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墨書 Inktalez
Dressed in the usual White Night Cloak (what a reckless choice, wearing such a color in the dark was practically asking for trouble), I spent a long time disguising myself. Finally, I had Xiao Quanzi stand guard while Yun Ying went to sleep in my room, just in case of any unforeseen accidents. I certainly did not want any surprises in the palace; even a small mishap could come at a great cost, and I was not in a position to bear that.
I swiftly made my way to Jun Jin Villa using my lightness skill. It had been a while since I last saw Little Seven, and I found myself missing his chubby face, so white and smooth that pinching it would surely be delightful. However, fearing that I might scare him, I hesitated to act on that impulse.
"Young Master, you're back!" Little Seven exclaimed with surprise as he looked at An Jin.
The young man smiled lightly. "Yes. Thank you for your hard work, Little Seven."
"That's what I'm supposed to do."
"Is everything well at Jun Jin?"
"Yes. Ever since you arranged for those people to protect us in secret, business across the country has rarely been disturbed. Profits have been steadily increasing. However, there is something strange." Little Seven's usually drooping eyes suddenly sharpened, and An Jin smiled with satisfaction; this was indeed the renowned Vermilion Bird King.
"What is it?" The young man's expression turned slightly cold; whatever had made the typically calm Little Seven serious was bound to be significant.
"In the past six months, a force has suddenly emerged from the shadows in the martial world, and they have been searching for you. Now, rumors about 'Jin Shao' are rampant in the martial world, with everyone speculating about who Jin Shao is. The incident from when you broke through at Spring Garden has resurfaced, and the name 'Double Calamity' has already spread far and wide."
The young man remained expressionless and continued, "Go on."
"Yes. This force is known as the 'Dark Gate,' which has a history spanning several decades. Because of its connection to you, I took it upon myself to investigate. This organization has remained hidden since its inception. However, what puzzles me is that the Dark Gate rarely engages in activities within the martial world; yet when they do, it coincides oddly with some disturbances and major events in the martial realm. Their appearances maintain balance in ways that ordinary people would hardly notice. So although they have always existed, many have overlooked them. Recently, their activities revolve around two matters: one is searching for your whereabouts; the other is countering certain forces."
The young man's face seemed shrouded in layers of mist; Little Seven could hardly discern his features as he cast a faint glance at Mai Qi and said, "I understand."
Mai Qi felt a sense of worry from his calm tone and couldn't help but remind him, "Young Master, please be careful."
"Yes. By the way, Little Seven, has your mother been brought over?"
"Yes. Young Master’s kindness, Little Seven will never forget."
"Have I moved into the courtyard I prepared for her?"
"Yes. Mother is living in Virtuous Pavilion."
"Mm. Then I can rest assured. I will pay attention to the matter of the secret door; Little Seven just needs to protect this home." The young man suddenly turned around and gazed intently at Mai Qi, saying, "Little Seven just needs to wait for the day I return. It’s late tonight, so I won’t disturb my aunt; please convey my regards to her."
"Understood. Young Master."
"I’m leaving now. I will notify you if anything comes up."
After saying that, he covered his face with a veil again and instantly vanished over the tall stone wall. Only Mai Qi remained in place, staring blankly at the white, flowing figure as it departed, along with the cold bright moon hanging in the distant sky.
"To drink and sing, how brief is life? Like morning dew, the past is bitterly long. One should be generous in spirit, yet worries are hard to forget. How to relieve sorrow? Only with Du Kang. Qingqing Zijing, my heart drifts endlessly. But for For Your Sake, I ponder until now. The deer call softly, feeding on wild apples. I have esteemed guests, playing the zither and blowing the sheng. Bright as the moon, when can it be plucked?..."
"Cao Cao's poem. Young Master has quite an appreciation for poetry," I said casually while focusing on brewing tea.
"It seems Miss Xie has some knowledge of this," he remarked as he took a slight sip from the tea I handed him and sighed, "Good tea."
I didn’t know why, but after entering the palace, I had developed an interest in tea culture and gradually began to show off a bit.
I also took a sip and smiled, "I dare not claim that; I just read his poems in my childhood."
"What do you think of them?"
"Indeed, you possess the spirit of a great hero."
He suddenly turned to look at me, and I pretended not to notice, continuing to focus on brewing tea. I had borrowed many historical texts from this era and knew that in the eyes of people from this time, Cao Cao was undoubtedly a notorious villain. My praise would surely evoke his surprise and confusion.
