141. Another Identity

Le Qianxue was somewhat surprised to hear this phrase echoing throughout the entire capital. Who knew how many people had been repeating it.

Looking back, she saw Zhan Lianjing pushing his own wheelchair over.

He smiled faintly and naturally took Le Qianxue’s hand.

Le Qianxue felt that his hand was warm, and for a moment she did not know how to react, only saying, "How did it turn into this? Isn't this rather awkward?"

Zhan Lianjing simply replied, "It doesn't matter. The common people are also benefiting from your fortune."

Naturally, the people had their own interests in acting this way.

Le Qianxue was torn between laughter and tears, saying, "I never imagined you would come up with such a method. It really amuses me."

Zhan Lianjing said, "As long as you are happy now, that's all that matters."

Le Qianxue thought about it and felt he had a point, so she nodded. "Then what benefits did you give to the common people?"

"I am going to open a few medical clinics in the capital. The citizens who participate in this will receive a wooden token. When the time comes, they can present the token at the clinic to receive medical consultations at half price," Zhan Lianjing said.

Le Qianxue glanced at him. "I wouldn't have thought you had such a benevolent heart. However, you surely don't want me to sit in and manage those clinics, do you?"

Zhan Lianjing chuckled softly. "You can go if you like, but it's probably better if you don't. After all, it would be far too tiring."

Le Qianxue said, "This isn't such hard work; I can handle it."

Before long, everyone had retreated, leaving only the two of them there.

Zhan Lianjing had also prepared quite a few dishes, all meticulously prepared by the chef.

However, halfway through her meal, Le Qianxue remembered that she needed to make a trip to the Thousand Buddha Pagoda.

When she mentioned this to Zhan Lianjing, he furrowed his brow and asked, "Master Wenzhi asked you to go?"

"Yes."

"The inner cultivation techniques you currently use—I never taught them to you. Master Wenzhi taught them to you, didn't he?" Zhan Lianjing asked.

Le Qianxue nodded. "He can be considered half a master to me."

"As expected, it was him," Zhan Lianjing said with a solemn expression. "When I was injured before, that assailant was formidable, and I kept wondering who in this world could be so powerful, especially since we used the same internal cultivation method. At the time, I never suspected you."

Le Qianxue said, "Master Wenzhi seems to want to test you."

"Naturally. He is a master from the previous dynasty, and so are the monks of the Myriad Buddha Temple," Zhan Lianjing said. "However, they have always remained at the Thousand Buddha Pagoda and are enlightened beings. The imperial princes all go there to temper themselves. Although their status is not high, the Emperor holds them in great respect."

Le Qianxue nodded. "Yet Master Wenzhi is searching for that fan."

Zhan Lianjing pondered for a moment. "He is a pre-dynastic master and is already two jiazi old. Perhaps he also wishes to restore the former dynasty. Still, he belongs to the Ziye faction. What medicine he keeps in his gourd, you will naturally find out tonight when you go to the Myriad Buddha Pagoda."

Curious herself, Le Qianxue waited for Zhan Lianjing to tidy up before setting off for the Thousand Buddha Pagoda.

However, Zhan Lianjing was not suited to enter, so he left Le Qianxue to go in alone.

As soon as Le Qianxue landed on the grounds, she saw several monks descending from above. Upon seeing that it was Le Qianxue, they breathed a sigh of relief.

Master Huijue chanted "Amitabha" and said to Le Qianxue, "Benefactor Le has finally arrived. This old monk was afraid that Benefactor Le might have forgotten today's appointment."

Le Qianxue said, "Coming at night allows fewer people to notice. Master Huijue, is there something the matter?"

Master Huijue then produced a small bamboo slip and handed it to Le Qianxue, saying, "Benefactor Le, Senior Brother Wenzhi specifically asked this old monk to hand this item over to you."

Le Qianxue took it and casually remarked, "That's right, earlier when I was captured by Ziye, I also saw Master Wenzhi. He was injured, but he was in no danger and should have followed Ziye to the Liangjin Kingdom by now."

Everyone's expressions softened, and the heavy stones in their hearts were lifted. Since Master Wenzhi was fine, they no longer needed to worry anxiously.

Only then did Le Qianxue open the bamboo slip. But at a single glance, her expression shifted slightly, and she furrowed her brow. What was this?

She pursed her lips. As far as she knew, among the four great families of the previous dynasty, the Yan family were wealthy merchants of the realm and imperial merchants; the Gu family were formidable in the arts of venomous insects and divination; the Yao family forged weapons of supreme quality and had even developed various military-grade armaments of incredible power; and finally, the Qian family had risen through gunpowder. However, the formula for making gunpowder had never been passed down and belonged exclusively to the Qian family, out of fear that malicious individuals would use it to harm others.

Yet after the four great families scattered and went into seclusion, the Qian family had disappeared without a trace, and the gunpowder formula had vanished entirely.

The bamboo slip in her hand contained not only the gunpowder formula but also the manufacturing methods for various types of firearms.

Le Qianxue could not help but freeze. Although she had already suspected it earlier, now that it was confirmed, she had no idea what to feel in her heart.

Seeing that her expression was somewhat amiss, Master Huijue hurriedly asked, "Benefactor Le, are you all right?"

Le Qianxue mechanically shook her head. After a brief pause, she asked, "Does this mean the successor of the Qian family is my mother?"

