[Wuxia] Wandering Freely in the Tang Dynasty (Complete) - 16

Chapter 51 Li Tang's Invitation
When Yuan Yueze opened his eyes again, it was already getting light outside.
He turned his head and looked at the woman lying in his arms, the former strategist of the Wagang Army, the 'femme fatale' Shen Luoyan.
Her hair was disheveled, her pretty face still flushed with desire, her jade-like face even more beautiful than before, possessing an unprecedented sanctity. This was the most obvious characteristic of her body after refinement.
Yuan Yueze had been extremely surprised last night; so far, only Shen Luoyan could match him on their first night.
Shen Luoyan had already woken up, lying on her back with her clear, deep eyes wide, staring at the ceiling.
Noticing Yuan Yueze's subtle movement, Shen Luoyan turned her head, propped herself up on one elbow, and looked at Yuan Yueze's lecherous face with a half-smile for a long time before saying, "Luoyan didn't actually lose to you, did she?"
Yuan Yueze nodded.
Shen Luoyan pressed her head against Yuan Yueze's chest: "Then the bet between us is off."
Yuan Yueze was taken aback: "How can that be? Are you scared?"
Shen Luoyan felt a pang of guilt and didn't know how to answer.
Yesterday, she had talked with Shan Meixian and the other women for several hours and roughly understood the current situation. Even a woman as capable as Shen Luoyan wasn't confident she could properly sit on the throne of Luoyang City Lord. This was a deeply ingrained idea formed over a long period of time. On the one hand, she wanted to fight for women's honor, but on the other hand, she was deeply bound by the patriarchal ideology of the era, which created her contradictory thoughts. After waking up today, she thought about it repeatedly, and the more she thought about it, the less confident she became, especially since Yuan Yueze had made it very clear that everything would be decided by Shen Luoyan herself, and Yuan Yueze would not do anything to interfere with her will. The bet they had just discussed wasn't Shen Luoyan trying to make things difficult for Yuan Yueze, but rather she wanted to find a reason to refuse the position of City Lord, but Yuan Yueze wouldn't have it.
With a coquettish laugh, Shen Luoyan said in a charming voice, "Don't try to provoke me, I won't fall for it!"
Yuan Yueze stroked her hair and sighed, "We're forced into this situation. If it weren't for those despicable forces in the shadows, we could have easily promoted Second Brother. But the situation isn't like that, which is why we have to rely on you. With Meixian and the others helping you behind the scenes, what are you afraid of?"
Shen Luoyan nodded gently, then chided, "I'm only human, after all. I naturally have moments of weakness and need encouragement from those around me. Thank you, my husband."
Yuan Yueze gently... He lightly slapped her buttocks and chuckled, "Show me your old Wagangzhai strategist flair! We'll all support you no matter what happens."
Shen Luoyan played along perfectly, letting out an exaggerated "Ouch!" and continued, "Yesterday I talked a lot with my sisters. You've almost figured out all of Luoyan's plans, but you missed one crucial detail."
Seeing Yuan Yueze's curious expression, Shen Luoyan smiled and said, "Actually, Yang Gongqing and Wang Shichong's every move is under their control. I just didn't expect my sisters to be so talented, truly planning everything..." "It's not Yang Gongqing or Wang Shichong who's involved,"
Yuan Yueze interjected. "So you mean you've planted a very secret spy by Wang Shichong's side?"
Shen Luoyan nodded. "Linglong Jiao has a confidant named Ren Yun, but none of you would guess that Ren Yun is actually one of ours. For example, the extremely confidential matter of Sister Zhenzhen's close relationship with Yang Gongqing was secretly revealed by Ren Yun."
Yuan Yueze exclaimed in surprise, "Then I must inform Linglong Jiao quickly. It seems I underestimated Luoyan."
Shen Luoyan smiled. He said, "Now that Li Mi has been defeated, how dare Ren Yun stay any longer?"
Yuan Yueze was about to speak again when Wei Zhenzhen knocked on the door outside: "Husband, are you up? Someone has come to visit."
Wei Zhenzhen was already considered the most polite person in the family, and she even knew to knock. After hearing Yuan Yueze's voice, she came into the room, glanced at Shen Luoyan, whose appearance had changed significantly, paused for a moment, and then smiled at Yuan Yueze: "Some guests have come outside and want to see you, husband. Sister Meixian asked me to inform you."
Shen Luoyan smiled shyly at Wei Zhenzhen and buried her head in Yuan Yueze's chest.
Yuan Yueze sat up and asked, "Who's here?"
Wei Zhenzhen sat on the edge of the bed: "There's Wang Tong from Dongping, Senior Ouyang Xiyi, Fu Qian, Li Shimin and Li Xiuning, and also Ba
Feng Han from the Turks, the one who sparred with my husband." Remembering how they had attacked him a few days ago, and now they were visiting again, Yuan Yueze chuckled, "These people really came quickly. Except for Ba Feng Han, the others must be here for political purposes."
Wei Zhenzhen replied, "Husband and Sister Luoyan, get up and prepare."
With that, she gently stroked Shen Luoyan's long hair with a smile and went out.
Yuan Yueze was about to get out of bed when Shen Luoyan quickly sat up as well. Her delicate brows furrowed, and she said, "Luoyan will help my husband change his clothes."
Yuan Yueze glanced back at her, then pressed her down and laughed, "Did you aggravate your wound? I have hands and feet; I don't need anyone to serve me. Getting used to being served isn't a good habit. Just lie there obediently. Once you've recovered, it'll be hard to get proper rest again."
Shen Luoyan understood what he meant and nodded, "After I've rested, Luoyan will try her best to find some of the loyal generals of the Wagang Army and persuade them to surrender before they defect to other forces."
Then, she shyly whispered, "Could my husband bring me a mirror?"
Yuan Yueze knew she must have noticed the changes in her body, so he quickly dressed and handed the mirror to Shen Luoyan, saying, "Don't force them to surrender. As for this mirror, you can only look in it after I leave."
Shen Luoyan nodded, puzzled.
Yuan Yueze strode outside, and sure enough, a joyful, happy scream came from inside.
※※※※※ Yuan Yueze's residence wasn't large to begin with, and the guests were dispersed to different living rooms. Following Wei Zhenzhen's directions, Yuan Yueze first entered the main living room.
Wang Tong and Ouyang Xiyi were enjoying tea and chatting with Shan Meixian.
Yuan Yueze pushed open the door, and all three rose to greet him.
Extending his right hand as he entered, Yuan Yueze smiled and said, "Where have you two come from? Why are you here as guests today?"
In this era, a handshake was less common than a bow, but Wang and Ouyang only hesitated for a moment before shaking hands.
"Brother Xiyi wanted to visit you, so I shamelessly followed. I hope you'll forgive me,"
Wang Tong said self-deprecatingly.
Shan Meixian didn't perform the usual curtsy; she simply nodded slightly, apologized, and left.
After Yuan Yueze and his two companions were seated, they noticed some cigarettes on the tea table. Remembering they hadn't smoked since arriving in this space, they assumed Shan Meixian had brought them out to entertain the two guests. The three lit their own cigarettes and began to puff away.
"It's been almost a month since we last met. How have you two been?"
Yuan Yueze asked after taking a deep drag.
Ouyang Xiyi, clearly intrigued by the cigarettes from this era, was engrossed in his smoke when he heard Yuan Yueze speak. He quickly replied with a smile, "We two old men are fine. It seems your cultivation has improved again, young master. We can't deny it!"
Yuan Yueze also smiled and said, "Senior Ouyang, you flatter me. What brings you two here today?"
Ouyang Xiyi was the only person Yuan Yueze truly addressed as 'senior.' He had used this title since their first meeting. Wang
Tong said, "Since you are so direct, young master, I will not beat around the bush either. I would like to ask about Minister Wang's current situation?"
Yuan Yueze asked curiously, "Shouldn't you be asking me this question? Isn't Luoyang still under the rule of Emperor Tai?"
Wang Tong smiled and said, "Young Master, you are straightforward. There are only the three of us here, so you should understand the meaning behind my words. I have already spoken with your wife, but I just wanted to confirm something with you."
Yuan Yueze recalled the reassured look in Shan Meixian's eyes when she left. She must have already spoken with Wang Tong and his wife about something. The reason Wang Tong wanted to see Yuan Yueze was precisely because he was unsure of what Shan Meixian had said. After all, men were still the most common people in power in this era.
Seeing Yuan Yueze's strange expression, Ouyang Xiyi also smiled and said, "Brother Yuan, there's no need to guess. What Brother Wang said is all true. In fact, anyone who cares knows that you are the one with the most influence in Luoyang. Yang Tong has indeed been promoted by the Dugu clan again, but what is your relationship with the Dugu clan? Think back to your fight in the palace before, isn't the result obvious? The reason we two asked about Minister Wang is simply because we have been friends for decades and couldn't bear to see him suffer a terrible end."
Ouyang Xiyi's words were all reasonable, and Yuan Yueze nodded and smiled, "Meixian should have already told you two, so it doesn't matter whether you ask me or not." "I don't make decisions in my family alone. Any one of them can say what I mean."
A hint of surprise flashed in Wang Tong and Ouyang Xiyi's eyes, then their expressions became unnatural. "I wonder if you, sir, could grant us a meeting with Minister Wang?"
Yuan Yueze frowned. "You two have known Wang Shichong for many years. If I may be so bold as to ask, do you know everything about him?"
Ouyang Xiyi replied, "I only know that he is cunning and his martial arts skills are well-hidden. I truly know nothing else. Do you mean he has any other secrets?"
Seeing Wang Tong nod in agreement with Ouyang Xiyi, Yuan Yueze recounted everything he knew about Wang Shichong.
After a moment of stunned silence, Wang Tong spoke first: "If I didn't know your character, I would have thought you were making baseless accusations. I never imagined he was the previous 'Atom' of the extraterrestrial cult."
Ouyang Xiyi also sighed: "Before the Battle of Luoyang, he sent someone to invite me to help. I was in seclusion at the time, and only discovered the letter when I came out. I never expected him to hide it so well, keeping us in the dark for decades."
Yuan Yueze said: "You two believe me so easily; it seems you are not suited for politics."
Wang Tong laughed loudly and mocked himself: "I am just a pedantic scholar, and Brother Xiyi is just a beggar." "Where does this have to do with politics?"
Yuan Yueze laughed in return. "Well said. I'm a lazy man, the least suited for politics. Please stay and have a few drinks with me." Ouyang Xiyi asked in
surprise, "If you don't like politics, why are you getting involved in this mess in Luoyang?"
Yuan Yueze replied, "It's a long story. Let Meixian tell you in detail. Please don't be shy, I still need to meet other guests." After saying goodbye and
leaving the living room, Yuan Yueze breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, Shan Meixian, Wei Zhenzhen, and the other women were there, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to handle it at all. Entering
the small living room in the west wing, Shang Xiuxun, who was chatting and laughing with Li Shimin and his sister and a maid, saw a hint of relief in her eyes. Seeing Yuan Yueze as her lifeline, she immediately got up to take her leave.
After taking their seats, Li Shimin generously cupped his hands and said, "There were reasons for what happened a few days ago. I was unable to do as I pleased, and I have come today to apologize to Brother Yuan."
Li Xiuning and the maidservant sat with their heads bowed.
Yuan Yueze, recalling Li Shimin's actions, felt displeased but chuckled lightly, "As the saying goes, 'When you're in the world, you're not in control of your own destiny.' There's no need to dwell on the past."
Li Shimin roughly understood Yuan Yueze's style of doing things; if he hadn't brought Li Xiuning with him today, Yuan Yueze certainly wouldn't have let him off easily. With Li Xiuning present, Yuan Yueze, though unsure of his feelings towards her, still felt a slight sense of unease. And Li Shimin's open admission of his mistakes at the outset made it difficult for Yuan Yueze to speak, even if he wanted to criticize him.
Li Shimin's expression turned unnatural as he said, "Alas, it's laughable. I feel ashamed to face Brother Yuan again, but considering that Brother Yuan saved Xiuning from danger, it would be too much of a waste not to come and thank him in person."
It would have been better if this matter hadn't been brought up; the mere thought of Li Shimin's scheme fueled Yuan Yueze's anger. Judging from Li Xiuning's expression, she was undoubtedly keeping all the bitterness to herself. But with Li Shimin's shrewdness, how could he not sense something? Therefore, regardless of whether Li Shimin knew his scheme had been exposed, he wouldn't give up using Li Xiuning to link himself with Yuan Yueze.
From just those opening words, Li Shimin clearly understood Yuan Yueze's feelings for Li Xiuning.
Yuan Yueze said calmly, "Brother Shimin, there's no need to be so polite. I think anyone with a conscience wouldn't have ignored your sister's situation at the time."
He emphasized the word 'conscience'.
Li Xiuning's delicate shoulders trembled slightly upon hearing this.
