Chapter 412: A Spear Technique! (1/2)
Chapter 412: A spear technique!
With this idea in mind, Li Muyang felt that Lu Lin had become more and more suspicious.
Besides the few words that he had exchanged with him at the beginning, the majority of the times he stood next to Li s.h.i.+nian. His brown coloured robe, deep green jade pendant, sword-like brows, his extraordinary facial features, and his thin lips gave off an amiable and kind feeling.
The man was very talkative, and also knowledgeable. He was witty, and occasionally made one burst into laughter.
Seeing that Li Muyang was no longer painting, and was glancing at him from time to time, Lu Lin cupped one fist in the other and said to Li Muyang apologetically. “I am really sorry, did I disturb Brother Muyang painting?”
Li Muyang nodded, “Indeed, I like it quiet when I paint.”
“I see.” Lu Lin looked embarra.s.sed. “Then I won't disturb Brother Muyang.”
He turned to Li s.h.i.+nian, suggesting, “Miss s.h.i.+nian, I see the plum blossoms are blooming beautifully, we should also learn from the predecessors. How about we take a walk in the snow to view the flowering plums?”
Li s.h.i.+nian took a glimpse of Li Muyang and declined the offer: “I want to watch my brother paint.”
“No worries.” Lu Lin said. “When we come back from viewing the plum blossoms, Brother Muyang's 'Viewing snow painting' should also be completed. Wouldn't it be better for us to enjoy the finished product instead?”
Li s.h.i.+nian pursed her lips. “I see the plum blossoms in the garden many times a day, but I have not seen my brother paint more than a few times——Besides, are the plum blossoms of the garden more good looking than when my brother paints?”
“Haha——” Li Muyang couldn't help laughing out loud, then spoke out to 'scold' Li s.h.i.+nian: “s.h.i.+nian, you can't say that. Brother is just an earthly being, how can I be compared to one of the four gentlemen, plum blossom? But since you want to see me paint, then I'll do my best to paint for you.”
“Thank you, Big brother.” Li s.h.i.+nian said with a sweet smile.
A scowl flashed across Lu Lin's face and faded instantly, as he gave a cupped fist to Li Muyang, “apologies.”
He then turned to Li s.h.i.+nian, bowed, performing the standard etiquette of a n.o.ble and said with a smile. “Since Miss s.h.i.+nian likes to watch Brother Muyang paint, then I will accompany at the side. Miss s.h.i.+nian is right, plum blossoms bloom every year, but Brother Muayng painting is a rare sight. I should properly appreciate it.”
Never hit a smiling guy.
If he did not want to leave, there also was nothing that Li Muyang could do to force him away.
After all, his last name was 'Lu', while he and his sister had the surname Li; in order words they were outsiders.
Li Muyang composed his emotion and organised his thoughts before he began adding colour to the painting.
This process was even quicker than the one before. With just a few strokes, the wind and snow, and the beautiful and elegant snow scene was depicted vividly.
Li Muyang did not brought a seal with him, so instead he directly signed his name at the top of the painting.
Waiting until the ink had dried, he rolled up the painting and presented it to Li s.h.i.+nian, who had been standing at the side waiting for a long while. “For you.”
“Thank you, Big brother.” Hugging the scroll 'Viewing snow in the West garden painting' in her arms, a smile bloomed on Li s.h.i.+nian's face.
Lu Lin was captivated by Li s.h.i.+nian's sweet smile but when he saw that Li s.h.i.+nian's eyes were completely fixed on her brother Li Muyang and was completely pretending to not see him, he raged inwardly, thinking to himself that there will definitely be a time when you two are going to ask me for my help.
Lu Lin with a face of admiration said aloud: “Brother Muyang is indeed a painting master, this painting is already enough to reach the third grade.”
Li Muyang's painting was indeed good, but it was impossible to reach the third grade. It was purely a complement from Lu Lin.
Not expecting there to be someone who even more did not understand modesty, Li s.h.i.+nian lifted her head and said proudly. “In my eyes it is already the first grade.”
Li Muyang chuckled, reaching out his hand and was about to stroke Li s.h.i.+nian's head, but then on second thought he felt that this intimate behaviour was perhaps a little too inappropriate.
Li s.h.i.+nian's face grew gloomy when she saw Li Muyang raising his hand and putting it down again——
The 60th birthday was also known as 'Flower armour birthday'.
According to the tradition of the divine continent, the birthday of an elderly that year was particularly important.
Lu Xingkong's only son Lu Qingming returned early from defending the Yun border to celebrate his Father's birthday. The other branches of the Lu family had also rushed back, and his former subordinates far away at the border had began to send back gifts as early as one month ago.
Strangely, a direct line of descent of the Lu family, the Lord of the Wind city, Lu Wuyoung, had not returned to Tiandu and instead sent his eldest son Lu Lin and other clan members to come celebrate Lu Xingkong's birthday.
