Chapter Forty-Nine: Corpses Strewn Across the Wilderness

Within the Listening Wind Pavilion of the King of War’s residence, Feng Jinye was anxiously awaiting Leng Ling. As Leng Ling set foot into the study, he heard Feng Jinye’s leisurely question: “Is she hurt?”

Leng Ling paused, certain he had heard correctly, and replied as he entered, “Rest assured, Your Highness. The princess took her medicine last night and is much recovered.”

“Good. You may go now,” Feng Jinye nodded, resuming his reading of military treatises.

Leng Ling bowed, stepped back, and left the study in confusion. He couldn’t fathom why the prince only asked if the princess was injured and, recalling the message he’d been told to deliver to her yesterday, wondered if that had been the sole purpose.

Elsewhere, Wei Shao Qianyu returned to Wanlai Xue with several maids in tow. No one was happier than Xue Chun, whose joy stemmed from the prospect of earning more silver.

Yet, amidst her delight, Xue Chun grew wary—her mistress, on a whim, might sell Wanlai Xue again. Thus, she resolved to earn as much as she could while she could. As a result, Wanlai Xue was short-handed, and Ye Shiyi had become an assistant in the kitchen.

Originally, Xue Chun had suggested to Wei Shao Qianyu that they hire more staff, but Qianyu merely signaled her with a glance and said, “Isn’t there free labor right here?”

The word “free” held great allure for Xue Chun. She eyed Ye Shiyi but shook her head, doubting he could be ordered around.

Immediately, Wei Shao Qianyu offered a tactic, teaching Xue Chun to say, “If he doesn’t obey, ask him, ‘Do you dare defy the princess’s orders?’”

The more Qianyu explained, the more Xue Chun was tempted.

Ye Shiyi was highly skilled among the shadow guards, his internal strength perfect for kneading dough and making pastries—plus, he was unpaid. The thought made Xue Chun snicker to herself.

The more she considered it, the more delighted she became. Suddenly, she asked, “Princess, could we have a few more shadow guards from the prince’s residence?”

Wei Shao Qianyu cast her a glance and went to the woodshed to interrogate Mei Ji.

Mei Ji was still herself, her personality unchanged. Qianyu observed that Mei Ji’s condition was somewhat improved from the day before.

“Who are you?” Mei Ji’s eyes snapped open, wary, locking gazes with Qianyu.

Qianyu regarded the girl before her, seventeen or eighteen years old, her features sharp, brows thick and eyes large—a beauty in her own right.

“I am the one the Twilight Pavilion wants dead!” Qianyu had intended to say she was the one Mian Yin wanted to kill, but recalling that Mian Yin might have been the trigger that agitated Mei Ji last night, changed her answer.

“You are Wei Shao Qianyu?” Qianyu was the only female assassination target of the Twilight Pavilion in the past half year, so Mei Ji remembered her.

“You really are reckless. The Pavilion may spare you, but I never will!” Mei Ji’s eyes flashed viciously as she roared.

Qianyu remained calm and smiled lightly. “And how will you not spare me?”

“Does Mistress Mei Ji know how she became a prisoner of mine? Yet you dare boast you will not spare me?” Qianyu’s words were gentle, deliberately guiding Mei Ji to recall how she was brought here.

“You!” Mei Ji was incensed. She truly didn’t know how she had suddenly been captured, nor why she had left the Twilight Pavilion.

Mei Ji had not left the Pavilion for an entire year, believing her remaining life would be lived in perpetual darkness.

Suddenly, Mei Ji laughed wildly. “Do you think assassins of the Pavilion are easy to catch? I guarantee that within three days, this cursed place will be strewn with corpses!”

Qianyu’s heart trembled at her words. If a fire were set, indeed corpses would lie everywhere—much like the method used to kill her parents, eerily similar.

Qianyu lowered her gaze, suppressing her hatred, then took out a plum blossom hairpin. “Do you recognize this?”

Mei Ji glanced at the hairpin, her heart stirred slightly, but she immediately turned her head away. “I don’t recognize it.”

Qianyu pressed her further, raising her voice, “But Mian Yin does!”

The moment Mei Ji heard Mian Yin’s name, her pupils contracted and she howled, “Impossible! Absolutely impossible!”

“What’s the matter?” Qianyu’s lips curled with an enchanting smile. “Mian Yin’s name cannot be mentioned?”

As soon as she said this, Mei Ji struggled with all her might, nearly breaking free of her shackles to tear into Qianyu. When she failed, she screamed, “Mian Yin is dead, already dead...”

Just as Qianyu suspected, Mei Ji’s dual personalities had one deceased; the other had split into two. It seemed both were alive, but Qianyu could not tell which was the primary. Now, it appeared Mian Yin was the one who died.

Mei Ji was unaware of her split personality, nor whether Mian Yin knew. Qianyu cared little for any of this.

Her greatest concern now was coaxing out the other personality, so she could ask about Feng Qingxuan’s whereabouts.

Qianyu’s heart tightened. Once she found Feng Qingxuan, she would leave Yue City to seek the whereabouts of the Xingyuan Sword. Yet, what weighed most on her heart was Feng Jinye. When they parted, who knew when they would meet again?

