Chapter 538: A joke, claiming ties of kinship
The Council of Elders would hold their trial for Xie Deyi and Mu Yingdong tomorrow, so Lady Lianxin had no time to waste. She got straight to the point. “Han Yunxi, your mother Lady Tianxin was precisely the Mu Clan’s fourth young Miss. Half of the blood in your body flows from the Mu Clan. Rather than being the monk who cultivates in the Way, be the Buddha who enlightens beyond the Way.1 You cannot ruin the Mu Clan.”
Lady Lianxin assumed that Han Yunxi and the rest would be shocked by her admission, but they only seemed calmer than before and didn’t react. Actually, Long Feiye and Gu Qishao were the calmest ones of all. Han Yunxi was still a little moved. Although she hadn’t gotten 100 percent verification from Mute Granny that Mu Xin was Tianxin, she had always believed it was true. Today was the final proof that she and Mu Linger were really cousins via the female line of the family. No wonder she could never bear to be ruthless against the girl.
“You all…you all knew this long ago? You’ve cured Mute Granny’s poison? Mute Granny told you everything?” Lady Lianxin couldn’t believe it.
As soon as she brought up curing the poison, Gu Qishao felt an inexplicable pain in his heart. He cast an aggrieved look towards Han Yunxi, but he had no choice. She had never brought up the matter again after he and Long Feiye had their duel. It looked like he’d be doomed to shoulder his burden of misunderstanding for the rest of his life. Gu Qishao only felt all the more helpless for it.
Naturally, Han Yunxi wouldn’t give any hint of Mute Granny’s status to Lady Lianxin. She was even more blunt as she said, “Back then, my mother asked you to help Han Congan secure the position of director. What did she give you in exchange?”
Lady Lianxin’s eyes grew guarded as she asked, “Just…just how much do you know?”
“What, you want to trick us? I know quite a bit. If you want to lie…hehe, better take things easy.”
Actually, all Han Yunxi knew was that Lady Tianxian and Lady Lianxin were sisters and that the former had asked the latter for a favor to help Han Congan. She wasn’t clear about the rest, but her threatening expression really did awe and frighten Lady Lianxin. With Long Feiye’s support, Han Yunxi’s negotiation skills had the chance to shine.
“I can tell you everything, including who your real father is, as long as you protect the Mu Clan,” Lady Lianxin finally relented.
Although she was mentally prepared for this, Han Yunxi still felt a twinge of anticipation and anxiety at the words “real father.” Still, she held herself back and cleverly asked, “Lady Lianxin, what do you mean exactly by ‘protect the Mu Clan?’”
Seeing Han Yunxi so calm, Lady Lianxin’s eyes flickered with complex emotions. She knew if she couldn’t give Han Yunxi satisfactory terms, it’d be hard to sell her deal. But she was an old hand herself and probed back, “Naturally, it’s to pardon Mu Yingdong for all of his crimes and restore the Mu Clan as before.”
Han Yunxi laughed loudly. “Lady Lianxin, you shouldn’t overestimate this wangfei’s abilities! Forget about the fact that I don’t call the shots in Medicine City—even if I did have that power, the fact that Mu Yingdong colluded with the Hundred Poisons Sect is obvious to anyone who has eyes. How could the masses be satisfied with a pardon? And how are you supposed to explain that to your own Medical City?”
“As long as you agree to my terms, this lady has ways to face Medical City,” Lady Lianxin was certain.
“It looks like…Lady Lianxin really is quite sought after in Medical City!” Han Yunxi smiled.
Lady Lianxin ignored the slight and said, “Han Yunxi, hasn’t your Pill Fiend Pharmacy always wanted Mu Linger? How’s this, we’ll blame the Xie Clan for the Poison Roundworm and the collaboration between Mu Yingdong and Jun Yixie. Just say the Xie Clan and Jun Yixie plotted together to orchestrate Mu Yingdong’s downfall. Because Mu Yingdong wanted to protect his daughter and fell prey to a fit of greed, he—”
“Lady Lianxin, do you take the Wang Clan and rest of Medicine City to be fools?” Han Yunxi cut her off coldly.
