Liang Shu had no impression of the number one swordsmith in the Central Plains. Song Changsheng said: “Three years ago, when I was passing through the Northwest, I saw a sword painted on the door of every house of the local people. I thought it was an ancient totem, but later found out that it was the sword of His Royal Highness Xiao Wang.”

Swordsmiths were always extraordinarily interested in swords, so Song Changsheng stayed in Yacheng for half a month longer, and finally, Liang Shu and the sword arrived. He said: “At that time the prince was at a rouge shop across the street, and I had the intention to approach, but because I was a foreigner, I was stopped by soldiers.”

Liu Xian’an glanced suspiciously at the person beside him. Why did you go buy rouge?

Liang Shu grabbed his shoulders: “This story is a bit long, so I will tell you in detail tonight.”

Song Changsheng said: “Today, I would like to thank the prince and Second Young Master Liu for saving my life. On that mountain……”

“The vast majority of people are dead, and the rest are disabled. The government is cleaning up the scene, and the only one who escaped was the Holy Maiden,” Liang Shu said. “Dayan’s laws have always punished cults severely. They didn’t die unjustly. Blowing up the so-called ‘Holy Envoy’ can even be regarded as a great achievement.”

Yang Yao should be Wang Quan’s “guide” two more ranks above. This well-known jade merchant in Raven City suddenly transformed into a little leader of the Baifu Sect. The children in the family tried to escape overnight after learning about it, but they were all arrested and brought to justice by the well-prepared government. The common people of the city were all shocked when they saw the members of the Yang family in the prison cart, but after the shock they thought it over carefully. No wonder the Yang family business had become more and more prosperous recently. It turned out they had the cult behind them?

Song Changsheng sighed: “It’s a pity that demon girl ran.”

“It must have taken a lot of effort for Song-xiangsheng to successfully sneak into the Baifu Sect.” Liu Xian’an brought a chair over. “Their vetting of outsiders seems to be extremely strict.”

“Yes.” Song Changsheng nodded. “I spent a lot of effort, and even……even did many things that violated morality. At that time, I only wanted revenge, and I killed many people.”

They were all from the Baifu Sect, and he did it very skillfully, so it didn’t arouse any suspicion. Song Changsheng pretended to lose his mind after losing his wife. Not long after, someone took the opportunity to come to his door and deceive him by saying that the Holy Baifu Maiden could recall the souls of the dead so that he could meet his wife again.

“They seem to want to infiltrate the Central Plains martial arts realm, so they valued me very much, and at the same time secretly won over many other masters.” Song Changsheng said, “For the chosen ones, they often spend a lot of money. Every time they come to the door, they are flush with gold and silver.”

The heretical cult did not produce anything, and all the money it obtained was offered by believers. In other words, it was all the hard-earned money of the common people. Using the common people’s money to slaughter the common people was truly abhorrent.

“What about that Holy Maiden?” Liu Xian’an asked. “How much do you know about her?”

“She has become the symbol of the Baifu Sect. Every time she shows up, she will be dressed like a holy Buddha statue.” Song Changsheng said, “Although she has never killed anyone with her own hands, there are countless believers who die tragically because of her, so she also bears a thousand blood debts. But I always thought she was just there to look pretty. I didn’t expect her to also be a master.”

Liang Shu was thoughtful: “Her martial arts methods are rather familiar.”

Song Changsheng quickly asked: “Who is it?”

. . . . . .

Wumeng Yunyou hastily pushed open the door with a bang, causing the girl in the room to raise her eyes and look his way: “What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong? Shouldn’t I be anxious when you encounter such a big ordeal?” Seeing his sister sitting there, Wumeng Yunyou breathed a sigh of relief. “I heard that someone planted explosives on the mountain and everyone died.”

“Many people died, but not all of them.” Wumeng Yunle corrected him absent-mindedly. She picked up the teapot to pour tea, but Wumeng Yunyou pressed her hand and said: “Listen to me, even if some of those people are still alive, they’re mostly useless. The Master spent a lot of time trying to win over this group of martial arts experts, but now they’ve been bombed to pieces, and all their achievements have fallen short. After the old man heard the news in the morning, he flew into a rage on the spot. He might come here to ask you about it soon, so be careful when answering. Don’t make him angry again.”

Wumeng Yunle did not answer these words, but asked: “Ge, do you know anything about Dawn’s Gate?”

“Dawn’s Gate?” Wumeng Yunyou said leisurely, “I know the head is Zhao Xiang. This person joined the sect three years ago and was able to perform capably. The Master planned to reward him this time, but unfortunately, he was blown to death by that surnamed Song.”

“He didn’t die.” Wumeng Yunle recalled, “Moments before the explosion, he took another person beside him, and like a sharp arrow, flew to the other side. His speed was extremely fast. If it wasn’t because I kept looking at him, it would have been difficult to notice.”

Wumeng Yunyou frowned: “Why did you keep looking at him?”

“I don’t know either,” Wumeng Yunle replied. “But I thought he was different from all the other men on the scene, like……like a god walking out of a painting, tall and heroic.”

Wumeng Yunyou had met Zhao Xiang before. He recalled the face of that middle-aged man, and his brow wrinkled up: “Are you okay? Could that kind of person possibly be like a god? Out of a hundred people walking on the street, at least fifty look just like him.”

