Chapter 213

Feng Yi borrowed a little force, arrived first despite coming later, seized A Zi, and the two fell toward the roof like two great birds; then he saw shadows shifting, many people had gathered around the roof, among them the four Dali guards who had just parted not long ago, plus a few strangers — exactly those who had been whispering outside the shop earlier.

A Zi was already bold and reckless; now, with her inner power, she grew even more eager to fight, raising her palms to strike so she could flee again, when a clear female voice came from behind her: "A Zi, don't you want your mother anymore?"

A Zi's body trembled, she suddenly lowered her palms: "Mother!" Turning, she smiled: "You have my father — that's enough; what do you need me for?"

Feng Yi knew at once it was his mother‑in‑law. He turned toward the voice and saw her lovely features, about thirty years old, a pair of dark, lustrous eyes shining bright, sparkling like stars, their glances lively to the extreme — as if her eyes alone could speak — dressed in snug attire that only heightened the charm of a mature woman.

Moreover, her speech was clear yet tinged with coquetry, like a twenty‑year‑old maiden; from her eyes to her voice, A Zhu and A Zi had inherited their mother's fine qualities.

Seeing A Zi stop, Ruan Xingzhu was delighted and said, "Running about the jianghu like this will worry your parents to death…" She glanced back at the middle‑aged man, only to see his thick brows trembling, his face flushed purple, as if he were straining to suppress something.

Ruan Xingzhu couldn't help reaching out to steady him, but the middle‑aged man flicked his sleeve, brushing her aside; she flared with anger, about to scold him, when he cupped his fists and said, "I am Duan Zhengchun; I have long admired the great hero Feng Yi's name, and today, seeing him, I find his reputation well deserved." His voice was clear and loud, yet Feng Yi sensed his breath was shallow — a feigned show of strength.

Duan Zhengchun was the imperial prince of Dali; in his youth he wandered the Central Plains, indulging his romantic inclinations and inevitably leaving affairs wherever he went.

In fact, taking three wives and four concubines was common among the wealthy; as a prince, Duan Zhengchun's keeping many favored consorts was likewise ordinary.

However, the Duan clan originated from a martial‑arts family of the Central Plains; although they ruled as emperors in Dali, they always followed their ancestors' teachings in daily life and diet, daring not to forget their roots by becoming excessively extravagant.

Duan Zhengchun's principal wife was Dao Bai Feng, daughter of the great chief of the Yunnan Bai people; the Duan family allied with her to win over the Bai and secure the throne. At that time Han Chinese were few in Yunnan; without the Bai's support, the Duan royal seat would be unsteady no matter what.

The Bai people have always practiced monogamy, and Dao Bai Feng, noble from childhood, would not allow Duan Zhengchun to take a second wife; his incessant philandering drove her to fury, and she left the world to become a Daoist nun.

Duan Zhengchun, Qin Hong Mian — mother of Mu Wanqing — Gan Bao Bao, wife of Zhong Wanchu, and Ruan Xingzhu, A Zi's mother, each had their own romantic past back then.

Duan Zhengchun had long heard of Feng Yi's name; his own enemy, Duan Yanqing, had been slain by Feng Yi, yet he trusted his own martial prowess and deep inner strength, wishing to test himself.

But Feng Yi's inner power was profound; a flick of his sleeve produced a firm, condensed blast that spread wide, and the icy silkworm toxin in his inner energy made Duan Zhengchun feel extremely ill.

Yet Duan Zhengchun was extremely proud, unwilling to lose face before his subordinates, women, and children, so he pretended all was well.

Feng Yi bowed and said, "My humble name is not worth Prince Duan's notice," then, pulling A Zi, he leapt down from the roof.

At first, running away was excusable ignorance; now that his identity has been exposed, he must see his father‑in‑law and mother‑in‑law whether they wish it or not.

Ruan Xingzhu rushed forward, embraced A Zi, and wept with joy: "A Zi, let Mother have a good look — heavens, you've grown so lovely!" Not seeing her daughter for a year, she noted her height had increased a little and her complexion improved, filling her with great happiness.

