26 A Cunning, Idiot Young Miss 2 (1/2)

”Early Nascent Soul realm of cultivation…” The physician murmured, Lu Jing Yi's desperately fleeing figure reflected in the old man's lucid eyes.

”To be able to spy on one's life force regardless of their progression in cultivation, is truly formidable.”

Turning to face the maidservants, the physician waved at them, his wrinkled countenance clean of any expression.

”Take the Fourth Young Miss back to the study,” he ordered in a light tone. ”This physician shall converse with the Master regarding this matter.”

”Understood!”

Bowing as once, the maidservants quickly detached themselves from their single file. As Xiao Wen grasped the wheelchair's handles, Xiao Ying and the others formed a simple entourage.

The vibration as the wheels traversed across the grass caused An Fei's body to jerk, her head lolling to one side. As they departed from the courtyard towards the study, nobody noticed that the supposedly asleep girl was in fact, wide awake.

Each immersed in their own preoccupation, not a single one of them, be it maidservant or aged physician, had realized that a pair of dulled scarlet irises were observing the previous scene with great interest.

Watching the entourage of maidservants and a sole wheelchair gradually assimilating into the embrace of darkness from the fringe of his vision, Physician Gao released a light puff of breath.

Turning around and raising his head to see the night sky alit with stars, the aged physician pondered for a few moments before his presence abruptly vanished.

A tired voice remained behind, accompanying the fleeting breeze in a light elegy of stars.

”, Lu Imperial Family…it seems that the winds of tragedy have shifted once more.”

-

In the darkened study of the Flowing Wind Residence, the soft sounds of breathing were the only sources of noise in the tranquil room. Of the two sets of breathing, one was deep and relaxed, the other lighter and uneven.

After an incense's stick of time had passed, the curtains surrounding the bed slowly pulled apart, two scrawny limbs reaching out from within. Eventually, a small, palm-sized face accompanied the two arms in observing the interior of the study in cautious timidity.

The pair of scarlet irises examined the desk, the various lamps hanging from wooden beams, and the reclining willow chair near the door of the study.

”She's finally asleep…”

Slowly exhaling a sigh of relief, An Fei began to crawl out of the bed. Peeling the blankets and depositing them to the side one cun at a time, the girl stepped onto the floor, precariously balancing her body's weight on her toes.

Only when there was no reaction from the sleeping maidservant just a few mere meters away, did she allow her heels to rest onto the wooden panels. Balancing the majority of her weight on the pads of her toes, An Fei carefully crept towards the study desk, her arms outstretched before her to detect for any nearby objects.

When her fingertips pressed against the hard, smooth surface of mahogany, the young girl revealed a small, triumphant smile. Her gaze examining the surface of the table, An Fei's joy couldn't help but magnify upon seeing a blank, pristine paper as white as snow resting on the center.

The sheet that Physician Gao had ultimately spared from defiling with a useless prescription, now fell into her hands.

”Brush…and ink…” she mumbled to herself, squinting heavily in the darkness as her eyes attempted to fumble through the overbearing patches of black dotting the fringe of the table. Her right hand brushed and latched onto an object, of which An Fei later realized was an ink grindstone when she brought it closer to her gaze.

Her left hand quivering as it roamed on the surface of the drawing table in search of either brush or container of ground ink, An Fei cautiously glanced at the sleeping form of Xiao Wen. Reassuring herself of the lack of potential dangers, An Fei inched her face closer to the table to get a better sight.

”No brush…”

Helplessly curling bottom lip into a pout, the girl looked at the ink grindstone and miniature tray clenched in her hands, before exhaling in a long, exasperated manner. Placing the writing implement components on the paper, the girl started to tip-toe towards the row of bookshelves.

Her strained vision numbly presented to her a hazy view of several towering bookshelves, each shelve crammed full of various books, jade slips, and leather scrolls. Brushing her fingertips along the length of the surface of the shelves, An Fei started to navigate her way to the leftmost bookshelf.

Just hours ago, when the physician had asked for a brush to write with, Xiao Ying had obtained one at the highest shelf of the leftmost bookshelf.

”…found it..!”