Li Shimin's expression remained unchanged as he praised, "Brother Yuan, everything you do is based on your heart; you are truly worthy of our emulation. Xiuning has come to express her gratitude in person today, but I have other matters to attend to, so I will take my leave
now. Take care, Brother Yuan." Yuan Yueze offered a forced smile and polite reply, watching Li Shimin rise to take his leave, his mind racing: Just as Ouyang Xiyi had said, the Dugu clan was now making a grand show of bringing Yang Tong back as city lord, so the charade Yuan Yueze had put on with the Dugu clan would certainly not escape the notice of those who were interested. It was rather strange that Li Shimin hadn't mentioned Luoyang at all. He knew that with Li Xiuning present, influencing Yuan Yueze's concentration, Li Shimin still had a chance to gather information.
After Li Shimin left, only Yuan Yueze, Li Xiuning, and the maid remained in the room.
Yuan Yueze glanced at the maid curiously but said nothing.
Li Xiuning sat there quietly, sipping her tea in silence.
The atmosphere in the room gradually became awkward. Yuan Yueze finally spoke, "Xiuning, how have you been these past few days?"
Li Xiuning finally raised her head, and Yuan Yueze's heart trembled at the sight of her; she looked so much more haggard.
Unable to bear it any longer, Yuan Yueze extended his hand, "Give me your hand."
Two blushes rose on Li Xiuning's tired face, and without hesitation, she extended her pale hand, placing it on Yuan Yueze's large hand. A surge of vital energy flowed into her body like a stream, circulating for several weeks, and Li Xiuning's spirits improved considerably.
Withdrawing her hand, Li Xiuning whispered, "Thank you, young master."
Yuan Yueze glanced at the maid who was still standing with her head bowed to the side and smiled, "Xiuning, you must have something else to say."
Li Xiuning raised her head, nodding with a bitter smile. In that instant, the intense struggle within her seemed written on her face, her bitter smile carrying an indescribable poignant beauty.
Yuan Yueze couldn't bear to see her like this and said, "Don't blame yourself. Everything you did was for your family's sake."
Li Xiuning whispered, "Young Master's forceful departure at this moment is far more reassuring than these words of understanding."
The maidservant with her head bowed finally moved slightly, as if secretly tugging at Li Xiuning's sleeve.
This small movement couldn't escape Yuan Yueze's notice. He guessed that Li Shimin had something to ask him, but couldn't ask himself, so he sent Li Xiuning to ask. The maidservant beside her was clearly sent by Li Shimin to monitor her. This showed that Li Shimin no longer fully trusted his sister.
Yuan Yueze also wanted to know what Li Shimin had asked Li Xiuning to find out, so he smiled and said, "It's not that I understand you, but that you have this charm. I won't send you away, but if you don't explain yourself clearly, I will have to leave."
Li Xiuning hurriedly said, "No... Xiuning actually heard that your family enjoys traveling, and I... I... I want to invite you and your wife to visit Chang'an in six months."
Seeing her voice grow softer as she spoke, Yuan Yueze chuckled, "What's so difficult about that? Even if I don't give face to others, I'll give you face."
Though he said this, Yuan Yueze's mind raced: This must be Li Shimin's intention—to go to Chang'an and bring his wife along. To outsiders, this would be a hindrance. And very few people knew about the 'Yang Gong Treasure Trove' in Chang'an. Could it be that Li Shimin had somehow gotten wind of this and was leading me into a trap? Li Shimin had seen that Li Xiuning could control Yuan Yueze, which was why he had Li Xiuning invite him.
But would Yuan Yueze really be bound hand and foot and fall into a passive position? That was uncertain!
There was only one kind of person in the world who could restrain Yuan Yueze: a reasonable person.
Politicians are unreasonable. Li Xiuning was tormented by the conflict between personal feelings and family interests. Yuan Yueze was somewhat attracted to her, but mostly only felt sympathy and pity.
After a hearty laugh, Yuan Yueze continued, "Xiuning, if you have nothing else to do, you can stay for a meal. I just need to cook to entertain today's guests."
Li Xiuning had visited Yuan Yueze's home several times before, but she had never been invited to dine with him. The saying that Yuan Yueze's culinary skills far surpassed his martial arts had spread throughout the martial arts world after their grand wedding in Lingnan. Today, she had completed the task Li Shimin had assigned her. Although she felt guilty towards Yuan Yueze, her attention was now drawn to the food, and she immediately revealed the charming innocence of a young girl, smiling and saying, "Then Xiuning won't be polite." After a few more polite words, she asked Shang Xiuxun to accompany her, and then Yuan Yueze went to meet the other guests.
As expected, these people had all come for matters concerning Luoyang. The women in Yuan Yueze's household dealt with them individually, but they still insisted on seeing Yuan Yueze, mainly because they didn't believe any woman could be the head of a household, let alone the head of someone as renowned as Yuan Yueze.
To Yuan Yueze's delight, he didn't need to spend much time dealing with those people, as the women had already handled most of the guests; Yuan Yueze only needed to nod in confirmation.
Only Ba Feng Han was simply passing by to visit, and he and Yuan Yueze chatted quite happily.
After personally preparing a large meal and welcoming the guests, they all departed one by one.
※※※※※ After a busy day, night gradually deepened. Yuan Yueze stood alone on the wall, enjoying the cool breeze and listening to the croaking of frogs in the nearby pond.
"Mirages form pavilions, frog croaks become orchestral music."
Su Su's melodious voice sounded behind him.
A faint fragrant breeze blew by, and a figure floated up the wall, arriving beside Yuan Yueze.
Yuan Yueze glanced at it sideways and asked, "Is this Susu's work?"
Susu rolled her eyes at Yuan Yueze and said reproachfully, "Husband, you're teasing me again. I don't have that much talent!"
Yuan Yueze frowned slightly and asked, "Whose work is it? Li Bai's or Du Fu's?"
Susu giggled and said, "Husband, you've read so many books, have you gotten confused? It's Jia Yan's."
Yuan Yueze nodded in sudden realization and said, "I have read many books, but it's impossible to remember them all. There are so many poems, I can only remember some that interest me." Susu hugged Yuan Yueze
's arm and said, "Today has been so busy. The sisters dealt with all those guests one by one, none of them were easy characters."
"Tell me more," Yuan Yueze asked.
Su Su replied, "First, there's Wang Tong and his companion. Senior Ouyang is easier to talk to, after all, he's a member of the martial world and a righteous man, but he still thinks my husband is a member of the demonic sect, and there's always a hint of distrust in his eyes. Wang Tong, on the other hand, is a representative of Confucianism. If we can persuade him, it will be very beneficial for future reforms."
Yuan Yueze nodded, "They even said they understood my personality in front of me. At the time, I thought it was just polite talk. Actually, besides my family, only a handful of people truly understand me."
Su Su nodded, "Sister Meixian is truly extraordinary. She explained many Confucian and Legalist principles to Wang Tong. She also explained to Senior Ouyang that good and evil are both determined by one principle..." "It's all in my heart. Although it won't change their ingrained attitude in the short term, it's a good start. And most importantly, although my husband is a member of the Demonic Sect, he has never done anything wrong, so they have no chance to find fault with him."
Yuan Yueze thought of Wanwan and said with a wry smile, "I was tricked into joining the Demonic Sect without really knowing what was going on, and that 'Evil Emperor' thing was something I made up on the spot. Now look what's happened, rumors are spreading everywhere, and even if I tell the truth, no one will believe me."
Susu immediately laughed so hard she almost fell over, and after a while she said, "As for Li Shimin's matter, it should be as my husband imagines. We just need to deal with whatever comes our way. And Fu Qian and the others are even less of a concern." "Let's go down. Sister Zhenzhen is holding her own against them. Let them fight the Tiele first."
Yuan Yueze nodded, then put his arm around Susu and said, "You've really suffered. To be honest, I'm ashamed to say that besides setting lofty goals, I don't even know how to lead by example. You sisters have been doing almost everything."
Susu smiled and said, "It's our honor to serve our husband. Besides, our husband has actually changed a lot. From before, when he only cared about his own freedom, to later gradually getting involved in wits and strength battles, it's quite remarkable for someone like him who has always adhered to his principles. Susu believes that our husband will integrate even further into this world."
Yuan Yueze nodded. What Susu said was indeed true. He was indeed changing, but the rate of change was surprisingly slow. He felt ashamed and said, "I was too impulsive. I'm clearly involved in worldly affairs, yet I acted like aloof and superior. It's all hypocritical. I need to learn more in the future."
Su Su didn't speak, but simply nodded gently. "Luoyang is now settled. Lord Yang can no longer blockade the city. The representatives from all sides should leave Luoyang tomorrow."
Yuan Yueze said in a deep voice, "Many people probably think that I'm actually in charge of Luoyang, right? Yang Tong is still in power. Are they really leaving so easily? Don't they want to see what I do?"
Su Su smiled and said, "What does it matter what my husband does? Everyone believes that whoever the lord of Luoyang is, he will be closest to my husband. That alone is enough. What difference does it make whether he leaves or not?"
Song Yuzhi's voice also rang out from behind, "Indeed, as Sister Su Su said."
The two turned around, jumped down from the wall, and looked at the note in Song Yuzhi's hand. Yuan Yueze said, "Yuzhi, do you have any new information?"
Song Yuzhi nodded and handed over the note.
※※※※※ Three days later.
South of Shou County, on the banks of Anfeng Pond.
The environment was originally fresh and elegant. Vast fields, a network of irrigation canals, willows like ribbons, and endless, misty waters blending seamlessly with the sky—a scene utterly incongruous with the surrounding landscape.
A group of twenty-odd people, their faces weary and clothes disheveled, marched eastward under the blazing sun. Among them were both men and women.
They seemed utterly exhausted; just as they were about to sit down and take a sip of water, they suddenly noticed dust rising behind them.
One of them, seemingly the leader, hurriedly stood up and said, "We still can't shake them off.
Let's keep going!" The woman beside him, panting heavily, said, "I can't go on. I'd rather be caught and taken back."
Although her face was covered in dust, it didn't diminish her striking beauty; her simple, revealing clothing accentuated her curves.
The young leader immediately said anxiously, "We made a promise to them, and we will do whatever it takes to fulfill it. Besides, if we are captured and taken back, they will make our lives a living hell once they get the news."
Another middle-aged man with a pale, eerily white face spoke up, "I am deeply grateful for your help. We cannot let you all be implicated because of me."
The minor leader forced a bitter smile, saying, "There's no such thing as implicating anyone. There are people after you who want to capture you, and there are people after us. We're in the same boat, so how can there be any question of implicating or not?"
As he spoke, dust billowed, and the rapid sound of hooves drew closer.
Upon closer inspection, they saw over eighty fierce, burly riders.
In the blink of an eye, as the twenty-odd men frantically tried to rise and continue their escape, the eighty-odd riders had already closed to within a dozen feet.
The leader, a stern-faced man with piercing eyes, nocked an arrow and fired it at the pale-faced man struggling to his feet.
The arrow was powerful, shooting out like an angry dragon emerging from the sea; the man didn't even have time to react.
"Whoosh!"
A white streak of light shot from afar, stopping the arrow at its tip.
"Clang!"
After a crisp sound, everyone's gaze fell on the white light that had been shot from it.
A sheathed, transparent longsword was stuck in the ground, trembling slightly.

Chapter 52 The Secrets of the Cult
"This sword...it's..."
The longsword that shot out of thin air had obvious features. Many people scattered on either side of the sword seemed to think of the legendary sword of a certain person, and their minds unanimously recalled a legendary figure.
Clearly, the twenty-odd people who had fled were excited, while the eighty-odd riders in pursuit were somewhat flustered. Only the two leaders remained relatively calm.
"Who goes there!"
The burly man who had just shot the arrow roared angrily from his horse.
"Haha!"
Two soft laughs, and the sweaty man's face changed instantly.
The first sound was clearly dozens of feet away, but the second sound seemed to be right in front of him, right beside him. But there was no one in front of him; the eerie feeling was terrifying.
Following the sound, a pale purple figure was flittingly approaching the battle.
The figure's movements seemed incredibly casual, even somewhat lazy, but in just a few steps, he had already reached the center of the battle circle from dozens of feet away, arms crossed, standing two feet behind the longsword stuck in the ground, coldly scrutinizing the cavalrymen before him.
Sweeping across the newcomer's deep, sharp gaze, as if a thousand-pound boulder were pressing down on their hearts. With each increasingly labored breath, the weight of the blows struck the deepest recesses of their souls, and a wave of weakness and despair washed over them.
"Hey!"
The Khan on the right, seeing the situation growing increasingly dire—the newcomer's gaze alone could exert such power—forced himself to maintain his composure, channeling his inner energy to shout a warning, jolting the cavalry back to reality.
The cavalrymen shuddered violently. Just moments before, if someone had intended to kill them, they would be dead by now. But they were men of the blood and sweat, and they would not easily surrender. They unleashed their full power, spurring their horses to neigh wildly, locking onto the man who stood calmly before them.
On the left side of the group, an elderly man in his fifties, wielding a spiked club, spoke slowly, his eyes flashing with lightning: "If I'm not mistaken, you must be the renowned Young Master Yuan Yueze." The
newcomer was indeed Yuan Yueze.
