Chapter 9 Proving Loyalty
The next morning, Bai Hua diligently prepared breakfast for Ning Jue, hoping to strike while the iron was hot and further increase their favorability based on their contact during the healing process the previous night.
She personally made a steamer of dumplings, filling them with fresh pork and bok choy, and also cooked a sweet porridge with white fungus and longan to nourish the stomach. The ingredients were brought by Zang Fan yesterday, so she decided to use them to present to him.
When Ning Jue came out of the bathroom, Bai Hua was setting the food on the table. Noticing him, she looked up and smiled at Ning Jue.
After setting out the bowls and chopsticks, she prepared to leave, but just as she was about to take a step, she heard a voice say, "Let's eat together."
Ning Jue didn't look in her direction, but his words were clearly directed at her.
For the previous meals, she had always adhered to the duties of a maid and refrained from sitting at the table. Ning Jue had not invited her to join him either, so she accepted this master-servant relationship. Although she felt uncomfortable due to the difference in their social status, she was not pretentious and took the initiative to overcome it. She put aside her pride and did not feel humiliated or wronged.
His sudden mention of it left Bai Hua somewhat confused, and she hesitated to move.
Ning Jue fixed his gaze on her and said again, "We'll eat together from now on, no need to avoid each other."
Bai Hua nodded blankly and did as she was told, sitting down opposite Ning Jue. Remembering that she didn't have any bowls or chopsticks, she went out to run some more. After sitting down again, neither of them spoke and they silently enjoyed the steaming hot meat dumplings.
The atmosphere was so quiet that even the sounds of chewing were amplified several times over.
Bai Hua slowly scooped up the soup with a ladle, glancing forward furtively as she drank. Ning Jue ate slowly and deliberately, seemingly quite satisfied with her cooking. There were eight dumplings in the bowl, and he had already eaten the last few.
Bai Hua wanted to improve her chances of getting on Ning Jue's good side and gain his trust as soon as possible, so she mustered up her courage and asked with concern, "How are you injured, young master?"
Ning Jue didn't look up, and replied, "I'm fine now."
Such a severe injury could not possibly heal so quickly... This was clearly Ning Jue's perfunctory excuse to avoid telling her the truth.
Bai Hua didn't press further, but instead sweetly inquired, "Bowls and sweet porridge are easy to digest and suitable for those recovering from injuries. Is one bowl enough for you, young master? If not, A Peng will go and get you some more."
This was her little trick.
When she was serving Ning Jue the bowl, she deliberately gave him less than the usual amount of food a young man would eat. Her intention was that when he returned the bowl, he would talk to her, bother her, or ask her to do something, as long as he didn't ignore her and treat her like she was invisible.
Ning Jue had just finished eating the last dumpling when he heard this. He hesitated for a moment, but in the end, he handed the bowl over.
He didn't feel comfortable treating Bai Hua as a servant, and his words carried an unnatural politeness: "Thank you."
Bai Hua smiled at him, ran out with the bowl in her arms, and when she came back, she stared at him without blinking, without immediately returning the bowl.
Ning Jue looked up, puzzled.
Bai Hua's eyes were deep, and she gazed at him with a smile: "Young master, do you like the dumplings that A Peng made?"
The answer is obvious; they've already finished a whole bowl.
But she insisted on asking one more question to deepen Ning Jue's impression. Since she had put in the effort and worked hard, she naturally wanted to gain more benefits for herself.
Ning Jue remained silent, took the bowl, and without saying a word or looking at her again, lowered his head and continued eating, as if he hadn't heard her words.
Seeing this, Bai Hua's smile faded, and she didn't have the courage to ask any further questions.
Feeling melancholy, she thought, "I should take it slow. I can't get too carried away right now. It's safest to stay in the right place."
She ate with Ning Jue for a while longer, but her mind wasn't on Ning Jue; she was only thinking about how to pass today's test.
Testing loyalty, but to what extent is loyalty sufficient?
Zang Fan didn't clearly define the standard. Was it to diligently take care of the master's daily life? Or to stay by the master's side and help them overcome their current difficulties? Or perhaps it was to be loyal to the master and sacrifice oneself?
However, these things take time to reveal their true character; they can't be shown in a day. The test questions set by Zang Fan had obvious flaws from the very beginning.
This is so difficult...
Bai Hua silently drank the delicious soup, but the more she drank, the less she could taste its flavor.
