Chapter 47

"Though these words sound absurd, they are truly what Pei Yuxue feels in her heart—her genuine sentiment."

She was unwilling to cross swords with Yu Jingshuang—a sword should only be drawn against enemies and villains; what sense was there in pointing it at a friend?

Moreover, after learning that the person Yu Jingshuang sought was Ming Xu, a strange, inexplicable emotion stirred within Pei Yuxue. She pressed a hand to her chest, interpreting it as shame, anger, and embarrassment.

She wanted to persuade Yu Jingshuang to turn back: "Ming Xu would never..."

He would never leave with you. Long before Yu Jingshuang arrived in the South, there had already been reasons that bound him there irrevocably, firmly anchoring his footsteps...

Two months ago, when the capital's political situation first shifted, news had indeed reached the South. At that time, he had intended to return, but it was Pei Yuxue herself who, taking advantage of Ming Xu’s wavering, cowardly, impulsive, and immature nature, used her authority as his senior sect sister, as the Sword Sect leader, and the bonds of duty to trap him once again in the South.

Unbeknownst even to herself, Pei Yuxue had already interfered with and thwarted Yu Jingshuang’s hopes twice.

These words, Pei Yuxue dared not speak, nor could she bring herself to utter them. She even contemplated obstructing Yu Jingshuang from ascending the mountain to see Ming Xu... Even if it meant returning to the capital with Yu Jingshuang herself, it would be better than the three of them meeting and tearing away the last layer of "hypocritical warmth."

Yet, as the words reached her lips, she recalled what Yu Jingshuang had told her about the power struggles in the capital and her statement that "the only way to break the stalemate now is for Ming Xu himself to return to the capital..."

As a swordswoman with nothing but her martial arts, even if she went along, it would likely be of little help. How could she have the nerve to volunteer?

Thinking of this, she found it even harder to speak and could only lower her head in silence.

No matter how much sorrow churned within Pei Yuxue’s heart, her expression remained steadfast and calm. To Yu Jingshuang, it seemed as though Pei Yuxue was determined to prevent her from meeting Ming Xu.

"Fine, fine, fine!" Yu Jingshuang repeated "fine" three times, unable to hide her frustration—she had thought that after these past few days together, if not close friends, they had at least become somewhat acquainted.

Yet, in the end, they were facing each other coldly, all over a man.

Yu Jingshuang let out a cold laugh, feeling disheartened.

She thought of Ming Heng, still struggling tirelessly in the capital, his life hanging by a thread, constantly at risk of losing his head.

She also recalled how the late Empress, on her deathbed, had grasped her hand and entrusted her with the task of protecting Ming Heng’s life, her words filled with bloody tears... The weight of that responsibility pressed heavily on her heart, and she knew she could not abandon it. Turning her face away, unwilling to look at Pei Yuxue any longer, the two stood facing each other in silence, neither speaking first.

The cold wind howled, frost and snow were biting, and the blood that had seeped from cracks in her skin from days and nights of hard travel had slowly dried, sticking to her skin with a slight sting. Yu Jingshuang wiped her face carelessly, staring absently at the blood on her hand.

After a long while, she looked up at Pei Yuxue and smiled with self-mockery. "You’re right, I can’t defeat you, and I have no way to change the Sword Sect’s rules alone to go up the mountain and find Ming Xu."

Pei Yuxue glanced up and saw Yu Jingshuang turn around, pulling paper and a brush from her travel bag. In the freezing cold, the ink had hardened, so Yu Jingshuang wet the brush tip with her mouth until it softened slightly, then began to write.

Pei Yuxue couldn’t help but step closer, wanting to help hold down the flapping paper, but as soon as she reached out, Yu Jingshuang flicked the brush away and folded the paper—Pei Yuxue hadn’t seen a thing.

Yu Jingshuang handed the letter to her, speaking calmly, "Since you insist on stopping me, I won’t go up. But based on our time together, please give this letter to Ming Xu."

"I know you don’t want him to leave, but I can’t just walk away like this. I have to try one more time; otherwise, I won’t be able to face my benefactor who's passed."

Seeing Pei Yuxue take the letter in silent acquiescence, she also removed a jade ring from her finger and handed it over. "I know your Sword Sect has carrier pigeons that can fly from the towering peaks to the foot of the mountain in just a quarter of an hour. If Ming Xu is unwilling to return, send this jade ring back to me with one of those pigeons..."

She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "At that point, I will turn and leave immediately, without involving myself further in the romantic entanglements between you two."

Pei Yuxue gripped the paper tightly, slowly opening her mouth to ask, "Aren’t you afraid I might read it... or simply hide it away, never letting him know you were here?"

Yu Jingshuang smiled faintly and countered, "Are you that kind of person?"

