Co-TL by Namizaki; Edited by Elanor
A corner of the thick curtain that was lined with cotton got swept open by the wind, and snowflakes poured into the house rapidly. The brazier at the corner was openly provoked and the flame became increasingly weaker. No one added even a piece of charcoal and the air was freezing to the bone. Even though it was very cold, Yun Yifeng still felt unbearably hot, his outer robes had long been thrown to the side and he would only drink the tea after it had completely cooled down.
Ji Yanran felt his teeth hurting just from seeing this scene, “Your……body, can it really withstand this?” He wisely concealed the word ‘weak’. He didn’t know why everytime he was with Yun Yifeng, he wasn’t like a Prince or a General, instead he was like a mother, having to take care of him.
Yun Yifeng took a deep breath, “I have already restrained myself from desperately wailing and screaming outside and devouring snow.”
Ji Yanran didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, he used the back of his hand to touch Yun Yifeng’s forehead, “But when we were at the Feng Yu Sect, I didn’t see you so desperate to take your clothes off.”
Yun Yifeng pressed down into his palm to allow that little bit of coolness to alleviate his discomfort, “Because the poison gets stronger every time it acts up, I’m afraid that I will have to sleep in an ice cellar in the future.”
Owing to past experiences, everytime they were on this topic, it would usually lead back to the Blood Ganoderma Lucidum. Just as His Highness’s face remained expressionless and planning to once again show the ‘I am shameless, I have no conscience’ act, Yun Yifeng lifted his head up to look at him, “Who do you think killed Qi Ran, Your Highness? Jin Manlin, Jin Huan, Liu Qianxian, Mu Chengxue, the missing Yue Zhihua or was it some highly skilled Martial Artist who could avoid the spider silk silver bells array?”
“When the servant died, I had suspected that it was Qi Ran.” Ji Yanran retracted his hand.
“Because he had shown fear?” Yun Yifeng thought about it, “But after that you said that Qi Ran’s explanation was reasonable and fair, but now even Qi Ran is dead.”
Ji Yanran said, “So it has never crossed your mind that there is actually another person living in the Snow View pavilion?”
Yun Yifeng took the hint and asked, “Aunty Yu?”
Ji Yanran replied, “She was sent here by Chief Yue Mingwei.”
However, Yun Yifeng dismissed that idea, “It couldn’t be Aunty Yu.”
Ji Yanran was puzzled, “Why not?”
“You want to know the reason?” Yun Yifeng hooked his fingers.
Ji Yanran leaned in closer and listened intently.
Yun Yifeng’s tone was calm, “Because I’m the one who killed them, so of course I know. ”
Ji Yanran, “ ……”
Ji Yanran conceded defeat, “How long are you going to hold onto that grudge?”
“Who knows?” Yun Yifeng leaned back against the chair and raised his eyelids, “Your Highness, you invited me to the Northeast. It’s fine if the journey was cold and tiring, but you also suspect that I killed them in the middle of the night. Everytime I think about it, I feel so wronged and insecure.”
Ji Yanran was also good at this, he raised his hands in a gesture, “There is a red coral this big in my residence.”
Yun Yifeng gave it some thought and felt that the size was quite satisfactory, so he replied, “Deal.”
“Now can you tell me?” Ji Yanran poured another cup of tea for him.
Yun Yifeng said, “Because I poisoned Aunty Yu.”
Ji Yanran’s hand jerked and the tea almost spilled out onto the table.
“Actually, it can’t be considered as poisoning, it’s just some muscle relaxant.” Yun Yifeng continued, “It won’t have any effects on normal humans. However, if it’s consumed by a Martial Artist, once they try using their Martial Arts, their limbs will feel extremely weak as if they have caught the harshest cold, it’ll cause them to be bed-ridden for at least seven days.”
Besides, Aunty Yu had been gathering firewood and cooking this whole time and she doesn’t seem to show any signs of being tired, this shows that she has no inner strength and is just a normal kitchen maid. If Yue Mingwei wanted to plant a spy and cause chaos, obviously, he would not find an honest and rough lady.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Ji Yanran asked, “When did you do it?”