She sadly put down her spoon, but Ning Jue suddenly spoke, startling her heart.
Why do you look so dejected?
Bai Hua: "I..."
Was her emotion so obviously displayed on her face?
Bai Hua was taken aback at first, but quickly covered up her mistake after realizing it. Once her expression returned to calm, she looked up and met Ning Jue's gaze.
Feeling guilty, she stammered, "No, no."
Ning Jue didn't make things difficult for her; instead, she answered her earlier question: "It's delicious."
Bai Hua: "What?"
Hasn't this chapter already been turned over?
Ning Jue countered, "Isn't that what's causing your frustration?"
No!
Bai Hua nodded, her words contradicting her true feelings, and replied, "Yes!"
Ning Jue, with an expression of certainty, patiently repeated, "I really appreciate your cooking skills. Don't disappoint me."
Bai Hua was surprised, but also delighted. After calming down, she immediately smiled and became very attentive: "If you want to eat it, Young Master, A Peng will make it for you anytime. The quantity and the taste are guaranteed."
Ning Jue hummed in agreement, lowered his head to scoop soup, and looked slightly uncomfortable. Then, as if remembering something, he immediately changed his mind and said, "Let's pass the test first."
"Yes, young master."
Bai Hua gazed at him with a look of deep gratitude in her eyes and expression, but this time, Ning Jue no longer looked at her.
...
Not long after breakfast, the uninvited guest Zang Fan appeared in the bamboo house in a menacing manner.
Bai Hua's fear of seeing him was not feigned; after all, she would be scrutinized and suspected by him every time they met, so how could she be so carefree as to not care?
Zang Fan's targeting of her was obvious. As soon as he entered, he asked, "I already told you the test questions yesterday. If you can't pass today, hurry up and go down the mountain."
Upon hearing the request, Bai Hua quickly asked, "Young Master Zang, when did we agree on a one-day limit?"
Zang Fan didn't answer, but turned to Ning Jue: "Didn't you say she passed one level a day?"
Ning Jue replied truthfully, "Yes."
Bai Hua quickly explained, "I used to pass one level a day, but Young Master Ning never told me the specific time limit. You can't just reduce my thinking time because I'm quick-witted and pass the levels quickly. Besides, the difficulty of the levels is different."
Zang Fan scoffed, looking at her as if she were a joke, and asked Ning Jue, "Having traveled the world for so many years, have you ever seen such a shameless person who boasts so much?"
Ning Jue didn't want to express his opinion, but seeing Bai Hua's embarrassed expression with her eyes downcast, the corners of his mouth unconsciously lifted slightly.
He then glanced at Bai Hua and commented, "She is a little smug."
Bai Hua looked at Ning Jue with a wronged expression, trying to bargain, but the latter seemed helpless. Seeing Qing's performance, Bai Hua felt even more uncertain.
Zang Fan gloated, looking Bai Hua up and down and saying sarcastically, "Looking at anyone else is useless, only your ability matters. Also, take these medicines and brew them now, twice a day, don't miss a dose."
It turned out to be Ning Gongzi's healing medicine, but according to Bai Hua's observation, the internal herbal medicines brought by Zang Fan were not very effective, far less so than the bottles and jars in Ning Gongzi's room.
Ning Jue said with a displeased expression, "There are still many dishes left to eat, why bring more today? It's a waste of money."
Zang Fan was sincere: "What's the waste? Of course, it's good to save up in advance for emergencies. Your injury needs to heal slowly, and I don't think this is enough."
Upon hearing this, Ning Jue felt a bitter taste involuntarily spread across her palate, and she felt a strong sense of resistance.
Bai Hua observed secretly and quickly figured out what was going on. Perhaps Young Master Ning was... afraid of taking bitter medicine?
The formidable swordsman, fearless and awe-inspiring, was actually hesitant to take medicine.
With this absurd conjecture in mind, Bai Hua smiled and took action, picking up the clay pot, taking the herbs, and quickly going outside to the eaves to start a fire and boil them.
Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at Ning Jue and saw that he indeed looked helpless. She couldn't help but smile. She had guessed right.
Ning Jue noticed and looked back.
Bai Hua immediately lowered her head in a guilty manner.
Ning Jue shook her head. On the matter of urging him to take his medicine, she and Zang Fan were unusually united and no longer at odds.
Bai Hua was busy working under the eaves, while Ning Jue and Zang Fan returned to the main house one after the other.
