No wonder Hua Chongyang always disliked Ji Feixiang.
Twelve-year-old Rong Chenfei, also dressed in a white silk robe and clean black boots, with a handsome and otherworldly face, looked at Ji Feixiang with youthful arrogance and spoke up for Hua Chongyang:
"Fei Xiang, you're the kind of person who always laughs at others."
Hua Chongyang was dumbfounded.
Having just emerged from Shaolin Temple and seeing so many honest, bald monks around him, Hua Chongyang felt that Rong Chenfei was almost like a god compared to the extraordinary young man before him. So, a few years ago, when Ji Chong led his Wudang group past the brothel, upon seeing the handsome Rong Chenfei in his white robes, the brothel owner, Ye Qinghua, known for her sharp tongue, immediately shouted at Hua Chongyang:
"Look, look! Hua Chongyang, that's your fairy brother!"
Just as Hua Chongyang was almost unable to extricate herself from her reverie about the immortal brother, Uncle Ji Chong descended from the sky into her ocean of imagination:
"On Chongyang Festival, apply some ointment to the wounds on your face."
She came to her senses and raised her hand to slightly cover her wound:
"Uncle Ji, my injury is nothing serious--"
Ji Chong interrupted him:
"A young lady should always cherish her appearance. If she's disfigured, how will she ever get married?"
"Then I won't marry," Hua Chongyang said with a smile, releasing her hand and standing up. "Isn't it more comfortable to be alone?"
A mirror and ointment were placed on the table. She washed her hands, took the ointment, and applied it while looking in the mirror. However, it was inconvenient to close one eye. Seeing her clumsy movements, Ji Chong stood up:
"Let me help you--"
"Master, let me do it." The immortal brother Rong Chenfei gently stopped Ji Chong, washing his hands first and walking to Hua Chongyang's side. "Chongyang, close your eyes."
Hua Chongyang paused for a moment, then handed the ointment to Rong Chenfei, a faint smile spreading across his face.
"Well—thank you very much, Senior Brother Rong."
Hua Chongyang didn't care about being the young master of Lake Moon Manor, the only son of Rong Zaisheng, the acting leader of the martial arts alliance, or Ji Chong's eldest disciple. At this moment, what she cared about was Rong Chenfei's slender fingers touching her eye sockets, gently stroking them, while she secretly observed Rong Chenfei's face, which was even more handsome and outstanding than it had been ten years ago, with her open left eye.
Then, just as she was getting a little nervous, the fairy brother smiled and spoke:
"You've changed a lot since I was a child, Chongyang."
Hua Chongyang gave a vague reply: "...Mm."
In her eyes, Rong Chenfei's smiling face was radiant, like the rising sun in the morning light, gentle and not dazzling; as for what Rong Chenfei had just said, it was as clear as a breeze—she hadn't heard it at all.
"You've grown so tall, but your temper has become even more shy—your kung fu must have improved quite a bit too, right? I remember when we were kids, I was almost no match for you." Rong Chenfei said with a smile, then turned to Ji Chong, "Master, my father said he'd like to invite Junior Sister Chongyang to the martial arts tournament tomorrow."
"Oh?" Ji Chong smiled. "That would be perfect. Chongyang, what do you think?"
The warm fingers on his eyelids were removed. Hua Chongyang opened his eyes, looked at Rong Chenfei, then at Ji Chong, and stood up with a smile:
"In that case, Chongyang thanks Uncle Rong very much."
Lake Moon Villa is located in Hangzhou and has a history of nearly a hundred years.
The current head of the manor, Rong Zaisheng, is Rong Chenfei's father. He served as an official in the imperial court in his early years before resigning and entering the martial arts world. Rong Zaisheng is known for his philanthropy and righteousness, and his reputation has spread far and wide. In addition, he is extremely wealthy and generous, which has gradually made Lake Moon Manor famous in the martial arts world. Two years ago, Rong Zaisheng was elected as the acting leader of the martial arts alliance. Originally, everyone wanted to elect him as the leader, but he strongly declined and only reluctantly accepted the position of "acting" leader.
The first day of the martial arts tournament had just ended, and the banquet was over. Rong Zaisheng was sitting in the Mingde Hall of Lake Moon Villa, slowly sipping tea, when his steward, Wu Zhouhui, came to report:
"The guests from Wudang and Shaolin have all returned to their east and west courtyards to rest. The rest have also left."
"Hmm. Where is the young master?"
"Young Master will escort Sect Leader Ji back to the East Courtyard and return shortly."
"Well," Rong Zaisheng put down his teacup, looked up at Wu Zhouhui, "has the matter of Hua Chongyang today been investigated?"
