Chapter 403 Two Peaches and Three Warriors
"Sixth Master, Master Liu is the master of Jing Clan after all. What you are doing... is a bit inhumane."

"Shut up!" Before Liao Chuan finished speaking, Huang Yulang's face suddenly darkened and he scolded, "When is it your turn to speak here?"

After saying that, Huang Yulang cast his sharp eyes straight at the hesitant Liu Xunyi, and said word by word: "Liu Xunyi, don't refuse my toast and drink the penalty wine..."

"Wait a moment!"

Suddenly, Luo Ningyu's voice came from outside the crowd. Then, she and Lin Fang hurriedly pushed everyone aside and squeezed forward.

"Miss?" Huang Yulang was stunned and asked suspiciously, "Why are you here?"

"Sixth Uncle Huang, why are you making things difficult for Liu Xunyi?" Luo Ningyu asked instead of answering, her tone very stiff.

Huang Yulang frowned and said unhappily, "I'm not trying to make things difficult for you. I'm just following orders."

"Uncle Huang, don't blame me for being rude." Luo Ningyu said indignantly, "Dad asked you to purge the traitors so that the disciples of Xianwang Mansion can be as close as a family and have deep affection. It's not for you to make the mansion a mess and make everyone in the house restless. You tried this one today and that one tomorrow, but there is no evidence as strong as a mountain, and the number of disciples who died unjustly is increasing day by day. Now, you are targeting Liu Xunyi. Do you know that he is the person Dad values ​​the most? Dad has intended to promote him to the Black Fan, in charge of the lower three gates, but you have to make trouble for him. What's the meaning of this?"

Seeing that Huang Yulang's face was getting gloomier, Lin Fangda hurriedly grabbed Luo Ningyu's arm and whispered, "Ningyu, stop talking..."

“Am I wrong?” Luo Ningyu shook off Lin Fangda’s hand and said bluntly, “Di Mo is guilty and deserves death. But we shouldn’t regard everyone in the palace as a spy just because of a traitor. This is putting the cart before the horse and losing the big picture for the sake of the small. If we continue to investigate like this, the Xianwang Palace will be in chaos!”

Huang Yulang looked at the furious Luo Ningyu meaningfully, then turned to look at the grateful Liu Xunyi, and suddenly realized: "After all, the young lady wants to save Liu Xunyi..."

"Yes!" Luo Ningyu said bluntly, "If you want to investigate him, investigate me first!"

Having said this, Luo Ningyu ignored the dissuasion of Lin Fangda and others, rushed to Liu Xunyi, opened her arms and protected him tightly.

“Ning Yu…”

Liu Xunyi looked at the thin but determined figure in front of him, feeling grateful beyond words.

"This is Dad's fault, and I will never let him make the same mistake again." Luo Ningyu comforted him without turning her head, "Don't worry! With me here, no one dares to touch a hair on your head today."

"Miss, don't make things difficult for me!" Wong Yuk-lang said angrily.

"Uncle Huang, if you want to deal with Liu Xunyi, you have to walk over my dead body." Luo Ningyu was firm in his attitude and refused to give in.

Huang Yulang was confused and cast his eyes towards Liu Xunyi. He said in a deep voice, "Liu Xunyi, a real man should be upright and responsible for his actions. If you really have a clear conscience, then don't hide behind the young lady like a coward."

"Uncle Huang, don't force him..."

Before Luo Ningyu finished speaking, Liu Xunyi suddenly put his hand on her shoulder and said softly, "Ningyu, I appreciate your kindness. But Sixth Master is following orders. As people from the Xianwang Mansion, neither of us can ignore the rules. I have never done anything to let the Mansion Master down. I believe Sixth Master will definitely clear my name."

"But……"

"no need to worry!"

Without waiting for Luo Ningyu to persuade him again, Liu Xunyi had already gently pushed her away. He took off his sword on his own initiative, and under the complicated and helpless gazes of the crowd, he allowed the black-clothed disciples to come forward and tie him up.

"You're smart!" Huang Yulang snorted coldly, "Take him away!"

"Wait!" Luo Ningyu shouted, "I'm going to plead with my father now, asking him to come forward and put an end to this farce. Before that, Uncle Huang Liu must not torture Liu Xunyi!"

