Chapter 104

Chapter 104

◎I Am Just Jealous◎

When he said "Xie Minsheng," it meant he wanted to see specifically this personality.

Qinglv pondered for a moment and then carefully said, "If Young Master wants to see Xie Minsheng, not Xie Minran, there is only one way."

"Speak."

"Xie Minran has been competing with Ji Ruifang for the past half year. Every now and then, he selects a maid to serve him day and night. However, he does this just to show Ji Ruifang. After Ji Ruifang gets angry, she would summon the maid to Xueling Mountain to serve her. But..." Qinglv frowned, "It's said that after serving on the mountain, the maids are often punished for mistakes and their bodies are sent back to Liufeng Island. There was only one exception. When she went up the mountain, a young man from the island claimed to be her fiancé. Ji Ruifang seemed very pleased and even personally officiated their wedding on Xueling Mountain."

Luo Wanqing immediately understood. Ji Ruifang summoned those maids out of jealousy. The woman who got married showed her loyalty, which made Ji Ruifang happy enough to let her go.

Xie Minran probably enjoyed seeing Ji Ruifang jealous, so he kept finding new maids. He didn't care when they married others.

Only the poor women without fiancés ended up as bones in their games.

Thinking about this, Luo Wanqing couldn't help but frown.

Xie Heng also seemed displeased, but he didn't ask further. He simply said, "Is Xueling Mountain close to Liufeng Island?"

"Liufeng Island is the quickest route to Xueling Mountain," Qinglv explained. "Xueling Mountain is right behind Liufeng Island, and there is a straight ladder on Liufeng Island that leads directly to Ji Rui Palace on Xueling Mountain."

Xie Heng nodded, tapping his fingers on the table as he thought. "When will he choose another maid?"

"The body of the previous maid was just sent down from Xueling Mountain two days ago. It shouldn't take long. I'll go find out."

"Good."

Xie Heng nodded.

Seeing that Xie Heng had no other questions, Qinglv bowed and said, "If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave. If Young Master needs me, leave a mark on the tree outside the door, and I'll come at night."

"Hmm."

Xie Heng spoke, and Qinglv bowed before heading towards the window.

After a few steps, Xie Heng suddenly asked, "Are all the people on Liufeng Island criminals?"

Qinglv paused, then realized Xie Heng's identity and nervously nodded, "Yes."

"Go."

Xie Heng waved his hand, and Qinglv turned and leaped out the window, using the shadows and eaves to quickly leave.

After Qinglv left, Luo Wanqing closed the window and pondered what Qinglv had said. "Young Master, according to Qinglv, that hairpin is the Yin Lord Token?"

"Yes. But only the successor knows the specific object and its usage method. When my mother was buried, the successor of the Yin Lord, Cui Changxi, was already in prison. Her funeral was arranged by my father."

Xie Heng rubbed his thumb, and Luo Wanqing felt curious. "What exactly is the purpose of the Yin Lord Token?"

"The Yang Lord of the Cui family handles public affairs, while the Yin Lord manages secret matters, overseeing intelligence and other confidential tasks. Generally, the Yin Lord doesn't marry and leave the Cui family. But after my uncle became the head of the family, he didn't want to restrict everyone. He trusted my mother's character and allowed her to marry my father."

"Then your parents must have loved each other deeply."

Hearing this, Xie Heng paused.

He hadn't expected Luo Wanqing to focus on this point. He hesitated for a moment and softly replied, "Hmm."

After his response, the room fell silent.

The quiet amplified their breathing, and the rustling of leaves outside could be heard faintly.

Realizing they were alone in the room, Luo Wanqing felt uneasy.

They were going to spend the night here...

Perhaps many more nights.

In the past, Luo Wanqing wouldn't have thought much about it.

As a Si Shi member, she often shared rooms with male colleagues during missions. Sleeping in the same room was common.

In her heart, Xie Heng was noble and upright; she never doubted his intentions.

But now things were different.

She remembered last night's unexplained closeness and felt uncomfortable.

She didn't know why Xie Heng did what he did or what he might do next.

Last night, with life hanging in the balance, she hadn't time to think. Today, after the battle with Li Guiyu, they finally had a moment of peace. Luo Wanqing pursed her lips and decided to clarify: "Young Master, last night..."