Yuan Yueze smiled faintly, drew his longsword from afar, put his hands behind his back, and nodded, saying, "Interested." Seeing Yuan Yueze's rudeness, the old man's expression grew even colder, and he snorted, "Why are you obstructing our plans?"
Yuan Yueze glanced back at the disheveled twenty-odd men, seeing a glimmer of hope in their eyes, and nodded slightly before saying to the old man, "I saw injustice and someone stepped in to help, that's all."
The old man sneered, "Your reputation is a thing of the past. It's best if you don't interfere in our affairs, otherwise…"
Before he could finish speaking, Yuan Yueze waved his hand impatiently and asked, "Why are you arresting them? And who are you?" The
old man's face darkened further as he was interrupted, and he said in a deep voice, "They are my enemies. I am Mi Fang."
Yuan Yueze lowered his head in thought, feeling as if he had heard the name somewhere before, but he couldn't recall any specific clues. He turned around and asked, "Is what he said true? I've never heard of him before."
Just as the old man's face turned pale, the twenty-odd men behind Yuan Yueze burst into laughter. One of the leaders cupped his hands and said, "Reporting to Master Yuan, this Mi Fang has been a tyrant in the Northeast for decades, known as the 'Wolf King,' but he surrendered to the Khitans a long time ago."
Yuan Yueze pointed at him and laughed, "Don't call me 'Master Yuan' again, or I'll be the first to kill you."
The leader scratched his head awkwardly and chuckled sheepishly.
Turning around, Yuan Yueze said coldly, "I thought you looked like a Han Chinese, but I didn't expect you to have betrayed your country and become a traitor to the Khitan. You must be one of those 'Kulong Ge's' henchmen."
Upon hearing this, another burst of laughter erupted behind Yuan Yueze. The old man's composure vanished, and he trembled with rage. The voluptuous woman behind Yuan Yueze laughed hysterically before saying in a seductive voice, "Young master, you're mistaken. It's not 'Kulong Ge,' it's 'Ku Ge.' Ku Ge is the current leader of the East Sea Alliance, the eldest son of the Khitan chieftain Mo Hui. He's skilled with double axes and his martial arts are formidable. Even our second-in-command died at his hands."
Yuan Yueze broke out in a cold sweat. How could he possibly remember all the minor characters in the Tang Dynasty? He had only vaguely recalled a few. Turning back to the beautiful woman, he asked, "May I ask this lady's name, and who is your second-in-command?"
Before the woman could speak, Mi Fang shouted angrily to the burly man beside him, "Brothers, you grab the person you want, I'll grab the person I want, attack together! This Yuan fellow has long been a virgin, don't be afraid of him. How can he protect those behind him by himself!"
At the same time, six riders shot out from behind Mi Fang like lightning, converging on Yuan Yueze from the left and right. These Khitan bandits had fierce faces and burly figures, and their exposed arms were covered with iron arm guards or wrist guards, further enhancing their fierce appearance.
Yuan Yueze narrowed his eyes and said without turning his head, "You all retreat ten zhang quickly, watch out for arrows."
The six riders who had approached Yuan Yueze within a zhang pulled hard on their reins, and their warhorses immediately reared up, their hooves kicking wildly towards Yuan Yueze's head. Twelve horses' forelegs were about to strike the motionless Yuan Yueze's head. Those who had retreated a short distance away showed pity in their eyes, unable to believe that Yuan Yueze had died so easily.
Suddenly, shouts and neighing filled the air as six strong horses were thrown outwards like a collapsing mountain. The once fierce and valiant Khitan knights on horseback were utterly powerless, their bodies limp as they were thrown off their horses.
"Bang!"
Six men and six horses landed simultaneously, raising a cloud of dust, then lay motionless, dead on the spot.
Mi Fang was stunned. He hadn't seen what method Yuan Yueze had used.
In that moment of his surprise, Yuan Yueze had already caught a glimpse of a dozen or so riders galloping out from the eighty-odd riders. They were bypassing Yuan Yueze and heading towards the group not far behind.
A ruthless glint flashed in Yuan Yueze's eyes, for he vaguely sensed that the aura emanating from the leading man was somewhat similar to that of the Great Ming Holy Venerable.
The burly leader had already drawn his bow to its full extent. With a swift pull, he released an arrow, aiming precisely for the throat of a boy of about seventeen or eighteen years old beside the pale-faced man nearby—a move both accurate and ruthless.
With a slight twitch of his shoulder, Yuan Yueze transformed into a wisp of smoke, appearing the next moment in front of the numb-faced boy. He swung his sword to block, deflecting the powerful arrow.
Yuan Yueze's right hand felt a sudden numbness; the force of the opponent's sword strike was extraordinary. Yet, he didn't stop, leaping forward and thrusting three times in quick succession, aiming directly at the burly leader.
The burly man was greatly surprised. His arrow, which he had almost used all his strength to deliver, had been blocked by Yuan Yueze. Before he could recover his strength, Yuan Yueze had seized this opening. But he was no ordinary man either. He drew his sword, performed a somersault, dodged Yuan Yueze's sword strike, leaped three zhang into the air, spun around, and then pounced down.
But in the instant he spun around, he found Yuan Yueze already behind him, the two of them in mid-air.
"Clang!"
A clear sound rang out as Yuan Yueze and the burly man passed each other in mid-air, the latter crashing to the ground with a thud, motionless.
The dozen or so bandits around them remained calm, joining the bandits behind Mi Fang in their attack. Yuan Yueze, his left hand behind his back, casually wielded his sword with his right, his swordsmanship flowing smoothly and effortlessly, treating the enemy's swords, spears, and halberds as nothing, breaking spears with spears, and spears with spears, leaving no one in his way.
In a flash, Yuan Yueze sheathed his sword, turned, and walked towards the twenty-odd men, almost all of whom looked on in astonishment, about ten feet away.
"Master Yuan, Mi Fang has escaped!"
Seeing Yuan Yueze walking towards them, one of the sharp-eyed men immediately pointed in the direction behind Yuan Yueze and shouted.
Yuan Yueze frowned: "Didn't I tell you not to call me 'Master Yuan' anymore?"
The man nodded mechanically, then pointed in the direction Mi Fang had fled to warn Yuan Yueze, only to find that Mi Fang, who had run nearly a hundred feet, had suddenly fallen off his horse.
Everyone was immediately shocked; clearly, Yuan Yueze had already killed Mi Fang, only letting him catch his breath a few more times.
Looking at the twenty-odd people around him, Yuan Yueze pointed to a pond not far away and said, "Everyone, go wash off the dust first, we can talk later."
Now that the crisis was over, although their faces were covered in dust, the joy in their eyes was exceptionally obvious. They immediately nodded in agreement and rushed to the pond to wash up.
Only the pale-faced man and the numb-faced boy remained, staring motionlessly at Yuan Yueze.
Yuan Yueze noticed that the boy seemed relatively normal, but the middle-aged man's aura was very strange, an aura between the living and the dead, so he also began to look him up and down.
"Thank you so much for saving our lives, young master. Please bow to us."
The middle-aged man pulled the boy down to kneel, and Yuan Yueze hurriedly helped him up. The moment his hands touched the boy, Yuan Yueze's thoughts became even clearer: about 30% of the flesh inside the man's body was necrotic. Just as he was about to ask, the group of people who had finished washing by the pond came over one after another.
"Young master Yuan... we will never forget your life-saving grace. We will follow you for generations and ask for your service."
Led by the woman who had regained her beauty, more than twenty people knelt down before Yuan Yueze.
Yuan Yueze hurriedly helped them up and walked to the woods a hundred feet away, where they sat down in the shade of a tree.
Yuan Yueze had already guessed the identities of these people. Although he had some clues, he still dared not confirm them. So he smiled and said, "If I'm not mistaken, you are all from the Pengliang Society."
The beautiful woman leading them was taken aback, then smiled charmingly, "Young master, you actually know about our small gang. I am truly flattered."
Yuan Yueze laughed loudly, "Sister, you are too kind. May I be introduced to you?"
The beautiful woman nodded and introduced them to Yuan Yueze. She was the former third leader of the Pengliang Society, "Beautiful Lady" Ren Meimei. The man who looked like a small leader was Chen Jiafeng, the head of the Zhitang branch of the Pengliang Society. The others were all subordinates.
Yuan Yueze nodded, surprised to encounter them in such a place. He asked curiously, "Why are you here, and why are you being chased by the Khitan bandits?"
Chen Jiafeng gave a bitter smile and replied, "We originally stayed in Liangdu, but then the bandits targeted us."
Yuan Yueze asked, "Hasn't Liangdu always been controlled by the Yuwen Clan? Did the bandits collude with the Yuwen Clan?"
Chen Jiafeng said in a deep voice, "It's a long story. Liangdu is now like a dead city. The Yuwen Clan originally occupied it, but they were attacked from three sides by Dou Jiande, Xu Yuanlang, and the Khitan bandits. Ultimately, due to insufficient troops, they had to abandon Liangdu and instead go to Pengcheng to ease the pressure on the north." "The pressure from all sides."
Seeing Yuan Yueze listening, Ren Meimei continued, "Right now, the forces in Hebei, Liangdu, and Pengcheng are in complete disarray, especially after Li Mi's recent defeat. Dou Jiande attacked Xu Yuanlang, Xu Yuanlang attacked Yuwen Shang, and bandits come and go like the wind, going wherever there's an opportunity. Liangdu is currently a chaotic city, with people from all sides present, but they can only coexist peacefully due to a lack of manpower."
Yuan Yueze nodded and said, "It seems that Yuwen Shang's surrender to Li Mi was fake; he must have his own secret plan behind it."
Ren Meimei said disdainfully, "The Yuwen clan's army probably numbers over 30,000. Wherever they go, they plunder, harming the people and women. So when they arrived in Pengcheng..." The people scrambled to flee to the nearby countryside for refuge. Their lackeys and bandits were even more terrifying than the grim reapers of Yama.
Yuan Yueze then asked, "Then why are you all here, and why are you being chased by bandits?"
Chen Jiafeng glanced at the middle-aged man and the boy sitting blankly to the side and replied, "We originally had over a thousand men in Pengcheng, but we were no match for the tens of thousands of men of the Yuwen clan. After the bloody battle, our leader, who was already wounded, fought Yuwen Chengdu on the battlefield and was killed on the spot. Only a few dozen brothers escaped. But the Khitan bandits somehow learned that we had stockpiled a large amount of grain in several towns between Pengcheng and Liangdu, and they wanted to find out..." "Their supplies are where they've been chasing us for days."
Yuan Yueze nodded and pondered for a while. Just as he was about to speak again, he saw Ren Meimei secretly winking at him. A thought flashed through his mind, and Yuan Yueze smiled and said, "I see. If you gentlemen don't mind, how about staying in Luoyang? Li Mi has been defeated, and the crisis in Luoyang is over."
Ren Meimei quickly said, "Thank you, young master. My brothers and I will be at your service from now on."
Yuan Yueze chuckled and said, "I'm a lazy man and don't need to order people around. You all have some skills, so I'll give each of you a hundred taels of gold to make a living."
After saying that, he flicked his wrist repeatedly and distributed the gold to everyone's astonished eyes.
Glancing at the middle-aged man and the young man sitting blankly beside him, Yuan Yueze spoke up, "Sister Ren didn't introduce you two earlier. Where did you come from, and why are you with Sister Ren?"
The middle-aged man seemed at a loss, stammering and unsure how to answer. Chen Jiafeng replied, "We met them two days ago. These two are brothers, and they had the same experience as us—we were all being chased and escaped. But this brother has always been very quiet, so we know very little."
The middle-aged man forced a bitter smile, "Thank you for the gold, young master. Now that the crisis has passed, I must take my leave. Take care, everyone."
Yuan Yueze narrowed his eyes, "If I'm not mistaken, you must have a close relationship with the Great Ming Venerable Sect, and the people chasing you are also from the Great Ming Venerable Sect, right?" Just as
the man was about to stand up, his body trembled, and the young man's eyes, which had been expressionless, suddenly flashed with extremely vicious hatred, causing everyone around to feel a sudden knot in their hearts.
Yuan Yueze continued, "You should know that I, Yuan, am sworn enemies with the Great Ming Sect, so there's no need to hold back. Your enemies are my enemies."
The man lowered his head for a long while, and when he raised it again, his tiger-like eyes were filled with tears. He knelt down and kowtowed, his voice filled with sorrow, saying, "If you, young master, can avenge my great grudge, my brother and I swear that in our next life we will be your slaves to repay your great kindness."
Yuan Yueze quickly helped him sit up and asked him carefully.
The man's expression was no longer numb, and he said, "My original surname was Wu, and my given name was Shoulian. I am the eldest son in my family. This is my third brother, Wu Shouyi. Sixteen years ago, our family lived in Wudu County and was considered a well-known family in the area. But overnight, everything changed."
Seeing that his eyes had turned desolate, everyone listened attentively.
Wu Shoulian continued, "A group of masked men in black, who appeared out of nowhere, slaughtered all 179 members of my family and captured me, my second brother Wu Shouli, my third brother, and me, taking us to a mysterious place."
Yuan Yueze frowned and continued listening.
