The Unmoving Bride

After speaking, she urged Shang Bieye to quickly mount his horse and escape the scene, and Shang Bieye indeed followed her instructions and rode off ahead. “What’s this! This guy Shang, he values romance over friendship; I bet he’ll be a henpecked husband in the future,” Bu Yuchen said with a bitter face. The two shook their heads and laughed, then also spurred their horses to catch up. “Brother, why do we have to stay here for so many days? Isn’t the Black and White Gate just ahead? We’ll get there soon, won’t we?” Yan Xinmeng asked Shang Bieye with confusion. Yan Xinmeng couldn’t understand why they had been rushing all this time, and now that they were almost at their destination, they had stopped. “Dream girl, it’s called Black Fortress Gate, not Black and White Gate. I’ve told you several times; your memory is so bad!” Bu Yuchen rolled his eyes at Yan Xinmeng in exasperation. “Who cares, as long as you understand me,” Yan Xinmeng didn’t mind what it was called, as long as others could understand her. “We’re waiting for someone,” Shang Bieye picked up a piece of meat and placed it into Yan Xinmeng’s bowl. “Someone? Who?” Yan Xinmeng naturally picked up the meat and started eating. “My brother,” Shang Bieye added some vegetables to her plate. “Your brother?” Yan Xinmeng took a sip of tea and continued eating the vegetables from her bowl. “Yes, we are supposed to meet my brother here, but before he arrives, we need to infiltrate the Black Fortress Gate,” Shang Bieye put down his chopsticks and refilled Yan Xinmeng’s teacup. At that moment, Bu Yuchen suddenly threw his teacup in front of Shang Bieye. “Brother, I want some too,” Bu Yuchen said in a coquettish voice, even deliberately batting his eyelashes at Shang Bieye. Only then did Yan Xinmeng realize that the meat, vegetables, and even the tea she had been eating and drinking were all served by Shang Bieye. Her face flushed with embarrassment, she lowered her head and continued eating without daring to ask any more questions. Shang Bieye gave Bu Yuchen a stern look, then filled his cup with tea and threw it back forcefully. Bu Yuchen caught the cup effortlessly without spilling a single drop. Seeing this, Shang Bieye just smiled and said nothing. “Oh, by the way, brother, there’s something very strange!” Yan Xinmeng whispered, looking around as if afraid of being overheard. “What is it? Ask,” Shang Bieye found her secretive look amusing. “Why was there no one on the way here, but now it’s crowded like a market?” “Because they are also going to the Black Fortress Gate.” “Why are they going to the Black and White Gate?” Yan Xinmeng was puzzled. “Because…” Before Shang Bieye could explain to Yan Xinmeng, they overheard a conversation from the next table between a fat man and a thin man. “I heard that the mirror obtained by the Black Fortress Gate, if you can solve the riddle on it, you’ll know where the martial arts manual is hidden,” the fat man said. “I know that too! But no one knows what’s on it, not even the head of the Black Fortress Gate can figure it out,” the thin man replied. “Hmph, how could a big, rough man like him figure it out?” the fat man said disdainfully. “Hey, Old Wu, keep your voice down,” the thin man scanned the room to ensure no one was listening, “I want to live; don’t forget we’re on Black Fortress Gate territory now. Aren’t you afraid someone will inform on us?” “What’s there to be afraid of? At worst, I’ll be a good man again eighteen years from now,” the fat man boasted, thumping his chest. “That’s true, but you’re not even through the first challenge, and you’re already calling yourself a hero? Aren’t you afraid Old Zhao will laugh at you?” the thin man scoffed at the fat man. “You’re right, Old Zhao is too harsh; even the dead can’t stand him,” the fat man scratched his head. “And look at this inn, it’s packed with people, all here for that ancient mirror,” the thin man said, glancing at the inn filled with people. “True, the Black Fortress Gate has really invested a lot this time, even posting notices offering five thousand taels of gold to anyone who can solve the secret of the ancient mirror. But I think everyone would rather have the martial arts manual than the gold.” Hearing this, Yan Xinmeng felt puzzled. When did the Time Mirror become a treasure map for a martial arts manual? And everyone here was for that