Болезненный юноша, путешествующий во времена династии Сун

Глава 10

"You flatter me, senior. It would be my honor to learn from you for a few days." Chu Junfeng smiled, stepped forward, bowed deeply, and then gracefully stepped back.

"Good, good..." Murong Songtao nodded, his eyes approving, and then greeted the others.

"Father!" Murong Lianyun had already spotted Mo Xibei in the crowd. She rushed over, grabbed Murong Songtao's sleeve, and whispered in his ear, "Daughter encountered danger several times on this trip, and it was thanks to Young Master Mo risking his life to save her..."

"How dare you say that?" Murong Songtao glared at his daughter, but upon seeing the blush on her face, he suddenly realized what was happening. Following her gaze, he saw a young man in the crowd looking up at the sky. He wore a plain white robe, which looked light and casual, yet the material was thin but not flimsy, clearly of high quality. Looking at his face, his features were unremarkable, far less striking than Chu Junfeng's. However, when he sensed Murong Songtao's gaze, his eyes, clear and bright, sparkling with spirit, met his. Murong Songtao then said, "Forgive my poor eyesight, Mr. Mo. I was truly negligent in my respects for your presence."

"Mr. Murong, you are too kind. I am just an unknown nobody. It is an honor to be able to attend this grand event and meet Mr. Murong and so many heroes of the martial world." Mo Xibei patiently bowed, just like Chu Junfeng. While bowing her head, she blurted out all the words that were so sweet they could make your teeth ache, and she was afraid that when she looked up, Murong Songtao would see her smirking face and get angry.

"Mr. Chu is too modest. My daughter just told me that you are quite skilled. This martial world is now the domain of young people like you. It's good to come out and relax when you have time, haha..." After laughing, Murong Songtao led the way, inviting everyone into the garden. This time, he was recruiting a son-in-law, and many people from all over the country came. The Murong family had booked most of the inns in the city for their guests. After dinner that evening, he had someone lead Mo Xibei and Chu Junfeng and their group to the Shunfeng Inn on the next street.

“Young Master Mo, I feel that this Alliance Leader Murong is really unfathomable.” Hong Lü, who had been silent all along, suddenly blurted out while washing up.

"Fool, how old are you? He's eaten more salt than we've eaten rice, so it's normal for him to be a little older." Mo Xibei seemed unconcerned, brushing his teeth with salt and then wiping his face with a hot towel.

“You’re a cunning old fox. Thanks to you, I’ve seen quite a few people like you over the years. I wouldn’t say I can tell a lot about a person at a glance, but this is definitely not the case,” Honglu said, sitting on the edge of the bed with her chin in her hand, watching Mo Xibei busy himself. “We’ve encountered quite a bit of trouble this time. Otherwise, let’s go back. Forget about Yanzhou dried vegetable duck. It’s still just a duck no matter how you cook it. Let’s go back and ask our chef to make it for you. There are dozens of ways to cook it, like eight-treasure duck, osmanthus duck, fruitwood smoked duck, and so on. You can choose whatever you like…” She changed her policy towards Mo Xibei to coaxing him. It seemed like the best thing to do to leave this place as soon as possible.

“Sister Honglv,” Mo Xibei interrupted her, “you know I can give up halfway through anything, except eating. I’ve come all this way, and all the trouble that was going to come has come. What could be more enjoyable in life than eating delicious food and watching a great show?”

"Watch a grand opera?" Honglv was taken aback. "Are there still operas being staged these days?"

“I don’t know if we’re going to put on a show or not, but we’re both involved in this one, though we don’t know what roles we’ll play. I just hope we’re both extras.” Mo Xibei sighed, walked around Honglu and lay down on the bed. “Whether we’re watching a show or acting, getting enough rest is the key.”

However, having already arrived in Henan Prefecture, getting enough rest quickly became a luxury for Honglu.

The next morning, she got up groggily, her steps unsteady, her teeth clenched. Someone was banging loudly on one of the doors next door. She had turned over 12 times but still couldn't find a good angle to cover her ears. So she decided to get up and give the two bastards who were banging on the door and those who wouldn't open it a good scolding.

"Who's doing this—" Her loud voice almost instantly subsided. The people standing at the door were all acquaintances. In the whole world, it seemed that no one else could be more brazen than Murong Lianyun and her two maids who could cause such trouble with such self-righteousness. And in the whole world, it would be hard to find another person besides Mo Xibei who could remain unmoved and sleep soundly like a pig amidst such a frantic noise.

