M49S Vol 1 Chapter 43. Beauty And Wine

Meng Qiqi’s first priority was to find Jin Man and get to the bottom of what had happened last night. It was not the kind of matter that could be discussed in front of others, so they agreed to meet at their usual place.

However, when Meng Qiqi and Chen Boyan arrived, Yao Guan informed them that Jin Man was not there.

“Second Brother seems to be tied up right now. There are people from the Wang clan watching him from all sides. Just now he barely had time to give me a couple of instructions before he left,” Yao Guan said as he offered Meng Qiqi a cup of tea. “He told me there were two impostors posing as Wu Yan. The second one was a trap set by the Wang clan, but the first one wasn’t. As for the rest, he said I should listen to you, Little Martial Uncle. You would know what to do.”

Meng Qiqi let out a cold laugh. “He certainly thinks highly of me.”

Judging from Jin Man’s situation today, the Wang clan had not strictly restricted his movements. Perhaps Wang Changlin had gotten hold of something that could be used against him, or perhaps there was something Jin Man wanted from him, so he chose to temporarily compromise. It was a deeply private matter. If he had chosen not to explain it, that was understandable.

Still, this meant Meng Qiqi had lost a major source of support. It was truly troublesome.

“Anything useful today?” Meng Qiqi asked.

Yao Guan shook his head. “They’re hiding too well. We can’t go house to house searching, and the Wang clan is interfering behind the scenes. Progress has been slow.”

Meng Qiqi frowned. “If we can’t find Wuyan himself, then the only option is to convict him by force, based on secondary evidence. But if we do that, the Wang clan can simply claim they had no prior knowledge. The impact will be far weaker.”

“Little Martial Uncle means… you want to bring judgment against him in front of everyone during the next round of the competition?”

“If we don’t publicly nail down the charges against him, how can we be sure the Wang clan won’t turn the blame back on us? Wang Changlin is already watching us closely. At the first sign of movement, he may act to suppress us. In a place like Jinling, even if we all band together, we don’t have more eyes and hands than he does. So we need a plan that leaves no room for error, one that guarantees the person I send to convict him can reach the dueling grounds at the center of the lake the day after tomorrow.”

Yao Guan fell silent for a moment, then said, “I’ll do what I can.”

“We don’t have time to delay.” Meng Qiqi’s expression was cold. For now, he had not told them about the Holy Sovereign. If Yao Guan’s side failed, then the Holy Sovereign would be his last resort.

Just then, Xiao Xiao climbed in through the window. “Master, Gu Shutong has been invited to the Wang residence.”

Meng Qiqi was surprised. Wang Changlin had actually moved Gu Shutong? He stood up at once. Today, Wang Zi’an had made a strong impression during the competition, while Wang Ziqian had come across as slightly lacking in comparison due to his weaker cultivation. But if Gu Shutong were to publicly announce that he would take Wang Ziqian as a disciple over the next two days, his status would soar. It would be nearly impossible for Wang Ziling to surpass him after that.

However…

Meng Qiqi thought of the Holy Sovereign. Though she had come to seek out her father, she clearly had no fondness for him. Their history was far from pleasant. To her, Gu Shutong might well be a tribulation on her path of cultivation. There was a high chance the two would part ways.

If Gu Shutong aligned himself with the Wang clan, then the Wang clan would also stand against the Holy Sovereign. That, in Meng Qiqi’s eyes, might not be a bad outcome.

Even so, after a moment of thought, Meng Qiqi let go of the idea. “Xiao Xiao, tell the Holy Sovereign what happened. Let her decide for herself.”

Xiao Xiao obeyed and left. Yao Guan was visibly surprised at the mention of the “Holy Sovereign,” but with Jin Man absent, he knew not to pry. Chen Boyan, on the other hand, had no such restraint. “Why?”

In Chen Boyan’s eyes, Meng Qiqi was always meticulous in his thinking. If he wanted to turn the Holy Sovereign against the Wang clan, he could have easily waited a little longer. Once Gu Shutong grew closer to the Wang family, they would have no choice but to make a move to keep him. When that happened, Meng Qiqi could simply sit back and reap the benefits.

