Hidden Shadow – CH 156

Chapter One-Hundred-Fifty-Six: Mutual Exploration

An Jiu and Chu Dingjiang carried their food in a food box.

On their way back to their cabin, they saw a woman in purple standing at the bow of the boat. Her robes fluttered in the wind. She wore a black veiled hat, obscuring her face, but her tall, well-proportioned figure and curvaceous body, accentuated by her dress, were undeniably alluring and sexy. This sight made the Song Dynasty men, accustomed to the refined elegance of women, very envious.

Such a woman was rare even in Bianjing, let alone on a ship. Many men on deck, seeking fresh air, wanted to approach her, but seeing that she did not resemble a courtesan, they hesitated.

An Jiu and Chu Dingjiang exchanged a glance, then looked at the woman in purple.

Chu Dingjiang glanced at her indifferently, then turned and went into the cabin with An Jiu.

Neither of them spoke after entering the room. After finishing their meal, An Jiu asked, “Did you notice anything?”

“Liao people.” People from different regions had different temperaments. Chu Dingjiang had fought countless Liao people over the years; even if they were completely covered up, he could tell them apart, let alone this kind of disguise.

He cleared away the dishes, saying softly, “This ship is quite lively.”

When they boarded, the situation on the ship was not this complicated. There were only a few sixth- or seventh-level martial artists hired by the boatman as escorts. This woman must have booked a cabin beforehand and only boarded just before departure.

An Jiu ate her meal inside while Chu Dingjiang returned the dishes.

On his return, he saw the woman in purple still standing at the bow. Unexpectedly, she turned around, meeting his gaze.

Her light veil fluttered slightly, and Chu Dingjiang saw her red lips slightly upturned; she was smiling.

Chu Dingjiang knew she was looking at him, but he still glanced around as if to confirm before bowing and saying, “Could it be an old acquaintance, young lady?”

The woman in purple smiled and gently shook her head.

A thought flashed through Chu Dingjiang’s mind, and he knew she was testing him. Almost every man on the deck wanted to approach her, but her aura of unapproachability kept them at bay. Now that she was making a move, would not any man seize the opportunity?

To advance or retreat, that was the question.

A thought flashed through his mind, and Chu Dingjiang smiled and strode up to her. “Why are you looking at me, young lady?”

“You seem to be from the martial arts world. May I ask which sect you belong to?” the woman in purple asked.

“I am Lin Hu, the head escort of the Weiwu Escort Agency. And you are…?” Chu Dingjiang inquired.

“Bai Lengqiu of the Kunlun Sect,” the woman in purple bowed. “This is my first time entering the pass. I am unfamiliar with the place and its people. I wonder where you are headed. If we are traveling together, could you show me the beauty of Jiangnan?”

The Kunlun Sect was located beyond the pass; she did not deny being a foreigner.

Most people in the martial world were straightforward, so Bai Lengqiu’s request, though abrupt, was not too strange.

“So it is Miss Bai! My apologies for not recognizing you!” Chu Dingjiang had indeed heard that the Kunlun Sect’s closed-door disciple was named Bai Lengqiu, and he was curious. He asked enthusiastically, “Where does Miss Bai wish to go?”

“I’ve heard that the beauty of Suzhou and Hangzhou is only found in heaven, and Kunlun has always been the closest place to the gods. I want to see if Kunlun is more beautiful, or if Suzhou and Hangzhou are more beautiful.” Bai Lengqiu’s voice was slightly hoarse, not very clear, yet incredibly alluring. She spoke with the innocence of a young girl, a sensuality tinged with naivety that only fueled his desire.

“Since we are kindred spirits, I should naturally help you, but I have urgent business to attend to in Hangzhou.” Chu Dingjiang paused slightly. He then changed the subject. “However, I have friends in Jiangning. I will write an invitation to you, young lady. If you come, my friend will certainly take good care of you. I will stay in Hangzhou for three months; you can come back to Hangzhou after you’ve had your fill of Jiangning.”

“Then I will trouble you.” Bai Lengqiu lifted her black veil, revealing her face.

Many men around her were instantly captivated. The woman’s beauty was peculiar. She had long, alluring eyes with deep-set double eyelids and a high nose bridge. Her eyebrows seemed close to her eyes, slightly upturned. Her skin was as white as snow. At first glance, her eyes appeared as black as lacquer, but when illuminated by the lamplight, they shone with a faint dark blue, mingling with the orange glow of the firelight, like pools of water that could be scooped up.

This beauty possessed a serene purity within its richness, a captivating charm with a touch of majesty—a rare kind of beauty. Her appearance certainly did not resemble that of a Liao person.

Chu Dingjiang was stunned for a moment, then suddenly felt a little awkward. “May I ask which room you are staying in, young lady? I will write an invitation and send it to you.”

“Room number four in the Heaven section,” Bai Lengqiu replied.

“Then I will send it to you in a moment.” Chu Dingjiang hesitated, seemingly wanting to leave but reluctant. Finally, he gritted his teeth, bowed, and strode away.

Bai Lengqiu raised her hand and landed on the Heishan, a look of doubt appearing in her dark blue eyes. Could it be that they were not from the Konghe Army…?

Chu Dingjiang entered the cabin, moving swiftly through the narrow corridor, his mind racing.

An Jiu had just finished practicing the Severing Meridian Palm technique when she noticed his unusual expression and asked, “What happened?”

“That woman in purple just approached me, introducing herself as Bai Lengqiu from the Kunlun Sect,” Chu Dingjiang said thoughtfully. “Her appearance does not resemble that of a Liao person, and she was not wearing a human skin mask…”

Nothing seemed to suggest any connection to the Liao Kingdom, but Chu Dingjiang trusted his intuition more. He found paper and pen and wrote a letter, entrusting a friend in Jiangning to take Bai Lengqiu for a few days.

