My Senior Sister Says She Will Marry No One But Me - Chapter 40

He Zhenzhen’s question seemed simple on the surface, yet it was laden with hidden dangers and profound implications. The master of He Manor had never been an honorable person; what little good reputation she had was either feigned or outright fabricated by her own followers. Beneath her charming and affectionate exterior lay a venomous heart, a truth no one understood better than Du Yunge.

Du Yunge put herself in He Zhenzhen’s shoes and suddenly felt that Qin Shanshan might truly be in mortal danger today. If she were to encounter a girl who bore a subtle resemblance to her in both attire and demeanor, she would also feel displeased. But if it were He Zhenzhen, her displeasure would likely manifest as “scheming viciously in the shadows.”

This renowned courtesan of Qinhuai clearly appeared to be an ordinary person, frail and delicate. If He Zhenzhen were to strike her with genuine malice, would she even survive?

After careful consideration, Du Yunge replied to He Zhenzhen:

“Is the master of He Manor so concerned with the affairs of another sect? Regardless of whether she is a member of my Miaoyin Sect, the fact that she is currently performing for me at Tian Zaishui should make it inappropriate for you to openly snatch her away from us, should it not?”

“If the master of He Manor also enjoys listening to music, there are countless pleasure boats and taverns outside. If you search through them one by one, you are bound to find someone to your liking. Why go to such lengths to take what someone else cherishes? I wish you success in finding a songstress who suits your taste, and I won’t trouble myself to see you out.”

He Zhenzhen forced a stiff smile, her usually captivating eyes devoid of any warmth, still chillingly cold:

“Sect Leader Du is truly chivalrous and protective of the fairer sex.”

Before Du Yunge could retort, He Zhenzhen took a step forward and performed a deep bow, clearly intending to apologize:

“However, I must inform the Sect Leader that my visit today is not to provoke conflict but to resolve a minor misunderstanding between us.”

The moment she stepped forward, Xue Shuyan also advanced, positioning herself squarely in front of Du Yunge. The Yanling blade, already partially drawn, was now unsheathed even further, its cold gleam intensifying the tense atmosphere:

“Manor Master He, if you have something to say, step back and speak. Do not approach our Sect Leader!”

He Zhenzhen felt irritated by this cold, harsh rebuke. She was about to half-jokingly remark, “Is your Miaoyin Sect Leader so precious that no one can even come near?” to lighten the mood or complain about Du Yunge’s perceived delicacy when Xue Shuyan cast a fleeting glance her way.

It was a gaze that seemed not to regard a living person but a corpse. Just that one glance sent a chilling, eerie shiver down her spine.

Under such a stare, He Zhenzhen shuddered violently. She thought to herself: If I want to bring down the Miaoyin Sect, I must start with its leader, Du Yunge. But as long as Xue Shuyan remains by the side of this useless figurehead, no matter how many schemes I devise, I will never be able to harm even a single hair on Du Yunge’s head.

Thus, He Zhenzhen had no choice but to retreat to her original position. Only then did Xue Shuyan sheathe her blade and return to stand respectfully behind Du Yunge, her demeanor so meek and obedient that it was hard to believe she was the same person who had moments ago radiated such fierce, almost savage intensity, her coldness so intimidating that no one dared meet her gaze.

“Recently, a traitor emerged from our He Family Manor,” He Zhenzhen began with a sigh, a trace of weariness flickering in her eyes as if she had been genuinely wounded by this fabricated betrayal. “He took ‘Zanhua’ and fled to Qinhuai, claiming our manor had mistreated him. He swore he wouldn’t let us off easily, vowing to turn the He Family Manor into a target of scorn throughout the martial world. As soon as I received the news, I rushed here, fearing this scoundrel would sow discord between our manor and the various major sects. The only place in all of Qinhuai connected to your esteemed sect is this ‘Sky in the Water’ establishment, but it had been closed for many days. The moment I saw it, I knew the sect leader had arrived.”

She paused, casting a deliberate, sidelong glance at Xue Shuyan before continuing with a cold laugh, “I had intended to come directly and warn the sect leader to be wary of such a petty individual, but this Huren beside you.” She let the implication hang in the air. “So unpredictable and violent! During our previous spar, she nearly frightened me to death. It took all my courage to come here today. I beg the sect leader not to blame me for my tardiness.”

Ever since the Upheaval of the Five Barbarians, the Hu people had been widely regarded as savage, cold-blooded barbarians beyond the bounds of civilization. Over the years, this perception among the Central Plains people had scarcely improved. Xue Shuyan, with her perpetually icy expression and her stance of “I heed no one’s words but our sect leader’s,” only deepened the misunderstandings those outside the Miaoyin Sect had of her.

Du Yunge thought to herself, Go to hell with your nonsense! I know better than anyone how good-tempered my senior sister is. Who are you to wag your tongue and stir up trouble? Do you really think I’d believe you?

But then a chilling realization struck her, sending a cold sweat down her back:

If it weren’t for this second chance at life, I might have actually fallen for He Zhenzhen’s lies. Xue Shuyan had never been one for words cold on the outside but warm within, a fact Du Yunge had always known. Yet, in her previous life, Xue Shuyan’s stern demeanor had been so intimidating that even Du Yunge had hesitated to confide in her. Instead, she had been swayed by He Zhenzhen’s honeyed words and lured down Wangyou Mountain. And after that…

There was no “after that.”

