Chapter Thirty: Life and Death Are Not Separate (Three)

  "Embroidered, yesterday's day has long passed, and now... everything is different." Fei Bai said with a bitter tone, suddenly her face stiffened, "Someone is nearby, hide quickly." Fei Bai gently pushed Jin Xiu, Jin Xiu immediately wiped away her tears, collected her childish demeanor, and a hint of panic appeared in her eyes.

  "Yan Sheng just saw Jin Gu Niang going to Guiyuan, this year's osmanthus is blooming beautifully, Master Bao why not take a walk in Guiyuan and look for Jin Gu Niang at the same time?" Yan Sheng's voice came softly and scared the two children, shattering their sweet dreams.

  Her face was as white as paper, and she used lip language to tell Fei Bai something. Fei Bai's face also changed greatly, and he smiled coldly. His phoenix eyes quickly scanned the surroundings before pointing towards the cave where I was hiding. Jin Xiu nodded slightly, and before I could react, she had already swiftly hidden inside. As soon as she saw that it was me hiding inside, she was shocked as if struck by lightning, stunned on the spot. The shock and fear in her eyes were beyond my ability to describe with words.

  When I was a kid, I remember we were still in our village, and we would always play hide-and-seek with the other kids. The rule was that whoever found Jinxiu would get to be her little husband when they played house. Jinxiu loved this game so much, she would grab my hand and hide deeper and farther away each time. One time, we hid too well, and no matter how long we waited, our friends couldn't find us. I got more and more tired, yawning, and eventually fell asleep. When I woke up, the sky was full of stars, but Jinxiu was still holding onto my leg, stretching her little head out to look around. In the end, I had to carry her on my back as we slowly walked back home. I remember she cried on my shoulder, saying "Muxi, what if one day I hide so well that even you can't find me?"

  At that time I comforted her: "Don't be afraid, there's a way to find you, and you won't get lost." After hearing this,

  She had just burst into tears and was now sleeping peacefully on my shoulder. I walked for a whole two hours before returning home, by which time the soles of my feet were already blistered, while my mother's eyes were red from crying. She saw us and wept with joy. Come to think of it, how many years has it been since Jinxiu and I last played hide-and-seek?

  Today, facing each other, you are still the only twin in my life. We crouch together in this fake mountain cave, just like we used to play hide-and-seek when we were kids. But now, Jinxiu is no longer timid and weak like she was when she was young. Although she tries her best to remain calm, I can sense how terrified she is. Her eyes are awkward, guilty, and even resentful as she looks at me. At this moment, I am unable to speak, and in fact, I don't even know what to say. Jinxiu, my... when did you start hiding so well that even I, who knows you best, can no longer find your heart?

  She looked through me towards the outside of the cave, still unable to stop her tears from flowing. My heart was in extreme agony. Instinctively, I stretched out my hand to help her wipe away her tears, but Jinxiu hastily turned her head to one side, as if mistakenly thinking that I wanted to slap her.

  In an instant, my heart was even more speechless, and I stretched out a trembling hand to gently wipe away the two lines of crystal tears for her. She stared at me blankly, with shame in her eyes, and her tears flowed even harder. I turned back, only to see Fei Bai had regained his calm composure, gazing quietly at the approaching figures. The leader was a middle-aged scholar in purple robes, who was none other than the extraordinary Qing Jiang I saw yesterday. Beside him were Feng Ding and Gong Jing's ? Sheng, with a Taoist priest in a black robe following behind.

  Yu Qingjiang saw Fei Bai standing under the osmanthus tree, and was taken aback for a moment. His sharp eyes flashed with suspicion, then he smiled lightly and said: "Fei Bai, the play has just begun, but you've disappeared. I didn't know you were here to admire the osmanthus."

  "Not in vain, I bow my head and say: 'This year's osmanthus is particularly elegant. I was just thinking of planting a few trees in Xifeng Garden, and it so happens that Suhui and Muxin both love eating osmanthus cakes.'"

