Chapter 61. Is Madam regretting it now?
"As you both know, I live nearby..."
"Stop! Who wants to listen to this nonsense? What does your living here have to do with being in the Taoist temple? What's wrong with you? Have you lost your memory and become a monk?"
Song Jin really wanted to turn around and leave, but since they had already come face to face, turning around and leaving would make it seem like she and her daughter were afraid of this person, which definitely wouldn't do. So they repeated this very familiar scene.
She interrupted the man's nonsense, squinting at Qu Maoze in his Taoist uniform, her eyes filled with suspicion and annoyance.
Although Qu Maoze did indeed live here, Yong'an City was larger than most prefectural cities, even its districts. The streets and rows of houses took them at least half an hour to traverse by carriage.
He's the opposite; he appears and disappears like a ghost, always there, everywhere.
If the person who came before had ulterior motives and was deliberately trying to gather information, then their arrival today was truly a sudden whim.
How could we possibly run into each other again?
Faced with Song Jin's cryptic remarks, Qu Maoze smiled calmly: "Becoming a monk is a Buddhist concept, while Taoism is about entering the Tao. Taoist practices emphasize following one's heart; sometimes when one is troubled, practicing a Taoist exercise can bring peace. Moreover, being a Taoist priest doesn't interfere with a family life."
Song Jin was speechless: "...Who cares if you're married or not? You've really picked up this skill quickly. You've only been in the capital for less than a month, and you can already take on a giant green tree with a stick."
The martial arts practitioners there looked strong, but they were no sham. Their stances were incredibly stable; an ordinary person would have their bones fractured from a single punch. With that physique, this guy wouldn't just fail to defeat his opponent; anyone lacking even a little internal strength and finesse would be smashed to pieces.
She sneered, "I think this time you'll not only lose your memory from the fall, but your brain will probably pop out too."
Qu Maoze, however, was not worried at all. He was as calm as if the person he was about to fight was not a burly man but a child. He smiled steadily and said, "Miss Song, there's no need to worry. It's just a simple exchange, and with the Prince here, nothing will happen."
Song Jin: "...Who?"
Qu Maoze: "Your Highness, the Prince of Qi is kind-hearted. He came here specifically after learning of this matter. The Prince's martial arts are profound; with him here, there will certainly be no trouble."
Song Jin wanted to turn around and leave immediately.
What kind of monsters and ghosts do I encounter every day when I go out?
But as before, her departure made it seem as if she was afraid of them. She stared at Qu Maoze, her tone sarcastic: "Oh, so that's how it is. It seems you and Prince Qi have gotten along quite well these days, like brothers, afraid something might happen to you."
They look like they've had a fight.
Qu Maoze shook his head helplessly and changed the subject: "I am just a commoner and cannot accept such a title. But Madam, you look even more energetic than I have seen you in the past few days. I hope the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet went smoothly yesterday. I hope no one disrespected you?"
Niu Tielan's gaze fell on his face
His eyes, nose, mouth, and face all resembled that person; the only difference was that, even after more than ten years, his demeanor remained unchanged from that age, showing no trace of a forty-year-old.
She ruled out that possibility from the beginning.
She thought of the Gu poison in her body and gently pressed her chest.
Qu Maoze paused, then moved closer: "Is Madam feeling unwell? It's too crowded and noisy here, there's nothing to see. Why don't we go outside to rest?"
Song Jin immediately steadied her, asking with concern, "Mother, what's wrong?"
Niu Tielan shook her head, withdrew her hand, raised her eyes slightly, looked at Qu Maoze, and said softly, "It's nothing, it's just that so many people reminded me of some past events."
Song Jin helped her up, asking curiously, "What past events? Did you fight before?"
Niu Tielan took a deep breath, a half-smile on his face: "I can fight now too, want to see?"
Song Jin immediately changed the subject: "...Ha, haha, Mother, what was that story you were talking about again?"
Niu Tielan looked at Qu Maoze again, her gaze lingering: "The year I was pregnant with you, I was traveling by carriage through Mingyuan Prefecture. There was a large martial arts school there, and they had a martial arts competition every year. When I went there that year, I happened to witness their competition, which was even more lively than today."
"Madam is probably referring to the Qinglong Martial Arts Academy in Mingyuan Prefecture. The academy has a history of hundreds of years and recruits many martial arts students every year. Many of them pass the imperial examinations and become martial arts graduates. Some establish escort agencies and travel all over the country, while others become chivalrous heroes. Students come from all over the country."