After closing the door, Zang Fan asked Ning Jue casually, "Isn't it much more comfortable to have pretty young girls serving you so attentively than when you were all alone?"
Ning Jue frowned, his words harsh: "If you don't want your tongue, you can just say so."
That bad temper...
Zang Fan immediately protested, "What are you thinking! I'm saying you have someone taking care of your three meals a day, your injuries, and your medicine. What do you think that's comfortable?"
Ning Jue did not reply, too lazy to argue with him.
...
The morning passed peacefully.
Outside the window, the bamboo rustled softly, a scene of autumnal beauty. The three of them stayed in the wooden house, where a charcoal stove burned in the center, creating a comfortable and warm atmosphere.
Ning Jue and Zang Fan were engrossed in playing chess, while Bai Hua stood silently by, serving tea.
After two rounds, Zang Fan adopted a confident posture and pretended to kindly remind her, "Miss Apeng, half a day is almost over. If you don't think of a way to prove your loyalty soon, you'll have to pack your bags and leave when the sun goes down."
Bai Hua stepped forward with a forced smile to pour tea for Zang Fan, saying respectfully, "Serving your master wholeheartedly is also a sign of loyalty."
She filled a cup to the brim and poured another for Ning Jue, her smile growing even brighter.
Unfortunately, Ning Jue didn't look at her. He placed the chess piece down, focused on the chessboard, and calmly considered his own strategy.
Zang Fan gave a mocking smile, took a sip of tea unhurriedly, and shattered Bai Hua's illusions: "If it were that simple, even if you passed, what would be the point of having me here? When Ning Jue was handling things alone, you could still try to be clever, but with me here, there's no way you can get away with it."
He had an incorruptible demeanor and spoke with absolute certainty.
Bai Hua pursed her lips, her heart filled with trepidation. Watching Ning Jue intently playing the chess game, she knew she could no longer naively pin her hopes on Ning Gongzi's soft heart.
She has to fight for it herself.
It was almost noon, time to prepare lunch. Bai Hua could sense Ning Jue's satisfaction with her cooking skills. Back in Jingqi, she was also a pampered young lady from the Earl's mansion who never lifted a finger in the kitchen. Later, she moved to Jiling and lived with her aunt. She studied diligently and learned many kitchen skills in order to please her elders.
Who would have thought she would be in this situation today, that her skill in cooking would become her advantage in making a living?
Thinking back to today being the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, my cousin once said that every month on the fifth and seventh day, a market would be opened on Xianyang Mountain, and many peddlers would carry their wares up the mountain to sell their wares.
After a moment's thought, Bai Hua had an idea.
The situation was critical, and she could no longer leave things to fate. Rather than watching the game in silence and feeling anxious, she decided to go to the market, buy fresh ingredients, and show off her culinary skills to win over Young Master Ning's stomach.
In the quiet and peaceful village, there was no danger of swords and shadows waiting for her to sacrifice herself to protect her master. The only loyalty she could offer was to prepare a hot and delicious meal, as a final effort to win him over.
...
Bai Hua originally planned to go out alone, but Zang Fan, fearing she might try something funny, insisted that the three of them go together for easier supervision.
She was unwilling, but she had no choice but to accept it.
On the way down the mountain, Zang Fan kept chattering, either picking on her, saying that it was presumptuous of him to use the master's money to buy things, or pretending to scare her, saying in a low voice that there were wolves in the mountains, who were nocturnal and only liked to eat those with tender skin.
Bai Hua could tell that Zang Fan was deliberately making things difficult for her and trying to upset her. Since that was the case, she might as well play along.
Hearing Zang Fan's increasingly audacious imitation of a wolf's howl, Bai Hua could no longer bear it. Feigning fright, she timidly grabbed Ning Jue's sleeve, leaning closer to him with a soft, yielding voice, and asked, "Young Master, is what he said true? Are there really wolves in the mountains?"
Seeing her suddenly become coy and affected, Zang Fan's face darkened, and he quickly reached out to try to pull her away from Ning Jue.
Before her hand could even touch her, Bai Hua had already nimbly dodged and moved to Ning Jue's right side.
She blinked, looked up at Ning Jue, and said pitifully, "A Peng doesn't know martial arts. If we really encounter a wild beast, we'll have to rely on you for protection, young master."
After saying that, he reached out and shook Ning Jue's sleeve, looking like he was earnestly pleading.
