Jian Wuxin scrambled to his feet and said with a shameless grin, "Brother, let me introduce you. This is Miss Xue Qing from the Lingyu Sect. How is she? She's grown up to be even more beautiful."
The young master bowed to Xue Qing and said, "I am Jian Wuming, the master of Broken Sword Manor. I greet Miss Xue."
"Hello..." Xue Qing didn't dare to look at Jian Wuming.
“My second brother has always acted irrationally. If he has offended Miss Xue, please don’t take offense,” Jian Wuming said politely to Xue Qing, then said sternly, “Why don’t you invite the three distinguished guests into the house and have a seat?”
Several maids rushed in through the door, leading Xue Qing and the other two into the house to sit down, and serving them tea and water. Xue Qing suddenly felt fortunate; being a supporting female character was better than being a servant at Broken Sword Manor.
"Miss Xue, is your visit to Broken Sword Manor just for a visit, or is there something else important?" Jian Wuming asked Xue Qing.
"My nephew and I are on official business this time. We just happened to be passing by Broken Sword Manor, so we came to pay a visit. We also have something we would like to trouble Broken Sword Manor with," Xue Qing replied.
"What's up?"
"I want to modify this hidden sword," Xue Qing said, taking out the hidden sword and showing it to Jian Wuxin.
"My dear Qingqing, you want to change our token of love? What do you want to change?" Jian Wuxin looked at Xue Qing with teary eyes.
"I've been unskilled in sword forging for twenty years, and I have no outstanding products to show for it. This sword is the only one that I can say is quite skillfully crafted. I wonder what Miss Xue is dissatisfied with?"
Beads of sweat appeared on Xue Qing's forehead. Ingenious? Perhaps she didn't know how to appreciate it? She said timidly, "I really like this sword. Everything else is fine, but...aren't there a few too many gems?"
“This sword is purely decorative. Look at this emerald. Emeralds are the king of green stones and are often used for blessings. Such a large, naturally formed emerald is rare in the world. It complements the slightly serpentine sword blade perfectly. I have no interest in spending time searching for such rare things. I think the inscriptions on the sword can be erased.” Jian Wuming actually admired the fancy gemstones on the sword.
Xue Qing was unsure how to express her thoughts when Liu Ying said, "This sword has exquisite lines and an exceptionally thin yet sharp blade, which is quite rare. However, my master thinks it's a waste to use it only as decoration and wants to modify it into a more handy weapon."
"So that's how it is. I understand now. Wuxin, you understand too? You created this sword, and you're the one who will modify it," Jian Wuming said calmly yet authoritatively.
With tears welling in his eyes, Jian Wuxin collapsed to the ground: "My dear Qingqing, how could you remove the gems! The rarity of the emeralds is secondary; it's my honor to spend so much money and time on you. Look at this ruby, doesn't the dark ring in the middle look like a heart shape, representing my sincere heart for you? And look at this white crystal, isn't it just like your crystal-clear skin? And look at this agate..."
"Tear it down..." Xue Qing managed to squeeze out those two words through gritted teeth.
Regardless of whether Jian Wuxin was pretending to cry or die while holding the sword on the ground, Xue Qing's determination to modify the sword would not change. It was Jian Wuming who couldn't stand Jian Wuxin's antics: "Modify it according to Miss Xue's instructions. Go now. I want to see the finished product at dinner."
"Yes, brother!" Jian Wuxin bowed deeply while holding his sword, then rushed out the door with the sword in his arms.
Xue Qing also wanted to rush out the door with Jian Wuxin. If Jian Wuxin left, she would feel even more uncomfortable being with Jian Wuming. Luckily, a servant ran in at that moment, kneeling fearfully before Jian Wuming and saying, "Young Master! Something terrible has happened! The Third Young Master... he ran into the furnace room and burned his hand!"
Jian Wuming suddenly stood up, and Xue Qing rarely saw a trace of panic on his sculpted face, after all, they were brothers.
"What are you all standing there for? Lead the way." The tone was still calm, but it was even more terrifying than before.
"Yes, yes!" The servant scrambled to his feet and led the way.
