Chapter 16: Song Lanzhen

As soon as she uttered those words, Zhao Nishang realized she had misspoken. But then she thought—there was no way to take them back, nor was there any need to.

She simply set down the lacquer tray and walked toward Zhou Man with steady steps.

Zhou Man had remained seated at the table the entire time, unmoving. Even when Citong arrived, she merely watched without rising—a stillness that spoke of either confidence or indifference.

Zhao Nishang bowed deeply. "Thank you so much, Senior Sister Zhou, for your kindness. I am deeply grateful..."

However, she couldn't complete the bow.

Zhou Man reached out to support her, her voice carrying an unexpected coolness. "There's no need to thank me now."

Zhao Nishang was immediately surprised, her eyes widening.

Zhou Man glanced at her indifferently. "I expect something in return for saving people. It's not a free act. I will come to you to ask for it in the future."

Upon hearing this, Jin Buhuan couldn't help but frown, discomfort crossing his features.

Wang Shu, however, seemed thoughtful, his expression revealing nothing.

Zhao Nishang's blood relative had just passed away, and Zhou Man hadn't offered a single word of comfort. Instead, she spoke of demanding repayment for her kindness in the future. At first glance, it seemed somewhat cold-blooded.

Zhao Nishang hadn't expected this either, but after a moment's consideration, she said, "Kindness should be repaid—that's only right. However, I am of humble status and my abilities are limited. If Senior Sister Zhou ever needs my help, I will always be at Qiluo Hall, waiting for you, ready to serve you."

Zhou Man nodded, satisfied, and said nothing more.

Then Zhao Nishang turned to Wang Shu. "Doctor Wang, I would like to go back to Qiluo Hall to get a clean robe for my father to change into, and then come back to pick him up later. Is that convenient?"

Wang Shu said gently, "No problem, I'll wait for you here."

Zhao Nishang thanked him again, then bid farewell to everyone and left Chunfeng Hall, her footsteps echoing in the corridor.

Jin Buhuan stared at her retreating figure, his eyes flickering with unreadable thoughts. Once she was out of sight, he said to Zhou Man, "This matter will spread throughout the entire academy within half an hour. You're in big trouble."

Zhou Man asked with genuine curiosity, "What trouble do I have?"

Jin Buhuan's voice rose slightly. "At the execution platform, she begged you for help in front of everyone, which put you in grave danger. Why did you save her?"

Zhou Man replied simply, "I saved her because I wanted to. I did it however I pleased. What reason do I need?"

"Do whatever makes you happy!" Jin Buhuan was almost driven mad by her casual attitude. Turning her head, she saw Wang Shu still smiling beside her, and her anger flared. "What are you laughing at, you mud bodhisattva! Just sitting there dumbfounded—don't you know how to say a word in support!"

Wang Shu shook his head, his smile unwavering. "I didn't see the situation with my own eyes, so I can't make a judgment. Besides, in this world, even what you see with your own eyes isn't always the truth, let alone what you're just hearing."

Jin Buhuan rolled her eyes dramatically. "Useless coward who can't even speak his mind."

Wang Shu smiled and didn't get angry with him—like water flowing around a stone.

Jin Buhuan was too lazy to pay attention to him anymore and looked at Zhou Man again. "You and Wang Shi really don't look alike at all."

This time, Wang Shu nodded in agreement.

Zhou Man became interested. "What kind of style would the Wang family have?"

Jin Buhuan sneered. "Anyway, not like you."

Zhou Man then asked, "Is it because I was recommended by the Wang family?"

Jin Buhuan laughed. "You finally figured it out."

Everyone knows that the Sword Gate Academy is the highest institution of learning in the world, but they don't know that this highest institution also needs the support of the most powerful forces in the world. To retain a group of top cultivators from the cultivation world to teach here as teachers requires enormous expenses.

Since the fall of Empress Wu Huang, the various expenses of the academy have been shared by various powerful forces.

In other words, the Sword Gate Academy is supported by various prominent forces—a delicate web of influence and obligation.

The Qing Shuang Hall, which is in charge of weapons, is supported by the Wang family; the Chun Feng Hall, which is in charge of medicine, is supported by the Lu family; and the Qi Luo Hall, which is in charge of clothing, is supported by the Song family.

Jin Buhuan continued, "The three great families hold a superior position even within the academy, and that's why. Their relationships are incredibly delicate, and the unspoken rule is to keep to themselves—partly out of mutual respect, and partly to avoid unnecessary suspicion and conflict."

Zhou Man said calmly, "But I broke that tacit understanding."

Jin Buhuan's tone sharpened. "Now you regret it, don't you?"

