nan Jin appeared in the Jianjia Building.
Although she was also smiling this time, Xiao Jin could see that this person was smiling falsely.
Perhaps because of the assassination in childhood.
After that, Nan Jin liked to smile very much.
When happy, she smiled, when sad, she smiled, and when angry, she also smiled.
Because Nan Jin understood.
She was able to live to this day, entirely because of the smile she squeezed out when she saw the heads of her father and mother.
Nowadays, Nan Jin no longer needs to squeeze out a smile, but she still smiles.
Rong Lian was lying weakly by the bedside, obviously having just experienced a struggle.
The once fair shoulder was now covered in dripping blood.
Faintly visible in it was silver-blue powder.
The entire tattoo looked like the pattern Nan Jin had drawn with a pen that night.
Nan Jin looked at Rong Lian.
Then she smiled slightly and asked the woman in green beside her, “Who did it?”
The green-clothed woman was silent for a moment.
Then she replied, “The one in the palace.”
…
The consort Ning, in the palace, was painting her nails with cardamom.
There were peach blossoms embroidered on her sleeve.
Unfortunately, peach blossoms were unfaithful, and those who loved them were even more unfaithful.
The consort Ning always felt that she was very unfaithful.
But when Nan Jin walked into the Yuping Palace and smiled gently at her, she always felt inferior.
“Three months.”
The consort Ning said softly, “It’s been three months since the national teacher has set foot in my Yuping Palace.”
Nan Jin replied with a smile, “The consort remembers it clearly.”
The consort Ning sighed, “The national teacher is busy with many things, naturally she will not always think of this palace. I just don’t know what is so good about the person in the Jianjia Building that is worth the national teacher lingering on and on…”
–Snap.
Nan Jin contained her smile.
She raised her hand, and then put it down.
Consort Ning didn’t have time to dodge, nor did she want to.
Because this slap was completely within her expectations.
Nan Jin looked at the red mark on Consort Ning’s face.
She lifted her hand and gently touched it, saying in a warm tone, “Your Highness, as you know, I really dislike being monitored and followed by others.”
“Moreover, I am the owner of Jianjia Building. I have entered and left several times recently, and there is no big deal… Of course, no one dares to accuse me of anything.”
“As for Shen Rong Lian…”
She paused for a moment, and the smile in Nan Jin’s eyes became even stronger. “Shen Rong Lian… does make me a bit interested.”
“After all, I always like to humiliate those who have noble character and pure heart. I really want to see if such people will despair to the point of kneeling and begging me to spare them one day.”
Consort Ning looked up at Nan Jin.
She knew this person too well, and a hint of sarcasm flashed in her eyes.
But on the surface, she pretended to be weak and said, “But… but isn’t this move helping the national teacher?”
Nan Jin smiled, “Your Highness, how are you helping me?”
“Even if I want to humiliate Shen Rong Lian, that’s my own business. But you tattooing her shoulder is getting too involved…”
“Your hand is reaching too far, and I will be very angry.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Author’s note: I really want to finish a chapter… but I’ve been busy catching up on my studies lately, and I don’t have enough time.
QwQ I have no weekends off, and I’m so busy that I forgot to apply for the ranking.
I’m really silly.
Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or irrigated me with nutrient solution between 2022-04-1123:59:522022-04-1323:59:23
Translator’s note: Nan Jin and Rong Lian story makes me curse the author, but I don’t, because if Nan Jin and Rong Lian become lovers, what will happen to my Chu Shao, whose birth mother is Rong Lian? It just annoys me that their ending is a tragedy.
Anyway…
TO BE CONTINUE…
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