"I know that my actions last night were improper, so I once again apologize to you all, but he really is very important to me. None of you can stop me, nor should you attempt to stop me. Of course, I can guarantee that I won't leave your sight."
After saying this, she walked out of the room. As she did, her maids offered fragrant towels to wash her face and a goblet of water to rinse her mouth. While walking, she said to the clansmen behind her, "Even if you do accompany me, don't accompany me too closely. If you expose my origins and give him a fright, that won't be good."
Behind her, a middle-aged man and a beautiful woman glanced at each other, their faces slightly pale. They were the Guardian and Lady-in-Waiting dispatched by His Majesty to wait on the princess. Now that they were hearing their little princess's words, they could clearly hear the tempo of those folk tales about wealthy young ladies falling in love with destitute young scholars and naturally grew rather concerned.
"Guardian Jin, what do we do now?" the beautiful woman whispered.
The middle-aged man called Guardian Jin had an ashen expression, unsightly to the extreme. "All of you women that personally serve her don't even know what's going on, so how could I know? Guardian Li, if a problem occurs, it will be all your responsibility!"
Luoluo was escorted to the side gate of the Hundred Herb Garden. Then, taking the items that she had her subordinate prepare in advance, she mounted a seemingly ordinary carriage. After waving her small hand at her subordinates, she drove the carriage herself into Hundred Flowers Lane. As for those experts of her clan, they had long since concealed themselves.
This girl's way of doing things could really be described as with the vigor of a thunderbolt and the speed of the wind.
Guardian Li gazed at the gradually fading carriage, raising her sleeve to lightly wipe away the tears in the corner of her eye. She was somewhat anxious, yet also somewhat gratified. She said to Guardian Jin at her side, "Since the little Princess has begun to date, we must notify His Majesty and the Empress as soon as possible."
Guardian Jin's expression turned even nastier. "If we let His Majesty know that the Princess is deeply in love with a human, do you think we will be able to survive?"
Guardian Li noted, "Don't forget, didn't His Majesty also take a human woman as his wife?"
Guardian Jin angrily retorted, "To take a wife and to marry off a daughter, male and female, are these the same things?"
Guardian Li sneered, "If you have the capability, say these words to the Empress."
At these words, Guardian Jin was at a loss for words, his mind also at a loss.
...
...
The Hundred Herb Garden and the Orthodox Academy were only separated by an old wall. Even when taking the long way through Hundred Flowers Lane, the distance was extremely short. The carriage did not need to travel far before it drove into the old academy gate, now clear of ivy, and entered the interior of the academy which was still rather desolate, but now carrying hints of new life.
The Orthodox Academy was peaceful and serene. Deep within the thick woods, the singing of birds could be heard. An exposed corner of a house reflected the sunlight, giving it the appearance of colored glass. The stone lion fountain outside the main hall had been cleaned, the weeds removed. It still seemed somewhat weathered by time, but ultimately, it no longer seemed abandoned.
Luoluo led the carriage along the lake shore. Upon seeing the deep marks left on the grass and the overturned trees by the lake, she thought of that seemingly sudden assassination attempt that had actually been planned by the demons in secret for many years. Her body suddenly felt a little cold.
The Orthodox Academy was abnormally quiet, as if not a single person lay within. In reality, many experts were concealed here. There were experts of her clan and also experts sent by the Imperial Palace. She was very sure that her safety was assured and her mood gradually began to relax.
The door to the library was tightly shut, but that lock was not in place. She knew that someone was inside.
She took in a deep breath, somewhat nervous, and began walking in that direction.
...
...
Chen Changsheng was reading a book, but in reality, his mind was wandering while he read, an extremely rare sight. He was also thinking of the events of last night.
His left hand caressed the sheath of his dagger as he silently recalled those scenes, hoping that it would not affect his studies in the Orthodox Academy. A demon expert had actually infiltrated into the capital for such a long time. Someone would have to take responsibility for this matter.
The girl who the demons had attempted to assassinate assuredly did not have an ordinary status. She should be okay now, right?
As he was thinking about those things, the sound of knocking could be heard from outside the library.
He stood up, walked to the door, and pulled the heavy wooden door open. Then, he saw the girl that he had just been worrying over.
This girl was very small, her eyes very bright, very big. Her eyelashes were very long, her lips very red. She was very beautiful, and when she widened her eyes and fluttered her eyelashes, she was very cute.
He had never interacted with such a cute girl before, so he fell into a momentary daze.
