Chapter 131: Two Sides
Out of gratitude, Lu Yun could no longer avoid Cui Ninger. He had no choice but to stay, patiently accompanying Cui Ninger in conversation. In truth, the two had almost no common ground, and Cui Ninger appeared to be making conversation, only asking him boring questions like how things were in Yuhang, who he learned martial arts from, at what age he reached Black Rank, and the like.
In fact, these questions had already been asked of Lu Yun many times by clan members, and he had a flawless set of responses ready. For example, his martial arts were learned from his father, and he had reached Black Rank just the year before. He had no friends in Yuhang and spent every day at home studying literature and practicing martial arts…
Cui Ninger was tireless in her enjoyment, pestering Lu Yun with questions back and forth. Lu Yun was already distracted, but she remained full of enthusiasm and said, “By the way, have you been to Taihu Lake?”
Lu Ying shook her head, and Lu Yun also shook his head.
“That’s too bad, Taihu Lake is so beautiful!” Cui Ninger boasted solemnly: “In the morning, the lake water is pink, during the day sometimes green, sometimes blue, at dusk it turns golden, and at night it’s silvery white. You can even see immortals flying around on the lake…”
As she spoke, she stared unblinkingly at the brother and sister, as if trying to discern something from their expressions, or like a child eager for praise.
Lu Ying looked full of wonder and yearning as she said: “Really?! Then we must go see it properly!”
Lu Yun’s face showed no ripple, merely a soft “oh,” indicating he understood.
“Why do you have that expression, you don’t believe me?” Cui Ninger pouted, quite dissatisfied with Lu Yun’s reaction.
“If you say so, then it is.” Lu Yun shook his head, trying to put on a friendlier expression.
“Could it be you’ve been to Taihu Lake?” Cui Ninger asked suspiciously.
“No.” Lu Yun shook his head and said softly: “I just feel that immortals wouldn’t let you see them so easily.”
“I did see them.” Cui Ninger was already grinding her teeth.
“Alright, alright.” Seeing Cui Ninger embarrassed, Lu Ying gently tugged Lu Yun, signaling him not to be too serious, then smiled at Cui Ninger: “This shows our Ninger has immortal affinity!”
“Elder Sister is the best.” Cui Ninger nodded vigorously in delight, hugging Lu Ying’s arm and twisting back and forth, not forgetting to glare at Lu Yun.
.
Fortunately, it was already getting late. Although Cui Ninger was still in high spirits, Madam Cui was ready to return to the residence.
Watching Cui Ninger reluctantly being pulled onto the carriage by Madam Cui, Lu Yun truly breathed a big sigh of relief.
After accompanying their mother to see off Madam Cui and daughter, when the brother and sister were alone, Lu Ying was still fixated on Cui Ninger’s description of Taihu Lake. Lu Yun suddenly smiled and said: “Elder Sister, actually, you don’t need to go to Taihu Lake to see such a scene.”
“Really?” Lu Ying perked up immediately and asked excitedly: “Where? Where?”
“I can take you to see it right now.” Lu Yun teased.
“Great!” Lu Ying was as joyful as could be, sweeping away the gloom of being stood up by her brother all day. But looking at the sky, she couldn’t help but say dejectedly: “What time is it now?”
“I just ask if you want to go?” Lu Yun smiled and repeated.
“I do.” Lu Ying nodded as a matter of course. Ever since being kidnapped once, she feared causing trouble for her father and brother again, so she didn’t dare go out alone and was truly about to burst from being cooped up.
“Alright then, let’s go.” Lu Yun led Lu Ying outside.
“Okay.” Lu Ying didn’t ask where exactly, just told Grandfather, then eagerly followed behind Lu Yun out of Congshan Ward.
.
The street was thronged with people, most heading from north to south. They were people who worked and served in North of the Luo River, finishing a day’s labor and hurrying back to South of the Luo River.
Madam Cui’s carriage, however, went against the crowd toward North of the Luo River, to Guanglu Ward where the Cui Clan direct lineage resided.
In the carriage, Madam Cui and Cui Ninger knelt facing each other, but their demeanors were completely opposite to when in public. Gone was the previous mother-daughter intimacy, replaced by a detached restraint between superior and subordinate.
Cui Ninger sat upright there, while Madam Cui leaned slightly forward, speaking to her in a reporting tone softly: “I chatted with Lu Xin’s wife all day, but Madam Lu is tight-lipped, only saying she spends her days eating vegetarian meals and reciting Buddhist scriptures, knowing nothing about anything.”
