The Cannon Fodder Supporting Female Character is Still Alive Today - Chapter 27
Chapter 27: Covert Plot (1)
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When Bai Yao followed Luo Qi back to the dance troupe’s resting place, Lie Ruyang was sitting on the railing, wearing her mask, idly swinging her dangling feet.
Seeing Bai Yao and Luo Qi, she jumped down from the railing, raised an eyebrow, and said, “Why are you two always being lovey-dovey behind my back?”
Player Bai Yao, choosing to use the keyword filter.
Not getting a reply, Lie Ruyang looked serious and said, “I just went to check. There’s only one river that leads out, but the current is too strong. I don’t think it’s feasible.”
Bai Yao said, “We can continue to stay in the fortress for the next few days. There shouldn’t be any major issues.”
Pausing, Bai Yao continued, “The only issue is Su Mubai. It would be best if we could postpone his wedding with Hu Jiu—”
Lie Ruyang asked, “Why do you say that? What happened to you two just now?”
Bai Yao decided to lay it out frankly: “There is an eighty percent chance that the Third Prince Qin Wufang will soon lead troops to suppress the bandits.”
Lie Ruyang paused and said, “Even if that were true, this is a state secret.”
Lie Ruyang’s expression became solemn, “How would Miss Bai know?”
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Well.
What else can she do?
She can only revert to her old profession.
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Bai Yao looked up at Lie Ruyang and said with utmost sincerity, “Don’t judge me by my appearance. I can actually tell fortunes.”
Lie Ruyang immediately laughed, “You can tell fortunes?”
“Don’t believe me?” Bai Yao glanced at Luo Qi and said, “Luo Qi, I’ll go talk to her over there for a few minutes.”
Bai Yao added, “Don’t worry, just ordinary conversation! I’ll calculate one of her secrets or something, purely to prove that I really can tell fortunes.”
To fully address Luo Qi’s feelings, Bai Yao tip-toed and leaned close to Luo Qi’s ear, whispering, “I like you best!”
The warm breath wrapped around her earlobe. Luo Qi froze, and heat and flush quickly spread down from her ear tip.
Luo Qi then lowered her eyes and said, “Mhm. Go ahead.”
Having developed near-immunity to the two people in front of her, Lie Ruyang took in Bai Yao’s movement, smacked her lips, and didn’t propose, “I want one too.”
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Lie Ruyang was led quite far away by Bai Yao. When they finally stopped, she laughed and said, “How are you planning to prove to me that you can tell fortunes?”
Bai Yao looked up at Lie Ruyang and whispered, “Among the people you work with, you are the perennial second place.”
Lie Ruyang: “I don’t know why, but hearing you say that makes me a little unhappy.”
Bai Yao thought for a moment and offered a remedy: “But you don’t suffer much loss when you fight the number one.”
Lie Ruyang’s face brightened slightly. Just as she was about to resume smiling, Bai Yao added, “However, the reason you don’t suffer a loss is partly because you are very clever, but there is another reason—”
Bai Yao said, “That person is letting you win.”
The smile on Lie Ruyang’s face instantly disappeared.
Whenever they sparred, the person ranked number one always treated her with deference, like a younger sister, because she was a woman, which greatly irritated Lie Ruyang.
However, this was a secret that didn’t leave the palace, and even few people in the palace knew it.
After a long moment, Lie Ruyang said to Bai Yao, “You seem like a different person.”
Lie Ruyang continued, “But this is good. You’ve become very interesting. It makes me want to know what you plan to do next, and what you will do.”
Bai Yao: “…”
A different person?
The way she said it sounded as if she had known her before.
Bai Yao said, “Did you know me before?”
Lie Ruyang countered, “Miss Yun Niao is so clever, yet you can’t recognize me?”
Bai Yao only assumed Lie Ruyang was someone Yun Niao used to know. Since the book never mentioned it, Bai Yao couldn’t guess at all.
Bai Yao simply changed the subject, saying, “Can you help me keep my ‘Yun Niao’ identity a secret?”
“Are you saying not to tell Luo Qi? Why?” Lie Ruyang said, “Aren’t you two very close?”
“Ruyang, a gentleman’s friendship should be as clear as water.”
