Chapter 6 The Knife is a Fool Since the age of fourteen, she has never been defeated. ...

The white lacquer tree remained silent.

"Your subordinate...go and wash it clean."

Gu Shanyue: "Whatever you say."

Qi Baitong folded the small garment neatly with two fingers, then took out a paper packet: "I found some insect repellent. Sprinkle some everywhere, and there won't be any more centipedes."

Gu Shanyue nodded: "Say it."

Although she wasn't afraid of centipedes, the way it writhed after being cut in half was indeed a bit disgusting.

Qi Baitong carefully sprinkled medicinal powder along the base of the wall and windowsill, and also tidied up the mess in Gu Shanyue's room.

She wandered around outside the mansion every day, picking up a lot of things and throwing them haphazardly into the room.

It's likely that these things from the mountains are the key to attracting centipedes.

After Qi Baitong finished sprinkling the medicinal powder, Gu Shanyue was still applying sword oil to Wugou. His usually lazy, half-closed eyes were wide open at this moment as he carefully applied a thin, semi-transparent layer of sword oil.

She always had boundless patience with her sword.

“Miss, it’s still early. Why don’t I tidy up the things in the room a bit more?” Qi Baitong asked.

Gu Shanyue didn't even look at him, but nodded anyway: "Okay."

With permission granted, Qi Baitong immediately began tidying up the messy house, removing clothes, shoes, accessories, bedding, and various trinkets bought from the street, pine cones and wood brought back from the mountain, and withered flowers and branches...

After everything was put away, he would occasionally ask Gu Shanyue where it should be put, and Gu Shanyue would always reply that it didn't matter.

Qi Baitong then buried himself in his work, feeling a long-lost sense of peace.

Doing something for her feels better than killing her.

After Gu Shanyue finished applying the sword oil, he carefully polished it with deerskin until the blade shone brightly. Gu Shanyue blinked his sore eyes, looked up, and found that the once messy room was now completely transformed, with everything back in its place, even the blankets on the bed were neatly arranged.

Everything looks comfortable.

Gu Shanyue suddenly felt a little sleepy. She put the sword on the bedside table, jumped onto the bed, and rolled into the quilt.

Even with my eyes closed, I remembered that Qi Baitong was still there.

"I'm going to sleep now, you can leave."

She spoke very sincerely, very sincerely trying to get rid of people.

Qi Baitong didn't find her rude at all.

"yes."

Qi Baitong bowed and left, still clutching the soft little garment in her hand.

Gu Shanyue has always been a quick sleeper; he falls asleep the moment his head tilts to the side.

The night breeze was cool as water, and all was quiet except for the faint sound of water in the courtyard.

Qi Baitong was squatting down, carefully rubbing the thin, almost invisible fabric in her hands, her ears bright red.

The next day, as soon as Gu Shanyue got up, Qi Baitong appeared out of nowhere, carrying a copper basin and acting as if he were a washstand.

Gu Shanyue washed her hands and face; the water temperature was just right, just like last night, but the fragrance was different.

Her nose twitched; the fragrance was invigorating, refreshing and brightening.

Qi Baitong knelt upright, his brows furrowed and eyes lowered. The bronze plate covered half of his face, so Gu Shanyue could hardly see his expression.

She casually flicked a drop of water onto his face.

The surface of the copper basin rippled, and the startled Qi Baitong raised her eyes, her thick black eyelashes dangling with water droplets, seemingly about to fall.

"Why are you staring at the ground? Is there gold on the ground?"

Gu Shanyue tapped the copper basin with his fingers, producing a crisp sound.

"Your subordinate... dares not offend you, young lady."

Born into the Inner Guard, a department with the strictest rules, one naturally learns to remain silent at all times, like a weed that won't cry out even when trampled. One must also be respectful and keep one's eyes down at all times, for any careless glance will be regarded as an overstepping of authority by the high-ranking nobles.

The people of the Imperial Guard are too fragile; a mere flick of a nobleman's hand can bring them down.