There was no way he hadn’t thought through the pros and cons. Yet he still handed the choice over to the Holy Sovereign. Chen Boyan could not quite make sense of.

He looked at Meng Qiqi. Meng Qiqi met his eyes, the light in them as calm as autumn water. He asked, “What if I told you I’ve taken a liking to the Holy Sovereign, and want to treat her a little better? Would you approve of that, dear disciple nephew?”

A ripple surged through Chen Boyan’s heart. “He recalled Meng Qiqi speaking of sleeping with others. His gaze grew darker. But he also remembered Meng Qiqi saying he did not like women.

“Little Martial Uncle, don’t tease me.”

At that moment, Xiao Xiao tactfully drifted over to Yao Guan’s side. “Lord Guan, there are still a few things I need to discuss with you. Why don’t we step out for a moment?”

Yao Guan did not object, though as he left he cast one last puzzled glance over his shoulder. Something about that uncle and nephew pair seemed… strange.

As soon as the two were gone, Meng Qiqi dropped his serious demeanor. He leaned lazily on the table, resting his chin in one hand, and looked up at Chen Boyan.

“When have I ever lied to you? Your Little Martial Uncle liked men yesterday and has his eye on a beauty today. What does it have to do with you either way?”

Chen Boyan said, “Little Martial Uncle, please mind your words.”

Meng Qiqi chuckled. “You’re this dull. What kind of girl would ever agree to marry you?”

Chen Boyan remained silent. But in Meng Qiqi’s smiling eyes, a sudden sharp glint appeared.

“What kind of woman does my dear disciple nephew like?”

“I’ve never given it any thought,” Chen Boyan replied. His gaze was deep and unreadable. He did not know why Meng Qiqi was asking him this.

Meng Qiqi poured himself a cup of wine, acting entirely on his own rhythm. His slender fingers played idly with the white jade wine cup. He smiled, though it was hard to tell if it reached his eyes. Then he tipped his head back and drank the wine.

“Beauty is like wine. It slips down the throat and warms the heart. Someone like you, dear disciple nephew, I fear everyone would want a taste.”

For someone in the position of an elder, such words were undeniably forward.

Yet Chen Boyan felt no aversion to them. Instead, he asked in return, “Didn’t Little Martial Uncle just say I was dull and no woman would marry me?”

“So I did.” Meng Qiqi laughed, amused by the contradiction in his own words. He stood, refilled the cup, then leaned back casually against the table and held it out toward Chen Boyan.

“Fangjun, don’t mind your Little Martial Uncle’s nonsense. I offer you an apology.”

Chen Boyan accepted the cup. His eyes swept across the rim, where a faint mark still lingered. Was it left there by Meng Qiqi’s lips? Had he forgotten to wipe it clean? Or had he left it there on purpose?

The two now stood face to face, separated by less than half a step. Meng Qiqi looked at Chen Boyan, who had grown more handsome over the years. Setting aside the past, he felt a rare, untainted joy rise in his chest.

“As for Gu Shutong, I simply dislike the way the Wang clan operates. I don’t want a master like him dragged into their mess. I’ve made my share of ruthless moves and can’t claim to be a good person, but I do know what I love and what I hate. If one day I die with my head separated from my body, and I look back on it all before the end, I won’t feel too bitter.”

Meng Qiqi spoke slowly. For a moment, it felt as if they had returned to the past. This was how they had always spoken. He had grown up drifting from place to place, long accustomed to life’s uncertainties. So whatever he did, he always gave it his all. As long as he could say such things in the end, then even death would have been worth it.

But after meeting Chen Boyan, every time Meng Qiqi revealed thoughts like that, Chen Boyan would always scold him. Meng Qiqi refused to accept it, and with the arrogance of youth, he would end up picking fights with him again and again.

