171 Demonic
"Steward Huang didn't agree to let them in. They said that they'll stand at the entrance of the courtyard and bow to you."
As the old woman spoke, she pointed out of the corridor.
Separated by the messy courtyard and the snow, they could see Steward Huang, who was 70 to 80 feet away, wearing a raincoat and a bamboo hat. He and a young man were talking as they walked to the entrance of the courtyard through the snow.
The slender young man had his back to Gu Yanfei and was holding a tung oil umbrella to block the snow. At this moment, the sky was dark and the snow was too heavy. She could only vaguely see that he was wearing a red robe with a long body and a graceful figure.
The moment the young man walked to the entrance of the courtyard, the surrounding crows seemed to have become mute and fell silent.
There was a dead silence in the courtyard and outside, as if time had frozen at this moment.
Gu Yanfei stared at the young man holding the umbrella in a daze.
What attracted her attention was the scarlet luck that lingered around the young man. In this dark night with no stars or moon, in the vast snow, the "scarlet" was still so bright and demonic.
It was as if a large ball of demonic fire was burning fiercely. It was so enchanting and ostentatious, as if it wanted to devour the endless darkness around it.
It was as if he was the only one left in the world.
Steward Huang said something to the young man, who turned around and looked in Gu Yanfei's direction.
As he turned around, the crows that had been parked around suddenly took off and fled in all directions. The treetops on the wall instantly became empty.
Rustle…
A few black crow feathers fluttered down. One landed on the umbrella.
The young man under the umbrella was slightly pale. His facial features were beautiful, as flawless as jade.
Those charming phoenix eyes slanted, and his dark pupils shone in the shadow of the tung oil umbrella.
The vast snowstorm could not suppress his beauty.
His beauty was so bright and dazzling.
It was indeed him! Gu Yanfei's eyes darted around, but she remained calm.
The flower girl from Tianyin Pavilion that day.
Among the people she had seen, this person was the only one surrounded by this strange scarlet luck.
In the Tianyin Pavilion, the young man was wearing gorgeous female clothes as a flower girl. The jewelry and exquisite makeup made him look like a graceful red peony, enchanting and dazzling.
And now, he was wearing men's clothes. His red clothes were like fire—strong but not burning. He was less enchanting and more elegant. His temperament was slightly feminine, but he still had the charm to captivate all living beings.
The beautiful young man smiled and cupped his fists with the hand holding the umbrella. His red sleeve fell, making his wrist look as fair as porcelain.
He cupped his hands and looked at Gu Yanfei, who was under the corridor, and said politely, "My surname is Xia. Thank you for taking us in, Miss."
His voice was also too different from that day on the stage. It was clear and unique.
"It was nothing. Young Master Xia, you're welcome," Gu Yanfei said as she walked along the corridor towards the entrance of the courtyard with a faint smile on her lips.
The corridor above cast a faint shadow on Gu Yanfei's beautiful face, making it blurry.
She had no intention of sitting back and waiting for someone else to take her life.
Since both sides were bound to fight, she might as well strike first and catch the other party off guard.
Gu Yanfei walked at a leisurely pace. Her large cloak completely covered the short sword at her waist, not revealing it at all.
"Miss." Steward Huang bowed to Gu Yanfei uneasily. The bamboo hat slid down as he lowered his head, and he hurriedly straightened it again.
They were getting closer and closer. Suddenly, Gu Yanfei felt alarm bells ringing in her heart, and the hair on her neck stood on end.
Her instincts told her that there was already an ambush ahead and more than one person.
The darkness and snow had become the best cover for the ambushers. Pairs of murderous eyes were hiding in the darkness and looking at her.
Even from afar, Gu Yanfei could smell the blood on these people.
These people were really killing machines that had been stained with blood from killing people.
The further she went, the more obvious this killing intent became.
Steward Huang did not notice anything, but Gu Yanfei had experienced countless life and death tempering in the Bright Spirit Realm and could sense the killing intent hidden in the snow.
Even though she had never met or fought him, she could deeply feel—
Once the other party attacked, she would definitely not be able to dodge.
When this realization clearly appeared in her mind, Gu Yanfei stopped as if nothing had happened. She stopped less than ten feet away from the two people in front of her. Steward Huang and the young man who called himself Xia stood outside the courtyard, while she stood inside the courtyard.
Snow fell like a half-transparent curtain between them.
As she closed the distance, the young man's face became clearly visible. His skin was fine and flawless.
His thick black hair was tied up with a red jade hairpin, and his red clothes flowed with a golden luster under the swaying light. One could vaguely see exquisite patterns embroidered on the clothes with threads of the same color. On his waist was a small bloodstone seal and a dark red pouch. Overall, he was dressed very extravagantly.
Gu Yanfei looked at him leisurely and smiled. She said appropriately, "Young Master Xia, don't be restrained. Rest well tonight."
Then she instructed Steward Huang, "Steward Huang, bring Young Master Xia to the guest courtyard to settle down."
Steward Huang responded repeatedly.
Young Master Xia seemed to have only come to thank her. He cupped his hands and bade farewell. "Then I won't disturb you anymore."
As soon as he finished speaking, he turned around unhurriedly and glanced at her again. His eyes were filled with a terrifying beauty.
The moment he stepped out of the courtyard, the thick, high-pitched crowing sounded again from the top of the wall. A few crows flew back and circled the roof above the wall, annoying and disturbing.
The wind and snow howled incessantly. It sounded like a cry and a whine, rustling the branches.
172 Life-Saving
The corridor at the back was silent, and no one spoke for a long time. Only the little girl muttered innocently to her mother, "Mother, that young master just now was really good-looking. He was even better-looking than the deity in the painting!"
Gu Yanfei stood rooted to the ground and quietly watched Young Master Xia's retreating back. She seemed to be watching him leave, but she was actually observing her surroundings without revealing anything.
