Jiang Ci remained silent, avoiding Pei Yan’s gaze as she gently pushed his hand away. She slowly walked over to pick up the cloak that had fallen to the ground.
Pei Yan turned around and swiftly draped the cloak over her shoulders. He lowered his head to observe her somewhat haggard and emaciated face, noting the indifference in her eyes and the corners of her brows. After a moment of hesitation, he softly said, “Wait for me here.”
Jiang Ci stepped back a few paces, standing at the top of the stairs, and smiled faintly. “Lord Xiang, Third Master said that if you wish to see him, you must first answer a few of my questions.”
The night wind suddenly picked up, causing the copper bells outside to jingle. Pei Yan looked at Jiang Ci at the top of the stairs and chuckled, “If that’s the case, then ask away.”
Jiang Ci fixed her gaze on him, her eyes piercing. “Lord Xiang, when did you discover the Third Master’s true identity?”
Pei Yan clasped his hands behind his back and walked to the window, gazing at the starry sky outside. He replied calmly, “When you were attacked by assassins in Hongzhou City, I ordered someone to investigate who had hired them. The result pointed to Yao Dingbang. I found it suspicious, and after reflecting on past events, I pieced it together.”
Jiang Ci’s lips trembled slightly. “So, you figured it out shortly after returning to Changfeng Villa?”
“Yes.”
“Since you figured it out, why did you later pretend to believe my lies and kill Yao Dingbang?”
Pei Yan smiled. “I had my reasons for killing him; you don’t need to know.”
Jiang Ci stared at his calm profile, her breath growing heavier. Finally, she spoke slowly, “Then, what about the injuries you sustained to… save me?”
Pei Yan turned his head to meet her gaze, and after a long silence, he smiled and said, “I could have dodged that sword, but if I didn’t get hurt, some matters would be difficult to handle.”
Jiang Ci forced a smile, realizing the truth behind his words.
Seeing the hint of sarcasm in Jiang Ci’s smile, Pei Yan’s voice turned cold. “Since you’ve asked me these questions, I have one for you: why did you help Third Master and deceive me?”
Jiang Ci fell silent, shaking her head slightly. She then turned to the side and softly said, “Lord Xiang, please.”
Pei Yan’s sharp gaze lingered on her for a moment before he snorted lightly. With a flick of his right sleeve, he walked past Jiang Ci, moving leisurely up the stairs. Jiang Ci silently followed him, step by step, ascending to the sixth floor and then turning to the seventh.
The tower was eerily quiet. Jiang Ci listened to the sound of her footsteps, feeling the warmth radiating from the person in front of her. Around them, the still darkness and faint light flickered, making her feel as if she were walking on clouds, lost in an endless melancholy. At that moment, she felt that although they were so close, it was as if they were separated by vast mountains and rivers.
Pei Yan’s expression relaxed further, his smile becoming exceptionally gentle as he finally stopped at the top of the seventh floor. “Third Master has found a good place!”
On the seventh floor of the Baoli Tower, Wei Zhao stood by the window, the starlight casting a soft glow on his plain robe, reflecting a sense of coldness and solitude.
The night wind blew in through the window, causing his white shirt to flutter. He turned back leisurely, a slight smile on his lips, and said in a clear, calm voice, “I apologize for not welcoming you, Lord Shaojun.”
Both men smiled at each other, their eyes meeting, yet neither took a step forward.
Jiang Ci approached slowly, silently observing the two.
Outside, the faint starlight contrasted with the dim candlelight inside the tower, while behind her lay the deep darkness of the staircase.
The two men before her, one with bright, clear eyes and a gentle demeanor, the other with dazzling, beautiful eyes and an air of aloofness, greeted each other with smiles, yet their hearts were calculating and at odds. In the end, who was truly scheming against whom, and who could maintain their smile until the end?
Her gaze gradually dimmed, and she suddenly felt a chill. Wrapping her arms within the cloak, she stepped toward Wei Zhao.
Pei Yan and Wei Zhao continued to smile at each other, neither diverting their gaze toward Jiang Ci.
Jiang Ci reached Wei Zhao and performed a graceful bow. “Third Master, thank you for your care all this time. I have asked my questions, and now I must take my leave. Please take care.”
Wei Zhao’s hands, which were clasped behind his back, trembled slightly, but he continued to look at Pei Yan, his eyes shimmering faintly. “Returning things to their rightful owner requires no thanks.”
