After escorting the guests out on Wei Fu’s behalf, Ying Yue returned and entered the room to find Wei Fu already seated beside Yu Gong Zhao Ye of his own accord, trading barbed remarks back and forth with Xie You Lan. Yu Gong Zhao Ye wore an expression of utter detachment, as though his three souls and seven spirits had already fled home some time ago.
Ying Yue recognized Wei Fu, though he did not see him often. As for Xie You Lan, this was their first meeting. Yet now that the two men sat in the same room, he suddenly realized their features actually resembled each other somewhat. Especially when they both lowered their eyes with straight faces—the contours of their brows and eyes looked as though they had been carved from the same mold.
But their temperaments were completely different. Wei Fu resembled gentle spring water, warm and soothing to the heart, while Xie You Lan was like a cold sinister wind that looked as though he might casually slap someone if he happened to be in a bad mood.
One came from a noble aristocratic clan of Xiling, the other from a martial sect of Dongyu. They were like two ships that would never cross paths in eight lifetimes. If not for chance bringing them together, no one would ever associate them with each other, much less suspect blood ties.
Back then, Yu Gong Zhao Ye’s mistake had been not knowing what “Jiang Guan” looked like, which was why he had believed Xie You Lan’s nonsense. But now, observing the atmosphere between them, they were clearly more than simply “relatives.” They were most likely brothers.
“Since everyone here already knows each other, we can skip introductions.” Yu Gong Zhao Ye tapped the table lightly with his knuckles, dragging the conversation back onto serious matters. “Palace Master Xie came personally to Bihan City to negotiate this kidnapping and extortion business without even bringing attendants. It seems wealth isn’t what you’re after. What exactly do you want? Speak plainly.”
Xie You Lan poured himself wine from a silver flask and casually glanced at Wei Fu, lips curling slightly. “I’m discussing business with Prince Yu Gong. Isn’t it rather obstructive to have irrelevant people sitting here? Why not have someone throw him out?”
His appearance was stunning, possessing the same beautiful peach blossom eyes as Wei Fu, though he was several years older and carried himself with greater composure. Only his expression constantly held traces of cold mockery, as though he habitually looked down upon others from above. The lower half of his face resembled Wei Fu less—his nose was sharp and his lips thin—so while beautiful, his beauty bordered on cruelty.
Wei Fu, whose cultivation was still shallow, smiled instead of snapping back. His eyes shifted fluidly toward Yu Gong Zhao Ye as he spoke tactfully:
“Though I know nothing of martial world disputes, I do possess some skill in judging people. I don’t dare claim I could help much by remaining here, but at least I can prevent villains from deceiving Your Highness.”
Hidden beneath his sleeves beneath the table, his hand slowly reached over to hook Yu Gong Zhao Ye’s little finger and gently sway it, like a silent plea.
Yu Gong Zhao Ye, unwillingly dragged out as a shield: “……”
Xie You Lan let out a cold sneer. “You really intend to let him sit here and listen to how you secretly investigated his background?”
Wei Fu immediately declared his innocence to Yu Gong Zhao Ye:
“I came to Longsha under imperial orders to serve as Assistant Chancellor. It is only natural for Your Highness to investigate me. Am I truly such an unreasonable person that I would develop grievances toward Your Highness over something so minor?”
As he spoke, he did not forget to step on Xie You Lan while he was at it.
“What did I just say? Some people simply love sowing discord whenever they find an opening. Your Highness mustn’t fall for his tricks.”
Only now did Ying Yue finally understand why Yu Gong Zhao Ye had worn such an expression upon entering earlier.
“Talk business, both of you. If you keep this up, we may as well end the conversation entirely.” After acting as a decorative vase for half the evening, Yu Gong Zhao Ye’s patience finally ran out. He practically began sharpening his knife, preparing to use force. “Even if we risk our lives in battle, we may still be able to keep Palace Master Xie here. With you in our hands, Beizhu Palace will have no choice but to release the hostage.”
Xie You Lan smiled faintly, clearly unconcerned by the threat.
