WJ Chapter 53

Guan Ju (1)

Seeking but unable to obtain, awake and asleep, thinking and longing.

So distant, so remote, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

——

Xifeng City, Faith Hall.

Yun Changliu’s eyes were dark and murky as he murmured in a low voice, “They match.”

He closed the two case files together, covering the densely packed black characters on the white paper.

“Truly didn’t expect this.”

Right Envoy Hua Wan stood beside the Sect Leader. She furrowed her delicate brows, her red-tinted fingernails pressed against the corner of her lips. “Strange. If ‘山’ and ‘氵夕’ are like this, then what exactly is Protector Guan’s reason?”

(TL: 山 = shān=mountain

氵夕 = xī=water + evening

“氵” is the water radical, combined with “夕” it forms a character-like combination in this context, pronounced here as xī (likely a coded or stylized form, not a standard character)

Yun Changliu shook his head, imperceptibly tightening his five fingers.

He infused the two case files with internal energy and gave them a shock—they suddenly transformed into fine powder, drifting down onto the Sect Leader’s snow-white robe.

The Sect Leader’s voice remained indifferent, his emotions unreadable:

“This lord will handle this matter himself. Right Envoy, just act as if you never investigated it.”

……

On the small path outside the Medicine Gate stood a lone, slender figure in blue robes.

Ye Ru, returning from Yangxin Hall, walked absent-mindedly and alone along this path where the Sect Leader had once led him by the hand, feeling nothing but powerlessness throughout his body and heart.

He looked up in confusion.

The sky above was so high.

The clouds were blown by the wind, leisurely changing their forms.

Medicine people were of lowly slave status and often very self-abased. Even after becoming Ah Ku, Ye Ru still didn’t dare dream that he could deceive someone like the Sect Leader into giving him genuine affection.

It was just that for someone who had been lonely and desolate since childhood, who had suffered through much bitterness—even just a trace of favor, a moment of warmth, was enough to give a moth the courage to fly into the flames.

But now…

The refined and transcendent Sect Leader of the Zhuyin Sect had solemnly pointed to his heart, saying it had already been given to his beloved;

The incomparably handsome Four Directions Protector had smiled while pointing to his heart, saying only he was the Sect Leader’s medicine.

The two scenes overlapped chaotically in Ye Ru’s mind, lingering persistently.

He stared blankly at the clouds on the horizon, thinking to himself: Actually, it seems to have been like this from the very beginning.

Whether it was the current Sect Leader and Protector, or the Young Master and Ah Ku of years past—from the beginning, they had never left a gap where an outsider could intervene.

It was as if nothing could separate them.

Not in life, nor in death;

Not through poisonous illness, nor through injury and pain.

Not through lost memories, nor through blood-soaked vengeance;

Not through the whims of fate, nor through cruel destiny.

Ye Ru walked slowly, silently telling himself: Then how could I possibly succeed? It makes no sense, it’s impossible.

His mind unsettled, he naturally walked very slowly. What should have been a brief journey back to his lodgings took an unknown amount of dawdling time.

Until suddenly a clear voice rang out from behind:

“Hey! That whoever—little medicine person! No wait… Sect Leader Brother’s little lover! Stop right there!”

The distracted Ye Ru was startled. He hurriedly turned around, only to see a delicate, powder-pink figure jumping out with her chin held high.

——In all of Xifeng City, besides Miss Chanjuan, no one else would dress so pink and tender, nor would anyone else shout so noisily.

However, today Miss Chanjuan unusually had no serving maids with her, and even the soft whip she liked to wear at her waist was absent.

Yun Chanjuan stood with her hands on her hips. She walked alone up to Ye Ru, the floral mark between her brows flashing with brilliant light, like a proud peacock. She said with a grin, “Hey, little lover. Seeing this young miss, why haven’t you come forward to pay your respects?”

Ye Ru naturally didn’t have the courage to argue with Yun Chanjuan about the fact that his name wasn’t “little lover,” and that he indeed wasn’t Yun Changliu’s little lover. He hurried forward several steps and bowed to Yun Chanjuan. “Ah Ku was disrespectful. Ah Ku greets Miss.”