A Zi felt resentful, pursed her lips, and said, "Besides your father, do you have any place in your heart for me, your daughter?"

Ruan Xingzhu's face flushed; she laughed and scolded, "You little brat, in just a year you've learned to be this bad — how can this continue? No wonder your father insists on finding you and bringing you back."

In truth, Ruan Xingzhu knew A Zi's character better than anyone, but in front of outsiders she felt compelled to conceal her daughter's rudeness.

Duan Yu was about to salute his father and inquire after his health when he saw the man's face deathly pale, his brows twitching; he cried, "Father, are you alright?" He rolled up the father's right sleeve and saw the right forearm swollen and black, the dark qi already reaching the elbow.

Ruan Xingzhu exclaimed anxiously, "Is this poisoning?" Her lovely eyes fixed on Feng Yi.

Feng Yi also felt embarrassed; he had not meant to hurt anyone, yet he could not well explain — he could not say, "I hold your father‑in‑law in high regard, so I used only thirty percent of my strength." He said, "Brother Duan, slowly channel your inner energy into your father's Yang point; you'll be fine in a moment."

After all, it was only a sleeve strike; there was no direct contact, the cold poison had not penetrated deeply, Duan Zhengchun's inner strength was not weak, and with Duan Yu's help dispelling it would be easy.

Duan Zhengchun waved a hand and said, "Don't worry, I'm fine."

Duan Zhengchun was amorous, yet he treasured the reputation of the four words "hero and good man." He often joked to himself, "'A hero finds it hard to pass the beauty's gate' — even if he fails, he remains a hero. Look at Xiang Yu with Yu Ji, Han Gaozu with Qi Furen, Li Shimin with Wu Zetian." Thus, suffering a setback at Feng Yi's hands, he stubbornly hid any sign of it.

Who would have thought A Zi would glance at Duan Zhengchun and smile, "Father, you truly deserve to be the Dali Zhen Nan Wang; even in this predicament your banner still stands!"

All of Duan Zhengchun's subordinates knew the Zhen Nan Wang's daughter was spoiled and willful; Chu Wanli had once been bound by her, and even toward his father he observed no decorum, secretly fearing she might bring trouble upon himself.

Suddenly Ruan Xingzhu sighed and said softly, "A Zi, how dare you speak to your father like that? Quickly apologize to him!"

A Zi snorted, her expression unusually obstinate.

Duan Zhengchun's face grew grim, his thick brows knotted into a river-like shape, and he asked, "A Zi, how old are you?"

A Zi stared, then replied, "I'm your daughter — don't you know how old I am?"

Duan Zhengchun smiled faintly: "I naturally know — you are sixteen now, half a year shy of seventeen. Master Feng, what do you think?"

Feng Yi's heart pounded; he had actually anticipated all this, which was why he had fled upon seeing Duan Zhengchun. Now he hurriedly said to A Zi in a gentle voice, "To have a father to rely on and a mother to depend on — what greater happiness? Hurry and pay your respects to your parents."

Hearing her tender tone, A Zi felt a warm surge and shouted, "I won't go! If you make me return, I'd rather die!"

Feng Yi replied, "All is well — why would you not live?"

A Zi said, "Though I hear I have parents, they gave me and my sister away for the sake of their reputation; I finally met them, yet because of his subordinates he gave me no pleasant face, even struck me and threw me into the water, nearly drowning me…"

At first she was merely pretending, uttering a few lines; but recalling her years of suffering, the misery surpassed even her act, and she burst into genuine, loud sobs.

Ruan Xingzhu's cheeks drained of color, while Duan Zhengchun's face flushed red and then turned deathly pale.

Regarding the sisters A Zhu and A Zi, they both felt guilty. Duan Zhengchun and Ruan Xingzhu were not formally married; they first had A Zhu, then a year later A Zi. Later, when Duan Zhengchun wished to return to Dali, Ruan Xingzhu refused to let him go, they quarreled fiercely, but in the end they parted.

Having children out of wedlock has always drawn censure, especially in the Northern Song; Ruan Xingzhu's family was strict, and she dared not bring the sisters home. She therefore sent them away to be raised by others, hoping they would one day be reunited, and had the character 'Duan' tattooed on each of their shoulders.