Jiang Ci bowed again, hesitating for a moment before softly saying, “Third Master, if you can return, please do so early.”
Wei Zhao’s smile froze for a moment, and Jiang Ci turned to walk toward Pei Yan. At the instant Pei Yan noticed Wei Zhao’s smile falter, he shifted his gaze, his expression brightening as he looked at the approaching Jiang Ci.
Jiang Ci bowed to him again, and as she straightened up, she met Pei Yan’s gaze, her expression calm as water. “Lord Xiang, I deceived you, but you also poisoned me and used me. We are even now. Everything has come to an end, and I must leave the capital. Thank you for your past care, and please take care of yourself.”
Pei Yan’s smile remained, but his pupils slightly constricted. Jiang Ci quickly turned and, with her long hair and crimson cloak fluttering in the air like a delicate butterfly, she rushed down the wooden stairs.
Wei Zhao’s expression changed slightly as he lifted his right foot. Pei Yan’s eyes flashed with cold light, and he leaped forward, blocking Jiang Ci, who had reached the turn of the staircase. He swiftly extended his right hand, pressing several acupoints on her body.
Looking at Jiang Ci, who had collapsed to the ground, Pei Yan’s expression darkened like water. After a moment of silence, he crouched down and extended his right palm, slowly pressing it against Jiang Ci’s chest.
The moment his palm touched her outer garment, a deep voice came through. “Lord Shaojun.”
Pei Yan did not turn around, a slight smile curling at the corner of his lips. “What advice do you have, Third Master?”
Wei Zhao stood at the top of the stairs, his arms folded within his white robe, his gaze dark as it swept over Jiang Ci’s face before shifting away, his expression indifferent as he stared at the wall. After a long pause, he said calmly, “Although we cannot let anyone know about our meeting, she saved my Yue Luo clan members. If you kill her to silence her, I will have a hard time explaining it to my clan.”
Pei Yan’s eyelids twitched slightly, and he chuckled. “In that case, I have been overly concerned.”
He withdrew his right hand, standing upright, and glanced at the unconscious Jiang Ci on the ground, his handsome brows furrowing slightly. “She knows too much. Since Third Master cannot kill her to silence her, I can only keep her by my side to prevent any leaks.”
Wei Zhao’s expression remained unchanged as he coldly replied, “Lord Shaojun is free to do as you wish; she was originally yours.”
Pei Yan picked up Jiang Ci, a hint of a smile appearing on his face as he stood up straight again, returning to his calm demeanor. He carried Jiang Ci to the seventh-floor chamber, placing her in a corner, and adjusted her cloak before turning around.
Wei Zhao stood with his back to him, gazing out the window. He said leisurely, “The stars are particularly bright tonight, Lord Shaojun, would you care to join me in observing the celestial phenomena?”
Pei Yan walked over gracefully, standing shoulder to shoulder with him at the window, gazing at the vast night sky. “Since the Third Master has invited me, I shall gladly accompany you.”
In the sky, the crescent moon hung like a hook, and the stars twinkled. The lake’s surface rippled gently, and the air was filled with the faint scent of lake water and willow bamboo.
The night wind blew, lifting Wei Zhao’s hair and Pei Yan’s headband as they stood with their hands clasped behind their backs, their postures straight.
“Tonight, the constellations of Ziwai, Taiwei, and Tianshi are flickering and unclear, indicating an invasion by the comet. The country will face turmoil,” Wei Zhao said calmly.
“If we follow this celestial phenomenon, the seven constellations of Dou, Niu, Nu, Xu, Wei, Shi, and Bi are in turmoil, indicating that there will be military unrest in the north,” Pei Yan replied with a smile.
“The Emperor Star flickers erratically, and the Ziwai constellation sparkles, suggesting that there may be treachery among the ministers, or that a great general may fall in battle.”
Pei Yan laughed heartily. “If I were to observe, among the five stars in the constellation, the red star seems to be in turmoil, indicating that there will be great chaos in the world. Does Third Master believe this?”
Wei Zhao narrowed his eyes slightly and turned to look at Pei Yan, his voice steady. “I do not believe in celestial phenomena. Do you, Lord Shaojun?”
Pei Yan also turned to meet his gaze, smiling. “I do not believe in celestial phenomena either.”
The two laughed simultaneously, and Wei Zhao gestured with his hand. “Since we both do not believe, there is no point in observing. I have prepared a chessboard; please enlighten me, Lord Shaojun.”
