Song of Everlasting Regret - Chapter 48

Lou Jing had to admit that not just anyone could work as a server at Apricot Blossom Heaven.

Its patrons ranged from princes and nobles to merchants and wandering martial artists. People from every walk of life came and went, dragons and fish mixed together, each person possessing a different temperament.

Without sufficient ability and discernment, one truly could not manage them all.

Sometimes the service was inadequate and the customer became displeased. Sometimes petty people deliberately provoked trouble.

Without the means to respond, the smallest consequence was becoming an outlet for someone’s anger. At worst, the matter would escalate until the entire restaurant was thrown into chaos.

Lou Jing encountered an additional complication while guiding guests, serving tea, and pouring water.

She was naturally handsome, and a little adornment transformed her into a striking beauty.

Although she always wore a cold expression that discouraged anyone from approaching, certain people became increasingly tempted precisely because she appeared difficult to touch. They insisted upon flirting with her.

Lou Jing had never served anyone tea or water in her life.

Lowering herself, behaving deferentially, and constantly trying not to offend others were the things she was least capable of doing.

Naturally, her time as a server was filled with disturbances.

Easygoing patrons did not care whether she appeared respectful.

Arrogant guests might curse her a few times after seeing her silent and aloof expression.

But there were also those who intentionally caused trouble, lusted after her beauty, and seized opportunities to molest her.

Lou Jing had never possessed a good temper.

Her two periods of imprisonment had also allowed darkness to take root inside her, and the first signs of a sinister, violent nature had begun to emerge.

But just after escaping Caoliu Manor and returning to the martial world, she had encountered her natural enemy, Zhan Sanxiao, who had restrained and suppressed that violence.

Lou Jing had learned how to endure, but she would not endure everything.

At Fengyu Tower, she had possessed no choice but to restrain herself.

At Apricot Blossom Heaven, whenever she decided not to endure, she acted more decisively and ruthlessly than before.

Several days earlier, a guest’s hands had wandered improperly and circled Lou Jing’s waist.

Lou Jing immediately kicked and broke his arm.

Even as the man lay upon the floor screaming, he continued cursing her and issuing threats.

Lou Jing looked coldly down at him.

Before she could inflict further injuries, Huashan happened to arrive and hurriedly had the man removed.

Lou Jing had initially assumed Huashan had only come to guide her.

In the end, however, he remained at Apricot Blossom Heaven and worked alongside her.

After considering it, she understood.

Zhan Sanxiao naturally needed someone nearby to watch her and prevent her from escaping.

Huashan was far more comfortable working as a server than Lou Jing.

On this particular day, Lou Jing carried a pot of clear wine toward the central building’s second floor.

After entering from the courtyard and following the corridor, she suddenly heard someone shout, “Excellent!”

She glanced toward the sound.

At a table in the eastern corner sat three men in brocade robes, all looking toward one side.

The person who had shouted had slapped the table.

At the remaining seat sat someone with a soft, graceful figure.

It was Huashan.

He held a wine cup, his cheeks flushed red.

A female performer sat beside him with worry upon her face.

The performer sang at Apricot Blossom Heaven.

Three young masters from official families had forced her to accompany them while they drank.

Her tolerance for alcohol was poor. After forcing down two cups, she could no longer endure it and refused another.

The three men would not accept her refusal.

They accused her of failing to appreciate their favor and, in their anger, threatened to drive her from Xuzhou City.

The performer became terrified.

She could not afford to offend them, yet she could not withstand the strong wine.

Helpless and miserable, she began to cry.

The three men found the beauty’s vulnerability entertaining, and their maliciousness grew.

Huashan, who had been watching nearby, caught the cup being raised toward the performer and took it into his own hand.

He smiled gently.

“This young girl does not understand romance and would probably fail to entertain the three young masters properly.

“Why not allow me to drink with you instead?”

The three men saw that he was beautiful and charming and spoke in a soft, pleasant voice.

Delighted, they agreed.

Yet their actions became increasingly offensive.

When raising cups in a toast, their fingers intentionally or unintentionally stroked Huashan’s hands.

One of them teased, “I feel as though I have seen you before, young lady. Are you perhaps a female-role performer from some opera house?”

Huashan’s gaze darkened slightly, though his smile remained.

“Young Master must be mistaken.”

He drained his cup and then began encouraging the three men to drink.

When Lou Jing approached, one of them had an arm resting upon Huashan’s shoulder and was holding a cup directly to his lips.

