Chapter 8: Twelve Hours of Muwei Palace: A Quarter Past Noon
Whispers sounded around the hall.
“Everyone said that after Cai Pingshu got injured permanently, Luoying Valley was weak. They rely on the support of Sect Leader Qi of the Qingque Sect. But look at this young miss. Could you do the moves she just did?!”
“Weak? Luoying Valley just never liked to participate in Jianghu politics. They are just peaceful.”
“Yes, exactly. I heard that Cai Pingchun’s abilities have increased greatly these years. Otherwise, how could so many challengers go to Luoying Valley, but we never hear anything? If they’d won, they’d spread it everywhere.”
“Cai Pingchun? Are you sure it wasn’t Cai Pingshu who won?”
“Cai Pingshu was injured permanently!”
“This young girl was using the Qin Na Hands (‘capturing hands’) created by Cai Pingshu. The first move is shu gong jin jie ‘extrodinary strength festival’ and the second move is xu feng shu ran ‘wind blows suddenly’. Cai Pingshu used this set of martial arts to destroy the thirteen bandit camps of the north!”
“Wow, yes! The Cai family is amazing!”
Yin Qinglian’s faced turned from red to white and then put on a smile. “I’ve always heard that you’ve been spoiled since birth. Learning martial arts is such hard work. How could your aunt bear to force you?”
Cai Zhao smiled without reaching her eyes. She slowly put the dagger in its scabbard. “Aunt said, if you rely on a wall the wall will fall, if you rely on a mountain the mountain will crumble, rely on a lake the lake will dry, it’s relying on yourself that is the most stable.”
Her childhood was very happy and free of worries. The aunt that didn’t want her to have an ounce of worry only made her to do one thing: practice martial arts daily. Rain or shine.
She remembered one time she cried because she was tired, and Cai Pingshu patted her back softly and said, “No matter what, you must have the ability to protect yourself. If I let you arrogantly live carefree days, then I would be harming you.”
Yin Qinglian said, “That is something your Aunt would say. But as a female, there isn’t only one path. Having a reliance is not a bad thing. Anyways, today is our first-time meeting. Take this jade bracelet as a greeting gift.”
Cai Zhao quietly accepted.
“Shifu,” Zeng Dalou said as the atmosphere improved. “Shimei has never been good at being hungry, why don’t we let her go to the back and have some snacks?”
Qi Yunke nodded. He brought Cai Zhao and Chang Ning in front of him and said quietly, “Your Chang shixiong is injured and poisoned. During the ancestor’s remembrance ceremony period, I do not have spare time. Please help me look after him.”
Qi Lingbo was an ‘honest and simple’ daughter who also had a mother that exhibited favourtism. If she sneakily bullied Chang Ning, most disciples would turn a blind eye. Even if they wanted to, they may lack the ability to help. Only Cai Zhao was unafraid and able.
Cai Zhao understood this, and she smiled without really smiling.
“Once Chang Ning is recovered, I think no one would be able to bully him.” Qi Yunke sighed. “It’s all because I haven’t taught my daughter well. If your aunt knew, she would scold that I’m useless…”
“In all these years my aunt has never said bad things about you,” Cai Zhao pointed out cooly. “The one that points out your flaws is my mother.”
Qi Yunke sighed. “Your mother has a sharp tongue, but doesn’t mean it. I don’t take it to heart. If your aunt said a word, I would not know how to live with myself. Zhaozhao, the entire Chang family was washed in blood. We must avenge them. A pity that Old Chang was a hero that saved countless lives, yet he had such an ending. In light of Chang Haosheng’s memory, we need to look after Chang Ning…”
“Bofu, you don’t have to say more. Zhaozhao understands. Aunt often said the thing she was the proudest of was not killing Nie Huaicheng, but that when she travelled the Jinghu, she never walked by person in need. Bofu can rest reassured, I will look after Chang shixiong. My generation of martial artists, we don’t have to astound the world with our achievements, but at least we must stand with justice and live with no regrets.” Cai Zhao spoke righteously. It was time to express her moral character to her future shifu.
“Great! Well said!” Qi Yunke was very happy and brought Chang Ning closer to give a bow.
Chang Ning smiled without smiling and gave a bow stiffly.
Cai Zhao felt a bit miffed at this. However, thinking about Chang Haosheng and his valiant acts, she suddenly felt like she was too stingy. She quickly said goodbye to Qi Yunke and then pulled Chang Ning away by his sleeve.
Chang Ning faltered, staring at the little hand on his sleeve.
