A Pawn's Passage

There was a saying that a long separation could ignite passion between a couple more than that of newlyweds. Come to think of it, Qi Xuansu and Zhang Yuelu had been separated for nearly half a year, so one could only imagine their joy of seeing each other again.

Qi Xuansu quietly held Zhang Yuelu’s hand again.

He preferred to take risks in life, living on the edge of his blade, but he also enjoyed moments of peace like this. It was a feeling akin to the first rain after a long drought.

Qi Xuansu noticed Zhang Yuelu’s beautiful eyes staring at him and the contented smile on her face.

Zhang Yuelu suggested, “Shall we go for a walk?”

Wanting to spend more time with her, Qi Xuansu naturally agreed.

Zhang Yuelu’s courtyard was located at a spot with a nice view, sharing a large lake with the other courtyards that were built around it. They were all semi-open structures, with no wall on the side facing the lake.

This lake was also connected to Zhenwu Lake.

There was a pavilion not far from the lakeside, connected to the embankment by a winding water corridor.

Qi Xuansu took Zhang Yuelu to the pavilion, and the two sat down on the built-in bench on the side, their hands still clasping each other.

He glanced at their interlaced fingers and muttered, “I thought you would retract your hand.”

As soon as he said this, Zhang Yuelu calmly removed her hand and asked, “Why do you think so?”

Qi Xuansu replied, “Because you always give people the impression that you’re very serious and dignified.”

Zhang Yuelu laughed out loud. “Of course, I have to leave that impression if I want people to take me seriously at work. But in front of you, there is no need for that.”

Qi Xuansu reached out his hand again to cover the back of her palm.

Zhang Yuelu turned her palm over and held his hand back.

Holding hands with Zhang Yuelu made Qi Xuansu feel like he was floating in the clouds. He only hoped that they could stay like this forever.

Zhang Yuelu gently leaned her head on Qi Xuansu’s shoulder and whispered, “Tian Yuan, where have you been in the past six months? What have you done?”

Qi Xuansu’s expression stiffened for a moment before he joked, “Well, it’s a long story. Since I’m telling the story, did you bring the wine?”

Zhang Yuelu casually said, “I’ve stopped drinking after your mishap.”

Qi Xuansu felt touched, as he knew how much Zhang Yuelu liked drinking. He sighed deeply, pretending to lament her sobriety. “That’s a pity. I have specially prepared some good wine, but it looks like you don’t have the luck to try it.”

Zhang Yuelu’s eyes lit up, and she quickly sat upright. “Well, since you’re back, I can break my sobriety!”

“Alright, wait here.” Qi Xuansu simpered, letting go of Zhang Yuelu’s hand and leaving the pavilion.

Not long after, Qi Xuansu returned with an exquisite brocade box that he had customized at the cost of 2 Taiping coins. It even came with two glasses, making it seem like an expensive and thoughtful gift.

Zhang Yuelu perked up. “What kind of wine is this? Is it a Western red wine?”

Qi Xuansu shook his head. “I don’t understand wine, but it’s definitely not red wine. You should see for yourself.”

Zhang Yuelu took the brocade box from Qi Xuansu and placed it on the stone table in the pavilion, opening the lid of the box without much care.

The next moment, Zhang Yuelu’s mouth gaped open. “Tian Yuan, where did you get this?!”

Qi Xuansu flashed an enigmatic smile. “It’s good wine, huh?”

“Of course, it’s good wine!” Zhang Yuelu exclaimed as she caressed the bottle. “I had only mentioned it once in passing when we first met. I didn’t expect you’d still remember!”

This was an unexpected gain for Qi Xuansu, as it was completely unintentional on his part. However, he was smart enough not to point it out and began to recall their first interaction.

Thanks to his amazing memory as a Rogue Cultivator, Qi Xuansu quickly remembered what she said. Back then, they had just left the Phoenix Tower, sitting on the steps in Taiqing Square while talking about different types of wine.

Zhang Yuelu had said, “Actually, getting drunk isn’t so bad. At least, you can temporarily forget your troubles. I’ve heard of a type of alcohol called Dreaming Death. It’s specifically made for the Sages because regular alcohol has no effect on them. If a Sage wants to get drunk, they’ll ask for a jar of Dreaming Death.

“If an ordinary person drinks Dreaming Death, they will forget many things, including their parents, spouses, children, friends, and even themselves. That’s why it’s a controlled item that is rarely seen on the market. I’ve always wanted to try it, but I’ve never had the chance.”

