Chapter 27: A Great Master Produces Outstanding Students

    

Chapter 27: A Great Master Produces Outstanding Students

The city’s curfew had begun, and the distinct sound of hooves startled the residents near the street.

“Who dares ride a horse at night?”

 

This voice also alarmed the patrolling guards, and one of them was just about to draw his sword to stop the rider when his leader kicked him.

“What are you shouting about? Who do you think you're showing off in front of? Didn’t you see that’s the Xuanzhe Army?” The leader scolded, “Are you trying to get me fired?”

The young recruit was bewildered. “Xuan... Xuanzhe Army?”

Of course! Just today, General Cui had returned to the capital with the Xuanzhe Army. He had heard about it too!

Unable to hold back, the recruit asked again, “Captain, are they heading out of the city? Why would the Xuanzhe Army leave the city so late at night?”

“The Xuanzhe Army’s business is none of your concern!” 

And so, he received another kick.

The group of guards continued their patrol, while in one of the dimly lit houses on a back street, a young man was sitting by the light, staring at a letter in disbelief, his face still filled with shock. “How... how is it possible? She’s not dead...”

He suppressed his astonishment and muttered to himself, “Then again, I didn’t act personally that night. She might not even know...”

Once he steadied his emotions, his eyes flickered as he started to think anew.

...

As Cui Yuanxiang presented his token, the tightly shut city gates slowly opened.

The group rode swiftly towards Dayun Temple.

 

...

At Xingning pavilion, in the residence of the General, Chang Suining sneezed.

“What’s wrong, my lady? Are you unwell?” Xi'er, who was kneeling by the bed, became flustered, offering a handkerchief and pouring water while tears welled up in her eyes again. “It’s all my fault for not taking better care of you! Waaa...”

Chang Suining silently handed back the handkerchief she had just received.

Those who knew her would understand it was just a sneeze.

 

To those who didn’t, seeing Xi'er’s frantic behavior, one might think she had coughed up a bowl of blood.

“My lady,” another servant, Que'er, entered at this moment, “your brother is here.”

Chang Suining nodded, signaling for him to be let in.

Moments later, Chang Sui’an strode in, but as he passed through the curtain, the young man abruptly slowed his steps, trying to appear more composed.

However, his agitation and anger showed in his voice: “Ning Ning, guess what I found out!”

After her afternoon bath, Chang Suining, now dressed in women's attire, leaned back on the bed, watching her brother, who had been busy the whole day, and said, “Brother, sit down and have some water first. Take your time, there’s no rush.”

Chang Sui’an had brought back much news about Zhou Ding, with two pieces of information particularly worth mentioning.

...

Shortly after Chang Sui’an left, Chang Suining asked Xi'er to put out the lights: “Let’s rest early; we have to rise early tomorrow.”

Xi'er nodded in agreement.

Tomorrow, her lady was to meet Zhou Ding, so preparations would need to start early.

However, her lady’s idea of getting up early was not quite what Xi'er had imagined, and it certainly wasn’t to prepare for meeting Zhou Ding—

The next morning, before dawn, Xi'er, who had been dozing on the floor, groggily opened her eyes only to see her lady already up, dressed in a young man’s robe, tying her long waterfall-like hair with a silk ribbon.

Xi'er’s eyes widened as she quickly got up. “My lady, what are you doing...?”

Chang Suining deftly tied her hair and said, “Come with me to the training grounds.”

Xi'er opened her mouth but couldn’t find the words to speak, so she simply nodded dumbly.

The General’s mansion was certainly not lacking in training grounds.

Normally, Chang Sui’an and the house guards would come here to train, and since the Chang family was known for their martial heritage, even the household staff would come at staggered times to practice.

That morning, when Chang Sui’an and Chu Xing arrived, they were surprised to see two figures already running around the training grounds.

Chang Sui’an first recognized Ache, and then focused on the figure ahead, and couldn’t help but exclaim in shock, “Sister?!”