At first, Meng Qiqi always won. He thought Chen Boyan was simply weak, and that he was holding back to spare him humiliation. Chen Boyan never explained otherwise. It wasn’t until Meng Qiqi’s cultivation fully recovered that he realized how naïve he had been.

Chen Boyan was full of hidden tricks. He had been lying to him all along.

If Meng Qiqi hadn’t lost so many times, if he hadn’t been trapped into countless wagers, he never would have gotten so entangled with him in the first place.

“Little Martial Uncle.” That low, magnetic voice pulled Meng Qiqi out of his memories. He looked up and was caught off guard by the depth in Chen Boyan’s gaze.

Chen Boyan spoke with a note of reprimand. “You’re still young. There’s no need to speak of death so lightly.”

Just like before.

The moment felt exactly like those years past. As if time had never moved at all. As if the boy before him still carried all his affection, quietly weaving a net and waiting for him to step into it.

For a moment, Meng Qiqi almost believed he remembered everything. But the faintest shred of reason stopped him from reaching out and pulling the other into an embrace. His heart was pounding too fiercely to settle. Still, he could not help but smile and ask, “Then if I were in danger, would you protect me?”

Real feeling was wrapped in casual words. Every offhand remark was a careful test. For all his intricacy and cleverness, what he longed for was nothing more than a few sincere words.

“I would.” Chen Boyan answered firmly.

Both of them were stunned. Meng Qiqi froze, and even Chen Boyan seemed taken aback by himself.

Where had that answer come from? Why did it feel so deeply imprinted? Was it connected to Meng Qiqi?

It was too strange. Chen Boyan had never experienced such self-doubt before. He no longer fully understood himself, and all of it seemed to be pushing him toward uncovering a certain truth.

Meng Qiqi, however, did not press the moment. He had considered telling Chen Boyan everything from the past, all at once. But he still did not fully understand the Chen family’s current position. If he revealed too much too soon, it could backfire.

In any case, there was still time.

“Come on. It’s getting late. We should head back.”

Meanwhile, Wang Jing returned alone to his room, unable to calm his thoughts. In recent days, Wang Zi’an had taken fourth place in the competition, making him the most outstanding member of the Wang clan. Yet Wang Jing still felt no relief.

As long as Meng Qiqi was alive, he would never find peace.

Zi’an had grown increasingly quiet these past few days. Even the way he looked at him seemed tinged with suspicion. But Wang Jing could not tell him the truth. His grandson had many strengths, but he was simply too upright.

Wang Jing believed that one day, Zi’an would come to understand his intentions. He would see that everything had been done for his sake. But until that day arrived, Meng Qiqi had to be eliminated, once and for all.

Lost in thought, Wang Jing did not notice how much time had passed. Suddenly, someone knocked on the door, saying that something had been delivered earlier that day, addressed specifically to the Grand Elder.

Wang Jing frowned. Who would send something to him? He quietly made a mental note to stay alert. But when he unwrapped the small cloth parcel, there were no hidden weapons, no poison, only a bloodstained scrap of cloth.

It looked like a torn and tattered sleeve. Wang Jing spread it open in his palm. The more he looked, the more familiar it seemed. The blood, the fabric…

Zhou Ziheng.

This was Zhou Ziheng’s blood-soaked clothing.

Wang Jing shot to his feet, as if the cloth in his hand were a scalding coal. He flung it away, eyes wide with shock and fear. It was the fear left behind by that overbearing man, embedded deep in his heart, one that remained even after the man’s death.

But how had this bloodstained cloth appeared here? Wasn’t Zhou Ziheng already dead? He was dead.

Wang Jing began to pace anxiously around the room. Only after a long while did he pick the cloth up again. The dark red bloodstains still seemed to carry the stench of blood, thick and metallic. It was a sea of crimson that threatened to drown him.

He gasped for breath, hands trembling, and dropped heavily onto the edge of the bed.

Then, suddenly, a thought struck him. It had to be Meng Qiqi. No one else could have sent this.