The flowers and plants nearby had been trampled. Two or three people were hiding in the canopy of the sycamore trees to the northeast, and there were also people in the shadows on the eaves and walls over there…
Gu Yanfei sighed silently. Just as she exhaled a wisp of white air, it was mercilessly blown away by the cold wind.
!
If she was alone today, she had an 80% chance of saving her life. However, with Juan Bi, Granny Pang, and more than a hundred people in this manor, she was not even 10% confident.
Gu Yanfei gently stroked her cloak, turned around, and walked back towards the corridor.
She instructed the servant, "Go and tell your husband to call all the servants in the manor here."
Finally, she added, "Be careful not to alarm the 'Xia' family."
The servant was slightly stunned. She could hear the seriousness in Gu Yanfei's voice and also tell that she seemed to be deeply afraid of this family that was here to stay.
At this point, there was no point in blaming the other party for making decisions on his own. Gu Yanfei did not say anything else. She waved her hand and gestured for the servant to go while she headed towards the central room.
The servant hurriedly bowed and ran out of the courtyard along the corridor.
The atmosphere in the corridor was a little oppressive and heavy. The wind and snow around them wailed, and the air faintly emitted an ominous aura.
About 10 minutes later, Steward Huang arrived, sweating profusely. It was winter in December, but he was so anxious that he broke out in a sweat. He was in fear and trepidation.
The servants in the manor had come with him and gathered under the porch in front of the hall.
They did not know what had happened. They whispered to each other, all a little uneasy.
Steward Huang ordered someone to close the door of the courtyard and instructed the guards to guard the front and back doors. Then they entered the central room.
"Miss." Steward Huang bowed stiffly. His expression was grave, and he could not hide the anxiety in his eyes. "Everyone is here."
The servants outside all pricked up their ears to listen.
Gu Yanfei sat on an armchair in the central room and comforted him indifferently, "The snow is heavy and the wind is strong today. Just now, the trees were even blown down. If the house is not stable, I'm afraid it will be dangerous. It's better to gather everyone together to prevent anything from happening."
Her voice was neither loud nor soft. Most of the servants outside heard her and looked toward the two plum trees in the courtyard that had been cut at the waist. They whispered to each other, their voices coming from time to time.
"Miss is still the most attentive," Steward Huang said dryly. Then, he went out and instructed the servants in the manor to tidy up the east and west rooms, preparing for everyone to sleep on the ground here tonight.
As long as they were busy, it wasn't easy for them to think too much, and they had something to focus on. The atmosphere eased a little.
Juan Bi could tell that something was wrong with her lady's appearance. She bit her lower lip slightly, feeling uneasy as if she had been scratched by a cat.
Gu Yanfei waved at Juan Bi.
Juan Bi obediently took a few steps forward and bowed, waiting for her instructions.
Gu Yanfei stared at Juan Bi's face repeatedly without saying a word.
She still looked dead. A thick aura of death almost drowned Juan Bi's small face, as if it had been blackened by smoke.
Gu Yanfei pinched Juan Bi's small chin with her slender fingers and sighed. "There's danger now. Are you afraid?"
Hearing Gu Yanfei's question, Juan Bi's anxious heart relaxed. She felt as if the dust had settled and shook her head.
"I'm not afraid."
She was not afraid with her lady around.
Juan Bi smiled foolishly, her eyes bright and determined.
Gu Yanfei smiled. "Don't worry, it'll be fine, as long as you're obedient."
"I'm very obedient," Juan Bi said with a confident nod.
She wasn't confident in anything else, but she was very confident in this.
Juan Bi leaned her round face closer and stared at Gu Yanfei without blinking. She asked, "What do you want me to do?"
"There's no hurry," Gu Yanfei said casually with a faint smile.
She turned to look out of the window. She placed one hand on the window sill and gently stroked the short sword she had placed on the table with the other. She seemed to be playing with it, but also seemed to be deep in thought.
173 Life-Saving
The snow didn't stop. Snowflakes with ice grains cracked against the roof tiles.
She was looking at a wall outside the house, but Juan Bi could roughly guess that she should be looking in the direction of the guest courtyard.
No, or rather—
That Young Master Xia.
!
Young Master Xia, whom they had been thinking about, was standing motionless in front of a window in the guest courtyard, quietly looking in the direction of the main courtyard.
His charming phoenix eyes were as dark as ink and as deep as a pool.
A few snowflakes landed on his long green eyelashes, and there seemed to be a few tears on them.
His red lips curled slightly in an enchanting smile, but there was no warmth in his eyes. They were colder than the wind and snow, making the smile on his beautiful face seem more like a mask.
Dressed in red and with a red jade hairpin in his bun, he was as coquettish as the Red Spider Lily on the other side of the Yellow Spring. A demonic and dangerously contradictory aura surrounded him.
The house was dark and unlit. A strong wind blew, and white snowflakes floated from the window like silver moonlight.
10 feet behind him, a young manservant stood in the ink-black shadows. He was silent, as if he were a ghost without a presence. He lowered his head respectfully, not daring to look up at the young man in front of him.
An old figure entered silently from the back door, his passage not affected by the darkness of the house at all.
The silver-haired old man walked past the young man with vigorous steps and stopped three steps away from Young Master Xia. The snowflakes on his body quickly turned into water droplets.
The old man bowed and cupped his fists as he reported in a low voice, "Young Master, everything has been arranged."
"I walked around this farmstead just now and checked carefully. These are all ordinary country bumpkins. There are old, young, and strong servants, but none of them is trained. At most, a dozen strong men have a strong aura."
"I discovered that some carriages came here more than an hour ago, but they've all left. From the looks of it, they're returning to the capital. It's snowing heavily tonight, and those ruts are almost covered."
"I also heard from a few villagers that the wind is strong tonight. The main family asked us to close the doors and windows, lock the horse pens, extinguish the lights, and burn the fire. They said to rest early."
"Now that the lights are out, the people in this manor should have rested."
In the last sentence, the old man raised his eyes slightly and looked at the young man's handsome face in front of him. His sharp old eyes flashed with cold killing intent.
