Chapter 913 Peace and Safety Plaque [Seeking Monthly Tickets!]
"Thank you, young lady."
The young woman with the sword silently departed.
Li Wan happily led Ouyang Rong and the other two in the direction the young woman pointed, and they entered a valley.
Seeing that there were no outsiders around and the crowd had thinned out, Song Zhian said softly:
"The Queen Mother's Palace is very strict in issuing the Peace and Safety Tokens. This applies to the Yue women of our sect and even more so to the sword cultivators of the Bamboo Hall. It is extremely difficult for outsiders to obtain this token. It is said that only foreign sword cultivators who have been tested for a long time, have excellent character and cultivation, or have made great contributions can receive the token from the Queen Mother's Palace. It is both an honor and a symbol of status. Those who possess this token are the most trusted group of people in the Queen Mother's Palace."
She turned and looked at Yu Mili and the others who were looking at her with curiosity, then nodded and said:
"The two senior sword cultivators, Dongya and Jiashu, should be among them. They are considered to be among the top sword cultivators in the Bamboo Hall and have influence with the Queen. According to custom, they are currently cultivating in seclusion at their sect, but it is unknown when they will go down the mountain to travel. They have not been seen for many years."
"Congratulations, Madam Li. Young Master Lu is fortunate to have become a disciple of these two masters and inherit their mantle. Moreover, the Bamboo Hall sword cultivators, while inheriting the swordsmanship of a certain senior sword cultivator, can also practice the Yunmeng swordsmanship of their own sect. They can learn from each other, improve their cultivation, and integrate the strengths of various schools."
Li Wan smiled, covered her mouth with a handkerchief, and waved her hand, saying:
"He's just tall among the short, which is why he's doing so well here. Compared to you traditional Yue women, he's nothing special. There's nothing to praise him for. Miss Song, you'd better not say these things later, lest he misjudge himself again, haha."
"This is the truth, and I have no intention of flattering you."
Song Zhian, who had taken time out for a trip today, shook her head and said, after looking around at the scenery of the valley on both sides and admiring it for a moment, she continued calmly:
"To be honest, I'm a little envious of this kind of opportunity."
Li Wan couldn't stop smiling:
"Not at all, not at all, it can't compare to Miss Song's Qiutang."
"No, having a renowned teacher to provide meticulous instruction is much better than what I have here. My life at Qiutang isn't as glamorous as Madam Li and Mili imagine..."
Gazing at the sunset over the valley, Song Zhian murmured something before raising her head and speaking sincerely:
"The senior and junior sisters around me are no less talented than me, and there is no shortage of talented individuals around the Sixth Lady. It is too difficult to get the attention of that Lady. The competition behind the scenes is fierce... After a while, I felt a bit like the feeling described in the books of becoming just another face in the crowd. They say it is better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix. The ancients were right."
"Miss Song, please don't worry. You've only been inside for a short time, take your time..."
Li Wan remained polite, offering a few words of comfort with a smile, but it was clear that Song Zhian's sincere praise pleased her greatly.
Yu Mili hesitated, looking at Sister Song, who was already very outstanding in her eyes, with some worry.
She had put down her food after lunchtime and was too hungry, but she didn't urge him to eat anymore.
Ouyang Rong snapped out of his daze and glanced at Song Zhian again.
The three of them did not respond. Soon, they crossed the valley and arrived at a lakeside.
The lake's shape vaguely resembles a zither, reflecting the crimson sunset.
Ouyang Rong saw a stone carving by the lake, with the two characters "Ruqin" written in red ink.
A few steps further, you'll see an even larger reclining stone right next to it, also with a stone inscription, painted in the same red ink.
The inscription contained four characters:
The sky is in the mountains.
The characters are as flowing as clouds, yet the strokes are as hard as iron.
When Ouyang Rong passed by, he took a closer look and realized that it must have been carved with the edge of a sword. He wondered who had left it in such a refined manner, and only signed it with the words "Winter of the Year of Yi Si".
Soon, the group arrived at the southeast corner of Ruqin Lake, where lotus seeds were planted.
I spotted a courtyard with dark tiles and white walls, built by the water, with green vines climbing the walls.
At this moment, the courtyard gate was tightly closed, and the wind chimes tinkled.
The four turned to look, and not far from the courtyard, there was a pavilion connected by a bridge, situated in the waters of Lotus Lake. Inside the pavilion, a figure was silently sweeping the floor; it was a woman dressed in hemp clothing.
Li Wan led the way into the pavilion.
The woman in hemp clothing looked puzzled.
"Excuse me for a moment..."
Li Wan politely explained her purpose and then asked:
"I wonder if Fairy Dongya lives here? Does Madam know if Senior Dongya has recently taken on any disciples? If so, could you please inform her that Jinghong's relatives or friends are looking for her..."
The woman was of ordinary appearance; she was probably a handyman cleaning Ruqin Lake. Upon hearing this, she honestly shook her head.
"I'm new here cleaning, so I don't know much, but I know the young woman who cleans the courtyard. She serves the fairies who cultivate here. I'll go ask her. You wait a moment..."