Seeing that Qi Yunke entertaining the guests, Yin Sulian quickly pulled Dai Fengchi to her husband's side and asked him to accompany her husband to meet the elders. She pushed her daughter and twitched her mouth towards Cai Zhao and Chang Ning on the other side. Qi Lingbo understood. She gritted her teeth and followed.
There were many rooms in the back hall. Zeng Dalou found a clean and elegant room for Cai Zhao, Chang Ning, and Qi Lingbo. He also ordered his servants to serve tea and then hurriedly left to deal with tasks.
Children learned from their elders. Cai Zhao learned from her aunt, and Qi Lingbo had learned from her mother. In fifteen minutes, Qi Lingbo had gone from ‘Cai shimei’ to “Zhaozhao meimei’. From ‘you meddling bitch’ to ‘little kids having a misunderstanding’ etc.
Except the transition was too sudden, so it felt forced and fake. This young lady Qi still had a lot to learn on the road of flattering people.
Any normal teenage girl with a temper would have yelled at Qi Lingbo by now, but Cai Zhao didn’t. Since young, her dream was to become the manager of the seventy-two shops in Luoying Town, and to do business, one had to know how to make peace.
So, Cai Zhao treated Qi Lingbo with her best customer service face and warm smile. The two of them smiled sweetly with each other.
“My mother and your aunt have over ten years of friendship.” Qi Lingbo said. “Three years ago, when we heard that she had passed, my mother was so sad. She couldn’t eat and got sick—so that was why she didn’t attend the funeral.”
“Shijie is so polite. With the deep relationship between your mother and my aunt, if she wasn’t sick, how could she not come? I know this.”
“My mother has always had a weak constitution.” Qi Lingbo felt like Cai Zhao was implying things and felt uneasy. “When she was twelve and went to Mount Peiliang Manor to beg for a doctor, that was when she became friends with your aunt. My mother always said Cai Nvxia was a righteous woman, and her martial arts skills were unparallelled. If it wasn’t for your aunt’s help, my mother wouldn’t be able to stand here today.”
“At ten years old, my aunt became the disciple of Sect Leader Zhou of Mount Peiliang Manor Sect. Even though she had other shimei, your mother was so cute and nice that she couldn’t help but like her. My mother once said that all the young shimei once fell into the hands of a Demonic Sect Elder’s top disciple. It was my aunt that risked her life to save the girls. So they really share a bond forged in life and death!”
“….Zhaozhao meimei is right.” Qi Lingbo felt like Cai Zhao implied things again. “Actually, my mother and your aunt would sometimes bicker when they were young, but after they had a bond forged in life and death, so obviously the little bickering when they were kids doesn’t matter at all, haha.”
“You’re right! A little bickering when young is nothing. If they also threw a few things at each other, it’s not a big deal. No one would take it to heart, haha.” Cai Zhao smiled.
“….Yes, you’re right.” Mother, it’s really difficult to make polite small talk with Cai Zhao!
The two girls smiled happily and spoke warmly and full of excitement, as if they were going to become sworn sisters any second. But they were interrupted by two short and cold laughs.
The two girls turned to look at the sound.
“Cai shimei is able to sway and bend (能屈能伸), what a true hero.” Chang Ning scorned. He then pointed at Qi Lingbo. “She called you a bitch, and you don’t care?”
Cai Zhao smiled. “A slip of words, I don’t care.”
Qi Lingbo let out a breath she was holding.
“She just got a bunch of people to bully and beat you up, you don’t care?”
“But she didn’t succeed. Even if we did fight, I would win.”
“Yes, yes, shimei is right!” Qi Lingbo said.
“If she could win, she would have beat you up.”
“Even if she could win, and beat me up, we are of one sect. We can just let it go.” Cai Zhao said this but thought, if I really did get beaten up, I would return it tenfold.
“Shimei is righteous and generous! A true heroine!” Qi Lingbo gave a big thumbs up.
“No worries, it’s all good, peace builds wealth after all.” Cai Zhao said easily.
“What if someone had insulted Cai Nvxia?”
Cai Zhao’s eyes became cold.
“What if someone called Cai Nvxia ‘the bitch that dragged her death out for ten years’?” Chang Ning said. “Zhaozhao shimei also thinks this is a slip of words, and doesn’t care?”
Qi Lingbo jumped up from her chair and pointed at Chang Ning. “Stop sprouting nonsense! Cai shimei, don’t listen to him. He hates me and wants to sow discord!”
Cai Zhao ignored her, all smiles gone from her face. “Chang Ning shixiong, please explain.”
