Chapter 92: Clear Day Chapter 71: Plenty of Schemes, Apertures Not Fully Opened

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Protagonist:

Shaowei

Liu Qi

Shaowei was deep in thought, leaning on her crutch as she walked at the very front.

Liu Qi chatted with the Slave Knight behind him: "I vaguely remember that when I first met a knight-errant, I was only seven or eight years old."

Those two years, ghost rumors were common in the palace. Once, he happened to overhear two Palace Maids whispering that ghosts appeared by Cangchi at night. They spoke vividly, claiming someone had seen the ghost dressed as a Qin Soldier, looking extremely fierce.

Cangchi was part of the Royal Garden, located between Weiyang Palace and Jianzhang Palace. If there truly were restless spirits, they could easily threaten Imperial Uncle and Huanghou, so he ran to report the matter to Imperial Uncle via an Imperial Memorial.

At that time, Imperial Uncle's health had not yet begun to decline. His aura was domineering and calm as he smiled and said: Now that it is the Territory of the Liu Family, even if First Qin Fallen Spirits wander about, what is there to fear? In life they were defeated generals; in death, do they still dare to attempt to overthrow the Victorious Jiangshan?

Hearing this, he felt a surge of Arrogance rise in his chest and couldn't help but straighten his Waist.

He naively believed that as a member of the Liu Family Royal Bloodline he was bound to be extraordinary. Having followed his uncle to military camps a few times, he felt he possessed some Dignity and Killing Aura. So he took the Three-foot Sword from the box at night and ran to the banks of Cangchi, intending to ambush the rumored restless spirit.

However, he searched by Cangchi for a long time and saw nothing unusual. He then arrogantly guessed that perhaps his own dignity was too great, scaring the ghost from appearing. He hid behind a dense Flower Cluster.

He waited too long, and it was very late. Children tire easily, so he hugged the Three-foot Sword and dozed off.

Until a faint sound unlike the wind faintly reached his ears, he immediately perked up and drew his sword to rise.

He saw a Grey Shadow in the Flower Cluster ahead bending over to search for something. The Grey Shadow reacted extremely quickly, lifting its head—clearly a person, not a ghost.

Zhao Qie'an also remembered this matter; he couldn't help but remember—

It was the first time someone had seen his true face. That child held a Three-foot Sword several inches shorter than his height, solemnly shouted that there was an assassin, and summoned a group of patrolling Imperial Guards.

He naturally escaped in time, but not only did he fail to obtain the Precious medicinal materials he sought, he also exposed his appearance. Within a few days, his face appeared on Wanted Notices inside and outside Chang'an City.

Fortunately, just like his personality, his appearance also fit the conditions of Hidden in the City. He was born with an overly ordinary look, and almost every year at least ten people were mistaken for him, Zhao Qie'an, reported and handed over to the Official, thrown into prison and then released.

Thus, rumors gradually spread in the martial world that he mastered the Disguise Technique.

In reality, he had simply grown a beard, further blending into the crowd.

Speaking of this old matter, Zhao Qie'an glanced at the youth Beside the Body.

The child of that year had grown up and would no longer shout "assassin" upon seeing him, calling the Imperial Guards to catch him as he did in childhood.

Children always lose their clear innocence and straightforward childishness for various reasons.

His own was no different—Zhao Qie'an looked toward the silent, crutch-leaning silhouette ahead.

That silhouette seemed troubled beyond measure. Even without seeing the face, one could imagine the brows were tightly furrowed.

The Slave Servant wanted to offer some comfort but didn't know what to say. After thinking, he looked at Liu Qi Beside the Body, then at Shaowei ahead; his intent to urge him was unspoken.

Peers always have more to talk about. Idle chat could distract her, which was better than him opening his mouth with gloomy lectures, as if carrying an old man's stench of "roll as far as you can." It was better to appropriately outsource this comfort task to a suitable person.

Shaowei had always walked at the very front: first, she was in a bad mood and didn't want to talk; second, she couldn't accept people constantly seeing her red, swollen eyes. Only with her back to everyone did she feel her self-esteem was safe.

Although she had only walked the winding garden Path once, she remembered it very clearly.

When she first met Jiang Fu, after staying one night in Po Dao Guan, she wanted to go back to find Jiang Fu, but realized she hadn't remembered the road at all. Standing at the crossroads, utterly confused and deeply regretful.

From then on, Shaowei gave herself a hard task: no matter the situation, she must seriously remember the road.

Hearing Liu Qi behind her approaching, Shaowei immediately quickened her pace, but Liu Qi drew near again.

After several such rounds, Shaowei felt irritable, yet gradually noticed he always kept two steps away from her, seemingly with no intention of walking beside her or passing her, so he couldn't see her face either.

Shaowei then asked him: "Do you want to say something to me?"

Liu Qi asked with a half-smile: "Are you someone accustomed to using a Slingshot?"

