Luzhou-Mond - Kapitel 13
Zinuo looked at me with disbelief, but still lay down as instructed. When I opened the door, he said, "Come back soon."
Yesterday, after picking up my aunt, I ran out into the streets again and overheard that the Prince Qing's mansion was recruiting ten children to accompany the young prince in martial arts training, and they hadn't even finished recruiting them after more than a month. This news excited me greatly, like a drowning person finally grabbing a stick. In this era, what else can someone without family, power, or even anything else do to survive besides become a slave? Besides, someone as young as me can't do hard labor, and I can't possibly sell myself to a brothel to be trained from a young age. Being a maidservant would risk being bullied by rogue young masters when I grow up, so I'll become a servant. Boys have an easier time surviving than girls. So, I bought a set of men's clothing and secretly brought it back to Aunt Wu's house, then put all the remaining silver under my aunt's pillow.
I'm almost at the back gate of Prince Qing's mansion now. Part of what I told Aunt Wu yesterday was a lie; I haven't actually sold myself yet, I've only had the idea. Now, it's time to start selling myself. I don't plan to give the money to my aunt right away. I'm worried she and Zinuo won't be able to protect it properly, and it might not be usable in a crucial moment. I'm afraid someone might have malicious intentions (I haven't met Aunt Wu's husband, so I'm not entirely at ease). Anyway, I'll find a chance to go back, and I'm not worried about my aunt not getting the money. Sigh, I'm already thinking so much before I've even sold myself.
Several people with children were already waiting at the entrance. After standing behind them for a while, the tightly closed brown door finally opened; even the back door was quite impressive.
"Are you here to be the young prince's sparring partners?" asked a middle-aged man who came out with the servants.
"Yes," came a soft reply from below.
The middle-aged man glanced at us and said, "Come in and take a look. We may not want all of them. The young prince is very picky, otherwise we wouldn't have taken so long to find them all."
Everyone nodded in agreement, and I followed them inside. No one noticed that I had come alone.
Do not lean against the west railing to lock in the clear autumn. Chapter 012
Chapter word count: 3518 Update time: 09-07-25 14:01
The middle-aged man led us to an inconspicuous little courtyard, while the servant stayed at the gate to guard it.
The middle-aged man told us to wait there patiently, and that a martial arts master would come to test us first. Only after we passed the martial arts master's test would the young prince be allowed to choose for himself.
After standing for a long time, when I felt my legs were about to go numb, the middle-aged man brought in two handsome men in their twenties or thirties. They were very respectful and bowed, saying, "Please take your time choosing."
The slightly older-looking man quickly sized us up, then told us to stand in a line. He and the other man then began carefully massaging our joints from both ends. I was second from the left. After massaging me a few times, the older man asked, "Have you ever practiced martial arts before?"
"Huh?" I didn't react for a moment.
"Your physique is quite good. How long have you been learning martial arts?" he asked again.
Now that I heard clearly, I cleared my throat and said, "It's been a little over a year, but I've been learning it secretly and haven't practiced it seriously."
How old are you?
"A little over six years old," I reported.
He put me down and went to pinch the next one. Luckily, I was dressed as a man, and unintentionally I started to think of myself as a boy too, otherwise I would definitely have suspected them of taking advantage of me. Oh no, what if they just liked little boys? I've heard that many rich and powerful men like to keep child prostitutes, it's so perverted, it's really harming the flowers of our country. Or maybe they're just using the guise of finding sparring partners to do something shady in secret.
I was startled by my own thought and quickly covered my mouth, afraid that I might accidentally scream.
They finally touched all the children—seven children, three left, and I was one of them. The middle-aged man led the ones who weren't chosen out, while the two men led us deeper into the palace.
The road wound its way through countless bends, and I followed closely behind them, not daring to look around. I'd heard that wealthy families had many rules, and the Marquis of Qiyun's mansion was no exception, but I hadn't paid any attention to them, and no one would have noticed me anyway. I walked with my eyes fixed on the tips of my shoes, lamenting just how vast the mansion was and how long the road seemed.
Finally, they stopped. We arrived at a martial arts training ground, larger than the one at the Qi Yun Marquis's residence, owned by Mu Shaoting. Inside, more than a dozen children of various ages were practicing martial arts. Upon seeing us enter, a burly man strode forward to greet us, laughing, "How many more have come today?" "Brother Kong, you've worked hard," the older man also greeted us with a smile.
