Would Yan Shao agree to this request? In other words, would he give up plotting rebellion for my sake?

Sunlight shone brilliantly through the window, and the weather was pleasant, yet I inexplicably felt a chill come over me. Yan Shao gazed steadily out the window, his expression extremely distant and detached.

At that moment, he turned his head and pretended to be angry, saying, “Why haven’t you dressed yet? Hurry up, I’m hungry!”

As he spoke, he picked up a light cyan-colored garment. I took it and dressed myself.

After we both washed up and finished breakfast, he went into the study with Feng Ming and didn’t come out again. Old Fang from the pigeon loft ran to the study several times within an hour. Near noon, Yan Shao suddenly left the house by carriage.

I vaguely sensed a tense atmosphere, as if something was about to happen. Despite the clear sky and bright day, there was a feeling like the calm before a storm. Perhaps the news of Emperor Ren Zong’s critical illness had leaked, which was entirely possible given the many ears Han Wang had at court.

In the afternoon, amidst this uneasy mood, I received an unexpected visitor—Lin Wan Ci.

She stood in the courtyard and smiled, saying, “Shu Kuang, it’s been a long time.”

That was the most beautiful voice I had ever heard. She wore an extremely ordinary light blue dress, yet even so, it couldn’t conceal her extraordinary grace.

I stood dumbfounded, not yet having a chance to speak, when suddenly someone rushed out from the side, shouting, “Miss Wan Ci… it is Miss Wan Ci…”

Du Du Niao’s childish face was written with extreme excitement, like a devout follower encountering a holy figure.

Lin Wan Ci gave him a slight smile but didn’t greet him.

His face turned red, and he became awkward and constrained. His usual eloquence had disappeared somewhere. He didn’t look like a young master from the pleasure quarters, but rather like a shy boy who had never seen the world.

I cleared my throat, emphasizing my tone to remind him, “Young Master Du, Miss Hong Yu was just looking for you.”

He immediately showed a disappointed expression and mumbled a response, but his feet seemed nailed to the ground and wouldn’t move.

I ignored him and said to Lin Wan Ci, “Let’s talk inside.”

She nodded with a smile.

We sat down in the guest hall, and I was about to order servants to bring tea and refreshments.

She stood up to stop me and smiled, saying, “Shu Kuang, one doesn’t visit the temple without a reason. I have something to ask of you.”

“What is it?” I asked calmly.

“Please return to Yu Chi Mountain Manor,” she said softly, but her words carried weight.

I pondered, “I am a traitor to Yu Chi Mountain Manor.”

She looked at me. “I am willing to apologize on behalf of my father and hold a martial arts assembly to explain this matter to our friends in the jianghu.”

I couldn’t help but ask curiously, “How will you explain it to the jianghu friends?”

She smiled slightly and said, “I’m sorry, Shu Kuang, I can’t disclose that at the moment.”

If these words had come from someone else, I would have sneered, but coming from her, they carried a sense of sincerity and honesty that made it impossible not to believe in her difficulties.

I remained silent for a while, then said, “The ancients say that a married woman follows her husband. I must ask my husband about this.”

She looked at me with a smile and said softly, “Master Chu said that this decision is yours to make.”

I was stunned and couldn’t speak.

Yan Shao had left this question to me… I fainted. I neither wanted him to rebel nor did I want to put him in a difficult position… I was dying. How could he leave such a major decision to me?

Lin Wan Ci remained silent, continuing to look at me with a smile, gentle and kind. “Shu Kuang, I know your concerns and understand that it’s difficult for you to make a decision right now. So, I’m not in a hurry to know the answer. But I must be frank with you—”

She faced me directly and said seriously, “You not only underestimate yourself, but you also don’t understand Master Chu.”

I looked at her and said coldly, “It sounds like you understand him better than I do?”

