She lowered her guard and heard him say, "You always have to pay a price for asking for favors."
Suppressing his smile, Yu Zigui looked at the large cat, which seemed to have caught its prey.
"It was very cold on the way." He glanced at her, casually tracing his lips. "If the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold; you understand, Zigui?"
"Hmm..." she answered hesitantly. There was a trick, there must be a trick!
"Sigh, I can't bring myself to make things difficult for you. How about this?" Shangguan Yi sighed softly, his handsome eyes looking at her with a gentle smile. Just when she thought she had escaped to heaven, she heard him say this.
"If you can make my lips and teeth no longer feel cold, then I will follow you to the Northern Barbarians. It's just a small request, Zigui, my heart is really small."
He sighed softly, and considerately closed his eyes to avoid embarrassing her.
“No rush, Zigui.” Before closing his eyes, he gave her a meaningful look. “We still have half an hour.”
She took a deep breath, a deep breath, and stared at his lips with overwhelming force.
He's the boss, he's the boss.
Chapter Twenty-One
A strong wind rushed by, and the mountains stretched endlessly. Normally, she would have loved the beautiful scenery of the northern region at the end of the year.
pity……
Yu Zigui shifted her gaze slightly, glancing at the handsome man who seemed to be expecting her. A thousand regrets welled up in her heart, and she was speechless for a moment.
From a young age, she followed her family's teachings and upheld the philosophy of being the second child, neither striving to be a big fish in a small pond nor a small fish in a big pond, living a carefree and joyful life for nineteen years. Unexpectedly, her only act of defiance in her life resulted in this blow. No wonder only one Yue Fei has emerged in a century; becoming a hero is truly difficult.
Stealing a glance at Shangguan Yi, Yu Zigui slowed his pace, his slightly raised eyebrows revealing a hint of something unusual.
Actually, half an hour isn't a long time. If we prioritize "dragging it out" and supplement it with the tactic of "muddling through," perhaps...
"Want to back out?"
With a soft sound like a pebble breaking a water bottle, Yu Zigui was startled and looked at Shangguan. He saw that Shangguan's thin lips were slightly raised, forming a sharp arc.
There's only one path to Mount Hua, so if there's no way to escape, might as well fight! A cold wind whistled through her, her head was throbbing, and she strode forward.
"The wind howls across the Yi River, the wind howls across the Yi River, and the Yi River is cold."
She recited the words with a death wish, and before Shangguan could ask a question, she grabbed his neck and resolutely kissed him. "Whether I stick my neck out or not, I'll still get hurt," she initially thought, but the warmth of his lips gradually brought her to her senses.
This coolness was all for her. Her heart skipped a beat, and she gazed at his handsome face, her breath mingling with his. His eyes were closed, his fine eyelashes casting shadows, and the weariness of his journey was unmistakable between his brows. Her heart softened gently, and even her lips relaxed slightly. She leaned forward slowly, carefully kissing the coolness of his lips. One kiss, two kisses, she kissed him very lightly, like ripples on a spring night, tender and almost pity-like.
How can we make it warmer?
She felt a slight pang of annoyance, placing her hands against his cool cheeks and pulling him closer. Although he didn't return the kiss, he clearly enjoyed this passivity. She heard him laugh, a soft laugh like that of a greedy cat, his lips curving into a gentle arc.
She gently lifted her eyelashes, and before she knew it, the red cloak had become their private space. She leaned back slightly, creating a small distance between them.
"Hmm?" He raised an eyebrow in displeasure, his expression full of lingering interest.
The insatiable cat narrowed her eyes in annoyance, her fingertip touching his lips. "It's warm now."
She withdrew her hand, pushing him further away. She felt a little guilty, but mostly embarrassed and annoyed. Seeing no movement beside her, she felt a little relieved, steadied her wandering eyes, and forced her gaze to the snow-covered city in the mountains.
Love for one's children is a weakness for heroes; what a monster!
"Zigui".
