Trésor de Jianghu

Chapitre 6

Today I really wanted to talk to someone, so I asked him again, "Have you ever liked anyone?"

He paused for a moment, then turned his head and asked, "Does liking someone during childhood count?"

How old are you?

"Thirteen or fourteen years old, I guess."

"It shouldn't count, right?"

"Then no."

I suddenly became interested in the person he liked when he was thirteen or fourteen, and said, "But since you're free now, why don't you tell me what kind of person you liked when you were young?"

He gave a cool smile: "Don't laugh at me. Back then, I made a living by performing, and the girl I liked was naturally a little girl, about ten years old. She never told me her name, but she was very kind and understanding. She knew how to help me without hurting my pride, even though it was just a one-time encounter."

I nodded: "Oh, so it's a one-sided crush. Have you run into her or tried to contact her since then?"

He said, "I ran into Mr. Mo not long after, and I never saw her again. Even if I did see her, she wouldn't know who I am. Or I wouldn't recognize her either."

"Well, fate brings us together and fate separates us. If we're meant to meet again, we will. But so many years have passed, maybe she's married now."

"Yes, I have thought about it, but I will always remember this kindness in my heart."

Upon returning to Hengling Town, Yi Ge naturally stayed at Wangtian Pavilion with me. I had originally booked three rooms, and although a luxury inn like Wangtian Pavilion still had rooms available, it wouldn't be proper for Yi Ge to stay elsewhere, so I simply booked two more rooms for Qi Long. Yi Ge was sent by Qi Long ahead of us to gather information.

They had slept together before, but the beds in the inn couldn't compare to the spacious ones in the princess's residence. Both of them were inevitably a little stiff when they lay down.

Author's Note: Jinjiang is really cracking down, so I'm truly grateful to everyone who's still reading my story. Updating isn't easy for me, and I imagine reading it isn't easy either.

Chapter Nine: Husband and Wife

When I woke up the first day, I found Yi Ge asleep against the edge of the bed, and I was nestled in his arms. I apologized somewhat awkwardly, "I'm sorry, I'm actually a pretty good sleeper. I don't know why I was like this yesterday." Yes, I'm usually the same way when I wake up, but last night was an exception.

When I woke up the next day, my posture was not much different from the day before. I blushed and rolled over in bed before he woke up.

On the third day, the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was his dark gaze. I was propped up on his chest with one hand, the other between our bodies, and I could clearly feel his unusual physical condition. My face flushed even more, and I couldn't even utter an apology. Trying to remain calm, I cleared my throat and said something completely nonsensical: "Uh, um, are you... feeling unwell?"

He was speechless.

I struggled to pull my hand out from between our bodies, but it touched his hard erection. He frowned, let out a muffled groan, and I felt his body tremble slightly. In a panic, I tried to rise, but something stopped me at my lower back, and I fell back down, burying my face in his chest. Only then did I realize his arm was cushioning my weight, loosely embracing me. He must have been very uncomfortable last night. Thinking this, I froze, too afraid to move.

It felt like an eternity, so long that my throat was parched, and I managed to say to him in a hoarse voice, "Um, you, do you want to... you know?"

He was honest enough to give a soft "hmm" and then said, "But if you're willing." It turned out that his throat wasn't very good either.

Remembering my mother's instructions before she left, I hesitated and replied, "Well, I guess I'm willing."

My mother told me, "You chose this person yourself, so no matter what you think in your heart, you should treat him well. Although things between husband and wife can be taken slowly, a wife must fulfill her duties and not torment her partner."

Now I'm more than two months behind, and it seems I should fulfill my obligations. Thinking of this, and to avoid him misunderstanding, I felt I should take the initiative, so I gently shifted my position and reached out to unbutton his undergarment. He seemed somewhat incredulous and asked again, "Madam, are you really willing?"

I nodded solemnly, intending to continue my actions, but then I remembered something and couldn't help but sigh in frustration.

Seeing him look at me, I shook my head: "I don't regret it, it's just that I remembered all the pictures that my father gave me were left in the princess's residence, and I didn't bring any of them out." It was really thoughtless of me to say this. What woman would carry erotic pictures with her when she went to a martial arts tournament? So as soon as the words left my mouth, I wished I could bite my tongue.

He chuckled softly, placed his hand on the belt of my undergarment, and said, "We don't need that."

