Chapter 41 (1/2)
Yun Shi Yi’s eyes were shining and he said some more next to Ruan Zhu’s ear: “Originally, Lu Piao Xiang randomly being near the border was peculiar, but it turns out he had been invited by Xuanyuan Min Zhi. To think he actually abandoned the invitation after arriving at Mao Er Town, does Wife know what this is about?”
Her husband’s words had caused Ruan Zhu’s heart to move up and down, and she glanced at him with displeasure: “You talk too much.”
Lu Piao Xiang was just about to leave and inadvertently saw the delicate and beautiful female in the crowd. His clear black eyes immediately softened as he stared unblinkingly at her, as if he wanted to engrave her figure forever in his heart.
Ruan Zhu awkwardly smiled at Lu Piao Xiang. Being stared at with such a gaze by other men, she didn’t know if this counted as making her hubby wear a green hat?
“Wife, there are piercing glances from that direction.” Yun Shi Yi held her head with both his hands as he turned her so that she was facing him.
“You are the first person to dare speak like that to this prince. Come, seize him. If he is delivered to the local government, he may not necessarily be caned. Directly send him to the mountains to slave away at excavating stones.”
Xuanyuan Min Zhi coldly sneered and with one wave of his arm, three attendants appeared from behind him and surrounded Lu Piao Xiang. Two of them surrounded him from either side, meaning to break off his arms, while the remaining man fished out some rope and made to throw it over his head.
Lu Piao Xiang was calm and composed. Not waiting for the two men to come close to his side, with a wave of the guqin case–pa pa–he swept them away. Lifting up his right leg, he aimed a kick towards the remaining figure.
However, these three attendants were not ordinary. They had suffered to the extent of eating a small loss in the beginning as they had underestimated the enemy, but went all out on the attack the second time they charged in.
There were many who were proficient in martial arts in the country of Tian Chu, and as the hometown of martial arts, there were even more masters in Lan Zhou. Lu Piao Xiang being proficient in Chinese boxing was not a surprise. But for him, a Mister from a brothel, to know how to play the guqin and to also know martial arts, Ruan Zhu felt puzzled and wondered if all the ancient courtesans were not this simple.
“Has Wife noticed?” Yun Shi Yi muttered in her ear: “His guqin case is made out of Dragon-Taming wood. Since it has become a guqin, it can also be made into a weapon. He used the guqin to attack those attendants but he is actually using the ways of the staff. Who would have thought this fellow could be considered such a powerful figure? If it wasn’t that his status at birth was so low, he could be considered as satisfying the qualifications of becoming one of my wife’s secondary husbands. But Wife, you must not be tempted by him……”
Ruan Zhu listened as his words became increasingly outrageous and angrily aimed a kick towards his leg. Yun Shi Yi hurriedly hugged her: “Wife, be careful. Don’t jostle the baby in your stomach. If you are angry, just directly pinch this husband twice instead.”
Hearing that, Ruan Zhu seized the tender skin at his armpit. All the other places were too tough and she only felt satisfied with this place.
Yun Shi Yi sucked in a painful breath as he helplessly smiled: “Wife, you truly know how to look.”
“Who asked for your mouth to be so bad?”
While the two of them were in the middle of teasing each other, the fight in front of them was become more intense. In an exceptionally valiant manner, Lu Piao Xiang used the guqin case to defeat his opponents. Very quickly, the three attendants had been beaten by him until they lay motionless on the ground. But more came over and he abruptly did a series of fast and sweeping kicks, as if his leg was on a chain. Two of the men were swept away and with a wave of the guqin case, the third person was hit so that he spit out blood.
“Who could have imagined you had some skill?” Xuanyuan Min Zhi’s eyes were frosty: “Fetch my sword over.”
A boy rushed over from his behind him and held out a simple and unadorned longsword with both hands. Xuanyuan Min Zhi took the longsword and slightly shook it, unsheathing it, causing the cold and dense aura of the sword to suddenly ripple outwards. Although there was quite a distance between them, Ruan Zhu could still feel the chilliness arising from the tip of his longsword.
Yun Shi Yi shook his head in admiration: “This is truly someone that can be called wealthy. That sword is not an ordinary one. Its name is Zhan Lu and it is an ancient sword that has been handed down. Not only can it cut through iron as if it was mud, it won’t be stained by blood when it kills a person.”
Regarding Zhan Lu; Gan Jiang; and Mo Ye, these famous ancient swords had been copied and made into plenty of theatrical works in the future. For the most part, they were used differently from how other swords were used, but in reality, these famous swords were merely sharper than others by a bit.[a]
Ruan Zhu stared at it. Zhan Lu crossing with the Dragon-Taming wood, she didn’t know which one would end up the loser. But as far as someone who loved good music was concerned, it really would be a pity if the guqin case was to be damaged.
Yun Shi Yi once again whispered in her ear: “Xuanyuan Min Zhi’s martial arts are not bad. That guqin player of yours has run out of luck.”
Ruan Zhu harshly glanced at him, her heart faintly trembling. She was somewhat anxious but that did not mean she liked Lu Piao Xiang. She was nervous out of her respect and admiration towards such a remarkable artist.