Water droplets of snow slowly fell from the old man's sleeve, soaking the ground below.
The faint ticking was almost inaudible under the sound of the snow outside.
"She's smart," Young Master Xia said in a low voice. It sounded like praise, but it was also thoughtful.
A chuckle that was like a snowfall of ice floated out of his coquettish lips, making anyone who heard it shiver.
"…" The old man looked up at him again in confusion. His heart was in his throat, and he was nervous.
"She can tell," Young Master Xia said firmly. His lips curled into a smile as he casually broke off a red plum by the window.
There was a blood-red ring on his slender and flawless fingers. The ring resembled red jade or metal, and there were detailed and complicated patterns engraved on it. Its bright red color made his hand look cold and white.
He stared in the direction of the main courtyard.
At this moment, there were still some lights flashing in this huge manor. It was like a pearl in the endless night, tempting people to fly into the fire.
The old man and the others behind him also followed his gaze in the direction of the main courtyard.
The old man's pupils dilated, and a solemn expression appeared on his face. At this moment, he finally realized what Young Master meant.
The owner of this manor had actually discovered their intentions. Had she seen through their identities, or…
Forget it, it didn't matter what it was!
In the blink of an eye, the old man's expression changed several times, from surprise and solemnity to killing intent.
Only Young Master Xia's expression did not change as he stood in front of the window. His fingers gently twirled the delicate red plum. The red petals trembled slightly, and a few snowflakes floated gently between his fingers.
He smiled again, sly and feminine. His voice was like a song as he said, "Interesting."
He was smiling, but the smile never reached his eyes.
Whether the other party had discovered any clues or not, it was meaningless to him.
There was only one word left. "Death."
His eyes had been very calm from the beginning, like ice that had been frozen for a thousand years, or like he was looking down at all living beings from the clouds. All living beings were ants, and no one could enter his eyes.
The smile on his lips deepened, like the bewitching hell flower that bloomed instantly in the night, red and lustful, more dazzling than the red plum between his fingers.
The cold wind blew twice, roughly sweeping up the broken branches on the ground and slamming them into the stone steps nearby. The leaves scattered and shattered.
Young Master Xia slowly turned around and changed the topic. "Has our Third Prince left the capital?"
There was an extremely subtle change in his tone as he said it—intimate and soft, like an ice sword wrapped in frosting.
The old man composed himself and suppressed the matters of the manor beforehand. His mind returned to the serious matter of this trip, and he replied respectfully, "Young Master, he has already arrived at the Seven Mile Pavilion."
"He'll be here in half an hour."
The old man's pupils shone in the darkness.
After finishing his business, he stood quietly with his head lowered. His movements and expressions were all respectful.
In the thick, ink-like darkness, the old and the young stood still like two blood-stained long knives with a murderous aura.
There was silence.
The sound of falling snow outside the house became clearer and clearer, and a murderous aura spread.
Young Master Xia's hand that was holding the red plum fell leisurely and he said indifferently,
"It's time."
His tone was casual. He casually threw the delicate red plum down, scattering it in an arc like a drop of blood.
The other two men beside him immediately understood his order.
...
Kill!
Even though he did not say who to attack, the old and young men present all understood what he meant.
This sentence determined that none of the hundreds of lives in this manor would be spared.
174 So Beautiful
In unison, they dropped to one knee and cupped their hands.
The long sabers that had long tasted countless mouthfuls of blood were unsheathed at this moment, flashing with a murderous aura.
The old and young men were overflowing with cold air, but Young Master Xia was still smiling.
To Young Master Xia, these hundreds of lives seemed insignificant. It was just a lift of his finger, like the red plum that he had casually broken.
!
Since they were weak, they were destined to be ravaged.
Since they were lowly, they were destined to be trampled on.
This was life.
"Caw…"
In the distance, the sound of crows seemed to return. The old man who was kneeling on one knee was about to get up when he heard a high female voice outside the window. "Young Master Xia, my lady asked me to deliver a message!"
In the snow, even if the girl tried her best to shout, her voice was still blown away by the cold wind.
Juan Bi stood at the entrance of the guest courtyard, wearing a large and thick cloak. She held a small glass lantern in one hand and looked at the beautiful young man standing by the window.
Her right hand gripped the handle of the lantern tightly inside her cloak. A chill ran down her neck, and she felt as if pairs of eyes were staring at her from the darkness.
Young Master Xia's face was half turned away, his gaze lowered. He did not even look up, and was like a carved jade statue.
A snowflake landed gently on the tip of his nose, but he remained motionless.
Outside the window, there was a white snowstorm. The sky was silver, and the young man was hidden behind the dark window, only half of his chin exposed in the snow.
This window was like a clear line that divided the inside of the window into two worlds.
Just looking at the person behind the window made Juan Bi feel a little afraid. Her heart was pounding so hard that it was about to jump out of her chest, but her expression was very determined.
"Don't worry."
Her lady's soft words echoed in her ears again with soothing power.
Juan Bi silently counted in her head. One, two, three.
Seeing that there was no movement behind the window, she trembled and took a few more steps in Young Master Xia's direction with the lantern. At the same time, she reached out her left hand, hidden in her cloak, and unfolded her fist, palm up.
In the center of her palm, which was red from the cold, lay a small snow-white paper crane.
The whistling wind blew past, and the paper crane was gently blown upward.
The moment it left her palm, the paper crane spread its wings as if it were alive and flew in the direction of the window with the wind.
In the dim yellow flickering light, the white paper crane seemed to flash with a sparkling, dreamlike shimmer.
The cold wind was strong, almost tearing apart the dense plum blossoms on the branches and pulling them off. However, the small and fragile paper crane was exceptionally gentle. It gently flew all the way to the dark window.
"…" Juan Bi's eyes widened as she silently exclaimed in disbelief.
Not only Juan Bi, but even Young Master Xia found it novel. For the first time, a crack appeared in his smile.
It was no longer a seductive and feminine smile, but an exclamation.