“Easy enough. I don’t lack money. I only require His Highness to do one thing.”
“What thing?”
“There is a great lake on the border between northwestern Dongyu and Yan Yuan. In the middle of the lake lies an island hidden year-round within dense fog. I want Yeguang to escort me onto that island.”
From his sleeve, he withdrew a map and calmly pushed it toward Yu Gong Zhao Ye.
“So long as I return safely to Beizhu Palace, I will immediately return that Moon Envoy to Bihan City completely unharmed.”
Yu Gong Zhao Ye’s gaze landed upon the place name marked on the map. Rarely, he fell into a daze instead of answering immediately.
Seeing his hesitation, Xie You Lan raised a brow with amusement and looked toward Ying Yue behind him. Graciously lowering himself to speak first, he asked:
“You’re her brother?”
Ying Yue did not understand why he had suddenly brought this up, but after a moment’s hesitation, he nodded.
“I assume you siblings are extremely close,” Xie You Lan remarked while lifting his wine cup, his tone carrying subtle malice. “After all, when death was at her doorstep, the only thing she knew how to do was keep crying for her brother.”
Clang!
In an instant, a fierce wind swept across the room. Ying Yue abruptly drew his blade!
The blade slashed straight toward Xie You Lan’s face. Yet the wine cup in Xie You Lan’s right hand did not even tremble. With his left hand, he flicked the dagger sharply with a finger—
Dang!
The blade shattered on impact. Half the cold steel spun through the air before embedding itself into the table with a heavy thud.
“Ying Yue!”
Yu Gong Zhao Ye barked sharply in warning. But the man who was usually as gentle as water had already been driven into boiling rage.
“What did you do to her?!”
“With your pathetic skills, you’re not even as good as your sister. No matter what I did to her, you’d be powerless to stop me.” Xie You Lan drank another mouthful of wine and mocked him in an infuriating tone. “Use your brain. She’s obviously still alive. Otherwise, how could I possibly get Yeguang to work for me? But if you keep waving your claws around and anger me, your sister’s head may very well start moving.”
Yu Gong Zhao Ye reached out and held Ying Yue down, shaking his head slightly.
“Don’t act rashly.”
At that moment, Ying Yue felt as though ten thousand ants were devouring his heart. Grinding his teeth anxiously, he said:
“Your Highness, let me go. I’m willing to serve Palace Master Xie. As long as you release my sister, I’ll agree to your terms.”
Reading the room carefully, Wei Fu noticed Yu Gong Zhao Ye still seemed hesitant and was weighing options, while Xie You Lan’s provocation had clearly been deliberate. By stirring Ying Yue’s emotions, he sought to pressure Yu Gong Zhao Ye into agreeing quickly.
So Wei Fu nudged his elbow and spoke before Yu Gong Zhao Ye could answer.
“How did you know her sister was sent by Yeguang?”
“Because everything she was investigating concerned ancient old scandals.” Seeing straight through Wei Fu’s intentions, Xie You Lan mocked him leisurely. “Whether it’s Bihua or Yeguang, it’s all just wordplay. Any spy connected to troublesome pests like you inevitably belongs to Prince Yu Gong.”
Wei Fu choked slightly, then let out a bashful “aiya.”
“Well then, apologies on our behalf. We’ll punish ourselves with three cups of wine. How about releasing her?”
Xie You Lan: “Don’t push your luck. Why should I?”
Wei Fu replied, “You’ve already inherited the position of Palace Master. Those old matters can no longer threaten you, so why involve innocent people?”
“That’s right. But I insist on using her as leverage.” Xie You Lan declared bluntly, “Back then, Prince Yu Gong stormed into Beizhu Palace alone in a fit of fury over a mute, and because I didn’t kill him, he gained the mistaken impression that Beizhu Palace was some soft persimmon anyone could squeeze. If I don’t seize this handle now that it’s delivered straight to me, next time will he bring you along too, march right through the front gates, and take over Beizhu Palace altogether?”
