Chapter 130 Flying Snow is Wushuang's Arrival
"Ji Fang!" Feng Shisan was so anxious that he was about to draw his sword. "What did you see? Tell me! I'm begging you!"
Ji Fang looked at A Jiu with a mournful face, "A Jiu, I can only play the submissive role today, but you can't blame me, Xiao Ma is too clever... and Cang Yu's mind is too sharp..."
"Wait!" Feng Shisan interrupted Ji Fang with a fierce shout, pounding his forehead a few times with his fist. He seemed to have figured something out, but insisted on figuring it out himself. "You said, I saw them early this morning, and I saw them too... Isn't it Ajiu and Guan Ye? Xiao Ma said... Ajiu sneaked out in the middle of the night... went out in the middle of the night, and was caught by Ji Fang early this morning... Ouch!" Feng Shisan brandished his sword. "I know, I know!"
"That's enough." Ajiu Liping wiped her forehead, smoothed her hair, and tied it up. Her dark eyes flashed as she said, "Make the commotion even bigger, and it would be best if the shop owner knew about it too."
Xiao Ma raised an eyebrow at A Jiu and clapped his hands, saying, "Great news! Xingguo Ward is celebrating twice as much as it has to do with this. Let the ward master give you two a grand celebration."
Ji Fang, with a shameless grin, poked Ajiu's shoulder. "Ajiu, I never said anything from beginning to end. They were just guessing."
Lou Cangyu's handsome face flushed slightly as he leaned close to Ajiu's ear and said, "We haven't even had a wedding banquet yet, and you two have already gotten married? I, Lou Cangyu, never submit to anyone, and you're the one who's the best." As he spoke, he gave Ajiu a thumbs-up and nodded meaningfully.
Ajiu stood up, sword in hand, and pushed open the door to leave. Though her face was cold, her dark eyes held an undisguised joy. "Don't talk nonsense. A woman's reputation is precious. I will not forgive anyone who hurts Guan Ye."
Xiao Ma stepped onto a stool and said, "Listen and see for yourself! This spirit, this sense of responsibility! If I can't get Ajiu drunk at our future wedding banquet, then I'm not Xiao Ma."
Lou Cangyu pulled off Xiao Ma, and the two of them winked at A Jiu's back again, then followed him out arm in arm. Just as Ji Fang was about to leave, he turned around and saw Feng Shisan still standing there dumbfounded, his eyes wide and bewildered, his face pale and his lips tightly pressed together, as if he would burst into tears if someone poked him. Ji Fang suddenly realized: Young Master Shisan still doesn't know anything.
Outside Xingguo Ward, the sword slaves had already loaded the iron box full of the Golden Swords onto the carriage. Just as the group was about to climb into the carriage, they heard the tinkling of silver bells on the street. Looking in the direction of the sound, they saw two yellow carriages heading towards Xingguo Ward.
"A yellow horse bestowed by the Emperor." Pei Yuan's red hair trembled with excitement. "The Emperor's grace is boundless, and my Pei family will surely serve the Emperor with utmost loyalty."
Guan Ye looked at A Jiu. This was the carriage A Jiu had ridden in. Of course, she knew that the people of Xingguo Ward had benefited from A Jiu's fame. Seeing everyone's jubilation, A Jiu also smiled, lifted the satin curtain, and reached out her hand to Guan Ye.
Guan Ye held the sword box in one hand and put her other hand on A Jiu's wrist as she climbed up into the carriage. The carriage was filled with fragrant incense, which was very pleasant. The cushions were thick and soft, and it felt like sinking into them. The carved walls and frames inside the carriage were all things that Guan Ye had never seen before. Guan Ye reached out to touch them, but then thought about it and withdrew her hand. She moved awkwardly to the corner of the carriage to make room for her.
Ah Jiu beckoned the others to come up, but Ji Fang had just thought of going over when he was dragged away by Xiao Ma. Xiao Ma turned his back and waved meaningfully at Ah Jiu, "We're not used to yellow horses, it's more comfortable to ride in our own carriage."
"I want to ride in a yellow horse carriage," Ji Fang said reluctantly. "I've never ridden one before."
"Silly." Xiao Ma grabbed his and Feng Shisan's arms tightly. "Do you still want to drink at the wedding?"
Ji Fang could only drink Ah Jiu's wedding wine once, but there would be plenty of opportunities to ride in the yellow carriage. He instantly understood and grinned, revealing his white teeth. Lou Cangyu, who was following behind, looked back heavily. He also wanted to ride in the imperial carriage, but that would have to be the one that came to welcome him, Lou Cangyu. He didn't want to bask in Ah Jiu's glory.
"What's wrong with them?" Seeing Ji Fang and the others playfully getting into the carriage in Xingguo Ward, Guan Ye noticed something and her face flushed. "That damned Ji Fang, what happened to the promise that he'd be the grandson?"