The people who adopted A Zhu only knew her mother's surname was Ruan, so A Zhu called herself Ruan at the Zhu Xian Villa; as for A Zi, she knew only that she was called A Zi, and nothing else.

Later, Duan Zhengchun and Ruan Xingzhu searched everywhere, but the two daughters had long since vanished without a trace.

Everyone present knew the inside story, and hearing it felt heart‑aching; Feng Yi sighed, took A Zi's hand, and said, "Be good, don't cry," wiping away her tears.

A Xu stopped crying and said, "You must not abandon me!"

Feng Yi whispered, "I won't abandon you; if you have anything to say, say it inside the shop — we ought to give your parents some face."

A Zi nodded: "I'll listen to you."

Ruan Xingzhu said, "A Zi, you must be hungry from the road; your father knows you'll pass through here, so he booked the town's largest inn. I've prepared a few of your favorite dishes myself, just waiting for you — if they get cold they won't taste good, let's go inside first."

Then she pulled A Zi and they set off.

Everyone entered the shop together; Zhu Danchen said, "Master Feng, the prince has reserved a room for you over there; shortly food and drink will be brought, please make yourself comfortable."

From the words and tone, Feng Yi naturally understood this was a deliberate slight against him.

A Zi turned her head, about to speak, but saw Feng Yi shake his head slightly, signalling her to stay silent; he bowed and said, "Then I'll not disturb your family chat."

Duan Zhengchun gave a snort.

Seeing this, Duan Yu laughed inwardly: "Brother Feng, brother Feng, it's hardest to endure a beauty's favor — now you know how tough it is, right?"

Having thought that, he again mocked himself, realizing he was even more embarrassed by his own romantic entanglement than Feng Yi.

As he thought, he heard Duan Zhengchun say, "Yu'er, come with me!"

Duan Yu followed his father into another room, while Ruan Xingzhu took A Zi to a separate one.

Only then did Duan Zhengchun ask Duan Yu about what had happened between Feng Yi and A Zi on Lei Gu Mountain, and Duan Yu related everything.

Duan Zhengchun listened, then said: "I know everything about your matter; go find the Zhu brothers and them. I need to go see your sister."

Duan Yu said: "Father, why are you so rude to Brother Feng?"

"Rude?" Duan Zhengchun raised his eyebrows: "He's the one being rude to me, you…" He trailed off, then went to find Ruan Xingzhu and her daughter.

As it turned out, Duan Zhengchun was a worldly man; at a glance he could see that his daughter's virginity was gone.

Duan Yu, however, was unaware, so he went to meet with the Dali Four Guards and others, eating and chatting. It turned out that the stranger Feng Yi had seen outside the shop earlier was none other than the Three Dukes of Dali—Hua Hegeng, Fan Hua, Ba Tian Shi—and also Cui Baiquan and Guo Yanzhi, etc.

This Cui Baiquan was the junior martial brother of Ke Bai sui, head of the Fu Niu Sect; years ago he had seen Murong Bo, who had nearly beaten him to death with his tricks, so he hid his identity and worked as a steward in the Dali prince's mansion.

A year ago, Ke Bai sui was killed; his disciple Guo Yanzhi then came to find his martial uncle Cui Baiquan, and together they left the Duan household to seek revenge at the Murong residence, only to encounter Kumozhi and Duan Yu.

This time, the martial uncle and nephew received news from members of the Fu Niu Sect's own gate that the Prince of Dali had arrived in Henan, so they immediately came to pay a visit. Coincidentally, Duan Zhengchun received a report from Hua Hegeng and the others, learning of a major matter; he hastily brought his subordinates to meet Duan Yu, who was heading to the chess gathering, and Ruan Xingzhu also came along.

First they encountered the Dali Four Guards whom Duan Yu and A Zi had previously sent away; they were traveling on horseback, which for a long journey is naturally faster than using lightness skills. Zhu Danchen reported to Duan Zhengchun, saying how Duan Yu, at the chess gathering, had seen a beautiful young lady from the Gusu Murong family, how he stared at her without blinking, and how he lost his composure.

