The meeting date at the Blood Rain Pavilion is set for five days later.
The location is the Yuhua Tower in Qingzhou, and the elegant chamber for the meeting is the Risheng Chamber.
The contents of the two confidential letters are almost identical to Xiao Jin’s guess.
There are only changes in terms of titles and details. Overall, there is not much difference, just how to admire the reputation of the Prince of Yan and the beauty of the Yan Princess. Thus, the Blood Rain Pavilion respectfully invites the two to come to Yuhua Tower for a meeting.
As for why it is handed over to the Governor Xu instead of directly to the Prince of Yan herself, Xiao Jin speculates that since the meeting place is set at Yuhua Tower, this building is probably also a property of the Blood Rain Pavilion, so the Blood Rain Pavilion knows that they have a good relationship with Governor Xu.
Furthermore, due to the assassination attempt a few days ago, security at the Qingzhou Prefectural Mansion is particularly tight, and it is not an easy place to infiltrate.
This is one reason.
The second reason is that by handing the confidential letter to the Governor Xu, the Blood Rain Pavilion can show that their strength is very strong and their spies are all over the place.
It also reminds Xiao Jin that everything she has done is actually in the eyes of the Blood Rain Pavilion.
Thinking of these, Xiao Jin sent Jue Ge ge and Ye Suyu to investigate Yuhua Tower, with a focus on Risheng Chamber.
However, after the two finished their investigation, they did not find anything unusual.
So Xiao Jin will not take action openly, but instead asks Jue Ge to set up spies and guards near Yuhua Tower.
Xiao Jin held the map of Yuhua Tower, and her fingertips brushed over the large bamboo forest next to the Risheng Chamber.
If the Blood Rain Pavilion wants to plot against her, they must be prepared to be besieged.
…
In recent days, heavy rain has fallen in various states and counties of Qi Country.
This is the third month of Xiao Jin’s transmigration.
As it approaches the middle of the month, her remaining lifespan is only two days.
Coincidentally, the day when her lifespan expires and cannot be renewed is the night of the meeting with the Blood Rain Pavilion.
If it were a coincidence, Xiao Jin would not believe it.
She seriously suspects that the system is trying to plot against her and intentionally set the deadline to the last minute.
There are still a few days before the meeting. Since there is no news from the dispatched Bai Zhu, Xiao Jin and her group went to Xinyang.
The purpose of going to Xinyang is also very simple.
Xiao Jin wants to erect a monument for the little girl on that street because it is inconvenient to bring the little girl’s body through the mountains and roads.
So Qin Xueyi was buried by Xia Sanniang in Qingzhou, which is a very good place.
There are poplar trees and green cypresses planted on the mountain peaks. The smell of earth is very moist, with the fresh fragrance of spring rain, which is a very suitable place for the little girl to sleep.
But Xia Sanniang never erected a monument on this mountain peak.
She held back her reluctance until her daughter’s face was completely buried in the soil before she wiped away her tears and choked: “This child has been afraid of strangers since she was a child. In the future, my family and Xueting will go to the capital, and if she stays here alone, what should she do if she gets scared?”
A tombstone means bringing the daughter home to a mother.
That’s why Xiao Jin went to Xinyang.
…
Today, it is also raining heavily in Xinyang.
Yin Zhu and Zi Ling held up two bamboo umbrellas.
The huge umbrella covered Xiao Jin sitting in a wheelchair and Chu Shao pushing the wheelchair.
Xia Sanniang and Qin Xueting also held a big umbrella together to block the pouring rain.
In the courtyard where the willow branches are flying, a stone monument stands.
Qin Xueyi’s name is engraved on the monument.
The characters were carved by Chu Shao with a dagger, with silver hooks and iron paintings, which are very beautiful.
When the pen was lifted, it was full of gentle and subtle tenderness.
Xiao Jin ordered people to transplant several poplar trees in the courtyard.
It is expected that in a few years, the spring breeze will bring a wave of willow wind through here.
The downpour intensified and became even heavier.
Yin Zhu looked at Xiao Jin sitting in a wheelchair.
Worried, she couldn’t help but softly advise, “Your Highness’s health has never been good, it’s better to go back earlier and avoid catching a cold.”
Unusually, Xiao Jin did not respond to Yin Zhu’s words.
She looked at the gravestone, reached out her hand, and touched the cold and wet engraving.
