Chapter 984 The Blessing Person
Moon Island, afternoon, Song Zhian's courtyard, the atmosphere around the dining table was quiet.
All eyes in the room were fixed on the woman with the single ponytail; only her voice remained in the air.
"...Later, the six ladies bestowed it upon me as a gift, so please accept it."
Lan Ruoxi paused, seemingly noticing the various gazes around her, before belatedly remembering and explaining:
"Sha Ergou, keep this sword safe. Go back and cultivate diligently. Follow your master and Senior Dongya and strive to reach the ninth rank as soon as possible."
"Okay...okay."
Sha Ergou nodded blankly, looking down at the long, narrow sword with curiosity.
A moment later, he felt a light touch on his shoulder. He turned around and saw it was Brother Liu.
Brother Liu didn't look at him, but Sha Ergou immediately realized what was happening, quickly clasped his hands in thanks to Lan Ruoxi.
"Thank you for the sword, Senior Sister Lan. I will definitely cultivate diligently after I return and will not dare to be careless."
“Is it just that you dare not? You can’t be careless.” Lan Ruoxi said seriously, and then added, “Don’t let down those seniors who value you.”
"Yes, Senior Sister Lan."
Lan Ruoxi then withdrew her gaze, glanced around at the silent crowd, especially Song Zhian who was deep in thought with her brows furrowed, and chuckled softly, saying:
"What is Junior Sister Zhi'an thinking about?"
Song Zhian glanced at Sha Ergou with a complicated expression, then hesitated to speak.
Lan Ruoxi seemed to have figured it out, and said with a smile:
"I just got along well with this fellow disciple Sha."
Song Zhian was somewhat speechless.
Not only her, but Ouyang Rong and Yu Mili also fell silent.
However, there was something thoughtful in Ouyang Rong's eyes.
However, the quietest people on the field at this moment were Li Wan and her son Lu Jinghong.
Li Wan, who was leisurely drinking tea, spilled tea all over the table. The noblewoman's eyes widened slightly as she looked at Sha Ergou, her mouth slightly open as if she had forgotten to close it, still immersed in Lan Ruoxi's unexpected gesture of giving her the sword.
Lu Jinghong appeared normal, but upon closer inspection, one would notice an unnatural stiffness in his face, his gaze fixed on the long, narrow sword in Sha Ergou's hand.
This direct descendant of the Lu family of Fanyang couldn't understand why Sha Ergou had such good luck!
What is it about this country bumpkin that makes so many of Jianze's senior sisters show him kindness and patience, and "show him great favor"?
Is this country boy some kind of protagonist from a traditional Chinese novel, with all sorts of good fortune and opportunities seem to be coming his way?
Could this kid really be the chosen one?!
At this moment, Lu Jinghong, who had always considered himself a prodigy, suddenly felt a deep sense of powerlessness and frustration rising in his heart.
Even when he was humiliated by Chen Jiaxin before, he had never felt this intensely.
But Sha Ergou did it. The trauma he caused made even the naturally proud Lu Jinghong somewhat insecure.
Perhaps noticing the subtle movements of Sha Ergou and the dull young man beside him, Lan Ruoxi glanced at Ouyang Rong again.
Sha Ergou, beaming with joy, quickly pulled Ouyang Rong aside and enthusiastically introduced him to Lan Ruoxi:
"Senior Sister Lan, this is Brother Liu. I met him at the Red Dust Inn in Peach Blossom Town. Brother Liu is very capable and has always taken good care of me... I heard from Senior Sister Lan that he often goes to Yutang in Qingliang Valley. Coincidentally, Brother Liu has also been going to Qingliang Valley frequently lately. Senior Sister Lan, you can get to know him. We can look after each other in Qingliang Valley in the future, since we're all acquaintances..."
Sha Ergou spoke with such sincerity that everyone except Lan Ruoxi was speechless.
Lan Ruoxi remained calm, glanced at Ouyang Rong, and asked curiously:
"Liu Aliang, who is your master in the Bamboo Hall? It is extremely rare for a disciple of the Bamboo Hall to be able to enter the Cool Valley for further study."
She was intrigued, and before Ouyang Rong could answer, Sha Ergou spoke up, explaining in a very serious tone:
"Senior Sister Lan, Brother Liu didn't get into the Bamboo Hall. The Bamboo Hall's selection process is too rigid. Brother Liu's entrance exam results were excellent, but unfortunately there was some bone age restriction, so he wasn't selected. It's a great loss to the Bamboo Hall. Well, Brother Liu is currently working temporarily at the Qingliang Valley Dining Hall. He's in charge of all the vegetarian meals in Qingliang Valley."
The short-haired youth looked radiant. At first, he spoke with indignation on behalf of Ouyang Rong, but as he continued, he seemed to feel a sense of pride.
Upon seeing this, Li Wan, Lu Jinghong, and the others twitched at the corners of their mouths.
Song Zhian and Yu Mili hesitated, unsure how to comment on Sha Ergou's foolish actions.