“My second brother and I were already married at that time. Our wives and children were murdered, so when we woke up, we had no will to live. Then a masked man in black appeared before us, threatening my third brother's life to force us to work for him.”
Yuan Yueze narrowed his eyes: “If I’m not mistaken, the person you’re threatening you with is the Great Ming Holy Venerable, isn’t he?”
Wu Shoulian was taken aback and asked, “How did you know that, young master? Years ago, I also heard your earth-shattering voice, but that old tortoise is always cautious. In over a decade, I’ve never seen him personally take action. Have you seen him, young master?”
Yuan Yueze didn’t answer but asked curiously, “And why do you know so much about the Great Ming Holy Venerable?”
Wu Shoulian smiled bitterly: “Because…” "My third brother is to be his direct disciple, while my second brother and I have been placed by that old tortoise's side. I'm responsible for dealing with the spies outside, and my second brother is in charge of the accounts."
Yuan Yueze glanced at the expressionless boy and asked again, "Honestly, he doesn't need to keep you and your second brother, does he? Wouldn't it have been easier to just forcibly take your third brother?"
Wu Shoulian replied, "Young master says this because you don't understand that old tortoise, and you don't understand my third brother either. My third brother is extremely stubborn. If it weren't for us brothers by his side, he would definitely commit suicide. And that old tortoise has obviously been watching our family for a long time before making his move."
Although Yuan Yueze didn't completely believe Wu Shoulian's words, remembering the cunning of the Great Ming Holy Venerable, he nodded in agreement.
Then Yuan Yueze thought of his battle with the Great Ming Saint Venerable, which few people knew about. To confirm whether Wu Shoulian's words were true or false, he asked again, "Isn't the Great Ming Saint Venerable Sect based in the Uyghur Khaganate? Why are you here?"
Wu Shoulian replied, "Most of our people are in the outer regions, but that old tortoise has already placed many people in various forces in the Central Plains. For example, every move of Cihang Jingzhai cannot escape his eyes. More than ten years ago, he arranged for a spy to infiltrate Cihang Jingzhai."
Yuan Yueze was taken aback and asked again, "How do you know such a confidential matter?"
Wu Shoulian smiled and said, "Young master, have you forgotten what I just said? I have been responsible for contacting spies from all sides."
Yuan Yueze nodded and asked again, "So you have been hiding in the Central Plains all along? Where exactly? And why?" "You managed to escape?"
Wu Shoulian sighed. "The old tortoise had always kept us in Pengcheng, in an extremely secret location. Every year, he would send his closest men to find us and give us the antidote. We were poisoned, and only the old tortoise had the antidote. As for why we were able to escape this time, it's actually quite simple. Back then, the old tortoise left my second brother in the Uyghur Khaganate and sent my third brother and me to the Central Plains, just to keep each other in check. A month or so ago, we got the envoy who came to deliver the medicine drunk, and he told us that our second brother had actually been killed by the old tortoise long ago; he had just found a substitute to keep us in check. My third brother and I didn't want to live like this anymore, so we simply escaped. We killed many pursuers along the way, and now my martial arts are almost completely ruined. If it weren't for meeting you, young master..." "It's really hard to survive these days."
Yuan Yueze nodded: "I see that your third brother's martial arts are mediocre. How did he become the successor of the Great Ming Holy Venerable?"
Wu Shoulian said: "Young master doesn't understand that old tortoise. His successor only needs a good body. According to him, he has a technique that can infuse one's own soul into another's body. Calling my third brother a successor is more like calling him a puppet."
Yuan Yueze continued: "Then how much do you know about that Holy Venerable? As far as I know, the Great Ming Cult doesn't have such a Holy Venerable."
Wu Shoulian nodded: "Over the years, I've privately researched a lot of information. The original Great Ming Venerable Cult originated from the 'Two Principles and Three Realms Theory' created by the Persian 'Ancestor' Mani. It speaks of two ultimate forces that are opposites, light and darkness. The method of cultivation is through these two opposing forces." The power of light shifts from darkness to light, and from darkness back to light. Only through the struggle between light and darkness can the balance of light and darkness, which existed independently in the primordial world before its creation, be restored. The Great Ming Venerable Sect of the Uyghurs was founded by Zheluo, a traitor to the Manichaeism of Persia. Its leader is called the 'Great Venerable,' and the current Great Venerable is the Uyghur Xiugusidu. But the old tortoise, the Great Ming Holy Venerable you speak of, has a very mysterious origin. I've secretly searched for many years without finding any clues. I only know that he possesses extraordinary martial arts skills, having integrated five of the seven sacred scriptures of Manichaeism: the *Yujin Wanfa Genyuan Zhijing*, the *Jingming Baozang Jing*, the *Luzang Jing*, the *Mimi Fazang Jing*, and the *Zanyuan Jing*, creating a martial art unprecedented in history, one that would make him invincible.
Yuan Yueze recalled the Great Ming Holy Venerable's martial arts; indeed, they were extraordinary. Since he possessed five Manichaean scriptures, which clearly exceeded the number of scriptures owned by the Uyghur Great Ming Zun Sect, he must have an inseparable connection with the main sect in Persia.
However, Yuan Yueze was unsure: how much of Wu Shoulian's words should he believe?
Wu Shoulian saw the distrust in Yuan Yueze's eyes and forced a smile, saying, "Whether you believe me or not is unimportant, but I have told you everything I know. If you encounter that old tortoise in the future, you will know whether I am telling the truth or not. I told you this for no other purpose than to increase your chances of winning when you fight that old tortoise in the future."
Yuan Yueze thought that what Wu Shoulian had just said were the secrets of the Great Ming Venerable Sect, which were not things that ordinary people could know, and they were completely consistent with what Yuan Yueze knew. So he said awkwardly, "I don't mean to disbelieve you, I just need to think about it. Do you mean that the Holy Venerable is so powerful that there is no one in the world who can hurt him?"
Wu Shouyi finally spoke, his tone completely inconsistent with his still-childish face, full of calm gritted teeth as he said, "The old tortoise every time... " He always told me to take good care of my health. He had vaguely mentioned that when practicing his martial arts, the biggest fear was damage to five key acupoints on the body. Once damaged, the vital energy would leak out, and he would have to resort to that evil technique of transferring vital energy.
Yuan Yueze paused, then asked, "Do you know which five acupoints they are?"
Wu Shouyi answered without hesitation, "He has told me more than once that his martial arts is called 'Five Extremes Annihilation Hand,' which combines five classic texts of the sect into one. When practicing Qi cultivation, he cultivates the five major acupoints—Shenmen, Taichong, Taibai, Taiyuan, and Taixi—until they completely lose sensation. These five points are precisely the points where he connects the Qi of his entire body. Once they are damaged, he is finished. Therefore, he must be absolutely certain of victory before he truly appears."
Yuan Yueze was greatly shocked. The information before him was clearly more detailed than what the Holy Venerable had told him personally that day. He also understood why the Great Ming Holy Venerable had fled without regard for anything after being injured. So he laughed and said, "If I told you that I personally broke the Great Ming Saint Venerable's finger and shattered his Taiyuan acupoint more than half a month ago, would you believe me or not?"
"What!"
The excitement on the faces of the two Wu brothers was genuine, and coupled with what they had just discussed, Yuan Yueze couldn't help but believe them a little more.
Judging from the information he had just received, there were only two possibilities for the Wu brothers' identities: first, everything they said was true; second, they were spies sent by the Great Ming Saint Venerable.
Even though Yuan Yueze believed the two brothers to some extent, he still dared not be careless, especially since it was hard to imagine that someone like the Saint Venerable would casually reveal his martial arts techniques and fatal flaws to others. So he asked again, "Logically speaking, the Saint Venerable wouldn't be so careless as to reveal the fatal flaws of his martial arts to outsiders. How did you know?"
Wu Shouyi said resentfully, "Because he made me practice the most basic techniques of his martial arts from a young age, and his martial arts are extremely complex, so he had to explain them to me in detail."
Yuan Yueze nodded, but then wondered why the Saint Venerable hadn't come to find Wu Shouyi immediately after being injured.
Unable to figure it out for the moment, Yuan Yueze decided to put it aside. After comforting the two overjoyed brothers, Wu Shoulian knelt down and bowed,
saying, "I hope that in the future, young master, you can avenge our family, and our Wu family's grudge will also be settled!" He then rose to take his leave.
Yuan Yueze was taken aback and quickly asked, "Where are you two going? Aren't you afraid the people of the Great Ming Sect will come and capture you?"
Wu Shoulian laughed nonchalantly, "The poison in our bodies will definitely relapse in six months at most. Now that someone can avenge us, we brothers can simply find a quiet place to await our deaths."
Yuan Yueze shook his head, "According to what you've said, although that Saint Venerable's physical body is broken, he can transfer his essence. It's not much different from him still being alive! It's too early to talk about avenging him." Wu Shoulian was astonished
, "His best target for transferring is my third brother. Now that my third brother is here, the old tortoise is forced to temporarily transfer to someone else, so his strength will definitely be greatly reduced. What's there to fear?"
Yuan Yueze believed the Wu brothers' words even more now. Unable to bear seeing them die in vain, he said, "I have someone in my family who is skilled in medicine. You two can go to Luoyang and live in seclusion under assumed names. After seeing him, you can personally behead him."
The Wu brothers were extremely grateful for Yuan Yueze's trust and bowed again.
The twenty-odd people from the Pengliang Society listened with great interest, as if listening to a story.
"Alright, let's rest here for a day. Tomorrow we'll head back to Luoyang, have a good meal, and then sleep soundly!"
Yuan Yueze stood up and, under the bewildered gazes of everyone, began to fetch tents and cooking utensils.
After eating, the exhausted group crawled into their tents and slept soundly. Yuan Yueze went alone to the pond to ponder the day's events.
Light footsteps sounded, and Yuan Yueze turned around with a smile, "Eldest sister must have something to say earlier. Now that there are no outsiders, you can speak."
The person who came was Ren Meimei.
Usually alluring and seductive, she was now shy and reserved, standing beside Yuan Yueze, taking out a silk brocade from her bosom and handing it to him.
Yuan Yueze opened the package and frowned, saying, "It seems I'm still too late. I set off the day I received the news, but I still couldn't make it in time."
Ren Meimei said softly, "Young Master, there's no need to blame yourself. Young Master Song did his best, but with only a thousand men defending the city, he simply couldn't withstand an attack from ten thousand. Before we dispersed, he only asked us to come to Luoyang secretly to find you and explain things."
Yuan Yueze nodded, "Since Second Brother trusts you so much, I have nothing to say. But I hope Eldest Sister will keep her men in check and not let this matter be revealed casually. My relationship with Second Brother is not yet exposed."
Ren Meimei's restraint gradually eased, and she gave Yuan Yueze a flirtatious wink, saying, "I understand. Only Jiafeng and I know about this. The other brothers don't know."
Seeing that she dared to use her charm on him, Yuan Yueze's eyes flashed with a cold light as he stared intently into her eyes.
Ren Meimei's shoulders trembled slightly, and she involuntarily stammered, "Please...please forgive me, young master."
With a light laugh, Yuan Yueze turned to gaze at the lake and sighed, "Elder sister, don't lack confidence in your charm, and don't use your seductive arts on me, or I might accidentally kill you."
Ren Meimei felt as if she were enveloped in ice, and after a moment of stunned silence, she nodded slightly.
Yuan Yueze continued, "I apologize; I sometimes speak without thinking. Please don't take offense if I've offended you."
Ren Meimei dared not reply, and quickly shook her head like a docile kitten.
After a pause, she asked curiously, "Liangdu is currently in chaos. Why not send troops to seize this strategically located city that controls the waterways?"
Yuan Yueze shrugged and said, "I don't know much about these things, but right now, Luoyang's garrison is very limited; at most, they can only protect as far as Xingyang."
Ren Meimei nodded and said, "That's true. A city like Liangdu, once acquired, could increase our power, but it could also become a burden, especially given the current chaotic situation in the northeast."
After a slight pause, Ren Meimei continued... She said, "I must say something superfluous, young master, never trust others easily, especially those two brothers from the Wu family. Remember, you can't see into someone's heart."
Yuan Yueze laughed, "Eldest sister is right, I will certainly take note. You've been on the run for several days, please go back and rest. Pengcheng is your hometown. After we recapture it, eldest sister and your brothers can return home."
Having said that, he quickly glanced at Ren Meimei's voluptuous figure, his gaze lingering on her high, almost bursting breasts, before shaking his head and walking towards the tent. Ren Meimei
was left standing there, bewildered and at a loss.

Chapter 53: The Starry Sky as a Blanket
The night was still, and everyone was asleep.
Lying alone not far from the tents, listening to the deafening snores coming from inside, Yuan Yueze turned his gaze to the bright moon in the sky.
The twenty-odd members of the Pengliang Society, having fled for several days, were exhausted. Their spirits waned, and fatigue naturally overwhelmed them; many even fell asleep as early as noon.
Yuan Yueze, however, once again had a long and careful conversation with the Wu brothers.
Unable to ascertain the exact identity of the other party, he tried his best to gather information, regardless of its veracity; the more he gathered, the more clues he could deduce.