She wasn’t offended and smiled, “Don’t be angry. Although I just met Master Chu last night for the first time, I’ve long heard of his reputation. Besides, to understand a person doesn’t necessarily require spending day and night with them; one can glimpse their character from their actions and reputation.”

Her voice was soft and pleasant, her pace neither hurried nor slow.

“In my view, Master Chu is an extraordinary person. Because of his exceptional nature, he dares to defy the world by helping Han Wang rebel. For him, this is merely a game. He doesn’t necessarily need to help Han Wang seize the world; he just wants to maintain this ability to turn the world upside down. He could retreat at the height of success, but he wouldn’t want to enjoy the result.”

I had never thought about this aspect before and was ashamed into silence.

She changed the subject and continued, “But, Shu Kuang, you underestimate your importance in Master Chu’s heart. You are more important than you imagine. This is also why I’ve come to find you…”

I frowned, “I don’t understand. What exactly do you want?”

“Haha, I won’t beat around the bush. My goal is simple—to ensure that our manor does not participate in Han Wang’s rebellion. As the number one manor in the world and the leader of the Central Plains martial arts world, Yu-Chi Mountain Manor’s century-old reputation cannot be destroyed, especially not by the hands of my Lin family.”

She seemed somewhat agitated and appeared extremely fatigued before she could finish.

She closed her eyes slightly and remained silent for a moment before continuing, “Shu Kuang, I’ve thought about this for a long time. Chu Tian Yao is virtually flawless, with almost no weaknesses. The only person who can influence him is you.”

By the end, her voice was faint, almost inaudible.

At that time, the setting sun was shining on the right side of her face, and her thick eyelashes fluttered like a dying butterfly’s wings. For a moment, I had the illusion that she was a melting snowman—beautiful and fragile, moving and desperate.

I couldn’t help asking, “Are you alright?”

She shook her head slightly and said, “It’s an old problem.”

The courtyard was quiet, a cool breeze passed through the hall, and the rich fragrance of flowers in the yard drifted in with the wind.

Lin Wan Ci stood silently by the window and suddenly said something completely unrelated to the matter.

She said, “Shu Kuang, I truly envy you.”

I didn’t understand.

She said another sentence: “When I was young, I was very jealous of you!”

“Jealous of me for what?”

“Everything about you, even when you were punished. You have a healthy body and can do anything.”

“You’re brilliant and clever, which makes others jealous too…”

“I’d rather be a bit dumber, let other clever people worry about things…” She smiled, with a hint of mockery in her smile. “Look at the flowers by the window…”

I went over to stand beside her. The corridor was full of pink and white flowers, their colors brilliant, nodding toward the ground, clearly about to wilt.

She said softly, “A woman’s youth is like the flowers in this garden. Be it a rose or a peony, no matter what kind or how precious, none can bloom forever. Whether you pick them or not, in a couple of days they’ll wither on their own. So the ancients say ‘pluck the flowers when they bloom,’ which is very sensible.”

There was a hint of regret in her tone.

I remained silent, and my previous wariness of her completely disappeared. Her entire image was suddenly overturned, and standing before me was only a fragile girl in need of help. “Why do you think I would become the manor master?”

“I don’t know, Shu Kuang. I have no choice.” She looked at me with a bitter smile. “Now, the fate of Yu Chi Mountain Manor is in your hands.”

I was silent again.

She didn’t want Yu Chi Mountain Manor to participate in the rebellion, and I didn’t want Yan Shao to rebel—this coincidental convergence of different paths made me hesitate.

“This matter requires serious consideration.”

“I await your news!”

Intermission is, the time to ask for votes. Beautiful ladies, please vote and favorite. The more, the better. I always watch TV dramas like this…

Long after Lin Wan Ci had left, the air still held her fragrance, a very special scent. Light yet lingering, indescribably pure and transcendent. Under the corridor was a flowering tree of unknown name, its color in the dim twilight having an aged quality—colors washed out by spring, somewhat like the look in Lin Wan Ci’s eyes when she left.