Bai Yao looked solemn: “I don’t want my family background to affect my friendships.”
Lie Ruyang couldn’t tell how much of that was sincere, but she still said, “Alright, I promise you. This isn’t a big deal anyway, just changing a title.”
Bai Yao was still thinking about how to persuade Lie Ruyang further, but Lie Ruyang suddenly changed the subject and said, “Then can you tell a fortune for me?”
Bai Yao was taken aback, “…”
She just opened shop casually, and now she has a customer?
Lie Ruyang pulled out a small jade bottle from her sleeve and held it up to Bai Yao’s face.
The small jade bottle had a white jade base, subtly intertwined with faint green silk markings.
Bai Yao looked at the bottle in confusion. After a moment, she gasped, “When did you steal Si Qingyu’s medicine bottle?”
When Si Qingyu suppressed the poison for Su Mubai earlier, the bottle she took out was exactly like this.
Unlike the rough texture of ordinary medicine bottles, this one was exquisitely crafted and beautiful, like a small piece of art. Bai Yao had glanced at it a few times and remembered it clearly.
Lie Ruyang’s eyes moved, and she smiled, “The strange thing is, this isn’t Si Qingyu’s.”
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Earlier, when Lie Ruyang saw Si Qingyu detoxifying Su Mubai, her expression changed instantly because she saw Si Qingyu pull out the same medicine bottle as her own.
Lie Ruyang said to Bai Yao, “This bottle was given to me by someone else, but you can probably tell that this bottle is not some mass-market item.”
Lie Ruyang added, “Moreover, I paid close attention just now. The medicine Si Qingyu poured out was also the same as the one in my bottle.”
Lie Ruyang presented the question she wanted to divine: “I’m very curious, what is the relationship between Si Qingyu and the person who gave me this medicine bottle?”
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Given: There is a small bottle, resembling jade. Si Qingyu has an identical bottle, but the owner of this bottle is not Si Qingyu.
Question: What is the connection between Si Qingyu and the owner of the bottle?
Hey!
Is there something wrong?
Bai Yao pointed to her own head: “Does this thing, with a maximum diameter of only twenty centimeters, look invincible?”
Who could possibly answer a question like that?
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No.
I can.
I have to be able to.
This is exactly the opportunity Bai Yao wanted.
Bai Yao said, “If I can really divine something, can you do me a favor?”
Lie Ruyang raised an eyebrow and nodded with a smile.
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Deal.
Having secured Lie Ruyang’s promise of assistance, Bai Yao said, “Then I’ll try.”
Bai Yao took the small jade bottle into her palm, clasping her hands together as if praying.
Then she raised her elbows, sending her hands towards the sky, while simultaneously lowering her head and beginning to work hard to…
… make things up.
The person Lie Ruyang interacts with is most likely someone from the palace. Thus, it is highly possible that Si Qingyu, being an agent of Qin Wufang, has also encountered them.
After just a few seconds, relying on her extensive experience reading books and watching shows, Bai Yao lowered her hands.
Bai Yao looked wise and steady, and said slowly, “I have indeed sensed something.”
Next, please tune into the youth inspirational, passionate, emotional drama theater: Bai Yao Speaks.
Bai Yao said, “This bottle carries a trace of residual feeling. It tells me that the original owner of your bottle has a great connection with Si Qingyu. And the core of this connection is simply one word.”
Bai Yao was as stable as an old dog, and absolutely certain: “Love.”
I’m sorry, Si Qingyu. Since you also lied to me, I’ll just have to temporarily give you a little lover.
Bai Yao said, “To give away such a life-saving antidote, the relationship between two people must be extraordinary. Moreover, look at Si Qingyu’s cold personality; she doesn’t seem like the type to just hand out things randomly.”
Bai Yao confidently drew her conclusion: “Therefore, there is an eighty percent chance that the owner of your bottle and Si Qingyu are involved romantically.”
A fierce torrent of made-up nonsense, though she was completely unsure inside.
Having finished this act, seeing no reaction from Lie Ruyang, Bai Yao attempted to salvage the situation: “Actually, I’m not necessarily accurate—”
At the same moment, Lie Ruyang said, “Mhm.”
