Chapter 131

Chapter 131

◎To My Daughter Qing Qing◎

Luo Wanqing listened to his words without speaking.

She didn’t need to ask to know why Xie Heng couldn’t. She also knew that she shouldn’t ask too much about this matter; if she did, it might even make her sad.

She suddenly understood why Cui Heng had given her so many gifts, yet the only one he always touched during intimate moments was the marriage token.

It was engraved with their names, even if they were pseudonyms.

Luo Wanqing thought for a moment and softly consoled, "Actually, it’s the same."

Hearing this, Xie Heng looked up at her. Luo Wanqing spoke gently, "To me, Cui Heng and Xie Heng are the same. Your name is on the marriage token, together with mine."

Upon hearing this, Xie Heng’s eyes flickered.

He knew he shouldn’t say it, but still said, "It’s not the same."

"What’s different?"

"Zhang Yiran may be your childhood betrothed, Li Guiyu has known you for five years, and everyone knows of your engagement. Each of them is more legitimate than I am. They can all talk about their relationships with others, except for me..."

"But that’s all about Luo Wanqing."

Luo Wanqing spoke softly, reaching out to hold his hand that touched the marriage token, and said earnestly, "I am Liu Xiniang."

Xie Heng paused upon hearing this, instantly understanding what Luo Wanqing meant.

He was the first person to meet Liu Xiniang after Zhang Jiuran. Liu Xiniang’s growth and everything else were closely tied to him. Perhaps they could never announce it to others, but he would always be Liu Xiniang’s unique and closest person.

This thought stirred his emotions, but he dared not delve deeper, jokingly saying, "Why have you suddenly become so magnanimous towards me?"

Luo Wanqing paused, then heard Xie Heng tease, "I thought Si Shi would still be angry with me for a while."

"Of course, I’m still angry."

Luo Wanqing smiled, released his hand, lay down on the bed, and quietly looked at the canopy, saying, "Everything is arranged by Young Master, and everything goes as you wish. In your heart, I am not the most important or the only one. How could I not be angry?"

"Xiniang is joking," Xie Heng couldn’t help but prop himself up, placing his hand on his chest, smiling at Luo Wanqing, "In my heart, there is only Si Shi. How could you say you’re not important or the only one?"

"Then, will you show me the key once you get it?"

Upon hearing this, Luo Wanqing looked directly at Xie Heng and asked outright.

Xie Heng paused.

Luo Wanqing turned away, seemingly already knowing, "You must verify it first. If it won’t affect the overall situation, then you’ll show it to me."

"Xiniang..." Xie Heng wanted to explain and comfort her but didn’t know how to start.

Lying on the bed, Luo Wanqing didn’t give him a chance to speak, continuing, "Actually, you don’t need to say more. I understand your difficulties. You and His Highness both bear the lives of others in every move. You can risk your own life, but you dare not risk others. This doesn’t mean you haven’t been sincere. I understand. This is precisely where you differ from Cui Heng. Otherwise, how could there be any difference between the same person?"

Xie Heng remained still, knowing Luo Wanqing wasn’t finished.

After thinking for a moment, Luo Wanqing looked at Xie Heng again, "But I understand your hardships. Am I not suffering too?"

As she spoke, Luo Wanqing laughed lightly, "I have my own hardships, but compared to you and my father, they are insignificant. So I feel guilty even mentioning them. I can only empathize with you, which makes me resentful. I often wonder, do I really matter to you? But how much do I matter?"

Luo Wanqing seemed somewhat disheartened, "A relationship calculated at every step, how deep can it truly be?"

Hearing her words, Xie Heng remained silent. He suddenly realized that Luo Wanqing cared about more than just him.

After a moment, he asked perceptively, "Why did you suddenly mention your father?"

"Today, I met Xiangsi. He told me he received two tasks: to retrieve something from Zhang Qiusheng and to cooperate with my father." Knowing Xie Heng’s intelligence, Luo Wanqing didn’t hide her emotions, speaking slowly as if chatting, "The iron box was placed on Liufeng Island by Xiangsi and Xie Minsheng. That means Xiangsi directly took the item without going through my father’s hands. If so, why did my father come to Jiangnan?"

Xie Heng listened quietly to Luo Wanqing’s deductions: "Previously, everyone, whether Li Guiyu or us, assumed the item was with my father because his timing was too coincidental. Didn’t he know that coming to Jiangnan at that time would make him a target? He knew, he knew he was doomed to die, and he also knew I might return, so he left Cui Niang and Xiangsi to guide me. He planned everything, including his death..."

