Chapter Twenty-Six: The Baili Family

The Second Palace Mistress, seeing the Grand Palace Mistress lost in thought, took her leave and went directly to find Old Xiao the Fourth. She wanted to prevent him from causing trouble that might disrupt their current advantageous situation.

The Grand Palace Mistress watched as the Second Palace Mistress walked away, pondering deeply as she made her way back to Qunfang Terrace. At the entrance, a maid bowed, “Grand Palace Mistress.”

“Go now. There’s no need to keep watch tonight. Also, have someone guard the perimeter of the Dark Garden. Without my order, no one is to enter,” she instructed as she crossed the threshold.

“Yes,” the maid replied and withdrew.

Back in her bedchamber, sleep eluded the Grand Palace Mistress. She rose and sat at her writing desk, picking up the envelope lying on the table, lost in silent contemplation.

She closed her eyes, leaning back in her chair to rest, yet her thoughts churned ceaselessly. The Second Palace Mistress’s words replayed in her mind, causing her to exhale a long breath. Could it truly be as Yusu’er had said?

She could not make sense of it, yet there seemed no other explanation for the sword scar’s appearance in Shuxing Tower.

Could it really be so?

Meanwhile, in the southern part of the royal city, the Baili family found little rest that night. Despite the grand size of the estate, all the courtyards were hushed and still—except for the main residence, White Duckweed Surging Waves, which was ablaze with light.

Inside the study, the family head stared at his questioning son and slammed the book in his hand down on the desk.

“You blunder around all day, never thinking before you act! If you could be half as steady as Baili Suhe, I’d burn incense in gratitude!” he scolded.

Baili Leren bristled, his youthful pride instantly provoked. “If you like him so much, why don’t you make him your son? Why did you bother having me with my mother? You should’ve stuffed me back in the moment I was born, so I wouldn’t be an eyesore to you now.”

“Insolent! Is this how you speak to your father? I told you to cultivate your character, but all those books have fed the dogs!” Baili Liunian shot to his feet, eyes blazing.

“So what? You want to hit me? Why is it that when Baili Suhe goes off killing and burning, we’re the ones who have to clean up his mess? Is our branch the only one out in the world?

Your son got beaten by the Shaozhen clan, but did you ever step in for me? And what has he done now? He returns without a word and wipes out Shuxing Tower, one of the reclusive houses—shouldn’t all the immortals of the world band together to kill him? But no, at the first sign of news, all the commentators are silenced.

Are we, as the leading family among the three, just here to clean up after Baili Suhe? Who does he think he is? He’s someone who’s already died once and been erased from the main family records—why would you protect him at the cost of the entire Baili clan?”

“Fool! Did I do this for his sake? Is your brain made of tofu, incapable of thinking things through? Do you really believe Baili Suhe alone could destroy Shuxing Tower? Try using your head for once!” Baili Liunian advanced on his son and slapped him.

Pointing at him, he raged, “Do you even realize what you’re saying? How could Baili Suhe possibly have the power to annihilate Shuxing Tower singlehandedly? Think about it!”

“Think about what? About how you’re always biased?” Baili Leren retorted, clutching his face and glaring at his father like a stubborn calf.

Damn, the old man really hit hard...

Baili Liunian’s chest tightened with anger at his son’s obstinacy. “How have you muddled through all these years? You enjoy the prestige of being called ‘young master,’ but don’t you realize how our family is now attracting attention and standing at the very forefront? If we let the rumors spread unchecked, what will you do when the Shaozhen and Gu families come demanding accountability?”

Truth be told, Baili Suhe did pick an awkward spot—his first stop was Yuhaitian, where Baili Liunian resided. Had he gone anywhere else, things wouldn’t be so troublesome. But in the end, it wasn’t Suhe’s fault. He’d just returned from the Celestial Palace, and Yuhaitian was the closest and most familiar place to him.

If not Yuhaitian, where else could he have gone?

Baili Leren, momentarily stunned, still resisted, “Why should they come after us? The dead weren’t killed by the Baili family. If they want someone, let them catch him themselves.”

“Don’t forget, Baili Suhe still bears the Baili name. Even if the main family has struck him from the records, to the world he remains a Baili. Whether we did it or not, the world will lay the blame at our door.”

“So what? Are we supposed to be afraid of them?” Baili Leren stuck out his neck, though his tone had lost some of its earlier bravado.

The more he talked, the more uneasy he felt. He suddenly recalled Gu Lele’s attitude toward him that day—perhaps her family had gotten wind of it too?

Baili Liunian, seeing his son’s stubborn but guilty look, relented slightly. “When you go out, mind your temper. Don’t make yourself a target. Do you even know what’s going on? As for that Gu girl, you’d best see less of her.”

“Why? What’s wrong with Lele? Why are you always picking faults and looking down on her?” At the mention of Gu Lele, Baili Leren’s temper flared up again.

“It’s not that she’s unworthy, it’s just—ah, you wouldn’t understand. It’s late. You should go get some rest.” With a wave, Baili Liunian dismissed his son.

“I—I won’t.” Baili Leren glanced at his father, then walked over to the table and sat down, rubbing the spot where he’d been struck, deeply aggrieved.

He poured himself a cup of tea but before he could drink, slammed it back down. Damn it, the old man’s hand was really heavy. It hurt…

“Hmm? You still have something to say?” Baili Liunian looked at his son, knowing he was still holding a grudge.

“No, I just think—what’s the use of killing those who spread rumors? People hide their true thoughts; just because they don’t say anything doesn’t mean they won’t find other ways to pass along information. If we clean up his mess, fine. But if we can’t, won’t we end up stinking ourselves?”