He gently pressed down on me, and the hand that had been pressing down on me gradually tightened, until there was no gap between us.

Seeing him gazing intently at me, I didn't know where to look, so I gently closed my eyes. A cool sensation touched my lips; two soft lips moved repeatedly on them. I suddenly realized he was kissing my lips; his beautifully shaped lips were pressed against mine. So this is what lips feel like—soft, moist, and cool. For some reason, something inside me seemed to sink a little deeper. This was my first kiss. Even Bai Yifei had only kissed my forehead and cheek, and I was already completely devoted to him. But Yi Ge… he's still my husband, isn't he? Everything he does is justified.

His kisses were continuous, gradually moving downwards, and his hands became more active. Before I knew it, our clothes were off, and he caressed my body as if playing a zither. My body went limp without me realizing it, and I heard him whisper in my ear, "I'm coming in."

In that instant, I gasped, closed my eyes, and clenched my teeth, refusing to cry out. I'd just consider it passing a training hurdle. Although I'm always afraid of pain, I can endure it when no one sympathizes, and I've always passed safely. This time, I'll be fine.

I heard him sigh in my ear, "Wu Bao, relax, that's how you enjoy your time together."

I tried it from both sides, but it's still taut like a bow.

He stopped moving and continued kissing me, gradually becoming more passionate. I was overwhelmed by his kisses, my mind wandering. When I came to my senses, he had filled me completely. I could only hear him whispering, "Misty, Misty..."

Afterwards, we were both slightly sweaty. He gently kissed my forehead, then took a cloth and wiped me lightly. He hurriedly dressed and said, "Madam, lie down for a while. I'll have the waiter bring some hot water."

As I closed the door, I suddenly felt a little lost. What's wrong with me? I haven't fallen for him, yet I allowed him to share my intimate moments with me, and I even harbor a little affection for him. Have I really been influenced by spending too much time in brothels?

These past few days, how come I've been rolling into his arms every night? I guess I'm a good sleeper, but I like to sleep with a pillow in my arms. It's not a big deal if I don't have one, but if there's something to hug, I'll still snuggle up to it. When we were newlyweds, it was summer, so it was cooler to be apart. But now it's early winter, so I'm gradually gravitating towards this warm pillow.

As for him, he called me "Wu Bao" when we were intimate, but called me "Madam" when we got out of bed.

He returned shortly afterward, and I said directly, "Just now, you called me Wu Bao?"

He nodded: "I've always wanted to call you that, but the first time I saw you, they called you Wu Bao. If Madam doesn't like it, Yi Ge won't call you that."

The first time he saw me, beneath the high platform by the Jing River, did Brother Xuan call me Wu Bao? Shouldn't he call me Imperial Sister? Sigh, I can't remember. Or perhaps he had seen me in Duanzhou.

I quickly said, "No, it doesn't matter what you call me. Wu Bao is what my father, Brother Xuan, and Brother Yuan call me. At first, it was called Wu'er Baby, but later, because I often speak without thinking and am very straightforward, they called me Wu'er Lively Treasure, and then it became Wu Bao. Only my parents and brothers never make fun of me, so they just call me Wu'er."

His handsome lips curved upwards, and he nodded, but didn't say whether he would call her that in the future or not.

Hot water was brought over, and he wanted to help me wash up, but I always do it myself, so I gently refused. But he still carried me into the tub.

He said that the prince might arrive today, so why not go and greet him?

The martial arts tournament will begin tomorrow.

Just past Shenshi (3-5 PM), a light dust rose from the official road beside the stream pavilion outside Hengling Town. A moment later, four brown-clad youths carried a sedan chair shrouded in blue gauze, followed by two burly men in brown. Calling it a sedan chair was perhaps a more accurate description of a palanquin, except that the chair was covered with a canopy and gauze, obscuring the view of who was on it. But that was useless to me. Without even looking, I knew from the aura alone that it was Qi Long.

Those people stopped when they saw us by the stream pavilion. I jumped up and said, "Brother, you've really learned everything from Fourth Uncle."

The person behind the gauze curtain laughed heartily, "I'm here on behalf of the Si Xie Palace this time."

I pursed my lips: "Does Fourth Uncle want you to compete for the title of Martial Arts Alliance Leader?"

Qi Long lifted the curtain and stepped down: "Why does Godfather think so highly of this alliance leader? But since he represents the Si Xie Palace, his reputation and prestige must not be diminished."

