"This is one of the reasons why I agreed to your request; we can't let Mohuang take advantage of this opportunity," Xiao Guiying said.
"Hahaha, it's even better if the desert people get involved. It's because of their chaos that we have a reason to persuade Abbot Chankong of Shaolin Temple to come out of seclusion," Dongchou said with a loud laugh.
According to what Dongchou said in his letter, Shaolin Temple does not concern itself with Jianghu affairs, but Abbot Chankong will definitely not participate in the formation of the Martial Alliance. He said that Shaolin Temple will only step in when fighting against Mohuang. Now that Mohuang has taken action, how can Shaolin Temple not act? Want to grab Mohuang's skirt? That's easy. Second Senior Brother, leave it to your lovely Junior Sister!
Under Xue Qing's arrangement, Qi led several thugs from the Underworld to attack Dongqi Pavilion. Following Xue Qing's instructions, they merely scratched each other a few times, revealed themselves, and then ran away. Xue Qing devised a lie to deceive Qi, but it was useless. Qi didn't question Xue Qing's orders at all, faithfully carrying them out like a robot. Dong Chou was overjoyed, saying that Abbess Dingni and Daoist Siyou had already gone to Shaolin Temple to invite the abbot to come out of seclusion, and the situation was excellent. Xue Qing, however, was thinking that the abbot and Daoist were finally going to try and seize the abbot.
As the three were listening to Dong Chou envision the future of the martial arts world, they heard a clanging sound outside, like something being chopped. The four hurried out to investigate and saw Jian Die chopping down a tall, thin poplar tree with an axe.
"Girl, what are you doing!" Dongchou hurriedly confiscated the axe from Jiandie's hand. Damaging someone's flowers, plants, and trees as soon as you arrive at their home is not something a polite third junior brother's daughter should do.
"The ball is stuck in the tree, and the tree is too tall for me to reach," said the butterfly.
Xue Qing looked up and, sure enough, the embroidered ball she had given to Jian Die was stuck on the highest branch of the poplar tree. Jian Die's lightness skill was not good, and the tree was too high for her. But if she couldn't reach the ball, she would cut down the tree... Jian Die's mother might have taught her some great principles.
Hearing Jian Die's words, Xiao Guiying leaped up the tree. His beige clothes, embroidered with golden unicorns, looked like...an angel in the direct sunlight! Hallelujah! Easily plucking the embroidered ball from the top of the tree, he flicked his sleeve and landed gracefully. Xiao Guiying bent down and returned the ball to Jian Die: "Miss, please accept it."
"Thank you, Pavilion Master Xiao." Cocoon Butterfly smiled sweetly.
Xue Qing sighed. This was the perfect son-in-law in every mother-in-law's eyes! That handsome face, those agile movements, that graceful bearing—if he were his mother-in-law, she'd probably be telling the vegetable vendor every day, "Oh, my son-in-law... he's not that great, but I just can't find any faults, oh ho ho ho ho ho~~~"
When Dongchou arrived at Dongqi Pavilion, Xiao Guiying naturally hosted a banquet to welcome him. Due to the special circumstances, it was just a small family feast, not a grand affair. Dongchou wasn't picky about anything; as long as there was wine, that was enough for him. During the meal, Xue Qing calmly instructed the maid to replace Liuying's wine with tea, and Dongchou calmly instructed the maid to replace Jiandie's wine with tea as well. Xiao Guiying had personally witnessed Liuying's drunken antics, and out of courtesy, he wouldn't say anything. However, if Xue Qing hadn't removed Liuying's wine, he would have instructed the maid to replace everyone's wine with low-alcohol sweet wine made from fruit.
"The last time I saw you, you were just a greenhorn. In the blink of an eye, you've become the renowned Master Xiao, praised by everyone in the martial arts world," Dongchou remarked, taking a large gulp of wine.
"Yes, I last saw you at the martial arts gathering. I still remember your demeanor clearly and admire you greatly," Xiao Guiying said with genuine respect.
"Back then, I was young and ambitious, and I was determined to be number one," Dongchou said, shaking his head as he drank.
"Your swordsmanship is profound, and you truly deserve to be number one." Xiao Guiying felt even more admiration.
Is Dongchou really that powerful? Xue Qing skeptically picked at the rice in her bowl. Cocoon Butterfly's eyes kept scanning the table, but she didn't touch her chopsticks. Xiao Guiying, the host, immediately noticed and asked with concern, "What's wrong? Don't you have anything the young lady likes to eat?"
Cocoon Butterfly shook her head and quickly picked up several dishes she had been eyeing and put them into Dongchou's bowl: "You should eat these."
"Yes, yes, I will eat it. You go and drink your tea." Dongchou glared at Jiandie, his expression no longer clear whether it was a threat or a plea.
Xue Qing found it rather strange and asked Liu Ying, "I don't quite remember, was Second Senior Brother a picky eater?"
“I suppose so. Master doesn’t like anything except alcohol,” Liu Ying replied, leaving Xue Qing speechless.