This action made a lot of insiders speculate that the Wind City might have felt that the Lu family was in imminent danger so they wanted to draw a line with Lu Qingming? If the Lu family really were in serious trouble, could this act really protect those of the Wind city from being affected?
Rumours and gossip endlessly fell on the ear. Everyone looked at the Lu family with sympathy and——mockery.
If even the people of the Lu family's ancestral house were not supporting them, then does that mean they most likely were left with no room to retreat, right?
But none of these matters had much to do with Li Muyang.
He was just a 'visitor', the 'Li family member' who was living in the Lu residence. The Lu family's core affairs had little to do with him, also no one had come over to discuss with him or asked him for advice.
But Li Muyang's father Li Yan was very busy these days. He came and went in haste, and sometimes he would also stay the night over at the plum garden side. From the middle-level stewards, Li Muyang knew that the storm had come.
Li Muyang still maintained his previous good habits. He got up early and walked a few laps of 'The Art of the breaking body', before he hunched over the desk in front of the window to practice calligraphy. While the books, such as 'The art of travelling through clouds and summoning rain' and 'Dragon language' that were related to the dragon clan, he had not glanced at them at all or recited the mantra. There were too many strong cultivators in Tiandu, who knew whether he may be noticed or not by the observant people?
Besides, a peerless cultivator was living in the same courtyard as him.
Li Muyang was willing to trust the Lu family, but if they were to find out the fact that he was a dragon, whether or not they were going to trust him or not, was still uncertain.
The human heart was difficult to predict, Li Muyang dared not make the slightest mistake.
Bang!
The door of the room was slammed open again.
Dressed in a cute little red robe, Li s.h.i.+nian charged in and shouted to Li Muyang: “Quick, wash and dress, in a moment we need to kowtow to Grandfather Lu.”
Li Muyang knew that today was the birthday of the old Grandfather Lu Xingkong.
Lu Qingming had also said to him that today he should show his true face to the world.
Therefore, according to the relations.h.i.+p between the Lu family and the Li family, Li Muyang indeed needed to go kowtow to Lu Xingkong today as a junior.
Li s.h.i.+nian put down the writing brush and said to Li s.h.i.+nian, “Wait, I need to bath and change my clothes.”
“Dress nicer.” Li s.h.i.+nian then said in lowered voice, “These days Mother has been busying making several sets of winter clothes for you.”
Li Muyang smiled and nodded, “then I'll wear the clothes made by my Mother.”
Because Li Muyang had saved Lu Qingming's life, Aunt Gongsun had all of a sudden gifted him several sets of gorgeous clothes. These days Li Muyang had only been wearing the clothes from Aunt Gongsun whenever he went outside, which made Luo Qi a little jealous. These days the reason that Luo Qi had not stepped a foot outside the house was because she was busy preparing winter clothing for Li Muyang.
“Smart.” Li s.h.i.+nian complimented Li Muyang. “Quickly bath, in a moment I'll come to comb your hair.”
“I'll comb it myself.” Li Muyang said.
“That's not going to work. You are now Gongzi Li, Young master Li, how could you do it yourself?” Li s.h.i.+nian remarked with a sneer.
Li Muyang chuckled. He knew that his Little sister was dissatisfied with the five beautiful servants who followed him everywhere.
After Li Muyang had bathed, Li s.h.i.+nian was already waiting in the room.
Li Muyang helplessly seated himself in front of the bronze mirror and let Li s.h.i.+nian tidy his hair.
Li s.h.i.+nian's combing was very smooth, but she had never groomed a man's hair before. Her skills were a bit rusty, and not as skilful as Jing'er and the others.
But, his little sister had kind intentions after all. Li Muyang sat there with a smile on his face, waiting for the little girl to get busy with his hair.
“Don't laugh. “ Li s.h.i.+nian failed to tie up the hair into a bun, tiny dots of sweat formed across her nose, and when she saw Li Muyang's holding his lips tight to suppress a smile she couldn't help yelling.
“Hahaha——” Li Muyang burst out laughing, even happier after her outburst.
After putting on the jade crown with difficultly, Li s.h.i.+nian came over hugging a dim silver cotton robe. The inside of the cotton robe was filled with goose feather, making it light and warm.
Li s.h.i.+nian helped Li Muyang tie his waist belt, before stepping back and looked him up and down. Her eyes sparkled and she could not help complimenting inwardly: Brother is really handsome, I did not expect the charcoal head before would grow into such a beautiful young man——
When Luo Qi saw Li Muyang dressed in the winter clothes she made, her entire face beamed with happiness. These days her son had only been wearing the clothes gifted by Lady Gongsun, which gave her a feeling of her heart being gripped, as though her son would be taken away from her at any moment——