Broken Linglong (6)
"I am Qin Zhiqing, a member of the Qin family of Youcheng." Qin Zhiqing bowed slightly and then took her seat. "It is truly an honor for Miss Ye to travel a long way to attend my wedding with Young Master Qi."
Although Qin Zhiqing said this, there wasn't a trace of a smile on her face. Ye Yingying saw this and flattered her, saying, "Not at all, not at all. I've heard that Miss Qin is exceptionally talented and beautiful. I've long wanted to see what kind of woman can defeat Young Master Zhao!"
"Young Master Zhao is exceptionally strong and highly skilled in martial arts. I only managed to defeat him once at the Gathering of Heroes by sheer luck. I am not worthy of such a reputation."
"Miss Qin is too modest. The Gathering of Heroes is such a prestigious occasion, and those who can come out on top there are no ordinary people," Ye Yingying said with a smile. "Young Master Qi is truly blessed to be able to marry such an outstanding person as you."
Qi Shuojun waved her fan smugly: "I like what you said. I didn't realize Miss Ye was so eloquent."
Ye Yingying feigned surprise: "I'm telling the truth. You two are a perfect match, a match made in heaven!"
Zhao Yuxiao, who was drinking tea, paused slightly, inwardly rolling his eyes. Who was it that guessed the bride had a lover yesterday? Their mood changes faster than flipping through a book. Under the cover of drinking tea, Zhao Yuxiao secretly observed Qin Zhiqing, only to find her expression unchanged, still possessing the aloof demeanor of a noble lady.
Zhao Yuxiao didn't have many memories of Qin Zhiqing, only two: one was that she beat him at the Heroes' Gathering, and the other was that she was betrothed to Qi Shuojun as a child. Today was also the first time he had seen Qin Zhiqing in many years. Ye Yingying had been praising her for a long time, but she was unmoved. She didn't seem to care much about her upcoming marriage to Qi Shuojun. Even her way of addressing her was unusually distant. Could it be that she really had a lover when she went out at night?
Ye Yingying naturally noticed Qin Zhiqing's coldness, but since they had only exchanged a few words, it was quite normal. So she changed her approach and continued, "Actually, I've always been curious, Miss Qin, how did you defeat Young Master Zhao at the Heroes' Gathering?"
"this……"
Qin Zhiqing glanced hesitantly at Zhao Yuxiao beside her. The Lingyun Alliance was always a powerhouse at the Gathering of Heroes, and Zhao Yuxiao, as its young master, was the focus of attention that year; almost everyone assumed he would be the champion. Among aristocratic families, etiquette and face were paramount. Her defeat of Zhao Yuxiao was already a slap in the face to the Lingyun Alliance. Although there were no elders present and the rules were more relaxed, how could she dare to rub salt in his wounds in his wounds in front of him?
"Oh, it's nothing serious, Miss Qin, please speak freely." Zhao Yuxiao waved his hand generously.
"In that case, why don't I tell you?" Qi Shuojun's eyes lit up; he was the kind of person who would expose his brother's shortcomings.
Qi Shuojun snapped her folding fan shut and vividly recounted the scene: "During their final match, one wielded a sword, the other played the zither. Brother Xiao was initially hesitant because his opponent was a woman, intending to give her a handicap. But Zhiqing didn't give him a chance at all, unleashing several notes from her zither, catching him completely off guard. After that, Brother Xiao was in a terrible state, getting completely overwhelmed and beaten for a long time. He finally managed to get close to her... and guess what!"
"Zhiqing drew a slender sword from the zither case and blocked Brother Xiao's full-force attack! Brother Xiao was stunned at the time. Then Zhiqing abandoned the zither and began to wield the sword, forcing Brother Xiao's footwork into chaos. In the end, alas..."
Qi Shuojun frowned with regret and shook her head with a click of her tongue.
"No, you..." Zhao Yuxiao was stunned by Qi Shuojun's description. Although it was roughly the same process, his account was too one-sided. Why didn't he mention the few times he struggled and fought back and forth with Qin Zhiqing? Wasn't that just making it seem like Qin Zhiqing simply beat him up?
Although Qi Shuojun had insulted him before, this was the first time Zhao Yuxiao had experienced the feeling of prioritizing romance over friendship.
Ye Yingying listened with great interest, and after finishing, she looked at Zhao Yuxiao with regret, and then patted his shoulder comfortingly: "You've really worked hard."
Zhao Yuxiao was speechless with emotion at his brother's situation. He could only silently take another sip of tea and accept his role as a supporting character.
"Young Master Qi is exaggerating. The young master is extremely skilled and has repeatedly driven me to the brink of defeat. I originally did not intend to use my sword at the Gathering of Heroes, but I was forced to draw my sword to fight back," Qin Zhiqing said tactfully.
So Qin Zhiqing had been holding back a trump card; no wonder Zhao Yuxiao couldn't defeat her. Ye Yingying understood. In a competition like the Gathering of Heroes, where rising stars compete, the young participants usually don't hold back, eager to show off their skills and amaze everyone. It seemed this Miss Qin was indeed extraordinary; at such a young age, she knew how to conceal her brilliance, and her strength was far from simple…
Ye Yingying figured that with such a meticulous mind, she should be even more careful with her own tracking plan.
Then, she praised, "In the end, Miss Qin, you are still a cut above the rest. But after so many years, I wonder what the outcome will be if you two were to fight again?"
"Then naturally I am no match for the young master." Qin Zhiqing conceded without thinking. "My cultivation has been stagnant at the Core Formation stage for a long time and has not improved. After marrying into the Qi family, I will inevitably have to focus on family affairs. I am afraid that I will be far behind in the future."
