บท 39: Heaven's will is unpredictable
"So it's like that," Fan Xue muttered as he sighed and nodded his head in understanding.
Jie Fu Lian didn't bother blurting out too many words, afraid that if he spoke too much, his lies would be uncovered.
Fan Xue was a quick-witted person so it was hard to lie to him and even harder not to be suspected by him.
"The reason why Bai YiJun started pretending to be a lunatic wasn't simply because of Bai BaoShi," Fan Xue spoke as he answered Jie Fu Lian's previous question, "The main reason was simply because he did not wish to be the next city head. It was too much responsibility and he was afraid of being targeted by people. His legs are already like this so if he were to become the next city head, he would look like an easy target and be eyed by many who'd want to kill him and take his position."
Both Jie Fu Lian and Duan Luoyang frowned as they heard this.
"Uncle Fan Xue, I have another question," Jie Fu Lian quickly spoke up and didn't even let Fan Xue respond as he asked, "Are his legs really destroyed for good? Can his condition never improve?"
Jie Fu Lian had asked this same question years ago and at that time, he had gotten an ambiguous answer which was simply wrapped up in a single sentence, 'Heaven's will is unpredictable.'
Fan Xue blinked as he stared at Jie Fu Lian and it looked like he was both surprised and a bit confused as he heard this question that he remembered hearing years ago.
He opened his mouth to say something but soon closed it like a fish, not wanting to say the words 'Heaven's will is unpredictable' again.
After a short pause, he calmly took a sip of the tea as he spoke, "So far, there hasn't been any progress. Even if there was, it is unlikely that he would tell me about it. Bai YiJun feels quite comfortable in the position he is currently in so there is nothing he wishes to change."
Jie Fu Lian couldn't help but sigh as he heard this.
Fan Xue's words really matched with Bai YiJun.
Bai YiJun didn't want to improve his condition and even if it improved, it was unlikely for him to share it with others.
It seemed that Fan Xue still knew Bai YiJun quite well.
"This might sound like a random question but I want to ask," Jie Fu Lian took a sharp breath in as he spoke, "The reason why Bai YiJun opened the information guild... Was it because the city was lacking funds or was there another reason behind it?"
Bai YiJun was quite the business mind. A profitable organization like the information guild was definitely his idea. However, Jie Fu Lian knew his friend the best and hence, he couldn't help but wonder why Bai YiJun, a lazy person who didn't even want to stand up and walk, would actually open such a troublesome business which didn't even have a permanent location or building.
"You've guessed it right," Fan Xue let out a dry chuckle as he replied, "Bai YiJun started the information guild because of his brother's death. He had deeply cherished his brother and he refused to believe that his brother had been killed by Jie Fu Lian. He thought opening an information guild would help him broaden his reach and he could gain any hint or information crucial to his brother's murder. However, I'm afraid his brother's death was truly planned with perfection. All evidence pointed at Jie Fu Lian and there was no trace of the original murderer."
Upon hearing the last sentence, Duan Luoyang's ears perked up and he enthusiastically asked, "Minister Fan, do you also believe that Jie Fu Lian wasn't the real murderer?"
Jie Fu Lian gulped as he heard this and secretly looked at Fan Xue with an expectant gaze. He already knew there weren't many that believed in his innocence but he also didn't want to hear Uncle Fan Xue also blame him for something he never did.
"At first, when the evidence was presented, I was a bit taken back and in disbelief but I eventually accepted it and thought to myself, 'not everyone who smiles is a good person'. There's no guessing what evils one is capable of behind the other's back."
Jie Fu Lian's heart quickly dropped.
"But after discussing it with GuiYing, my thoughts were changed and I could no longer stand by and believe that the boy I knew would be capable of something like that."
Jie Fu Lian's dropped heart was restored to its previous status and he looked at Fan Xue with sparkling eyes filled with admiration.