Lou Jing silently stopped behind Huashan.

She reached down, seized the wrist of the man offering the wine, and said coldly, “Gentlemen, this is not a brothel. You would be better off seeking entertainment elsewhere.”

She tightened her grip and flung his arm outward.

The wine in his cup splashed over another man.

The man whose face and clothes were soaked immediately stood.

As he wiped away the wine, his expression became furious.

He pointed at Lou Jing.

“Which manager’s maid are you? What enormous courage! Call your manager here!”

Huashan smiled and gently pressed down the man’s pointing hand.

“Please do not be angry, Young Master. This girl is new and does not understand the rules. Do not lower yourself by arguing with her.”

With only a few sentences, he surprisingly managed to calm the enraged man.

But the three refused to let the matter end.

They saw Lou Jing’s beauty and claimed she had ruined their enjoyment, insisting that she toast them and apologize.

Lou Jing had only begun raising her hand when Huashan pressed it down.

He whispered, “These three are the sons of several officials in Xuzhou City.”

As the saying went, ordinary people did not fight officials.

Lou Jing accepted the wine cup Huashan offered her.

After looking at it for a moment, she raised it toward the man whose clothing had been soaked.

The man failed to understand the danger.

He believed all women were soft—their bodies, hearts, and bones alike.

Since Lou Jing held a lowly position, he assumed she would be easy to bully.

Pushing his advantage, he raised another cup and demanded that Lou Jing drink with him.

But rather than handing it to her properly, he ignored all manners and attempted to link arms with her for a lovers’ toast.

Lou Jing sneered.

Under his gaze, she pressed her thumb downward and released the cup with force.

The porcelain cup shot through the air and struck the bridge of his nose.

A howl immediately rang out.

The man clutched his face as blood ran between his fingers.

Lou Jing had broken his nose with a single cup.

The three young masters flew into a rage and called their servants, ordering them to bind her.

None of them were Lou Jing’s match.

The resulting fight overturned tables and shattered bowls.

Huashan pulled the performer aside, gave her some silver, and sent her away.

Watching Lou Jing kick one of the servants until he collapsed upon his knees, Huashan sighed and helplessly rubbed his forehead.

When Madam Yan heard of the disturbance, she quickly sent the manager.

He arrived only in time to clean up the aftermath.

The three young masters had suffered heavily and naturally refused to let the matter rest.

Yet they did not know the woman’s background.

The owner of Apricot Blossom Heaven protected her and refused to surrender her.

Such an enormous restaurant naturally possessed many powerful backers, including nobles and officials.

For the moment, the three could do nothing and departed resentfully.

Madam Yan summoned Huashan and Lou Jing upstairs.

Along the way, Huashan said with a smile, “You clearly know I am a man and would not truly suffer any loss. Why interfere and create trouble for yourself?”

“Even a man would not wish to be touched by someone he finds disgusting.”

Lou Jing paused.

“Forget it. You did not need me to rescue you. I merely could not tolerate what I saw and acted, only to make the situation more troublesome.”

Huashan stopped walking.

His gaze trembled slightly before his brows relaxed and he smiled warmly.

“Thank you.”

Lou Jing recalled his earlier behavior.

Since Huashan served Zhan Sanxiao, he belonged to the Feihua Alliance.

Its members behaved unpredictably and possessed thousands of cruel methods for dealing with people like those three.

Lou Jing asked, “You did not need to humor them. You could have driven them away directly. Why did you continue serving them so carefully?”

They ascended the stairs.

Once no one else was passing nearby, Huashan explained, “Eldest Young Lady opened this restaurant to conduct business.

“The difficulties we encounter here are unlike feuds within the martial world, where everything must be decided through victory or defeat.

“A restaurant depends upon harmony to generate wealth.

“If I had beaten them and driven them away, damaging the restaurant would have been a minor matter.

“The greater problem would be their resentment and the obstacles they might secretly place in our path later.”

The moment they entered the room, they saw Madam Yan seated inside with one hand supporting her head.

She first directed a bitter look at Lou Jing, then rose and circled her.

“What sort of assistant did the Little Immortal send me? This is clearly an ancestor I must worship!

“She has only been here several days and has nearly dismantled Apricot Blossom Heaven.

“Perhaps she does not want this restaurant, but I still do!”

The restaurant’s apparent owner was its manager, while Madam Yan pretended to be his wife and acted as the proprietress.

