As the lanterns began to light up the city, Fan Xingjia, scratching his itchy hand, knocked on Cai Zhao’s door.
“Fifth Senior Brother?” Cai Zhao had just climbed out of the bathtub and was sitting by the window, drying her hair. “Have you found Brother Yu Qi?”
Fan Xingjia replied, “Didn’t a disciple from Taichu Temple say they found Young Master Zhou at noon? However, because of the large flower cart parade, it was difficult to get through. So we decided to explore separately.”
“Then why hasn’t he returned even though it’s dark now?” Cai Zhao frowned, lowering her head to wipe her wet hair.
Feeling his face start to itch as well, Fan Xingjia asked irritably, “Oh, never mind him for now. Do you still have that anti-itch oil for insect bites? I’ve run out.”
Cai Zhao looked up, noticing the small red bumps on Fan Xingjia’s face, and chuckled, “Fifth Senior Brother got bitten again? How strange that mosquitoes don’t bite Fourth Senior Brother but swarm around you!”
“Do you have it or not?” Fan Xingjia glared.
Cai Zhao quickly responded, “Yes, yes, it’s in the small medicine box on the shelf in the alcove. Please help yourself, Fifth Senior Brother.”
Fan Xingjia maneuvered around the tables and chairs in the living room and entered the small, exquisite study alcove. He muttered, “Sister, your second-floor room is so cozy. A study, living room, bedroom, and bathroom – though small, it has everything… Oh, is it this black lacquer wooden box inlaid with mother-of-pearl?”
“That’s the one,” Cai Zhao confirmed. “Open the first layer, and you’ll find a large jade bottle labeled ‘Anti-itch’. Do you also want some mosquito-repelling incense? Look for the green-oiled paper package in the second layer. I’ve wrapped a large chunk of insect-repelling incense inside. You can use the small silver knife nearby to cut off half.”
“Thank you, Sister,” Fan Xingjia said, his face brightening. “When we return to the sect, I’ll give you a large bottle of Snow Ginseng Beauty Pills made by Master Lei!”
Cai Zhao smiled, “That would be wonderful.”
Just then, another knock came at the door – a series of taps that sounded both hesitant and urgent.
Cai Zhao answered, and to her surprise, Zhou Yu Qi, whom she hadn’t seen for half a day, entered.
“Brother Yu Qi, you’re back!” Cai Zhao exclaimed, both shocked and delighted. She quickly tied her hair with a ribbon and rose to greet him.
In the inner room, Fan Xingjia was about to come out but decided to wait, planning to tease the young couple after they had a moment alone.
Zhou Yu Qi looked distraught, his hair disheveled, his clothes covered in dust, and his long sleeves damp with dew.
Cai Zhao gently helped him sit down, her manner warm and caring. “Brother Yu Qi, you must be tired. Please, sit and rest. Wu’an City was so crowded today that everyone felt dizzy. Even Senior Brother Fan lost a shoe in the crowd.”
In the alcove, Fan Xingjia cursed Cai Zhao for being inconsiderate, revealing her senior brother’s embarrassing moment just to comfort her fiancé.
As Cai Zhao continued with pleasantries, Zhou Yu Qi’s face grew increasingly pale. When she mentioned “When Uncle Zhou arrives,” his mind raced, and he suddenly knelt before Cai Zhao with a thud, startling Fan Xingjia in the alcove.
“Brother Yu Qi, what’s wrong?” Cai Zhao quickly reached out to help him up.
Zhou Yu Qi, flustered, said, “Sister Zhao Zhao, I have something to tell you! I… I’ve wronged you…”
“Wronged me?” Cai Zhao laughed. “Did Brother Yu Qi accidentally enter a brothel at noon? Were you teased by courtesans? Did you lose your virtue? Tell me which one, and I’ll go demand justice for you tomorrow…”
“No, that’s not it,” Zhou Yu Qi replied. A fire seemed to burn in his heart, summoning courage he had never known. “Sister Zhao Zhao, I have something important to say—”
He steeled himself and knelt formally before Cai Zhao. “I want you to cancel our engagement!”