He also spoke of Feng Yi and A Zi's affairs; at this moment the two were accompanying the young master to go find that lady, and Duan Zhengchun et al. knew this was the necessary route southward, so they waited here.

Ba said: "When the prince learned that the young master and miss had become entangled with the Murong clan, he worried for a while. Fortunately, by heaven's blessing, both were safe and sound, which relieved everyone."

Duan Yu frowned and said: "What do you mean by that?"

Fan Hua said: "Young master, the Murong family is extremely mysterious; if we encounter them again we must be cautious."

Duan Yu said: "How?"

As it turned out, Duan Zhengchun had originally been ordered by his imperial elder brother to go to the Shengjie Temple in Liliangzhou, Dali, to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of the Shaolin monk Master Xuansi; shortly thereafter he learned that his beloved son had been captured by the Tibetan monk Kumozhi, with no idea of his whereabouts, and he grew extremely anxious. He sent word to his imperial brother, then brought the Three Dukes—Hua Hegeng, Fan Hua, Ba Tian Shi—and the four great guardians to the Central Plains, hoping to rescue Duan Yu and again investigate the truth behind Master Xuansi's death.

He lingered long in Suzhou; upon learning that Duan Yu had returned to Dali, he then went to Zhongzhou to meet with Ruan Xingzhu.

Afterwards, Qin Hongmian and her daughter came chasing after them again; Duan Zhengchun felt both happy, grateful, and embarrassed, while Ruan Xingzhu, eloquent and persuasive, easily dealt with Qin Hongmian.

But with the two ladies together, Duan Zhengchun gradually found himself overwhelmed; indeed, Qin Hongmian and Ruan Xingzhu had very different temperaments, both overly domineering, making it impossible for him to treat them equally.

He then used the pretext of going to investigate Master Xuansi's death to slip away; Qin Hongmian and her daughter, hot-tempered, immediately left.

Duan Zhengchun then returned to enjoy a blissful life at Ruan Xingzhu's place, merely sending the Three Dukes of Dali to Suzhou's Yanziwu, the Murong residence, to investigate any clues and see whether the Shaolin monk Master Xuansi had indeed been killed by the Murong family.

The Three Dukes did not openly request an audience; they merely investigated covertly. The Murong household had no male or female masters left, only some servants. Despite the sprawling estates, there was not the slightest sign of anything unusual.

Feng Yi was alone in the guest room; not long after, a table of food and drink was brought in—exquisite dishes, superb wine. He hastily ate a few bites when he heard A Zi, Duan Zhengchun, and Ruan Xingzhu shouting loudly; pushing open the window to look out, a crescent moon hung obliquely in the sky.

The moonlight was like water, and Feng Yi's figure likewise flowed like water, drifting soundlessly onto the opposite roof.

He wanted to hear what they were arguing about. First he heard Duan Yu conversing with someone; it turned out that members of the Duan clan of Dali had gone to the Murong residence, the people inside possessed considerable skill and extraordinary hearing, yet Feng Yi's lightness technique was exquisite, his steps soundless, so no one noticed him.

Then he heard Fan Hua say: "We were thinking that Kumozhi said he would take the young master to Murong Bo's grave; when Elder Hua heard the word 'grave,' his hands immediately itched, and he said, 'Maybe there's something strange in this old man's tomb; let's dig in and have a look.'"

"I and Brother Ba didn't really approve; the Gusu Murong name resounds under heaven, for our Dali family to dig up his tomb would be hard to justify."

"Elder Hua, however, said: 'Let's quietly dig a tunnel in; gods won't know, ghosts won't sense—who would find out?'"

"The two of us couldn't argue with him, so we went along with his plan. That tomb lay behind the manor, very secluded and hidden, indeed not easy to find. We three dug into the burial pit, opened the coffin—Cui Brother, what did you see?"

Cui Baiquan and Guo Yanzhi rose to their feet at the same time, asking: "What?"

Fan Hua said: "The coffin was empty, no corpse." Cui and Guo stared with their mouths wide open, unable to close them for a long while.

