Lianyi whispered, "I...you...you're going to bully Young Master Tianquan, I won't help you. Don't do this again, how did you get beaten up like this...They don't even like you, why are you still bothering them..."
Yelü Jing covered his bleeding nose and sighed, "Then I'd rather be dead!"
"Then go die already, don't embarrass yourself." Gengu popped out from behind, grabbed Lianyi's hand, and pulled her away with a smile, saying, "Sister, you don't need to persuade him. A leopard can't change its spots, he'll die from this sooner or later, why bother worrying about him."
Yelü Jing hurriedly scrambled after her, and Lianyi, unable to bear it any longer, reached out to support him. Yelü Jing took the opportunity to hug her waist and sighed, "Never mind, little Lianyi is right. They don't like me, so why should I bother with them? Lianyi is such a good girl. From now on, I will only be good to you and will never look at anyone else."
Lianyi blushed and was about to speak when Xiaoman walked over with a smile and said, "You've said this countless times. I'm tired of hearing it. You don't need to go to such lengths. My Lianyi doesn't need your affection. You should go and like men like Tianquan and Zexiu. Their fighting skills are more suitable for you."
As she spoke, she took the dress and went downstairs. As usual, Tianquan had colorful satin spread on the table and brocade rugs on the chairs. He was using his own tea set, bowls, and chopsticks. The waiter was walking around him, unsure of what to do.
She turned and walked away, saying, "Let's sit here."
Lianyi had already run off to find Tianquan, and Yelü Jing, needless to say, followed closely behind, sometimes busy pulling Lianyi's hand, sometimes busy stealing glances at Tianquan. Wherever Lianyi was, he was there too. Xiaoman stood alone in the corner for a long time before she had no choice but to grit her teeth and go over.
“Young Master Tianquan is here too, and Uncle Zexiu will be back soon, so we’ll all be here. By the way, where’s Young Master Tianji?” Lianyi asked innocently.
Tianquan said calmly, "He went ahead to chase Yaoguang, and he should be able to see them on Mount Taibai."
Just then, two or three servant-like figures suddenly entered through the door, carrying lacquered wooden food boxes. They walked straight over, bowed, and said, "Miss Xiaoman, my master has specially prepared breakfast. Please enjoy it."
Xiao Man was taken aback. "Your master?"
"Mr. Li from Zuiyuelou."
Oh! It's Li Shisan!
Xiao Man smiled and said, "Thank you for bringing it. Please thank my elder brother for me."
The servants opened the food boxes, which contained several smaller boxes pieced together; there were six in total. They placed a small food box in front of each person, and upon opening it, they found neatly arranged fresh Jiangnan pastries, vibrant in color and exuding a delightful aroma.
A servant added, "Mr. Li specifically instructed that, knowing Mr. Tianquan is a fastidious person, the food box has been washed more than ten times. It's the first time he's used it, and the pastries are made with extremely clean glutinous rice flour. The water used to dissolve the pastries has also been filtered more than ten times. If Mr. Tianquan is still not at ease, he can just give it to any beggar, cat, or dog he wants."
Xiao Man was taken aback. How did Li Lianyu know that Tianquan was also here? Looking at the food box, there were six portions in total, including Zexiu's. He seemed to know so much about their situation! She couldn't help but recall Tianquan's words from last night. He said that Li Lianyu's father, Yelü Wenjue, was one of the Ten Directions of the Heavenly Fiends, and that his words shouldn't be taken at face value. Now it seemed there was some truth to it. For a restaurant owner to be so knowledgeable about the affairs of the martial world—not only knowing Tianquan and Zexiu, and that they were traveling together, but also knowing that Tianquan had a germaphobia—was too strange.
Thinking back to when she and he became sworn brothers, she was glad she hadn't said anything out of line, otherwise she would have been completely kept in the dark. He probably wanted to become sworn brothers with Lianyi because they looked so alike; Xiaoman was just an extra.
Alas, the world of martial arts is a place where no one can be trusted, and no one can be truly sincere.
She couldn't help but laugh when she recalled how she had been touched by his kindness that night and said she would invest in a business with him.
She's still too inexperienced.
Tianquan nodded politely: "Thank you, Mr. Li. Please reply for me that I am currently very busy and unable to visit. I will definitely come to express my gratitude another day."