Unexpectedly, Zhou Man shook her head. "If saving someone is that serious, why did you help me arrange things before?"

Upon closer examination, she had only verbally agreed to Zhao Nishang's request.

It was Jin Buhuan who actually completed the rescue—who made the arrangements, who smoothed the path.

However, upon hearing this, Jin Buhuan looked at her as if she were an idiot. "Of course, with fools like you taking the blame, no matter how much I do, I'm not the one to stick my neck out. Others don't need to bother with me."

Zhou Man actually smiled after hearing this. "Jin Langjun, you're a good person."

Jin Buhuan's expression changed dramatically. "Who are you calling an idiot?"

Zhou Man was serious. "We've only just met, yet Jin Langjun is willing to offer me advice. Isn't that being a good person?"

Jin Buhuan stared at her for a long time, then said firmly, "You're sick, you're seriously ill."

He turned to Wang Shu. "You should treat her later."

Wang Shu, who had already been chuckling at their muddled back-and-forth, glanced at Zhou Man and laughed. "It's not a terminal illness, so there's no need for treatment."

The three of them were noticeably more relaxed than when they first met. This was because after the incident of rescuing Zhao Nishang, they could roughly sense each other's true nature and had let down their guard—or at least lowered it considerably.

Since he couldn't reason with Zhou Man, Jin Buhuan gave up.

Interrupted by this, Zhou Man no longer wanted to look at the dormitories and simply said she would go back to the east dormitory and choose a room to stay in.

So the two of them bid farewell to Wang Shu.

Wang Shu rose to see them off with characteristic courtesy.

But as Zhou Man was leaving, she suddenly asked, "When is Chunfeng Hall usually occupied, and when is it empty?"

Wang Shu looked up and met her gaze. After a moment of silence, he said, "It's always occupied during the day. People leave around 5 PM, and it's empty by sunset."

Zhou Man then said, "I understand," and took her leave.

---

She and Jin Buhuan returned to the east dormitory together.

Halfway there, Jin Buhuan asked, "Are you going to see a doctor later?"

Zhou Man replied, "It's always good to ask first, just in case. Has Young Master Jin known Doctor Wang for a long time?"

Jin Buhuan said, "Not long, maybe two or three years. He came here the year before last and rented a closed clinic on Nipan Street, renaming it 'Bingmei Clinic.' That whole area is mine; it's the only clinic on the street, so we naturally got to know each other. I heard he traveled around with Master Yiming, but I only recently learned that he's Master Yiming's personal disciple and even entered the Jianmen Academy..."

Zhou Man nodded. "I see. I see you two have a pretty good relationship."

They had already returned to the east wing. The two mortal enemies from the Emei and Qingcheng sects who had been fighting in the courtyard were nowhere to be seen—perhaps having killed each other, or simply exhausted themselves. Only the faint sounds of people from Sanhua Tower still singing and drinking could be heard inside.

Zhou Man chose an empty room.

There was a groove about three inches deep next to the door.

Jin Buhuan first asked her for her Xuan Tie Sword Token before speaking. "Ni Pusa is a good person, but..."

He put the sword token into the groove, and a faint light flashed. The words "Zhou Man" appeared on the door in elegant script.

This meant the room had been chosen.

Zhou Man took the sword token he handed back, but asked curiously, "But what?"

Jin Buhuan paused for a long time, and an indescribable expression appeared on his face—seemingly complex, seemingly sighing. "A tree that stands out in the forest will be felled by the wind; a mound that rises above the bank will be eroded by the current; a person who excels above others will be criticized by the masses. Good things in this world are not lasting, and if a person is too good, I fear it will not last long..."

Silence fell over the doorway, heavy and contemplative.

Zhou Man stared at him for a long time, noticing he'd forgotten to pretend when he said that. So she laughed. "Young Master Jin, you don't look like a good-for-nothing anymore."

Jin Buhuan was taken aback at first, about to say "Thank you for the compliment," then almost jumped up. "Good-for-nothing? When have I, Jin Buhuan, ever looked like a good-for-nothing! I'm clearly beautiful on the outside and talented on the inside, do you even have any taste—"

Zhou Man glanced at him, too lazy to listen to his nonsense, and simply slammed the door shut, blocking Jin Buhuan outside.

Jin Buhuan was even angrier, standing outside her door cursing for a long time before reluctantly leaving, his voice gradually fading down the corridor.

---

The news of Zhou Man saving someone, just as Jin Buhuan had said, had spread throughout the entire academy in less than half an hour.

The female official Citong heard people talking about it all the way back to "Bifangchen."

The peonies before the steps were still in full bloom, their petals like crimson silk.