"All we know is that her mother was Sect Leader Ji's junior sister, and it seems she had some special feelings for him back then, which is why Sect Leader Ji treated her differently. Also," Wu Zhouhui paused, then continued, "many people say that Hua Chongyang's biological father is actually Sect Leader Ji Chong."
"oh?"
"However, some say she is Yan Zhao's biological daughter—" Just then, Wu Zhouhui saw Rong Chenfei push the door open and come in from outside, so she quickly turned around, "Young Master is back."
"Yes, Butler Wu."
Dressed in flowing white robes, Rong Chenfei smiled at Wu Zhouhui, then turned to Rong Zaisheng, "Father, you haven't rested yet."
"You're back just in time," Rong Zaisheng stood up. "I was just about to ask you, who exactly is this Hua Chongyang who suddenly appeared today?"
"Hua Chongyang?" Rong Chenfei was taken aback at first, then laughed. "She's my martial uncle's daughter. The famous female leader of the Huajian Sect back then, Hua Chuxue, was also my master's junior sister, and her mother. She came to Wudang when she was around ten years old and only stayed for a year before leaving."
"And her father, is he Yan Zhao?"
"I'm not entirely sure about that." Rong Chenfei poured himself a sip of tea. "Chongyang grew up without parents, but she's very sensitive about others mentioning her father. Back in Wudang, when someone asked her who her father was, she rushed up and fought without a word. Even after being beaten black and blue, she refused to utter a single word."
"So, she's a child without a father. But if her father really is Yan Zhao—" Rong Zaisheng chuckled, stroking his beard and squinting as he asked his son, "Chen Fei, how's her martial arts?"
"I don't know how things are now," Rong Chenfei said, lowering his eyes to recall. "But when she was around ten years old—I was a few years older than her—I only narrowly won."
"It seems Ji Chong dotes on her very much," Rong Zaisheng said, pacing back and forth. "How could he have left her alone out there for so many years?"
"She ran away from Wudang on her own." Rong Chenfei paused mid-air, holding his teacup, and slowly said, "Neither my master's wife nor Fei Xiang liked her. She was also stubborn and inflexible. She only stayed in Wudang for a year before secretly running away when no one was looking. She's been gone for six or seven years, until now."
As he spoke, Rong Chenfei sighed softly:
"Looking at her now, her demeanor is calm and composed, and her clothes are tattered. She must have suffered a lot over the years."
"That's true," Rong Zaisheng chuckled, "No wonder you're so cunning."
Rong Chenfei paused at his lips, the teacup hovering there, then froze in shock:
"Scheming?"
"Don't underestimate this girl. She's probably more capable than your junior sister Fei Xiang," Rong Zaisheng said, patting his son's shoulder with a soft laugh. "Steward Wu just investigated. The man who caused trouble with her on stage today isn't a Huashan disciple at all. He's just a local scoundrel from Hangzhou."
What do you mean?
"The martial arts tournament gathers many masters from all over the world. Even if he really is a disciple of Mount Hua, he wouldn't dare to cause trouble so easily. I already had Steward Wu investigate. That scoundrel was paid a large sum of money by someone else to cause trouble at Tonghua Chongyang."
Rong Chenfei raised an eyebrow:
"You mean, Hua Chongyang paid him to cause trouble just to make a name for himself at the martial arts tournament?!"
"That's secondary. The important things are the Yellow Springs Martial Arts and the Azure Sky Heart Sutra." Rong Zaisheng stroked his beard as he sat down, smiling at Rong Chenfei, and slowly said, "I don't know if your master has mentioned it to you, but if you can cultivate these Azure Sky Martial Arts and Yellow Springs Heart Sutra, then no one in the world can surpass you. It is said that in the past thirty years, only Yan Zhao in the martial arts world has ever mastered them, and now no one knows where he is."
Rong Chenfei listened in a daze, and after a moment of contemplation, he exclaimed in surprise:
"Father, do you mean that if Chongyang is Yanzhao's daughter, then these two secret manuals might be in her hands?"
Hua Chongyang, whose mother was Hua Chuxue, was the seventh-generation successor of the Huajian Sword Technique and a member of the Wudang Sect. Twenty years ago, she was ranked first on the list of beauties in the martial arts world and second on the list of gossip and scandals. Twenty years later, when everyone thought the Huajian Sword Technique had been lost, Hua Chongyang, carrying the world-renowned Huajian Sword Technique, gracefully descended into the world as a fried cake vendor, shocking everyone and simultaneously climbing to the top of the list of gossip and scandals in the martial arts world.
These days, the most talked-about topic in the streets and alleys of Hangzhou is none other than the background of Hua Chongyang.
To be precise, the most talked-about person was her father.
The question of who Hua Chongyang's father was is a complex topic with many conflicting opinions.
