Chapter Six, The Mountain Girl

Hua Lingyao did not ask Pei Qian why he was in such a hurry to investigate Deng Chengzhi's background, but merely expressed her surprise: "Old goat?"

Hua Lingyao said slowly: "The current second-rank General Zhennan, your old enemy Fei Dele."

Pei Qian murmured a few words under his breath, watching Hua Lingyao's figure as she left. He approached the steaming copper basin, just about to wash up, when he heard Hua Lingyao's voice from outside: "You shouldn't be sleeping."

Yao Hua, the girl from the mountains... But how did she grow up like this? After the old goat happily trotted away, Pei Qian sat in the small hall, staring blankly at the busy figure of Yao Hua.

Hua Lingyao gazed deeply at Pei Qian, her look seeming to penetrate to the depths of his guilty conscience, and said: "I will go boil some water; you should take a bath as well"

He felt both surprised and delighted, exclaiming, "Aha! That was a great fall, a marvelous fall!" Without using any internal energy to bounce back, he allowed himself to fall solidly to the ground.

Hua Lingyao released Pei Qian's hand and said, "Today it is your turn to give a lecture, do not be late"

At the moment of his frustration, the flower spirit Ling Yao suddenly vanished from the opposite bed

Hua Lingyao remained completely unperturbed and replied, "At least in the past, you would meditate and cultivate your energy every night, working diligently. It is said that in order to avenge your father, you once vowed not to shave your beard."

"Your money is stained with blood," Hua Lingyao completely disbelieved his nonsense and said, "No one is willing to accept it"

More importantly, it seems that in her understanding, the Red Flag Army has reached an agreement with Duan Min to exchange blueprints and formulas for lives. What exactly is the underlying implication here has left Pei Qian even more confused

Yao Hua lifted the chair and suddenly spoke in a voice as clear and pleasant as a spring: "Do you find this interesting?"

Pei Qian walked over to the tall, thin boy with his hands behind his back, bent down, and said with a kind expression: "Please stop messing around, alright?"

Pei Qian seemed to have had his tail stepped on, jumping up high and saying: "I dare not trouble Your Majesty, I will do it myself"

"Because we need that blueprint and the formula." Hua Lingyao's cold gaze fixed on Pei Qian as she said, "For the people in the mountains, I must come. Duan Min, I deceived Yue'er by saying it was because Uncle Qing Er was poisoned by your deadly toxin that I had to agree to let you live for another thirty days. If you do not wish to die, then quickly steal out the blueprint and the formula."

"You need to help me with something right away." Pei Qian rubbed his temples and looked up at Hua Lingyao, saying, "Go find the old goat and borrow a green mule. Ride it to Yunchong Town to buy something back. No matter what method you use, make sure to investigate the ancestry of Deng Chengzhi, the third-class embroidered-clothing envoy from the original Taiyang Prefecture, especially to find out who this dead man's father is."

Pei Qianyue increasingly felt that it made sense, regretting that he should not have let the old goat go so quickly. Otherwise, he would have had to exhaust all his efforts to thoroughly investigate the ancestry of this old fellow for at least three generations.

Pei Qian returned to his residence, and someone had sent over his official uniform badge and a set of utensils, all neatly arranged beside the official register. The gates of Pei Qian's courtyard were left unlocked, welcoming anyone who wished to visit— as for Qi Wuting, this talented and charming lady, Deputy Speaker Duan felt it would be more prudent to politely decline her advances.

Before the tall, slender youth could react, Pei Qian grabbed the bun on his head and slammed it against the table. "Bang, bang, bang!" While striking, he viciously said, "Stop messing around, alright? Stop messing around, alright?!"

Hmm? Pei Qian was furious and said: "Who exactly is whose master? You little girl manage everything under the sky, and now you even control when I sleep and fart?"

"No way, I want to return it!" As this thought suddenly emerged, Pei Qian slapped his forehead and cursed, "Fool!"

