Who among the gangsters wants to fall in love?

Chapter 458 Twin Flowers Bloom, Two Pairs of Masters and Disciples

As dusk fell, the city of Baihuo, situated in an oasis, was already cool, and the temperature was pleasantly comfortable with the setting sun.

Flowers are planted outside every house along the street, making this place more like a flower city than a desert city.

Zhao Wumian picked a pretty flower and gave it to Xiao Yuanmu, leaving a pot of water as a gift.

The two walked along the long street made of white stone. The inner city was beautiful. As dusk fell, yellow lights lit up the streets and alleys, but the number of pedestrians had shrunk considerably.

Xiao Yuanmu held a white flower between her fingers, pinning it to her lapel. This was the only luxury she had enjoyed on her trip to the Western Regions. In a good mood, she murmured:

"Besides Shen Tu Bu Zui, there is another master in the temple whose martial arts are no less than mine... Who do you think it is?"

"Besides Uudam, are there any other candidates?"

"At this moment, the Rong people and the Western Regions allied forces are besieging Xiliang Pass. Why is Udam not stationed in the central army to oversee the overall situation, but instead has come to Baihuo City?" Xiao Yuanmu frowned slightly and looked sideways with curiosity.

Zhao Wumian was also surprised. Shen Tu Buzui was able to send people to steal silver coins from Uudam's hometown during the alliance period. Was Uudam really that magnanimous?
He pondered for a moment before asking softly, "Perhaps in Uudam's heart, killing me is more important than the mere Xiliang region."

"Did he know you were coming?"

"not bad."

“Shentu Buzui said that you came to the Western Regions, which means you walked into a trap. He must have made arrangements for you... It seems that Uudam is the spy.”

"A spy?" Zhao Wumian turned around and looked.

The top of the temple was higher than the inner city wall. The setting sun fell behind the temple, and a dense, blood-red halo of light seeped out from the gaps in the eaves of the palace, oppressive and heavy, showing no trace of the panic and vigilance that Xiao Yuanmu had shown during his earlier rampage.

"If he really wanted to use you as a spy to ambush and assassinate me, he wouldn't have attacked you just now, instead causing himself to be exposed."

"So that expert wasn't Uudam?" Xiao Yuanmu's handsome brows furrowed even deeper as he racked his brains, trying to recall what other experts might exist in the Western Regions.

The first Prince of Dingyuan was quite skilled in martial arts, on par with Emperor Hong Tiangou, and it is indeed possible that he is still alive today.

“No, he is Uudam.” Zhao Wumian withdrew his gaze. “He’s that kind of person. Even if I knew he was in Baihuo City, it wouldn’t matter to him.”

"Why?"

“Because he knew I would come, so he didn’t need to hide. With his pride, he wouldn’t stoop to hiding in the shadows to ambush me… He wanted to defeat me head-on,” Zhao Wumian said softly.

Xiao Yuanmu glanced at him, not surprised at all, and asked, "When do you plan to storm the Holy Temple?"

"Of course, it's the fire worship ceremony."

"Why?"

"Killing Shentu is not a crime against Uudam; it can only be considered settling a personal score. Only by openly killing them on a special occasion like the Fire Worship Ceremony can we announce to the world that the Western Regions have been pacified, stabilize the morale of the army, and that the Jade Gate Pass has been breached. The court needs a victory report..."

Zhao Wumian raised his head slightly, his tone calm, and continued:

"And to tell the world that I am now the undisputed number one in the martial arts world."

Xiao Yuanmu, being a top figure in the martial arts world, naturally understood his lover's mindset.

With Zhao Wumian's current martial arts skills, there is no need for her to hide or engage in petty scheming. This is a change in mentality brought about by martial arts. If it were Xiao Yuanmu, she would make the same choice.

For Zhao Wumian, stabilizing morale was secondary; the latter was the most important thing.

Shen Tu Bu Zui thought this was a sure thing, and joined forces with Uudam to kill Zhao Wumian.

Alright, Zhao Wumian not only did not retreat, but instead took the initiative to draw his sword and go to the palace to confront Shen Tu Bu Zui and Wuda Mu head-on.