After saying this, he took out several silver ingots from his pocket and distributed them to the servants. These men were well-trained; they thanked him and accepted the money without any surprise, then turned and left.
Yelü Jing, that fool, was still praising, "I didn't expect that boss to be so attentive! Could it be that he has taken a fancy to me?"
Tianquan ignored him and simply said, "Don't eat them yet." He took out a silver needle and tested each of the pastries in the box to make sure they were not poisonous before saying, "It's fine, just don't eat too many."
Yelü Jing and Lianyi completely forgot his warning and devoured most of the pastries in the blink of an eye, thoroughly enjoying themselves.
Gengu was wary of this new older brother. He looked at him for a while before asking, "Are you going to Mount Taibai with me?"
Tianquan ignored him, so Lianyi had to step in to smooth things over: "Young Master Tianquan is a very nice person. We'll travel together from now on. He's very... very nice."
Gengu laughed and said, "All you ever say is 'very good, very good,' you think everyone is good. You're such a silly sister."
“Zexiu’s elder has a nickname, ‘The Fan’. He has always lived in seclusion at the foot of Mount Taibai and rarely appears in public. Although he has extraordinary skills, he has an eccentric temper. He has declared that he will only treat beautiful women in his lifetime, regardless of gender or morality. As long as they are beautiful, he will do his best to save them without accepting any payment. So, it may be difficult to ask him to treat you.”
Tianquan's words were initially calm, leaving Xiaoman somewhat bewildered, but she soon flew into a rage. It seemed he meant that since she wasn't a beauty, no one would bother with her—his words were laced with malice, insidious and vicious!
Suddenly, a slightly arrogant voice rang out from behind: "I wasn't here, and you came as expected. You came, but you still have to gossip about others behind their backs. You're not behaving like a decent young master."
As she spoke, Xiaoman felt a weight on her shoulder—a pair of large hands slapping down. It was Zexiu! Overjoyed, she turned around and, sure enough, saw those familiar peach blossom eyes.
Zexiu narrowed his eyes slightly, grinned, revealing a row of white teeth, and said, "However, I admit that it would be very difficult for him to deal with this girl."
Treasure Scroll, Chapter Twenty-One: The Round Fan (Part Three)
Updated: 2008-10-04 15:09:22 Word Count: 4315
The name "round fan" comes from a simple source: he liked to collect round fans, from round to flat, from square to all sorts of shapes, all made by famous craftsmen and exquisitely crafted.
This man had an eccentric temperament and gave himself an extremely flamboyant title: Celestial Immortal, Cloud-borne True Man, Unparalleled in the Human World, Resurrection Saint Arhat. This title stunned many heroes and warriors of the martial arts world. Finally, someone gave him the nickname "Round Fan" based on his preferences, and that became the accepted title.
His eccentricities could be discussed for three days and three nights without exhausting them, the most famous of which was, of course, his theory on beautiful women.
Only truly beautiful women were qualified to be treated by him, and of course, not just any ordinary beauty; the standards were set by himself. He even had a system for scoring and grading beauties' appearances. The most exquisite beauties who came to him for treatment not only didn't charge him, but after being cured, he would treat them to fine tea, meals, and a comfortable house for a period of time, and finally send them off with a generous travel allowance. Other beauties who barely met the standards, of course, would be charged, and the specific amount was also determined by him.
In short, the more capable he is, the stranger he is.
This is practically a vulgar law of the martial arts world: these reclusive masters must possess the ability to bring the dead back to life, and their temperaments must be extremely eccentric. Xiao Man used to listen to storytelling in teahouses countless times, her ears practically growing hair on them. While Lian Yi and the others were filled with worry, she didn't care at all, and even mocked them: "Why do truly capable people have to be so arrogant? Serving the common people is the proper thing to do. Putting on airs all day long and taking pride in eccentricities, I don't think he's really capable. Even if he has some ability, being so arrogant will only make people look down on him."
No one paid any attention to her long-winded speech. Zexiu even said maliciously, "Lianyi, for the sake of your master, cut yourself first. That person will definitely beg to save you. Then you can make your request that he save your master first before he can save you. I think that's the only way to make this work."