After finishing their meal, Dongchou was about to go to sleep, with Jiandie following him around like a little puppy. Xue Qing suddenly felt a sense of loss. Jiandie used to always be clingy to her. "My dear niece, don't you want your aunt anymore?" Oh well, her niece had grown up. "Water spilled is water spilled," she thought. "No one can stop her from pursuing happiness."
For Xue Qing, it wasn't time to go to bed yet. She used to watch TV right after dinner, and although there was no TV now, there was still a human stereo. Xue Qing turned to Liu Ying and said, "The piece you played that morning was beautiful. Play it again."
“Okay, I can play anytime you want,” Liu Ying replied sincerely.
Xue Qing's face felt a little hot. Perhaps Liu Ying was just calmly speaking the truth in her heart, but Xue Qing's heart would race when she heard it. How could she bear it when someone was always so good to her?
"Go get your zither. There's a pavilion in the big garden to the north with a beautiful view, and you can enjoy the evening breeze. I'll wait for you there." Xue Qing said as she ran off, sounding like an ancient woman secretly meeting her lover.
Not long after Xue Qing arrived at the pavilion, Liu Ying arrived carrying his zither. Xue Qing wondered if he had used some kind of light-body technique. He placed the zither on the stone table in the pavilion, then sat on a stone bench and began to play. Liu Ying's music, like his personality, had a soothing effect on the soul. A gentle evening breeze swirled a few fallen leaves, and Xue Qing felt cleansed and refreshed.
"In this setting, with the sound of a zither and a beautiful woman, it would be even better if there were a pot of wine," Xue Qing sighed.
"Haha, if Uncle Xue wants wine, just have the maid fetch it." Xiao Guiying helped Nangong Luoluo out from behind the tree.
"Miss Xue, Young Master Liuying." Nangong Luoluo bowed slightly to the two of them. She was already able to get out of bed, but she was still too weak.
Xue Qing greeted him awkwardly.
"Uncle Xue's Shaoxing wine recipe is really effective; Luo Luo is much better now," Xiao Guiying said happily.
Xue Qing silently turned her head away. The effective medicine wasn't Shaoxing wine, but the medicine that her lover had sent from the desert to the Central Plains across the great rivers and mountains.
"I came here as soon as I heard Young Master Liuying's music, I'm sorry to have disturbed you," Nangong Luoluo said apologetically, "May I ask what piece you were playing?"
"Snow covers the frost," the firefly replied.
"Where there is snow, there must be frost. If Young Master Liuying doesn't mind, I, Xiao Guiying, will make a fool of myself and play a duet with you," Xiao Guiying said, intrigued.
"Young Master Xiao, didn't you forget to bring your flute with you?" Nangong Luoluo asked in surprise.
“It’s alright if you don’t need the flute, this will do.” Xiao Guiying took out a leaf from his pocket. Xue Qing wasn’t sure if it was the same leaf he had played on Lingyu Mountain. If it was, perhaps this leaf had been soaked in formaldehyde.
"These leaves aren't...you actually kept them?" Nangong Luoluo covered her mouth in surprise.
Xiao Guiying smiled slightly and said to Liu Ying, "Young Master Liu Ying, please."
"Young Master Xiao, please."
Though an odd combination, the music they produced was strangely melodious. Nangong Luoluo and Xue Qing sat together in the pavilion listening to the two men playing music in harmony—a truly bizarre scene, yet undeniably harmonious. However, in the world of martial arts, one's fate is not one's own; with predetermined identities and an unpleasant storyline, will things change in the future…?
Author's Note: I apologized to the editor today, and as expected, I got a lecture TAT. From now on, I can only give points to long reviews, short skits, and extra chapters.
I'm an hour later than the scheduled update time, so let's play a little game. The first girl to leave a comment on this chapter, the one who posts the first comment (the "sofa"), can name a character, and I'll write a short skit for that character.
The Disaster of Fireflies
Emerging from her bath, Xue Qing looked at herself in the bronze mirror. Her skin was as smooth as a refined lady's, without the horrifying scars of the tattoo artist. This was one of the advantages of staying in the Central Plains; everyone said the desert was a cannibalistic place. Her body appeared as slender as other women, but touching it revealed that the skin was a deceptive facade. Beneath the skin lay the firm muscles honed from childhood martial arts training—soft, resilient, and full of power. Everything was excellent, except for the dark black butterfly tattoo on her left breast, which stood out starkly against her fair skin. This was a secret that couldn't be discovered, especially not by the tattoo artist. No one could guarantee that the secret wouldn't be leaked. Xue Qing had considered simply destroying that patch of skin; using anesthetic wouldn't hurt much. But if Yan Ming discovered she was trying to remove his mark, given his temper… a jaguar would hunt a rabbit…
Wearing an indigo gauze dress, metal jewelry, and a tassel hanging down her hair, Xue Qing patted her face in front of the mirror and muttered to herself, "You said you're prettier than her, so how did you lose to her?"
Remembering an interesting game, Xue Qing picked up the bronze mirror with great interest: "Magic mirror, magic mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?"
"Uncle-Master," Liu Ying knocked on the door from outside.
This coincidence was truly delightful, and Xue Qing happily opened the door for Liu Ying.