Her movements were especially gentle, as if caressing a girl’s soft and fluffy hair.
The rain soaked her black sleeve, deep and immersed like ink.
Chu Shao did not try to persuade Xiao Jin to leave, only smiled while watching everything.
She was used to this kind of scene.
Those who had passed away always easily gained the pity of the living through death, regardless of whether it was a person or a possession.
Neither would ever be cherished.
But Chu Shao had not noticed that.
Even when she herself was carving letters with a dagger, there was some sympathy.
She felt it at the time, but soon forgot.
Because this kind of sympathy was faint and cheap.
After the heavy rain washed everything away, nothing would be left.
Chu Shao saw through everything.
So when Xiao Jin turned her head and suddenly looked at her–
A cool and slight smile appeared on Chu Shao’s lips, bright and still lingering at the corner of her mouth, before she could retract it.
It looked unfeeling.
But it was a rare display of true emotion.
Because she was originally a cold and unfeeling person.
They stared at each other for a long time, and Chu Shao thought that Xiao Jin would ask her why she showed such a smile.
But Xiao Jin didn’t ask.
Through the heavy rain, she simply said to Chu Shao, “Princess, come with me for a walk.”
…
The rain was too heavy.
Even the trees on the street couldn’t withstand it, let alone people.
At this moment, the shops around the ChunTan Street closed their doors and windows together, except for one tavern that still sold alcohol.
Chu Shao supported an umbrella with one hand and pushed a bamboo wheelchair with the other.
The wheels of the chair slowly moved forward, rolling over the green stones that were laid out on the streets.
On the arch bridge, a young man in a green robe was drunk and collapsed in the heavy rain.
He didn’t hold an umbrella, but just looked at the merciless rain and laughed wildly.
The young man in the green robe laughed happily, but being alone, he couldn’t help but feel a bit lonely.
Xiao Jin watched as the other held a wine jug and suddenly wanted to experience what it felt like to be drunk in the rain.
So she asked Chu Shao, “Princess, can you please pour some wine?”
Chu Shao looked at Xiao Jin’s calm eyes.
She didn’t ask any further questions.
She just smiled, supported her umbrella and pushed the wheelchair, and went to the nearby tavern to pour a jug of wine.
Xiao Jin took the heavy wine jug and thanked her.
Then she looked at Chu Shao’s empty hand and frowned, “Why did you only pour one jug of wine, instead of two?”
Chu Shao smiled and shook her head, “I don’t like drinking.”
“Besides, it’s much more interesting to hold an umbrella for Your Highness than to drink.”
Xiao Jin laughed dumbly, “That’s true.”
Then she opened the wine jug, raised her head and took a big gulp.
The raindrops drifted in through the bamboo umbrella.
They wet Xiao Jin’s black boots and the extremely precious clothes she was wearing.
Although Xiao Jin was not in a hurry to drink, after taking two sips, she started coughing.
For her, coughing was a common occurrence.
But this time, Xiao Jin was a little tired of it.
She didn’t even pull out the silk handkerchief from her sleeve. She just reached out her hand and covered her lips, frowning. She didn’t bother to wipe the blood that seeped through her fingers, especially since it was raining. The rain would wash everything away.
When Xiao Jin coughed up blood, Chu Shao took out a silk handkerchief and crouched down to carefully wipe away the blood from her fingers and lips. As Chu Shao did this, her bamboo umbrella fell to the ground. They were now both soaked from the rain, with their clothes sticking to their bodies.
Xiao Jin and Chu Shao maintained eye contact in their current state, not bothering to wipe away the wet hair that stuck to their faces. Chu Shao’s expression was gentle, and she even joked, “Are your highness’s spies still stationed on this street?”
Xiao Jin replied, “They were before, but not anymore.” She implied that she had removed the prince’s spies.
Chu Shao didn’t directly say whether she believed her or not. She just smiled and asked, “If there are no more spies, where does your highness want to go now?”
“It doesn’t matter where she goes,” Xiao Jin repeated what Chu Shao had said before. Chu Shao had said that she didn’t love Yao Country and didn’t have any place she wanted to go to.Â
Since she had no hometown, it didn’t matter where she stayed.
Since everything is the same, it means that anywhere is boring.
Chu Shao felt that the world was just like that.
She felt bored.