Lie Ruyang said, “I think so too.”
Bai Yao: “What did you just say?”
Lie Ruyang said, “I think I’ve seen Si Qingyu before, but I never got a clear look at her face. I always thought she was a man.”
Lie Ruyang whispered, “So, it looks like the Princess wasn’t secretly meeting a lover, but just a female friend.”
Bai Yao: “…”
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Lie Ruyang.
I think I accidentally overheard a state secret!
Bai Yao quickly raised her hands to cover her ears: “I’m deaf! I can’t hear anything!”
Please don’t eliminate me!
However, Lie Ruyang laughed, “What are you afraid of? I said the Princess met a woman. What’s the big deal?”
Lie Ruyang continued, “But their relationship is really good. They hug and kiss every time they meet, just like you and Luo Qi.”
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Damn it.
Help!
Why are there so many secrets?!
Someone please stop this super-straight girl who can’t keep her mouth shut!!!
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Bai Yao held onto her last breath and said, “Lie Ruyang, what kind of ‘love’ did you think I meant?”
Lie Ruyang said, “Friendship. I think your divination was quite accurate.”
Bai Yao looked at Lie Ruyang, her face ashen, and said, “Lie Ruyang. Compared to you, I seriously doubt whether I’m straight anymore.”
Lie Ruyang didn’t quite understand what Bai Yao meant, but having gotten used to her recent rambling, she smiled and said, “I didn’t expect you to actually have some tricks up your sleeve. So?”
Lie Ruyang asked, “What favor do you want me to help with?”
Bai Yao pounded her chest, catching her breath, and said, “Si Qingyu is the Third Prince’s person. She knows my identity and wants me to return to the General’s Mansion.”
Bai Yao said, “But I don’t want to go back yet, so I want you to help me.”
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When Bai Yao and Lie Ruyang walked back, Luo Qi was standing under the eaves, turning to look at them.
With the matter temporarily settled, Bai Yao felt much more relaxed. After saying goodbye, she turned and left.
After standing outside the room for a while longer, Lie Ruyang swayed a few steps and looked at Luo Qi next to her, “If you have something to say, just say it. Stop staring at me like that, alright?”
Luo Qi had just wiped her sword. The gleaming silver blade lay on her lap, which to Lie Ruyang seemed like a silent threat.
Luo Qi asked Lie Ruyang, “Why have you been following us, even going so far as to enter this fortress with me to save people?”
“Us?” Lie Ruyang shook her head and said, “To be precise, I’m not following you. I’m following Miss Bai.”
As she finished this sentence, Lie Ruyang had already stepped back, preparing to dodge any sudden sword strike from Luo Qi.
However, contrary to her expectations, Luo Qi’s expression was normal and didn’t show hostility like the previous times.
This actually made Lie Ruyang a little unaccustomed, “What? Why aren’t you reacting this time?”
Luo Qi looked up at Lie Ruyang and asked, “Lie Ruyang, do you like Yao Yao?”
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“Yes, I like her.”
Lie Ruyang said, “She’s so interesting. I’m following her because I find her interesting.”
Luo Qi frowned when she answered the first part, but after hearing the second part, her frown eased.
Above them was a projecting eave, obscuring the moonlight and casting a vague shadow over Luo Qi’s shoulder and face.
Luo Qi whispered, “Not that kind of like.”
Lie Ruyang: “?”
The always mischievous Second Class Dark Disciple paused. Lie Ruyang looked confused and said, “Then what kind of like are you talking about?”
“No,” Lie Ruyang said, “how many kinds of liking can there be between two women?”
Luo Qi lifted her eyes from the shadow to look at Lie Ruyang. The surrounding light was dim, but her eyes seemed to glow.
Luo Qi said, “The kind of liking where you want to be together forever, without any divided loyalty.”
Lie Ruyang was startled. She stared at Luo Qi’s eyes and asked in confusion, “Isn’t that the kind of liking that exists between husband and wife?”
Luo Qi blinked upon hearing this. Just when Lie Ruyang thought the brightness in her eyes would dim, she heard Luo Qi speak with even greater certainty.
Luo Qi said, “The feeling I have for Yao Yao is that kind of liking.”