As Luo Wanqing spoke, her voice trailed off. After a long pause, she continued, somewhat disappointed, "But he never thought about me. Did he ever consider how his daughter, his family, would feel? Yet, I can’t blame him. Seeing you, seeing His Highness, the star spirits, hearing about the innocent civilians who died in Yu Guan, how can I blame him?"

"So Xiniang feels wronged."

Xie Heng understood and spoke gently, "So both your father and I are the same in your heart, right?"

Luo Wanqing fell silent. After a long while, she countered, "Is that so?"

She didn’t give Xie Heng an answer but made him respond.

Xie Heng looked at her, and after a long moment, seriously said, "No, no one can plan everything. I believe your father cared deeply about you at that time."

His voice paused, thinking for a long time before lowering his eyes, awkwardly holding her hand, and saying softly, "Just like me."

Luo Wanqing didn’t speak, only looking at him with a half-smile.

Xie Heng felt uneasy, "Xiniang doesn’t believe me?"

"If you had said this before, I might not have believed you." Luo Wanqing thought for a moment, half-seriously, half-jokingly, "Now that I know what you secretly did, I’ll believe you a little."

Hearing this, Xie Heng was both amused and exasperated, "You’re happy when I’ve suffered?"

"Mm," Luo Wanqing nodded seriously, "Indeed, I am a bit happy."

"I didn’t know you had such a mischievous side." Seeing Luo Wanqing joke, Xie Heng couldn’t help but say, "It seems I don’t know Dr. Luo very well."

"It’s alright," Luo Wanqing’s tone was indifferent, "It’s just that in the past, Young Master Cui had done me a favor, and now Young Master Xie," Luo Wanqing glanced at him, "our debts and grudges are mixed. I am clear about love and hate."

"Have you always been so vengeful?"

Xie Heng was somewhat curious, but Luo Wanqing nodded and said, "Yes."

She then reminded him, "Otherwise, how would I have come to the Supervision Division?"

Hearing this, Xie Heng realized that if she did not have a determined spirit to seek justice, she would never have made it to the Supervision Division.

He understood and couldn't help but chuckle, raising his hand to pat his forehead, somewhat troubled: "Not good. It seems I've gotten myself into a big mess."

Luo Wanqing gave him a cool glance without saying much. Xie Heng felt a bit itchy under her gaze and leaned closer to her: "Then, how can I make the Si Shi less angry?"

"It's impossible," Luo Wanqing closed her eyes. "Anyway, Young Master has your own grand principles. Since I won't leave the Supervision Division, why should you care whether I'm angry or not?"

Xie Heng knew she was teasing him, but he also understood it was in jest. If she truly cared too much, she wouldn't have mentioned it to him.

But while she was tolerant, he could not take it lightly.

Xie Heng thought for a moment, then caressed her fingers gently and whispered, "Apart from revenge, does Xiniang have any other wishes?"

Luo Wanqing remained silent, only after a brief pause, she asked back, "What about Young Master? What are your wishes?"

"Me?"

Xie Heng knew she didn't want to elaborate further, so he didn't press on. He pondered for a moment and then laughed, "I do indeed have a wish, quite absurd, one I've never shared with anyone."

"What?" Luo Wanqing became curious.

Xie Heng smiled softly and whispered, "I wish someone would run away with me."

Luo Wanqing was taken aback, then laughed, "Young Master is joking again."

"No, really."

Xie Heng lay down, resting his hand behind his head, looking at the canopy above, feeling as if he had returned to his days before turning eighteen, sitting in meditation on Dao Sect's mountain, occasionally opening his eyes to watch the clouds drift by.

"Actually, before I turned eighteen, my life wasn't supposed to be like this."

Xie Heng spoke with a hint of nostalgia, "Back then, I had my uncle, my elder brother, and my parents. Each of them stood in front of me, protecting me from the rules of hierarchy in East Capital. Because of them, I never had to follow those rules."

Xie Heng continued, his eyes carrying a slight smile: "Half the year, I spent learning martial arts at Dao Sect. I once thought my life would be about waiting for my brother to ascend to power, waiting for a suitable younger brother to grow up. Then, as the eldest son, I would leave East Capital to pursue what I loved. Even if there were no suitable successors, I would still be like my father, relying on the family, handling only the necessary administrative tasks."

Just like Cui Heng, whom she had seen, gentle and lively, familiar with every tavern in East Capital, skilled in all kinds of entertainment.

"But if that were the case," Luo Wanqing thought for a moment and smiled, "I probably wouldn't have met Young Master."