Some believe Hua Chongyang is Ji Chong's daughter because Ji Chong's expression was overly excited upon first seeing her; moreover, Hua Chuxue and Ji Chong were childhood sweethearts for over a decade, raising suspicions of something more. Others believe Hua Chongyang's father is actually Yan Zhao, since Hua Chuxue eloped with him, and given Yan Zhao's philandering and morally corrupt nature, it's plausible he would have taken advantage of her; and having a daughter would be a given…
However, considering all the rumors, the most despicable and shameless one that Hua Chongyang found unacceptable was this claim: that Hua Chongyang was actually the daughter of the old monk Deyun. Since Hua Chuxue was dumped by Yan Zhao and then taken in by Master Deyun of Shaolin, it's possible that something happened afterward.
These were the various stories Hua Chongyang heard from the crowd after strolling around the streets in the evening; to the point that even she herself was half-believing and half-doubting, and was somewhat confused about who her father really was.
Under the hazy moonlight and the biting north wind, she emerged from the maze of people on the street and stood alone among the comings and goings of people. She looked at the painting stall across the street and her slanted peach blossom eyes gradually narrowed.
The painting stall was set up in the corner of the wall. In addition to a dozen or so scrolls on the stall, there were several paintings hanging on the wall. The one hanging at the very edge was a fine ink line drawing of a figure. The man in the painting had gentle eyebrows and eyes, and his lips were slightly upturned as if he was smiling. He was a bit arrogant and unruly. He was tall and dressed in white, but had a long black hair that was as black as ink. He casually held a jade-colored orchid in his hand. He was dressed in a wide robe with shallow sleeves and was outstanding and otherworldly.
Hua Chongyang followed closely behind, approaching the corner of the wall.
In the hazy night, the inscription on the corner of the painting was faintly visible: Yan Zhao. Hua Chongyang pointed to the painting and asked:
"Boss, how much is this painting?"
"Fifty coins for colored paintings, twenty coins for line drawings. If you buy two, I'll throw in the older one next to it."
"Is that the one on the side, this one?" Hua Chongyang pointed to Yan Zhao's portrait and couldn't help but ask again.
"Yes, that's the one. Young man, you want to buy it?"
Hua Chongyang silently shook his head, stared at the painting for a long time, then turned and walked to the noodle stall across the street, taking out his purse:
"Boss, a bowl of beef noodles, please."
2． Hua Chuxue
Beef noodles come in large, medium, and small bowls. A strong man eats a large bowl, an average person a medium bowl, and a small bowl is enough for young women, wives, and children. The waiter stood by the table, waiting for Hua Chongyang to ask whether she wanted a medium or small bowl, but she just smiled:
"Give me a big bowl, please."
...I wonder if this store is any good or bad?
Then the waiter brought the noodles over, and watched in astonishment as she shoveled the entire bowl of noodles to the bottom, saying gently:
"Waiter, the bill, please."
The waiter, still reeling from the shock, said, "...Sir, a large bowl of noodles costs ten coins."
"Ten coins? Waiter, you have to be fair. I've never eaten a bowl of noodles for ten coins in all of Hangzhou." Hua Chongyang, with a "I'm very reasonable" look, smiled and raised her eyebrows as she bargained with the waiter. Taking advantage of the waiter's dazed attitude of refusing to pay, she threw down a few coins, patted her bottom, and was about to leave when the waiter stubbornly rushed up and grabbed her sleeve:
"Sir!"
Sizzle--
Hua Chongyang's sleeve, which was already torn, was ripped in half and fluttered in the wind.
The waiter was terrified. Hua Chongyang chuckled inwardly, but feigned anger, turned around, and grabbed the waiter's wrist with a flick of his wrist:
"Waiter, this outfit of mine is worth at least fifty coins."
"……"
The waiter then realized that he had actually run into someone who wanted to dine and dash tonight. The gentle-speaking, always smiling, and refined young man in front of him was actually quite the scoundrel who knew how to renege on his debts...
"Can't pay? Fine, I won't bother with you." His clothes were already tattered, just waiting for the waiter to rip them off, Hua Chongyang said, walking back to the table. "Just pay me back for this."
With a swift reach, the money on the table was back in his pocket. Hua Chongyang turned away, ignoring the waiter who was almost crying, but just then he heard the whispers of two people at the wonton stall next door:
"...This year's martial arts tournament was quite a spectacle."
"Yes, yes, not only did Prince Ningjing and his heir grace us with their presence, but Ji Chong also came. Oh, and there's this inexplicable Hua Chongyang who popped up—I heard she's Hua Chuxue's daughter!"
Hua Chongyang stopped abruptly, unable to resist pricking up his ears.
"Is it true? I heard that Hua Chongyang looks like a beggar, and that he sells steamed buns."
"Maybe they're from the Beggars' Sect? Hey, do you think they could be scammers?!"
"……"