Chapter 15

Lu Sheng was left speechless at once, his face flushing blue and red.

Chang'an said, "You are Lu Sheng, one of the Young Three Heroes of Lu Family Manor, right? What do you have to say?"

Lu Sheng's expression turned solemn. "I want to duel you! Three days from now, at Green Willow Manor, I will set up an arena for a fair battle between us. Do you dare accept?"

Chang'an looked astonished. "What is this supposed to be?"

Lu Sheng said righteously, "Back then, my eldest brother Lu Dong lost to you and always considered it a regret. Now, though your name has been dragged through the mud, I can still give you a fair chance to fight me. I must prove to the martial world that the younger generation of Lu Family Manor is not the slightest bit inferior to you, Ning Family's Chang'an. Not only are we no worse—we are stronger than you!"

Chang'an sighed. "Lu Dong would never do something like this."

Miao Suyi sneered. "Lu Sheng, what right do you have to speak of giving Brother Ning a fair chance? What are you? Nothing but a petty man kicking someone when he is down."

Lu Sheng said in a low voice, "Miss Miao, I have no intention of offending you, so please keep quiet. Ning Family's Chang'an, do you dare accept the challenge?"

Chang'an smiled blandly. "My cultivation has already recovered. Are you sure you want to duel me?!"

The crowd erupted in an uproar.

Lu Sheng sighed. "It seems you truly cultivated the Demonic Art. Your strength recovered in such a short time. We people of the martial world punish evil and uphold good—how can we possibly retreat? Three days from now, at Green Willow Manor. We shall not part until we meet. Farewell!"

As soon as Lu Sheng finished speaking, he turned and strode away.

Ignoring the crowd's discussions, Chang'an and Miao Suyi headed straight upstairs.

On the stairs, Chang'an sighed. "Suyi, this Lu Sheng is truly devoted to you!"

Miao Suyi snorted. "I do not care for the admiration of someone like him! I feel disgusted just looking at him. Chasing fame and profit—he is unworthy of the title Young Three Heroes."

Chang'an said, "Lu Sheng is not a bad person, but his heart is indeed too narrow, which makes him irritating. Foolish Lu Sheng, why does he have to be jealous of me for no reason and bring trouble down on my head for nothing?"

Miao Suyi stuck out her tongue and asked mischievously, "Brother Ning, who do you think is prettier, Sister Yu Fu or Sister Ruyan?"

Chang'an said, "I think Suyi is prettier!"

Miao Suyi giggled, clinging to Chang'an's shoulder and trembling like a flower branch in the wind.

Chang'an's nose twitched. "Suyi, do you smell that fragrance?"

Miao Suyi's nostrils fluttered as she nodded repeatedly. "I do! Sister Ruyan treats you so well. If I had come alone, I would never have such a feast!"

Chang'an teased, "That is because your table manners are too savage. Sister Ruyan truly cannot bear to watch!"

As they spoke, the two had already reached the upper floor. An old woman was waiting there, and upon seeing them come upstairs, she hobbled over. "Miss has arranged rooms for the two of you. She is busy in the kitchen now!"

Spring Breeze Tower was most famous for its wine and its proprietress, but neither could be called peerless under heaven.

What truly made Spring Breeze Tower unrivaled under heaven was a dish—Mo River Zither Fish. Only Liu Ruyan could make this peerless delicacy. Anyone who had tasted Mo River Zither Fish could never forget its fragrance for the rest of their life. Chang'an came to Spring Breeze Tower once every year, and no matter what, he would beg Liu Ruyan to make a dish of Mo River Zither Fish to satisfy his cravings. Over an entire year, Liu Ruyan made this dish so few times that they could be counted on one hand. Thus, few people knew of it, and even fewer had been fortunate enough to taste it.

When Liu Ruyan appeared carrying a plate of steaming, fragrant Mo River Zither Fish, Chang'an and Miao Suyi's eyes both went wide.

Liu Ruyan smiled faintly. "Little fatty, come sit by your sister and let her have a good look at you, you great devil!"

Miao Suyi giggled. "Brother Ning, we are both fortunate. Suyi has the fortune of good food, while Brother Ning has the fortune of beauty."

Liu Ruyan pulled Chang'an to sit close beside her and examined him carefully, her gaze gentle. Sometimes, before Liu Ruyan, Chang'an felt as though the stunning beauty whom the martial world's heroes regarded as a goddess was not at his side. Instead, he felt a warmth akin to that of a mother toward her child, which was very strange. Liu Ruyan had always treated him as a child, and the most mischievous kind at that. Chang'an was helpless, yet he enjoyed it as well.

Miao Suyi devoured the food without the slightest concern for her image while watching Chang'an with a strange smile.

Liu Ruyan frowned. "I just made you a new set of clothes. They will certainly fit!"

Chang'an smiled. "Sister knew in advance that I was going to become a big fatty?!"

Liu Ruyan slowly filled his wine cup. "Fat people are always a little more lovable!" She handed the cup to Chang'an, then said seriously, "You should not have agreed to duel Lu Sheng!"

Chang'an drained the wine in one gulp and smiled bitterly. "Sooner or later, I would have to offend Lu Family Manor!"

Liu Ruyan's curved brow twitched as she asked doubtfully, "What do you mean by that?"

Chang'an said, "For Yu Fu's sake! You know that Suyi's grandfather will not act so easily."

Liu Ruyan's brows drew together, and she said angrily, "What unreasonable demand did he make of you now?"

Miao Suyi cut in, "Grandfather did not want to act at all. Brother Chang'an was even willing to kneel to beg him!" At this point, Suyi's eyes reddened.

Liu Ruyan's expression turned cold, and she said frostily, "What? Who is worthy of making Chang'an kneel?!"

