Chapter 145
Hearing those three words seemed to carry a different meaning, Yin Qiu turned her head and met Man Jiangxue's smiling and serene eyes, and a subtle feeling immediately spread through her heart.
Man Jiangxue would never have looked at her like that before.
Over the years, whenever Man Jiangxue looked at her, it was mostly with an expression similar to that of an elder looking at a younger generation—whether it was concern, relief, affection, or pity. In short, Man Jiangxue looked exactly like an adult would look at a child.
But starting this winter, everything seemed to slowly begin to change. Although Yin Qiu couldn't pinpoint exactly when the change occurred, she belatedly reflected on many things during this period. She recalled that Man Jiangxue's gaze towards her was different from before. There was a quiet stare, a discreet scrutiny, and a clear, cold gaze that accurately targeted her across the crowd. And on countless dimly lit nights with flickering candlelight, Man Jiangxue didn't look at anyone else, only at her.
In short, Yin Qiu had never seen Man Jiangxue display those unrecognizable yet deeply meaningful glances to anyone else.
She was the only one who got it.
The wind rustled her white robes. Yin Qiu's nose was red from the cold, and her eyes were misty. Her internal injuries had not yet healed, and she was still weak. She had been exhausted by Man Jiangxue's horseback riding earlier, and her sickly face was pale and slightly flushed. She looked pitiful, yet there was a hint of unspoken words in her expression.
"Uncle-Master seems to be in a very good mood," Yin Qiu said gently, gazing at Man Jiangxue. "Is today some special day?"
Man Jiangxue carried her to the ground and said as they walked, "You ask me this question every year."
Yin Qiu was slightly confused for a moment, then suddenly realized: "Ah, it's my birthday."
Man Jiangxue said, "Yes, you can never remember anything."
Yin Qiu had no idea about her birthday until she was eleven years old. If it weren't for Man Jiangxue, she probably would never have known her birthday. Perhaps she was used to no one celebrating her birthday, because even in the years after entering Yunhua Palace, Yin Qiu could never remember it quickly. Every year, Man Jiangxue remembered it more clearly than she did.
No wonder Man Jiangxue didn't choose to return to the palace today, but instead stayed down the mountain for another day. Yin Qiu was moved when she thought of this.
But who is this old friend that Uncle-Master mentioned? Yin Qiu looked up and saw a courtyard surrounded by high walls amidst the clusters of winter plum blossoms. Inside stood two small buildings. There was no plaque on the gate, only two lanterns hanging above it, and no surname was written on them.
The two walked up the steps hand in hand, knocked on the door, and soon came hurried footsteps from inside. An old man opened the door and was overjoyed to see Man Jiangxue, saying, "Oh my, it's Miss who's back! Why didn't you send a message beforehand? Come in quickly!"
The old man had a kind face and a friendly smile. Yin Qiu was still surprised by his address of "Miss" when Man Jiangxue pulled her closer and said, "This is Miss Yin."
Upon hearing Yin Qiu's surname, the old man immediately understood. He looked at Yin Qiu and said, "Miss Yin? I know, I know. We rarely have guests in this house. You are the first person my young lady has brought here."
Yin Qiu had expected Man Jiangxue to say something like "disciple of Yunhua," but she didn't expect her to introduce herself so formally. Yin Qiu bowed and said, "Greetings, sir."
Seeing that Yin Qiu was beautiful and polite, the old man smiled back and said, "Hello, young lady. You don't need to be so polite. It's too cold outside. Come in and have a cup of hot tea to warm yourself up."
Upon entering, the courtyard is filled with the fragrance of winter plum blossoms, the white snow illuminates the pavilions, the lake is paved with bridges, and the place is fresh, unique, and elegant.
The three entered the long corridor, crossed a frozen lake, and went up into the building. Yin Qiu looked around and asked Man Jiangxue, "When did you acquire such a residence, Uncle? I've never heard you mention it before."
Man Jiangxue sat down at the low table and took off Yin Qiu's brocade robe. The old man quickly brought over hot tea. Man Jiangxue said, "It's an old house. It was built a few years ago. These are all servants my mother used to know. Most of them had nowhere to go, so I brought them here. They come here to visit whenever they have time."