Young Master Xia, who had been as still as a mountain, finally moved. His left hand, which was wearing a blood ring, rose again, palm flat.
The paper crane without the painted eyes landed shakily in his palm. Its thin paper wings fluttered with the wind. It was unknown if they were flapping on their own or if the wind was moving them.
The old and the young in the room also saw the paper crane fly over. A trace of surprise flashed across their eyes before they calmed down.
They were not newbies anymore. They had traveled the world and stepped through mountains of corpses and seas of blood. They had seen many strange people and had heard and witnessed the methods of those Taoist priests and monks.
The paper crane stopped in Young Master Xia's palm. He gently pinched one of the paper crane's wings with his other hand, and a hint of amusement appeared on his blood-stained red lips.
Interesting.
That was all.
The young man's eyes were still cold, calm, and indifferent. His heart did not waver because of this magical paper crane.
Since he had already made his decision, he did not like to change it. They were just some ants. So what if they died?
He shook a corner of the paper crane, but it seemed to have lost its "life" and was lifeless.
It had become the most ordinary origami.
The corners of Young Master Xia's lips drooped slightly, his interest waning, but he still slowly unfolded the paper crane.
175 So Beautiful
Eh?
He raised his eyebrows slightly, his deep eyes fixed on the white paper covered in creases.
Since that girl had specially ordered her maidservant to deliver a letter to him, it meant that she was afraid of death and did not dare to come herself.
He originally thought that the other party was using this little trick to attract his attention and beg for mercy.
However, there were only two simple words written on this paper:
Diverting misfortune.
The handwriting was neat and strong.
There was both the beauty and gracefulness unique to women, as well as a confident and unhurried aura.
That subtle contradiction was evident in those words.
Young Master Xia's indifferent gaze lingered on these few words on the paper, and the smile on his lips became more thoughtful.
Those words seemed to mean something, as if the other party had seen through his intentions for this trip.
Due to his pause, even the old man and the servant were shocked. They could not help but look at the paper in Young Master Xia's hand.
"Young Master Xia." Juan Bi's almost broken voice came from outside the window again. "Our lady said that she has met you once at Tianyin Pavilion, and that it's fate to meet again."
Young Master Xia finally reacted and raised his eyebrows slightly.
He never cared too much about people who were destined to die. He had only casually glanced at her just now and only remembered that her face was hidden in the hood of her cloak.
Thinking of Tianyin Pavilion, a bloody scene flashed across his mind one day.
It was she—the girl who had saved Imperial Duke Wei with her profound medical skills.
She actually recognized him?
A glint flashed across Young Master Xia's eyes as he casually crumpled the white paper into a ball. When he threw it out, the white paper had already turned into countless pieces of paper that rolled together with the snow.
He strolled in the direction of the gate.
The old man and the servant were stunned. They originally thought that the young master would not care about this little maidservant at all, but they did not expect him to actually take action. It seemed that he planned to meet the owner of this manor.
The old man hesitated for a moment. Just as Young Master Xia was about to step out of the door, he asked cautiously, "Young Master, should we…" Follow the plan?
Before he could finish, the young man interrupted him.
"Go on."
The two words were light, but colder than the wind and snow outside.
He meant to continue the plan.
A cold killing intent flashed across the old man's eyes. His sharp gaze shot accurately through the open window to Juan Bi in the snow outside.
Young Master Xia opened the tung oil umbrella again and walked towards Juan Bi in the snow.
The wind and snow were so strong that they seemed capable of blowing people up, but his footsteps were extremely safe and leisurely, as if he was walking in the wind and drizzle of Jiangnan.
The slender hand holding the handle of the tung oil umbrella was so stable that the umbrella did not sway at all.
Seeing that Young Master Xia had come out, Juan Bi's originally suspended heart relaxed. Her hands, which were hidden in her cloak, were already sweating.
Her lady had said that the first step would depend on whether Young Master Xia was willing to see the words on the paper crane.
As long as he read it, she would say the second sentence on the silent count of three.
The second step was to see if Young Master Xia was willing to come out.
As long as he was willing to come out, there was room for negotiation.
Juan Bi watched without blinking as the other party approached in her direction. He was clearly smiling, but she felt an invisible sense of oppression.
When the other party was 10 feet away, Juan Bi swallowed and reached out to gesture. She pointed out of the courtyard and said, "Young master, our lady is waiting for you in the pavilion."
Her voice was trembling, and even her raised hand was trembling slightly. For some reason, it was as if a cold wind had blown through her body. There was an instinctive fear deep in her heart that made her want to run.
After walking out of the courtyard, they walked straight southeast along a stone path. It was a small pavilion built beside a few green bamboos.
Juan Bi tried to follow, but a ghostly figure blocked her way.
The gray-robed elder with silver hair had a thin face that was shaped like withered bamboo. He placed one arm in front of Juan Bi. His old eyelids drooped weakly, and a cold light shot towards Juan Bi like lightning.
Juan Bi took half a step back in fear. Her legs felt weak under her cloak, and the uneasy feeling of being targeted by a wild beast came back.
Her hand shook, and the candle flame in the lantern flickered even more violently. Light and shadow danced rapidly, illuminating the old man's lean face with some ferocity.
Young Master Xia walked over slowly, his steps carrying a strange rhythm. His blood-red cuffs were blown by the wind, dancing in the night like raging flames.
Gu Yanfei stood behind the stone table in the pavilion and looked at him intently.
Or rather, she wasn't looking at him. She was looking at his luck.
It had only been a short while, but the scarlet air lingering around his body had actually become even redder and richer, as if the flowing blood was about to drip out.
Legend had it that the Red Spider Lily on the other side of the Netherworld used blood as nutrients to be so beautiful and achieve beauty that did not belong to the mortal world.
"How beautiful."
Gu Yanfei stared at the scarlet luck around him and sighed sincerely.
Her voice was not loud, but Young Master Xia, who had just reached the pavilion, still heard her.