This place isn't too far from Chuzhou, so even if we put on airs all the way here, it probably won't be too tiring.

However, while saying this, Qi Long also gestured to the four men. The four youths obeyed and neatly packed up the sedan chair, removed the light gauze from the chair, and tied it into a large package three feet long. It turned out that all the parts of the sedan chair were foldable, which was quite ingenious.

He put on a veiled hat, got into my little carriage, and the others followed us at a distance.

Yi Ge and Eunuch Jing sat together in the front carriage. Qi Long asked me, "How does Yi Ge treat you? I followed Mother's wishes and sent him over early so that you two could have more contact."

I rolled my eyes at him: "You've got it backwards, haven't you? Mom definitely wanted you to find out how I am with Yi Ge. Don't worry, I've done everything I could. We're doing great. He's really a good guy, someone I can be friends with."

Qi Long's lips twitched: "Friends? Mother wants you two to be husband and wife."

I looked down and fiddled with the hem of my clothes: "Aren't we already husband and wife?"

Qi Long shrugged: "You know what Mother means."

I nodded: "I'm not lying to you, we haven't neglected any of the things that a husband and wife should do."

He suddenly looked at me and asked, "During the time you were apart, did you miss him?"

I was speechless, but then I said, "You all have too high expectations of me, and you're all too impatient."

Qi Long patted me reassuringly: "Alright, alright, it's just that your mother is anxious. We won't force you."

********

The martial arts tournament was indeed well-attended. Qingyu Manor hadn't sent out nearly as many invitations, but there was no crime in watching the spectacle. Anyone could enter Haoyin Valley outside Qingyu Manor on the day of the tournament, but an invitation was required to enter Qingyu Manor itself. The venue was set up in Haoyin Valley, and Qingyu Manor's back compound was located on a hillside within Haoyin Valley. A seat was set up there, overlooking Haoyin Valley, yet not far away.

I reckon the invitation to the Si Xie Palace was just a polite gesture from the righteous sects of the martial arts world, and given my fourth uncle's previous temperament, he probably wouldn't have paid any attention to it. But my fourth uncle isn't one to play by the rules. Besides, he wanted to train Qi Long, so the Si Xie Palace appeared unexpectedly.

Qi Long made his entrance as usual, riding in his sedan chair, quite flamboyantly. The assembled heroes remained silent for a moment before demanding he reveal his true form. He said little, stepping down from the chair. This time, he wasn't wearing a veil, only a blank silver mask covering his face. He was also naturally more robust than the others, so no one could guess his age. Some in the valley clamored for him to remove the mask, but the leader of the Lingnan Phoenix Cry sect said, "How one dresses is a personal freedom. Can't the righteous path of martial arts even tolerate a silver mask?"

The current leader of the martial arts alliance, Tao Wangchao, the owner of Qingyu Manor, gestured for him to sit down, and the valley fell silent.

If there was anything else that surprised the manor owner, it was me. The letter I sent was for the Dragon Mist Sect. My father and mother left the letter at the Shen family's residence in Longcheng to be passed on to me.

Upon hearing that the Dragon Mist Sect had arrived, most of the people in Qingyu Manor stood up. This was because the Dragon Mist Sect had not appeared in the martial world for nine years, leaving only scattered legends.

When they saw that it was just a woman like me, they couldn't hide their surprise, shock, doubt, joy, and fear. I was being scrutinized from a distance by all sorts of gazes. At that moment, I was standing at the entrance of the vast back courtyard of Qingyu Manor. I wasn't surprised by the various looks from the crowd. I spotted the seat reserved for the Dragon Mist Sect next to the main seat, and with a slight tap of my foot, I was already in my place before anyone could react. Yi Ge followed closely behind me. Someone exclaimed, "Misty Sea Mystery, indeed a successor of the Dragon Mist Sect!"

I bowed gracefully to Master Tao who came to greet me: "My master sent Qi Wu to observe the martial arts tournament. I am grateful for your help, Master Tao."

He also cupped his hands and said, "The Dragon Mist Sect did not attend the previous two martial arts tournaments. It is an honor for me, Tao, to have Miss Qi grace us with her presence this time."

Suddenly, two more people came up to greet me: "Are you Miss Qi? It's been almost a year since we last met."

I turned around and saw Nan Qingyong, the lord of Nanfeng Fortress, and Bai Xianglong, the head of Baima Manor, who was also Bai Yifei's father. I smiled and greeted them.