Lianyi's eyes lit up, and she said urgently, "Why didn't Uncle Zexiu say so sooner!"
She drew her Crimson Cloud Blade, ready to slash herself, but after looking down for a long time, she said urgently, "Where should I cut? Does it have to be a serious injury? Then I'll cut off my arm!"
In a panic, Gengu quickly stopped her. Xiaoman grabbed her arm and snatched the Crimson Cloud Blade, frowning as she said, "You believe his nonsense? Besides, I don't want you to cut off your hand to save me. Let me tell you, don't worry. Since Zexiu said he would take us to him, he must have a way to deal with that person's quirks. We don't need to get involved at all."
Zexiu laughed and said, "You're so cunning. You're wrong this time. I really can't do anything about that person. If he refuses to save you, even a god can't help you."
"Didn't you say he was an elder to you? When the younger generation asks him for a favor, he acts all high and mighty. What kind of elder is that?"
Zexiu shook his head. He must have been traveling for a whole day and night, rushing there and back without even having time to drink a sip of water before immediately leading them to Taibai Mountain. His chin was covered in stubble, and his stubble had reappeared. His clothes were covered in mud and had many holes, but on him, he didn't look disheveled at all.
Xiao Man couldn't help but whisper, "Speaking of which, you must have had a hard time traveling so quickly... Did you catch the bad guy?"
Zexiu pulled a large silver ingot from his pocket and tossed it to her. Xiaoman caught it in a flurry of activity; it was indeed a ten-tael ingot of snowflake silver. He laughed, "What a swindle! Those notorious bandits are dumber than pigs; they made a net profit of four hundred taels of silver in a single day."
His money came so fast. Xiao Man touched the silver with envy and jealousy, but still returned it to him: "Take it, it's money earned with your life, you didn't have it easy either."
Sigh, even though that's true, the money she had was earned with her life... Money doesn't come easily.
Zexiu didn't take it, but raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Here you go, it's payment. Thank you for helping me with the laundry and mending. I'll need your help again in the future."
"Then I won't be polite." She smiled broadly as she stuffed the silver into her bosom, then looked up at him with a sweet smile.
Zexiu suddenly leaned over from his horse, grabbed her chin, and rather unceremoniously turned her face up and down, left and right, staring at her for a long time. Xiaoman felt a chill run down her spine and glared at him: "What are you doing?"
Zexiu watched for a while before gently smiling and saying, "Wash your face and change into new clothes, and there's still hope."
She felt a light punch to her chest, her heart pounded, and her face flushed instantly. She pushed him away, lowered her head, and whispered, "I wasn't... well... not exactly a beauty..."
Zexiu burst into laughter. Xiaoman's heart pounded. Leaning against Lianyi's back, she suddenly tugged at her sleeve and whispered, "Lianyi, what do you think... I should dress up?"
Without hesitation, Lianyi said, "Your Highness is a celestial beauty even without dressing up. If Tuan Shanzi refuses to save you, I'll chop him with a knife."
Xiao Man laughed and said, "What's the use of you cutting him down? Even if you kill him, no one will save me."
Lianyi's eyes reddened, and thinking that no one would come to save her master, she couldn't help but choke out, "Then I'll kill myself!"
Uh, this kid...
Zexiu patted Lianyi's shoulder and said, "Don't worry. Instead of feeling bad, you should ask Young Master Tianquan for help. He has a pair of skillful hands and a pair of discerning eyes. You can't go wrong with him for any dressing advice."
"Huh? Really? That ice-cold face?!" Xiao Man stared at Tian Quan in disbelief. He rode ahead on horseback, his white robe fluttering in the wind, his long hair like silk, and his whole body was so clean and refreshing. He didn't look like he was on a journey, but rather a young master from a wealthy family riding out for a spring outing.
She remembered the day he came to pick them up in the desert, riding a white camel alone, the camel bells ringing crisply, like a white peony blooming in the yellow sand. Why was it that everyone else traveling was disheveled and smelly, while he was always so clean and neat? Maybe there really was something strange about it.
As if sensing Xiaoman's gaze, he suddenly turned around. Xiaoman quickly turned her face away. After a while, she felt him ride closer on horseback, his voice low, soft, and clear: "Actually, most of the rumors in the martial arts world are exaggerated. He may not really be such a cold-blooded and ruthless person. There's no use worrying too much now. Let's just wait until we see him before we talk about it."