Pei Yan smiled gracefully. “I shall gladly accompany you. Please, Third Master.”
The two walked to the stone table in the center of the chamber and took their seats. Wei Zhao poured tea from a purple clay teapot, leisurely filling the cups and pushing one toward Pei Yan. His gaze flickered over to the corner where Jiang Ci lay unconscious, and he suddenly smiled. “I can answer Lord Shaojun’s question on her behalf.”
Before Pei Yan could respond, Wei Zhao leaned back in his chair, stretched his body, and said slowly, “On the night of Madam Rongguo’s birthday banquet, I had someone administer poison to her.”
“Yumei Qianrong Su Pozi?” Pei Yan lowered his head to sip his tea, using the steam to mask the sharpness in his gaze.
“Exactly. But I have already sent her back to her hometown for you.”
“Thank you, Third Master.”
Wei Zhao’s tone was calm. “I should also thank you, Lord Shaojun, for your cooperation. If it weren’t for you killing Yao Dingbang and pretending to be gravely injured, I wouldn’t have dared to act so quickly against Bo Yunshan.”
“Good point, good point.” Pei Yan inclined his body slightly, his smile as warm as spring. “If it weren’t for your brilliant plan, I would have been stuck at Changfeng Villa nursing my injuries for the rest of my life.”
Wei Zhao laughed heartily, lightly patting the stone table as he recited, “The grass sways and my heart drifts!”
Pei Yan had never seen Wei Zhao so unrestrained and wild, his eyes sparkling with excitement. He continued, “The chirping of the insects knows the child is different!”
Wei Zhao glanced at Pei Yan, a mix of annoyance and surprise in his expression. “Indeed, in this world, only you, Lord Shaojun, are my confidant!”
The two exchanged smiles, their gazes returning to the chessboard.
The sound of pieces falling was soft, like flowers falling to the ground.
The sound of the copper bells under the eaves fluctuated, resembling the gentle strumming of a pipa.
Pei Yan looked up at Wei Zhao, placing a piece down. “Third Master, you’ve lost weight; it seems your injuries are quite severe. Your subordinates are quite capable, showing no mercy.”
Wei Zhao’s white piece hovered in the air before falling. “Lord Shaojun overpraises me. I still need my subordinates’ cooperation, but you managed to get that sword wound just right, making Bo Yunshan think that Changfeng Riders are leaderless, allowing him to plot in peace. I admire you, Wei Zhao.”
“I am merely cooperating with your plans. You have been plotting for a long time; if I were to ruin your good fortune, I would feel guilty.”
Wei Zhao sighed. “If it weren’t for your insistence on signing some treaty with the Huan Kingdom, splitting my Yue Luo clan in two, I wouldn’t have acted so quickly.”
Pei Yan laughed heartily, placing a piece in the northeast corner. “Although Bo Gong was forced to rebel by you, he is likely not an innocent man. Your use of the evidence of treason in Yao Dingbang’s hands to force Bo Gong to rebel is truly brilliant; I admire you!”
Wei Zhao replied nonchalantly, “That wasn’t difficult. However, unifying Yue Luo took quite a bit of effort. Of course, I must also thank your maid for preventing me from suffering a defeat at Hu Tiao Beach.”
Pei Yan glanced at Jiang Ci in the corner, smiling slightly as he moved a piece down the center of the board. “To be able to assist Third Master, even in a small way, is her fortune; at least it has saved her life for now. Third Master, returning things to their rightful owner, I am truly grateful.”
Wei Zhao responded with a piece, glancing at Pei Yan. “Lord Shaojun, you underestimate me too much. I came to your Changfeng Villa, yet you didn’t invite me in for a drink, and instead sent someone to deliver a fox fur coat, wasting my time.”
“Now is the perfect time to meet.” Pei Yan placed another piece, looking directly at Wei Zhao, his expression calm but his gaze sharp. “Third Master, since we have laid everything out, there’s no need to hide anything. How we proceed in the future requires our honest cooperation.”
Outside the tower, the crescent moon was suddenly obscured by clouds, and the starlight dimmed.
The wind surged with the clouds, the sound of the copper bells grew louder, and a lone goose cried out outside the tower, skimming over the lake and creating ripples.