Without waiting for an answer, she shrugged and replied to herself, "It doesn’t matter anyway. If you want to keep him clutched tightly in your hands like a treasure, then that's your choice. I only need to have tried."

Hearing this, Pei Yuxue’s expression shifted slightly. She grabbed the jade ring and said fiercely, "Fine! Because of those words, I will deliver this letter intact to Ming Xu!"

Pei Yuxue turned and left. Yu Jingshuang stood on the rock, watching the figure on horseback gradually merge with the hazy snow mist in the distance, fading into a small black dot. At that moment, she couldn’t quite identify the feeling in her heart, only a tight, suffocating feeling in her chest.

Sitting down cross-legged, Yu Jingshuang waited until the sky darkened and the daystar rose. The vast, silent snowfield was accompanied only by the howling wind and the glittering stars.

In truth, whether in Shangyan or now in Daliang, she had no shortage of friends she could call acquaintances—friends to share carefree happiness with, friends to hunt on horseback and drink to welcome spring with, friends to plan and fight alongside...

Yet, perhaps because looking at Pei Yuxue felt like looking at another version of herself, in just a few short days, Yu Jingshuang already felt as though they were old friends who hadn't seen each other for years, with a natural sense of familiarity and closeness.

Just before Pei Yuxue’s identity was revealed, Yu Jingshuang had actually been thinking of inviting Pei Yuxue to accompany her. She only worried that the capital was too dangerous; if she couldn’t even protect herself, how could she pull someone else into danger?

She had planned to ask Pei Yuxue, once they left the South, if she would be willing to wait until the troubles passed and things settled down, and then accept her invitation to meet in the capital—

But before this thought could even be fully formed, let alone spoken, they had already argued like this over Ming Xu’s stay or departure.

How ironic.

Yu Jingshuang thought to herself that she could become friends with a so-called "romantic rival" due to shared interests, but she could never accept a friend who would become jealous and petty over a man... Gazing at the sky, a wave of sadness washed over her, and she couldn’t help but ponder:

Was Ming Xu really so great?

Back then, she had shed a few tears at the city gate because Ming Xu went back on his word and abandoned her, and even now, whenever it was brought up, Yu Jingshuang felt a bit embarrassed.

But if asked whether she had been heartbroken, unable to let go—not really...

At that time, she had just been rejected by Lan Chengyuan and blamed by Wei Xie. Even if she had a heart of steel, two such blows would have left her pretty discouraged in matters of love. During the two years she spent with Ming Xu, she enjoyed his youthful energy and sincere heart, and she couldn’t help but be somewhat moved.

However, that vague, subtle affection was merely a natural inclination toward warmth in such circumstances. There was a spark of attraction, but not yet deep love.

Thus, although she felt betrayed and upset when she learned Ming Xu was leaving, she had long since gotten over it.

And now, having met Pei Yuxue, Yu Jingshuang found her to be quite an extraordinary person too. How could she be so hung up on Ming Xu, insisting on keeping him by her side?

Did he possess some charm she hadn’t noticed before?

Yu Jingshuang fell into thought.

Just then, the sound of galloping suddenly echoed from afar.

The sky was lightening; nearly a full day and night had passed since Pei Yuxue left.

Yu Jingshuang stood up, clenching her fists as she stared into the hazy snow mist, watching the figure of a rider drawing closer and closer.

Could it be Ming Xu?

A flicker of hope rose in her heart.

However, as the hoofbeats drew nearer, the sight of flowing black hair came into view—it was not him.

Perhaps because she had been prepared, Yu Jingshuang found that she didn’t feel much regret or anger, only disappointment.

It seemed Ming Xu had made the same choice as before.

Yu Jingshuang took a deep breath and watched as Pei Yuxue dismounted and walked step by step toward her.

Pei Yuxue’s expression was complex. As she approached, she simply lowered her head quietly, not speaking, as if unsure how to begin.

Now that her heart was settled, Yu Jingshuang felt no urge to take her frustration out. She stepped forward and gave a bright smile:

"Didn’t I say? If he wasn’t willing, you could just have your pigeon send the jade ring down to me. There was no need for you to come all this way yourself."

Pei Yuxue stared fixedly at her, pursed her lips, and simply produced an item, handing it to Yu Jingshuang.

Yu Jingshuang was baffled. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was a sword sheath. The sheath was empty, devoid of a blade, yet the patterns on the sheath looked very familiar. She took it and stroked the sheath.

“Yu Jingshuang…”

Pei Yuxue finally spoke, her voice inexplicably strained. “Ming Xu… had myriad unavoidable circumstances, and thus could not return with you. But I told him about your situation and showed him the letter.”

Her gaze fell upon the sheath as she murmured, “He said that even without his presence, there’s still hope for the young crown prince’s situation. If you take this sheath back, the nobles will recognize this unique sword and trust you halfway. That way, they won’t oppose you.”

