Song of Everlasting Regret - Chapter 29

When the waiter returned to clear the dishes, Yu Jingqiu and the others had already emptied their plates, leaving only bare bowls on the table.

As he tidied up, the waiter asked, “Was the food to your liking, guests? Our inn is toward the north, so everything is heavy on oil and salt.”

The four exchanged glances. The senior disciple’s eyes darted around as he patted his stomach and laughed, “We’ve been hungry all day. Even if you served a plate of grass, it would taste delicious.”

The waiter beamed. “It’s good that you can stomach it, very good. Judging by your gear, you’re travelers of the martial world. I’ve seen many folks come and go, but few have the noble air you carry. You must hail from a truly renowned sect.”

Lang Ye straightened his back, putting on an arrogant front. “Renowned might be a stretch. Have you ever heard of the Qingfeng Sect?”

The waiter paused, inwardly delighted. Ah, a small, unheard-of sect. He maintained a respectful face. “This lowly one is ignorant; I’ve only heard the name in passing.”

Lang Ye replied, “No matter. You’ll have the chance to see it with your own eyes in the future.”

Yu Jingqiu couldn’t help but feel amused. She lowered her head slightly to hide the smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

The Qingfeng Sect… It was nothing more than a name Lang Ye had made up on the spot.

The waiter nodded. “Indeed. I see you are heading north; I assume you have important business there?”

Lang Ye said, “An elder’s birthday. Our seniors sent us to deliver congratulations.”

“Oh? Then you must be careful.”

The senior disciple leaned his elbows on the table and turned back to look at him. “How so?”

The waiter lowered his voice. “The north hasn’t been peaceful lately. A band of bandits is haunting the roads, killing and looting with extreme cruelty. Many passing merchants have met a grisly end. I advise you to take a detour.”

“I see.” Lang Ye cupped his hands toward the waiter. “Thank you for the warning, Brother Waiter.”

Once the waiter withdrew, the senior disciple pushed the door open slightly and peeked outside for a moment. “He’s gone down.”

The other senior disciple turned to Yu Jingqiu. “Junior Sister, I’m certain this place is a den of thieves.”

The disciple by the door stepped back and whispered, “Agreed. We should strike first to gain the upper hand.”

Yu Jingqiu said, “You two stay in your rooms and prepare. A’Ye and I will head down first to scout the situation.”

“Alright, be careful.” The two disciples returned to their respective rooms and lit their lamps, making it appear as though they were preparing for bed to lower the bandits’ guard.

Once they were alone, Lang Ye turned and saw Yu Jingqiu staring at the oil lamp.

He walked over and asked, “Senior Sister, is there something wrong with the lamp as well?”

Yu Jingqiu said, “Come, smell this.”

Lang Ye leaned in and used his palm to fan the air above the lamp toward his nose. He caught a foul stench—faint and subtle. If one didn’t sniff closely, it was impossible to detect, but to Yu Jingqiu’s sensitive nose, it was glaringly obvious.

“I fear it’s corpse oil,” Lang Ye muttered, his brow furrowing in disgust.

“I wonder how many lives have been lost in this inn,” Yu Jingqiu sighed softly. She lifted her sword and pressed the scabbard against the lamp, extinguishing the flame.

A wisp of acrid smoke drifted into the air.

The window facing the backyard was quietly pushed open. Yu Jingqiu and Lang Ye leaped out one after the other, moving as light as swallows. In the night sky, only the soft rustle of robes against the wind could be heard.

They landed and saw light coming from the kitchen. With silent steps, they flew to the kitchen window. Peering through the small lattice, they saw a burly man hacking at meat. The heavy cleaver fell with rhythmic, dull thuds.

“Dammit! That ‘sheep’ (victim) didn’t have a drop of fat on him,” the man grumbled. He turned to ask the person beside him, “Is the new batch of sheep plump?”

The person beside him was the waiter who had taken their horses earlier. He replied, “Plump! The Second Boss says the ‘pot’ (haul) is overflowing and they’re all greenhorns. There’s a real beauty among the sheep, a ‘tender sprout’ (virgin). The Big Boss already has one on his bed; once the Second Boss is finished with this one, he’ll share her with the brothers. Just thinking about it makes me restless.”

Yu Jingqiu understood the words, but not the jargon. She turned and whispered, “Junior Brother, do you understand what they are saying?”

Lang Ye whispered back, “It’s bandit cant. ‘Sheep’ refers to the guests. The butcher is complaining they didn’t get any loot from the last traveler. The ‘new sheep’ are us—they say we have a lot of money but are inexperienced. And the ‘beauty’… it’s nothing good.”

Lang Ye’s face was grim. He didn’t continue, merely cursing the gang in his heart.

Though Lang Ye didn’t finish, Yu Jingqiu could guess the rest.

Lang Ye changed the subject. “I heard them say there’s already a girl in the hands of these bandits. Senior Sister, what do you think…?”

Yu Jingqiu said, “If we can help someone, we must lend a hand.”

Lang Ye nodded. “Yes.”

They looked up and saw the lights in their senior disciples’ rooms had gone out. In a short while, the thieves would likely make their move.

Just then, the waiter in the kitchen picked up a roasted suckling pig and headed toward the side storage room. The two followed him stealthily. They saw him push aside the old elm cabinet, revealing a curtain. He reached behind the cabinet to feel for something, and a moment later, a secret door opened behind the curtain.

The waiter walked in with the pig, and shortly after, the cabinet slid back into place.

A cunning rabbit has three burrows. This was clearly the bandits’ true hideout.

