Blood sedge

Chapter 1207 Forced Conspiracy
At noon, the sun was high in the sky, and the heat was intense, making it the most unbearable time of day.

Although it wasn't yet the height of summer, the heat was already intense. The scorching sun relentlessly displayed its power, mocking the incompetence of all living things, and soon the world was as hot as a steamer.

If you go out now, without shade, you'll probably be parched and sweating profusely in less than half an incense stick's time.

However, despite the torturous weather, Su Tang and Luo Qi knelt upright in the courtyard of the Prince Xian's residence under the scorching sun.

Two hours have passed by now.

Their faces, flushed red from the sun, were covered with fine beads of sweat that streamed down their backs. Their clothes were soaked through several times, the sweat stains on their chests and backs turning into patches of white.

Thirty paces away from them was the central hall of the Prince Xian's residence.

At this moment, the main hall was wide open, and only one person sat in the center of the huge hall, facing Su Tang and Luo Qi in the courtyard.

The difference was that Su and Luo were kneeling, with no roof over their heads, and the bricks beneath their knees were as hot as red-hot iron plates, suffering greatly from the scorching sun.

In contrast, the person inside the hall sat leisurely in a grand chair. Above him was a deep coffered ceiling, below him were jade-green bricks, and a gentle breeze occasionally blew through the hall. He did not feel the heat at all, but rather a little cool.

In the courtyard of the Prince Xian's mansion, besides Xie Xuan, there was probably no one else who could make Bai and Qing, who were holding fans, willingly kneel as punishment without uttering a single complaint.

At this moment, Xie Xuan held a teacup in one hand and a book in the other, seemingly engrossed in reading, completely oblivious to the two people suffering terribly in the courtyard.

"Second Master! We know we were wrong!"

Compared to the vigorous Su Tang, the elderly Luo Qi could hardly endure such torture. Having fainted several times, he was already exhausted and could no longer hold on. So, ignoring Su Tang's dissuasive gaze, he gritted his teeth and begged Xie Xuan for mercy in a dry, hoarse voice.

"Snapped!"

However, before Luo Qi could finish speaking, Xie Xuan suddenly threw the teacup in his hand outwards. With lightning speed, it drew a white arc in the air and hit Luo Qi squarely on the forehead.

As the teacup shattered, Luo Qi's head was also torn open, bleeding profusely.

"Second Master, calm down!"

Seeing this, Su Tang, greatly alarmed, quickly supported the swaying Luo Qi and said loudly, "We certainly shouldn't have acted on our own initiative, much less have we reprimanded the young master during today's meeting. But what we did... was entirely for the second master's sake, and we had absolutely no selfish motives!"

"Bastard!"

Another shout rang out, and this time a scroll flew towards them. Empowered by Xie Xuan's internal energy, the originally soft scroll hardened like iron, slamming heavily into Su Tang's chest with a loud bang. Su Tang felt a sharp pain, a sweet taste in his throat, and spat out a mouthful of bright red blood.

"Pfft! Cough cough..."

Feeling utterly weak and struggling to breathe, Su Tang quickly braced himself against the ground with his hands to keep from collapsing. He hurriedly circulated his internal energy to regulate his breathing, spitting out several mouthfuls of bloody phlegm before feeling some relief in his chest, which had been feeling almost suffocating.

"Could it be that you've been telling too many lies all this time that you've even dared to deceive me?" Xie Xuan's face was ashen, his fierce eyes glaring at Su Tang and Luo Qi, who were supporting each other, as he coldly said, "Do you think I don't know whether you have ulterior motives or not?"

"We...we just want to better assist Second Master..." Luo Qi covered his bleeding forehead with his hand, grimacing as he defended himself, "Right now, Seventh Master and Eighth Master are missing. If Young Master excludes us as well, then Second Master...won't he be left without anyone of his own?"

"Our own people?" Xie Xuan laughed angrily. "The entire Prince Xian's mansion is of one mind. What do I need 'our own people' for in front of the young master?"

“But the young master is indecisive and wavering. Those around him are all scheming and have ulterior motives, yet he himself is deeply mired in hypocrisy and completely unaware. If he were to wield absolute power, he would inevitably listen to the slander of petty people, favor those outsiders and alienate the old ministers in the manor. Even the Second Master… might be replaced by heretics like Xiao Zhirou and Yun Zhuiyue. Wouldn’t that plunge the Prince Xian’s manor into utter ruin?” Su Tang said emotionally.

"I told you long ago that everything has its own arrangements, and it's not your place to interfere!" Xie Xuan rebuked. "If you two hadn't caused trouble today, would Xunyi have been so reluctant to help? Do you really think he's young and ignorant and can't see through your sinister intentions?"

"This..." Faced with Xie Xuan's accusation, Su Tang and Luo Qi were speechless for a moment.

