Chapter 9 Brothers, are you allowed to enter a woman's boudoir?

It was Jiang Muyun. Guan Ye let out a sigh of relief and gently tugged at Lou Shitou's sleeve, signaling him to step back.

"A group of master chefs bullying a weak woman, aren't they ashamed?" Jiang Muyun's eyes swept over the group. "The brothel has always valued harmony. If the brothel owner finds out about this, there's no need to tell him. But if... the young master finds out..."

As soon as the name of the young master of the workshop was mentioned, the few people who had stepped forward put down their shovels, looked at each other, and dared not speak. The one who had smashed the head said angrily, "The young master is well-educated and values ​​reason the most. Lou Shitou attacked first, so it's not too much to teach him a lesson."

"You two have been watching for a while too." Jiang Muyun turned to look at the courtyard gate. "What do you two think about who's right and who's wrong?"

With the truth pointed at him, remaining silent would make him look like a coward. Cang Yu pushed A Jiu and slipped behind him. A Jiu took a few steps forward and, seeing that it was a swordsman from the new neighborhood, the charcoal master's arrogance subsided somewhat.

“It’s true that the big guy struck first,” Ajiu blurted out.

"Ah Jiu." Guan Ye bit her lip.

“But,” Ajiu slowly uttered, “I heard it clearly, the masters said he was stupid first.”

“He’s always been an idiot,” someone interjected. “We weren’t wrong.”

“But their younger brother wasn’t carried off by wolves.” Ajiu lightly turned the hilt of her sword. “Lou Cangyu, why aren’t you coming out?”

"—The Lou family's little stone?" Several woodworkers exclaimed in surprise, some already peering over the edge. "It really is a little stone?"

Lou Cangyu struggled to lift his head and forced a smile, "Cangyu... greets all uncles and elders."

"What a little stone!" The group laughed and forgot about the blood they had just seen. They pointed at the sword at Lou Cangyu's waist, gesturing and praising, "What a capable little stone, he actually became a swordsman!"

"Lou Cangyu? Little Stone?" Guan Ye rubbed her eyes and looked at A Jiu. A Jiu smiled and nodded slightly to Guan Ye.

"Brother!" Lou Shitou, ignoring the blood still seeping from his arm, hurriedly pushed through the crowd to hug him. "Brother!" Seeing that it really was his younger brother, Lou Shitou cheered and picked up Cang Yu, even spinning him around happily. "My brother is back!"

"Big brother," Lou Cangyu blushed like a ripe fruit, "I'm an adult now, so many people are watching."

"Brother's back!" Lou Shitou was no longer listening to anything, and didn't even feel the pain when the blood droplets flew far away.

Lou Cangyu was covered in sweat. He finally managed to break free and kept bowing to his masters. Seeing the two sons of the Lou family reunited, and the younger son even becoming a popular swordsman, no one cared about a few drops of blood. The sensible ones quickly pulled the man away and whispered that it was a small matter and should be let go.

Guan Ye jumped in front of Lou Cangyu, looked at him, and then turned to look at Lou Shitou. The two were quite different in size, but their facial features and eyebrows were somewhat similar. However, Lou Shitou's big eyes were full of honesty, while Lou Cangyu looked three or five years younger than him, but the thoughts in his eyes far exceeded his age. "The younger brother that Lou Shitou has been thinking about is you. You haven't shown up for so long. I really thought his younger brother had been fed to the wolves."

Lou Cangyu rubbed the soil back and forth with the soles of his feet, his head bowed, not responding to Guan Ye.

“Wolves don’t just eat anyone.” Jiang Muyun chuckled. “Looks like I’ve done two good things. Not only did I not get beaten up, but I also had a happy ending.”

"Thank you... Miss Muyun." Guan Ye clasped her hands in a fist salute to Jiang Muyun. "Unlike some people, who would peek for a long time but dare not show their faces."

Ajiu didn't want to argue, and pointed to Lou Shitou's bleeding arm, saying, "No matter how big you are, you'll die when you bleed out. Don't get too excited."