Just when the two men were in the state of swords drawn and bows bent[b], five or six men black-clothed men appeared from the crowd and bowed in greeting towards Xuanyuan Min Zhi while their captain ventured: “Fifth Highness, please look upon these servants in letting Mister Lu off the hook. Upon our return, this servant will provide an explanation for Your Highness. It is unbefitting to be in a deadlock here.”
Xuanyuan Min Zhi’s eyes were frigid: “All you dog slaves truly know how to be devoted.”
Although the leader of the black-clothed men was respectful, he was not humble: “This slave is only devoted to ones worthy of loyalty. If Fifth Highness insists on keeping Mister Liu, us slaves would not hesitate to pledge our lives and fight to the death.”
It was as if ice had formed in Xuanyuan Min Zhi’s eyes as he sheathed his longsword: “This prince will let him go today. But if there is a next time, see if I don’t cut off both his arms so that he will no longer be able to play the guqin for the rest of his life.”
Ruan Zhu felt it was no longer necessary for them to remain. What made her so hard-pressed was that Lu Piao Xiang always, either intentionally or not, cast affectionate looks in her direction. Seeing this made her heart feel prickly so she hurriedly pulled at her husband’s hand to leave.
“Ai, leaving like this?”
Yun Shi Yi had just followed his wife in barely walking ten meters away when all of a sudden, over a dozen masked men jumped down from the roof of the restaurant. Swords firmly held in their hands, they fiercely charged at Xuanyuan Min Zhi. As the first person threw himself as quick as lightning towards his target, his large broadsword danced in a grand manner, creating a large wind with a pressure as tremendous as Mount Tai[c] and striking down.
With a single cold look, Zhan Lu was unsheathed and received the large broadsword. A high pitched hum sounded–the broadsword had been chipped.
Both parties’ arms had become numb from the impact. After their footing had stabilized, they simultaneously made their second move. The swords crossed again and with a loud sound, the broadsword of the leader of the masked men broke in two and the tip fell to the ground.
The eyes of the head of the masked men were icy as he retreated, indicating with his hand for some of his subordinates to surround Xuanyuan Min Zhi while the rest fought hand-to-hand with Xuanyuan Min Zhi’s subordinates. Several weak common laborers were slashed to death on the spot and blood was spilled all over.
The commoners that had been watching in a circle had long fled as they screamed. A few of the more courageous ones hid in the alleys and behind the windows of the restaurants as they stuck their necks out to stealthily look. They saw the desperate scene and their faces turned white but they were unable to turn their eyes away.
The group of black-clothed men that had helped Lu Piao Xiang earlier mutually looked at each other. Their leader issued out one sound and all of them jumped into the fray to battle against the masked men.
Xuanyuan Min Zhi had obtained backup and his situation became rather good.
As for Lu Piao Xiang, he still had a look of indifference with the guqin case tucked under his arm while his mind flew after the beautiful silhouette.
Yun Shi Yi used his silk handkerchief to cover his wife’s eyes as he carried her away.
After winding through a few streets, they returned to the inn they were staying at. Ascending the stairs, they entered their Sky Room #1 and he placed her on the bed. He untied the silk handkerchief from her face but saw that she had become pale from fear. Tears welled in the corners of her eyes and her lips were also white.
Yun Shi Yi’s heart shook and he carefully pressed her against his chest, repeatedly consoling her: “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid, you’re all right. Forget about everything that you had just seen. Don’t think about it, just pretend as if it never happened.”
Ruan Zhu wrapped both her arms around his neck and was not able to recover for a good while. In her previous life, her mother had died when she was still young. Her family had been afraid she had suffered a shock, so sent her to a relative’s place. Today was the first time she had seen a dead person and it was unexpectedly such a brutal and tragic death. There were indistinct chunks of flesh everywhere. Half of an arm, part of a skull–all scattered in pieces. Seeing that had made her heart alarmed, body leap[d] and she wasn’t able to remain calm even if she wanted to.
Yun Shi Yi simply picked her up entirely, a hand gently patting her on the back as if he was comforting a child: “What is it? Does your belly feel uncomfortable? I’ll tell Shi Wei to invite the physician over to give you a proper check up, but this Shi Wei, I don’t even know know where he’s run off to as there’s been no trace of him the entire day. I’ll have Yun Shan invite over the physician then. Or having Nuan Chun or Nuan Qing do it is also fine.”
Earlier, he had gone to the medical hall in search of the elderly physician to ask if there was anything he should take note of regarding a pregnant woman. He knew that women became much more frail when pregnant and must not become stimulated.
“No need. Just hold me like this, don’t let go.”
“Okay, okay, I won’t let go. Wife, it’s all this husband’s fault, I should not have brought you to such a crowded area. Shh, shh, does your stomach hurt? Is the child doing okay?”
Ruan Zhu shook her head, not wanting to speak. She quietly remained in his embrace and buried her head in his broad chest.
The young couple remained tightly interlocked until nightfall. Even Nuan Chun and Nuan Qing, who came to deliver the evening meal, were kicked out.
Pounding steps could be heard on the stairs and a sweat-covered Yun Shi Wei entered the room.
“Spouse, see what I’ve bought for you?”