Early the next morning, Pei Qian groggily felt someone pushing him. He casually swatted at the person, irritated, and said, "Stop messing around, I haven't woken up yet!" Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his wrist, prompting him to exclaim, "Ah!" as he opened his bleary eyes.

Bang! The study door was pushed open by Hua Lingyao. There was a hint of anger in her eyes, but upon seeing the scene inside, she couldn't help but be taken aback. Pei Qian was leaning against the wall, holding a duty book, intently reading by the candlelight that streamed in through a small hole, seemingly putting in even more effort than a poor scholar who had studied hard for ten years.

He tapped the table and called out in a voice that was neither high nor low, lacking in conviction: "Silence!"

Pei Qian took it without even looking and tossed it onto the table. Suddenly, he touched the back of his head and revealed a strange smile towards the servant, saying: "Did Lord Liushasha send you? Then I must apologize for my rudeness"

Upon thinking of Shui Lingyue, he felt his entire body tense up, fearing that Yao Hua might suddenly draw a dagger from somewhere and execute him on the spot

He closed the official register, took a moment to collect his thoughts, and pondered over the events of the past day and a half. He muttered to himself: "Qiu Huosheng, Liu Yunsha, Old Goat, Qi Yin, and that bastard Fei... Everyone else has the advantage of leaning against a big tree for shade. Yet here I am, relying on a crooked tree. At least the old ghost still has a bit of conscience; he didn't reveal my secrets to Hua Lingyao, and I must give him credit for covering for me."

But what if it is truly a coincidence? Pei Qian could not help but think that perhaps the old goat really did find a girl from the mountains named Yao Hua, after all, this name is commonly used by young women

Hua Lingyao was momentarily at a loss for words, and after a brief silence, said: "I am very curious, how is it that you and the Duan Min I know seem like two different people"

Pei Qianyi, upon waking, chuckled and said: "Isn't it the chief steward of the military academy who is sober? Didn't he bring you in?"

After completing his business, Pei Qianxin contentedly visited Hengyuexuan, enjoying a hearty meal that included both breakfast and lunch. Subsequently, he casually signed for a debt of three or five coins at the counter, secretly thinking: "When I drift away a month from now, you can go ask the old goat for this debt. Who told him that I could buy on credit here?"

Hua Lingyao seemed not to understand the implied meaning behind Pei Qian's words, but she did comprehend the unique nickname "Old Goat." A faint smile appeared at the corners of her lips, but it quickly vanished, and her expression returned to its previous dullness. She nodded and said, "I will return before dark."

Hearing that Deng Chengzhi's father holds the official rank of a fourth-grade official and is the chief of the embroidered uniform in Huangyuan Prefecture, wielding significant power over life and death, Pei Qian was immediately filled with admiration for Qi Wuting. He truly could not understand how she managed to get involved with this esteemed chief, Deng.

Unexpectedly, someone below immediately shouted: "Is it the '断' from '断头鬼'?"

Only Pei Qian knew that on this night he slept very soundly, not at all worried that someone would come to assassinate him. Because, in the next room, there lived a girl who wanted to personally take his life

He is feeling quite pleased, but he himself is in a dire situation. Pei Qian couldn't help but rub his temples, exhaling as he said, "Miss Hua, you wouldn't be mistaken, would you?"

Hua Lingyao's expression was cold as she said, "I sincerely hope that I am mistaken, allowing you to die in obscurity three days from now"

Having finished the breakfast delivered by the staff of Hengyuexuan, Pei Qian felt too lazy to greet Hua Lingyao. Dressed in his complete fifth-rank official attire, he swayed his empty hands and headed to the lecture hall. Upon arriving outside the Shuyi Hall, Pei Qian was immediately taken aback by the scene inside. There were at least two to three hundred eager students gathered together, some joking and laughing, while others were munching on corn cobs and sunflower seeds. The mix of boys and girls created a lively atmosphere that was ten times more boisterous than the flower halls of brothels.

