Mo Xi nodded. It turned out that judging whether the fire of the incense cake under the ash was too strong or too weak required a sense of touch. Sure enough, adding fragrance to the blue sleeves was not easy. Seeing Tang Huan testing the fragrance with her hand, she couldn't help but laugh and recite: "Several times I tested the fragrance with my slender hands, warm; once I tasted the wine, my crimson lips shone."
Upon hearing this, Tang Huan felt that the room had become even hotter as soon as the incense was lit, and her ears felt faintly burning.
gossip magazine
( ) Tang Huan ordered the maid to take away all the remaining incense burners, and then led Mo Xi to his bedroom to sleep.
The first thing that catches the eye is the seven-treasure Hetian jade bed. Hanging on it is a Shu brocade tassel curtain, with golden phoenixes at the four corners holding five-colored tassels. In front of the bed hangs a jade nine-turn exquisite lamp and a necklace, and on both sides are a pair of jade incense burners carved with orchids. The floral panels are carved with auspicious dragons and phoenixes, double blessings of fortune and longevity, and various traditional patterns.
This seven-treasure Hetian jade bed stands out as particularly exquisite and luxurious in the overall grand and antique style of the bedroom.
Mo Xi originally thought this bed was exactly like the Jade Bed in "The Return of the Condor Heroes," but when she lay down, she didn't feel the chill. Instead, it felt like being wrapped in warm water, which was very comfortable. She thought that losing her martial arts skills would make her anxious and fearful, and she would have no way to sleep. However, she quickly became sleepy. In her hazy state, she heard Tang Huan cough softly twice from just a screen away.
The next day.
After her medicinal bath, Mo Xi wanted to sit down and comb her hair, but instead of the white jade comb in her makeup box lay a rhinoceros horn comb, though its teeth were spaced further apart, making it more comfortable to use. Tang Huan had gone to Yunxia Terrace after lunch, leaving her alone there except for Luan Su. Bored all day, Mo Xi went to the study to find books to read.
She searched through the vast sea of books for the time it takes to burn two incense sticks when suddenly her eyes lit up, and she pulled out two books: "The Ten Great Families of Jianghu: The Tang Clan of Sichuan" and "The Biographies of the Heads of the Shu Mountain Sect," both published by Mu Yanzhai.
Flipping through the table of contents, Tang Chong, the second-generation leader of the Tang Clan, and Tang Huan's father, Tang Jue, are both listed. However, all the writing about Tang Jue focuses on his romance with Lin Xi, the former leader of the Shu Mountain Sect. In other words, this is a gossip magazine dedicated to exposing the romantic affairs of famous figures in the martial arts world.
"Tang and Lin first met at the inauguration ceremony of the Shu Mountain Sect Leader. At that time, Lin Xi had not yet changed her name and was still called Lin Lan. Sect Leader Lin, as a woman, moved among the heroes of the martial world with an elegant and unparalleled demeanor. Tang Jue personally attended her inauguration ceremony to offer his congratulations, and upon first seeing her, he was captivated by her..."
Mo Xi sighed inwardly; so Tang Jue was romantic, falling in love at first sight. The later part of the story was quite interesting, explaining that Lin Xi was initially unmoved, so Tang Jue went to great lengths to find out her preferences. Lin Xi was a collector, with two things she loved most: orchids and incense burners. Tang Jue then went to great lengths to collect them for her, hoping to please the beauty. Mo Xi nodded in agreement; there's no smoke without fire. The Tang Clan's vast collection of incense burners was proof enough. It was clear that Mu Yanzhai's paparazzi skills were quite impressive.
Turning to Tang Chong's story, the second-generation leader of the Tang Clan's life was a tragic one. Tang Chong's wife, Yu Yao, was not a martial artist but a young lady from a noble family, completely unskilled in martial arts. Yet, Tang Chong loved her deeply, even gifting her the Jade Pearl, one of the Tang Clan's four treasures, as a token of their love. The two were deeply devoted to each other after their marriage, but unexpectedly, Tang Chong's cousin, Shen Mengcai, unable to win Tang Chong's affections, took her anger out on Yu Yao. Taking advantage of Tang Chong's seclusion for cultivation, she harmed Yu Yao, causing the couple to be separated forever. Tang Chong, in the prime of his life, never remarried. This Chongyao Terrace was originally called Liubi Terrace, but it was renamed in memory of Yu Yao. Mo Xi sighed inwardly; cousins were truly dangerous. Suddenly, her gaze fell on the next line, and her expression changed drastically. After a moment of deep thought, she gradually calmed her emotions and secretly made up her mind.
