Chapter 131: Tidy Up (1)
“It’s been three years... hope you’ve been well.” A cold greeting arose in the room. Jie Xiu was startled. He had been struggling to fall asleep. This voice just now belonged to the noble person he had missed all these years.
“This benefactor…are you this poor monk’s savoir?” Jie Xiu put on his robe and lit up the oil lamp. He saw a man in tight, black garments leaning against a column, his face emotionless. That unchanging, ice-cold face confirmed his guess.
“This poor monk thought that…” Jie Xiu wiped the tears from his eyes, choking on his sobs. He couldn’t tell the other the thought he had kept at the bottom of his heart.
“How has the pagoda been?” Lin Si Yao went straight to the topic. If he hadn’t lived here for eight years and if he had ever wanted to destroy the old abbot’s effort, he wouldn’t have needed to find and aid someone to take care of the pagoda.
As he had watched the pagoda for ten years, he had no reason to let those disabled men who were struggling before their death break the quiet, small pagoda. He wanted the old abbot to rest in peace.
“Sigh, it’s a long story. Without those evil-doers out there, the Yun Luo Pagoda would have been fine…” Jie Xiu told Lin Si Yao how the others occupied the pagoda and what he knew about them.
“Benefactor, from twelve years ago, this poor monk has seen through this life. This poor monk just hopes to stay here and befriend the bright light and cool moon to quietly pass the rest of my life. Unexpectedly… Sigh, anyway, this poor monk has failed you!”
“Alright, don’t think too much. I’ll return tomorrow and resume the quietness of Yun Luo Pagoda.” Lin Si Yao listened to Jie Xiu. He nodded then turned around, hoping out through the room’s window. “Remember, don’t beat the grass and scare the snake.”
...
“What? They wanted to lure the twelve Blood Knights to Da Hui?” Xue Li felt it hard to believe while gazing at his son who had just come back with some news. He didn’t want to hold a grudge as the other had pulled him out of his warm and cozy bed at midnight. No matter what, his son didn’t find him quite often. However, after listening to the news, he was completely awake.
“According to you, is intelligence true? Someone has used the name of the twelve Blood Knights to deceive people. They wanted to attract the real twelve Blood Knights, also to make the Da Hui’s Emperor doubt the Blood Union… It’s a stone that kills two birds…” Xue Li shook his head, sighing. “I didn’t expect to see Xue Ying’s remaining rebels. There were still fish that escaped the net that year…”
“Tomorrow morning, I’ll take Situ Yun to the mountain.” Lin Si Yao didn’t want to listen to Xue Li’s sighing. He came to see this man just to hope that the other would take care of his wife and kids while he and Situ Yun were away.
“Do you need me to mobilize more people?” Xue Li looked at Lin Si Yao with worry. “An organization that could be able to hide for more than twenty years and distract the Twelve Blood Knights should have some capability. If you go with only two people, do you think you could fall into their trap?”
“They said they would ask the Rong City’s Castellan tomorrow to recruit more able-bodied men to build the tower on the mountain’s peak. If we wait, more innocent people will be involved.” Lin Si Yao shook his head. He had roughly investigated the others’ skills. He had stood on a big tree branch around ten meters away from the pagoda and eavesdropped on the others without being discovered. It proved the others didn’t have good competences. However, he wasn’t so sure if they had any weapons. That was why he plans to take Situ Yun with him. One would watch while the other attacked. No one shall escape. He wanted to finish them quickly; within half a day.
“Right… Okay, I’ll wait for your news. Where does the Rong City’s Castellan live? I’ll order Jian Heng to pay him a visit. Looking at the development of Qi Yun Town, I can say he’s a smart person.” Xue Li listened to his son and understood the reason they could not drag this matter. He nodded in agreement. And, he decided to send his subordinate to hold the Castellan back to prevent him from taking his troop to Mount Qi Yun.
