Chapter 10
Night had fallen, and most of the shops in the city had closed. Only the inns and restaurants remained brightly lit, their scattered lights like twinkling stars adorning the quiet snowy night.
"Uncle-Master, everything has been counted." Lu Huaiwei came out of the house and reported to Man Jiangxue.
As midnight approached, the city was chilly. Apart from the patrolling officials and watchmen, there were few pedestrians on the streets. Man Jiangxue stood under the eaves, glanced back at his disciples who were carrying wooden boxes, and said, "You've worked hard."
“I never expected that our grandmaster would leave so many things in Qingluo City,” Lu Huaiwei said with a happy expression. “If it weren’t for your arrival, Uncle-Master, Mr. Wu would not have handed them over to us so easily, and we would have had a hard time explaining it to the sect leader.”
“The old gentleman would naturally take good care of the valuable items left behind by his master,” Man Jiangxue said.
“That’s right. He doesn’t trust the younger generation of disciples. It’s only when his senior uncle comes that things work,” Lu Huaiwei said with a smile.
The evening breeze carried a cool floral fragrance, the scent of the plum blossoms inside the house. It swirled around me, leaving a lingering, persistent aroma.
“By the way, Uncle-Master, I took this out. Would you like to take a look?” Lu Huaiwei suddenly said.
Man Jiangxue turned her head slightly and saw Lu Huaiwei hand her a yellowed old book, saying, "This is the Ziyin Heart Sutra, and it's a handwritten copy. Can you tell who copied it, Aunt?"
Man Jiangxue's eyes flickered as her gaze fell upon the book.
Without needing to examine it closely, Man Jiangxue already knew the answer from the four large characters "Ziyin Heart Sutra," saying, "It's Senior Sister Chen's handwriting."
"Uncle-Master has a good eye indeed," Lu Huaiwei praised. "Let's show this to Junior Sister so she can see what Uncle-Master Shen's handwriting looks like. She'll be happy, don't you think?"
Man Jiangxue nodded: "Give it to me."
A disciple drove up in a carriage, and everyone worked together to load the heavy wooden boxes into the carriage. The group then headed back home.
Upon seeing Man Jiangxue and the others return, the disciples guarding the gate came over to help unload the wooden crates. They worked quickly and efficiently. Man Jiangxue stood in the front yard and looked up at the small building. Seeing that there was no candlelight inside, she guessed that Yin Qiu had gone to sleep. Lu Huaiwei followed her gaze and smiled, saying, "Junior Sister is very good. She knows to go to sleep on her own. Martial Aunt hasn't eaten yet. I'll have someone send some food to her room."
Man Jiangxue thought for a moment and felt there was no need to disturb Yin Qiu, so she said, "No need, let's eat in the hall."
Lu Huaiwei then arranged for her disciples to serve several dishes. Halfway through the meal, a disciple came from the inner courtyard and said to Man Jiangxue, "Uncle-Master, take a look, isn't this Junior Sister's clothing?"
She was holding a small white dress in her hand, with a small damp patch at the hem. Judging from the size, no one but Yin Qiu could fit into it.
Man Jiangxue put down her chopsticks and bowl, glanced at it, and asked, "Where did it come from?"
The disciple replied, "I found it outside the bathhouse. Perhaps my junior sister didn't notice and left it behind."
Man Jiangxue reached out and took the dress, finding it clean and still carrying a fresh soap scent. She asked, "Didn't she bathe?"
The disciple chuckled and said, "I don't know. After you left, Junior Sister has been staying in her room. She hasn't come out except to eat. But since these clothes were left outside the bathhouse, she must have already taken a bath."
If she went there specifically to bathe, why didn't she change into clean clothes? Man Jiangxue didn't ask any further questions. After the disciple took his leave, she took the dress and went upstairs.
·
At this time, apart from the disciples who were still working, most of the others had already retired. There were not many rooms in the small building with candles lit, and the long corridors where no one walked seemed particularly quiet. The lanterns looked left and right in the wind, casting scattered and swaying dim light.
