Chapter 55 – The Suspicious Tuoba Clan
The horse trotted at a relaxed pace as Chiyun Yuexuan brought Murong Zhining down the road. Seeing the scenery around getting more and more familiar, Murong Zhining revealed a look of joy. “Xingzhou County is right upfront, isn’t it? Mister Tuoba once brought us to stay here for a day. Mister Lian’s family also owns a secluded estate in Xingzhou’s capital.”
Chiyun Yuexuan pinched Murong Zhining’s waist unhappily. “You seem happy when you mention Mister Tuoba, huh? Don’t you know that I dislike him? However, I can see that you’re tired. How about we stay at Xingzhou for tonight?”
Murong Zhining nodded in high spirits.
Arriving at the entrance, Chiyun Yuexuan and Murong Zhining each led a horse into the city and found a quiet vacant inn. Sitting inside the room in embarrassment, the two waited for the server to bring food.
Since last time when Murong Zhining lashed out at Chiyun Yuexuan by the river, she had been ignoring him as much as possible. Meanwhile, Chiyun Yuexuan was scared to touch her wound again; therefore, he was even more careful when he talked.
Chiyun Yuexuan broke the silence, “Since we’ve been sleeping and eating in the wild the past several days, Princess must be dead tired.”
Murong Zhining’s eyes reddened. “I had been displaced from home since I was little. What I have suffered is beyond your imagination. This bit of hardship is really nothing to me.”
Chiyun Yuexuan placed the water basin before her attentively. “I’ll make sure to treat you well from now on and won’t let you suffer even just a little.”
After washing the handkerchief clean, he reached out to wipe her face. Murong Zhining grumpily grabbed the handkerchief from his hand and did it herself.
Seeing that her mood was getting better, Chiyun Yuexuan was up to mischief again. He craned his face over. “Princess, help me clean my face.”
Surprisingly, Murong Zhining wiped his face gently as told. “If General truly wants to think for me, just send me back to Nanjin.”
Chiyun Yuexuan angrily snatched the handkerchief from her. “I knew it. Whenever you treat me nicely, there’d be an unreasonable demand right after. Forget it, I can just wash my own face.”
After the food was served, the two ate their meal without words. Murong Zhining picked up a piece of egg and placed it in Chiyun Yuexuan’s bowl. The latter stared at her defiantly.
“Unaccountable solicitude means evil intentions! You’re not allowed to make unreasonable demands on me!”
Murong Zhining held out her bowl. “If you don’t want, give it back here?”
Chiyun Yuexuan hastily stuffed the egg into his mouth. “Who says I don’t want? I’d eat it even if it’s poisoned.”
Murong Zhining helped him to another piece of braised pork. “Where did you get Biwu from? I mean the jade leaf. I named it Biwu.”
Chiyun Yuexuan took out Biwu from his lapel. “That’s a great name. My father hung it on me before I can even remember. I don’t know where it came from either. By the way, I gave it to Princess as a betrothal token, so it’s yours.”
Saying so, Chiyun Yuexuan wanted to put the pendant on her neck.
Murong Zhining received the pendant and gently caressed it. This piece of jade, which had accompanied her for more than ten years, had quietly returned to her side just like this. Her eyes burned. A hot teardrop landed on Biwu.
This immediately put Chiyun Yuexuan at a loss. “Why are you crying? Did I say something wrong again? Ning’er don’t cry, your tears are breaking my heart…”
This was the first time he called her ‘Ning’er.’ A mixed feeling gnawed at his heart. If it hadn’t been for that misunderstanding, he and Murong Zhining should have been a happy couple by now.
Murong Zhining wiped at the corners of her eyes. “You misunderstood, I don’t want Biwu back. It’s not a normal jade pendant. General, do you believe in the existence of the Murongs’ treasure?”
Chiyun Yuexuan shook his head.
“I think it’s only a false rumor. Beiyan had collapsed for hundreds of years. If there’s really some treasure, it should have already been discovered long ago.” Chiyun Yuexuan suddenly paused a little. “Right, this reminds me of a strange event. Last time when the retired emperor summoned me, he asked about this jade and said something like… it’s hiding a mystery? I thought his eyes had gotten blurry from old age, so I didn’t take his words seriously. Could it be that Biwu has something to do with the Murongs’ treasure?”