He paused in the act of putting away the umbrella before continuing to put it away. His handsome face was slightly to the side, and the soft light from the pavilion shone on his face, outlining his beautiful side profile.
His long and slightly raised eyebrows curled into a charming arc.
No one had ever dared to say such a thing in front of him.
...
He gently shook the umbrella, and the snowflakes on it scattered like countless crystal beads. The transparent ice crystals reflected a bloody light under his red clothes.
176 Profit
"Young Master Xia."
Gu Yanfei reached out and gestured with a faint smile.
She didn't seem to notice the old man with a long saber outside the pavilion, and was very at ease.
Young Master Xia sat down on a stone bench beside the stone table and looked at her face with interest, as if he was examining her, but also as if his mind had drifted away.
His frozen eyes were filled with indifference toward everything.
Without a word, he took out a plain handkerchief from his sleeve and carefully wiped his long fingers in slow movements.
Gu Yanfei took a step closer to him and did not care about his disregard. "Xia Houqing, Young Master Xia Hou."
When the girl smiled, her eyebrows flew up, and her bearing was clear. She had the brightness of a young girl, but there was also a hint of cunning and unrestrainedness.
Xia Houqing's originally calm pupils finally rippled slightly.
He stopped wiping his fingers and glanced at Gu Yanfei with raised eyebrows.
It was not until this moment that Gu Yanfei's face was reflected in his pupils.
The girl in front of him was not even 28 years old, and her face still had a hint of childishness. However, the calmness, ease, and carefreeness she exuded with every move was definitely not that of a young and ordinary girl.
The cold wind was still raging, the green bamboos by the pavilion were still emerald green, and their leaves were covered in a layer of snow, like jade leaves and branches. Occasionally, they swayed and rustled.
Gu Yanfei smiled slightly and met Xia Houqing's deep eyes steadily.
She knew that she was now walking on a thin, suspended wire, and below her was a bottomless abyss.
One wrong step, and she could fall into the abyss and be beyond redemption.
However, the more she faced such a situation, the calmer she became.
She was a medical cultivator, and no one in the Bright Spirit Realm would be an enemy of medical cultivators. However, spirit beasts and demonic beasts were ferocious. If she wanted good medicinal herbs, she would definitely have to take risks. She had encountered countless dangers of all sizes and was already used to facing the danger of being targeted by demonic beasts.
"Young Master Xia Hou." Gu Yanfei walked towards him and asked casually with a smile, "How long until Baili Yin arrives? How long do we have to talk?"
It was as if the two of them were old friends and were just catching up today.
Xia Houqing began to slowly wipe his fingers again, wiping each finger clean. Then, he casually threw away the still white handkerchief.
A male voice that sounded like a mountain stream and a bell floated from his lips. "It seems that you know a lot."
He placed one hand on the stone table. The blood-red ring swirled with a strange, cold sheen in the light.
The young man's smile was bright. In an instant, the scarlet air around him surged crazily. There was an indescribable madness and strangeness, which also added to his aura and made people not dare to look at him directly.
"Not much," Gu Yanfei said frankly. She sat down leisurely on the stone bench opposite him and chatted leisurely, ignoring the oppressive pressure around him.
"This is the capital." Gu Yanfei pointed at the oil lamp in the northeast corner of the stone table with an index finger and gently tapped the table in front of her. "This is the manor."
"After leaving the capital, no matter which direction he's headed, he won't 'pass by' this manor."
"Baili Yin must have come here to kill you, Young Master Xia Hou."
"Young Master, you used yourself as bait. As long as you replace everyone in this village with your death warriors, you can silently take Baili Yin's life."
"In that case, no one will know that you did it. What others will see is that Baili Yin died in an ordinary farmstead in the suburbs of the capital."
As she finished the last word, she slowly turned her gaze to Xia Houqing. The corners of her eyes were raised slightly, as if she was asking him—
Right?
Silence filled the pavilion.
In the distance, the ominous cawing of crows could be heard again, slightly altered by the sound of the snow.
"Pa! Pa!"
After a moment, a gentle and slow clap sounded.
Xia Houqing looked at Gu Yanfei, who was less than three feet away from him. He raised his hand and clapped lightly, confirming her guess.
He smiled, as if he couldn't stop it for a long time. The light cast a faint gold light on his long, curved eyelashes.
His smile was beautiful, but there was an unexplained dangerous chill in the snowy night.
Gu Yanfei was also smiling comfortably. She casually stroked her hair that was messed up by the wind and said bluntly, "Young Master Xia Hou, are you trying to use Baili Yin's death to 'divert misfortune' and cause another dispute between the Great Jin and the State of Yue so that you can benefit from it?"
177 Profit
She used a questioning tone, her voice rising at the end.
However, she did not expect the other party to answer, and simply continued, "Young Master, since you're from the State of Yue, it's obvious the State of Yue will profit."
"Unfortunately, the State of Yue and the Great Jin will not go to war."
Her tone was firm, and the smile on her lips deepened.
Xia Houqing did not comment, and just gently twirled the blood ring between his fingers. Under the light, his thick eyelashes cast faint shadows, and behind the shadows were bottomless pupils.
Meeting his dark eyes, Gu Yanfei said indifferently, "The Sage of the State of Yue wouldn't dare!"
"…" The old man outside the pavilion's eyes twitched. This girl really dared to say it!
Gu Yanfei casually picked up a withered leaf from the oil lamp on the table and twirled it twice before continuing casually, "The Sage of the State of Yue is already old. He's no longer the fierce tiger from before."
"Even if Baili Yin dies in the Great Jin, as long as the Great Jin has a new flintlock, the State of Yue will not dare to start a war."
She let go of the two fingers holding the dead leaf. In the blink of an eye, it was swept away by the powerful wind and snow and disappeared into the darkness.
Gu Yanfei met Xia Houqing's eyes from the side and said seriously, "Actually, there's no need to go through so much trouble if you want 'profit'."
"Oh?" Xia Houqing was still slowly spinning the blood ring, his charming eyes narrowing.