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Lie Ruyang stood rooted to the spot, staring at Luo Qi for a long time.
She felt like she could understand Luo Qi’s words, but she truly didn’t understand what Luo Qi meant.
But before she could ask more, Luo Qi got up and walked back into the room, leaving Lie Ruyang standing under the eaves, utterly bewildered.
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Bai Yao returned to the room where Su Mubai was sleeping, and sure enough, a little maid was waiting for her—the same one who had helped her change clothes earlier.
The little maid said, “Miss Bai, the Third Master asked me to wait for you here.”
“Mhm, I know.”
Bai Yao said, “Can you take me to sleep in the room where I changed clothes today?”
The little maid agreed. After entering the room, Bai Yao looked around but found that the clothes she had changed out of were gone.
Bai Yao asked in confusion, “Where are my clothes?”
The little maid replied, “The Third Master said that you will wear the new dresses he bought from now on, so he ordered someone to take your old clothes and throw them away.”
Bai Yao: “…”
She had hidden some jewelry in that outfit, and the reason she specifically came to this room was to retrieve it.
Oh well, oh well.
Consider it losing money to avert disaster.
After comforting herself, Bai Yao thought again that since she was with Luo Qi, she didn’t worry about getting by.
Wait?
Why do I feel like I’m subtly degenerating?
But before the degenerating Bai Yao could carefully analyze the nature of her decay, she saw a faint glint of light under the table.
Bai Yao quickly lay down, reached out to grope around, and pulled out a small pendant.
The small pendant was emerald green, with a faint mark of a small leaf on it.
This was one of the pieces of jewelry she had hidden in her clothes. It must have fallen out when they took the clothing away.
One is better than none.
Thinking this, Bai Yao carefully put the small pendant away.
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Early the next morning, Bai Yao got up early.
As soon as she opened the door, a little maid came up to her. Bai Yao asked, “Is there a river in your fortress?”
The little maid replied, “Yes. Why are you asking, Miss?”
Bai Yao asked, “Are there fish in the river?”
“Yes,” the little maid said, “They are very fresh. Would you like to eat fish?”
Thinking for a moment, the little maid said, “There are a few people in the fortress who are good at swimming. Why don’t I ask them to help…”
“No, no need,” Bai Yao waved her hand, “I just want to stroll by the water.”
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Following the direction the little maid pointed, Bai Yao walked toward the river. On the way, she passed by a courtyard entrance where a few bandits were gathered, chatting.
“By the way, did you know there was a major incident down the mountain?”
“What major incident?”
“It’s about the Liu family, you know? The one where a woman married into the General’s Mansion.”
Bai Yao froze, stopping her steps.
Married into the General’s Mansion, Liu family?
Bai Yao clearly remembered that Yun Niao’s mother in the original book was from the Liu family, named Liu Ningyue.
Lowering her head to the side, pretending to adjust her skirt, Bai Yao listened as the bandits continued their conversation.
“I know, I know. What happened?”
“Their Liu family was massacred, all in one night.”
“It was horrific. We don’t know who did it. By the time they were discovered, everyone in the mansion was dead. Blood was everywhere, in every room, not a single person left.”
Bai Yao frowned. Someone asked the question in her heart.
“Ah? That’s too scary. Didn’t the local authorities investigate?”
“Hey, we’re bandits, why do you still find it scary?”
“Well, is that the same? How often do we kill people? A massacre in one night, just imagine. There must be countless vengeful spirits; they’ll all come back.”
“Hey kid, talk about something lucky in broad daylight.”
Someone steered the conversation back, saying, “The local officials investigated, but they couldn’t find anything.”
“What use are the officials? If you ask me, we should just stay here, build a fortress, live together, with wine and meat! How great is that!”
Then several people echoed the praise for the wonderful life at Black Cloud Fortress. Bai Yao moved on, no longer listening.
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That’s not right.
That’s not right at all.
In the original book, after Yun Niao and her mother died, the Liu family did indeed completely disappear from Shangjing, but not through a massacre.
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In For the Prince, For the Phoenix, the early Luo Qingfan was a renowned talented woman in the region. Although her family later declined, she was still an astonishingly beautiful and exceptional woman.