The bamboo curtain of the waterside pavilion was half-rolled up. Song Lanzhen, wearing a light green crepe dress, was holding a small cup of water, tending to a pot of orchids on the table. However, it only had leaves—no flowers yet.

Citong entered and greeted her. "Miss."

Song Lanzhen didn't turn around, only asking, "How is it?"

Citong replied, "Commissioner Zhao is gone."

Song Lanzhen's slender fingers, which had been manipulating the orchid leaves, immediately stopped. Her delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, and she finally turned around. "How could he be gone?"

Citong said, "Fifty lashes might be enough for an ordinary person, but Commissioner Zhao suffered a serious illness a few years ago. His health had deteriorated considerably, and he was also old and frail. The doctor said he couldn't withstand it."

Song Lanzhen fell silent, her expression unreadable.

Having cultivated the "Twelve Flower Goddesses Manual," she naturally possessed a face like a lotus and eyebrows like willows—graceful and elegant. But now, in stillness, there was a hint of authority in her eyes, making her not entirely approachable.

After thinking for a moment, she asked, "What was Zhao Nishang's reaction when you went to see her?"

Citong had been recalling Zhao Nishang's reaction the whole way, and now she said, "She seemed to have already cried. She was very calm when she was with me, and didn't utter a single word of complaint. She even willingly accepted the pills and Caiyun brocade you asked me to bring."

Song Lanzhen said, "She didn't complain, so she must have had something in her heart."

Citong continued, "The leftover scraps of Caiyun brocade should have been burned. Qiluo Hall always followed this rule when making clothes for the Song family, to avoid others..." The master of the house wearing the same clothes. "Zhao, the tailor, was reluctant to part with that one foot of brocade and made a mistake. The steward, unaware of your temperament, handled it according to past practice…"

Song Lanzhen asked, "Was it always like this?"

Citong replied, "It was always like this when other members of the Song family came to the academy."

Song Lanzhen sighed softly. "If it had always been this strict, it probably wouldn't have been a good thing for the Song family."

Citong pondered for a moment and asked, "Should the steward be punished?"

Unexpectedly, Song Lanzhen considered for a moment and shook her head. "No matter how small the matter..." She paused. "It's likely that all the reports will eventually come to me for my decision. The managers are just following the rules, and even then, it's all for the Song family's sake. If I punish them for this, who knows how much it will discourage the others working below them? This time it was just a coincidence, an accident that no one wanted to happen."

Citong hesitated. "Then Zhao Nishang, I'm afraid…"

Song Lanzhen slowly put the cup of water she was using to water the flowers back on the table, only saying, "If there is resentment, then there's nothing we can do. How can we please everyone? In this position, we can only weigh the pros and cons, choosing the lesser of two evils. It's just a minor matter."

Citong's heart was filled with complex emotions. "So you're just going to ignore it all?"

Song Lanzhen said, "I'll ignore it."

But she raised her finger, pressed her slender fingers to her temple, thought for a moment, and then said, "But later you should write a report, listing all the details of this matter, and send it to my brother to have someone revise it, reducing the punishment of the golden whip by ten degrees, so that such a trouble will not happen again next time."

Citong responded, "Yes."

Song Lanzhen was a little tired and only said, "Alright, you can go now."

Citong stood there, but didn't know whether she should say anything.

Upon seeing her hesitation, Song Lanzhen asked, "Is there anything else?"

Citong replied, "When I went to Chunfeng Hall, I saw the girl recommended by the Wang family. I heard that after Zhao Zhiyi was punished, no one was willing to send him to Chunfeng Hall, but this Miss Zhou Man helped him."

Song Lanzhen was somewhat surprised. "The Wang family helped him?"

Citong nodded. "That's exactly what I was wary of."

Song Lanzhen was now truly troubled. "What is the Wang family playing this year? It's really unpredictable. Those who are supposed to come have been occupying their spots for twenty years and haven't arrived yet; but someone of unknown origin has suddenly appeared... Whose class is it tomorrow morning?"

Citong said, "The Sword Master of Canjian Hall."

Song Lanzhen then said, "No one misses the Sword Master's class, so you'll see him tomorrow."

---

After Zhou Man entered the room, she walked around, familiarizing herself with everything—the sparse furnishings, the plain walls, the simple bed. Then she sat down. As usual, she went through everything that had happened that day in her mind, analyzing, cataloging, remembering.

Finally, she couldn't help but think of Song Lanzhen.

In her past life in the capital, this Miss Song was her only friend. They met at a flower festival and got along very well—sharing poetry, discussing philosophy, laughing over tea. Even after Zhou Man went through many hardships and became enemies with the three great families, she still valued this friendship.

