Ink Blade

Leaving the Palace (part 1)

The next day, the sun was warm and the sky was clear and cloudless. It was a good day.

Outside the Jiuzhong Palace, at the foot of Tianlan Mountain, a remote dirt road wound and led to a main road.

On the roadside, Chu Yan had already replaced the set of black and gold-embellished robes and other clothings with a navy blue tight-sleeved robe, a jade crown to tie his hair, and on his waist was his long-lost cherished sword, "Xuan Hong".

The young palace master of the Jiuzhong Palace was born graceful and handsome, thus when he dressed like a young master and swordsman in Jianghu, it was also a unique unparalleled elegant demeanor.

There was the neighing of horses not far away, Mo Ren led two top-notch horses from the rear to Chu Yan's side, quietly glanced at his master, bowed his head and said, "Master.”

"Ah Ren," Chu Yan raised his eyebrows quietly, "Why don't you look at it openly if you want to see it?"

"....." Mo Ren trembled for a moment, eyes at a loss and pursed lips, ".....This subordinate has offended the Master, please confer the sin.”

Chu Yan smiled and waved his hands to reassure him, and suddenly remembered the time when they first met. The young Mo Ren was kneeling on the ground, he was bolder than ever and straightforwardly looked up at him. The palace master was slightly disappointed, he didn't know when he would see that kind of Ah Ren again...

Behind Mo Ren were ten secret guards in black clothes and black scarves, all of whom were neatly aligned and knelt down on one knee to salute Chu Yan.

After Chu Yan teased the guard, he then nodded to the secret guards, and the ten people scattered and disappeared like ghosts.

"The Master really won't bring anyone else anymore?" Mo Ren handed over the reins with some worry, "The current strength of this subordinate is at most no more than 60% to 70% of that of the previous life, although the secret guards are brave, they only know how to fight at the risk of their lives, according to what was written in the communication pill, the enemy is probably well versed in poison, this subordinate is afraid..."

Chu Yan said slowly, "This Master knows, when this Master arrives at Changqing, we’ll call Yingdian and tell Fengyu to go back to replace her. Next, if there is any change on Bai Hua's side, Yingdian specializes in poison and hidden weapons, so it can still suppress him to some extent, no major mistakes will occur."

The timing was really bad at present, three of the four guardians were outside, leaving the inner Jiuzhong Palace empty. He didn't notice it in his previous life, but now Chu Yan could vaguely sense that Bai Hua saw this loophole and sneaked in.

"As for those ordinary attendants, troops and horses, it doesn't matter if you don't bring them with you. This trip is to find out the truth, not to be in conflict with various forces. Those ordinary martial artists are not expected to be of great help, but rather will only get in the way. It’s enough to have you go with this Master. The secret guards are just a backup just in case something happens."

Hearing Chu Yan say this, although Mo Ren was worried, he had to give up the idea of wanting Chu Yan to bring in more people.

Both master and servant, who only had a light load in fast horses, left the Jiuzhong Palace of Tianlan Mountain after a long time, and headed towards the Changqing City amidst the spring scenery.

****

At the same time, inside the Jiuzhong Palace.

In the depths of the Lianhua Hall, a beauty was hunched over at a desk, and a piece of rice paper on the desk had been densely filled with small characters.

Bai Hua rolled up his sleeves, and dipped his pen in ink.

The bright golden sun sprinkled on the lines of his silhouette that slid from his shoulders to his waist. The beauty in white had a foolish smile in his eyes, red lips curved, and the small dimple on his cheek seemed to be filled with intoxicating sake.

After the last word fell, Bai Hua put his pen into the inkstone. He held up the letter with both hands, patiently and gently blew, drying the ink on it.

While blowing, his eyes looked out through the carved window again, and whispered softly, "Chu Yan......"

Chu Yan and Mo Ren left the palace this morning. That Palace Master Chu who always loved him didn't even come to say goodbye to him......

Bai Hua's eyes turned dark, he unconsciously pinched the sachet on his waist with his fingers, and then sensed a somewhat ominous aura.

After all, there will be no major mistakes, Bai Hua thought to himself. He withdrew his gaze, the letter was already dry, therefore Bai Hua held it by his face, and kissed it lightly, both lovingly and reverently.

"Master." 

He sighed softly, "Hua Er…..extremely misses you.”

The lingering laden with sorrow sigh, like the withering of petals in late spring, quietly scattered in the clean and uninhabited Lianhua Hall.

****

Going back to the master and servant, Chu Yan and Mo Ren. The two of them calculated the distance in riding horses, and after riding for most of the day, at about sunset, they saw the outline of a building in front of a fork in the road.

Going forward, they could clearly see a small, half-dilapidated inn standing at the intersection, with two floors, and a cyan liquor banner hanging on a long and thin wooden pole next to it, fluttering in the wind.

The two had a tacit understanding, looked at each other and reined in the horse at the same time. Mo Ren got off the horse first and took the reins of the two horses. Chu Yan glanced at the inn. He didn't go in directly, but took a few steps to the back of the inn, his gaze stopped at the stable.

Inside the wide shed, there were more than a dozen horses tethered, and it could be seen from a distance that these horses were sweating profusely and panting heavily.