Mu Yuchengs Abkommen

Kapitel 3

"Hmph," I chuckled dismissively, "You're crazy."

He roared, "Little girl, what did you say?!" He then moved with lightning speed, appearing beside me and pinning me down, rendering me immobile. "Do you submit?"

I winced in pain, but still stubbornly said, "Despicable! If I weren't so weak, how could you, an old scoundrel, bully me like this?"

To everyone's surprise, he laughed instead of getting angry after hearing this: "Interesting, interesting. Girl, we have a long future ahead of us. From today onwards, I will teach you martial arts. Until the day you defeat me, you will have to call me master."

"I don't need you to be my master, you old bastard!"

"That's not up to you. Whether you agree to be my master or not, I'm determined to be one." With that, he flew away again.

"You old scoundrel, who are you?!"

"You'll find out in time," he transmitted telepathically. How impressive.

Later I realized that calling him an old scoundrel that night was really unfair to this narcissistic master, whose looks were as handsome as Pan An, with an unparalleled and dashing appearance.

However, his bewitchingly beautiful face, coupled with his childlike and eccentric nature, was a complete waste of talent.

In addition, the bizarre and varied teaching methods he devised were practically torture tailor-made for me. Under his malicious instruction, I was often covered in bruises and red welts, a truly pitiful sight. Every time Yunying helped me apply medicine, she would be in tears, her eyes swollen like a rabbit's.

I can tolerate all of this; I've practiced martial arts since I was a child, so I can endure this kind of hardship. What I can't stand the most is that this master likes to pinch my chubby cheeks, kneading them until they're deformed and making my eyes water before he'll stop. He's practically a living embodiment of the mischievous old man Zhou Botong. What's even more infuriating is that my martial arts skills are inferior to his, so I can only let him bully me. But I know that my current endurance and humiliation are for the sake of making him suffer an even more terrible death in the future.

Privately, I gave him a fitting nickname—the mischievous old devil, or simply "Demon Child." Little did I know that this nickname would later become famous and spread throughout the martial arts world. It infuriated him so much that he almost killed me.

It was only later that I learned he was a close friend of the patriarch. As for how I unfortunately caught his eye, in his own words, "If it weren't for your composed and somewhat principled demeanor at the family dinner that day, and then that time I happened to see you fiddling around during a boring night out, looking incredibly silly, I couldn't bear to watch and reluctantly became your teacher at your request. Otherwise, I wouldn't have bothered to make things difficult for myself. You have no idea how much patience it takes to teach you, you idiot, without killing you..." God, save this heretical narcissist! Who is this shameless person who insists on being my teacher? I beg him to leave, but he won't budge.

And so began my ill-fated master-disciple relationship with this man who was reasonably handsome when quiet.

After asking several times, I finally learned that his name was Sang Qin.

I heard that he had already bid farewell to the patriarch and was traveling, but now, because of me, he had nowhere else to go and had no choice but to stay overnight in my dilapidated courtyard. I mourned in my heart, regretting it deeply. I should have known better than to kindly offer him dinner, because it was so delicious and a modern, fresh dish. He ate with a look of pure bliss and ended up shamelessly staying.

Fortunately, he disappeared during the day, only showing up promptly at dusk to freeload dinner. He would then leisurely sip his afternoon tea before beginning his lectures.

Especially after seeing the style of the living room I decorated and the side room he slept in, plus a sudden visit from my third brother, after he saw me give my third brother a set of new men's clothing that I made myself while hiding on the roof ridge, he also robbed me of a set. According to him, he became even more curious about his only apprentice in his life.

Pshaw, what a load of rubbish! He's being talked about like some kind of legendary hero. But honestly, this new master's martial arts are truly astounding, he's practically a god. From the very beginning, I couldn't wait to learn his unique lightness skill called "Piaomiao" (the name is as poetic as his appearance).

After I finished learning, he asked me why I was in such a hurry to learn the best lightness skill. I innocently replied, "Nonsense, of course it's so I can run fast enough when I'm escaping." My matter-of-fact tone made him so angry that he almost collapsed on the spot.

