Tang Lici stood up from the chair, stepped back, and reached behind to support himself against the bed post. This wasn’t the first time he had heard someone say “Little Fu is very good, he’s better than you.” The last person to say this was Tang Yingdi, on that evening when the Copper Flute Band’s lead singer was decided. Tang Yingdi used this phrase as his conclusion, negating all the effort Tang Lici had put into establishing the Copper Flute Band, and gave the lead singer position to Fu Zhumei.
Tang Yingdi was his father. He said that a menial worker from a restaurant sang better than him, and he was prepared to hand over all the band’s songwriting and composition to Fu Zhumei, because he not only sang well, but his creative direction was more correct than his.
After that night, he invited the other three band members for drinks, poisoned the alcohol, caused the room’s electrical wiring to short-circuit, the spilled alcohol hit the short-circuited connection causing a fire. He pulled out the Swiss Army knife he carried, the overhead wires burned through triggering an explosion… the lives of all four of them changed irrevocably from that point.
Three years had passed.
He thought he had already escaped that nightmare.
Fu Zhumei was originally a curse. No matter where he went, no matter how excellent, outstanding, or hard-working he was, he was always worthless in front of Fu Zhumei. That fool didn’t need to give anything, yet everyone thought he was good. Because he was stupid, as long as he put in just a little effort, everyone thought he was desperately trying his best, and they would all applaud him, cheer and praise him.
As long as he was present, everyone’s attention belonged to him. People always liked idiots who would show a bright smile and respond loudly whenever their name was called. He was just an idiot, who didn’t know how to solve problems when encountered, and would always ask him – his idiot! He had neither taste nor vision, even what clothes to wear he had to ask him – his idiot! His idiot who would sit when told to sit, stand when told to stand, lie down when told to lie down! An idiot who got poisoned for inexplicable reasons and nearly caused his own death in Luoyang!
Because little Fu is very good, he’s better than you.
The moment he heard these words, he truly wanted to kill this woman. If he hadn’t heard it once before, he really would have killed this woman.
Had no one… ever thought about how much he had sacrificed to become so excellent?
Why would they always think that kind of idiot was better?
Was it simply because most people couldn’t be that idiotic? Couldn’t show a smiling face to everyone, couldn’t respond whenever someone called their name, couldn’t sit when told to sit, stand when told to stand, lie down when told to lie down… Tch! That’s what dogs do, isn’t it? Wagging their tails at everyone – that’s what only stupid dogs would do, but it’s exactly what people find endearing.
A drop of cold moisture fell on the back of his hand. He raised his hand to wipe his forehead – his whole body was covered in cold sweat. A’Shui stared at him with confused, vacant eyes. In his view, that was a state that could be wantonly trampled upon. Casually picking up a ceramic shard from the ground, he slowly bent down, gripped the shard, and slowly moved it toward A’Shui’s throat.
A’Shui remained motionless, as if she wasn’t seeing what he was doing. She was lost in her own bewildered world, everything before her eyes was strange and surreal.
The edge of the ceramic shard approached A’Shui’s throat inch by inch. Even he himself didn’t understand whether he wanted to cut a deep wound across A’Shui’s neck, or really kill this woman right here…
“Hey! What are you doing?”
A flash of pink light passed before his eyes, followed by a soft “click.” The ceramic shard in Tang Lici’s hand suddenly split in two and fell down. A’Shui’s throat was blocked by Yu Tuan’er’s face. She held her Xiao Taohong sword, glaring at him angrily. “Are you delirious with high fever? Are you trying to kill someone? Who do you want to kill? This is ridiculous! Go back to bed and sleep!”
A’Shui was startled awake, raising her head to look at Tang Lici in confusion. Tang Lici looked at Yu Tuan’er and A’Shui. For that instant, she almost thought he was going to kill both of them together, but he gripped the ceramic shard tightly, so tightly that fresh blood flowed from between his fingers. “Little girl, help your Sister A’Shui out, and make her a bowl of ginger soup to drink.” He spoke very calmly.
He could actually speak so calmly.
Yu Tuan’er pointed at his nose angrily. “If I see you treating Sister A’Shui badly again, I’ll kill you!” Tang Lici turned a deaf ear, saying calmly, “Get out.” Yu Tuan’er was about to speak again when Tang Lici pointed toward the door with his blood-stained finger. “Get out.”
A’Shui pulled Yu Tuan’er’s hand and stumbled out.