Lin Si Yao nodded and returned to his own room. It looked like he had spent a lot of time traveling. Actually, he had used only two hours. He still had time to rest. Tomorrow, it will be a great battle. After the fight in the South Corridor, Si Luo was in a coma due to his severe wounds. The fight between him and Long Zu was also because of them. Very good! It’d been a while since he had a good exercise. He missed the feeling when he wielded a weapon in his hands.
...
At dawn the next day, Su Shuilian groped the spot on the bed next to her, which didn’t retain any body heat. She couldn’t help but frown. He forgot again! They had promised each other that every day, he must wake up with her. Moreover, they were in an inn. What kind of emergency business made him leave very early in the morning without a prior word of notification?
Anyway, since yesterday, when he suddenly suggested visiting Yun Luo Pagoda on Qi Yun Mountain, she had realized something was strange.
“Bai He, did you see A Yao?” After washing her face, Su Shuilian went to the wet-nurses’ room. She picked up Lin Long, who had just woken up, and breastfeed her. When she saw Bai He bringing Lin Xiao, she asked.
“I didn’t. Lady, it seems our journey changed. I heard Qing Lan said that we need to stay and rest in our room until noon. We’re not going to climb the mountain.” Bai He reported to Su Shuilian what she had just heard. Then, as she remembered something, she added, “Oh right, Young Master Situ is nowhere to be seen this morning, either. At the same time, Jian Heng, who stays with Young Master Situ, also went out after he visited the Blood Union’s Emperor’s room.”
“You didn’t see Yun-er, either? Did he go out to do something with A Yao?” Su Shuilian pondered for a while and accurately guessed. Normally, if A Yao went out, Yun-er would stay with her and the twins. He wouldn’t leave even a step away. Never had both of them disappeared at the same time. Did something really happen?
After feeding her kids, Su Shuilian returned to her room, contemplating.
Xue Li and Feng Ruo Er soon came to visit her.
Chapter 131: Tidy Up (2)
“I knew you would be worried.” Feng Ruo Er smiled and shook her head when she saw Su Shuilian open the door with a bewildered face. “Your husband didn’t tell you because he doesn’t want you to worry. But you skipped your breakfast because of it.”
She placed the dish on the table and pulled Su Shuilian to sit. “Don’t worry, child. He’ll return safe and sound. He has never been a careless man. You must know this, right?”
Oh yes, how come she had forgotten this? A Yao had never done anything he wasn’t so sure about its success. No matter what purpose it was for, he would put her and their kids in the safest position. And, he had never had anything unexpected happen to him.
“I was overthinking.” Su Shuilian smiled shyly.
“If I were you, it would be the same. It’s because you’ve put him in your heart.” Feng Ruo Er smiled, patting the back of Su Shuilian’s hand. “I’m happy that I have a daughter-in-law like you. Although my son doesn’t want to accept us, it can’t change the truth, right? Do you mind calling me mother?”
Su Shuilian was surprised. She lifted her head to look at the other. The noble queen had used a humble and low tone to beg her. She wanted her to call her mother, not the “Queen Mother” that one should address the queen.
“What? You can’t do that? Ah… Right. Our son isn’t close to us. Of course, his wife will stay on his side.”
“… Mother…” Su Shuilian was a little shy. She called softly, which successfully stopped Feng Ruo Er’s self-mocking.
“Li, did you hear that? Our daughter-in-law called me. She called me “mother”!” Feng Ruo Er wiped the corner of her eyes. She pulled her husband and showed off while sobbing. Su Shuilian felt her heart ache. How much did she yearn for A Yao to call her “mother”?
“I heard it. Look at how happy you are.” Xue Li smiled and wiped the drop of tears rolling from her eyes. He turned and looked at Su Shuilian. “Won’t you call me too?”
What! Call him what? Your Majesty? Or… Father?
