novelSusiti Chapter 530 Xu Fenghua is completely captivated!
Chapter 530 Xu Fenghua is completely captivated!
Yun Suxin pursed her lips.
What she fears is not gentleness.
What she feared was the ruthlessness that followed that gentleness.
She feared that she too would one night cry uncontrollably, and then walk out the next morning with a flushed face, like a completely different person.
She has nothing left.
His cultivation was gone, his status was gone, the Moon Goddess Sect was gone, and even his last bit of pride was gone.
If she gives away her heart, she will truly have nothing left.
She lowered her head, brought the cooled tea to her lips, and took a sip, the bitterness spreading across her tongue.
She quietly clenched her sleeve, her fingertips digging into her palm; the slight pain brought her back to her senses.
Han Xin'er stood at the other end of the corridor, leaning against a vermilion pillar, holding a small flower she had picked from somewhere.
When she saw Xu Fenghua walking over from the end of the corridor, she didn't pay much attention at first—which of these women hadn't come out of that room?
But after looking at it a few more times, she noticed something was different.
Xu Fenghua's face radiated a light, not the kind that comes from the morning light, but a light that emanates from within.
Although her walking posture was a bit stiff, her back was straight, her shoulders were relaxed, and even her breathing seemed like she was laughing.
Han Xin'er twirled the little flower in her hand twice, then held it under her nose to smell it; it didn't have much of a scent.
She was thinking of her father, General Han Zhong, whom Qin Mu had somehow managed to get rid of.
Sometimes she wondered, is her father alright? Is he still alive? Does he have a hot meal?
But she couldn't figure out the answer, so she stopped thinking about it.
At least she was still alive; that was the only thing she was certain of.
As long as you're alive, there's a chance you can come back; as long as you're alive, there's a chance we can meet again.
Compared to Xu Fenghua's kind of sadness, where she cried out everything in one night and then let it all go, Han Xin'er felt that her life was actually much easier.
She harbors no hatred, nor does she intend to.
Hating someone is too tiring; she's not cut out for it.
She glanced discreetly in Qin Mu's direction and saw him walking out of the house.
The morning light fell on him, and his moon-white robe fluttered in the wind.
Han Xin'er lowered her head, tucked the small flower into her sleeve, and said nothing.
Su Wan stood at the top of the stairs, leaning against a railing, watching the courtyard gradually become lively.
She wasn't holding anything; she simply rested her hands on the railing, her chin on the back of her hands.
She also saw Xu Fenghua, her reddened eyes and slightly awkward gait, and the smile on her lips that she couldn't hide.
Su Wan recognized that smile; she had seen it countless times at Zuiyue Tower. The girls always had that expression the morning after meeting a certain young master—a sweet weariness mixed with an indescribable sense of satisfaction.
She thought about the bumpy journey she had endured and the arrangements that the man named Qin Mu had made for her along the way.
From the initial probing to the eventual acceptance, from that moment on, she knew she would never again be the Su Wan'er trapped in the Drunken Moon Pavilion.
Chen Wanqing stood on the steps at the entrance of the inn, holding a bowl of steaming porridge in her hand, which she hadn't drunk yet.
As she watched Xu Fenghua walk out, noticing her slightly limping gait, she understood something.
She didn't look at it for long, but lowered her head and stirred the porridge in the bowl with a spoon. After stirring it a few times, she put the spoon down again.
Mingyue crouched in the shadows under the eaves, her slightly curly long hair hanging down, obscuring half of her face.
She didn't sleep well last night, or rather, she didn't sleep at all.
She thought of Yin Sutang's severed hand, then of Qin Mu's calm, emotionless eyes, and then of the days and nights she spent being sold here from Northern Mang.
When she saw Xu Fenghua come out of the room, she understood it at a glance.
She lowered her head, buried her face in her knees, and said nothing.
Yunluan stood at the door of Qin Mu's room, her hand on the hilt of her sword, her gaze sweeping over the faces of everyone in the corridor.
Her duty was to guard, not to fathom people's hearts, so she didn't think much of it.