Seeing her tricks coming one after another, Zang Fan gritted his teeth and said, "Ning Jue, you're going to tolerate such clumsy acting?"
Ning Jue didn't brush away Bai Hua's hand, maintaining his pace, and calmly asked, "There are no fierce birds on the mountain, why do you want to scare her?"
Zang Fan stared in disbelief: "You..."
He had nothing to say, so he simply turned his hand away, angrily quickened his pace, and decided to stay away from them so he wouldn't have to see them anymore.
Bai Hua ignored Zang Fan and quietly followed beside Ning Jue, her heart pounding.
Ning Jue reminded her, "Aren't you going to let go?"
He gestured to the hem of his shirt.
Bai Hua was a beat slow to react. Upon hearing this, she quickly let go, a sense of unreality belatedly welling up in her heart.
Just now, when she reached out to pull Ning Jue, she was actually very uneasy, afraid of being ruthlessly shaken off, but she didn't expect that in the end it was Zang Fan who was angered and left.
Whether it was her pitiful performance that worked, or Zang Fan's excessive chatter that annoyed Ning Jue, it's hard to tell.
Bai Hua's thoughts were in disarray, but she had no time to think further. The journey down the mountain was not far, and they soon arrived at Green Ivy Village halfway up the mountain. Near the village entrance, villagers and vendors came and went, and children chased and played. Today's market was very lively.
Zang Fan suddenly appeared, holding two strings of candied hawthorns, which he had obviously just bought.
He ignored Bai Hua, ate one himself, and handed one to Ning Jue.
Ning Jue took it, thought for a moment, and then turned to ask Bai Hua if she wanted it.
Under Zang Fan's fierce, warning gaze, Bai Hua happily accepted the candied hawthorn and sweetly ate one: "Thank you, Young Master Zang."
Ning Jue was too lazy to join in their back-and-forth eye contact and walked over to the fishmonger's stall to inquire about the price of carp that day.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Zang Fan approached Bai Hua and said with ill intent, "Is it delicious? Aren't you afraid I'll poison it?"
Bai Hua's hand trembled, and she looked at him in fear.
Zang Fan smiled triumphantly, now it was his turn to be smug: "If you are truly loyal, would you risk your life to protect Ning Jue when he is in danger?"
There's no need to consider these kinds of questions; since it's just a hypothetical situation, she'll naturally answer in the sweetest way possible.
Bai Hua replied without hesitation, "Of course, I will go without looking back."
Zang Fan mocked her, "Is that so? Then I'll wait and see."
After saying that, the person turned and left.
Bai Hua stood there, her heart pounding. Zang Fan's words were certainly enough to make her think.
Let's wait and see... It's just a market day, what can he expect?
Could it be!
Bai Hua took a breath, and a highly probable guess suddenly popped into her mind—perhaps Zang Fan planned to find someone to impersonate an assassin and pretend to attack Ning Jue in order to test her loyalty?
Given Zang Fan's unconventional and independent style of doing things, this is entirely possible.
Bai Hua became wary, glancing around to find someone suspicious.
Unfortunately, her eyesight was poor, and after staring for a long time, she couldn't figure it out. She had to narrow down her search area and pay close attention to the villagers and pedestrians walking around Young Master Ning.
So, in the bustling market, Bai Hua stayed close to Ning Jue, watching him talk to the fishmongers and vegetable vendors, remaining vigilant the whole time. When Ning Jue looked at her in confusion, she took his money bag and said she would take care of paying the bill. Meanwhile, Zang Fan, who was standing a little further away, was focused on Bai Hua. He was wary, fearing that she might secretly attack Ning Jue.
Although it's suicidal, it's something we still have to be wary of.
Before long, a group of young children ran out from the village entrance, chasing and playing. They chattered and surrounded the peddler's cart, waiting for him to put on the Monkey King mask and tease them as usual.
This scene seems familiar.
On the day she went up the mountain, Bai Hua witnessed a heartwarming interaction between the peddler and the children.
This time, however, the unfamiliar peddler was not friendly to the children, and his tone was full of impatience: "Go away, go away, go play somewhere else. What are you doing bothering me if you don't have money?"
The children were frightened; their smiles vanished, and the anticipation in their eyes disappeared.
Some of them had red eyes, and some couldn't help but shed tears.