Man Jiangxue found the room with ease. Before she could even push the door open, she heard a faint sound of water coming from inside.
Hearing that voice, Man Jiangxue was somewhat surprised. She had thought Yin Qiu was already asleep, but it seemed that she was still awake.
But what was she doing in the dark?
Man Jiangxue gently pushed the door open a crack and glanced into the room. She saw Yin Qiu squatting in front of the washbasin with her back to her, busy with her hands, making a splashing sound as if she was playing in the water.
She was only wearing a single layer of clothing underneath, without an outer coat or shoes, and was walking barefoot on the ground. From behind, she looked very thin.
Man Jiangxue looked around for a while before finally pushing the door open and going inside, asking, "What are you doing so late at night?"
Suddenly, Man Jiangxue's voice rang out from behind. Startled, Yin Qiu hurriedly stood up, her eyes darting around as she said, "N-nothing..."
Man Jiangxue then noticed a small wooden basin at her feet, filled with a pile of clothes, including all the clothes, pants, shoes, and socks, even her undergarment.
Before she could ask, Yin Qiu explained, "I was washing clothes."
Man Jiangxue sized her up for a moment and said, "Just let someone else wash it. What can you possibly clean?"
Yin Qiu wanted to clean up the wet clothes before Man Jiangxue returned, so that Man Jiangxue wouldn't become suspicious and ask her questions. However, she didn't expect Man Jiangxue to return so quickly. While flustered, Yin Qiu knew she had to remain calm and not give herself away, so she tried her best to act naturally and said, "I can wash them clean. I used to wash clothes all the time."
"But you can't go without shoes." Man Jiangxue said, freeing her hands to pick up Yin Qiu and put her on the bed, then pulled the blanket over her.
"Why is your hair still wet?" Man Jiangxue asked again.
Yin Qiu paused for a moment, then said in a high-pitched voice, "I got it while taking a shower."
Man Jiangxue glanced at her, then at the small wooden basin, and said nothing more. She took a handkerchief and dried her hair, asking in a normal tone, "When did you go?"
"After dinner," Yin Qiu said.
"And then you went back to your room dressed like that?" Man Jiangxue asked.
Yin Qiu looked at her blankly.
“They found this outside the bathhouse,” Man Jiangxue picked up the dress she had put down after entering the room and handed it to Yin Qiu. “You can’t even remember to put on your clothes after taking a bath?”
Upon seeing the dress in Man Jiangxue's hand, Yin Qiu couldn't help but show a hint of panic on her face.
Yin Qiu had long forgotten that she had brought her clothes with her when she went to bathe. After being harassed by Meng Jing, she finally managed to avoid other people's gazes and return to her room with great difficulty. She was cold and scared and had to busy herself taking off and changing her clothes. She didn't even have time to be sad, so she didn't remember that she had left her clothes outside.
“Even if you forgot to wear it, you didn’t forget to take it,” Man Jiangxue said calmly, looking at her. “Otherwise, this dress should have been left in the bathhouse.”
Yin Qiu was speechless for a long time before finally saying, "I... I tripped and fell when I came out, and then I forgot about it after I got up..."
She was still young and not as quick-witted as an adult. Her tone and eyes revealed her guilty conscience, which she tried to hide but could not. How could Man Jiangxue not see that she was lying?
A silence fell over the room.
If Man Jiangxue had said a few more words, Yin Qiu would have felt better, but her silence made Yin Qiu feel uneasy.
Could it be that she's noticed something's wrong? Yin Qiu secretly observed Man Jiangxue's expression, not daring to speak rashly.
The two fell silent, exchanging glances. Yin Qiu was tormented, fearing that Man Jiangxue would ask a question she didn't want to answer. But after a while, Man Jiangxue didn't continue the conversation. She simply dried her hair and asked, "Have you taken your medicine?"
Seeing that she didn't press the matter further, Yin Qiu felt relieved and quickly nodded, "I've already drunk it."
Man Jiangxue took in the relieved look on her face, but didn't ask any more questions. She took out a scroll from her sleeve and handed it to her, saying, "Do you know what this is?"