Luoluo widened her eyes and fluttered her eyelashes. Seeing how this youth looked like a silly goose, she became rather shy and also rather pleased, thinking, the methods taught to me by my Imperial Mother really are useful.
"Hello." Chen Changsheng finally awoke from his trance and took one step back.
Luoluo replied, "Hello."
Chen Changsheng seriously asked, "Might I ask, is there something you need?"
Luoluo froze, thinking, we just met last night and so many things happened. Could you possibly not understand what I came here for? For some reason, when she saw Chen Changsheng's serious appearance, she couldn't help but grow more serious herself. Bowing, she said, "Many thanks for saving me last night."
The appearance of this girl so seriously bowing was somewhat clumsy because she really was rarely required to bow to others, especially after she departed her home and came to the capital—but it was precisely because of this so-called serious clumsiness paired with her beautiful face that created an absolute cuteness. At this time, she really was very cute.
Chen Changsheng felt it wasn't good to touch the skin of the opposite sex, and so his attempts to support her and yet not touch her were also rather clumsy as he repeatedly implored, "Don't mention it, don't mention it, it's what I should have done."
This was a very commonly seen conventional greeting, yet Luoluo was not willing to exchange courtesies. Straightening herself, her dark eyes slightly shifting, she asked, "Why is it something that you should have done?"
Chen Changsheng was a little taken aback. After considering the question for a few moments, he sincerely explained, "You're younger than me, and he was a demon. Since we're all humans, it's only a matter of course that I protect you."
Upon hearing "we're all humans", Luoluo chuckled, and then she noticed a certain detail in those words: he had spoken of protecting her, not saving her.
"But in the end, you still saved me."
She looked at Chen Changsheng and asked, "What can I give to repay you?"
Chen Changsheng seriously replied, "For you to come specially to express your thanks is enough."
Luoluo thought this over and then began to chuckle at him. She then turned and walked out of the library.
She had turned without the least sloppiness, left without hesitation.
Chen Changsheng gazed at the girl's petite back, sighing with deep emotion. I said enough and it was enough, said leave and she left. The people of the capital really do act with an imposing manner.
Yet just as he had seated himself back on the floor and prepared to started reading once more…
The girl came back.
She had moved many items from her carriage and then laid them out on the floorboards in front of Chen Changsheng.
...
...
The first object was a Night Pearl.
This was a very large Night Pearl. Although not as large as a washing bowl, it was at least the size of a noodle bowl. Moreover, it was very round, its surface exceptionally smooth without the slightest flaw.
Chen Changsheng gazed vacantly at the Night Pearl rolling around on the floor in front of him.
He hadn't even seen a Night Pearl before, much less one of such size.
He had heard before that the Dew Platform of the Imperial Palace was covered in countless huge Night Pearls, but he was convinced that none of those Night Pearls was as large as this one.
...
...
Chen Changsheng had never seen a Night Pearl and yet had recognized that this seemingly ceramic object was a Night Pearl. This was not because he had read records and descriptions of Night Pearls in his books, but because for each item Luoluo took out, she would earnestly introduce it in a childish voice, with a childish manner.
Luoluo was very generous, but she was definitely not someone who would cast pearls before swine.
"This is the secret manual of the Mount Li Sword Style…whether you're from the Longevity Sect or Holy Maiden Peak, as long as you're someone that uses the sword, you have to learn this sword style. It's just that those southerners are all petty and aren't willing to circulate it outwards. I…my family, for the sake of obtaining this sword manual, truly expended no small amount of effort."
She passed an ancient book into Chen Changsheng's hands, not forgetting to note, "This is the original. The book in Mount Li's Sword Hall is a copy made afterwards."
Chen Changsheng's mind was in a trance. As he gazed at the scroll in his hands, he was sure that he was dreaming.
He was holding the secrets of the Mount Li Sword Style in his hands?
There had never been any news in the continent of the secrets of the Mount Li Sword Style being stolen.
Perhaps it was stolen by this girl's family?
This girl…just what sort of person was she?
...
...
There was a dull thump.
Luoluo placed a heavy box in front of Chen Changsheng as dust was jolted out of the seams in the floorboards.
Opening the box, one could see that it was piled high with golden leaves, but this was not all. She used her small hands to sweep aside those golden leaves like they were actually fallen leaves, revealing the true contents of the box: half a box of extremely rare and precious crystals!
"Right, I'm living in the Hundred Herb Garden, just next door."
