Chapter 22: Chapter 22: Not Again

Qiu Ling approached them and bowed. "Many apologies, Young Master. My Lady isn't feeling well and doesn't wish to be disturbed."

Xu Haoran's eyes narrowed. "Unwell? Is she unwell because she regrets her actions?"

Aiya, my Lady, you're too smart sometimes. Can't you help me out here? Qiu Ling thought miserably.

"No, my Lady just has a little fever. She's already had medicine and is resting now."

"If she's truly sick, then I should see her."

Zhang Fangong advised, "Qiu Ling, don't hinder Young Master."

She shook her head and held out her arms, trying to bar him from getting closer. "I'm sorry, but my Lady asks to rest in peace."

"Zhang Fangong," Xu Haoran commanded.

His manservant appeared at Qiu Ling's side. She twisted away from him, just narrowly missing his fingers. Unwilling to disappoint Li Yingshan, Qiu Ling was willing to stall as long as she could, no matter the consequences.

"Qiu Ling," Xu Haoran began coldly. "Let me see my wife."

"My Lady doesn't have much time left," she began to wail. "Can't you let her have some peace in her final days?!"

His expression changed in an instant. "She's gotten worse?"

Qiu Ling nodded. "My Lady can barely even leave her bed now."

He was just about to believe her. Unfortunately, at that moment, they heard thunderous crash and a furious roar, "WHAT?! HOW DARE HE?! IS HE TRYING TO MAKE ME HIS ENEMY?! I'LL KILL HIM, I'LL FUCKING KILL HIM!"

Qiu Ling choked. She turned, quickly throwing out two of Li Yingshan's needles and stopping both Xu Haoran and Zhang Fangong from following her as she dashed into Cherry Blossom Hall.

Inside, Li Yingshan was standing, fuming, in front of her bed. Miao Chuntao stood off to the side with her head bowed. One of the porcelain vases had suffered Li Yingshan's wrath and was shattered into pieces all over the floor.

"My Lady, what happened?"

Li Yingshan's eyes blazed as she seethed, "That bastard Crown Prince shut down Jade Bell Inn. He knows I need it for Moonlight Pagoda. How dare he act against me? He may be a prince, but I'm the Goddess of Moonlight Pagoda. I have more resources, freedom, loyal people, and control than he does. I can turn the entire court against him if I so choose. What makes him think I'll submit to his whims for the rest of my life?"

"My Lady, we still have connections in Luoyang. It's not the end of the world."

"Qiu Ling, you don't understand. Jade Bell Inn was the main rally point for Moonlight Pagoda. To remove it is to greatly decrease my power. The Crown Prince sees me as a threat now and is trying to take me down a level. This is all his manipulation."

Just then, they heard hurried footsteps approach Cherry Blossom Hall. Alarm filled Li Yingshan's face. She plopped herself down on the bed and grunted at the impact. Miao Chuntao dashed out the window just as Xu Haoran finally barged in.

"Those needles," he began as he rounded on Qiu Ling. "Where did you get them?"

"Me. I gave them to her for self-protection. She doesn't know martial arts and couldn't protect herself, let alone me who can't do anything."

He turned to stare at his wife. Li Yingshan was flushed, more from being angry, but he assumed it was her illness. Speeding over to her, he sat down on the bed.

"Are you alright? Who were you yelling at just now?"

She stammered and turned her head away from him, "I- I was dreaming. It was just a nightmare. I woke up just now."

"Oh."

"I'm tired, Hero Xu. I apologize that I can't see you out."

Qiu Ling saw Xu Haoran out and closed the doors after him. She turned and walked back to Li Yingshan.

"My Lady, what are you going to do now?"

"Go and send a message to Han Shaolei. Let him know that I'm making Ten Thousand Ways Restaurant the new Jade Bell Inn. All reports and accounts will filter through there before being passed on to headquarters."

"Yes, my Lady."

Qiu Ling left Cherry Blossom Hall and slipped out of the Xu manor.

∇

Later in the afternoon, Li Yingshan was wheeling herself around the grounds. She stopped before the big paulownia tree near the back of the manor. Looking up at it, she sighed sadly.

I was a fool. I was blinded back then. Now, do I have any hope of redeeming myself? After what's happened, should I put a different prince on the throne? Or should I just forget about court politics? But could I? I'm in too deep. Moonlight Pagoda has too much information on the ministers and officials and royal family. There's no clean break.