"Then thank you very much, Madam."
Li Wan smiled politely, then reached out from her sleeve and discreetly slipped a red envelope into her hand.
"No, no, no..."
The woman in hemp clothing initially refused, but after Li Wan insisted, she reluctantly accepted it.
She was quick on her feet and immediately went to the yard to knock on the door and ask.
The four of them waited quietly in place.
Ouyang Rong glanced sideways at the courtyard.
Li Wan straightened her appearance.
Just then, a group of young men approached from a distance. They wore bamboo badges around their waists and carried swords, clothes, and other miscellaneous items in their hands. Their hair was wet, as if they had just returned from bathing in a spring or waterfall.
The path they took was quite far from the lakeside courtyard and Ouyang Rong's group; they were just passing by.
However, Ouyang Rong noticed out of the corner of his eye that the young men from the Bamboo Hall slowed their pace slightly as they passed by, as if someone was curiously observing their direction.
Perhaps it was because Song Zhian and Yu Mili's snow-white Wu-style clothing stood out too much at Zhutang.
The arrival of a strange Yue woman at the rather secluded bamboo hall naturally attracted attention, not to mention Song Zhian, who was tall and beautiful, wearing a white dress, standing on the pavilion, vaguely like a fairy from another world.
Naturally, it attracted the attention of passersby.
Li Wan was leisurely waiting for her son to come out and paid no attention to the passersby.
Song Zhian and Yu Mili also kept their eyes straight ahead.
Yu Mili's eyes were fixed on the lunchbox.
Song Zhian turned her head away to chat with Ouyang Rong.
"How's Brother Liu doing at the dining hall lately? Is there anything I can help him with? By the way, has Miss Aqing returned yet?"
"I'm doing alright. Ah Qing is very busy; it's been a long time since I've seen her."
Ouyang Rong withdrew his gaze and replied.
"Brother Liu?"
Just then, a joyful shout rang out.
It came from a group of teenagers not far away.
A dark-skinned boy broke away from his companions and ran over. Once he got closer and saw Ouyang Rong clearly, the dark-skinned boy said in a surprised tone:
"It really is you! I thought I was seeing things. Didn't I hear you were a cook in Qingliang Valley? Why are you here all of a sudden?"
Li Wan withdrew her gaze and looked at the dark-skinned boy with a puzzled expression.
The two women, Song and Yu, also glanced at them curiously, as if they were acquainted.
"Hiro?"
Ouyang Rong was also somewhat surprised, not expecting to encounter this person.
Previously, during the assessment at Zhutang, the two had become acquainted as the first and second place finishers in the first round of assessment.
Later, Ah Hong, Lu Jinghong, and Sha Ergou were promoted to the Bamboo Hall, and Ouyang Rong also lost contact with them.
Before Ouyang Rong could stop him from speaking, Ah Hong happily stepped forward and patted Ouyang Rong on the shoulder:
"How have you been lately? Has Her Highness asked you to make soup again? Last time I asked Er Gou, he didn't know anything and said he couldn't get in touch with you... It was a pity, I thought I would never see you again."
Ouyang Rong thought for a moment, then patted Ah Hong on the shoulder:
"Yes, we'll meet again if we're meant to."
Ah Hong grinned and nodded. Seemingly noticing the gazes of the three women in the pavilion, he curiously turned his head and looked them over.
"Hey, you're all together? What are you doing here? Brother Liu, who are they...?"
Ah Hong withdrew his hand and asked in a low voice.
Ouyang Rong stepped aside to make way, glanced at the three women, and prepared to introduce them.
Ah Hong turned around, glanced at the tranquil lakeside courtyard nearby, and suddenly asked:
"Wait, Brother Liu, you all knew? You've come to visit?"
Li Wan, who was originally going to entertain the visitors, swallowed her words, thus saving herself the trouble of speaking.
She lifted the food box slightly, smiled at Ah Hong who looked dazed, and gestured:
"Brother Ahong, right? Hmm, I often hear Jinghong praise you. You are a young and outstanding man. By the way, would you like to stay and try some chicken soup and turtle?"
"This was personally cooked by Ah Liang for our trip. His cooking skills are superb, and it definitely tastes better than the communal meals you eat..."
When Ah Hong heard the woman's praise, his face turned red, and he quickly waved his hand:
"I dare not accept such praise, Brother Lu, you are too kind. How could I be considered a young talent? My teacher at Zhutang... well, never mind, let's not talk about that. But, if we're talking about truly young talents, it has to be..."
The dark-skinned boy paused, then gestured towards the distant cliff, where a bamboo grove lay at its base.
"It has to be him. He's truly amazing. At the tea-serving ceremony that day, Senior Dongya and Senior Jiashu were both vying for it, making everyone envious. Even Senior Brother Zhutang said it was a rare occurrence. It's one thing for Senior Dongya to be vying for it, but Senior Jiashu, who had been completely oblivious to Zhutang's affairs since returning from the foot of the mountain last time, actually showed up that day for the first time..."