By the time dusk enveloped the entire courtyard, Yan Shao still hadn’t returned.

The little maid lit the glazed lamps under the eaves, and I sat in the lamplight, lost in thought. From the pigeon loft in the backyard came occasional fluttering sounds, the sound of pigeons beating their wings. I couldn’t help but admire Old Fang; he was essentially Yan Shao’s ears and eyes. He sent these pigeons flying to all corners of the world, sending out news or bringing it back… This was truly a special talent. I wonder how much the monthly salary Yan Shao paid him?

As I pondered, I unconsciously walked over.

When he saw me, he called out in a hoarse voice, “Madam.”

I was startled—so he wasn’t mute.

I looked at the group of pigeons and said, “I want to ask your pigeons to help me with something…”

Before I could finish, he shook his head and said, “No, Madam. Not possible.”

I raised an eyebrow, looking at him.

He remained expressionless and said, “They only listen to the master.”

When he said this, he was gazing affectionately at the pigeons. He didn’t look at me.

Suddenly I felt very discouraged. I didn’t understand how Lin Wan Ci had reached her conclusion. Look, in their eyes, there was only Yan Shao—when did they ever consider me? I was merely a wife in name only.

I returned to my room to think seriously for a while and decided to go out to find Lin Shao Ci. I entered through the backyard, and when he saw me, he wasn’t surprised at all, as if nothing in this world could surprise him anymore.

I said, “Let’s talk privately.”

Without a word, he pushed open the window and jumped out. We avoided casual observers and went all the way to the lakeside pavilion before stopping.

I got straight to the point, “Lin Wan Ci wants me to return to Yu Chi Mountain Manor. Do you know about this?”

He remained composed and said, “Yes.”

“What do you think?”

“What could I possibly think?”

“You are the young master of Yu Chi Mountain Manor…”

“I don’t handle the affairs of Yu Chi Mountain Manor,” he interrupted me.

“Why?” I didn’t understand.

He didn’t answer, only fixing his gaze on the crescent moon in the clear lake water below, his expression extremely detached.

“That day in Wuxi, when you received news that Biyu Peak was in trouble, you immediately hurried back. You cared…”

“That’s in the past,” he coldly interrupted.

“What’s different now?” I was even more confused. “Yu Chi Mountain Manor is in an even more difficult situation now. How can you just abandon it?”

He pressed his lips together, his face pale, his gaze calm and indifferent.

I continued, “How can you dump everything on your sister? You’re evading responsibility. How can you bear…”

He suddenly laughed. “Then why don’t you become the manor master? Why come to me?”

I sneered, “I came to you because I feel something is amiss about this matter.”

He said calmly, “Oh? What’s amiss?”

I retorted, “If I knew, why would I come to you? Anyway, this matter feels strange to me.”

He remained composed. “I’m truly sorry I couldn’t help you.”

I smiled. We were both silent for a while.

I sighed and said, “I wonder how Miss Feng has been lately?”

He turned his head, fixing his gaze on me, his eyes sharp as a knife. “Why suddenly mention her?”

I shrugged and smiled, “Just asking. Somehow, seeing you makes one think of her involuntarily.”

My tone was deliberately casual, but deep down, I marveled again at how perceptive Lin Shao Ci was.

He remained silent, and after a while said, “If you have nothing else, I’ll be going back.”

I nodded. “Fine!”

He turned to leave, took a few steps, then suddenly stopped and said with his back to me, “Shu Kuang, let me remind you. In this jianghu, sometimes you can’t even trust those closest to you, because you never know when you might be sacrificed.”

I was stunned, not yet understanding. He had already walked far away, his blue robes fluttering as he crossed the small bridge and walked into the thin mist on the other shore, gradually disappearing.

That was the last time I saw Lin Shao Ci.

After that, he vanished from the jianghu, and no one ever saw him again.

