Chapter 33. Killing with a borrowed knife.
Luo Yue had firmly decided to teach Wu’er a lesson to curb her arrogance within the sect. She wanted to remind everyone that her authority in the Lishan Sword Sect remained unchallenged.
“Young Miss, since you dislike that wild girl Wu’er so much, why not just get rid of her? As the daughter of the Lishan Sword Sect’s Sect Master, your status is far too noble to be overshadowed by her,” suggested Xiao Lian, Luo Yue’s maid, who had keenly perceived her mistress’s thoughts and sought to curry favor.
Eliminating Wu’er would spare them from Luo Yue’s daily tantrums, making life considerably easier. Xiao Lian, having served Luo Yue since childhood, was her personal maid but was often mistreated. Whenever Luo Yue was displeased, she would vent her anger on Xiao Lian, and this time was no different.
Since Wu’er arrived at the Lishan Sword Sect, brought personally by Elder Ming Zhe, Luo Yue had found her presence intolerable. Elder Ming Zhe had emphasized that Wu’er was his savior and must not be mistreated. This left Luo Yue unable to act against Wu’er, forcing her to swallow her resentment.
Xiao Lian, bearing the brunt of Luo Yue’s frustrations, also grew to resent Wu’er. Seeing Luo Yue’s reluctance, Xiao Lian suggested the plan, hoping it would alleviate her own suffering.
“Do you think I don’t want to? But you know Wu’er’s identity. Elder Ming Zhe brought her here and she is his savior. If I harm her, do you think Elder Ming Zhe will spare me? It could even implicate my father!”
Luo Yue’s primary concern was her father, who had long lost face before Elder Ming Zhe, always subservient and fearful. For her father’s sake, Luo Yue dared not act rashly. She had to suppress her anger towards Wu’er, resorting to petty schemes to make her suffer without crossing the line.
However, even these small tricks were quickly detected by Wu’er, rendering them completely ineffective. Wu’er always managed to turn potential dangers into safety.
Every time Luo Yue saw Wu’er unharmed, her shame morphed into anger, while Wu’er became increasingly cautious. Now, whenever Wu’er saw Luo Yue, she acted as if Luo Yue were invisible, not even bothering to greet her, which infuriated Luo Yue to no end.
“Although that’s true, can’t you see that she can’t even finish her sentence? What can she say? At most, she can only suffer in silence,” Xiao Lian remarked confidently to Luo Yue. “As for Elder Ming Zhe, he’s accustomed to his wandering lifestyle. It’s been over half a year since he last returned to the Lishan Sword Sect. He’s probably too busy enjoying himself to remember a wild girl like Wu’er. Don’t we already understand Elder Ming Zhe’s personality?”
Seeing Luo Yue’s anxiety about Elder Ming Zhe, Xiao Lian proposed an idea to encourage Luo Yue to act against Wu’er, convincing her that Elder Ming Zhe wouldn’t be aware of it.
“You’re right, but we’ve already targeted Wu’er. She’s on her guard now. If we rashly attack again, can we still succeed?” Luo Yue, swayed by Xiao Lian’s suggestion, still hesitated, worried that another attempt would end in failure.
“What’s wrong with that? You’re the daughter of the Lishan Sword Sect’s Sect Master. If you want to see her, it’s just a matter of saying a word. That Wu’er has always been proud and arrogant, as if she looks down on everyone. Young Miss, as a disciple of the Lishan Sword Sect, you also have the right to educate her!”
Xiao Lian had it all figured out. As long as she kept stirring things up, this impulsive woman would surely take action. She just needed to provide good ideas, and Luo Yue would handle the rest.
“You’re right. No matter what, I’m still the Sect Master’s daughter and her senior sister. Educating her is my right, and no one can refute that. I don’t need to be sneaky; I can openly teach her.”
Luo Yue finally understood Xiao Lian’s words. Given her status, she could indeed educate Wu’er without fear of complaint. She no longer needed to suppress her anger and could openly deal with Wu’er.
“Young Miss, if we cause trouble for no reason, the Sect Master might object. It’s better if we come up with a reason. If we have a reason, no one will dare to object, and you can give a proper explanation to the Sect Master!”
Xiao Lian was more meticulous and less impetuous than Luo Yue. She had already thought this through to ensure Luo Yue wouldn’t be reprimanded by the Sect Master. If Luo Yue faced criticism, Xiao Lian would also suffer the consequences, nullifying all her efforts.
“Why are there so many problems? Didn’t you say I’m the Sect Master’s daughter? Teaching her a lesson is reasonable and proper. Why do I have to consider so many things?!”
Luo Yue glared at Xiao Lian, her patience wearing thin. She had assumed dealing with Wu’er would be straightforward, but it was proving to be more troublesome than anticipated.
“Young Miss, don’t be anxious. Though it sounds simple, we must take the long view to ensure absolute safety. That wild girl is barbaric. We must be careful, or she might injure you, and that wouldn’t be good!”
Xiao Lian, noticing Luo Yue’s impatience, tried to soothe her. She emphasized the need for caution to avoid any harm.
“Then tell me, how can I teach that wild girl a lesson so she won’t continue being so savage?” Luo Yue acknowledged the sense in Xiao Lian’s words but was still unclear about the next steps.
Xiao Lian had already formulated a plan but needed Luo Yue’s strength to execute it. She intended to use Luo Yue to eliminate Wu’er.
Over the years, Xiao Lian had often received protection from Senior Brother Xiao Heng. Whenever Luo Yue seemed about to vent her anger on Xiao Lian, Xiao Heng would intervene.
Gradually, Xiao Lian developed feelings for Xiao Heng, though she knew their different statuses made a relationship unlikely. She found contentment in simply watching him from afar.
However, Xiao Lian now sensed a shift in Xiao Heng’s attitude towards Wu’er, which further fueled her desire to help Luo Yue against Wu’er.