Chapter 63: “Why Did You Say That So Quickly…”

Chapter 63 "Why did you blurt that out..."

In the inner chamber of the detached palace, Emperor Guangyi pinned Lin Ye with a burning stare.

Lin Ye's reaction aligned perfectly with the emperor's expectations: initial confusion, followed by a flicker of his eyelashes, flickering emotions in his eyes, before finally revealing an expression of dawning comprehension.

Lin Ye murmured, "What Your Majesty means is that Prince Yu's entire family perished at the hands of bandits, leaving only Prince Yu's Heir alive. In this world, no one can verify whether the heir is genuine or not. With his face disfigured, his true appearance cannot be discerned; his tendons severed, he can no longer practice martial arts as the heir once did—all perfectly reasonable. His gloomy temperament and radical statements can be attributed to the trauma of his family's tragedy, causing a drastic change in personality.

"I cannot dispute it."

As Lin Ye pondered this, he suddenly recalled an incident: on the day he rescued Emperor Guangyi, he had witnessed Li Weiyan drawing his bow at the city gate, shooting and killing a minor bandit leader.

Li Weiyan had claimed the bandit murdered his parents and humiliated him, seeking revenge.

But working backward—could Li Weiyan have killed that bandit because the latter held some leverage over him? Was it possible Li Weiyan had known those bandits all along?

To this day, everything pointed to something suspicious: Emperor Guangyi being assassinated at the heir's residence, both the emperor and Li Weiyan captured yet held separately...

Yet while thoughts raced like lightning through Lin Ye's mind, his expression maintained only a facade of humility and bewilderment, playing the part of confusion to align with the emperor.

Emperor Guangyi flicked his sleeves and retreated behind the desk. After a moment of silence, he asked, "Have you ever met the young lord? What do you know of my younger brother?"

Lin Ye's eyes flashed.

He countered, "Was it not Your Majesty who led me to Xuanwu Lake to meet the miraculous doctor? I have never seen the true young lord—have you forgotten?"

"There's been too much happening lately," Emperor Guangyi said ruefully, pressing a hand to his forehead. "My mind is unsettled."

But he did not fully trust Lin Ye.

Before Lin Ye assumed the role of the young lord and left Jianye, Emperor Guangyi had only known him as the valiant General Zhaoye from the battlefield. Yet as reports from Huanchuan and Xiangzhou trickled back to Jianye, the emperor began reassessing this former Coldlight General.

Lin Ye's displayed cunning secretly disturbed the emperor, making him wonder whether Lin Ye had concealed certain matters during their collaboration—just as he himself had hidden things from Lin Ye.

At this moment, after a brief contemplation, Emperor Guangyi revealed a bitter smile.

He said hoarsely, "My younger brother, frail and sickly since childhood, burdened with that strange vitality, was confined to the shores of Xuanwu Lake, forbidden to leave. Now that he has fled, I worry for his safety, yet I do not know his thoughts."

Lin Ye's eyes flickered slightly.

Emperor Guangyi turned to him and commanded, "Since you have come to Jinzhou, remain here until after my sacrificial ceremony before departing for Northern Zhou. In the meantime, investigate that heir—determine his authenticity and motives. Also look into those bandits: uncover whom they truly serve, how Li Weiyan obtained the stele they hid, and whether Prince Yu's household had prior connections with the bandits..."

General Zhaoye was taken aback.

Emperor Guangyi smiled. "General Zhaoye, in the past, you focused solely on battle, never watching your back. Perhaps Prince Yu's household was never truly aligned with you."

After a pause, the emperor continued, "Once, Jinzhou belonged to Northern Zhou. Though Prince Yu was my kin, he was also related to Northern Zhou's Emperor Xuanming. After you reclaimed Jinzhou, Prince Yu swore allegiance to me—but who knew his true feelings?

"Last year, you battled Northern Zhou's Coldlight General at Fengxiang. You sought to retake Fengxiang in a single campaign, yet suffered defeat there, losing thirty thousand troops. I never held you accountable, for I know casualties in war are inevitable. But thirty thousand soldiers... General Zhaoye, have you considered one possibility?"