The room fell silent instantly.
Fan Xingjia retreated further into the alcove, determined not to come out.
Cai Zhao, stunned for a moment, soon erupted in anger.
She grabbed Zhou Yu Qi’s collar and gritted her teeth. “Did you get kicked in the head by an ox at noon?! Why are you talking nonsense in the middle of the night? If you’re sick, go take medicine. Don’t come here raving mad!”
Zhou Yu Qi’s face was resolute. “I’m not sick, nor am I mad. This thought has been in my mind for many years! Sister Zhao Zhao, you are exceptionally beautiful and talented, rarely seen in this world. I am mediocre and unworthy of you. Our marriage simply cannot happen!”
Cai Zhao’s sweet smile turned into a grimace. “Why don’t you just say what you mean instead of trying to fool me with pretty words! What’s all this about being worthy or unworthy? Do you think I’ll believe that?!”
Zhou Yu Qi clutched his tightened collar and said firmly, “I… I want to marry a gentle and virtuous wife…”
Anger rose in Cai Zhao’s heart as she shook Zhou Yu Qi’s collar violently. “Where am I not gentle? Where am I not virtuous? Tell me! I can be gentle, I can be virtuous too!”
Fan Xingjia almost laughed out loud but quickly covered his mouth.
“Tell me, tell me…” Cai Zhao had completely forgotten about the person in the alcove and continued to press.
“Fine, I’ll tell you!” Zhou Yu Qi, dizzy from being shaken, became even more determined to break off the engagement. “That year, shortly after our engagement, we went on an outing by the Qingluo River and encountered some ruffians. After we drove them off, you twisted the leader’s arm. He begged for mercy and swore never to commit crimes again…”
Recalling the past, he looked terrified. “Who would have thought, Sister Zhao Zhao, that while you were saying ‘Good, good, knowing one’s mistakes and correcting them is a great virtue’ with a smile on your face, we let our guard down. Then we heard a crack – you had broken the leader’s arm and even used your inner strength to shatter the bones in his shoulder!”
—At the time of their engagement, Zhou Yu Qi’s young fiancée was beautiful and always smiling. Although he felt he was letting down his cousin Min Xinrou, he didn’t think the marriage was a bad prospect. But soon after, he witnessed his seemingly delicate porcelain doll-like fiancée crush a strong man’s entire shoulder and arm.
The shock the gentle young man felt at that moment was unimaginable.
“That leader was bullying men and women!” Cai Zhao shouted at Zhou Yu Qi. “If evil people could just say they won’t do it again and be forgiven, what about justice for their victims?! I was already being merciful and soft-hearted by not breaking the limbs of those scoundrels. Don’t you understand that?!”
In her anger, she unconsciously used her inner strength. Zhou Yu Qi, unable to match her power, couldn’t free himself from her grip. He continued his accusations in this miserable position. “And two years ago, when you knocked me to the ground…”
Cai Zhao, remembering that incident, quickly said, “You said you didn’t mind that my martial arts were better than yours. You even said there are many happily married couples where the wife is stronger than the husband. What’s changed now? Have you come to despise me?”
Zhou Yu Qi hurriedly replied, “Every word I said was true, heaven be my witness! I truly don’t mind that your martial arts are better than mine, Zhao Zhao! If we had a proper martial arts match two years ago, I would have accepted defeat without complaint. But that’s not what happened! You saw me being friendly with Cousin Xinrou and became displeased. So you used the pretext of a martial arts match to beat me up and vent your anger!”
Cai Zhao was stunned, her fingers loosening – he had accurately described her thoughts at that time.
Zhou Yu Qi quickly reclaimed his collar and explained desperately, “When I talked about happy marriages where the wife is stronger, I meant cases where the wife has higher cultivation but doesn’t use it to bully her husband! In normal marriages, even if a wife is displeased with her husband, she can’t just raise her fists and beat him up whenever she wants – but you can, Sister Zhao Zhao!”
