Chapter 32: Huo Jingzhao is Severely Injured Part 1

Hearing the words ‘apologize,’ Leng Yuechuan’s face turned a mixture of pale and red. After thinking for a long while, he looked again at Shi Wuya: “What does Mister Wuya say?”

Under the boundless night sky, a nightingale’s cry suddenly came from the heavens.

Listening to the familiar signal, Shi Wuya leisurely took a sip of wine before spreading his hands helplessly at him: “I have no objection.”

“You—! You! Bah!” Leng Yuechuan instantly choked with rage but could do nothing to him. He could only flick his sleeve and sit back in his chair, fuming and glaring.

Thinking back, it was this man who had revealed the information about the Lizhou shipyard, and it was also at his instigation that he wrote the memorial denouncing Pei Lianyi.

Ah, now that trouble had arisen, Shi Wuya was the first to wash his hands of it…

Thinking of the incredibly shrewd, extremely difficult to deal with, and deeply vengeful Pei Lianyi, Leng Yuechuan was truly burning with anxiety.

After drinking a cup of tea in frustration, he could only summon the attendant outside the door and order: “Go, find out what Family Head Pei likes recently, what he’s interested in.”

“Yes!”

Watching the attendant quickly run off, Shi Chengji waved his folding fan and said: “Recently, I really haven’t heard of Lianyi liking anything. Ever since the auction banquet, he hasn’t accepted any gifts. It’s quite strange, come to think of it…”

Remembering the scene of Huo Jingzhao placing the pearl on Pei Lianyi, he snapped his fan shut with a “bang”: “Who would have thought that poor brat Huo Jingzhao could cater to his fancy! It was the first time I’ve seen Lianyi cherish an object so much. Heh.”

Hearing this, Shi Wuya, who had been leaning askew in the main seat and drinking leisurely just moments ago, changed color. His ink-black eyelashes suddenly took on a trace of sinister darkness.

But with the three people present each harboring their own secret schemes, no one noticed anyone else’s abnormality.

Seeing Shi Chengji’s infatuated expression when mentioning Pei Lianyi, Leng Yuechuan felt even more tightness in his chest. So he stood up and cupped his fists to the two: “This old man will take his leave tonight. I will visit Mister Wuya another day.”

Seeing him about to leave, the two surnamed Shi showed little reaction. Shi Chengji said something about seeing the guest off and turned his head to play Go with five-in-a-row pieces on the table.

Seeing this, Leng Yuechuan had no choice but to leave the Shi Manor with his few attendants.

Seeing him walking out with a dark expression, Leng Huan, disguised as a page boy, quickly lifted the sedan chair’s curtain and said angrily:

“Great Grandfather, I just don’t understand. Why do you listen to everything that Shi Wuya says?! Can’t you just talk to Uncle Shi about things?”

Looking at his great-grandson’s clear yet foolish eyes, Leng Yuechuan sighed inwardly, patted his shoulder, and said: “You’re still too young. You must learn to be patient.”

From his perspective, the Pei Clan had occupied the top position among the Four Great Clans for far too long. Now that an outsider had appeared to break the stalemate, a reshuffling of the four factions wouldn’t be bad.

Although Shi Wuya was strange and absurd, he had not only cured his years-long chronic headache with a single small Purple Fruit but also navigated the circles of Shangjing with ease. Leng Yuechuan certainly didn’t dare offend him.

“You, ah, when will you ever learn a fraction of the Huo boy’s skills…!”

Huo Jingzhao? What skills did that pauper have besides being a bit bulkier?! Leng Huan grumbled inwardly, the curse ready on his lips.

“Get in the sedan chair.” Leng Yuechuan sighed helplessly.

“Yes…!” Leng Huan quickly hobbled after him, dragging his lame leg.

After the Leng family’s ornate carriage departed, Shi Chengji was about to play another two games of chess with the person before him but inexplicably felt a wave of drowsiness. Before he could finish saying “Do you smell something?” his eyes closed, and he lay sprawled on the table, motionless.