“Show me what you’ve done wrong,” Gu Shanyue said with great interest.

Water droplets still clung to Qi Baitong's face, and the black hair that had fallen across his forehead was wet, dampening his cold and handsome features.

He lowered his head once more, and the black headband followed suit, drooping down to the side of his face.

"Your subordinate dares not."

Upon hearing this, Gu Shanyue immediately felt bored and stood up.

I find the palace annoying, and the Crown Prince's residence is just as annoying.

She leisurely finished her breakfast and was drinking the pre-Qingming tea that Li Yuheng had sent when Qi Baitong arrived again, carrying a lacquered wooden tray on which her undergarments were placed respectfully, folded neatly in a square.

"Girl, yours... has been washed, dried, and scented with incense."

Gu Shanyue glanced at it only once: "It brushed against the centipede, I don't want it."

There was a hint of disdain in his words.

Qi Baitong opened his mouth, paused for a moment, and then said, "Yes."

These are Gu Shanyue's personal belongings; it's not appropriate to just throw them away.

Qi Baitong walked around the yard for a while, and finally put the little clothes away.

Qi Baitong only appeared after Gu Shanyue went out, following behind Gu Shanyue as usual.

Gu Shanyue wandered around the city for a while, bought a pot of wine, and lay down on the shady side of the roof of the opera house. The lyrics were faint in the wind and could not be heard clearly, but it sounded like someone was crying.

After listening to a few performances, Gu Shanyue turned around and saw that Qi Baitong was still there, separated from her by a rooftop, silently hiding in the shadows, dressed in black and motionless, almost impossible to spot without careful observation.

She beckoned to him: "Come here."

Qi Baitong, hidden in the shadows, darted forward with a quick glance.

Although his face was expressionless, his movements seemed impatient, like a puppy that had been forgotten by its owner for half a day and was finally remembered.

Despite his tall stature, he landed as lightly as if he were nothing, without disturbing a single brick or tile.

"Your lightness skill is quite good," Gu Shanyue praised.

Qi Baitong knelt on one knee in front of her, looking up at her. Sunlight fell into his eyes, diluting the gloomy and dark feeling.

“It was my master who taught me,” he said softly.

Gu Shanyue suddenly remembered: "You mean... Bai Town?"

"Um."

Bai Zhen left the palace in the twelfth year of his reign, and had only taught him for a total of five years, never allowing him to formally become a disciple.

But in his eyes, the others were his seniors and instructors in the Inner Guard, while Bai Zhen was his master.

Gu Shanyue's interest was piqued: "Shall we have a competition?"

Qi Baitong paused for a moment, swallowed the refusal on the tip of her tongue, and nodded: "What are we competing in?"

"Let's see who can run faster. If you catch up with me, I'll admit that your lightness skill is better than mine."

Gu Shanyue, with his chin held high, appears calm and collected, yet he also possesses a fierce competitive spirit.

Looking at her upturned lips, Qi Baitong agreed, "Alright, I'll compete with you."

"Come!"

Gu Shanyue looked around, found a small pebble, and casually tossed it out.

The two men stared intently at the pebble, which landed with a soft thud.

Two figures, one in black and one in white, vanished in an instant, disappearing without a trace.

The white shadows float lightly and elusively, landing on dust with a touch, as agile and ever-changing as birds; the black shadows flash like shooting stars, leaping and shifting with overwhelming force.

Although they are not the same type of team, they are equally formidable.

The city of Shengjing was filled with towering buildings, scattered in a staggered pattern. As the two ran swiftly past, a flock of birds were startled and began to circle around.

Tourists heard the birds calling and looked up at the empty sky in confusion, but there was nothing there. They wondered what had disturbed the flock.

Gu Shanyue gathered his energy and weaved among the green tiles and red eaves, glancing back every now and then.

Qi Baitong was equally fast, occasionally managing to catch up with her, but quickly falling behind again.

Gu Shanyue looked back several times and probably understood his skill level.

She stopped on a large, leafy tree in the wild mountains, its emerald green leaves swaying gently and brushing against the hem of her clothes.