“Back then, Luo Shuzhi also made some arrangements for Uudam in Taiyuan... and you and Uudam made the same choice.” Xiao Yuanmu said with a sigh, but did not stop him.

Zhao Wumian and Uudam were, in a sense, kind of kindred spirits.

If they want to kill someone, they will never hide it unless absolutely necessary. Instead, they will confront the other party head-on in their area of ​​expertise.

Zhao Wumian defeated Dao Kui, fought Qiang Kui, and killed Wuxiang Huang, all in this way.

To win a battle and prove oneself superior, one must be better than the opponent in every aspect. This is both arrogance and a demanding requirement of oneself.

I am determined not to leave myself any weaknesses, otherwise I wouldn't be considered a top figure in the martial arts world.

This is the tacit understanding between two peak martial artists.

At this point, Xiao Yuanmu's tone couldn't help but carry a hint of worry.

"That being said, Shentu Buzui's strength was roughly equal to your strength before you lost your memory. Now, more than a year has passed, and it's unknown how much he has improved. But Udamu should not be underestimated. Now that the two of them have joined forces..."

Xiao Yuanmu was about to say, "I'll brave any danger with you. If we join forces, we'll be a husband-and-wife team, and we'll definitely be no match for them."

Zhao Wumian immediately raised his hand and sneered.

"They wanted to kill me, but chose to join forces. It's simply because they felt their swords weren't fast enough, putting them at a disadvantage mentally. Even if it's one against two, what does it matter?"

?

Xiao Yuanmu suddenly got angry, turned around and left.

He's usually so eloquent, so why is he so clueless about romance right now... you idiot.

……

As the sun completely set and the moon rose above the trees, a secluded courtyard in the inner city was completely silent, serene and pleasant, with wisps of smoke rising into the sky and a few whispers carried on the wind.

"Alas, back in Jin, we didn't have the leisure to cook or light a fire. We were so afraid of losing our legs when we were trying to escape."

"Hmm... Why hasn't the young master returned yet?"

"Young master, young master, all you do is talk about him. Right now, he's probably completely infatuated with that vixen Xiao Yuanmu, sneaking off to the inn to eat alone..."

"Alright then, don't be fooled by Master's top-notch martial arts skills. When he's on the bed, his stamina is even worse than Princess Xiangzhu's. He's always exhausted after just a few moves. Later tonight, when His Majesty is watching him and the young master..."

"Pah, pah, pah, what filthy talk you're giving me... How could I be that shameless vixen Xiao Yuanmu?"

Luo Chaoyan and Su Qingqi were already cooking in the kitchen. Meng Po, dressed in a red dress with an exotic flair and bulging collar, stood in the courtyard, gazing in the direction of the temple. Her eyes were unconsciously drawn to the cooking smoke, and her expression became somewhat strange.

No matter how many times I look at it, I still can't believe that this youthful and lively young lady is actually the Empress of Dali... Look at her chatting like this now, she doesn't look like an emperor at all, she's just a jealous little woman.

Ji Zihuai sat outside in the courtyard, carrying a deck chair, and sat under the sunshade to cool off.

With their wealth, they certainly didn't need to be monitored by the Holy Church at the inn. Even if they only stayed in Baihuo City for a short time, they spent a fortune to buy a property and lived a carefree life.

Even the sunshade was covered in flowers.

The little white snake was fast asleep, coiled on its mother's lap. Suddenly, it became alert, raised its eyes, and stood up, gazing out towards the courtyard.

Meng Po and Ji Zihuai looked over and saw Zhao Wumian climb over the courtyard wall, with Xiao Yuanmu following closely behind.

The two women glanced at the small white flower on Xiao Yuanmu's lapel before looking away, seemingly lost in thought.

Meng Po approached, slightly puzzled, "There was some commotion at the Fire Worship Temple just now..."