She heard footsteps behind her. Turning her wheelchair around, she noticed that the newly hired servants were approaching.

"Can I help you?"

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One of the male servants spoke coldly, "Third Young Lady Li, if you come with us, we won't hurt your husband."

She scoffed, "My husband is a Hero of the Jianghu. How could you hurt him?"

Who are these people?

"We're trying to give you a chance. If you don't come with us, then don't blame us for being rude!"

They advanced on her, and her mind recalled the day she had been ambushed. Oh no, this is bad!

At that moment, Xu Haoran was just about to turn the corner around a nearby building, but stopped when he saw what was happening. Li Yingshan's eyes blazed.

"Do you wish to kill me?" she taunted. "People have tried that already. They're dead now."

"What?" the man laughed. "Your sisters? They were amateurs! No, the person who wants your head is much more skilled."

The wheels turned in her mind. "An Elite of the Jianghu? A Hero even?" But then, her face fell. "Or someone from court?"

"Third Young Lady Li is as wise as they say. Well done."

She knew it immediately. "The Crown Prince."

"Hmm, you're too smart for your own good. No wonder why our boss wants you dead."

That bastard. Here we go again. First he- he threatened me with Qiu Ling, then Jade Bell Inn, and now my life.

Just then, there was a, "My Lady!"

The disguised assassins suddenly swarmed around Qiu Ling. Panic filled Li Yingshan's eyes as swords whipped out, all pointing to her maid.

"NO! DON'T TOUCH HER!" she cried.

"This is your last chance, Young Lady Li. Give up now, or we'll kill her."

Fury blazed in Li Yingshan's eyes. "Daring to threaten me with Qiu Ling again? Does he have nothing else up his sleeves? As a prince with the best education, you'd think he could be smarter than that."

In a blur, she was up out of her wheelchair in an instant. She sped by the assassins, and pulled out her purple bamboo fan. The wood was polished and shiny, while the paper was designed with a moon setting into a lake with trees nearby. The fan flew out, cutting across the necks of the assassins around Qiu Ling. Li Yingshan caught her weapon and held it against the leader's throat. He watched in horror as his companions all fell to the ground. Dead.

Qiu Ling's eyes widened. "M- my Lady."

Li Yingshan growled, "Qiu Ling is my weak spot, yes. But she's also the one I will protect no matter what, even if it means killing."

Her fan disappeared into her sleeve as a small dagger appeared. She jabbed it into his chest, circled her palm, and slammed it against his stomach, knocking him back. He coughed out blood and looked down at the black hilted weapon that was sticking out from his body.

"Boss really has underestimated you," he choked out.

Then, he fell to the ground and slowly died. Li Yingshan stood over his corpse with a dark look in her eye. Qiu Ling approached her and tugged on her sleeve.

"My Lady-"

She was cut off but the sound of slow, rhythmic clapping.

"Well done, Third Young Lady Li. You've fooled the world. You've fooled the entire Jianghu. You even fooled this husband of yours. Tell me honestly, how long have you been able to walk?"

Li Yingshan whipped around to see a very unhappy Xu Haoran approaching. His hands fell to his side before the clasped behind his back. Her eyes closed.

Damn. I'm done for now.

"Five years," she murmured almost inaudibly.

"What was that? You were so bold a minute ago and now you want to be quiet and lady-like?"

Li Yingshan bit her lip before clearing her throat. Speaking up, she repeated, "Five years."

His eyes widened. "This whole time?"

She nodded. "A physician told me what the poison was. I was determined to get the antidote, so I did. Some people got the Peace White Tea recipe for me, and Qiu Ling helped me make it. After five days, I recovered feeling in my legs. It was my choice to fake my situation."

"Why did you keep up pretenses here? If your family knew the truth, then wouldn't they accept you again? Why did you put yourself through their cruel words and the Jianghu's slandering gossip?"

"It wouldn't have changed a thing, Hero Xu. I was already labelled as the Disgraced Third Young Lady of the Li family. Even if I came back, fully cured, the stigma would still remain. So I learned to hold myself above their words. I made a life for myself in Luoyang and never planned on returning to Longxin City. When you brought me back here, I debated telling you the truth. But I doubted your intentions, questioning why you'd want an invalided, useless woman for your wife. I wondered about what you had planned, whether or not I was just a pawn to you. If so, then I wouldn't reveal that not only can I walk again, I also have my martial arts back."

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