But Xiao Jin was different, she wanted to go home.
Although their starting points were different, their results were actually the same.
For such a sad and unchangeable thing, there was no need to ask too much.
So Chu Shao didn’t ask.
Xiao Jin looked at Chu Shao.
Looking at the teardrop mark under her eye and the unchanged smile at the corner of her mouth.
No matter what happens or in what situation.
Chu Shao always seemed to be able to remain detached with an absolute gentleness and indifference.
Xiao Jin was very envious of Chu Shao’s demeanor and even liked it.
Usually, Xiao Jin would swallow these praises.
But today she was a little tired, tired of pretending, and even told the truth: “Chu Shao, I think you’re great.”
Chu Shao was stunned.
Except for the assassination at the Blood Rain Pavilion, Xiao Jin called her name for the second time.
It was also the second time she referred to herself as “I”.
The rain slid across their eyebrows.
After coming back to her senses, Chu Shao smiled and asked, “Where is your highness?”
Xiao Jin was also thinking, where is the good thing?
In just a moment, Xiao Jin figured it out: “Because when you see me coughing up blood, you won’t show a sympathetic expression like other people. You won’t advise me not to stay too long because it’s cold. You won’t advise me not to drink because I have a serious illness. You won’t be nice or mean to me for no reason. You won’t deliberately flatter or harm me. You won’t ask me why I want to do this or why I have these feelings because you don’t care. You won’t, like everyone else here, hold a strange hatred and… a strange expectation towards me.”
Chu Shao slightly furrowed her brows.
Because Xiao Jin was right, she really didn’t care.
But now, it seems not entirely.
After getting a little wet from the rain, Xiao Jin felt a bit cold.
Looking at everything around her, she knew that they were supposed to exist here.
Only she shouldn’t be here.
But Xiao Jin had nowhere else to go.
She could only keep going forward to return to the world she knew before.
Then she discovered a problem.
Everything she hoped for ultimately depended on Chu Shao.
Although she claimed that Chu Shao was good because she didn’t expect anything from anyone else.
But at the same time, Xiao Jin had to place her hopes on Chu Shao.
She hoped that on the day the mission ended, Chu Shao would be able to kill her cleanly and quickly.
Realizing this, Xiao Jin couldn’t help but laugh.
Why bother thinking about this?
She didn’t like to fantasize about things that hadn’t happened and never thought that all roads would lead to the worst.
Only this thing, Xiao Jin thought about it again and again and found it difficult to deal with.
However, it wasn’t particularly difficult.
If the task violated Xiao Jin’s principles and bottom line.
Even if the system demanded it, she would not do anything that violated her personal integrity.
Nor would she force others to do it.
In other words, if Chu Shao didn’t want to kill Xiao Jin at that time, she wouldn’t force Chu Shao to kill her.
But Xiao Jin wasn’t really worried about this.
Who could force Chu Shao to do anything?
…
The rain has not stopped.
In fact, Chu Shao is still pondering over what Xiao Jin just said.
She really doesn’t care about many things.
After all, many things in the world are too commonplace and boring.
Xiao Jin doesn’t belong to the boring category.
On the contrary, Xiao Jin is very special.
But it seems that she is not special enough to make Chu Shao care very much.
In fact, Chu Shao doesn’t even know what it feels like to care, or what kind of experience it is.
So when Xiao Jin says that she doesn’t care about anything, Chu Shao just smiles and asks softly, “What does it mean to care? And what does it mean not to care?”
Xiao Jin was stunned.
Because she has been single for twenty years, she is not very clear about the definition of caring.
So Xiao Jin could only explain blindly, “To care may be… if you care about a flower, you will care about why it blooms, and when it will grow its flower buds.”
“If you care, you will anxiously wait for it to bloom from the beginning of the flowering period to the end.”
Chu Shao smiled, “It seems that this way of thinking is really not caring.”
“I won’t care why a flower blooms because it was planted there, destined to bloom. Unlike people, it has no legs and won’t leave the courtyard I arranged for it at will.”
“In other words, I won’t wait for it to bloom, because it will definitely bloom, so I only care if it will be approached by others or picked by someone else.”
Xiao Jin: “…”
After listening to Chu Shao’s words, she evaluated them very accurately, “Your thinking is indeed not caring, but possession.”
“Possession?”