Lady Lianxin was adamant. “Han Yunxi, you’re the Pill King’s disciple right now. As long as you speak up, who wouldn’t know to feign ignorance?”
“So, you take I, Han Yunxi, as the fool? Your lousy secret is enough to trade for Mu Yingdong’s life?” Han Yunxi scorned. Actually, she was quite curious inside and hoped that Lady Lianxin could spill the beans faster.
But Lady Lianxin only shook her head. “Han Yunxi, Mu Yingdong is still your own uncle. You can’t just sit and watch him fall to disaster!”
“Then that’ll depend on how much he’s worth saving!” Han Yunxi laughed coldly. It was useless to try family sentiment on her!
“You! You can’t be so heartless!” Lady Lianxin was indignant.
Han Yunxi laughed even louder. “Heartless? You all clearly knew the truth, but where were you all when my mother died in labor? Where were you all when I was suffering at the Han Estate? When I went to the medical academy to ask about my mother, why did you deny knowing anything about her? Now you’re talking about family sentiments with me? It’s already too late!”
“You misunderstood! Mu Yingdong still doesn’t know that Lady Tianxin was Mu Xin! That’s why he locked up Mute Granny, so he could lure your mother back! Didn’t Mute Granny tell you?” Lady Lianxin asked and probed at the same time.
Han Yunxi refused to respond with anything beyond a cold snort. Lady Lianxin couldn’t see through her actions, so she could only try to play the pathos card. “When your mother was pregnant with you, she discovered your father was having an affair with another woman and decided to leave him. After reaching Tianning, she changed her name and married Han Congan. Ever since then, Mu Yingdong lost track of your mother’s whereabouts. Your mother found me myself, or else I would’ve known nothing, either.”
As Lady Lianxin spoke, she even put on an affected air and sighed multiple times. “Yunxi, I’ve been guarding this secret all alone for the past few years. Why wouldn’t I want to acknowledge you? But once I did, your father would definitely come looking for you. For the sake of leaving the Poison Sect, your mother married Han Congan to avoid detection and live a peaceful life!”
When Lady Lianxin saw Han Yunxi’s face turn solemn, she felt a silent thrill and added, “I didn’t tell your uncle about you because I was afraid that he wouldn’t tolerate your existence in the face of the Mu Clan. You shouldn’t blame him. As the head of the clan, the glory and honor of the Mu comes before all else. He kept Mute Granny confined to lure your mother back only as a last resort!”
Lady Lianxin stopped to see Han Yunxi’s reaction, but the woman only looked at her without replying. In the silent room, only Long Feiye knew the full truth, but he didn’t speak either. He was waiting for Lady Lianxin to give away the identity of Han Yunxi’s true father. Meanwhile, Gu Qishao looked completely relaxed. Since the business had nothing to do with him, he was amusing himself by toying with his gaunt, skinny fingers instead, his thoughts completely elsewhere.
No matter who Han Yunxi’s father was, or whether she herself was a poisons woman, he liked her for herself, so she would always be just ‘Han Yunxi’ in his eyes.
As the silence drew on, it became both a test of patience and self-possession. Lady Lianxin had explained so much but lost her initiative in the battle as a result. The longer the room stayed quiet, the more uneasy she felt. Finally, she blurted out, “Yunxi, if your mother was still alive, she’d never bear to see the Mu Clan ruined. It took generations of sweat and blood for the Mu Clan to reach its present state!”
Han Yunxi sighed before finally deigning to speak. “If Lady Lianxin is only here to claim ties of kinship, then I ask that you please go back.”
Her words toppled the rest of Lady Lianxin’s patience, and her tone grew icy. “Han Yunxi, I’ve already said everything I had to. What else do you want?”
“Which member of the Poison Sect was my father?” Han Yunxi asked coldly.
