When Cang Ge woke, he saw Murong Ruo standing before him. He scrambled to sit up. "Your Highness?"
Murong Ruo quickly steadied him, offering a bitter smile. "At this point, what 'Highness' am I? You are injured; there is no need for such formalities."
Cang Ge glanced left and right. Though he knew he shouldn't mention her, shouldn't care, he still asked softly, "Did Your Highness see..." The name *Leng Feiyan* still felt foreign on his tongue. Yet, in this world, perhaps no one truly knew Yan Yan except for him.
Murong Ruo seemed to understand perfectly. "She is resting. It is thanks to her that you are alive; she broke into the palace last night to steal the Blood-Lipid Flower to neutralize your poison. Otherwise, you truly wouldn't have seen today’s sun."
Cang Ge was stunned. He remembered the poison taking hold the previous night. That woman... actually went into the palace to steal the antidote? Wasn't she one of Murong Yan’s people? He asked hesitantly, "Hasn't she always worked for Murong Yan? Why would she..."
Murong Ruo patted his shoulder. "The court has issued an arrest warrant for her everywhere. Given my royal brother’s temperament, how could he tolerate someone who betrayed him?"
Cang Ge threw on his robe and stood. "I... I will go see her."
"She is still asleep," Murong Ruo said. "It would be best not to disturb her."
Cang Ge thought to himself that with her martial arts prowess, no matter how careful he was, how could he possibly not wake her? Yet, when he stepped into the meditation room, Leng Feiyan did not wake. Cang Ge was surprised and turned to Murong Ruo. "What is wrong with her?"
"She woke up this morning in unbearable pain," Murong Ruo replied. "She asked Master Xue Zhan for something to help her sleep. She only just managed to fall into a deep slumber."
Cang Ge gazed at her sleeping face, his expression a complex knot of emotions. Murong Ruo, seeing the look in his eyes, could guess the nature of their relationship. He said nothing more, turning to leave and pulling the door shut behind him.
Cang Ge sat by Leng Feiyan’s bed. She had changed into snow-white monastic robes; the plainness lent her a different kind of striking beauty. He felt an urge to touch her face, but a sharp pang of guilt pierced his heart—hundreds of lives at Hidden Sword Villa had perished because of her. His parents and brothers’ spirits were watching from above; what was he doing?
Yet, he could not bring himself to strike her down. He had stabbed her once, and in that moment, his mind had gone blank. He hadn't thought of anything then, only knowing that if he hesitated, there would be no future.
But how could he ever love her with a clear conscience again?
Would he not dream of the rotting corpses strewn across Hidden Sword Villa?
Would he not remember the horrific sight of his parents' deaths?
Could a blood feud be ignored simply for the sake of this pathetic, laughable love?
He could only sit by her side, watching her sleep. If time could leap forward several decades in an instant, turning their hair white and letting their grievances fade away, would that be enough?
He sat in silence. Even in sleep, Leng Feiyan’s brow was furrowed. Cang Ge reached out, wanting to smooth the creases between her eyes. But the moment his finger brushed her brow, she suddenly seized his hand, her right hand already gripping the hilt of her sword!
The killing intent radiating from her in that moment startled him. Seeing it was him, Leng Feiyan finally let go, her voice laced with impatience. "What are you doing here? Can't you let me sleep a bit longer?"
"Why did you go to the palace?" Cang Ge asked. "Don't you know..."
"What I do is none of your damn business," Leng Feiyan snapped. "Whether I'm hacked by blades or chopped by axes, it's my own choice. Who asked for your input?"
Cang Ge was incensed. "You expect me to accept a gift from my enemy! To rely on you just to linger on in this life! This feeling is worse than dying at the hands of Duanmu Shang!"
"You're dissatisfied?" Leng Feiyan asked. When Cang Ge didn't answer, she continued, "If you're so dissatisfied, you can go back and die! Your whole family is waiting on the other side anyway; maybe you'll even have a reunion."
Cang Ge stood up in a rage. "You are absolutely unreasonable!" He turned and slammed the door as he left.
Leng Feiyan forced herself to sit up. As she pulled back the quilt, she saw the medicinal bandages on her body were already soaked through with blood. A shadow of the Sorcerer-General flashed through her mind, but she quickly pushed the thought away.
She needed to escape Jinyang, but injured as she was, how could she get out? Furthermore, when she had stolen the Blood-Lipid Flower from the palace, Feng Ping had plenty of time to set a trap. Her escape had been far too easy. Why had he let her go?