In other words, if Du Yunge hadn’t been given this second chance, she wouldn’t have grown so close to Xue Shuyan and might very well have succumbed to this very attempt at sowing discord!

Terrified by the thought, Du Yunge quickly grabbed hold of Xue Shuyan’s sleeve.

He Zhenzhen: ??? Did I just achieve the opposite effect???

Earlier, when Du Yunge first heard He Zhenzhen’s voice, she had already taken hold of one of Xue Shuyan’s sleeves. She hadn’t let go during the entire conversation with He Zhenzhen. If not for that, given Xue Shuyan’s temperament, she wouldn’t have merely taken half a step forward as a warning. She likely would have drawn her blade outright and held it horizontally, giving He Zhenzhen a vivid demonstration of what it meant to “dare take another half-step and taste cold steel.”

He Zhenzhen had long given up any hope of driving a wedge between these two. All she could do was inwardly curse them with venomous resentment, wishing that one day they would fall out over the Han-Hu conflict. How many blood brothers and loving couples across the land had been torn apart by this very issue? If these two ever truly broke ties over such a matter, she would laugh heartily three times and host a grand feast for three days and three nights to celebrate!

Still, she had to maintain appearances. Since she had already started the conversation, she had no choice but to grit her teeth and finish what she had begun:

“This is truly baffling. Ah, it’s all my fault for failing to manage my people properly. We’ve always provided them with good food and drink, so why would they commit such an act of ingratitude? It truly breaks my heart.”

Du Yunge, aside from speaking up earlier to defend Qin Shanshan, had not taken the initiative to say anything else tonight. This was just as well, as the saying “more words, more mistakes” held true everywhere. If she accidentally revealed something only an insider of He Manor should know, she would be in serious trouble.

Unexpectedly, it was Qin Shanshan who picked up the thread of the conversation.

The courtesan in red gently plucked the strings of her pipa, and a cascade of crisp, resonant notes flowed from her slender fingers. The music effectively silenced He Zhenzhen, who had been about to add unnecessary explanations, and Du Yunge, who had nearly blurted out, “I don’t believe a word of it!” Only then did Qin Shanshan lift her eyes, smile faintly, and say nonchalantly:

“The Sect Leader hasn’t given me my reward yet.”

Du Yunge’s heart sank. When she glanced at He Zhenzhen, she inwardly groaned:

This courtesan’s ability to provoke was as exceptional as her singing talent. Thanks to her, He Zhenzhen’s attention had shifted entirely away from Du Yunge and was now fixed on the courtesan who had chosen the perfect moment to interrupt:

“A mere singer. What do you mean by that? Do you only have eyes for the Sect Leader of Miaoyin Sect and not for me, the Manor Lord of He Manor? Who gave you the audacity to look down on me?!”

It was only then that a trace of surprise finally appeared on Qin Shanshan’s face, as if she had just noticed the woman before her who bore a subtle resemblance to her. Her next words confirmed this:

“Indeed, I’ve only just seen you now.”

Had Du Yunge or Xue Shuyan slighted her, He Zhenzhen might not have been so enraged. After all, one was the Sect Leader of Miaoyin Sect, and the other was widely recognized as a young hero of the Central Plains martial world. Even if one was merely pretty-faced and the other a socially awkward Hu-Han half-blood, He Zhenzhen, no matter how much she inwardly despised them, had to acknowledge their equal status on the surface. But to be spoken to in such a manner by a mere singing courtesan from Qinhuai not just someone as petty as He Zhenzhen, but any self-respecting person would find it hard to tolerate.

Just as He Zhenzhen was about to fly into a rage, nearly drawing the whip at her waist to teach this audacious courtesan a lesson and show her the consequences of overstepping, Qin Shanshan gracefully rose from her chair, bowed to them with a smile, and said:

“Whoever gives me the reward is the one I see.”

Du Yunge thought to herself, Good girl, you really shouldn’t keep thinking about that reward money. Running for your life is the real priority here. Can’t you see how determined He Zhenzhen is to disfigure you, even if it means resorting to violence on my Miaoyin Sect’s turf? She quickly spoke up:

“What do you want?”

“Me!” Qin Shanshan’s eyes shimmered as she suddenly broke into a smile directed at Du Yunge. Her gaze was truly captivating He Zhenzhen’s level of allure was nothing but an amateurish display in comparison, completely overshadowed by the charm of this Qinhuai Courtesan:

“I’ve never been fond of vulgar things like gold, silver, or jewels, but I’ve always had a weakness for beautiful things. Lovely faces, fine wine, exquisite silks, luxurious carriages, I adore them all.”

“Since that’s the case, Sect Master, how about letting me get a little closer? Just a hug from you would fulfill a lifelong wish of mine.”

At this point, He Zhenzhen wasn’t the only one who wanted to punch her.

Du Yunge: ??? Friend??? Isn’t living a good thing?! Why are you courting death?!

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