Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Perfect Body
In the middle of the night, Rong Linyan tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
His thoughts drifted like a fishing line, sometimes reminiscing about his cousin's affectionate gaze, sometimes recalling the plans he had devised for the sake of the Sword Hall.
Ning Jue is an exceptionally skilled swordsman; one must be wary of him.
Last autumn, when he first arrived in Jiling, he defeated Fu Wei, who came to challenge him, without any chance to fight back. He even easily decided the outcome within ten moves.
As the deputy head of Guihong Sword Hall, Fu Wei's swordsmanship is quite remarkable, and his strength is second only to Rong Linyan. However, Rong Linyan is not entirely confident that he can defeat Fu Wei within ten moves, just like Ning Jue.
Ning Jue's unfathomable strength aroused extreme unease and fear in Rong Linyan.
However, everyone has weaknesses. Ning Jue may seem cold and indifferent on the surface, but he is still unable to escape the inherent flaws of men. It is rumored that Ning Jue is lustful and has extremely high standards, and ordinary women's appearances are not pleasing to his eye.
In the entire Jiling, the undisputed most beautiful woman is none other than her own cousin, Bai Hua. Once the jewel of Jingqi, now fallen and destitute in Jiling, her precious gem is tarnished, and she is being schemed against by them.
Rong Linyan felt a deep sense of shame.
However, faced with the opportunity to rise to the top by becoming the right-hand man of the Great General, Rong Linyan did not want to take any uncontrollable risks.
In the dead of night, he closed his eyes, as if he had already made a decision.
...
Inside the Rong Mansion, in the Lanxiang Residence.
After lunchtime, Bai Hua wanted to digest her food, so she lit a censer and, taking advantage of the bright sunlight, stood in front of the table and practiced calligraphy.
It was also a copy of Yan Fu's calligraphy, but she was only making a transcription; the only other copy in her bag had been given to her aunt the day before.
Because her mother loved calligraphy, Bai Hua was influenced by it from a young age. Under the guidance of famous teachers, she developed a beautiful and vigorous hand in regular script, with lively brushstrokes. She was even praised in public by learned scholars in the private school.
My aunt also enjoyed copying calligraphy, but I rarely saw her display her finished work. Sometimes I would see my two older cousins writing; the eldest cousin's characters were neat and orderly, while the second cousin's characters were crooked and irregular, and were really hard to look at.
Bai Hua calmly wielded her brush, while Xiao You stood beside her, holding an ink stick and slowly grinding the ink.
Grinding ink is a slow and meticulous task that cannot be rushed. However, Xiao You is a restless and impatient person. As she ground the ink, her thoughts drifted uncontrollably into the distance.
She thought of Young Master Rong, calculated the days, and then quietly brought up the topic.
"Now that the young lady has finished her mourning period and Madam Rong's birthday has passed, it's time to prepare for her marriage to Young Master Rong."
Bai Hua, who had been focused and concentrating, was flustered upon hearing this, and her hand became unsteady, causing her to write a vertical stroke off-center.
“Xiao You…” Bai Hua glared at her, looking at the calligraphy she was about to finish with regret, and sighed, “When did this matter become our concern? My aunt is a deep thinker, and I can’t fathom what she’s thinking.”
Xiao You, eager for her wish to come true, hurriedly said, "Miss is related to Madam Rong, so Madam Rong would naturally be delighted with this marriage and would be happy to strengthen the bond between relatives."
Bai Hua pondered silently, a hint of sadness and bewilderment in her eyes.
Seeing the girl like this, Xiao You felt really bad.
Once upon a time, the Bai family was renowned for its honor and the young lady's exceptional beauty and talent. Her fame spread far and wide, and many sons of earls and dukes in the capital showed interest in her. Even the former crown prince had considered marriage to her. If it weren't for Prince Ying's uprising, his ascension to the throne, his imprisonment of the crown prince, and the purge of the remaining members of the Eastern Palace faction, the young lady might very well have become empress.
Back then, when the young master came to the capital to visit relatives, it was a great honor for him to even be able to enter the inner courtyard of the Bai residence and see the young lady.
Now, the Bai family has declined, and even when a young lady marries a merchant's son, she still has to be mindful of others' opinions. Times have changed so much, it's like heaven and earth.
Xiao You couldn't bear to see the young lady so distressed, so she comforted and advised her, "Don't be upset, young lady. Even if Madam Rong isn't in a hurry, Young Master Rong is very affectionate towards you, so he will surely make up his mind soon."
Bai Hua did not continue the conversation, her mind preoccupied with other matters: "The other day when I went to Chenxiang Garden to present a gift, I heard my aunt's implied meaning, as if she thought I had hidden some family property."
Xiao You's eyes widened in surprise, and she murmured softly, "How could that be? It's just that the Second Miss always tries to outdo the Young Lady, which is why she spoke so harshly. Madam Rong, she doesn't..."
Just then, footsteps could be heard coming from outside the courtyard.
Xiao You cautiously stopped talking and moved to the window to look out.
Upon seeing who it was, Xiao You's eyes lit up, and her tone was filled with surprise: "Miss, it's Young Master Rong."
Bai Hua was a little surprised that her cousin was still at home at noon, but she immediately put down her pen, sat down in front of her dressing table to comb her hair, check her makeup, and smooth her hairpins.
As he stood up again, Rong Linyan stepped across the threshold and entered the outer room.
"Hua'er, it's me. Is it a convenient time to talk now?"
Bai Hua said in a gentle voice, "It's convenient, cousin, please come in."
Rong Linyan lifted the beaded curtain and entered, dressed in an indigo brocade robe and cloud-patterned shoes, standing tall and imposing like a pine tree amidst the rising clouds.