"Hmm?" She tried her best to shift her attention elsewhere, responding absentmindedly.
"There's another place that's cold."
Um?
Before she could turn her head, she felt her neck being grabbed. Her eyes widened, and she saw the Snow Wolf Flag flash past the corner of her eye, followed by a sky full of red. She was being kissed firmly. Actually, she wasn't sure if it was a kiss, because his strength was somewhat frightening, yet not like the fierce strength of a bull.
Although she knew he was not the compassionate figure of the rumors, she never expected him to be so ruthless. A burning sensation ignited on her lips; she couldn't tell whether it was her face or him that was burning.
She stared intently at him, only to see his dark eyes filled with even greater annoyance. What was he unhappy about? Pressing against his chest, she tried to pull back a step, but before she could focus her attention, he pried open her lips. Unable to discern her emotions, her body trembled slightly, her mind a jumbled mess of thoughts. She took a step back, but he pressed closer, their lips locked in a fierce kiss, making her feel a burning sensation all over her body. Only when the mess was completely cooked, burnt, did she realize she was returning the kiss.
The wind howls, the Yi River is cold; the hero departs, never to return!
Regardless of any Taoist patriarchs or grandmasters, even a bolt from the blue couldn't shake her heroic spirit. With a determined heart, she learned to be as sharp-tongued as him. She surpassed her teacher, always learning quickly, and there was no reason for her to lose to him in this area. She retaliated without flinching, attempting to gain the upper hand both mentally and physically. But no matter how hard she tried, she always fell short.
Slightly annoyed, she was pinned against the tree. How could this seemingly frail merchant be so strong? She resisted slightly, yet dared not exert any force. Even with her thick skin, she wouldn't take advantage of someone who knew nothing of martial arts, especially since, aside from a minor hurt to her pride, she didn't reject the kiss at all. In fact, she felt a hidden joy mixed in.
The kiss was like him—arrogant yet tender, but lacking his usual patience. She tilted her head, wanting to laugh, but he grabbed her chin. She frowned slightly, trying to create some distance. But he saw through her immediately, pressing down on her dress before she could move, trapping her in a small space.
Slightly annoyed, Yu Zigui stole glances at him from beneath her eyelashes. His brows exuded a captivating charm, and he smiled gently, attempting to bewitch her. She feigned obedience, closing her eyes, her fingers lightly and subtly sliding towards his lapel.
If you think she's surrendered, you'd be sorely mistaken. Everything is preordained; knowledge brings understanding. Even cats have their moments of weakness. She observed silently, and sure enough, after a while, the cat relaxed slightly and leaned back. Secretly pleased, she flipped him over and pinned him against the tree.
His handsome face was like jade, and his lips were tinged with an alluring color—he was a devilishly handsome man. Given his ruthless nature, how could he possibly let her succeed so easily?
She suddenly sensed something was wrong, and her long-dormant senses suddenly became clear. Her eyes widened, and she instinctively looked towards the distance.
A north wind swept through the bushes, casting a faint shadow on the ground. She broke off a dry branch, flicked it, and was gone.
"It hurts, it hurts, it hurts." A calligraphy brush slowly rolled out of the bushes. Yu Zigui was dumbfounded when he saw someone groaning with their head in their hands.
Picking up the precious pen from the ground, Cong Luan gently tucked the book into her bosom, then looked at her indignantly: "How cruel you are!"
Yu Zigui blinked and looked at Cong Luan's injured hand. She thought that she could hide it so well, so her lightness skill must be excellent, but she did not expect her kung fu to be so weak.
"What are you laughing at? When it comes to lightness skills in the martial arts world, I'm confident I can be in the top ten." Seeing through her thoughts, Cong Luan said smugly, "Good lightness skills allow you to get close and hear clearly. Nanshan Academy hates blindly following others, and the history written by Master Benshan is well-founded."
Luan glanced at the tree, her eyes filled with excitement.