"What you've done today isn't just forcing him, it's forcing me too!" Xie Xuan grew angrier as he spoke, suddenly standing up from his chair. He pointed angrily at the two men who were staring at each other, gritting his teeth as he cursed, "My biggest regret today is that I shouldn't have protected you two treacherous fools! I should have been ruthless and punished you both severely! That way, Xun Yi wouldn't have blamed anyone else, and he wouldn't have suspected that I was secretly colluding with you to plot against him!"

"Second Master, please calm down! We were confused for a moment..."

"You weren't confused for a moment, it was me who was confused for a moment!" Enraged, Xie Xuan strode to the door, his fists clenching and unclenching in his sleeves, finally letting out a long sigh, slapping himself hard across the face, and lamenting, "Nostalgia! Nostalgia! But I never expected to be burdened by old friends! Alas! Old age is truly useless... I, Xie Xuan, have always been loyal to my master, upright and selfless, yet now, because of a moment of weakness due to nostalgia, you two have ruined my lifelong reputation, I... alas!"

"Second Master, please calm down..."

"Shut up!" Xie Xuan waved his hand impatiently to interrupt. "It's one thing for you to be stupid, but now you've made me just as stupid! Just now at Danfeng Garden, you practically put me on the hot seat, leaving me no time to think things through in my haste. I foolishly recommended you to Xunyi. Now that I've calmed down and thought about it, it was a complete and utter blunder!" "If it weren't for Second Master's strong recommendation, we two probably wouldn't have left Danfeng Garden alive." After saying this, Luo Qi and Su Tang kowtowed three times to Xie Xuan.

"Nonsense! The more I praise you, the more Xunyi will suspect that I am conspiring with you in secret." Xie Xuan said angrily, "If I suppress you two, he might feel more at ease."

"Second Master, if the young master questions your loyalty over such a trivial matter, it only means... he doesn't trust you at all," Su Tang urged, seizing the opportunity. "If he truly trusted you, why would he fear our tests?"

"You're not testing him, you're coercing him." Perhaps struck by Su Tang's words, Xie Xuan paused for a moment, then turned and walked back into the hall. He sat wearily in a chair, his eyes filled with worry, and his tone was no longer as agitated as before. "You don't understand Xun Yi at all. This boy has always been more responsive to gentle persuasion than force. The more you pressure him, the more he will resist. Even if he is willing to succeed as the head of the manor, he will choose to refuse because of your coercion."

"Why...why is this?" Luo Qi asked, puzzled.

“Because he’s arrogant! Just like the Northern Wise King when he was young, humble on the outside, but incredibly arrogant on the inside. Sometimes, he’s willing to pay ten times the price just to prove himself.” Xie Xuan sighed. “Xun Yi’s decision today isn’t about arguing with us, but about asserting his dominance. He wants to tell everyone that no one can force him to do something he doesn’t want to do, not even his own father’s dying wish…”

"I see..." Luo Qi nodded, seemingly understanding, "I also thought the young master wouldn't be so narrow-minded, it's just that we exchanged a few more words..."

Noticing Xie Xuan's sinister gaze, Luo Qi, who was about to defend herself, was so frightened that her body trembled and her voice stopped abruptly.

Seeing Xie Xuan's emotions gradually calm down and reason gradually overpower his anger, Su Tang mustered up his courage and carefully spoke: "Second Master, in my humble opinion... Seventh Master and Eighth Master are also reasons why the young master has doubts."

Upon hearing this, Xie Xuan's eyes subtly changed, and his face darkened once again.

"You...get up first!"

"Thank you, Second Master!"

Seeing Xie Xuansong's offer, Su Tang and Luo Qi, who had been unable to bear it any longer, hurriedly kowtowed in gratitude. Then, they stood up shakily, their bodies already numb from kneeling, and staggered into the main hall.

"Second Master, there's been no news of Seventh Master and Eighth Master, and Wudang..." At this point, Su Tang subconsciously looked around, and only felt at ease when he saw that no one was around, but his voice was still a few decibels lower, "And there's still no news from Wudang, this matter... is really a bit strange."

“I suspect that Murong Bai and Deng Quan have failed. They may have been captured by Wudang, or they may have met with some misfortune. Otherwise, given their personalities, they wouldn’t have failed to send back even a single message.” Xie Xuan said with a solemn expression. “The ambush of the Wudang remnants should have been a momentous event, but it has been completely ignored, as if it had sunk into the sea. This can only mean that someone is deliberately covering it up.”

"Second Master, you mean... Wudang?" Luo Qi was secretly surprised, seemingly very puzzled. "Why would they do this? Wudang just lost power at the anti-traitor conference. They could easily take this opportunity to turn on us and incite the righteous indignation of heroes across the land."

“It’s possible that Wudang has suffered a major blow and its foundation is unstable, so they don’t want any complications at this critical juncture. Or it could be that they want to play the long game, first firmly grasp our weaknesses, and then wait for the right moment to deliver a fatal blow.” Xie Xuan frowned and slowly shook his head. “In any case, Wudang will never swallow this insult. Their secrecy… must be part of a conspiracy.”