“Father…” Su Shuilian called him with an unnatural tone. Now she was living in another world and she received two fathers out of nowhere. Was it true that the Heavens loved her so much that she was granted a husband and kids. Seeing it wasn’t enough, she also was gifted two pairs of parents whose status and identities were all higher than common people?
“Shuilian… I heard Zhan-er call you that. Do you mind if we call you the same?” Feng Ruo Er saw Su Shuilian shake her head so she continued, “After today, we have to return to Blood Union. It’s not that we don’t want to go with you guys to Fan Hua Town. There’s some business in the imperial palace that your father-in-law must come and handle himself.”
“… Mother?” When Su Shuilian heard that they would no longer accompany them to their home, the first thought that appeared in her head was that they were dispirited because of A Yao’s stubbornness. “A Yao… He…”
“It has nothing to do with him.” Feng Ruo Er shook her head, comforting the other. “You know how great the responsibility Li has to shoulder. He’s not as free as the common people. But I promise you, as soon as Li’ is done solving these issues, we will visit Fan Hua Town. I just hope when that time comes, you won’t despise us.”
“Of course not! Actually, A Yao has you in his heart. He’s just not good at showing his emotions. Moreover…” Su Shuilian hurried to explain as she was afraid that Xue Li and his wife would misunderstand cold-faced A Yao.
“Of course, we understand…” Feng Ruo Er exchanged a smile with Xue Li.
“Daughter-in-law, let me tell you, yesterday, your husband, our son came to see me and talked about today’s affairs. So, don’t worry. Anyway, you’re right. He’s not good at showing his emotion.” Xue Li smiled and said. To him, according to what happened yesterday, his son had come to him, which proved that he had accepted them in some aspects. It was enough!
...
Around 4:30 a.m., after one hour of fierce fighting, the Yun Luo Pagoda had finally quieted down.
Finishing the last troublemaker, Situ Yun put his sword back into his scabbard.
“ Senior Uncle, how do we deal with this?” His eyes swept through the corpses lying on the ground of Yun Luo Pagoda and asked Lin Si Yao, who was standing at the entrance.
It’d been so long since he’s had a chance to fight to his heart’s contents. It felt really good!
“Rid of it!” Lin Si Yao answered without lifting his head. He brushed his clothes and was releaied to confirm that there were blood stains the cloak Shuilian had made for him.
“Yes, Sir!” Situ Yun heard that and proceeded to dispose of the bodies down the cliff behind the pagoda.
“Amitabha Buddha. Excellent, benevolent!” Jie Xiu chanted as he stood by Situ Yun.
“Hey, Monk Jie Xiu. If we didn’t do this, so many innocent people would have to die.” Situ Yun made several trips to throw all the corpses away. He brushed his hands and turned to say to Jie Xiu, who kept chanting Amitabha Buddha every time he went to throw the corpses.
“This poor monk knows, for that I shall chant some sutras. I’m trying to rest their souls.” Jie Xiu nodded and explained seriously.
This time, Situ Yun was surprised. He didn’t expect this conservative-looking monk to be so understanding! He thought he must have to endure a lecture of “lay down butcher's knife, become a Buddha on the spot!*”
(Pure: Idiom for instant rehabilitation / to repent and be absolved of one's crimes)
“Let’s go!” Lin Si Yao checked the pagoda thoroughly. After he confirmed there was nothing abnormal, he arrived by Situ Yun.
“This benefactor, after we part, it is unknown when…”
“This day, next year.” Lin Si Yao dropped four words before Jie Xiu could finish his babbling farewell. Then, he made his way down the mountain.
“Hey, Senior Uncle said that next year at the same time, he will visit you. Take care!” Situ Yun sniggered, patting the bewildered Jie Xiu. Then, he followed Lin Si Yao to descend the mountain.
In the distance, the sun was slowly rising behind the mountain range. Indeed, it was the magnificent scene of Mount Qi Yun.
And the Yun Luo Pagoda had resumed its quietness and peace.
