Chapter 65 – Grand Master, Black Cloth, Riddles

The snow was still falling, and Fan Si Zhe beside the stone mill in the garden finally finished pulling fifty revolutions, panting and holding onto the stone mill, only to feel his body aching all over, unable to straighten up at all, while the sweat on his face turned into hot steam and rose up, and whitened when it met with the cold, looking as if his entire body was smoking.

“Wipe it off, then change into dry clothes so you don’t freeze.” Haitang handed him a neat stack of clothes.

Fan Si Zhe shook his head in exasperation and went into the inner room to change his clothes, and came out of the room in a short while, yelling, “There’s no place to take a bath, what about the sweaty odor?”

Haitang glanced at him and laughed, “It’s winter, and the set your brother made wasn’t shipped to Shangjing.”

Fan Si Zhe couldn’t help but shake his head again and said, “My brother didn’t drive me to the north …… just to let you torture me.”

“Jade is not cut into pieces.” Haitang said with a calm face, “I remember when we were chatting in the palace, Fan Xian once said a sentence that made sense to me.”

“What words?” Fan Si Zhe asked curiously.

“Therefore, when Heaven will send down a great task to a man, he must first suffer his heart and mind, labor his bones and muscles, starve his body and skin, empty his body, and do what he has done, and so move his heart to endure, and had benefited from his inability to do so.”

In fact, when Fan Xian said this passage of Mencius, he was thinking of the North Sea shore, the spring scenery of the begonias in the grass reeds only. But Fan Si Zhe and Haitang did not know the man s dirty thoughts, Fan Si Zhe listening to this passage, only feel a cold air to the top of the head in the rush, trembling voice said, “The evening …… will not still have no food, right?”

Haitang said with a faint smile, “Not eat here at night.”

While speaking, someone outside the garden respectfully answered, “Second young master, the evening subordinate host.”

Fan Si Zhe was surprised at how naturally this person picked up the conversation, looked back and saw that it was actually Wang Qinian! In his hometown, he suddenly met his relatives, thinking about the suffering of these days, thinking about the possibility of getting out of the misery, Fan Si Zhe looked excited, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow.

“After eating, you still have to come back.” Haitang lightly threw a sentence behind him that cut through the roiling wind and snow and drilled into Fan Si Zhe’s ears, causing him to shiver and be immensely disappointed.

Only when he had rushed to the fence did he turn back and roar viciously, “I came to the capital to earn money! Not to be a laborer!”

Haitang had already sat back on the recliner and said expressionlessly, “A thousand taels of silver, how can it be so easily turned into ten thousand taels? I think Fan Xian has pushed you too hard. Don’t forget that all your silver is now in my hands.”

Wang Qinian outside the fence gave a wink to Fan Si Zhe, signaling that this young lord had better not offend Miss Duo Duo. Even Little Lord Fan didn’t end up with a whole body in this girl’s hands, why are you suffering?

Fan Si Zhe stifled an exasperated grunt and pushed open the hedge door.

Wang Qinian smiled and saluted Haitang under the eaves and said, “Miss Haitang, then I’ll go now.”

Haitang glanced at him and suddenly went quiet for a long time before saying, “Lord Wang, are you really prepared to let him take over the Cui family in such a hurry?”

Wang Qinian’s heart trembled, he really couldn’t imagine that the other party even knew about this arrangement of Fan Sithe, not sure how much tacit understanding there was between Fan Xian and Haitang, so he could only respond with a bitter smile, “What is it that the girl is saying?”

With regard to Fan Sithe’s arrangement, Haitang was of course clear about it, and with a slight smile, she didn’t say anything more, but only admonished, “It’s just getting started, so don’t be in too much of a hurry.”

Wang Qinian asked his subordinates to fetch a hat and snow cloak for Fan Si Zhe to cover, on one hand, blocking the wind and snow, and on the other hand, covering his face, then he saluted Haitang, and was ready to leave this idyllic garden next to the palace.

“That recent letter, you also read it?” Haitang half leaned on the chair, looking at Wang Qinian who wanted to walk outside the hedge with a smile.