Qi Zheng walked over unnoticed. He was dressed in black, with a cold and stern expression, rarely smiling, and seemed unapproachable. However, he was actually considerate and down-to-earth.
Niu Tielan liked the young man very much. She smiled and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Your Highness Prince Qi."
He gently stepped aside and nodded: "Madam, there's no need for such formality."
Niu Tielan stood up and said with a smile, "Your Highness has also been to Mingyuan Prefecture? I'm not sure if it's the same place, I only remember that their curator's surname is Li."
Qi nodded in agreement: "That's it. The headmaster of the Azure Dragon Martial Arts Academy is named Li Feng. He has practiced martial arts since childhood and possesses profound martial prowess. He killed countless enemies when he pacified the world. Later, he refused the official position offered by his father, the emperor, and returned to rebuild the martial arts academy. He is not interested in empty fame and is a grandmaster of his generation, unmatched by ordinary people."
Niu Tielan sighed softly, "He's that capable? With him escorting me all the way, it's no wonder things went so smoothly. It's funny, he even proposed to me when he saw I was alone, but I refused. If I had agreed then, Jinjin and he would definitely have gotten along well."
Qi Zheng: ...
He could feel the anger emanating from one side without even looking up.
Qu Maoze stood still, quietly looking at Niu Tielan, and said softly, "I didn't expect Madam to have such a past."
Niu Tielan smiled slightly: "Although I am not as young as Young Master Qu now, I was young once. It's just that I was too impetuous and didn't think things through enough, which caused me to miss out on many things."
The three young people each spoke softly and slowly.
Qu Maoze's lips curled into a slight smile: "It seems that Madam is now regretting it?"
Niu Tielan tossed her loose hair and lowered her eyes: "In this life, a small mistake can lead to a world of difference. One wrong step can lead to a series of wrong steps. Regret is hard to say, but there will certainly be some regrets, right? But Young Master Qu probably doesn't understand these things. You're so young, and you've lost your memory, carefree and without worries. Thinking about it, it's quite nice."
Qu Maoze sighed, "I have no idea how to refute what you've said, Madam."
Niu Tielan flicked the grain crumbs off his sleeve and said calmly, "After all, you've suffered a head injury and amnesia. If you can't remember, then don't try. You'd better be careful not to fall and make yourself stupid later. Get ready, and we won't bother you anymore."
As she spoke, she stepped aside and walked inside, where there were simple seats prepared for them, where several wealthy young men who looked like they had money were sitting.
The group had originally come to join the fun, but they hadn't expected to run into the Prince of Qi, which was already quite alarming. Now, there was also the daughter of the Grand Secretary Song, who had been making headlines these past few days—no, she was now Princess Mingguang.
If they had known they were coming, they wouldn't have gone out today.
A group of people came with the intention of joining in the fun, but now they're all as timid as quails, not daring to utter a single unnecessary word.
Even the Crown Prince of England has been hung from a tree; these insignificant people would better keep their heads down.
Among the crowd, the most terrified was the young master of Jin Yu Ge, who had stirred up the competition with five hundred taels of silver. He wished he could disappear into a hole in the ground or even jump into a river for peace and quiet.
Unfortunately, he arrogantly took the seat at the very front as soon as he arrived, and now he can't leave even if he wants to. He can only awkwardly look at Niu Tielan, who is sitting next to him, wiping away cold sweat and stammering.
"Madam Song, you've come to see us too? There are so many people here, we're afraid of disturbing you."
"You don't need to worry," Song Jin followed her over, sat down next to his mother, stepped on the stool beside him, and sneered, "So it was you who contributed five hundred taels? Not bad, not bad, you've got some savings."
The only wealthy young man she knew before was Shu Chenghao, the bookstore owner. Although his family was incredibly wealthy, his personal savings were so small that even fifty taels of silver would bankrupt him, let alone five hundred.
Dai Yuanhua wiped away his cold sweat, embarrassed: "Princess, you jest! My family just runs a small business. I was just a spoiled brat who didn't know any better. I'll cancel it right away."
Song Jin raised an eyebrow: "Cancel what? What, you've made a name for yourself, and now you want your money back? Dream on. Sit tight, who do you think will win?"
Dai Yuanhua cautiously said, "Master Maoze is mysterious and unpredictable; he definitely won't lose."