A hint of surprise flashed in Qi Shuojun's eyes, then she took her hand and comforted her, "Zhiqing, don't be afraid. I will handle the clan's affairs. You just focus on your cultivation. How could the Qi family possibly wrong the leader of the Heroes' Gathering in this matter?"
Qin Zhiqing's expression froze, seemingly quite uncomfortable with his touch. Seeing this, Qi Shuojun quietly withdrew his hand and turned to Zhao Yuxiao, saying, "Brother Xiao, you really need to work harder. Aren't you also stuck at the Great Perfection of the Core Formation stage with no progress? Don't wait until our Zhiqing has reached the Golden Core stage and you're still here. Wouldn't that make you the one being bullied?"
"Alright, alright!" Zhao Yuxiao, who could barely stand being mocked by his good friend after choking on his tea, simply said, "Then let's set a time limit. We'll have another match in the arena next year at the Heroes' Gathering!"
“Hey, what you’re saying…” Qi Shuojun glanced at Qin Zhiqing, wanting to know her reaction.
Qin Zhiqing's usually icy face showed a slight upturn at the corners of her mouth, her eyes seemingly smiling as she said, "Then let's compete again next year."
"No, you can participate in this martial arts tournament every year?" Ye Yingying asked, puzzled, not quite understanding the rules of the competition. "In that case, I'll just go and join in the fun next year."
"No, not at all." Zhao Yuxiao coughed twice. "The Gathering of Heroes only accepts participants below the Core Formation stage, and each person can only participate once. However, to enhance the viewing experience, an additional arena has been set up at the venue for everyone to compete freely. Some people who had unresolved grudges from the previous session will have another match on the arena."
Take him and Qin Zhiqing, for example.
"I see." Ye Yingying nodded in understanding, a mischievous idea instantly popping into her head. "Then how about Young Master Qi makes a bet with me?"
Qi Shuojun became interested when the topic of betting came up: "Sure, what are we betting on?"
Ye Yingying chuckled: "I bet our young master Zhao will win the arena next year. The bet is... just one or two taels of silver, just for fun."
Zhao Yuxiao glared at Ye Yingying and asked with dissatisfaction, "Am I only worth one or two taels of silver?!"
"Hey, don't be angry. A little gambling is just for fun. Don't take it seriously."
“Miss Ye is right. Then I’ll just bet a little. How about I bet the receipts for the money Brother Xiao owes me? If Brother Xiao wins, the debt will be wiped clean.”
The amount Zhao Yuxiao owed Qi Shuojun wasn't a huge sum, but it wasn't a small one either—enough for two high-quality iron swords. It wasn't much to Qi Shuojun, but for Zhao Yuxiao, it was a cause for great joy.
Ye Yingying asked Zhao Yuxiao, puzzled, "How come you, the young master, owe people money?"
“Oh dear, maintaining my sword is very expensive! It’s just that I can’t pay it back right now, it’s not like I won’t pay it back. With the relationship between Brother Shuo and me, how could I not pay back a debt?” Zhao Yuxiao retorted. “However, it would be great if there was a chance not to pay it back, so it’s settled then!”
"Hey, hey, don't rush me." Qi Shuojun tapped her fan twice in the air. "If you lose, the debt will double."
"What?!" Zhao Yuxiao was immediately shocked. "Qi Shuojun, you shrewd businessman!"
"Brother Xiao, what are you saying? With our relationship, why would I be afraid of you asking me to pay you back?" Qi Shuojun flicked his expensive folding fan and waved it, a sly smile on his face. "Just consider it as entertainment."
"I have no objection." Ye Yingying immediately stated that she wasn't the one who would suffer the loss; she had only mentioned it briefly, and Zhao Yuxiao was the one in charge. "Although it's not much, my spare change still counts."
“I have no objection either.” Qin Zhiqing unexpectedly joined in, even provoking Zhao Yuxiao, “Last time I concealed something, so it was understandable that the young master lost. But this time I won’t hold back. If the young master loses again, I won’t be able to make up for it for you.”
Provoked by her words, Zhao Yuxiao immediately lost his temper. He slammed his fist on the table and declared to the group of people present, "Enough! You all underestimate me! Let's make a bet. Next year's Heroes' Gathering will be a tournament, and anyone who doesn't show up is a coward!"
Seeing Zhao Yuxiao like this, the others couldn't help but laugh out loud. Even the most reserved Qin Zhiqing couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle. As she laughed, she glanced at Qi Shuojun beside her. The young master Qi was looking at her as if admiring a masterpiece, and couldn't help but sigh, "You look quite beautiful when you smile."
Qin Zhiqing paused, her smile fading as she stared stiffly at Qi Shuojun. The sunlight streaming through the window fell naturally on his face, making his expression appear gentle and tender. Qin Zhiqing was only stunned for a second before alarm bells rang in her mind. She abruptly looked away, instantly reverting to her aloof expression.
She suddenly stood up from her seat, quickly bowed, and said, "I just remembered that I need to write a letter to my parents today and send it out as soon as possible. Please excuse me."
After saying that, Qin Zhiqing turned her face away and hurriedly left the private room. Just as she left, the musicians behind the curtain finished playing their piece, and the room fell silent for a moment. The lead musician sensed that something was wrong, so he gestured for everyone to stop and lifted a corner of the curtain to cast an inquiring glance at Qi Shuojun.
"You can all take a break." Qi Shuojun casually waved to the musicians, signaling them to disperse. "With the main character gone, the music isn't as moving anymore."
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