"Whether he was guilty or not, I decided to let time decide. I was no one to judge something I didn't see. What I saw was the Jie Fu Lian who would visit my house with a box of Osmanthus cakes and a wide grin. He was a warm and caring person so I can only believe in the 'him' that I saw and got to know."
In Jie Fu Lian's heart, he felt a little touched and the admiration he held for Both Fan Xue and Fan GuiYing dramatically increased.
He had never known that Fan Xue saw him under such a good light. He suddenly didn't want to correct the man and tell him, 'I actually brought those osmanthus cakes for Fan GuiYing and he is so handsome that I can't help but smile!'
Now that the name 'GuiYing' was brought up, Jie Fu Lian felt a little sad that he was yet to see the man again so he decided to take the opportunity and asked, "Fan GuiYing should be your husband, is he not?"
The answer was obvious but he still asked in order to not look odd.
When Fan Xue heard the name, he lips tugged up in a genuine smile and he nodded his head, "That's right."
Jie Fu Lian opened his mouth and let out a 'Wow~' with admiration and excitement as he immediately spoke, "I have heard about you two a lot."
Fan Xue smile slightly faltered as he heard that comment and he instinctively replied, "Not good things, I'm guessing?"
"What do you mean?" Jie Fu Lian slightly frowned as he immediately responded back, "They were all good things! There were some nonsensical rumors mixed in the bunch but I did not want to pay too much attention to that. In reality, I quite admire both of the elders. You were once a part of the phoenix sect, were you not? And Fan GuiYing was even an elder in the sect. How can I not feel impressed by such a man."
Fan Xue was a bit taken back by the man's words and looked at him with his eyes wide open as he had a feeling of Deja-Vu.
The more he talked to this man, the more this man reminded him of Jie Fu Lian.
From the way he called him 'Uncle Fan Xue' to the way he spoke the same words and asked the same questions, it was all hard not to notice.
Fan Xue lightly chuckled as he asked, "Daoist Fu, I am glad to hear your encouraging words. If you would like it then you can come over to my house for dinner today...?"
At first, Fan Xue had no intention of inviting the man over, but now, he felt that he wanted this man to meet his husband. After all, Fan GuiYing had a much better intuition and was able to predict things better than Fan Xue.
If Fan Xue felt that this man was Jie Fu Lian, there was a chance that he would be wrong, but if Fan GuiYing felt that this man was Jie Fu Lian, there was no way it could be anything other than that.
Jie Fu Lian failed to guess the real intention behind this invitation and without knowing that he was going to be tested, he gave a toothy grin as he nodded his head and agreed to accept the invitation.
"If it isn't much trouble then I would love to join you guys for dinner."
Duan Luoyang was still worried about his master who was locked up in the dungeon but when he heard about this dinner plan, he only thought of two things: Food and Fan GuiYing. He loved food and he was curious to see the so-called unearthly handsome face of Fan GuiYing so he naturally felt happy to accept this dinner invitation along with Jie Fu Lian.
Originally, Hua Tianshu had thought Jie Fu Lian would soon return for him and get him out of the dungeon but almost half a day passed and there was no sign of Jie Fu Lian. Eventually Hua Tianshu realized that he had been abandoned and would have to stay in this dungeon for a day or two.
He didn't hold any grudges against Jie Fu Lian for this.
His reaction was perfectly along the lines of 'It is what it is and accept it as it is.'
Not wanting to waste time, he crossed his legs and decided to peacefully meditate. This dungeon was quite silent and surprisingly, good for meditation.
ความคิดของผู้สร้าง 
cherlyswan
cherlyswan In the next chapter, we'll get to meet the beauty Fan GuiYing (;
Thank you for reading and don't forget to vote, comment, and support the author by adding this novel to your library!~
Take care and have a great day <3
บท 40: This wasn't a beauty pageant!
Jie Fu Lian happily chatted with Fan Xue for half a day and although at first, it started with an interrogation about Bai BaoShi and Bai LiuXian, eventually, the two shifted to more comfortable and casual topics.
They got along quite well and when Duan Luoyang saw them, he almost felt as if the two were old friends that had been reunited after a long time.