Bai Hua couldn't stand it, and wanted to step forward, but then she considered that the money on her wasn't her own, so she couldn't be the good person and had to hesitate.
Ning Jue followed her gaze and asked, "What's wrong?"
Bai Hua looked up at him with a troubled expression: "Young master, may I borrow some money from you? I..."
Ning Jue had also heard the commotion and guessed what she was going to do: "You want to buy that Monkey King mask?"
Bai Hua nodded shyly, knowing full well that her actions were causing trouble, but she still couldn't bear to see the disappointed expressions on the children's faces.
“The mask is not worth a few copper coins, and you worked hard cooking before, so you deserve a reward. If you want to spend some money, it is not considered a loan.”
Bai Hua's eyes lit up, her heart stirred, and she looked at Ning Jue with gratitude.
Ning Jue raised an eyebrow, gesturing for her to come over together.
He walked ahead, with Bai Hua close behind, the two of them walking one after the other to the peddler's cart stall.
"How much is this?" Ning Jue asked, pointing to the Monkey King mask on the shelf.
Seeing that someone wanted to buy something, the peddler's impatient expression immediately turned into a fawning smile: "Three copper coins."
Bai Hua stood to the side with a cold expression. Upon hearing this, she took out three copper coins from her purse and handed them over: "We'll take them."
"Alright." The peddler chuckled, tiptoed to take the mask from the top shelf, glanced back at Bai Hua, and then fixed his gaze on Ning Jue. "Young master, please take this."
Ning Jue took the mask and handed it to one of the older children, saying, "Here you go, take it and play with it."
The little boy, who had initially looked aggrieved, looked up in disbelief, blinking his eyelashes.
Bai Hua squatted down and patted the little boy's head, saying gently, "Take it, it's a gift from your brother."
Only then did the children believe it, their eyes bright and innocent, their smiles genuine and childlike: "Thank you, big brother, thank you, big sister."
After saying that, the little boy who was leading the way ran ahead, holding up the Monkey King mask, followed by a long tail. The children ran together, laughing and joking, towards the village.
Bai Hua's gaze followed, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up.
As he looked away, his peripheral vision inadvertently swept to the side and he saw the peddler staring intently at Ning Jue with an unfriendly and unusual gaze.
What's even more striking is that he had one hand hidden behind his back, his upper body slightly leaning forward, assuming an attack stance.
Bai Hua's heart skipped a beat. She was about to remind Ning Jue, but then she thought of Zang Fan, and her tension immediately dissipated. She then felt a sense of luck.
He had already leaked the questions...
What's so scary about a fake assassin? They're all Zang Fan's people anyway. Even if they attack Ning Jue, it's just for show. She can just pretend to protect her master and shield him, and easily pass Young Master Ning's test of loyalty.
With this thought in mind, the moment the peddler rushed over with a dagger in hand, Bai Hua swiftly threw herself into Ning Jue's arms.
Ning Jue was no ordinary man; he had already noticed something unusual. He had a mocking smile on his lips and was preparing to raise his sword sheath to block the force of the dagger and capture the attacker. However, he was caught off guard and pounced on.
Almost simultaneously, a slightly trembling, mournful voice rang in my ears: "Young master, be careful!"
His heart fluttered at that hug.
As a result, the raised scabbard lost its grip and shifted, failing to completely deflect the thrusting dagger. The remaining force swept over, slashing Bai Hua's left shoulder. It wasn't serious, but it drew blood.
Bai Hua frowned, her waist went limp, and she whimpered in pain as she nestled in Ning Jue's arms, her eyes instantly reddening.
"Young Master..."
Ning Jue's eyes flashed with malice, and he crushed the pursuing assassin with a single palm strike.
Bai Hua tugged at his clothes, weak and listless. Ning Jue lowered his eyes and replied with difficulty, "I'm here, don't be afraid."
The peddler made a mistake and immediately called on his hidden companions to surround Ning Jue. Zang Fan arrived just in time and got into a fight with the group.
With swords flashing and blood splattering, the villagers and vendors watching were terrified and fled in panic. Seeing no chance to strike, the assassins decisively withdrew, disguising themselves as they mingled with the local villagers and slipping away in the chaos.
"Don't pursue."
Ning Jue was pale and his right arm was weak. He called Zang Fan back.
Zang Fan turned around and saw Ning Jue standing up, picking up Bai Hua, quickening his pace as he headed straight up the mountain amidst the chaos of objects and people.
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