Volume 1 Chapter 43

Volume 1 Chapter 43

In a few days, it would be the Mid-Autumn Festival, so on the main streets, one could see mooncakes and pastries everywhere. The mooncakes here were all handmade, and Leng Jiu enjoyed several of them, finding them absolutely delicious! Still dressed in the attire of the girl next door, she bought a few bags of things and ran towards the Prime Minister’s mansion. Because Gong Yuwei had instructed the guards, they did not stop her. Leng Jiu tossed a small bag over and then bounced inside!
She found the steward of this place, Uncle Xiang, and eagerly went to bribe him with gifts, wanting to inquire about the name of the elder brother from yesterday. Uncle Xiang said he was a distant relative of the Prime Minister, named Yuwei. Leng Jiu was speechless upon hearing this. Couldn’t they come up with a better pseudonym? Yuwei, Gong Yuwei… did they think she was a fool? But it seemed she really could only play the fool!
Gong Yuwei had gone to court and hadn’t returned yet since it was still early. Pretending to ask casually, she then went to find the two siblings. The courtyard was secluded and spacious. From a distance, she saw Mo Di practicing martial arts in the courtyard. There were a few maids who seemed to have come from nowhere leaning against the wall outside, looking flirtatious. Leng Jiu couldn’t help but smile!
Walking into the courtyard, Mo Di had finished his punches and picked up a bamboo stick less than three feet long from the ground to continue practicing. Leng Jiu noticed his grip on the weapon; it didn’t look like he was holding a sword but rather a curved blade, which the people of the grasslands were most adept at. His movements didn’t emphasize formality like swordsmanship but were more about bold and forceful strikes, devoid of any elegant aesthetic. Yet, his entire body exuded strength and wildness, with each strike seeming to carry a deadly determination, direct and decisive. Leng Jiu genuinely admired him!
After finishing his routine, Mo Di lowered his stance and stuck the bamboo stick into the ground, glanced at Leng Jiu, then silently returned to his room. Leng Jiu didn’t expect him to greet her or anything, so she followed him inside!
Mo Yina had rested well for a day and night and was feeling better. Not unconscious, she saw Leng Jiu come in and greeted her with a smile, “Miss! You’re here!”
Leng Jiu untied the package in her hand, didn’t even look at it, and threw one to Mo Di, then took a small one towards Mo Yina, “You can’t eat too many miscellaneous things now, this is candied fruit, eat one when your mouth feels uncomfortable!”
Mo Yina nodded, “Thank you, Miss!”
Leng Jiu sat down and asked lightly, “Do you know martial arts?”
Mo Yina looked at Mo Di, “Children from the grasslands know martial arts, but my brother is much better than me!”
Leng Jiu also looked over there. Mo Di opened the package, looked at the round mooncakes, and looked at them, looking like he didn’t know what to do, which made Leng Jiu speechless: “This is mooncake. On the fifteenth of August, Mid-Autumn Festival, you must eat this for reunion. There are still a few days left. I’ll take a few for you to try!”
Hearing this, Mo Di put down the mooncakes and left, furrowing his brows slightly, apparently somewhat displeased!
Mo Yina hurriedly explained, “Miss, don’t be angry! My brother is thinking of something sad! The king and the queen mother died at the hands of the bad guys. A few of our siblings also died, and the youngest two sisters were even roasted. I was watching not far away. My brother wanted to rush up and fight with others, but I held him back. I can understand his mood. Those two sisters were seven and six years old, so cute. How could I not be angry? But we have to live. Otherwise, our whole clan will really be destroyed!”
As Mo Yina spoke, tears flowed out, true despair and sadness!
Leng Jiu patted her hand, “I know! I’ll go see your brother!”
Opening the door and going out, looking around, she found him behind a tree shade, sitting directly on the ground, leaning against the tree trunk behind him, looking up at the blue sky, a hint of moisture in his pale purple eyes!
Sensing that Leng Jiu was coming over, he immediately retracted his sadness and became the look of a stranger not to be approached!
Leng Jiu smiled indifferently and sat down beside him, imitating his manner, looking at the sky, “What are you thinking about? How to get revenge? How to go home?”
Mo Di moved without answering, and Leng Jiu turned sideways to face Mo Di, letting him look directly into her eyes. At this moment, those usually plain eyes were cold, sharp, and irresistible: “You are now just a stray dog of a fallen family, even self-defense is a problem for you. What else do you think you can do? Or do you just want to rely on your martial arts to get revenge? Don’t you think it’s unrealistic and laughable? You can’t even get out of the shadow of the past. You can only be someone who lives in the past. Don’t talk about avenging your dead relatives. Without my help, I guarantee you will lose your last loved one!”
“Mo Di, I didn’t ask you to be grateful to me for helping you, but you have no right to throw your face at me and put away your arrogance as the prince of the grasslands. You don’t have the capital to be arrogant now!”
Mo Di was originally angry, but in the end, he restrained himself, looking at Leng Jiu for a long time without speaking!
Leng Jiu snorted and got up casually, patting the leaves on her clothes, “What I said that day wasn’t finished with you. Since you promised to become mine, you must have the consciousness to serve me as your master. If you don’t even have this self-awareness, I don’t mind killing you myself. If you don’t believe it, you can try it!”