At that time, Liu Ningyue’s elder brother, Liu Shiqing, was also obsessed with Luo Qingfan. However, Luo Qingfan only had eyes for Yun Yingnan and regarded the morally flawed Liu Shiqing as dirt.
As a result of his unrequited love, Liu Shiqing developed resentment towards Luo Qingfan.
The untraceable poison—’Life-Exterminator’—that Liu Ningyue administered to Luo Qingfan was also procured with Liu Shiqing’s help.
At that time, Luo Qingfan had already been confined to a side courtyard by the increasingly suspicious Yun Yingnan, who was away on a distant military campaign.
Sensing Liu Ningyue’s intent to kill her, Luo Qingfan fled with the young Luo Qi overnight.
A guard in the mansion, feeling sympathy for Luo Qingfan, allowed the mother and daughter to escape.
However, the two were later pursued by members of the Liu family. Luo Qingfan had no choice but to bury Luo Qi under a pile of leaves and lead the pursuers away.
Luo Qingfan was later captured and brought back to the General’s Mansion, administered the ‘Life-Exterminator,’ and died instantly.
The young Luo Qi hid in the dry leaves for an entire day and night, unmoving even through the heavy rain, because Luo Qingfan had told her, “Don’t move, you must hide well.”
The young Luo Qi never waited for her mother to return. She collapsed in the grass and was taken home by a farmer.
The farmer had no money to hire a physician, so he could only kneel at his doorway praying to the Bodhisattva. He was then encountered by the passing Guiwang.
When the young Luo Qi woke up, Guiwang was sitting by her bedside, testing her martial arts meridian.
The news of the General’s wife dying from grief had already spread throughout Shiyu.
Afterward, the Liu family, still uneasy, searched everywhere for the young Luo Qi, but by then, the young Luo Qi had been taken back to Guiming Mountain by Guiwang and could not be found.
In the original book, after Liu Ningyue and Yun Niao died, although the General’s Mansion concealed the true cause of death for Liu Ningyue and Yun Niao, the Liu family couldn’t help but investigate.
So, when they learned that their family members had died in the General’s Mansion because of their actions years ago, the Liu family saw that Yun Yingnan was so crazy he wouldn’t even spare his own daughter, and they immediately feared for their own lives.
Knowing they couldn’t contend with Yun Yingnan and afraid of being implicated or targeted, the Liu family simply fled overnight.
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But what about the massacre now?
Bai Yao pondered. Could it be that because she successfully escaped this time, the Liu family didn’t perceive the deadly threat and didn’t flee, so Yun Yingnan massacred them?
And was Yun Yingnan really so insane as to wipe out the entire Liu family?
Musing over this, Bai Yao walked all the way to the riverbank.
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Bai Yao stood by the river, looking out. The banks were green, and the rapids crashed against the stones.
As Lie Ruyang had said, the river was extremely wide and the current was very swift.
It was indeed not a feasible escape route.
Walking two steps closer, Bai Yao stepped onto a rock on the bank and reached her hand into the water, feeling the current.
Although summer was approaching, the weather was still cool, and the river water was even colder.
But thankfully, it was not unbearable.
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Bai Yao squatted by the bank for a long time. When she stood up again, her legs were a little sore.
The stones on the bank were wet from the water, making them slippery.
But just as Bai Yao stumbled, someone behind her steadied her waist.
Luo Qi reached out and embraced Bai Yao, lifting her by the waist back to the bank.
Bai Yao looked up and recognized Luo Qi. She immediately smiled, “How did you know I was here?”
Luo Qi said, “I happened to see you by the river just now, so I came over to check.”
As she spoke, Luo Qi led Bai Yao a few steps away, bending down to help her pick off the grass and twigs stuck to the hem of her skirt.
Bai Yao asked, “Does your dance troupe need to perform again?”
Luo Qi said, “The stage hasn’t been rebuilt yet. At least not until after tonight.”
While they were talking, someone passed by, saw Luo Qi, and said, “Hey, little brother from the dance troupe over there, come help us carry some things.”
Bai Yao said, “Go ahead.”
When under someone else’s roof, being low-key is important.
Luo Qi nodded. Just as she turned to leave, Bai Yao grabbed her wrist from behind.