A bizarre, bitter fragrance wafted over. A purple figure knelt at Shi Wuya’s feet.

“Sect Master, the item has been obtained.” Sang Sha handed over the keys.

Shi Wuya held a chess piece in one hand and propped his face with the other, an amused smile squeezing at the corner of his mouth: “Handing over the Chamber’s most crucial item so quickly? It seems Pei Minrou isn’t much after all. A person who always speaks of rules and hierarchy breaking his chastity lock for Jingzhao…”

Gazing darkly at the sleeping Shi Chengji, he placed the black piece: “I hope they can play with me a little longer.”

Sang Sha couldn’t help but shudder: “Is the Sect Master not worried? That the Young Sect Master might…”

Shi Wuya gave a cold laugh, interrupting him hoarsely: “I’m not worried. Jingzhao is merely using Pei Lianyi, just as I used him. The difference is, no matter what happens, Jingzhao will return to my side, because I am the one who watered and helped him grow.”

Sang Sha hesitated, then said: “The Young Sect Master’s condition is very bad right now.”

“He still refuses to come see me?” Shi Wuya asked grimly.

A deathly silence answered him.

Shi Wuya snorted coldly, nearly crushing the chess piece in his hand: “Let him suffer.”

Though he said that, seeing Sang Sha’s uneasy face, he paused for a moment. Hoarsely, he said: “I’ll follow him these next few days. If something happens, I’ll handle it.”

“Yes, thank you, Sect Master!” Knowing he would not abandon Huo Jingzhao, Sang Sha temporarily felt relieved.

“Sect Master, what about these keys…?” Holding the keys forged from Cold Iron in his hand, he asked again.

Shi Wuya leaned back into the chair and closed his eyes: “Find the right time to pull out all of the Leng family’s shady accounts and dirty money held in the Chamber. I have my own arrangements.”

From the outside, the Chamber of Commerce looked like just a Treasure Hall built with nine main rooms. But what few knew was that inside the Treasure Hall were nine doors forged from black iron, along with the Celestial Sound Temple’s unique hidden weapon—the Golden Fan Windows. Without the keys, even immortals would find it impossible to break in.

With the keys, the Sect Master’s plan would be flawless.

“Yes.” Sang Sha carefully put away the items, his mind full of worry, hoping nothing would go wrong in the near future.

The next morning, Leng Yuechuan, who hadn’t slept a wink all night, strode into the main courtyard of the Pei Manor. Behind him followed a group of servants carrying gifts.

“Family Head Leng appeared at my door early this morning. May I ask what brings you here?” Surveying the countless gift boxes laid out on the floor, the man in the main seat asked mildly.

His voice was deep and mellow, his words precise and brilliant, carrying an unfathomable calmness that made even the fifty-year-old Leng Yuechuan sweat incessantly.

Pei Lianyi looked as though he had just risen. He wore a blue moon-patterned robe with a double-lapeled front. His refined, noble eyes seemed to cling to the lingering night. At this moment, he was holding a cup of lychee flower tea for refreshment, lowering his jade neck to look at the tea—an appearance so standard and proper one dared not look directly at him.

Leng Yuechuan was somewhat puzzled. In Rongchu City, everyone knew Master Pei was always strict with himself and never showed any slack.

At the Chamber, no matter how many affairs he had dealt with the night before, he would appear the next day, not a hint of it showing on his face… It was said that in his own manor, he measured his days by incense clocks.

Rising and dressing, eating and drinking, receiving guests—all were governed by strict schedules.

Being so sleepy he slept until the sun was high in the sky was indeed rare.

Snapping back to his senses, Leng Yuechuan quickly waved his hand, saying it was nothing, that he had merely come to visit Family Head Pei.

Pei Lianyi, feeling extremely weary in his body, frowned.

Yesterday, after sleeping until midnight, he had no idea what Jingzhao wanted to do—the man had suddenly run to his courtyard and knocked on his door.

