Cuddling with the Cold Female Protagonist – Chapter 111

Volume 4: The Perils of the Jianghu

The Master of the Xuanji Tower

Seeing it was his own daughter, Hua Bao was quite surprised. “Why is it you? Where are the servants outside?”

“Your daughter has been idle lately and has been studying the art of tea¹. Hearing that Father wanted tea, I specifically told the maids outside not to enter and brewed this floral tea I’ve been working on myself. Please, Father, have a taste.” Hua Wuying said with a smile. “Try it, Father. How is the tea?”

Some time ago, Hua Wuying had followed Su Yi and the others to Changsheng Valley. Fearing she would be suspected, she had made arrangements in advance, claiming to be ill and having her trusted confidants guard her room to prevent anyone from entering.

However, she had thought too highly of her own father. She had been “ill” for nearly a month, yet her dear father had not once set foot in her pavilion, merely sending two people to ask after her perfunctorily.

Hua Wuying had long been aware that he would act this way. Although she felt a slight chill, she was also relieved.

This way, it would be more convenient for her to make her move.

The less she was valued, the more convenient her actions became.

While Hua Bao had been preoccupied with the Emperor of Yanxue Kingdom these past few days, she had already planted her own people in various places throughout the Xuanji Tower.

Hua Bao casually took the tea, blew on it twice, and drank it slowly. Looking up, he saw Hua Wuying’s attire and frowned. “You’re a young lady. Why are you wearing such gaudy clothes? You are growing up and will be married off soon; you must pay more attention to propriety. A few days ago, the master of the Lian Jian Mountain Manor² mentioned to me that his son has taken an interest in you. I’ve seen his second son; he is of good character and handsome appearance. I am preparing to arrange a marriage for you with him. The Manor Master and I have agreed to exchange name cards³ next month. You should prepare yourself as well.”

He knows I’m an unmarried maiden, yet he still made me manage a brothel. How utterly laughable.

Besides, the second son of the Lian Jian Mountain Manor, isn’t he a degenerate gambler? I heard that he couldn’t pay his debts recently and the boss of the gambling den sent men to cut off two of his fingers.

Hua Wuying smiled faintly and nodded gently. “Yes, your daughter has noted Father’s words.”

“Hmph.” Hua Bao finished his tea, feeling the fire in his heart had mostly dissipated. Seeing his daughter still standing there, he said with displeasure, “What are you just standing there for? Hurry up and leave.”

“Just now… just now, your daughter saw two unfamiliar faces in the tower.”

Hua Wuying bit her lip, feigning hesitation. “I wonder if spies have infiltrated the tower.”

Hua Bao’s brow furrowed. Before he could speak, a commotion erupted outside, and several of his trusted aides carried in his pale-faced son. “Tower Master, the Young Master, he—”

“Wushang!” Gazing at his dying son on the stretcher, Hua Bao was aghast and shot up to check on him.

Seeing the bloodstain on his chest, he roared in fury, “Who dared to harm my son?!”

The men who carried Hua Wushang in knelt on the ground, trembling. “This subordinate… this subordinate does not know… We were practicing our skills just now when we heard the groans of someone injured. When we went to look, we saw the Young Master lying on the ground. We sealed the Young Master’s acupoints, had a doctor look at him, and then urgently brought him here.”

“So you’re saying you don’t know who ambushed the Young Master?”

The men trembled and said in unison, “This subordinate does not know.”

Hua Bao grew even angrier. Recalling what Hua Wuying had just said, he exclaimed in alarm, “Could it be that someone has infiltrated my Xuanji Tower?”

Thinking of the Emperor of Yanxue Kingdom’s perfunctory and delaying attitude, he wondered doubtfully, “Could it be that Emperor?”

He asked the confidants kneeling on the ground, “Do you know if any spies have infiltrated the tower?”

The confidants shook their heads. “This subordinate does not know.”

“Don’t know, don’t know! Useless things who know nothing when asked! I see no point in keeping you in the Xuanji Tower anymore!”

In a towering rage, Hua Bao abruptly stood up, about to draw the treasured sword hanging on a nearby pillar.

However, perhaps because he had been squatting for too long, he felt a wave of dizziness upon standing up and nearly fell.

A confidant quickly rose to support him. “Tower Master, are you alright?”

Hua Bao clutched his forehead and shook his head forcefully a few times. He circulated his true qi through his heart meridian, but still felt groggy. Not only that, but he also felt his steps were unsteady and weak, as if… he had no strength left.

“What’s going on…” Hua Bao looked at his hands in shock and uncertainty. “How did This Seat become…”

“Does Father feel that his limbs are weak right now?” Hua Wuying finished his sentence for him with a radiant smile.

Having navigated the martial world for decades, Hua Bao’s heart jolted at her words. He looked up at Hua Wuying’s expression and knew instantly that this was her doing.

He roared in fury, “Rebellious daughter! You dare to plot against your own old man? Has your conscience been eaten by a dog?!”