His expression at that moment wasn’t one of seeing a ghost—it was worse than seeing a ghost.

The young man hurried forward.

Chang Suining noticed him and slowed down, switching from running to walking.

“Ning Ning, you...”

Before he could finish his sentence, after making brief eye contact with his sister, Chang Sui’an saw the sweat-drenched girl suddenly turn her head, clutch her chest, and begin to dry heave.

Chang Sui’an: “?!”

The young man anxiously and self-consciously touched his own face.

Could his sister really be that disgusted after just looking at him?

“Ning Ning...”

“My lady!” Xi'er rushed over, patting Chang Suining’s back while crying again, “Are you feeling unwell? It’s all my fault, waaa...”

Chang Suining waved her hand, gasping slightly. “I’m fine, it’s just the sudden exercise. I’m not used to it yet.”

This body was far weaker than she had imagined.

In fact, she even felt that she hadn’t been this weak before she died.

Chang Sui’an hastily said, “Then don’t push yourself!”

“No, I’ll adapt quickly.”

Her voice, though soft, carried determination, as if once she had decided on something, she was certain to achieve it. She had both resolve and confidence.

This confidence reminded Chu Xing of the day at the inn, where this girl had said, in the same tone, that she would eventually lift the “Zhanxiu” blade.

But perhaps because she was the only daughter of the Chang family, and with their deep connection to those they once served, even when she made wild statements, Chu Xing couldn’t help but find them amusing and endearing.

He walked over and asked, “My lady, are you truly set on learning martial arts?”

“Yes.” Despite her face being pale from the earlier nausea, her eyes were bright as she looked at him. “Uncle Chu, can you teach me?”

Chang Sui’an: “?”

Was he standing too far away? Why didn’t his sister see him?

Chu Xing was somewhat surprised. “Do you want me to teach you, miss?”

Chang Suining replied, “Yes, only a renowned master can produce outstanding disciples.”

Chu Xing paused for a moment before laughing.

What a notion—renowned masters produce outstanding disciples.

Not only was it a compliment to him, but it also flattered her, right? He thought to himself that the young lady was quite confident.

Chang Sui'an felt a pain in his knee.

So, his sister thought he wasn’t a renowned master and couldn’t produce outstanding disciples…

“Good!” Chu Xing actually agreed. “If the young lady truly has the heart to practice martial arts, how about coming to see me every other day?”

Chang Suining asked, “Can’t I come every day?”

When not in battle, Chu Xing should be quite free, and he practiced martial arts every day himself.

Only diligence could make up for a lack of talent; she despised wasting time idly—put simply, she couldn’t stand being idle.

Chu Xing raised an eyebrow.

“It’s not that you can’t,” he pondered for a moment and said, “Then how about coming here every day at the hour of Chen?”

Chang Suining thought for a while. “What about the hour of Mao?”

Chu Xing was taken aback.

Coming early was fine, but the young lady’s tone hinted at a somewhat “compromising” attitude and “not wanting to be too demanding” vibe…?

He suppressed this inexplicable feeling and said, “Then follow me first.”

Chang Suining nodded and followed him.

“Today, you will learn the standing stance first. The standing stance emphasizes being as rooted as a tree—standing straight and stable,” Chu Xing smiled and asked, “There’s a saying: ‘To enter the door, one must first stand for three years.’ Can you endure it, young lady?”

Chang Suining nodded. “I can endure it.”

But she wouldn’t need three years.

Because she would be more diligent than ordinary people, and she would surely be a “once-in-a-millennium genius.”

 

“You must learn to sink your shoulders and drop your elbows, to keep your chest in and your back out, and to focus your energy in your dantian—”

Not far away, as he watched his sister practice the standing stance, Chang Sui'an felt a mix of emotions. “Xi'er, don’t you think… Ning Ning has changed too much?”

