Chapter 82: Commandant Yu

The brocade-clad youth had already walked over, standing with his hand on his sword, and said, "You must be Yu Liancheng. I am Hu Qing, from Changle Villa in Gusu. The one sitting over there is my master; you must surely know of him."

Before Yu Liancheng could speak, Shangguan Xueer had already interjected, "We don't know."

The purple-clad youth's mouth twitched, and after sweeping a glance at Yu Liancheng, who was focused on eating shark fin, he said in a deep voice, "My master is the master of Changle Villa in Tiger Hill, Jiangnan, known to all as the 'Peaceful Swordsman', Sima Ziyi."

"Gold Nangong, Silver Ouyang, Jade Sima"—this saying refers to the three great martial arts families.

Since ancient times, jade has been considered precious, and Changle Villa is undoubtedly the wealthiest among them.

Besides his family's martial arts, Sima Ziyi was also the sole successor to the former "Mr. Iron Sword". He was young, handsome, and skilled in both letters and martial arts; coupled with his illustrious background, he became world-renowned before the age of twenty.

Although he is now middle-aged, not only has his handsomeness not diminished, but his arrogance has not faded in the slightest.

For a person like this, the disciple he teaches naturally would not understand what "humility" means.

"What a long name. Are all of your names this long?"

Shangguan Xueer bit her chopstick, pouted, and said, "You are truly long-winded. Just saying Sima Ziyi would have been enough."

The purple-clad youth seemed stunned for a moment, then his expression darkened: "How bold! You, a mere girl, dare to address my master by his full name."

Shangguan Xueer's expression darkened, and she patted the table with her small hand: "How bold! You, a mere boy, dare to address my master by his full name." This purple-clad youth had also addressed Yu Liancheng by his name earlier, but he had not thought anything of it himself.

The purple-clad youth was stunned again, as if he had never encountered such a person, let alone a very young girl, and for a moment he could not speak: "You... you..."

"I am very beautiful, that goes without saying." Shangguan Xueer smiled sweetly. Although she was not very old, having spent all day with that group of improper women from the Red Shoes, her smile appeared charming and amorous.

Looking at this face, the words the purple-clad youth had intended to say were swallowed back into his throat, and he became dejected and lost.

After a long while, he finally reacted. Feeling that this was very shameful, he darkened his face, turned to Yu Liancheng, and said coldly, "An honest person does not speak in riddles. My master specifically asked me to borrow a ribbon from you, and then invites you over to drink."

He said it very casually, as if he believed that since he had come over and spoken, he had already given Yu Liancheng great face.

"Did your master know my master before?" Shangguan Xueer asked again.

The purple-clad youth said with a stiff face, "No."

Shangguan Xueer said, "Then is your master a great beauty?"

The purple-clad youth's mouth twitched. If this were not a little girl who looked so cute and innocent, he would have already thrust his sword out. He said, almost through gritted teeth, "My master is a man!!"

Shangguan Xueer said, "Then please go back. Your master is not my master's friend, nor is he a peerless beauty; he will absolutely not go over to drink."

The purple-clad youth truly did not know what to say, and did not even know what expression to show, so he could only say, "Since you refuse to drink, then I suppose you also refuse to lend the ribbon."

Shangguan Xueer nodded, holding her shark fin, and said while eating, "You are finally a bit smarter this time. No one will lend things to others for no reason. Besides, if you want to borrow something, you should at least come yourself. Does your master with the very long name not even understand this simple principle? Has he wasted all these years in the Edo?"

"You..." The purple-clad youth's complexion was already somewhat ugly, and he gripped his sword hilt with his backhand.

Behind him, however, someone coughed twice and said, "This little girl is quite right; it is my lack of etiquette. However, your use of the word 'borrow' is also poor. For such an item, no one would be willing to lend it."

Sima Ziyi had actually deigned to walk over himself, but he stopped far away, as if waiting for Yu Liancheng and Shangguan Xueer to welcome him. But Yu Liancheng did not move, continuing to eat and drink, while Shangguan Xueer tilted her head to look at him, her large eyes filled with confusion.

Sima Ziyi coughed twice, had no choice but to walk over himself, and extended a well-maintained hand to tap the table.

The purple-clad youth naturally understood his master's meaning and immediately took a stack of silver notes from his bosom and placed them on the table.

Sima Ziyi used that same hand to stroke his neatly trimmed mustache and said, "Gold and silver are undoubtedly the most practical and useful things. Here are fifty thousand taels that can be exchanged immediately. With this sum of money, an ordinary person can live ten lifetimes without a care."

"Half-master, this is a full fifty thousand taels of silver!!" Shangguan Xueer's eyes, which were already bright, were now as bright as the stars.

Yu Liancheng only gave a flat "Hmm."

A smile appeared on Sima Ziyi's face: "Fifty thousand taels in silver notes to exchange for just two ribbons—it is always a worthwhile trade."

Shangguan Xueer, however, showed a look of disappointment: "Although I really want to swindle this fifty thousand taels of silver from you, my half-master taught me to be honest, so I won't swindle you. My master only has one ribbon left here; the others were given to my sister. If you want them, wait an hour or two and go to her place to ask for them."

Sima Ziyi frowned, then immediately smoothed his brow and smiled again: "One is fine. For a ribbon like this, a single piece of silk is worth fifty thousand taels."

"But my master needs this ribbon." Shangguan Xueer's eyes rolled: "How about this, let's have a duel. If you win against me, I will go find my sister and ask her for a ribbon for you, free of charge. But if you lose, that fifty thousand taels of silver belongs to me, and don't mention the ribbon again."

Sima Ziyi was stunned, completely stunned.

A thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl wants to duel him?

The purple-clad youth was furious, the veins on his arm trembling: "How dare you insult my master like this."

Shangguan Xueer looked at Sima Ziyi again and said disappointedly, "You don't dare? Then let's do this: we will set a limit of fifty moves. If I cannot defeat you within fifty moves, I will consider myself the loser, and the other conditions remain the same."

With a "Clang," the sword in the purple-clad youth's hand was unsheathed.

He was also a very proud person; usually, he would disdain to take action against a little girl, but Shangguan Xueer's words were simply insulting his master.

And whoever insulted his master had to receive the punishment they deserved.

His sword had already thrust out.

The sword was indeed fast.

Among the younger generation, it could already be considered quite decent.

The sword light was swift, yet the sword momentum faintly held a sense of restraint, as if he intended to show mercy to Shangguan Xueer.

After all, she was a very cute little girl.

But it was completely unnecessary.

Shangguan Xueer tilted her delicate body slightly, not only dodging the sword, but reaching out her arm; two chopsticks had already tapped two major acupuncture points on the purple-clad youth's chest.

And so, the purple-clad youth collapsed limply to the ground.