“Father is truly wronging your daughter.” Hua Wuying fiddled with the balsam flower juice⁴ on her nails and chuckled lazily. “Your daughter is very filial. Wasn’t it Father who once said that those who achieve great things should not sweat the small stuff, and that even if one’s own parents or siblings stand in the way, one must be ruthless?”

“This old man was talking to your older brother!”

“Yes, you were talking to him.” Hua Wuying’s smile didn’t falter. “So, the day after he heard that, he had someone poison me. Father’s teachings are excellent, and your daughter believes they are worth learning. So, your daughter also specifically requested a poison from the doctors of Changsheng Valley.”

Hua Bao hurriedly tried to circulate his energy to force out the poison. Hua Wuying said kindly, “I advise Father not to waste his energy. This is a poison specially developed by the Hundred Herbs Elder of Changsheng Valley. There is only one antidote, and very unfortunately, it fell into the latrine⁵ yesterday.”

“You—”

Hua Bao then clawed at his own throat, trying to induce vomiting. Hua Wuying watched coldly as he struggled. The more he thrashed, the weaker his body became.

Finally, he collapsed dejectedly onto the ground, no longer resembling the legendary, ruthless Master of the Xuanji Tower who could kill without batting an eye.

Instead, he looked as pathetic as a stray dog.

He had been poisoned by his own daughter, yet the confidants beside him didn’t move an inch.

Hua Bao’s pupils constricted. He thought of a possibility, but he was unwilling to believe it…

This daughter, whom he had never valued, had somehow, without his knowledge, taken control of the Xuanji Tower and the trusted aides who had been by his side for years.

“You… When did you…”

“Has Father found the meals lately to be exceptionally delicious? Your daughter specially added a colorless, odorless poison for Father. It doesn’t take long, only three days to take effect. That bowl of tea just now was the last straw that broke the camel’s back.” Hua Wuying was still smiling, but the chill in her eyes only intensified. “And I must thank Father for bringing the Nine Princess of Yanxue Kingdom here. Otherwise, how would my dear brother have been willing to leave the treasure vault? If he didn’t leave, how could I have mastered all the mechanisms in the Xuanji Tower and conveniently used poison to control everyone?”

“You—Pfft…”

Overcome with rage, Hua Bao spat out a large mouthful of blood and fainted.

The confidants kneeling on the ground didn’t dare to help him up, only looking timidly at Hua Wuying. “Young… Young Mistress… The Tower Master, he…”

“Take the Tower Master and the Young Master back to their rooms.” Hua Wuying smiled faintly. “The Emperor of Yanxue Kingdom is truly formidable, to actually send people to poison the Tower Master and Young Master. This poison is rare in this world. My poor father and brother, I’m afraid that from now on, they will never be able to leave their rooms, or even get out of bed.”

As she spoke, she actually covered her eyes with her sleeve and began to sob.

The confidants exchanged glances, a trace of fear in their eyes.

The Young Mistress was putting on a one-woman show, and in that single moment, she had sealed the fate of the Tower Master and the Young Master.

They would likely never be able to take a single step out of their rooms again.

“Yes, this subordinate understands.”

The confidants carried the unconscious father and son away. As soon as they left, Hua Wuying lowered the hand covering her eyes.

Forget tears, her eyes weren’t even red.

She looked up, scanning the vast main hall, and chuckled softly. Her voice echoed in the empty space. “This Xuanji Tower has finally changed masters.”

After she spoke, several people slowly walked in from outside.

Feng Ruoqing looked at the blood on the ground and asked with concern, “Your father’s martial arts are formidable, and then there’s your brother. For both of them to meet with such a disaster while you alone remain unscathed, won’t people outside gossip?”

“This was done by assassins from Yanxue Kingdom who infiltrated the tower. What does it have to do with me?”

Hua Wuying said with a smile, then turned to apologize to Ji Qingchi at her side. “Just now, circumstances forced my hand, and I had to use Her Majesty the Emperor as a cover. I am truly sorry—”

Ji Qingchi raised a hand to stop her. “Mother-Emperor was just worrying that her imperial might⁶ was insufficient to intimidate all corners of the land. Now that even the renowned Master of the Xuanji Tower has ‘fallen’ at her hands, she’s probably overjoyed. This will make anyone who dares to covet Yanxue Kingdom think twice and weigh whether they have the guts.”

Ji Qingchi patted her shoulder and smiled. “Right now, the only one who can make decisions in the Xuanji Tower is Miss Hua. Miss Hua, you mustn’t be too heartbroken. Take care of yourself; propping up the Xuanji Tower again is what’s most important.”

“Your Highness can rest assured, I will pull myself together.” Hua Wuying wiped away the non-existent tears from her eyes. “I have already selected a quiet room for Your Highness to rest. Would Your Highness like to go and recuperate?”

“No need.” Ji Qingchi’s smile vanished. “This Palace must find Su Yi.”