Like she was performing a magic trick, Luoluo produced a bamboo basket from behind her and said, "…I also don't know what you require, so I asked them to just randomly pick a bit of each."
Chen Changsheng had already been rendered somewhat numb by the Night Pearl, the sword manual, and the half box of crystals, but upon seeing the bamboo basket full of those rarely-seen medicinal herbs and strange fruits recklessly piled like weeds, he was shocked once more, struck entirely speechless.
Luoluo gazed at him in interest as she thought, could this not be enough?
She thought it over, then her hand reached out to her left lapel and gently pulled, plucking off another button.
She had already pulled off two yesterday. With the pulling off of this button, her left lapel drooped down, revealing her pure white neck.
This dazzling white awoke Chen Changsheng from his stupor. As he quickly turned his head, he asked in shock, "What do you want to do?"
Luoluo offered the button made of rhinoceros horn and said, "Lah…I'm also giving this to you."
"What is this?"
"It's a Thousand Li Button. Have you heard of it before?"
Chen Changsheng took the button as he thought of the records in the library concerning wondrous magical artifacts. With shock, he raised the button in the air to carefully examine it under the sunlight.
After a while, he woke from his daze and hurriedly placed the button back in the girl's hand.
"No reward without merit."
He said very seriously to the girl, "Last night, it was still that general who came and saved the two of us. I really didn't do anything, and even if I did do a few small things, just as I said before, it's enough for you to come specially to thank me. How could I possibly deserve such precious gifts?"
"You've misunderstood. These things aren't in thanks for your saving my life."
Luoluo pointed at those items on the floor and said, "These are gifts to acknowledge you as my teacher."
Chen Changsheng did not quite understand. "What?"
"Gifts to acknowledge you as my teacher."
Luoluo looked into his eyes, her expression abnormally resolute. "Teacher, I want to acknowledge you as my master and follow you in cultivation."
...
...
The library was silent.
A refreshing breeze blew in from the window.
The Night Pearl slowly rolled across the pitch-black floor.
The ancient manual on the Mount Li Sword Style gently opened its pages, revealing several dozen images of people wielding swords.
The herbs in the bamboo basket exuded a faint aroma.
Chen Changsheng needed a very long time to finally understand what had happened.
He gazed at the girl and asked in confusion, "Why?"
Luoluo replied, "Six days ago, on that night, wasn't it Teacher that lit up your Fated Star?"
Chen Changsheng thought it over, then said, "Yes…but, look, I just lit up my Fated Star and haven't even succeeded at Purification. Last night, I saw you fighting with that demon. You're much stronger than me, so how can I possibly be your teacher?"
Luoluo replied, "Last night, wasn't I only able to wound that demon because of Teacher's instructions?"
Chen Changsheng replied, "First of all, can you not call me Teacher?"
Luoluo sweetly smiled and said, "Very well, Teacher."
Chen Changsheng felt very helpless. He raised up his two hands to explain, "That was just luck."
Luoluo was still sweetly smiling. "But for Teacher to know the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong, to know the Yeshi Step, those can't be luck."
Chen Changsheng thought about this, then replied, "I just…have read more books than other people."
Luoluo opened her eyes wide and seriously replied, "Then the method for circulating true essence? I've already memorized the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong, but I just don't know how to use true essence to control the sword. Not even the professors of the Heavenly Dao Academy and Star Seizer Academy knew the answer to this question, but Teacher…you could reveal it with a single remark."
Chen Changsheng fell silent. He really wanted to explain this as luck as well. It was just that he had developed several hypothetical experiments, almost guesses, on how to use true essence when the meridians were blocked. Last night, when the situation had been at its most desperate, he was forced to yell it out to try, but he had not expected for the girl to really succeed.
But last night's success did not mean that the success would continue.
And he couldn't explain the problems of his body to this girl.
Of course, he was even less capable of accepting this girl as his student.
Although the Night Pearl was very beautiful, the sword manual very attractive, and those medicinal herbs very good.
He stood up and prepared to leave the library, but realized that he…couldn't move his feet.
Because his feet were being held by a person.
Luoluo was sitting on the floor, her body leaning forward as her two hands tightly grasped his thigh.
Her small face was pressed tightly up against his thigh.
She looked like a cute and unwilling girl who had been abandoned by a heartless man.
Yet her heart was brimming with joy.
She silently thought: Yes, it's exactly this scent!
"Teacher, just accept me."
She raised her head and opened wide her bright and intelligent eyes. She looked at Chen Changsheng and said pitifully, "Whatever you want, I can promise it to you."