Chapter 256: Not Equal

Wang Yi leaned forward, his pupils flickering with excitement: "Girl, don't play coy—tell your uncle, just who is this boy?"

Xiao Baoyue snapped back: "How would I know..."

Wang Yi's brow furrowed deeply: "You didn't even check?"

Xiao Baoyue grew exasperated:

"Check what? Jingzhou isn't my territory—if I dig too deep and get spotted by that Wang, what then?"

"Which Wang?"

"The Prince of Badong!!"

"Oh oh. I see." Wang Yi's expression turned disappointed.

Xiao Baoyue was speechless. She turned to Wang Yi:

"If you're so interested, why don't you check yourself?"

Wang Yi slowly sat back upright and sighed:

"I don't have that kind of ability..."

A sly smile curled at Xiao Baoyue's lips:

"You're being modest. Not to mention your own nephew—he's no slouch either."

"Zhiyan?"

"Wang Tai!"

"Oh, I didn't know that." Wang Yi looked utterly confused.

"You didn't know? Then tell me—what illness is your nephew suffering from in Jingzhou?"

Xiao Baoyue's tone was skeptical, her gaze piercing, searching Wang Yi's face for any trace of deception.

Wang Yi widened his eyes: "Zhiyan is ill?"

Xiao Baoyue exploded: "Wang Tai! I said Wang Tai!!"

"Oh oh. I really didn't know."

"You didn't ask?"

"It's not a fatal illness—what's there to ask about?"

Xiao Baoyue:...

"When I first arrived in Jingzhou, I had men watch him for a while. Seeing he never left his courtyard, I withdrew them. But after your 'sword in its sheath' nephew appeared, I started paying attention to him again..."

Xiao Baoyue's eyes grew thoughtful, her voice lowering unconsciously.

Wang Yi asked curiously: "What happened?"

Xiao Baoyue lifted her gaze to Wang Yi:

"Why didn't he expose that man? Aren't you curious? Or do you know something..."

Wang Yi spread his hands:

"I know nothing, and I'm not curious. My nephews are grown—I can't control them, even if I wanted to. If you're curious, go investigate."

"I will investigate—but not now. Once Jingzhou's affairs are settled, I leave tonight."

"Back to the capital?" Wang Yi asked casually.

Xiao Baoyue said nothing.

Wang Yi chuckled in realization: "Too many questions, too many. Then may my niece ride the wind, mount the azure clouds, and travel safely and smoothly."

Xiao Baoyue assumed a dismissive posture: "Then, Uncle, you may..."

Wang Yi said: "Very well, I'll take my leave."

As Wang Yi rose to go, Xiao Baoyue asked:

"Don't you have anything else to say to me?"

Wang Yi feigned confusion: "What else?"

"The Prince of Badong sent Wang Yang on a mission—surely you understand what this move might mean."

"And?"

"So, how will you respond?"

"Will you offer me help?"

"Of course. As I said before—if you have any wish, then the Crown Prince—"

Wang Yi smiled, interrupting:

"Thank you for your kindness, niece, but I'm not accustomed to causing others trouble."

Xiao Baoyue smiled on her face, her voice cold:

"Is it that you dislike causing trouble—or that you don't trust us?"

Wang Yi feigned astonishment: "What nonsense! Above us are the Eastern Palace and the Marquis; below, you, girl—I'd trust no one else before you! But... those who rely on others never last; reliance on others is inferior to reliance on oneself."

"What about your nephew, the 'mirror yet unpolished'?" Xiao Baoyue asked suddenly.

"What about him?"

Xiao Baoyue idly twirled her folding fan: "Will you save him?"

Wang Yi looked at her and asked in return: "Will you save him?"

Xiao Baoyue's gaze sharpened like tempered steel:

"So you still mean to kill him?"

Wang Yi asked again: "So do you mean to kill him?"

Xiao Baoyue impatiently tapped her fan:

"Uncle, can you even have a normal conversation?!"

Wang Yi smiled: "Why are you so concerned about him?"

Xiao Baoyue froze, then burst into exaggerated, disjointed laughter, her expression absurd—as if hearing the silliest joke in the world:

"Hah? Concerned? Hehehe! You think I care? Hahahaha..."

Wang Yi watched Xiao Baoyue in silence.

Xiao Baoyue's smile vanished; her eyes dripped with coldness:

"Why would I care? His life or death just leaves loose ends I need to tidy up."

Wang Yi nodded with a smile: "I see."

"Of course it is. So—will you save him, or kill him?"

Xiao Baoyue's face wore undisguised contempt, as if asking about a trivial matter.

Wang Yi shook his head and smiled.

Xiao Baoyue narrowed her eyes, a blade's edge flashing within: "What are you laughing at?"