So on the day of the Fengshan ceremony, when Song Lanzhen came to offer her congratulations, she went to greet her personally.

But who would have thought that what she received in return was a deep piercing.

It was a thin awl made of peach wood, reinforced with nine layers of talismans, capable of breaking through the most solid defenses in the world.

Zhou Man's protective jade talisman shattered like glass.

The peach wood awl pierced her waist and abdomen, spreading a patch of blood that bloomed like crimson flowers.

More than the pain, she was confused at that moment—utterly bewildered.

And so, like countless ordinary people betrayed in this world, Zhou Man asked that question: "Why?"

Song Lanzhen looked at her wistfully and said softly, "My surname is Song."

My surname is Song.

Zhou Man couldn't forget that it was this peach wood cone that drew back the bloody curtain of the siege of Jade Emperor Peak—the killing from the foot of the mountain to the top, from day to night, killing until she forgot gratitude and abandoned affection, and from then on, feared the brocade rope.

"Surname Song..."

She sighed softly, finally shaking her head to shake away the old thoughts like dust from ancient scrolls.

Seeing that it was still early, she checked her schedule for tomorrow and sat down cross-legged to begin cultivating the "Yi Shen Jue" mental technique.

It wasn't until the sun was setting that she suddenly got up.

---

Zhou Man actually pushed open the door and walked toward Chunfeng Hall.

She encountered some people on the way, most of whom looked at her with strange eyes—curiosity mixed with wariness, judgment masked as interest.

But Zhou Man pretended not to see them.

The sun had set, and Chunfeng Hall was shrouded in a burning red sunset, as if the building itself were aflame. Just as Wang Shu had said, there was no one there—

Except for himself.

When Zhou Man arrived, he was poking at the fire in the medicine stove under the eaves with fire tongs. Seeing her, he wasn't surprised at all, smiling. "You've come at the right time; the tea is just brewed."

He picked up the teapot already brewed on the stove and poured a cup for Zhou Man.

Zhou Man stood under the eaves, took the teacup, glanced at it, and said to him with unusual seriousness, "Thank you."

Wang Shu poured himself a cup as well, seemingly unconcerned. "It's just a cup of tea; it's only proper hospitality."

Zhou Man said lightly, "You know I didn't come specifically to thank you for this tea."

Wang Shu stopped, sighing. "It was just a small favor; why thank me? Miss Zhou, please rest assured, I don't drink much or take medicine indiscriminately; I wouldn't talk nonsense."

Zhou Man chuckled softly.

She didn't like owing favors, but she had only managed to keep her rambling in front of Jin Buhuan from being exposed thanks to Wang Shu.

Regardless of whether she would repay the favor in the future, thanking him in person was essential.

Wang Shu looked at her, thought for a moment, and then said, "However, if you encounter someone else next time, it might not be so easy. You should be more careful in your actions, young lady."

Zhou Man thought to herself, If I were more careful, you'd be a dead man standing in front of me right now.

But on the surface, she readily agreed, "Thank you for the advice, I will next time."

Then she took a sip of tea.

After that, she frowned, finding it hard to bear.

Wang Shu noticed her expression, paused, and asked, "Is it too bitter?"

Zhou Man told the truth. "The tea at your Chunfeng Hall is all infused with the taste of medicine; it's terribly bitter."

Wang Shu considered for a moment, then took out a snow-white pill the size of a little finger from his sleeve and put it into her teacup, saying, "Try it again."

Zhou Man wouldn't drink it carelessly. "What is this?"

Wang Shu smiled and said, "It's tea made from worldly flavors. If it's too bitter, you can add a sugar pill."

Zhou Man: "..."

Worldly flavors made from worldly flavors.

She remained silent for a moment, then took another sip, and the tea was indeed much sweeter.

Zhou Man found this person strange. "Why would someone carry sugar pills with them?"

Wang Shu was a little embarrassed. "Children are afraid of bitter medicine, so I keep a few pills with me. If they cry, I can soothe them..."

Zhou Man: "..."

What does this person take me for?

Wang Shu felt uncomfortable under her gaze, coughed, and then said, "It's getting late, Miss Zhou, shouldn't you go back early? Tomorrow morning is the Sword Master's class, I can't be late."

Zhou Man suddenly asked, "Are you going to the Sword Hall tomorrow too?"

Wang Shu sighed. "Since I've come to the Sword Sect Academy, whether I use a sword or not, I should at least go and listen. However, my cultivation is very low, and I've heard that the Sword Master has a bad temper and many rules. I just hope I won't be so embarrassed that I can't even get in the door."

So embarrassed that he can't even get in the door?

Zhou Man thought for a moment, then slowly frowned.

This wouldn't do at all.

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