Just as Guan Ye was about to tear off her clothes to bandage Lou Shitou, Jiang Muyun pulled out a handkerchief from her sleeve. Although the island was self-sufficient, materials were not plentiful. It was already a rare treat for ordinary islanders to have a few sets of coarse cloth clothes. Guan Ye had never worn fine clothes, but she still recognized that Jiang Muyun's handkerchief was made of silk brocade. On Canglang Island, only the head of the Pei family could afford such precious materials. When the handkerchief was unfolded, the corners were embroidered with delicate crescent moon knife patterns. Guan Ye had hardly ever seen such an object in her entire life, let alone touched it.

Jiang Muyun carrying such an expensive silk handkerchief must mean she's someone Young Master Pei values. No wonder the old master showed her some respect.

Before Guan Ye could glance at her again, the handkerchief was already pressed against Lou Shitou's wound. Jiang Muyun skillfully tied a delicate knot, then looked up at Lou Shitou's stunned face with a smile, "Does it hurt?"

"It hurts." Lou Shitou didn't even know what he was saying. "No, it doesn't hurt."

Jiang Muyun turned around gracefully, a beautiful dimple appearing at the corner of her lips, "You really are...so silly."

"Miss Muyun," Guan Ye called out to Jiang Muyun, who was about to leave, "I've remembered you standing up for us today. I, Guan Ye, always repay kindness. If you ever need my help..."

"Guan Ye." Jiang Muyun said thoughtfully, "On Canglang Island, as long as we don't cause trouble, there's probably nothing we need from each other." She shook her head slightly with a self-deprecating tone, "Don't keep calling me Miss Muyun, just call me Jiang Muyun. I'm leaving."

The group watched Jiang Muyun leave. Ajiu looked at Guan Ye's upturned face and, remembering something, said, "Burning ingredients is also a skill. That person offered to teach you, so why didn't you learn?"

“He burns too slowly.” Guan Ye didn’t even think about it. “Learning from him would be exhausting.”

"You burn it fast?" A hint of curiosity flashed across Ah Jiu's deep eyes. "You know how to burn ingredients."

Guan Ye looked up at the sky, dusted off her clothes, and said, "Give me a bronze stove, and you carry the bag for me. I'll burn some for you to see."

Ah Jiu chuckled softly and didn't ask any further questions.

In the Lou family courtyard, Aunt Lou looked at her youngest son, whom she hadn't seen for several years, with a hint of regret on her face. "The neighborhood head arranged accommodations for you. Why did you come back if there was nothing wrong?"

"Everyone knows I'm Little Stone. If I don't come back to visit, they'll all think I'm heartless." Lou Cangyu's words were tinged with resentment. He glanced around his yard, his brow slightly furrowed. "The house is still the same..."

Before he finished speaking, Lou Shitou jumped down from the tree, happily holding a bag of freshly picked fruit and approaching Cangyu. "Brother, eat, eat fruit, it's so sweet, Guan Ye can eat several a day." As he spoke, he picked out the biggest one, wiped it with his sleeve, and held it close to Cangyu's mouth.

Lou Cangyu reluctantly took the fruit, but Lou Shitou's head was still pressed against the ground. Seeing that his younger brother wouldn't open his mouth to eat the fruit, he poked his mouth and said, "Eat it."

"Stone, go back inside." Aunt Lou waved her hand. "Your brother just got back, he's exhausted."

Lou Shitou kept turning back to look at the fruit, saying, "Brother, have some fruit, it's so sweet!"

Aunt Lou glanced at the sword at her son's waist, reached out halfway but then withdrew her hand. Seeing that her son had grown taller and more handsome, with great ambition between his brows, her heart warmed and her eyes welled up with tears. "You must have suffered a lot over the years, right?"

“How can you call it suffering?” Lou Cangyu straightened up. “There are only a few swordsmen on the island who have mastered the skills. Including me and Ajiu, there are only five of us. Among these five, we are the two most favored by Manager Pei. It’s a blessing that others can only dream of. It’s not suffering at all.”

"Did you catch the eye of the workshop owner?" Aunt Lou pulled her son aside and asked in detail, "That day, I saw you heading towards the furnace."

