Chapter 09 - Returning to Guoshi Residence
That matter happened 15 years ago.
Presently, she is well-known in the capital and is the most capable Emissary Qian Mi of Empress Dowager Duan Mi.
At that time, she was just a 7-year-old girl who had fainted on the mountain road in the early morning of Spring and she was tightly hugging a swaddled baby girl in her arms.
Coincidentally, Zhennan w.a.n.gfei who happened to be on her way to the temple to offer incense saved her and the baby girl. They were then taken along with the w.a.n.gfei up to the temple in the mountains.
That time, w.a.n.gfei who had married into Zhennan w.a.n.g Residence for many years was still unable to conceive due to serious injuries she received in the past. On that particular day, she was on her way to the temple to offer incense and pray for a child.
When the 7-year-old girl who was saved woke up and overheard the w.a.n.gfei"s prayers for a child, she proposed an exchange. The w.a.n.gfei was entrusted to take care of the baby girl and in exchange, she would use her blood as medicine to cure the w.a.n.gfei"s old injuries.
As the Holy Lady of the Qian Mi Tribe who recently appeared after a hundred years, the blood of the Holy Lady was like medicine. It healed the w.a.n.gfei"s old injuries and in the second month, the w.a.n.gfei had her wish fulfilled……..she became pregnant.
That baby girl was adopted and given loving care by the w.a.n.gfei and she grew up to become the present Ji Xiaoli.
All these happened 15 years ago but it seemed as if it only happened yesterday.
The baby girl has now grown up and reached marriageable age. At that time, the little girl who fainted by the roadside due to the freezing cold is now a powerful Emissary Qian Mi who can summon the wind and rain in the upper capital city.
w.a.n.gfei is still the w.a.n.gfei……but her beloved daughter is a woman who is disguising as a male for fifteen years. It is now difficult for her to get down from riding the tiger.
Despair flooded the w.a.n.gfei"s heart and she sighed.
Probably, Qin Sang also recalled the past and her beautiful side face revealed gentleness as if she was remembering an old dream.
"It can be seen that Niang Niang had lovingly nurtured Xiaoli for so many years with a pure heart like her own mother. Qin Sang has trust in Niang Niang." The famous and powerful Emissary Qian Mi who is well-known for her merciless and violent temperament in the whole of the upper capital city had a slight smile on her face. In a low voice, she said apologetically. "Niang Niang can decide on Xiaoli"s marriage. A marriage is made in Heaven and I believe in destiny."
Zhennan w.a.n.gfei was a little hesitant and after a while, she asked. "Regarding this matter, allow me to ask a question……..Is there any relationship between the Guoshi Residence and the life of Xiaoli?"
The events that happened on the day of the hairpin ceremony was very clear that someone had worked behind the scenes and made use of the Empress to send Xiaoli into Guoshi Residence. But after thinking for a long time, she still could not think of the person who could have done it and the person"s intention.
"Niang Niang need not worry about this matter." Qin Sang slipped her fingers into her sleeves and her smile became brighter. "Just treat Xiaoli as an ordinary daughter of Niang Niang and make arrangements for her according to your plans. Leave the rest to her predestined fate."
Since she was unwilling to say more, w.a.n.gfei did not want to ask any more questions and nodded in agreement.
Using a little of her qinggong, the purple dressed figure melted into the moonlight. Zhennan w.a.n.gfei watched as she disappeared and after standing for a while she turned around and left.
**8**8**8**8**
Early the next morning, Xiaoli got up by herself without the need for anyone to wake her up. After a sumptuous breakfast with w.a.n.gfei, it was Ji Xi and Ji Bei who sent her back to Guoshi Residence.
Before she left, she looked around and asked with a face showing her disappointment. "Where is Ji Nan?"
Ji Xi"s beautiful eyes blinked.
Ji Bei told her offhandedly. "It is said that His Highness, the Second Prince just obtained a good sword and this morning, he sent someone over to invite Little Four to test out the sword with him."
"Oh……" Since she had only asked casually, Xiaoli replied nonchalantly. When she saw them riding their horses, she immediately clamored to ride a horse as well.
Ji Bei knocked on her head. "After we sent you back to Guoshi Residence, we have to return to the military camp. Do you know you will delay us if you ride a horse?"
