Very late at night, a man dressed in black softly picked

open the window of the Guilai tavern, and as light as a breeze he jumped

inside, when he reached the room inside he stood outside the curtain at the

bedside, standing still without speaking.

“You have arrived?”

“Your Majesty, what instructions do you have?” The person

who had arrived was not an outsider, he was the imperial guard’s commander An

Wen Yao.

“That Xianjun’s background, have you discovered it?”

An Wen Yao lowered his head, even though he knew he couldn’t

see inside, he was afraid the emperor would get angry, he said, “This subject

is incompetent, I could only find out that person is the adopted son of the

former Xianjun, called Zhuang Qing, however his outstanding talents have only

been revealed over these few months, for this reason, many people within the sect

were not convinced, and they were quelled by the former Xianjun.”

“A group of snakes, what about Zhao Chang Chun?”

“He took on the burden of all the crimes…” An Wen Yao’s eyes

unconsciously drifted towards the inside of the curtains, ever since he had

been sent by the emperor to guard Zhao Jin Yu, he had known, her adoptive

father Zhao Chang Chun was in prison.

“He truly is very dedicated, apparently he really didn’t

want to live.” The emperor couldn’t help think, here Zhao Jin Yu was taking a

lot of trouble and effort for Zhao Chang Chun…, yet that person himself was not

willing to live, if he was truly determined, recalling the matter of the

Tiangui sect, he again said, “Dispatch someone, by all means that Xianjun must

be fully investigated, the Tiangui sect has been savage since the founder of

the dynasty, reckless with human lives, men steal women prost.i.tute themselves,

pus.h.i.+ng around deceived common people, what more they have no respect for the

imperial family, eventually one day, we need to quickly eradicate these sc.u.ms

of society, get rid of evil for the people.”

“Your Majesty is wise.” An Wen Yao respectfully said.

The emperor paused, before saying, “Pa.s.s on our decree, make

Su Qing Chen punish himself with twenty hits.” The emperor thought of Su Qing

Chen’s amiable manner towards Zhao Jin Yu, an extremely doting expression, filled

with anger, he said.

An Wen Yao thought about before he came here, the emperor

had made him go hit Su Qing Chen with a plank fifty times, making Su Qing Chen

lay in bed fully for two days…, at that moment he understood, maybe the emperor

did not regard this Lady Zhao as usual, and Su Qing Chen’s little bit of good

feeling towards that lady, even he could see it, how could the emperor not be

angry? Not having killed him on the spot was at least consideration of their

friends.h.i.+p.

“At your Imperial majesty's command.” An Wen Yao finished

speaking, again somewhat hesitant he opened his mouth, “Your Majesty, when will

you return to the palace?”

When it comes to it the people the emperor trusted the most

were these imperial guards, that’s why even if he had sent Su Qing Chen back

then to get close to Zhao Jin Yu, afterwards he still sent An Wen Yao over.

“After a bit more time.” The emperor said, “We have been

shut inside the palace for too long.”

Hearing this An Wen Yao immediately said, “Your Majesty has

dedicated too much for the country and state.”

The emperor finally laughed, saying, “You, ought to learn

from Qin Hong how to flatter people, you’re too honest…, fine, you can go.”

An Wen Yao was somewhat embarra.s.sed, but he still did what

he was told and nodded, saying, “This subject will leave.”

Su Qing Chen usually slept very lightly, he woke up almost

at the same time when An Wen Yao came in, he couldn’t help mock, “Lord An, when

did you become a cat burglar?”

An Wen Yao has always worked following a prescribed pattern

to the letter, he never spoke more than necessary, so he only pretended not to

have heard Su Qing Chen’s words, saying, “Pa.s.sing on the emperor’s decree.”

As soon as Su Qing Chen heard he hurried to get up,

kneeling.

When An Wen Yao saw Su Qing Chen looking like this did he

then continue speaking, “Request Lord Su to punish himself with twenty hits.”

Su Qing Chen was stunned…, last time he was punished because

he lost the person, even though it wasn’t considered losing, he even knew the

name of the tavern Zhao Jin Yu was staying in at that time, he had felt Zhao

Jin Yu avoiding him so directly in such a way, going up to her again was not a

good idea, but after all he had not done his job well, so he admitted it, but

what was the reason this time?

“This subject has always been loyal and devoted to His

Majesty, I’m even willing to die ten thousand deaths for His Majesty, but there

must be a reason behind such a beating right?” Su Qing Chen asked in grievance.