As Qin Mu walked out, the morning light shone in from behind him. He squinted and raised his hand to shield his eyes from the light.
His gaze swept over the people in the courtyard—from Xu Fenghua's flushed profile to Yun Suxin's slightly furrowed brows as she sipped her tea, and then to Han Xin'er's small gesture of tucking flowers into her sleeve.
He didn't say anything, and the smile on his lips remained the same as always.
He patted non-existent dust off his robes, speaking casually as if he were asking what he wanted to eat for breakfast.
"Let's go, it's time to set off. The martial arts tournament is about to begin."
The martial arts tournament was held in Zhenbei City.
The largest city in the northern border, and also the location of the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion.
The city wall was more than twice as high as Huaiyuan City, with thick, gray stone bricks, and flags stuck in the crenellations, fluttering in the wind.
The city gates were wide open, the drawbridge had long been lowered, and people were coming and going on the moat, like a river that never runs out.
When Qin Mu and his party entered the city, it was not yet fully light.
But a long queue had already formed at the city gate, with horse-drawn carriages, donkey carts, and wandering travelers on foot all crowded together, making a lot of noise.
The number of soldiers guarding the city was three times that of usual, each with a stern face, checking travel permits and invitations one by one.
Once inside the city, it became incredibly lively.
All the shops on both sides of the street were open, and the inns had wooden signs that read "Fully Booked" hanging from one end of the street to the other.
The roadside was lined with makeshift stalls selling weapons, elixirs, amulets, and handwritten copies of martial arts manuals, with shouts growing louder and louder.
A shirtless man stood in front of the stall, holding a long, black knife, and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Ancient divine weapon! Cuts through iron like mud! Don't miss it!"
An old man with a stall nearby scoffed without even looking up: "It was just fought last month, and it's ancient."
The people on the street are all kinds of people.
There was a bald monk in a monk's robe, holding prayer beads in his hand, but his eyes were fixed on the roasted lamb leg at the stall next door.
There was a Taoist nun carrying two swords on her back, with a cold and stern face, walking with a breezy air.
There was a young nobleman dressed in a magnificent brocade robe, waving a folding fan, followed by a large retinue.
A lone swordsman, his face weathered by the elements, leaned silently against the wall, wiping his blade with a cloth.
There was also a person leading a camel with two large boxes on its back, the contents of which were unknown. The camel was walking slowly and chewing on dry grass.
Several young people were sitting on the steps at the entrance of the inn, discussing something animatedly around a tattered booklet.
"I heard the prize for this martial arts tournament is a Dragon Abyss Sword!"
"What's so special about the Dragon Abyss Sword? I've heard there's also a book called 'The Thirty-Six Forms of the Heavenly Gang,' a long-lost martial art!"
"You've all overlooked the most valuable thing—100,000 taels of gold, real gold and silver, which you can take away on the spot if you win."
An elderly swordsman nearby heard this, shook his head, muttered, "You have to be alive to enjoy it," took a swig of wine, and said nothing more.
The restaurants and teahouses were also packed.
Some people are boasting about how many bandits they've fought off on the road, some are analyzing the strength rankings of various sects, and some have already placed bets at the gambling den, betting that their favorite will win.
The air was thick with the smells of alcohol, sweat, cosmetics, and the smoky aroma of baked goods, along with a faint whiff of horse manure. The mixture was so strong it was almost overwhelming.
The restaurant where Qin Mu and his group stayed was called "Wangbeilou". It was located in the most conspicuous position on the main street of Zhenbei City, and directly opposite was the venue of the martial arts tournament - the North City Training Ground.
Looking out from the window of the private room on the second floor, you can see the huge arena that has been set up in the training ground. It is three zhang high and ten zhang wide, made of pine wood and covered with a thick red carpet.
Flags were planted all around the arena, and when the wind blew, they rustled and made a sound like a colorful wave.
Below the arena, the craftsmen were still making final repairs, and the sounds of hammering and banging could be heard from afar.
Inside the private room, Qin Mu leaned against the chair by the window, propping his chin up with one hand, looking at the dense crowd of people outside the window, a half-smile playing on his lips.