"I'll go bathe first," Xie Heng interrupted, taking new clothes and soap, and calmly said, "Have Xingling get some water for you to bathe and rest."

Without waiting for Luo Wanqing to respond, he walked to Cui Heng's spirit room, knocked on the door, and coldly said, "Cui Junye, let's go!"

"Ugh, noisy," Cui Heng grabbed his clothes and soap, opened the door impatiently, and glared at Xie Heng, "Why are you in such a hurry to bathe?"

Xie Heng ignored him, carrying his clothes, and turned to leave, "Let's go."

The two men left to find a place to bathe. Knowing she'd have to wait until Xie Heng returned to ask her questions, Luo Wanqing went with Xingling to find the hot water room.

As they walked, they discussed their separate experiences.

"We found that Zhou Chun was missing, so we hurried to look for you. Then there was an explosion in the cave. Cui Junye and I jumped out and landed in the forest. Thankfully, Cui Junye knows some formations, so we managed to reach the life-and-death array."

Luo Wanqing listened and nodded, asking, "What about Minister Zhang?"

"Minister Zhang remains in Yangzhou, under the protection of the Supervision Division."

Xing Ling explained the situation, and Luo Wanqing felt relieved.

She pondered Xing Ling's words and couldn't help but smile. "You seem to have become quite familiar with Minister Cui."

"Yes," Xing Ling nodded, then seemed to recall something and looked at Luo Wanqing. "You and the Head of the Division also seem to have grown closer."

This made Luo Wanqing pause. She restrained her unusual feelings and feigned calmness. "Yes, Young Master is easier to get along with than I imagined."

Xing Ling nodded nonchalantly. Luo Wanqing thought for a moment and couldn't resist asking, "In the past... did you accompany Young Master on official duties?"

"No," Xing Ling shook her head. "Generally, it's the Four Envoys who accompany the Head of the Division."

"In that case..." Luo Wanqing probed, "has Young Master ever had concubines?"

"I've never heard of such a thing." Xing Ling thought for a moment, looking somewhat puzzled. "Why do you ask?"

"Nothing," Luo Wanqing felt uneasy being questioned but maintained her composure. "Just curious."

Xing Ling didn't believe her and scrutinized her suspiciously. "You wouldn't be..."

"No!" Luo Wanqing immediately denied it. "I... I have an agreement with my Shadow Envoy. It's not as you think."

"That's good," Xing Ling nodded, seeming relieved.

Luo Wanqing found this attitude strange. "Why? Is there something wrong with Young Master?"

At this question, Xing Ling fell silent.

After a moment, she slowly said, "As the Head of the Division, he is undoubtedly the best. But if we're talking about friends or lovers..."

Xing Ling silently tightened her grip on the sword hidden in her sleeve, her face remaining calm. "He is too indifferent."

With that, they walked to the hot water room.

Inside, there were attendants responsible for fetching water. For a small fee, these attendants would help bring the water into their rooms.

Xing Ling greeted Luo Wanqing and went to bathe next door. Luo Wanqing locked the door, closed the windows, and placed her clothes within easy reach.

This way, if Xie Heng entered, she could quickly put on her clothes.

Having made all necessary preparations, she entered the bathing room and began examining her injuries.

She knew her injuries weren't severe and hadn't paid much attention until now. After a thorough check, confirming only minor fractures, she finally relaxed and stepped into the bath.

She didn't dare soak for long, only taking a quick wash before getting out.

After drying herself and changing her bandages and clothes, Xie Heng still hadn't returned.

She became slightly worried but calculated the time; if Xie Heng was bathing somewhere far, it was normal.

So she took the opportunity to circulate her true qi and warm her muscles and bones.

For martial artists like her, bone fractures were not serious. Since learning the techniques from Zhang Chunzi, she noticed her recovery speed had significantly improved.

It wasn't hard to understand; Zhang Chunzi's techniques were designed to strengthen bones and promote healing, making recovery from injuries even simpler.

Moreover, she discovered that since learning the techniques from Cui Heng and Zhang Chunzi, her tendons and meridians had become increasingly resilient.