Xi'er wiped her tears and nodded. “I think so. In the past, the servant would cry with the young lady, but now, after all these changes and near-death experiences, she hasn’t shed a single tear… Now the servant can only cry alone. It’s very lonely.”

“…” Chang Sui'an scratched his head. “That might be a good thing.”

Xi'er began to cry again. “Who told the young lady to injure her brain, sob sob sob.”

Chang Sui'an was somewhat exasperated by her crying. “Stop crying; you still have to go out with Ning Ning today.”

“Right!” Xi'er hurriedly looked up at the sky, forcing back her tears, and frantically waved her hands in front of her face to fan the air.

After Chang Suining returned from the training ground, she bathed and changed into a soft lotus-pink spring dress. As she instructed Xi'er, she decided to find a tailor to measure her for a few fitted robes for practicing martial arts.

Xi'er agreed while secretly thinking—tailoring such clothes would take time. If they used the usual tailor, the material and workmanship would need to be top-notch, which would take at least half a month.

Yesterday, the young lady said that in half a month, her mind would be fine… By then, would the robes still be needed?

As Xi'er contemplated seriously, Que’er walked in. “Miss, Scholar Master Qiao and his wife are here. The General has specifically sent someone to invite you.”

“Scholar Master Qiao—” Chang Suining asked Xi'er on the way, “Who is that? What’s our relation? Why does Father want me to see this person?”

Naturally, someone with a broken brain could ask such questions without hesitation. Xi'er softly replied, “Scholar Master Qiao is a third-grade scholar from the Guozijian. He watched you grow up and cared for you greatly…”

Chang Suining responded, “Qiao Yang?”

Xi'er exclaimed in surprise, “So you remember, young lady!”

Chang Suining’s expression shifted slightly.

Of course, she remembered.

She just didn’t expect that this lazy guy had now become a Master Scholar—would he really not mislead the students?

After doing some psychological preparation, Chang Suining quickly met with Scholar Master Qiao.

“Suining has suffered this time…” Scholar Master Qiao, who was over forty, had evidently heard the general outline from Chang Kuo. His eyes were red, and his hands trembled slightly—

Seeing that the young girl showed little reaction, his eyes turned even redder as he choked out, “Suining, do you really… not remember your Third Father?”

Chang Suining replied, “…?”

Third—Father?

Why is there a sequence to calling him Father?

Who is Second?

There can’t possibly be a Fourth, right?

 

“And you should also remember your Third Mother!” Scholar Master Qiao pushed out the teary-eyed Master Scholar’s wife, Wang shi. “You loved eating the jade dew dumplings that your Third Mother made!”

Chang Suining’s breath hitched.

Scholar Master Qiao pushed out another person, this time a gentle and refined young man. “What about your brother? You don’t even remember your brother?”

Chang Suining felt speechless.

The challenges she needed to face were increasing.

“... It’s Second Brother!” Chang Sui'an , who was beside her, corrected with vigilance.

Ning Ning’s only proper older brother was him; Qiao Yubai could only be the second brother!

The young man, who was of the same age, only two days younger than Chang Sui'an , furrowed his brows at him. “... What are you arguing about at a time like this?”

Is this really the time to be squabbling over names?

Chang Sui'an couldn’t help but glare—was he trying to make Ning Ning think he was more understanding?

Three thousand words; this can be considered a bonus chapter~ 

The last day of the month, I’m asking for monthly votes. I checked the rankings, and we’re at 115. Since that’s the case, does anyone have votes left? If we can break into the top hundred, it will reward the book with some points. Who knows, maybe we can make it (thank you, everyone; even without being on the shelves, you all still love the book, haha).

November has ended; I thank everyone for accompanying the new book in its first month. With everyone here, I sometimes feel that the outside world’s storms and rain have temporarily paused. This place feels like home, very reassuring and warm. I hope you can find a bit of relaxation and comfort here~ 

(The chapter ends) 

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