“What’s wrong with venting when you’re wronged? Should I just endure it?” Cai Zhao exploded with anger.
Zhou Yu Qi mumbled softly, “Cousin Xinrou would endure…”
“What did you say?!”
Zhou Yu Qi, nearly blown away by her shout, stammered, “I mean, if I have any shortcomings in the future, I’m bound to be beaten by you. I truly can’t bear such a marriage…”
Cai Zhao forced a smile, trying to sound ‘kind’: “Then just don’t have any shortcomings in the future.”
Zhou Yu Qi almost cried, “In this world, who can live without making mistakes? Sister Zhao Zhao, it’s not that you’re bad, it’s just that our temperaments don’t match! To be honest, I admire girls who are understanding, gentle, and virtuous…”
“You might as well say Min Xinrou’s name directly. I won’t go after her,” Cai Zhao said coldly.
Zhou Yu Qi pleaded tearfully, “Please, Sister Zhao Zhao, just let me go!”
Cai Zhao trembled with rage.
Finally, this pride-wounding conversation ended with her furious shout “Get out!”
Outside the small building in the courtyard, Mu Qingyan stood in the dense shadows, wearing a long, dark cloak that reached the ground. The soft, thin silk cloak revealed half of his handsome face.
He watched as Zhou Yu Qi dejectedly climbed to the second floor, and not long after, stumbled out. A slight smile played on Mu Qingyan’s lips.
Moments later, You Guanyue slipped out of Fan and Ding’s room, followed by two black-clad subordinates carrying a specially made iron pipe. He approached and reported in a low voice, “Reporting to the Master, I listened carefully. Zhou Yu Qi indeed proposed to break off the engagement, enraging the young lady. They’ve completely fallen out.”
Mu Qingyan nodded slightly, his eyes showing satisfaction.
Just then, Shangguan Haonan rushed over, panting, “Qi Lingbo angrily went to find Song Yu. Master, do you want to go see?”
Mu Qingyan thought for a moment, “Let’s go take a look.”
When they arrived, they saw Song Yu’s door wide open. Qi Lingbo was unleashing years of pent-up grievances and anger, while Song Yu sat silently, allowing Qi Lingbo to vent. Pang Xiongxin stood by, constantly trying to mediate.
A crowd of onlookers had gathered, with Guangtian’s guards repeatedly trying to disperse them.
Mu Qingyan and his group hid in an empty room across the hall to eavesdrop.
“…Song Yu, even now you won’t say anything to me properly!” Qi Lingbo’s voice was shrill.
Song Yu replied, “What do you want me to say? Our incompatibility is no secret. Everyone in the sect knows. From childhood to now, I’ve advised when I should, reprimanded when necessary. What else is there to say?”
Qi Lingbo accused bitterly, “We’ve been engaged for over ten years. Have you ever given me a kind look or spoken to me tenderly? Is this how a chivalrous man treats someone?”
“I believe that constantly stopping you from bullying the weak and being disrespectful to others for the past decade is true chivalry,” Song Yu retorted.
“You!”
Dai Fengchi interjected loudly, “Brother, how can you treat Lingbo like this!”
Song Yu sneered, “Second Senior Brother, it’s best you say less. Surely you don’t hope for me and Junior Sister Lingbo to marry?”
Dai Fengchi was left speechless.
Song Yu looked at Qi Lingbo indifferently, “Junior Sister Lingbo, there’s no need to be so sad. You probably don’t truly like me either; you’re just reluctant to let go of worldly matters.”
“Fine, fine, fine!” Qi Lingbo said through tears. “If you put it that way, I’d be too shameless to still cling to you. Today, in front of everyone, with heaven and earth as witnesses, let’s end our relationship and break off the engagement!”
Song Yu suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with disbelief and joy.
Qi Lingbo didn’t notice this flash of joy. At that moment, she was proud of her decisiveness. After speaking, she held her head high and left proudly, feeling she had never been so relieved in her life.
