WJ Chapter 49

Shuli (1)

Those who know me say my heart is full of sorrow.

Those who don’t know me ask what I seek.

Oh, vast heavens, who is this person?

——

This snow fell for a day and a night. When it stopped, Xifeng City was once again wrapped in silver.

“Please, Sect Leader, take a look at this.”

In the study of Yangxin Hall, Left Envoy Xiao Donghe walked forward slowly and placed a tray covered with black cloth on Yun Changliu’s desk.

Under the Sect Leader’s gaze, he lifted the black cloth.

On the iron tray lay quietly a copper plaque the size of a jujube, its edges gleaming with a faint luster.

Xiao Donghe said, “This was extracted from the abdomens of that group of assassins. There are characters on it, and this subordinate finds it inconvenient to speak of… Please have a look.”

Yun Changliu glanced at the Left Envoy and reached out to pick up the copper plaque. The thing had obviously been cleaned before being brought here, without the slightest trace of blood remaining. Looking carefully, the front was carved with the character “hunt”; he turned it over, and the back was carved with the character “wild goose.”

——Hunt Wild Goose?

(TL: 猎雁 liè yàn = “猎” (hunt); 雁” (wild goose)

As if a cold arrow had suddenly pierced through his heart, Yun Changliu’s gaze abruptly froze.

His slender fingers tightened forcefully for a moment then released. The engraved characters, raised and recessed on both sides, left shallow impressions on the skin of his fingertips.

Wild goose…

Yun Guyan, Lieyan.

No wonder Xiao Donghe said it was inconvenient for him to speak—it was actually his father’s given name.

Combined with those martial arts techniques specifically targeting the Zhuyin Sect’s Yin Ghosts, was this a group of death warriors specially trained to target the old Sect Leader Yun Guyan?

But now the one being surrounded and killed was Guan Wujue…

When he rescued them, he felt it very clearly—this group of assassins didn’t even care about him, the Zhuyin Sect Leader, and were single-mindedly intent on killing the Protector.

Why?

Yun Changliu narrowed his eyes, his thoughts in momentary chaos. Xiao Donghe took a step back and said in a deep voice, “This copper plaque is coated with a special oil. Once swallowed into the stomach, it cannot be expelled and can only remain in the stomach forever.”

“The old Sect Leader’s Dragon-Chasing Whip technique was so domineering that it was rare even in the jianghu. When unleashed, it could often beat enemies into a pile of bloody, mangled limbs and remains. Directly splitting open the abdomen was not unusual.”

As he spoke, Xiao Donghe gestured at his own abdomen, “At that time, the copper plaque would roll out with the blood.”

“This copper plaque was found in the valley where you fought with that group of assassins. This subordinate also dissected the corpses brought back to the sect, and sure enough, every single corpse had an identical plaque in its abdomen.”

“The assassins didn’t leave half a trace about their identity on their bodies, yet these two characters on the copper plaque are almost like a deliberate provocation…”

Yun Changliu remained silent.

He looked at the copper plaque and thought darkly: What other special connection could there be between Wujue and his father?

…No, he couldn’t think this way.

Yun Changliu suddenly thought again: Death warriors trained to target someone didn’t necessarily have to remain fixated on only that one person for their entire lives.

People change, circumstances change, old grudges accumulate new hatred.

“Sect Leader,” Xiao Donghe stepped back and half-knelt on the ground, “This group of assassins is skilled with hidden weapons and crossbows, has excellent qinggong, and is proficient in the characteristics of Yin Ghost martial arts techniques…”

“…” Yun Changliu’s expression shifted slightly.

The Left Envoy hesitated slightly but still spoke out, “This subordinate has suspicions about one person, but dares not say.”

“No.” The Sect Leader suddenly raised his hand, stopping Xiao Donghe’s words. “There is no need for this.”

“You are the Left Envoy of the Zhuyin Sect, in charge of punishment and laws—this is the authority this lord grants you. In this entire Xifeng City, whoever you wish to investigate, go and investigate. You need not have any misgivings.”

Yun Changliu’s voice was clear and steady, his surface calm and unruffled. No one knew what kind of tremendous waves were suppressed in his heart.