Wei Fu: “……”
At the mention of old events, he suddenly connected certain dots. His gaze swept over Xie You Lan several times with dawning realization, until Xie You Lan nearly grew uncomfortable beneath it.
“What?”
“She’s one of Yeguang’s people. Keeping her for future use was just an excuse you found afterward to justify yourself. The real reason you didn’t kill her in the beginning was because she cried out for her brother beneath your blade, wasn’t it?”
Ying Yue froze in surprise.
Xie You Lan looked utterly unwilling to entertain such absurd nonsense and answered coldly:
“Completely wrong.”
But Wei Fu merely smiled silently.
Within that brief exchange, it seemed as though he had cast aside some invisible armor. His sharp claws and mischievous fangs receded, revealing once more the gentleness he usually showed others.
“It sounds like your position as Palace Master hasn’t been very satisfying. Why else would you personally handle something like capturing people?”
“What does that have to do with you?” Xie You Lan dismissed him impatiently. “Mind your own business.”
At that moment, Yu Gong Zhao Ye finally pulled his attention away from the map.
“I share the same question, and hope Palace Master Xie can enlighten me. Beizhu Palace possesses enormous power. Any capable subordinate under you would surely be more suitable than us. The island is also located within Dongyu territory. Why not send your trusted people instead of going out of your way to seek escort from completely unrelated Longsha forces?”
“Internal affairs of my sect are inconvenient to explain to outsiders. You would both do well not to pry.” Like an obstinate tyrant of a ruler, Xie You Lan rejected them outright. “But regarding the lake and island, I can provide some information.”
“That lake spans thousands of acres. The water is milky white in color, and dense mist shrouds it year-round, which is why it is called Yun Lake. Two months ago, a woman from Luxian County of Yingzhou in Dongyu could no longer endure her husband’s beatings and abuse. One rainy night, she ran to the lakeside and jumped in to kill herself. Her family believed she was dead, but several days later she returned home completely unharmed.”
“She claimed the currents had swept her onto an island in the middle of the lake. The island was filled with white sand and wild forests hidden beneath dense fog, with no sign of human habitation. She stayed there for a day, and after the fog dispersed, she drifted back across the lake clutching a piece of driftwood.”
“A few days after returning home, her husband suddenly developed a strange illness. Red rashes and sores erupted all over his body. Once the rashes split open, they could never heal again, bleeding endlessly. Eventually, his entire body became covered in wounds, like a punctured waterskin, until he bled to death.”
“After the disease spread, the local authorities believed it to be a plague. They sealed off the entire village and dragged the woman from her home for questioning. But by then she had already lost her sanity. She could neither understand speech nor speak herself. She became nothing more than a breathing corpse, and not long afterward, she died.”
The phrase “breathing corpse” struck some taut nerve.
Wei Fu and Yu Gong Zhao Ye instinctively turned toward one another at the same moment, seeing identical caution in each other’s eyes.
The description sounded far too familiar.
Xie You Lan ignored the silent exchange of glances between them and continued calmly.
“Because the woman herself never contracted the disease, her corpse did not need to be burned after death. Since no family remained to collect the body, they buried her carelessly in a random grave mound. The minor official responsible for disposal noticed she still wore a ring on her hand and assumed it might be valuable, so he secretly pocketed it and took it to a pawnshop. But the ring was neither gold nor silver, and its material was unrecognizable. It wasn’t worth much money at all. Eager to get rid of it, the official exchanged it casually for some rice and flour before taking it home.”
“Several days later, the strange disease erupted within the county town. Within a single month, everyone who had come into contact with the ring died violently one after another.”
Silence blanketed the room.
Even in Bihan City’s warm, pleasant weather, everyone listening to his ghost story felt chills creeping down their spines.
Xie You Lan produced a flat hexagonal crystal case. Through the transparent lid, they could clearly see a dull-colored ring resting inside.
“But didn’t you say everyone who touched it died violently?!”
Wei Fu immediately shielded Yu Gong Zhao Ye behind himself, looking ready to drag him all the way onto the roof if necessary. Furious, he snapped at Xie You Lan:
“Are you tired of living?!”