Yin Qiu understood and smiled, "So, this is considered my martial uncle's home?"
Man Jiangxue looked at her and said, "If you're willing, you can have her in the future."
Yin Qiu was slightly taken aback, and a hint of embarrassment appeared on her face. At this moment, a lot of voices could be heard outside. Soon, a group of maids and servants rushed over and greeted Man Jiangxue one after another. Later, a lot of elderly women and aunties came. Everyone chatted and laughed in the room in a very harmonious atmosphere.
After everyone had left, the old man came over again with the bamboo basket containing joss paper and incense, and asked Man Jiangxue, "Miss, would you like to go now, or sit for a while before you go?"
Man Jiangxue said, "Let's go now."
She got up and took the bamboo basket. When Yin Qiu saw what was inside, she immediately realized who the old friend Man Jiangxue was talking about was. She followed Man Jiangxue out the door and asked, "Are we going to pay respects to Uncle-Master's mother?"
“Yes,” Man Jiangxue said, “in the plum grove.”
Yin Qiu asked, "How should I address my martial uncle's mother?"
Man Jiangxue said, "If we're going by seniority..." She pondered for a moment, then smiled helplessly, "Well, I'm not really sure about that."
Hearing her say that, Yin Qiu couldn't help but feel a bit playful and deliberately asked, "What is the generational relationship between me and my martial uncle?"
Man Jiangxue glanced at her sideways: "What do you think?"
Yin Qiu smiled: "I don't know."
Man Jiangxue slightly curled the corners of her lips: "How could you not know?"
“I just don’t know,” Yin Qiu looked at her. “If you know, Martial Aunt, you might as well tell me.”
“I don’t know either,” Man Jiangxue said. “I’m sorry you had to see this.”
Yin Qiuming said clearly, "Then call her Auntie, that can't be wrong."
Without hesitation, Man Jiangxue replied, "If you're willing—"
Before she could finish speaking, Yin Qiu hurriedly covered Man Jiangxue's lips, her eyes darting away.
"What are you doing?" Man Jiangxue lowered her eyelashes and looked at Yin Qiu with a calm gaze.
“…Stop chatting,” Yin Qiu withdrew her hand, her face turning red again. “We can’t keep your aunt waiting.”
Man Jiangxue grabbed her hand mid-air and said, "Aren't you going to let me finish?"
Yin Qiu paused for a moment, then asked somewhat awkwardly, "What does Martial Uncle want to say?"
Man Jiangxue looked at her for a moment and said, "I want to say, if you are willing..." She stopped there.
Yin Qiu smiled slowly and nudged Man Jiangxue: "Let's go quickly."
·
Stepping out the back door, a plum grove unfolds, its branches swaying in the breeze, covered with a thin layer of snow. In the clearing deep within the blossoms stands a meticulously cleaned tombstone.
Yin Qiu broke off a plum branch and placed it in front of the tombstone. She then took the initiative to blow on a tinderbox to light incense and candles. The wind was too strong, and the candlelight was quickly extinguished after it lit up. Seeing her flustered state, Man Jiangxue said, "It's the thought that counts. The plum branch you broke is very beautiful. My mother will like it."
Yin Qiu nodded, burned some paper money in the wind and snow, and looked up to ask, "Do my uncle and aunt look alike?"
Man Jiangxue said, "They are probably similar." She helped Yin Qiu up and added, "However, when I was a child, many people said I looked more like my father."
Yin Qiu asked, "Then how did your aunt end up marrying into Xiling?"
After recalling for a moment, Man Jiangxue replied, "Actually, my mother rarely mentioned this to me. I only know that she happened to meet my father while traveling outside the Great Wall, but she didn't know who my father was at that time. She just felt that she fell in love at first sight and that they were compatible. So she married him without hesitation. It wasn't until she moved into the royal villa that she realized my father was the King of Xiling."
Yin Qiu said, "And then?"
“Then my mother became pregnant,” Man Jiangxue said. “She originally wanted to leave, but now she has no choice but to leave.”
In Man Jiangxue's memory, her mother was a person who never smiled.
She spent a total of ten years in the Royal Villa. During those ten years, Man Jiangxue almost never saw her mother smile. She wasn't melancholy or gloomy, but simply indifferent. That indifference, which seemed devoid of any emotion, also affected Man Jiangxue to a great extent.