Yin Qiu took the booklet and flipped through it a few times, a little embarrassed: "I can't read yet..."
Man Jiangxue said, "This is the Purple Sound Heart Sutra, a mental cultivation method that only the senior disciples of each peak of Yunhua Palace can practice. Ordinary people cannot learn it. There is only one copy left in the world, making it a unique item."
Yin Qiu's mouth dropped open: "That's something unique, that's amazing."
Man Jiangxue glanced at the bookshelves and desk in the room and asked Yin Qiu, "Are you sleepy?"
Yin Qiu was actually sleepy. Not only was she sleepy, but she was also very cold and had a terrible headache. However, she didn't want Man Jiangxue to notice, so she had been enduring it. Moreover, after seeing Man Jiangxue, she had already put aside the unpleasantness with Meng Jing earlier. Thinking that Man Jiangxue must have some purpose in showing her the "Purple Sound Heart Sutra" at this time, she replied, "I'm not sleepy. What does Martial Aunt want to do?"
Man Jiangxue said, "Do you want to practice calligraphy? If you do, I'll teach you."
Yin Qiu was slightly taken aback, then revealed an unprecedentedly delighted smile: "Really?"
Man Jiangxue patted her head and said, "Wait for me a moment."
Man Jiangxue lit a few more candles and placed them on the desk. After preparing the brush, ink, paper and inkstone, she helped Yin Qiu get dressed and then sat her down at the desk in her arms.
Yin Qiu's shoes were still soaking in the basin, and there was no time to find new ones for her to wear. So Man Jiangxue had her sit on her lap, supporting Yin Qiu's waist with one hand and teaching her how to hold a pen with the other.
With the doors and windows tightly closed, there was no charcoal fire or cold wind inside, but with Man Jiangxue there, Yin Qiu felt extremely warm. She did exactly what Man Jiangxue taught her. Even though she couldn't write yet, with Man Jiangxue guiding her hand, one beautiful character after another was written on the pure white paper.
This was the first time Yin Qiu had ever held a pen and written.
Many years later, Yin Qiu grew up and became a graceful young woman. Her beautiful handwriting was praised by calligraphers. She could never forget this night. She leaned against Man Jiangxue's chest, and Man Jiangxue held her hand, teaching her strokes and lines, and how to write horizontal and vertical strokes.
·
"Is it pretty?" Man Jiangxue asked.
"It's beautiful!" Yin Qiu said happily. "Although I don't recognize what these characters are, I think they're beautiful."
"What I just taught you to copy is all from the Heart Sutra of Purple Sound." Man Jiangxue ground the ink, her face appearing very gentle in the flickering candlelight.
Yin Qiu looked at her lowered eyes and chuckled softly: "But didn't you say before that only the eldest disciple could practice this cultivation method? How could you show it to me?"
Upon hearing this, Man Jiangxue silently curled the corners of her lips, her words containing a hint of sarcasm: "You won't understand anyway, it doesn't matter."
Yin Qiu blinked and looked intently at Man Jiangxue's smiling face.
With deep hair and fair skin, and a refined and elegant appearance, her profile was clearly defined, and she seemed to be bathed in moonlight, flawless and beautiful.
Yin Qiu felt as if she were admiring a beautiful painting or viewing a stunning landscape. She thought Man Jiangxue was incredibly beautiful. Yin Qiu had never seen anyone as beautiful as her before, let alone that Man Jiangxue was so close to her and holding her so intimately.
Just like the moon in the sky, so beautiful, yet no one can possess it. Man Jiangxue is just as beautiful as the moon, but now she is possessed by Yin Qiu. Yin Qiu thought with some relief that she was much happier than those who admired the moon but could not reach it.
No one came to disturb them, and no one came to compete for them. Man Jiangxue was here, and she was here too. In this small world, there were only the two of them.
Even if she went to Yunhua Palace and had to live alone in the disciples' quarters, no longer able to live with Man Jiangxue every day, the tender moments she had now were already enough to make Yin Qiu feel satisfied.
