Strong Winds Return Home

It was the first time in Liang Shu’s life that someone had praised him as “even-looking.” He appeared confused, so Liu Xian’an explained it to him with a swipe of his finger across the air. The breeze that occurred was so light that it couldn’t even blow a bug away, but it made His Royal Highness Xiao Wang’s heart flutter. He grabbed his hand and pressed that palm against his chest: “You don’t need to be so polite with me.”

Liu Xian’an’s fingertips curled slightly, and he said: “But I’m already finished.”

Liang Shu said: “But I don’t understand.”

If you don’t understand, then you just don’t understand, and if you don’t understand, you don’t speak. There should be a lot of ambiguity at this point in time. After all, a pair of lovers were sitting in bed with disheveled clothing, and it was really unreasonable for nothing to happen. But just now, there was the sentence “very even” for a foundation, and Liang Shu felt that if he disrobed more thoroughly, he might only be used as a teaching aid.

Liu Xian’an found an acupuncture point and suddenly pressed down.

Liang Shu was unprepared, and almost lost half his life, his eyes darkening due to the pain. “You—”

“Your breathing is disordered.” Liu Xian’an withdrew his hand. “I’ll massage the prince more at night.”

It hurt like hell and he had to massage him more. If this was said by a military or Imperial doctor, they may be sent away by His Royal Highness Xiao Wang in an intimidating and perfunctory manner. But for the fairy-like Second Young Master Liu, not to mention letting him massage him with his hands, even hitting him with a hammer was not impossible to consider. This was probably what being obsessed with desire meant.

The courtyard door slammed. It was A-Ning, bringing chicken soup. He already had rich experience in this area, and deliberately created some noise outside, waiting a while before knocking on the door. Sure enough, Liu Xian’an had already woken up, and asked wonderingly: “Why so much food?”

“The chicken soup hadn’t been stewed yet when I went, so I waited for a while,” A-Ning said. “The uncle in the kitchen was very enthusiastic and kept searching everywhere for food. I didn’t want it, and he got upset. After, he stammered out that his son’s leg is broken and he wanted to ask me to take a look.”

“How was it broken?”

“By that uncle himself.” A-Ning said, “He said his son was possessed by an evil spirit a while ago and insisted on going to see the Baifu Holy Maiden. He couldn’t be stopped, and ran out to hide in the mountains somewhere. In the end, Commander Tong tracked him down himself. Although his leg is broken and he can’t run away now, he still yearns for her and hides portraits of her under his pillow.”

As he spoke, he took one from his pocket: “This is it.”

Liu Xian’an took it. The girl pictured was indeed extremely beautiful and elegant, and her eyes seemed to hold compassion for the world. She was about the age of A-Yuan and Cheng Suyue, but she didn’t have the delicate and carefree nature she should have at this age. She was truly like a stiff statue whose only function was to be wrapped in brocade and enshrined in a lofty place.

Wumeng Yunyou, Wumeng Yunle, this brother and sister pair. One killed and the other seduced. They could be called the two good knives of the Baifu Sect.

. . . . . .

The Southwest woodlands were dense, with drifting white fog and abundant miasma.

A teenager leaped through the withered vines and landed firmly on the ground: “Uncle, when did you come?”

Feng Xiaojin, who was still wearing a silver mask, asked in displeasure: “You went to kill again yesterday?”

Wumeng Yunyou snorted: “A-Le complained again. She always likes to inquire about my affairs.”

Feng Xiaojin shook his head: “A-Le didn’t need to say anything. Everyone in the sect has been spreading stories about you recently.”

“I met him, so I killed him.” Wumeng Yun You put his sword back into its sheath indifferently. In his heart, an insignificant human life was worth less than an ant’s. “Uncle, you can be at ease and see to your injury. You don’t need to worry about these things. By the way, how is that doctor?”

“His medical skills are very good.” Feng Xiaojin led him back slowly. “You don’t have to test him further in the future.”

“Okay, I’ll listen to Uncle.” Wumeng Yunyou supported him by the arm. “As it happens, Liang Shu arrived in Garrison City a few days ago, and it seems there is a person from the Liu family traveling with him, but I don’t know who it is. Some say it is Liu Xianche, and some say it is Liu Xian’an. Does Uncle know about this?”

Feng Xiaojin shook his head: “I didn’t know.” He frowned as he spoke again, “Liang Shu’s martial arts are unfathomable. Just because you got away last time does not mean that you will be safe the next time. You had best not provoke him.”

“I know.” Wumeng Yunyou was somewhat obedient in front of Feng Xiaojin, but whether his obedience was feigned or genuine, he knew for himself, and Feng Xiaojin also knew.

When the two returned to their residence, there was a young girl sitting on the swing in the courtyard, wearing plain white clothes. When the wind blew, she looked like a flower unstained by dust, although this seemingly pure flower bloomed in the dirtiest and gloomiest place. Feng Xiaojin returned to his room, and Wumeng Yunyou stepped forward to push the swing for her twice: “I bought some snacks outside, do you want to eat them?”

“No.” Wumeng Yunle stood up. “I heard them say that the man who injured you has come to the Southwest.”

“Why is everyone talking about this?” Wumeng Yun You let go of the swing. “Yes, Liang Shu is here, but it isn’t a rare event. Master wants to go all the way north, and the court can’t turn a blind eye. Instead of worrying about me, it is better to worry about yourself.”

“Myself?”

“Yes, ah, yourself.”