“Yuanmu and Shentu Buzui and Uudam exchanged a few blows, testing each other before engaging in a full-blown fight. Otherwise, tonight would have been the night of their deaths…”

Zhao Wumian untied the cloak, and Meng Po raised her hand to take it from him, but then she felt that this would make her seem so virtuous and gentle. She was not Zhao Wumian's wife, so she paused.

The next moment, Luo Chaoyan came out of the kitchen, took the cloak from Zhao Wumian, and looked him up and down, "Are you alright?"

Meng Po silently lowered her raised hand, whether out of regret or annoyance, she let out a soft hum and went to sit down in the shade of a tree to drink water.

“I didn’t even go to that palace… But since Udam is also in Baihuo City, it saves me trouble. I don’t need to kill Shentu Buzui and then go looking for him. I’ve been looking into Jiu’er’s whereabouts these past few days. I haven’t come to the Western Regions to inquire about her in all these years.”

Luo Chaoyan nodded slightly, her tone smiling, "Once we quell the war in Xiliang and recover the Western Regions, we'll have plenty of manpower to find Jiu'er for you... Hmm, once we find her, what should I call her? Mother?"

“I don’t even call her ‘mother’ myself… I just call her ‘sister’.”

Zhao Wumian and Luo Chaoyan chatted casually for a few minutes, then Xiao Yuanmu approached and looked at Meng Po.

"What are you doing?" Meng Po's tone was slightly annoyed, always suspecting that Xiao Yuanmu was showing off the little gift Zhao Wumian had given her... a flower that she had picked casually on the street.

"If you don't return to the Holy Sect soon, Shentu Buzui will definitely become suspicious," Xiao Yuanmu warned.
"Don't even mention what kind of relationship you have with Zhao Wumian. At least on the surface, you are Meng Po of the Holy Sect, and he is Weiming Marquis of the Imperial Court. You've been lingering here, hanging out together... What? You want Zhao Wumian to taste the pleasures of a Western Region woman tonight?"

Meng Po straightened up, not caring about Xiao Yuanmu's lewd words, and realized... Oh right, why had she been with Zhao Wumian all this time?
At this moment, Shen Tu Bu Zui wanted to kill Zhao Wu Mian, which was a sensitive time, and even the slightest abnormality would arouse suspicion.

"No rush, let's talk about it after dinner."

Instead, Luo Chaoyan tried to persuade her to stay. Xiao Yuanmu glanced at her, thinking that this little empress was just bored and simply trying to argue with her. Then he heard Luo Chaoyan say:
"After Meng Po returns, she should prepare to take charge of the Holy Sect as soon as possible."

"To take charge of the Holy Sect?" Meng Po tilted her head slightly.

"Once Shentu Buzui dies, the morale of the Western Regions army will surely be thrown into chaos. It will only be a matter of time before the court recaptures Yumen Pass and launches a counterattack on the Western Regions. However, how to govern the Western Regions after its recovery is a problem. Based on the court's experience in managing the Jin region and the Central Plains, it will certainly not be appropriate."

"The so-called 'adapting to local conditions' approach is best to first appoint you, the current leader of the Holy Sect, as the King of the Western Regions, so that you can continue to suppress the various forces in the Western Regions. Then, we can gradually place civil and military officials in the imperial court. This is the safest approach."

Upon hearing this, Meng Po couldn't help but glance at Zhao Wumian first. Luo Chaoyan's words were undoubtedly very tempting; whenever Meng Po returned to the Central Plains, she would always bring back a few starving barbarian girls.

Not for profit, but simply because I can't bear to see them suffer.

If she herself could become some kind of Western Regions King, it would obviously be of immense benefit to this matter.

But if that's the case, she'll basically be tied to the Western Regions for the rest of her life, and she probably won't see Zhao Wumian more than a few times a year...

Meng Po hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do, and could only try to brush it off for now.

Luo Chaoyan didn't urge her. Although Meng Po was a suitable candidate, if she was unwilling, she could simply choose another candidate.

During dinner, Meng Po was absent-minded and even after she finished eating and left, she was still lost in thought.

After leaving the villa, she wandered the streets, pondering to herself, still wanting to discuss things with Zhao Wumian.