After a long while, Cui Baiquan slapped his thigh and said: "Murong Bo isn't dead. He has his son appear all over the Central Plains while he himself kills people thousands of li away, thus creating an illusion. My martial brother… my martial brother must have been killed by that wicked Murong Bo!"

Fan Hua shook his head and said: "Cui Brother, you once said that Murong Bo's martial arts are unfathomably deep; if he wanted to kill someone, he could use any means, so why would he insist on leaving behind the technique 'using his own method against him,' just to let everyone know it was the hand of the Gusu Murong clan? If he wanted the martial world to know his prowess, why would he also feign death? If it weren't for Elder Hua's ability, who else could uncover this secret?"

Cui Baiquan slumped in his seat; having just seemed to see a glimmer of hope, in an instant a haze clouded his vision. Feng Yi thought: "Murong Bo both wants others to know the might of the Murong family and, knowing he cannot provoke the Shaolin Temple, can only pretend to be dead! Otherwise, if the Shaolin Temple were deceived and injured someone by mistake, they would come to settle accounts with him; Murong could not even talk about restoring his kingdom, and in the martial world he would find no foothold."

Then he heard Duan Yu still lost in infatuation, murmuring: "The myriad secret techniques of all the schools and sects number in the thousands and tens of thousands; to fully understand each of their origins and developments is truly as hard as climbing to heaven, yet she possesses such intelligence and wisdom that every martial art is as familiar to her as the lines on her palm..."

Cui Baiquan said: "Indeed, just like my martial brother's move 'Heavenly Spirit Thousand Splits,' which is the undisclosed secret of our Fu Niu Sect—how could he possibly know it, and actually use this absolute technique to take my martial brother's life?"

Duan Yu shook his head and said: "She certainly understands it, but she has no strength to truss a chicken; although she knows the martial arts of all schools, she herself cannot execute a single move, and being kind-hearted, she would never harm a life."

The people in the room, hearing his irrelevant remarks, all exchanged bewildered glances; after a while they all slowly shook their heads.

Feng Yi secretly amused, recalling how Duan Yu had once made such a spectacle before Master Wuya, saying something like that a pure and spotless woman would willingly do for a man something she herself disliked,

Others thought he was referring to Li Qiu Shui, but in fact he was pointing to Wang Yuyan.

Meanwhile, in another elegant room, Ruan Xingzhu spoke gently: "You father and daughter, what is there to quarrel about? A family should live in harmony!"

A Zi retorted angrily: "What family? You're not even a princess; I'm merely an illegitimate daughter..."

Feng Yi shot forth like a wisp of smoke, floating onto the roof of that three-room retreat, just as he heard Duan Zhengchun say: "Never mind, I'll take you straight back to Dali; let's pretend the past never happened."

Ruan Xingzhu smiled faintly, noncommittal; in the blink of an eye she saw A Zi's eyes flashing with utter hatred, the door creaked open, and A Zi was about to leave when Duan Zhengchun grabbed her, saying: "What are you going to do?"

=9+ let's write

A Zi's beautiful eyes widened, her dark eyebrows fluttering like moths' wings, she cried: "Do you think I'm eager to go to Dali? My mother isn't really a princess; once I'm in Dali, there's plenty of scheming in the prince's mansion! Your underlings all hate me to death; I'm bound to be killed by someone. I'd rather wander the martial world, at least my days would be happier."

These words fell into Duan Zhengchun's ears; he naturally felt them extremely hateful, so angry he nearly fainted. A Zi flicked her hand, her silhouette flashed, and she vanished without a trace.

Seeing her daughter possess such ability, Ruan Xingzhu sighed: "When a child grows up, she is no longer under her mother's control; why must you insist on opposing his relationship with Lord Feng?"

Duan Zhengchun muttered: "You don't know?" and flicked his sleeve as he entered the room.

Ruan Xingzhu said: "Who knows what riddle you're playing?"

Duan Zhengchun snapped: "Playing riddles? You haven't noticed that A Zi has already lost her virtue to him?"

Ruan Xingzhu spat and said: "Do you think you're so clever? Your pigbrain could figure it out, so how could I not know?"