“Three years ago, Cai Nvxia passed away, and father attended the funeral. He was so sad that on his way back he caught a cold. At that time he was passing Jiuli mountain, so Sect Leader Qi invited him to stay and recover. Sect Leader Qi and his wife got into a huge argument. Zeng Dalou couldn’t mediate it, and he asked Father to help. When Father went over, he heard Madame Qinglian say, ‘Everyone says that Cai Pingshu got grievously injured after she killed Nie Hengcheng, but that bitch dragged on and on for ten years! Stop nagging me about remembering her virtues!”
“Zhaozhao shimei, don’t listen to this freak. My mother would never say that. It’s all… it’s just…”
“Father was not the only person present. Zeng Dalou and the outer sect manager Li shibo was there too.” Chang Ning said clearly.
Cai Zhao’s hands curled, and her nails dug into her palms.
“Father didn’t say a word, and immediately left, not caring about his illness.” Chang Ning said coldly. “Zhaozhao shimei, in this world, not everything can be ‘peace builds wealth’.”
The dark brown tablecloth was woven with auspicious golden threads, which flickered under the bright lamp, glowing with dazzling white light, just like when young Cai Zhao discovered strands of white hair on her aunt's temples. At that time, Cai Pingshu was only twenty-five years old.
Cai Zhao thought of the Yin Qinglian she had just met. She had smooth skin and black hair. She lived a life of honor and wealth. As the wife of the No. 1 sect in the world who was admired by thousands of people - in this world, did justice really exist?
“There are many guests today, and everyone in the sect is very busy. Shijie should go out to entertain the guests." Cai Zhao said.
"No, no, Zhaozhao shimei, please listen to my explanation. My mother was quarreling with my father at that time. She blurted out her words carelessly and in a moment of anger..." Qi Lingbo explained in a panic.
“The world is very large.” Cai Zhao interrupted. “It’s not like no one can speak ill of my aunt. But those that have been helped by her cannot. Not if it was in a moment of anger, and not even it if was blurted out.” Cai Zhao said steadily. “Shijie, please leave.”
“You bastard Chang!” Qi Lingbo exploded. “Who do you think you are? Your family is gone, and you’re relying on Qingque Sect to shelter you! You should be grateful and not cause trouble! You dare sow discord between us Beichen descendants?! You mogrel, freak, have you no shame? If you look down on me so much, why do you stay? Why don’t you scram?! Stop staying here and being an embarrassment to your name!”
“Shame? I’m not like you who only remembers that someone is bringing you inconvenience yet doesn’t remember their help. Miss Qi is forgetful, so let me remind you.”
“Twenty years ago, your mother Madame Qinglian ran away from home in a fit of anger. She got captured by a demonic sect disciple and almost died. It was my father that saved her. Nineteen years ago, Qingque Sect’s Elders fell into the hands of the Demonic Sect, and Nie Hengcheng hung their bodies on the gates and whipped them. No one of the Beichen Six Sects would come down from Wan Shui Qian Shan Peak. It was father who pretended to by a spy and saved the bodies of the two elders. Sixteen years ago, Sect Leader Qi led the righteous forces against the demonic sect to avenge old Sect Leader Yin. It was my father that saved him…”
“And this is what everyone knows. There is much more help father provided that is not widespread knowledge.” Chang Ning looked at Qi Lingbo with contempt, “Just because father doesn’t mention these, doesn’t mean Qingque Sect can forget. With all of these debts, I can recover in Qingque Sect with a clear conscience.”
It's not that Qi Lingbo didn't know these things, at least Qi Yunke had told his daughter these countless times. However, under the influence of her mother Yin Sulian, she felt that the Qingque Sect was the largest sect in the world, and everyone in the martial arts world should obviously do things for the sect. Unless the Qingque Sect said a word or two to express nostalgia, the other party should not bring up these things.
“A clear conscience is good, but no amount of old kindness can stop Miss Qi from wanting to scoop out my heart blood, right? Zhaozhao shimei, don’t you think so? Shimei? Zhaozhao shimei?”
Cai Zhao had been staring at the table and had to be roused. “Oh, I suddenly thought of a play that’s popular in Luoying Town. There was a line it in that said:
I spill my hot blood for the world, but the world is filled with ungrateful people who turn their backs.
“What play is this?”
“This play was written by my mom.”
Chang Ning paused.
“Now I know the meaning.” Cai Zhao sighed.
Qi Lingbo could not take this. The two of them speaking like she wasn’t there, implying that Yin Qinglian was an ungrateful person that turned on her benefactors... She stood with a bang and glared at them. “You… just you wait!”
She overturned her chair and ran from the room.
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