He tightly gripped the knuckles hidden beneath his long sleeves and spoke calmly, saying to Xiao Donghe word by word:

“If you dare investigate, this lord dares to punish.”

“If you are unwilling to investigate, then this lord will investigate personally.”

Xiao Donghe was first stunned, then bowed his head deeply, his heart surging with warmth. “This subordinate thanks the Sect Leader for his great trust. Donghe will certainly not fail this mission!”

Yun Changliu nodded, originally intending to dismiss the Left Envoy then and there.

But after thinking for a moment, he secretly changed his mind and said, “Wait. If the Left Envoy is not in a hurry to return, why not go see Wujue.”

As he spoke, the corners of Yun Changliu’s lips lifted almost imperceptibly into a smile as he said softly, “This lord keeps him confined every day. The Protector has already begun to feel discontent. It would be good for someone to come and talk with him.”

Xiao Donghe actually had this intention all along and quickly agreed—in truth, the news that the Four Directions Protector had awakened had long since spread, but unfortunately he was now lying in the Sect Leader’s Yangxin Hall, making visits rather inconvenient.

He and Hua Wan had been busy tracking down the assassins and hadn’t had time to check on his friend’s condition. This time was rather opportune.

Taking his leave of the Sect Leader, Xiao Donghe came out from the study and turned toward the adjacent room.

However, the moment he pressed against the door panel next door, Left Envoy Xiao’s face immediately darkened.

…From the perspective of propriety, this was the Sect Leader’s bedchamber, which he absolutely could not enter directly.

According to the rules, he had to knock first, then ask permission for an audience. Only after receiving permission from inside could he push open the door.

——The problem was that the person inside wasn’t the Sect Leader!

It was that Four Directions Protector who, after being absent for a year, could still unceremoniously ask him to help care for horses, occupy his master bedroom without a word when he had nowhere to sleep, constantly infuriate him to the point of smoke coming from his seven orifices, and whom he still couldn’t beat in a fight!

He, he, he… had to knock on the door and ask permission to see Guan Wujue!?

Xiao Donghe’s teeth itched with hatred, but there was nothing he could do. He could only stiffen his neck and knock twice on the door, deliberately clearing his throat twice with a cough.

After quite a long while, a clear and familiar voice finally came from inside, just one word. “Enter.”

“…” Blue veins immediately throbbed on Xiao Donghe’s forehead, his fists creaking.

Give this guy an inch and he’ll take a mile!

Taking a deep breath, Left Envoy Xiao pushed open the door and strode in, barely suppressing his anger.

Yun Changliu didn’t like to keep people around him, and his bedchamber was especially quiet. Guan Wujue had the Sect Leader’s snow fox fur draped over him and was nestled in a rocking chair, leisurely turning the pages of a book.

His long hair was not bound up with a hair crown but simply tied with a ribbon and draped over his shoulder. On the small cabinet beside him sat a plate of exquisite pastries, and hot tea was steaming with mist, spreading a faint bitter fragrance.

Having stayed long in Yangxin Hall, the usually arrogant and flamboyant Four Directions Protector seemed to have taken on some of the Sect Leader’s cool and detached temperament.

The Protector’s eyelashes were lowered. Hearing Xiao Donghe enter, he didn’t even raise his head, only turned another page of the book in his hand.

Seeing him read so intently, Left Envoy Xiao couldn’t help but lean over curiously for a look, and then his mouth twitched. “Tsk tsk, the Sect Leader really does dote on you…”

It was actually a medical text, probably an ancient book of some years—at first glance all the characters on the book were recognizable, but when put together made no sense at all.

This type of book couldn’t possibly be what Yun Changliu was reading. It was probably a rare edition that the Sect Leader had specially requested from the Medicine Gate, worried that the Protector would be bored staying in Yangxin Hall for so long.

Seeing that Guan Wujue still wasn’t paying attention to him, Xiao Donghe reached out and snatched away his book. “Stop being so leisurely, Protector Guan. Do you know who wanted your life?”

Guan Wujue finally deigned to turn his gaze toward the person before him, stretched his neck lazily and said, “What, has Punishment Hall Master found some clues?”