Ah Jiu chuckled softly, "Ji Fang is timid but loyal; he didn't say a single word."
Guan Ye pondered and said, "Then it must be Xiao Ma. Xiao Ma is cunning and can get people to reveal themselves with just a few words."
Ah Jiu put his arm around Guan Ye's shoulder. The passionate night before was still unforgettable. Ah Jiu pressed his forehead against Guan Ye's and tried to kiss her again, but their lips touched and he stopped with difficulty. He only used his palm to caress Guan Ye's cheeks, again and again.
"After everything is settled, Guan Ye, would you be willing to come with me?" A-Jiu asked softly.
"Where to?" Guan Ye replied to A Jiu.
“Go…” Ajiu leaned back against the edge of the carriage. Yes, the world is vast, but where could they go? Should they take Guan Ye back to Cangshan, or back to Canglang Island?
Guan Ye opened her calloused palms and said, "It doesn't matter where we go. I can forge iron, so I can set up a shop anywhere. You can be my sword slave, carrying bags of fuel for me, and you can even test swords. With our skills, we won't starve anywhere."
Ah Jiu chuckled reassuringly, "Don't you mind that I can't carry the heavy loads and can't produce good materials? That I'll hold you back and ruin your reputation as the world's number one blacksmith?"
Guan Ye tapped A Jiu's firm arm and said, "Eat more and practice more to gain strength. If you don't know how to cook, I'll teach you."
“You said it yourself.” Ajiu’s eyes were serious. “When that time comes, Master Guan, I, Ajiu, will follow you.”
Lifting the carriage curtain, the palace gates were already in sight. The young swordsmen inside the carriage cheered. Ji Fang adjusted the position of his headband, letting everyone look at it one by one. He still felt it wasn't upright enough. If he pulled it off, he would seem eccentric and might be mistaken for an outsider by the Emperor and thrown out. No, he still had to try again.
"Little Ma, take another look, just one last time," Ji Fang pleaded. "Is my headband tied straight?"
"Perfect, even more perfect than a ruler." Little Ma didn't even glance at the palace gates, peering closer and closer. His father had told him many stories of Rongdu, but never about the palace. It seemed his father had never been inside. And had his grandfather ever met the Emperor…?
"Cangyu!" Little Ma suddenly noticed something. "Why are there several carriages ahead?"
Lou Cangyu slightly raised his eyelids. "The palace gates are busy, so it's not surprising to see carriages coming and going."
"It seems to be someone from the Inner Workshop." Xiao Ma looked at the red flag fluttering on the roof of the carriage. The flag was printed with a block-shaped jade seal pattern. Xiao Ma remembered that the Inner Workshop mostly had objects with jade seal patterns, so it must be the mark of the Inner Workshop.
The inner palace? Lou Cangyu suddenly regained her stern demeanor. With just one glance, Lou Cangyu recognized the carriage in front of her. The inner palace. Wushuang did not lie; she really had also brought weapons into the palace.
"Oh no!" Little Horse exclaimed, realizing something was amiss. "Something's not right with that carriage."
Ji Fang and Feng Shisan peered over, their eyes practically popping out of their sockets, but they still couldn't see anything amiss. Lou Cangyu stammered, "Little Ma, don't make such a fuss. The inner ward belongs to the imperial court. We're presenting our swords, so it's not a big deal for them to come and observe. The palace gates aren't yours to guard. Do you think only our ward is allowed to enter?"
"Lou Cangyu..." Xiao Ma was about to speak when Lou Cangyu interrupted him again.
"Today is a good day for everyone in the neighborhood. How long have we been waiting? We've all arrived at the palace gate. Even the neighborhood head will be unhappy if he hears this." Lou Cangyu glanced at Feng Shisan, who had been holding a sword the whole way. "Young Master Shisan has been eager to try his skills for a long time. Even Ji Fang has been practicing hard every night, just waiting to be qualified to perform in front of the emperor. Don't spoil everyone's mood."
"Lou Cangyu, you..." Xiao Ma sensed something, glanced at Cangyu, and stopped talking.
"The inner carriage." Guan Ye shouted, pointing ahead from inside the yellow carriage.
"Why are you from the inner quarters too?" Ajiu asked suspiciously. "How did you figure that out?"
“Look at the hidden pattern on the flag, it’s the jade seal pattern.” Guan Ye gestured. “Each workshop has its own mark: a swan and a flying bird, a Xingguo scimitar. The inner workshop has the jade seal pattern, so it must be the carriage of the inner workshop.”
Following Guan Ye's direction, Ajiu looked up and saw the red flag fluttering on the roof of the carriage, with the jade seal pattern faintly visible. Guan Ye had never been wrong.
Guan Ye stared intently at the trajectory of the carriage ahead, her brow furrowing deeper and deeper. "There's something wrong with the carriage; it's loaded with weapons."