With a vicious expression, she grabbed my pitiful cheek and said hatefully, "When have I, Sang Qin's, apprentice ever been reduced to running for my life? You dare to run away, I'll skin you alive." I didn't even have the freedom to escape, and I was on the verge of tears.

His elusive nature had remained unseen by anyone in the manor until one day, amidst a feast, the Demon Child finally revealed the secret. It turned out that Qulan Garden was the most secluded and shabby place in the entire Prime Minister's residence. By simply climbing over the wall from the back garden, one could reach a hidden alleyway outside, leading to the main street. "What?! I thought getting out would be so difficult. I'm truly grateful for the convenient location of this wretched place!"

Speaking of Qulan Garden, it can't really be called a remote corner. I've been taking care of every corner of it for the past few months.

Having studied landscape architecture in modern times, this little place was a piece of cake. I quickly transformed it into a paradise, the room's style changing with my mood. Not only was my third brother so envious he almost wanted to move in, but even my usually elusive son would often laze around here, too bored to move. This gave me a great sense of accomplishment; I can't tolerate any imperfections in a place I spend so much time in.

Summer is almost here, and I'm planning to build a swimming pool in the yard, connecting it to the adjacent lotus lake to ensure a water supply. The plan was quickly approved and put into practice. The hired workers all signed confidentiality agreements; anyone who leaks any information about Qulan Garden will not only face death but also receive no payment. I paid a hefty price for this.

I don't care much about money. The patriarch, who never appears, seems indifferent to his fourth daughter, yet he casually sends her large amounts of gold and silver jewelry every month. I find it strange, but I don't want to investigate further. I've always been indifferent to money, so things that others consider extremely valuable are just casually left in my room. The whole house is decorated in a simple and elegant style, not in a luxurious or opulent way.

When the swimming pool was completed, I took out the swimsuits I had designed long ago and distributed one to each of Yunying and Motong, completely ignoring their slightly flushed cheeks from embarrassment. I looked at my own developing body and didn't understand what was so embarrassing about it.

Fortunately, the two of them seemed used to my unconventional ways and quickly recovered. In addition, I had anticipated this situation and had prepared several large cloths for them to cover their entire bodies. Moreover, they mostly swam at night, in the dark, so no one could see them. Therefore, the two shy people quickly relaxed and lay comfortably in the water to cool off, just like me.

I watched as the demon child, gradually evolving within me, revealed a wicked grin in the darkness. Haha, let's see if you can survive without your precious disciple one day.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Sang Qin sneezed.

He wondered if he had caught a cold.

Volume 1, Chapter 5: Meeting a Beauty

Time flies like water, and several months have passed by leisurely and contentedly. The newly planted roses in the backyard are beginning to grow lush and green, a vibrant and flourishing scene in late summer.

One day, I deliberately chose a day when the Demon Child was out. I had Yunying carry a soft stool to the door to stand guard, while I leisurely swam in the swimming pool. After playing and having fun in the water for a while, I lazily leaned against the shore, sipping the wine in my glass (this was a trophy that I had worked on for several months to successfully develop), while focusing on the design drawings in my hand.

The willows drooped low, the sunlight dappled the ground, and a gentle breeze carrying the faint scent of jasmine occasionally swept by. The sky was a clear blue, and larks soared among the white clouds. Everything was so leisurely and carefree.

However, mutations occur.

My martial arts training made me aware of the danger, but my sluggishness meant that by the time I reacted, it was too late to cover anything up. Thinking of this, I gave up struggling and just lazily closed my eyes and said to the stranger standing on the wall, "Have you seen enough?" Actually, with my thin and underdeveloped body, there was really nothing to see.

The man couldn't help but chuckle, "Who would be interested in peeking at your washboard? You overestimate yourself." His tone was completely cynical.

Hearing him say that, I wasn't angry. I just grabbed a large towel from the shore and wrapped it around my body. I glanced up at him and sure enough, it was the dashing Sixth Young Master. Only a playboy like him, a womanizer, would do something like casually climbing over the walls of a girl's house.