In truth, half of Apricot Blossom Heaven belonged to the Little Immortal and half to Madam Yan.

The manager was Madam Yan’s subordinate.

The two pretended to be married to conceal their identities and make their work more convenient.

Madam Yan picked up an abacus, causing the beads to crack loudly.

“Record it! Record every bit of it!”

After calculating for a long while, she impatiently slammed the abacus down.

Placing one hand upon her hip, she reached toward Lou Jing’s forehead.

Lou Jing tilted her head and avoided her touch.

Madam Yan snapped, “You! You, you! I am deducting your wages. You will not receive a single coin this month!”

A moment later, she sighed.

“Your little wage would not even pay for several of my tables.

“And I fear this matter is far from over.”

Several days later, Madam Yan’s prediction came true.

The three men retaliated.

The incident greatly broadened Lou Jing’s understanding.

There were countless sinister methods in the world.

One did not always need to draw blades or spill blood.

The three men had been angered and beaten.

Since they were unhappy, they intended to ensure that those who offended them could not live comfortably either.

They wanted to make it impossible for Apricot Blossom Heaven to remain open.

They bribed local hooligans and thugs.

The men dressed respectably and disguised themselves as ordinary patrons before entering Apricot Blossom Heaven.

After finding excuses, they would seize other guests and begin quarrels.

Since both sides appeared to be patrons, the restaurant’s guards could not openly favor either party and could only separate them.

Once or twice might have been tolerable.

But it happened three or four times every day, filling the restaurant with confusion and foul atmosphere.

That was not the end.

They also bribed a kitchen worker.

The man was cowardly yet greedy.

He did not dare cause any deaths, so he agreed only to put laxatives into the kitchen well.

Fortunately, a cook discovered it quickly.

Only a few guests suffered stomach pain.

The three men had not committed any atrocity as severe as murder, but their methods remained vicious.

They resembled summer mosquitoes.

A bite might not kill, but it produced itching and sometimes illness.

One could swat the insect away, only for it to return a moment later.

They were exceedingly irritating.

Fortunately, Madam Yan and the managers of Apricot Blossom Heaven were not helpless.

Anyone capable of operating such a large restaurant was exceptionally shrewd.

They investigated the identities of the troublesome guests and discovered they were local thugs.

Men were sent to seize them, lock them in a dark room, and administer a thorough beating.

At the same time, they discovered the kitchen worker, turned him over to the authorities, summoned physicians to treat the guests affected by the laxatives, and offered compensation and apologies.

When Lou Jing learned what had happened, her expression became frosty.

She had taken only one step when Madam Yan saw through her intentions and called her back.

“Do not think about killing them to silence the matter.

“Half of Xuzhou City knows those three are hostile toward Apricot Blossom Heaven.

“If they die now, we will be the first suspects.

“Do you still want my restaurant to remain open?”

“Are we supposed to do nothing but defend ourselves against them?”

“There may be thieves for a thousand years, but no one can guard against thieves for a thousand years.”

Madam Yan approached with her slender waist swaying gracefully.

She touched Lou Jing’s chin.

Knowing that she had caused the trouble, Lou Jing was distracted and failed to avoid her.

Madam Yan adjusted the jade hairpin upon her head and gradually walked away.

“There are proper methods for handling petty people.

“As the saying goes, when striking a snake, aim for the vital point seven inches below its head.”

Lou Jing understood that Madam Yan had a plan.

Curious, she waited to observe her methods.

The following day, Madam Yan invited an official to visit.

His temples were graying, his eyes shone sharply, and every movement carried nobility.

Madam Yan escorted him to a private room, speaking and laughing along the way.

She was attentive but not obsequious, keeping her soft body neither too near nor too distant from him.

Before long, she escorted him out again.

Seeing Lou Jing nearby, Madam Yan raised her brows proudly.

During the following several days, no one secretly caused trouble for Apricot Blossom Heaven.

The three young masters seemed to have vanished entirely.

Lou Jing understood that the matter had been resolved but did not understand how.

When she asked, Madam Yan laughed.

“This elder sister’s method is called ‘besieging Wei to rescue Zhao.’

“Those three wastrels only act arrogantly because they rely upon their fathers’ power.

“Even a bodhisattva has people who despise it. What ordinary person could be liked by everyone?

“That is even more true for officials.

“The official I invited that day has a grievance against their fathers. He merely lacked an excuse to act.