As if hearing something novel, Chu Shao chuckled, “You’re joking, possession refers to taking something that doesn’t belong to oneself.”
“That flower was planted by me, so it was mine from the beginning and always belonged to me. How can it be considered as possession?”
She made sense.
For a moment, Xiao Jin didn’t know how to refute the other party’s logic.
At the same time, Chu Shao also had a moment of self-realization.
She seemed to have figured out something, and she smiled and said, “But if that’s the case, then I actually care about you too.”
Xiao Jin: “…”
She didn’t know where Chu Shao got her conclusion from.
No, she just gave an example of a flower earlier.
How did Chu Shao associate it with her?
Xiao Jin’s thoughts couldn’t influence Chu Shao.
She continued to draw her conclusion, “Your Highness, because I do care about some changes that originate from you… there is something very wonderful about you.”
Silence for a moment.
Xiao Jin couldn’t figure it out and asked slowly, “What wonderful thing?”
For Chu Shao, something that made her feel wonderful was probably something yet to be known.
Since it was unknown, she didn’t know either.
So Chu Shao smiled and replied, “I’m curious, but I’m not sure.”
Xiao Jin said, “If that’s the case, then it’s curiosity, not caring.”
Chu Shao was puzzled, “What’s the difference between the two?”
Xiao Jin pondered for a moment and replied, “Of course, they’re different, because curiosity is only temporary, while caring comes from the heart.”
Chu Shao asked, “From the heart?”
Xiao Jin said, “Yes.”
The green-shirted scholar on the stone bridge had already left.
The street was roaring with wind and rain.
Chu Shao’s hair was wet, and her face was also covered with rain and dew.
She looked at Xiao Jin and suddenly asked with a smile, “So, Your Highness, do you really care about me, or are you just curious?”
Xiao Jin was silent.
This question was deadly.
And… why did it have to be either one or the other?
Chu Shao looked at Xiao Jin seriously, as if waiting for an answer.
Xiao Jin had intended to answer with the third option, but when she met Chu Shao’s eyes, she could only give a vague response, “Both, I guess.”
Chu Shao seemed quite interested, and the smile on her lips deepened.
“What do you mean by ‘both’?” she asked.
“…That I have a bit of both,” Xiao Jin replied.
Chu Shao seemed to be pondering something. “I see. It seems that your highness is very curious about certain things regarding me, which is why you have such a reaction. But I wonder…what exactly do you want to know about me?”
Xiao Jin fell silent once again.
Why did Chu Shao only focus on curiosity and not on caring about her?
Of course, whether it was curiosity or concern, the answer would still be deadly.
At this point, Chu Shao had already picked up the bamboo umbrella from the slate and opened it, creating a space where they could be sheltered from the rain.
Standing under the umbrella, Xiao Jin no longer felt as cold.
It was then that she finally regained her senses and spoke in a soft voice, “If I were to ask, would the Princess answer?”
Chu Shao still had a smile on her lips.
She gazed intently into Xiao Jin’s eyes, as if trying to see through the darkness.
After a moment, Chu Shao smiled and said, “Of course I would answer.”
So Xiao Jin asked.
She asked a question that had been troubling her for a long time.
“Who is Shen Lang?”
…
The rain in ChunTan Street dripped into small puddles.
The sound of the drops splashing into the water was crisp and clear, like the notes of a musical instrument being struck.
-Chirp, chirp.
Chu Shao’s smile remained unchanged as she calmly answered the question: “Shen Lang is the top swordsman of Yao Country, the eldest son of the Shen family, and the top disciple of Tianya Men.”
A standard answer.
Exactly as written in the intelligence report.
But what Xiao Jin wanted to know was not that.
She paused for a moment and asked again: “I actually already know all of that. But what I really want to know is… what kind of relationship does the Princess have with Shen Lang?”
“In other words, I want to know what kind of relationship exists between the Princess and Shen Lang.”
Chu Shao’s voice was as calm as her smile.
She replied with a shallow smile, “An enemy relationship.”
Xiao Jin was somewhat surprised.
She didn’t expect such an answer.
Although it was as good as not answering at all.
But she couldn’t ask anymore.
Because Chu Shao’s smile faded in the rain, and because she felt that Chu Shao didn’t want to answer this question.
In the next moment, Chu Shao said softly, “This question is a bit boring, why don’t you ask me something else, Your Highness.”