In truth, the means employed in politics and survival have no distinction between righteousness and treachery. Moreover, everything he did was his responsibility. With his determination and ambition to unify the realm, he naturally had to pay the price and employ various strategies. In my view, such methods are insignificant in modern times; anyone in the highest position must possess the audacity and courage to disregard the world.
To survive and dominate in chaotic times, one must do what others will not do and think what others will not think.
Meeting his puzzled gaze, I calmly said, "In times of chaos, heroes arise; when peace prevails, heroes naturally fade away. Especially those who dare to defy the world. They are not bound by secular constraints; they are driven solely by their ambitions and ideals, all for the day they see a unified realm. This is admirable. Although he ultimately failed, he exerted his utmost effort; regardless of success or failure, he is still a hero. From a survival standpoint, the righteousness and foolish loyalty you speak of do not exist."
He gazed at me with a complex expression and remarked curiously, "You are quite special; as a woman, you are very unique."
I laughed lightly and replied playfully, "Young master, you're not the first to say I'm special, nor will you be the last." After a moment, I sobered and said softly, "Everything I do is simply to avoid losing myself; there’s nothing particularly special about it. I just don’t want to become someone I no longer recognize."
"I find your words increasingly difficult to understand," he said with confusion.
"Honestly, I don’t fully understand them myself," I admitted with a self-deprecating smile.
"By the way," I suddenly remembered, "we've known each other for quite some time now. Calling each other 'young master' and 'miss' feels rather awkward. How about this: from now on, you can call me Firefly, and I'll call you Li Jiu." Since our hasty introduction, I had frequently come to borrow books from him. At first, he was reluctant, thinking it inappropriate for a young lady to be borrowing military texts and historical strategies. However, after several discussions sparked by our debates, he gradually found himself at a loss for words. Although I didn’t understand much scholarly knowledge, even the common ideas known in modern times were astonishingly unconventional here.
"Alright," he replied noncommittally.
Just as I was about to insist on hearing him call me that a few times, a small eunuch-like figure suddenly entered and respectfully addressed him: "Master, Young Sir has arrived."
"Yes. Please let him in," Li Jiu said. I watched as his demeanor shifted from relaxed conversation with me to one of seriousness and authority. Honestly, there was indeed an air of command about him; however, as I glanced around this shabby room, I wondered if there could truly be a master in such a dilapidated place. Yet what surprised me even more was what came next—if there were such a thing as regret medicine in this world, I certainly wouldn’t have wanted to hear that Young Sir had arrived and lingered without leaving. Although this was after I asked Li Jiu whether we needed to avoid him and he said it wasn’t necessary…
After a while, a small figure in light yellow rushed in, enthusiastically calling out, "Teacher—"
Hearing that familiar voice, I couldn't help but look up, only to meet the curious gaze of the child. Once I recognized who it was, I forgot where I was and everything around me. It truly is a case of not being able to avoid each other—how did this little benefactor end up here? Wait, he called me Teacher Li!
He was equally startled to see me and then exclaimed, "You little court lady, what are you doing here?" When he noticed me staring at him in surprise, he became annoyed and said, "How dare you not pay your respects upon seeing the Crown Prince?"
Li Jiu was about to intervene when I shook my head at him. I then stood up and walked over to the little benefactor, respectfully kneeling down and saying, "This servant pays her respects to His Highness the Crown Prince." I bowed deeply and remained on the ground for quite some time without him allowing me to rise. I knew he was deliberately making things difficult for me as revenge for my previous disrespect towards him. Gritting my teeth, I endured!
"Your Highness!" A male voice suddenly rang out from the center of the room—it was Li Jiu. I hadn't expected his voice to carry such authority; he commanded respect without even raising his tone!
The little benefactor was taken aback and quickly addressed him with respect, "Teacher."
Li Jiu looked sternly at his beloved student and said calmly, "Has His Highness forgotten my past teachings?"
"Indeed. Teacher is right. The student has been taught well."
Upon hearing the little benefactor say this, Li Jiu's expression softened slightly as he turned to me still kneeling on the ground and said, "You have no business here anymore; you may leave."
"Yes. This servant takes her leave." Knowing he was intentionally helping me, I smiled gratefully at him as I walked away. However, at that moment, he sat upright with a tense expression, exuding an air of authority that was quite impressive. Sigh, does he really have to maintain this serious demeanor even as a teacher? Truly—
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