“I don’t know! Even Mute Granny had no idea, do you think I or Mu Yingdong would know any better?” Lady Lianxin shot back.
Han Yunxi nodded. “I believe you. You can go.”
Lady Lianxin was sent reeling by the reply. “You…what did you say?”
“You wasted so many words on things I wasn’t interested in at all. You’re doing nothing but wasting your time here, so you might as well go to the Wang Clan and beg their clan head for help instead. That might be more favorable for you.”
Han Yunxi was simply making a fool of her! Lady Lianxin soundly slapped the table and rose to leave. But Han Yunxi didn’t move to stop her even when she reached the door. Lady Lianxin was close to dying from fury. Han Yunxi’s such a young brat, but why is she harder to face that those old medical academy stooges?
Finally, she turned around. Han Yunxi’s heart fell back in her chest at the sight. She knew that she’d won this round between them.
“Han Yunxi, when your mother asked me for help in the past, she gave me one thing. Perhaps that can tell you the true identity of your father.” Lady Lianxin had finally unleashed her trump card.
Here was news of actual worth. Long Feiye and Gu Qishao both turned to look over, while Han Yunxi hid her surprise and heaving heart. Lady Lianxin hadn’t wanted to reveal the item because it was truly something valuable. She had hid it away this entire time until the day her charms weren’t enough to work the halls of the medical academy, as a backup plan to win over the academy head. Because of this very item, she had agreed to help Mu Xin in the past and keep her identity safe. But now Han Yunxi had pushed her to her limits.
“What is it? Show it to us first,” Han Yunxi said.
Lady Lianxin had none of her previous good attitude. She said in a chilly tone, “As long as Mu Yingdong returns to the Mu Estate, I’ll deliver the item personally.”
“You think I’ll believe your words without seeing the item first?” Han Yunxi asked.
Lady Lianxin gave Long Feiye a long, considering glance before she smiled. “Those who own the Poison Sect’s Perplexing Butterfly Illusion can win the entire world. Your Highness Duke of Qin should have heard of those words, correct?”
Han Yunxi was stunned. Could this woman have Perplexing Butterfly Illusion in her hands too?
“You have Perplexing Butterfly Illusion?” Long Feiye was unmoved.
“No,” Lady Lianxin grinned. “But I have Ten-Thousand Year Blood Jade, which is capable of breaking the secrets of Perplexing Butterfly Illusion. Did Your Highness know that?”
Now Long Feiye was startled. He only knew that Beauty’s Blood was supposed to unravel Perplexing Butterfly Illusion, but he’d never heard of this Ten-Thousand Year Blood Jade. It looked like his mufei’s information had been incomplete. No wonder the Beauty’s Blood was unsuccessful in solving the mystery of Perplexing Butterfly Illusion.
“Lady Tianxin gave you Ten-Thousand Year Blood Jade?” Gu Qishao finally spoke up.
“Exactly so! It looks like Your Excellency Pill Fiend’s heard of this item?” Lady Lianxin asked.
“Ten-Thousand Year Blood Jade was taken from the mouth of a ten-thousand year old corpse in the Valley of the Kings. It’s the top poison of the Poison Sect and its most valuable treasure, only passed down to its sect heads.” Gu Qishao grinned and looked towards Han Yunxi. “This old man wasn’t wrong to call you Poison lass day after day. Half of your body’s flowing with the blood of the Poison Sect! Your father must have been the Poison Sect Head!”
When he finished speaking, he couldn’t help but add, “You really are a poisons woman…”
Han Yunxi only felt that there was something strange about Gu Qishao’s tone, but she was more stunned by the reality of the situation to process his words.
1. monk…Buddha (不看僧面看佛面) – bukan sengmian kan fomian, literally ‘don’t look at the monk’s face, but the Buddha’s face,’ a saying that generally means to draw back and consider the big picture. Because a monk is still cultivating, his vision is constrained by his limitations, but a Buddha who has already reached enlightenment can see beyond the bonds of mortality to the greater realm beyond.