Chapter 498: Increasingly Complicated
Watching Guang Xuanji’s every move, Lin Yun grew increasingly suspicious of Patriarch He. Guang Xuanji herself was suspicious too. He couldn’t quite put his finger on why, but his mind felt like a tangled mess of thread, and he couldn’t seem to find the loose end.
Guang Xuanji would occasionally steal glances at Patriarch He, while the patriarch himself acted as he normally did. The only difference was that now, in Lin Yun’s presence, Patriarch He seemed a little nervous.
A melody from the Qing Zhu Tavern appearing in Wind City was strange enough. Then Guang Xuanji insisted the piece she had just played was her own composition. On top of that, Patriarch He just so happened to be here as well.
This series of events all seemed to point toward Patriarch He. Lin Yun’s suspicions began to mount. ’If Patriarch He really is part of that mysterious organization, and if Chunfeng Tower is connected to them...’
Though his mind was filled with questions, Lin Yun let none of it show on his face. As he looked at Guang Xuanji, his expression remained perfectly composed.
Lin Yun raised his cup. Seeing this, Guang Xuanji and Patriarch He raised theirs as well. After the three of them took a drink, Lin Yun turned to Guang Xuanji and said, "Since we have the rare pleasure of hearing your music today, Miss Xiaoqing, how about you play another piece for us?"
"As you wish, Young Master. I will, of course, comply. Please wait a moment while I have the screen taken down," Guang Xuanji said softly, bowing her head slightly to Lin Yun.
Soon, two maids removed the screen. Guang Xuanji sat down before the guqin once more. Her hands gently stroked the strings, and another beautiful melody reached Lin Yun’s ears.
It was a beautiful piece, but to Lin Yun, it was tinged with suspicion. That’s right—he had heard this melody at the Qing Zhu Tavern as well.
’Guang Xuanji played two pieces in a row, and I’ve heard both of them at the Qing Zhu Tavern. Why is that?’
’If the first piece was a coincidence, what about the second? Is Guang Xuanji trying to make me suspicious on purpose?’
His confusion deepened. He didn’t snap out of it until the music ended and Guang Xuanji rose to bow. As he looked at her, a peculiar glint flashed in his eyes.
She returned to her seat across from Lin Yun. Despite having just played that piece, her demeanor was unchanged; she remained as graceful and gentle as ever.
"Miss Xiaoqing’s music is truly divine," Lin Yun said with a hearty laugh, praising her generously.
"You flatter me, Young Master Lin," Guang Xuanji replied.
But just as she finished speaking, the smile on Lin Yun’s face slowly turned roguish. As if reminiscing, he said, "However... I’ve heard your music before, Miss Xiaoqing, in a rather distant place."
"And where might that ’rather distant’ place be?" Guang Xuanji asked, her expression unreadable.
Hearing her question, Lin Yun’s smile vanished. He looked straight at her and enunciated each word clearly, "The Yanhuang Capital. The Qing Zhu Tavern."
At his words, Guang Xuanji’s expression faltered. She said nothing, merely lowering her head in silence.
’I mentioned the Yanhuang Capital on purpose, and seeing her reaction...’ Lin Yun’s suspicions intensified. ’It looks like I was right. This Miss Xiaoqing is definitely connected to Qing Zhu.’
’But what is their connection to the mysterious organization? And what role does Patriarch He play in all of this?’
He would have to investigate these matters slowly. With a casual glance at Patriarch He, he saw no change in the man’s expression. Lin Yun then spoke up, "It’s getting late. Patriarch He, Miss Xiaoqing, I’ll be taking my leave."
Hearing that Lin Yun was about to depart, Patriarch He quickly rose, stating that he too would be leaving. Guang Xuanji said nothing, simply escorting the two men out of the room. The He Family’s elderly steward followed behind Patriarch He as they left.
When they reached the second floor of Chunfeng Tower, He Yuntian and Bai Zhicheng had just finished their business—as for what that business entailed, it goes without saying.
He Yuntian was surprised to see his father with Lin Yun, but he didn’t ask any questions. The group boarded the carriage Patriarch He had waiting outside and left Chunfeng Tower.
After Lin Yun had left Chunfeng Tower, Guang Xuanji stood at a third-floor window, watching the carriage disappear into the distance. A smile played on her lips.
’Heh. Lin Yun, I’ll play another two pieces for you tomorrow.’
Guang Xuanji was very clever. She was certain Lin Yun would return to Chunfeng Tower. After all the doubt she had manufactured for him today, he would surely want to investigate. Chunfeng Tower—or rather, she herself—was his only lead.
Everything that happened today was part of Guang Xuanji’s plan. The moment she heard Lin Yun was coming to Chunfeng Tower, she immediately arranged for Patriarch He to be there.
As for playing the two pieces he had heard at the Qing Zhu Tavern, that too was deliberate. Her goal was simply to make Lin Yun suspicious.
In fact, Lin Yun was right about one thing: Chunfeng Tower was one of her organization’s properties. On the surface, it was a house of pleasure, but in secret, it served as an intelligence hub for the organization.
However, to make Lin Yun take the bait, Guang Xuanji was willing to sacrifice Chunfeng Tower, as it wasn’t the organization’s most important stronghold in Wind City.
’Trading Chunfeng Tower for the He Family’s Patriarch... would you make that deal, Lin Yun?’ Only after the carriage had completely vanished into the night did Guang Xuanji close the window.
Everything Guang Xuanji had done was aimed at Patriarch He. By making Lin Yun suspicious of him, she could drive a wedge between them. Without the He Family, Lin Yun would be like a man who had lost an arm in Wind City.
It had to be said, Guang Xuanji’s plan was brilliant. As he sat in Patriarch He’s carriage, suspicions about the patriarch had already taken root in Lin Yun’s mind.
"Young Master Lin, why don’t you stay at the He residence tonight?" Patriarch He finally said, breaking the silence Lin Yun had maintained since they’d entered the carriage.
Hearing the offer, Lin Yun replied, "That won’t be necessary. Just take me to the Bai Family’s estate. I have some business to attend to there."
Hearing this, Patriarch He simply nodded.
Although Lin Yun hadn’t fallen for Guang Xuanji’s scheme to sow discord entirely, he was still affected by it. After all, Patriarch He was not like Li Tian; he wasn’t one of Lin Yun’s sworn brothers. Theirs was a relationship built on mutual benefit, and such a bond was fragile.
If Li Tian had been in Patriarch He’s place today, Lin Yun wouldn’t have had the slightest doubt, because he trusted Li Tian completely.
Guang Xuanji was clever. It was precisely because Lin Yun trusted Li Tian completely that she hadn’t targeted him. Instead, she had set her sights on Patriarch He.
A relationship built on mutual benefit is the most fragile kind. It’s impossible for either party to have absolute trust in the other. As such, the smallest incident can cause them to become suspicious of one another, a weakness Guang Xuanji had expertly exploited.
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