Ning Que knew that Second Brother was a solemn gentleman and hated being flattered. Or one could say, he hated flattery that was shallow and easily seen-through. That was why he had thought long and hard about his praise and said it in a most natural manner. It was a pity it was still wrong.
It was like trying to pat the Snow Horse’s beautiful bottom but ended up getting a handful of the Big Black Horse’s butt. It was slightly awkward. However, his skin was thick and he did not flush even though he fell silent for a moment and stared at the lake.
“I heard that the Calligraphy Addict came back to Chang’an with you?”
“Eldest Brother has acknowledged her as his vowed sister and invited her over to Chang’an to have fun. It has nothing to do with me.”
Second Brother glanced at him and said coldly, “Is she going to marry Eldest Brother?”
It was not a misunderstanding, but sarcastic mocking. Even Ning Que’s thick skin could not bear the assault, and he could only lower his head and look at the tip of his shoes like what shy girls did.
“Go for your things.”
Second Brother walked on the bridge towards the mid-lake pavilion after that. His posture was stable, or one might even say that it was stubborn. Every step was measured and precise. The tall crown on his head did not move at all in the slight breeze.
Ning Que looked at his retreating back and wondered why Second Brother liked to stay in the pavilion.
One would not get an answer to this kind of question. And even if one had the answer, one would not dare to say it aloud. He shrugged and carried his heavy bags towards the smithy with the never ending thunderous sounds.
In the white steam room, Fourth Brother, dressed in his winter uniform, was meditating at the sand table with the talisman lines by the dark windows. Sixth Brother did not wear a top and was hammering on metal by the stove.
The two Senior Brothers stopped and turned around when they heard his footsteps. Upon discovering that Ning Que had returned, excitement flashed on their faces. They asked, “Were the arrows useful? What about the blade?”
Ning Que had thought that the two Senior Brothers were excited at their reunion, yet only to find that they did not even ask about how he was. They were only worried about the fruits of their labors. He could not help but smile bitterly. He bowed deeply to the ground to the two Senior Brothers, executing the most formal and solemn of all bows.
He had encountered numerous dangers in the Wilderness. If not for the two Senior Brothers who had slaved over the Primordial Thirteen Arrows and the talisman blade day and night, he would have long been dead. They had saved his life, how could he not be grateful?
Ning Que put down his bags and retrieved the Primordial Thirteen Arrows from the iron box. He laid them on the ground neatly and said, “The Primordial Thirteen Arrows were very useful. I’ve looked them over, and they can be used again after some simple fixing.”
A flash of surprise crossed Fourth Brother’s face. He counted the arrows on the ground and said incredulously, “You didn’t lose any of them? How did you pick all them back?”
Ning Que answered honestly, “Eldest Brother found them for me.”
Fourth Brother smiled, and thought to himself, that the arrows would certainly not go missing since Eldest Brother was there.
The talisman arrows on the ground were the culmination of the efforts of everyone in the back of the mountain of the Academy, especially that of Fourth and Sixth Brothers. They had used everything they had learned and had barely slept and ate to make them.
They have all heard of how Prince Long Qing had lost the bet and knew that Ning Que had used the Primordial Thirteen Arrows to gain victory. They had not counted on being able to see all the talisman arrows again, but were surprised to see that their youngest Younger Brother had returned with the entire set. To them, it was like all their children had returned safely, and they were naturally extremely happy.
Sixth Brother looked at Ning Que and asked simply, “Does Younger Brother still need us to do anything?”
Ning Que laughed in embarrassment. He thought to himself that Sixth Brother dealt with the stove and metal all year round, and had not expected him to accurately guess what he was thinking. Then, he removed the three podaos on his back and passed it to him.
Sixth Brother’s palms were extremely large. He grabbed the three podaos and asked, “Were they not useful?”
Ning Que thought about what to say and said, “A bit too light.”
He had experienced many battles in the Wilderness. The three podaos had helped cut down many heads when he went against the Horse Gang. However, when he faced cultivation powerhouses like Lin Ling, Long Qing, Ye Hongyu, and Master Lotus, the podaos were not very useful even with the talisman lines etched on them.
Compared to the Primordial Thirteen Arrows and the pouch, the podao’s use to him was not as large. However, he was used to going to combat with blades and could not bear to abandon them, which was why he hoped that Sixth Brother could help to modify them.
Sixth Brother lowered his head and looked at the three blades. He asked, “How do you want to change them?”
Ning Que looked at the three slender podaos and thought of many things. He thought about how he had killed the horse gang by the Shubi Lake with the three blades and how he had killed assassins at the Northern Mountain Road. However, as his skills improved, and his position in the world changed, many things had changed as well.
He used to carry the three blades around with him all the time, and it had already become a symbol. He used to always think about how to deal with the three assassins who worked under Xia Hou. He could kill those assassins with a flick of his fingers today. He no longer needed the three blades.
He wanted to kill Xia Hou, but Xia Hou was one person. He only needed one blade.
A large and heavy blade.
It’d be great if the blade could be larger and heavier than the blood-colored curved sword that Tang Xiaotang had.
Ning Que looked at the familiar body of the slender podaos and suppressed the reluctance in his heart.
“Senior Brother, please make these three swords into one.”