So I read the "Biographies of the Leaders of Shushan Sect," specifically the chapter on He Qun. The deeds of this predecessor, who also had his Ren and Du meridians opened, naturally required careful study.
It turns out that He Qun was Lin Xi's master. He Qun lived up to his name, acting with unconventional wit and devotion, yet he was a true martial arts fanatic, remaining unmarried throughout his life due to his deep passion for martial arts. After passing the leadership to Lin Xi, He Qun began his journey of challenges. His proudest achievement was undoubtedly challenging countless masters from the three major martial arts sects of the North and South, never suffering a defeat. It wasn't until Lin Xi relinquished her position as leader of the Shu Mountain sect and wandered the world with Tang Jue, leaving Shu Mountain leaderless, that He Qun returned to Shu Mountain to quell the chaos and established the rule that the leader of Shu Mountain must be a monk.
Further research into Lin Xi's biography revealed some disappointment; Mu Yanzhai only mentioned this unconventional female sect leader briefly. Mo Xi inwardly grumbled, "Even writing biographies involves gender discrimination…?"
After reading, Mo Xi put the two books back where they belonged, waiting for Tang Huan to return so they could have dinner together.
Dinner featured a tempting array of dishes for one person: Osmanthus-flavored fermented duck, Drunken clams with fermented bean curd, Braised loofah with dried shrimp, Baked pumpkin with salted egg yolk, and Steamed radish lion's head meatballs.
Seeing Mo Xi pick up a lion's head meatball, Tang Huan couldn't help but recall the story of the fish ball, and his chopsticks slowed their advance. Mo Xi, noticing his expression, immediately showed a playful glint in his eyes and said, "Don't worry, it was just an accident last time." As soon as he finished speaking, the lion's head meatball landed steadily in Tang Huan's white jade bowl. Mo Xi added, "Using this as a gift. Thank you for your kindness." Tang Huan picked it up and ate it silently, without saying a word.
"There is something I don't understand. The Yaohe River divides the inner and outer cities. When the river was opened, there should have been a pontoon bridge or something similar connecting them." As the saying goes, "Those who offer unsolicited favors are either treacherous or thieves." The ancients were right.
"Yes. There are indeed mechanisms in the inner city that can activate the iron chain pontoon bridge. When we rushed back, we didn't use it because the situation was still uncertain and it was not advisable to make too much noise."
Mo Xi asked curiously, "Who is that boatman? His kung fu is so amazing."
“I’m not entirely sure either. I suppose he was an old friend of my father’s. Before he passed away, he gave me the jade pendant, telling me to go find this person and show him the jade pendant when I was unable to use the pontoon bridge, and perhaps he could help me cross the river.”
"Did Lord De say he spoke to you last time?"
"This person is very strange. He never speaks normally, and when we first met, he only said one sentence: 'So similar.'"
Mo Xi picked up a piece of loofah and casually asked, "Do you still remember what your parents looked like? Who did you resemble more?"
"I was still very young then. I remember my father's face, but I have no recollection of my mother." She paused, then asked, "And you, young lady? Forgive my intrusion, but are your parents still alive?"
Mo Xi shook her head and said, "I've been an orphan since I was a child." When Mo Xi transmigrated, this body was only four years old, with two broken ribs, and its thin, bony body was covered in scars and extremely weak. The original owner of this body must have been beaten to death by a group of children who were begging with her.
Tang Huan thought to herself: Although I was orphaned at a young age, I still had parents who loved me, but she doesn't even know who her parents are. Thinking this, she remained silent for a moment.
After the meal, Tang Huan took out a small crystal box carved with peony flowers from her bosom and handed it to Mo Xi, saying, "Soaking in water for too long will dry out your skin. Applying this to your body might alleviate the dryness." She spoke lightly and quickly, without even looking at Mo Xi.
Mo Xi asked curiously, "Did you make this yourself? Did you use this to make medicinal soup before?"
She took it, opened it, and smelled it. The paste was crystal clear and had a delicate gardenia fragrance. She couldn't help but recall the scene where Jia Baoyu made rouge, and chuckled, "Since you know how to make this, do you know how to make rouge?"
Tang Huan kindly offered the gift, and Mo Xi dared not refuse. However, an assassin cannot have any scent on her, especially not fragrance. She was not the legendary Chu Xiang Shuai, whose every move was accompanied by a lingering fragrance. Her actions were not for fame in the martial world, but simply to survive.