If Zhao Wumian also didn't want the two of them to be separated by thousands of miles, then she would have no choice but to reluctantly accept the title of so-called King of the Western Regions... After all, the pillow talk of Marquis Weiming was definitely more effective than any so-called king of a different surname.

With this thought in mind, Meng Po immediately felt clear-headed, her steps light, and she flew back to the courtyard.

The courtyard was silent, the doors and windows were locked, and even the candles were extinguished...

?

Meng Po was taken aback. She listened intently and could vaguely hear subtle movements inside the room.

"Xiao Yuanmu, what do you mean!? My husband is cultivating with our master for the sake of our master's health..."

"You pronounce the word 'husband' quite fluently."

"So what? I'm his lawfully wedded wife, the one he married in a wedding ceremony, unlike you... heh..."

After a few casual words, the room suddenly fell silent, followed by the soft rustling of clothes being undressed.

Luo Chaoyan suddenly groaned in pain, her teeth clenched, but her voice was dazed.

Meng Po's beautiful eyes widened suddenly, and she immediately wanted to rush in and catch them in the act. But then she remembered that she and Zhao Wumian had no relationship. They had kissed, but nothing came of it afterward.

Zhao Wumian and his lawfully wedded wife have a perfectly legitimate relationship; it's only right that he's with her. I'm in the wrong...

But for some reason, Meng Po felt a nameless anger in her heart... It was fine to call him "husband" all the time, but now that night had just fallen, she was so eager to climb into Zhao Wumian's bed.
Empress? Bah! She's nothing but a woman with multiple identities and multiple interests.

Meng Po's cheeks puffed out roundly, but she didn't know why she was standing there like a fool outside the courtyard. She couldn't help but touch her bosom, probably wanting to take out some musical instrument and play a tune called "The Phoenix Seeks Its Mate".

But as soon as she took out the flute, she suddenly exerted force with her delicate hand, and with a 'crack', the flute broke in two.

No, I can't swallow this.

Meng Po's bright green eyes darted around, and an idea came to her.

The doors and windows inside were tightly shut, and the lights had long since been extinguished silently.

Inside the curtained room, she lay on Zhao Wumian's chest, her breath sweet as orchids, her face flushed red.

Xiao Yuanmu and Su Qingqi were by his side.
When she was completely exhausted, she wrapped her arms around her lover's neck, kissed him on the face, rolled over to her side, wrapped herself in layers of blankets, and breathed heavily.

"Ben, young lady, rest for a while. Go and find Chaoyan..."

Before he could finish speaking, Xiao Yuanmu strode over, lifted the curtain, kicked off his embroidered shoes, revealing himself in white socks, and tied up his ink-black hair. Luo Chaoyan, who was standing nearby blushing, froze instantly, her mouth agape:
"Xiao Yuanmu, you..."

The two women had barely exchanged a few words when Xiao Yuanmu and Zhao Wumian paused, glanced outside, and whispered to each other:
"Why is Meng Po back...?"

Zhao Wumian got up and dressed, thinking that Meng Po had something urgent to attend to. However, Luo Chaoyan was slightly taken aback when she heard this. She then snorted coldly, kicked off her embroidered shoes, pressed down on her husband's shoulders, and straddled his lap.

Zhao Wumian looked puzzled... There were people outside, when did Luo Chaoyan become so bold?

Luo Chaoyan lightly bit her red lips, her pretty face slightly flushed, and her small hand reached out from under her skirt to reveal a piece of fine clothing, just like the Empress Dowager, and covered Zhao Wumian's eyes.

Xiao Yuanmu looked at the young empress with great interest. As a woman himself, he naturally knew what Luo Chaoyan was thinking.

Doesn't Meng Po like to seduce her husband? Fine, tonight we'll let you eavesdrop and make you furious.

Xiao Yuanmu, unusually, shared the same thought as Luo Chaoyan, said nothing more, and even found it amusing.

Luo Chaoyan couldn't stand Xiao Yuanmu's scrutiny, and glared at her, "You close your eyes too..."

Before she could finish speaking, she let out another soft moan and collapsed...