Gu Yanfei snapped her fingers crisply and suggested, with a relaxed expression, "Why don't we consider occupying the State of Yue first?"
"I can help you."
She smiled like a flower, as if she had no sense of life or death.
These words sounded like shameless boasting at first glance, causing the old man outside the pavilion to laugh mockingly.
Xia Houqing smiled again.
His eyes were beautiful and seductive, like the crescent moon in the night sky.
His hand that was spinning the ring stopped, as if he was bored. He turned his face slightly in Gu Yanfei's direction and said softly, "There's still half an hour."
He only gave her half an hour.
Xia Houqing's pupils were bone-chilling, not hiding his intention to slaughter the village at all. In stark contrast, there was a calm smile on his face.
The snow did not abate at all. Particles fell onto the roof of the pavilion, and the air was suffocatingly heavy.
The howling snow surrounded the pavilion like a ferocious beast.
"Have you heard of a saying, Young Master Xia Hou?" The smile on Gu Yanfei's face did not fade, and her expression seemed to be extremely relaxed. Her eyes seemed to be smiling, teasing, and threatening.
"A cloud-piercing arrow, a thousand troops come to meet each other."
She looked straight into Xia Houqing's eyes and spoke slowly.
Everyone knew this sentence. It came from Emperor Taizu of the Great Jin.
Gu Yanfei raised her hand and pointed at the night sky above. "Look."
In the next moment, with a whoosh, a bright red stream of light rose from the southeast. Like a huge bolt of lightning, it tore through the air and flew unstoppably into the snowy night sky above.
"Whoosh!"
A huge red firework exploded in the night sky, casting half the night sky in a fiery red light and even illuminating the farmstead below.
Xia Houqing's expression changed slightly as he looked up at the huge red fireworks in the night sky. His enchanting smile froze on his lips, and his dark pupils seemed to be dyed with bright blood.
"…" The old man guarding outside the pavilion was shocked, and his pupils suddenly constricted, as if he had been struck by lightning.
He remained motionless, letting the snow drift over his frosty eyebrows. His wrinkled face was gray and gloomy, and his heart sank as if it had been dipped in water.
By now, Baili Yin and the others should already be four miles away. They would definitely see the gorgeous red fireworks in the sky. Unless he was blind or stupid, it was impossible for him to walk into the trap.
The plan had failed!
This thought clearly appeared in the old man's mind.
He did not dare to look at Xia Houqing at all. He knelt on one knee in the snow, sweating profusely.
His mind was in chaos, and he had no idea what had gone wrong.
He had clearly sent people to keep an eye on everyone in the manor. Anyone who made any moves would be killed. Who shot this "cloud-piercing arrow" just now?!
What on earth had he missed out on?!
"Caw, caw…"
There was another noisy crow's cry in the distance. It was hard to tell if it was mourning or cheering.
In the blink of an eye, the big red firework disappeared into the night sky without leaving even a trace.
Gu Yanfei gently knocked on the stone table with one hand, her eyes seemingly filled with a dazzling galaxy.
"Look, we can't kill Baili Yin anyway." She smiled slightly and asked "considerately" again, "Why don't you consider my suggestion? Let's take over the State of Yue first?"
She finished her sentence in one breath, and her posture was relaxed. From the beginning to the end, she had been smiling faintly.
She knew that Xia Houqing did not want to kill them for the sake of a simple massacre. He was just doing whatever it took to achieve his goal.
To Xia Houqing, the hundreds of lives in this manor were just ants. How could he care about stepping on a few ants when he was working toward his goal?
She had ruined his plan to assassinate Baili Yin, but that did not mean that he could let these people in the manor live.
Benefits and value were most important.
She had to provide the other party with enough benefits and value to pique his interest.
Xia Houqing stared at Gu Yanfei. His smile was still demonic and a little lazy. For the first time, he fell into deep thought and rubbed his thumb slowly on the blood ring.
"I can help you."
...
178 Showdown
Help him? Xia Houqing's eyes narrowed into fox eyes that shone with a dangerous cold light, as if he had heard an interesting joke.
"We Taoist doctors don't only know some small tricks. I know all about talismans, divination, curses, and even physiognomy." Gu Yanfei smiled and praised herself. She leaned slightly closer to Xia Houqing, who was on the other side of the stone table.
Placing one hand on the stone table and hiding the other under it, she said confidently, "From your physiognomy, you came from a noble family, but your fate is full of misfortune. Not only did your family fall apart and you were left alone at a young age, but you also encountered calamities."
She wasn't just reading his physiognomy. The hand hidden under the table was calculating rapidly…
The more she read, the more shocked she became, but she didn't hesitate to tell him the result of her divination. With a casual attitude, she mercilessly reopened the other party's scar.
These words caused a clear crack to appear in Xia Houqing's frozen eyes.
Gu Yanfei continued without stopping, "When you were 14 years old, you escaped from the wolf's den and entered the tiger's den, pushing you into the 18 levels of hell."
"Your most cherished relative died that day. Your beliefs were crushed, and you rose from the ashes that day…"
The smile on Xia Houqing's face cracked.
There was extreme madness in his eyes and smile. Even the scarlet luck on his body extended its demonic claws like a ghost.
Suddenly, he raised his right hand, and his slender fingers attacked Gu Yanfei's neck like lightning. He was beautiful and flirtatious, like a fatal red poplar.
Gu Yanfei, who was originally sitting leisurely, suddenly stood up and retreated. Behind her was a pavilion pillar, blocking her steps. The other party's hand mercilessly pinched her soft neck.
That hand seemed to have never suffered. It was slender, beautiful, fair, noble, and delicate.
A smile appeared on Gu Yanfei's lips, and a trace of starlight flashed in her black jade pupils. The short sword hidden in her cloak had already been unsheathed by the time she retreated. With a silver flash, the blade drew a crescent-shaped arc, brushed past his sleeve, and held firmly against his neck.
A palm-sized red silk cloth fell from Xia Houqing's left sleeve and fluttered to the ground.