Surprisingly, upon hearing this, Lan Ruoxi didn't feel embarrassed or angry about interrupting Sha Ergou. After a moment's thought, she glanced at the admiring expression on Sha Ergou's face and calmly nodded.
"good."
Lan Ruoxi gently clasped her hands in a fist salute to the silent Ouyang Rong, a smile playing on her lips:
"Junior Brother Liu, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'll visit you again next time I'm in Qingliang Valley, and I won't stand on ceremony. By the way, if you need any help, you can go to Yutang first, give me my name, and say that we know each other."
She nodded and gave a few words of advice, her tone somewhat serious.
Seeing this, Ouyang Rong didn't say anything, but just nodded heavily, maintaining his dull and taciturn persona.
Sha Ergou, being simple-minded, couldn't stop smiling when he saw this.
Lu Jinghong, standing to the side, became increasingly silent, his head bowed.
Li Wan, standing nearby, noticed that this was acceptable, and her eyes flickered. She swallowed hard, and some thoughts seemed to become clear to her.
She stood up familiarly and poured tea for Lan Ruoxi, saying:
“Please sit, Fairy Lan. Haha, I wonder if Miss Song has introduced me before? I am Jinghong’s mother, surnamed Li, and my given name is not worth mentioning. We are not from Taoyuan Town, but from Fanyang in the north, from the Lu family of Fanyang…”
Li Wan paused, seemingly to put the teapot down again after pouring the tea, before continuing with a smile:
"Haha, I wonder if Fairy Lan has ever heard of the Lu family of Fanyang."
As the noblewoman spoke, she kept a close eye on Lan Ruoxi's expression, and seeing that Lan Ruoxi didn't react much, she quickly added:
"Speaking of which, Jinghong's opportunity to enter Jianze and study at Zhutang was also due to the approval of the Great Goddess. After all, the Great Goddess values Jinghong and allowed me to stay in Jianze to take care of her... Yunmeng Jianze truly deserves to be called a top sword sect in the world. It is fortunate to have such an outstanding person as Fairy Lan today, allowing me and Jinghong to witness her splendor."
Lan Ruoxi's expression remained unchanged. She seemed to have ignored Li Wan's subsequent polite words. After a moment of thought, she said:
"The Lu family of Fanyang? That sounds familiar, but... I've forgotten. I'm sorry, I'm not from the north, and I know very little about things north of Jiangnan. I'm a little ashamed."
Li Wan greeted them with a smile, her demeanor dignified and graceful, and shook her head, saying:
"What are you saying, Fairy Lan? You are devoted to cultivation and do not care about worldly affairs. Jinghong should learn from you."
She hinted indirectly:
"By the way, it's like this, I wonder if Fairy Lan knows anything about the origins of the three goddesses of your sect's Queen's Palace..."
Seeing a slight change in Lan Ruoxi's expression, Li Wan was encouraged and pressed her advantage, saying:
"Actually, the common name of the Three Goddesses Mountain is Lu. Fairy Lan is not wrong. They are from the same clan as us. The Three Goddesses are Jinghong's little aunt..."
Li Wan spoke in a low voice that everyone in the room could hear, then stopped abruptly, as if belatedly realizing that this matter should not be publicized. She quickly changed the subject and beckoned to the taciturn Lu Jinghong beside her:
"Come, come, Jinghong, offer Fairy Lan a cup of tea so we can get acquainted. We mustn't be impolite."
The noblewoman tugged at her somewhat stubborn and inflexible son, then turned to Lan Ruoxi, who was staring directly at her, and said with a fawning smile:
"Please forgive him, Fairy Lan. This boy is just like that. He's shy and honest, and not very good at talking. I hope you'll understand..."
Upon hearing this, everyone was speechless. They all understood that this Madam Li was probably envious of Sha Ergou's good fortune with elders and his extraordinary encounters, and wanted to make arrangements for Lu Jinghong as well... Seeing through it but not saying it, the bystanders did not want to embarrass her.
On the other side, Lan Ruoxi stared at the Lu family mother and son for a while, her expression unchanged, and it was unclear what she was thinking.
After a short while, she asked:
"The three goddesses that Madam Li spoke of, are they Her Highness the Three Goddesses?"
Li Wan nodded expectantly; "That's right."
But Lan Ruoxi's expression turned serious, and her tone became solemn and earnest:
"Madam Li, please be careful with your words. Once you enter the Queen's Palace and remove the Queen's plaque, it means you are going to live in anonymity and serve the Yuanjun. All Queens are like this. Therefore, the Third Queen no longer has the surname of the mountain. Madam Li, it would be best not to spread this around. This is not a joke."
"This time, it's fine if it's in front of us in private, I'll pretend I didn't hear it, but if the senior sisters of Caotang hear it in public another day, that won't be a joke."
"Although the Third Lady once took charge of the Thatched Cottage, the enforcers are even stricter with themselves, especially the Yue women of the Thatched Cottage. They don't care about distance, kinship, or the Lady's feelings. Madam Li, you'd better keep your mouth shut. Otherwise, they won't be as easy to talk to as my junior sister Song and I."