Cui Ninger’s expression was ethereal and cold, without a trace of worldly air—where was the least bit of her previous naive innocence? Hearing Madam Cui’s words, she nodded and said slowly: “Same here. Lu Ying seems open, but in reality her thoughts are extremely meticulous; I couldn’t pry a single word out of her.”
“What about Lu Yun?” Madam Cui asked with a sliver of hope: “He’s younger and shy, so he should be easier to probe, right?”
“…” Madam Cui not mentioning him was fine, but bringing up Lu Yun made a spark of anger appear on Cui Ninger’s otherwise serene face as she said: “That kid is tighter than a clam—you can’t get a fart out of him with eight sticks; his face always has the same expression. It’d be a ghost if you could read anything from him!”
“Calm your anger, Liege!” Madam Cui, the direct lineage daughter of the Pei Clan and daughter-in-law of the Cui Clan, actually addressed her own daughter as Liege—an utterly bizarre scene. Yet both parties took it as a matter of course. “Perhaps they truly don’t know about Lu Xin’s affairs!” Pausing, Madam Cui added softly: “Maybe we shouldn’t suspect Lu Xin after all…”
Cui Ninger’s fine brows furrowed slightly; she also felt she was being a bit paranoid. After thinking for a moment, she slowly shook her head and said darkly: “As long as there’s the slightest possibility, we must investigate it thoroughly!” In her heart, however, she gave a self-mocking bitter smile: ‘Because after all the investigating, this is the only clue we’ve found…’
Previously, the Saintess had ordered an investigation into Lu Xin’s former subordinates. On this point, Taiping Dao had an unmatched advantage; many mid- and low-level soldiers were their followers and would reveal everything they knew. A few days ago, word came from Yuhang that when Lu Xin attacked Bai Liu Village, during the suicide squad’s stealth assault on the city, there had been a twin-sabers expert who secretly assisted…
Although those official soldiers couldn’t judge the expert’s level with their vision, the Saintess boldly assumed that expert was the Earth Rank Grandmaster who took the Imperial Seal that day. If this assumption held, it seemed all mysteries could be resolved! Thus, the mother and daughter’s visit to the Lu Family today—they wanted to probe indirectly to see what position Lu Xin held in the Lu Clan, and whether he was a chess piece the Lu Clan had placed in Yuhang long ago.
“Lu Xin arrived in Jiangnan ten years ago and has been unremarkable since; if the Lu Clan began laying plans back then, it would be truly terrifying.” Madam Cui frowned in thought: “Or perhaps Lu Shang learned of the Xiahou Clan’s movements in advance and sent a Lu Clan Grandmaster to lurk by Lu Xin’s side, trying to fish in troubled waters? That seems more plausible.”
“Doesn’t fit.” The Saintess shook her head, recalling the scene that day: “First, that person seemed relatively young and didn’t match any of the Lu Clan’s Eight Great Stewards; second, from how that person acted that day, he seemed completely unaware of the Imperial Seal’s existence, purely stumbling into it by accident…” This was what angered her most—after all her painstaking schemes, a passerby had snatched the peach!
“Moreover, the one who assassinated Xiahou Lei that day used our sect’s cultivation method; I’ve never heard of the Lu Clan having anyone like that.” The Saintess grew more puzzled the more she thought, almost suspecting she was being overly paranoid.
“It’s a pity we’re being watched by Heavenly Master Dao; otherwise, we could just send someone to infiltrate Congshan Ward and directly interrogate Lu Xin!” Madam Cui said dejectedly. Clearly, the Heavenly Maiden’s appearance had put immense pressure on her.
Mentioning Heavenly Master Dao made the Saintess feel stifled too. Although she had previously thwarted the Heavenly Maiden’s assassination and nearly captured her, she knew her own limits—that Heavenly Maiden’s martial arts surpassed hers considerably, and her mind and adaptability were no less. With the lesson from last time, she wouldn’t be so easy to deal with next time.
Moreover, with the Heavenly Maiden appeared, could Heavenly Master Dao’s bunch of Taoists be far behind?
“For now, don’t act rashly; wait until my Master arrives.” The Saintess said sullenly, full of reluctance. Taiping Dao actually had considerable resources in the Capital City—like noble ladies such as Madam Cui, who were their followers. But unless absolutely necessary, these painstakingly planted hidden lines could not be used!
“The Sect Leader is coming to the Capital City?” Madam Cui was overjoyed, her eyes flashing with excitement.
The Saintess was somewhat displeased by Madam Cui’s reaction but didn’t show it, merely nodding: “He should already be on the way…”
