Chapter 54 (1/2)

Chapter 54 Original and most updated translations are from volaretranslations.

“Didn’t you catch that parrot? The two of you are always so happy to argue with each other, why didn’t you ask it?”

“Then why didn’t you ask First? He’s the one running off at night to chant incantations for Master.”

“Shut your mouth.”

There was silence for a while.

“Yikes, isn’t there no one here for miles? Why’s there a corpse lying around?!”

Someone sounded like they really wanted their mouth ripped off.

I sprawled on the dirt, face turned towards the ground, my body too tired to move.

“Second, Second…” a bright and frivolous voice rose up, and I felt someone crouching down by my side, jabbing my waist with a branch. “Come and take a look, see if we can still save this one.”

My indignation was roused, but there was no way to express my present humiliation. My fingers twitched, but before I could rise to denounce this brainless, rude person, someone lifted my head to reveal my face behind the hair.

“Ahh!! It’s Master…”

Thus, chaos broke out as the whole group cl.u.s.tered around me like bees, looking on reverently. Seeing the familiar faces before me, I leaned back to settle comfortably in Sixth’s lap while my mouth curled unpleasantly. I had no energy from the start, and adopted the posture of someone being bullied. Each of them took turns fussing over me, even putting their hands on my forehead to test my temperature.

“It’s such a cold day, why was Master lying on the ground?”

“Are you hot? Or cold? What if she caught a chill, check and see if she has a fever.”

A few of them took advantage of the occasion to touch me here and there until I coughed, startling them into retreat.

“Who was the one that jabbed me with a branch?” I could really hold a grudge.

All of their gazes turned towards one direction, where Fourth was using his sleeve to rub at his face as he looked again.

Un…

I gave Little Fourth a significant look before I felt someone holding me tighter. Sixth, who had been cradling me before, now clutched at my sleeve, looking even more pathetic than me. Meanwhile, someone next to him kept trying to push him out of the way.

I gave a look at the designated troublemaker and pointed a shaking finger at him, “I have to say, our Third is still so vulgar, wearing yellow and green like an opera singer[1] or something.”

As soon as I finished speaking, that pushy, multi-colored figure froze in place. Third’s face was excited and happy before, but now it looked like I’d dumped a tub of ice water over him. Instead of pus.h.i.+ng Sixth aside, he looked at me with a bitter expression.

“I told you we shouldn’t have looked for her, her mouth is still so despicable.”

I smiled, preparing to leave the arms of Sixth…but someone else pressed me back down. That person had moon-white sleeves and well-proportioned fingers, and I raised my head to see First’s steady gaze. He was kneeling on one knee before me. Though he didn’t use much strength, his hold was firm.

“Master, you should have Second take your pulse right now.”

It’s not a problem, I’m fine.

I bit my lips a bit, but didn’t speak. It was natural for them to worry over me, especially after I’d disappeared for so long. Looking at the five princes surrounding me, I spotted Fifth standing furthest away. Much of his scars had faded, so his looks weren’t as terrifying or ugly as before. I unconsciously smiled at him, gratified. Second must have discovered an excellent cure to heal him. Remembering how I’d once promised I’d come back to fix his face, I realized that much had changed in my absence.

With all these people waiting on me, the atmosphere was wonderful. For now, I’d ignore the fact that they were pus.h.i.+ng each other away to enjoy the moment. I turned to look at Second, knitting his brows as he took my pulse. “I didn’t run into any trouble. My memories returned all of a sudden, so my body’s a little listless.”

“That’s true, but…” he sucked in a breath, looking at me with a complex expression.

Ah…what was the matter?

“Congratulations, Master. You’ve managed a miracle,” Second smiled.

I blinked a few times, but it took me awhile before I realized what he meant. I was neither happy nor grieved, but if you really wanted a description, you could say I looked dull. I peered past him to the variety of faces looking my way, and lowered my head to digest Second’s words.

So what he meant was…

I’d managed to cultivate to the pinnacle of the《Carefree Recollection》?!