Li Wan froze halfway through the conversation.
After Lan Ruoxi finished her warning, which still retained some leniency, the woman's face turned deathly pale, and she couldn't utter a word.
"Alright, Mother, stop talking."
Lu Jinghong finally moved, raised his head, and pulled Li Wan back to her seat, sitting down again.
Under everyone's gaze, he felt his face burning, as if he had been slapped several times. He tried to remain calm, clasped his hands in a fist salute to Lan Ruoxi, and forced a smile:
"Thank you so much for your guidance, Senior Sister Lan. Your words are truly enlightening. My mother is new here and doesn't quite understand the rules of Jianze. Please forgive her. Haha, my mother and I will definitely take this as a lesson and not repeat it!"
Lan Ruoxi glanced at them and nodded indifferently:
"I hope so."
Song Zhian stepped forward and smoothed things over:
"Senior Sister Lan, we've almost finished lunch. How about this, I'll take them back first, and we can get together again this afternoon. You can rest in the courtyard and wait for me."
"I'll go back first and come back at Shenshi (3-5 PM)."
Lan Ruoxi got up, walked to the door, and before leaving, gave Sha Ergou a light smile:
"Ergou, remember to give my regards to Senior Jiashu and Senior Dongya when you get back."
"oh oh!"
Inside the room, everyone silently watched Lan Ruoxi leave.
After she left, the room was quiet for a while, and no one spoke for a long time.
All eyes turned to Sha Ergou.
The latter was curiously examining the gift of the sword when he noticed the various gazes directed at him. He couldn't help but shrink back and mutter to himself:
"Why are you all staring at me like that...?"
Silence fell over the room once again.
Even the host, Song Zhian, didn't know what to say.
About fifteen minutes later, everyone said goodbye and left, and Song Zhian personally saw them off at the door.
Lu Jinghong and Li Wan walked at the front, said goodbye to Song Zhian at the door, and left in a hurry.
Only Ouyang Rong, Sha Ergou, and Yu Mili remained by the courtyard gate.
Song Zhian turned around and looked at the three of them.
Sha Ergou, holding his sword, stared at Yu Mili, who had turned her head away.
Yu Mili couldn't help but ask him:
"Brother Er Gou, are you... are you sure you're from an ordinary family? You don't have any powerful ancestors like Lady Jianze?"
Sha Ergou shook his head like a rattle drum:
“My house is so dilapidated it leaks. How could I be so lucky? If I were, my sister and I wouldn’t have to come out here to make a living. The village is too poor. My mother told me that three generations of our family have been fishermen in the village. Fishing in the big marsh is too dangerous. My mother didn’t want me to take over the family business before she passed away…”
Yu Mili sighed and counted on her fingers:
"Hey, Brother Er Gou, you win. I'll never compete with you secretly again. Although I'm more talented and stronger than you, you're simply unmatched in terms of luck and fortune. You don't have to do anything, and people will take care of everything for you. Even when you go out for a meal, your senior sister can force a sword into your hand."
She said, somewhat dejected but also curious:
"Sometimes I really wonder if you're some female ruler's illegitimate son. So many senior sisters are so kind to you... Hmm, I think I'll just have to compete with Young Master Lu; he's a bit weaker..."
Sha Ergou: ...
Ouyang Rong and Song Zhian: ...
Fortunately, Lu Jinghong left quickly and wasn't there, otherwise he probably would have vomited blood again and fought Yu Mili, who insulted his character.
Song Zhian said gently:
"Brother Sha, this Jiangfu sword was hard-won, please keep it safe."
"Uh-huh."
Sha Ergou nodded, then looked at Ouyang Rong and asked with concern:
"Brother Liu, are you going back?"
"right."
"Together, Brother Liu."
Soon, Ouyang Rong left with Sha Ergou, and Yu Mili also said goodbye and left.
Song Zhian stood at the courtyard gate, her figure motionless for a long time, her eyes fixed on the direction Sha Ergou had left in. At a moment, she murmured softly:
“Something’s not right. Senior Sister Lan isn’t the kind of person who flatters those in high positions, and she’s always been strict and cautious in her actions. Why would she give away a sword so easily? Brother Sha must have some inside story that outsiders don’t know.”
On the other side, Sha Ergou obediently followed Ouyang Rong for a while, then suddenly said:
"Brother Liu, don't you feel like something's not right?"
Ouyang Rong's face remained calm, and he did not turn around.
It seems to mean...you're only just realizing this now?
Sha Ergou looked at the sword in his arms, a troubled expression on his dark face, and said worriedly:
"My sister often says that the poorer you are, the less favors you should accept from others, because you'll never be able to repay them. And poor people have nothing of value except their lives..."
Ouyang Rong, who was walking in front, suddenly spoke:
“Your sister is a sensible person, listen to her advice.”
(End of this chapter)
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