Tang Lici looked at the closed door. Blood from his right hand wound slid drop by drop down his slender fingers. Suddenly, his abdomen was wracked with severe pain. He habitually raised his left hand to press against his abdomen, then suddenly realized that the place that had long been beating like a heart – wasn’t beating anymore.
Fang Zhou’s heart was no longer beating.
Had he died completely?
Was it killed by Shen Langhun’s blade?
His chaotic, frenzied emotions suffered an enormous blow without warning. Tang Lici held his breath, trying hard to feel the heart hidden deep in his abdomen. There was severe pain in his abdomen, but he only heard his own heartbeat, rapid and panicked. Fang Zhou’s heart was completely silent, as if it had never beaten at all.
He lowered his hand that had been pressing against his abdomen in shock, raised his head, and felt the world spinning. The sky was clearly bright, but what he saw before his eyes was suddenly complete darkness.
In Jiaoyu Town’s Liren Residence, everyone had not seen Liu Yan, but they received a letter written by Liu Yan. The contents of that letter spread widely as the various major sects returned to their home bases, and within these seven or eight days, it had become known to everyone. Fengliu Shop had set an ambush outside Liren Residence, intending to control the sect leaders. Their scheme was broken by Tang Lici, and all the major sects felt grateful, but afterward Tang Lici did not return to Haoyun Mountain, and no one knew where he had gone.
Biluo Palace.
Wanyu Yuedan listened to the various news from the martial world recently, his expression very gentle as he sipped his clear tea. Fu Zhumei sat beside him, also drinking tea, but his was milk tea. Biluo Palace had large-leaf black tea, and he very naturally took the large-leaf black tea, added milk and sugar to drink it. This strange tea water was not to the men’s taste, but the female servants of Biluo Palace liked it very much. After learning how to make it, they innovated daily – sometimes adding osmanthus sugar to the milk tea, sometimes adding rose essence. Whenever they created new variations, they would bring them for Young Master Fu to taste. Fu Zhumei never refused, and very seriously evaluated and guided each flavor. Soon everyone could brew smooth, mellow milk tea with rich fragrance.
“The tea in Little Fu’s cup is always more fragrant than what others brew.” Wanyu Yuedan smelled the faint milk fragrance in the air and said with a smile. His voice was very leisurely, making people feel pleasant when they heard it. Fu Zhumei felt happy hearing his praise. “Would Little Yue like to drink some?” Wanyu Yuedan actually had no particular fondness for milk, but he nodded. Fu Zhumei became even happier and immediately went back to his room to prepare tea.
Tie Jing watched his retreating figure, a faint smile appearing on her face. This Young Master Fu was truly amusing – from head to toe, he didn’t have the slightest appearance of a martial artist. As long as someone smiled at him, he would become very happy. Wanyu Yuedan lightly tapped his teacup with his finger. “After hearing news of Liu Yan, Miss Hong hasn’t said she wants to leave Biluo Palace?” Tie Jing coughed lightly. “I haven’t heard of that.” Wanyu Yuedan smiled. “That’s very good.” Tie Jing looked at Wanyu Yuedan’s elegant profile. “But I heard that recently a new Fengliu Shop force has appeared in the martial world. The leader of the Seven Flowers Cloud Wanderers, ‘One Verse of Yin-Yang Ghost Peony,’ intends to seek Miss Hong’s whereabouts.”
“I think there should be quite a few people wanting to seek Miss Hong’s whereabouts.” Wanyu Yuedan’s eye creases spread beautifully. “But I also heard a strange piece of news.” His finger lightly tapped the table. “I heard that Zhao Zongjing and Zhao Zongying have already found the long-lost ‘Princess Langya,’ and are petitioning the Emperor to grant her an official title.” Tie Jing said in surprise, “Could it be that Miss Hong is not a princess? If she’s not a princess, how could she have that ‘Langya Commandery’ jade pendant?” Wanyu Yuedan raised his eyelashes. “I heard that the one being honored as princess is Zhong Chunji.” Tie Jing was truly shocked, staring in amazement. Biluo Palace had been neighbors with Xue Xianzi’s “Snow Tea Manor” for many years, and he had never known that Zhong Chunji was actually of princess status. “Miss Zhong is a princess? But I’ve never heard her mention her background.” Wanyu Yuedan shook his head, his expression very calm. “Miss Zhong is not a princess.” Tie Jing asked in a low voice, “How can Palace Master be certain?” Wanyu Yuedan said slowly, “Because she is Xue Xianzi’s biological daughter. Since Xue Xianzi is not the Emperor, she naturally is not a princess.”