In the room across the hall, Mu Qingyan laughed gleefully, “Oh, Song Yu, Song Yu, you’ve finally met your match. And here you thought everyone loved you, but even a woman like Qi Lingbo doesn’t want you…”
Shangguan Haonan quickly reminded him, “Master, this isn’t good.”
“How is it not good? Song Yu has lost so much face,” You Guanyue chimed in.
Shangguan Haonan reported, “Master, Miss Zhao Zhao just had a falling out with Young Master Zhou, and now Song Yu has broken off his engagement with Qi Lingbo. This means there are no more obstacles between Miss Zhao Zhao and Song Yu…”
Mu Qingyan’s face darkened, “You’re right.”
After a moment’s thought, he ordered, “Immediately spread the news about Zhou Yu Qi kneeling and begging Zhao Zhao to break off the engagement. I want everyone in the inn to know within half an hour.”
…
In the second-floor room of the small building, Fan Xingjia was constantly comforting Cai Zhao: “Junior Sister, don’t be sad. There are plenty of fish in the sea; you’ll find a better match.”
Cai Zhao sobbed, “Fifth Senior Brother, do you think I’m upset because the engagement is off? That’s not it at all!”
“Then why?” Fan Xingjia asked cautiously.
Cai Zhao wiped her tears and nose, “Just yesterday, Zhou Yu Qi was so gentle and caring towards me in the main hall, making me look good in front of everyone. Today, he’s crying and shouting about breaking off the engagement. Where can I put my face? Everyone must be guessing what a terrifying woman I am to scare away such a good-tempered fiancé as Young Master Zhou!”
— In short, breaking off the engagement wasn’t the issue. Who broke it off and how it was done was the real problem.
Fan Xingjia sighed in relief, “So that’s it. Don’t worry, Junior Sister. If you don’t say anything about Zhou Yu Qi kneeling and begging to break off the engagement, and I don’t say anything, and I’ll tell Brother Zhou not to mention it either, who else will know? When the elders of both families arrive, you two can express your wishes, and let the elders handle breaking off the engagement. Won’t that be proper?”
Cai Zhao pressed a handkerchief to her face, tears in her eyes, “Really, Fifth Senior Brother? Can it be done this way?”
Fan Xingjia reassured her, “Of course. Brother Zhou has always been considerate and kind. Now that he feels guilty towards you, I believe even if I don’t tell him, he won’t spread the word of what just happened.”
Cai Zhao nodded hopefully.
Having finally calmed the girl down, Fan Xingjia had hot water brought in, prepared hot tea, and ordered two plates of exquisite snacks. Just as Cai Zhao had fixed her makeup and eaten a couple of snacks, the door was suddenly pushed open forcefully.
Ding Zhuozhen burst in like a gust of wind: “Is it true? Junior Sister Zhao Zhao, did you break off the engagement with Young Master Zhou?”
Cai Zhao froze, the snack in her hand falling.
Fan Xingjia was shocked: “Fourth Senior Brother, how did you know?”
Ding Zhuozhen replied, “Everyone in the inn knows. They’re saying Young Master Zhou knelt and begged Junior Sister to break it off…”
Before he could finish, Qi Lingbo’s extremely pleased laughter came from the stairway, “I must go see my Junior Sister. Is it true that Young Master Zhou knelt and begged her to let him go? Haha, hahaha…”
In an instant, Cai Zhao was overwhelmed by shame and anger. She forcefully pushed everyone out, “Get out, all of you get out! No one is allowed in, get out!” — She could easily guess what Qi Lingbo would say next.
Fan Xingjia, realizing further words were useless, quickly went out to persuade Qi Lingbo to leave.
Outside, chaos and commotion reigned. Cai Zhao, like a wounded little beast, buried her head in the bedding and pillows.
After a long while, when the noise outside the building finally subsided, she suddenly sat up. Her beautiful face showed no trace of tears.
— Nonsense, tears are for others to see. Why cry when no one’s around?
Cai Zhao sat before the mirror, gritted her teeth as she fixed her clothes and makeup, tightened the Yanyang Sword at her waist, and leaped out the back window, disappearing into the deep night — she didn’t know where the culprit was, but she knew he must be nearby.