  Hey! This dead kid, TMD dragged me in again. But how did he know I love to eat rice cakes? I looked at Jinxiu, she gazed at me sorrowfully, a hint of jealousy flashing in her eyes.

  Yu Qingjiang smiled quietly, his gaze sweeping across the garden filled with osmanthus trees. His elegant and mellow voice was like fine silk gliding over everyone's hearts as he said nonchalantly: "What a coincidence, Xiu Xiu also loves eating osmanthus cakes."

  Fei Bai's face didn't turn pale, but Liu Yansheng revealed a strange smile. My heart tightened, it seemed that the secret meeting between Jinxiu and Feibai in the Osmanthus garden had been discovered by Liu Yansheng, and Yuan Qingjiang also had doubts, yet still made clever side attacks.

  In ancient times, losing one's chastity and committing adultery was a heinous crime. How much more so for the esteemed and dignified households of the aristocracy, who would abhor and detest such behavior? If today's secret meeting in the Osmanthus Garden were to be exposed under the bright sunlight, just the name of this unchaste act would be enough to get Jinxiu killed a thousand times over. What's more, it involves Father Ye, and even if Fei and Xiao Wuyi tried to protect Jinxiu, Yuan Qingjiang wouldn't dare let him leave the Purple Garden alive in front of so many people, especially after the incident with Niu Lang. Moreover, after that event, Madame has harbored a deep grudge against us, the five sworn brothers. She will surely seize this opportunity to eliminate us once and for all.

  My mind was racing with thoughts, the more I thought about it, the more frightened I became, and my back was gradually soaked with cold sweat. Looking at Jin Xiu, her face was also pale. Only to hear Fei Bai calmly replied: "The two of them are twin sisters, they have the same taste, it's a common thing."

  "Really?" Yu Qingjiang smiled lightly, and my heart moved. After all, they were biological father and son, even their faint smiles were very similar to those of Fei Bai.

  I and Jinxiu are in the artificial hill, named "Shi Gui Qing Shang", with layers of peaks, clear springs and waterfalls, as if it were a real landscape. It was built with Wu Kang Huangshi stones from Jiangnan, by the famous Zhang Minhe's hands. Along with the creek, corridors, pavilions and walls, they formed this small but elegant Osmanthus garden. The layout of the scenery in the courtyard is compact, with gardens nested within each other, verandas connected to each other, trees dense, and water flowing gently. At a glance, it seems like a place where one can hide from the world.

  Liu Yansheng's gaze searched around, and indeed, it finally landed here. His expression didn't change, but his usually calm eyes flashed with a hint of annoyance. I and Jinxiu also changed our expressions. In the past, to raise money for Biying's medical expenses, I had come to this Guiyuan many times to pick osmanthus flowers, which were then taken out of the mountain villa by Yu Feiyan and Song Mingpei to be sold for cash. I knew there was a small path behind Jinxiu, so I pointed my chin in that direction. Jinxiu immediately understood and nodded at me with tears in her eyes before slipping away. As I watched her disappear into the darkness of the artificial hill, I closed my eyes, leaned against the hill, and slowly slid down to sit on the ground, beginning to think hard about our next move.

  Outside the artificial hill, Liu Yansheng smiled lightly: "This Shigui Qing Shang is indeed Zhang Minhe's ultimate sound, Golden Osmanthus, Clear Spring, it's elegant and extraordinary. However, in Yansheng's opinion, it's also a good place to hide people."

  Everyone's face changed, and the youth who had seen him yesterday, Feng Ding, laughed loudly: "Mr. Liu is really good at joking, isn't Mr. Mo wanting to play hide-and-seek with us?"

  "This statement is quite determined, this place is crystal clear and transparent, I think it's a good place to meet with others secretly, unless Third Master has hidden someone here." Liu Yansheng still smiled softly, but emphasized the last person, his sharp eyes scanning Fei Bai.