If she couldn’t ask about Chu Shao’s past, there wasn’t much else that Xiao Jin wanted to ask.
But overall, it was still a good start.
At least Chu Shao was willing to answer, which meant…
What did it mean?
Xiao Jin was confused.
She had asked herself into a corner.
However, Xiao Jin’s heart had already come up with an answer.
It meant that Chu Shao cared about her a little bit.
It meant that no matter what, Chu Shao treated her differently from others.
Chu Shao looked at the changing expressions on Xiao Jin’s face.
Although she didn’t quite understand what the other party was thinking, she suddenly thought of a question and smiled, “But speaking of which, why did Your Highness want to ask me this question?”
This was a good question.
Because she didn’t know either.
Even if she did, Xiao Jin didn’t really want to know at this point.
She could only answer without changing her expression, “Just out of curiosity.”
Chu Shao was a bit puzzled, “But Your Highness just said that curiosity is only temporary, and caring comes from the heart. You also said that you have both feelings for me…why is it now just curiosity?”
“…”
Xiao Jin: “Um, actually I am genuinely curious about the Princess.”
A long silence followed.
Xiao Jin was impressed with herself.
Impressed that she could talk about nothing for so long.
Admiring myself for being able to chat so easily that I bored the heavens to death.
Now not only is the chat dead, but it’s also a bit awkward.
To ease the awkwardness, Xiao Jin cleared her throat and said, “Let’s not talk about that. Let’s talk about something else.”
She looked away and looked at the jade flute on Chu Shao’s waist and asked, “I wonder if the princess can play a tune?”
Chu Shao was still thinking about what Xiao Jin had just said.
She was genuinely curious.
It sounded like it was true.
Chu Shao suddenly felt extremely happy, even a little bit like laughing.
But when she heard Xiao Jin’s words, she asked gently, “Oh? Does your highness want to hear this princess play the flute?”
Actually, Xiao Jin didn’t really want to.
She just couldn’t find a good way to ease the awkwardness.
Xiao Jin nodded calmly, “Yes.”
Chu Shao asked with a smile, “Right here?”
Xiao Jin replied, “Yes.”
Chu Shao took off the jade flute from her waist and asked with a smile, “I wonder what tune Your Highness wants to hear me play?”
Xiao Jin replied, “This prince wants to hear… the tune that the princess played on the boat the other day.”
Xiao Jin knew that the tune was called “Chang Xiang Si (Note: Longing for You)”.
It was mentioned by Rong Lian in a memory fragment.
But of course, Xiao Jin couldn’t just say it directly.
After all, it was a little secret.
Little Chu Shao, who was playing the flute in the courtyard, had said repeatedly that she would play this tune for her when she grew up.
Now it was time to fulfill that promise.
Chu Shao was not a person who would break her promise, and it was not difficult to play a tune.
A faint smile appeared on her lips as she handed the bamboo bone umbrella to Xiao Jin and took off the jade flute from her waist.
The wind and rain on the whole street seemed to hit an invisible barrier.
Although the rain could sway the willows and pass through every street and alley, it could not fall on the person playing the flute.
The wind and rain all avoided Chu Shao.
Xiao Jin looked at the faint white mist flowing around Chu Shao’s body.
And then she was confused.
Is this the legendary true qi?
Is this a cheesy old novel or a female lead martial arts story?
While doubting life, Xiao Jin also wanted to try.
To see if she could be as cool as Chu Shao, and create a barrier of high style.
Of course, being cool was secondary.
The main thing was to really show off, to the max.
But in the next moment, Xiao Jin heard the music played by Chu Shao.
And she was not the only one who heard it.
Even the scholar in a green robe who had fallen asleep by the distant bridge pillar could hear it.
He was startled at first, but then laughed out loud and joined in the singing with the melody.
On the roof.
The young man overlooking everything could not help but squint.
That young man’s name was Bai Zhu.
From the Yan region to his hometown of Wu County in Wu Meng, and then from Wu County to the Yunqin Country, he had traveled thousands of miles without rest.
For the sake of his master, Bai Zhu did not hesitate to track down leads.
Now that he had finally found an important clue, he rushed to Qingzhou without stopping.
But he heard that his master was in Xinyang.
Alright, he would go to Xinyang, no big deal.
However, when he arrived in Xinyang, he found that his master was chatting with the princess.