Standing in a quiet alley behind the inn, she called out, “Master Mu, with your great talent, you’ve laid out this intricate plan. Now that you’ve succeeded, why not come out and meet me?”
Moments later, in the silent night, a tall young man wearing a long, dark cloak that reached the ground slowly walked out. He looked up, his long starry eyes shining brightly: “Zhao Zhao.”
Cai Zhao was furious, “You monster, what exactly did you do to Zhou Yu Qi at noon today!” Being perceptive, she had already guessed most of it from Zhou Yu Qi’s unusual behavior that night.
Mu Qingyan raised an eyebrow: “What do you think I did to him? Do you think Zhou Yu Qi proposed to break off the engagement because I coerced him?”
Cai Zhao was at a loss for words.
Mu Qingyan: “I swear by my father’s name, I never coerced or forced Zhou Yu Qi in any way.”
Cai Zhao sneered: “If not by force, then by persuasion. Tell me, how did Master Mu induce Zhou Yu Qi to actively propose breaking off the engagement?”
Mu Qingyan smiled brightly: “It wasn’t much. I just had him watch a few scenes — childhood sweethearts forced to separate, middle-aged men and women still pining for each other years after their respective marriages, and so on.”
Cai Zhao laughed angrily: “I guessed as much. You deliberately staged these scenes for Zhou Yu Qi to see, stirring his emotions, and then adding your instigation. That fool Zhou Yu Qi then came to break off the engagement!”
“Correct.”
Cai Zhao was incredulous: “You ruined my marriage, and you’re so righteous about it!”
“Of course I’m righteous,” Mu Qingyan said. “Your intentions in this marriage were impure. I merely set things right.”
“My intentions were impure?” Cai Zhao’s voice rose. “You’re turning the tables on me.” — Her anger reached its peak. Without further words, she drew her sword. A golden-red light flashed as she used the tenth move of the ‘Great Wind Breaking Clear Sky Sword’ technique created by Cai Pingshu — ‘Crossing the Surging River’ — to strike at him.
Mu Qingyan’s long robe fluttered as he dodged left and right, saying at the same time: “Your intentions were indeed impure. Tell me, were you willing to marry Zhou Yu Qi according to the engagement out of genuine love for him? No! You were thinking of the wealth of Peiqiong Manor, the prosperity of the southern towns, the kindness of the Zhou family members, and how easy it would be to manipulate the weak Zhou Yu Qi!”
Cai Zhao trembled with anger, but couldn’t refute a single word.
Mu Qingyan turned, his right-hand fingers blocking the edge of the Yanyang Sword with a clang. “Back then, when your aunt was seriously injured and Falling Petal Valley was in turmoil, your mother resolutely married your father in that time of crisis — that was true love!”
“Heroine Cai Pingshu, determined to roam freely, didn’t want to burden Zhou Zhizhen, so she willingly broke off the engagement — that was true detachment!”
“It’s a pity that elders like your aunt, your father, and your mother raised such an insincere daughter as you!”
“You’re not even as good as Zhou Yu Qi! At least he sincerely wants to marry Min Xinrou!”
Tears were forced from Cai Zhao’s eyes. “Shut up, shut up, shut up!” — What kind of world was this, where the leader of an evil cult was lecturing her on the correct view of marriage?
She forcefully pulled back the Yanyang Sword. “If I’m so bad, why do you keep pestering me? Why do you care who I marry or how I marry? Mind your own business!”
With a thud, blood splattered as the Yanyang Sword sliced directly into Mu Qingyan’s left shoulder.
Silence fell. Cai Zhao was stunned. She hadn’t expected Mu Qingyan to suddenly stop resisting. If she hadn’t pulled back quickly, the diagonal slash could have severed Mu Qingyan’s arm.
She froze: “You…” Then anger flared again, “Your trick of injuring yourself won’t work!”
Mu Qingyan’s expression remained unchanged as blood flowed from his shoulder. “This isn’t a trick. I’m taking your blade because I’ve wronged you.”