  "Sir, what do you mean by that? Are you insinuating that Fei Bai had a secret meeting with someone in this Moonlight Garden?"

  "Master, the play has already started. Jin'niang must have gone back a long time ago. Why don't we accompany Qiu Daolong to the garden to watch the play first?" Feng Ding smiled and suggested to Yuan Qingjiang, looking at Fei Bai with an unfathomable gaze.

  Yu Qingjiang thought for a moment, gazing at Fei Bai, then gently stroked his long beard, raised an eyebrow and nodded: "Yan Sheng, let's go back to the garden to watch the play first."

  Liu Yansheng smiled and nodded, slowly following Yuan Qingjiang and Yuan Feibai, gently plucking a branch of osmanthus, breaking it off, and placing it under his nose for a sniff: "Indeed the August osmanthus, bidding farewell to guests with sorrow."

  His sorrowful words had not yet left his mouth when he swiftly shot towards the mountain cave where I was hiding.

  The osmanthus branch came swiftly like a spark of flint, I dodged but was too late, my right arm had already been slashed with a deep gash, blood flowing profusely, I cried out in pain, the pungent osmanthus fragrance wafted into the air along with the bloody smell, and everyone stopped in their tracks once again.

  "Who's there?" Feng Ding Gao shouted, and in the blink of an eye he flew to the laurel tree where I was hiding. I lifted my head, with tears of grievance welling up in my eyes, and coquettishly looked at the two handsome faces that appeared at the same time - Yuan Fei and Feng Ding.

  Feng Dingxian was shocked at first, then raised an eyebrow and smiled lightly, looking at the petrified Fei Bai beside him with a complex expression.

  Many years later, when Yuan Fei became a heroic figure in the turbulent world, with power that shook the heavens, people worshipped him and countless heroes bowed down to serve him. However, no one knew that his impressive calmness and precise judgment were due to the harsh training he received as a youth, including the emotional entanglement with Mu Xi that left him wounded and heartbroken.

  Soon, Fei Bai calmed down, retracted the unparalleled shock in his eyes, and slowly stretched out his hand to me as if nothing had happened, with an air of superiority, like a heavenly emperor.

  What a coincidence, this hand was the one that Jin Xiu held tightly just about ten minutes ago. I felt melancholy and hurt, heaven knows how much I wanted to slap this hand away immediately, and then give him a good scolding and kick him a few times...

  We gazed at each other for a long time, our eyes locked in a tight knot. He firmly held out his palm to me, and I finally looked away, gently grasping that slender hand. As we walked out of the Stone Osmanthus Pavilion, a surge of bitter sadness welled up with hot tears, and the injustice on my face didn't need to be feigned. His palms were covered in cold sweat, revealing that his heart had been racing with intense tension just now.

  A pang of sadness flashed in her eyes, she took out a silk handkerchief and gently bandaged the wound to stop the bleeding, murmuring: "But, but it hurts so much..."

  I looked at him, shook my head slightly, he gazed deeply into my eyes for a few moments, let out a soft sigh, and gently picked me up. As I cried out in surprise, he carried me, stumbling and staggering, out of the darkness and slowly into the warm sunlight under the golden osmanthus tree.

  Feng Ding looked at us, a hint of coldness flashed in his eyes, and he bowed his head to let us pass. I still had two lines of clear tears on my face, exposed to the gaze of everyone. The reactions of the people around us were different: Gui Piao's face was full of astonishment, Liu Yan Sheng's face was filled with unwillingness, and his eyes were filled with a dark hatred. But in Yuan Qing Jiang's eyes, there was only a deep mystery that could not be fathomed.

  Yu Qingjiang smiled lightly: "It seems that Yan Sheng was right, Shi Guixiu is indeed...hidden a person in her clear and pure heart."

  Yuanni Bai gently put me down, and I immediately knelt down on both knees, my forehead touching the ground, not daring to lift my head: "Yesterday's disrespect to Master Hou is punishable by death, today's private visit to Yuegui Garden to deliver medicine to Third Master is even more unforgivable."

