As they reached the inn and stepped out of the carriage, the sight before them was breathtaking. The streets of Chengdu bustled with life — totally opposite of grim Chongqing. Families walked hand in hand beneath rows of red lanterns, merchants called out to customers, and the warm aroma of roasted chestnuts filled the air. Laughter and music blended with the chatter of the crowd, painting a vivid picture of prosperity.
Before them stood a grand pavilion glittering with golden light and carved dragon motifs. Tang Xiuying turned with a proud smile.
"Well, let's enter."
They stepped inside as Tang Xiuying gestured toward the towering hall.
"This is the biggest pavilion in Sichuan, owned by my Tang Clan," she declared, raising her chin with confidence.
But her expression shifted playfully as her gaze fell upon Rin. "Even so, the brilliance of this bustling pavilion is dull compared to Master Rin's heavenly face," she teased, giving him a mischievous wink.
Rin's face stiffened in awkwardness, his cheeks faintly reddening in shame as he turned away, pretending to admire the ceiling.
Lianzhen chuckled awkwardly. "Young Lady Tang, let's go to our table. We're tired… and hungry."
Yu Meixian sighed and covered her face with one hand, clearly embarrassed by Tang Xiuying's antics.
"Well, let's go," Tang Xiuying said, laughing. "I've booked the best seat in the pavilion."
They ascended to the third floor, where only the most elite and wealthy guests were allowed. A lavish private room awaited them — walls adorned with golden silk, candles flickering against red curtains, and the faint scent of sandalwood drifting through the air.
On the stage below, elegant male artists performed graceful dances, their flowing robes and soft movements mesmerizing the audience.
They sat around the long lacquered table, dishes of fine Sichuan cuisine already prepared. As they ate, Tang Xiuying occasionally tried to start conversations with Rin, but he remained distant, his polite silence unshakable.
After a while, both Rin and Lianzhen stood up, having finished their meal. They bowed slightly.
"We'll head to the assigned room now."
Yu Meixian nodded. "I'll be there later."
The two brothers departed, leaving behind only Yu Meixian and Tang Xiuying. The atmosphere grew quieter as the sounds of the city dimmed beneath the rhythmic beat of the drums from the stage below.
Tang Xiuying poured herself a cup of liquor, the amber liquid shimmering under the lantern light. She took a long sip and sighed.
"He is like jade among jade — the kind that attracts everyone."
Yu Meixian smirked, swirling her cup. "Yeah, that kind of jade only looks good beside an empress, not a beggar like you."
"Ha," Tang Xiuying laughed proudly. "A beggar? In Sichuan, there is no one known to be as beautiful as me."
Yu Meixian sighed again, shaking her head. "Okay, okay…" Her eyes grew serious as she set the cup down. "Then tell me — why did you come to meet me?"
"Ha," Tang Xiuying said with mock surprise. "Is it odd for me to come and meet my friend?"
Yu Meixian leaned back, her gaze sharp. "No, it's not odd that you came to meet me. What's odd is that you knew where to meet me — as if you were tailing me."
Tang Xiuying smirked and crossed her arms. "Ha, so you noticed? I can say your awareness is as sharp as ever."
Yu Meixian refilled her glass and spoke calmly, "Still, it's hard to pinpoint the trace of Tang Clan's elite warriors exactly… but I can sense them."
She lifted the glass and drank it all in one go, the sound of the cup striking the table echoing sharply through the room.
"Now tell me — why are you here?"
Tang Xiuying finally sighed, her confident smirk fading into seriousness. "Yes, there is an ulterior motive for meeting you. I want to know about the Chongqing situation. I know you were there."
Yu Meixian poured another glass, her expression darkening. "Well, it's pretty bad. All of Chongqing's trade routes are blocked. Four unorthodox powers have taken full control and wiped out the bandits. The bloodbath… was unpleasant to see."
Tang Xiuying's eyes narrowed. "Nothing more you noticed?"
Yu Meixian met her gaze with a faint, knowing smile before chuckling. "Everything looks simple on the surface, but there must be another power controlling these events — one that led to the war with the bandits."
"It is Desire Cave who did it, according to us," Tang Xiuying said firmly. "They created these situations so they can harvest men for their dirty martial arts."
Yu Meixian drank another glass in one swift motion. "It's obvious for us to think that… but there's more to it."
Tang Xiuying stopped drinking and looked up sharply. "More to it?"
"I think Desire Cave is just a façade — someone placed it so that smart people like us would think it's their doing."
Tang Xiuying's tone dropped low. "There's another power? Who is it?"
Yu Meixian leaned forward. "Tell me, who gains the most benefit from this conflict?"
Tang Xiuying frowned. "Desire Cave… or maybe the four unorthodox powers who finally gained all of Chongqing."
Yu Meixian poured wine into Tang Xiuying's cup, her gaze calm. "Are you sure the four unorthodox powers truly gained Chongqing?"
"Yes—" Tang Xiuying began, but then her expression froze. Realization struck her eyes like lightning. "Could it be… the Hundred Weapon Sect?"
Yu Meixian smirked faintly and drank her wine in one swift motion. "Right on the mark. In the end, the four unorthodox powers had to bow to the Hundred Weapon Sect for protection. They used and aided Desire Cave to instigate the fight. The Hundred Weapon Sect tried to hide their scheme, but in truth, they wanted Chongqing."
She set her glass down with a dull thud. "In the end, the Hundred Weapon Sect gets Chongqing… and Desire Cave gets their men — all as a cover-up for the Hundred Weapon Sect's plan."
Tang Xiuying's eyes flashed with fury. She drank her cup in one gulp and hurled the glass to the floor, shattering it.
"That's why they're trying so hard to get Guizhou — so all of Murim focuses on Guizhou while their scheme goes undiscovered! Damn it! In the end, Tie Roumei gets both Guizhou and Chongqing!"
Yu Meixian calmly poured another glass, drinking it slowly this time. The lamplight flickered across her face, showing the faint fatigue behind her composed eyes.
"Well," Tang Xiuying said bitterly, "we got played. But I'll make sure she never even thinks of coming toward Sichuan."
"That's all there is to it for Chongqing," Yu Meixian replied.
Tang Xiuying leaned back, her expression hardening as old memories seemed to resurface. "Do you remember the time of chaos?"
Yu Meixian's gaze softened slightly. "At that time, I was very little. My master hid me in the mountains."
"Well, it was different for us in Sichuan," Tang Xiuying said quietly. Her voice trembled slightly, the wine loosening her guard. "There was so much bloodshed… I'll never forget it. I saw men and children's bodies pierced and lying on the streets of Chengdu. Every day, I saw mothers covered in blood-soaked clothes. I decided then… I would never let such a day return to Sichuan."
Yu Meixian raised her cup solemnly. "Cheers to that."
Their cups clinked softly in the lamplight.
Tang Xiuying's expression grew serious once more. "The Sword Queen is dead. How about joining the Tang Clan?"
Yu Meixian froze — her eyes widening in shock at the unexpected offer.
The air grew still, the sound of drums and laughter from below fading into silence. The candlelight flickered between them, two powerful women staring across the table — one making a daring proposal, the other caught in stunned hesitation.