“Don’t play coy,” Xiao Donghe crossed his arms and looked down at him from above. “I don’t believe you don’t know in your heart. Why haven’t you said anything all these days since you woke up?”

As he spoke, he shook his head and sighed first, lamenting, “Previously when the Sect Leader expelled you from the sect, I felt bad for you. But looking at it now, you’re much safer staying at the branch hall…”

“What does it matter if I don’t know? And what can I do if I do?”

Guan Wujue laughed twice softly, staring at Xiao Donghe and saying lightly, “Killed the son, the mother comes to claim revenge—isn’t this perfectly natural?”

“——You!” Xiao Donghe suddenly pressed down on the Protector’s shoulder, furious. “You indeed suspect Madam Lin too! Why on earth won’t you speak up! What ‘perfectly natural’—you’re the dignified Four Directions Protector of Zhuyin Sect, and you nearly died less than ten li outside Xifeng City this time… How can you still laugh about it!?”

Guan Wujue brushed away Xiao Donghe’s hand and suddenly asked quite abruptly, “What do you think of Miss Chanjuan?”

“What?” Xiao Donghe was confused by his question and answered reflexively, “She’s just a spoiled little girl. Don’t try to change the subject on me—”

“Wait,” his voice stopped abruptly, his eyes widening in shock. “You couldn’t possibly… No way, Protector Guan? Don’t tell me you’re holding back because you’re concerned about Miss Chanjuan!?”

Guan Wujue stood up from the chair. Taking advantage of Xiao Donghe’s daze, he snatched his book back from the Left Envoy’s hands, smoothed out the wrinkled edges and placed it at the head of the bed, only then sighing unhurriedly:

“As for our young lady… Though she’s a bit foolish, she wasn’t this awful before.”

“But ever since Yun Danjing died, she even dares to curse at the Sect Leader.”

“Thinking about it, Miss Chanjuan is pitiful enough. Her parents can’t see each other more than a few times a year, and when they do meet, they’re full of bitter enmity. Her two brothers were originally fine, then suddenly the second brother wanted to seize the eldest brother’s position and was killed. The murderer now lives in the eldest brother’s bedchamber. Her father is already a biased old demon, and only her mother wholeheartedly dotes on her…”

Guan Wujue shrugged his shoulders helplessly with a bitter smile. “——Tell me, if the Sect Leader takes action against Madam Lin again, can these siblings still get along? When they truly become enemies, won’t the Sect Leader feel terrible?”

The more he spoke, the worse Xiao Donghe’s expression became. He said agitatedly, “What do you mean by this? Could it be you want to just… just let this matter pass? Just forget it?”

Guan Wujue said, “I won’t remain in Xifeng City for long. After resting a few more days, I’ll proactively request leave from the Sect Leader. If I can’t provoke her, can’t I at least avoid her? Once I return to the branch hall, what can Lin Wanxia do to me?”

Xiao Donghe was dumbstruck.

——If I can’t provoke her, can’t I at least avoid her?

He never would have thought that one day he would hear such words of weakness from Guan Wujue’s mouth!

Guan Wujue suddenly frowned. “…I say, Left Envoy Xiao, you didn’t already tell the Sect Leader, did you?”

Xiao Donghe answered blankly:

“I haven’t had a chance to tell the Sect Leader explicitly, but the Sect Leader has most likely already guessed. He told me to go ahead and investigate without misgivings, and also said that if I found it difficult, he would investigate personally.”

Guan Wujue clicked his tongue in annoyance. “Meddling in other people’s business!”

“Oh right.”

Xiao Donghe suddenly put his hands behind his back, looking at the Protector expressionlessly, as if casually mentioning, “You, well, probably can’t return to the branch hall. I told the Sect Leader about your true injuries from a year ago in detail. It was just a few days ago, when you were unconscious—”

Before the word “unconscious” could leave his mouth, the Left Envoy’s face turned ashen as he suddenly ducked his head—in the next moment, Guan Wujue grabbed the nearby teapot and hurled it at him! The teapot spewed tea as it whistled past the top of his head and shattered on the ground with a crash, porcelain shards scattering everywhere.