Seeing that further questioning would be futile, Qianyu lowered her gaze and exited the woodshed, determined to observe and wait patiently for the other personality to emerge.

Returning to the loft, Qianyu sensed something was amiss at Wanlai Xue, but couldn’t pinpoint what. Just then, Qingxia entered, carrying freshly made pastries. Qianyu picked up a piece, raised it to her lips, then paused.

Tonight, Wanlai Xue lacked the sweet, glutinous aroma of pastries.

Qianyu sniffed carefully, detecting a faint smell of kerosene. Suddenly, Mei Ji’s earlier words—“corpses strewn everywhere”—echoed in her mind, arriving faster than she could have imagined.

Qianyu immediately called for Ye Jiu. “Go save Mei Ji. Ensure everyone survives—there must be no mistakes!”

“Qingxia, quickly evacuate everyone from Wanlai Xue. A moment’s delay, and they’ll be burned alive!” Qianyu spoke urgently, rushing downstairs.

Xue Chun was frantically ascending the stairs, colliding with Qianyu. She grabbed Qianyu’s hand and pulled her down. “Miss, there’s a fire outside!”

Qianyu frowned as the staff began shouting, “Fire! Fire!”

With their cries, chaos erupted at Wanlai Xue. Dozens of staff scrambled, screaming and fleeing downstairs.

“Where’s Ye Shiyi?” Qianyu asked calmly.

“He went outside...” Xue Chun began, but a shadow dashed in, grabbed Qianyu with one hand and Xue Chun with the other, then raced out without a word.

Qianyu guessed Ye Shiyi had gone out to set off alarm fireworks. She silently praised him, “Smart—knows to alert the authorities first.”

Ye Shiyi moved with astonishing speed, whisking Qianyu and Xue Chun out of Wanlai Xue in a flash. Xue Chun tried to rush back in, but Ye Shiyi held her back.

“Why are you stopping me? Qingxia’s still inside...” Xue Chun was genuinely frantic. Dongnuan was also missing, possibly still inside. Xue Chun was terrified.

Ye Shiyi restrained her and barked, “Wait!”

It was Qianyu’s first time seeing Ye Shiyi angry, and she understood his meaning, so she held Xue Chun back. Ye Shiyi immediately rushed back into Wanlai Xue, soon emerging with Qingxia.

Qingxia had originally shielded Qianyu, but was not as swift as Ye Shiyi.

The door was collapsing in flames, Dongnuan still nowhere to be seen. Qianyu was endlessly anxious; Xue Chun was beside herself, Qingxia was wiping away tears.

Feng Jinye hadn’t expected, only two days later, to see the fan-shaped fireworks again in the sky.

This time, Feng Jinye barely paused for breath, moving with astonishing speed, hoping to arrive in time to see Qianyu once more.

When Feng Jinye arrived at Wanlai Xue, the entire building was engulfed in raging flames.

In that instant, his heart almost ceased beating, and he could scarcely breathe.

Qianyu gazed at the inferno, memories of her family estate burning when she was six resurfacing.

Feng Jinye trembled as he pushed through the crowd, heading straight for the front of Wanlai Xue.

He saw Qianyu, her eyes hollow, staring at the blazing fire. In that moment, Feng Jinye found his heartbeat again.

His eyes bloodshot, he rushed forward and pulled Qianyu into his arms, holding her tightly.

Only after a long time did his restless heart finally settle.

The shadow guards from the Prince’s residence arrived just in time, Ye Shi detained Mei Ji, Ye Jiu supported Dongnuan, approaching from another direction.

Xue Chun and Qingxia immediately went to Dongnuan, helping her sit aside. The three maids watched their mistress held in the prince’s arms, then embraced one another, Qingxia and Xue Chun unable to keep from crying.

Hearing the soft sobs around him, Feng Jinye finally released Qianyu, carefully examining her for injuries.

Ye Shi, seeing the prince finally let go of the princess, stepped forward to ask, “Your Highness, how should we handle this person?”

“Take her back to the Prince’s residence and lock her up!” Qianyu answered before Feng Jinye could, not caring whom Ye Shi had asked.

Ye Shi waited for the prince’s command. Feng Jinye, seeing Ye Shi unmoved, frowned and signaled him to take Mei Ji away.

Ye Shiyi, seeing most people had escaped, suggested, “Your Highness, perhaps you should return to the residence. I’ll stay behind to deal with the aftermath.”

Qianyu ignored everything else, walking straight to her maids. She asked Dongnuan, “Did you go upstairs looking for me?”

Dongnuan, highly skilled in martial arts, should have been least likely to be injured—there was only one possible explanation.

Dongnuan smiled, “I didn’t find you. On my way down, a plank hit me. Fate wasn’t against me—I happened to run into them!”

Qianyu tapped Dongnuan’s head. “Qingxia, lead the way. Let’s find a clinic to treat Dongnuan’s wounds. Xue Chun, stay and help Ye Shiyi with the aftermath.”

Hearing Qianyu’s words, Feng Jinye felt his anger flare again. She intended to sever ties thoroughly—even in such dire circumstances, she refused to return with him to the Prince’s residence.

Feng Jinye’s anger grew. He glanced coldly at Dongnuan and ordered, “Ye Jiu, take them to the residence!”