Chapter 57: Price of Gold

Although Wu Sangui was anxious about Chen Yuanyuan’s whereabouts and the gold mines, he was cautious.

After arriving in Shu, he did not meet Shui Jingxuan and his group immediately. Instead, he made thorough preparations before sending out an invitation, scheduling a meeting three days later at his temporary residence.

That day, Shui Jingxuan brought Chen Yuanyuan out. Together with Ji Wushuang, they rode a carriage toward the courtyard hidden in a deep alley on the outskirts.

When the carriage was still a li away, the air around them was thick with tension.

Chen Yuanyuan sat stiffly on one side of the carriage, dressed lavishly as Shui Jingxuan had required. Her white outfit was luxurious, making her look like an immortal. Though extremely elegant, it also gave off a seductive charm that was hard to look away from.

A simple, ancient zither sat beside her, prepared by Shui Jingxuan. Her purpose was obvious.

Chen Yuanyuan hated Wu Sangui to the bone and naturally did not want to play music to please him. But thinking that she could take his life afterward, she reluctantly agreed.

On the other side of the carriage sat the master and disciple pair, Shui Jingxuan and Ji Wushuang. Ji Wushuang sat cross-legged, holding his beloved disciple tightly in his arms.

If the disciple’s face turned slightly toward Chen Yuanyuan, he would press the disciple’s head into his chest with one hand, then smile gently and lean down to kiss his lips or cheek to divert his attention.

Having this woman in the same carriage made him extremely uncomfortable, and Chen Yuanyuan’s ornate dress displeased him even more.

But Wu Sangui had explicitly demanded that they come in only one carriage. For the sake of his disciple’s plan, he had to endure.

Two carriages could have secretly carried many helpers. Wu Sangui thought this requirement made things safer. He didn’t realize that neither Ji Wushuang nor Shui Jingxuan would have any trouble breaking through a hundred experts without a scratch.

When they were about a li from the courtyard, Ji Wushuang frowned. He tightened his grip on his disciple’s hand, leaned down to rub his cheek against the disciple’s neck, and transmitted his voice:

[A hundred experts are lying in ambush within a li. Wu Sangui brought so many men. Are you sure you can handle this? If not, your master will kill them all.] A hundred experts and thirty-six iron riders were nothing to him.

Shui Jingxuan smiled brightly, turned his head, and kissed his master’s furrowed brow. He transmitted back: [No need. Three gold mines are an enormous fortune to Wu Sangui.

With them, he will have wings and soar. He will never let such a secret leak out; only a few trusted confidants will know. I estimate no more than five, and he will bring them to meet us.

We only need to take care of those few. The experts he gathered come from different origins, and the Qing court keeps a close watch on him. Many spies are planted around him. He won’t be stupid enough to let outsiders know the truth this time.]

Ji Wushuang thought it over and let go of his murderous intent. He pulled his disciple’s waist closer, pressing their bodies together without a gap.

Since reuniting with his disciple, he had grown fond of such zero-distance contact. Only this way could he confirm his disciple was real and fill the emptiness in his heart.

The five years of wandering without an anchor had left deep psychological scars.

Shui Jingxuan understood his occasional insecurity. His possessiveness grew stronger each day, especially with outsiders present. His blatant display of affection seemed to want to announce their relationship to the world.

This psychology was a side effect of his memory loss, and Shui Jingxuan felt he should take full responsibility. He didn’t stop him, letting him do as he pleased.

With that thought, Shui Jingxuan turned his head, a smile in his eyes, and licked his master’s thin lips in comfort.

Ji Wushuang’s eyes softened like water. He tightened his arms again and planted dense, gentle kisses along his disciple’s ear and cheek, looking intoxicated.

When he finally looked up, he shot a cold glance at Chen Yuanyuan, showing his displeasure at her presence. Without this woman, he and his disciple could have lingered a while longer in the carriage.

