How They Showed Up
The group that was holding their “funeral procession” decided to perform the rites at “Verdant Mountains Yonder”. People passing by trembled. Had there been someone playing a suona and the sight of a memorial tablet, people would’ve thought they were holding Duke Ming’s funeral from the way Hong Jiu cried.
“Stop crying, Second. I’m still alive. If you keep crying, I’m out of here.”
“You suffered so much. Look at you. Those jerks locked you up for so long that you… you… eh? You have not lost any weight?”
“They treated me all right. You, on the other hand, have dropped some noticeable weight.”
“Thank heavens! I was so worried that you were suffering. It appears they do have functioning eyes. They must have prostrated themselves in servitude once they witnessed your dominance. That being said, the score still needs to be settled. Do not worry. Our Night Fortress brothers will not turn a blind eye to this. Do you remember who the enemy is? We shall wipe them out. I shall assemble a team and move out right away.”
Ming Feizhen had to expend a painful amount of effort to convince Hong Jiu to relax.
Master Qi had her nose pinched the entire time in disgust. Ming Feizhen noticed all of her movements from beginning to end. With a small smile, he asked, “Second, why have you still not introduced us? Aren’t we friends?”
“Of course we are!” Behind the well-groomed scholar were another buff man and their kids – the Gu and Ning families. Ning Xinshi expressed, “This one is grateful from the bottom of his heart for taking care of his daughter and son-in-law in the underground palace.”
The would-be victims of Gongsun Chu’s plan were going to go their own way once they escaped the underground palace, but Ning Zhuoru noticed the symbol that her clan and Gu Clan used to contact each other in the city. She was perplexed, so she teamed up with the others to stealthily probe around.
Ning Xinshi’s group at Ksana Temple didn’t leave traces since they were operating secretively. Their group raced to Verdant Mountains Yonder once they surfaced from the underground palace following a fruitless search. Thankfully, Lang Qing’s perceptiveness helped him identify the group as a group of skilled martial artist, which brought the two groups together. That was the reason their group arrived after Hong Jiu’s.
The would-be victims shared their experiences in the underground palace, naturally, leading to their family members learning that it was the Wu Ping imposter who saved them all. Gu Xianxian’s exaggerated praise for Ming Feizhen further established the latter as some great noble individual. That was the reason Gu and Ning clans were incredibly grateful to Ming Feizhen. If Gu Bushang found out Ming Feizhen was the Master Ming he had looked up to all this time, he’d be extra grateful.
Ming Feizhen wagged his hands. “I only did what I should have. We were just looking after each other as fellow martial artists, hahaha. Have a seat. Have a seat. The imperial court is paying for this. Waiter, bring us some wine.”
Hong Jiu quietly inquired, “Elder Ning, where is everyone else?”
Ning Xinshi scratched his cheek. “Everyone else went on ahead.”
While Hong Jiu didn’t understand, Ming Feizhen did. Why would Yan Jibei, Wu Ping and Lang Qing’s family members join them when he killed the former two and defeated the latter? Elise couldn’t show up in public due to her identity. Ouyang Xuicai and Elder Lianhua went into hiding with Elise’s group, too.
“Hahaha.” Ming Feizhen decided to leave locating Elise’s group for later, saluted the Bai couple and then, after Hong JIu’s introductions, conveyed, “Patriarch Bai, it is an honour to finally meet you. For me, it is a wish fulfilled.”
Bai Zhiqing nodded. “I met you when you were younger. You sure have learnt how to talk, but you were more handsome when you were young. Did you have a growth disability?”
Ming Feizhen: … I knew it. All cool-looking guys are jerks.
Ming Feizhen was shocked when he first saw Lady Bai. Nevertheless, he then politely saluted her with both hands. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Third Grandma.”
Lady Bai, too, subconsciously flinched when she saw Ming Feizhen, but, once her conscious mind reminded her that he wouldn’t harm her, she smiled. “I’ve heard my husband mention you. You are not doing too well, if I am correct?”
Despite the first sentence and her second sentence having a disconnect, Ming Feizhen understood what was being communicated. “Not too bad. Not too bad. Low profile. Low profile.”
Able to read between the lines, Lady Bai nodded back. “Not a word. Not a word.”
Finally getting to Master Qi, Hong Jiu pulled her over and brightly introduced, “Leader, this is, uh… A, uh… friend.”
Ming Feizhen blinked rapidly.
The hell is wrong with Second? This isn’t how he usually talks. He’s never so flustered around girls.
Master Qi grouchily shook Hong Jiu off. “Already met.”
