Chapter 126: Xiao Li

The back mountain was naturally darker than the front courtyard. Setting aside Han Tanyi and Shui Linglong for a moment, the environment itself was certainly not a pleasant place. Even in broad daylight, the dense canopy of trees allowed only faint, dappled sunlight to filter through, let alone under the hazy moonlight. At this moment, the most overwhelming sensation was the darkness; one could not even see their own fingers outstretched. The nocturnal mountain wind was quite strong, whipping through the branches and foliage, creating subtle sounds. Though slight, these noises only served to make the atmosphere more unsettling. Furthermore, as the site of the Shen family’s ancestral tombs, the back mountain held an inherent chill, ensuring that even though it was not far from the Mingyue Villa, people rarely ventured here.

Rarely, however, did not mean never. At this very moment, the faint sound of footsteps could be heard, one following the other. They were light, and despite the fallen leaves covering the ground, the dampness kept the rustling to a minimum. Yet, listening closely, it was clearly two people. To be in such a place at such an hour was clearly no trivial matter.

"I have always been curious," the person in front spoke first, breaking the heavy silence. It was not a good sign; the stillness was enough to make one feel awkward. It was the woman known as the 'Flowering Butterfly.' She did not need to be identified; her tone carried a hint of provocation. As she spoke, her pace remained steady, not at all like a delicate woman. "As a recluse living in the valley behind the Qilian Mountains, when did I become so important that the renowned Master Shen Wansan himself had to personally invite me to Mingyue Villa?"

"If you were truly a mere mountain dweller, you wouldn't have remained in the back valleys of Qilian. Do not speak to me of coincidence. A woman in her early twenties living alone in such a place, and keeping a snow wolf as a pet? These two facts alone tell me you are no ordinary person. It is only a pity that there is one who is a fool, actually believing those stories!" The one responding was, of course, Shen Wansan. His voice was aged, but his gait was even steadier than the Flowering Butterfly’s, and his movements were quieter. This alone spoke to a level of martial arts cultivation far beyond the reach of ordinary men. He paused, seemingly hesitant, before continuing: "I won't hide it from you—Mingyue Villa has long since uncovered your identity. Your real name is Xiao Li, the Second Princess of the Prince of Qi’s estate. Have I misspoken?"

Since the conversation had reached this point, there was nothing left to conceal. The Flowering Butterfly smiled faintly. Indeed, if someone were determined to investigate, these things could never be hidden forever. Yet, when one lives in seclusion for too long or adopts a new name for years, one begins to lose sight of their original self. At this thought, a man’s face flashed through her mind. She remembered him saying, "When you are far away, I cannot see you clearly; yet when I am near you, I suddenly cannot see myself clearly. So, in the end, I do not know whether I should be near or far from you."

That question was destined to remain unanswered, yet he had made his choice. Though the forced nature of it was cruel, at least it shortened the duration of the pain. She wondered if he had long since turned to dust. Suddenly, the Flowering Butterfly stopped in her tracks. Her eyes turned toward the direction of the Qilian Mountains. Of the man who once existed, perhaps only that stretch of green mountains remained in her heart.

"I originally thought that boy, Xiao Jinghao, might help me, but I never expected he and Dao Laoer had already colluded, designing a scheme to use me to their advantage. Had I not discovered your identity, I would have truly believed it was fate that the Alliance Leader position did not belong to me at the martial arts gathering three years ago. Thinking back, I was a fool, making wedding clothes for others without even knowing it. What a waste of all these years I have spent in the world of martial arts!"

Seeing that the other remained silent, Shen Wansan did not intend to press the matter; after all, silence often said everything. Accompanying his self-deprecating words, the Flowering Butterfly let out a light, mocking laugh, though she herself was unsure who she was mocking. "So, for these three years, you have been outwardly compliant with my brother, all to avoid tearing the veil. Otherwise, facing both Dao Tianfeng and the pressures of the imperial court, you would have fared poorly. Even so, my brother sensed the schemes you were carrying out in the shadows and was preparing to act against you. That is why he traveled to Qilian to secretly abduct me to Mingyue Villa—to gain leverage. But have you ever considered what kind of man Xiao Jinghao is? Would he truly sacrifice his ambitions for the sake of mere family ties?"

At this point, the Flowering Butterfly changed her address, shifting from "elder brother" to his full name, as if speaking it plainly strengthened her point. It was indeed a valid question. There are no kin in the royal house; that was an iron rule. Shen Wansan, having roamed the world for so long, understood this well. What did it matter that his daughter had married into the Prince of Qi’s estate? She was called the young mistress, but she was merely a prisoner—a chess piece used against him. In Shen Wansan’s eyes, she was a discarded piece; sacrificing her was no great loss. If he could act this way, why couldn't Xiao Jinghao?

"You need not worry about that, Princess Xiao. Since I dared to do this, I had my reasons. Xiao Jinghao is indeed no ordinary man; perhaps even the Emperor sitting on the dragon throne in Chang'an does not possess his capabilities. But this man has a fatal weakness: he values emotions too deeply. That is his Achilles' heel. If a man wishes to achieve great things, it is better to be heartless and devoid of sentiment!"

These words were spoken with such confidence that they left the Flowering Butterfly with no room to retort. After so many years of isolation, she could no longer fully grasp what kind of person Xiao Jinghao had become, but Shen Wansan was correct about one thing: he did value emotion too much. Otherwise, he would not have defied his elders' wishes, refusing a powerful marriage to instead stubbornly wed a woman from the Western Regions of Kunlun. Had he been willing to compromise back then, he might already be the ruler of Chang'an. But who could say what was right or wrong in that? As for regret, perhaps only Xiao Jinghao himself knew.

"They say the back mountain is the ancestral tomb of your Shen family. To think you would choose such a place to hide me—you have truly gone to great lengths. Even a deed as unfilial as this, you, Shen Wansan, are capable of. If it comes to being heartless, perhaps you truly succeed. I only wonder if the heavens will indulge your wishes. Since you see through everything, you must know that someone will come to save me. I advise you to be careful, or else this graying head of yours might...!"

The Flowering Butterfly was not one to admit defeat. Seeing Shen Wansan’s confidence, she naturally would not give up. If one’s mind is sharp, one can always find a way to strike back. Just like now, she spoke with seeming casualness, yet every word struck at Shen Wansan’s heart. She knew her goal, and he knew it too. If he were so easily provoked, Shen Wansan would not be the man he was. His expression did not change, and he even seemed slightly amused. "My ancestors are hospitable people. Bringing someone of your standing to meet them, I am sure they will be pleased. I only hope your courage is as sharp as your tongue, and that you won't be frightened."

"I am already used to it. Being alone can be lonely, so having so many people to keep me company is fine. But you, you should be careful. I bet that after tonight, the one left here to keep your ancestors company will not be me, an outsider!"

The stop was brief. As she spoke, the Flowering Butterfly moved forward again. For some reason, at that very moment, Shen Wansan’s right eye twitched violently, as if stung by the night wind, and his body shivered as if struck by a sudden chill. It startled him, as if the girl’s curse were truly coming to pass. Though he did not believe in such idle words, he felt a flicker of fear and nervously scanned his surroundings. Seeing nothing amiss, he soon regained his composure, comforting himself in his mind: "It is just that I am getting old and cannot handle this cold wind. I do not believe that I, Shen Wansan, having roamed the world for so many years, would fall because of the words of a little girl."