Luo Qi turned back and asked, “What is it?”
Bai Yao thought for a moment and said, “Luo Qi, you believe I can tell fortunes, right?”
Luo Qi said, “Mhm, I told you, I believe you.”
Bai Yao said, “So, I’m the kind of person who always turns misfortune into blessing.”
She seemed to be speaking to Luo Qi, and also to herself.
Luo Qi didn’t know why Bai Yao suddenly said this, but she replied, “Mhm, I know. Yao Yao is kind-hearted and beautiful, and will always turn misfortune into blessing.”
Why the sudden praise!
Being praised by a person with Level 1 beauty using a Level 1 melodious voice, before she could blush, Bai Yao quickly said, “You should go quickly. I’ll see you tonight.”
Bai Yao smiled, “You must wait for me at the dance troupe’s place. I have a surprise for you.”
Hearing Bai Yao actively say she would come to find her tonight, Luo Qi smiled, “Okay.”
Walking toward the person who had called her, Luo Qi lowered her head and looked at her palm.
Yao Yao’s waist is very slender, with no muscle. It felt exceptionally soft when held in my hand.
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When Bai Yao returned, she found that Su Mubai had woken up.
He was sitting by the table, seeming to be staring blankly, then watched Bai Yao walk in with a dazed expression.
Su Mubai managed a slight, strained smile and said, “Miss Bai.”
Bai Yao asked, “How are you feeling?”
Su Mubai said, “I’m fine. I don’t feel anything.”
Bai Yao asked, “Did Hu Jiu come to see you?”
Su Mubai: “…He did.”
Bai Yao nodded, about to speak, when Su Mubai came closer and whispered, “Miss Bai, Hu Jiu has a token that can help us escape. I will try to get my hands on that token if I get the chance.”
Su Mubai was indeed a smart person.
But even so, the opportunity might not arise.
Bai Yao also lowered her voice and said, “I actually received news that the Imperial Court should be coming to suppress the bandits in a few days.”
Su Mubai was initially delighted upon hearing this, but then added, “But Hu Jiu wants to marry me tomorrow.”
Bai Yao: “…We will try our best to find a way to delay him…”
Even as she said this, Bai Yao wasn’t confident.
Bai Yao looked at the food on the table and asked, “You haven’t eaten much, have you? Aren’t you hungry?”
Su Mubai said, “Not hungry.”
However, no sooner had he finished speaking than his stomach rumbled.
Bai Yao asked, “…You haven’t eaten since you woke up?”
Su Mubai turned his head slightly, looking embarrassed, and said, “Mhm, I haven’t eaten much.”
Bai Yao looked at the plates of food on the table, which were clearly untouched, and guessed: “Did Hu Jiu send all this over?”
Su Mubai: “…Mhm.”
Bai Yao sighed and advised, “Brother Mubai, you can’t be like this. Even if you don’t like him, the food is innocent. You need to eat to have the energy to think about other things, don’t you?”
Bai Yao implied that he needed to be full to run away.
However, Su Mubai looked at her and still shook his head.
Ay, why is he so stubborn?
As expected of the pure and refined male second lead, he must be trying to maintain his virtue and die rather than submit.
Bai Yao took a step forward, about to offer more advice, when she heard Su Mubai say, “It’s not that I don’t want to eat.”
Su Mubai said somewhat aggrievedly, “Hu Jiu said he cooked this food himself. I don’t mind, but the food is really…”
Su Mubai said, “It’s too disgusting.”
???
Su Mubai said miserably, “I’m very hungry, but it’s really too disgusting.”
Bai Yao: “…”
Please, retract all my previous sentiments.
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But how bad could a dish possibly be?
Bai Yao, not believing it, walked over, picked up a pair of clean chopsticks, and took a bite.
Help!
Bai Yao quickly took the teacup Su Mubai handed her and rinsed her mouth, saying, “I’ll take you to find something to eat.”
She thought she had seen a small kitchen when she returned.
Su Mubai immediately nodded: “Thank you, Miss Bai.”
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Only one man was guarding the door of the small kitchen. After recognizing Su Mubai, he let the two of them in.
The man looked around for a while and found a cage of still-warm steamed buns. Bai Yao took two in her hand and handed the rest of the tray to Su Mubai.