"Let's go take a look too," Xue Qing said to Liu Ying and Jian Die. It was better for the three of them to follow Jian Wuming than to stand idly in the main hall.
The furnace room was located at the back of Broken Sword Manor. As the name suggests, it contained furnaces of various sizes, which were burned red-hot with coal every day. Every sword was forged in these furnaces. When the group arrived, the furnace room was already surrounded by servants and maids. Upon seeing Jian Wuming, they automatically made way for him. Jian Wuming hurriedly went inside. A boy of about ten years old was lying on the floor of the furnace room, supported by two maids beside him.
"Big brother." The boy called out weakly when he saw Jian Wuming.
"Wuyi, don't speak yet." Jian Wuming squatted down beside the boy to check his injuries. A large patch of skin on his right hand was burned white and rotten, but the rest was fine.
"Young Master, what should we do?" The maid holding the boy cried, her face streaked with tears.
Treating burns and scalds is a strong point of family doctor books, right? Xue Qing pulled out a booklet essential for Emei Sect disciples from her bosom; her bosom was almost as big as Doraemon's bellyband, capable of producing anything. She quickly flipped through the pages and, sure enough, found excerpts about scalded skin.
"Did you go see a doctor?" Jian Wuming asked.
"We've already gone to fetch one, but it will take some time for the doctor to arrive from town," a servant replied.
"Big brother... my hands are so hot and uncomfortable," the boy groaned.
"Young master, please bear with it a little longer. I'll go get some ice to keep it cool for you." Another maid stood up to go to the ice cellar to get some ice.
Xue Qing quickly stopped her: "No, it can't be cold. If it's extremely hot one minute and extremely cold the next, his hand will lose sensation and become useless."
"What can we do, young master..." The maid covered her face and wept.
"Tear off his upper clothes to prevent blood from pooling and flowing to his hands, which could cause necrosis. Boil a kettle of hot water, then mix it with cold water to warm it up and wash his wounds. Liuying, we have Emei Sect burn ointment in our carriage, go and get it." Xue Qing recited the notes in her notebook.
"Do as Miss Xue says," Jian Wuming ordered, and the servants immediately went to prepare.
The servants carried the boy into the bedroom, cleaned his wounds, and applied the medicine that Liu Ying had brought. The boy finally stopped whimpering.
"Why did you go into the furnace?" After the boy's wounds were bandaged, Jian Wuming began to interrogate him.
"I...I also want to forge a peerless sword with my own hands, just like you and my second brother," the boy replied, head bowed.
"I've told you so many times, you're still young..."
"My second brother started forging swords at the age of ten, and at fifteen he forged the most beautiful hidden blade in the world for his future sister-in-law. I, this young master, will definitely be able to do it too," the boy said, raising his little face.
Xue Qing had to admit that this was the most beautiful hidden sword in the world, not an exaggeration at all. Even women's hairpins weren't inlaid with so many gems. But what was with the title "future second sister-in-law"? Did Jian Wuxin even fool such a young child? No wonder, he often deceived himself anyway.
Jian Wuming still couldn't bring himself to scold the boy: "Fortunately, you only burned your skin. If you had injured your bones and tendons, you would never be able to forge swords again, let alone make them." After admonishing the boy, Jian Wuming thanked Xue Qing: "Thank you for your guidance, Miss Xue."
"No, it was just reading from the script," Xue Qing said embarrassedly.
"I haven't introduced him to Miss Xue yet. This is my younger brother, the third child in his family. His name is Jian Wuyi. Wuyi, thank you, Miss Xue."
Jian glanced at Xue Qing and bowed slightly, saying, "Second Sister-in-law, this young master thanks you."
Xue Qing was a little confused. She wouldn't dwell on the title "Second Sister-in-law"—she couldn't afford to get entangled with this family—but what was with the tone of that thank-you? Was she really thanking them?
"Miss Xue, I'm so sorry, you're a distinguished guest, and I've only caused you trouble," Jian Wuming said apologetically.
"It's alright," Xue Qing said, waving her hand. She dared not accept Jian Wuming's apology.