Her internal energy was forcibly infused by Zhang Jiuran, breaking open her meridians, which should have left them damaged. However, her meridians retained the width expanded by Zhang Jiuran and had become thicker and more elastic.

The capacity of one's meridians to carry true qi determines their potential.

And the smoothness of bones and meridians affects the upper limit of true qi's effectiveness.

These two factors constitute one's innate talent.

After strengthening her bones, her meridians and bones had reached peak human efficiency, and her meridians were wider than average.

But...

Could they be even wider?

This thought led Luo Wanqing to an intriguing idea: if she forcibly expanded her meridians a little each day and then nurtured them, could she forge an excellent set of meridians through deliberate effort?

Excited by this possibility, Luo Wanqing immediately began experimenting.

She closed her eyes, gathered her internal energy, and tried to expand her meridians slightly. The pain was excruciating, and after fifteen minutes, she had barely extended her meridians by an inch, leaving her drenched in sweat.

She suddenly wondered why Xie Heng had been able to cleanse her meridians almost instantly last night without showing any fatigue.

Was this the difference between a grandmaster and her?

She pondered this and started circulating the technique taught by Zhang Chunzi to nurture her meridians.

Nurturing meridians and bones required deep concentration and circulation throughout the body. After completing a full cycle, she felt the pain subside and opened her eyes, lifting her left hand to examine the half-inch of newly expanded meridian.

Her guess was correct; Zhang Chunzi's technique could indeed be used to expand meridians.

If she persisted, one day she could become a prodigy.

Thinking about this future, Luo Wanqing smiled, got up to pour some water, and while drinking, suddenly realized something was amiss.

Where were the Gu worms?

After circulating her energy several times, she hadn't sensed the Gu worms given to her by Li Guiyu!

Realizing this, Luo Wanqing couldn't believe it and hurried back to bed to verify her suspicion.

After she carefully examined herself from head to toe, she finally confirmed that the parasite was truly gone.

Unlike ordinary illnesses, parasites cannot be detected through pulse diagnosis. She wasn't particularly skilled in this area and rarely conducted such thorough examinations on herself. Now, realizing the parasite was gone, she felt somewhat at a loss.

Thinking back to today's confrontation with Li Guiyu, she had initially assumed he had spared her out of kindness, which had left her feeling resentful.

She wasn't afraid of Li Guiyu being harsh with her; she had endured countless hardships to become his equal.

Every time Li Guiyu let her go, it was an insult to her.

However, now it seemed that Li Guiyu hadn't been merciful; he simply couldn't do anything else.

Where had the parasite gone?

Luo Wanqing thought about it and immediately recalled the scene from last night when Xie Heng kissed her.

She instantly realized something and leaped out of bed, intending to find him.

But just as she hurriedly reached the door and opened it, she saw Xie Heng standing right there.

He had changed into a white robe, his hair still damp and hanging loosely around him. Compared to before, his complexion appeared even paler.

It seemed he had taken a cold shower, and his entire body was enveloped in icy moisture. Unlike before, when she encountered him after bathing in the forest and could feel the warmth of his body, this time she sensed no such heat. He felt like an ordinary person who had been chilled by cold water, unable to warm himself up.

Realizing this, Luo Wanqing involuntarily gripped the door frame tighter.

She instinctively looked at Xie Heng's hands—

Even now, he was still wearing gloves.

"What is it?" Seeing her stare for too long, Xie Heng seemed impatient and spoke again.

His tone was calm and unflappable.

Luo Wanqing snapped back to reality upon hearing his question.

Everything was just her speculation. In the Supervision Division, without concrete evidence, it remained mere conjecture.

Not worth taking seriously.

She lowered her gaze, trying to act as she usually did, and calmly said, "I was worried something happened to Young Master after waiting for so long."

"I'm fine."

Xie Heng seemed somewhat tired. He withdrew his gaze and stepped into the room.

Luo Wanqing moved aside to let him pass, but her eyes couldn't help but follow him closely, scrutinizing every detail.

Xie Heng walked toward the small couch while drying his hair. Noticing her gaze, he turned to look at her, frowning slightly. "What are you looking at?"