"Rouge? Doesn't the young lady never wear rouge or face powder? Why do you ask?" Little did she know that Tang Huan took it seriously.
Mo Xi chuckled again and said, "I was just asking casually. Don't take it seriously."
Crimson clouds like smoke
( ) Mo Xi reads with his head tilted as usual.
The Biographies of Assassins – “Zhuan Zhu assassinated King Liao by offering roasted meat.”
Legend has it that Zhuan Zhu was a man with deep-set eyes, a large mouth, a broad back and a strong waist, and was very filial to his mother. He was a well-known filial son and righteous man in the area.
Once, Zhuan Zhu got into a fight with a large man. Despite the crowd's efforts to stop him, his mother called him, and he immediately surrendered and returned home. Wu Zixu happened to pass by, saw him, and was deeply impressed. He then recommended Zhuan Zhu to Prince Guang.
Prince Guang treated Zhuan Zhu kindly and respected his mother. Zhuan Zhu, deeply grateful, wished to repay his kindness with his life. He devised a plan: to ingratiate himself with King Liao's fondness for roasted fish, he would hide a sword inside a fish's belly and wait for his opportunity. To this end, Zhuan Zhu traveled to the border of Tai Su to learn the art of roasting fish. Once he mastered the skill, Prince Guang housed Zhuan Zhu in his home.
On the day of the assassination, Prince Guang had armored soldiers lying in ambush in the underground house, and also ordered Wu Zixu to secretly gather a hundred assassins to provide backup outside. He then went to see King Liao and said: "A cook has come from Taihu Lake. He is skilled at roasting fish, and the taste is very delicious. Please, Your Majesty, try the roasted fish."
King Liao readily agreed, but fearing that Prince Guang might have a conspiracy, he was on high alert when he went to the banquet. From the royal palace to the halls of Guang's house, armored soldiers were everywhere, carrying long halberds and sharp knives, and his confidants stayed by his side at all times.
After several rounds of drinks, Prince Guang feigned severe foot pain and needed to wrap his feet tightly with silk, then slipped into the underground chamber. A while later, Zhuan Zhu brought in roasted fish, carrying the dish. He knelt on his knees, shirtless, moving forward, while a warrior held a sharp knife to his shoulder. Unexpectedly, Zhuan Zhu had secretly placed the sharp "Fish Intestine" sword inside the cooked fish. Reaching King Liao's seat, he suddenly pulled out the dagger and stabbed King Liao fiercely, piercing his back. King Liao cried out and died instantly. The guards rushed forward, hacking Zhuan Zhu to pieces with swords and halberds.
After Prince Guang killed King Liao, he declared himself King of Wu, becoming the historically famous King Helü of Wu.
Qin Songshuo, a local resident, once wrote a poem about "Zhuanzhu Pagoda": "A sword to repay kindness and expand the hegemony, but alas, the flowers and grasses of the old palace are overgrown; the fragrance of petals and the chivalrous spirit remain in the broken pagoda, and this piece of land still belongs to Wu."
After reading it, Mo Xi shook his head again. This was another one with a muddled mind. Prince Guang was fighting for the world; what was a butcher like you doing meddling? Was being chopped into mincemeat a joke? You claim to be a filial son, but don't you know the excruciating pain of a parent outliving their child? You should avoid a headhunter like Wu Zixu; he's clearly up to no good. And Prince Guang, do you think it's easy to accept favors from such a person? He says nicely, "My life is your life." He just wants you to work for him willingly. If that's the case, why doesn't he assassinate him himself? To put it bluntly, King Helü of Wu first bestowed favors, then used those favors to command others. Isn't this a classic trap set by a superior to make subordinates willingly become cannon fodder? Alas, assassins' lives are so worthless, everyone despises and scorns them. Yet Zhuan Zhu values promises over death; he's simply belittling himself. What a waste of his excellent fish-roasting skills; being a chef would have been far more promising than being an assassin.
After reading it, Mo Xi closed the book with a sigh, realizing that her life depended entirely on herself and that she could not rely on anyone else.
Looking up, he saw Tang Huan reading a book, and the thought of bothering him arose again. He asked, "What are you reading?"
"It's just a medical book; you wouldn't be interested in it, young lady." After a pause, Tang Huan added, "Tomorrow, would you like to take a day off and visit 'Red Smoke'? Would you be willing to come along?"
Mo Xi's eyes suddenly lit up as he asked, "Red Smoke? Is it the large red maple forest that can be seen from Red Smoke Terrace?"