“When I asked for his help, he could satisfy his resentment and also gain a favor from me. Why would he refuse?

“Those three wastrels caused trouble outside and created difficulties for their fathers.

“How could their fathers possibly spare them?”

Madam Yan explained the entire strategy in only a few sentences.

But the ability to understand and manipulate people behind it required years of experience.

Lou Jing listened silently.

Winning without spilling blood was precisely this.

Madam Yan had disposed of those three men with a handful of words.

Lou Jing’s martial cultivation might have improved, but it had been entirely useless in this matter.

She finally understood that within the martial world, knowledge and calculation could sometimes prove more useful than martial arts.

From then onward, Lou Jing became somewhat calmer.

She carefully observed the guests coming and going, watching them laugh, rage, curse, and celebrate.

When her temper erupted, she still struck people.

But half her attention now went toward remembering which types feared physical force and respected authority rather than virtue, which would temporarily swallow humiliation before returning for revenge, and which begged openly while plotting in secret.

Observing a thousand different temperaments became rather interesting.

Several more months passed without her noticing.

In the blink of an eye, winter arrived once again.

The snow that year was lighter than usual, falling in tiny fragments like scattered white salt.

The restaurant was quiet during the day but became lively at night.

Lou Jing went outside to empty some water.

Standing beneath the dark blue sky on that snowy night, she looked at the warm yellow light pouring from the restaurant’s countless windows and slowly breathed out a cloud of white mist.

For a moment, she felt strangely disoriented that she was standing here.

As she remained still, several people emerged from the eastern building’s second floor and crossed the covered bridge toward the central building.

The large figure walking at their head was someone she had seen thousands of times.

Lou Jing’s eyes instantly brightened.

Almost instinctively, she silently called out and took two steps forward.

Her eyes became hot.

Then she immediately realized she had mistaken him for someone else.

That person was already dead.

Her heart sank slightly, and she retreated one step.

Yet her joy had not completely faded.

After controlling her emotions, she hurried to follow.

Still, she was no longer the person she had once been.

She had become far more cautious.

She merely watched from a distance to see which room the group entered, then returned to her own quarters.

She removed her makeup, borrowed men’s clothing from a servant, and tied her hair into a high ponytail as she had in the past.

Two sword-bearing disciples stood on either side of the room’s entrance.

Lou Jing walked directly toward them.

Perhaps she moved too quickly, or perhaps the two disciples were too shocked upon seeing her.

By the time Lou Jing drifted before the door and placed her hand against it, neither had reacted.

With one palm, she shattered the bolt and pushed the door open.

The disciples failed to stop her and even forgot to shout.

Lou Jing walked straight inside.

The people in the room heard the disturbance and had already stood with swords drawn, their expressions solemn and guarded.

“Second Uncle,” Lou Jing called.

There were two people inside.

One was Lou Yan, and the other was Yu Xiu.

Both had their hands upon their swords and their brows lowered.

Upon seeing the newcomer, they involuntarily relaxed their grip, surprise covering their faces.

Lou Jing had mistaken Lou Yan for Lou Xuanzhi because, unlike in the past, Lou Yan was not carrying a folding fan.

He held a sword.

When Lou Yan saw her, astonishment entered his eyes.

He quickly walked toward her and stopped directly before her, examining her from head to toe.

“Jing’er. Is it truly you?”

Unable to restrain himself, he scolded, “Where have you been for so long? Your second uncle almost believed that you had… You!”

After experiencing so much suffering, Lou Jing had suddenly encountered a close relative.

All the grievance and depression within her chest surged upward.

Although her temperament had grown much colder, her eyes still reddened.

She grasped Lou Yan’s arm.

“Second Uncle, your injuries…”

Lou Yan sighed softly.

“They healed long ago.

“But your second uncle never imagined that when I opened my eyes, such enormous changes would have occurred within the sect.

“Eldest Brother had died, yet they said you were the murderer and imprisoned you.

“You escaped down the mountain and vanished without a trace.

“Later, even… Ah.”

The two disciples entered, glanced at Lou Jing with bewilderment, then looked toward Lou Yan.

Lou Yan signaled to them.

They withdrew and closed the door.

Lou Yan led Lou Jing to sit beside the table.

Lou Jing held his hand and looked unblinkingly up at the tall man.

“Second Uncle, what exactly happened at the inn that day?

“I fainted while Father and Shen Zhongyin were fighting. At that time, only you were present and knew what happened.

