The cunning nature of the Poison of Heaven of Parting Sorrows lay in its imperceptibility from the outside. Only the afflicted knew their meridians were slowly shattering. Not knowing when or where one might die made it impossible to make promises about the future.
Ming Yi couldn’t explain this to them, so she could only say, “I’ll do my best, but if I can’t go, I’ll certainly find someone to take him there.”
Zhang Liu and Zhang Tai were both delighted. Zhang Tai, holding her belly, joked that perhaps she could bring a child along when they went, as they had never seen the golden crow breaking through the clouds in Chaoyang City.
The group chatted and laughed, and Ming Yi felt her mood lighten considerably. When she left, the corners of her lips were turned upwards.
“Sister looks best when smiling,” Situ Ling said as he sat in the carriage, seeing her board with a radiant expression. “If this place makes you so happy, I’ll bring you here every day from now on.”
Ming Yi shook her head with a smile. “Young Master is now the youngest judge in Mu Xingcheng. How could you spend every day on such trivial matters with me? Once we return and pack up, Young Master shouldn’t concern himself with me anymore.”
“What are you saying, Sister? Having acknowledged you as my sister, your affairs are important matters, not trivial ones,” he shook his head, then grumbled dejectedly, “There have been many important matters in the city recently, but none that I can decide on. It’s better not to see them at all.”
The Grand Judge was playing a game of strategy with these cities, using recent events to gain the greatest benefits for Mu Xingcheng. Meanwhile, those envoys each harbored their ulterior motives. The truth of the matters was no longer the most important thing; what mattered most was how to profit from them.
It was uninteresting. He didn’t like it.
“Let’s go see Sister’s new residence instead,” he said. “That house is good, sharing a wall with my mansion. If it’s convenient, we can have craftsmen open a door. In the future, when I visit Sister, I won’t need to go through the main street.”
This idea was good. Ming Yi nodded, “Let’s go take a look.”
The two chatted happily as the carriage traveled down the road, leaving a trail of laughter behind.
Passing by their carriage, Ji Bozai returned to the Yan residence with a stern face.
Yan Xiao was playing with a newly brought girl when he looked up and saw Ji Bozai’s face, dark enough to squeeze ink from. He hurriedly stood up, “Has something major happened? Is Zhuyue City going to war with us?”
“No,” he swept his sleeve as he sat down, muttering, “It’s too hot outside.”
Rolling his eyes, Yan Xiao dismissed the girl and said irritably, “The hot weather is enough to make you this angry? Have you run out of opponents in this realm of Qingyun and decided to pick a fight with the weather instead?”
Ji Bozai remained silent, his expression still grim.
Yan Xiao looked puzzled at Bu Xiu beside him. This fellow had always been Ji Bozai’s confidant; he should know what was bothering Ji Bozai.
However, Bu Xiu kept his eyes on his nose and his mouth on his heart, maintaining an air of normalcy. He respectfully poured tea for Ji Bozai and then went to instruct people to pack their luggage.
Yan Xiao was even more puzzled, doubting for a moment if he had overthought and Ji Bozai wasn’t angry.
“As soon as word got out that you had no one to serve you, the city’s nobles rushed to send you girls. They’ve even sent them to me,” Yan Xiao tentatively handed him the register of names. “Want to take a look?”
Taking the register and tossing it on the table, Ji Bozai said coldly, “No need to look. Accept them all. I’ll take them when I move into the new residence.”
“…” No doubt about it, he was angry.
Yan Xiao rubbed his nose tip. “Let me remind you, Liang Xiuyuan took Xu Tianji into his household a few days ago.”
“What does that have to do with me?” he replied indifferently.
“It might not concern you, but it concerns Miss Ming. Xu Tianji lost a lot of face at the welcoming banquet and was driven out by her family. She’s bound to hold a grudge against Miss Ming. And that Liang Xiuyuan is the type who loses all sense when he meets someone he likes. He’s bound to stand up for his woman.”
Without Ji Bozai’s protection, Ming Yi’s days might not be so smooth.
“That’s even less of my concern,” he snorted. “Doesn’t she have Situ Ling? Let him protect his ‘Sister Ming’.”
Feeling a twinge of sourness, Yan Xiao cupped his cheeks and said, “As expected of you, Ji Bozai. Your words are three times more sour than anyone else’s vinegar.”
“Get out.”
“Alright,” Yan Xiao stood up but turned back, “But before I go, I want to tell you that now that Ming Yi has the title of Golden Hairpin Duelist, there are many in this city waiting to challenge her. If you care for her, protect her early. Don’t wait until she’s gone to regret it.”
What a joke.
Ji Bozai leaned back in his chair, thinking coldly. What did he have to regret? There were thousands upon thousands of women in the world. He didn’t need to keep such a dangerous person by his side. If she were gone, he could rest even easier.
The weather in Mu Xingcheng was getting hotter day by day, with the sound of cicadas incessant.
Ming Yi stood in the newly built forging shed in the courtyard, slowly polishing the rough exterior of her new divine weapon with her Yuan Power.
In the past, She Tianlin wouldn’t let her make divine weapons for herself, saying that innate duelists with red meridians relying on divine weapons were disgraceful. But now, she felt old She wouldn’t object, so as soon as she got the materials, she made herself a Star River Sunset.
It was a compass the size of a palm, with five circles of holes on its surface. The face was deep blue, almost black, concealing over a thousand fine, short needles.
She nodded with satisfaction, just about to try it out when she heard someone shouting from outside the door: “Open up!”
The voice sounded somewhat familiar.
Ming Yi took the compass and walked to the door. As soon as she opened it, she was met with a pair of angry and panicked eyes.
“You’re still here? Many people know where you live now and are heading this way,” Xiu Yun stepped in and closed the door for her, saying angrily, “I’m not here to spread gossip. I was just passing by and thought I’d let you know. Run quickly, the Xu family has sent people too.”
Somewhat confused, Ming Yi blinked, “What do they want with me?”
“What else could it be? You’re the Golden Hairpin Duelist favored by the Grand Judge. They’re curious about how much Yuan Power you have,” Xiu Yun pushed her. “Looking at how frail you are, forget about Yuan Power, you probably can’t even chop firewood, right? If you don’t run now, you’ll be challenged. If they kill you then, they won’t even have to pay with their lives.”
Ming Yi stopped in her tracks. “There are such things?”
“You don’t even know the rule that duelists can issue challenges and fight to the death without consequences?” Xiu Yun stared at her.
She nodded, “That’s right.”
After all, no one had dared to challenge her before.
Xiu Yun looked desperate. “You… Never mind, climb over the wall to the Situ mansion. Maybe Lord Situ can still protect your life.”
Before Ming Yi could explain, she was hurriedly pushed to the courtyard wall by Xiu Yun.
“Wait a moment,” she held Xiu Yun’s hand. “You said many people are coming to find me, but you’ve already run here. How come they haven’t arrived yet?”
Xiu Yun paused, puzzled as she rubbed her chin. “That’s right. I got the news from the Xu mansion. Someone should have been faster than me.”