The two approached, pushed the cabinet aside, and pulled back the curtain. They found the door could only be opened from the inside. Looking where the waiter had reached, they saw a thin thread.

They guessed the thread was connected to a bell to signal the people inside. Fearing a specific signal was required, they hesitated between drawing the enemy out or waiting for another chance.

In that moment of hesitation, the secret door opened from the inside again.

With perfect synchronization, the two exchanged a glance. Lang Ye lunged forward, his fingers striking like lightning, hitting several of the person’s acupoints in rapid succession.

It was the same waiter. Before he could react or scream, his knees buckled, and he collapsed as if his bones had been removed.

Yu Jingqiu acted quickly, catching the tray in his hands. Lang Ye gripped his shoulders and lowered him slowly to the ground, ensuring not a sound was made.

Yu Jingqiu set the tray quietly on the cabinet and slipped through the secret door. Lang Ye dragged the man behind the elm cabinet and followed immediately.

The passage behind the door was spacious, leading to a two-story chamber. The upper level held a guest parlor and a side room, while the lower level was a warehouse for supplies.

The parlor was brightly lit. A wine table stood in the center, covered in a mess of cups and plates—clearly the remains of a feast. Only two men remained, still drinking.

One said, “The ‘Han-Pot’ (drugged wine) should be taking effect by now. The Big Boss is having his fun; I’m going to help the brothers with the ‘blue sheep’ (victims).”

A man with dark circles under his eyes stood up. Without any pleasantries, he finished his cup and headed happily toward the side room.

Lang Ye whispered, “They’re starting. I wonder if our seniors can handle it.”

Yu Jingqiu signaled toward the side room. “Capture the leader to catch the gang.”

The man left at the table was heading toward the passage where they were hiding. Yu Jingqiu felt a bit of trepidation; she knew the martial world was full of hidden masters and didn’t dare underestimate these bandits. She had expected a fierce battle, but it turned out they were a disorganized rabble.

The bandit’s martial arts were far inferior to theirs. Unarmed and unaware of an ambush in the passage, he was caught off guard. Lang Ye’s flying scabbard struck him square in the dantian, sending him flying backward to the floor, gagging.

Before he could regain his senses, a sword was at his throat. The curses died in his throat as he debated whether to be a martyr or beg for his life.

Suddenly, a piercing scream erupted from the side room, followed by the sound of furniture being overturned and angry shouting.

Yu Jingqiu caught the faint sound of a woman’s voice and hurried to the door of the side room.

The door was decorated with “Double Happiness” characters and red silk, as if for a wedding.

Yu Jingqiu pushed the door open, just in time to hear a shout: “You son of a bitch! Come closer if you have the guts!”

Inside, a woman was tied to the headboard by her hands. Her bare ankles were also bound with red rope to the bedposts. Her clothes were partially undone, leaving her in only her undergarments. Her lips were smeared with a vivid, alarming red—blood.

Looking at the man with dark circles under his eyes, his lower lip was torn and bleeding. It was clear the woman had bitten him; the blood on her face was his.

The man was half-naked, his trousers slipping down.

Yu Jingqiu averted her eyes and frowned, calling out, “A’Ye!”

Lang Ye had already knocked out the bandit outside and rushed in. “Senior Sister, you help the lady.”

Without needing further instruction, he drew his sword to deal with the man.

The man had been startled when someone entered, but seeing a woman of peerless beauty, he felt a surge of lust. Seeing her turn her head away at the sight of his nakedness, he grew even bolder. He didn’t care for his life; he just wanted to lung forward and grab her.

He didn’t expect a man to follow, charging at him with a sword. Snapping to his senses, he tied his trousers, grabbed a broadsword from the wall, and blocked the incoming strike.

The sword came at him seemingly light as a feather, yet it carried the weight of a thousand pounds. When it hit his blade, the shock made his hand go numb. He realized he was outmatched and grew terrified.

Yu Jingqiu cut the ropes on the woman’s hands and feet and helped her up. She saw the woman’s eyes were open, but her body was limp and lacked strength.

Yu Jingqiu said to Lang Ye, “This lady has been drugged. Get the antidote from him.”

By then, Lang Ye had already cornered the man.

Yu Jingqiu picked up a robe and draped it over the woman.

The woman leaned on her, took a few breaths, and actually struggled to stand.

Yu Jingqiu supported her. The woman glanced at her, then pressed her hand against the hilt of Yu Jingqiu’s sword. “Sister, let me borrow your sword for a moment.”

A sword is a swordsman’s most precious possession. When her hilt was grabbed, Yu Jingqiu instinctively held her hand back.

The woman let go. “Forget it. I shouldn’t dirty your blade.”

Staggering to the table, ignoring the robe slipping from her shoulders, she grabbed a wine jar and gulped down several mouthfuls. The skin of her neck and arms took on a faint, soft flush.

Still in only her undergarments, she showed no concern for the man present or the lack of modesty. Her eyes blazed with fury as she glared at the man and cursed, “Just because you’ve got two extra ounces of meat between your legs, you think you’re the Emperor himself? You dare try to manipulate your grandmother? If I don’t castrate you today, my name isn’t Nie!”

With a sudden burst of strange strength, she snatched a mace from the wall and swung it at the man.

Lang Ye saw her disheveled state and exposed skin. His handsome face flushed slightly, and he awkwardly averted his gaze.

The woman stumbled, her swing missing its mark, but the mace caught the bandit leader square on the head. Blood splattered instantly as the bandit leader was killed with a single blow.