Of course, he wasn’t bound by etiquette and afraid to show affection in public. It was simply that he didn’t want anyone to see his disciple’s exquisite, perfect body.

Chen Yuanyuan shrank her shoulders and crawled slightly to a corner of the carriage to reduce her presence.

Dressed so dazzlingly yet ignored by two men, even treated like dirt, was a first for her. She felt humiliated, but also envious and jealous.

The master and disciple were intimate, oblivious to others. Chen Yuanyuan’s cheeks flushed, and she was too embarrassed to raise her head.

When the carriage finally stopped steadily in Wu Sangui’s courtyard, she quickly grabbed her zither and jumped off, almost fleeing.

Before she could catch her breath, she saw Wu Sangui standing at the main hall entrance, welcoming her in person. Her expression immediately darkened, hatred clear in her eyes.

“Yuanyuan! It’s really you!” Wu Sangui said hoarsely, his eyes shining with ecstatic joy. Before coming, he had suspected this was a lure by the demonic sect, but he couldn’t let go of his beloved.

Even with doubts, he came. Now, he hadn’t come in vain. Without even approaching to verify, a single glance confirmed this was his Yuanyuan.

He tried to step forward to embrace her, but she retreated two steps, her whole body on guard, exuding a cold, distant aura.

Wu Sangui dared not move. He knew Yuanyuan’s fierce temperament well. After what happened at the cliff, he dared not force her.

“Shui Jingxuan greets the Prince of Yunnan. This is not a good place to reminisce. Shall we talk inside?” Seeing the tension between them, Shui Jingxuan intervened to ease the atmosphere, taking the host’s role.

“Truly a young talent! Please come in.” Wu Sangui looked past Chen Yuanyuan at the tall, sturdy figure behind her. His eyes held scrutiny. These two had sharp eyes, outstanding looks, and proper demeanor.

Not ordinary people. If the former sect master Ji Wushuang had come, he would have been cautious and brought more experts.

But the demonic sect leader against a young man barely past twenty, a hundred experts were more than enough. Wu Sangui thought.

They entered a elegantly decorated side hall. Wu Sangui brought two trusted confidants. Six people sat on opposite sides of a long table.

“Thank you, Sect Leader Shui, for finding Yuanyuan,” Wu Sangui said with a slight smile, nodding. “And thank you for generously offering the three gold mines.”

Hearing the words ‘gold mines,’ Chen Yuanyuan’s eyes flickered. She lowered her head to hide her thoughts.

Shui Jingxuan showed no fear at Wu Sangui’s intimidation. He elegantly reached for a teacup on the table, his smile calm.

Ji Wushuang glanced at Wu Sangui, his thin lips curling into a mocking smile. He spoke coldly, [East, south, west, north alleys: each has twenty experts in ambush. Directly outside the courtyard, there are archers aimed at our carriage.

Thirty-six iron riders wait five steps outside the gate after we entered. The two beside you are grandmaster-level experts. A shadow guard lies in ambush on the roof, and one each behind the window and on the beam.]

Ji Wushuang revealed Wu Sangui’s entire deployment. Wu Sangui and his confidants turned darker by the word. This man had sat inside the carriage yet had fully detected the surroundings.

It meant his senses were extraordinary, marking him as a top expert. Moreover, his tone was relaxed, his attitude strong, showing he dismissed these defenses.

Wu Sangui felt a huge sense of crisis. He knew he might have miscalculated badly.

Sure enough, before Wu Sangui could respond, Ji Wushuang filled his smiling disciple’s teacup and continued, his words filled with murderous intent: [Do you believe I can kill the five of you and leave unscathed with my disciple? Our demonic sect never gives things away for free. Today, you choose: either the gold mines or your life.]

Wu Sangui’s face was dark and tight, his temples pulsing. He was clearly furious. The two experts beside him snarled, “How dare you!” and simultaneously attacked Ji Wushuang and his disciple.

