After scrutinizing him so openly, Mo Xi finally turned her gaze to the man sitting opposite her. He was about seventeen or eighteen years old, dressed in a dark blue robe, with a white jade coin-shaped pendant hanging from his waist. His appearance could only be described as beautiful, yet he did not appear effeminate. However, his breathing was more rapid than that of ordinary people, and Mo Xi couldn't help but doubt her previous judgment.
“Miss, you need not doubt me. I am indeed powerless to even kill a chicken.” The beautiful woman spoke with a voice as clear as a bell, and Mo Xi couldn’t help but want to applaud her. What a beauty!
Mo Xi didn't feel uncomfortable at all that her thoughts had been seen through; instead, she looked at him with an expression of seeking clarification.
"My servant has some martial arts skills." The young master smiled slightly, as if the moon had just emerged from behind the clouds. He poured tea for Mo Xi, his movements extremely elegant as he flicked his sleeve to add water. It turned out to be a very rare Zhengshan Xiaozhong tea, and the carriage was instantly filled with its fragrance.
Mo Xi took a sip and praised, "Clear color and pure taste. Good tea!" These four words sounded quite cultured, but Mo Xi only used these four words to describe the tea, which was pure nonsense. Since it wasn't made with muddy water, the color was naturally clear, and as for the pure taste, one type of tea naturally only has one flavor.
The boy was stunned to see her drink the stranger's tea without hesitation. Little did he know Mo Xi's logic: if the other party was stronger than her, why bother drugging her? As for robbing her, the other party was richer than her; if she wanted to rob him, the other party was more beautiful than her. If that were the case, he would actually be the one who profited.
"I have always had a weak spleen and stomach, and I cannot drink green tea." Mo Xi naturally noticed that this young master was weaker than the average person.
"How did you know I was going to Mo City, young master?" Mo Xi asked calmly, getting straight to the point.
She did not refer to herself as a concubine, and asked so directly, yet the young man still smiled warmly and said, "My servant said that you possess unparalleled martial arts skills, and that you should join me on this journey."
Mo Xi didn't press for details, but simply gave a slow "oh," then lazily took off her shoes and sat cross-legged.
The young master remained unmoved. The boy beside him, however, was completely petrified.
The ancients valued upright posture, and it was rare to see someone like Mo Xi behaving so rudely in public, especially since she was a young woman. Although people in the martial arts world are often unconventional, taking off one's shoes in front of a strange man is certainly inappropriate.
From the moment she got on the bus, she acted very rudely, but the other party seemed oblivious, maintaining a cheerful demeanor throughout.
A sound of horses' hooves could be heard outside, and soon the carriage began to move. The carriage was very well soundproofed, so the sound of the hooves seemed to come from a distance. The carriage moved quickly and smoothly, demonstrating the driver's exceptional skill. When he came over just now, even Mo Xi felt a slight pressure, clearly indicating that he was also wary of her being so close to her master, and this was intended as a warning.
The seventh rule of assassins: always maintain peak condition.
In close combat, victory or defeat can hinge on a single moment. Mastering skills is not something that can be achieved overnight; it requires gradual and progressive effort. However, the extent of one's strength during battle depends entirely on their state of mind. Mental fortitude, willpower, and physical stamina are all indispensable. To maintain peak performance at all times, Mo Xi developed the habit of resting in any mode of transportation and any environment. But this wasn't complete relaxation; a necessary level of alertness was still required. The best method was to train this alertness as an instinctive reaction. The instantaneous reaction when transitioning from a relaxed state to combat mode can be considered a conditioned reflex. This reflex requires long-term training to arrive at the most accurate judgment in the shortest possible time.
The carriage was quiet. Mo Xi was dozing against the side of the carriage. The young master was reading a book. The boy was rather bored, staring intently at Mo Xi's sleeping face, completely puzzled as to why this young lady seemed oblivious to his young master's handsome features. If it weren't for the old man saying she was a girl, he wouldn't have believed it.
After traveling a hundred miles, it was already dusk.
As soon as the car slowed down, Mo Xi opened her eyes. Xiao Tong was surprised again; this girl had kept her eyes closed for the entire afternoon. To pretend to be asleep for so long was no small feat. But the moment she opened her eyes, they were bright and clear, and she looked radiant.
Seeing him looking her over, Mo Xi smiled and asked, "Are you hungry?"
The young boy was stunned again. None of the noble ladies in the capital were kind to him, let alone show him any concern. He immediately replied, "Thank you for asking, Miss. I don't feel hungry at all." He wanted to say something more, but hesitated and then shut his mouth.
The car had entered the territory of Yunzhou, so it was no longer convenient to speed as it had been on the official road, and it had to proceed at a slightly slower pace.
"Did you sleep well, young lady?"
Instead of answering, Mo Xi asked, "What books does the young master read?"
The young master was surprised that Mo Xi would take the initiative to speak, but he still generously held up the book in his hand, which turned out to be "The Record of Medicinal Cuisine".