Song Jin asked curiously, "How did you become so attached to him?"
Given Qu Maoze's personality, whether his amnesia is real or fake, he probably wouldn't deliberately try to make a scene—except for the five hundred taels of silver bet.
Dai Yuanhua scratched his head and said, "Last time I was riding a horse in the city, I almost fell off, and the Taoist priest saved me. I wanted to learn martial arts from him, but he ignored me. Later, I found out he was here, so I came up with this idea to get his attention."
Song Jin scoffed, "...Why don't you just tell him you're giving him money? He'll definitely listen to you then."
Dai Yuanhua said embarrassedly, "Daoist Master, you are too noble. That would be too insulting. Although I am a playboy, I understand this principle."
Song Jin's lips twitched; she didn't know whether to call him clever or foolish.
They're both pretty much the same, it would be strange if Qu Maoze paid any attention to him.
Despite his foolishness, he was quite handsome, with rosy lips and white teeth, a truly striking appearance that suited his title as the young master of the Golden Jade Pavilion.
Niu Tielan stared intently at his face, the image of an old friend flashing through her mind. She frowned slightly and asked, "Young master, you're so handsome, your mother must have been a beauty, right?"
Dai Yuanhua grinned foolishly: "My mother is so beautiful, and I took after her. My father never hits me when I get into trouble, unlike my brothers."
Niu Tielan then asked, "What's your mother's name?"
Dai Yuanhua scratched his head and hesitated before saying, "My mother called for Hou Qiaohe."
Niu Tielan paused for a moment, then nodded: "It's a good name."
Dai Yuanhua: ...
This lady is acting strangely.
But she was truly beautiful; no wonder even a heartless man like Prime Minister Song was moved, and the two even had a child.
That takes real courage.
Although Dai Yuanhua had doubts, he kept his mouth shut, not daring to ask a single question. He sat there more timid than a quail, especially after Qi Zheng came over and sat down.
Bang!
The stool Song Jin was standing on shattered instantly. As she wobbled, she pulled her foot back and looked at Qi Zheng, who was approaching, with a half-smile.
"This stool is really flimsy; it's unusable. Your Highness, please find another seat to avoid harming your precious health."
Qi Zheng's expression remained unchanged: "It's alright."
As he spoke, he walked past her and headed in the other direction.
Song Jin's expression changed instantly as he stood up and took the seat next to Niu Tielan before him. He glared at Qi Zheng with wide eyes and gritted his teeth, "Your Highness shouldn't mind sitting next to me, right?"
A fleeting smile crossed Qi Zheng's eyes. He calmly sat down, and under her disdainful gaze, turned to look at Niu Tielan on the other side, asking, "What Madam just mentioned about Mingyuan Prefecture reminded me of a past event."
Niu Tielan paused just as he was about to grab Song Jin's hand, and softly replied, "Would Your Highness be willing to speak?"
"Of course, but I was only five years old at the time, so my memory isn't very clear. I only remember that year I was passing by the vicinity of Mingyuan Prefecture with my adoptive father. At that time, my adoptive father had injured his leg, and I had caught a cold. It was drizzling, making it difficult to walk. Then we encountered a caravan."
Qi Zheng lowered his eyes, his voice low. He paused here, turned his head to look at Niu Tielan, and showed the first real smile since they met. He said...
"The lady on the bus was like a goddess. She not only gave me a free ride all the way, but also sewed my clothes and made me new shoes. Even after many years, I still remember it vividly."
...
At that time, Niu Tielan had just found out she was pregnant. Although she was still anxious and confused about the future, she had already bought all kinds of fabric and thread scraps and was making little shoes and swaddling clothes, overflowing with maternal love.
She grew up in an all-girls kindergarten and had only ever taken care of younger girls; this was the first time she'd encountered a little boy. Seeing the boy, his limbs mostly exposed and his clothes tattered, she wanted to tell him something, but didn't know how.
She simply trimmed his hair, mended his clothes, and made insoles for him, gently teaching him these skills so that he could take care of himself in the future, without having messy hair that he couldn't comb, or being oblivious when his clothes were torn or too small.
For Niu Tielan, it was just a minor episode on her difficult journey, insignificant at all. But for Qi Zheng, it was a rare splash of color in his otherwise gray and monotonous life.
Qi Zheng's life wasn't good before. Even though his adoptive father was highly skilled in martial arts and had many ways to make money, he still practiced the same monotonous martial arts every day like an ascetic, and took him traveling all over the country on foot.
He ate millet, insects, snakes, and wild vegetables; he wasn't hungry, but the food was far from delicious. He wore the most ordinary cloth clothes, which he made do with as long as they were still wearable, even if they were too small or worn out.
It wasn't that his adoptive father was deliberately tormenting Qi Zheng; it was just how he had always been, and he didn't see anything wrong with it. He never said anything tender; the most tender thing he said was a few words when Qi Zheng was exhausted and cried.
'You can't even handle this little bit of tiredness? Go take a rest.'
However, after realizing Qi Zheng's kindness towards others, he changed the planned one-day trip to five days; knowing his life was nearing its end, he preferred to prematurely end his fame so that he could pass on all his inner strength to Qi Zheng and prevent him from being bullied in the future.
He succeeded.
Because of his profound internal strength, Qi Zheng has roamed the martial world for many years, and although he has encountered many chaotic situations, he has never been injured by anyone.
He was just used to being alone, always by himself.
Neither good nor bad
Until that day, he met Song Shang, learned about his background, and found his long-lost family.
But his mother was gone, his father was the ruler of the world, his so-called brothers were nothing more than potential enemies, and the people around him who came and went without any genuine sincerity.
Although it might sound a bit sentimental, in this vast world, Qi Zheng truly couldn't find a home, nor could he see a way back.
Niu Tielan and Song Jin, mother and daughter, evoked a rare and vibrant warmth in him from his childhood, as well as a bond he envied and longed for. His gaze was always involuntarily drawn to the two of them.
It started with Niu Tielan, then the mother-daughter relationship, and now it's truly as radiant as Song Jin.
Qi Zheng looked at the clearly stunned mother and daughter, then took out a small box from his pocket. Inside the box was a simple black stone, translucent like jade. He slightly raised the corners of his mouth, but then, feeling somewhat uncomfortable, he quickly suppressed the smile, regaining his solemn expression, and said softly...
"This is a warm stone formed under the eternal flame. In summer it is ordinary jade, but in winter it dissipates heat. I think it would be very suitable for you, Madam. You gave me the means of livelihood back then, and today you will surely accept this small stone."
Niu Tielan hadn't expected such a past, but if that was the case, Qi Zheng's kindness since they met made sense. She felt a little sentimental and happy for him, and she chuckled softly.
"Oh, it's you. It's just some mending techniques, no need to go to such lengths. Your Highness, please don't go to such trouble."
Qi Zheng held his hand outstretched in mid-air and continued, "Does Madam not like this? Forget about that. We still have jade pendants that keep you warm in winter and cool in summer in the manor. I'll send someone to deliver them another day."
That's a bit like cheating.
Niu Tielan felt helpless yet somewhat moved, and wanted to offer further advice, but the jade was already in her hands.
Song Jin closed her hand, her eyes sparkling, unable to suppress the upturn of her lips: "Mother, His Highness doesn't lack these things. It's not good to keep passing them around, is it, Your Highness?"
Qi Zheng's gaze fell on her upturned lips, his expression relaxed, and a smile appeared in his eyes. He said, "The princess is right, madam, please don't refuse. Besides madam, I have also prepared a gift for the princess, and I hope she will accept it."
He then took out a small box. Inside, a golden tiger cub held its head high, visibly brighter and more radiant than the one from the night before.
Song Jin was unusually hesitant. She slowly reached out and took the item back, her eyes darting around, a hint of guilt in her gaze.
"Your Highness, Prince Qi, you are truly magnanimous."
Qi Zheng smiled, his tone slightly teasing: "Thank you for the compliment, Princess."
Song Jin couldn't refute it. She lowered her head, touched the little golden tiger on the jade, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up little by little.
Seeing the two of them like this, Niu Tielan's smile faltered, his brows furrowed slightly, and the emotion and relief he felt gradually faded, replaced by worry.
Just then, Dai Wenhua's heart-wrenching roar echoed throughout the martial arts arena, scattering their thoughts and leaving only a cacophony.
"Master Maoze has entered the arena."
"Master Maoze, you must win!"
"Master Maoze, five hundred taels! If you win, I'll add another five hundred taels."
...
Qu Maoze's expression gradually froze as he was about to go on stage.
He should have killed that kid that day.
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