Lin Ye stood silent, his face slightly pale as he lifted his dark, translucent eyes to the emperor.

He heard Emperor Guangyi say, "Is it possible Prince Yu was never loyal to you, that his heart remained with Northern Zhou, that he secretly pledged himself to them..."

After a long moment, Lin Ye forced a thin smile.

The young lord's smile was wan and bitter. "Your Majesty, I am no longer Lin Zhaoye."

"I know this well," Emperor Guangyi replied. "Now, as the young lord, state matters are now your personal matters. Investigate, and report everything you find to me."

At this point, Lin Ye could only bow and assent.

After leaving the palace, Liang Chen approached him, curious about what the emperor had summoned him for.

Lin Ye, dropping his earlier composure, clutched his chest and gave Liang Chen a wry smile. "His Majesty is putting me to work unpaid again, sigh. To get me to investigate Prince Yu's Heir, he even brought up last year’s Fengxiang battle..."

Liang Chen’s heart skipped a beat.

He knew of that battle. It was after that battle that he had met Lin Ye.

Back then, Lin Ye had ridden into Jianye, while Lu Liangchen had fled Mount Yuelu to wander the world. When Liang Chen first saw Lin Ye, the young general was cold and aloof, his morale shattered by defeat. The war-torn young general, steeped in bloodlust, was a far cry from the gentle and playful figure he was today.

Liang Chen didn’t want to see that version of Lin Ye again. "That battle..."

He studied Lin Ye’s expression.

Under the setting sun, Lin Ye stood with his back to the light. The blazing sunset draped over him like molten gold, leaping into his youthful eyes. His own gaze, however, was obscured, impossible to read.

All Liang Chen heard was Lin Ye’s seemingly indifferent voice. "The past should stay buried. I don’t want to dig it up—why must everyone force me to? If this investigation turns up something unpleasant, I’ll be in a real bind."

Lin Ye let out an exaggerated sigh.

Liang Chen relaxed—he liked Lin Ye’s devil-may-care attitude. No matter how serious the matter, as long as the young lord didn’t dwell on it, neither would he.

Seeing Lin Ye prop his chin on his hand, Liang Chen suddenly had a whimsical thought. "Perhaps I should reach out to Lady Lu."

This instantly put Liang Chen on alert. "Contact my sister? What for? You’re not planning to rope her into this again, are you? You—you—stop bothering my sister all the time..."

--

Meanwhile, Lin Ye, following the emperor’s command, began investigating the bandits and Li Weiyan.

Princess Changning of Northern Zhou, Ye Liushu, was having no luck. She had visited several times but never once managed to meet Lin Ye. When Lin Ye was ill, he refused visitors; when he wasn’t ill, he was out on imperial business.

Ye Liushu couldn’t help but smile faintly. "The young lord is quite something."

Her maid, however, was anxious. "It’s been half a month in Jinzhou, and you haven’t met the young lord once. How are you going to complete your master’s task?"

Ye Liushu cast her maid a sidelong look.

She had come to Jinzhou to repair her ties with the young lord—a task the maid seemed far more concerned about than her. Naturally, the maid had been sent by Emperor Xuanming to monitor her, and every word and action of hers would likely be reported back.

If she wanted freedom, the first step was to rid herself of this maid.

Deep in contemplation, Ye Liushu wrote a few letters and handed them to the maid to deliver.

The maid immediately reached to open them. "What did you write, Princess?"

Even as the letters were opened in front of her, Ye Liushu remained unfazed. "Just instructions to investigate some key figures. I don’t know anyone in the Marriage Alliance Mission. The more I learn about them, the better I can adjust my strategy."

She raised her gaze thoughtfully. "Wait—why should I send people to investigate? Many in the Marriage Alliance Mission are from Qin Yueye’s faction. You should know them well..."

The maid replied, "This subordinate is insignificant. How could someone of her standing, like Dong Jun, be easily met? I’d better deliver these letters for you."

As the maid rushed off, Ye Liushu watched her retreating figure with an amused smile. Was that really the case?

But she had another theory: this maid might not be an assassin from Qin Yueye’s group.