"Since Brother Wen is here, why don't you come down for a chat? I'll certainly treat you well." I smiled sweetly and innocently, like a child.

Sure enough, he gave a wicked smile, lightly leaped down from the wall, and casually walked towards me.

I walked over, and in a seemingly gentle gesture, threw myself into his arms. Hidden under a towel, I casually gave him a sharp, forceful elbow twist. Caught off guard, he was knocked into the water. To my surprise, this playboy, who frequented countless flower gardens, couldn't swim. That was going to be tough for him.

I waited on the shore for a long time, but there was no sign of him. Even the bubbles had disappeared. I started to panic. Although I disliked him, I wasn't at the point where I had to kill him or leave him to die.

I threw down the towel and jumped into the water. Just as I was about to dive in to save him, a powerful force pulled me into the depths of the pool. I had built the swimming pool with one side deep and one side shallow to accommodate Yunying, who couldn't swim. I never imagined that I would end up being pulled into the depths and drowning.

Just when I thought I had almost lost my breath, a strange touch touched my soft lips, bringing me a breath of fresh air.

As I spun around in the water, just as the air in my lungs was about to run out, I was pulled ashore. As soon as I poked my head out, I gasped for breath, trying to breathe in the fresh air. Looking at the face so close to mine, now sporting a smug, wicked smile, I instinctively slapped him. To my surprise, he didn't dodge. With a "smack," a bright red five-finger mark appeared. He squinted at me mischievously, still smiling nonchalantly, and suddenly pulled me into his arms and kissed me deeply.

I struggled desperately, but he was too strong and I couldn't break free. My face turned red, and after a while, he finally let me go. I patted my chest to catch my breath, and his deep voice came: "This is the price you pay for mocking me."

I laughed in anger, snorted, and said coldly, "Young Master Huan is really indiscriminate in his appetite, not even sparing teenagers. His reputation for being frivolous and reckless is not something someone deliberately fabricated." With that, I resolutely broke free from his grip, fiercely wiped my red lips, and swam towards the shore.

My first kiss!

"I just wanted to test how much I meant to you, and whether you would save me. Being too kind won't hurt anyone," he said nonchalantly, climbing ashore with his arms crossed.

I composed myself and feigned innocence, "What are you saying, Brother Huan? I just accidentally bumped into you and you fell into the water. I was so scared that I jumped in to save you, but you didn't appreciate it at all." I stared at him with a wronged look in my eyes.

He didn't refute me, seemingly understanding that I was blatantly lying, and simply asked casually, "Is that so?"

I glanced at him sideways and noticed that his crescent-shaped robe was completely soaked, clinging strangely to his body, revealing his figure. I chuckled dryly, then said calmly, "Come with me."

Logically, he should have been taken to the guest room to change clothes, but unfortunately, the only guest room was already occupied by the Demon Child. Since he couldn't reveal his whereabouts, and Yunying's room didn't have any men's clothes, she had no choice but to reluctantly offer up her own boudoir.

Although in ancient times a woman's boudoir was as important as her chastity, I don't think I'm a particularly virtuous woman, so I don't need to be so particular.

The Sixth Young Master remained silent throughout the journey, though his eyes couldn't help but wander around. This was unavoidable; the place was as beautiful as a modern park, captivating all who visited with its unique charm. Everyone who had been here—whether it was Third Brother, Demon Child, or Yunying, a long-term resident—couldn't help but stop and admire, exclaiming in amazement.

Once inside the room, he muttered to himself absentmindedly, "Interesting. If I had known it would be this interesting, I should have climbed over the wall to find you sooner."

I ignored him, went to the inner room, grabbed a cloak and casually put it on, then pulled out a crescent-shaped robe for him. My 10 taels! I couldn't help but feel a pang of pain. This robe would sell for at least 10 taels outside, and up to 20 taels.

"Here, put these on and get out of here. I don't want to see you on the wall in the yard again."

The composed and leisurely young nobleman accepted it without ceremony, and said with a smile, "I can't guarantee that I won't have a sudden urge someday."

I angrily pushed him inside, sat on the sofa eating pastries, and urged him to hurry up.