Xie Heng turned to look at her. Luo Wanqing pondered, "I heard that noble families are strict. If Young Master were constrained by your family, our relationship might not last long."

Xie Heng chuckled, as if he had already considered this, and said casually, "That's why I want to run away."

Luo Wanqing was stunned. Xie Heng imagined the scene, "I've thought about it many times. If you had met me before I turned eighteen and came to take me away, I would definitely have gone with you."

Luo Wanqing listened to his far-fetched idea and remembered that he had once asked her if she wanted to run away with him. She suddenly realized he had genuinely thought about these things.

She couldn't help but ask, "Does Young Master really think so?"

"I do."

Xie Heng closed his eyes and said gently, "Xiniang, I was born with a temper. I can't endure hardship or suffering. Without you, it was fine. But now that you're here, every time I think about it, I wish you would come and take me away. To be honest..."

Xie Heng smiled, knowing he shouldn't say it but couldn't resist, "When I fell into the water at Liufeng Island, I was actually a little happy."

Such a way of liberation seemed like a great outcome.

Luo Wanqing looked at him quietly, feeling a strange fear inside, but she kept it hidden and said, "Young Master is joking. If I came, you wouldn't go with me."

Xie Heng didn't respond immediately. After a moment, he laughed bitterly, "If I can't go, can't I at least dream? People need something to look forward to, right? Look at me now," Xie Heng joked, looking at her, "Every time I think that Si Shi will eventually come and take me away, saving me from this misery, I feel happy, and that gives me hope."

Luo Wanqing remained silent. Xie Heng looked at her, seeing the restrained pain and sorrow in her eyes. He raised his hand, wanting to cover her eyes but hesitated.

"Just a joke," Xie Heng changed the subject gently, "Xiniang, what is your wish?"

"My wishes are too many," Luo Wanqing gazed into his eyes in the darkness and whispered, "I can't finish them all."

"Then what is your greatest regret?" Xie Heng smiled, "What do you regret the most?"

Luo Wanqing paused for a moment, thinking carefully, and then said, "Not learning martial arts earlier."

If she had learned martial arts earlier and could protect herself, she would have had more choices, whether going to Ling Nan or coming to East Capital.

Xie Heng understood her meaning immediately and nodded, "One should learn self-defense."

Then he wondered, "But since your father is skilled in martial arts, why didn't he teach you and your brother?"

"I don't know." Luo Wanqing recalled her childhood and felt a bit lost, "He taught many people, even the servants in the house, but never us."

Xie Heng listened, lying on his side, propping his head up, listening quietly: "Didn't you want to learn?"

"We did."

Luo Wanqing admitted, "In the past, when I saw him teaching others, I was curious and asked him why he taught everyone but not us. He told me that learning martial arts leads to killing, which brings debt and endless entanglements. It's better to be like my mother, healing and helping others, living a peaceful life."

She smiled, "He said learning martial arts is very hard. How could he let me suffer like that?"

But avoiding the hardship of martial arts meant enduring the humiliation of others.

Luo Wanqing's eyes carried a hint of mockery as she continued, "At the time, I felt indignant, thinking he was saying I couldn't handle the hardship. So I said, 'What if I really want to learn?'"

"What did he say?"

Xie Heng listened intently to Luo Wanqing's story, and she chuckled softly, "He pointed to the pagoda at Jinding Temple and said that it was guarded by four masters, containing the relics of Master Yuanye. If I could retrieve them, he would teach me archery. I thought he was deliberately making it difficult for me. If I could defeat those masters and get the relics, why would I need to learn archery from him? So I said I'd ask Jiang Shaoyan to get them for me. My father laughed and said if I dared to mention it to Jiang Shaoyan, he would treat me as a married daughter..."

Before she could finish her sentence, Luo Wanqing sensed something was amiss. She instinctively looked up at Xie Heng, who already understood the situation. He continued, "What did he say?"

"He said," Luo Wanqing began to frantically recall the scene, repeating each word in a daze, "if I dared to tell Jiang Shaoyan, he would treat me as a daughter who has been married off and disown me for life."

"As long as I remain like this..."

Luo Wanqing remembered Lu Qushu's expression that afternoon in the courtyard in Yangzhou. With a smile on his face but a look of understanding sorrow in his eyes, he softly said, "You don't need to learn martial arts; focus on healing and saving lives. Father can see that Shaoyan cares deeply for you. As long as you stay just as you are now, he will protect you."

Stay just as you are now, and he will protect you.