Strange. If she wasn’t from Qin Yueye, why hadn’t she denied it? And if she was, why hadn’t she made an effort to connect with the assassins in the Marriage Alliance Mission, instead of pushing Ye Liushu—a genuine outsider—to do so?

What was amusing was this: if the maid sent by Emperor Xuanming wasn’t from the Assassins' Guild but was posing under its banner, then which faction did she truly represent?

At this moment, Ye Liushu's interest in the young lord wasn't as strong as her interest in her own maid.

--

Meanwhile, in an unnamed mountain forest on the outskirts of Jinzhou, smoke rose in tendrils, and Bai Li was coughing uncontrollably from the smoke.

Birds roosted on frost-laden branches, flocks returning to the woods as night fell. His face cold and unreadable, Bai Li crouched by the campfire, roasting a skewer of wild rabbit meat.

Footsteps rustled behind him, crunching through layers of fallen leaves.

Out of the corner of his eye, Bai Li saw a tall, imposing middle-aged man approaching. He acted as though he hadn’t seen him, still lowering his head as he stirred the flames with a stick, staring blankly at his rabbit meat.

Wei Changyin stood behind him and gave a deliberate cough.

After a long pause, Wei Changyin crouched down and sighed. "You’re still mad?"

Bai Li ignored him.

Wei Changyin explained, "I sent the flute player to accompany you into the mountains to deal with Snow Girl for a reason. My goal was to lure out someone else, not to have the flute player interfere in your fight with Snow Girl and cheapen your victory..."

Bai Li asked sharply, "What’s your reason?"

Wei Changyin remained silent.

Bai Li snapped, throwing down the branch and leaping to his feet.

He turned to leave, but halfway, his anger flared again. He spun around and stabbed a finger in Wei Changyin’s face, shouting, "You never believed me! You thought I was boasting, that I might not be able to defeat Snow Girl, so you wanted the flute player to control her. The second the drug kicked in, you had him act. If something had gone wrong with Snow Girl, what would I have done?"

Wei Changyin looked up at the seething young man.

Slowly, he said, "You care deeply about Snow Girl."

Bai Li let out a bitter laugh. "Of course I care! Don’t you know the relationship between Snow Girl and me? She’s mine, she’s—"

He struggled to find the right words in the language of Great Zhou. Finally, he blurted, "Aside from Yu Long, she’s the one I care about most in Great Zhou. Do you really not know that?"

Wei Changyin replied, "I do know."

He glanced at Bai Li. "But despite our plan, you still care so much about her. The end result may not be what you want."

Bai Li paused, then said flatly, "I don’t care. I only ask for one thing: that she returns unharmed, with her martial arts intact. As long as those two conditions are met, you can do whatever else you want."

Wei Changyin said, "She’ll hate you."

Bai Li scoffed. "With the Heartless Art in play, how could she even hate? I just want her back safely by my side. But what were you doing? That day, the flute player’s melody could have severely injured her on the spot, ruining her martial arts. She hasn’t submitted to us yet—if she were like Yu Long, ready to go down fighting, and I died, your plan would collapse. How would you explain that to my father, the White King, when you return to Huoqiu Kingdom?"

Wei Changyin sighed.

The night grew heavier over the barren land. He simply sat down, watching the campfire where the rabbit meat roasted.

Wei Changyin said, "Bai Li, I don’t want you harmed, let alone killed. You’ve told me countless times that Snow Girl’s martial arts are no match for yours. It’s because I believe you that I sent you on this mission, confident you wouldn’t die. Unless you lied to me, my plan won’t fail."

He looked up at Bai Li. "You’re the White King’s youngest son, and one of the Western Regions’ Four Great Assassins—'White Tiger.' Your importance to Huoqiu Kingdom far surpasses mine. Even if I had to die, I wouldn’t let you perish... Please believe me."

The raw sincerity in his gaze gave Bai Li pause. His unwavering loyalty to Huoqiu Kingdom caused Bai Li to lower his gaze.

He was Huoqiu Kingdom’s finest general, who had spent ten years crafting this plan. Indeed... His loyalty and dedication to Huoqiu Kingdom far exceeded Bai Li’s. How could Bai Li doubt him?