"Could there be... some variables we don't know about?" Su Tang pondered. "Logically speaking, Seventh Master and Eighth Master are attacking the unprepared with their preparedness, using their intentions to outmaneuver the unsuspecting, and using their strength to attack the weak. They have all the advantages in terms of manpower, timing, location, and morale, so they shouldn't fail."

“You’re right!” Xie Xuan’s eyes gleamed as he said quietly, “Neither Murong Bai nor Deng Quan are blindly arrogant. They wouldn’t look down on Wudang, nor would they be careless in their planning. Therefore, they must have made thorough preparations for this ambush. Unless there are unforeseen variables, they won’t fail. I’ve also pondered this repeatedly, and there are only two possible variables. One, that other forces are secretly helping them. Two, that Wudang has prepared a backup plan long ago.”

"After the anti-traitor rally, Wudang was practically reduced to a pariah, hated by everyone. There weren't many people in the martial arts world capable of intervening in this matter to begin with, and most of them chose to protect themselves and avoided Wudang like the plague. How could they possibly help them in secret?" Luo Qi thought about it more and more strangely, and became more and more alarmed as he spoke. "As for Wudang... with the sect leader's tragic death and internal strife, how could they have the mind to prepare a backup plan? Moreover, the young master had already promised to let them go in front of all the heroes of the world that day. How could they have expected that the second master would set up an ambush behind the young master's back? Unless... they could foresee the future."

"Precognition is nonsense, but if someone tipped us off..."

"Stop making wild guesses! Those who know the inside story are all reliable people I have carefully selected, and they would never inform Wudang." Xie Xuanhu glared and immediately interrupted Su Tang's speculation. Then, his gaze sharpened as he stared intently at Su Tang and Luo Qi, who were hesitant to speak, and said meaningfully, "Unless... it is you two who are betraying us."

"Second Master, please be wise! If we have leaked the secret, may we be struck by lightning and die a horrible death!" Seeing that Xie Xuan suspected them, Su Tang and Luo Qi's expressions changed immediately, and they hurriedly swore a poisonous oath to show their loyalty.

"Just saying!" Xie Xuan looked at Su and Luo, who were terrified by him, and couldn't help but let out a cold laugh that was hard to tell whether it was contempt or sarcasm. "I may not know what you're thinking, but I know your courage."

Upon hearing this, Su Tang and Luo Qi exchanged glances, their faces filled with an indescribable bitterness. Xie Xuan's assessment left them unsure whether to feel fortunate or saddened.

"Second Master, should we send someone to find out the whereabouts of Seventh Master and Eighth Master?" Luo Qi asked cautiously. "At least we need to find them alive or dead..."

"Absolutely not!" Xie Xuan rejected Luo Qi's suggestion without hesitation. "Right now, no news is probably the best news for us. Xun Yi has already started keeping an eye on Murong Bai and Deng Quan's whereabouts. If you make any rash moves, it will surely arouse his suspicion. More importantly, what if this is a trap deliberately set by Wudang, just waiting for us to send people to investigate so they can catch us like turtles in a jar... Wouldn't that just confirm the guilt of the Prince Xian's Mansion?"

“That’s right!” Su Tang, knowing the pros and cons, readily agreed. “Seventh Master and Eighth Master are both loyal and courageous, with unyielding integrity. Even if they have fallen into the hands of Wudang, they certainly won’t betray Second Master and the Prince Xian’s Mansion. At worst… they will take all the blame themselves, and they certainly won’t leave Wudang with any evidence to attack the Prince Xian’s Mansion. In that case, if we send people to investigate, it would be like walking into a trap, which would be unwise.”

“Let’s wait a little longer!” Exhausted, Xie Xuan slowly closed his eyes and said calmly, “These are turbulent times. Every step must be carefully planned before acting. We must not be reckless again. You must have heard the news Shen Dongshan brought: the Mongols are stirring, and the martial arts world of the Central Plains is about to be thrown into turmoil. At that time, everyone in the martial arts world will be in danger. I am certain that those who are always thinking of taking advantage of the chaos will seize the opportunity to cause trouble. Therefore, at this critical juncture of transition, the Xianwang Mansion must stabilize its own situation. We cannot afford to be chaotic! We absolutely cannot afford to be chaotic! The most urgent task right now is to appease Xunyi. As long as he has not betrayed the Xianwang Mansion, no one can shake our foundation. As for the rest… we can deal with whatever comes our way. You do not need to worry too much, and you must not act on your own again. Otherwise…”

At this point, Xie Xuan suddenly opened his eyes, and two chilling beams of light instantly pierced through Su Tang and Luo Qi's uneasy hearts, making their scalps tingle and their hair stand on end.

"Otherwise, I will teach you a lesson that makes you wish you were dead!"

……