Back when Murong Ruo was hiding in Fachang Temple and Cang Ge was in the woods outside, Feng Ping had led the Imperial Guards to search the temple. At that time, if they had captured Cang Ge, she would have at least had the strength to fight. So, was it that they truly couldn't find Murong Ruo then, or were they driving her into a corner step by step?
She bit down on her sword hilt, tending to her own wounds and changing the bandages. Her heart slowly sank into a dark cloud. She suddenly missed Zuo Canglang; if she were here, things surely wouldn't have reached this desperate state. But in the end, she had been outmaneuvered. There was nothing left to do but gamble everything.
***
Zuo Canglang took the backroads as she rushed toward Jinyang. Jiang Sanyi certainly had spies; the moment she left the mountain forests, she would be discovered. She couldn't stay on the mountain paths forever; they were too slow. Fortunately, these spies were no match for her; she only needed to shake them off before the reinforcements arrived.
Thus, although she was followed and watched along the way, the pursuers never found the right moment to kill her. Just as she reached Yuyang, another spy spotted her. Zuo Canglang was about to lose him when he suddenly stepped forward and presented her with a letter.
Zuo Canglang took it. On it was a single line: *To save Leng Feiyan, come to Fachang Temple.*
***
The following day, Fachang Temple welcomed a distinguished guest—Murong Yan arrived in person. Master Xue Zhan was very surprised and personally went to the mountain gate to receive him. Murong Yan walked up the stone steps with him, saying, "It has been a long time since I visited Fachang Temple. It is still filled with the scent of flowers and the song of birds, as peaceful as a hidden paradise."
Xue Zhan pressed his palms together and chanted a low Buddhist prayer. "This is a place beyond the mundane world. It is only thanks to Your Majesty’s sacred virtue and protection that we enjoy such peace and harmony."
Murong Yan said, "I remember when my Mother Consort was still alive, you often came to the palace, Master, to instruct me in martial arts and literature."
Xue Zhan could not fathom his intent and felt uneasy, yet he still replied, "Your Majesty was brilliant. It is only a pity that the Lady passed away early and could not see the day Your Majesty ascended the throne."
As they reached the temple gate, Murong Yan said, "After Mother Consort passed, everyone in the palace avoided me. Only you, Master, still secretly brought poems and classics into the palace."
Xue Zhan didn't know why he was suddenly bringing up these old matters. He said softly, "At that time, there were many inconveniences in the palace, and it was not proper for this old monk to meet with Your Majesty. I could only leave the books in the rockery caves for Your Majesty to collect."
Murong Yan said, "I remember one time, we were nearly discovered. You pretended to be relieving yourself in the cave, Master, which dispelled the suspicions of the Li clan."
Xue Zhan bowed and invited him into the temple, his face showing a hint of embarrassment. "Your Majesty actually remembers such awkward old stories."
Once they reached the meditation room, Murong Yan looked around and said, "A teacher for a day is a father for a lifetime. I have always remembered your kindness in teaching me, Master."
Xue Zhan ordered tea to be served. Hearing this, he said, "Your Majesty was naturally gifted back then. Even at a young age, you were hardworking and diligent. This old monk was always pleased."
Murong Yan sat down by a Go board. "This is also why, since my accession, I have always honored Fachang Temple. It has been a long time since I played a match with you, Master. I have some free time today; I wonder if you would do me the honor?"
Xue Zhan had no choice but to sit opposite him. "I shall accompany you."
Murong Yan picked up a black stone and made the first move. "In the past, when I played against you, I always suffered a crushing defeat. I hope today will be just like those years."
Xue Zhan’s heart skipped a beat. These words... what was the intent behind them?
Before he could speak, Feng Ping suddenly entered with a group of armored soldiers. Xue Zhan’s expression changed drastically as he stood up in shock. Murong Yan said indifferently, "Search."
Feng Ping cupped his hands, acknowledged the order, and waved his hand to signal the soldiers to search the temple.
Only then did Murong Yan look at Xue Zhan, his voice still gentle. "Master, it is your turn."
At that moment, Leng Feiyan, Cang Ge, and Murong Ruo saw that things were going south and prepared to hide in the secret tunnel. Leng Feiyan thought for a moment and said, "They are so confident, and their timing is perfect every time. It is very likely there is a traitor in the temple!"
Murong Ruo’s face paled. "Impossible. If there were truly a traitor, I have been in the temple for many days; why wasn't I caught?"
Leng Feiyan looked at him. "Because it wasn't time to pull in the net yet!"
As she said this, she herself was chilled. A man like Jiang Sanyi—from the moment Murong Ruo’s group entered Jinyang, he had appeared to be chasing them, but in reality, he had let them go to dig up the treasure. Thus, he found the wealth left behind by Murong Yuan for Murong Yan.