When the sun went down, Fan Xue went back home and was accompanied by the two men who had surprisingly become his friends in a single day.
Fan GuiYing stood in the courtyard, seeming to be waiting for Fan Xue to return. He was wearing simple blue garments that were a perfect fit for him and showed off his good proportions and height. His hair was neatly tied up in a bun and he exuded the aura of an immortal.
When they saw him from afar, it felt as if they were looking at an immortal that was bothered by neither heaven nor hell, but as soon as they got close enough and Fan GuiYing turned to look at Fan Xue, there was a genuinely warm smile plastered on his face that completely shattered his previous elegant other-worldly demeanor.
When Fan GuiYing's eyes trailed over to the two guests, he was quite surprised and a bit confused.
However, his surprise and confusion couldn't even be compared to the expression of utter speechlessness on the faces of Jie Fu Lian and Duan Luoyang.
When Duan Luoyang first saw Bai YiJun today, he felt like he had seen it all and met the most good-looking man on earth, but now that he saw Fan GuiYing, he couldn't help but retrieve those words and thoughts.
This Fan GuiYing really looked a lot like Hua Tianshu. His features were a bit softer and his skin was a bit on the warmer side but the resemblance could not go unnoticed.
He thought his master was handsome but who could have known that his master's lookalike would be an otherworldly beauty?!
This wasn't even a beauty pageant but why was it that everyone was so good-looking?!
Duan Luoyang, who had always had a high self-confidence couldn't help but feel like a small frog in a large pond.
Compared to all these men... Forget it... His face wasn't even worth comparing.
Duan Luoyang complained and cried out his grievances in his heart.
Jie Fu Lian, on the other hand, was just as stunned as Duan Luoyang, although it wasn't the first time he was seeing Fan GuiYing.
He didn't know if it was because he hadn't seen him for so long or if it was because the latter had actually changed, but right now, the Fan GuiYing who stood in front of him was even more handsome than last time!
Instead of aging, it actually looked like he was growing younger as time passed!
Now, he truly looked like Hua Tianshu's long-lost immortal brother! Their features could be easily compared and if one had seen the two standing side-by-side for the first time, they would almost think that they were brothers.
The only difference would be that Hua Tianshu had a more cold demeanor while Fan GuiYing had more of a warm demeanor. Both looked like immortals but Hua Tianshu looked like an immortal that could destroy both heaven and hell without batting an eye while Fan GuiYing looked like an immortal that couldn't even hurt a fly without feeling guilty.
Afraid that a fly would fly into his mouth, Jie Fu Lian quickly collected his composure and closed his agape mouth.
Fan GuiYing politely smiled at the guests and turned to Fan Xue as he asked, "And this is?"
Duan Luoyang wanted to complain a bit more as he heard the man's voice.
The face was outstanding, it could be understood, but why did the voice also sound so good?! God was really unfair!
"This is a rogue cultivator named Fu Ming and this is Duan Luoyang, Hua Tianshu's disciple from the HuiXue sect."
Fan GuiYing nodded his head at them with a smile as he greeted them, "If I had known that there would be guests, I would have been better prepared."
"No need for preparation," Fan Xue laughed as he spoke, "They are here to join us for dinner. They are not overly pretentious so let's just all sit down and have a casual dinner."
Fan GuiYing looked at Fan Xue with an odd expression and slightly raised his eyebrows as if guessing that something was up.
Fan Xue slightly smiled and without even opening his mouth, he clearly communicated what he wanted to say, 'I'll tell you later.'
"Then, please follow me inside," Fan GuiYing sighed as he politely spoke to the two guests, "There isn't much to see at our little dwelling but we surely treat our guests with utmost respect and care. If there is anything you need, make sure to tell us."
Duan Luoyang's eyes twitched as he heard the words 'Little dwelling'. When he looked behind Fan GuiYing, what he saw was the finance minister's manor. Although Xiujiang was a poor city, there was no lack of luxury for the ones at the top, managing the city.