She turned around and saw Qi Baitong rushing over, landing on another thick branch. Her cold, jade-like face was flushed with the blood energy she had gained from practicing her internal energy, giving her a touch of vitality.

"I am not as good as you." He crossed his arms.

Gu Shanyue smiled, her eyebrows arched, and she casually flicked her billowing dress: "Of course."

She has never lost since she was fourteen.

Even if Gu Shanyue's master came in person, let alone Qi Baitong, he would not lose.

Sunlight streamed down, making the leaves a tender green like jade. She smiled, her clothes fluttering like a radiant flower standing proudly on a branch.

Qi Baitong's heart skipped a beat, thump thump.

He opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say, so he could only awkwardly look away to hide his disordered emotions.

Gu Shanyue looked at him from afar and pointed out, "The movement techniques your master passed on to you are wonderful, allowing you to hide and launch surprise attacks. But like swordsmanship, lightness skills can only be mastered by specializing in one area. Doing many things will only result in a mess, making it difficult to make progress in one area."

“Furthermore, your body is heavy,” she explained, “not that you’re clumsy, but that you have too many hidden injuries. The essence of lightness skill lies in lightness; if your body is too burdened, you naturally won’t be able to do it. If you’re not light enough, you won’t be fast enough.”

This was the first time Qi Baitong had heard Gu Shanyue say so much.

She was always nonchalant and indifferent to everything, able to sleep contentedly fully clothed in a dilapidated temple.

But when it comes to things she cares about, she can talk eloquently and analyze them logically.

"Been taught a lesson."

Qi Baitong bowed respectfully, but this time his gaze did not fall.

He wanted to take another look at her bright eyes in the sunlight; after all, she never blamed him for being offensive, did she?

Qi Baitong's eyes were dark and bright, making him appear exceptionally sincere. Gu Shanyue thought he was a promising talent.

Unfortunately, he already had a master, who was also an old friend, so it wouldn't be right for him to take away someone else's disciple.

With a hint of regret in her eyes, she added, "Go and show me how to use your knife."

Without uttering a single question, Qi Baitong drew his sword, spun around, and moved with unpretentious and uninteresting moves. His slashes and strikes were swift, decisive, and deadly.

Gu Shanyue looked at it for a while, then lost interest: "A knife is a stupid thing."

She didn't tell him to stop, so Qi Baitong kept swinging his knife.

After a long while, he couldn't help but turn around to look at her expression, wanting to know if she was satisfied.

But upon closer inspection, Gu Shanyue was found asleep, slumped on a branch.

Qi Baitong stopped moving. A gust of wind cleaved the leaves, and the green leaves fluttered and enveloped the two of them. The air was filled with the fresh, astringent smell of tree sap.

He sheathed his sword gently, not wanting to disturb him.

Gu Shanyue was taking a nap in the tree, while he sat cross-legged under the tree, with his long sword standing beside him.

A gentle breeze caressed his face, and he silently curved the corners of his lips into a smile.

A few days later, a stage was set up in the backyard of the Crown Prince's residence. The banquet was a moon-viewing banquet. As evening fell, the melodious singing lingered, holding back Gu Shanyue's return.

Although the Crown Prince's residence was heavily guarded, Gu Shanyue could come and go freely and never used the main gate.

If it weren't for the loud voices of the performers on stage, Gu Shanyue wouldn't even have known that the banquet had started.

She casually landed on a flowering tree, watching as the female opera singer waved her water sleeves and began to sing in a melodious voice.

The branch sank, and petals fell in a flurry. The white paulownia tree stood beside her, following her gaze.

“They’re singing The Peony Pavilion,” he said.

Gu Shanyue suddenly realized: "Really?"

She often listens to operas, but she doesn't care what lyrics the actors sing or what scene they're performing; she just listens.

My senior sister loves to sing and listen to opera. To Gu Shanyue, these melodious lyrics sound just like when my senior sister used to lull her to sleep when she was a child.

A note from the author: