Roi céleste

Chapitre 4

I gritted my teeth inwardly, but pretended not to notice, until I heard a barely audible whooshing sound coming from the tree—

My first instinct was to dodge, but I knew I had to slow down my reaction. So I gritted my teeth and moved away just as the throwing knife was about to hit my back. Because I was prepared, the knife not only missed my back, but even deviated from the bone and pierced through the flesh of my arm!

I let out a bloodcurdling scream, like a pig being slaughtered. Although there was an element of acting involved, it really hurt my second aunt!

I collapsed to the ground, clutching my wound and staring at the throwing knife lodged in my arm. It was truly horrifying. This was probably the first time in my life I had suffered such a serious injury, and I had no choice but to accept it. What kind of world is this!

The four people in front of me stopped abruptly and turned to look at my injury. I thought that Qingjiu, that damned old schemer, would pretend to shout for the assassin, but he calmly said to Huamei, "Help her inside to treat her injuries."

I looked up at him in surprise. This was too obvious, not at all like your cunning ways.

He came over himself and helped me up, even applying pressure to stop the bleeding. With a gentle expression, he said to me very softly, "Didn't you already realize that I was testing you?"

I was dumbfounded.

As he helped me into the house, he chuckled and said, "But it's a bit unexpected. You reacted quickly and you're very courageous."

"If I had reacted quickly, I wouldn't have gotten hurt..." I struggled desperately.

"Although I didn't turn around, I was watching your movements the whole time. You only moved at the last moment, trying to show that your senses were not sharp and your reaction was slow. But you don't know that this only shows how accurately you grasped the timing. In a single breath, you not only avoided the vital points, but also avoided the parts that might leave lasting damage and affect your future martial arts training. You only injured the skin and flesh. You are really amazing."

I don't know what I should think or how I should respond to being so thoroughly analyzed about my inner schemes by the Palace Master of Tian Shu Palace and then praised.

I find myself often speechless and dumbfounded when facing this person.

"So I should have just obediently and cleanly dodged away," I muttered.

"Yes." The other person's crisp and decisive answer only made me more frustrated.

My thoughts were exposed, and most of my secrets were revealed. In the battle of wits with the treacherous villain, I was utterly defeated once again. Only my first victory offered me some solace.

I sighed.

I noticed that the corners of Qingjiu's mouth were curving upwards, his smile was getting stronger, and his features were as soft as the lush branches and leaves under the spring sun.

"Sighing at such a young age is bad for your health."

What are you so smug about, you treacherous little man!

He helped me lie down on the couch and carefully straightened the corner of my clothes, as if he wasn't the one who had hurt me.

"Skilled in both strategy and martial arts, yet so young. You should only be..."

"……twenty."

"I just felt your knuckles, they still have a long way to go, why are you in such a hurry to get old?"

I wanted to cry but couldn't.

What are you laughing at? It's all your fault for messing with my mind and telling such a low-class lie! Poor me, a naive seventeen-year-old country bumpkin from the deep mountains, how could I possibly outsmart a cunning little man like you!

...

Note: In ancient times, breakfast was called "zaodian" (早点). Some people say that breakfast is the same as "zaoshan" (早膳), but this is not quite accurate. "Shan" (膳) refers to dishes made primarily with meat. Zaoshan is actually a main meal.

Five cups of head-supporting wine

Fu Tou Wine - A pot of Fu Tou wine, its clear liquid poured from a jade pot.

...

Just when I was so angry I was about to vomit blood, the doctor was brought in; he was a kind-looking old man.

He muttered, "Oh dear, how could such a small child be so badly injured?" while glaring at Qingjiu, "Next time, you'll have to be more careful with the children."

Hearing Qingjiu casually reply, "I'll be more careful next time," I felt even more resentful.

The old man took out scissors from his medicine box, told me to bear with it, and was about to cut open my sleeve.

I glared at Qingjiu immediately, meaning, "Men and women shouldn't touch each other, what are you doing here?"

He smiled and said, "Old Xu often asks me to help him use his internal energy to expel the blood clots from the wounded."

I sensed something was amiss and was about to suggest why Huamei shouldn't stay, but then I remembered that in front of Qingjiu, any words or actions would be considered a mistake, so I said no more. I didn't care about the glimpse of her exposed arm.

Old Xu had already started trying to pull out the knife, and I winced in pain.

The old man looked at me with some concern: "Actually, young people recover their blood quickly. Although it's very painful to have the knife pulled out all at once, it's..."

"—Of course, a short pain is worse than a long one," I said through gritted teeth, then bit my sleeve.

The old man nodded, gripped my arm with one hand, and with the other hand held the knife handle, he yanked it out—

A stream of blood gushed from the wound, my sleeve was torn from biting it, and my teeth seemed to be bleeding, but I didn't utter a sound.

Before I collapsed, I used my last bit of strength to stop the bleeding by pressing acupoints with my left hand.

Qingjiu, who had already walked over, looked at me intently upon seeing this scene and stopped.

Old Xu patted my head approvingly and began to treat my wound.

Half an hour later, the wound was finally bandaged. The longan and lotus root soup that Old Xu had previously instructed me to drink to replenish blood was also delivered. Seeing me drink it while it was hot, he patted my head with satisfaction and said he would come to see me again tomorrow. I smiled sweetly and said okay. I also quite liked this kind old man. Then he packed his things and left.