The finance minister's manor looked as if it was built without any care for money. There was an elaborate use of white marble tiles that had beautifully carved patterns on them and there were already two gold dragon statues placed on either side of the main gate. Just these two details were more than enough to let anyone know what type of rich person lived in such an extravagant manor.
For this manor to be described as just a 'little dwelling' was almost alike calling a phoenix a chicken.
"Old Master Fan GuiYing, it is an honor to meet you," Jie Fu Lian did not waste any time as he enthusiastically spoke up with the intention of currying favors.
"Old Master?' Fan GuiYing repeated with a bit of surprise and chuckled, "There is no need to be so polite."
"Then can I call you Uncle Fan?" Jie Fu Lian immediately beamed, almost seeming as if he had already expected that response from Fan GuiYing and deliberately planned out this conversation.
Fan GuiYing smiled as he heard this and nodded his head, "If you are comfortable then it's fine."
After having said this, Fan GuiYing turned around and headed inside the manor, leaving the other three to follow behind.
"Let's go inside," Fan Xue reminded as he walked in first, following after Fan GuiYing.
Jie Fu Lian took a few steps forward, feeling quite elated, but he was soon pulled back by Duan Luoyang who asked, "Uncle Fu, didn't you say you knew Fan GuiYing? Why did it look like it was the first time he'd seen you?"
Jie Fu Lian felt a little taken back as he heard this question.
Surprisingly, Duan Luoyang was sometimes fast to catch on to things.
However, Jie Fu Lian was a tricky man who could lie as smoothly as if he were drinking water, "When did I say that? I only talked about his appearance. I have seen him but never introduced myself to him."
Duan Luoyang frowned as he heard this but didn't bother prying any further, instead, he spoke, "I have to say, he really does have a good-looking face. It seems that your eyes are quite good."
"..." Jie Fu Lian proudly took it as a compliment.
"But is he always such a warm person?" Duan Luoyang asked with his lips pursed together, "Are you sure he isn't luring us into a trap or something?"
Jie Fu Lian chuckled as he heard this worry and confidently spoke, "I've heard that he wasn't always such a warm person but after he met Uncle Fan Xue, he became a lot gentler and kinder. You don't need to worry about walking into a trap. After all, aren't I here? Even if it is a trap, this Uncle Fu of yours is just as dependable as your master."
Duan Luoyang lightly frowned as he heard that latter sentence and looked at Jie Fu Lian with disbelief clear on his face.
Jie Fu Lian flashed the man a smile that was not a smile as he added, "Duan Luoyang, I think I need to remind you. Uncle Fan Xue and Uncle Fan GuiYing were cultivators. Even if you whisper behind their backs like this, they can still hear you so make sure not to say anything too excessive."
Duan Luoyang froze up and felt a shiver run down his spine.
Jie Fu Lian felt a little happy for having given Duan Luoyang a scare and hence, he continued to step inside the manor where Fan Xue and Fan GuiYing were already waiting for them.
While Duan Luoyang and Jie Fu Lian were talking, Fan Xue had already explained all the details to Fan GuiYing through mind transmission, and hence, now that Fan GuiYing looked at Jie Fu Lian, his gaze had slightly changed.
Jie Fu Lian, who noticed this changed gaze, suddenly felt as if there was some truth in what Duan Luoyang had said.
As soon as he stepped inside the manor, it felt as if he had entered a test arena where his every action and word was being carefully evaluated.
ความคิดของผู้สร้าง
cherlyswan
cherlyswan
According to Jie Fu Lian, Fan GuiYing is his ideal type and he thinks Fan GuiYing looks like Hua Tianshu. So indirectly speaking, he thinks Hua Tianshu is his ideal type.
Hence, the fish has already caught the bait! The ship has already sailed! The end cp are inseparable! kekeke
Jie Fu Lian:...
Thank you for reading and don't forget to vote, comment and support the author by adding this novel to your library!~
Take care and have a great day <3
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