From them, Yuan Yueze learned more secrets of the Great Ming Venerable Sect.
Of course, much of it concerned the Great Ming Holy Venerable, things completely outside the original Tang Dynasty novel.
Unfortunately, when Yuan Yueze inquired about the Turkic Red-Clothed Empress, the Wu brothers looked completely blank.
According to them, the Holy Venerable was at least 150 years old, and few in the Uyghur Great Ming Venerable Sect truly knew of his existence. This was because the Uyghur Great Ming Venerable Sect was only a part of his controlled forces.
He had two Holy Envoys, two Divine Generals, and five Abbots under his command.
Although Wu Shoulian was responsible for contacting the spies that the Holy Venerable had placed among the various forces in the Central Plains, the spies were extremely cautious. Therefore, Wu Shoulian only knew that the two Holy Envoys had established themselves in the Central Plains in their early years, and that one of the two Divine Generals was skilled with a spear, and the other with an axe; their names remained completely unknown. The identities of the five Grand Masters were even more mysterious; Wu Shoulian only knew that they had infiltrated various forces in the Central Plains in their early years.
At this moment, there was no time to ponder the veracity of the information provided by Wu Shoulian. Yuan Yueze assumed it was all true and, after careful examination, discovered many clues.
If he wasn't mistaken, Wang Shichong was definitely one of the two Holy Envoys; as for the other, it was impossible to guess. Kuang Lei should be one of the two Divine Generals, but he possessed the aura of the Demonic Sect, making it difficult for Yuan Yueze to understand him. Moreover, Kuang Lei seemed like a forthright and generous person; it was hard to imagine him associating with someone as cunning as the Holy Venerable.
The Holy Venerable had explicitly stated his ambition was to rule the world. Combined with the clues provided by Wu Shoulian, Yuan Yueze understood that this was merely a form of religious aggression. Ultimately, the Holy Venerable's goal was simply to become a powerful, albeit powerless, ruler; governing a country was beyond the capabilities of such people.
Recalling Wu Shoulian's necrotic body, which Wu Shoulian explained was a form of evil magic used by the Holy Venerable—essentially, refining the body into a state of death, severing the connection between the acupoints and flesh, and using a strange method of circulating qi to maintain normal bodily functions, thus allowing one to forget the emotional and psychological trauma of physical injury during battle. This astonished Yuan Yueze; it was essentially turning a living person into a zombie!
Despite his speculations, Yuan Yueze still dared not fully trust the Wu brothers. It wasn't that he was inherently suspicious, but rather that the Holy Venerable of the Ming Dynasty was no ordinary figure; a single mistake could result in significant losses. Considering that he had infiltrated the Central Plains decades ago, it was clear he was not short-sighted; he must have foreseen the rise of the Sui Dynasty.
This means that Yuan Yueze will have to become more deeply involved in the political struggles between various factions in the future. Otherwise, how can he find out the spies that the Holy Venerable has planted in each faction?
Whether from a personal perspective or from the perspective of the grand plan, this is inevitable.
Initially, Yuan Yueze was completely isolated from the world. Later, he was determined to pacify the world. Now, he may need to become even more deeply involved in the power struggles.
"In the martial world, one is often not in control of one's own destiny."
Yuan Yueze uttered a small sigh, finding nothing amiss; it should be of great help to his "heart-refining" process.
Coming back to his senses, after careful consideration, Yuan Yueze felt the claim that the Wu brothers were spies sent by the Great Ming Venerable Sect was somewhat far-fetched.
The Holy Venerable was elusive; even if he truly intended to use that Yuan Essence Transfer Technique after his injury, there was no need for him to send someone to approach Yuan Yueze. To delay Yuan Yueze? Completely unnecessary; Yuan Yueze couldn't possibly find the Holy Venerable's hiding place. To mislead Yuan Yueze? That was even more impossible; if he underestimated Yuan Yueze, then Yuan Yueze had overestimated him.
Therefore, the Wu brothers' true identities were obvious; everything they said was true. Because every point they made was logical and reasonable, Yuan Yueze even deliberately raised his spiritual power to its peak to probe their hearts, finding absolutely nothing amiss.
But Yuan Yueze dared not truly believe them.
Because the Great Ming Saint Venerable was undoubtedly a ruthless character, especially since Yuan Yueze had personally faced him and witnessed his methods and wisdom, how could he possibly defeat him so badly after just one meeting that he needed to use his trump card to preserve his last bit of essence, employing that ridiculous transfer technique? Wouldn't that be tantamount to abandoning his own physical body?
It was utterly absurd.
Driven by conflicting and complex emotions, Yuan Yueze felt somewhat mentally exhausted.
Slowly closing his eyes, Yuan Yueze felt the cool night breeze, listened to the croaking of frogs from the pond not far away, and gradually drifted into a dream.
In the tranquil and peaceful night sky, a hazy white figure streaked across, like a ghost moving through the night, landing gracefully beside Yuan Yueze's mat with a beautiful movement.
Under the intoxicating moonlight, even a thin white robe could not conceal the perfect curves nurtured by the spiritual energy of the mountains and rivers. The hazy moonlight particularly emphasized her bare, soft, boneless, and ivory-white feet, seemingly unable to withstand the entanglements of the mortal world. No matter how many words one used, it would be difficult to describe the exquisite, flawless, and captivating beauty of those feet.
The woman sat gently beside Yuan Yueze, her long, cascading black hair partially obscuring her beautiful face. Even so, it stirred the heart, made the soul tremble, and captivated the spirit. She sat there, quietly gazing at Yuan Yueze's handsome face, his breathing deep and even.
The sounds of the breeze and frogs seemed to fade away, the tranquility she brought softening the world, as if afraid to disturb her contemplative gaze.
She belonged only to the night.
Gazing at Yuan Yueze for a long while, she breathed softly, letting out a gentle sigh. She rested her head on Yuan Yueze's arms, which were clasped behind his head, revealing her smooth, white arms against his chest. She closed her beautiful eyes, her reclining body rising and falling gracefully, revealing her exquisite face.
Yuan Yueze also sensed her arrival. Through that familiar scent, he knew her identity from afar. He freed one hand and placed it on her slender, supple waist. The smooth, snow-white skin felt incredibly comfortable against his skin. He gently stroked it a few times, then looked down.
Who else could it be but Wanwan?
She nestled in Yuan Yueze's arms like a kitten, her breathing gradually calming, her starry eyes slightly closed, her long eyelashes like a soft dream. The bright moonlight reflected on her face, which, far from being eerie, exuded a holy purity, like a spirit from the deepest heavens.
Seemingly tickled by Yuan Yueze's gentle caress, Wanwan slightly turned her head, her fragrant lips parted, and she let out a soft, comfortable moan.
During the day, Wanwan always seemed somewhat unreal, giving one a dreamlike, strange feeling.
Such a thought flashed through Yuan Yueze's mind.
He lightly kissed Wanwan's smooth, fair forehead and asked, "How have you been these days, little girl?"
Wanwan didn't open her beautiful eyes, only gently patting Yuan Yueze's chest with her jade-like hand, her voice languid and unclear, "Don't bother me, I want to sleep."
Yuan Yueze was both amused and exasperated. He used his other hand to stroke her hair, softly saying, "Sleep, sleep, it's safest here."
Wanwan suddenly opened her hazy eyes, the white moonlight reflecting in her pupils, and looked at Yuan Yueze so close to her, saying, "Now Luoyang should be..." "It must be something you
've already discovered." Yuan Yueze, who was deeply inhaling the girl's delicate fragrance, was taken aback by her words. Wanwan chuckled, then closed her eyes again and said softly, "Just by looking at your expression, Wan'er knows the answer."
With a light laugh, Yuan Yueze replied, "That's right, but to be precise, I won't be the one in charge of Luoyang from now on. I'm not good at those things."
Wanwan opened her bright eyes again, asking curiously, "If it's not you, then who is it? Could it be Senior Sister?"
Yuan Yueze narrowed his eyes. He had roughly figured out Wanwan's intentions; it was nothing more than to secure the interests of the Demonic Sect.
Thinking of this, Yuan Yueze felt a surge of anger, his tone turning cold as he said, "You tricked me into joining the Demonic Sect, and you dare come looking for me?"
Wanwan wasn't afraid; she simply rubbed her delicate face against Yuan Yueze's clothes and said, "You've taken so much advantage of Wan'er, why can't Wan'er ask for some interest?"
Yuan Yueze retorted angrily, "We're just teasing each other, that has nothing to do with anything else. You dragged me into the Demonic Sect, that's selfish, isn't it?"
Wanwan pouted and said, "Who doesn't have selfish motives? You bully people all day long, isn't it just for your own amusement?"
Yuan Yueze said weakly, "You're right, but don't expect me to fight for any benefits for you." Wanwan
tilted her head back, her voice sweet and coquettish, "The personality of a nemesis is perfect for our Holy Sect. Even the Evil Emperor you casually mentioned..." "She's so imposing. They know you won't abandon Wan'er, right?"
Seeing her pitiful appearance, Yuan Yueze had long forgotten about being tricked into joining the Demonic Sect, and said helplessly, "How does this concern your life or death?"
Wanwan said, on the verge of tears, "Master recently drafted some new rules for the disciples to follow, and then went into seclusion. The others in the sect don't respect Wan'er, but my junior sister pulled them over, and they're ganging up on her. Now her power is regressing instead of improving, and if you don't help her, Wan'er really has nowhere to go."
Yuan Yueze frowned and tentatively asked, "The Empress of Yin went into seclusion?"
Seeing that Yuan Yueze didn't care about her at all, but instead asked about Zhu Yuyan, Wanwan was furious. She pouted and turned her body away, leaving only her back to Yuan Yueze.
After a long apology, Wanwan finally recovered, speaking as if to Yuan Yueze, yet also as if to herself, "I wonder if it's because of the completion of the Heavenly Demon Great Art, Master has changed quite a bit in the past few years, though I can't quite describe it. She said she was going into seclusion this time, but Wan'er knows that she's actually going to meet with Commander Yan alone."
Yuan Yueze knew perfectly well the main reason for Zhu Yuyan's change, yet he still asked in a deep voice, "'Demon Commander' Zhao Deyan?"
Wanwan was taken aback, then nodded, "He came here to plot against Luoyang, wanting to cooperate with our sect, but Master seems to have refused. There should be another fight afterward."
The eight great masters of the evil path are: 'Empress of Yin' Zhu Yuyan, 'Evil King' Shi Zhixuan, 'Demon Commander' Zhao Deyan, 'Heavenly Lord' Xi Ying, 'Fat Jia' An Long, 'Demon Path' Bi Chen, 'Midnight Sword' Zuo Youxian, and 'Reversing the Path' You Niaojuan.
Zhao Deyan, a disciple of Changsun Sheng, ranked third among the eight great masters of the heretical path. Having been hindered by Shi Zhixuan in the past, he fled to a foreign land to seek further development. After gaining the favor of the Eastern Turkic Khan and ascending to the position of Grand Preceptor, he not only continuously created wars abroad but also focused on instigating an invasion of the Central Plains. This attack on Luoyang is part of his plan.
But Yuan Yueze wasn't worried about Zhu Yuyan losing, because Zhu Yuyan was at least twice as strong as she was a few years ago! He understood that Zhu Yuyan was relieving his pressure, after all, there were too many forces eyeing Luoyang back then.
"You've been talking to me for so long, you just want me to help you improve your skills, right? Why don't you just say so directly?"
Yuan Yueze asked curiously.
Wanwan's expression darkened: "The power of your enemy's energy can only help Wan'er improve to a limited extent..."
Yuan Yueze's gaze turned cold, sensing that Wanwan was about to bring up the 'Evil Emperor's Relic' again, so he said, "If your Heavenly Demon Great Art can fully absorb external power, it can be raised to near its peak. Is my energy different from others'?"
Wanwan frowned slightly and said, "Your energy is very strange, unlike anyone else's. How should I put it, it should be a mixture of pure innate energy and impure energy. If Wan'er absorbs too much of your energy, it will not only be harmful but may even destroy her power."
Yuan Yueze suddenly realized that what Wanwan said was indeed reasonable.
Thinking of Ga Duo again, Yuan Yueze said sourly, "Isn't Ga Duo also highly skilled? Why don't you use him to improve?"
Wanwan sensed something was off in Yuan Yueze's tone, and gently rubbed her pretty face against his chest a few times, giggling, "Master said Ga Duo's true energy is strange and warned people not to touch him."
With a long sigh, and to Wanwan's astonishment, Yuan Yueze sat up, took out the copper jar containing the 'Evil Emperor's Relic,' and reached out to take out the relic, saying, "With your current meridian width, you can only absorb 15% of the primordial essence. Place your hands on my back and prepare to absorb it."
Wanwan was staring dumbfounded at the relic, but upon hearing Yuan Yueze's words, she immediately complied.
Yuan Yueze had long forgotten what he had said before—that Wanwan's rapid improvement in skill wouldn't be a good thing—and his soft-heartedness had returned.