From the time Man Jiangxue could remember, Mu De had actually visited the royal villa many times. Other imperial heirs of illegitimate blood and women from the Central Plains lived there. But each time he went, it was not for anyone else, but only to see Man Jiangxue and her mother. However, no matter how many times he went, he was rejected. His mother refused to see him and would not even make a sound when they spoke through the door. As time went on, Mu De became disheartened and stopped going.
Although Mude was a foolish ruler incapable of governing the country, on the other hand, he was skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and especially loved brewing tea and tasting wine. He was a refined person, and such people often appreciate beautiful women and are attracted to them. Man Jiangxue did not know what her mother liked about Mude, but the fact that they were on good terms must have meant that there was some genuine affection between them. However, this affection was defeated by the difference in their social status and eventually ended without a trace.
During those years at the villa, Man Jiangxue's life was very dull and monotonous. Besides studying literature and writing, she did most of her time practicing swordsmanship. Her mother was extremely strict with her in this regard. If she did not satisfy her mother on any given day, Man Jiangxue would not only go without food, but she would also not get any sleep. She could only relax for a moment when her mother nodded in approval.
Therefore, there are actually not that many geniuses in this world. The vast majority of people who can be called geniuses must have gone through hardship that others cannot imagine. This is true for Man Jiangxue, Shen Mandong, and now Ji Wanshu.
Outsiders only see their achievements in swordsmanship, but they never see how much they have sacrificed for it.
All the untold efforts were overshadowed by the word "genius" and taken for granted.
This led to Man Jiangxue being extremely sparing with words and having a cold temperament from a young age. Even now, she still gives people a deep sense of alienation. The influence of her mother on her is something that she will probably never be able to erase for the rest of her life.
“I once asked my mother why she was so strict with me,” the fragrance of plum blossoms drifted in the air, and Man Jiangxue’s eyes swayed with the sight of the flower branches. She said softly, “The other imperial heirs in the villa could live a life of luxury and enjoy themselves to the fullest, but I couldn’t do that. At that time, I could never understand why.”
It wasn't until Yongye invaded and Xiling fell, and she and her mother broke through the encirclement for the first time to escape to the Central Plains, that Man Jiangxue finally understood her mother's intentions.
“Without good martial arts skills, you can only be slaughtered by others,” Man Jiangxue said. “My mother foresaw the defeat of Xiling many years ago, so she started asking people to teach me kung fu when I was very young, so that I could have the ability to protect myself in the chaos of the world.”
She could only protect herself; she managed to protect herself, but she was no longer able to protect her mother.
So in the years that followed, she would often dream of herself in the villa. In her dreams, she worked harder and more diligently than before, but when she woke up, she was all alone, and all her efforts and diligence were meaningless.
The wind and snow lingered around her, and a continuous low hum echoed between heaven and earth, like someone whispering softly. Yin Qiu tucked the last plum blossom in her hand behind Man Jiangxue's ear and looked at her, saying, "Uncle-Master is not alone. Uncle-Master still has me."
Man Jiangxue paused for a moment, then hugged Yin Qiu, touched her forehead, and said with a smile, "Yes, and you too."
·
As darkness fell, the two returned to the small building.
The mountains are quiet and far from the hustle and bustle of the world. Night seems to come early, and the people in the house have all disappeared. There are no bright lights in the courtyard, and only a few lanterns in the corridor are lit. Only a few candles are burning in the building, casting shadows everywhere and making the place seem illusory and ethereal.
Several large water vats were planted in the courtyard, with withered yellow lotus leaves floating on the surface. Lanterns were cast into the water, resembling several round moons. Fish shattered the moons and smoothed out the reflection cast by Yin Qiu. Yin Qiu stretched out her hand and walked around the fish's tracks, then looked up and said, "Why can't we see anyone? Is this really the place we came to during the day?"
Man Jiangxue stood behind her, shielding Yin Qiu from the wind blowing from the corner of the corridor, and said, "They should all have gone back to their rooms to rest. They never come to disturb me after I finish my prayers. The old folks are frugal, and they don't leave many lights on."
Yin Qiu said, "I'm hungry, my stomach is growling."