"I laugh because we're worrying over nothing. We're debating whether to save or kill him, life and death—yet it's meaningless. Wang Yang is sharp, clear-eyed, towering above others. If we can see it, can he not? Does he need us to save him? Or put another way—if we wanted to kill him, could we truly succeed?"

As Wang Yi spoke these words, a clear female voice chimed in:

"Yes, he really isn't easy to kill!"

He turned to find a cute girl with a silver hairpin peering out from the meditation room's window.

Wang Yi asked curiously: "You know he's hard to kill?"

The girl's expression turned serious: "His martial arts come from Young Master Nan, the great master of the Eastern Zhou era—he wields the Arcane Shadow Finger—"

"Get back inside!"

Xiao Baoyue's aura turned lethal; she pointed her fan sharply.

The girl vanished like a mole retreating into its burrow.

Wang Yi stared in shock: "Wang Yang knows martial arts?"

The girl popped up again, her face grim: "Not just martial arts—he's also an expert in poison!"

Xiao Baoyue flew into rage: "Someone! Hang Xin Yi up!"

Xin Yi scrambled away like a frightened rat.

Xiao Baoyue and Xin Yi had grown up together; Li San, Bai Si, and others knew this was just her temper—they didn't move to arrest her unless she shouted, "Why are you still standing there? Hang him now!" But by then, Xin Yi usually surrendered willingly—otherwise, catching her would've been difficult...

Wang Yi stood bewildered, uncertain:

"So Zhiyan knows poison too??"

Xiao Baoyue pressed her palm to her forehead: "That one's an idiot—ignore her... But—"

She lowered her hand, studying Wang Yi:

"No matter how much you praise Wang Yang, you originally meant to kill him to eliminate future threats—whether by using the Prince of Badong's blade or your own finishing strike. You can't fool me on that. Now you say you won't act because he's 'wonderful, wonderful'—I find that hard to believe."

Wang Yi's lips curled in his usual smile as he met Xiao Baoyue's gaze:

"And what about you? You have just as good a reason to silence him—why haven't you acted?"

Xiao Baoyue scoffed, speaking cryptically: "How do you know I haven't acted?"

Wang Yi smiled: "If you truly meant to act, you wouldn't be discussing this with me today."

Xiao Baoyue fell silent—acknowledging Wang Yi's point.

Wang Yi fixed his gaze on her, eyes as bright as candlelight, and asked again: "So why haven't you acted?"

Xiao Baoyue's face was expressionless, her voice icy:

"I haven't acted because I don't need to yet. If I do, I will."

Wang Yi studied Xiao Baoyue for a moment, then lowered his gaze, his eyelids drooping lazily, appearing listless:

"Well then, good luck to you."

Xiao Baoyue's morale surged; he smiled and teased, "Uncle, aren't you worried about your nephew?"

Wang Yi smiled.

Xiao Baoyue's eyebrows arched like slanted swords.

"Do you mean I cannot defeat Wang Yang?"

Wang Yi tilted his head slightly and looked at Xiao Baoyue.

Under Wang Yi's gaze, Xiao Baoyue felt a flicker of unease and added, "In scholarship, literary talent, insight, and vision, I truly am no match for him. But in strategy, calculation, deceit, and tactical flexibility, he is no match for me."

Wang Yi smiled but said nothing.

Xiao Baoyue opened his fan with effortless grace, the corners of his bright eyes lifting with fierce spirit: "Don't you believe me?"

Wang Yi did not answer; instead, he lifted his neck, exhaled slowly, and stretched his limbs. "Girl, I'm leaving. Take care of yourself."

With that, he rose and departed.

Xiao Baoyue's brows rose higher, his gaze sharp as a snow-edged blade unsheathed, carrying his unique pride, as he called out clearly to Wang Yi's back:

"Uncle, wait and see—if there ever comes a day of life-or-death stakes, I will defeat him."

Wang Yi paused, turned back to look at Baoyue:

"I'll ask you one question: if you and Wang Yang had swapped places—you alone, bearing the Langye surname, while Wang Yang was the son of the Marquis of Marquis Marquis Xichang—could you have lived to this day?"

Xiao Baoyue stiffened; the pride in his eyes froze at the corners.

Wang Yi, hands behind his back, walked away slowly, murmuring softly:

"I am not your equal, nor am I yours..."

Xiao Baoyue sat alone.

He did not move for a long time.

He did not speak for a long time.

Note: The reason Xiao Baoyue and Wang Yi could meet at Zhiqi Temple is explained in Chapter 254, "Visiting the Temple," footnote ②.

Note: The reason Xiao Baoyue and Wang Yi met at Zhiqi Temple is explained in Chapter 254, "Visiting the Temple," footnote ②.

【123】 A bit busy; will update tomorrow (18th)...