No, you should not die; it is I who should die! Pei Qian felt extremely pleased and, taking the opportunity, grasped Yao Hua's "delicate hand" and said: "It is I, Tang wwwhetushucom.com, who is the true beauty, deserving of a thousand deaths."

At this moment, Pei Qian had already identified his target. He slowly stood up and walked towards a tall, slender youth sitting in the fourth row. This individual was dressed smartly and appeared lively, clearly a scion of an official family. A group of sycophantic friends nearby were stomping their feet and banging on the table, and they showed no fear upon seeing Pei Qian approach.

Pei Qian was taken aback and said, "Now I am your master, you must listen to me!" Undeterred, he reached out his hand again.

Who among those unaware of the truth is deceiving themselves, Hu Lingyao, or are they all being deliberately misled?

At this point, he exclaimed fiercely: "Bah, why should he be difficult? He might be enjoying himself in some brothel with the few hundred taels of silver that I haven't spent yet."

Pei Qian calmly set down the book and smiled, saying: "It's Yao Hua, you almost scared me. I was just trying to save a bit, to accumulate some money to ask you to donate to the mountains in the future. This way, I would feel better about my conscience"

The servant entered the room in a hurry and respectfully said: "I, a humble servant, am here on the orders of Lord Liu Yun to deliver the official appointment documents to Lord Duan."

Unexpectedly, Miss Yao Hua squatted down, and her rough fists gently pounded on Pei Qian's thigh, while asking, "My lord, is the strength I am using appropriate?"

However, very quickly, he swung his hand back and slapped his own face, exclaiming, "There is a mosquito!"

Pei Qianfei quickly interjected, "Then why do you insist on having the blueprints and formulas that I stole?"

Pei Qian painfully realized that the role of a deputy lecturer is not something everyone can handle. Not only must one give lectures once every ten days, but one is also responsible for the monthly, quarterly, and annual examinations. On the 4th, 14th, and 24th of each month, one must honestly stay at home to wait for students to come for questions and clarifications

The tall and thin boy further believed that Pei Qian was easy to bully, and he made an exaggerated grimace, saying: "Haha, short-lived—"

Pei Qian almost collapsed in the chair, finally understanding why Fei Dexing was so relentless in causing him trouble—it's not that he wanted to defeat him in the duel three days later, but rather to kill him

He got up and walked around the room, suddenly struck by an idea, and unsteadily made his way into the study next door

He counted on his fingers and realized that according to the schedule, he was supposed to give a lecture to that group of inept young masters tomorrow. However, he had not prepared anything at all, and he wondered what he would talk about when the time came

Pei Qian glanced at the small hole and honestly said, "There is none left. Why don't you take a careful look around?"

Hua Lingyao shook her head and said: "Do what you must do, you have twenty-eight days. During these twenty-eight days, I will ensure your safety. Between you and me, there is only this much." The dagger vanished into her sleeve.

Whoever knows, as soon as they lifted their leg, heard Yao Hua exclaim, "My lord, be careful!" Her hands seemed to want to support Pei Qian, yet intentionally or unintentionally pushed against his raised thigh. Pei Qian suddenly lost his balance, and both he and the chair fell backward.

Yao Hua approached with small, delicate steps, her head slightly bowed and her eyes downcast. In a low and coarse voice, she asked, "What instructions do you have, my lord?"

Hua Lingyao said calmly: "I have also reviewed your duty roster, so that I can better supervise you and ensure you do not go astray."

Indeed, on a late autumn morning, it is quite rare to see mosquitoes in the room. However, one can see a poisoned dagger, identical to the one used by Shui Lingyue, pressed against Pei Qian's lower abdomen

Yao Hua helped Pei Qian up and discreetly withdrew her hand to gently pat the dust off his back, saying, "My lord is joking."

Pei Qian stood rigidly, raising both hands and declaring: "I assure you, I will not lay a hand on you for the entire day."

Pei Qian sat back at the desk with a smile, showing no embarrassment over the loss of the teacher's dignity. For him, the ruckus and commotion of these young masters were nothing compared to the master-disciple struggles he had with the old ghost; they were merely trivial matters, hardly worthy of mention.