An Wen Yao’s expression did not change, he said, “His

Majesty told you to protect Lady Zhao, but what happened again today? If His

Majesty saw…, it certainly wouldn’t just be twenty hits”

Of course it was because he did not protect Zhao Jin Yu and

he was being punished, Su Qing Chen suddenly thought, this a.s.signment was too

hard to fulfil, QAQ

***

Because Zhao Jin Yu had bathed yesterday night, and drank

ginger soup, moreover Su Qing Chen uneased had ordered a physician to concoct a

smooth and steady decoction, she had unconsciously slept until dawn, her skin

was white, eyes bright with spirit, seeming to be bursting with life, but her

ears were still somewhat droopy from pent-up frustrations, making the emperor

frown instinctively, saying, “I already said I’ll help you investigate, how are

you still not happy?”

“I miss my older brother!” Zhao Jin Yu rolled about no her

bed like a child, recalling that when she was young every time she dawdled in

bed it was her older brother who gently lifted her up she felt very unwell,

previously she felt angry and sad because she had been suddenly abandoned,

therefore she deliberately forgot about it, but after seeing him in real life,

her resentment from before were no longer important…, she wanted to be with her

older brother.

The emperor scoffed, “You don’t look like you’re missing

your older brother, you appear to be thinking of your paramour.” His tone was

inevitably somewhat sour.

Hearing this Zhao Jin Yu couldn’t help laugh, picking up the

stone and kissing it, coaxingly saying, “Little thing, you’re still young you

don’t understand, relatives are in the world…, the people closest to you,

what’s more older brother treated me excellently.”

Relatives? The so called relatives in the palace were those

who stabbed you in the back…, the emperor couldn’t help hit Zhao Jin Yu on the

head, saying, “No matter how well they treat you normally, but at the pivotal

moment they will not care about you, isn’t this considered to be good?”

Zhao Jin Yu felt the stone sometimes spoke truthfully…, a

sentence stabbed through her heart, the pain made her chest feel numb, sighing,

she dejectedly said, “You’re right, but I still feel my older brother is in

some trouble…, I’m very foolish right.” In every case Zhao Jin Yu felt older

brother and adoptive mother had changed too quickly, like over a night they had

become cold and heartless, could their relations.h.i.+p over ten years been fake?

If it was really fake, then she truly felt there was nothing worth believing in

this world.

“Little thing, you won’t leave me in the future right?” When

Zhao Jin Yu met the stone she was at her most helplessness and at a loss,

speaking from some kind of level, the stone had helped Zhao Jin Yu pa.s.s her

most distressful time.

The emperor haughtily said, “That will depend on your

behaviour.”

Hearing this Zhao Jin Yu hurriedly promised, “I will

definitely treat you well, you have to behave.”

The emperor thought to himself, how can you not be good to

us? Punish you for an impudent crime, but he only hmphed, “First give us a

sugar-coated fruit stick.”

“Fine, do you want a meat wedged steamed bun as well? With a

creamy millet congee, sticky when you drink it.” Zhao Jin Yu was very spirited,

feeling she could drink two bowls of congee.

The emperor swallowed saliva, saying, “We want to eat two

meat wedged steamed buns, add less scallions…”

One person and one stone very quickly began to discuss what

to eat, = . =

After eating, Chen Rong came over, her complexion was

somewhat unsightly, she didn’t know how to say to Zhao Jin Yu, over these last

few days she had felt the person following them was becoming more and more unbridled,

originally it was only a little tail, she had the confidence he would be able

to control it, but she clearly saw that person charge into the tavern, her

martial arts was mainly on confrontation, her qinggong

was not as good as Su Qing Chen’s, like yesterday night she needed to use

the support of a willow tree by the side to pull Zhao Jin Yu up, Su Qing Chen

however could effortlessly stand on a piece of floating wood to pull Zhao Jin

Yu onto the boat.

She was very worried if this continued, something will

happen, besides when Zhao Jin Yu saw the Xianjun yesterday, she immediately

looked like she had lost her soul, not caring for her life she swam towards the

Xianjun, truly…, how could she face the person who entrusted the task to her?

It was better to hurry on their way without delay, thinking up to here, she

very quickly recovered her ease, saying, “Lady Zhao, right now we’re merely

five or six days travel from Hangzhou, but that Tiangui’s sacred lotus festival

will last six days and six nights, I think waiting like this is not a good

method, we should rent a carriage to travel over.”