“When I awoke, I was already inside the black prison.

“They claimed I had murdered Father.

“You were unconscious, and I could not defend myself.

“I was not even permitted to see Father one final time…”

At this point, Lou Jing clenched her teeth.

Her face turned white, making the red veins spreading through her eyes appear even more vicious.

“Second Uncle, tell me. Who killed my father?”

Lou Jing’s gaze was dark and sinister.

She hated that person so profoundly that she wanted to cut them apart with a thousand blades and cast them into Caoliu Manor’s serpent pit.

She had sought Shen Zhongyin and had even been willing to abandon everything and enter Fengyu Tower to find him.

A major reason was that she had possessed no information from the outside and did not know Lou Yan had awakened.

Had she known, and had Lou Yan been capable of revealing her father’s murderer, why would she have needed to obey Zhan Sanxiao in exchange for the opportunity to meet Helian Que?

“Jing’er, calm yourself and listen to your second uncle…”

Lou Yan sat opposite her.

His broad palm covered her hand.

Before speaking, he sighed.

“At the inn that day, Eldest Brother fought Shen Zhongyin.

“After they exchanged attacks with their full strength, Eldest Brother was placed at a disadvantage.”

Seeing Lou Jing’s expression and knowing she wished to speak, Lou Yan quickly patted the back of her hand to soothe her.

“Before that, Eldest Brother had already suffered extremely serious internal injuries.

“They had never healed throughout the years and became increasingly severe during that period.

“That was why he could not defeat Shen Zhongyin.”

Lou Jing’s eyes widened.

She remembered how she had quarreled with Lou Xuanzhi during that time and angered her until she coughed blood.

Her lips trembled.

After a long while, she recovered her voice.

“I did not know…”

“Eldest Brother feared that if news of his illness spread, disorder would arise within the sect.

“He concealed it from everyone.

“Only when Elder Yu examined him during that period and he realized the matter could no longer be hidden did he confess the truth.”

Lou Yan looked toward Yu Xiu.

Yu Xiu nodded slightly.

“I saw Eldest Brother losing, although Shen Zhongyin had not escaped unharmed.

“I took his place and attempted to subdue Shen Zhongyin.

“But Shen Zhongyin had only pretended to be losing.

“His cultivation had advanced enormously during these years.

“I was not his match.

“Only Eldest Brother at his peak could have fought him evenly.

“I also underestimated him and fell into his trap.

“I received a solid palm strike, was gravely injured, and lost consciousness.

“Afterward, Eldest Brother continued fighting Shen Zhongyin.

“As for why Eldest Brother eventually…”

Lou Yan lowered his voice.

“I do not know.”

Lou Jing stared at him with her mouth open, stunned.

She had arrived filled with hope.

How could she accept such an answer?

“You do not know? How could you not know?”

Lou Yan lowered his eyes dejectedly.

“Your second uncle was incompetent.”

Yu Xiu said heavily from the side, “This was not your second uncle’s fault. How can you blame him?”

Lou Jing understood that she could not direct her anger toward Lou Yan.

She lowered her head and fell silent.

Lou Yan continued holding her hand.

“Jing’er, you must have suffered greatly outside during these days.

“Return to the sect with your second uncle.

“I know you were wronged.

“Now that I have awakened, no one will be allowed to accuse you again.”

“Then what about the true murderer of my father?”

Lou Jing seemed to be questioning both Lou Yan and herself.

“Your second uncle will discover the truth.”

Lou Jing raised her eyes, her expression empty of emotion.

“What about Li Changhong?”

“Elder Li? He is currently inside the sect. He did not accompany me.”

“Second Uncle, the matter had not yet been investigated, yet Li Changhong imprisoned me as a criminal.

“Every day, he interrogated and humiliated me.

“He did not even allow me to keep vigil for Father, attend his burial, or accompany him upon his final journey!”

“Jing’er, I know you carry resentment.

“Elder Li’s actions were indeed biased. Your second uncle has already reprimanded him…”

“Second Uncle.”

Lou Jing stood.

Her voice and expression were extraordinarily calm, like the sea just before a storm.

“I want him to kneel before me and apologize.

“I want the disciples who interrogated and humiliated me to apologize as well.

“My father’s throat was cut by a technique belonging to our own sect.

“The murderer was someone inside the sect, someone close to him.

“I even have reason to suspect that Li Changhong himself was the murderer.

“I also want to imprison and interrogate him.