“Rumor claims the original owner’s resentment was overwhelming, and their ghost attached itself to the ring, becoming a vicious spirit that claimed lives. Everyone who possessed it was doomed to die horribly.” Xie You Lan mocked his cowardice. “But this object eventually ended up in my hands, and I’m still alive and well. Clearly these so-called evil spirits are merely frightening nonsense.”
Half amused and half exasperated, Yu Gong Zhao Ye steadied Wei Fu and smoothed a hand along his back, practically feeling his invisible fur standing on end.
“Palace Master Xie makes sense. Compared to ghosts and demons, I also think it resembles either a plague or some rare poison.”
Leaning against his shoulder, Wei Fu muttered softly:
“Your Highness, throughout history not only has righteousness overcome evil, but poison has also been used against poison. Is it possible this man has become so evil that even wicked spirits willingly surrender before him?”
Xie You Lan: “……”
Holding the crystal case in Yu Gong Zhao Ye’s hands, Wei Fu examined it carefully.
“Unknown material. No markings or corrosion. Perhaps refined steel, or some foreign metal from overseas? The emerald set on the outer ring isn’t even as large as a bean, so it really isn’t valuable. There’s no engraved insignia either…”
“You don’t recognize it?”
Wei Fu honestly shook his head.
Xie You Lan looked into his bewildered eyes. For a moment, even he seemed unable to describe what he felt. Rarely, the easy composure with which he usually spread trouble slipped away, and his tone became oddly stiff.
“This ring belonged to Jiang Feng Xun.”
The name struck like thunder through a wall, crashing directly into Wei Fu’s mind and freezing him on the spot.
Yu Gong Zhao Ye’s brow twitched slightly.
“Who is Jiang Feng Xun?”
Xie You Lan met his gaze briefly before looking back toward Wei Fu.
“You never told him?”
Yu Gong Zhao Ye: “Told me what?”
“Jiang Feng Xun was a woman.”
Once Xie You Lan fell quiet, the resemblance between him and Wei Fu became almost eighty percent identical.
“She spent ten years as the wife of Beizhu Palace, yet was seduced by a disciple of Linghua Sect. She abandoned her husband and child, eloping with him and betraying the sect.”
“The child born from that union between her and that man is the bastard sitting beside you.”
Yu Gong Zhao Ye: “……”
So yet another brother had appeared.
After the eldest son of Duke Zhenguo’s Manor, the Emperor of Xiling, and the commander of the Egret Guards, now there was also an evil-path elder brother.
Blood brothers were not necessarily loving, but they were always the most troublesome.
“Prince Yu Gong,” Xie You Lan continued, “that little mouse you sent into Beizhu Palace was investigating precisely this matter. Had he confessed everything to you earlier, you wouldn’t have wasted so much effort, lost a subordinate, and handed me leverage in the process.”
Wei Fu: “……”
Xie You Lan clapped his hands appreciatively.
“Wonderful. You hid things from him, he hid things from you. It seems the two of you aren’t nearly as close as everyone claims.”
Those words pierced deeper than ten thousand massive arrows.
Wei Fu felt as though his soul was about to drift out through the top of his head. Too frightened to speak, he turned and cast Yu Gong Zhao Ye a timid glance.
“Whether we’re close or not is none of your concern.” Yu Gong Zhao Ye casually brushed the matter aside, clearly unwilling to discuss private affairs with him. Calmly, he continued, “There’s still one thing I don’t understand. You clearly saved him back then, so why did you lie to me and claim he died by your hand?”
“Because I felt like it.”
Xie You Lan answered with complete righteousness.
“Must I speak honestly simply because you ask questions? Not everyone enjoys helping lovers reunite. I happen to enjoy breaking apart mandarin ducks. Is there a problem with that?”
Yu Gong Zhao Ye: “……Palace Master Xie, I rarely agree with your younger brother, but this time he wins.”
How could someone possibly have such a terrible personality?!
Futile Devices Scans 
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