"Damn it, I not only have to fight against Liu Yunsha and the others, but also against my own people!" Pei Qianshi truly regretted asking for too little. Had he known it would come to this, he should have directly requested that Hua Lingyao accompany him to bed that day. Even if the old ghost wouldn't agree, he wouldn't have to deal with the current troubles.

Indeed, the remuneration is quite substantial, amounting to a total of one hundred and fifty taels of silver per year. This is comparable to that of a second-rank official in the capital; however, it is still insufficient to afford two nights' stay in the fragrant chamber of Miss Yu Shi

After sending off Hua Lingyao, Pei Qian idly opened the official duties register. Aside from the nonsensical regulations of the Cloud Military Academy, which were listed on the left and right, most of it detailed his responsibilities as the deputy lecturer of the Mathematics Hall.

Pei Qian fell silent, continuing to wash up, realizing that he was merely looking for trouble. He had brought back a little aunt who was untouchable and could not be scolded, along with a heap of trouble.

Pei Qian felt a sense of relief and sat back in his chair, saying: "Then why did you agree?"

Perhaps Duan Min is in the know, and thus deliberately poisoned an inconspicuous third-rank embroidered-clothing envoy, causing Federer to be left without heirs, providing an outlet for his deceased father's grievances

What disappointed Pei Qian was that she had not removed the disguise from her face, indicating that this small hole was dug in vain

Hua Lingyao's dagger advanced slightly, forcing Pei Qian's stomach to contract, and he did not dare to breathe: "Then let's add tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, and the day after that..."

Hua Lingyao suddenly realized that she had actually smiled at a traitor. This traitor had humiliated Shui Lingyue just a few days ago. Her smile gradually turned cold, and without saying another word, she turned and went back into the house

Therefore, he must investigate this girl thoroughly and cannot carelessly sell himself out. Pei Qian blinked and came up with an idea, suddenly calling out: "Yao Hua, come here!"

He muttered under his breath: "Damn it, you really hit the nail on the head. Isn't that surname Duan a short-lived fellow?" His gaze searched for those students who were shouting the loudest. As expected, a few noble disciples were not only yelling but also stealing glances at Fei Dexing, who was smiling and stroking his beard, seemingly detached from the situation.

The sound at midnight sends chills down the spine. Pei Qian felt a knot in his heart, doubting whether the speaker was a man. The cough replied, "My legs are sore and painful from walking, you should give this official a massage first." After saying this, he carefully observed Yao Hua's change in expression, secretly pleased, thinking, "If you truly are the Flower Spirit Yao, you will definitely turn against me."

Pei Qian chased to the door and asked, "Hey, you have run back and forth over a hundred miles, aren't you going to take a bath before sleeping?"

In an instant, the hall fell silent, with not a sound from the crows or sparrows, and all the cries, laughter, and screams vanished. Only Pei Qian's furious roar and the wretched cries of that unfortunate soul remained. Among these several hundred students, who had ever witnessed such a scene? In their panic and fear, they all unconsciously turned their gazes towards Fei Dexing.

Heavens, his thieving hand was just an inch away from Hualing Yao's chest, tightly grasped by her. The look in the other person's eyes clearly indicated that a storm was about to unfold

Pei Qian stopped laughing, closed the door, and said: "How did you end up looking like this? It's utterly unattractive." As he spoke, he reached out to wipe Yao Hua's cheek. Yao Hua merely took a small step to the side, successfully evading Pei Qian's grasp.

As dusk approached, Hua Lingyao returned as scheduled. Pei Qian asked while closing the door, "Is there a result?"

Pei Qianxin felt a chill in his heart and then heard Hua Lingyao say: "Besides here, where else is there?"

