Chapter 740: Hongling Returns Home

Chapter 740: Red Feather Returns Home

While Zhao Changhe was here probing for information through hints and insinuations, Yue Hongling had already returned home in glory.

She had left Luoxia Manor at fifteen, and now she was twenty-two; in a few days, after the New Year, she would turn twenty-three.

After seven or eight years away, even Yue Hongling's free-spirited nature could not escape a touch of nervousness as she neared home. Every blade of grass and every tree here seemed unfamiliar.

The closer she got to the manor, the more alien it felt.

Originally, it had been a rather small estate, with no more than a dozen disciples, old bricks and earthen tiles everywhere, and her master's wife managing frugally—like an ordinary large farming family.

But now, as she walked, she saw a continuous stretch of red bricks and green tiles, covering dozens of hectares, extending to the foot of the mountain and even encroaching on the road. People came and went everywhere; the sounds of martial practice and cheers intermingled in a lively, extraordinary scene.

There were even peddlers selling goods right outside the manor, and from time to time one could see local officials or gentry visiting, with hosts and guests enjoying each other's company—everything resembled the famous sects she had seen in her travels through the martial world in years past.

Yue Hongling gazed from afar at the plaque reading 'Luoxia Manor' above the gate. Were it not for that plaque still hanging there, she would hardly have dared to believe this was the place where she had grown up.

Earlier, she had considered sneaking in at night to see her master privately and ask about things. But as she drew near, her emotions surged, and Yue Hongling suddenly no longer wished to skulk about. She had lived her life openly and honorably—why should she hide on returning home?

So she strode forward boldly.

'Who might you be?' Several young boys and girls guarding the gate watched the red-clad elder sister approaching from afar. A name rose in their hearts, but they dared not confirm it, testing cautiously.

Yue Hongling stopped before them and smiled faintly: 'Children meeting me do not know me, smiling ask where the guest comes from—today I understand that verse.'

But the passersby nearby were not as incredulous as the Luoxia Manor disciples; they had already exclaimed, 'Yue Hongling!'

'It's definitely Yue Hongling! I was fortunate to see her once in the Central Plains four years ago.'

'The real person is even more beautiful than the legends... Who was it that maliciously spread that Yue Hongling is always dirty and disheveled?'

Far away in the imperial palace of the capital, Xia Chichi sneezed.

The scene fell into utter silence, and the faces of the young boys and girls lit up with extreme joy.

'Second Senior Sister is back!'

After a moment of stillness, the air exploded. The youths abandoned their posts at the gate and rushed into the estate in a flurry, shouting, 'Second Senior Sister is back!'

Yue Hongling returns home!

The news spread explosively, reaching all of Chang'an in the blink of an eye. Zhao Changhe was still in the gambling house chatting idly with Dai Qingge, but outside, gamblers were already discussing Yue Hongling's return, everyone inexplicably excited, and some even wanted to run to Mount Hua to see her.

After all, this was a top-tier genius who had ascended the Earth Ranking at twenty-two. In recent years, the most famous among the younger generation were Yue Hongling and Zhao Changhe. But Zhao Changhe had risen too suddenly; many people still felt a lack of real connection, and with his constant involvement with gods and demons, he seemed more ethereal. Yue Hongling had become famous earlier, felt much more tangible, and was closest to the common folk.

Moreover, setting aside the various gods and demons that had recently entered the scene, considering only the original Guanlong forces, with Li Gongsi dead and Yuan Cheng gone, Yue Hongling was very likely the number one native of Guanlong!

What a concept that was!

The great fame of Luoxia Manor was not without reason. Nowadays, countless children of the right age wanted to join Luoxia Manor to learn martial arts, all ten out of ten inspired by Yue Hongling's example. Her charisma was not limited to children; throughout the Guanlong martial world, those who admired and respected her were as numerous as carp crossing a river. The sensation of her return was thus easy to imagine.

But after the initial explosion of excitement subsided, people soon thought of one question.

The relationship between Yue Hongling and Zhao Changhe...

It was said that Zhao Changhe, from the time of Beimang, had been a toad lusting after swan's flesh, pursuing Yue Hongling... What was infuriating was that, reportedly, because they fought side by side beyond the frontier last year, they actually got together. The Book of Chaos had given a comment at the time, 'Setting sun reflects on the long river' or something, their marital aura overflowing.

Now Zhao Changhe was the Prince Zhao of Great Han. Those in the know understood that he was not merely a prince of a different surname; it was no exaggeration to say that the fate of Great Han rested on him alone, or that he was the emperor of Great Han. If Yue Hongling were the 'Imperial Consort of Great Han,' what attitude should everyone adopt toward her return? And why had she come back... for what purpose?

It seemed she was about to cast this boulder into the lake of Chang'an, stirring up a thousand ripples.

Of course, rumors were just rumors. Early on, someone had asked Cui Yuanyong, the true insider who knew the whole story from Beimang to Yanmen, and the answer he got was this: 'Fuck off, what does Yue Hongling have to do with my brother-in-law? Stop spreading that bullshit. Let me reiterate: Zhao Changhe is my brother-in-law! Beimang? At Beimang back then, Yue Hongling was fighting me. What did she have to do with Zhao Changhe!'

Cui Yuanyong's words, fighting for his sister's position in the harem, spread to Guanlong and seemed to have some effect in quashing the rumors. After all, fans were unwilling to admit that their goddess had been taken, and with Cui Yuanyong's endorsement, wasn't that evidence solid enough?