Listening to the princess playing love songs.
Bai Zhu fell silent.
The people on the roof had nothing to say.
But the singing of the scholar in green robe by the bridge was loud, and the sound of the flute and singing echoed through the whole street.
“On what night, in what light, did we drift on the middle of the river, tonight or another night, to float with the prince in the same boat?”
“Ashamed but not disgraced, my heart is full of doubts but not broken, tonight I know the prince.”
“There are trees on the mountain and branches on the trees, I’m happy with you but you don’t know.”
On the boat bound for Qingzhou, Xiao Jin interrupted Chu Shao and prevented her from singing the last phrase.
However, on ChunTan Street, she was powerless.
After all, Xiao Jin couldn’t kick the drunken student off the bridge.
Moreover, she was now sitting in a wheelchair and couldn’t move her legs.
The song ended.
Chu Shao put down the jade flute on her lips and looked at Xiao Jin, asking with a smile, “Your Highness, did you like it?”
Xiao Jin replied, “It was extremely beautiful.”
It was so beautiful that she was completely frozen.
Seeing the uncomfortable expression on Xiao Jin’s face, Chu Shao couldn’t help but laugh and asked, “What are you thinking about, your highness?”
Xiao Jin replied, “I’m thinking that the children in the South Village are bullying an old and weak person like me…”
Chu Shao furrowed her brows slightly.
Xiao Jin continued, “I’m thinking that experience makes a person wise, but childhood is the best time.”
Chu Shao didn’t understand again.
The only thing she could feel was that Xiao Jin seemed to be very happy.
In fact, Xiao Jin’s mood had indeed improved a lot.
She thought that getting caught in the rain and drinking some wine would help alleviate her loneliness and sorrow.
But what ultimately gave her the confidence to continue was not those things, but the person in front of her.
Someone stood in front of her, saying irrelevant things.
Holding an umbrella, singing beautiful songs, it seemed like a very happy thing.
It was as if all the wind and rain had avoided them at that moment.
…
Two days later, at the Yuhua Tower.
It was close to the hour of the rooster, and the sun had already set.
A carriage stopped in front of the building, but there was no intention of going in.
The waiter in the building saw the luxurious carriage and quickly greeted with a smile, “Is this your first time at our Yuhua Tower, sir?”
A calm voice came from behind the curtains, “Second time.”
The second time?
The answer was completely unexpected for the waiter.
Fortunately, he was professionally trained and only stunned for a moment before smiling and saying, “Since you’re a regular, I assume you’ve reserved the elegant room. I’ll take you there.”
This time, it was not the calm voice that responded to the waiter.
It was a hand.
A fair and slender hand gently lifted the curtain.
Under the stunned gaze of the waiter, Chu Shao smiled slightly and said, “I’m sorry, we didn’t reserve a seat. But the person who invited us seems to have reserved a private chamber.”
Seeing Chu Shao’s face, the waiter was dumbfounded.
He couldn’t speak for a while.
He belatedly remembered his professional etiquette and quickly lowered his head, whispering, “Sir, may I ask which chamber it is?”
Chu Shao was about to say the name of the private chamber when the owner of Yuhua Tower suddenly walked out and scolded, “Xiao Liu, you go in. I’ll greet these esteemed guests.”
Xiao Liu was a little confused, but seeing the furious look of the owner, he quickly entered the building.
After the waiter left, the owner respectfully walked to the side of the carriage.
He bowed and whispered to the person inside, “Your Highness Prince Yan, the deputy host has been waiting for you in the Risheng Chamber for a long time.”
A voice came from inside the carriage, “Since I’m here, why hasn’t your host come? Is this your sincerity?”
Although Xiao Jin’s voice was calm, the owner still felt oppressed.
He was a little embarrassed, “I don’t know about that. I only know that the deputy host will explain everything once you enter the Risheng Chamber.”
…
Risheng Chamber.
A woman in red sat in the most prominent position, holding up a porcelain cup and taking a sip of tea.
The tea entered her throat and she praised, “Good tea.”
She acted with grace and elegance.
But there was a half-piece of blood-red mask beside her.
The others saw the woman in red drinking tea and followed suit.
As they drank and thought, the deputy host really liked to drink tea. Even such a thick and bitter tea could be praised by her without changing her expression.