Then, following the lead of Cang Ge, he found their hiding place and discovered Fachang Temple.
On the surface, the Imperial Guards searched and found nothing, but in reality, he had secretly planted an informant within Fachang Temple. He wanted to turn this into a major case to maximize his merit.
And as for Cang Ge—when he discovered that Leng Feiyan had stepped in to save him, he immediately came up with the idea of dragging her down with them. He used the hatred between Hidden Sword Villa and the Swallow Tower to drive a wedge between the two. Then he schemed against Master Xue Zhan, leading to the internal strife at the Scripture Hall.
Now that Leng Feiyan was injured, he deliberately left Cang Ge alive. His true purpose was simply to trick Leng Feiyan into going to the palace to steal the Blood-Lipid Flower. Although Leng Feiyan was injured, she was still someone who worked for Murong Yan; if he struck her directly, Murong Yan might be displeased.
But after such an incident, he would no longer have any reservations.
Murong Ruo said, "We will escape through the secret passage!"
Leng Feiyan replied, "The passage only leads to the back of the mountain. Even if we get out, we won't be able to leave Jinyang. Moreover, the traitor surely knows where the passage is; we will be caught quickly."
Cang Ge asked, "Then... is our only path to fight to the death?" He looked at Leng Feiyan; he did not fear death, but she was covered in wounds.
"Follow me!" Leng Feiyan said.
The two followed her out of the secret passage. The exit indeed opened onto the rear mountain of Fachang Temple, and the woods were already filled with archers. How shrewd was a man like Jiang Sanyi? The net he finally pulled in left them only a path to death.
Their faces were grim. Leng Feiyan led the two of them beneath a waterfall, where there was a gap between the water and the mountain face. "Your Highness," Leng Feiyan said, "take off your clothes and sit inside the waterfall."
Murong Ruo and Cang Ge didn't understand her meaning. Leng Feiyan pushed him inside, found a large amount of black mud, and without a word, began smearing it over him. Cang Ge understood then—the light here was dim and the spot was inconspicuous. Covered in black mud, at a quick glance, he would look no different from a Buddhist statue.
She quickly finished coating him. Murong Ruo asked, "Why are you saving me?"
Leng Feiyan glanced at him and said, "The thought of that man searching everywhere and failing to find you makes me happy."
As she spoke, her eyes sparkled with spirit, as if this were merely a game, as if she weren't injured at all. Murong Ruo sighed. "Why would someone like you serve him?"
Leng Feiyan’s expression suddenly turned solemn. "Even if I had to do it all over again, I would still be willing to serve him."
"I don't understand," Murong Ruo said.
Leng Feiyan slapped the last piece of wet mud over his mouth. "Between the King of Yan, you, and him, there was no other choice. At least under him, Great Yan no longer bows to others, and the women of Yan are no longer treated like livestock, sent as tribute to Xijing."
Beside her, Cang Ge was stunned. He had thought she was merely a common ruffian, yet she had suddenly spoken such words. He asked, "Is there no anger at being deceived?"
Leng Feiyan turned back and patted his face. "I only believe in his courage and ambition; where is the deception?" Then she laughed. "The one who was truly deceived is the real idiot."
Murong Ruo was speechless. Leng Feiyan said to Cang Ge, "Let's go."
Cang Ge nodded solemnly. Leng Feiyan reached out and lightly touched his face. "No need to be so serious. Since I am taking you out, I will surely see you safely out of Jinyang."
Cang Ge said, "I am a descendant of Hidden Sword Villa, not some useless young master."
Leng Feiyan glanced at Murong Ruo behind the waterfall and smiled. "Alright, alright, I know. Didn't I just hide the 'young master' away?"
The two of them headed down along the stream, using the mountain terrain to kill the searching Imperial Guards. Being experts, they quickly carved out a bloody path. Feng Ping approached and whispered into Murong Yan’s ear, "Your Majesty..."
Before he could finish, Murong Yan said, "The Master is not an outsider; there is no need to avoid him."
Feng Ping then spoke loudly, "Rebels have been discovered on the mountainside. The Imperial Guards are in pursuit!"
Murong Yan placed another stone. "Who is it?"
"Judging by the wounds on the dead, it is undoubtedly Leng Feiyan and Cang Ge," Feng Ping replied.
Murong Yan glanced at Xue Zhan. The Master’s moves remained steady as he said, "These rebels are becoming bolder and bolder, actually hiding in the forests of Fachang Temple. I beg Your Majesty to forgive this old monk’s negligence. The forests are dense and the terrain is treacherous... the monks could not oversee everything. It is my failure."