In her previous life, she had always been the helpless Luo Wanqing, living until Li Guiyu was overthrown by Qin Jue. When she died, Li Guiyu was also close to death.

She, a beautiful woman who only knew how to heal, managed to safely travel from Yangzhou to Ling Nan and spent the next ten years there...

Li Guiyu indeed protected her.

If before going to Jiangnan, her father did not teach her and her brother martial arts because he hoped they would stay away from trouble, then coming to Yangzhou, he did not let them learn martial arts to give them a chance to survive under Li Guiyu.

But if so, why save Li Guiyu?

And at that time, there were countless reasons to stop her from learning archery. Why specifically mention the Four Great Masters at Jindingsi, clearly telling her that the relics of Master Yuanye were kept there, and warn her not to tell Jiang Shaoyan a single word?

This wasn't a warning not to learn archery; it was telling her...

"Should I help Miss Luo retrieve Master Yuanye's relics, or should Miss Luo do it herself?"

Seeing Luo Wanqing realize what he meant, Xie Heng smiled and spoke.

Luo Wanqing glanced at the window, thought for a moment, and suddenly laughed, "It seems we've never had a match before."

Xie Heng understood her intention immediately. He propped himself up, sat with one knee bent, and joked, "I'm still recovering from my injuries. If Xiniang challenges me now, it might be unfair."

"My injury hasn't healed either," Luo Wanqing grabbed her hair tie, started tying up her hair, and tightened her belt. She got out of bed, picked up Xini Ling, and turned to look at Xie Heng, "If Young Master fears an unfair victory, shall I give you a five-step head start?"

Xie Heng raised an eyebrow and immediately held up his hand, "No need, Miss Luo, please go first."

"I'll go then."

Without hesitation, Luo Wanqing took her sword, leaped out the window, and dashed into the night wind.

She jumped onto the roof and looked toward the distant tower. Moments later, she heard someone chasing after her.

Turning back, she saw a figure in white swiftly pass her, laughing, "I'll take the lead."

This was too arrogant, instantly igniting Luo Wanqing's fighting spirit. She quickly followed Xie Heng, seeing a tall red maple tree ahead and charged towards him.

Xie Heng sidestepped, his sleeve brushing against the tree, causing the red maple leaves to scatter. Luo Wanqing seized the opportunity, leaping over the tree and moving forward.

"I yield."

Luo Wanqing exclaimed happily. Xie Heng watched the retreating white figure, couldn't help but smile, steadied himself, and chased after her.

They chased each other, like two white ribbons under the moonlight, all the way to the base of the high tower at Jindingsi.

Xie Heng entered the tower first. Upon entering, he immediately noticed the presence of alarm bells. He reached out with two fingers and caught a transparent thread hanging mid-air, with bells attached to both ends. Had Xie Heng not stopped it, the entire tower would have been filled with ringing bells.

Taking advantage of Xie Heng stabilizing the alarm bells, Luo Wanqing rolled and leaped in. She spun her sword, slicing through the threads and bells, and both of them immediately caught the falling bells.

"Six," Luo Wanqing opened her hand to show Xie Heng the bells she had caught.

Xie Heng stood there, proudly revealing a row of bells hidden in his sleeve.

The moment Luo Wanqing saw the corner of the bells, she immediately flipped upwards towards the top of the tower without a word.

Both of them suppressed their inner energy, moving silently like cats. The Four Great Masters of Jindingsi, renowned figures in the martial world, remained completely unaware.

They held their breaths as they passed the floor where four people were meditating, leaving behind a trail of tranquilizer incense. By the time they reached the top, the sound of people collapsing below could be heard.

Xie Heng entered first, but as soon as he stepped inside, six bronze bells flew towards him. He spread his wide sleeves, and when he turned back, Luo Wanqing was already standing in the tower.

Xie Heng was momentarily stunned, then placed the bronze bells on the railing and leaped down, "You left the bronze bells here to deal with me?"

"Young Master is older than me. If I didn't use some tricks, how could I win?"

Luo Wanqing looked around the tower. It had windows on all four sides, with Buddhist scriptures written on the walls. In the center was a long cylindrical stone table, with a shrine containing the relics of Master Yuanye.

Her father wouldn't have brought her here without a reason. What was he trying to tell her by giving her this location?

"Jindingsi is in the south."

Xie Heng suddenly spoke. Luo Wanqing replied calmly, "Yue Lao Temple is in the east, Ming Cuilou in the west, Kaiyuan Gambling House in the north, and this place completes the last position, the south. We should have realized it earlier."