Qi Xuansu stared at the brocade box again. Could this be the legendary Dreaming Death that was exclusively made for Sages? These people from Huasheng Hall are so generous to put such good things in those Stupid Jars!

But thinking about it from another perspective, ordinary people would lose their memory if they drank such strong alcohol, so it could only be consumed by Heavenly Beings. This must be yet another valuable yet unmarketable product.

Qi Xuansu suppressed his inner shock and chuckled. “Of course, I remember. If it hadn’t been for that chance encounter, I wouldn’t have gained the attention of the famous Deputy Hall Master Zhang.”

Zhang Yuelu did not know what to say for a moment and only sighed softly.

Qi Xuansu asked, “Why are you sighing? Do you not like it?”

Zhang Yuelu shook her head. “No, I like it very much. But you must have put a lot of thought into getting this bottle of Dreaming Death, right?”

Qi Xuansu answered truthfully, “It didn’t take any effort at all. It just appeared, so it’s really not a big deal.”

Zhang Yuelu only thought he had said this to comfort her. She could not help but feel ashamed as she muttered, “But I didn’t buy you a gift.”

Feeling a little guilty, Qi Xuansu hurriedly said, “This is actually an apology gift. I’m not expecting you to give me anything. I know I’m not a great person, but I do feel sorry for what I’ve put you through. Qing Xiao, I like you—not because of your family, status, or tutelage—I like you because of who you are.”

Zhang Yuelu looked at him with sparkling eyes. “Tian Yuan, are you telling the truth? Or are you just coaxing me to make me feel better?”

Qi Xuansu’s expression turned solemn. “Of course, I am telling the truth.”

Zhang Yuelu’s eyes were gentle. She asked, “You mentioned this is an apology gift. What do you mean by that?”

Qi Xuansu replied, “Shall we drink and talk?”

Speaking of this, Qi Xuansu suddenly asked, “By the way, I am only in the Guizhen stage. Will I forget who I am after drinking Dreaming Death?”

“No, we just have to drink less.” Zhang Yuelu took out the two wine glasses from the brocade box and placed them on the stone table. She removed the seal on the wine bottle and filled the glasses. The wine was a crystal clear amber color, which looked enticing in the transparent glass.

Qi Xuansu picked up a glass and put it to his nose, but just a whiff of this wine made him feel tipsy.

Zhang Yuelu also picked up her glass and took a gentle sip.

“Well, it’s a long story. Where shall I start?” Qi Xuansu gently shook the wine glass, staring into the amber liquid as he began to reminisce.

A bright blush crept up Zhang Yuelu’s face due to the aftereffects of the alcohol. She smirked and suggested. “Why don’t you start from Salt Lake?”

Qi Xuansu’s face instantly stiffened.

Zhang Yuelu took another sip and added, “Or perhaps from Cuowenbu.”

He coughed lightly. “You know everything?”

She only smiled faintly in response.

“When did you find out?” Qi Xuansu probed.

Zhang Yuelu giggled. “Right now, after you said this.”

Qi Xuansu immediately understood that he had been tricked. “Oh, so you’re playing me, huh?”

“I didn’t connect the dots at first. After all, I witnessed your fall and assumed you were dead.”

Zhang Yuelu smiled more today than she had accumulated in the past six months. At this time, she propped up her chin with one hand and held her wine glass in the other as she grinned at Qi Xuansu.

“Even after seeing you again, I didn’t connect the dots until you gave me this apology gift. That made me dubious. It reminded me of a suspicion that I had denied, and the things that I couldn’t understand in the past suddenly became clear.”

“So you took the opportunity to test me, and my reaction confirmed your guess.” Qi Xuansu completed her sentence with a wry smile.

Zhang Yuelu joked, “So, shall I call you Qi Xuansu? Or Wei Wugui?”

Qi Xuansu blinked innocently. “Qi Xuansu, of course.”

Zhang Yuelu hummed in response, rather languid and charming, not at all displeased by this discovery.

He hesitated for a moment before confessing. “I killed Wan Xiuwu.”

Zhang Yuelu glanced at him and blinked. “And then what?”

Qi Xuansu probed, feeling puzzled. “Aren’t you angry? I thought you would arrest me after finding out, regardless of what I mean to you.”

She sighed. “Tian Yuan, I can’t arrest you.”

Qi Xuansu asked. “Why not?”

Zhang Yuelu stared at him intently and murmured, “I am neither a saint nor a villain.”