Murong Zhining quietly looked at the pendant in her hand. “My mother has told me that three clues are required to open the treasure. One is Biwu, another is the sheet music I once showed you. As for the last clue, I still don’t know what it is.”
Chiyun Yuexuan was taken aback. “If Biwu belongs to the Murong clan, how did it end up in my hands? Ning’er, you should believe it by now, right? This is all predestined, we are bound together by an invisible thread of fate.”
Pouting, Murong Zhining stuffed Biwu in his hand. “Back to you. I don’t believe in fate or whatever you’re talking about.”
Chiyun Yuexuan pulled her over and forcefully put the pendant on her neck. “This object originally belongs to your family, I was only helping you keep it for several years. I thought it was my betrothal gift to you, but who knew it would turn out to be your engagement token to me.”
Murong Zhining rolled her eyes. Gently taking off Biwu, she tip-toed with the intention to hang it on his neck. Chiyun Yuexuan was fast to dodge.
Murong Zhining stamped her foot in exasperation. “Put it on and let me finish! Biwu is not safe on me!”
In the end, Chiyun Yuexuan bent down and let her put Biwu on his neck. He even took the opportunity to steal a quick kiss on her rosy cheek.
Murong Zhining pouted hatefully and glared at him, using her sleeve to rub the kissed cheek. “Gao Chenghao also knows about the secret. He told me that his ancestors were involved in designing the clues to the Murongs’ treasure, and he knew how to crack it. If my judgement is correct, he was most likely at the behest of his father when coming here to propose. Wuli Country is coveting the treasure as well.”
Chiyun Yuexuan pondered a bit. “I saw the way he looked at you. It’s not just about the treasure. But whatever his reasons are, I won’t let him have his way. If worse comes to worst, I can always take the bastard’s life.”
Murong Zhining shook her head. “Killing him will incur a lot of undue trouble. Besides, I’m scared to cut off the trail to the treasure too. Don’t you find treasure hunting interesting? Maybe we could… play with him?”
Chiyun Yuexan wrapped his arms around her. “I can’t let you take any risks. Gao Chenghao is too insane an opponent. I don’t want any treasure, I only want Ning’er safe.”
Murong Zhining struggled. “Who allows you to call me that? Oh, by the way, Biwu indeed hides a mystery. I happened to discover rows of characters carved on it, but the words are too small, I couldn’t see them clearly.”
Hearing this, Chiyun Yuexuan quickly held Biwu before the candlelight and observed closely.
“Indeed, there are some black spots on it, they really do seem like characters. How did Ning’er find them out?”
Murong Zhining’s face instantly sank. “It was actually thanks to you, General. Back in your estate, one time I was so bored, so I took Biwu out to play and discovered the spots by accident.”
Chiyun Yuexuan’s sharp brows tightly knitted. “Fate does play tricks on people. I should have found out much sooner that you had Biwu.”
“General really has a gift for finding excuses.”
“No, no, I’m not trying to shirk from my responsibility. I’m to blame for everything. I was blind and made my Little Tabby suffer, my sin deserves a thousand deaths! I beg Princess to punish me.” Chiyun Yuexuan grabbed her hands and swung them towards his own face.
After the ruckus, Chiyun Yuexuan’s brows furrowed even more tightly, his eyes were full of doubt as he suddenly thought of something.
“Ning’er, don’t you feel that Tuoba Zhi is also very suspicious? As to why he is so ardent about you? From what I know, to adopt a more fitting surname for the Han Dynasty, the surname Tuoba was long changed to Yuan by an edict of his ancestor, Emperor Wen of Beiwei. Why did they start using ‘Tuoba’ again after so many years? Legend has it that Beiwei destroyed Beiyan for a book that can light a way to ruling over the world. I suppose this isn’t just some groundless rumor.”
Murong Zhining angrily glared at Chiyun Yuexuan. “How can you doubt Mister Tuoba? You… you ungrateful terror! And how did you learn about all of that?”