Bai Li hesitated.

Once more, he said, "My terms stay the same: Snow Girl returns unharmed."

Wei Changyin nodded. "Don't worry. I won't hurt her again. The next time we meet face-to-face will be when she returns to your side."

Bai Li’s anxiety slowly eased.

Yet, Bai Li was unwilling to forgive so easily.

After sulking for a long while, he turned his head and asked Wei Changyin, "You need to tell me—what was your real purpose in sending the flute player to follow me that day? If you can't explain, I still won't trust you."

Wei Changyin stayed quiet for a while. Seeing Bai Li's intense stare, he knew he couldn’t evade the question.

He rubbed his temples.

Very well. The truth will come out soon enough.

Wei Changyin said, "Do you remember Zhuju’s royal family, the Fulans?"

Bai Li froze.

Wei Changyin continued, "Then do you remember why I destroyed Zhuju?"

Bai Li shot back, "That Magic Flute, wasn’t it? That flute player..."

Wei Changyin cut him off, eyes shadowed as he surveyed the surrounding forest. "The Fulans were overthrown, but a young princess escaped. She fled all the way to Great Zhou, and I sent pursuers after her. The last report from my hunters placed her in Xiangzhou. After that, no more news came. Yet, the Marriage Alliance Mission of Southern Zhou’s young prince grew in number."

"I suspect that the young Fulan princess took her Magic Flute into the Marriage Alliance Mission. The Magic Flute of Zhuju Kingdom is something I must obtain. Nearly all of the Fulan royal family are dead—only that young princess remains, the only one left who fully controls the flute. I sent the flute player with you to test the Marriage Alliance Mission, to see if she was among them."

Bai Li immediately recalled the other flute sound that had suppressed the flute player that day—perhaps that was the "Magic Flute" Wei Changyin was pursuing.

Wei Changyin said, "To control the Snow Girl, nothing less than the true Magic Flute will suffice. If I can obtain it, I won’t settle for an inferior substitute. Now that the test is done, I need only wait for the Magic Flute to come to me."

Bai Li gaped at him, speechless.

No longer doubting Wei Changyin’s faith in his martial arts, Bai Li felt a new emotion rise within him—a mix of awe mixed with dread.

Bai Li murmured, "General, to use Great Zhou’s words, you are truly a grandmaster strategist. You excel at laying traps, spending ten years slowly drawing your enemies into your net. Neither Northern Zhou nor Southern Zhou has a strategist like you. They will surely lose to us."

Wei Changyin replied indifferently, "It’s not over till it’s over."

Bai Li mused, "You’re not what I expected in a general. But it reminds me of someone—they say Southern Zhou’s General of the Shining Night was also skilled in strategy... a brilliant young commander. A pity he died."

Wei Changyin said softly, "Yes, a pity."

He stood. "Had Zhaoye been born ten years earlier, this game might not have been entirely in my hands. But now... the pieces are in play. We need only await the outcome."

Bai Li asked with interest, "What happens next?"

Wei Changyin smiled faintly. "We’ll watch the show: Jinzhou’s headed for chaos."

Bai Li grinned. "Should we stir the pot?"

After a moment of thought, Wei Changyin said, "Very well... let our troops gather quietly."

And so, under the quiet night sky, countless bats shrieked across the heavens, carrying messages to hidden corners of Jinzhou.

--

In the private courtyard near the west gate of the Prefect’s residence, Li Weiyan sat stiffly atop the wall.

Xue Li stood below the inner wall, seated at a stone table, gazing up at him. Li Weiyan dared not move—he had already learned his lesson. When he tried to jump down earlier, a flying leaf had grazed his neck, leaving a cut.

Li Weiyan touched the bleeding wound on his neck and sighed to himself.

Li Weiyan let out a wry laugh: "What's the big deal about me calling you 'Snow Girl'? Anyone with a bit of sense would have guessed by now that you're the famous 'Snow Girl,' right? But don't worry, I don’t plan to exploit your identity for anything..."

Another thin green leaf whizzed toward him.

Li Weiyan shrieked and immediately backpedaled: "No, no, no! I did have some ideas, but I’m no match for you—I surrender! I wouldn’t dare threaten you. Please, just let me down, okay?"