At first glance, it was as if there was an additional pool of bright red blood on the ground. It was a ghastly sight.
"My Lady!" Juan Bi, who was outside the pavilion, naturally saw this and screamed. She subconsciously wanted to step forward, but she was stopped again by the withered old man.
The old man's eyes were as cold as ice. Without Young Master's instructions, no one could go forward.
Time seemed to have stopped in the pavilion, and only the cold wind continued to howl.
The two of them remained in confrontational positions for a long time.
Xia Houqing did not seem to care about the short sword at his neck. His right hand tightened his grip on her neck slightly, and he looked straight at the girl, who was less than a foot away from him.
They were so close that they could see the little snowflakes on each other's hair and eyelashes, and they were so close that they could see the slightest change in expression on each other's faces.
Even though her neck was strangled, Gu Yanfei did not panic or feel fear at all. A casual smile even appeared on her face as she looked straight into his eyes.
His pupils were pitch-black and ink-like, without any impurities, like an abyss that wanted to swallow everything. Furthermore, there was no emotion in his eyes.
"Cough." Gu Yanfei coughed lightly because of the pressure in her throat. She was still smiling, high-spirited and arrogant. "I can help you take down the State of Yue."
"How is it? Is this deal worth the lives of the people in the manor?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Gu Yanfei took the lead and put down the short sword on Xia Houqing's neck to show her sincerity.
She stared deeply at Xia Houqing without blinking, her smile firm.
They stared at each other in silence.
It was as if a silent battle was taking place.
After a while, Gu Yanfei felt the pressure on her neck lighten. The hand strangling her slowly relaxed and finally retracted.
The other party's deep and charming phoenix eyes looked at her deeply, from madness to measurement to calmness. Under the light, his black eyes flashed with interest, and his gaze darted to Gu Yanfei's face.
The tense atmosphere in the pavilion was swept away.
Juan Bi finally heaved a sigh of relief. She patted her chest, and her shocked eyes lit up as she thought to herself, 'Sure enough, everything is within my lady's calculations! How could she be wrong when she said, "Don't worry!"'
179 Battle
Gu Yanfei touched her neck and reached out again. "Young Master Xia Hou, do you want to sit down? Let's talk slowly."
Without waiting for Xia Houqing to answer, she sat down on the original stone table and placed her short sword on the stone table.
Her every move was calm, carefree, and magnanimous, as if the dispute just now did not exist at all or as if they had just been joking.
However, the red finger marks on her fair neck were so glaring.
!
Xia Houqing slowly turned around. His wide sleeves and clothes danced with his movements, fluttering and wanting to fly. He had a gorgeous and ostentatious temperament.
Xia Houqing also returned to the stone bench and sat down. The two of them sat opposite each other again on both sides of the stone table.
They were both smiling, each with their own thoughts.
Xia Houqing took out a plain white handkerchief from his sleeve and slowly wiped his right hand that had strangled Gu Yanfei's neck.
"You said you were going to help me?" he asked bluntly. His clear voice was faintly lazy and low with mockery.
When his gaze swept across his left sleeve, where a corner had been cut off, his eyes were dark, and even his upturned lips froze for a moment. His eyebrows twitched, and his disdain and frustration were obvious.
This was the first time Gu Yanfei had seen so many expressions on his face.
She pretended not to see it and asked seriously, "What's the situation in the State of Yue now?"
Her clear eyes looked at Xia Houqing without blinking and with a humble expression.
There was silence in the pavilion for a moment.
The atmosphere between the two of them changed subtly again in an instant. The temperature suddenly dropped and became as cold as an icehouse.
A moment ago, Xia Houqing was still smiling lazily. At this moment, his smile was restrained, and his eyes were as cold as ice.
"You don't know?" he asked, almost enunciating each word.
"I don't know." Gu Yanfei smiled without any guilt, as if they were just talking about the weather today.
For the first time, the young man's beautiful and perfect face was about to lose control.
She didn't know anything and still dared to come and negotiate with him!
Xia Houqing's phoenix eyes narrowed dangerously, and his killing intent rose again. The scarlet aura around him surged like boiling water again.
Facing the other party's threatening gaze, Gu Yanfei's smile did not change, and she still looked carefree.
How could she know?!
In this life, she had been reborn less than three months ago. In her previous life, she had only stayed in Huaibei, Danyang City, and the capital. She had never left the capital until her death.
How could she know about the State of Yue?
She didn't even know the name Xia Houqing until today.
Seeing the fingers on Xia Houqing's right hand bend eagerly, as if he wanted to strangle her, Gu Yanfei thought for a moment and suggested sincerely, "Why don't I try calculating it?"
She fumbled around and took out a palm-sized compass from her sleeve.
Xia Houqing's smile almost cracked again. His eyes curved into an arc that could not be said to be evil or twisted.
The killing intent intensified.
The wind outside the pavilion suddenly intensified, as if it wanted to uproot the green bamboo.
To the northwest, a few black crows circled in midair, neither close nor far, cawing. Occasionally, a few black feathers would be blown over by the wind and land in the pavilion.
Gu Yanfei did not seem to notice the crisis in front of her. She took the compass and calculated…
The needle of the compass trembled as it turned. A few snowflakes floated gently onto the compass.
The light from the short sword beside him refracted into Xia Houqing's pupils, making his eyes even colder and emitting a faint coldness.
After the needle stopped, Gu Yanfei stared at the hexagram and calculated for a while before saying with a smile, "The Emperor Star is dim. The Sage of your country will fall seriously ill in a month. The battle for the throne will turn the royal court upside down."
When she said this, her expression and tone were too casual, as if she was talking nonsense.
When she said this, not only did it not make people feel solemn and enthusiastic, but it also made people feel that she was like a swindler.
After wiping the last fingertip, Xia Houqing rubbed the handkerchief in his palm and said indifferently, "Should I just kill you?"
His voice was like the night wind, cold and fleeting, with a half-smile on his lips.