“Ah, that’s right, she’s the one who hung around His Highness,” said Ming Feizhen, eyes darting back and forth between Hong Jiu and Master Qi. He looked over to Bai Zhiqing and received a nod, so he tapped himself on the head and said, “Ah, I see. We’re all in this together, then. Uh, Miss Qi, please, take a seat.”
Ming Feizhen had a skeleton of the situation in the capital since he questioned Tianhu, so he knew that Wondrous Warrior Manor’s case was among the big ongoing cases. He pulled Second over to pour a cup of wine and sincerely told Master Qi, “I never would’ve expected this to end up like this when I left. His Highness has it tough. That saying has truth to it. Second, help me jog my memory. How does it go again? The harshest…”
“Oh, the harshest family to be in is the Mount Daluo family.”
“That one.”
“It’s ‘… in the royal family’!” Master Qi blurted.
Ming Feizhen hit himself on the side of his head. “Ah, yes, in the royal family, hahaha. You’re really well learned, Miss Qi. It’s sad now that I have time to think about it. His Highness and I used to be really close. All of a sudden, we’re separated forever in the span of a month. Life truly is unpredictable, but this was still a shock. It truly, uh, Second, what’s the line again? Life is… is…”
“Oh, life is as short as a dwarf.”
“That one.”
“It’s, ‘Life is as short as a half-taken breath’! Li Muye isn’t dead, either! He’s just imprisoned for a while. It’s been substantiated that he was framed. His Majesty will release him.”
At that point, Ming Feizhen was done embarrassing himself, so he changed the topic. Even though he cropped and simplified a lot of details, his experience was great entertainment for his audience. Gu Xianxian and Ning Zhuoru, in particular, were shocked when they learnt the truth.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we brothers haven’t seen each other in a while, so we need to have a little chat. Um, Miss Qi, please don’t worry. I will return him to you in a moment.”
Master Qi’s face turned as red as a ripe tomato. “I don’t care about him!”
Ming Feizhen just laughed it off as he dragged Hong Jiu into a room.
“Leader, I missed you.” Hong Jiu started crying again as soon as they entered the room.
“Stop, stop, stop. Why are you with them?”
Hong Jiu relayed everything he’d been through recently.
“Six Blades? They’re League of Assassins’ top team. Why the hell would they help? How loaded is Jiang Chen?”
“No, I heard Six Blades’ captain, Red Snow, didn’t take the job just for the money. Jiang Chen must’ve offered more than that.”
Ming Feizhen couldn’t confirm what the real motive was, so he set it aside for the meantime. “You sure took some serious damage. Let me take a look.” He grabbed Hong Jiu’s arm. “Dragon Claw? And this slash… Second, you’ve improved. You haven’t embarrassed me. Good job beating the three of them.”
“It was nothing. You survived in the underground palace without internal energy. That is true elite-ness.”
“Let’s leave it at that. We both had it rough.” Ming Feizhen pulled his hand back, picked up a brush and started writing a medicinal formula. “Make sure to take this on time, then mould energy according to this procedure, and you won’t have any after effects seven days later.”
“Understood. Leader, your medical knowledge seems to have improved?”
“It has. You can’t remain in the same spot forever. By the way, how is Third Grandpa Bai’s wife so good at fighting?”
After listening to Hong Jiu’s recount, Ming Feizhen said, “Wow, Bai Clan sure is something else. I thought Third Grandpa Bai was just the Prince of romance. I didn’t know he’s the King of romance.”
After that, Ming Feizhen scanned Hong Jiu in a way that made the latter feel uncomfortable.
“What’s the matter, Leader?”
“Good stuff, Second.” Ming Feizhen pointed to the door. “The lass looks pretty adorable. Not bad, not bad. You have good taste this time.”
Hong Jiu wagged his hands. “Stop making fun of me, Leader. She’s feisty. Besides, she’s His Highness’ childhood friend. She’s taken.”
“Nah, she’s not.” Ming Feizhen shook his head as though he heard the most ridiculous thing. “I already checked it out for you. From her reaction when she spoke about Li Muye, they’re only friends.”
Hong Jiu was surprised, but he felt as if a weight was lifted from his shoulders.
“Besides, so what if she’s feisty? Do we have anyone feisty back home? When have any of us had trouble putting a feisty woman in her place? Have I?” Ming Feizhen subconsciously performed neck circles. “Plus, none of them are nearby.”
“Is Ming Feizhen here?”
As soon as Ming Feizhen heard her voice, he was reminded of the aroma of street food wafting past his nose as the sun took its time bowing out.
Gu Xianxian got up to inquire why she asked about Ming Feizhen.
The armed maiden smiled. “He has procrastinated on work for too long. I’m here to pick him up.”
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