Wang Qinian was stunned at the words and said with a bitter smile on his face, “Duty, Miss Haitang forgive me, please also ask the letter to share a few words on behalf of the little old man, so that the Tisch Lord don’t bully my daughters.”

Haitang laughed, thinking that this Qing Guo Honglu Temple resident in North Qi Juzhong Lang, Lord Wang Qinian, is really an interesting person.

Outside the garden was quiet, Haitang just like this closed his clothes on the chair and fell asleep with his eyes closed. Shangjing today the wind and snow mixed, whistling past, sound devouring, cold, this village girl in this cold environment sleep extremely peaceful rest, the corner of the lips seems to still have a slight smile. With her amazing cultivation, naturally not in the accidental cold invasion of the body, but instead can be more than ordinary people easier to get close to nature, such as the soft nature of spring, such as the harsh winter heaven and earth.

Snow, a piece by piece, in the sky gradually colorful, eaves wearing flower cotton jacket girl sleep comfortably.

I don’t know how long, Haitang slowly opened her eyes, clear and incomparable eyes reflected the snowflakes falling outside the eaves, as well as the condensed ice that gradually grew along the eaves, and couldn’t help but flash through a trace of joy and satisfaction.

“Teacher, you are here.”

Outside the garden, in the stone path along the Yuquan River, thick snow is spread early, at this time there is a person is slowly stepping on the snow, the wind and snow seems to disappear in this instant, only to hear that person every step falls on the snow, the sound of rustling sound.

That person’s feet did not wear shoes, just like this bare stepped on the snow, firm and sincere, not a moment later arrived at the front of the garden, stretched out his hand, gently pushed open the hedge door, walked straight to the eaves, stretched out the palm of his hand on the head of the happy begonias gently stroked, said, “Come to look at you.”

One of the Four Great Masters of Heaven, the Bitter Lotus State Master who was considered a deity by all the people of the world!

If Fan Xian were to look at this scene, he would definitely bellyache that the other party looked so ordinary and unimpressive, far worse than Bamboo Marshal, and not even as elegant as Ye Liuyun’s feet in a half-boat going by the waves.

Especially when he removed the hat on his head, revealing that big bald head, there was even less of a sense of detachment from the world, just a very simple and common old man. It was only the pure white plain clothes on his body and his bare feet that proclaimed his identity as an ascetic, although he had never conducted a single ascetic practice after returning from the temple back then.

Haitang respectfully and incomparably bowed deeply to his teacher, then invited this topmost figure on earth to enter the room, served tea, and sat on the floor beside him with a face full of innocence like a little schoolgirl. It was only in the presence of this great master that Haitang would be submissive and so natural.

Bitter lotus face hale, lips extremely thin, eyes sinking extremely deep, but the gaze is more far-reaching, he with a hint of pity, looking at his real closed disciple, smiled and said, “For the teacher from the western mountain.”

Haitang’s face showed a strange color, and asked in surprise, “Have you found Lord Sean’s remains?”

Bitter Lotus slowly put down the teacup in his hands with a hint of a smile in his eyes and said, “In a cave between the walls, the remains of this old friend were found.”

Haitang frowned, “The Western Mountain Jedi?”

After Bitter Lotus returned from the south, he closed his eyes and did not come out, some people in Northern Qi guessed that this great master should have been injured, but they did not know who was on the other side of that horrific duel …… that took place in a place no one knew about. Some people guessed that it was the Four Gu Swords, some people guessed that it was Ye Liuyun, and some people guessed that it was that great master who was the most deeply hidden in Qing, and no one thought that it was the Five Bamboo and he who were both injured.

And bitter lotus after the injury, switch the first thing, is to ask Sean’s movements after returning to the country. Although the great master for the palace of the mother and son of the fight some hidden rage, but the sky together endowed with the wind of the temple, rarely interfere in political affairs, is not good to say anything more, but for the death of Sean, this seems to be difficult to haunt the outside world of the great master, but is very important.

West mountain that the wall has been searched many times, the mountains and mountains have not found Sean’s body, which has become one of the most piercing problems of the court of Northern Qi, if that old man is still alive, I am afraid that the Uesugi Tiger, who has been placed under house arrest in the mansion, will become active again.