This might be the reason why my memory was recovering recently. Just now, in a moment of desperation, I’d used my internal energy to fly to this section of the bamboo forest without losing a breath. It seems that my martial arts had strengthened yet again. Before the disaster that led to my entrance in the palace, I’d taken a pill to preserve my life that took away my memories. Since then, I hadn’t touched that blasted art, yet now…how did I manage to cultivate back up without a teacher? Fang Hua must have helped me with his medicine.

He…why was he so foolish?

I lowered my head and laughed darkly, chilling the people around me. A cough broke the strange atmosphere as Little Fourth suddenly spoke up.

“It’s not good to dawdle, we should quickly find a place to stay.”

“How come?” I interrupted.

“Because you’re going to get soaked.”

“Things are perfectly fine…why would I get soaked…” I hadn’t finished before something splashed against my face. I touched it and realized it was water–more commonly known as rain. Against the clear skies, dark clouds had started to gather.

“Wah, a guy like you can even use the Eight Trigrams to predict the weather now, that’s impressive. You’ve improved,” I praised.

His eyebrows crumpled together as he glanced at the other princes, then at me. “Master, you don’t predict the weather based on such things, but from observation.”

“It’s all the same,” I tugged at his clothes, drawing closer to speak by his ear. “When we go back, give me a few human skin face masks.”

He jerked, the protest clear in his eyes.

“Don’t forget, you poked me with a stick before.”

His expression changed visibly as he scooted closer. “I’ll give you three face masks.”

“You also called me a corpse.” I said, feeling wronged.

“I’ll add seven more to make a set of 10, plus two paper cranes.”

I gave him a penetrating look before giving him my approval, and the two of us reached an agreement.

—

The bamboo grove was whimpering…

A light drizzle of rain fell from the skies, getting heavier and heavier as time pa.s.sed.

“This place isn’t far from the house. Don’t hang around in the forest, let’s hurry up and go,” someone said.

Fifth was the first to run in front of me, kneeling down as he stubbornly took me onto his back. By my side, Fourth fiddled in his pouch before taking out the only umbrella with a flourish and holding it over my head. My hands rested around Fifth’s neck as I raised my head to look at the umbrella, noting how its st.i.tched patterns of peach blossom buds looked almost alive beneath the patterns of falling raindrops. I leaned towards Fourth again, but he understood before I even opened my mouth to speak and looked into my eyes.

“I’ll give you this umbrella, too.”

Satisfied and delighted, I settled on Fifth’s back and spoke softly, “How did you guys find this place?” Fifth only focused on walking with his head bowed, not saying a word. It was First leading the way that turned back, his white robes specked with mud, to answer.

“Not long after you were picked up by the emperor, I felt something was off and went after you. Unexpectedly, I found traces of battle on your route and knew you ran into trouble, so I went to search. Later on, the house summoned me with the news that they’d received your paper crane message. It told us you were safe and to not act recklessly, but I couldn’t stop worrying.”

He paused for a bit before continuing.

“Afterwards, we kept trying to find out news from the palace court.”

“So that was what happened. I’ve troubled you all.” I smiled.

“You can still smile after all that,” By my side, the thoroughly drenched and lavishly dressed Third gave me the eye, gritting his teeth. “First brought back the ‘congratulations’ that day they announced you were going to be the highest-ranking imperial concubine. It really p.i.s.sed me off.”

The ‘congratulations’ that emerged from his mouth came from between the s.p.a.ces of his teeth.

“I’m your Master, so there’s no need to tell you everything I do. What’s so strange with bringing back a son-in-law for everyone to serve?”

“You…”

Sixth stared at me talking from one side before uneasily tugging at my sleeve. I gave a small smile and comforted him before drawing him under the cover of the umbrella. This child had a weak body and got ill easily. His eyes curved into a smile and looked at me, clear and bright like a deer’s. My smile was starting to feel strained, so I lowered my head to murmur, “Since I had no memories then, there was no way to avoid falling into Han Zichuan’s trap.”

Fifth jerked as he carried me, as if trying to hold himself back, before carefully readjusting his grip. Third’s voice rose in indignation as he spoke.