Following those two excited, almost trembling gazes, Yu Zigui snapped back to reality and looked at her hands, still in the menacing pose of wolf claws plucking flowers. Beneath her palms, clothes were disheveled and slightly open, and the person leaned against the tree, looking like a frail scholar ready to be plucked. This scene, this posture, seemed familiar to her, as if she had seen it in some book of strange tales.
A female ghost pressed down on a weak scholar, and indiscriminately plucked his yang energy in the desolate wilderness.
Meeting those bright, dark eyes, Yu Zigui knew she'd been tricked. This person was incredibly cunning; if she hadn't had a backup plan, how could she have been so easily subdued? She should have known, she should have known…
Thinking to herself, Yu Zigui glanced at him resentfully. Seeing the lewd smile on Cong Luan's face, as if she'd seen through his secrets, she knew something was wrong and hurriedly explained, "Ah Luan, actually it's..."
"I understand, I understand, I really understand."
Seeing Luan's understanding expression, she felt very comforted. "It's good that you understand. I thought..."
"Courage!"
Huh? She looked at Cong Luan in confusion.
"The Alliance Leader is truly a ruthless character. In short, today's events can be summed up in one word: courage!"
"..."
On November 21st, the sky was high and the earth vast, with auspicious clouds above the sun. A golden light flashed across the foothills of Changbai Mountain, and the leader of the martial arts alliance descended on the wind. The snow-covered landscape of yesteryear was desolate, and the northern winds ravaged the grass and the ruler. A few wolf howls echoed through the forest, a lone wild goose in the sky unable to bear the sound. How tragic and lamentable! In a narrow encounter, the brave prevail; why must the brave suffer "night after night"? The leader of the martial arts alliance, a female general of our time, is truly brave from Zigui!
Looking at the martial arts secrets she had risked her life to write down two days ago, Cong Luan couldn't control herself and wrote down a few more lines of small characters after turning the page.
The above is what this academy personally witnessed; every word is true and without falsehood! Due to the dangers of writing, it may only be circulated after this academy's death. Neither power nor wealth can corrupt; the pen and sword record only the true martial world. Future generations, upon seeing this, must remember it well.
Just as I was writing with great enthusiasm, I heard a worried voice beside me. "Did you offend my uncle?"
Cong Luan was startled and looked at Xiao Kuang, who was approaching. "Your uncle?"
Seeing that she was confused, Xiao Kuang sighed helplessly, pointed to the few lines of small characters she had just written, and said: "You cannot be subdued by power or corrupted by wealth. When you went to spy in the dense forest a couple of days ago, A-Luan, I told you that you can't afford to offend my uncle."
"So you thought it was Shangguan?" She finally realized.
"Isn't that right?"
Seeing his confident expression, Cong Luan couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. If she hadn't witnessed it with her own eyes, she would have thought, like A Kuang, that Shangguan was invincible and would surely capture Zigui. But who could have imagined it? Who could have imagined it?
The leader's courage is truly awe-inspiring and worthy of admiration.
Reflecting on this explosive secret, she longed to share it with Xiao Kuang, but remembering the academy's motto, "No trouble before the gate of no words, troublemakers stay away from the gate of no words," she swallowed the secret back down. Afraid he would ask again, she pretended to look around at the scenery.
Traveling 80,000 li a day and patrolling a thousand rivers at night, she had originally thought that snow would fall in the eighth month of the lunar calendar in the northern lands, and that what she would see would be the harshness and depth of the north wind. Instead, she was surprised to find such pleasant scenery. The foothills of Changbai Mountain surrounded a warm valley, where even at the end of the coldest period of winter, the biting cold was not felt. Unique yurts dotted the valleys, and the capital of the Northern Di was located here.
"No wonder the Northern Di royal family comes here every year to spend the winter," she exclaimed.
"That's why this place is so formidable." The voice was indifferent, just like Wei Zhuofeng himself.
Looking at him from afar, Luan saw that he had sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, with dragon eyes slightly raised, like snow on a high mountain, which could only be admired from afar and not touched.