Master Huijue nodded. "Indeed, it is Benefactor's mother. The Emperor has long been aware of your mother's identity, but he never leaked it. To ensure the safety of the formula, your mother entrusted it to Senior Brother Wenzhi for safekeeping. This bamboo slip concerns the rise and fall of the Qian family, and even more so, the fate of the realm. Benefactor Le must keep it safe."

"Since that is the case, why wasn't it given to me earlier? Why hand it to me precisely on my seventeenth birthday?" Le Qianxue asked, full of doubt.

"Master Wenzhi had someone divine the future long ago. If it had been handed to Benefactor Le too early, Benefactor Le would certainly not have been able to protect it. Now is the exact right time; Benefactor Le is no longer what she used to be and can stand alone."

Le Qianxue's mind spun. She had transmigrated here for barely over half a year, yet it had to happen precisely at this juncture.

The original owner certainly would not have had the ability to protect it, but in her hands, it was a different story entirely.

Le Qianxue asked, "Then what should I do now?"

Yin Susu was one of the successors, not to mention the Yan family. With three of the four great families now accounted for, this peaceful Tianlong Kingdom would probably soon be turned upside down.

Master Huijue replied, "Heaven has its own arrangements; Benefactor Le need not dwell on it too much. For now, Benefactor Le only needs to keep the bamboo slip safe and make good use of it. Whatever Benefactor Le feels is the right thing to do, she should do it."

Le Qianxue sighed inwardly. Her very identity had drawn in Yu Guhan—truly a troublesome affair.

She thought for a moment and asked, "Does the Master know if the successor of the Yao family has appeared?"

Master Huijue shook his head. "Senior Brother Wenzhi never mentioned it, and this old monk is unaware. For so many years, there has not been a whisper from the Yao family; one would assume they will never emerge again."

If they wished to overthrow the Tianlong Kingdom, all four great families were indispensable, for the century-old foundation of the Tianlong Kingdom was not so easily shaken.

Upon leaving the Thousand Buddha Pagoda, she felt the bamboo slip was exceptionally heavy.

Outside, Zhan Lianjing was still waiting for her.

Seeing Le Qianxue emerge, he asked, "How did it go?"

Le Qianxue glanced at him, looking deeply preoccupied.

Finding it even stranger, Zhan Lianjing asked, "What's wrong?"

Le Qianxue said, "Zhan Lianjing, sometimes I don't even know who I am."

"Why would you say that?" Zhan Lianjing was startled, finding her a bit peculiar.

Instead, she countered, "Then tell me, who am I?"

Zhan Lianjing replied, "You are Le Qianxue, the Ghost Doctor maiden who once snatched my Seven-Color Spirit Herb."

She smiled bitterly. "And what else?"

"What else could there be?" Zhan Lianjing asked.

Le Qianxue stared at him, her gaze so sincere and devoid of any falsehood.

This was Zhan Lianjing. Once he grew serious, there was not an ounce of insincerity in him.

That look had already conveyed everything. Le Qianxue smiled, looked at the mask on his face, and said, "It's inconvenient to talk here. Let's head back, lest people recognize you."

Sensing she was acting strangely, Zhan Lianjing nevertheless let her lead him back to the General's Manor. Once they were alone in a room, she took out the bamboo slip.

She glanced at him and motioned for him to pick it up and take a look.

Finding it strange, Zhan Lianjing opened it for a quick look, immediately freezing in shock. His eyes widened, unable to process it for a moment.

Le Qianxue said, "So now I've gained yet another identity, haven't I?"

Zhan Lianjing furrowed his brow. "How could it be you?"

Faced with his question, Le Qianxue retorted, "Why couldn't it be me? I heard the Emperor has known for a long time that my mother is a member of the Qian family."

Zhan Lianjing remained deep in thought. After a moment, he said, "If the Emperor knew as well, then he must have been meddling behind the scenes. Back then, when I investigated the Qian family, the intelligence reported back happened to say that everyone had died out. At the time, I was also baffled as to how the Qian family could be so incompetent."

That was why he had never thought Le Qianxue could be the successor of the four great families, and as for Tong Xianxian's dual identity—he truly never expected it.

Le Qianxue stared at him and asked, "Did you truly not know from the beginning?"

Zhan Lianjing let out a scoff. "Are you implying that I knew you were a descendant of the Qian family and deliberately got close to you?"

Le Qianxue nodded gloomily and said, "I have thought about that possibility."

Zhan Lianjing let out a helpless sigh. "If I had known earlier, I would never have fallen in love with you."

She looked at him in surprise.

"You should know what subordinates are. A subordinate is best kept without romantic entanglements; you only need them to be loyal to you, much like Haoyue," Zhan Lianjing said. "What happened between you and me was unexpected, so we'll leave it at that. However, if that is truly what you think, you are free to burn this bamboo slip." Zhan Lianjing said calmly.

Le Qianxue pursed her lips and suddenly smiled. "I'm certainly not going to burn it. This is a treasure belonging to my family. At worst, I simply won't take it out to assist you."

Zhan Lianjing glared at her. "Are you really planning to do that?"

Knowing he was joking, Le Qianxue let out a hum of amusement and wrapped her arms around his arm, saying, "Indeed. What of it? Besides, I was originally the Ghost Doctor maiden anyway. I know medical arts; gunpowder isn't suited for me."