His face was scarred and disfigured, but his eyes were bright as ice cleansed by snow, their corners rounded and full. When he looked at someone, those youthful eyes brimmed with emotion, like March peach blossoms, enough to make one’s heart skip a beat.

Unfortunately, the young lady he was facing was Xue Li, completely immune to such flattery.

Xue Li asked, "Did you cause that fight outside the mansion?"

Li Weiyan rubbed his nose and grinned, freely owning up to it.

He explained to Xue Li that he had wanted to see her at the Prefect’s residence but had no connections with the Prefect, and Song Wanfeng watched the place like a hawk. So, Li Weiyan had staged a scuffle outside the mansion to provoke a fight, creating an opportunity for him to climb the wall and catch a glimpse of Xue Li.

Rubbing the bloody cut on his neck, Li Weiyan continued, his voice taking on a strange edge again: "Why are you so afraid of me? Won’t even talk to me? Even if I wanted to do something to you, I couldn’t even if I tried."

Xue Li: "True."

Li Weiyan: "..."

The sun sank, gilding half the sky. Then, he heard the girl’s quiet voice: "What did you want to say to me?"

Li Weiyan realized he could move again—no more razor-sharp leaves flying at him.

He cautiously jumped off the wall. Xue Li remained seated at the stone table, unmoving. He walked over, sat down, and poured himself tea. Xue Li still didn’t react. Li Weiyan took a sip—then spit it out in disgust.

Xue Li: "…?"

Li Weiyan exclaimed, "This tea’s stone-cold! Why didn’t you get a fresh pot? Does the Prefect’s residence treat you this poorly, not even giving you hot water? Hurry, dump Song Wanfeng and come with me instead."

Xue Li’s expression softened slightly.

She was beginning to think this young noble was rather loud and impulsive—a bit like… Lin Ye.

Xue Li murmured, "Go with you? To do what?"

Li Weiyan was busy wiping tea stains off his sleeve. At her question, he turned to look at her. She sat perfectly still, neither angry nor annoyed, as if merely curious—unbothered that he was still a stranger.

Li Weiyan’s gaze flickered.

After a pause, he said with a teasing grin, "Come to the palace with me and be the leader of the death squads. Answer only to the emperor, with ten thousand under you—how about it?"

Xue Li instantly lost interest.

She shook her head.

Li Weiyan pressed, "Why not? I’ve heard that Master Yulong of 'Qin Yueye' shares such a relationship with Emperor Xuanming of Northern Zhou. Yulong is the emperor’s blade, and in return, he grants her unrivaled authority in the martial world. I’ve also heard that Snow Girl is currently being hunted by 'Qin Yueye'... So why not defect and join us in Southern Zhou? Our emperor—my cousin—would trust you just as Emperor Xuanming trusts Master Yulong."

Li Weiyan’s eyes sparkled as he spun the fantasy: "Once you gain absolute authority through my cousin’s backing, you could return to 'Qin Yueye,' unite Southern Zhou’s martial factions, conquer the Assassins' Guild, and make them bend to your will. By then, who would dare call you a traitor?"

Xue Li muttered wearily, "Song Wanfeng is already negotiating with Chun Jun to revoke the bounty on Snow Girl."

Li Weiyan didn’t know the specifics of their guild’s affairs, but he was persuasive: "Counting on men is pointless—they’ll always let you down. You must depend on yourself."

He urged, "Cut down anyone who opposes you! The rest will obey. Then, if you accuse Song Wanfeng of killing your master, everyone will believe you."

Xue Li wasn’t interested in his proposal.

Xue Li stayed quiet, letting Li Weiyan rant on.

Seeing her unmoved, Li Weiyan finally smiled in disappointment, the spark in his eyes fading. "So you're not foolish after all."

Xue Li: "If you keep talking nonsense, I'll have to ask you to leave."

Li Weiyan coughed.

He shed his earlier charming act, leaning back to size up Xue Li. The mischief in his eyes vanished as he said softly, "Fine, I'll be honest with you. All that talk about making you the commander of the death squad under Emperor Guangyi was just a lie."