Although he kept saying "kill", Gu Yanfei knew very well that his killing intent was less than 30%.
Gu Yanfei was not afraid at all. She pointed at the compass and explained the divination on it in all seriousness, "Mountain and ground are moving, the mountain up and the ground down. The Tuan day says, "The mountain moves up and weakens, and the ground stops."
Speak human language! Xia Houqing's impatience was written all over his face as he casually threw away the square handkerchief in his hand.
The white handkerchief landed lightly on the red sleeve.
A man in black leaped lightly from the wall not far away and appeared beside the withered old man. A whisper floated over. "Elder Qi…"
The old man's eyes narrowed as he quickly walked towards Xia Houqing in the pavilion and whispered in his ear.
Xia Houqing smiled in amusement and remained calm. New n𝙤vel chapters are published on
In the next moment, there was a commotion in the direction of the manor's door.
Dozens of armed guards surrounded a young man in white and walked over.
The guards each had their own duties. Some were in charge of opening the way, some guarded the sides, and some were in charge of bringing up the rear. Every guard's gaze was sharp and murderous.
They held torches in their hands. The burning light lit the courtyard as bright as day, dispelling the surrounding darkness.
At the same time, ghostly figures silently emerged from the surrounding walls, roofs, and treetops. They were either holding bows and arrows or long knives with murderous intent.
The two sides faced each other. As soon as their master gave the order, or even a gesture, the two sides would immediately start a war and blood would be spilled.
In this tense atmosphere, Chu Yi, surrounded by a faint layer of fire, walked over slowly with a smile on his face.
...
Dressed in flawless white clothes, he was even whiter than the surrounding snow, making his eyes clear and deep. His bearing was noble, as if he had come from the nine heavens on a cloud.
180 Demonstration
"It's so lively at night," Chu Yi said with a smile as he slowly walked in the direction of the pavilion.
His handsome face reflected a warm orange firelight and a smile like the spring breeze—warm and bright.
It was as if the blizzard had softened with his arrival. The wind became soothing, and the snow lightened.
Juan Bi was relieved.
!
In the pavilion, Gu Yanfei turned to look in Chu Yi's direction.
The moment their eyes met, Chu Yi smiled. The smile could not help but overflow from his eyes, making his face even gentler.
Si Hai followed beside him like a shadow, holding a tung oil umbrella. Gu Yuan also rushed to the manor with Chu Yi.
Gu Yuan walked behind Chu Yi. He quietly carried the long saber at his waist with one hand and walked with his head held high, looking sharp.
He looked warily around at the dark figures lurking in the darkness and heaved a sigh of relief. Fortunately, his sister was safe and sound. Fortunately…
Gu Yuan was on duty now and could not say anything casually. He could only blink at her quickly, meaning, "Are you alright?"
Gu Yanfei nodded calmly.
The snow suddenly lessened, and a breeze blew. It had only been a while, but there were only a few scattered snowflakes in the night sky.
Soon, Chu Yi was less than ten feet away from the pavilion. His gaze slowly moved from Gu Yanfei's face to the beautiful young man in red across the table.
He smiled and relaxed his brows. His gaze was fixed on the young man's devastatingly beautiful face as he pointed out the other party's identity.
"Lord Xia Hou, long time no see."
"Why didn't you tell me that you were in the capital? I can entertain you and catch up."
His gentle tone was neither fast nor slow.
Of course, Gu Yuan heard it too. He was stunned at first, but then he realized who this name represented.
The young man in red sitting with his sister was actually Xia Houqing of the State of Yue.
The rumored exalt of the Heavenly Hall who controlled half of the state affairs of the State of Yue and held half of the military power, was a figure that even the Crown Prince of the State of Yue had to be humbled by. He was enough to turn the tables in the State of Yue!
It was rumored that Xia Houqing was ruthless and decisive. He had once helped the State of Yue take down the southwestern Qiang Clan in one fell swoop, allowing the State of Yue to expand by 30%. He had also imitated the previous dynasty in killing 10 clans, shocking the entire country. The literati and scholars raised their brushes and reprimanded him, but Xia Houqing still did as he pleased.
Xia Houqing was a lunatic. It was said that an imperial censor in the State of Yue dynasty had only impeached him for being "evil" and was killed on the spot. Blood splattered in the Heavenly Hall, and no one in the dynasty dared to speak.
The list of such incidents was endless.
Gu Yuan's expression instantly changed uncontrollably. His heart tightened slightly, and he could not help but feel a lingering fear. He thought to himself thankfully again, 'Fortunately, I didn't come too late.'
No one could survive Xia Houqing's hands if he wanted to kill anyone. The number of lives he had taken probably exceeded the total population of the capital.
Gu Yuan stared intently at Xia Houqing in the pavilion.
"So it's Young Master Yi." Xia Houqing smiled familiarly. His red lips curled up as if he had just recognized Chu Yi, and he said lazily, "There's no need to entertain me. I've never liked such formalities."
A dangerous glint flickered in his dark eyes. He was judging the situation, speculating, thinking, and a little wary.
Many guesses flashed through his mind.
Chu Yi smiled slightly and strolled past the withered old man. His footsteps were elegant and stable without any change.
The silver-haired old man tensed, and a sharp killing intent flashed across his eyes. However, seeing that his master did not speak, he did not move and took root there like a withered tree.
Chu Yi walked into the pavilion alone. Without being invited, he sat down casually between Gu Yanfei and Xia Houqing.
Almost at the same time, Xia Houqing instructed the old man, "Old Qi, tell them to leave."
What?! The old man's eyes widened in disbelief as he instinctively looked at Xia Houqing.
Xia Houqing casually stroked his sleeve.
The grand Eldest Prince of the State of Jin even dared to come to the pavilion alone. What did he have to fear?!
Besides, if Chu Yi wanted to attack him, he would not have brought just these shrimp soldiers and crab generals to this farm.
The old man did not dare to question Xia Houqing's decision. He placed his fingers on his lips and immediately whistled sharply.