"Your subordinate noticed your complexion isn't very good," Luo Wanqing smiled slightly, "and I'm a bit worried."

"Worried about what?"

Xie Heng's tone was calm, as if he already knew the answer.

Luo Wanqing raised her eyes to examine Xie Heng, seeing the expression on his face that clearly indicated he knew everything. She decided to be straightforward: "Earlier, during my meditation, I found no trace of the parasite in my body."

"And then?"

"Young Master," Luo Wanqing's gaze fell on the hand Xie Heng had pressed against her last night, speaking calmly, "could you please remove your glove?"

"Why?"

"I heard that there are three ways to remove a parasite. One is to use the mother parasite to lure it out of the body. Another is for someone strong enough to kill the parasite using their inner energy and expel it. The third is for a third party to draw the parasite out. If drawing the parasite, the person uses their inner energy to drive the parasite out of the infected person's body, and both must have wounds facing each other, using blood to lure the parasite out, transferring it to the person doing the drawing."

As she spoke, Luo Wanqing shifted her gaze from Xie Heng's hand to his face, calmly stating her hypothesis: "Last night, Young Master forcefully injected true qi into my meridians. There was a wound on my right hand. If I'm not mistaken, there should be a wound on the wrist where you pressed down on my right hand."

"Do you want to ask if I drew the parasite out for you?"

Xie Heng calmly stated her suspicion. Luo Wanqing didn't respond, only staring at him, feeling somewhat nervous.

Xie Heng nodded calmly, without any hint of intimacy, saying, "Yes, it was me."

Xie Heng's demeanor was so composed, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Luo Wanqing stared at him, dumbfounded, listening to his counter-question: "Why?"

"Young Master..." Luo Wanqing, caught off guard by his question, stammered, "Young Master... why would you do that?"

"What do you think?"

Xie Heng countered, his tone carrying a hint of mockery.

Luo Wanqing sensed that this was a test. If she answered incorrectly, Xie Heng might be even more displeased.

She dared not entertain any wild thoughts and instead focused on Xie Heng's usual behavior, trying to provide a logical explanation: "Young Master... you knew Li Guiyu would take me away. You also anticipated Cui Heng and Xing Ling entering the death formation. You needed to rescue them, but I had to stop Li Guiyu. You were concerned that the mother and child parasites might interfere, so you helped me remove the parasite."

This reasoning seemed plausible to Luo Wanqing, almost convincing herself.

But just as she finished speaking, she heard Xie Heng chuckle softly and ask, "Then why did I offend you?"

Luo Wanqing lifted her eyes, seeing Xie Heng step forward, slightly leaning in. His aura enveloped her, and his dark golden eyes gazed intently at her: "Why did I kiss you?"

"Your subordinate," Luo Wanqing pursed her lips, feeling a surge of anger, "also wants to know the reason."

Xie Heng remained silent, staring at Luo Wanqing. Seeing her apparent anger, he paused, straightened up, and walked toward the couch. "Think about it yourself."

He approached the couch, shrugged off his outer robe, draped it over himself, and lay down with his back to her, saying indifferently, "You sleep in the bed. Put out the light."

Caught off guard by Xie Heng's abrupt end to the conversation, Luo Wanqing was stunned. She had many more questions, but seeing his apparent fatigue, she hesitated for a moment before following his instructions. She extinguished the light and went to find a blanket for him.

She searched for a moment and realized that there seemed to be only one quilt on the bed in the room. She turned back to fetch it for Xie Heng.

Just as she moved, she heard Xie Heng say, "I don't need it. If you give it to me, I'll throw it away."

Luo Wanqing paused.

Normally, she wouldn't think much of it, but at this moment, she belatedly realized that Xie Heng's words sounded somewhat capricious.

This wasn't like a superior officer.

If they were at the Supervision Division, Xie Heng wouldn't simply tell her "I don't need it"; he wouldn't fear her disobedience and threaten her with "throwing it away."

He would just order her, and if she didn't comply, he would directly punish her for insubordination.

Even though Xie Heng had never punished her, it was more because she had never disobeyed him.

She always obeyed Xie Heng, so why would he think of using "threats" to stop her?

Once suspicion began, it couldn't be stopped.