Xiaoli rubbed the painful spot on her head and shouted at Ji Bei. The two people were engaged in a shouting match when Ji Xi came over. He pulled her over and gave her a push up his horse, then he flipped his body to sit on his horse. Lowering his voice, he frowned at the dumbfounded Ji Bei and asked. "Are you still not leaving yet?"
When Ji Bei saw the two people riding the horse in an embrace, he became agitated and showed his dissatisfaction.
"Second Elder Brother, you will not ride fast if you ride together with her! It will cause a longer delay!"
Ji Xi held down the jubilant little girl and raised his eyebrows at his younger brother. "Why don"t we race?"
"Why not?!" Ji Bei felt his boiling blood rise. The two brothers were evenly matched therefore he was confident he would not lose as his Second Elder Brother had that little fool with him!
Jumping on his horse, the Ji Family"s Third Young Hero coolly galloped off in a cloud of dust.
Although the person in front riding on his horse had already vanished from sight, Ji Xi was very calm and rode leisurely on his horse that was famous for traveling long distances.
Xiaoli felt so anxious that she twisted excitedly around in his arms and urged. "Second Elder Brother, hurry! Ji Bei is going to win!"
"Let him win." Ji Xi happily hooked his lips cheerfully in the intoxicating warm spring breeze. "I am …..not concerned."
The four words that had always make the little girl feel dizzy since she was young, now completely stunned her. She asked doubtfully. "Not concerned? Then what is the concern of Second Elder Brother?"
Ji Xi smiled even more brightly. He looked down at the little girl in his arms and her flower-like face then shook his head and laughed. "…….Little fool!……"
"Xiaoli……." Suddenly his voice changed. "This morning when Ji Nan was not there to see you off…….were you very disappointed?"
Xiaoli who was playing with the horse"s mane, nodded her head when she heard. "Um……yes!"
She had asked w.a.n.gfei Niang Niang about the ice silk and found out it is a rare material. It is said that if the whole world"s ice silkworms were gathered together, they had to spit a total of ten days before a piece of silk can be produced. The black ice silk is rarely seen and not easily obtainable. For the commoners, even if one had thousands of gold it was still hard to obtain the material and it was also rarely found among gifts offered as tributes.
She had rummaged through the stores housing the treasures of the w.a.n.g Residence and w.a.n.gfei Niang Niang and she had even secretly searched through Princess Niang Niang"s store…….but she was unable to find even a chi of the material. Ji Nan had promised to enter the palace to find a bale for her but he had ran off to spar swords with that silly Second Prince!
What is so good about sparring with swords? What sword can compare to her Shifu?
She feels very disappointed!
The person who heard her answer became silent and when he spoke again, his tone became a little deeper. "Xiaoli, do you like Ji Nan?"
"Yes!"
"……..do you like him more than me?"
Xiaoli thought for a while. "Almost the same…….."
Ji Xi was not satisfied with her answer. "There is always a little difference, right? Who is the person Xiaoli likes the most?"
"I like the most……. I like my Shifu the most!"
Only Shifu can help her cultivate to become a fairy!
Now her heart and her eyes are only filled with her adorable Shifu!
Ji Xi sighed. This foolish girl…….he cannot hope she will understand.
However, Ji Nan is not a male after all. Since the w.a.n.gfei loves Xiaoli so much and if there is a better choice, she will definitely not let Xiaoli marry Ji Nan. This time, when Eldest Brother returns home in victory, he should be getting married. Then he, Ji Xi, will take advantage when both his Father and Mother are feeling happy, and also with w.a.n.gfei Niang Niang to plead for him, he is confident of being successful with his request.
As for that Shifu of hers……. The young hero Second Young Master did not think a fortune teller has any fighting power since he is only the Lord Guoshi who shows a cold expressionless face to frighten others. Even the girl in a man"s disguise, Ji Nan posed a bigger threat than him………
All along the way, hugging his little girl while enjoying the spring scenery, the two people talked and laughed happily.
When they reached the 10-li meeting point of the Guoshi Residence"s forest, the furious Ji Bei was already waiting there with anger rushing up to his head. As soon as he saw them, he held up his whip and pointed at Ji Xi angrily and shouted. "You lost! You lost!"
Ji Xi showed a pleasant demeanor and said calmly. "Um…..I lost. So what if I lost?"
Ji Bei was dumbstruck……… Right, what if he lost?
