Chapter 57: Coming to Cause Trouble (Part Two)

Ouyang Ke's eyes sparkled, his spirit stirred, and he paid no more heed to Tuolei. With a gentle smile, he said, "What sort of man am I, Ouyang Ke? Once my word is given, how could I ever go back on it? He may leave, but Lady Huazheng, you must remain…"

"Very well," Cheng Lingsu replied, having anticipated that he would not yield so easily. That suited her; alone she could better maneuver against Ouyang Ke and seek a chance to escape. With Tuolei present, her heart would be burdened with concern. Not waiting for him to utter more nonsense, she accepted his terms at once.

Ouyang Ke was surprised by her swift agreement and laughed heartily. "That's more like it. Without that troublesome eyesore, we can have a proper conversation."

Cheng Lingsu ignored him, turned her back, and took from her bosom a handkerchief adorned with blue flowers. She shook it lightly in the air and tied it around Tuolei’s split tiger's mouth, then returned the two blue flowers to her breast. Briefly, she explained the situation to Tuolei and urged him to return at once.

Tuolei’s face was ashen. He took two steps backward, then suddenly seized the saber planted at his feet. His eyes fixed on Ouyang Ke, he raised the blade and brought it down in the empty air before him with force. "Your martial arts surpass mine, and I am no match for you. But today, in the name of Temujin Khan’s son, I swear to the gods of the steppe: once I have eradicated those who plot against my father, I will seek a reckoning with you! I will avenge my sister and let you witness what true heroes of the steppe are made of!"

As the son of a Mongol tribal chief, Tuolei was courteous and loyal, unlike Du Shi, who was arrogant and self-important. Yet beneath his gentle exterior lay a pride no less than Du Shi's. He was Temujin’s favorite son, well aware of his father’s ambitions—to turn every land beneath the sky into a pasture for the Mongols.

For this goal, Tuolei had trained in the army from childhood, never missing a day. But now, after years of hard work, he had fallen into the enemy’s hands, and could not even bring his sister home safely. Cheng Lingsu was right; Temujin’s safety was paramount, and Tuolei ought to return quickly to mobilize troops and rescue his father. Yet the shame of seeing his own sister forcibly detained here nearly choked him with rage.

The Mongols prized their promises above all, especially oaths made to the gods everyone revered on the steppe. Though he knew he was outmatched, Tuolei delivered his vow with unwavering resolve, his expression solemn and devout. His words were full of heroic spirit; he was not a martial arts master, but his seasoned shoulders bore the same kingly aura as Temujin—commanding and unyielding. Even Ouyang Ke, who did not fully grasp the content, was secretly awed.

Cheng Lingsu’s heart warmed. The blood of Temujin’s daughter within her seemed to resonate with Tuolei’s determination and frustration, surging through her and making her eyes burn. Calmly she turned, placing herself in the direction Ouyang Ke might strike, and softly urged, "Go now, hurry back. I will find a way to escape."

Tuolei nodded, stepped forward and embraced her. Without glancing at Ouyang Ke, he turned and ran toward the camp gate.

On the way, several guards tried to stop him, but each was felled with a single stroke of his blade.

Only when Cheng Lingsu saw Tuolei seize a horse at the edge of the camp and ride off into the distance did she finally relax, letting out a quiet sigh.

In her previous life, her master, the Poison-Hand Medicine King, used poison as medicine to heal, yet firmly believed in karma and reincarnation. In his later years, he took refuge in Buddhism, cultivating his nature and achieving a state of equanimity. Cheng Lingsu was his youngest disciple, deeply influenced by him. Now, after this cycle of fate, though she had died, she was sent here. She could not help but believe that there was some greater purpose at work.

She had never intended to become entangled with the people and affairs of this world, and often thought of finding a chance to flee far away—to return to the shores of Lake Dongting and see what the White Horse Temple looked like after centuries had passed. Perhaps, she would open a small clinic to heal the sick, living out her days in remembrance of the person from her last life. Moreover, if Temujin was imperiled, the Mongol tribe she had lived with for ten years would suffer as well; her mother and brother, who had cared for her, and all the clanspeople she saw daily would share that fate. After ten years together, how could she stand idly by?

With this thought, Cheng Lingsu sighed again.

Ouyang Ke noticed Cheng Lingsu gazing absentmindedly in the direction Tuolei had gone, sighing repeatedly. He raised his chin and sneered, "What, so reluctant to part with him?"

Catching the implication in his words, Cheng Lingsu frowned, withdrawing from her reverie, and retorted, "I worry for my brother—is that not natural?"

"Oh? He's your brother?" Ouyang Ke’s brows lifted, a flash of delight in his eye. "Then… was that other fellow earlier your lover?"

"What nonsense…" Cheng Lingsu stopped abruptly, realizing what he meant. "You mean Guo Jing? You knew about us from the start?"

"Not you all—just you. The moment you arrived, I knew," Ouyang Ke said, clearly pleased by her response.

Though Cheng Lingsu had dismounted far away, his profound internal strength gave him senses far keener than ordinary Mongol soldiers. He detected her the instant she entered the camp, intending to reveal himself, but saw Ma Yu intervene and take both her and Guo Jing away.

His uncle, Ouyang Feng, had suffered a defeat at the hands of the Quanzhen Sect, and so the Western Poison’s lineage bore a lingering resentment and wariness toward its Taoist priests. Ouyang Ke recognized Ma Yu’s Taoist robes, remembered his uncle’s warnings, and decided against showing himself. Instead, he lurked in the shadows, observing their exchanges.

He had thought Cheng Lingsu would persuade Ma Yu to help storm the camp and rescue the captive. He did not know Ma Yu was the Quanzhen Sect’s leader, imagining that, besides the countless soldiers, Wanyan Honglie had brought several martial experts to entangle Ma Yu, perhaps even eliminate him, thus weakening Quanzhen. But the Taoist neither stormed the camp nor stayed; he left with Guo Jing, leaving Cheng Lingsu alone.

By now, Cheng Lingsu was piecing things together. "Wanyan Honglie came here in secret to provoke discord between Sangkun and my father, so the Mongol tribes would fight amongst themselves. Only then would the Jin dynasty be free of threats from the north."

Ouyang Ke had no interest in such intrigue, but seeing Cheng Lingsu’s earnest analysis, he nodded in agreement and praised, "You’re truly clever, seeing through the scheme at a glance."

She reached up to smooth her windblown hair, her gaze clear as the Onan River. "You serve Wanyan Honglie, yet you let Guo Jing go to warn them, and now you’ve let Tuolei go to raise troops. Aren’t you afraid of ruining his plans?"

Ouyang Ke laughed and gently tapped her chin. "Afraid? What does his scheme have to do with me? If I can win a beauty’s smile, what else matters?"

Cheng Lingsu did not smile; instead her brows furrowed and she stepped back, avoiding the fan he was about to hook beneath her chin. She reached out and caught its black iron head in her palm. Instantly, a chill pierced her skin, biting to the bone and making her almost let go. Only then did she realize the fan’s ribs were forged of black iron, cold as ice.

"Well, do you like this fan?" Ouyang Ke flicked his wrist, freeing the fan from her grasp and shaking it open before him. "If you fancy something else, I’ll gladly give it to you. But this fan…" He paused, then smiled again. "If you truly like it, as long as you stay by my side, you’ll see it whenever you wish…"

Author’s Note: I say, Ouyang Ke, isn’t it just a fan that Lingsu likes? You’re so stingy, unwilling to give it away~ such a miser~

Ouyang Ke: But that fan was gifted by my… ahem… my uncle…