Chapter 651: If you’re hard-hearted, I’ll be unfair (2/2)

“I’ll reply my master with a letter detailing how I’m still recovering from internal injuries incurred from the Medicine Requesting Cave. Thus, I was unable to help despite wishing otherwise,” Long Feiye remarked.

“Will the sword sect master senior believe you?” Han Yunxi was doubtful. From what she understood, the old man only had Duanmu Yao in his eyes while completely neglecting Long Feiye.

“He will. This matter ends here.” Of course, master wouldn’t believe it if Long Feiye only blamed his internal injuries, but if he told him about breaking the Lustbite Seal and receiving its backlash, master wouldn’t doubt his words. Compared to Duanmu Yao’s affairs, his master would be able to judge the differences in severity as long as he wasn’t in one of his insane fits.

Although Duanmu Yao had no way of ascending Celestial Mountain now, master’s connections in the martial arts circles would net him a helper to treat her wounds easily enough. It didn’t have to be him!

Han Yunxi relaxed at Long Feiye’s words. Before they entered the estate, he also told Chu Xifeng in a low voice to investigate the matter of potential spies.

“Your Highness, if there really was a mole, it might be someone from the Tang Clan’s side,” Chu Xifeng remarked. They weren’t residing at Pill Fiend Pharmacy or the duke’s estate, but one of the side courtyards in Yaoshui. All of the servants here were personal shadow guards and a few carefully selected servant girls whom were trustworthy beyond question.

Chu Xifeng was certain the problem didn’t lay with them, but the Tang Clan. Many of its members knew of this courtyard’s location, so one of them may have spilled the details to Duanmu Yao.

“Whoever it is, your lordship only wants answers!” Long Feiye said coldly.

“This subordinate understands!” Chu Xifeng immediately left to fulfill his orders.

By the time Han Yunxi and Long Feiye entered the courtyard, Mu Linger was already scurrying back and forth in search of someone. Han Yunxi only shook her head helpless. Mu Linger’s such a foolish girl! Even if she doesn’t look for Gu Qishao, he’s supposed to find her to discuss formal business. Why is she being so impatient?

Still, plenty of people lost all reason when they were in love.

“Where’s old Pill Fiend? Isn’t he supposed to be here?” Mu Linger asked urgently.

“Perhaps…he’s gone out. In any case, he’ll come back. Why don’t you…go take a rest first?” Han Yunxi didn’t dare to reveal any more. Gu Qishao had already started to suspect her last time. If she didn’t withdraw now and he found out the truth, she might be spared, but Mu Linger would be doomed. Although Mu Linger had hidden the fact that she knew Gu Qishao’s alter ego, her heart was blameless in its love. Let her go on as she will! Haven’t I done my share of lying to myself too?

Sometimes, a little lie would eventually grow to become truth and then the rest of one’s life.

Han Yunxi could only sigh internally with emotion at the sight of the girl. She knew that Mu Linger would be willing to stay a lifetime by His Excellency Pill Fiend’s side without ever revealing the fact that she knew he was Gu Qishao. Now the girl was still impatient for answers, but Han Yunxi’s pointed look made her realize that the subject was taboo. Instead she remarked lightly, “Fine, I’ll wait until senior comes back.”

Long Feiye wasn’t in a rush to see Gu Qishao’s plans against Head Elder Ling come to fruition, either. He wasn’t planning to deal with Medical City just yet, being more concerned with movements from Ning Cheng’s side right now. His original plans were to stay and heal at Yaoshui while waiting for Chu Tianyin to surrender. Tang Li’s wedding affairs were only an incidental tangent in the end. After visiting Gu Beiyue with Han Yunxi, Long Feiye doubled back by himself to accompany the doctor again.

By now, Gu Beiyue had brewed a cup of tea while waiting for him.

“Any news from Chu Tianyin?” Long Feiye cut straight to the chase.

Gu Beiyue revealed a tiny slip of paper. “He delivered this three days ago to ask about Empress Xue.”

Long Feiye glanced at the paper, eyes cold. “What, he suspects your lordship?”

“He’s simply sending out feelers at this point. Chu Tianyin is already planning to downplay the issue. Within the month, he’s going to treat the assassination of Empress Xue as…” Gu Beiyue dropped his voice, “Ning Cheng’s responsibility.”

“How are you so certain?” Long Feiye asked with interest. His original plan was to use the facts of Empress Xue’s murder to set Duanmu Yao at odds with the Chu Clan. In other words, he could borrow the strength of Celestial Mountain to directly oppose Ning Cheng. If Chu Tianyin was planning to frame Ning Cheng for the matter as well, then that’d be even better.

Gu Beiyue smiled faintly. “Because that was this one’s idea.”

Although Long Feiye was surprised, he found the reasoning sound. Privately, he rejoiced in the fact that Gu Beiyue wasn’t his enemy, or else this sickly invalid might have turned out to be his most formidable opponent yet.

“Did you reveal–”

“Your Highness needn’t worry,” Gu Beiyue interrupted. “This one didn’t tell Chu Tianyin that Your Highness knows of my status as a member of the Shadow Clan. He…will never know that fact.”

Long Feiye still trusted the words from Gu Beiyue’s mouth. “Fine. As long as he succeeds with the matter of Empress Xue, your lordship will accept his surrender!” he said coldly.

While he was plotting ways to deal with Ning Cheng, the latter was trying to figure out a plan to use Empress Xue’s death as an excuse to avoid Celestial Mountain’s wrath and scheme against Long Feiye instead. In the halls of the West Jing palace, atop its tallest tower, he sat on the banisters with a single acupuncture needle sticking out of the corner of his lip. His thoughts were a mystery, but his usually icy gaze seemed distant and distracted…