Pei Qian laughed heartily, knowing that with this, others would only think he was crazy and would never suspect Yao Hua's identity

Pei Qian was very eager to throw a punch and flatten that smiling face, but ultimately, he composed himself and introduced himself: "Ladies and gentlemen, I am the new deputy lecturer of Shuyi Hall, my surname is Duan—feel free to call me Mr. Duan from now on"

Pei Qian suddenly remembered that he had to play the role of a teacher this time. He yawned and said, "Strange, how did you know?"

Then, his interest undiminished, he slipped into the backyard to thoroughly inspect the water room inside and out, and casually made another hole.

Pei Qian saw the servant outside the door and inwardly exclaimed that it was bad, realizing that his earlier behavior had been fully observed by this person. He could only imagine how this fellow would embellish the story upon returning, elaborating on the romantic escapades of the deputy lecturer.

He straightened his attire, feigning authority as he placed his hands on his waist and said: "Hey, what are you sneaking around outside for?"

Pei Qian stood up dejectedly, feeling frustrated over the failure of his spying plan. It was not until much later that he learned that within less than four hours on that very day, Hua Lingyao had traveled a thousand miles in the Yungong Mountains, crossing the blockade lines of both the Red Flag Army and the imperial army twice, in order to retrieve the precious intelligence that saved his life

Hua Lingyao ignored his bluster and said as she pushed the door open to leave the room: "I am going back to my room to rest"

He hurriedly got up and shouted, "What are you doing? Can't you let anyone sleep in the early morning?"

Pei Qian felt a pang of bitterness in his heart and lamented: "This woman has witnessed me executing her fellow disciple on the spot. If she were willing to agree to be my personal maid, would she really care about a couple of blows to her legs?"

Hua Lingyao continued, "However, after reviewing other relevant materials, I found that it may not be the case."

Pei Qian was taken aback and thought to himself: "How strange, where did she wash up? Could it be at the old goat's place? Oh no, this would mean that this old fellow has profited from it!" Recalling the incident of peeping outside the window last night, Pei Qian felt he had suffered a great loss and hurriedly picked up the duty roster on the table and rushed into the study.

"If it’s not Deng Jue, then doesn’t that mean he’s been cuckolded?" Pei Qian was taken aback and said, "Who has such audacity?"

Pei Qian was eager to ask, "What will you do after I steal it?" However, his mind was heavily shaken by another piece of information—apparently, Hua Lingyao was unaware of her true identity and still regarded him as that deceased man, Duan Min.

"Finished, finished, the head of the deputy speaker has been completely smashed." The errand boy stood dazed at the door, holding the duty roster, looking at it from side to side, yet he could not see any qualities of a beauty in Yao Hua.

Upon seeing these few fellows exchanging glances with Fei Dexing, Pei Qian was instantly filled with rage, thinking to himself: "There is an eight or nine out of ten chance that this bastard with the surname Fei has gathered all the military academy students here, just waiting to see me make a fool of myself. You want to play tricks on me? I will play it straight with you!"

When these students saw Pei Qian enter, they did not rise to greet him, treating him as if he were just a wild dog that had slipped in from somewhere.

At this point, Pei Qian felt invigorated and carefully scrutinized Hua Lingyao, who was working silently. Unfortunately, after staring for a long time, he still could not detect any signs of disguise.

"Lord Duan, with your wealth, it seems unnecessary for you to resort to stealing light through the wall, does it not?" Hua Lingyao asked coldly, standing at the door.

Yao Hua glanced at the servant, hurriedly stepped forward to support Pei Qian and said, "My lord, are you alright? It is my fault!"

He felt a slight disappointment and pondered: "How strange, how could it be that the old goat sent the flower spirit Yao here? He cannot possibly be unaware of this girl's background; otherwise, what a coincidence it would be! So, it seems that the old goat is also one of the Red Flag Army... This means that his helping me fend off that woman's dagger last night was only to be expected"

The students below observed that the new instructor from www.hetushu.com had a mild temperament and a kind disposition, which further intensified the commotion.

