Finest Servant

Chapter 444 The Telescope

It was a rare peaceful night. Holding Ning Yuxi's delicate and boneless body close to him, Lin Wanrong felt exceptionally calm and, unknowingly, drifted into sleep. When he woke early the next morning, Fairy Ning's figure was nowhere to be found. The room was immaculate, a faint fragrance wafting through the air, inducing a sense of tranquility.

After dozing contentedly for a short while and still not seeing Ning Yuxi, he wondered where she might be. Lin Wanrong got up, freshened up, and slowly walked towards the mouth of the cave.

Dawn was breaking. A myriad of rays burst through the fog in the east. The clouds that rested between two peaks gradually dispersed, making the opposite scene still somewhat blurry, but visibility had significantly improved.

Stretching luxuriously, Lin Wanrong was about to wash his face in a hot spring when, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a figure of transcendent beauty standing atop a towering rock in the distance. Her form was slender, her posture graceful. The morning breeze caressed her flowing hair, and dewdrops clung to her cheeks, shimmering in the dim morning light with a kaleidoscope of colors.

Elated, Lin Wanrong hastily scooped up some spring water to splash his face, then leaped atop the rock, exclaiming, "Fairy Sister, you're out enjoying the scenery? Why didn't you call me—huh, what is this?"

Beneath the rock was a large pile of dry wood, tightly stacked, evidently collected by Ning Yuxi herself. A faint scent of lamp oil emanated from the branches. Lin Wanrong's expression changed, and he hesitated, "Sister, what are you doing?"

Ning Yuxi gently stroked her hair, gazing at him with a tender smile. Her eyes hinted at both pain and relief, "You once said that fairness is important in life. I don't wish to put Qingxuan in a difficult position, nor you. So, let's be fair and leave our fate to Heaven—" Her eyelids dropped, tears sparkling in her eyes. She slowly reached into her robe and produced a match, identical to the one she had thrown off the cliff the day before.

‘So, Fairy Sister was only scaring me. She actually had two matches with her all along,’ Lin Wanrong thought, a myriad of emotions washing over him. Just then, he heard a soft "snap" as the match ignited. Ning Yuxi's eyelashes quivered, and a silent tear dropped. Before Lin Wanrong could react, she raised her slender hand, and the burning match fell onto the pile of dry wood.

With a "whoosh," the lamp oil quickly ignited, setting the dry wood aflame. Thick, black smoke billowed into the sky, visible from miles away. The fire illuminated Ning Yuxi's beautiful face, casting a heartbreaking pallor over it.

"You fool, what are you doing?" Through her tearful eyes, she saw Lin Wanrong frantically jump down from the rock, stomping on the burning wood, trying to put out the flames. Ning Yuxi was taken aback. With a light step, she swooped past him, pulling him back several feet before coming to a stop.

Looking at his tattered pants, smoke-blackened legs, and arms—his face even had some ash smears—Ning Yuxi clutched his hand tightly. Before she could speak, tears uncontrollably fell, "You fool, do you not value your life?"

"Sister, do you realize what you're doing?" Lin Wanrong muttered, seemingly oblivious to her words.

Ning Yuxi clenched her red lips tightly and nodded silently. "The hardest thing in this world is fairness. I have brought you to the pinnacle of this isolated peak where few tread. But to Qingxuan and the others, that is profoundly unfair, and it unsettles my heart. Given that, I'll make a bet with the heavens. If they cannot find a way to save you, then I win, and I will have no more guilt. Then, we can spend our lives together here, happy as immortals!"

The mountain wind tousled her long hair. With an unwavering look on her face, she gritted her teeth and continued, "But if they do find a way, then I lose and—"

"And what?" Lin Wanrong suddenly gripped her small hand, glared into her eyes, and loudly asked.

"I, I don't know." Seeing his resolute expression, Ning Yuxi's heart softened. She gently nestled into his arms, tears flowing freely as she whispered, "Don't force me, you scoundrel. I've entrusted my fate to the heavens so that I can live at peace with myself, to pass my own internal test. Otherwise, even if I'm with you, my heart will never be free, and I'll be miserable for the rest of my life."

Ning Yuxi was not exaggerating. Such was her nature; without resolving her inner turmoil, she would never know happiness.

Lin Wanrong felt a sharp pain in his heart and shook his head, sighing, "Sister, you've left one loop only to become ensnared in another. Why make things so difficult? Getting off this mountain is far from impossible; the way we came—"

"What did you say?" Ning Yuxi interrupted, surprised.