The sixth young master, upon entering, did not rush to change his wet clothes. Instead, he looked around the house with amusement, a house that could be described as unprecedented and unparalleled (I lowered my head in shame, not daring to face my modern-day folks).

Many priceless gold and silver jewels were casually scattered in various corners of the room, which showed that the owner did not care about them. The sixth young master's lips unconsciously curled up slightly, but unfortunately, he did not even realize it.

Countless questions filled his mind. According to rumors, the fourth young lady of the Xie family had been neglected since childhood. Being born without a mother or father's love, she must have suffered all sorts of humiliation at the hands of the other concubines. He had occasionally been forced by his father to attend Xie family banquets in the past, and he had personally witnessed the naive and ignorant fourth young lady in those years—unable to read, beaten with ten strokes of the cane until she was barely alive. Once, while strolling in the courtyard with Xie An, he even encountered the fourth young lady being harassed by lowly servants, crying like a little kitten. But this year, entrusted by his father to attend this matchmaking banquet, he had expected another boring day. However, the fourth young lady, oblivious to everyone else, eating heartily with her head down, not only spoke eloquently but also with sharp wit, making those sycophantic people change color several times—it was incredibly amusing. Even more remarkable was her wish; to others, it seemed like a child's thoughtless, casual remark, but its deeper meaning was the best way to protect herself. Huan Wen was certain that he wasn't the only one who noticed her change; that old fox, Xie Yu Shi, had also noticed it. He's probably assessing how useful his daughter is again.

Afterwards, he publicly declared his interest in her and wanted to get close to her as quickly as possible. However, the title of "White-Robed Gentleman," one of the Five Gentlemen of the Capital, seemed to have no appeal to her at all. His gifts and love poems were ruthlessly rejected. This was Huan Wen's only failure in the history of pursuing women, and it quickly spread. He was ridiculed by his four brothers more than once or twice.

In the end, I had no choice but to resort to the worst possible tactic: climbing over the wall to meet the beauty. To be honest, I was really desperate. Xie Weiying was just a teenager.

But why did my heart flutter when I forcefully kissed her? Am I acting strangely because I encountered a weird girl?

The impatient urging of the girl waiting outside came again. Huan Wen absentmindedly put on the new robe he was holding. Only after putting it on did he realize how different it was. It was really novel. The collar was trimmed with gold thread, and strange totems were randomly painted on the robe with black ink. Actually, it was a doodle I painted with special paint.

As soon as Huan Wen stepped outside, he noticed the girl staring at him intently, as if she were a ravenous wolf. Huan Wen felt a surge of smug satisfaction; indeed, his charm was still irresistible. He struck what he thought was a very dashing pose, reclaiming his unbeatable allure, and was about to ask her if her attitude towards him had changed, if she regretted rejecting him those past few months…

Who knew—

As I gazed at the robe I had made, perfectly displayed before me, I couldn't help but exclaim, "Perfect! Absolutely perfect!"

Huan Wen, who was feeling quite pleased with himself, was flattered and became elated, but the next sentence sent him plummeting from heaven to hell.

"Perfect, perfect! No wonder it's a robe I made!" I ran over, picked up the robe and looked at it from left to right, constantly clicking my tongue in admiration, completely ignoring the Sixth Young Master's face, which had turned ashen.

Huan Wen was about to lash out when a little maid suddenly ran in and said to me, "Miss, it's getting late, shouldn't we start cooking? My stomach is growling." The maid was Yun Ying.

Turning around, she saw a strange man in the room. After a slight startle, she saw Yunying staring blankly at the stiff Huan Wen. Seeing this, Huan Wen was about to put on what he thought was a charming smile and regain the self-esteem he had just lost to her.

To my surprise, a moment later, Yunying exclaimed to me behind her as if she had discovered a new continent, "The robe that Miss made is so beautiful!"

"Really?! I think it's pretty good too." Completely ignoring the living person inside the room, the master and servant chatted as they walked out.

Huan Wen was completely petrified. Who said the white-robed young master of the capital was charming to men, women, and children alike? Why was he completely powerless against this pair of lovable masters and servants?