“I’ve had people investigate Miss Su’s whereabouts.” Hua Wuying also grew serious. “According to those present at the time, they jumped into a river and were never seen again. That river is a hidden river, and our people don’t know where it leads.”

Jing You nodded. “I can testify. I was there at the time. Indeed, after Miss Su and the others fell into the water, the Young Master ordered people to search for them. The search party said there was a hidden river below, but the current at its entrance was fierce and turbulent, so no one dared to venture in to investigate.”

“This Palace is not afraid of such things.”

Su Yi is so delicate and weak. Even professional assassins fear those turbulent waters. If her small frame was sucked in by the current, wouldn’t her chances be slim?

Ji Qingchi couldn’t imagine what would happen to her after falling into the water. Would she get a fever? If she fell ill, who would take care of her?

“Jing You, quickly take me to that hidden river.”

“But Your Highness, your injuries haven’t healed yet…”

“Say no more. Take me there now.”

When Ji Qingchi was stubborn, not even ten bulls could hold her back. The others tried to persuade her for a long time, but she didn’t listen to a single word.

Helpless, they had no choice but to lead her toward the hidden river.

They had just left the Xuanji Tower and hadn’t walked for long when a troop of people suddenly appeared before them.

The leading woman sat tall and straight on her horse, looking valiant and heroic with a longsword in hand. The two women behind her, though appearing more scholarly, were also fully armored. Behind these three women who looked like generals were several thousand soldiers holding swords and shields, their gazes sharp as they stood in formation.

When the two parties met, both were taken aback.

“Little Nine?!”

“Imperial Sister?!”

The newcomers were none other than several imperial princesses.

Leading the group was the Fifth Princess, Ji Qingxuan. The two behind her were the Second Princess and the Seven Princess.

Seeing her sister, who had been taken hostage, appear safely before her, the Second Princess was overcome with emotion. She leaped from her horse, rushed forward in a few steps, and, avoiding Ji Qingchi’s injured arm, hugged her tightly. “Nine, you little rascal, you scared Mother-Emperor and us to death, do you know that?”

The Seven Princess also dismounted quickly and ran over, looking Ji Qingchi over from left to right. “You’ve gotten so much thinner, and you’re even injured! But it’s good that your life isn’t in danger. Hurry back to the imperial palace with us and get some proper nourishment.”

The Fifth Princess rode her horse over to their side. The horse snorted several times before she finally let out a cold huff, her expression foul. “What a good-for-nothing. You took so many people to seek medical treatment, but who knows if you even found a doctor. Instead, you ended up getting imprisoned. You’ve truly disgraced our imperial family.”

Ji Qingchi had no time to argue with her. She turned to the two sisters hugging her and said, “Imperial Sisters, why have you appeared here?”

“Mother-Emperor was worried you were in danger, so she specially sent us with some things to negotiate with the Master of the Xuanji Tower.”

The Seven Princess pointed behind her. Only then did Ji Qingchi notice that besides the several thousand soldiers, there were also dozens of chests filled with gold, silver, and jewels.

“I’m fine now.” Ji Qingchi smiled and pulled Hua Wuying over. “This is the new Master of the Xuanji Tower, Hua Wuying. She is my friend, so I was able to come out safely. Imperial Sisters can take the men and jewels back and report to Mother-Emperor.”

Just a few days ago, the Master of the Xuanji Tower was a ferocious, curly-bearded brute. How did he become a delicate and beautiful young woman today?

Having lived in and around the imperial palace for over a decade, the princesses were all too familiar with such power struggles.

Hearing that Hua Wuying shared the same surname as the previous Master of the Xuanji Tower, they immediately understood what had happened.

The Seven Princess carefully sized up the beautiful woman before her. “Miss Hua… you look so familiar.”

The Second Princess smiled. “Little Seven, you’re confused. Isn’t this the proprietress of the former Yiyun Tower?”

“Tower Master Hua, let’s get straight to the point.” The Fifth Princess couldn’t be bothered to waste words like the other two. She was blunt and impolite. “Our Yanxue Kingdom does not wish to be enemies with the Xuanji Tower. However, the tower’s actions in Yanxue over the years do not merit our trust. Right now, don’t just say you’re a friend of this good-for-nothing Nine. Even if you were a friend of Mother-Emperor, this matter between us cannot be resolved peacefully.”

As her voice fell, dozens of soldiers pushed forward more than ten heavy gunpowder cannons.

Hua Wuying understood. She had been wondering why the Emperor was so confident in letting these bold princesses come to negotiate. It turned out they had come prepared.

The people in the Xuanji Tower were, after all, just assassins. Confronting an entire nation was truly unwise.

Hua Wuying smiled. “I understand. I will accompany the princesses on a trip. The Xuanji Tower holds absolutely no ill will toward Yanxue Kingdom.”

The Fifth Princess nodded. “Very well.”

With a flick of her hand, several soldiers instantly moved forward and surrounded Hua Wuying and her companions.

“Take them back to the imperial palace.”

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