“It’s not about looks.” Wumeng Yunle described carefully, “It was his whole person. While standing there, he was out of tune with everything around him.”

Wumeng Yunyou couldn’t understand what his sister was saying, but he felt that these words were a bit dangerous and anything but reassuring. He leaned closer and warned: “Even if the man wasn’t killed by the bomb, his family already has wives and concubines, so don’t think about it. I heard that people from the government have gone to White Crown now. If they discover the relationship between Dawn’s Gate and the Baifu Sect, Zhao Xiang will definitely be arrested wherever he goes in the country, and Master will also give up this chess piece. At that time, he’ll just be a homeless dog. You’d better come to your senses.”

“I just told you about it because I thought he was strange, and now you’re talking about wives and concubines.” Wumeng Yunle threw away the teacup unhappily. “Forget it, I’m tired and don’t want to talk.”

“Don’t go yet.” Wumeng Yunyou reminded her in a low voice, “Master is here.”

Footsteps could be heard outside, and both of them stood up.

. . . . . . .

The people in Raven City were still muttering about the relationship between Yang Manor and the Baifu Sect in private, and they were a little nervous, which diluted the originally strong spirit of the New Year. Liu Xian’an stood beside Song Chansheng’s bed to carefully examine the suddenly swollen wound on his face, and said: “It seems to be poison, ah.”

“What kind of poison?” Song Changsheng asked.

“It’s hard to say,” Liu Xian’an said. “There are many poisons in the Southwest, and I have not seen all of them in books, so I can only prescribe some powders to see if they are effective.”

Song Changsheng was injured all over his body from the blast and needed meticulous care from a doctor. Liu Xian’an stayed in his room for a while until His Royal Highness Xiao Wang personally came to look for him. 

Song Changsheng didn’t know why he had come, and thought that the prince had come to ask him about the Baifu Sect, so he struggled to sit up, but A-Ning pushed him down.

“Song-xiansheng should continue to lie down,” A-Ning said. “I can do the rest.”

Song Changsheng was confused. “Ah?”

But Liang Shu had already taken Liu Xian’an away. The wind was cold in the twelfth lunar month, and the brazier in the room was warming it up. Liu Xian’an removed his cloak: “I don’t know when Elder Brother will come to the Southwest. In addition to looking at Commander Ku, he can take a look at the poison on Song-xiansheng’s face.”

Liang Shu: “Your elder brother has done research on poisons?”

“All I know about poisons comes from the poison compendium compiled by my elder brother.” Liu Xian’an said, “If you want to detoxify, you must learn poisons. There are also many toxic flowers, weeds, and insects in Biahe Mountain Village. I will take the prince to see them next time.”

Liang Shu knocked on his head, unable to laugh or cry: “Don’t you know how to show me red flowers and green willows, something auspicious and festive?”

Liu Xian’an avoided his hand. You don’t understand, the more colorful the flowers, the more poisonous they are. He stood by the basin to wash, but Liang Shu couldn’t live in peace, and embraced him from behind, reminding him: “Why haven’t you asked me about buying rouge?”

Liu Xian’an paused for a moment, then replied truthfully: “Because I forgot.”

Liang Shu was dissatisfied, and exhorted: “How could you forget such an important matter? What if I gave it to some pretty girl? After hearing there’s a fire in the back courtyard, you don’t know to be anxious.”

“Fire is fire.” Liu Xia’an continued to wipe his face with a handkerchief. “If I was anxious and the fire didn’t die, wouldn’t that be a waste of time?”

“You at least have to drink vinegar,” Liang Shu persuaded.

Liu Xian’an was cheerful, and did not drink.

He didn’t drink, but His Royal Highness Xiao Wang did not give up. He lifted him up and walked toward the bed, insisting on brewing some sourness in his sweetheart over the rouge powder a few years ago. Liu Xian’an was so discomposed by him that he could do nothing. Lying on the bed unable to move or struggle free, he could only turn his head with a smile: “Okay, okay, I’ll listen. Isn’t listening good?”

“No negotiating.” Liang Shu placed his arms around his waist. “If you want to hear a story, you must toss two copper coins at a teahouse. You’re taking advantage of me.”

Liu Xian’an’s clothes were disheveled under his palms, and it was not clear who was taking advantage of whom. Liang Shu’s fingers slid down his open neckline, and he said while they slid: “There are no twists and turns in this story, just a group of soldiers from the vanguard who achieved great success. When they went to patrol outside the pass, they actually rescued an entire village from bandits in the desert. There were many young girls among them, and they looked back and forth at each other. When they returned to Yacheng, they had developed more than a dozen pairs.”

There had never been a wedding of this scale at the military camp. Liang Shu was very happy when he heard about it, and simply took his group of subordinates to buy the betrothal gifts in person. Holding long lists in their hands, everyone walked around the streets, buying everything from cured chicken and pork to rouge powder and other cosmetics. It was probably at that time that Song Changsheng bumped into him. When Liang Shu finished speaking, he pressed his lips to the other’s chest and rubbed them intimately, saying: “So I’m very familiar with the process of betrothal and getting married. I will definitely not be deficient in courtesy for you in the future.”

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Chapter Seventy-Nine << Table of Contents >> Chapter Eighty-One