Shaowei's footsteps paused slightly. After a moment, she bluntly said: "That's right. The person who hit you with a Slingshot in the Bamboo Grove that night was me. So what?"

Deng Hu, who inexplicably wanted to follow his Master closely, shrank his Pupils upon hearing this. When had he been hit?!

"Nothing." Liu Qi smiled: "I offended first. You fighting back was perfectly reasonable."

Shaowei didn't look back, her tone calm: "That's right. I think so too."

Liu Qi watched that distinct silhouette, then recalled those relentless pebbles from that night. He couldn't help but realize something: when a person was vivid enough to a certain degree, not only did the Bird she raised follow her, but even the pebbles she handled followed her very aptly.

And he needed to wrap up this topic: "Since you're accustomed to the Slingshot, why don't I have someone make you a new one?"

Shaowei refused: "Unnecessary. I have no use for it now."

Liu Qi: "Fine. Then whenever you need it one day, just tell me anytime."

Shaowei could hear the purpose hidden behind his good temper. From his outward attitude, one could tell he was not a person of good temper.

That day Liu Qi had bluntly claimed he was showing her Goodwill. On guard, Shaowei blurted out: "Even showing Goodwill is for Utilization."

Shaowei's mental state was now trending toward stability. This thought remained unchanged, only her attitude was no longer as rejecting as that day.

She and Liu Qi were not close. She was busy taking revenge, and he had a Killing List of people to kill. Naturally, there was no reason for him to bare his heart to her for no reason. If he bared his heart to everyone, he'd be emptied into a Scarecrow Person long ago—how would he still have a life to live?

Those who use people are also used by people. Shaowei had accepted this fact. But how to use people, and how to be used by people—she had just learned all sorts of things from the Slave Servant, and the road ahead had not yet been figured out.

"Focus on healing your Injury first. There's no rush for a Reply from me on other matters."

Liu Qi's words startled Shaowei, who was lost in thought. It was as if the voice in her heart had been eavesdropped on. "How do you know I'm thinking about this?" almost slipped out, but she now had some composure and wouldn't say such unwise things in front of outsiders.

After a moment's thought, Shaowei had an answer. Roughly because she had previously said everything would wait until the Slave Servants at home arrived. Now that the other party saw the Slave Servant arrive, he naturally felt it was time to talk. Just unknown for what Detailed Consideration, he didn't intend to urge her hastily.

Shaowei "Nodded" with a Calm Expression and expressed: "Don't worry. I will consider it as soon as possible."

"Fine, no rush." Liu Qi repeated "no rush," further proving he truly had no intention of urging her.

She and this Slave Knight of her household had a Conversation. She cried as if half the Sky was Falling, with the momentum of piercing the other half of the Sky as well. Presumably the News she received was quite Complex, and for a time she probably couldn't make a Decision.

In this situation, if he showed any intention of Urging, it would surely make her Anxiety. She might even climb the Wall and leave tonight.

The Commandery Prince's Mansion's Wall was high, and Vigilance was not weak, but it might not be able to stop her.

And once they moved to stop her, hopes of Winning her over would be gone. Instead, they would become her Enemy—the worst scenario, which he did not want to see easily.

To prevent that worst-case scenario from arising, Liu Qi naturally had to ensure Shaowei was as relaxed and at ease as possible, including making certain the banquet featured plenty of meat dishes.

Shaowei's sense of taste had not yet fully recovered, so she could not discern much flavor, but she was eager to heal her injuries and ate vigorously.

After the household servant approved this suitable diet, he inquired about lodging: "Where is she staying?"

He indeed bore the air of a steward about to inspect the arrangements and even make the bed himself.

Liu Qi hesitated slightly, then said: "There is a pavilion building in the back garden; today I had it cleaned out. The wandering hero and Lord Jiang may stay there temporarily; it will ensure quiet and concealment."

Hearing him put it that way, the household servant also hesitated, glanced at Shaowei who was still eating, and pressed further: "Where has she been staying these past few days?"

Liu Qi, sitting cross-legged behind the food table, unconsciously straightened up and could only reply: "At that time Lord Jiang's injuries were too severe, she was unconscious, and the Embroidered Uniform Guards could have come searching at any moment. For the convenience of care and to provide cover, I placed her in my own bedchamber, while I stayed in the study."

The household servant observed this young man for a moment and formed a judgment in his heart.

Besides care and cover, this move likely also carried the intention of keeping her under close control; that trace of guilt in this young man lay precisely there.

He saw that this lad had schemes to spare, but his apertures were not yet fully opened... then there was no problem.

The household servant nodded, his heart setting at ease.

That very evening, Shaowei moved into the back garden's pavilion building together with the household servant and Zhan Zhan.

Liu Qi would make time to visit every day.

On the first day, he saw her sitting on the stone steps before the hall gate, holding a wet cloth to wipe the feathers and claws of a bird that had traveled for many days; the bird could not struggle free and lay numb, letting her do as she pleased.