Pei Lianyi was both shocked and embarrassed. He didn’t dare open the door, and even more feared being discovered by Ziying next door, so he spoke to the man through the door.

Just the two topics of “Are you going to let me in?” and “Have you gone mad?” had entangled them for two full hours.

Pei Lianyi had never known before that exchanging pointless talk with his beloved in the middle of the night could be such a wondrous thing.

“If you won’t let me in, then tell me, Master Pei, what’s in your room? What color… are they?”

A moment later, Huo Jingzhao’s low voice became a little calmer.

Pei Lianyi leaned his head against the door panel. His raven-black hair cascaded down to his ears, covering his reddening face. He looked at the translucent white screen and the honey-brown beddings, not responding for a long time.

Knowing full well this would incite even more impulsive thoughts in the young man, he was too ashamed to speak.

Huo Jingzhao would never know that his straightforward tenderness, and another man’s brutal vulgarity, both left Pei Lianyi utterly bewildered.

It wasn’t until Cao Xian, making his night rounds, came looking with a lantern and almost mistook Huo Jingzhao for a thief that Pei Lianyi opened the door and said with a stern face:

“I’m just scolding him, running around in the middle of the night instead of sleeping.”

The night was deep, yet he still didn’t dare look at Huo Jingzhao’s expression.

After interacting for over a month, Cao Xian had figured out that the new son-in-law was simply a wild card. He just laughed and said: “Young people, too much internal fire. Going out for some fresh air will sort it out.”

Thus, early this morning, Huo Jingzhao had been sent outside by Pei Lianyi to collect debts.

Checking the sky, he should be back around this time by now.

Refocusing, Pei Lianyi’s fingers moved slightly. He tapped the jade-colored teacup lid and said deeply: “If Family Head Leng has something to say, please speak plainly.”

Leng Yuechuan gritted his teeth and could only sweatily spit out the word “memorial.”

“So it’s about that.” Pei Lianyi set down his jade teacup. His expression didn’t change.

“I have offended you greatly. I earnestly beg Master Pei to be magnanimous…!” Leng Yuechuan braced himself and bowed to him.

Pei Lianyi had never really taken his backstabbing to heart. He decided to order Cao Xian to fetch the memorial and quickly send the man away, lest Jingzhao return and cause more trouble.

“Yes, Family Head.”

“Master Pei, Madam… Madam Huo requests an audience—!”

Just as Cao Xian was about to move, a guard from the manor gate came running in.

Behind him followed Madam Huo, her steps unsteady, supported by a maid.

Seeing her panicked expression, Pei Lianyi’s heart suddenly sank.

Even though their family had fallen on hard times, the Huo couple had always known their place. Coming in without being announced now, it must be a serious matter.

As expected, the next second, he heard Madam Huo say in a trembling voice: “Master Pei, terrible news! Jingzhao, Jingzhao has had an accident…!”

Hearing this abruptly, Pei Ziying, who was just entering the main hall carrying tea and pastries, dropped the tray with a “bang.”

Over the past three days, his leg injury had mostly recovered, and he could now walk. Passing the courtyard, hearing the maids say there were guests, unable to stay idle, he came to take a look—never expecting to hear his fiancé had met with an accident.

Heeding nothing else, he rushed over and asked: “Auntie Huo, what happened to Jingzhao? Tell me quickly!”

Madam Huo wiped her tears with a handkerchief and said urgently: “Jingzhao is at the Black Market Martial Arts Arena, fighting a Life-and-Death Boxing match against someone. I fear… I fear he’s almost done for!”

“Fighting? How could Jingzhao be fighting someone?” Pei Ziying was so anxious his little face was entirely red, unable to believe the honest, dull man would fight someone to the death.

Madam Huo carefully glanced at Pei Lianyi: “He said… he needs to pay off debts.”

Life-and-Death Boxing—called ‘boxing,’ but in truth, it was just Lower Body Attacks brawling between men.