Wandering Swordsman |

She stepped forward and said in a low voice, "Miss Murong... no, Qing'er. I never dared to hope to stand shoulder to shoulder with you. If I could be by your side as a concubine, I would be content."

She lowered her head, her hair falling to cover her trembling lips. It wasn't that she wasn't in pain, but rather that she cared too much about Shen Mo, which was why she was willing to be so humble.

But Murong Qing grabbed her hand firmly, leaving no room for refusal.

"Situ Meng!" Her voice was clear and bright, like a sword being drawn from its sheath. "In terms of family background, you are the daughter of the martial arts alliance leader; in terms of talent, you are proficient in both literature and martial arts; in terms of character, you would rather injure yourself than make things difficult for him—in which aspect are you inferior to me?"

She surveyed the two of them, her gaze piercing: "If you marry my husband, Murong Qing, then it will be a proper, respectable marriage, and you will stand as my equal wife!"

She paused, her tone suddenly softening: "A bond has already formed between you. If I were to forcibly suppress you in the name of my legal wife, that would be an insult to you, to him, and to the honor of the Murong family!"

Shen Mo and Situ Meng were both stunned, as if their souls trembled slightly from these words.

They never imagined that there could be such a woman in the world—who did not take pride in possessing others' affections, but rather in fulfilling their desires; who did not use her social status to oppress others, but rather judged people based on their character and temperament.

......

The night wind rises again, stirring the bamboo shadows throughout the courtyard, as if heaven and earth bear witness, and mountains and rivers serve as a mirror.

What should have been a heart-wrenching ordeal of love was transformed into an unprecedented alliance through Murong Qing's magnanimity and courage—not a compromise, but a shared responsibility; not a struggle, but a partnership.

......

The night was deep and all was quiet, except for the moonlight, which fell silently on the upturned eaves of the Martial Alliance, turning the glazed tiles into a silvery white.

Bamboo shadows sway gently in the wind, casting ink-like patterns on the bluestone path, as if heaven and earth are holding their breath, waiting for a heartfelt confession.

Situ Meng strolled slowly through the corridors, her skirt brushing against the stone steps, her plain linen robe billowing slightly in the night breeze, like a white egret returning to its nest.

She clutched a jade hairpin tightly in her hand, her fingertips unconsciously caressing the warm, smooth jade—it was the hairpin Murong Qing had personally placed in her hair when he re-styled it before she left his residence. At that moment, the candlelight flickered, and the two women's hands intertwined before the mirror, their silence speaking volumes.

She was originally feeling as if a huge boulder was pressing on her heart. The moonlight on Qingcheng Mountain that night, Shen Mo's fingertips gently stroking her back... all sorts of images kept churning in her mind.

But when Murong Qing said with such magnanimity, "If you truly love him, you should let him feel at ease," Situ Meng felt a sense of relief in her chest, as if her heart, which had been hanging in mid-air for so long, had finally gently returned to its original place.

At this moment, her steps were light, the gloom between her brows had vanished, and a faint smile unconsciously appeared on her lips.

Her smile was like a stream breaking through the ice in early spring, clear and gentle. She looked up at the moon, and a long-lost sense of anticipation arose in her heart—not a thirst for recognition, but a certainty about the future. She knew that from this day forward, she would have the right to stand shoulder to shoulder with Shen Mo.

She arrived at Situ Dengfeng's residence and gently knocked on the door.

"Come in." A deep, steady voice came from inside the house.

Situ Meng pushed open the door and entered, only to see Situ Dengfeng bent over his desk reviewing official documents. The candlelight on the desk flickered, illuminating the outline of his graying temples.

The marks of time were etched on his brow, and his eyes were slightly dark, a result of hard work. A stack of secret reports lay on his desk, covered with annotations in vermilion ink, all urgent news about the landing of the East Sea warriors and the tense state of the war.

"Meng'er?" Situ Dengfeng looked up at the sound of her voice, his pen pausing, the ink spreading into a dark cloud on the paper. A hint of surprise flashed in his slightly tired eyes. "It's so late, why aren't you resting? Is something the matter?"

Upon hearing this, Situ Meng's heart tightened, and her smile froze instantly.