Seeing him arrive, she let go of the bird and tossed it out.

On the second day, a mat was spread before the pavilion; she lay on it basking in the sun, which helped her injuries recover faster. The bird lay on its back the same way. The household servant sat to one side mending her tattered robes, occasionally wiping the needle in her hair.

She stared blankly at the sky, wanting to pillow her arm behind her head, but her arm had only risen halfway when it pulled at the wound on her rib side. Pain twisted her face and she instantly snapped back to awareness. Seeing him arrive, she casually sat up cross-legged as if nothing had happened.

On the third day, the household servant bought some snacks from outside. She sat on the stone steps eating seriously; the bird picked up snack crumbs nearby; the servant was busy binding a wooden frame and straw men.

Seeing him arrive, she pointed at the oil-paper package casually placed on the stone steps, signaling he could eat some too.

On the fourth day, she had actually begun trying to draw a bow. That bow was probably also brought back by the servant from outside and suited her arm length well. She stood below the stone steps, her right foot not yet daring to plant fully; one could see she relied mainly on arm strength, not yet engaging rib-abdomen coordination, yet still an arrow pierced the straw man's heart seventy paces away.

Seeing him arrive, she lowered the bow to her side, her expression calm with a hint of faint arrogance. She indeed had the qualifications to be proud.

On the fifth day, she was neither outside the pavilion building nor inside it, but had gone to the Taiqing Pool side. This time she chose an open stretch of pool surface and sat nearby, tossing a stone into the pool from time to time.

Hearing his footsteps, she did not turn her head. He suddenly thought: this probably counts as a bit of trust, right?

Shaowei, meanwhile, was thinking: he's surely come to urge me about how my consideration is going this time?

Yet he walked up beside her, bent down, picked up a stone, and suddenly said to her: "My stone-skipping is quite good."

Shaowei froze, then provocatively lifted her chin and gestured toward the pool, signaling him to go first.

The youth bent his right arm; the stone in his hand swept out, flying toward the water surface, skipping up two splashes. He turned his head and asked with a smile: "How about that?"

Shaowei answered only with action. She weighed a carefully chosen round flat stone for a moment, then sent it flying.

Liu Qi shielded his brow with his right hand, avoiding the glaring sunlight, and stared intently — only to see that stone skip extremely nimbly, kicking up three splashes.

Only then did the girl at his side speak, turning her head to say her first words to him: "How about it?"

"... Surpassing the ordinary, unrivaled under heaven." After praising her, Liu Qi couldn't help adding a self-defense: "I haven't played in years, my hands are a bit rusty. If it were at my former peak of skill, I might have been able to have a match with you."

As he spoke, he bent down and picked up a few more stones, flinging them at the pool surface, as if trying to regain his touch.

Shaowei picked up some more as well.

Thus Deng Hu, not far away, stared in astonishment as his own master and that person who was very good at hitting people and also very good at stone-skipping threw stones into the Taiqing Pool for a full half-hour, the two of them thereby completing today's arm rehabilitation.

A Ya, who had come with A He to deliver fruit snacks and tea, stood at the Taiqing Pavilion side. Seeing this scene, her face showed a startled expression.

She had never seen the Commandery Prince do such boyishly childish things in private; it was simply unfamiliar to her.

To win over that woman with the terrible temper, he actually accommodated her to this extent?

Because Liu Qi was initially wounded by Shaowei with a poisoned blade, A Ya's first impression of Shaowei was very poor.

When the two entered the pavilion to drink tea, A Ya held a fruit knife and peeled fruit on the side, and she felt somewhat unwilling to peel a pear for Shaowei.

Who knew that girl would pick up a whole pear and crunch right into it, so she didn't need to peel it after all.

A Ya's eye twitched.

Liu Qi, who was drinking tea, also raised his eyes to look at the pear-eater.

In current aristocratic circles, eating fruit always required peeling and cutting into pieces first; eating it whole was considered inelegant.

Sensing Liu Qi's gaze, Shaowei lowered her eyes to look at the other pear in A Ya's hand, confirming she hadn't snatched his food.

Liu Qi continued drinking tea, only feeling that whether this pear was eaten or not, today it was all very refreshing and relieved dryness.

After finishing the pear, Shaowei went on to peel longans herself. When her hands were convenient, she never got used to being waited on.

When leaving, seeing many leftovers on the plate, Shaowei casually grabbed a few to take back for Zhan Zhan. As for the household servant, he had already quietly left Wuling Commandery last night to attend to business.

She even brought some fresh green longan peels that only needed a light pinch, then a tear and a peel, and fruit fragrance burst forth together with translucent juicy flesh.

Zhuang Yuanzhi held this round longan flesh in his fingers, yet rarely showed a few traces of worried doubt on his face.

?? Good night everyone~

? There are some transitional plot bits recently, but not too many, two chapters at most.

? (End of chapter)