Bianliang, the prosperous land of the imperial capital.

As winter gradually departed and spring plums bloomed in full splendor, a young lady dressed in light green robes sat leaning against a pavilion. Her hair was pinned high in an elaborate coiffure adorned with pearl ornaments. Gazing upon the garden’s spring scenery, her face was filled with melancholy.

In her hand, she held a letter that had been delivered from the National Uncle’s residence. Though it contained only a few sparse words, it left her heart in turmoil.

The letter was written by Tang Lici. Its content was brief, stating that Xue Xianzi had been captured by the Fengliu Shop, and that the shop had set conditions requiring someone to come forward in a life-for-life exchange. The letter did not specify whom Tang Lici intended to exchange for Xue Xianzi, but at the very least, he had deliberately notified her, informing her that Xue Xianzi was now in dire peril.

The young lady with pearl ornaments in her hair was none other than Zhong Chunji. Ever since following Zhao Zongjing and Zhao Zongying back to Bianliang, enjoying all the luxuries and riches befitting a princess, she had gradually lost interest in jianghu affairs. She only hoped to live peacefully from now on, forgetting everything from the past completely. But no matter how hard she tried, she could never forget Tang Lici. Living within the palace walls, coming and going, inside and out, she could hear tales and anecdotes about National Uncle Tang everywhere—how he was elegant and romantic, how mysterious and unfathomable he was, and how he had saved Consort Yun and the Emperor in the palace. Day and night, people spoke of Tang Lici, and as she listened, in her dazed reverie, it seemed as if Tang Lici was right beside her, not far away at all—only she had never encountered him.

Until today, when she received this letter. Xue Xianzi was in danger, and Tang Lici’s intention was crystal clear—he had chosen her to make the life exchange.

She was Xue Xianzi’s disciple, raised by him from childhood. Whether from a moral or ethical standpoint, she had no reason to refuse.

But she… felt wronged.

Xue Xianzi was her master, but from childhood to adulthood, she had never understood what this eccentric-tempered master was thinking in his heart. Though there was gratitude between master and disciple, they were not close.

Just because they were master and disciple, when the master got into trouble, the disciple must pay with her life? She must abandon her comfortable, luxurious life, give up her youth and beauty, and go to a place like hell to await death? She felt wronged, she was unwilling, but Tang Lici had decreed that she must go, and she dared not refuse.

But she truly didn’t want to go. If only Tang Lici would withdraw from jianghu affairs, if he would return to the National Uncle’s residence, and she could marry him with her princess status, living together in the palace walls without concern for worldly matters—how wonderful that would be! As she gazed at the spring plums, a flush rose on her beautiful cheeks. She indulged in imagining such days for a while, and her heart suddenly grew unbearably hot. Once such wild thoughts arose, they could not be suppressed.

She would go, but not to exchange her life for Xue Xianzi’s. She would go to find a way to bring Tang Lici back. She held the status of a princess—there was nothing that couldn’t be accomplished.

“Fangjuan!” she called softly. A red-robed maidservant approached with ethereal grace, her movement skills extraordinarily superior. Zhong Chunji said, “I want to take fifty elite guards from the Imperial Guard to handle a major matter.” The red-robed maidservant was quite surprised, “Fifty men?” Zhong Chunji nodded, “I’m going out, and the more experts the better. Choose reliable, obedient people.” The red-robed maidservant frowned, “To mobilize fifty Imperial Guards might be somewhat difficult.” Zhong Chunji’s expression changed, “If you cannot arrange the personnel, I’ll go alone.” The red-robed maidservant was startled, “Absolutely not! This servant will arrange everything with full effort.” Zhong Chunji turned and smiled, “You may go.”

However, Zhong Chunji was not the only one to receive Tang Lici’s letter.

At Huijing Mountain, Mingyue Tower.

Facing the moonlight reflected across the entire lake, Shui Duopo sighed long and deeply, letting out one sigh, then another after a short while. Someone behind the wall asked in a calm, unruffled voice, “Troubled?” Shui Duopo sighed again, and the neighboring room fell silent, saying no more.

The night sky was bright with stars and moon, the waters reflecting thousands of star-points, sparkling and glittering—a scene as beautiful as a painting.

“Sigh——”

With a “plop,” a fish on the water surface suddenly dove to the bottom.