However, for Haitang, since Elder Brother Wolf Peach asserted that Sean was lifeless after being stabbed by the scimitar, she would naturally believe it.

Grandmaster Bitter Lotus, too, had no doubts about his first disciple’s judgment.

So the Northern Qi people were only pondering one question – where exactly was Sean’s body?

I don’t know how much power was spent on the search, the Western Mountain was turned over, and the whereabouts of Sean and that mysterious person were not found, after all, how could the Beiqi people think of it, they couldn’t understand that there was actually someone in this world who could climb up the Western Mountain’s mirror-like smooth wall like a gecko.

Later is the bitter lotus state master sent word, the north qi people resentfully stopped searching, I did not expect this great master actually is put down the identity, personally went to investigate. I don’t know how much effort Bitter Lotus spent before he finally found Sean’s body in the cave of the Jedi wall on this windy and snowy day.

Kaito looked at his teacher in surprise, before noticing a small wound on both of his ankles and asked with concern, “How did you get down that Jedi wall?” It was too late to ask Sean’s question, her main concern was of course Bitter Lotus’s body, after all, her teacher was now older and had only recently recovered from his injuries.

Bitter Lotus gently shook his head, smiled and sighed: “Going down is a bit troublesome, but it is not impossible to do, tying a rope will be fine, it is just that I can not imagine that the person …… whom Wolf Peach forced down the cliff can easily escape.”

Haitang slightly lowered his head and said, “Maybe he carries a hook and rope or something like that.”

“Hooks and ropes don’t have a place to lend strength either.” Bitter Lotus looked at her with a smile, “You were so surprised earlier, of course you also remembered, what the Western Mountain Jie Di looks like.”

Haitang sighed, “This matter is really hard to figure out. But things have already passed for several months, could it be that Lord Sean’s remains have not been eaten by the eagles in the mountains?”

Bitter Lotus’ two snow-like eyebrows fluttered slightly, and said gently, “That cave is extremely shallow, and according to reason, there should have been ferocious birds to help Mr. Xiao to heaven, but I didn’t expect to see Mr. Xiao’s intact remains when I came down along the rope. Beside him were a few dead birds, which had already turned into dead bones, but his body was not decomposed except for some dehydration.”

Haitang was stunned at his words, then calmly laughed, “What a powerful poison.”

Bitter Lotus nodded gently and changed the topic in a very normal manner, “Tell me about this young man Fan Xian, I’m very curious about him.”

Haitang’s heart thumped, but her face did not change a bit as she smiled and told Fan Xian all about what he had done in the Upper Capital, knowing that she could no longer cover anything up for him at this point, and said softly, “The night after Sean left the capital, Fan Xian stayed at the legation all the time, though no one had seen him with their own eyes. When I went on the second day, he was lying in bed …… At first, senior brother thought that the man in black who fell off the cliff with Xiao En was him, and that he was indeed also extremely good at using poison.”

The only two people in this world who had ever come into contact with the temple were Sean and Bitter Lotus, and now that Sean was dead, only Bitter Lotus was left. The Emperor had saved Xiao En from all the trouble of returning to Northern Qi, but Bitter Lotus had been determined to kill him, and now that she knew that Fan Xian might be the last person Xiao En had seen before his death, and with Bitter Lotus being so careful about the secret of the temple …… Haitang didn’t know what kind of trouble her words would bring to Fan Xian, except that she knew that the seemingly soft teacher in front of her was in fact a great wise man with a pearl in his hand, and having changed the subject earlier, he was naturally pointing out a little bit about himself.

Out of Haitang’s expectation, Bitter Lotus did not continue with this topic, but instead looked at her meaningfully and smiled, took another sip of the clear tea in her cup and said, “Duo Duo’s tea, it’s getting better and better.”

“Teacher’s fallacious praise.” Haitang gently returned.

“I think I know who Fan Xian is.” Bitter Lotus suddenly said very softly. This sentence was headless, causing Haitang to be a little unsure and stare at her teacher in a daze.

