[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-stealing-ming":3,"chapter-stealing-ming-stealing-ming-chapter-30":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Stealing Ming",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1220647,1614,"Chapter 30: Section Nine","stealing-ming-chapter-30",30,"\u003Cp>The young girl stood in the middle of the courtyard, tears glistening in her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The personal guards all wore expressions of acute embarrassment, but since Huang Shi had not spoken, they could only inch backward stealthily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon entering the gate, Huang Shi recognized the maid at a glance. At that moment she was gesticulating wildly, pouring out her fury on the few personal guards left behind. The moment she saw Huang Shi, the devoted little matchmaker instantly transformed back into the obedient darling he had seen before. The obedient darling tucked both hands into her sleeves, shuffled over with tiny mincing steps, and bowed to greet Huang Shi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The obedient darling had brought a letter. Seeing that Huang Shi was out, she demanded the guards left on duty go fetch him back; she insisted on delivering the letter into Huang Shi's hands personally. The three personal guards had orders to watch the house properly, and this was no urgent matter, so naturally they could not go summon Huang Shi back. As for the military camp, they certainly could not bring a respectable girl there. In the end, she threw a fit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hearing the full account, Huang Shi was so angry his arm trembled. He had labored so painstakingly to win people's hearts — was it all just so a maid could scold them for sport? The personal guards had handled it perfectly correctly. She was merely a personal maid of Miss Sun; what did it matter if she waited a little while? How dare she reprimand his personal guard captain like that? Was this girl utterly devoid of sense?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What are you making a scene about? Could you not just wait quietly for my return?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These words were spoken very loudly and in a harsh tone. The obedient darling flinched like a startled fawn, stepped back with a hand pressed to her chest, her face already full of terror. Then, mournfully, she said: \"This servant knows her fault. May the Master punish her.\" By the time these few words were out, her voice was already somewhat choked, and large teardrops began spilling from the obedient darling's eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The power of a woman's tears surpasses the flames of a poison dragon. Startled, Huang Shi was somewhat at a loss and had no choice but to console her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Everything is this servant's fault. The Master's words would destroy this servant.\" The obedient darling smiled gently, then obediently produced an envelope: \"A letter from the Young Lady.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Shi took the letter and said offhandedly, \"Thank you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unexpectedly, the obedient darling immediately bent her knees: \"This servant dare not accept such words.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damned habitual thinking — in this era, one did not say thank you. A superior could not say it, a subordinate had no need to say it. He shook open the letter. The core sentence inside read: Tomorrow I shall go outside the city to tread the snow. Beyond that, it also specified the time of departure, and that the only person accompanying her would be that obedient darling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is this a date? Huang Shi nodded. \"I understand. You have worked hard. Return early.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is all merely what this servant ought to do.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The obedient darling's face blossomed into a smile, and she departed gracefully. Before walking out the door, she shot a fierce glare at Yang Luhuo that drained the color from the young man's face. Huang Shi found it amusing and could not resist teasing him: \"A grown man, scolded by a sixteen-year-old girl until you couldn't lift your head — aren't you afraid people will laugh if word gets out?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having said this, he threw his head back and burst into hearty laughter. To his surprise, Huang Shi's remark drew no laughter from anyone. He coughed awkwardly twice to stifle his own laughter and saw the personal guards around him all staring at him dumbfounded. \"Did I say something wrong?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Luhuo stammered, \"My lord, is she not the Young Lady Sun's personal maid?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"She is.\" Huang Shi said, puzzled. \"What of it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Nothing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Shi was about to press further when Zhao Manxiong spoke up: \"My lord, what did the letter say? Is there anything your subordinates can assist with?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mm. Tomorrow I will need to trouble Brother Luhuo to make a trip.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Early the next morning, Huang Shi took Yang Luhuo and left the city. In this era, the sky was blue, and the snow was a pure, unblemished white. The Liaodong countryside had even fewer households. Soon they reached the temple mentioned in the letter. From a distance, Huang Shi saw two figures waiting there. Though he could not make out their faces, the one behind was vaguely recognizable as the obedient darling. Both were looking in his direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To have let a woman arrive first — Huang Shi felt somewhat embarrassed. He knew he was not late — men of the twenty-first century never had the chance to develop the habit of arriving late to dates. He still remembered one snowbound date in his past life: they had clearly set the time for six-thirty, but in the end the girl made him wait three hours in the snow. There was an even more outrageous time when he called from downstairs at the women's dormitory, yet still had to pace around in front of the reception desk auntie for an hour before seeing her. One self-righteous \"I was changing clothes\" had been enough to render Huang Shi speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they drew near, Yang Luhuo fell behind. Huang Shi swung down from his horse. The obedient darling immediately introduced in a low voice: \"Young Lady, this is Lord Huang.