But Lord Feng is handsome and talented, and has been protecting A Zi all along; he even killed your Dali family's great villain Duan Yanqing. With such ability, A Zi having him as her backing will surely turn misfortune into fortune and danger into auspiciousness. Moreover, A Zi's attitude toward him is affectionate and deeply devoted—this is truly a match made in heaven!

Duan Zhengchun fumed: "What match made in heaven? A Zi is young and ignorant, while Feng Yi is already a renowned martial hero; without informing us, he took A Zi... This not only wrongs A Zi, but also tarnishes the pure reputation of my Dali clan!"

Suddenly hearing Ruan Xingzhu utter a cold snort, though soft, Duan Zhengchun's face changed drastically; in an instant he saw her twist her slender waist, poised to leave,

Duan Zhengchun hurriedly grabbed her, saying: "Where are you off to again?"

Ruan Xingzhu coldly snorted: "Your Dali clan has reputation; my Song Ruan family lacks any standing—better to stay away here so as not to provoke you, the Prince of Dali, into anger."

Duan Zhengchun embraced her, wearing a bitter expression, and said: "How did this even start?"

Ruan Xingzhu coldly said: "Back then you clearly had a wife, yet with sweet words you deceived me into losing my virtue to you; now you act like a gentleman of noble lineage—I know what you're thinking.

You are the Prince of Dali, the imperial heir; naturally you care about the Dali name. Since A Zi bears the surname Duan, you think her loss of virtue is a major matter—whether it's for show or sincere, you must put on an attitude of not letting Feng Yi have it easy.

But what was I back then?

Am I not an unmarried maiden?

What does my purity even count for?

Where do you place our Ruan family's reputation?

I bore a child out of wedlock, dare not go home, and had to give away my two daughters; all these years, have they been alright? Have you ever cared? Saying this, her pent-up grievance suddenly burst forth, and tears streamed down like a breached dam.

Feng Yi listened, feeling greatly grateful, and instantly realized why Duan Zhengchun acted this way; he inwardly snorted, "Father-in-law, let's see how you end up!" He felt somewhat pleased at his misfortune.

But he could also understand Duan Zhengchun.

People are like a crow perched on a pig's back, unable to see their own blackness.

Especially in male-female relations, when I pursue a woman, I naturally hope her belt is loose; if it isn't, then the time and effort I spend would make me a sycophant, despised by all.

But when it comes to my sisters' or daughters' being taken advantage of, it's another thought entirely. I fear that just as the cabbage has finally grown well, it will be dug up, so I must keep them under strict watch.

Feng Yi is just like that; he secretly thinks that if anyone dares to treat his daughter the way he treats women, he must kill them, and as he leaves he must spit: "What trash, you're not even worthy!"

Duan Zhengchun never expected that speaking up for his daughter would backfire on him; looking at Ruan Xingzhu, his heart suddenly filled with sorrow and anger, and he dazedly stared.

At that moment, he heard sobbing again; turning his head, he saw A Zi standing at the doorway, pursing her lips, her face wet with tears, and he frowned, asking, "A Zi, why are you crying again?"

A Zi choked, "I—I don't know why either; I just... just want to cry..."

Ruan Xingzhu grabbed her daughter in an embrace, and mother and daughter burst into tears together.

Duan Zhengchun stomped his foot and said: "You two really don't understand my painstaking efforts. Ah Xing, I never meant to look down on you; it's just that my situation is different from Feng Yi and A Zi's!"

My amorous affairs were originally known only to you few close ones, but with the events involving Hong Mian and Wan Qing spreading in Dali, the whole jianghu now knows that I, Duan Zhengchun, am amorous and flirtatious.

Feng Yi is also well-known in the jianghu; wherever he goes, he draws everyone's attention. A Zi is my daughter, and soon this will spread as well. His disgraceful act is such that anyone with a bit of experience in the jianghu can tell that A Zi is no longer a virgin.

If we don't make things clear today, once it spreads in the jianghu, everyone will surely say that Duan Zhengchun is amorous and flirtatious, and his daughter doesn't know how to conduct herself.