Bai Hua took two steps forward, giving him a subtle smile, her hairpin swaying, her peach-blossom cheeks dazzling.
Rong Linyan stared at her intently, his gaze as gentle as ever, but instead of speaking freely as usual, he glanced meaningfully at Xiao You.
Xiao You was perceptive and, sensing the need, immediately said, "I'll go outside and make tea for the young lady and gentleman."
In an instant, only Bai Hua and Rong Linyan remained sitting facing each other in the inner room. Bai Hua looked at Rong Linyan's slightly serious expression and felt a vague unease in her heart, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
Her cousin clearly had something to say, but it probably wouldn't be about marriage. For some reason, a bad feeling crept into her heart.
Rong Linyan finally spoke, his words trembling: "The other day, Hua'er asked me if I had encountered any troublesome matters. At the time, I did not tell her the truth, but in fact, there has been something that has been keeping me tossing and turning day and night, unable to eat or sleep."
Bai Hua was taken aback: "What is it that's troubling you, cousin?"
Rong Linyan nodded and briefly recounted to her the background of the notices posted throughout the city gates of the Great General, revealing his determination to secure the position of the Great General's right-hand man.
Of course, in the end, he vaguely mentioned his potential formidable competitor, Ning Jue.
"Ning Jue is an arrogant and rude man with no affiliation to any sect. He has offended my Jiling Orthodox Sword Sect several times. Those who know his background say that Ning Jue works as an assassin in the martial world, taking money to solve problems for others, and his hands are stained with countless blood. Yet, such a person's swordsmanship is similar to the sword style of my Guihong Sword Hall. He should not be underestimated, and I am not entirely confident that I can defeat him."
Bai Hua listened quietly, holding her breath. Her cousin had never brought up these matters of the martial world in front of her before.
Rong Linyan's face was solemn, and his tone grew increasingly heavy as he continued, "If he takes the lead in the arena and secures that position, I will have no chance of entering officialdom, and my remaining life will likely be as bleak as dust. The disciples of the Sword Sect in Jiling will also have no face to wield a sword again... Now, the only way is to send a trusted person to infiltrate Ning Jue's inner circle, to investigate his strengths and weaknesses, and to understand his swordsmanship and techniques, so that we can know ourselves and our enemy, and have a chance to defeat him in one move. For the Rong family, this is a debt of gratitude beyond measure; for me, it is a debt of gratitude akin to being reborn, and I will never forget it."
Bai Hua's eyelashes trembled slightly; she couldn't pretend not to understand the unspoken meaning behind her cousin's earnest words.
His eyes, in particular, were filled with guilt and reluctance, with bloodshot veins, clearly showing that he had been in great pain and struggled intensely when he made the decision.
Bai Hua felt a tightness in her throat, as if countless cotton fibers were stuck in her mouth and nose, obstructing her breathing.
She paused, a glimmer of hope in her eyes, and whispered, "The person my cousin speaks of whom he trusts... is it me?"
Rong Linyan glanced at it but did not speak frankly.
But isn't this attitude tantamount to acquiescence?
In an instant, Bai Hua felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave, her face turned pale, and her hands and feet went numb.
"Hua'er, once you help me find out Ning Jue's background and memorize his two-stage sword technique that he never reveals, I am confident that I can defeat him. Whether the Rong family can regain its official glory depends on this gamble. When I win the championship, that will be the day I promise to marry you... Hua'er, are you willing to fight for our shared future?"
Rong Linyan's emotions surged, his eyes filled with excitement, and he even impolitely grasped Bai Hua's hand, only to find that her hand was surprisingly cold.
Like the water at the edge of a deep pool in the dead of winter, if you scoop up a handful, it's icy cold to the bone.
He tried to warm it up, but couldn't get it warm quickly, and couldn't help but sigh in frustration.
Bai Hua's gaze drifted blankly into the void. After a long silence, she spoke in a weak voice, "Why, it was me..."
Rong Linyan's voice was hoarse: "Ning Jue is meticulous and has long been wary of Jiling Sword Sect. Therefore, if he wants to spy on someone's private affairs, he needs to find a real face."
Having been in Jiling for a year, Bai Hua, mindful of her status as the daughter of a disgraced official, rarely went out and, apart from the Rong family, never associated with anyone else. Many people in Jiling, having heard of her beauty, tried various excuses to invite her out, wanting to catch a glimpse of her, but Bai Hua refused them all.
She intended to avoid causing trouble for the Rong family, but in the end, she inadvertently helped her cousin's scheme succeed.
Looking back now, it's truly ironic.
But she had no choice; she was under someone else's roof, drifting with the tide, completely powerless to control her own destiny.
Bai Hua's eyes stung slightly, and she forced back her tears, saying, "As my cousin said, that swordsman is unpredictable. How can I protect my life if I stay by his side?"
Rong Linyan immediately assured him: "He does things for money and has never killed an innocent person. Moreover, my plan is thorough and I will definitely ensure that my cousin leaves unharmed."
What's done is done; her cousin has probably already made the decision for her.
Bai Hua asked one last time, "Do your aunts all know about this?"
Rong Linyan shook his head and said earnestly, "I don't know. I will handle this matter alone, and only then can you marry me smoothly."
This statement has a deeper meaning.
In this day and age, a woman's reputation is of paramount importance. What her cousin is asking is tantamount to pushing her into a fire.
But at the same time, he promised to marry her after the deed was done. Did he really not care whether she was a virgin or not, or was he truly confident that his plan was so thorough that he could ensure her safe return?
Bai Hua bit her lip, and as a tear fell, she nodded silently, as if to grant permission.
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