Zhao Jin Yu was unable to let her older brother go, but also

knew what Chen Rong said was right, that letter was still sewn into her

undergarment pocket and had not been moved one bit, it was a task entrusted by

her adoptive father…, soon it will be delivered, again how could she delay it?

Besides, although she wasn’t willing to admit it, but she had spent all her

mental and physical strength to approach her older brother, in the end however

she was treated indifferently by the other person, not recognising her at all,

that made her very defeated, and did not know how to make her older brother

change his mind…, thinking she was stilly truly powerless, so powerless she

felt very useless.

“I’ll listen to Auntie Chen.” Zhao Jin Yu decided with

difficulty, yet truly not resigned she said, “Is there not a sacrificial

ceremony being held by the sh.o.r.e today? At that time the Xianjun will also be

there, can I take a glance from afar before we leave, Auntie Chen, I’m really

certain he is my older brother, we grew up together…, even if he turned to dust

I would recognise him.”

Chen Rong sighed, thinking about it, even if they weren’t

related, they had grown up together after all, their relations.h.i.+p was really

good, again thinking of her current embarra.s.sing situation, she nodded saying,

“Just in time I need to rent a carriage, you can go in the early afternoon for

a while, but in the late afternoon we must be on our way.”

A brilliant starlight burst from Zhao Jin Yu’s eyes, she

said, “Auntie Chen, thank you.”

Chen Rong shook her head, smiling, she said, “Lady Zhao

you’re too polite.” When they reached their destination they will have to

separate…, she really hated to part with this girl, she turned her head,

through the window she saw the bustling street, she couldn’t help think.

As Zhao Jin Yu had taken medication yesterday, and she had

slept well, at this moment she was in a very good spirit, wearing lotus seed

clothes inlayed with white fox fur, also wearing a hat she left the tavern,

outside tides of people surged, all facing and heading to the sh.o.r.e, Su Qing

Chen wore a sky blue peac.o.c.k pattern cloak, bright and splendid, setting off

his warm and refined smiling face in contrast, making him look as if he had

gems at his side, “Jin girl, I’ve waited for you for so long.”

Zhao Jin Yu felt Su Qing Chen’s appearance was slightly

like, girl, quickly, let us go on a date, this sort of feeling…, even though

Chen Rong had mentioned it before to her, because she was not comfortable with

her going by herself, Su Qing Chen had also volunteered to take her himself,

and had said, in front of so many people, Su Qing Chen would only spare no

effort to protect her, even though some thoughts were hidden in her mind,

telling her to endure it for a bit, but this appearance of Su Qing Chen was

simply just…, from head to toe he gave off I’m very handsome, quickly throw

yourself at me kind of manner, = . =

Zhao Jin Yu was also a normal woman, seeing a handsome man

her heart would also run wild, but it was merely out of appreciation for his

appearance nothing more, stunned for a moment she then walked over with a red

face, saying, “Sorry to bother Lord Su.”

Su Qing Chen felt even though being called Lord was a little

distant, but it was a lot better than being called uncle, it felt in every case

like there was a confusion in their seniority.

An Wen Yao was truly vicious and merciless, without a speck

of sentiment, hitting his bottom that it was still red and swollen, if he

hadn’t been practicing martial art from childhood, his body different from

normal people, perhaps he would be lying in bed today unable to get up, waiting

until An Wen Yao had left he decided he must treat Zhao Jin Yu twice as well,

make her inseparable from him! That way he could watch her at all times.

Zhao Jin Yu had just gotten onto the carriage, all of a

sudden she saw the people madly rush towards the sh.o.r.e, amongst them there were

individuals who excitedly yelled, “Today Xianjun will offer a sacred woman to

the G.o.ds.”

“What does offering mean?” Zhao Jin Yu complexion turned a

little pale, watching Su Qing Chen, “It can’t be…”

Su Qing Chen expression was profound, saying, “I’m afraid

that sacred woman can only live to today.”

Zhao Jin Yu almost sat paralysed onto the ground, saying, “Then

my older brother will…” Wouldn’t he have to personally kill someone? Now she

understood why the stone said this Tiangui sect was an evil sect, they actually

want to sacrifice a living person! “Let us quickly go see!”

  Martial arts technique for making the body

extremely light in weight, by altering the distribution and flow of qi.