Lin Wanrong shook his head with a bitter smile, saying nothing. Ning Yuxi buried her face in his chest and softly said, "I know, with your intelligence, you must have already figured out a way. But I don't care. Win or lose, I've already fallen into the mortal world and can never return. What I am doing is giving Qingxuan a chance, as well as giving myself one, so that I can justly pursue what I want. Scoundrel, can you understand me?"

Could he understand? Despite Lin Wanrong's usual eloquence, he found himself at a loss for words. The kindling fire roared brighter and brighter, casting flickering shadows on his face. A mixture of joy and sorrow surged in his heart, leaving him speechless for a long time.

After saying her piece, Ning Yuxi seemed as if she had shed all her burdens, her expression inexplicably light. She looked at him and smiled tenderly, whispering, "Don't worry about me. Although you've thought of a solution, Qingxuan across from us has no idea. How many people in this world could match your intellect? I may not necessarily lose!"

"It wouldn't matter even if you did lose!" Lin Wanrong leaned in to kiss her cherry lips, suddenly breaking into laughter. "You might not believe it, but my existence in this world is a great miracle. There's nothing I can't do. What I'm best at is turning the impossible into the possible. For instance, we will definitely have a large family with seven sons and eight daughters, and this will not change with time—"

"You shameless scoundrel!" Ning Yuxi gently spat, her cheeks flushing crimson as she nestled closer in his arms, ineffably shy.

"General Lin—Thousand-Forsake Peak—General Lin—Thousand-Forsake Peak—" Just as the two were enjoying a sweet moment, a synchronized shout suddenly came from the cliff opposite them. The sky was clear, and in the distance, one could vaguely see countless soldiers standing on the peak, shouting in unison toward their location. Soon after, a deep voice carried over on the wind: "General Lin, General Lin—"

"It's Brother Hu!" Lin Wanrong quickly stood up.

The weather was splendid, and the clouds were thin. Ning Yuxi, with her remarkable skills, squinted her eyes and noticed a massive bamboo tube like a horn set up on the opposing peak. Only through this tube could their voices carry so far.

"We know you're on Thousand-Forsake Peak, rest assured. With tens of thousands of us brothers, even if we have to build a human ladder, we will bring you down. The northern nomads are rampant; the blood of our brothers is boiling, waiting only for you to lead us north to slay the enemy and bring honor to our country! For the General, my brothers, charge—"

A sudden burst of cannon fire erupted from below, followed by countless soldiers rushing out, setting up ladders against the sheer cliff. Numerous dark spots started to climb the ladders toward the summit.

"Hu Bugui, tell them to stop, tell them to stop! Those are our brothers' lives, damn it! Are you out of your mind? Out of your mind—" Lin Wanrong roared, his eyes bloodshot, his fists clenched so tightly they seemed as if they'd shatter. But his voice was too soft to reach the other side.

Ning Yuxi gently took his hand and sighed softly, "With so many brave men guarding you, you are indeed an extraordinary person. Do you really intend to go north to the frontline to fight the nomads?"

Lin Wanrong felt a surge of passion, clenched his teeth and said, "With brothers treating me this way, if I don't go, I’m no longer human!"

"Stop speaking nonsense." Ning Yuxi covered his mouth, her face periodically turning pale, then shouted, "Hu Bugui on the opposite cliff, listen! General Lin orders you to immediately withdraw troops and not to waste the lives of soldiers. Disobey, and face military law!"

Her skills were unparalleled; her voice carried far and floated over to the opposite cliff. Hu Bugui was overjoyed, "Your subordinate obeys the order. Withdraw the troops. Withdraw the troops! The General orders a retreat!"

Lin Wanrong grasped Ning Yuxi's hand and expressed his gratitude, "Sister, I thank you on behalf of these brothers!"

Ning Yuxi nestled into his arms, her tears falling freely as she choked up, "Don't thank me; I don't even know if this is right or wrong."

"Master—" A frantic female voice came from the other side. Lin Wanrong clearly recognized it as Qingxuan’s voice. Miss Xiao's voice carried a hint of choking, "Master, My Dear, don't worry. Miss Xu will be here shortly. I’ll definitely find a way to get you down."

"It’s Qingxuan!" Ning Yuxi mumbled, her expression intermittently blank, unsure how to respond.