But in the eyes of more Guanlong gentry, this was called 'rumor-mongering debunking.' Of course Cui Yuanyong would insist that his own sister was the true one and distance Yue Hongling as much as possible. What use was asking him? Couldn't your brother-in-law have ties with other women? If you have the guts, repeat that statement before your Emperor and Head Tang? Better yet, repeat it before the Vermilion Bird Venerable.

When Yue Hongling strode into the main hall of Luoxia Manor, her master Yue Fenghua was already seated there, and beside him sat another middle-aged man she did not recognize. From his brocade attire, he was clearly wealthy and noble.

The imagined scene of Yue Fenghua coming out to greet her did not happen. Yue Hongling did not mind; she stepped into the hall and performed a solemn bow: 'Disciple pays respects to Master.'

'Good, good, good!' Yue Fenghua stroked his beard and laughed heartily. 'Seeing Hongling's heroic bearing, your master is most gratified.'

Yue Hongling looked up at her master, feeling a strange unease in her heart.

Praising her heroic bearing?

He didn't even tell her to rise and dispense with formalities. Was keeping her kneeling a way to display his authority?

Yue Hongling preferred to think that her master was momentarily overcome with excitement and forgot. In any case, since he did not tell her to rise, she truly did not get up, remaining on one knee and replying calmly: 'Seeing Master's vigor even greater than before, your disciple is also overjoyed. May I ask if Master's wife is here? Your disciple wishes to pay respects to her.'

Yue Fenghua's expression darkened, and he sighed softly: 'Your master's wife passed away from illness two years ago.'

Yue Hongling pressed her lips tightly together and did not respond.

From illness?

Though her master's wife's cultivation was not high, only at the fourth or fifth level of the Mystic Gate, she had been at most forty-two or forty-three two years ago—a martial artist in the prime of life. The physique of a prime-age martial artist was not comparable to ordinary people. Death from combat might be plausible, but in Chang'an, a gathering place of talents, with the sect now so wealthy and powerful, lacking neither medicine nor doctors, to die of illness?

At that moment, the middle-aged man seated as a guest laughed: 'Brother Yue, are you so excited that you forgot to let your worthy niece rise and speak?'

Yue Fenghua laughed as if waking from a dream: 'Indeed, indeed. Look how muddled I am. Hongling, rise quickly.'

Yue Hongling stood up and asked casually: 'And this is?'

Yue Fenghua actually stood up as well and introduced: 'This is Brother Changming, head of the Wei family, ranked seventeenth on the Human Ranking.'

'Ahem.' Wei Changming rose and cupped his hands: 'Ranked seventeenth on the Human Ranking—I truly have no face to mention that before Miss Yue. Miss Yue is the most brilliant star of our Guanlong martial world.'

Yue Hongling had absolutely no interest in socializing with the head of a noble family. Upon hearing this, she coldly cupped her hands: 'Pleased to meet you.'

Yue Fenghua laughed: 'Brother Wei does not hold a grudge against Hongling for her past rashness; old grievances have been resolved. Hongling should thank the gentleman for his magnanimity.'

Yue Hongling said coolly: 'Mr. Wei's magnanimity is indeed admirable. I did not expect that your friendship with my master has become so close that you sit here as a guest on a daily basis.'

'Brother Yue, being able to teach a disciple like Miss Yue, is himself a chivalrous man; associating with him is like a spring breeze. Now his guest seats are always full, which is due to Brother Yue's own charm.' Wei Changming said with a chuckle: 'To be honest, I came to Luoxia Manor today originally to discuss a marriage, but unexpectedly I happened to meet Miss Yue returning home—an unexpected delight.'

'Oh? Discussing a marriage?' Yue Hongling said. 'Is Senior Brother getting married?'

Senior Brother was naturally Yue Fenghua's own son, Yue Baiyu. For Luoxia Manor, he was the heir.

Wei Changming laughed: 'Correct, it is precisely about Nephew Yue's marriage.'

'Congratulations, congratulations.' Yue Hongling offered congratulations, but there was a hint of mockery in her smile: 'Is it Mr. Wei's daughter?'

Wei Changming shook his head: 'No, appearing here to discuss marriage, I am naturally the matchmaker.'

'Then who is the other party?'

Wei Changming did not answer immediately but instead asked: 'May I first ask Miss Yue whether this return home is just a visit before leaving, or do you have intentions of staying longer?'

Yue Hongling laughed lightly: 'I hadn't decided originally. Since I've encountered Senior Brother's marriage discussion, it seems only right to stay for a cup of wedding wine before leaving.'

Wei Changming nodded and asked again: 'Then may I ask the young lady one more thing... What exactly is the relationship between you and Zhao Changhe?'

Yue Hongling answered with seeming casualness: 'We were just ordinary friends, but the rumors in the martial world have harmed my reputation. Now the relationship has changed. Next time I see him, I will surely make him die of suffocation.'

Neither Yue Fenghua nor Wei Changming caught the true meaning of her words—what the relationship had become, why the death by suffocation—they took it as a casual remark. The two exchanged glances, seeming somewhat incredulous, and Yue Fenghua continued to probe: 'Since that is the case, Hongling, is it possible that you have returned to help the hometown resist the false dynasty?'