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Jin Huan finally appeared when the sky was completely bright. He looked anxious, his trousers and sleeves were covered in snow, it was obvious that he had fallen on the way here. This showed that he was in a rush and anxious to report something. He said he had just stepped out of the door this morning and saw that the steps were covered in fresh blood. Qi Ran was lying at the door of the bedroom with a dagger stabbed into his body. He had already been dead for some time.
The state of his death matched what Liu Qianxian had narrated last night. Jin Huan also said that he had not heard any strange movement, only the sound of the howling wind could be heard throughout the night.
Qi Ran’s corpse had already been moved onto the bed, his face was covered in blood, and his facial features were distorted during the struggle. His eyes were wide open in fear, as if he had suffered some kind of fright before he died. After checking the corpse, Yun Yifeng realized that his heart had been pierced by a sharp blade so it was probably an instantaneous death, there was also no trace of him being poisoned.
Jin Manlin wore a heavy expression and kept silent. Everyone understood his increased hostility, there were only these few people in the Snow View pavilion, but the murders kept happening one after the other, how could they still happily rely on each other. Not fighting each other was already saving face.
Liu Qianxian asked, “Was there really no sound of fighting last night?”
“There was none.” Jin Huan shook his head, “Not only were there no sounds of fighting, there wasn’t even a cry for help. I’m a light sleeper, there is no possibility that I didn’t hear it.”
“But Young Master Qi knew Martial Arts, he said that he had learnt it for quite a number of years.” Liu Qianxian continued, “Even if he wasn’t an expert, he wouldn’t have been killed so easily either, and that too no sound was made.”
Jin Huan continued to insist, “If I was the only one who didn’t hear it then its fine, but my dad was just next door and he also didn’t hear anything. This can only mean that the killer had acted very swiftly.”
“That shouldn’t be……” Liu Qianxian muttered softly, as if remembering the pitiful state of the servant, she couldn’t help but blurt out, “This place isn’t really haunted is it? Disfiguring, decapitation, heart being dug out, how can it be done by a human, it’s obviously the deeds of some demon.”
Yun Yifeng glanced around, “Some people’s hearts can be more corrupt than a demon’s.”
Jin Manlin felt displeased when he heard that, “By saying it in such a roundabout manner, what is Sect Master Yun trying to imply?”
“It’s nothing, I just wanted to remind everyone to be more cautious.” Yun Yifeng stated, “Besides, Young Master Qi died in the Moon View pavilion, if we were to have a dispute, it should be us knocking on your door asking for answers, Elder Jin didn’t have to be so loud.”
“Exactly.” Liu Qianxian added fuel to the fire, “Being louder doesn’t mean you’re right, does yelling rid you of suspicion?”
“You!” Jin Manlin’s face was red with anger, he gritted out, “Fine, since we all suspect each other, then we might as well live separately in the future and not have any more contact with each other.”
However, Jin Huan said, “No!”
His voice was loud, causing everyone to turn their eyes to him.
Jin Huan calmed his tone, “The more treacherous the situation, the more we have to rely on each other. If the murderer is really hiding in the dark and yet we continue fighting amongst ourselves, wouldn’t we be just playing into his hand? So, in the future, we shouldn’t be so divided, instead we should form closer connections with one another. In my opinion, the daily three meals do not have to be sent to every room, we should just go to the dining room and eat together.”
Yun Yifeng and Ji Yanran glanced at each other, and before they could speak, Liu Qianxian quickly said, “What closer connections, to put it nicely, you are worried that someone will poison the food?”
Jin Huan looked embarrassed, but he didn’t deny it, he just clasped his fist and said, “I ask for everyone’s understanding.”
Indeed, Qi Ran died too quietly. Although it looked like he wasn’t poisoned, it was hard to ascertain if he had been exposed to any hallucinogenic smoke or anesthetic. Allowing everyone to eat together was indeed the simplest solution.
Yun Yifeng very readily agreed to the idea.
During this time if anyone wasn’t willing, it was no different than admitting they were guilty, thus, although Liu Qianxian and Jin Manlin didn’t like each other, they could only nod their heads in agreement.