Lin Wanrong’s mind raced. He understood in a flash that Hu Bugui’s earlier move to set up the ladders must have been instigated by Qingxuan. Being Fairy Ning’s disciple, she naturally understood Ning Yuxi’s character and used this as a bait to confirm whether the two were on the cliff.

"Master, Master, it’s Xiangjun. I miss you so much!" Another immature female voice came from the other side, "Please wait a moment. My senior sister and I will bring you down shortly. First, you should beat up that man who bullied my senior sister!"

Lin Wanrong was caught between laughter and tears. Just as he was about to speak, holding onto Fairy Sister's hand, he noticed her face turning increasingly pale and cried out in alarm, "Sister, what's wrong with you?"

Ning Yuxi covered her cheek, a tear quietly falling. "Rascal, did I... did I do something wrong? Hearing their voices makes me feel like a sinner."

Lin Wanrong quickly pulled her into his embrace, "Sister, you've done nothing wrong, and neither has Qingxuan. Although the situation is somewhat complex, it's not without a solution. Like you said, this is a gamble with the heavens; win or lose, you can still find peace within yourself."

After a moment of silence, Ning Yuxi spoke softly, "Then I shall say nothing now—Rascal, I'm afraid I might lose."

"There's nothing to fear if you lose," Lin Wanrong reassured her, "I've told you, there's nothing I can't do. I swore to make you my wife, so—"

Before he could finish, her soft lips suddenly sealed his. The tender sensation made his heart quiver. Feeling Fairy Sister's burning, trembling body against his, Lin Wanrong felt a pang of emotion. This fallen celestial being, emotionally even more fragile than a mortal, would be a tragedy to abandon.

"Senior Sister, what did you see? Did you see our Master? Let me look too!" Seeing her sister's pale face, Li Xiangjun stretched out her small hand, trying to snatch the mysterious object from Miss Xiao.

Suppressing her tears, Miss Xiao quickly put the object away, saying flatly, "I saw nothing. Perhaps Master has gone to rest."

Luo Ning wiped her own tears and pleaded, "What about big brother?! Can you see him? Sister, let me have just one glance! I haven't seen him for days; I wonder if he's gained or lost weight?"

Miss Xiao clenched the object tightly, almost biting her lips until they bled, as she turned her head away and tears fell, "I can't see him either, probably he's resting too. Don't worry, both he and Master are perfectly fine."

Luo Ning quickly hugged her, "Sister, why are you crying? You can't afford to ruin your health after finally finding your husband!"

"Ning'er, I'm fine," said Xiao Qingxuan, leaning on Luo Ning's shoulder. Her spirit felt incredibly weak, and her shoulders trembled as she sobbed, "I just miss him after not seeing him for a few days, this damn scoundrel—"

Confused by her words, Luo Ning patted her shoulder for comfort, "Sister, I hate big brother too, but I also miss him terribly. When he comes back, we'll both ignore him."

"Ignore him," Xiao Qingxuan murmured, but there wasn't a shred of conviction in her voice.

Li Xiangjun, watching the two of them sobbing, couldn't help but pout, "Senior Sister, what is this thing in your hand you called a 'telescope'? Can it really see Master or are you fooling me?"

At the mention of the telescope, Luo Ning also became interested, her eyes fixed on Xiao Qingxuan. Miss Xiao gave a bitter smile, "I wish I could see nothing with it—This telescope is a foreign object from the West. It was gifted to Father by a Frenchman named Tavernier just yesterday. He said it can see for miles. Father had it sent to me overnight. But who knew—this damn thing—"

Xiao Qingshuan choked on her words, unable to continue. Luo Ning and Li Xiangjun looked at each other in confusion. Who was her sister scolding?

Sensing that the atmosphere had turned tense, Luo Ning hurriedly spoke up, "Right, where is Qiaoqiao? She went to invite Sister Xu. Why haven't we heard anything? Could it be that she refused to come?"

"This audacious woman, daring to defy even my senior sister's words," Li Xiangjun abruptly stood up. "I'll go and kill her!"

Luo Ning jumped in surprise and quickly waved her hands to stop him. Miss Xiao shot Li Xiangjun a stern glance and sighed softly, "It's likely that Qiaoqiao failed to invite her. This Miss Xu does have a rather strong personality." She clenched her teeth and declared, "I'll go invite her myself."

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