Chapter 27 Part 1

Returning to Qingjing Study, Cai Zhao personally dressed Chang Ning's wounds.

The wide robe was slipped down below his shoulders, revealing the young man's well-defined chest and back. His shoulder blades were broad and strong, his muscles firm and well-proportioned. Cai Zhao changed the cloth several times before finally applying medicine and wrapping it with bandages.

Cai Zhao had intended to leave after her job was done, but seeing Chang Ning sitting dazedly on the reclining chair with his lapels open, she sighed and bent down to pull his lapels together and straighten his clothes.

Chang Ning suddenly snapped back to his senses and leaned forward without any warning. He was tall with broad shoulders, and this posture happened to completely envelop the girl under his shadow.

Cai Zhao's hands were still holding his clothes. Before her was the young man's slender neck with its distinct Adam's apple, his cool aura mixed with a faint scent of blood. She turned her face to the side and frowned, saying, "Why do I feel like you've grown taller these past few days?"

She remembered that when she first met him, the youth before her had a gaunt and frail appearance.

"Is that so." Chang Ning looked at his forearm; the bones were long and slender, and beneath the fair skin were firm, powerful muscles. "Perhaps it's because I've been eating and sleeping well these few days. It's all thanks to Zhaozhao."

Cai Zhao knew he was talking nonsense again. She placed her hands on the young man's chest and pushed him away forcefully. "If you don't want to talk about it, then don't. Who can't tell that you've made progress in your cultivation and are on the verge of recovery?" Chang Ning had been injured and poisoned for a year. Boys of his age grew quickly, and she guessed that the growth suppressed for a year was now catching up.

Chang Ning smiled. "You stabbed me with a sword, and I'm not even angry, yet you are."

Cai Zhao put the water basin aside and turned around. "Were you trying to slash Qi Lingbo's face just now? If you had really slashed it, how did you plan to deal with the aftermath?"

"I didn't think about how to deal with it. If I can't stay in the Qingque Sect, I'll just leave," Chang Ning said lazily.

"If Qi Lingbo's face was disfigured, how could she go on living?"

"What's there to not live for? She has a precious and powerful fiancé anyway. She can still be the Sect Master's wife in the future. With Young Hero Song's character, he wouldn't go so far as to annul the engagement just because his fiancée's face is disfigured." Chang Ning couldn't hide the gloating tone in his voice.

Cai Zhao was stunned. She realized there seemed to be nothing wrong with his words. "...So, you were actually trying to screw over Third Senior Brother?"

Chang Ning tilted his head in thought, then fell back onto the reclining chair, chuckling.

Cai Zhao threw the cloth heavily into the water basin and said resentfully, "Third Senior Brother ought to teach you a good lesson. He has no recent grudges or past enmity with you, yet you go and set him up!"

Chang Ning stood up and said seriously, "Zhaozhao is right. To prevent Young Hero Song from coming to deal with me, I will be entering seclusion again starting tomorrow."

"How long this time? One day and one hour, or two days and two hours?" Cai Zhao eyed him sideways.

Chang Ning: "Four days and four nights. I definitely won't come out early this time. I'll have to trouble Sister Zhaozhao to continue guarding the seclusion for me."

Cai Zhao breathed a sigh of relief and patted her chest, guaranteeing there would be no problem—as long as Chang Ning didn't go out and stir up trouble, she would not only guard his seclusion, she'd even guard his coffin.

"I smell sugar-glazed cherries. Are they for me?" Chang Ning tilted his head and sniffed lightly, a delighted expression on his face.

Cai Zhao leaned against the doorframe, turned back, and chided with a smile, "If you had slashed Qi Lingbo's face and had to flee down the mountain tonight, I would have shared that bowl of sugar-glazed cherries with everyone, without leaving a single drop of syrup!"

Outside, the bright moon was like a jade plate. The gentle evening breeze stirred the flowering branches in the courtyard. The girl turned back, smiling as she held the door, her delicate little nose slightly upturned, looking mischievous yet warm.

Chang Ning suddenly felt a rush of heat in his chest, a strange, humid warmth.

Slightly surprised, he pressed a hand to his chest.

...

Twin Lotus Splendor Pool Palace. There were only three people in the inner room.

Qi Lingbo had just washed her entire body several times, only willing to step out of the bath after confirming that there was no swampy smell in her hair. At this moment, she was sobbing and complaining to her mother.

Yin Sulian was also in a difficult position. It wasn't until she heard that it was Chang Ning who had come to provoke them this time, and that Cai Zhao had been stopping him, that she slapped her thigh and cursed, "That short-lived ghost whose whole family is dead! See how I'll deal with him!"

Granny Mao was drying Qi Lingbo's wet hair. "Madam, please calm down. The scores between both sides are settled now. It's best we don't stir up any more trouble. Just as I said, Cai Zhao was raised by Cai Pingshu after all. No matter how sharp-tongued she is, she won't act out of line. It's fortunate she stopped Chang Ning today. Madam and Young Miss can rest assured. This old servant thinks that Chang Ning won't come looking for trouble again."

How could Qi Lingbo endure this? She couldn't help but complain that her mother was timid and unwilling to stand up for her.