She sat down on the bed and started to ponder their conversation.

His reason for helping her with the curse was understandable, but why did he kiss her?

If it was to distract her from noticing something, it would eventually be discovered anyway. What was the point of such an unnecessary action?

Moreover, since coming to Jiangnan, she felt that Xie Heng was different from how he was at the Supervision Division.

Why wouldn't he take off his gloves?

Why did Guizhi listen to him?

Why did he give her lip rouge and say, "May my beloved have everything go well"?

And Xie Heng, who usually showed no emotion, seemed to harbor some hostility towards Li Guiyu, despite having no significant personal grudge against him.

On the way through the dense forest, his decision-making tone also seemed different from his usual decisive commands.

The Xie Heng in Jiangnan seemed more capricious, more genuine, and more... gentle.

Thinking about the phrase "Guilang and you are together" on Mid-Autumn night, the light tap he gave her on the boat today, and even his slightly resentful "think for yourself" just now, Luo Wanqing suddenly had a rather absurd thought.

But upon reflection, it seemed somewhat reasonable.

Cui Heng had come to Jiangnan but hadn't shown himself.

Since Cui Heng could impersonate Qin Jue before, perhaps...

Could he be impersonating Xie Heng now?

Luo Wanqing couldn't help but look at the person lying on the bed facing away from her. Looking at his silhouette, she suddenly realized that he bore a striking resemblance to Cui Heng.

Everyone in the Supervision Division was not allowed to reveal their missions to anyone outside the task scope. If the person in front of her was Cui Heng, all her doubts would be resolved.

He helped her with the curse out of concern.

He kissed her because he was angry that she recklessly tried to kill Li Guiyu.

At the thought of this possibility, her heart raced.

She couldn't wait to verify it but feared offending Xie Heng if she was wrong.

After struggling for a long time, she finally made a decision.

She had to check.

She couldn't rest easy until she did.

But she couldn't be reckless; if she made a mistake, Xie Heng would surely punish her severely.

She lay down pretending to be calm, and on the other side, Xie Heng opened his eyes.

Luo Wanqing lay awake in bed, quietly watching the canopy. After about fifteen minutes, when she heard Xie Heng's breathing become steady, she got up.

She quietly walked to the incense burner, replaced the incense with a sedative, and waited a bit longer to ensure the effect took hold. Then, she turned to approach Xie Heng.

Xie Heng lay curled on his side, his hand resting beside him. In sleep, he lost his usual coldness and appeared unusually peaceful and gentle, like a beam of moonlight falling on the bed, cool yet soft.

For a moment, she saw the shadow of another person in him, and her heart raced faster.

Even facing a possibly "fake" Xie Heng, she couldn't help feeling nervous and afraid. Since joining the Supervision Division, Xie Heng had played cat-and-mouse games with her too many times, instilling a deep-seated fear.

Fortunately, the sedative gave her courage. After hesitating for a moment, she finally mustered the courage to reach for Xie Heng's hand.

She had compared Cui Heng's and Xie Heng's hands at the Supervision Division before. Faces could be disguised, but hands, used daily, couldn't be faked for long.

With just one glance at Xie Heng's hand, she would know the truth.

Her hand slowly approached Xie Heng's, and she held her breath. Just as she was about to touch his wrist, a sudden change occurred!

A gust of wind arose, and Xie Heng swiftly flipped over, his outer robe fluttering lightly.

As the robe blocked her view, Xie Heng grabbed her wrist, stopping her from touching him.

However, she had already made her move. Luo Wanqing's expression hardened, and she struck at Xie Heng's wrist with her other hand. In an instant, they exchanged several moves. Xie Heng pulled her onto the bed, using his shoulder to flip her over and pin her down. As his robe fell back onto him, he firmly pressed her hands by her sides.

Xie Heng breathed heavily above her, holding her wrists down with both hands, almost using his entire body to restrain her.

Luo Wanqing listened to his breathing, feeling a drop of water slide from his hair onto her collarbone.

This drop of water was somewhat cold, yet it still made her heart tighten.

She slowly lifted her eyes, looking at the long, wet hair scattered around him, the clothes draped over his body, and the pale, ghostly beautiful face in the night. Her gaze flickered, but she only said, "Young Master, you have no inner strength."