Rumors are fearsome; passed from one to another, error upon error, in the end it might become: "The Dali Duan clan's decorum is improper—men are unfaithful, lascivious, specially seducing women; women don't know self-respect, throwing themselves at any man." If that happens, not only will our Dali Duan clan lose face in the world, but even your face as a mother will be unsightly.

Ruan Xingzhu, hearing this, hastily wiped her tears and snapped, "Who dares to spout such nonsense? I'll cut out his tongue!"

Although her tone was tough, she was extremely uneasy inside: "Duan Lang's words also make sense; if this is true, once the rumors spread, damaging the Dali Duan clan's reputation is trivial, and even my Ruan family's honor cannot escape; would my father under the nine springs not be furious?"

Thinking this, she changed the subject: "After all, my A Zi is well-behaved, knowing to feel sorry for her mother!" She wiped A Zi's tears dry.

A Zi said, "Mother, I've come to tell you something; you'll definitely be happy!"

Ruan Xingzhu lightly laughed, "As long as you stay by my side, Mother will be happiest!"

A Zi snorted, "That's not necessarily true; I know where Ah Zhu elder sister is!"

"What?" Ruan Xingzhu and Duan Zhengchun both exclaimed delightedly, "Where is she?"

A Zi said, "I heard from Elder Brother Feng that Qiao Feng is my brother-in-law..."

"What?" Duan Zhengchun exclaimed in surprise again.

Ruan Xingzhu urged, "A Zi, quickly call Feng Yi!"

"Oh!"

A Zi turned and went out.

Feng Yi thought, "Ah Zhu is A Zi's older sister; this is my advantage of foreknowledge, but how can I clearly explain this to her parents?"

He had taken A Zi's body, which ultimately left him in the wrong; how could he then tell Duan Zhengchun that what he did, Feng Yi has no right to do?

As for A Zi, it's easy to make up an excuse—just fabricate some lock‑token story—but what about A Zhu? How could I say? Did I also see her body and obtain proof?

This would not only insult A Zhu, but also insult Qiao Feng!

Or thirty!

Just then, a shadow flashed; someone leapt in from the house. In the moonlight it was clear: the person held a hairpin in hand, his eyes flashing with a hint of frenzy, and instantly vanished into the vast night.

It was Duan Yu.

Feng Yi knew he certainly couldn't bear to part with Wang Yuyan.

Ruan Xingzhu saw Duan Zhengchun's face alternating between gloom and clarity, his fists clenched, as if his heart were both agitated and angry, yet unaware of the cause, she gently asked, "Duan Lang, what's wrong with you?"

Duan Zhengchun then came to his senses, rubbing his hands together, and stammered, "What sin have my Dali Duan clan committed!"

Ruan Xingzhu asked, "And what else?"

Duan Zhengchun said, "You don't know—Qiao Feng is ungrateful and treacherous, cruel and lustful; A Zi says he's her brother-in-law, you say, this..."

Upon hearing this, Ruan Xingzhu's face flushed instantly; Feng Yi, this son‑in‑law, is just as shameless as his father‑in‑law—who would have thought Qiao Feng would be the same!

The implication being that her daughters are all no good; she shouted, "What nonsense are you spouting?"

Duan Zhengchun sighed, "You don't know!"

He then briefly recounted how Qiao Feng had killed his master and adoptive parents, and brought a woman to Zhu Xian Manor to seek medical aid.

Qiao Feng's infamous reputation spread far and wide, drawing universal condemnation; Duan Zhengchun, having never met him, naturally shared this view.

Ruan Xingzhu snorted coldly and said, "Qiao Feng daringly attends a gathering alone for a woman—clearly a man of deep feeling. That makes him a fine fellow; other matters don't matter."

Are you, Prince Duan, not also cruel and lustful? You merely are lustful and unfaithful to your lovers, yet cruel and ungrateful toward your daughter!

Duan Zhengchun's eyes filled with shame as he said, "Ah Xing, let's talk about the daughters another time; why do you always drag me into this? In front of my subordinates and children, give me some face."

Ruan Xingzhu chuckled and said, "Even so, I don't know if it's true or false; as long as it lets me find my daughter, what does it matter how the son‑in‑law behaves?"