"Weapons?" Ajiu became nervous. "Today is the day Xingguo Ward is presenting swords. What are the inner wards doing bringing weapons?"
Guan Ye clenched her fist. "It's a whole cartload of weapons. Look." Guan Ye pointed to the cart wheels and asked A Jiu to look. "We brought a hundred swords, and the cart weighs five hundred jin. The wheels will bend under the weight. Even the best horse will have a hard time pulling it. Look at the carriages in the inner quarters. Aren't they just as strained as ours carrying swords?"
"Is that so?" A-Jiu clicked her tongue in disapproval. "Could it be... that the inner chambers will also be presenting swords today?"
Guan Ye shook her head, "The Eagle Guard's orders are handled by Xingguo Workshop, and the inner workshop's sword-making... I haven't heard Mu Chenbi mention it either..."
Ah Jiu gently stroked the sword box in Guan Ye's hand, "If I'm not mistaken... there will be another sword test between the two guilds before the Emperor today."
Zetian Hall
Mu Chenbi had been standing on the white marble steps for a long time. The snow that fell overnight had covered the palace eaves in a beautiful white blanket. The snow on the bluestone palace path had been swept away, and the palace servants were sweeping in an orderly fashion. The sound of cart wheels grew louder as everyone approached. Everyone knew that today was the day Xingguo Ward would present the sword.
"Your subject greets Your Highness, the Crown Prince."
Upon hearing Mu Lexiu's voice, a look of confusion crossed Mu Chenbi's face, and his phoenix eyelashes lowered slightly. "Usually when I present the sword, you run as far away as possible. Why are you suddenly interested today?"
"Just out of curiosity." Mu Lexiu said frankly, "Xingguofang was able to stay in Rongdu even after being defeated in front of the emperor, and even gained the emperor's favor. The Eagle Guard used the Xuan Tie sword for many years, but the emperor replaced it with the Liu Jin sword with just one word. I suppose this Liu Jin sword must be very powerful."
"Is that all?" Mu Chenbi turned to look at his younger brother.
Mu Lexiu looked at the palace and said, "Look, they've arrived."
Several carriages drove along the palace road, and it was vaguely discernible that they belonged to two different workshops. The inner workshop? Mu Chenbi stared intently, his heart skipped a beat.
"Huh?" Mu Lexiu pointed in surprise and said, "Today is the day Xingguo Ward presents its swords, why are the Inner Wards here too?"
Mu Chenbi's face darkened. "You knew all along."
Mu Lexiu waved his hands repeatedly, looking innocent. "Your Majesty, I only came out of curiosity. When have you ever seen me get involved in the weapons workshop?"
Mu Chenbi lightly twirled the dragon-patterned jade buckle at her waist. "Xingguo Workshop is commissioned by the Emperor to forge swords. Now that this order is completed, the inner workshop has nothing to say. I advise you to take the main road and not be misled into taking the side path."
"Is Your Majesty referring to me, or are you implying something about the Inner Workshop?" Mu Lexiu chuckled, a hint of mockery in his pale face. "I don't understand weaponry, but I do know that the Inner Workshop is under the jurisdiction of the court. Although their skills are mediocre, they have been loyal for twenty years. They have worked hard, even if they haven't achieved anything great. They are a thousand times more trustworthy than those workshops that claim to have the best skills in the world but collude with traitors and harbor evil intentions. Xingguo Workshop has been outside the court's control for many years. A group of deserters from a deserted island of dubious origin, I don't know what kind of crooked magic they used to forge the Meteor Sword, and they actually managed to leap over the dragon gate and enter the emperor's feet? Your Majesty would rather believe them than give the Inner Workshop another chance?"
Seeing that Mu Chenbi remained silent, Mu Lexiu went a step further, "Brother, don't forget that the inner workshop was the winner in the Lingbo Terrace sword test. The fact that Xingguo Workshop was able to stay in Rongdu must be because of your good words."
"Insolence!" Mu Chenbi scolded. "If you don't understand weapons, don't spout nonsense."
Mu Lexiu remained calm, his narrow eyes fixed on the carriage that had stopped in the inner chamber. A faint smile played on his lips. He knew that Wushuang had arrived.
“Your Majesty, I do not yet understand.” Mu Lexiu approached the white jade steps. “But it is not only Your Majesty and Xingguo Fang who understand weapons. Look, Your Majesty, she is here.”
The carriage curtain was lifted, and Wushuang, wearing a veil, calmly stepped down from the carriage. She was dressed in a white fox fur coat over a blue long robe. Snowflakes fluttered down and landed on her high-bun hairstyle. Wushuang leisurely looked up, letting the cold snowflakes fall on her smooth face. After a moment, she slowly lowered her brows and calmly looked around at the palace in the snow. Standing tall under the Zetian Palace, she was like a plum blossom braving the frost and snow, making it difficult to look directly at her.
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