Amidst the curious gazes of the four, Ah Hong's tone was filled with emotion:
"I wonder what kind of talent or potential it is that caught the discerning eyes of you two seniors... You already know, so you came here to visit together?"
Li Wan's attention was mostly focused on the lakeside courtyard. She kept an eye on the commotion there, and nodded somewhat absentmindedly at A Hong's praise and flattery, making two "hmm" sounds while maintaining a polite and gentle smile.
However, Ah Hong's next words immediately made her and Song Zhian turn around.
“But Brother Liu, have you come to the wrong place, or have you confused people? This is Senior Dongya’s residence for cultivation, not Senior Jiashu’s. What are you doing standing here? Are you resting in the pavilion?”
“Senior Jia Shu lives in Jingxin Forest. If you want to visit him and bring him food, you'll have to walk a bit further ahead.”
After Ah Hong finished speaking, he noticed the change in the four people's expressions. He wasn't stupid; he immediately understood and blurted out:
"At the tea ceremony for apprenticeship that day, the two seniors were vying for him. In the end, Senior Jia Shu won and took him as his disciple, keeping him by his side and teaching him swordsmanship."
Upon hearing this, Li Wan smiled and stepped forward familiarly to greet him:
"Okay, okay, haha, we were indeed tired from walking, so we took a break. But we've rested enough, so we're ready to go now."
She then asked with concern, "Brother Ahong, have you eaten yet? Do you want to come over? We're all acquaintances anyway, how about we have a meal together? Jinghong will definitely be happy to see you."
Ah Hong glanced back at his friends who were waiting in the distance, and they seemed to be waving and urging him to come over.
"Uh, thank you for your kindness, but I'd rather not..."
Ah Hong withdrew his gaze, first glancing at the woman who was warmly welcoming him, then turned his head, clasped his hands in a fist salute to Ouyang Rong, and quickly said:
"Brother Liu, you go find him. I've already eaten and made plans with someone... I just took a shower by the waterfall and we're going to practice swordsmanship on the mountaintop... Goodbye, see you next time."
Ah Hong spoke apologetically, then turned and ran non-stop toward his companions who were waiting in the distance.
Li Wan seized the opportunity and asked a question:
"May I ask where Senior Jia Shu's cave is located in the bamboo forest?"
Ah Hong didn't turn his head, his loud voice carrying back:
"It's easy to find. It's a bamboo house right below the cliff carvings. The carvings have four characters that say something like 'Chang Le Wo Jing' (常乐我净). You'll see it as you get closer..."
"Eternal bliss, self-purity, and tranquility?"
Li Wan turned her head, leaned on the railing, stood on tiptoe, and squinted as she peered into the lush bamboo forest below the cliffs of the distant valley.
See, on that cliff face, four characters are faintly carved, also in the same vermilion ink.
Song Zhian also noticed it and nodded:
"Found it, those four words are definitely correct."
Ouyang Rong didn't pay attention to any of that. He turned his head to look in the direction Ah Hong had left. He had rushed over just now and forgot to ask about Sha Ergou. He should have asked Ah Hong to call Ergou over.
"Let's go, in this direction."
Li Wan's polite smile vanished, she straightened her appearance, and immediately turned around and set off.
The noblewoman, carrying a food box, led three people and hurried to the Tranquil Forest.
This bamboo forest is very large, with many courtyards scattered throughout, where reclusive sword cultivators reside.
The courtyard of Jia Shu, the swordsman of the Jade Token Sword Cultivator, is located there.
Compared to the loosely guarded Ruqin Lake, there are people on duty outside Jingxin Forest.
Ouyang Rong and his group were considered unauthorized individuals and, lacking bamboo tokens, were unable to enter.
Li Wan followed the same method, slipping a red envelope to the guard and using the same words to ask him to help her go in and call for help.
"Lu Jinghong? A disciple of Senior Jia Shu?"
After listening to Li Wan's instructions, one of the guards muttered to himself, glanced at the four people, and turned to walk into the woods.
Li Wan and the others waited in the open space outside the woods.
Before long, a familiar figure carrying a sword emerged from the forest, followed by the guard on duty.
It was Lu Jinghong.
He seemed to thank the person on duty, then hurriedly walked up to the four people.
Seeing this, Li Wan breathed a sigh of relief and greeted them with a look of satisfaction:
"Jinghong, you're here! Come and see who came to visit you. We brought you some delicious food; these dishes are Brother Liu's cooking..."
As she spoke, she was about to invite Ouyang Rong, Song Zhian, and Yu Mili forward.
The sun had completely set, and the moon was high in the sky.
Fires lit up the courtyards in the woods, while the open ground outside the woods remained pitch black.
Li Wan and the other three could not quite make out Lu Jinghong's exact expression.
All that could be heard was his dissatisfaction as he addressed Li Wan:
"Who sent you?"
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[PS: As usual, there's one day left until the monthly pass giveaway! Please vote with your monthly passes!]
(End of this chapter)
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