Man Jiangxue bent down, picked up Yin Qiu, and said, "There's food inside, it should still be warm. After you finish eating, you can digest your food for a while. There's also a hot spring bath upstairs."
Yin Qiu hung on her shoulder, watching the moon in the water tank drift further and further away from her. Yin Qiu said, "Uncle-Master loves to get handsy now, always carrying me or lifting me up. I can walk by myself."
“There’s no one else I can carry or lift,” Man Jiangxue said. “You’re not happy about it?”
Yin Qiu smiled silently: "No, not at all."
Two clean pairs of embroidered shoes were placed at the door. Man Jiangxue carried Yin Qiu to change her shoes and didn't put her down after entering the house. Yin Qiu smelled the fragrance of winter plum blossoms and turned her head to look at Man Jiangxue. Man Jiangxue then picked her up again and carried her in his arms. Yin Qiu said, "These flowers are beautiful. Uncle, don't pick them. Wear them tonight."
Man Jiangxue agreed with a "okay," and sat down at the table with the person in her arms. There was a steamer on the stove, and the food inside was still warm. The two of them didn't turn on the lights and ate their fill in the dim light.
The beaded curtains jingled in the wind. Yin Qiu saw that the ground near the long table was covered with soft satin, so she put on her shoes and rolled around on it twice in her clean socks.
Man Jiangxue followed in carrying a bowl of water. She poured two pills and fed them to Yin Qiu's lips, saying, "Eat this."
Yin Qiu sat up, swallowed the medicine with water, and then fell back down.
"Tired?" Man Jiangxue pulled a thin blanket off the rattan chair and covered Yin Qiu with it.
"It's cold." Yin Qiu curled up into a ball and squinted at her surroundings.
“Charcoal is expensive,” Man Jiangxue explained, knowing what she was looking for, “and the elderly are reluctant to buy it.”
Yin Qiu found it amusing: "Is Uncle being too harsh on people? He won't even light the lamps or buy charcoal. It's so cold. I'm fine, but I can't let them get cold."
“I would be harsh on myself but not on others,” Man Jiangxue said. “In your eyes, am I really that petty?”
Yin Qiu chuckled twice, shifted her body and rested her head on Man Jiangxue's lap, and said, "I was just kidding. If Uncle-Master is petty, then there is no one in the world who is not petty."
Man Jiangxue smiled, leaned closer to the long table, and reached for a pen and paper. Seeing her action, Yin Qiu asked, "What is Uncle-Master doing?"
“Write a letter,” Man Jiangxue said, “and send a few people to Liucang Mountain to see if there really is an underground mechanism.”
“Uncle-Master is so thoughtful,” Yin Qiu yawned. “I’ve been so busy these past few days that I completely forgot about it.”
Man Jiangxue said, "I'll take you to take a bath after I finish writing. Don't rush to sleep yet, the floor is still cold even though it's covered with satin."
Yin Qiu rubbed her eyes, forcing herself to perk up. She tilted her head back, and Man Jiangxue's white sleeves covered her face, cool and carrying a familiar fragrance. Yin Qiu turned her head away from under the sleeves and looked up at Man Jiangxue, saying, "I don't want to bathe today, is that alright?"
Man Jiangxue didn't look at her, and said with a focused expression, "Why? The injury on your arm is healed and you can get it wet. How can you sleep without taking a bath?"
Yin Qiu said, "I didn't sweat, so I don't really want to take a shower."
“Then it’s alright to take a warm bath,” Man Jiangxue said. “Aren’t you cold?”
Yin Qiu said, "Okay, actually I'm just too tired, I want to sleep now."
Man Jiangxue then lowered her head and looked at Yin Qiu, saying, "Are you so sleepy?"
Yin Qiu closed her eyes, nodded, and said, "I'm already asleep."
Man Jiangxue put down her pen, touched Yin Qiu's hand, then touched her cheek, and said, "You're so cold, are you sure you don't want to take a hot bath?"
Yin Qiu, still half asleep, rolled over and hugged Man Jiangxue's waist, burying her face in her chest and saying, "...Mmm, no."
Man Jiangxue didn't reply. She reached out and felt Yin Qiu's body for a moment. After a while, she removed Yin Qiu from her lap and walked out without saying a word.