Cai Zhao sneered: “You finally admit you shouldn’t have ruined my engagement?”
“No, your engagement was unjust, and breaking it was for the best,” Mu Qingyan said. “I’m taking your blade because I made you lose face.”
“Lose face?” Cai Zhao was confused.
Mu Qingyan admitted frankly: “I spread the news about Zhou Yu Qi kneeling and begging you to break off the engagement.”
Cai Zhao was exhausted with anger, saying weakly: “What grudge do you have against me to harm me like this!”
Mu Qingyan’s expression was so sincere it was almost moving: “I’m not harming you. There’s just an urgent matter that requires your attention, so I found an excuse to bring you out.”
Cai Zhao was almost speechless. She picked up the Yanyang Sword and was about to leave. After a few steps, she turned back: “Fine, fine. Speak, and I’ll listen.”
Mu Qingyan lowered his long lashes, pressing his injured left shoulder: “You’ve finally softened.”
Cai Zhao’s mouth twitched: “I’m no match for you, I admit defeat. If I don’t listen to your explanation, who knows what other tricks you’ll pull next.” Earlier, when she had driven him out of the second floor, he had turned around and manipulated her fiancé to break their engagement. She dared not lose her temper again.
Mu Qingyan said calmly: “Don’t you want to investigate the truth behind the Chang family bloodshed?”
Cai Zhao’s expression tightened: “What do you know?”
“I dare not say I know, but I have a clue.”
Cai Zhao snorted coldly: “Go ahead and make it up.”
“The clue is at the Chang family tomb, am I right?” Mu Qingyan smiled slightly. “You should trust me, otherwise why do you think I was standing there for so long when you first went up the mountain?”
Cai Zhao bit her lip: “You’re willing to tell me the clue?”
Mu Qingyan: “I owe a debt to Hero Chang, so I will certainly investigate the truth myself. You can follow if you want, or leave if you don’t — after all, you now have an excuse to leave.”
Cai Zhao sighed, “You’ve spread the news of Zhou Yu Qi breaking off our engagement, ruining my reputation. Even without Hero Chang’s matter, I’d want to leave the inn.”
“A short pain is better than a long one. It’s better to end things cleanly,” said Mu Qingyan.
Cai Zhao snorted coldly, “Who’s to say Zhou Yu Qi and Min Xinrou’s future will be so blissful?”
“Whether it’s blissful or not is a matter for the future,” Mu Qingyan suddenly became poetic. “Young love is like a raging fire, most passionate and rare. Heaven should bless them, don’t you think?”
Cai Zhao stood dumbfounded for a long while, then suddenly sighed: “Now I understand why Brother Yu Qi cried and begged me to break off the engagement.”
Mu Qingyan looked puzzled.
Cai Zhao sighed: “He said he felt controlled and helpless by my side, just as I now feel controlled and helpless in your hands. Indeed, one must put oneself in another’s shoes to understand their suffering.”
She turned, “Alright, let’s go. To the mountain graveyard.”
Mu Qingyan suddenly became angry, turning his pale and handsome face: “My wound hurts. Come help me press on it.”
Cai Zhao’s fingers moved swiftly, first sealing his acupoints to stop the bleeding, then taking out a silk handkerchief to press against his shoulder. The white silk instantly turned red. She couldn’t help but say, “Why don’t we treat your wound first before going up the mountain?” — Forcing someone to visit a graveyard while injured wasn’t something a normally cruel person would do.
Mu Qingyan turned, almost enveloping her in his embrace. He lowered his head, their foreheads touching.
Cai Zhao’s nose was filled with a familiar, clear, and intense bloody scent. Uncomfortable, she said, “Step back a bit.”
Mu Qingyan said softly: “Have you not softened towards me at all?”
Cai Zhao’s heartfelt sour and heavy as if weighed down by a large stone: “With no hope for the future, why torture ourselves? You said it yourself, a short pain is better than a long one.”
“You’re truly hard-hearted,” Mu Qingyan sighed. “It’s not you in my palm, but me in yours with nowhere to escape.”