"Look what Mr. Qi said." Brother Kong laughed and punched Mr. Qi lightly, saying, "The young prince is still on the plum blossom stakes. Brother Meng, take these three children and wait on the side. Mr. Qi and I will have a friendly spar when we have a chance."
The man named Mengdi led us to a safe area, and Mr. Qi and Brother Kong then began to fight in an open space.
I had no interest in watching their "sparring"; I was more interested in the group of kids jumping around. If I were to successfully sell myself, I'd join them too. But could I, with my lazy nature, manage it? I seemed to have little confidence in myself.
After a fierce and chaotic martial arts match, Mr. Qi and Brother Kong wiped their sweat from their brows and walked towards us. (The adjective is my own addition; I couldn't understand their exchange or see the outcome. The reason it felt so chaotic was because I hadn't eaten since waking up and was feeling a bit dizzy from hunger.) Then we were led to a small grove of trees with a large number of tall wooden stakes, presumably the legendary plum blossom stakes. Why didn't Mu Shaoting see these when he practiced martial arts?
A boy in a smart martial arts uniform was sitting in a large rattan chair, two pretty young girls wiping his sweat and giving him massages. On the table beside him were snacks and fruit, even watermelon, which is impossible to find this time of year. I couldn't help but swallow hard. Is this little prince really practicing martial arts? He seems to really enjoy himself!
"Young Prince, the people who came today have been brought here," Mr. Qi said, bowing.
The young prince, who had been facing away from us, turned around, and a familiar face came into my view, making my heart pound.
Isn't that the young prince I kicked at the Marquis of Qiyun's residence? Why didn't I ask which family's young prince he was back then? If I had known it was him from the Prince of Qing's residence, would I have even come? After all this time, will he recognize me?
I nervously lowered my head, afraid he would recognize me, but then I remembered that I was dressed as a man, and my heart relaxed a little.
The footsteps grew closer and closer. A pair of black boots walked back and forth in front of us a few times before finally stopping in front of me.
"Raise your head." The childish voice carried a cold, condescending tone, and my heart seemed to stop beating. I gritted my teeth and raised my head. So what if he recognized me? I'd just deny it. Did he really have the nerve to press the matter?
Looking at that aloof yet handsome face, I felt a little infatuated, but then I realized that Zinuo was prettier and cuter. Suddenly, I missed Zinuo. I won't be going back for a while after I leave. What will he do?
The young prince looked me over carefully, his face expressionless, which meant he didn't recognize me. I breathed a sigh of relief.
"These two look alright, but the other one isn't so good-looking. Let him go," the young prince said. So, another boy and I stayed, while the one he thought was unattractive was taken away. What's going on? Are they having a beauty pageant? Judging by bone structure and physique first, then by appearance—how superficial! This young prince hasn't even grown up yet.
The young prince sat back down in his chair, and Mr. Qi and Mengdi followed me and the boy who had been left behind.
The young prince ate a segment of orange handed to him by a maid and asked, "What's your name?"
“Song Zhixuan”.
"Lin En." My aunt's original surname is Lin, but now that I'm disguised as a man, I naturally can't use my original name. It wouldn't be good if someone with ulterior motives found out. After all, the Qi Yun Marquis's Mansion and the Holy City's royal family are connected, and we might run into them one day.
The young prince hummed in agreement and then asked, "How old are you? What can you do?"
“I was eight years old when I learned a little martial arts from my uncle at the security escort agency,” Song Zhixuan replied.
I thought for a moment and said, "I am six years old, I have learned martial arts for a year, and I can read a few words."
"Alright, Mr. Qi, take them to Uncle Wen to sign their indentures, teach them some rules, and send them over tomorrow to practice martial arts with me," the young prince said, waving his hand.
We were led through a winding path again, and when we arrived at Uncle Wen's place, it turned out to be the same middle-aged man who had led us in that morning. Two servants were standing next to him, and a rather disheveled middle-aged man was waiting for us. He didn't look like someone from the Prince's mansion.
"Xuan'er, your father is useless, so I have no choice but to make you suffer." The down-on-his-luck man said, pulling Song Zhixuan aside as we entered.
Song Zhixuan did not respond.
Uncle Wen gave me a strange look and asked, "Young man, where are your parents?"