Upon realizing that Man Jiangxue had suddenly left, Yin Qiu quickly woke up. She wrapped herself in a thin blanket and craned her neck to look outside, but she didn't see Man Jiangxue. Yin Qiu wanted to chase after her to take a look, but she was too tired and didn't have the strength to stand up. By the time Man Jiangxue returned, Yin Qiu had already fallen into a light sleep and was almost asleep.
“I checked the hot spring, there’s hot water in it,” Man Jiangxue said, picking Yin Qiu up again. “Let’s go wash up.”
Yin Qiu, feeling a bit unwell after being disturbed from her drowsiness, said, "I don't want to wash... I want to sleep."
Man Jiangxue patted her face and said, "No, wash up before you sleep."
Yin Qiu had no choice but to open her eyes, her eyes red, and said, "It's my birthday today, why won't my martial uncle do what I want?"
Man Jiangxue said, "Except for this matter, I will do as you say."
Yin Qiu had no choice but to mumble a few words, looking unwilling. Man Jiangxue didn't hear what she said and didn't ask. She carried Yin Qiu to the hot spring, lowered the curtain, and called to her while undressing her, "Wake up, take a bath first, don't sleep."
Yin Qiu was in a daze, but she still refused to give in and held onto Man Jiangxue tightly.
Man Jiangxue said, "If you keep cheating, I'm not going to take care of you anymore."
Yin Qiu said tearfully, "Uncle-Master doesn't care about people at all. I'm so sleepy."
Man Jiangxue was both amused and exasperated. Seeing Yin Qiu's aggrieved little face, she could only coax her in a soft voice, "Your injury hasn't healed yet, and you've been out in the cold wind for so long today. There's no charcoal fire in this house. If you don't wash up and warm yourself up, what will you do if you catch a cold?"
Yin Qiu said in a muffled voice, "Then my martial uncle will wash with me."
Man Jiangxue took off Yin Qiu's outer robe and then took off her inner dress. Hearing this, she said without changing her expression, "Don't even think about it. Just listen to me."
The curtain kept out the cold wind, but the damp, hot steam still wafted in, and Yin Qiu shivered as she said, her lips trembling, "Why? When I was little, didn't my uncle often bathe with me?"
After taking off her dress, Yin Qiu was left with only her undergarments. Man Jiangxue pushed her to the edge of the hot spring and said, "You said it yourself, it was when you were a child, hurry up and go in."
Yin Qiu gave her a resentful look before reluctantly turning around and saying, "Alright... then Uncle-Master will wait for me outside."
Man Jiangxue patted Yin Qiu's head and then went out to wait.
Yin Qiu shakily took off her undergarments. By then, she had regained some of her senses. She jumped into the hot spring with a splash, making a loud noise. Man Jiangxue, who was outside, heard this and tapped the table, saying, "Don't get angry. Hurry up and wash."
Yin Qiu made a face at the curtain, then obediently took a bath. Once her whole body began to warm up and the chill that had lingered in her body disappeared, she secretly sighed that it was fortunate that Man Jiangxue hadn't given in to her.
Man Jiangxue estimated the time and figured that Yin Qiu should be almost done washing, so she brought her clean clothes inside. After Yin Qiu dried herself and put on her clothes, Man Jiangxue lifted the curtain and carried her to the couch.
A hot water bottle was placed in the bedding, already warm to a comforting temperature. Yin Qiu felt completely relaxed and comfortable. She looked at Man Jiangxue and asked, "When was the hot water bottle placed here?"
Man Jiangxue patted her forehead: "When you were taking a bath..."
Yin Qiu smiled and said sincerely, "Uncle-Master is so thoughtful."
Man Jiangxue curled her lips and ignored her. She then took her clothes and went to the hot spring to bathe. This time, Yin Qiu was no longer in a hurry to sleep. She wanted to wait for Man Jiangxue to come back and sleep together. However, after Man Jiangxue finished bathing, she did not come to her room but went to the other room.
In fact, ever since they confirmed their relationship in Weicheng, the two had never slept together. Even when they stayed at inns during their travels, Man Jiangxue would book rooms for as many people as there were, and at most, she would stay in bed with Yin Qiu for a while when she woke her up in the morning. But Yin Qiu didn't expect that Man Jiangxue didn't plan to sleep with her today either, so she felt a little disappointed. After thinking for a while, she still threw off the covers, put on her shoes, and ran towards Man Jiangxue's place. She leaned against the door and said, "Aren't you going to stay with me, Uncle-Master?"