“Brother Wei is right. Zhongdu is surrounded by mountains, and the only way through is fortified with high walls. If we hadn’t disguised ourselves as an envoy, we would have had no chance of getting in.” Xiao Kuang said, then looked at the wooden building that was rare in Zhongdu not far away.
In front of the white felt gate, Shangguan Yi was talking to an official, while Yu Zigui, disguised as a Hwarang, stood behind him, looking up at the strange characters on the gate with slight curiosity.
"It should be the three characters 'Sifangguan'."
"Oh?" Xiao Kuang looked at Cong Luan, who seemed quite confident. "You understand the Northern Di language?" he teased.
Luan glanced at him. "Two years ago, the head of the Seventh Chamber went out of Shanhaiguan to investigate an old martial arts story. According to him, the Northern Barbarians learned from the Central Plains, and their names, from the Six Ministries to the government offices, were exactly the same as those of the Great Wei. Since this place is where envoys are received, it should also be called the Four Directions Pavilion."
“The Great Wei, located in the Central Plains, welcomes guests from all directions, but what about the northern barbarians on the border?” Xiao Kuang said.
"This clearly shows his wolfish ambitions." Wei Zhuofeng glanced at him coldly.
Seeing Shangguan Yi leading the Northern Di officials towards them, the two men fell silent. Although they didn't understand the foreign language, Xiao Kuang could tell that his uncle was introducing a group. So he bowed first, gesturing for the others to follow suit. Sure enough, the Northern Di official glanced at them, gave a condescending hum, and turned to walk towards the yurt behind the Sifang Pavilion.
"Follow me," Shangguan Yi gestured. He was determined not to speak in public, fearing his accent would be recognized as being from the Great Wei language.
The group followed silently. Once inside the domed yurt, the gray-eyed official was about to leave when his gaze inadvertently swept over Cong Luan and Yu Zigui. He suddenly stopped. A strange glint appeared in his gray eyes, and he whispered a few words to Shangguan Yi.
Shangguan smiled slightly, but those dark eyes that seemed as warm as a spring breeze to outsiders were quite alarming to her.
The official's words were anything but kind, and Yu Zigui subtly moved her hand towards the long sword at her waist. Although Ziyu was quick-witted, she was ultimately ignorant of martial arts, and she had witnessed many instances of the Northern Di people's martial spirit and belligerence in recent days. If this official intended to make a move, the sword would be drawn at any moment.
Shangguan, who was standing beside him, noticed something amiss. He pretended to be nonchalant and glanced over casually. When he saw Yu Zigui's silent protective posture, his dark eyes trembled slightly, as if he couldn't contain his joy but was reluctant to let it spill out.
He loved that she looked at him with all her heart and soul, and that Shangguan Yi was all he had in her eyes.
His lips curved slightly upward, his gaze softening. With a gesture of bowing, Shangguan Yi flicked his sleeve, the wide sleeve naturally covering her waist knife. Beneath the sleeve, he grasped her hand holding the knife. Yu Zigui was startled, her moon-shaped eyes slowly moving upward, but she couldn't meet his dark eyes. Unable to understand, she let him hold her hand.
After a while, the gray-eyed official glanced at her and Cong Luan again before leaving sheepishly.
"What did that person say?" Xiao Kuang asked only after the person had gone far away.
With her hand still clenched in her sleeve, Shangguan Yi looked at Zigui and Congluan. Although the two had deliberately concealed their figures and added a few whiskers, they could not hide the delicate beauty between their brows, which added to their charm.
"He regrets that Zigui and Congluan are men, otherwise, with their looks, they would surely have won the king's favor." His gaze was too lewd; he would find an opportunity to kill that official, Shangguan added in his mind.
"Shameless!" Xiao Kuang said indignantly.
"Leave the assassination to me; the two ladies need not leave the tent." Though he addressed the two women, Wei Zhuofeng only had eyes for one of them.