The woman in red looked at her subordinates drinking tea with her and nodded approvingly. Then she asked, “The messenger said that the Prince of Yan is about to arrive. What are your thoughts?”
A person stood up.
He first bowed to everyone and then smiled, “Vice Master, I think we must give the Prince of Yan a warning to let her know the power of our Blood Rain Pavilion so that she will return our Master!”
The woman in red nodded, “Well said, it’s like farting.”
The person replied, “…”
The woman in red continued, “I have begun to suspect that you are a spy sent by another organization.”
“The Vice Master already said not to lay a hand on the Prince of Yan, and you want to give her a warning. It seems that you didn’t listen carefully during the meeting.”
Everyone burst into laughter.
The proposer’s face turned pale.
Seeing her subordinates laughing happily, the woman in red was very pleased, “If you don’t listen carefully during the meeting, you should have severed your own meridians.”
“But since you made everyone laugh, I will spare you today… After you go back, cut off one of your own ears.”
The proposer looked at the woman in red’s smile and trembled all over.
He knew that because of the last assassination attempt on the Prince of Yan, the leader suspected that there were dirty people in the Blood Rain Pavilion.
So he was very angry and the whole building underwent a major cleansing.
Although his remarks just now were all prompted by another member, Master Shen.
But since the Vice Master had found out, he naturally couldn’t escape punishment.
Each Master had their own power, which was also commonplace.
But if the Master and Vice Master didn’t like someone recently, then they shouldn’t exist.
“Thank you for your guidance, Vice Master,” the proposer gritted his teeth.
After that, no one dared to speak logically.
Except for the man sitting next to the woman in red, who was playing with his folding fan and said with a smile, “I have some thoughts. I heard that the Prince of Yan’s poems are well-written, especially the one she wrote before. The last sentence with ‘new peaches’ and ‘old symbols’ is particularly pleasing to me.”
After hearing this, the black-clad man sitting next to the woman in red suddenly spoke.
He spoke indifferently, “Always exchanging new peaches for old symbols.”
The man with the folding fan smiled and clasped his hands to the black-clothed man, “That’s the line! It seems that Brother Shen also has a keen eye and admires the poem of the Prince of Yan.”
The black-clothed man just kept a cold face and didn’t want to say much.
A person who couldn’t even remember a line of poetry was shamelessly pretending to be elegant, which was really ridiculous.
The woman in red, however, looked at the black-clothed man and smiled gently, “By the way, I haven’t asked Master Shen yet. You and Shen Lan are brothers, and you should also listen to your thoughts on this meeting.”
The black-clothed man shook his head, “Shen has no thoughts.”
“It’s just that we didn’t understand the meaning of the host, and we did something wrong. My brother and I are willing to be punished.”
The woman in red generously waved her hand, “It’s okay. The Lou Mansion was infiltrated by the power of the Qi royal family before, so it’s not your fault for accepting the reward for information about the Prince of Yan.”
She smiled, “Moreover, some time ago, the host not only ordered a large amount of Chunshan Kong from the Yanyu Building, but also had the dead soldiers take the incense pills containing poisonous insects. Even I thought that the host was going to target the Prince of Yan.”
The black-clothed man said expressionlessly, “But the host didn’t, so we all misunderstood the host’s intentions.”
The woman in red gave him a meaningful look and whispered, “The host’s intention, I’m afraid, is to help the Prince of Yan ascend the throne.”
“But as we all know, the Prince of Yan’s legs are crippled. According to the Qi royal family’s law, a disabled person is absolutely impossible to ascend the throne, so what is the host really thinking?”
The man with the folding fan smiled, “If we could see through the host’s thoughts, then the host wouldn’t be the host anymore. Instead of guessing about the host, we might as well think about the gift we’re going to give the Prince of Yan and her princess later.”
Thinking of the grand gift, the woman in red smiled softly, “We must prepare carefully. People can be crazy, but they can’t die. This is the gift that the host and I are giving to the first beauty of Yao country.”
The man in black nodded. “Don’t worry, the person is still alive. According to your plan, we can let that crazy woman take the stage after the play is over.”
The woman in red was somewhat excited.
Closing the teacup lid, she smiled, “After all this preparation, I really hope the Princess (Chu Shao) will like it.”
…
To Xiao Jin’s surprise, the Risheng Chamber chosen by the Blood Rain Pavilion was not lively at the moment.
