The Yi Ren were subdued.
Meng Qing Hua reassumed control of the Yi Jing Pavilion.
Meng Zhi Yuan, in his crippled state, was confined to the Yi Jing Pavilion's penal servitude for errant slaves.
Concurrently, it was revealed that the Yi Ren who had followed Meng Zhi Yuan were coerced by him, with threats against his own wife and children, to serve him.
Among these transgressions, he had privately colluded with unsavory martial arts figures, using the "Yi Jing" as a lure, and extorted vast sums of silver from powerful merchants for what he termed "destiny."
He even went so far as to distort the incantations of formations within the "Yi Jing," causing individuals to pay exorbitant prices for these secrets.
Furthermore, Meng Zhi Yuan had extended his avaricious reach into the capital.
With numerous crimes exposed, Meng Zhi Yuan was cursed by all the Yi Ren within the Yi Jing Pavilion.
At this juncture, Meng Qing Hua, as the Pavilion Master, first rescued the elderly, infirm, and disabled who had been secretly imprisoned by Meng Zhi Yuan, and then, in his capacity as the Yi Jing Pavilion Master, made a public announcement.
He declared that the Yi Jing Pavilion would no longer peddle its formation incantations for ulterior motives, and would also reclaim any erroneous formation incantations that had spread throughout the world.
Meng Qing Hua was occupied with these matters at the Yi Jing Pavilion for several days.
During this period.
Gu Qian Ying and the others prepared to depart.
On this day, Meng Qing Hua prepared a lavish meal to bid farewell to his friends.
Within the private chamber.
Nangong Mo sat close to Gu Qian Ying.
One was clad in snow-white robes, the other in a crimson dress.
Red and white complemented each other beautifully.
On the other side were Nangong Li, Du Chun, and Laura Yata.
Meng Yi and Lu Zhu served them.
Nangong Li, in black robes, was handsome and dashing.
Du Chun was still in white, with a lock of white hair.
Laura Yata wore a blue dress, her appearance delicate.
The group sat around the table, chatting and laughing, drinking heartily.
"Qian Ying, I toast you with this cup. Thank you."
Meng Qing Hua raised his wine goblet, stood, and faced Gu Qian Ying.
His words of "thank you" were sincere and earnest.
"Why be so formal with me?"
As she was pregnant, it was not advisable for her to drink alcohol.
Gu Qian Ying picked up the grape wine offered by Nangong Mo and accepted Meng Qing Hua's thanks.
Next were Nangong Mo, Nangong Li, Du Chun, and Laura Yata.
After expressing his gratitude and completing the toasts, Meng Qing Hua inquired about Gu Qian Ying and the others' onward journey.
Although they had discussed it earlier, some details had not been clarified.
Following a period of discussion, they once again drank and celebrated heartily.
By the time the banquet concluded, it was nearing dusk.
And Gu Qian Ying and the others departed the Yi Jing Pavilion after dusk.
However, as they exited the peach blossom forest, a petite figure appeared and blocked Du Chun's path.
"Wait a moment, Young Master Du."
Meng Xiang Xiang, dressed in vibrant attire, ran over with her maid.
She ran somewhat hastily, her voice unsteady, her cheeks flushed.
Having finally stopped, she nearly lost her footing due to a small pebble.
As she almost fell, Du Chun quickly caught her.
"Are you alright?"
Du Chun's voice was calm.
Yet, seeing Meng Xiang Xiang's adorable appearance, with a few beads of sweat on her long eyelashes from running too quickly,
He felt a flicker of unusual emotion, but concealed it well.
"Young Master Du, Xiang Xiang knows you are leaving. Xiang Xiang will not stop you, but... Young Master Du, could you please take these things with you."
As she spoke, Meng Xiang Xiang beckoned to the maid who had followed.
The maid quickly opened the bundle she carried.
Inside were a fragrant sachet, a finely crafted adult male robe, and a pair of clean, neat boot heads.
"What is this...?"
Du Chun looked at the contents of the bundle and was taken aback.
"Young Master Du, these are gifts from Xiang Xiang. Xiang Xiang made them herself. My needlework isn't very good, but this is Xiang Xiang's heartfelt intention. Young Master Du, please accept them. Consider it... consider it Xiang Xiang repaying your life-saving grace on behalf of my brother."
With that, Meng Xiang Xiang tied up the bundle and handed it directly to Du Chun.
"Young Master Du, I hope we meet again."
As Meng Xiang Xiang left, she glanced back at Du Chun, her eyes moist.
Du Chun's gaze remained fixed on the bundle in his hands.
When he looked up again, Meng Xiang Xiang had already bid farewell to Gu Qian Ying and the others and had run off with her maid.
Du Chun stood in place, stunned for a moment.
No one knew what he was thinking.
Until Nangong Li walked over and nudged him with his elbow: "Touched?"
Nangong Li smirked.
"I knew it, you rascal. You won't end up alone, hehe."
Nangong Li slung an arm around Du Chun's neck, looking rather roguish.
"Du Chun, why don't you stay and marry Meng Xiang Xiang, have children, and I'll pick you up when I return from Demon Mountain, how about that?"
Nangong Li raised a hand, cupped Du Chun's chin, and turned his face.
"Get lost!"
Du Chun slapped Nangong Li's hand away. Without another word, he walked ahead with the bundle on his back.
Watching his retreating back.
Nangong Li tapped his head with his fan, feigning distress: "Alas, people with no emotional intelligence are truly a worry."
As he spoke, his ear was grabbed by the approaching Laura Yata.
"So, you have high emotional intelligence? Is that why... you like frequenting places of pleasure?"
"No, no, no... no, you're overthinking it."
His ear throbbing, Nangong Li immediately conceded.
Beside them.
Nangong Mo held Gu Qian Ying's slender waist, the two standing beneath the peach trees.
Petals fluttered down in layers.
In the evening, the setting sun cast a beautiful scene.
Both looked towards Du Chun's departing figure.
"My dear, are you relieved now?"
Nangong Mo gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind Gu Qian Ying's ear.
His voice was soft and pleasant.
"Yes, as long as he is happy."
A moment later.
At the summit of the mountain.
Meng Xiang Xiang sat on a rock almost as tall as an adult.
Her hands cupped her chin, her tear-filled eyes watching the retreating figures of the group below.
"He still doesn't like me. I knew it, he doesn't like me."
Her voice was hoarse, her eyes red, as if she had been crying for a long time.
"Alright, girl, don't be sad. Your brother understands Du Chun's nature. If he had no interest in you, he wouldn't have accepted what you gave him."
Meng Qing Hua had been standing behind Meng Xiang Xiang for a long time.
Only after Meng Xiang Xiang had finished crying did he step forward, sit down, and put an arm around her shoulder to comfort her.
"Really? Brother, you're not lying to me, are you? He has feelings for me?"
"Really, brother never lies to you, you know that."
Meng Qing Hua ruffled Meng Xiang Xiang's hair.
Meng Xiang Xiang leaned into his embrace: "If that's the case, why didn't he stay and marry me? Brother, I really want to marry him."
Tears streamed down Meng Xiang Xiang's face like a broken string of pearls.
"Perhaps he hasn't clarified his own heart yet, or perhaps his feelings for you are only slight, not enough to make him want to stay. However... sister, if you are truly fated, you will meet again. Perhaps in the future, you will meet in a different capacity."
"Really?"
"Really, believe your brother. That day may come very soon..."