"What did you say, Your Highness?!"
Mu Qing felt like the odds were in his favour. He brought His Highness, Qin Wangye, to the town's market to lighten up his mood. Who would have thought that the heavens took a pity on him and decided to help him find this so-called 'Wife Jiejie'?
After the epic introduction of all the available maidens in Lu Shan failed, His Highness had been down lately. Since he was now trying to investigate maidens who already had a marriage agreement from other families, Mu Qing had to move slowly in the dark to avoid tarnishing His Highness' image. So, he could only agree to His Highness' capricious demands and appease him while he waits for the result. In the end, because Xu Fei Yi suddenly wanted to visit the market on a whim, Mu Qing could only agree and follow his lead.
Mu Qing immediately stood up, squeezing himself in front of the window while trying to find the woman whom His Highness had taken a fancy. Unfortunately, the market was full of people. Searching someone in the middle of a lively place with hundreds of people was akin to finding a small needle in a pile of straws.
"Your Highness, where is she?"
"She's over there!"
Xu Fei Yi pointed his finger on the eastern part of the market where a large road was located.
"Where?" Mu Qing's Qing gong[1] was high but no matter what he did, no matter how long he stretched his neck and no matter how much he tried to widen his eyes, he could not see a fourteen to fifteen year old girl. He felt like His Highness was just fooling around. He could not help but turn his head to Xu Fei Yi and stare at his face, trying to find out if he was telling the truth or if he was just joking at him.
"Your Highness, are you sure? This… this servant---"
"Ah! She looked at me." Xu Fei Yi exclaimed, making Mu Qing die in regret. When he once again whipped his head towards the place where Xu Fei Yi was pointing, he could no longer see someone looking at their direction.
"Ai. Wife Jiejie went away."
When Mu Qing heard Xu Fei Yi, he felt like his ancestors were smacking his face repeatedly for being stupid. A sweet copper taste was trying to come out from his mouth.
'How can searching someone be this stressful ah?'
Mu Qing was busy lamenting inside his heart that he did not see the hidden smile on Xu Fei Yi's face.
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XuanRong's body suddenly shook when she felt a cold gaze staring intensely at her. She stopped walking and froze on the spot. Noticing the abnormal reaction from XuanRong, the guard suddenly stilled his body and slowly reached his sword as he wandered his eyes around the area, trying to find any anomaly. When he found nothing, he slowly relaxed himself, but he still decided to move closer to XuanRong and YuYing.
YuYing also noticed her XiaoJie's sudden stiffness and could not help but ask worriedly.
"Are you okay, XiaoJie? Is there something wrong?"
XuanRong took a few seconds before she was able to calm herself and answer YuYing. She then shook her head and smiled at her.
"Nothing. I'm fine."
XuanRong was caught off guard when she felt the deep gaze that was similar to a snake's hunting stare. She felt the strong intensity of that person's stare and she could sense that it was able to penetrate her deepest core, making her involuntary guard herself. One word kept on repeating inside her head: DANGEROUS.
Every cell on her body sent distress signal, telling her that she must avoid the owner of that dangerous gaze at all cost, but XuanRong stubbornly refused to yield. She toughened herself and scanned the surroundings. When she tried to move her head, the pressure suddenly vanished but she still continued searching everywhere, hoping to find the person who was looking intensely at her.
Suddenly, a very familiar eyes entered her vision, making XuanRong inhale sharply.
Two eyes met in a distance. One was twinkling with happiness and mischief, while the other one was full of surprise and astonishment.
But, XuanRong's surprise did not last long when she realized her mistake. She then retracted her eyes and inwardly shook her head.
'Oh. It's only him.'
When she saw the familiar eyes, she thought that it was her benefactor. Unfortunately, she was wrong. She remembered the first time she saw the man who had similar eyes with him. She 'met' him on their way to the town's entrance after her visit to the temple. He was smiling widely while he was looking at her. Although they had the same pair of eyes, both of them were different. Her benefactor's eyes were clear but full of sharpness, akin to a razor-edged sword, while the smiling man's eyes were full of innocence, not a single speck of worldly desires could be seen inside his pure eyes.
She was quite baffled as to why the man kept on smiling at her every time their path crossed. They basically did not know each other. So, why was he acting like a dumb child, smiling to a stranger?
Was he trying to be friendly with her?
Why?
Too bad, no matter what reason he had, XuanRong didn't like being friendly with other people. She was already an old soul and based on her experience in her previous lifetime, people would never approach you without any ulterior motives. But thinking of that man's dumb expression, XuanRong's views in life suddenly changed.
A person like him who was as white as the snow, as pure as a jade, XuanRong was afraid that she would only stain him with filth if he tries to befriend her. The path she decided to take was full of blood and malice. She did not want to pull someone with her in the endless pit of abyss. It would be better to say away from him and disregard his presence.
XuanRong decided to ignore the man and continue walking. Since the intense gaze coming from that powerful person already disappeared, making her unable to point out the direction where that intense gaze came from, XuanRong no longer wanted to investigate. She ignored the pitiful man who was looking at her and walked away, leaving nothing but her fragrance.
"Da XiaoJie!!!"
When XuanRong and the rest were almost at the manor, one servant hurriedly ran towards them.
"This servant greets Da XiaoJie."
"You may rise. Speak. What's the matter? Why are you such in a hurry?"
The servant gulped before she spoke.
"S-someone from the capital arrived here in the manor. They said that they came from ChenFu [2] and travelled to Lu Shen per Da XiaoJie's instruction. Zou mama send someone to inform Da XiaoJie, but they did not see you, so, we could only wait here for your arrival."
XuanRong's face glowed when she heard the servant's words.
'He is here! They finally arrived! Maternal Grandfather did not disappoint me.'
XuanRong was really happy. Finally, she can now learn to defend herself without needing the help of others.
Before she met the woman and stumbled upon the lost art of Gu, she already sent a letter to her maternal grandfather, asking for his help. In this lifetime, she would spare no effort in increasing her strength, so, when the time comes where she had to exact revenge to those people who betrayed and humiliated her to death, she would be able to give the punishment they deserved.
The XuanRong who was as weak as an ant had long died in that hateful night. She had enough being a weakling. Only those who were strong and powerful could stand on the ground, steady and unshaken.
"Quick! Lead me to them. YuYing, prepare refreshment and send it inside later."
"Yes, this servant understands."
Although she was greatly shocked when she saw her XiaoJie brimming with joy and was ecstatic after learning that the guest came from the capital, YuYing immediately responded to XuanRong's order without delay. Whoever they were, she knew that they were allies.
YuYing was glad that good things were starting to come at their way.
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[1]. Martial Arts
[2]. Chen family's residence
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Edited and Proofread by: Prikkrang and Supremetobs