Su Qingqi, being the most innocent, couldn't understand what Xiao Yuanmu and Luo Chaoyan meant at all, and her eyes were blank.

Suddenly, the door swung open. Zhao Wumian reacted quickly, putting on his robe and pulling the curtains tighter. He then peeked in and was taken aback.

"Meng Po...wait?"

Luo Chaoyan lay sprawled on the couch, breathing rapidly, but her expression was languid and carefree, even with a hint of a smile.

Hmm, Meng Po is getting impatient...

She took a few breaths and peeked out to take a look.

Yan Rongfei stood outside the door, wrapped in a pure white cloak, her face expressionless.

The room fell into an instant silence.

Yan Rongfei... is actually Meng Po in disguise.

She had no excuse to catch them in the act and interrupt them. Wasn't her own master good enough? She also had to thank her junior sister, Kaiyuan.

Yan Rongfei closed the door, stepped inside, and let out a cold laugh.
"You, Zhao Wumian, how can you have such leisure and pleasure in the Western Regions, a land of tigers and wolves? It seems I have come at the wrong time... How can you indulge in such debauchery and do justice to my two disciples?"

It's one thing to be sorry to Shen Xiangge, but what about being sorry to Meng Po?
This statement is clearly driven by personal motives.

Zhao Wumian was surprised that Meng Po would disguise herself to cause trouble, and couldn't help but find it amusing, and even more so, she found the little Hu girl adorable.

As Yan Rongfei approached, he reached out and pulled her to sit on his lap. "No, you've come at the perfect time."

"!?" Yan Rongfei was caught off guard by such shamelessness and was momentarily flustered.

Zhao Wumian raised an eyebrow slightly, and Meng Po's buttocks were pert and shapely, but the specific feelings were naturally different from Yan Rongfei's. Now, Meng Po had disguised herself hastily, only changing her face...

Thinking of this, Zhao Wumian's smile deepened, and he gently stroked Meng Po's slender waist.

"Since you're already here, why don't you, Lady Canghua, teach me a lesson on behalf of your two disciples?"

Meng Po realized she had gone too far, but she couldn't bring herself to admit that she was Meng Po and not Yan Rongfei. However, the stares from Luo Chaoyan, Xiao Yuanmu, and the others around her made her feel uneasy.

"Hmm, it's good that you know you're wrong, I'll still..."

Before Meng Po could finish speaking, she had Zhao Wumian's large hand slide into her collar, then she took the initiative to lift her chin and lean closer.

Boo!
Meng Po's pupils widened instantly, thinking to herself, "This damned junior sister, what does she usually do with Zhao Wumian using her master's identity? How come she's so adept at it the moment she sees her master's face?"

"Woo..."

crunch————

Meng Po blinked and lost her strength. Then, with two 'thuds,' a pair of embroidered shoes fell to the ground, revealing Meng Po's small feet clad in white socks.

Zhao Wumian played with the soft, warm feet of the Western Region demoness, then slowly climbed up.

"Hey! You, you! Stop..."

He drank the Meng Po soup...

"Zhao Wumian, you, you're bullying me! Bah!"

After an unknown amount of time, several loud clanging sounds suddenly came from inside the tightly closed room. Meng Po, who had somehow regained her original appearance, with disheveled clothes and a flushed face, flew out of the courtyard in a panic and disappeared into the vast night in the blink of an eye.

"What is she here for?" Luo Chaoyan, having regained some strength, chuckled slightly as she leaned against the couch.

"Who cares about her?" Xiao Yuanmu lifted her lover's chin and straddled him.

Luo Chaoyan's expression instantly turned cold, and she lunged at Xiao Yuanmu with bared teeth and claws.

"You've already sneaked a bite today, are you never going to stop?"

"Who told you I've already eaten?"

The two women were playfully bickering inside the curtained room. Su Qingqi, who had been watching from the side, felt her body go weak. After locking the doors and windows again, she tiptoed onto the soft couch as well.

The sounds of playful fighting never stopped, and before we knew it, dawn was breaking.

(End of this chapter)