After a moment, Yuan Yueze put away the relic, lay back down, and watched Wanwan cross-legged, circulating her energy and digesting the primordial essence.
An hour later, Wanwan let out a long breath, opened her beautiful eyes, which flashed with a sharp light. A feeling of complete transformation welled up within her. The Heavenly Demon Technique had broken through to the level of Zhu Yuyan before, reaching the seventeenth level. She was immediately overjoyed.
"Aren't you going to reward me with a sweet kiss?"
Yuan Yueze said lazily.
Two rosy clouds rose on Wanwan's jade cheeks, and a charming light flashed in her eyes. She gently leaned down and pressed her fragrant, soft cherry lips to Yuan Yueze's large mouth.
Yuan Yueze accepted it without hesitation. After a long, heated exchange, Wanwan, panting, nestled against Yuan Yueze's chest and said, "My darling, give me the relic too."
Yuan Yueze frowned slightly, then smiled, "You can't bite off more than you can chew. You already have nearly a hundred years' worth of internal energy in your body; you just need time to digest it. Soon you'll reach the pinnacle of the Heavenly Demon Art. But your cultivation has improved too quickly, and your mind is unstable. Actually, your strength isn't much different from Shi Feixuan's. As for the relic, I understand you're going to use it to bribe people, but I will never give it to you. In the future, you will..." "You understand my intentions now."
Wanwan had no time to listen to his rambling; her attention was already focused on the relic. Her mind raced, and realizing that forcibly taking it wouldn't work, she nodded helplessly, a sly glint in her eyes, a sweet and charming smile playing on her lips. "When I first arrived, I noticed you seemed a little downcast. Did you encounter some trouble?"
Yuan Yueze sighed. "I have a few questions, not just to fool you, but I hope you can answer them seriously."
Wanwan had never seen Yuan Yueze so earnest, and nodded, puzzled.
"Where did you get that ring you tricked me into buying? Even Meixian couldn't tell if it was real or fake."
"I made it myself when I was little, imitating the ancient texts! Of course it's fake."
"Your craftsmanship is quite high! Did you deliberately spread the news that I was a member of the Demonic Sect?"
"Yes."
"Did you also spread the news about my first conversation with Shi Feixuan and Li Shimin on the Tianjin Bridge?"
“No, you mustn’t falsely accuse Wan’er.”
After clarifying these three questions, Yuan Yueze nodded, stroked Wan’an’s hair, and said softly, “Don’t worry, girl. It doesn’t matter whether I’m a member of the Demonic Sect or not. I will definitely not let those hypocritical bastards of the righteous path get away with it.”
Wan’an nodded happily and then said, “The conversation between you and Shi Feixuan spread very quickly. Actually, I already knew who did it.”
Seeing Yuan Yueze’s curious expression, Wan’an said, “There are copper pipes used for eavesdropping in many places in Luoyang City. They are one source of information for Wang Shichong. There are also many small pipes hidden under the Tianjin Bridge. People have already found out about them.”
Yuan Yueze nodded and then told Wan’an about his experiences that day and his suspicions about the Great Ming Zunjiao, hoping that she could come up with a good idea to distinguish the truth from falsehood of what the Wu brothers said.
Seeing a flash of surprise in Wanwan's eyes, Yuan Yueze recalled the strategy he and Zhu Yuyan had already discussed for dealing with the people openly associated with the Great Ming Sect. He chuckled and said, "Girl, don't hide anything from me. I know all about your cooperative relationships with the Great Ming Sect. Shangguan Long and Rong Jiaojiao are members of the Great Ming Sect; I know all of that."
Wanwan was stunned for a moment before saying, "It seems like there's nothing you don't know."
Yuan Yueze continued, "The Great Ming Sect isn't as simple as you think. Many of the things I just told you are true." "For example, the Great Ming Holy Venerable, and that Mad Thunder, Wang Shichong's identity, etc., you probably don't know these things, do you?"
Wanwan nodded, her pearly teeth lightly biting her upper lip, her delicate brows furrowing slightly. After pondering for a while, she said, "Wan'er can't think of a good way right now, but you can arrange for them to stay in Luoyang and observe them carefully in secret. After a while, you should get some clues. Besides, everyone in the world knows that the Great Ming Holy Venerable is your enemy. Wan'er really can't think of any reason why he would send people to bewitch you. You can put your mind at ease for now."
The word 'for now' was emphasized, showing that Wanwan was understanding.
Yuan Yueze nodded helplessly. Indeed, apart from Wanwan's method, he couldn't think of any better way.
Wanwan stared at Yuan Yueze's right bracelet for a long time before asking curiously, "You can always conjure things out of thin air, and you keep them all here?"
Yuan Yueze nodded, and Wanwan tilted her cute little head, completely puzzled.
After a helpless smile, Yuan Yueze found a chain inlaid with various gemstones, several small luminous pearls on it sparkling in the night. He gently tied it around her wrist, saying, "It's too long to explain these things now, but you'll know in the future."
Wanwan raised her wrist, and under the glow of the luminous pearls and the moonlight, her jade-like face seemed shrouded in a delicate veil, filled with an unfathomable, hazy beauty, exquisitely beautiful beyond compare.
Gently stroking the chain, Wanwan's expression was wistful, and she murmured as if in a dream, "Wan'er will never lose it."
Yuan Yueze was slightly taken aback, then smiled and said, "There's no need to care about such material possessions. Beauty without external adornment is the purest, most flawless, most primal, and most moving."
Wanwan smiled sweetly, raising an eyebrow, and said, "No wonder Senior Sister doesn't wear any makeup or ornaments!"
Then she asked curiously, "Wan'er has two questions that I can't figure out no matter how much I think about them."
Yuan Yueze said, "Tell me." Wanwan
said, "First, Senior Sister's martial arts are like the Heavenly Demon Art, yet also seem to be a blend of other martial arts. It's very strange. Can you explain it to Wan'er? Second, you should know about the relationship between Master and Senior Sister. Master severely injured you to help someone else, so why does Senior Sister never show the slightest hatred towards Master or Wan'er?"
Yuan Yueze thought to himself that this was all an act, so he started to make up a story: "You'll have to ask Meixian about the first question yourself. As for the second question, you know my body has a very strong recovery ability. That injury might seem serious to others, but to me, it will only take half a day to recover."
Wanwan stared intently at Yuan Yueze, as if she had sensed that he was lying, and said with a coquettish snort: "You're lying. If you don't want to tell me, then don't. I don't care."
Yuan Yueze shrugged, lay down, closed his eyes, and said: "Want to sleep with me?"
Wanwan's jade cheeks suddenly flushed red, all the way to her ears. She quickly spat and instinctively moved a foot away from the mat, breathing heavily as she said coquettishly: "You're not allowed to bully me, or Wan'er will never talk to you again."
When she was about to say a few more words, she noticed that Yuan Yueze's breathing had become even and long. Wanwan stomped her jade feet lightly in anger, hesitated for a moment, and then flew into Yuan Yueze's arms.
The earth was his bed, the starry sky his blanket.
※※※※※ Daylight broke.
Yuan Yueze opened his eyes.
His mental exhaustion vanished instantly.
Looking around, Wanwan's beautiful figure was long gone.
But her warmth, the faint fragrance emanating from her delicate body, even her radiant smile and every word seemed to still vividly and movingly exist in the surrounding air, penetrating Yuan Yueze's heart.
Recalling the past, Yuan Yueze felt a headache coming on. Yesterday, the news from the Great Ming Sect had left him dizzy and disoriented. Then, he had fought off the impurities of the relic for Wanwan, leaving him mentally exhausted. He didn't even know when Wanwan had left. He
woke the members of the Pengliang Society. Having slept for several hours, their strength had almost recovered. Led by Yuan Yueze, the group, lightly equipped, set off for Luoyang.
After four days and nights of travel, they finally returned to Luoyang that afternoon.
Along the way, Yuan Yueze learned a great deal about the current situation in Pengcheng, Liangdu, and the coastal areas from Ren Meimei and Chen Jiafeng.
Since the East Gate was under renovation, Yuan Yueze led the group into the city through the South Gate. Upon arriving at the city gate, the guards, seeing Yuan Yueze, didn't even ask about the origins of the other twenty-odd people and readily allowed them to enter.
As soon as they entered the city gate, the Pengliang group's horizons broadened. While secretly admiring Yuan Yueze's reputation, they began to admire Luoyang City.
The wide "Heavenly Street," stretching for hundreds of paces and connecting the North and South Gates, stretched straight out before them, seemingly endless. Cherry, pomegranate, elm, willow, and various other trees lined the street. In the center was the imperial road used by the emperor for his processions. In the sweltering summer heat, the peach blossoms and willows were vibrant, creating a picturesque and breathtaking scene. Shops lined both sides of the avenue, and between the neighborhoods, various roads branched off, intersecting with the ten main streets running north-south and east-west through the major city gates, all in an orderly fashion.
When Yuan Yueze left a few days ago, Luoyang was still somewhat deserted, not yet recovered from the atmosphere of war. But now, the city was bustling with people and carriages, a lively scene indeed. Many of the pedestrians wore distinctive clothing, clearly merchants from out of town.
Chen Jiafeng sighed, seemingly moved, "Judging from the current prosperity, no one could tell that this city has just experienced the ravages of war."
Many pedestrians nodded and greeted Yuan Yueze, who returned their greetings. Just as he was about to respond to Chen Jiafeng's remark, a figure ran up from a distance. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Ma Chang, Yang Gongqing's top confidant and a young general. Yuan Yueze waved in greeting
, and Ma Chang was overjoyed to see Yuan Yueze. Seeing that all the people around him were unfamiliar faces, he immediately went to Yuan Yueze's side, bowed, and whispered a few words in his ear.
Yuan Yueze nodded and cupped his hands to Ren Meimei and the others, saying, "This is Brother Ma Chang, a general under General Yang Gongqing. Let him take you to the prepared residence to rest. I have other matters to attend to and must take my leave."
The Peng Lianghui members nodded in acknowledgment.
Yuan Yueze turned and sped off towards the south of the city.

Chapter 54 Heart-to-Heart Talk with a Beauty
As he ran, turning left and right, Yuan Yueze confirmed that he was not being followed before disappearing into a thatched hut in a sparsely populated civilian area.
Several people sat inside, laughing and chatting amiably, seemingly having a very pleasant conversation.
"Big Brother!"
Dugu Feng's clear, bell-like voice rang out, and a fragrant breeze wafted into Yuan Yueze's arms as he tiptoed to close the door.
Since the Dugu clan returned to Luoyang and purchased a large mansion in the city center, Dugu Feng had been living there. Yuan Yueze's trip had lasted nearly ten days, which felt like an eternity to a young woman like Dugu Feng, so deeply immersed in love.
Yuan Yueze, with his arm around her slender waist, led her to the round table, nodded to everyone, and then sat down.
Several people were seated around the table: Wei Zhenzhen, Su Su, Shen Luoyan, Yang Gongqing, Dugu Feng, and Ouyang Xiyi.
Yuan Yueze cleared his throat and asked, "Has anything major happened these past few days?"
Seeing Yuan Yueze and Dugu Feng so intimate, even Dugu Feng felt a little awkward. He coughed lightly and said, "Everything is as usual. Luo Yan has been firmly promoted to the position of city lord, and there's a big surprise." Yuan Yueze
glanced at Shen Luo Yan, who was slightly nodding, and asked, "A big surprise?"
Shen Luo Yan nodded, "Wang Shichong has finally revealed all the secrets he can tell."
Yuan Yueze was overjoyed and asked, "Really? How can I be sure he's telling the truth?"
Ouyang Xiyi laughed heartily and said, "Young master is too suspicious. I can guarantee he's telling the truth."
Yuan Yueze scratched his head and said ... "It's not my fault, that Great Ming Emperor is truly a figure who requires extra caution."
He then asked curiously, "Why do we only see Elder Yi today, and not the Great Confucian Scholar Wang?"
Ouyang Xiyi sighed somewhat awkwardly, "Brother Wang is dissatisfied with how you obtained real power in Luoyang, and Brother Shichong was indeed defeated by you..."
The Yuan Yueze family's long-planned scheme was that after Wang Shichong's defeat, the Dugu clan would install Yang Tong as a puppet, and then Xiao Bei, a blood relative and elder, would persuade Yang Tong to abdicate and enjoy life. They would then stage a grand spectacle of 'the Emperor sets the challenge, and the capable becomes the city lord,' thus taking over Luoyang.
The common people didn't have much opinion on who became the city lord; as long as someone who won the hearts of the people and cared for them was in power, there wouldn't be much opposition.
However, there were still a few dissenters, such as Wang Tong, the current representative of Confucian scholars in the Central Plains.
Yuan Yueze was helpless in this matter and could only rely on someone as wise and talented as Shan Meixian to resolve it.
Nodding, Yuan Yueze smiled and said, "I know this matter will displease many people. Doesn't Elder Yi feel displeased?"
A complex expression flashed in Ouyang Xiyi's eyes as he said, "I'd rather see what the Central Plains will be like after it's unified. Of course, if I could see all the lands on the map shown by Yang Gong unified in my lifetime, then my life would truly be worthwhile."