"What are you grinning about?" Man Jiangxue suddenly turned her gaze to Yin Qiu.
"No, no..." Yin Qiu quickly turned her face away, inexplicably not daring to look at her.
"This booklet is temporarily entrusted to you for safekeeping," Man Jiangxue said. "Don't lose it."
Yin Qiu was flattered, but hesitated: "Such a precious thing...isn't that a bit inappropriate?"
Man Jiangxue paused, put down her pen, looked at her, and said softly, "There's nothing wrong with it. This is what your mother copied in the palace back then."
Yin Qiu was stunned: "This...is Mother's handwriting?"
Man Jiangxue nodded: "Senior Sister's handwriting is the best among her peers. You should learn from her. When you enter Yunhua Palace and the academy, you must study hard, understand?"
To everyone's surprise, this manual was actually written by her mother. This was the first time Yin Qiu had ever come into contact with anything related to her mother since birth, and she was overwhelmed with emotion and complex feelings.
Since time was limited and she couldn't formally learn to read yet, Yin Qiuyi copied what she had written for a while. Then Man Jiangxue carried her back to bed, washed up, took off her clothes, and lay down next to Yin Qiuyi.
Smelling the pleasant fragrance emanating from her, Yin Qiu felt completely at ease and fell into a deep sleep, resting her head on Man Jiangxue's arm.
The next day, as dawn broke, the disciples in the post station got up on time to practice their swordsmanship. Man Jiangxue was only in a light sleep and was not sound asleep. Hearing voices coming from downstairs, she gently put Yin Qiu, whom she was holding, aside, dressed, and went out the door.
The post station had a special training ground, not large, but enough for the disciples to move around in. Man Jiangxue watched them practice swordsmanship for a while, gave them a few pointers, and on her way back to the hall, she ran into the disciple who had found Yin Qiuyi's clothes last night.
"Good morning, Uncle-Master," the disciple greeted first.
Recalling Yin Qiu's unusual behavior last night, Man Jiangxue looked up at the bathhouse not far away and asked, "Who used the bathhouse yesterday?"
The disciple thought for a while and said, "It's been cold lately, so there aren't many people taking baths. Yesterday... I only saw the junior brother that Senior Sister Ji brought back go there, I don't know about anyone else."
Man Jiangxue was not surprised by her words at all, and asked again, "When did he go?"
The disciple thought for a moment: "After dinner."
Man Jiangxue hummed in agreement: "I understand. Please have another doctor examine him later, find out if he can set off in the next two days, and report back to me as soon as possible."
The disciple accepted the order and quickly withdrew.
The snow stopped today, and the wind was not strong. The dense clouds of the past few days dispersed, revealing a few rare streaks of pale gold light, which were cast onto the snow in the courtyard, reflecting a faint shimmer of starlight.
The trees were covered in snow, the eaves were hung with jade hooks, and the artificial hills and ponds were frozen and covered with frost. Only one pond had broken through the thin ice, revealing clear water rippling in the water.
Man Jiangxue frowned slightly as she looked at the broken ice.
"What is Uncle looking at?" someone asked from behind.
Man Jiangxue turned around and saw Lu Huaiwei walking towards her, with Ji Wanshu beside her.
The two men's swords were not sheathed, and their breathing was somewhat disordered, indicating that they had just sparred. Man Jiangxue withdrew her gaze and said, "I'm looking at this pool; there are signs of a prolonged fight."
"A prolonged fight?" Lu Huaiwei immediately turned her gaze to the footprints and said, "Judging from the footprints in the snow, there should be two people."
“Both of them came from the bathhouse,” Ji Wanshu continued, “and neither of them knew kung fu, but one had the upper hand and the other was powerless to fight back.”
"The one who had the upper hand pushed the other person into the pool," Lu Huaiwei said with surprise, "This..."
Given this situation and this analysis, all three understood perfectly.
Putting aside the fact that there are a few people at this post station who don't know kung fu, it's not hard to guess who these two people are just by looking at the size of their footprints.
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