“Second Uncle, will you help me?”

Lou Yan did not speak for a long time.

He merely stared at her, apparently shocked.

Eventually, he said, “Although Elder Li acted excessively, he ultimately did not violate the Qianyuan Sect’s rules.”

“Then am I simply expected to forget everything I suffered?”

“Jing’er, the circumstances forced everyone’s actions at the time.

“They possessed no other choice.

“The true murderer will certainly be captured.

“When that day comes, your second uncle will clear your name before the entire sect.”

“Second Uncle, when will that day come?

“Who knows how long I must wait?

“I want Li Changhong imprisoned today.

“I want him and his disciples to apologize before me today!”

“Jing’er!”

Lou Yan lightly struck the table, causing the teacups to tremble.

Frowning, he rebuked her.

“Eldest Brother has already died. How have you still not grown at all?

“Li Changhong is an elder of the sect.

“Although his conduct was wrong in terms of personal sentiment, everything he did conformed to the sect’s laws.

“The sect is already in chaos and cannot withstand further turmoil.

“You are no longer a child. Must you continue dwelling upon personal grievances?

“Can you not endure even the slightest injustice?”

Lou Jing stared blankly and stepped backward.

She suddenly realized that standing before Lou Yan had made her a child again.

After being wronged, she had come to complain and cry, hoping for comfort and for him to punish those who harmed her.

She had believed her second uncle would protect her as he always had.

His final sentence fell over her like a basin of icy water.

She awakened.

Her organs seemed to contract painfully.

“Second Uncle, was I the true murderer?

“Do you know what I endured?

“Why should I have been forced to suffer that injustice?”

Lou Jing abruptly swept every teacup from the table.

They shattered loudly upon the floor.

Her eyes were bloodred as she stared fiercely at Lou Yan.

Had she deserved the torment within Tiger Roar Mountain’s black prison?

Had she deserved suffering worse than death inside the serpent pit?

If everything were lightly dismissed, then all that agony would become a joke.

The greater the pain she had suffered then, the greater the hatred she felt now.

The disciples guarding outside had only just heard the disturbance when Lou Jing opened the door and strode toward them.

“I will investigate the murderer myself.

“I will seek justice myself.

“I will never allow these matters to end here!”

“Jing’er!”

Lou Jing had never before shown such disrespect toward Lou Yan.

He continued staring at the shattered porcelain in bewilderment.

By the time he recovered, Lou Jing had already left.

He hurried after her.

But Lou Jing had traveled far.

At that moment, another disciple approached and reported beside his ear, “Sect Master, the person has arrived.”

Only then did Lou Yan stop.

He ordered the two guarding disciples, “Why are you still standing there? Go after her!”

“Yes!”

The two pursued Lou Jing.

But the corridors of Apricot Blossom Heaven were complicated and filled with people.

Once Lou Jing entered them, she vanished.

The Qianyuan disciples searched around and returned empty-handed.

Madam Yan had watched everything from the shadows.

Turning toward Huashan, she said, “Judging from the girl’s expression, their conversation must have collapsed.

“The Little Immortal can relax. That girl has already placed everything upon a single throw.

“Very well. I will give the two of you several days away from work.

“Return to Fengyu Tower and avoid the trouble for a while.

“You can also offer the Little Immortal your New Year’s greetings.”

Huashan left and went to Lou Jing’s room.

After he knocked, Lou Jing opened the door.

Apart from her colder expression, nothing else appeared unusual.

Huashan explained that Madam Yan had granted them several days of leave and mentioned returning to Fengyu Tower.

He did not utter a single word about Lou Yan.

Lou Jing remained silent briefly before nodding.

They casually packed their belongings and quietly departed the following day, traveling toward Jiangnan.

Lou Jing spoke little throughout the journey, and no one could tell whether her mood was good or bad.

By the time they reached Fengyu Tower, New Year’s Eve was approaching.

Lou Jing wished to see Zhan Sanxiao.

Huashan repeatedly told her not to go.

Whenever snow fell, Shao Yan always came to accompany Zhan Sanxiao in viewing it.

At this time, Zhan Sanxiao was probably with her.

Lou Jing went anyway.

She had something she needed to ask Zhan Sanxiao.

When she reached the study, she learned that Zhan Sanxiao and Shao Yan had gone to the Snow-Viewing Terrace.

It was Lou Jing’s first visit there.

It truly was an excellent place for admiring snow.

The heavens and earth stretched open and vast.