"Master of the Workshop..." Lou Cangyu saw Pei Yuan's somewhat disdainful look at him. "I did see him, but the meteorite hasn't melted yet, and the Master of the Workshop has no interest in interfering with the swordsmen. He only said a few words."

"What did you say?" Aunt Lou's eyes lit up.

“He says he recognizes me? I’m Lou’s Little Stone.” Lou Cangyu was furious.

“You were always my little stone.” Aunt Lou laughed. “Back then, and even after you became a swordsman, it was still the same. Looking at your older brother like this, the Lou family, and your mother, are all counting on you.”

“That girl named Guan Ye,” Lou Cangyu glanced at his old house, “why did Mother let her live here? I never saw her on the island before.”

"She came to the island with that girl named Ajiu." Aunt Lou covered her mouth and chuckled. "When she first arrived on the island, I thought she was a boy. But when I found out she was a girl, with two sons in my family, I had no choice but to make the first move."

“There aren’t many people left on the island.” Lou Cangyu’s long eyelashes fell. “We definitely have to leave this place.”

"Leave?" Aunt Lou thought she had misheard.

"Once the meteorite is forged, Xingguo Ward can return to Rongdu." Lou Cangyu's voice rose unconsciously, his eyes filled with longing. "Rongdu, that is the city of the emperor."

"Who cares about the emperor or the father?" Aunt Lou had no idea. "I just hope the stone is safe and you can become a useful person. That's all I ask for."

At the other end of the side room, Ajiu pushed open the creaking wooden door. Although the room was small and simple, it was neatly and elegantly decorated. There were a few wildflowers picked from the yard next to the coarse cloth quilt, which exuded a faint fragrance. On the old table with a missing leg, there was a wooden short sword. Ajiu found it a bit awkward at first glance, but when she looked closer, she couldn't help but laugh.

"No entry without permission, and you're even laughing!" Guan Ye angrily sheathed her wooden sword. "How dare you enter a woman's boudoir?"

Ajiu found her increasingly amusing and, wanting to tease her, asked, "Isn't this Lou Cangyu's room?"

“But I don’t think Lou Cangyu wants to live here either.” Guan Ye was not easily fooled.

"These past few years..." A-Jiu hesitated, wanting to ask Guan Ye how she had been. Although her life seemed simple, she seemed to be enjoying it. Asking another question would be to look down on her. "Do you remember what we talked about that day?"

"I don't remember," Guan Ye waved her hand.

"Don't you want to know about the Imperial Advisor Cui Jin?" Ajiu coaxed her slowly.

Upon hearing the name Cui Jin, Guan Ye saw that single, captivating eye again, and her frail body trembled involuntarily. This subtle movement was noticed by A Jiu without her noticing. "Cui Jin used to be a Taoist priest who made a name for himself in the Cangshan Taoist community. He was not only knowledgeable about everything but also able to see through the secrets of heaven. His fame spread to Rongdu, and the emperor, out of curiosity, summoned him for an audience. The two talked for three days, and Cui Jin also had considerable insight into state affairs. The emperor appreciated his abilities and invited him to stay in Rongdu to assist him."

"A charlatan? Does the Emperor really believe in such people?" Guan Ye clicked her tongue in amazement.

“He’s different from ordinary sorcerers. Ordinary sorcerers seek wealth and glory, but Cui Jin… seeks the Dao. The Emperor personally went to Cangshan to invite him to the capital to serve as the Imperial Preceptor.” Ajiu suddenly stopped talking, looking at Guan Ye, who was listening with great interest, with great interest, “Guess what happens next?”

"I can't guess." Guan Ye rested her chin on her hand, feigning indifference. "Even if the emperor himself is here, he has to give the emperor face, no matter how arrogant he is. With such a grand display, I guess... Cui Jin should take the opportunity to back down."

“If that were the case, the Emperor wouldn’t have valued him so highly,” Ajiu Cheng said calmly. “Why are ordinary people inferior to gods? Sometimes it’s just a matter of a single move. Cui Jin gouged out his own left eye.”

A note from the author:

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I'll be taking a break tomorrow, Wednesday, and will update on Thursday. Updates will follow the rankings once the story is on the charts. Thank you all for your support! Please add this to your favorites again; thank you all!