Man Jiangxue had not yet gotten into bed when she heard the sound and turned around to look at Yin Qiu.
Noticing her hesitation, Yin Qiu said, "We used to sleep together, but now my uncle is avoiding me, which is a bit..."
Man Jiangxue glanced at her again and said, "On the contrary?"
Yin Qiu was too embarrassed to speak, so she could only stammer, "Anyway, it's my birthday today, so my uncle has to do as I please. I want you to come and keep me company."
Man Jiangxue chuckled softly, then came out again, put her arm around Yin Qiu, and walked back. Yin Qiu was overjoyed, quickly got onto the bed, burrowed under the covers, and moved a little further into the inner room.
The room was filled with steam and the fragrance of a post-bath, quiet and elegant. Man Jiangxue lay down beside Yin Qiu and covered herself with the blanket. Yin Qiu stared at her and, seeing that she neither spoke nor moved after getting into bed, asked, "Why is Uncle-Master so far away from me?"
Man Jiangxue seemed to sigh softly and said, "I'm here, aren't you going to sleep?"
Yin Qiu hid the lower half of her face under the blanket, only revealing her eyes. She said in a soft voice, "But I'm not sleepy anymore, and I don't want to sleep."
"We have to go back to the palace tomorrow morning," Man Jiangxue said. "How can we not sleep?"
Yin Qiu sighed in a mature tone, "Then you'll lull me to sleep. If you lull me, I'll definitely go to sleep." After she finished speaking, she deliberately added, "Today is my birthday."
Man Jiangxue said, "Then how do you want me to coax you?"
Yin Qiu immediately said, "Of course you should hug me. My uncle used to hug me, but now he doesn't. Does my uncle really like me?"
Man Jiangxue was speechless, but still reached out and hugged Yin Qiu.
Yin Qiu, beaming, said, "Very good, just like that."
Man Jiangxue looked at her and said with a hint of helplessness, "Then why are you still keeping your eyes open? Can't you go to sleep?"
Yin Qiu said, "Not yet."
Man Jiangxue then pulled the blanket up to cover Yin Qiu, and said calmly, "This should be fine."
Yin Qiu struggled twice but couldn't break free, so she could only remain motionless and say, "Today is my birthday..."
Man Jiangxue remained silent for a moment, then calmly asked, "Any other requests? Please state them all at once."
Yin Qiu remained silent under the covers for a long while before murmuring, "I want more, Uncle-Master... I want more..."
She stammered, unable to utter the rest of her words, which made Man Jiangxue anxious for her. So Man Jiangxue lifted the blanket again, leaned close to Yin Qiu and kissed her lips, saying calmly, "That should be better now, right?"
Yin Qiu blushed, pursed her lips, and said, "Um... all done..."
"Then go to sleep quickly," Man Jiangxue raised her hand and extinguished the candle, plunging the room into darkness in an instant. "We have to get up early tomorrow."
Yin Qiu said "Oh," and nestled in Man Jiangxue's arms, no longer making a fuss. But after a while, she reached her hand out from under the covers and groped her way to Man Jiangxue's face.
Man Jiangxue tried her best to remain calm, but seeing this, she asked again, "What's wrong now?"
Yin Qiu didn't speak, but returned Man Jiangxue's kiss perfectly in the darkness before quickly burying her head back down.
Man Jiangxue said, "You..."
Yin Qiu interrupted, "But today I am..."
Man Jiangxue chimed in, "It's your birthday today, I know, I've said it almost a hundred times."
Yin Qiuxin was satisfied. She snuggled into Man Jiangxue's arms and said, "Okay, okay, I'm going to sleep now."
Man Jiangxue chuckled and ruffled Yin Qiu's hair. Yin Qiu held back for a while before bursting into laughter. The two of them wrestled and played on the couch. Once Yin Qiu's laughter subsided, Man Jiangxue pinched her chin and kissed her passionately.
Author's Note: There's a reason I'm late! Look at the word count of this chapter!
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