My Senior Sister Says She Will Marry No One But Me - Chapter 29

Mount Emei is situated in the southwestern part of Sichuan, renowned as the “Most Elegant Mountain Under Heaven” for its steep terrain and breathtaking scenery. Its fame in the martial world, however, stems largely from a long-established and righteous sect residing there.

It seems many martial sects have a tendency to establish their headquarters at the highest peaks, as if anything less would diminish their imposing aura. The Ming Sect perched atop the Great Bright Summit of the Tianshan Mountains, the Emei Sect on Mount Emei, and the Miaoyin Sect on the Seven Peaks of Mount Wangyou.

No one knows when this trivial competition over prestige began, but by the time everyone realized it, the pattern was already set. With every major sect occupying the highest local summit, it could be considered a draw. But having a headquarters and a sect naturally called for literary embellishment. The Emei Sect benefited from two lines in the “Song of Eternal Sorrow,” while the Ming Sect went further by compiling a thick doctrine, making themselves appear almost cult-like. Not to be outdone, the Miaoyin Sect ensured that anyone living long enough at the foot of Mount Wangyou could sing this ballad:

“On Mount Wangyou stand the Seven Peaks,
Below the peaks, a void so deep.
If Miaoyin’s song you chance to hear,
Through storm and strife, your heart will keep.”

Truly, no one wanted to be left behind, even in such trivial matters.

Yet, if we were to seriously evaluate prestige, the Miaoyin Sect stands as the most esteemed major sect in the Central Plains martial world. After all, not every martial sect had the honor of receiving gifts and a personally inscribed plaque from the first and only empress in the nation’s history at its founding. This royal favor allowed Miaoyin to quickly establish itself and grow into a top-tier renowned sect.

Although Miaoyin no longer maintains deep ties with the imperial court, the authorities still prefer dealing with them, a well-mannered group with historical connections over those rootless martial artists who, armed with a bit of skill, often think “might makes right” and challenge the law. A glance at Miaoyin’s ventures, which extend even to essentials like firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, and tea, or the priceless wedding dress of Du Yunge, reveals much about their standing.

Comparing this to the hardships endured by Miaoyin’s founder in establishing the sect evokes complex emotions.

In its early days, Miaoyin had only the position of sect leader. Although the role of deputy leader was created, it remained vacant even after the first leader’s death, for reasons unknown to all.

And the original purpose behind founding Miaoyin was straightforward and clear: women are people too.

Hundreds of years ago, women’s status was nowhere near as high as it is today. Forget about appearing in public or walking the streets, or even the notion considered utterly audacious at the time, of women marrying each other; simply surviving to an age where they could walk was uncertain. Drowned infant girls were a common sight. While trading people at will was illegal, buying and selling women of lowly status was not. Killing a prized horse in public would land you three months in prison and a fine of fifty silver taels, but killing a low-status woman on the street only cost a ten-tael fine. If you had good connections with the local magistrate, you might even get a discount pay five taels, drink three cups of wine as self-punishment, and the matter would be easily settled.

The beginning of the end for this chaos can be summed up in two events:

First, the first empress in the history of the Huaxia dynasty ascended the throne. She issued a series of decrees and enforced them rigorously, finally stabilizing the precarious situation and addressing the problem at its root. Second, the founding master of the Miaoyin Sect, carrying her zither alone, ascended Mount Wangyou to establish her sect. Her bold declaration immediately drew the attention of the entire martial world:

“If you suffer torment at the foot of the mountain, and it is verified as true, come to Mount Wangyou and seek the master of the Miaoyin Sect. Abandon all names and family ties from below, join us here, and from then on, nothing of the world below will concern you anymore.”

Initially, no one took this newly formed sect seriously. Everyone believed that the “dull wives” in their households had no reason to be dissatisfied with their marriages. Even if they were unhappy, where could they possibly escape to? Hadn’t generations lived this way? How many loving, harmonious couples could there be under heaven? With enough adjustment, things would work out. Those resentful women and abandoned wives surely had their own faults; otherwise, they wouldn’t have been neglected or cast aside.