Chapter 131: Tidy Up (1)
“It’s been three years... hope you’ve been well.” A cold greeting arose in the room. Jie Xiu was startled. He had been struggling to fall asleep. This voice just now belonged to the noble person he had missed all these years.
“This benefactor…are you this poor monk’s savoir?” Jie Xiu put on his robe and lit up the oil lamp. He saw a man in tight, black garments leaning against a column, his face emotionless. That unchanging, ice-cold face confirmed his guess.
“This poor monk thought that…” Jie Xiu wiped the tears from his eyes, choking on his sobs. He couldn’t tell the other the thought he had kept at the bottom of his heart.
“How has the pagoda been?” Lin Si Yao went straight to the topic. If he hadn’t lived here for eight years and if he had ever wanted to destroy the old abbot’s effort, he wouldn’t have needed to find and aid someone to take care of the pagoda.
As he had watched the pagoda for ten years, he had no reason to let those disabled men who were struggling before their death break the quiet, small pagoda. He wanted the old abbot to rest in peace.
“Sigh, it’s a long story. Without those evil-doers out there, the Yun Luo Pagoda would have been fine…” Jie Xiu told Lin Si Yao how the others occupied the pagoda and what he knew about them.
“Benefactor, from twelve years ago, this poor monk has seen through this life. This poor monk just hopes to stay here and befriend the bright light and cool moon to quietly pass the rest of my life. Unexpectedly… Sigh, anyway, this poor monk has failed you!”
“Alright, don’t think too much. I’ll return tomorrow and resume the quietness of Yun Luo Pagoda.” Lin Si Yao listened to Jie Xiu. He nodded then turned around, hoping out through the room’s window. “Remember, don’t beat the grass and scare the snake.”
...
“What? They wanted to lure the twelve Blood Knights to Da Hui?” Xue Li felt it hard to believe while gazing at his son who had just come back with some news. He didn’t want to hold a grudge as the other had pulled him out of his warm and cozy bed at midnight. No matter what, his son didn’t find him quite often. However, after listening to the news, he was completely awake.
“According to you, is intelligence true? Someone has used the name of the twelve Blood Knights to deceive people. They wanted to attract the real twelve Blood Knights, also to make the Da Hui’s Emperor doubt the Blood Union… It’s a stone that kills two birds…” Xue Li shook his head, sighing. “I didn’t expect to see Xue Ying’s remaining rebels. There were still fish that escaped the net that year…”
“Tomorrow morning, I’ll take Situ Yun to the mountain.” Lin Si Yao didn’t want to listen to Xue Li’s sighing. He came to see this man just to hope that the other would take care of his wife and kids while he and Situ Yun were away.
“Do you need me to mobilize more people?” Xue Li looked at Lin Si Yao with worry. “An organization that could be able to hide for more than twenty years and distract the Twelve Blood Knights should have some capability. If you go with only two people, do you think you could fall into their trap?”
“They said they would ask the Rong City’s Castellan tomorrow to recruit more able-bodied men to build the tower on the mountain’s peak. If we wait, more innocent people will be involved.” Lin Si Yao shook his head. He had roughly investigated the others’ skills. He had stood on a big tree branch around ten meters away from the pagoda and eavesdropped on the others without being discovered. It proved the others didn’t have good competences. However, he wasn’t so sure if they had any weapons. That was why he plans to take Situ Yun with him. One would watch while the other attacked. No one shall escape. He wanted to finish them quickly; within half a day.
“Right… Okay, I’ll wait for your news. Where does the Rong City’s Castellan live? I’ll order Jian Heng to pay him a visit. Looking at the development of Qi Yun Town, I can say he’s a smart person.” Xue Li listened to his son and understood the reason they could not drag this matter. He nodded in agreement. And, he decided to send his subordinate to hold the Castellan back to prevent him from taking his troop to Mount Qi Yun.