Murong Yan continued to play. "I would very much like to believe your words, Master, but I also want you to hear what another person has to say."
With a wave of his hand, the Prior of Fachang Temple, Xue Xin, entered. Xue Zhan’s pupils constricted as he heard Xue Xin recount everything—how he had brought Murong Ruo into the temple, how he had helped Murong Ruo change his appearance, and how he had sheltered Cang Ge and Leng Feiyan. Every detail was laid bare.
Murong Yan asked, "Is there anything untrue in his words?"
Xue Zhan slowly set down his stone and stood up, but he remained standing rather than kneeling. Murong Yan said, "Does this mean you admit it, Master?"
Xue Zhan looked at Xue Xin. "Junior Brother Xue Xin, do you know what you are saying?"
Xue Xin lowered his head. "Before His Majesty, no matter the matter, I can only speak the truth!"
Xue Zhan sighed and fell silent. Murong Yan said, "Master, I do not understand. You, Bi Chengjing, Wen Qi—one by one, you could show me favor and protection when my power was weak. After I gained power, I intended to recruit Wen Qi, I once heavily employed Bi Chengjing, and I have always treated you with honor and generosity. But why is it that, one after another, not a single one of you has ever been loyal to me?"
Xue Zhan looked up and said slowly, "Does Your Majesty wish to hear the truth?"
"At this point, Master, do you still intend to speak against your heart?" Murong Yan asked.
Xue Zhan said, "When Your Majesty was young, even though Consort Rong was strict, you were quick and eager to learn, excelling in both civil and military arts. How could loyal and righteous men not love you? But after you gained power, you hunted down and killed your father, your brothers, and the veteran ministers of the previous reign one by one. You desire absolute stability, but Your Majesty, in this world of ten thousand years, how can there be absolute stability? What is the difference between extreme power and a tyrant? Your Majesty has been blinded by power. What you seek is not loyal and righteous ministers, but sharp blades. Where the blade points, it does not distinguish right from wrong! Thus, the righteous ministers flee, and the petty men hold sway."
Murong Yan said in a rage, "Throughout history, during the transition of power, which monarch’s rise was not marked by fields of corpses and rivers of blood? If one does not kill all that is unjust, how can there be peace? Hunting down and killing? Have I hunted you down and killed you?!"
Xue Zhan said, "Your Majesty, a ruler should have a heart of mercy. Where one can let go, one should let go! If you have no loyalty or righteousness in your heart, how can loyal and righteous men come to you?"
Murong Yan slowly calmed himself. "It seems then, in the Master’s eyes, harboring rebels is an act of loyalty and righteousness?"
Xue Zhan said slowly, "Having received the kindness of my former lord, how could I kick a man while he is down? I know my sins are heavy, but Your Majesty, the other monks in Fachang Temple know only of chanting the Buddha’s name; they are entirely ignorant. This old monk implores Your Majesty not to implicate the others in the temple!"
Murong Yan threw down his stones. "Implore?! You actually have the face to implore me!"
He turned to leave, but Xue Zhan blocked his path. Murong Yan sneered. "What, does the Master intend to clear his house? Men, bind him and drag him to the courtyard!"
Master Xue Zhan slowly sat cross-legged, his monk’s staff laid aside, his palms facing upward and overlapping in his lap. He said, "After Consort Rong passed away, I chanted sutras in the Zhanghua Hall for forty-nine days. It is a pity I still could not dissolve the hostility in Your Majesty’s heart."
Murong Yan’s footsteps faltered slightly. He turned back abruptly, only to see a trickle of blood winding down from the corner of the Master’s mouth.
Feng Ping rushed forward and felt his pulse. "Your Majesty, he has severed his own meridians!"
Murong Yan walked forward slowly. For some reason, he thought back to the Zhangwen Hall.
In that cold side palace, his mother’s coffin had been laid. A disgraced consort who died a wrongful death, her funeral was simple in every way. Only Xue Zhan, already a high monk then, had chanted sutras and performed rites for her for a full forty-nine days.
The young child had leaned helplessly against his knee, listening to his peaceful and harmonious voice. Later, whenever he read those sutras, it was that voice that echoed in his mind.
He walked out of Fachang Temple and said, "Execute every monk in the temple. Burn Fachang Temple to the ground, the temple and the mountain together. Not a single blade of grass is to be left!"
The mountain fire rose, burning the past into smoke. He became that cold and powerful Murong Yan once more, without a single weakness.
***
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