Simply Trading

Li Changhai was too stunned at the man"s sudden death to even form his thoughts properly, much less manage any coherent attempt to call out to his grandmother as he had intended to do. Was she really that powerful? How come he had never known that?

Nor was he the only one so surprised. Nu Yuanqing had her mouth open, as she stared at the body of the old man who had just exchanged blows with her. And it was clear that she had never expected such an ending either.

Then Xie Nianxue simply sniffed, and the silence was broken.

"Well, I see that you did not really need my help at all, Lady Xie. I suppose that I should feel grateful, since you are basically gifting us the resources that you promised our Heaven Sword School for free?"

Nu Yuanqing was the first to recover, and her choice of words made it sound as if she was chiding Xie Nianxue. The Second Ducal Prince scowled as soon as he heard her words.

She did not put away her sword though, which told Li Changhai that she was wary that Lady Xie might not be willing to hold to her end of the bargain. From what he knew of his grandmother, he didn"t doubt that the woman in green would pay for her somewhat insulting manners.

Nor did Xie Nianxue disappoint. "If you are asking for payment, here it is," came her reply, in a much softer voice than she had used earlier. Which was enough to make the Second Ducal Prince watch her carefully. His grandmother had a temper, and that was a sign that it was flaring up!

She flung out a hand at the woman as soon as she was done speaking, and a scroll flew out from the same, hurtling towards green-clad Nu Yuanqing.

The woman from the Heaven Sword School wore a smile as she lifted her left hand to intercept the same. But as soon as she caught hold of the scroll, her expression changed, and she dropped her sword to slam her right palm against the back of her left hand!

A peal of thunder seem to resound in the s.p.a.ce around Nu Yuanqing as soon as she did that. And the Second Ducal Prince found his eyes widening as he saw how the woman in green had to take five steps back, and cough up a mouthful of blood, before she could hold onto the simple-looking scroll.

"What is this? Are you breaking the boat now that you are across the river?"

Xie Nianxue merely smiled, and gestured at the bodies that she had left on the field. As though telling Nu Yuanqing that she did not need to bother with petty games.

"A simple chastis.e.m.e.nt, for not doing what you have promised. Still, you had fulfilled part of the duties that you were a.s.signed, so some reward is necessary. Hence, I have given you the scroll. It contains the Agile Cat Seven Steps that I promised your Heaven Sword School. You may take it that I am feeling generous, since I am in a pleasant mood.

"Just do not expect to get the Spirit Stones that we spoke about."

Nu Yuanqing coughed, and spat out a mouthful of blood. Her right hand reached out, and s.n.a.t.c.hed up the sword that she had let drop earlier, while her left continued to clutch at the scroll.

"Why? This is unfair!"

Xie Nianxue shook her head again, as she glared at the woman"s imperious tone. "You dare to say that I am unfair? Have you forgotten what our agreement was, in the first place? You were supposed to kill off those who intruded into the camp, and to safeguard my grandson, was it not? And you dare claim that you have done so?" she growled in a low, threatening manner at Nu Yuanqing.

"Have I not? Look around you! Dare you claim that I have failed to keep the Barbarians out of your precious camp?"

"Hmmph! While I do not dispute the fact that you have managed to complete the first part well enough, what of the second? If you had troubled yourself to protect my grandson, why is he injured now? And by Luo Qingke"s hand no less?"

"What? But I ... He didn"t step into the camp, so how could he have injured your grandson? You are clearly trying to get out of the agreement!"

Xie Nianxue"s eyes narrowed dangerously as she stared at Nu Yuanqing. "Are you calling me blind? Or am I so old that I cannot recognize my own grandson? He is standing right there, and his injuries are clear for all to see! Is this how you protect him then?"

"What?"

The two women turned then, and Li Sanlang could feel the woman in green"s eyes boring at him, once his grandmother had pointed him out. It wasn"t pleasant, but this was not the first time that he had been the centre of attention, in a way that he did not care for.

"Grandmother," he called out at once, and bowed politely. To both women.

"Lady Nu."

The face of the woman in the pale green robe was pale and her expression ugly to behold. But her glare reverted to Xie Nianxue almost at once, as though dismissing him. Li Changhai could not be bothered to feel annoyed, and turned his attention back to the bloodied man who was lying at his feet.

If this was the sort of women that he had to deal with in the Heaven Sword School, it was little wonder that Qin Feng had been so pleased to get away from the same!

His grandmother seemed to share his opinion too, as her seemingly mocking words to Nu Yuanqing seemed to indicate:

"You could have stepped out earlier, if you had bothered to find out how my grandson looked like. Did you really think that he would cower in my eldest son"s tents while there was a attack? It is clear that you think too poorly of my family!"

Then her hand gestured at the unconscious man lying next to Li Sanlang, much to the latter"s surprise. "I am tempted to withhold the first part of your payment, had it not been for the efforts of that Qin Feng. He is one of your disciples, after all. By that, I mean one of the Heaven Sword School"s disciples. To think that you didn"t even bother to save his pitiful hide."

Lady Xie Nianxue"s tone was a little belligerent, but the other woman merely glared back at her, rather than bothering to reply. Her expression, on the other hand, grew uglier.

"Regardless of that, and regardless of whether he is still considered one of yours, he did save my grandson earlier, with his efforts. If not for that, the Barbarians would have entered into the camp, and the consequences of that would have been ... severe.

"For you as well as for them."

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