Sitting in the kitchen and finishing the buns, seeing Su Mubai’s still somber expression, Bai Yao lowered her voice and said, “Don’t worry too much.”
Su Mubai said, “It’s fine.”
After the two finished their buns, they walked out of the kitchen for a distance. Bai Yao turned back and, after confirming no one was around, said to Su Mubai, “What are you doing with that?”
Su Mubai asked in confusion, “What are you talking about, Miss Bai?”
Bai Yao frowned, reached out and grabbed Su Mubai’s sleeve, carefully pinching a sharp blade through the fabric.
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Just now in the kitchen, as they were leaving, Su Mubai pretended to trip but actually quickly slipped a small knife from the chopping block.
He was premeditated, acting quickly and decisively. The man guarding the kitchen didn’t notice, but Bai Yao happened to see it.
Bai Yao said, “What use is such a small knife? We can’t afford a head-on clash.”
Su Mubai had no martial arts, and Hu Jiu was one of the strongest fighters in Black Cloud Fortress.
Bai Yao even suspected Hu Jiu could break this thin knife with his finger.
As someone from the Spring Rain Pavilion, although the Su Mubai in the book mostly studied beneficial philosophies and wasn’t good at schemes, he wouldn’t be so addled as to try something so futile, would he?
But Su Mubai said, “It’s not for Hu Jiu.”
Bai Yao wondered, “Then what are you going to do?”
Su Mubai smiled and answered, “Mubai originally came down the mountain after completing his studies, intending to make a name for himself in Shangjing. But now I’m trapped in the fortress. If I can’t preserve my innocence, under these circumstances, I was planning to…”
Bai Yao interrupted him, saying urgently, “Hey, you’re a grown man. Can’t you be a little stronger?”
Bai Yao spoke emotionally: “When a person is alive, you must cherish your life. As long as you’re alive, anything is possible!”
“No…” Su Mubai said, “Miss Bai misunderstood. I didn’t mean to end my life.”
Su Mubai blinked and said, “I just miss the roasted pheasant my master made for me when I was on the mountain. So I wanted to catch one myself and roast it to eat.”
Bai Yao: “…?”
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Su Mubai.
I have the right to suspect you are stealing my silly character setting.
150
Bai Yao was momentarily speechless.
After a long pause, Bai Yao said, “Fine. Well, good luck then.”
Su Mubai smiled and nodded.
Bai Yao turned and walked forward, but out of her sight, Su Mubai lowered his head and stared at the blade in his sleeve, his eyes utterly dark.
But Bai Yao turned back again and said, “Forget it, forget it. It’s partly my fault you’re in this mess. I’ll help you smooth things over.”
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After the time it takes for one stick of incense to burn, the two walked out of Hu Jiu’s courtyard, followed by Hu Jiu’s joyous thanks.
Earlier, Bai Yao led Su Mubai into Hu Jiu’s courtyard, invoked her fortune-telling skills, and spouted a load of nonsense to Hu Jiu. She finally managed to push the wedding date back by five days.
Bai Yao said, “I wanted to help you push it back further, but he was too insistent. But I calculated it, and it only takes three days to get here from Shangjing, so it will definitely be in time.”
Su Mubai sincerely said, “Thank you, Miss Bai!”
Bai Yao said, “Then can you throw away that knife in your sleeve?”
Su Mubai was startled, “Miss Bai, you knew?”
Bai Yao knew that the roasted pheasant Su Mubai mentioned was probably a lie.
The Spring Rain Pavilion in the book was full of old fuddy-duddies. Who would roast a pheasant for Su Mubai?
A scholar raised in humility and etiquette since childhood couldn’t accept being humiliated by bandits. He clearly planned to die to end it all.
Now completely seen through, Su Mubai no longer concealed it. He cupped his hands and said, “Miss Bai’s life-saving grace, Mubai will never forget. If Miss needs anything from Mubai in the future, Mubai will do my utmost, even unto death!”
Bai Yao waved her hand: “Alright, alright, it’s not that serious. Don’t talk about dying.”