“Mm.” Yun Chanjuan smiled with satisfaction, pursing the corners of her lips. Her pair of bright, sparkling eyes looked Ye Ru up and down, her gaze examining him as if he were one of her jeweled ornaments.

The young girl muttered to herself in a low voice. “Although his status is a bit lowly, neither skilled in martial arts nor particularly accomplished, and his appearance is only barely passable… at least he’s obedient. All things considered, he’s better than that traitor Guan Wujue. Sigh, there’s no other choice!”

Miss clapped her hands together, finally making up her mind. “Hey, little lover, now this young miss is being magnanimous and bestowing upon you a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Ye Ru looked completely confused. Yun Chanjuan leaned close to him, frivolously hooking his chin, saying with ill intent, “Little lover… don’t you like my Sect Leader Brother?”

“I must tell you, that Four Directions Protector who brought you back to the sect is a seductive fox spirit! As long as he’s around, you’ll never be able to get ahead!”

Ye Ru: “……”

A fox… fox spirit…??

Without paying attention to Ye Ru’s instantly complicated expression, Yun Chanjuan glanced around in all directions, lowered her voice, and said with a sinister air, “So how about it? Cooperate with this young miss, and let’s get rid of Guan Wujue together.”

Ye Ru was shocked and weakly spoke up, “Miss, you mustn’t joke about such things…”

Yun Chanjuan huffed. “A joke? How is this a joke! This young miss is serious.”

She raised an eyebrow mysteriously. “I’ll tell you, this young miss didn’t bring a single maid today. There’s no one around either, so no one will know.”

“……”

Faced with Miss’s words, Ye Ru felt nothing but helplessness.

Setting aside that he could never agree, even if he nodded in assent—with such a young girl who was neither skilled in martial arts nor particularly cunning, plus him, an even more incompetent medicine person, they wanted to “get rid of” the Four Directions Protector?

He could even easily imagine that if Protector Guan heard this sentence, he would probably lower his head and laugh quietly a couple of times before turning away and paying no mind…

Ye Ru now somewhat understood why, despite Miss Chanjuan being so wicked, few people in Xifeng City truly hated her—perhaps they all treated this treasure-like silly miss as an ignorant child to be humored!

Now, recalling that previous scene before Yangxin Hall with the “self-inflicted wound scheme” and “sowing discord scheme,” it truly seemed childishly laughable.

It was only because he had just arrived, had no ability, and was too self-abased that he had been frightened by this mischievous miss.

“This matter is beneficial to you with no harm. Quickly agree!”

Seeing him remain silent, Yun Chanjuan imperiously shook Ye Ru’s shoulders and urged, “If you agree, this young miss will protect you from now on.”

Ye Ru sighed softly and answered irrelevantly, “Miss Chanjuan… you resent Protector Guan so much—is it because of Young Master Danjing’s matter?”

Regarding Yun Danjing’s affair, it had always been publicly stated as death by fire. Yun Changliu had sealed it very tightly; few people knew the truth. Yun Chanjuan said “Huh?” and furrowed her brows. “You actually know? Did Guan Wujue tell you, or was it Sect Leader Brother?”

Not really waiting for Ye Ru’s answer, Yun Chanjuan coldly raised her eyebrows. “That’s right, this young miss wants to avenge my brother. What’s wrong with that!”

Ye Ru nervously clutched his sleeves, saying very hesitantly, “But Miss… isn’t the Sect Leader also your elder brother?”

Ordinarily, Ye Ru would never have the courage to provoke Miss’s anger. However, his mind was currently in chaos, and perhaps having just heard the Protector and the close attendant shouting at each other outside Yangxin Hall had influenced him—somehow the words just slipped out:

“Young Master Danjing committed treason; originally it was he who wronged the Sect Leader…”

As expected, Yun Chanjuan’s face immediately filled with fury. She raised her hand as if to strike. “Shut up! You shut up! What treason or no treason—this young miss doesn’t understand any of that—isn’t it just a mere Sect Leader position!”