…
…
Some Senior Brothers were playing music and singing, some were playing chess. There was a Senior Brother who was burying flowers, and a Senior Sister wrote Hairpin-style Small Regular Script by the window. The scholar was studying outside the cave and Chen Pipi was somewhere in the mountain. Eldest Brother was traveling somewhere, and he could not find anyone to ask about those important questions.
Ning Que did not dare to cultivate in the back of the mountain because it was a very important question and he did not have an answer. He did not dare to study Second Brother’s flying sword or Seventh Sister’s flying needle. He was worried that the Great Spirit in his body would move and burst from the top of his head to the clouds and that a monster would come and quell him.
So he wandered around the back of the mountain in boredom. He laid on the meadow and watched Second Brother’s white goose feed the fish. Then, he could stay no longer, and left the Academy in the horse carriage and returned to Chang’an.
He thought that he should play the host, and went in search of the disciples of Black Ink Garden, wanting to take them around the city. However, Mo Shanshan had brought some of the girls from the Great River Kingdom to the imperial court and were not at their dwellings.
So he returned to Lin 47th Street and brought Sangsang to the House of Red Sleeves.
The House of Red Sleeves was one of the most elegant and expensive places on earth. They did not need much business to earn a decent profit. That was why they did not open in the day usually, especially since it was midwinter. The ladies were all hiding upstairs or in the courtyard, nibbling on seed and gossiping. The building was even emptier than the back of the mountain of the Academy.
However, Ning Que was no ordinary guest. He had entered the House of Red Sleeves back when he did not have money, and he had not spent much in the years that followed. He also had a relationship that couldn’t be easily defined with this place. With the rise in his status, came the rise of his popularity in the House of Red Sleeves.
The manservant in plain robes was a little unhappy to see someone entering. He thought to himself that it must be an official who had just returned to the capital and did not know the unspoken rules of the House of Red Sleeves. When he saw Ning Que’s face, he was startled and smiled widely at the two and invited them in. Then, he placed his hand at the side of his mouth and yelled, “Ladies upstairs, ladies in the courtyard, come out and entertain our guest!”
Ning Que was shocked, and then, felt amused. He thought to himself, that even though he might never reach a state like Eldest Brother, at least he was rather successful in other areas. He had his own unique prestige.
Thundering footsteps danced across the House of Red Sleeves as the ladies heard that Ning Que had returned to Chang’an. Dozens of ladies popped their heads out from the railings and waved the handkerchief in their hands at him excitedly while calling out his name.
Ning Que could not help but remember the first time he had come to the House of Red Sleeves and the teasing that ensued when he saw that. He opened his arms wide happily as if he was about to hug all the ladies. He yelled, “I missed you all to death!”
…
…
Dewdrop took the hot towel from the maidservant’s hands and placed it on his face. She said angrily, “Those shrews used to think that you are cute and teasable. Now that your status is different, they can’t wait to devour you. If I hadn’t come earlier, I would like to see which part of you would remain untouched.”
Ning Que’s voice sounded from behind the hot towel, “I welcome their devouring.”
Dewdrop said sarcastically, “It seems that even your heart has gone wild after half a year away from home. Mistress Jian’s orders are still being enforced. Don’t dream of anyone really devouring you.”
Ning Que rose from the couch and wiped his face. Then, he tossed the towel at the maidservant and looked at Dewdrop with furrowed brows, “My good sister, when will she rescind that order?”
Dewdrop pushed him back onto the couch and massaged his legs. She said, “You can go and ask Mistress Jian. I want to talk about something serious with you. The copies of Chicken Soup Calligraphy don’t sell as well as they did. That table is darker than the bottom of a pot. Shouldn’t you write me something to sell?”
Dewdrop had never accepted any customers since she started selling copies of the Chicken Soup Calligraphy. Even the most important official would leave when they heard that she had the backing of Ning Que and Master Yan Se.
Ning Que was Yan Se’s only disciple. He understood how every man felt and wanted her to stop her business as well. However, when he heard her tone, it sounded as if she did not know that Master Yan Se had already passed on. He fell silent, and then decided not to tell her about it. He smiled and said, “I will write as many as you want.”
Dewdrop hugged his head to her chest excitedly and rubbed it hard when she heard that.
Dewdrop’s full figure was something she was very proud of. Her body was like that of a dewdrop and Ning Que, who was tucked in her embrace was smothered by her overflowing bosom. However, when he thought of the fact that she was his Master’s almost-wife, he did not dare to enjoy it, and struggled to escape her embrace.
“I do not dare to go against morality.” Ning Que said in a panic.
Dewdrop said angrily, “Who knows where that teacher of yours had gone. What morals are you talking about?”
Ning Que forced a smile and said, “Master had gone to the Peach Mountain to cultivate. I do not know when he will return.”
Dewdrop felt slightly dejected and could barely bring herself to smile. She said, “Let’s not talk about him. Tell me, what fun have you encountered in the Wilderness? I heard that you have managed to kidnap the Calligraphy Addict and have brought her back to Chang’an. Is she beautiful?”
Ning Que was stunned. How could rumor speed be faster than the Primordial Thirteen Arrows? What’s more, what kidnapping was she talking about?