In the afternoon, the Jin father and son carried Qi Ran’s body to the old firewood shed for burial. Yun Yifeng stayed behind at the Moon View Pavilion and once again checked through the belongings of the Qi family’s Young Master and servant. Besides clothing, books and some medicinal herbs, there was nothing else-”
Ji Yanran asked, “Any clues?”
Yun Yifeng didn’t answer his question, instead, he put down the empty teapot and asked, “If you had to pick one person that you dislike the most out of those remaining, who would you choose Your Highness?”
“The one I dislike the most?” Ji Yanran thought for a bit, “Jin Manlin.”
Not really likable with a tough personality, bringing up his status as an elder anytime, he was still a mediocre person who had nothing to his name, no wonder Liu Qianxian didn’t like him, there was really nothing good about him.
After answering, Ji Yanran asked again, “Why, is there a problem?”
“No.” Yun Yifeng raised his eyebrows, “I was just thinking since Your Highness is born into the Royal family, scheming against each other should be common, who knows if you might guess accurately.”
Ji Yanran replied, “You’re lucky you aren’t a court official.”
If not for this confusing inference method, calamity would have already befallen and the grievances of the people would be boiling over.
After leaving the Moon View pavilion, the two planned to visit Aunty Yu, instead, they bumped into a soft white ball along the corridor, they really did ‘bump’ into it. Who knew where the little thing was hiding before, it suddenly fell with a ‘dong’. It’s black eyes were wet as it laid in Yun Yifeng’s embrace and stretched comfortably.
“You, how come it isn’t scratching people anymore?” Ji Yanran found it funny, he wanted to knead it again, however Yun Yifeng dodged agilely, turned sideways and avoided him.
“Don’t touch it!”
Ji Yanran, “ ……”
Fine fine fine, I won’t touch it, you pet it.
The little ferret laid down obediently, it didn’t want to move, looking at its posture, it looked as if it was hibernating. Yun Yifeng liked what he saw, carried it and sat on a bench, using his fingers to gently comb through the soft and long fur.
Ji Yanran stood at the side and reminded him, “Be careful, don’t get scratched again.”
“It won’t happen again.” Yun Yifeng smiled, “Haven’t you realized it yet? This is the little fella that you scared off last time, it’s different from the one Jin Huan has.”
Ji Yanran was surprised, “There are two of them? But they look exactly the same.”
Yun Yifeng was very sure, “They aren’t the same, although they look similar, but one is fat and one is skinny, one is docile and the other is aggressive, even the expressions in their eyes are different.”
Ji Yanran became increasingly confused as he listened on, just those two small beans, yet you can see the expressions in their eyes?
“Perhaps it’s a wild ferret.” Yun Yifeng scratched his chin.
“A wild ferret?” Ji Yanran bent down, “Since you like it so much, then you might as well bring it home and raise it to ease your boredom.”
As soon as his words fell, the ferret seemed to hear a ghost story from a fur trader, jumped to the ground, spread its claws, and ran away without a trace again.
“…..”
A lump of snow fell from the beam with a ‘thud’.
Yun Yifeng held a distant look in his eyes.
Ji Yanran’s chest felt constricted, he felt so wronged till he wanted to spit out blood. He felt that he was a fool, why was it that nothing good ever came out from his encounters with the ferret? At least, last time he got to flick its butt, but this time it ran away after one sentence?
The copy of Wang Xizhi’s book had already been offered, the red coral had also been offered already, His Royal Highness Prince Xiao felt self defeated and said, “Do you find me valuable?”
Yun Yifeng didn’t conceal his smile, “Go away!”
Ji Yanran lightly tapped his thighs, indicating that someone was coming. Yun Yifeng looked over. At the opposite end of the flower garden, he saw Jin Huan and Jin Manlin coincidentally passing by, they had probably just finished burying Qi Ran and were heading back to the Moon View Pavilion. Both their faces had heavy expressions and they did not speak a word, nothing looked to be out of the ordinary.
Ji Yanran asked, “Do you think that it’s the father and son or Liu Qianxian?”
“Or it could be someone else outside of the Drifting Pavilion, it’s hard to say.” Yun Yifeng stood up, “Come on, let’s go see Aunty Yu first.”
