Chapter 150 The Number One Swordsman in the Martial World
But Xiao Jiuzhu seemed lost in memories, a look of nostalgia on her face, and she didn't say anything.
I was really enjoying the music when it suddenly stopped here, leaving me feeling really itchy.
The little dumpling jumped off the low stool, no longer wanting the hand warmer, and threw it on the table. She eagerly shook Xiao Jiuzhu's arm: "And then what happened? And then what happened, Uncle? And then what happened? Uncle can't just remember it all by himself, we want to hear it too!"
Zijuan and Afu nodded repeatedly, their eagerness to hear the gossip impossible to hide.
Xiao Jiuzhu snapped out of her daze and looked at Pei Ji, who did not say anything to stop her.
Pei Ji had never heard Bai Meiren mention these old stories. He knew that his mother had been just an ordinary palace maid with no parents, but that was all he knew.
His mother always tried her best to protect him and give him whatever she could. He never knew that his mother's life wasn't good before she entered the palace.
Amidst the burning gossip spirits of the group, Xiao Jiuzhu spoke softly, as if that memory was an invaluable treasure to him.
"Later, I gradually recovered under your mother's care, but your mother was criticized by the villagers because of this. However, with me around, they only dared to gossip behind my back, and no one dared to come. I guess that's why your mother kept me at that time."
A man of unknown identity and superb martial arts skills, wielding a long sword half his height, whom no one dared to provoke.
The village chief's son was no exception. During the time Xiao Jiuzhu was there, no one dared to approach. Anyone who did would be scared away by Xiao Jiuzhu, who stood at the door staring at them with dark eyes.
Bai Yue is in a difficult situation and desperately needs a free bodyguard.
Moreover, although Xiao Jiuzhu is recovering from his injuries, he is quite strong and can help her with farm work.
Xiao Jiuzhu chuckled and shook his head, seemingly finding Bai Yue's behavior at the time quite adorable.
"And so, your mother and I worked in the fields together during the day and cooked together at night. This continued for three months, until my injuries were completely healed." Xiao Jiuzhu paused, her smile fading.
"I was ambushed and seriously injured because I was betrayed. The person who injured me had lost to me in a martial arts competition and was not satisfied, so he hired many people to ambush me when I passed through the Song Kingdom. We people in the martial arts world will always seek revenge. Even if I don't seek revenge, it will implicate your mother if they find out that I am with your mother. So I left to seek revenge. Before I left, I told your mother... to wait for me to come back."
Xiao Jiuzhu would remember it for the rest of his life: in the courtyard in early spring, Bai Yue blushed and lowered her head to do her work, pretending not to hear, but in reality, her face was red all the way to the roots of her neck.
A breeze blew by, and they both laughed.
“I went to seek revenge on those people, but they were too scattered. Some were in the State of Song, and some had returned to the State of Jin. It took me a long time to find them.”
“Wait a minute, Master Xiao, are you from the State of Jin?” Afu suddenly interrupted him.
Xiao Jiuzhu nodded: "Yes, I am from Jin, but I wander the world and make my home wherever I go. When I met A Yue, I just happened to be passing by."
Afu scratched his head: "Wait, why does the name Xiao Jiuzhu suddenly sound so familiar?"
Zhui Feng crossed his arms and said calmly, "Star-Picking Sword Technique, Xiao Jiuzhu."
Afu suddenly realized: "Ah! Right, right, right, 'The sword strikes like a shooting star chasing the moon, and the fingers and palms seem to pluck stars from the heavens.' No wonder that sounds so familiar. I've heard of you, the number one swordsman in the martial world who has never been defeated, Xiao Jiuzhu, the founder of the Star-Plucking Sword Technique!"
Sheng Sheng opened her mouth into an "o" shape: "Uncle is so amazing!"
Although she had never heard of it, that didn't stop her from thinking it was amazing.
What Star-Picking Sword Technique? It sounds really awesome!
Pei Ji also looked surprised, and then asked in confusion, "Then why did Mother Consort still go to the palace, but you didn't come back? Did you break your promise?"
The noise subsided, and everyone listened intently to the story.
"...I'm late."
Xiao Jiuzhu lowered his eyes, his fists clenched tightly at his sides, veins bulging.
"I left a large sum of money for A-Yue, but as soon as I left, the villagers started to stir again. Even though I threatened those bastards before I left that I would kill their whole family if they dared to do anything to A-Yue, I still couldn't stop them from bothering her. Fortunately, I had bribed a few people in the village with the money beforehand to take care of A-Yue."
But I never expected that I would be gone for two years. After I took my revenge, my master fell seriously ill, and as his only disciple, I had to go back. After my master passed away, I rushed back to the Song Kingdom after handling the funeral arrangements, only to find an empty house.
The aunt next door said that the people I bribed did listen to me and protect A-Yue at first, but I was gone for too long, far beyond the one year I promised, and they all thought I would never come back.
So they stopped protecting A-Yue. Without her protection, A-Yue was almost forcibly married by that scoundrel from the village chief's family. A-Yue escaped by threatening suicide. A-Yue... also felt she wouldn't go back; she couldn't stay in the village anymore. Fortunately, she was exceptionally beautiful, and it just so happened that palace maids were being selected at that time, so she had no other choice but to enter the palace as a maid.
Everyone was stunned. Anyone who heard the beginning of their story would have assumed that the two lovers would eventually get married, but they never expected it to end in such a missed opportunity.
Sheng Sheng felt a little disappointed. Her late arrival at their appointment caused their life trajectories, which had finally aligned, to diverge once again.
Bai Meiren entered the palace as a maid, and by a twist of fate, she was favored by the emperor and given the title of Meiren, where she gave birth to Pei Ji.
Xiao Jiuzhu sneaked into the palace, and when he saw Bai Yue again after two years, Bai Yue had become the White Beauty.
The beautiful woman in white robes lived in a secluded palace, which was cold and deserted, and so was she.
Xiao Jiuzhu spied on her from the rooftop for a long time, watching her sew tiger-head shoes for the baby, and then he noticed that her belly was protruding and she was already five months pregnant.
Xiao Jiuzhu was momentarily stunned and stepped on the tile.
“Young Master Xiao’s lightness skill has deteriorated.” The white-robed beauty did not raise her head, her silver needles gleaming coldly in the candlelight. “I could hear the hum of your sword even through three palace walls.”
The beautiful woman finally raised her face; her eyes were as beautiful as ever, but veiled with a misty weariness.
Xiao Jiuzhu jumped off the roof, his voice hoarse, and asked her through the window, "You...you were forced into this, weren't you?"
The beautiful woman chuckled softly, lowered her head to continue what she was doing, and said calmly, "How could that be? Becoming the emperor's woman is something many people would rather die for. With the emperor's child, I am the mother of a prince, of the highest honor. How could I be forced?"
Xiao Jiuzhu isn't stupid. The room is so empty; how could she possibly look like someone who's been favored?
Moreover, she was pregnant. How could this be the treatment a woman carrying the imperial heir should receive?
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