Wei Zhao glanced at the chessboard, his expression a mix of amusement and sarcasm. That smile, contrasting with his snow-white skin and cold, dark eyes, held a hint of cruelty. Leaning back in his chair, he smirked, “I will only stir up chaos in the world; how to clean it up is your concern.”
Pei Yan lightly responded with an “oh,” sipping his tea again, smiling as he said, “Third Master, although the world is in chaos, Yue Luo has not yet reached the point of establishing a nation.”
Wei Zhao tossed a piece onto the board, causing a cluster of pieces in the center to spin wildly. He smiled, “This world will only become more chaotic; I just need to wait quietly.”
Pei Yan also smiled, suddenly flicking his finger, sending a black piece flying toward the northwest corner of the board, knocking a piece to the ground. He stared at Wei Zhao, his tone turning cold. “You think Yue Luo can remain unscathed in this chaotic world, avoiding the flames of war? That’s a fool’s dream!”
Wei Zhao’s expression grew colder as he leaned forward, pressing his right hand on the board, staring directly at Pei Yan. “Lord Shaojun, do you dare say that this chaos is not what you desire? I fear your true intention is not merely to take advantage of the chaos to return to the court!”
With a flick of his right hand, he lifted the fallen pieces from the ground and scattered them back onto the board, returning to the previous setup.
Pei Yan smiled slightly, placing a piece in the upper left corner. Wei Zhao’s expression changed slightly as he flicked a white piece, sending Pei Yan’s black piece back to the center of the board.
Pei Yan watched the pieces bounce and fall, raising an eyebrow as he pressed his hand on the board, coldly laughing, “I have long heard that Sect Leader Xiao possesses exceptional martial skills. I have yet to learn from you in our previous encounters; today, I wish to ask Sect Leader Xiao for some guidance.”
Wei Zhao’s gaze remained unyielding as he coldly laughed, “I shall gladly accompany you.”
Pei Yan picked up a piece and advanced, while Wei Zhao’s right hand countered, the black and white lights flashing as their fingers danced, and in an instant, they exchanged several moves within the confines of the board.
As they moved, Pei Yan’s pinky finger subtly curled, brushing against Wei Zhao’s wrist. Wei Zhao saw it clearly and turned with the motion, sinking slightly to block Pei Yan’s piece.
Pei Yan was invigorated by the duel, laughing loudly, “Since we have no swords today, let’s compare our fist techniques instead.” With that, he reversed his hand, gripping the piece tightly, and struck out with a thunderous blow.
Wei Zhao kicked the stone table with his right foot, retreating several steps with the chair. Pei Yan’s right fist struck the stone table, using the momentum to flip over and strike toward Wei Zhao with a powerful wind.
Wei Zhao swiftly kicked toward the area two inches below Pei Yan’s elbow. Pei Yan feigned several moves in the air, dodging the kick, and lunged forward. Wei Zhao’s right palm struck the wooden chair, and as he tumbled rapidly, Pei Yan’s fist, like thunder, smashed the chair to pieces.
Before Pei Yan could retract his fist, Wei Zhao had landed, lightly tapping his toes. His palms moved like a pair of fluttering butterflies, creating thousands of illusions as they struck Pei Yan’s back. He laughed, “I have long wanted to compete with you, Lord Shaojun!”
Pei Yan did not turn around, kicking backward with his left foot, blocking each of Wei Zhao’s strikes as if he had eyes in the back of his head.
Using the force of Wei Zhao’s palm strikes, he floated forward, pressing his left palm against the wall of the tower, using the leverage to flip backward and land gracefully on the ground. He then launched another round of punches, engaging in a fierce battle with the advancing Wei Zhao.
The two moved swiftly, their garments fluttering as they spun like a whirlwind within the tower, their energies clashing, yet they both avoided Jiang Ci in the corner.
After exchanging over a hundred moves, Pei Yan’s punches suddenly changed. His arms became as supple as snakes, wrapping around Wei Zhao’s arm in a flash. Wei Zhao felt a spiraling force locking his true energy tightly, recalling his master’s description of Pei’s unique internal energy. A chill ran down his spine, and his eyes shone brightly. He shouted, his white robe billowing, the sleeves suddenly tearing open like sharp needles piercing through Pei Yan’s spiraling energy. Pei Yan grunted, retracting his attack.
Wei Zhao coughed lightly, a cold glint filling his eyes. His right arm was bare, the jade-like arm crossing over his chest, his expression proud. “Lord Shaojun, is this your sincerity in cooperating with me?”