mirror, so were Shang Bieye and his companions not here to help me find the Time Mirror, but… Looking at Shang Bieye and the others, all her questions were written on her face. “Let me ask you, are those two at the next table talking about the Time Mirror?” Yan Xinmeng whispered. “It seems so, according to what they’re saying, it should be the Time Mirror,” Shang Bieye nodded slightly. “But it’s not a martial arts manual at all!” Yan Xinmeng couldn’t imagine how it could be mistaken for one. “Is that so?” Bu Yuchen said. “Of course…” Yan Xinmeng looked at them suspiciously, “Are you not here to help me find the Time Mirror but to find that martial arts manual?” “Dream girl, you only realize this now? You’re too slow!” Bu Yuchen teased her, “Otherwise, why would we have left first, then met you and invited you to join us? But we do intend to help you find the Time Mirror.” Yan Xinmeng’s gaze shifted between the three, feeling as if they had some secret they weren’t sharing. “Don’t look at us like that; we’re not bad people,” Bu Yuchen said, feeling uncomfortable under Yan Xinmeng’s scrutiny. “I know you’re not bad people, but why are you also looking for the Time Mirror? It’s not of any use to you,” Yan Xinmeng said softly. “Xinmeng, actually, we knew it wasn’t a martial arts manual long ago, but only after you told us did we realize that the mirror has another name, the Time Mirror,” Shang Bieye explained. “Outsiders only know it as an ancient mirror, not knowing it depicts the twelve hours of the day, and you knew that. We thought you might tell us more, but you seemed reluctant, so we didn’t press further.” “Outsiders don’t know? Does that mean you knew from the start?” Yan Xinmeng pressed. Shang Bieye nodded and continued, “Our master told us, and that’s how we learned about it. He also shared a secret with us, telling us not to reveal it to outsiders because the mirror is said to have the power to change destinies, though we don’t know where the mechanism lies.” “It certainly has the power to change destinies; many people can’t be reborn without it, and it’s an artifact from the ghost realm, possibly with other unique functions,” Yan Xinmeng mumbled. “Xinmeng, what are you talking about?” Shang Bieye asked. “Nothing.”
Yan Xinmeng shrugged her shoulders, not intending to reveal too much, “But why tell me all this? Didn’t your master forbid you from speaking about it?” “Hehe, the master did say not to tell others, but under one circumstance, we can tell another person.” Bu Yuchen looked at Shang Bieye with a suggestive glance, while the latter just gave him a fleeting look. “What circumstance?” Yan Xinmeng asked curiously. “It’s just that…” Bu Yuchen was about to speak when Shang Bieye stopped him. “Nothing. Xinmeng, if what you said is true, are you sure that the Time Mirror belongs to Niu Qi? Could he be deceiving you?” Shang Bieye deduced from Yan Xinmeng’s recent words, considering her naivety might have been exploited. “I don’t know if the mirror is his, but I can confirm I’ve seen him with it, and I believe he wouldn’t lie to me,” Yan Xinmeng affirmed. “You’ve seen it? Didn’t you say you hadn’t seen that mirror before?” Shang Bieye found it strange since Yan Xinmeng had clearly stated she hadn’t seen the mirror. “I haven’t seen it directly, just saw Brother Niu Qi take it out to look at. When I asked to see it, he wouldn’t let me, but he did tell me what the Time Mirror looks like.” “I see.” It seemed that the person named Niu Qi cherished the mirror quite dearly, Shang Bieye thought. “Big brother, did your master say what the Time Mirror is for?” “The master didn’t specify, just said to destroy it once we get it to prevent it from being misused by evildoers.” “But that’s Brother Niu Qi’s possession! Shouldn’t it be returned to its rightful owner?” “Xinmeng, did your friend mention when you should hand over the Time Mirror?” Bu Yuchen inquired. “No, whenever Brother Niu Qi appears, he can take his own mirror easily,” Yan Xinmeng said matter-of-factly. “Xinmeng, this mirror could affect the world; we can’t just hand it over to someone we don’t know. Let’s discuss this after we have the mirror,” Shang Bieye felt the whole situation was eerie. “Alright then!” Yan Xinmeng didn’t want to argue further. She thought that as long as they found the mirror, Brother Niu Qi could take it back effortlessly, unseen by others.