Lin Si Yao nodded and returned to his own room. It looked like he had spent a lot of time traveling. Actually, he had used only two hours. He still had time to rest. Tomorrow, it will be a great battle. After the fight in the South Corridor, Si Luo was in a coma due to his severe wounds. The fight between him and Long Zu was also because of them. Very good! It’d been a while since he had a good exercise. He missed the feeling when he wielded a weapon in his hands.
...
At dawn the next day, Su Shuilian groped the spot on the bed next to her, which didn’t retain any body heat. She couldn’t help but frown. He forgot again! They had promised each other that every day, he must wake up with her. Moreover, they were in an inn. What kind of emergency business made him leave very early in the morning without a prior word of notification?
Anyway, since yesterday, when he suddenly suggested visiting Yun Luo Pagoda on Qi Yun Mountain, she had realized something was strange.
“Bai He, did you see A Yao?” After washing her face, Su Shuilian went to the wet-nurses’ room. She picked up Lin Long, who had just woken up, and breastfeed her. When she saw Bai He bringing Lin Xiao, she asked.
“I didn’t. Lady, it seems our journey changed. I heard Qing Lan said that we need to stay and rest in our room until noon. We’re not going to climb the mountain.” Bai He reported to Su Shuilian what she had just heard. Then, as she remembered something, she added, “Oh right, Young Master Situ is nowhere to be seen this morning, either. At the same time, Jian Heng, who stays with Young Master Situ, also went out after he visited the Blood Union’s Emperor’s room.”
“You didn’t see Yun-er, either? Did he go out to do something with A Yao?” Su Shuilian pondered for a while and accurately guessed. Normally, if A Yao went out, Yun-er would stay with her and the twins. He wouldn’t leave even a step away. Never had both of them disappeared at the same time. Did something really happen?
After feeding her kids, Su Shuilian returned to her room, contemplating.
Xue Li and Feng Ruo Er soon came to visit her.
Chapter 131: Tidy Up (2)
“I knew you would be worried.” Feng Ruo Er smiled and shook her head when she saw Su Shuilian open the door with a bewildered face. “Your husband didn’t tell you because he doesn’t want you to worry. But you skipped your breakfast because of it.”
She placed the dish on the table and pulled Su Shuilian to sit. “Don’t worry, child. He’ll return safe and sound. He has never been a careless man. You must know this, right?”
Oh yes, how come she had forgotten this? A Yao had never done anything he wasn’t so sure about its success. No matter what purpose it was for, he would put her and their kids in the safest position. And, he had never had anything unexpected happen to him.
“I was overthinking.” Su Shuilian smiled shyly.
“If I were you, it would be the same. It’s because you’ve put him in your heart.” Feng Ruo Er smiled, patting the back of Su Shuilian’s hand. “I’m happy that I have a daughter-in-law like you. Although my son doesn’t want to accept us, it can’t change the truth, right? Do you mind calling me mother?”
Su Shuilian was surprised. She lifted her head to look at the other. The noble queen had used a humble and low tone to beg her. She wanted her to call her mother, not the “Queen Mother” that one should address the queen.
“What? You can’t do that? Ah… Right. Our son isn’t close to us. Of course, his wife will stay on his side.”
“… Mother…” Su Shuilian was a little shy. She called softly, which successfully stopped Feng Ruo Er’s self-mocking.
“Li, did you hear that? Our daughter-in-law called me. She called me “mother”!” Feng Ruo Er wiped the corner of her eyes. She pulled her husband and showed off while sobbing. Su Shuilian felt her heart ache. How much did she yearn for A Yao to call her “mother”?
“I heard it. Look at how happy you are.” Xue Li smiled and wiped the drop of tears rolling from her eyes. He turned and looked at Su Shuilian. “Won’t you call me too?”
What! Call him what? Your Majesty? Or… Father?