"This……"

Luo Ningyu added: "Uncle Huang, please agree to this matter for the sake of my being the daughter of the Northern Sage King."

"All right!"

Huang Yulang nodded reluctantly and said, "I promised you that I would not punish Liu Xunyi before sunset. If I still haven't received the order from the mansion master by nightfall, I will follow the rules. Then, I hope you won't force me."

"A word is settled!"

Luo Ningyu readily agreed, and then walked to Liu Xunyi's side. Her big watery eyes were full of affection. She gently stroked Liu Xunyi's chest with her delicate hands, and said word by word: "I swear, I will never let anything happen to you. Wait for me!"

Faced with Luo Ningyu's deep love, Liu Xunyi's thoughts surged and his emotions were mixed. In the end, he did not open his mouth to answer, but just nodded slightly.

"Lin Fangda, let's go!"

After saying hello, Luo Ningyu couldn't wait to run to the backyard.

……

There was no conversation for a while, and it was almost dusk.

Luo Tianjin ignored Luo Ningyu's repeated requests for a meeting, so she knelt outside the back hall for a long time, from noon to evening, without moving for three hours, and her legs had long lost all feeling.

During this time, Lin Fangda had been kneeling beside her, also motionless and silent.

During this period, Xie Xuan, Su Tang, Luo Qi and others took turns to persuade her, but Luo Ningyu was stubborn and stubborn. Even if others tried their best to persuade her, she remained unmoved. In the back hall, Luo Tianjin, feeling lost, sat quietly at the table, holding a volume of poetry in his hands, his eyes blurred and his face full of sorrow.

This collection of poems was written by Luo Hongxuan himself when he was a child and given to Luo Tianjin as a gift. Although the handwriting was crooked and extremely untidy, Luo Tianjin always regarded it as a treasure. Whenever he saw this collection of poems, he would think of Luo Hongxuan's cute appearance when he was a child.

Luo Hongxuan, who was once full of energy and vigor, has now turned into a living dead man in a long sleep.

With his eyes closed, he lay on his bed, becoming increasingly thin and lifeless. In just two months, Luo Hongxuan had become skinny and barely looked human.

Whenever he thought of this, Luo Tianjin felt as if he was trapped in an endless hell, with thousands of arrows piercing his heart and thousands of ants gnawing at his bones. The pain was unbearable.

Furthermore, the Dragon Boat Festival banquet ended in displeasure. Although the various sects did not say much, Luo Tianjin could clearly feel that their relationship with the Xianwang Mansion was no longer as close as it used to be, and there was more or less a sense of estrangement between them.

Good fortune never comes alone, and misfortune never comes singly. At this time of internal and external troubles, how could Luo Tianjin not be worried and filled with sorrow?

"squeak!"

With a slight sound, the door opened, and Xie Xuan, exhausted both physically and mentally, slowly walked into the back hall.

"Master, the young lady has been kneeling outside the door for a long time. No matter how we persuade her, she still refuses to leave..."

"It seems that Yu'er really has deep feelings for Liu Xunyi." Luo Tianjin answered softly, and then asked, "How is the progress of the purge?"

"Yulang has checked almost everyone in the mansion." Xie Xuan replied, "Anyone who is suspected will not escape death. But..." Having said this, Xie Xuan couldn't help but look embarrassed and hesitated.

Luo Tianjin raised his eyebrows and asked, "But what?"

"However, after a month of purge, there are very few spies with solid evidence, and most of the disciples who were executed were just suspected." Xie Xuan said bitterly, "Among the spies found, most of them secretly communicated with the Mongols, and very few colluded with other sects. It is difficult to find out that these 'spies' are motivated by money and sell out the news of the Xianwang Mansion. There are almost no people who are as well prepared as Di Mo."

"Almost nothing?" Luo Tianjin heard the clue in Xie Xuan's words and asked suspiciously, "What do you mean by almost nothing?"

"There is not a single piece of solid evidence. But there is one piece of doubtful evidence."

"Who?"

