Bloodkiller - Chapter 17
Chapter 17: Beauty
The disciples at the rudder were quick and efficient. By midday, everything Yun Fengtian had requested was already taken care of. As Yao Chuan walked through the courtyard, he noticed a few younger disciples bustling about. They had just delivered some parcels to Yun Fengtian’s study and were now hurrying out again, red-faced and whispering among themselves.
Curious, Yao Chuan stopped one of them. “Junior brother, what’s going on?”
The boy, no older than fifteen and named Luo An, looked both nervous and excited. He stammered, “Master sent us out this morning to purchase clothing. We finished that errand, and when we came back to report, we saw a woman in the study…”
He hesitated, glancing at Yao Chuan before lowering his voice. “She was a bit strange, never seen her before. But she told us she and you had… a special relationship. She even teased us, saying we should call her Senior Sister-in-law!”
Yao Chuan could only shake his head and smile. “I see. No need to worry, all is fine. Go get some rest.”
As he turned to leave, Luo An called out, clearly still flustered. “Senior brother, is she really your… wife? We hope we weren’t too rude…”
Yao Chuan didn’t answer and kept walking toward the study.
Meanwhile, a group of the younger disciples huddled together, still whispering excitedly.
“Xiao Wu, what did Senior Brother say? Who is that woman?”
Luo An scratched his head and replied softly, “He didn’t confirm anything. But someone like Senior Brother… it wouldn’t be surprising if he had a few secret admirers.”
Yun Fengtian’s study was serene and refined, adorned with elegant folding screens painted with plum blossoms and lotus flowers. It exuded more the feel of a scholar’s chamber than a martial hall. Yao Chuan hadn’t noticed these details the previous night in the dark, but now he paused to take it in.
Behind one screen, a silhouette moved. Then a voice called playfully: “Finally, my dear husband has arrived.”
It was Lin Yi.
Yao Chuan hesitated, then stepped forward. On the other side of the desk sat a striking woman, her makeup subtle, her smile captivating, and her gaze tinged with flirtation. She looked almost like Lin Yi’s twin—similar, yet softened.
Yao Chuan’s breath caught. The transformation was astonishing. Gone was Lin Yi’s usual masculine air; in its place was a woman of such elegance and poise that Yao Chuan had to remind himself who she truly was.
The “woman” grinned and said teasingly, “What’s wrong, husband? Don’t recognize your wife?”
He stepped closer, inspecting Lin Yi’s face. Beneath the makeup, he noticed the faint scent of flowers and a layer of something unfamiliar on the skin.
Lin Yi leaned in, eyes sparkling with mischief. He pinched Yao Chuan’s chin and said in a sultry tone, “Such bold behavior, Yao Daxia. What would people say if they saw you manhandling a delicate woman like me?”
Yao Chuan grinned back and pulled Lin Yi’s hand away. “You called me husband first, and slandered me in front of our juniors. Now I have no choice but to marry you.”
Just as Lin Yi was about to retort, Yun Fengtian’s voice called out from outside: “Are the two of you inside?”
He entered to find the two standing very close, both looking a bit awkward. He raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
“Chuan’er,” he said at last, “can you still recognize Lin Yi?”
Yao Chuan chuckled. “Uncle, your technique is unmatched. I could hardly believe my eyes.”
Yun Fengtian beamed. “I used a mixture of new rice powder with cinnabar, lotus, alfalfa, and orchid. It’s not quite the full art of disguise, but it gets the job done.”
He turned to Lin Yi. “Yi’er, you already have delicate features. With a little help, the effect is perfect.”
Then he joked, “Good thing you’re not a real woman—otherwise, you’d stir up too much trouble in the martial world!”
Yao Chuan didn’t laugh. He thought quietly: Even as a man, he’s dangerously charming.
Lin Yi responded with a smirk: “That’s not praise, Uncle—it’s a warning.”
Yun Fengtian nodded. “There’s one issue, though. The dress we prepared doesn’t quite fit. I’ve sent the disciples to get more suitable attire. And then there’s the invitation—Mei Zhuang is very particular. You’ll need a proper introduction.”
Lin Yi scoffed. “Always putting on airs… Fine, we’ll do it properly. But the writing should be in Brother Yao’s hand.”
He handed pen and paper to Yao Chuan, who paused for a moment, then quickly wrote:
“Fu Shan of the Qingyun Sect, visiting with his wife, Liu.”
Far away, in a lavish villa, a woman studied the invitation with a slight frown. “Qingyun Sect?” she muttered. “Never heard of it.”
Her maid responded while arranging her hair, “They say the wife is ill and needs red epiphyllum. They came seeking medicine.”
The woman glanced at herself in the mirror, her long dark hair falling over her shoulders. “That flower is hard to find… so they made it all the way here. Fine, let them come. Prepare everything. And call me tomorrow.”
As the maid turned to leave, the woman stopped her. “Wait. Is the boy’s medicine ready?”
“Yes,” the maid replied. “Just warming it. I’ll take it to the young master shortly.”
“No. Give it to Chen Lang. He’s better with children. The boy won’t take medicine from just anyone. I’ll go myself today.”
The woman stared into the mirror. Her beauty hadn’t faded, but sorrow lingered in her eyes. The room fell silent as the maid departed. She set down her comb and walked to her bed, her hands searching a carved railing. With a faint click, a hidden compartment opened, revealing a small wooden box.
She pulled it out with trembling fingers and opened it to reveal a jade talisman.
Her face went pale. At first, she simply stared. Then her expression twisted—fear, pain, and bitter grief flashing all at once.
Tears welled in her eyes as she whispered a name, again and again, choking on emotion:
“…Lin Lie…”
After a while, as if awakening from a dream, she snapped the box shut and shoved it back into its hiding place.
Wiping her eyes, she sat in silence, her face regaining its calm. “Time to feed Xiaoshu,” she murmured, rising from the bed. “It’s time for his medicine.”