“Father…” Su Shuilian called him with an unnatural tone. Now she was living in another world and she received two fathers out of nowhere. Was it true that the Heavens loved her so much that she was granted a husband and kids. Seeing it wasn’t enough, she also was gifted two pairs of parents whose status and identities were all higher than common people?
“Shuilian… I heard Zhan-er call you that. Do you mind if we call you the same?” Feng Ruo Er saw Su Shuilian shake her head so she continued, “After today, we have to return to Blood Union. It’s not that we don’t want to go with you guys to Fan Hua Town. There’s some business in the imperial palace that your father-in-law must come and handle himself.”
“… Mother?” When Su Shuilian heard that they would no longer accompany them to their home, the first thought that appeared in her head was that they were dispirited because of A Yao’s stubbornness. “A Yao… He…”
“It has nothing to do with him.” Feng Ruo Er shook her head, comforting the other. “You know how great the responsibility Li has to shoulder. He’s not as free as the common people. But I promise you, as soon as Li’ is done solving these issues, we will visit Fan Hua Town. I just hope when that time comes, you won’t despise us.”
“Of course not! Actually, A Yao has you in his heart. He’s just not good at showing his emotions. Moreover…” Su Shuilian hurried to explain as she was afraid that Xue Li and his wife would misunderstand cold-faced A Yao.
“Of course, we understand…” Feng Ruo Er exchanged a smile with Xue Li.
“Daughter-in-law, let me tell you, yesterday, your husband, our son came to see me and talked about today’s affairs. So, don’t worry. Anyway, you’re right. He’s not good at showing his emotion.” Xue Li smiled and said. To him, according to what happened yesterday, his son had come to him, which proved that he had accepted them in some aspects. It was enough!
...
Around 4:30 a.m., after one hour of fierce fighting, the Yun Luo Pagoda had finally quieted down.
Finishing the last troublemaker, Situ Yun put his sword back into his scabbard.
“ Senior Uncle, how do we deal with this?” His eyes swept through the corpses lying on the ground of Yun Luo Pagoda and asked Lin Si Yao, who was standing at the entrance.
It’d been so long since he’s had a chance to fight to his heart’s contents. It felt really good!
“Rid of it!” Lin Si Yao answered without lifting his head. He brushed his clothes and was releaied to confirm that there were blood stains the cloak Shuilian had made for him.
“Yes, Sir!” Situ Yun heard that and proceeded to dispose of the bodies down the cliff behind the pagoda.
“Amitabha Buddha. Excellent, benevolent!” Jie Xiu chanted as he stood by Situ Yun.
“Hey, Monk Jie Xiu. If we didn’t do this, so many innocent people would have to die.” Situ Yun made several trips to throw all the corpses away. He brushed his hands and turned to say to Jie Xiu, who kept chanting Amitabha Buddha every time he went to throw the corpses.
“This poor monk knows, for that I shall chant some sutras. I’m trying to rest their souls.” Jie Xiu nodded and explained seriously.
This time, Situ Yun was surprised. He didn’t expect this conservative-looking monk to be so understanding! He thought he must have to endure a lecture of “lay down butcher's knife, become a Buddha on the spot!*”
(Pure: Idiom for instant rehabilitation / to repent and be absolved of one's crimes)
“Let’s go!” Lin Si Yao checked the pagoda thoroughly. After he confirmed there was nothing abnormal, he arrived by Situ Yun.
“This benefactor, after we part, it is unknown when…”
“This day, next year.” Lin Si Yao dropped four words before Jie Xiu could finish his babbling farewell. Then, he made his way down the mountain.
“Hey, Senior Uncle said that next year at the same time, he will visit you. Take care!” Situ Yun sniggered, patting the bewildered Jie Xiu. Then, he followed Lin Si Yao to descend the mountain.
In the distance, the sun was slowly rising behind the mountain range. Indeed, it was the magnificent scene of Mount Qi Yun.
And the Yun Luo Pagoda had resumed its quietness and peace.