In the kitchen, the fire on the stove was burning vigorously, Aunty Yu was preparing dinner. Her eyes were red and she was feeling restless, she nearly used her bare hands to carry the wok.
“Aunty be careful!” Yun Yifeng, responded quickly, held her back.
The sudden appearance of someone behind her caused Aunty Yu to suffer a fright and her face paled for an instant.
“Aunty, you don’t have to be afraid, it’s me.” Yun Yifeng helped her to place the spatula properly and once again comforted her, “If you are tired, then you should go back and rest, we can cook for ourselves.”
“Sect Master Yun.” Aunty Yu anxiously asked him, “Just who is the murderer?”
“I don’t know, we are still looking into it.” Yun Yifeng let her sit on a bench, “But they are all due to the grievances of the Martial Arts community, it has nothing to do with anyone else, Old Zhang was an accident, Aunty Yu need not be so worried.”
“I still have a husband and a sick daughter below the mountain, I can’t die.” Aunty Yu randomly gripped his hands, voice trembling, “Sect Master Yun, you have to save me.”
Yun Yifeng whispered, “Aunty, from now on you will follow Miss Liu, she will protect you.”
“Yes, Miss Liu had informed me just now.” Aunty Yu wiped her eyes, “Wanting me to move into her room, sleeping together in the future just in case something happens in the middle of the night.”
Sleep together? Ji Yanran fiddled with the two walnuts in his hand, inwardly guessing if Liu Qianxian was really innocent and if she really just wanted some company, or if she just wanted a witness to prove that she did not leave the Shooting Star Pavilion in the middle of the night.
Yun Yifeng helped Aunty Yu to clean up the stovetop and it had already reached dinner time, everyone sat together in the dining room. Everyone had a bowl of mixed noodles and ate in an uncomfortable silence, there was not even half a sentence of conversation.
After heading back to Drifting Pavilion, Yun Yifeng rubbed his stomach in distress, “If I eat another two meals like this, the only fear is that I will suffer from stomach ailments.”
“Just eat what you want, who cares about them.” Ji Yanran poured some tea, “Back when we were suppressing bandits in the Northwest, it would’ve been heavenly to even have food and drinks, who cared about the surrounding environment?”
Yun Yifeng took the cup, “I’ve read many stories of you fighting, each sounded more valiant than the last.”
“Oh?” Ji Yanran’s interest was piqued, “Tell me, how valiant was I?”
Yun Yifeng thought for a bit before saying, “You were once trapped in the desert without food or water and you were lost with only an old horse at your side.”
Ji Yanran stared at him for a long time but never heard the second part, so he inexplicably asked, “What so valiant about that?”
“Be patient, I’m not done yet.” Yun Yifeng cleared his throat, “Back then, there were millions of bandits…”
“Wait!” the corners of Ji Yanran’s mouth twitched, “How many?”
Yun Yifeng replied, “Millions.”
Ji Yanran felt awkward, “And then? Did I single-handedly defeat the millions of bandits?”
Yun Yifeng continued to narrate systematically, “And then your old horse surged forward and turned into a fire-breathing dragon. It swallowed millions of bandits in one mouth, the end.”
Ji Yanran, “…”
Ji Yanran was angry, “The booksellers these days are getting increasingly out of hand, they would even dare to sell these kinds of lame stories to con people of their money?”
»If the murder is really hiding in the dark..« murderer
».. some medicinal herbs, there was nothing else.”« – ” at the end
I already had the thought that there were two ferrets, but I wasn’t sure lol (Or one with serious “personality” problems xDD) And why does the good one seems like it understands human speech? :’D Shapeshifter? Animal with intelligence? Smth like that? Dunno if those beings appear in this novel.
Thx for the ch ٩( >ヮ<)۶
thanks for letting me know of the errors! I’ll edit them as soon as possible☺
hahaha maybe that ferret is just rlly smart or maybe it has a secret crush on our cute Sect Leader~
Meanwhile little ferret: |･ω･`*-)ッ
Thanks for the chapter!
Thanks so much ❤️
Haha that last bit killed me 🤣
😐i really wonder how the murderer is