As she spoke, Pei Yuxue cautiously observed Yu Jingshuang’s expression. Noticing her unease, Yu Jingshuang found it a bit funny and patted her shoulder reassuringly. “Why are you so nervous? I’m not going to blame you.”

“As the late emperor’s younger brother, Ming Xu has no obligation to side with the young crown prince. Our engagement has long been void. If he chooses to stay in the snowy mountains with you and assist you, drawing a line with me is what he ought to do.”

Yu Jingshuang gestured with the sheath, her tone calm. “...The fact that he’s willing to give me this sheath shows his stance… It’s already a rare gain from my trip to the southern lands.”

“But…”

Pei Yuxue started anxiously, but Yu Jingshuang raised a hand, cutting off her words.

“...Since you and he are in love, and you’ve delivered the letter for me, what more could I ask of you? Don’t worry, Pei Yuxue.”

Yu Jingshuang smiled gently. “My earlier offer still stands. If we meet again someday, I hope we can sit down and share a drink together.”

She turned to gaze at the horizon, where the red sun had already risen above the clouds, ascending into the sky.

She knew she had delayed for too long.

“I can’t linger any longer. The young crown prince in the capital can’t wait indefinitely. I must return as soon as possible. So… I won’t say more. Until we meet again.”

With that, Yu Jingshuang cupped her hands in salute and turned to leave without any lingering attachment. Pei Yuxue clenched her fists, stepping forward impulsively. “Wait—don’t go!”

Yu Jingshuang glanced back at her. With an unreadable expression, Pei Yuxue quickly approached and silently handed her a manual from her robe.

Staring into Yu Jingshuang’s eyes, she said earnestly, “Whether you believe it or not, I truly wanted to be your friend… This has nothing to do with Ming Xu.”

Yu Jingshuang remained silent, merely casting a casual glance at the manual. Seeing this, Pei Yuxue smiled wryly and continued, “Though it’s not my place to meddle in your affairs with Ming Xu, I feel responsible… If I hadn’t been so willful and called him back with a letter back then, you wouldn’t have endured the hardships that followed.”

She paused, as if struggling to find the right words. “So I owe you an apology… Mere words aren’t worth much… This manual is my compensation.”

“It’s the Pei family’s secret martial arts, designed for women to cultivate—the very one we retrieved from my uncle that day. Take it and learn from it. With your innate strength and talent, I believe it won’t take long for you to learn it. Even if you don’t become exceptionally powerful, it will at least serve you well.”

Yu Jingshuang raised an eyebrow. “Since it’s your family’s secret technique, how can you hand it over to an outsider? Moreover, you came down the mountain specifically for this manual. You’ve barely had it for two days before giving it to me. Wouldn’t that make your trip pointless?”

Hearing her dismissive tone, Pei Yuxue lowered her eyes and replied calmly, “I’ve already cultivated other techniques. Even if I kept this manual, it would be of no use to me… Since you said we’re still friends, giving a friend something for self-defense shouldn’t be too much to ask.”

With Pei Yuxue’s insistence, Yu Jingshuang didn’t refuse further. She accepted the manual and tucked it into her robe, then clasped her hands solemnly. “Thank you, Sect Leader Pei.”

Pei Yuxue ignored her gratitude and instead handed her the jade ring. Yu Jingshuang glanced at it and shook her head. “You keep this ring.”

She explained, “My father gave it to me when I left Shangyan. Though not extremely valuable, it can be exchanged for gold or silver, and it holds nostalgic meaning.”

“Aside from this jade ring, I have no treasure that matches the worth of the manual you’ve given me. So please keep it as an exchange.”

After a moment’s thought, Pei Yuxue nodded and put the ring back into her robe.

Softly, she said, “Then, you should go.”

Yu Jingshuang looked at her, pursed her lips, and found nothing more to say. She sighed lightly and repeated solemnly, “Sect Leader Pei, treasure yourself.”

From that day onward, Yu Jingshuang never returned to the southern lands.

…

After recounting this past encounter with Pei Yuxue in one go, Yu Jingshuang paused, still feeling like there was more to say.

She picked up the cold tea on the table and drank it down in one gulp, sighing with emotion. “I thought that once I had some free time, I might have a chance to see her again… I never expected Pei Yuxue to come to the capital first. Our reunion after so long happened at Bai Ji’s home… How interesting.”

As she muttered to herself, a sudden realization struck Yu Jingshuang—

Wait!

If Pei Yuxue is at the Bai residence and is quite familiar with the Bai family, doesn’t that mean Ming Xu will likely come too?!

Heavens… She couldn’t bear to imagine how awkward it would be if the three of them were to come face to face!

"Author's Note"

Unable to update consistently T_T

But I’ll strive to finish by September without cutting the outline, and see it through properly.