Chang'an set down his wine cup. "I was asking something of someone. Circumstances forced my hand. For Yu Fu, I can sacrifice anything!"

Liu Ruyan sighed. "Little fool in love!" Then she filled Chang'an's cup again and asked softly, "What happened afterward?"

Chang'an said, "Afterward, a young married woman helped me, but she demanded that I kill three people for her. She was the one who asked Miao Yaowang to act." Chang'an recounted the entire matter in detail.

Liu Ruyan asked curiously, "Do you know her origins?"

Chang'an shook his head.

Liu Ruyan looked at Miao Suyi. Miao Suyi shook her head as well. "Grandfather only said she was an honored guest! To welcome that woman, Grandfather and I waited an entire morning. If Brother Ning had not come before that time, I do not think Grandfather necessarily would have refused to act. Grandfather attached tremendous importance to that woman!"

Liu Ruyan fell into deep thought, even forgetting to refill Chang'an's wine.

After a long while, Liu Ruyan suddenly asked, "Was Lu Qingzi of Lu Family Manor among the three people she asked you to kill?"

Chang'an said, "Indeed, Lu Qingzi, the foremost of the Three Heroes of the Lu Family, was one of them. Does Sister know her origins?"

Liu Ruyan said, "I only know that she should have come from Mandarin Duck Lake, but I cannot guess her identity. Other than Mandarin Duck Lake, I cannot think of any place that could send a woman capable of making Miao Chengfeng owe her a favor. Miao Chengfeng's entanglements with Mandarin Duck Lake are very complicated and extremely hidden. The people of Mandarin Duck Lake, especially its women, are all terrifying. Chang'an, listen to your sister—be more careful, and it is best not to have too much contact with them!"

Chang'an nodded. "Thank you for the warning, Sister."

The three drank from noon until the evening hour, when night fell.

When Chang'an awoke leisurely, it was already the late-night hour. He discovered that he was lying in Liu Ruyan's arms, and at once smelled the delicate feminine fragrance of orchids. Everything felt soft and yielding.

Miao Suyi was already gone.

The moment Chang'an awoke, Liu Ruyan noticed. She said softly, "You are awake!"

Chang'an shifted, wanting to sit up, but found that Liu Ruyan's arms were wrapped tightly around him. He struggled once, but seeing no sign that Liu Ruyan intended to loosen her hold, he gave up and rested against her warm, soft breasts. "Where is Suyi?"

Liu Ruyan said, "Suyi has returned to her room. She got drunk."

Chang'an said, "Sister, why are you not drunk?"

Liu Ruyan narrowed her eyes slightly. "Your sister never gets drunk at night. I may get drunk during the day, but never at night. And only when I want to get drunk do I truly become drunk!"

Chang'an found this strange. "Why?"

He knew that those who cultivated profound Qi Gong or Essence Cultivation could force alcohol straight out of their bodies. To them, drinking was like drinking water; they could down a thousand cups without getting drunk. But Chang'an believed Liu Ruyan's words were not so simple.

Liu Ruyan said faintly, "Do you want to hear?"

Chang'an said, "As long as Sister tells it, I will listen carefully."

Yet Liu Ruyan fell silent. Holding Chang'an, she gently swayed her body. Only after a long while did she speak. "I once had a younger brother. I always liked holding him like this. He was mischievous and naughty, but also timid. We depended on each other for survival. He was always bullied. Whenever someone beat him, he would come home sobbing and sniffling. As long as I held him and comforted him, he would stop crying before long. Back then, he was very afraid of the dark and always dared not sleep at night. Only when I held him would he fall asleep. Our life was very poor then. Mother worked as a hired hand for a wealthy family, raising us siblings on her meager wages. In my memories, when Father was still alive, Mother always liked to drink. Whenever she had leisure time, I would see Father and Mother drinking together. But after Father died unexpectedly, Mother suddenly became distant. She rarely smiled and never touched alcohol. Only when she visited Father's grave would she drink a cup of wine—just one cup. After drinking that cup, she would weep bitterly! That was when I knew Mother loved Father deeply. If it had not been for my brother and me, she would not have continued living alone in this world. When my brother was eight, Father had already been dead for four years. On New Year's Eve that year, Mother got drunk. She suddenly drank a great deal, and made me drink a great deal as well. That night, Mother and I were both drunk. I knew nothing, and only when I woke the next day did I discover my brother sitting blankly before the door, his eyes hollow and vacant, while Mother's corpse hung inside the house. Mother had hanged herself. My brother trembled all over and could no longer speak. At night, without me beside him, he could not sleep, and he happened to witness Mother taking her own life. The fright had driven him senseless. The next day, several people came to our home and gave us a large sum of money. I knew then that some hidden matter must have occurred. They only sighed when they looked at Mother's corpse, sighing again and again. Mother had truly been beautiful. Even though she toiled endlessly every day, her beauty was unmatched in our hometown. During the years after she was widowed, people often came harboring wicked intentions. Mother always kept the door shut and never went out. She would never betray Father by remarrying. Later, I learned that on the night before New Year's Eve that year, Mother had been violated. She felt she could no longer go on living, so she killed herself. One day, my brother suddenly told me that he had seen Mother. By then, Mother had been dead for more than half a year. I was terrified then. My brother spoke nonsense more and more often. That autumn, not long after the harvest, people were burning rice stalks everywhere in the fields. I took my brother for a walk. He suddenly told me that he saw Mother and Father, that they had come to take him away. He suddenly broke free from me and rushed into the fire. By the time I pulled him out, there was no way to save him. I could only watch helplessly as my brother died. I regret so much why I got drunk then. If I had not been drunk, my brother would not have been frightened into losing his mind, much less would the later tragedies have happened. Your sister truly was not a good sister..."