Chapter 381: Cinnamon Shadows in Clear Autumn, Fragrant Sleeves in a Small Garden

Cinnamon shadows in clear autumn, fragrant sleeves in a small garden.

Wang Yang followed the maid into the Xie family garden, seeing along the way winding paths of moss half-hidden by flower-filled woods; sleeping clouds on slender rocks, idly inviting a quiet search.

Flowing gold condensed in brilliance, silently chasing the sparse breeze around the stone steps;

Scattered leaves shook their shadows, lightly following the cool dew to stain his lapels.

After walking only a few steps, a sense of clarity and refreshment arose, and he could not help but secretly admire it in his heart.

He had been to this garden three times; its area was not particularly large, at least smaller than the one with the lotus pond at the Yu family's. But the layout was very exquisite; the paths were deliberately not straight, making every step taken worth viewing, and with dense hedges planted to block the view, it kept people from seeing through it at a glance.

The garden was also managed with great care, with the scenery of spring and summer each having its own distinct character. Now, in early autumn, it had yet another kind of charm. He wondered how much money it would take to buy such a garden?

It was said that Le Yue Xiao Pang's cousin spent over two hundred thousand to renovate his garden, planting flowers like a nursery, which was very gaudy. When it came to style, that was far inferior to Little Xie's. If one added the initial costs of buying the land and building it, to get a garden like this, it would take at least three hundred thousand, right?

Subtracting the three million invested in the Wanshan Cargo Station, taking out three hundred thousand for himself could already be considered a "major mobilization." However, the "Face-Changing King" had just given him two hundred thousand, so adding another hundred thousand was no problem. It was just that the subsequent series of labor and maintenance costs were a bit hard to bear...

The return of funds from the Wanshan Cargo Station side would not be fast, so he couldn't count on it for the time being. But if that folding fan business in the capital could be successfully settled, he could get his hands on five hundred thousand!

Then raising a garden would be a piece of cake, wouldn't it?

When the time came, he would find someone to make a rattan chair, put it in the garden, and read in the garden when he studied, and he could even eat there! When the moonlight was good, he would set a table directly and eat while enjoying the moon!

Usually practicing martial arts and calligraphy, teasing Shan and summoning Wu, singing to the flowers, and reciting in the wind—wouldn't that be exhilarating?!

But the problem was that to buy a garden, one had to change residences, and those residences with gardens were not cheap. Furthermore, after changing residences, a series of new expenses would arise...

Hmm...

Actually, thinking about it carefully, a garden wasn't that interesting! There must be many mosquitoes, which would inevitably cause the house to suffer too. Yes, and there was humidity; the humidity must be heavy!

Wang Yang dismissed the idea of buying a garden. Following the maid, he turned out of the bamboo-lined path and saw the garden full of autumn colors, with golden osmanthus in full bloom, and a young girl practicing swordplay under a tree.

Xie Xinghan was dressed in a bright blue unlined garment, her slender waist tightly bound, her black hair coiled high. She held a specially made light sword; her starry eyes were like lacquer containing frost, and the thin blade cut through the dew, sweeping away the autumn mist! What a—

Flower-vase display!

She originally had no martial arts skills, but she had once studied under a famous sword master, learning two sets of elegant sword techniques that were nice to look at but useless. It was just for cultivating the body and demeanor, a casual pastime; how could she put in even half a bit of hard work?

The teacher naturally wouldn't be serious about such "nominal disciples," just teaching some good-looking stances to get by. As for the brand being ruined if she were beaten up by passersby after finishing her apprenticeship?

That was impossible; who would dare to beat up a young lady of the Chen Jun Xie family?!

But after all, she was a sword master, so even the flower-vase stances taught casually were not something ordinary wanderers could compare to. Thus, when Xie Xinghan occasionally raised her hand or turned her wrist, one could still faintly see the marks of a master.

Added to that, her posture was steady and solemn, her advances and retreats followed the rules, and when she swung the sword, her sleeves fluttered like a swallow flying through the woods; when she lowered the sword, her spine was straight and elegant, like bamboo welcoming the snow. So, although there was no fierce momentum, there was naturally a sense of clear and detached grace.

Wang Yang practiced martial arts every day without fail and could be considered to have entered the door, and the one he entered was the "Chen Sect Orthodoxy," so calling it a small sect of a famous school was not an exaggeration.