In the brief moment they had fought, Luo Wanqing had discovered that Xie Heng had no inner strength; he relied solely on his techniques to win.

If not for severe injuries, it wouldn't be like this.

Hearing her question, Xie Heng did not answer but tightened his grip on her neck, threatening calmly, "It's enough to kill you."

"Young Master, there's no need to be nervous," Luo Wanqing softened her voice, lying to reassure him, "I have no ill intentions. I'm just worried about your safety and want to check your pulse."

"My pulse will reveal nothing to you." Xie Heng coldly warned.

But Luo Wanqing did not give up, only staring at him firmly, insisting, "Can Young Master let me see the truth?"

At these words, Xie Heng remained silent.

Though it was just about the pulse, he felt as if there was more to it.

"Why?" he couldn't help but ask, "Do you care if it's real or not?"

"I do care."

"Care about what?"

Xie Heng stared into her eyes, seeking an answer.

Luo Wanqing did not speak, and Xie Heng sneered, "You..."

"I care about Cui Guanlan."

Luo Wanqing suddenly spoke, and Xie Heng's voice stopped.

Luo Wanqing stared into his eyes, reaching out to pull off the glove on his hand.

"I care where he is."

The glove was completely removed, revealing a hand with clear, white skin and distinct knuckles.

Luo Wanqing pursed her lips tightly, then reached under the person's clothes in front of her.

The young man's breathing became heavier, his muscles tensing. Luo Wanqing traced along his abdomen to his back, touching his scars. Her expression changed, and she whispered hoarsely, "I care who he is."

As she spoke, Luo Wanqing carefully examined his wounds, identifying their shape and location.

Xie Heng could not speak, arching his back like a silver cat crouching on the ground, his breathing growing heavier, ready to pounce.

Luo Wanqing continued to feel his wounds while pressing towards his pulse.

Once she felt his pulse, Luo Wanqing knew his condition.

It was a pulse very similar to Cui Heng's, with toxins deeply embedded in his bones. Compared to before, he had clearly suffered severe injuries, leaving his meridians empty, unable to circulate any true qi.

If he were an ordinary person, such a pulse would have killed him long ago.

She didn't know why he was still alive, but she knew that no one else could have such a pulse.

She suddenly felt a sting in her eyes, staring at the person in front of her, speaking hoarsely, "I care if he is you."

Xie Heng did not immediately respond, his head lowered, water droplets falling from his hair. His gaze followed the water droplets, watching the long hair spread like seaweed and the disheveled clothes.

He looked at her slender, white neck and delicate collarbone, noticing a slight indentation, and watched as a water droplet fell into it, filling it like a dewdrop on a lotus leaf. He felt her hands on his chest and neck.

She explored inch by inch, caressing his face and delving into his hair. Finally, Luo Wanqing found a protrusion in his hair, and Xie Heng grabbed her hand.

Luo Wanqing finally confirmed.

"It's you, isn't it?"

Luo Wanqing spoke insistently, holding his weak pulse, which did not match the person in front of her, and said with some distress, "It was you who came to Jiangnan, gave me lip rouge, and led the poison away for me, Cui Guanlan."

She seemed to be asking but already had her answer, looking at him with pain, "That's why Chuisi followed you, why you got close to me, why you always wore gloves to hide your identity, and why you led the poison away for me and tried to distract me..."

Luo Wanqing stared at him intently, seeking an answer, "Is it?"

"No."

Xie Heng spoke hoarsely.

Luo Wanqing couldn't help but laugh, with a hint of mockery, "Not you? If not you, why did you lead the poison away for me? Why did you kiss me? How much affection do I have with Young Master..."

"It's jealousy."

Luo Wanqing was stunned, seeing the young man lift his eyes.

He seemed to have pretended to be Xie Heng for too long, still carrying that strong, cold demeanor, but also regaining some of Cui Heng's bright gentleness.

He looked at her astonished eyes and spoke calmly, "There are no other reasons, Xiniang."

Saying this, he moved his hand from her neck to her wrist, lowering his head to kiss her.

"I was just jealous."