Ji Xi pushed his foolish brother aside and gently and sweetly sent the happy little girl into the Guoshi Residence"s carriage. He watched until the carriage disappeared from sight then he smugly turned around and got up his horse.
"Come, let"s have another race! The loser has to clean the horses!" As soon as his words fell, the young man who was in a good mood had already sped off.
As if waking up from a dream, Ji Bei started to panic and climbed up his horse to chase as his screams drifted in the wind. "You sneaked away! !"
**8**8**8**8**
When Ji Xiaoli returned to Guoshi Residence, she could not wait to go to Guan Xing Pavilion to look for her adorable Shifu.
She had brought all her favorite and rarest things and she wanted to gift all those things to him!
Chen Yubai had studied the stars the whole of last night. Presently, he is sleeping on the couch and did not have the energy to look at the little girl who was running into the pavilion.
"Shifu! I have returned!"
Just as he was resting elegantly on the couch, Lord Guoshi was awakened by her shouts. He wrinkled his eyebrows in annoyance and his eyes remained closed unwilling to look at her.
Ji Xiaoli happily ran up to him and placed the bag she was carrying on his couch with a thud. At the same time, she climbed on the couch and happily began to pull out all the things in her bag.
"Shifu, look at this stone from Donglu Mountain…….does Shifu know about Donglu Mountain? It is the highest mountain in the celestial world…….has Shifu been there before?"
"This is a water plant from Wanhu Lake! Where is Wanhu Lake in the celestial world, Shifu? Is it true that the water from the lake can help the dead to resurrect, Shifu?"
She had brought over her collection of many years and as she talked she pulled out the things filling up nearly half the couch.
Originally, when Chen Yubai closes his eyes, it is an indication for people to stay thousands of li away from him but he did not expect that the person he wanted to keep away would not understand.
"A piece of stone-like velvety blanket" pressed down on the legs of Lord Guoshi and the light smooth black ice silk horrifically plumped up and then went down again. Chen Yubai finally could not keep his eyes closed.
With an expressionless face, he silently used force to pull out his legs and coldly ordered. "Gather up all these things and then retreat 10 paces away from me!"
"What is the matter? Can it be Shifu doesn"t like these things?" Ji Xiaoli looked at him with surprise and suddenly realized. "Oh…….Shifu must have seen these things every day in the celestial world so they annoy you, right?"
Chen Yubai did not know how to explain such a complicated matter to her so he closed his eyes. With a tone that was extremely restrained and direct, he said. "I don"t like people coming close to me."
So stay away from me! You and your messy things…….stay away from me in the future!
By saying this, Ji Xiaoli should be able to understand!
She showed an expression that said "I understand" and her pair of eyes lighted up.
"A mortal coming close will contaminate the energy of a fairy, is that right?!"
Chen Yubai only wanted her to keep a distance and nodded indifferently.
Who would have expected that she would instantly fly over and pounce on him?!
Lord Guoshi was completely unprepared for it. The distance between them was very close and he was in a sitting posture while leaning slightly backward. When she pounced on him and landed on the couch, her body pressed down on top of him.
Ji Xiaoli held her Shifu"s head tightly in her pair of hands and glued her body to his while she ground madly.
Celestial energy! Celestial energy! Quick come into my body!
It is the first time in his life that someone pounced on Chen Yubai……the first time he is held tightly with a body pressed down on him……..the first time that a living person dares to press him down……..and she even dares to rub her body on him……
The blood in his whole body coagulated and he froze.
Xiao Tian called out twice to his Master outside the door but still, there was no response. When he was prepared to call out the third time, the Sixth Prince who was holding two bales of black ice silk had long become impatient. He pushed the little boy aside, kicked the door opened and walked in.
As soon as the Sixth Prince entered the door, he was greeted with the scene of the fiery rhythm on the couch……..
The most distinguished Sixth Prince of the Great Ye Kingdom stood there gaping at them.
The Second Prince walked in after him and was also shocked but then a slight smile rose on his face.
Chen Yubai gathered his senses and angrily flung his sleeves to remove the person from his body. With this move, Ji Xiaoli was sent flying away. The Second Prince gave the Sixth Prince who was standing in front of him a gentle push which resulted in His Highness, the Sixth Prince staggering a step forward.
By the time he steadied himself, the person was flying towards him. Subconsciously, he dropped the bales of black ice silk he was holding and caught her.