Yin Sulian was also fuming. She couldn't help scolding, "You! What did I tell you when Chang Ning first came up the mountain? I could tell at a glance that Chang Ning was not someone to be trifled with. His eyes are ruthless and cold. I predicted he would amount to something great in the future. I told you to show him more care, to ask after his well-being—men are easiest to win over when they are down and out, sick and weak!"

"And look at you! Not only did you fail to make him feel grateful and admire you, but you've become enemies instead! You tell me, you tell me, how on earth did you manage this!" Yin Sulian poked her daughter with her finger, feeling that she had failed to live up to her expectations.

Qi Lingbo felt very wronged. "I did go! I went over every few days to show my care and concern, serving tea and water, and even tailored clothes for him. But that man surnamed Chang was not only ungrateful, he also mocked me in every possible way. This... how could I endure this!"

She remembered Chang Ning's eyes, which seemed to see through everything, as if he completely understood her intentions. Every time she mustered her enthusiasm to go and ask after his well-being, Chang Ning's eyes would be full of ridicule and mockery, making Qi Lingbo feel like a jester.

Yin Sulian sighed. "Alas, at least my judgment was good. Chang Ning is indeed a remarkable person. He's only been recovering for a few days, and Dai Fengchi is already no match for him. What a pity. Lingbo failed to win him over, and instead, that little vixen Cai Zhao benefited."

Qi Lingbo turned away in a huff. "I'm useless! I'm an idiot! I've embarrassed mother, alright!"

Just as Yin Sulian was about to coax her daughter, she saw Granny Mao give her a look. She quickly straightened her face and began to scold her daughter, "You are indeed useless. It's one thing to be unskilled in both literary and martial arts, but you don't even have a bit of forbearance. Even if you couldn't win Chang Ning over back then, you could have at least maintained a normal friendship. It didn't have to turn into enmity."

"Mother! How can you say that about me!" Qi Lingbo was scolded to tears.

"It's a good thing your aunt has passed away. If she saw your arrogant, domineering, and brainless appearance now, she definitely wouldn't want you as her daughter-in-law!" Yin Sulian continued to 'motivate' her daughter.

Qi Lingbo cried even louder.

Granny Mao gently coaxed her, "Young Miss, don't blame Madam for her harsh words. She's doing it for your own good. Back then, your aunt and your mother—one was exceptionally intelligent and never miscalculated, the other was incomparably beautiful and empathetic. Even though the sisters' martial arts were a bit lacking, they still thrived in the Jianghu, praised by everyone, not much worse than that Cai Pingshu."

"Don't be fooled by that little girl Cai Zhao's nonchalant expression. A quiet dog is the one that bites! In this old woman's opinion, she's much stronger than her aunt was back then. Not only are her martial arts good, but she's also skilled in scheming and manipulating people. That Chang fellow has such a violent temper, always shouting about fighting and killing, yet she subdued him right away. Heaven knows what kind of shameless efforts she put in behind the scenes. Hmph, one face in public, another in private!"

"Young Miss Lingbo, you should learn more from her in the future. Don't be so straightforward..."

Qi Lingbo couldn't listen anymore. With an angry shout, she rushed out, running all the way to a side room on the west side where Dai Fengchi was lying inside, resting and recovering from his injuries.

Qi Lingbo's wet hair was a mess, and she gritted her teeth. "I must teach that little vixen Cai Zhao a lesson!"

Dai Fengchi hesitated. "Her martial arts are not bad." Meaning, we can't beat her.

"I know!"

"And she has a sharp tongue." We can't out-argue her either.

"I know that too!"

"Master and Madam won't let you use your private guards." We don't have enough help.

"Do you even need to tell me that!"

"Then what do you plan to do?"

Qi Lingbo sneered hatefully. "I've already thought of a way. I'm going to ruin her reputation!"

...

On the morning after the burning of the Immortal Jade Exquisite Residence, Chang Ning began his seclusion. Before he did, he casually handed Cai Zhao a thick stack of bank notes, saying it was compensation for the wooden bridge over the deep gorge.

Cai Zhao quickly counted it. Good heavens, it was fifty thousand taels. That was enough for not just a wooden bridge, but a gold or silver one. She asked again, "What about Senior Sister Lingbo's residence? You were the one who set that fire." The fire had been put out in time and not much was destroyed.

Chang Ning said without hesitation, "If the Immortal Jade Exquisite Residence is uninhabitable, just have her move to the Lodge of Longevity. It's even closer to her fiancé. Kills two birds with one stone."

Cai Zhao: '...Brother Chang, you should hurry into seclusion. Good riddance.'

After locking the troublemaker in the inner room with three large iron locks, a very distressed Cai Zhao went to find Qi Yunke. Who would have thought that Song Yuzhi happened to be there too, his face proud and stern, looking at the sky, the ground, his master—everywhere but at her.

Cai Zhao first conveyed Chang Ning's apology (Chang Ning: I didn't apologize), then suggested that if the Immortal Jade Exquisite Residence was severely damaged, it would be better to let Qi Lingbo temporarily stay at the Lodge of Longevity.