Li Weiyan sneered, lowering his gaze. "I know my cousin well. Outwardly gentle, inherently suspicious. He would never truly want you as a death guard... Men are all the same. Let me tell you the truth—he’s taken with you."

Xue Li's lashes lifted slightly.

Li Weiyan said coolly, "An emperor taking a liking to a martial artist isn't something he can openly admit. He puts on the act of humbly seeking talent, but his true intentions must be guessed by his subordinates. And coincidentally, no one in this world understands him better than I do."

"If you really follow me to his side and enter the palace, he will break your spirit, crush your defiance, and trap you there."

Xue Li watched him quietly.

Li Weiyan: "He is someone who will stop at nothing to achieve his goals... Hah, though none of you can see it."

A dark haze clouded his eyes, like shards of ice drifting slowly within.

Dusk settled over the land. The lanterns inside and outside the Prefect's residence lit up, bathing the two youths in soft light.

Xue Li: "I wasn’t planning to go."

Li Weiyan: "He will try every means... Right now, it's just me playing the messenger, and you can still shut me down. Why don’t we work together to help you dodge this mess?"

Xue Li looked at him.

Xue Li: "Why?"

"Why?" Li Weiyan tilted his head in thought, then grinned. "Seeing you all miserable is what I live for. If you defy him and he doesn't get his way, I win either way."

Li Weiyan offered his advice: "You truly don’t want to see him? Then..."

"No," Xue Li said. "I can meet him."

Li Weiyan blurted out: "Don’t tell me you plan to assassinate the emperor."

Xue Li: "Why would you blurt out such blatant treason?"

Li Weiyan: "..."

Xue Li pondered: She did intend to see Emperor Guangyi. She needed his blood and the imperial physician by his side to check for any leftover poison in her body.

Of course, she wouldn’t tell Li Weiyan the truth. She merely said she had a request for Emperor Guangyi—one that required him to spill a little blood.

Li Weiyan: "That still sounds like murder to me."

Xue Li: "I’m not here to kill anyone."

Li Weiyan: "You’re afraid?"

Xue Li: "I can’t be bothered."

Li Weiyan fell silent.

Xue Li murmured, "After the incident with the mountain bandits, the emperor’s guards—both overt and covert—will multiply dramatically. Assassinating someone, whether successful or not, would lead to endless pursuit, leaving one homeless, hunted, with no chance to plead your case.

"On the run, you’d have to constantly outwit your pursuers, lie endlessly, and feel people out. All of that is exhausting.

"I don’t want to go through that again."

Li Weiyan held her gaze.

After a long pause, Li Weiyan said, "Yes. Homeless, hunted, with no chance to plead your case. Being a villain is indeed hard work."

When Xue Li looked over, the young man had turned his face away, revealing only half of his pockmarked, ugly face.

The lanterns swayed beneath the corridor, apricot petals swirled along the wall, and dead petals carpeted the ground. Amidst the quiet scene, Li Weiyan broke into a roguish grin, "But being a villain is fun, you know."

Xue Li remained silent as Li Weiyan continued, "Well then, let’s cook up a scheme. After all, my cousin doesn’t really want you to be a martyr, and you genuinely want to see him..."

So they put their heads together.

Before leaving, Li Weiyan thumped his chest, "Don’t worry, we’ll stick to the plan. We’re friends now—I’ll definitely help you."

Friends?

Xue Li froze for a heartbeat.

The word struck a chord. She said, "Wait a moment."

Li Weiyan blinked in confusion as Xue Li lowered her gaze, seemingly fighting some inner battle. She remained in this state of hesitation before turning and leaving the courtyard. A moment later, she returned carrying a cloth bag, carefully retrieving from it... a small clay figurine?

Li Weiyan took a closer look: the figurine had smiling eyes and a lively pose, painted in bright colors and crafted with exquisite detail—wasn’t this "Lin Ye"?

Li Weiyan looked at Xue Li in confusion.

Xue Li’s eyes shone brightly. "I’m giving this to you."

Li Weiyan left completely baffled by why Xue Li had given "Lin Ye" to him.

Pfft. Like he’d ever fear Lin Ye?