As I reached the door, I suddenly remembered something and said, "Young Master Huan, if you don't mind, please stay for dinner."

Huan Wen was left alone, heartbroken and speechless.

During the meal, Huan Wen kept his head down and wolfed down his food without saying a word. I also felt that I had gone too far, so I couldn't help but say in a comforting tone, "Well, if you want to come again, you don't need to climb over the wall anymore. Just let my head maid, Qingqing, inform me, and you can come in through the main gate. If you climb over the wall without my permission, I'll refuse to be your guest." I added a threatening tone at the end.

"Understood," the sixth young master replied listlessly, engrossed in his food.

After having a cup of tea, I saw that it was about time, and the Demon Child should be back soon, so I unceremoniously told him to leave. Although Huan Wen was determined to linger as long as possible, his skin wasn't thick enough to be unyielding, so he had no choice but to leave helplessly. On the way back, he was already thinking about coming back tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, and the day after that... to freeload off him.

More importantly, I want to see this interesting little woman all the time.

Volume 1, Chapter 6: The Bet

"Master, you're back. Have you eaten?" He had a fawning face and gleaming eyes.

To everyone's surprise, the handsome and refined man ignored the woman's flattering words and went to the kitchen to find something to eat. After a long while, when he had filled his stomach, his expression softened slightly, but his voice remained cold as he said, "The matter is settled."

"Really! Master, you are truly amazing. My admiration for you is like a surging river, never-ending..."

He waved his hand impatiently: "Alright, alright, if I hadn't lost to you, I wouldn't have bothered with this. Damn it, I'm so used to your cooking that I can't stomach any fancy food outside. I'm starving."

There was nothing I could do; he was so clueless, daring to challenge me to a game of chess, even though I grew up playing it. One day, out of boredom, I made a simple chess set and played with Yunying. Unexpectedly, Motong saw it and shamelessly joined in. After playing a few times and finding it enjoyable, he kept dragging me along for rounds. I knew he couldn't let go of his handsome face and didn't want to keep losing to his apprentice.

Later, when I got annoyed with him, I decided to goad him into a bet. If he lost, he would have to solve a problem for me, and if I lost, I would have to cook the Manchu Han Imperial Feast that he always talked about, so he could enjoy it.

As expected, he lost. So I told him about some recent business troubles he'd encountered to help him get some exercise.

A few months ago, I started sneaking out to look for shops with good timing and location, well-known silk shops, and some skilled tailors... I even bought an old house in the suburbs and turned it into something like a modern factory. I took the advice of an old tailor named Uncle Fu and hired some women skilled in embroidery from nearby villages that were good at handicrafts. They provided food, lodging, wages, and profit sharing. My shop started operating like a whirlwind.

I was in charge of the design. The sketches I drew in my spare time, along with the men's and women's clothing samples I made, all came in handy. Combined with my endless stream of creative ideas, I was confident these would become a trend in the capital. And I'd occasionally send a few sets to the Sixth Young Master, who frequents the area. He's a prominent figure, always dressed like that to flirt with women. If women liked them, all those rich young men would be eager to follow the trend, scrambling to find such clothes. Then—hehe, it'll all be up to me.

That idiot Sixth Young Master, I gave him a few outfits, and he was overjoyed! I just wanted to find some free models for publicity. Like Third Brother, cough cough, too.

And so, my shop "Jinjun" opened to the anticipation of everyone.

I used a modern style for the shop, the sign is made of fine teak with artistic lettering, and then I used two thick iron chains to hang it high.

Since there was no glass back then, I used crystal to make curtains, which swayed in the wind and made a pleasant clinking sound. Inside, I added floor-length curtains made of sheer fabric, creating a strong sense of layering. The outer walls were decorated with wavy stripes of pink, emerald green, and pale yellow, varying in thickness and winding around the walls. The inner floor was paved with blue marble and covered with a thick carpet. The walls were painted orange with daisy patterns, and even the lights were modern and streamlined. There were separate changing rooms and small waiting rooms for guests.

I hired several beautiful young girls as sweet waitresses. Their service attitude, after my training, is top-notch.