Qi Yunke shook his head, politely declining the suggestion. "The Immortal Jade Exquisite Residence is made of gold and jade. How could it burn down so easily? Besides, it's good for Lingbo to learn a lesson."

When they left the main residence, Song Yuzhi walked silently in front of Cai Zhao. As they parted at a fork in the road, he suddenly turned and gave the girl a deep look, his gaze holding a hint of blame.

Cai Zhao: '...Uh, maybe he doesn't want to live too close to his fiancée.'

Afterward, she went to handle the compensation matters, handing the thick stack of bank notes to Zeng Dalou. Just as Zeng Dalou was holding the notes and about to speak, Cai Zhao cut him off, "Eldest Martial Brother, if you also want to say something like 'try to persuade Chang Ning more, Lingbo is just childish and has no ill intentions,' then there's no need. The last person who said that was beaten so badly by Chang Ning that his own mother might not recognize him."

Zeng Dalou sighed. "Why is he so unforgiving when he's in the right?"

"And why is Eldest Martial Brother so fond of siding with Senior Sister Lingbo?" Cai Zhao dropped this line and leisurely strolled away.

Besides leaving behind fifty thousand taels of bank notes, Chang Ning also 'roped in' four helpers.

These four rather unsightly outer sect disciples, from the second day onward, very obediently came to the Qingjing Study to work, doing tasks like fetching water, chopping firewood, carrying things, tidying the lawn, and trimming bushes. Furong only had to move her lips, and they would work like ants, doing whatever she pointed at.

Feicui didn't even need to move her lips.

Cai Zhao initially refused politely. After all, outer sect disciples were not servants, and it seemed the four of them came from well-off families.

Ah Gua said with a righteous expression, "The other martial brothers who wronged Young Master Chang have all ended up in such a state. The four of us only got a little frightened. If we don't come to show our sincerity, it would be an injustice against heaven!"

Ah Zao: "Young Master Chang is magnanimous and didn't stoop to our level. It's because he is born noble and benevolent. The four of us can't take his kindness for granted!"

Ah Zui: "Young Master Chang and Senior Sister Cai are dragons among men, peerless heroes, the favored children of heaven! For us little brothers to be able to run errands and do odd jobs for you two is a blessing cultivated over several lifetimes!"

Ah Sai: "...Actually, it's because on that day by the cliff, we said that as long as Young Master Chang spared our four dog lives, we would definitely work for him like horses and oxen."

—Gua, Zao, and Zui all turned to look at Ah Sai with condemning gazes.

"..." Cai Zhao. "As long as everyone is happy."

The next three days were the most peaceful and leisurely days Cai Zhao had spent since coming to the Myriad Waters Thousand Mountains Cliff.

No one came to harm Chang Ning, and Chang Ning didn't go out to cause trouble. Apart from her daily training and preparations for battle, Cai Zhao would drink fire-clearing lotus seed soup in her leisure time and watch Gua, Zao, Zui, and Sai fawn over Furong and Feicui. She was finally living a leisurely and pleasant life.

Unfortunately, it only lasted for three days.

Early on the fourth day, Cai Zhao noticed that Gua and Zao avoided her gaze and acted furtively. Ah Zui opened and closed his mouth several times, playing the elegant drama of wanting to speak but hesitating. Cai Zhao couldn't be bothered with the three of them and directly asked Ah Sai, "If you have something to say, say it. If you hide it for no reason, I'll have Brother Chang skin you all alive tomorrow."

Ah Sai immediately spilled everything like tipping over a basket. "Senior Sister Cai, there are rumors about you spreading all over the sect!"

"Rumors? About me?" Cai Zhao suddenly felt like a long-forgotten plot from a storybook had come to life.

In the stories, there was always a kind and gentle young lady. She had a pitiful background and a vicious female cousin who would harm her from time to time. The methods of harm were varied, with the most popular being spreading rumors to damage her reputation, making the young lady too ashamed to face anyone and leading her to commit suicide by bashing her head.

Of course, Cai Zhao would definitely not kill herself by bashing her head. She wouldn't be able to kill herself even if she bashed Jiuli Mountain into a flat-topped mountain.

The content of the rumor was very simple: After coming up the mountain to become a disciple, little Lady Cai met Chang Ning, the orphan of the Chang Clan of Wu'an. In just a few short days, her pity for him turned into affection, affection into love, and finally love into an illicit affair! Although little Lady Cai already had an arranged marriage with the Zhou Family, the two were still passionately in love and couldn't control themselves, holing up in the Qingjing Study every day to be intimate.

—It was described so vividly, as if the person had been hiding under Cai Zhao's bed and witnessed it.

Cai Zhao was dumbfounded after hearing it—not angry, just dumbfounded. She completely failed to understand the logic of spreading this rumor. "What's the point of spreading this? Are they trying to make Master convict me of being fickle and promiscuous and then have me thrown into a pig cage?!"

She thought about it again and felt it wasn't right. "But there's no such crime among the Six Sects of Beichen." The Song Family of the Vast Heaven Sect had a beautiful, romantic, and spirited female senior who married five or six times in her life, and she met each subsequent husband while still married to the previous one.