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lord Huang, ten thousand blessings.\" The girl addressed as Young Lady immediately performed a curtsey.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My lord, ten thousand blessings.\" The obedient darling once again changed her form of address.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Miss Sun, my greetings.\" After returning the courtesy, Huang Shi secretly peered past Miss Sun's shoulder to look behind her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While he was glancing left and right, Miss Sun lowered her head and said, \"Lord Huang, none of my servants are nearby. I had them wait beside the temple where I offered incense.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That is for the best. I feared damaging the Young Lady's reputation.\" As Huang Shi spoke, he sized up the person before him. The girl's head was lowered; apart from a smooth, luminous forehead, he could only see long eyelashes and the tip of a firm, delicate nose. Her youthful body was wrapped in a light fur over a silk skirt, and the spring breeze carried a faint fragrance of powder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My lord is too serious. I merely came out to offer incense, admire the plum blossoms, and tread the snow. Meeting my lord is but a chance encounter.\" Miss Sun's voice was as soft and calm as water. By now the obedient darling had withdrawn far away. Huang Shi glanced at Yang Luhuo, signaling him to go provide protection. Yang Luhuo pointed at his own nose in astonishment. Huang Shi glared at him again, and Yang Luhuo hastily nodded and bowed before going over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next, Huang Shi led his horse and walked slowly alongside Miss Sun. The girl was very careful to always remain one step behind Huang Shi. In this subtle atmosphere, Huang Shi had no idea what to say. Even the quietest women he had encountered before were far more lively than this. Though Huang Shi had a bellyful of banquet jokes, he also knew he absolutely could not bring them out at a time like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miss Sun, however, seemed already thoroughly content. Her head gradually lifted. Huang Shi stole several glances; the smile upon it grew richer and richer. She seems to be an extremely traditional Chinese woman, Huang Shi made a preliminary judgment in his mind. Such a traditional woman would likely be more devoted to her husband. If he could win her hand, he wondered whether she would become utterly and irrevocably devoted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young lady naturally had no idea of the sordid thoughts filling Huang Shi's mind at that moment. After walking slowly for another moment, she suddenly said softly: \"I have heard that my lord is widely experienced and knowledgeable. My boudoir life is very dull; could my lord tell me some of the things he has seen and heard?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a new man of the twenty-first century, where women had risen to take charge, Huang Shi naturally lacked the moral fortitude and courage to disobey a woman's command. He racked his brains, dredging up every strange tale and curious sight he had ever heard of. Then he subjected them to artistic embellishment, adding the period flavor of the Great Ming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this work of making things up on the spot was extremely taxing on the mind. Moreover, Huang Shi was very worried about how these stories would be received; his anxiety over gain and loss made him even more nervous. The stories and jokes came out drier and drier. A few utterly dull jokes left even Huang Shi himself deeply disheartened as he told them. Stammering through punchlines that could not possibly be colder, Huang Shi himself felt as if water droplets were freezing into ice. Fortunately, Miss Sun appeared to be listening with great delight; the space between the two of them was continuously filled with the girl's crisp, clear laughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Huang Shi was not looking directly at her, Miss Sun laughed so hard she swayed like a flowering branch, even using a hand to pat her chest; but the moment Huang Shi turned his head, Miss Sun hurriedly used her sleeve to cover her mouth, while carefully using her other hand to smooth the hair at her temples. Even as Miss Sun's shoulders shook with laughter, she still maintained an elegant gait. This made Huang Shi's mind perfectly clear: this girl did not actually enjoy listening that much. On the surface, he was amusing her, but in reality, she was coaxing him into good spirits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why has my lord stopped speaking? I was just listening with great pleasure.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Huang Shi suddenly halt his steps, Miss Sun also stopped at once and gazed at him with a face full of smiles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Shi looked around in all directions and spotted a dilapidated temple that was clearly deserted. He pointed with his riding crop:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Miss Sun, how about we go rest there for a moment?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah,\" Miss Sun let out a soft cry of surprise, then immediately covered her mouth and lowered her head. The fair nape of her neck swiftly turned pink, and she spoke in a voice barely louder than a mosquito's buzz:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My lord, what do you want me to go there and do?\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1788,"2026-06-04T07:54:30.907Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","64594065ede2113d983606b7f8568878bbd50ca4ad7bcd10f5bbe6f6c63a4cb9","stealing-ming-chapter-31","stealing-ming-chapter-29",323,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstealing-ming-cover.jpg"]