Duan Zhengchun's expression eased slightly; he nodded and said, "I hope it's true."

Feng Yi saw A Zi arrive at his chambers, shouted, his feet slightly moving, he darted past like a swallow, just as A Zi stepped out of the room, they met face to face.

Feng Yi took A Zi's hand and said, "Prince Duan, your daughter's nature loves freedom; to constantly bind her is surely a waste of heavenly gifts."

"Well said." A Zi clapped and laughed loudly, "If one comes into this world and cannot be free and do as one pleases, isn't that just coming for nothing?"

Duan Zhengchun said, "It's because you do as you please that you've provoked my daughter."

Feng Yi heard the mockery in his tone, gave a cold chuckle, and said, "Some matters can be settled later; Feng Yi takes his leave." With a slight shift of his feet, the two leapt up and vanished inside the inn.

A Zi shouted, "My elder brother is the head of the Xiao Yao Sect—indeed, wandering beyond the law, lawless and heavenly!" She, too, dislikes being controlled, so she naturally ran off with Feng Yi.

Feng Yi laughed heartily and said, "Indeed, wandering freely, who can control me? Splendid, splendid!"

Duan Zhengchun said, "Why the rush? I still have something to ask you."

Translation: Duan Zhengchun said: "Why must you be in such a hurry? I still have something to ask you!"

We need to keep punctuation? Use English punctuation. Keep the quote marks? Probably use double quotes as in Chinese. We'll keep Chinese quotes replaced with English double quotes.

Feng Yi said, "When I have some free time, I'll certainly come to visit."

Translation: Feng Yi said: "When I have free time another day, I will certainly pay a visit!"

Duan Zhengchun and Ruan Xingzhu could only watch helplessly as their daughter was taken away, left speechless.

Translation: Duan Zhengchun and Ruan Xingzhu could only watch helplessly as their daughter was abducted, facing each other in silence.

……

Translation: …… (ellipsis). Keep as is.

Murong Fu and his party descended from Lei Drum Mountain; Wang Yuyan saw her cousin lost in thought all along, not uttering a word, she softly asked, "Cousin, what are you thinking about?"

Translation: Murong Fu's party came down from Lei Gu Mountain; Wang Yuyan saw her cousin deep in thought all along, not uttering a word, and softly asked: "Cousin, what are you thinking about?"

Note: 'Cousin' refers to an older male cousin; we will translate it as 'Cousin'.

Bao Butong, blunt and outspoken, said: "Master, are you thinking of how to deal with Feng Yi?"

Translation: Bao Butong, blunt and outspoken, said: "Master, are you thinking of how to deal with Feng Yi?"

Note: 'Young master' is a respectful term; we will translate it as 'Master'.

Everyone fell silent for a moment.

Translation: Everyone fell silent for a moment.

To gauge Feng Yi's skill, everyone saw Ding Chunqiu slain, yet he was essentially surrounded, subdued by a hidden weapon—a soft silk rope—before Su Xinghe killed him. Only Murong Fu, having truly exchanged blows with him, understands him best.

Translation: To say how high Feng Yi's martial arts are, everyone saw Ding Chunqiu killed, yet he was actually under siege, subdued by this soft silk rope hidden weapon, and only then killed by Su Xinghe. Only Murong Fu, who truly crossed hands with him, understands this best.

Note: the term means a soft silk rope; 'hidden weapon' is its meaning.

"Oh!" Murong Fu seemed to awaken from his reverie, sighed, and said: "You don't know, the principle of our Murong family's Shifting Stars and Moving the Dipper. In reality, it is energy circulating throughout the body, seamless and round, like a spinning giant top; any external force applied to it is reflected back, hence the saying 'to repay with their own method'."

Translation: "Oh!" Murong Fu seemed to have just awakened from his reverie, sighed, and said: "You don't know, the principle of my Murong family's Shifting Stars and Moving the Dipper. Actually, the energy circulates throughout the body, seamless and round, like a spinning top; any external force applied to it is reflected back, hence the saying 'to repay with their own method'."

Note: the term means Shifting Stars and Moving the Dipper; the phrase means to repay with their own method.

(End of chapter)