"Liu Xunyi." Xie Xuan smiled bitterly, "From the first day he entered the Xianwang Mansion, the Mansion Master has been wary of him. Therefore, the suspicion of Liu Xunyi is actually a repetition of the old tune. The key lies in... the Mansion Master's intention. If the Mansion Master believes him, there will be no doubt. If the Mansion Master does not believe him, there will be many doubts..."

"Ha!" Luo Tianjin chuckled and said self-deprecatingly, "I had already believed in him, but Di Mo's betrayal forced me to re-evaluate everyone around me. The previous Black Handling Fan was a traitor, and I don't want the new Black Handling Fan to repeat the same mistake."

Xie Xuan's eyes moved, and he understood: "So the mansion master deliberately put Liu Xunyi's crime in the merit and demerit box, in order to let Yulang investigate him again?"

"No." Luo Tianjin's eyes were cunning, and he shook his head and said, "I have repeatedly tested Liu Xunyi. If he was going to reveal his true colors, he would have revealed them long ago. There are only two reasons for this result. First, Liu Xunyi is a gentleman and has no problems. Second, Liu Xunyi is extremely cunning and his disguise is flawless. No matter which one, Yulang will not be able to get any valuable information from him."

"If that's the case, why did the Palace Master want to investigate him?" Xie Xuan asked in confusion, "Doesn't the Palace Master trust Liu Xunyi?"

"If I didn't believe him, why would I go to all this trouble? I could just kill him with a sword."

"Then... the Palace Master believes him?"

In response, Luo Tianjin still shook his head.

Seeing this, Xie Xuan was completely confused and muttered to himself: "I believe it, but I don't believe it at the same time... Do I believe it or not?"

"I don't know how to choose either." Luo Tianjin said, "So, I threw this difficult problem to another person and let her decide for me whether Liu Xunyi lives or dies, whether to leave or stay."

"Another person?" Xie Xuan frowned and said thoughtfully, "The mansion master is talking about... Miss?"

"That's right! Now Xuan'er has..." At this point, Luo Tianjin's eyes suddenly darkened, and he changed his words, "Now, I only have Yu'er as my own child who can take on the responsibility, and the Xianwang Mansion will be entrusted to her in the future. Therefore, I must choose a husband for her who is both wise and brave and can achieve great things. Only in this way can I protect this family business that I have worked so hard to build. However, before I decide on a husband for her, she must first reveal her true feelings. After all, love is a matter of fate and cannot be forced."

"The mansion master deliberately used the opportunity of the purge to test the young lady's feelings towards Liu Xunyi?" Xie Xuan suddenly realized, "If the young lady is infatuated with Liu Xunyi, the mansion master will use Liu Xunyi. If the young lady is indifferent to Liu Xunyi, then kill her as soon as possible."

"This is just one reason." Luo Tianjin said dimly, "Second, I want to take this opportunity to let Liu Xunyi see Yu'er's feelings for him, and let him owe Yu'er a huge favor, so as to bring them together."

"If there is a woman who is willing to risk her life to save me, what else can I ask for?" Xie Xuan nodded and said, "Liu Xunyi will definitely be moved by the lady's true love and will develop feelings for her. The mansion master has killed two birds with one stone, which is really amazing!"

"Not only that, there is a third reason." Luo Tianjin waved his hand and said, "It has been more than a month since the purge began. My goal has been achieved, and it is time to end this farce. Therefore, I took advantage of Yu'er's kneeling begging to end the purge and make everyone in the mansion grateful to her. This way, she can accumulate prestige in advance for the important responsibilities she will shoulder in the future."

"The Palace Master has foresight and is prepared for a rainy day. Xie Xuan admires him!"

"Don't be anxious!" A strange look flashed across Luo Tianjin's eyes.

Seeing this, Xie Xuan was surprised and asked in astonishment: "What? Could it be... there is a fourth one?"

"Since I want to promote the good things between Yu'er and Xunyi, there is one person I have to be on guard against." Luo Tianjin said in a secretive manner, "Fourthly, I want to take this opportunity to test Xunzhen's attitude towards Liu Xunyi, to see if she cares about Liu Xunyi's life or death? Are the two of them like the rumors say... they have fallen in love with each other over time."

……

(End of this chapter)