Yuan Yueze shook his head and said, "The road to unification is long and arduous. No one can guarantee anything; we can only do our best."
Ouyang Xiyi smiled and said, "Actually, my biggest difference of opinion with Brother Wang is that I trust you more as a person, not because you come from the Demonic Sect."
He was a straightforward and generous man, and having come from the martial world, although he was a longtime friend of Wang Tong and Wang Shichong, their perspectives on issues and matters still differed. With Shan Meixian explaining things to him, Ouyang Xiyi seemed to have suddenly become enlightened in his old age.
Yang Gongqing and Dugu Feng then began recounting other events that had occurred in the past ten days or so, mostly revolving around the transfer of power.
Shen Luoyan had barely slept, relying on her strong physique to juggle social engagements with martial arts training.
Three days after Yuan Yueze left Luoyang, Shen Luoyan, having 'cheated' herself, overpowered all the talented scholars and brilliant minds present, and with a 'perfect answer sheet,' ascended to the position of Luoyang's city lord, announced by Yang Tong himself. The entire
land was in uproar.
In such a chaotic world, for a strategically important city like Luoyang to have a woman as its city lord was simply absurd.
However, Yang Gongqing, Zhang Zhenzhou, and other generals who controlled Luoyang's military and political affairs, along with seasoned officials like Yuwen Rutong, all fully supported Shen Luoyan. Adding to this, rumors circulated that Shen Luoyan was Yuan Yueze's beloved wife. Although many officials and commoners couldn't understand how someone who had been Li Mi's strategist just days before could become Luoyang's city lord, they vaguely sensed that Yuan Yueze was supporting her behind the scenes, or more accurately, that Yuan Yueze was the true master of Luoyang.
Even if Yuan Yueze himself harbored no such intentions, it couldn't change the prevailing opinion. The common people's thoughts were relatively simple, but it took Shen Luoyan and several trusted generals considerable effort to appease some officials. Many officials were unconvinced, but with the help of Shan Meixian and several other women behind the scenes, Shen Luoyan, through both literary and martial arts, subdued all the officials, leaving them with no room for doubt.
However, they weren't fools; if the unrest continued, their official careers would be in jeopardy. Leaving aside Shen Luoyan, who was in no way inferior to men, just considering her relationship with Yuan Yueze, if these officials dared to cause further trouble, Yuan Yueze, who was known for his unreasonable and lawless actions, might very well take action.
In the following days, Shen Luoyan slightly modified the existing laws, further reducing taxes and clarifying the criminal code, and Luoyang regained its vitality. This news spread quickly; many people from nearby villages, suffering greatly in the chaos of war, longed to move to Luoyang and enjoy a peaceful life. Even those officials who had initially harbored resentment were now more convinced of Shen Luoyan's abilities in the face of the facts.
Just as Yuan Yueze was about to inquire in detail about the information Wang Shichong had given, Yang Gongqing, Dugu Feng, and Ouyang Xiyi rose to take their leave.
After seeing the three off, Yuan Yueze sat down again, and before he could speak, Wei Zhenzhen recounted everything Wang Shichong had told him.
After listening, Yuan Yueze frowned for a long time before saying, "I really didn't expect you to come up with this method. It's a hundred times better than interrogation."
Su Su smiled and said, "Sisters, we just remembered what our husband said about how Wang Shichong was deeply moved by Qingxuan's flute playing in Dongping. We deduced that he must have a long-buried tragic experience. Meixian played the zither for several days in front of Wang Shichong's house when he had lost all his martial arts skills. With Wang Tong and Yi Lao persuading him, Wang Shichong finally broke down. Otherwise, we really don't know when we would have been able to get anything out of him."
Yuan Yueze nodded and then told the women about his experiences over the past few days. With more people around, it was naturally easier and more comprehensive to think about the problem, which was much better than Yuan Yueze's own wild thoughts by the pond that day.
Wei Zhenzhen extended her middle finger, lightly tapped the teacup, and watched the ripples spread across the tea. She said, "The news my husband received is hard to verify, but the information about Wang Shichong is entirely credible. He only has one year left to live, and Elder Yi asked us to let him live out his final days in peace, which we agreed to.
" Shen Luoyan chimed in, "Sister Zhenzhen is right. Comparing the two pieces of information can reveal many problems. Wang Shichong claimed to be a holy envoy, who, after leaving the Great Ming Sect more than ten years ago, was forcibly brought back by the Great Ming Holy Venerable, who taught him profound mental techniques and appointed him to infiltrate the Central Plains to prepare for rebellion. However, he also planted other spies in other forces, which shows that the Holy Venerable did not completely trust Wang Shichong's abilities."
Yuan Yueze tapped his temples several times with his second knuckle, then lay down on the mat and sighed, "The Holy Venerable that Wang Shichong mentioned is named Liu Yu. This name sounds familiar, but I can't quite place it. Oh dear, my head hurts!"
Dugu Feng hurriedly and gently massaged his temples.
Su Su shrugged and smiled, "My husband isn't fond of using his brain. Although he's read a lot, he rarely touches a book these days. When faced with complex problems, he naturally gets a headache."
Yuan Yueze, resting his head on one arm, said, "Su Su is the most talented woman in our family. Could you teach me something?"
Su Su, easily embarrassed, blushed slightly at Yuan Yueze's praise and retorted, "I've only been studying for a little over a year."
Then, she said seriously, "Emperor Wen of the Southern Song Dynasty, Liu Yilong, had nineteen sons. His eleventh son, Liu Yu, eventually became Emperor Ming of the Song Dynasty."
Yuan Yueze... Suddenly sitting up, she exclaimed, "I remember now! Liu Yu isn't particularly famous in history, but the absurd story of 'surrogate motherhood' has been widely circulated among later generations."
After a brief pause, she continued, "Liu Yu was Liu Yu's eldest son, the deposed emperor of the Song Dynasty."
Shen Luoyan nodded and said, "Liu Yu, courtesy name Derong, also known as Huizhen, was the eldest son of Emperor Ming of the Southern Song Dynasty. He was born on the Xin Chou day of the first month of the seventh year of the Daming era and died on the Wu Zi day of the seventh month of the fifth year of the Yuanhui era. Yu was in the Eastern Palace. When he was five or six years old, he began to study, but he was lazy and loved to play, so his tutor..." "It cannot be forbidden. The lacquered tent poles were raised more than ten feet above the ground; they remained like this for half a meal's time before being lowered. History records him as 'extremely vicious and violent, bringing about his own destruction; though he committed a crime, how could one not grieve? To abandon his fellow commoners is unbearable. He should be posthumously granted the title of Prince of Cangwu.' He was a ruler who lost his country and family."
Yuan Yueze asked, puzzled, "The Holy One is also named Liu Yu; could it simply be the same name as the deposed Emperor of Song? We must know that the historical deposed Emperor of Song died more than a hundred years ago."
Su Su shook her head, saying, "Originally, after hearing Wang Shichong's words, the sisters also thought as their husbands did." "That's because Wang Shichong said the Holy One was at most ninety years old. But today, hearing the news my husband got from the Wu brothers, and speculating based on his age, the real son of Liu Yu is very likely that Holy One, not the incompetent emperor recorded in historical records."
Yuan Yueze stared at Susu like a dumbfounded bird for a long time, then sighed, "Damn it, if your guess is true, history has played a huge joke on us!"
The four women, hearing Yuan Yueze swear for the first time, burst into laughter.
Wei Zhenzhen interjected, "Right now, all of this is just speculation. We also received two important pieces of information from Wang Shichong: one concerning another holy envoy, and the other concerning the Holy Venerable's martial arts. According to Wang Shichong, combined with what my husband heard from the Wu brothers, the existence of the Great Ming Holy Venerable is indeed unknown to the followers of the Uyghur Great Ming Venerable Sect. Therefore, we only need to find out his direct subordinates and thwart his ambition to overthrow the Central Plains. Wang Shichong doesn't know the other holy envoy; he only knows that the other is infiltrating the Li clan. As for the Holy Venerable's martial arts, it's said that the Holy Venerable once discussed martial arts with Xiang Yutian, and it seems he stole some secret formulas from the Demonic Sect's inner cultivation methods. The martial arts the Holy Venerable passed on to Wang Shichong to recruit him were based on the Demonic Sect's inner cultivation methods, practiced after the body had been annihilated—the 'Scripture of Light'."
Yuan Yueze nodded, pondered for a moment, and said, "That means that what I stumbled upon earlier..." "Agreeing to Xiuning's invitation to visit Chang'an was a good move, a perfect opportunity to find that Holy Envoy. I remember sensing the aura of the Demonic Sect on Kuang Lei. I was wondering why someone from the Great Ming Venerable Sect would know Demonic Sect techniques, but now, after hearing your explanation, I have a clue. The Great Ming Venerable Sect's treasured scripture, *Sabulokan*, contains many volumes, with the *Sutra of Light* being the most important. It's almost comparable to the *Heavenly Demon Strategy*, which combines ten volumes and is incredibly secret. Therefore, very few members of the Great Ming Venerable Sect have ever been able to master it. I never expected that the mysterious Holy Venerable would use such unorthodox methods to comprehend the mysteries of the *Sutra of Light*. No wonder Kuang Lei is so powerful."
Wei Zhenzhen said, "Wang Shichong is somewhat inferior to Kuang Lei because he still has flesh and blood; his body hasn't completely died. He only knows a little about the *Sutra of Light*. It's clear that turning a perfectly healthy body into a dead one is not something anyone would dare to try casually."
Yuan Yueze nodded.
Shen Luoyan said, "As for the Wu brothers, just as my husband said, heal them and settle them down, then observe them secretly."
Yuan Yueze nodded and said, "Also, protect Wang Shichong well. After all, the Holy Venerable might order his subordinates to destroy him to keep things secret." He
then stood up and said, "Luoyan, you've worked hard. Let's go home and cook a delicious meal to reward you."
Wei Zhenzhen pouted, feigning displeasure, and said, "My husband only cares about your Luo Yan. Which of you sisters isn't working hard?"
Yuan Yueze laughed loudly, "Zhenzhen has become jealous too. I misspoke. You've all worked hard."
The women then chuckled as well.
Back in the familiar little courtyard, Yuan Yueze greeted the women who were still busy at home. Just as he was about to start cooking, Shan Meixian quickly stopped him, saying, "Husband, have you forgotten that you promised to cook a big meal for Xiufang yourself?"
Yuan Yueze then remembered Shang Xiufang and the promise he had made, and immediately laughed, "Where did she go? I've been so busy these past few days, I've completely forgotten what I said."
Shan Meixian was taken aback for a moment, then laughed, "The day you went to rescue Luoyan, she saw that Luoyang was stable, so she returned to Manqing Courtyard."
Yuan Yueze nodded and said, "Then I'll go see her later. I want to treat you all today."
Shan Meixian said irritably, "Xiufang is leaving Luoyang tomorrow. If you don't go, won't you be a man who breaks his promise?"
Yuan Yueze pouted, his shoulders slumped weakly, and muttered, "Fine, I'll go. I'm born to be a workaholic, always running around."
Then, amidst Shan Meixian's giggles, Yuan Yueze walked out of the house.
※※※※※ The sun was about to sink below the western mountains, and some shops had already lit up.
Yuan Yueze walked through the bustling streets and arrived at the entrance of Manqing Courtyard.
The two burly men guarding the gate immediately flattered him and ushered him inside.
This wasn't Yuan Yueze's first time here, but this time the owner was no longer Shangguan Long, but Rong Fengxiang. After Shangguan Long's identity was exposed, he had long been sent elsewhere by Zhu Yuyan. Rong Fengxiang, as an exceptionally successful merchant, naturally took over Manqing Courtyard with Wang Shichong's support. Even after Shen Luoyan came to power, she didn't make things difficult for him.
As the most luxurious brothel in Luoyang, Manqing Courtyard mostly frequented by powerful figures, wealthy young men, or renowned martial arts masters. Listening to the sounds of wind and string instruments drifting from upstairs and downstairs, some melodious, others lively, Yuan Yueze greeted acquaintances around him while responding to the flirtatious glances from the elegantly dressed courtesans and maids flitting between the rooms in the corridors.
Before reaching the main hall's entrance, a beautiful maidservant hurried out to greet him. Her eyes lit up upon seeing Yuan Yueze, and after a deep bow, she said sweetly, "Miss has been waiting for you for a long time, please follow me."
Following the pretty maidservant to the back courtyard, heading straight for Shang Xiufang's residence, the surrounding scenery was completely different—refined and tranquil. The courtyard was planted with many green bamboos. Walking along the winding stone path, past the bamboo grove, the sounds from the outer courtyard were well shielded; not a single chaotic murmur could be heard. Compared to the outside world, this place felt like a quiet, secluded haven hidden from the hustle and bustle.
Yuan Yueze followed the pretty maid up the stairs, faintly hearing intermittent zither music and a mournful, lingering, and exquisitely beautiful song coming from inside the building.