Above lay a gloomy sky as endless flakes drifted like willow catkins.

Below, cold plum trees surrounded the river, beside which stood a solitary pavilion.

The snowy scenery resembled a painting.

Zhan Sanxiao and Shao Yan sat side by side with a brazier between them, brewing tea.

A musician nearby softly sang Walking Through Snow.

Zhan Sanxiao seemed to have fallen asleep while leaning against her chair.

Shao Yan raised one hand in a signal.

The musician pressed down the strings and stopped singing.

Shao Yan quietly approached Zhan Sanxiao.

She gently gathered the woman’s hair with the back of her hand and watched her for a moment.

Then she removed her cloak and covered her.

Reaching down, she placed one arm behind Zhan Sanxiao’s neck and the other beneath her knees, lifting her into her embrace.

Shao Yan glanced sideways.

A maid understood and opened an umbrella before approaching.

Without Shao Yan needing to speak, both umbrellas tilted entirely toward Zhan Sanxiao, protecting her from every trace of wind and snow.

As Shao Yan passed Lou Jing, she gave her only a faint glance.

Since Zhan Sanxiao was already asleep, Lou Jing could only meet her another day.

Even if she insisted upon questioning her now, Shao Yan would certainly refuse.

The Snow-Viewing Terrace stood near Yan Bumei’s residence.

Lou Jing turned and entered the flower hall.

Suddenly, wind and snow raged behind her.

She did not need to turn around.

The force alone told her that Yan Bumei had attacked.

Lou Jing had never neglected her martial training while at Apricot Blossom Heaven.

She spun and kicked the wooden sword aside.

The inner force numbed her foot, but she could endure it.

From this single exchange, Lou Jing knew she had improved.

In the past, she had not even been able to touch the wooden weapon.

Even if she reached it, she could not have blocked it.

Lou Jing carried no sword.

She changed her palm techniques and fought him that way.

During the contest, she suddenly noticed Yan Bumei’s shriveled, sunken eyes.

Their previous matches had always occurred in dim light, and she had paid little attention to them.

Her new habit of observing other people’s peculiarities had developed at Apricot Blossom Heaven.

Seeing Yan Bumei’s eyes, she thought that only someone with exceptionally profound cultivation could have injured the eyes of a swordsman at his level.

There were very few such experts in the world.

Every person of extraordinary cultivation possessed some degree of pride.

That injury must therefore have caused Yan Bumei humiliation and pain.

Madam Yan had said that when striking a snake, one must aim for its vital point.

His injured eyes were probably something Yan Bumei considered taboo.

As this thought arose, Lou Jing had already attacked his eyes with one palm.

She had completely forgotten how greatly she had once disdained striking another person’s disability.

Yan Bumei’s entire body shook.

His state of mind was greatly disturbed.

It differed entirely from his usual immovable calm.

The power he suddenly released was terrifying, like the heavens themselves about to collapse.

Lou Jing instinctively trembled with fear.

Yet a smile appeared upon her face.

Her eyes shone brightly with strange light, and her expression revealed a trace of madness.

She admired and was fascinated by this vast, profound strength.

Ignoring the danger to her life, she met his palm directly.

The result was like dead branches being crushed beneath a flood.

Yan Bumei’s palm struck downward and sent Lou Jing flying.

She traveled more than a zhang before crashing to the ground.

With a muffled groan, she spat out hot blood.

Yan Bumei flicked his sleeve and placed both hands behind his back.

At the final moment, he had withdrawn part of his force.

Otherwise, Lou Jing would have died there.

Remembering how he had lost control, he became embarrassed and furious.

“You are a hundred and eight thousand li inferior to your mother.”

In truth, this was not the case.

Yan Bumei only demeaned her so harshly because he was angry.

Lou Jing did not become upset.

Hearing him mention her mother instead filled her with happiness.

“Senior knew my mother?”

Yan Bumei snorted coldly.

Without answering, he departed angrily.

Once he had gone, Lou Jing remained alone in the flower hall.

Her chest felt tight and painful.

She simply lay back upon the snow.

Winter was silent.

Soft flakes drifted slowly downward and landed upon her face, icy and cool like tears.

Lou Jing placed one arm over her eyes.

Her voice was hoarse as she murmured, “One day, my cultivation will stand unmatched beneath heaven, just like yours.

“One day, I will see through the human heart and calculate without error, just like you.”

She would never again depend upon anyone.