Seeing the old man leave, I immediately stopped smiling and looked at Qingjiu with a wary expression.

He flashed that annoying, seemingly harmless, fake smile again, slowly walked towards me, sat down beside me, his porcelain-like face close, his phoenix eyes gleaming. "Don't worry, I don't plan to do anything, it's just..."

I ignored what I said before, but when I heard the word "only," my insides trembled, and I knew I was about to reveal my secret again.

"...Just letting you get some fresh air."

Before the words were even finished, a hand was already stretched out in front of me, the slender fingers like the lazily unfolded white orchid leaves, the touch on my face was cool yet warm.

Then... my skin was peeled off bit by bit...

It revealed a face as black as charcoal; if thrown into the stove, it could probably burn for seven days and seven nights.

Seeing my expression, Qingjiu laughed out loud for the first time, completely lacking in composure...

But for some reason, his smile now possessed a captivating power amidst its usual serene elegance, and even his typically aloof eyes seemed to shimmer like the surface of a lake after the ice melts in spring, as if he were truly happy.

He was about to speak when I interrupted him: "Because I didn't sweat. I was sweating so much just now, even my palms were sweaty, but not a drop of sweat came out on my face. I realized that when you were staring at me, but it was too late, it was no use."

I was truly terrified; almost nothing escaped his notice. He was so young, yet he seemed like a fox who had cultivated for decades. No wonder he could single-handedly support the powerful Tian Shu Palace, which dominated the martial arts world.

Qing Jiu pinched the skin and commented, "The workmanship is not bad," before shamelessly putting it into his sleeve.

I'm heartbroken. My most precious martial arts treasure, essential for home, travel, murder, and cover-ups, is gone just like that...

"Don't be angry, there is one thing that surprised me," Qing Jiu said, tilting her head slightly, her black hair cascading down to cover the light blue cloud pattern at her collar. "I thought I had seen you before."

As if remembering something, he asked me again, "...How many faces do you have?"

I almost passed out trying to suppress the changes in my facial expressions.

"I have a whole dozen of these high-quality, rare-to-find dough sheets. I don't know how much they'd be worth if I sold them," I said deliberately in a bad mood to hide my panic.

Qing Jiu raised an eyebrow slightly, but didn't ask any more questions. Instead, she continued, "Yesterday afternoon, the Longchuan Gang tried to ambush us. But when they tried to kill us to silence us, someone escaped. I think it was the young girl I stopped on the street. If it really was her, then her acting skills and cunning are extraordinary." She glanced at me, "Just like you."

"I suppose every girl you meet should be me."

Qing Jiu smiled faintly and said, "I had some doubts last night. It was late and I couldn't see your face clearly, but your figure seemed very similar."

"Then how should it be? It should have three arms and two tails to make the body look like that."

"Indeed, quick-witted."

"I can't compare to your cunning and treacherous nature."

"At least you're willing to speak your mind; that's more like a child."

"You're only three years older than me, you old man."

Qingjiu laughed again and, imitating Old Xu, patted my head. He seemed surprised that he would do such a thing. He froze for a moment, then withdrew his hand, and a cold light returned to his eyes.

"How about we discuss a business deal?" he suddenly asked.

"Can I even choose?" She tried to lift her heavily bandaged arm, and winced in pain.

Qingjiu completely ignored my actions and continued calmly, "If you serve me as my maid for a year, I promise to do something for you."

"--ah?"

"The title 'maid' is just a cover; I just want you to do things for me like Qianlou and the others."

"Oh, some things in exchange for one thing?"

"Which is more important, your matter or mine?"

"..." I gritted my teeth and glared at the narcissistic old man. "One month."

"Six months."

"...Two months." I wanted to say three months, but the Qishan martial arts competition was three months later, which would be too obvious. It was a bit too much, and I didn't know if the other party would agree.

"It's a deal." The narcissistic old man clearly disdained haggling like a woman buying groceries.

"Hua Mei," Qing Jiu called out, and Hua Mei immediately came in from outside, "Take... her back to her room."

He turned around and asked me, "May I ask your name, young lady?"

"...copper coins."

"Copper coins?" This time it was Hua Mei who asked.

"I have no father or mother, and my weapon is a copper coin."

Qingjiu nodded and said, "My name is Qingjiu."

"...I have long admired your name.

Qingjiu stopped speaking, and Huamei immediately stepped forward to help me up and walk outside.

“Wait a minute,” I turned my head and asked, “I’m not going to die for Tian Shu Palace in ten days or half a month, am I?”

Qing Jiu finally frowned impatiently, "I won't do what Tian Shu Palace can't do, I'll do what Qian Lou and the others can't do, and Qian Lou and the others will do what you can't do. Is there still a problem?"

"You're not going to kill me to cover your tracks two months from now, are you?"

"At least not until you make a request of me." The implication was that it was best not to ask him anything, to do as he pleased, and that his life might be spared. What a cunning scoundrel.

I glanced at the stunningly beautiful Hua Mei, and thinking that the Palace Master of Tian Shu was, after all, a young man full of vigor, I stammered and asked, "What you've said... doesn't include serving in bed, right?"

As a result, both Qingjiu and Huamei looked at me expressionlessly.