It is quite a coincidence that the military academy servant, who was tasked with delivering the official appointment document to Pei Qian, just walked into the courtyard and was left dumbfounded by the scene before him. He truly could not understand why Lord Duan, after taking a tumble, was still so exuberant, dancing and gesticulating with joy. It seems that this fall must have been quite severe, likely causing some issues with his mind.

Immediately, his laughter came to an abrupt halt, akin to a rooster caught by the neck. Pei Qian's expression changed in an instant, and with a fierce and menacing look, he delivered a punch to the unfortunate fellow's face, resulting in a sharp "crack" as the nasal bone broke and blood flowed profusely.

Suddenly, the Shuyi Hall was like a boiling pot, with some people cheering, others making strange noises, and among them were not a few girls' screams

Hua Lingyao nodded and replied: "Deng Chengzhi's father is Deng Jue, the chief embroiderer of Huangyuan Prefecture, but..."

He patiently waited for a while before stealthily approaching the wall's edge, peering through a small hole to glance at the opposite side

Pei Qian was also unconcerned, smiling as he walked to the teaching desk. A glance revealed that the master was sitting among the students, indifferent to the surrounding noise, only focusing on him with a smile.

Hua Lingyao is the foremost expert among the younger generation of Gujian Pool, and in recent years, her reputation has soared; who does not know her? Even when she goes out wearing a veil, there are certainly many disciples of Gujian Pool who have seen her beautiful face. If she were to swagger into the Cloud Military Academy without any disguise, would she not be putting herself in danger?

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Upon hearing the words "rude" and seeing Pei Qian's strange smile, the servant was instantly filled with dread, hurriedly retreating and stammering, "Not rude, not rude, it is the villain who deserves to die a thousand deaths for disturbing you..." In a moment of carelessness, he tripped over the threshold, tumbling out of the courtyard, even saving the reward he originally intended to demand for running errands.

In the chamber, Hua Lingyao was sitting cross-legged on the bed, her hands forming a peculiar seal in front of her abdomen, her eyes slightly closed as faint green smoke rose from the top of her head

Hua Lingyao entered her room and said indifferently, "Do I look like someone who hasn't washed up?"

Hua Lingyao stared at Pei Qian with a smile that was not quite a smile, remaining silent. Pei Qian spread his hands in helplessness and said: "This time, there really is none left"

Then someone argued loudly, "What do you mean by ears? Clearly, Mr. said it was the 'short' of a short-lived ghost!"

Pei Qian caught a glimpse of Fei Dexing out of the corner of his eye; that fellow was silently lurking nearby, reveling in the misfortune.

Upon reflection, Pei Qian couldn't help but feel that he was the one at the greatest disadvantage. No matter what, he had to recover his losses from Hua Lingyao tonight. However, this girl wouldn't even let him catch a glimpse of her true self; if pushed too hard, she might very well stab him in the stomach with that poisoned dagger.

Pei Qian shuddered but said fiercely, "Who is afraid of whom? If you want to play with poison, the Fei family is still a bit too inexperienced!"

Although some people (and it is highly likely that it is the so-called thousand-year first disciple of the Ancient Sword Pool, Hua Lingyao) find the sensation of pounding their legs quite pleasant, Pei Qian still felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles. He initially intended to make the girl stop, but as the words came to his lips, he suddenly thought: "Damn it, a man without poison is not a true man! I don't believe I can't uncover your secrets!" He deliberately feigned great anger and shouted, "What on earth are you pounding?!" and kicked towards Yaohua.

At first, he felt that he had fallen for the old trick again. That old fellow had long known the financial background of Hua Lingyao, yet he deliberately chose not to reveal it, allowing him to willingly jump into the fire pit.

Very good, the study and Hualing Yao's room are separated by a layer of brick wall. Pei Qian took out a awl from behind his waist, and after carefully positioning it with a professional eye, he cautiously drilled a small hole in the wall. He leaned closer, widening his right eye to peek into the opposite room, which faced the bed and dressing table.

I miss you so much, give me a chance, " Hualing Yao's voice was colder than ice, " let me kill you.