She had finished speaking, and that was the last time. She was interested in them, but the premise was that they had to be sensible. She wouldn’t do such a humble thing, even if she did, they weren’t qualified to endure it!
Just as Leng Jiu was about to leave, Mo Di behind her finally spoke, “What exactly is your identity?”
Leng Jiu stopped her steps, calmly and emotionlessly said, “Do you think you have the right to ask?”
“I… can follow you, but I must take revenge!”
“Revenge is your business. As long as you have the ability, I won’t stop you!”
Mo Di was silent for a moment, finally got up, and knelt on one knee, “I, Mo Di, swear in the name of the true god of the grasslands, willing to pledge allegiance to you, never betraying in this life!”
Leng Jiu finally turned around, raised her eyebrows and smiled, “My name is Leng Jiu. As for my identity and everything else, when you become my confidant, you will naturally know. I know you have hatred in your heart, but there is a saying, ‘A gentleman’s revenge, ten years is not too late.’ Even if you exert all your strength to take revenge now, it is just killing a few people on the other side. Is this number too few for the hatred of exterminating a clan? Why not wait until you have enough power to let the other side taste this shame of exterminating a clan?”
Mo Di’s purple eyes narrowed suddenly, something brightening in his heart. He stared fixedly at Leng Jiu and realized she was actually very beautiful, especially in this moment, like a queen looking down from on high, confident with a faint smile, composed and dignified, exuding an aura that made people involuntarily want to submit.
“I’ve said my piece. You’re not a fool. Figure it out for yourself!” After speaking, he stopped looking at her and turned back to the courtyard.
Seeing the faint crescent moon in the distance, Leng Jiu immediately suppressed her earlier demeanor, transforming into a simple neighborhood girl. She joyfully ran over, “Big Brother! You’re back!”
Gong Yuwei’s cold eyes softened slightly when he saw Leng Jiu, “The steward said you’ve been here for quite a while.”
Upon hearing the word ‘steward’, Leng Jiu wrinkled her nose and leaned over, quietly complaining, “That steward uncle is so annoying. He wouldn’t tell me where you went when I asked, nor would he say if you have a girlfriend. I even bought mooncakes for him to eat!”
Gong Yuwei smiled at her words, though his expression was slight, it was evident he found it amusing. But that smile vanished in an instant, replaced by puzzlement as he asked, “What’s a girlfriend?”
“It’s a girl you like, and she likes you back. You exchange letters or hold hands!” Leng Jiu explained in a long string of words, then suddenly looked at Gong Yuwei with a slightly sad expression, “Brother, you said it’s not allowed? Does that mean you have a girl you like?”
“Cough cough!” Gong Yuwei coughed uncomfortably, avoiding Leng Jiu’s bright eyes and turning his head aside, whispering, “No!”
Seeing his ears turning pink, Leng Jiu was satisfied, feeling he was truly innocent and cute, making her want to give him a playful bite. She pretended to be nervous and asked, “Really? Brother, you’re not lying to me?”
“I’m not lying!”
“That’s good then!” Leng Jiu seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
Gong Yuwei felt awkward all over and had to change the subject, “It’s almost noon now. Have you eaten?”
Leng Jiu shook her head, “No, I’ll go home to eat later.”
Gong Yuwei relaxed slightly and said, “Since it’s noon, stay and have a meal.”
Leng Jiu’s eyes brightened, “Okay!”
Gong Yuwei’s lunch was not elaborate, just three dishes and a soup, very simple. Leng Jiu wasn’t picky either. Sitting down, she picked up her bowl and started eating casually. Her movements were graceful out of habit, but it felt comfortable to watch, nothing seemed amiss. On the other hand, Gong Yuwei ate with the same precision as everyone else, every movement flawless. By the end of the meal, not a grain of rice was left in his bowl, which was so clean it looked like it had never been used. Seeing this, Leng Jiu was speechless!
She wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and realized Leng Jiu was staring at him. Gong Yuwei was slightly stunned, then couldn’t help but feel nervous, “Is something wrong?”
Leng Jiu shook her head, “Nothing’s wrong, I just feel… um… you eat like you’re doing something very serious!”
Gong Yuwei chuckled at her words, “My husband is a very serious and demanding person, whether it’s towards others or himself. It’s something he’s used to, and it’s hard to change now!”
Gong Yuwei’s smile momentarily caught Leng Jiu off guard. When he had no expression, he was a distant and forbidding handsome man, but now with a warm glint in his eyes and a shallow smile, he exuded a gentle and refined aura that was hard to look away from, “Brother, you look even better when you smile. But if you smile like this, I wonder how many women would be enchanted by you!”
Gong Yuwei’s smile froze for a moment. How did they get back to this topic again? “Ahem! I haven’t asked how I should address you.”
“I’m Leng Jiu. You can call me by my name or Ah Jiu, Xiao Jiu, it’s all fine!”
“Then where does Jiu live?”
Leng Jiu leaned closer, “Brother, why do you ask where my family lives? Are you planning to come and propose?”