He saw after a few moves that Little Xie had no strength in her wrists and her lower stance was floating, belonging to the type that could be knocked away with one punch.

As for any master's marks, with Wang Yang's clumsy eyes, he couldn't see them at all, but he did know that her posture was good; he wasn't blind, after all...

Speaking of which, at his current level, how many Xie Xinghans could he beat?

Little Xie twisted her waist and turned around, the sword moving off-center, her arm straight as a line. The sunlight hit the sword body, reflecting fine, clear light, and also reflecting a man's equally clear brows and eyes.

When Xie Xinghan saw Wang Yang, a bright ripple spread across the bottom of her eyes.

However, her sword momentum did not become chaotic. With a turn, she performed a clean "hidden blade" stance, her right hand retracting the sword to her wrist, her left hand raised in a seal—very stylish.

Wang Yang gave a very appreciative cheer.

Xie Xinghan had a thin layer of sweat on her forehead, and her cheeks, originally flushed from exercise, now showed even more of a rouge color, even her earlobes turning slightly pink. Her breath had not yet settled, but the corners of her mouth curled up first.

She handed the sword to Xiao Ning, took a handkerchief to wipe her sweat, turned around, and bowed shyly:

"Young Master Wang, you must be laughing at me."

Wang Yang stepped forward to return the bow:

"I once heard of Ban Zhao continuing the history and Guan Niang breaking the siege, and often sighed that heaven was stingy and would not allow both to be perfect. Now, seeing Xie Xie Niangzi's posture with the sword, I realize that the orchids of great families can indeed shine in both literature and martial arts."

Xie Xinghan gave a light hum:

"You speak very nicely, but in your heart, you are probably laughing at me..."

"I am not speaking empty words. Xie Xie Niangzi, your rising is like flowing clouds, your closing is like condensed dew. Not to mention the clear and unique grace, but just looking at the way you turn your wrist and send the blade, there is a unique charm that ordinary folk styles cannot compare to."

Wang Yang was talking nonsense with a straight face.

Xie Xinghan was very happy! Her starry eyes shone! She said excitedly:

"You saw it?! I just said, I didn't learn it in vain! I learned swordplay from Mr. Lei Zigao. Although it wasn't for long, I learned quite a bit. It looks like I have some stance, right?"

You also learned swordplay from Lei Zigao?

Then Baoyue might really not be bragging.

But just how many mediocre disciples has this Lei Zigao taught...

"How can you say you have 'some' stance? It is quite a stance..."

The two walked while laughing, following the pebble path to a semi-open wisteria trellis. Under the trellis, flowers covered and willows protected, the fragrance permeated the jade mats, with dark-patterned brocade cushions and small ebony tables.

On the right side of the small table was a bamboo cage, inside which a small gray rabbit was curled up on dry grass, twitching its pink nose and nibbling on alfalfa grass, not afraid when it saw people.

The tea pot on the table had curling mist, and four plates of snacks were scattered around: walnut crisps, tuckahoe cakes, date cakes, and dried meat.

Xie Xinghan knelt and leaned over, gathered her sleeves, lifted the pot, and poured tea for Wang Yang:

"This is flower tea I made myself. I took the half-closed osmanthus buds, removed the stems, and mixed them with Jin Ling tea. One layer of flowers, one layer of tea, collected in a porcelain jar, sealed with bamboo leaf paper, first steamed over heavy fire, and after it cooled, roasted dry over a gentle fire. Making flower tea is most particular about the balance; if there are too many flowers, it steals the tea's original flavor, and if there are too few, the fragrance is insufficient. I used one part flower to three parts tea. Young Master Wang, please taste it and tell me what you think?"

Xie Xinghan looked at Wang Yang with anticipation.

Wang Yang took a sip; it was indeed clear and sweet, soothing the heart, with a faint fragrance lingering on the tongue, and he couldn't help but praise it highly! While drinking, he thought that after he got home, he would also use this method to make osmanthus tea. Jin Ling tea was too expensive, no need; Wuling tea was also a top-grade tea, and there was still a jar left at home from what Liu Tan sent last time, so using that wouldn't be bad either. Just as he was pondering, Xie Xinghan curled her lips into a smile and poured half a cup more for Wang Yang:

"I'm glad you like it. This tea is most suitable for autumn days, balancing warmth and coolness, relieving irritability and harmonizing the spirit. In a while, I will have someone send two jars to your home, and also send a few jars of chrysanthemum wine I brewed with glutinous rice. Because it is autumn, the yin energy goes down and it is often dry, so I added rehmannia and tuckahoe, which can ward off evil and prevent wind, and nourish the internal organs..."