But Ye Ru was too shocked to remember to be afraid.

He couldn’t believe his own ears and felt Miss was simply unreasonable.

The supreme position of Sect Leader of the Zhuyin Sect—how many people would fight tooth and nail for it, yet from this ignorant young girl’s mouth, it became “mere”!

Yun Chanjuan’s slap froze in midair for a long time but ultimately didn’t fall. The pampered and indulged miss suddenly flung her hand away and, with no warning, her eyes reddened. She stamped her foot in grievance:

“Could it be that in Brother Changliu’s heart, this position is so important that even touching it means one must die! Yun Danjing is his younger brother, is my elder brother…”

“We, we used to be so close… you don’t understand at all!”

Yun Chanjuan bit her teeth unwillingly, glaring at Ye Ru as if she wanted to tear him apart alive. “Between brothers, what wrong can’t be forgiven? What thing is worth paying with one’s life?”

Ye Ru froze, momentarily not knowing how to respond.

He realized… in this young miss’s heart, everything was still so simple.

In the world, the four seasons rotate, the moon waxes after it wanes, flowers bloom again after withering, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, rivers forever flow to the sea—nothing changes.

Those who are close will remain close, good things will remain good. When younger siblings do wrong, the elder brother disciplines them, then comes acknowledgment of fault and forgiveness, ultimately reconciling.

And she was the young miss of the Zhuyin Sect, the little sister doted upon by two elder brothers. She could remain proud and imposing forever and ever.

“You don’t understand, none of you understand!”

But as she spoke, Miss’s proud and imposing voice actually carried an imperceptible sob. The trembling tone echoed on the deserted path, just like a fledgling bird crying in its nest.

“Why, why did Brother Danjing die without even having a chance to explain one sentence before Sect Leader Brother? My brother is just gone like that! In this vast world, I can’t find him anywhere, can’t find him…”

Yun Chanjuan began to sob and wipe away tears, shaking her head and whimpering. “Who knows why he wanted to rebel? Who knows if he had some difficulty!”

“Ordinary commoners who commit crimes are still questioned when brought to the authorities; even when princes of the previous dynasty rebelled, there was still the emperor personally conducting the trial. Guan Wujue is merely a subordinate—what right does he have?”

“Why? Why does Brother Changliu still like Guan Wujue? Why…”

Yun Chanjuan suddenly raised her reddened eyes, tears of resentment and unwillingness rolling down. “Tell me!”

Ye Ru once again sighed very, very softly.

He finally raised his habitually lowered head and looked directly at the weeping young girl before him. His eyes were clear, and his voice was gentle like flowing stream water:

“Forgive Ah Ku’s bluntness, Miss… If the Sect Leader subjected you to severe punishment and expelled you from the city, after you returned, would you still wholeheartedly devote yourself to the Sect Leader?”

Yun Chanjuan froze abruptly.

She instinctively said, “Brother Changliu would never treat me…”

Ye Ru said, “The Sect Leader cherished you and Young Master Danjing in every way, yet the Young Master plotted to seize his position, and you spoke carelessly and angered him until his poison flared.”

Yun Chanjuan said, “I… I didn’t do it on purpose!”

Ye Ru said, “You and Young Master Danjing are connected by blood with the Sect Leader, yet you hurt him; Protector Guan, who has no blood relation with the Sect Leader, would rather use his life to search for a cure for the Sect Leader’s poison.”

Under Yun Chanjuan’s shocked and furious gaze, Ye Ru took a deep breath. He was actually still very flustered and afraid inside, his fingers hidden in his sleeves clenched with sweat.

But for some reason, he remained at least outwardly very calm as he spoke what he considered the bravest sentence of his entire life:

“Protector Guan’s genuine devotion to the Sect Leader—I… I cannot compare to him. Miss, you and Young Master Danjing also cannot compare to him.”