She lowered her eyes, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes, her throat bobbing slightly, as if a thousand words were stuck in her chest, and she didn't know where to begin.

Situ Dengfeng was incredibly perceptive. He immediately noticed something amiss in his daughter's expression, his brows furrowed slightly, and he put down his vermilion brush and slowly rose to his feet.

He walked around the desk and stood in front of Situ Meng, his eyes sharp yet full of love.

"Meng'er," his voice was low, carrying an undeniable concern, "what exactly happened? You returned from Qingcheng, saying you were unharmed, but the look in your eyes always seemed to hold something on your mind..."

Situ Meng bit her lip, her eyelashes trembling slightly. Finally, she raised her head, took a deep breath, and slowly spoke:

"Father... I was poisoned by the Red Lotus Demon's poison 'You Tan Yin' at Qingcheng Mountain."

"What?!" Situ Dengfeng's pupils contracted sharply, his face instantly turning ashen. He grabbed his daughter's arms, his eyes filled with worry. "What kind of poison is that? You...you weren't injured?!"

Situ Meng gently shook her head: "The poison has been neutralized..."

Situ Dengfeng breathed a sigh of relief: "It's good that the poison has been neutralized."

However, Situ Meng lowered her head, her voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz, yet every word was clear: "That is aphrodisiac, which must be... neutralized by the method of yin and yang harmony."

The moment the words left his mouth, the room seemed to freeze.

The candle flame suddenly leaped up, bursting into a flower-like flame.

Situ Dengfeng was struck dumb, frozen in place. He slowly released his grip, his gaze fixed on Situ Meng, his eyes first filled with shock, then turning into endless heartache and pain.

"Meng'er..." His voice trembled as he gently stroked her cheek, his fingertips trembling slightly. "I'm so sorry for your deceased mother, I didn't take good care of you..."

His fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white, and his eyes blazed with fury: "Which beast took advantage of you in your moment of weakness?! I will tear him to pieces and clear your name!"

Situ Meng suddenly looked up, her eyes filled with a hint of stubbornness: "Father, it wasn't taking advantage of someone in distress... it was Shen Mo who saved my life."

"Shen Mo?!" Situ Dengfeng was taken aback, his anger abruptly halted.

He stood frozen in place, as if struck by an invisible lightning bolt. After a long while, he slowly loosened his fist, let out a long sigh, and even revealed a bitter smile.

"Is it... Shen Mo?" he murmured, his tone carrying a hint of relief and satisfaction. As a father, Situ Dengfeng naturally knew that Situ Meng had some affection for Shen Mo, and Situ Dengfeng himself even felt that in the world, only a rising star like Shen Mo was worthy of his daughter.

He slowly sat down, raised his hand to rub his temples, and murmured in a low voice, "Thank goodness... thank goodness it wasn't someone else... it was Shen Mo..."

He looked up at his daughter, his gaze complex: "Did he... promise you anything?"

Situ Meng nodded, her voice firm: "He said... he will never let me down in this life."

Upon hearing this, Situ Dengfeng closed his eyes for a long time. When he opened them again, there was no anger in his eyes, only deep emotion and relief.

"Shen Mo..." he murmured, a smile appearing on his lips. "This kid is not bad...very responsible."

He suddenly stood up, walked to the window, and gazed at the bright moon in the night sky, his back as steady as a mountain.

"Meng'er," he said slowly, "losing your innocence is not your fault. Your father only wishes you peace of mind. If Shen Mo can truly live up to your expectations, then... that will be your blessing."

He turned around and gazed at his daughter: "But you must also remember that he already has a fiancée, and Murong Qing is a kind person. If you truly care for him, you must not compete with him or be jealous of him."

Situ Meng nodded with tears in her eyes: "Father, I understand. I came only to let you know the truth."

Situ Dengfeng sighed and gently embraced his daughter, patting her back as he had done when she was a child.

"Good boy..." he whispered, "you've grown up."

Outside the window, the moonlight flowed quietly like water. A night breeze blew, causing the copper bells on the eaves to tinkle, as if playing a gentle lullaby for this nighttime conversation between father and daughter.