The Youngest Daughter, Chang Le

Chapter 38

Is Que Long an easily deceived person? Certainly not. But was he tempted by this proposal? Indeed, he was.

While Wanzhong province is vast, it's already crowded with four factions plus the Falling Flower Valley, not to mention countless smaller powers beneath them. Everyone's trying to make a living in this territory. When some eat their fill, others go hungry. The hungry will naturally try to seize food, and while one person seizing food isn't a concern, a group doing so becomes a new force, intensifying the conflicts.

The Dragon-Breaking Sect is currently powerful, but as the saying goes, two tigers cannot share the same mountain. Unless Que Long surrenders, it's only a matter of time before Falling Flower Valley moves against him. The fact that they tried to kill Ban Lian today, knowing full well her relationship with him, is already a signal of their intent to act against the Dragon-Breaking Sect.

As Zhu Changle said, once Falling Flower Valley makes its move, the other three factions will undoubtedly join forces to pin down the Dragon-Breaking Sect. Even if he's confident, Que Long knows he can't defeat Immortal Lady Wen, and his sect can't withstand an attack from all four sides.

If there were a better place to go...

Que Long looked at Zhu Changle. "I need to learn more about Yunbei."

Zhu Changle inwardly applauded herself vigorously. She was truly amazing! Unbeatable in the world! As long as Que Long showed interest, half the battle was won! How clever she was!

After silently praising herself, Zhu Changle maintained her composure outwardly. "Of course. Although I have some personal motives, this idea was conceived with your interests in mind. The Dragon-Breaking Sect's current situation could be described as being besieged on all sides, couldn't it? If there's another way out, why fight to the bitter end, right?"

Ban Lian was even more tempted. Her feelings towards the Immortal Lady were complex: a mix of nostalgia, disappointment, and even a hint of resentment... It seemed to encompass every emotion, and how could decades of living together be summed up in a few words? Moreover, her sister, with whom she had grown up, was still there. She would rather cross swords with anyone else but her.

If they could avoid this confrontation, it would be for the best. With this in mind, she looked at Que Long, making no effort to hide her eagerness.

Que Long glanced at her. "I need to learn more about Yunbei to ensure our brothers can survive."

Ban Lian bit her lip and nodded. "I understand."

"Well, that's not something we need to worry about right now," Zhu Changle said, walking to the edge of the pavilion and looking up at the morning sun. She turned back to the group with a smile. "Sect Leader Que, I'm just offering a suggestion. If it works out, that's great: we'll be helping each other. If not, at least I've given you something to think about, and I hope you can safely weather this storm. If you're unsure how to decide, try looking at things from a higher perspective. When you can see farther, your vision won't be obstructed. Regardless, I still hope to befriend you, Sect Leader Que, and maybe we'll have the chance to share a drink in the future."

Sect Leader Que cupped his hands in respect. "I trust Female Hero Zhu's character. If you say Yunbei is a good place to go, it surely can't be bad. However, relocating an entire sect is no small matter. I need to consider it thoroughly."

"Sect Leader Que speaks wisely."

Zhu Changle thought the conversation had reached its conclusion and was about to exchange a few polite words before parting ways when she saw Que Long push Ban Lian in front of her. "To learn about Yunbei, we need to send someone trustworthy. Ban Lian is the most suitable."

"Long!" Ban Lian turned back in shock. They had only just gotten together, how could he send her away!

Que Long looked at her steadily. "Now that you're with me, the Dragon-Breaking Sect is your responsibility too. How to keep our brothers alive is my concern, and yours as well."

"Wait, wait," Zhu Changle was a bit confused too. She had ulterior motives, but she hadn't expected them to work this well!

"Didn't I just help you two get together? How did I end up being the one to separate you? Am I being helpful or breaking up a loving couple here?"

Tuntun laughed and teased her, "Hey, hey, Little Zhu, you've used quite a few phrases correctly there."

"Have I ever used them wrong?" Zhu Changle waved him off dismissively. She was starting to feel like crawling into her brother's carriage again. If things turned out like this, she should have come out ahead, right?! But why did she feel something was off? Surely Que Long wasn't planning to send Ban Lian away so he could face Immortal Lady Wen alone?!

For a man who had waited faithfully for ten years, this possibility wasn't entirely out of the question!

"Ban Lian, I need to borrow your Sect Leader for a moment."

The words 'your Sect Leader' made Ban Lian blush slightly. Before she could figure out how to respond, Zhu Changle had already led Que Long away.

She asked him directly, without beating around the bush, "Sect Leader Que, are you trying to send Ban Lian away?"

"That's not the case," Que Long turned to look at the person in the pavilion who was also watching them. "I could storm Falling Flower Valley for her sake, and if I died, that would be the end of it. But as long as I'm alive, I must think of my brothers. Many of them have been with me for twenty years, fighting our way to where we are now. The Dragon-Breaking Sect's current success isn't my achievement alone."

"Let me remind you, there are traitors among you."

"I will clean house thoroughly."

Zhu Changle scratched her head. "Why do I feel like I've done something quite unethical?"

Que Long, who had maintained a stoic expression until now, tugged at the corners of his mouth. "Female Hero Zhu is truly killing several birds with one stone. I admire you."

"No, no, I just let my mind wander a bit," Zhu Changle said modestly, though she seemed quite pleased with herself. Her apparent innocence and straightforwardness were on full display, yet she laid her schemes out in the open for all to see. Whether or not to follow her suggestions was up to you.

Que Long looked towards the couple walking near the carriage, holding their child. The others remained inside the carriage, showing no signs of movement. When he had accepted this job, he was well aware of the Zhu family's status and knew how much court officials looked down on those in the martial arts world. Zhu Maonian must be a capable man to be so feared by the current Prime Minister, yet throughout this journey, the Zhu family seemed to follow Zhu Changle's lead without question, indicating their extraordinary nature.

Moreover, Zhu Changle had Zhong Ningmei behind her. Thinking of this, Que Long felt somewhat regretful. If he had known that the Zhu family's daughter was Zhong Ningmei's disciple, he would never have accepted this job. By now, her identity must have spread, but the sects and organizations that had already accepted the deposit couldn't back out even if they wanted to. Zhong Ningmei was formidable, her reputation undiminished despite her long absence from the jianghu. But the court officials' fearsome nature made them even more reluctant to renege after taking the deposit.

A thousand thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant.

"Ban Lian has been with Immortal Lady Wen for many years. Her perspective is uncommon, and her martial skills are passable. She won't slow down your journey. However, she hasn't traveled far in many years, so I hope you can look after her a bit," Que Long cupped his hands again, entrusting her to Zhu Changle.

"Sect Leader Que, have you forgotten that we've been pursued all along? Even after leaving Wanzhong, we still have several days of travel ahead."

"Surely Female Hero Zhu is not one to take a beating without fighting back."

That made sense. Zhu Changle chuckled, "Then I won't hold back in putting Ban Lian to work."

The corners of Que Long's lips turned up slightly. "If Female Hero Zhu could also help console her a bit, I would be even more grateful."

"That won't be necessary. With endless battles every day, she won't have time to think about all that messy stuff," Zhu Changle said in a low voice. "Some problems only arise when people have too much idle time."

Que Long nodded, seeing the logic in her words. "Then please keep her busy, Female Hero Zhu."

"That's too easy."