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Chapter 632: Reunion with Qiu Ling Su
Chapter 632: Reunion with Qiu Ling Su
Ni Mountain may not be as treacherous as Mount Hua or Yellow Mountain, but Liao Gang and Ye Jin's light martial arts were sufficient to support their journey through the forests and streams.
Liao Gang and Ye Jin were slightly out of breath, but Jin Ban Hua showed no signs of exhaustion.
By the time they reached the summit, the sky had darkened almost entirely.
"Light martial arts is clearly not your main area of expertise; your speed is too slow. I suppose Madame Qiu has already finished her dinner?" Jin Ban Hua teased as he casually pushed open the fence surrounding the thatched cottage. "May I ask if Madame Qiu is within?"
The door to the central cottage swung open, revealing the silhouette of Qiu Ling Su dressed in black.
She appeared surprised at the sight of Jin Ban Hua, "Master Jin?"
"Indeed," he nodded.
Qiu Ling Su glanced behind him, unable to resist her curiosity, "Where is Chu Ling Xiang? Didn't he accompany you here?"
Jin Ban Hua rubbed his face thoughtfully, "I looked into the mirror before I left, and logically, I should be just a tad bit more handsome than him. Why then does Madame Qiu only inquire about him and not me?"
Qiu Ling Su, hidden behind her black veil, seemed to let out a soft laugh before giving in to her curiosity once more, "If Chu Ling Xiang didn't accompany you here, how did you, Master Jin, find your way here? Didn't the Beggars' Guild disciples stop you along the way?"
"To avoid having the responsible Beggars' Guild disciples constantly opening the boxes to inspect and cooling the food, we didn't take the mountain path."
Jin Ban Hua lifted the food box in his hand, then gestured towards Liao Gang and Ye Jin, "Fortunately, these two companions of mine possess remarkable light martial arts and knowledge of the mountain paths, so they led the way here."
Liao Gang and Ye Jin: ???
Qiu Ling Su gazed at the food box in Jin Ban Hua's hand, a smile touching her lips, "Have you come to invite me to share a meal, Master Jin?"
"The tranquility of Ni Mountain, paired with your graceful presence, Madame, is a delight to share a meal with, listening to the moon as we dine and sipping wine as we listen to the wind," Jin Ban Hua replied with a smile.
Qiu Ling Su gave him a deep look, then stepped back and entered the cottage, "In that case, Master Jin, please come in."
Jin Ban Hua strode into the cottage, then laid out the food with care.
Four cold dishes, four hot ones, peach juice, yellow wine, rice, and steamed buns—all presented at just the right temperature for consumption.
Qiu Ling Su sat quietly and elegantly across from Jin Ban Hua, waiting for him to finish setting everything up before she couldn't resist asking, "I wonder where Chu Ling Xiang could be?"
"He and Nan Gong Ling returned to Jinan," Jin Ban Hua replied, "With no clues to be found here, Madame, he decided to go back to Jinan to search for them. I couldn't bear the constant day and night traveling, so I chose to rest in Qufu for a night before returning tomorrow."
Qiu Ling Su's eyes sparkled, but she couldn't help a tinge of disappointment.
Then, looking at Jin Ban Hua, her eyes lit up once more, "You're returning to Jinan tomorrow? You'll meet Chu Ling Xiang?"
"Yes, he still owes me a white jade beauty; he won't get away until he returns it," Jin Ban Hua said.
Qiu Ling Su grew curious, "A white jade beauty?"
Jin Ban Hua then shared with Qiu Ling Su the tale of how he and Chu Ling Xiang became enemies over a white jade beauty, and how he had pursued Chu Ling Xiang all the way to Jinan.
"Because there's another murderer lurking out there, I temporarily spared Chu Ling Xiang. Once I expose this murderer, I'll settle the score with him!" Jin Ban Hua declared.