Bitter Lotus slowly stood up, a very mellow smile surfacing on his face, “Before this young man came to Beiqi, my teacher went out and was injured. I think you must be curious as to who in this world is able to injure me.”

The state master, Bitter Lotus, represented the spiritual Qi of Bei Qi, so the matter of his injury had been hidden, although Haitang knew about it, he had never heard the detailed process from his teacher’s mouth, and when he heard it at this time, he immediately gazed up his attention.

“It’s a blind man.” Bitter Lotus turned around, looked at the wind and snow outside the apprentice’s garden, and leisurely said, “It’s a blind man whom the teacher saw many years ago and never forgot.”

Haitang was shocked, thinking that someone in this world can hurt the teacher, is already a very shocking thing, but did not expect that the other party is not a bit of a great master known to the world, but a …… blind man!

Bitter Lotus continued leisurely, “It is strange that this blind man …… with terrifying strength seems to have forgotten something, forgetting that many years ago, I once met with him.”

Haitang listened quietly.

“This blind man has disappeared for many years.” A smile reappeared on Bitter Lotus’s face, “I didn’t expect to suddenly reappear in this world, and the first person he looked for was Master. Speaking of which, this long ago ancient heart of the Master’s is actually somewhat vaguely proud.”

Haitang became more and more inaudible.

“This blind man, who once taught that idiot Four Gu Swords a lesson, once beat Ye Liuyun into abandoning his sword and eventually became a generation master.” Bitter Lotus sighed, “I guessed it was him back then, I just didn’t expect that he would take the initiative to find me this time, this is completely different from his secretive and unseen style in previous years.”

Haitang suddenly spoke up and asked, “Could it be that this blind man, is that most mysterious Grand Master?”

Bitter Lotus shook his head, and his eyes that seemed to be able to see everything also showed a hint of confusion, “No, the blind man he never needed this kind of false name. As for the most mysterious one among the four of us …… should still have been in the palace of the Qing Kingdom.”

Haitang was a little puzzled, since no one had ever seen that mysterious Grandmaster, why was the world certain that there was that person’s existence, and that person existed in the Qing Kingdom’s imperial palace?

“The reasoning is simple.” Bitter Lotus smiled, “Many years ago, the Four Gu Swords had tried to enter the Qing Kingdom’s palace three times to assassinate their emperor.”

Haitang called out softly in surprise, it was only then that she realized that the Four Gu Swords of Dongyi City had actually done something so crazy. But to go as an assassin with the realm of a Grand Master, even if the Emperor of Qing was the one with the most power in the world, it would only be difficult to resist.

Seemingly guessing what she was thinking, Bitter Lotus said softly, “The people who know about this matter are all thinking the same as you, thinking that the Four Gu Swords have a great chance of success …… Unfortunately, within a month he failed four times in a row, and even though he didn’t get hurt, he didn’t have any results. ”

Haitang frowned and said, “Was that blind man …… in the Qing Palace at that time?” She always thought that the blind man who was able to injure her teacher was the one who was most likely to be that mysterious Grand Master.

Bitter Lotus smiled and shook her head, “The blind man was with the Ye family’s young lady at that time, in the Jiangnan of the Qing Kingdom, repairing that inner treasury.”

“Miss Ye family?” Haitang was even more shocked, although she was the most famous person in the young generation of the world nowadays, she also knew that in these secret stories of those years that her teacher was talking about today, how each one of them was amazing and how they changed the way the world looked.

Bitter Lotus softly and naturally changed the topic back, turned back to look at Haitang and said, “Now you understand, don’t you?”

Haitang opened her bright eyes and shook her head.

“Who is Fan Xian?” Bitter Lotus calmly looked at her female disciple.

“Fan Xian is the son of Ye Qingmei …… Ye family’s mistress.”

Haitang was even more confused while being shocked. Fan Xian …… the illegitimate son of the Minister of Household in the Southern Dynasty, how did he get involved with the Ye family again? Ye family? The Ye family that used commerce to control the world in the first place? That set up the Supervisory Yuan, repaired the internal treasury, extended the legacy of Wei until the present day Ye family?