There was tea and a dish of peanuts on the table, but he didn't touch them; he just stared at them.
Jianlai sat opposite him, his back straight, one hand resting on the edge of the table, his gaze fixed on the window.
He watched for a while, then turned his head and pointed to the group of men in black tight-fitting clothes at the street corner. He lowered his voice and said, "Young master, those are the people from the Heavenly Wolf Gang. The gang leader is called Lei Zhen. His Mountain-Splitting Palm is said to be able to shatter bluestone. They have been rampant in the Northern Territory for many years and have three or four hundred men under their command. They are one of the more conspicuous forces among the participants this time."
Qin Mu glanced at his hand and nodded: "It does look like someone who has practiced."
The sword then pointed to the east side of the training ground, where a group of people wearing white Taoist robes stood, with small swords embroidered on their lapels.
They were all quite young, the youngest looking only fifteen or sixteen, and the oldest no more than thirty. They all held swords and stood ramrod straight.
"Those are young disciples of the Qingcheng Sword Sect. The leader is the sect leader's personal disciple, surnamed Zhou. His swordsmanship is light and agile, and I heard he has already reached the threshold of Grandmaster. Qingcheng has been doing well in recent years, so the people they sent this time are probably not just here to make a formality."
Qin Mu neither nodded nor shook his head; he simply listened.
Jianlai continued.
His gaze shifted to the south of the city, where there was an old locust tree. Under the tree stood several people dressed in gray, who looked inconspicuous, like ordinary people on their way.
When Ke Jianlai's gaze fell on those people, his brows twitched slightly.
"Those few, young master—" he pointed, "They look like ordinary people, but their posture is off. Their center of gravity is stable, their shoulders are relaxed, and their hands are positioned just wide enough to reach their lower backs in the shortest time. That's a habit only someone who has practiced swordsmanship for years would have. In my opinion, they should be members of some assassin organization in the martial arts world, but they haven't shown their banners, so I don't know which one they belong to."
Qin Mu finally picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip.
He set down his teacup, turned his gaze to Jian Lai, and the smile on his lips deepened. "It seems you've put in a lot of effort this time."
Jian Lai paused slightly, then lowered his head, a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth revealing a hint of composure at being seen through. "Young Master—no, His Majesty values me so highly, I naturally dare not be negligent. From the day I received the invitation from the Northern Territory, I've thoroughly investigated every force I could find. Which sect sent whom, which gang brought whom, who has old grudges against whom, who might join forces with whom—I've done my homework. While it's not perfect, it at least saves His Majesty some effort in vetting people."
He paused, lowering his voice even further. "Your Majesty treats this trip as a leisurely journey, but I dare not do so. There are too many things hidden beneath the surface of the waters in this northern region. The more I investigate, the less likely Your Majesty will be plotted against."
Qin Mu leaned back in his chair and placed the teacup on the table with a very soft sound.
He looked at Jian Lai with a gaze not like that of a subject, but rather like that of someone he had planted himself—growing well, with strong branches and sturdy trunk, and all the flowers that should bloom had bloomed. "You certainly know how to talk."
Jian Lai shook his head: "What I'm saying isn't just empty words, it's from the bottom of my heart. Back on Qinglan Mountain, if it weren't for His Majesty—if it weren't for Young Master's intervention, I would have been crushed to dust by Li Wuhen long ago. This life was given to me by Young Master. Whatever Young Master asks me to do, I will do. There's no need for empty words."
Qin Mu smiled and didn't continue the conversation.
He turned his gaze back to the window.
The procession continued to surge forward in the street, and fences had been erected around the drill ground, where soldiers were maintaining order.
The sun rose higher and shone on the huge arena, making the red carpet gleam.
"Let's go down and take a look later," Qin Mu said. "The view from up there is different from the view from standing in the crowd."
Jian Lai nodded: "This subordinate will accompany you, young master."
A burst of gongs and drums came from outside the window. I didn't know which sect was raising their flags, but the sound was so loud that it could be heard two streets away.
A commotion broke out on the street. Some people stood on tiptoe to look, some pushed and shoved each other, and some cursed as they pushed their way forward.