Bai Yao mumbled quietly, “If anyone is going to die, it’s probably me first…”
A breeze blew past. The sound of Bai Yao’s last sentence was so small it was almost inaudible. Su Mubai asked, “What did you say, Miss Bai?”
Bai Yao said, “Nothing.”
152
That evening, as dusk approached, Bai Yao went to the riverbank again.
This time, she specifically brought the little maid. Both were carrying small baskets, and Bai Yao was holding a fishing spear.
Bai Yao rolled up her sleeves and smiled at the young girl, saying, “I’m going to spear a fish for the Fourth Master to eat.”
The little maid looked at the swift current and asked doubtfully, “The water is so fast. Can you spear a fish, Miss?”
“Yes, definitely.”
Bai Yao said, “I saw a few when I came to look during the day. I used to spear fish often at home. I’m very skilled.”
This was true.
Bai Yao used to live in the countryside with her grandparents, and the village also had a large river like this. Bai Yao often went into the water with her grandfather to spear fish.
Sometimes she caught more fish than her grandfather.
But now, Bai Yao tried for a long time but didn’t even touch a fish’s tail.
The little maid watching from the side grew anxious and said, “Forget it, Miss. There are probably some in the kitchen already. You can just take those and cook them.”
“How can I do that?” Bai Yao retorted. “Spearing one myself for the Fourth Master to cook shows my sincerity towards her.”
The little maid said, “Why are you so good to our Fourth Master, Miss?”
Bai Yao turned her eyes and smiled, replying, “You don’t know, your Fourth Master is a good person. She just agreed to help me with a big favor. I need to thank her properly.”
Saying this, she pretended to look carefully into the water and said, “Ah, I know why. The fish are all ahead. The water is too shallow where I’m standing, and the fish don’t come here. I really can’t catch anything here.”
The little maid saw her standing in the cold water for a long time and worriedly asked, “Then what should we do?”
Bai Yao looked distressed: “No, no. I need to walk further in.”
As she spoke, Bai Yao moved her arms and legs and actually stepped forward.
While they were talking, the sky had grown even darker. The little maid saw Bai Yao walk into the swift water and anxiously said, “Miss, don’t go any further in! It’s dangerous!”
Bai Yao turned back to look at her, smiling as she replied, “Don’t worry, I’m…”
Before she could finish the word “fine,” Bai Yao suddenly cried out in the water.
Immediately, she seemed to step on something slippery, and her entire body fell into the water, splashing water everywhere.
The little maid on the bank instantly screamed in terror, “Miss! Miss, get up quickly!”
However, the force of the water current was too great. While the little maid was shouting, the pink-dressed Bai Yao completely lost control and was instantly swept away, rushing downstream for dozens of meters.
153
“Help! Help!”
The little maid frantically ran back, but it was dinnertime, and the area around the river was deserted. By the time she finally called for help, Bai Yao had already been swept away and was nowhere to be seen.
The little maid was frantic, repeatedly saying, “What should we do? What should we do?”
A bandit said, “Quickly search along the riverbank! Maybe she got caught on something halfway!”
Several bandits immediately ran off.
Among the remaining people, one whispered, “She was swept away. This probably won’t end well.”
Another person echoed, “Just past here, it leads out of the fortress, and there’s a big waterfall. Forget a young lady, even if our Second Master fell down there, it would be a death sentence.”
Everyone fell silent. Only the little maid was softly sobbing.
Then one person said, “This young lady was the one the Third Master wanted to give to the Fourth Master. We should tell the Third Master first.”
154
When a group of people rushed into Gu Sanmei’s courtyard, Gu Sanmei, who had just finished dinner, was wearing a new hairstyle made of various colored scarves. He was in a good mood and planned to go find Si Qingyu to talk about Bai Yao’s attraction to her.
But before he could step out of the courtyard gate, he was stopped by the group of people.
First, the little maid cried out, “Third Master, this is terrible! Miss Bai, Miss Bai is gone!”
Gu Sanmei was stunned, then said, “?! Miss Bai ran away again?”
“No, no, it’s not that…” The little maid cried, “Miss Bai went to catch fish for the Fourth Master, but she fell into the river and was swept away by the current!”
Gu Sanmei: “What?!”
Then Gu Sanmei led a group of people away with great fanfare…
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