"The green lamp illuminates the wall as one falls asleep, the cold rain taps on the window, the quilt is not yet warm. Why am I so deeply saddened? Half for pitying spring, half for resenting spring. Pitying spring comes suddenly, resenting spring suddenly departs, coming without a word, departing without a sound. Last night, a mournful song arose outside the courtyard, I know it was the soul of a flower and the soul of a bird..."
Yuan Yueze stood there dumbfounded. Wasn't this "The Burial of Flowers"? How could Shang Xiufang sing it? He
immediately realized it must be the sheet music Shan Meixian had given her.
While he was still in a daze, the pretty maid had already informed Shang Xiufang of Yuan Yueze's arrival. The zither music and song abruptly stopped.
The maid opened the door for Yuan Yueze and stood guard outside, while Yuan Yueze entered the room alone.
This was a spacious boudoir, devoid of luxurious decorations. The only visible elements were various musical instruments, each spotless and gleaming with polish, clearly frequently used by its owner rather than left unused.
Shang Xiufang sat gracefully beside the tea table, her movements seemingly casual and languid, yet perfectly showcasing her graceful figure and alluring charm. Without makeup, her natural beauty was breathtaking; her soft, black hair cascaded like a waterfall from a clear stream, freely flowing over her fragrant shoulders and fair back. Her bright, sparkling eyes were fixed on Yuan Yueze with a half-smile.
Yuan Yueze approached the tea table and noticed a slight change in Shang Xiufang, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it. He said, "I've been too busy these past few days, so I'm only seeing you today. Please don't take offense."
Shang Xiufang replied softly, "How could Xiufang blame you, young master? You've been busy with important matters."
Her voice was melodious and pleasant, but what was most captivating was the air of detachment and languor that seemed to come from a worldly perspective. The pauses and rhythm in her speech reminded Yuan Yueze of her moving song from earlier, a song that swayed with melancholy and a touch of melancholy, yet also seemed to contain a hint of anticipation and joy, creating a unique charm.
This simple sentence was incredibly powerful, carrying a hint of sarcasm and dissatisfaction, completely contrary to the intended meaning. Especially the emphasis on the word "important matters" immediately filled Yuan Yueze with a sense of disgust.
This man was too ruthless in his words and actions. He coldly replied, "Please don't misunderstand. I'm only here because Meixian said she owes you a meal. If you have any complaints, just say so. Why beat around the bush and mock me?"
Shang Xiufang was indeed somewhat annoyed by Yuan Yueze's lateness, but her words, aside from the veiled sarcasm, were mostly just jokes. She never expected him to be so blunt. What young man in the world would speak to Shang Xiufang like that? Shang Xiufang had never imagined there would be such a man, but the reality was staring her in the face.
The atmosphere in the room became awkward.
Shang Xiufang felt wronged: It was just a casual joke, why the fuss? Shouldn't men give way to women? Especially a woman like herself, showered with love and affection.
Yuan Yueze closed his eyes and took a deep breath, thinking to himself that he still had too much difficulty controlling his emotions. Being spontaneous was a good thing, but as Shan Meixian had warned him, too much of a good thing could be bad. Yuan Yueze was too spontaneous, which led to this situation.
His behavior just now was completely like an ignorant child throwing a tantrum. In an instant, many scenes from the past few years of his life flashed through his mind, and Yuan Yueze reflected on himself for the first time: he had indeed been too willful in the past. Although he had always boasted about 'ignoring etiquette and doing whatever he wanted,' now, upon reflection, he realized that it was just childishness. Especially since many etiquette rules in the world are indeed cumbersome, but many basic manners are necessary, as they are expressions of mutual respect between people.
He finally understood why people as worldly as Shan Meixian and Xiao Bei could only advise him that too much of a good thing is bad. It was because the two women, Shan Meixian and Xiao Bei, deeply understood Yuan Yueze's temperament and knew better than anyone else that only he himself could truly change him.
With this sudden breakthrough in his state of mind, Yuan Yueze felt an unparalleled sense of peace.
Shang Xiufang stared wide-eyed at Yuan Yueze before her. His eyes were closed, but his figure gradually blurred in her eyes, as if he were about to disappear. This seemed unbelievable to her. Instinctively, she raised her loose sleeve, revealing her smooth, white hand, as white as snow, and touched Yuan Yueze's arm. Startled by Shang Xiufang
's touch, Yuan Yueze looked at her apologetically and said, "I was rude just now. I'm truly sorry. Please punish me as you see fit, Xiufang."
Fortunately, Yuan Yueze never cared about saving face and immediately corrected his mistake, which surprised Shang Xiufang.
Two blushes flashed across Shang Xiufang's pretty face as she said shyly, "It's my fault, I forgot that you like to be straightforward. But I was just joking, I didn't mean anything by it."
The awkward atmosphere disappeared as the two took a step back. Only then did Shang Xiufang realize that her hand was still on Yuan Yueze's arm. She gasped softly and hurriedly withdrew it.
Seeing her disheveled state, Yuan Yueze shook his head and chuckled, "Xiufang, please wait a moment. I'll go and prepare a sumptuous meal for you."
Shang Xiufang instantly regained her composure and happily replied, "It's widely said that your culinary skills are even more impressive than your martial arts, so I won't stand on ceremony today."
She then instructed the maid outside to lead Yuan Yueze to prepare the dishes and wine.
A quarter of an hour later, a sumptuous feast was laid out, and the two sat facing each other at the table.
After Yuan Yueze explained everything in detail, Shang Xiufang took a deep breath, closed her beautiful eyes slightly, and sighed, "I stayed at your house for a few days, and Sister Zhenzhen's cooking skills are already unparalleled. I never imagined that your skills were just as good. It's truly unbelievable that a man could have such culinary skills."
Yuan Yueze poured her a small cup of wine and smiled, "In ancient times, there were Peng Zu and Yi Ya, both culinary masters, and they were men too. What's so special about me?"
After drinking a cup together, two blushes appeared on Shang Xiufang's beautiful face, and she began to taste the dishes one by one. After a while, she asked Yuan Yueze, "Just now, it seemed like you were about to disappear. What happened?"
Yuan Yueze realized she was referring to the moment when his state of mind broke through, so he explained it to her in detail.
Shang Xiufang nodded, seemingly understanding, and then said, "Aunt Meixian also helped Xiufang cleanse her marrow and refine her body a few days ago, passing on a set of incantations and sword techniques."
Yuan Yueze was taken aback, realizing why he had noticed some changes in Shang Xiufang when he entered the room—it was a natural change after the removal of impurities from the surface of her body and the expansion of her meridians. However, what surprised Yuan Yueze even more was that Shan Meixian had actually used extraordinary power to help Shang Xiufang cleanse her marrow and refine her body.
Yuan Yueze laughed, "If Xiufang were to wield swords and knives, who knows what kind of allure she would have?"
Shang Xiufang blushed from drinking, a shy expression appearing on her beautiful face. She whispered, "Xiufang doesn't usually like these things, but Aunt Meixian is right. In this chaotic world, the best way to protect oneself is not by relying on others, but by relying on oneself. So, Xiufang also plans to learn some martial arts."
Yuan Yueze nodded, "That's true. Xiufang belongs only to music."
A flash of surprise crossed Shang Xiufang's eyes. After enjoying a few more bites of her food, she seemed to be talking to herself, "Since I was old enough to understand, Xiufang has resolved to dedicate herself to music, because for me, it is the most spiritual thing to be found in the world. I don't care about anything else. Don't laugh at me, young master, but Xiufang has always believed that her music..." "Her skill is unparalleled, but after truly meeting Aunt Meixian again, Xiufang realized she was like a frog in a well. Aunt Meixian's zither skills were undoubtedly the best in the world."
Yuan Yueze said, "The 'frog in a well' analogy is an exaggeration. Your life experiences are different, and your artistic interpretations will naturally reflect your own insights, so differences are inevitable."
Shang Xiufang smiled faintly and said, "And how does Young Master comment on musical cultivation?"
Yuan Yueze said, "Those who achieve great things and profound knowledge throughout history must pass through three realms: 'Last night the west wind withered the green trees. Alone I climbed the high tower, gazing to the ends of the earth,' this is the first realm. 'My clothes grow ever looser, yet I have no regrets, for I am wasting away for her,' this is the second realm. 'I searched for her a thousand times in the crowd, then suddenly turning around, I found her where the lights were dim,' this is the third realm." "Music and art, like martial arts, always emphasize the principle of 'all methods return to the same source.'"
Shang Xiufang, intelligent as she was, pondered for a while before exclaiming with delight, "That's truly insightful! Your talent is truly remarkable, sir."
Yuan Yueze was taken aback, then smiled and said, "This isn't my saying; it was summarized by a man named Wang Guowei."
A sly glint flashed in Shang Xiufang's eyes as she sighed, "Don't you think it's better for husband and wife to keep some secrets and maintain a sense of mystery?"
Yuan Yueze was caught off guard by her sudden question, and after a moment replied, "Every family in the world has its own 'way.' Mystery may be necessary for some men and women, but my ideal marital relationship is one of absolute trust and constant honesty. However, why does Xiufang suddenly have this thought?" "A strange question?"
Shang Xiufang said with a coquettish smile, "Young master, please don't
be offended. Aunt Meixian gave Xiufang many sheet music scores, and out of curiosity, Xiufang kept asking questions, so Aunt Meixian told Xiufang about your background." Yuan Yueze was stunned, staring blankly at Shang Xiufang for a long time before saying, "When I first came in, I knew it was the sheet music that Meixian gave you when I heard Xiufang playing 'The Burial of Flowers.' I never expected that she would tell you everything about me."
Shang Xiufang forced a bitter smile, then said coquettishly, "If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, it would have been hard for Xiufang to believe it, because your background sounds more unreal than a dream. Xiufang hasn't slept well for several days."
Judging from her expression, she seemed to regret her curiosity; this matter had a huge impact on her nerves.
Yuan Yueze laughed heartily and raised his cup, saying, "Then I'll punish myself with a cup to atone for my sins."
Shang Xiufang looked deeply at Yuan Yueze, then revealed an incredibly charming and innocent smile, and said softly, "Young Master is actually completely different from the men of this era. Do you know what the biggest difference is?"
Yuan Yueze shook his head, puzzled. Shang Xiufang
covered her cherry lips with her slender fingers, chuckled softly, and then her tone turned desolate, as if she were sighing with deep feeling, "It's Young Master's attitude towards women, isn't it? Xiufang has seen too many people in the world. Ten out of ten married women have given up their original pursuits, even completely giving up themselves. But in my eyes, each of the ladies in Young Master's household has complete freedom."
Yuan Yueze said, "This is entirely my personal opinion and habit. I completely disdain the old ways of a woman who marries and obeys her husband, supporting her husband and raising children."
A gleam of admiration flashed in Shang Xiufang's eyes, and she gently praised him before raising her cup in acknowledgment.
After another drink, Yuan Yueze asked curiously, "Xiufang, what are your thoughts after reading books from a thousand years in the future?"
Shang Xiufang tilted her head and said, "Yesterday, I read a book about a long train that went incredibly fast. I was thinking, if it can run so fast even lying down, how fast would it run if it stood up?"
"Pfft!"
Yuan Yueze choked on his drink, coughed a few times, and seeing Shang Xiufang trying to suppress her laughter, he burst out laughing, "Then do you know that in the future there's a machine that sends cattle and sheep in through one entrance, and then roasted meat appears at the other exit?" Shang Xiufang
stared at Yuan Yueze with her bright, jewel-like eyes, waiting for him to continue.
Yuan Yueze was momentarily captivated by her charm, then said, "Xiufang, do you ever wonder, if the roasted meat isn't to your liking and is sent back to the exit, will lively cattle and sheep then run out of the entrance?"
Shang Xiufang was slightly taken aback, then immediately understood, her chiseled shoulders trembling slightly, and she giggled incessantly, covering her mouth.
After a while, Shang Xiufang calmed down and said embarrassedly, "Xiufang lost her composure."
Seeing Yuan Yueze shake his head, Shang Xiufang continued, "Thank you for the delicious food today, young master. I will be leaving Luoyang tomorrow. I heard that you will be visiting Chang'an in six months, and the Prince of Qin has also invited me. I hope to see you there again."
Yuan Yueze nodded. Seeing that the food and wine were finished and it was getting late, he got up to take his leave. "Xiufang, please be careful on your journey. In these chaotic times, everyone is living in constant fear. Although you have a high status, you are still vulnerable to those with wicked intentions. In times of crisis, mentioning my name should be enough to deter some minor figures."
Seeing Yuan Yueze leave directly after speaking, a look of bewilderment appeared on Shang Xiufang's calm face, and a trace of confusion flashed in her eyes. Yuan Yueze's figure gradually disappeared down the corridor. Shang Xiufang sighed softly, turned around, and went into her room.
A cool night breeze blew as Yuan Yueze stepped onto the Xinzhong Bridge.
Looking down at the shimmering river and then up at the crescent moon hanging in the sky, Yuan Yueze felt a sense of contentment. He stood facing the wind, closed his eyes, and immersed himself in the moment.
"Brother Yuan, you're in high spirits."
A deep, melodious voice rang out from behind, oblivious to the awkwardness.

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