He knew. Meng Qiqi must have found out what they had done all those years ago, how they had conspired to bring down Zhou Ziheng.

Wang Jing’s first instinct was to rush out and find Wang Changlin, to demand that he prioritize eliminating Meng Qiqi. But just as he reached the door, his reason returned.

Wang Changlin was already at odds with him. He might use this as an opportunity to get rid of him instead. And besides, he had always opposed making a move against Meng Qiqi within Jinling. Wang Jing could not go to him.

Now that Meng Qiqi has delivered this bloodstained cloth, he was clearly trying to threaten him. Perhaps he had no real evidence in hand at all. The most important thing now was to stay calm and avoid falling into his trap.

Wang Jing clenched the cloth tightly in his hand. The cold night wind slipped through the cracks in the window. Candlelight flickered. On that withered and aging face, the lines ran deep, twisted and grim.

A moment later, Wang Jing summoned one of his most trusted men and asked, “What is Wang Changlin doing right now?”

“Reporting to the Grand Elder, the patriarch is in his room with Wang Ziqian. I do not know what they are discussing.”

“Good. Has anyone been sent to keep an eye on Meng Qiqi?”

“Meng Qiqi has been staying with Chen Boyan in the Canhua Tower. Beyond that, we’re not sure. Their cultivation levels are higher than ours. We do not dare get too close.”

Wang Jing narrowed his eyes. Meng Qiqi’s true level of cultivation was still a mystery. Trying to keep close watch on him might be impossible. Just then, the subordinate hesitated before speaking again.

“There is one more matter, though I’m not sure if I should bring it up.”

“Speak.”

“At dusk, Gu Shutong arrived at the manor. He was brought into the patriarch’s courtyard.”

“Very good. So he actually managed to bring Gu Shutong in.” A glint of calculation flashed in Wang Jing’s eyes. He did not need to think long to guess Wang Changlin’s intentions. If Gu Shutong became Wang Ziqian’s master, it would be a great boon for the Wang clan. But of no benefit whatsoever to him or Zi’an.

Wang Changlin had kept such an important matter from him. It was clear he no longer intended to show deference.

“Go to Gu Shutong first thing in the morning and invite him here,” Wang Jing said. Then he wrote a letter by hand and passed it to his subordinate. “Take this and have it delivered immediately. Use the fastest horse. Do not delay.”

Once the man had taken his orders and left, Wang Jing stood by the window, unable to sleep. He pushed it open and looked out. His gaze fell quietly on the clouds obscuring half the moon.

A storm was coming.

Yet the sky over Jinling had been clear all day, bathed in bright sunlight. Where had the clouds come from?

At this moment, Wang Jing was not the only one looking up at the moon. Many others were beginning to feel a quiet unease.

As Meng Qiqi walked across a stone arch bridge, he suddenly stopped. His peripheral vision swept past a boat beneath the bridge canopy, then flicked toward a shadowed alley behind them. He called out in a clear voice, “Since you’re already here, why skulk in the dark?”

The leaves rustled in the breeze. No one answered.

Meng Qiqi smiled faintly and shook his head. “Disciple nephew, do I look that frightening to you?”

Chen Boyan rested one hand on the hilt of his sword at his waist and gave a slight nod. “Little Martial Uncle possesses the bearing of a celestial. Naturally, you are not frightening.”

Meng Qiqi blinked. “When did you learn to flatter like that?”

But Chen Boyan remained serious, the sword mark between his brows like frost beneath the moon. His expression made it clear he never lied. And then, with a ringing sound, his sword left its sheath.

The strike came without warning. The blade was cold as frost, a slash of moonlight cleaving through the darkness, piercing straight into the shadows of the alley.

Tonight, the moon was veiled by clouds, but there was no wind.

The fiends lurking in the shadows had been stirred by the sword, but would not be scattered by the wind.

From the once quiet marketplace, several black-clad figures suddenly surged toward Meng Qiqi. From the sky, from the water, from all sides, killing intent surged forth