On the contrary, everyone had been cleared out.
However, Xiao Jin wasn’t too surprised.
Because the Blood Rain Pavilion’s style was always very mysterious.
In theory, Xiao Jin had a grudge with the Blood Rain Pavilion.
However, the other side had blatantly revealed their base to her.
It was unclear if they were brazen or had other plans.
The shopkeeper led the two of them through a lush bamboo forest.
They walked through a winding corridor before arriving at the entrance of Risheng Chamber.
It is worth mentioning that in order to facilitate Xiao Jin’s ascent to the tower, the Blood Rain Pavilion specially made a “cloud ladder.”
The style was not much different from the one seen in Yanyu Building that day.
The only difference was that the space was larger and the floor of Yuhua Tower was higher.
The cloud ladder slowly rose.
However, Xiao Jin had some speculations in her heart.
Some time ago, she had asked Jue Ge ge to investigate the customers who bought Chunshan Kong.
The list did not include the forces of Xiao Shuang and the Fourth Prince, and not even a single force of the Crown Prince.
There was a hidden force that Jue Ge could not find.
At that time, Xiao Jin guessed that the Blood Rain Pavilion was probably that mysterious force.
If Yuhua Tower was the base of the Blood Rain Pavilion, and there was even a cloud ladder inside…
Xiao Jin thought of Bai Zheng sending Chunshan Kong all over the palace that day, indicating that the other side was trying to cover up something.
However, given Bai Zheng’s identity and position, it was obviously impossible for her to assassinate herself.
It can be inferred that Bai Zheng was actually unaware of it.
In the situation of being unaware, since it was impossible to be implicated, she still had to help the Blood Rain Pavilion hiding behind to cover up.
This shows that Bai Zheng is also a member of the Blood Rain Pavilion.
With this thought, everything can be explained.
If there is support from the Blood Rain Pavilion behind the Yanyu Building’s rise from obscurity to fame, it would be more reasonable.
Bai Zheng inexplicably knew that someone wanted to assassinate the swordsman’s family and even sent her a note… such behavior now seems reasonable.
Xiao Jin suddenly felt a chill.
Because she couldn’t distinguish between enemies and friends, the enemies and friends in this world were not clear.
This means that enemies are still enemies.
Friends may also be enemies.
At this time, the cloud ladder stopped.
Chu Shao’s fingers were slender and beautiful, gently pushing her forward.
Looking at the other party’s fluttering sleeves and the shining jade flute at her waist, Xiao Jin suddenly felt a sense of peace.
As if she could draw warmth from those lifeless objects.
While pushing the wheelchair, Chu Shao smiled and said to Xiao Jin, “Your Highness, we’re almost there.”
Xiao Jin nodded.
Indeed, the Risheng Chamber was just ahead.
Suddenly, she didn’t feel so cold anymore.
Because the most elite guards were lurking in the bamboo forest near the Risheng Chamber.
Jue Ge and Suyu were standing on a certain eave of the Yuhua Tower, wiping their swords with moonlight.
On the street where the spring rain was floating, Xia Sanniang was sleeping in her room.
Qin Xueting was lifting her sword, practicing those obscure and difficult moves over and over again.
A little closer, you could still see that small tombstone.
The name of a little girl was engraved on it.
Xiao Jin suddenly laughed.
Inadvertently, she laughed out loud.
Chu Shao put down her hand that was about to knock on the door, looked at Xiao Jin gently, and waited for her to explain.
It took a long time for Xiao Jin to stop laughing after that smile.
Xiao Jin looked up at Chu Shao.
She knew that Chu Shao was waiting for her to explain why she laughed.
Actually, Xiao Jin laughed just because she felt happy.
Because just a moment ago, she felt that everyone was around her and felt very warm.
Also, at this moment, someone was by her side, bringing warmth as well.
But Xiao Jin didn’t say these thoughts out loud.
She just smiled lightly and said to Chu Shao, “I wonder if it’s snowing in the capital.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Author’s note: It’s not edited yet, so there might be mistakes, but I can’t finish it today…
I’ll continue to edit it when I wake up tomorrow. Goodnight, my dear readers.
Thanks to the little angels who voted for me or irrigated me with nutrient solution between 2022-03-3023:01:37~2022-04-0123:35:28.
Translator’s note: Again, prepare your tissues.
TO BE CONTINUE…
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