Although Tang Lici and his two companions had not spread word of the letter’s contents from the Fengliu Shop to the Central Plains Sword Assembly, it still caused tremendous waves throughout jianghu. On Haoyun Mountain, everyone knew about it without exception, discussing it endlessly. Obviously, among the hundreds of people on Haoyun Mountain, there were certainly spies from the Fengliu Shop. Tang Lici treated this matter with calm indifference, saying only that the person to exchange for Xue Xianzi had already been chosen—those who had not received his personal letter were not the ones. While the mountain’s inhabitants breathed a sigh of relief, they couldn’t help being greatly curious, constantly speculating about who that person might be.

The Fengliu Shop sought to sow discord, but Tang Lici deflected their scheme with the lightest touch, easily dealing with the situation without causing unrest among the hundreds on Haoyun Mountain. Even Dong Hubi greatly admired this, though even this old jianghu veteran couldn’t guess who had received Tang Lici’s letter.

Just when the situation was so delicate, “Xifang Tao” returned gracefully, her black hair pinned high with a jade hairpin inserted at an angle, wearing the peach-colored dress that Xue Tao had favored. She was so charming and beautiful that as soon as she stepped onto Shanfeng Hall, quite a few rough men stared at her fixedly, and she responded to them all with smiles along the way, her manner enchanting.

“Miss Tao’s safe return is truly a great fortune for jianghu.” Many sect leaders had once received letters from Puzhu, saying that although Xifang Tao was a woman, she had willingly taken extraordinary risks for jianghu, infiltrating the Fengliu Shop with great wisdom and courage. In the cause of eliminating evil, he hoped the sect leaders could lend her assistance. Precisely because of Abbot Puzhu of Shaolin Temple’s reputation, many had quite favorable impressions of her. Moreover, such a woman of peerless beauty in her prime could always win more hearts. So when “Xifang Tao” returned to the Central Plains Sword Assembly, Haoyun Mountain became like a boiling pot, with everyone feeling excited.

Meng Qinglei invited Xifang Tao to enter the hall and take a seat, inquiring in detail about the circumstances of her fall from the cliff. Yu Konghou, wearing “Xifang Tao’s” peach-colored robes, pointed at Tang Lici, “That night, Young Master Tang burst into my room and struck me down the cliff, causing injuries that have only just healed. Xifang Tao is puzzled—why did Young Master Tang attack me that evening?”

His casual remark caused a great uproar among the crowd. Everyone turned to look at Tang Lici with horror in their hearts: So it was Young Master Tang who struck Miss Tao down the cliff, yet why didn’t he speak of it?

Yu Konghou raised his eyes with a light smile, his beautiful eyes glancing directly at Tang Lici’s face. This was exactly the kind of suspicion he wanted, to see Tang Lici’s reputation ruined and everyone turn against him would give him immense pleasure, even surpassing dominating jianghu.

Tang Lici sat beside Yu Konghou. Seeing him glance over with raised eyes, he returned the gaze, “That night…” He coughed lightly, “That night…” He repeated this several times, and the crowd rarely saw him so hesitant. Feeling quite strange, they waited for a long while until Tang Lici slowly said, “Since it concerns Miss Tao’s reputation, I think it’s better left unsaid.”

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone was in an uproar. Master Wenxiu and others couldn’t help feeling embarrassed, thinking privately that young men and women indeed couldn’t escape entanglements of love and desire. These two were well-matched in age and appearance, so it was hardly surprising they would do such things. Zhang Hemo and his ilk laughed heartily—even someone as transcendentally refined as Young Master Tang was still a man, thinking much the same as them. What kind of real man wouldn’t love beautiful women? This actually added several points of intimacy. Meng Qinglei was startled, not expecting Tang Lici to say such things. Cheng Yunpao remained unmoved, calm as always.

What exactly happened that night, no one wished to pursue further. Their hearts were filled with countless imaginings. Tang Lici lowered his eyelids slightly, seeming to smile yet not smile, softly saying to Yu Konghou, “That day I didn’t know my own strength and was presumptuous with you, miss. I apologize to Miss Tao here.” Yu Konghou paused, sighed, and turned his head away. Meng Qinglei couldn’t help but laugh inwardly. At this moment, he must be extremely angry yet unable to express it. Though Tang Lici gained a reputation for frivolity, he won many people’s favor.

The matter of Xifang Tao’s return to the mountain passed with such light treatment. Tang Lici guided everyone in daily training, with Yu Konghou watching from the side. Sometimes the two would even discuss a few points, each offering guidance. Cheng Yunpao maintained twelve parts vigilance toward Yu Konghou, constantly keeping watch. He didn’t know why Tang Lici held back, but Yu Konghou also held back, which left him even more puzzled.