Much later, in Cloud City on Mount Mo Ye, I heard from a friend who came from afar about a major event that shook the martial arts world: the Seven Seas Chain Island was attacked by South Sea pirates seeking revenge, Nan Gong Jun Qing was captured, but fortunately, a monk arrived by boat to help, defeating the strong enemy. Some said this monk was the young master of Yu Chi Mountain Manor. Others said that Nan Gong Jun Qing eventually married that pirate, unifying the South Sea.

But that’s a story for another time.

At this moment, I was utterly confused by his words, and couldn’t help but mutter “psycho” under my breath. It wasn’t until the near future that I deeply understood the desolation in his words. It was the pain of being betrayed by someone closest to you—unspeakable, with nowhere to vent, only to be buried in the heart until death.

I still felt something was wrong with this matter, but I couldn’t figure out what it was, so I slowly walked back along the lake.

The Emperor’s critical illness, Han Wang’s rebellion, the treasure map, the position of manor master… all these things had rushed together at once, coming so quickly, so urgently, as if planned, deliberately not giving people a chance to think carefully.

Lin Wan Ci wasn’t necessarily lying, nor did she have any reason to lie. Knowing she couldn’t match Yan Shao, she proactively offered the map as a strategic retreat. But her chess move was betting on me. According to her, she was certain of Yan Shao’s feelings for me, so she made this move. But what if she lost? Would she lose? And would I let her lose?

Suddenly, this thought struck my mind like lightning.

It was only at this moment that I recognized how formidable Lin Wan Ci was. She had a profound understanding of human nature, especially the subtle psychology of women. In any romance in this world, whether perfect or not, women always harbor a type of insecurity deep in their hearts. Imperfection naturally leads to insecurity, while too much perfection triggers another kind of unease, making one inevitably doubt if it’s real… Just like in this matter, even though I knew Yan Shao loved me, I was still curious about what his final choice would be.

Having realized this point, suddenly I felt as if my heart had been washed with clear water. The stars shone brightly overhead, the moonlight clear below.

If I wanted to know Yan Shao’s choice, I could simply ask him directly. Why would I need to become the manor master? This gamble offered me no benefit whatsoever. Ah, I finally threw off the mental burden I’d been carrying all afternoon.

I felt my entire body lighten, and my steps involuntarily quickened. Passing by the separate courtyard of Yu Chi Mountain Manor, a luxurious carriage was parked at the front gate, with two beautiful girls standing beside it.

I instinctively moved into the tree shadows for better eavesdropping.

No choice, in the jianghu, one’s actions aren’t always one’s own. I was forced into this.

After a while, four or five people walked out from the main gate, led by Lin Wan Ci and Nan Gong Jun Qing, followed by Luo Fei, Liu An, and others. It looked like Nan Gong was about to take his leave.

Indeed, Nan Gong Jun Qing stopped at the bottom of the stone steps and looked at Lin Wan Ci, saying, “You’re not well. Please go inside quickly.”

Lin Wan Ci stood on the steps like a fragile willow, smiling without speaking. Her smile was beautiful, and I estimated that from Nan Gong Jun Qing’s perspective, it was enough to dim the bright moon.

She stood without moving, and so Nan Gong Jun Qing didn’t leave either. They looked at each other as if everyone around them was transparent.

Finally, Lin Wan Ci’s smile dimmed, and she suddenly said, “If I, Lin Wan Ci, owe anyone a debt of gratitude in this life, then it is to you, Nan Gong Jun Qing.”

After saying this, she no longer looked at him and quickly turned to walk inside.

Nan Gong Jun Qing still stood dazedly on the stone steps, his usually expressionless face seemingly showing a hint of a smile, faint and blurred, difficult to discern clearly.

Luo Fei had been standing behind him the whole time, deeply gazing at him, but he never turned around.

