CH 12.1

Scholars have often used words to incite fear. For example, “Hear the sudden Lion’s Roar of Hedong1, the cane falls into the water – helpless and at wits end”, was enough to scare many people in Wulin.

Naturally, there were exceptional cases.

For example, today.

Today, the weather was still very hot. The ice blocks had been brought up and placed in the corner to cool the area. The backyard was still cooler and more comfortable than the outside. The grapes were still soaking in ice water and chilled sweet grapes made one’s mouth water.

Lei Ming, however, was not lying down on his favourite chaise longue.

His maids were not there, nor was his newly-acquired concubine.

Someone was lying on his chaise longue, with a rigid human skin mask covering his face, but Lei Ming knew that this person must be a rare beauty. Because for someone to have such a pair of eyes, they could never be ugly.

Eyes that were crystal clear, cold, but with floating wisps of arrogance.　

“I can’t believe that such a small place, also has an ice cellar.” Bai Shaoqing lay leisurely on the chaise longue, and propped up his head on one hand, “Branch Lord Lei, you really know how to enjoy yourself.”

“This subordinate does not dare.” Lei Ming stood there, breaking out into a cold sweat. His Lion Roar was renowned in Wulin, but at this time his voice was quieter than that of a mosquito.

“As the guardian of Zhengyi Sect, you have a lofty status. Why do you flatter me so much in front of others?” Bai Shaoqing asked, “Serving tea and pouring water, just like a maid.”

Shui Yun’er pursed her lips and smiled, and asked softly, “Don’t you understand?”

Bai Shaoqing’s face darkened: “He’s the one who wants you to do this?”

“Apart from him, who else can order me to do this?” Shui Yun’er said, “Why don’t you think about it, why is he doing this?”

Bai Shaoqing pursed his lips and groaned, the glimmer in his eyes turned to darkness, and he said indifferently, “Treacherous intentions, I won’t bother dwelling on it.”

He turned around and pushed open the doors. The pond in the courtyard reflected the bright sunlight, creating a dazzling effect.

“I feel much more comfortable in the afternoon.” Bai Shaoqing stretched at the waist and said, “The song and dance at the brothels are different in each place, I wonder what they are like in Shanxi.” 　　

That night, Bai Shaoqing roamed the brothels with Lei Ming in tow.

Brocade clothing and gourmet delicacies, soft-spoken words and auspicious events, everything was the best in the world. As long as he asked, someone would respectfully deliver.

Sitting amongst a large group of dolled up maidens, listening to the most renowned songstress in Shanxi sing, Bai Shaoqing was absent-minded, staring at the emptiness downstairs outside of the window.

“It was a true master who designed this brothel, but unfortunately, there are two willow trees missing over there.” The slender fingers pointed to the open space.

Those beauties who had had a few cups of the good wine, felt a little drunk.

“Gongzi, are you satisfied with the song that your servant just sang?”

“Come, drink some more.”

Bai Shaoqing didn’t check on the sect’s affairs. He took advantage of everything Feng Long had given to do the things he wanted to do unscrupulously.

Under the guise of Bat gongzi, he broke into Shandong’s Wanren Manor2 and stole the Yeye Bixin Elixir3, which had been hidden there for hundreds of years. Wearing a mask, he led a band of Zhengyi Sect’s top martial artists and marched into Bai Manor, destroying Song Xiangli’s ancestral tablet, he then incapicitated Bai Moran and his two sons by hitting their acupoints and then set fire to the curtain of the ancestral hall right in front of their eyes.

He watched the raging fire devour the place where he grew up.

Before leaving, Bai Shaoqing leaned in towards Bai Moran’s ear and said, “You never regarded me as a son, and I never regarded you as a father. But from now on, only I can represent the Bai family. Everything that Song Xiangli tried to keep for her two sons is now mine.”

The most vicious resentment and extreme despair flashed across Bai Moran’s eyes.　　

Bai Shaoqing coldly looked back at him for the last time and walked out. Behind him was a raging flame that consumed his father and brothers.

He killed the people he wanted to kill, burned the places he wanted to burn, stole the things he wanted to steal, and then found the most beautiful places to relax. He abandoned himself in a life of pleasure under the watchful eye of Shui Yun’er, an incomparable martial artist who appeared as delicate as a flower. Everyone fawned on him with paramount veneration.

However, he felt no joy.

Tonight, after drinking the flowery wine from Shanxi, he felt the drunkenness surge up, but it was unexpectedly sour and astringent, he didn’t know how to describe it.

After indulging arbitrarily, there was nothing left but hollow emptiness. 　　

Bai Shaoqing sighed.

He was already drunk and didn’t want to sleep. Wandering around his room, he finally took out his zither.

Holding the zither with both hands steadily and looking closely, his lips slightly lifted slightly, as if he had seen an old friend.

He lit some incense, and put down the zither, calmly staring for a moment, before gently strumming with his fingertips.

The sound jumped out from the trembling strings and circling up to the roof beams. Hidden bitterness and resentment slowly filled the room, lightly flitting past Bai Shaoqing’s lonely figure.

Outside the window, there was suddenly the sound of a flute, like stones skimming the surface of the lake, creating layers of ripples, quiet like a lover’s whisper, touching like a sad song.

Bai Shaoqing raised his limpid eyes, he pressed down on the strings with his right hand, and the sound of the zither stopped.

The sound of the flute also stopped immediately. For a moment, everything was quiet.

Someone pushed open the door.

“It’s you?”