Ji Wushuang glanced at the one attacking him and snorted. With a fierce internal force, he sent the man flying backward into the wall.

The man struggled to sit up, leaning against the wall. Looking down, his chest was caved in, bones shattered. Severely wounded, he convulsed twice and passed out.

Meanwhile, Shui Jingxuan simply splashed a cup of tea at his attacker. Drops of water pierced through the man’s body, leaving him a bloody heap on the floor.

Wu Sangui was horrified. The three hidden shadow guard leaders could no longer stay concealed. They appeared in the room and surrounded Wu Sangui protectively.

They dared not attack rashly. One of these two could kill with a breath, the other with water, and they had killed two top experts effortlessly. Neither was a match for them, let alone both. Saving the prince and retreating safely would be a miracle today.

Knowing he had provoked two vengeful spirits, Wu Sangui bluffed to save himself,

“My shadow guards have already released a carrier pigeon to inform my Yunnan troops of my whereabouts. If you kill me today, my iron cavalry will level your demonic sect tomorrow! All you heterodox will die with me!”

In truth, the discovery of the gold mines was top secret. Wu Sangui had killed the messenger who brought the news. He would never reveal his location via pigeon.

This was meant to intimidate them. As he spoke, his fists clenched in his sleeves, cold sweat soaking his undergarments.

Chen Yuanyuan turned her head, watching Wu Sangui’s discomfiture with interest.

Shui Jingxuan put down his empty teacup and smiled warmly. “If you hadn’t been so aggressive, we wouldn’t have attacked.

Mutual destruction is not what we want. Harmony is best; everything can be discussed. We can offer the gold mines, or serve you, as long as you pay the price.”

As he spoke, he held his master’s hand, stroking it with his thumb. Soothed by his beloved disciple, Ji Wushuang’s killing intent faded.

He wrapped his arm around his disciple’s waist, leaned back in his chair, and adopted a lazy, casual posture, signaling he would not attack again.

Seeing a turn in events, Wu Sangui relaxed slightly. As a great conqueror, he could bend when necessary. He now dropped the haughty stance he had taken at the beginning, showing a modest expression.

To gain the gold mines and recruit these two top experts, a price was worth paying.

With that thought, Wu Sangui sat back down, surrounded by his three shadow guards. He personally poured tea for the two, speaking gently.

“Good, we should seek harmony. It is my honor to gain the assistance of two great masters. I will agree to anything within my power.”

“The Prince of Yunnan is truly generous!” Shui Jingxuan smiled and spoke slowly.

“If you want our clan to present the gold mines and serve you, you need only agree to one condition. When you achieve your great cause, grant our clan a fief. It shall belong solely to us, with independent military and political governance, and no Han encroachment. What do you think?”

Wu Sangui lowered his head in thought, not immediately agreeing.

Shui Jingxuan continued, “The fief need not be large. Our people are few. A small city is enough. Three gold mines for a small city. Prince, no matter how you calculate it, you come out ahead.”

Wu Sangui nodded slightly, thinking: My great cause is not yet achieved, and I urgently need gold and talents. What harm in agreeing to them now?

When I establish my empire, even if these two are highly skilled, they will be helpless against a million soldiers. Then I will settle today’s humiliation.

With that, he laughed heartily. “Haha! Indeed, I come out ahead! Good, I accept your condition! Come, let us drink to our alliance!”

The three shadow guards quickly brought a jug of fine wine and filled their cups.

Shui Jingxuan picked up his cup and drank it in one gulp. Seeing his master only hugging him without moving, clearly uninterested in acknowledging Wu Sangui, he helplessly took the cup and brought it to his master’s lips, feeding him.

Ji Wushuang could disregard Wu Sangui’s face, but not his disciple’s. He parted his thin lips and slowly drank the wine. Finally, he leaned down and left a wet kiss on his disciple’s lips, bearing the faint fragrance of wine.

Seeing their oblivious intimacy, Wu Sangui’s eyes flickered with surprise, but he dared not show it.