Qiu Ling Su regarded Jin Ban Hua, her eyes shimmering with a hint of persuasion, "I believe you know very little about this matter, Master Jin, and you're not deeply involved. That murderer likely won't kill you to silence you, so it's best if you stop meddling and leave soon."
"It turns out that this young master has indeed played his role to perfection, so much so that even now, in front of Qi Ling Su, he still wouldn't utter a word."
Jin Ban Hua raised an eyebrow, knowing that his act of a spoiled brat had truly convinced everyone. He wondered if she didn't trust him, or if she didn't want to involve him in this matter.
However, Jin Ban Hua was in no rush. He simply arranged the dishes and poured a cup of fruit wine for himself and Qi Ling Su.
"Madame, please." Jin Ban Hua raised his cup.
Qi Ling Su slowly raised her cup as well, then lifted her veil slightly to take a sip, careful not to reveal her face.
Jin Ban Hua casually took a bite of the food, "By the way, I also brought a gift for you."
"What gift?" Qi Ling Su asked.
Jin Ban Hua waved his hand, and Liao Gang handed him a long box. He opened it and took out a scroll.
"This is the painting that Sun Xie Pu made for you back then. I heard that you gave it to Zuo You Zhen, Zhamu He, and the others."
"I found this scroll in Xi Men Qian's residence, and it was only later that Sun Xie Pu told me the story behind this painting. With Xi Men Qian now dead, the painting rightfully returns to its original owner." Jin Ban Hua handed the scroll to Qi Ling Su.
Qi Ling Su stared at the scroll before her, her entire body trembling involuntarily.
"You... you've met Sun Xie Pu? How is he?" Qi Ling Su asked in a trembling voice.
"He's blind." Jin Ban Hua replied.
After a moment of silence, Qi Ling Su said, "It was I who gouged out his eyes."
"But he doesn't hate you. Instead, he took the initiative to keep your secret and didn't want you to be harmed." Jin Ban Hua praised, "Madame, your charm is indeed extraordinary, and your beauty surpasses that of mortals."
A bitter smile appeared on Qi Ling Su's face, "Don't you think I'm a witch?"
"Although you changed your name after the incident, your reputation in the jianghu twenty years ago was not sullied. Is there perhaps more to this story?" Jin Ban Hua asked.
Qi Ling Su fell silent once more.
After a while, she spoke in a soft voice, "If I tell you the hidden details, you will never be able to detach yourself from this matter again. That murderer will surely silence you to keep you from revealing the truth. Are you willing to listen, even if it means risking your life?"
"If that murderer wants to silence me, he'll have to see if he has the ability." Jin Ban Hua laughed, "I saw his exchange with Chu Liu Xiang this morning, and it was nothing impressive!"
Liao Gang and Ye Jin shivered beside them.
Qi Ling Su, however, didn't seem surprised at all, "So he couldn't beat Chu Xiang Shuai?"
Jin Ban Hua nodded, "He's not a match for Chu Liu Xiang."
"Chu Liu Xiang is both clever and fond of meddling. It's impressive that he's managed to stay alive all these years, so his martial arts must be exceptionally high." Qi Ling Su said, "That's why Nan Gong Ling didn't dare to meet me without bringing him along."
Jin Ban Hua understood, "So Nan Gong Ling is the murderer... or one of them, at least?"
Qi Ling Su nodded, "Yes."
Liao Gang and Ye Jin froze, unable to process what they had just heard.
What?! Nan Gong Ling, the new leader of the Beggars' Alliance, was the mastermind behind this incident?!
Qi Ling Su apologized, "I didn't realize that Jin Gongzi had also noticed something amiss, and so you found an excuse to stay in Qufu, waiting for nightfall to visit me. Please forgive my dull wits."
"It's fine, it's fine." Jin Ban Hua waved his hand, "So those four letters were indeed written by you to Zuo You Zhen and the others?"
"Yes!" Qi Ling Su's voice carried a mix of anger, fear, and regret, "It was I... I who harmed them!"
(End of Chapter)
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