Bitter Lotus rubbed his hands together, sat down and sighed, ”Sean has been locked up by Chen Pingping since then, so he doesn’t know the identity of the Ye family’s young lady, but the teacher happens to know. The blind man he could only be the servant of Miss Ye’s family, and this time, transferring our master out of Shangjing was naturally to facilitate Fan Xian’s work. Fan Xian’s identity then surfaced, he is the descendant of Miss Ye family.”

Haitang shook his head, in front of the teacher also dared to express his own opinion, “Although this kind of reasoning is credible, but it’s too forced a bit, in case that blind …… master is just not willing to be lonely in the mountain, only to go out to challenge the teacher, and Fan Xian north has nothing to do with the matter, and besides, wasn’t the Ye family of that year wiped out? ……”

Before the words were finished, Bitter Lotus had already laughed, “One thing can’t explain too much, but think about Fan Xian’s official position in the southern dynasty today, and then think about the dissension in the southern court after he came out of Tanyuzhou. Too many details combined, and the truth of the matter becomes clear. Don’t say anything about extermination, back then, the Ye family’s shopkeepers were all still alive and well, and it’s not out of the ordinary for someone with a good heart in the Southern Qing court to preserve a trace of blood for the Ye family’s young lady.”

Haitang laughed back with sorrow, and for a moment she was at a loss for words. Teacher was right, Fan Xian, even if he was the illegitimate son of Minister Fan, even if he had the name of Poetry Immortal and the reality of being an expert, with his status and position, it was still far from possible to reach today’s heights, and even more so, with his left hand in charge of the Supervisory Board and his right hand in charge of the Inner Treasury – the Supervisory Board and the Inner Treasury, which weren’t exactly the most powerful things that the Ye Family had left to the world in those years!

Could it be that the gentle young man who often corresponded with himself had such a complicated and pitiful life behind him?

“You just retold the little speech that Fan Xian recited at the restaurant ……” Bitter Lotus gently patted her female apprentice who was still in deep thought, and said with a smile, “You only found out that the other party was the author of the Stone Records from this little speech, but you carefully experience it, you might find that Fan Xian, this person, is using this little speech to express some other emotions, such as anger, such as unwillingness.”

On a summer day above the Hundred Years Pine Residence in Shangjing, Fan Xian was drinking with Haitang, and when he was in full swing, he had recited a little speech.

“Remaining in celebration, remaining in celebration, suddenly meeting a benefactor, fortunate mother, fortunate mother, accumulating Yin merits. I would like to advise you to help the poor and the needy. It’s not like my ruthless uncle who loves money and forgets his flesh and blood! It is the multiplication, division, addition and subtraction, on the sky.”

Begonia in the Winter Garden recited it over and over in her mind, finally realizing those emotions that her teacher was talking about, and raised her head in a huff, shocked beyond measure.

At this time far away in the South Qing Cang Mountain in the hot springs Fan Xian, if you know that this pair of teachers and disciples even so rash, based on this small rhetorical ground on the determination of their own origin, will certainly be angry out of the hot springs jumped out of the nude run to the Shangjing, scolded a lot, and then explain, this is old Cao wrote, just happens to be somewhat similar to the self’s family life is only.

It didn’t take long for Haitang to have regained her composure, and softly asked, “This matter, it can be big or small.” Since she knew Fan Xian’s birth, she could of course think that there would definitely be many problems between him and the Southern Qing royal family, and how to utilize it was a matter that required careful deliberation.

“The news that Fan Xian is a descendant of the Ye family …… lets the whole world know.”

Grand Master Bitter Lotus, said very gently.

“Blind?” There was some slight confusion in Haitang’s heart, not knowing how to protect Fan Xian’s interests as much as possible.

Bitter Lotus leisurely sighed, “Although the blind man …… doesn’t seem to recognize me, I think that since he is going to deliberately make a move to leave these clues, perhaps …… it is precisely through the mouth of my master that he wishes to tell this interesting news to the people in the world.”

This Grand Master finally concluded, “The blind man no longer wants to wait, he’s going to push Fan Xian to speed up his pace.”