181 Alone (1/2)
Once breakfast was concluded, Li Chenyang followed his father into the private study to discuss that morning's palace work. Only Duchess Wang Qixing, Li Wenmin, Li Xueyue, and Yu Zhen remained in the dining room.
When the meal was finished, Yu Zhen had moved his seat to sit beside Li Xueyue who did not mind his proximity.
Li Wenmin watched with a sour expression while Yu Zhen grabbed Xueyue's chin and wiped her mouth with an expensive handkerchief. He wondered if his Xiao Yue even realized that a handkerchief like that was only meant to show off one's status, and not used as a mouth wipe.
Li Xueyue gratefully smiled at Yu Zhen's gesture. When Yu Zhen leaned in to whisper something into her ear, her eyes lit up in response.
'Tch, it's probably some stupid promise or something. Don't believe his bull crap, Xiao Yue!' Li Wenmin shouted inside of his head, desperately wishing he could say it out loud. If only his mother wasn't in the same room.
Speaking of the Duchess, she was watching the couple with googly eyes like an excited matchmaker.
'Mom you should be keeping them at least six feet apart! What about our Xueyue's reputation?!' Li Wenmin groaned to himself, rolling his eyes when Duchess Wang Qixing clasped her hands together, nodding in approval as Yu Zhen playfully tapped Xueyue's nose.
'Great, just great! She's already planning the wedding. Let me guess, she's also thinking of what color would look the best on her first grandchildren. Tch!' Li Wenmin bitterly thought, hating how easygoing his mother was.
”Xueyue,” Li Wenmin finally spoke up, ”You haven't been practicing sword fighting and martial arts lately. I've decided to personally train you today.”
”Oh, but don't you have an important tactical meeting today, Wenmin?” Duchess Wang Qixing spoke up, confused by his change of plans. Was there something that she didn't know?
”Uhhhh,” Li Wenmin scratched the back of his head. ”It doesn't start until later.”
”Well, you won't have time to train Xueyue and then rush over to the meeting. You won't even have time to bathe and you won't be presentable for the meeting if you're covered in sweat,” Duchess Wang Qixing firmly said. He was a General now. She would not tolerate his tardiness to his own job, just because he didn't want to leave his younger sister with a man.
”But, Mom,” Li Wenmin exasperated, ”Xueyue hasn't trained in a while! If we leave her be, then her skills will get rusty and everything will go to waste.”
”I can train her,” Yu Zhen answered.
Li Wenmin shot him a dirty glower. He did not expect his plan to backfire like this! Originally, he planned to use the training as an excuse to kick Yu Zhen out of the house. It wasn't supposed to make the darn Commander stay and spend more time with Xueyue.
”I wouldn't trouble you as such, Commander,” Duchess Wang Qixing said, finally growing mindful that some things could not be pardoned. What if someone walked in on the couple while they were practicing in an intimate position? She had no doubt this sneaky Commander would have tricks up his sleeve.
”As for Xueyue, I will send a servant to notify her instructor that lessons will be starting later than usual. My son is right,” she nodded, ”Our Xueyue hasn't been getting lessons lately because she has been so busy.”
”Busy with being bedridden?” Yu Zhen asked.
Li Xueyue kicked him under the table, knowing he pointed that out simply because he was just that petty. He responded by grabbing her upper-thigh, his lips curled into a sly smirk when she abruptly jumped. Her eyes snapped towards him, but his attention was focused on the Duchess.
Li Xueyue nervously glanced around and was grateful no one saw them. Her eyes darted towards his spread fingers on her thigh. She stared at the bulging small veins on his hand and wondered how much easier it would be to wield a sword with fingers as long as his.
”Yes, busy with being bedridden.” Duchess Wang Qixing scowled, crossing her arms. What was he getting at by provoking her like this?”
”In that case, it's better for Xueyue to move around a bit and exercise her body,” he said.
”Which is why her usual instructors will come.”
”There is no need to call instructors when you have the master right here,” Yu Zhen shamelessly said.
”Absolutely not.” Duchess Wang Qixing shook her head. ”You are not allowed to teach Xueyue a single thing, you'll ruin her form.”
Li Wenmin didn't want to admit it, but for once, his mother was wrong. If there was someone more than qualified to teach Li Xueyue, it would be Yu Zhen, the famed Sword Beast of Hanjian.
Li Wenmin didn't forget the nickname Yu Zhen had earned on the battlefield as the Grim Reaper of War. A swing of his sword and heads effortlessly flew. His precision was immaculate and nothing was more perfect than his form. If he taught Xueyue, she would surely excel in swordsmanship.
”My lady,” Yu Zhen mused, ”I swear on my honor that Xueyue's form will improve with my teachings.”
”No.” Duchess Wang Qixing shook her head. ”She is used to the instructors' technique. There is no need for outside influence like this.”
”If she is used to their techniques, then it means they've taught all that they can,” Yu Zhen pointed out.
”Well, she can practice with the instructor.”
”I can teach her different forms employed in Hanjian. The more she knows, the better.”
Li Wenmin's ears perked up, his attention immediately shifting to Yu Zhen. Did he hear him properly? The Great Commander of Hanjian was willing to share their military techniques?
Each country was always very tightlipped about how they trained their soldiers and many techniques were forbidden to be passed down. If a soldier spilled the secrets, they would instantly be sentenced to death and there would also be a seven-generation family massacre.