He's right. Even if she's extremely annoyed now, she can't magically transform into a stunning beauty. She might as well close her eyes and go to sleep. No matter how big the problem is, she can deal with it when she wakes up.
*****
The Round Fans Manor is located at the foot of Mount Taibai. People who don't know it call it the Round Fan Manor.
Actually, there was neither a manor nor a garden there, only a few tiled houses. It was the nearby residents who saw how pitiful he was, living in a leaky thatched hut all day long, that helped him build a tiled house.
From afar, Xiao Man could see those tiled houses with walls covered in ivy and creeping fig. While other houses were neat and tidy, his were a mess of greenery. In front of the house was a fence planted with various plants of red, yellow, blue, and purple. A person wearing a gray-blue robe was carrying a watering can, watering the plants little by little. His back looked rather thin, probably not much taller than Lian Yi. His full head of black hair was unbound, hanging down his back, giving him a very unruly appearance.
Zexiu jumped off his horse and walked quickly forward. Just as he was about to speak, the man didn't even turn around and said in a low voice, "You only come to see me when you have something to do. You heartless brat."
Having said that, he put down the flowerpot and turned his face away. Having heard so many rumors about the round fan, Xiaoman had thought it must be an old man with a white beard, arrogant and aloof, who would never even look at anyone. But this man was only about forty years old, with fine wrinkles on his forehead and an unremarkable face. His eyes held a faint smile, and judging from his appearance, he seemed like a very kind middle-aged man.
Zexiu laughed and said, "You don't like others disturbing your peace and quiet, so I'm just going along with your wishes. If I really came often, I'm afraid you would chase me away."
The man with the round fan smiled and looked everyone up and down. His gaze was calm and there was no arrogance in his eyes. Xiao Man felt a little relieved. Just as Tian Quan had said, the rumors in the martial arts world were exaggerated. This man didn't seem strange at all and was quite amiable.
“This man is sick, and we must charge him ten taels of gold,” he said, pointing at Yelü Jing without any politeness.
Zexiu shook his head and said, "It wasn't him."
"This child also deserves ten taels of gold."
"It wasn't him either."
Tuan Shanzi glanced at Lian Yi, his gaze softening, and said, "This girl doesn't charge a penny for medical treatment. And... she seems kind-looking. Who are your parents?"
Lianyi said urgently, "I don't know, they abandoned me at birth. Sir, my mistress has a very serious illness, please help me see her, you must..."
The fan-wielder ignored her, turned to look at Tianquan, and said with a smile, "Young Master Tianquan of Mount Bugui, a distinguished guest has arrived. If you wish to treat my illness, I will not charge you a single penny, and I would even like to invite you to stay for a few more days."
Tianquan clasped his hands and said, "Thank you for your kindness, sir, but I am not the one who is treating patients."
The fan-wielder's gaze finally fell on Xiaoman. She clearly heard her heart skip a beat, and the others couldn't help but hold their breath, wondering what this strange person was going to say.
After examining the girl for a while, the man with the round fan said, "This young girl seems to be under a spell. I don't understand these things, and even if I did, I wouldn't be able to see her. You should find someone more knowledgeable."
Xiaoman really wanted to faint.
Zexiu said, "Do you think she's not pretty enough, not good enough for you to see?"
The man with the round fan waved his hand and said, "We're family, no need for this. This child is a bit strange, saving her might not bring any good, I don't want to cause trouble."
What kind of bullshit reason is this? Can this even be called a reason?
Xiaoman really wanted to cry.
Lianyi couldn't hold back her sobs any longer and burst into tears, crying like a child, her face streaked with snot and tears, which she didn't even wipe away. Yelü Jing clutched his flowered handkerchief, frantically wiping her face while whispering words of comfort. Gengu frowned and said, "That's not a reason. Refusing to save someone in distress is not the behavior of a husband. The court abusing its power is called tyranny, and a doctor refusing to save someone because of their medical skills is called pretentious. If you're not going to save people, you might as well not learn medicine at all and just go live as a hermit in the mountains. If you learn it and then become picky, won't that make you look bad?"