It turned out that Nanfeng Fortress and Baima Manor hadn't sent their younger generation; Nan Cong and his group had merely paved the way a few days ago. My gaze swept over the seating arrangements of Nanfeng Fortress and Baima Manor, where I saw Bai Yifei at the Baima Manor table, while Nan Ya sat with Nan Cong and Shen Yimei at the Nanfeng Fortress table. Except for Shen Yimei, who was still smiling at me, the three of them were filled with shock, even more so than when they learned I was Princess Hongni a few days ago. When they saw me looking at them, Nan Cong and Shen Yimei nodded at me from afar, Nan Ya was stunned, and Bai Yifei's expression wasn't too good. But on the surface, he remained calm; if I weren't familiar with his expressions, I wouldn't have been able to tell.

The martial arts tournament on the first day was merely an agenda item. The gist was that the tournament, held every four years, would re-elect the alliance leader. Once the leader was chosen, they would discuss the recent major news circulating in the martial arts world, specifically the rumors about the Ghost Palace and its treasure. Electing the leader naturally required setting the rules for the martial arts competition. The sects wishing to compete would report their numbers, and Qingyu Manor would arrange the matches. However, the matches wouldn't begin until tomorrow, so this day was truly uneventful.

After the meeting, Master Tao insisted on inviting me to stay at Qingyu Manor, wanting to be a good host, and I reluctantly agreed. It wasn't appropriate to talk to Qilong here, so I thought I'd take the opportunity of going back to Wangtian Pavilion to pack my things and then talk to him.

Upon arriving at Wangtian Pavilion, they saw a woman in the main hall saying to the manager, "How is it possible that there are no more top-class rooms available? What about the lower-class rooms? Are all martial arts practitioners so wealthy these days?"

When I saw that figure and heard that voice, I couldn't help but laugh: I knew it! My fourth uncle asked my brother to take over the Si Xie Palace, how could this lady be willing to accept it?

I laughed and patted her on the shoulder: "You wait, the top-tier one will be ready soon."

Author's Note: This is a cliché, isn't it? Please leave a comment, give flowers, and add to your favorites.

Chapter Ten Night Talk

The visitor was none other than He Lanqian.

Qianqian is a year younger than me, actually nine months younger. She's my fourth uncle's only daughter, but he dotes on Qilong more. His martial arts skills are undeniable, and he's been gradually handing over the affairs of the Si Xie Palace to him these past two years. Qianqian and I have been close since childhood, yet she finds fault with Qilong, much like my fourth uncle does with my father. They're always finding fault and causing trouble.

Before I left the mountain, I had mentioned the martial arts tournament to Qianqian and Yimei when we met in Luoxia Town, and all three of us longed to go. Yimei and I were hoping our parents would let us go alone, while Qianqian was only hoping that her fourth uncle would take her with him. Now, her fourth uncle has chosen Qilong to go in his place, and Qianqian's hopes have been dashed. Qianqian isn't a particularly feisty woman, only about 80-90% so. So her resentment finally erupted, and she came to Hengshan alone. I reckon she'll cause trouble for Qilong.

Since Qi Long is wearing a mask, I cannot let others know who he really is.

When Qianqian saw me, she was overjoyed, as if she had finally found someone. She grabbed my arm and said, "Awu, you're here? Is your brother here?"

I nodded vaguely.

She asked again, "You said there's a room in the top tier, does that mean I should live with you?"

I shook my head: "I'll make room for you. I have an invitation; Master Tao has invited me to stay at his estate."

She glanced at Yi Ge and asked, "Is this your brother-in-law? I was with my mother to help her recover from her illness at the wedding in August, so I didn't come."

I nodded again. She looked at us with some doubt, but she immediately changed the subject to Qi Long and asked me, "Is your brother also going to live in the village with you?"

I laughed and said, "If Fourth Uncle comes, do you think he will stay at Qingyu Manor?"

She raised an eyebrow: "You mean, your brother, he's right here?"

Look at her, she's willing to call me "Awu," but when she calls Qilong, she calls him "your brother." It's one thing if she doesn't even call me "brother," but she won't even use my name. A thought suddenly occurred to me.

I asked her with a grin, "Qianqian, how long has it been since you saw my brother?"

She probably didn't expect me to ask such a question, and after looking down for a moment, she said, "It's been about three years, almost four years."