In that era, when women’s status was low and the lives of commoner daughters and lowly concubines were as cheap as grass, a young woman establishing such a sect single-handedly was no small feat it was truly admirable. Yet, there were always those who gossiped. A renowned martial arts master even went so far as to pen a piece, scraping together the limited literary skills of a martial artist, and laboriously wrote a nonsensical article to mock the Miaoyin Sect and its founding master.

Unexpectedly, just three days after this piece was published, the master of the Miaoyin Sect arrived at his doorstep, zither in hand, demanding an explanation for her “cricket-like, unknown and unremarkable” yes, that’s exactly how it was written, as the martial arts master had exhausted his abilities to produce only this level of work “newly emerged minor sect” and her own reputation.

This episode finds little mention in official histories, with only a fleeting reference to “the Master of Miaoyin Sect achieving a great victory” reportedly to spare the dignity of that martial arts grandmaster. Yet in the jianghu, the tale is universally known: how the Miaoyin Sect leader secured triumph, lifted the spirits of women everywhere, and single-handedly infuriated those ossified traditionalists clinging to outdated customs. One could spend three days and nights recounting this anecdote without exhausting its details, a classic example of how a single individual’s story could sustain an entire teahouse of storytellers.

On the day the founding master of Miaoyin Sect confronted the grandmaster, she not only pummeled him beyond recognition but also addressed his wife, who emerged trembling from the inner chambers on bound feet, tears welling in her eyes, yearning to voice her grievances yet lost for words:

“Since its establishment, Miaoyin Sect has stood to champion justice and dignity for all women. If you are willing to make a clean break, our sect will ensure your complete liberation.”

“Madam, if you truly cannot endure this wretched old man, who preaches the ‘Three Obediences and Four Virtues’ while dreaming of multiple concubines just nod, and I shall take you to Mount Wangyou!”

From that moment, the situation spiraled beyond control. Beginning with the grandmaster’s wife, nearly a hundred noblewomen successfully divorced and followed her in a grand procession to Mount Wangyou. Thereafter, women across the land found a beacon of hope as if, while trekking through an endless night on the verge of collapse, a ray of light suddenly appeared within reach just ahead.

Beyond that light lay boundless skies, vast seas, and distant mountains.

Even at this critical juncture, some clung to unrealistic illusions though perhaps not entirely unfounded, for their arguments were supported by geographical reasoning:

“Miaoyin Sect’s Mount Wangyou lies deep in Jiangnan. With the vast expanse of our land, how could all these women possibly reach the mountain safely? I say this is mere trickery utterly impossible!”

As the saying goes, one should never speak in absolutes. Just as this argument had convinced most men who grew anxious about their long-term mistreatment of their wives, fearing they might one day awaken and flee to Miaoyin Sect, the Emei Sect announced it would provide lodging for women journeying to the sect. Subsequently, the nation’s first empress issued an imperial decree across her domain:

【All local authorities shall immediately escort women seeking refuge at Miaoyin Sect to Mount Wangyou without delay.】

Though court opposition arose, the empress renowned for diligent governance, compassion, and military preparedness enforced the decree with unwavering resolve through her firm leadership.

This marked the jianghu’s first direct encounter with the formidable power of imperial authority.

Over the years, the population of Miaoyin Sect had surged dramatically. In an astonishingly short time, it transformed from a fledgling sect scornfully dubbed the “Jinx Nest” into one that even the most grudging critics had to admit was “thriving.”

In short, that period of history had long passed, and many details were lost to time. However, at least one thing was clear: the relationship between Miaoyin Sect and Emei Sect had grown exceptionally close after weathering so many trials together. So close, in fact, that the elderly leader of Emei Sect, as a senior martial arts figure, felt obliged to politely write a letter attempting to play matchmaker for Du Yunge.

There was an old saying: “Few tread the paths below Emei,” highlighting the treacherous terrain and formidable defenses of the area. Even Du Yunge, the esteemed leader of Miaoyin Sect, had to leave her carriage at the relay station at the foot of Mount Emei and ascend the stone steps leading to the summit alongside Xue Shuyan, one after the other.