“Damn it, Guan Wujue, you bastard!” Xiao Donghe was drenched in tea. Though it wasn’t enough to truly scald him, it was enough to make him jump with anger. “Do you even know what’s good for you!?”

Guan Wujue delivered a fierce kick at him with a dark expression. “I was wondering why the Sect Leader’s been looking at me strangely these past few days, not only changing my medicine prescriptions randomly but also keeping me confined in Yangxin Hall! So it was you who created this mess for me—”

Under normal circumstances, Xiao Donghe knew he was no match for Guan Wujue. But now the Protector’s injuries had not yet healed. Though he appeared aggressive, his body actually had little strength. The Left Envoy countered a few times and pinned him down on the bed, sneering as he interrogated. “I haven’t had time to ask you yet—what exactly are you and Wen Feng up to?”

Guan Wujue said coldly, “Let go, or I’ll call the Sect Leader in here.”

Xiao Donghe: “…”

Basking in favor and becoming arrogant… This was absolutely basking in favor and becoming arrogant!

The Left Envoy reluctantly released him. Since the hard approach wouldn’t work, he tried the soft approach. “I don’t know if you have some difficulties… But what matter in this world can’t be spoken of honestly? When the sky falls, we’ll hold it up together. If you hide and don’t speak, how will anyone know you’re in pain?”

“Just like this time—now that the Sect Leader knows about your injuries, naturally he’ll cherish you more. Isn’t that quite good?”

Xiao Donghe spoke very naturally.

But Guan Wujue’s heart felt like it was filled with lead, sinking heavily downward. He maintained a cold expression, his lips pressed tight, thinking: What’s good about it? This time it’s a complete disaster.

“Am I not right?” Xiao Donghe sighed helplessly. “Say something.”

The corners of Guan Wujue’s lips curved slightly upward, but his eyes held not half a trace of mirth.

He stepped backward step by step until he reached the window.

Outside the window was the snow-covered courtyard. The cinnabar plum blossoms bloomed gorgeously, their rouge-red petals draped in snow and crowned with crystals, truly delightful.

Further and higher up, thin clouds rolled slowly, light streaming through the gaps in beams.

Guan Wujue suddenly said, “Donghe.”

Xiao Donghe started. They had known each other for many years, and Guan Wujue rarely called him by his given name.

Guan Wujue glanced at the plum blossoms outside the window and suddenly asked the Left Envoy with a smile, “Do you believe in fate?”

“A lifetime is at most a hundred years or so. Some people aspire to leave their names in history, some pursue bringing glory to their ancestors, some desire wealth and honor, some wish for family harmony and prosperous careers.”

“And some people only seek to have enough wine and food; still others are already exhausted just trying to survive.”

Guan Wujue’s pupils were dark and bottomless as he enunciated clearly. “People each have their aspirations, because people each have their fates.”

“No one can force me, no one can make things difficult for me, no one can make me suffer grievances… I’m doing very well right now.”

“It’s just that my fate is somewhat different from yours; what I want will naturally be slightly different from ordinary people.”

The Protector’s expression was very serious and very sincere. “Donghe… I do have some private matters that are inconvenient to speak of openly. If you truly consider me a friend, don’t meddle anymore.”

“…”

Xiao Donghe silently stared at Guan Wujue with cold eyes. He suddenly realized that he had never truly understood this person.

Once you enter Ghost Gate, sever all ties with the past. Guan Wujue came from Ghost Gate. According to the rules, his past was long buried.

No one knew what kind of life he had experienced before entering Ghost Gate, no one knew what kind of “fate” he had.

“…Fine.”

After a long silence, the Left Envoy’s voice was low. “Since you’ve said so, I understand.”

“But you must also know: what you want to do is your business; whether I meddle is my business.”

Xiao Donghe turned around, speaking lightly as he walked out.

Guan Wujue leaned against the window watching him without speaking, his expression showing a slightly powerless astringent quality.

Before leaving, Xiao Donghe left one final sentence:

“Wen Feng’s confinement ends tomorrow. You two take care of yourselves.”