In this world, there’s always a group of people who stand quietly behind others, but those others either can’t see them or choose to ignore them, just as Lin Zhi Xuan sang in a song: you always leave me with the tears of heartbreak, while giving your love to others to destroy.

People often recognize their happiness only through the unhappiness of others.

I thought of Yan Shao, and no longer concerned myself with them. I ran back home, and as soon as I entered the door, I saw Feng Ming and quickly asked, “Has Yan Shao returned?”

He shook his head. “The master is at Han Wang’s residence.”

“What exactly happened?”

“The master didn’t say. He said to ask Madam to pack up her cherished belongings, as we might travel far in a day or two.”

I blurted out, “Is Han Wang preparing to…?”

He quickly interrupted me. “This subordinate doesn’t know.”

I said firmly, “I want to see him.”

“It’s not convenient now.”

“Why?”

“The master is discussing matters with Han Wang, and besides, Madam can’t enter Han Wang’s residence.”

“Is Han Wang’s residence made of impenetrable copper walls and iron barriers?” I ignored him and went straight to prepare a horse.

He stopped me and said with extreme resignation, “The master said he will return tonight. Please just listen.”

I stood firm and asked, “He said he will come back tonight?”

“Yes.”

I thought for a moment and had no choice but to continue waiting for him. Sitting in the lamplight and evening breeze waiting for someone, I finally understood the feelings of those resentful women in ancient poems. The lonely spring courtyard is about to grow dark, pear blossoms cover the ground but no one opens the door. I became very impatient after waiting for just a short while; they waited day after day—wouldn’t they go mad?

When Yan Shao returned, I had already changed three red candles, and the sky outside was turning pale blue, about to dawn.

He didn’t immediately enter the door but stood at the entrance, tilting his head slightly to look at me, with a hint of fatigue in his travel-worn smile.

The moment I saw him, all my resentment instantly vanished, inexplicably felt only heartache. In that instant, he was nothing more than an ordinary, forlorn swordsman, seeking a meager name amidst the torrent of fate and worldly affairs. I was that woman waiting at the edge of an ancient road in the setting sun, gazing far into the bustling dusty world and fleeting years. Youth was like a cool breeze at the sleeve’s edge—with just a turn of the wrist, a beautiful face would grow old.

In just a moment, I felt a sense of mutual dependence through thick and thin.

I embraced him, pressing my face against his shoulder, unable to speak as if something was stuck in my throat.

He also remained silent, bending to kiss my hair, his voice hoarse as he apologized.

I raised my head and saw my face reflected in his clear, watery pupils. I heard my voice clearly saying, “Yan Shao, can we abandon this matter?”

He smiled at me, fine lines of laughter at the corners of his eyes and brows, as if concealing countless secrets, and asked in a low voice, “Lin Wan Ci came by?”

I nodded slightly and pleaded, “I won’t become the manor master, and you should stop helping Han Wang. Let’s go to Mount Mo Ye and never return to the Central Plains.”

He put away his smile and frowned, “Hmm, I need to think about this carefully.”

My heart also withdrew with his smile.

He reached out to touch my face and said softly, “It’s almost dawn. Go rest quickly. Don’t stay up so late next time.”

I was embraced by him as we walked into the room, my body feeling as if it wasn’t my own. Countless voices exploded in my mind, rushing in to remind me of something, but they were so chaotic that they only made me feel despair.

He took off his robe and turned back to look at me, his eyes gleaming. His silver hair draped over his snow-white undergarment, like a banished immortal.

He looked at me for a moment, then suddenly sighed deeply and said, “Shu Kuang, I must be bewitched.”

I stared at him in a daze, raising my head to look at him.

He looked straight into my eyes and carefully chose his words, “All day today I’ve been restless. Han Wang talked incessantly about many things, but now I can’t remember a single impression.”

I was even more confused. “Hmm?”

He said, “My mind was full of thoughts of you. Lin Wan Ci’s request has made you uneasy, hasn’t it?”

I opened my mouth to speak.