Honglu was practically in tears. The one banging on Mo Xibei's door was the maid Rongrong. This girl had suffered a lot of anger from Mo Xibei these past few days and was now venting her frustration on the door, determined not to give up until she got it open. As for Mo Xibei, Honglu guessed that she was completely immune to such noises, and besides, given her personality, she was incredibly stubborn and threats wouldn't work on her. With the two of them arguing through the door today, how were other people supposed to live their lives?

Finally, the doors of the small inn opened one after another. The people of the martial arts world were usually hot-tempered and irritable, but when they peeked out and saw that it was Miss Murong, some of them were so moved that their hearts melted and their bones turned to jelly. They all retreated back. Honglu waited for a while before Chu Junfeng, dressed neatly, walked over.

"Is Brother Mo not in the house?" Seeing Chu Junfeng come out, Murong Lianyun quickly gestured for Rongrong to stop. "I promised to take him to see the peonies. Many of them had already bloomed this morning, and they are at their most delicate and beautiful at this time of year. But why hasn't he opened the door? Has something happened to him?"

When the word "unexpected" came up, Honglu saw that Murong Lianyun's eyes immediately reddened, and two crystal tears swirled around, sparkling like bright pearls. She was truly a sight to behold. Even though she was a woman, and even a woman who was proud of her beauty, she couldn't help but feel moved and ashamed of herself at this moment.

“I can hear that the person in the room is breathing steadily and deeply. Brother Mo must still be in the room and should not have encountered any trouble.” Chu Junfeng looked at the woman in front of him and smiled subtly and calmly. “Miss Murong, please don’t worry too much.”

"Then why hasn't he opened the door? Why don't we break it down and see?" Murong Lianyun was startled by Chu Junfeng's gaze. Looking down, she realized her cheeks were burning red. These past few days, she'd gotten into a habit of circling around Mo Xibei, and only now did she realize that Chu Junfeng had been standing right beside her the whole time. "So, when it comes to character and charm, there's someone who can rival Mo Xibei," Murong Lianyun thought shyly. "If Brother Mo treated me the same way this Young Master Chu does, how wonderful that would be."

Volume One: Ten Years in the Jianghu, Chapter Twenty

"Miss Honglu, is your young master Mo alright?" Honglu was still sighing when Chu Junfeng suddenly turned around and asked her this question.

"I'm fine, nothing's wrong, definitely." Honglu thought for a moment and replied, "Young Master Mo isn't used to getting up early, Miss Murong, why don't you come back in the afternoon?"

"What a big shot! He expects my young lady to wait until the afternoon with just a few words. I don't believe he can stay asleep and not get up!" Rongrong was anxious for her mistress. Seeing that Murong Lianyun had blinked slightly and already knew her mistress's intentions, she didn't hesitate any longer and kicked the door. Poor old inn's wooden door couldn't withstand such a powerful kick. By the time Chu Junfeng and Honglu tried to stop it, the door had already crashed to the ground, raising a cloud of dust.

Mo Xibei was tightly covered by the blanket on the bed, soundly asleep.

"How can you be so rude? A young woman like you, barging into a man's room like this?" Honglu was getting anxious and rushed forward to block the crowd.

"I thought something had happened to Young Master Mo. I didn't mean to." Murong Lianyun's tears fell quickly as she said to her maid, "Rongrong, you've caused trouble again. You're going to suffer later."

"Is it raining? Why is the house leaking?" Just as everyone was feeling a little awkward, the person on the bed suddenly sat up, eyes closed, clothes rumpled on his body, a few strands of hair sticking to his forehead, his whole person exuding an indescribable laziness, yet not in a way that was off-putting, only making people feel that although the person in front of them was unruly, he was also cute.

"It's not raining?" With tears still on her face, Murong Lianyun quickly glanced out the window. After all that fuss, the sun had only just risen, but it was clearly a bright and sunny day.

"If it's not raining, how come I heard the sound of water droplets hitting the ground?" Mo Xibei yawned loudly, lazily twisted his arms and waist, and then opened his eyes. He really looked like he had just woken up, with his eyes misty and watery, showing a bit of childlike innocence.

Honglu quickly grabbed the copper basin and went out to fetch water, feeling both amused and angry. She couldn't hear the deafening knocking on the door, but she could hear the sound of Murong Lianyun's tears falling to the ground. She wondered how angry that girl named Rongrong must be.