Chen Yuanyuan, seeing the matter settled, spoke softly as Shui Jingxuan had instructed. “Since the talks are done, why not relax? Let me play a tune for you.”

It had been a long time since he had heard Chen Yuanyuan play the zither. Wu Sangui’s heartstrings loosened, and his gaze fixed on her, unable to look away.

He quickly nodded, overjoyed. How long had it been since he had seen Chen Yuanyuan so gentle? He had forgotten, and also forgotten the principle that strange behavior hides a scheme. He only wanted to drown in her tenderness now.

Long, melodious zither notes filled the room. Wu Sangui looked enraptured. Chen Yuanyuan’s lowered eyes held murderous intent.

The three shadow guards remained on high alert. Only the embracing master and disciple pair enjoyed the music without distraction.

As the music grew higher, the colorless, odorless medicine dissolved in the zither strings slowly vaporized. Wu Sangui and the others’ eyes gradually turned from clear to dull, and they finally slumped down unsteadily.

Chen Yuanyuan, seeing them fall, just showed a smug smile before collapsing onto the zither stand, unconscious.

Ji Wushuang gave a soft laugh, looked at his beloved disciple, and said gently, “It’s done.”

“Mm.” Shui Jingxuan replied quietly, taking out a few pills from his pocket and feeding them into the mouths of the four unconscious people.

Timing the drug’s effect, he leaned close to Wu Sangui and his men’s ears, fabricating a false memory: Wu Sangui had come to Shu to find Chen Yuanyuan.

The deaths of his two trusted experts were blamed on an attack by the Heaven and Earth Society. Even the loss of Chen Yuanyuan was attributed to their kidnapping.

Finally, he was about to lean close to Chen Yuanyuan’s ear for further hypnosis, but Ji Wushuang pulled him away, his face dark.

“You originally wanted to kill Wu Sangui, but in the end, you let him go out of pity for old ties.” Ji Wushuang approached Chen Yuanyuan and said coldly. Then he looked at his disciple with displeasure. “You can speak without getting so close!”

Shui Jingxuan smiled, squeezed his hand, and said warmly, “Sending the words directly to their ears is more effective. Whatever I say, they will believe.”

Ji Wushuang held his disciple’s fingers tighter. “This drug is so miraculous. Why didn’t you use it on me back then?”

Shui Jingxuan glanced at him sideways, his tone regretful.

“It’s a pity that the High Priest hadn’t created this drug then. Otherwise, I would have brainwashed you long ago and kept you by my side.

Why go through these five years? People’s hearts are fickle, and I can never be sure. Since I’ve taken a liking to you, I would use any means to get you, even if I had to drug you to make you my kept lover.”

His words were ruthless, his methods extreme. If someone else had heard them, they would have been disgusted. But Ji Wushuang felt only joy, his whole body floating.

Didn’t he also want to imprison his disciple? If his disciple felt the same, didn’t that mean his disciple loved him as deeply as he loved his disciple? This realization thrilled him, gave him peace, and made every pore of his body open with happiness.

“Heh~” He chuckled foolishly, pulled his disciple’s waist into a tight embrace, lowered his head, and deeply kissed his pink lips, licking and sucking fervently, pouring out all his excitement and joy.

“Enough. Save the intimacy for when we get back. They’ll wake up soon.” Shui Jingxuan finally broke free from his master’s passionate kiss, pushing away the hand that was rubbing his buttocks, and scolded softly.

Ji Wushuang obediently nodded, picked up Chen Yuanyuan, and together with his disciple, abandoned the carriage, retreating unscathed from the encirclement of a hundred experts.

The experts Wu Sangui had brought hadn’t even figured out what was happening when they saw figures flash through the air.

By the time they tried to pursue, the silhouettes had vanished. They had met face to face but hadn’t even touched the corners of their clothes. Such was the gap between peerless experts and mere ants.

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