  Fei Bai also knelt down: "Please forgive me, Father. Mu Jin was worried about me and feared that I would get drunk and hurt myself, so she came to give me some medicine to sober up. But yesterday, she was injured by an escaped prisoner, and I didn't want to disturb you because of her poor spirits. Please blame me if you must, but don't make things difficult for Mu Jin."

  The two of us knelt down in front of Yuan Qing, he tightly grasped my hand again, I wanted to pull back, but he held on tight, with a dependent look, my face was terrified, but my heart didn't think so.

  Yu Qingjiang gazed at us silently for a moment, and smiled faintly: "Fei Bai, do you know how many times you've called me Father?"

  I was stunned, and as I looked up, his pale face also froze for a moment. He slowly lifted his head: "Kid... knows wrong..." Then he choked there, rarely showing a miserable expression.

  Yu Qingjiang let out a soft sigh, walked over, and supported both Yuan Feibai and me with one hand each, helping us up: "You're truly two foolish children; even if you miss each other, why must you make things difficult for yourselves?"

  My heart skipped a beat, looking at Yuan Fei Bai, not thinking that he would also turn his head around, his deep and mysterious eyes filled with a hint of doubt, a few strands of deep emotions, quietly gazing at me, while I was momentarily speechless, my words of hatred and pity all transformed into silent choking.

  "Has Mugen's injury improved?" Yu Qingjiang's gentle inquiry brought me back to my senses. What was wrong with me? A strong sense of frustration and intense hurt surged up in my heart, causing me to quietly struggle free from Fei Bai's hand. I turned to Yu Qingjiang, bowed my head submissively, and replied: "Thank you for your concern, sir. After taking the medicine you prescribed, my spirit has improved a lot. And thank you also for the birthday gift."

  "Is this medicine for the young master, a gift?" Fei Bai looked at Yuan Qingjiang in confusion. Yuan Qingjiang nodded to Fei Bai and said: "Yesterday, I was out for a stroll with Feng Ding in Xi Lin when we encountered a young girl who was able to talk her way out of being bullied by the Qi brothers. At the time, I didn't know she was Mu Jin. I wanted to meet this remarkable child, but unfortunately, her old illness relapsed outside Xi Feng Garden. That's when Feng Ding stepped in to rescue her. Speaking of which, you should be thanking Feng Ding instead. However, I hit it off with your Mu Jin, and today I gave her the makeup box that was meant for your mother as a birthday gift."

  My heart secretly cried out in distress, and Yuan Qingjiang indeed saw me peeking at Fei Bai. However, he intentionally skipped over this part, was he trying to protect Fei Bai? I lifted my head with some guilt, but Yuan Qingjiang looked at me with a warm and gentle expression.

  His normally cold face flashed a hint of wild joy, and he knelt down again: "Thank you, Father, for your blessing." Then he pulled me up from the ground and had me kowtow to him.

  "Feng Ding had heard that Mu Jin's daughter, although the fourth in the ranking of the five righteous ones, has the talent of Zhuge Liang governing the world, and is also the hero who exterminated the locusts for our original family this time. Feng Ding should congratulate Master for having such a clever third daughter-in-law," Feng Ding bowed to congratulate, but his eyes coldly glanced at me, I couldn't help but shudder, thinking who told you that I have the talent of governing the world, this time I'd rather jump into the Yellow River than admit it.

  "What's your surname, miss?" At this time, the Taoist priest who had been silent all along curiously walked up, as if he also wanted to get involved in this already very frustrating situation.

  He was sizing me up and down, like a gossiping aunt, I couldn't take it anymore, just as I was about to move closer to Fei Bai, she elegantly swung her sleeve and hid me behind her back, saying to the Taoist priest in a gentle tone: "Qiu Daozhang, may I ask what instructions you have?"