Wumeng Yunyou sat down at a table: “Right now, towns and villages in the Southwest are spreading wild rumors about your beauty. As long as they can meet you, they are even willing to lose their families and property, and some people fight with their neighbors in the same village to win a spot. With such a big commotion, perhaps Liang Shu will deal with you first.”

“Then let him come,” Wumeng Yunle said cheerfully. “I hear that he is Dayan’s youngest and most invincible general, and that he will marry Dayan’s number one beauty in the future.”

“Liu Nanyuan? I saw her once near Baihe City. She was accompanied by a retinue of servants, and was far less beautiful than you.”

“But she can walk every street of Dayan openly, and have everyone praise her beauty and medical skills.” Wumeng Yunle looked at her reflection and sighed. “I also want to go out in a legitimate manner and walk in the sun, instead of hiding in secret.”

“When I kill Liang Shu, you can walk in the sunshine.” Wumeng Yunyou tossed her some dried fruit. “Eat something, don’t think about the title of Dayan’s number one beauty. That’s boring.”

Wumeng Yunle reached out to grab the dried fruit. She had thin fingers adorned in blue and silver ornaments, and her fingertips were also faintly tinged with blue.

Crack!

In the small Garrison City courtyard, Liang Shu crushed open the hard shell and picked out the walnut inside. “Do you want to eat?”

“No.” Liu Xian’an shook his head. “It’s not sweet.”

“What kind of sweet walnuts do you want? You’re difficult to serve.” Liang Shu tapped his forehead and ordered, “Open your mouth.”

Liu Xian’an reluctantly opened his mouth, but Liang Shu didn’t feed him. Instead, he leaned closer and quickly kissed him. And after the kiss, he turned around and sent the guards to the street to buy honey-soaked amber walnut kernels.

It could be seen that no one in this world could do anything about Second Young Master Liu’s tendency to be a picky eater. Master Liu’s reprimands could not, A-Ning’s nagging could not, and First Young Master Liu’s ruler could not. He finally met His Royal Highness Xiao Wang, who might be able to do something about it, but he just blindly held him in the palm of his hand and indulged him. When he wanted the moon, he would not give him the stars. There was no hope.

The guards quickly brought back the amber walnut kernels, and A-Ning also returned at this time. He had already seen to the leg injury of the kitchen uncle’s son, and said: “Although he can’t leave, he still yearns for her very much. His mouth is full of foulness and cursing. From what I understand, he not only wants to see the Holy Maiden, but wants to marry the Holy Maiden in the future.”

“How could he marry her?”

“According to the teachings of the cult, as long as your heart is sincere, you can marry her, and whoever has the most sincere heart is the most able to marry.” As for such things as sincerity, it was impossible to just convey in words, so those who had money donated their family wealth, and those without money self-mutilated and cut their wrists. Everyone was scrambling to express themselves, hoping that one day they could marry the Holy Maiden and reach the sky in one step.

Liang Shu’s brain hurt when he heard this.

Liu Xian’an asked: “How can they meet that saint?”

A-Ning replied: “According to the degree of dedication, they will select from the front to the back. It is estimated that a few people can be chosen out of a hundred.”

The current dedication requirements were only based on donating money and self-mutilation. In the future, it may develop into killing Dayan officers and soldiers. After all, cults were very good at promoting military-civilian confrontation. After dinner, Liang Shu and Liu Xian’an went to the study. In front of Gao Lin was a thick stack of documents, all related to the Wumeng brother and sister. These two were young, but had done much evil.

“Half of this is the blood debt owed by Wumeng Yunyou. Since seven or eight years ago, he has committed violent crimes.” Gao Lin said, “This other half is Wumeng Yunle.”

“Isn’t the thickness about the same?” A-Ning was puzzled. “But she was promoted as a saint not long ago. Did she kill people before?”

“She didn’t kill people in the past. These are all recent murders. No matter how strong Wumeng Yunyou is in martial arts, even if he slaughtered a village through the night, he could only kill dozens or hundreds of people at most. But every time Wumeng Yunle appears, she is accompanied by fanatical riots, and the evil results are multiplied.” Gao Lin said, “The Baifu Sect wants to shape her into a symbol, and it seems to be quite effective so far.”

“What is the origin of this brother and sister?”

“Orphans. They were raised by the leader of the Baifu Sect since they were children.”

As for the leader of the Baifu Sect, no one knew his name or had even seen his appearance. Ku You had been investigating for many years, and had also interrogated many cult members, but had never found any results. The other party was like a shadow, with sound but not shape, always drifting in the unfathomable night sky.

Liu Xian’an asked: “How much devotion must be given in order to meet the Holy Maiden?”

Gao Lin said: “There must be inspections at every level. Ordinary people wouldn’t be able to get in if they wanted to, but they could find a member of the congregation who was qualified to meet her and follow secretly, and they should be able to discover the location.”

Then the question arose, how could they find such a person?

In the small courtyard of the back kitchen in the government office, there was a row of lodgings. The fire-burning uncle’s unfortunate son with the broken leg was lying on a bed, mesmerized as he held a portrait of the saint. Suddenly, the bedroom door was pushed open with a creak.

Startled, he hastily stuffed the portrait under the quilt so as not to get his other leg broken. He turned his head to see who it was, and his eyes widened in shock. Since when was there such a shining and romantic young man in Garrison City?

Liu Xian’an asked: “Are you Qiu Cheng?”

Qiu Cheng let out an “ah.” The jut of his throat bobbed, and he asked with awkward nervousness: “Was the young master sent by the saint to pick me up?”

Liu Xian’an: “…….”

That’s fine too.