“Oh, now you know how to think?” Baili Liunian went to the doorway and ordered a servant to bring some food. After all the commotion, he realized he was hungry.

Leren looked a little embarrassed, lifting his cup to his lips. “I was just angry before and didn’t think it through. I’m not that stupid.”

“I know your nature. Though you’re unruly, you do have your moments of thoughtfulness. Now tell me, how did you find out about this? I don’t recall ever telling you such a secret.”

The servant soon returned with a few dishes of pastries. Baili Liunian set them before his son and waved for the servant to leave.

“Well…”

“Can’t say?”

Baili Liunian took a piece for himself.

Baili Leren cast a glance at the pastries—dry, not to his taste. If he ate them, he’d need to drink more water, and his face still hurt.

He cleared his throat. “Ahem, it’s not that.”

“Then let’s hear it.” Baili Liunian poured himself a cup of water. This brat really held a grudge over a single slap? He couldn’t even pour his father a drink?

“Just let it go. I… overheard it.” Baili Leren replied, sipping his water and avoiding his father’s gaze.

“Really?” Baili Liunian looked up.

“Yes, that’s how it was. I’m tired, I’ll go to bed. You should rest early too,” he said, putting down his cup. Without waiting for a response, he strode out, disappearing into the night.

Baili Liunian ate a few bites, washed them down with water, and found he wasn’t so hungry after all. He set the pastries aside.

“Lianhen.”

“Master, your orders?” A black-clad swordsman appeared at the door.

“Find out who the young master has been associating with lately, and who leaked the information. I want to see who dares meddle in the Baili family’s affairs.”

“Yes.” With that, Lianhen vanished.

At dawn the next morning, a severed head was placed upon Baili Liunian’s desk.

“What’s the background?” he asked.

Lianhen emerged from the shadows. “None.”

“Oh?” Baili Liunian lifted the head from the box, examining it casually.

“It was a servant boy, assigned to the young master about ten years ago. Normally did menial chores, not a part of the inner house. But it’s as if he appeared out of thin air. His name and identity were all fake. Only this head is real.”

“If there’s no way to trace him, then the opposition did it cleanly. They anticipated exposure, so all their agents are expendable. As soon as they’re discovered, they’re abandoned.”

Such calculation, such cunning. The boy had entered Leren’s quarters ten years ago—how many years had he been in the household before that? Twenty? Thirty? Even longer...

The very thought sent a chill through Baili Liunian.

And just how many messages had these “dead pieces” sent out from the Baili family?

Suddenly, Baili Liunian said coldly, “Keep investigating. I want to know how many more traitors like this we have in our house.”

With that, he tossed the head into the air and shattered it with a palm strike.

So must a traitor be punished.

Lianhen bowed. “Yes, sir.”

“And tell the guards to keep a close watch. Any who gossip—kill them.”

“At once.” With that, Lianhen disappeared.

As soon as he left, a strong wind swept away all traces of blood from the floor.

White Duckweed Surging Waves remained as pristine as ever, untouched by a hint of garish color.

Afterward, Baili Liunian walked slowly back to his desk. After a moment’s silence, he picked up his brush and quickly penned a letter. With a turn of his hand, he took out the Eight Trigrams Jade Platform, sealed the letter, and placed it inside. The letter vanished instantly.

Once the letter was sent, he put away the jade platform and left the study.

Baili Suhe...

In Weiye Valley, the rain fell ceaselessly that day.

Without Fuchenqing’s permission, Xian Geyue remained curled up in a rocking chair, not bothering to shield himself with an immortal barrier—letting the rain soak him through.

When Suhe was helped out of the medicine hut, this was the scene that greeted him.

He said to his friend beside him, “Aren’t you going to invite him in? Honestly, I owe him a favor for last time. Why not let him come inside out of the rain, so I can thank him properly?”

Fuchenqing glanced at the umbrella by the door, then at the rain cape and bamboo hat hanging on the wall. With a wave of his sleeve, the cape and hat landed squarely on Xian Geyue.

“That’s enough. Let’s go.” He picked up the umbrella from the floor and held it over Suhe’s head.

“Hold it closer, or you’ll get wet,” Suhe said, nudging the umbrella back toward his friend, only to have it pushed back.

“A patient doesn’t get to bargain.”

Suhe was taken aback, then smiled. “...Thank you!”

Xian Geyue, delighted to be hit with the rain cape, thought to himself that this fool wasn’t entirely heartless after all. But then he looked up and saw Fuchenqing standing in the rain just to shield Suhe, and his anger flared.

Was this man mad? It was just an injury—he wasn’t going to die. Was all this really necessary?

He glanced at the cape and hat, gathered them up protectively, then wiped the rain from his face and stormed toward the wooden house.

There were many fools in this world, but few that were pleasing to the eye...

Just as he reached the door, he heard Suhe call out, “It’s cold and bleak outside—won’t you come in for a while, Immortal friend? At least give me a chance to thank you in person!”

Xian Geyue paused under the eaves, leaned against the wall, and replied scornfully, “No need. I didn’t do it for you. If you keep pestering me, I’m afraid we’ll have an unnecessary misunderstanding.”

Suhe glanced at Fuchenqing, guessing the reason for his friend’s anger, and said with a wry smile, “Even so, I must thank you.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than the sounds of a fight erupted outside, only to be swallowed immediately by the rain.

Fuchenqing strode out, surveying the scene outside the house.

With a thunderous palm, he declared, “Those who break my rules—must die.”