"What do you think he left for you?"

Xie Heng crossed his arms, deep in thought. Luo Wanqing walked to the table holding Master Yuanye's relics. After a moment, she pushed aside the shrine containing the relics.

As the shrine moved, she saw a crack. Luo Wanqing pushed the shrine further, revealing a perfectly square stone embedded in the table, with only a faint line visible but no way to remove it.

"Let me handle it." Seeing her pondering how to remove the stone, Xie Heng rolled up his sleeves and inserted two fingers into the stone, which sank two inches deep.

He lifted the stone out, dusted his hands, and turned to Luo Wanqing with a smile, "A trivial skill, I apologize to Si Shi for showing it."

"That, um," Luo Wanqing glanced at his fingers and couldn't help saying, "I brought a sword."

Xie Heng paused, and Luo Wanqing, suppressing a laugh, turned to look at the stone platform. Inside, she saw a metal box.

She scanned the area, used her sword to probe, confirmed there were no hidden traps, tore a piece of her clothing, and carefully lifted the metal box using the cloth.

After lifting it out, Xie Heng came forward, sniffed it, and confirmed, "No poison."

Luo Wanqing saw his boldness and couldn't help but say, "This is dangerous. Young Master, you must not risk your life in the future."

"It's fine," Xie Heng said casually as he observed the iron box, "Poison is useless against me."

"That's because of your unique blood type, but it doesn't mean it won't accumulate in your body."

Luo Wanqing suppressed her emotions and tentatively touched the patterns on the iron box. "If you want to live a long life, you should be more cautious than ordinary people."

Hearing this, Xie Heng couldn't help but give Luo Wanqing an extra look.

He thought for a moment and couldn't help but smile, saying softly, "Understood."

Luo Wanqing heard the lightness in his voice and gave him a cold glance before turning back to the iron box, weighing it in her hand.

This iron box was similar to the Xuantian Box, but it was clearly just the lowest-grade imitation.

It didn't require a key; only three gears were used to input the code. Judging by its weight and the sound when tapped, there shouldn't be any self-destruct mechanism inside.

This meant they could try the code indefinitely.

But like the Xuantian Box, these three gears were marked with the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches.

Ming Cuilou, Kaiyuan Gambling House, Yue Lao Temple—these were the clues left by Luo Qushu.

And this was the iron box Luo Qushu had left for her.

The answer was almost obvious.

Xie Heng found a pillar to lean against and suggested, "According to our initial guess about the timeline, how about 'Ji Xin Gui'?"

Luo Wanqing remained silent, staring at the box. Suddenly, she asked, "Do you think my father considers me important?"

"Of course."

Xie Heng answered without hesitation.

Luo Wanqing couldn't help but laugh softly, saying, "Did you know that my birth date actually includes these three characters?"

Xie Heng looked at her and saw Luo Wanqing controlling her emotions as she gently turned the first gear: "Xin"

She turned the first gear to "Xin."

"Gui"

She turned the second gear to "Gui."

"Ji"

She turned the third gear to "Ji."

"Ding"

There was no corresponding position, only the final confirmation button.

As Luo Wanqing pressed the circular button, there was a soft click, and the box instantly opened.

Looking at the box, Luo Wanqing felt like crying but couldn't help laughing.

In fact, there was no need to overthink it.

There was no need for so much exploration.

As long as she believed her father cared about her and remembered every word he said, she would find that for others, finding this box would be extremely difficult.

But for Luo Wanqing, Luo Qushu had left countless reminders.

At every location, every day, in every sentence, he had entrusted the most important thing to her.

Luo Wanqing controlled her trembling fingers to open the box and saw a neatly placed letter inside.

The handwriting was Luo Qushu's, old and faded, yet gentle and strong, writing:

To My Daughter Qing Qing

It had been waiting here for a long time, like an unfulfilled hope.

Never before had Luo Wanqing realized so clearly what kind of protection and expectations her father had given her.

When the first noble family of Great Xia fell six years ago, he had placed this letter here.

He had given her, who seemed powerless, a way to survive to Ling Nan.

Yet he also believed that one day, even his daughter who couldn't even lift a sword might be able to bypass the four top masters of Jinding Temple, silently reach the top of the temple, and open this box here, seeing the words:

To My Daughter Qing Qing, Open This

Author's note:

"Side Story"

Luo Wanqing: "Why do we have to chat without sleeping?"

Xie Heng: "Because after ten good chapters, I'm feeling restless."

Daily updates will resume next Monday, with updates at 8:00 PM every evening.