Chiyun Yuexuan tightly hugged her from behind. “You look down on me too much, my wife. Your husband is considered a genius hero, you know. I naturally have some knowledge. It’s just that I’ve always thought it to be a rumor and never taken it seriously. After we return to Huayan, we can unravel the mystery of Biwu if you like. Since my wife is interested in treasure hunting, how can I refuse to accompany her?”
——
Gao Chenghao excitedly paced back and forth in his estate. One of his spies had reported the appearance of Chiyun Yuexuan and Murong Zhining in Xingzhou City, where Gao Chenghao once bought a property. The reason for this was because Xingzhou City had been on the Murong clan’s escape route after the fall of Beiyan.
According to his speculation, there was a high chance Beiyan treasure was in the vicinity of Xingzhou. As long as he acquired the clue in Murong Zhining’s hands, he was sure he would be able to dig out the other clues as well, and then the treasure would be as good as his. Of course, that Shangxia princess who had him head over heels infatuated shall be his prize as well.
Gao Chenghao was caught between joy and sorrow. Joy was that everything was under his control, but sorrow was that, after the poisonous needle shot by Chiyun Yuexuan pricked him, he had lost the function of a man. He anxiously sought a famous doctor for treatment, but the doctor told him this narcotic drug was too toxic, and the effect would last for a month at best and half a year at worst.
Gao Chenghao’s eyes blazed with fury and a bone-deep hatred for Chiyun Yuexuan.
As for Chiyun Yuexuan, he was taking Murong Zhining out for a walk in the evening of Xingzhou City. Like an excited child, Murong Zhining looked left and right, here and there in all directions.
Chiyun Yuexuan had changed from his usual rough clothes into a black brocade robe with plant patterns, his hair was tied up with a brocade band of the same color while he held a folding fan in his hand. Coupled with his elegant bearing, he looked like a scholarly young man from a noble family.
Meanwhile, Murong Zhining was wearing a light yellow satin vest with narrow sleeves and a pure white silk dress, draped in a long yellow gauze robe with butterfly patterns, and a silk sash that emphasized her slim waist. Her hair bun dragged two long ribbon tails, and the hair on her right temple had a casually clasped peach flower hairpin.
In their getups, the two attracted countless envious and admiring eyes as they walked.
The two sides of the streets were full of lanterns hung to invite business. There were restaurants, brothels, and teahouses as well as colorful silk stores and groceries.
Murong Zhining pointed at the Gorgeous Scent House signboard. “Do you see that place? Last time, Mister Lian brought us there. It has not only Persian dancers but also magicians with blue eyes and blond hair.”
Chiyun Yuexuan tightened his hold on Murong Zhining’s hand and even pinched her palm. “Ridiculous! This Mister Lian is nothing good, how can he take you to a brothel?! Next time I see him, I must tear down that bastard!”
Murong Zhining flung off his hand. “We women can’t go to places where you men go? Based on what?”
Chiyun Yuexuan hurriedly grabbed her hand. “Don’t let go, you may get lost when there are more people later. Next time, I’ll let you have it if you dare go to those places again. Even if you want to go, it has to be me who’ll bring you there.”
Suddenly, Murong Zhining stopped at a stall, refusing to budge as she stared intently at the sugar toy figures being sold. When she was little, she wanted the sugar toys so much, but nanny never had the money to buy her any.
Chiyun Yuexuan lovingly squeezed her face a little. “Why do you still fancy this little kid stuff when you’re already a biggie? Call me husband and I’ll buy it for you.”
Murong Zhining’s face grew dejected. “That thing means nothing to you, but it’s what I’ve been longing for since childhood. When I was little, I wanted it every time I saw it, and it has become a habit.”
Chiyun Yuexuan’s heart ached for her. He gently patted her shoulder. “I’ll buy it for you. Not to mention a sugar toy, even if my wife wants the world, I will risk my life to fight for it.”
The two walked up to the stall, where Murong Zhining happily picked a sugar bunny.
Happily holding the toy, Murong Zhining clutched the corner of Chiyun Yuexuan’s clothes and followed behind him. Suddenly, Chiyun Yuexuan alertly cast several glances behind. He discovered that there had been three people tailing them from a distance neither near nor far away.