An Jiu sat down opposite him. “I’ve also noticed something.”

Chu Dingjiang paused, waiting for her to continue.

“There’s someone on this ship whose strength I cannot ascertain. I’ve only encountered one person like that so far,” An Jiu said. “It’s the Madman.”

“He was not here when we set sail, but he suddenly appeared just now. It is strange.” An Jiu felt something was amiss and asked him, “What should we do?”

“There are ways to conceal one’s aura. Lu Danzhi is skilled in cunning schemes; it is not surprising he can hide his strength,” Chu Dingjiang said after a moment’s thought. “Do not provoke trouble. If we really confront each other on the ship, we will be at a disadvantage.” Chu Dingjiang was cunning and shrewd; An Jiu did not doubt his decision.

Chu Dingjiang was unaware that his image had suddenly plummeted from a positive, understanding “uncle” to a “cunning and shrewd” one, and he was quite satisfied with An Jiu’s trust.

“Is this woman here to find the Madman? Or is the Madman here to find this woman?” An Jiu asked confidently. “I do not think their appearance on the same ship is a coincidence.”

Chu Dingjiang also strongly suspected that Bai Lengqiu was Yelu Huangwu. No one would expect this mastermind to dare to brazenly come to the Song Dynasty, especially to Bianjing City! But if Yelu Huangwu could devise such a ruthless and ingenious scheme, she might actually have the guts.

If that were the case, he would truly laugh heartily. The fact that Liao people could freely enter and leave the capital showed just how lax the Song Dynasty’s defenses had become.

Footsteps approached from outside. An Jiu glanced at Chu Dingjiang, and then there was a knock on the door.

Chu Dingjiang went to open the door.

An Jiu pressed the hilt of the dagger in her sleeve.

“Brother Lin, would you like a drink?” Bai Lengqiu stood at the door carrying two jars of wine. She had changed out of her purple robes and was now wearing a moon-white wide-sleeved robe. Her black hair was flowing freely, and she was breathtakingly beautiful.

“I am sorry,” Chu Dingjiang turned slightly to let her see An Jiu. “This shipment is a bit special. I really cannot leave.”

The implication was that he was escorting someone.

“Young Brother, if you do not mind, why not join me for a couple of drinks? The moonlight is lovely.” Bai Lengqiu’s personality was nothing like the aloofness her name suggested.

An Jiu was not as good at acting as Chu Dingjiang. If she were testing her, she might quickly slip up. So she shrank back into the shadows, indicating her refusal, leaving it to Chu Dingjiang to fabricate a story.

“He’s a bit withdrawn and does not like being around strangers,” Chu Dingjiang explained.

Bai Lengqiu smiled. She said nonchalantly, “Then I will not force you. I will find Brother Lin for drinks when we get to Hangzhou.”

“Thank you for your understanding, young lady.” Chu Dingjiang cupped his hands in thanks.

“I should be thanking you,” Bai Lengqiu said. “Farewell,” and carried the wine jar to the deck alone.

Chu Dingjiang watched her leave before closing the door.

If this woman were Yelu Huangwu, she was truly too arrogant! Not only did she not hide within the Song Dynasty, but she also dared to test him so directly and boldly! He had initially been a firm believer in his intuition, but after three encounters with her, he began to waver.

Chu Dingjiang’s eyes darkened slightly. He decided that if he still could not confirm the woman’s identity, he would kill her to prevent future trouble.

He held a “better to kill the innocent than let the guilty go free” attitude towards Yelu Huangwu. Some strategists enjoyed the thrill of confrontation, but he only cared about the objective, not the process.

“The madman went to the bow,” An Jiu frowned.

She was very wary of the madman, so she had been watching him closely. Strangely, the madman had not noticed her.

Chu Dingjiang said, “Let’s go take a look.”

An Jiu was also curious. Since the madman’s mental strength was equal to hers, he would have noticed her long ago. Going or not was pointless; she might as well go and see.

The two left the room, and Chu Dingjiang silently led her to the mast.

There were still people coming and going on the ship.

Bai Lengqiu sat cross-legged at the bow of the boat, the wine jar already opened. The madman, clutching the jar, squatted opposite her, sobbing pitifully, “Little Chenzi is dead.”

An Jiu remembered the first time she had kidnapped the imposter Cui Yichen; the madman had even threatened to kill her. Now, his wailing did not seem fake. Chu Dingjiang was right; this madman was not just a martial arts fanatic; he was probably truly insane.

Chu Dingjiang’s heart skipped a beat at the sight. He wrapped his arm around An Jiu’s waist and quietly left. He was almost certain this woman was Yelu Huangwu.

Chu Dingjiang lowered his voice, “This woman has been testing us relentlessly, and now she openly acknowledges the madman, showing no fear of being exposed. She either underestimates our strength or has murderous intent.”

Yelu Huangwu, capable of wreaking havoc on the Konghe Army, was no ordinary person. When she discovered him and An Jiu, she must have had suspicions, but like him, she could not be certain. She would likely choose to kill the innocent rather than let the guilty go free.

Chu Dingjiang feigned compliance because the enemy had too many men and there were so many innocent people on the ship; it was best not to fight on board. But if forced into a corner, he could not care less about that.

“I am afraid a battle is inevitable,” Chu Dingjiang said, looking at An Jiu. “It’s not too late to escape now.”

Although he said this, An Jiu saw fighting spirit in his eyes. After a moment’s thought, she said, “Fight.”