The annual flower fair in Henan Prefecture is a rare grand event, showcasing only peonies in various colors and with all sorts of legendary stories. Strolling through the fair, one is always pleasantly surprised.

After getting ready and finding out the route, Honglu was ready to join in the fun. As soon as she stepped out, she bumped into Mo Xibei, who had been happily dragging Murong Meiren to see the flowers half an hour earlier.

"Young Master Mo, didn't you go to see the flowers? Why are you back? Could it be that the flower market is all hype and there aren't many varieties worth seeing?" Hong Lü speculated with some surprise.

"On the contrary, the variety and colors of peonies at the flower fair are astonishing." Mo Xibei shook his head and sighed with some regret.

"Then why did you come back?" Honglu was confused; this wasn't Mo Xibei's style.

"A gentleman helps others achieve their goals, understand?" Mo Xibei smiled, still as playful as ever. Honglu, however, felt that Mo Xibei was different from usual, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Having followed Mo Xibei for quite some time, she quickly understood his meaning. But a nagging feeling remained, so she hesitantly asked, "Is this alright?"

"Everyone gets what they need, it's not exactly good, it's just that, and that's all we can do." As he answered her, Mo Xibei had already led her to a small shop and sat her down. He casually ordered a few dishes and asked the waiter to make tea. His fingers tapped lightly on the table.

"Actually, with such an outstanding character and demeanor, it's a waste that Young Master Chu is paired with a beauty who is all looks and no substance." Honglu sighed, her tone somewhat regretful. Chu Junfeng's appearance and mannerisms were vividly clear in her mind without her eyes closed. Unfortunately, some people are destined to remain only in her heart and be occasionally reminisced about. Unfortunately, Chu Junfeng was such a person.

"I think Lianyun is of pure character and naturally beautiful. Chu Junfeng is a good person, but he's too ambitious. If Lianyun really falls in love with him, she'll probably suffer in the future, which is a pity." Mo Xibei squinted her eyes and repeatedly expressed her regret for Murong Lianyun. Of course, the result of her regret was that she and Honglu looked at each other for a moment, and then looked away, praising themselves for their good taste and thinking it was a real pity that the other party did not agree with them.

Volume One: Ten Years of Wandering the Jianghu, Chapter Twenty-One

Perhaps it was because Mo Xibei's act of leaving the two of them behind and running away that day was too obvious, after the first day of the Flower Festival, Murong Lianyun was nowhere to be seen in the inn, and even Chu Junfeng seemed to be elusive, appearing and disappearing like a dragon. The only person you could often see in the inn was the little pageboy Tian Xin.

Every time Mo Xibei heard Chu Junfeng call Tian Xin's name, she would chuckle. Later, she would burst into laughter whenever she saw him, which made Tian Xin afraid to pass by their door anymore. Honglu knew about Mo Xibei's bad habit, but although she didn't know what she was laughing at, she couldn't be bothered to pay attention to her. Until one day, after having a big meal, she passed by the famous Tianxiang Restaurant in Henan Prefecture and heard a pale-faced scholar embracing a woman, calling her "darling," "baby," and "sweetheart." She suddenly realized what was going on and couldn't help but give Mo Xibei a cold look.

As more and more martial arts figures gathered in Henan Prefecture, the martial arts tournament was finally just around the corner.

Murong Lianyun's reputation was known throughout the land, and many young heroes from the martial arts world came this time, hoping to win her favor. In the taverns and gambling dens, people began to place bets, listing the young heroes from various sects who had come in recent years but were not yet married. There were quite a few people placing bets, some just to prove a point, and others specifically betting big on winning. The streets were bustling with noise, so much so that Honglv and Moxibei, who usually strolled around, spoke louder than usual.

"Young Master Mo, who do you think Miss Murong will choose as her husband?" On the eve of the martial arts tournament, Honglu was hunched over the table organizing the latest accounts sent from Jiangnan, while Mo Xibei was resting in bed as usual, seemingly asleep.

“A destined person,” Mo Xibei replied.

“But this time it’s a martial arts competition to decide the winner. What if her destined person doesn’t know martial arts?” Honglu shook her pen, very dissatisfied with Mo Xibei’s perfunctory attitude.

"You yourself said it would be a duel to determine the winner, yet you're asking me these useless questions." Mo Xibei frowned. "Are you trying to tell me that Chu Junfeng has a very high chance of winning?"