Although Emei Sect, like Miaoyin Sect, was secluded deep in the mountains and rarely communicated with the outside world, its leader was by no means unreasonable. Moreover, the current Emei leader was a kindly old woman, whose interpersonal skills likely rivaled even the combined efforts of Feng Chengchun and Qiu Yueman.

When Du Yunge was young, she often received candies specially sent from Emei during festivals. These colorful, sweet treats delighted her so much that she would indulge in a few extra and neglect to brush her teeth, only to end up tearfully complaining to Xia Yeshuang about toothaches a few days later. After this happened repeatedly, Xia Yeshuang grew exasperated and had to write an urgent letter to the Emei leader, pleading, “Our sect leader is ruining her teeth. Please send fewer such gifts.”

After Du Yunge came of age, the candies stopped. Yet she vividly remembered how, in her previous life, when she followed He Zhenzhen down Wangyou Mountain, the Emei leader had attended the ceremony. The elder had looked at her with a subtle mix of disappointment and frustration, as if lamenting her wasted potential. Reflecting on this, Du Yunge realized that the Emei leader truly deserved her reputation as a pillar of the righteous path.

Thus, aside from her own sect members, the Emei leader was one of the few who knew just how inept Du Yunge was at martial arts. Upon receiving Du Yunge’s visit request, the Emei leader dispatched disciples to meet her at the mountain’s base, insisting that the Miaoyin leader need not exert herself to retrieve what was rightfully hers. Though Emei Sect might not rival Miaoyin in scale, it could certainly spare a few outer disciples to carry Du Yunge up in a sedan chair.

Admittedly, Du Yunge had initially been tempted by the idea of taking it easy. However, when four young, beautiful maidens in flowing green robes arrived with a bamboo sedan chair, smiling sweetly and urging her to take a seat, she suddenly felt an inexplicable guilt. She couldn’t even bring herself to glance at the sedan, instead hastily urging Xue Shuyan to ascend the mountain with her:

“Elder Sister, I’ve thought it over and decided not to take the sedan. I can walk up with you. Let’s go, let’s go!”

Hearing this, Xue Shuyan finally withdrew her icy gaze which had been fixed on the sedan chair as if it were a sworn enemy and gave Du Yunge a slight, calm nod.

“Let’s go.”

No matter how much innate talent Du Yunge had previously displayed in the Demonic Melodies of Heaven, when it came to lightness skill, a martial art that demanded exceptional foundational footwork she was still far from proficient. She had to stop and rest several times along the way, dragging herself up the mountain half-dead. Leaning against the crooked pine tree by the entrance, she gasped for breath, tears welling in her eyes as she swore to the heavens:

“…I’m never coming here again!”

—Was there anything more embarrassing than impulsively pushing oneself only to end up humiliated?

Yes, there was. It was standing right at the doorstep, having just declared with great resolve, “I’m never coming here again,” only to see her senior sister and the Emei disciples lined up in two rows outside the mountain gate bowing in unison to someone behind her, greeting, “We pay our respects to the Sect Leader.”

Du Yunge stiffly turned her neck and saw the ever-stern Emei Sect Leader, who was clearly suppressing a laugh, standing silently behind her.

Awkward. So awkward.

【Mini Theater: Actually, no mini theater today. Here’s an assignment for everyone】

You’re all mature little angels now, and you’ve learned plenty about the “iceberg drama queen” type. It’s time for you to do some reading comprehension on your own. [Meaningful tone.jpg]

Feel free to analyze Senior Sister Xue’s psychological state as she expressionlessly exudes cold energy while staring at the sedan chair and the Emei outer disciples beside it. Then, based on her personality, provide an in-depth interpretation of her calm facade.

The current Emei Sect Leader is a hardcore shipper. Her unconventional pairings include, but are not limited to: the founding sect master x the first empress, the Misty Sound Sect Leader x the current deputy sect leader (the order matters, hence the “unconventional” label, totally reversed, lol).

By the way, He Zhenzhen isn’t on her shipping list. Because He Zhenzhen is not a good person.

He Zhenzhen: Utterly aggrieved.

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