"I've read this book before. The very first chapter contains a recipe for stewed quail with Job's tears, which is good for invigorating qi and strengthening the spleen, as well as promoting urination and removing dampness. It's perfect for you, young master. Ten quails, one ounce of Job's tears, two mace each of astragalus and soy sauce, appropriate amounts of pepper powder and lard, plus meat broth. I wonder if I remember the recipe correctly?"
The young man smiled gently and said, "Exactly right," as he handed over an octagonal crystal dish with four crystal-clear shrimp dumplings on it, which were surprisingly warm. His hands were remarkably beautiful; judging by the calluses, they had never wielded weapons, yet he often wrote. This man could actually write with both hands.
Mo Xi accepted the silver chopsticks with a smile. They were even more authentic than Su Ji's, juicy and flavorful, though not quite as good as freshly made ones. She ate two before glancing at the young master, feeling a little embarrassed.
The young master, sensing her meaning, laughed and said, "Please make yourself at home, young lady. I have already eaten." This laugh was different from his previous polite smiles; it conveyed a genuine sense of pleasure.
Mo Xi knew that he hadn't eaten anything all afternoon except tea. She thought to herself, "This young master from a prominent family is indeed very considerate." Without further ado, she quickly devoured the remaining two shrimp dumplings. She then drank another cup of tea, which finally relieved her hunger somewhat.
Zi Shu, standing to the side, couldn't help but speak up, "Young Master always eats every two hours. What are we going to do now? It will take another hour to change boats." After saying this, he glared at Mo Xi. He cared most about the young master and all the goodwill he had just developed towards Mo Xi had vanished. Little did he know that his self-control as a servant, and his disdain for a guest, was simply because he had lowered his guard against Mo Xi.
The young master said, "How dare you! My servant has been so disrespectful. Please forgive him, young lady."
Mo Xi heard his tone change from slightly stern to gentle and polite without any hesitation, and waved her hand, saying, "It's alright." If he had indeed only prepared one meal, then inviting him to travel together must have been a coincidence.
In Xiaoyang County, they abandoned their car and boarded a boat.
This luxury yacht presented a completely different atmosphere compared to the carriage. The furnishings exuded elegance and refinement. The main cabin was designed as a reception area, adorned with a meticulous landscape painting in the fine brushwork style by Yan Qingqi. Mo Xi was assigned a private cabin and was quite satisfied.
Dinner was on the ship. The dishes included Longjing shrimp, steamed egg with silver cod, shiitake mushrooms and bok choy, and eight-treasure tofu. Mo Xi immediately felt that her decision to hook up with a rich man was incredibly wise.
The young master's table manners were elegant and impeccable, perfectly adhering to the rule of not speaking while eating. In any case, one couldn't pry a single honest word out of someone like him, so it was better to avoid unnecessary socializing. Zishu served him from the side, but the old man driving the carriage was nowhere to be seen.
After the meal, everyone went to their cabins to rest.
Most villagers in Xiaoyang County make a living by fishing, and the scenery outside the window has a touch of the poetic atmosphere of fishermen singing at dusk.
I went to bed early, and the night passed peacefully.
When Mo Xi woke up, she spent half an hour circulating her inner energy twice. Just as she was about to leave the cabin, Zi Shu knocked on the door and brought her water to wash up.
Breakfast was exquisite, featuring crystal mung bean cake, crab roe soup dumplings, seaweed and shredded chicken rolls, and congee with preserved egg and lean pork.
After breakfast, the ship entered the port in less than an hour.
They said goodbye and went their separate ways.
Majestic Qingcheng
( ) This is Mo Xi's first time at headquarters. In the past, he had only traveled to various branch offices.
Qingcheng Mountain was some distance from the town of Mocheng, and the surrounding area was sparsely populated, so Mo Xi used his lightness skill to travel at a rapid pace. Reaching the foot of the mountain, he suddenly stopped. Looking around, he saw hundreds of densely packed steps, wide enough for four carriages to ride abreast. He couldn't help but gasp. This was hardly the work of a martial arts sect; it was practically comparable to the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum. Little did he know, Qingcheng Mountain was indeed the site of the imperial tombs of a previous dynasty. After the current dynasty's iron cavalry entered the pass, the imperial tombs were destroyed, and the graves of successive emperors and empresses were desecrated and their corpses whipped. The place had been abandoned for centuries since then.
There were no signs or archways, and no one stopped or questioned anyone. As you climbed the steps, you were surrounded by shady trees, birdsong, and the fragrance of flowers, with the sound of a stream audible in the distance.
The journey was smooth and unobstructed, leading directly to the mountaintop.
A middle-aged man greeted her; his speech and attire were no different from those of a steward from an ordinary household, but his martial arts skills were considerable. After examining the summons, she was led to a wing room in the back mountain to rest. The summons was made of thick paper soaked in a special solution; it wouldn't dissolve in water, the ink would disappear instantly, and the entire sheet of paper would be as bright and new as ever.
Mo Xi was already very close to Mo City, and thanks to the young master's connections, she was among the first to arrive. It would take at least three days for everyone to arrive, so she spent the next few days wandering around Qingcheng Mountain.