Wang Yang laughed:

"Xie Xie Niangzi also understands the way of health preservation..."

Xie Xinghan said seriously:

"This is the foundation of standing in the world, how can one be careless? Health preservation is the same as asking about learning; the earlier the foundation is laid, the firmer it is. Being diligent from a young age allows one to be at peace when grown. If one is careless when young, by the time the blood and energy are depleted and the tendons and bones are already aged, wanting to maintain health is like building a house on a broken foundation; even if one tries one's best to repair it, it is hard to restore it completely.

The 'Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon' says, 'The superior doctor treats the disease before it arises, not the disease that has already arisen.' It's like a good friend of mine who has been greedy for cold food and drinks since childhood, never avoiding raw or cold things, and is also sensitive and thinks too much, exhausting her energy and worrying, unable to sleep peacefully at night, and even prefers cold wine in her stomach, not changing her habits even in autumn and winter, so she developed a stomach pain problem—"

Xie Xinghan supported the cup with her jade fingers, chatting about daily life, only her eyes quietly sweeping sideways to observe Wang Yang's movements.

Wang Yang didn't have much defense in front of Xie Xinghan, especially in such a good garden with beautiful scenery, good tea, and a beautiful woman, and it was a rare moment of leisure in the midst of danger and difficulty, so his body and mind were in a very relaxed state. He was just eating snacks, watching the gray rabbit, carefree and leisurely, listening to Xie Xinghan talk nonsense. Who would have thought that after going in a circle, she would suddenly talk about a good friend who loved cold wine and had stomach pain!

Wang Yang was caught off guard, and his expression changed immediately. After Xie Xinghan captured this, she knew in her heart, but her tone remained unchanged, continuing to talk about health preservation as if nothing had happened:

"The autumn moon belongs to metal, the weather turns vigorous and urgent, the earth energy returns to clarity, its nature is to collect, and its energy is clear and dry. The lungs are the canopy, residing above the five internal organs, belonging to the Taiyin meridian, also corresponding to the metal element, liking moisture and hating dryness. Therefore, autumn is the best time to nourish the lungs. Also, metal flourishing leads to killing, and all things wither and decay, so my father had me practice swordplay in autumn, cutting down grass and trees to follow the killing energy and grow the strength of the lungs. Of course, this flower-vase display I practice is definitely not good for fighting people, not as good as Little Shan. By the way, where did Little Shan go?"

Xie Xinghan looked at Wang Yang and asked naturally.

Wang Yang was already alert in his heart, not sure if Xie Xinghan's previous talk about her friend's stomach pain was just casual talk or an intentional probe. Although he saw that Xie Xinghan's expression and speech were no different, he did not lower his guard because of it.

If it was said that before, he didn't let Xinghan know about his connection with Baoyue, it was mainly because he was worried that Little Xie would be involved in the turmoil and to prevent her from knowing about the fake Langya surname. Now, another reason had been added.

With the current situation, once the Baoyue line was pulled out, it would inevitably arouse the suspicion and vigilance of the Prince of Badong. Of course, it wasn't to say that Little Xie would leak the secret, but things are achieved by secrecy and failed by leaks; turmoil often arises from the unexpected, and opportunities often lie in the uncaused. Its principles cannot be fully observed, and its circumstances cannot be fully measured. Therefore, being careful has no major mistakes, and caution has surplus peace.

Baoyue was involved in the key move of this game, so unless it was a last resort, Wang Yang would not reveal a single bit.

In addition, there was one more point: Wang Yang faintly felt that the current situation where Xing and Yue did not communicate was very good; once they communicated, it would probably be a disaster rather than a blessing for him...

Wang Yang's defense mechanism was activated, and hearing Xie Xinghan ask about Little Shan, he immediately took out the safe answer he had prepared in advance:

"I see that the situation is uncertain now, so I didn't let Little Shan follow. When the situation is settled, I will let Little Shan come back."

Xie Xinghan stared at Wang Yang:

"What is called the situation being settled?"

Wang Yang explained:

"It means things are stable."

Xie Xinghan pursued:

"What is called things being stable?"

Wang Yang explained again:

"It means the situation is settled."

Xie Xinghan's starry eyes narrowed slightly.